Paxton Turned One!!

I cannot believe that one year has gone by and I went from this little helpless being that needed my help to do everything to this little independent guy that is doing more and more and needs/wants my help with very little. 

We had so much fun on his first birthday despite the fact he woke up with a cold. We spent the day of doing "firsts" with him! We went out for birthday donuts where he experienced his first donut and he ate the entire thing without even taking a breath in between bites. This kid is no stranger to food. He will even drink gross kale smoothies in the morning and loves it. I do not even want to know what my grocery bill will be like when he is a teenager. After donuts we came home so he could take his morning nap. Post nap time we took both the kids out to Monkey Bizness to play. He had never been there before so it was a whole new world of fun to him. Lots of balls to roll around and play with along with slides and tunnels, you name it & they had it. He is much more in to things like this earlier than Harper is, she's quite shy and needs time to adjust to new things. Paxton on the other hand get's right in to the fun! After we played there for a while we came home and put both kids down for nap time while I prepped his cake and the set up the area for him to have fun with it (and so I could take pictures). Once they both got up we stripped him down so he could have fun with his first cake. I of course made one for Harper too because she was feeling a little jealous about all the attention he was getting that day. Both of the kids were much much cleaner than I expected them to be with a mini sprinkle iced cake in front of them. They pretty much licked off the icing and that was it! I guess my OCD cleanliness ways have taught them early to not be messy =). Yessss! We then spent the rest of the evening at home playing with his new toys and enjoying the quality time. I am so glad his first birthday fell on a Saturday so Josh could experience the whole day with us! Especially since we didn't get to do a family party like we did with Harp.

So just for my benefit I'm going to write an update on the things he is doing since I have done these wayyyyy less than I did with Harper:

*Walking everywhere. He started walking around 10.5 months old so he is practically a pro by now

*Going up and down the stairs with much sucess

*Saying mama, dada, nana (his reference to food), kitty, dog

*When told to do so he will; blow kisses, give kisses, arms up, wash his belly, point to his head, ear,   sniff his nose when asked where is his nose, click his tongue when asked where is his mouth, close his eyes when asked where his eyes are

*Eats literally everything. 

*Not yet transitioned to sippy cup for milk but will drink water out of one 

*Gives hugs

*Turns the pages in books when asked to do so and will point out the little boy in our favorite book

*Bounces/rolls the ball

*Uses sign language to ask for "more" or tell us "all done"

*Wearing 18 month clothes/size 5 diapers

*Loves his duck wubbanub for naptime

*Favorite toys are balls or anything musical or anything that makes noise

*LOVES bathtime

Well that's about it! This post was mostly for my memory book since as I have said a million times, I am terrible about scrapbooking/babybooking! I cannot believe I have a 2 year old and a 1 year old.  Even though the days can be super tiring with as crazy as Paxton is I truly have fabulous kids and I am so excited to see what 2013 brings! I've dubbed it The Year of the Pluid's since 13 is our lucky number =). Happy New Years everyone!!!!

Life Lately According To My iPhone

Sometimes you have a day where you need to take a trip to get some afternoon ice cream.

Friday movie night was one of my favorite nights ever. We put on our pj's, brought down our favorite pillows and blankets, ordered pizza, made popcorn & hot chocolate, and watched Tangled. Harper was so sweet and cuddled with me and was so excited and concerned about the horse in the movie. She's pretty much the best thing ever.

We currently moved this TV console out of the living room and Josh gave me 3 months to find a home for it (not the basement) or we were getting rid of it. Voila!! It's my new table in the front room to hold my holiday decor and little TV! Go me! It also doubles for a fort as you can see Paxton testing it out.

Sometimes you gotta run around naked and check out the Christmas tree. I mean, why not? We are in the beginning stages of potty training and were about to get H dressed for bed when she decided to streak through the house and take a pit stop to check out the lights. Last night we all decorated the tree watched The Grinch Stole Christmas and sang I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas playing in the background. The holidays are getting to be more and more fun as the kids get older and more into the festivities!!

If you are ANYWHERE near a Trader Joe's go there right now and buy this Cinnamon Broom. OMG my whole house smells like holiday cinnamony deliciousness!! It's amazing!

I hope everyone is getting excited for the beginning of the holiday season!! We are so excited to head to Oklahoma to enjoy lots and lots and lots and lots of good food with our family and make a stop to see some friends of ours on the way back! Hoping for safe travels for everyone and that you fill your bellies up full with good food because calories don't count on Thanksgiving, right?

Just a cup of hot chocolate

Ok I will forewarn all of you before you get too far in to this that it's one of those posts where I am going to be all butterflies, smiles and kisses on you.

I just wanted to put it out there that I have an amazing and super handsome husband. We have something good going for us and we just work together, it's one of those things. I am not saying that it is always perfect or easy but it works and it is one of those forever things.  I don't know if any of you have read the 5 Love Languages book but I think it is such an important thing to know what your partners love language is. How you like to receive love isn't always the same as your partner. Any who, on this past Sunday I was feeling a bit under the weather (surely it wasn't because of the alcohol consumption from the previous nights Halloween party). During the kiddo's nap time I decided to lay down myself and take a little snooze. I crashed out much harder and longer than anticipated and woke up in a small panic to look on the baby monitor to see that Paxton was out of his crib (I am pretty sure any day now he is going to find a way to climb out). About 2 seconds later I hear the sweetest laugher coming from my living room.  Josh and Pax were having some "guy time" while H and I snoozed away in the afternoon. That was one of those little things that made my heart happy. Later on when J came to check on me he toted along my smiling baby boy and 2 cups of hot chocolate with a GIANT marshmallow in it (my favorite!!) We had both of the kids up and playing in our room, hanging out as a family and drinking hot chocolate and to me that was perfection.

This girl. I cannot fully explain how lucky I am to have a girl and in particular this little girl. She amazes me every day with how smart, thoughtful, sweet and funny she is. I am probably the only person who's heart melts over the story I am about to tell you but it just proved a few things to me that we are doing a good job raising her.

Yesterday we were watching a movie in the afternoon because she wasn't feeling super good. Plus, she has been so sweet with wanting to sit down and cuddle with me that I will take any moment of that as much as possible! Then she disappeared upstairs for a few minutes & when I went to find her, expecting the worse that she was pouring more nail polish on the floor some more or something equally bad, she came running out of her room saying "here mama, this is for you!" At first I couldn't tell what it was and then she came down the stairs with this....

To you this may look like a cup and a bowl with golfballs in it. Nothing special right? Well to Harper she had gone upstairs and made us some hot chocolate. Yup. That was the moment I turned to puddy. You see as cute as it was that she remembered our family time playing in our bedroom the day before when daddy brought me hot chocolate, it told me a few things about the parenting job that Josh and I are doing. We are raising someone who thinks of others, who is creative, has an imagination, and of course remembered that mama loves hot chocolate. Those of you who are not parents yet will think this whole post is probably ridiculous but it is honestly the teeniest things that mean the most in my life. I don't need much other than my family and those sweet moments where I know that someone is thinking of me at a random time in their day to make me hot chocolate.

Buddy

  This little ham is 10 months old!! He is so much fun and could not be any more opposite from his sister in his personality. He's crazy, rambunctious, ambitious, super happy from the second he opens his eyes and wild. Unlike Harper who was starting to crawl around 10 months he has been mobile for a few months now. He is a pro crawler, cruises on the furniture, can stand alone and loves to climb on anything possible. It is only a matter of days/week until he is walking. Having a boy is so incredibly different than having a girl. He is the definition of boy. It's funny because we seriously think he may think his name is Buddy. We find ourselves calling him that all the time and of course because Josh and I call him that Harper does that as well and he responds to it. Therefore he is Paxton "Buddy" Joshua Pluid =). As you can see from his toothy smile he has 5 1/2 teeth right now and will bite and chew on everything. I am looking into crib protectors because I went into his room the other day and he had white specs all over his face from gnawing on his crib. Yikes!

For my personal benefit I am going to write out his current achievements since I am not a scrap booker or baby book-er (?)
* When asked to do so he can clap, waves, put his arms up, point to his head, high five, and sniff out his nose
*Climbs up the stairs at any moment he gets the chance
*Dances
*Says mama, dada, nana and yaaaaaaay. I swear he said hi twice this morning too =)
*Loves to pull Harper's hair when she isn't looking
*Sleeps all night from 6:30pm-7:00am with 2 daytime naps
*Wearing 12-18 month clothes (he loves him some food)
*Loves rough housing with his daddy.

In two short month's I am going to have a one year old! I know it is going to go by so quickly since it is right after the holiday craziness. We have officially been in Kansas City for a year now and I was looking back at pictures from our first week, which was Halloween, and holy smokes look at that big belly! No wonder my neighbors thought I was ready to pop when we first moved in! Aww look how cute my little Harpie cow was. Crossing my fingers she is going to brave the trick-or-treating this year and not shy out, mama wants some candy!

Happy Tuesday everyone! I cannot wait to dress up my little princess (at Harper's request) tomorrow night and brave the cold. Once Halloween is over its time to put up the Christmas tree right? Just kidding...well, kind of. =)

Life Lately According to my Iphone

 This is what happens when Grumpa decides to dress your child for the day. Guido baby!! I've nick named him Anthony "Tony" Pluid. He is missing his gold chain. 

Lunch date with daddy while Harper was at school. I forgot how much easier it is to go to lunch 2 adults on 1 kids over 2 on 2. There was much more time for conversation between J & I.

Thanks to Harper's Mimi she is the most stylish little girl at school. If they had this outfit in my size I am pretty sure I'd wear it too... of course not on the same day as Harper, that would be embarrassing! =) 

Pretty sure the $1 Spot at Target is the greatest idea ever. I bought some super cute fall pumpkin decorations and this fun ceramic leaf with paints for Harper to decorate. Can't beat something that is only $1! 

This pretty much sum's up what it is like in the Pluid house. Diva Harper with her leopard pants and monkey man Paxton pulling up and climbing on literally everything. 

IT'S FALL!!!!!!! I love pumpkins, hay bales, flowers, changing leaves, pumpkin flavored everything, boots, leggings, oversized shirts, you name it!  

We took the kids this past weekend to the Plaza Arts Fair here in KC. Although not a lot of art was seen on our part we had so much fun hunting down a balloon for Harper, drinking yummy beers, smelling amazing foods, listening to music and going to the kids art tent, and getting a balloon flower. Balloons are a pretty big deal around here lately. Oh and eating the most amazing chocolate chip cookie I've ever had! 

I've decided this little girl is going to be quite the fixer upper. She loves to help with any project involving tools. She helped me fix the bathroom sink the other morning and when I was done she said "yaaaay mama, you did it!" Pretty awesome having a little cheerleader too.  

 Swinging at the park. There is very little in life that this kid doesn't smile about. 

 Making art at the Arts Fair

 Unintentionally we coordinated our outfits. We are cool like that.

This is big time that she is smiling before leaving for school. The last 3 times have been filled with tears and guilt trips as I drop her off. Today was much more successful. It couldn't have been due to the fact I had bribed her with M&M's?

Happy Tuesday Everyone!!!!! 

Bottle Him Up

I just had to share these pictures that make me want to bottle him up and keep him at this stage forever! He is growing up much much faster than Harper did and it is too much for this mama. Today he FINALLY decided to start saying mama. I have been waiting for this for quite some time. He has been throwing dada in my face for over a month now and although I am excited his little babbles are starting to form into words, I really needed to hear him say my name. This guy will be 9 months on the 29th and he is 100% boy. He is wiggly, ambitious, messy, loud, fearless, and quite handsome if I do say so myself. It is only a matter of a few weeks until he is walking on his own. Too fast my son, too fast for this mama who is holding on to the last experiences of babyness I will have for myself (yes I am aware that is probably not a real word). On the up side we have lots of those around us who are starting their adventures with little ones so I will get my newborn fix through them. I figure that is a much easier route than to go through the whole nine months of giantess, surgery and the cost of another little one.

 I hope everyone is having a fabulous Wednesday. It is nap time around here (WOO HOO) so I am off to do some photo editing of a family session from over the weekend all the while watching to see who won So You Think You Can Dance. Sounds pretty great to me!

Two too old!!

 Wait? What?

 You say its my.......

 BIRTHDAY?!!!!!!!!!!!

Harper just turned two and was lucky enough to have it fall on a Saturday!! Therefore we were able to make her actual birthday an extra fun day since J is off work and all the fun things happen on weekends. 

I anxiously waited for her to wake up so we could start the fun. Josh and I decorated our front room with balloons, streamers, had all her little plush friends waiting on the couch for her arrival downstairs first thing in the morning. I was not sure if she would really get in to it or not but when she saw the balloons her eyes grew wide and rushed down to see what was going on. She quickly spotted her gifts (which I accidentally forgot to wrap) and knew something awesome was about to go down. With it being early I was apparently not on my game with the camera and all the pics were completely fuzzy so you will have to use your imagination for this segment! =)

 After Pax took his morning nap we took the kids to the Overland Park Farmer's market. Fresh local organic fruits, veggies, we did a little balsamic vinegar tasting of a peach and pear/cranberry flavored, watched a balloon artist create fun little animals and ended up purchasing some honeydew and a few loaves of bread. Pax was a little cranky due to a short nap so it was a tad stressful but next time we learned to bring the wagon so they can both sit down the entire time. I have this fear of Harper being stolen/kidnapped...is this just me or do you other mom's have this too? She is a really good kid where she never runs off and get's kind of freaked out in big public settings so she is always near. But I am very adamant about her holding my hand and not running off. It really causes me to be anxious sometimes when I am in big public settings with the kids. We do not have a double stroller so typically Pax is in the stroller and I have H walking alongside of me. Josh thinks I am crazy and says that it is very rare for a child to be kidnapped but I am still an extra cautious freak about it. 

 After both the kids took their wonderfully long afternoon naps we had our babysitter come to stay with Pax during the evening so we could take H to her very first baseball game. We were so lucky that it was bobblehead night at the K and Harper got an Eric Hosmer bobblehead!

We obviously purchased tickets for seats but honestly we did not use them except for these few pictures. At Kauffman Stadium they have a wonderful kids area where they can play on a jungle gym, race against the time of the baseball players, ride on a carousel, and much much more!

 Checking out the fountains was by far one of Harp's favorite things to do. She was baffled by them and wanted to watch them the entire time.

 It did start to rain on us after we had been there an hour or so but it added to the fun! We ducked under and got some cover while eating pizza, checking out her bobble head again and cheering when necessary.

 I am not sure who had more fun between Josh and Harper. He explained what was going on with the game and she would clap and cheer and shout GO ROYALS! I definitely think this could turn into a birthday tradition and next year we will be able to bring Pax along with us!

Celebrating her second birthday is by far better than the first birthday, and I am sure that trend will continue with each one. We have her 2 year appointment this afternoon so we will be able to see how big and smart she is. I'll do a post soon to update myself for later in life on all the things she is doing as of now!!

OOOOOklahoma!!!!

I was lucky enough to get to spend an entire week back in my home state a week or so ago. Sadly enough I still did not get to see everyone I wanted to but at the same time I did get some good quality time in with some of my favorite people.

The primary reason we trekked it down there was to attend our dear friend Ronnie's birthday party. Him, his wife and three beautiful girls just moved into a new house they built in Owasso and invited us down to celebrate Ronnie's big day. Me being me, decided to make the most of our time in OK and of course crammed waaaaaaaaay too many things in to too few days. 

I had the bags packed and ready to go on Friday and last minute we decided to drive down Friday evening with the idea that it will be around the kids bedtime and they will sleep during the drive (because they have always been awesome sleepers in the car like every other child in the world???) I am here to tell you that I have the children who are anti car sleepers. Like not one wink if it is possible. I am sure you can see where this is going but after we were 15-20 minutes into our drive and had experienced 15 minutes of Paxton screaming we decided to turn around and leave in the morning after everyone had a good night's rest. Not much else makes me more anxious than having a screaming baby in the car (especially since Josh's brother James was with us, who has no kids, and I do not want to frighten him for life out of having any by the insanely high pitched cry of our little guy in the car for three hours...)

Anywho, our drive was much more successful the following morning and we had so much fun spending the afternoon swimming, playing with all the kids, eating a shrimp boil and ice cream sundaes, meeting new friends and celebrating the fact that Ronnie was born and we are pretty happy about that!

As I had mentioned about cramming in too many things, after a loooong day of food, drinking and staying up late, we had our car packed back up and were leaving Tulsa that very next morning to go to not one but two birthday parties for our little Harper. Since 99% of our family lives in Oklahoma it only made sense for us to come to them for her birthday instead of expecting 25+ people to come our way. In all reality for my sanity it was much easier as well. We went to my moms first who planned the CUTEST brunch/donuts party for Harper. Pink sprinkled donuts, yummy breakfast casseroles, and of course too many presents were awaiting this spoiled little girl. Harper being the way she is was not quite ready for all the attention until she had been there about an hour. Then she really turned on the charm. When opening her gifts, Josh would tell her who it was from and she would take it over to that person to help her unwrap it. Then she proceeded with WOW!! or OOOOHHHHH!! before she even saw what it was. Needless to say it was adorable!

Post nap time we loaded the kids back up and drove over to Josh's mom's house where we were having party #2. Over there we went swimming and they grilled some yummy foods for us! Again she was super spoiled with Dora gear, books and an awesome stuffed animal named Abigail that talks when you read her book. Pretty awesome!

The next morning (early again) Josh, James and I were back in the car because I had to drop them off at the airport =(.
Tuesday morning, you guessed it, we were back in the car and driving to Duncan to spend the day and night with one of my very best friends Katie!! The timing of our trip was perfect because her husband, mom and dad were all out of town that week. This meant Katie, Keller, Canon, Harper, Paxton and myself were all having 36 hour long play date and slumber party at her parents house (pool included!!!). Needless to say it was AWESOME! Lots of chatting while laying out between Katie and I and even more play time with all the kids. Donuts, Chinese food, Cherry Berry, and Eduardo's were all consumed within too few hours but it was well worth it! Katie and I literally text each other a million times a day so it did not feel like it had been 10 months since we had really hung out together.

After nap time we were back in the car and heading back to Edmond to spend the rest of the time at my mom's house. The night we got back from Duncan I went to dinner with my long time best friends Hannah and Kevin and it was so much fun. Neither of them have any children yet so it is truly a refreshing night out of adult conversation and funny stories from high school/college. These two people were the people who knew me inside and out growing up and it is never a dull time when we are all together.

The last day of my trip my mom and I went out and did a little shopping, my fabulous step sister Caroline trimmed and colored my hair so I could feel pretty again, and then my siblings came over to my parent's house that evening and we had dinner and drinks and fun conversations.

Friday morning we left Edmond around 8:30am and made it back to my house by 1:30pm with out ONE SINGLE TEAR from either of my children! It was as if the sky had parted and God himself sat in the back seat with my kids and entertained them. It was amazing! 

Although it is really hard sometimes missing out on family events and not seeing my friends as much as I used to, the one thing that is wonderful is the fact that when I see them now it is truly quality time that we get. I love living here in KC but nothing will ever replace my friends, family and memories I have in Oklahoma.

I know this is suuuuuuuuuuuper long and I have been in a blogging hiatus lately but one last thing I have to say is that Harper is turning two TOMORROW! I am oh so excited for our day ahead and I will be blogging about it next week. I am going to do my best to take lots of pictures =).

Ok ok ok I promise this is the VERY last thing..... Paxton is  crawling now! Seriously my kids are getting big waaaaaaaaaay too fast! I hope you all have such a fun weekend and enjoy this awesome weather we are experiencing!