19/20 Weeks Update

I just can't seem to catch a break when it comes to updating my blog....the hard drive on my computer crashed, so I haven't even had a computer for about a week (Ahhhhh, the horror!!!). Now, I'm not just talking my home computer here. No, this is my work computer. It's not been fun. But, now I'm fixed up and ready to go.

Nolan continues to grow and thrive. He's really, REALLY grabby these days and everything is fair game (my hair, my face, my clothes, anything that is within his reach). It's cute, but we really have to watch where we stand when holding him, as he's knocked some things off the counter. It's fun to see him become more aware of his surroundings, though. The hard part is teaching little Bailey that she can't leave little toys or other things around that he can put into his mouth.

One funny story before I get to more pictures. This past weekend when it was really warm, I decided to put the kids in summer wear for a trip to walk at Lake Hefner. I dressed Nolan in one of those one piece cotton shorts outfits. I brought him in to show Bailey and said, "Look, doesn't he look cute?" She gave me the strangest look and said, "Is that ALL he's going to wear?" I laughed and asked her what SHE thought he should wear. Her reply? "Well, he needs PANTS, of course." Poor little girl thought her brother was just a little too exposed.

We got the good ole Exersaucer out of the attic last week. Nolan has been wanting to "stand" all the time so I thought he just might be ready for a new toy. Of course, SOMEONE had to test it first....

Last week, we took a trip to the Jasmin Moran Children's Museum in Seminole. It was our first time and I wasn't sure what to expect. Bailey had a lot of fun and can't wait to go back. Too bad it's a good hour away.

The grocery store was definitely her favorite place. They only let you "shop" for 5 items, so we had to keep going back so she could purchase different things.

This is a tv studio....I was interviewing Bailey about her favorite toys. Surprisingly, she was a little camera shy!

Peace....

4 Months: The Post Easter Slump

(Stickers courtesy of you know who.)

No more big holidays til 4th of July. :-( When you have kids, holidays bring about more excitement, even if it's just to buy them a cheesy outfit. So, now that Easter has come and gone, we just wait for the hot weather and the next celebration. Memorial Day and my birthday come before July 4th, but....ehhhhh, neither is that exciting, especially for the kids.

Nolan has slowly incorporated laughter into his bag of tricks. He's always been a smiley baby but, until this week, we haven't heard any outright laughs. Even now, we have to work pretty hard (and look really silly) to get them. My goal this week was to figure out how to upload video clips to the computer and this would have been a great clip, but.....yeah.....didn't happen. Ya know how there are just some tasks that seem soooooo overwhelming that you just put them off, sometimes FOREVER?! This is one of those for me. Calling the Best Buy support line to troubleshoot Jason's mp3 player is another one of those things. I really just wasted $100 at Christmas, plain and simple. Or Jason could call them.......oh no, that won't happen. So, we're back to wasting $100.

Anywho......

The following pictures were taken one night after Bailey's dance class. I love the one with her reading to Nolan, but I couldn't quite get the picture snapped before he smashed his face into the blanket. But, I assure you, nanoseconds before, he was listening intently. :-) And, Bailey went without her tights to class because I failed to have them clean and in her bag on Tuesday. Hey, I'm not perfect.

We had Nolan's 4 month appointment last week. As you may recall, I've been writing about how chubby he's getting and my love for calling him "fat boy." Well, it turns out that he's not so much chubby as not so chubby, at least according to the good ole' growth chart. He's 12 lbs., 12 ozs. which is 10% on the chart. He's 50% in his length. I was really surprised. The doctor wasn't concerned or anything, just said that we might go ahead and start him on some cereal at one meal per day to increase his caloric intake. Of course, I've always heard that the longer you wait on solids, the less likely they are to develop allergies. Anyway, Nolan just isn't the kid that demands more and more food. He's hungry at times, of course, but we haven't yet gotten to that point I remember with Bailey (and other moms talk about) where the kid just simply can't get enough milk and seems dissatisfied with it.

Bailey had her 2nd dentist appointment a few days ago. She did just great, as she did the first time. She's funny, though, as she'll talk up a storm with the hygienist, but then gets nervous around the doctor. I took a few pics - doesn't she look so big?! I don't know why the picture is fuzzy on a couple of these. Anyway, the doctor told us we should probably start saving for the inevitable orthodontist bills. Great....

I also mentioned some problems with Bailey in terms of her behavior around Nolan. The poor girl just loves her brother, but that term "I love you to death" is something I don't want to play out in real life. The other day she was up on the bed with him while Jason and I were getting ready. She was singing to him and rubbing his belly. She always has a tendency to be too rough - squeezing his little face and whatnot - so we're constantly checking on them. Good thing. I peeked my head around the corner just in time to see her grab the bed pillow and put it over his head. I let out the biggest movie style, slow motion, "Nooooooo, Baaaaaaiiiiiilllleeeey." She promptly stopped and looked at me like she was going to cry as a reaction to my reaction. I had to have a heart to heart with her about the potential repercussions of that kind of action. Poor thing doesn't understand, which is why you just can't take your eyes off of them. I was telling someone after this incident that parenting is so difficult because so many situations like this ARE learning opportunities for them, but it's so exhausting to think about all the things you NEED to teach them. So many things have to be taught within the context of an "incident." A few weeks ago, I had to demonstrate what happens when you put a plastic bag over your head because she was playing and tried to put a ziploc over her face. It makes my head spin.

Now for some personal commentary. Every once in awhile, a movie or book moves me to a great degree and I feel compelled to tell others about it. Books on that list are "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold and "One True Thing" by Anna Quindlen. Those are must reads. This past weekend, Jason and I watched "Gone Baby Gone." This is Ben Affleck's directorial debut and, thus, I don't think I was attracted to it in the least bit. Movies of actors turned directors never seem to shout THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD. But, my mom said I should watch it. So, I did. I have to say that I am still reeling emotionally from the content of the film, and I can't seem to get the various messages out of my mind. The whole film is about choices - both good and bad - and how they affect various outcomes, with the premise of a kidnapped little girl as the foundation. Of course, parents will have a hard time with the kidnapping content, but that's really not the core of the film. At the risk of saying too much, I'll stop there. Just watch it. It does have bad language - beware. But, in my opinion, it's one of the best movies I've seen in quite awhile.

Peace....

I Know, I Know.....

So, I never knew how many people read this blog until I failed to post this week. Back down, people!!! Smile...

I admit it, I dropped the ball this week. I could give you all the excuses - my printer is out of ink so I couldn't print the "how old I am this week" sign, I left my jump drive at work a couple of days, etc. - but I know you don't care. So, I'll just let you know that I'll do a regular post with pictures this weekend.

To tide you over, here are some teasers (pure media freakout style):

"Find out how Kendy learned that she starves her baby!! Tune in at 10!"

"Why Bailey can't be trusted around her little brother! The full report!"

"Nolan goes to Mother's Day Out for the first time. Result: Kendy cries!"

Peace....

16 Weeks: Easter and Haircut #2

Happy belated Easter everyone!!


I just have one question....where is my little Nolan?

As you can see, his own feet have become his favorite toy and I have a hard time peeling his hands away from them so that he can actually sit in a chair or lay on a flat surface without being curled into a ball because his feet are up by his face. Ahhh, to be that flexible, right? ***And, just a little editorial comment....my brother got him those shoes, so he wears them. I personally have no specific allegiance to either of Oklahoma's state schools.***

I didn't get quite the quality Easter pictures I was hoping for, but here's a few semi-cute ones from the day.
This is actually at the end of the day, when Bailey was a little raggedy and not really wanting to smile for us.

Jason looks tired!! We had just arrived in Clinton and were the first ones at church. Let me tell you, that's the FIRST (and probably last) time that has ever happened!


Getting ready to run out and hunt the eggs!

And she's off!!! She didn't even care that she was the only one hunting eggs.....being 3 is pretty fun and uncomplicated!

This is the post hunt "here are my eggs" pose. Does she look cold?

Unfortunately (and contrary to the smiling picture above), Nolan was a bit out of sorts throughout most of the day. We went to my parent's church in the a.m., then spent a few hours at the house with my family. Cooper was in from Dallas and hasn't seen Nolan since Christmas, so I was a little disappointed that Nolan wasn't his usual smiley, happy-go-lucky self. With a baby who hardly ever cries (unless he's hungry or just wants to be held), it was a little weird to spend the day trying to soothe him. His cries were high-pitched, like he was hurting, but I couldn't ever figure out how to help him. He finally fell asleep right about the time we were leaving my parent's house and then he was back to his old self throughout the evening. Weird - just goes to show that your kids will NEVER perform when there's an audience. :-)

Bailey enjoyed her Easter despite the cold weather. She desperately wanted to wear her dress WITHOUT the sweater and kept trying to convince us that she wasn't cold......while her teeth were chattering. She finally admitted, "Well, I'm just a little cold." The funny story of the day comes from little Bailey (who else??). The backstory is that she sometimes has a hard time remembering all 3 of my brothers' names. Chance seems to get forgotten or she just calls him Conner to simplify things (This is my brother Conner and my OTHER brother Conner!). On our way to Clinton, I quizzed Bailey on their names. She said, "I'll get to see Conner, and Cooper and....and...and that guy that's marrying Meagan." Too funny. She obviously doesn't get the irony of associating her uncle with his fiance that she's known for far less time. But, we got a kick out of it.

We also got a kick out of Bailey telling us her version of the Easter story. My heart just hurts and swells all at the same time when I hear her vocalize her thoughts about such a huge issue. She puts so much feeling and facial expression into her story, even as simple as it is to her. It goes a little like this (complete with grammar mistakes and emphasis so you can feel like you were there!): "Jesus got DEAD by some of those bad mans that made him bleed on his hands and his feet. (pause) They didn't BELIEVE him when he said he was God's son so they made him die on that BIG cross. It was a VERY sad day and then they put him in a big box. (pause) On Easter he showed those bad mans that he was God's son by AROSING FROM THE DEAD (said very emphatically). And then those ladies said 'Yea, you ARE God's son!!'" (And here she jumps up and down like she's doing a cheer.)

How sweet she is!

I was off work on Friday so we got to spend the day with my friend Rachel and her new baby, Owen. He's 10 weeks now. We also got to see our other friend Ellen and get a tour of her new house. Bailey, of course, decided that Ellen was her best friend for the day....I think because she was the only one without a baby in her arms, which means that she theoretically could give Bailey her undivided attention. Kids really are smart, ya know?! I don't have any pictures as I forgot to bring my camera, but maybe I'll post some if Rachel or Ellen sends me some they took.

We gave Nolan another haircut last night. This one wasn't as significant as the first one, but mainly served to even out the longer hair due to the fact that his bald spot is becoming more pronounced. No comb-overs for us!!! Stay tuned for pictures next week to see the new do.

Here are a few random pictures of the kids...Bailey and Nolan sleeping on the couch and Bailey giving her doll a bath in the sink.




Peace...

15 Weeks Update

We had one of those weeks where, simply put, nothing really happened. It doesn't make for an exciting blog, I know!! In short, Nolan continues to eat, sleep, spit up, drool, smile, drool some more, and spit up some more. How's that? :-)

Here are a few pictures from the week:






And, just for fun, here's a picture of Bailey as a baby. Here, she's much older than Nolan is now but it reminds me that they DO look alike!



Bailey's new feat is swinging by herself. Just as with most of her skills, it's like she just "all of a sudden" can do it unassisted. While that's not exactly true since I'm sure she gets a lot of practice at her MDOs, I just became aware of it when she was showing Nolan her swing set on one of our recent nice days. I just want to hug her so tight that she stops growing up!!!! I suspect that I'll keep having those feelings well into her young adult life, but they're still new enough to greatly affect me. Sigh....

Kendy

14 Weeks: Fat Boy Slim

Our little Nolan is growing up way too fast! He is getting so chubby and cute and I've taken to calling him "Fat Boy." I hope that doesn't hurt his little psyche. However, he's still in most of his 0-3 months clothes (and a handful of 3 months), so I guess he can't be that chubby. I keep folding sleepers to put away but Jason will inevitably grab one out of that pile and they are still usable. When he stretches all the way out, they're on the brink of being too small, but they're otherwise okay. While I keep lamenting his fast growth into an infant instead of a newborn, we have some super cute 3-6 months stuff, so I hope we get to wear some of it before it gets too warm.

This week, he started really trying to reach for things, specifically the parts of my face that I'm pointing to. I'll pat my nose and say, "Nolan, touch my nose. Touch my nose. Touch my nose." It takes awhile, and is accompanied by quite a bit of amusement throughout the process, but he will eventually TRY to steady his hand to reach for it. Sometimes, he's too jerky and ends up hitting himself....it's so sad and cute at the same time because he puckers up like he's going to cry and gives me that little look like I hurt him. But, then his upset turns back into amusement in a matter of seconds. Funny how kids are....

After weeks of trying to use the sling (I so wanted to be like the Hollywood moms of today, busying themselves with grocery shopping and whatnot with their tiny baby resting deep within the pocket of wonderfully decorated fabric...smile), but I just don't think that's meant to be for us. Instead, we've decided that the front carrier works better. And, now, he's even graduated to facing forward instead of having his head scrunched up against my chest. He likes it so much, in fact, that he fell asleep while Bailey and I were out for a walk around the neighborhood.



Here is a picture of him smiling away when I went to get him out of bed one morning. So happy!


And, finally, here are a couple of pictures of the kids together this week and one of Nolan and momma (notice the red cheeks from all the hand-chewing-spit-smearing activity).

We bought Easter outfits for the kids this weekend, so I'm eager to post some (hopefully) good pictures of them in their finest. We'll just pray that Nolan doesn't spit up, drool or pee all over his clothes (remember - his 3 favorite things to do) before picture time. Sooo, maybe I'll just take a picture when they're first dressed just to be safe. :-)

Kendy

13 Weeks Update

This post is dedicated to the more unfortunate things that start happening around this time in a new baby's life. First, I've captured for you Nolan's budding bald spot. Really, it's more like a v-shaped bald strip, since it goes up on the sides a bit.

I know that probably 90% of babies get a bald spot (those that are actually born with hair, that is....baldies have it easy in this respect!) now that the mantra is "tummy to play, back to sleep." But, it's just not fair. :-) Poor Nolan is going to end up with this giant tuft of hair on the top, but no hair anywhere else. And, it's worse for boys, I've learned. Bailey had SOOO much hair that, when she did start getting the thin patch in the back, she actually had longer hair from the top that (when coiffed perfectly) hid anything that could be considered suspect.

The next 3-month-old woe is the DROOLING. I've talked to many a mom whose kid didn't spit up OR drool, but I think it's just in my family's DNA. Bailey drooled badly from about 4 - 12 months. We had so many bibs and we have zero pictures of her during that time frame without a lovely bib hiding her cute outfit. And, just for the record, it had NOTHING to do with teething...at least as far as I could tell. Now, Nolan seems to be following in her footsteps, albeit much earlier. Seriously, what makes an infant not be able to hold the spit INSIDE his mouth? He's such a sweet baby, but no one is ever going to want to hold him for fear of getting spit up on or gummed to death. Smile...

In addition to the drooling, he now wants to chew on anything within his reach. I've mentioned previously that his hands are his choice non-food food. Here, however, is a picture of him going for one of the throw pillows on the couch. I had propped him up to take a posed picture, but he got sidetracked by all that yummy cotton.

This picture is a little fuzzy for some reason, but here's a full body shot so you can see how big he's getting. He's rarely curled up anymore and, instead, likes to stretch out and kick his legs.

We bought a Bumbo (Bumpo??) seat this week. He's still a little young, but within the parameters of the approved age range for the device, so I went for it. (Especially given the bald spot, I wanted to give him as many opportunities to sit up!) He enjoys it for short periods of time, but I inevitably find him slumped over trying to eat the side of the seat. I wish I had a picture...he's not unhappy, just chowing down on it.

And, finally, here is a picture I snapped last night when I went to check on him before retiring to bed. No one give me any grief about the blanket...we'll ditch it when it gets warmer and he really starts to move around. Right now, it's just so darn cold, especially in his room since it has a large window.

Bailey also had a good week. We bribed her all week long with the fact that she got to take a picture with a live bunny at her Mother's Day Out. Anything that she didn't want to do, we said, "You won't get to take your picture with the real bunny!" That worked well until after the picture was actually taken. Somehow, our leverage disappeared at that point. If I could only figure out how to bribe her with something that's about 2 years into the future! :-)

While I don't have the bunny picture to show you (we haven't received it yet), here is a picture from the zoo on Saturday. We always take a picture on the little elephant...maybe one day I'll put together a montage of all the zoo pictures over the years.

Peace....