Just read an article about moms being happiest when their babies are 6 months old and that that happiness "tapers" until a child reaches age 3. Seeing as how I have a 6 month-old and a 3 yr-old I guess I'm pretty well evened out...and apparently it's all downhill from here.
:)
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
A 3 Year-Old and a Messy House
Taylor turns 3!
Happy belated birthday to my most favorite toddler. Taylor had three celebrations this year (in the future we will not have number of celebrations coincide with years of age): one in Omaha with Lolo & Lola, one at home as we Skyped with her cousins in Malaysia, and one with all the Synowiec family in Evansville. That means 3 cakes (2 ice cream, 1 strawberry), 3 opportunities to blow out candles (well, in St. Louis Daddy actually put 3 matches on the cake instead since he despises candle wax on a cake), and 3 times she was sung "Happy Birthday" by a crowd. She tells me her favorite part of it all was the pink cake and the presents.
As for the extremely long gap between posts, I blame my messy house...caused by a combination of caring for two children, being out of town most weekends in Nov/Dec/Jan, and laziness. Recovery is still in progress, but I figured at least I could get write a little something to let you all know I hadn't abandoned the blog.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Lessons in Mommyhood
As I was laying awake in bed after a 4am feeding, I got to thinking about some of the things I've learned over the last few days and weeks and years - some practical, some philosophical. Here's what I came up with:
1. Bring an extra set of clothes for everyone.
This lesson hit me full force on a Sunday at church as few weeks ago as Rory's spit up soaked its way through my two layers of shirts. I never had this problem with Taylor. I mean, it makes sense to have a back-up outfit for a child age 0 to potty-trained, but now I realized that my preparedness must extend much further than that. When you throw in an infant who spits up, make that 2 back-up outfits for the baby and 1 for you. Plus, even though Taylor is potty-trained, there is no telling when she might spill food/drinks on herself or go through a bout of diarrhea or not pull her pants down quite far enough when she sits on the toilet. There's no harm in keeping an extra pile of clothes in the car for outings and you will certainly be happy to find them if you're ever in need.
Thankfully, they were dark shirts.
2. Things are always changing.
You hear this a lot when you become a parent, but somehow you need to learn it over and over again. Just when you think you figured something out or you have a nice schedule or you know what to expect of your child, it changes. For better or for worse.
It was a long, gradual process getting Taylor to sleep in her own bed and in her own room and without me right next to her. But we did it and she was doing so well. Then Rory was born and everything was upside down and Daddy was putting her to bed at night instead of me and nothing was the same. And so then most nights she would find her way back into our bed because she didn't want to be left out and alone. We didn't mind too much. You could see her distress and once we were all settled again, we all slept well.
I was getting used to the idea that we might have a big family bed now, but, without a whole lot of prompting, Taylor is back in her room and in her bed all night. And she prefers it that way. She has even flat out refused to sleep in our room when we gave her the option. She still needs help falling asleep, and assistance going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, but it seems that she has settled down after Rory's birth (maybe we all have!) and isn't as uneasy about separation anymore.
3. My child is not a bad child.
It's hard to believe this after you've come off a day of constantly correcting and threatening the loss of privileges and enforcing time-outs, but it's true. In a lot of ways, this falls under #2: Things are always changing. One day your child could be so petulant and disobedient you feel like you've ruined everything and there's no hope of fixing them, and then the next day they might be the sweetest, most considerate little person you've ever met.
Important stuff I must keep in mind:
4. I am not a victim.
It's very easy to fall into this way of thinking when you're a stay-at-home mom. Maybe you can't seem to have a second without the kids to take a shower and you feel like you're forced to wait until your husband comes home. Or after spending an entire day tending to the children (especially if you have more than one) you might think that you are some sort of martyr for dealing with them by yourself in the evenings as well if Daddy is busy. Of course, it doesn't make it easier that every parenting magazine or Mommy blog or book of good parenting advice tells you to "Take Time for Yourself." Some days your husband isn't available to assist you (like when he has an impending deadline to roll out this new software he's been programming) and you need to be a bigger person and push through and make things work. You'll be called upon to do all the child-entertaining and cooking and feeding and cleaning and getting the children ready for bed and then more cleaning. But the key to not feeling or acting like victim in these circumstances is to be joyful while doing it (James 1:2-3).
You have to be incredibly resourceful and creative and patient. For example, shower time: when I found myself thinking, "Poor stinky Andrea can't take a shower because of the kids and will have to wait several hours until Mark comes home," I realized I have a waterproof sling and I can very well take both girls in the shower with me. When Mommy needs to get clean, we can all get clean! Admittedly, it's a bit complicated to get everyone dried off afterward (Taylor has to fend for herself here), but at least I don't stink anymore!
Truthfully though, I am lucky to have a husband who helps out a lot and times when he really isn't available are infrequent. I need to consider those rare occasions as opportunities to serve my family, to consider their needs as well as my own (Phil 2:3-8). For Jesus says, "if anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all" (Mark 9:35).
5. Supermom does exist.
I've seen her. She is my mom and my mother-in-law. My mom worked a 9-5 job and finished up her Bachelor's degree while cooking fresh meals for three young kids and keeping the house incredibly clean. My mother-in-law raised four children very close in age while fixing up houses and serving as the ultimate P.T.A. parent on four hours of sleep a night. They also both have amazing domestic skills like sewing clothes and curtains and making other crafty things. Even now, though the kids have all grown up, they continue to push the limits of what one would think is humanly possible to achieve and inspire.
That is what I aspire to. I am realizing as I stumble through these first few years as a parent that supermoms aren't created as soon as the first baby is born, but the skill and determination and resourcefulness is honed over time. Becoming a supermom means you deal with countless points of frustration, desperation, and "I have no idea what to do right now." It means you put a lot of thought and prayer into the direction your family is going and make a (rough) plan of how to get there. It's about researching and going with your gut. It's about taking control yet understanding that you can't control everything. For me, I know it's going to be all about leaning on God and seeking to do things with His strength because I know I'm not capable of doing it all on my own.
***
And so thinking back on all these lessons...I feel tired. Parenting is a lot of work and -- eeps, I'm out of time, so I should get back to it. I will return to regular baby-update programming next chance I get.
1. Bring an extra set of clothes for everyone.
This lesson hit me full force on a Sunday at church as few weeks ago as Rory's spit up soaked its way through my two layers of shirts. I never had this problem with Taylor. I mean, it makes sense to have a back-up outfit for a child age 0 to potty-trained, but now I realized that my preparedness must extend much further than that. When you throw in an infant who spits up, make that 2 back-up outfits for the baby and 1 for you. Plus, even though Taylor is potty-trained, there is no telling when she might spill food/drinks on herself or go through a bout of diarrhea or not pull her pants down quite far enough when she sits on the toilet. There's no harm in keeping an extra pile of clothes in the car for outings and you will certainly be happy to find them if you're ever in need.
Thankfully, they were dark shirts.
2. Things are always changing.
You hear this a lot when you become a parent, but somehow you need to learn it over and over again. Just when you think you figured something out or you have a nice schedule or you know what to expect of your child, it changes. For better or for worse.
It was a long, gradual process getting Taylor to sleep in her own bed and in her own room and without me right next to her. But we did it and she was doing so well. Then Rory was born and everything was upside down and Daddy was putting her to bed at night instead of me and nothing was the same. And so then most nights she would find her way back into our bed because she didn't want to be left out and alone. We didn't mind too much. You could see her distress and once we were all settled again, we all slept well.
I was getting used to the idea that we might have a big family bed now, but, without a whole lot of prompting, Taylor is back in her room and in her bed all night. And she prefers it that way. She has even flat out refused to sleep in our room when we gave her the option. She still needs help falling asleep, and assistance going to the bathroom in the middle of the night, but it seems that she has settled down after Rory's birth (maybe we all have!) and isn't as uneasy about separation anymore.
3. My child is not a bad child.
It's hard to believe this after you've come off a day of constantly correcting and threatening the loss of privileges and enforcing time-outs, but it's true. In a lot of ways, this falls under #2: Things are always changing. One day your child could be so petulant and disobedient you feel like you've ruined everything and there's no hope of fixing them, and then the next day they might be the sweetest, most considerate little person you've ever met.
Important stuff I must keep in mind:
- Children like exploring things and may not mean to make a mess, vandalize, or break - they just didn't know better...and should have been supervised more closely.
- If sleep or food is lacking, good behavior soon follows suit.
- Children will test boundaries to see if they really exist. Consistent enforcement of rules is necessary.
- Children follow examples very well, good or bad. Don't model speech/behavior you seek to correct in them...or allow them to encounter that speech/behavior on TV. (In general, there is nothing your child should be watching on TV.)
- Don't create situations that tempt fate (ex. leaving a lollipop in a child-accessible location if you don't want the child to eat the lollipop OR setting a sleeping baby down near a toddler if you don't want the toddler to immediately bombard the baby with talking and hugs and kisses). And if you fail to do that, promptly remove the temptation so you don't repeat the incident over and over again.
4. I am not a victim.
It's very easy to fall into this way of thinking when you're a stay-at-home mom. Maybe you can't seem to have a second without the kids to take a shower and you feel like you're forced to wait until your husband comes home. Or after spending an entire day tending to the children (especially if you have more than one) you might think that you are some sort of martyr for dealing with them by yourself in the evenings as well if Daddy is busy. Of course, it doesn't make it easier that every parenting magazine or Mommy blog or book of good parenting advice tells you to "Take Time for Yourself." Some days your husband isn't available to assist you (like when he has an impending deadline to roll out this new software he's been programming) and you need to be a bigger person and push through and make things work. You'll be called upon to do all the child-entertaining and cooking and feeding and cleaning and getting the children ready for bed and then more cleaning. But the key to not feeling or acting like victim in these circumstances is to be joyful while doing it (James 1:2-3).
You have to be incredibly resourceful and creative and patient. For example, shower time: when I found myself thinking, "Poor stinky Andrea can't take a shower because of the kids and will have to wait several hours until Mark comes home," I realized I have a waterproof sling and I can very well take both girls in the shower with me. When Mommy needs to get clean, we can all get clean! Admittedly, it's a bit complicated to get everyone dried off afterward (Taylor has to fend for herself here), but at least I don't stink anymore!
Truthfully though, I am lucky to have a husband who helps out a lot and times when he really isn't available are infrequent. I need to consider those rare occasions as opportunities to serve my family, to consider their needs as well as my own (Phil 2:3-8). For Jesus says, "if anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all" (Mark 9:35).
5. Supermom does exist.
I've seen her. She is my mom and my mother-in-law. My mom worked a 9-5 job and finished up her Bachelor's degree while cooking fresh meals for three young kids and keeping the house incredibly clean. My mother-in-law raised four children very close in age while fixing up houses and serving as the ultimate P.T.A. parent on four hours of sleep a night. They also both have amazing domestic skills like sewing clothes and curtains and making other crafty things. Even now, though the kids have all grown up, they continue to push the limits of what one would think is humanly possible to achieve and inspire.
That is what I aspire to. I am realizing as I stumble through these first few years as a parent that supermoms aren't created as soon as the first baby is born, but the skill and determination and resourcefulness is honed over time. Becoming a supermom means you deal with countless points of frustration, desperation, and "I have no idea what to do right now." It means you put a lot of thought and prayer into the direction your family is going and make a (rough) plan of how to get there. It's about researching and going with your gut. It's about taking control yet understanding that you can't control everything. For me, I know it's going to be all about leaning on God and seeking to do things with His strength because I know I'm not capable of doing it all on my own.
***
And so thinking back on all these lessons...I feel tired. Parenting is a lot of work and -- eeps, I'm out of time, so I should get back to it. I will return to regular baby-update programming next chance I get.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
A Week at Home
The rest of the visit to Omaha went well. Taylor did amazingly well at my dad's work (see last post) and we finished up the week with more little lunch dates and a trip to the zoo. The flight back was smooth, even with Rory awake for most of it.
It's good to be home again, except that there has been a lot of cleaning to catch up on. The other day I sorted through the girls clothes to take out the summery outfits and clothes they have outgrown and then stock the drawers with the next size up. So many piles of tiny outfits!
Rory has been cooing and smiling a lot more the last couple of weeks. She's so fun to interact with now and is awake for 1-2 hrs at a time. She got a bad rash from a missed poopy diaper, but I gave her lots of diaper free time on the Nekkie Blankie in-between naps and used Desitin while diapered and the rash disappeared very quickly.
She had her 2 month appointment on Monday - current stats: 9lbs 9oz (15th percentile) 22.5in long (50th percentile!!! The largest number my children have ever received), 15in head circumference (25th percentile). She took the Rotavirus oral vaccine well and just let out one little wail when she got her Dtap shot. We'll go back in two weeks to get the meningitis shots, as I didn't want her little body to have to process all the vaccines at once. We're on Dr. Sear's alternative vaccine schedule from The Vaccine Book, which means we go in for extra shot visits in-between regular visits but Rory will still have all her vaccines in the recommended amount of time.
Taylor has recently picked up a sassy little walk - putting her hands on her hips wherever she goes. And when you see her do this with sunglasses on, you'd think you'd just encountered movie star. She had her Parents as Teacher's evaluation yesterday and scored at the top of the charts for Communication, Social Skills, Fine Motor, and Problem Solving. She only missed one mark for Gross Motor because she doesn't yet alternate feet while walking up stairs...granted her legs are pretty short. I can't say I was surprised with the overall results; Taylor is a high-energy, loquacious little girl. When she was asked to stand on one leg (Fine Motor), she actually started hopping on it too.
Mark is pushing hard to get his program ready for release by next week, as the Windows phone will be out soon. This means any spare moment he gets, he'll be on his laptop. Thankfully, my parents will be in town for the weekend - Halloween! - so the girls and I will still have lots of fun.
Here's a cute shot of the girls playing dress-up at the beginning of the month, Taylor in her bunny costume from last year (she'll be a butterfly this year) and Rory in the strawberry costume Taylor wore for her first Halloween. I'll post the real Halloween photos after the weekend!
It's good to be home again, except that there has been a lot of cleaning to catch up on. The other day I sorted through the girls clothes to take out the summery outfits and clothes they have outgrown and then stock the drawers with the next size up. So many piles of tiny outfits!
Rory has been cooing and smiling a lot more the last couple of weeks. She's so fun to interact with now and is awake for 1-2 hrs at a time. She got a bad rash from a missed poopy diaper, but I gave her lots of diaper free time on the Nekkie Blankie in-between naps and used Desitin while diapered and the rash disappeared very quickly.
Taylor has recently picked up a sassy little walk - putting her hands on her hips wherever she goes. And when you see her do this with sunglasses on, you'd think you'd just encountered movie star. She had her Parents as Teacher's evaluation yesterday and scored at the top of the charts for Communication, Social Skills, Fine Motor, and Problem Solving. She only missed one mark for Gross Motor because she doesn't yet alternate feet while walking up stairs...granted her legs are pretty short. I can't say I was surprised with the overall results; Taylor is a high-energy, loquacious little girl. When she was asked to stand on one leg (Fine Motor), she actually started hopping on it too.
Mark is pushing hard to get his program ready for release by next week, as the Windows phone will be out soon. This means any spare moment he gets, he'll be on his laptop. Thankfully, my parents will be in town for the weekend - Halloween! - so the girls and I will still have lots of fun.
Here's a cute shot of the girls playing dress-up at the beginning of the month, Taylor in her bunny costume from last year (she'll be a butterfly this year) and Rory in the strawberry costume Taylor wore for her first Halloween. I'll post the real Halloween photos after the weekend!
Friday, October 15, 2010
The Beginning of Adventures in Omaha
On Wed, we flew to Omaha without incident. The girls were both fantastic on the plane - Rory slept and Taylor gabbed the whole time about the plane and clouds and the other babies on board.
Then yesterday we had a long lunch visit at my mom's work, where Rory managed to go through all the cloth diapers in my diaper bag and I found myself on my last emergency disposable. Yeeps! However, we still needed to stop by Whole Foods on the way home because we were going to have a dinner guest. My friend, Megan, from Northwestern was flying in to visit her NE family for the weekend and was going to stop by our house for a few hours before headed on home.
On the way to Whole Foods I came upon a formidable obstacle: both girls fell asleep...or rather, Taylor fell asleep. It's hard enough to attempt shopping with a sleeping toddler on your own (usually I abandon the trip if I find myself in that situation), but how does one go shopping with a sleeping toddler AND a baby??
Glancing around the car, I formulated a quick plan. I saw my Beco carrier (the soft-structured one that can go on front or back) - woohoo! - so glad I threw this in the car on the way to lunch. If I could just get Taylor in the carrier while still sleeping, and then keep Rory in her car seat and put her in the shopping cart, I just might be able to shop.
Success! Taylor was so zonked that she wasn't fazed by the transfer and Rory's seat fit in the cart. I had just enough room left over in the cart (the fold down seat in front) to stack a rotisserie chicken, a box of salad, some strawberries, asparagus, and yogurt.
When I got to the car, I loaded the groceries in and then held my breath as I attempted Taylor's transfer back to the car seat. Sadly, I wasn't as lucky the second time around. Taylor woke up and started screaming: she didn't want to get in the seat, she didn't want to go home, she didn't want anything but to be held in the parking lot. Then Rory woke up. Shoot.
I got Rory back into the car, returned the cart, and then had to force Taylor into her seat. Taylor was crying, Rory was crying, Taylor was crying that she didn't want Rory to be crying. The absurdity of it all was actually a bit comical: Taylor: Maaamaa! Maamaa! Rory: Maaaaaaaaaa! Waaaaaaaaaaa! They cried the whole way home.
Dinner went well. It was great to see Megan again and Taylor was particularly entertaining. When I had gone to pick up Megan from the airport beforehand, I went by myself. Child-free. A strange feeling. Taylor was having a great time outside with my parents and Rory had just fallen asleep, so I figured they were both better off there. If Rory had woken up at home at least my parents could rock her, where as if she were in the car I wouldn't be able to do anything for her. She was asleep the whole time I was gone.
Today's adventure: Taylor went to work with my dad this morning! She pleaded that he take her with him and he agreed. Wow! I hope he can still get some work done. I packed toys and snacks for her and I know that his iPhone and office chalkboard will come in handy as well. I'll be driving out there to meet up with my parents for lunch, so it'll only be a couple of hours. We'll see how it goes!
Then yesterday we had a long lunch visit at my mom's work, where Rory managed to go through all the cloth diapers in my diaper bag and I found myself on my last emergency disposable. Yeeps! However, we still needed to stop by Whole Foods on the way home because we were going to have a dinner guest. My friend, Megan, from Northwestern was flying in to visit her NE family for the weekend and was going to stop by our house for a few hours before headed on home.
On the way to Whole Foods I came upon a formidable obstacle: both girls fell asleep...or rather, Taylor fell asleep. It's hard enough to attempt shopping with a sleeping toddler on your own (usually I abandon the trip if I find myself in that situation), but how does one go shopping with a sleeping toddler AND a baby??
Glancing around the car, I formulated a quick plan. I saw my Beco carrier (the soft-structured one that can go on front or back) - woohoo! - so glad I threw this in the car on the way to lunch. If I could just get Taylor in the carrier while still sleeping, and then keep Rory in her car seat and put her in the shopping cart, I just might be able to shop.
Success! Taylor was so zonked that she wasn't fazed by the transfer and Rory's seat fit in the cart. I had just enough room left over in the cart (the fold down seat in front) to stack a rotisserie chicken, a box of salad, some strawberries, asparagus, and yogurt.
When I got to the car, I loaded the groceries in and then held my breath as I attempted Taylor's transfer back to the car seat. Sadly, I wasn't as lucky the second time around. Taylor woke up and started screaming: she didn't want to get in the seat, she didn't want to go home, she didn't want anything but to be held in the parking lot. Then Rory woke up. Shoot.
I got Rory back into the car, returned the cart, and then had to force Taylor into her seat. Taylor was crying, Rory was crying, Taylor was crying that she didn't want Rory to be crying. The absurdity of it all was actually a bit comical: Taylor: Maaamaa! Maamaa! Rory: Maaaaaaaaaa! Waaaaaaaaaaa! They cried the whole way home.
Dinner went well. It was great to see Megan again and Taylor was particularly entertaining. When I had gone to pick up Megan from the airport beforehand, I went by myself. Child-free. A strange feeling. Taylor was having a great time outside with my parents and Rory had just fallen asleep, so I figured they were both better off there. If Rory had woken up at home at least my parents could rock her, where as if she were in the car I wouldn't be able to do anything for her. She was asleep the whole time I was gone.
Today's adventure: Taylor went to work with my dad this morning! She pleaded that he take her with him and he agreed. Wow! I hope he can still get some work done. I packed toys and snacks for her and I know that his iPhone and office chalkboard will come in handy as well. I'll be driving out there to meet up with my parents for lunch, so it'll only be a couple of hours. We'll see how it goes!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Wishy Washy
I'm wishing it was the weekend already, though we don't have anything planned. We ended up going to the Scottish Festival last weekend, but it wasn't quite as interesting as our $20 admission led us to believe. This was the best part:
The new fun thing for Taylor this week is a set of child-friendly chopsticks we bought from the Korean grocery store. She took to them right away and can pick up pretty much anything from cereal to noodles to peanuts.
Rory's baby acne and flakiness is nearly gone now and the smooth baby skin is back. I'm loving her funny little expressions (that last a fraction of second!) and early cooing sounds, the way she rubs her face into my shoulder, and how she grabs on to my shirt or the baby carrier with her tiny fists.
For possibly the first time since Rory was born, I made dinner - Tamarind Soup. It was yummy. Mark finally got a break! He has been the chef around the house these last few months, cooking all the dinners and weekend meals. With two little kiddies now, the last thing that is generally on my mind is "what should I make for dinner?" But I'm slowly getting my bearings and can start taking on some of my old duties again. For dinner tonight: burgers out with my cousin Kristina, who is in town on business. Hehe, guess we get another night off.
I'm also trying to incorporate more exercise into my day in order to shed the remaining 20lbs from pregnancy. While watching The Biggest Loser last night, I did 50 squats, 50 push ups, and 50 ab dealies (don't remember the exact name of the move...). Now to just keep it up! I'm not as much into diet changes, but here is a good blog posting I read recently about Five Food Women Should Be Eating. Good information!
Taylor has gymnastics this morning. Her class is now on Thursdays instead of Mondays. I've been up since 4:30am with the last nursing session, but I may just try to stay up at this point to get more things done before the girls are awake. Someone's got to get those clothes back in the drawers, and it might as well be me right now.
The new fun thing for Taylor this week is a set of child-friendly chopsticks we bought from the Korean grocery store. She took to them right away and can pick up pretty much anything from cereal to noodles to peanuts.
Rory's baby acne and flakiness is nearly gone now and the smooth baby skin is back. I'm loving her funny little expressions (that last a fraction of second!) and early cooing sounds, the way she rubs her face into my shoulder, and how she grabs on to my shirt or the baby carrier with her tiny fists.
For possibly the first time since Rory was born, I made dinner - Tamarind Soup. It was yummy. Mark finally got a break! He has been the chef around the house these last few months, cooking all the dinners and weekend meals. With two little kiddies now, the last thing that is generally on my mind is "what should I make for dinner?" But I'm slowly getting my bearings and can start taking on some of my old duties again. For dinner tonight: burgers out with my cousin Kristina, who is in town on business. Hehe, guess we get another night off.
I'm also trying to incorporate more exercise into my day in order to shed the remaining 20lbs from pregnancy. While watching The Biggest Loser last night, I did 50 squats, 50 push ups, and 50 ab dealies (don't remember the exact name of the move...). Now to just keep it up! I'm not as much into diet changes, but here is a good blog posting I read recently about Five Food Women Should Be Eating. Good information!
Taylor has gymnastics this morning. Her class is now on Thursdays instead of Mondays. I've been up since 4:30am with the last nursing session, but I may just try to stay up at this point to get more things done before the girls are awake. Someone's got to get those clothes back in the drawers, and it might as well be me right now.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Sunny Days
The weather has been so pleasant, I've been taking all the girls out for a walk the last few days. Usually Rory is in a carrier, Taylor walks or rides in a stroller, and Phoebe tugs along on her leash at my side. Toddler entertainment, Vitamin D, and exercise - a great combination.
Two days ago, we got together with Sarah, Samuel, & Joseph at the Botanical Gardens to check out a dinosaur exhibit (Yay Groupon, for discounted tickets!). They turned their Biodome into a prehistoric forest of dinosaur statues and plants that the dinosaurs would have seen or eaten. The kids really enjoyed the adventure and it was great to get out and do something new.
Then yesterday, Mark took off early from work to meet us for lunch at a Korean restaurant and then go to The Butterfly House to see some prehistoric bugs (the second half of the dinosaur exhibit). Taylor so wanted butterflies to land on her, as she had seen them do to other kids inside the conservatory, but all they wanted to do was suck the lotion off of my legs (eee, it's a creepy crawly sensation to have a large butterfly on you). We walked over to a playground after The Butterfly House closed and Taylor went wild on all the slides and climbing apparatuses.
Other news: Mark and Rory are pretty much over the sniffles they picked up last week. Rory is 6.5wks and getting more attentive and interactive by the day. She has such wide open eyes and even smiles a little now. She still has big spit up sessions every other day, but continues to pack on the weight so it isn't a concern. We also found a birthmark on her a couple days ago! It was a bit of a surprise since we hadn't seen it before now and since Taylor doesn't have one. It's just a tiny little spot on her left side.
Taylor's memory astounds me. She recalls things from several months ago, like what she carried in her purse at the airport on the way to CA in April (a knife, a fork, and leftover pizza). And her imagination is always booming with new games or adventures. She is getting really good at putting on her own socks and sneakers and has even used the toilet (as opposed to the potty) completely on her own several times (once even without a step stool!). She's finally comfortable going to sleep in her own room again, though Mark still sleeps there so he can get a better night's rest too.
Mark has made progress coming up with a business name and logo and he secured a website domain today, so he's really excited about establishing an LLC and getting his software out there. He's getting very skilled at putting both of the girls to sleep, which is really nice when I've exhausted all my tricks with Rory and she's still crying before bed.
I feel a lot more comfortable taking care of both girls during the day now and have been trying to pay special attention to Taylor and involve her in playtime with Rory so she doesn't feel abandoned. Today we read a book to Rory together and Taylor got a big kick out of it. I've been good about staying on top of laundry - you kind of have too when most of the items in the basket have some sort of baby fluids on them - but sadly our couch has become barely visible under my clean clothes pile. Today I broke out some of my pre-pregnancy clothes (the big ones) and was glad to find I finally have something new to wear that doesn't have a maternity label on it. Here are a couple of snapshots of life at home:
This weekend there are a ton of fun events going on in St. Louis - Taste of St. Louis, Scottish Games, Oktoberfest - so we're hoping to get out and go to at least a couple of them.
Two days ago, we got together with Sarah, Samuel, & Joseph at the Botanical Gardens to check out a dinosaur exhibit (Yay Groupon, for discounted tickets!). They turned their Biodome into a prehistoric forest of dinosaur statues and plants that the dinosaurs would have seen or eaten. The kids really enjoyed the adventure and it was great to get out and do something new.
Then yesterday, Mark took off early from work to meet us for lunch at a Korean restaurant and then go to The Butterfly House to see some prehistoric bugs (the second half of the dinosaur exhibit). Taylor so wanted butterflies to land on her, as she had seen them do to other kids inside the conservatory, but all they wanted to do was suck the lotion off of my legs (eee, it's a creepy crawly sensation to have a large butterfly on you). We walked over to a playground after The Butterfly House closed and Taylor went wild on all the slides and climbing apparatuses.
Taylor and a butterfly
At the playground
Rock climbing
Fast slides
Taylor's memory astounds me. She recalls things from several months ago, like what she carried in her purse at the airport on the way to CA in April (a knife, a fork, and leftover pizza). And her imagination is always booming with new games or adventures. She is getting really good at putting on her own socks and sneakers and has even used the toilet (as opposed to the potty) completely on her own several times (once even without a step stool!). She's finally comfortable going to sleep in her own room again, though Mark still sleeps there so he can get a better night's rest too.
Mark has made progress coming up with a business name and logo and he secured a website domain today, so he's really excited about establishing an LLC and getting his software out there. He's getting very skilled at putting both of the girls to sleep, which is really nice when I've exhausted all my tricks with Rory and she's still crying before bed.
I feel a lot more comfortable taking care of both girls during the day now and have been trying to pay special attention to Taylor and involve her in playtime with Rory so she doesn't feel abandoned. Today we read a book to Rory together and Taylor got a big kick out of it. I've been good about staying on top of laundry - you kind of have too when most of the items in the basket have some sort of baby fluids on them - but sadly our couch has become barely visible under my clean clothes pile. Today I broke out some of my pre-pregnancy clothes (the big ones) and was glad to find I finally have something new to wear that doesn't have a maternity label on it. Here are a couple of snapshots of life at home:
Sister hugs (I love how Rory is looking at the camera!)
Taylor takes a picture of me nursing Rory
This weekend there are a ton of fun events going on in St. Louis - Taste of St. Louis, Scottish Games, Oktoberfest - so we're hoping to get out and go to at least a couple of them.
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