16 Months of Walkin' the Walk

This month has brought us many, many new teeth. Honestly, I'm tired of you getting new teeth. I think you're fine until maybe you're three and can say "Excuse me mummy, I think I new some aspirin for my aching gums." Right now I don't know if you're hungry, tired, hurting or just upset.
The little run you've got going on is hilarious. You look so unstable and unwieldy, but it's still really cute. You're learning your animal sounds, like monkey and dog and elephant are your favorites. You're also trying to count, but the only thing that sounds close is your two. At least I think it's two.
Now is the real count down to nursery. You are too big for me to hold you for 2 hours at church, but you're too little to go to nursery. Sundays will be long until November.
Food is still touch and go. I never know if you grabbing food means it will go into your mouth or onto the floor. More food ends up on the floor though, which is a reason why you are still so skinny. I feel like I'm starving you, but it's you that won't eat the food.
You are getting taller, and that also makes you seem skinnier
Apparently you are into swing and big band music. It's like you can't control yourself, you just gotta dance! But seeing you wiggle around to music is the most super cute thing.
You've also become intermittently cuddly, but we also never know when that is coming which makes it more fun, it's a little like a lightning strike.

Love you my cuddly boy,
Mama

5 years of Totally Freaking Me Out

Well we finally made it to 5. You are so much bigger now and much more mature. You still love your preschool and with the leaps you've made in your writing letters and numbers, it's well worth it. You now want to write your own "books" and ask how to write words to put in them, you're not big on spacing letters to make words, but we can tell you what letters to write and now words are emerging. Your birthday is just after school starts so all your classmates from last year have moved on to kindergarten, which I was worried about. I didn't know how well you would make friends with the younger kids or if you would just boss them around. So far you have been a good helper since you know the routine for the other children to follow and you love to play with any kids. You told me recently that you want to be a teacher because you like "telling rules." So basically your little miss bossy. We've been working on the difference between asking and demanding.
You and your brother aren't always ready to play nice together anymore. He's walking and learning to talk and wants to be all up in your business. Whatever you are playing with, he also wants to play with. Your ability to share is being tested every day. Mostly it's still a struggle, but sometimes we see progress.
This years birthday party was a success, although a lot of work for me. It was Rapunzel-themed and I even made a "high-tower" cake, although it got less and less high as the first tower fell down. But most of your friends came to color and make crowns and eat pink cupcakes, it was very noisy. I can't believe that six little girls can make that kind of noise.
You've started in a dance class, and although you've only been to one, I think you're going to like it. This teacher actually seems to understand how to work with kids, which is helpful. I have also been trying to help you practice pointing your toes and teaches you the positions.
What your into any given day changes a lot (except Rapunzel), but you are a fan of watching Wicked on youtube and singing "Defying Gravity" although you think it's "Defining gravity." We also love to watch Wizards of Waverly Place and ANT Farm on the Disney channel.
You are very interested in the watermelons we're growing in the garden and you want to make sure we water them enough, so far we haven't killed them, so we may have some watermelons in October to eat!
I never know what you are going to tell strangers we meet, sometimes it's about how when you're a mom, you're going to get a dog and sometimes it's things I really wish you didn't feel the need to share. It's always an adventure!

We love you very much and I hope I really get to enjoy this last year before you leave me and go to school ( cuz I never leave you to go to work or school!)
Hugs and Luvs,
Mama

15 Months of Learning

This month has seen marked progress in your vocabulary. Often you repeat "mama mama" over and over but now new things are creeping in and my trying to teach you animal sounds is working! You picked up a toy cow and said "Moo" today! And you are getting better are barking and making elephant noises.

Often when I tell you something, you understand. Go downstairs, let's find Hayley, etc." It's been very interesting watching you learn.

We went camping this month. It was a very short trip, which was good considering we haven't been tent camping in a long time. We forget everything and

almost forgot more. No blankets, no condiments, no tongs, no fire clicker, all kinds of things the would have been helpful. We got there in the evening and set up our tent, then took

it down after breakfast the next morning. You were so happy to be outside for such a long time. Your attitude was "Dude! We're still outside! This rocks!" We were camped near a little playground and you and your sister had a ball playing in the sand pile, which was nice because it kept you safely occupied, but then you had sand everywhere. There's always a trade off, isn't there?

Food is still weird. You want whole pieces of everything to go with all your new

front teeth, but you don't have any molars, so chewing things is still difficult, but that doesn't stop you from throwing a fit if we give you cut up pieces of pizza

when you want your own whole slice to chew. You want what I'm eating, but you're done with your own food, but unless I give you whole pieces of chicken, you want nothing to do with the bits you can actually eat. It's a frustrating place to be.

I go back to school next week and I'm not excited for how much more I'll be

gone. I've enjoyed getting to be with you more in the last few weeks. I tried to make the time we had together fun by going to the park and going swimming and hiking.

I hope you had a good time as we head into fall, there will be lots of new memories to make.

Love you tons,

Mama

14 Months of Trying Again

Okay so 14 months and than some, but better late then never! This month has seen a huge change in your mobility. You are now walking like a champion! You have figured out that you can move faster walking and so usually it's your preferred method of movement. You are adorable while you walk, half dinosaur, half drunk sailor. But now your knees aren't quite so dirty, most of the time.
You have four little teeth now and I think more will come soon. Because of your lack of side teeth eating can still be challenging. You don't want mushy baby food, but you still need more teeth before you can eat most crunchy food. You love pizza and can eat a whole slice all by yourself and if I let you, you would live on goldfish crackers and water.
You have finally hit 20 pounds, barely, so I'm still trying to oil up your food. When I make myself an egg white omelet, you get an egg yolk omelet cooked in butter and as long as you have ketchup, you're a happy camper.
You find hitting hilarious, we, your family, find it much less so. Trying to discipline you is met with temper tantrums and throwing yourself to the ground. This is your standard reaction when you are told "No" and can't play with what you want to (fire, knives, etc) and it has gotten frustrating for me too. We did have to leave a store and walk right out with the shopping cart full because you were throwing a monster fit, but of course, once we got outside you were fine, but then we got in the car and the water works and screaming started up again.
You love the pool, but you don't love having to be held or in your baby tube. You are ready to be out there, swimming away. You love to jump into the pool, but you do not like floating on your back, that makes you very cross indeed. But you love to kick and splash and feel the water all around you.
You are trying to learn to give kisses, mostly the big, slobbery, open-mouth kind, which is cute, but messy. You are cool with high fives, but fist bumps are still somewhat confusing.
Your talking is getting better, for a while there i thought you would only ever speak in grunts and growls, but now there is the occasional "mama" or "baba" in there and your favorite thing to say is "HeeYaw!" which must be said at full volume and repeated over and over until the end of time. Still it's pretty cute and the hugs are definitely worth it.
Love you,
Mama

13 Months of Expectation

This month has had a lot of almosts an not quites. You're almost walking, and you almost have top teeth to really finally be able to chew with. 2 weeks ago at the family camp out, you spent the whole time pushing scooters and strollers around and people kept saying that any day you would just walk. Well, still waiting for any day, but I'm sure it'll come soon. If you only knew how much more I would let you wander outside walking versus crawling, you'd be running for the door, but until than, we'll just be patient.
You're two little bottom teeth try really hard to chew all the food you want to eat, but we still ahve to be careful with what we give you, since really, you can't chew yet.
Food has been hit and miss, some days you eat everything and some days you want to take your favorite foods and throw them on the floor. Things I'm sure you'll love get snubbed and go-to meals are getting more mixed reviews. Spaghetti and macaroni are perfect examples of things that may please you palate or may get hidden under your tray.
You're birthday party was a success, almost too much of a success. There was hardly room for all the people in our house, but we managed. We did a soccer theme, since while I know what theme to do for Hayley's party in 3 months, you were not as obvious, so soccer it is. I made cupcakes and you didn't attack your cake like I thought you would. You must not have liked your hands being so sticky or something, and until I gave you some on a spoon, you weren't sure what to do with it.The doctor says you are still scrawny. 5th percentile now, which I suppose is better then the 4th, but your height is slightly above average, so we're trying not to worry.
Your tantrums are nasty and hilarious. You throw your head into the ground and cry. Mostly if you're told "No." Like "No, I'm not going to let you dump all your milk into a puddle on your tray" and "No you can't go outside, it's nap time" and then comes the baby face-down on the floor, sobbing because his heart has been broken. Boys are such drama queens.
If you could live outside, you would. You went camping for 4 days and I figured eventually the outdoors would lose some of the appeal, but no, it was a magical time for you. Crawling through dirt and bugs and everyone pushing you around in your little car stroller. You had the time of your life.
I can't believe my baby is so big already! If only you could stay my snuggley, little munchkin forever, but watching you grow up has been fun too.
Love you,
Mama

1 Year of Little Blessings

I have regretted not writing up your birth story again after your dad closed the program without saving my 3 page write-up. I always thought at some point I would have some down time. Unfortunately starting school full-time hasn't left much free time. But I do want to have your story for the future, so let's see how much I remember.
I had hoped to go into labor on my own, but that's not how my life works. So after bravely facing and passing your due date, we scheduled an induction for Monday may 24th. Early in the morning I called the hospital right on time, but the response was one I remembered from when your sister was born, call back later. There was a snowstorm occurring and the weather can cause the onset of labor, apparently. I wouldn't know about that. I called back and was given a vet ho-hum okay to head in. It was nasty weather so the drive was slow, at least it was to me. When we got there, and walked up to the check-in desk, I was told to take a seat in the waiting room. I thought " this is it, they're sending me home" and we sat and sat and watched the nurses come to the waiting room for people that had come in much after us. After the news finished on the TV and Dr oz began, your dad was getting frustrated and finally went to the desk to see what the hold up was. I was sure that I was being sent home. Actually they had been waiting for me, wondering why I wasn't there yet, needless to say there was much apologizing from them. I was hooked up to machines and started on my IV and your father and I settled in for the long wait. We watched Have you heard about the Morgans? and waited while my contractions began. I tried to tough it out but after a few hours it was time for the epidural. This was the awful bit last time so I was nervous. When the doctor came in, he and my nurse were talking about gardening. They talked a out the topsy turvey pots and i found out they have one for strawberries! And then it was over. It hadn't been awful! Contractions were getting stronger and I was worried my mom wouldn't be able to make it from work. I started feeling sick and was started on oxygen. I was checked and had progressed a lot, I must have been in phase 2 of labor. I started to want to push and my doctor was called. To me everything happened so fast but maybe it wasn't from the other side, I don't think I pushed for took long, not at all like your sister who was turned all funny, you knew it was time to get out.
A few good pushes and you were here, so beautiful. After you were here, I felt great, probably some rush of endorphins or something. Your grandpa and grandma Bowen came by with your sister to see you. Hayley was very happy to finally meet you. Now it was time for me to start moving around. I was wiggling my toes for all I was worth so that I could get to the bathroom and show the nurses how well I was doing. Checking my bleeding I was kept in bed longer than I wanted to be there. Checking the bleeding requires the nurses to press down on my abdomen and seeing that my tummy had held a tiny person earlier that day, it didn't feel good. After awhile the nurses decided it was time to try the walk to the bathroom. Two nurses flanked me to help me make the short wall across the room. I was told to keep my legs locked and just shuffle the few feet. I started shuffling, the nurses didn't like my color, I made it to the bathroom, but I started to feel very sick. One nurse told me to keep my eyes open, so I focused on that. This is now according to your dad, with my eyes open, I passed out. One nurse said " she's gone" and the nurses called for backup. I then came to, it was like everything came back into focus. A group of nurses got me back into bed. They would now give me more medication and watch my bleeding even closer. I was transferred to a new bed and moved from labor to a recovery room. Here is when people started to show up, it seemed like hours that people were there. You were passed back and forth from all your aunts and uncles and grandparents. When my mom got there I started to feel a little better, I knew she would help me through this. I couldn't sit up in bed, so while everyone was there I was laying down, trying to be brave but I was getting so tired. My dad kept telling me about his trip to Vegas or something, showing me pictures he had taken on his cellphone. It was all very surreal.
Finally after everyone had held you and cooed over you, everyone left except my mom, they came to check my bleeding and all I could do was cry. It was so painful and while the nurses had thought the bleeding was slowing down, turns out it wasn't. You went to the nursery to sleep for the night. Your dad had taken his sleeping pill and was planning on going to his parents to sleep. But after the doctor came it was decided, I needed to go into surgery, there was something stopping the bleeding from slowing down. At this point I just wanted to go to sleep, surgery would let me sleep, so I was good and completely confident in my doctor. Your dad was freaking out though. He had his dad come back to the hospital so they could give me a blessing. I told your dad to go home with his parents since he had taken his sleeping pill already and surgery would take probably about an hour. I figured I was fine, my mom was here, she could stay with me and your dad could get some sleep since he was probably no good to me now anyway.
Of course your dad wouldn't have that. He was worried about me and possibility that realistically I could die, although that wasn't very likely. Everyone stayed. I was just happy that I got to get some sleep!
The anesthesiologist was an aging hippy dude. He told me that he'd heard I'd had kind of an exciting day. I felt very relaxed and a nurse had me hold her hand until I was out. I don't remember much of even being in the room, so it must have happened fast, then I was in a recovery area, half asleep, half awake. I kept wanting to ask the nurse if it was okay if I slept, but I never work up even to do it. I was wheeled back through the hospital to the women's center and in the waiting room, my family was there, and were told that everything went well and we were all good. Now I would get some more sleep right? It was about midnight and the rest of the night was ahead of me. Your dad stayed on a cushion on the window seat in my room, which seemed pretty crappy. I was so thirsty but also so tired, but probably because of a tube down my throat, every time I swallowed was slightly painful, so that would wake me up every few minutes. Then since your dad had not fallen asleep with his medication, he was up the rest of the night reading. Every time he turned the page, I would also wake up, so all in all, it wasn't a very restful night. During the night your dad had been been able to feed you a bottle and you went back to sleep.
The next day I felt like I hadn't had time to bond with you since you slept all night in the nursery and I hadn't held you much the day before. You made up for that with a vengeance. You were the cutest baby, and already so easy and patient. Everyone got to hold you and you were cool with everyone, mostly you slept, but you were awake for some good long stretches and barely cried at all. It wasn't as scary to bring you home as when we brought your sister home and we didn't know what we were doing. You slept like an angel from the start at night, which made me very grateful and you've been fairly consistent every since.
This last month has seen you scooting around on furniture, but still mostly crawling since you can do that super fast. You now have 2 little teeth on the bottom and spent your 1st birthday with a double ear infection, which you handled pretty well considering you must have been in pain.
You are such a happy little boy, as long we keep you dry and fed, you like to go to bed and take your naps and I love your little butt wiggle you do trying to get comfortable to sleep.
You also love to dance and Popcorn Popping is your new favorite song and you wave your little hands with me as I sing. Singing this I can get you to eat and drink a little bit more since your still such a small little boy.
This has been a great year, I'm so glad to have you in our little family.
Love you Forever,
Mama

11 Months of Wonderful

Well this crawling thing is old hat to you, you're a speedy little guy always on the move, but now you're all about standing. You would like to walk, but you haven't figured that out yet. You do stand for long periods of time, I believe that you get stuck, since you'll get tired and lay your head down on whatever you are holding onto for support, when you could just sit down, but you're stubborn that way. Very stubborn, that comes from your father's side. But I have to watch you like a hawk now, no more sitting on the bed and I have to shut the door to your room if I have to switch out the laundry since you're likely to make a bee-line to the stairs. I've also had to master the baby gate, since you want to go up every set of stairs you can wiggle your way to. You can make it easily up the short 4 steps, but you get tried trying to make it up the larger steps.

Eating has been very hit and miss. Formula is something that you only want very sparingly and now the baby food isn't cutting it for you half the time. If it's big people food or you can feed yourself, you're all about it. The problem comes from you not having any teeth and that makes just giving you our meals a little tough on me since I have to put everything into bite size tiny pieces. I also have to pace you since if it'll still fit into your mouth, you'll stuff it in. You adore chicken nuggets and pasta of any kind. Our new thing is making you buttery Parmesan noodles that you can fit yourself with minimal mess, you'll end up eating about as much as your big sister if that's your meal. I got you some bananas since I figured that would be good finger food, but you don't really care for them (I totally get that, I'm not a banana person myself) but strawberries are the bomb. You have expensive tastes already, you won't eat the bananas at 69 cents a pound, you want the berries are over 2 bucks a pound. You're a big pizza and french fry fan, you love oatmeal and scrambled eggs, but apparently hard boiled eggs are not for you as of this morning. It's two bad I made almost 2 dozen for Easter thinking that you would love them.

Sleeping has lost some of it's pattern. Your naps still come at regular intervals usually, but you will sometimes sleep for hours or 45 minutes without rhyme or reason, days I think you'll take a long nap end up being super short which is a pain for getting homework done. This month you also had some kind of illness and for about 3 days, you slept almost constantly, up for only an hour or so at at time then taking 3 hour naps, when you got a rash I took you to the insta-care but they said it was just a virus and you'd be fine.

Today is Easter and you spent some time exploring the grass, seeing the neighbor's dogs and having a having good time, I can't wait for the summer to more outside activities. You also took your first nose dive off the pew at church, you'll be fine, but there is a little bump. When you are determined to go somewhere, no matter how much i try to stop you, it's likely you will success. But don't worry, I'll be there to scoop you up and kiss it better.

Love you,

Mama

Months 9 & 10 Pass in a Blur

Can I just admit here that I really thought I would have more time for things without working full-time. Turns out that trying to do homework and take care of two needy children makes less time then if you have 8 hours a day at a job where you may or may not be terribly busy.

This month and last have seen you growing in all kinds of ways. First, rolling around became your main mode of transportation, but now? Now you're doing some (not very much) actual crawling! Although you want to walk more than anything, so we'll see how long I can keep you somewhat stationary.
You have very low strangers anxiety, in fact at church when we had to squeeze in next to an older lady, you practically jumped into her arms after she smiled at you. She held you for about 10 minutes before you decided you should return to your family.
With the pronouncement from the doctor that you're only in the 4th percentile for your weight you decided that you don't like just anything anymore. Your palate has become more refined and vegetables that are not sweet potatoes? They are right out. And the doctor wanted me to start putting olive oil in your food, yeah, you hate that. I still try to put a little in there sometimes, but not if it's something fruity that you're going to want anyway. You still want to eat big people food and it's all I can do to keep your sister from feeding you choking hazards. But some favorites are mac and cheese and peanut butter bread. Your sleeping schedule is pretty solid most days, unless I really need you to sleep so I can do homework, then your usual 2 hour naps shorten to 1 hour. Amazing how you know when that is.
You're still pretty happy and smiley unless you're hungry, tired or poopy. You also need lots of attention, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since your sister is such a drama queen.
All and in all, I'm grateful for the time we get to spend together , but I'm already missing that tiny baby who will too soon be a toddler,

Hearts,
Mama

8 Months of Binkie Finding

The biggest change this month has been on your level of self reliance. You can sit up like a champ, you rarely fall on your face except when you over reach to get things that you probably shouldn't have in your little hands.

Food is still the bomb, you love your solid food, but you're okay with the bottle now, I'm hoping that you're going to quickly put on weight, but weighing you every week, so far you've not fattened up too quickly.

Now that I'm home a little more , it's nice to get you into a schedule and spend more time with you.

7 Months of Wonder

Your 7th month-day past us by because it was Christmas Eve and that was a little bit of a crazy day. You are now a rolling fool. You roll back to front, front to back and twist and can pretty much bonk your little head on anything within a 3 foot radius of anywhere we put you down. As much as i want you to learn and grow, I'm not anxious for you to be mobile yet.
We finally made it to your 6 month check up, and found out what I had already suspected. You are not fat, your not average, you're only in the 6th percentile for weight. But you're in the 60th for height, so you're a tall skinny kid. I'm grateful for the tall part. I was worried that you weren't growing. You are still crazy about solid food and I try to give you some item of food that we are eating for dinner too. Last night it was spaghetti noodles, but three have also been real carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, potato salad, crackers of all types and basically anything that you can gum to death and swallow. And if you had your way, you would eat everything. I'm surprised you haven't willed your teeth to come in so we'll give you more food.
You are still such a happy child, I hope this temperament is permanent. If you could be the little ball of sunshine to offset your sister's little temper rainstorms.
Christmas was fun, you stayed awake and you could almost start to unwrap your presents, if your sister would have had the patience to to watch you open your gifts, instead of needing to "help" you open them. It's a good thing you adore everything she does.
it's been fun, I'm looking forward to spending more time with you this month. Fingers crossed.

love ya,
Mama