This little one?

Is the light of our lives. This video is of her singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. At barely 19 months old. ❤

Twinkle Twinkle

She talks, like completely talks. It’s crazy. I love to listen to her.

She is so filled with joy, the happiest she’s ever been in her whole little life. It smashes my heart to smithereens. It’s as if she hit that ‘I’m angry I can’t communicate’ milestone from 5 months on, and now she can. And it’s changed her world. Our sweet darling girl!

Thanksgiving, Christmas, New year’s, oh my!

Ahhhhhh holiday season is over. *collective sigh* It was SO brilliant to be in the States for the whole of the holiday season for the first time in seven years. SEVEN YEARS WITHOUT THANKSGIVING. Imagine.

We spent loads of time with family, a little time with friends (two parties! one a roaring success, Cora-babysitting-wise. One, notsomuch.)

Cora is 18 months old. Omg a little toddler. It’s such a fun age — she kills us with the cute!

She is speaking in (some) sentences, and she can spell her name aloud. Whaaaaaaaaaaa???

All of her teeth are in for the moment. Hoping for a break before the two-year molars. Sleep is, well, still not great. Up a couple of times at night, but she’s in our bed, so we feel equipped to handle it without too much sleep lost. She still just doesn’t seem to need much. *shrug*

She’s still nursing. ❤

❤ our darling little

Santa

Cora didn’t like Santa quite as much this year…

Halloween

We had a lovely week of Halloween celebration. First off, we went to a baby party dressed as The Golden Girls. It was silly silly. Cora was Sophia, but she wouldn’t wear her tiny old-lady wig, so she really just looked like Harry Potter.

Then the day before Halloween, I decided that she needed a sweet little costume all her own, so my sister and I threw together a little ghost on the day.

She was precious. We didn’t go trick-or-treating, just walked Piper down the street. Next year I’d imagine we’ll go full tilt.

Back to work. Ish.

Soooooo I’ve started a part-time job! We’ve been struggling a bit financially after the huge moving expense, and an ideal situation simply fell in my lap. 🙂 I started working at a doctors’ office a few weeks ago, doing admin. I work from 7am to 12pm four days per week. It’s been going quite well so far.

God childcare is expensive. Despite this being the perfect opportunity (pick my own hours, ability to be home during nap every day for the little who needs her mama in order to sleep), I almost had to pass it up. I couldn’t find part-time childcare that would even allow me to break even. Luckily, a friend (who works at the same office and who got me the job) wanted to work the same hours. We’re now doing a nanny-share. It has been so wonderful. The girls love our nanny, and they get to spend all day with each other. It honestly could not have worked out better.

I leave for work before Chris, so he gets some extra Dada time in the morning before our nanny, B, gets here. He’s also been the one dealing with the separation anxiety. It hasn’t been too terrible; I think being in our house has helped. I know it hasn’t been fun, though. Luckily Cora seems to have turned a corner and is waving to B and hugging her when she arrives. Warms my heart!

I am actually really really enjoying myself. The practice is a wonderful place to work, and I love love talking to adult humans again. I honestly feels like I have the best of both worlds at the moment. Feeling very lucky that it has worked out so well!

I think it has really benefitted Cora, too. Her new bestie is around six months older, so communicates more. Cora had a ridiculous amount of words before, but her actual communication has shot through the roof since they started hanging out. She’s saying sentences and repeating phrases we say. It’s amazing. The other day she went on and on, “Sorry, Piper, sorry. Good girl, Piper. Ohhh Piper.” (Piper is our pup.) So freaking cute!!

So things are good here. Prepping for Halloween. Fun times.

Whoa what have we been doing?

Whoa I’ve disappeared! I had no idea it’d been so long. We’re good, enjoying the glorious weather in Atlanta. This is the weather we came back for: sunny, 75F. Ahhhhhhhhh. It makes the 1-millionth trip to gather rocks for the day that much more palatable. 😉

The sweet one has been doing pretty well (not counting sleep). We now have all four molars poking through. Looking for some relief in the sleep department soon! She also got her 15-month jabs last week. We’ll call it not exactly a happy night, and leave it at that. Ha!

We’re taking a music class that Cora utterly loves. It’s so funny to watch her interact. She’s shy and standoffish at the beginning if the class; by the end, she’s standing in the middle of the circle by herself, dancing. Little goof!

Overall we’re doing quite well. Her language is out of control. Comes out with at least one new word a day!! It’s amazing.

Some big work/life changes are afoot around here. Will update soon!

Happy little

Our happy little is back!! Yaaaaaaaaaaay!!!

Baby joy

Whatever was making her crabby and sad seems to have passed, though the molars still haven’t poked through. Very close, though.

We’ve had a couple of lovely weekends with family and friends. Cora’s Grandpa and Granny Sherry visited for the first time. We went to the aquarium, which was gorgeous, then back to our fave outdoor-eating spot, Park Tavern.

Cora was not happy to see them go!

We also watched some friends tie the knot in an impromptu backyard wedding, which was lovely and heartwarming.

We’ve had lots of playdates.

And Cora’s even been sleeping a little better (knock on wood). We’re still co-sleeping, but she’s not needing bottles during the night anymore, though she still wakes and nurses twice. But that’s a big improvement!

Our close friends Tony and Laura came to visit with their daughter last weekend for the first Auburn football game (no comment!). We had such a lovely weekend with them. Their daughter is two, but we haven’t really gotten to know her yet since we were in London. She’s great fun!

The girls got along brilliantly well.

Dada dressed her.

All in all things have been going well, and we’re so happy our sweet girl is feeling better.

Visiting

We drove to Birmingham for the weekend in order to meet Auntie’s boyfriend’s family. It was so lovely to meet them, and Cora was so sweet and well behaved. The next day was another story. 🙂 Was a really fun weekend, even though I managed to drink too much wine Friday night, so had a stupid wine headache the next day. Ho hum. Fun in the moment.

My sister and I drove over early and spent the day with my dad. Cora loves her grandpa! She even said ‘Pa-paw’ twice!

My dad is a huge Alabama fan; Chris and I went to Auburn. Cora looks suitably unimpressed.

I WILL get the fuzz out from under the ice maker!

Auntie, let me help you with your makeup.

Hanging with Mimi while Mama gets a pedicure (win!).

Piper and her across-the-street friend, Fake Piper.

Yeah! We’re back home!

Safe to say, she’s not allergic to peanut butter.

Effing molars strike again!!

She’s in a slightly happier mood today, so hopefully her little teefies are hurting her less. Grandpa and his wife Sherry are coming to visit this weekend. We’re thinking Aquarium. Fun times!

F**king molars

Poor darling one’s been having a bit of a rough time lately from her molars coming in. It hurts my heart that she’s in pain. And the fussiness, as sad as it is, also tries the patience! Really hope they come in soon. She tries so hard to have fun, but everyone knows the dull ache of a toothache. Poor sweet one!!

Otherwise, we’ve had a lovely few weeks, with visits from both Grandma and Mimi and lots of time with Auntie.

The curls are starting to break free!

We spent last weekend at Mimi’s. Will be back with pics!

When did my tiny baby…

When did my tiny baby…

… get so big?!