Dear Nora...
You are THREE years old... what the heck. You are a bonna fide kid now. You don't fit into the toddler category anymore. What can I say about you that sums up the little bundle of personality you are.... You are funny... you do things for a laugh. You tell terrible jokes (your favorite knock, knock jokes don't make any sense), laugh at yourself, make ridiculously funny faces and even foray into physical comedy when you launch yourself on to the floor pretending to fall (or your latest, "oh, I die", which technically isn't as funny, but I'm going to let it slide since you really have no idea what that means). You love and adore your brother (thankfully he feels the same way about you) and when you're not completely annoying him (and bullying him, by sitting on him, kicking him, messing up his legos/games, etc), you mimic him and play with him and love doing what he's doing. I call you a copy cat, but you claim you're a copy dog. You guys will play legos, dolls, "mcdonalds", store, "cooker" (restaurant) and super heroes together all the time. You also love your snacks. You don't necessarily have a sweet tooth, in fact I'd say you favor more on the salty, but you love to graze. All day long you want a snack and you'll tell me how you're "SOOO hungry". We haven't done your 3 year old doctor's appointment, but I'm pretty sure you weigh more than your brother (or close to it). I feel every pound of it when I'm forced to lug you up and down the stairs, neighborhood, etc. We went on vacation in February with nana, papa, Uncle Matt, Ming Nat, Noah, baby Liam and Uncle Dave and we decided not to bring a stroller for you, but I had the baby carrier and wore you around the airport and a few places in Puerto Rico... and yah, that might be the last time...
What else... you're pretty much potty trained although still wear a pull up at night. You still are in a crib and want to get bunk beds with Callan, but don't want to get rid of your crib. You're excited to go to school next year (fingers crossed CPS gets its act together) and you love to snuggle, although you like to wipe my kisses off (you find it funny). You love your dolls, stuffed animals and blankets. Oh and how could I forget, you LOVE bags... doesn't matter what kind, it could be a purse, backpack, Ziploc even grocery bag, but you are a bag lady. You stuff everything into bags and lug them around the house, the car, everywhere. I usually try to convince you to leave it in the car because when we get wherever we're going you don't actually want to hold the bag, but up until that point it's the most important thing to you. If things don't work out in the future, you'll make a lovely bag lady. You also have an impressive rock collection. Not so much in the diversity or beauty of the rocks you collect, but in your commitment to picking up loose gravel and declaring it something special.
You're a stereotypical girl in your love for princesses, dolls, etc, but I also love that you play super heroes and wear Callan's clothes and do other not so girly things. You are your own person and that's what makes you so fun and unique. You'll watch "scary" shows/movies and will tell me you won't be scared and will be brave, and will ask Callan (or someone) to hold your hand through it. And I think that's so important... you need to be brave and willing to be your own person, but know that someone will be there to support you and help you through... Nora bug, you are such a joy (well, except for when you're being a pain), and there are so many new amazing adventures we're going to go on together. I can't wait to see where those take us.
Love,
Mama
Showing posts with label newsletter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newsletter. Show all posts
Friday, April 1, 2016
Monday, March 31, 2014
Dear Nora: Happy 1st birthday!
Dear Nora bug-
Can you believe it? It has been 12 months (and a few days) since you popped into this world, and what a crazy fast year it's been. It's been an amazing year to say the least, but it really has flown by at warp speed. I thought your brother's first year was fast, but when I think back I can remember some of his first year more vividly than yours. It's always amazing to watch babies grow -especially in their first year and especially when they're your babies. There's so much that's changed over the last 12 months and so many things that I want to hold onto and remember. Every day you grow bigger and bigger and I get to see more and more of your personality shine though. I get to see glimpses of the girl you're going to be and I'm so excited to be a part of that.
You've done so much this year and you've been such a great baby girl. Callan was a pretty great baby, so I was worried I was going to have to pay for it with a second, not as easy baby. But, you've proved all the sayings wrong. IF it's even possible, you were even MORE of a laid back baby than Callan. You are not (however) as good of a night sleeper as he was, but you go to bed early, take long day naps and are generally one of the happiest, fun babies I know. You have been teased a lot this first year by your gigantism, but it's just because there's so much of you to love! Everyone thought Callan was a big baby, but you've proven (once again) that you can do anything he can do and better!
Nora bug, your first year truly has been amazing and I'm sad it's over and that it went by in the blink of an eye, but I know how much fun the next stages are going to be and I'm so excited for that. You already are showing so much personality and you and your brother are going to have so much fun together. Thanks Nora bug for making me a mom again and for making me look good at that.
I really had plans on learning how to make a proper video (i.e. editing it and cutting it down to fit perfectly in time with a song), but we all know that time around here is precious and there are some things I can't be bothered with... so here's your first year video. Mostly of pictures I took on my phone, unedited and too long b/c I couldn't cut out any more pictures (so sorry you're going to hear the song repeated).
Happy first birthday baby girl. You light up my life and I love you more than you can imagine.
Love,
Mama
Can you believe it? It has been 12 months (and a few days) since you popped into this world, and what a crazy fast year it's been. It's been an amazing year to say the least, but it really has flown by at warp speed. I thought your brother's first year was fast, but when I think back I can remember some of his first year more vividly than yours. It's always amazing to watch babies grow -especially in their first year and especially when they're your babies. There's so much that's changed over the last 12 months and so many things that I want to hold onto and remember. Every day you grow bigger and bigger and I get to see more and more of your personality shine though. I get to see glimpses of the girl you're going to be and I'm so excited to be a part of that.
You've done so much this year and you've been such a great baby girl. Callan was a pretty great baby, so I was worried I was going to have to pay for it with a second, not as easy baby. But, you've proved all the sayings wrong. IF it's even possible, you were even MORE of a laid back baby than Callan. You are not (however) as good of a night sleeper as he was, but you go to bed early, take long day naps and are generally one of the happiest, fun babies I know. You have been teased a lot this first year by your gigantism, but it's just because there's so much of you to love! Everyone thought Callan was a big baby, but you've proven (once again) that you can do anything he can do and better!
Nora bug, your first year truly has been amazing and I'm sad it's over and that it went by in the blink of an eye, but I know how much fun the next stages are going to be and I'm so excited for that. You already are showing so much personality and you and your brother are going to have so much fun together. Thanks Nora bug for making me a mom again and for making me look good at that.
I really had plans on learning how to make a proper video (i.e. editing it and cutting it down to fit perfectly in time with a song), but we all know that time around here is precious and there are some things I can't be bothered with... so here's your first year video. Mostly of pictures I took on my phone, unedited and too long b/c I couldn't cut out any more pictures (so sorry you're going to hear the song repeated).
Happy first birthday baby girl. You light up my life and I love you more than you can imagine.
Love,
Mama
Thursday, January 16, 2014
2014? Really?
Oh hi there! Are you still around?
It's been quiet around these parts and I have no idea how the time has been going by so quickly. It's already 2014. There was no Christmas post (spoiler alert, it was awesome), or year end wrap up or even a list of New Year's resolutions... And (shocker) there was no "Dear Nora" newsletter (or Dear Callan one for that matter). But you've reached the 9 month mark and that seems like a noteworthy month. I said with Callan, it was 9 months in, 9 months out and oh what a difference!
So here goes.
Dear Nora:
You are 9 months old... and amazing. You so desperately want to walk and are getting ready. The past month had you crawling with your belly (finally) off the ground. I realize that there is a lot of it, so I wasn't expecting it to happen so soon, but you are amazingly mobil. Once you set your sights on something you are off. For awhile the army crawl was your preferred method of transportation -and you were quick, but now you've got a proper crawl down. Now that you've mastered that, you are pulling yourself up on everything and sort of shuffling around. Walking can't be too far behind, but I'd like to wait a little bit longer.
You are a pretty sweet baby still although you'll get vocal about things that displease you. Generally those things are minor, but you do not like being told "no" or being told not to play with hazardous things (plugs, lights, cords, etc).
You are eating like a champ although you're slowly starting to show less and less interest in milk. But, I get it... once you've tasted real food, who a liquid diet! So far there isn't a whole lot you don't like. You prefer to feed yourself, so you sometimes will lose interest in soft/puree foods that need to be fed to you, but you love to eat and you're drinking from a straw cup like a champ. The transition to solids took a little toll on your bowels, which your dad is oddly obsessed with, but I think you're ok.
You (please, please continue) are sleeping pretty well. Your naps are generally good (and on the long side) and you sleep (almost) through the night. You sometimes get up around 3/4am to eat, but most of the time go right back to bed until 6/7am (a few times you've decided that it's a good time to get up, but yeesh, it is not).
What else, you've finally got your first set of teeth -your bottom two. But that's it. I try not to compare too much between you and your brother, but your brother had 5 by his 9 month birthday. But don't worry, the lack of teeth are not slowing you down from chomping away at your favorite goodies.
We celebrated your first Christmas (yea!) with nana and papa in town and your first new year's eve party (that you slept straight through). Now that it's 2014, I need to gear up for your first birthday (what the what) and come to terms with the fact that my little baby is no more. You are a pretty awesome little girl and can't wait to see what 2014 has in store for you.
Love,
Mama
p.s. Although this picture depicts otherwise, you really did have a good time at Christmas dinner at the Four Seasons. I mean, think of all the food!
p.p.s. We had your 9 month well baby visit and it was pretty great. You are still giant -bigger (i.e. heavier) than Callan was, but shorter (you've stayed consistently 2 inches shorter than him since birth). You're in the 88th percentile for height (29 inches) and 99th percentile for weight (24 lbs, 14 ounces) and 100 percent perfect.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Dear Callan and Nora: the VERY overdue newsletter
Dear Callan and Nora:
At this point I can't even keep up with the passing of time. Days and weeks fly by and before I know it, another amazing month passes by. I can't keep up with it and I find myself having to count on my fingers trying to figure out exactly how old you are. We've had a lot going on recently and it's been hard to keep track of it all. I also know with the holidays coming up, the rest of this year is probably going to be a blur and soon we'll be celebrating birthdays (gah!).
Callan,
You are now officially two and a half. I am no longer counting exact months because it's too hard for me to keep up with, so you will be two and a half for a while (or until next year when I'll probably start referring to you as "almost three"). Your vocabulary and speech is growing in leaps and bounds and it's so fun to be able to "talk" to you. Your stories still require a little bit of interpretation and sometimes we make you repeat words (which I think annoys you at times since you so clearly are trying to tell us something!), but it's really remarkable to have these conversations with you. You have started the toddler "why" phase, which is both exciting and at times frustrating as you really want an answer to your questions that I sometimes don't have. I mean you want to know why it's windy outside or why it's raining. It's a good thing that we can ask Miss Frizzle some of these questions! You're the only 2.5 year old I know that watches the Magic School Bus (kids from the 80s, remember this show? So great), but I can't blame you since you've got your father's nerdy science genes. The other shows in rotation currently are Word World, Curious George and Super Why. Thankfully, we got out of the Caillou rotation (although occasionally you do ask for it) and Mater Tales (from Cars). Since Nora's arrival, you've gotten to watch more tv since I need a few minutes in the morning to get ready for work and a few quiet moments to put Nora to bed, but I figure we held out for awhile and your tv time is still pretty limited in the grand scheme of things, so I can't feel too badly.
At this point I can't even keep up with the passing of time. Days and weeks fly by and before I know it, another amazing month passes by. I can't keep up with it and I find myself having to count on my fingers trying to figure out exactly how old you are. We've had a lot going on recently and it's been hard to keep track of it all. I also know with the holidays coming up, the rest of this year is probably going to be a blur and soon we'll be celebrating birthdays (gah!).
Callan,
You are now officially two and a half. I am no longer counting exact months because it's too hard for me to keep up with, so you will be two and a half for a while (or until next year when I'll probably start referring to you as "almost three"). Your vocabulary and speech is growing in leaps and bounds and it's so fun to be able to "talk" to you. Your stories still require a little bit of interpretation and sometimes we make you repeat words (which I think annoys you at times since you so clearly are trying to tell us something!), but it's really remarkable to have these conversations with you. You have started the toddler "why" phase, which is both exciting and at times frustrating as you really want an answer to your questions that I sometimes don't have. I mean you want to know why it's windy outside or why it's raining. It's a good thing that we can ask Miss Frizzle some of these questions! You're the only 2.5 year old I know that watches the Magic School Bus (kids from the 80s, remember this show? So great), but I can't blame you since you've got your father's nerdy science genes. The other shows in rotation currently are Word World, Curious George and Super Why. Thankfully, we got out of the Caillou rotation (although occasionally you do ask for it) and Mater Tales (from Cars). Since Nora's arrival, you've gotten to watch more tv since I need a few minutes in the morning to get ready for work and a few quiet moments to put Nora to bed, but I figure we held out for awhile and your tv time is still pretty limited in the grand scheme of things, so I can't feel too badly.
You also LOVE singing and you're getting much better at it. Your favorite songs to sing are A-B-Cs, twinkle, twinkle, Rock-a-bye-baby and wheels on the bus. Sometimes I try to sing along with you and you'll stop your song and tell me, "no sing mommy". I understand this -my singing voice has never been great.
You're also a great big brother. You love making your sister laugh and you'll sometimes get upset when Nora gets bored of your game and stops laughing. You'll tell me with a concerned voice that "Nora not laughing at me", which is so cute and melts my heart. You will go give her hugs and kisses unprompted and although we're still working on making sure you're not grabbing toys from her, you do seem (for the most part) concerned with her well-being and will at least try to "trade" her a toy.
You aren't the greatest sleeper and you are still unusually attached to your mommy, but I figure this phase will eventually pass (and when it does it'll seem too fast), so I'm trying to enjoy it as much as I can. You're almost fully potty trained (during the day -we haven't quite mastered the overnight thing yet) and you are getting to be more and more like a big kid every day and it's sometimes hard to remember you as a baby, even though it wasn't that long ago.
(This is you with the pumpkin eating dinosaur at the pumpkin farm. You reference this dinosaur a lot, which confuses most people since they were not there with you.)
And Nora bug,
You are 6/7 months old (?) and just great. I don't know what I have to say about you, but you're just so amazing and fun. You've got the best smile and with your giant cheeks, there's something really satisfying about getting a giant gummy grin from you. Your whole face lights up when you're happy and I won't lie, you're pretty happy most of the time.
You started moving this month and although you're not quite officially crawling on all fours (that might take a while, your belly kind of drags on the ground), you've got the army crawl down pat. And you're fast -especially when you set your sights on something (like Callan's toy).
You were just like Callan and a great sleeper, but something has been throwing you off (probably your teeth) and you've been waking up at night. It's not too terrible though. You're also the opposite of your brother and go to bed really early. I don't know if it's because of the time change, but your 7/7:30 bedtime has gotten bumped up. It means I don't get to play too much with you after work during the week, but I do usually get an extra snuggle or two from you during the middle of the night wake up.
We started you on solids around 6 months via the baby led weaning approach we used with your brother and you L-O-V-E it. You love feeding yourself and even though you don't have any teeth, you're eating like you've known how to do it your whole life. Unfortunately the introduction of solids has impacted your bowels, so we've been giving you some pureed prunes/pears/etc. So far it seems like you don't have any aversions or allergies, but we've mostly been sticking to the green veggies and fruits. You've had yogurt and a little bit of meat/fish and so far you're loving it all.
Anyway, Nora bug, you're awesome and although you might not have as much of your life documented as your brother, you're no less loved.
Love,
Mama
(seriously, look at those cheeks!)
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Dear Callan & Nora: 28 & 5
Dear Callan and Nora-
I'm not sure why I'm still trying to eek these out every month... maybe it's to prove to myself that 2nd children aren't as forgotten as "they" say they are... or it's a good excuse to sit down every month and talk about what's happening... but either way, I'm kind of failing at it.
This past month (August) was a great month for us all. We finally went on our first family vacation to Maine with our good friends the Permans. Callan you loved having your best friend around all day to play with and because you're such a water baby, you loved the pool and beach. Nora, this vacation was the first time you went on a plane and as usual, you were a champ. I would claim the vacation a success and hopefully we'll get to do it again next year.
What else... Callan, there's nothing really new to report, but yet, so much is new. You're talking so much more and it's so fun to hear the expressions you've picked up. You have your moments -fake tears, foot stomping and "no, right now", but for the most part, you're a really great kid. You've got an imagination on you and it's fun to hear you use it and you've got a sense of humor too. You're kind of a ham and when you do certain things, you'll look for a reaction from us. Sometimes your dad and I work hard to keep a straight face since we don't want to encourage certain things.
You also are pretty good with your sister. There are obviously times you're not (since you're not perfect), but for the most part, I can't complain. The best part is when I catch you being sweet to Nora and you'll be showing her something or will give her random hugs and kisses or will just tell her "I lub you Nora" without prompting. I hope your relationship with her grows and that you'll eventually be best friends.
This past month we also took a big step in your potty training. Adelia really did most (ok 90%) of the work on this one, but we finally ripped off the band-aid and have been putting you in undies during the day. We haven't gotten overnights down yet since you still LOVE to chug a glass of milk/water before bed, but that will be the next step. I'm so proud of you and most days are accident free.
The only complaint I'd have is your inability to stay the night in your bed. You start off there, but sometime between 1-5am you come creeping into ours. I keep hoping this will be a phase that you'll eventually get over yourself, but we're definitely months into this habit. I don't necessarily hate it, but I would like just a little bit more room on the bed.
And Nora buggy, what can I say. You're still a giant roly-poly baby, but you're so happy and lovable. You seem serious at times, but you'll break out into giggles and smiles for pretty much anyone. You especially love your brother (and seem to tolerate a great deal of abuse from him). But whenever you're playing near each other, you'll always try to find him and follow his voice. It'll be interesting to see how it'll be once you start becoming mobile. You are rolling a lot and you aren't quite sitting, but you don't love being left on your back or stomach since you can't see everything. You're pretty happy in your swing or seat and your exersaucer can keep you entertained for a long time. I think you're working on some teeth, but none have popped up yet. Your sleep is pretty solid (although recently you're back to waking up at night to eat), but we were spoiled and it could be a lot worse.
This next month will be your half birthday and I'm still pretty incredulous of how the time has flown by. My maternity leave with you was over in an instant and now it seems like your first year will be too. You're already wearing 9 month clothes and so much will change in the next few months that you'll be like a whole new person. We're going to start solids with you in the next little bit and I think you'll be like Callan and really excited for it. We gave you a piece of steamed broccoli the other day to play with and you were pretty content to hang out and gum at it for awhile.
Callan and Nora, I want to freeze time to be able to soak in everything, but I'm also so excited to see what the future holds for you.
I love you immensely.
Love,
Mama
I'm not sure why I'm still trying to eek these out every month... maybe it's to prove to myself that 2nd children aren't as forgotten as "they" say they are... or it's a good excuse to sit down every month and talk about what's happening... but either way, I'm kind of failing at it.
What else... Callan, there's nothing really new to report, but yet, so much is new. You're talking so much more and it's so fun to hear the expressions you've picked up. You have your moments -fake tears, foot stomping and "no, right now", but for the most part, you're a really great kid. You've got an imagination on you and it's fun to hear you use it and you've got a sense of humor too. You're kind of a ham and when you do certain things, you'll look for a reaction from us. Sometimes your dad and I work hard to keep a straight face since we don't want to encourage certain things.
You also are pretty good with your sister. There are obviously times you're not (since you're not perfect), but for the most part, I can't complain. The best part is when I catch you being sweet to Nora and you'll be showing her something or will give her random hugs and kisses or will just tell her "I lub you Nora" without prompting. I hope your relationship with her grows and that you'll eventually be best friends.
This past month we also took a big step in your potty training. Adelia really did most (ok 90%) of the work on this one, but we finally ripped off the band-aid and have been putting you in undies during the day. We haven't gotten overnights down yet since you still LOVE to chug a glass of milk/water before bed, but that will be the next step. I'm so proud of you and most days are accident free.
The only complaint I'd have is your inability to stay the night in your bed. You start off there, but sometime between 1-5am you come creeping into ours. I keep hoping this will be a phase that you'll eventually get over yourself, but we're definitely months into this habit. I don't necessarily hate it, but I would like just a little bit more room on the bed.
And Nora buggy, what can I say. You're still a giant roly-poly baby, but you're so happy and lovable. You seem serious at times, but you'll break out into giggles and smiles for pretty much anyone. You especially love your brother (and seem to tolerate a great deal of abuse from him). But whenever you're playing near each other, you'll always try to find him and follow his voice. It'll be interesting to see how it'll be once you start becoming mobile. You are rolling a lot and you aren't quite sitting, but you don't love being left on your back or stomach since you can't see everything. You're pretty happy in your swing or seat and your exersaucer can keep you entertained for a long time. I think you're working on some teeth, but none have popped up yet. Your sleep is pretty solid (although recently you're back to waking up at night to eat), but we were spoiled and it could be a lot worse.
Callan and Nora, I want to freeze time to be able to soak in everything, but I'm also so excited to see what the future holds for you.
I love you immensely.
Love,
Mama
Friday, August 2, 2013
Dear Callan and Nora: month 27 & 4
Dear Callan and Nora-
This month's letter is late (again). At this point I'm going to stop apologizing for it and just embrace the fact that I'm getting one out at all. The time is flying by at warp speed and the month of July was just a blur. Only a few days out and I already can't remember what happened, but I know it was a lot (and fun).
Callan-
Your dad has been travelling a lot so when he's home, it's always fun for all of us to hang out together. It's also been fun to watch your relationship grow. It's evident (and well-documented) that your preferred parent is me (some people may call you a mama's boy), but you are starting to enjoy your dad's company more. Usually there is one day a week that dad stays home with you and sometimes when I come home from work, you'll run to the door and tell me you had the "best day ever!".
You are talking so much more now and it's fun to be able to communicate with you, although you still sometimes lack the vocabulary or grammar to get your point across, which can lead to some frustration. It's also interesting to see you stumble over words when you're trying to talk and it's as if I can see the wheels in your brain churning out thoughts but your mouth just can't form the words fast enough. One of my favorite things is how you wag your finger when you say no. You'll tell me, "mommy, no touch, wet". Or "mommy, no eat it" in your little grown up voice and your little finger is always wagging while you're saying it. I joke about how bossy you are because you're always telling me what to do, where to go and when to do it.
Speaking of which, you've officially switched over to mommy or mom. I was hoping to be mama for a little bit longer, but alas, it is no more. It's a glimpse into my future when you'll yell from another room "moo-oom" in a long drawn out way and you'll yell it 100 times in a row just to hear me respond. Another funny/quirky thing you do, (which actually drives me bonkers) is how you'll respond "huh" to things when you either don't know or don't understand. I guess it's better than what, but sometimes I have to end the "conversation" because I can't take another "huh" from you.
You've gotten to watch your first (and second and third) movie this month and you LOVED it. You could watch it every day if we let you. You, like a typical kid, love television and the ipad. It's a slippery slope as we have become much more liberal with your screen time. It's not as bad as I'm making it out to sound, but sometimes mommy needs the 26 minutes to put Nora to bed or to take a shower and know that you're not going to inadvertently smother your sister.
It melts my heart to catch you giving Nora an unprompted kiss or to see you be so sweet to her. The other day daddy caught you on the play mat with Nora and you were pulling her little zebra that shakes and rattles and you kept saying "see that Nora" as if showing her how it worked. There are going to be so many things for you to show and teach her and she's lucky to have a big brother as loving and kind as you.
I love putting you to bed and lying down to read a book. Sometimes you'll put both your hands on my cheeks, give them a squeeze and say "night night mommy. lub you!". Callan, you're so fun and entertaining, but you're also challenging and spirited. No matter what though, we're having a good time together and I'm loving this time with you.
And Nora, what can I say about you. You really are the best little baby. You are so full of laughter and smiles and are so patient and tolerant (great qualities to have). I love how your whole face lights up when you smile and laugh. You love watching your brother and are surprisingly tolerant of him using you as a pillow or place to drive his cars.
You started rolling over this month, which I thought was super early (especially for a baby your size), but I guess you just need to be able to keep up with your crazy big brother. They say second kids become mobile earlier (and talk later), so it'll be interesting to see how you do. Your brother walked early and talked late (isn) and to be honest, I'm not sure I could handle another mobile child.
You have an unfortunate case of cradle cap, which is causing your hair to grow in these weird clumps. It's cute because it makes you look like a hedgehog, but not so cute when the pieces flake off and these giant clumps of hair come with it. I'm assuming it's hair that would have normally fallen out on its own, but is getting stuck in the cradle cap dandruff, but it's still kind of gross and alarming to see. I've been trying to leave it alone and not pick it, but one night it must have been itchy and you woke up with half your head scratched and half your hair clumps gone, leaving just a fine layer of baby hair. Because of that, from afar, the left side of your hair looks bald. I'm assuming once the right side falls out, it'll even out, but poor baby girl, you do not have a good thick head of hair (probably another reason you look so much like your dad).
Next week is your 4 month doctor's appointment and I'm so interested to find out what your official stats are. You are GIANT, but I love it and I wouldn't change it at all.
You are the best little girl and I love you and all your giantness!
Love,
Mama (aka mommy)
Your dad has been travelling a lot so when he's home, it's always fun for all of us to hang out together. It's also been fun to watch your relationship grow. It's evident (and well-documented) that your preferred parent is me (some people may call you a mama's boy), but you are starting to enjoy your dad's company more. Usually there is one day a week that dad stays home with you and sometimes when I come home from work, you'll run to the door and tell me you had the "best day ever!".
You are talking so much more now and it's fun to be able to communicate with you, although you still sometimes lack the vocabulary or grammar to get your point across, which can lead to some frustration. It's also interesting to see you stumble over words when you're trying to talk and it's as if I can see the wheels in your brain churning out thoughts but your mouth just can't form the words fast enough. One of my favorite things is how you wag your finger when you say no. You'll tell me, "mommy, no touch, wet". Or "mommy, no eat it" in your little grown up voice and your little finger is always wagging while you're saying it. I joke about how bossy you are because you're always telling me what to do, where to go and when to do it.
Speaking of which, you've officially switched over to mommy or mom. I was hoping to be mama for a little bit longer, but alas, it is no more. It's a glimpse into my future when you'll yell from another room "moo-oom" in a long drawn out way and you'll yell it 100 times in a row just to hear me respond. Another funny/quirky thing you do, (which actually drives me bonkers) is how you'll respond "huh" to things when you either don't know or don't understand. I guess it's better than what, but sometimes I have to end the "conversation" because I can't take another "huh" from you.
You've gotten to watch your first (and second and third) movie this month and you LOVED it. You could watch it every day if we let you. You, like a typical kid, love television and the ipad. It's a slippery slope as we have become much more liberal with your screen time. It's not as bad as I'm making it out to sound, but sometimes mommy needs the 26 minutes to put Nora to bed or to take a shower and know that you're not going to inadvertently smother your sister.
It melts my heart to catch you giving Nora an unprompted kiss or to see you be so sweet to her. The other day daddy caught you on the play mat with Nora and you were pulling her little zebra that shakes and rattles and you kept saying "see that Nora" as if showing her how it worked. There are going to be so many things for you to show and teach her and she's lucky to have a big brother as loving and kind as you.
I love putting you to bed and lying down to read a book. Sometimes you'll put both your hands on my cheeks, give them a squeeze and say "night night mommy. lub you!". Callan, you're so fun and entertaining, but you're also challenging and spirited. No matter what though, we're having a good time together and I'm loving this time with you.
And Nora, what can I say about you. You really are the best little baby. You are so full of laughter and smiles and are so patient and tolerant (great qualities to have). I love how your whole face lights up when you smile and laugh. You love watching your brother and are surprisingly tolerant of him using you as a pillow or place to drive his cars.
You started rolling over this month, which I thought was super early (especially for a baby your size), but I guess you just need to be able to keep up with your crazy big brother. They say second kids become mobile earlier (and talk later), so it'll be interesting to see how you do. Your brother walked early and talked late (isn) and to be honest, I'm not sure I could handle another mobile child.
You have an unfortunate case of cradle cap, which is causing your hair to grow in these weird clumps. It's cute because it makes you look like a hedgehog, but not so cute when the pieces flake off and these giant clumps of hair come with it. I'm assuming it's hair that would have normally fallen out on its own, but is getting stuck in the cradle cap dandruff, but it's still kind of gross and alarming to see. I've been trying to leave it alone and not pick it, but one night it must have been itchy and you woke up with half your head scratched and half your hair clumps gone, leaving just a fine layer of baby hair. Because of that, from afar, the left side of your hair looks bald. I'm assuming once the right side falls out, it'll even out, but poor baby girl, you do not have a good thick head of hair (probably another reason you look so much like your dad).
Next week is your 4 month doctor's appointment and I'm so interested to find out what your official stats are. You are GIANT, but I love it and I wouldn't change it at all.
You are the best little girl and I love you and all your giantness!
Love,
Mama (aka mommy)
This family photo sums it up. We're all being silly and goofy and Nora is thinking WTF, who are these weirdoes!
Friday, July 5, 2013
Dear Callan & Nora: new beginnings
Dear Callan and Nora-
Well it happened. You're getting lumped together and there's nothing you can do about it! I have a hard enough time getting one newsletter out a month at a semi-decent time, and to have two due within a week of each other is ridiculous (for me). So here it is... the new and improved COMBINED newsletter. In case you think I don't understand how you feel, I do... Your uncle Matt and I have birthdays just 1 day apart and we shared birthday parties for a long time as kids. It's a good thing too because I'm way cooler than your uncle so I really brought the coolness factor up to these shin-digs. Kidding. Your uncle Matt is (sometimes) cool on his own.
Anyway, this (past) month you kids turned 26 and 3 months respectively (as an aside, when do you think I'll stop counting Callan's birthday in months? I'm already struggling and need to bust out my fingers to figure it out.) It has been a whirlwind month for everyone. Mama went back to work (boo) this month and your daddy has been travelling a whole lot. *phew* and you wonder why you don't get these on time.
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Dear sweet Nora-
What can I say about you. You are this perfectly sweet (round) squishy baby. You're really laughing and cooing a lot these days and I love it. You tolerate a lot -the aggressive love from Callan and the abandonment from your mommy and daddy (you get way more time in the swing than your brother ever did). But, you're amazing. You have the sweetest disposition and after the rolls, that's the first thing everyone comments on. You are just a sweet, sweet baby. I need to take a picture, but you have the sweetest face. When you smile and laugh, your eyes close shut and make these perfect anime half moons. And you have a crease on the bridge of your nose so when you cry, it's hard to take you seriously because your eyes squint shut and create a perfectly straight line.
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(You can see the beginnings of the half moon eyes I'm talking about in this picture).
I need to post the video of you laughing because it truly is one of the sweetest sounds. If every baby was like you, there would be a huge over-population problem because you are the sweetest, calmest baby. You love to snuggle, but you also love your own space. You sleep and eat like a champ (and also poop like one. Seriously baby girl, you like to save up your poops for one huge, giant one. It blows me away (literally) every time).
You've taken to Adelia, as we knew you would and although you don't sleep super well during the day for her, she's gotten you to take the bottle and you've gotten to take lots of field trips with her and Callan.
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Callan-
You are a bundle of energy and are just so full of personality. Sometimes that's code word for a stubborn/crazy/opinionated/maddening/frustrating/bossy little boy, but sometimes it just means you've got a lot of spunk. We joke that we should put you in commercials or on tv so you can start pulling your weight around here, but for now, you can just entertain us. You're starting to talk a whole lot more and it's really funny to see how you communicate with us and uncanny to see what you remember.
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You still love your sister, but have started to get a little bit more aggressive with her. I don't know if you really are trying to engage her (you know, with a god game of catch or tag), but we have to watch you a little bit. The funny thing is that when this happens and I tell you to be gentle or to not hit her, you'll ask if you need to go to time out. We've never really done this with you (I think I tried once) and I'll ask you if you need to go, you'll say yes and climb up onto the chair (this usually happens in the living room). After about 20 seconds you'll climb down and come over to say sorry to Nora and give her a kiss. I'm still not sure where this came from, but I think you've pieced it together from your friends and us. Your friend Michael's mommy does time outs and we ask you to say sorry/give kisses when you've done something wrong, but it's really amazing to think of how you're putting all these little things together.
What else bubs. You make me laugh on a daily basis and even when you're the most frustrating, you're still my favorite little boy. You love to sing and dance, you love to cook in your kitchen and help out in the big kitchen (you pretty much love everything about the big kitchen) especially if the task is cracking eggs or mixing, you love to give hugs and kisses (usually -sometimes you'll go around saying "no kiss", "no hug" and yesterday our friend Sabrina got "no look") and you're just turning into this amazing little boy. As boy-ish as you are (you love dirt, water, cars, planes etc), you are also this sweet sensitive kid. You'll rub the babies' backs if they're crying or tell Nora "we're coming" when she starts to fuss and are quick to give out hugs to the kids when they're crying.
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Every day I find new ways to be amazed by you.
You two are the best and I love you to bits.
Love,
Mama
Well it happened. You're getting lumped together and there's nothing you can do about it! I have a hard enough time getting one newsletter out a month at a semi-decent time, and to have two due within a week of each other is ridiculous (for me). So here it is... the new and improved COMBINED newsletter. In case you think I don't understand how you feel, I do... Your uncle Matt and I have birthdays just 1 day apart and we shared birthday parties for a long time as kids. It's a good thing too because I'm way cooler than your uncle so I really brought the coolness factor up to these shin-digs. Kidding. Your uncle Matt is (sometimes) cool on his own.
Anyway, this (past) month you kids turned 26 and 3 months respectively (as an aside, when do you think I'll stop counting Callan's birthday in months? I'm already struggling and need to bust out my fingers to figure it out.) It has been a whirlwind month for everyone. Mama went back to work (boo) this month and your daddy has been travelling a whole lot. *phew* and you wonder why you don't get these on time.
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Dear sweet Nora-
What can I say about you. You are this perfectly sweet (round) squishy baby. You're really laughing and cooing a lot these days and I love it. You tolerate a lot -the aggressive love from Callan and the abandonment from your mommy and daddy (you get way more time in the swing than your brother ever did). But, you're amazing. You have the sweetest disposition and after the rolls, that's the first thing everyone comments on. You are just a sweet, sweet baby. I need to take a picture, but you have the sweetest face. When you smile and laugh, your eyes close shut and make these perfect anime half moons. And you have a crease on the bridge of your nose so when you cry, it's hard to take you seriously because your eyes squint shut and create a perfectly straight line.
(You can see the beginnings of the half moon eyes I'm talking about in this picture).
I need to post the video of you laughing because it truly is one of the sweetest sounds. If every baby was like you, there would be a huge over-population problem because you are the sweetest, calmest baby. You love to snuggle, but you also love your own space. You sleep and eat like a champ (and also poop like one. Seriously baby girl, you like to save up your poops for one huge, giant one. It blows me away (literally) every time).
You've taken to Adelia, as we knew you would and although you don't sleep super well during the day for her, she's gotten you to take the bottle and you've gotten to take lots of field trips with her and Callan.
Callan-
You are a bundle of energy and are just so full of personality. Sometimes that's code word for a stubborn/crazy/opinionated/maddening/frustrating/bossy little boy, but sometimes it just means you've got a lot of spunk. We joke that we should put you in commercials or on tv so you can start pulling your weight around here, but for now, you can just entertain us. You're starting to talk a whole lot more and it's really funny to see how you communicate with us and uncanny to see what you remember.
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You still love your sister, but have started to get a little bit more aggressive with her. I don't know if you really are trying to engage her (you know, with a god game of catch or tag), but we have to watch you a little bit. The funny thing is that when this happens and I tell you to be gentle or to not hit her, you'll ask if you need to go to time out. We've never really done this with you (I think I tried once) and I'll ask you if you need to go, you'll say yes and climb up onto the chair (this usually happens in the living room). After about 20 seconds you'll climb down and come over to say sorry to Nora and give her a kiss. I'm still not sure where this came from, but I think you've pieced it together from your friends and us. Your friend Michael's mommy does time outs and we ask you to say sorry/give kisses when you've done something wrong, but it's really amazing to think of how you're putting all these little things together.
What else bubs. You make me laugh on a daily basis and even when you're the most frustrating, you're still my favorite little boy. You love to sing and dance, you love to cook in your kitchen and help out in the big kitchen (you pretty much love everything about the big kitchen) especially if the task is cracking eggs or mixing, you love to give hugs and kisses (usually -sometimes you'll go around saying "no kiss", "no hug" and yesterday our friend Sabrina got "no look") and you're just turning into this amazing little boy. As boy-ish as you are (you love dirt, water, cars, planes etc), you are also this sweet sensitive kid. You'll rub the babies' backs if they're crying or tell Nora "we're coming" when she starts to fuss and are quick to give out hugs to the kids when they're crying.
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Every day I find new ways to be amazed by you.
You two are the best and I love you to bits.
Love,
Mama
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Dear Nora: Month 2
Dear Nora bug-
Oh dear, sweet, (often) forgotten Nora... You are now 2 months old and continue to be such a great baby! Your strong willed, toddler brother takes up so much of your parents' energy and attention, but that does not mean that you are not as loved or adored (because you are).
I can't believe how fast the time is flying by and that you're already 2 months old. Unfortunately as a second child you get compared to the first one a lot and and one way I am continuously comparing is your size. You are following in your brother's footsteps and are turning into a giant baby. We had your 2 month well baby visit today and you are growing and thriving. You are now 2 feet tall and weigh a whopping 16 lbs, 12 ounces! I keep thinking that you're so much bigger than Callan was at that age, but it's not true (you're just a pound heavier, although a few inches shorter), but I think it's those delicious cheeks that make me think that (and those thighs!).
We retired your 3 month clothes and have you in all 3-6 or 6 month clothes. I think you like the extra room in them and it's amazing to see how you've filled them out so quickly.
Your brother loves on you dearly (although sometimes too much and too aggressively), but he has good intentions. He asks to hold you and play with you and get his picture taken with you. It's very sweet and I hope it continues until you're both old and grey.
Nora bug, you've been such a great baby. So patient and laid back, which has helped tremendously when mama's had to deal with you and your brother on her own. When you're not sleeping, you love to talk, smile and laugh. It's so fun to talk to you and get you to laugh and smile because you forget how little newborns interact.
We finally transitioned you to your crib this week for nighttime sleeping and you took to it like a champ. I'm hoping you inherited some good sleeping genes as well like your brother did (although he could use a refresher course on sleeping through the night in his own bed. Could you talk to him about that?). We haven't started you on a day time schedule yet, but it's still a little early for that (I think).
Speaking of schedules, your schedule is about to be changed up a bit. Unfortunately, mama has to go back to work (boo), but the good news is that you get to hang out with Adelia and Callan! I know you guys are going to have loads of fun together and I can't wait to hear about all your adventures.
Nora bug... I hope you know how much we love you. I'm sorry that you sometimes are ignored, but I promise to make it up to you some day. Your dad, brother and I are so blessed to have you in our lives and that you are such a happy, healthy baby. There have been too many reminders these past few months of how tragic and unfair life can be and you are truly a light in mine.
Happy 2 months muffin.
Love,
Mama
Oh dear, sweet, (often) forgotten Nora... You are now 2 months old and continue to be such a great baby! Your strong willed, toddler brother takes up so much of your parents' energy and attention, but that does not mean that you are not as loved or adored (because you are).
How could you not love this sweet face (and matching sweet demeanor). |
Your brother loves on you dearly (although sometimes too much and too aggressively), but he has good intentions. He asks to hold you and play with you and get his picture taken with you. It's very sweet and I hope it continues until you're both old and grey.
Nora bug, you've been such a great baby. So patient and laid back, which has helped tremendously when mama's had to deal with you and your brother on her own. When you're not sleeping, you love to talk, smile and laugh. It's so fun to talk to you and get you to laugh and smile because you forget how little newborns interact.
We finally transitioned you to your crib this week for nighttime sleeping and you took to it like a champ. I'm hoping you inherited some good sleeping genes as well like your brother did (although he could use a refresher course on sleeping through the night in his own bed. Could you talk to him about that?). We haven't started you on a day time schedule yet, but it's still a little early for that (I think).
Speaking of schedules, your schedule is about to be changed up a bit. Unfortunately, mama has to go back to work (boo), but the good news is that you get to hang out with Adelia and Callan! I know you guys are going to have loads of fun together and I can't wait to hear about all your adventures.
Nora bug... I hope you know how much we love you. I'm sorry that you sometimes are ignored, but I promise to make it up to you some day. Your dad, brother and I are so blessed to have you in our lives and that you are such a happy, healthy baby. There have been too many reminders these past few months of how tragic and unfair life can be and you are truly a light in mine.
Happy 2 months muffin.
Love,
Mama
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Dear Callan: month 25
Dear Callan-
You are now in your second year and I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to keep up with these monthly updates (not that they're ever on time now), but I rushed through your 2nd year (24 month) newsletter so I thought you deserved a proper one (in case this ends up being your last). What can I say... you are my little munchkin. You are two (well, now two + a month) and you are quite a handful. People ask how it is having a newborn again, and I have to say Nora's the easy one. She may be demanding, but her demands are easy -she cries when she's hungry, wants to be held, or wants to be left alone to sleep or when she needs a diaper change. There's no need to reason with her and there's no other way for her to communicate (and she sleeps a whole lot and isn't mobile so there isn't a lot of supervising that needs to be done at this stage). You on the other hand are your own little person with your own ideas and desires and there's no reasoning with you either, but you sure as heck want to try. There are a lot of tears and foot stomping going on in our house right now and I know it's frustrating for you because you are mister independent and want to do EVERYTHING yourself and want everything done a certain way (i.e. your way). You had a complete meltdown the other night because I dared to pour you a cup of milk by myself and didn't let you help. Granted it was a full gallon of milk that I was pouring from, but you had a complete meltdown and screamed "Me do it. Pour milk" for at least 20 minutes. "Me do it" is your favorite phrase (or at least it seems like it is) right now.
You still seem to love your sister and whenever she's awake you let us know. Whenever she's lying on the ground playing, you always insist on lying down next to her too. It is awfully cute except we have to watch you because you sometimes have bad aim and end up lying down on top of her or resting your head on some body part of hers.
It's also like when you give her hugs. If we're not watching you carefully you sometimes smother her with your hugs and kisses and then you seem offended when she starts squawking in protest or starts to cry.
I've started calling your sister muffin and it's super cute to hear you refer to her as muffin too. I mistakenly called her munchkin one day and you were quick to remind me that "me munchkin, Nora, muffin". Speaking also of nicknames, you've taken to calling daddy "Huge", which is both cute and disturbing. Whenever you want to get daddy's attention, you'll cup your hands around your mouth (which is really just you putting a hand on each cheek) and yelling "Huge".
Some of your favorite things right now are your green car,
bubbles,
and McDonald's. Not only for their delicious fries, ice cream and apple pie (or whatever other treat you get Adelia to give you)
but also because of the play space they have. At one of the McDonald's by our house there is this giant climbing structure, which I'm sure is a death trap (and full of germs -probably the underlying reason for your never ending runny nose these days). The first time I went with you there were a ton of kids (mostly older) running around and climbing. I was sure you were going to get trampled and I hesitated to let you go because it looked so big, but I knew you had gone with Adelia before and you really wanted to go climb. It was one of my first lessons in parenting and letting go. I had to trust you to go off and get through without me holding your hand or helping in any way. To be honest it was kind of nerve wracking for me, but you and I both did it and you had the time of your life. I was watching you while holding Nora with complete amazement because to me, you are still this small person, my baby and there you were scaling this giant structure with all the older kids, holding your own and coming out the other end a sweaty mess, but with a giant grin.
Seriously, look at this thing. That "tube" is made of mesh that you have to crawl through to get to the slide to go down. If a kid gets stuck in there or freaks out and blocks the way, there's no way and adult can get up there and intervene. And there's a hole in one spot and kids kept getting their foot stuck.
You really are a lot of fun. You are talking a lot more and are so interactive. Although along with this talking, you've decided to use "no" much more liberally than before. Even though know you don't mean it, it still breaks my heart a little bit every time you tell me "no kiss" or "no hug". I usually still end up with one, but I know the day will come (probably sooner than I expect) where you'll say that, but mean it.
You still love to dance, but now you've started to sing songs too. You have a fantastic memory and can tell us what's going on in a book or on a show. Speaking of which, we've let you start to watch a bit more tv (yes, I've turned into one of those moms that will throw on a show in the a.m. to get a few extra minutes of sleep or to take a shower knowing you're not inadvertently smothering your sister or pulling apart all your toys). We were watching a lot of Elmo/Sesame Street clips from You Tube, but you've now graduated to actual shows. Your current favorites are Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Super Why, Caillou and Dinosaur Train. You also watched your first movie this month (Cars) and you loved it.
What else can I say about you? You're this fun, spunky, fiercely independent, but super sweet and loving 2 year old little boy. I'm always amazed when I catch you in these moments where I see you as this tall lanky little kid and not the chubby toddler you just were. You no longer call me mama (about 95% of the time now it's mommy) and you've almost lost your knuckle dimples -these are what I use to measure baby-hood and you're almost done with both. You'll always be MY baby, but I've come to realize you really aren't a baby anymore.
Happy 25 months munchkin.
Love,
Mama
P.S. We had your 2 year well baby visit and you continue to be off the charts for height (38 inches) and about 60th percentile for weight (29 lbs).
Monday, May 6, 2013
Dear Nora: Month One
Dear Nora-
Wow, you're already a month old... what a fast month this has been. Just like everything in your short existence, time has been flying by at warp speed. My pregnancy with you did not seem to last nine months -more like nine minutes and these past days and weeks have continued to go by at warp speed and are a complete blur. The fact that this newsletter is getting out just a few weeks late is amazing since I literally have no idea where the time goes.
Nora, you are a great, sweet baby. I hope that continues as I constantly am holding my breath waiting for the other shoe to drop. I've been told (and read about) the difficult and crazy times of having a newborn and toddler as well as the difficulty of transitioning from one to two... and somehow I seem to have lucked out both times I've had a newborn. Your brother was an easy baby and you are as well (although last night was a doozy of a night and you were not happy -or easy). You've got a sweet temperament and put up with a lot including your brother and his out pouring of love. You tolerate him kissing and poking you, his aggressive pushing on the swing and the weight of his head on your body when he tries to "snuggle" you.
It has been amazing to watch you two and some of the sweetest moments are when you'll be lying down next to each other looking at each other. You'll just watch him fascinated and Callan just loves you to bits. My heart swells each time thinking about the connections you've already made with each other and I hope your friendship continues to grow. Even though you won't always be best friends, I hope you'll always be there for each other.
In other news, you are a GIANT baby. Your dad and I make adorable (in my biased opinion), but giant babies. You were born completely normal (7 pounds, 8 ounces, 19 inches long), but you've grown (literally) in leaps in bounds. On Friday you had your one month well baby visit and at 5 weeks old you are now 12 pounds, 14 ounces (seriously, that's almost 13 pounds) and 23.25 inches long! You've gained 5 pounds and grown 4.25 inches. That's ridiculous. And in comparison, Callan was 24 inches, but only 10 pounds, 14 ounces so you are 2 full pounds heavier than he was (and I thought he was big!). You are still in size one diapers and firmly in 3 month clothes... I'm pretty sure we'll be busting out the 6 month clothes soon! So much for my idea of having a cute petite baby girl. But don't worry, we still love you and find you completely adorable in your chunky pork chop/meatball way.
Happy one (+) month baby girl.
Love,
Mama
P.S. Having a girl is going to be fun... I mean, look how cute the clothes and accessories are!
Wow, you're already a month old... what a fast month this has been. Just like everything in your short existence, time has been flying by at warp speed. My pregnancy with you did not seem to last nine months -more like nine minutes and these past days and weeks have continued to go by at warp speed and are a complete blur. The fact that this newsletter is getting out just a few weeks late is amazing since I literally have no idea where the time goes.
Nora, you are a great, sweet baby. I hope that continues as I constantly am holding my breath waiting for the other shoe to drop. I've been told (and read about) the difficult and crazy times of having a newborn and toddler as well as the difficulty of transitioning from one to two... and somehow I seem to have lucked out both times I've had a newborn. Your brother was an easy baby and you are as well (although last night was a doozy of a night and you were not happy -or easy). You've got a sweet temperament and put up with a lot including your brother and his out pouring of love. You tolerate him kissing and poking you, his aggressive pushing on the swing and the weight of his head on your body when he tries to "snuggle" you.
It has been amazing to watch you two and some of the sweetest moments are when you'll be lying down next to each other looking at each other. You'll just watch him fascinated and Callan just loves you to bits. My heart swells each time thinking about the connections you've already made with each other and I hope your friendship continues to grow. Even though you won't always be best friends, I hope you'll always be there for each other.
In other news, you are a GIANT baby. Your dad and I make adorable (in my biased opinion), but giant babies. You were born completely normal (7 pounds, 8 ounces, 19 inches long), but you've grown (literally) in leaps in bounds. On Friday you had your one month well baby visit and at 5 weeks old you are now 12 pounds, 14 ounces (seriously, that's almost 13 pounds) and 23.25 inches long! You've gained 5 pounds and grown 4.25 inches. That's ridiculous. And in comparison, Callan was 24 inches, but only 10 pounds, 14 ounces so you are 2 full pounds heavier than he was (and I thought he was big!). You are still in size one diapers and firmly in 3 month clothes... I'm pretty sure we'll be busting out the 6 month clothes soon! So much for my idea of having a cute petite baby girl. But don't worry, we still love you and find you completely adorable in your chunky pork chop/meatball way.
Happy one (+) month baby girl.
Love,
Mama
P.S. Having a girl is going to be fun... I mean, look how cute the clothes and accessories are!
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Dear Callan -you're TWO!
Dear Callan-
This is of course late, but there originally was a good reason for it. Your birthday was last Monday, but we were supposed to have your party on Saturday (yesterday) and I was planning on including some pictures/anecdotes from it but, unfortunately we had to cancel because you came down with some bug that left you feverish and cranky. It's kind of funny because you rarely ever get sick and you did for your birthday party. Boo.
Anyway, you're officially TWO. That's crazy. When you're not driving me completely crazy with your independence, you're actually really entertaining and it's been so fun to see the kind of person you're becoming. You're this whole little person full of personality and your own ideas about E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!
It still seems like yesterday you were this tiny peanut and now you're this kid that's funny, stubborn and so loving. This past year has brought about many changes -the biggest of course coming most recently with the arrival of your baby sister and seeing you with her and interacting with her reinforces how far you are from that peanut we first got to meet in 2011.
Happy second birthday munchkin. You continually amaze me and prove that a person's love can continue to grow exponentially. I love you and can't wait to see what this next year has in store for us!
Love,
Mama
This is of course late, but there originally was a good reason for it. Your birthday was last Monday, but we were supposed to have your party on Saturday (yesterday) and I was planning on including some pictures/anecdotes from it but, unfortunately we had to cancel because you came down with some bug that left you feverish and cranky. It's kind of funny because you rarely ever get sick and you did for your birthday party. Boo.
Anyway, you're officially TWO. That's crazy. When you're not driving me completely crazy with your independence, you're actually really entertaining and it's been so fun to see the kind of person you're becoming. You're this whole little person full of personality and your own ideas about E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!
It still seems like yesterday you were this tiny peanut and now you're this kid that's funny, stubborn and so loving. This past year has brought about many changes -the biggest of course coming most recently with the arrival of your baby sister and seeing you with her and interacting with her reinforces how far you are from that peanut we first got to meet in 2011.
Happy second birthday munchkin. You continually amaze me and prove that a person's love can continue to grow exponentially. I love you and can't wait to see what this next year has in store for us!
Love,
Mama
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Dear Callan: Month 23
Dear Callan-
This month you are 23 months old. That means next month you turn TWO! What, the what? I still remember finding out I was pregnant with you like it was yesterday... and then you turning ONE just a hot minute ago. Sigh.
This month was just as amazing as the last. Although, let's be honest, you've got your toddler moments where you L-O-V-E to stomp your feet and scream, but when those pass you're back to your usual self. You are chatting up a storm (although, seriously, where are those sentences?!?) and you comprehend an amazing amount of stuff. You know your A-B-Cs and numbers (or as much as an almost 2 year old can), colors and you've started potty training. This is obviously all Adelia's doing, but I'll take credit for the genes :)
You LOVE the ipad, watching Elmo and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I know we need to get better about limiting your screen time, but I like to pretend it's "educational" and it sometimes gives mama a few minutes to get ready for work (when you've decided to start your day at 5 am!). You still love books (current favorites are Dr. Seuss' Cat and the Hat and One Fish, Two Fish, which are REALLY long to have as bedtime stories!) and your play kitchen (you especially like to "mix" and "flip"). You also learn lots of "tricks" during your day home with dad. He's teaching you "karate" and it is so flipping cute.
Your bedtime antics are still in full force, with some days being better than others, but at this point I figure you were just prepping us for the baby and you'll eventually (hopefully) go back to your good sleep ways.
Playing the '"lay-lee", one of your favorite things.
On one of your many McDonald's dates with Adelia.
Getting ready for baby -testing out the chair to make sure it's safe.
So happy eating breakfast.
And your favorite past time -BATH TIME!
What else? I'm not sure. This month has been kind of a blur. I can't believe you're almost TWO. This month is a special one as it is the last one as an only child. I know you're going to love being a big brother and you're already so excited to see/meet/hold your baby sister, but I also know that you're going to be a little mad at me since all my energy and focus won't be on you. You are such a mama's boy and I am by far and large your favorite person (although you never name me as your best friend when asked). But no matter what, no matter how you might feel, whether this week, next or in 10 years, you are always my number one little man and I will always love you to the moon and back.
Love,
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Dear Callan: month 22
Dear Callan-
Guess what, this letter is weeks late! You turned 22 months old (on the 22nd of last month), which means that you're two months away from being two and about a month away from being a big brother. This month has flown by (just like last month -or you know, the last 22 of them).
Munchkin, we've only got a few weeks left before the newest munchkin arrives, but even for all the bumps in the road (tantrums, sleep, etc), we've had such a good month together.
Happy 22 months.
Love,
Mama
Guess what, this letter is weeks late! You turned 22 months old (on the 22nd of last month), which means that you're two months away from being two and about a month away from being a big brother. This month has flown by (just like last month -or you know, the last 22 of them).
You are getting bigger and bigger every day and seeing you with smaller kids just reinforces this fact. You love babies and want to hold and kiss them, which is so sweet. This past month you got to meet your cousin Noah, mama's friends' baby Nate and Ellis' new sister, Rosie. You take an interest in the babies and love being around them. You're going to be such a great, gentle big brother.
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You've got lots of words in your repertoire and you've got lots of opinions that you're not afraid to share. In fact, your new method of communication mostly involves you pointing, yelling and stomping your feet. Especially when you're not getting what you want fast enough. We're trying to teach you to "ask nicely" and to stop whining/stomping, but I'm not sure you're really getting it although your stomping will then include a bunch of "please"s -both verbal and signed (just for reinforcement). You still aren't stringing a whole lot of words together, but you've got a pretty decent vocabulary, so I'm not worried. I'm sure one day you're going to figure it all out and then there will be no stopping you.
As you approach your second birthday we're thinking more seriously of potty training you. You've been sitting on the potty for awhile now with Adelia, and it's part of your routine, but when we ask you on the weekends if you want to go and sit on it, we usually get a firm no. You like to sit on it when someone else is in the bathroom, but you're using it more for a seat than an actual potty. Somehow though Adelia gets you to use it...
Speaking of Adelia, you do a lot of things for Adelia that you DO NOT do for mama or dada. One of which is sleep in your bed. Somehow for naps she has figured out how to get you to get yourself to your room, shut the door and lie in your bed to nap. I hear that it is not without complaint (there's a good amount of crying/yelling), but somehow you do it. But at night for bedtime, you have become a TERRIBLE sleeper. Maybe it was because mama was so smug at the smooth transition we had from crib to toddler bed, but I guess you needed to prove us wrong. It's been over a month and the first 3 weeks were amazing. I put you in bed and you stayed there. You might wake up at night, but you got yourself back to sleep (in bed). This past week? Well that's another story... you wake up at night and immediately run out of your room and into ours. You want to sleep in our bed with us and you wake up 2-3 times a night -meaning mama has to wake up 2-3 times a night to get you back into bed. The other thing is that you used to sleep until 7 or 8. This past week we've been lucky if we make it to 6. I love seeing you in the morning before I go to work, but it makes getting ready for work awfully hard, especially when your dada is out of town. I'm tempted to lock you in your room, but I'm kind of nervous about how that will go down. I would love to get this sleep situation cleared up before baby girl G arrives, but I'm also aware that the days of this individualized attention are numbered. Maybe you can figure it out on your own?
It's a good thing you're so stinking cute.
You are totally obsessed with airplanes and lucky for you, we got to take another flight this month to visit everyone out in Boston. We spent lots of quality time with family and mama and dada got to catch up with some friends.
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We've gotten a bunch of snow this year, both in Chicago and in Boston. There was a giant snowstorm that delayed our trip when we went to go visit nana and papa in Boston, but it meant there was lots of snow for you to play in - you got to build your first snowman in Boston and you had so much fun getting pulled around in a sled.
Munchkin, we've only got a few weeks left before the newest munchkin arrives, but even for all the bumps in the road (tantrums, sleep, etc), we've had such a good month together.
Love,
Mama
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