I Can't Believe It's Almost Thanksgiving

We finally got our first snow fall in MN.  Last year, we got snow in October, but it quickly melted & was a pleasant November.  This year, it looks like winter is upon us already.

Things have been pretty routine for us here.  Mike had pneumonia for a while.  Thank goodness, pneumonia is very hard to catch, but the rest of us managed to stay healthy.  Mike's finally on the up & up thanks to some antibiotics & codeine laced cough medicine.

Baylee is doing FABULOUS in preschool these days.  No tears, transitions well between activities, & she's been playing with her new BFF Makayla at preschool.  Makayla happens to be 8 days younger than B.  Ironically, Makayla's younger sister Kelsey is 8 days younger than Livy!  It's very cute.  On the bright side, I've been getting Baylee to nap almost every other day.  They aren't short naps either; they're good 3 hour naps.  Baylee knows better than to mess with mom about sleep!

I've been teaching Livy a few "tricks" since my last post.  Livy can now do a "high five," blow a kiss, & give kisses.  Today she took 10 really quick steps.  Mike might be right & she may be walking before her 1st birthday!  I think she will be an earlier talker too.  In the past week, it seems like she's a little bit more independent, or at least doesn't need me to hold her 24/7.  Now, if only I could get her to sleep like her big sister.

I've been planning the girls' birthday, preparing for a craft show, & plotting a break for myself.  The OB diagnosed me with postpartum depression.  I'm not depressed by the traditional definition.  PPD for me is mostly an exhaustion & guilt issue.  I'm tired because Baylee is a demanding 2 year old & Livy is a needy baby.  On most days, I'm a high functioning depressed person.  I definitely did not anticipate how hard having 2 kids 2 years apart would be.  Mike thinks my expectations as a wife & mother are too high.  Right now, I'm taking Zoloft & seeing a therapist.  The medication is to get me out of the rut & to help me focus on the big picture vs. freaking out over the little things.  The therapist is to help me figure out how to ask for help when I need it.  Hopefully things get better soon.  I did just book my Thanksgiving getaway to the spa, so I will have 2 blissful nights of sleeping in & enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning.  I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that Mike can handle both girls on his own for those 2 days.  :P

Livy Taking Baby Steps & Princess Baylee

Livy took 2 steps today while we were at Baylee's parent-teacher conference!  She took a small step the day before, but I don't think she realized it.  Livy also said "bye bye" & waved (hand to her face of course) to bye bye to Miss Rosie when we left.  Big milestones.  I think Livy may talk earlier than Baylee.  Or at least she's figured out that she needs to be pretty vocal to overcome big sister's personality!

Baylee's preschool evaluation went well.  She has excellent gross motor skills, but we need to help her with fine motor skills like using scissors.  I think B knows more than she's letting Miss Rosie in on.  She did shapes & colors with flying colors, but I didn't get a good evaluation on numbers & letters.  Baylee does know the letter B, but we need to work on other letters & numbers.  She's counted to 14 for me, but wouldn't even count to 3 for Miss Rosie.  She did do good tracing shapes, but I think she got bored or distracted after doing 3.  Socially, she's doing MUCH better than when she started.  Not perfect, but infinitely better.

On the bright side, both girls are napping this afternoon.  :)  I just got an order for 6 necktie applique tee shirts, so I should take advantage of the downtime.

Baylee modeling her princess shoes

Halloween Fun 2010

This year for Halloween we went over to Baylee & Livy's friends R & G's house.  They have a good neighborhood for little kids to trick-or-treat in & lots of cul de sacs.  Last year, B didn't really get trick-or-treating, but this year was she in to it!  After the first house, she was chanting "trick-or-treat" in between houses.  She would ring the doorbell & if the person didn't come to the door fast enough, she would start pounding on the door.  If that didn't work, then she would try to open the front door!  All for a piece of candy.  Livy calmly followed her older sister around in the carrier.

Here are some pictures from that night:

Can you see the glee in her eyes?

Playing ball with S.  S has taken an interest in Livy.  He likes to pet Livy's hair.

Sharing the drum with her bff, J.

Livy looking chubby.

The girls climbing up on daddy.  Baylee thought the bucket would make a nice hat.