Eleven Months

Our little bug was busy this past month.  Growing, not so gracefully, four more teeth (for a grand total of 6!), exploring her world (she's starting to get sassy with her brothers, grabbing at their faces when they get too close), and even eating dog food!  Her personality is really sort of sassy, sweet, and awesome!  Her first Christmas was so special for us.  It was our first Christmas as a family of five, and she was happy to oblige with ripping up paper!

She is increasingly interested in reading books.  She's especially fond of peek-a-boo, or touch and feel style books, but also really loves books about colors and the book, "Ladybug, Girl." Her favorite mode of transportation is scooting on her butt, and if she ever flops over onto her back, she's pretty much stranded and will just protest until someone rescues her.  We've been working on teaching her how to get out of that predicament, but it's easier for her to protest because he brothers are quick to come to her rescue.  When she's scooting, she's quick to go over to something so she can pull herself up and stand.  She loves standing.  No steps yet, but we're close, I think!  Excited to see what the next month will bring for her - she'll be ONE YEAR OLD!  Time is so precious, and some days it's so hard to remember to soak in all these fleeting moments!

Oops, here she is on her back, and protesting to be helped!

Ten Months

Can you believe it?  Ten whole months have gone by since we welcomed our little girl. 

She's a spunky, sweetheart.  She's not into baby food at all, so she eats mostly table food with the rest of us.  She loves pears, cheese, and her oatmeal.  Crawling is just not her cup of tea, but I'll take the mini-scoot little girl for awhile.  Kids grow up too fast the way it is.  She does, however, like to stand when she's able.  Her activity table is growing on her quickly.  She never has to do much for herself because her big brothers always seem to be running to her rescue, especially O.  He just adores her.  If she tumbles over, he's the first one there trying to help her up.

A few days after turning ten months old, FOUR top teeth broke through (her front teeth and one tooth on either side of them).  She was miserable with her sleep for a few weeks before that, so we were so happy to see them arrive!

 
Hubs and I both agree that as she gets older, she's going to be a huge troublemaker, of the quiet variety.  Daddy also jokes that she's going to try to get by on her looks her whole life. Ha!   We are going to have our hands full!  We love her more than words can say. It's amazing what children bring to our lives!

Happy Ten Months, Bug!

9 months

A couple of weeks ago, our little girl turned NINE MONTHS OLD! 

She's such a happy baby - loves table food (forget the purees that I made for her!), laughs a lot, enjoys baths, scoots little by little, will reach for things but doesn't crawl, and loves dancing, singing!  On her nine-month birthday, October 28, she learned how to feed herself!

A little peanut, she weighs just about 17 pounds.  But she's got all of us wrapped around her fingers.  Even the brothers.  She knows she doesn't need to crawl because her brothers grab anything they see her trying to reach.  We've got two little bottom teeth, the biggest grin, and the best open-mouthed baby kisses anyone could ask for. 

Love her, and so thankful we have been blessed with her in our lives!

Five Years

My first-born turned FIVE yesterday.  And all of a sudden, I feel infinitely older.  How can he be FIVE?  Wasn't it just yesterday that I was still trying to figure out how to be a mom?  He has taught me many lessons in life.  He helps me notice all of the little things I've overlooked.  I know more about the ocean than I ever have, I'm learning about bugs, and all kinds of things that interest him.  He is really into nature.  Loves it.  I think he'll be my science guy. 

In the past year, he's grown 3.5 inches, but only weighs i at 36 lbs.  Tall and skinny like Dad.  Most people say he's the spitting image of his Dad.  Well, he's got a wonderful person to be taking after then.

He's very particular and will often get incredibly upset if things don't go just the way he planned them, but despite all that, Isaac has a heart of gold. He is very caring for his siblings and friends.  He won't ever leave them behind.  He loves to include them (even when they don't play his way).  I admire his curiosity about the world and I hope that never changes.  Incredibly bright, we opted to home school him this year after touring a couple of local preschools and not finding a program that we felt would challenge him.  We're currently working through kindergarten curricula with no problems at all.  I couldn't be more proud of this little boy.  I hope he always holds on to this sense of wonderment with everything around him (he'll spot a bug, on the sidewalk, while riding his bike!), and that he always asks questions.  I pray he holds on tight to this all-accepting love he has for everyone and everything, and does not become too quick to judge those that he meets in life.  Yes, he's five, and in the past five years, I've learned more about life than I ever know I could.  Thanks for making me a Mom, Isaac.  Love you to the moon and back.

Eight months

This happy girl turned 8 months on September 28!  She had a busy month.  Most notably, she grew TWO teeth.  We had a few restless nights, but she's such a trooper.  We have been working on teaching her to roll over, and she's pretty much got the concept now.  She can hold herself up on all fours for about five seconds.  She enjoys babbling, eating "grown up" style foods (purees are barely tolerable!), reading "Noah's Crew Came Two by Two" and "Peekaboo Zoo," giggles and tickles, and ripping up paper and chewing on her crinkle cupcake or anything else that she can get into her mouth.  Standing is her favorite.  If she can stand and bounce, her day has been made.  Because of that, the jumper/bouncer is one of her favorite places to be!  I think having the "stuff" around her so that her brothers don't directly bump into her is a bonus as well.  Speaking of her brothers, she really soaks in *everything* that they do. It worries me a little for when she can keep up with them!  On the plus side, she thinks they are HILARIOUS.  There is no shortage of laughter in this household.

While the diva moments are present, our little bug is, for the most part, so easy going and just sweet.  For some reason, I swear she knows when any of us need a hug or a cuddle.  She'll nuzzle her face into our necks and just make all of our cares melt away.  We are so, so, so blessed and we love E more than we can put into words. 

That third birthday

I don't know what it is about the third birthday that makes me feel bittersweet.  I feel like when they are just two, they are still so little, and then three comes along and it just makes them seem that much older.  Like they have to actually be a kid and not a toddler.....

Well, that happened to O on Friday.  He turned three.  He's so big.  O has always been the cuddler.  The kid that will just pass out when he's tired.  When he decides to go to sleep, he's out like a light.  He's a clown. Poop jokes are his favorite.  Strong-mindedness often gets him into trouble, and he'll throw a tantrum and just cry for excessive amounts of time.  He is also the trouble maker.  Instigating fights with his older brother is a daily occurrence.  Pushing buttons is a strong suit.  On the flip side, he's *always* the first person to offer a hug, a super kissy face, pouty, kiss, or to whisper not incredibly softly, "Mommy, I LOVE YOU."

He's impossible *not* to love.  So thankful God has given him to us to keep.  Love you, O!

7 months!

Our little girl is growing up!  She turned seven on months on the 28th.  She's right around 15 1/2 pounds, and 26.5 inches long.

She's *finally* starting to enjoy socializing a little more, and doesn't resort to immediate crying when handed off to someone else.  She's still stuck on mommy (which I love!).  She enjoys eating and drinking from a cup (she gets excited and kind of pants for more!).  Current foods:  Sweet potatoes, squash, pear, puffs, rice mum mums, oatmeal, beans, peas, avocado, banana, and bits and pieces of a lot of what we're already eating. 

She loves laughing at her brothers, giving kisses, playing with her little toys {the boys like to throw her "toy parties."}, reading her peek-flap books, sitting, and grabbing whatever she can find.  No teeth yet, but she's chewing like a maniac on everything (napkins, paper, tablecloths, actual teething toys....). There is no interest in rolling over just for fun.  She's rolled from belly to back only once, and that was a complete accident.  Otherwise, she's just growing like a weed, and enriching our lives on a daily basis.  Happy 7 months, bug!

6 Months

Our littlest family member had her half birthday, exactly one week ago.  I managed to get pictures in the morning, and then boarded a plane for a work convention for most of the week, hence the really late post.

I continue to be amazed at how fleeting the moments are in a baby's first year.  Everything speeds by so quickly.  Last month, E was busy!  She rolled over {once, and only once} finally, she grabs everything with her hands, sticks almost all those same things in her mouth, and she love to sit.  Sit and grab.  Sit and grab.  As a general rule, she's pretty easy-going while we're at home.  She goes down for her naps and bedtime pretty well, but if we are out and about, she *does not* want to miss a thing.  She'll skip a nap for the sheer joy of seeing all that there is to see.  Strangers {or even people she has met before but doesn't see on a regular basis} are not her cup of tea.  Every now and again, you'll catch in a supremely good mood and she surprises us all with her openness to others.  I've had more than one person tell me that her overall demeanor reminds them of me when I was little!  I suppose, I've got to adjust my parenting style so she doesn't turn up *exactly* like me, awesome as I may be. ;-) haha.

About five days before she turned six months, we officially offered her some sweet potatoes, and then a few days later, some oatmeal.  From what I understand, she didn't always finish her mommy's milk while I was away {and she would not drink from a bottle.....which she gave up at the end of May, and we struggled to get her drinking from everything under the sun and she finally settled on a cup}, so the babysitter's made up for it by offering her more of her solid food.  I've been back for just two days, and she is miserably constipated. :(  We're working on clearing that up stat.

It has been a busy month, for sure.  But she's a joy.  She loves giving me hugs and kisses, but she's stingy on them for everyone else.   I'm not complaining.  After all, I'm the one that gets all the love right now.  That'll change in time, so I'm enjoying this little fleeting moment in time while it lasts.  Happy half birthday Ev-bug.  You're the best. :)

Five months as a family of five

And while there are days I really want to pull my hair out, this is FUN! 

Yesterday our little bug turned 5 months old.  She still doesn't roll over (or attempt much, really), but she's working on sitting up like crazy!  Late last week, she discovered her toes, and finds them fun to play with.  She's more into books, loves laughing at the brothers, loves being surprised, and could chew on her crinkle cupcake toy forever.  Funny girl also likes to bury her face in blankets to go to sleep, so we've become huge fans of the breathable muslin swaddles/security blankets!  She also stopped drinking from bottles in the past month.  We try every day and she just shoves nipples to the side with her tongue, so we have since moved on to sippy cups and regular cup drinking. Since we are still happily nursing, it's not the end of the world yet, but I have to be gone for a week this summer for work, and then it might be! 

Her temperament is so different from the boys.  If the boys are upset, she is too.  She's either incredibly sweet and happy, or just reaaalllly mad....and loud.  She'll let you know.  She's warming up more to grandma and grandpa, but is still veeerrry touchy about men who aren't her dad.  I think she doesn't like their deeper voices.  In fact, she doesn't like any loud voices at all, really.  One day, we were cheering one of her brothers on, and she got so upset that we were cheering.  Touchy, touchy.  Still though, you can always count on her for a sweet snuggle (If she knows you). :)  Ha. 

We just love every bit of her to pieces.  Check out her cute pout!

 

Mohawk gone :(

Ever since E was born, she's had a little mohawk on her head. 

Last week, it started going away.  Her hair is long enough that her hair lays down, and I can successfully put little clips in her hair without them slipping out almost immediately.  The bows are cute, but I had become soooo attached to that little mohawk!

Four blissful months

This gorgeous little miss turned 4 months old on this past Tuesday, the 28th.  We have had so much fun with her thus far!  At last check, a couple of weeks ago, she was tipping the scales at just over 13 pounds!  Wowza!

Lately, she has discovered her hands and adores her little crinkle cupcake toy and Sophie the Giraffe. Everything goes into her mouth if she can get it there!  She has absolutely no interest in attempting to roll over, but will try to sit up or stand all day long.  I adore our daily coo-ing conversations, and dancing for naps.  She's starting to become keen on her bamboo blanket, so she might end up like mommy after all!  She already puts herself to sleep at night, which we are so thankful to God for.  Her ease of going to bed at night really helps us keep the balance with the brothers as well.  Speaking of brothers, she thinks her oldest brother is HILARIOUS.  I think she could watch him for hours.  As far as her other big bro - he's still figuring out boundaries.  As long as he gives her some space, she thinks he is pretty awesome too. :)  I'll have to post a video of her laughing.  She's just the best!

Happy four months my little darling girl.

Three months already

Guess who turned three months yesterday? 

She is just the best.  Sweetest, patient, baby.  I don't know if she's just really easy going, or it's the fact that I've had other babies, but I really just think she is so easy to follow.  I understand when she's tired, hungry, dirty, over stimulated, etc. without much effort at all.

Lately, she's been finding her hands.  She will often bring them together and then furrow her brow in concentration on touching her fingers together.  It is adorable!  She loves pulling up on our fingers into the sitting position, Itsy Bitsy Spider, Pat-a-Cake, kicking away in her bouncy chair while talking to her animals, and she especially adores watching Isaac.  She thinks he is so funny.  O, on the other hand: she is not a fan.  Probably because he loves her soooo much that he's always in her face trying to show affection. :)

We love our little Ev-bug.  Our lives are so much richer with her in it.

big day

All kinds of great things happened at our house today.  So happy I am home with my kids to be a part of it!

1.  Potty training kids is not my cup of tea, but today was day 2 of Owen peeing in the toilet. I am so proud!

2.  Isaac continues to impress people with his ocean knowledge.  He has been aided by his sticker dictionary (they are totally awesome), daddy's fish tank, the ninja fishing app, and Disney Junior's show, Octonauts.  Do you know the five layers of the ocean??  Isaac does!  Can you name different species of jellyfish?  Isaac can!  He talks Ocean and Octonauts all day long.  It drives me crazy because it is incessant, but I know I will miss it someday.  Trying to enjoy and count my blessings!

3.  Evelyn's first real belly laughs today.  She loves her up-down game.  So sweet!

Can I please have a do over of today???

Two months

Our little pretty girl is two months old today!  Her brothers helped her celebrate with lots of hugs and kisses and stories this morning.   Her biggest brother is very helpful to us, even at 4 years old, he is great about being gentle with her, grabbing things for us when we need them, entertaining her to help when she's crying, and just relishing in the fact that he is the oldest {and her favorite right now!}.    Don't get me wrong, O is a great big brother too, but he's still learning his ways.  He tries to be "gentle" but doesn't understand that he's leaning on her, tries to be "helpful" but and sometimes is, but usually not.  :)  This is usually Ev's face when O tries to give her hugs on the floor.  Doesn't it just look like she's saying, "Help me!"

How lucky we are though.  She is just the sweetest.  She is so patient especially when I am busy and tries to calm herself down when I tell her it will be "just a second."  Her brothers, especially, are interesting to her.  I love, LOVE, her smiles, especially her morning ones.  Waking up is so much easier with a happy smile!  Her love for bouncing, or dancing, hasn't worn off, and so I will often "dance" with her to sleep.  I love it.  Sleeping babies are so peaceful.  Some nights I find myself thinking that dancing with her is time consuming {because I have something to do or someplace to be}, but I remind myself that these days are precious and numbered.  Always.  And sleep?  Thank goodness, she has officially gone two nights in a row of a 9+ hour stretch.  That makes everyone in this house feel good.  Happy two months to our little Ev-bug.  Our lives are so blessed with you in it!

What gives?

We switched to eating organic/whole foods (throwing in 50% paleo meals) awhile ago and overall, feel so much healthier. We love it!  One thing that gets me though, on the diet change alone (and our exercise of chasing after our toddlers), my husband managed to lose 16 pounds.  Me?  Down about 5, but I'm pretty sure that's because I just had a baby.  Must. Be. Rough.

One month!

Where has all the that time gone?  I'm sure I have said that with each of my little blessings, but it certainly just keeps flying by!

Our sweet little Evelyn {Ev, Ev-bug, Bug, Evie}:  loved by all {smothering-ly so by her big bros}, totally adorable, capturing our hearts moment by moment, and growing oh so quickly.  She is a good baby!  She even gives us up to 7 hours in her first stretch of sleep....too bad that starts at 7 p.m., so we don't get to enjoy much of it!  We are loving have a little girl around, and we are all settling in as a family of five.  These precious days are numbered, so I'm trying to soak it all in.

And then there were FIVE

We welcomed a little GIRL just over a week ago (January 28, 2013).  We named her Evelyn, and we are all just enamored with her.  So far, she is a good little baby, nursing well and tolerating her brothers beautifully!  She was the hairiest and smallest of my three babes so far, weighing in at 7lb 3oz and only 19 inches long with about an inch of hair already on her head.  She's perfect!

We had a really long journey home with weather and stomach flu (norovirus) really complicating everything, but I'm soooo happy to be here!

Story of my life

One of my Facebook friends posted this cartoon a few days ago.  I love it because it truly is the story of my life.  And, it's a very good story!  I wouldn't trade it for anything.