Whew, what a week we had! Joey was in California for a “work trip” (is it work if you’re golfing??) and I was home with both kids for the first time. Luckily, I had lots of help and was never really on my own except for a couple of times overnight. I’m so thankful to have family so close by! We had some fussy moments (Lydia) and some toddler tears (Dempsey) but also lots of fun 🤍 Plus we had a really good weekend, with a trip to the zoo, dinner with Aunt Bean and Uncle Wayne, homemade pasta, time outside and finally, a Super Bowl party!

Joey was home by Thursday evening so we were back to our normal schedule by Friday. Lydia and I slept in then sent a picture to the boys from bed and got that one back from them 😍 Lori invited Lydia and I to the zoo with she and Dempsey since it was going to be nice that day and we had such a good time! Lydia did so good and basically slept the whole time while Dempsey showed us the penguins, giraffes, elephants, hippo, orangutans and the cutest tamarins. I’m so glad we got to go!

Post-work, Joey did some tummy time with Lyds and both kids got baths before my sis and Wayne came over with take out from Beau Thai. Dempsey was loving egg rolls and his chicken fried rice and our pad Thai and yellow curry were both so good and spicy! Passed around some Telluride Truffles that Chad gifted us for dessert (adults only because they’re boozy 😜) before taking Dempsey up to bed. My sis and Wayne hung around for a little bit afterward but we were all so tired.

Made buttermilk blueberry waffles for everyone on Saturday morning and only complained the entire breakfast about how they were cold by the time I served them 🤪 Headed over to Adam and Lauren’s later that morning to help with some handy work but I misunderstood the time commitment so we had to leave in the middle to get Demps to lunch and nap time and then Lydia and I took a walk around the lake since it was so nice out! 😎 When I got back, Joey headed back over to finish the project they’d started and made it back home shortly after Dempsey was up from his nap.

Spent the second half of the day making pasta!!! We hadn’t done that since last Valentine’s Day and figured Dempsey would be able to help much more this time. He was too busy watching Encanto to help me mix the dough but he had fun rolling dough, putting it through the pasta maker, piping filling and using the pasta wheel! 😍 Sat down to eat that meal and he ate a single agnolotti 😂 Oh well, Joey and I loved it! A cute Valentine’s dinner for all of us 🤍 Started She Said after toddler bedtime and finished it up Sunday afternoon. I thought it was super good and both Carey Mulligan and Zoe Kazan were amazing. I’m not sure why this movie didn’t get more buzz!

Truly living for warmer days this winter so we can get outside! After breakfast, we loaded up the double stroller and took the kids up to Tennyson for coffee. Lydia loves a stroller nap thankfully so it’s easy to leave the house knowing she’ll sleep in there. Sat inside Huckleberry Roasters for a bit then walked back home and then from one stroller to the next Dempsey went so Joey and he could go for a run then play at the park. Look at that cool boy in his running sunglasses 😂😍 Lydia and I were at home making mini corn dog muffins that were kind of a mess but oh well. After lunch, Dempsey went down for a nap and I took a shower while Dad got some cuddle time with his daughter 🤍

Super Bowl party time! Lydia’s first! Darron and Karla always have such a good spread and I love watching those little boys run around and play together. They all posted up in bed to watch TV together later 😍 As usual, I barely caught any of the commercials — were there any good ones?? — and I had to ask Joey who won on our drive home 😂😂 Lydia slept for all of half an hour then proceeded to be awake and screaming until Joey laid her on a blanket on the floor. That girl! We got home late so everyone went right to bed. Lydia slept from 10 to 3, so maybe I should just always let her be awake for five hours before bed 😋

Hope you had a good weekend too!

A tough weekend as we paid tribute to Elliott on her fourth birthday and witnessed the highs and lows of toddlerhood at their most extreme. Luckily, Lydia has been giving us some four hour stretches at night, so we were at least semi-rested while we handled those things. Let’s take a look.

Friday felt easy because Dempsey was out of the house most of the day 😂 But before he left for his tumbling class, we all had Black Forest Overnight Oats and whew, they were decadent! I do love a recipe with almond extract though. Lydia has been doing some “social smiles” and it’s the best 🤍 A delicious salad for lunch too.

Demps was home for lunch then up to his room for nap time and when he woke back up, he was off to… the bowling alley! Joey was there to “pre-bowl” with his league and they grabbed the lane next to them for Dempsey. I’m told he was more interested in the ball return and the hand dryer than actually bowling but he had fun regardless. The videos I saw killed me 🥹🤍 Meanwhile, Lydia and I took a walk around the lake. It had been in the single digits earlier in the week so 60 degrees felt AMAZING!

I cooked some noodles, heated up some sauce and meatballs, baked a loaf of frozen garlic bread and tossed together a Caesar salad for an easy Friday night dinner. Dempsey got a new booster seat! And what’s dinner without a “giant spoon and fork” aka the salad servers. Started All Quiet on the Western Front after Dempsey’s bedtime but we only made it halfway.

Dempsey started Saturday off on the wrong foot — he was teary and not having any of anything — but there were still a few bright moments. Greek yogurt pancakes then a fun time at Home Depot making a vase holder with Dad. Joey sent me that picture of the two of them and I melted right into a puddle 😍😍 He looks so happy!!! I’m so glad Joey took him, especially since he came home and had a rough nap time. I’m not sure if this is new sister related or just regular two year-old stuff, but it’s hard on all of us. After he calmed down and went to sleep, I went for my first run in nine months. Didn’t go far but it’s a start! Oh and a pretty plate of avo toast for lunch ☺️

Post nap, we got both kids in the stroller and walked around the neighborhood. Not as warm or wind-free as the day before but fresh air this time of year is always nice! Lydia had spit up and got it all in her hair while we were walking so she got a bath when we got back home. Dempsey got one too! My sis and Wayne joined us for dinner. In addition to resisting sleep time, Dempsey is also acting differently at dinner time. Lots of playing around, less actual eating and he wants to get down pretty quickly. Hoping it’s a phase because I love family dinner time! 😞 My sis and Wayne were kind enough to stay and hold Lydia, so Joey and I could take Dempsey up. I think he still cried when we left the room but I can’t remember because it’s all a blur 🤪 Watched a bit more of our movie after they left but paused again to catch some of SNL.

Sunday was just a hard day. Dempsey was in a much better mood but there was just a heaviness in the air for Joey and I. We should’ve been celebrating Elliott’s fourth birthday with her and it hurt so much that we weren’t. Dempsey and I had some time outside earlier in the day and Lydia and I had some cuddle time while he was napping. Around 2:30 we started getting both kids packed up and in the car to head to a celebration in Elliott’s honor. Betsy and Jory did such a nice job putting the event together and it was a good turnout too! We did a balloon release toward the end. It was hard but I’m glad we were all able to get together to celebrate her.

Back at home, leftovers for dinner, bedtime for Dempsey and the rest of our movie. It was SO brutal but also beautifully shot. Weird to say such a bloody and gruesome movie is beautiful but it’s true. I hope you all have a good week. I don’t know about you but I’m so ready for warm weather. Sigh.