2018 Christmas was everything the holidays should be: magical, busy, chaotic, exciting, and full of family, love, and laughing. Vivienne was so new we’d decided to stay home for the holiday instead of heading to Florida like we normally do, and at the last minute, both of our families decided to join us in Virginia for Christmas. My parents arrived first–on my birthday! We had a wonderful dinner out at the Del Ray Cafe and we spent the rest of…
So we are officially about a month in as a family of four! Life with two under two has been going surprisingly well…maybe that’s because both Mike and I are on leave and because online shopping makes everything just a little bit easier…or because my parents have been here the majority of that first month…or because we have amazing friends and family who have made us meals, babysat, and brought us coffee and special treats?? Whatever the reasons, I’ll take…
Caroline became a big sister at 20 months, and she has stepped into this role beautifully. I am actually amazed at how smooth this transition has been. She loves her baby sister and is constantly trying to help with her–bringing me blankets and pacis and letting me know when the baby is crying. It’s such a sweet time. She is also changing so much this month, just in her own development. She knows how to say “Ki-Ki” and Pa, she…
IT’S A GIRL! A beautiful little GIRL! Vivienne Kathleen Spead entered the world on November 22, 2018 at 2:54 am, weighing 8 pounds, 12 ounces, and measuring 21 inches long. She had a great set of lungs, a head full of dark hair, and beautiful pink coloring. Mike and I instantly fell in love. Caroline instantly became a wonderful big sister. And just like that, we were a family of four. But to back up a bit… On Tuesday, November…
When Speady Baby #2 arrives, and after all of our Christmas guests head home, Mike and I will begin the process of musical bedrooms. Caroline will move one room over, into the upstairs guest room, and the baby will move into the nursery that has been Caroline’s for her whole life so far. It makes the most sense because nursery has a pull-out couch, which is ideal when guests come, since we can more easily bring the baby into our…
We have enjoyed a fabulous fall. Both Mike and I are acutely aware that our time as a family of three is going to come to a close quickly. So we were determined to do as many fun things with Caroline as possible. We have had beautiful weather for the most part, and (fairly) free weekends since we aren’t traveling. We’ve had home visitors and weekends of just the three of us. I know we will always look back on…
Caroline turned 20 months in the middle of November. It’s an important milestone because I keep thinking how she will be 20 months old when this baby gets here…and that is getting close! This age is so much fun. Her personality is developing and what I am seeing is a little girl who loves mischief, who is a tad bit Type A, who likes to take charge, who is independent, and who likes to please…unless it gets in the way…
At her last check up (18 months), Caroline’s pediatrician mentioned that she should see a dentist before age 2. All of her baby teeth (16!) were in and the next step would be the 2-year molars. So I added it to the “to do before baby” list and there it sat. Finally I bit the bullet, made an appointment for a kiddie dentist down the hall from her pediatrician, and set out filling in the online forms. One question (and…
Caroline’s second Halloween was a wonderful one! First of all, the difference between this year and last was profound–having a 19-month-old vs. a seven-month-old for this huge holiday was like night and day because, mainly, WALKING. Actually, make that RUNNING. Caroline was so excited, she literally ran from house to house. Also a factor was that when it came to trick-or-treating, Caroline “got it.” Add in the fact that this year we did NOT make a middle of the night…
Well, here we are with FIVE weeks until my due date (December 5th)! On October 22nd, Mike and I went to one of my regular check ups and then to a growth ultrasound. We learned that the baby is measuring 2 weeks ahead. At the ultrasound, the technician told us the baby was approximately 6 lbs, 6 oz. Whoa! That was with six more weeks still to go. I said, “Well, these estimates can be wildly off, right?” To which…