Highlights of the Weekend!

Our weekend was off to a good start on Friday.  The weather was fabulous and we just had to get out and enjoy the sunshine and warm temperature.  We headed to the park for the girls to play and take Makena for a walk around the block.  It felt like the month of February was so cold and now that we have this weather it is such a nice change.

Sisterly Love

Swing Swing!

All three Sisters

Friday night we made plans with my parents and Erica and Derrick or (Derricka) as we call them to come over to play cards.  We finished up dinner and put the girls down for the night.  My parents brought their Sequence game to play along with some munchies.  Erica and Derrick brought yummy taco chips with salsa and cheese dip.  My mom and I whopped Derrick and Erica's butts good then Erica and I kicked my mom and Derrick's butt too.  It was fun to hang out and play cards and indulge in some junk food.

Ready to Roll

Saturday morning we adventured outside to enjoy the weather yet again.  Kyle had shoveled the pond in the back behind our house to make a skating rink for us to use.  We took the sled down to the pond with our skates.  The girls were so happy to be outside, Abby hung out in the small sled and Claire helped Kyle shovel off the ice again before we started skating.  She was reluctant to put on her bob skates and helmet but we got them on her eventually.  She pushed the bar around for  a little bit then went with Kyle around the ice skating.  Kyle and I took turns taking Abby for rides around the ice in her sled, she couldn't stop smiling and laughing.

Saturday afternoon I went to my friend Crystal's baby shower for her little girl Alex.  She was born on February 13th.  I picked up my other friend Janeen on the way to the shower since she lived on the way to the party.  They had delicious food and cute little cupcakes from Sweet Impressions.  They had little sugar cookies with Alex written on them, so adorable and yummy!  It was great to see Crystal's new house and the nursery all decorated.  She did a turquoise with grey and pink.  I was happy to hold and cuddle with little Alex, she was sleepy and so little.

After the shower I stopped at Home Outfitters to look for sheet sets for Claire's big girl bed.  I just wanted a light solid lilac colour and a neutral colour as well.  I had wanted to order sheets from Pottery Barn but with shipping and US exchange rate it would have been really expensive.  I wanted to buy the duvet cover on Restoration Hardware's website instead.  I was able to find amazing sheets at Home Outfitters, a sheet set that was marked down to $65 regular $139.99 and then a light grey set for $49.

Claire fell asleep during quiet time
These are her new sheets! So soft!

Sunday morning we had our friends Matt, Janeen, their daughter Ava and our other friend Jarrett over for breakfast.  We made a colourful fruit plate, maple bacon and Janeen and Matt brought waffle batter. It was nice to see them and watch Ava and Claire play together.

In the afternoon Kyle and Claire went out to the pond to go skating again.  Abby was still napping so I tidied up around the house.  After we headed out to Kyle's grandmas house for dinner.  It was a great way to end the weekend.

This little monkey started crawling up the stairs this weekend

Favourites

I loved my friend Erica's idea of Friday 5, I thought I would post my favourite things right now.     Thanks Erica for the great idea!

The weather is finally changing for the better?!?!? It's warmer out now and I can't wait to spend more time outside this weekend.  We have lots of fun things planned and I will be sure to write out them after the weekend is over. 

1. Gap Online  I am going to my friend Crystal's baby shower tomorrow afternoon and I was excited to order clothes for the baby on Gap's website.  I love any excuse to go on Gap's webiste and purchase clothes for the girls or any little one.  I love their quality of clothing and it fits perfectly.  I picked out some cute stuff for Alex, Crystal's little girl.  I was even able to get 20% off my purchase, bonus!!  I had to resist picking out things for the girls.  

Sweater dress, cardigan, two pairs of pants and three tops! 

2.  Tea Time Last Sunday I stopped at David's Tea in St. Vital Mall and picked up some yummy teas.  Kyle and I ran out of Cold 911 so I picked up some of that as well as two other teas, Key Lime and Birthday Cake.  Kyle loves key lime pie so I thought he would enjoy that one and birthday cake was for me and it was delicious!!!  We both have been enjoying a cup of tea before bed lately.  Last night I met a friend at Starbucks and tried out one of their new Teavana teas by Oprah, Peach Tranquillity.  It was really good!

These will soon be gone!

3.  Smart Set Cardigan  While shopping last weekend I was on the look out for tops I could wear to work when I start in April. I have always wanted a simple grey cardigan that I can throw on over a short sleeve top or tank.
I found one I love at Smart Set and the great thing about it, it was under $40. It is super comfy and goes with everything. 

Sweater Selfie

4. Tiber River Foot Repair Bar  Before we left for Hawaii I booked myself a pedi at Tiber River with a gift card I received at Christmas. My feet were in rough shape, I take care of my girls before I worry about myself. The esthetician recommended Tiber Rivers foot repair bar to aid my dry heels.  I was reluctant because I've tried creams and nothing really works.  Since using this foot repair bar my heels have never been better.  I swipe it on my feet before bed, put a pair of socks over top and let it do it's magic while I sleep.  It's not greasy at all, has a nice scent and it's made with natural ingredients.  

It looks like deoderant 

5.  Easter Goodies  I know I know Easter is far away but I was out shopping last weekend and thought I better pick up some things for the girls, before I forget and am scrabbling to find things last minute.  I stopped at Chapters and found some adorable books to give them for Easter.  Claire loves Fancy Nancy so that was easy, plus she has the other counting book the same as this Easter one for Halloween.  Abby enjoys a short story so I picked up two cute board books about a bunny and baby animals.  So fun!

Fun Easter Books!!

Abby's 1 Year Update

Abby turned 1 while we were away in Hawaii on January 22nd.  She is now 13 months old but I thought I would update you on what is going on with her lately.  This one year with Abby has gone by so quickly.  I will soon be returning to work and it makes me sad that my second baby is no longer a baby anymore but a toddler.  Crazy!!  We just love our little Abby, she is always happy and full of smiles.  

Weight/Size  Abby weighs just over 22 lbs as of our last doctors appointment on January 30th.  She is wearing 12-18 month clothing and can sometimes fit into 12 month clothing depending on the brand.  My favourite outfit on Abby right now is a floral print pink tights from Gap and a 3/4 length dark grey waffle shirt from Joe Fresh.  They are both 100% cotton but so soft and the more you wash them the softer they get. 

My favourite shirt and pants on Abby!

Two Monkeys

Wants to be just like her big sister

Diet/Food  Abby is expanding her food plaet now that she has passed her FPIES challenges.  She is now able to eat pieces of food on her own.  She has the pincher grasp down perfectly.  She has now gotten better at drinking from a sippy cup.  I have to say, "Abby drink your milk."  Then she will take a sip and we will all cheer and clap.  It has helped a lot.  She still breastfeeds 5 times a day almost every 3 hours from 10 minutes to 25 minutes.  It's our snuggle time!  I am starting to wean Abby from breastfeeding so she is only breastfeeding twice a day when I go back to work on April 6th.  That way I can feed once in the morning before work and once before bed at night.  She loves eating food, some of her favourites right now are chicken, banana, peas, kiwi, blueberries, yogurt and cheese.  

Mom I'm done

Drinking milk from her sippy cup

Health Abby is fighting a cold right now.  But will hopefully be over it soon.  Kyle came home last Friday with a sore throat and then Claire caught it and now Abby has this darn cold.  Other than colds and FPEIS she is one healthy girl. 

Sleep Since mid February we dropped Abby's morning nap and she now only has one nap a day.  I was finding she would only have a short morning nap for about 1 hour or so and then for the afternoon she wouldn't sleep very long.  Now that she doesn't nap in the morning she is having nice long naps in the afternoon for at least 2 hours and sometimes if I'm lucky even closer to 3 hours.  She will go down for her nap anywhere from 12:30-1:00.  At night she will go down for the night at 7:30-8:30.  I would really like her to be in bed closer to the 7:30 time but it's hard with Kyle working late because of tax season because he doesn't get home some nights until 7.  He likes to see the girls before they go to bed.  She sleeps through the night now, waking up for the day anywhere between 6:30-7:00 am.  The odd night she will wake up crying like this last few nights because of her cold but for the most part she is a good sleeper.  I was able to wean her from her 1 am feed in December before we left for our trip.  It was so nice to be able to sleep for a solid 8 hours without having to get up and feed.  

Dress up time!

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Social Life  After getting home from our trip we were able to get our bearings again and get back into our routine at home.  We had some play dates with friends and hung out with our families.  Abby loves getting out and seeing our friends and family.  She loves to tag along for shopping trips too.  When she is in the car she insists on taking off all of her socks and shoes, hats and mitts.  I guess she is done with winter like the rest of us.  When we are out she is so quiet and observant, she loves to watch everyone around her.  She rarely fusses or cries when we are out and about.  

Playing Abby enjoys playing with her big sister around the house.  She loves doing everything Claire does from, reading books, taking care of her babies, doing puzzles, and colouring.  Recently, Abby is obsessed with opening and closing doors and cupboard doors.  If she opens a cupboard I will say "Abby close it please" she will look up at me and then close the cupboard, it's soooo cute!  Friday she started to put a small phone to her ear and say "Hiiii" it's adorable.  She likes to push her little baby around in the shopping cart around the living room.  Her little baby from my parents for Christmas is her favourite toy, she will cuddle with it and give it lots of kisses.  Kyle likes to play a cute game with her, he will say "daddy's going to get you." and she will run as fast as she can away from him and laugh.  It's adorable! 

Rock Star!

Milestones Abby started walking just before Christmas, Christmas Eve to be exact.  She can really motor now when she's walking.  She loves to dance now when we have dance parties after dinner in the living room.  She will rock back and forth on her feet with a cute little smile on her face.  She is talking more and more now too.  She can say some words or her version of them, hi, bah bah (bye bye), uh oh (her favourite to say when she drops something), da da (daddy), mum mum, and all done (those it doesn't quite sound like that).  Abby has 8 teeth now.  She is now getting two more top teeth that are almost fully out. 

She loves playing with babies