Dusting things off......

Hello? (echo echo)


It's been nearly 6 months since I last updated this space, and even as I try to type, I have a very obstinate four year old encroaching on my time. Such is life as a mom!

So I guess here is the run down...

January: Asbestos abatement, surprise electrical break down and 2 new sub panels, Nolan turned four
February: Celebrated eight years of marriage
March: Nolan started full day public prek 3 and rides a school bus
April: Spent our last holiday with both Mom and Dad as a family during Easter, roof damaged by ice
May: Watched Dad go on to the next life and celebrated his life with dear friends and family
June: Alden turned 2, drove to OH with mom Eva for Aunt Linda's funeral, Eliza completed Kindergarten

Speaking of our two year old,...

Weight: 29 lbs. (62nd %)

Height: (97th %)

Head: (97th %)

Alden loves everything boy, from climbing/wrestling, time spent in the sand box or water table, exerting his new found exploration, roaring with dinosaurs and lots of cars/planes/transformer play.

Language continues to grow with using two word sentences and a few learned phrases.

The boys have been in bunkbeds since late winter, with no real problems with sleep. Before not too long, I am sure the kitchen table highchair will be retired.

Food with this boy is very fickle. I can look at a kids menu and scratch my head as to what I can possibly feed him. I pray that hot dogs and other general meats and fruits will be accepted as suitable food, or I foresee a lot of meal time fights and a hungry tummy at bed time. This momma is not a short order chef!

Spin Cycle

Life has been everything thrown into the washer and humming like clock work around these parts. This kinda explains the lack of blogging as of late. But trust me....the desire has been there....but, soooo many projects have been buzzing in this head of mine.

It constantly plays tug-o-war with my adult responsibilities.

My mother has made her annual trip out east to stay with us for a month or so. Accompanied by this, has been my uncle and aunt from the Gallagher side, followed with my soon to be in laws for Columbus day weekend. A long overdue family portrait is scheduled this time around to include Alden on the wall.

As much as I've enjoyed having this extra family visiting, not to mention two....yes TWO date nights Matt and I've been blessed to go on.....it brings on a different kind of work/stress when entertaining. Not the bad sorts, but just more activity than we are accustomed to.

Eliza is in school during the day (unless we have the pleasure of discovering lice), two extra boys come off the bus to my house for childcare, MOPS has started up again and Alden is becoming more and more a toddler. Speaking of that, He had a recent doctor's appointment. His stats for 15 months are as follows:

Height: 33 in (92nd %)
Weight: 23 lbs 11 oz (36th %)
Head: (96th %)

He loves to be outside playing, climbing and eating sand from the sandbox. Anything with wheels are always enjoyed. And language is emerging more. Something I am not use to from prior experience with the older two and speech delays. Mama, dada, dueweek (drink) ut oh, bye bye....


We are still waiting on getting a bid back on the upstairs bathroom from Nolan flooding it. One of the hold ups is finding asbestos on the underside of the bathroom flooring. If we can try and remove it ourselves as to totally legal in NY state and use the insurance money to cover the remodel...this would be the best situation....especially if you've ever had to experience a shower or function in it.

The ceiling still has to be torn out and instal drywall.

The livingroom floors have original red oak flooring! Now its a matter of getting it repaired in a few places and then refinished. The hardest part with this is having to be out of the house for 3 days! No easy feat!


Weather here has been mild. Just today I went outside in a short and shorts while the boys played and I worked on deconstructing pallets. I wonder how long I'll be able to work out in the shed for cutting scrap lumber until it requires snow boots and a parka, ha!

I installed some leftbehind gutters over our side door entrance and along the carport last week, but will eventually need something more efficient and covering more around the outside roof sides. Yet, it was free and I just barely managed with a painter's stool getting the brackets screwed in.

New curtains in the living room to replace the previous owners love affair with puke green everything!

Still need to sew the boy's window curtains....and having to force myself to just do it when the bolt of fabric sits in the basement. It seems no matter how....even if you make them yourself....it still will cost you an arm/leg and first born!

Who needs the gym when you have a house to work on?!

A Season of Goodbye

                                Mrs. Doreen- Speech                                    Mrs. Meada- Physical

For such a short amount of time for Eliza to experience, despite it feeling like yesterday and still knowing a whole five years have passed...she hasn't had to really say goodbye to much of anyone.

Until this season of life.

For the last 3 years, we've had a few special individuals come twice a week to do physical and speech therapy in our home. Now we are at the point where the fall will bring her therapy time while in school. The end of this school year means the end of our home visits.

....and it makes me a bit sad to not have these kind women to make small talk and briefly share the coming and goings of our families. We've had them from 1 to 2+ years. These women have gone above and beyond their duties while also accepting younger siblings and childcare kids present during therapies. Not to mention giving me a few moments to go to the bathroom alone for a moment while all are entertained!

Then to top it off, our year of Pre-K is over.

Miss Martin

This little school with its safe hallways lined with little shared lockers for 4 year olds and how every grade is the same level will no longer greet Eliza during the week. I struggle to recount her first day sitting at one of the large main tables as Miss Martin greeted them and went over important information. Eliza has struggled with the concept of when she'll go back to school again as a kindergartener, but not have her same teacher. Everything has the same concept of being "last year".

Yes yes.....I know I will have two more kids walk that main hallway...but the world is going to get a bit bigger for my first born come September. New office staff, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and new people like librarians and music teachers will be part of the new normal.

The silver lining though....

We hope to have our wishes granted to have Nolan get the same speech therapist in mid July as there is a severe delay in his articulation. And after further testing, it has shown him to have some hearing loss. In the same month, Nolan will undergo anesthesia in order to have a specific hearing test to rule out any structural defects. While they have him out, they will also check to see if there is continued fluid behind the eardrums. If so, they will put in tubes.

I think I am the most concerned about having to maintain the specific restrictions and precautions which follow having tubes. Nolan is clueless to what awaits him this summer. Will it be another fight or will he calmly surprise us and easily accept this new change?

Time will tell...but I'm not holding my breath!

One Year Down

Starting birth weight: 8 lbs. 13 oz                                                        One year weight: 22 lbs. 15 oz

With the third child, there are some shreds of truth about how much less attention they get compared to earlier siblings. We went very simple this year and decided to to a smash cake, outside the local custard ice cream stand and let Alden have at it. No real special theme or elaborate Pintrest worthy conjurments...only the classic cake and a birthday shirt his big brother wore over 2 years ago. 

Eliza the 5th

Here we go! Number Five is in the books for Eliza Ruth. And how awesome to have a house big enough to host a party. An even bigger bonus was to have weather which cooperated for outside play.

The cake was a layered brownie, using a mini loaf pan. This enabled me to stack and play around with them to make her requested letter E cake.

Lots of friends attended, with close to around 18 kids total (4-5 being babies)

Needless to say....both Matt and I were exhausted after everything. We kept everything pretty simple with the food provided (cucumber & PBJ with chips and juice boxes), and self entertainment. Yet, with just hosting a party, there is still a fair amount of cleaning and prep to be done. I think until she hits 10, we'll keep things to being a little more low key and do parties for the milestone years.

Kindergarten....here we come!

11 Months

Gah!!!!!!

I hate this month for the sole reason my babies look so much less baby and more so beginning toddler.

Teeth keep spurting up through those gums while my daughter keeps loosing em. His count is now 7 toofers.

Most of his clothes are in the 12 to 18 month range, with a few 2T pajamas he can get away with. 

Steps have been taken...4 at the most in one time. Alden loves to pull himself up on furniture and then let go and stand and gaze around like its no big deal. If I've gone upstairs, he is very quick to follow me and has made it to the 3rd step before I rush to remind him of the boundaries.

I think we've entered into some of the separation anxiety stage. For staying at the grands house, this was the first time he's taken a long time to warm up to his surroundings and to the warm open arms of grandma. He'll cry rarely in my arms....and claw his way to me if in daddy's embrace and I come within inches of him.

My yearning for his independance to increase accompanies damage to my heart. Of course I want him to grow and develop into the next phase, but I can't help but long for more of the baby wearing and cuddling stage. Yes....I want my cake and eat it too. Freedom for myself AND baby smells with long gazes at each other.

If only I had friends close by to get a baby baby fix and promptly hand them back. No nieces or nephews to dote over either.....being an only child sucks at this stage of life.

I know I keep promising a post about the house....but I RARELY get very long stents of time down in the basement where the office is kept to get images edited and posts typed down. I find I do most of my casual online involvement on the phone....which is not blog or photo editing friendly.

So hope springs eternal

p.s.

I have been seriously considering scrapping a 1st birthday party and doing our own family cake smash. I feel like ain't nobody have time for that party prep....or anything else fun.

When did I become soooo boring? 

Ten Months

We've entered double digits territory here!

Now if only mother nature would change as fast going forward as my son is growing each day :/ We had a late well baby visit last week, and as usual, they are never as heavy as my arms could swear they are!

Weight: 21 lbs. 3 oz (52nd%)

Height: 30.5 in (95th%)

12 to 18 month clothing seem to be the norm around here, with even some 2 piece pajamas being 24 mo/2 t. I've never had a child reach and exceed the 20 pound mark before a year old. In fact, it isn't until a couple months late they make that milestone. Something tells me Alden is going to taller and maybe bigger than his big brother....and possibly sooner then Nolan knows.

Milestones:

Easter egg hunt and church celebration

Practicing on balancing on 2 feet without using any hands ( I think first steps are not too far away)

Inaugural first spaghetti meal

Two new top teethers!

As Alden grows and developes in personality and desires, I've noticed how he's becoming more feisty when interacting with Nolan. He'll put up much more of a fight over a toy and is increasingly wanting to scout out what the big kids are doing. Eliza has also been showing an increased interest in him and will ask to hold him on her lap.....Well lets change that to, "picks up brother" and take him to the couch. She'll even try and dance with him, holding his hands while he stands. All the while I am having to remind her to "slow dance" until he gets his jitterbug legs.

One thing is for certain.....he is a mommas boy! Those eyes will track the momma bird when temporarily placed with daddy. Sometimes cooking becomes a bit interesting as we make laps around the kitchen island, trying to catch a hold of my legs. 

I guess I should start planning that 1st birthday celebration.....

Settling Dust

I am at a loss as to how hard it has been to have the chance to sit at the keyboard (aside from the phone) and download my thoughts into a coherent blog post. Bits and pieces come out from time to time while getting a few spare moments to myself with a friend or two.

So I guess....where to begin?

Life since moving has been full of emotions. I almost immediately felt like we've lived here for years as I pulled out our belongings from the amassed boxes in the basement. Our house is no 'open concept' layout style, but more so, a 'double the fun' size. (did you just start singing the old double mint commercial?) We aren't living on top of each other nor getting lost in all the new space to breath in. It's old and new and doesn't scream any particular style of house.

In a way......it fits us perfectly.

We beam with pride at the new.

Grimace at what we'd like to change.

Accept what we cannot change....

....and look hopeful to the future and the memories to be recorded.

This house will mostly be the only one Alden will be aware of, outside of the pictures taken in the past. And speaking of pictures....it only recently dawned on me that I no longer have my mini tree laden forest backyard to step out to for impromptu kid pictures.

Change always comes at some sort of price....whether you realize it now or many years later.


Change, change, change....

It evokes thrills and panic, and sometimes all at once!

Alden is changing and growing everyday. And as I look into welcoming spring and the even more welcomed summer season....my spirit kinda sinks. Summer marks when my baby boy will turn one. Why didn't I cherish more of those first few months? Why did I have to be so busy with my own interests or tending to the other kids to not sit and hold him and soak it all in? Quite a few folks are having babies and I'd be lying if I didn't say some of the baby fever wasn't sticking.

Forget all the pregnancy dealings.....lets just skip to when they place him/her in my arms and we melt together.

Deal?

Matt will say without hesitation that he is done with the bio babies. If anymore come to us, he will insist they be potty trained. And I too, will admit we are probably done....but I can't shake the pain of 100% coming to that point myself. Logistically, it's spelled pretty boldly as to why, but the heart doesn't always agree with the brain.

Over and over I will have to tell myself...."Just as it was scary to enter motherhood and adjust to all the rigors and ecstasy of being a parent of babies....the same can be said to saying goodbye to that chapter too."

It's okay to have your own passions and to pick them back up. Having that newborn in your arms is not the be all end all. Only a precious pause of the numerous you will find throughout your lifetime. You'll adjust to new changes and then go back to mourning them when a new season of change comes through the doors.

Wash, rinse, repeat.....and that's okay.

It's okay to be sad and miss, as it proves it was something worthy amongst all the dull and dripple of our everyday lives.

Or at least that's what I keep telling myself!  

P.S.
I will post pictures of the house and write a post on all that we've encountered since being homeowners. So stay tuned.

Oh Boy- Nine Months

It has come to that point that you've now spent more time outside of my body than in it. It feels like forever and just ago that you joined our crazy loud family. I have always had mixed feelings about this milestone....but it seems like every night I put you to bed....you grow a day older.

So many new things you've learned in only a month!

Full blown crawling

Pulling up to stand

Furniture cruising

Walking and pushing your walker

Moving to the big boys room at Grandma and Grandpa's house

....and being stopped from climbing the stairs!

We see some new little personality quirks come shining through like laughing when your brother comes down the stairs, or shaking your head back and forth wildly for some unknown reason. Unless you are held captive in the playpen or jumper, you rather explore the floor than play with toys.

You tirelessly keep trying to cut your four top front teeth. But I am sure this month will bring success. And I am sure that first unassisted steps won't be too far away.

Without a doubt, you are undeniably a mama's boy when it comes to having to pick someone. 

If you're still reading this post....thank you for enduring all the sickly sweet drippings of our baby's moments!

Eight Months!

Oh me oh my! The days just keep rolling into each other and my little baby is becoming less and less of one!

Probably the biggest milestone has been full blown crawling and exploring. Unless he's in the 'pen', crying it out doesn't work so well when they go off to find you. Alden has been teething 4 top teeth at once, so that has made his desires to be attached to me at all times all the more intense...

Toys are becoming much more interesting....including his brothers! Nolan isn't as inclined to share his planes at this point though.

Since the move, I've tried to go back to our cloth diaper roots. The intentions have always been there...but I've given myself a long vacation from them since his birth to simplify life. And I have to say....I've forgotten just how much more frequently you have to change them compared to disposables. Either I need to strip the diapers or the elastic needs some refreshing....but I doubt I'll be giving disposables completely up anytime soon aside from being away from home. 

I'm very happy to have window light and wood floor in Eliza's room to continue our monthly milestone basket pictures. As much as I love the new house, our old one did have wonderful window light for daily pictures. But, its a trade off I am happy to make!

Survivor: Toddler Edition

There are some days where I wonder if I'll ever make it through the 2nd and 3rd years of Nolan's childhood.

I mean....how can a child be so disobedient and angry a lot of the time, while in between, pull a 180 and be clamoring for my attention asking for cuddles. I want to sock the person who ever started spreading the rumor that boys were easier than girls!

News flash.....either sexes are difficult no matter who's kids they are.

Matt and I'll notice we have to guard things which Eliza had no interest in. Things like climbing baby gates, pounding on doors, running toys on the walls, scribbling on walls. The list could go on forever.

Every child develops at their own rate, but I can't help but wonder if my son will ever be bright. Simple things like describing where something is in the room for them to put away or bring to me. Speech articulation is still an issue and we have him set up in March for another evaluation, but this time from the school district.

People say girls are usually ahead of the boys, but when do things level out?

This season of life with my oldest son has made it hard to want to love him. To feel like he is the world to me, and will be successful in life.

Nap time can go either way. We've had 1.5 hours of him screaming and pounding the door sooo hard that I wonder if he'll punch a hole in the darn thing. Simple requests are met with many 'no's' and temper tantrums. He'll bite me when I have to carry him to time out...take a swing at me or his sister while walking by him while on time out. A real Jekyll and Hyde kind of personality and its wearing both Matt and I out. Is a little balance too much to ask for?

I've tried everything I think imaginable as far as tips and tricks go...but this stubbornness is world record worthy.....

Please, please tell me there is light to be found at age 4 and beyond?

Seven Months

The new year has come and we've put to rest the year in which Alden was born in. Has it really been that long? It feels like forever and just last month that we had to swaddle him and precariously perch the binki just so to keep it in. How I could carry you around the house in the crook of my arm and not feel like it was about to fall off.

Sigh....

So here are the most recent firsts 

Celebrated Christmas

Sitting up unassisted

Two teeth! (ouch)
Scootching backwards around on tummy (and getting stuck)

Restaurant highchair club

Attended a funeral 

You can just see the tiny tips of those teeth. But they don't feel tiny sometimes while nursing...

With the move coming up, this may be the last basket picture in this house. It makes me a little sad to think Alden will only know of this home by pictures. But there may be some hope in Eliza's room floor and window. We shall see!

Six Months!

My my my....how six months has flown by....and yet it feels like Alden has been part of our family forever. He really does help balance out the older two, giving them a distraction from fighting with each other...some of the time.

In this last month, we've celebrated Thanksgiving, moved out of the infant carrier to a convertible car seat and spooned our way into the world of solids!

.....yes, I know...riveted reading material here folks.

He can still fit into a few 3 mo onesies, but mostly in 6 to 9 mo clothes. And I think we are on the way out of size 2 diapers, but not till our last pack of 2's are used up.

Right now we are working on sitting up unassisted without the boppy or sitting in a high chair. I think this is where the world really opens up to them when they master this gross motor skill.

Our Well Baby stats are as follows

height: 30 in 97th %

weight:18.3 58th %

head: 91st %

Nolan at 7 months 

Weight: 18.5 lbs. (41st%)

Height: 28 inches (76th%)

Head: (78th%)

So weight wise, they are pretty much spot on. But on the height...yeah this kid certainly grew. Our boys also seem to carry on with the big head trend :) Our next appointment will be at 9 months.

Five Months

Time is just whizzing by before my very eyes. If only to bottle up this baby time to enjoy it when I have more time for it. That's the problem with each subsequent child. You have to divide you time and attention while the house work only multiplies!

Besides the festivities of Halloween and his dedication with the grandparents...there hasn't been too much big news or accomplishments. Oh well maybe except...

Sleeping.through.the.night!

We've graduated him to the crib and out of our bedroom. Knowing how he seems to prefer sleeping on his tummy the most and feeling like we've gotten out of the wonder weeks period of sleep ridiculousness...it was time to bring on the CIO. I've tried to wake him before heading to bed myself to nurse to ensure there isn't any legit hunger pains later on.

First night he woke up twice...

Second night was just once

Third night was freedom! 

Mommy and baby are doing MUCH better in the day now that we are getting some better sleep and naps are becoming more predictable in the morning and afternoon. And as long as he is indeed napping...he can sleep through the noise of his brother and sister fighting. So well that I don't even bother to shut the bedroom door, hehe.

We're getting close to rolling over from back to tummy and working on our core strength in sitting up. If he is sitting just right in the boppy, we'll get a diagonal upright position. I look forward to when I can place him on a blanket and surround him with toys for longer times of occupied bliss. Its the little things :)

To Potty or Not to Potty

**Disclaimer- if hearing about toilet training and the words poop and pee make you at all squeamish...stop reading right here and close this tab immediately. You've been warned**  

I think one of the most nerve wracking things for a parent to go through is toilet training their children. Maybe even deciding when to start. Everyone has their advice and the loads of approaches available online. But of course....

Every child is different....grrrr.

Nolan has been giving us quite the mixed signals about being ready for it. But after finding a dry night diaper, we thought...let's see what happens!

In the last 2 days...I've seen a lot of little boy parts. In starting off as I did with Eliza....its a bare bottom attempt. Nothing to hinder the pee from hitting the target. Leg warmers are fashionable still, right?

And we've had some successes. Even poop after only a day.

Between special stickers and mini M&M candy for successful liquid deposits...its been enough incentive to encourage him to sit on the potty chair. So much in fact, that he's tried to cheat the system with pouring water and juice in the collection bowl and pass it off as his own waste.

Nice try bub....

(I think we'll avoid any apple juice for a while to ensure there are no fraudulent entries)

But the frustrating part thus far is when I put anything on him...he'll pee as if it was a diaper. Even loose shorts. With this being said, I am about to try some pull ups, which I never had to with Eliza. But my couch cushions/pillows will cry foul if I don't do something soon.

For some reason, the middle of the morning is when we have accidents in a row. And of course we are not nap or nighttime training. So now we'll see how long we both last until one of us breaks....

This sucks....

Four Months

The month has come and Alden continually changes and delights those around him wherever we go. Today's well baby appointment was without any hitches.

Height: 26 inches (83rd)

Weight: 15 lbs. 14 oz (69th)

Head: 84th

We've been blessed with good health despite some fussiness with those dreaded teeth trying to bust through. Toys are now a thing of interest as he'll shove them in his mouth, hanging from the activity gym.

Besides some of the usual activities, we took him to the apple orchards for the first time.

Also, Alden got to meet Uncle Dave and Aunti Grace from San Francisco!

Still wearing some 3 month onesies, but have moved up to 6 month sleepers. Diapers are 1-2 depending on what we have laying around and trying to use up before moving up full time to size 2. Otherwise, due to the craziness of still adjusting....Alden hasn't worn much cloth. We've gotten too use to only have 1 child in cloth for a while that until Nolan is potty trained...we're not going to sweat too much over the convenience of disposables for him.

School Dazes

The years have caught up to us and we officially have a child in the public school system. Gone are the days of play dates and naps for our eldest.

HELLO to some ME TIME!

Well...okay...maybe some time with a few more options during nap time.

Wearing our "magic school bus" ticket. Grown ups are too big to get one ;)

In our city, they provide a public pre-k program that also includes busing. Depending on where you live will determine if you have morning or afternoon session. We lucked out and got the afternoon, so at least there is one more year until she'll have to wake up and head on the bus each morning.

Waiting for the bus takes patience

Hard to believe my kid gets a locker! I didn't have one until high school and it was a third of the size of hers.

On her first day, the parents get to join their child for the first hour and then leave to go to an informational parent meeting. This was the only time which there was a little hesitation to let us leave her. Parents are not allowed to ride the bus, so it wasn't like this was the first time on her own. But after an extra hug from daddy, the teacher aids quickly swooped in and redirected her attention.

Matt finds it hard to believe he is old enough to have a child in school.

I find it hard to believe they will only take her for 2.5 hours! I was just as much ready as she was to have her start. She is ready and excited after only the first day while informing me they played a matching game and balloon pop one.

We've had 3 days so far and she is just as excited to get on the bus each time. Then there is much excitement when she see's me getting off in the afternoon. Nolan is still adjusting to the switch, as he has about 1.5 hours time of being on his own before nap time. Eliza though, is a bit upset that she doesn't have her quiet time sans brother when returning home.

"Nolan needs to go in his room now"

Three Months

Oh....there's been a bit of excitement in the Geddes house, which explains some of the lack of blogging around here. More details to come as we continue to transition into some new phases in life. But at least I found some time to get a birth month milestone done on the actual day.

Yes...I am just that awesome.

So what has Alden been up to this last month?

First teething episodes

First overnight trip to Grandma and Grandpa

First trip to IKEA

Holding head and chest up off floor

Sleeping through the night once

Graduating to the crib in the kids bedroom

First State Fair experience

First movie: Minions

Alden continues to be a pretty chill baby, and only fussing when he's hungry or we've reached the witching hour when we know he is ready to knock out for the night. Despite some of the roughness from Nolan, he seems to tolerate it for the most part.

Still wearing 0-6 month clothes.

Starting to play and grab toys that dangle in front of him.

Reflections on our Possible Last?

As I write this post, it has occurred to me just how fast this summer is passing us by.

The summer season seemed to reside on a distant planet.

DISTANT I TELL YOU!

The space in which was between me and my due date was never close enough. Couple that with a winter season who buried us alive, freezing our sanity in the icicles hanging on the outside eaves of the house. Everyone who had a vagina seemed to be pregnant, and I was towards the tail end of the baby train. You were happy for those ahead of you having their baby, but childishly burned with envy, that it was you instead.

Now I sit and look at how we are almost done with the month of August. In a few weeks, Alden will be turning three months. It feels like forever ago and at the same time, just last month.

This brings me to nearing a very hard time as a momma.

It isn't the sleep deprivation, shirt changes from spit up (like I have time to change clothes anyways), fussy moments when all you want is to sit down and enjoy dinner. I can't remember the last time I was afforded the luxury of dining.

Where each bite was savored.....appreciated....and not eaten in such a rapid ferocious manner one would eat as if this was your last meal ever and a herd of tyrannosaurus rex was headed in your way. Behold the powers of a crying baby.

I think I'd just enjoy being able to eat and not have to dodge gross covered hands using my clothes as their personal napkin.

What brings me a great deal of personal and ridiculous distress is when you have to start putting away outgrown baby clothes.....sigh.

Why are these sleepers with silhouettes of elephants/firetrucks/dinosaurs causing such emotional turmoil!?

BUT THEY'RE SO DARN CUTE!
YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY HAVE OUTGROWN IT ALREADY!?
YOUR UMBILICAL CORD STUMP JUST FELL OFF THE OTHER DAY!

Curse you Lord for not designing our children with a pause button!

I've been caught off guard by the feelings, or lack thereof, of having an overwhelming desire of feeling complete with our family size. Yet, the thought of being pregnant again and going through a 3rd cesarean as I approach turning 33 brings a quick reality check. And as I laid my youngest down in the crib while Thing one and Thing two were fast asleep in the same room....where on earth would we put a fourth child in our place if we still remain in this house!?

I cheer on each of my children for reaching new developmental milestones....but silently weep inside.

Matt feels very much content and complete with our number of bio kids. He is very verbal, stating if we do add to the family, they will either be house broken or come with underwear.

So as each new day comes to pass...sometimes you can just say "screw it" and let your baby fall asleep at the breast instead of self soothing while drowsy away from you.

laundry and house chores will have to wait because....I'm holding my baby :)

    

2 Months!

Phew! We have reached the second month already! Time just keeps rolling along. And in that time span, we are getting some smiles and the chunk is starting to pile on.

2 Month Stats

Weight: 12.4

Height: 23.75

Alden did surprisingly well for his well baby exam. No problem being held/poked/prodded etc.... This was much relief compared to Nolan who wanted NOTHING to do with the pediatrician. She could tell right off the bat about his temper and that I was in big trouble. Oh how those words have never been truer! 

We're in mostly 3 month clothes, with some summer items like shorts and rompers being utilized in the 6 month size from Nolan. I'm finding there to not be much of a huge difference between these sizes and as long as the waist works....boom sauce! I've even gone with some 12 month 2 piece pajamas. I guess this way, I'll get to enjoy Alden wearing them longer as he grows into them. Then when the time comes to retire those precious items, I'll of had enough time putting them on to help make the process a little easier....I hope.