Two Kids

I'm going to make this my screen saver at work, because I'm going to need a reminder this week that things aren't as stressful EVERYWHERE as they currently are in my office...


Those two are my favorite people in the whole. entire. world.

(Yeah, we've told Brigid she needs to stop sucking her thumb because the dentist said it's time. Her response? She wants to go back to the dentist immediately because maybe she's changed her mind.

Oh, honey. I don't think that's how these things work...)

You'll never guess...

...who picked out her own clothes today...

Three Going On Thirteen

I can't even believe how big Brigid is getting sometimes. I mean, look at this kid...

Where did she even come from? I'd swear that it was just yesterday when she was a baby, and now she says things like, "Sooooo, how was baby Caitlin?" when I come into her room after putting Caitlin to bed for the night, like baby Caitlin and I had just been out for a night out on the town or something, and not like we'd both just seen Brigid thirty minutes earlier.

 

In two weeks, we start ballet, in a Mommy and Me class hosted by the Atlanta Ballet. She has little tights, and little ballet shoes, and we're going shopping for the official Atlanta Ballet leotard on Saturday, and Brigid is just so excited about it, I can't wait to see her in action.

 

It's just...I remember when her only cause for excitement was her next bottle, and it doesn't seem like it's been that long since that was the case.

 

And then there's this one, who goes in for her four month check-up in a couple of weeks...

Four months. I just CAN'T with all of the growing and changing and aging and whatnot.

Why is it that time seems to speed up, just when you want it to slow down the most?

Sweet Girl

If you need me this weekend, I'll just be over here, snuggling this...

This baby is TOTALLY my favorite baby right now.

I love her.

Caitlin and Brigid weighed the exact same when they were born and were only about a half an inch apart in length, but by the time Caitlin got into her last visit to the doctor, she was measuring in the 38th-ish percentile, versus her big sister's 75th-ish measurements. And obviously, I took this personally, because, come on. Brigid was an adorably chubby baby! Caitlin must toe the line!

I NEED BABY ROLLS!!!!!
Much better.

(Those cheeks. That pudgy little arm. The perfectly rolly little thighs that I must have photographic evidence of soon, because they are my MOST FAVORITE THINGS, EVER. She's coming along nicely, I think...)

Sisters

When Steve and I found out about a year ago that Caitlin was on her way, our biggest concern was how Brigid was going to handle the changes in her life. Not only was she our only child, but she was the family's only child. She'd never had to share attention with anyone before, because she was the baby, full stop.

So, we made a big deal about how awesome it was going to be, having a baby sister. We talked about all of the things she could do as the big sister that the baby wouldn't be able to do, since she would be too little. We bought books, and t-shirts, and all kinds of 'yay! sisters are fun!' propaganda. We let her come to the hospital, where they gave her a bracelet just like the ones that Steve and I and the baby were all wearing, because we all belonged together.

Caitlin gave her a soccer ball at the hospital.

I don't know if any of these things worked. I don't know if maybe Brigid was just destined to be a great big sister to someone. I don't know if she's totally just manipulating us to get more candy for being so darn sweet. But this kid? She LOVES her baby sister.

I don't always get a kiss goodnight, but Caitlin does. Sure, Brigid is happy to see me when I pick her up from school, but who gets the big announcement when we walk in? Who does Brigid make her teachers come say hi to EVERY SINGLE TIME? HER baby Caitlin.

Brigid brings me the bags I use to throw away Caitlin's dirty diapers. She picks out Caitlin's sleepers every night. She helps me brush Caitlin's hair. If Caitlin starts fussing, Brigid gives her a toy to help make her feel better.

She gets SO excited when Caitlin is awake. 'Her looking at me, mommy! Her so cute.'

She comes up to us when I'm holding Caitlin, pats her head, and looks at me so seriously, 'I 'ove her mommy. I 'ove her so much.'
I know that things won't necessarily stay this way forever. I know that part of the reason Brigid likes Caitlin is because people keep buying toys for Caitlin that Brigid takes to her room to 'hold onto until Caitlin gets older'. When Caitlin does get old enough to play with toys, we'll have a whole additional level of sister interaction/competition that we'll have to navigate. And I also know that there is a very good chance that even the toy conflict will seem like nothing when compared to the teenaged years that might be hell.
But I'm not going to worry about that right now. We'll deal with those issues as they arise. Right now, I'm going to focus on the fact that these two girls? I love them more than I ever thought was possible.

I am a lucky, lucky individual.

Every. Single. Night.

I think we're just going to give Brigid's room to Caitlin. I mean, it's not like Brigid is using it at all. And, in fact, she keeps telling us she doesn't even LIKE that room anymore. Last night, it was something about her toy lantern, the one that she's loved (literally) to pieces, bothering her by being in there with her.

THAT'S why she felt like she needed to come sleep with us.

(Side Note, the first: I'm pretty sure she was full of crap with that one. But you have to admire her creativity, don't you?)
(Side Note, the second: It's hard for EVERYONE BUT THE TODDLER to get a good night of sleep, when said toddler is sleeping like THAT.)

(Side Note, the third: These pictures were taken last week. But it doesn't matter, because this is what has been happening almost every night for a month. We put Brigid to bed at a decent hour. She keeps herself awake by coming out of her room to request things like water, a bathroom break, or to sleep with the cat, OR she spends an hour picking out her clothes for the next day and piling them outside of her door or throwing them over the 2nd floor railing to the couch. Then, as soon as she sees the hall light go out, she gathers up blankets/pillows/every stuffed animal known to man to bring down to our room, where she stands next to the bed, staring at us silently, until one of us agrees to let her sleep with us, on the promise that she will sleep in her own bed the following night.)

(Side Note, the fourth: She will not, in fact, sleep in her own bed the following night.)

(Side Note, the fifth: Steve and I are tired, tired people.)

Cause and Effect

Earlier this week, we learned that finding Brigid like this in the morning:
Leads to something like this, later that afternoon:
(I was feeding Caitlin, and I noticed that it had gotten really quiet behind me in the kitchen. I jokingly asked Brigid if she had fallen asleep in her macaroni and cheese, and...yeah. She actually had. Go figure.)



Side Note: My parents' townhome on the beach is officially open for rental on the VRBO website at really reasonable rates, if you're looking for a great vacation spot. It's pretty quiet and somewhat secluded on this part of the beach, most of the time, but there are also fun family activities nearby, if spending all day doing nothing on the beach isn't really your thing...

Although, if that's not really your thing, remind me to never vacation with you, ok?

Smile! (Sort Of)

Seriously.

Cutest goofy smile, ever, or goofiest cute smile, ever?

(Also, would someone like to tell me again how I am supposed to leave the house, when this is what is waiting for me at home?)

It's not supposed to snow in Georgia!

And yet...sometimes it does.

When we left the house on Saturday morning to run errands, Steve pointed out to Brigid the very light snow flurries that were falling. And Brigid, being the kid who has made us watch Rudolph and Frosty and Charlie Brown's Christmas up to (and including!) that very day, got all kinds of excited about the prospect of building a snowman. And we had to gently tell her that, yeah, it wasn't going to happen. With the very few flurries we were getting, she was pretty much totally out of luck on that one.

Then, on Sunday, it started snowing again. Real snow! With real flakes! That stuck to various surfaces on our back deck! For a good hour, at least!

(Insert sarcasm font, here, because, YES. I know this absolutely doesn't count as a snowfall. I did grow up in Indiana, after all. But we made a big deal out of it for Brigid's sake. And in my opinion? Any amount of snow is too much snow, ok?)

You guys. Brigid got to build her snowman after all.

(And try to catch snowflakes in her hand. And on her tongue.)

 

 (OH! And to throw snowballs at Steve.)

All right. Brigid's had her snow day fun for the year. Winter is officially over now, right? And it will be 80+ tomorrow now, right? Or at least 70+? RIGHT?!?!?!