Jul 30, 2011

Stop Chewing on Your Toe!

Ben LOVES being RIGHT next to his sister at all times. Cute. Exhausting, but cute.














She's happy!!!! We're getting smiles all day long!













But then, one minute later...















And 2 minutes after that! She passes out on the couch all the time! Unlike Ben, she seems to not want to be swaddled!











"Born in 2011"

















As a mother, I find myself saying some of the weirdest things that, out of context, would sound really odd. And, it seems Ben's habit of chewing on things is just getting worse. He's like a puppy! This oral phase thing is NEVER ENDING! So, the latest thing he chews on is his toe! I don't get it. When I tell him to stop, he looks at me and says "It's MINE!" Well, he has a point. It is his toe. I've also caught his trying to put Abby's tail in his mouth (Again, Abby, I LOVE YOU AND YOU ARE THE BEST MOST PATIENT DOG IN THE WORLD!!!). It's just amazing!
Other than that, everything here is going along well. Some things to note: Hailey is down right LAUGHING! She is a very happy, content baby. She just loves to watch and smile at her big brother in amazement. And Ben has to be on top of us all day long basically trying to entertain her. He always wants "to help." So far, so good. Back to Hailey. She's getting BIG and much stronger. We're working hard on tummy time and she is much more accepting of it than Ben ever was. Of course, she has her crazy older brother to look up at. We're sleeping 1/2 the night pretty well, but I do feel like it's starting to catch up to me.

Brian is doing well. He's going to a Sox game today, and I should tell him to do that more often! I slept in a little, and as soon as I was up he started cleaning, and I am now sitting doing this while both kids are awake!!! He even started the dish washer! Sox games every weekend!!!! Wait...scratch that.
As for me, I have started to run again and it's hard but I'm doing it. Just a few times a week. I have also joined Weight Watchers online to see if we can get this show on the road here! I also switched positions at work and will not be going back to the job I had. I'm sad about it and it was a much harder decision than I thought it would be. Basically, I'll be working less to get paid more. I know, should be a no brainer, but I really loved what I did and the people I worked with. Now I'm working for the same company but per diem. I'm sort of a substitute teacher for therapists. I go where they need me and when. I plan to work average 2 days a week, and a couple weekend days a month. Brian's terrified about that one and has asked that I "ease" him into caring for both kids at once rather than just leaving him for 8 hours right off the bat!

Jul 20, 2011

Vacation 2011, Montague, MI



Um, Ben? Honey?









How me and Hailey spent most of our time on the beach. Yup, she's under there! It was comfy!







Abby, our first born, was exhausted and has barely moved since we've gotten home!







We had a FIRE red sunset. The camera does not do it justice!








Lenore and Blake taking it in!









You'd think this would hurt. But not Blake! He did it over and over and over again!







Popsicles on the deck! Nothing better!








Meghan and Morgan were a big help with Hailey! They were my little "babysitters"!







Mom came up for a couple nights. Lily, Maddie, and Abby were zonked! We were all fine standing since they clearly needed the rest!






Who needs suits!? Jackson and Ben jumped in!












For the first time in history, I had a week at the cottage!!! Yes, I waited until I had a 2 year old, a 5 week old, and a husband with no time off to come stay with us. My solution? Invite people! Of cours
e, those people also had kids so we had our hands full. With all the kids and just being at the cottage, holding a camera was hard, but I was able to catch some good stuff!

Thursday>Sunday: Brian was able to be there and we had a nice, quiet time with just our family of 5 (Brian, me, Ben, Hailey, and Abby). The water was perfect, some flies on the beach, warm, sunny, perfect!

Sunday>Tuesday: The Trices came! Ben and Jackson were little buddies again! They played and wore each other out every day. The waves were a bit bigger and the kids couldn't go in the water. They had fun on the beach, though!

Tuesday>Saturday: Seelye's came! The water calmed down but also cooled down! IT WAS COLD! So cold, even the kids wouldn't go in. Booo! But it was clear and the air was warm. We had beach time twice a day every day!

Friday>Sunday: Brian came back and more of the same with packing up and coming home on Sunday.

I've decided I have pretty
good aged kids for this. Ben is old enough to play and have fun and take direction a little bit while on the beach while Hailey was just fine under the umbrella with me! It was nice! Although there is no way I could have done any beach time without all the help of those who came to join me!

It was a really nice week and I just wish Brian could have been there. It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be! Ben actually did WAY better with potty training there for some reason! The first day or so home he's back tracked again, but today is actually telling me when he needs to go. Yesterday and today we've been in underwear all day!

Kids update:
Ben: starting to say the most hilarious things! He's pretty funny! The funniest, and maybe most disturbing, act was when he found Morgan's doll at the cottage, held her like a baby, then said "Hmm, she's hungry!" He then lifted his shirt and pressed the doll up to his belly! Yup! You read that right! He's very...caring...
Hailey: getting BIG! She's really filling out. She's fitting comfortably into 0-3 month and solid 3 month clothes. She's interacting more and more including SMILING ALL THE TIME! I have yet to catch that on camera too well, of course!

She's sleeping pretty well. The last two nights have been great! She made 5 hour stretches 2 nights in a row! Then fed, and went right back down! She's more awake during the day which is nice at night, but making the daytime tricky to get ANYTHING done. I try to give Ben all my attention once she doesn't need any. She's starting to really like the swing and bouncy chair which is nice to free up my hands a little to play a game or do a puzzle with Ben.


Hailey is still sleeping next to me, but I think we're making the move tonight! She's napping in her room right now and loving it. Her first extended nap in her beautiful crib!

This was today, and the closest I've gotten to catching her smile. She LOVES watching her brother. He is crazy!

Jul 6, 2011

We are not bad parents.

Really, we're not! Everyone is perfectly safe and has been. Real quick, because of course I have no time. I'm in the midst of packing for a week at the cottage in Michigan! Can't wait! Just got back from shopping for a huge, very sturdy beach umbrella that Hailey and I will become acquainted with...hopefully. If not, the deck is fine, too.

We spent the 4th of July at home with one quick trip to the boat where Ben had a BALL! And Hailey got her first boat ride! She slept the whole time in Grandma's arms. Ben loved that he was allowed to scream as loud as he could! He loved playing in the cabin, too.

Hailey had her one month appointment this morning and is perfectly healthy. She weighs 9lbs 5oz. Her weight is in the 50%, and her length is in the 90%. Of course she's long!

She's getting very interactive. I swear today she is smiling just about every time I talk to her. She continues to be a good baby and Ben is loving it. His favorite line now is "She's so tiny! She's cute!" LOVE IT!

Ok, going to pack. Enjoy the videos. I swear, everyone was safe!

Hailey Slideshow

Slideshow for you!