7 & 8 Months

Dear Alice-

Sorry your monthly posts have been in two's lately.  You and your brother keep me on my toes most of the time and blogging is not at the top of my list!  So much has changed in the past two months.  Your hair has grown a ton, its almost long enough to hold a clip!  You are quite the chunk and love to eat.  I haven't found anything you don't like actually.  Your doing much better with textures and bigger chunks of food too, since you have your two bottom teeth now!  You were a pretty good girl while you were teething-just a bit fussy and got up once a night.  Once they cut through you got back to your regular self.

 You have started interacting with your brother much more lately.  You watch his every move and think pretty much everything he does it hilarious.  He can get the biggest laughs out of you.  You like to be tickled, play peek-a-boo, and be startled.  You love to groove back and forth when your on your tummy.  I've been trying to get it on camera but right when I start to film, you stop.  Its the cutest and funniest thing though, we love it.  

You are quite the little smartie, Alice.  This month you have learned to wave and to crawl.  You like waving at people and are quite social, but sometimes are a little bit nervous when people hold you and you don't recognize them.  Since you have started crawling life has gotten much crazier.  You never sit still in one place, you are a busy body.  You have eagle eyes and can see things from all the way across the room that you want.  Your pretty fast, and have even started trying to take things away from Oliver-although he does it much more often than you do.  

You are still such a pleasant, happy baby.  You smile 24/7 and can be such a cheese ball.  You are a total Mama's girl and I love it.  You follow me around all day long.  When you are excited you clap your hands together and squeal.  

Alice, I love you so much.  You bring so much light into our lives!  

Love, 

Mama

2 YEARS OLD!

Our tiny baby boy has grown into a big two year old-it makes me so sad but so happy at the same time. Its amazing how much he has progressed in the past 6 months.  Oliver is very hard headed and determined.  This makes for some big temper tantrums.  I am hoping its just the terrible two's hitting right at the beginning and he will grow out of them soon.  Even though he throws the occasional fit, Oliver is quite well behaved and is SO very sweet.  He is very polite, always saying please and thank you.  Lately he has been coming out of a shy phase and waves, says hi, makes faces, and smiles at everyone he sees.  He is quite the chatter box and says some really cute and funny things. 

Oliver is a smartie pants, and can say the whole alphabet, count to 13 and knows what the numbers are, count to 5 in spanish, knows all of the colors, and knows some shapes.  He loves to sing, and his favorite songs right now are Wheels on the Bus, the Rainbow song, Twinkle Twinkle, and Leo the Lion.  He is really musical and likes to listen to music and dance and sing.  

Oli still naps once a day, but fights it with all his might!  I'm hoping once the weather is consistently warm he will be worn out from playing outside and naps will be easy again.  He is still in a crib and I plan to keep him in the crib until he learns to climb out.  He is showing signs of being ready to potty train-which I have mixed feelings about.  He has gone on the potty multiple times but doesn't grasp the "telling me when you need to go" part.  I think we will wait a while on that one.  

Oliver is a major snacker and wants to eat all day long.  I'm trying to work on 3 meals and a snack in-between, because he doesn't eat his meals very well-dinner has been the biggest struggle lately.  But he likes a lot of foods, and is slowly warming up to fruits and veggies..Yay!  We've still got a long way to go. 

On Oliver's birthday we had an indian themed birthday party for him with our families.  We had Cafe Rio because he has been obsessed with black beans and quesadillas lately.  Oli loved having all of his favorite people together to play with-espeically all of his cousins.  It turned out so fun, and Oliver was so happy and sweet that day!  He has been singing Happy Birthday ever since.  Thanks to everyone who came and brought Oli presents!

Grammy T. did most of the decorations.  It was so cute, we love'd everything! 

 I made this banned of a few pictures from birth to two years old.  Turned out funny!!

 Oliver got some great gifts from everyone-we will have lots to do this summer with all the bubbles, crayons, and sidewalk chalk!

 The wagon from Nana was the hit of the party!  Thanks Nana, we love it and missed you!!

Oliver-

You are my first baby.  You made me a mama, and for that I will be forever grateful.  I'm looking forward to the many years to come watching you grow up.  You are getting big but will always be my baby boy!

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY!

I LOVE YOU!

-Mama

Happy Easter

Our first Easter as a family of four.  Feeling so happy and blessed today.  

Playing with his new bubbles

my easter babies! 

Oli got a backpack and Alice got some new toys on Easter morning 

5 & 6 Months

Dear Alice-

These have been the fastest 6 months of my life!  You are a dream baby-happy as can be and so sweet. You are growing up quickly and I'm trying to soak everything in.

You started eating baby food and at first you hated it but now you love it.  You have tried sweet potatoes, green beans, carrots, and sweet peas and ate all of them.  You gag on anything that is slightly chunky, you can't handle the texture I guess!

One of my favorite things about you is how smiley and happy you are all the time.  Your smile & laugh are so adorable and sometimes you laugh at nothing.  You have a fake laugh, and its so funny when you do it.  Its almost like a silent screech, thats the only way I can describe it.  You love your sleep and sleep through the night.  You take 2 naps a day.  If you go too long between sleeping you kind of loose your mind.  You cry hard until you get to eat your bottle and lay down in your bed.  You love going to sleep, and when I set you in bed you smile and get really excited, just like I do when I get to go to bed.

You love your family.  Dada, Mama, and Oliver are your favorite people.  Oli is still too wild to stop and chat with you very often, but when he does you get so excited.  Otherwise, you just watch him run and play.  You love when Dad comes home from work and school, and do everything you can do keep an eye on him, even if it means craning your neck until your upside down.

You are a wiggle worm.  Your arms and legs are kicking and flailing at all times.  The second you are laid down you roll over.  Your like your Dad, always making noise.  Our favorite sound you make is your zombie noise.  Its a little raspy growl, it really seems like your trying to be a zombie.  You love to scream and shriek too.  I think I am going to have my hands full in a couple months when you become mobile.

Alice I am amazed by you.  I love your chunky legs and cheeks, your gummy smile, and your darling personality.  You are the perfect fit for our family, we are so blessed to have you.  Stay happy, little one!

-Mama

A New Year

Almost 8 months has gone by since the first day I was put on bed rest while pregnant with Alice.  Its hard to know how to explain those months that have passed by.  They went so slowly but also way too fast.  My little Oliver was only 13 1/2 months old and I was physically unable to take care of him.  I was uncomfortable, scared, and sad.  Yet, at the same time, my eyes were opened up to so much love and support from everyone around me-even strangers.  I dreamed of the day my baby girl would be born.  I felt like it meant everything I was feeling would come to an end.  The day she actually came truly was such a relief and so amazing, but my feelings did not go back to normal like I'd imagined.

Before I go on, I am so in love with my children.  They are my life.  I am grateful for every moment I get to spend with them because I know how things could be different.  I know many parents have to face days without their kids.  But when Alice was born, my emotions didn't get better, in fact they seemed to get worse.  I felt lost, and felt like I was failing as mom for feeling that way.  My sweet girl arrived with no complications, no NICU stay-just a big, healthy chunk.  She ate like a pro and even slept great for a newborn (wish she would have kept that habit up!)  I had a sweet little boy who basically had no jealously to the new baby, he was sweet to her and sweet to me.  My family was supportive and helpful with the transition to two kids.  Mike was so patient and helped out any time he was home.  I was so blessed during that time but felt so sad most of the time.  I'd have mood swings and in my head I could think logically, but I couldn't make my emotions be that way.  Every day I would think to myself-WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?  

Finally I went to talk to my sister.  It was such a relief to get how I was feeling off my chest.  But I felt embarrassed and ashamed.  Honestly sometimes I still do-which I know is ridiculous but hey-its how I feel.  I called my midwife and she said it sounded like I was having postpartum depression.  We figured out a plan.  I felt hopeful. 

Every day is different for me.  I am feeling so much better than I did in those early months after I had Alice, but just when I feel like things have been up for a while, those feelings come rushing back.  Its such a weird thing, and its hard to explain, but the best way I can is to say I feel out of control.  Everyone around me is so supportive, even those who don't know what I am going through.  So to anyone who has ever said a kind word, thank you-it means a lot.

I am still hopeful that I will feel 100% like myself again soon.  There are days, weeks at a time that I do, which is encouraging.  Of course this year my goals are to be a better mother, friend, and wife, but my main goals are all about me and thats OK, because to be a better person in all of those ways, I need to feel good. 

And with that, I say bring on 2013.  It's going to be a good year.