Merry Christmas!

Holiday outfits from Nene

Jammies for Rhonda's holiday party (and Logan's birthday!)

Santa's Little Helpers

12 month milestones

12 months old!

Mastered Skills
Imitates other's activities
Yes, Logan loves to clap if you are, do patty cake, and raise his arms to cheer.
Babbles wordlike sounds
He is "talking" up a storm, mostly "ga" and sometimes "ba" sounds.
Indicates wants with gestures
A new favorite activity of Logan's is the bite you when he is hungry.  At first we thought that he was biting because his mouth hurts, but no, he's letting you know he wants a snack.

Emerging Skills
Says one word besides "mama" and "dada"
Logan says a few things that might be words like "baba" for bottle and "hi".
Takes a few steps
He walks all over the place, especially in the last couple of weeks.
Understands and responds to simple instructions
Logan understands when you ask him to come to you and to open his mouth while eating.

Advanced Skills
Scribbles with crayons
I haven't really tried this yet.  Maybe soon we will see if he wants to color with big brother.
Walks well
He is all over the place and is close to running.
Says two words besides "mama" and "dada"
Not quite!

An update on Teeth

Logan was very steadily getting teeth, but he seems to have slowed in the last month.  So far, he has all 8 of his front teeth.  If he stays on track, his cuspids and first molars are coming soon!

James quotes

Three year olds say all kind of silly things.  Here are some examples.

"When you pee on the potty, it gives you poopy power in your butt."  Apparently peeing makes you have to poop also.

"We will give the bird some eggs and they will hatch and the baby birdies with be awwwww so cute."  James was discussing a ceramic bird we have on our dining room table.  It has a little nest, but no eggs.

"Its okay, I am here, baby brother." Said to a crying Logan in the bath tub.

"Her is grumpy at me!"  James was very dismayed that Sassy batted at him.  He was rather close to her face.

"I will not play in my room."  James tells me this every night as I tuck him into bed.  

Almost a year

Its been almost a year as a family of 4.  Between two boys, turning 30, work, and everything else life throws our way, this has been the fastest year of my life.  When I really think about it, its been the happiest year of my life.  I know it can only get better, but even through the insanity, I've been so happy with my boys and our little family.
Logan is walking up a storm these days, he took his first steps just before he hit 11 months and hasn't looked back.  He's crawling up the steps a lot.  He startles us every time he does it, the first time he got halfway up the steps, sneaking up on Adam while he was vacuuming them.  A few days ago, I went to wake James up from his nap and while I was helping him in the bathroom, I noticed Logan, hanging out in the upstairs hallway.  He hasn't tried to go down yet, but I know that is coming.
We had an early birthday party for the little guy, right after Thanksgiving.  It was a crazy idea to have his party right after hosting Thanksgiving, but we pulled it off.  Logan enjoyed his cake and both boys were so pleased that Rhonda came.  I am not sure they realized that Rhonda exists outside of her house!
James has had a hard time sharing Logan's birthday presents.  He has never encountered gifts that weren't his and having to share isn't easy for any 3 year old.  But we seem to have moved on, now that some of their newness has worn off.
Pictures from the party:

Pre-party

Delicious vanilla cupcakes

He loves to eat

Surprisingly, he didn't get too messy!

11 month milestones

Mastered Skills
Says "dada" and "mama" to the right parent
Logan only says dada (as of November 3, 2013) so far, but he knows who dada is.  When I asked him to say mama, he looks at me kind of funny, like "Yes, I know who you are" but he won't repeat it.
Plays patty cake
Logan loves patty cake.  He started doing a rolling motion one day and we didn't realize that Rhonda had been doing patty cake with him, so we just thought that he was doing a Conga move.
Stands alone for a couple of seconds
Yes, he likes to stand on his own.

Emerging Skills
Imitates others activities
Logan will wave if you wave and tries to pet the dog, if he is watching someone else.
Puts objects into a container
He certainly knows how to take them out of a container, so I'll say maybe to this milestone.
Understands simple instructions
Yes, Logan will come when you ask him and knows to stop doing something when you say no.  He knows when you ask him to open his mouth for a bite of something, but usually just smiles and opens his mouth when he feels like it.

Advanced Skills
Drinks from a cup
We are starting to work on drinking from sippy cups.
Says one word besides "dada" and "mama"
Logan says "hi" sometimes.  He also likes to say "Bubba" which is what we tend to call the boys.
Stoops from standing position
Yes, he will lower himself slowly to the ground from standing.  He is moments away from walking!

Toy Clean Out

I love cleaning out toys.  No, I really, really love it.  We have far more than our boys will ever play with in one day and since Logan has been playing the last few months, we have baby toys and big boy toys out. all over the living room.
Today, we cleaned out some of the baby toys that Logan doesn't play with anymore, since he's almost one, he think he's a big kid and should just play with brother's toys.  So Adam cleaned out a big pile o' toys.  I looked at them and broke into tears as I started to put them into a big, black trash bag.  My baby is getting so big!  Both my babies are getting so big.  Adam laughed at me and told me I was crazy, then James looked over and asked, "Why are you crying, Mom?"
I told him that he and Logan are getting so big and even though its silly, it makes Mom sad sometimes.  I told him soon he won't need me at all!  Without taking a beat, James looks at me and says, "Soon me and Baby Logan and Dad will leave you here!"
He was very excited about it.  I'm not sure where they're going, but Mom isn't included!  Maybe I should just look forward to the peace and quiet!

10 month milestones

Mastered Skills

Waves goodbye

Yes, Logan recently started to wave, its ridiculously cute, much like just about everything he does.

Picks things up with pincer grasp

YES!  This boy loves to eat pretty much anything in front of him, even if its not food.  He picks things up well and crams it right into his mouth.

Crawls well

Like a speed demon.  He's like American Express, anywhere you want to be.

Cruises

Yes, he moves well when holding on the furniture, I have a feeling he will be walking soon.

Emerging Skills

Says "dada" and "mama" to the right parent

Logan isn't saying much yet and isn't imitating sounds much either.  James was doing both of these fairly early at 7 and 8 months, but he walked super late at 16 months (while still within the typical range).  Logan's gross motor skills are pretty advanced, so I am trying to remember that his brain can only learn to do so many things at one time.  I still feel worried that most of his noises are more "oooohs" and "aaaaahs" and less consonants and vowel combinations.

Responds to name and understands "no"

One of my reasons for not worrying too much about Logan's lack of verbal communication is this, he knows his name well and understands (and fusses) when he hears "no", so maybe I should get my undies out of the bunch they're in!

Indicates wants with gestures

Logan does this some, he will raise his arms to be picked up and will bang his hand to get more food on his tray.

Advanced Skills

Drinks from a cup

He has started using a sippy some and seems to like it, we'll be working on his a lot in the next couple months as we get rid of bottles.

Stands alone for a few seconds

Yes, Logan will stand up for a second or two without holding on before slowly lowering himself back down to the floor.

Puts objects into a container

I haven't seen this yet, but I'm not certain that Logan has even been in a situation to put objects in a container.  One thing is certain, he knows how to take things OUT of a container.

I try to do a monthly comparison photo of the boys every month and every month I'm amazed at how much they look a like.  Throughout the month when I look at them together, I think they look nothing a like.  They have a few differences, Logan's hair is more red and there is more of it.  James has brown eyes and Logan has blue eyes.  But they have the same shape to their eyes, just like their dad and they both love to laugh and smile.  Logan has 5 teeth with 3 more on the way at 10 months and James still had NONE this age.  Looking at the photos, they definitely have the same little nose!  James was almost 2 inches taller than Logan at 10 months and weighed a pound or 2 more.  One day, when I'm ready for this blog to know what a dork I am, I'll post the Excel spreadsheet and accompanying graphs of their height and weight comparisons since birth.  I'm not sure why, maybe its the eyes and the hair, but I think Logan looks like my dad, his Grandbear.  Either way, one thing is for sure, these boys are adorable!

Lots of Teeth

Logan has been steadily getting more teeth, about one a month since the first broke.  I think in the next few days, he's going to have several pop through.  And he certainly uses them, for biting his mother and for eating.

He's fussy

In the last few weeks, I've noticed James and Logan's relationship developing in a new way.  They seem like they really get each other more often than not and when Logan is getting fussy or grumpy, James will usually fill in the gaps for his parents, who obviously know nothing.  If I'm making Logan a bottle, James will chime in with "He's hungry, that's why he's fussy."  If Logan wants a toy, but James refuses to give it up, James will let me know that "Him wants to eat my big boy toy."  These kinds of comments happen all the time now and sometimes when I am clueless as to why my usually grinning baby is a bit fussy, I ask James.  His guess can't be any worse than mine, right?

This morning, both boys were up earlier than usual.  James watched a few cartoons and Logan played on the floor while I got ready.  When James' cartoon was over, I left the news on.  James wanted another show, but I told him we didn't have time.  This is the reason cartoons are usually not a part of the morning routine, but I made an exception today.  Logan wanted to be picked up during my last mad rush around the house to get out the door and was loudly letting me know he was displeased with me.  Then James walks up to me and says, "Mom, Baby Logan is fussy because he doesn't like the news."

9 month milestones

Logan is three-quarters of the way to one year old.  We are already planning his big birthday bash and are waiting for him to walk, which I am certain will be sooner rather than later.
Mac just happened to turn 5 today, here is Logan wishing him a happy birthday.

Mastered Skills
Combines syllables into wordlike sounds
Logan makes all kinds of noises, he likes to talk to you if you're chatting with him.
Stands whole holding onto something
Yes, he prefers to be standing up and gets very upset when he wants to walk and realizes that he's just not quite there yet.

Emerging Skills
Uses pincer grasp to pick up objects
Yes, Logan loves to eat big kid food and picks up most things pretty easily.
Cruises while holding onto furniture
Yes, he loves to move!
Bangs objects together
I haven't really seen him bang things together yet, he does like to clear the coffee table of anything that might be on it.

Advanced Skills
Plays patty cake
I haven't tried.
Says "dada" and "mama" to the right parent (is specific)
He hasn't said anything that clearly yet.

They're getting so big

They're getting so big.  That seems like a pretty obvious statement, my boys are getting big.  Especially Logan, who thinks he should be walking and talking and doing all the things big brother is doing.  And especially James, who does preschool time with Rhonda now and learns so much everyday.

Logan

My baby still only has two teeth.  He has an infectious smile.  He crawls, pulls up, cruises around holding onto furniture, and looks for trouble ("adventure") everywhere he goes.  Logan wants to be by brother's side, all the time.  He wants to explore.  He loves to eat and wants to eat anything you might be eating.  He uses his pincer grasp like a pro, never having one second of trouble with it.  I never really thought "Baby Led Weaning" was realistic, until Logan showed us that he can pick up and eat just about anything.

Logan gave me 8 months as a momma's boy, but in the last couple of weeks has realized how awesome his father is.  Aside from bedtime, when he is all mom's, Logan wants to be with dad.  James gave me zero time as momma's boy, so I should relish the time I had with Logan being all mine (I do realize how silly I sound!).  Then there's the time before males took over my house and my whole existence.  I say that half kidding and half knowing that in some ways my life will revolve around cleaning up these boys' messes for quite some time.  

James

My big boy picks up on everything these days.  He knows when you're talking about him or repeating something he said.  He knows with one look when he can get away with something or not.  And he's always, always testing his boundaries.  James has an occasional accident, but is coming to the end of potty training.  He's funny, sweet and sensitive.  James started his first unit at preschool, "Me and my family" which explores themes on family, friends, pets, and feelings.  Now he tells me that I'm his friend.  Its pretty cute.  He likes to start sentences with "Guess what?".
James loves to be a big brother, with one exception.  He gets terribly upset when Logan messes with his line of toys.  Whether they are cars or trains or animals, James wants his toys lined up.  Little Brother would rather play Godzilla (like James before him) and mess the line up or chew on toys.  When Logan does this, we remind James that he can fix his line and that he should show Logan what he's doing.  James is good about explaining what each toy is and taking them gently from his brother.  But, I can only imagine the trouble these two will get in down the road.

I am trying to be more present.  Always trying.  Always reminding myself to put down the phone or the iPad and turn off the television.  Its not easy.  In trying to be more present, I am reminding myself that these boys growing is a good thing.  I shouldn't let my heart get so weary over their baby-ness wearing off.  That is a struggle for me.  While I love working and know that working is in the cards for me, sometimes I am overwhelmed with the sadness that I am missing out on the boys during the day.  Again, I am trying to shift my thinking to look at the positives and enjoy the time that I have, but some days I am just Debbie Downer.
On September 25th, Logan has his 9 month check up, so we'll see exactly how big he is then.  

8 month milestones

A few days before turning 8 months old

Mastered Skills (Most children can do)
Says "dada" and "mama" to both parents (isn't specific)
Logan isn't saying anything so clearly yet, but he is definitely making lots of noise and will repeat certain sounds.
Begins to crawl
Yes, while we were on vacation, Logan officially moved from creeping on his tummy to crawling on all fours.
Passes object from hand to hand
Yes, I guess he does this, but I didn't really play much attention to it.  He will move a spoon from one hand to another, so I will say it counts!

Emerging Skills (Half of children can do)
Stands while holding onto something
Yes, he loves to stand up.  At daycare, he stands, holding onto the baby swing that Raylene hangs out in and "talks" to his girlfriend.
Crawls well
I wouldn't say well just yet, but he's all over the place and getting faster everyday.
Points at objects
I haven't really noticed this yet.

Advanced Skills (A few children can do)
Pulls self to standing position, cruises around furniture while holding on
Logan will pull to a standing position as of this weekend, but isn't quite cruising yet.  I have a feeling its coming soon.
Picks things up with thumb-finger "pincer" grasp
Yes, he loves to eat!  Baby puffies are his main non-pureed food right now, but he picked up and tried some macaroni and cheese a few days ago and was in heaven!
Indicates wants with gestures
Again, I haven't really noticed this yet.  He will grab for his bottle when he sees it though, so maybe that counts.

Oh, Potty Training

The potty training saga is ongoing at our house.  This has by far been the most challenging part of my parenting journey to date.  I suppose that means that I've been fairly lucky with a laid back kid, who listens relatively well and is a usually a people pleaser.

James is getting better and better with using the potty all the time.  He still puts a fight about it most of the time, but if you tell him to go upstairs and use the potty, he will.  Now when he has an accident he responds, "But I didn't mean to," which is actually pretty cute, even though it means that I'm cleaning up wet undies!  Going to underwear all day, regardless of accidents, has really helped.  He is grumpy when his pants are wet, so he is more likely to actually hold it.  Obviously, he gets a dry pair, but when he's at daycare, that can take a minute or so.  He will still very rarely tell you that he has to potty, but if he goes every 30 to 45 minutes, he's been very successful in his big boy underwear.  I am hoping this trend continues, although he does have days where he just has no interest (like last Thursday when he went through 5 pairs of underwear at daycare).

I should also mention that little boy underwear are really cute?  He just looks like such a big kid, running around in his cartoon character underoos.  My baby is growing up.

James in his Despicable Me undies

Vacation

After a bit of a hiatus, here I am!  We went on a wonderful vacation to North Topsail Beach, NC last week and it was a fabulous break from work and daily life.  The four of us rented a house right on the beach and had a great time.  James and Logan ended up loving the beach, while Mac and I are still more reserved about it.  While I was a beach bum kind of baby, as an adult, all the sand and sunscreen and salty air kind of annoy me.  But I sucked it up and everyone was happy.
Logan thoroughly enjoyed throwing himself into the sand, particularly after getting a fresh coat of sunscreen.  How else would he get so much sand coverage?  Children's sunscreen is really glue.
James took a day or so to warm up to going in the water, but once he did, he quickly turned into a daredevil.  My mom says that Travis, my older brother, was always more reserved in the water, while I was diving into the bath tub from 6 months on and jumping off the high dive at 2 years old.  I think James is definitely more like Travis and Logan is more like me in that respect.  Now that the boys are taking baths together and Logan isn't so restricted by his baby tub, he's always going head first into the water.  Talk about a major heart attack for his mother.

Another Tooth Chart

On Tuesday, I picked the boys up (after going to the gym, thank you!) and Rhonda was excited as soon as I walked in.  She yelled, "I was going to call you!" and I immediately thought something was wrong.  But nothing was wrong, she was just excited that Logan's first tooth popped through during his nap!  Logan's lower right central incisor came through just days after his 7 month birthday.  James didn't get his first tooth until 11 months, after months of dramatic teething.  Logan seemed pretty laid back about this tooth coming in, a little drool, a little Tylenol and that was it.  So I've started his tooth chart, although I noticed that James' last 3 molars are not marked on his.  You see what pregnancy did to me?  I got complacent on James' tooth record!  Oh well, he's got the teeth and he's been to the dentist, that's about all I can do!  I will try to keep up with Logan's though, at least for his first few teeth.

They're going to make it

After a pretty quick trip to the doctor on Thursday, both boys were given a fairly clean bill of health.  They had a cold virus and didn't need antibiotics.  I got the okay to give Logan a small dose of Claritin to dry up some of his snot (even though he doesn't have allergies... yet.) and told to give James Delsym for his cough.  Kids under 4 aren't really allowed much cold or cough medicine, but the combination of the Delsym and James' usual Claritin has helped him sleep better.
The kids' usual pediatrician was at a conference, so we had to see his associate.  We have seen her before and I really like her.  She actually was the pediatrician for both of Rhonda's girls, so I know she is highly regarded.  However, when I took James to the bathroom after waiting for her for 15 or so minutes, I saw her sitting in her office.  We used the potty (James is at the phase where he wants to see any and all public bathrooms) and then sat for at least 10 more minutes.
Perhaps she was doing something important in her office or following up with another patient, but when I'm sitting in an exam room with two impatient children, one of whom is only wearing a diaper, I want immediate service.  When she came in, I was annoyed, but then she chatted with James for a minute and I got over it.  I have to learn to be more patient, but again, two snotty children in an exam room with one exasperated mother may not be the moment that I learn more patience.
I did appreciate that she directed all of her questions to James, first about how his summer was going, and second about how he was feeling and then looked to me for confirmation.  James was right on with all of his answer, for the most part.  Well, except for the part about going to France on vacation.

Dad the Chair

James decided to sit on his father today. He just hopped right on Adam as he laid on the floor.

I asked him, "James, is Daddy a chair?"

He replied, "Yes, and a bed too."

Glad we cleared that up.

Two sick boys

Both boys are sick with colds, so I am home today.  They've both been coughing and stuffy and this morning, they were especially miserable.  Logan was fussy, trying to eat with a stuffy nose, and just grumpy overall.  James was tired, stuffy, and looked at me rather pathetically and asked to stay home.  So here we are.  Logan was so fussy that I would have felt terrible taking him to Rhonda's anyway.  I've also been worried because Logan's eyes are a bit red and I am hoping its not pink eye.  Either way, its been a few days of illness and neither really getting better, so we'll go see the pediatrician today.
After Logan finally gave in and fell asleep about 2 hours ago, James woke up and has been quietly playing and watching cartoons.  James also asked to use the potty (maybe we're finally getting there?!?!?) and took a shower.  I'll try to call the doctor in a few minutes and see when we can come in.  If we can go in the morning and the boys are cleared, I will hopefully go into work this afternoon.  And if not, we'll just stay home.
James says the most hilarious things sometimes.  He just knocked over an empty water glass (one of the big plastic tumblers you bring home from a baseball game) and he looked at me and said, "Daddy would be angry about that.  He would yell and I would cry."  This was pretty funny, because Adam is the least likely person in the world to yell at James and make him cry.  But I told him it was okay, we all have accidents and then we hug and make up.  I didn't want him to think he'd really get yelled at for knocking something over.  Also, if one of us was going to yell, it would definitely be me.
So here we are at home, Logan should wake up soon and want to eat.

The First Rule of Babies Sleeping...

... is you don't talk about babies sleeping.

The second you talk about it, they stop doing it.  But only if you talk about it in a positive since.  Like if you mention that little Muffie is sleeping 8 hours at a time and is only 4 months old, that very night little Muffie is going to go bat-shit crazy and wake up every 2 hours demanding to be fed and cuddled.

We've been lucky that Logan has been in a good cycle cycle (I'm going to call it a cycle, as to imply that its a temporary occasion and not the norm) for the last few weeks.  I like sleeping all night and I remember it taking James forever to not wake up to be fed anymore.  When James started to drink milk at a year old, we stopped feeding him at night.  Logan has been eating a lot during the day, and is pretty set in his bedtime routine, even if he doesn't sleep all night.  I'm grateful for routines and some sense that I know what's going on.

We still have to deal with getting teeth and other possible regressions due to crawling and walking and growing in general, but I'm enjoying our current sleep cycle.  Also, when Logan wakes up, he doesn't really cry or scream, he just laughs and squeals and its pretty adorable.

Family Photos

We had pictures taken of the family on June 30th.  It was hot and James didn't really want to cooperate, but here are a few photos.  Hopefully we will have the CD with all the shots soon!

Okay, I'm here still

Hi, I'm Chelsea and I've gotten over myself.  Really I've just managed to find my motivation again.  For work, going to the gym, and now for writing here.  The last few weeks have been full of some stress for me and the family, but it seems some of it has eased and some of it has resurfaced.  Ebb and flow, I suppose.  But the way we deal with challenges ultimately makes us the people that we are.  And while I can pout and wallow and sleep instead of working out, I really don't want to choose that life.  So here we are!
As I mentioned before, James and Logan had their 3 year and 6 month check ups.  James was 33 lbs and 38 3/4 inches tall.  Logan was almost 18 lbs (2 ounces shy) and 26.5 inches!  They are some big boys, James was in the 80th percentile for height and 60th for weight, since he's constantly moving.  And Logan was in the 75th percentile for both height and weight.  I love their doctor and tolerate his nurse.  Logan also received another round of shots, which had no effect on his whatsoever.  When James used to get shots, he'd be grumpy and sleep a ton and fuss.  Logan has an "ehhh, whatever" kind of attitude.  I'm lucky to have two pretty laid back children.
Part of the stress and worry that I was facing was due to Logan's genetic testing.  I carry a faulty gene that can lead to Becker muscular dystrophy in boys.  My brother and cousin are affected by it.  While its a fairly mild form of MD, I was still worried and felt that because James is not affected that Logan would obviously have it. But he doesn't.  His testing came back totally normal, there is no deletion on his DMD gene.  When Adam and I listened to the voice mail and heard the good news, we both looked at each other and vowed no more children.  Rolling the dice twice was enough and I cannot imagine the stress I would feel, worrying about passing my bad gene onto a third child.
Daycare was closed last week, Rhonda was on vacation and the boys were home for 9 long days.  The days actually weren't that long and Adam took care of them most of the time.  We were lucky that Jackie was able to stay with them on Tuesday and Thursday was a holiday for everyone.  I remember last summer thinking that I couldn't wait for Rhonda to be open again, but this year it wasn't as bad.  We stuck to our schedule and everyone came out alive.
Three is an interesting age.  James is smart enough to know what he wants and remembers enough to call you out if you don't follow through on something.  He knows how to use the potty and clean up afterwards, but won't tell you he needs to go.  He throws a tantrum like a champ and cuddles like a sweetheart just moments later.  His sense of humor is ridiculous and he feels some jealousy over the baby at times.  For instance, last night I was feeding Logan and James walked over and put his head on my leg.  Logan finished up his bottle and James asked to sit with me.  I asked him if it was okay if Logan sat with us too.  James said, "No, put Logan on the floor."  So I set Logan down with some toys and James climbed up and snuggled me tightly.  Then he looked up and said "I lub you."  I told him I loved him too and he smiled and we sat together for a few minutes.  He's pretty cute.

The Birthday Party

James had an awesome third birthday party.  We went to a local pumpkin patch/petting zoo/farm, that we have been to several times and knew James would enjoy.  More than that, it prevented me from needing to clean my house and then have it destroyed by 10 children.  We invited all the daycare kids and our friends that have kids (which isn't actually that many friends).  James was full throttle, all out enjoying himself from start to finish of the party and I was so glad he had fun.  Here are some pictures from the party, taken by a friend's husband.

I had fun editing this one.

James and a goat

His cheek has a bat on it

Feeding a baby goat

All smiles from this kid

Motivation

I have not been motivated to do much blog writing lately.  Actually, other than things that are 100% necessary, I haven't been motivated at all lately.  Chalk it up to another family bout with illness, or a lot going on at work, or life in general, I have just not been feeling it lately.
I was away from home on Logan's 6 month half birthday, so I forgot completely to update his milestones.  He is meeting all of them and had a great check up with the pediatrician today.  James also had his 3 year check up this morning and is a thriving, healthy little boy.
One of these days, I will hop back on the blog writing train, but for now I'm going to work on my motivation in other areas (like maybe getting to the gym...)

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3 years old

Three years ago, I became a mom.  It was a surprise, not the becoming a mom part, but the timing of it all.  It was a whirlwind the first few days and I spent most of it in a foggy haze of Magnesium sulfate.  Occasionally, I feel so frustrated at my lack of involvement during the first few days, but I know that I had to take care of myself before I could take care of James.  He was lucky to have a dad like Adam, who stepped in and took such good care of us both those first days.  You never really know how you're going to be as a parent or how your spouse is going to be until you're in the middle of it.  Adam surpassed any expectation I might have had during those first days and has continued to do so throughout the last three years.  I've been so lucky to have him as my partner and really can't imagine a better dad for our boys.
Here are some pictures of James through the years.  I wanted to use his official birthday portraits, but then I realized that when we took him for his two year pictures, he lost his mind and wouldn't stop crying.  Love toddlers!

Ten days old

One year old

Two years old

Brotherly Love

James loves his baby brother and its quite obvious that Logan is just as enraptured with James.  While James is pretty hands off with Logan, he does help buckle his car seat, get diapers, and make bottles ("Two scoops, Mom!").  Before bed, James gives baby a hug and kiss and says good night.  He makes sure to be quiet if Logan is falling asleep and likes to whisper, "Good night, Baby Logan".  When he's awake, Logan smiles at James nonstop, reaches for him, and occasionally tries to grab whatever extremity might be available.  James always says that Logan is trying to tickle him.
This morning, I was making my coffee while the boys were in the living room.  Logan was rolling around on the floor when I left, but when I got back James was with him.  They were laying on their tummies, facing each other.  As I walked in the room, I notice that James had grabbed Logan's hand.  He looked up at me and said, "Mom, we're holding hands!"  James was so excited about it and Logan had a huge grin.  I know there will be jealousies, problems with sharing, and fights, but I really love seeing my boys so happy together.  It  also helps that if James is in the room, Logan is probably not screaming for me and I can make my coffee a little bit more quickly!

The prophecy

Potty training plugs along at our house.  We ignored all of it for a few weeks, hoping James would be more receptive than our previous attempts.  Out of nowhere, James requested McQueen Pullups.  He has seen some of the older boys with them at daycare and he just had to have them.  They're thinner than diapers (and leak more...) but James can put them on by himself.  He's been more interested in using the potty and has had some success, although he still won't ask to use it himself.  He also rarely admits that he has to go, even if you ask every 30 minutes or so.  But he's interested and we are getting there, slowly but surely.
Rhonda, patron saint of screaming babies, runny noses, and all things child oriented thinks he'll be done by the end of the summer.  That's the prophecy, let's hope it comes true!

Time Flies

The last few weeks have really flown by, mainly because we've been so busy every single weekend!  By the time the weekends are done, we're onto another week and I barely have time to think, let alone write a blog post.
Over the last month or so we've gone to a birthday party, Orioles game, Mother's Day at Grandma Dee Dee's house, graduation party, graduation ceremony, and memorial service.  We still have James' birthday, our anniversary, and Father's Day to get through.  Then it seems we're right into July and the 4th!  It really is amazing how fast things are moving.
Over Memorial Day weekend, James got sick, which lead to Adam and I getting sick.  That took us all a few days to get over, luckily Logan managed to avoid the stomach bug.  The poor baby did have his first ear infection, there was lots of screaming, but the antibiotics seem to be doing their job.
As I mentioned, James' birthday party is this weekend.  I'm very excited, we're going to the Petting Zoo/Pumpkin Patch.  There will be face painting, pony rides, a hay ride and visiting with all the farm animals.  I hope it goes well, as we've never had a party with other children!  We are expecting 10 kids and there is still a ton to do to get ready for the party - shopping, making cupcakes, and getting the favors squared away.  At least we're just ordering pizza to be delivered, otherwise I would have even more to worry about.
I can't believe my little baby is almost 3 years old.  I am so lucky to be his mom, and he is so lucky I love him terribly, because this independent, head strong toddler has been testing his mother a lot lately.  He knows how to push buttons and test his limits.  I think he gets it from his dad.  Either way, I have been working on my patience and self control more than ever.
Yesterday, we did a huge toy clean out in our living room.  We got rid of broken things, moved age appropriate items to Logan's room, and took down the Pack N Play.  As silly as it is (and as happy as I was to have things organized) I cried as we reminisced about James' old toys.  There were toys we thought he'd love forever, now cast aside for more "grown up" Legos and action figures.  At least now there will be room for the pile of toys he's bound to get for his birthday!

5 month milestones

Logan, 5 months old

Mastered Skills (most children can do)
Can distinguish between bold colors
This milestone always confused me with James.  How do I know what colors he can distinguish?  Are we going to chat about it?  Logan does like to look at the TV and look at brightly colored books and toys, so I guess he can distinguish between bold colors.
Can roll over
Both directions for about a month now!
Amuses himself playing with hands and feet
He has not discovered his feet yet, but his hands are in his mouth a lot.  Teething hasn't set in too badly, but he has days where he is clearly in pain.  We've been giving him Orajel and Baby Tylenol for pain when he's inconsolable.

Morning smile 5/17/13

Emerging Skills (half of children can do)
Turns towards new sounds
Yes, Logan is quite curious about new noises.
Recognizes own name
Not yet, but we're working on it.
May be ready for solids
Logan loves rice cereal with prunes mixed in (the poor boy has a serious poo problem) and has tried sweet potatoes and peas.  He was not a fan of the peas, but we've only tried them once (yesterday).  Their texture is a big thicker than the sweet potatoes, even though they're also a stage one food, so I am thinking they were harder for him to swallow.  We will keep trying the peas this week and I might mix in some formula to thin them out a bit.  Next week we'll be trying carrots! We are being very careful with his first vegetables to make sure he isn't having any allergic reactions before trying a new food.

Not such a fan of the Orioles game 5/18/13

Advanced Skills (a few children can do)
May sit momentarily without support
Very momentarily, he will hold himself for just a second before toppling forward.  Luckily mom or dad is always there to catch him.
Mouths objects
There is always something in his mouth!  Either his fingers, the octopus that hangs from his car seat or another toy of some sort.  He has an apple teether that is one of his favorites right now.  Very soon we will be moving all of James' Legos to his bedroom, because as Logan beings to crawl and move, they will be a hazard for him.
Stranger anxiety may begin

Little Dribbler

Yes.  Definitely yes on this one.  Rhonda's mom, Miss Helen has been visiting since last Thursday.  Logan bawls the second he sees her.  He is very confused about who this woman is, why she's talking to him, and why she wants to hold him.  Miss Helen loves kids and James loves her right back, but Logan is not having it.  Luckily, Raylene, who is 9 weeks younger than Logan, is around for her to love on.

Two feet

Most work days, I get the boys and myself ready and out of the house by 7:00 am.  Its a crazy, hectic morning, but I think I've gotten pretty good at it in the last 2 months.  I get Logan fed, ready, and in his car seat before I even go into James' room.

This morning, I got my big boy up and we picked out his clothes (cargo shorts and a red M&M's t-shirt from Grandma Dee Dee).  Then I sat on the floor and he came over to sit with me and get his morning snuggles.  These are occasionally the only snuggles I get all day, because let's face it - he's a man on the move.  Then James looked at me very seriously and said "I got two feet!"  Then he looked at me and said, just as seriously, "You got two feet too!  And pink toes!"

I looked at him incredulously and said "No way!  That's so cool!"  He grinned at me and we proceeded to get him dressed.   I really do love mornings with my guys, even if they are a bit hurried!

Rolling over

This weekend Logan seems to have mastered rolling from his back to his tummy.  He gets over there very easily, then almost immediately starts to fuss.  Its pretty entertaining, because I've seen him roll from his tummy to his back, but he just would rather someone come save him.  He's also been rolling over and sleeping on his tummy, which doesn't surprise me too much.
Logan's 4 month check up went well, he got 3 shots and the Rotavirus stuff they squirt in their mouths.  He weight 15 lbs, 15 ounces and was 24 3/4 inches long.  He's not as big as James was at that age, but is still in the 75th percentiles, roughly.  James had a huge growth spurt between 2 and 4 months, but Logan hasn't just yet.  Either way, Logan is healthy and meeting all of his milestones!

Big brother

I feel like I haven't been updating on James very much lately, so I will take some time to give an update on the big brother.
Everyday, James amazes me with his wit and intellect.  I know I'm his mom, so I'm supposed to think he's smart and extraordinary, but maybe other's think that too?  Rhonda always tells me that James is pretty mature for his age.  He's very clear when he speaks and lets you know exactly what he wants.
James loves going to daycare and loves that Baby Logan goes with him.  When he was sick a few weeks ago and I kept him home, but sent the baby to daycare, you would have thought the world had ended.  James is a helpful big brother, but doesn't get overly involved.  He likes to help pick out Logan's clothes and buckle him into the car seat.  He likes to kiss the baby and show him toys that he's playing with.  I have a feeling things are going to get dicey soon, as Logan begins to move around more.
James is still fluctuating between wanting to be a big boy and wanting to be a baby and I can certainly see why.  Being a baby is kind of awesome, you hang out in a diaper and get fed and snuggled.  But we try to remind James of all the perks of being a big boy - eating marshmallow cereal (Lucky Charms to the rest of the world) and playing outside are his favorites right now.
We've let up on potty training James for now.  He's obviously not ready and I'd rather not cause him too much psychological damage at such an early age.  We'll try again in a few weeks and see if he's more receptive too it.  Summer is coming and we're hoping some naked time will help with potty training.
Even though he's a busy kid, always running around and making a mess, James is such a good boy.  He amazes me everyday, just when I feel especially fed up with "threenage" attitude, he'll come over and ask mom for a hug.  He's always been an affectionate kid and will still sit in my lap to watch cartoons on Saturday mornings.
So that's James right now, just a few weeks shy of being three years old.  I can hardly believe it!

Don't you dare try to keep me warm

Last night, it was my turn to take the overnight feeding shift.  We've been very lucky that Logan has been eating only once a night, so we can take turns.  If you wake up the feed the baby, the other wakes up to walk the dog in the morning.  This means that one day every weekend, one of us gets to sleep in.  Note that sleeping in around our house means 7 AM.

So last night was my turn.  Logan fell asleep around 8 PM and woke up around 2 AM, which is his usual at the moment.  He woke up squealing his happy squeals, I fed him, snuggled him, and watched him fall asleep.  Then I tucked him under his blanket (Oh no, a blanket in the crib, child abuse!) and turned the light off.  I walked to the bathroom and heard him wake up and start squealing his happy squeals again.  So I repeated the bedtime process a couple more times.  Each time I put him under his covers, walked away, and then he woke up.

After more than an hour of this process, I sent Adam in.  Adam wasn't thrilled that he was called in, but I'd been trying for awhile, so I figured maybe someone else would know what to do.

So Adam walks in, takes the covers off Logan, and watches the baby fall asleep in a matter of seconds.  Logan was mad that I was keeping him warm.  He was trying unsuccessfully to kick his blanket off and waking himself up.

Its time like this that make me enjoy children that verbally communicate.  Although, they aren't near as likely to snuggle.

4 month milestones

Four months already!  I would say that I can't believe it, but I can.  Logan is four months today and growing like a weed.  He has a check up next week, so I will update his stats for height and weight then.  The website I was using to get my milestones from changed things around, so I couldn't find the same chart.  But here is a list I found elsewhere.

What most babies do at this age:
[x] Smiles spontaneously, especially at people
[x] Likes to play with people and might cry when playing stops
[x] Copies some movements and facial expressions, like smiling or frowning
[x] Begins to babble
[x] Babbles with expression and copies sounds he hears
[x] Cries in different ways to show hunger, pain, or being tired
[x] Lets you know if she is happy or sad
[x] Responds to affection
[x] Reaches for toy with one hand
[x] Uses hands and eyes together, such as seeing a toy and reaching for it
[x] Follows moving things with eyes from side to side
[x] Watches faces closely
[x] Recognizes familiar people and things at a distance
[x] Holds head steady, unsupported
[x] Pushes down on legs when feet are on a hard surface
[ ] May be able to roll over from tummy to back
[x] Can hold a toy and shake it and swing at dangling toys
[x] Brings hands to mouth
[x] When lying on stomach, pushes up to elbows

After reading through all the milestones for this age, Logan is meeting almost all of them. He's a very social baby and really enjoys the other kids at daycare.  He smiles at everyone he meets and loves to play with the toys attached to his play mat.  Logan is especially smitten with his big brother and I love seeing their interactions when we're getting ready to leave in the mornings.  James is very meticulous about his baby's sun shade being up on the car seat and making sure Logan is buckled in properly, and Logan smiles and squeals especially loud when brother is near.  James loves to kiss his little brother and gives him a bedtime hug every night.  Its just about the cutest, most wonderful thing I've ever seen.  I do have a feeling that the brotherly love may be coming to a hiatus, as Logan becomes more able to "steal" James' toys.  James has been working on sharing a lot at daycare, so I hope that helps us out some in the next few months.

First rice cereal

The only milestone on this list that Logan isn't currently meeting is rolling from his tummy to his back.  He went from his back to his tummy for the first time yesterday and then was stuck.  This angered my little guy, but he was over it as soon as I flipped him back over.  

Logan is quite the eater, taking 4 to 6 ounces every 3 to 4 hours.  We tried some rice cereal over the weekend and I think we'll be trying vegetables soon.  He had a few weeks of sleeping for 8 to 9 hours, but that was fairly short lived.  He will still sleep for 6 or so hours at a time, so we can't complain too much.  Naps are still not quite his forte, but he has been sleeping a bit more during the day.  
In other news, we took our first trip to the Maryland Zoo and everyone had a great time.  James and Logan's godparents, Jackie and Rob came, as well as our friend Herb, and his two year old little girl, Aurora.  The kids were well behaved and the group dynamic was a lot of fun.  I am generally hesitant with other parents, but everything went well and I hope we can all do more group trips.

James LOVED the zoo

You know you're a mom when...

Normally a post like this might have some silly answers.  As parents, we do lots of crazy things that we never would have done without our children.  But other times, I really know I'm a mom when there's tragedy happening.
While I hesitate to make tragedies happening to other people about me, there is something about being those boys' mom that makes me feel far more sensitive to the sometimes awful world we live in.  I know that I have to raise them in this crazy world and that is a hard challenge to face when it seems evil is lurking around every corner.
On Monday, I went to the gym after work.  I hadn't seen anything about the bombings in Boston yet and when I got to the gym, my iPod ran out of batteries.  So I plugged my headphones into the gym TV system and every station had news about the bombing on.
I managed to get 15 minutes of working out/listening to the news done before I just knew that I couldn't stay away from the boys for one second longer.  So I went to Rhonda's early, scooped both of them up, and gave them an extra long hug.  My heart was aching watching the awful news, it was stretched as far as it could go when I gave in and left the gym.  They say that having kids is like having your heart outside of your chest and Monday I definitely felt that.
Having kids really has made me a more compassionate and more empathetic person.  Sometimes I wish I could shut that off, but in the end I know its not really a bad thing.

The virus from hell

Its been quite the week for our family.  We've been sick.  Really, really sick.  I am still really, really sick.
James started to feel bad on the Monday after Easter.  I took him to the doctor that day only to discover that he had a virus.  Now that's all well and good, but I'm the kind of mom that likes to throw antibiotics at everything.  Kill the germs!  But with a virus you have no choice but to wait it out.  James did okay the rest of Monday, but still had a fever on Tuesday morning.
After much debate, and maybe some loud verbalization on my part (I swear, I don't really scream that much, but it just seems like it on this here blog...) I took Logan to daycare and stayed home with James.  Tuesday was just a bad day for either Adam or I to stay home.  Adam had training for his Leadership Development Program at work and I had a job interview/tons of work at my real job.  But kids always get sick on days when we need them to be well, Murphy's law?
After a day of rest on Tuesday, James was feeling better.  My interview was rescheduled for Wednesday morning, so it wasn't a total wash.  On a side note, I am definitely not taking the job if its offered.  I would have to commute (I am so spoiled working less than 5 minutes from home), pay for parking, and wouldn't be able to telework.  Its a slight raise, but when I did the math, parking and extra gas would even things out.  But its always good to practice interview skills.
James was very whiny the rest of the week, Rhonda even called me to ask if it was alright to give him Motrin on Wednesday morning.
Then Adam started to cough.  And Logan started to cough little, pathetic baby coughs.  And of course, I started to cough.  Big, hacking coughs that rattle your whole body.  Add in congestion, runny nose, and a fever for me and you have one sick momma.
Saturday night, Logan woke up to eat (thank you 4 month growth spurt, this kid has been eating nonstop for the last 4 days) and I could tell something was off.  But my boy wanted to eat, so he ate.  Then Logan refused to go back to sleep.  He was not having it.  So downstairs we went, where I took my temperature.  It was almost 104.  Well no wonder I was so hot and no wonder the baby didn't want me to hold him.  I was making him hot.  So after two hours of unsuccessfully trying to put him to bed, I called for reinforcements.  When I woke Adam for help, I think I said, "He's been up for two hours and I have a 104 degree fever, please help".  So I told Adam he'd eaten 6 ounces, had a diaper change, and was not happy.  Logan then screamed for awhile and finally went to bed.
Adam let me sleep in until almost 9 AM on Sunday, fairly unheard of around our house.  And I tried to rest as much as possible.  That's pretty much a joke with two youngsters, but I tried.  I woke up this morning and still have a fever, but I am at work.  I am still coughing a lot and pretty much feel like crap, but am hoping to feel better soon.  This truly has been the virus from hell!

Easter

Logan's first Easter was a bit of a miserable failure from a mom's point of view.  I didn't have a chance to find a shirt that matched James' (matching outfits are actually the most important part of every holiday).  Mostly because Adam bought James' outfit at Sam's Club and didn't get Logan one that matched and then they ran out of said outfit and then the world ended.  Okay, not the last part.  And I didn't get any pictures of the boys together.  And the weather was bad so there was no outdoor egg hunt on either Saturday or Sunday.  And for the record, I'm not sure Jesus actually rose from the dead, but that's neither here nor there.
Anywho!  Now that that's out of my system.  Here are the two separate pictures that I did manage to get.  Note that James is wearing a long sleeve under his polo shirt because it was so cold!

Dirty O's hat...  Won't look at Mom.  Must be 2.

All business, all the time.

Sleep is amazing

So it turns out that while Logan isn't a great napper, he's an awesome night sleeper.  I had no idea it was possible for a little baby to actually sleep at night!  James never got more than a few hours in a row before he wanted to be fed.  Then we had issues with him still waking up to eat, even at 12 months old.  James also teethed very early and for the longest time, which didn't help with sleep.  He never even got the chance to sleep through the night because he was teething so badly from 4 months on.
But Logan is a sleeper.  He's been going a long time before waking up, usually down by 8 pm and sleeping at least 6 to 8 hours.  Its just crazy to me!  And I know that as soon as you talk about how well your baby is sleeping, they usually stop, but we have had this pattern going on for 2 weeks now.  Coming soon will be his 4 month growth spurt and "wakeful period" as all the books call it, and I know he will teethe at some point, but I am really relishing this time to actually sleep.

Oh, the gym

I've been going to the gym a lot recently.  (Yea, I know I said I wasn't going to write about weight loss, but this is more about the gym itself.)
There are some really funny characters at the gym.  I suppose I should include myself in there too, I'm by no means an athlete.  I like to think I was in a previous life, but in this one, I am just trying to pass and not look too stupid.
Here are some of my favorites at the gym:
1.  The guys who work out in jeans.  How is this at all comfortable?  I despise sweating in jeans, so why would you wear them somewhere that you're going to be sweating a lot?  Usually guys are just lifting weights in said jeans, but there's even a sign regarding the dress code by the front desk.  No jeans is clearly listed.
2.  The guys who make up exercises.  These guys usually have free weights.  Now again, I am no athlete.  But I did work out with a trainer before our wedding and she did a great job of teaching me about working out, correct stance/movement, and not hurting myself in the process.  I see guys (the free weights are directly in front of the treadmills and elliptical machines) just tossing weights in random motions, not really working out a particular muscle group, very random.  Maybe they're trying to sneak up on their muscles?
3.  I could be lumped into this category, but who knows.  One of my other favorite groups of people are the new people in brand new work out clothes.  The guys in work out tights (no really, men's tights) matching shorts, tank, and head band, sparkling gloves.  These are the guys that spend more time chatting and holding weights than actually lifting them.  Now I have some new work out clothes, but I do try to make the most of my time and I certainly don't chat, so maybe I only half count.
4.  This one is a doozie.  The ill-dressed ladies.  I saw a woman at the gym yesterday with rather large....  endowments.  She was wearing a push up bra and a low cut tank top.  Now, I am not as well...  endowed.  But if I'm moving on the treadmill or elliptical, most of my body is also moving.  I am not sure how she was keeping the "girls" in check, but she didn't seem to mind that she was falling out of her shirt.  Its the gym, who are you really trying to impress?  Even if I go straight from work to the gym, I always pack a sports bra to change into.
Did this turn into a rant?  Oops!  I suppose that observations from me end up being rants, but there you have it, the gym as I see it!

The new routine

Things have been going well around our house!  This week has been a bit hectic, trying to get myself and the boys out the door, but I've really made an effort to do as much as possible the night before.  I pick out my clothes, James' clothes, change Logan into his outfit for the next day (Is that bad?  I mean, he just hangs out in a sleeper all day, so why not get him into it the night before...), make lunches, and take a shower.  I feel like I'm superwoman every time I get to work on time!
So far, Logan loves daycare.  Rhonda has enjoyed having a little guy to cuddle and Logan loves to look at all the new sights.  The kids are certainly keeping him entertained and James has only been a little jealous of the other kids paying attention to his baby brother.  James has done well, he's regressing a bit, but nothing too terrible.  He really likes to be the baby and who can blame him.  But he's gotten no time outs all week and has been very helpful for Rhonda.  Maybe one day he will want to be helpful for mom and dad and actually use the potty, but that's another story.
Logan's been sleeping really well, he gets so tired during the day and fights sleep, but by the time he gets home and eats (and eats again) he is ready for bed.  Over the weekend we made it a priority to get him in bed by 8:30 pm and that time frame is slowly moving forward (which is the goal).  James has always been in bed asleep by 7:30 pm and Logan is following suit nicely.  He's been sleeping longer stretches too (probably due to the 8 ounces he's been eating between 5 pm and 7 pm) which is really wonderful.
I've been making a huge effort with going to the gym and am so happy with our routine these days.  I can only hope it will continue and that my motivation will as well.

Three month milestones

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
Recognizes your face and scent
Holds head steady
Visually tracks moving objects

Logan is definitely doing all of these things.  He smiles when he sees mom, dad, big brother or the dog.  His little head stays very steady and he likes to look around.  He watches and tracks moving objects well, usually its his favorite friend, Mac the dog.  Mac loves Logan right back, I don't think he realizes that the baby will one day be a running, screaming, overly affectionate toddler just like James.  

Emerging Skills (most kids can do)
Squeals, gurgles, coos
Blows bubbles
Recognizes your voice
Does mini-pushup

Logan is doing some of these things, he isn't blowing bubbles yet and gets pretty mad with tummy time, so his pushups could use some work.  But he makes lots of adorable noises and knows our voices well.  

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
Rolls over, from tummy to back
Turns toward loud sounds
Can bring hands together, bats at toys

Logan hasn't rolled over yet, but he does move towards noise and bats at toys well.  His favorite thing in the world is his playmat and he's always grabbing onto the rings and toys that hang from it.  As soon as you turn on his light up star (that plays classical music) he is smiling and squealing at it.  James never liked the mat that much, so at least Logan is getting some use out of it.