January Blues

These cold, grey days are a beast.

The daylight is too short, and the house always feels too chilly.

And if it's not us sick, it feels like the rest of the world is,

so we most often hibernate at home.

 

These slow days are filled with

Lori Berkner
(Nana just got the girls tickets to see her live!)

 

Princess

 

 

Tatoos

 

 

Making muffins

 

 

Valentine's Day crafting

 

 

 

And just relaxing

 

 

Maybe they really aren't so bad after all.

 



Owen is 3 Months!

I am in such disbelief that we've reached the 3 month mark.

Soon he's going to be crawling, and walking, and going off to college!

The newborn I had is long gone.

Little bits of chub are now forming on his once scrawny little legs.

His little peanut head has filled out, and when he smiles- ohhh those cheeks!

 

He has been the perfect addition to this family.

The girls adore him.

Though the adjustment was a little tough for Molly, there's no jealousy there.

It's pure love and affection, which has made having a baby with two already wild and crazy kids, easier than I imagined.

 

Sometimes it was hard to imagine feeling as much love for another child when I already had so much love for the girls.

But it's amazing how once I held this little one in my arms the insane amount of love I felt towards him, and what's even crazier is that it just grows by the day, hour, minute!

 

I'm telling you, he's a spoiled one and I don't care!

Youngest sibling stereotype is actually so accurate!

He's still sleeping next to me in bed.

I gave it two attempts in his crib.

He'd sleep for a couple minutes and then wake right up, fidgeting rolling around, looking for me (I swear he was!).

He takes naps in is swing really well, or his carseat while we are out.

I'm able to just bring the infant carrier in with him, and he'll keep sleeping.

I don't know what I'm going to do once he outgrows the swing!

At night, I generally get up once to feed him and change his diaper.

(He's still pooping all the time like a newborn.)

But he wakes up a few other times in the night, looking for my breast.

And I say to myself, no, we are in a bad habit, quit it.

But then I give in.

He suckles for a few minutes and goes right back to sleep.

 

I remember what I wanted to add yesterday.

He's found his fingers.

He's always chewing on them.

I hope this doesn't mean he's teething already!

Maybe he just likes something in his mouth.

He hates the pacifier now.

I'm bummed about that.

It's such an easy way for them to soothe, plus then he probably wouldn't need me all night!

 

I was pretty bad at remembering tummy time, but I've been a lot better recently.

And he's getting pretty good at holding his head up while he rests on his arms!

He's also starting to scootch his butt up in the air.

He's been rolling onto his side from his back since he was born, but it looks like he's getting pretty close to rolling onto his stomach.

 

Being in the car with him is pretty miserable unless he's asleep.

He's usually crying, sometimes hysterically.

We are 3 for3 in that department.

Jane sits next to him and is really good at trying to calm him down.

And he really enjoys her company.

 

He's really a pretty content baby.

He'll sit in is little pink (haha, what a sin!) chair, or lie on the couch while I attend to his bickering sisters.

When evening arrives, he gets a little fussy and needs more attention.

And by 7pm, I'm usually the only one he wants, as he's ready for bed.

 

Little O, you have no idea how much you are loved around here!

Happy 3 months!!

I had to come back on and add that he JUST had his first tickle giggles!!!

 

 



Wednesday's Weekly Update

Jane

 

-This girl loves her playdoh.  Her teacher says she has a hard time focusing.

I don't disagree.  But, playdoh, boy, she could play for hours.

I'm not one for buying toys 'just because' but I think maybe every once in a while some

 new playdoh sets are going to happen around here.

Plus, she knows all about them and how to use them from all her YouTube tutorials.

Everyday she's showing me another one and asking if for her birthday she can have that.

 

-I just got off the phone with Jane's Montgomery County Intermediate Unit case manager.

I submitted a referral for her to be evaluated because she truly has a hard time with

holding a pencil,to the point where she doesn't have any desire for drawing or

 coloring because it's uncomfortable for her.

Unfortunately, I was informed that in order to receive OT, she must qualify in another area.

I guess this is where I'm sorta glad that she has some focus issues-

it could help getting her a therapist for writing.

And it's not that I don't try and work with her. 

She just doesn't enjoy it so I have a hard time pushing it, I don't want her to be frustrated

or make writing something she hates.

But if she had a special teacher, I think she would respond really well with it.

 

-Monday was sooo nice, like 50 some degrees. 

So after Molly's nap we went outside for a while.

The girls rode their new jeep around with our neighbor, then were playing super heroes

and running around the cul-de-sac.

Jane had her rain boots on because it was really muddy, so it was inevitable with all that

running around that she would trip and fall.

Poor kid does not take getting hurt well at all!

She scraped her hand and knees up pretty good, but the way she carried on you'd

have thought she broke her leg.

And she didn't let us forget about her boo-boos for the rest of the night.

 



Molly

 

-Last week, Molly cried and was upset when I had to go take a shower. 

So I asked her if she wanted to take a shower with me, thinking she'd say no.

But she said yes.

I brought her in with me, and she quickly wanted to get out once the water was dripping in her eyes.

I minute later she was asking to get back in.

And she stayed in.

Now every time I take a shower she begs to take one with me.

Most of the time I say yes, but sometimes I'm just in a hurry.  Those times she cries.

At the end of my shower, I hold her and let the warm water run down her back.

She loves it and doesn't want to get out.

 

-We've been decorating for Valentine's Day.  She calls all the hearts "heart beats".

 

-She's on a total Mary Poppins kick.

If Molly is awake, Mary Poppins is on tv.  She doesn't sit and watch the whole thing.

She runs around and plays but then always comes back to watch.

I've been feeling under the weather so it's been a good babysitter.

oops :/

 

-When she talks to Owen, she says OwenOwenOwenOwen really fast in a baby voice for him.

It's pretty cute.

 

-She calls all doors "gates".

 

 

Owen

 

-I've had this cold since Saturday. 

Just when I thought it was almost gone, it came back stronger than ever. 

Either that or I've picked up another. 

Either way, it's been terrible because I'm doing everything I can to keep the kids from getting it, especially Owen, which means no kissy kissy or talking close to his face. 

No snuggling unless I'm feeding him.

It's painful!  When I am better he is going to be so smothered with love.



 

-However, I do think he may have picked up a little stomach bug.

His poops are runnier than ever.

 

-Darn, there was something else I know I wanted to remember! 

If I think about it, I'll add it to his 3 month list- tomorrow! 

Where did the past 3 months go???

Tea for Two

Wednesday's Weekly Update

I'm hoping to keep up with a weekly update.

Just a few this and that's about the kids that I want to remember.

 

Jane

 

-She's the best big sister...to Owen anyway. 

In the car, if he's crying, she talks to him, holds his hand, kisses her finger

s and places it on his head.  All without me asking her.

-With Molly, she's usually trying to antagonize her.  (this works both ways) 

 For example, she'll try and race her to the car just to get in first,

or take the Ariel that Molly wants to use, just because she knows Molly always wants that one.

-She thinks naps are for little kids.  Even when she is completely exhausted, she will throw a complete tantrum at the idea of a nap.

-She hates bedtime, too.  We've started sending her to bed at 6:30 rather than 7. 

It seems like she sleeps longer in the morning if she goes to bed early.

-She's been enjoying new Bible stories on her new tablet before bed. 

 I downloaded a free kid's bible app onto it. 

We've read every story in her real Bible a million times,

so even though the stories are the same, they are told slightly different,

and it's just something "new" so it's been a hit.

 

 

Molly

 

-When Owen cries in the car, she always says, "Mommy, Owen want you." 

 I like how she recognizes that I'm the one who can make all tears go away.

-She's a good big sister, too.  She still always is kissing Owen. 

When she wakes up, before she goes to bed, if he's just lying somewhere in her reach,

 she wants to kiss him.

-After she wets or poops in her diaper she says, "Mommy, change my diaper." 

 She'll also tell me when she is peeing or pooping in her diaper. 

Do you think she's ready to be potty trained??? 

I'm waiting until March and then THAT'S IT. 

 Come hell or high water, NO MORE DIAPERS!!

-She's been more clingy than normal. 

She's starting to get her 2 year old molars (finally)

so I'm not sure if that's contributing to it, or if there is something else. 

She's also been waking up a bunch at night.

 

 

Owen

 

-He is just growing leaps and bounds!  Almost out of 3 month clothing.

-He's quite the talker.  I love the little sounds he makes. 
And he'll wait until you are done talking and he'll take his turn.
  We go back and forth for a while.  It's the cutest thing!

-We are in a bad habit.  He will only nurse to fall asleep. 
Unless he's in the car.  Or his swing.  We attempted his crib twice.
  Both times he was asleep in my arms and then woke up once I laid him down.
  When he's in bed with me he will fuss until I finally just let him have what he wants.
 A couple minutes, then he's asleep.

-He HATES the cold.  He acts like he's dying, gasping at the cold air on his face.