Sunday, June 29, 2008

A Thumb, an Ernie Shirt & Little Bill

Catching a laugh as it happens. Babies laugh with no reservation. A magical sound.
Thumb sucking is the bomb. Caught him doing it in his sleep today. Adorable.
We love little Bill, and you should too. It's a great show, far real.
This is his camera face. It's really scary how much he is just like me as a child. Watch out, world.
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Tuesday, June 24, 2008

All Around the Kitchen

"Cocky doo"...as Noel would say. This means "Cock-a-doo-dle doo-dle doo" in his little language. He's starting to sing along to songs, but he wants to say every word, so it comes out much slower than the actual song version. While he sings he bobs up and down. Sometimes he'll be playing his "Barnin geetah" or, Barney guitar along to the music in his head, or sometimes he'll bring out "cymbals", also known as the lids to 2 stainless steel pots. Yes, it's as loud as it sounds. Sometimes he'll don his inherited white sunglasses that mommy gave him, and his chopsticks and play his "drums", which are several cardboard boxes that he's colored and turned into his kit.

Last weekend the boys and I went to our "cunzins" (Noel) house for the afternoon. Getting to a different city in this metroplex is no small feat. You are forced to take highway almost all the time. Our cousins live about 50 minutes from us, all but about 2 miles of it, highway. I got lost on the way there, getting on the wrong highway, and the whole trip to their house took about 1 1/2 hrs. I have not had this problem before, and I am curious to know how other people would handle this situation. Here's the worst part: I LOST MY FREAKING CELL PHONE. AHHHHHHHHHHH. The thing I really use like once a day to call home, that is nothing more than a phone...it's lost.

I needed to ask for directions, but I did NOT want to wake the sleeping baby, nor did I want to drag both sleeping baby and 2 year old that doesn't like to hold hands into a store. Obviously, I can't leave them in the car, because I can not trust anyone, anywhere, at any time to not jump in my car and speed off with my children. I can't lock them in the car, for obvious reasons-it's 100 degrees, and again with the "can't trust anybody" thing. So, while I'm frantically trying to find my way on toll roads, I start going through the change lane so I can ask the people if they know where this street is. Well, no one speaks English. I won't bore you with the rest of the details. I finally, finally found my way...but we were in the car forever.

What amazed me, was that I was the only one who was stressed. Noel was happy listening to Dan Zanes and singing and talking to me, and Lennon slept almost the whole time. They were both great. I was the one freaking out because I was panicking that THEY were going to freak out. I forget how much more carefree they are than I am. They don't know what it is to be lost, or to not know which direction to take. They've never been on their own. They've never had to make a really hard choice. Their life is an adventure, always, every day. When does our life stop becoming an adventure and start being real, and adult? Why does it have to be that we can't see how great it is, just to be alive and hanging out in the car, singing along to your favorite CD with your mom? I remember sharing moments like that with my mom in the car, as a kid, and just being happy and carefree. It stinks that we have to lose that just because we have to take on responsibility. Can't we have it all?

*We had a great time at the cunzins too! I was happy to find some kids with similar temperaments as my children. This is another post for another day, but I sort of wonder if it's because we're related and their mom and I have very similar temperaments, as do our husbands (uh, at least I think-if she reads this, she may think differently! teehee). Just something to consider-nature/nurture-wise.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Where the Big One Makes the Little One Laugh



I can't believe Lennon can actually laugh out loud now. This is the reason I am glad I have two little boys so close in age. I can tell already that they're going to be best pals.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

I'm Sure This Will Become Annoying...



But seriously...if they were the same age, they'd be twins. It's freaking me out.

Oatmeal Time!

Tomorrow, Lennon will be four months old. How unbelievable! It's not just exciting that he's getting older & wiser, but it means that he can eat food! I was at the store the other day and found Earth's Best cereals on sale, so I bought a box of each kind. This weekend, I'll get some carrots, peaches, green beans and sweet potatoes and start the old food processor up. I love making my own baby food. It's super easy and I know exactly how long sat on a shelf-never!

I found this website when I started making food for Noel and I found it really helpful. It even has recipes for making your own cereal, but I want to check with the doctor on that one before I go down that road. I want to make sure Lennon's getting the iron he needs so he'll be big and strong. :) According to Wholesome Baby Food, making your own is fine, but I'll still double check.

This is exciting to me mainly for one reason. Sleep. Beautiful, glorious sleep. Noel was sleeping through the night at 2 months. Lennon, not so much. He isn't fully waking up, or even necessarily wanting to eat...he's just super restless, especially at night. I hope that the heartier food will keep him filled up and more calm at night...Let's hope.

The one and only drawback to the whole "real food" scenario is the poop. The poop will go from being easy and not smelly to gross...but it's worth it. My hungry, hungry hippo will hopefully be satisfied and start to sleep through the night...I'll keep you posted.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Two Years and Four Months Ago...

You became a dad for the first time.

You are an unbelievable father and husband, and you prove it every single day.

Your boys love you, and so do I.

Happy Father's Day.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Attach Baby Here

I've been hearing a lot lately about baby schedules, and attachment parenting, and happiest babies. It's probably because I know about a bazillion ladies that are having or have just had babies. If you don't believe me, check my blogroll. I think about 7 of the folks over there have popped 'em out recently. Anyway, there's been questions directed to me about what books I've read on how to "do" this baby thing. Well, as I've mentioned, we did follow the methods in Happiest Baby on the Block, but other than that, I've not really read any baby books. I used the What to Expect the First Year as a reference with Noel, but then I sold it and haven't bothered to pick up another copy to have around with Lennon. We decided that when we had our first baby, we'd let him figure out his own schedule. It worked brilliantly, and has worked with Lennon too. I think, if given the chance, babies will naturally do this...perhaps not ALL will, but it's definitely worth a shot. Who wants to live their life by a clock and a Franklin Covey? Blech...not me.

We were blessed with a dream baby the first time around. Seriously, he never cried, he slept a LOT, he was content to be alone, or to be held. He just didn't really care about much except sleeping and eating. Lennon has been a different baby. He loves to be held. He loves to cuddle. He cries in the car, if he's awake, because he wants to be with us. He wants to be near us all the time, which is why we have both been taken with babywearing...it's the only way to appease him and do anything else.

We definitely met all of Noel's needs when he wanted us to, but he was almost always happy. We didn't really need to be attachment parents. With Lennon, it's like we're attachment parents by default. I fall somewhere in the "almost an attachment parent" category. I love holding and comforting my children, but there are some times when I don't want a baby or toddler climbing all over me. I don't mind them sleeping with me at all. Noel goes to bed in his own room, but he will occasionally come in bed with us, and I love it. I'm excited for the day when we can all cuddle on a Saturday morning in bed and read stories and play.

I was struck by something that someone said to me the other day. Basically, she liked cuddling with her baby and rocking her to sleep, but she didn't want to have to be rocking her to sleep when she was three. I kept thinking, "I HOPE to God that my kids still want ME putting them to bed when they're three." Really, I will be so sad the day that they don't want hugs and kisses, or to sing "our" songs, or to read books, or cuddle. I'm happy that right now, both of them want and need to be put to bed. I cherish time with them at night, when they're peaceful and calm and sleepy. If it's a night that I really, really, really, really, really want them to justgotosleepalready, I remind myself that they won't be small forever and one day, I'll wish that I just had one more night to hold them and rock them to sleep.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

So Much to Do, So Little Time

Yeah, it's cliche, but damn if it isn't the truth! I want to post on here & on MumsTheWurd! daily, but do I get to? No. Why? I'm tired. I want to watch TV. I want to just relax with my cool husband, who, by the way, now has his very own blog! Cool, huh? I think it's going to be a lot of fun.
I've felt crabby ever since I came home today. I put my little boys to bed, and just thought "Thank God they are finally asleep," and now I feel bad for thinking it. I should probably post more when I'm in a better mood. Like Annie said, "the sun will come out tomorrow." Yeah, here it will come out in spades, and make it 100 degrees again. Thanks a whole lot, Annie (cheeky redheaded twerp!).

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

I Admit It.

I like going to work. There, I said it.

Monday was my first day back working a few hours a day in my company's office instead of from home. I got done in 5 1/2 hrs. what it has sometimes taken me 3 days to do remotely. I need quiet. I need structure. If I have these elements, I work quickly and efficiently. If I don't, I am a mess. I have no discipline about letting someone else take care of it, or perhaps it's just wanting to spend time hanging out with my awesome family. However, this job is a necessity, and for that reason, I'm glad to have that structured office environment that I need for just a few hours a day. This is the best of both worlds. Spending a majority of my day at home, with those that I love, and still being able to come home from the few hours I spend away feeling completely stress free. Yes...I like going to work. When my children are older and have more structure to their day, then we will all be able to work at home, but for now, I think this is exactly what I have needed. When I walk out the door, I have no question about their safety, or if they're happy or if they're being allowed to watch The Brady Kids. I leave my children in the most capable hands, period...those of their dad.

Monday, June 2, 2008

Darling Babies


I'll give a whole dollar to anyone that can tell me which is which. Yes, it's true...these are two different babies. One is Noel, and one Lennon. Interesting that the same black t-shirt and arm showed up in both pics. E$ still loves his black t and jeans uniform.
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