sleeping beauty

Bear felt a bit under the weather earlier this week, and just wanted to cuddle on the couch. Soon she was asleep, and I managed to sneak out from next to her and capture the moment on camera.

3 month pictures

focused

sitting proud

i can get that...

thud... maybe not (mommy caught me, don't worry)

tolerating tummy time... momentarily

We had a great Thanksgiving; photos are on facebook, so if you aren't my friend on there and want to be, send me an e-mail.

Brandon is growing like crazy. He likes to eat. He loves hugs and kisses, and loves to be held. He's demonstrating a bit of Mommy preference already... and is spoiled. But they are only this little once, and time passes too quickly. Thankfully, he also likes to sleep most nights. Last night, he even slept from about 9:45 pm to 8:15 am!!!!! Big Sis, on the other hand, did not go to sleep until after 11 p.m. (but she did sleep in, too, for once). We took advantage of the sleep and opted to go to the later worship service at church. :) He makes adorable cooing and gurgling sounds as though he is trying to carry on a conversation. He rolls from his tummy to his back with ease, and he LOVES his baby einstein play mat (a hand me down from big sis). He also brings toys to his mouth with ease and chews on them (he thinks his fingers are tasty, too), and tonight I caught him pulling up the knees of his pants. He sits up well when he is propped up, and seems to like the new perspective, at least until he gets tired. He's got Mommy, Daddy, and Big Sis captured by the heartstrings. And pretty much everyone who meets him when he's in a good mood.

His 3 month check-up is not until the end of this week, but I thought I would go ahead and post some pictures of our big Buddy...

our budding photographer

Bear took these photos this morning:

"study of a ceiling fan"

little buddy after being hugged by bear

"why do you let her torture me so, mommy?"

mommy's cheesy smile, completed by the pj's...
but considering there are few pictures with mommy actually in them, we'll keep it.

I think she's improving!
Maybe Santa will bring her a camera of her own for
Christmas.

12 weeks

11/12/2008

12 weeks- 11/18:

chillin' with sis

Our little Buddy's growing up on us. Fortunately, this means he sleeps a 6, 7 or sometimes even 8-hour stretch most nights. He's spitting up less, which is also a welcome change. Big Sis has figured out how to pick him up by herself, which is semi-frightening. I'm glad she loves her brother, but she doesn't quite understand just how careful she needs to be. Perhaps she's grooming him to be a wrestler some day (in school, not "pro"). She'd better watch out, some day he'll be bigger than she. He smiles a lot, but catching one on camera is not always easy. Oh, and he's beginning to outgrow his Newborn and some of his 0-3 month sized clothes, so today I put him in a 3-6 month sleep n' play outfit just to see. It's a bit big, but no worse than the 0-3 month ones were when he came home from the hospital! He also intentionally reaches for some of his toys (especially on the activity mat), and grabs onto them. Some things, like his snugglies, make it to his mouth. (He also pulls Sissy's hair when she invades his personal space).

Sometimes he doesn't mind to be loved on with Bear hugs... at least, at first....

overheard:

"Mommy, why are you so grumpy?"

she's gonna hate me for this someday...

... in case you ever wondered why I don't fix her hair, this is what it looks like before I touch it!

10 weeks

Happy Halloween aka "Trick-or-Treat Training"

Daddy took Bear trick-or-treating tonight, while Buddy and Mommy stayed home and greeted the trick-or-treaters. They were gone an hour and a half. Daddy says he kept asking Bear if she wanted to go home, but she was not ready until the very end. If Mommy had known the first-timer would last that long, she would have been more generous while passing out candy.

Can't wait!

Daddy needs a costume next year.
He wasn't keen on mommy's suggestion to go around the 'hood in his new suit.

(I was so bummed when I realized I had the camera on the wrong setting when I took these first few..)

(Pay no attention to the bib, he really wanted his bottle)

After the bottle (which he ate in between several trick-or-treaters).

hannah's goody bag "after"

Okay, seriously... an hour and a half trick or treating for a 3 year old?
Looks like it was for Daddy, doesn't it?

Being cute is hard work, too.

Well Child Check-ups

Bear's 3-year stats:
33 lbs.
38 inches tall

Buddy's 2 month stats:
11 lbs.
22 inches long
39 cm head

Hannah actually seemed to enjoy today's doctor visit. She got to wear a gown with looney toons characters on it, and everyone told her how cute she was. J was able to take off work and go with us, which made everything sooo much easier.

Both kiddos are healthy and happy!

play time!

yesterday our 2 month old held onto his rattle and brought it to his mouth.

kicking away on his personalized blanket from mommy's friend Heather...
hey, these colors match mommy's alma mater!

Bear likes piling toys next to her Buddy

and patting him on the head....

... and tackling him with hugs!

1 girl and 3 cakes

three years ago tonight...

I was packing my hospital bag, anxiously awaiting our daughter's birthday. I was 39 weeks pregnant, and rather than risk the possibility that J would already be gone for training for his new job, we had decided to schedule an induction. I had no idea what to expect from labor; the prospect scared me, and the epidural was a given. I wondered if the ultrasound was wrong and we were having a boy. It wasn't. good thing, too, because we had received a lot of cute girl clothes.

After 6 years of marriage, we were about to embark on the journey of parenthood.
I've always heard that you can't ever be fully prepared to be parents, and I believe that's true. While lately I have been far to aware of the challenges of disciplining a temperamental toddler, I have to remind myself of the joys she brings to our life. And she often reminds me by taking a break from one of her episodes to be the sweet girl we know.

Our daughter is affectionate, fun-loving, and imaginative. She's the most beautiful little girl on this earth. She likes Backyardigans, her baby dolls, playing with chalk, rolling down the hill, picking flowers (and shredding the mums), watching SuperWhy, dancing around, cuddling, storytime.... she narrates everything she sees, and expresses herself very clearly for a 3 year old.

Now, she's a big sister. She is quick to exclaim that her little brother's crying hurts her ears, but she is also quick to comfort him. Unless she is otherwise occupied; then she tells him why she can't come help him. For example. "Brandon, I can't come help you right now, I'm going potty."
Sharing our attention is not easy for her, but she is doing well adjusting over all. She does want a little extra time alone with Mommy or Daddy whenever she can get it, and often asks us to "lay down a second" after we tuck her in at night. (Of course, it's longer than a second.)

Happy 3rd birthday, Hannah-Bear!!!! We love you so much!

Brandon's first time in nursery

Yep... not quite 8 weeks, and we put him in nursery today! When we were at church 2 weeks ago, I had a hard time focusing and ended up feeding him and not hearing the message. While I waited for Joel in the hallway, I toyed with the idea of putting him in the baby nursery. I didn't think he would need a bottle today, but he had been fussy earlier and I just did not know how I would do with him away from me so soon. Yet I really wanted to listen to the pastor's sermon, and even in the nursing mom's room, I always had a hard time focusing with Bear. (Though I did enjoy chatting with other Moms in there!)

Well, I peeked in and they did not look too crowded yet. I know the nursery workers and trust them, but infants can be easy or needy, and it's usually one extreme or the other. A lady who I have worked with in nursery before passed by and said that if I was putting him in, she would go in and be an extra hand. So that settled it. We signed him in and went on to the worship service.. without the baby. It was a lot harder than I expected it to be with child #2, but no tears were shed.

It turns out that today was also fire drill day, so Brandon was able to go for a walk outside! Well, in someone's arms, of course.

looking on the bright side

Our household has been under the weather for almost a week. It finally feels like Autumn here, and our big girl wanted to play in the rain.

7 weeks