the essence

Thursday night Clay took his first bottle ever. He took it like a champ! First kid I've ever had that didn't fight me on it. However, he's also the first one that I tried with the breast-flow bottle first - those things are still the best ever & if you nurse but want your child to try a bottle this is the one to buy (at least if your kids are picky like mine!). I still stand by my review from last year.



The reason I tried a bottle last week is because we have girls night out/Erin's "mommy shower" this coming Saturday - yay for kid free nights! So, I needed to make sure that Clay can take a bottle. Really though, I started back to work today. Yikes! I can't believe I was a little nervous; there was no need to be, everything went smoothly. I was amazed at just how well I remembered to do my job that it made me a little sad - I remember so well because I've done it so much! You can't imagine how I've enjoyed the last eight weeks off. Anyway, working six-hour night shifts, even at home, I only have limited breaks. Possibly not enough time to nurse, so I needed to make sure he could take a bottle (the girls night out just happened to be perfect timing, too!).


Friday morning, my parents arrived shortly after 8 (I asked them to come early!) to spend the day with us (they actually ended up spending the night, too). It's always so nice to visit, I was really looking forward to it. My dad was a big help with the kids too - my mom & I even went out COMPLETELY ALONE in the morning for coffee & shopping - the prices are so much better over here that my mom ends up doing a lot of her grocery shopping here. Plus, I have a small but excellent health food store across the street that clearances - I got a 1/2 gallon of organic milk for 59 cents!!!

My dad & Addison did the entire puzzle together



My mom & the little man



Saturday morning we all piled into the van for Hannah's birthday pool party. Addison was thrilled; on our drive over she kept exclaiming in a high little-girl voice with the biggest smile on her face, "I'm so excited to go to Hannah's birthday party!!!" (Jen said Hannah kept asking if Addison would be there, too) I was also very excited to go. Jen & Gabe will be moving to Philadelphia soon - Gabe leaves next week! I'm happy for them but so sad to see them go. Of course now we just have more friends to visit on our trips up north!

Out of all of the cute pictures of the kids from the party this picture of the dads is by far my favorite: