I am afraid you are going to have to take the crumbs I throw at you and eat them as a meal because I don’t see me blogging much until things settle down on my end. I am dealing with a serious case of Growth Spurt HELLLLLLLL. My angel baby decided at 3 weeks, 2 days to turn my world upside down for the last three days.
My back is killing me from lugging him in the sling, the swaddle, my arms, my chest, rock, pat, jiggle, do the Hustle…whatever for him to stop fussing. He owes my boobs a serious apology for wanting to eat morning noon and night. Having two is a whole new world to me. I need to rattle our money tree because I want a nanny to help me during the day. Mom…I am hiring…want to apply?
My mom left on Sunday after a month of help. What did I do the second she pulled away? Your dang skippy I bawled my eyeballs out and continued to cry on and off for the next three hours. It was pitiful. It isn’t that I can’t do it. Please don’t leave me a comment saying that…so patronizing. Of course I “can do it”, it has just been wonderful to have basically your best friend staying with you all day giving you wonderful adult conversation and harmoniously taking care of the house and kids with you. We were a well oiled wheel. Like peanut butter and jelly. Although, truth be told, she did way more work than me. Mom I love you so much and miss you. I am counting down the days until you visit again. A thousand thank yous!
You have asked me how Chloe likes her brother. Well I think she thinks he is boring and a bit whiny. I would tend to agree with her on some level, except I find him irresistibly adorable and kissable and that makes up for his lack of ability to run around and play with her. She mostly ignores him but will tolerate us asking her to point out his hair, nose, eyes (which she loves to poke and dies laughing). I have chased her around the house with him in the Superman position, which she finds very amusing. I like to trick her into thinking he is playing with her. At night when we sing and do prayers we put Bennett in her crib with her. She was a little weirded out at first but now thinks it is pretty funny and has held his hand a few times. Melt my heart and put it back in my chest. So I think it is going as well as it can with an 18 month old. I think in about six months when he is sitting up and reacting to her she will love the audience.
Let’s get to what you all come here for…pictures! You won’t be seeing any Bennett pictures. Right now he is laying with a paper bag over his head until his raging case of baby acne and milia clears up. Kidding, but let’s just say I am not anxious to document his skin right now and I haven’t picked up a camera to take his picture in almost two weeks. (slaps hand)
What I will give you is a dose of Chloe Grace. About a week after Bennett was born we decided to take Chloe on a special date. Things had been so weird with me in the hospital and then when I got home here I am with a baby in hand….she needed some one on one time with mommy and daddy.
There is a very cool place around here called, Amazement Square. It is an old warehouse that has been converted into a kids discovery museum. On Wednesday nights it is only $2.00 for adults to go. The bottom two floors are for the wee ones.
Chloe’s head exploded when we walked through the door and she saw there was an area that was set up like a farm. Her favorite type of animals. She was like a pin ball machine bouncing from one thing to another. It was so fun to watch her face. Enjoy some of my favorite moments.
Yes the wall color was that obnoxious. Apparently, toddlers love it.
Putting corn in the stalks hanging from the ceiling.
Whoops…how did that get in here (wink). I recognize that assett!
Carrying her favorite animal….COWS!
Daddy being a trooper crawling through the tunnels with Chloe
This is a gigantic wall of plastic pegs that Chloe could not stop pushing in as fast as she could.
The stairs light up…how freaking cool!!
They had a tactile tub with all these rubber bits and toys hidden inside. Chloe was more about throwing the rubber bits than the toys…but there was no rule about keeping it in the bucket.
Playing with daddy on the athletes foot mats. Can you only imagine what is growing on those things. Ignorance is bliss!
Chloe desperately wanted to take this mushroom stool home with her. Too bad it was bolted to the ground. She was a wee bit frustrated and I think she may have thrown out her back trying to pull with all her might. It was hilarious.
This is for you Sizzle. Remember that creepy glove picture you sent me after my post about the tree man? I found this “puppet” and thought of you right away.
Fun, fun, fun till your daddy takes your T-bird away. Smell you later!
And dare I say Happy Birthday?
So cute, that Chloe. Nice assets Ryan!
Alex wants to know what the hottie does to keep those glutes so svelt??
Aaaack! Treeeeeeee Haaaaand!
(Thanks for the laugh!)
It’s so great that your mom could stay with you for a month. If I had a baby (just ONE, not one and an 18 month old) I would need my mom for at least a month. Besides, they WANT to be there.
I cried like a baby when my mom left me after three days of having my second. mind you she lives, 10 miles away but still, there is nothing like your mom being around to help you and pamper you after shooting something crazy and foreign out of your nether regions.
Très awesome. Keepin’ my fingers crossed and prayers coming your way for the growth spurt to reach it’s finality.
Is that the place in Downtown L-burg that has a bug on the outside of it? If so, that place was so FUN!!! When we come to L-burg next (who knows when that is) I definitely need to take Abel there.
And little Bennett boy-what has happened to you? As my mom always tells me when I start complaining, “This to shall pass….” and then I am reminded “oh yeah, I better enjoy these fussy, crying moments b/c soon he will be a teenager driving me crazy and then I will wish for his little crying baby face again.”
Remember me telling you Abel was an absolute DOLL baby for 2 weeks and then I like to say he WOKE UP and realized he was in the WORLD and had to make everyone aware of that!
Love the Chloe pictures!
Such great pictures!!! You took great by the way, even with your tree hand!
It’s funny to see Bennet with horns and a tail. He’s even cute looking devilish. I can just imagine Chloe exploring that place. How fun for her and so nice that you guys would give her a special night. I love the picture of her walking, carry the cows. Her belly/hiney profile is so great. Oh, I could just squeeze her! I hope Bennett offers peace soon!
I look like I have good birthing hips in that picture of my butt. A bit unsettling to say the least!
There’s a picture of me with my mom at the airport when she was leaving after staying with us when Zoe was born–we are both crying! BJ’s taking the pic but he was crying, too–please don’t leave us, Mom–we need you!!! Can totally relate. Of course you can do it, but it’s so easy to see why people had their whole family with them helping back in the day–because we’re not made to do it all alone. My heart goes out to you, girl…and even with his horns, he’s a doll
I’m right there with you! It’s harder than I thought it would be with two. Happiest Baby on the Block helped us when Jack was super fussy…we rented the DVD from the library - because who has time to read a book? - and it was like an on/off switch for crying! ((hugs))
Of course you can “do it.” We all can do it because we have no choice in the matter. It doesn’t mean we have to be perky, happy and in love with every minute of it!
I only had my mom for about two days after #2. Pure hell after that point. No one to occupy the 19 month old who required constant interaction usually most when I was nursing!
Hang in there girl. You are in for a wild ride!!!
Is Ryan wearing an eye patch in the tunnel picture?
Thanks for the post and the update, Kel. It was good to hear from you and get an update. I’m praying you have peace amidst this time of transition (and crying).
OK. That first photo? With the horns? HILARIOUS.
The rest? Great per USUAL.
Hope the little man grows some angel wings soon
i never knew ryan’s butt existed. we always thought there was negative space there.
i can’t believe you put devil horns on your baby!! that cracked us both up. nothing like getting the life sucked out of you through your boobs! if he’s anything like chloe and caleb, he’ll be a chubby little guy before you know it. can’t wait to hear his 4 week stats.
It was crazy to run into your blog. I don’t even remember how I found it, but I just want to say that I think you’re amazing! I’m a mother of a 20 month old and a 3 month old struggling to hold on to any shred of creativity I have left. You are inspiring and have such a beautiful family. God bless you and if you ever come to Kansas City Missouri, come to the International House of Prayer http://www.IHOP.org and we can have a chat!
OMG…That place is abosolutely adorable…So is so cute! Good for you giving her a date with mommy and daddy!
Hang in there and I hope it ends soon! Just keep swimming..just keep swimming! Finding Nemo is good like that.
I love your honesty about life with 2. I now have 3 (all boys) and if I think about it, that whole stage with 2, 2 and under…was an absolute CRAZY ride! It doesn’t get harder than that. I nursed too, and my 2 year old was in the midst of potty training and I remember nursing on the tub edge while I waited for the other one to poop!! Ah! Such fun! It is amazing how we cope and end up having MORE kids! We must get severe mind-block. I have so many happy memories though, like you said about the two in the crib. Awww.
I was the same when my mum left after I had Lily. It was so much better with her making all the meals, wrangling the older kids, doing the washing - like a total laundry MACHINE! I love the date pics too - Chloe is so cute and chubby!
The beginning is tough, but one day you’ll find your groove and the rest will be history. Sweet idea having a date with Chloe, she is adorable!