Mountains!

We finally went for a much-needed escape to the mountains this weekend. Everything went well...except we forgot to get gas before we headed up the mountain, so we didn't actually MAKE it to the top of Mount Evans for fear of not making it back down to the gas station. We found a nice turnaround spot with a little trail, and hit the lake on the way back down too. Topped off with Beau Jo's pizza for lunch - I feel much more refreshed and sane! Now, just repeat every weekend (with a full tank)...

almost to Mount Evans summit!

 that duck is coming for her starbucks bread that she's been gripping for hours...

Echo Lake

We'll be back for the true summit (let us know if you want to join!)...

We scream.

There have been a lot of screams around here the past 7 weeks (well, 2.75 years actually!). I have been wanting to make this onesie for Alexis that says "I Scream" with a cone in the middle (poor baby, I do love you!). I've been indulging in my own 'scream daily - usually the Boulder Creamery kind (Mexican chocolate, hello!). Today, I decided we needed to do some more 'screaming and pull the ice cream maker off the top shelf. A few raspberries, Greek yogurt, coconut milk, vanilla, sugar and chocolate chips later...heavenly!

We did have a corresponding "meltdown" with Avery - since we made it at 10 a.m. for LATER, not immediate consumption - through tears, even after tastes, "you're making me UPSET, mom!"

Guess I can't have one scream with out the other!

Baby Blues

Luckily, the only baby blues I've had lately are these sweet eyes gazing up at me:

 And...(drumroll)...we got a smile!

Alexis has been doing better with feeding and even gave me a 6 hour stretch between feedings this week (awake for the first part, but I got 4.5 hours of sleep for the first time! woot!). Time with her feels more like time with a real human being. But she's a good squawker - acquiring the nicknames, "Squirt" and "Chicken Wing" so far. We'll see what week 8 brings...

Medley from our little Diva...

Avery has always been a great singer, but I haven't captured many of her songs until recently. She was on center stage this morning.

Check out our Youtube Channel for 4 song clips:  You Are My Sunshine, As the Deer, Come With Me (Wonka), and Skiddamarinkydinkydink (or whatever).

Oh Poop.

We are in the midst of a possible not-so-favorite time/week. 6 weeks is definitely a fussier period, and I didn't expect the toddler to join in! She's been all plugged up (And good thing she's not old enough to read yet).

This week we instituted a no-diapers policy for Avery, since she knows how to poop in the potty but has decided her nighttime diaper is the preferred place, since May. I am tired of it, so we just put her in undies at night. We had to wake her to pee in the middle of the night, but she can stay dry otherwise - and hey, we're up anyway!

The Great Experiment/Operation Undies has failed. At the end of day 2 she was miserably screaming and dancing around the house, crying "my tummy hurts! Mommy, I have gas!" and really crying real tears. All day. We sat and sat on the potty but she just wouldn't go. Out of misery for us all we put her in a diaper the third night, and she pooped as soon as she fell asleep. STINKER!

So we will try again, another time. Any advice is appreciated!

I'm hoping the baby isn't truly in too much pain, though she's been acting like it too. I still don't always know if it's gas, or hunger, or overfull, or other other pain. I even filled her acid reflux medicine hoping for improvement. I think there has been some, but not completely. She'll have one perfectly normal happy feeding, and scream through the next.

But I am trying to have a better focused attitude about our days. I may feel trapped and tired and pooped (ha!), but I also have two beautiful girls by my side hugging and singing and (almost) smiling at me, and this is my most important job. It will all change soon enough and I will miss it, they say!

We had a great visit from the grandparents last week, and Avery loved seeing them. Mimi made Alexis a super cool quilt:

Here are a couple videos from us hanging out today in Avery's room today:
Alexis
Avery