Photo Friday

 

Dear God, Please don't let them give me any shots.

6 Months

Dear Mila,

 

Today you are 6 months and 1 week old and the product of being the easy going second child. Gah.  I’m sorry I’m a week late on your 6 month birthday post. I really, truly am.

 

The entire time I was pregnant with you I fretted over how Tyson would suffer with the addition of a baby into the family. I worried that you would be demanding. A baby requires so much time and energy, right? I assumed you would take away from the time we spent with Tyson and I was scared he would feel left out, neglected even.

 

Then you were born. And you were easy going and content. And Tyson was a two year old.

 

I’m beginning to realize that the tables are definitely reversed.

 

There are nights when I’m rocking you to sleep that I pray you know just how much I love you. You aren’t as needy, so, am I telling you enough? Hugging you enough? Spending enough time with you?

 

Clearly being late with your 6 month old letter is not helping this Mommy guilt.

 

I thought a lot about what I wanted to write to you this month.  I could give you an update on what you’re up to (eating two meals a day, still not sleeping through the night, almost sitting up, just about done spitting up, starting to exhibit some stranger danger behaviors and still being happy) or I could write about how you have completed our family, taught me how to enjoy being a Mommy, and made me smile every day.

 

Take that Mommy guilt.

 

As a newborn, you LOVED to nurse for hours before drifting off to sleep. I obliged your milkaholic tendencies by snuggling you in my arms and rocking in your room with the lights dimmed and the book “Bloom” by Kelle Hampton opened night after night. I have read and re-read her book at least fifty times since you were born.  I’d emerge nearly every night after I laid you down with red puffy eyes and a burning desire to let everyone know how much I loved them, how happy they made me, and how I was LOVING finding beauty in the unexpected.  Honestly? Daddy probably thought I was nuts.

 

Maybe I was, but I like to think I finally realized just how awesome this Mommy gig was. I made three amazing little beings-two of which live with us and make us smile every day-one of which will be waiting for me in heaven. I have a supportive husband and a pretty cool little family of four here to have fun with. I have the life I always dreamed of.

 

I will always associate the book, “Bloom” with your birthday and I can pretty much guarantee you’ll get a dog-eared copy from me when you have your first child.

 

The book and you (in 6 wwaaaayyy too fast months) have changed the way I want to live my life. I hope I am showing you every day just how much love and happiness you bring me. I hope you know that I adore you and your brother. I hope I show you a passion for life, learning and new experiences. I hope I smile as big as you do each day.  

 

For the record, a few of my favorite quotes from, “Bloom” :

 

“Pain has a way of pulling you forward to a surprising place of “I didn’t know I had it in me,” and while you think there is no way you will ever make it through in the beginning, you do.”

 

“Confidence doesn’t always come in surges. Sometimes – lots of times – it brews unbeknownst to us, building during the times we feel the least confident – through the tears, the questioning, the self-doubt, the begging God to make it better. Confidence, like contentment, is earned, paved stone by stone until you finally turn back and realize it has been pieced together to create something strong. Confidence is a process.”

 

“It’s knowing that life is short, and the moments we choose to fill our cup with should be purposeful and rich. That we should be present for life, that we should drink deeply. And that’s perfection.”

 

Mimi, in the entirely too fast six months you have been in my life, you (with a little help from the inspiring passages and quotes in Kelle’s book) have taught me more than I knew in my prior 30 plus years.

 

 

I know, right?

 

Happy 6 Months, little girl.

 

Thank you,

 

Mommy

 

 

Photo Friday

Date Night

Dear Tyson,

Last weekend you went on your first movie date ever.

With your mother. Hide your disappointment.

Daddy made us take pictures before to commemorate the occasion. He kept telling us to hold hands, you wanted to run away, and I couldn’t stop hugging you. I had visions of your prom pictures dancing before my eyes.

The movie-Ice Age 4-was cute and managed to hold your attention through most of the 90 minutes. There were a few scary parts, you had to pee twice-probably because you consumed a GIANT soda-(call me a bad parent all you want-you can’t have movie popcorn without a soda-it’s sacrilegious), and you said you wanted Ellie Boo twice.  In all, a good first movie experience.

I’m sure it won’t be long before you will cringe at the idea of attending a movie with your mother. Until then, I’ll happily be your date to any movie you request.

Love,

Mommy

  

Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby, Confused Mommy

See that? That is the face of a sad mommy (who needs a hair cut.) (and a facial.) Also, you're welcome for making this picture small.

Let's start by saying that Mila only waking up once with no food was a total anomaly.You win. I'm going to start shopping for 2T clothes today.

Yesterday, we had decided to try and implement the sleep training techniques written about in, "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby" if when Mila got up in the middle of the night from here on out. Basic concepts include; no food, no picking up, going in every five minutes to calm her and then leaving to let her fall asleep on her own.

At 3 AM, destiny called. Daddy stayed asleep.

I  entered her room, peeked over her crib and watched as her soft cries turned to laughter as I tried to calm her down. No joke, she LAUGHED.

I left the room. She cried.

5 minutes later, I went back in. She laughed again as she tried to eat her PJs and her arm.

I left the room. She cried.

Rinse and repeat for over an hour.

Somewhere around 4:30 I gave up and fed her two ounces (JUST TWO OUNCES) in less than two minutes, laid her back down in the crib, and left the room. She didn't make a peep the rest of the night.

WHAT THE?

I thought men weren't supposed to understand how the female brain works. I'm currently just as perplexed.

Photo Friday

More vacation pictures....

 

This Face

See that?

That is the face of a 5.5 month old baby that slept through didn't eat the whole night.  She was up once at 9:30, but put herself back to sleep with a few pats from Daddy and a couple of glow worm songs and, more importantly, no food.

UP ONCE. NO FOOD. It's a Christmas miracle.

(Yes, we are still working on not getting up at all. Baby steps people.)

Odds are favouring that this was an anomaly, but I'm praying for a pattern. If she keeps eating at night like she's been doing, we're looking at 2T clothes by the time she's nine months old. In the interest of preventing teasing in junior high, I'm praying this is a pattern.


PS- The amount she looks like Tyson in this picture is ridiculous.

National Lampoon's Family Vacation

If I told you that within two hours of arriving at our vacation destination we had checked in, checked out, and checked in again to two different hotels you’d probably think the vacation was a disaster, right?  What if I told you the toddler didn’t nap the entire first day?  And then went to sleep waayy past his bed time. And then we all slept in the same king size bed. Oh, and then acorns fell on Mila's head. While she was sleeping. No really, they did.

Despite what the above might lead you to believe, we actually had a pretty awesome family vacation. I was forced to hang up my Type A personality (also called anal-retentive behavior) and allow  naps and schedules to fall by the wayside. This was hard, but the kids survived (and more surprisingly, I did too!)

The weekend was filled with boat rides, swimming, fishing, meeting Great Grandmas and Grandpas (for Mila) and relaxing outside.  We also honored an amazing man-my great uncle Jerry.  Jerry passed away this spring, but we had a celebration of life ceremony while at the lake. His ashes were spread in one of his favorite places. I will always remember Uncle Jerry with a smile on his face and a story to tell.  Uncle Jerry could light up a room. He was happy and funny. He loved his sports and he adored his wife. I wish my kids had the opportunity to know this amazing man.

Without further ado…pictures from our National Lampoon Family Vacation…