Garrett -- Week 3

April 20-26, 2015

Pardon the exposed tummy, but I have to get pictures of Garrett and I together when I can. I need to remember how little he is because he keeps getting bigger and pretty soon I won't remember how it felt to have him curl up asleep on me!!

King Caleb watering the Cheney's garden.

He likes typing on my computer

I love what good friends these two are!

Leila likes to "ride" Caleb's bike

Notes from my phone about the week:
Leila is scared of thunder storms and cries and wants to be held during the thunder. She has been asking to take naps, she doesn't always take one but she knows she gets to have a little one on one time with me reading with her in her room.

Caleb acting up (hyper and aggressive) to get attention sometimes. Generally patient and understanding of the situation but he's also only 3 ½ and needs attention and extra love. Fever. Very thoughtful of others: planning my birthday party, His prayers. Loves bike rides with Daddy.

Allen starts his new job next week (at Gallagher in Houston), which means I'll be officially starting my new job this week too: mom to three kids without Dad home to help. I'm just really grateful Allen has been able to be home with us for almost three weeks! Not only has it been awesome for me, but he's really gotten to spend quality time with Caleb and Leila while they're in a really fun stage of life!

Smiley baby! He has gotten more alert between his naps but has also gotten more fussy in the afternoons/evenings.

They LOVE playing in our sensory bucket (fancy name for a bucket of beans) 

Caleb loves to get Leila when she wakes up from her nap (she still can't reach the doorknob) and loves to comfort Garrett if he wakes up crying. And sometimes he decides it's time for Garrett to be up and I hear him on the monitor, in Garret's room shouting, "it's time to wake up Garrett!"
Garrett lost his umbilical cord accidentally (before it was ready to fall off), went to church for the first time and wore a cute outfit Aunt Steph gave us for Caleb (he didn't fit in it until he was two or three months old but Garrett may only fit in it for another Sunday or two).

Leila nurses her doll (who she calls baby Garrett) on her bellybutton and then burps him. Caleb lifts his shirt up and leans over the actual baby Garrett to attempt nursing him, despite numerous conversations about him not being able to produce milk. He really loves to hold Garrett and I can trust him to sit on the couch to hold him while I clean and cook. It doesn't last longer than 5-10 minutes before he tells me he is done, but it's helpful to me and really cute!

Free Jamba Juice day! Caleb, Leila and I went while Allen studied/worked and brought one back.

BIG yawn!

Caleb and Leila loved helping wash the van while Garrett and I sat in the garage.

Leila is in a phase where she likes to be naked and pull her diaper off.

She hates taking off her Nemo jammies... Good thing she has two pair!

In week two Garrett gets the hiccups a lot, still sleeps a lot, has regained to his birthweight, smiles often, hates being naked, laughs in his sleep. Clockwork with nursing: my app estimates when he'll want to eat again based on his recent nursing habits and he generally is right on the money! During the day he sometimes wants to nurse an extra time or two and I have had to wake him up to eat during the day to let him (and I) sleep our longer stretch at night. He is my easiest newborn so far! Doesn't like being swaddled. I fake swaddle like I did for Caleb. He can have his hands by his face, I just tuck the blanket around to keep his legs and arms from flailing too much.

Two week appointment: 10 lb 7.7 oz, 22 inches and 37.5 cm head circumference. He's gaining a pound a week so far and looked like he was there for a two month instead of two week appointment, especially compared to the itty bitty babies we saw there. It was my first time going solo with three kids:  getting all three dressed, loaded in the car and going somewhere (to the doctor's office). The kids were great! We left fifteen minutes later than planned because I decided to nurse Garrett at home instead of waiting until the doctors office and it was worth it: he was content and sleepy the whole time.

Our whole family was signed up to race in a fundraiser for a special needs preschool. A 5K and then a 1K for the kids, followed by a carnival. Caleb loved it last year and was really excited for it so he was devastated when drove an hour downtown and it was cancelled for a major thunderstorm. So we drove home and after naps had our own race: we put on our shirts, Caleb wore his race number, we drew a start and finish line and had Popsicles after racing up and down our street ten times. Some neighborhood kids joined in too.

Post race Popsicles.

Her race shirt was a little big and she asked to take it off

I was disappointed that the race was cancelled just because I knew how much Caleb and Leila would like it. But I was kind of excited because it meant I might be able to attend a women's conference at our stake center. On our way home from the race, I texted some friends for help: Stacie brought me a skirt to wear and Jessica gave me a ride home.

Allen texted me this picture of Leila asleep while I was at the conference. She's even funny in her sleep.

My brain is feeling a little sleep deprived right now but I want to share a thought from a stake women's conference I went to yesterday, hopefully I make some sense...

Making excuses for being too busy to study the scriptures or go to the temple is like telling the doctor you're too busy having cancer to have chemo. They are the things that will make your life better and by making time for them you will be blessed with peace and strength beyond your own. They are the things that will allow you to hear/feel the music of the gospel instead of just doing the dance steps. (I loved that talk from General conference!)

A friend stopped by to bring some cookies while I was nursing Garrett and Caleb and Allen were playing dress up together, so this is how they answered the door. :)

Caleb didn't fit in this until he was three months old.

He doesn't like binkies so he occasionally gets my finger in his mouth to soothe him.