Randomness

Just a little update about our family:

Christian: Is growing like a weed. I guess I should have waited and made this post next Thursday after his 2 month check-up, but last week he weighed 11 lbs. I think we are going to have another big boy on our hands. I just can't imagine him being bigger than what Joseph was at 6 months. Jeff mentioned the other day what if we had 4 big boys like the Thomas' (Jeff has a set of cousins that are all brothers and they are all over 6 feet tall...huge boys!!). I just shook my head and can't imagine. Can you imagine the grocery bill?!?! Jeff and I laugh at what we finish off at meal time just between the two of us, I can't imagine four boys. That actually might be a good diet plan for me. There just won't be any food for me to eat. Anyway, back to Christian. He is a sweet little baby. Sleeps a lot during the day which is nice because I can tend to Joseph and get things done. Around 5 pm, he starts to wind down and get fussy. I usually cook dinner with him strapped to me in the jeep carrier. Talk about tiring! I remember my pilates instructor telling me before he came, I should focus on strengthening my arms and back because having a two year old and baby can be very tiring. I just shrugged and thought, "I carry Joseph around all the time, I am conditioned enough to handle this." Boy was I wrong. Christian loves to be held a lot and walked around, so that came be very tiring. During the day, he will sit in the swing and bouncy chair, but at night he is ready for some mommy touch. I spend most of my evenings walking him around the living room and kitchen while Jeff and Joe play. Christian loves being outside and baths so that has become a routine for us. Dinner, clean-up, walk, keep baby happy, bath, and then bed. He has recently found his hands and chews and sucks on them constantly. He is cooing and smiling like crazy which is always sweet. He's real chatty in the morning and at bath time. It seems like he is cooing much earlier and much more than what Joseph did. When I think about this, I wonder if that means he is going to talk more than Joseph...something I can't imagine.

Joseph: Is getting so big and at such a joyous age. He is at an age where he is learning, repeating, remembering everything! He is starting to make sentences which is really cute. One of my favorites is "Mama, see me now." So demanding! My least favorite phrases are "No" and "No, mine." He is going through the two's right now and that is all I have to say. I told Jeff that I am going to introduce him as, "this is Joseph and he's two." So whatever he does or whatever happens....he is just a normal 2 year old boy. He is amazing with Christian. He just gets on the floor and talks to him and Christian just coos and smiles back at him. We have had a few close calls with Joseph injuring Christian, but for the most part he is very gentle with him. One night Christian was in his bouncy seat (unbuckled) and Joseph ran by, grabbed the back of the seat and let go. Yep, just about catapulted Christian out of the seat. I was eating and when I turned to see what was going on, all I could see was the whites of Christian's eyes. He went right back to sleep like nothing had ever happened. Joseph is becoming a little boy in all sense of the word. Loves getting dirty, stinky and playing rough. He does this thing where he will run by you and slap you on your back side or leg and take off running. If he ever does this, he is playing and not hitting, because as he runs away he will yell, "get you!" Very cute, but when you're not expecting to get slapped, it can sting a little. He is doing great in his bed. We have a bottom rail so he doesn't fall out at night anymore. Jeff said we didn't need one, but I kept saying we did and then one night he fell out and he had a nice shiner to show for it. Ummhhmmm, mama knows what is best ;-) Last week Joseph had his first round of ear infections. We finally took him in after a week of runny nose, cough, and finally a high fever and vomiting. I never thought it could be an ear infection because he never once pulled on his ear or mentioned his ear hurting. She said there was a lot of fluid in both so I was bummed to hear that because I have had to battle with fluid in my ears for years. I have significant hearing loss due to chronic ear infections and fluid, something I would prefer my kiddos never have to deal with. This week he has really bounced back and been his old chirpy self.

Jeff and I: We are doing good. Just trying to get into a good routine where we can actually visit with each other at night. We get to talk about our day at dinner and then we split up for the night each taking a boy. Jeff is a common request from Joseph, so I take Christian and just try to keep him happy and awake until bath time. I can't wait for Christian to be able to play with the boys and we can all be together in the evenings again. Jeff's job has been going pretty good...he is just happy to still have one. They have been laying off left and right at his place. He may be going to France for this project so that is a week that I am not looking forward too. He is my savior at 6 pm. Someone we are all happy to see walk through that door!
I have been getting into a routine as well. I have started going back to the Y and that has been awesome. Joseph eased right back into it and of course, Christian sleeps the entire time. My back has been hurting ever since the epidural, so I am wanting to get back to pilates, but going by someone else's time isn't going to fly right now. We are all pretty much on Christian's time. I am feeling pretty rested. I don't get a solid couple of hours of sleep every night, but I do get sleep. Christian wakes up at 1, 4 and then is ready to be up for the morning at 5:30. The 9:30-1 is always good, and he will usually go down pretty easily after the 1 am feeding, but after that, I just hold my breath that he will go back to sleep. I fall asleep in the glider a lot, but the other night I just couldn't take it anymore, so I nursed in the recliner...much more comfortable and better for my back. Jeff has been such a big help with the second baby. He will get up sometimes in the middle of the night if Christian wakes up and he knows that I just nursed. He will bring him to the living room and walk him or rock until he goes back to sleep. So nice! He will do this on nights he has to work, which makes it more amazing. That is pretty much it with all our latest news. I will let everyone know Christian's 2 month results next week, so stay tuned. Peace