7 Months!

Due to some computer issues, I'm late again. I can't type (unless it's super slow) on my laptop, so I'm just now getting time to get on the desktop computer.

7 months. Wow. We're sliding quickly into one, now. What a crazy month this last one has been! All of the sudden, he's not an infant anymore! He's crawling, pulling up AND cruising. His mobility is so much like his brothers that it's scary (walking potentially next month?!? Yikes). Having all of Jeffrey's toys around has made mobility a tricky situation. It's not a great idea to pull up on the big dump trucks, for example. He is obsessed with going into the kitchen. He has a favorite cabinet (which, unfortunately, has our stoneware in it) that he just beelines for all.the.time. He gets so excited when he opens it; it's adorable. He now has TWO teeth. Sleep was pretty rough there, but it seems to be settling down again now that they're broken through. He's got his little personality booming everywhere he goes. He's so calm, yet very dramatic. He has the most adorable smile, and Jeffrey and Coco are still the top "people" to get it out of him. He's calmed down a lot on the separation anxiety front, so Jony and I were able to somewhat successfully have a night out for his company Christmas party. Puffs, which he loves, were a big help in that affair. In terms of eating, he's all about it. I can't even list all that he's eaten. It's been a whirlwind month! I don't even want to think about the changes that will occur over the next few!

Gavin's 7 Month Stats:
-he was 18lbs, 4oz and 28 inches at his appointment a few weeks ago
-still managing 6 month clothes, but I'm going to have to face reality and unpack the 9 month stuff here soon. Except onesies- he's still pretty good in the 6 months of those, strangely enough
-2 teeth
-all out crawling
-pulling up on any and everything
-the beginning stages of cruising!
-claps
-starting to make actual sounds- mamamamama, etc.
-eating all sorts of food; green beans are his favorite, along with puffs.
-loves opening up his cabinet, the police car and the Christmas singing penguins

Happy Thanksgiving!

Another late holiday post; it is tricky finding the time/energy with these two little boys! To be quick and concise, I figured I'd just make a list of things that I am thankful for:

1) my two healthy, active little boys; Gavin is a full out crawler now, as well as pulling up all whenever he can, and Jeffrey is just as crazy/boisterous as ever
2) a healthy, involved husband who does all that he can with the aforementioned active children, as well as allowing me to have good time to myself. We're not really in a good place to focus on ourselves as a couple much, which is a bummer, but I know we'll get there again.
3) having family so close by
4) our happy little home, filled with memories and happiness
5) Jony's job- allowing us such luxuries as our home, cars, more food than we can eat, new clothes, and security. Money is not a huge stress in our lives, and I'm able to stay at home with the boys.
6) Friends; I've been lucky enough to really start forming some amazing friendships over the last year that have really filled a void in my life

It's been an amazing year with so many things to be grateful for. Happy (belated) Thanksgiving!

The Appointment

Gavin and Jeffrey got to do their appointments together today, which Jeffrey was excited about. It was nice to get them both done with only one waiting time AND while Jony is off of work. Now, I don't have to go back until February with Gavin and next November for Jeffrey (!).

Both are doing well and off the charts, developmentally. Our pediatrician is, as always, super impressed with them. It was good timing to make sure that Jeffrey's ear infection is gone, as well. Yay!

Gavin is 18lbs, 4oz (64.45%) and 28" (86.68%)
Jeffrey is 30lbs 4oz (34.43%) and 37.75" (50.99%)

Gavin is obviously our bruiser. Poor kid also got two shots, but he's feeling just fine after a nap. Good appointment, overall!

Jeffrey is Three

As of 9:37pm last night, I have a three year old. It's such a bittersweet feeling to have your little babies have birthdays. You're so proud of everything that they've accomplished, but it's so sad to see them grow so quickly. Now, I have a pre-schooler. It's amazing. The days are filled with so much excitement, laughter and energy (sometimes too much!). He needs me less and less each day with mundane things like putting his clothes on, opening food to eat or even putting him to sleep. He's growing into his own person, and I'm loving who he's becoming. He's so smart and inquisitive, and I just love having conversations with him. Although it can get pretty frustrating to keep delving deeper and deeper into the "why" of things, it's amazing to see his brain working and figuring everything out. His memory and understanding is incredible. I'm constantly in awe of what he knows and can do, and I have no idea when he learned how to do any of it. My biggest struggle is remembering that he is still so little, even though he acts so much older.

He's the most amazing big brother; he couldn't love Gavin any more than he does. He's so sweet and respectful to everybody. I love that he gets all shy in new social situations, but then he'll bust out of his shell and have everyone laughing and enjoying the show he's putting on. He's a ball of energy that never stops, and his brain never shuts down. The hardest part of his day is slowing down enough to fall asleep at night. He is potty trained (knock on wood!) ever since deciding that he was going to be a week or so ago. He has his own opinions and will make sure that they are heard. He loves to be on the go and do all sorts of fun activities like the park, zoo or museums. He also loves rest days where we just lounge around at home. He asks every day if it's a school day and gushes about his teachers and friends there. He's ridiculously smart, and we have trouble finding things for him to channel his learning since most toys that are geared towards this age are too easy for him, yet the next step of toys are too complex. He has a crazy active imagination and a killer sense of humor. He's the most stubborn and obstinate child when he wants to be, just to balance out being so chill and calm the rest of the time.

If I'd been asked to design my perfect child three years ago, I'm fairly certain that Jeffrey is not what I would have chosen. Thank goodness that we're not asked because that would have certainly been a loss on my end. He is just the right son for me- challenging me and entertaining me day in and day out. I cannot wait to see what this next year holds for him.

Jeffrey's 3rd Birthday!

Hard to believe, but we had Jeffrey's 3rd Birthday bash this morning! I'm really happy with how it all turned out, and Jeffrey had a blast. It was a lot of work going into it, and we always regret deciding to have it at our house on the day or so leading up to it, but we're happy with the end result. Now, we all have to come down from the birthday party high (only to start attending birthday parties like it's our job from here until mid December).

Since Jeffrey is obsessed with excavators, his party was "Construction" themed. Or, more specifically, Dump Trucks and Tractors. It was easy to decorate since he has so many (read: too many). We went easy with the food and provided toddler friendly snacks, and my SIL brought the cake. We had all our construction-esque toys out- blocks, tool puzzles, legos, etc. Outside, Jony built a sand table (last night!), so there was that and a baby pool full of sawdust. We put all his little construction toys in there for everyone to play with, plus he had the big ones out there, too. There was also some coloring pages and sticker sheets. The sand table was a HUGE hit; all the kids loved it. It was worth Jony staying up late to build. Each kid got to choose a pail (w/ shovel, rake and scoop) and a construction hat to wear and use during the party.

It was a huge hit, and I think Jeffrey had the time of his life. Now, of course, he's started asking if it's his actual birthday yet. Can't believe that's on Monday. THREE.

3 Year Survey

(are we really at this point?!?)

I bought a book called 20 Questions and went ahead and asked him his 3 year questions. Most of them were expected, and I cannot wait to come back and read them in the future.

1. What is your favorite color? red
2. What is your favorite toy? excavators
3. What is your favorite fruit? grapes
4. What is your favorite TV show? Team Umizoomi
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? a sandwich; peanut butter and strawberry jelly
6. What is your favorite outfit? blue shirt with a lot of construction workers (they're actually trucks)
7. What is your favorite game? hide and seek
8. What is your favorite snack? raspberries
9. What is your favorite animal? lions, the loudest animals at the zoo
10. What is your favorite song? ice cream song
11. What is your favorite book? Trucks A to Z
12. Who is your best friend? Boden
13. What is your favorite cereal? I don't like cereal
14. What's your favorite thing to do outside? play in the sand
15. What is your favorite drink? milk
16. What is your favorite holiday? Halloween
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Larry
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? blackberries
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? (still thinking about this one)
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? a construction worker; drive an excavator

Halloween!

Man, life is crazy when you forget about Halloween. For months, Jeffrey was dead set on being Captain Hook for Halloween. So, we got his costume and planned out the costumes for the rest of the family. Then, a few days before Halloween, he decided he wanted to be an excavator (obsessed). Luckily, he was enticed enough by the hook to go along with the original plan. Halloween, overall, was pretty overly stimulating for Jeffrey this year. He had a lot of fun, but it came at a pretty bad time for us. Since Gavin was sick, there was a lot of night-wakings that affected Jeffrey, and he was more tired than usual. Even still, he had a blast going up to a few houses and getting candy. He had way more fun hanging out with my dad and passing out candy, though. This will probably be our last year at my parent's house, so we'll probably test out a Trunk or Treat type deal next year, which may be more his speed, anyways! Gavin was on the upward from his virus, but he still didn't feel all that great. He loves wagon rides, though, so he was a trooper and all smiles in the wagon while we walked down the street. After that, though, he was done. Poor guy. Next year, he should have more fun.

Here's our little family: Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Tinkerbell and Mr. Smee!

6 Months!

I'm a day behind, but that's to be expected when the month-day falls on a Saturday. My little nugget is half a year! I can hardly believe it's already been six months, but I also can't believe that it's only been six months. Having kids doesn't ever make sense, does it?

Gavin had a rough month since he hates that he cannot crawl yet (getting there, though!) and had the virus his brother had. Our little drama baby was NOT a fan of having a fever. He's all better now, although we're now entering the world of teething. I hope it takes awhile, even though I miss sleeping, because his little sweet toothless smile is just too precious. He's been going through quite a few growth spurts this past month, as well. Even still, his little personality is coming out strong and clear. He's for sure going to be as stubborn and independent as his brother, although he's clearly attached to his mommy. He has no problems getting dropped off at church or MOPS, but he will not accept being left with family members. Makes no sense. I'm really just trying to enjoy this baby stage, and I'm pretty sure I still view him as an itty-bitty newborn when I thought that Jeffrey was SO big at this stage.

Gavin's 6 Month Stats:
-over 17lbs, don't know about length
-wearing/growing out of 6 month size clothing.
-sitting completely on his own without falling over
-goes from sitting to his belly
-rocks on all fours
-can get from his belly to all fours and does yoga (plank, haha)
-pulling up, if his positioning is right
-starting to jabber
-excellent small motor control- pincer grab, transferring between hands, etc.
-started solids: banana and avocado
-first illness
-waking up, on average, twice a night. He's been difficult to get back to sleep lately, due to teething.
-loves standing, flipping off the light switch and playing/laughing with his big brother in the car

Starting Solids!

We started a little bit earlier than we were anticipating (5.5 months), but we couldn't delay it any more! He was more than ready. It had gotten to the point that he was so mad whenever we were eating just because he wasn't eating, as well. Since he's sitting unassisted and has excellent small motor control, we just went for it. We gave him a banana, just like we did with Jeffrey. I remember the huge mess and the non-eating that occurred with Jeffrey. Not so much with Gavin. He picked it up like no big deal and just started nomming on it. Same with avocado. It's still a little messy, let's be real. You can tell that he was ready for some real food, though.

It makes me sad that I'm not the sole provider for him anymore, but he still needs me :) I just cannot believe how big my little guy is getting.

Open House

Last week, Jeffrey's school had their Open House. I was so excited to go and talk to his teachers and see how he's really doing. Turns out that he's doing amazing! His teachers love him and think he's a great addition to the class. They were impressed that, even though he's only there twice a week, he's a leader in the class while he's there. All of the other kids love to go and see what he's doing. Apparently, he always gets to sit on one of his teacher's laps during story time. Nobody else even questions it; it's "Jeffrey's spot." I was happy to hear that he talks just as much there as he does at home since that shows that he's happy and comfortable there. He's even starting to stop protesting nap time (after a LOT of discussion on our end that, even if he doesn't want to nap, some of his friends might!). He tends to be a trouble maker at lunch time, though, since he's the class clown.

I left just beaming about my little boy. I'm so proud of him all the time, and it's nice to hear such wonderful things about him from his teachers. They raved about how smart he is and all that he knows. They were most impressed that he knows what days he goes to school. He's also into counting/adding and spotting differences (especially gender differences, sigh). His knowledge of tractors is considered top notch in his class, and his best friend in his class, Finn, is the all-knowing student about dinosaurs. They like talking to each other about their specialties, which I think would be so adorable to see.

I'm so happy we decided to send him to MDO! He's loving it, and so am I.

We had a good run!

We're dealing with our first childhood illness. Yes, that's right. Jeffrey has never been sick before. I'm not really sure this even qualifies too much, as he just has a fever. He's had a runny nose for a few days, but, other than the fever, he's acting relatively normal. He's not quite as active and has moments that he just wants to lay on the couch, but he doesn't feel bad. When I picked him up from MDO yesterday, he was the worst- shivering pretty hardcore and flushed. Tylenol brought it down quickly. Today, it's been fluctuating between 100-102 depending on his activity level, but he hasn't needed any Tylenol at all. I'm hoping it's gone today, so we can still enjoy some of our activities this weekend. We're already missing a Halloween party today :( The fact that he's acting so normal makes that harder than if he actually felt sick. Darn virus.

After seeing Jeffrey get this little virus, we're pretty sure that it's what must have been wrong with Gavin a few days ago. He had a "fever" of 99 one night, but that was it. After a few rough nights, he's back to normal. Since Jeffrey isn't breastfeeding, I assume it's why it's hitting him a little harder. He's still got one pretty tough immune system, though!

So tired.

Last night was rough. It felt like we had Jeffrey as a little baby again. Yawn.

There was a lot going into last night, so it's not surprising how it all went down. First off, both boys have runny noses. We have Gavin's mattress on an incline, but it still bothers him. He's quite the crazy mover at night and doesn't always stay the right direction! This also leads to him getting caught up against the side of the crib quite a bit, but he goes back to sleep easily after you move him when that happens. A major issue is that he's not swaddles anymore. I miss the Miracle Blanket. Sadly, my chunk is too tall for it now. His knees were always showing, so it was really easy for him to break out. Plus, he rolls all over the place now. No swaddle and a runny nose/cold together have been having him wake up more than usual the last week or so, but last night? A fever added on. Yikes. It was just a slight fever, so I'm thinking we may be entering the lovely world of teething. He's doing much better today after a good nap and a good poop. Plus, he has on his amber necklace. He's napping again now, so I hope he's even happier. I'm sure he's exhausted since he didn't sleep much, either.

Even though it will be so sad to say good-bye to his sweet gummy smile, I hope it is teething and not an indicator of any illness. Jeffrey slept in until 10am (!), but I'm thinking that's because Gavin woke him up last night. Let's hope. We've evaded illness up until this point, and I'd like to keep my record!

Road Trip 2012

Almost a month ago, we packed up the Subaru and headed the 1,000 miles to Clearwater, Florida. Four days of driving and three days of actual "vacation" left us pretty dang exhausted. Overall, it was a pretty good trip. It's always nice seeing family, and we got to introduce Gavin to his Great-grandma on the weekend before she turned 100. All of the difficulties of travelling with two young children mean nothing when you compare it to that. The likelihood of them ever seeing each other again is pretty small, and it was amazing to have Jeffrey see her, as well, since he's older and more understanding. Since he's so hyper and crazy, he made her smile a lot. She kept thinking that he was Jony, which made me smile. Jeffrey is a LOT of work right now, but I know that he'll grow up to be an amazing man.

As for driving, it wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting. SO glad about that. The first day was a dream, and the weather was beautiful! We made great time until we stopped for dinner. A blowout from Gavin and a pee incident from Jeffrey kept us in Slidell quite a bit longer than we had planned, but we still made it to Biloxi to stay the night. The next day? Oh goodness, it was horrible! Both boys were over being in the car, so we were stopping way more often. Gavin was pissed, and Jeffrey was out of control. Do you know how uncomfortable it is to sit in between two huge car seats for an extended amount of time when you have to sit sideways?!? Luckily, since we moved Jeffrey forward facing (big boy!) for the trip, he wasn't able to kick us while we were sitting there. Jony's parents left that morning, as well, and beat us to our destination. That was quite a bummer. The way back was really smooth since they were so exhausted. Plus, we left a lot earlier, and I think that made a big difference. The biggest downfall of the car ride was how it messed with Jeffrey and his potty training. He did relatively well, but a few times of holding it too long caused him to be pretty uncomfortable. So, we're still recovering from that. Bummer.

While we were there, we went to the Florida Aquarium, which was really fun. Other than that, it was just a lot of family time. We went to a small little beach just to say that we did, but we were sad we didn't have time to go to Clearwater Beach, which is beautiful. Next time. Jeffrey was so overwhelmed with all the activity and new people the entire weekend that he was insane. Plus, he wouldn't let me do anything with him, so Jony got a major glimpse into my life. He wouldn't even let me unbuckle him from his car seat. That started before and has carried over after the trip. It's getting a little better, thankfully, because it makes me pretty sad to be rejected constantly from my son. Gavin, on the other hand, did great unless we were in the car. He wasn't very trusting of us every time we put him in the car seat, since he can't understand if we were going for a long time again. Poor thing.

Besides wishing we were in a minivan or something else with a third row and wanting our almost 3 year old to calm down, we have no regrets about the trip. The 100th birthday party was a success, and we're grateful that we were able to attend. That said, we've agreed that we're not going on any vacations until December of next year (and that's not definite). It feels nice to think of taking a year off, but it'll be great for savings since we want to buy a new house in the next 1-2 years.

Since it took me so long (getting on the computer with two hands with two kids? Impossible), here are some photos from the trip:

5 Months!

Having a birth day at the beginning of the month is crazy with how it slaps you in the face that another month is gone. September has been so busy with school, fall activities, and our trip (a post about that is coming soon). Now, here I am with a five month old little boy. Let me tell you, Gavin is one special little baby. He's rarely upset and, if he is, it's because he wants social interaction. He LOVES people. Give him a compliment, and he will give you the biggest smile. Not that it's too hard because he's so dang happy all of the time. He's got to be the easiest baby in the world. He's started really making some major noises, and he has this hilarious scream/screech thing he does that freaked us out the first time since it sounds like he's a dying chicken or something. He does it when he gets really excited. Add that to loving social situations, and you can imagine how loud our dinner table is now that he's joined us in his high chair. No solids food yet, much to his disappointment. He's definitely tried, and he's quick with good aim! He's in the big boy car seat, which he loves. As he continues getting bigger, his vision of Jeffrey is becoming better, which makes for hilarious car rides. My boys are obsessed with each other. Gavin is starting to move about with rolling and scooting, and he will attack Jeffrey if he's close enough to give him the chance. There is some definite roughhousing in my future, no question. Those moments give me some of the purest laughs from both of them, and I love it. He's starting to sit up on his own. He's really good at it until he gets excited (all the time), and his arms flail up and down, which knocks him over. It's pretty amusing to watch. He's pretty amusing, overall!

5 month stats:
-no clue about size- fat and tall is all I know
-still in some 3 month onesies from Carters, but he's basically in 6 month clothes in everything else
-rolls in one direction multiple times
-scoots
-gets up on his arms and toes: baby push-ups!
-sitting up (pretty much)!
-will pull himself to standing if you offer your fingers
-babbling and making all sorts of strange noises
-grabs things with miraculous speed and accuracy
-no longer sleeping in the swaddle, and he still sleeps pretty well! Wakes up about 1-2x a night on average
-loves looking at lightswitch plates and is obsessed with Sophie

Phew

Things have been crazy over here! Even with Jeffrey going to school two mornings a week, I feel like I'm always on the go! I had my annual appointment with my Ob/Gyn, which was interesting since I had to inform them that I had a baby since last year. Luckily, the office is very accustomed to us crunchy types (;)), so it was no big deal. Gavin had his 4 month appointment, which went well until he had a bad reaction the the vaccines that he got. Poor baby had a fever and felt miserable for about 24 hours. As for everyday life, I'm adjusting to Jeffrey no longer napping. Instead, he has one hour of room/rest time. He goes to sleep earlier now and sleeps in later most mornings and is much more pleasant during the day, even if it is exhausting to have him not nap. Gavin is starting to get involved with everybody and is rolling/scooting around now. This excites Jeffrey very much, although he tends to forget how little he is. I've been trying to be much more present with my boys and am weaning off of using the TV so much. It's been successful, and I can see a change in Jeffrey that I like very much. It doesn't leave much down time for me to just bum about, though. We're keeping it pretty low key today and tomorrow, though, as we get everything cleaned and prepped for our big road trip to Florida on Wednesday. Tomorrow, we'll be switching out the infant seat for Gavin's new big boy convertible seat. Even bigger news is that we'll be switching Jeffrey to forward facing, just two months shy of the big 3rd birthday. He's still about 5lbs away from the weight limit, but, as typical for him, he's precariously close to the height. So, we're just going to go ahead and do it to hopefully make the trip a bit easier on us. The new view should give us at least one hour of excitement for him, we figure!

I'm a big nervous, although excited, about this trip. It's going to be a LONG two days in the car with two small children. While we're in Florida, though, it's going to be a lot of fun. Then there's the whole two MORE days to come home...

Update on Jeffrey's back

He's doing SO much better. After having all the tests done and talking to both the pediatrician and the chiropractor, we're 98% certain that it was growing pains. The chiro said that, from what we said he experienced, and how his spine/muscles looked confirmed that, as well. A likely culprit to the major back pain was wearing shoes that were too small (doesn't that make me feel like a crappy mom?!?). Ever since we got him into his bigger ones about a week ago, it's gotten substantially better. He's only woken up twice this week, and he doesn't burst out into tears whenever he falls down. I suppose we'll see how much taller he is at his 3 year (!) appointment.

Going to the chiropractor was an interesting experience. He was a bit apprehensive, but his biggest complaint was not wanting to lay on his belly. He didn't mind the actual adjustments. In fact, he said that he felt much better afterwards! I'm really hoping that we can put all this back pain in the past, and we'll be keeping a much better eye on his fast growing feet!

Wordless Wednesday

The First Day

Today is Jeffrey's first day of "pre-school," otherwise known as Mother's Day Out. He'll be going Tuesday and Thursday from 9-2 for this school year. He was SO excited! Ever since the "Meet the Teacher" on Friday when he was able to play in the classroom, meet his two teachers and see some of the other kids who would be in his class, he has been talking about it non-stop! Every day this weekend, he would wake up and ask if he could go to school. He was ecstatic when I said that he was this morning! I took a few obligatory pictures, loaded up all the stuff and drove him to school. He kept going on and on about how much fun he was going to have, how excited he was and how he was going to tell the teachers when he needs to go potty (we'll see about this one...). He's super stoked about the huge playground they have. Upon arrival, he put his backpack on proudly and in we walked! Some other kids going in that were older waved hello to him, and he told me they were excited that he was coming to play with them. So sweet.

At his classroom, he hung up his backpack, gave me a hug and reminded me that he knew that "Mama Llama ALWAYS comes back," smiled and just ran into the class. And that was it. He didn't look back, and he for sure didn't cry. So, I filled out the morning sheet for the teachers, and Gavin and I went on our way. I'm handling it pretty well, I think! I'm so excited to go get him in a few hours and see how he did and hear what he has to say :)

4 months!

Just like that, it's September. Hard to believe that my first summer is over with my new little baby (although, technically, it'll still be summer well into October here!). It's gone by SO fast. Baby Gavin is for sure out of the fourth trimester and is such a joy to be around! He's so happy all the time! You don't have to work very hard to get a smile or laugh out of him, and some people (aka Jeffrey) don't have to work at all to get them. He's discovered how to scream and squeal with delight, so our house is loud and noisy with sounds of love now with both boys. I love it. Gavin is such a mellow little baby; he doesn't even wake up crying from naps or after nighttime. Just a few little grunts to let us know that he's awake, and then he just tries to squirm out of the Miracle Blanket. Thankfully, this has been unsuccessful thus far. He's back to his old sleeping habits of only once a night, if that. So amazing. He goes down for naps (still in the swing) super easy, as well, even if they're not for that long. Despite being mellow and lazy, he's still a mover and shaker like his big brother before him. He hasn't discovered that he can roll continuously in one direction yet, but he is rolling both ways and rotating around on his blanket. I'm fairly certain the blankets will be packed away before I write this post in another month! He wants to crawl SO badly; those cars Jeffrey leaves all over the floor are super tempting to him, apparently.

This will be a big month for Gavin- first vacation out of state and first major road trip! He'll also be moving up into his big boy car seat!

Gavin's 4 Month Stats:

-16 lbs, 10oz and 26 inches
-moving out of all of his 3-6 month clothes; I just got out the 6 month clothes yesterday :(
-does major push ups while on his belly and really kicking his legs
-rolls both directions with ease, although he doesn't do belly to back very often
-has really perfected his aim/grasp
-starting to tripod sit
-loves standing while holding our hands and being pulled into the standing position
-squeals/screams with delight
-will follow us/objects with his eyes all around the room
-loves his exersaucer and Sophie
-he's also a master at spitting up, unfortunately :/

Big and Strong?

So, things have been CRAZY here lately. Jeffrey no longer naps, and Gavin has decided being awake is way cooler than sleeping (definitely didn't learn that from his brother...sigh). Needless to say, there hasn't been a whole lot of time for lounging around and blogging, much to my disappointment. Lots to update, eventually!

The biggest thing going on in our house is dealing with a hurt back on our biggest little boy. It's been going on about a week, and it really effects him at night. So much so that he's waking up screaming in pain, poor kid. It's been quite an adjustment for us to be getting up with BOTH kids after they were both sleeping through the night. Exhaustion. After a few super rough nights, I made the call, and we were off to the pedi this morning (which went much better, logistically, then Gavin's last appointment!) She was a bit concerned since he's so verbal about the fact that he is so focused on a specific location, instead of saying different places all of the time. We had to get him to pee in a cup (prop to Jony for being able to get him to do that!) to rule out a UTI, and that came back all clear. We also got a prescription to get a spinal x-ray if all the blood work comes back clear. Then, we were off to get his blood tested for Vitamin D or iron deficiency. He was so brave, poor kid.

Her main goal is to rule out any major issues, but she thinks it's a good possibility that it's growing pains. Due to our height and his activity level, he's potentially not relaxing the growing muscles enough. So, we'll see. I just want him to feel better.

Settling In

Gavin is not a teeny tiny little newborn anymore. He's graduated from the Fourth trimester and is now his own little being- spunky, spirited and happy. He's wedged himself in and plopped down as a permanent fixture to our little family- a piece of the puzzle that could never be replaced or lost. He now requires attention of his own and is expressing his own wants and needs, rather than just being content to come along on all of his brother's adventures (although, let's be real, he still has to do that!).

In turn, we're adjusting to our new family situation. Jony and I finally had our first date night since Gavin's birth to celebrate our 4th anniversary (that was pretty much glossed over since we went out of town and have a baby that doesn't take a bottle). It was just to see a movie and dinner for about two hours, but it was so nice. As Gavin gets older, it will get even easier for us to get some quality time in. It's too important to not put in the work to make it happen, especially if we want to keep our little family stable.

Gavin is also making the move into his own bedroom. We had to come to terms that he just barely fits in the Rock and Play now, so it was time. It was really hard to accept that my little baby was that big and that old to even be discussing it, but it had to be done. Luckily, he's still our little rock star sleeper, and changing his sleeping location didn't affect him at all.

All things are moving back to our normal life as it was before Gavin was born; we just now have another little spark of energy to share it all with.

Full Circle

As though it was no big deal, Gavin decided today was the day he could roll from back to belly. He did it once, and he's done it a few times since then. Each time, he immediately rolls back onto his back- lol! He does it the same way each time, so he's not quite a roller in terms of mobility, thank goodness. We don't have near enough floor space with all of Jeffrey's toys finding their way all over the place! We'll have to deal with that problem soon enough, however. His left arm tends to get stuck underneath him a lot of the time, but he's figuring out how to do it without having that happen. He's showing himself to be a quick learner like his brother before him. It's fun experiencing all of these little milestones again, and I'm so proud of my strong little chunk.

To celebrate, we got down the exersaucer and some of the other infant toys that we had packed away. Truthfully, we just remembered we had them. The timing just worked out that way ;) He LOVES the exersaucer and the winkle. It's so crazy that I didn't even think about giving him any of this stuff yet. I keep thinking that he's so much younger than he is. It really does go so fast.

Wordless Wednesday

(Gavin's tie is from Alligator Lane, as usual :) )

3 months!

I'm a few days late, but we were out of town for a wedding while little Mr. Gavin turned 3 months (as well as our anniversary!). It's insane how fast he is growing. Laying down is no longer an option in his world; it's a treat for us when he allows it to happen. He's rolled belly to back one time, but that's it since he's so very rarely laying! He much prefers to sit up or stand. His little legs are quite strong; he can bear weight on them with no issue. If I hold him up to something, he's starting to use his arms to help support himself, as well. The main thing he is trying to accomplish is tripod sitting. He is determined! He can do it for just a split second before his arms give out on him now, poor thing. He just gets the biggest smile whenever he's sitting up. One of his favorite things is to sit in the little pod seat and watch Jeffrey play cars. If Coco decides to walk by, that's a major bonus in his world. He's still the most easy-going, sweetest little baby. He is refusing to take a bottle now, so that's a bit frustrating. Nothing we can't handle for a few months, however. He's constantly smiling, cooing, squealing or making some sort of new noise. He's also getting pretty good at his hand control and grabbing things. He's not sleeping AS well as he was, but it's still a maximum of two wakings a night. Nothing to complain about in the slightest, especially because he goes back to sleep with no issues the majority of the time.

Gavin's 3 Month Stats:
-he was 14 lbs 2oz and 24.5 inches at his appointment a week or so ago
-wearing 3-6 month clothes
-completely holds his head up
-can grab onto objects 90% of the time on his first attempt
-is holding and grasping objects, namely his lovey
-laughs a fabulous belly laugh (he thinks mouth noises are hilarious)
-rolled belly to back once, rolls about 3/4 of the way back to belly
-bears weight on legs while holding him in a standing position
-loves to sit and attempts to tripod
-twists all around in a circle while on his belly/back

I LOVE the Olympics

I look forward to it every four years, and it never lets me down! I love watching all the different kinds of sports, including my favorites of swimming and gymnastics (just like everyone else in the US, ha!). Mostly, though, I love what the Olympics represents- unity and camaraderie between all the countries. This year, I especially love how the torch was "lit" by every country and wouldn't be complete without every single one of them. Such an amazing concept, and I live that, even if for just a few weeks every two years (don't forget the winter olympics!), we put everything else aside for the good of the game, whatever game that might be. We've had it on constantly, and Jeffrey has been really getting into it. He likes to chant USA! USA! whenever he sees the US flag and really enjoys, like me, watching swimming and gymnastics. He was enthralled with men's gymnastics! Unfortunately for him, that's not going to happen. You don't see too many 6 feet+ gymnasts, lol! We've decided that Jeffrey will be our soccer player, and Gavin can be the swimmer since, you know, he was born in the water ;) Aside from sports, it's been a great teaching tool for Jeffrey since he's learning about how there are different countries and places, people have differences (but are all the same!) and all of those places are different. He's determined that he would like to go to London. One day, he will :)

I have such fantastic memories of the past few Summer Olympics. In 1996, my family went on a long vacation to Orlando. I watched the Magnificent 7 in the hotel after full days of Disney while my sister/dad went to watch the soccer matches. In 2000, I went to Australia just a few weeks before the Olympics began and got to actually see all the buildings all set up. The swimming arena was so huge and impressive, and I loved that there was a water park on the other side of the competitive pool. 2004, I remember watching men's gymnastics at Jack Camp, which was a fish camp for incoming freshman at the college I attended. I watched it with Jony and two other friends who ended up becoming great friends (one of them, I'll be a bridesmaid in her wedding this weekend!). 2008 brings memories of our honeymoon- watching those amazing opening ceremonies in our sweet little cottage in Calistoga, CA.

Now, I can remember all these sweet moments watching the London Games with my two little boys, as well as sending one of my best friends into a great marriage while celebrating mine :)

Well Adult Check-ups

We decided that it was time for us to finally get in gear and start being as proactive with our own health as we are with our boys. So, we made appointments for a physical/blood work. We're still pretty young, so we figured it would, at the minimum, be a baseline. It turns out that both of us had minor issues, so it's good that we went! I have anemia, which I have figured for some time. So, I'm on an iron supplement and will see how my body is reacting to that in about six months. There are different types of anemia, so we have to see if I have iron deficiency or a hormone imbalance (or something to that effect!). Jony's is a little more serious- elevated cholesterol. He's fairly certain it's the mass amount of fast food that he's been eating, so he's cutting that out. He needs to start exercising again, as well. It's not high enough for medicine yet, so he's just changing some life choices around first. He's most likely battling some genetics there, since heart disease runs down his father's side. It made him mad, though, since he's so much more active and typically eats better than I do! My blood work came back with the note of "excellent cholesterol!"- lol!

We also had our dentist appointments (which we have been doing twice a year, no worries) and, thankfully, were all clear in that area. It was crazy to think that I was pregnant the last time, and the next time I'll have an 8 month old and a 3(!) year old in 2013!

Gavin's 2 Month Appointment

He is still perfect :) He weighed in at 14 lbs 2oz and is 24.5 inches long. No issues at all and completely owned all of the developmental milestones for 2 months (of course, he IS almost three months- lol!).

Unfortunately, it was a terrible visit. We were there for almost 2.5 hours, which is ridiculous. The wait time has been seemingly getting longer and longer each visit, and it's maddening. We're very heavily leaning towards trying a new pediatrician for his 4 month appointment. It's just so frustrating. I really like our doctor, but that's unacceptable. Plus, the front desk people completely disrespected me by laughing and making a joke out of the fact that the toy Mator that Jeffrey left on the bench was turned in but taken by someone else. It was rude, and my poor innocent two year old was mortified that someone would think it was funny to take his car. After having so much of my time disregarded, to have them act like that towards me was completely ridiculous. Ruined my day.

Roll over, Roll over...

I'm assuming this is what Gavin is singing to himself all day long. For the past week or so, he's been getting way up on his side whenever he's lying on his back, and we were certain that he was going to roll back to belly at any moment. He still might, but he completely threw us off by, instead, rolling belly to back this afternoon! He's never even tried before! He has always loved tummy time, and he usually just hangs out there looking all around when he's on his tummy, but he must have gotten the urge to push himself up with his right arm and, poof, over he went. Jeffrey was super proud of him, which was adorable. Jeffrey did back to belly first and didn't do belly to back until he was 3.5 months old, so they're definitely marching to the beat of their own drums.

It's sad to bid those newborn days behind of just being able to lay him on the couch and not worry about him going anywhere. It's fun to see the beginning of mobility forming, as scary as that may be, though!

Weekend Parenting? Grade: F

We are for sure not walking around puffed up about how awesome of parents we are today. Our poor little Jeffrey is looking pretty rough this lazy Sunday. To start with, I totally spaced on bringing sunblock when we went to the splash pad on Friday morning. It's crazy getting out of the house with two kids sometimes, but that's no excuse. I feel so terrible, but my little buddy got his first sunburn. It's not horrific because, at least, he was wearing a rashguard. The worst was the back of his neck and his ears. It doesn't seem to have bothered him too much, and it's fading away super quickly. On the other hand, MY sunburn got a little worse. It's deserved, I suppose. We just kept lotioning him up and keeping him hydrated.

Last night, though, he ended up hurting himself to the point where the sunburn didn't even have a chance at bothering him! We were at my parent's house for dinner, and we were all just hanging around after eating. My niece decided she was ready to eat her cupcake, so Jeffrey went to sit next to her. My mom was carrying the cupcake tray out, and he got too hyper. He stood up in the chair super fast and turned around to grab the back, causing it to fall over. His face got way too acquainted with their tile floor. I ran in and held him while he cried worse than I've ever heard before for a good five to ten minutes. The bump was HUGE! Once he calmed down, he just hung out on the couch with Jony playing games on the iPhone, which showed us that he could still think. He was acting totally normal and putting up a fight about having ice on his forehead. We kept him up about an hour later than normal to give us about two hours of observation, per our call with the nurse's line. After some Tylenol and the normal bedtime routine, he fell asleep in record time. We checked on him a few times overnight, and he was fine. This morning, he's acting completely normal although he says he has a headache (obviously). It's not as swollen as it was last night, but it's starting to bruise. It is not going to be pretty.

Needless to say, we're staying in today. Keeping it low key so that maybe we can avoid adding another injury to the weekend report!

The burn pre-bump:

The bump:

Life is Crazy.

It has been insane lately. I feel like I've blinked and summer is almost over! Gavin is no longer a sleepy newborn (although he does sleep fabulously, which I'm quite a fan of!) and requires playing and attention throughout the day. Then there is Jeffrey's jam-packed social calendar. The kid's got places to go and people to see, for sure. There hasn't been anything too terribly exciting going on- just everyday life.

Gavin is an amazing, super chill little guy who just loves watching his brother and our dog. He's so happy all of the time and is really starting to give us giggles and laughs. He's a strange child who loves having his diaper changed, bath time and absolutely adores tummy time. He's lifting his head up at a 90 degree angle and just smiles and coos the entire time until he gets too tired. He also enjoys his activity mat- the giraffe is his favorite. He's a big little guy, and I'm awaiting his stats from his 2 month appointment (which, due to my pedi's vacation) will be when he's almost 3 months)

Jeffrey is my very active guy, and he is constantly wearing me out. Thank goodness his little brother sleeps through the night because I NEED that energy with him. He is absolutely loving with Gavin- almost to the point of too extreme! He wants him to learn how to stand and talk so badly and asks every day if he can help teach him. He's doing pretty well in his swimming lessons, although he had a rough week this last time. He gets really happy on swim day. His current obsession is Cars. We've been watching a lot of movies lately since a few months ago I made a rule about how movies are for rainy days only. Wouldn't you know that it's rained every.single.day here the last few weeks?!? Completely abnormal for us. He had a major potty training regression around 4th of July, but he's coming back around now. I think he was feeling too much pressure, and it seems to have helped him to get pull-ups for when we're out of the house. Then, we're not stressed out about him having an accident and, in turn, are not frustrating/bothering him about it too much. Now, he typically stays dry the entire day except for maybe one accident a day on some days.

We're gearing up for our trip to Fort Worth in two weeks where I'll be in a wedding, trying to stay cool and dry and trying to soak in these fun days of summer! Jeffrey will be starting MDO in a little over a month, and I have a feeling it's going to be a time of adjustment for all of us!

Wordless Wednesday

Freedom at the Farm

We spent most of last week up at my parents' farm. It was a nice break from the hustle and bustle that our lives are, and we got to get some good quality time in with the family. Jeffrey absolutely loves it there- playing with his cousin, riding the tractor and 4 wheeler, playing in the pool, running around the yard, eating lots of yummy food and ice cream, and watching Cars a million times. The stress of being in a new environment seemed to affect his potty training, so we're starting to get back into the groove now that we're home. Everyone kept bothering him and asking him if he had to go all the time, which he hates, so he just shut down. Gavin had a bit of a transition, too, but he was sleeping good again by the third night or so. He loved being held by so many people. Not being able to put him down too often was really hard on my upper back/neck, though, so it's off to the chiro for me! Overall, the whole family loved being up there. We're not sure when we'll be free again for awhile, so we made sure to enjoy it while we could!

2 months!

Even though he's almost nine weeks old, my little Gavin baby is 2 months today! Labor and all that happened immediately afterwards all seems like such a distant memory- so long ago, but it's only been two months! I'm absolutely loving having my new little man in my life. He's such an easy baby, save for a moment here and there. He's almost always super happy, loves smiling, goes to sleep easily and sleeps at night! He doesn't nap too long during the day, but we're on the go anyways with big brother, so it doesn't really bother me. He'll get longer naps if his little feet are touching me, which I find adorable, so he usually gets a good couch nap while Jeffrey is napping. He absolutely loves his play mat, especially the monkey and the mirror. He's a big fan of tummy time, but only for a certain amount of time. He's still a major grunter and makes all sorts of noises all the time, and he loves to chew on his hands. He noticed his feet the other day and likes just watching them in awe. He's still rocking out in his Rock n' Play next to our bed, and I love waking up to him just smiling at me (yes, even for his one (!) overnight feeding. Life is good.

Gavin's 2 Month Stats:
-13 lbs and 23 inches
-transitioning from 0-3 to 3-6 month clothes
-holds his head up 99% of the time
-brings his hands together and up to his mouth
-smiles all the time
-beginning to giggle/coo
-loves sticking his tongue out
-rolls onto his side
-stares at anything hanging above or in front of him

Postpartum Follow Up

Since I finally stopped bleeding/spotting last week, I went in for my final appointment with my midwife. It was bittersweet seeing them for the last time, especially when it came to say goodbye. I formed quite the relationship with them over the past 10ish months! Anyways, everything seems good! She didn't look at my healing since it was so minimal at 2 weeks and told me to go with my gut on any activity down there (like there's time- LOL!). We discussed a few things then went our separate ways. They did weigh Gavin, who chunked in at a whopping 13lbs! It's crazy how fast this kid is growing.

Wordless Wednesday

Our First Road Trip

Sure, it was only to Dallas, which is about 4 hours away normally, but I have a 7 week old. The trip up there? A little over 7 hours with about 4 stops, putting our arrival time at a little after 1am. Fun stuff. The ride home was much, much better- only two stops and five hours.

Thankfully, the reason that we hopped in the car for such a drive with such a little baby was worth it. It was my first LLL conference! I got some great information on breastfeeding and parenting, but mostly it was nice to be around people who "get you." It was so awesome to see all the little babies being worn, NIP happening like it was second nature (and very discreetly, as much as people might think it would be different at such a conference), and I got to see some great gentle discipline techniques at work. They had a play room, and Jeffrey loved it! There were some fun little activities for him to do, along with the hotel pool, so he is now a fan of Dallas, since that is what he associates the city with! Gavin loved getting so much one-on-one time with mommy while we attended sessions all weekend. Jony really enjoyed seeing that the other dads were just like him and not all crazy hippy stereotypical. He even got to go to a session on Fatherhood and enjoyed talking to other dads about stuff that's hard to talk to dads who aren't on the same philosophy page as you are.

Overall, even with the driving fun and stopping to nurse all the time it seemed like, it was a really great weekend. We're not exactly thrilled about doing it again anytime soon, although we are going to my parent's farm next week (a two hour trip) and back to Fort Worth at the beginning of August! Apparently, our strategy is to force Gavin to be a good car rider like his brother is :)

Graduating from Guppy

Today was the last day of Jeffrey's 2 week everyday swim lessons. Phew. It's been an interesting two weeks,for sure. We were pretty much housebound since we couldn't do anything before the class and then there was nap afterwards. So, Jeffrey has been getting continuously more difficult as the days go on. He gets major cabin fever. Even with a more difficult child, it was most definitely worth it. The difference between Day 1 and 10 is AMAZING. My child can now float on his back completely on his own, get out on his own when he's not on a step, and is starting to actually swim. He has no fear of the water, but he understands that it is important to be safe. It really was money well spent, and Jeffrey absolutely loved it. Since he's the youngest age to go in the pool on their own, he was in the Guppy level class. The skills they had to master in that level was: comfort in the water, puts face in the water, blows bubbles, glides, kicks, row-row arms, assisted back float, rolls over in water, turns and climbs out of pool and retrieves rings. He mastered all of them, so he is moving up to the Goldfish level for his maintenance lessons next week! He'll only be going once a week from here on out, though. Thank Goodness. The plan is to have him in weekly lessons until/through next summer so that he's a fully independent swimmer this time next year! I have no doubts that he will be after seeing him learn so much in such a short time.

Wordless Wednesday

I can be replaced

We finally got around to trying a bottle tonight, and it went really well. It was slow since it comes out much faster than he's used to, which means you have to stop and let him swallow every so often. He took it all, though (only 2.5oz- one pump this evening plus the clog from Saturday)! I had to buy new bottles since we got rid of all of them after Jeffrey, so I went with Tommee Tippee. I do need to get bigger breast shields, though; that crap hurt when I pumped! I'm not sure how I did that last time! I'll be aiming to get a pump in every day and build up a small little stash so I can have a night out and so we're ready for the wedding I'm in the beginning of August. Fun stuff. Can't say that I'm looking forward to it, but it will be nice to know that I'm not trapped at home or having to take him with me ALL the time. Good thing that I want to most of the time :)

Craziness.

My littlest boy slept for SEVEN hour last night. I didn't ever believe that was even possible from a five week old. It took us months until Jeffrey slept for near that amount! It is one pretty amazing feeling. I can't even imagine it happening again, but just the one time?!? Lovely. Although, he does consistently sleep in a 4-5 hour stretch at the beginning of his night, so maybe it's not so crazy to think about?

To make Gavin even more awesome right now- he's smiling! A lot! He's such a happy little boy, and it's so easy to make him happy. He absolutely loves Jeffrey and smiles whenever he gets around.

It's looking to be a great weekend :)

Gavin is 1 month!

Technically, he turned a month on the 3rd, but today was his 1 month pediatrician appointment. We were thinking that Gavin seemed to be a bit chunkier than Jeffrey was, and we were right! He weighed in today at a whopping 10 pounds and 4 ounces! Jeffrey didn't reach 10lbs until he was about 2 months! He's also a wee bit shorter than big brother was (21.75 inches), so he's quite the little pudge. His head is only slightly larger at 14.75 inches.

He did great at his appointment, save for a small spit up and not being a huge fan of his shot (Hep B- his very first one; so sad). He's in perfect health and got the gold star from our pediatrician. Our next appointment is not until July 25th since our pediatrician will be on vacation over the 4th of July, so he'll practically be 3 months at his 2 month appointment! It's going to be awhile until we get back on track from that one!

I'm hoping that the little guy doesn't have too much of a reaction to the shots. He does seem to be having somewhat of a hard time, though. Poor thing.

Swimming, swimming...

Jeffrey started swim lessons this morning! It went really well, although I'm supremely exhausted now. I was pretty nervous about it beforehand since he goes in by himself, and I just stay in the waiting room. Obviously, this works out quite well with having a 4 week old, but I was so scared he'd freak out! Of course, he didn't. He took an instant liking to his teacher and listened like a rock star, which is most definitely the benefit of me not being in there! It's going to be a bit of a hassle going every day for the next two weeks, but I'm hoping we get some real progress from it. He loves to be in the water and is really excited about the concept of being able to do it all by himself, so I think that psyched him up for the lessons. It should be interesting to see where he is at the end of the two weeks!

4 weeks!

Incredible. I seriously cannot comprehend how it's already been four weeks. If only the last four weeks of pregnancy would go this quickly!

My calm little baby is gone, and he's turning out to be quite high needs! I'm thinking that I have an overactive letdown, though, so I've started block feeding. That has helped tremendously, and we're only two days into this plan. He's been absolutely refusing to be put down, so I've been constantly nursing/holding him. Thank goodness for babywearing!! If only it wasn't so dang hot outside, but that helps him sleep. He's a fighter of sleep just like his big brother! He's not sleeping quite as well at night as he was, but it's still not too terrible. On the plus side, I'm fairly certain that we're starting to see some social smiles! He's also pretty awesome at holding his head up already- can do it for about 10-15 seconds with no assistance, at least. He's a strong little guy, and he seems to be packing on the pounds pretty quickly. On our infant scale, it says he's about 9.5 lbs, which will have him bigger than his brother even though he was born 8oz smaller! We'll see on the official doctor's scale next Tuesday.

Despite the fussies and neediness, I'm still super happy with my little family. It's getting harder, but I can already see how it's going to start getting super rewarding.

Wordless Wednesday

Down to One?

I'm almost afraid (and shocked!) to say that Jeffrey may be potty trained...

I know that it's still going to be awhile until I'm fully confident in the whole situation, but we've been diaper free all weekend. We started last Saturday with briefs while we were at home, but we attempted no diapers even out of the house starting this weekend since he was doing so well. It's gone amazingly. He's getting really good at telling us when he needs to go, although he does seem to just hold it until we tell him to go sometimes (like when we're about to leave the house). I'm still going to be super nervous this coming week when it's just me with both boys, but I just have to trust him. He refuses to wear diapers now, anyways, so this is our new normal now!

He finished his first potty chart (sitting on the potty every 20 minutes) in less than 4 days, and he's about to finish his second chart (going every 30 minutes, although we've stopped doing that in the past day and just wait for his lead) on the 4th day. We plan on doing one more chart to get a sticker every time he initiates it himself, and then we hope he'll just be accustomed to using the potty.

So, bring on the briefs! Things are getting interesting around here.

It's My Birthday!

It really doesn't get any better than that, really. Here's to another great year with my three best boys!

3 weeks!

My tiny little munchkin is starting to look like a baby- not a newborn. He is still such a super chill and easy baby. He rarely ever makes a fuss, and even his cries are super mellow. He has let it out once or twice, though! Especially at night when he's super tired and I'm running around getting everything ready for bedtime. He's still sleeping really well at night- two four hour stretches! He usually takes two long-ish naps during the day. Otherwise, he's eating every hour or so, if not more. Nursing is still going extremely well, although I'm starting to leak. I've ordered a few more breast pads to help with that situation. Similarly, it's been quite a shock remembering how often infants go to the bathroom; we're having to wash diapers every other day again. At least Gavin's diapers don't need to be stuffed, and Jeffrey isn't using many diapers at all these days. So, it's been pretty easy to stay on top of.

I'm starting to get pretty good/comfortable at going out with both boys. Gavin is always in the wrap or sling, which he loves, and Jeffrey has been a great big brother and does whatever he can to help me. We've got the getting in/out of the car down, and the boys seem to love getting out and about. Well, Gavin usually just sleeps which I equate to happiness from a newborn.

I'm feeling really good and am generally super happy with my life right now. Everything just seems right :)

My New Normal

Jony went back to work yesterday. All the nerves that I didn't experience about having two children all came to a head about Sunday afternoon, and I got terrified. We'd been tag-teaming the whole time he was home, save for two trips out with both kids. It has gone really well so far, though. A few shaky moments here and there, but, overall, pretty successful. I even managed to get all the laundry done yesterday. Today was a playgroup day, and we had a good time and even made it there on time! To make things even more interesting, we're also potty training Jeffrey right now. He sets a timer on my phone and has potty time every twenty minutes. More if he says he needs to go inbetween, obviously. We sit on his little potty, and he gets a book read to him. If he pees, he gets one sticker on his potty chart. Poops get two. His chart has 25 boxes, and he'll get to choose a prize from our closet of random stuff that we've been keeping in there (cars, play-doh, puzzles, coloring books, etc). He's been doing REALLY well. He had an accident yesterday morning about 9am, but then he stayed dry the ENTIRE rest of the day (he naps in a diaper still). I'm so proud of how well he is doing. So, doing that along with semi-constant nursing has me pretty worn out. This taking care of two stuff is pretty awesome, but it's a heck of a lot of work!

Jeffrey: 2.5!

My little (big!) boy is officially 2.5 years old today. He's such an amazing kid, even though he knows how to drive us completely crazy! Can't blame him too much for that since he's just acting like us- stubborn and opinionated. Despite those moments, he really is a great son. He rarely throws tantrums (and, when he does, they're pretty tame), is extremely lovable, and so incredibly smart. We're constantly getting comments on his verbal skills. It really is amazing to just listen to him and see how his brain works; we're consistently impressed with his level of understanding and vocabulary. He's a pretty good eater, and we can usually coax him into at least trying one bite of everything. He's a consistent sleeper for both nap and bedtime, although he still fiddles around at night so that it takes about an hour to go to sleep. He has adjusted SO seamlessly to being a big brother, and it makes me love him even more. Seeing how much he cares for Gavin really makes you think you've been doing something right. Of course, we have to be right on top of him to make sure that he's not TOO loving, though. He's hilarious, ridiculous and intelligent all wrapped into one little boy (or "big kid," as Jeffrey would say!)

-unofficially, I'd guess he's about 30lbs and a little over 3 feet
-busting his way into 3T tops, although he can still wear some 18 month shorts! Pants are 2T for length, but it's summer now. No more pants issues!
-has all teeth except the 2 year molars. Anxiously awaiting those...
-is fully communicative: understands possessives, time frames (yesterday, tomorrow, etc.) and even sarcasm
-can identify (and say) the entire alphabet, counts up to 20, knows all the shapes and even recognizes a few words (like Jeffrey, Gavin and baby)
-has started singing! He loves "the Itsy Bitsy Spider," the alphabet, and a milkshake song from story time
-colors with a purpose: inside the lines, tracing patterns, etc
-can jump up and down on one foot
-is able to ride his balance bike, even getting some good strides in there with his feet off the ground
-knows how to pedal and can ride his tricycle
-loves sports (specifically baseball and basketball), knock knock jokes and running in circles
-Favorite food: smoothies
-Favorite book: Mickey and the Beanstalk or Three Little Pigs (both of which he can recite)
-Favorite Activity: playing with his cars

2 weeks!

My little pipsqueak is growing up so quickly! He already seems so much larger than when he was born, and he's getting so much stronger every day. He's getting really good at holding his head up, especially since he prefers to be upright most of the time (just like his brother!). He's waken up from his newborn sleepiness, but he's still doing pretty good at night. We're getting between 2 and 5 hour stretches, so I can't complain! He's up quite a bit during the day and nurses really frequently. If that helps him at night, then I'm up for it! We got our amazing swing down yesterday (finally), and it's helping him get some more rest during the day. I love that swing, as do my boys. Jeffrey was so excited when he saw it and likes when Gavin is in it all "snug and cozy." This kid is a pooping machine! He likes to save it up and then really let it all go. He's not a huge fan of it, however. I'm not at all worried that he's getting enough to eat. I'm excited to see how much we weighs at his next appointment! Nursing is going SO well. I get a bit engorged during his longer stretches at night, but that's the only discomfort that I've had. I'm so happy to not have any clogged ducts so far- yay!

The best thing so far is that he's so alert. He's really starting to pay attention to our faces, and he usually looks towards Jeffrey whenever he's around and making noise. He's been such a fun, wonderful and perfect addition to our family.

Wordless Wednesday

Reality is setting in...

It hasn't gotten super hard or anything (yet), but I can see a more realistic view of what our life is going to be like with our two boys.

Jeffrey has been having some major "freak out" moments that are super strange, and he's generally not as independent as he used to be. I know he's still adjusting, so I hope that comes back soon! It's not really a great time for him to be super needy- lol! I think he's gotten really used to daddy being home, so that's going to be a tough transition for him. We've still been taking him to his activities to try to keep his life somewhat in order, and I really believe that has helped. Of course, that has led to a lot of comments about how crazy/amazing I am to be out and about with such a new baby. I don't think it's possible not to get out when you have a toddler, though. He would drive me absolutely insane if we never left the house!

Gavin is bidding his newborn sleepiness good-bye, which is sad. It was so nice how easy it was to get him to sleep! Now, he's taking on more of his brother's sleep habits when he was little and is awake most of the day. Nights are still pretty good with at least one long stretch of four hours. He's going through a growth spurt right now, so he was up about every hour after that last night. Still can't complain too much. He tends to spit up more than I remember Jeffrey doing, and he likes to save up his poops for one monstrous one each day. Overall, he's still a super easygoing baby. I can see his face changing already to look more "Gavin" and less Jeffrey. I don't think anyone will be able to deny that their brothers, but it seems like they'll have their own unique look.

The worst part lately is that Jony got a bad cold, and now he's passed it somewhat onto me. My body seems to be fighting it better than his, which doesn't make any sense! He can't take Nyquil so that he can still help at night, and I can't take my placenta pills until my body has fully fought it off. I can see a definite change in energy level and can see a bit of the baby blues/anxiety that I felt after Jeffrey starting to creep in. So, I'm hoping to be able to start those up again asap.

I had my first venture out on my own with both boys this morning, and it wasn't terrible! I still have a long way to go to look like a put-together mom, haha, but I'll get there in time. Jony goes back to work on Friday, and that's when real reality will set in. Yikes!

Happy Mother's Day!

I am feeling so blessed this Mother's Day. Not only do I have a great mom and mother-in-law, but I have a smart and hilarious toddler and the world's easiest baby. Thinking of my two little boys fills my heart so much; it's amazing how much love you can feel for people who are so tiny. After a busy day yesterday (1 week follow up with the midwife and newborn photos), we're having a relaxing family day and then dinner with the in-laws. I'm looking forward to just soaking in the time with my boys. Amazingly, I sit here alone at this moment, allowing me to reflect and take in all that I have. My adorable baby Gavin is lying next to me STILL sleeping. It's been unreal having such a good sleeper (as of now). Soon, my oldest will come skipping into the living room with a huge smile and will probably start the day with "Want to play?" I couldn't imagine anything more perfect.

Hope everyone else is feeling equally blessed this Mother's Day!

One Week!

It's hard to believe that a week has already gone by! I'm still struggling (not quite the right word, but I can't think of a better one) with accepting that the events of last Thursday actually happened! I mean, Jeffrey and I went to MOPS as normal, came home, he ate lunch and went down for a nap, Jony went to get me a Subway sandwich, I ate the sandwich and then BOOM! Less than 2 hours later, I have another son. It's pretty remarkable, and I've become a "friend of a friend" story- ha! Jony's been getting a ton of praise, especially from older men who weren't even around when their wives were in labor. They all think he's amazing, but he's smart and lets them know that I did all the work ;)

Gavin may have been in a rush to get out, but he is so calm and relaxed as a newborn. He is SUCH an easy baby, which is pretty wild since we thought Jeffrey was so easy. He took to nursing immediately- no latching or nipple pain issues in the slightest. Our only issue we have with BFing now is that the kid poops so much! On that note, he's fully in cloth diapers. I'm so happy; I hate using disposables. I just can't figure them out, lol! He looks so adorable with his fluffy little but, and Jeffrey loves that he gets to match his brother (although he's usually naked or in briefs now). His umbilical cord fell off ridiculously early yesterday morning, so our little nugget has a tiny little belly button! So adorable. He is actually a pretty good sleeper and has been giving us two long (3-4 hours) stretches the past few nights. There's really nothing I can complain about with the little guy.

The transition to having a brother has been seamless for Jeffrey. I'm not sure if it's because he's always loved babies or that he feels super involved with him since he saw him being born, but I'll take it! He's super concerned about him and is always loving on him and making sure that his blankets are covering him. Whenever Gavin makes a noise, Jeffrey will say "It's okay, Baby Gavin. I know." It's really too sweet. I'm pretty sure that he kisses his brother more than me or Jony! I can already tell that Gavin is infatuated by him since he always looks towards him when Jeffrey is making noises/singing.

As for me, recovery has been so non-eventful. It's been so much easier that it's ridiculous. I never had any pain/swelling in the nether regions and was only sore in my legs from squatting during labor. The after birth contractions sucked, but those are mostly gone now. My temperament is so much better, as well. I had some pretty good baby blues with Jeffrey, but I'm so happy this time. It's probably a combination of a calm birth and my placenta pills (I had it encapsulated; it's amazing to feel the energy surge after I take one!).

This past week has been just perfect. I am so in love with my little family.

Wordless Wednesday

First Family Outing

This morning was Gavin's first pediatrician appointment and, thus, his first time out of the house! He did so great, as expected from such a chill and happy baby. He looks so tiny in his car seat, especially when you look at him sitting next to his humongous brother! We rewarded ourselves for such a successful trip that we all got smoothies afterwards (well, Gavin will be getting his later...)

As for his appointment, our little piglet looks fantastic! He has a little eye gunk like Jeffrey did and is slightly jaundiced, but it's not to the point where she's concerned. We just need to get him in the sun and keep feeding him. Apparently, the levels peak at days 5-7, so she wasn't concerned since he's 5 days old today. Plus, our midwife said that it's very normal for full term and healthy babies to have more jaundice when they receive all the blood through the cord, as Gavin did. In regards to his little nickname of piglet, he is back up to his birth weight already! I must say that I'm pretty impressed with myself :)

Since he's eating and growing so well, he isn't due back until he's one month old! So proud of our little guy.

Gavin's Dr. Seuss Nursery