I am down with a pretty bad cold at the moment. We've been sick for months it seems and I don't think Noah's lack of sleeping is helping me much. Last night I was also awakened by a little darling girl named Abigail. She came up at midnight saying she was having a hard time sleeping. I was so congested and had just been up with Noah (for his ever 2 hour awakenings) so I just said, "Please go back to bed". She got a hug and did what I asked.
Then she also came up at 4:45 am. She woke me up and said to me . . .
"Mama, I was just laying there in my bed and I heard my underwear fall off."
Ha!
So I followed her down to her room and sure enough, she was not wearing underwear.
I helped her get some on and put her back to bed and didn't hear from her until 8 am.
I asked her about it again this morning and she said that her underwear fell off because she had been getting ready to take a bath and they had gotten a little wet. I felt the "old" underwear (which I found in her bed) last night and they weren't wet and neither was the bed.
I told her she must have been dreaming!
Funny girl!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Dearest Beautiful Bouncing Baby Boy
Dearest Sweetest Darling Nine-month-old Boy,
You are my joy, my sweetness, my kissable one. I love seeing you all hours of the day and night. But, if you would, ever so kindly, perhaps learn to sleep a little more at night?! I love looking at your wee little bonnie face as you sleep in my arms during the midnight hours, however, I'd much prefer to only see you once or twice, maybe, instead of your usual four times and last night I saw it six times.
You see, you have these adorable other little people in your life called your sisters. They need my attention too. They need my patience and a gentle yet firm mother and to be quite honest, my boy, a lot of those wonderful qualities don't come naturally to me. Which means, when I'm lacking sleep, which I am so often doing, I find myself running short, particularly with your darling lovely sisters. It is not their fault, you see. They sleep at night (usually).
So if you would help me out on this, pretty please. Perhaps it is my fault for still insisting that I rock you to sleep and nurse you to sleep when you wake a night but you're my last little darling baby and I savor those times. Help me savor them more by sleeping better! Your daddy thinks that I need to let you cry and at some point, he's going to get his way if I keep complaining about sleep!! :)
I love you more than words can say. You will never be far from my thoughts and prayers each day even as you grow older. Know that my love for you will never change. Know that you'll always be welcome home with open arms. Know that Jesus Christ loves you more than I do (unimaginable, I know!). You are a loved and spoiled on little boy who brings us immense joy! I mean look at that picture! Makes me want to go wake you from your nap and kiss you because I know that someday that won't be as "cool" to do.
Sleepily yours,
Your Mama
You are my joy, my sweetness, my kissable one. I love seeing you all hours of the day and night. But, if you would, ever so kindly, perhaps learn to sleep a little more at night?! I love looking at your wee little bonnie face as you sleep in my arms during the midnight hours, however, I'd much prefer to only see you once or twice, maybe, instead of your usual four times and last night I saw it six times.
You see, you have these adorable other little people in your life called your sisters. They need my attention too. They need my patience and a gentle yet firm mother and to be quite honest, my boy, a lot of those wonderful qualities don't come naturally to me. Which means, when I'm lacking sleep, which I am so often doing, I find myself running short, particularly with your darling lovely sisters. It is not their fault, you see. They sleep at night (usually).
So if you would help me out on this, pretty please. Perhaps it is my fault for still insisting that I rock you to sleep and nurse you to sleep when you wake a night but you're my last little darling baby and I savor those times. Help me savor them more by sleeping better! Your daddy thinks that I need to let you cry and at some point, he's going to get his way if I keep complaining about sleep!! :)
I love you more than words can say. You will never be far from my thoughts and prayers each day even as you grow older. Know that my love for you will never change. Know that you'll always be welcome home with open arms. Know that Jesus Christ loves you more than I do (unimaginable, I know!). You are a loved and spoiled on little boy who brings us immense joy! I mean look at that picture! Makes me want to go wake you from your nap and kiss you because I know that someday that won't be as "cool" to do.
Sleepily yours,
Your Mama
Monday, February 06, 2012
Splashing Frenzy!
My little boy is a splashing maniac! See???!!!
We're all on the mend from our colds around here. Noah and Elsie still have slight coughs and runny noses but I can tell they are starting to feel better. I know that my kids will get sick. That is inevitable but I just want a break now! A few weeks . . .please!!! The kids all started some immunity boosting drops from our doctor tonight so I hope they help (and that I didn't waste my money!).
Enjoy the video and my darling little happy bundle of baby love!!
Friday, February 03, 2012
Happy 4th Birthday Abigail
Dear Sweet Princess,
It's your 4th birthday (well the day after, actually)! How did you get so old, girly? You are such a precious joy to me.
You love to help! You love to help cook and clean. You love to especially help take care of the "babies". You frequently ask me to "watch my Noey for a while" so you can do something else. Ha ha! You love to take care of Elsie too (most of the time). Tonight when you were opening your presents she wanted your new purse. Instead of screaming at her and ripping it away, you found another little purse she could have and distracted her with that purse and said "Here you go sweetie". You are so loving!
You are a girly girl! You love to dress up. You have recently discovered princesses and dancing! Your favorite thing is dresses that sparkle and balloon out when you twirl! You are very smart too. You have jumped right into your dance class and can keep up well with the other girls even though you started at the midway point.
You love geography and maps. You love to figure out where people live and talk about visiting them.You love playing outside, although it's rather cold for that right now.
You're still not the best sleeper. You will still wake us up often needing something or not being able to sleep but you're getting better. You eat what I cook but you still don't like to feed yourself and often ask for "help". We're working on that!
You are so tall. You are wearing a size 6 or size 7 clothes!
Abigail, I want you to know how much I love you and how much Jesus loves you. Never forget the ultimate sacrifice that He made for you by dying for your sins on the cross. My prayer for you is that you live a purposeful life, one that is in fulfillment of the purpose God created you for. He created you and He created you such a special little being! I can't wait to help you grow along the way and discover the many wonderful gifts He has blessed you with.
Love,
Your Momma
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Sick of sick!
I am so sick of sickness. Elsie caught a cold two weeks ago and shared it with the rest of us. She seemed better this weekend but now her nose is running more, has a nasty cough and fever. Noah is coughing again too. Ugh!
Might be heading to the doctor tomorrow - Abigail's birthday!
I am so ready for summer!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Failure?
Oi! I'm trying not to feel like a failure. Let me back up a little bit. After Abigail was born, I waited approximately 11 months and then got frustrated with my weight and joined Weight Watchers. I lost about 10 pounds in that first month and then discovered I was pregnant (surprise!). I was bummed but I knew that I could do it again.
Fast forward a year or so. Elsie is born and I gave myself two months. After the two month mark, I joined again. This time I lost 35 pounds! I felt great and much more comfortable in my own skin. It took me probably five or six months to lose that weight.
I think you know how the story goes . . . yep that's right . . . surprise, pregnant again! I was at my lowest weight starting a pregnancy and felt great. After Noah was 4 weeks old, I joined Weight Watchers again.
I was able to lose 20 pounds, give or take, from my initial signing up but the rest of it just will not budge. I haven't really lost any since October and since I'm thrifty (ha!) I can't stand spending the money on a program that isn't really working.
I canceled my membership tonight. It feels weird and scary and freeing! I'm still planning on weighing in once a week to keep myself in check. If I start gaining, I'll probably sign up again. If I can maintain then I will probably just wait until my life isn't so hectic and then concentrate on it again later. I know that's the reason why. I'm literally so focused on wiping noses, and behinds, and laundry, and cooking, that it leaves very little time for tracking food. Thankfully I have found that attending exercise classes is a great way to burn off some of my daily frustration and have really enjoyed those so I'm sure I'll keep that up.
Hope I can maintain (or even lose!) and then when the time is right I can get focused and back on track!!
Fast forward a year or so. Elsie is born and I gave myself two months. After the two month mark, I joined again. This time I lost 35 pounds! I felt great and much more comfortable in my own skin. It took me probably five or six months to lose that weight.
I think you know how the story goes . . . yep that's right . . . surprise, pregnant again! I was at my lowest weight starting a pregnancy and felt great. After Noah was 4 weeks old, I joined Weight Watchers again.
I was able to lose 20 pounds, give or take, from my initial signing up but the rest of it just will not budge. I haven't really lost any since October and since I'm thrifty (ha!) I can't stand spending the money on a program that isn't really working.
I canceled my membership tonight. It feels weird and scary and freeing! I'm still planning on weighing in once a week to keep myself in check. If I start gaining, I'll probably sign up again. If I can maintain then I will probably just wait until my life isn't so hectic and then concentrate on it again later. I know that's the reason why. I'm literally so focused on wiping noses, and behinds, and laundry, and cooking, that it leaves very little time for tracking food. Thankfully I have found that attending exercise classes is a great way to burn off some of my daily frustration and have really enjoyed those so I'm sure I'll keep that up.
Hope I can maintain (or even lose!) and then when the time is right I can get focused and back on track!!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Survival!
We've been passing around colds in our family. It seems that any little thing like this put me right back into survival mode!
I did manage to make a batch of banana bread loaves this morning but that's the first cooking that I've done all week.
I have got to find something to make for dinner tonight!
Someday they'll all be gone and I'll be able to enjoy being sick alone. (Really, enjoy it, folks with no little kids. Being able to lay down on the couch and sleep?! Amazing). For now I'm plugging along.
I did manage to make a batch of banana bread loaves this morning but that's the first cooking that I've done all week.
I have got to find something to make for dinner tonight!
Someday they'll all be gone and I'll be able to enjoy being sick alone. (Really, enjoy it, folks with no little kids. Being able to lay down on the couch and sleep?! Amazing). For now I'm plugging along.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Love Note Books
I don't remember where I got this idea. Whether I came up with it or I happened to glace at a blog or website and think of it is a mystery. I had the idea to create each one of my children a 'love notes' book.
I have been wanting to order these books for some time and since I had a little Christmas money to play around with I went ahead and ordered these.
I have written lots of notes to my kids on my blog and will continue to do so but they are scattered throughout other random rumblings and ramblings that my kids may not want to read through some day. Each book has a picture of me and each child and each one says Dear (Insert Name) Love, Mommy. I hope to fill them with notes to my precious kiddos on special occasions, like birthdays, church events, firsts, and so on, but I also hope to find the time to just sit down and jot notes to them on regular everyday kind of days to encourage them when they get older.
One day (one sad sad day) when my children leave home or get married - whenever I deem appropriate - I will give them this book to take with them so they will always have a physical reminder of my love with them.
After I had ordered the books, I saw a similar idea from a dad here: http://wearethatfamily.com/2012/01/the-letter-box/ if anyone is interested in that wonderful idea as well.
So . . . I'm going to get busy writing my letters!
P.S. I created and ordered these books from Snapfish.com but found many interesting websites that offered a wide variety of books. I wanted something hardcover but customizable. I'm very happy with them!!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Stepping Back
I received wonderful and wise advice from a fellow mom around the time I was due to have Noah. This mom had three kids of similar ages as mine.
Her primary advice was . . . no guilt . . . no pressure. Just take it easy and do what you have to do.
As moms, there is so much pressure to do this, put your child in this, be this way or that way when really only the parents know what is best for their own kids. I truly do believe this.
In some ways I have fallen off this bandwagon of "don't push yourself, enjoy this time" advice that I received 8 months ago . . . at least in my mind.
I feel like I should be more involved in this or that, etc. Giving more, being more, doing more. I remembered my sweet friend's advice a week or so ago and I'm back. Back to saying "no" if it really doesn't benefit my family or if it pushes the boundaries of what is safe and fun for all of us. After all, they're only going to be this young and needy once. My mission and my calling is single-minded and focused right now and that is to serve my family.
I love to life purposefully. I don't want to just agree to do activities and make plans because it isn't bad. Instead I'd rather only plan to do things that lift us up and encourage us to live our lives more fully for Christ!
What sort of things do you feel pressured to do to "keep up" with those around you? Or what have you said "no" to lately that has freed you up to just be still and enjoy life and the relationships around you?
Her primary advice was . . . no guilt . . . no pressure. Just take it easy and do what you have to do.
As moms, there is so much pressure to do this, put your child in this, be this way or that way when really only the parents know what is best for their own kids. I truly do believe this.
In some ways I have fallen off this bandwagon of "don't push yourself, enjoy this time" advice that I received 8 months ago . . . at least in my mind.
I feel like I should be more involved in this or that, etc. Giving more, being more, doing more. I remembered my sweet friend's advice a week or so ago and I'm back. Back to saying "no" if it really doesn't benefit my family or if it pushes the boundaries of what is safe and fun for all of us. After all, they're only going to be this young and needy once. My mission and my calling is single-minded and focused right now and that is to serve my family.
I love to life purposefully. I don't want to just agree to do activities and make plans because it isn't bad. Instead I'd rather only plan to do things that lift us up and encourage us to live our lives more fully for Christ!
What sort of things do you feel pressured to do to "keep up" with those around you? Or what have you said "no" to lately that has freed you up to just be still and enjoy life and the relationships around you?
Sunday, January 15, 2012
November Visit
I just realized that I'm pretty behind on events so I'm doing to post a few things to catch up on the last few months. In November, my family came to help celebrate Elsie's birthday. This was the only picture I took. Seriously! I'm terrible at taking pictures. Thankfully this shows my dad in all his grandkid glory!
Sure wish we could live closer and see everyone more often! We are planning to travel out there this summer for a nice visit!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Happy Birthday and Anniversary!
Just stopping by to wish a very Happy Birthday to my wonderful dad! Happy Birthday, Dad!
Also, Happy Anniversary to my in-law's!
And last . . . and yes . . . certainly least of all these, my dog turns 7 years old today. Happy Birthday, Dewey!
Also, Happy Anniversary to my in-law's!
And last . . . and yes . . . certainly least of all these, my dog turns 7 years old today. Happy Birthday, Dewey!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
8 months
Dear Noah,
Hi my little bundle of boy joy! You are now 8 months old (and 2 days but mommy's always behind these days!). You are crawling all over the place and have been for several weeks. You love getting into things. Your favorite destination is to crawl into Elsie's room. You must know that all the good toys are in there!
You are eating some baby food now. You've had bananas, avocados, peas, pears, and prunes. You eat what we give you but aren't terribly enthusiastic about food yet. That's okay. You are still a great nurser and you're obviously getting enough to eat . . . little chunk!
You are still not a very good sleeper. You are starting to get into a regular nap routine where you take two naps a day and sometimes still need a third. You go to bed around 8 pm every night but usually wake just to check on us about 1/2 hour after I put you to bed. Stinker boy! Most nights you only get up once or twice but sometimes it's more than that. As much as I love you and I love seeing your cute baby boy face, it is time for you to start sleeping better!
Noah, we love you so much. You are such a joy to all of us. Your big sisters love to play with you and take care of you. Abigail loves to "babysit" you and will often ask me if I can take a turn watching her "Noey". She feels so responsible for you! Elsie's new favorite thing is to have you come and play in her bed. She calls you "Noney (no knee)". She is becoming more gentle with you and will sit down to play with you too! You are the perfect addition to our family!
There are so many important things I want to say to you but I will try to space them out as you grow (because you're only 8 months old and yet you're already 8 months old!!). The most important thing that I want you to know, my boy, is that Jesus loves you. He died for you and He wants you in His family. As you grow, I hope you see our lives lived out to reflect that truth. I also want you to always remember that I will always love you and will always be there for you in whatever way you need the most. I'm aware (and kind of sad about, to be honest) of the fact that the way you need me will change over the years.
You are truly my "special blessing" that your daddy prayed for many months ago and although it took me awhile to admit it, I'm so glad he prayed that prayer!
I love you!
Mama
Monday, January 09, 2012
Hmmm?
So I was all geared up to blog today (with pictures!!) and blogger won't upload my photos. Bummer!
Relaxed day around here. My mother-in-law has the girls for part of the day so I have gotten a few extra things accomplished. I have mainly cleaned the living room and am going to try a new recipe for dinner tonight. Wish me luck. It is called Meatloaf and Potato Pileup. We'll see how well it goes over!
Hopefully some pictures and a proper post soon!!
Relaxed day around here. My mother-in-law has the girls for part of the day so I have gotten a few extra things accomplished. I have mainly cleaned the living room and am going to try a new recipe for dinner tonight. Wish me luck. It is called Meatloaf and Potato Pileup. We'll see how well it goes over!
Hopefully some pictures and a proper post soon!!
Friday, January 06, 2012
Happy New Year
I know . . . I'm six days late wishing you all a Happy New Year!
Oh well . . .
My days are changing with my kiddos changing. That is for sure!
The main thing right now is that Noah is crawling. He started crawling over Christmas break and he can really get anywhere he wants now! That means he either needs to be watched, in his Pack n' play or exersaucer when awake!
Speaking of being awake . . . the boy is still a TERRIBLE sleeper. Every night I put him down at about 8 pm and he falls asleep easily while nursing. I lay him in his crib and between 10 and 30 minutes later he will be up crying.
I know he's tired because if I give in and go rock him, he goes back to sleep. I've been letting him cry lately because . . . you know he's getting older! He should sleep more by now!
He always gets up at least one time per night. Two times is very common. Getting up more than two times per night seems to happen a few times a week. Last night he was up at 8:30 (after going down at 8), 10:30, 12:00 am, 3:20 am, 5:00 am, and awake for the day at 7:45 am.
This would be okay with me if he was a good napper but the boy usually only lasts 20 to 30 minutes on the naps. I'm not sure what to do at this point. With the third baby, you'd think I'd have the answers but each kid is different.
Surely he isn't getting more teeth! If he was then it would be his molars which really shouldn't come in for another 4 or 5 months!! I can't feel anything when I check his mouth so I just think he's in a bad habit at this point.
Elsie:
Oh my, Elsie. In some ways she is getting easier. She is finally FINALLY starting to communicate more . . . even if I'm the only one who understands her. The girl can throw a whale of a temper tantrum, though, and out-of-the-blue. This has definitely kept us from making too many public appearances with her, such as eating out, etc. If you live in our area and enjoy eating out once in a while, you can thank me for staying home. I'm sure she'd be screaming.
Abigail:
Abigail's main objective these days is to "take care of these babies" and most days she really does a wonderful job of helping me. She has her own sass however! She loves to help me cook. Loves to hang out with her dad, and loves to dance!
So, I'm hoping to set a goal for myself of blogging once a week or so but I'm taking the pressure off (of myself). I am kind of dense sometimes but am still realizing that I'm still just surviving around here in our current life state with many small children. I am saying "no" to anything that would distract my focus of taking care of my family in this season. I know it will pass much too quickly for me (it already is) and I just want to enjoy it!!
Oh well . . .
My days are changing with my kiddos changing. That is for sure!
The main thing right now is that Noah is crawling. He started crawling over Christmas break and he can really get anywhere he wants now! That means he either needs to be watched, in his Pack n' play or exersaucer when awake!
Speaking of being awake . . . the boy is still a TERRIBLE sleeper. Every night I put him down at about 8 pm and he falls asleep easily while nursing. I lay him in his crib and between 10 and 30 minutes later he will be up crying.
I know he's tired because if I give in and go rock him, he goes back to sleep. I've been letting him cry lately because . . . you know he's getting older! He should sleep more by now!
He always gets up at least one time per night. Two times is very common. Getting up more than two times per night seems to happen a few times a week. Last night he was up at 8:30 (after going down at 8), 10:30, 12:00 am, 3:20 am, 5:00 am, and awake for the day at 7:45 am.
This would be okay with me if he was a good napper but the boy usually only lasts 20 to 30 minutes on the naps. I'm not sure what to do at this point. With the third baby, you'd think I'd have the answers but each kid is different.
Surely he isn't getting more teeth! If he was then it would be his molars which really shouldn't come in for another 4 or 5 months!! I can't feel anything when I check his mouth so I just think he's in a bad habit at this point.
Elsie:
Oh my, Elsie. In some ways she is getting easier. She is finally FINALLY starting to communicate more . . . even if I'm the only one who understands her. The girl can throw a whale of a temper tantrum, though, and out-of-the-blue. This has definitely kept us from making too many public appearances with her, such as eating out, etc. If you live in our area and enjoy eating out once in a while, you can thank me for staying home. I'm sure she'd be screaming.
Abigail:
Abigail's main objective these days is to "take care of these babies" and most days she really does a wonderful job of helping me. She has her own sass however! She loves to help me cook. Loves to hang out with her dad, and loves to dance!
So, I'm hoping to set a goal for myself of blogging once a week or so but I'm taking the pressure off (of myself). I am kind of dense sometimes but am still realizing that I'm still just surviving around here in our current life state with many small children. I am saying "no" to anything that would distract my focus of taking care of my family in this season. I know it will pass much too quickly for me (it already is) and I just want to enjoy it!!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Crawling
Noah is crawling! He gets all over and can sit up by himself. He is 7 months and 3 weeks old. This means that nap times are about my only free time now! I know this is just a phase of life and so I'm making sure to enjoy my sweet little boy!
We had a great and very busy Christmas. Perhaps I will find the time in the next few weeks to write more!
Merry Christmas (late) to all and I pray the New Year brings you many blessings!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
What's in a blog . . . really?
Blogging used to be such a good outlet for me. I'd even write blogs in my head as I would go about my day. Now it seems to be tweets and Facebook statuses. Ha! I still want to keep this going because it is about the only place where my children's lives are successfully and consistently recorded. I want to keep that up but as they grow older and as lives change, I have found that expressing myself through blogging has to take a back seat to more of a "fun update" sort of blog.
Ya'll know what I mean??
Sigh.
So . . .
My kids are all growing like weeds. I need to download my pictures (soon, yes very soon!) and post some on here.
Abigail:
Comes up with some new and very silly things lately. She is so into dancing and ballet and is actually quite expressive at it! She gets her moves from Angelina Ballerina so I'm not sure how far she'll go but it is fun for now. Right now she loves to take care of the "babies" (Elsie and Noah), play with any electronic equipment (tablet computer, iPhone, computer, tv), dance, help me in the kitchen, and help me wrap Christmas presents! Yes, she is still just 3 years old and has moments that remind me of that. I tend to think she's older but she does throw fits for juice, going to bed, not getting to watch her TV show, etc. She has a tender and sweet spirit that I cherish each day!!
Elsie:
Oh my. Elsie Monster is an appropriate nickname. She is not a complete daredevil but is much more of one that Abigail ever was. Her new favorite thing is to sneak back over to the table after a meal (and before I've cleaned up) and climb on the table and eat leftovers!!! I have trained Abigail quite well to help clean off her plate so this minimizes this activity. Crazy girl. She got a concussion a few weeks ago from falling off a bench onto a tile floor backwards. She threw up once and then acted fine so we didn't take her to the ER. A few days after that she flipped off Abigail's bed and landed on her head. She was still fine.
She also loves, Dora, Elmo, and loves to dance like her sister. She is a GREAT sleeper and a pretty good eater. Many times I have caught myself saying "you have to eat something other than broccoli and fruit!!" A good problem to have, I guess.
She is still slower at her language skills than I imagined she would be at this point. She can get her point across but she hardly ever says a complete word. For instance she will say "buh buh" for her bunny or "Pah" for paci. She is starting to say more recognizable (by me) words.
Noah:
Oh my boy. He is now 7 months old. He has tried eating bananas (which he loves) and Avocado (which he tolerates). He still gets a healthy dose of mama's milk with each food and I'm not in a rush to push things in the food department.
He already has 5 (almost 6) teeth! I remember Abigail getting her top teeth in at about 11 months old and he already had four of them. I am not sure if this signifies anything or not - probably not. Maybe just that he'll be a good eater!!
He loves to get up on his hands and knees and pretend to crawl. He wants to go so badly but doesn't have the coordination yet to do it. He is still working on sitting up by himself and topples pretty easily. If I remember right from the girls, he'll need to master that skill before he really crawls around. He can get to toys he really wants, though.
He does not have the best sleep habits. For the last few weeks he's been teething, one tooth after another, and those nights are bad. He can get up anywhere from two to five times a night. Last night I think it was four. No wonder I can hardly write a coherant blog post! He usually gets up twice.
I am really hoping that he solves this sleep issue once this last tooth comes in. I am beginning to change my stance on letting babies cry (for long periods of time) and I don't want it to come to that. It's always an issue between Andrew and myself too. Andrew wants me to let him cry and I don't want to. Since I'm the one getting up, I guess I win that disagreement!! :)
Other than being extremely busy with little kids, we're doing fine. I have pretty much adjusted to being able to only do things in short two to five minute intervals. Switch the laundry, change a diaper, empty the top rack of the dishwasher, nurse the baby, pick up 5 toys, wipe the counter, change a diaper, sweep the floor. You get the idea.
Andrew is currently on a business trip in New York. It makes for some pretty long and exhausting days around here but we are surviving. I can definitely tell that dinner time is crazier. For some reason breakfast and lunch don't usually have the same fussiness attitude that dinner has so daddy is definitely missed!!
All for now. Hopefully I'll get around to some pictures soon. Who knew that with 3 kids under 3, life would get crazier before it got easier?!!
Ya'll know what I mean??
Sigh.
So . . .
My kids are all growing like weeds. I need to download my pictures (soon, yes very soon!) and post some on here.
Abigail:
Comes up with some new and very silly things lately. She is so into dancing and ballet and is actually quite expressive at it! She gets her moves from Angelina Ballerina so I'm not sure how far she'll go but it is fun for now. Right now she loves to take care of the "babies" (Elsie and Noah), play with any electronic equipment (tablet computer, iPhone, computer, tv), dance, help me in the kitchen, and help me wrap Christmas presents! Yes, she is still just 3 years old and has moments that remind me of that. I tend to think she's older but she does throw fits for juice, going to bed, not getting to watch her TV show, etc. She has a tender and sweet spirit that I cherish each day!!
Elsie:
Oh my. Elsie Monster is an appropriate nickname. She is not a complete daredevil but is much more of one that Abigail ever was. Her new favorite thing is to sneak back over to the table after a meal (and before I've cleaned up) and climb on the table and eat leftovers!!! I have trained Abigail quite well to help clean off her plate so this minimizes this activity. Crazy girl. She got a concussion a few weeks ago from falling off a bench onto a tile floor backwards. She threw up once and then acted fine so we didn't take her to the ER. A few days after that she flipped off Abigail's bed and landed on her head. She was still fine.
She also loves, Dora, Elmo, and loves to dance like her sister. She is a GREAT sleeper and a pretty good eater. Many times I have caught myself saying "you have to eat something other than broccoli and fruit!!" A good problem to have, I guess.
She is still slower at her language skills than I imagined she would be at this point. She can get her point across but she hardly ever says a complete word. For instance she will say "buh buh" for her bunny or "Pah" for paci. She is starting to say more recognizable (by me) words.
Noah:
Oh my boy. He is now 7 months old. He has tried eating bananas (which he loves) and Avocado (which he tolerates). He still gets a healthy dose of mama's milk with each food and I'm not in a rush to push things in the food department.
He already has 5 (almost 6) teeth! I remember Abigail getting her top teeth in at about 11 months old and he already had four of them. I am not sure if this signifies anything or not - probably not. Maybe just that he'll be a good eater!!
He loves to get up on his hands and knees and pretend to crawl. He wants to go so badly but doesn't have the coordination yet to do it. He is still working on sitting up by himself and topples pretty easily. If I remember right from the girls, he'll need to master that skill before he really crawls around. He can get to toys he really wants, though.
He does not have the best sleep habits. For the last few weeks he's been teething, one tooth after another, and those nights are bad. He can get up anywhere from two to five times a night. Last night I think it was four. No wonder I can hardly write a coherant blog post! He usually gets up twice.
I am really hoping that he solves this sleep issue once this last tooth comes in. I am beginning to change my stance on letting babies cry (for long periods of time) and I don't want it to come to that. It's always an issue between Andrew and myself too. Andrew wants me to let him cry and I don't want to. Since I'm the one getting up, I guess I win that disagreement!! :)
Other than being extremely busy with little kids, we're doing fine. I have pretty much adjusted to being able to only do things in short two to five minute intervals. Switch the laundry, change a diaper, empty the top rack of the dishwasher, nurse the baby, pick up 5 toys, wipe the counter, change a diaper, sweep the floor. You get the idea.
Andrew is currently on a business trip in New York. It makes for some pretty long and exhausting days around here but we are surviving. I can definitely tell that dinner time is crazier. For some reason breakfast and lunch don't usually have the same fussiness attitude that dinner has so daddy is definitely missed!!
All for now. Hopefully I'll get around to some pictures soon. Who knew that with 3 kids under 3, life would get crazier before it got easier?!!
Thursday, December 08, 2011
New Phone
Well I broke down last weekend and got a smart phone. So blogging from it right now. Despite the slow keyboard typing, it may help me blog more.
Pray for my dad today. He is having shoulder replacement surgery. And pray for my father-in-law who is having his wisdom teeth removed. It is a day of surgeries!
Monday, December 05, 2011
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Monday, November 21, 2011
Whew!
Birthdays, kids getting cold after cold after cold, growing active kids, etc, etc, has kept me from blogging!
I recently took Elsie and Noah to doctor check-ups and both are fine. We switched doctors to one that is much closer to us and I really like him. Elsie stood like a big girl on the scale to get weighed and measured. It was cute but I didn't have my camera. :(
I am going by memory here so these might not be right but I think Noah was 27 inches long and weighed in at 17.8 pounds. Elsie was 33 inches tall (I think) and was 27 pounds.
My family was all here to celebrate Elsie's birthday. It was so much fun to have them! We just wish that they were able to stay longer and lived closer. We spent a lot of time talking about future visits and trying to figure out the best way to see each other. It's tricky to try to figure out how to travel 850 miles with three kids. I'm tempted to try flying but I just can't picture how to get three kids, two car seats (Noah would be on my lap) and all our gear through the airport, on a plane, off a plane, on a plane, off a plane, etc. There are very few direct flights between the needed airports. Boo!
Noah is growing and changing so much. He is able to sit up with a little help. He still gets up one to three times per night but can sleep through the night. I gave him a little taste of bananas when my family was here but we are not in a big rush to try solid foods yet. He still naps three times a day. Sometimes they last 2 hours and sometimes they last 10 minutes.
Elsie is turning into a little girl in front of our eyes. I love this stage of learning and exploration but it is also challenging. She has quite a few words but hasn't added any new ones for a while so communication is still a challenge. She loves to imitate her big sister (especially doing ballet dancing) and loves to play with her new dollhouse, baby dolls, and loves to read books.
Abigail is really into dancing right now. She loves to imitate Angelina Ballerina (a PBS kids show) and looks quite like a graceful ballerina most of the time. I just have to constantly remind her not to whack her sister in the face as she spins or step on her brother - if he's hanging out on the floor. She is also learning lots of responsibility with her younger siblings around. Just this morning I set up a sticker chart for her to earn more privileges (TV and computer time, mainly) and she got so excited about it! I love having a little helper around!
Andrew is also doing well (Ha! I don't write much about him anymore - poor guy)! I can brag that he recently received a promotion at work. They seem to be pretty pleased with him and I'm not really surprised. I'm always impressed by his work ethic, his superior brain (LOL) and his easy going nature. I'm sure that makes him fun to work with.
That's all for now. My darling 3 year old has been patiently waiting to play PBS kids on my computer here so I'll go for now. Hopefully I can update more often but I can't make any promises!
I recently took Elsie and Noah to doctor check-ups and both are fine. We switched doctors to one that is much closer to us and I really like him. Elsie stood like a big girl on the scale to get weighed and measured. It was cute but I didn't have my camera. :(
I am going by memory here so these might not be right but I think Noah was 27 inches long and weighed in at 17.8 pounds. Elsie was 33 inches tall (I think) and was 27 pounds.
My family was all here to celebrate Elsie's birthday. It was so much fun to have them! We just wish that they were able to stay longer and lived closer. We spent a lot of time talking about future visits and trying to figure out the best way to see each other. It's tricky to try to figure out how to travel 850 miles with three kids. I'm tempted to try flying but I just can't picture how to get three kids, two car seats (Noah would be on my lap) and all our gear through the airport, on a plane, off a plane, on a plane, off a plane, etc. There are very few direct flights between the needed airports. Boo!
Noah is growing and changing so much. He is able to sit up with a little help. He still gets up one to three times per night but can sleep through the night. I gave him a little taste of bananas when my family was here but we are not in a big rush to try solid foods yet. He still naps three times a day. Sometimes they last 2 hours and sometimes they last 10 minutes.
Elsie is turning into a little girl in front of our eyes. I love this stage of learning and exploration but it is also challenging. She has quite a few words but hasn't added any new ones for a while so communication is still a challenge. She loves to imitate her big sister (especially doing ballet dancing) and loves to play with her new dollhouse, baby dolls, and loves to read books.
Abigail is really into dancing right now. She loves to imitate Angelina Ballerina (a PBS kids show) and looks quite like a graceful ballerina most of the time. I just have to constantly remind her not to whack her sister in the face as she spins or step on her brother - if he's hanging out on the floor. She is also learning lots of responsibility with her younger siblings around. Just this morning I set up a sticker chart for her to earn more privileges (TV and computer time, mainly) and she got so excited about it! I love having a little helper around!
Andrew is also doing well (Ha! I don't write much about him anymore - poor guy)! I can brag that he recently received a promotion at work. They seem to be pretty pleased with him and I'm not really surprised. I'm always impressed by his work ethic, his superior brain (LOL) and his easy going nature. I'm sure that makes him fun to work with.
That's all for now. My darling 3 year old has been patiently waiting to play PBS kids on my computer here so I'll go for now. Hopefully I can update more often but I can't make any promises!
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
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