A New Addition

Matt and I have a big announcement to make. Or rather, we'll let the boys make it:

I'm the big brother.

I'm the big brother.

And I'm the little sister.

Her name is Amber, and she joined our family as of yesterday. Technically she's not the "little" sister, as she weighs more than either brother and is a little older than even Patrick. She's a rescued beagle, adopted from the local beagle rescue society.

So far, she's been nothing but perfect. She already protects the boys and is perfectly gentle with them. She hasn't had even one accident in the house yet and adores all of us. The boys love her as much as she loves them, too, and Patrick already knows her name. He calls out, "Hi, Puppy!" to her every time he sees her.

For those of you who don't know, I grew up with a beagle. For me, it feels so right to have a sweet beagle sleeping next to me on the couch. Even Matt, a loyal Doberman lover, agrees that Amber is the perfect dog for us. Expect lots of Amber stories in the future, especially if she keeps letting me get pictures like this of her.

A Tooth

Well, we woke up this morning to Nathan's first tooth. We knew it wasn't going to be long, as we've felt the bottom two middle ones poking up for over a week now. It just seemed like neither tooth really cared to be the first to actually break through the gums. Then finally this morning the right tooth won.

Nathan's really been a trooper through all the teething pain. His fussy periods with it were better than most babies' fussy periods when they're not teething. Yet this morning there was still a remarkable change to his mood. Who would have thought Nathan could be even happier than he'd been?

I'll keep you posted on when tooth #2 decides to make an appearance. I'm guessing it won't be long and that his days of being a one-toothed baby are short.

Six-Month Check-Up

Really, there's not much to report. Nathan's six-month check-up today was short, sweet, and to the point--actually, three for Nathan. He got three more vaccines, which he wasn't particularly fond of. At least I got to see Patrick comfort his brother again. (He now says, "You're okay," instead of "It's okay." We've never told Patrick, "You're okay," so that shows a good mastery of pronouns, a fact I'm obviously quite proud of.)

Other than the traumatic shots, the appointment was easy. Nathan's fine and still growing well. He weighed less than I expected at only 16 lbs and 13 oz. He's been weighing at 17 1/2 at home, which I think is closer to reality. Either way, the doctor isn't worried. He said one big poop could explain the difference between the two. If you're keeping up with the stats, his height is 25 1/2 in (more accurate than last time) and his head circumference is 17 1/2 in.

I guess that's it. The appointment was very routine. We'll be back in three months, barring any illnesses between now and then.

Six Months

Dear Nathan,

Somewhere, somebody decided to let time speed on past me, letting you turn six months old in the blink of an eye. I've spent this Saturday morning reminiscing on that one six months ago. We happened to drive by the hospital yesterday evening, and I was able to remember watching the dawn over the trees through the window in the hospital room in that short interval between getting my epidural and starting to push. It brought back that first moment I saw you so vividly, the way your eyes focused right in on mine, as though you claimed me as your mommy in that very moment.
In the six months since that eventful morning, you have grown in every way possible. You are so big now, wearing clothes meant for your age, clothes that your brother was wearing at his first birthday. In fact, some of them are already too small for you, strained to their limits by your chubby belly and chunky thighs.

You have certainly matured, too. You are no longer the dependent, floppy little thing handed to me six months ago. Now you are quite independent, able to play with toys you find interesting and interacting with your brother without needing Mommy's undivided attention. And you're a far cry from floppy, able to sit up on your own and showing off that skill every chance you get.

But I'm still most impressed with you personality. I never had reason to doubt Patrick was a happy baby--until I met you. Nathan, you are in the middle of a crazy teething stage that I know must hurt terribly. Yet you rarely fuss from the pain. You still flash me one of those last few toothless grins every chance you get, even in the middle of the pain. It warms my heart to see you so content and happy all the time. Daddy and I must be doing something right for you to be so happy.

The quiet moments with you have grown few lately. When you're awake, you're typically active, anxious to be playing with something. And when you're sleepy, you just want to be put in bed so you can snuggle with a blankie and fall asleep on your own. But a few days ago, you drifted off in my arms after eating yourself to sleep. It was one of those rare quiet moments with you, and all I could do was stare at you with a goofy smile on my face. As sweet as you are awake, there is something so specially sweet about you sleeping in my arms. It shows total and complete trust of a sort that takes my breath away, one that makes me feel so blessed to be your mommy.

That word "blessed" has been a common theme for me lately. Every day I'll catch you gazing up at me while you eat, or smiling at me while you play, or sleeping in my arms on those rare occasions, and my heart overflows with gratitude. It no longer matters to me that my moments alone are few and far between. It was worth every moment of pain and worry while I was pregnant with you, and it has been worth every sleepless night since--just to have you in my life.

And so every day finds me with an urgent reminder to spend a few minutes in prayer. That gratitude I feel when I gaze into your eyes forces me to pray to my God, thanking Him for the many blessings in my life, the least of which is you. I never would have thought it possible, my dear son, but you are bringing me closer to God without even knowing it.

I hope I can return the favor year after year. It is one of my greatest roles as your mother after all, to teach you about your Savior and lead you to Him. On this Easter weekend, I am making a vow to you to be more diligent in this task, to both you and your brother. Because of you, I have been reminded that being a responsible parent to you has little to do with how many toys you have or how well-dressed you are. There is so much more I need to do for you than that, and I can only hope and pray that with God's help, I can fulfill those much more important needs.

So, my sweet Nathan, while I cherish those first six months of your life, I want the next six and twelve and two hundred and forty to be even more special to both of us. I want your naturally sweet and happy disposition to only grow more so, and I want to be a part of making you into a wonderful and godly man.
I have heard it said that first children make you a mother and second ones make you a better mother, and that is exactly what you have done. Thank you, Nathan, for teaching me how to be a better mother. I love you more than you will ever know.

Love,

Mommy

Patrick, the Two-Year-Old

There is not a doubt in my mind that Patrick is two. He can swing from being sweet and affectionate to...well, difficult in a fraction of a second.

One one hand, he loves to imitate us, especially when it makes us laugh. Yesterday we were in the car when "Funkytown" came on the radio. Matt and I laughed at it and decided it was more interesting than the songs on the other stations we frequent, so we left it. When I noticed Patrick was bouncing his foot to the beat of the song, I told him to say "funkytown." All three of us died laughing when we heard, "Fu-kee-ta," (with the emphasis on the middle syllable, like fajita) from the backseat. He continued to repeat it all evening because it got a big laugh every time.

Then there's his love for his brother. He loves to make Nathan laugh and always wants to kiss him good night before naps and bedtime. He has even adopted his Elmo to be his own baby and carries him around when I have Nathan. He brings him along for his own diaper change when Nathan is getting changed, and Elmo gets put down for "sleep tight" when Nathan does. This nurturing imitation is so adorable. I love this part of the stage.

On the other hand, though, Patrick has learned the fine art of throwing the most aggravating tantrums ever. No longer can they resolve themselves in five or ten minutes; they can easily last an hour or more now. None of us even remember what started the tantrum in the first place by the time it's over. It's all because Patrick doesn't get what he wants the second he wants it. He has become demanding and whiny all of a sudden, and it's driving Matt and me crazy. No amount of punishment seems to make the slightest difference, and time-outs have been enforced more for our own sanity than to correct Patrick's behavior. This is a very trying phase.

Oh, and there's the hitting game. Patrick has decided it's a fun game to hit or kick Mommy. He repeats, "No kicking," and then laughs. He remembers it as a game, not an admonishment. Again, punishments aren't helping because he can't connect them to the action. He can't imagine that I'd punish him for playing a game, so he thinks the punishments are simply meaningless. I'm at my wit's end with the whole situation.

I'm trying very hard to remember that this age will not last forever and that I need to cherish all these sweet moments because I'll miss this age when it's gone. But in the midst of one of these marathon tantrums (of which there are several each day), all I can think about is how quickly he will be a three-year-old and past the worst of this stage.

Because shortly after that, Nathan will be a two-year-old. Sigh. What have I gotten myself into?

So Far Behind

Ugh, I'm getting so bad about posting. The problem is that I don't have time to post one day, and by the time I can get a few minutes, I've racked up so many things I need to say (and pictures to show off) that the task seems overwhelming and I don't know where to start. So right now is a short catch-up bulleted post. Later today or tomorrow I hope to make an effort to catch up on pictures.

• Nathan is basically sitting up on his own. I'm terrified to leave him alone because he still topples over at any moment, but he can sit without any support for an indefinite period of time. Matt and I joke that this is so much easier for him than it was for his brother because he has a bigger base to balanced on.
• Patrick's language is really taking off. Less than a month ago, he was only saying his set phrases and very little to tell us what he wants. Now he is speaking in full sentences sometimes. A few from the last four or five days include: "We're all done," "I'm gonna go crash," and "I wanna go outside." Yes, they are full sentences, with appropriate pronouns, and actually convey a useful message. I'd say that's progress in leaps and bounds!
• Nathan is about to cut two teeth, literally any moment now. I'm checking his gums pretty much every hour, just waiting on them to break through. If you're curious, they're the bottom two middle ones. He's not too upset by it, but he does sleep better when he's had teething tablets or Tylenol.
• Nathan is still doing well with solids. He's on his third baby food flavor, his favorite so far--pears. There's not much else to say about this because he's eating like a pro. He was definitely ready for solids when we started them.
• Nathan's aim with his hands and arms is getting better. He reaches for things (and people) he finds interesting and can usually hit them on the first try. Patrick's not so sure he likes this development as he has had his hair pulled, his shirt held, and his arm and face grabbed at various times.
• I wish I had something to write here about Patrick and potty training, but the only thing he's figured out so far is that when he sits on his potty and tries to go in it, he gets an M&M (or a "lalala" as he calls it). At least he can now tell me when he's "yucky" or "poopy"--his words for a poopy diaper. Now we're working on catching him before filling that diaper so that he can go on the potty instead.
• Both boys got to visit with their Gigi and Papa this weekend and had a blast. Patrick called them both by name within minutes of their arrival and is still talking about them. Pictures to follow (eventually...).

Uh-Oh, Time for an Update!

Oops, time got away from me again. I didn't realize how much time had passed since I blogged last!

Not too much has been happening here. We had a quiet, relaxing weekend and then got caught off guard by the time change. All of our schedules are a bit out of whack at the moment. For example, Patrick has decided to boycott naptime lately. Today is the first day he's taken a decent nap in over a week, and the first nap at all in three or four days. I'm hoping this means he's finally getting adjusted to the time change and will go back to his old sleeping schedule again.

Nathan hasn't been affected quite as much, but he got up to eat during the night a few times recently. Then last night we fed him solids until he was about to pop, and oddly enough he slept beautifully. I guess we just weren't feeding him enough before. And that's really saying something. As much as Patrick has always eaten, Nathan is already eating more than he did at this age. His thighs are certainly the proof.

Patrick had his first therapy appointment on Monday. It was interesting to watch. She didn't do anything special with him, but just followed his lead and played with whatever he wanted to. She just interacted differently with him than I might. She was also impressed with all the progress he's already made since she saw him last.

Now his language is taking off. He is repeating us all the time (the most important time to watch every word that leaves our mouths) and can use some of those repeated words in context on his own. His language is suddenly more functional, as he has found words to ask for what he wants in most situations. This morning he was able to ask me to refill his sippy cup, and specifically that he wanted juice in it. That's a vast improvement over shoving it in my face and screaming if it didn't immediately refill itself. Before long, he may actually be able to communicate like a normal two-year-old.

The weather around here has started to warm up; spring is definitely on its way. Today I went through all of Patrick's old clothes and pulled out a spring and summer wardrobe for Nathan. It was kind of sad looking at all those clothes and wondering how I could possibly put Nathan in all of them before he outgrows them. He's already just barely fitting into his 3-6 months clothes, and they are most of our cutest summer clothes (remember Patrick wore them exclusively in his first summer). It's crazy to think that by next summer, Nathan will likely be wearing the clothes we're buying for Patrick this year. I hope Patrick has outgrown them by that point, or the boys will end up sharing a wardrobe. Although, come to think of it, that might be nice on our budget...

A First Taste

Last week, Nathan stopped letting me sleep through the night. He woke up every night, desperate to eat. And he would eat for hours on end. If that's not a sign he's ready for something more substantial in his belly, I don't know what is. I was as desperate for sleep as he was for food, so I finally decided it was time to do something about it.

So Wednesday night, we started solid foods.
He sat in his big boy high chair quite happily while I prepared his yummy dinner of runny rice cereal. I was proud of how he wanted to sit up on his own as much as possible, not leaning against the sides like Patrick did when he first used this high chair.

Nathan was quite ready for that first bite, opening his mouth as soon as he saw the spoon coming. I think he already knew there was something yummy on there. Of course, this was his reaction to the "yummy" food:

But his tummy was hungry enough that he kept eating, regardless of that initial reaction. He downed most of the bowl I'd prepared like a pro. He grimaced after many bites (which prompted me to change some things about the preparation for the next night, which he ate much more happily), but he just kept eating.

And he was certainly much happier when we were done. Nathan likes having a full belly.

Since then, he has started sleeping a little better each night until last night's full night of sleep. It seems that Mommy's milk wasn't quite enough anymore, but he's loving his first taste of this wide world of solid food.

Twenty-Nine Months

Dear Patrick,

This last month, your twenty-ninth, has been one of several changes. The biggest one has been in relation to your talking. You may remember when those nice ladies came over here and played with you and talked with Mommy. They were here to find out whether Mommy was crazy in thinking your speech was abnormal compared to other kids your age.
It turns out Mommy isn't crazy, at least not in that sense. I was actually a little devastated to hear exactly how far behind you are--over a year. Naturally I wonder how things would be if we'd had you checked out when we first suspected a problem, over a year ago. You'd probably even be caught up by now. So I apologize for not acting on my suspicions sooner. The good news is that you should catch up regardless, even if it may take a little longer now. I keep reminding myself that things could be much worse. And it doesn't matter because I'm not going to love you any less if you talk any more or less than you do.

Another big change--even in the language department--is this sudden language explosion. It all started with that day the ladies showed up, about two weeks ago. Since then you've started repeating more words Daddy and I say and finding applications for many of them. I'd love to say this must be a result of us using the strategies the ladies left with us, but we have been using them imperfectly, to say the least. I think you were just ready for an explosion, and interacting with the new people spurred you on.

A few of the words you've added in the last week or so (the ones I can remember right now anyway) include: open and close (in relation to doors in particular), door, pizza, cool, crash, blankie, duckie, doggie, horsie (I'm pretty sure that's what you were saying), yucky, stinky, poopy, juice, sippy, and belly.

The other huge development has to do with your baby brother. Your relationship with him has taken off in the last few weeks. I suspect much of it has to do with the fact that you two now share a room. When we put both of you boys down to bed, you are left alone with Nathan. For the first time, we are leaving you alone to forge a relationship with him, out from under our prying eyes. It looks as though you have decided you're his protector. Many times I'll sneak into your room in the middle of the night because I hear Nathan crying, and when I get there, you are also awake, talking quietly to him. "It's okay, Gaga. Sleep tight. See you in a little while. It's okay."

That bedtime relationship is starting to overflow into your daily life around me and Daddy as well. You're no longer afraid to comfort Nathan even when one of us is around to do it. And Nathan responds to you even better than he does to us. You captivate him; he adores you. All you have to do is pay attention to him, and you can coax a huge grin out of him even in his most fussy moments. I love this happy, loving relationship you two have, and I dread the knock-down, drag-out sibling rivalry fights I know are in our future. At least I know this sweetness lies underneath even the most bitter fights.

You also now show your affection for your brother by giving him hugs--"Mmm-ma. Sleep tight." Nathan doesn't seem to mind when you accidentally knock heads with him during one of these sweet hugs. I can't help but laugh when you immediately run to me to also give me a hug because it is so clearly an afterthought. You wanted to hug your brother, but you don't want me to feel left out. It's very considerate of you, I must say.

Even taking into account the endless tantrums, this has been one of my favorite months with you. You make it so easy to love you. You see, I know you'll grow out of these tantrums eventually, but you won't grow out of that sweet personality. You won't grow out of that hilarious sense of humor or that love for your baby brother and Daddy and me.

Just as no matter how much you grow or how mature you get, you can't outgrow the love Daddy and I have for you. That is one constant when everything else about you seems to be changing.

Love,

Mommy

Patrick Puts on a Show

The other day, we took Patrick to get his hair cut. You can see why:
The next day, I dressed him up in his newest outfit to get some cute pictures of the new 'do. He had only worn this outfit once before, so I thought it would be great to get some pictures of the outfit while I was at it. I got this picture of his hair right away:

Much shorter, isn't it? It does some adorable things when it's wet, which I'll have to catch on the camera next chance I get. Of course, that's not where the story ends, of course. He quickly reminded me of the last time he wore this new outfit. He's a little too good at undoing the snaps on it.

So while I still had the camera focused on him, he proceeded to show off just how well he can undress himself.

**Note: The following pictures are taken in sequence over the course of just a few minutes.

Aah, that was hard work. Time to eat.

The outfit wasn't on a whole ten minutes before Patrick was streaking through the house. Such is life with a toddler.

Nathan, the Ham

Although Nathan has lovingly earned the nickname of ham a couple of times due to his size, lately he's been earning it with his actions and facial expressions. I've caught some of the more priceless faces on film (digital film, that is) lately. The only one I know I'm missing is him blowing raspberries. He can and will do it on command, but not when I have the camera in front of my face.