This is why my cup runeth over...

Nothing spectacular happened over the weekend. Rather, it was the ordinary things that happened and the everyday people in my life that have made me end my weekend with a large smile on my face. I just feel like my heart is full. And this is why:

-I have a great job that I love...and love the gals (and a few guys) I work with. I never wake up loathing going into work. This is a good thing.

-I have excellent childcare (a nanny) that treats my girls as her own. I never EVER worry about them throughout the day. I simply know and trust they are having fun and eating and snoozing and just doing silly kid things in the comfort of our home. This is peace of mind.

-I have started training for my annual 1/2 marathon. I am out of shape, as I haven't run a mile since November 1st, 2008. Breathing heavily and running on sore legs is not fun. But I can run. I can run. This I am thankful for.

-I have a doting husband that loves all three of his girls so much. He plays, he cooks, he simply puts up with all of us and loves doing all of it. We aren't perfect, but we work at it daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. We are a team and I love watching us grow as parents. This is partnership.

-I have the best girlfriends a girl could ask for. Period. I simply don't know what I'd do without my family of friends here in Indy. Thank goodness I chose to stay here back in 2002 when my world crumbled around me. My very first friend I made here in Indy is still one of my closest and also introduced me to my bestie back in 2007. Fate brought me here and fate kept me here. This is a blessing.

-I have the best daughters. They make me laugh. They make me roll on the ground with them and dress up and splash and tickle and paint and dance and I could go on forever. I simply have the most fun when I'm home with them. Most people in our lives know that I'm the first to turn down plans or delay plans to stay home with my family...and these are the reasons. I just couldn't be happier in the comfort of my home playing with the girls and laughing with Mike at the fortune we have every single day. This is a full heart.

One of their favorite things to do: snuggle.

My two close friends: Jaime (and baby boy #2) & Molly

Happy Delaney! Mike likes to call her Deuce. I like to call her Bug.

Delaney is now rolling ACROSS the room. Back and forth to get where she wants to go. I took several videos; however, I can't quite figure out (or remember) how to upload them.

Daddy was getting rid of some clothes and Izzy wanted to try them on

Poppin' her collar

Baking brownies with Izzalicious

And the 'Mother of the Year Award' goes to...

...NOT ME!!!

Mike went out of town for training for his new job, so I was on Mommy duty. I figured that I could handle this - I do it when Mike is at school, I can do it tonight. What's the big deal, right? Well, I decided to take out the two trash bins (to be a good wife) right after I put down Delaney for the night at 6:30. Izzy is waving at me from the front window and laughing. Little did I know what she was laughing about...until I tried to get back into the house. The door was locked. Bolted. Yep, that's right, my two year old locked me out. In 20 degree weather. With a sleeping 6 month old upstairs.

Panic sets in immediately. Mike is gone. All doors in the house are locked. My two year old is running back and forth from the t.v. to the back door, trying to answer my pleas. I spent about 20 minutes trying to explain to Izzy how to reach up and unlock the door. She couldn't get it. I asked her to bring the potty over and step up and reach. She didn't understand. Looooong story short, I had to leave her to go find a spare key (as all the keys in the center console of the car did not work in the front, back, or garage doors!). I got into the car (those keys were inside, thank goodness!) and drove (sped) over to Katie's house (less than a mile away). Was hysterical. I know when Katie saw my face that she was immediately panicked. They no longer had a spare key (we had to use it when we got locked out once in the summer by the same daughter of ours!), so we called Jaime. Got back into the car, Katie followed me, Jaime met us at my house (have I mentioned she's like 10 months pregnant!?). Key worked. Entered house..."Izzy, where are you?" Izzy comes running around the corner telling us the movie is over. Really? I was in awe that she so put together while I was so....not. Izzy was more surprised to see GiGi and Katie than anything else.

I'm still quite shaken by the whole experience. Feel awful that I had to leave the girls (Laney was oblivious-sleeping the entire time)...however, both girls are alright and fast asleep now. But SO happy that I had two great girlfriends to come to my rescue. Seriously, what's a girl to do without amazing girlfriends?!? Be locked out, that's what!

That darned bolt wouldn't budge! Poor Izzy, wasn't for lack of trying!
Not ONE of these keys worked. Was SO frustrated!!!

ps-PLEASE don't do anything rash, like call CPS on me. I mean, it's bound to happen at some point, right? Katie even told me Delaney will probably do this to us in another 2 years...so this was just preparation. Ha!

Valentine's Day Weekend

This weekend started off with me coming home to a very large Valentine made by the girls (with the great help from the Nanny!) and a yummy cake! Friday nights Mike works a little late, which means I'm left to dinner duty alone. Dinner time is the craziest hour in ANY home with small children, as the kids are hungry and fussy which = not fun to manage alone. Anyway...

Our Valentine and cake (Izzy helped bake and frost!)
Izzy's hand-made Valentine box filled with her classmates' cards and many Valentines from family...thanks for all of them, she loves getting mail!

This is how I fed Izzy on Friday night: rolled up to the family room so she can watch a movie (her favorite, UP) while I feed Delaney

Snugs
And once the girls were both down, I cleaned up and headed out to a girls' night with Molly. I've been unable to really "go out" much in the last year and half...so now that I'm no longer pregnant or recovering from childbirth...I'm trying to make a conscious effort to go out and have fun with the girls! Thanks, Molly, for continuing to invite me out and include me after all the times I've turned you down, girl! I had SO much fun.
We first had drinks (and apps) at a brand new bar in Broadripple called the Northside Social to celebrate Casey's birthday.
And then headed to my old stomping grounds The Wellington. The same blue grass band has been playing there for almost 8 years, and Mike and I used to go there to hear them play all the time. They surely didn't disappoint. This was also where our rehearsal dinner was almost 6 years ago...so it was quite nostalgic being there.

Saturday morning Izzy was going through all of her Valentines and discovered a lot of them came with tattoos (the ones Izzy handed out did as well). Who knew that tattoos were such a popular Valentine Day gift? Regardless, we had to put them on her hands. She looooved them.

Also a big thank you for all the Valentine's packages in the mail...the girls received so many fun outfits, toys and treats that it was hard to photo ALL of it. But a highlight are Izzy's new galoshes, her yellow monkeys!!! She is a HUGE fan of all things dress up and especially her boots. So thank you very much for all the presents!

Saturday night Izzy wanted to pull Delaney around the house in her wagon. I obliged, but not without padding the wagon with a blanket. Izzy loved it...

...Laney wasn't the biggest fan :)

Delaney in the Jumperoo...she's still not a huge fan, which we are surprised about, as she has been LOVING her exersaucer for almost 2 months now!

Delaney now sits in the high chair for our nightly family meals while Izzy now sits in her booster at the table. So fun that Delaney is getting to be such a big girl. She also loves being a part of the meal without being on a lap.

Other noteworthy news, Izzy no longer goes to sleep with her NUK!!!! We weaned her down to just using it at bedtime around summertime; however, I couldn't stand the thought of taking it away from her before Delaney arrived, as there was already enough change going to happen in her life (move to a big girl bed, arrival of a new sister, et al). Anyway, I came home from work on Thursday night and just decided it was time (Mike's been telling me it's been time for over a year now!). Izzy and I decorated a box, gathered her NUKs from her bed and night stand, kissed them all and said goodbye. We then wrapped the box and put it in the mailbox for the NUK fairy to come and pick up for all the new babies at the hospital. Izzy went to sleep moaning for about 10 minutes that night and woke up perfectly happy Friday morning. She never asked about it again, never talked about it, nothing. Hasn't been an issue ever since. If I would have known how easy it was to take it away - I would have done it a YEAR ago! Shame on me!! But it's so nice to have that habit broken. Delaney, on the other hand, has NEVER taken to a NUK and we aren't even offering one to her as we don't want to start this all over again. Now...potty training :)

SNOW DAY!!!

THIS is why I love living in the Midwest where there are seasons: SNOW!!! I grew up with snow and am so happy to raise my girls in the snow. Don't get me wrong, I'm ready for the summer just like the next gal, but this snow was just BEAUTIFUL today. (Not so much fun to drive in yesterday, though.) We got over 8 inches of snow over the last 24 hours and Mike was ready for some sledding as SOON as he woke up this morning. He took Iz to Target & Walmart this morning, only to find all the sleds were sold out. They borrowed one from some friends and we took off...for the slopes (or hills, as this is Indiana).

Izzy & Daddy ready to sled
Daddy taught Izzy how to eat the snow

And how to pack a snowball

I just thought the trees looked amazing with all the snow

Walking through a winter wonderland

Ready to sled

The climb back up
Daddy got tired of carrying Iz, so he learned to pull her back up

After a few runs she decided to brave the hill alone...

And she loved every second of it!

This little girl is 5 months old...

This little girl...

is 5 months old!

And we think she's pretty stinkin' cute!

This is about a week overdue...but this little girl turned 5 months old last week! The difference between months 4 and 5 is remarkable for Delaney (and for us parents!). Delaney now rolls from her back to her tummy, she sits up, she is starting to suck her thumb, she eats rice cereal mixed with baby food (bananas are her fave), and she is finally sleeping THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! Delaney gives us a good 12+ hours of uninterrupted sleep and I couldn't be happier. We started sleep training right after we returned from Michigan a few weeks ago and it only took about 2-3 nights of letting her cry it out before she just stopped crying and started SLEEPING! I can't tell you how wonderful it is to wake up to my alarm clock again!!!

Names we call her other than Delaney: Laney, Laney Lou, Lou, Laney Bug, Bug, Buggie, I could go on. I just love nicknames! My girlfriend, Meg, asked me the other night if Delaney knew her name b/c Delaney turned when I said her name. I laughed b/c I told her I rarely call Delaney by her given name. Ha!

Studio de Connor...

My girlfriend, Molly, just recently set up a studio in her house and wanted to try it out (on people other than her infamous dog, Lucy). The girls and I ventured over there this morning for a quick session. Mol had some tunes pumped in Izzy immediately danced her way in front of the camera. She's not camera-shy, that's for sure. Here are a few of the MANY pics she took. For more, check out our McCulloch Family Picture Site (on the right sidebar here).

Izzy's downward dog

Seriously, could these be any cuter? If you need a photographer for a wedding, birthday, family portrait or for a fun gift for a family member...you MUST hire Molly. She never, ever disappoints. Thank you Molly!

Rockin' Out...

Saturday afternoon we had the Moosbruggers over for a play date and dinner. It had been TOO long since we last spent quality time with the Moose clan! Mike made delicious ribs and homemade cole slaw...and Meg made yummy brownies a la mode! I cannot believe how big Oscar has become; I nannied for him when he was just shy of a year old. And now here he is all grown up and wanting to be a rock star. Dave Matthews rock star, not Van Halen rock star. If you could only imagine, Izzy was in HEAVEN with these two boys in the house. Mike and I were thrilled to have our good friends over...was such a wonderful evening.

Meg (holding DJ) with Oscar, Eric and Jude
Meg playing with Delaney and Jude

After dinner we enjoyed watching the two bigs "rock out"

Izzy playing her harmonica, shaking bells & Oscar jamming on the guitar

Serious rock star face!

Miss Meg & Iz