Category Archives: ivy

Last Day of Preschool // 2017

May 18, 2017

Ivy had her last day of preschool today! First year of school DONE! Looking back at her first day (see that post here) is such a tear-jerker! My how the time has flown by! It was so sweet seeing her walk out those doors and the teachers loving on her. She had so much fun this year and met some new spunky friends and learned so much! I was a teacher for 8 years before staying home, so I am passionate about learning and school, AND summer breaks :) Haha. I am excited to get her for the summer, especially since I think she’ll be a big help with baby girl on the way.

dress // sandals

Oh look how she’s grown!!! (TEARS!)

So proud of you Ivy! You were such a good student, never any complaints from the teacher and never in trouble, you are just as I hoped you would be! Love you baby girl!

I did the same questionnaire with her again to see how her answers changed. Here they are and here’s the video!

https://youtu.be/NpkJwnpMhoo

What’s your name: Ivy
How old are you: Three!
What’s your favorite food: Chicken strips (same answer! Obsessed!)
What’s your favorite toy: My lamb (same answer again. But so weird because she hasn’t touched her lamb in months! I would have thought she would say barbies, because she plays with them ALL THE TIME)
What do you like to do for fun: Play with my babysitters (Haha! Hilarious! Because I had just gotten home from getting my hair done and the babysitter had just left! Sooo, I guess, whatever, haha)
What’s your favorite color: Pink and purple! (same answer!)
What do you love the most?: My purple teddy (I liked her answer a lot more last time! She said Mommy and Leo, adorable. I swear she was just picking things out in her room at this point)
Who was your teacher? Miss Sonya!

Love you Ivy!! So proud of you!

Sibling Snapshot

April 3, 2017

With the new spring season, it’s time for another sibling snapshot! Totally meant to do one each season and already missed winter! WHOOPS! Anyways, WOW these kids have changed so much since the last one I did (see that post here), especially Leo with all his new words! Ivy’s become such a good big sister and I love to see siblings interact and play together. Anxious to add another in the mix in June! Here are the Koch Kiddos!

Ivy | 3.5 years

My, oh, my how she’s grown up! She is seeming so old and mature lately! She has full on embraced her role as ‘big sister’. Ivy can be so sweet to him and just wants to play together all the time and watch over him, on the other hand, she totally pesters him and wants him to talk and talk which doesn’t work out so well for either of them since Leo really only says 2-3 word sentences right now! She is in preschool two days a week and I’m so proud of her being such a good and well-behaved little student!

Ivy is COMPLETELY obsessed with Barbies and almost always has one (or five) in her hand. Her favorite show to watch is anything on YouTube Kids, where you usually find her watching other kids playing with their barbies, then she goes into her room to reenact it, which is hilarious to hear her talk with her barbies! :) She also loves to sing – Frozen, Moana, and “Ophelia” by the Lumineers, which is a personal fave. Her hair is getting darker and darker and she mostly loves to wear a bow, except occasionally asks for “two braids like Anna from Frozen.” Ivy dresses herself every morning and I love to see what she picks out (most of the time!)! Totally her own style and I don’t dare buy her anything without her approval bc I’ve mom failed on that too many times. Her favorite colors are purple and pink. She asks about a MILLION questions a day and is basically constantly talking. Ivy is sweet and sassy and couldn’t imagine her any other way!

Leo | 22 months

Leo, oh, Leo. My blue eyed blonde haired little boy. He’s still soooo sweet and LOVES to cuddle, totally unlike Ivy who will hardly give a hug or a kiss! This past month, he’s gone from about 20 words to I swear like 200 overnight! All of a sudden he just started saying everything we were saying! About time! So nice to be able to communicate with him. He’s learning so much every day. His favorite thing to do is anything with trucks or a ball. He loves to make noises with his trucks and vroom vroom them, and also loves to kick or shoot his basketball around. Leo is always hearing when a truck or plane are going by and pointing it out. His first words were Mommy, Daddy, and truck. Haha. He also LOVES to read. I tend to find him in his room reading books on his chair :) So awesome!

Leo has gotten quite the stubborn and hard-headed attitude lately though. He’s hard to forget something and won’t give in until he gets what he wants! He is usually totally independent and can just play and play all by himself, or with Ivy. He still sucks his last two fingers when he’s tired or gets anxious and I feel like he’ll never outgrow that! Humph! And we are literally having to tape the waistband on the outside of his onesies underneath his clothes so that he stays out of his pants! He is constantly trying to get down his diaper to play with his parts! He somehow shimmies his diaper down even with a onesie and zip-up pjs or clothes on then pees all over himself! So tape is doing the trick for now. Ridiculous! Must be another soothing thing for him or something, it’s gotten out of hand, and gross!!!

These two are so much fun to watch grow up! I really love having a boy and a girl, they’re so different, but so alike. Best of all is to watch them interact and have fun together, always a playmate! Thank goodness!

When You’re Just Really Proud

February 7, 2017

I had a big hell yeah MOMent yesterday. One of those days where everything went well and easy and I don’t think my heart rate even accelerated in frustration once, which is a total feat in my world with two little kids! It made me sit back today and acknowledge that I’m just really proud of my kids, and I don’t do that enough. I’m usually hard on myself to have well behaved kids and have everything go right, which is a long shot with two free-spirited little ones. But yesterday, I just felt good about my kids and being a Mom.

And it all started with Ivy. Yesterday, it just hit me like BAM, she’s a little girl growing up so fast and so well behaved and trying to be such a good sister and influence on Leo. It was one of those moments where you just TAKE THE MOMENT actually and sit and watch your kids. I was watching her pick out her whole outfit, picking out her dress first, “my favorite pink dress!” as she throws it out from her closet, remembering what Mom always says, that it has shorter sleeves so she needed a sweater, getting some “pants because it’s coooooold outside,” and finally picking her socks and “Anna and Elsa undies!!” Outfit complete and then, “Oh yeah! My pink bow and necklace!” Can’t forget those :) She continued to dress herself, buttoning her own sweater, getting her socks on right, and finally asking to put her bow in and necklace on. I watched in awe that she just did that all by herself, this little tiny three year old, completely dressed herself from head to toe. She’s done this for a long time but I’ve never really sat and watched and THOUGHT about it. I sat there smiling and soooo proud of her, and a little of myself, that we got it right with her. We got it right. So very proud.

I realized what we did right with Ivy (and probably got a lot of wrong too!! But meh…) was that we were always making her feel like she can do it, she can be independent, she can be strong, she can achieve it. I constantly made sure that she got a chance to try something before I would do it for her. She was always persistent too and wanted to do it herself and I absolutely love that about her. So independent and willing to fail, try try again, and then to finally succeed. I really admire that quality in her. I was all gushing up about how proud I was about her, filled with love up to the top, then I looked at Leo, haha. And realized, here he is 21 months tomorrow, and I haven’t even made him try to take his own coat off yet! EEEEK! #momfail

As quickly as I was beaming about Ivy, I was torn down about my parenting with Leo #whiplash. But I pushed that Mom fail guilt aside FAST as it was a moment to learn to slow down, remember that I HAD THE TIME WITH IVY to teach her independence and beating struggles, and now with two kids, somehow I don’t have the time like I did with Ivy to teach Leo that. So I recognize I need to slow down and take that time, get him to his independent stage and quit doing everything for him just because it’s faster and easier, because honestly I’m usually running out the door shoving his clothes on him! Leo deserves the same opportunities and learning that Ivy had because I KNOW he can do it too. And just to think, we have another baby coming in June, so all of a sudden the pressure is on!

So, another MOMent to learn from, sit back and just be proud of your kids and yourself for a second. We are raising kids and as tough as that is, we are doing a great job!!!! Take those moments to learn and reflect on your kids and your parenting. This really made me aware of how much I’ve changed as a parent from 1st child to 2nd child, in many good ways, but in this example, a not so good way either. Get back to square one with what do I want my children to be like, and for goodness sakes… time to JUST BE PROUD! :)

dress | leggings | bow

Urban Family Photo Shoot

November 2, 2016

I LOVE taking photos! My husband, on the other hand, hates them! Probably like most men, but I always veto him and we take family photos! We try to do professional ones once a year, right around fall, just in time for Christmas cards, which I am OBSESSED with. Huge stationery fan right here! This year, I had basically been stalking Emily Mitton Photography since I saw a wedding photo of hers of a bride and groom under this huge gorgeous willow tree in the Dainty Obsessions magazine a few months back, and when she posted she was doing fall mini sessions, I knew I had to go with her! I was really excited to work with a new photographer with fresh new ideas! And she DELIVERED! So easy to work with and FABULOUS photos!

I really wanted to do something different this year. Each year we do the outdoors look in the sunset in a lovely field, and I LOVE those photos, but we’ve done that and I wanted something different. I decided on a more urban photo shoot and lurked through the hashtag #dtsf to find some cool walls around our downtown. I had two in mind and they were even more perfect in person! Love how these turned out! Thank you Emily! For capturing our family PERFECTLY! Ivy’s crazy girl personality and Leo giggling and being silly! Love them so much.

So many good ones! HOW am I going to choose one for a Christmas card! Already browsing Minted, which is who I use every year because of their FREE RECIPIENT ADDRESSING (timesaver!!!) and I am LOVING these: 1, 2, 3, 4 – usually always go with a more simple look, and these will really pop with the white wall photos I think I am going to use.

Love Christmas card shopping!

Again, thanks to Emily Mitton Photography for killin’ it!! So happy with all of our photos, you worked so well with our family! Thank you thank you thank you!

4 Replies

Sibling Snapshot

October 17, 2016

These kids are growing up so much!! And so fast! I really can’t believe Ivy is THREE and Leo is now 16 months! They’ve changed so much the past couple months, there’s some things I want to remember from this age and I’m a total stat person, so I love to know their height/weight percentages. Ivy’s grown up from her terrible twos and Leo’s learning a new word each week it seems like! So much fun at these young ages.

Emily Mitton Photography

My shirt // my pants // Ivy’s dress // Leo’s shirt // Leo’s jeans

Photos by Emily Mitton Photography

Ivy || 3 years

Whew, the week Ivy turned three she was a FULL ON THREENAGER. I was like WHAT HAPPENED. After a few days of seriously pulling my hair out and wanting my two year old back, she’s now developed into her sweet spunky self again. What I love most about Ivy, is how she really tries to understand and learn. She talks and talks and talks. She’s not one to throw tantrums too often, but if she does, all we have to do is explain to her why she doesn’t get that, or what is happening. She’s so good at understanding and communicating. So thankfully, we haven’t had too many meltdowns… yet.

ivy

Ivy started preschool this year and she is LOVING it. Every day she comes home singing a new riddle or song. I love that she is interacting with other kids and adults, learning responsibility and independence, and learning how to behave in different settings. I’m a total school nerd (ex teacher here), so I love that she is involved in education at a young age. She’s also in gymnastics and is suuuuuper flexible and LOVES to bound all over the place! She is quite coordinated, yay!

leotard

This girl has SO MUCH ENERGY. She could do 10 million different things in a day and still be all over the place. Although, she does love to relax and watch a show, that doesn’t last long then she’s on to the next thing! She’s so spunky and hilarious and totally psycho sometimes! Haha :) She is still into anything Frozen, she wants to be Anna and Elsa for Halloween and requested Leo be Olaf, so that’s cute :) She’s totally girl still and always wanting to wear a dress!

Ivy is getting to be much more independent, which is sooo nice, and she absolutely LOVES Leo. Always looking after him and helping him. She’s his voice and it’s super cute.

doctor doctor

With Doctor Shannon Ashbaugh! Ivy loves to play Doctor, minus the real shots! ;)

Stats

height | 3ft 2 in (38 inches) – 80 %

weight | 31 lb 11.2 oz – 61%

Leo || 16 months

My sweet Leeeeeeeoooo. Love this boy so much. He’s so sensitive and sweet and cuddly, but can also be outright feisty at times. He literally throws himself on the ground and puts his head on his hands if he’s upset with something. It’s so cute and funny at the same time! Although he’s trying to send a message/throwing a tantrum, I can’t help but pick him up and squeeze him when he does it. It’s too adorable! Leo is still sucking his two fingers, like, pretty sure that’s never going to stop. Teeth are moving and all that, so that’s awesome. I’ll stop that habit someday, but he’s just a sweet little baaaaaby still so you go ahead and use that as comfort Leo!

leo

He is really trying to be a big kid! He wants to be doing whatever Ivy is doing and is so good at playing independently. He can just play and play by himself, so nice. Leo is in to anything that makes noise and moves. He especially loves when airplanes fly overhead when we’re outside, he always points up to the sky. Loves his cars and things that go!

car Leo is such an easy going kid. He just lays down on your shoulder, cuddles, never obnoxious or naughty. Just a plain ole good sweet kid. He’s learning quickly lately, has a new word almost every week – mama, dada, dog, nigh nigh, baby, mooo, are some of his favorites. Love this kid. He’s really too good to be true.

leo

Poor lil guy here. He had his well check but also wasn’t feeling good. So sad for this lil fella! Oh and he not only LOVES his two fingers, but he’s got this new thing going on where he puts his hands down his pants! Sometimes pulls his diaper down so far to reach his you know what that then he pees outside of his diaper! UGH! Oh and he also loves putting his hand down shirts to reach nipples, and I mean anyones. Mine, John’s, anybody who is holding him. Super weird and uncomfortable! Such a guy!!!! :) Haha

Stats

height | 2ft 8 in (32 inches) – 81 %

weight | 24 lb 0.1 oz – 63 %

head| 78%
He used to be 98%! So he’s finally growing into his head. Yay!

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