logan – three point five

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it’s been six months since i’ve documented a thing about this little kid. so out of character i know, and so gut-wrenchingly painful now, half a year later. time really is a bitch. while the three of us are currently so unsettled and desperatly anxious to get back to some sort of structure and routine, there’s also something so comfortable and settling between our little unit that make me want to stay right here in this particular season of life for way longer than i’m offered. such is life.

so here’s what you’ve missed, in particular order 😉

lady had her first haircut. if you can even call it that. i mere centimeter was trimmed in hopes of evening out her mess and encouraging those locks to get a move on. while it’s taken some time, i can report that we’ve finally got some growth! we even toss a top knot in the mix every once and a while.
we went through a phase where logan was overworked which resulted in the response of ‘i can’t, i’m super busy’ when asked to do absolutely anything and everything. and to be honest, we get a much sassier response more recently that we’re constantly working on.
the obsession with stuffies is almost overbearing. every small creature needs a mama and every big beast needs a baby. they’re not only taking over my parents house but the struggle to find space to lie down in bed is so real.
logan hit the scale at 30lbs 15 months ago and hasn’t gained an ounce since. while i question this stunted growth, i honestly wouldn’t mind if she stayed this small forever.
back in june, lo told me i was her ‘favorite girl in life’ where as last week i was told ‘i know you want to be my best friend but you’re not.’ did i already mention she’s sassy?!
she’s also strong willed and determined and beats to her own drum. that said, after a few uninterested prompts at potty training, she pretty much woke up one summer morning and decided diapers were so last year. just like that, gone, done, see ya later.
did i mention baby dolls, including the infamous baby doll, were all dropped like its hot?!
lo became a swifty, like every other chick in america, and mesmorizes me with her memorized lyrics and booty shaking.
lo had the responsibility of ring girl in her aunt laura’s wedding and pulled it off splashingly!
we had our first visit to the pediatric dentist and i was shocked at how interested lo was and still is, in brushing and flossing her pearly whites. that stoic stare and those willy wonka goggles had me at hello.
her tantrums have hit an all time high and if your lucky they typically end with an awesome pile of yack to clean up afterwards. seriously, her determination is out of this world. and if you ask her about it later, she’ll came back at you with a ‘sometimes i just can’t get it together’.
kid would eat cereal for breakfast, lunch and dinner if we let her.
dressing this fashionista has become questionable these days, as denim and so many other thicker fibers are so uncomfortable. but i kinda can’t blame her. if it were acceptable for me to wear stretch pants on the daily i’d be right by her side. live it up while you can kid.
the amount of hand gestures this kid uses to articulate her stories is absolutely hysterically. of course we egg her on and keep them going way beyond the point of making any sense.
her favorite colors for months have been pink and green, until just recently she’s moved onto red.
she’s currently kind of obsessed with her new cousin maverick and uses the squeakiest voice and pinches her hands together when talking about how small and how cute this new guy is.

monthly mini – logan

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the countdown to three is on. i don’t know how we got here so quickly, but i’m thankful it’s been a while since we’ve seen the ugly face of those terrible twos. i can’t remember the last time we had to take a seat and chill or painstakingly listen to shrills long enough to get through a check out line. honestly this past month has been adorably sweet and a tad hard to swallow. it’s evident we no longer have a baby in the house…

lo had her first school performance! while her signing and accompanying gestures were lacking, she nailed the bow. again, and again, and again. i love this kid!

rather than battle it out with her bestie these days, she’s taken to looking after her. after witnessing another bud shove drue, i overheard logan tell him ‘you can’t push her cause she’s my little cousin’.

lo has straight up legitimate phone calls with her aunt laura these days. they get their chat on while lo wanders the house with laura in tow, discussing every babydoll, bison, book and dust bunny in the way.

we’re into dance party’s these days and the moves i witness are pretty ridiculous. shake it off and uptown funk are repeatedly requested.

animals are still the hottest thing going. however rather than obsess over the animated kind, lo is currently smitten with the bears documentary.

chinese is her flavor of choice and when she’s not eating it she’s helping her daddy chop and prepare sous chef style.

pretending is her jam! sometimes she’s a bear. sometimes she’s a mama who has to leave her son (pop) for work. sometimes she’s caring for the baby doll that’s lost and long gone and kept in a ‘bag’ away from leon. and sometimes she misses her baby brother penny.

this kid is no joke. and while i’m slightly sad to see the chub disappear from the shelf of my hip, i’m smitten with the independent little friend now standing by my side. best friend if you ask her.

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one : all the heart eyes!

two : apparently ‘target’s boring for kids’. as are most errands according to logan as of late. the days of distracting her with treats and a particular talking tiger are long gone. instead i spend my time anxiously chasing her down between aisles as she attempts to run away from me. fun to say the least. in other words, i’m back to shopping alone. and it’s kind of heavenly!

three : you know those perfect adventures you envision with your little and more often than not they turn out completely different than planed, usually leaving you burned and defeated? my girlfriend pulled out all her magical tricks on this particular outing when she traveled into the city with me for a breakfast date and a quick romp around the new office. i’m still high.

four : we don’t do mornings. period. end of story.

five : a for effort. in both the faking and excuse department of napping. i’ve heard everything from ‘it’s not dark out’ to ‘my neck is hungry’. kid is persistent until she eventually zonks out for the better part of an entire afternoon.

six : february is the month of birthdays which gives us plenty of excuses for making lots of cakes. maybe one too many after hearing logan use the term ‘bunt cake’ last week. seriously?!

seven : any excuse to dress lo in those freaking adorable (thank you blonde) boots i take. i mean come on!

eight : while she may be super spicy and currently gives us a run for our money, she’s just as sweet and innocent all in the same.

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dressing, as anna : playing, up high, down low, in the middle too slow! : watching, the lion king : infatuated, by you tube videos of the big bad wolf : prefers, to sip her water from a shot glass : gaga, over horses : swears,  footed jammies make her fast : asks, for a lollipop and/or candy cane morning, noon and night : requests, a ‘shamwhich’, apples, fish and water for every meal : loathes, taking a bath : refuses, naps but eventually caves : wrestles, the bison : questions, ‘how your day was?’ : refers, to every meal as breakfast : says, ‘thank you’ three thousand times a day

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52 project – a portrait of logan, once a week, every week, in 2014

i’ve lost track of the months. but who’s still counting right?! i am however, well aware that we’re somewhere in the second year. that year that everyone talks so highly of. two is tough! the pull on your emotions, tear your heart out, question your capabilities tough. the show up at nursery school drop-off in tears along side your tantrum throwing toddler tough. we’re having a rough go and i hope the attention of a nice long holiday break will help cure the current madness. good thing she’s cute, otherwise she might have found her way amongst my ebay listings.

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52 project – a portrait of logan, once a week, every week, in 2014

it wasn’t long ago i can remember logan watching me play pretend with a little girl a year or two older than her with a distinct look of confusion on her face as i bought an invisible cheeseburger from said girl and theatrically ate every last bite. her look will forever be ingrained in my memory. i could tell her little mind was in over drive as if to say wt* are you two crazies talking about. can you blame her?! fast forward to last weeks two and a half year checkup, when logan’s doctor asked if her accompanied doll could talk and she responded with a ‘she’s just pretend.’ i blushed while he told us to hit the road, his work was done and he needed to examine my ‘baby’ no further. needless to say, this chicks imagination is on a fast paced tear. not only is it fun to sit back and watch her mind unfold but it’s even more entertaining to join in and egg her imagination on. she’s got a baby she meticulously tends to and insists we don’t wake up. she’s got a pal named hiccup, who looks like daddy but is a kid, and runs off with her cellphone constantly. and she often vacations to the beach where she swims with ‘shawks’. two and a half is silly stupid.

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52 project – a portrait of logan, once a week, every week, in 2014

logan. she’s adorable. she’s smart. she’s silly. she’s creative. she’s imaginative. she’s two and a half and currently knows all the right buttons to push. particularly mine! motherhood has taken on a whole new light most recently. i thought sleepless nights and finding the right formula were tough. but this, this kicks my egos butt on the daily. by nature i’m laid back and it takes a lot to ruffle my feathers. two point five has me ruffled. add a splash of gilt and a constant test of my patience and we’re working up a recipe for disaster. i question when to step aside and let the tantrum play out and when to stand strong and fight the battle at hand. this kid is depending on me to teach her the way and i’m determined to get it right. i’m told it’s her age and this too shall pass. here’s hoping it passes fast and that we can all get back to regular business. here’s hoping i don’t mess us up along the way…

tonight we found ourselves attending our first ‘parent/teacher night’ where both logan’s teacher and the school’s director shared their perspectives on our girl. ‘she’s strong. she’s confident. she’s decisive. she’s a leader.’ and as we sighed in relief i thought, ya know what, we’re all doing ok.

most importantly, she’s ours!

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 52 project – a portrait of logan, once a week, every week, in 2014

conversation with this spitfire should not go unnoted, that’s for sure…

to drue who’s the quietest mouse there ever was – ‘calm down druebie and listen to me’

while doing squats on the bottom step and holding onto the banister – ‘i’m doing my exercising’

when she noticed i put a runner on the dining table – ‘is it my birthday?’

as we pass the obnoxious barking dog every night on our walk – ‘he thinks i’m a cat’

while i was talking to the sitter one morning – ‘stop talking to my friend’

after every spill that could potentially cause tears – ‘i’m ok!’

when she couldn’t open the lid to a toy – ‘i’m frustrated mommy’

while bossing us around – ‘daddy’s the big boss, i’m the little boss, and mommy’s nothing’

to her baby on the way to school – ‘it’s ok bub, it be fun there’

after i torture her every night about her days activities – ‘stop asking me no more questions’

every time we leave lo’s bedroom – ‘we have to shut the door so the big bad wolf can’t get in’

to the mama in the park who’s baby approached lo – ‘we getting a baby at our house soon’

when we discovered we ran out of diapers – ‘oh come on!’

as my stomach was growling – ‘you not hungry, you had dinner last week’

every morning since our stay in brooklyn – ‘we go to my new bedroom in new york city?’

when asked what all the scartches on her thumb were from – ‘playing with the razor mommy shaves her ears and face with’

i could go on for days. and no, i don’t shave my ears and my two year old definitely doesn’t play with razors. you can’t make this *hit up!

monthly mini – logan

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52 project – a portrait of logan, once a week, every week, in 2014

this has been the month of adventure. two is treating us well and has enabled us to pick up and go for hours on end with no planned agenda. i think we’ve visited more philadelphia attractions in the past 30 days than the past 3 years. on the other hand, two is pushing the desire to add a newborn to the mix farther and farther from our radar. this poor kid may be twelve before she lays hands on a sibling. however, with adventure comes independence, and i’m not yet ready for this baby to turn big girl quite yet. her vocabulary if off the charts, the crib has been converted and pre-school enrollment has been payed for. talk about a punch to the gut. all this change has left me quiet and secretly panicked over how fast time does fly. maybe a new squishy set of thighs isn’t a bad idea after all. just kidding!

things worth remembering about 28 months:

enrolled in ‘pre’ school come september

after frequenting the zoo often this month is obsessed with the bison

painted her piggies for the first time

often asks for turner since our canadian cousins skipped town

wore pigtails for a total of thirty minutes

enjoys a nightly walk around the neighborhood (occasionally costume clad)

packed up all our baby toys and are filling our space with more engaging finds

converted the crib to bed and took the transition like a champ

requests rio + over the hedge

tells us we’re her best friend

visited the philadelphia art museum and painted like monet

joined the scooter gang

devours salmon + corn on the cob

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52 project – a portrait of logan, once a week, every week, in 2014

just when i’m about to mention that my toddler’s gone crazy, like what i imagine to be the terrible two kind, she went and got all cute and well behaved on me this past weekend. so much so that we swam to our hearts content, ignored naps, ate french fries under the covers, and slurped popsicles and watched movies well beyond bedtime, all in an effort to savoir the weekend as long as we possibly could. damn, this kid knows how to lay it on thick! while parenting has become more interesting and definitely tests our patience as of late, we love this spirited chick even on her worst days. i look at all the moody meltdowns and lashing out tantrums as a girl just trying to find herself.

things worth remembering about 27 months…

she still loves books and these days i either catch her in front of her shelf surrounded by books or beside her babies in the womb chair reciting her favorite stories. without a doubt her current favorite is alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

she’s into eating apples and now requests snacks on her own. particularly chocolate bunnies and animal cookies.

gone are the days of the sleep sack. we’ve moved on to snoozing with a pillow and duvet.

however paci’s are definitely a big girl necessity. her words i swear.

she’s memorized how to spell her name and recites ‘l o g a n spells logan’ over and over all day long.

she knows the difference between her right and left hands and feet.

ice age was a huge hit and lo thinks manny is an elephant. however planes has quickly become her most recent go to flick. with harry potter as a close runner up.

we’ve officially started to administer the wicked time-out.

she’s into drinking water from an adult glass with a fancy straw. which quickly turns into a game of dunking and licking the straw dry while making a massive mess.

she’s suddenly become afraid of the vacuum.

she designates any ‘baby’ toys laying around as drue’s. and also makes it clear that ‘drue not my cousin, she my brudder.’

she knows that red means stop and green means go. and if we see a moving car in the street we have to stop and be careful.

she’s begun to imaginary play with dolls, figurines and the like.

she isn’t shy and warms up to anyone almost immediately. although she definitely has her favorites.

has started cutting her two year molars.

still sleeping like a champ. and extra long these days thanks to said molars.