Peek-A-Boo!

A Busy Mommy!

What Would Marti Do...

So my new favorite question to ask...especially when I hang out with Chris is
"What would Marti do?"

Marti - my mom.

When I'm with Chris - our three kids are about the same age spread as my brother, sister and I. And we look at each other with our eyes popping because of "x" situation and we think about my mom...   And we ask ourselves, "What would Marti do?"

Sample "x" situations:
*lunch time - one baby needs nursed and two are crying because they are hungry
*in a parking lot - carry one baby, put one baby in the stroller, what do you do with the third?
*at the grocery store - carry tiny baby, put one baby in the front part of the cart, and the third in the back of the shopping cart...where do you put the groceries?
*at house - one child climbing stairs which shouldn't be done alone, one is opening drawer in kitchen that may have knives, and third is on the changing table
*swimming pool - I guess you just don't even go?!?! 

I've stated it before, but there are only 25 month separating my two other siblings and I.  I was born December 28, 11 months later my brother arrived, and then 14 months later my sister.  BREATHE. pant pant BREATH.  holy freakin moly.  

It has NEVER been a big deal in my life before because I've never realized that enormity of this situation.  I just knew that my siblings and I were close in age.  But now, I can't even imagine what things must have been like for my mom.  And there weren't cell phones, or the internet, or apps to help track feedings and diapers.  She didn't have babysitters coming over in the middle of the day to help out or cleaners or lawn guys.  OH, and my mom used cloth diapers...and at night we had to have on double diapers.   I know how many days I feel like I am losing my mind and there aren't many days left.  Now let's add another kid in the mix....

I was waiting to do this blog post until I had a picture of Olivia, Cameron and Mason together...but it just never seems to happen.  And I get it...I understand why. That's NOT AN EASY TASK.  When searching through our family photos, there are not many of my siblings and I together when we were ALL BABIES...and now it makes sense.  

Mom - 24 years old

Andrea - 25 Months

BJ - 14 Months

Erin - Newborn (head poking out of the bottom)

Mom - how did you do it!??!?   

I asked her this, and she said to me, 

"Andrea it just seems like a lot right now because you have two small kids."

MOM - you had THREE!!!!!!!!!! Three babies!!!

I have a whole new appreciation for you since becoming a mother.  

Love you.

H-E-B

Yes, there is a picture of half-eaten applesauce on the blog.  Why??

Because it was the first time that I witnessed Olivia "reading" something :)  

WHOOP WHOOP!!!!!

I carelessly ripped off the applesauce in an effort to keep her from crying so that I could deal with screaming, hungry Mason.  Olivia is eating and then takes her left pointer finger, points to the red area and says, "HEB"

That was a very, very cool moment to witness!

Breadsticks

What Happens...

when there are two fish in the tub?

 *there are kisses*

 *and floating*

 *there is dumping*

 *and "sharing"*

 *one topple-over spill*

  (didn't even know I caught that with the camera until I uploaded the pix)

*and LOTS of multi-tasking*

(lol...I asked Tim to take a picture of Mason.  
And at the moment, Olivia starts to climb out of the tub.  I've got quite the grip on her arm)

Foto Friday

Target Style.

Three Things

Things I'm loving this Thursday:

*My son's sweet smile every.single.time I lay him down in his crib and turn on his seahorse  It's like the simple joy of resting and seeing his friend light up makes everything just perfect :)

*Motivated friends who run with me multiple times a week.
 (Are you a Map My Run user?  If so, let's be friends!)

*A super clean whole house. Happy, Happy, Happy.

Liv

haha...here she is, doing her lovely CHEESE face

Olivia, when asked what her name is, will reply

"LIV!"  

love it :)

Bath

Mason doesn't often get a bath by himself...there is always another big, splashing fish with him.  Sometimes I wonder if he wants more alone time.

Green Beans

Teething? Allergies? Cold?

Oh I dislike having a baby who can't tell you what is wrong. 

Mason is NOT happy.  Pretty obvious from the pictures.  He has a runny nose, hands SHOVED in his mouth, lots of sneezes, very fussy, and a fever :(  Don't know what is going on.  He isn't sleeping well and just wants to be held.  mmmmmrrrrrrrr  
Hello ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

Hoping my sweet boy sleeps tonight and wakes up tomorrow smilin' 

Concert in the Park (Spring Edition)

Yes, the concerts have started back up again, and Olivia isn't missing a beat :)  This time she brought her dancing partner, Cameron (although I'm thinking that she was taking the lead).  The musicians gave a shout-out to Cameron and Olivia...thanking their "dancers".  

Love this nearly perfect weather.

Foto Friday

A little girl's first pair of flip-flops

GREEN!

7 months

Happy 7th Month Birthday Mason :)

(yes, this onesie is a little small...and look at those chunky legs.  love.)

Tidbits

*nursing every 4 hours (HUGE milestone and loving it!!)

*eating solids three times a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

*sleeping through the night!! (12 hours)

*taking three naps (morning, afternoon, evening - the evening nap is only 30-45 minutes)

*starting to crawl (will get up on all fours and rock, sometimes moving the knees)

*loving to stand

*giggles and laughs a lot

*thinks his sister is one of the funniest people alive :)

*lots of dirty diapers

*sits with confidence

*will fall over from a sit to reach a toy on purpose

*sits in strollers, shopping carts, high chairs

*wears 9 month clothes and size 3 diapers

*sucks both thumbs, but more frequently the right

*will use a pacifier to help keep entertained

*likes to stand in his exercisaucer and jumper

*rolls back to front and front to back

*sleeps on his tummy and uses a silky

*ticklish - or at least gives the best laughs when tickled around neck

Elbow Dimples

love me some sweet baby elbow dimples

or big girl, with baby fat elbows :)

Cuddles

this little man of mine gives me the best cuddles.
love love love when he rests his head on me :)

...

Then & Now

Foto Friday

grocery shopping.  

it's fun.

Clothes Test

Part of the Infant Aquatics program is a "clothes test".  

Olivia was asked to get in the water fully dressed and had to float unassisted.

YAH!  She passed and now has this sweet little t-shirt.  

Olivia will continue lessons with Ms. Gail.  She is in a group with two other girls and is learning swim strokes.  Of course, more videos to come :)

Yoga Pose #2

downward-facing dog

yoga pose #1

hhuumm...

I left Mason next to Sophieand Snail
while I went to get Olivia up from her nap.

When I came back, he was no longer near them?!?

Sleep (FINALLY)

FINALLY, yes FINALLY, I'm able to post about Mason's sleep.
(remember this post)

He is FINALLY, yes FINALLY, sleeping most of the night. There are moments when he will wake up, but I've learned that he is okay and doesn't need me.  We put him to bed between 7-8pm (usually always closer to 7pm). At 5am he wakes for about 15 minutes and just talks and then goes back to bed.  He usually wakes again around 6:30 and I go get him at 7.

I never realized how exhausted I was...  Tim made a comment just recently about how things are better now with us getting some good sleep.

Things that happened to get us where we are now:

*We stopped getting Mason after we put him down.  And he would cry and cry and cry.  And scream and scream and scream.  I remember Mike and Chris were over one night playing games and they listened with us as Mason screamed for over an HOUR.  It is exhausting and draining and stressful to hear him cry so much.

*Mason learned to roll over on his tummy.  He sleeps much better now that he rolls over on his own.

*Mason has found his thumb.

*I nurse Mason before bed and give him 5 ounces in a bottle.

A couple of noteworthy sleep photos:

ut oh, someone is trying to suck their thumb with their arm caught in the slats.

 he now has one of those awesome mesh crib bumpers

sometimes he sleeps face down.  FREAKS ME OUT.
I always go in an tap him so that he turns his head.

still loving this video monitor
we have it cycle every 5 seconds between Olivia and his room.  

sweet sleepin baby

Silly

Bubble Babe

This Babe LOOOOOOVVVVEEEES her bubbles. She asks to go outside ALL the time and will spend hours (hallelujah) entertaining herself with this simple activity. We highly recommend the Big Bubble Bucket you see in the pictures, it doesn't spill and has three wands to share with her friends (aka Mommy and Daddy)

Foto Friday

:)

These are blog posts titles that I have chosen NOT to publish. They were all written a couple of months ago when Olivia was going through a phase and I was sleep deprived and VERY hormonal:

*I Surrender

*I said WHAT!?!

*Two Screaming Girls

*Waving the White Flag

*Dear Mr. Postman, I need to ship a human

*DONE

*You've Got To Be Kidding Me

*Top DON'T Do THAT Again Parenting Moment

*Help

*Things I Probably Shouldn't Say To Olivia

*I Lost It...again

*She Lost It....again

Olivia managed to take me places that I never want to go again. She was challenging and I'm type-A. She was in control and I had completely lost it. She was screaming and I was crying. I didn't know who she was and I didn't want to take responsibility for her.

But that was then.

I'm thrilled to report that things are getting better (and I'm typing this after she threw a fit in a store today). Maybe we are both able to handle the situations with more patience. She is communicating better and is understanding rewards/consequences. I'm also learning her "triggers" and ways to help herself calm down. I've learned to give into some situations, but there are still many times that I hold firm. We are trying to be very, very consistent. She likes routines and knowing what is going to happen. If she is hungry, she's a bear. If she is tired, she's impossible. So we try really hard to not put ourselves in situations where she might be hungry and/or tired...and if it happens, we have learned to back off and be more understanding of her behavior.

As much as I've learned about Olivia, I've also learned about myself. I learned I need sleep. I need good sleep...and without it I'm NOT fun to be around. I snap quickly and don't try to remedy situations. I've also learned that I need to give myself time....to do whatever I want and that doesn't include laundry, cleaning or hanging out with the kids. And I need exercise. Oh, I will complain and find a million other things to do - but I need it. It does make me feel better, releases some stress, and while I'm doing it I am usually not addressing a kid-concern. Sure, they are sometimes with me in the jogger, but I don't talk to them or play with them. I tell myself it's their nature time.

I know that there are still many challenging days ahead of us,
but I'm very grateful that phases come and GO :)

Two in the Tub

Peanut Butter Beard

Taking bites out of the middle of a sandwich can often lead to a situation
(similar to milk mustache).