The Kids
Okay! So here I am, keeping my promise. This is your "kids" post for the week.
Again, it's hard to know where to begin, because there's so much that's going by me unblogged. I guess I'll just talk a bit about what has been happening this week.
We've all had a bit of a cold, and it's funny how the girls' differences in personality really come out when they're feeling under the weather. In a good way, I mean. N takes it all in stride and you would pretty much never know that she was sick-- she barely complains and just goes about her business in her usual calm, daydreamy way. L becomes slightly more cranky but almost pushes herself even harder to do even more than normal. I don't think she would ever admit to being tired even if she was at death's door.
C, on the other hand, is the only child I have ever had who will say, "My belly hurts," then get up from playing and go lay down in her bed. Yesterday morning she woke up, had a few bites of breakfast, and then said, "Mama, I'm just not feeling well." I asked if she would like to go lay down, and she replied that she would. She got into bed, fell asleep within ten minutes, and slept until lunch time. She woke up in much better spirits, and wolfed down a big lunch along with lots of water.
It will be interesting to see where J fits into the mix!
She has been sick too, but of course the breastfeeding baby is always the one to get the mildest case of the illness. She has had a little trouble settling for naps today but other than that she is pretty much her happy self... aside from some husky sounds in her voice, which reminds me of little L:
One other thing that I have to say about J... she is now taking *both* a bottle and a pacifier, after nearly a month of refusing both. It was sort of the most depressing month of my life. Anyone who knows me knows that I love my dear sweet baby to death, but feeling like I was the only thing that would comfort her, a.k.a I was the human pacifier, was a little suffocating for me.
It all happened when M gave me the Christmas gift of a weekend away with a friend.
It was the best gift ever. Truly cannot put a price on that one. I had a pedicure
got a haircut
and took a walk on the beach.
We also drank wine, ate pizza, had cookies, sat around and had lengthy chats... balm for the soul, I tell you. Everyone in the world should have such a friend. She not only knows me super well and knows how to help me be a little selfish, but beyond that she is an example to me in her giving, caring, calm and faithful nature.
But I digress... that should all go into the "me" post later in the week, I think.
Leading up to the weekend away J had been refusing bottles and it only seemed to get worse and worse every time we practiced it. She would accept them occasionally, if she was hungry enough, but usually not without a lot of anger.
So I was quite anxious about leaving but M encouraged me to go anyway, reassuring me that she has lots of rolls on her little thighs and she wouldn't waste away, and that he would figure it out. He asked that I trust him to call me if it was a real emergency.
And so I went.
And *everyone* was happier after I returned.
I am so happy that I have a husband who was willing to swoop in even when he was getting a wee bit rejected (although I think J's anger was more at the bottle and less at M). It was so cool to see their increased bond when I got back, and such a relief to know that he and she have built their own "language" a little more. J also proved that she can sleep through the night without eating, since she did it twice while I was gone, so that's another huge relief to know that I can start letting her fuss a little and not jump right in to nurse. Sleep has been much better for me this week, without having to feed her and also the good work that M did getting her to take the pacifier while I was away. Having the option of getting her back to sleep with a (non-human) pacifier at night has helped so much... and during the day for naps too!
So good news all around. I am such a happier person when I am sleeping well.
Other than that, we are back to all of our activities... and we have added a few things for the winter now that baby is a bit older and it's slightly easier to get out of the house. L is doing nature preschool (so valuable for her because they're outside a LOT and she burns tons of energy), C has started dance, N switched from gymnastics to tap
and L got selected to start training for team gymnastics (SO proud of her!)
We are still doing Lego Robotics class for a few more weeks, and we had our first Brownie/Daisy meeting of the year at the painting place:
It sounds like a busy schedule, but I'm feeling like it's just right for us at this time. The bigger girls need plenty of stimulation and it's better for me, at this point, if we can get out of the house a little every day. The younger girls are easygoing and J is rolling with having a few naps on the road. Mostly we are home in the mornings so her longer nap is starting to happen first thing.
Speaking of gymnastics, it's time to get everyone ready, so I must stop there. More updates to come!
{Here are a few other fun pictures from lately...}
Pottery painting with Auntie Bethie
Again, it's hard to know where to begin, because there's so much that's going by me unblogged. I guess I'll just talk a bit about what has been happening this week.
We've all had a bit of a cold, and it's funny how the girls' differences in personality really come out when they're feeling under the weather. In a good way, I mean. N takes it all in stride and you would pretty much never know that she was sick-- she barely complains and just goes about her business in her usual calm, daydreamy way. L becomes slightly more cranky but almost pushes herself even harder to do even more than normal. I don't think she would ever admit to being tired even if she was at death's door.
C, on the other hand, is the only child I have ever had who will say, "My belly hurts," then get up from playing and go lay down in her bed. Yesterday morning she woke up, had a few bites of breakfast, and then said, "Mama, I'm just not feeling well." I asked if she would like to go lay down, and she replied that she would. She got into bed, fell asleep within ten minutes, and slept until lunch time. She woke up in much better spirits, and wolfed down a big lunch along with lots of water.
It will be interesting to see where J fits into the mix!
She has been sick too, but of course the breastfeeding baby is always the one to get the mildest case of the illness. She has had a little trouble settling for naps today but other than that she is pretty much her happy self... aside from some husky sounds in her voice, which reminds me of little L:
One other thing that I have to say about J... she is now taking *both* a bottle and a pacifier, after nearly a month of refusing both. It was sort of the most depressing month of my life. Anyone who knows me knows that I love my dear sweet baby to death, but feeling like I was the only thing that would comfort her, a.k.a I was the human pacifier, was a little suffocating for me.
It all happened when M gave me the Christmas gift of a weekend away with a friend.
It was the best gift ever. Truly cannot put a price on that one. I had a pedicure
got a haircut
and took a walk on the beach.
We also drank wine, ate pizza, had cookies, sat around and had lengthy chats... balm for the soul, I tell you. Everyone in the world should have such a friend. She not only knows me super well and knows how to help me be a little selfish, but beyond that she is an example to me in her giving, caring, calm and faithful nature.
But I digress... that should all go into the "me" post later in the week, I think.
Leading up to the weekend away J had been refusing bottles and it only seemed to get worse and worse every time we practiced it. She would accept them occasionally, if she was hungry enough, but usually not without a lot of anger.
So I was quite anxious about leaving but M encouraged me to go anyway, reassuring me that she has lots of rolls on her little thighs and she wouldn't waste away, and that he would figure it out. He asked that I trust him to call me if it was a real emergency.
And so I went.
And *everyone* was happier after I returned.
I am so happy that I have a husband who was willing to swoop in even when he was getting a wee bit rejected (although I think J's anger was more at the bottle and less at M). It was so cool to see their increased bond when I got back, and such a relief to know that he and she have built their own "language" a little more. J also proved that she can sleep through the night without eating, since she did it twice while I was gone, so that's another huge relief to know that I can start letting her fuss a little and not jump right in to nurse. Sleep has been much better for me this week, without having to feed her and also the good work that M did getting her to take the pacifier while I was away. Having the option of getting her back to sleep with a (non-human) pacifier at night has helped so much... and during the day for naps too!
So good news all around. I am such a happier person when I am sleeping well.
Other than that, we are back to all of our activities... and we have added a few things for the winter now that baby is a bit older and it's slightly easier to get out of the house. L is doing nature preschool (so valuable for her because they're outside a LOT and she burns tons of energy), C has started dance, N switched from gymnastics to tap
and L got selected to start training for team gymnastics (SO proud of her!)
We are still doing Lego Robotics class for a few more weeks, and we had our first Brownie/Daisy meeting of the year at the painting place:
It sounds like a busy schedule, but I'm feeling like it's just right for us at this time. The bigger girls need plenty of stimulation and it's better for me, at this point, if we can get out of the house a little every day. The younger girls are easygoing and J is rolling with having a few naps on the road. Mostly we are home in the mornings so her longer nap is starting to happen first thing.
Speaking of gymnastics, it's time to get everyone ready, so I must stop there. More updates to come!
{Here are a few other fun pictures from lately...}
Pottery painting with Auntie Bethie
Other fun times...
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