My first-born

When Layla was born 4 and a half years ago, our lives were completely changed.  Well, not completely changed, I mean, for fun, we would go to my sister's house to see her kids before we had any of our own, so I guess we were kind of ready for this.

Layla was our one and only and was such an amazing baby.  The only complaint I had about her as a baby was the fact that she woke up at 5:30 each morning.  Which is what Alivia does now.  Anyway, she was an angel until about 1.  Thant seems to be a trend for my kids.  Amazing babies, turn 1, become sassy.

Layla has certainly kept us on our toes, but I think it's definitely been worth it.  There have been so. many. tantrums.  When I would put her in time-out, I would have to practically sit on her to keep her in the chair.  I spent a night putting her back in her bed 85 times when we were transitioning to a toddler bed.  I put baby gates up in her room's doorway to keep her in at night and not only would she climb them, but she would throw figurines and picture frames from her room over the gate to get me to come to her room.  All of this occurred while I was pregnant with Ava.  I remember sleeping on an ottoman in her doorway, while being about 7 months pregnant, in order to keep her from escaping.  I was determined to have her sleeping in a "big girl bed" before Ava came.  Fun times.

Through all of the craziness though, somehow this sweet, big-hearted, smart, and funny little girl emerged.  She wants to learn anything she can and asks a million questions all the time.  She is always mothering and protecting her little sisters.  She still wakes up super-early and hates to go to sleep, but the tantrums are much less frequent.  She makes her own bed before she leaves her room.  She holds doors open for anyone she can.  Sometimes Chris and my hands are filled with babies and leftovers when we come in at night, and Mr. Bob is with us, Layla is considerate enough to go back and help him get in the house.

She has started reading and just picks up on the different rules to reading so quickly.  She recently wrote Alivia and baby book about when I had her and brought her home.  She learned how to tell time so she could get a watch for Christmas.  Most recently, she was determined to learn to tie her shoes.  I showed her a few times, but last night we sat and practiced...and then she got it!  I've never met a kid that picks up on things as quickly as she does!

She is so loving and sweet.  Always showing affection and wanting to cuddle.  She is so goofy an thinks everything her dad does is amazing and hilarious.  She acts a lot like her Aunt Melissa and thinks it is hilarious when she does goofy things while facetiming.  Lately she has been dressing up as inventors, knights, and superheroes, but last night, she was Elsa.  She is my social butterfly and will become friends with anyone she meets.  She loves rides, swimming, playing in the snow, dancing, and singing.  But, most of all, she loves her cousin, Brett.  Layla is just fun.

I love her so much.  There are times that we already butt heads, which scares me for the future, but I know everything will work out in the end.  She has such a heart for God and is just always thinking about things.  I can't wait to see the kinds of amazing things she will accomplish in  her life.  I am so thankful for my first-born little girl.

Love,
Kelly

Sleep Deprived

I am exhausted.  This has been quite a week.  I haven't been any busier than normal or done anything crazy, but I feel wiped out.  My days start really early and by the time all of the mom/wife duties are over with, it's time for bed.  Ava is in the peak of the "terrible twos" which drains the life out of me.  It's times like this that I have to literally stop myself, take deep breaths, pray really hard, and step back and look at the big picture.

(morning cuddles with each other)

My babies are still babies.  I get to see their cuteness day in and day out.  I also get to see their tantrums, defiance, and meanness...they still draw me pictures, "make" me gifts, want to cuddle with me, and just be with me.  I have beautiful, funny, and healthy babies that make me smile and laugh a lot.  This week has just been trying.

(first nighttime braids in classic Krug tradition)

The other morning Layla and Ava decided to come downstairs and be up for the day at 5:00am.  They were so cute coming down the stairs by themselves and cuddling on the couch together while I tried to sleep for another hour.  My new tactic though is that they are not allowed to get out of their beds unless I come and get them.  It was working until this morning, when Ava came strolling down the stairs at 5:15.  By the time I got her back to bed and I laid back down, Alivia was awake.

One day though, I'll look back on this time and wish to have it again.  I know this, but it doesn't make me any less tired.

On a positive note, Layla is officially a reader!  She read "My "C" Book" to me and only needed help with a few of the vocabulary words.  I'm so proud of her!  She loves learning everything and anything she can.  She is seriously obsessed with the Key Bridge and Fort Carroll.  I know, it's really weird, but she loves the story and will request to hear "The Star Spangled Banner" while we are driving.  She always wants to know how things work.  From the time she could talk, she always wanted to invent things.  It makes me laugh because she things you can just make anything.  Skateboard machines, roller coaster machines, if she doesn't know how to make the item, she'll just make the machine that makes that item.  Currently, she is walking around with a basket on her head, saying her name is "Arthur" and that she is an inventor.  We just watched, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" so I think that is where that came from.  She is the most complex and interesting little girl I've ever met.

(Quinn and Livy yesterday)

If Ava isn't hitting, biting, pulling hair, or somehow torturing Layla, she is either copying Layla's every move, kissing on Livy, or being a princess.  She is constantly asking me to dance with her and lately has been dressed up as Elsa.  I love how girly and dainty she is.  Sometimes it'll be very peaceful (which doesn't happen often) and I'll find Ava playing with her "little people" Disney castle or arranging her little people in strange places.  She is FINALLY getting her colors...most of the time.  She makes me smile and I wonder how her cute little mind works.

(Right before she told me to "shoo" and got really mad at me)

Alivia is my easiest right now.  She is my earliest riser right now, but still my easiest.  I find that I am totally babying her way more than the other two.  She doesn't even hold her bottle fully on her own yet!  Every time I feed her though, she wants to hold onto my fingers, and how can I say no to that?!  The other morning she woke up at 4:15 and I was so tired, but she was screaming.  I went up to her room and as soon as she saw me, her whole face lit up!  It just makes me melt!  She just rolling everywhere and starting to get up on her knees by herself!  I know it's only a matter of time before she starts crawling and getting into EVERYTHING!

Upcoming events:  We are having our first paint night tomorrow night, so I'm looking forward to that and John and Colby find out the gender of my new little niece/nephew tonight!  Exciting times!!

Love,
Kelly

My Boring Life

Oh, 5:30 comes so early!  That has pretty consistently been Alivia's new wake-up time.  She usually goes back to sleep after she eats, but I stay awake.  So, here I am at 6:10am writing in my blog.  I've seriously been so busy all day that I haven't had time to even think about Facebook or blogging.  It is so refreshing to break an addiction like that!

Although I've been busy, it's just normal life housewife kinda busy.  I've been cooking, cleaning, play-dating, and taking care of the girls.  That's my life right now and I'm totally okay with it.  I'm actually working really hard to be the best I can be at being at home.  I've even made myself a schedule of everything I want to get done in the day and it feels good!

This week has consisted of doctor's appointments, church, visiting people I haven't seen in a while, and friends that I see all the time.  I got the workout of my life, thought I was going to die, and realized that I'm super out of shape.  I also got to meet a new little cousin, Anthony for the first time! Such a sweet little angel.

Alivia said her first word yesterday...and it was, "mom!"  No worries, I captured it on video :)  I am so excited!  I know she doesn't know what it means, but Ava said "Layla" before she said "mom", so I'll take this!

I know my life isn't exciting right now, but I believe that it's the little moments in life that make it so great.  Lately I feel like I've been going absolutely insane with Layla and Ava's fighting.  Ava snatches things away from Layla, just for the annoyance of it, she whines and cries, and gets mad at the drop of a hat.  Layla is just constantly tattling on her, and I don't blame her, but it could drive someone to insanity to hear it all day long.

Layla is saved though by her big heart.  She is constantly loving on me and both of her sisters.  She isn't a mean girl at all.  She's always being helpful and kind and she is just so smart.  I just soak up her sweetness.  She has her quirks of freaking out when things change or I want to throw scraps of paper (clearly trash) away.  She is amazing.

Ava is saved by her adorableness.  She is two and her mood can change from hot to cold in a second.  Less than a second.  But, those good moods are so cute.  After fight all day with Layla, she can walk up to her, throw her arms around her and tell her she missed her and that they're "sissers."  She cuddles up on the couch next to Layla and held her hand, then got closer and said, "twins!"  Last night, about a half hour after the girls had been put to bed, Ava just comes walking down the stairs.  I asked her what she was doing and she told me, very nonchalantly, that she was looking for Layla.  I explained that Layla was asleep...in their room.  She then changed it to be that she was looking for daddy.  When I told her she needed to go back to bed, she fell to the ground crying.  She then decided that she would go back to bed if she could take her Elsa blanket to her room.  Umm..okay?  So, we took the Elsa blanket and she went back to sleep with no problem.  It drives me crazy, but also makes me laugh.

I want to remember these moments because I know already that it's hard for me to remember what Layla was like at 2, and what both Layla and Ava were like as babies.  I don't want to forget this cuteness and craziness, ever.

I love my girls so much and my boring life.

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men" - Colossians 3:23

"Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge no wisdom." - Ecclesiastes 9:10


Love,
Kelly

Happy 6 Months Alivia Marie!

I can't believe half of a year has already passed since I first laid eyes on Alivia Marie Celmer.  She's already 27.25 inches (93rd percentile) and 18 pounds, 2 ounces (83rd percentile).  She has two adorable bottom teeth and smiles all the time.  She rolls everywhere and rocks if I put her her knees.  She is getting better and better at sitting up by herself and loves her jumper.  She sleeps in her crib without crying at night as well as her two naps.  She is truly an angel and a pleasure to parent.

My favorite thing about her right now is her sweetness.  She looks at me in such a loving way with her big grey eyes and smiles everytime I she looks at me.  When she drinks her bottle, she holds onto my fingers and I love every second of it.  I am trying to get her told hold her bottle by herself, but I don't want this phase to end yet!  She smiles every time she sees her sisters and her daddy.  She's not a big laugher yet, only when she's being tickled.  She has started eating rice cereal and a fruit or vegetable once a day, and loves it!

God certainly knew what He was doing when He put her in my life.  She is amazing and I can't wait to see what kind of person she turns into.  I'm excited to hear her voice and watch her grow, but I also want her to stay the baby she is now.

The past six months have been quite the whirlwind, having 3 very little kids.  This is what I've learned about those first six months of life with the third baby:

1.  Newborns are really easy.  There is no sass, no tantrums, and they sleep all the time.  The hardest thing about them is the constant feedings.

2.  2 and 4 year olds are actually decent babysitters!  If I need to get in the shower or get ready for the day, my older two are plenty enough entertainment for Alivia and make sure she's safe and happy.  It's amazing.

3.  Those first 6 months go by really fast, especially when you're busy dressing, feeding, time-outing, playing with, and loving three kids.

4.  The third baby seems super sweet and cuddly, especially when the other two are fighting with each other.

5.  Leaving the house and getting in and out of the car with three kids is such an undertaking.  I have to mentally prepare myself to go anywhere and I will only go one place per day.  It. is. exhausting.

6.  It's amazing when I think about how I love someone I just met 6 months ago as much as I love people I have known for 2 and 4 years.

Happy 6 months Alivia!  I love you so much!!!

Love,
Mommy

The Middle Child

My name is Kelly and I have Middle Child Syndrome.  You can ask any of my 3 sisters (I'm sure you know them much better than you know me), my parents, anyone who knows me at all, really.  I grew up being in my loud, obnoxious, and extremely social, older sister's shadow.  Then, to make matters worse, my parents had twins after me!  So, I was the quiet one who followed the rules.  I was Melissa's sister or the twins' sister.  There was literally a time when someone knew all 3 of my sisters but didn't know I existed.  And told my mom.  While I was standing there.  I've obviously never forgotten that.  I'm the one who has two baby pictures while there are albums upon albums dedicated to each month of my sisters' first years.  I may be a little dramatic when it comes to my MCS, but nevertheless, it exists and has taken part in shaping who I am today.

I decided that when I had a second child, I would go all out.  I HAD to do for my Ava what I had done for Layla.  I made Layla an awesome book that showed all of the amazing things she did in her first year of life.  I even wrote a poem in the beginning of the book, just for her.  I thought, I'll definitely do this for my second child.  Well, I am making that book now!  Ava turned two in September.  I also have a third child, so...I really should be doing that book now.  She's already 6 months old!  I'm behind on that one too?!

Word of advice:  Don't be an amazing parent with the first one.  Think about the fact that when you have a second child, you will then have two kids to deal with.  When you have a third, that's three kids.  There isn't enough time or energy to be making scrapbooks!

Not only is Ava the middle child, but she is 2 and right now she is my hardest.  She has completely taken the "little sister" role and ran with it.  She takes things from Layla, just to be mean!  If Layla has a toy that Ava wants, and won't give it up, Ava resorts to biting, hitting, and the newest is hair pulling!  Seriously?!  I spank, and give time out, I've even pulled her hair to show her what it feels like.  The problem is that she is so. darn. cute.  And she knows it.  If there is a fight, she usually started it.  I just keep telling myself that this is just a phase.  That Layla went through this too.  Being a parent is seriously exhausting.

This is a typical moment in the life of Ava right now, and happened today:  I make her lunch, anything she wants.  She chooses a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, grapes, and animal crackers with a cup of milk.  I make up her plate, set it in front of her, and the next thing I know, an animal cracker flies across the kitchen, Ava is screaming and crying, I'm running to get her plate before she decides to dump the whole thing on the floor, and then try to calm her down enough to find out what in the world happened.  It had to be something crazy, right?  I found out the hard way that food cannot be stacked on top of other food.  Everything has to be flat on the plate.  Silly me.  I'm definitely ready for this phase to be over.  Except that when she cries and throws fits like this, she now asks me to pray for her to calm down.  How insanely cute is that?

That is my Ava.  She is absolutely adorable, crazy, and funny, all at the same time.  I can't stop kissing her and biting her little chin.  She is either super mean to Layla or imitating her every move.  She can't get enough of Alivia who is her "little punkin head."  Her big brown eyes can always melt my heart, and she will let me hold her like a baby and sing to her.  She is my best sleeper, even if she needs a gross little lamb in order to sleep.  She thinks she is a real princess and names each of her hairstyles after Disney princesses.  She is my middle child, but she is definitely not forgotten.  That girl has a presence like no other.  I wonder what she'll be like when this phase ends.

-Kelly

Back to Reality

Today is the last day of Winter Break for Chris and Layla.  Christmas is over, New Year's is over, Lauren's Wedding is over.  Now, we look on to the long, cold winter.  You can tell I'm a winter-lover, right?

On a brighter note, despite all the sicknesses, it was a good break!  Christmas was amazing!  Layla is 4 and Ava is 2, which are such cute Christmas magic ages.  They loved each gift they received and everyone was happy and healthy!  Alivia (5 months) was there, but not even old enough to sit up on her own, so I can't say she really enjoyed it...she was cute as a button though!
   

I think my favorite part of Christmas was the gift Layla got for me.  She is in Pre-K this year and they had a Santa's Workshop there.  I gave her $10 and told her she had 5 people to buy gifts for and she was not to buy for herself.  She came home that day with exactly what I told her to get, and selected each gift specifically for each family member.  She even wrapped the gifts herself and put them in the appropriate stockings.  She couldn't have been more proud and excited...until Christmas morning.  She gave everyone their gift, but when it was time for mine, she couldn't wait.  I opened it up and found a box with a silver bracelet and a "diamond" charm with a "J" on it (It's in cursive, so I don't think she had any idea it was a "J".  We are saying it's for "Jesus").  She told me that when she went into Santa's Workshop, she saw that bracelet and thought, "That is the prettiest thing here.  My mom would love that."  She said that she hurried up and bought it before anyone else could.  She was so happy to give it to me.  It was so sweet and made me tear up.  That was the best.

  

After Christmas all of the sickness came.  Chris got pneumonia, Layla was fevered and coughing, my dad was coughing, my mom was coughing, it was miserable.  We somehow got all of our Decorations down and cleaned the house, but with my sister and her family being in from Florida, it was so tough to keep everyone away from each other.  New Year's was supposed to be a nice get-together with family and friends at my house, but we had to cancel.  It ended up being nice though, with just my family.  My kids slept later than they ever have in their lives and it felt like a great beginning to a New Year.

The next few days consisted of seeing my sister and her family and getting reading for my youngest sister, Lauren's wedding.

 
The wedding was yesterday, January 3, 2015.  Lauren couldn't have been a more beautiful bride.  It's so hard to believe that time is flying so quickly that my youngest sister is a married woman!  I don't like it at all!

Now it's Sunday and the last day of the break.  It was certainly busy and great, but it has to end sometime!  Tomorrow starts diets and exercising, cleaning and cooking again.  I feel so blessed to be with so much family and have so much fun in my life.  I'm happy about the fun times as well as the normalcy.  Although, I've always got a countdown going for the next exciting thing!  

-Kelly