Weekend Getaway

Last weekend, Rob and I decided to take advantage of a great deal and head to the Dells for a weekend getaway!  We stayed at Hotel Rome @ Mt. Olympus and had a wonderful time.  Grandma and Grandpa came Friday afternoon to stay with Maya, Annie, and the kitties while Rob and I headed out of town!  We arrived in the Dells Friday afternoon just in time to watch the Onalaska boys basketball team win and enjoy happy hour at the {ridiculously expensive} hotel lounge.  Thank goodness for 2-for-1 happy hour specials and greasy bar food!  We checked out the indoor water park, hot tub, and headed to bed early.  Saturday was filled with some Tanger Outlet Mall shopping, dinner at Moose Jaw Pizza & Pub, Onalaska D2 Championship game, and some more water park fun.  It was the first time I had gone down a water slide in years!  We had fun!  We also did a little lily pad obstacle course thing.  {Which would have been really fun if it had not been for the obnoxiously rude teenage boys who weren't courteous enough to wait in line or NOT splash others!} However, I kind of felt like I was on that goofy show Wipe Out!  After a day of fun, we were in bed by about 9pm.  LoVeD it!!   We woke up Sunday morning and couldn't wait to get home to see Maya.  We had a wonderful weekend.  I expect we will be heading back soon because the Rob was dying to do the go-karts!  


 Most of all, it reminded me how much fun Rob and I have together and how important it is continue to do fun things like that!  

Getting ready to head down to the water park!

Dinner at Moose Jaw

The weather was so beautiful outside!! 

Maya doing her favorite outdoor activity: Riding on Daddy's tractor!

Maya snuggled up in her John Deere jammies from Grandma Sue!  

What a big girl! 

Loves <3 

First words... and a few Spring pics!

Since I wrote my "Sixteen Months" post, it seems that Maya has picked up more and more words each day!


Here is a complete list {as of this moment:}
mommy
daddy
baby
Lala {Bella}
where go? {Where he/she go?} ~ with hands up
hi
bye
uh oh
woah
meow {every time she sees a picture of a kitty}
nummy or num-num-num
guck {it's stuck}
mil {milk}
no {while shaking her finger at Annie!}


It is so fun watching this girl learn before my eyes!!

    ~~~~~  

Here are some pictures of my two girls playing together on a beautiful Spring morning! 

{Ugh... these pictures could be so great if the coloring wasn't so awful! Time for a new camera AND time to learn how to use a camera since I have great subjects!!} 

Help! Snack Ideas?

  

Hey mamas, I am in need of some good, healthy snack options for kids.  Because I have a busy toddler, most of her food is eaten "on the go,"{Think: snack cup} with very little eating actually happening at meal-time.  We have some favorites, but am looking for some new ideas!  Here are some of Maya's current faves: Goldfish crackers, shredded mozzarella cheese (she refuses string cheese which would be MUCH less messy, ugh!) Crispix cereal, {sometimes} craisins, fresh berries of any kind, pretzels, apple slices, diced grapes, kiwi, bananas, organic fruit strips {super messy}, natural applesauce, organic yogurt.  Because she is an independent toddler, her food interests change daily so I am constantly looking for new healthy snacks to strike her interest and fill her with some nutrients at the same time!  What is your little one's favorite snack?   

Our little reader...

It's a sad day when your one year old pushes you out of the rocking chair so she can read by herself!  

Let's hope it is just a phase and she wants to sit in mama's lap again real soon!  

Our sleeping beauty....

This sweet girl loves snuggling up to her "babies," 

especially her puppy! 

Sixteen.Months.

Maya is 16 months old today!  Watching our little baby become a toddler has been so entertaining and fulfulling.  Our sweet girl is blossoming into a busy, little toddler!


Here's what Maya is up to these days:
Weighs ~21 pounds
Wears size 3 diapers and {mostly} 18 month clothing
Sleeps 11-12 hours at night {except when she's teething or has an ear infection.... ugh!}
Naps once a day for 1.5-2 hours
First Words: mommy, daddy, baby, Bella {Thanks to Grandpa Rob!}, woah!, and uh-oh!
Knows where her nose is and everyone else's nose, including Annie's
Loves her baby, so much that she likes to push her in the stroller, "change" her diaper, feed her from her sippy cup, and play peek-a-boo
Can understand many directions or questions: Go get a book, Go get a diaper, Put your Nuk in your crib, Find your phone, Do you want a snack? etc...
Signs "All Done" and "More"
Shakes her finger "no" when Annie is being naughty
Gives "loves" ~ hugs and kisses
Loves to brush her teeth
Likes to comb her hair {and mama's}
Can close doors, but not open them
Spanks mama's butt {Thanks to Daddy!}
Plays peek-a-boo with anything she can find to hide her face
Loves bath time
Adores her "big sister" Annie and plays with her often

Here's my Little Miss Pig-tails this week! 

Maya and cousin Bennett hanging out in a play tent! 

Don't know what I would do without this sweet girl in our lives!?  

Learning to use a spoon

Maya sure loves learning how to use a spoon. And I love watching her!

  

Next time I think we'll try something a little... um ... less messy?  Like oatmeal?  

Our baby is growing up!!