Friday's random thoughts

Happy Friday! This week was longggggg.....dreary weather combined with long work days for Gianni made for whiny kids and a Mom who is excited for the weekend. We are supposed to get several inches of snow on Saturday night but then a few 70 degree days next week... typical New England! We are going to take full advantage of warmer weather next week and spend lots of time outside.

 Just like that Elliot is truly on the move. He is crawling so fast and pulling up to stand wherever he can. He can walk fairly well with his walker so I know that independent walking is just around the corner. A few weeks ago I would have said that he would be a late walker but everything has just clicked for him so quickly that now I think he'll be doing it in the next month or so!

This was the best $3 I have spent in awhile. Crayola makes these bath crayons (I found them in the kid's soap section of Walmart and  they can write on the bath tub or on tile. Super easy to wipe off and Gabby has been practicing her letters while in the tub. They would make a great Easter basket gift!

And on a serious note; to hear about another school shooting is just heartbreaking. I don't know what the answer is but things need to change. All of my siblings are teachers and they go to work and would do everything in their power to save and protect their students. To the teachers out there, thank you.

Our week in photos

 I don't know where this week went. It was as normal of a week as they come but it has just flown by. Gabby had a playdate here at our house yesterday and it was the cutest thing ever. We had 3 of her friends from school over, two boys and a girl and the four of them play so well together. They are all similar in personalities; a little reserved at first but once they open up, they are giggly and funny. They were dancing around the house in costumes and there were cookies and popcorn everywhere but it was worth the clean up to see them having so much fun. 3 1/2 is worlds different than 3; it was the first time that as moms we felt like they didn't need constant supervision and interaction; they were beyond happy to be off playing together and doing their thing. At 3 they still were very independent in their playing; they would parallel play but each with their own toys. Now they interact, make up games and silly voices, and truly play with each other. It was going to be a short playdate because of snow but we all lost track of time and 3 hours later we had 4 very tired kids!

Elliot is in to everything now. I mean every. single. thing. he can get his little hands on. Now that he pulls himself up to stand, nothing is safe. If it can be pulled down, knocked over, pushed, grabbed, or opened, this kid is on it. Gabriella was never like that, maybe it was her prematurity, maybe just personality, but Elliot can not be left alone for a minute with out him getting into something. He gets so proud of himself when he discovers something new. It's really adorable but my goodness he can move fast!

Figured out the stairs

Loves watching himself in the camera

When Reese was born last week, Gabriella became so excited that there is another little girl in the family. She asked  told :), my mom that Reese needed an Anna dress and she needed an Elsa dress so they can play together (she definitely is in denial that Reese is a 6lb newborn!). My parents found an Elsa dress for her and she wears it every possible minute that she can. She's in Elsa costume at the store, for play, while jumping, basically everywhere but school. 

Facetime Elsa

Jumping Elsa

Running Elsa

 She also loves playing hospital and has just discovered that Elliot makes a perfect patient for her. She listens to his lungs, his heart, and  her favorite, gives shots. She honestly loves everything medical so it will be interesting to see if that's where her life leads her!

Have a happy Thursday!

Five on Friday!

Happy Friday! I love linking up with the other Five on Friday bloggers. It's a great way for me to write about the little, day to day things that wouldn't necessarily get their own blog post but things that I want to remember.

1. Pointing out the positive. 
Gianni sent this to me the other day after stumbling across it on a friend's facebook feed. I was having a tough day with a certain 3 year old and felt like all I was doing was disciplining and reprimanding. It's so easy to just enjoy the peace and quiet when kids are behaving and it's easy to forget to point out to them that you notice the good things and not just the bad.

2. Meal planning successes.

A big part of my New Year's goal of keeping things simple and less hectic this year involved meal planning. It doesn't work for everyone, but for us it is hugely helpful. Not only has it made the dinner time (AKA witching hour) a million times easier, but it is certainly saving us money. I have been planning 2 weeks at a time; it helps with shopping and allows us to do 2 bigger shops and then a smaller shop in between for produce and milk. I have also been using Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook, Deceptively Delicious, for inspiration to hide a few extra veggies in our meals. Some of our biggest hits have been Chicken and Ramen salad, Lasagna (with lots of hidden veggies pureed into the sauce including pumpkin, carrots, and peas!), Sloppy joes (made with ground turkey and tons of veggies), Barefoot Contessa's Italian Wedding Soup, and Chicken tacos. Most of our meals I am able to prepare in the morning and either toss in the crock pot or make in the morning and cook later. (Side note... I am using our crock pot for the first time since last week's This Is Us and I have had slight anxiety all day...)

3. Superbowl weekend

Can't say I'm a huge football fan but the Superbowl is a must for the snacks and the ads :) So I'll just leave this here...

4.Valentine's Day
I like doing little things to celebrate the little holidays so Gabriella and I put up a few Valentine's Day decorations and I am putting little notes on their bedroom doors each morning. They are doing Valentine's Day crafts and notes in preschool so she is all about it this year. Besides, any holiday that she can use glue, glitter, and stickers is a win in her book :)

5. Welcome to the world baby girl!
And finally, Sandy and Thierry welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Reese, this week! She made her debut a couple of weeks early but Mom and baby are healthy and happy. We are staying away for a couple of weeks just to make sure that all of our germs are far, far away but I can't wait to snuggle her!!

Have a wonderful weekend!!