Chompers

Sweet wild baby finally has cut a tooth! She's been working on teeth since last week. She was fussy and I could see the eye teeth moving down. The wild woman got her first tooth at 13 months, Cub was 12 months, and Feetie waited until 14months. The other wilds all got a bunch of teeth at the same time, poor wild woman got 6 at one time and ended up with a double ear infection. Cubba got 4 at one time just like feetie.  The left eye tooth cut through on Sunday, she now has one fang! On Tuesday she cut the left bottom tooth. The right eye and bottom tooth are so close- should break through the next day or so. LORD WILLING.

Homeowners!

We moved into OUR first home last month! Things went fairly smooth through closing and have been a little crazy since moving in but, we're so thankful to be homeowners.

We have a long list of projects we'd like to do over then next however many years. We don't want to knock them all out at once but like to stay goal focused.  It's a very small house with a large front and back yard with a great play set, deck, storage shed (that looks like a guest house) and fire ring.The back yard is fenced completely and has a mess of trees. It's been a bit neglected and we've been spending a great deal of time out there raking leaves and just cleaning it up. Next month it'll have a few new raised beds that will produce an abundant amount of delicious produce!! I can't wait!

Ben worked like a dog getting the house painted before we moved in. Almost all the rooms had dark colors that really closed the space in. We painted all the rooms in the house except the bathrooms. The kitchen is a soft yellow with a very light blue celling. The dining room that's attached to the kitchen, is the same yellow and blue but has recently received a facelift with white bead board. The plans for the kitchen include crown molding to smooth the wall to ceiling, removing the top cupboards and placing open shelves and backsplash , then way down the line, replacing the bottom cupboards and new countertops.

The living room and the playroom is a shade of white, the kiddos room and our room is a light beige. Plans for the living room include doing something with the wall that the fireplace is on (not sure yet what that will be) book shelves that boarder the room up close to the ceiling, a different front door that has glass, and just trying to figure out a style for the room. The kiddos room is the only room that doesn't have a fan so we need to put one in and hardwood floors. The whole house but 2 bedrooms has ceramic tile. The carpet was gross so we ripped it out, sanded the floors,  then stained them until we can save up enough for hardwood.

Our master bathroom is great, it's a glass enclosed double shower that you can make a steam room but closing a glass vent at the tippy top, beautiful tile work, and a sign about the shower door that says GET NAKED :)

The wilds bathroom/main bathroom is going to take some work. The vanity is beat up press board with an old sink, a small potty, and dated shower/bath fitter. When they did the tile work, they only tiled right up to the vanity so we'll have to find a vanity that will fit in there. I was hoping to get a smaller vanity because it's so cramped in there but with the tile issue- ugh.

We were introduced to homeownership when we had to replace the furnace 2wks into owning the home. It wasn't under any warranty due to the age of the unit soooooo we bought a new furnace and will have to see if the A/C unit will need replaced as well. We're are thankful for our emergency fund and can't recommend the Dave Ramsey program enough!!!

God has truly blessed us with this home and our desire is that He is served and our home used for His glory and purpose.

Valentines Day is a big deal!

I'm not exactly sure why the wilds got so into Valentines Day this year but for some reason- it quickly became a big deal. Everyday they were talking about it, asking how many sleeps until the big day. I really had to up my game because I had zero Valentines decs, no plans on doing anything, and not much of a crafty bone.

Thank you pintrest, wonderful MIL and sister in law, my Mom, and the other who helped make it special for the kiddos.

We went to Knoxville to be with some family that came in and was a collective effort to make it a special day. The wilds loved it and it seemed like everyone else did too! I'm looking forward to making Valentines Day a big again and hopefully making a new tradition for our family.

Late night of decorating the dining room!

Heart shaped panacakies

Dec'd out in red for church

Trying to wrestle the wild baby in to her dress while she refused to let go of the tooth brushes and the other wilds jumping on the mattress IN the middle of the hallway- just another normal morning before church :)

...and then trying to get them to take a decent picture together!

No longer an infant :(

Our wildest baby is long longer an infant (and hasn't been for a month... or two)! It's been a wild year and our baby is turning into a biggie girl.

We were able to squeeze in a birthday party with family and a few friends in-between Christmas and her actual birthday. The moving truck came on her birthday and family were heading back to their home states so we made sure we got to have some birthday fun!

Feetie pie is 27 lbs

in the 90th % for height 

has 0 teeth

loves:

facetiming (especially Daddy and Meem)

eating 

drinking from sippy cups

binks

sleeping in her crib and putting herself to sleep

making her way into our bed sometime in the middle of the night

playing with the older wilds

jumping in the trampoline

emptying cupboards

baby dolls

animals (especially dogs)

being outside

being in the tub

balls

walking (starting walking at 10mons)

getting into crayons

tooth brushes

jibbering (will say Dada, Maaa, dog, hi, eye, baaah, Pop, Papa)

pinching

pulling hair

twirling hair

her silky

anything her siblings are playing with

books

playing with the kitchen set

Here are some birthday party pictures:

We had a birthday feast! Since she couldn't pick her menu, her birthday buddy, Aunt Yoey helped out! We had stuffed pepper soup and Zuppa Toscanna, salad, bread, spinach artichoke dip, cupcakes (dairy free and gluten free plus regular) and cheese cake!

Esmé 3 months

Our wild baby is 3 months old!
Wearing:6months, some 6-9 months, size 2 diapers
Weighting: 14.5lbs

It's been a rough past couple of weeks. Emsé is thriving but is having some issues with food sensitivities/ allergies through breastmilk. Yes it's possible and if you're rolling your eyes- please stop reading and leave the blog. I'm serious about breastfeeding and will do anything I can for my kiddos- including eliminating problematic foods that cause poor sleep, colic symptoms, and severe Momma stress. I've had to cut out all things dairy with all my wilds. The wild woman has grown out of her sensitivity but we still keep most of the dairy out of her diet. The wild man is completely allergic to the point of ulcerative colitis. I chose to not do dairy with the wild baby just to be on the safe side however- something else is not sitting well. It's not to the point of her not growing- good grief the child is over the 99%- I think we're safe there. However,  the screaming, not napping, terrible diapers, and constant vomiting is something I'd like to get a better handle on.

So right now, I've cut out all dairy, all wheat, eggs, nuts, corn, and beef. It's horrible. I love wheat. I love eggs. I love nuts, any and all kinds. I love butter and cream (could totally do without drinking milk, but I really love butter and cream) I'm keeping a food diary and hoping to keep clean from the above for 10+ days then introduce one at a time to see the culprit. Im hoping that I won't have to do a complete allergy free diet for a few weeks. We'll see. It sounds silly but, I feel so much better since cutting it all out. Almost lighter? I've also been sleeping better too with so much less grog upon waking up. I'm still working out the bugs and finding things that I can eat/snack on.

Emsé has been busy! She has been doing crunches, and trying to roll over! Its so funny. Its like Es- what are you going to do when you do sit up? Silly girl. He crunches are amazing. She lifts her legs and her head so that her shoulder blades are off the floor.

She's getting better at napping. Since I've cut things out of my diet, I've no longer had to hold her so that she will sleep. My arm and shoulder was killing me. She's had some amazing days and some not so great days. But the good ones way out number the rough ones. Nights are still pretty good. When we do have a rough day- it takes a hot minute to get her to put herself to sleep. Not cry it out, can't do it- but helping her sooth herself and if she can't I step in.

When she is hungry or over tired she can really let you know just how unhappy she really is- just like her Momma.

She's such a good girl and is loved by the wilds something fierce. They are amazing and help so much.

The Wild Woman is FIVE!!!

My first born is FIVE! My wild woman, iron will, gifted leader, tender heart, amazing helper is FIVE! I can't get over it.

I can still smell the top of her head when I would rock her to sleep. I can still recall the days like it was yesterday. When I stare at her, I can recall her infants stages so vividly it feels real.

Audrey is truly one of a kind and I just can't get over how God has chose me, to be her Momma. Sometimes I think that there is a more patient, more fun, more clever, more Godly woman who could have been her Momma- but then I'm reminded that He knows EXACTLY what he is doing, and I'm to trust. I am not the perfect Momma, at all. However, I am the one He chose to raise her.

This yes, just like the last 4, have flown by. It's been a bit of a whirlwind again. Shortly after her 4th birthday we got the news that Ben was going to be medically retired. Since then we have said goodbye to our dear friends in New Jersey, traveled to Germany, tried to set up camp in Knoxville, moved back to PA, and had a new addition to the family. It was thought but my girl did amazing. She loves Germany, I truly believe she is a German at heart and wouldn't be surprised if she made it back there. Knoxville is a close second to Germany but I know she will also have a hard time leaving PA when the time comes. We've got to spend so much time with Meem and Bill, Poppa Marty, Oma and Poppa Charlie and some many others in our family- and she adores them all.

Somethings that the wild woman has done this year- mastering her letters, improving her artistic ability, swimming lessons, sled riding, a continuing love for being outdoors, started loving chapter books, helping with chores more in depth, and so much more.

Some favorite of the wild woman starting with food (the most important): Momma's veggie fried rice, black bean burritos, smoothies, carrot fries, fish sticks, popcorn, all things cupcake, fruit, peanut butter, Chinese food, fleishwurst (similar to bologna), guacamole, nuts, popsicles, and the occasional hot dog from the famous little spot down the road from our house.

Things to do: crafts, read, play outside, build a snowman, sled ride, have sleep overs at Meem's or Oma's house, Skype/facetime family, go on Daddy dates, go on Momma Dates, go on Family dates, stay at hotels, splash pads, watch a movie, dress up, play board games, make up games for her and Judah to play, help cook, take pictures with our phones or the iPad, ride her bike, get baths, color, play with her dolls, and so many other things it's hard to think of them all.

We celebrated four times! The first actually her gift, a night a Great Wolf Lodge. It was her gift from Momma and Daddy. Then was a little party with my Grandparents and they got her a little cake and her first bouquet of flowers and a super fancy dress.  Then the third was on her birthday with all of us, Oma, and Poppa- with her three little pig cake. The last was a party at Meem's house to celebrate both of their birthday's with a octopus turned spider cake.

 Last night of being 4!!!

Woke up with balloons and streamers!!!

...and then Judah got ahold of them...

Birthday Dinner of pancakes, sausage, bacon, fruit, and cake- per her request :)

The wild woman's first bouquet of flowers from her Poppa Huff :)

Confetti shower :)

The wild woman adores the story of the three little pigs and loves to change it around, so her cake this year was the three little pigs.

This was the day before her birthday! We celebrated with Gram Pat and Poppa Huff. Her total cake count for turning 5, was three cakes!!! She is so very loved (and we all went on a sugar detox following)

In her Poppa Huff dress. Since I was little, he would buy all of his granddaughters beautiful dresses... the tradition continues with his great-granddaughters now :)

Three little pigs cake. Made with love folks, I've never professed to being a cake boss.

She wanted an octopus cake for her and Meem's party but it didn't turn out the way I had hoped so we turned it into a spider cake (minus 2 legs) and she was very happy with it.