double baby shower

Steph & Anna hosted a shower at Dianne's for Jodi and me yesterday. Hannah and Caroline were able to spend quality time together, 7-month old Kimberly was quite the cuddle bug, and everyone took turns holding baby Brandon. The shower was very special, it was so nice to all be together, since we are spread out.

mini milestones

or, rather, observations:

*Brandon's cord finally fell off this week.
*His eyelashes are getting longer... they are blondish/light brown.
*His light brown hair (with some blonde mixed in the very top) is growing long enough so that if it gets scrunched, the whole 1/8th of an inch of it sticks out. So cute!
*He is beginning to have longer "awake" periods, and is easily captivated by things like ceiling fans and the flashing lights on his swing and bouncy seat.
*He turns toward voices he recognizes. He also seemed to like my Daniel Doss Band cd that I played yesterday.
*He "smiles". I think it's just gas so far, but it's cute.
*He copies mouth gestures and really studies faces.

****
Hannah loves the new line-up on PBS, especially Super Why and Word World. She dances and sings along to the theme songs, and interacts with the characters more than on any other show. It's so cute! And since the shows are pretty educational, I do not feel as guilty about too much TV time during our adjustment. :)

my buddy and me this week

big sis likes to be close to her little buddy

"word up, yo!"

sharing brother with Catey (someone's learned how to do fake smiles, as you can tell)

him: are you sure she's capable of doing this, mom?
her: sure, no problem

1st daytime stroll in our groovy joovy stroller. Hannah likes her big-kid bench seat.

3 weeks

Brandon is still our cuddly, sweet little boy. He also loves his swing, which gives me an occasional break (and having him strapped in gives me peace of mind in the event that well-meaning big sis might try to pick him up).

For the past few days, whenever she has helped me change Brandon's diaper (given me wipes and/or brought me a diaper), Hannah has exclaimed, "His diaper's stinky! It makes me sick!"

After too many 1-2 hour nursing sessions which resulted in him being hungry 10 minutes later, I have switched to pumping and giving him his milk in a bottle and will be transitioning to formula soon. When only 1 or 2 out of 8 or 10 feedings per day results in a still hungry baby, it's time to consider other options. It's a little like playing, "spin the bottle."

Hannah has asked for lanolin lotion, and on more than one occasion asked if she could feed her brother as she lifts up her shirt. A little mommy. :-) (No, we don't let her try.)

First Portraits

Click HERE to see the portraits taken by Uncle G. & Aunt S. while they visited!

Two weeks in review

at the hospital:

goopy eyed


happy birthday, little man! we did it!

waiting with big sis: ready to go home!

1 week:

big sis looks a bit possessive here...

2 weeks:

big sis picked out this sleeper before her brother was born

grrr...

meeting the fam...part 2

(ok, this one's not biological family, but she was there when mommy and daddy met and put up with us in the mushy early dating phase... that counts for something, right?)

Brandon meets his family... part 1

Mommy was able to hold him immediately after birth.

Daddy's job was a bit harder this time,
but he made it through the delivery just fine.

Aunt Becca tells someone about her new nephew.

Big sis, Hannah, loves sitting with Mommy and her baby brother.

the life and times of a big sister

mommy instinct




keeping herself entertained




"hi, bright eyes"

I'm a BIG SISTER!

Cute Quips

Upon waking up this morning, I told Hannah today was Mommy's birthday.
"We need cake and we need a party!"

Upon waking up from her nap, Hannah hugged my belly with both hands and exclaimed, "Brandon, you need to come out today!"

As Joel put my cake onto a plate that was passed down from Grandma Helen, because even a guy knows you can't put candles in a birthday cake while still in a plastic container from the store, I told Hannah my age and asked her if that sounded very old.
"No," she responded. "Mommy is so cute. Great Gramma is very old!" (The cake was very yummy, by the way.)

the baby in mommy's belly....

our exercise balls....

i love her expression in this one!

slightly more cooperation

the past few times i've asked bear when her brother will come out, and listed the next few days up to sunday, she always replies, "sunday." but that could be because it's the last choice she was given.

Good morning!

Bear's new ride and other anecdotes

Daddy put together the new stroller tonight, and it's a hit! Bear loves the "big kid" bench seat in the back, and I am so glad we opted to go for the pretty sage green instead of blah black. It steers well, is lightweight, and is actually not much longer than our old single stroller. Granted, it doesn't have the huge storage compartment underneath that Em used as her tandem seat from time to time when the single stroller was theirs, but the basket it has will be sufficient for most of our uses. Harley, the cabbage patch doll, will have to relinquish her seat to the new baby fairly soon.
******
Before my check-up today:
"Mommy, you go to the doctor and pee in a cup!"

After check-up:
Hannah lifts up my shirt and sticks the toy stethoscope against my belly. "I check Brandon's heartbeat!"

daddy's trash is hannah-bear's treasure

this morning, hannah has been raiding the shred box behind the couch and coloring on all the junk mail she's pulled out. she wants to share her artwork with her grandparents. i think we'll find something else for her to color for them.

Rediscovering an old favorite

In preparation for the arrival of Hannah-Bear's little brother, some of the infant toys have been brought back out. I'm not sure she remembers that this was hers, she acts as though it is brand new!



Sharing with her babies:



And for a blast from the past....

about 6 weeks old, 12/6/05

observations

Hannah and I were meeting some neighbors and their friends at our neighborhood's block party last night. One of them had long, straight hair. Hannah touched it and stated in awe, "You have mermaid hair!"

our little... vampire???

We were out talking to some neighbors tonight, and Bear grabbed onto my leg. The next thing I knew, she bit into my thigh. Thankfully I was wearing khakis.

After bathtime, she decided Daddy's arm might be tasty, and bit him. She bit his sleeve, but the indentation was still very obvious underneath.

As part of her discipline, she went to bed without story time. I wonder if it's her molars breaking through? I did give her a teething toy to chew on instead of people... but I had forgotten what it's like to have a child chew on people.

tackle it tuesday- hannah-bear edition

Mommy and Gramma's helper

She asked me to take her picture, too.

She was amazed that she could fit inside her closet!

the poll in the sidebar

Since that results are over half the questions, here they are so you can cast your vote more accurately:

Do/did you make your children play with just one color of play dough at a time?

___ Yes, can't stand it when it turns brown from all the mixing...
___ Nah, what's the point?
___ Play dough smells bad, they don't play with it.

For the record, my vote was for option 2. But I do limit how often it gets played with around here, depending on how bad my gag reflex is that day.