12 Months of Matty

It all went by so fast.....

12, 1 full year!

I'm 12 months old today! I won't sit still for a proper picture, so this is what Mommy got. I am WALKING, I am saying words like stars, car, Dada, Jacob, and dog, just not consistently. I am a goofball, I love to laugh when others laugh. I'm not so sure about strangers, but I sure love my Daddy! I now have 14 teeth, soon to be 16. I am growing up so fast, where did the time go?

Eleven

This is a little late, but I am officially 11 months old, and I am starting to resemble a toddler more than a baby. I am starting to take steps, stand, climb and throw tantrums! I am on the move too much to pose on the floor. Fun! I also am starting to really play, and that IS really fun!

The Secret Joy of a SAHM

After dropping one kiddo at the bus and another kiddo being picked up for carpool, I set off on a walk. It was just baby and me, no frustrating dog to worry about. We walked around the lake pond by our house. Little Matt was so enthralled, and sat up straight in his new stroller where he can see out instead of just staring at me and the sky. I knew I was getting close to his naptime, so I tried to hurry.

When we arrived home, I grabbed his blanket and gave him his pacifier and carried him to his room. I sat down in the glider and instantly the boy was asleep. He was so cuddled up and heavy on me. I just felt this complete trust and love from him. I just wanted to take a mental snapshot of everything about that day: the beautiful morning, the nice brisk walk, the fact that I was flushed and rushing him to his bedroom, his silly mustard colored pajamas and that feeling of his total contentment and my feeling like my heart would burst from it. One day I won't remember these little things or these little pockets of feelings, and I want to hold on to them so tightly.

It feels like things are moving at a snails pace some days; they are not.

Even though not every day is easy, I'm very thankful for this time I have alone with Matthew.

Ten

My Mommy says that there are only six words to share in this month's update, but she says that they are some of the most important words in the world: I    AM   SLEEPING   THROUGH    THE   NIGHT.

Nine

 

I was 9 months old on Tuesday, but I was pretty sick, so Mommy waited to take my 9 Month pick. I am starting to feel better today. I am crawling, pulling myself up to stand, waving and saying "Hi". I love finger foods, my Daddy, big boy toys and being out and about! I hate being changed and sleeping through the night. Mommy and Daddy are tired, but they think I'm adorable.

*Notice the handcuffs? It's the only way I could get him to take the picture without moving!

On three

My wise sister-in-law once told me a joke she heard by a comedian (not sure who) that having a third baby  is like being handed a baby while you are drowning (or something like that). It's totally true. When you have your second baby you think how much harder it is with more than one. Well, when you have the third, all that impossibleness of two seems so easy. It's true that with the day to day stuff I feel like a seasoned veteran, but as far as any quality of life for myself or any time to do anything, I feel like I am just keeping my head above water. I miss a full nights sleep, a shower, time to work out, time to spring clean and organize.... and this blasted never-ending winter isn't helping either.

It's a good thing he's so damn cute.

Eight

I'm 8 months old today! I'm a busy boy, and my family loves to call me Matthew "Curious George" B because I am curious about everything. I love big boy food and my brother's skylanders. I am pulling myself up to stand, cruising to where I want to go- can walking be far behind?

Too big

Too big for his Baby Bath....

Too Big for his carseat.....

Seriously, how did this happen? Wasn't July 2nd yesterday?

Seven

I'm 7 months old today! A lot of changes happened this month- I have 7 teeth now, I am crawling everywhere, I can sit up and pull myself to sit up (sometimes)! I love to eat, my favorite foods are wires and shoelaces. No, really. Too bad Mommy always takes them away from me! I'm a big boy too- I am wearing a 12m outfit in this picture :)

Six

I'm six months old today! I'm getting to be a big boy. I'm eating solids (I especially like peas- yes, really), I have 4(!) teeth as of today, and I'm officially getting into trouble, rolling to where I want to go and grabbing for everything! I love my blankie, my activity center, my dog Louie, and being in the middle of all the action.

Five.

I'm five months old today! I have a new tooth, I can reach and grab things, and I am so much fun! I am also having too much fun to sleep through the night, but I am sleeping in my crib. I am a happy little guy who loves watching his big brothers play, and playing with my Daddy and cuddling with my Mommy. I am getting close to crawling, so watch out world, here I come.

Thankful

Everyone is doing this 30 days of thankfulness thing on Facebook, and I decided to do it on my blog. I know I'm a little far into the month, but honestly this is the longest Matthew has napped in a while, and I got a lot of my chores done.

I'm going to do these in video form. It should catch everyone up on the past 4 (!) months.

*BTW This took me all day because of Mr. M. He is sweet but he is a handful!

Beginnings, Endings, and In-Between Things

So this week is the last week of school, FINALLY. It seems like the kids were going to be in school forever, or at least that's how they made it sound.

I will have a 2nd grader, a Begindergartner (yes, we are delaying Kindergarten for a year. Jacob has the academic and social skills of a Kindergartner, but his focus and emotional skills need some fine tuning before taking an all day Kindergarten plunge. Luckily Begindergarten is all day. I am so happy that I will get some alone time with the baby... in 3 months.)

Battlestix is still chilling in my belly. I am 37 1/2 wks. I am feeling pressure from everyone to get the babeh out! as to not ruin their entire summer. As if I have a choice! I am so ready. Also: I am not ready at all! I don't want to go through labor, and mostly the aftermath! Wah! What was I thinking? I feel like this is my first baby, I feel nervous like it is. With the second, it had only been 3 years, it's been almost 5 with this one. Wish me happy easy soon labor fairy dust, please.

2 + 1 =

Okay, I'm officially calling it.

I'm Pregnant. Almost 11 weeks (!) It happened really fast after we made our decision to start trying. I announced it on our Christmas cards, just as an aside. I thought it was cute, but of course I did fret about if people thought doing that was showy. My news, I can share it how I want to, right?

I have been so sick and exhausted I haven't been able to do much, and not talking about it on my blog has been brutal! So glad the cat is out of the bag!

I'm nervous and excited and nervous and nauseous. This puts a real rush on getting the house ready to sell, unfortunately I am so freaking tired and Mr. B is working overtime, so it's been impossible to do. I wish the "magical getting your house ready to sell fairy" could come over here. (Design to sell anyone?)

Did I mention I'm really tired and nauseous? This pregnany is kicking my butt! Hopefully that means it's a girl.... hope hope hope. This one has been harder than the others. I'm looking forward to the second trimester.

Now that I can talk about this, I will be back with more soon.

Wordless Wednesday- Babies!!

I clearly have behbehs on the brain, but look at how cute (and bald) my little guys were!

Drew

Jacob

For more Wordless Wednesday, visit Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House.

Left Handed Compliment?!?

When eating dinner last night my husband looked at me and said, "You made these Calzones? They are really good."

Um... well, thanks I think?

Side note: this will be short, I am holding the baby right now, and fighting to keep him awake so Drew and him can take a nap together. (Oh please let this work SOON).

Question for the masses, what do you do with little children when it's too cold to go outside and you don't want to go shopping and you have played every game/craft you can think of? I NEEDS ACTIVITIES.

More tomorrow, I promise.

This is us, Saturday

So today is a cold, wintry Saturday. I don't think the snow will stop all day. Outside it is a thick, wintry blanket. Normally on a Saturday I would like this, but today I am home alone with the boys. Shaun is at work, which means he will drive through this stuff later on. Am I the only one out there who hates when loved ones are traveling? I worry.

Drew is watching Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, a movie which he told me is too short. He wanted me to make it longer (you can only do so much for your children). I told him it is a very old movie, and back then the movies were shorter [and so were people, but I didn't tell him that]. Nowadays, they make children's movies way too long. (Pixar, I am talking to you. I don't care how good the movie is, if it's longer than 80 minutes, my son ain't sittin' through it. So be a dear and shave some time off, would you?)

Jacob is doing his rounds.... wandering around the loop from kitchen to living room, saying "baby". Everything is "baby". It is only a matter of time before he discovers our Christmas tree and tries to play with it. Oh yeah, last night we also taught him to show us his belly.

Later while the kids are napping I will spend too much time on the Internet and (hopefully) get some wrapping done. We are going to make lasagna to freeze and also ham and cheese calzones for dinner. (I know this is incredibly ambitious for me. So we will see how it goes.)

So this is us today. Ignore my voice on here- do I really sound like that in real life?

I am SUPER MOM! (Update)

I made two meals this week that weren't just heated up stuff, like real cooking with recipes and measuring and stuff, and they were healthy and delicious. I also worked my full workweek, went grocery shopping, and washed and switched out Jacob's 3-6 and 6 month clothes with 6-9 month and 12 month clothes. Unbelievable. I even put on makeup today AND.... wait for it.... brushed my hair. I am a domestic goddess, I tell you.

So on the children front, Jacob is getting so close to crawling. He wants so desperately to keep up with his older brother, it cracks me up. He is obsessed with Drew, although he is saying something that sounds an awful lot like the beginnings of "Mama" (!). He has two teeth, and is so cute. Many people say that 5 months and 6 months are their favorite age, and I didn't feel that way with Drew, because he got 6 new teeth from 4 to 6 months and cried constantly (wouldn't you?). But Jacob is a little doll. I swear, if I had no common sense and we weren't broke as a joke, we would be trying for another one.

And Drew! We have had issues in the not-too-distant past, but he is really being a sweetie lately. He is also starting to listen to adult conversations too... this is good, and bad. I really have to watch all the things I say now. Also, he is.... wait for it again.... completely potty trained.
*Knocks on wood*
He even gets up at night to go potty and is accident free at night. Honestly, don't ask me how we did it, all the accolades go to Drew, if we weren't in the way, he probably would've been potty trained at 1 1/2 when he started to use the potty in the first place!

So in short, the fog is lifting off my winter depression stupor, and we are all doing well, thanks for asking! Oh wait, no one asked? I write blogs for my own self indulgence? Ahh... oh well, I do enjoy updating Sarah and Amber on things they already know! So for anyone who reads this that I DON'T talk to almost every day, thanks.

Mom of two

I used to think that I had changed so much when I became a Mom three years ago, but really, the bigger change was having my second. My whole life, the one that I had just started to figure out again, had completely changed, and I am still in the process of recovering. I wouldn't change anything though, I love being a Mom to two boys, but MAN, if I thought I had no time before.....

When I was a Mom of one.....
I used to get laundry and vaccuming done in the hour I had till I had to pick up Drew.
Now as a Mom of two....
I get laundry and vacuuming done AND empty the dishwasher and start dinner and go for a walk in the hour before I pick the boys up.

When I was a Mom of one....
I used to lament that Shaun and I never enjoyed a peaceful meal, someone was always getting up for Drew.
Now as a Mom of two....
I am lucky if I get five bites of food in before I am jumping up to nurse Jacob or cut Drew's food.

When I was a Mom of one....
I told everyone I was going to get into shape by exercising after having Jacob.
Now as a Mom of two....
The closest thing that comes to exercise is picking up the remote, I am so fricking exhausted.

When I was a Mom of one....
I got out about once a week to have "fun without kids" time.
Now as a Mom of two....
I don't even get sleeping alone time.

When I was a Mom of one....
I had a nighttime routine for Baby Drew: bath, massage, change diaper and PJ's, a couple of quiet songs, two books, and nurse.
Now as a Mom of two....
Baby Jacob's nighttime routine is change diaper, maybe a book, and nurse.

When I was a Mom of one....
Baby Drew wore a different cute outfit every day.
Now as a Mom of two....
Drew wears sweats every day with mismatched shirts and Jacob wears PJs.

When I was a Mom of one....
I would be annoyed if I didn't get to put on makeup in the morning.
Now as a Mom of two....
I am lucky if I get to brush my hair.

So let this be some food for thought for those who are planning on two...