This is the earliest we've seen this kind of movement in any of our babies. We've heard that it's common for younger siblings to learn motor skills faster -- perhaps because they really want to keep up with their older siblings. Regardless, this is one motivated girl!
Christmas in Virginia
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Open doors, lights on for all:
Red and evergreens:
A Charlie Brown Christmas:
A child visually upset by the way Lucy treats Charlie Brown:
A clean home. Dad relaxing during the day.
Seventy degrees on Christmas Eve. Our tree is budding!
Trucks and more trucks:
Christmas in our redecorated family room (still working on it). This was my goal this year. It's so nice to spend Christmas in a pretty space! :)
Pedicure set from DH:
Google Play for tunes:
For our little Green Bay fan:
Coconut pancakes with maple syrup, whipped cream, and sausage:
More to come . . .
Mango Madness
Monday, December 21, 2015
So far, of foods orange, she likes mangoes and dislikes carrots. Thankfully, she's been great about letting us add TriViSol to her rice cereal, which she also really likes. She's eating more and more pureed food and putting on more weight! Lots of gnawing on fingers, still no teeth...
What a Week!
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday:
 |
| DH stretching the definition of "day trip". |
Friday:
 |
| Thanks to the family for helping with last minute child care! |
The best part of Christmas is slowing down and remembering all of our blessings!
Meeting Santa
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
We haven't pushed the idea of Santa. However, this year the eldest decided that he wanted to meet Santa and tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas. It's all fire trucks and cranes this year. (And occasionally, "a propeller airplane that lands on water.")
Once this one realized that he would receive a candy cane if he saw Santa, he decided to get in line. I'm impressed because he is pretty shy as you can tell from his stiff posture here.
Once this one realized that he would receive a candy cane if he saw Santa, he decided to get in line. I'm impressed because he is pretty shy as you can tell from his stiff posture here.
Lately, he has been very good about doing things he doesn't like for rewards. (Eg. He will clean up all the toys very quickly in order to receive a treat.) It's edifying to see our very laid back boy motivated. He's a good boy!
Boys + Communication
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
For all of my efforts and ice cream dates and dinner questions, nothing gets the boys talking quite like doing something active with them! Here is the Eldest with Pop Pop flying a kite:
Last weekend I walked with him to a playground. He chatted all the way there and all the way home. I need to remember this more! The child has a lot to say. We just need to use the right tools to get him communicating!! :)
Gaudete Weekend
Monday, December 14, 2015
As promised, this "winter" is turning out to be quite mild. We are still enjoying 70 degree weather!
All of the homes on our street have Christmas lights up outside. It's completely delightful to drive home at night.
We've heard that there were quite a few rivalries on this street back in the day. Luckily, most of the neighbors get along well today!
I'm still touched that almost everyone brought us an outfit or a dinner when Sweet Pea was born.
Our Current Book Ends
Sunday, December 13, 2015
The oldest is watching Mighty Machines; the youngest is enamored with the oldest.
Four-Year-Old Dinosaur Naming
Saturday, December 12, 2015
"Hey, Mom! Do you know what this one is? It's a HAMMERSAURUS!!! It hammers things with its head!!"
[Smashing its head into the table.]
"And this one is a cutie, baby hammersaurus."
[Being so gentle with it.]
"And this one is a POKE-OSAURUS!"
[Smashing its "pokers" into the "hammersaurus".]
Sometimes, I just love the simplicity of boys.
Six Months Old!
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
My only takeaways from this well checkup are related to sleep. We need to get more sleep around here! Between a faulty motion sensor alarm pad under her crib mattress (which gives us multiple false alarms every night) and all of the noise created by the boys, we are being awaken 3-5 times a night. The doc says that she's beyond the age of greatest concern for apnea and that we should unplug the sensor and just get better sleep.
Now that is something I can get on board with! More sleep. So that is my goal for this month. Peace. Peaceful Christmas shopping. Peaceful, enjoyable preparations with the kids, establishing traditions. And if something can't be done peacefully, it doesn't need to happen. We have been far too frazzled of late.
Height: 22.5 in., 33rd percentile
Weight: 13.37 lbs., 6th percentile
Head: 17.25 in., 89th percentile
Speaking of Big Brothers, they ADORE Sweet Pea!
Happy St. Nicholas Day!
Sunday, December 6, 2015
We are in year two of St. Nicholas Day stockings and treats. It's much more fun now that some of our children are old enough to care. Maybe this will become a family tradition after all!
I like our family room so much more this year.
Last Year:
I do not miss that big mirror. It felt so commercial -- Chinese restaurant-y. Perhaps that's why it bothered me more than DH come to think of it! This year, we can just eat Chinese carry-out from our warm, comfy, welcoming room.
This paint color is supposed to inspire conversation and relaxation, and make people want to "stay awhile" according to the internet:
DH worked all weekend with the kids and baked treats and made meals. He's a keeper.
He even let the boys help make cookies. The eldest got a Lightening McQueen cookie.
We had a home date on Saturday night and made cookie batter and cake pops and worked on presents and listened to Christmas music and drank almond nog. Don't judge. It was the only "nog" available. DH did the lion's share of these:
They were a HUGE hit with the kids (and with me. Let's be honest!)!
This one is a great middle child. He likes both of his siblings so much and doesn't seem to suffer from insecurity or jealousy. No one can make Sweet Pea laugh like this one. He is perfectly placed!
The boys put up these lights last weekend. Almost every home on our street has lights today. We had fabulous weather.
Happy St. Nicholas Day!
Starting Solids
Friday, December 4, 2015
In an effort to promote more night sleeping, we've begun solids. As you can hear, a child at our home is going through a "mouthy" phase. Hopefully it's a phase.
He's also very helpful and kind to his little sister.
Also, it isn't half as grey and drab outside as it looks in these photos. It's just ridiculously early. Why do my children wake up so early?! Answer: genetics // ridiculously high energy-level. When we drove to MI at 4:00am, DH solved the worlds problems, his cases, and determined the chances of all of the 2016 presidential candidates -- all before 6:00am. (Someone pour me another coffee!)
Here's an amalgamation of the Notre Dame victory march and the Washington Redskins fight song. This may explain a lot about what Baby ends up like. I'm doing my best to promote flowers and pink but I am only one-quarter of the influential characters in her daily life.
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