Christmas by the pond...

Shopping Budget: WATCH OUT!

wishing she was sleeping

wondering why she's not sleeping

and shes OUT!

I think I could be frumpy for the rest of my life if I keep getting to dress Violet in fantastic ensembles such as this. :)  Good find Nana!  I might have to go buy the next size up so this skirt can grow with us!

OH Brother!

Benjamin Edward is becoming quite the fantastic helper, and slowly but surely adjusting to his new role as Big Brother.  My mom and I were talking and I don't know if she said it or I just thought it, but as great as Benjamin still is, having a sibling has definitely taken away his "angelic" status.  Let me explain:

Pro's:

• Benjamin is a great diaper changing helper.  He loves bringing me diapers and wipes
• Benjamin is also great at putting stuff away in the basket under her bed
• He loves playing "round a bit" and giving kisses
• He is great at playing "this little piggy" with her little toes!  

Con's:

• Benjamin has started hitting things (usually harmless objects like tables) when he's angry
• Benjamin has recently turned his cry into a high pitched scream when the cry isn't effective
• He gets very jealous of Violet being held, especially when he thought it was "his time" to play with momma
• Occasionally Benjamin has cried only because Violet is crying, and it just seems to be the thing to do!
• Benjamin has begun telling on himself.  I know that his motives were pure naughtiness when he finished doing something, looks at me, and instantly attempts to distract me by saying "baby, baby"

Over all Benjamin is doing well, and I'm excited for Joel to be back, for T.V. time to be reduced, and for him to not be neglected - in attention/love and discipline!  He's started to figure out that Violet is here to stay, and often asks for her first thing when he gets up!

Speaking of sleep...Benjamin is giving me a solid 11 or 12 hours at night and usually a 2+ hr nap.  He's obsessed with the alphabet, and between Dr. Seuss's ABC's book, Word World and Wheel of Fortune, he's  repeating letters fantastically.  He can accurately identify the letters O and Z every time, and the letters C and P are close behind.  All the others he repeats pretty well, with the exception of U, V, W, X and Y.  Those are pretty tricky, and our attention span doesn't last long enough to get to the end of the alphabet!

He has started talking on the phone pretty well.  Joel was in CO this week, and got some pretty great "ellOO"'s and other ramblings.  He didn't do great on our many car trips during the week, to my parents and sisters, but I'm attributing that to Mommas lack of drink/snack planning.

As always one of my favorite things about him, is his obsession with books, and ability to entertain himself for pretty long periods of time, reading and singing to himself.  

We can't wait to see how the little man does over Christmas and the excitement it will bring! 9 more days!

Its all a blur!!!!

I can't believe that Violet will be 1 month old in 3 days.  She's changed so much, but its all happened so fast that I can barely remember how it began!  I'm sleep deprived,  emotionally unpredictable, and in love.  Not to mention the fact that Joel just home after being gone a week, and I got the experience of fighting off the flu while he was gone.  AHHH!  Overall life has been so good, and we're all adjusting to our new "norm" fairly well.  (Just in time for Violet or Benjamin to go through a growth spurt and discover a new "norm") :)

Here are some pictures of our last two weeks.  I'll probably blog about all the little details of life, in another post!  Enjoy the pictures!

This is Benjamin's favorite head band.  Yes, he has a favorite. I don't encourage his head band wearing, I just don't prevent it. :)  He often wears them over his eyes or mouth, but usually just as a fashion piece!  

This is where you'd find Violet most mornings...all snuggled up beside mom.  Our snuggle sleep time has been precious but its making every part of my body hurt in the mornings so I think that now that Daddy's home little Miss Violet is getting booted back to her bed!  

I love how much she's starting to be awake this past week.   She smiles quite a lot, and I can't believe thats always gas...

Benjamin has started to try to smile for the camera.  He's such a ham!

He got a sweet gift of a baby boy, and he loved holding it...This was his special movie spot while momma had the flu!

Violet's third bath after her first throw up...It was much too forceful and  had much too much substance to be spit up!

Sleeping Beauty!

Violets two week stats

The numbers are in...drum roll please...

Height

• BIRTH - 19 inches
• 2 WEEK - 20 inches

Weight

• BIRTH - 7 lbs 2oz (6 lbs 9oz before we left the hospital)
• 2 WEEK - 7 lbs 10 oz

Violet had her 2 week appointment today and we found out she's growing like a champ.  Her little cheeks are so full and cute.  I LOVE IT!  She got her Hep B shot, and didn't love that, and we found out that it seems she has an eye infection, and not a clogged tear duct (although it could be both).  We have drops we're putting in her eye for 5 days, and we'll see if that clears it up!  I hate wishing an infection upon her, but I'd rather its an infection that we can clear up in 5 days, than a clogged duct that could hang around for a year.  

Joel and I joke that I prayed a little too hard for a cuddler (that was many of my prayers when I was pregnant.)  She doesn't seem to like sleeping on her own very much, and I'm loving cuddling time, so we'll see how that treats us in the future!

Well, its 9:00 and my hubby and baby girl have headed to our room for the night, and I'm right behind them!  Oh the joys of sleep deprivation!

momma 2.0

I have kidS...plural.  It still sounds funny.  I heard Joel tell someone on the phone, "Tori and the kids...", and I just started laughing.  Seriously.  Can you believe they let me out of the hospital with not one, but TWO people to be responsible for...They should probably amp up their security.

My goal of this post was to talk about - How its going as a Mother of Two, and - How I like the last two weeks of life. So here I go...

Well, I love it.  So far so good.  I'm kind of an emotional basket case about 1 out of 3 days.  I'll be doing great, and then BAM!  I cry at the drop of a hat for a whole day, and then back to being o.k.  Its kind of annoying.

I'm also having a little bit of a mourning process, missing time with Benjamin.  The combination of Benjamin working through jealousy of the baby, especially during nursing time, and me dealing with jealousy of Daddy getting to do a lot of the things that I've always done is hard to handle.  I knew it would be, but that doesn't make it easy!

Violet is great!  She has changed SO MUCH in such a short time!  We have her 2 week apt tomorrow, and i can't wait to see her stats.  She is still just barely fitting in NB size clothing, and N diapers have room to spare, but she is getting fuller in her face, a little pot belly, and even her legs look like they've filled out.  She sleeps a ridiculous amt still, but she's showing us her beautiful eyes more and more.  (I think they are going to be blue)

Nursing is still going great.  I can't say its easy yet, but I'm really thankful for the success we have had.  After 10 days or so, I was ready to celebrate a lack of pain while nursing...then day 12 came, and I put away my party hat.  Its hit or miss...partly dependent on how often she is nursing, and partly dependent on who picky I am about the latch.  We'll keep practicing!

Well, there's much more to write, but she thinks she needs to eat, So I gotta jet!  A mother's work is never done, right?!

week #2

WEEK #2

Violet Ann Eloise is almost 2 weeks old and I can't believe it!  She's such a blessing and growing and changing every single day.  Its hard to even tell you about her, because I'm learning so much all the time.  And honestly at this stage, there aren't really any "normals" or schedules to record.  She's eating a lot, pooping like a champ and sleeps like its going out of style.  I'll be sure to take some time, tonight or later this week to be a little more specific, but for now, enjoy the pictures!