Navarre Beach

After a busy spring and a whirlwind of a summer (seriously, how is it already August?!), we were happy to hit the pause button and spend a week relaxing on the sandy shores of Navarre Beach. This was our first trip to the beach since we got married in Jamaica back in 2012, so it was much deserved and long overdue. It was also our first vacation with two kids and - let me just say - a total game changer. When we booked our trip earlier this spring, we thought that driving would be the best choice. After flying with a toddler during the first trimester of my pregnancy with Logan, I thought nothing could be worse than two toddlers on an airplane. It turns out, I was wrong.

We headed south Friday evening around 9:00 PM with the kids fed, bathed, and snuggled into their car seats with their coziest blankets and stuffed animals. Though neither one fell asleep until we were out of the state, it was a peaceful start followed by an entire night of blissful silence as both children slept soundly. The sun came up just before we got to Birmingham, AL, so we stopped for breakfast at Cracker Barrel so we could eat, change clothes, and stretch our legs (which mostly consisted of the kids playing with toys in the store area). We had a solid 6 hours ahead of us, but the kids watched movies, took naps, and were overall well behaved. As with any road trip, the last hour was the most grueling. We were all ready to get out of the car and longing for that first glimpse of the ocean. We got to Navarre shortly after noon, hit up a food truck for some lunch, and made a bee line for our townhouse as soon as it was ready. It was a rat race to unload the truck and get everyone down for a nap as soon as possible. Neither Jake nor I had slept much since Thursday night, and we were running on fumes. A few hours later, we woke up to find that the rest of our family had arrived, unpacked, and were already enjoying the amenities. We had just gotten the kids into the pool when my poor grandma took a hard fall down the steps on the dock. Thankfully, no serious damage was done and she was still able to have a decent time (minus staying in a house with our crazy children).

We stayed at the Buena Vida townhomes on the sound side of Navarre, FL. It was a quiet, well-kept community consisting of both tourists and residents. The property had a pool and private access to the sound. We stayed in a townhouse with my parents and grandmother, and my sister and her family stayed in a separate unit within the same complex. It was great having everyone together for meals and play time, but it was so nice to be able to separate the kids at night time so that everyone could relax and get some rest. The entire property was beautiful, and we had the best views from our upper deck. The residents were incredibly friendly and helpful. I highly recommend this property to anyone planning to visit the area!

We woke up early the first morning, anxious to get to the beach. I couldn't wait to see the kids' faces as they experienced the sand between their toes and the waves crashing against their feet. The waves were the biggest that I had ever seen which terrified Taylor completely, but as long as Jake or I were right by her side (and as long as she didn't get any water on her face) she had a ball. Logan was completely fearless, as expected, and would run toward the water squealing with delight. We spent hours building sandcastles, jumping over waves, and eating every snack food imaginable. As the day wore on, the little girls crashed one by one and ended up napping together in the tent. It was one of the quietest and most peaceful moments of the entire trip!

The next day nearly everyone was sunburnt, so we decided to stay at the complex and play at the pool and sound. One of our neighbors offered to let us use their water toys during our stay, and the kids had a blast paddle boarding, kayaking, and running around on the big blue mat. The little ones enjoyed the sound side more since the waves weren't as big and we had the sand to ourselves. Logan's favorite part activity was watching the jet skis go by, and he insisted on waving and say "hi" every time one came into view.

 The rest of our trip was a combination of sun, sand, and naps. We made a couple of trips into Pensacola but quickly learned that driving was the last thing we wanted to do, so we mostly just hung around Navarre. With no agenda and two little kids that tire quickly, we were perfectly content spending our mornings at the sound, napping in the afternoon, and then hitting up the pool before dinner.

We celebrated my sister's birthday toward the end of our trip at Crabs in Pensacola. Logan loved the live band and danced his little heart out while shoveling honey biscuits into his mouth. We feasted on shrimp and crab legs and headed home with sleepy babies that were ready for bed. Unfortunately, while we were out to dinner we learned that our AC unit broke and came home to an 85 degree townhouse. Long story short, our AC was out for the rest of our trip which meant extra long days at the pool and beach in order to combat the 90-95 degree temps that awaited us at home. We ended up packing everything up and staying at my sister's townhouse the last night of our trip which made the little girls (and Logan) extremely happy.

We headed home at 7 AM on Saturday morning and after 17 grueling hours spent with the worst version of Taylor I have ever seen, we finally arrived home just after midnight. The combination of no AC and our drive home made our trip memorable (to say the least), but it was still one of the best vacations I've ever had. Watching our children wake up eager to see their grandparents each morning and excited to play with their cousins from sun up till sun down was absolutely priceless and worth every drop of sweat and every blood-curdling scream we had to endure. I am so thankful that we were able to make this trip happen, and I hope that we will be able to vacation more frequently as our children get older (and become more tolerable travel companions). But for now, I'm happy to have these images to look back on and our memories to hold us over until we can tolerate being in a car with our children again our next trip. However long away that may be.

The Nashville skyline because, well...Nashville.

Logan's First Birthday

Our not-so-little Logan turned one on March 3, 2017 to the amazement of each of our friends and family. In fact, the theme of his party should've been "has it been a year already?" because that was the first thing out of nearly everyone's mouth. It is entirely true that time goes by faster with your second child. I'm not sure if it's because you already know what to expect or because you don't stop moving long enough to realize what's actually going on around you, but either way this was definitely the fastest 12 months of my life.

I wanted the theme to be something that encompassed Logan's personality, and "wild thing" immediately came to mind. He is loud, destructive, and makes it known when he enters a room. He does what he wants when he wants and is happiest when making a mess. He can pull everything out of the bathroom cabinet in less than a minute and loves to unroll the toilet paper (and sample a sheet or two during the process). He has a slight obsession with blankets and is happiest when he has one draped over the top of his head. He can eat an entire banana in five bites and will devour three adult-sized pancakes in one sitting. He always wants to be outside and is happiest just sitting in the grass picking weeds. He knows no fear and thinks he is capable of doing everything big sister does. He is rambuncious and energetic. He is w i l d.

We decided to have his party at home, just as we did with Taylor's first birthday. We invited family and close friends and planned on an indoor party since the weather is completely unpredictable in Missouri in March (and really, any time of year). I tasked my mom with making this AMAZING cake: 4 layers of chocolate cake with caramel filling covered in chocolate icing and chocolate bark pieces. It was decadent (to say the least), but she absolutely knocked it out of the park on both looks and taste. Looking back, I'm sad that I didn't get a close-up of it, because it truly was a labor of love and oh so delicious! To compliment the cake, we served a slew of other sweets: fruit (Logan's favorite), cupcakes, and smores pops (marshmallows dipped in chocolate and rolled in graham cracker crumbs).

We kept the decor simple by making jungle vines out of brown packing paper and attaching leaves cut out of construction paper. We printed off scenes from the book along with some of my favorite Instagram photos of Logan throughout his first year of life. My brother-in-law cut a few wood slices that we used as serving trays, and a grass skirt gave the food table a little added flair. I made simple banners for the window and Logan's highchair out of scrapbook paper, stickers, and twine and, of course, lots of balloons!

The poor birthday boy was under the weather with a cold and, to make matters worse, was also going through a pretty intense round of teething. The last thing he wanted to do was open presents or entertain people, but he definitely pepped up when it came to the cake. Just like his sister, he dove right in and ate nearly the entire thing! He was such a mess after that he went straight to the tub for a bath before opening his presents. We bought him a Radio Flyer tricycle which he instantly loved and insisted on being pushed around in for the remainder of the afternoon.

Logan, you are one of a kind and the perfect piece to our puzzle. I don't know how we ever lived without your loud squeals, toothy grins, and the most kissable cheeks I've ever seen.

I'll eat you up, sweet boy, I love you so!

Logan 12 Month Update

Although it has been nearly a month since his actual birthday, I just had to post his 12 month update. While I was capable of posting monthly updates of Taylor until she turned two, I just don't think it's going to happen for poor Logan. I'll update as often as I can, but there are only so many hours in the day and spending time with our family takes priority over blogging about them. With that said, our baby boy is a whole year old! Can you believe it? He turned one on March 3 at 7:47 AM, and it seems like just yesterday I was being wheeled into the OR to deliver him. It's incredible how fast the time goes with your second child. Taylor is knocking the big sister gig out of the park and talking about kindergarten non-stop while Logan is checking off every "first" and holding his own with the big kids at daycare. It is such a blessing to be able to watch our children learn and grow, especially these two beautiful souls that we are able to call ours.

First things first this month, Logan is walking! He had been taking a few steps here and there for a couple of weeks but was mostly lazy about the entire situation. He would walk behind his walker or holding someone's hand but had no real interest in going at it alone until this past weekend when he just took off, walking clear across the room with a giant grin plastered across his face. He's still a little wobbly and has to have his arms out in front of him in order to keep his balance, but he's definitely getting further and faster with each passing day.

Logan also had his first hair cut this month and took it like an absolute champ! We took him to the same girl who cuts Jake's hair, and he sat perfectly still the entire time. No crying, whining, or attempting to jump out of the chair (which was my biggest concern). I was so incredibly proud of him and hope that precedent will continue for all future hair cuts (although I'm not holding my breath). And did I mention how absolutely adorable (and tiny) he looks with that giant cape on?

Over the past month, our babysitter has so lovingly given Logan the nickname "Bulldozer," because he destroys everything he comes into contact with. He will put his head down and ram though anything or anyone (including the other kids at daycare) that is in his way. He loves to knock over blocks, legos, or anything that appears to be stacked. Most kids like to put things together, but he's much happier knocking them over or pulling them apart. He is, in fact, a bulldozer, but a cute one at that.

Logan is still attached to his binky and rightfully so after all of the teething he's gone through recently. He's up to 11 teeth now with more breaking through each day. Cutting 3 molars in the past week has meant even more time with his beloved pacifier than normal which makes me nervous about eliminating it entirely, but after that last molar comes in we'll check the Farmer's Almanac and begin the weaning process. With Taylor, we literally picked a day and threw them in the trash. She struggled for a day or two but did remarkably well overall. I have a feeling that Logan will put up a bit more fight, but you never know.

Speaking of weaning, Logan is officially off the bottle! We weaned him the same way that we did Taylor - we took them away the day she turned one and never looked back! Although Taylor transitioned with eased, Logan has bit a bit stubborn (surprise, surprise) and will only drink out of a sippy cup with a silicone spout. He dislikes the hard plastic spouts and will only drink out of one if his sister has drank out of it first. He loves feeding himself and making great big messes not matter what he's eating. He enjoys a variety of food including broccoli, pasta, chicken, strawberries, and pears. He isn't fond of green beans and has recently stopped eating blueberries but something tells me that will change as soon as summer rolls around and we resume eating fresh fruit for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Favorites this month include opening and closing doors, putting his hands in the toilet, snuggling his face into blankets, digging things out of the trash, and emptying the contents of every cabinet/closet/dresser he comes across. The kid can completely destroy a room in 30 seconds flat (which is quite impressive). As you can imagine, I'm not a huge fan of the majority of his interests which means I spend the bulk of my time telling him "no" and taking things away from him, both of which he strongly dislikes. He still pulls his sister's hair on the daily and recently pulled my favorite silver bar necklace from around my neck with his incredible hulk strength. The difference between boys and girls is remarkable.

And can I just point out how semi-creepy it is that the movie "Logan" just happened to come out on our son's birthday (3.3.16) and that Wolverine was Jake's favorite comic book character growing up? In fact, I'm pretty sure the only reason he finally gave in and actually let me name him Logan is because it was the character's real name. Coincident? I think not.

Logan 11 Month Update

Oh where to start with this boy? He is the ultimate sour patch kid, giving sweet smooches and belly laughs one minute and knocking things over while screaming his head off the next. He is a complete 180 from his sister and I continue to struggle to understand him 99% of the time, but the one thing that we always see eye-to-eye on is how crazy we are about each other. He loves to be rough and tough with dad and adores Taylor like no other, but this kid is a momma's boy through and through. Be still my heart, you ornery little thing!

He is this-close to walking but can't seem to find his balance yet. He cruises along the furniture and is a speed demon while holding onto our hands, but he just can't seem to find the confidence to do it on his own. He zooms all over the house behind his walker opening every cabinet and draw he comes across and pulling out whatever he can find, leaving a trail of debris behind him wherever he goes. Since Logan is on the brink of taking those first steps, Jake took him shoe shopping last weekend while Taylor and I were on a girls' trip in St. Louis. Thank goodness his feet were too wide to fit into anything they tried on or I'm certain they would've come home with at least five pair! If there's one thing I hope Logan doesn't acquire, it's his daddy's affinity for shoes!

This boy is loud and boisterous, demanding attention from everyone in the room. He says "bye" and waves (but only when he wants to) and makes exaggerated clapping gestures along to "If You're Happy And You Know It." He recently learned to dance and will stop and drop it like its hot every time "Can't Stop the Feeling!" comes on during Trolls. Other favorite tunes (that aren't Trolls-related) are "Twinkle Twinkle Dinosaur," "The Wheels on the Bus," and "The Itsy Bitsy Spider." He loves to be naked and is extremely ticklish. His sweet spots are his neck, thighs, and, of course, his belly! He loves blankets and will snuggle them so hard that you think he may not come up for air - until he does in a fit full of laughter as if it were the funniest thing in the world. He has finally mastered the proper way of going down the stairs (feet rather than head first), but he still topples down them at least once a day, laughing at the bottom as if it were the second funniest thing in the world. See? ALL. BOY.

This kid is a powerhouse when it comes to eating. It's nothing for him to scarf down 2 pancakes, 2 scrambled eggs, and a bowl full of fruit in one sitting. In fact, there isn't much food that this boy doesn't like. He'll throw back broccoli and asparagus just as fast as pasta and grilled cheese, but he continues to prefer meat over all else and will consume as much chicken, ham, and fish as you put in front of him. He weighs 26.2 lbs and has officially outgrown all of his 12-18 month clothes. He continues to grow in length as fast as he does in weight and is at least a head taller than our 24" barstools. Taylor grew at a quick pace during her first 12 months, but it is nothing compared to how ridiculously fast Logan is growing. If he continues at this rate, he'll surpass his sister before his second birthday!

We recently began diffusing lavender in Logan's bedroom at night, and it has made all the difference in the world! The nights that I don't diffuse it he wakes up around 3:00-4:00 AM and refuses to go back to sleep, but the nights that I do it's (usually) sweet dreams until 6 AM, although he has cut two new teeth this past week so sleep has been hard to come by regardless. He officially has eight teeth total and is working on a few more as I type. Thank heavens for all the baby Motrin!

One evening after arriving home from daycare, Taylor ran straight to the bathroom rather than into one of their bedrooms to play. Poor little Logan sat outside the bathroom door patiently waiting until Taylor was finished, eager to play but more excited to play with her. She asks for him first thing in the morning and rushes into his room to greet him as soon as he is awake. He welcomes her with a great big grin and the occasional hug, and then they immediately get to playing. These two...they are everything.

And just for fun, a comparison of Logan and I (roughly) at the age of one. I'd say there's a slight resemblance. ;c )