while i could be referring to the fact that i'm back posting on this blog, what i'm actually talking about is the fact that we're back to the tantrums. b is now 10 months old, while k is ... let's see, i have to do some math now ;) ... she's 3 years and 5 months old.
it's funny because when we had baby b and brought her home to join the family, k was really quite great. she didn't do too many things to get attention. she didn't do too much to upset her new sister. she was pretty pleasant about the whole thing. for some reason, over the last couple of months, that has all changed. k pretty much does anything she can to make her sister cry. she will take toys from her, take her thumb or bottle out of her mouth, push her down while she's holding onto things (the crib, the couch, the coffee table). what is going on? where did this all come from? i would have thought we would have seen this behavior months and months ago. it's also worth wondering if her behavior is coming from the change in our family schedule this summer. husband has been doing a lot of traveling while this activity has been occurring - could that have anything to do with her acting out? probably. but, it is what it is and there's not much changing it :)
anyway.....
i'm planning on doing some posting to this blog - i'll have to start with some catch up since i have yet to keep baby books for my daughters and this will someday serve as theirs. sad, huh :)
thanks for reading!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
back to sleeping in the car
for awhile, k refused to sleep in the car. refused. she would stay awake during entire 8 hour trips to denver. i've already talked about how she sleeps in the car now and how we go for drives at night to "put her to bed" today i'm going to talk about how it actually goes down... because it's slightly interesting to me.
the funny thing is, k fights the sleep like crazy (just like her mom) but finally the sleepiness takes over (just like her dad). she sings silly songs at the top of her lungs, she cries and whines like a new baby, she screams and makes noises that threaten throwing up, she all around carries on. and on.
i've learned to embrace the carrying on. in fact, i kind of look forward to the whining because i know that the sweet relief of sleep is coming my way. not a minute after the crazy high volume displays from the backseat are going on - i turn around and she is slumped over, snoring, fast asleep.
ahhhh.
the funny thing is, k fights the sleep like crazy (just like her mom) but finally the sleepiness takes over (just like her dad). she sings silly songs at the top of her lungs, she cries and whines like a new baby, she screams and makes noises that threaten throwing up, she all around carries on. and on.
i've learned to embrace the carrying on. in fact, i kind of look forward to the whining because i know that the sweet relief of sleep is coming my way. not a minute after the crazy high volume displays from the backseat are going on - i turn around and she is slumped over, snoring, fast asleep.
ahhhh.
Friday, March 4, 2011
hilarious
so k went to the bathroom and called for me to come help wipe her. as with most children, she's very interested in looking at her work in the toilet. when she turned around to look at her deposit, she said:
mom! it's a little tiny stinky!!! awwwww......
mom! it's a little tiny stinky!!! awwwww......
Thursday, March 3, 2011
imagine dragons
k is smack dab in the middle of her imagination. i love this time in her life. she has a vivid imagination for anything these days.
great grandpa is a monster that growls and chases her around the house. great grandma is a giant who says fee-fi-fo-fum and stomps around the castle. daddy is a dragon who lets princess k fly around on his back. even the broom is her trusty steed, bullseye.
it is so awesome watching your child create an imaginary world. she's in the phase of assigning you a character or name, as well as herself, and playing through the scenarios in her head.
when will her imaginary friend come knocking???
great grandpa is a monster that growls and chases her around the house. great grandma is a giant who says fee-fi-fo-fum and stomps around the castle. daddy is a dragon who lets princess k fly around on his back. even the broom is her trusty steed, bullseye.
it is so awesome watching your child create an imaginary world. she's in the phase of assigning you a character or name, as well as herself, and playing through the scenarios in her head.
when will her imaginary friend come knocking???
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
raising grandchildren
a couple of weeks ago, i was sitting in a church meeting and the women were carrying on a very interesting discussion. at this point, i can't remember what the topic of the lesson was, but the discussion had taken off on a tangent as they are bound to do. at this stage in the lesson, the women were talking about how selfish it is of some women to not help "raise" their grandchildren. i use quotations because that word was thrown about consistently.
this idea bothered me a bit. i don't think it's the responsibility of a grandparent to feel like they have to help raise a grandchild. influence, encourage, teach, help, love? sure. but i think wanting to raise your grandchildren takes away a much needed responsibility from the parent. i am aware of situations where grandparents are actually raising their grandchildren quite a bit. i have watched the evolution of the occasional babysitting go to full blown child care, to some physical and emotional responsibilities shifting from parent to grandparent. i don't think this is right. especially when the parent is entirely capable of doing a good job. but hey, when you don't have to do the job - what's the point of doing it at all if someone else will do it for you?
extreme? yes. i want it to be known here that i understand the difference between extremes and that i recognize that the ladies in the discussion were well-meaning.
i do have a problem, however, with a lady's comment in particular. she went on about how it should be the responsibility of the grandparent to help raise the grandchild, etc. and that it is selfish to not sacrifice your time when you need to help in this capacity. she went so far as to refer to someone she knew (who would not help raise grandchildren, as she put it) as a "selfish old sack" really? in a church lesson? at that point, baby b was getting upset and i took her out to feed her.
the next week, i found it ironic and very interesting that the new lesson led to a discussion on teaching your children to be self-reliant. comments were made about creating work and even some stress in your child's life so they can learn to cope and deal with situations. many of the same ladies went on and on about the importance of not making your child's life too easy so they would be able to handle stresses and situations that arise.
does anyone else see the irony here? i'm sure there is flexibility on both sides of this fence - it was just irritating that there seemed to be no happy medium between the two separate discussions. and that the same women who felt so strongly about the first opinion felt just as strongly about the second opposing opinion.
thoughts?
this idea bothered me a bit. i don't think it's the responsibility of a grandparent to feel like they have to help raise a grandchild. influence, encourage, teach, help, love? sure. but i think wanting to raise your grandchildren takes away a much needed responsibility from the parent. i am aware of situations where grandparents are actually raising their grandchildren quite a bit. i have watched the evolution of the occasional babysitting go to full blown child care, to some physical and emotional responsibilities shifting from parent to grandparent. i don't think this is right. especially when the parent is entirely capable of doing a good job. but hey, when you don't have to do the job - what's the point of doing it at all if someone else will do it for you?
extreme? yes. i want it to be known here that i understand the difference between extremes and that i recognize that the ladies in the discussion were well-meaning.
i do have a problem, however, with a lady's comment in particular. she went on about how it should be the responsibility of the grandparent to help raise the grandchild, etc. and that it is selfish to not sacrifice your time when you need to help in this capacity. she went so far as to refer to someone she knew (who would not help raise grandchildren, as she put it) as a "selfish old sack" really? in a church lesson? at that point, baby b was getting upset and i took her out to feed her.
the next week, i found it ironic and very interesting that the new lesson led to a discussion on teaching your children to be self-reliant. comments were made about creating work and even some stress in your child's life so they can learn to cope and deal with situations. many of the same ladies went on and on about the importance of not making your child's life too easy so they would be able to handle stresses and situations that arise.
does anyone else see the irony here? i'm sure there is flexibility on both sides of this fence - it was just irritating that there seemed to be no happy medium between the two separate discussions. and that the same women who felt so strongly about the first opinion felt just as strongly about the second opposing opinion.
thoughts?
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
mouth watering
i'll say it again - my two girls are very different. what two kids aren't?
k was never very interested in putting things in her mouth. husband and i didn't have to be very diligent with what was within her reach - she just never instinctively stuck things in there. b, on the other hand, puts everything in her mouth. if she's got it in her hands, it's sure to be covered in saliva in seconds. she is reaching for everything in sight. it's quite adorable to see the wheels turning in her head, concocting her plans to grab an object - all so she can see how it tastes.
not only is she grabbing for everything in arms length, she is highly interested in what we are eating. at the table, her gaze wanders from person to person, studying each bite we take. i think she's ready for solids - soon enough. this is something else k never really did. she was ready to eat once we started on solid foods, but it wasn't something she paid much attention to beforehand.
b is a great eater so i'm not trying to push any foods just yet. i know awhile back i talked about giving her rice cereal to secure another hour or two in the night for me, but once i figured out (a few nights into that routine) that she was more cold than hungry, i curbed the cereal for a later date. b will be six months old in just over a week but i'm not even sure i'll start right up with the cereal right away (isn't it funny the difference in emphasizing reaching those milestones with a first baby...)
whenever we decide to make a go for dietary additions, she'll be ready to stick that in her mouth too, i suppose!
k was never very interested in putting things in her mouth. husband and i didn't have to be very diligent with what was within her reach - she just never instinctively stuck things in there. b, on the other hand, puts everything in her mouth. if she's got it in her hands, it's sure to be covered in saliva in seconds. she is reaching for everything in sight. it's quite adorable to see the wheels turning in her head, concocting her plans to grab an object - all so she can see how it tastes.
not only is she grabbing for everything in arms length, she is highly interested in what we are eating. at the table, her gaze wanders from person to person, studying each bite we take. i think she's ready for solids - soon enough. this is something else k never really did. she was ready to eat once we started on solid foods, but it wasn't something she paid much attention to beforehand.
b is a great eater so i'm not trying to push any foods just yet. i know awhile back i talked about giving her rice cereal to secure another hour or two in the night for me, but once i figured out (a few nights into that routine) that she was more cold than hungry, i curbed the cereal for a later date. b will be six months old in just over a week but i'm not even sure i'll start right up with the cereal right away (isn't it funny the difference in emphasizing reaching those milestones with a first baby...)
whenever we decide to make a go for dietary additions, she'll be ready to stick that in her mouth too, i suppose!
Monday, February 28, 2011
mothers intuition
it's interesting mothering for the second go-around.
with k i had a few of those dramatic and traumatic moments where you are tearing your hair out and sobbing because you feel utterly helpless trying to deduce what's wrong with your screaming baby. thankfully, i didn't have as many as i would have thought before becoming a mom.
this round of mothering a newborn has been even more delightful. i know a lot of that has to do with baby b's personality and demeanor. she is a very mellow, easy-going, self-entertaining baby girl. i am one lucky mama.
but all of that luck aside, some of this delight has to come from my mom skills, right? i mean, it's not my first time - surely i would have learned a few things, right? right!!! it's so exhilarating for someone like me (read someone who never wanted to hold babies, rarely wanted to babysit, didn't look forward very much to having her own children) to feel like i actually have some of that wonderful mother's intuition. me? that's right :)
i'm being slightly sarcastic if it wasn't reading...
i love when b is crying and i can tell it's her mama, i'm tired! put me to bed! cry. i don't know what it sounds like, i'm not that trained. but i have the intuition to know it's time for her to lay down and get some sleep. she is calm the minute we enter her room - i turn on her sound machine, lay her on her back, and watch as she turns to the side and sticks that thumb in her mouth. after wrapping her up in her blankets, i sneak out of the room and she doesn't make another sound.
i love when i'm right! it's such a rewarding feeling. like i really do know what i'm doing! maybe i'm the only one who ever feels this way, but it is so encouraging to feel like i know exactly how to meet her needs. feels good!
with k i had a few of those dramatic and traumatic moments where you are tearing your hair out and sobbing because you feel utterly helpless trying to deduce what's wrong with your screaming baby. thankfully, i didn't have as many as i would have thought before becoming a mom.
this round of mothering a newborn has been even more delightful. i know a lot of that has to do with baby b's personality and demeanor. she is a very mellow, easy-going, self-entertaining baby girl. i am one lucky mama.
but all of that luck aside, some of this delight has to come from my mom skills, right? i mean, it's not my first time - surely i would have learned a few things, right? right!!! it's so exhilarating for someone like me (read someone who never wanted to hold babies, rarely wanted to babysit, didn't look forward very much to having her own children) to feel like i actually have some of that wonderful mother's intuition. me? that's right :)
i'm being slightly sarcastic if it wasn't reading...
i love when b is crying and i can tell it's her mama, i'm tired! put me to bed! cry. i don't know what it sounds like, i'm not that trained. but i have the intuition to know it's time for her to lay down and get some sleep. she is calm the minute we enter her room - i turn on her sound machine, lay her on her back, and watch as she turns to the side and sticks that thumb in her mouth. after wrapping her up in her blankets, i sneak out of the room and she doesn't make another sound.
i love when i'm right! it's such a rewarding feeling. like i really do know what i'm doing! maybe i'm the only one who ever feels this way, but it is so encouraging to feel like i know exactly how to meet her needs. feels good!
Friday, February 25, 2011
mementos
what have you kept of your child's? do you keep their hair? their teeth? what about their belly button?
yes. i have kept, or plan to keep, each of these things for my girls. i have a little box for each of them that houses things from when they were brand new babies. you can find ultrasound images, pictures, hospital bracelets, a birth announcement, a newborn diaper, the bows they wore in the hospital, their pacifier, and even their belly button scabs that fell off. in k's baby book, i have a couple of clippings of hair taped in. when they lose their teeth, i fully plan to at least keep the first.
i know there is a range of tolerance when it comes to keeping things. just recently a friend was asking if she should keep her child's first lost tooth. i say, absolutely! but then i am the crazy mom who has saved her baby's gross old belly button. but hey, i've recently gone through k's box with her and you know what her favorite item was? the belly button... although she didn't dare touch it :)
yes. i have kept, or plan to keep, each of these things for my girls. i have a little box for each of them that houses things from when they were brand new babies. you can find ultrasound images, pictures, hospital bracelets, a birth announcement, a newborn diaper, the bows they wore in the hospital, their pacifier, and even their belly button scabs that fell off. in k's baby book, i have a couple of clippings of hair taped in. when they lose their teeth, i fully plan to at least keep the first.
i know there is a range of tolerance when it comes to keeping things. just recently a friend was asking if she should keep her child's first lost tooth. i say, absolutely! but then i am the crazy mom who has saved her baby's gross old belly button. but hey, i've recently gone through k's box with her and you know what her favorite item was? the belly button... although she didn't dare touch it :)
Thursday, February 24, 2011
finger and nail clippings
when k was a baby, i only had to trim her fingernails about once a month. they just didn't grow! i never once got her fingers either. i remember hearing friends talk about how they hated having to clip their baby's fingernails. i remember hearing friends cringe when talking about how they accidentally clipped their poor baby's skin instead of fingernail. i thought i had it all figured out when it came to fingernails. i kept up with my daughter's just fine and i never, ever clipped her skin on accident.
then came baby b.
this girl's fingernails grow so fast i can hardly keep up with them! it seems like just a day or two after i cut them, i can feel their sharp edges scraping at my skin again - let alone her skin! poor girl always seems to have a nick or two on her face.
as much as cutting a baby's fingernails gets old, nothing feels worse than when i've cut into her skin instead of her nail. oh my. the worst. it only take a second or two for her fingertip to flood with bright red blood and i'm flooding her with the "i'm so sorry's!" then you get a reminder of it anytime you catch a streak of red on her clothes that day. those fingertips take awhile to stop bleeding and finally clot!
just more evidence that nothing we do is because we have raised a perfect child - another child, whether yours or someone else's, will always serve as a reminder. they all do their own thing and have their own way!
then came baby b.
this girl's fingernails grow so fast i can hardly keep up with them! it seems like just a day or two after i cut them, i can feel their sharp edges scraping at my skin again - let alone her skin! poor girl always seems to have a nick or two on her face.
as much as cutting a baby's fingernails gets old, nothing feels worse than when i've cut into her skin instead of her nail. oh my. the worst. it only take a second or two for her fingertip to flood with bright red blood and i'm flooding her with the "i'm so sorry's!" then you get a reminder of it anytime you catch a streak of red on her clothes that day. those fingertips take awhile to stop bleeding and finally clot!
just more evidence that nothing we do is because we have raised a perfect child - another child, whether yours or someone else's, will always serve as a reminder. they all do their own thing and have their own way!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
good morning sunshine
what's the best part of my day?
it's when my girls wake up. it's slightly the worst part of my day at the same time because it means i have to wake up, too. but selfishness aside...
the best part is when k sneaks into my room and starts to climb up into bed with me. i can almost always hear her when she's just a couple of feet from my bed. i can hear her literal pitter-patters as she nears my bed. she grips the blankets, puts her foot on the bed frame, and hoists herself up over me. i love those first few snuggles of the day. she is pleasant and well-rested and happy to greet the day.
the best part is when i hear baby b's coos coming from the baby monitor. i sneak into the dark room (thank goodness for blackout curtains!) and peek over the side of the crib. the instant she locks eyes with me, there is a twinkle in her big blues and a huge grin grows across her face. her big blues change into the half-moon eyes i see in my own reflection. she gets so excited, flailing her limbs and kicking herself free of the blanket she's tied up in. if only she could speak and tell me just what she's thinking.
those are the best parts of my day.
it's when my girls wake up. it's slightly the worst part of my day at the same time because it means i have to wake up, too. but selfishness aside...
the best part is when k sneaks into my room and starts to climb up into bed with me. i can almost always hear her when she's just a couple of feet from my bed. i can hear her literal pitter-patters as she nears my bed. she grips the blankets, puts her foot on the bed frame, and hoists herself up over me. i love those first few snuggles of the day. she is pleasant and well-rested and happy to greet the day.
the best part is when i hear baby b's coos coming from the baby monitor. i sneak into the dark room (thank goodness for blackout curtains!) and peek over the side of the crib. the instant she locks eyes with me, there is a twinkle in her big blues and a huge grin grows across her face. her big blues change into the half-moon eyes i see in my own reflection. she gets so excited, flailing her limbs and kicking herself free of the blanket she's tied up in. if only she could speak and tell me just what she's thinking.
those are the best parts of my day.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
little picasso
i'm not a great mom when it comes to letting k play with messy things. i have a hard time letting her do, let alone participate in, things that are bound to make a mess. it seems like it has to be a holiday if k gets to play with markers or paint.
for her first birthday, yes that's two years ago, she got some finger paints. i finally opened them up and let her play with them just a few months ago. (they were hidden in the cupboard for over a year and a half until she found them and asked if i could open the bottles.) on a couple of occasions, i've set her up at the kitchen table, taped paper down, put her in an old t-shirt of mine, and let her go. she loves her some finger painting!
for her birthday this year, k received a princess art kit and she had been dying to use the paints. it was a tiny paint set, 2 tiny brushes, and a couple of tiny books to paint in. i unclenched and opened it up for her. how big of a mess could she make with such tiny things? not much, it turns out.
i'm not sure why i have this idea that she's going to make a huge mess if i let her use paints and markers. and if she spills something? we wipe it up. just writing this post is a bit therapeutic for me - i'm able to write my thoughts on the subject, read my words, ask myself "what's the big deal?", and open it up for any other discussion.
now that my thoughts are out of my head, all i can think about is how great it is to encourage k to be creative. i would never want to squash her artistic inclinations. who knows if she'll be like mom and be a sewer, like dad and be a photographer, or carve her own little creative path? i'm excited to watch and see what she comes up with!
for her first birthday, yes that's two years ago, she got some finger paints. i finally opened them up and let her play with them just a few months ago. (they were hidden in the cupboard for over a year and a half until she found them and asked if i could open the bottles.) on a couple of occasions, i've set her up at the kitchen table, taped paper down, put her in an old t-shirt of mine, and let her go. she loves her some finger painting!
for her birthday this year, k received a princess art kit and she had been dying to use the paints. it was a tiny paint set, 2 tiny brushes, and a couple of tiny books to paint in. i unclenched and opened it up for her. how big of a mess could she make with such tiny things? not much, it turns out.
i'm not sure why i have this idea that she's going to make a huge mess if i let her use paints and markers. and if she spills something? we wipe it up. just writing this post is a bit therapeutic for me - i'm able to write my thoughts on the subject, read my words, ask myself "what's the big deal?", and open it up for any other discussion.
now that my thoughts are out of my head, all i can think about is how great it is to encourage k to be creative. i would never want to squash her artistic inclinations. who knows if she'll be like mom and be a sewer, like dad and be a photographer, or carve her own little creative path? i'm excited to watch and see what she comes up with!
Monday, February 21, 2011
i only looked away for one second!
famous last words, right? don't worry now, it's not like b was in the bathtub and we had a serious problem on our hands. but i did look away for one second when k was playing with her baby sister.
k was playing with b on the floor just outside the bathroom while i was cleaning. she was "helping" her sit up and they were both laughing. as i turned to wipe up the floor, i suddenly heard screams from b. not just the i'm annoyed screams, the i'm really hurt screams. you know the difference when you hear it. in the same instant b was screaming, k was immediately saying, "i'm sorry! i'm sorry!"
i quickly turned around to find b's head crammed against the base of a shelving unit outside the bathroom door. i can only guess that k was helping her sit up and b's weight plummeted her toward the furniture. i instantly scooped b up in my arms, kissing her poor forehead and trying my best to calm her. k started screaming along with her baby sister and, after a few seconds, took off running toward her bedroom. i guess i shouldn't be surprised, but i find it interesting that k knew right away that something serious just happened, that she felt horrible, and that she was probably in trouble.
after i got b to relax, we went to the girls' room to find k. she was still crying. it kind of broke my heart. instead of getting angry and laying into her about how she hurt her baby sister, i realized it really was an accident and it quite scared little k. i talked to her, loved her better, and helped her apologize and kiss better baby b.
obviously i know you can't turn away for a second and you can't leave a toddler to watch an infant. thanks to some vitamin e and some mommy kisses, her scrapes are all better now!
k was playing with b on the floor just outside the bathroom while i was cleaning. she was "helping" her sit up and they were both laughing. as i turned to wipe up the floor, i suddenly heard screams from b. not just the i'm annoyed screams, the i'm really hurt screams. you know the difference when you hear it. in the same instant b was screaming, k was immediately saying, "i'm sorry! i'm sorry!"
i quickly turned around to find b's head crammed against the base of a shelving unit outside the bathroom door. i can only guess that k was helping her sit up and b's weight plummeted her toward the furniture. i instantly scooped b up in my arms, kissing her poor forehead and trying my best to calm her. k started screaming along with her baby sister and, after a few seconds, took off running toward her bedroom. i guess i shouldn't be surprised, but i find it interesting that k knew right away that something serious just happened, that she felt horrible, and that she was probably in trouble.
after i got b to relax, we went to the girls' room to find k. she was still crying. it kind of broke my heart. instead of getting angry and laying into her about how she hurt her baby sister, i realized it really was an accident and it quite scared little k. i talked to her, loved her better, and helped her apologize and kiss better baby b.
obviously i know you can't turn away for a second and you can't leave a toddler to watch an infant. thanks to some vitamin e and some mommy kisses, her scrapes are all better now!
Friday, February 18, 2011
letter to b
my sweet little baby girl,
you are five months old - five! where did the time go? it flew by as we were watching you, changing your diapers, feeding you, sleeping, waking, and being in love with you. that's where it went.
you are such a good baby. we know how lucky we are. you are pleasant 23 1/2 hours out of the day and you literally go with the flow. you roll with whatever we are doing and smile along the way. if you are fed and clean and rested you smile for anyone who looks your way. you giggle and laugh. you coo. oh, it is the sweetest sound.
you are growing so quickly - much quicker than i realized i was ready for. you are outgrowing your clothes at a much faster rate than your big sister did. you are in higher percentiles for height and weight than she was. now, this is not to serve as a comparison between sisters and ignite a competition that will no doubt rear it's ugly head during your growing years. it is an observation and reminder of how different each child is when they join a family. you bring with you your own personality and thoughts. you are an individual.
thank you for the ease, b. you made going from one baby to two such a breeze. hopefully your next sibling will be so kind!
i am already so in love with you and so very proud of you. you are already on the right track - just maybe learn how to sleep a bit longer in the mornings!
love, mom
you are five months old - five! where did the time go? it flew by as we were watching you, changing your diapers, feeding you, sleeping, waking, and being in love with you. that's where it went.
you are such a good baby. we know how lucky we are. you are pleasant 23 1/2 hours out of the day and you literally go with the flow. you roll with whatever we are doing and smile along the way. if you are fed and clean and rested you smile for anyone who looks your way. you giggle and laugh. you coo. oh, it is the sweetest sound.
you are growing so quickly - much quicker than i realized i was ready for. you are outgrowing your clothes at a much faster rate than your big sister did. you are in higher percentiles for height and weight than she was. now, this is not to serve as a comparison between sisters and ignite a competition that will no doubt rear it's ugly head during your growing years. it is an observation and reminder of how different each child is when they join a family. you bring with you your own personality and thoughts. you are an individual.
thank you for the ease, b. you made going from one baby to two such a breeze. hopefully your next sibling will be so kind!
i am already so in love with you and so very proud of you. you are already on the right track - just maybe learn how to sleep a bit longer in the mornings!
love, mom
Thursday, February 17, 2011
vocabulary
i know every parent thinks their child is brilliant. we all do it. when k can put puzzles together that i thought were beyond her, when she knows the words to a song after hearing it once or twice, when she can dress herself in the mornings... i always think to myself, "k you are so smart!" but again, we all do it.
the other night when we were all in the car, husband was talking to k and asking questions about the book she was reading. it was her princess book, one of those books with all the buttons you can push as you read. they were talking about beauty and the beast.
k started telling husband all about belle, the beast, and gaston. then she said it:
gaston is conceited
what? did we just hear her right? did she use the word conceited?
now, this might sound as conceited as gaston, but husband leaned over to me and said, "how cool is it that our 3 year old has the vocabulary of a 5th grader." call him gaston!
the other night when we were all in the car, husband was talking to k and asking questions about the book she was reading. it was her princess book, one of those books with all the buttons you can push as you read. they were talking about beauty and the beast.
k started telling husband all about belle, the beast, and gaston. then she said it:
gaston is conceited
what? did we just hear her right? did she use the word conceited?
now, this might sound as conceited as gaston, but husband leaned over to me and said, "how cool is it that our 3 year old has the vocabulary of a 5th grader." call him gaston!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
going to the chapel
my very wise mother used to whisper in my ear every night as she tucked me in to please not get married until i was 25. when i was growing up and would hear her talk about this, i thought she was crazy. i was one of those crazy girls who dreamed of marrying her high school sweetheart when she was 19 or maybe 20. and i thought my mom was crazy? what was i thinking?
seeing the wisdom in my mother, i have started this routine with my own daughter. while i don't necessarily whisper into her ear at bedtime about waiting to marry until 25, i do take the opportunity to remind k of this idea every chance i get.
since k is enthralled with all things princess and marrying a handsome prince these days, the question arises frequently, "when will you get married?" from various people. i beam with pride anytime this happens because i love hearing her answer:
i'm going to get married in the temple in my pretty dress and tights and dancing shoes to a nice prince when i'm 25
and yes, she includes all of that information every time she answers the question.
sure, i know it will wear on her, the idea will probably sound like too much time to wait, yadda yadda yadda. it did all of that for me as a young woman.
but look how i turned out. i got married. in the temple. in my pretty white dress. in my tights and dancing shoes (okay they were sandals). to my high school sweetheart prince. when i was 25.
okay, i was 3 months shy of being 25, but close enough for me and my mother!
seeing the wisdom in my mother, i have started this routine with my own daughter. while i don't necessarily whisper into her ear at bedtime about waiting to marry until 25, i do take the opportunity to remind k of this idea every chance i get.
since k is enthralled with all things princess and marrying a handsome prince these days, the question arises frequently, "when will you get married?" from various people. i beam with pride anytime this happens because i love hearing her answer:
i'm going to get married in the temple in my pretty dress and tights and dancing shoes to a nice prince when i'm 25
and yes, she includes all of that information every time she answers the question.
sure, i know it will wear on her, the idea will probably sound like too much time to wait, yadda yadda yadda. it did all of that for me as a young woman.
but look how i turned out. i got married. in the temple. in my pretty white dress. in my tights and dancing shoes (okay they were sandals). to my high school sweetheart prince. when i was 25.
okay, i was 3 months shy of being 25, but close enough for me and my mother!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
night rider
from the time i can remember until i moved out of my parents' house, my mom and dad used to take rides to get out of the house and relax. my mom tells me it was the only way she could stay sane while taking care of us kids. she tells me, "as soon as dad walked through the door, i'd say 'get me out of here!'" ok, it might not have been the second he walked through the door, she did feed us dinner when my dad got home, but as soon as things were winding down and our needs were all taken care of, my parents were out the door for at least an hour to decompress.
we have started doing the same thing, but we have no option but to take the kids. when husband gets home and we have all had dinner, we gear the girls up in their pajamas and coats and load up into the car. we drive until we have had enough adult conversation, until the girls mellow out for the night, or until we hear snores coming from the backseat.
we get out of the house, husband and i get some time to talk and focus on each other, girls relax in their carseats and pass out for the night. when we get home, we put them to bed and they sleep through the whole thing. it is a fantastic way to end our nights in this stage of life.
thanks for the example, mom and dad! ;)
we have started doing the same thing, but we have no option but to take the kids. when husband gets home and we have all had dinner, we gear the girls up in their pajamas and coats and load up into the car. we drive until we have had enough adult conversation, until the girls mellow out for the night, or until we hear snores coming from the backseat.
we get out of the house, husband and i get some time to talk and focus on each other, girls relax in their carseats and pass out for the night. when we get home, we put them to bed and they sleep through the whole thing. it is a fantastic way to end our nights in this stage of life.
thanks for the example, mom and dad! ;)
Monday, February 14, 2011
be mine
happy valentime's day from miss k. i was explaining valentine's day to k this morning while she was having her bath. i told her on valentine's day we ask the people we love if they will be our valentine. i then asked her if she would be mine - thankfully she said yes. when i asked k who she wanted for her valentine, she said, "my fam-i-ly." i love how she pronounces each syllable separately :) what a little love.
Friday, February 11, 2011
princesses all around
k has spent the last two months living in her dresses... sometimes a slip (you know, the ones with the layers and layers of ruffles that looks like a tutu?) she has been enthralled with being a princess. at least 10 times everyday i hear something about her pretty dress and her tights and her dancing shoes. the time has come for dress up and princesses and unicorns and nice princes.
my girl is a real kid! do you ever have those moments when you look at your child, who was once your baby, and realize, wow - you're a kid?! it's happening more and more around here.
for her birthday, k got a trunk full of dress up paraphernalia. i made her 4 dresses and her grandma c (husbands mom.... the whole grandma c thing will never work... all grandmas are c's) got her a bunch of accessories from shoes to crowns to wigs. she is loving it. we had to make it clear, early on, that these things were to be worn at home, never to be worn at church. i thought we'd have a problem with that, but so far, so good.
it's been really fun to get on the floor with her and don a tiara with jewels and rapunzel hair. she got a whole new library of princess books from great-grandma c and we've been reading all about princesses and other fairy tales. and grandma c (my mom) got her a couple of sets of blocks to build with. what do you think k has been constructing this week? castles for the royals to live in, of course.
princess k is eating it up!
my girl is a real kid! do you ever have those moments when you look at your child, who was once your baby, and realize, wow - you're a kid?! it's happening more and more around here.
for her birthday, k got a trunk full of dress up paraphernalia. i made her 4 dresses and her grandma c (husbands mom.... the whole grandma c thing will never work... all grandmas are c's) got her a bunch of accessories from shoes to crowns to wigs. she is loving it. we had to make it clear, early on, that these things were to be worn at home, never to be worn at church. i thought we'd have a problem with that, but so far, so good.
it's been really fun to get on the floor with her and don a tiara with jewels and rapunzel hair. she got a whole new library of princess books from great-grandma c and we've been reading all about princesses and other fairy tales. and grandma c (my mom) got her a couple of sets of blocks to build with. what do you think k has been constructing this week? castles for the royals to live in, of course.
princess k is eating it up!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
bottle baby
for two days this week, i had to leave baby b with someone. while it's not the first time we've left her, it is the first time for over 3-4 hours. which means, dun! dun! dun!, i had to leave her with a bottle.
b drank from a bottle a couple of times early on in her life. you moms know those first days. the painful painful days when that milk floods in... i swear engorgement is worse than having a baby. it is for me, that is for sure. my mom wisely convinced me that pumping and giving b a bottle once or twice would lessen the pressure - and she was right. oh those were a horrible four days!
so, it's been months since b had a bottle and i wasn't sure how she would do while great-grandma was watching her. i hoped that if b got hungry enough, any aversions she had to a bottle would dissolve. and, thankfully, that's what happened. we haven't really left her with a babysitter much because a) she's so easy to take along and b) i didn't know how she'd do with the bottle. thankfully, for her and for grandma, she did fine.
my only other experience with giving a nursing baby a bottle (k) did not end well... for me. k was a breast and bottle fed baby. i was working part-time for the first 4-5 months of her life so weston gave her a bottle everyday. once we left her for a couple of days for our anniversary, however, she only had eyes for her bottle and nursing was quickly on its way out. i'll be honest, that's a bit of the reason why baby b hasn't had much exposure to the bottle yet.
i was talking to my sister in law about this the other day. do any of you moms have advice or experiences to share on the subject? i'm guessing the answer is that it depends on the individual baby, but what has worked to nurse your baby and give them the occasional bottle without ruining your routine?
b drank from a bottle a couple of times early on in her life. you moms know those first days. the painful painful days when that milk floods in... i swear engorgement is worse than having a baby. it is for me, that is for sure. my mom wisely convinced me that pumping and giving b a bottle once or twice would lessen the pressure - and she was right. oh those were a horrible four days!
so, it's been months since b had a bottle and i wasn't sure how she would do while great-grandma was watching her. i hoped that if b got hungry enough, any aversions she had to a bottle would dissolve. and, thankfully, that's what happened. we haven't really left her with a babysitter much because a) she's so easy to take along and b) i didn't know how she'd do with the bottle. thankfully, for her and for grandma, she did fine.
my only other experience with giving a nursing baby a bottle (k) did not end well... for me. k was a breast and bottle fed baby. i was working part-time for the first 4-5 months of her life so weston gave her a bottle everyday. once we left her for a couple of days for our anniversary, however, she only had eyes for her bottle and nursing was quickly on its way out. i'll be honest, that's a bit of the reason why baby b hasn't had much exposure to the bottle yet.
i was talking to my sister in law about this the other day. do any of you moms have advice or experiences to share on the subject? i'm guessing the answer is that it depends on the individual baby, but what has worked to nurse your baby and give them the occasional bottle without ruining your routine?
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
happy birthday
miss k had a birthday. her third, if we're counting.
we had family and a few friends over for a pink party. it was so much fun to plan and put together. we had pink treats (because i really couldn't get inspired to serve pink foods) and pink cake and cupcakes. it was so fun watching k anticipate her birthday. every day for a couple of weeks she would ask, "is it almost my birthday?" it was definitely the first time the concept started making sense for her. now if we can just learn the concept of how long a year is :) that would really help with christmas, too.
now for the obligatory waxing deep in thought... i know, we all say it. but i really can't believe it! how did we, first of all, have a baby? and now, how did we get here? how do we have a three year old? where did those three years go? maybe having a new baby in the family will bring on some of these thoughts. because, really, it seems like we had k, she was born in the hospital, they let us put her in our car, they let us take her home. i still remember how i felt in that moment. where did the time go between those first weeks and months to the last few weeks and months? it is bizarre. but, here we are. with a three year old. who teaches me, entertains me, loves me, tries me, makes me cry, makes me laugh, makes me scream!, makes me a mother. she is my greatest gift. look at that, giving gifts on her birthday...
we had family and a few friends over for a pink party. it was so much fun to plan and put together. we had pink treats (because i really couldn't get inspired to serve pink foods) and pink cake and cupcakes. it was so fun watching k anticipate her birthday. every day for a couple of weeks she would ask, "is it almost my birthday?" it was definitely the first time the concept started making sense for her. now if we can just learn the concept of how long a year is :) that would really help with christmas, too.
now for the obligatory waxing deep in thought... i know, we all say it. but i really can't believe it! how did we, first of all, have a baby? and now, how did we get here? how do we have a three year old? where did those three years go? maybe having a new baby in the family will bring on some of these thoughts. because, really, it seems like we had k, she was born in the hospital, they let us put her in our car, they let us take her home. i still remember how i felt in that moment. where did the time go between those first weeks and months to the last few weeks and months? it is bizarre. but, here we are. with a three year old. who teaches me, entertains me, loves me, tries me, makes me cry, makes me laugh, makes me scream!, makes me a mother. she is my greatest gift. look at that, giving gifts on her birthday...
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
separation anxiety
black friday did a number on k. we were staying with my parents, along with a houseful of siblings and nieces and nephews, for the thanksgiving weekend. husband and i got up at 4:30 am to go do a tiny bit of shopping and naturally, our girls were sound asleep. since we would be back before the sun came up, we decided to just leave them sleeping in our room. apparently k woke up (wouldn't you know it?) and we were nowhere to be found. the car was even gone. but i don't think she made it as far as looking out the front windows because she was stopped by her aunt j in the hallway. this was apparently after she had been crying and carrying on for quite some time. poor little k and poor guests in the house. i still can't believe she woke up! she was so affected by this one-time experience.
even now it's hard for about 3 seconds when we try to leave her with anyone - including grandparents or even her favorite nursery class at church. she might cry but she definitely starts to get very worried and apprehensive and begs to come with us. it is pretty heartbreaking to see the emotion written all over her face, maybe tears welling up in her eyes, and her sweet sad voice wanting not to be left behind. we still work at encouraging her that we will always come back and that she's our little girl that we love and can't live without. i wonder how lasting this experience will be for her?
even now it's hard for about 3 seconds when we try to leave her with anyone - including grandparents or even her favorite nursery class at church. she might cry but she definitely starts to get very worried and apprehensive and begs to come with us. it is pretty heartbreaking to see the emotion written all over her face, maybe tears welling up in her eyes, and her sweet sad voice wanting not to be left behind. we still work at encouraging her that we will always come back and that she's our little girl that we love and can't live without. i wonder how lasting this experience will be for her?
Monday, February 7, 2011
sleep schedules
when k was a baby, we trained her on our schedule. we are definitely night owls and her bedtime was honestly around 11:30 or midnight. but the beauty was that she slept until 11:00am. then she turned 2 1/2 and that all changed. but we've adjusted to 8:30 or 9:00 am :)
b is a bit different. first of all, she set her own bedtime. try as i might to keep her up for another hour or two, she wants to be in bed by 10:30 - where did this trait come from? not her parents, that's for sure!
k never really wants to be in bed. just last night, we saw a four-alarm freak out because we said it was time for bed. after she had been playing all day, partying hard on her birthday, no naps, no slowing down. she had been yawning for hours but fought and fought going to bed. finally, we won. it was a valiant fight on both sides!
the other morning, b was up by 8:30 and at 10:30 k was still sound asleep. while i am grateful for mornings when k gets some extra needed sleep, i just wish they could be on the same clock! it also always seems that mornings when we have to be somewhere, like 9:00 church on sunday mornings, k could sleep until noon. having to wake her up is such a bummer!
b is a bit different. first of all, she set her own bedtime. try as i might to keep her up for another hour or two, she wants to be in bed by 10:30 - where did this trait come from? not her parents, that's for sure!
k never really wants to be in bed. just last night, we saw a four-alarm freak out because we said it was time for bed. after she had been playing all day, partying hard on her birthday, no naps, no slowing down. she had been yawning for hours but fought and fought going to bed. finally, we won. it was a valiant fight on both sides!
the other morning, b was up by 8:30 and at 10:30 k was still sound asleep. while i am grateful for mornings when k gets some extra needed sleep, i just wish they could be on the same clock! it also always seems that mornings when we have to be somewhere, like 9:00 church on sunday mornings, k could sleep until noon. having to wake her up is such a bummer!
Friday, February 4, 2011
red means stop
and green means go, in case you didn't know that yet. but no worries, k will inform you if you aren't sure!
we have been working on this concept a bit over the last few days. k is learning all about traffic signals and stop signs. right now, she is calling every sign a stop sign but we'll keep working on it. it's nice to add little lessons like this to the growing repertoire of songs we sing in the car. anything to keep her mind off of not having a movie in front of her. we stow the dvd player away when we aren't long distance travelling (something that took us a year to do...)
back to red light green light. the other day, i stopped at my red light. i was turning right, however, so once i waited my obligatory 3 seconds, i started to make my turn. k screamed from the backseat, "no mom! it's a red light! red means stop! you can't go!" the funny thing, to me, was that she was highly concerned and was legitimately yelling at me as if i was breaking the law. it was comical.
while i love teaching her something and then watching her internalize the concept and use it in her life, i can't help but wonder if i've already created the monster that is the back seat driver...
we have been working on this concept a bit over the last few days. k is learning all about traffic signals and stop signs. right now, she is calling every sign a stop sign but we'll keep working on it. it's nice to add little lessons like this to the growing repertoire of songs we sing in the car. anything to keep her mind off of not having a movie in front of her. we stow the dvd player away when we aren't long distance travelling (something that took us a year to do...)
back to red light green light. the other day, i stopped at my red light. i was turning right, however, so once i waited my obligatory 3 seconds, i started to make my turn. k screamed from the backseat, "no mom! it's a red light! red means stop! you can't go!" the funny thing, to me, was that she was highly concerned and was legitimately yelling at me as if i was breaking the law. it was comical.
while i love teaching her something and then watching her internalize the concept and use it in her life, i can't help but wonder if i've already created the monster that is the back seat driver...
Thursday, February 3, 2011
by the way
my baby b started rolling over yesterday! i said just the day before "she'll be doing it any day now" and then 24 hours later, she did it!
i actually missed the first one. i had her playing on the floor on her little mat while i was on the couch painting my nails. can you believe i squeezed that in? she had been playing on her back with some rattles and other toys and when i looked up a minute later, she was on her tummy.
i thought this happened a couple of weeks ago, but after a few hours of b not being able to roll over again, i realized big sister helped her do it the first time. but yesterday's performance was solo for b! i was so proud of her and have loved watching her do it over and over again since.
husband was playing on the floor with her last night and was putting the palm of his hand against her feet. she pushed off his hand over and over, just inching herself further away from where she started. watching her wiggle around like that had me realizing just how quickly we've gone already from having a newborn who sleeps 23 hours a day to what will only be, all too soon, a scooter and a cruiser. and i will ask then, just like i'm going to ask now, where is my little brand new baby? she is growing up. and i feel, like every other mom out there, that it's going by much too quickly this time around.
i actually missed the first one. i had her playing on the floor on her little mat while i was on the couch painting my nails. can you believe i squeezed that in? she had been playing on her back with some rattles and other toys and when i looked up a minute later, she was on her tummy.
i thought this happened a couple of weeks ago, but after a few hours of b not being able to roll over again, i realized big sister helped her do it the first time. but yesterday's performance was solo for b! i was so proud of her and have loved watching her do it over and over again since.
husband was playing on the floor with her last night and was putting the palm of his hand against her feet. she pushed off his hand over and over, just inching herself further away from where she started. watching her wiggle around like that had me realizing just how quickly we've gone already from having a newborn who sleeps 23 hours a day to what will only be, all too soon, a scooter and a cruiser. and i will ask then, just like i'm going to ask now, where is my little brand new baby? she is growing up. and i feel, like every other mom out there, that it's going by much too quickly this time around.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
developments
baby b has been busy being a baby. she is so cute and fun right now. i was looking at her the other night, lost in deep thought, thinking how amazing it is that she is here in our family, how incredible it is that she is only 5 months old, that we have only known her for that long, that she is simply beautiful, and on and on and on. lots of thoughts watching this gorgeous girl asleep, nestled in her daddy's arms.
she is cooing like crazy and her latest thing is blowing bubbles and raspberries. she hasn't quite mastered the raspberry, but it is awesome to watch. she is changing every day!!! it really does happen so fast. another thing she is close to doing is rolling over. she gets so frustrated and screams and hates it, but she is going to do it any day. one of my hands-down favorite things she is doing these days, though, is crunching. she tries so hard to sit up that she ends up doing crunches, lifting her head, neck, and even shoulders until her little face goes bright red. then she breathes and gives up and lays back down, only to try again. it is pretty hilarious :)
she is cooing like crazy and her latest thing is blowing bubbles and raspberries. she hasn't quite mastered the raspberry, but it is awesome to watch. she is changing every day!!! it really does happen so fast. another thing she is close to doing is rolling over. she gets so frustrated and screams and hates it, but she is going to do it any day. one of my hands-down favorite things she is doing these days, though, is crunching. she tries so hard to sit up that she ends up doing crunches, lifting her head, neck, and even shoulders until her little face goes bright red. then she breathes and gives up and lays back down, only to try again. it is pretty hilarious :)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
school girl
k is already excited for school. she's not yet three, but boy, she's excited.
anytime we see a school bus drive by, or even pass a parked one, she yells out, "mama! a school bus!!!" it's very exciting :) whenever we pass the local elementary school, she asks if it's her school and if we went to the carnival there. she frequently asks if she can go to school and then tells me she's big enough. apparently i've told her she's not "big enough yet" :)
so, it has me asking: does k need preschool and when do we start? and then comes the shortness of breath when i think about dropping off my little baby to some stranger! i never think of myself as the type of mom who will cry when she drops off her kids to school. and i still don't think i will. but it does bring me a slight sense of panic (and complete paranoia) when i start to think about her being safe. i guess i need to ask around and find out who i can trust with my little k :)
i never attended preschool so there is a little part of me that says "kids don't need preschool." but then a friend reminded me the other day that no, k doesn't need preschool - i do. i had to laugh :) she was also kind enough to remind me about a little thing called a waiting list. i really do need to start asking around for good recommendations... oh boy.
anytime we see a school bus drive by, or even pass a parked one, she yells out, "mama! a school bus!!!" it's very exciting :) whenever we pass the local elementary school, she asks if it's her school and if we went to the carnival there. she frequently asks if she can go to school and then tells me she's big enough. apparently i've told her she's not "big enough yet" :)
so, it has me asking: does k need preschool and when do we start? and then comes the shortness of breath when i think about dropping off my little baby to some stranger! i never think of myself as the type of mom who will cry when she drops off her kids to school. and i still don't think i will. but it does bring me a slight sense of panic (and complete paranoia) when i start to think about her being safe. i guess i need to ask around and find out who i can trust with my little k :)
i never attended preschool so there is a little part of me that says "kids don't need preschool." but then a friend reminded me the other day that no, k doesn't need preschool - i do. i had to laugh :) she was also kind enough to remind me about a little thing called a waiting list. i really do need to start asking around for good recommendations... oh boy.
Monday, January 31, 2011
conceptual
k has really been surprising us with her conceptual learning these days. it's also been a lot of fun watching her imagination take over and add a whole new level to her play. from hearing her interpretation of what a cloud looks like (look mom! it's an elephant in the sky!) to watching her wave her corndog around, saying "ding dong! it's time for school!" we are having fun watching her mind grow.
the most surprising concept she has mastered is grandma's relationship to mom. husband's aunt was over a couple of weeks ago and asked k where she got a toy she was playing with. k replied, "grandma c gave it to me." aunt k asked, "grandma c? who's that?" little k simply said, "she's my mama's mom." i couldn't believe she grasped that idea already. i have definitely told her that's how it works, but i was totally surprised that she could internalize it and use it when someone asked.
little smartypants :)
the most surprising concept she has mastered is grandma's relationship to mom. husband's aunt was over a couple of weeks ago and asked k where she got a toy she was playing with. k replied, "grandma c gave it to me." aunt k asked, "grandma c? who's that?" little k simply said, "she's my mama's mom." i couldn't believe she grasped that idea already. i have definitely told her that's how it works, but i was totally surprised that she could internalize it and use it when someone asked.
little smartypants :)
Friday, January 28, 2011
don't touch the stove!
yep. It happened. k touched the stove and i felt horrible.
k had slid one of the chairs over to "help" me fix eggs. the whole time i was cooking those eggs, over and over again I reminded her "don't touch that, it's hot, don't touch." so, i turn off the burner, slide the eggs off onto a plate, and turn my head to see my little k's index finger make contact with the bare burner. oh my goodness.
i scooped her up and threw her finger under the cold running water at the sink. she was, of course, sobbing and a bit inconsolable. but after a few minutes, she was calm enough that she let me hold her on the couch. we curled up with the lion king and i kept rubbing fresh aloe on the tip of her poor finger. after a few minutes of that, i soaked a tea bag in cold water and made a compress out of it for her finger.
for the next couple of days, she reminded me that her finger still hurt and liked showing off her blister. then, just last night, she showed me her finger and asked where her bubble went :)
poor girl! we really are growing up :)
k had slid one of the chairs over to "help" me fix eggs. the whole time i was cooking those eggs, over and over again I reminded her "don't touch that, it's hot, don't touch." so, i turn off the burner, slide the eggs off onto a plate, and turn my head to see my little k's index finger make contact with the bare burner. oh my goodness.
i scooped her up and threw her finger under the cold running water at the sink. she was, of course, sobbing and a bit inconsolable. but after a few minutes, she was calm enough that she let me hold her on the couch. we curled up with the lion king and i kept rubbing fresh aloe on the tip of her poor finger. after a few minutes of that, i soaked a tea bag in cold water and made a compress out of it for her finger.
for the next couple of days, she reminded me that her finger still hurt and liked showing off her blister. then, just last night, she showed me her finger and asked where her bubble went :)
poor girl! we really are growing up :)
grandparents
at this point in our lives, we live within 2 hours of all of k and baby b's grandparents. the 2 sets of grandparents are the 2 hour drive away. the 2 sets of great-grandparents are in town. in fact, currently, one set of great-grandparents is just upstairs!
k adores all of her grandparents. it is so lovely to see the relationships develop and then build as she grows. having grandparents in the house has been so great. k plays with them on a daily basis and they love having her there, or so they tell me.
i have a plethora of memories with my grandparents. until i was about 13 we saw them once or twice a year, as they lived in another state. when we moved in with my grandparents for a couple of years, i really developed a different relationship with them than before. i was older, sure, but we were so close in proximity that i was able to appreciate them as people so much more. i learned many lessons, heard many stories, and loved much more than before. it is a very cherished time in my life.
for this, i am beyond grateful that k has 7 of her grandparents so close. even those 2 hours away, we still manage to see about once a month. i hope she will be as close to her grandparents as i was to mine.
k adores all of her grandparents. it is so lovely to see the relationships develop and then build as she grows. having grandparents in the house has been so great. k plays with them on a daily basis and they love having her there, or so they tell me.
i have a plethora of memories with my grandparents. until i was about 13 we saw them once or twice a year, as they lived in another state. when we moved in with my grandparents for a couple of years, i really developed a different relationship with them than before. i was older, sure, but we were so close in proximity that i was able to appreciate them as people so much more. i learned many lessons, heard many stories, and loved much more than before. it is a very cherished time in my life.
for this, i am beyond grateful that k has 7 of her grandparents so close. even those 2 hours away, we still manage to see about once a month. i hope she will be as close to her grandparents as i was to mine.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
party planning
i've started working on k's birthday party. she turns 3 in a couple of weeks! when i stop to forget about the days that run into one another of living with a toddler, i am shocked that she has been with us for three years. and at the same time, i marvel that she wasn't here three years ago. where was she? it is bizarre.
i quite enjoy working on birthday parties for miss k. i can say that now because i've only had to plan one party per year. i'm sure i'll still like doing birthdays when baby b turns one and for several parties after, but i wonder when the time will come that they become a headache and a chore? my babies were born in february and september, so at least that spreads the chaos of birthday parties out a bit...
i also realize that birthday parties can be as simple or as chaotic as you want them to be. we have yet to do any friend parties (of course) but in brainstorming for this third party, i have gotten a bit excited for the first friend party. games, crafty things, favor bags??? fun! i'll give myself a couple more years before we hit that stage :)
i quite enjoy working on birthday parties for miss k. i can say that now because i've only had to plan one party per year. i'm sure i'll still like doing birthdays when baby b turns one and for several parties after, but i wonder when the time will come that they become a headache and a chore? my babies were born in february and september, so at least that spreads the chaos of birthday parties out a bit...
i also realize that birthday parties can be as simple or as chaotic as you want them to be. we have yet to do any friend parties (of course) but in brainstorming for this third party, i have gotten a bit excited for the first friend party. games, crafty things, favor bags??? fun! i'll give myself a couple more years before we hit that stage :)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
the sleepy fight
i'm not one of those people who think babies come to us as blank slates who know nothing at all. but i find myself completely surprised when my little baby b can put things together and let me know how she feels about it - already??? for example, about a month or so ago, she really started letting me know how she feels about that carseat. she hates that thing. and, for some reason, it was so crazy to me that this little 3 month old knew just when she was going to get strapped into it. her new thing is that she knows when she's going to be put to bed and cries because she either hates it or hates being left alone. of course babies know things and of course they have opinions on such things and of course they can express their feelings on those opinions. but sometimes it just blows my mind for a second that they can "already do that." i'm getting lost in deep thought...
so putting her down for a nap is usually when i get this mad reaction. when b is really, genuinely tired, she is the easiest baby to put to bed. she goes in there awake and doesn't make a sound and just falls asleep. but when she's not quite tired but it's naptime or bedtime? oh boy. she starts crying as soon as she makes eye contact with her crib. she starts screaming as soon as i turn on the lighted toys and mobile. and the worst part? she looks up at me like, "how could you?" it's kind of heartbreaking.
most of the time, it lasts for about 30 seconds and she gives up. but boy, when she has decided she is just not ready? she will hang onto that opinion until you do something about it...
in great news, k has gotten so much better. when we first moved her to her toddler bed, she was fantastic. a few months later, it all changed. that means, that for about 7 months or so, we have endured the "stay in your room or i'm going to ______" fight. we've been through it all: leaving the door open/shutting the door all the way, taking toys away, bribes, screaming, crying, spanking, bungee-cording the door to "lock" it from the outside, letting her do whatever she wants, ignoring her, letting her play in the hall until she's tired, and on and on and on. but once we moved baby b into her room (about a month ago) it has been wonderful! not every night is perfect, but i'd wager 9 nights out of 10 are great. k stays in her room most nights and plays quietly until she's ready to go to sleep. once she makes that decision, she tucks herself in bed and conks out. it's great!
while k is doing great these days, i still have one complaint: the endless "i need to go to the bathroom," the "i need a drink," or the "i need help getting back into bed." apparently i was full of the same crap, so while it's infuriating, i have to smile inside and just breathe.
so putting her down for a nap is usually when i get this mad reaction. when b is really, genuinely tired, she is the easiest baby to put to bed. she goes in there awake and doesn't make a sound and just falls asleep. but when she's not quite tired but it's naptime or bedtime? oh boy. she starts crying as soon as she makes eye contact with her crib. she starts screaming as soon as i turn on the lighted toys and mobile. and the worst part? she looks up at me like, "how could you?" it's kind of heartbreaking.
most of the time, it lasts for about 30 seconds and she gives up. but boy, when she has decided she is just not ready? she will hang onto that opinion until you do something about it...
in great news, k has gotten so much better. when we first moved her to her toddler bed, she was fantastic. a few months later, it all changed. that means, that for about 7 months or so, we have endured the "stay in your room or i'm going to ______" fight. we've been through it all: leaving the door open/shutting the door all the way, taking toys away, bribes, screaming, crying, spanking, bungee-cording the door to "lock" it from the outside, letting her do whatever she wants, ignoring her, letting her play in the hall until she's tired, and on and on and on. but once we moved baby b into her room (about a month ago) it has been wonderful! not every night is perfect, but i'd wager 9 nights out of 10 are great. k stays in her room most nights and plays quietly until she's ready to go to sleep. once she makes that decision, she tucks herself in bed and conks out. it's great!
while k is doing great these days, i still have one complaint: the endless "i need to go to the bathroom," the "i need a drink," or the "i need help getting back into bed." apparently i was full of the same crap, so while it's infuriating, i have to smile inside and just breathe.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
cereal
baby b got her first taste of rice cereal the other night. i know, i know, she's only 4 1/2 months. she gives me a good, solid 6 hours at night but i figured since she's as old and growing as well as she is, she could stand to go longer at night without eating. i've been told by my doctor that after about 4 months they can, generally, start to give up any night-time feedings. and, since the girls are sharing a room, it would be great to have a longer sleep stretch for b and k, not to mention for me!
the cereal, if you can call it that, was of course very runny - which means some went in and most came out. i gave her a few bites the first night and that is just how it went. but guess what? it added another hour! just a few bites of runny milk and cereal added 60 minutes of glorious, uninterrupted sleep! so the next night, i fed her again. she caught on surprisingly well for a 4 1/2 month old - she started opening her mouth and leaning forward for each bite. it was so cute. she ate quite a bit more and slept for 2 hours longer! it has been a great adjustment in our little household.
on that note, i was taking k to the bathroom during those night-time feedings and was hoping that giving those up wouldn't send us backward in her night-time potty training. guess what? i haven't taken k to the bathroom in 4 nights and she's either woken up herself to go or stayed dry all night long! what a great week we've had!
the cereal, if you can call it that, was of course very runny - which means some went in and most came out. i gave her a few bites the first night and that is just how it went. but guess what? it added another hour! just a few bites of runny milk and cereal added 60 minutes of glorious, uninterrupted sleep! so the next night, i fed her again. she caught on surprisingly well for a 4 1/2 month old - she started opening her mouth and leaning forward for each bite. it was so cute. she ate quite a bit more and slept for 2 hours longer! it has been a great adjustment in our little household.
on that note, i was taking k to the bathroom during those night-time feedings and was hoping that giving those up wouldn't send us backward in her night-time potty training. guess what? i haven't taken k to the bathroom in 4 nights and she's either woken up herself to go or stayed dry all night long! what a great week we've had!
Monday, January 24, 2011
i know it's just the age
i feel like i've been saying this a lot right now. except in the last few days. we've had a string of great, manageable days with miss k. anyhow, she definitely is in a stage right now.
k is hard - most of the time she is defiant, bossy, rebellious, pushing boundaries, testing me... call it what you will, she's doing it. i was talking to a woman the other day who had been to a series of parenting classes when she had grown tired of dealing with her 9 year old who used to be so easy and mellow and who now seemed to be possessed by some sort of body snatcher...
apparently there is this stage that comes around as a toddler, then again at 8 or 9ish, and then again around 13. kids reach these ages and turn, momentarily, from your sweet, pleasant child into one that is defiant, bossy, rebellious, pushes boundaries, tests you... you get the idea. really? at least three times they will do this??? yuck and double yuck! and while we're at it, triple yuck!!!
but when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. with each of these ages, they gain a bit more independence, they are capable of doing more than they previously were, they are given more privileges than they used to have, of course they are going to push you and test you and see just how far they can go with this new-found-freedom.
so, while it makes perfect sense, it brings some a-ha to the picture and makes it slightly better to deal with and muddle through. but, while it makes sense, it still continues to be difficult and i find myself asking, "so just how much more of this do i have to experience with k before it comes around again in another few years?" if i'm lucky, maybe k will go through it at 8-9 at the same time as baby #3 (when there is a baby #3) goes through it as a toddler. oh boy!
k is hard - most of the time she is defiant, bossy, rebellious, pushing boundaries, testing me... call it what you will, she's doing it. i was talking to a woman the other day who had been to a series of parenting classes when she had grown tired of dealing with her 9 year old who used to be so easy and mellow and who now seemed to be possessed by some sort of body snatcher...
apparently there is this stage that comes around as a toddler, then again at 8 or 9ish, and then again around 13. kids reach these ages and turn, momentarily, from your sweet, pleasant child into one that is defiant, bossy, rebellious, pushes boundaries, tests you... you get the idea. really? at least three times they will do this??? yuck and double yuck! and while we're at it, triple yuck!!!
but when you think about it, it makes perfect sense. with each of these ages, they gain a bit more independence, they are capable of doing more than they previously were, they are given more privileges than they used to have, of course they are going to push you and test you and see just how far they can go with this new-found-freedom.
so, while it makes perfect sense, it brings some a-ha to the picture and makes it slightly better to deal with and muddle through. but, while it makes sense, it still continues to be difficult and i find myself asking, "so just how much more of this do i have to experience with k before it comes around again in another few years?" if i'm lucky, maybe k will go through it at 8-9 at the same time as baby #3 (when there is a baby #3) goes through it as a toddler. oh boy!
Friday, January 21, 2011
i have great infants
how did i get so lucky with my babies?
my parents still remind me how surprised they are at my mothering skills and how incredibly lucky we are to have such great babies. don't worry, we know it.
one thing i am so grateful for with my babies is that they (so far) have been excellent sleepers. from about 6 weeks on, they let me sleep all night. even when they are brand new and just home from the hospital, the most frequently they had to eat at night was every four hours. none of this every 2 hours business.
another reason i know i have good babies is that they have both been great eaters. notice i said babies ;) as i mentioned, they have only wanted to eat every 4 hours. when they were brand new, i kind of felt like all i did was feed my baby, around the clock, but even at four hour intervals, that is nothing to complain about. they get in, they get out, they move on with life! i don't (so far) have babies that eat for 45 minutes. i remember hearing friends say (friends who nursed their babies) "you do 20 minutes on one side, burp, 20 minutes on the other side, burp again, change the diaper, then you put them back to sleep. so you're up for like an hour." what??? really? is this what i had to look forward to? gratefully, both of my babies eat for about 15 to 20 minutes total, burp, and get a diaper change. we are all back to bed within 30 minutes. blessed children!!!
probably the thing i'm most grateful for, however, is that my babies are so mellow! they just seem to go with the flow and don't make much of a fuss about anything. i used to take k with me to anything and everything and she rarely fussed. she was so full of personality and was so easily entertained - it was lovely! baby b is following closely in her sister's footsteps. the only thing she doesn't like is the carseat. but once we get rolling, she quietly enjoys the ride.
now, i promise - this post isn't a brag post like those dedicated to showing how great my latest project is or whatever - but i just wanted to document the bliss that has come from my two baby girls. it serves purely as a reminder that i love these girls and that at one point in time, they were blissful! i think it will get me through my days of raising toddler and even teenage girls!
my parents still remind me how surprised they are at my mothering skills and how incredibly lucky we are to have such great babies. don't worry, we know it.
one thing i am so grateful for with my babies is that they (so far) have been excellent sleepers. from about 6 weeks on, they let me sleep all night. even when they are brand new and just home from the hospital, the most frequently they had to eat at night was every four hours. none of this every 2 hours business.
another reason i know i have good babies is that they have both been great eaters. notice i said babies ;) as i mentioned, they have only wanted to eat every 4 hours. when they were brand new, i kind of felt like all i did was feed my baby, around the clock, but even at four hour intervals, that is nothing to complain about. they get in, they get out, they move on with life! i don't (so far) have babies that eat for 45 minutes. i remember hearing friends say (friends who nursed their babies) "you do 20 minutes on one side, burp, 20 minutes on the other side, burp again, change the diaper, then you put them back to sleep. so you're up for like an hour." what??? really? is this what i had to look forward to? gratefully, both of my babies eat for about 15 to 20 minutes total, burp, and get a diaper change. we are all back to bed within 30 minutes. blessed children!!!
probably the thing i'm most grateful for, however, is that my babies are so mellow! they just seem to go with the flow and don't make much of a fuss about anything. i used to take k with me to anything and everything and she rarely fussed. she was so full of personality and was so easily entertained - it was lovely! baby b is following closely in her sister's footsteps. the only thing she doesn't like is the carseat. but once we get rolling, she quietly enjoys the ride.
now, i promise - this post isn't a brag post like those dedicated to showing how great my latest project is or whatever - but i just wanted to document the bliss that has come from my two baby girls. it serves purely as a reminder that i love these girls and that at one point in time, they were blissful! i think it will get me through my days of raising toddler and even teenage girls!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
sister love
k is a great big sister
we weren't really sure how she would deal with a sibling. would she love it? would she hate having to share mom and dad with baby? would she try to smother her when we weren't looking?
to diffuse the jealousy from the get-go, we got a gift for k from baby b. when she came to the hospital to meet b for the first time, we presented her with a woody doll from toy story 3. when we told her it was from her baby sister, she was pretty excited about the idea. it was like you could see the wheels turning, "my baby sister got a toy for me???" so cute.
she wanted to hold her baby sister from the second she saw her and that actually lasted for about a month. then the novelty wore off :) but in those first few weeks, k wanted everyone to meet her baby sister. she wanted to hold her constantly, and anytime b would let out little cries, k would laugh and say, "i hear my baby sister!!!" it was all pretty exciting :)
as b has gotten older and bigger, k has had a hard time remembering to be gentle and soft with her. she is still learning the concept, so we have to be pretty vigilant when she tries loving on b. there seems to be a semi-fine line however, because i don't want to be negative when it comes to k interacting with b, but of course i can't let her manhandle the poor baby! i don't want k to resent baby b because all i do is tell her "no" when she tries playing with her. but lately, it has been really fun watching the 2 of them interact. k is usually trying to get her baby sister to laugh and, in turn, it makes me giggle. i really love having 2 girls!
we weren't really sure how she would deal with a sibling. would she love it? would she hate having to share mom and dad with baby? would she try to smother her when we weren't looking?
to diffuse the jealousy from the get-go, we got a gift for k from baby b. when she came to the hospital to meet b for the first time, we presented her with a woody doll from toy story 3. when we told her it was from her baby sister, she was pretty excited about the idea. it was like you could see the wheels turning, "my baby sister got a toy for me???" so cute.
she wanted to hold her baby sister from the second she saw her and that actually lasted for about a month. then the novelty wore off :) but in those first few weeks, k wanted everyone to meet her baby sister. she wanted to hold her constantly, and anytime b would let out little cries, k would laugh and say, "i hear my baby sister!!!" it was all pretty exciting :)
as b has gotten older and bigger, k has had a hard time remembering to be gentle and soft with her. she is still learning the concept, so we have to be pretty vigilant when she tries loving on b. there seems to be a semi-fine line however, because i don't want to be negative when it comes to k interacting with b, but of course i can't let her manhandle the poor baby! i don't want k to resent baby b because all i do is tell her "no" when she tries playing with her. but lately, it has been really fun watching the 2 of them interact. k is usually trying to get her baby sister to laugh and, in turn, it makes me giggle. i really love having 2 girls!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
have we turned a corner?
k hit her stubborn streak about a year ago. with everything. the worst power struggle we have had (and no i'm not going to talk about potty training anymore) has been over food. she was the best eater up until she was about 2 years old and i was the proud mom who thought she had the perfect child. i thought i had done everything right, didn't stress over things, and had this perfect baby who would sail through life being perfect.
not.so.much.
a reality check for me and for k. for me because the independent streak hit and my rose colored glasses came off. i am now living in the world of "i can teach and discipline and raise, but in all reality you are going to do what you want." a bit early, sure, but not abnormal. i keep telling myself this phase is a phase and we will all get a break for a few years until it comes around again. a reality check for k because she discovered a bit of independence. she had new boundaries and had to push them. enter: food. she started to get very picky and wouldn't touch real food. we hadn't given her too much kid-food, but she resisted just about anything and everything we were eating.
i have gone through it all. the power struggle at the dinner table, the "this is what we are having so this is what you are having," the "you have to have 3 bites and then you can have ____," the "i give up, eat whatever you want," the "here are your options, you can pick whatever you want out of these 3 or 4 things but you have to eat one of them," etc. i just felt like i tried everything! very frustrating, to say the least.
about 2 weeks ago, the clouds parted. k asked for a hamburger. a what?
not.so.much.
a reality check for me and for k. for me because the independent streak hit and my rose colored glasses came off. i am now living in the world of "i can teach and discipline and raise, but in all reality you are going to do what you want." a bit early, sure, but not abnormal. i keep telling myself this phase is a phase and we will all get a break for a few years until it comes around again. a reality check for k because she discovered a bit of independence. she had new boundaries and had to push them. enter: food. she started to get very picky and wouldn't touch real food. we hadn't given her too much kid-food, but she resisted just about anything and everything we were eating.
i have gone through it all. the power struggle at the dinner table, the "this is what we are having so this is what you are having," the "you have to have 3 bites and then you can have ____," the "i give up, eat whatever you want," the "here are your options, you can pick whatever you want out of these 3 or 4 things but you have to eat one of them," etc. i just felt like i tried everything! very frustrating, to say the least.
about 2 weeks ago, the clouds parted. k asked for a hamburger. a what?
(this girl doesn't like french fries, chicken nuggets, or hamburgers... it sounds like we only eat out and fast food at that. not the case. but she not only wouldn't eat what we were having at the dinner table, she also wouldn't even eat the normal things kids want instead. she was living on things like yogurt, rice crispies, applesauce, peanut butter, and ramen noodles. very nutritious. so, you can imagine my surprise when she wanted that hamburger.)
so, back to that hamburger. she ate it up! and then she just started eating things like roast beef, hot dogs (pigs in a blanket), potatoes and gravy and more vegetables! who knew she just had to realize she could allow that savory flavor to open up her palate? i hope i'm not jinxing her taste buds by putting this out there (you know how when you say it out loud it's over?). it has been a glorious couple of weeks when it comes to little k's diet!!!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
2 niñas
i was very unsure about how it would be having two kids. one reason was that i didn't want to add another stroller to the household and decided to "make it work" with our bigger stroller. i thought about this issue over and over and wondered what we would do. (i'm trying to paint a picture, here) :)
more or less i was stressing over this when it hit me: who am i kidding? with two kids i'm not going ANYWHERE by myself for like 6 months! stroller issue? non-issue!
i quickly realized this, in fact, was a non-issue. it was much easier to take 2 kids out by myself than i thought. i'm not saying it's a piece of cake every time, but it's definitely manageable. i have found that i don't just run out at the drop of a hat like i used to with k - i think more about leaving the house and if i really want to - but i definitely don't feel trapped in.
tasks like going to get our mail (we have a PO box at the post office - no mailbox... boo) are much harder since i can't just leave the kids in the car while i run in for literally 20 seconds. so husband picks up the mail most days... but now that i think about it, getting the mail is usually our nightly outing as a family once daddy gets home :) we all have to get out of the house at least once a day!
more or less i was stressing over this when it hit me: who am i kidding? with two kids i'm not going ANYWHERE by myself for like 6 months! stroller issue? non-issue!
i quickly realized this, in fact, was a non-issue. it was much easier to take 2 kids out by myself than i thought. i'm not saying it's a piece of cake every time, but it's definitely manageable. i have found that i don't just run out at the drop of a hat like i used to with k - i think more about leaving the house and if i really want to - but i definitely don't feel trapped in.
tasks like going to get our mail (we have a PO box at the post office - no mailbox... boo) are much harder since i can't just leave the kids in the car while i run in for literally 20 seconds. so husband picks up the mail most days... but now that i think about it, getting the mail is usually our nightly outing as a family once daddy gets home :) we all have to get out of the house at least once a day!
Monday, January 17, 2011
welcome, little one
so as i said, baby b made her way into our family, home, and hearts, in early september. this time around, i was instructed and prepared, and she didn't want to come out either, just like big sister k. this means that about halfway through my pregnancy, my doctor scheduled my c-section "just so it was on the books." i went through all the emotions: disappointment, confusion, convenience, acceptance. on my way to acceptance though, i experienced quite the dilemma. looking at it now, what was my dilemma really? there wasn't much i could do to get her here...
i know there are plenty out there who would start up the arguments with me right now. i say to you: good luck coaxing and waiting for a baby that is not coming out. i experienced this waiting for k. 7 days overdue (yes i could have waited longer but am so glad we didn't since she had meconium in there with her and could have gotten major infection) and no sign of her coming (i was at 1.5cm and zero effacing...) so they went in and got her. and i am so grateful they did. thank you doctor! it was time for her to come and she was pretty determined it wasn't happening. i feel strongly that it's how it was supposed to happen. my recovery was great and i had zero qualms about having a c-section other than i didn't get to experience that "regular" delivery.
so i went through the emotional roller coaster this time trying to decide about a scheduled c-section or not. i had 2 major concerns: a) if i have back-to-back c-sections, i will probably be closing the door to ever having a regular, vaginal delivery. and, secretly, i always wanted to try for that natural delivery, sans epidural. that would all be voided as an option for me in the future. b) would having c-section babies limit the number of children i can have? that all depended on how many kids i wanted and how my body handled the scar tissue inside. inside? that meant i had to wait until they got back inside to see just how my body handles it... thankfully my scars inside looked "gorgeous"... doctor's words :)
acceptance came a few weeks later, once i basically realized there really isn't anything more important than getting your baby here safely. i accepted my fate that i will never experience childbirth and moved on.
the big day came and we were admitted early in the morning. i was so grateful i didn't have to wait around until late afternoon for surgery! b was here 15 minutes after they took me into the OR. it was fantastic and she was here!!! and, as it turns out, we would have most likely ended up in that OR regardless because little b had that umbilical cord wrapped around her neck not once but twice! yikes. thank goodness for medical staff who take care of things and know exactly what to do!
now it's been 4 months, wow, and we are a family of four. it's crazy to think we were ever just a family of three. or two?
wow!
i know there are plenty out there who would start up the arguments with me right now. i say to you: good luck coaxing and waiting for a baby that is not coming out. i experienced this waiting for k. 7 days overdue (yes i could have waited longer but am so glad we didn't since she had meconium in there with her and could have gotten major infection) and no sign of her coming (i was at 1.5cm and zero effacing...) so they went in and got her. and i am so grateful they did. thank you doctor! it was time for her to come and she was pretty determined it wasn't happening. i feel strongly that it's how it was supposed to happen. my recovery was great and i had zero qualms about having a c-section other than i didn't get to experience that "regular" delivery.
so i went through the emotional roller coaster this time trying to decide about a scheduled c-section or not. i had 2 major concerns: a) if i have back-to-back c-sections, i will probably be closing the door to ever having a regular, vaginal delivery. and, secretly, i always wanted to try for that natural delivery, sans epidural. that would all be voided as an option for me in the future. b) would having c-section babies limit the number of children i can have? that all depended on how many kids i wanted and how my body handled the scar tissue inside. inside? that meant i had to wait until they got back inside to see just how my body handles it... thankfully my scars inside looked "gorgeous"... doctor's words :)
acceptance came a few weeks later, once i basically realized there really isn't anything more important than getting your baby here safely. i accepted my fate that i will never experience childbirth and moved on.
the big day came and we were admitted early in the morning. i was so grateful i didn't have to wait around until late afternoon for surgery! b was here 15 minutes after they took me into the OR. it was fantastic and she was here!!! and, as it turns out, we would have most likely ended up in that OR regardless because little b had that umbilical cord wrapped around her neck not once but twice! yikes. thank goodness for medical staff who take care of things and know exactly what to do!
now it's been 4 months, wow, and we are a family of four. it's crazy to think we were ever just a family of three. or two?
wow!
Friday, January 14, 2011
potty training
she did it!!! k has been potty trained for over a year now. as you may remember, this past summer we were still struggling with #2 training. it was a battle and a power struggle, on my side and on her side. l.a.m.e.
then one night, all it took was one night!, husband knew she had a 'stinky' on it's way and he calmly insisted she stay on the toilet until it came. after an hour (for real) it finally happened. husband and i had tag-teamed and i was sitting with her. it was dramatic and traumatic. i had a flashing moment of "are we making this worse? is this too traumatic for her? oh crap, is she going into shock?" for real. it got so bad but then one second later it was so good! she did it! we were all so proud and had a party in the bathroom right then and there. she got every reward we ever promised her (at that point there were about 5 things she got [candy/popsicles/toys...] or got back [all of her stuffed dolls and toys]). it was thrilling to say the least - thrilling.
and it stuck! i was worried that she might do it but then immediately fall back into the habit of not wanting to do it EVER again. but little k is a champ! this all happened mid-november and we were headed out of town for thanksgiving. i wondered if she would be able to transition from going in her own house to going somewhere else, let alone being distracted by playing with cousins all day long. would she remember to tell me when she needed to go? yes, she would! she even started staying dry all night long, every night. goodbye pull-ups at night! it was amazing!
here we are, a few months later, and we are golden. she never has accidents, she stays dry all night (although i do take her to the bathroom once around 5:30am when i'm feeding baby b) but she is doing awesome! way to go, k!!!
then one night, all it took was one night!, husband knew she had a 'stinky' on it's way and he calmly insisted she stay on the toilet until it came. after an hour (for real) it finally happened. husband and i had tag-teamed and i was sitting with her. it was dramatic and traumatic. i had a flashing moment of "are we making this worse? is this too traumatic for her? oh crap, is she going into shock?" for real. it got so bad but then one second later it was so good! she did it! we were all so proud and had a party in the bathroom right then and there. she got every reward we ever promised her (at that point there were about 5 things she got [candy/popsicles/toys...] or got back [all of her stuffed dolls and toys]). it was thrilling to say the least - thrilling.
and it stuck! i was worried that she might do it but then immediately fall back into the habit of not wanting to do it EVER again. but little k is a champ! this all happened mid-november and we were headed out of town for thanksgiving. i wondered if she would be able to transition from going in her own house to going somewhere else, let alone being distracted by playing with cousins all day long. would she remember to tell me when she needed to go? yes, she would! she even started staying dry all night long, every night. goodbye pull-ups at night! it was amazing!
here we are, a few months later, and we are golden. she never has accidents, she stays dry all night (although i do take her to the bathroom once around 5:30am when i'm feeding baby b) but she is doing awesome! way to go, k!!!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
am i back?
not sure about it, but for today, i'm back. i have thought less and less, and then not at all, about this blog since i left it. then today, for some reason, i clicked on my bookmark for it and read through a few of the posts. it made me wish i had been writing more, just for history's sake. i wish i had recorded all of the things, good and not so good, that k has been doing and saying. i think, as i'm sitting here and typing, i was just overcome by negativity when i was writing this summer. it seemed like the only things i could blog about were so awfully annoying and i got overwhelmed with focusing on it - so i stopped blogging.
can i change? we'll see.
i hope that this time around, k does a few more fun things to blog about :) also, we have b to blog about. she was born in early september and is growing, quite literally, like a weed. she is SO big and is growing so much faster than k did! it's a trip.
so, if you wish, please stay tuned with me and we'll see if i can figure out a way to keep recording things my girls do and stay positive through the negative!
cheers!
can i change? we'll see.
i hope that this time around, k does a few more fun things to blog about :) also, we have b to blog about. she was born in early september and is growing, quite literally, like a weed. she is SO big and is growing so much faster than k did! it's a trip.
so, if you wish, please stay tuned with me and we'll see if i can figure out a way to keep recording things my girls do and stay positive through the negative!
cheers!
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