Hmm . . . for some reason, I haven't gotten around to blogging. And it's not because I've been busy. More that I've been nursing and cuddling a newborn, and when I'm not I'm so tired I can't even remember to put away the laundry (that's sitting, folded 10 feet away from me).
Here's the focus of this post: my big, smart boy.
It's hard. Our world has changed so much that I expect him to be the constant in our lives, but he keeps changing too! In three weeks, he's changed almost as much as Lydia has!
First, going way back to early February. Here's Rosa's dinosaur birthday. Max and Paloma (and Momma Anna) were there too.
Hunting for dinosaur eggs.
Trying so hard to get the egg open. ARRRGGHH!
Success!
Me back there with Anna. Lydia in the belly.
Here's the cool guy. Yup, still using a pacifier. There were so many things we put off doing because his world was going to be rocked: pacifier, potty training, bedtime routine.
But Lydia made changing the bedtime routine a necessity. Brian and I are so tired in the evening, Everett NEEDS to go to bed earlier. We do dinner, straight to shower, straight to bed to read books. We used to hold him to sleep on the couch while we watched TV (a shameful holdover from when I used to nurse him to sleep), but no more! It's been taking an hour at least to read books and go to sleep in his bed, but hopefully that time will decrease, and we can all start going to bed earlier. Before 9:00, please!!
Having Lydia out is far easier for me than being pregnant was. At the end, I was nervous to say I was done, knowing that newborns are difficult. I won't generalize and say "having a newborn is easier than being 40 weeks pregnant," but having MY newborn is easier than being hugely pregnant. So far, she's an "easy baby," and I know we're very lucky.
When Lydia was 6 days old, we did a photoshoot with our friend, photographer Dana Holt. It happened to be Valentines Day, so we all wore pinks and purples. I'm not posting any photos I might use on her announcement.
Brian's been spending a lot of time with Everett. The two weeks Brian was home, he would take Everett outside in the morning and afternoon and they'd play. Brian would often be working in the yard, and Everett would "help" him or play on his own.
I got to nurse or cuddle Lydia and watch Downton Abbey. It was wonderful.
Living near our parents has been so amazing. It always is, but now especially. Since Brian's gone back to work, Phil and Gion have ended up taking Everett two to three times a week. Gion's been taking Everett to Mommy & Me (Brian did when he was off, that was fun). My mom and dad have come over and played with Everett several times.
I don't want to say "I couldn't do it without them" because I'd like to think I'd be up to the task. But it's been much more relaxing for me to have help. And Everett is so much happier and more enriched playing with his grandparents than he would be watching TV with me and his sister and getting nagged. (;
Avila Valley barn. We met Maayan (a former VRL co-worker) and her family there.
Lydia finally meeting the Hunter kids!! . . . and John. Rachel had already met her a couple times.
Several of our friends brought us meals in the early days, mostly ladies I know from SLO County Mommies, a local online forum. It was wonderful! My favorite part about it, though, was getting to introduce Lydia to friends individually. A couple times they were mini play dates for Everett, if they brought their kids with them.
Lydia's first party. The Boniheeds hosted an Oscar party. It was great fun. Here are the kids watching Cinderella, or as Everett calls it Cinder-eddy (because of the song the mouse sings).
Brian's last day before going back to work, we took a trip to the coast.
The sweetest big brother.
He can "read" this sign . . . because he knows it from Curious George.
It was a gorgeous day! It was sad sending Brian back to work. But we were lucky the weather cooperated on that day.
Look at those chubby cheeks! She's gained so much weight since she was born, but we won't know just how much until her check-up on the 14th (a week from today).
I like how slowly I've gotten to hit all the milestones. The day Everett and Brian gave Lydia this bottle was the first day I pumped, it was a trial run for a few days later when I needed to leave her with Brian to get my hair cut.
The day I got my hair cut was the first day I'd driven since well before Lydia was born.
Today was the first day I drove myself and Lydia (to the OB). I have yet to drive both kids on my own. And I still haven't spent a whole day alone with both kids. Like I said, I've been very lucky to ease into all these milestones.
What a good daddy, cuddling and feeding his girl.
Baba George came over and played in the dirt for a couple hours.
In the dirt with the worms and millipedes.
He's still such a sweet brother. He doesn't care that she's just a sleeping, pooping, nursing lump. Gion told me that she'll ask if he wants to go home to see mom and dad, and he'll say no. She asked a couple days ago if he wanted to go home and see baby sister, and he said yes!
But he doesn't know his own size, and he doesn't understand where her body extends, so he's prone to squishing her when all he wants to do is give kisses.
Little by little she's awake more. Her eyes are tracking more and more. And every once in a while we'll hear her true little voice. It's the sweetest.
These are pictures of her wearing the outfit Katie came home from the hospital in. She wore it to the Oscar party too, but she spit up on it before we could get a picture (That was actually pretty late in the evening. We just didn't get a picture).
She makes all sorts of funny faces. Look at that little fist. Her grip is getting strong!
More chubby cheeks! Part of me hopes she'll be a pudgy baby with rolls, but she'll probably be like her brother, chubby cheeks at first but mostly pretty thin.
I'll list some Everett things. I'll be adding to this, I'm sure:
He doesn't usually like if you sing along to his shows' theme songs. He'll say "noooo" or "stop it!" I guess we're not good enough singers?
We've been reading to him A LOT. I'll read to him before nap (unless he's at Phil and Gion's). Brian reads to him at bedtime. He used to quote TV shows and movies mostly, now he's quoting a lot of books. It's hard to tell the difference unless you know the quoted material.
We've been easing into the potty. He'll often use the potty during diaper changes. I'll have him use the potty before I put a clean diaper on him. Gion does this sometimes too. We're just helping him understand what's possible. We're planning on doing the hardcore training during Brian's spring break, the first week of April.
Until next month!
