A Smashing Good Time {Part One}

I'm not a big Saturday poster, but we're back home this week, and I'm hanging out with the Dude while he naps.  That we he actually, you know, naps.

His big birthday is on Monday, so my head has been spinning with ideas for celebrating.  We've pretty much decided to pump him as full as sugar as possible, and then no doubt wonder why he won't nap.

On the Sunbean's first birthday, we took her to Picture People to have a 'cake smash' photo.  It was such a fun, fun thing and I just love those photos {and the memories!}, so we decided to make that an official first-birthday tradition.

Since I don't take my kids to stupid photo places anymore, I'm going to just take them on my own.

We obviously went the giant cupcake route with the Sunbean, but I decided not to mess with it for Little Dude.  Since we're not at our house, making something this elaborate wouldn't really work out.  So here's my inspiration for his smash cake {all from Pinterest}.

I really love the layer cake with the fluffy icing, but MacGyver likes the middle photo the best.  I made a cute little banner, too.  We'll see how mine actually turns out.  I have a really good skill of creating things based on Pinterest ideas that look nothing like the inspiration.

I'll make sure I post the pics from the cake smash!

Happy Monday

• I really was happy to see Monday this week.  MacGyver was traveling for work last night, and my nights are usually restless when he's gone.  Even if I do have a cute baby boy sharing my bed when he's gone.
• Speaking of cute baby boys, can you believe this one turns 1 in just one week?  Here's a sneak peek from his birthday photo shoot.  He's just so darling.  Even if he's grabbing at the computer as I type this.
• The next few weeks are busy ones for us:  Little Dude's birthday, my mom's 50th, my brother-in-law visiting from Utah, and then Little Dude's party.  The kids and I are staying at 'home' for over a week, too, so there's the packing/planning/preparing for that.
• This is the last week of preschool.  Goodbye, calm and easy mornings.
• I'm excited to share my ideas for the little guy's birthday and party.  It's no secret we celebrate birthdays like crazy people, so I've been a busy little planner.
• MacGyver was a dear and bought me a pretty pink beach cruiser.  We hooked the bike trailer up to it, and I spent the weekend pulling our heavy kids around.  We live in a great place for this:  there are miles and miles of wonderful bike trails that are accessible right from our front door.  We're lucky.
• Right now I'm so hungry, and need to go to the grocery.  I'm always stumped about what to eat for lunch.  I usually have cereal.  Or cookies.
• I'm wearing a maxi skirt today.  I kind of have a hard time with maxi skirts, because I grew up in an area with a ton of amish/mennonites/apostolic christian.  Whenever I wear long skirts, I feel like I'm channeling them.  Not a bad thing, just usually not the look I'm going for.
• On the agenda for today:  finish laundry, groceries, work on a headboard I'm making, and clean up the basement.

Happy Monday to you!

Fun in the Sun

It seems strange that these pics were taken in March, but we're loving this mild weather!  We discovered a wonderful park that is a 10-minute walk from our house, and Little Dude had his first taste of the swings.

I'd say he's a fan.

Little Dude is...

Oh, where does the time go?  I'm already planning his first birthday party.

Here's the latest and greatest:

• He is now saying 'mama', and I'm pretty sure he knows what it means.  I'm loving it!
• He's clapping, which is seriously adorable.
• This little guy has developed a nasty habit of standing up in his crib, rather than napping.  I know the easiest way to extinguish that is to just let them figure it out, but he's far too stubborn for that.  He just jumps up and down for hours if I let him.  Yikes.
• Speaking of sleep, preschool has thrown him for quite a loop.  He falls asleep every day on the way to get the Sunbean (we're in the car for about 20 minutes total, right at naptime).  I'm sure we'll get it all ironed out, but this week has been really off.  He's just such a treat in the afternoons with little-to-no nap.
• As evidenced in the photo above, he's got a mouthful of chompers.  He's eating pretty much anything now, but favorites are homemade pancakes, oatmeal, cheerios, and rice cakes.  He's not super into fruit, so he may not have the sweet tooth that the Sunbean and I have.

He's just such a sweet boy.  Love him!

4x4x9 Months

Sibling Love

I'm so thankful these cuties love each other.  They love to play and snuggle.  They both willingly share {for the most part} and put up with each other's less-than-lovely moments.

And they both love to snuggle.  Sometimes, when it's just a rough night for one of them, I let them have a little sleep-snuggle.

Sweet babies.

On the flip side, right now is supposed to be nap time, and really it's let's-lay-in-our-beds-and-make-each-other-laugh-instead-of-sleep time.

Back to Reality

We've been in sunny Florida for the past week.  It was so lovely.

My kids were fantastic, the weather was beautiful, and the company was wonderful.

We spent some time in central Florida with my grandma, and then headed to the gulf coast to stay with my grandpa and grandma.  Florida is the place to be for my grandparents {not a complaint}.

My kids were spoiled by the plethora of grandparents {we traveled with my mom, too}, and I enjoyed having a few moments here and there to myself {I started and finished a book}.

It was such a fun break from the everyday, and I so love taking my littles to the beach.  There's just something therapeutic about it.

More pics to come.

Little Dude is...

Oh, this little boy is growing up so fast.  We were at the doctor today {the poor thing is sick}, and he's weighing in at 21.1 pounds.  I'm glad his growth has plateaued a bit.

Here's what my big boy is doing:

• This little guy isn't so little.  We're in a carseat predicament.  We bought a Peg Perego Primo Viaggio carseat, which is designed for babies up to 30 pounds and 30 inches.  Well, he's not 30 inches yet, but his torso is too long, even at the biggest setting!  It's ridiculous.  So we'll be buying another Recaro Como convertible seat soon.
• He's a crawling monster now.  It took him a few days once he started to figure it out, but now he's all over the place.  The Sunbean is not that pleased about it.
• It took him a few months to warm up to table food, and now he can't get enough!  He'll eat anything and everything put before him.  Last night he ate half a quinoa burger.  He also eats the Sunbean under the table, with no problem.
• His sleeping is so great....but I'm dreading night-weaning.  The Sunbean did it herself at 9 months, but I don't see that happening here.  He's sleeping 12 hours at night {waking up for a snack every few hours}, and takes 2 naps.
• He's becoming such a social guy.  He loves to play with the Sunbean, and just loves it when someone is interacting with him.

I don't have all of his nine-month pics edited yet, but here's a favorite:

 Love that sweet boy.

Little Dude is...

Here is Little Dude's preferred mode of mobility these days...the back-arch-scoot.  So helpful during diaper changes.

This little boy has been entertaining us with his antics lately.  Such a little ham.  Here's what he's up to:

• He's decided that solid foods might not be so bad after all.  He's still a pretty tough sell, but is gradually becoming used to the idea that food on a spoon isn't so bad.  I think he'll love feeding himself, but he still struggles with chunky food.  He does love the puffs, though!
• This little guy isn't crawling yet, but I know it's coming soon.  He gets so close, and then flops down.  It's cute, but frustrating for him.  He'll be much happier when he can move on his own!
• Thanks to Sleep Week, he's got such a good sleep rhythm down.  Up around 7, naps at 9, 12, and 3, and then down for the night at 6.  Sleep makes for a happy baby and momma.
• Lately, Little Dude has been shaking his head back and forth.  It's so cute and so funny.
• We've been doing baby signs with him {loooooved them with the Sunbean}, and he definitely understands what 'more' and 'all done' mean.  He's not signing back yet, but it's amazing to watch him respond to our signs.
• This guy makes more mouth noises than any baby I've known.  It's funny, slobbery, and very distracting at church.

We love this sweet boy!

Monday Hodge-Podge

 

• First and foremost, it's Sleep Week here at the homestead.  Both of my kids have naughty, naughty sleep habits.  I've reached my breaking point, so this week is going to be rough.  For Little Dude, he's learning how to put himself to sleep.  So far, we're doing great.  He fussed for his morning nap, but fell asleep on his own and in his bed.  We did this with the Sunbean at 4 months, so we're a little behind with the dude.  But he's doing great!  As for the Sunbean, she's still using a pacifier {insert guilty mommy look here}.  I know.  It's ridiculous.  She's just such a good sleeper {12 hours at night + a 2-3 hour nap} that I hate to mess it up.  But it's time {it's been time for 2 years...}.  So for FHE tonight we're sewing her pacis inside her favorite stuffed animal.  Here's hoping she doesn't tear open the animal tonight.
• Have I told you about my calling?  I teach the 10-year-old Sunday School class.  The kids are way smart, and I have to work really hard on my lessons to occupy them for the full hour.  But the really incredible part is after my lesson when I go with them to Singing Time.  These kids are like some kind of elite choir.  They all sing {even all of the boys!} and they all harmonize.  The music leader teaches even the 3-year-olds melody and harmony.  It's so amazing to sit there and listen.
• I'm getting excited about Valentine's Day.  I know that sounds odd, but I remember holidays being a really big deal when I was a kid.  It occurred to me the other day that it's my job to create that for my littles.  So the Sunbean is getting jazzed for another holiday {she loooooved the Christmas season}.  I've got some fun meal ideas, and I ordered some super cute things on etsy.
• MacGyver and I have decided to get serious about getting rid of this 'happy weight' we have.  You know, the weight you gain when you get married and happy and comfortable and have no one to impress.  Since January 2nd, we've both lost 7 pounds.  Go us.
• Do you have an iPhone?  You need the camera+ app.  It's so amazing.
• On Saturday, we spent the whole day at our friends' house.  You know, the ones who have 3-year-old twins and 4-month-old triplets.  Our 'baby gift' to them was to paint the less-than-appealing wood paneling in their family room.  Wow.  What a day.  Our painting 'plan' is always for MacGyver to do the rolling and I do the cutting in {trim work}.  So, I ended up doing 2 coats of cutting in and then 2 coats on all of the crown moulding and baseboard.  My body still aches!  Aside from that, the triplets {who are usually such mild-mannered babes} were having a bit of an off day.  And then you factor in that we had 7 children 3 and under in one house for the whole day....well, 'loud' is an understatement.  But we had such fun hanging out with our friends all day, and the room just looks great.  Such an improvement.
• We visited the local science museum on Friday, COSI.  It's so great.  The second level is devoted entirely to children in kindergarten and younger.  Like, if you have an older kid with you, they can't come in.  It was awesome to just let the Sunbean explore and do her thing.  Not awesome?  Carrying around my 22-pound 7-month-old for 3 hours.

Happy Monday to you!

Little Dude is...

Yesterday, this little guy turned 7 months old!  He's such a sweet baby.

For about the past week, he's had a head cold.  The poor thing could barely breathe...I nearly took him to the emergency room one night at about 2am.  Luckily, after I sucked his nose out really well, he started breathing better.  But even though he wasn't feeling well, he was still his sweet, personable self.

Here's what he's up to:

• This little guy loves to nurse (still every 2 hours!), but really doesn't like table food.  We've tried bananas and peas, and he just really isn't a big fan of the experience.  I got some oatmeal cereal to try...maybe he'll like that better.
• I was planning to do baby-led weaning (basically, you skip purees and allow the baby to feed himself from the beginning), but I just couldn't get comfortable with the natural gagging that is a normal part of the method.  I'll bust out my blender instead.
• Our growing boy got plenty of 18-month clothes for Christmas, and it's frightening how well they fit.
• We've officially decided his hair is red.  Or at least reddish-blond.  I am so pumped.  It looks brown in most photographs, but it is red in person.  We both have families full of redheads, so I've been waiting.
• We (finally!) got most of our furniture here, so he's started to sleep in his crib.  I think we're all thankful for that.  Mysteriously, though, there is a red-headed baby laying next to me most mornings...
• He just is barely starting to reach for people.  Such a darling stage.

We love you, little guy!

4 x 4 x 6 Months

Let's Hear it for the Boob

 

Over Thanksgiving, I was blessed with mastitis.  For added fun, my children had the flu at the same time and we were traveling.  Such fun.

Here's how it all went down.  I think, in my sleep-deprived state, when my little monster was waking up to eat, I was mistakenly not alternating sides.  So I woke up on Thanksgiving morning with a rather tender and hot left gazonga.  Happy holidays to me.

I did a little Google-based research, and tried some heat and massage.  It just got worse.  The obvious choice would be to just pump, but we were at my parents', and so my $300 pump was 3 hours away.  My parents live in the middle of nowhere (no, really), so running to the store was out.  You're lucky if their grocery has fruit that isn't moldy, so an affordable hand pump was clearly out of the question.

In desperation, I called my high school bestie.  She just had a baby, and I was hoping she had a pump.  She did, and being the saint that she is, let me use it.  Now that's friendship.

While that helped, I knew I was going to need something for the rest of the time I was at my parents'.  Hello Target on Black Friday.  There, amongst the crazies, was a $16 hand pump.  Phew.  So, for the next two days, I hand-pumped on the unaffected side while Little Dude ate on the infected side.  25 ounces later, and I have a lovely little date-night stash.  Also?  I happened to catch the Sunbean trying to use the pump.  Pretty much made my weekend.

But the real point of this post is to give all of you working-and-pumping-moms a big ol' high-five.

Here's the thing.  I love nursing my babies.  It is such a sweet and wonderful thing.  This experience is pretty much the extent of my complications, so it's been an easy road for me.  I really can't say enough good about it (though I'll certainly try).

But.  I do not like pumping.  What a freaking pain in the neck!  There are parts to wash and rinse, then you've gotta pour the milk into a bag, and label it and freeze it, and two hours later....you're back and it again.  I have a hospital-grade double electric pump, so I know it's a bit easier with that kind, but still.  Pumping just isn't fun.

So if you're a working mom who hauls that breast pump into work every day, 10 points to you.  That's love.

Little Dude is...

 

Last week, this little guy turned 6 months old.  It was actually on my father-in-law's birthday.  None of us realized Little Dude was born on his half-birthday.  Funny.

When my babies turn 6 months, it's always bittersweet for me.  6 months is one of my favorite ages, and it all just seems to zip past after this.  Scooting, crawling, standing, walking, running....and then on to being naughty and sassy.  If I had a pause button, I might push it here.

At six months, here's what my little guy is up to:

• He's weighing in right around 20 pounds.  His official doctor's appointment is tomorrow, but I weighed him at my parents' last week and got 20.
• He's wearing size 12 or 18-month clothing.  My little Sunbean wore that size until her 2nd birthday.
• Up until this weekend, we had regressed into this pattern of waking up every 2 hours around the clock to eat.  Sometimes it was every hour in the middle of the night.  Oh my, was I a crab.  And so was he.  And he even needed to sleep with us sometimes.  I hate establishing that pattern, but sleep trumps everything.  But then I had a revelation.  We had been swaddling him in a SwaddleMe that was about 3 sizes too small.  I decided to just get crazy and break all the rules and swaddle him in a muslin swaddling blanket (aden + anais).  Oh my wonderful!  In just two nights, we're back to him sleeping in his bed and going 4-5 hours without waking.  It's a thing of beauty.  I'm not sure why the swaddling blanket is so magical, but I'll take it!
• Little Dude is a pro at sitting up and reaches for everything.  He puts EVERYTHING in his mouth, which is something that the Sunbean never did.

Really, this kid is just so happy and easy going.  He doesn't mind the carseat and lets the Sunbean 'love' on him.  So happy six months, Little Dude.  Don't grow up too fast on me.

Stats:
Head:  17.5 (79%)
Length:  27.5 (80%)
Weight:  18 pounds, 14 ounces (73%)

It's Genetic

 Me, 1984

The Sunbean, 2009

 

Little Dude, Yesterday

What can I say?  Socks are tasty.

Little Dude is...

• Not to be ridiculously cliche, but where is the time going?!?  5 months?!?
• This little guy is such a relaxed baby.  He's more than happy to sleep anywhere, anytime, and under any condition.
• Lately he's really been into grabbing his feet, which I find to be one of the most adorable things a baby could do.
• He's wearing 12-month clothes, and I'm sure that 18-month clothes would fit just fine.  I know what this guy is getting for Christmas!
• One of my favorite things about Little Dude are his thighs.  They are these solid chunks of baby fat.  I love it.
• My parents bought him one of those jumperoo things.  Holy moly.  He just loves it.  If you have a baby, you totally need one.  The best is when the Sunbean is running around like a crazy lady, and he just jumps and jumps to keep up with her.  It's like a little glimpse of how insane my life will be when this kid starts moving on his own.
• Speaking of, I think he'll be like the Sunbean.  She was an early sitter, and a late crawler.  Little Dude can pretty much sit on his own, but shows very little interest in laying on his tummy or back.  That's exactly what the Sunbean did, and she crawled at about 10 months.
• This kid is still waking up every 2-3 hours at night.  It's seriously ridiculous.  I'm not willing to let him cry, though, so I'll suffer through the fragmented sleep for a few more months.  It just kills me that this 17-ish pound kid can't sleep for longer than that.  Sigh.

We love you, baby boy!

The Pumpkin Project

 

Little Dude is...

Well, a week ago.

Stats:

Weight:  16 pounds 7 ounces, 75%

Height: 25 inches, 50%

Head Size: 17 inches, 75%

• I feel like we're officially past the 'newborn' stage now.  It makes me sad to see that go.
• Even more upsetting is that we're moving past the 'I'll sleep wherever and whenever' phase.  Sooooo sad.  Time to bust out my sleep book.
• Little Dude is now grabbing and reaching for things.  For me, this is one of the most incredible stages.  I just love to watch him figure out that he can touch things.
• We were home last week, and my mom bought him this ball that he is obsessed with.  It's cute.
• He's still loving being swaddled.  He looks ridiculous, but whatever works is fine with me.
• This little guy just loves his big sister.  I love to watch them play.  I also love the free time it gives me.
• I had to buy him some socks that are for 18-month-olds.  I know.
• He's comfortably wearing 12-month clothing, and some 9-month clothing.  His waist seems to be longer than his legs.
• He's a little chatterbox, and I have to stay that I love how his face lights up when he sees me.  That sounds selfish, but it's so rewarding!  And I know that in a few short years, I'll be the most embarrassing person on the planet.
• You should see how this little boy loves his Bampa.  He saves his biggest smiles for Bampa.

 

We love you, sweet boy!

Sunday in the Park

 Yesterday after church, we took the kids to a local park.  There are a ton of parks around here, and I love this one because it is almost always deserted and it has some great scenery for photos.  Here's a few I took yesterday.

I sure do love these people.

This Holiday Weekend, Safety is a Must