The beach!

We are heading to the beach this Saturday with friends visiting from out of town! Yay!! I was looking over our list of items that we needed for the beach last year, to get an idea of what we need on Saturday. Its so funny to see all of the stuff we seriously wont be needing this year.

Random photos from the weekend
"Rubber Fish" doesn't have the same ring as "Rubber Ducky"

Last year: 

2 pre-made bottles with lids
2 extra servings of formula and
water in medella bottles
Toys
Teethers
Tylenol
Sunscreen
Sun hats
Pacifiers
Diapers (2-4 size 2 and 2-4 size 3)
Wipes
Changing pad
One each change of clothes
2 burp cloths
2 swaddle blankets
Picnic blanket if swaddles aren’t enough
4 ziplock bags
Wash cloths in ziplock
2 Spoons
2 Squeezies
Wet paper towels (6)
2 extra burp cloths
Sip cups
Towels x 2
Floaties x 2
Each a bathing suit and swim diaper

YEEEESH!! Why did we leave the house? I'll confess, it wasn't often!

Peek a Boo!

This weekend: 

2 sippy cups
1 bottle of milk
1 bottle of water
Snacks
Sand toys
Sunscreen
Sun hats
Diaper kit (has diapers, wipes and changing pad)
One each change of clothes + sweaters
Wash cloth in ziplock
Towels x 2
Each a bathing suit and swim diaper
Sand blanket for all of us to sit on

Putting that list together, I seriously feel like we must be missing something! But seriously, the Crockets are getting more mobile. We had a great outing last Saturday when we just picked up and went to the mall for lunch and some indoor play time. Other than chasing some babes that went rogue a few times when let out of their stroller to toddle around, it was a fun trip and we all had a great time!

CPK was filled with children! Good thing their mojitos are tasty!

Sunday, I fully intended to head out with the girls and just go to the store on the corner, but it was so nice I decided to just go for a walk, which then led to stopping at the park. Again we just upped and went - and luckily I had a little tube of sunscreen and their hats in the stroller. Some new friends let them borrow some sand toys, and we actually ran into a friend of ours!

Alex helping me work and playing with
the bottles I was trying to store away!

Where did the Babies go??

I took Alexandra to the doctor's today to have her lingering cough checked out. We were getting worried since it is going on 4 weeks now of a steady unchanging cough. The doctor diagnosed an upper respiratory infection and acute bronchitis, and decided to give Lexie a round of antibiotics, as at this point it is a 50/50 chance of being bacterial. We aren't big antibiotics fans so we are deciding what to do - wait and see if there is improvement or go ahead with the treatment?

Of interest - Alexandra weighed in at 21 lbs and 12 ounces. Two months ago, at her 12 month check up, she weighed the exact same amount. Crazy!! She sure feels like she's gotten heavier, and I definitely can tell she has gotten taller, but just looking at those 1 year pictures I do see the baby leg rolls which have since disappeared. 

Just this morning I was wondering where our babies went. I remember around December bottle feeding the girls and thinking "enjoy this time with them, its going to be over soon" gosh I had no idea how soon. The girls ditched the bottles around 13 months and haven't gone back. They drink sippy cups of milk with their meals, and they do not want you to help them with them! Forget trying to cradle one of them - they are not having it! Little Miss Independent A and Little Miss Independent J. 

I was thinking about what the next baby to kid step is and its probably potty training. Well let me tell you I will NOT MISS diaper changes. If you don't have kids, the issue with diaper changes isn't 100% related to bodily fluids. I mean a few times in the very beginning that was an issue, but not so much anymore. Now its just the constant wriggling and twisting and fighting involved with trying to remove the soiled diaper to replace it with a clean one.

So yeah, I think everything baby, that I will actually miss, is gone. It makes me a lot sad to think about it. And it doesn't just "happen so fast" - that's not what hurts your heart. Its that it just happens and you don't realize it. You don't really have that moment of "this is the last time I am going to feed you your bottle" or "this is the last time I am going to rock you to sleep" or "this is the last time I will watch you crawl across the room." Oh sure, with every loss there are gains, and I wouldn't give up the big wet kisses I am getting now for anything. 

A Fire Under my Ass

I had named this entry "turning a new leaf" but that is way too polite a way to describe what is about to happen.

This last week I have really kicked my ass into gear with being careful of what I eat. Well...now I REALLY have a fire under my ass because yesterday I was invited to a bachelorette party - one that is pool side, and I have to (well...would like to) wear a bathing suit. I have 7 weeks. SEVEN. to lose a few pounds. And by a few, I am hoping to lose at least 10. Totally do-able with discipline.

From last weekend - I have to say, I look at this and like the way I look.
But, I also have clothes on and the benefit of a flattering angle.

What's funny is, I was going to write that I have seven weeks to "feel good enough about myself to put on a swim suit." You know what? That's a total lie. I would put a swimsuit on right now and walk up and down the beach. Sure I would feel a bit self conscious, but I always have, at 115 lbs and 170 lbs. So no, this isn't a matter of being embarrassed about how I look, this is a matter of being noticed for looking good. Exuding confidence.

Of course, I'd like to keep it going past the party and lose a few more and fit into my old clothing. Seriously at the rate this is going, my old clothing wont even be in style anymore. In fact, last time I looked at my old clothes, I wasn't even all that inspired to fit back into (most) of them. That said, I wouldn't mind fitting into my gorgeous RL gold sparkle dress!

See you on the other side of the weekend! xoxox

A bunch of pictures from our weekend

Our weekend didn't go exactly as planned with swimming and hikes because I woke up feeling totally under the weather on Saturday. Thankfully, I hadn't paid for swimming lessons in advance, so we could skip those guilt free. Josie was still sniffling, too, so it seemed like it was the best for everyone. 

It was a SUPER HOT weekend. I embarrassed everyone by going out with my stark white legs in black shorts. And by everyone, I mean my husband. ;) James and I did get to go out Saturday for a few drinks with friends, a date night was long over due. I just wish I had been feeling a bit better for it! Case in point - I was home and in bed by 9:30.

Sunday morning we decided to go to the park at 8:30 a.m. before it got too hot. The girls had otherwise been cooped up inside. That was when I realized we had almost no 12-18 clothes that were summer friendly. The girls have been getting big for size 12, so I have been buying them 18-24 in the summer styles. So Josie is sporting a 6-12 dress, with some size 24 shorts underneath (That were comically too big) And Alex has on a onesie I got on sale at the end of last year's summer season, and some size 18 shorts, which actually fit her pretty well! I think she just had a growth spurt because she is so tall all of a sudden.

The girls are about 17 days out from the end of a "wonder weeks" and it is really showing - lots of testing boundaries, needing to be carried and cuddled, super hungry one minute, then not eating anything for a few meals. Sleep is still good but naps are kind of a mess as they transition from 2 to 1 (maybe?! who knows). Its all good, but a bit tiring for all of us! The WWs tend to end a little early, so here is hoping for that to happen once again!

Josie ran away from us before getting her second shoe on.

It was pretty cute, glad I got it on camera!

Playing with some sand toys - and some tupperware, because
I haven't found a single sand bucket anywhere!!!

Josie LOVED the slide - though it was making us all staticky and electric!

I LOVE how Josie is looking at her dad here - so much love in her eyes.
She has been such a lovable sweetheart lately (especially with her snotty kisses!
Which I happily take even though I know that's why I am sick right now. 

stirring the sand!

They LOVED swinging together!

YEAH!!!

Sunday afternoon, our friend stopped by and brought the girls little stuffed dogs. 

This one is Josie's (named Bandit) and she fell in LOVE with it right away.

Alex put it on the chair and touched its nose.

Then showed off her size 18-24 outfit that seems to fit pretty well.

Josie snuggling Bandit and laughing hysterically.

And also looking like a little girl. No babies here, mom.