Sisters ...

Photos taken at about the same age ... give or take a week.

Day at the Park, Fall '09

I am skipping my nap today ... for some stupid reason ... and I am certain to regret it later ... but I just can't stop looking at photos ... and realizing that I am way behind on sorting, editing,. and publishing.  Found these from middle of November, and just had to share them ... because a) it's evidence that it doesn't actually rain everyday (but it sure feels like it) and b) isn't she just ridiculously cute?!

Two-Hand Fun

Aaaaahhh yeah ... I've been having myself a little two-hand fun.

Is it just me or does that sound kind of racy?!  Is my mind in the gutter?!  Is yours?!

Well, this isn't nearly as obscene as it sounds ...  

but it sure is exciting to me ...

But before I share with you exactly what the heck I am talking about ... allow me to tell you the back story.

There's this hilarious chica named Laryl ... she's one of my dearest friends from college ... and did I mention that she is so ridiculously funny?!  I can't be in a room (or on the phone, for that matter) with her for more than a minute or two without absolutely cracking up.  She's my kind of funny, and I love her for it.

Well, Laryl is as practical as she is funny ... which makes a great combination for some serious laughs ... at with her.  Because here's the thing, I think we all wish we could pull off practical as well as she does ... especially in this particular case.  You see, Laryl wears rocks a fanny (pack).  She dropped the pack and refers to it as just her "fanny."  I am cracking up just thinking about the mannerisms / dance moves she uses when speaking of her "fanny."  Wish I had video ... because I am fairly certain it's one of those "you had to be there" kind of things.

Anyway, as a result of rocking the "fanny," Laryl is the one in our group who always has whatever we happen to need, and she has it close at hand.  She's a freakin' boy scout in disguise, I tell ya.  Do you have one of those friends?  I always wish I could be that person.  The one who carries everything we may need and comes to the rescue when we need it.  But that's just not me ... especially if it means carrying a backpack or fanny pack ... just not going to happen.  I just can't pull off "that look," and we all know what you carry is a fashion statement, right?

Well, as Laryl so eloquently points out, with a fanny pack you've always got two hands free ... for, what else, but some Two-Hand Fun!  And really, two hands are always more fun!

After three days of wearing Charlotte in the Ergo Carrier, I emphatically agree.  And after more than a month of figuring out how to do everything one-handed (filling my water bottle, brushing my teeth,  making a bottle, putting cream cheese on a bagel, replying to emails, writing thank you cards, even going to the bathroom) because CJV was too tiny to be in the carrier ... boy, did I need some Two-Hand Fun!

Let the good times roll 'cause I've got 1, 2 hands free!

Clearly, the Ergo is my Fanny, and I am loving life!

Oh, and I think Charlotte looks so darn cute when I look down on her ... all snuggled up in there ...

P.S.  Minimum weight for the Ergo with Infant Insert is 6 pounds ... you know what that means, right!?  My little peanut is getting chunky :)  CJV weighed in at 6 pounds 7.5 ounces this morning ... woo hoo!

P.P.S.  That little hood-deal-io on the Ergo ... is absolutely genius!  Most often I refer to it as the "crumb-catcher" ... many meals have been eaten with the little one strapped in.  At dinnertime I do one heck of a Rain Man impersonation to keep her content while we eat ... rock, take a bite, rock, ... but her cute head always manages to be free of crumbs :)

P.P.P.S.  Can't thank my friend SC enough for loaning me her Ergo ... these things may be fabulous but they aren't cheap!

Solo Day 1 & a Nap Rebellion

It has been so nice having a second adult - either my mom or my MIL or my husband - in the house since CJV was born.  I am fairly certain that I would not have survived the month of December without all that help.  It's amazing how much better I feel - physically, emotionally, hormonally, and mentally - one whole month (and a few days) after giving birth ... but I was still very sad and a little anxious to have CPV return to work today.

Today was my first official full day of "flying solo" with two little ones.  And throwing my good intentions, reality check, and resolution out the window, we started our day with a trip to my friend Deann's house.  Probably should've been one of those lounge in our jammies kind-of-days.  But instead, I managed to get all three of us fed, washed, dressed, bundled, and out the door by 10:10 am ... only 10 minutes behind schedule.

We had a fantastic - and much-needed - visit with Dee, her daughter Cee-Cee, and her new baby boy Jordan.  The girls greeted each other so excitedly - neither has spent much time with their little friends since becoming big sisters - and played with only a few minor disagreements.  And I got the chance to chat and commiserate and celebrate with my fellow new mommy friend.  Our littlest nuggets slept away the morning side-by-side in their car seats.  I packed up the girls and headed home just in time for Charlotte's next feeding.

Which takes us to nap time, a cherished time at our house.  By cherished I mean by me and by Natalie.  It's quite normal for her to ask for a nap after lunch.  It's quite rare for her to fuss or refuse a nap.  Ah, rarity ... ain't it grand?  After putting NHV down in her room, I headed to my room with CJV to snuggle in and catch up on the sleep I am not getting in the middle of the night.  All was blissful ... until I hear Natalie on the monitor.  She was jumping on her bed.  A big no-no.  Went in and told her to lay back down.  Same thing happened again ... and my brain suddenly flashed to Elmo because his show was all about jumping today.  Darn that adorable red monster!  My request for the jumping to stop was met with disobedience and more gleeful jumping ... to which I weakly responded with a swat on the leg (oh, the guilt!) and a firm reprimand.

Feeling lousy about the swat, I returned to my own bed and shed a few tears as I tried to fall asleep.  Only minutes later, I hear Natalie rummaging around in her room.  Not jumping but definitely not sleeping, either.  I gave her some time and pulled myself together before going in ... and finding her reading books to her stuffed animals ... and smelling something decidedly stinky disgusting.   Changed her poopy diaper and put her back in bed with minimal conversation.

She had already been in her room for 45 minutes, when the game started in full force.  A full hour of up-and-down and opening the door (a huge no-no) and lots of tears and tantrums and my resilient say nothing approach ... we both finally fell asleep. 

That left me a grand total of about 45 minutes before Charlotte woke up to be fed again.  I am quickly discovering the "joys" and scheduling conflicts of dual motherhood.

I had enough time to take care of CJV's needs before having to wake up NHV at 4:30 - we don't let her sleep past that time for fear of bedtime issues.  The three of us played for a while, and then I started dinner.  Yes, friends, I broke my resolution again.  There were plenty of leftovers in the fridge but I also had a new recipe and all the ingredients ... and I chose to cook ... with two kiddos and no other adult to help. 

Thankfully Charlotte slept in the carrier almost the entire time and Natalie was totally enthralled with her new baby doll bassinet, a gift from Deann.  Dinner was delicious.  The kitchen was an absolute mess.  And I was beyond relieved and happy to see my husband walk through the front door ... about ten minutes earlier than expected.

Tomorrow is another day.  Solo Day 2 ... hoping for less excitement and more rest.

ESP - 4 Weeks Old

Disclaimer: This post is late ... I started it on the 31st but just now finished it ... oops!  If you're keeping track, CJV will actually be five weeks old tomorrow!


I am finding it very hard to believe that Charlotte is already four weeks old.  I am dreading the day when I have to leave weeks-counting behind ... it all just goes by too quickly!

For the most part, not much has changed in regards to Eating, Sleeping, and Pooping, but here's a quick update and a photo ...

Eating
After spending four days alternating between nursing and pumping/bottle-feeding ... every other feeding, we did not get good news at the doctor's office.  Charlotte went from gaining about an ounce-a-day to gaining just half an ounce in four days.  She is very capable of latching and sucking and swallowing.  It's really just a matter of how much she is able to take in and how many calories she is burning during a feed.  It appears that the effort needed to nurse successfully is greater than the amount of nourishment she is able to take in.  And so I've been pumping and bottle-feeding again ... with very good results.  I also borrowed a really good digital scale from my friend Magdalena.  This is by far my favorite piece of baby gear.  I find it hard not to weigh her all day everyday!  Which is how I know that she now weighs just over 6 pounds!  That is about a pound and a half gain since she was born.  As she reaches the 6 pound mark, we will stop adding the calorie powder to her bottles.

Sleeping
Oh, this baby is such a great sleeper ... during the day.  If only she could figure out how to be a stellar snoozer after midnight ... you know, when I want to be sleeping hardcore.  I can't change my schedule ... unless I also change my two-year old's schedule ... how crazy would that be?  Me and my newborn and my toddler all hanging out at 2:00 in the morning and sleeping 'til noon the next day ... like college kids on spring break or something!

Unfortunately, I have been resorting to letting Charlotte sleep with me.  I would much rather her sleep in the bassinet next to me, but she snorts and honks and clicks and beeps until I just can't stand it anymore!  It seems like the sound effects are louder and more persistent when she's tightly swaddled ... she gets really restless and determined to get those hands out of there. 

After changing, feeding, pumping, and holding upright, I only have a limited amount of time before it starts all over again ... like 90 minutes on average.  As I watch my potential sleep minutes tick away, I just surrender and scoop her up and cuddle until the alarm on my cell phone lets us know it's time to do it all over again.  She is completely content once we're snuggled together ... and I am able to get a solid 60 minutes of REM.

Surprisingly, that minuscule amount of sleep seems to be enough right now ... if you count the afternoon nap I am taking every single day.  Of course, that could all change tomorrow ...

Sleeping
Still sleeping great during the daytime ... and hit-or-miss at night.  Still prefers to be held while she sleeps, but she will sleep in her bassinet IF the conditions are right.  Her periods of alertness are increasing, and tummy time is in her near future.

Pooping
Yep, still pooping.  We've had a few blow-outs, but nothing extraordinary.

Perhaps I should change the P from pooping to Personality ... that would be more fun, right?!

Well, sure enough, as we approached her due date and race toward the one month mark, CJV's tiny personality is emerging.

• She loves to have her hands by her face and uses her arm to cover her eyes when she's sleeping.  She genuinely doesn't seem to love the swaddle.
• She has the most adorable and frequent sleep grins ... much more often than I remember Natalie doing that.  I cannot wait to see a real smile!

I'll leave you with a photo ... and then I'm going to bed ... mama needs some zzzzzz's!

Baby Toes

Enough said.

This is for you, Chitown Momma!  

You know you wanna smooch 'em!

Resolving to Get Real

Ummm, yeah, newly initiated in this mom-of-two club.  I'm living with a newborn and a two-year old.  My hormones have taken me prisoner.  I am exhausted.  Basically, I have no business setting my expectations too high.  In fact, I am trying really hard not to set my expectations too high ... because that just leads to disappointment.  And in my fragile postpartum state, who needs that?!  Not me!

With that said, this is my "get real" list of resolutions for 2010 ...

I resolve to ...

• hook myself up to that bane-of-my-existence breast pump and provide breast milk for my CJV until I physically or emotionally or mentally just can't do it anymore ... not even going guess a timeline on that one.
  
• hope and pray that Charlotte can figure out this whole nursing thing ... sooner rather than later.
  
• change many, many poopy diapers ... however, I will get serious about potty training my two year old ... just as soon as I get a good night's sleep.  That will happen this year, right?!
  
• get out of my pajamas (at least) 5 days a week ... and shower (at least) every other day.  Is that too lofty of a goal?
• take the girls outside whenever the rain allows ... and count down the days until beautiful weather returns to the NW.
  
• write down the funny, quirky things that Natalie says and sings
  
• plan meals each week ... the alternative - scraping together dinners last minute - will make me stark-raving-looney-tooney.
• take and share lots and lots of photos ... so that my friends and family can watch Charlotte's first year transformation!
• Skype with friends and family more often ... why not?!
  
• blog when I can ... but not succumb to guilt when I can't.
• be nice and appreciative to my amazingly helpful husband ... but remember that he loves me even when I am not at my best.
• travel home to Illinois with both girls ... probably by myself ... this is the only resolution that makes me cringe just a smidge.

Okay, 2010, I'm doing my best to get real ... please me nice to me :)