Patio Perfection

 

 

 

What better way to spend the morning, than out on the deck, having a refreshing snack, (or in Elara's case, a mid-morning snooze) with Grandma and Grandpa? I wish things were always this easy and peaceful!

Getting to Know Grandpa

 

 

 

Elara is a fussy baby. She just is. She'll sometimes be upset from 2 in the afternoon, until we can finally get her down for the night, sometime after 10 or 11. Most of the time, only I can hold her, and even then I have to be constantly pacing or moving. But the mornings are usually more peaceful, and she'll let someone else cuddle her for a few minutes. Can't wait for her to grow out of this stage! I love holding her, and I love that she takes comfort from me, but I want her to be able to bond with the rest of her family. And let me have the occasional break!

Cheerios and Meelt

 

 

 

 

Zachary likes to have a bowl of cereal in the morning, just so he has an excuse to drink the milk right out of the bowl. He doesn't even bother to eat the cheerios first. He slurps the milk up right away, and then eats the soggy cheerios. Then he asks for more!

Gilding the Lily

 

 

 

 

 

I didn't realize just how excited I am to have a little girl, until I took her shopping with me for the first time. It was just us girls (and a 30% off to Kohls!). I packed her into the car, and it hit me: I'm taking my little girl shopping. Hopefully the first of many trips together, sharing fashion advice and bonding over sales racks. In addition to the sales racks, this trip included a blowout, and a fitting room nursing session. I still had a blast, and came away with some cute new outfits for both of us girls.

1001 Reasons to Read My Blog

 

 

 

This is our 1001st post, and we've come a long way since our 1st! We have new additions, and old favorites. Whether you are just hopping on board the PBandZ (+E) train, or you've been along for the entire ride, thank you for sticking with us, and celebrating all the milestones along the way. I know there will be lots more to come, and we're happy to share with you!

Upon Closer Inspection

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even when I'm using my long-zoom lens, these kiddos are still adorable!

Technologically Advanced

 

 

 

 

 

Two things that boggle my mind. One, how did our parents survive raising toddlers and little kids without smart phones, tablets, the internet? Two, how does this generation of little ones know so automatically how to use these things? I love watching Z toodle around on the tablet. He can navigate from one app to another, playing games, and beating all my high scores. I'm pretty sure he knows more about my phone than I do! I'm not ready to get him his own laptop yet, but I'm sure he could put it to use if I did.

New Hotspots

 

 

 

 

Now that we are living in Mystic, there are all these cool new places to go explore. We went to downtown Mystic and walked along the harbor, walked across the drawbridge, and did a little shopping. Then we stopped at Mystic Pizza for a slice as we were walking back down to Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream. They have yummy sandwiches and paninis, and really yummy ice cream. Uncle Robert recommends the black raspberry, and Zachary was a fan of the vanilla. Both had theirs with gummy bears!

Looky Look

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh those eyes! Both of my kids have such unusual eye color. I really don't know what I will put on their passports. Paul and I are so clear cut, brown and blue. But Zachary is this tumultuous bounce between brown and hazel with occasional blue or green tones, depending on the background. He started off with eyes as dark as blacktop, and his little sister seems to be on the same path. I'll be interested to see where they each end up.

PlayPals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, Amanda and Uncle Robert. Zachary is a huge fan, in case you didn't know it. He talks about you all the time. Z knows we are planning a trip to Iowa soon, and this morning he tells me this, "Momma, when we fly to Iowa, we will be at Nonna and Poppa's house, and we will play with the dudes and the castle, and Uncle Robert and Amanda will be there!" We had fun showing off Mystic, the new house, and the new baby to you. And we really enjoyed having you guys here to wake up with Zach in the morning, and hold Elara while I snuck meals and showers for myself. (Those things don't happen nearly as often when we don't visitors!)