Blog More, FB Less

I'm going to be blogging more.  I really want to have a documented journey of our family's adventures, which is what I have tried to make this blog about.  I realize that I jump on Facebook (way) too much when I have some down time, and it just frustrates me with the human race in general.  Social media is seriously a downfall of our society.  People will type things they would never say in person, and with the rise in popularity of photoshop, etc. people are living in a world that isn't even genuine.  

That being said, here's to being more intentional with my time - and spending my "me" time doing things to better my family and my life, rather than mindlessly scrolling through lists of updates, pictures, and nonsense that I really don't need to see anyway!

9 Months Old (on the 9th of March)

Dear Davin, 

It finally happened.  You've been outside of my body as long as you were inside my body!  I'm not sure if I believe that or not - it seems like I just had you, but it also seems like you've been around a long time.  It's a blast to get to watch you grow and develop and change into this little boy who does all sorts of wild things.  And wild, you are!  You're into everything.  You crawl so fast and will pull yourself up on anything.  You're getting much more steady on your feet and have stood alone without falling a few times.  You don't have much interest in walking when we hold your hands - I think you'd rather just speed crawl.  

You're cutest development this month is giving kisses.  I can say, "Give me smooches" and you just open your mouth so wide and plant one on me.  Apparently Daddy found you trying to give Maggie smooches this morning - Gross!  You're awfully proud of it.  You've also said "dadadadada" and even the occasional "mamamamama" but I'm not sure you completely know the meaning yet.  You've also started waving - which sometimes has you looking at us grinning and sometimes watching your hand to figure out what in the world it is doing!

Let's just be really honest.  You're an absolutely horrific sleeper.  Most days you still do okay for naps (one morning and one afternoon, usually for 1.5-2.5 hours each), but your nighttime sleeping is awful.  You are just restless and make some of the most annoying sounds (sorry, but it's true!) and get mad/stand up/crawl around.  You're still in the pack-n-play in our room, because we know you're fits will wake Brenna up in the middle of the night.  But, I'm wondering if being in your own room in a more comfy crib will help, so we may be forced to try it and just deal with the consequences.  We don't give in to your every whim, but will sometimes rock you back to sleep if it'`s gone on too long or we just need reprieve.  I seriously need you to grow out of this.  You'll have a spell where you sleep good for a week or so, and then just revert back.  This is new territory for us, and we aren't really handling it very gracefully.  However, on the positive side, I do enjoy rocking you to sleep for your naps because you're so darn cute when you give in.  

You're still a big fan of Mommy.  People joke that it's like I have a magnet in me and you always come crawling to where I am.  I'm okay with that, unless I'm just trying to make dinner and you don't seem to be on board with that idea.  Overall you're pretty good at entertaining yourself when we can't be right at your side.  We spent a week together in DC while Daddy did training every day and Brenna was with Neena/Pa Bill and Nanie.  We rode the Subway, went to visit Merritt in Arlington, did a little shopping, and went to the National Mall and Smithsonian.  It was fun to enjoy only taking care of one kiddo for a little while, but we missed your sis.  You got to enjoy your baby food at some pretty nice restaurants that week too, and tagged along for our Valentines Day dinner at PF Changs.  There were 3 different waitresses who fell in love with you so much that they carried you around.  It was hilarious.  There was a group of some hip-hop artist guys at Ruth Chris's in Chinatown and they kept telling their friends - "Go check out that baby.  The little man is awesome." You're quite the charmer.  One waitress even gave you a present - some gloves for the cold winter air!  

You eat about 3-4 ounces of baby food at lunchtime and about 6 ounces at dinnertime.  You like most everything except peas and peaches.  We're going to try out some meats this week.  You don't like Puffs, yogurt melts, or anything with texture yet.  You nurse usually 4 times a day - when you wake up, around 1, around 5, and before bed about 9.  Rarely do I feed you during the night anymore - but sometimes will feed you if you're awake about 6 so we can get a few more hours of sleep hopefully.  You still have no teeth but I really do think the bottom ones are so close to popping through.  

You weighed in at 18.6 pounds when I took you to the doctor thinking you had an ear infection (you didn't).  You still wear mostly 6-12 or 9 month clothes and your size 3 Toms shoes I ordered you barely fit.  You and I both got a case of thrush this month that's still not completely gone.  It was awful for me but didn't seem to bother you.  We picked up meds in Dublin on our way back from DC so you got to hang with your buddy Leah for a little while.  It's fun to see you two together!  You also got to see lots of family last weekend for Bren's 3rd birthday party.  You were a big hit, even though you woke up confused and grumpy with about 40 people in your house!  They all think you're the perfect baby - and I would agree with that IF you would just sleep!  But, you're the perfect baby for us regardless.  

You're smiley and cuddly and adventurous and easy-going.  You're the baby boy I dreamed of for 9 long months in my belly and that I've loved more and more every day for 9 short months outside my belly.  Slow yourself down, little man!  It's going too fast. 

Love you, Spud!

Love, Mamamamamamama

Candyland

It's no secret that I have a serious problem with throwing over-the-top birthday parties.  I adore it.  I love the planning and designing and decorating and executing my vision!  I realize my kids' would be perfectly happy with some ice cream and a few friends over.  But, that just won't do.  

I've known I wanted to do a Candyland party for Brenna this year since her birthday last year.  Luckily she was easily sold on the idea - because, well, she has a serious love of candy!  Here's the party through pictures.

 the treats table

 backdrop of streamers and balloons

 Brenna's special cake - she fell in love with this when she saw it on the computer

 egg-free cupcakes to be safe for her BFF Claire

 party favors - maracas, ring pop, magnifying glass, whistle, candy, and a bouncy ball

 Candyland cake.  We had planned to bake it ourselves, but I wasn't feeling too hot the night before so we ordered it to be picked up at Food Lion two hours before the party so I could decorate it.  I called to make sure it was ready and they told me they had no record of the order.  I called back, talked to a manager, and voila! we had a plain white cake 30 minutes later.  Decorating it was the easy part!

 fun interview

 DumDum topiary that B helped me make

 first paper banner made with my Silhouette

 her sweet buddy Caden

 path outside

 so excited

 Caden was a fan

 acting a little shy

 The kids knew exactly which pieces they wanted - haha!

making candy necklaces :)

Davin loved all the attention once he finally woke up.

 presents

 friends

Now time to start planning Davin's 1st birthday party! ;)

3!

Dear Brenna,

You're three.  We've been talking about your upcoming birthday for awhile now and it's finally here.  You're becoming such a big girl and I love being your mommy!

You are a bundle of fun, excitement, attitude, disobedience, and overwhelming joy in our lives.  When you're good, you're so good.  And when you're naughty, you're so naughty!  You are learning to show affection with words and actions.  You can say the sweetest things sometimes and it just melts my heart.  Your recent prayer at bedtime is "Dear Jesus, Thank you for Mommy.  In Jesus Name, Amen."  I'll admit that I secretly love it!  You also know how to use words to hurt our feelings, such as "I don't love you".  You're almost out of that stage (for now), thank goodness!

You adore your brother, although you have a little jealousy issues that come up at times.  You will talk in baby talk, or be too rough with him.  But overall you love to spend time with him, and he absolutely adores you.  You can make him laugh like no one else can.  I hope and pray that you guys will have a strong relationship as you grow up together.

You are now potty-trained except when you're sleeping.  You did great with it when we did it in the fall and it was a huge relief.  We still haven't switched you out of your crib OR taken your pacis away at sleeping time, which I realize is going to be a huge, huge issue soon.  It just breaks my heart to take them away since they are your only real comfort object.  There's going to be some rough nights.  We've been working on your new room at our house and I know your toddler bed is going to make it cute as can be!  You've slept in a toddler bed at Neena's and in a full size bed and another toddler bed at Nanie's, so I'm hoping that has prepared you well.

You spent half a week at Neena/Pa Bill's and the other half at Nanie's while Daddy, Davin, and I went to DC for a work trip.  You were good for them, but had a hard transition back to "real life".  You have absolutely no idea how much you are loved by all of your extended family.  People drove from really far away to come to your party on Saturday and loved seeing you celebrate your birthday!

Some things that you love these days - candy, soccer, riding your new bike, music, iPad/iPhone time, Caillou (the show), Bible stories, Mr. Paul at Sunday School, macaroni and cheese, baby talk, playing on your swingset, your friend Claire, Skyping with Nanie, Neena, and Pa Bill, wearing crazy hats, painting, play-doh, snow boots, crawling around with Davin, sippy cups, puppets, your Lego table, playing hide-n-seek, anything dry-erase, walking instead of riding in carts at stores, ice cream (specifically Sweet Frog), your cousin Lauren, welcoming Daddy home, giving Maggie "shells" (rawhides), dancing, singing, and the color pink.

You're still small, but you make up for your size with your personality.  You wear mostly 3T clothes for length, but most are pretty big on you.  You wear size 4 diapers at night.  You wear somewhere around 30 pounds - you have your 3 year checkup in a few weeks.  You've fought off one ear infection this winter and have a cough/cold now.  You also had a stomach virus last week, but it only lasted about 24 hours total.  You will be having your first dentist appointment before long, too.

I love you so, so much Brenna.  You have made our lives infinitely more precious, though admittedly a lot more work.  You're going to do amazing things in your life and I'm so honored to have a front-row seat to watch!  I know this upcoming year will hold lots more changes for you as you continue growing up and becoming more independent.  I am really committing to being more intentional with our time together over the next few months before you start preschool in the fall a few days a week.  I know I will never get this time with you back, and it makes me tear up just to think about it!  I adore you, sweet little Sprout!

Love you forever and forever,
Mommy

3 years ago

3 years ago RIGHT NOW was probably the most painfully exciting time of my life.  We had finished up a great dinner at Ruby Tuesday after spending a few hours in L&D without being in labor.  I was having fun telling our waitress that my baby was due 6 days earlier.  Then I went into labor right at the front door of Ruby Tuesday's.  It was so chaotic, but I remember it like it was yesterday.  I blamed the crab cakes.  I tried to convince Jonathan that I would be fine to go to work the next day.  Sheri tried to convince me that I was in labor.  April tried to convince Jonathan to get me to the hospital.  And I tried to convince Jonathan to just do a c-section in the living room.

I never knew that I could handle so much pain.  It was the most horrific pain, and it was the most exciting time of my life.  When I think about not having any more babies, it makes me feel so nostalgic.  My labors have both been so FAST, and in turn so painful, but it is the anticipating of what was to come that was just so exhilarating.  Getting to call our parents and tell them that their first grandchild was on the way, mass texting to friends, hearing about progress from the nurses and doctors - it was just so, so fun (post epidural).

And now that sweet little baby has gone and grown up on me and she's 7 hours away from turning THREE!  She's a spit-fire and she tests us multiple times daily.  But she's the most perfect girl for us, and I couldn't imagine our lives without her.  She's fun and adventurous and funny and adorable - and she's my greatest accomplishment.  My heart is so full of love for her that sometimes I still think it might burst.  I love, love, love my girl.

Here's to being a mommy to a THREE YEAR OLD!

8 Months Old

Dear Davin,

Another month has come and gone, and I'm going to be honest when I say this may have been our toughest month yet.  You've battled an ear infection, some terrible diaper rash, teeth that are trying their hardest to pop through, a cold, and a really, really rough sleeping spell.

You are pretty much either really happy or really sad.  If you're rested and fed, you are just the sweetest thing with a smile that would melt any heart.  You are a total mama's boy and love to be near me all the time.  You will crawl over to me and pull up many, many times a day.  You love to play with Maggie and Brenna.  Brenna and I got you absolutely cackling one day by just simply ripping some paper.  The three of us have lots of fun!  But, when you're sleepy or hungry (or, unfortunately, at other random times) you are a really unhappy little guy.  You fuss until you're being held and cry more than you used. I'm hoping it's a phase and you'll be back to the happy-go-lucky baby you used to be.

As I mentioned, you've been sick a lot this month.  You got an ear infection 2 weeks ago that really made it hard for you to rest.  The antibiotics worked quickly though.  You've also fought a cold and touch of a stomach bug.  And these pesky teeth are giving you a fit.  They are almost through, thank goodness!  I'll be glad when the warmer weather gets here to stay so that all these germs will go away!

You're sleeping in a pack-n-play in our room until you can stop screaming at night.  We don't want to risk you waking up your sis when you have your (almost) nightly episode of crying/screaming around 1 AM.  We started swaddling you again to see if that helps, and it has a little bit.  I usually nurse you anytime from 2:00 or after if you wake up, and you do go back down pretty easily after that.  You typically sleep from 9 PM - 8 or 9 AM.  You've been napping pretty well from about 10:30-12:30 and 2:30-4:30.  You like to be rocked to sleep, which probably isn't the smartest parenting move, but it works for us and it doesn't usually take too long.  I love, love, love seeing you asleep in my arms.  You're such a cuddler!

We started baby food a couple weeks ago, and you weren't a fan at all until a couple of days ago.  You prefer the store brands over my homemade, which isn't very nice!  You used to gag and turn your head and refuse to eat, but just recently you've started opening up and eating a whole container of food at lunch and dinner!  You've tried sweet potatoes, bananas, peas, green beans, carrots, apples, pears, and avocado.  Your favorites so far seem to be pears and green beans.  I gave you your first Puff tonight, and you weren't a fan at all.  You still nurse at approximately 9 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM, 7 PM, and 9 PM, along with a frequent night feeding.  You wear mostly 9 month clothes, with a few 6 month sleepers still.  You still wear size 3 diapers.  Oh, and you finally have a good amount of hair - although it's come in right down the middle, which makes it look like a marine haircut!

You love bathtime and kick like a madman in your tub.  You love to crawl over to your air purifier, which is shaped like a frog.  You are a huge fan of your pacis when you're tired.  You like to "dance" when you hear music and I'm holding your hands.  You like to look out our front door and you are obsessed with trying to crawl into the bathroom - yuck!  You adore your sister and you crack up at her all the time.  The feeling is quite mutual - which I'm so happy about!

You are changing into quite the little mover and shaker - and it's so fun watching you learn new things and explore the things around you!  You make my heart smile.

I love you Spud!
Love, Mommy

7 Months Old

Dear Davin,

It's your first "monthday" of 2013! It was somewhat sad to leave your birth year behind, but that's the way it is - time flies! You've had a big, big month little guy.

On December 18 we went to Charlotte for you to have an outpatient urology surgery. You did fine, but the general anesthesia you needed was scary. You were terribly freaked out when you first woke up, but you calmed down with some pain meds and were good to go after that. You also got your 6 month vaccines three days later, and did fine with those, too, other than a slight fever. You weighed in at 17 pounds, 1.5 ounces and were 27 inches long.

We spent 6 days away from home for Christmas. We celebrated here on Saturday, 12/22 and then headed to Neena and Pa Bill's house. You got lots of love and attention, which is the quickest way to make you happy. We got to go to the Pine Mountain Christmas play and spent Christmas Eve with the whole Roberts family for Christmas Eve. We left early on Christmas morning and spent two days at Nanie's. We had Christmas dinner with all the Abels on Tuesday. We stopped by Grandpa's house on Thursday and then got home late that night. It was a fun but exhausting trip. You got lots of clothes and toys, which you are pretty oblivious to still.

You're still sleeping okay most nights. You're still half-swaddled in your Rock n Play, but I really mean it this time when I say it's almost time to transition. As soon as we get your room painted, it's crib time! You sleep from about 9:15 PM to about 7:30-9:00 AM with usually one wake up to feed. You take about an hour morning nap around 10:30 and an afternoon nap that is 1-2 hours about 1:30. You have also been taking a 20 minute catnap after your 6:30 PM feeding. You sleep like a rock at night, but are a light sleeper during naps.

You are still exclusively breastfed. I anticipate starting solid foods in the next week or so. You nurse six times a day (5 if you sleep through the night) for 10-15 minutes. You wear mostly 6-9 month stuff, with 6 month onesies and 9 month pants. You aren't a fan of hats, but like socks since your feet are always clammy and cold. You have a cry/yell that sounds like a dying cat that you use when you're really frustrated. It's not pleasant, but luckily you don't use it much.

On Dec 29 you started pulling up to standing using my arm. You've perfected that skill and try to pull up on EVERYthing now. You are most content when in a standing position. You also started crawling! You did two little crawls on January 1 and then yesterday you did five or six "steps" of crawling. Your belly scoot is still more effective, so you usually quit crawling and scoot like a madman! You've also sat up from laying on your back twice. And you have a huge interest in blowing raspberries, too. It's all happening so, so fast.

Some of your favorite things are playing peekaboo, kisses on your chubby cheeks, your sister (and pulling her hair), kicking like crazy, the iPad (seriously, you'll scoot across the room to get to it, even if you have 5 toys in front of you), crinkly paper, ripping paper (you laugh hysterically), your paci when you're sleeping, sucking on your pointer fingers, your jumperoo (if you're in a good mood), when I tickle your belly and neck, and being held.

You're a joy. You won't sit still for anything, and I can tell you're going to be ALL BOY. But I love your giggles and your sweet personality. You're everything I never knew I always wanted in a son.

I love you Spud!
Love, Mommy

even standing during the photo shoot!