The Delightful DeCoria's: A Happy Birthday And A Surprise!

This Thanksgiving we were lucky enough to be able to go down to Chehalis with my family. All the kids were home so it was a very full house and a little crazy at times. 12 people in total, whew! All our kiddos got along great...for the most part. There may or may not have been a few trying times with deciding who's turn it was to go down the slide, or who got to play what keys on the piano, or who got to use a certain color while coloring on the glass door with window crayons, but we all survived. (with minor injuries and a few tears)

Best.Picture.Ever!

There were a couple days that were warm and dry enough to allow us to take the kids out for a walk in their new rubber "farm" boots. Surprise surprise, the kids found the ONE and only puddle on the street and each managed to either sit or fall in it making the walk a little shorter. Ahh toddlers; never a dull moment!

We even took a day and made a trip out to the beach for a clam dig. The weather was less than favorable but the digging was more than favorable! The clams were showing all over the place and everyone basically got to take their pick of whichever clam they wanted. I unfortunately got sick on the ride out there (lovely windy roads and nausea don't mix) so Shelby and I stayed in the car and rocked out to some tunes while munching on M&M's and watching everyone out in the wind and rain. Jane joined us soon and was more than happy to munch on the M&M's along with us and dance on the front seat of the van with Shelby. Those girls are too funny.

Helping Pops clean his duck.

Shelby also turned 2 while we were down there! We were lucky enough to celebrate with everyone there on her actual birthday. I can't believe how fast she is growing up. She was spoiled rotten by cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents alike. She has had an absolute blast playing with what she got for her birthday. Such a lucky little lady! She also made a special announcement to everyone while we were down there. I made her a shirt that said "Don't eat Momma's Jello till June 2014!" If you knew me during my last pregnancy then you probably know I had a crazy craving for strawberry Jello. So if you haven't guessed by now...YES...I am pregnant and the baby is due June 2014. Woohoo!!! Baby DeCoria #2 is on it's way! As of today I am just over 14 weeks along and am lucky enough to not have experienced the morning sickness with this pregnancy again. I do however have an awful gag reflex to certain smells which will send me to the bathroom. Shelby's stinky diapers being the worst of the smells...I've never puked changing a diaper before until now. But anyways.... :-) the joys of pregnancy.

If I would have let her, every cupcake would have had a bit out of it.

Shelby doesn't smash cake...Hunter on the other hand, does!

After party bath time!

Annnnnd...SURPRISE!!! Shelby's gonna be a big sister!!

"Ta-da!"

She also had her 2 year checkup after we got home from the mini-vacation.

Stats:
23.4 pounds (lightweight)
33" tall (she's a string bean)
Clothes - 18 months still but barely starting to get into 24 months
Shoes - size 5
Diapers - still size 2 (teeny bum)
She's got a full mouth of teeth and knows how to use em!

Her vocabulary has all of a sudden exploded and we find her copying us more and more. This morning I caught her climbing out of her highchair (which is normal, she can get in and out just fine by herself) with one leg over the side and the other still inside. I walked over and said "Shelby, what the heck are ya doin'?" She looks at me, smiles, and says "Heck momma! Heck!" Oops! I couldn't help but laugh but really got me thinking I need to watch my words!

Shelby's busyness hasn't really changed. In fact, she may have actually gotten busier. She still climbs on anything and everything that's remotely climbable and will jump onto or into anything that is, or looks, soft. She LOVES to jump. She also likes to watch me do my hair in the morning and I've caught her in our bathroom a few times pretending to do her hair "like momma!". Helping us cook is another one of her favorites. She's always got to to be a part of what's going on in the kitchen.