The Petri Dish

Have I mentioned what a nice husband I have? My nice husband put Greta to bed not once but twice this week while I went to the Twilight: New Moon movie. The first time I went with Jessica and we went all out. Purchased our tickets for opening weekend a month in advance, stayed in the expensive part of the theater with couches and had food served to us. The movie was good (not great) and we really had a nice experience.

The second time was two nights ago. It was an impulse thing that Jessica and I decided that evening. We stayed in the cheap seats this time. And apparently its ok to go to the movies when you're sick as a dog because we were surrounded by a chorus of nasty coughing people. It was hard to focus on the movie because of all the hacking. I felt like I was in a Swine Flu petri dish. But for some reason the combination of bad acting and mad coughing caused us to laugh until we cried. We decided to immortalize the occasion with a picture. Here we are with our make shift "swine flu masks". This was taken during the credits only moments before a theater employee came and told us no photographs were allowed. Good times.

Let's Decorate

We decorated the house (and the blog) this weekend for Christmas and Wesley had a blast helping out. It's amazing how much can change in a year! This year Wesley is so excited about Christmas. It's funny how hard it can be to try and teach someone about an imaginary tradition such as Santa, elves and the North Pole. I don't think he grasps the concept quite yet but we keep working on it. He had a lot of fun putting ornaments on the tree. We learned quickly to only let him handle the unbreakable ones. Every day now he wakes up and runs out of his room to look at the tree all lit up. It's fun seeing Christmas through a child's eyes.

The tree reflecting in those big eyes

Napping in her favorite spot

The lower half of the tree was covered

Too sweet

Classic Toddler Behavior

Wesley has been cracking us up all week with some rather strange yet classic toddler behavior. Sean was reading to him this evening and the book had him asking Wesley some questions. The answers were priceless.

Sean: "So Wesley, where does milk come from?"

Wesley: "Chickens."

Sean: "Ok, where do eggs come from?"

Wesley: "Cows."

Sean: "That's interesting, where does butter come from?"

Wesley: "Cookie Monster."

---------------

The other day we were over at Jessica's house for a play date and Alex asked for a piece of cheese. Alex is allergic to milk so Jessica buys him soy cheese slices. They are similar in appearance to American cheese singles but that is the only thing they have in common with them. They taste nothing like cheese but to a kid, like Alex, who has never had real cheese he doesn't know any better. Anyways, Wesley saw Alex eating a cheese slice and asked if he could have one. Jessica gave him one and he took a bite. A strange look came over his face while he pondered what was in his mouth, then he looked up at us and said "This cheese...(chewing)...this cheese is awful!" Now he uses the word "awful" in practically every sentence describing any and all meals I prepare for him (and even one that Noni made him). It makes me feel like such a wonderful cook. Grumble grumble.

Oh and he's finally in big boy underwear.

He wears them all right.....




......on his head.

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We are enjoying a nice quiet day together as a family. Our first Thanksgiving as a family of four. We would normally spend this day with my folks but they are out in Colorado working on their cabin. We had a nice feast with them last weekend with all the traditional food and so today we are going "untraditional". I'm making a big pot of chili and homemade cinnamon rolls. Not your normal Thanksgiving dinner but I just don't have the time or energy to spend the day in the kitchen. I feel as long as we are all together it makes no difference what we eat.

Sean has been off of work this week and I and so thankful for that. It's so nice to have an extra pair of hands around here during the day. He's been getting Greta down for her afternoon nap and letting me get some much needed relaxation time in. I don't think I'm going to let him go back to work next week, it's been too nice.

We've been getting into the Christmas spirit lately. Gearing up to put up the Christmas tree this weekend. This seems to be the first Christmas that Wesley is really excited about. We've already been singing Christmas songs. He likes to sit on the couch and just listen to them. It's noteworthy because it's really the only time he's not moving during the day....the kid is nonstop energy. I'm going to let him help decorate the tree this year and he seems excited about that. We've also been planting the seed in his head about Santa Claus. I know he has no idea what or who Santa is but we're working on it. Two and a half is a fun age, so much to soak up.
I hope everyone is having a wonderful Thanksgiving and is enjoying it with the ones you love.

Top Ten

I found this list in a parenting magazine and laughed at how many apply to me now. This is the top ten things you'll probably never say:

1. "No more arugula. You'll get a bellyache."

2."Gosh, I wish I could keep pumping forever-it's such a gratifying experience and makes me feel like a real woman."

3. "After my second pregnancy, I just couldn't keep the weight on!"

4."Honey, let's play Barbie again and I'll be the bad sister. Again."

5."You know, I'm actually sharper when awakened every two hours!"

6."All I want to do after a long day with the kids is have sex with my husband."

7."Why don't you try on something pink? You don't have enough pink clothing."

8."My new favorite song is "Fruit Salad". Totally downloading it."

9."I regret getting that epidural."

10. "Thank you so much for the advice about everything I'm doing wrong with my kid. I found it really helpful."

Month Two

Little Miss Greta is two months old today. She's getting so much easier as the weeks go by. Greta at two months:

-is smiling and cooing all the time. Early morning is constant smiles-love it!
-has a good sleeping routine in place, sleeps for 5-6 hour stretches at night (yippie!)
-enjoys watching her silly big brother try to entertain her
-Breastfeeding is going wonderfully, she has quite an appetite.
-will be hopefully taking her second bottle ever tonight while I go to the movies.
-is starting to gain her little personality
-hates tummy time with a passion
-is turning into a pretty easy going baby.


I've decided I'm quite a bit more laid back with a second baby than I was with the first born. I worried about everything when Wesley was tiny. Everything seems much easier this time round...maybe it's just the been there done that attitude. At two months postpartum I find myself getting more of "me" back. Greta is becoming more content and is allowing me to get back to doing things that I enjoy.

Doctor appointment stats:

Weight: 11 lbs 8 oz (66%)
Height: 22 1/4 in (42%)
Head: 40 cm (75%)

Happy day

I'm in a good mood today. You might ask why? Yesterday while I was doing my shopping I picked up some room darkening drapes. Every morning about 7:30 Greta wakes up for a feeding and since it's so darn bright in our bedroom she tends to stay awake. No big deal. It would be nice if she would sleep later but I resolved myself to getting no additional sleep after 7 in the morning. So I put up the drapes last night and like magic she's still asleep at 11 am while I write this! She woke up for her morning feeding at 8:30 and promptly went right back to sleep. Just wishing I would have purchased them two months ago.

I'm also happy because tomorrow I get to get out of the house and go see the new Twilight: New Moon movie with my friend Jessica. We've had our tickets for a month now. Last year I took Sean with me to the first Twilight movie and won't subject him to the second installment. It's not exactly a guy movie, I'm sure he appreciates me not dragging him along. Plus he's on baby duty for the night while I escape. I really enjoyed reading the books and have been anxiously awaiting the release of the second movie. Here's hoping it's better than the first movie!

Making the rounds

Around the couch that is. This baby is what is known as a "motion" baby. She is happiest when she is on the move. Whether that is in your arms, in her swing or in the front pack. Lately it's been the front pack that is successful at lulling her to sleep. She just graduated into riding front face out in the Baby Bjorn since she's now two whole months old.

I'd say on a normal day I walk five miles with her sleeping in the front pack. Round and round the couch in the living room during Wesley's nap. If I stop she wakes up, and she needs these naps or living with her in the evenings is not pleasant. I get quite a bit done during my daily rounds. Folding clothes, balancing the checkbook, cooking dinner and just this past week I started sculpting again, all while walking a sleeping baby around. It's exhausting but, hey, at least I'm getting some exercise right?

Smiles

Personal Picks

Things I'm lovin' right now.


Halo Sleep Sack
I just love this thing. Greta just loves this thing too. She sleeps so well being swaddled and I know she's nice a warm in her sack. I like how the swaddle "wings" are velcro on the back so that when she outgrows the swaddle aspect, I can just take them off and still use the sack part. Great invention.


Temporary Tattoos
Ok so maybe I'm not loving these things right now, but Wesley sure is. And if they make him happy, they make me happy. He can have one new tattoo every other day and since it takes roughly three days for them to disappear...well lets just say the kid is covered in tattoos. He gets up every morning and before he gets dressed he points to each tattoo, counts them and tells me what it is. Kind of white trash but it works on a two year old.


Wife Beater Tank Top (turned into a nursing tank)
Yep, this is my favorite thing. You take an el cheapo wife beater tank top (pack of four Hanes tanks at Wally World for $8) and you cut a vertical slit over each boob then you just wear it under your normal top. When it's time to nurse you lift up your normal shirt and nurse like usual and your body is still covered....no postpartum tummy hanging out for all to see. I love these and wear one every day (under a shirt...NOT like the lady below). But this gives you an idea of what it looks like. This is not me, this is a brave lady that posted the idea.

Weekly Winners November 8-14

Out for our nature walk

Fishy gathering

Happy Baby

What he does when I ask him to "show me his teeth".


Hope everyone is having a nice weekend!

Mommy had a weasel

When I went into the hospital to have Greta, we left Wesley with my Mom for the day. She decided to teach him a song that he could sing when he saw me after the birth. The song goes like this:

"Mommy had a baby, a baby, a baby,
Mommy had a baby,
a little baby girl."

He sang that song all the time. In the car, in the tub, at the dinner table....you get the idea. It's precious. Well over time now the song has changed. The word "baby" gets replaced with other random words. So, for instance, some days "Mommy had a bagel, a little bagel girl". Or my favorite was the other day we were singing "Pop goes the Weasel" and later that day he started singing

"Mommy had a weasel, a weasel, a weasel,
Mommy had a weasel,
a little weasel girl".

It sure got Sean and I cackling. Kids say the darndest things.

Working from home

Being a self employed, work from home Mom affords me certain luxuries. I set me own pace, I can watch my kids while still earning my family some money, and if I need to stop working I can stop. When Wesley was born I wasn't sure how I would handle the not working aspect. I didn't want the cash flow to stop and I didn't want to loose my loyal customers. So before he was born I worked my hiney off and made a stock pile of sculptures to sell during my self inflicted maternity leave. They lasted long enough for me to get back on my feet and resume sculpting. There is still some old paint on the Boppy pillow from when I was painting sculptures while nursing Wesley. I felt good about keeping a regular flow of cash coming into the house during my leave.

This time round I didn't even try. This time round I emailed some of my more loyal customers and explained why I wouldn't be selling for the immediate future. They, of course, understood. So here I am, almost 8 weeks postpartum and I see no possible way of sculpting ever again. Well that might be a bit dramatic, I hope to sculpt again some day but not any time soon. When there was just Wesley I would sculpt during his nap time and then once he went to bed. I could get 4-5 good hours of sculpting in a day if I so desired. With two kids whose naps never coincide I just don't have a clue as to how to start up again.

To make things worse, Christmas is my busiest time of the year. I have customers calling and emailing me trying to get sculptures done and I have a hard time telling them no. I'm exhausted as it is and just can't make myself stay up at night, once Great is asleep, to complete Christmas orders. It saddens me to turn away money but that's what I signed up for when we decided to add another child to the family. I just wish I had two more sets of hands!

A Trekkie is born

Life around here is settling into a pretty reliable routine. I like routine. Two times a week I load the kids in the van and head over to Jessica's house for play dates. Twice a week she comes over here. So, yes, we get together usually four times a week. The kids generally have fun when they aren't hurtling toys at each others heads and it gives us some time to talk to another grown up or as grown up as Jessica and I are. When play date it over it's time for Wesley to take a nap. This allows me time to sit and relax with Greta. Can I just say newborns are too easy? Compared to the craziness that is Wesley right now, Greta is a cinch.

My all time favorite time of the day is at ten o'clock when I get to sit down with my husband and nurse my daughter while watching Star Trek: The Next Generation. Yeah, call me a nerd...no scratch that, call me a trekkie. I'm ok with that. It's such a nice, quiet, relaxing end to the day that both Sean and I really look forward to it. Greta always passes out for the night during the show and then my day is done. So, thank you Star Trek for providing my husband and I some high point to an otherwise hectic and tiring day.

Seven Weeks Old

Kid comparison

We've come so far in two years, yet you wouldn't know it by this picture. Wesley at six weeks on the left and Greta at six weeks on the right. I don't think they look alike anymore. Wesley had a lot more hair...almost an Elvis look I think. Greta is a lot longer than Wesley at this age, she's already in her 3-6 month clothing. Sean looks about as tired in both though. And, surprise surprise, he's watching football in both pictures. :)

Bubble Girl

I'm totally bummed that we aren't in KC welcoming my new nephew this weekend. If we didn't have a newborn I'd be there in an instant. I'm trying my best to keep her in a bubble this fall and winter, especially with the current flu bug floating around. The H1N1 bug is everywhere and I was pretty freaked out right when Greta was born. Certain people even called me a germaphobe. I don't know if I'd go that far but I do disinfect the house regularly, wash my hands (and Wesley's hands) all the time, and limit the amount of people we're around. We are trying our best to keep illness out of our house. So far (knock on wood) it's worked. I even went and got the H1N1 shot yesterday, Sean will be going in next week. I hope this will provide Greta the antibodies through my breastmilk to fight off anything that might come. I'm just happy I'm not pregnant anymore (and I'm happy my sister isn't anymore either) since that target group seems to be the hardest hit with this bug.

Anyways enough about that. Greta will be seven weeks old tomorrow and I'm utterly thrilled to report that the constant screaming seems to be on the way out...maybe I should find some more wood to knock on. I was looking back in the blog to when Wesley was this age and sure enough right around six weeks old he stopped screaming all the time too. It's like they just "wake up" from that baby blob stage one day and start realizing there is a big world out there to look at. And to top that she's been trying her hardest to smile for the past week and two days ago we had our first smile. I forgot how wonderful those first smiles are. Their whole face just lights up like a kid on Christmas morning. I love it. Still can't capture it with the camera but will keep trying. Here are a few pics from the last week.

Deep in thought.

Gazing out the window

Funny little face

Welcome!

I want to announce the arrival of my new nephew. Emery John was born late last night weighing in at 8 pounds 13 ounces, 21 inches long. He's adorable with his head full of dark hair and little squishy face. Congratulations you two!

News

I'm excited! I'm going to have a new nephew here in a few hours (my first nephew I might add). My sister was induced this morning and we are now just waiting to meet the little dude. Here's hoping it's an easy birth. Good luck Sister!

All boy

Wesley has sprouted into a little boy over the past couple of weeks. He's been doing all sorts of crazy climbing, jumping and smashing into things. It's funny because he's always been so cautious. Very slow to warm up to ideas. But something started firing in his brain and now we have a rambunctious little boy on our hands. He's taken a new interest in riding his ride on toys. He's started riding them roughly. For instance, he'll take the cushions off the couch and ride on the bare couch. Then he'll launch himself and the ride-on toy off the edge of the couch and crash. I think he did this 23 times last night. Fun times!

Going...

...going...

....gone.

Scream Fest

Eat. Sleep. Poop and Scream. That's a day in the life of a six week old. Wesley used to tell me when she was crying. He'd say "Sissy crying". He's stopped that. Now he tells us when she's not crying. This is what he does in the car.


Yep, that's him plugging his ears. Poor kid. When she cries in the car he looks over at her and says "It's ok Sister". He's really a sweet big brother.

We got a stack of papers when we took Greta to her two week doctor visit and in it was a sheet on how to get your baby to sleep through the night. The pediatrician said that if we follow the steps we'd have a sleeping baby on our hands. Naturally I just got around to reading this stack of papers a week and a half ago. Step number three was to make sure to keep the baby awake for two hours before we go to bed. We've been doing this fun fun step for a week and a half now and, sure enough, I've only been getting up on average once a night now. It's lovely. The down side to this? We have a screaming, angry, red faced baby from 8-10 pm. Oh how she doesn't enjoy staying up for those two hours. I feel it's extremely mean to see her little sleepy screaming face cry for those two hours but then I think about the 4.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep that I'd be getting that night and it makes it somehow ok.
So for now we are just coping with the nightly screamfest. It will end at some point. I hope.

It's cheaper.....

....than a trampoline.

I have CANDY!!

I don't believe there was a cuter Thomas the Train out there last night. Boy did he have fun. He kept telling everyone he saw that "I have CANDY!". Oh to be that excited about candy again. We didn't stay out too long, maybe only hit 10-12 houses but it was enough of an experience for him. Hope everyone had a nice Halloween!