Emma: Four

Our sweet Emma,

I can't believe that you are already four years old. There are times where it seems like just yesterday we were preparing for your arrival and then other times where it feels like you have been in our lives forever. Four just seems so grown to me. Yet you have been counting down to this birthday for what seems like months. Asking how many more months, then weeks and finally days until your birthday.

You have grown so much in the last year. Physically, you grew nearly four inches and gained four pounds. You are in the 92% in height, 40% in weight with a BMI of not quite 4%. You are a string bean for sure. You officially no longer look like a baby or even a toddler, but a little girl. Aside from the physical growth, you have matured (most days), learned new things and your vocabulary is one of sometimes a teenager. Thanks to three year pre-school, you can spell and write your name, can count to twenty and recognize shapes and some letters. Speaking of school, you loved school. You quite literally would push Nana and Maggie out the door at drop off. We were worried on how you would handle it, but you blew us away. We truly saw you shine this year and can't wait to see what the next year holds at four year pre-school.

Princesses are your LIFE. Elena of Avalor rules our house, but Elsa, Moana and Belle are close behind. You love to recite their songs and can recite quite a bit from their movies or shows. Dressing up is your absolute favorite. I think if we would let you, you would wear a princess dress all the time. In fact, that's all you really wanted for your birthday: Elena of Avalor accessories to go with the dress. You even asked for dresses and skirts for school.

While you love all things baby dolls and princesses, you also like to get dirty, play with worms and play sports. You actual have quite good coordination in soccer that we may have found a sport for you. Luckily with your dad's line of work, you and Maggie enjoy sports and watching them. Going to Iowa State basketball games is something you so looked forward and when dad is on the road, you like watching him on tv.

There is so much magic in your personality. You are incredibly kind, sincere and sensitive, but when you are mad, oooohhh are you mad! Your eye rolls, stomping to protest and the "that's not fair" are seen and heard daily. We have always said you were an easy baby and toddler, but I think the attitude of four's may rock us. But in a lot of those moments, where you just infuriate your dad and I, we have to hide our face from smiling because you are so darn cute. Luckily for us, you understand when you are in the wrong and always apologize, whether it's five minutes later or the next day. Sometimes you apologize for things you don't even need to apologize for or things I think that you have longed forgot.

I have no idea what this next year will bring, but I hope it is a year of fun, learning and the innocent happiness of being a kid.

Happy 4th, Emma Grace. We love you.

{E}: Four Year Pictures

"Darling, the one thing you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live as only you can."

Maggie: Two

Eating: Maggie's been dealing with cutting her last two molars and some sinus gunk, which seem to bother her eating. She will either eat everything and ask for more, or just pick at it all and hardly eat. There really isn't much she doesn't like. Not huge into whole fruit, but will eat it on her terms. We weaned her from whole milk and she's now drinking skim like the rest of us.

Sleeping: Maggie lets us know when she is tired, either by saying so or by going to get her pacifier, blanket and wanting to cuddle. She is taking a two to three hour nap every day and then going to bed around 7:00 p.m. then waking up around 6:30-7:00 a.m. We converted her to a big girl bed (took the side off her crib) and she is doing fantastic and absolutely loves it. There's been a few times when we go get her up from her naps or up for the day that we find her sitting on the floor with all of her stuff, patiently waiting for us. She really is smiley the moment she wakes up. We are lucky that for the most part, she is a morning person.

Development: At Maggie's two year check up, she weighed 33 pounds 2 ounces (97th percentile) and measured 36.75 inches (98th percentile). Perfectly proportional. Our pediatrician couldn't get over Maggie's vocabulary and her manners.

Aside from physical appearance in development, she's pretty coordinated with kicking, throwing, dancing and walking up and down stairs. She's good at doing puzzles, coloring and chalking lines/circles. Maggie can count to five, sometimes ten, but has been doing that for about six months now. Can sing her ABC's, sing many other songs, says her prayers and can repeat some books that she has memorized. Seriously, this girl can talk. A LOT.

Likes/Dislikes: Her dislikes are pretty typical for her age: being told no and not getting what she wants. This girl has quite a bit of sass. If she doesn't like what you are saying or doing, she will quickly tell you to stop. Maggie also is not a fan of big sister Emma invading her space, so she will bite or pull her hair to have her leave her alone. Seriously, Maggie values 1:1 time or time alone. Big sister doesn't quite understand that :) But at the same time, she loves playing along with her sister.

Maggie LOVES baby dolls. She pretends to put them to bed, feed them, change them and is very motherly with her dolls. She likes playing kitchen, coloring, puzzles, reading books and dressing up.

Let me love you a little more, before you aren't little anymore. 

SaveSave

Emma's Birthday Celebration

It has been over a month now since we celebrated Emma's third birthday, and with a little nudging from my mom, I'm finally getting around to posting about it.

We celebrated a few days early with a Doc McStuffins themed family dinner at my parent's house with Uncle Blake making the trip back for it. For the last six months prior, Emma would tell everyone she wanted a Doc birthday cake. So that's exactly what Nana made her.

She got many Doc toys and accessories, clothes and some money for her piggy bank.

On her actual birthday, we went as a family to Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast and then took her to see her first movie (Finding Dory) that afternoon.

Emma: Be gentle on us this next year. Twos were a roller coaster and we have heard that threes are even more so!

Emma: Three

Our sweet and sassy Emma turned three last month and somehow over the last six months, she turned more and more into a little girl, less like a toddler. She is such an imaginative, loving, sincere, inquisitive and spunky girl and we are enjoying watching her grow.

Likes/Dislikes: I always say Emma is all girl in terms of her love of her baby dolls, dressing up and playing pretend (especially playing doctor). She loves animals, being outside, swimming, her friends, Paw Patrol, Frozen, Doc McStuffins, doing somersaults and bossing Maggie around. It wasn't until the last couple months that I realized she is totally my child: she likes to know everything that is going on, is very particular about certain things, is very motherly, wears her heart on her sleeve and needs space when upset. But at the same time, she looks like her dad and has his silly personality. She's not a fan of sharing with Maggie but does just fine with others.

Development: At her three year appointment, she came in at 3'2 (80th percentile) and 29.9 pounds (39the percentile). She has struggled with some GI issues and after meeting with a specialist and a few trips to the doctor, we are relieved to know she doesn't have Celiacs. We will follow up again in October and re-evaluate if issues are still persistent. Health aside, she is growing leaps and bounds in her language and pronunciation. I still laugh at how silly I was a year ago at this time thinking she would be mute.

Common sayings: 

• "I don't know" or "Nuffing (nothing)" 
• "I love you so much. To the moon and back, forever and always"
• "No fair"
• "That's interesting"
• "I remember that"
• "I'm a good helper"
• "Time for your checkup. Check your ear, nose, mouth, reflexes"
• "I a big girl and Maggie a little girl"

Sleeping: Emma's still going to bed between 7:15-7:30 p.m. and waking between 6:00-6:30 a.m. Stalling at bedtime is probably her favorite routine, ha. Seriously, this can drive anyone bonkers and to the end of their rope. We went months of it taking 15-60 minutes with multiple trips back there. Now, after a month of awesomeness and only having to go back once, we are back to having to go in there three times a night. But, I know it could be much, much worse. I do loathe though when people try suggesting moving her bedtime back and maybe it would help with stalling or her sleeping later. Nope, doesn't work. It's the same issue going to bed no matter when it is and she always wakes up at the same time, regardless of when she goes to bed. Cutting out a nap isn't an option either because she (and us) need it. So she naps anywhere from an hour and a half to two and a half hours every day.

Eating: We have hit a rough patch in Emma's eating too the last couple of months. She just doesn't eat that much any more other than at breakfast. We have cut out the amount of snacking she does and that still doesn't help. There are meals that she literally just picks at and eats a few things and then some that she will ask for more. She will always eat fruit, breakfast items, peanut butter and honey sandwiches, pasta and sweet corn.

Maggie's 1st Birthday

This is long overdue, but after a crazy month, time has gotten away from me.

I can't believe that nearly a month ago we celebrated Maggie's 1st birthday.

On that Saturday, we had some friends and family over for a little party. The rain made for a cozy get together in doors, but a great time was still had. Emma picked out the theme of Minnie Mouse and my mom went to town on cakes and adorable cookies. The cake was absolutely delicious, some of her best work.....Maggie thought so too. After a little hesitation, she dug right in and didn't stop until we had to pry it away.

The following day was her actual birthday (also Mother's Day) and we had a beautiful day to enjoy a long family walk on campus before heading to Nana and Papa's for an early dinner later that day. 

We say this all the time, but Maggie is such a joy and happy baby. She has this calm yet feisty personality and oh so silly. We thank God every day for her and I pray that she always feels how loved and important she is to us. Happy (belated) birthday Maggie Claire!

{M} One Year Pictures

How is it that just last week that we had Maggie's one year pictures taken? It seems like we literally just did her newborn pictures. Stop growing so fast Maggie, I'm not ready.

Maggie: One Years Old

Likes/Dislikes: Maggie is loving the outdoors, make everyone laugh/smile, baby dolls and her new truck (thanks Nana and Papa). She's slowly coming around to liking grass and will now at least move around and touch it. Diaper changes have been a nightmare as of lately due to the fact that it requires her to lay still. It's starting to get near impossible to change her. She's also not a fan of cutting so many teeth at once. She cut two more top teeth in a matter of four days and three of four molars are super swollen. Poor girl is struggling.

Development: So much development happened in just a matter of the last month. Maggie is babbling even more with "mama", "dada", "uh-oh" and "baby". She also signs please and more, as well as lifting her arms up for "so big". She picks up a phone and puts it to her head to start talking. She's becoming more brave and climbing up on things and trying to go up as many stairs as she can before we catch her. Maggie had her one year appointment on Monday and is weighing 26.2 pounds and is 31.25 inches. Both in the 97th percentile. Dr. Patten also caught another ear infection (second one in two weeks) and so we are moving on to tubes. We have an appointment with ENT at the end of the month for a consult and hopefully with have tubes within the month.

Sleeping: The ear infections the last couple of weeks haven't really disrupted Maggie's sleep surprisingly. Sleeping from 7pm to 6:30am with two naps during the day.

Eating: We introduced whole milk and are slowly weaning her off the bottle. Goal is to be done by next week. When she's teething or fighting ear infections, she tends to not eat food she normally loves (like bananas lately), but it seems to be that she has her appetite back.

Family Update: We are doing good and so looking forward to a busy summer: an adults only trip for Matt and I with friends, trips to Minnesota, visitors and hopefully a lot of pool time. We are enjoying the nice weather and getting to spend time outside and in the girls new playhouse!

Celebrating Emma {Twice}

Lucky girl Emma got to celebrate her birthday not once, but twice!

Her first celebration took place a couple weeks early while we were in Minnesota. We had Matt's family over to his parents for dinner, cake and presents. It's fun watching her open gifts now, she gets so excited showing us what she got. She was equally excited being sung to and her Bubble Guppies cake that grandma and grandpa Shoultz bought for her.

We celebrated Emma's 2nd birthday all weekend a few weeks after the first celebration. That Friday she had a special lunch outing with just mommy and daddy to Panchero's and on Saturday we went to Dairy Queen with Nana and Papa. On her actual birthday, daddy went and got her a sprinkled donut (that she wanted cut up to eat with a fork) and chocolate milk. She was on a sugar rush.

It was a beautiful, hot day that we spent outside running through her new sprinkler and playing her pool. She loves water and being outside, so the sprinkler was the perfect present.

We ended her birthday with Nana, Papa and aunt Alaina joining us for dinner (a taco bar), cake and presents. Nana made her Bubble Guppies "Molly" cake. Again, blown away with how talented she is. Emma loved it and knew exactly who was on the cake. The highlight of the weekend was us singing "Happy Birthday" to Emma. She lit up. Like was genuinely tickled and touched that we were singing to her. In fact, she was so excited that it looked as if there were tears welling up in her eyes. We all agreed that moment and her expression will forever be a permanent memory of her. Emma was a lucky little girl and received her first American Girl "Bity Baby" from Nana and Papa. Matt and I ended the day by writing notes to Emma in a journal we started last year on her birthday. It was a great way to reflect on the past year of her life.

It truly was a wonderful month celebrating our sweet little girl. I can't believe she is already two! I feel like I blinked and she is now becoming more and more of a little girl and not a baby anymore. 

Introducing Maggie Claire

Our new little princess has arrived and we are so excited to introduce everyone to:

Maggie Claire Shoultz

Birthday: May 8, 2015 at 1:40 p.m.

Weight: 8 lbs 11.5 oz

Length: 21.5 inches

We got home yesterday and are adjusting to our new normal as a family of four. As always, we thank our family and friends for all the well wishes and prayers. 

Emma's (1st) Birthday Week

"Emma! Do you know what week it is? Birthday week! Birthday week!" Matt started saying this to her when he would get her up for the day or up from naps and Emma would get the biggest, open mouthed smile hearing him say that. (He usually through in a couple hand motions too).

The week of her birthday was extremely nostalgic and quite emotional for me. It's like Emma knew what I needed because she was extra cuddly. She is one that needs to lay in her crib and put herself to sleep, but two nights in a row she laid with me in bed and fell asleep while rubbing my face. Heart melting.

We fed Emma her last bottles and got her completely weaned from the bottle. She handled it all like a champ and didn't even seem to notice anything different.

Matt and I took the day off on Friday to spend it with Emma, but due to weather, our pool day was shot. So we had breakfast as a family while Emma entertained us with her blueberry face and enjoyed a  walk to the park. Later that evening grandma and grandpa Shoultz got to town and took us to dinner. Going to a restaurant is always hit or miss, but luckily on this particular outing she was fantastic and loved charming everyone. Later that evening, Matt and I each wrote a letter to Emma in the journal we got her. Matt had an idea when Emma was a couple of months old to get a journal and for us to write a letter to her each year until she is 18.

Saturday was her actual birthday and we spent the day celebrating! All day I kept reflecting on this day just a year ago and certain moments throughout that day. At 2:52 p.m. I made it a point to go outside to where she was and give her an extra hug and kiss.

We had good intentions of having her party start at 4:30 with the thinking that she would have had two good naps beforehand. Instead she took two shorter than usual naps and that showed. A combination of  bad naps and those dang molars, Emma was a bit crabby but did pretty well considering. We had Matt's parents, my family and family friends Chris and Becky over to celebrate little Miss Emma turning one.

Wagon from Nana and Papa/Car from Grandma and Grandpa

Cake eating went from this.....

to this.....

Which resulted in a full meltdown, followed by a bath and early bedtime. Poor girl had an eventful day.

We are beyond lucky with family and friends that love Emma as much as they do and took the time to come be with her on her birthday.