Roomies

Over the weekend we started to sleep Robbie and Ellie in the same room. They are both in cribs, and Ellie thinks it's great to stand up and call over to Robbie. Robbie feels differently.

It's hard to hear what they're saying in the video, but it goes something like this:

Ellie: (Picks up teddy bear) Robbie! Robbie! Teddy bear!

Robbie: Lay back down, Ellie. Lay back down!

Ellie: (Picks up blanket) Robbie! Blanket!

Robbie: Please may you lay back down, Ellie!?

Ellie: (Lays back down)

I was about to go in and help calm them back down, since this video was taken at 5am yesterday morning! But after Ellie laid back down at the end of the video, they both fell back asleep and slept until 8:30. Thank goodness. I would call night 1 of sharing a room a success!

Last night I wasn't so fortunate. I staggered their bedtimes so that we put Ellie down to sleep first, then creep in with Robbie about 1/2 hour later once she's out. Well, I woke her up last night when I opened the door to bring Robbie in, and after I left the room Ellie was prairie dogging in her crib (popping her head up and calling out to Robbie) and keeping him awake. He tried to reason with her, saying "Ellie, lay down! If you lay down then I can lay down." Poor guy. All he wants is to go to bed!

An hour and a half later I had my hands full. Ellie was crying and calling out for me, and Robbie was weeping in his crib because Ellie had woken him up and he was disoriented / exhausted. To be fair, it was pretty warm upstairs last night and I don't think they were sleeping well because of it. We took Robbie out of the room so Ellie would fall back to sleep, and after resting with Daddy on the couch until 11pm, he ended up sleeping in bed with me for the night. Can I get a big no thank you to that?

Adding to our busy late night, Maddie would not settle at bedtime and I had to sleep her in her swing by my bed instead of her crib in the other room. Throw in a bottle or two for her during the whole ordeal, and my Advil / icing / pumping routine as I dry up my milk supply, and that was pretty much our night.

Poor Rob had gotten up at 3:30am for a flight to Dallas yesterday to attend a funeral, and didn't get home until 10pm. He walked in the door just as things were falling apart and jumped right in to help. I don't think anyone was asleep before 11:30pm! If you do the math, it turned into a really long and exhausting day for him. What a husband I have.

Here's to better nights of sleep ahead!

The sweetest boy

This little guy will not stop growing, no matter how nicely I ask.

I love the stage he is in - so inquisitive (we are in the thick of the "Why, mom?" phase) and very sensitive and aware of what's going on around him. We are having some success with our recent attempts at potty training, and even a few chuckles. Yesterday he lined up the 2 plastic potty chairs in the family room one in front of the other, and exclaimed "Look, mommy! A potty train!". I am certain that he hears us talk about 'potty training' and is taking the phrase literally.

He is learning how to channel his frustration by using words to articulate emotions he feels, and I often forget that it's only been 2 months since we brought Maddie home. Add in the transition of Ellie sleeping in his room and also being relegated to the 3rd row of seats in the van by his lonesome, and you are bound to have a few rocky moments until the dust settles.

We have noticed that he's become particular about certain things, and I can't tell if it's just the age or his personality (I think maybe a combination of the two?). He refuses to settle down to sleep for the night if his closet doors are not completely closed, if the right combination of blankets are not in his bed with him, if I forget to sing "Holy, Holy, Holy", if Rob and I don't do a group hug with him, etc.

He is definitely Daddy's buddy. I love watching the two of them together, knowing that theirs will be a special relationship and one that I hope remains strong for the rest of their lives. Saturday mornings often present the opportunity for them to run errands together - GBL, to rip off Jersey Shore - ha! (grocery, bank, laundry).

He is such a sweet little guy - quick to offer comfort if one of us seems down or hurt. He loves his aunties and uncles, and cannot get enough of his grandparents.

I love to tell him the story of how we prayed that our first baby would be a boy, and that God gave him to us as the answer to our prayers. About how God has a special plan for his life, and it includes being a great big brother to his little sisters. About how wonderful and special he is. He loves hearing about it too, and I have the feeling we will be retelling this story for the rest of his life.

Elle-belle

This sweet girl has changed so much in the last 2 months, I just had to document it.
The biggest changes have been in her personality and vocabulary. She was our little nomad when we first brought Maddie home from the hospital, wandering around the house playing by herself and just sort of figuring things out. I could usually find her in a corner playing quietly with a toy or reading a book, or walking around with her lovey in hand, dragging on the floor.

Lately? She is all over the place! She continues to entertain herself when need be, but she LOVES playing with Robbie and he loves it too. They are turning into little partners in crime, often chasing each other through the house or getting into things they shouldn't together. Robbie loves to wrestle her, and for the most part she likes it too (although sometimes we have to intervene and separate them). She loves to mimic everything Robbie does, and anything that Robbie has, she must have as well. In short, she adores her big brother.

She is in the phase where she crouches down like this and plays forever. It is impossible to do this unless you are 2 or 3! I think it's adorable.

I introduced the kids to juice boxes last week (an occasional, very special treat) and they are IN LOVE. Probably because the juice isn't diluted and the straw is just so much fun to pull out and play with. This means I have real live little kids, not just babies. I'm a little in denial.

Lover of animals and insects. She searches for ants and loves to inspect them. Although it always ends with her squishing them with her little finger when she's through.

Classic Ellie: brushing the hair out of her face.

Daddy's little copycat. Such a helpful little one, she is!

Sweet moments with beautiful Aunt Megan!

We spent one hot afternoon recently outside playing in the backyard and the sunlight was perfection. I took 100 pictures of Ellie while Robbie napped (no joke). It's hard to find time to capture each of my kids with the phase of life we are in, and I enjoyed studying my little girl through the lens. She is such a beauty to me and I love the age she is right now. The perfect blend of naivete and innocence paired with growing awareness and slight mischievousness. Absolutely charming, if you ask me. ;)

There she goes again, squishing unassuming bugs.

She is totally turning into a daddy's girl and I love it. She calls for him in the morning and at night, asking me "Where's daddy? Where daddy go?". I tell her he's at work and she always replies "Yeah, daddy work." She calls to him from the dinner table if he's nearby but not sitting with her just to get his attention by saying "Daddy! LOOK!". It is precious to see how from the very start, we are wired as girls to crave our daddy's attention and affection.

A typical Ellie pose - one foot up on the arm (or table, if it's meal time!). I have no idea.

Checking on Maddie.

I am so lucky to have this little face smiling up at me every day.

Another typical view of her - running away from me!

The girl has magical hair right now. Ignore the half-blink.

On Memorial Day Rob and I went to downtown Wheaton to watch the parade with Robbie and Ellie (while my mom stayed at the house with Madeline since it was so hot). We had so much fun with just the two of them! I know it's all relative, but seriously? It was such a piece of cake being out with just 2 kids, both of whom can walk and talk (enough).

A good pair of sunglasses is a very important accessory for every girl. Ellie's nailing it, if you ask me.

Happy Memorial Day!

I'm getting creative with the way we spend our days, and recently we spent a few hours in downtown Glen Ellyn. I got the kids hot dogs from the street vendor and it went over well.

A vision, even while chowing down on mystery meat.

As we have begun the process of (really) potty training Robbie, Ellie refuses to miss out on the action. She insists on being 'nakies' like Robbie and sitting on her own potty, although she has yet to produce anything worthy of an M&M celebration. She must say "My turn!" a hundred times a day!

I love this one, she is so attentive to what is going on and always sneaking around to get into my stuff. Usually it's my wallet or the diaper bag. This time it was something different.
"Ellie do it!?"

Sweet Ellie, you are so precious. I love your little personality, growing independence, and ornery spirit. You keep us laughing and thanking God for the gift you are to our family!

Madeline is 2 Months Old!

Dear Madeline,

You are two months old. That makes me want to cry! Although you are still little and very much a baby, you are growing so fast. Every day I feel like you look bigger, longer, chubbier, and more beautiful. I love watching you unfold each day into the little person God made you to be.

You are an absolute joy to us! You are a very content baby, and you give us a lot of lead time when you are hungry or need your diaper changed. Will you always be this forgiving and patient with me!? (I hope so.) You drift off to sleep pretty easily and stay asleep for good amounts of time. Thank you.

Your eyes are still a beautiful shade of dark blue, and your hair (that hair!) is still the biggest surprise you've given us. Maybe it's because we're outside more, where your hair is in its glory in the sunshine and beams the warmest shades of strawberry. We have no idea where you got it from, but according to Mima, your mommy and aunt Kelsey sported strawberry locks when we were both little. We are so curious to see if the color stays on you, or if you'll lighten up and become blond?

You had your two month well visit with Dr. Monson, and you did so well. (Big thanks for picking your head up off the table when she placed you on your tummy, even though we haven't been practicing! That was a close one. I owe you big time.) You are healthy as can be, growing taller but still staying pretty lean, took your shots like a champ and had a fever for the next day or so. She can still hear your heart murmur, and I will be glad for the day that little hole closes up so that I can put it out of my mind.

Your stats were: Weight 10 lbs 12 oz (47th %), Height 23 1/4 in (81%).

You join your sister in the ranks of those allergic to cow's milk (for the first year at least), and yesterday we made the full transition from nursing to bottles of formula.

I would be lying if I said I'm not sad to have to give up nursing. I cried to your daddy yesterday and I am pretty sure he thinks I'm crazy. Nursing had become difficult and painful for a variety of reasons over the last week, and I was miserable to the point of tears. But I will really miss those quiet times with just you, as there is something special about being the only person in the world who could nourish you and soothe you when you were hungry. I know you will still fall asleep in my arms and that you won't hold this against me later on, but for my own sake, I just want to say that I'm sorry. I'll find lots of other sweet things you and I can do together, just the two of us.

You are so much more alert this month - you coo and make intentional sounds when we talk to you. You lock in on our gaze and beam at us, melting us into a puddle with your gummy smile and lone dimple. You have a serious side as well, and I call you my little worried baby because you furrow your brow and sometimes open your eyes up wide, like "what in the world is going on!?".

I think you are going to have very expressive eyebrows, like your mommy and aunt Kels.

I'm just saying. See next picture for evidence: the one-eyebrow-raise.

I could just eat you up.

Your brother and sister love you so much. Although they are sometimes jealous of my time, especially when you need me to feed you or soothe you, they have never acted out against you. They have welcomed you into our family and into their little sibling club quickly and with nothing but affection.

You are so lucky to have Ellie as your big sister. Whenever you are crying, she runs over to you and in her deep little voice says "Wa's wrong, Maddie?", and "Aw, Maddie, it's ok!". She helps me burp you and loves to help me wipe you during diaper changes. She asks all the time to hold you. Watching me care for you has made a big impression on Ellie, and it's brought out the little mother in her. Once I found her in the corner of the room with her shirt pulled up, nursing her baby doll. I know she will be anxious to help feed you your bottles, once she realized that is now how you are fed and that she can play an active role in the process!

Ellie will help you figure things out along the way through life, and I hope and pray that you two remain close as you grow up. A sister is a very special blessing from God (I would know).

And for as lucky as you are to have Ellie, you hit the jackpot big time with Robbie as your big brother. He is big and strong, but as tender hearted as they come. He dotes on you, gently strokes your head, plants the softest kisses on your cheeks, offers you his prized trains during playtime, reads you books, and is quick to remind me to feed you when you start to fuss.

Yesterday at church, you and Robbie and I spent some time in the cry room listening to the sermon. It was communion Sunday and so my empty little cups were on the floor, and they seemed to be the perfect little playthings to Robbie. He stood up with one of them and turned it upside down, gently placing it on the very top of your head as I held you and said, "Mommy? Can I make Maddie a princess?!" The communion cup was your crown. A cute little anecdote, but honestly I think it's the way he views you. You are a little princess to him.

Realizing it's more fun to read to Maddie than just by himself.

I love you so much Madeline Jane. I couldn't have dreamed of a more perfect little girl to have as my third child, and I'm so thankful for you. This weekend you grew up so much, learning to take a bottle and not only sleeping in your swing but also in your crib occasionally! You will continue to grow up too fast for my liking, but I am determined to capture, remember, and cherish these days when you are still little.