How Awesome Are Feet Pajamas?

This awesome!

Happy Halloween

We hope you have a Jolly Holiday!

Duck & Cover

This past Thursday was 'the great shake out' earthquake drill for many and it got me thinking about the time I was on Splash Mountain about to go over the drop when an earthquake hit. We had to evacute through the secret passage ways under the ride, which was pretty cool, but I was bummed we missed out on the best part of the attraction. Which then made me think, where is the worst place to be during an earthquake? At a fair surrounded by rides made from big rigs? In a large group of people, like at Disneyland? In a sports arena? After much thought I've decided Costco would be the worst place to be. The metal shelves reaching to the ceiling of a warehouse piled with pallets of canned goods, laundry detergent, and kitchen wares. No thank you.

Where's the worst place to be during an earthquake in your mind?

(For the record John says a porta potty or a factory where they make glass jars)

Good Mom Day

Thanks for the idea, Pinterest

Last week Cohen and I crafted. I plan out these activities and I think to myself, "oh this will take up a good chunk of time " (20- 30 minutes) and then 5-10 minutes later, he's over it. Efficient or Two years old?
He had a blast learning to use scissors and discovery how fun it can be peeling dried modge podge glue off your fingers.

They Bring Me Joy

Unless you are me, my husband, or possibly our parents you'll probably be bored with this post. And, because I have extreme mom brain I need to record this to remember it. Fingers crossed I'll remember where I wrote it.

Brynn:

• Two teeth (5.5 months?) 
• Scooting (7 months) 
• Crawling & pulling herself up (7.5 months) 
• She will eat anything (baby food) we give her, peas & green beans included! However she is longing for table food. She gazes & lunges anytime food is in close proximity. 
• She loves to play with toys. I really value independent play.
• She loves her family. 
• She loves to be with Cohen and can handle his big brother playing. She thinks he is hilarious. I'm always worried he's being too rough but she is all giggles and smiles with him. 
• Dad has the touch at getting her to sleep. She & Cohen both look forward to Dad coming home and playing together.
• She has a mom radar on her. She knows my location at all times, it's crazy. She could be sleeping and I will walk in her room and she will stir. This doesn't happen when others walk in, just me-she must smell me. She can hear my voice from far distances and spot me in a crowd. It makes me feel special.

Cohen:

• Talking up a storm, and I'm not the only one who understands him. We have full conversations with one another.
• He is really starting to develop his imagination, serving us chicken, strawberries, and chocolate milk in bed, using bubble wrap as a boat or cape or princess jasmine outfit, or flying around the house as buzz lightyear while blasting "to infinity and beyond"!
• This kid cracks us up. He has so much personality and can be a parrot at times. Tonight we were at the park and John was pushing him on the swings. Cohen was saying, "Mom, I'm swinging high" to which I replied, "prove it!". Later I was talking to Brynn while changing her diaper and I mentioned that she had a little rash. Cohen then exclaimed, "prove it!". 
• He loves saying prayers and insists on saying them for everything. We are now having to work on letting others say them sometimes.
• He loves to sing. Some of our recent favorites have been anything from Mary Poppins, Bare Necessities, ABC's, the yodeling song from The Sound of Music, Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed songs, Popcorn Popping, Do As I'm Doing, I Am a Child of God, Happy Birthday, Snowman, and a few other pop culture tunes.
• We're potting training and he is doing really well staying dry, no luck in the other area despite many different strategies. ugh.

4th of July Weekend

 Just noticed this never got published-oops!

John was home on Saturday (a rare treat), so we lived it up! We had a family trip to the movies to see Cars 2 (it was OK, it didn't hold Cohen's attention), naps for everyone (yet another rare treat), then we ended the night with an Angel freeway series victory in Anaheim.
We had big plans for the 4th, after all, John was not going into work (one reason I love holidays). We planned to paint the hall, BBQ, hit up the beach or pool, sing patriotic songs, and watch fireworks. Unfortunately, John woke up sick and Brynn was under the weather as well so Cohen and I made festive treats & swam on our own in between nursing the other half of our family back to health. Luckily all Tulli' were feeling well enough to attend our cities firework spectacular!

 

 Go Angels!

 

 Our Red, White, & Blue strawberries. 

Cohen keep eating the blue sprinkled tips.

 

One tired fire cracker

 

Happy Independence Day!

Something's Gotta Give

Life -1
Blog-0
I'm hopeful that my new blog app/mobile blogging will help even the score.
Now, some photos for the family

A Picture is Worth...

I couldn't settle on a title, so take your pick & enjoy the pic(ture)

1. Get your drink on
2. TGIF
3. It's Five o'clock somewhere
4. It's the freakin weekend
5. Beer me a cream soda (a la Andy from The Office)

(on our way to Disneyland two Fridays ago)

Two Kid Stupor

I've been the mother of two for four weeks, I believe that now qualifies me as an expert;)

I knew that I would get a wake up call when baby number two came.  Having Cohen didn't kick my butt as bad as everyone said it would.  I expected to be woken up at night and have exhausting days but the saving grace is that when he slept, I could sleep (though really that is sacred-this-is-the-only-opportunity-to-get-stuff-done-time). 

Yes the night feeding(s) are taxing but the real killer to having two kids in my opinion is not the babies needs but rather my two year old.  He still wants his mommy time, to be entertained, to go outside and play etc. What that means is very few opportunities for one sleep deprived mom to rest because of course as soon as one goes down for a nap the other one wakes up. Am I right or am I right?

When Cohen was born one of John's co-workers said, "Don't worry, your wife will like you again in  six months." We didn't know what she meant, she said she was crazy after her kids were born. I luckily never experienced the postpartum hormonal craziness, in fact I've never been really hormonal (except maybe in high school). However this time, whoa nelly, it's been crazy, correction, I've been crazy. I'm super sensitive, I  cry and get frustrated sometimes for no reason. My brain recognizes this but can't stop it. It's really annoying, just ask John.  Poor man has had to bear the brunt of it.

 There are days where I feel like I've got it together, I get dressed in something other than elastic wasted PJ bottoms and an old girls camp t-shirt, I do my hair & make-up, the kidlets and I venture out of the house and do errands, cross items off my to do list, and play.  I make dinner, my house is clean, laundry is done, basically I feel like a good mom.  I feel like me.  

Then there are days like Wednesday and Thursday and probably tomorrow when I change out of one old t-shirt into another one because it's covered in baby vomit.  Disney & Pixar are entertaining my child while I nurse for what feels like all day, the dishes have yet to be put away, my house is a mess, my teeth don't get brushed til 6:55 pm when I leave for youth group (I don't think I even brushed my hair), and we're eating chicken nuggets and clementines for dinner. Basically I feel like a bad mom

My type A personalty loves to be in control and right now I'm not and that's hard. It's hard having my house not being as clean as I'm used to it being. It's hard to breastfeed while your two year old is hanging on your back wanting to wrestle. It's hard to remain patient while trying to function on very little sleep. It's hard not being able to meet every one's needs. It's hard to make dinner. It's hard to get said two year old to bed at a decent time when your newborn is starving. It's hard to shower.

 And yet,

It is all worth it.

I love being with Cohen & Brynn.  I love it when Cohen comes up randomly throughout the day and gives me kisses. I love seeing Brynn smile. I love that I can calm them down when they are sad. I love hearing Cohen sing songs. I love being his interpreter for his always expanding sometimes hard to understand vocabulary. I love knowing Brynn's mannerisms. I love my cuddling time. And though this adjustment has been hard, ultimately,

I wouldn't have it any other way.

(well, that's a lie, I still want more sleep)

Brynn You're Three Weeks Old, What Are You Going to Do?

I'm going to Disneyland!

(cheesy, I know, John gave a epic eye roll when he heard it)

 (note to self: embellished shirts are not a good idea when wearing a baby against your chest in a sling)

Already the "Second Child"

 It's not that we love them any less but our time isn't as flexible as it was with the first child. That is my excuse for fewer pictures and blog posts, well that and the fact that our Internet was down all last week.

We are still absolutely smitten by little Brynn or Brynnamin as John calls her.  I was apprehensive about having a little girl, but let me tell you, I have fallen head over heals for this gal.  She really is such a wonderful baby.  She's very chill and has a go with the flow personality. She rarely cries, only when she is in need of being burped, getting her diaper changed, &/or cold (i.e. diaper changes or baths). She is getting cuter by the day as the swelling goes down.  Her hair is lighter and right now her eyes are the typical baby blue, though they seem brighter than Cohen's, who knows, maybe she'll get her Dad's blue eyes. My mom says she already has perfectly shaped eyebrows. She is still as skinny as ever! I can't find socks to fit her. She has no trouble filling the length but they fall right off her leg because there is no calf meat to hold them up. She really loves to be held and is not a big fan of her bassinet at night, but she'll learn.

Now for some pictures

 Cohen is obsessed with her.  When he wakes up the first person he asks for is Brynn.  If he goes to play with family or friends and I call him he asks for Brynn.  He wants to kiss her, hold her, swing her, you name it.  He is very concerned for her and wants her to be included in everything, tonight he wanted Brynn to say the dinner prayer. He is still soft with her, she just needs her space sometimes.

A Sunday nap with Dad

 

Tanning...Dr's orders (she was slightly jaundiced)

 

When I came back to check on her I saw she had made herself some sun shades. 

wait for it... my child is so advanced

My little Napoleon

Smiling.

This is the real deal, not gas. 

I Gave Birth to a Human this Weekend, What Did You Do?

Baby Girl Tullis

Friday, February 11, 2011 6:43 am

6 lbs. 14 oz. 20 inches

 

  

She is so tiny, I was expecting another Cohen sized baby. So far she is a good eater & very cuddly-she loves to be held, which works out beautifully because we like to hold her.  She has the longest feet and toes, they seriously look like fingers, and plump kissable lips (like her dad and brother).

 And now for the great naming debacle of 2011

Ever since we found out we would be having a baby girl John and I have been scouring baby name websites and reading the credits of movies in hopes of finding that one perfect name. We could name boys all day long but a girl name has been a real challenge. John has a few names that he loves, all of which I vetoed, and I had my list of names that I loved, all of which he vetoed.  Together we came up with a list of like to strongly like names, however, we still could not agree on one. When she arrived we had it narrowed down to two: Eden & Brynn. I wanted Eden and John wanted Brynn. After much discussion and polling of family and friends, Brynn had clearly won the popular vote but I wasn't ready to give up my name.   

In the end we went with...

 John's only regret is all the missed opportunities he would have had to randomly break into Iron Butterfly's, "in a gadda davida".

My consolation is the ability I now have to play the "but you got to name the baby" card.

 We are a happy family!

Cohen loves babies.  When he came to visit last night he kept calling her Jaxson (my 3 month old nephew who Cohen adores). Hopefully he will continue to be soft and loving when he realizes she's staying.

On our way home from the hospital

 So glad she's here!

A Long Lost Post

This has been sitting in my draft folder for a long while. It's old but it has pictures:)

Back in August I cashed in my birthday present by going to see him...

 

Harry Connick Jr.

 Isn't he dreamy?

 He gave a fantastic concert at the Hollywood Bowl, like really fantastic.  I couldn't stop smiling.  Or singing. Thank you John!

Other August activities included a trip to Napa for the Jex family reunion. We made it a point to purchase Belly flops and teach Cohen about the goodness that is Jelly Belly's.  They had baby wipe, pencil shaving, and grass flavored beans (no they were not a part of the Harry Potter collection) they were spot on for taste but gross.

Friday of the family reunion is spent boating at Lake Berryessa.  Cohen had a love/hate relationship with the boat.

John rocking the wakebaord

Saturday and Sunday are spent at my cousin's amazing house. (well actually it's my dad's cousins daughter's house) It's surrounded by  vineyards and has all the makings of a good time.  Here's just the back yard...

The crazy 3 level tree house and playground

Lots of grass, perfect for volleyball games and sleeping (At night there's not a visible blade due to all our tarps and sleeping bags).

 

The awesome pool & slide

(there is also a fire pit, trampoline, kitchen, bathroom, and BBQ area off to the side)

Cohen and my dad are in the pool on the right.

Oh Napa, we miss you!

I Can Explain

Hello (queue echoing hello's)

This is a new record, nearly three months of silence, well blog silence, but I can explain.  It's been more than your typical we've been busy yada yada yada and I'm planning on summarizing somewhat of our comings and goings these past 90 days, just not today.

• Right now we are T minus two weeks for baby GIRL's (I forgot to mention that too) arrival.  We have been spoiled beyond belief by friends and loved ones through two showers.  My daughter will be quite the fashionista in her cute digs.
• My camera was stolen on Halloween, my PC is down, and I can't upload pictures from my mom's camera to the Mac, so if any pictures make it up soon it will be from my phone, which I haven't learned how to use completely yet. (figured it out!)
• Cohen is growing up and talking a ton.  I love this age! He's so much fun (with the exceptions of the occasional tantrum). He is extremely independent and social and has taken to a rather cheesy smile. (see picture). He loves to sing and play the piano with me.  When we put him to bed at night we sing a few primary songs, it's so sweet to hear him chime in.
• We recently switched bedrooms with Cohen for practicality reasons. Our furniture works better in the new room. And we can/are going to paint!  The cans, brushes, and drop clothes are in the garage waiting to be used, unfortunalty John has been working crazy long hours 6 days a week. I've come to terms with the fact that bedrooms will not be painted til after baby girls arrives. But once the yummy grey color goes up on the walls I will take pictures of that and our happy new bedding, oh I'm so excited!
• More to come later!