Vocab Explosion and My Golden Birthday

April 21-28, 2013

Leila no longer sleeps in her crib or bouncer well for naps. Does alright most nights thankfully. Likes to bury her face. Tries to suck her thumb. Wants to nurse all the time. Sleeps longest when being carried but I can't imagine it's very restful sleep. Doesn't like to be left out of the action. 

She really just likes to have her head tilted back.

Smiles at us when we talk to her. Coos. follows sound with her eyes. Still gets startled and occasionally cries when Caleb yells, which is all the time. If one child cries, the other (previously just fine) chimes in. Her eye is looking much less goopy most days! (I don't think I mentioned before, she has had a plugged tear duct since she was born.)

Caleb doesn't wake up as much at night now. Has a favorite pose: on all fours, lifts one leg up (dog peeing). Loves Blues Clues even though it's a little advanced. He doesn't know how to find the fruit farthest away from the one with the most seeds. But he likes to yell at the TV to point out the star or other things he does know. Star is the only shape he says but can usually point out circle and triangle. Blue is the only color he says but knows red too. Says I, O, and some other letters. 

Gets frustrated when I don't understand what he wants. Garbage truck is "DA da da" but dad is "da da" and when he gets excited and repeats himself over and over, it's hard to distinguish. He said apple without being prompted, bappa. Jellybean includes sticking his tongue way out, so does please. Water wawa instead of bubbles (water dispenser makes bubbles). Is putting phrases together. Says outside. 

Plays "where is he?" all the time. Hides behind me, a door, a pillow. Hides his sippy cup. Asks "where are you?" and looks back and forth when looking for toys.

Says "shoes on" when helping dad in the morning. I love you/good night/ have a good nap when I leave his room. After brushing his teeth and kissing dad, "mom and Leila".

Mon played on Parker's trampoline with sprinkler. Ran 10:36 min mile. Nursed at park. 

Tues rainy morning and Leila weighs 8 lb 4 oz!

Wed night Caleb threw up 

Thurs tried to nurse Leila while pushing Caleb on the swing but I felt too uncomfortable when neighbor kids came to say hi. 

Fri walked home from park after run pushing the stroller. Grumpy afternoon. Caleb threw everything in every room everywhere. Hitting, kicking, biting, time outs. Dad went in to Caleb after he got home to read with Caleb, then made me dinner and held Leila.

Saturday we went to Texas roadhouse for a birthday lunch. Caleb loved it; he finally drank out of a straw successfully, chugged ranch dressing, high dived onto the waiter.

He loves Ranch dressing so much that he bathes himself in it.

In the morning I ran a 9:30 min mile, 14 min for 1.5 miles without the stroller. It's frustrating to not be able to exercise while pregnant and then to have to start from scratch again after each baby. Major thunderstorms rolled in during our lunch, canceled the Primary temple trip. Good thing we washed the car in the morning. :)

Sunday (the 28th, my 28th birthday) went on a morning walk, we stopped at the park and Caleb pumped on the big boy swing. Al played the organ at church. Caleb screamed after an attempted nursery drop off so he came with me to feed Leila.

Newborn (1 Month-Old) Photo Shoot

April 15-21, 2013

I have no notes from this week about the kids except Caleb has started building with blocks occasionally instead of just throwing them. In fact, now I have started taking toys away when they're thrown.

Friday night I went to a Girls' Night that Cathryn hosted, it was fun. And then Saturday I was supposed to go to a baby shower but decided to pull weeds instead... some things just need to be done when Allen's home to watch kids.

Here's Leila dressed up for church.

Leila had a reflux mucous episode that lasted for most of sacrament meeting, then I brought her home. (I'm pretty sure this was her first Sunday to church.)

Generally her reflux has been improving. I think it happens when she tries to poop, if she isn't laying down. She has had some more normal spit up reflux recently, where it's basically just milk that comes out her mouth and nose. Other than her changing her posture a little bit, they don't bug her. It's just when it is soo mucousy and she is in a battle of choking for twenty minutes to an hour that it is scary and exhausting. Then she just passes out and sleeps for a while.

Caleb got out of bed to read books and couldn't get back in so he grabbed his pillows and slept among his books on the floor. We moved him to his bed when we went to bed.

Sunday morning Cathryn came over to do a newborn photo shoot of Leila. Thank you Cathryn!

Caleb wasn't being too cooperative until we let him watch 101 Dalmations.

And here are the final products:

Attempts to recreate Caleb's newborn shot with Leila:

Caleb in his newborn pose 18 months later.

She wanted to just stretch out and didn't want to stay curled up.

This is me happy... happy, happy, happy!

April 8-14, 2013

April 8-14, 2013

Caleb had his 18 month well check this week. His stats: 34" long (91%), 26 lb (52%), head circumference 20" (98%).

He's so big compared to her!

He loves shredded cheese.

On Friday when I weighed Leila, she was back up past her birth weight! 7 lb 12.6 oz It only took four weeks.

Stretch!

And then she resumes her "normal" position. 

Saturday we barbecued and had our neighbors (Kirk, Trina and Heidi) over. Uncle Turkey's chicken marinade and my new recipe for barbecue beans were both a hit! After eating, we went for a walk and played at the park. It was nice to get to know them better.

Caleb will let me take pics now if I show him the pictures after. But if I ask him to smile for the camera, he lays down... Not quite sure why.

Leila is immediately in tears when she lays down flat. Extreme arched back is the only comfortable position for her.

Standing up: "Caleb, will you smile so I can take a picture of you?"

"Hold on Mom, let me get in position."

"Okay, now I'm ready. Take the picture."

Writing this over a year later, I can vaguely remember the exhaustion of getting used to taking care of two kids while still dealing with recovery from childbirth. Hence, so few pictures and no notes of fun things we did. I'm sure we went to the park unless it was raining and I know we went to Sam's Club after weighing Leila at the hospital on Friday... and maybe church on Sunday.

Her eyes look a little creepy but this is Leila after nursing.