Adventures of Parenthood cont'd....

I want to start by saying CONGRATS to Dave and Liz who got married on Saturday. I hope things went well and again we are sad we missed it! I hope to see pictures soon!

Happy Birthday to Lindey! We are not getting older we are just getting better... right.

I also hope that all of you affected by the floods are safe and we will keep you in our prayers. I can not believe the pictures of Iowa City. I saw a slide show last night and almost cried.

Things are definitely an adventure around the Anderson house lately. I have had my hormonal ups and downs and trying to learn the game of having 2 kids that need your attention.... and now I know how parents call kids the wrong name. I already have caught myself starting to call Alaina Samantha. At least I haven't called her Slater yet.

Last weekend we (Alaina and I) finally ventured out of the house with Daddy and Sammy. Saturday we had our annual block party and Alaina slept almost the whole time but Sammy was a maniac with all the other kids in the neighborhood. I don't think I saw her for more than 5 mins when she needed a snack and some lemonade. Then she was off again with "the girls". She even got scrapped up knees and didn't come to tell us.... My big girl. I have no good pictures from the party cause with trying to remember to bring the baby and everything we need I have been forgetting the camera... Samantha got a much needed bath at 10 pm when we finally got her to go home. Sunday we had a pajama day for Fathers Day. Then Monday was our 7th wedding anniversary so we did our annual trip to downtown Naperville for Quigleys lunch and Cold Stone. Sammy had a blast even when I had to sit and nurse Alaina. She got to run around with Daddy. Before we left Samantha asked if Alaina was coming with us and I said of course she has to..and Sammy looked at me and said but she doesn't eat so why would she go to the restaurant.

Samantha is very excited to have a baby sister still.. for the most part. Sometimes she gets a little too excited and smothers her a little. And likes to PET her--sometimes a little more like she is petting her dog not a baby. We are definitely getting through the tantrums too. She has spent a few mornings in her room while she tries to calm down. It is tough and I keep convincing myself this too shall pass. My Mom has come over the days that Sammy has not gone to daycare but we still have some hard times when Sammy doesn't get what she wants--"NOW". : )

The Miss Lady name for Alaina has disappeared but now Sammy calls her sweetie in the funniest voice. I am sure she is imitating us but it is funny.

Alania had her 2 week checkup on Tuesday and she still is a little jaundice so we had to go get a blood test at the new Bolingbrook hospital. Everyone there was very nice. The results are just a little high but we should be able to control it with--in the words of my doctor--"roasting" her a little in the window each day... Her weight was 7 lbs. 2 oz. so she is right on track! She has really started to be more alert and follows our voices and likes to look at the newborn toys now. Alaina has cracked a few little "gas" smiles and imitates me stick my tongue out.. She is still very much my Monkey Baby. Her arms are so long and she still "hangs" from you when you pick her up, has the little hairy back, and now makes the cutest round pout face like a monkey! I haven't gotten a good picture of it yet. Here is her serious face.

Alaina found her thumb!

I tried to take a few pictures yesterday of my two princesses but that is tough!

Last night we finally got the nursery put together. And I am thinking about putting Alaina in her crib sooner than we did with Sam. She is so the 2nd child. You don't think you will be that way and then it happens. We had a few tough days the last 3 days of a little colic I think. Last night Alaina just wouldn't stop screaming. Up to this point she hadn't taken a pacifier if I tried it and so I tried one more time last night about 11:15 pm. She took it.. then I felt so guilty I couldn't give it back to her once she spit it out...

This morning my Mom hadn't gotten here yet and we had the first incident of my mommy isn't watching me cause she is nursing my baby sister and Samantha wrote all over herself-a napkin-the kitchen table-and the dry erase board she was supposed to be drawing on... I told Sammy I had to take a picture so Daddy could see what she did... I just realy thought it was hilarious but I had to be serious...