George's Luck

This morning, George asked if he could watch "Cars."  I said no because we had somewhere to be and I knew how hard it would be to turn it off.  I told him to watch tv while I showered and got ready.  I came to check on him after the shower and don't you know "Cars" was on tv??  Like, playing on Disney Channel... he didn't put it in himself or anything.  But... seriously, Disney?? We had somewhere to be!

Surprisingly, he let me turn it off and we went to a fun Easter Egg Hunt with some friends from church.  We each brought 12 eggs per kid and put them all over this field next to the playground.  At first, George was more interested in the playground.  I had to coerce him to look for eggs.  Once he picked up the first egg, he was in business!  And he kept saying "OH, BOY!" every time he found an egg.  It was precious.  Of course, no pictures.  I am really bad at taking pictures!  I will be sure to take pictures on Easter when we go to my aunt's house for a little hunt and dinner.

So we came home and I tried to feed George his usual lunch, but he must have been full from the candy.  I was wrapping up his lunch and he said, "whatcha doing, Mom?"  I told him and he said "oh" and ran away!  I  got a diaper ready and said, "do you need a new diaper before your nap?"  He looked and me and in a very serious face said, "No.  I need chocolate."  Looks like he takes after me...

Yesterday was a terrible day... but so far, today is better.  Thank goodness for days like today that keep me sane!

What We Believe

Thoughts on Birth

I have been reading a lot of birth stories lately.  Seriously, everyone who has had a baby in the last 6 months has posted their birth story this week.  I haven't posted Ruth's birth story... for a reason.  It's very personal... and kind of sad... and really scary.  I have shared it with people when asked... but I don't care to post it.  I am going to write it in my journal... but not on my blog.

I am a little jealous of the perfect birth stories I have read, but also I am so happy for my friends who have had perfect birthing experiences.  That being said, not all birthing experiences are perfect.  Even though both of my pregnancies have been by the book, and I have felt great the entire time, that last part (the birth) is the most important part... and the part that I apparently can't get right.  I am grateful for the many choices available for child birth.  And I think that women should research them all and do what makes them comfortable.  For me, I am so grateful for doctors and hospitals and modern medicine, without which, my babies may not have made it.  Both of my birthing experiences (and subsequent time spent in the hospital...) were as pleasant as they could be given the circumstances.  The staff was polite and respected my wishes.  I was comfortable in my hospital room.  And really, it's not about my comfort at all... it's about what my babies needed.  And my babies received the help that they desperately needed immediately... as in, without delay.

So, without trying to scare anyone.... while home births and birthing centers are popular these days, there are a lot of unknowns in child birth.  I am grateful that I gave birth in a hospital.  Obviously that's the route that I am forced to take from here on out, but if I were to go back and choose again, I would still choose the hospital.  And I don't feel bad about it.

They're Cute.

...most of the time.  Just as long as you don't show up unannounced between about 4-7pm.  That's when things fall apart around here.

We have been keeping busy with babysitting, library days, errands,and visitors.  Steve's brother Tom was here for a few days about 2 weeks ago.  We went to the zoo and I must say that it was awesome that Tom chased George all around!  

Our niece Suzy was here last weekend and it was so fun!  She was only here for about a day, but she watched G while I went to a baby shower and then we had to go to a baptism.  So for dinner, we went to Potbelly and then we went shopping.  Steve should never have suggested that I go shopping with Suzy.  We made the best Dream Bars that I have made so far (I have been toying with a few recipes to figure out the Dream Bar from Potbelly).  They were gone by lunch time the next day.

This week is spring break... not that it means a lot around here except that I am not babysitting.  George has been a little under the weather and it's nice that we have had nothing to do.  We have been hanging out at home.  The weather is great outside, but taking a walk by myself (with the kids) is always super awkward.  Both kids had doctor's appts yesterday.  George is 33 lbs 3 oz and Ruthie is 15 lbs even.  Big kids!

My dad & step-mom will get here tonight.  They drove for 3 days with all 4 dogs!  They have way more patience than I do!  So they will be camping here for a week! We will be camping during the day and coming home to sleep in our nice, comfy beds.  The best kind of camping!  

And that's what is going on here!  Ummmm.... but this is real... and I just saw this on tv.....

She's a Roller!

And I have proof!

Ruthie is 5 1/2 months old, technically... but since she was early, she is developing closer to her adjusted age (based on her due date), which is 3 1/2 months.  It's been difficult having to wait for her big milestones, especially when I see babies born around the same time as her who seem to be doing so much more than she can.  The pediatrician reminds me at every appointment that she is exactly where she should be for her adjusted age and that she should be caught up by age 2 (when a mere 2 months isn't much of a difference).  So, she hates tummy time... but lately has been lifting up better.  She started to roll the other day, but gave up.  Today, she did it!! 

Here is the beginning (the toilet flush is G's training potty... just so you know):

and I gave up recording it because I've been burned so many times before (jkjk!).  But then I got the camera again just in time!

And today she also showed me that she may be rolling back-to-belly soon!  She was so interested in the kids at Toddler Time that she was on her side with her back and neck arched to see them!  It won't be long!  Our baby is growing up!

Stuff George Says

Steve has been asking me if I write this stuff down.  I haven't been... so I'll start throwing them on the blog to remember them.

Lately we have had a problem with G running in the parking lot.  Saturday, I put on his shoes and told him that we were going to the store.  He walked over to the sliding glass door and pointed to the parking lot.  Then he said, "No running in the parking lot, Binky.  Cars will hit you."  So... at least he hears me... even if he doesn't listen.  Last night to be a comedian, he was saying, "cars will hit you, (applesauce/milky/pancakes, etc)."  So we have established that he is, in deed, not deaf.

I put a toddler cd into the car (mistake #1) and then I let G call out requests from the back seat (mistake #2).  We now listen to the same song about firetrucks over and over every time we are in the car.

When I try to sing anything (especially songs that G knows and loves), G yells out "MY TURN!" from the back seat.  It is always his turn.  It is never my turn.  I never get to sing in the car anymore and that makes me really sad.

Yesterday, G got in trouble for not eating his vitamins.  Not just not eating them, but putting them in his mouth and making them all sticky and then just rubbing them on things.  I took his vitamins away and washed his hands and he was crying and then said to me, "I want Daggy!" (Daddy).  It was all I could do to not laugh... but I had to tell him that Daddy wouldn't let him do that either.  But he probably would.  And George  is a smart kid who knows which parent is the push-over.

Ok--Ruthie started fussing and G ran in there and I don't hear her anymore... so let's hope that she's just smiling and laughing at him and that he isn't smothering her.  Gotta run!

From Our Home to Yours!

We celebrated Valentine's Day a little early around here.  Complete with an actual kid-free date!  (If you know us, you know that this is very rare.)  I finally got to see Les Mis!  It was great and we had the theater all to ourselves!

We hope you all have a great Valentine's Day!!  

I just love a day that celebrates love!

(trying to get 2 kids to cooperate for a card was impossible.  so this is the best we could do this year!)

My Inner Blair Waldorf

Sometimes when I watch a lot of Gossip Girl (like how I have watched 2.5 seasons in the last month), I want to be Blair Waldorf.  Headband, prep school uniform and all.

(Not Leighton Meester.  Just Blair Waldorf.  Blair would be appalled if she saw the way that Leighton dresses.)

Anyway, my old roommate posted something on Facebook that was pretty funny.  In a way, I am the Blair Waldorf of my home.  Except without the wardrobe.  Or headbands (I try, but they squeeze behind my ears and give me a headache).  And definitely without the power.  No one here fears me... or even does what I ask.  But look at all the ways that my life is like a celebutante!  (I prefer the word "socialite.")

Now seriously... I need to channel my inner Blair and come up with a scheme to get people around here to fear me!

The Cribby

This picture was supposed to be George's last night in his cribby:

But who are we kidding?  That kid runs this place and he knows it.  We were wishy-washy and let him do whatever he wanted and he decided that he still wanted to sleep in his crib.  So for weeks, Steve would move him to his toddler bed when he was asleep.  When he woke up in the morning, he would call for us... like he didn't even notice that he could get down on his own.  

Last night, we decided to take him out of the crib cold-turkey.  While he was watching "Thomastankengine" we took his sheets off, raised the crib mattress, and put all of Ruthie's stuff in the crib.  At first we didn't want to do it this way because we didn't want him to "resent her" and all that new-age feel-goodery.  We realized that it was the only way.  At first, this happened:

He marked his territory with his blankies.  So after he cried for a little bit for his "cribby," he sat in it with Ruthie for a few minutes and then settled down enough to lay in his big boy bed.  We read some stories and listened to lullabies.  He realized that one of his (3!) blankies was not in bed with him and asked for it.  I went to the living room to get it and when I came back, he was still laying down.  I handed him the blanky, gave him a kiss and left the room.  IT WORKED!  He slept in his bed the whole night!

Today, for nap time, he asked for his cribby again.  I told him that the crib was Ruthie's baby bed and that he sleeps in his big boy bed.  He seemed to understand this logic... and so far, it has worked!

I am afraid this is going to blow up soon... but I'm kind of excited that he is making the transition so well.  Also, I am a little sad that my baby isn't a baby anymore!  He's a big kid--bed and all!

Our Life

Here's what we've been up to lately:

Ruthie is growing like a weed and in 3-6 month clothes now!  She was 13 lbs, 4 oz last week and 25" long!  She's on the chart compared to other 4 month olds!  She is in the 33rd percentile for weight and 70th for height and 29th for head circumference!  At her 2 month well-check, she was in the 4th percentile for weight, 23rd for height and 3rd for head circumference!  So she has made a huge leap in the last 2 months!  

She smiles all the time and has even started talking!

George is just as sweet as can be (most days).  He enjoys trains, animals and letters.  He loves to sing and dance and he is just a little sponge who absorbs every song he hears!  He loves to watch "Georgie Videos" and would seriously do that all day long if I let him!  We went to the playground yesterday and he decided that he was bored with the toddler section!  It's funny when he tries to be a big boy... because he still loves his binky and his blankies and his crib.  He will still let me feed him his yogurt or oatmeal when he is tired and he likes to snuggle.  He's in a weird spot where he is torn between being a big boy and a baby.  He will probably sleep in his crib until he gets married.  He acknowledges the toddler bed is there, but he won't fall asleep in it.  Some nights, Steve puts him in it after he is asleep.  We might as well just put Ruthie straight into the toddler bed.  Here is a video of when he re-discovered the play-mat the other day... (I don't know how to put it the right way, so just bend your head!)

Steve just hit 1000 hours in the plane and is working on finishing his multi-engine rating (hopefully soon)!

Lately, I have been lazy and re-watching old seasons of Gossip Girl on Netflix.  I'm noticing a lot of inconsistencies.  This show is obviously not supposed to be watched all in one month.  I also started meal planning and I am doing a lot better at actually making dinner (although I haven't followed it exactly-to-the-day, we ate 5 of the 7 meals that I planned last week).  Next month, I will write the plan in pencil.  I got a lot of good ideas from Pinterest. 

For your information, nothing comes up when you search "how to annoy an upstairs neighbor" on Pinterest.  Are we all pretending to be nicer than we really are?  Seriously, the Little Drummer Boy (he really is about 5'3") upstairs is really getting old.  He manages to find EVERY nap time.  I know that they stay up really late, so I am considering putting a stereo up to the ceiling early in the morning and playing toddler music.  The internet says that you don't even have to play it loud if the speakers are close to the ceiling.  Wish me luck!