Goofy Boy

Yes he is a handsome lad.  7 weeks now, and I will say, I think we hit our crying hump at 6 weeks.  Still has his share of spurts, but I do think there are fewer of them since 6 weeks.

Last night he slept 8-1, 1-5, 5-7.  Best night so far!  When I can get that down to one feed, I will be a much more functional mama.

I'm also working on running...and while I'm looking forward to racing again, I have to admit, when I'm tired and don't feel like running at all...30 minutes of alone time is a big motivator.  A big one.  Heading out today as soon as Curtis gets home from work. 

Jem is cooing some now and still full of beautiful smiles.  He has a hint of a laugh and I'm so looking forward to hearing it.  His head control isn't near what Lucy's was at this age...I think it might be all the extra weight he has to lift!  He's getting there, but it takes time.

He's a super good baby though!

Wednesday Craft for Kids!

 Today we're making beads!

Add some mod podge!

We cut scrapbook paper into triangles

Coat the back side of the triangles with glue (leaving the wide end uncoated for the first inch), then roll around a straw starting with the wide end

 

This is my 4 year old's - a little loose on the roll, but it gives you the idea

When done we coated the outside with a layer of mod podge and are leaving them to dry overnnight.

Tomorrow we'll make necklaces with them!

1 month!

Jem is 1 month today!  I can hardly believe a month has come and gone since he came into our lives!  We've had our share of sleepless nights, but sweet smiles are coming now too.  It makes those long nights more bearable when they become more than a cuddly blob :)  Jem is highly into anything with contrasting colors - like the blankets on the back of our couch.  He also loves his brother and sister and often calms down when they're nearby.  They also love on him a lot!  At his 3 week appt he was 11 lbs 14 ounces and 22.75 inches...though I feel he has grown in the last week.  Suddenly those newborn diapers look like bikinis on him and his 0-3 month onesies are too tight.  So we are officially into 3-6 month clothes!  We're still not getting much sleep around here, but I'm hoping once we pass that 6 week milestone perhaps we (ie, me) will be getting more sleep.  2 hours at a time is not cutting it!  He's grasping things in his hand now and last night took a paci - the first of my children to ever accept one! 

His second month is shaping up to be a big one - weddings, soccer, tennis, swim lessons, and by the time that 2 month milestone comes along we'll be knocking on the door of school starting! 

Busy-ness!

 Love how fast a happy playtime can go from this...

to this

Two weeks into swim lessons for the older two - both are having a great time!  Jem has been great for swim - sometimes he needs to be held, but he's usually snoozing away.  Yesterday we hit up a presentation on bats at the library.  Tomorrow is tennis for Toby and Lucy's first soccer practice of the season (fall soccer already!)

I just put Baby on the floor for tummy time (just up from nap and eating) and he conked out.  So I'm camping out on the floor next to him while Toby and Lucy play playdoh at the table.  The dog has run through several times barking and he hasn't jumped yet.  Making up for yesterday?

Photo Bomb!

Big Sis!

 After a power outage and then internet outage, I have lots of pics but haven't had the ability to share them!  So here goes!

First shampoo

1 week old

Baby toes

1 week

Brothers!

 

 

Jeremiah is almost 2 weeks now.  We have had our challenges - gassiness and prolific peeing being the two foremost.  We're still working on both and praying that they are phases.  Especially at 2am.  I'm not very happy at 2am. 

Have I mentioned how much I love coffee?

Other than those issues, Jeremiah is a total sweetheart.  He's very chill and can sleep through just about anything - including the Blue Angels practicing overhead yesterday afternoon.  I couldn't believe I got to sit on the porch and watch while he napped in the a/c!  Thank you J! 

Curtis heads back to work on Monday and I'm a bit apprehensive about all 3 kidddos here  all day...especially breakfast.  It seems that the rest of the day everyone spaces out their needs, but at 7am everyone wants everything NOW.  At least it's summer...and the bus doesn't start coming until late August so we have some time to work out the kinks.

Toby's tennis was cancelled for heat again this week.  Who knew we'd have such a heat wave this summer?  Last summer was so decent, I expected the same.  I don't want to take the baby out in it - even the shade is sweltering.  We did go see fireworks on the 4th, and the sound didn't bug him, but the heat - even at 9:30pm - was just too much.  Yuck.  For that reason alone we are skipping the Vandalia parade tonight - I just cannot imagine being stuck in that heat for 2 hours!

We had a successful Target run yesterday - yay! - and are planning on church on Sunday.  It would seem that "normal" life is resuming, albeit slowly.  Soon I won't remember what it was like to run around with one 2 kids - and come fall (and preschool) I can do some running around with just Jeremiah!  I think that will be cake in comparison.  And Meijer is open 24 hours, so I can always just grocery shop weekend and evenings :) 

Welcome Jeremiah!

 We welcomed Jeremiah Gray to the world yesterday at 5:05pm.  He's a hefty chunk at 9 lbs 7 ounces and 22 inches long.

Ok, so birth story!  Had a normal night Friday night, and woke up at normal time Saturday morning.  Curtis made waffles for breakfast, and Toby wanted to play a board game as soon as we were done cleaning up.  We settled in on the floor of the playroom and didn't even get in 2 turns before I felt an odd gush - waters had broken.  Thankfully, not with a bang and there was no mess to clean up.  But...no contractions.  So I called my midwife and she said to come in when they started, or noon if nothing before then.  So we waited...and waited...and despite a few cramps here and there, no real contractions.

At noon we headed in to the birth center, still no contractions and I was at 4-5 cm.  At 2 they hooked me up for my antibiotic (Group B Strep) and gave me a breast pump hoping to start contractions naturally.  Luckily it worked like a charm, contractions started up strong and even at 2 minutes apart. I walked a bit, came back to the room and was at 6cm, so at least things were moving,  Around 4 the nurse asked if I'd like to try the tub, as it would take a while to fill, so I said sure.  About 4:30 I got into the jacuzzi tub (awesome!), labored in there for about 20 minutes and all of a sudden I wanted to get checked.  Fully effaced at 10!  My midwife said if I didnt want to deliver in the tub I needed to MOVE so we did.  10 minutes later Jeremiah entered the world, a little blue from a tight umbilical cord but his color came in quickly.  Another quickie birth and with only a tiny first degree tear, recovery has been a breeze as well.  I need to remember to take it easy-  my body is telling my when I overdo it, but I feel really good. 

We came home yesterday (my original due date) and are settling in.  The dog is terrified (I do remember now, when we brought Toby home from the hospital he sneezed in the dog's face when they were meeting each other, instilling a fear of tiny humans into our dog).  Last night Jeremiah started crying and the dog shot out from his sleeping spot under our bed to give us disapproving looks. 

The kids are loving their new brother - Lucy especially loves holding him, helping pick out outfits...he is a live baby doll.  And his hiccups are her favorite part!  I have to admit, squeaky hiccups are pretty adorable!

So now it's just time to settle into a new routine here at home - though it seems like that's something we're always doing...change just seems par for the course.  Welcome Jeremiah, we love you!

Ends and Odds

It's that time of year for lots of endings...this is Toby's last week of school and he's been bringing home lots of papers from the year...today he brought home his painting shirt from his last day of art class.  Sniff sniff.  He's far too excited at the prospect of first grader-ship to be sad in the least, but this mama is feeling nostalgic!

Friday is field day and I will be helping out (along with Lucy).  Can't wait!

And I hit 37 weeks on Monday...officially full term, though I suspect a few more weeks until we meet baby.  At today's appointment I measured small - the first time in 3 pregnancies I've had the word small used, lol!  The midwife said this one may be on the small side, I couldn't help but laugh.  Baby's been measuring big so I suspect a difference in measuring techniques more than anything, but I certainly can't put much store in the measuring tape at this point.  Only a few more weeks, then we'll know the size for sure!