Leah is ready!
Jack is ready!
Happy girl!
LOVING the swings!
Jack too. :)
She was mad when she had to get out.
Doing the "big boy stuff."
Peek-a-boo!
Contemplating life.
My beautiful boy.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Welcome, Spring!
Today was too gorgeous not to take a walk. We even stopped at the park, giving Leah her first experience with the swings. So perfect!
Leah is ready!
Jack is ready!
Happy girl!
LOVING the swings!
Jack too. :)
She was mad when she had to get out.
Doing the "big boy stuff."
Peek-a-boo!
Contemplating life.
My beautiful boy.
Leah is ready!
Jack is ready!
Happy girl!
LOVING the swings!
Jack too. :)
She was mad when she had to get out.
Doing the "big boy stuff."
Peek-a-boo!
Contemplating life.
My beautiful boy.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Friends
I've been watching a friend's daughter a couple times a week. Alexis is about two months older than Leah, and they are becoming fast friends. Leah is completely entertained by another person her size in the house. :)
Yesterday Alexis wore an outfit that Leah also owns. So, of course, I had to put Leah in hers too and take some pictures. I'm sure they'll love looking at them when they're 18!
Yesterday Alexis wore an outfit that Leah also owns. So, of course, I had to put Leah in hers too and take some pictures. I'm sure they'll love looking at them when they're 18!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Beware!
Four years ago today was my due date with Jackson. I remember people would ask when I was due, I would answer "March 15th," and they would say, "Ooh, beware the Ides of March."
And I would say, "What?"
The Ides of March is simply the name of March 15th on the Roman calendar. According to wikipedia, it was a festive day dedicated to the god Mars and also the date when Julius Caesar was killed. The phrase "Beware the Ides of March" was made famous in Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.
There. You learned something new today. Unless you already knew all of this, in which case today's blog post was a waste for you. And for that I am sorry. Come back tomorrow please. ;)
And I would say, "What?"
The Ides of March is simply the name of March 15th on the Roman calendar. According to wikipedia, it was a festive day dedicated to the god Mars and also the date when Julius Caesar was killed. The phrase "Beware the Ides of March" was made famous in Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.
There. You learned something new today. Unless you already knew all of this, in which case today's blog post was a waste for you. And for that I am sorry. Come back tomorrow please. ;)
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Happy _______ Day!
1) Happy Daylight Savings Day!
I despise daylight savings. I think it is completely unnecessary. And it's particularly hard to manage when you have kids. Although, losing an hour is much easier than gaining an hour, so I'm generally more upset in November. :) Anyway, I wish we would just skip it altogether. Some states actually do skip it. Maybe I'll move there.
2) Happy Pi Day!
No, not PIE day. PI day, as in 3.1415926535.... I was first introduced to Pi Day when I taught middle school. Every year, March 14 (3/14...get it?) was deemed Pi Day and the math teacher would bring Pi(e) in to share with their classes. It was cute.
Bonus pi joke:
What do you get when you cut a jack-o-lantern by its diameter?
A pumpkin pi!
3) Happy Potato Chip Day!
I don't know why it's potato chip day. It just is. Enjoy it. :)
I despise daylight savings. I think it is completely unnecessary. And it's particularly hard to manage when you have kids. Although, losing an hour is much easier than gaining an hour, so I'm generally more upset in November. :) Anyway, I wish we would just skip it altogether. Some states actually do skip it. Maybe I'll move there.
2) Happy Pi Day!
No, not PIE day. PI day, as in 3.1415926535.... I was first introduced to Pi Day when I taught middle school. Every year, March 14 (3/14...get it?) was deemed Pi Day and the math teacher would bring Pi(e) in to share with their classes. It was cute.
Bonus pi joke:
What do you get when you cut a jack-o-lantern by its diameter?
A pumpkin pi!
3) Happy Potato Chip Day!
I don't know why it's potato chip day. It just is. Enjoy it. :)
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Someone enjoyed her lunch today
When the sweet potatoes make it into your eyebrows AND eye lashes, you know you've done well. ;)
Friday, March 12, 2010
books
I feel like I've been reading a lot lately. Maybe it's all the free time I have. Ha! Actually, once we were done sharing our room with a child (Leah until she was about 6 months and Jack for a month or so after that), I was SO excited to be able to read before bed again. When I'm not able to read and unwind, I lie awake for at least an hour, trying to calm my mind down and fall asleep. It's so frustrating! So, in light of the few books I've read in the last couple months, here are some recommendations. Just in case you're looking for something to read. :)
1) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Such an excellent book! This was a book club selection in November. It's actually a young adult book, which I LOVE because that's all I read for a while: college methods classes, as a seventh grade teacher, and graduate classes. This book takes place during Hitler's high time in World War II. The characters are amazing, the narrator is fascinating, and the stories are so well-written. This is definitely a must-read in my opinion.
2) I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. After being so pleased with The Book Thief, I decided to read another book by the same author. This book could not have been more different from The Book Thief; the style of writing was even different. If I had read both books without knowing the author, I would not have guessed they were by the same person. Anyway, this is a very intriguing book. The main character foils a bank robbery and shortly thereafter begins receiving playing card aces in his mailbox. The cards have addresses on them, and he has to figure out what messages need to be delivered to each address. It's extremely fascinating and a really quick read. I just finished it yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it!
3) The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Very touching memoir of a girl growing up with her parents and three siblings. They are constantly on the move and never have enough money. So well-written. Amazing stories of childhood and pain and the difficulty of growing up and making decisions that you never saw your parents make. This was another book club selection, and I'm very anxious to meet and talk about it! I love memoir writing, and this was no exception.
That's all for now because Leah is begging for some attention. Or a nap. :) I just started Mercy by Jodi Picoult and I can already tell it's going to be interesting.
Happy Friday!
1) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Such an excellent book! This was a book club selection in November. It's actually a young adult book, which I LOVE because that's all I read for a while: college methods classes, as a seventh grade teacher, and graduate classes. This book takes place during Hitler's high time in World War II. The characters are amazing, the narrator is fascinating, and the stories are so well-written. This is definitely a must-read in my opinion.
2) I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak. After being so pleased with The Book Thief, I decided to read another book by the same author. This book could not have been more different from The Book Thief; the style of writing was even different. If I had read both books without knowing the author, I would not have guessed they were by the same person. Anyway, this is a very intriguing book. The main character foils a bank robbery and shortly thereafter begins receiving playing card aces in his mailbox. The cards have addresses on them, and he has to figure out what messages need to be delivered to each address. It's extremely fascinating and a really quick read. I just finished it yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it!
3) The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Very touching memoir of a girl growing up with her parents and three siblings. They are constantly on the move and never have enough money. So well-written. Amazing stories of childhood and pain and the difficulty of growing up and making decisions that you never saw your parents make. This was another book club selection, and I'm very anxious to meet and talk about it! I love memoir writing, and this was no exception.
That's all for now because Leah is begging for some attention. Or a nap. :) I just started Mercy by Jodi Picoult and I can already tell it's going to be interesting.
Happy Friday!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
eight months
Sweet Leah,
Geez, I feel like I just did this! Okay, I guess I kind of did. But here we are, officially EIGHT months! SUCH a fun age! You truly get more delightful every day.
You've got a nice, even four teeth right now. Of course, as soon as one comes through, we think we're in for some relief for a while. Unfortunately that only lasts for about a week and then you're working on another one. Right now we're enjoying the in-between time--you're content enough to sleep a little longer at night and not super crabby at every waking moment. And I'll continue to enjoy it until you turn into "Leah, the teething 8-month-old" in a few days. :)
Just a little while ago, we were in your bedroom folding diapers. Well, you weren't as much folding them as UNfolding them, but we were both there and the cat came in. She is desperate for attention these days, and as soon as we're on the floor, she's right there waiting to be touched. I pet for a little bit and then went back to folding. She stayed, keeping an eye on you. You proceeded to SQUEAL at her, so excited that she was staying, and you kept doing it like you were actually talking to her. It was classic. A little later, we were on the living room floor and the same thing happened. It's like you're saying, "THE CAT! SHE'S BACK! I LOVE HER! SHE'S SOFT! I WILL PULL HER TAIL!" That's what I imagine, anyway.
Your new foods are egg yolks (hard-boiled) and plain yogurt. You did so well when I reintroduced dairy, so I decided to see how you did with real yogurt since Jack LOVED it so much at this age. And it's all good! Love adding new food to the list. I am willing you to be a better eater than your brother! You can do this, girl! In fact, I am in the process of steaming some leftover broccoli and cauliflower. Pretty sure you'll think it's awesome.
You and Jack are about the cutest brother and sister pair since me and Uncle Sean. Okay, you might be even cuter. Honestly, I'm not sure anyone else can make you smile like he does! It's incredible. I'm sure someday, you'll make each other yell or cry, but not right now. Right now you're just the best of friends. It's beautiful.
I re-heard a song recently. It's called Elliana's Song by a band called Watermark. It made me realize that it already does feel very different to have a daughter. I knew it would feel different eventually, but I guess I just assumed it would all feel the same for a while. I mean, how different can boys and girls be at 8 months? Very different! Here are the words to the chorus and second verse. And I've changed Elliana to Leah for obvious reasons. :)
Leah, God has answered my prayers
Leah, God will conquer my fears
To mother a daughter, to look you in the eye
To know that I had everything, to walk with you in life
To give you to Jesus that He would impart
The wisdom that I'm longing for to mother your heart
Leah, God has answered my prayers
There will be others to lead and to guide you, girl
But only one you'll call Mother
The honor is all mine to show you what a woman's like
I'm so glad you're mine
Indeed I am so glad. Happy 8 months, baby girl.
Love,
Mom
Geez, I feel like I just did this! Okay, I guess I kind of did. But here we are, officially EIGHT months! SUCH a fun age! You truly get more delightful every day.
You've got a nice, even four teeth right now. Of course, as soon as one comes through, we think we're in for some relief for a while. Unfortunately that only lasts for about a week and then you're working on another one. Right now we're enjoying the in-between time--you're content enough to sleep a little longer at night and not super crabby at every waking moment. And I'll continue to enjoy it until you turn into "Leah, the teething 8-month-old" in a few days. :)
Just a little while ago, we were in your bedroom folding diapers. Well, you weren't as much folding them as UNfolding them, but we were both there and the cat came in. She is desperate for attention these days, and as soon as we're on the floor, she's right there waiting to be touched. I pet for a little bit and then went back to folding. She stayed, keeping an eye on you. You proceeded to SQUEAL at her, so excited that she was staying, and you kept doing it like you were actually talking to her. It was classic. A little later, we were on the living room floor and the same thing happened. It's like you're saying, "THE CAT! SHE'S BACK! I LOVE HER! SHE'S SOFT! I WILL PULL HER TAIL!" That's what I imagine, anyway.
Your new foods are egg yolks (hard-boiled) and plain yogurt. You did so well when I reintroduced dairy, so I decided to see how you did with real yogurt since Jack LOVED it so much at this age. And it's all good! Love adding new food to the list. I am willing you to be a better eater than your brother! You can do this, girl! In fact, I am in the process of steaming some leftover broccoli and cauliflower. Pretty sure you'll think it's awesome.
You and Jack are about the cutest brother and sister pair since me and Uncle Sean. Okay, you might be even cuter. Honestly, I'm not sure anyone else can make you smile like he does! It's incredible. I'm sure someday, you'll make each other yell or cry, but not right now. Right now you're just the best of friends. It's beautiful.
I re-heard a song recently. It's called Elliana's Song by a band called Watermark. It made me realize that it already does feel very different to have a daughter. I knew it would feel different eventually, but I guess I just assumed it would all feel the same for a while. I mean, how different can boys and girls be at 8 months? Very different! Here are the words to the chorus and second verse. And I've changed Elliana to Leah for obvious reasons. :)
Leah, God has answered my prayers
Leah, God will conquer my fears
To mother a daughter, to look you in the eye
To know that I had everything, to walk with you in life
To give you to Jesus that He would impart
The wisdom that I'm longing for to mother your heart
Leah, God has answered my prayers
There will be others to lead and to guide you, girl
But only one you'll call Mother
The honor is all mine to show you what a woman's like
I'm so glad you're mine
Indeed I am so glad. Happy 8 months, baby girl.
Love,
Mom
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Shares her things
That's what should be written on my report card. You know, like "plays well with others"? :)
Fair warning: some readers may consider this post a little TMI.
When the earthquake hit Haiti nearly two months ago, I immediately thought of the babies who may have been orphaned. Specifically, while I was nursing Leah one afternoon, I wondered how the babies in Haiti were going to survive without their mother's milk. There definitely wasn't sufficient clean water for formula. I decided to look into donating breastmilk somehow.
The more I researched and read, it seemed that the only way to donate was to find a milkbank to donate milk locally. If any was going to get to Haiti, it was going to get there through a milkbank. And I guess nationwide breastmilk donation levels are low, so in order for any milk to get out of the country, the nationwide levels had to go up. I had another friend who was interested in donating too, so our next step was finding a local milk bank. The closest location to me is a hospital in Minneapolis. I filled out their online application but got an email back a couple days later stating that my application was denied due to a medication I take. It is fine for breastfeeding but not for donating.
A couple weeks later, we were at a La Leche League meeting and somehow this whole story came up--how we had looked into donating and ended up trying to donate locally but that I couldn't because of some medications. After the meeting, a woman came over while we were getting our kids bundled up and asked if we'd ever be interested in donating milk to a friend of hers whose baby was sick and not gaining weight well. I said, "Of course!" and she got me in touch with Stephanie.
Stephanie's 10-month-old son Torin was born at just over 8 pounds and was very healthy until about 6 months. He started losing weight and rejected nursing and solids. Steph's supply began to drop because of Torin's lack of interest and the added stress of moving cross-country for her husband's job. Torin's pediatrician believed he had contracted some sort of virus--he dropped to just over 13 pounds at about 9 months. (Leah is 8 months and probably 20 pounds right now). He was well below the growth charts and clearly not thriving. Steph tried formula when her own supply wasn't enough, but Torin reacted poorly to it both internally (intestinal distress) and externally (rash around his mouth). Stephanie had a couple of new mom friends who were pumping and giving her extra milk, but it wasn't quite enough. So she was thrilled to learn that I was willing to help her out too.
Sure, sometimes I feel a bit like a cow. I sit and pump for a half hour every night before bed. But it's been a great way to get through the PILE of magazines that I never had time to read before! I've got quite the system down. Stephanie comes once a week--sometimes to chat and play (her second youngest son is almost Jack's age), sometimes just to pick up the 40-60 ounces I'm keeping in my freezer for her. And I'm so thrilled that this is something I can share.
Oh, and Torin is up to almost 18 pounds! He will be one on March 20th.
If you'll excuse me now, I have a date with my breast pump. :)
Fair warning: some readers may consider this post a little TMI.
When the earthquake hit Haiti nearly two months ago, I immediately thought of the babies who may have been orphaned. Specifically, while I was nursing Leah one afternoon, I wondered how the babies in Haiti were going to survive without their mother's milk. There definitely wasn't sufficient clean water for formula. I decided to look into donating breastmilk somehow.
The more I researched and read, it seemed that the only way to donate was to find a milkbank to donate milk locally. If any was going to get to Haiti, it was going to get there through a milkbank. And I guess nationwide breastmilk donation levels are low, so in order for any milk to get out of the country, the nationwide levels had to go up. I had another friend who was interested in donating too, so our next step was finding a local milk bank. The closest location to me is a hospital in Minneapolis. I filled out their online application but got an email back a couple days later stating that my application was denied due to a medication I take. It is fine for breastfeeding but not for donating.
A couple weeks later, we were at a La Leche League meeting and somehow this whole story came up--how we had looked into donating and ended up trying to donate locally but that I couldn't because of some medications. After the meeting, a woman came over while we were getting our kids bundled up and asked if we'd ever be interested in donating milk to a friend of hers whose baby was sick and not gaining weight well. I said, "Of course!" and she got me in touch with Stephanie.
Stephanie's 10-month-old son Torin was born at just over 8 pounds and was very healthy until about 6 months. He started losing weight and rejected nursing and solids. Steph's supply began to drop because of Torin's lack of interest and the added stress of moving cross-country for her husband's job. Torin's pediatrician believed he had contracted some sort of virus--he dropped to just over 13 pounds at about 9 months. (Leah is 8 months and probably 20 pounds right now). He was well below the growth charts and clearly not thriving. Steph tried formula when her own supply wasn't enough, but Torin reacted poorly to it both internally (intestinal distress) and externally (rash around his mouth). Stephanie had a couple of new mom friends who were pumping and giving her extra milk, but it wasn't quite enough. So she was thrilled to learn that I was willing to help her out too.
Sure, sometimes I feel a bit like a cow. I sit and pump for a half hour every night before bed. But it's been a great way to get through the PILE of magazines that I never had time to read before! I've got quite the system down. Stephanie comes once a week--sometimes to chat and play (her second youngest son is almost Jack's age), sometimes just to pick up the 40-60 ounces I'm keeping in my freezer for her. And I'm so thrilled that this is something I can share.
Oh, and Torin is up to almost 18 pounds! He will be one on March 20th.
If you'll excuse me now, I have a date with my breast pump. :)
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
The Oscars
As I mentioned, we had our 8th annual Oscar party on Sunday night. We had a great time and the show was quite enjoyable. Steve Martin and Alex Baldwin hosted, and they were very funny. There are always places where you wish you could fast forward, and by the time 11:00pm rolls around, you wish they would just award the final winners. But all in all, it was enjoyable.
Dan and I used to watch a lot of the nominated movies, but once we had kids, that pretty much went out the window. But this year, I feel like we saw a good number of films. And I really liked a lot of them! So, here are my movie recommendations. In case you care. :)
1. Avatar. You just have to see it. I really didn't think I'd enjoy it--I'm totally not a sci-fi person. But this is just different! It's excellent. James Cameron is insane. However, you must see it in a theater. And in 3D if possible.
2. The Blind Side. Such an excellent, feel-good movie! And the fact that it's a true story makes it that much more incredible. Sandra Bullock's win for best actress was a huge surprise, but she was very deserving of it.
3. Julie and Julia. Very enjoyable movie. Meryl Streep is amazing as Julia Child, and Amy Adams is delightful as always. It made me want to make yummy, impressive French food.
4. Precious. I'm really glad I saw this movie, and I'm also kind of glad that I saw it alone. I came home from it feeling physically ill. But it's so good! You just can't believe what this girl goes through. So well-done, though. Mo'Nique is incredible and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe is outstanding and believable. Cameos by Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, and Sherri Shepherd are lovely.
5. The Hurt Locker. In a huge, surprising upset, this movie got the best picture nod. I'm sure there are Avatar enthusiasts who are angry, but I think The Hurt Locker was extremely deserving of the award. Intriguing story and great acting. Definitely worth checking out.
6. Up. Just have to throw this in there for Jack. It was the one nominated movie he saw. And we all loved it! Adorable movie.
That's all. There are still a couple more I want to see, but I think 2009 was a really great year for movies!
Dan and I used to watch a lot of the nominated movies, but once we had kids, that pretty much went out the window. But this year, I feel like we saw a good number of films. And I really liked a lot of them! So, here are my movie recommendations. In case you care. :)
1. Avatar. You just have to see it. I really didn't think I'd enjoy it--I'm totally not a sci-fi person. But this is just different! It's excellent. James Cameron is insane. However, you must see it in a theater. And in 3D if possible.
2. The Blind Side. Such an excellent, feel-good movie! And the fact that it's a true story makes it that much more incredible. Sandra Bullock's win for best actress was a huge surprise, but she was very deserving of it.
3. Julie and Julia. Very enjoyable movie. Meryl Streep is amazing as Julia Child, and Amy Adams is delightful as always. It made me want to make yummy, impressive French food.
4. Precious. I'm really glad I saw this movie, and I'm also kind of glad that I saw it alone. I came home from it feeling physically ill. But it's so good! You just can't believe what this girl goes through. So well-done, though. Mo'Nique is incredible and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe is outstanding and believable. Cameos by Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, and Sherri Shepherd are lovely.
5. The Hurt Locker. In a huge, surprising upset, this movie got the best picture nod. I'm sure there are Avatar enthusiasts who are angry, but I think The Hurt Locker was extremely deserving of the award. Intriguing story and great acting. Definitely worth checking out.
6. Up. Just have to throw this in there for Jack. It was the one nominated movie he saw. And we all loved it! Adorable movie.
That's all. There are still a couple more I want to see, but I think 2009 was a really great year for movies!
Monday, March 08, 2010
He won!
Every year since 2003, Dan and I have hosted a party for the Academy Awards. Friends bring wonderful food, we fill out ballots guessing the winning movies, and there are really impressive prizes for the winners (which have usually been snagged from the bargain DVD rack at Target).
This year, we let Jack stay up a little later than normal because he was having so much fun with our friends and loved seeing familiar movies (like Up) on the awards. He decided he wanted his own ballot like everyone else, so I gave him one with a pen. He carefully picked winners (usually more than one in each category) and when a winner was announced, he would excitedly check his ballot and exclaim "I won! I won an Oscar!" It was adorable.
Jack knew there were prizes for the winners, and he asked if he would get a present if he won. I explained that the presents were for our friends and that we couldn't keep them (although I'm sure he'd love Rain Man or When Harry Met Sally, right?). Then I remembered that I have a bag of random little toys hidden in a closet. It's mostly stuff from Christmas that didn't fit in his stocking. So I told him if he won again, I would have a prize for him.
A couple of awards later, Jack pronounced, "I won! I won another Oscar!" This was a grand total of four Oscars for the night (impressive, no?) and his prize was a Disney Cars notepad and mechanical pencils. He opened them right away and enjoyed them until his extended bedtime of 9:00pm.
This morning, my friend came with her baby, whom I was watching today. She mentioned something about the movie Cars, and Jack found his notepad and pencils to show her. She asked why he got them, and he got excited and said, "I won four...um, four...Grovers!"
This year, we let Jack stay up a little later than normal because he was having so much fun with our friends and loved seeing familiar movies (like Up) on the awards. He decided he wanted his own ballot like everyone else, so I gave him one with a pen. He carefully picked winners (usually more than one in each category) and when a winner was announced, he would excitedly check his ballot and exclaim "I won! I won an Oscar!" It was adorable.
Jack knew there were prizes for the winners, and he asked if he would get a present if he won. I explained that the presents were for our friends and that we couldn't keep them (although I'm sure he'd love Rain Man or When Harry Met Sally, right?). Then I remembered that I have a bag of random little toys hidden in a closet. It's mostly stuff from Christmas that didn't fit in his stocking. So I told him if he won again, I would have a prize for him.
A couple of awards later, Jack pronounced, "I won! I won another Oscar!" This was a grand total of four Oscars for the night (impressive, no?) and his prize was a Disney Cars notepad and mechanical pencils. He opened them right away and enjoyed them until his extended bedtime of 9:00pm.
This morning, my friend came with her baby, whom I was watching today. She mentioned something about the movie Cars, and Jack found his notepad and pencils to show her. She asked why he got them, and he got excited and said, "I won four...um, four...Grovers!"
Sunday, March 07, 2010
And now, for your viewing enjoyment...
First, a few of Jack posing. Then Leah eating. And finally, their first bath in the same tub. Fun times. :)
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Teeth
Part 1
Leah is teething. I think teething is one of the most frustrating things about a baby's first year of life. Sure, they get teeth after they turn one, but for some reason, it's just not as horrible. Her first tooth came through on December 11, followed by a second tooth the next day. She continued to show signs of teething and I was sure more were on their way shortly, but the third tooth didn't come in until a few weeks ago. Again, I thought the fourth would be in right away, but we're still waiting on it. I can see white--it's got to be a single layer of gums away from the outside. But it just won't pop through. So she continues to chew everything in sight and scream for no reason once in a while. She also has the nerve to sleep for 20 minutes and call it a nap.
TOOTH! COME THROUGH!
Part 2
Jackson is going to be four in a couple of weeks. At his three-year well-child doctor visit, our pediatrician recommended that we make an appointment to see the dentist within a few months. It would most likely be really laid back--just count the teeth, teach Jack how to brush his teeth properly, etc. So last April, we both headed to the dentist. I had a regularly-scheduled appointment and I figured Jack would benefit from seeing them clean and examine my teeth before taking his turn in the chair. Well, all of that went out the window when I realized they had scheduled us for the same time-slot with two different hygienists. Everything pretty much went downhill from there. He wouldn't sit in the chair, he wouldn't open his mouth, he cried at the sight of the "sharp things" and at the sound of the "noisy things." Rather than traumatize him anymore and scar him for life with a deep hatred of the dentist, the doctor and hygienist suggested that we just make an appointment for another time. And we finally got around to doing that a couple of months ago and made our second trip last week.
It was a little more successful. He opened his mouth. He sat on my lap on the chair. He still wouldn't have anything to do with sharp and noisy things, and don't get me started on how he gagged at the attempt to get x-rays. But he miraculously did open his mouth for the doctor, and it was a good thing too. He has four cavities. Four. I've never had a cavity in my life and my poor almost-4-year-old has FOUR CAVITIES! I almost died.
We left with a new toothbrush, some super-special fluoride, and an appointment slip for March 23rd. Because for some reason, Jack thinks that he'll be able to handle all of this much better after he's four. Let's hope so, buddy!! :)
Leah is teething. I think teething is one of the most frustrating things about a baby's first year of life. Sure, they get teeth after they turn one, but for some reason, it's just not as horrible. Her first tooth came through on December 11, followed by a second tooth the next day. She continued to show signs of teething and I was sure more were on their way shortly, but the third tooth didn't come in until a few weeks ago. Again, I thought the fourth would be in right away, but we're still waiting on it. I can see white--it's got to be a single layer of gums away from the outside. But it just won't pop through. So she continues to chew everything in sight and scream for no reason once in a while. She also has the nerve to sleep for 20 minutes and call it a nap.
TOOTH! COME THROUGH!
Part 2
Jackson is going to be four in a couple of weeks. At his three-year well-child doctor visit, our pediatrician recommended that we make an appointment to see the dentist within a few months. It would most likely be really laid back--just count the teeth, teach Jack how to brush his teeth properly, etc. So last April, we both headed to the dentist. I had a regularly-scheduled appointment and I figured Jack would benefit from seeing them clean and examine my teeth before taking his turn in the chair. Well, all of that went out the window when I realized they had scheduled us for the same time-slot with two different hygienists. Everything pretty much went downhill from there. He wouldn't sit in the chair, he wouldn't open his mouth, he cried at the sight of the "sharp things" and at the sound of the "noisy things." Rather than traumatize him anymore and scar him for life with a deep hatred of the dentist, the doctor and hygienist suggested that we just make an appointment for another time. And we finally got around to doing that a couple of months ago and made our second trip last week.
It was a little more successful. He opened his mouth. He sat on my lap on the chair. He still wouldn't have anything to do with sharp and noisy things, and don't get me started on how he gagged at the attempt to get x-rays. But he miraculously did open his mouth for the doctor, and it was a good thing too. He has four cavities. Four. I've never had a cavity in my life and my poor almost-4-year-old has FOUR CAVITIES! I almost died.
We left with a new toothbrush, some super-special fluoride, and an appointment slip for March 23rd. Because for some reason, Jack thinks that he'll be able to handle all of this much better after he's four. Let's hope so, buddy!! :)
Friday, March 05, 2010
TGIF
I love Fridays. I always have. I can remember Fridays in grade school, middle school, high school, college, and at various jobs. Fridays were always wonderful days. The weekend was upon us and it just felt good. Thursday night television has always had a different feeling too. It's an indication that Friday is almost here. I can honestly remember watching ER in middle school and being so happy that the next day was Friday.
The thing is, I'm not sure why I STILL love Fridays. Sure, it means the weekend is almost here, but I (gasp!) don't really LOVE weekends anymore. The thing I like most about the weekend is that Dan is with us. But otherwise, it just means a hiccup in our regular schedule, a big trip to the grocery store, and not enough sleep for anyone involved.
And Fridays are just crazy. It's usually filled with lots of laundry (today's laundry list includes five loads so far), cleaning the house (so there isn't one more thing to do during the already-crazy weekend), and some necessary errands thrown in for good measure. Friday is definitely my most frazzled day of the week.
But for some ridiculous reason, I still love it. So, here's to a great Friday in front of us. Enjoy it. :)
The thing is, I'm not sure why I STILL love Fridays. Sure, it means the weekend is almost here, but I (gasp!) don't really LOVE weekends anymore. The thing I like most about the weekend is that Dan is with us. But otherwise, it just means a hiccup in our regular schedule, a big trip to the grocery store, and not enough sleep for anyone involved.
And Fridays are just crazy. It's usually filled with lots of laundry (today's laundry list includes five loads so far), cleaning the house (so there isn't one more thing to do during the already-crazy weekend), and some necessary errands thrown in for good measure. Friday is definitely my most frazzled day of the week.
But for some ridiculous reason, I still love it. So, here's to a great Friday in front of us. Enjoy it. :)
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
More from Sara
She's got another song about taking a trip with her daughter Ruby to visit the house where she grew up. It's very sweet and it makes me wish I'd grown up in a big house in the south, but the last line is priceless.
"Ruby, you take it in. See, He has withheld no good thing."
Amen. What a fantastic reminder of a faithful God who remains faithful in the middle of the really hard stuff we go through.
This afternoon, I googled the phrase to see exactly where it was in Psalms, and I found this and loved it.
"Ruby, you take it in. See, He has withheld no good thing."
Amen. What a fantastic reminder of a faithful God who remains faithful in the middle of the really hard stuff we go through.
This afternoon, I googled the phrase to see exactly where it was in Psalms, and I found this and loved it.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
I never was good at bowling....
When it comes to music, I tend to find a CD that I like and stick with it until I know the songs inside and out and I'm bordering on being really sick of it. That CD right now is Sara Groves' Fireflies and Songs. It was a Christmas gift from Dan, and in the craziness of the holidays and the new year, I've finally started really listening to it.
We saw Sara in concert in December. She performed mostly music from her Christmas album, which is really great, but she also shared a few songs from Fireflies and Songs. There was one particular song that I loved right away, and it's one that makes me hit "repeat" when I'm in the car. When I was listening to it last night, I realized that I probably wouldn't have as much appreciation for it if I hadn't heard her sing it live and preface it with how she came to write it.
She explained that she wrote this song while she was washing the dishes one night. She was really frustrated to be washing dishes that someone was just going to make dirty again. (At which point Dan looked at me and laughed--that is a constant frustration of mine). She went on about how so many things were like that--you make the beds just to have someone sleep in them again, you clean the bathroom just to have your preschooler pee on the wall, you wash the diapers only to have your baby poop in them again (okay, that one is mine). But she went on to explain that bowling wouldn't be a very fun game if you didn't get to knock the pins down after they were so nicely set up. It's just how it works!
So here are the lyrics and a snazzy video of the Groves family that they played during the live performance. Enjoy. :) And join me in the daily battle/game of all of these silly pins!
Setting up the Pins
man in a silk tie heads downtown
setting up the pins for knocking 'em down
people in cars all rushing around
setting up the pins
let's get rich find a way around
setting up the pins for knocking 'em down
we'll get a gadget with a whirring sound
for setting up the pins
everyone everywhere some way somehow
are setting up the pins for knocking 'em down
you can find joy in the fertile ground
setting up the pins and knocking 'em down
it can feel simple but it's really profound
setting up the pins
rent a tent, build a stage, throw a party, get a gown
buy a ticket, rent a car, pack a bag and leave town,
cook a dinner, clean the kitchen, hit the light
brush your teeth, read a book, say a prayer good-night
everyone everywhere some way somehow
are setting up the pins for knocking 'em down
it can feel simple but it's really profound...
my grandmother had a working song
hummed it low all day long
sing for the beauty that's to be found
in setting up the pins for knocking 'em down
We saw Sara in concert in December. She performed mostly music from her Christmas album, which is really great, but she also shared a few songs from Fireflies and Songs. There was one particular song that I loved right away, and it's one that makes me hit "repeat" when I'm in the car. When I was listening to it last night, I realized that I probably wouldn't have as much appreciation for it if I hadn't heard her sing it live and preface it with how she came to write it.
She explained that she wrote this song while she was washing the dishes one night. She was really frustrated to be washing dishes that someone was just going to make dirty again. (At which point Dan looked at me and laughed--that is a constant frustration of mine). She went on about how so many things were like that--you make the beds just to have someone sleep in them again, you clean the bathroom just to have your preschooler pee on the wall, you wash the diapers only to have your baby poop in them again (okay, that one is mine). But she went on to explain that bowling wouldn't be a very fun game if you didn't get to knock the pins down after they were so nicely set up. It's just how it works!
So here are the lyrics and a snazzy video of the Groves family that they played during the live performance. Enjoy. :) And join me in the daily battle/game of all of these silly pins!
Setting up the Pins
man in a silk tie heads downtown
setting up the pins for knocking 'em down
people in cars all rushing around
setting up the pins
let's get rich find a way around
setting up the pins for knocking 'em down
we'll get a gadget with a whirring sound
for setting up the pins
everyone everywhere some way somehow
are setting up the pins for knocking 'em down
you can find joy in the fertile ground
setting up the pins and knocking 'em down
it can feel simple but it's really profound
setting up the pins
rent a tent, build a stage, throw a party, get a gown
buy a ticket, rent a car, pack a bag and leave town,
cook a dinner, clean the kitchen, hit the light
brush your teeth, read a book, say a prayer good-night
everyone everywhere some way somehow
are setting up the pins for knocking 'em down
it can feel simple but it's really profound...
my grandmother had a working song
hummed it low all day long
sing for the beauty that's to be found
in setting up the pins for knocking 'em down
Monday, March 01, 2010
Welcome, March
I like March. I think it's because it mentally feels like spring is coming. In reality (in Minnesota, anyway), spring might not actually come until the middle of April. Or later. But even the gradual lengthening of days and occasional melting of snow and icicles offers a bit of a promise of something much better than these dreary, chilly days of the last few months.
To usher in this springtime month, I am going to blog every day. Just because. I used to write a lot more. I guess chasing two kids around every day prevents some of that. :) But the truth is that with Jack and Leah around, I really have MUCH more to write about. So I'm going to. Maybe it will get me back in the habit. I can't promise long, intelligent posts every day. Maybe sometimes I'll post a few pictures. Who knows.
Anyway, here goes nothing.
To usher in this springtime month, I am going to blog every day. Just because. I used to write a lot more. I guess chasing two kids around every day prevents some of that. :) But the truth is that with Jack and Leah around, I really have MUCH more to write about. So I'm going to. Maybe it will get me back in the habit. I can't promise long, intelligent posts every day. Maybe sometimes I'll post a few pictures. Who knows.
Anyway, here goes nothing.
Jack the big brother
Jack and Leah have been sharing a room for about a month, and it's actually going quite well. We've had a couple of nights that were less than peaceful, but we're learning and getting better every day.
On Saturday morning, I woke up to Jack talking to me on the monitor: "Mommy, come here! Leah woke up with no crying!" Too cute. So I went into their room and he was just standing at the crib talking to her. He turned to me and said, "She just woke up and looked at me!"
Yeah, Jack's got this big brother business down pat. :)
On Saturday morning, I woke up to Jack talking to me on the monitor: "Mommy, come here! Leah woke up with no crying!" Too cute. So I went into their room and he was just standing at the crib talking to her. He turned to me and said, "She just woke up and looked at me!"
Yeah, Jack's got this big brother business down pat. :)
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
seven months, one week, and six days
Leah,
It's pretty much all your fault that this is almost two weeks late, you know. You've recently decided that naps only need to last 20 to 40 minutes. Except that you can't actually survive on those types of naps. And frankly dear, neither can I. It's about enough time to take a shower and get dressed. Or do a really short work out. Or get halfway through the pile of dishes next to the sink. Or go get the mail. In conclusion, please start napping better. We'll all be happier. Including yourself! Moving on....
Another tooth! FINALLY, one of the top buggers worked its way out last weekend. I think you're relieved, but now the other one wants in on the fun this side of the gums. Let it through! I can also see the next two on the bottom. Let's just get this over with, K? I feel terrible for you. You're obviously uncomfortable, but not much makes you feel better. My poor girl!
You're a MOVER! You went from "Oh cute, she's kind of moving around!" to "Time to babyproof again! SHE'S CRAWLING!" I'm still getting used to it. All of a sudden, you'll be on the other side of the room. Or I'll come back into a room that I know I left you in and I actually have to look around for you. You also pull yourself up on everything in sight and have the bumps and bruises to prove it.
I'd really like to think that you like me the best. And I've been fairly certain that's been the case since you were born. However, I do believe your big brother is taking over that position. He knows exactly how to make you smile and laugh. He's so excited when you wake up (yup, even when you've only been sleeping for 20 minutes) because he loves to go talk to you and throw toys into your crib. It make my heart so happy that you are already friends! I hope it lasts when you're both moody teenagers. :)
Speaking of your brother, you're officially sharing a room. And, all things considered, it's actually going pretty well. If you wake Jack up in the middle of the night and just can't settle down very quickly and quietly, Jack comes right into our room and sleeps on a makeshift bed on our floor. He's so very flexible! Of course sometimes he prefers to hop right in bed with us, and that's fine too. But so far, I don't think he's disturbing your sleep too much. He tends to sleepwalk, and I think you did wake up once or twice during one of his episodes, but I guess you'll just have to get used to that. If he comes over and tells you "I just can't do this!" tell him everything is okay and he should go back to sleep. If, however, he's also holding his crotch while talking nonsense at you, tell him to shut up and get his butt into the bathroom before he wets himself.
You continue to enjoy food. There's really not much you haven't liked. You weren't crazy about mangoes, but you still ate them. That a girl. :) You still adore avocados and sweet potatoes. And you're officially addicted to puffs. Oddly enough, Jackson has rediscovered his love of puffs now that you're having them. I've considered going on a puffs diet, since 90 of them have 25 calories. But I just don't like them enough!
My dear girl, you are such a blessing to our family. Happy 7 (and a half) months!
Love you so much,
Mama
It's pretty much all your fault that this is almost two weeks late, you know. You've recently decided that naps only need to last 20 to 40 minutes. Except that you can't actually survive on those types of naps. And frankly dear, neither can I. It's about enough time to take a shower and get dressed. Or do a really short work out. Or get halfway through the pile of dishes next to the sink. Or go get the mail. In conclusion, please start napping better. We'll all be happier. Including yourself! Moving on....
Another tooth! FINALLY, one of the top buggers worked its way out last weekend. I think you're relieved, but now the other one wants in on the fun this side of the gums. Let it through! I can also see the next two on the bottom. Let's just get this over with, K? I feel terrible for you. You're obviously uncomfortable, but not much makes you feel better. My poor girl!
You're a MOVER! You went from "Oh cute, she's kind of moving around!" to "Time to babyproof again! SHE'S CRAWLING!" I'm still getting used to it. All of a sudden, you'll be on the other side of the room. Or I'll come back into a room that I know I left you in and I actually have to look around for you. You also pull yourself up on everything in sight and have the bumps and bruises to prove it.
I'd really like to think that you like me the best. And I've been fairly certain that's been the case since you were born. However, I do believe your big brother is taking over that position. He knows exactly how to make you smile and laugh. He's so excited when you wake up (yup, even when you've only been sleeping for 20 minutes) because he loves to go talk to you and throw toys into your crib. It make my heart so happy that you are already friends! I hope it lasts when you're both moody teenagers. :)
Speaking of your brother, you're officially sharing a room. And, all things considered, it's actually going pretty well. If you wake Jack up in the middle of the night and just can't settle down very quickly and quietly, Jack comes right into our room and sleeps on a makeshift bed on our floor. He's so very flexible! Of course sometimes he prefers to hop right in bed with us, and that's fine too. But so far, I don't think he's disturbing your sleep too much. He tends to sleepwalk, and I think you did wake up once or twice during one of his episodes, but I guess you'll just have to get used to that. If he comes over and tells you "I just can't do this!" tell him everything is okay and he should go back to sleep. If, however, he's also holding his crotch while talking nonsense at you, tell him to shut up and get his butt into the bathroom before he wets himself.
You continue to enjoy food. There's really not much you haven't liked. You weren't crazy about mangoes, but you still ate them. That a girl. :) You still adore avocados and sweet potatoes. And you're officially addicted to puffs. Oddly enough, Jackson has rediscovered his love of puffs now that you're having them. I've considered going on a puffs diet, since 90 of them have 25 calories. But I just don't like them enough!
My dear girl, you are such a blessing to our family. Happy 7 (and a half) months!
Love you so much,
Mama
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Leah is cute :)
Just have to share a few pictures.
Just hanging out in a cute diaper!
"My mom is a rockstar." Yup, just telling it like it is.
And this is what happens when we decide that buzzing lips is a great idea in the middle of a bite of pears and oatmeal. :)
Just hanging out in a cute diaper!
"My mom is a rockstar." Yup, just telling it like it is.
And this is what happens when we decide that buzzing lips is a great idea in the middle of a bite of pears and oatmeal. :)
Friday, January 22, 2010
Not to brag, but....
Okay, all parents think their kid is the smartest, cutest, most wonderful child in the world.
But in my case, it's true.
Case in point. Today, as I was running around, switching loads of laundry and cleaning the house, Jack kept trying to get my attention. Finally, I stayed still long enough to hear him tell me, "Mom, I'm making guys." Well, that could have meant a lot of things, but in this case, it meant he was drawing people. And I can't even describe how BLOWN AWAY I was when he showed me this:
I was honestly in AWE. And he knew it and was quite pleased with himself. (You'll notice the erasures--that's the little bit of his perfectionist mother in him...). I taught kindergarten for a year and had kids who couldn't do this. I remember studying elementary art methods in college and learning about the different levels of development in how kids draw themselves.
As a point of comparison, here are three stick figures drawn by kids as old as Jack or older. It's a really classic habit for kids to draw a head with arms and legs. Because when they look down at themselves, they see their head and body as one entity and they see their arms and legs coming out of it.
Jack's drawings today went on to include noses and more colors. :)
But in my case, it's true.
Case in point. Today, as I was running around, switching loads of laundry and cleaning the house, Jack kept trying to get my attention. Finally, I stayed still long enough to hear him tell me, "Mom, I'm making guys." Well, that could have meant a lot of things, but in this case, it meant he was drawing people. And I can't even describe how BLOWN AWAY I was when he showed me this:
I was honestly in AWE. And he knew it and was quite pleased with himself. (You'll notice the erasures--that's the little bit of his perfectionist mother in him...). I taught kindergarten for a year and had kids who couldn't do this. I remember studying elementary art methods in college and learning about the different levels of development in how kids draw themselves.As a point of comparison, here are three stick figures drawn by kids as old as Jack or older. It's a really classic habit for kids to draw a head with arms and legs. Because when they look down at themselves, they see their head and body as one entity and they see their arms and legs coming out of it.
Jack's drawings today went on to include noses and more colors. :)
Friday, January 15, 2010
It's just too much
When I heard the report on Tuesday evening's news that there had been an earthquake in Haiti, I was terribly saddened. But I had no idea the magnitude of the disaster until a couple days later.
I don't usually watch much of the news. It depresses me. Or it's just nothing that interests me (i.e. political). Or we're watching Curious George instead. But the last couple nights, I have been giving Leah a bath at 5:30 and have watched the NBC Nightly News.
To say that my heart is broken is an understatement. The piles of dead bodies burning because there is no room left in the cemetery. The injured babies lying in their mothers' arms. The babies who are now orphans because their parents didn't survive. The utter despair in a husband's eyes as he searches for his wife. And the numbers. Oh, the numbers. 40,000 buried already. At least 100,000 dead. It's incomprehensible.
This country first captured my heart 12 years ago. And even though it's now been six years since I've been there in person, it doesn't take long for everything to come back to me. Just watching Brian Williams walking down the street, I can practically smell the combination of sewage and something burning. I can see the faces of the abandoned babies at the orphanage. I can see the Hotel Montana, where we enjoyed an afternoon swim, and which Ron Allen made mention of on the news tonight. I can see people walking around with nowhere to go. Just walking. As I'm sure they're doing now.
God, bless Haiti. Bring them the people and resources that they need to recover from this mess. And give them hope that life will get better. But give them comfort until it does. Amen.
I don't usually watch much of the news. It depresses me. Or it's just nothing that interests me (i.e. political). Or we're watching Curious George instead. But the last couple nights, I have been giving Leah a bath at 5:30 and have watched the NBC Nightly News.
To say that my heart is broken is an understatement. The piles of dead bodies burning because there is no room left in the cemetery. The injured babies lying in their mothers' arms. The babies who are now orphans because their parents didn't survive. The utter despair in a husband's eyes as he searches for his wife. And the numbers. Oh, the numbers. 40,000 buried already. At least 100,000 dead. It's incomprehensible.
This country first captured my heart 12 years ago. And even though it's now been six years since I've been there in person, it doesn't take long for everything to come back to me. Just watching Brian Williams walking down the street, I can practically smell the combination of sewage and something burning. I can see the faces of the abandoned babies at the orphanage. I can see the Hotel Montana, where we enjoyed an afternoon swim, and which Ron Allen made mention of on the news tonight. I can see people walking around with nowhere to go. Just walking. As I'm sure they're doing now.
God, bless Haiti. Bring them the people and resources that they need to recover from this mess. And give them hope that life will get better. But give them comfort until it does. Amen.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
My beautiful children
I know I'm a little biased, but come ON. These are pretty cute kids.
At Target last weekend, Jack spotted a shaving kit "just like daddy's." Dan got a shaving brush and new razor for Christmas, and Jack was SO excited to find this Disney Cars set just like Dan's. And Mom was glad that it was on clearance for $2.48. :)
And Leah got a bath tonight. Since birth, it's been her absolute favorite thing in the world. She just recently graduated from the plastic over-the-sink bath to the kitchen sink. She loves it. And so do I!
"Look at my teeth!"
"I can buzz my lips!"
"I like to eat my toes!"
My sweet 6-month-old will get her first taste of solid food tomorrow night. Stay tuned for pictures!
At Target last weekend, Jack spotted a shaving kit "just like daddy's." Dan got a shaving brush and new razor for Christmas, and Jack was SO excited to find this Disney Cars set just like Dan's. And Mom was glad that it was on clearance for $2.48. :)
And Leah got a bath tonight. Since birth, it's been her absolute favorite thing in the world. She just recently graduated from the plastic over-the-sink bath to the kitchen sink. She loves it. And so do I!
"Look at my teeth!"
"I can buzz my lips!"
"I like to eat my toes!"
My sweet 6-month-old will get her first taste of solid food tomorrow night. Stay tuned for pictures!
Monday, January 11, 2010
SIX months
Leah,
I'm rather ashamed that I haven't blogged a THING since your last monthly letter. I mean, sure. We had Christmas and stuff, but still. I should at least be getting pictures up here! But, wait. There's a good excuse for that. For one, we've had a new fancy camera for about a month. But I just got the lesson on it from your father this past weekend. I mean, I could take a decent picture, but now I know how to get pictures from the camera onto the computer and everything. So all of our Christmas pictures are just waiting to be seen. Of course, I could post some pictures from our old camera, except that I can't. All of those pictures are on the other computer, which decided to just stop working last week. It won't turn on. It won't even pretend. I'm doing really well and not freaking out. Except that I AM freaking out! There are 4 years' worth of pictures on that computer! But the wonderful people at the Geek Squad are going to help us out, God willing.
Anyway, on to the task at hand. You are officially halfway to your first birthday. Six whole months! It's insane to think that six months ago, I was sitting in a hospital bed holding my brand new baby girl. You were still kind of icky (or as Mimi would say, you still had "placenta head"). But you were so precious. And big. And beautiful. Sometimes those first days feel like just last week. But sometimes I realize all we've gone through to make it six months, and it feels much longer. Like years. Well, maybe not years. But close.
At six months, you have mastered sitting up and are moving toward crawling. And when you're propped up, you can stand for a little while. But the other day you were standing and fell flat on your butt. You looked at me like, "That wasn't very fun." But you've got ample padding in that area, so you were just fine. :) You've still just got the two bottom teeth, although I know you're working on more down there. I can see white! I just can't feel anything yet. And gosh, you love biting anything in site. Everything goes straight in your mouth! Which is fine when it's your toy or burp cloth. Not so much when it's mom's shirt in the middle of church or Jack's crayon when he needs it.
So, now that you're six months, you'll be eating real food! We'll probably give you something really exciting this week--like rice cereal. Yum! I think you're going to like this eating thing. I mean, you've liked eating since you were born, but this is going to involve sitting in a high chair and taking it from a spoon.
I'm a little afraid to talk about sleep. You see, you've actually begun (GASP!) sleeping better. Last night, you did get up around 1:00am, but the two nights before that, you slept 10 hours straight. It was glorious. Of course I didn't sleep 10 hours straight because you go to bed at 6:00pm, but it was still just lovely. I am very excited about this new "normal." (fingers crossed....).
I'm really excited that you're six months old, but I'm also kind of sad! It means that you're getting farther and farther away from all those "baby" things. And I'm so looking forward to everything ahead, but sometimes I miss little things. Like the first time you looked at me and smiled--not because you were gassy or dreaming, but because you recognized me and it made you happy. Or how your tiny (well, it's all relative) body fit into newborn clothes. You know, for the whole first week or so of your life. Yeah, I never really had a tiny baby. ;)
Love you, dear girl! Happy half birthday. Here's to the second half of this momentous first year!
Love,
Mama
I'm rather ashamed that I haven't blogged a THING since your last monthly letter. I mean, sure. We had Christmas and stuff, but still. I should at least be getting pictures up here! But, wait. There's a good excuse for that. For one, we've had a new fancy camera for about a month. But I just got the lesson on it from your father this past weekend. I mean, I could take a decent picture, but now I know how to get pictures from the camera onto the computer and everything. So all of our Christmas pictures are just waiting to be seen. Of course, I could post some pictures from our old camera, except that I can't. All of those pictures are on the other computer, which decided to just stop working last week. It won't turn on. It won't even pretend. I'm doing really well and not freaking out. Except that I AM freaking out! There are 4 years' worth of pictures on that computer! But the wonderful people at the Geek Squad are going to help us out, God willing.
Anyway, on to the task at hand. You are officially halfway to your first birthday. Six whole months! It's insane to think that six months ago, I was sitting in a hospital bed holding my brand new baby girl. You were still kind of icky (or as Mimi would say, you still had "placenta head"). But you were so precious. And big. And beautiful. Sometimes those first days feel like just last week. But sometimes I realize all we've gone through to make it six months, and it feels much longer. Like years. Well, maybe not years. But close.
At six months, you have mastered sitting up and are moving toward crawling. And when you're propped up, you can stand for a little while. But the other day you were standing and fell flat on your butt. You looked at me like, "That wasn't very fun." But you've got ample padding in that area, so you were just fine. :) You've still just got the two bottom teeth, although I know you're working on more down there. I can see white! I just can't feel anything yet. And gosh, you love biting anything in site. Everything goes straight in your mouth! Which is fine when it's your toy or burp cloth. Not so much when it's mom's shirt in the middle of church or Jack's crayon when he needs it.
So, now that you're six months, you'll be eating real food! We'll probably give you something really exciting this week--like rice cereal. Yum! I think you're going to like this eating thing. I mean, you've liked eating since you were born, but this is going to involve sitting in a high chair and taking it from a spoon.
I'm a little afraid to talk about sleep. You see, you've actually begun (GASP!) sleeping better. Last night, you did get up around 1:00am, but the two nights before that, you slept 10 hours straight. It was glorious. Of course I didn't sleep 10 hours straight because you go to bed at 6:00pm, but it was still just lovely. I am very excited about this new "normal." (fingers crossed....).
I'm really excited that you're six months old, but I'm also kind of sad! It means that you're getting farther and farther away from all those "baby" things. And I'm so looking forward to everything ahead, but sometimes I miss little things. Like the first time you looked at me and smiled--not because you were gassy or dreaming, but because you recognized me and it made you happy. Or how your tiny (well, it's all relative) body fit into newborn clothes. You know, for the whole first week or so of your life. Yeah, I never really had a tiny baby. ;)
Love you, dear girl! Happy half birthday. Here's to the second half of this momentous first year!
Love,
Mama
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
five-ish months
Leah,
Oops! I knew you turned 5 months last Friday. But I kind of forgot that I was supposed to do this. I mean, it's the holidays and we're busy. Forgive me.
Ah, five months. Such a sweet, sweet age. You're smiling and laughing and "talking" at everything. Adorable. Just today, you were sitting in the exersaucer and I told Jack to entertain you while I ran some laundry downstairs (sometimes it feels like laundry is all I do all day, Leah). When I came back up, you were CRACKING UP at whatever he was doing! And he was just drumming on some of the toys on your exersaucer. But you thought he was freaking hilarious! Your laugh is such an amazing sound. And you're quite stingy with the giggles. Please keep them coming.
You have officially graduated to your new car seat! You probably would have technically fit in the infant carrier until you turned one, but there was no WAY I was going to carry you around for another seven months. Not when you're already pushing 18 pounds and breaking my back. I love you, but honey, you're kind of heavy. Now, I still have to carry you, but it's much easier with just you in my arms! So, this new car seat is kind of a big deal. I pretty much fell in love with it before you were even born. I'm kind of a nerd, but it's great. It will keep you rear-facing up to 40 pounds! Amazing! And 5-point-harnessed to 65 pounds! Amazing again! But you don't care. You care that it's brown and pink and super cute.
Unfortunately, you have your first little cold right now. Just a crusty little nose. Lovely. You're also sneezing and Jack is coughing, so I'm really hoping it doesn't get worse for you. You've already let me know how much you despise my wiping your nose. And all of this congestion junk is making your already terrible nighttime sleep even worse. So I'm a little tired. A lot tired. Leah, I'm losing-my-mind tired.
Christmas is next week! Your first Christmas. Pretty exciting! Except that it will just feel like any other normal day to you. We, your brilliant parents, have taken advantage of that fact and purchased really practical gifts for you. A new car seat. A few new cloth diapers. Some clothes. I am really looking forward to a few years down the road when you are as obsessed with some girly disney princess or something as your brother is with Spiderman. Shopping will be more fun. :)
Well, I've been working on this on and off for a few days now. And it's 10:30 and you just woke up. So I think I'm going to be done now and go cuddle you. It's just about my favorite thing to do.
Love you,
Mom
Oops! I knew you turned 5 months last Friday. But I kind of forgot that I was supposed to do this. I mean, it's the holidays and we're busy. Forgive me.
Ah, five months. Such a sweet, sweet age. You're smiling and laughing and "talking" at everything. Adorable. Just today, you were sitting in the exersaucer and I told Jack to entertain you while I ran some laundry downstairs (sometimes it feels like laundry is all I do all day, Leah). When I came back up, you were CRACKING UP at whatever he was doing! And he was just drumming on some of the toys on your exersaucer. But you thought he was freaking hilarious! Your laugh is such an amazing sound. And you're quite stingy with the giggles. Please keep them coming.
You have officially graduated to your new car seat! You probably would have technically fit in the infant carrier until you turned one, but there was no WAY I was going to carry you around for another seven months. Not when you're already pushing 18 pounds and breaking my back. I love you, but honey, you're kind of heavy. Now, I still have to carry you, but it's much easier with just you in my arms! So, this new car seat is kind of a big deal. I pretty much fell in love with it before you were even born. I'm kind of a nerd, but it's great. It will keep you rear-facing up to 40 pounds! Amazing! And 5-point-harnessed to 65 pounds! Amazing again! But you don't care. You care that it's brown and pink and super cute.
Unfortunately, you have your first little cold right now. Just a crusty little nose. Lovely. You're also sneezing and Jack is coughing, so I'm really hoping it doesn't get worse for you. You've already let me know how much you despise my wiping your nose. And all of this congestion junk is making your already terrible nighttime sleep even worse. So I'm a little tired. A lot tired. Leah, I'm losing-my-mind tired.
Christmas is next week! Your first Christmas. Pretty exciting! Except that it will just feel like any other normal day to you. We, your brilliant parents, have taken advantage of that fact and purchased really practical gifts for you. A new car seat. A few new cloth diapers. Some clothes. I am really looking forward to a few years down the road when you are as obsessed with some girly disney princess or something as your brother is with Spiderman. Shopping will be more fun. :)
Well, I've been working on this on and off for a few days now. And it's 10:30 and you just woke up. So I think I'm going to be done now and go cuddle you. It's just about my favorite thing to do.
Love you,
Mom
Monday, December 07, 2009
Whoa! Scary.
I bought something called Earth Balance at Cub last night. It's a vegan "buttery spread." :) Anyway, I took a stick out of the package today and couldn't help but noticed the little stamped date on the end of the box.
SEP2210.
At first glance, doesn't it look like this stuff is going to be good for another 200 years? :) But clearly, it must mean September 22, 2010. Then I realized that it's already weird that it's good for another 10 months. But I'm not going to think about that for too long. Instead I'm going to enjoy the fact that I can make a semi-normal dairy-free cookie!
SEP2210.
At first glance, doesn't it look like this stuff is going to be good for another 200 years? :) But clearly, it must mean September 22, 2010. Then I realized that it's already weird that it's good for another 10 months. But I'm not going to think about that for too long. Instead I'm going to enjoy the fact that I can make a semi-normal dairy-free cookie!
Monday, November 30, 2009
My sweet boy
I was walking down the hall after putting Leah to bed and noticed something odd in Jack's room.
Yeah, he's in a laundry basket. I grabbed the camera and took this. He caught me, though, so I made him pose for this one:
Reading in a laundry basket. Crazy kid. He told me it was comfortable because he added a pillow. Well, I hope so, because 15 minutes later, he was out cold.
Don't you just want to eat him up?
Yeah, he's in a laundry basket. I grabbed the camera and took this. He caught me, though, so I made him pose for this one:
Reading in a laundry basket. Crazy kid. He told me it was comfortable because he added a pillow. Well, I hope so, because 15 minutes later, he was out cold.
Don't you just want to eat him up?
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Bad news.
I reintroduced dairy on Thanksgiving. It was glorious. Especially when I realized the only thing I could have eaten was the turkey. :) So I continued to eat normally--not totally indulging on dairy, but not avoiding it either. I've been meticulously checking Leah's diapers and they've been fine.
Until this morning. If I was inspecting so closely, I probably wouldn't have even seen it. But it was there. Two little streaks of blood. Just like they looked a month ago when they first appeared.
Shoot! It's totally worth it, but I'm bummed. :(
Until this morning. If I was inspecting so closely, I probably wouldn't have even seen it. But it was there. Two little streaks of blood. Just like they looked a month ago when they first appeared.
Shoot! It's totally worth it, but I'm bummed. :(
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Thankful for Thanksgiving
A month ago when I embarked on this dairy-free journey, I immediately thought about the upcoming holidays and what I'd have to eat. Well, more accurately, what I'd have to MISS. Like, everything. Sure, there are dairy-free substitutes for LOTS of things, but it's just not the same. I have absolutely no holiday traditions involving soy milk and dairy-free "buttery spread."
Well, at Leah's 4-month-appointment last week (which was also technically her follow-up appointment for this dairy-free business), the doctor was very pleased that the blood in her diaper left so quickly and hasn't been back. He said that, combined with the fact that she didn't have any other symptoms (more fussy, hard tummy, etc) meant that this probably wasn't a dairy issue. So he said I could go ahead and reintroduce dairy if I wanted and just take it from there. If the blood stays away, we're fine. If not, then the problem is most definitely a dairy issue.
So I could have reintroduced dairy last week when we got the green light. But I didn't. I am waiting until this Thursday to reintroduce. That way I can eat totally normal Thanksgiving food. No fake milk, butter, or anything. I'm excited.
Of course I'm thankful for more than just Thanksgiving food. Like my wonderful husband and beautiful, healthy kids. And a warm, safe home. And so much more.
Happy Thanksgiving, blogworld!
Well, at Leah's 4-month-appointment last week (which was also technically her follow-up appointment for this dairy-free business), the doctor was very pleased that the blood in her diaper left so quickly and hasn't been back. He said that, combined with the fact that she didn't have any other symptoms (more fussy, hard tummy, etc) meant that this probably wasn't a dairy issue. So he said I could go ahead and reintroduce dairy if I wanted and just take it from there. If the blood stays away, we're fine. If not, then the problem is most definitely a dairy issue.
So I could have reintroduced dairy last week when we got the green light. But I didn't. I am waiting until this Thursday to reintroduce. That way I can eat totally normal Thanksgiving food. No fake milk, butter, or anything. I'm excited.
Of course I'm thankful for more than just Thanksgiving food. Like my wonderful husband and beautiful, healthy kids. And a warm, safe home. And so much more.
Happy Thanksgiving, blogworld!
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
four months
Leah,
WHAT? You're FOUR months? Who on EARTH let you turn FOUR MONTHS? Seriously, this is all just going so fast. But I'm loving every moment of it (well, most every moment), so don't stop. I'm sure you're just going to get cuter and more irresistible.
I was just telling someone the other day that I looked back at some pictures from our trip to the cabin this past August, and you don't even look like the same baby! You were so tiny (well, it's all relative) and looked so much more like a BABY. Now you look like a little GIRL! And you just keep growing. You seem to outgrow clothes in a matter of weeks. Which is probably good because they're all terribly spit-up stained by then anyway. :) Yes, you are definitely following in your brother's footsteps with your spitting up. I'm just hoping you outgrow it around six months like he did!
I had the depressing realization yesterday that I haven't had a decent night's sleep in four months. Let's do something about that, shall we? Like, I don't know, stay asleep longer than three hours at a time? Please? Pretty please? More sleep might just make me an even BETTER mom! Oh, whatever. You'll get there. And I'm sure pretty soon I'll miss your cuddly little body next to mine in the middle of the night when you decide you want to stay in your crib all by yourself.
This month marked your first Halloween! You weren't impressed. You were a very cute little pumpkin! But you hardly stayed awake to witness much trick-or-treating. I think next year will be much more exciting!
Now we're getting excited for your first Thanksgiving. Not that it will be much different than any other day for you, other than some extra guests. And you'll get to watch us eat all kinds of yummy food. Sorry, we can't share it with you just yet. You're staying on the same diet for a couple more months. Speaking of which, we're conducting a little experiment. You seemed to have a little intestinal distress, so I'm cutting all dairy out of my diet. The distress seems to have disappeared, which makes me a little sad because the dairy-free diet kind of stinks. The doctor would like me to try reintroducing dairy in a few weeks, just to makes sure that, and not just a small tear, was the cause of some blood in your diaper. So, in the next few weeks, could you PLEASE decide that you DO like dairy and that your intestinal system CAN handle milk products? Because, seriously, it's in everything. Hot dog buns. Hot dog buns, Leah!
I think you're becoming more aware of your brother. I'm not sure what took you so long--he's been cupping your cheeks and kissing your face since the day you were born. And every time you wake up from a nap, he wants to come give you a hug and a kiss! But now you're really responding to him--smiles and laughs--and it totally makes his day! "Mommy, Leah smiled at me!" I mean, we ALL get excited when you smile and laugh. It's priceless. :)
Until next month, sweet baby! Love you lots and lots.
Mom
WHAT? You're FOUR months? Who on EARTH let you turn FOUR MONTHS? Seriously, this is all just going so fast. But I'm loving every moment of it (well, most every moment), so don't stop. I'm sure you're just going to get cuter and more irresistible.
I was just telling someone the other day that I looked back at some pictures from our trip to the cabin this past August, and you don't even look like the same baby! You were so tiny (well, it's all relative) and looked so much more like a BABY. Now you look like a little GIRL! And you just keep growing. You seem to outgrow clothes in a matter of weeks. Which is probably good because they're all terribly spit-up stained by then anyway. :) Yes, you are definitely following in your brother's footsteps with your spitting up. I'm just hoping you outgrow it around six months like he did!
I had the depressing realization yesterday that I haven't had a decent night's sleep in four months. Let's do something about that, shall we? Like, I don't know, stay asleep longer than three hours at a time? Please? Pretty please? More sleep might just make me an even BETTER mom! Oh, whatever. You'll get there. And I'm sure pretty soon I'll miss your cuddly little body next to mine in the middle of the night when you decide you want to stay in your crib all by yourself.
This month marked your first Halloween! You weren't impressed. You were a very cute little pumpkin! But you hardly stayed awake to witness much trick-or-treating. I think next year will be much more exciting!
Now we're getting excited for your first Thanksgiving. Not that it will be much different than any other day for you, other than some extra guests. And you'll get to watch us eat all kinds of yummy food. Sorry, we can't share it with you just yet. You're staying on the same diet for a couple more months. Speaking of which, we're conducting a little experiment. You seemed to have a little intestinal distress, so I'm cutting all dairy out of my diet. The distress seems to have disappeared, which makes me a little sad because the dairy-free diet kind of stinks. The doctor would like me to try reintroducing dairy in a few weeks, just to makes sure that, and not just a small tear, was the cause of some blood in your diaper. So, in the next few weeks, could you PLEASE decide that you DO like dairy and that your intestinal system CAN handle milk products? Because, seriously, it's in everything. Hot dog buns. Hot dog buns, Leah!
I think you're becoming more aware of your brother. I'm not sure what took you so long--he's been cupping your cheeks and kissing your face since the day you were born. And every time you wake up from a nap, he wants to come give you a hug and a kiss! But now you're really responding to him--smiles and laughs--and it totally makes his day! "Mommy, Leah smiled at me!" I mean, we ALL get excited when you smile and laugh. It's priceless. :)
Until next month, sweet baby! Love you lots and lots.
Mom
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Got milk?
Nope. It appears that Leah has a milk protein intolerance, so I've cut dairy out of my diet indefinitely. Or really, for as long as I want to keep nursing. And since the alternative is feeding her a SUPER expensive formula, I'm going to deal with the dairy-free diet.
Automatically, I thought, "Wow, I'm going to miss milk. And cheese. And yogurt." But then I realized just HOW MANY things have milk products in them. The great thing is that since milk is such a common allergen, it will be listed in bold underneath the ingredient list with any others (nuts, wheat, etc). So it's usually pretty easy to spot something I need to avoid. And I'm starting to get used to what I can have. For instance, some brands of spaghetti sauce have dairy and some don't. Some taco seasoning has it, some doesn't. Duncan Hines (cakes and brownie mixes) is about the only brand without dairy. Oreos don't have dairy. :)
Now, I love chocolate, but I never realized how much I count on a piece of chocolate (like a Dove promise or a few chocolate chips) after dinner. Well, most chocolate has milk. Even dark chocolate has "milk fat." (Sounds lovely, right?) But today at Target, I found this:
And it's awesome. No milk or milk fat or anything else dairy. Love it.
Automatically, I thought, "Wow, I'm going to miss milk. And cheese. And yogurt." But then I realized just HOW MANY things have milk products in them. The great thing is that since milk is such a common allergen, it will be listed in bold underneath the ingredient list with any others (nuts, wheat, etc). So it's usually pretty easy to spot something I need to avoid. And I'm starting to get used to what I can have. For instance, some brands of spaghetti sauce have dairy and some don't. Some taco seasoning has it, some doesn't. Duncan Hines (cakes and brownie mixes) is about the only brand without dairy. Oreos don't have dairy. :)
Now, I love chocolate, but I never realized how much I count on a piece of chocolate (like a Dove promise or a few chocolate chips) after dinner. Well, most chocolate has milk. Even dark chocolate has "milk fat." (Sounds lovely, right?) But today at Target, I found this:
And it's awesome. No milk or milk fat or anything else dairy. Love it.
Monday, November 02, 2009
You know you live with a 3 1/2-year-old boy when....
This is a shelf down by the cat's food and water bowls. I found this set-up when I went to feed Lucy yesterday morning.
And yes, that's some weird all-black Spiderman. Likely a Happy Meal toy at some point.I do love this kid's imagination. He's definitely ALL boy. And I adore that about him. Although sometimes I wonder--amid the sword-wielding pirates and web-shooting spiderman--if he'll still be the sweet, compassionate boy who will be gentle with his sister and still hug his mom when he's thirteen.
But then he'll go and do something like this
and I decide that he's actually a pretty well-balanced kid. ;)
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Pet peeve
I hate when companies use incorrect grammar. You know, like the express line at Cub that allows "10 items or less" instead of "10 items or fewer." Well, I've got a new one, and I just can't believe it every time I see the commercial. Outback Steakhouse's new slogan is "Live Adventurous." Seriously. I kind of cringe. Mostly because, to me, it makes the company sound uneducated. Not that I pick my steakhouses based on their education level, but it's annoying. But also, having taught middle school reading and tried my darnedest to instill correct grammar into their little heads, it bugs me to see stuff like this. Because they're going to take anything "advertised" as correct. Bummer.
p.s. If you're driving yourself crazy trying to figure out what's wrong with the slogan, click here.
p.s. If you're driving yourself crazy trying to figure out what's wrong with the slogan, click here.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Why didn't anyone tell me?
My little "blurb" under my picture to the left still said something about baby #2 making its debut sometime this summer. Yup, that has passed. Baby #2 is now a beautiful 3 1/2 month old darling girl. :) Glad I fixed it! And a new picture for good measure.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Mmmmm.....snow in October.
Actually, I think it's quite depressing, but Jack loves it. He is pretty sure it means it's also Christmas, so that's a bummer. :)
We took a little trip to Once Upon a Child yesterday to get boots and snowpants. Jack has outgrown his gear from last year. Then we came home, put Leah to bed, and played outside. He was in his GLORY and didn't want to come in. In fact, when Leah woke up, I said he had to come in with me. He settled for continuing to play on the deck and raked the snow and leaves off. Crazy kid.
We took a little trip to Once Upon a Child yesterday to get boots and snowpants. Jack has outgrown his gear from last year. Then we came home, put Leah to bed, and played outside. He was in his GLORY and didn't want to come in. In fact, when Leah woke up, I said he had to come in with me. He settled for continuing to play on the deck and raked the snow and leaves off. Crazy kid.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
three months
Leah!
Look at me! I'm actually writing your letter ON your three-month birthday. Not a few days later. I can tell you're not impressed. Well, I am.
You're three months! Or, as I said to Mimi today, you're halfway to solid food! That sounds even weirder. You can't be one fourth of the way to your first birthday! It's going too fast! Slow down! Actually, you just get more delightful every day, so keep going. Your newest delightful feature is talking. Not that you're carrying on actual conversations with us or anything, but the sounds you make combined with your facial expressions are just to die for. You're so responsive, and I can tell you are actually trying to tell us something. It's just so sweet. I got to experience your first laugh a few weeks ago (you've been stingy with them since then, however), and it was the most amazing sound ever! It made my day. Of course, I couldn't replicate whatever I did that made you chuckle, and even if I could have, you probably wouldn't have found it funny again. You're fickle like that. :)
Sleep. You still don't like it, but I think we're getting somewhere. And we have MIMI to thank for it. All it took was Daddy and me going to a Twins game and dropping you and Jack off at Mimi and Poppa's house for the evening. Mimi miraculously got you to fall asleep on your own, on your belly, and you stayed that way for over three hours. You probably would have stayed there even longer if we hadn't gotten you up to take you home. But it's definitely started a good trend--you go down awake for naps and at bed and only fuss for a little bit. Your naps are starting to get a little longer too, which is nice. I just hope they start to affect your nighttime sleep because I'm tired. Although, I do secretly love bringing you back into bed with me when you wake up very early in the morning. It's cozy, especially now that it's a little chilly in the house. And you wake me up with that intoxicating chatting I mentioned. Oh, I could just eat you up!
I'm feeling kind of guilty for not getting out and enjoying a lot of warm summer days (all eight of them) because now it's FREEZING. I am still holding out hope for a nice, warm Indian summer. I won't hold my breath, but it would be awfully nice. Then we could enjoy our brand new stroller! Or maybe we'll just have to break it in next spring. :(
You certainly don't enjoy being in the car. I'm considering getting your next car seat soon, even though you won't need it for a few more months. Maybe you'd just like being a little more upright and seeing the world outside! But seriously, do you have to scream so loud when we're driving to Target? I mean, it's not like I'm going to leave you in the car. And it's not like you're just being crabby and the car ride is ill-timed, because as soon as I have you out, you're all, "Oh my GOSH, thank you for saving me from that God-forsaken vehicle!" and you stop whining and even offer a smile. Whatever, kid. It could be a lot worse than an '05 Honda Odyssey, let me tell you.
Well, my dear, it's another month in the record books. Er, the baby books. We have so much to look forward to in the next few, so I know you'll keep us on our toes! But thanks for everything you've already brought to our family. You're a beautiful girl.
Love,
Mama
Look at me! I'm actually writing your letter ON your three-month birthday. Not a few days later. I can tell you're not impressed. Well, I am.
You're three months! Or, as I said to Mimi today, you're halfway to solid food! That sounds even weirder. You can't be one fourth of the way to your first birthday! It's going too fast! Slow down! Actually, you just get more delightful every day, so keep going. Your newest delightful feature is talking. Not that you're carrying on actual conversations with us or anything, but the sounds you make combined with your facial expressions are just to die for. You're so responsive, and I can tell you are actually trying to tell us something. It's just so sweet. I got to experience your first laugh a few weeks ago (you've been stingy with them since then, however), and it was the most amazing sound ever! It made my day. Of course, I couldn't replicate whatever I did that made you chuckle, and even if I could have, you probably wouldn't have found it funny again. You're fickle like that. :)
Sleep. You still don't like it, but I think we're getting somewhere. And we have MIMI to thank for it. All it took was Daddy and me going to a Twins game and dropping you and Jack off at Mimi and Poppa's house for the evening. Mimi miraculously got you to fall asleep on your own, on your belly, and you stayed that way for over three hours. You probably would have stayed there even longer if we hadn't gotten you up to take you home. But it's definitely started a good trend--you go down awake for naps and at bed and only fuss for a little bit. Your naps are starting to get a little longer too, which is nice. I just hope they start to affect your nighttime sleep because I'm tired. Although, I do secretly love bringing you back into bed with me when you wake up very early in the morning. It's cozy, especially now that it's a little chilly in the house. And you wake me up with that intoxicating chatting I mentioned. Oh, I could just eat you up!
I'm feeling kind of guilty for not getting out and enjoying a lot of warm summer days (all eight of them) because now it's FREEZING. I am still holding out hope for a nice, warm Indian summer. I won't hold my breath, but it would be awfully nice. Then we could enjoy our brand new stroller! Or maybe we'll just have to break it in next spring. :(
You certainly don't enjoy being in the car. I'm considering getting your next car seat soon, even though you won't need it for a few more months. Maybe you'd just like being a little more upright and seeing the world outside! But seriously, do you have to scream so loud when we're driving to Target? I mean, it's not like I'm going to leave you in the car. And it's not like you're just being crabby and the car ride is ill-timed, because as soon as I have you out, you're all, "Oh my GOSH, thank you for saving me from that God-forsaken vehicle!" and you stop whining and even offer a smile. Whatever, kid. It could be a lot worse than an '05 Honda Odyssey, let me tell you.
Well, my dear, it's another month in the record books. Er, the baby books. We have so much to look forward to in the next few, so I know you'll keep us on our toes! But thanks for everything you've already brought to our family. You're a beautiful girl.
Love,
Mama
Monday, October 05, 2009
My favorite boy
Around 3:00 this afternoon, I ventured into Jack's room to let him know he could come out. Well, he had fallen asleep, so I let him keep sleeping. But before I turned around to leave, I noticed something on his face. Oh, dear. He'd been coloring a Spiderman picture before getting in bed and it appeared he decided to take the red marker to his own face.
I had to leave the room because I couldn't stop laughing. Then, of course, I grabbed the camera to document it. When he finally did wake up almost an hour later, I said, "So, what did you do to your face?"
"I colored. I want to be like Spiderman in my picture."
Of course you do, buddy. Of course you do. :)
I had to leave the room because I couldn't stop laughing. Then, of course, I grabbed the camera to document it. When he finally did wake up almost an hour later, I said, "So, what did you do to your face?"
"I colored. I want to be like Spiderman in my picture."
Of course you do, buddy. Of course you do. :)
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