Two years apart, on the button

So Stella and Yates are still being so good. I catch myself watching them and smiling so hard, I think surely I look crazy. I must say, its a good thing that they have been being so good because we have another baby on the way. It was a big surprise and sooner than we had planned to add baby #3, but it will be fine. Thats just what I keep telling myself... over and over and over. No, we are excited and will be welcoming baby 3 right around Yates' 2nd birthday. Poor Yates had a super lame birthday last year and this year, who knows what condition we'll be in. AND after his birthday we will have a 3 year old, a 2 year old and a newborn. I'll probably just need to have a Mi Cocina IV permanently implanted in my arm. I'm sure I won't have time to eat or cook. If anyone has any advice for debilitating exhaustion, I'm all ears. I have that early pregnancy narcolepsy, and constant feeling of, "OMG, I can't believe I have to turn the steering wheel of the car again, I'm too tired to move my arms this much." My poor family probably thinks I am a real live slug with legs.

Milam, Stella and Yates at the Ice Cream Party

Yates was really into posing for the camera at the party...

Pink and Bop got S and Y these fabulously horrendous little sofas. They adore these things.

In the last few weeks we celebrated Stella's 3rd birthday in true Meredith style. It was like a 5 day birthday bonanza. She had a great time and deserves every bit of it because she is so good, sweet, perfect to us!

Stella decorating her arms up Barbie cake while Gigi, Gabby and Bop supervise. All she was worried about for her entire birthday was the decorating. Thats my girl!

Stella has decided to swim alone with floaties. Huge deal! She also jumped of the diving board. Of course Yates wasn't going to be outdone so he jumped off of the diving board too. He is hilarious. Yesterday he slid down that huge 3 story slide all by himself at Pump It Up. Michael was in charge and just let him go. I don't think it would have even occurred to me to let the 16 month old slide down a massive adult slide alone, but he did and he looooooved it!

Have you ever seen a more beautiful ballerina?

SJ, prissing right there in the middle of course.

We have begun ballet lessons. Stella attended a ballet recital in Palestine and has been utterly obsessed with ballet and ballerinas ever since. She is now a real ballerina in training, just ask her. Most days you'll find her decked out in no less than 2 tutus, 3 on a good day. You'll also notice that her has has to be up in a bun like a ballerina every single day. People probably think thats the best we can do, but really, its the only way right now... Her first day at ballet was the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life and I cried about 6 times. Little Yates wants to join the girls in ballet sooooo badly. I can't imagine how boring and crazy it is to him that he can't go in there with the girls.

Happy Little Yates ready for bed.

This morning daddy had breakfast in bed and Yates learned a new word. "Syoooo-da-do"... Screwdriver, obviously. We ended our Father's Day with some family golf in the back yard. I hope Gabby approves : )

Yates and "Daddo" working on the swing

She looks like she might know what she's doing, if she could get that club facing the right direction.

I would like to start by saying how amazing my babies have been for weeks!!!  I don't even get it.  Its like a switch flipped and now they're angels.  They let me do things, like shower and its is hilarious.  They sit on the rug on the bathroom while I shower, sitting side by side and play, or S will read to Y.  Today we went to run a few errands and they held hands as we walked way across a parking lot.  It probably sounds ridiculous for that to be a big deal, but it is.  Its huge.  Usually Y yells anytime S touches him b/c she is always rearranging whatever it is he is trying to do and usually if she tries to hold onto him, he'll just bite her.  Those probably aren't the best examples but the first ones to come to mind.  

Stella is turning 3 in 3 days.  It doesn't seem like she should be 3, but she acts like she's 13 so its not that shocking really.  She is obsessed with being a ballerina and I am thrilled.  I would love for her to be a ballerina.  She starts her first class on Tuesday, so we'll see how it goes.  She's not the best at going with the flow in a group.  Maybe this will help.  S is so helpful and thoughtful and sweet these days.  She surprises me with something new every day.

Yates is getting so big.  He is so sweet and is the hugest extrovert I have ever known in my entire life.  He could be super fussy, but take him around some people and he turns it on.  He flirts so hard with people he gets totally locked up and forgets to function.  He is learning lots of words and the ones he chooses are pretty funny.  Yesterday he was trying to hit S in the head with one of those noisy popcorn popper push toys.  I was blocking her head while she was concentrating on a Carebears movie and trying to not make a big deal out of him taking whacks at her head.  I thought he would see that it wasn't going to work and forget it.  He wouldn't give up so I told him to stop and that he isn't allowed to hit.  He pursed his lips and said, "Toy, not nice."  I had to laugh.  Y is really funny about his clothes.  During the day sometimes he'll walk up to me and ask me to remove some random article of clothing for him.  So lots of days he is running around with say a shirt and one shoe or a diaper and two shoes or some play jewelry and shorts.  He is fu-nny.

We have been so busy, here a few highlights:

Mini Vacation to Suzie's house

Yatsie-poo having so much fun with the water gun.

painting outside.  this lasted all of about 3 minutes...

screaming in the closet... why not?

pre-game cheers for Daddy's soccer team

playing in the goofy baby pool

Memorial Day Symphony and Fireworks.  So much fun.

Dance Party complete with "ballerina skirt," high heels, hello kitty band-aid, rings on every finger and classical music.

poor little babies...

Stella and Yates had a fun weekend but then it all went south. I'm pretty sure that they got sick from going to the doctor's office for Yates' 15 month check up. It's pretty frustrating that you have to go get shots to keep you well and then you get sick for going. We have a little bit of everything going on. We have eye infections, coughs, runny noses, some throw up and a little number 3. S and Y have just stayed in their pjs for the last couple of days and rested. I wish there was something I could do to make them better.

Yates got his new "bike" so he can zoom around with Stella.  He can't quite reach the pedals but its still big fun.

We all hopped on for a ride.

Sweet boy...

We hardly have enough beads.  Stella asks us to look at how beautiful they are...

Identical stance while watering.  Identical furrowed brow while mowing.

Stella Code v.2 is retiring

• Here's the list for posterity.  We'll surely be posting Yates code soon.
• 
  
• Beeny Zabbit = Bunny Rabbit
• Po-ke-tine = Porcupine
• Jijjy Beans - Jelly Beans (the treat for going potty)
• Ahh Fup = Air Flip, what she calls the flips she does with Daddy on our bed before bedtime
• Bowg = Bug
• Hizzy = Hurry
• Pur-po = Purple and Stella's blanket's name
• Mamma = Pacifier
• Yezo = Yellow
• Curco = Turtle
• Ha Ho = Hot Dog
• Ha-Ha = Ice Cream
• Cocka moong = This one has evolved. It is now "cocka bum." It works as an exclamation point or to express surprise... weird I know.
• Faffle = Waffle
• Bubba = Brother
• Da = Milk
• Mla-Mla = Water

I thought yesterday was Friday... hmmm... ok

First of all, I am exhausted.  I've had 3 nights of no sleep (cat, dog and Stella) and today have had 1 bedding change (pull-up failure during the night), 3 shots at the doctor for Yates, 2 trips to the pharmacy, 1 trip to the grocery, 2, buggies full, 2 meals served and 3 full cups of spilled drinks (each spilled at a different time) 4 loads of laundry, 5 conversations with the builder and no coffee.  Its just not right.  

Tonight we're having a slumber party with the 3 Olson boys/men.  We better enjoy it while we can.  I can imagine this situation 13 years from now.  Could be tricky.

Yesterday we had pictures of the babies taken at the Arboretum.  Kelly did an amazing job!  I am officially in love with her!  She made Stella and Yates so comfortable, they had a great time and barely noticed they were having their pictures taken.  Check out the sneak peak from Kelly on her blog... la-la photography

all caught up...

Since we don't have a thing in the world to do (right) we decided to add 2 more mouths to feed and 2 more habitats to maintain.  Meet Bob and Braxton.  Yates learned to say cheese this weekend, so he and Stella are doing their best cheeses with their new pets.

Bob is the blue one.  He is Yates' new fish and we let him name his fish.  Braxton is the red one.  He is Stella's and she named her fish too.  Sorry Dara.  I kept asking her if she was sure about the name Braxton and she was positive about it.  Braxton it is. 

Michael asked me how we were going to handle the death of these fish... if we were going to have to rush out and replace the fish with stand ins.  Absolutely not!  Life lesson 101.  We had a good talk with Stella and Yates (like he cares) about taking good care of the fish and about how the fish would go to fish heaven if we did not take care of them.  They have both fed their fish several times now and its not too bad.  I am not excited about emptying out the fish poop water.  Oh well.

Yates (diaperless) and Daddy watering the new plants

We spent the whole day in the back yard today.  Michael planted about 7000 plants.  I did help, got dirty, muddy, even stepped in poop barefoot.  Fabulous.   I hope the plants all like their new homes, exposures, dirt and water and grow really pretty.  We want our thumbs to be green sooo bad.

Stella and I put a new adirondack chair together today.  She is good at screw-drivering.

Mr. Chatty

toilet paper dust... oooohhhh...

The other night we were going to run to Best Buy after dinner to get a couple of things.  Its kind of late, completely unplanned and we know have a 50/50 chance that someone is not going to want to go or that someone will scream in his car seat the whole way.  Its always somethin'.  So trying to stave off any grumps, Michael and I are singing stupid stuff about, "Who wants to go to Best Buy, ME!!!"  over and over in the car.  So annoying...  I know, but we keep going.  "Who wants to go to Best Buy?" ... pause...  Then we hear this cute little low, low voice from the back, say, "Muuuuh."  I'm laughing as I type b/c it just doesn't type as cute as it sounded at all, but it was adorable.  Yates is just now trying to talk, but he is such a complete dude.  Its hilarious.

Neighborhood Watch

I almost forgot this one.

After breakfast this morning, "we" all went upstairs to get our clothes on but someone (Stella) was lagging.  She was right behind us on the way up but then she just never would come.  I kept calling and calling but she was obviously too very busy.  I was getting Yates dressed and picking up books so she had plenty of time to finish up whatever pressing issue she was attending to. I really didn't think much of it because the girl really can get tied up perfecting the tiniest things like I don't know organizing puppies or lining up some cups.  Little did I know...  

She eventually did run upstairs like she had been rushing all along.  I did find that a little odd, but whatever.  We were in a hurry to get Sasha to the vet for suture removal in the middle of a torrential thunder-wind-rain-flood storm of course.  Everyone gets dressed and we go back downstairs and into the kitchen.  I noticed a stool that was severely out of place...  like completely on the other side of the kitchen and pulled up to THE KNIVES.  I thought whoa, that is dangerous, who did that? Did I do that?  I shouldn't have done that.  I don't remember doing that at all.  Weird... wait... I did not do that.  So I ask, "who moved this stool?"  "Oh me, I did it."  Stella said matter of factly.  "Why did you do that" I asked.  (I have mentioned before, she is very detail oriented and also likes to narrate every last ounce of minutia out of every single situation.  Thank goodness, because I got a detailed explanation.)  "Because I needed to climb up there to reach those scissors and be really careful and put some fingers on this side and some fingers on that side to cut that string off of my pj pants and then be really careful and put them back really careful and then throw that string in the trash all by myself."  WHAT?  Oh no, no, no, no.  I don't know why I'm so shocked, I did get loose with some scissors and add some fringe detailing to the hem of my mother's sheets.  I was probably the same age, but goodness.  We will be relocating the knives and hiding all scissors.  When you're two, your mom can cut any annoying stray strings for you.  Just ask.  By the way, I did go get the pj pants out of the laundry and examine them for damage... perfect string removal.  I should have known.  

"Yester______"

We all know about yesterday and even yesteryear but at our house we have some additions to the yester family, courtesy of Stella Jane.

We have yesternight, yestermorning and my favorite yestertime.

I think I like all of these extra yesters.  They make perfect sense to me, so we're just going to use them until future reference.  Why not?

outsmarted...

I always think I'm so tough when I'm trying to make Stella obey.  Apparently not!  Last night I was trying to get her to eat her dinner instead of the leftover Easter M&Ms she had served herself along side her food.  Michael and I were doing the usual, "Eat one bite of this and one bite of that" routine.  Then we get to the pineapple.  Pineapple is one of S's favorite fruits, but not last night.  She really didn't want to eat it at all, so I told her that she wouldn't be able to eat her M&Ms if she wasn't going to eat her pineapple.  Her reply, "Ok, Mommy.  Thats fine.  I'll obey you on Monday.  Here, come get my M&Ms."  Man.  Ok.  She is just like me.  I would always rather have a spanking than whatever the alternative was.  I guess thats what I get.

Stella has also been into the idea that she is, "growing into a mommy."  Which I guess is true.  So a few days ago she was really concentrating on "taking really good care of 'her' baby."  She fed him his entire lunch like this...     ...keep in mind that he is fully capable of feeding himself and does so at every other meal.  

the babies and our bunny cake

Cute Yatesie-Poo swinging in a diaper and shoes...

Stella doing some of her interpretive dancing to show her excitement about the Easter Egg Hunt

Yates on the way to the 2nd Annual Drop Your Infant Son In The Dirt Easter Egg Hunt (see post Big Fat Easter Britney)

So close, yet so far away...

so i'm baby-less : ( and packing the rent house.  Well, I'm taking a break from doing laundry and packing.  My parents have Stella and Yates for the week, so we can tie up all of the 9 zillion loose ends at the new house and get packed and moved.  Move day is supposed to be this Saturday.  It was supposed to be last Saturday too, but this is really it.  I/we are moving in whether "they" are finished or not.  Today is only Tuesday, but I really don't see how "they" are going to be able to finish in time.  This process has been so completely overwhelming that I really don't care how it gets done or really even when it gets done.  Details...

I am really missing the babies.  They have been gone since Sunday afternoon and it seems like they have been gone for a month and a half.  I have to remember that this will all be worth it.  If anyone is thinking about building a house, do not ask me my opinion.  It will not be positive.

where do i start?

I have been the worst blogger of all time for the last... forever.  Every spare second I have goes to choosing something for the house or to doing something I should have done weeks/months ago.  I don't think I can recap everything I have missed, but will say how big, my baby is getting.  Yates is acting like such a big boy and is trying to talk.  I think we have another organizer on our hands.  Tonight he was finding random things under a bathroom sink, bringing them to me to "talk" about them, and then he would take them right back where he found them.  I, being a complete mess, think that whole idea is amazing.  Take something back to where it came from?  Crazy!  He really loves putting things into containers and putting lids on things.  He also loves to color and write.  Stella didn't really care much about coloring at 1, but like today I was holding a pen while walking and holding Yates.  He wanted it so bad, so I closed it and gave it to him.  Then he "told" me that he needed some paper.  Got him a little piece and away he went.  I can't wait to move out of this rent house and have our life, toys, things, furniture, normalcy back!

Quoting Stella #4

Stella is saying funny things all the time these days, but here are two of the most recent.

Today she was just talking, talking, talking and said, "Mommy, I told you, diny-saurs, mouse, turtles, frogs, monkeys be my fav-ite amuls... that come from Mexico."   Oh really, Mexico?  Not only are those obscure animal choices, but since when do we know about things that come from Mexico?

Later she was playing with her Little Mermaid mega blocks, stacking all of the parts and pieces precariously on top of each other and said, "Oh, this will make a beau-ful party."

Little Yates is trying to walk.  He takes 3 steps at time, once or twice each day.  Not 2 steps and not 4 steps.  Its strictly 3 steps.  He loves showing us where the lights are and where up is too.  He is so funny and cute.  He has started dancing and makes a little funny face on command, so much fun!

Dear Dr. Heimlich

I haven't posted in so long. I have been missing the ol' blog. So here's a little story from a couple of nights ago. Michael was out of town and the kids and I were having dinner. Chicken spaghetti, corn, green beans and some wheat thins to keep the little hands occupied. Faithful Sasha is in place trying to be invisible and patiently waiting for all of the goodies that rain down from the highchairs. Yates was really mowing his dinner down. He loves to eat. Poor thing, I worry that he is starving all the time. Most friends and family know that Yates is also a huge gagger. He was born gagging on his own saliva and still gags at the slightest thing. Until very recently the poor little dude threw up at every single meal because of this super sensitive reflex of his. He gets better and better and its really no big deal. It looks worse than it is and we are totally used to and expect it (the gagging/throwing up). So this night was just like any other. Yates starts gagging and I do what I always do, pat him on the back and tilt his head forward. Hmm. It didn't work. I do it again and again. Uh oh. I try to reach whatever it is and that doesn't work either. I yank him out of the high chair and flip him head down and bang on his back. Still gagging! So I Heimlich-ed him and he threw up everywhere, mostly right on Sasha's head. He takes a couple of breaths and acts like nothing ever happened, reached for the highchair and back to eating he went. I kind of thought it was a big deal, but no one else seemed to even notice our little near death experience. Ok then. I guess I'll just clean the throw up off of the dog.

what are these faces about?

So here's what I learned: 

#1 Babies don't care if they have to be "heimlich-ed." 

#2 Throw up on the dog stinks sooooo bad and it doesn't just wipe off. 

#3 90% of my blogs are about throw up. I'm sorry.

innocent looking baby Yates... attacks!!!

oh my gosh!

Finally! I have internet service at the rent house. I mean seriously, this has been the most torturous deal. 26 days without! I have been just checking email here and there and have had very little access at all. Awful! All we asked AT&T to do was transfer our service. Sounds easy right? Well, I honestly think that Michael and I have spent 30 hours on the phone with those idiots. Call after call after call. Whatever, its over now and I have major internet withdrawals. If anyone needs me, I will be online 'til future notice.

Happy Birthday to Me

Friday was my 30th birthday. The big 3-0 wasn't so bad. It was actually really good. Michael had Pink come in to keep Stella and Yates and he took me on a fabulous little get away. We had early dinner at Fearing's, followed by the symphony, then we walked over to the The W's Ghost Bar and back to the Ritz for wine and a night away with no babies. The next morning M had arranged a full spa day, another dinner and then a big present on top of it all - an amazing vintage watch from the whole family. Thank you all, I LOVE IT SO MUCH.
I don't know what I did to deserve such a wonderful, thoughtful husband, the most perfect family and the best 30th birthday ever.

and thats why I whistle...

Today after picking Stella up from mother's day out my favorite song, "Bleeding Love" came on in the car. I never ever usually sing out loud, but this song is so good, I couldn't help it. So the song (and I) got to the really good part and Stella said, "Sounds like that puppy dog on Fox and Hound show." There's lots of howling on the Fox and the Hound so I don't think that was a compliment. It was pretty funny though.

Moving and a recap...

We've been packing and moving and packing and moving for days and it seems like there is still so much to do.  The first part is so easy then you get to the yucky stuff that is really just trash that keep for whatever reason.  We are deep into the yucky part for sure.  Moving with the babies makes it even more fun.  They really have been very good considering the mayhem we are calling home.  

We have managed to squeeze some fun into this mess and have gotten some fun pictures in the last week or two.

Yates got his first major boo boo.  I am totally not a band aid person, but this gusher needed a band-aid.  Stella (my big helper) and I got him all cleaned up with a band aid and neosporin and it lasted all of about 30 seconds before Yates pulled it off.  We started over with a new band aid and again he made it about 30 seconds.  

Examining the finger with the band aid.

Getting a feel better kiss from Bean.

So then we went for a quick zip around the neighborhood in the big red wagon.

Last weekend, Michael and I took a long weekend trip to Napa with 2 other couples had a great time and had some really good wine.  Yates went to Pink and Bop's and Gabby and Gigi came to stay with Stella.  I think they all had a good time.  I got to pump the boobs in the company of practical strangers in the back of a 12 passenger van while careening down a mountain pass.  Just one of the highlights of the trip.  We really did have a good time.  We are just seriously out of practice when it comes to late night dinners and all day drinking.  The weekend was jam packed and not very relaxing.  Looks like we'll need another vacation.

When we got home, Pink brought my old highchair from her house for Yates.  I think Stella and Yates are enjoying dining together.  I love it for sure b/c I have them both captive at the same time.  

Here are a couple more good pictures of Yates.  He is so different than Stella was.  She never touched anything she wasn't supposed to or ate things off of the floor.  He is into everything.  You see him scan the room looking for things to attack and get into.  He has discovered the cat door and has developed a special crawl for "scratchy" surfaces.  He gets up on his hands and feet so he doesn't have to scratch up his knees.  So smart ; )