Eating on her own

One of the most technical skills a person learns in life is how to eat with silverware.

Hand, eye, AND mouth coordination? That's tough stuff.

Avery has adopted "double handing" the fork to get it to her mouth.

Which is really pretty creative. It's just a bummer when the food escapes.

And when that happens she usually cuts her losses, ditches the fork, and eats with her God given hands.

So, by multiple methods, her belly does get filled,

and we get a happy kid!

Baby Giggles

Alright, I'm coming out and admitting it.

I'm a sucker for baby laughs.

If there is a post on Facebook of a baby giggling, you better believe I stop everything I'm doing and watch it then and there.

I LOVE a good baby laugh! So here's the my little man at his finest.

 

Sleep Deprivation

As hinted earlier, life has been a bit hairy over here. I usually keep the less glamorous details to myself because who really wants to hear about how tired I am or how loud my babies can cry? But allow me to break tradition and share some of little tid bits to set the stage for a funny story.

For the last month Sawyer, on average, wakes up 3 times a night (last night it was 6 times.) Although this isn't my favorite, it actually is an improvement from Sawyer's 2 week refusal to sleep more than 30 minutes. To be honest, more hours of the day were spent with him crying than not. And listening to a crying baby will drain your energy (and intelligence...and good will towards men...) faster than anything else I know.

At the peak of sleep deprivation, I came down with mastitis (if you don't know what that is, count yourself blessed.) I recovered just in time to catch a stomach bug with Kyle and Avery that has left our bellies empty and our laundry basket full for the last week. Truly, I've NEVER been this exhausted in my life!

Okay, so here is where the story gets good...

There I was, laying in bed, half asleep at 11 o'clock on Thursday. Right before I was about to drift off into a slumberous bliss, I noticed a noise. I laid perfectly still, trying to place the sound. But no matter how hard I tried to recognize it, my sluggish brain was coming up with nothing.

That's when I nudged Kyle.

Me: "Kyle, wake up."
Kyle rolls over: "Hmmmmmmmmmm?"
Me: "No, wait, don't go back to sleep. I think I hear something."
Kyle: "Oh."
*Pause*

As you can tell, we don't move too quickly late at night.

Me: "Kyle, really, I hear something in our house."
Kyle: "Okay, what does it sound like."

*Another pause*

Me: "Well...it is a really rhythmic noise...kind of like marbles being rolled around in a bucket...I think it was coming from downstairs"

*Both of us stay silent for a minute listening*

Kyle: "I don't hear anything."
Me: "I guess I don't hear it now either."
*Another pause, both of us becoming a bit more alert*

Me: [Giggle] "Wait...I think I just figured out what it was...[giggle]...you are going to kill me for this..."
Kyle: "Alright, what?"
Me: "I think the reason we aren't hearing it anymore is because...well...because...I think it was your snoring...."
Kyle busts up laughing. "And that's why we don't hear anything now? Because I'm awake?"
Me: "I swear it was really scary!"

And that, ladies and gentelmen, is what I've been reduced down to. A woman that is so crazed by lack of sleep that she wakes her husband up to let him know his snoring sounds like marbles.

Little Kids are Amazing

How is it possible to be this sweet while in the tub,

this cute once you are out of the tub (and begging to get back in,)

this excited when you see your beloved sleeping buddy (we have gotten our mileage out of this monkey blanket,)

and this peaceful when you fall asleep?

I tell you, little kids are simply amazing.

A side of reality

News Flash: Having two little kids really is twice the work.

I know, it should be no surprise and I knew (or at least thought I knew) it would be tough at times. But truth be told, having both of my little ones has been a shock to my system.

They are both wonderful, but toddlers are just really, really, REALLY busy and opinionated. Add to the fact that newborns really, really, REALLY do cry and go on sleep strikes, and all of sudden the simplest of tasks become near impossible.

I have given up on daily showers. I have given up on leaving the house. I have given up on making phone calls. I have given up on sleeping through the night. I have given up on eating at a normal hour. And I have very nearly given up on going to the bathroom anytime before Kyle gets home. ;)

Of course all of these sacrifices are worth it. There are still lots of good moments (as evidenced all over this blog) and I laugh daily at how goofy and awesome my kiddos are. I am so grateful they are mine. But I am also human. So on the days that my children are screaming, and my stomach is empty, and my bladder is full, and my head is throbbing, and my heart is lonely for adult interaction, it is very likely that my tears are flowing as well.

To put it succinctly, I feel like a brand new mom again. Sure the spit up on my shoulder, the drool on my pants, the 3 day old makeup on my face, and the rapidly growing laundry pile on my floor don't faze me like they did the first time around. What's throwing me is managing a toddler AND a newborn with all their individual needs. And what's dawning on me is that I'll become a new mom all over again when (although "if" is tempting at times) another one joins our family.

So, yes, I am far from having this parenting two kids thing down. But rest assured, I haven't given up hope.

Double Jogger Stroller

What do you do when you have double the kids?

You double the stroller!

That's right, this is what I'm sporting when I take the kids for a walk nowadays.

I know...it's Big! I haven't braved a run with it yet. Something about it being winter, coordinating the two kiddos schedules, and having an out of shape body has kept me from it.

But it will happen! I made sure of that when Kyle and I are signed up for another half marathon in May (we get to run on the Indianapolis Speedway for part of it!) And getting this stroller was the first step in our training.

I know, it sounds crazy. And honestly, it is crazy. I just hope it's one of those "haha...the memories" kind of crazy and not the "this is completely impossible" kind. :)

Only time will tell.

Rolling Over

That's right. He did it.



I was shocked when it happened last Friday. Sawyer is not a fan of being on the floor (he screams like the world is about to end if he is left on his back) so I thought rolling was a ways off.

But I guess he was sick of drooling on his hand so he had to do something about it!

Seriously, I really do have the drooliest kids known to man. Fortunately they are the cutest kids known to man as well.

Next up: walking! :)

Nephews

Having nephews is great. I have six right now, and I love them all!

I get to show off my pointy tongue,

and act silly around them.

Kyle gets to run around with them,

and act goofy.

Basically nephews are a win no matter how you look at it.

Competition

Kyle and I enjoy competition. Particularly against each other. We take bets on when packages will arrive at the house, we see who can reach home the fastest when we are in separate cars, and have even played the same board game over and over again until the loser becomes the winner. 

So our natural reaction when we see a running track is to see who can run around it the fastest. 

 

It's all in good fun, and I think it would be pretty awesome if our kids had a little competive streak in them.

Avery has always been a pretty fearless girl (unless it involves leaving her at nursery when we go to church) so I thought we were well on our way with her.

When Avery learned how to run (the day after she learned how to walk mind you) her method was a bit unorthodox. Coming from a family where we run for fun, I was curious where she picked it up her "runner arms" from.

Let's just say I wonder no more...

I'm sorry Avery. You better take running tips from your father. I'm thinking of retiring my running cap after seeing this photo.

Christmastime

Like most, we acted out the nativity on Christmas Eve.

Here is Mary riding into Bethlehem on a donkey (with her monkey friend in tow). Avery wouldn't wear the token "blue Mary cloth" on her head, so her winter cap was our substitute.

Sawyer was asleep during the production, but joined us for the after party games. He had worked up a decent bubble beard and could have rocked being a wise man though.

The next morning we woke up to an amazing display of Christmas presents.

And in a flash Christmas was over.

It always goes by too fast!

Playground

There's something about being outside that brings an extra element of fun to life.

Whether it is sliding down the windy slide in the bitter Colorado cold,

or throwing a Frisbee to your dog in the bitter Colorado cold,

or wearing your fuzzy coat in the bitter Colorado cold,

or having sassy ear muffs in the bitter Colorado cold,

or embracing your fiance in the bitter Colorado cold,

or wishing you had gloves in the bitter Colorado cold,

or getting chilled from your short hair in the bitter Colorado cold,

or having the time of your life on a swing (albeit in the bitter Colorado cold.)

3 years

The day after we flew into Colorado we celebrated our 3rd anniversary.

3 years + 2 kids + 1 cross country move = 0 regrets.

Marriage to Kyle is simply the best.

Family

Meet Liam, 2 1/2 years old.

Meet Dash, 2 1/2 years old.

Meet Avery, 1 1/2 years old.

Meet Grey, 3 months old.

Meet Sawyer, 3 months old.

 

And Meet the happy Grandparents who hosted 5 kids under the age of 3 for 2+ weeks.

Mom and Dad, thank you!