Strolling right along through June and July

I'm typing this post with heavy eye lids so forgive me if I start to ramble. Since I became a SAHM in June it feels like our life has been put in overdrive. Playdates, home organization/remodeling projects, shopping trips, sports camps and everything else we couldn't work into our hectic schedule when I worked from home has filled up our calendar the last couple of months and that has left me little time to blog.

I'm still trying to adjust to this new life as a SAHM and as a mother of two. One of my friends told me it takes about three months to adjust so I have one more month to get it together. I have definitely developed a new admiration for my SAHM friends and even my own mother who stayed home with all of her children. Every night I try to plan out the next day's activities with Jonah while coordinating it around Meredith's feeding and sleeping schedule. I may not technically be working but I'm definitely continuing to utilize my Project Management skills. I wonder if all this planning and coordination will fulfill my CE (Continuing Education) hours for the year???

Buzy Bees

The title of my blog is "The Daily Stroll" and my tagline reads "Stroll through the Daily Adventures of the Schneider family" yet it's been several days weeks since I posted any news or updates. I don't know where the time has gone this month but it's passed right by me! Of course it takes a lot of time to download, edit and post pictures and we seem to always be busy during the day. For example, just in the few minutes that I have been typing this particular post I have been asked, "Mommy, may I have a glass of Grape Juice?" and "Mommy, will you turn on Wow Wow Wubbzy on OnDemand?" and "Mommy, will you trim my nails, they are too long?!" (my favorite one) and "Mommy, do you like Sponge Bob Squarepants?" My answer to the last question was "No" which means I just spent an additional ten minutes explaining why I don't like the talking sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea. Now that I think about it, Jonah has never seen an episode of Sponge Bob so I don't know where that question came from.

Anyway, I used to try to blog at night after the little ones went to bed but this summer Jonah has developed a habit of staying up late (thanks to Daddy) so by the time he finally falls asleep it's also bedtime for this tired Mommy!

So I'm making a promise to all my blog followers (even though I think the only follower I have is my mother) that I will try to post something everyday going forward even if that means publishing unedited photos or omitting a photo all together. At least my mother will have something to read while she drinks her morning coffee.

Without further adieu, here are some more pictures from our weekend in Georgetown over the 4th of July.

One weekend trip required seven bags for four people. This didn't include the camera bag, the stroller, or Josh's laptop bag.


Christian, someday Kayla will teach you how to drive


Happy boy!


My happy boy!


Happy Girl!


My sweet boy!


"Come on Meredith, let's go get on the swings!"


"What mashed potatoes????"

Celebrating Independence

We celebrated the 4th of July in Austin with family. Popsicles, the pool, and the park entertained the little ones on Saturday and then we headed out to watch the fireworks show that night. We made two, and yes I said two trips to Dairy Queen for blizzards over the course of the weekend but they were so yummy that it was totally worth the couple of extra pounds I gained!

We have only braved the three hour drive from Dallas to Austin twice now with a newborn and both times she has surprised us by sleeping the whole way there. And as long as Jonah has his iTouch handy he is good for the entire trip. I have to say that the iTouch was the best gift idea Santa has ever had! We installed all of Jonah's DVD's on it as well as several games from Apple so he is perfectly content watching movies and playing games.

It was a great time and we were sad to see the holiday weekend end!





Meredith was really excited about the fireworks show, can you tell?!?! Heh!

She's already 3 months old? How is that possible?

Meredith is 3 months old today. Can you believe it?? I can't either. The sleepless nights must have blurred my memory because it seems like she was just born yesterday but according to the calendar I had our little ladybug exactly three months ago.

She seems to have made it through her fussy phase which is good. One night Josh asked me "Will you read me the newborn return policy on the receipt from the hospital?"

Meredith is now back home with me since I was a casualty of "spending cutbacks" at my company on June 18th. Even though she was only in school for two weeks, her teachers were able to put her on a eating and sleeping schedule that has made my life so much easier!

She smiles, laughs and coos all the time now and when one of us walks into the room and makes eye contact with her, she waves her arms and legs in excitement. She loves to be the center of attention and wants to be held all the time.

She is finally sleeping through the night! Can I get a "Whoo hoo?" Mornings are still my favorite time with my children. I lay in bed every morning and cuddle with Jonah and Meredith. I am thankful that I now have the opportunity to spend this quality time with them. These are the moments that I'll cherish forever.

Meredith has transitioned from being a "newborn" to being a "baby." It will be an exciting month as we continue to watch her grow and develop!

Zootopia

For Father's Day Josh wanted to take a trip to the zoo so we packed up and headed to the zoo for the day. It was HOT but the Dallas Zoo does a great job of providing shade and water misters as well as plenty of air conditioned spaces. We also invested in a little misting fan for Meredith since she was asleep in the stroller the whole time in the 100 degree weather! Jonah really enjoyed seeing all the different types of animals! I was really impressed when he saw the Okapi and knew it's name (Thanks Noggin!) His favorite animal (and ours) was the Gorilla because you could get up close to them through the glass and they would make faces at you! I'm looking forward to going back again but maybe we'll wait until the fall when it's a little cooler outside!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

To My Husband on Father's Day

** I'm posting this letter a little late because I forgot to hit "publish post" on Sunday I wanted the wording to be perfect.

To My Husband on Father's Day

When we started dating and I fell in love with you many years ago, I knew I wanted you to someday be the father of my children. I saw in your heart that you were compassionate, caring and nurturing, all the qualities that to me make a wonderful father. I watched the way my nieces adored you and how other children would flock to you like bees to honey when you were around. I heard the stories about you helping to take care of the children in your Mom's daycare when you were younger. I watched you make a difference in several teenager's lives while working at Gary and volunteering as a "Big Brother" in college to underprivledged children. I've seen how you protect and care for your own younger brother and how much he looks up to you today. I watched the way you played with and cared for Riley as a puppy and now when you are home, he never leaves your side. I knew you would be a wonderful father.

Then, we had Jonah and the strong bond between father and son was born. That bond grew even stronger this year when I had to go on bedrest in the hospital. I see the way he looks at you and how he always wants to be with you. He loves you unconditionally and when I watch the two of you together playing outside or even cuddling on the couch it warms my heart. You are instilling in him the same fatherly and loving characteristics that you possess. That is evident in the way he is today with his baby sister and how he will be with his own children someday.

On the day Meredith was born I watched you hold your daughter for the first time and I watched in silence as another bond began to evolve. A bond that will grow stronger everyday as she gets older. She is happiest when she is in your arms. I know one day she will want to marry and have children with someone "just like her father".

You amaze me everyday with your ability to work so hard and then come home and work even harder to take care of our family. I am proud that you are my husband and even more proud that you are the father of my children. Thank you for all that you do for us!

I love you more than you will ever know.
-Monda

I'm blaming the sherbet......

Josh brought home a pint of this yummy sherbet a few weeks ago and now I'm hooked! I add a couple of scoops to a glass and then pour over Sprite Zero. It's the perfect refreshing summertime dessert! I have a glass almost every night! It clearly states on the container that it is "naturally low fat" so it can't be the reason that I haven't lost the last few pounds of pregnancy weight right??

Ghost Stories

Last night North Dallas was hit with some pretty nasty weather including 80 mph winds, funnel cloud sightings, rain, thunder and lightening that lit up the entire sky. Luckily all of us were at home but right as we were finishing dinner the electricity went out. So, we all made our way to the couch with flashlights and candles. We listened in darkness as the rain beat down on our roof and watched as it knocked over everything in our backyard. We enjoyed an evening without Noggin and we played flashlight chase, made wall puppets and told Ghost Stories.

Here is a small clip of Jonah's 15 minute Ghost Story. Since the electricity was out for several hours we heard the story several times. He had a couple of different versions that included Wolverine throwing the ghost out the window, Jonah saving Meredith from the ghost by locking her in the bathroom and Spiderman spinning the ghost in a web in the front yard.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Where have you been???

Due to a not-so-nice call from my mother about my lack of updates on the blog, I thought maybe I should put up a few pictures to prove that I have been very busy catching up on episodes of Tori and Dean Home Sweet Hollywood and the Real Housewives of New Jersey with taking care of a demanding newborn, catering to my toddler's every need and washing endless baskets of laundry and mounds of dishes in the sink. But even being so busy we have managed to have to a little fun around here....

Josh and I have officially been kicked out of our own bed



Jonah learning how to play on the slip n slide from Uncle Jerod and Lauren




When I pick them up from school Jonah always makes sure to get stickers for himself and Meredith from Ms. DeGuzman (check out her head and left hand) He's so thoughtful!



Jonah's been enjoying bubble baths in our tub using my Lavender Chamomile Dream Bubble Bath from Bath and Body Works! It's my favorite!



This is what happens when Daddy takes Jonah to get a haircut! No more curls! Boo hoo! The good thing is, it grows back really fast. I guess the shorter hair is better for the hot summer months here in Texas.



Enjoying a day at the park with Grandma





A visit with my Aunts and Uncles from Virginia



Jonah always says "I want to take a picture with my Merdi"



But not all of us have been busy...check out our lazy dog Riley!

First Day of School and First day back as a WAHM

Today was my first day back at work which means I walked downstairs in my PJ's and turned on a laptop and a Blackberry that have been collecting dust for the last six months. I love working from home!

Today was also Merdi's first day of school. She is going to the same private preschool that her big brother attends. All four of us went to school together this morning and Jonah walked his sister into the classroom that Josh and I walked him into what seems like three long years ago. In his own words Jonah told the same teachers that he had, "I'll be in Ms. Wagner's class down the hall but I'll ask her if I can leave in a little while and come check on her." Tears people...lots of tears!

After several reassuring hugs from Josh in the parking lot that she would be okay, I got back in my car and made my way to Starbucks to treat myself to a Venti Iced Chai. I wore my big oversized sunglasses so they couldn't tell that I was a Mom that had just dropped off her 2 month old daughter at school so she could be changed, fed, burped, and swayed softly to sleep by someone other than me. As a new mom you always tell yourself that no one can care for your baby like you can but the truth is both of the teachers there are wonderful and I know she is in excellent hands. Plus they won't be trying to burp her while trying to type a new status update on Facebook!

I came back home to a very quiet house, sat down and enjoyed the silence for a few minutes. Then the housekeeper showed up, Riley started barking and the silence was a gone. Josh called me several minutes later and said "I'm sorry you have such a good job." He is right. I'm very fortunate to have a nice income and be able to work from home especially in today's economy. I did stay home with Jonah for a while when he was younger so I've had the experience of being both a working mom and a stay-at-home mom and I can say there are pros and cons of each. Both have their ups and downs. But right now with both of us working we are able to provide so much more to Jonah and Meredith and ourselves. Of course that doesn't keep me from feeling guilty everyday as I pack their bags for school. The one thing I'm learning while trying to juggle it all is that it's quality, not quantity. Be in the moment when you are with them, laugh and make a happy memory. That is what counts!

So, it's back to my life as a WAHM. Let the chaos resume!

Meredith is two months old

Ladybug is two months old today! She had her two month checkup this morning and she scored an A+ on her report card. She is 10 pounds and is starting to outgrow her newborn clothes and is now wearing her 0-3 month outfits(which means I need to place an order for more cute monogrammed onesies from Sarah) I did manage to dress her in every newborn outfit she had even though that sometimes required 2-3 outfit changes per day! You know I really hated that! Heh!

Jonah has decided to call her Merdi instead of Reagan. We love Merdi and had actually heard that nickname from a friend when she was born though we never mentioned it to Jonah. He started calling her Merdi all on his own. We love it so it will probably stick!

From 7am to 6pm she is the happiest baby on the block but right as we sit down for dinner around 7pm she turns into the unhappiest baby on the block which sometimes turns me into the unhappiest mommy on the block. I thought she had "colic" but my doctor says babies with colic tend to cry continuously for long periods of time every night and can't be consoled. Thank God she doesn't do that and God Bless those parents that have or have had a colicky baby. Meredith's night time fussiness could be from a number of things like a growth spurt, tummy bubbles, or overstimulation. We just go through our checklist that includes diaper change, feeding, mylicon, bath, baby massage, swaddle and swaying. We lather, rinse and repeat until she falls asleep. This process takes up most of our evening so I'm hoping the fussiness doesn't last too long and we can eventually get her on a schedule and get Jonah back on his normal schedule because 3 year olds should not be awake at 10:30pm!

Morning time is now my favorite time! Meredith wakes up in the best mood and loves to smile, coo and cuddle. The four of us, five if you include Riley, usually lay in bed for a little snuggle time before our day starts! The first thing Jonah does in the morning is give his sister hugs and kisses. So sweet!

She has also learned to roll over from her tummy to her back. Check out her video below with Big Brother Jonah cheering her on with a rattle!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

51 years and still going strong....

My parents celebrated 51 years of wedded bliss today!

Happy Anniversary! Knowing you are as happy together today as you were in this picture 51 years ago makes my heart smile!

Time is flying by.....

Meredith has already changed so much since the day she was born just a mere six weeks ago! She loves to be held (especially by her Daddy) and is very mesmerized by her big brother! She loves watching him move around the room and receives hundreds of kisses and hugs from him everyday. She is just starting smile and makes the cutest little laughing sound in her sleep. She hates being put in her car seat but falls asleep before we can even back out of the driveway. She loves to sleep on her tummy which is a major no-no in the parenting circle but as long as I am awake I let her. She really enjoys her baths and the baby massages I give her. I see many mother-daughter spa trips in our future! She's definitely a Daddy's girl. Any time she is upset and I can't console her, Josh will take her and it's like someone turned off the switch. She instantly stops crying and places her little head on his comforting shoulder. If she's anything like Jonah she's already figured out how to wrap herself around his little finger. But all I know is if she gets a certain pair of shoes with a signature red sole before I do we will have a major problem (hint* hint* honey)! I guess you can say she is also a Mommy's girl. She goes with me everywhere and has already enjoyed shopping trips, spa trips, and lunch at a tea room. I'm really enjoying having a daughter and watching Jonah and Meredith together brings a sense of peace and serenity to my crazy and hectic days!







pictures courtesy of JDL Photography

Birthdays and Ballet Recitals

Our family had a busy weekend celebrating our newphew's first birthday and our niece's first ballet recital. My brother-in-law's house was filled with family, birthday cake, balloons, presents, flowers and tutus. Jonah and Kayla wore each other out running, swinging and playing in the sandbox. Christian who just started walking tried tirelessly to keep up with the older two and the youngest well, Meredith got passed around to a lot of different hands that day and she her first meltdown on Saturday night right as everyone started getting ready for bed at midnight. A little drive around town with Daddy seemed to calm her down and I think we finally passed out fell asleep in one of the reclining chairs around 3am only to be woken up by four little ones at 7am that morning. Ah, the joys of being a parent!

Funny shots

Not a lot of excitement around here this week so I thought I would add a couple of funny shots that I've taken.

Jonah decided to give Meredith his money and a pacifier to make her stop crying. He's already got girls figured out! Heh!



Josh and Jonah laying on the couch.