Sunday, September 29, 2013

Mila Gets a Big Girl Bed!

Since Mila is the size that Zoya was when Zoya was FOUR YEARS OLD, she's moving to a big girl bed a little earlier than Zoya did :) She's clearly too big for her crib as most nights her legs or arms are hanging out the sides and she just can't seem to get comfortable. She has started doing the same thing Zoya did when we decided to move Zoya...wedging herself the short way in the crib, when she could CLEARLY lay the other way and have more room HAHA! 

Here is Sofia "helping" to move the crib out :) You can see Mila's "new" big girl bed on the right. This bed used to be Zoya's and Zoya got a new "big big girl bed." 

We used this same idea for Zoya when she moved out of her crib. If you haven't priced "special needs beds" you're in for a rude awakening. A friend gave us the idea of getting a daybed and turning it backward against the wall so they won't fall out! Zoya used this bed for the last year and a half. (A few months ago, we turned the daybed around the right way for Zoya in preparation for her new bed so Mila could have this one). Mila, like Zoya, is a somewhat restless sleeper and tosses and turns quite a bit. She doesn't understand safety boundaries of furniture, for example, she will sit on the couch but roll right off if we aren't there. She pays no attention to the fact that the couch ends and the floor begins :) Since neither Zoya or Mila are climbers, the day bed idea works really well. I would NOT suggest this idea if you have a child is has typical or advanced gross motor skills, but it works for these two and we used their gross motor delays to our advantage in this situation :) Mila never stands up in her crib during nap times or sleeping times, but in these pictures she was just being silly. You can also see the camera on the wall behind her which goes directly to our video monitor. Shawn and I joke that when they move out some day maybe they can live close enough that the monitors will stills work ;) They give such a peace of mind! 

She LOVED the extra room! 

Little stinker! She turned the light on and off about 100 times and laughed. So far she hasn't tried it during sleep times...like I said once the lights are off this girl SLEEPS! We plan to relocate the bed though down to the other side of the wall :) 




Here she is sleeping peacefully the first night in her new big girl bed!!! The blanket you see is one we just purchased to try with her and Sofia. It is a weighted blanket to help with organizing the brain for better sleep. Weighted blankets are used in kids with sensory processing disorder, down syndrome, and autism, among other diagnoses. 

I wish I could sew, but I simply can't! The gal we ordered the blanket from makes BEAUTIFUL products and after we try this one out for a bit, I plan to order a second one so both girls have their own! Right now I have Mila using it at night and Sofia using it for naps. It takes Sofia an hour or longer some days to settle down for her MUCH NEEDED nap (and then she naps 2-3 hours), so I'm hoping it will help her fall asleep quicker! Mila has rocking movement disorder during her nighttime sleep when transitioning from one stage of sleep to another. She rocks and bangs her head on her mattress (not an orphanage related issue-it's actually fairly common in toddlers) and I'm hoping the blanket will help fulfill her sensory need in that area so she doesn't have to rock and bang her head. We will see! .....THIS JUST IN, Sofia is OUT LIKE A LIGHT after only 5 minutes with the blanket! Now let's see if it continues! YAY! 


I posted on facebook last night that I just wish I could slow time down. There's something about watching my girls sleep that reminds me how precious and fleeting time truly is. I still can't believe Mila is big enough to have outgrown her crib. Another milestone down for our miracle girl! 

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Sofia's 2nd Birthday Fun!

We started Sofia's birthday celebration the weekend before her birthday! We had to have TWO cakes to make up for missing her first birthday! Grandma and Grandpa B came to celebrate! She got so very excited when she realized the cake and singing were for HER! It was the sweetest thing ever :) 


 (P.S. See that "2" candle, I bought it for Zoya's THIRD birthday and when I came home with it Shawn told me she was turning 3, which I clearly KNEW, and I cried HAHAHHA....So we used it for Sofia-I guess I forgot we had it for Mila's 2nd!). 








Opening a birthday gift from G & G B. 


We celebrated on Tuesday, her actual birth day, again! 
Sofia started her special day with a gluten free chocolate cookie! 


I had bought her an adorable girly outfit-a jumper I won in an online auction and I was so excited for her to wear it for her birthday. I put it on her and Shawn and I just giggled, it was WAY too frilly for our Sofia girl, and it was too big anyways :( So I quickly changed her into some converse shoes, knee socks, a tutu and her "2" t-shirt! Ahh, much better! 

She was unwrapping her big birthday gift! 

Yes that is Christmas paper and some other random striped paper. For child #3, we're not quite as over the top as we used to be LOL! 



Sofia finally has her own chair just like her sisters! 



Zoya was chomping at the bit to "help" Sofia unwrap her presents! 

Just what every wild 2 year old tom boy needs....a weighted gel medicine ball! HA.HA.! (She also got her very own weighted vest but I just felt wrong wrapping that up and telling her it was a present!)

A present from Aunt Stacey, Uncle Bryan and cousin Ella! 


These awesome stacking blocks were a hit! Sofia has only injured one sibling with them so far! ;)




Uncle Mike and Aunt Carol babysat Mila and Zoya so Shawn and I could have some special time with Sofia on her birthday. It's a tradition in our family now :) Daddy let her drive while we were waiting for the rain to stop (we were sitting in the parking lot, parked...no worries!)

"Don't take your eyes off the road and NO texting while driving" says Daddy.



Checking her mirrors....

Surprised she didn't get a speeding ticket! 

Both adorable and terrifying at the same time! 



We took her out to dinner. She doesn't get to go out to dinner often...with 3 little ones now, those days are far behind us :) We chose a place with a great gluten free menu! 

She was being a little silly with all the attention from mama and daddy! 

I think she might be 16 and still have that binky.....

Sofia is such a little go-getter! She got to the puddle and since we wouldn't let her sit down it in, bust into tears and full out tantrum HAHA! 

Next up was a trip to the toy strore to pick out a birthday present! 


It was so funny to see her zooming so fast through the isles. She was definitely sensory overloaded, but loved it! 

She turned corners at rapid speed! 

It didn't take her long to find her favorite TV star :)  All 3 of the girls have LOVED Elmo at this age! 

Wonder what she's thinking here....

See the big kid in the background playing with toys too? (She pushed this Elmo around for a while but it is not the toy we left with!)


"It's my party and I'll cry if I want to!" 

She was quickly distracted with the big kid cars! 

Pretty cute, but maybe not the best fit....

Oh, yes, here we go! MUCH better! 



Here is the toy we left with-a pink basketball hoop!! 

Sofia's first ever smash cake :) If you missed the video, it's worth watching! Check it out here!

"For Me!!" 

Zoya is a blur from jumping up and down!

Getting some birthday tickles from big sister! Don't tell her but it was a chocolate zucchini cake...don't think she minded at all! 

After having her other cake with Grandma and Grandpa B, she totally knew what to do and tried to blow out the candles! 

Mmmmmm.....



She kept flinging her hands in excitement and cake was flying everywhere! 


Nom Nom Nom! 

"What happened?" says Zoya! 




Oh.My.Heavens!

Daddy kindly offered to bath her <3 haha="" nbsp="" p="" so="" thankful="">

And just for fun :) 

Fresh and clean and ready for night night :) 

Happy 2nd Birthday sweet girl! I'm happy to say my prediction of at least 2 ER visits before her 2nd birthday was not accurate, but it's only been by the grace of God! HAHA!