.: Stats- 12 lbs 12 oz & 23 in. long


.: What You’re Wearing- Size 2 diapers because you flooood size ones.  0-3 month clothing still fits, but you’re about to be too long for them, so very close to 3-6 month.


.: Firsts- pumpkin patch visit, bus and hayrack ride, sunburn, trip to park & second sunburn *bad mommy!*, 2 birthday parties (Libby & Dylan), smiles & cooing, and on the night before you turned 2 months you slept through the night!! Happy 2 mo birthday gift for mommy!


.: From Head to Toe- Your skin is one big flake right now!  Your scalp, forehead & ears in particular.  I did learn that putting lotion on your scalp did NOT make your hair more greasy, if anything it make it less?!?!?!  We had you on Zyntac for reflux, but I didn’t like how it was working, if it was at all?!  So, I went to what I knew worked for Aidan…Dr. S!!!  (chiropractor) We went on 4 visits last week and WOW, what a different baby.  You’re pooing more regular, taking more restful naps, and just generally more content.  Dr. P said you still have quite and outtie belly button and we may need to look at getting that fixed down the road.


.: Loves- being held especially in the rocking chair, looking at sissy, staring at the bear hanging from the swing canopy, car rides OVER 45 mph, napping in the swing, when mommy claps your hands together quickly causing you to jiggle, your new BFF the thumb, movement (being held while I’m up moving around), starting to enjoy bath time, held with pacifier and patted on the bottom,


.: Dislikes- 5pm – 8pm, being left alone, tolerates the bouncy seat & floor gym, car rides under 45 mph, boppy pillow, car seat,


.: Eating-  sensitive formula 6 oz every 3-4 hours


.: Sleeping- going to bed about 10:30-11 p.m. waking about 2 a.m. to eat and sometimes again about 5 a.m. but sometimes mommy could get you to sleep with her at 5 to hold off the feeding.  Slept through the night (10 p.m. – 7 a.m.) on Sunday the 11th.


.: Misc Facts

.: So happy that I’ve taken the time to have Dr. S treat you.  It’s already made a big difference, just like it did for Aidan.  Wish we had known about him when Aidan was your age!  It’s been a lot of trips into Wichita usually with Emma and Aidan in tow (sometimes even daycare kiddos), but totally worth the time and effort.  We want you to feel good, be happy and in no pain and so far Dr. S. is getting us to that point!


.: I feel like for the first time in 2 months I’m going to survive this life as a mother of 3.  It was a tough adjustment, partially due to my extended recovery, and the past 10 days have been hard with Emma and Aidan being sick, but I’m finding a place of peace where this is all going to be OK and I will survive.  Disclaimer is that I’m typing this during nap…so these peaceful feelings of surviving may quickly change (as they often do) back to me overwhelmed!  Oh the ups and downs of motherhood!

Hopefully NOT his Best Friend Forever…maybe Best Friend For-awhile.

It’s been a come & go relationship.  Sometimes “he’s” here…

and other times someone (my uncoordinated arm) takes him away.  It makes me…

Sometimes in an attempt to spend time with my friend “he” hurts me…

My mommy doesn’t like my friend.  She wants me to have this…

So, when my mommy lets me cry, I find my BFF.  That’ll teach her!

Ahhh happy baby!

*I’m a bit late getting this posted, but wanted to document it anyway…

With two boys I knew it would eventually happen.  We had our first scary injury on Saturday. (Yes, that would be 2 days after finally getting Emma all healthy!! ugh!)  We had a 9 a.m. birthday party. Yes, you read that right.  NINE AM as in the MORNING birthday party.  You must know my cheery, early rising Sister in law to fully understand… 

Anyhow, the party was at Funtastics which is a gymnastic facility.  It’s a safe kid lovin’ activity place.  Zip lines, balance beams, HUGE inflatable slide,  foam pit, and injury givin’ pain inflictin’ trampolines abound to hurt entertain kiddos of all ages. 

Emma and Aidan split 2 separate directions as soon as we entered.  I got hung up “introducing” people to Isaac.  Next thing I know I look and see Aidan flying down this…

….right before he took off running down the long trampoline that “dumps” into the foam pit.  About 4 steps into his run and something happens (I think a 3 way collision…where a bigger kid jumped as Aidan did thus changing the way he landed creating a pile up.) As I look I see his feet in the air and the side of his head bouncing off the trampoline.  I go running and then I hear IT.  The cry.  THE cry that is different than “I’m mad”, “I’m slightly injured, need a kiss and off to play again”.  It was a cry full of pain.  Not a loud squeal.  Nor a “my mouth is open yet no sound or air is coming out” scream.  But a groaning cry.  My first thought as I run toward him is “and Matt’s not here!?!” I gracefully dive toward the pile of little bodies on the bouncy surface and pull Aidan toward me.  I instantly think it’s his head, but as I try to stand him to face me so I can look him over I realize he’s crying about his leg.  He won’t stand or walk on it.  OH great!  Our first broken bone I think.  After about 10 min there’s no change in his demeanor.  He’s not raring and ready to run off and play again.  If he tried to walk his leg would give way as soon as he put weight on it. So, I ditch Emma and Isaac and head off to Immediate care…for the 2nd time this week. 

We got in quickly and after X-ray they determine nothing was broken, but probably strained.  Directions to give Motrin for the next day or so for the pain and to allow him to use his leg as he tolerates.  He learned quickly that running was NOT a good idea as it resulted in a face plant.  Once in the driveway, the others luckily inside on carpet.  He was cute saying “Carry me mommy.  Please carry me.  Me no walk.  Carry me now! Ouch pampoline”

Sat. evening he fell asleep by 6pm and woke Sunday morning at 7!!! Wow! Awesome sleep! Sunday he hobbled around until I gave him a bath.  That must have loosened up his leg and he gradually started using it more.  Each step was filled with concentration as he tried not to limp…or let his leg “give way”  By Sunday night he was getting around better and Monday…well if you saw him you’d think I was making up this whole trampoline of death story.

I’m so grateful the recovery was swift…as having to carry a 40lb 2 year old around is not an easy task…I should have cut biceps & ripped abs, but unfortunately do not.

He’s been very sweet as he’s been able to regain movement.  Every now an then he’ll remember that he can in fact walk with out pain or falling and he’ll say with a shocked, excited look on his face “Me walk mommy! *tilt head toward one shoulder* All better mommy, all better.”

Yes son, all better and hopefully never hurt like that again!  So, if you invite any of my children to such a bouncin’ party never mind the helmet, bubble wrap and padding they’ll be wearing.

I’m participating in a blog carnival from Kelly’s Korner blog today.  For this carnival women are sharing what their favorite baby items.  Mommy tested.  Child tested. Mother approved.  So. here are my favs.  The first is my newest favorite that I didn’t even discover until child #3!!  What’s your favs? I’m sure I’m forgetting something…

Sleepy Wrap

Unfortunately I didn’t know of the Sleep Wrap with my first two.  I’m not sure if I would have appreciated it with my first, but with my colicky & refluxing 2nd it would have been wonderful!  It’s been a Godsend with my newest baby.  Basically it’s a long piece of knit fabric that when tied on a certain way holds a tiny baby up to a toddler in several different positions.  It’s super comfortable and not nearly as hard to put on as you might imagine.  No buckles, snaps, straps to adjust or move.   And most importantly it frees my hands to help my other 2 kiddos.  I owe my friend Audra my first born for loaning me this!!

Cup Labels

These are great labels from Inch Bug!  Much like the rubber bracelets people wear for different causes these labels have the child’s name “carved” into it, totally indestructible and can be thrown in the dishwasher.  Great for labeling bottles, sippy cups and even drinks for lunch bags, water bottles for sporting events, etc.

*Side note…pictured is my fav sippy cup.  I do daycare and have experienced A LOT of different sippies….playtex is by far the closest to holding true to being “spill proof”.

Graco Swing *Plug In* Swing

I borrowed a Fisher Price aquarium swing with my first, bought my own for my second (and occasional use by a daycare child) and it pooped out.  So, with another daycare kiddo and my third I invested in the Graco Sweetpeace Soothing Center.  It plugs in *yeah*, very comfy, the seat can be removed and double as a lounging chair for baby and best yet a Graco carseat can snap in so baby can transition from car to moving swing…ahhh….uninterrupted sleep!

Saucer

Simply a lifesaver and time “giver”.  From about 4 months on my kids have all loved their saucer.  I’m especially excited to use mine with Isaac.  He will not be walking quite yet come spring/summer so drag this puppy outside and he’ll be happy. (Hopefully…)  Easy to clean/hose down if necessary and this one is great b/c it functions as a play mat, saucer and activity table!  Multi purpose things like this are great!

Aquaphor

With my first I’d buy and try multiple different lotions and potions for different things thus my cabinet resembled the Wal-mart baby isle.  I was told to use Aquaphor  on my son’s rashy and often times dry skin.  Works like a charm. Also totally healed up a really bad diaper rash Aidan had once.  I think initially I thought using Vaseline was “old fashion” I mean that’s what my mom was stuck using, but we have all these new and different options now.  Old works gals!  (Well…I REALLY like Dyprotex. SUPER thick ointment…like 30% zinc oxide,  but Walgreens doesn’t carry it anymore…)

Again a little slow getting to this, but doing my best to NOT fall into the "3rd child gets nothing" trap! I WAS super prepared for the birth announcement.  Even looked up gender neutral, boy & girl ideas on the web prior to delievery.  I worked on the address list of folks I'd be sending them to.  Then the birth came, mommy fell apart and here we are!  I'm posting it here before I snail mail it out b/c I just ordered them so by the time they are in and I get them sent...well they might as well be our Christmas cards! :) Hehehe!



I must share that my friend Ruth made this announcement.  She is simply amazing at creating announcements, Christmas cards, invitations, etc.  She did Aidan's announcement and our Christmas cards the last several years. She can make a beautiful card using my random snapshots and she also is a very talented photographer herself!


So here it is..


Funny story about the photo shoot for this.  Isaac was all tense having Matt hold him 1/2 naked in his arms for the newborn shoot at Penney's.  YET, for this photo shoot Isaac was sound asleep 1/2 naked in the back of a Tonka truck in the backyard AS the ice cream man drives by playing obnoxious music!?!? :)
Thanks again Ruth!  You're the best!

I'm a couple days late gettingthis posted.  Isaac turned 1 month last Saturday.  I could ramble onabout how that seems so very, very impossible.  Poor little guy has onlyhad 1/2 of his Mama his first month here!  I'm trying my best to changethat!  So here's the scoop on Isaac this first month...

Not sure how many of you were aware...and honestly I wasn't even aware until today that my children...YES my precious little Emma and Aidan have a future in working for our government. NOW, I'll attempt to eliminate political controversy by not going into my feelings about my children working for the corrupt government or how I would feel very disappointed that their moral compass was not set straight enough in their upbringing to take them to the point of such employment.

Anywhos… What job might they hold you ask? Based on today's behavior they are in line & all ready equipped with skills to be government operatives. Like CIA, FBI, those folks that have the inside information and missions that no one is supposed to know about. When Bush was needing proof of weapons of mass destruction…all he needed was my children. They can sniff out stuff that they’re not supposed to. They can scope out, seek, find and destroy anything you hope and pray they will avoid. They’re like specialty trained drug dogs, seizure dogs, earthquake dogs, whatever. They have an innate ability to smell out anything with a whiff of Lysol, lemon or Clorox clean and then cover that fresh clean scent with snack residue, urine or any other “non-clean” substance. Negotiating is another skill they possess. They might also be good to work with leaders of other stubborn countries. In their united effort they can make the strongest parent leader contemplate surrender.

Today perhaps could have been a conspiracy between Aidan and Emma, as Aidan was home throughout the day to witness my works…hmm. Ah, yes focus…in an attempt to perhaps look productive after basically a month of doing much of nothing I decided to appear the task master I once considered myself. What grand plans did I have to accomplish that today? Hold on to your seat! I used Clorox wipes to scour the filth in from my hall bath AND picked up the boy’s room clearing off the changing table, putting away some clean clothes and even making Aidan’s bed. Simply tiding up. Wow! You’re impressed aren’t you!?!? Well that was all looking good and in place to begin the “impress Matt with my ambitious Martha Stewart abilities” mission UNTIL my precious angels from God united forces to conspire against my plan.

Emma gets home from school. All is well, catch up on the day, have a snack, and then they decide to “P.L.A.Y”. How in the WHOLE W-I-D-E W.O.R.L.D did they magically decide to play in the 2 rooms I had attempted to clean??? And I don’t just mean play, like with a few toys. I mean- Emma “washed” her hands after snack in the hall bath totally eliminating the appearance of cleanliness and that was right before Aidan walks into the bathroom and pees on the floor. Shooing them on to take care of the pee they head off to the boys’ room. Emma instantly decides to “help” mommy and make Aidan’s bed. (Um..it’s already made, but TRYING to remain a calm mother who ultimately cares much more about her children and their thoughts and feelings of belongingness to the family WAY over the cleanliness of her home I yield let her “help”) Losing track of Aidan I didn’t realize he had gotten back into the bathroom and covered his hands with hand soap. Now, he’s too little to reach the faucet/water to actually wash the soap off. So, lifting him to assist (wait no I’d never do that…I’m not supposed to physically be lifting him!) in washing it all off before it ends up in his eyes. He and I return to boys’ room to find Emma “reorganizing” the clothes in the closet. Wow, well that would only be the clothes I had hung and sorted earlier today. Ugh! Again shooing them from the closet they land over by the book shelf. You guessed it. The one I had just loaded with all the books strewn around the room/hallway earlier. Ok. That is it. I fold. Yield. Surrender.

Off to the basement. There’s always laundry to be done. Emma & Aidan were helpers earlier and took all the dirty laundry down so now all I have to do is sort and load while they read books. Enter laundry room. Find- Aidan’s urine soaked clothing on top of my basket of CLEAN laundry needing fluffed or ironed. AHHHH!

White flag is waving. This war is not mine to fight. I’m out numbered. Matt will be home in minutes and BTW…where is child #3…the new one…. Isaac during all this?

So, like a good wife when I call Matt and let him know it was “his” night to bring dinner. I also fill him in on my lack of accomplishments around the house and Emma and Aidan’s future helping the security and defense of our country.

UPDATE: The dog is in on it too. I’ve waited all day for our darn icemaker to make enough ice for a nice big glass of ice water or ice tea. All my little future government workers in bed I sit down to compute with my glass of ice water and big bowl of cookies & cream ice cream. My fowl mouth (and I mean FOWL you’d rather kiss his “other end”) dog first drinks from my glass and then knocks over the glass spilling my precious ice cubes and water…right down the air conditioner vent. It’s time to call it a night.

I can't seem to exactly figure out the best way to get this info out. I sent a message via FB last week, however I had to individually select each person and it maxes out at a certain number of people, yada-yada-ya SO I'm posting the update to the FB msg here for folks to view...

This is the message I first sent out on FB to some of my gal fam and friends requesting prayer and updating on the most recent events following Isaac's birth. I at first didn't feel it was for a blog...afterall some may not want all these details, but a friend changed my mind. I do hope to use online resources to have my blog printed and bound in a book at some point. Afterall it's like my journal. This friend mentioned that this should be recorded. Afterall, there may be a day where Emma is struggling as a mommy perhaps following a pregnancy and for her to know that even her mommy struggled may be great encouragement to her. It always seems as a child that our moms have it all together...SO here it is to have on the "record" for the future.

Hello FB girls! I first apologize for how "impersonal" this message is, but time seems to be something I have little of these days and I really wanted to get this info out and simply don't have the time to make individual calls!

I write to you because I'm needing some prayer and as I glance through my FB friends list I see I am wonderfully blessed with friends, family and members of my church body that will assist me. So many of you have been so kind, supportive and caring before, during and since Isaac's arrival and we are so appreciative and blessed to be surrounded by such a caring group!

As some of you know I had a stint of high blood pressure following Aidan's delivery and Isaac's has been no different. A week ago it got high enough they put me on meds. I thought I was feeling better for a day or two and then the pounding/throbbing headache returned which makes sleep almost impossible especially when you factor in the newborn and other 2 night wandering children. I went in for my follow up BP check today and found my BP was higher than before. Thus they doubled my BP meds and gave me another medication to calm my heart rate, bring down my BP and assist in relief from the headache. (the 800 mg motrin and percocet from delivery gave no relief to the headache)

While at the Dr. I also mentioned that I'm experiencing more bleeding after this delivery than with the previous 2. I almost didn't mention it b/c I thought it might be from the BP, or the loss of blood I experienced after the birth OR caused by the strain due to the massive cough/chest congestion with the cold I currently have. I had contacted my OB's nurse today and she shrugged it off and said it could continue for 6 weeks. Well, I'm glad I mentioned it to my family Dr. today. Gals this is prime example on listening to your own body! The Dr. issued a sonogram of my uterus for right then. The radiologist read it immeditatly following the sono. I really thought it was probably a bit overboard and not necessary. Well...the sono shows I have pooling of the blood in the endometrium lining and uterus that is in excess of what I should have 2 weeks following giving birth. SO, they are scheduling me to see my OB on Monday or Tuesday of next week. They said it is a problem that will not fix itself and I will continue to bleed until it's fixed. The only way she really mentioned fixing it (although made it also sound like there's other ways) is a DNC. To be honest the whole idea of that a few weeks after giving birth is frightening to me, plus my sister has had one and had some significant complications so that futhers my fears. I also dread that each week of my maternity "break" from work is filled with Dr. appointments for either me or Isaac. He and I have been to the Dr. 6 times in the last 2 weeks!!! ugh!! And now perhaps a procedure in my future as well!