You. Me. And The Short Ones.

My Boys

2012-02-09T13:39:00.001-05:00

Well that was polite

2012-02-08T09:12:00.000-05:00

I've started setting Erin's bowl of cereal out on the table the night before with a cup of milk in the fridge so that she can get her breakfast without having to get me up if Noah and Luke are still sleeping. I'm trying to buy a few extra minutes, and some mornings it pays off.

A few bits of background: 1. my kids LOVE bananas 2. Noah says "thank you" quite often after you give him something 3. he now says "Erin" (sounds like eh-in) 4. and I haven't ever heard him put two words together.

So this morning after Erin eats her cereal (I'm still sleeping and Sean is getting ready for work), she takes a banana upstairs to share with Noah, who is still hanging out in his crib. I find this out when I went upstairs to get Noah. The evidence - the peel - is on her bed. No big deal, it was nice of her to think of him and share.

So I'm changing his diaper and I say "so Erin shared a banana with you?" As soon as I said that, Erin walked in the room and Noah says "Erin, thank you."

Such a polite first sentence!

2012-02-06T16:22:00.000-05:00

To Bed, I Said

2012-02-01T20:33:00.000-05:00

Luke is falling into a nice little daily routine, which is now including a real bedtime! For about a week now, he goes to bed sometime around 7/7:30, eats once or twice overnight and then again in the early morning (between 4 and 6am), and then is awake for the day around 7:30. 12 hours of nighttime sleep at 2 months isn't bad!

His naps still need some work, but that should fall into place in the next several weeks. Currently, he takes about 4 naps (sometimes 5) throughout the day. Most of them are short - 30 to 45 minutes. Rarely they'll last 2 to 3 hours. But in between sleeping, he takes 7 bottles a day and also sits around looking cute. Not a bad life right now.

Usually it's just one at a time, but sometimes....

2012-01-25T11:25:00.000-05:00

And you have to laugh, or you'll just cry right along with 'em.

Noah's version of Ring Around the Rosie

2012-01-24T16:58:00.002-05:00

While spinning around slowly:

Aaaaa-she
Aaaaa-she
Aaaaa-she
DOW!!! (while falling on your butt in great amusement)

2 months and a day

2012-01-24T12:56:00.000-05:00

2 months

2012-01-23T20:05:00.000-05:00

Oh man! I missed my chance for a photo of him today. I totally forgot. I guess that's what happens to you when you're the third child.

Luke is 12 pounds 2 oz and a little over 22 inches tall. The doctor says he's doing great.

I haven't written much about my experiences breastfeeding him, but unfortunately he's on formula now. It's a long complicated story of pain and misery (for me, not him) and I'm not sure that I want to bore anyone with the details. The short, short version:

Part 1: 2 weeks of pain and soreness from adjusting to nursing again
Part 2: Candida (yeast) infection - sharp, burning pain while nursing
(prescription cream doesn't budge yeast, decide to switch to formula)
Part 3: Mastitis (breast infection) - can't nurse b/c it's unbearably painful; red, swollen breast tissue about the size of my cell phone; antibiotics are slowly getting rid of it now.

Oh what fun the past 9 weeks have been.

But seriously, aside from our breastfeeding issues, he's a pretty good son :)

Twins born 18 months apart

2012-01-19T21:09:00.000-05:00

Since Luke was born, we've thought that he looks just like Noah as a newborn. I've searched a couple times to find a photo of each of them that shows their resemblance. I came across these two tonight that I just can't get over how much they look the same...I mean, you could probably convince a lot of people that this was the same baby. Holy cow.

This is both of them right around 3 weeks old. Noah is on the left, Luke is on the right.

E • N • L

2012-01-19T21:03:00.002-05:00

Erin:

Erin is becoming a backseat driver. She points out all the stop signs and wants us to stop at ALL of them, even if they aren't for us. She pays attention to the stop lights and tells me when I need to stop and go. She comments on when there's a lot of cars around and when I mumble something under my breath at another driver, she wants to know who I was talking to and what they did. It doesn't bother me. I'm glad she's being so observant.

We've always gone through time periods where Erin will wake up in the middle of the night and come out of her room. Or she'll wake up at 5 or 5:30 and come out to start the day. For a while now, I've been teaching her how to read the clock. We decided to put a digital clock in her room and told her she can only come out in the morning when the first number is a 6 or 7. If it's anything else, she needs to go back to sleep. For two mornings now it has worked! Hopefully it will keep up.

Noah:

Noah's vocabulary is growing like crazy. He's picking up new words all the time. Some are accurate (or at least could be understood in context), but some are his version of the word that only we would know what he's referring to. Our favorite right now is his word for banana. He basically just sticks his tongue out and moves it back and forth across his lips while making a "la" sound. I also like "nuck" for milk.

We also have suspicion that his milk and egg allergies have gone away. Over Christmas he was accidentally (by me) given a dish with egg and milk in it. He didn't have an eczema reaction, so, with our doctor's permission, we are giving him small amounts of milk to see if he reacts. So far nothing. Next we'll try eggs.

Luke:

Two months on Monday. Growing like a weed. He's somewhere in the 11 pound range. He's doing very well...

Ok, I've been working (and interrupted) on this post all day. I hate to cut Luke's short, but I'm tired and just ready to post it already. I hope to put up more on Monday when Luke's 2 months old...at least a picture anyway.

Goodnight.

I think they like him

2012-01-18T17:09:00.004-05:00

Gettin' Bigger

2012-01-06T15:26:00.002-05:00

Half way there

2012-01-03T21:08:00.003-05:00

I try not to let a week go by without blogging. But really, our lives are not very exciting and blogable right now. When a newborn is around, life slows to a crawl. You don't do much except feed 'em, change 'em and sleep 'em. And in the meantime I'm trying to tend to my other two kids' needs as well.

The days seem to be just rolling by, but without much happening. I'm looking forward to Luke being 3 months or older, when I can get around with him more easily. Drop Erin and Noah off at preschool and then go run some errands. Or take him to the library's baby storytime. Just get out of the house in general without having to worry about him crying at any given time, or needing to nap because he's been awake for an hour.

In our experience with our other two kids, we noticed that after 3 months, life with the baby gets much easier. You have a baby who is on a schedule instead of an unpredictable newborn. I'm just patiently waiting for the day...and we're half way there already (he's 6 weeks tomorrow!).

Noah's words

2011-12-27T20:55:00.002-05:00

He has a few more words than this - ones I couldn't remember as well as anything food related (I couldn't mention "milk" or "snack" without him heading straight for the refrigerator).

Christmas '11

2011-12-26T22:11:00.001-05:00

Had a great Christmas. My parents spent the weekend at our house, and Brian and Nicole came down on Sunday. It went by way too fast. We had fun cooking, playing with the kids and even watching some home movies from when Brian and I were little.

Here are some pictures from the weekend.

Playin' Outside on Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T11:13:00.000-05:00

One month

2011-12-23T18:35:00.001-05:00

Doing okay

2011-12-16T13:40:00.000-05:00

Looks like we have made it to Friday. I survived my week alone with the kids...and we're all still alive!

Our days have actually fallen into a general routine, which I didn't think would happen with a newborn in the mix. Luke has a pretty predictable feeding/sleeping schedule, which the other two didn't have this early on. It makes things easier, except that he usually needs to be fed just as I'm getting the kids home from school and needing to get their lunches together. And then his next feeding is usually about the time Noah gets up from his nap and needs a snack. So the timing sometimes has one of them waiting and crying.

I have two favorite parts of the day. One is around 1pm when Noah is down for his nap, Luke is asleep in the moby wrap, and Erin is watching Diego. This means that the house is quiet...no one is crying, asking for water, fighting over a toy, needing a diaper change, or making a mess. I get some peace and to do whatever I want.

My other favorite part of the day is around 8pm. Erin and Noah are in bed, Sean has Luke, and the house is quiet again. I get to take my shower, have a snack, write some emails, and have some time away from the little people (although now, Luke is starting the evening fussiness that most go through around this age, so it's not so quiet).

Well, school's out now, so I get Sean home for 2 weeks and I don't have to worry about shuttling the kids back and forth to school. So it should be a little more relaxed. And in January - when school's back in - Luke will be that much older and hopefully having an even more predicable routine and getting easier to manage. We just have to get past these newborn days.

Mmmm, black bean soup

2011-12-16T13:30:00.000-05:00

Hangin' out with little brother

2011-12-10T15:42:00.001-05:00

(Shaggy-head got a haircut today)

On our own

2011-12-09T16:17:00.001-05:00

I have been very lucky to have had help from family after each of my kids have been born. This time it has made a huge difference since Sean needed to go back to teaching when Luke was only 5 days old (the other two were born during summer break). Taking care of a newborn is full time work, but so is taking care of Erin and Noah. So having my mom and then my mother in-law around for the first two weeks has been wonderful.

But as of this afternoon, we're on our own. I'll have Sean this weekend, but Monday it'll just be me and the three of them. My dreading that has died down a little as Luke has gotten into a tiny bit of a routine. I'm sure someone will often be crying and waiting for something, but I think we'll all survive.

And if we can get through next week, then school is out for Sean and the kids. So it'll get easier again for a couple of weeks.

2 weeks

2011-12-07T20:30:00.000-05:00

A year and a half with my little boy

2011-12-04T12:11:00.001-05:00

With all the focus being on Luke right now, I almost forgot that Noah is 18 months old today. Considering all the changes going on, he's doing pretty well. He has his fussy moments, which could be the new baby around...or just that he's a toddler.

His interaction with his new brother has stayed about the same. He'll occasionally go over to him and smile and point and say "baby." Sometimes he wants to take a peek at him while he's sleeping or eating, but mostly he leaves him alone. Which is good for now, I guess.

Noah's words are coming along. He says "thank you" every time you give him something. Other new words are: more, bib, bowl, shoe and milk. I'm still waiting for things to pick up a little faster, but he's setting his own pace I guess.

Happy 18 month birthday, Noah...

7 days old

2011-11-30T16:52:00.001-05:00

The first week

2011-11-29T20:24:00.001-05:00

Things are going pretty well with Luke so far. He's relatively an easy newborn, just like his brother was. We're tired, but not completely sleep deprived. And actually, the past two nights have gone very well. He has slept most of the way through, except for feeding of course. He's been napping a lot during the day, but today he was awake quite a bit, so I'm hoping he'll sleep all night again.

My biggest complaint about him is that most of the time he has to be held while he sleeps (his other siblings had this problem too). Occasionally, he'll let us put him down, but mostly he'll wake up and cry if we make an attempt. Kind of annoying. But overall, he's a good baby. Sleeps a lot and eats well.

My mom is still here helping out and on Thursday my in-laws are coming to take the second shift. So I'll have another week of help. It makes a huge difference having someone here to take care of Erin and Noah, especially since I'm not supposed to be picking up Noah for a few weeks. Also, because most of the time I have a baby in my arms.

I do miss giving my older two my undivided attention. But I know that the newborn stage doesn't last long, and soon it will get much better and easier, and they'll get their mom back. Erin seems to be doing fine with all of it. Noah isn't doing too bad either, but sometimes it's obvious he just wants his mom.

Can't believe Luke's a week old tomorrow already.

4 days in

2011-11-27T20:14:00.001-05:00

Photos from the past few days.

I was going to write, but it'll have to be another time. I've been sitting at my computer too long already, and it's only getting later into the evening. You never know what the night will be like. Time to go relax on the couch.

Welcome to the family, Luke

2011-11-23T19:14:00.001-05:00

Going 3 days past my due date, I was SO ready to have this baby. I'm glad, though, that labor started on it's own instead of having to be induced...even though it did start at 3am.

As Sean's post said earlier, that's when I woke up to contractions after my water (mildly) broke. They very quickly were close together and getting somewhat strong. I had no doubt it was time to get our butts to the hospital.

We checked in around 4:15 and got settled in our room. About 2 hours later I was ready to get the epidural. The pain level was rising quickly, no need to let them get too painful if I had already decided to get the drugs. Unfortunately, it took 3 attempts to get it in right (the first time it was too close to a vein, etc. etc.). So a painful hour later, I finally didn't have to feel the contractions anymore.

Or so I thought. After a couple hours, I was starting to feel pressure with each contraction, which eventually turned slightly painful. About a 3 on a 1 to 10 scale. By the time the anesthesiologist came in to up my dose - 40 minutes later - I was feeling some serious, serious pain with the contractions that were 1 to 2 minutes apart. I'd give it a 15 on a scale of 1 to 10. Ouch that hurt. Really, really badly.

But the drugs kicked back in and I was good to go for the rest of the time. It took until around 11:30 or so for it to be time to push. After everything was set to go, I gave it three good pushes through one contraction and he came out at 11:44.

Since being born, he has mostly been sleeping. He's eaten a few times and been disturbed with needles, being checked over, and being given a bath. I'd say his first 8 hours in the outside world haven't been too bad (wow, has it been 8 hours already?).

My mom brought the kids to see Luke around 4:30. Erin was squealing and very excited to see her new brother. Noah had a blank expression and didn't really know what to think. I'm sure it won't take him long to warm up to him. In about a year, they are going to be a duo of trouble.

**

So that's it. I've had dinner and a wonderful hot shower. It was good to get out of those hospital clothes. Luke is sleeping peacefully in his bassinet and I just saw that Sean has fallen asleep on the pull-out futon. Guess I should get some rest soon. Hope it's a quiet night.

I'll get a bunch more photos up when I get home. We should be able to leave tomorrow afternoon if all goes well.

Presenting Lucas Charles

2011-11-23T13:24:00.001-05:00

11:44am

7 lb 6 oz

Nine Forty-Five

2011-11-23T09:45:00.001-05:00

I forget how odd this time is. Not boring, but open and uncertain, just waiting. Waiting. She's at 8cm now. We watched a Baby Story and now Dr.Phil's on.

Eight o'clock Update

2011-11-23T07:55:00.001-05:00

Epidural's in, on the third attempt. Cheryl's looking much more relaxed now, though she's still hankerin' for a hamburger. Maybe he'll be here by lunch and she'll get her wish.

Also, he pooped already.

So Much for the Induction

2011-11-23T05:11:00.001-05:00

Well, here we go again. Woke up around 3:15 with some contractions that were stronger than all the fake ones from the past few days. Getting to the hospital was an almost absurdly calm affair. Our life would make a lousy sit-com.

Cheryl's been vampired and is getting an i.v. now. The contractions are still about 5 minutes apart, but they're getting more and more painful.

I suppose Erin and Noah will be waking Grandma C up any time now.

We'll keep the updates coming, of course.

Your hours are numbered....

2011-11-21T09:52:00.001-05:00

Well, the due date came and went. No kid yet.

Just got back from seeing my doctor. I'm at 3cm, so really at any time things could get a jump start.

My doctor had told me that she'd let me go a week late. So at today's appointment, I was ready to set up an induction for Friday. But I found out she'll be out of town Friday - Sunday. So we either had to schedule it for earlier this week or wait until next Monday (if I want my doctor to deliver, which I do). I know I would probably have him before Monday, but the thought of possibly having to wait that long is just too much. He's had his 9 months in there and now he needs his eviction notice.

So after calling Sean, we decided to induce on Wednesday. We'll go in at 11:30am after having (hopefully) a full night of sleep and a leisurely morning with the kids.

Now we know...at most 48 hours until labor starts. And a few hours after that he'll be here. Can't wait.

The sequel you might not have seen yet

2011-11-20T12:42:00.001-05:00

According to Erin, Toy Story 7 is called "Buzz Gets Tickled."

When will you make your appearance, Little One?

2011-11-19T21:24:00.001-05:00

It's been a pretty quiet week as we're approaching the big Due Date. I've been enjoying these last few days of being newborn free. Getting a full nights sleep...taking naps...not being exhausted...I know this time is quickly slipping away and very soon - for the third time - we'll be at the mercy of a 7 pound infant.

I've been having some mild contractions this evening. About 5 or 6 during the past 4 1/2 hours. Nothing to get too excited about...but enough to make sure we have everything ready to go if it is time. Since I had a false alarm night with Noah, I'm a little more cautious about jumping to conclusions that it's the real thing. I'll believe it when the contractions really start hurting and getting very close together.

But regardless (unless he pops out in the next 2 1/2 hours) he will have a November 20-something birthday. I see my doctor again on Monday, and if I actually do make it to that appointment, then we'll schedule an induction for later in the week. She said she'll only let me go a week late, and if she lets me pick the day then we'll go with Friday. So at the latest, he'll be here by then. But lets hope it won't take that long...

There goes another one...maybe it will be tonight after all.

(Sunday morning: no baby)

Come on out, baby brother. I wanna play with you.

2011-11-15T14:20:00.001-05:00

Ready to move on

2011-11-11T09:05:00.001-05:00

Kids got up at 5:15 this morning. The latest they've slept all week. Maybe eventually they'll get back up to 6 or 6:30. Maybe.

(update: this morning (Sunday) they slept until 6:45!!!!)

**

9 days till the due date. So really, any day now. Just waiting. Bags are packed.

The kid is hanging pretty low and feels so heavy when I walk. I only have about 2 maternity shirts that still fit because my low-riding belly pokes out of the bottom of the rest. And I'm not even that big...I only gained 15 pounds with this one (as I did with Noah too).

**

Noah's word count is coming along slowly. He's advancing much faster in his motor skills than in his verbal skills (he can drink out of a cup without spilling and he can climb from the floor into a seated position in his high chair if the tray is off...what a little monkey).

But here are his current words: dada, mama, bye, fish, juice, uh-oh, water, ball, sock, and duck. He can do the animal sounds for a cat, dog and duck.

He communicates perfectly well with pointing, gestures, facial expressions and grunts/noises. So I think he doesn't feel very motivated to speak just yet. But that's okay, he's getting there. Maybe Erin does enough talking for him.

I didn't expect to be awake at 4:40am until the baby came

2011-11-08T08:20:00.000-05:00

I never had a problem with the time change until having kids. But what a pain it is. Before this weekend, they would both get up anywhere between 6 and 7am. On a rare occasion it would be a little before 6.

This morning around 4:40 I was woken up by Erin talking on the monitor. I went upstairs to find their light on, she was reading a book out loud and Noah was standing wide awake in his crib.

I put them both down in their beds, turned the light out and left. Noah cried for a few minutes, got quiet for a bit, and then started babbling...wide awake. Around 5, Erin came down and asked for her nighttime diaper to be taken off. I tried to get her to go back to sleep in our bed, but ultimately neither kid went back to sleep after waking up at 4:40. And of course I didn't either.

Whose idea was the time change anyway?

37 and a half weeks

2011-11-02T20:55:00.000-04:00

There is no doubt that we are getting to the very final days left in the pregnancy. Not only are there 18 days left until my due date, but...

he's majorly cramped in there and squirming like he just can't get comfortable
I have to be helped off the couch (or roll off if I'm by myself)
I can't comfortably sit at a 90 degree angle
my heartburn is worse
my other two kids can't sit on my lap because there's no room
most of my maternity shirts don't fit anymore
the Braxton Hicks contractions (practice contractions) are more frequent and intense
at my doctor check-up this morning, she said I was 1.5 cm dilated, so we're on the way soon!

I've been telling Erin that her new baby brother will be here in a couple of weeks. This morning, she asked me if he was going to break my belly. I said no. And then she asked if I was going to open my belly to let him out. I said no again, but really couldn't find the words to give her the correct answer. Isn't parenting fun?

Trick or Treating

2011-10-31T22:13:00.000-04:00

Photos from Trick or Treating

Video from the day

This Halloween was the first time we've taken the kids around the neighborhood. I think they had a great time, although I think Noah was pretty unsure about it all. He did well though, following Erin's example.

After going to several houses up and down our street, we sat next door with our neighbors, Amber and Michael, in their garage and gave out candy while eating the yummy chili they made. Our street was busy with a steady stream of people and Erin just loved her job of handing out the candy. When we had a lull in customers, she would go out into the yard and buzz around like a bee. I think Amber and Michael were very amused to watch our daughter's sugar high. For a little clip of that, watch the video linked above.

We got her settled down and to bed only about 45 minutes past her regular bedtime. She's very excited about the candy she got tonight. I think I even heard her say the words "I love candy." She never eats this stuff, so it's a rare treat. And of course Noah won't get any of his...we are such depriving parents :).

Overall, a successful and fun Halloween.

Who knew such a great picture could come out of the bathroom

2011-10-28T13:41:00.000-04:00

Allow me to brag a little

2011-10-28T13:39:00.001-04:00

As I was in the pick-up line getting the kids today, I had Noah in his seat already and I was buckling in Erin.

A lady - who I have seen one other time...not a teacher, maybe a helper - peaked her head in to wave bye to Noah. She said how precious he was and that he came and gave her a kiss today. I said yeah, that he was a pretty affectionate little guy.

Then she whispered, like it was a secret: "Elizabeth (Noah's teacher) told me that he was one of her favorites."

As a mom, you always hope you have one of the good ones :)

Really, really soon

2011-10-27T10:50:00.001-04:00

I've had it on my to-do list for a little while to start packing the hospital bags. The one for the baby is easy, can be done anytime. And the one for me can have some stuff packed ahead of time, and then a list of things to go in last minute (things I use everyday). But I've been putting it off, maybe because packing this stuff up forces me to realize how soon this day is approaching.

I just got finished packing the baby's bag. Not as painful as I thought...only took 10 minutes. There was actually very little to bring for him. And looking at the newborn clothes very quickly brings back the memories of my first two being newborns. They are just so small and helpless.

A little over 3 weeks left until my due date. I think I've crossed over from the holy cow, slow down, I'm not ready...to lets just get this over with. His birth day will be here within the next few weeks and I'm ready to move on and adjust to life with 3 kids

Playin' on a Friday

2011-10-21T16:35:00.000-04:00

This past week

2011-10-16T21:21:00.001-04:00

Just finished up a wonderful week/weekend. Sean and I had our little cabin mountain get-away from Wednesday until Friday afternoon. It rained a little bit on Thursday, so we didn't get to do quite as much naturey stuff as we wanted to. But Friday morning we rented a pedal boat and went out on the lake, which was beautiful and peaceful. Overall a great trip and just enough quiet time to get us recharged and back to reality.

Sean's parents were here taking care of the kids (thanks again!)...a challenging job to do with a stubborn 3 year old who won't listen to you and a 16 month old who is testing out the ways of the world. But they did a great job and everyone survived!

On Saturday Alex and Kara came down to visit and hang out (Sean's brother and his girlfriend for those who don't know). They brought their two big dogs, which the kids had both love and fear of. It was great to visit with everyone, and I assume the next time we see them it will be to introduce the new little one.

**

Speaking of him, only about 5 weeks left, plus or minus. I'm quickly getting to the stage where I can't wait to not be pregnant anymore. I'm ready for the heartburn to go away, my full bladder capacity to come back and to not have a belly that sticks out way too far. Also, he's a strong little guy and his kicks can borderline painful. Lately he's been pushing against my hip bone, I think with his head.

I've had it in mind to get another belly photo on here. I think it's been a while. Guess I better hurry up before I lose my chance.

Hiking in Jones Gap State Park

2011-10-10T11:32:00.000-04:00

Erin's aspirations

2011-10-07T13:46:00.001-04:00

In Erin's class this week, the theme was community helpers. They were visited by a policeman where they got to get in the police car, and also by a garbage man with the garbage truck.

This morning while Erin was eating her Cheerios, she tells me she can be anything she wants to be...a chef, a mommy, a daddy, a man, or a policeman.

I sure hope she doesn't choose to be a man when she grows up... :)

Uh-oh

2011-10-02T21:46:00.000-04:00

Noah started saying "uh-oh" today. He said it several times once he saw the reaction he was getting from us. He's been slow getting on the ball with his words, so we are excited to see some progress.

So far, here are the words he's used:

mama
dada
bye
juice
this
fish (sounds like "ish" or "dish")
bread (he's just saying "ba" but it was obviously directed towards the bread he was eating)
uh-oh

I think that's about it. So maybe with some super encouragement from us it will get him saying more. I'm ready for the boy to get verbal.

A Good Morning

2011-09-28T16:41:00.001-04:00

Erin and I had a really good morning together, which we hardly ever get time just the two of us. She got to skip school today because she had her first dentist appointment.

We dropped Noah off at school and went to a couple stores in search of a few winter clothes items for her. All I ended up finding was a pair of shoes and some socks. Still need to find some pants (she's falling into the gap of being between toddler and girl sizes).

Next was a stop at Cambridge Park which has an awesome playground. It was deserted, so her and I got to enjoy our snacks and playing all by ourselves. Unfortunately, all the playground equipment was wet. But we had a good time.

Then it was off to the dentist. She was excited about going, even though she had no clue what it was all about. But she did great. She allowed her teeth to be cleaned and for the dentist to look at her teeth for a minute. She didn't speak a word or crack a smile, but she was very cooperative. Exactly how I thought she'd be.

When we were done, we had a little extra time before needing to get Noah, so I took her for a reward for doing so great at the dentist. We shared a strawberry shake at Dairy Queen.

I wish we had more one on one time like this, especially since she's so well behaved without her brother around :)

Seems like yesterday...

2011-09-23T16:20:00.002-04:00

Since Noah started preschool, he was forced into getting rid of his morning nap (which wasn't too difficult). So now he's sleeping in the afternoon for 2 1/2 to 3 hours!

During most of his first year of life he drove me crazy with his 30 minute naps. Then for a while I was getting an hour to an hour and a half out of him. But to regularly get up to 3 hours is amazing!

**

This morning I took a tour of the birthing center at the hospital. I just wanted to be familiar with where to go when it's time and to have a few minor questions answered.

Since I've had my hospital stay two times now - one only being a mere 15 months ago - it all came back like it was just yesterday. Even the small details of the things you want to forget (the things that make you wonder why you're doing this yet again).

In addition to seeing the hospital today, two friends of mine have delivered their sons this week. And looking at their photos on facebook is making me look forward to meeting mine. They are so tiny and sleepy...looking like old wrinkly men.

Only 2 short months to go...

Good Things

2011-09-19T11:08:00.000-04:00

1. I just got a much needed replacement pair of maternity jeans on sale for $15!

2. I passed my sugar test.

3. It's starting to feel like fall.

4. Noah finally has his appointment tomorrow at the pediatrician's office to discuss his allergies (and I might learn nothing except that we need to take him to an allergist).

5. Noah is doing a TON better at preschool (he was not happy for the first 4 weeks). He doesn't even cry anymore when I drop him off. This is a big relief.

6. In 3 1/2 weeks Sean and I are having a little cabin/mountain get-away before baby #3 arrives. No kids for 2 days...woohoo!!

My Monkeys

2011-09-17T09:12:00.001-04:00

30 weeks down, 10 to go

2011-09-14T08:31:00.001-04:00

So we're 30 weeks in. Only 10 more to go. Once you hit the thirties, time just seems to speed up and then you've got this newborn. I'm not ready yet...

I had my sugar test last week (testing for gestational diabetes) and I didn't pass. So I have to go back this morning for an extended test. With Erin I failed the first and passed the second. So lets hope that happens again. The worst part of these tests is that you can't eat beforehand. Asking a pregnant woman to not eat for several hours is quite cruel.

Daddy, pick us up!

2011-09-14T07:11:00.000-04:00

It's about time

2011-09-06T20:22:00.000-04:00

We've been waiting on Noah to get around to an official first word. I think he finally said it today. Up until now, here has been his entire verbal communication:

- Dada
- Mama (which can also refer to Grandma or llama)
- Making a cat or lion sound
- Over this past weekend he said "this" pointing to my mom's watch (I guess that could count as his first word, but kind of a strange one, so I'm going with the one below)

So this morning Erin asked for some apple juice. I gave them both sippy cups so they wouldn't fight over it. Noah goes into the playroom and sits at their little table. Without me saying anything to him, he points at it and clearly says "juice." I got him to say it a couple more times and later in the day I got out the camera to see if I could get it recorded. And here it is:

Grillin' Out

2011-09-05T16:19:00.000-04:00

Finally some rain here in Greenwood. It's been so dry that it seems strange to see rain outside. But the house is quiet (kids are both napping) and some dinner's cookin' in the oven. I also got myself a little nap. Good day...

We had a Labor Day cookout at our house yesterday. We had over my parents, Brian and Nicole and a few other extended relatives. It was our first big gathering since we moved into the house. Sean and I love to host stuff like that, so it was good to finally break in the new house. Food was great, company was great.

It's also fun to eat all the leftovers :)

First attempt...not an award winner

2011-09-01T08:14:00.000-04:00

For a while we've been wanting to start making our own bread. We were given a bread maker by our friends Chris and Katie. So I tried our first batch yesterday. Didn't quite work out.

It was totally edible (quite good, actually), but it should be about twice as tall and more light and fluffy inside. Looks like I'll have to do a little tweaking.

Not a big fan

2011-08-30T14:14:00.000-04:00

By far, my least favorite pregnancy symptom is leg cramps. I've had them occasionally with each pregnancy, and they are rough. It's no fun to have a tennis ball size knot in your calf for about 20 seconds at 4am.

Noah the Spoon Master

2011-08-29T13:36:00.000-04:00

Noah has gotten more and more insistent that he feed himself. Erin didn't master the spoon until around 18 months, but I think that had a lot to do with me not wanting to let go of control...and having to clean up more mess. But Noah has shown a big interest (he's quite demanding about it actually) in using a spoon. I just can't believe how good he is at it so quickly.

One problem, though, is that a month or two ago he started refusing to wear a bib. I tried to make him wear one this morning while he ate his oatmeal by himself, and he just screamed and pulled at it until I took it off. So he ate shirtless. Not a huge deal, I guess. But I see saucy meals getting messy fast.

Today I got him the plate/spoon/fork set that's in the above photos (they only had the hot pink). The suction cup on the bottom of the plate is useless, but the curved edge helps him get food on the spoon. And the spoon is very easy for him to grasp. So I suppose it was worth the $7.

I'm glad he's learning this skill now, so that when the baby is born, he can have a plate of food set in front of him and just let him go at it!

Eatin' with a Spoon

2011-08-25T17:51:00.000-04:00

Moms can do anything, even have converstions in their sleep

2011-08-24T08:01:00.001-04:00

The past few mornings, when Erin comes out of her room, she's been yelling down to me "Mom, I'm awake." Yesterday's conversation made me laugh:

Erin: "Mom, I'm awake."

Me: "Ok."

Erin: "Oh, and good morning."

Me: "Good morning."

Erin: "Mom. Are you awake?"

Yikes...Mop Much?

2011-08-23T11:23:00.000-04:00

After 2 months of living here, I'm finally getting around to REALLY cleaning the kitchen floor. This is what I've accomplished so far. This is a big job to do over several days while the kids are at school.

The previous owners had 3 kids and 2 dogs, which can definitely dirty up a house. But come on, ever heard of a Swiffer? Wow.

First Day at Mud Pies

2011-08-22T10:23:00.000-04:00

(These pictures were the best I could do. Couldn't get a good one of the two of them together)

The kids are about an hour and a half into their first day at preschool. I think the three of us were all a little uneasy about it this morning. Erin did fine, though. She didn't get upset. As I was leaving, the teacher was getting the kids around the table to do some coloring. The coloring sheet looked like it had different things on it to color "yellow." I think she'll do fine today.

Noah on the other hand, I'm not so sure. Once he figured out I was leaving, he wasn't a happy camper. But the teacher was very understanding and held Noah to show him some toys. She said she was about to take them to the gym to let them run around and then it would be snack time. I would hope at least food would make him happy. I think today (and even this week) will be rough for him, but I just have to keep reminding myself that he'll get used to it.

So for my freedom today? Went to the store for groceries. Now I'm at home writing this and I have a messy kitchen/house to work on. Don't think I'll get it done in the next hour and a half. Honestly, I can't wait to go pick them up. I miss my babies.

Off to School

2011-08-15T07:32:00.000-04:00

Today is Sean's first day at his new job at Lander. Classes don't start until September 1st, so for now it's just getting settled in, preparing for classes and meeting his coworkers. He took a load of stuff with him to start setting up his new office. He took us to see it the other day. It's a big office, but they just painted it sea green and there are no outside windows. Guess it can't be perfect.

I think he'll enjoy having structure back to his day. He doesn't do well over long summer breaks with nothing productive to do (although this summer he really only got about a month of "nothing to do").

Also, the kids start preschool next Monday. So we're all about to get into our new routines. And I get a little bit of peace and quiet all to myself each day :)

Erin and Noah

2011-08-14T21:46:00.000-04:00

Erin's other identities

2011-08-11T13:15:00.000-04:00

Lately, Erin has been making up names for herself and others. Most names come from Toy Story: Erin's name is Andy, Noah is Molly (the baby sister), and her 2 favorite dolls are now Buzz and Woody. Noah's other nickname that has stuck is Igee (pronounced eye-gee...no idea where this came from).

Every few days she'll tell me that her name is something different. They are getting more unusual. She's been "South Carolina," "Pinch Her Fingers," "Butt" and today she was "Poop on Hands." I'm glad she's not naming the baby...

Little Sea Monster #3

2011-08-09T14:10:00.000-04:00

When I was pregnant with Erin, I had my blog titled "Lil' Sea Monster" (or something like that) for awhile. And of course that was referring to the fact that you could just look at my belly and see hands and feet stretching and pushing about. It's about the weirdest thing to watch this baby move from the inside.

I'm at that point now with the third one that you can see the movement when he's being active. He seems to toss and turn quite a bit. Erin has felt and seen him move a couple of times, but hasn't seemed too impressed. I'm guessing she probably thinks it's a 6 out of 10 on a scale of coolness. Oh well, I still think it's pretty cool.

Poor Noah, though. He will be too young to know that a baby's coming until he sees him in the hospital. I suspect we might have more jealousy with him than we did with Erin. She was just over 2 years old and handled it better than I could have imagined. We still have the problem with her that she just smothers him with too many hugs and kisses. At least with another baby around, that smothering will be divided between the two of them, and Noah will get a little relief :).

14 Months

2011-08-04T12:05:00.001-04:00

Our growing boy is 14 months old today! I am constantly amazed at how much he can eat. It's just endless. I think he just had (or is having) a growth spurt. After being in 12 months clothes for several months, I am now having to change him out to more 18 month clothes. He seems taller too.

Here's a little bit about Noah right now:

Getting in two more bottom teeth (has 8 total now)
Can clap his hands and blow kisses
Waves bye
Will follow simple commands (go get your shoes, put the toy in the toy box...)
No official first word yet, still only saying "da da" and "ma ma"
Eating foods with a lot more textures (not much pureed foods anymore)
Is working towards one nap a day (he'll be forced to make that change once school starts)
Copies everything Erin does

I was wondering what I was going to put on that shelf...

2011-08-03T12:52:00.000-04:00

Communication

2011-07-28T08:35:00.001-04:00

Noah hasn't officially said his first word yet, but he's coming close. So far, he's still only saying "da da da..." and "ma ma ma..." But he's definitely communicating with these syllables.

Yesterday, Erin mentioned "Grandma" and Noah immediately started pointing to the front door and saying "ma ma ma ma." It was obvious he wanted to see Grandma. I wonder which one he was thinking about (maybe both?).

Also, he loves the book Llama, Llama, Red Pajama. We have a llama stuffed animal to go with it. Noah will pick up the book or the animal and say "ma ma ma ma."

In addition to these, he also waves bye while saying "ah." And he'll pick up Erin's lion stuffed animal and say "aaaahhhhhh."

Of course the old standard is to point to pretty much anything and say "da."

He's coming along, but not quite to a real first word yet. I wonder what it will be.

Our little Mud Pies

2011-07-27T13:28:00.000-04:00

As of late August, Erin and Noah will be going to Mud Pies preschool!

There are only a handful of preschools in Greenwood, and we visited two of them that had openings for this upcoming year. We decided on Mud Pies because we think they'll be learning a wider range of things (Spanish, sign language, cooking, etc.). The other one mostly does the alphabet with the 3 year old class, and of course Erin is way past that. So this will be more educational and challenging for her.

If it was up to Erin, she'd start going tomorrow. She's very excited about it and keeps asking us if she can go to school. But of course she's going to have to wait about 3 more weeks. For me, this means 3 hours a day of kid-free time for myself! Until late November, that is. And then it will be mommy-newborn time.

This is going to be good for all of us.

Noah is ready for colder weather

2011-07-25T10:47:00.000-04:00

Maternity

2011-07-23T10:35:00.000-04:00

I wish they made maternity clothes that wouldn't shrink over time. You can only where some shirts for so long before they become regular clothes (or could at least pass for regular clothes, but are certainly not big enough anymore to accommodate anything larger than a 6 month belly).

I have my first appointment this Wednesday with my new baby doctor. I picked her from the hospital's list...she was the only female in her own practice. She's new to town and pretty young (might be younger than me), so I hope I like going to her and that she knows what she's doing. As long as she doesn't drop my baby after delivery, I think we'll be fine.

Not much to report on the pregnancy. I guess I'm around 5 months now. Belly is slowly growing...trying to put on some weight. The movement is getting stronger and more often, but Sean still hasn't felt any kicks from the outside yet (actually, we haven't tried much to get him to feel anything...poor third kid doesn't get much attention...been there, done that).

Also, we have found that insurance companies don't like babies. We have a gap in our insurance coverage (the month of August) and we have found it impossible to get short-term coverage if you are pregnant (not only do the policies not cover any maternity care, but you can't even get the coverage at all if you are already pregnant). Luckily, the agent who got us our new auto and home insurance is going to hook me up with a plan that will take me - minus baby related stuff. So as long as the pregnancy continues to be uneventful, we'll be fine.

Okay, off to enjoy my quiet house...Noah is napping and Sean and Erin are in Charlotte helping Alex move. I don't have long, though. He'll be waking up soon...

Lost in Transition

2011-07-21T09:25:00.000-04:00

Almost 3 weeks here and still adjusting. We don't have our routines down yet and there are little things here and there to be doing with the house (things that aren't getting done). So we kind of feel like we're aimlessly walking around in circles.

Sean is starting to work some half days (he doesn't officially start his job until mid-August) so that will get a little routine back for him. I don't yet know what to do with the kids around here and I can't find any playgroups, so they aren't getting much social interaction. We have found a park/playground that we really like. Although with this crazy heat, we can't get there too often.

We're starting to think about preschool for the kids. We thought about just sending Erin, but then that still leaves Noah at home and doesn't give me a full break during that time (and of course he needs the time away around other kids too). And when the baby's here in November, it will be nice to have time alone with him without the other two needing my attention also. We're looking at 3 days a week (3 hours each day) which is enough but not too much. At this point, it's finding a place with openings for both kids and one that is affordable. So it's not a done deal just yet.

It'll be nice in a couple of months when we feel more settled and we all have our daily routines back.

Tour our new home!

2011-07-15T09:33:00.001-04:00

See the inside photos

What we've done the first two weeks

2011-07-15T07:51:00.002-04:00

We haven't just been buried under boxes. We've actually gotten to do a few fun things to get us starting to live in Greenwood.

Last weekend we took a trip to Lowes and got what we needed to start our garden. We're starting with tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and basil. Erin really enjoyed helping her dad.

That same day we went to Greenwood's Festival of Discovery. Mostly, it was a ton of bbq vendors, musical performances, and then the arts and crafts booths with stuff for sale. Our time was spent at the kiddie rides, which was Erin's first time on any type of amusement ride. She had a good time, but afterwards, the heat was getting to both kids so we just headed home after one small free sample of barbecue.

Our other venture out was last Sunday to Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia. We were invited by our friends Adam and Jen (they have two young kids). We tried to get out there early enough to beat the afternoon heat, but it did catch up to us. It was a good day trip, I think we all had a lot of fun.

The only other outings in town have been to stores and a couple of restaurants. Haven't found the fun kid places yet (are there any?). I have taken the kids to the only mall in town twice now. You can stand in the middle and see both ends. There are two restaurants in the food court and certainly no kid's play area (only 4 of those rides that cost like a dollar per ride...good thing Erin is just content sitting on them without making them go).

I'm sure it will take a while to feel settled and like this is home. But I think we've started.

I've missed you, Blog!

2011-07-12T21:00:00.000-04:00

FINALLY. We have internet at the new house. We were slackers before we left Knoxville and didn't have anything lined up. We got here only to find out that AT&T doesn't have internet service in Greenwood. So by the time we took a different route, it took until today to have it turned on and ready to go. So I'm back now!

I can't believe we've been here almost a week and a half already. We're getting settled nicely. The downstairs is just about all finished, leaving the kids rooms, Sean's office and the garage to finish up. I don't like to keep things sitting around in boxes, so I think it'll take just another week or two to be completely done (the nursery might be an exception since we have until November).

The kids have transitioned very well to the new house. Noah's behavior and routines didn't change, so I think he handled it well, and Erin hasn't even mentioned the old house or Knoxville. They are sharing a room, which so far hasn't been a problem. We are now putting them to bed at the same time and they've always woken up around the same time, which makes it easier too. And the occasional cry during the night doesn't disturb the other one.

I plan to go around and take some pictures of the house in the next week or so. I want to get just a little more progress/cleaning up done before doing that. But so far, things are going very smoothly.

Last Day...

2011-06-30T09:18:00.000-04:00

Plans have slightly changed and I am leaving with the kids tomorrow morning instead of on Saturday. We learned that the power company needs someone to be at the house to turn on the electricity and water. They also prefer the paperwork to be dropped off at their office before this is done. And since we need our utilities before Tuesday (they don't work weekends and Monday of course is a holiday), I have no choice but to get down there tomorrow.

I'll be scrounging today to finish up all packing and get the camry packed for me and the kids for Friday and Saturday (after the power is on, we'll go stay with my parents until the truck gets to the house). It's a doable task...especially with the Barnettes getting here in a few hours to help with the last minute stuff.

So this is it. We'll be taking off right after breakfast (which means we should be driving away around 7:30am). I'm not sure when our internet will be up and running at the new house, so this will probably be my last post until sometime later next week. But how exciting...we'll be at the new house! Finally.

Almost Gone

2011-06-28T13:15:00.000-04:00

Moving day is coming at us full speed. A little less than 4 days left in this house. It may just be a rental (that needs a lot of TLC) but it's our first house together as a married couple and it's where our first two kids were born. It will be sad to leave on Saturday.

I think I'm on track to be done with packing by Thursday. Friday will be saved for last minute things and taking stuff apart (beds, cribs, tables, porch swing, etc.). Taking 3 weeks to pack the whole house while being pregnant and having 2 kids to watch has proven to be a challenge. Constant interruptions and often getting tired out and working up quite an appetite. But it will be a great accomplishment when it's all done.

Mentally, I think I'm ready to get there. And I will certainly be ready to never seen another moving box...

Back from the Beach

2011-06-26T19:47:00.001-04:00

Digging for gold.

Got back from Myrtle Beach yesterday. It was a fun, yet tiring vacation. Erin wasn't so bad, but Noah was pretty high maintenance...needing his usual 2 naps per day and lots of food to keep him a happy boy (which he wasn't always happy). He also needed careful supervision in the resort as well as on the beach (he only ate sand a couple times...). But they both loved the beach and the pool, so I think they had a great time.

Yesterday we traveled the entire day to get home (the trip there was broken into two days since we stopped over at my parents' house before we all headed over to the coast). We left around 8:30/9ish and didn't get home until 9pm. The kids did surprisingly well, especially considering Noah usually doesn't do well to be up past his 7:00 bedtime. It was good to get home...

Here are some more of the photos that we took. We didn't take tons and tons of photos, only because I wanted to be enjoying the beach more than sitting behind the camera lens. But I think we got some good ones of the kids.

3 kids and a Mortgage

2011-06-16T19:26:00.000-04:00

Along with taking care of 2 kids, trying to eat enough to help the 3rd one grow, and packing up an entire house...we now own our own home!

In the year 2041, I will be 61, Sean will be 62, our kids will be 30, 31, and 33...and our house will paid for! :)

Found out a little early

2011-06-14T19:57:00.000-04:00

I thought we wouldn't find this out until 2 weeks from now. But at my appointment this morning, she asked if I wanted to take a sneak peak. So now we know...and it was quite obvious that it's a boy, no doubt...

When we asked Erin what we should name the baby boy, she said "Noah."

Boxes, Boxes Everywhere

2011-06-13T19:31:00.000-04:00

Packing is coming along pretty well. The dining room and Noah's room are starting to get swallowed up with boxes. And I even just noticed that I'm getting a blister on the bottom of my heal from all the walking around the house I'm doing. At least it's more exercise, I guess. I'm quickly getting to the point where I'm ready to be done with all this.

Today is Noah's first day without bottles. I had already dropped his 4pm bottle, so he was only down to the ones before each nap. But it's a strong part of the routine, so I was worried about how it would go. He cried a little before his morning nap, but he did fall asleep without having it. The other one went fine too. I think the boy will survive.

He had his soy milk with lunch today for the first time. He LOVED it. Couldn't get enough. In fact, was quite upset with me when lunchtime was over. I'm glad he's doing well with it. Erin took a little while to warm up to whole milk after months of formula.

Allergies

2011-06-11T12:56:00.000-04:00

A couple weeks ago Noah had a big flare up of his eczema, which I read could be caused by a food allergy. So when I took him for his one year check up, I asked the doctor about it. They drew some blood to test for any allergies.

We got the results today: cow's milk, eggs and most nuts including peanuts.

We're getting an EpiPen to carry around in case he gets exposed to something by accident. These 3 categories of food are everywhere, so it will be a challenge! Especially as much as toddlers like to grab anything and put it in their mouth (Erin's first exposure to peanuts was when she grabbed another kids peanut butter sandwich that was unattended).

I just hope he outgrows this...

The kids are helping me pack...

2011-06-09T11:52:00.002-04:00

2011-06-07T14:54:00.002-04:00

Time to get crackin'

2011-06-06T09:39:00.000-04:00

Only 4 weeks till the move, and one week of that will be in Myrtle Beach.

So....time to get serious about packing boxes!

365 Days of Noah

2011-06-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

Noah has already gotten a haircut and needs another.

He thinks it's funny when he sneezes.

He has gone from aimlessly waving his arms to sitting up to crawling to walking everywhere he goes.

He loves to watch videos on the computer and is fascinated by the TV screen.

He's not afraid to be held by strangers (strangers to him, not to us) and his favorite person is his sister.

He loves to eat and so far isn't very picky. He started bottles full time at 2 months (because of miscommunication) and has gone down from 6 bottles a day to 3, and now is transitioning to none.

Because of our diligent sleep training around 5 months, he can be put to bed without a peep and will sleep straight through the night for around 12 hours without ever needing his mommy. He wakes up a happy boy ready to start the day.

Naps on the other hand have been more of a challenge throughout this first year. I had many struggles with him in the beginning, and for several months he was my 30-minute napper. But for the past month or two, I have gotten my break. He consistently takes 2 naps a day at 1.5 to 2 hours per nap.

Teething has been much more of an issue with him than it was for Erin. His first tooth appeared right at 7 months and now he has 5 with another starting to poke through. You know when this boy is teething...cranky, cranky, cranky.

He is just now getting an interest in books. He loves 2 different picture books about color and also Llama Llama Red Pajama. He'll waddle up to you with a book in hand and sit in your lap. But his attention span is short, so you gotta read fast.

***

Noah, we love you very much and couldn't imagine this family without you. I can't wait to see the person you will become.

Happy Birthday!!!

Under the Sea

2011-06-03T21:38:00.001-04:00

(More photos from the aquarium)

I will write a little about this trip...but for now, it's late and we've had a long, tiring day. I'll update over the weekend sometime.

Off to Chatt

2011-06-03T07:23:00.000-04:00

We're taking a day trip to Chattanooga today. Should be fun. We're going to the TN Aquarium and then to Rock City or Ruby Falls (probably Ruby Falls).

Noah must have been excited to start the day today, since he woke up at 5:45...

What we didn't know 4 years ago

2011-06-02T07:07:00.000-04:00

We didn't know we'd have a 2 month old baby by our first anniversary. And by 4 years, we'd have a 3 year old, a 1 year old and another on the way.

We knew nothing of diapers, bottles, car seats, teething, being spit up on, peed and pooped on. We didn't know about true sleep deprivation (thanks, Erin) and how much you can appreciate sleeping through the night again. We didn't know just how many times a child can reread the same book or watch the same movie/show over and over again without getting tired of it. We didn't know just how messy a house can get with toys.

We didn't know that we end up moving back to Upstate SC after our time was up in Knoxville. And that we'd be buying our first home there.

Life was altered on November 23rd, 2005 (our dating anniversary) and has only gotten better since. Can't wait to see what lies ahead...

Happy Anniversary, Sean!

Water Babies

2011-05-29T20:09:00.001-04:00

Brought out the baby pool today. It was Noah's first time in a pool and he loved it. He especially loved going down the red slide (which he did about 50 times).

(More Photos)

The curse is lifted!

2011-05-24T09:55:00.001-04:00

I felt very good yesterday and perfectly normal today! I'm so relieved that it has gone away! That was not a fun 5 days.

**

Our little one will be a year old in 11 days....how did this happen? I'm most excited about dropping the bottles and formula!

**

Also, we're moving in 5 1/2 weeks! That time is going to fly by because we have lots going on in addition to packing up the house.

Next weekend is Noah's birthday and a day trip to Chattanooga (to visit the aquarium and the children's museum...Grandma and Grandpa B are going with us). The following weekend is our going away party (my playgroup is throwing it for us). The week after that is a trip to Myrtle Beach with my parents. Then we come back home for a week and move on July 2nd!

4 days

2011-05-22T14:56:00.000-04:00

My new mega-morning sickness continued strong over the last 4 days. It was pretty miserable. I've got Sean's mom here to help me with the kids since he is still in dissertation mode (the Big Defense is this Thursday). I'm not sure how long she'll be staying. I guess that's up to me and my tummy.

Today has seemed to ease up quite a bit and I'm feeling the same as I did prior to this past Wednesday (which means I get nauseated as I get hungry, which makes me not want to eat anything; I get full fast and therefore get hungry - and nauseated - not long after eating). But it's a little better than feeling sick from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed.

Around now is supposed to be when all the nausea goes away, for some it's at 16 weeks (I know for others it goes even longer...lets hope not). Right now I'm at 14. Two weeks seems like a long time....

NOT the most fun day

2011-05-18T22:22:00.000-04:00

By far, today was the worst day of morning (morning = all day) sickness I've had so far in this pregnancy. I'm looking forward to going to bed so that I can stop feeling so sick to my stomach. I even called Sean home a little early from work to give me a break from the kids (which I never do).

The nausea hasn't been that bad over the past 13 weeks. It's mostly associated with hunger, but today it was pretty constant. Hoping it was a one day thing.

And I'm in the second trimester now, why isn't it going away??

First time writing her name!

2011-05-17T22:05:00.002-04:00

Springtime

2011-05-17T10:43:00.001-04:00

More photos on Shutterfly

We'll know in 6 weeks

2011-05-16T10:23:00.000-04:00

Had a baby check up this morning. Everything is still looking great. Nothing really to report from the appointment. But in 6 weeks - June 29th - we'll find out if it's a boy or girl!

Following Noah

2011-05-15T15:52:00.001-04:00

He is walking all over the place!

It must be fun to think like a 3 year old

2011-05-12T12:40:00.000-04:00

I was telling Erin that when her dad gets home this afternoon, he might be tired because he hardly slept last night (finishing up the dissertation). I told her to be a good girl and be nice to him. Her response:

"Well sometimes we fart at Daddy."

More than we think

2011-05-11T08:58:00.000-04:00

It's hard to know just how much an older baby (11 months in my case) understands when we talk to him. How many words and phrases does his know?

I only know for certain that Noah understands these words: bottle, eat, bite, nap, time for bed, Noah, Erin, and Daddy's home. I know there is a lot more, but those are the only ones I know for certain.

But I learned a little more this morning.

It has become routine for us to have Disney's Oceans on in the background most mornings. About 10 minutes ago, I was checking my email and Noah walks up and hands me the remote (he has a fascination with remotes). I say to him, "do you want to watch Oceans?"

He grunts and looks at the TV (which was turned off). Now, I don't know if he understood "watch" or "Oceans" or both, but something was understood.

Just cool to see evidence of him understanding words beyond just his own name.