Friday, May 29, 2009

A 4 month week

Hello!

It's been a busy week. Sam turned 4 months officially last Sunday and we had the pediatrician appointment on Monday. Tuesday we started Sam on Iron fortified rice cereal...just a tiny amount once a day while she gets used to it. And already I can feel the dishwasher crying because there are more dishes. I really remember with Katie that when she started food it was so amazing that there were now extra dishes to do. (That's the nice thing about nursing...no dishes. And bonding with baby of course, that's nice too.) =)

Sam also started Jolly Jumping! Ben and I have been looking forward to this since we remember hours spent watching Katie jump. Sam seems to have picked it up a little quicker (no surprise since she likes to put weight on her feet more than we remember Katie doing).
I, of course, have pictures of the first bit of cereal and video's of the jumping (it's just like Irish dancing!).

Both girls are a real treat these days. Sam squealing up a storm and smiling...a very happy baby. Sleeping is ok these days...the plan is to do our cry-it-out this weekend...I'll tell you details on how we do it and whether or not it was successful next week.

Katie's language astounds me every day. She narrates everything she does. Plays well independently. And, where I thought we were having some major terrible two action, turns out I found a bit of a molar poking through (how did I find out? There was an official finger search party sent in) and that really explains her recent crying/waking up at night or early and some general crankiness. It's been much better this week. "Katie's happy" she says. She's also very interested in Sam's Jolly Jumper and tries to hang from it. (we have a story with a "hanging from teh Monkey Bars" scene in it). Katie's loving being outside. Picks dandelions, "helps" water flowers, watches ants.

Time is going by so fast and our days are both routine and unique at the same time. The best thing of all is that it's almost June and Dad will be home with us for summer before we know it.
I'll try and post pictures later today but in case I didn't get time I wanted to write this post before the week was over. Soon I promise!

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Two Funny Stories (and a Congratulations!)

A few things I didn't get to mention in yesterday's post.

This past week we tried Sam in the Bumbo chair for the first time. She did really well although I wouldn't want to leave her in it for more than a few minutes. I think, when she does get a bit stronger, she'll enjoy being able to sit up close to us. I've noticed lately that she doesn't like to be down in a blanket while we're eating at the table...I think she's starting to notice that she's missing out on something. The weather finally has perked up a bit and we're wearing summery(er) clothes.
And the plants are growing and flowers blossoming...this is a bush (of some kind) right outside the front of the house. I was just about to take the girls to the playground yesterday and had to stop and take a picture. (Sam's too short to get a good closeup with the tall flowers just yet, but she's nearby!)
This photo was from earlier in the week. Grandpa stopped by while biking home after work and Katie had lots of fun picking flowers for him. (Dandelions of course...a kid's favorite and most ubiquitous flower.)
Our two funny stories are these:

The other evening, (around 6?) the four of us were hanging out in the living room. Sam playing on a blanket and Dad and Katie playing nearby. Sam was in a good mood but relaxed in a way that we knew she was getting tired. I went to the kitchen to do some dishes and a few minutes later Ben calls me over in a hushed voice. I walk over and see Sam, fast asleep amid the noise of Katie's playing and laughter. She must have been relaxed and comfortable. (I had also covered up her bare feet to keep her warm...must have felt like bedtime.) (Her eyes are only open a smidge because she heard the beep of the camera, and they closed again right away)
The other story has no pictures...

Well...ok, I changed my mind and just took pictures. How can a story about pictures have no pictures? Anyway...

We colour with Katie a fair bit and mostly these days, she wants you to draw things for her. For exmaple, she'll ask for shapes or other things. Her most requested thing to draw (for some reason) is "A Sad Face". See below:
So we often end up with whole pages of different coloured Sad Faces (and sometimes Happy Faces too). I get kind of tired with all the Sad Faces and the other day decided I'd try and teach her to play X's and O's. Because Katie, she is a genius, no? =)
(for the record, this attempt received definite eye rolls from Ben)
I drew the grid, the X's and the O's and asked Katie where she wanted to put her X.

She answered, with gusto "A Sad Face!". And so I gave in and she got one.
And our BIG Congratulations of the day goes to friends Russ and Steph (you've met them on the blog before) who are the proud new parents of a baby boy (Baby W) born just yesterday. We're so excited and as soon as they are settled and we get to visit we'll share pictures (with their permission of course).

Hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy the gorgeous weather!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Cold and Warm

Hello! Oops...haven't posted all week...we had a long weekend last weekend and that always throws me off a bit. And I'd actually put up these pictures last Friday but forgot to finish the post. You'll recognize this one from the park videos of Katie...Ben got some great shots that day.
Things have been good...I suppose if you don't count the weather. It's just about to get warmer (supposedly) but this past week we've had some days with minus temps and cold and some snow. I'm hoping we've seen the end of it because, goodness, it's almost end of May!

Katie's been super fun but also had a few whiny moments this past week. We're really trying to figure out how to react to her "fake" crying or whining when she doesn't get what she wants. Certainly don't want to do anything to encourage her. Certainly, distraction is still our number one tactic.
Sam's had a good week...she'd been waking up 2-3 times a night kind of regularly lately., a small step backwards. But we have started putting her to bed and letting her cry to sleep...as opposed to rocking her and holding her until she's asleep. It's worked really well and the most she's cried is 20 min. Now it's more like 5. And it's less crying than gently protesting going to sleep. Since we've been doing this she's also been sleeping better...falling asleep more on her own at night. She also had her 4 month immunizations on Wednesday, which always makes the babies (ours anyway!) a little sleepy, and she's been sleeping 6 hours straight from about 7pm until 1am and then up after 3 hours instead of 2 and sleeping the last couple of hours on her own (we were getting into a habit of bringint her into bed after 5am just so she'd sleep more...nice but not really what we want to be essential to her sleeping. At the immunizations we had Sam weighed and she's now 15 pounds 5 ounces. (she'll be 4 months on Sunday).

This is Katie playing with D at strollercize...a regular and delightful experience for the kids and for us mom's to watch. Megan and I love watching them play. Giggles, running around and hand holding sometimes.
Sam, on Katie's bed.
Katie "doing dishes". (aka keeping busy while mom does some dishes)
Katie outside.

Sam in a cute outfit. (we have lots of those...I'm praying the weather warms up mostly so we can wear some of the cute dresses we have before she outgrows them!)
Otherwise things are good. I probably have a few more stories and definitely some new pictures to share but I'll try later today or sometime this weekend. Have a good one!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

I've been outgiggled!

Ben went and totally outdid me and got more laughs from Sam. Lucky for you, I'm getting quicker with the camera.


Untitled from BabyLuch on Vimeo.

Laughing through May

Well hello there! We're almost halfway through May (how does time fly so fast!) and on Monday we were playing at the park with Joanne and the girls early in the morning, enjoying the warmth...no jackets needed, hats required...a 20 degree day it was going to be! Glorious day for strollercize. And behold...yesterday it was minus something and snowing while Ben and I were out at Hawrelack park with our bootcamp.

The only thing left to do is laugh...something we're doing a lot of these days. Ben and I keep saying that it feels like everything that comes out of Katie's mouth is funny and we should write down every single thing. (Ben wakes her up from her nap and she says "Dad got a haircut!...true and no I didn't say anything, she figured it all out on her own...maybe it really WAS time for a haircut, eh Ben?)(yes I know that's not funny really, but it's funny that she came up with it all on her own). Until I get a notepad stuck to my forehead too write it all down throughout the day we'll just try and share what we can remember.

Best of all, I have just TODAY figured out a surefire way to make Sam giggle. I feel like shouting from the rooftops "I am the Master, I am the baby whisperer, I am THE MOM!". And I have video to prove it. =)

Untitled from BabyLuch on Vimeo.


The only thing better would be getting her back to sleeping better at night but we're working on it. Have a super day!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mother's Day!

Let's celebrate Mother's Day today with a few fun videos. Ben and Katie went to the park yesterday while I stayed home with Sam and baked. Wish I'd gone since Ben said it was the most fun they'd had at the park ever...lots of kids, nice weather and giggles galore! Oh well, next time. And speaking of giggles, I did manage to make Sam giggle twice in a row but then couldn't get it on camera. I'm working on it! =)

(See attempt below!)

Enjoy!

Untitled from BabyLuch on Vimeo.



Untitled from BabyLuch on Vimeo.


These next videos are when I try and make Sam giggle...looks kind of ridiculous, kissing/eating her ear like that, but I swear it worked!

Untitled from BabyLuch on Vimeo.



Untitled from BabyLuch on Vimeo.


Happy Mother's day everyone!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Movie time!

Things have been busy lately...nothing out of the ordinary...Play Group, Strollercize, Farmer's Market on the weekend, cooking dinner, folding laundry (my goodness laundry NEVER ends!), Bootcamp, coffee with Mrs. F...add in a couple of Serger classes that I took with Gram Mary and couple of extra coffee dates with friends and things get quite busy. Did I mention there's a toddler and 3 month old to care for as well? =)

Katie and Sam are good...minor sniffles going on right now. We're reading some really fun books right now (thank goodness, we took the last batch back to the library including a bunch of books on CD which we'd really be missing if not for the fun new books)..."Pinkalicious" and "Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy". Katie loves and know most of the words.

Sam giggled officially for the second time on Tuesday evening, for Grandpa Ken. Just as he was about to go after they'd been watching the girls while Ben and I were at bootcamp. He was thrilled and so were we, at hearing the giggle again. Keep trying for more but it's not easy...much less trying to get a video of it.

The two videos I have for you today are fairly recent, though I can't remember exact dates. The first one was me trying to get Katie to talk about wearing her yellow rubber boots (an interesting example of a conversation with a toddler...though really, there's usually more whining these days).

Untitled from BabyLuch on Vimeo.

This second one is a Sam video. Just to show how cute she is when interacting more and watching things. She's just becoming so much more interactive* now...watching, listening, smiling. Great stuff. She's still not rolled over yet, but there's been many a close call. And while lying on a blanket, she can turn herself around 360 degrees...just by shifting a bit...moving her legs...I don't quite know how she does it but it's neat. (*relatively speaking!)

Untitled from BabyLuch on Vimeo.