6 Months

I’m not even going to say it this month. Yes. Fast. It is moving fast. If I stop too long to think about it I’ll cry, so let’s move on, shall we?

Photo shoot time…oh this baby’s eyes…

And, you know, she’s just generally the cutest.

There are too many cute ones. So, you know, here.

Weight: I dunno. 14.5 pounds or so? 15? We have her 6 month appointment on Thursday, so we’ll find out for sure then. Still long I suspect, her 6 months sleepers fit perfectly in length but swim on her around the middle!

Eating: As usual, who knows. We’re still nursing. I don’t pump enough for daycare, so she takes about 1/2 her milk there as formula. The rest of the time I nurse…and for now, it works. My supply still isn’t great, but I’m trying really, really hard to just go with it. I would love, love, love to get the kid through winter on breast milk. Right now she eats about 6 times during the day. And, more news on the food front! She has now had rice cereal (fail), oatmeal (meh, okay), sweet potato (liked at least a little), and banana (eh, so so). She is not like “OH! Solid food! You are what I have been missing!” but we’ll keep plugging along and see how it goes!

Sleeping: Yep. I’ll say it again…I do not create sleepers. Though, it helps that with the second I do know there is a light at the end of the long (long, long) tunnel. She’s going to sleep around 7, sleeping until 5:45…She wakes up around 11 and 2 to eat. It doesn’t bother me too much, she generally goes right back to sleep (furiously knocking on wood). She is still a craptastic napper too. It’s as if after 30 minutes there is an alarm in her room that wakes her up and BAM! End of nap! Really hoping this changes soon…

Playing: The sun on the exersaucer is her very best friend. Along with the baby doll my mom got her for her birthday. She still takes Sophie with her to school every day too. She loves to blow raspberries, and her very, very favorite thing? Party in the USA by Mylie Cyrus…sung by her daddy. She is a crazy kicker and is doing really well sitting up. She totally sits by herself, but I don’t venture too far because her balance still isn’t perfect. She moves herself in a circle really well and I’m really afraid she’s going to start army crawling here soon.

She’s wearing size 3 diapers (hello Target brand, I missed you!) and 6 month clothes. I hit up a fabulous Carter’s sale online last weekend and got some adorable stuff, I want the weather to stay fall like so she can wear it!

I honestly cannot believe our little girl has been here for half a year. Logan is still super sweet with her. She is a happy baby 98% of the time and always has a smile for us.  She loves to give me kisses on my cheeks and pull my hair. And I happen to think she is the best little girl in the world.

Happy half birthday Aubrey-roo!

Friday Night Leftovers

• Finally getting a paycheck again = awesome. I haven’t gotten one since May because of my maternity leave, and oh how I was glad to get one today!
• I put Aubrey in the cutest little outfit today. It had white leggings with it (well, “winter white”). As I put them on I thought, “she’s going to poop all over these.” Pink pants when I picked her up. Not the cutest outfit anymore, laundry to be done!
• Target got new baby socks. Love. I was having a major issue finding socks and had lots of people hunting for me. But, I would like to state that they used to be $1.00. And now they’re $1.25.
• Birthday party in less than a month. I’ve got some serious work to do (PS, thank you people on Etsy who are awesomer than me).
• For what will surely last about 5 seconds I feel like I at least have my eyes above water at school. Not my whole head above water, but getting closer.
• I’m pretty excited about October. Except that’s closer to November, which is when I’m supposed to be making Thanksgiving dinner. Gulp. I’m gonna do it. I’m going to make it all and cook a turkey too. There, I said it. So now I really have to.
• Funny how some people declare they’ll run a marathon on their blog to keep themselves accountable, and I declare I’ll cook a turkey. Yep.

For more leftovers, visit Danifred!

Thankful on Thursday

• Emails between friends that make me smile during the day.
• Babies, arriving soon!
• Abby isn’t radioactive anymore! After 2 weeks in quarantine, she’s out and happily snoozing on the couch. She already seems so much better.
• Thankful to Peter for solely taking care of her those 2 weeks, since I wasn’t allowed to since I am nursing.
• So thankful for conversations with almost 3 year olds. Today Logan was just making us smile so much, and I told Peter as much as I hate Aubrey growing so quickly, it’s nice knowing we have more of these great conversations in our future.
• My team is beyond awesome.
• Chocolate chips.
• Snuggles.

Happy Almost Friday!

Fine Dining

We try really, really hard to sit down together at the table most nights. Friday nights Peter and I eat after the kids go to bed, but otherwise it is important to us. We don’t always eat the most gourmet meals (um, my fault) but we make an attempt!

Tonight’s dinner included a big milestone. Miss Aubrey had her first real taste of food! We’ve done a little cereal and oatmeal, and she’s been hit or miss with it. But, we’re about 4 days away from 6 months (gasp!) so I decided to give it a go. I did sweet potatoes, just like I did with Logan. Last night I whipped up a batch (oh I am so domestic) and got them all ready for her and some in the freezer. I definitely forgot just how pureed they need to be! But, I think she approved!

 

Seriously, why do I always look so animated when I’m feeding her? It’s a little creepy. But, she seemed to like them! She ate a good 6 or 7 bites before deciding she was done, and once she was done, that was that.

(PS – THIS is the awesomest baby food website in the world. If you don’t know it you should check it out. It is my baby food bible. Seriously).

Logan had his own little mealtime adventure, counting peas. Somehow they magically made their way off of his plate. And he smashed them…

And then he realized he got caught and perhaps that was not the best thing to be doing.

Oops…plan foiled buddy!

Smashed peas and a baby eating – now there’s some good after dinner cleaning for ya!

Two Things

1. He’s feeling all better!

Oh, and his daddy let him stay in his pajamas all day. Fun day!

2. Jackets are adorable. As are rainbow pants.

That is all!

In Other News

Uh yeah, he still has a fever. I thought for a few hours today it was gone, but it was just laughing at us. He’s in decent spirits, I’m not quite sure how he’s managing to carry on so well with a temp of 102 (if not higher). Back to the doc tomorrow if it’s still there.

BUT, in breaking news, this is happening at our house.

“WHAT??? Yes, I like to sit up. And you? What is your newest talent?”

She’s not quite there all on her own yet, but she’s got the tripoding thing down pretty well.

Sob…slow down time…sob…

But, in all honesty, I am enjoying this stage so much. She’s happy, she’s so interactive with us and toys, and that smile keeps getting better and better.  Her “teacher” is continuously telling us what a calm baby she is. I’d agree for the most part (ahem, 12, 2, 4am wake up calls) and Logan still adores her.

Another sign she’s growing up on me…we changed her to medium flow nipples on her bottles, and tomorrow we’re going to up her from 3 4oz. bottles at daycare to 3 6oz. bottles, and see how that goes. I trust our daycare provider completely, she is not an overfeeder just to soothe them, so if she thinks she might need more, I’m willing to try it. It means a little more formula, since my supply isn’t magically increasing, but if she needs it, she needs it.

Let’s just keep our fingers crossed she doesn’t get this fever, mkay?

Puny

That’s how our Logan feels. He’s had a fever since yesterday after his nap, and it stays around 103 without meds, 101 with meds. I took him to the doctor this morning because he had no visible symptoms – no tummy troubles, no cold symptoms, nothing. So I thought maybe it was an ear infection. Nope. They tested him for strep and the flu (and he was awesome for both of those swabs. The doctor was so impressed) and both of those were negative. They think it’s just something viral, but they have no idea.

He’s been just a little not himself, but he wants to play and be silly. You can see it in his eyes though. And when we were at the doctor he was SO hot, and he was just sitting in my arms, so quiet, and started to even fall asleep.

So sad…I just want him to feel better! My guess right now is roseola, but that won’t be known until he breaks out in a rash, and that will be the end of that. I’m really, really hoping he wakes up tomorrow feeling better!

180

Everyone woke up happy and content…see?

OMG, the jeans, I can’t handle the cuteness!

We went to soccer, and Peter said, “Logan seemed a little out of it at some points.” He did great, just a little off.

Then he took a nap, and woke up a full hour earlier than usual. He felt a little warm. And guess what? He had a temp of 102.9. WHAT the what?!?! I mean seriously, where did that come from?

But, he didn’t seem quite convinced that he had a temperature.

He spent the afternoon relaxing and getting to watch a movie (a rare occurrence) and his temp went up again after meds wore off.

I mean really, where do these things come from? I’ve asked him a million times, what hurts and he can’t seem to tell me. Ears? Throat? Head? Nada.

So hopefully tomorrow we’ll have another 180 and wake up fever free full of smiles again!

Friday Night Leftovers

• Bestie and I went baby clothes shopping tonight, I love doing baby things with her! Um, bonus that our girls do not wear the same size, so we didn’t have to fight over any good steals!
• My feet hurt SO bad. The result of a crazy week at work, but oh my word.
• In about one week my little baby will be 6 months old. WHAT???
• My very, very favorite thing Logan says now is, “How was your day mommy?” As hard as it is see Aubrey grow so fast, it is fun to know that one day she’ll get to this conversation stage too.
• Logan has been very in to bedtime stories lately, after we read books. Peter tells better ones, but I have one he now likes about Towmater and a rocket. I’ll be a millionaire as soon as it gets published, for sure.
• I don’t really know what’s going on with the weather. I've decided I would not like to wear long pants until November 1 though. So um, I could go for 70’s. Thanks.
• Several of my first graders have watched the Hunger Games movie. I find it so disturbing that they watched it.

Happy Weekend! For more leftovers, visit Danifred!

Thankful on Thursday

Short and sweet – I am so thankful Back to School Night is done!

Thankful that my hubby and the kiddos came to school and brought me some dinner tonight, since I didn’t get to do bedtime with them.

I am thankful we have a very, very quiet weekend planned. It hasn’t happened in a long time, and we need it.

Reality

Yep. On it again. You know, the never ending cycle of…life? Nonstop, go-go-go? Oh, you know it? Imagine that! September happens to be the peak of it for me. It is pure insanity every year. It’s trying to figure out a new class, including their parents, settling back into a routine with working at home (twinged with a bit of unnecessary guilt of course), thinking about a certain almost 3 year olds birthday party, Halloween, cleaning…you know.

So, just in case my children read this 30 years from now, on their own hamster wheel, with children of their own? Know that it wasn’t all puppies and rainbows. It was also the occasional explosion of things like this:

Oh yes, I just posted that. The daily grind of daycare bottles, pump parts, tupperware from packed lunches…all waiting for dishes from the dishwasher to be emptied.

I feel like I should make some excuses, tell you it got cleaned up so fast, tell you it’s never like that…instead I’m just going to leave it at that. Because reality is helping a little girl practice sitting up while watching a little boy play with his fire truck? It beats dishes out sometimes. And I’m okay with that.

I still feel like I need to make excuses and explain lest I look like an awful mom – but sometimes? This is just our reality.

New Ride

Aubrey has a fun new toy! Well, new to her at least.

Yep, the jump-a-roo is back. I happen to think she loves it. Peter thinks she likes the exersaucer better. She’s got a lot of choices now, it’s like she’s a gymnast: floor, bouncer, exersaucer, lap, ergo, jumparoo, arms, back to floor…Oh yes, she is an all around champion for sure.

And uh, you know, someone should move those cords back there. They are ridiculously far away and way out of her reach, but just in case she gets some go-go-gadget arms or something, I should go take care of that.

Yep, I’ve won mother of the year for today, the cords prove it for sure. I’ll pick up my medal later.

Today I Feel…

Bestie used to have one of those things in her office that had different faces and a magnet you could move and put over the face that showed how you were feeling that day. I kind of feel like that’s what it’s like to live with a toddler. Their emotions are so unpredictable it would help if they came with a little magnet so you’d know what to expect. We try to talk about feelings a lot so Logan can start using words to explain how he’s feeling a little more (instead of just, “I’m upset).

Here’s what happened when I asked Logan to show me those different feelings tonight:

HAPPY!

SURPRISED!

MAD!!

SCARY!

SNEAKY!

Luckily happy is pretty popular around these parts. Good thing, because that mad face? I have a really, really hard time taking it seriously. My cute little cuddly baby would never be mad!

Um, HA!

Friday Night Leftovers

• It never fails that all day on Friday I think of things and think, “I should put that in my leftovers post” and then I forget what it was. I’m sure it was brilliant.
• Today I lost my to do list. What does that say about me?
• My kids are actually turning out to be really, knock on wood, pretty good. There are just so MANY of them. Though the school up the street has 32 kids in a second grade class, so I shouldn’t complain.
• Abby is in quarantine because she is radioactive. Read carefully, ABBY the cat, not Aubrey. But yes, she is really radioactive. Hopefully it is going to help a thyroid issue she is having.
• I am already tired of political phone calls. That’s not good, seeing as how it’s only September.
• In an odd turn of events, BOTH kids had to be woken up today to leave for school. Very, very abnormal. I’m sure they’ll wake up at 5am tomorrow to make up for it.
• Logan watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for the first time this week, and he is now obsessed with the “Hot Dog Dance”, when they dance at the end of the show. Yep, we do it and I dance with him and it is hilarious.
• Aubrey is SO close to sitting/army crawling/something. I can just tell some big gross motor thing is coming soon.

All right, that’s it! Fore more leftovers, visit Danifred!

Thankful on Thursday

I am so thankful that you will all understand why this post is short. The first month of teaching each year is ROUGH and tiring. With 27 little bodies in my room it's just a lot this year. September always feels like you can't get your head above water. I'm thankful that my kiddos are pretty sweet, that my team is amazing, and that the weekend is coming!

Wordless Wednesday: Best Buddies

Dressing Up

Okay, okay, so it really is fun to dress a girl.

Especially when people (like E!) provide you with these adorable outfits with matching headbands. OMG the cuteness was spilling over. I sent her to daycare in it, bow and all, and she was a hit!

While she'll let me at least, playing dress up is so fun!

Party Time (again!)

I think Logan is beginning to think life is one big birthday party (complete with cake!). We have been to more birthday parties in the past two months than his whole life I think. This weekend was a special one. My cousin Chris turned 40, and we went up to Maryland to celebrate with him.

Aubrey wore her party dress and was too cute. I remember when her teacher gave us this when she was first born I thought she’d never be big enough for it. And here we are (with my cousin April).

You know, wherever we go, Logan is bound to find a bulldozer. This was no different, and Pa Pa humored him and took him out to see the construction.

Chris read to Logan and it was completely adorable. Chris has William’s Syndrome, but could not be any happier in life. He loved reading to Logan and did a great job (and Logan was quite appreciative!).

TWO cakes (and there were only 12 people to eat cake!). He was very excited!

He is a huge fan of Elvis, the Redskins, weather, and movies, and managed to get some presents in each of those areas. I’m sure it all kept him busy for quite a while!

So glad we got to celebrate with him! For the third time in about a month we had a 2 hour (plus) long car ride each way. The way up was AWESOME. Children content, nice conversation with my hubby, insane rainstorm but we made it through. The way back was rougher, but only the last 30 minutes or so. I think Aubrey is making progress in her car riding skills – and I may actually contemplate a trip again instead of dreading the mention of travel.

Then again, a weekend in one place sounds pretty nice too!

5 Months!

Yep, about a week late with this one! But, our little lady turned 5 months old last week. She is flat out fantastic. Knock on lots of wood, she has reached a pretty chill point in her babyhood, she can hang out fairly contentedly for a bit on her own, she’s starting to enjoy toys, her smile still lights up a room. Oh yes, we are in love.

Weight: About 14 pounds. She is still tiny. Those legs look chunky in this picture, but she’s still our lightweight. She’s l-o-n-g. I have no idea how long, we’ll have to wait until her 6 month appointment for that.

Eating: Well, who the heck knows what’s going on here. I mean, I know…she’s getting 4 ounces of formula each weekday. Otherwise she’s getting all breast milk. If we give her cereal (she’s still kind of hot and cold with it, we aren’t pushing it) she gets formula mixed in that. I really have no idea where I’m going with nursing after 6 months, it depends on when you ask me. For right now the plan is to make it to 6 months doing exactly what we’re doing right now.

Sleeping: Psshhhh. Yeah right. Last Monday night? She slept from 7 – 5:30, only waking up once at 9:15. That was beyond awesome. A couple nights since then she’s only woken up once. But last night? 3 times. She confuses the heck out of me. She did take a good nap for an hour and 45 minutes this afternoon in her crib, that was awesome. I need to get better about her nap consistency, I was nap obsessed with Logan, but with Aubrey it’s so much harder. We tend to be on the go in the mornings, the afternoons are much easier. Work on that, okay self? She is going to bed around 7:30, waking up around 6.

Playing: She is loving the exersaucer. She is also a fan of the O’Ball, Sophie, Jaques the Peacock, this pink fuzzy ball thing, and her monkey lovey. She also loves, loves, loves to eat her feet.

She’s wearing 3-6 month clothes, but 6 months in anything that is onesie/sleeper like, due to length. She’s still in size 2 diapers, but I’ll probably buy 3’s next time.

Some more cute shots from our little photo shoot…

So then I put her in the Bumbo (yes, yes, yes, I know it has been recalled. I didn’t walk away from her, she was on the floor, then it promptly went back in the closet) because that’s where I took Logan’s 5 month shots, and I wanted to compare.

Still looking pretty similar!

Happy 5 months baby girl!

Goooooaaaallllll!

Soccer class, soccer class, soccer class! Logan was so extremely excited. I was too, to tell you the truth.

I want to let Logan try different activities and figure out what he likes, and soccer seemed like a good place to start since they have classes for the littlest guys! Peter wasn’t sure if he was ready for a structured class, but I figured if we didn’t try we’d never know.

He’s been all kinds of excited all week. He was devastated on Friday when I picked him up and we didn’t go right to soccer (ahem, because it was on Saturday). But the time finally arrived. And the kid was in heaven.

He was a bit blown away by the fact that he got a UNIFORM. This is serious business.

Peter was an awesome parent participant (and watching almost 3 year olds do jumping jacks is hysterical!).

I got the occasional look my way on the sidelines. He looked so big!

I was on the sidelines with this one, who happily snoozed the whole 50 minutes.

They practiced heading the ball (is that what it’s called?).

They played with the parachute

They ran in a circle…

They pretended to hatch an egg. The coach asked Logan what kind of animal lays eggs and he said, “A bear.” Peter said he was very matter of fact about it, quite sure of his answer. Uh, oops.

They put their little hands in the circle at the end and cheered!

But here’s the part that got me. Logan was SO, SO, SO good. He listened, he paid attention, he tried everything, he answered questions, he followed directions. It was quite a proud mommy moment.

I’m so glad his first experience went well – he is already excited about next week. Now I just have to explain to him why he can’t wear his uniform every single day until then!