Is it really coming to an end??

Maternity leave. Also known as enough leave to finally settle you into a nice routine with your family and then sucker punch you in the gut with the reality that it is now coming to an end and you have to redo that amazing little routine you spent 3 months perfecting, oh and bring on the praying daily you don't miss any of the special milestones. <insert ugly cry here>

It took Madelyn 9 weeks, 9 long, frustrating, determined weeks of myself pumping around the clock to maintain supply for her to FINALLY get breastfeeding. Seriously, 9 weeks of my leave was spent trying to accomplish this and now that we are almost a full 2 weeks in of exclusive breastfeeding I will have to resort back to a pump and a bottle for her and pray that my baby remembers how to nurse. It took her 9 weeks to get it. I only have 4 weeks to exclusively nurse her and what if I needed 5 more? What if 4 weeks isn't enough and everything I worked so hard to accomplish comes to an end? It's the nerve wrecking reality that my maternity leave is coming to an end. 

I do still have 2 more weeks so I will make the very best out of having every second of my time with my babies, but good Lord I need more time. 

I can say the birth of my precious baby girl came at a wonderful time because she gave me summertime with our family. We got to settle in as a family of 4 all together! Sure, the boys each had to finish up school, but once they were done we got to be home together and it has been time I will cherish forever.

My final week of leave will be spent at the beach with my family and awhile I dreaded this time actually coming, I also can't wait to make more memories. 

Before I do a picture recap...

Nolan at 6 weeks and Madelyn at 9 weeks. They look so much alike, but all their little features are so different. 

(And iPhone camera quality sure has stepped up its game in the past 4 years!)

And now a quick picture recap of the weeks following our bringing another tiny little life into this world. 

Nolan rocked preschool and said goodbye to his amazing teachers! 

Side note: we just got Nols paperwork for this year and his new teachers name, but he told me when he goes back he is going to tell his teacher pictured above that he loves her and she's his best friend. I guess he missed her this summer? :) 

We did a lot of this.....

...and this while we waited for daddy to finish up his school year and join us! 

We waited outside with water guns and water balloons to soak daddy upon his arrival home each day 

And we had photoshoots :)

 Maddie has loved the bath since the very beginning! 

We had a family outing to the O's game! 

More of this...

And this. 

All those doctor visits, but I managed to take both kids out by myself and make it to the appointmentS on time!!!

Another tee ball season! ⚾️

And this mama returned to the softball field. Maddie and her bff, Taylor were snoozing through it though :) 

More of this again,

And so many kisses for his sister!

 Photoshoot session again.

And surviving a trip to the store with both...by myself. 

Looking like a big girl in her chair!

Father's Day spent at the Frederick Keys game!

More cuddles. (This one cracks me up because it looks like Maddie is pointing at Nolan and giving me a look like tell him to stop hugging me!)

Thank you to the world's best auntie!

Cousin love :)

Scrunchie nosed sleepyhead smiles

A little bit of this...

....and a lot of this!

Morning smiles from our sleepy headed beauty

Nolan went fishing for the first time ever and caught 4 fish!

She was excited about Nols catching fish!

We went to the DC Zoo!

Played at Sky Zone a few times!

Celebrated the 4th!

Fireworks were postponed a day due to weather. 

We took Nolan to his first movie, Finding Dory! 

And he discovered eye black. 😂

We strolled through Canton on our anniversary. Our tradition is to go to a different ballpark every year, but we both decided being home with the kiddos made more sense for year seven. (Nols took our picture) ;)

Nolan won a slice of pie at Dangerously Delicious! 

And he carried this plate on our entire walk because we told him we were going to the pie place that O's used to get their pies from and he thought it meant we would get to pie people. No son, we eat the pie. 

We explored a pretty awesome new park. 

Her hair. 

And now I soak up all this. 

Get ready for the beach

And prepare myself for a million of these pics I will receive at work awhile daddy gets to spend an extra month home with this sweet girl once Nolie goes back to school. 

Madelyn ~ 2 months old

Baby girl you've been with us for 2 months now and you are the sweetest little blessing. 

At 2 months old you love your sleep, smiling and bath time. Mommy and daddy thank you for being such an amazing sleeper! You go down for the night somewhere between 9-11pm range and will sleep for 5-6 hours!! Then you will calmly wake up to eat, seriously so calm. You moan a little, maybe a few cries, but normally just wiggling around cheesing and making noise to let us know you are up. You normally get changed, eat and will fall back to sleep for about 3 hours then you wake up, cheese at us, eat some more and fall asleep on mommy or daddy's chest because you brother is about to stampede through the room demanding milk and ready to watch a show! 

This month your smile came out and my goodness it's perfect. Your big brother gets so excited when you smile at him. If you are smiling at mommy or daddy we normally tell Nolan and he runs right over to see you! :) {However, you decided to not give us any smiles for your 2 month picture} 

Since your very first bath you have loved them. You look around and just enjoy being in the water. It makes bath time a breeze for us and for that we thank you. 

Things you dislike are nursing, nursing and nursing. You love having bottles and mama has resorted to the reality that I am an exclusive pumper. You did give me 2 successful feeding sessions recently. I try not to force it because I know you are eating and you are healthy, but I miss those snuggles that come along with those late night feedings. Again, you are healthy and I am still able to provide you with breastmilk so as stubborn as you are I am still happy. 

You had your 2 month check up today and they had to check your heart murmur. If it hadn't closed we would be referred to a cardiologist. We are SO happy to report that it closed up completely and they didn't hear it at all!!!! Best. News. Ever. 

You showed off for the doctor at your appointment today by making your cute little sounds and showing her how strong you are when you have tummy time. The doctor compared you to a 4 month old because you were lifting your chest up so high. Mommy didn't like that, you need to stay an itty bitty 2 month old for me a bit longer because time flies by way too quickly! 

At 2 months you weigh an even 10 lbs (16%) and you are 22.5 in (61%). I had to stop and think about your length because when Nolan was born he was 22 in long and to only be a 1/2 inch longer than he was at birth now really makes me wonder how on earth he fit in my belly!! Anyways, you are a little peanut and you had to have some shots today, but you did so good!

 

Happy 2 months Madelyn Ann, we love you to pieces!!!

Our visit to the doctor today: 

Nolan's FORE Par-tee!

Well, it was a month ago, but with having a now 2 month old I guess being 1 month late on this post isn't to bad. After all, we managed to have a party for our 4 year old with a less than 1 month old at the time. (High five, husband) 

Recapping Nolan's 4th birthday we started out by celebrating with him one day early at his school during their chapel. It is so much fun to see him in the school setting with his little friends. He had so much fun in preschool this year and I know he is looking forward to the 4 year old program he will be in this new school year. 

On his birthday he woke up to a room full of balloons. We started this tradition two years ago and it was very cute to see Nolan excited and anticipating the balloons. He kept asking how they get there and if we thought they would be there on his birthday. And so, we let him believe that they appeared because of magic. :) 

On his birthday we let him plan the day. He chose mini golf, batting cages (his first time in the cages and he loved it!) and dinner at "breadsticks" aka Olive Garden. 

Woke up a 4 year old! 

Oh yeah, and then he opened presents and ate a cupcake of course!!!

And lastly, we celebrated with all our family and friends at his golf themed party! He told us that he is going to pick a different sports theme every year and next year will be tennis. 🎾 

For the golf theme I brought his mini golf set and themed the food appropriately with "club" sandwiches, pita "wedges", donut "hole in ones", watermelon "slices" and many more clever titles. ;) I was actually quite proud of the names I came up with. Some with the help of Pinterest and others on my own! That was the extent of the golf theme, but I think it went nicely!

Amazing cupcake cake!

And with his 4th birthday came his 4 year check up. We were informed that at the appointment the poor thing would have a whooping 4 shots. We made sure he had no idea and I can honestly say it took us 4 years, but this is the best he has ever done at the doctors. He answered all her questions that quiz them on their development and hopped on 1 foot to show he's got the motor skills. She saw all his skinned up, bruised knees and could tell he is quite the active little boy. We laughed because 90% of the time he has a ball in his hand and is most likely diving or sliding on the ground (The other 10% is devoted to his eating and sleeping). :) She tried to stump him with questions, but he was answering them all with no problems. He made his mommy and daddy proud to watch the big 4 year old in action! And then came the dreaded shots. When he heard he had to have 4 you could see an instant onset of nerves, but I held him...make that hugged him through them and yes, he screamed, but about 3 minutes post shots he managed to give us some smiles and daddy told him to pick out a sticker for each shot, so we basically cleared out the sticker basket and we were on our way! 

"Mommy, they did this at your baby Madelyn appointments too" 

Cold waiting for the doctor so he stole his sisters blanket!

4 shots later! 

Nolan is 35 lbs (40%) and had a huge growth spurt from his 3 year to 4 year check up pushing him from the 40% for height to 75%! Maybe he will be tall like his daddy! 

Happy 4th birthday, my sweet Nolan James!