Vacation Time! Whohoo!

Well, me and my littlest girl are off to FL this morning...yippee! I don't really have time to blog and I honestly had hoped to post a bunch of pics before I left...but time (or lack of) and the craziness of getting ready to leave just got the best of me. So, you'll have to wait for pics until I get home! But, be rest assured I'm gonna have a wonderful and (hopefully) relaxing time down south with my family! I can't wait to just chill and hold my baby and maybe (just maybe??) take a NAP!? So, until next week I bid you all a fond farewell!

It's Potty Time?!

Well, yesterday was an unexpected Big Day for our Big Boy...

I was caught up in the whirlwind of laundry and packing for my trip this week to FL and my sweet boy was downstairs watching cartoons. I was going about my business when I hear him coming up the stairs saying "pee pee, mama". Of course, I just assumed he had gone in his diaper cuz that's just the way it's been for our 2 1/2 year old little man.....but just to make sure I asked him "did you go in your diaper or do you want to go pee pee in the potty?". I honestly never expected him to chose the latter of the two...but lo and behold he said "I pee pee in the potty!". So off we went to the big potty (the lil' potty is covered in dust from non-use so thus the reason we opted for the large one...plus honestly I never thought he'd sit on the potty much less go in it...) BUT....guess what....HE DID SIT AND HE DID GO! It was almost instaneous too! He didn't even act surprised that he went...in fact he looked at me like he'd been peeing in the potty for years, but I could tell he was so proud of himself. Of course the wayward ways of his pee pee made it go all over the floor and his clothes, but that was ok...at least he had good intentions! And mama was SOOO proud of him! He was all excited and flushed the toilet (twice), washed his hands, we promptly called Nina in FL so she could share in the good news as well, and then Big Boy Dylan sat and feasted on some frosted animal cookies as his treat/incentive/bribery (to continue on his path to big-boy-dom) :) And then to make matters even better....he repeated this whole process after his nap (when he woke up with a dry diaper!)...and this time he kept all the pee in the potty too! Wow, two pees in the potty in one day! That is a monumental thing for our never-before-peed-in-the-potty boy! I am so proud of him!

I realize that the road to potty-dom might still be long for him, but at least we're on our way! Of course, we'll have to restart the process after my week in FL, but that's ok....hopefully I'll be well rested after my trip and I'll have all this energy to potty train in my "spare time" :)

3 weeks old?!

Where has the time gone? Is my Ashley really that old already? Sometimes I still find it hard to believe I don't have a big belly anymore and that she is no longer inside me....

Why do the days/weeks/months/years have to go by so quickly....it's hard on us mamas to see our babies grow up in the blink of an eye (sigh) :(

A Precious Gift...

...from my dear, wonderful and treasured friend Jill! :)

I can't even tell you how touched I was when my wonderful neighbor friend, Jill, showed up on my doorstep this past week with a smile and another gift in hand. She always seems to know when I'm having a bad day/week/month and she's always there to send a card or an email or a funny joke about her kids....and she always seems to be the cheerful giver too, for she has truly just showered and showered us with so many goodies lately. Here is the latest jewel she so graciously had made for me.

I was truly almost speechless when I saw it. Jill, you know just what I love...anything about my family...and especially anything engraved with our names on it. Honestly I have looked online for something like this and to have Jill show up with this in hand...well, my heart was so grateful. Take a look at this beautiful piece of jewelry. If you can't tell, it's a necklace with this beautiful family circle attached and engraved with all our names. I just simply adore everything about it and I am wearing it with pride. It is a daily reminder of God's abundant blessings to our little Steg family....my blessing in a wonderful husband like Kev and the 4 little miracles that came from our love and through God's grace.

Jill, bless you a million times over...not only for this beautiful token of friendship, but for your constant support and love. You are a dear, dear friend and this necklace will constantly remind me of that too! Thank you, friend! :)

Busy, but FUN times! :)

Well, a bit belated, but none-the-less...here are "some" pics from our very busy weekend (last weekend, not this one!)....of Hailey in her AG fashion show...above is Hailey actually "trying on" the AG clothes at the fitting back in Sept. when I was still big and prego (the week before I delivered). Is this not the most beautiful coat ever?! I love it! Ok maybe I should back up a bit. Did I ever even explain the whole American Girl Fashion Show?? It's put on annualy by the Junior League of Indianapolis (as a fundraiser to make money for certain charities). Girls come from all over Indiana to try on these clothes on a first-come/first-serve basis....if you come to late and there are no clothes left to try on you can't be in the show. We showed up semi-late (thanks to ballet class and the long drive to Indy), so we didn't have much to chose from...but we were just thrilled Hailey could be in the show...and that she could be Samantha (the AG doll)...it really was a great match for her! And I loved the clothes....below is the trendy, new outfit that just came out in the catalog (the one where you can "dress like your doll")...Hailey liked this one! Above is Hailey at fashion show practice (at the new Renaissance Hotel in Carmel) last Friday....at the "model check in" area....
Practicing on stage with the other models...did I mention Hailey just had a ball doing this?! She did!
Her with Amy (her Just Like Me AG doll, who looks nothing like Hailey :))....but they both have matching fashion show t-shirts! :) Gotta love that!

The morning of the fashion show (above)...Nina Stegs took all us girls...it was a fun "girls morning out". Ashley was a little angel...she was fussy here, but at the show she slept almost the entire time! Can you tell Shelby was excited...she would have been more excited to be in it (maybe next year?)...but she still loved it and had to take Sara (her AG Bitty Baby twin) along to watch...

Hailey checking in for her big modeling debut :)
Two of my sweet girls....
And here's Samantha played by Hailey :) along with Samantha herself...all in matching duds!
I love these pics...reminds me of the girls in Nutcracker and how much Hailey would love that!

My pretty girl...in her old fashioned dress....I love red on her too!

Girls and their dolls...so fun!
Me and my girls...all holding our dolls...but mine is real! :)
Sweet sleeping Ashley during the show....if you're wondering why she's wearing so many outfits this day it's cuz she was constantly pooping (and staining them!) :) Thank goodness for all those many cute newborn outfits we own!
Nina and Shelby eating their yummy brunch...which for Shelby was mostly cookies and fondue! (notice the choc. on her face)...and notice the slumbering Ashley in the background...what a good baby!
And then the show began...here is Hailey in her coat with her matching doll (who they could not find the coat to...bummer!)

Hailey with all her other historical friends on stage...it was really neat how they gave a historical account of all the dolls and what they wore in their day and age....

Here is Hailey in her trendy outfit (above) And after the show...taking a breather from all the hard modeling work....

Nina and two of her girls post-show.... And then it was back to Nina and Poppy's house for some fun and family time! Shelby had to show off her roller blading skills...not bad for a 4 year old!

Dylan showing us his rendition of a bridge on Nina's garden bench :) (and notice the mohawk...those double cow-licks are just out of control lately, but very suiting for our crazy boy!)

And time to show off Ashley to the Steg family...Aunt Jan got to hold her first...and Jenny (due in May) and Big-Sis-to-be, Averey, took a side-view/sneek peek at the baby :) Averey loved holding Ashley and Ashley loved to be held by her (as you can see)....Averey will make a great big sis in the spring! :)

Great-grandma Stegs holding her 5th great-grandchild :)...and Poppy trying to calm Ashley down after she pooped through outfit #4 for the day (have I mentioned that Miss Ashley is the world's super poopiest baby!? She is!) :)And below are pics from our Sunday adventure...Hailey's first Bible Bowl tourney in Indy. I think I have failed to mention that Hailey joined our church Bible Bowl league this year. It's a big group of kids this year...and they study the Bible every day (or are supposed to) and meet once a week to study together at church...and once a month they have their competitions in Indy (where they get quizzed on certain things they have studied). I love it cuz not only is Hailey diving into the Word and learning a ton, but she's loving it too! What could be better?!
Above is the last competition of the day...I failed to take a pic earlier cuz I was mostly sitting outside the rooms with Ashley (they like it quiet during competitions and although Ashley is a great baby she likes to squeek and poop loudly :))....but you can see Hailey above with her buzzer in hand....she did great for her first competition and no fear of buzzing in and answering questions...I think they won 4 and lost 3? But, I could be wrong on that....either way...they did GREAT and I was so proud of these girls (she's on a team with 3 other church friends...below you can see the girls in their cool, new Bible Bowl shirts...and feasting on cookies after the competition!)


So, that was our busy, crazy, but fun "last weekend". Yes, we were exhausted beyond measure, but it was worth it in the end. Hailey, especially, had a ball doing everything! Special thanks to Nina (and Poppy) for taking us to the awesome AG show...and for that whole fun experience for Hailey. And double thanks to them for having a "meet the new baby" get-together so we didn't have to plan one for the Steg family. Nina outdid herself with food as usual! It was all a great weekend!

The reality of being surrounded by sisters...

...sometimes ya' can't help wanting your nails painted a lovely shade of cotton candy pink :)

It's been one of "those" days :(

Well, sure enough it's been one of those fun "what else can go wrong" days.....gotta love those!

I don't really have the energy nor brainpower to explain all the excitement of the day, but I will say that we had our first "baby scare" today :( Not something that mommy would like to repeat again. I was only out of sight of Ashley for a few minutes (outside saying goodbye to Hailey as she went off with Miss Jill to church) and daddy was actually home (but in the kitchen cutting up our yummy meal brought in by a dear friend)....and then IT happened....I came in the front door to find that Shelby was holding Ashley in midair about 3 feet above the floor. Unfortunately that wasn't the bad part...I must have scared Shelby when I walked in the front door cuz when she saw me she either knew she had "done wrong" or didn't even think...cuz she immediately dropped (more like threw) Ashley to the ground, dropping her on her head. I still don't even like to picture it. I was frantic and, of course, screamed "NO SHELBY!", but the deed had already been done. I scooped Ashley up just as she started to scream and I was already in tears myself. Luckily our living room floor is carpeted and Ashley had a knit hat on (which maybe helped cushion the fall)....and I think mostly the whole thing just scared her more than hurt her....but it was not a shining moment in our home :( Shelby ran up to her room crying and was of course in deep trouble (including punishment and a stern talk about being careful with babies) as she knows not to pick up Ashley....and after it was all said and done she timidly came downstairs and told us she didn't want "a baby" in our house anymore :( Sigh. Not a great way to end the evening :(

Then to make matters worse Dylan has a new cold (with fever of 102)....so not fair as he was just sick (and thus why Ashley was also sick)...so I'm preparing myself for more sick kids...which would not be good considering I will be getting on an airplane to FL in a week and Ashley and I need to be well for that! No wonder Dylan's been in a funk all day and very clingy to mama. And to add to the joy he just peed on Shelby in the bathtub (comical to mommy but not-so-much to Big Sis)....gotta love brothers! :) Oh...and did I mention Ashley started spitting up today...sigh...and here I thought we had a non-spitter-upper...guess I spoke too soon cuz my shirt is covered in baby puke today?! Or maybe she was just having a bad day like the rest of us were....

Anyway...so it's not been a splendid day in the Steg home :( Not that I expect every day to be happy and smiley....but I hope we don't have any more baby droppings in the near future (or EVER!). Thankfully all is well and Shelby and Ashley just had a bonding moment on the couch so I think "the baby" is ok again in her big sis' eyes :) But, have I mentioned that I need a break?! All I can say is "FL, here I come!"...maybe I can get my first post-delivery nap there cuz I need it!