Merry merry!

Last night Don and I spent the evening wrapping and watching the new Star Trek movie. It was so good! A great Christmas eve. Today we had to wake Logan up at 7:45. This after him being totally out of control yesterday. I am happy we got to sleep in though.

After opening we ate pancakes and headed over to Coronado. It is a beautiful day and we totally could have worn t-shirts. Christmas always seems to be beautiful in San Diego!

Hope your day is a happy one!

One. Hoo boy!

The girl is one. One! Her birthday was low-key and lots of fun. She liked all her presents and especially the boxes/wrapping they came in. Logan was only marginally ill-behaved. He really likes to mash her head into the carpet, which obviously we don't condone.

Here she is the last day of under a year old...



And the big day...









And now the baby days of 2+2=Done are over. *sigh*

New dress

Here is a dress that I made Aurora last night. It will fit for about a day, but here it is nonetheless...





And here is Logan modeling the Max hood Don wore for halloween...

Best laugh evah

Baby Aurora's new laugh...

Steps and H1N1 vaxes

Aurora took steps! Last weekend she took her first three uassisted steps at our friend's house. Whoa! At 10 mths, 3 months earlier than Logan. We are so unprepared for a wobbly walker. Yay! and *sigh* I would like her to stay a baby a little bit longer. She clearly has other ideas.

Today we were told of a local H1N1 vax clinic where there was no waiting. What? We totally high-tailed it over there and everyone got shot. Logan was BY FAR the most offended, he really hasn't gotten over it yet despite the fact that it doesn't even hurt anymore. Regardless he informed me that I should get off his bed at night-night because I :gave: him the shot and he didn't want it. Oh well. I guess today I am horrible. I am ok with that. :-)

Overheard

On the way home from Ms T's yesterday Logan and I were discussing what days he and his buddy Ren are together at daycare. For the record, Logan and Ren go together on Tuesday and Thursday. Logan goes again on Friday and Aurora obviously goes all the days...

Me: So where do you go on Monday?
Logan: TeTe's?
Me: Let's try again.
L: School!
Me: That's right!
L: Daddy picks me up from school. I only like it when Daddy picks me up.
Me:Oh, you don't like it when I pick you up? Even from TeTe's?
L: No. I want Daddy to do it every day. Only Daddy!

Thanks kid. Can you tell he is going through a Daddy phase?

Sad Day

Well, it is a sad day in our house. Don has been closely following baseball as the PA team tried to make it to the top again. Oh well, next year! (I am not-so-secretly doing a happy dance that we can FINALLY watch something else, and that Gl.ee won't be bumped for the dullest game on earth...)

Here is how the playoffs progressed according to Logan:

Figgies smash up Colorado
Figgies beated up the Rogers
Figgies lose to the Ankies, poor Figgies.

As much as I dislike baseball, I sure am going to miss hearing Logan talk about the Figgies and their various opponents (who knew there would be a whole team of Rogers?).

Happy Halloween!

Says the bee and the dinosaur (dragon) with pink spots... I was a flower and Don was Max, King of all Wild Things...

New hair!

Big days

It seems as though life got infinitely busier with the start of school. Everyone execpt Aurora is attending class in one form or another. Logan started preschool two days a week (it is going well), Don is back teaching the night class and elementary school, and I am taking a serger class every Wednesday night. Add general life craziness and it has been pretty wild. And I can't believe it is October. Wha?

Aurora is growing like a weed and is starting to cut her first tooth. A bump on the gum confirms it, in addition to her surly mood of late. The kid is generally so happy that any crabbiness is noticed immediately. So now we have a reason! She also started doing the sign (we are teaching her basic sign language) for milk. Hooray! Now she can tell me when she is hungry. And last but not least she stood on her own yesterday for a couple seconds. She is barely a baby anymore.

Logan taught Aurora how to hold hands yesterday. I couldn't leave them to get a camera because they were on the bed (Aurora crawls off immediately). It was adorable and they both stayed still for a considerable period of time with hands locked. My heart melted...

Yeehaw!

Crafty

My latest project-a mei tai slipcover! I am pretty happy with the results. Next up is a full mei tai (which is a babycarrier that is kind of like a backpack with long straps that wrap around and tie instead of short padded buckle straps).

Also, on the sage advice of my Grammy and mom I signed up for a serger class this fall. My first class was last Wednesday and it went great. I met another woman who has kids the same age as Logan and Aurora and she also sews diapers. And lives a short walk from us. Go figure. We have already had a playdate and everyone gets along. Hooray!

In costume

Sore loser. Didn't win at candyland (for the first time, he usually beats us). And he is in his halloween costume just cause. It is a "dinosaur" that might look a little like a dragon, but don't tell him that!

Motion

*This is an old post - but good for historical reference :-)*

Aurora is constant motion (so is Logan, but that goes without saying). The girl is rolling all over the place and getting up on her hands and toes. And just now, JUST NOW, I saw her go on her hands and knees. This girl is determined to get at stuff and her current abilities are not sufficient. She is also starting to eat solid food in quantities that make me think some is actually getting past her mouth. Where did the baby go? Where?

Food, scars, general musings

Aurora started solid foods at 6 months. I thought it would be a big hit, since she seemed more than ready, but no. This is what she thought of avocado...



And then...



But in between bites was quickly back to...



Logan's busted chin scar is healing slowly. It will be a badge of honor someday.



We are also in the very slow process of redoing our bathroom. First we had the tub resurfaced, then Don painted (it used to be very orange), and this weekend he put down tile. I looooooove it! Grouting this week...





Last, but not least--more cuteness.

Overheard

Logan: I want to go to the doughnut store!
Don: How do you spell doughnut?
L: Um...D - R -4 - 5- 6!
D: Close enough, lets go.

Placeholder post

This is in lieu of the stitches post I need to put up. And the post where I talk about Aurora rolling over and sitting up. In the meantime, this is what Logan has been watching over and over and over...

The Seed from Johnny Kelly on Vimeo.

and

Shelly from Johnny Kelly on Vimeo.

Friday morning

I never imagined my Friday mornings would involve chasing the three trash trucks that pick up green waste, recycling, and trash down the street while nursing the baby. Logan sure does love those trucks.

Of course you don't!

Today we spent a lot of time outside because we had the tub resurfaced and it stunk up the whole house. Unfortunately Sunshine was trapped under our bed where the fumes were totally overpowering. I had to go in and rescue her, and she was completely traumatized. I let her outside and then we went to the backyard. Logan could not stop thinking about her and kept asking me where Sunshine went. I didn't know and told him as much. Over. and over. and over. I think he asked me where that d*(# cat was every 10 seconds for 5 minutes. Finally I cracked.

Me: Logan, you are driving me CRAZY!
Lo: Mama, I can't do that! I don't know how to drive!

Babymoon over

Wow. I didn't change the blog name to mean done writing! I guess I have been lost in our world of babies and 3 yr olds. Anyhow, I'm back. Things are good here. Aurora just started taking a bottle today, in time to start daycare in 1.5 weeks. I am trying to enjoy the last of my maternity leave, but this past week was challenging. VERY challenging. The longest dr appt in recorded history, cranky kids from shots, and the topper? LICE. Yes, lice. The gift that keeps on giving. But all that aside, Logan is doing great and Aurora is growing like a weed. She went from the 15th % across the board at birth to the 75th now. She is a chunk! Her thighs are something to behold.

We went on vacation last week to Palm Springs with Nana and PopPop. It was fantastic. Though I have to be honest and say that vacations just aren't the same with kids. Especially babies who don't like their routines interrupted. So I was exhausted and very crabby a few days in. Fun! I righted myself with a nice long nap and adjusted expectations. We even got a night out! Not too shabby.

More to come, as I am back blogging I won't keep all the cuteness to myself...

Tulppaani No. 26

Oh how I love the wraps. I started with a Moby (why didn't I have this with Logan? I had pouches, slings, and a bjorn, but not the most comfy baby carriers!), then a Vatanai wrap, and then a Girasol Tulppaani No 26. It is so lovely. So perfectly rainbow colored. How am I affording all these wraps while on maternity leave? Craigslist! I have been selling things that have been lying around the house. And it has been profitable. Hooray! I also did a couple graphic design jobs that brought in a little cash.

Since the girl is a carseat screamer I wear her a lot. A whole lot. We can't push her in a stroller or she will fuss. I wear her around the house too so I can do things with Logan and she will sleep. Sleeping babies are good. Soooooo good. Awake content babies are good too. It works for both. Hooray! Mostly I just like being close to her. She is sweetness.

The boy is 3

THREE!!!????!!! How did that happen? He had an absolutely wonderful birthday, including a fun-filled day at sea.world. He really liked touching the bat rays and the dolphins. We had breakfast with Shamu, and that was really cool. We were so close! He had his typical observer thing going on, so we couldn't tell if he was really into it or not, but I think he had fun.



It was also 85 that day and we were so hot.



Then he had a family birthday meal and celebration. He and I spent Monday making this cake...



And the directions to make it are here. It was delish!

Then Auntie H and Uncle M came over for a party on Friday. Yes, he had a full birthday week. Expect nothing less! Here he is in his super cute hat.



Doesn't he look like such a big kid? Where did my baby go? I think because Aurora is so little, I have been waxing nostalgic about Logan's infancy. I mean, it was no easy stretch there in the beginning, but he was so adorable. And he didn't talk back or kick things. So yeah, times have changed.

Quickly in Aurora news. I got my first giggle out of her tonight. She loves singing, which is quite a switch from her big brother who looked at me like I had three heads when I tried to sing him songs. I will have to get a video of it because she is so cute.

Cute socks, cute dipe

Oh dear. I love girl clothes down to the diaper and socks.

Peek-a-boo

Pictures!

Ah, I see it has been over two weeks since I last posted. Shame on me. The girl is doing well, she is up to 11.5 lbs and is currently asleep in her wrap. Which means she is pressing her nose into my chest as I type. Logan is fighting sleep, kicking around in his room, hoping I will go in there to tell him that a new day has begun. *eye roll*

You might notice that my last post was right before my parents left to go back home. It is a lot of work to watch the two of them by myself--even with daycare. Don is gone twice during the week so I do bedtime by myself. So far it has gone pretty well, in fact much better than I originally envisioned. It is a trick to do it all without losing my cool though, as Logan dilly-dallies once evening rolls around. I love it when tooth brushing lasts 10 minutes, 30 seconds of which consist of the brush actually in his mouth.

Some exciting news is that we are now in cloth diapers 100%. They are nicer to Aurora's skin, and while it is an initial investment, we will save big bucks down the line. She is going through so many diapers at the moment that we easily spend $60 a month keeping her behind covered. The ones we invested in (happy heinys, does every baby product have to have an insanely stupid name?) are all size, pocket dipes. So far, so good. She has a total bubble bum and looks super cute.

We went to the aquarium on Sunday and Logan blew through the exhibits in about 15 minutes. He had a lot of energy and was very excited to see all the fish. "Look at that fish!" was exclaimed at every tank, regardless if there were fish to be seen or not. He especially liked the eels. Though I think he thought they were a bit scary. Here we are in front of their "big" tank. It is a pretty small aquarium, but perfect for a morning out without being overwhelming.

Logan is tollerating being a big brother much better than he was when A first came home (I used to hear "I don't want to be a big brother" many times a day). Mostly he just ignores her, but he loooooves to be my special helper. Especially if he can shove her pacifier in her mouth. Anything that is prefaced by "Can you be my special helper and..." is sure to be met with enthusiasm. Why haven't I exploited this? Foolish.

6, 7, and 10.5

Aurora is 6 weeks old today and currently weighs in at 10.5 lbs. She is gaining like a champ, basically putting on a half a pound a week. Go kiddo go! She really is an easy baby and has begun to stretch out her night time sleep. She went 7 hours one night and regularly goes 5 hours now. Why do I still feel so tired?

I haven't gotten photographic evidence yet, but today she began smiling. Reproducible, cute, amazing smiles. She flashed one at Logan this morning and then at the ceiling fan and Grammy later on. What is it about babies and ceiling fans?

Logan also had a big day, he got a HAIRCUT. And that is in all caps because it is so short. I told the lady that I wanted to keep a lot of length on top, but she just kept going. Ah well, hair grows. I don't hate it, but it will certainly take some getting used to. It is better than it was before I took him in though, it was looking truly yuck.

My parents leave in less than 48 hours and I am really going to miss them. They have helped us (me especially) out so much both in general and with the kids that it will be a totally different experience when they are gone. I need to get into a routine of some sort, so that I get out of the house and see other people during the day. Otherwise I may go crazy. Or spend all our money at Target.

Avoidance, vigilance and, finally, acceptance

So I have tried desperately to avoid getting sick prior to having A, then after. Cause, you know, a sick newborn is no one's idea of fun. And taking care of a newborn while sick is only slightly less undesirable. Well, everyone but A got a cold this weekend. With the unseasonably warm weather (a Santa Anna that has lasted for-freaking-ever) I knew it was coming. Yes, I should be thankful for the 70-80 degree temps while the rest of the country suffers through terrible snow and cold, but I knew we were going to get sick so that kind of takes the shine off it.

Anyway, Logan had the worst of it on Monday, including a fever in the afternoon/evening. Nothing crazy bad, just warm and part of a cold. Or so we thought until we commented on a little pimple that showed up on his lip yesterday or maybe this morning (the timing is still under discussion). Then while we were eating lunch at the Children's Museum--which is amazing and very fun--Don noticed blisters on L's hands. Yes, blisters. On his hands. Combine that with the pimple, aka BLISTER, on his lip, and the fever on Monday, you have Hand, Foot, and Mouth! Awesome! So now we are on lock-down (sorry parents and kids of San Diego who went to the museum today, *blushes with embarrassment and shame*), and hoping against hope that Aurora doesn't get it too. Oh please do not let her get it!

*sigh*

Overheard

While watching the inauguration this morning:

Logan: Obama is good!

Me: Yes, we like Obama.

L: Obama will bring us presents!

Me: Well, he won't bring us presents to unwrap, but he will give us ways to make our lives better.

L: Yeah, he is going to bring us presents!!!

Me: He isn't Santa Logan.

L: Santa!

Noteworthy

This baby spits up so. dang. much. So much I am always sure that she is about to empty her stomach contents on me. And I am usually not wrong.

New name, new reality

Still alive, hanging in, and feeling totally overwhelmed with the stuff that needs to be recorded for posterity here on the old blog.

First, it was getting pictures off the camera, onto the computer, edited, named, uploaded to flickr, and then posted here. Do you see all those steps? Anyone who knows me can see this process is fraught with pitfalls. Too many places to get tangled up and abandon ship. But I did manage to get a few...







And I even took a belly shot the day before giving birth so this girl wouldn't think she didn't come from me. I can very much assure her that she did in fact grow in me...



Then it was coming up with a new name. Not sold on what I came up with, but it will do for now. 

So the nutshell version is that I had a very quick labor and delivery (if you don't count the all-day contractions the Thursday before she was born), we got into the birth center no problem, and she was here before we even had time to fret. Mostly. We were home by noon on Sunday and the wonderful and magnificent H was then free to go home after watching Logan while we were in the birth center. 

I have had loads of help - my parents are here through January and Don's mom just left after staying a week. Don is off until the last week in January and Logan is still going to Ms. T's 2-3 days a week. When I am alone with the baby I wonder why I ever thought it was hard to have just Logan. Of course I had no *freaking* clue what I was doing when L was little and A is a very easy baby thus far (knock on wood) so the comparison isn't fair. I have yet to watch the two kids on my own and I am seriously wondering how that is going to work out. Thankfully I have time before I have to deal with that scenario.

So yeah. Christmas was good, plentiful, and seemingly never-ending. New Years Eve was nice and low-key. We got a Wii and we are totally loving it. I think that sums it up! Ha!

Next up... Logan starts telling jokes. So dang cute.