Perkins Family: 2010

Friday, December 31, 2010

2 of my FAVORITE things!

Michael and I have been home all week with the kids, and there have been two things that have really stood out as Ella's FAVORITE things right now (besides her baby Reesie).

1. Plasma Car!

She got this last year for Christmas from my parents, and for at LEAST the past 6 months she has LOVED this thing. We keep it as an inside toy and with the layout of our house and it being mostly tile, she has so much fun. She has a perfect course throughout the house and I'm amazed at how fast she goes and how well she maneuvers it. Easton loves to watch too!

The first picture isn't the best quality, but it shows the seriousness in her face and how she races around the corners. She knows how to drive correctly without using her feet, however she prefers to use her feet to get going really really fast!

2. Legos!

This is a new favorite, but this is definitely where she has spent most of her time over the past several days since Christmas. Last year for Christmas she got a box of legos but they have been in a closet and we forget to pull them out to play. Before Christmas she started asking to play, and then I found out that this is her most favorite thing at daycare. So she got lots more legos for Christmas this year, and it has become a staple toy in our living room! She loves to build "towers" and gets them so high that she has to grab a stool to reach the top! She loves to play with us, but it keeps her entertained by herself as well. We stuck with the bigger legos because Easton too loves to play and be right by her side! She's really good with them and we love to see the new things she creates!

2010 Milestones and Memories - Ella

NEW THINGS ELLA IS SAYING

"No pull my hair Easton. You pull my hair, you go timeout!" - 30 months
Her vocabulary is increasing like crazy and her articulation improves daily. Have noticed a big change in just the past couple of weeks! - 27 months
"my E. Michael my sweet" while laying with Mimi getting ready to go night night - 27 months
She amazes me daily with the new things that she says...not only is she repeating everything but she quickly adds these new words to her regular vocabulary. Her sentences are getting longer and longer as she learns new words to make them complete and more grammatical (at least for a 2 year old!) - 26.5 months
some of her cute little phrases from the last couple of days... "I want cuddle mommy" while I'm getting dinner ready and doing a million things at a time. "mommy car broken, fix it mommy car" when I'm explaining to her why I'm driving daddy's car and mommy's car is getting fixed. "no mommy car broken more" several days after we got my car back from the shop. "i you too mommy" she says this all the time and I love it! "No pa, E. Michael happy now" as she pulls Easton's pacifier out of his mouth. - 26.5 months
"oh, cute mommy, cute!" when she saw me put on a new shirt - almost 26 months
regularly putting together 5-6 words - 25 months
regularly putting together 3-4 words - 24 months
"no Ella, no shoes" when she walks outside barefoot. "no mommy, no more" when she is finished sharing with me - 2 years.
When I ask her if she wants something, she'll often say "oh yeah, otay" - 23.5 months
seatbelt = "belt belt", lawnmower = "mow mow", "dada, hold me", "baby, be right back" phone = "hello" - 23.5 months
"i got it", "my got it", "not my house", "no more Mimi" - 22 mos. 3 wks.
said "dark" when we walked into our house at night - 22.5 months
said "baby bite" after she accidently hit herself in the mouth with her baby's head - 22.5 months
says "mommy mail" every afternoon when we drive by the mailbox and I get out to check the mail.
when driving by Addie's neighborhood, pointed very excitedly and said very clearly "Addie house"
can no longer track each and every word...she will repeat ANYTHING! Starting to put 2 words together quite often - 21 months.
food, jump, purple, blue, pizza, i got you, outside, Drew, work, bubbles, cold, animals ("mammals"), I love you (she first said this on Valentine's day) - by 21 months
heavy, orange, here, right here, "wo wo" for yogurt, help me, out, off, weeble, teeth, play, two (and in sequence after I say one), - 20 months
"my turn" (very clearly while playing with Addie) - almost 20 months
It's getting harder and harder to keep up with her words, but I'm still trying....she can repeat almost anything, so I try to track those words that she actually uses and says on her own. - 19 months 3 weeks

NEW THINGS ELLA IS DOING

Today Ella happen to see a small piece of a wicker type basket go into Easton's mouth when I wasn't looking, and she immediatly told me that he had "rice in his mouth". I had no clue what she was talking about but I felt around and didn't find anything. She still looked very concerned and said "mommy, he has rice in his mouth", so I felt again and sure enough I found a tiny piece of the basket stuck between his gum and cheek. He could have seriously choked on it but she prevented an accident and I was so proud of her!! - 31.5 months
Continues to get up early...has been waking up around 5:30 to go potty, then I put her back to bed. Then she gets up around 6:30 for the day. I told her if she was going to get out of bed on her own then she should just go potty by herself in the mornings and that I wanted her to stay dry at night! Even though she has been waking up between 4:30-5:30am to go potty, she has been DRY all week at night. - 31 months
Got out of bed after nap, and went potty all by herself before calling for me or coming downstairs - Just over 2 1/2
Right at 2 1/2 started getting out of her bed by herself in the mornings after she wakes up. This means she is waking up at 6:00/6:30 rather than staying in bed and sleeping in until 8/9am like usual! We have been spoiled with getting to sleep in even while having little ones, but since the past 2 weeks, that is no longer! - 30 months
Great personality....LOVES LOVES LOVES her baby brother...kisses him often and is very sweet with him. Has been pretty easy going lately. Has been going to time out once a day or every other day but doesn't throw a fit. She serves her time and it usually works - 29 months
Going through a phase of getting scared, especially by loud noises or something that she doesn't know what it is. She'll run to me and bury her face, or hide her face somewhere. - 29 months
9/26/2010...last night in her crib! Painted and got her a big girl bed! - 28.5 months
It clicked and Ella is officially potty trained (except at night) - 28.5 months
Stutters a little when she talks. It's like her brain is moving faster than she can get the words out and its adorably cute!! - 28.5 months
asking "why?" and "what's this?" regularly - 28 months
Hiked her leg up over the side of her crib, lifted her other leg off the mattress and said "I get out mommy". She could have easily gotten out had I not stopped her - 27 months
Doing great with potty training...for the past 4 days of school, stayed dry ALL day. Also stayed dry ALL weekend at home. Wet her pullup only once each day. Regularly wearing a pullup during the day and a diaper at night - almost 27 months
Pooped on the potty at home!! SO much better than changing her dirty diapers!! - 26 months 3 weeks
Staying dry most if not ALL day while at school. She is doing better at school then at home because they put her on the potty every hour at school and I often forget to remind her when we are at home - 26.5 months
Very whiny - 26 months
Non-stop role playing with her babies...."baby poop" she changes her baby's diaper about 20 times a day. "baby night night, oh no, baby crying" - constantly checks on her baby, and uses my diaper bag for her baby's things, "baby biite...no no baby, mime out". - 25.5 months
Moved up to Ms. Cissy's classroom at Concordia - 25.5 months
Knows her primary colors well.
No longer fights me over her clothes but likes it when I give her 2 choices and she gets to make the ultimate decision - 25 months
Putting her in a corner for time out is no longer working, so I started putting her in a room and closing the door. It works much better! - around 24 months
Started following the discipline book 1-2-3 Magic and it is working really well with her - 24 months
Extremely independent and has to do everything herself, but does great when given 2 choices - 24 months
Obsessed with pockets in clothing and will wear anything if it has a pocket. I think this started when we wouldn't let her have a pacifier in her mouth but allowed her to keep it in her pocket! - 24 months
Just a couple days after turning 2 starting using the potty and proactively telling us when she needs to go. She'll go 5-6 times a day but is still far from being potty trained.
Diagnosed with herpangina virus - low fever (less than 101) and a little bit of fussiness....home from daycare for 3 days - 2 years 2 weeks
Very particular about what she wears and often prefers to wear just a diaper - 24 months
Fever 2 nights in a row with no other symptoms besides fussiness. Next morning fever would be gone, but on the second day right ear drum ruptured. This is the 3rd time her right ear drum has ruptured, so doctor wants to perform a hearing test and determine if there is a need for tubes - 23 months 3 weeks.
Can reach all light switches in our house - 23 months 1 week
Bad cough for several weeks in a row with no other symptoms besides clear runny nose. Started getting really bad combined with swolen eyes, doctor diagnosed as allergies and put her on "Phena-S" as needed. Seemed to help - 23 months
Such a good little girl...a very sweet personality who loves to give kisses and cuddle. She'll have bad days where she is very clingy and will throw fits when she doesn't get her way...I start thinking that she is getting into her terrible two's, but then the very next day she will be as sweet as can be. She is a creature of habit and it can throws her off if we are off schedule or when she goes to bed later than normal. She thrives on routine...everything has its place and that's how she wants it to be. She loves to help whether that means cooking dinner, setting the table, sweeping the floor, yardwork with daddy, anything that she can do to help makes her happy. If she spills something, she'll get a napkin, clean it up, throw away her napkin, and move on...she loves to clean! She is about to be a big sister and this will be a whole new transition for her. I think as long as we keep her very involved and she continues to be mommy's little helper, the transition will be more smooth. - 23 months

2010 Milestones and Memories - Easton

NEW THINGS EASTON IS DOING

went back for another follow up on his ears and he STILL has a double ear infection. Started his fourth antibiotic (Omnicef 2x day) and was referred to the ENT - 8 months
sitting in the big bathtub by himself - 8 months
crawling! - 8 months (crawled a little on Christmas day, and is now going everywhere!)
went from laying on tummy to sitting up - 1 day away from 8 months
in the midst of ear infections, he got a stomach bug and threw up a few times in one day - 7 months 3 weeks. (then passed it to me and Ella!)
ear infections won't go away! Went in for 10-day follow up...left ear is completely clear, but right ear is inflamed and has fluid. Doc prescribed Suprax for another 10 days... - almost 8 mos
Pulled up onto knees - 7 months 3 weeks
Goes from sitting to all fours - 7.5 months
Regularly getting up on all fours and rocking back and forth - 7.5 months
More ear infections! - went in day after finishing antiobiotics...his right ear was slightly red and left ear had fluid. Prescribed Augmentin - 7 months 2 weeks.
Started eating a third meal (Lunch) - 7 months 1 week
First time to get sick...double ear infection. Had 103degree fever weekend after Thanksgiving, went to Goodnight Pediatrics where he was diagnosed with double ear infections. RX'd Cefzil - 7 months
talking a ton...ba ba ba, da da da, ma ma ma.... - 7 months
Eating solids twice a day - breakfast and dinner - 6 months
Regularly nursing just 4 times a day every 4 hours, 2-3 naps per day, sleeping 12+ hours at night. - 6 months
completely sitting by himself for extended periods of time - 5.5 months
at school he cries and looks for his teachers when new people walk into the room! Also starting to get some separation anxiety with mommy! - 5 months
alway sleeps on his tummy - 5 months
5 month schedule - I typically wake him up now around 7-7:30am and he nurses, takes 2 7-oz. bottles at daycare around 11:00am and 3:00pm. Nurses again around 6:30/7:00pm...goes to bed around 7pm, dream feed again around 10pm. His naps are becoming more and more sporadic. At school he has been taking little cat naps. At home he'll take a long morning nap and usually a couple of smaller naps throughout the day.
started trying cereal - 5 months
slept 14 hours straight without nursing! - 5 months (Took a 5 ounce bottle from Granny around 7pm, went straight to bed, and I had to wake him up at 9am the next morning to nurse)
nursing just 5 times a day - by 5 months (started transitioning around 4.5 months)
Completely taken by his sister...stares at her, smiles at her, and is constantly reaching for her and leaning towards her - 5 months (Ella has to get on to him for pulling her hair! "No Easton, no pull my hair!!")
really reaching for things - 5 months
Slept on his tummy - 4 months 3 weeks. Still learning how to sleep on his tummy. Often rolls over right away but then fusses because he doesn't know what to do.
Rolls over from his back to tummy - 4.5 months
I can now carry him comfortably on my hip - 4 months
slept 10 hours without eating (nursed at 10pm, woke up at 8am) - 4 months (8/22/10)
really using his hands to reach for, grab and touch his toys - 3.5 months
About a week ago I noticed a white spot on Easton's lower gum. Didn't believe it was a tooth since Ella didn't have a single tooth until 9 months but now I'm pretty sure it's a bottom left tooth starting to poke through! - 3.5 months.
Exersaucer - 3 months, 1 week
Put to bed unswaddled for the first time ever...he fell asleep in 10-15 minutes on his own and found and started sucking his thumb to sooth himself after his paci fell out! - 14 weeks
Rolled from tummy to back - 3 mos. 5 days
Current schedule since starting daycare and I'm back at work - Nurses at 6:30/7:00am, takes 3 4oz. bottles at daycare (typically around 9:30am, 12:30pm, 3:30pm), nurses around 6:30pm, goes to bed around 7:30/8:00pm, nurse again at 9pm while he stays asleep, and again around 10:30pm right before I go to bed. Pumping 3x a day at work and getting about 10 ounces in the morning and 5 ounces each time in the afternoon - around 3 months
size 2 diapers - 12 weeks
Started daycare - 11.5 weeks (7/14/10)
Consistently sleeping 8 hours, sometimes 9 - since 2.5 months
Lets out little laughs when he gets excited or when I find his tickle spot under his neck on his collar bone - 11 weeks
Moved up to his own room to sleep at night. first night went great...he slept 8.5 hours between nursing (11pm-7:30am) and woke up a couple of times around 5am for a pacifier - 11.5 weeks
Slept 9 solid hours without needing a pacifier or anything - 11 weeks (7/10/10)
Slept an 8.5 hour stretch without nursing (9pm-5:30am). Held him off with a pacifier for the last hour - 2.5 months
Really found his voice and is using it all the time!! - 10 weeks
Holding head up really well during tummy time - 2 months
typical schedule at 2 months - nurses at 5am, 8am, 11am, 2pm, 5pm, 8pm, and 10pm. Consistenly sleeping a 6-7 hour stretch at night. During the day, he is awake for an hour to an hour and a half after nursing and then naps for 1.5-2 hours before its time to eat again! Very good baby, doesn't mind being put down in his bouncy seat or swing or on the bed or a blanket, especially happy if he has a toy or something to look at. During the day, he is very easy to go down for naps; I put him in his crib awake and he looks around and sometimes fusses slightly before falling to sleep on his own. In the evenings he is a little harder to settle down and will need his pacifier multiple times to fall asleep or often we end up letting him to sleep in the swing. At night he goes right back to sleep in his bassinet and usually doesn't even fully wake up during nursing or diaper changes.
took his first bottle (from Granny) and did great! - 2 months
slept a 7 hour stretch without nursing (11pm - 6am) - 8 weeks; when he started moving around at 3:30am rather than nursing him, I just gave him his pacifier and he went right back to sleep. I had to give him a pacifier a few times between 3:30am and 6am, but he had no problems.
sleeping 4-5 hour stretches consistently at night - 6 weeks
starting to coo and trying to "talk" to us - 6 weeks
First smiles - 5 weeks
slept 5.5 hours at night - 1 month (5/23/10)
moved from size N to size 1 diapers - 4 weeks
lost umbilical cord - 3 weeks 2 days
Putting pressure on his legs - 3 weeks
2 weeks - Easton is eating and sleeping great! Very alert during the day for 30min - 1 hour after eating then naps the rest of the day. On a 3 hour schedule for eating, and at night he'll go about 3.5 hours between eating and then right back to sleep.

Finally, I'm done with 2010!

I just published my LAST post from 2010, and this one dated all the way back to September!! I posted this one on the original date, so if you want to check it out, you can go here. No cute kid pictures though, this was just a fun night out that Michael and I had with our friends at the LLS Gala!

Whew....exactly 200 posts later, I see that we had a LOT of FUN this year and we sure have been BUSY! I have loved every minute of it, and love all of the special memories that we made in 2010! The biggest one would obviously be the birth of our son! That alone makes 2010 an AMAZING year!

I include a lot of details on the blog, and try my hardest to blog as much as I can in order to document those details. It's true that sometimes I let myself get a little bit stressed out if I'm way behind on my blog, or I know I have a million other things to be doing, but all I really want to do is sit on my computer and blog! But the truth is, I love it! It gives me such peace and contentment to know that I have things written down, photographed, etc. for my kids to look back on one day, as well as for our friends and family to see now. It makes me happy, I hope one day it makes my kids happy, and therefore, I continue to blog as much as I can!

I was browsing blogs this morning, and came across this one that spoke to me because she was talking about the importance of blogging, why she blogs, etc.. I loved it and couldn't agree more, so I just wanted to share!

http://thenatos.blogspot.com/2010/12/you-have-big-job.html

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Christmas at Aunt Erin's

We had one final Christmas celebration at my sisters house in Austin the day after Christmas.

Hutson just learned how to ride his bike and he looked adorable all decked out in his new protective gear! Ella had fun playing around on his practice bike with no pedals!

Among other things, my mom got Hutson and Easton these fun coon skin hats that will be perfect for our next trip to Abilene! :) So funny!

And we had lots of great cousin time!

It was a great day and a perfect ending to a fun Christmas with lots of family!

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Christmas morning!

We really tried to build up Ella's anticipation of Santa Claus and Christmas morning this year, but she didn't really seem to quite get it just yet. Especially since she doesn't have any older siblings to feed off of! But when Christmas morning came and she saw the presents under the tree and the fact that ALL the cookies were gone, with the exception of just a few crumbs, it was definitely starting to come together for her! She grabbed one present and couldn't wait to open it, but patiently waited until Daddy got the fire started, we got coffee, etc. By this time, her and Easton had been scoping out all the gifts...

We kept Christmas very simple this year...there wasn't anything that Ella specifically asked for, but she loved everything that she got! Her favorite part was unwrapping! She wanted to open all of the "big ones" but she didn't care if they were for her or Easton, she just loved opening! This was great since Easton needed help with all of his presents anyway. She had just as much excitement over the gifts that he received, and probably loved some of his more than hers! It's funny how they can so easily revert back into the "baby" toys!

One of her favorite gifts was the one that Santa specifically addressed to "baby Reesie". It was simply some new clothes, a baby bottle of milk, baby shoes, etc. After opening this one she wanted to play, so it was a great time to take a break to make breakfast. It was so nice to be at home and not to be on ANY time schedule!

Granny and Grandpa came over for most of the morning and we all loved having them there with us!

I learned that if I want Ella to sit still and smile for the camera, all I need to do is pull out the Tripod!! She thought this was the neatest thing and kept asking me to take MORE pictures! Wow, even Jakey cooperated! If only Easton was looking...

We save stockings for last. Just when you think you're done with all the presents, as a kid I loved remembering that we still got to open our stockings!

Sophie the giraffe was the BEST gift for Easton. I love this little teether and he does too!

We had such a fun, laid-back Christmas morning and got to stick around the house all afternoon, lounging and playing with our new things!

Christmas at Aunt Kim's

The specific day and time may change, but we never miss a family get together with Michael's parents and sisters. This is always a fun evening and I look forward to it each year. This year we all got together for dinner on Christmas day!

For the past couple of years, we have kept the adult gifts to a minimum and try to choose a fun theme to go along with our gift giving. Last year was "something creative" for example. This year was something related to "travel", in any form or fashion. So Michael and I bought his sisters an annual pass to the Texas state parks. They loved the gift and I hope they get a ton of use out of it in the next year.

The "travel" themed gifts to us included the wonderful Tervis Tumblers and also a monogrammed travel bag fully stocked!

If you look closely at the shirt I'm holding below, you'll see the names "Ella" and "Easton"!

Ella got another baby and more accessories for her! She loves anything "baby" related.

Easton is blessed with wonderful Uncles who love him dearly!

There was one gift addressed to Michael from his Grandpa Gorman who passed away earlier this year. His mom and selected these 2 hats out of Gorman's wardrobe to pass on to Michael. I think they are so cool and look great on Michael. I hope he'll wear them a lot!

I love this picture of Easton and McKenna. The youngest and oldest cousins!