Category Archives: leo

Potty Trained!

March 11, 2018

Never thought this day would come!!! I literally didn’t think I would even try to potty train Leo till he was three (he’s 2 years 9 months), but HERE WE ARE! WHOOP!

I happened to take out the potty chair a few months ago, just to see… and he wanted NOTHING to do with it. So I was like, okay, not gonna push it. But every once in a while, I would mention the potty to Leo, and he’d say, “No Mom! I want you to change my diaper!” UMB. But, what about MY wants LEO! He didn’t care. Anyways, so, we didn’t bring it up again for a while, until another month about a month ago, and finally he was like, “Yah!! I got on da potty!” So he pulled his pants down, took off his diaper, and WENT! WHAAAAAAAT. I was like, LEO!!! All while rejoicing thinking this is gonna be easy to train him!!! But also thinking, you little shit, you could have been potty trained months ago!!!

We dove straight into the 3-day potty training method. Naked and hunkered into the house. He picked it up pretty easy, which was SO DIFFERENT of an experience than with Ivy (read here). Ugh. Can’t even go back there. Leo only had 1 accident the whole three days, but pooped in his pants the second day, haha. So we were pretty good to go! So proud of him!!! I hate that first time out in public where you are full of anxiety and are asking your kid every other ten minutes, “Need to go potty? Need to go potty? Need to go potty?” How annoying are us Moms!!!! But the good boy told us when he needed to go and he went! WHOOP! Go LEO!

Now, this was about 3 weeks ago and since then he’s only pooped in his pants once and has only had one more accident! Such a big boy!! So nice being back to only one kid in diapers! Another milestone completed! Holla! Proud Mom!

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First Day of Preschool 2017

September 6, 2017

Ivy and Leo had their first day of preschool today! I can’t believe summer is over and Ivy is already back in school! And Leo! This is one for the books! Our little hardly two year old walking into his classroom, gah! Getting so grown up.

Ivy is at the same school as last year and even has the same assistant as last year, so she’s very excited for that! And Leo is at a different school for the Kids Day Out program for 2-3 year olds (He’s not old enough for Ivy’s school yet). Which means I’m running around with my head cut off to two different schools from 8:50-9 for drop off! Thankfully they’re just a few minutes apart, and Leo’s school opens doors a little early so I can get Ivy to her class in time. In and out of car seats though, UGH! #deathofme

At drop off this morning, Leo clung on to Daddy at first, then found some toys to play with and we jetted out of there before he could notice us leaving. Hope he was okay! And Ivy just strutted her stuff right into the classroom, so proud of her :)

I asked Ivy and Leo a few questions this morning to see how their answers will change as they go through the school year. I did this with Ivy last year (see that post here) and her answers were cute and funny!

What’s your name?
Ivy: IIIIIIVY
Leo: Yeo (Can’t quite say his L’s too good yet, haha)

How old are you?
Ivy: 3, but almost 4!! (October 1st, same birthday as her teacher!)
Leo: 2

What’s your favorite food?
Ivy: Chicken strips
Leo: Daddy’s cereal (He loves Daddy’s Wheaties!!!)

What’s your favorite color?
Ivy: Pink and purple and golden and silver
Leo: Blue!

What’s your favorite thing to play with?
Ivy: My lamby (she said this last year too and she did love it, but this year she just found it last night after all summer not playing with it and now is loving it again, so weird… I swear she probably just remembers these questions and remembers her response from last year! This girl doesn’t forget!)
Leo: Dump truck!

What do you love the most?
Ivy: Faye (OMG, so cute)
Leo: Trucks

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Ivy: A dentist
Leo: A mouse (Not quite sure he understood that career lesson that he hasn’t had yet, haha)

Happy First Day of School Kids! We love you! So good to be back into a routine! And I get some Mama time with Faye :)

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Faye’s Newborn Lifestyle Photos

July 11, 2017

Babies are just TOO cute to not photograph. Their rolls and sleepy eyes and cute little pudgy bodies, gah! Love it all. So I couldn’t WAIT to get some pics of our new little (or big, 10 lbs!) bundle Faye. I wanted to do more of a lifestyle shoot instead of the posed newborn photos, so we booked Emily Mitton and she worked her magic! I was excited about getting the three kids in some photos together as I knew Ivy would cooperate, but Leo was a whole nother story! CRAZINESS. That was one of my first lessons with three… have low expectations! Ha! Just kidding (well, kind of), but really, Leo was a maniac and pretty sure we don’t have one great photo of the three of them, but hey, that’s what “lifestyle” is all about, our “lifestyle,” the chaos and far from perfect life that our house holds. And that makes me love these photos even more! Seeing my kids’ true personalities in these photos makes me cherish them! Thanks for capturing our love for our children and our spunky kids Emily!

So many! Hard to pick a favorite! Her little cheeks are so irresistible. Thanks again Emily Mitton Photography! Love them!

My dress // Ivy and Faye’s outfits were from Target Victoria Beckham collection // Leo’s from Zara

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Leo Turns TWO!

June 8, 2017

Leo man turns two today! What a celebration to share a day with his Mama (read birth story here)! Still can’t believe the rascal arrived ten days early to be born on my birthday :) Talk about a Mama’s boy! Ha! He’s grown up so much this year and gone through so many milestones, fun to think about everything he’s accomplished this year. He started walking, talking a ton, can count to ten, and is getting more and more independent every day. What a year he’s had! Love our little Leo man. Happy Birthday from Mommy and Daddy! We love you!

Leo is a total boy! He’s happiest with a truck, car, or ball in his hand. He loooooves anything that makes noise and I swear he can hear a lawn mower from a mile away. He loves to push his trucks and trains around equally loves to read about them as well. He LOVES to read! Huge plus if it’s a book with noise!

His personality is pretty much hilarious! He wakes up so happy and smiling and could just lay in his crib and talk to himself and cuddle with his blankie forever till we actually come and get him. It’s basically amazing. Then he always gives a HUGE smile and laugh and cuddles back into his blankie. He usually wants to be covered again and wants me to rub his back. Pretty cute! He seems to always be laughing at himself. So happy! And he is so proud of himself all the time. His favorite thing to say is, “I DID IT!!!!”

However, Leo can go from the happiest boy to a downright pain in the ass though! #twoyearolds #ugh He literally can just throw himself on the ground, butt in the air, crying over whatever he wants. TANTRUM. Then he wants to be consoled and cuddle even if it’s me who told him no. Haha. Again, pretty cute! But that’s rare to none as he’s usually a happy-go-lucky guy! So good at just playing and playing.

He loves to go wee-eww, wee-eww, like a fire truck. Says it all day long! Leo also LOVES his blankie still, so cute to see him cuddle with it. Oh and he still sucks his two right fingers. Never gonna quit that I feel like! Overall, total boy that is happiest with any boy toy! Especially riding his cars! Grandma and Grandpa got him this ride-on car for his birthday and I can’t wait see his face! He will love it.

Here are some pics from his two years, oh how he’s grown!

The day he was born! Oh what a little man!

Tehehe, Ivy! So proud of her new brother

Maybe my all-time favorite photo of him <3 – 2 months old

6 months

8 months! Photos by Amie Hansen – see more of this shoot here

8 months and crawling!

1st birthday! Leo’s Wild One – see party here

Leo walking! 14 months!

16 months – photos by Emily Mitton – see more photos from this shoot here

First haircut! 1.5 years

20 months

23 months

Birthday Buddies! 2 days before our birthday :)

Love you so much Leo!!! You’re so sweet and curious about everything! Always wakes up happy and ready for a fun day. Couldn’t ask for a better little boy, LOVE 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!