Reset Button

As I was chatting with my friend Jessica this past Monday, I was discussing the recent date night that my love and I were gifted with, courtesy of my Mother in Law babysitting both kiddos.

And as I was chatting about it, I found myself saying, "It is like we hit a Reset Button."

And it really is.

I feel like we have finally hit our groove and gotten into our new routine as a family of four.

Other parents will tell you that you live those first few weeks on pure, intense, love and adrenaline and it is so true. It all seems...easy...in a way. You are so full to bursting with love and excitement.

But then, inevitably, the sleep deprivation hits. And the fact that you have to still you know, live your life and do laundry and dishes and cook dinner and all the minutiae that just sort of slipped by the wayside while you were living those glorious glow-y new moments of joy and discovery of this new, very loved person.

And then it seems that you are scrambling just to survive.

Go, go go.

Pick up the baby, rock the baby, soothe the baby, feed the baby...

...all the while using your foot to push the toddler away from the knives in the dishwasher that you were just unloading, but were interrupted, because all of a sudden the baby needed to be fed, so now you are nursing, standing up on one foot and pushing her away with the other to save her from herself...

...and somehow that dishwasher never does get unloaded, because there is other stuff that happens and when you finally manage to get both kids content at the same time and you finally flop down on the couch, again while nursing the baby, to turn on that show you have been trying to watch all day week month, your husband walks in, because it is suddenly five o'clock...

And that, my friends, is the hump.

That is the hill that you need to trudge up with all of your energy and might, so that when you reach the top you can see the road ahead of you.

Because you adjust and adapt and stand up and say, "I can do this."

Because you can. Of course, you can.

Sure, there are other hills and valleys to come, you can already see them ahead of you, but all of a sudden, you can also see the intrinsic beauty in that glorious view that is your new reality.

And you take a deep breath, and take it all in and enjoy it.

And then suddenly you are walking down the hill and thinking, "Well, that wasn't so bad after all."




Evelyn Rae is 21 months old, Liam is 2 months old

...and thanks for sticking with me over the past few weeks while I took a bit of a break to take in my new view.

Puddle Jumping

Rainy, gloomy days like today are the absolute pits in the spring time when all you want to do is go outside and play.

But with a toddler, there is some fun that comes after the rainy days.

Someone is pretty obsessed with "Mimmie" right now, so when I caved and bought something with a character on it for her - I was happy to have it be these boots.

I was even happier when I saw how much fun she had with them.

And so was she.

Evelyn Rae is 21 months old, Liam is 2 months old

...and the only trick now that she knows how fun this is, is to keep her out of puddles when not wearing her boots. Ha!

Two Months

My Darling Little Man,

I know that in years I will mourn the fact that you squirm and wriggle and say, "Aww, Moooom" as you roll your eyes when I attempt to address you with terms like, "My Darling Little Man" - so, I will use them now, when you just smile that big gummy smile at me as I say them to you.

In this, your second month, we have been settling into our routine as a family of four and we have been whole heartedly enjoying your emerging personality. You have bestowed your wide mouth and bright eyed smile on us this month - and you are very generous in that. You are such a happy baby and really do smile so, so much. (Of course, not for these pictures, however.)

You also smile right before you spit up. Every time. So, occasionally I am wary of your happy gurgling.

Speaking of gurgling, you seem to be having a conversations with us most times. You coo and sigh with us in a conversational rhythm and it is pretty damn cute. It just tickles every corner of my heart to have these little chats with you.

You have huge baby blue eyes that already convey a crazy amount of emotion. You observe things around you with a discerning gaze, seem to think about what you are seeing and then more times than not settle on enjoying what you see - and letting us know by that almost ever present grin.

Your favorite thing to observe so far seems to be your sister. She loves entertaining you with her antics. When she's not totally ignoring your existence, that is. We seem to be on the upswing of that, though, and she is really loving helping to find your pacifiers or bringing us diapers when it is time to change you. She occasionally brings her books over to you and makes sure that you can se the pictures. She loves kissing you on the head and  tickling your feet.

There are very few things that make you unhappy, but the things that definitely do are well known to us. You cannot stand a wet diaper, and have absolutely no patience for it. We have recently switched you to cloth diapers and you seem a bit happier in them for a little longer...or maybe I am just hopeful. You are also pretty impatient when your meals inevitably get interrupted because I need to go stop your  mischievous sister and her puppy partner in crime from their latest escapade.

We had your two month check up today, and you are dong just great. You have a strong head and neck and the pediatrician was super impressed by how calm and smiley you are. You even cooed at her. You are measuring 24 inches long, the same as your sister was at two months, but are a total pound heavier than she was at almost 13 pounds.

You are a great sleeper so far, knock on wood, and take good naps without a swaddle, but you love the swaddle at night. You seem to wriggle and snuggle right in after being wrapped up and generally drift off. You really love to be cuddled and carried though, so the swaddle love isn't really a shock.

I can't wait to keep snuggling you right up until you can't stand it any longer.

All my love,

Momma


Evelyn Rae is 20 months old, Liam is 2 months old

...and taking these pictures seem to be proving more difficult than Evelyn's were. I wonder why...

Popping in.

Hello, friends. I am popping in to say hello.

Mainly because this has just happened.

I should probably continue this crazy week of productivity that has had me neglecting this space.

But, I would also really like to enjoy the sweet sound of silence and go lay in the sun.

So, I think I will do that.

See you soon.

Evelyn is 21 months old today, Liam is TWO months old

...and I am going to go turn off my brain for a minute.

Monday Funday

Monday was gorgeous.

So, when Daddy got home, we took the new trike for a spin.

And the stroller, of course.

Baby shoes. I die.

We hiked it on up to our newest, closest restaurant, Chow.

It was fabulous. The whole thing.

And I am way ready for Summer. 

I know this is a recurring theme as of late, 

but I don't think I'm the only one.

Evelyn Rae is 20 months old, Liam is almost 2 months old

...and how are these kids getting so big? TWO months old?! A trike?!

Time, please stop now. I can't even get my laundry put away.

Happy Easter!

In the spirit of my children being crazy today, I bring you -

 Easter 2013: A Photo Essay

Gee Mom, I sure am glad you brought me down before that crazy sister of mine. 

What is that thing? P.S. Sorry we woke you up so early this morning.

Look! Another one! 

Also...I am sliding on this wood floor. A little help?

Here she comes... 

This thing is AWESOME!

Look - a bell. How charming.

Oh, hey bro. Are you upset because you didn't get one too? 

Bike in the house!

What else is in this thing?

BUBBLES!

Uh, Dad? You seem to be enjoying this boat more than me.

...so I look for eggs...

and put them in this basket?

Game ON! 

Look how fast I am! 

You can't even focus your camera, Mom!

OMG - EGGS!

Note for next year, this was cute and all, but I expected a bigger challenge. 

The Easter Bunny didn't even HIDE them! They were all just out in the open.

All done? Already?

Wait, there's stuff inside?! 

Mom, let's be real - I am never going to win against her, am I?

 Nom. Goldfish. Nom.

I don't think I am going to share these with him. 

Because, um, the baby can't eat real food anyway! Yeah! That's it.

Check out my sweet eggs.

This is the best.

Later that day...

So, umm, you got any eggs to hunt around here, Nana?

Here she goes again.

There ARE eggs here!

I love this day.

Nana's bunny is way better than ours - he brought marshmallows. 

Can we send ours a note for next year?

Wait - we get to paint them too?

Eggs are officially my favorite thing. Ever.

Don't worry buddy - you can join in next year.

 Later that night, when Mommy realized she didn't exist in any of the photos and tried to get in on the action...

Ummm, you're kidding, right? 

Do you realize what time it is?

FIN.

Evelyn Rae is 20 months old, Liam is 7 weeks old

...and next holiday - Mommy is getting in some photos.