Twenty Months Old!

Dear Caroline,

You are twenty months old!

This month has flown by faster than all the others.  I just realized two days ago that it was almost the 26th and that another month has already passed us by.

You are wearing size 2T clothes and size 4 shoes.  You wear a size 4 diaper and have used the potty once or twice.  You LOVE to eat and always climb into your booster seat and ask for snack (all meals are called snack).  :)  You are between 26-27 pounds and probably 33 or 34 inches tall.  

You love to follow your sister anywhere she goes, but the two of you are constantly fighting.  You fight over everything- toys, food, sitting in mom's lap, books, tickles, EVERYTHING.  As much as you love your sister (and follow her everywhere), you want to have whatever it is she is playing with.  You love to read and we spend almost an hour each morning reading books after breakfast.  You love to chalk on the driveway, pop bubbles, and play with barbies or baby dolls.  You are not scared of anything and jump at the chance to play with the big kids.

You started this month by having to go to the doctor and get antibiotics.  You have also been on daily allergy medicine since March.  This month we had to move you out of footed pajamas and into onsies with pajama shorts over them because you kept unzipping your footed pajamas and pulling off your diaper. *YUCK*

This month you celebrated Mother's Day and ate an entire three-egg-omelet at brunch, plus bacon and home fries.  We have played around the house a BUNCH because of all the rain. 

This month we babysat Alice and Evie and Charlie and Jack.  You have so much fun playing with all the other kids and you get very sad when they leave.

We went to edible arrangements one afternoon to get chocolate covered fruit and you absolutely LOVED your chocolate covered banana.  We also went to a winery- you enjoyed a snack while Mommy and Daddy tried wine. :)

At Toys R Us, I let you ride the Bob the Builder tractor and you laughed and smiled the entire time.  We went to the zoo with Charlie and Jack and you lost your mind when you saw an elephant.  You LOVE elephants and were so excited to see one! :)

Fiamma came over for lunch and play time while visiting DC and this week you have been enjoying the warm, sunny weather and playing outside for hours.

Here are some pictures from your adventures:

We love you so much baby girl!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

What's Up Wednesday!

Today I am linking up with Shay to share with you What's Up Wednesday!

If you are stopping by for the first time, please feel free to follow me on the right side. :)

The last Wednesday of each month the ladies get together to share all that has been happening...

1. What we are eating this week...

This week we are eating:

Monday- Pasta and sauce

Tuesday- Girls night out with my two cuties- 

Ben worked late so we went to Bob Evans for kids eat free night

Wednesday- We grilled out; Hamburgers and hotdogs

Thursday- More grilling

Friday- Tacos

Saturday- Creamy spaghetti

Sunday- Steaks  

2. What I'm reminiscing about...

 This time last year we were meeting our new little niece.

This year we get to meet our new nephew!

Amazing how much changes in one little year! :)

3. What I'm loving...

The warm weather is finally here!  I think it rained around DC for 25 days in a row.  I am so happy to be outside every afternoon enjoying the sunny days.

4. What we've been up to...

 

We have been playing with friends, going to wineries, visiting the zoo, doing a color run, and playing with friends that live out-of-town.

5. What I'm dreading...

Ben has to travel some in June and I hate when he's gone.  So yeah, I'm already dreading it. :(

6. What I'm working on...

Getting ready for summer.  I have been bathing suit shopping for me and the girls, swim suits coverups for the three of us girls, sun screen has been purchased, pool toys have been organized. Now- we just need the pool to open and the water to be warm :)

7. What I'm excited about...

I'm excited about our beach vacation in August.  

We are going to the Outer Banks and I have never been there.

8. What I'm watching/reading...

I am watching (catching up on) Gotham, Blackish, House of Cards, and Chelsea (on Netflix).

9. What I'm listening to...

Nothing.

10. What I'm wearing...

Tank tops, shorts, and my new favorite shoes!

11. What I'm doing this weekend...

Meeting my new nephew!

12. What I'm looking forward to next month...

Pool time with my family.

13. What else is new...

Nothing :)

14. What am I looking forward to this summer...

Pool, pool, and picnics by the pool :)

Happy Wednesday y'all!

Show & Tell Tuesday: Favorite Vacation!

I am linking up with Andrea for Show and Tell Tuesday: Favorite Vacation! 

Hands down, my favorite adult vacation was our Honeymoon.  We went to the all inclusive Sandals resort in Jamaica and it was absolute paradise.  Everything was included except for off-property tours (we did two).  We enjoyed trying all sorts of cocktails (because they were included), fancy dinners with no bill, room service, our private pool, and being able to relax on the beach or by the pool for hours.

 Ben booked us a suite that shared a private pool with four other suites.

We also had a fully stocked bar and kitchenette.

 Ben swimming in one of the MANY pools on property.

It was never crowded at any pool and we could sit anywhere.

 Selfies on the beach before selfies were called selfies :)

 One of the views from our room- this tropical paradise

 We tried a lot of drinks :)

 And some water sports

This water tricycle was a ton of fun

 We did two tours- the first was a leisurely trip down a river on this bamboo raft

 So peaceful

 We enjoyed lots of nice dinners

 Our second tour was going up the falls

 And again, more pool time

Maybe we can go back for our 10th anniversary?  Here's hoping!

Happy Tuesday y'all!

Getting ready for the pool... bathing suits and cover-ups

Y'ALL... I don't know about you, but I dread swimsuit shopping.  I have been having the hardest time this spring trying to find swimsuits so I finally sat down one night and ordered from five different stores.  That's right... FIVE. DIFFERENT. STORES.  I told Ben not to be too alarmed when he saw the credit card bill because most of it would be returned. :)

I thought I would share with y'all what I discovered in case you too are looking for bathing suits and failing.

*I previously ordered from Athleta and didn't like anything that I ordered.  I should clarify and say that I didn't like the cut, the material was great.

First- where I ordered from: Target, Ann Taylor Loft, J. Crew, Victoria Secret, and Nordstrom. 

Second- I waited until they all came in and then tried everything on (I ordered over 20 bathing suits).  Then I narrowed it down to my top four.  I showed Ben and the girls and they voted on which ones they liked the best.  I kept three.

I ordered similar styles from different stores and they all fit very differently.

J. Crew:
I'm 5'3" and all of their one-pieces and mono-kinis were clearly designed for someone between 5'5"-5'7".  There was just too much material in the torso and so they didn't fit me well.  I returned them for that reason, too much material.

Ann Taylor Loft:
I kinda liked all of the bathing suits from here, but I didn't LOVE any of them.  I decided to keep ones that I really LOVED and for as expensive as bathing suits are, don't settle for something you don't love.  All of the Loft bathing suits were returned.

Target:
I figured since I had been having difficulty with expensive bathing suits, to also try some inexpensive ones.  I actually liked most of the bathing suits from Target, but I kept one that I really LOVED.  The one I kept, Ben said was his favorite.  I also kept a swimsuit coverup from Target.  I tried to find it in extra small, but the smallest size is small.  It's kinda big, but again, it's a coverup so not too big a deal.

Victoria Secret:
I bought six or seven suits to try, most of them in small AND medium because I wasn't sure of my size.  I ended up keep a tankini that I really, really LOVED.  I returned the rest because they just didn't fit right- either too much material or not enough.

Nordstrom:
I ordered a bunch from here, probably eight or nine.  There were two that I really, really, really liked.  I ended up keeping one that Elizabeth said was her favorite.  It's a monokini and very colorful and I think it will be super fun.

So... here is what I kept:

 This coverup from Target

This bathing suit from Target

 This tankini from Victoria Secret

This monokini from Nordstrom

So... I'm now ready for the pool (if it ever stops raining and warms up)

Happy Monday y'all!