Sweet Child of Mine.

I could look at this kid all day. So chill. Absolutely loves his mom. Just happy when anyone decides to look in his direction. What a sweetheart!
 

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A Page from Our Book

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Our Adorable Sleeper!

Our sweet baby has been sleeping through the night for about a week! Last night he slept between 8:00pm and 6:00am! I've been nursing him for as long as possible right before I put him to bed. He eats as soon as he wakes up, too. But thankfully, we are getting much better sleep around here!  I can't express what a dramatic difference this makes in my life. I'm motivated to wake up in the morning, make wholesome meals, and get back into shape when I've had the opportunity to rest well.

 

 

 

One thing we're getting better at, too, is reading Andre's tired-signs. At the risk of stating the obvious, I have to say that babies are hard to read until you've lived with them for a while! Andre is his own person. After trying everything else (diaper change, feeding, cuddling), I realized that sometimes he cries when he's trying to fall asleep. He actually doesn't want to be cuddled then. (This may not be the same for all babies.) Anyway, with this new knowledge, I've been trying to be extra-affectionate when he is awake. And I've been leaving him alone when he needs to rest. When he wakes up, he often looks like this, but with a smile on his face. He is a super-sweet and happy baby!

 

Someone is almost longer than the bassinet!

 

[Note: Our pediatrician did not recommend letting Andre sleep through the night until he demonstrated the ability to gain weight. Isaac's pediatrician set the benchmark at 12 pounds; Andre's, after he gained 2 pounds in the first two weeks. If they cry for more than 5 minutes at night, we get them.]

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Monkey See. Monkey Do.

Isaac repeats so much of what he hears lately. A few days ago, when we were driving, he shouted from the back seat, "Get off of the ROAD!" (I'm not sure who was responsible for that one. ;) He likes to say, "I'll be right back," when he leaves the room to get something. And then there was this gem the other day: "I like to give Mama hugs." He is constantly making us smile. This morning, he saw me wearing my sunglasses and said, "I would like sunglasses, please." So we went to the park in our shades.

 

 

 

I recently realized that Isaac does much better with the new brother when he gets one-on-one time with mom and dad. Yesterday, I took him to the store by myself, which was the first time I'd been alone with him since before Andre was born. I said, "It's just Isaac and Mama." He gave me a big smile and said, "just Isaac and Mama!" I put him in our new double stroller (which I LOVE!), facing me. We chatted the whole way to the store. He held the basket and put items in for me. It was so pleasant! I think we will make a tradition of this.

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Quiet

Moms like to say that when things are quiet, you should be worried. Though that's certainly true over here, at least half of the quiet moments are due to Isaac being engaged in a book in his corner. I love the 10-15 minutes of peace we get when he's reading!

 

It's also simply adorable watching small children learn new concepts. Here he is reading about colors.

 

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Brothers

Isaac enjoys being right next to Andre much of the time. He likes that Andre enjoys watching him.

 

 

 

He tickles Andre's face to make him smile and says, "Andre's smiling at you!"

 

 

 

And occasionally, he tries to pick up Andre, at which point mom puts the camera down and intervenes. Andre gets a kick out of Isaac. Isaac can make him laugh and cry (we're working on that). In general, Andre just enjoys watching Isaac and smiling at him. He's fascinated by his brother.

 

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Updated: Lazy Sunday

[Videos added.]

 

As a reward for good behavior at Mass,

we took the boys to a park afterward.

 

 

This is as close as we get to the captured-on-camera-smile. His Sweetness is constantly smiling.

 

 

 

I heart him.

 

 

 

 

Check out the new Sperrys, which he took for a swim twice the first week he had them.

This cutie pants needs a belt with every outfit. He eats well and is pretty lean.

 

 

 

 



This man is an excellent father. We are so lucky to have him!

 

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Monstrous Motorized Mayhem

This is where Rich took me for a date on Saturday night: Prince William County Fair. The main event that night was the monster truck show. I may have seen this while flipping channels a time or two, but I certainly never paid any attention. Rich couldn't believe that I'd never been to one.

 

Notice truck leaping over that car in the middle right.

 

Check out that confederate flag on the back of that truck. W-O-W. Our compromise was Rich listening to country music on the way there and back. He did admit that this song and this song were cool. (Baby steps...)

 

 

 

What I learned is that the event is both intense and way over-the-top -- kind of like pro-wrestling with a redneck flair. Are you supposed to take it seriously? Rich got a video, which Isaac has watched about 500 times so far today and is still watching right now.

 

 

This is Isaac's happy position: ankles crossed, fingers in mouth, leaning on Dada.
 

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Cloister Visit

We had the opportunity to visit Sr. Elizabeth Marie on Saturday. It was such a lovely visit. I always feel blessed by my conversations with her and letters from her. (We shared a townhome for three years before she entered this beautiful cloister in the Virginia mountains.)

 

This was her first time seeing both of the boys up close. They were a perfect, goofy match! Isaac stared her down and pulled roses out of the bouquet so that he could drop them through the holes in the grill. She had him laughing hysterically a couple of times.




We had a private visit followed by a group visit. At one point Isaac decided that he wasn't receiving enough attention.
 

It didn't matter because she loves children (former Montessori teacher). She is in discernment phase one right now. By next year, she will decide whether to ask to be considered for temporary vows (three year commitment). Please keep her discernment in your prayers. Isn't she lovely?

  

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Isaac's First Emergency Room Trip

We are finally starting to have a schedule around here. In fact, Theresa and I swapped date night sits again (my favorite!). Rich had a nice evening "off" planned for when I was planning to sit.

 

 

 

Long story short: About 10 minutes into the sit, Isaac decided to bite down with his molars onto a glass that was in his mouth. Several pieces of glass broke inside of his mouth. I called 911 and the pediatrician and mom. The recommendation (though he didn't bleed or cry) was to take him to the ER so that an x-ray could show whether he had indeed swallowed any (or too large a piece of) glass.

 

 

So this is how we spent our Friday night. (Yes, we will not give him a glass again until he's 35.)

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National Zoo

This week we joined the cousins on a trip to the National Zoo.

 

On the way there, Isaac discovered lots of trucks and bridges. He shouted their names from the back seat. I still don't know what a "Backhoe Loader!" does...

 

The prairie dog playground was really exciting for him. There were lots of big kids to play with.
 

This was his favorite animal because of it's size. And because dad makes awesome elephant noises for him.
 

The place was crowded but Isaac still figured out how to get a good view of the animal.

 

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Love Is...

...letting your wife go for a morning walk alone.

 

 

We are working on sleep-training. Andre slept between 10:15pm and 3:15am last night, which made a huge difference. Hopefully within the next month we can have him sleeping through the night. I love my boys and do my best to show them. But I can't love them well on little sleep. This is what I've learned about my limits. We are 100x happier when everyone gets quality rest. I've tried nursing in bed at night (quasi-co-sleeping), but neither the babies nor I sleep well that way. Today we are happy and going places, thanks to some good rest. :)

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Big Boy Stats

I am two months old! I like to smile and turn in circles on my head. I roll from my back to my side and back again. I coo and suck on my fingers.

I really like my big brother. He makes me smile often.

 

Here are my stats: I am 12 lbs., 12 oz.! (Gained 3 pounds in 6 weeks.) I'm in the 62nd percentile for weight, 99th percentile for height (25 in.), and 99th percentile for head circumference (16.5 in.). (Can you tell we are related?)

 

 

 

I'm not a big fan of sleeping through the night, but will occasionally go for 5 hours at a time. I'd much prefer to be held by my mom. I really enjoy being with people. Everyone loves me. I'm getting lots of TLC!

 

 

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God's Country

I get to use that phrase since our pastor referred to Wisconsin as "God's Country" in his bulletin column this week. He was in Milwaukee a few weeks before we were. Our trip was so enjoyable! The temperature was mild, weather was sunny with a breeze, and mosquitoes were gone. We spent a lot of the trip outside. Because we were getting over colds, we didn't see as many people. The coughs were under control. But we were still fatigued. The resting helped quite a bit. We all feel more relaxed and really enjoyed spending time with the family during peak season. Here is a sample of what we did.

 

A welcome sign greeted us (thanks to Maria) when we arrived around Midnight on Saturday. 

 

 

We spend a lot of time outside on Sunday morning. The weather was perfect for sipping coffee on the porch. Andre loved the fresh air.

 

 

 

Isaac liked the chickens and ducks. He hasn't seen chickens up close since last year (before he was walking). They meant a lot more to him on this trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rich took a few mom-shots for me. He's really becoming a good photographer. The lighting helped a lot too. I prefer outdoor shots for the lighting and colors.

 

 

 

You can see the garden behind us. We tried to get the weeds down to a manageable level while we were there. Isaac enjoyed pulling them and putting them in the wheel barrow. He got a few, awesome wheel barrow rides out of the deal.

 

 

 

In addition to the wheel barrow rides, Isaac had a lot of wagon rides.

 

 

 

Isaac really enjoyed being outside and seeing some of the animals from his animal books every day.

 

 

 

 

 

We had a lot of fun with the sidewalk chalk. Whoever invented that stuff was brilliant. It was a great way to keep all of us entertained without spending much money. Isaac enjoyed dumping the pieces, writing with them, and throwing them.

 

 

 

We tried to focus on the writing.

 

 

 

 

Every day Isaac asked whoever was nearest to take him outside. (Really, it was more like a demand: "Go OUTside!") He wanted to see everything he could.

 

  

 

 

Aunt Julie was really great about holding Andre. He received loads of attention during the trip.

 

 

 

 

Aunt Maria was super-patient with him. He wanted to play the piano whenever anyone else was.

 

 

 

 

 This is why I miss my mom's cooking: We enjoyed a Sunday feast.

 

 

 

 

 

Have I mentioned that Andre loves to be with people? He was smiling for everyone on this trip.

 

 

 

We took Isaac to a new playground, which he thoroughly enjoyed. It even had a nausea-machine.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to visiting with everyone, we had a chance to go out with each of the sisters and my parents. We even got a date! Everyone helped watch the boys. It was so much fun!

 

Aunt Maria picked fresh veggies from the garden every day. Notice a zucchini in her hand below:

 

Yes, I took a bunch of paparazzi shots because candids are the best!!

 

 

Absolutely everything that can be done on a bike must be done on a bike.

 

 

 

This may or may not have anything to do with the garden weeds being out of control.

 

I sense a hijacked to-do list.

 

 

Maria taught Isaac how to ride a tricycle. He enjoyed it very much!

 

 

 

 

One of the reasons we visited when we did was because Rich's old seminary classmate was being ordained to the diaconate in Madison on Friday. He is a solid guy, who we are blessed to know. We had lunch with him and another classmate (now priest) friend of Richard's on Thursday.

 

Five Guys.

 

They were very good with Isaac, who was determined to be the center of attention.

 

  

 

Fr. Steve put Andre to sleep.

 

 

 

I am so grateful that we got to go on a date while we were home! Since it's hard to get out alone, I've become pretty deliberate about the places we choose to go. I really wanted to go someplace popular and relaxing, and someplace that holds lots of good memories for me as well. (Rich wanted me to choose because I'm so familiar with the area.) There are quite a few restaurants/bars buzzing this time of year. But I chose Lake Arrowhead's Clubhouse because of the number of family & friend's receptions I've been to here -- and the number of homes my dad has built in this subdivision. I have nothing but happy memories of this place. 

 

 

 

The neighborhood was developed long before the recession. So everything is still beautiful and buzzing. In fact, they built a large outdoor deck and bar extension onto the restaurant. There was a cover band playing on Thursday night. All of the outdoor seats were taken. So we chose a more private, corner table inside overlooking the well-manicured golf course for dinner (which was way cheap compared to the NoVA area), and continued with drinks and walk outside. I'm so glad that I was able to share a place special to me with Rich.

 

 

 

My mom tipped me off to this new, unique shop called Stagecoach Cafe in Alpine Village. It's super-cute and exhibits the old-western theme remarkably well.

 

 

 

We don't see many of these by us.

 

 

 

We were able to get Monica out of work on Friday morning because we have a good relationship with her boss. ;) It was nice to find a place to sit down with a hot coffee and not feel rushed to leave.

 

 

 

Our waitress offered to take a photo of all of us.

 

 

 

And this is why I take one thousand photos per trip.

 

 

Andre was looking very much like his dad here.

 

 

 

This is a big year for Monica. She's researching, visiting, and applying to colleges now. When my family dropped me off at college, she was four. The time has gone by much more quickly that I ever could have imagined. There are additional considerations now than there were when I went to school -- back when everyone seemed to be making money and the economy seemed to be thriving. I know she will make the best choice for her, though, and am excited to see what that will be!

 

 

 

 

We were happy to discover a farmer's market going on in the town center of Alpine Village. I found this beautiful bouquet for $5. I can't believe how much cheaper everything is in Wisconsin!

 

 

 

Our friend was ordained to the diaconate that night as part of a beautiful liturgy in Madison. The site was Bishop O'Connor Center, a breathtaking place inside and out. I think their cathedral burned down a few years ago (don't quote me on this) and they haven't yet rebuilt.

 

 

 

 

Just to prove that we chose awesome wedding music, they sang "O God, Beyond All Praising" for the entrance procession, which itself was impressive. I didn't see much more than that because it was Isaac's bed time. We came in and out depending upon his behavior. He was very impressed by the Knights of Malta, the bells, and the incense, however.

 

I love the symbolism in Catholicism. Notice how he was facing the cross, which he freely took. I'm really looking forward to his priestly ordination next summer!

 

 

 

The photos were pretty blurry because I was holding Isaac.

 

 

 

 

When we exited for a diaper change, I decided to capture the beautiful sunset.

 

  

 

Overall, I am so grateful that everyone was willing to watch the boys from time to time on this trip. We had a great time. Each person was able to get to know the other better (Rich the sisters; the grandparents, Isaac & Andre, etc.). It means so much more to me now than I would have anticipated. Look at all of these great sitters!

 

I like how Andre was smiling for Julie here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We learn something new every time we visit. This time, we realized just how much we like visiting in the summer. There are 3x as many things to do, especially outdoor activities that are great for toddlers. Everyone is happier in the summer, too. No doubt this is thanks to the additional Vitamin D everyone gets. We thoroughly enjoyed the sites and are now resting for another work week.

 

 

  

 

 

 

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