Kim

I'm Back!

So I took another unplanned break from the blog, but have been meaning to get back to it.  I really do love recording things here and it is so much fun to look back at everything and see how the boys have grown.  So I am back.  And in the interest of not getting bogged down in catching up, I'm going to do what I did just after James was born and copy over the notes I've been writing in my phone.  It won't be the prettiest blog post, but at least I will be able to remember these special things....

Trip to the beach-yelling in the pipe:  Toward the end of the summer we headed back to my parents' house at the beach.  Henry and James both had a great time playing in the sand and tidal pools.  Henry especially loves to dig right now and he and Grammie had a lot of fun digging and "making icecream" with the wet sand.  James was content to splash around and chew on a shovel.  We took a walk down the beach one morning and they had one of those giant pipes they use to control erosion.  It was right at Henry's height and he ran right up to it and started yelling into it, "helloooooo! Anybody home?"  It was so cute.  He was imitating Winnie-the-Pooh and even the people on the beach around us started laughing. 

James at 8 months:  This little man just keeps growing and getting more and more fun by the day.  At 8 months he was sitting up,  and weighed 20lbs.  He continues to be our big boy!  He was babbling "dadada," has his bottom two teeth with the top two coming in and teething makes him very grumpy.  He still hadn't quite settled into his nap schedule yet, but I was hopeful.  It took Henry until 9 months to really get there.  I'll give James that leeway too!  :)
 
Hopefully done with helmet - nope: The title of this section is sort of funny.  Around his 8.5 month birthday, we had another check-up for his helmet.  I was really hoping to be done with it, but the orthotist wanted us to go a little longer.  I was really beginning to believe that his head was as good as it was going to get, and because he was now able to sit up and sleep on his tummy, I was thinking that things would improve some more on their own.  Needless to say, I was disappointed when I left.  However, just a couple of weeks later, James' right eye started to swell whenever I put the helmet on him.  That made me very uncomfortable.  It had done this one or twice before when he slept, but would always go away once he woke up (which my pediatrician said was normal).  Now it wasn't going away.  I sent pictures and called the helmet place and they had us come back in for another check-up.  The orthotist had never had that happen before and he tried to open the helmet up some so that James would have more room in it.  He also mentioned that it was "probably fine."  Again, I was not ok with that!  I did not want to mess with my baby's circulation in his head or his eye!  An hour after we left, his eye was swelling again.  Matt and I made the decision to just go ahead and be done with it at that point.  We couldn't get a good answer as to why it was happening or what it meant, and their attempt to fix it wasn't working.  James' head will never be perfect, but it does look so much better than it did.  I am glad we did the helmet, but I am also very glad it is done!
 
Water tower, phone tower, Eifel tower: Henry is very observant and remembers everything.  This summer, as we were driving around town, he got very interested in pointing out all of the water and phone towers we drove by.  There is actually even a small replica of the Eifel Tower in a shopping center near our neighborhood, so he got to learn about  that too!
 
Pickles: Henry LOVES pickles.  He has at least one pickle spear a day (I make him wait until after his nap to have one) and he would eat a lot more if I let him.  If you have little pickles, watch out...he will eat them like potato chips. 
 
Naked baby at Miyabi... mommy fail: Oh man, this was a good one....not.  I am generally a very prepared person.  In fact, sometimes it is almost a fault of mine. Well, one night this summer, Matt and I decided to take the boys to our local Japanese place where they cook right in front of you.  The service was exceptionally slow, but the boys really did well.  However, just as the food was being served I noticed that James had a dirty diaper.  I took him to the bathroom to change him and realized that it wasn't just any dirty diaper...it was a slide up your back, make a complete disaster of things diaper.  And of course, that night of all nights, I didn't have a change of clothes with me.  I couldn't put him back in his dirty clothes, so I cleaned him up, changed his diaper and wrapped the cloth napkin from the restaurant around him!  He was still in his infant carrier at the time, so it wasn't like he was completely naked and sitting at the table.  It was pretty embarrassing though.  Needless to say, we cut the evening short and took what was left of our food to go. 
 
Falling asleep at his door: Henry's transition to his big boy bed has gone pretty well, all things considered.  However, at one point, he realized that he could lay down at his door and peak under the door, watching us as we walked by.  Actually, one day for nap, I went to check on him because I couldn't see him on the monitor and I decided to peak under his door myself.  There he was, staring right back at me!  I couldn't help but laugh.  Another time, he actually fell asleep for nap there.  That is quite the conundrum because you can't actually open the door while he's laying there without hitting him.  Since it was just nap, I let him sleep.  Any nap is better than no nap! 
 
Henry and Tripp- shoes, wagon: One of Matt's very best friends has a little boy, Tripp, who is just a few months older than Henry.  We see them often, but one particular playdate this summer netted two very cute Henry and Tripp moments.  We were outside on the deck and Henry and Tripp kept wanting to take off their shoes.  Finally, we told them they could, but they had to do it themselves.  Henry leaned up against the wall and Tripp bent down and took off his socks and shoes for him.  Then he neatly tucked the socks in his shoes and lined them up right by the door!  It was precious.  Also, they were playing in a wagon in the backyard.  Henry had climbed into the wagon, but couldn't figure out how to get himself out of it.  Tripp literally grabbed him in a bear hug and lifted/lugged him out.  I am sure those two will have many more adventures in the future. 
 
James at 9 months:  James had his 9 month checkup and is 29.24" long and 20lbs 14 oz.  He continues to be a big boy and a complete joy to be around.  Except for when he is teething, he is very agreeable and easy going.  His nap schedule is much better now.  If we're at home, he will sleep for about an hour in the morning and then he'll go back down for a 2-3 hour afternoon nap.  Sometimes he doesn't get that morning nap - it just depends on what we are doing, but he usually powers through without it ok.  At 9 months, he can push himself up on all 4s, but isn't crawling yet.  He gets frustrated and likes to let out a little yell, but he is very good at rolling wherever he wants to go.  He might not be crawling, but he is very mobile.  He is also now saying "mamamama" along with "dadadada."  He is sweet and amicable, but he doesn't let you forget that he is around!  He also still loves to eat, and at preschool they sometimes have to take him outside when they are giving another child a bottle so that he doesn't get too upset. 
 
James at 10 months: James weighs 22lbs now and officially started crawling just a few days after his 10 month birthday.  It is hard to believe he will be 1 in just two short months.  He is fast now that he can crawl, and Henry definitely takes notice of him more.  I can tell Henry is trying to figure things out, because one minute he seems really excited and happy that James can get around and play a little, but the next minute, he is mad when James crawls over to one of his toys and starts to play with it.  I pray they will be good friends and play together more often than not, but sharing is always hard for a 2-year-old...or at least it is for mine!  James has a great laugh and will bounce/dance when he hears music.  We still put him in the jumper from time-to-time and he generally likes that.  He's eating like crazy.  He's probably consumed more Cheerios in this past month than I have my entire life!   They are good because they keep him busy though!  He also eats peas, carrots, green beans, sweet potato, Stove Top dressing, bananas and other soft finger foods.  He can devour a pouch of food in under 2 minutes and he will still let you spoon feed him.  If you are eating in front of him, you better have something for him to eat too!  I generally take a banana and Cheerios in my purse whenever we go out to eat anywhere!  He is a great sleeper at night...usually going to bed between 6:30-7pm and he will sleep until 7am or so.  Sometimes, I think he would sleep later, but my alarm and Henry wake him up.  Henry still likes to get up around 6:30am, but will play in his room.  James is trying to pull up, but mostly just makes it to his knees.  We haven't lowered his crib mattress yet, but probably should do that this weekend. 
 
"Mommy, our house looks nice" (after decorating for Halloween): Ok, last one for now. While Henry and James were napping one afternoon, I brought out our Halloween decorations.  I don't have a lot, but just some pumpkins and a ghost that lights up.  Henry really is starting to understand holidays and decorations now though, so when he woke up and saw them he exclaimed, "Mommy, our house looks nice!"  He then proceeded to call them Christmas decorations for the next day or so, but it was so sweet.  I don't want to ever forget it!
 
Well, that was super long, disjointed and without pictures, but better tackle the beast of catching up than be paralyzed by it, right?  I'll try to do better about updating and maybe I'll do a post with just pictures next.  The boys are growing and changing so much.  They crack us up daily and I just love having them in my life! 
Kim

US Open

Pinehurst hosted the US Open this year, and we were lucky enough to be able to go to the men's final round on Sunday, June 15.  I had never been to a professional golf tournament before, but I really enjoy the sport, so I was looking forward to it.  We had a great time.  The weather was hot, but the course was beautiful and the atmosphere was great.  We saw all the big names (except Tiger Woods, because he didn't compete).  I was amazed at how much access you have - I guess because a golf course is so big.  Also, they didn't allow cell phones, so it was kind of peaceful.  No one was looking down at their phone or texting or taking pictures.  It made you engage with the golf and with each other.  It definitely felt strange not to have it, but I enjoyed it.

Anyways, because you couldn't have a phone or camera we didn't really get to take any pictures, but American Express had a photobooth that you could get in for free and they took several pictures of you on a green screen and then added shots of the golf course in the background, so here's our documentation of our fun Father's Day, US Open date.  :)




Kim

Sweet Baby James

James was baptized Sunday (June 22) and it was such a sweet day.  We had a lot of family in town and our church is great and James did great and really, it was perfect.  I'll share the pictures when I get them. I am continually thankful for all the blessings in our life.

James is 7 months now and so full of energy. I am really going to be in trouble when he is mobile and I am chasing after both him and Henry.  He is rolling really well now (although sometimes he gets on his tummy and gets mad because he can't figure out how to roll back over), and he scoots a lot.  He loves his playmat on the floor, but I really have to pay attention to what is laying around it because I will look over and he will have managed to grab something totally random that wasn't on the mat.  He's not pushing up to crawl yet, but he's definitely mobile in his own way!

He's started eating more solid food and seems to love it all.  He also still loves his bottle and is getting better at holding it himself.  In the last few weeks he as started what we call his "man cry."  He used to have a really high-pitched squeal that he used to get our attention, but not he has started this much deeper scream that sometimes rattles and sounds very manly.  Lol.  It is hard to describe, but you'd know it if you heard it.  He definitely doesn't let you forget about him, but overall he is very happy.  We're still working on the nap schedule, but he will go down in the afternoons now around the same time as Henry.  He's only sleeping about an hour, but it is something, so I will take it. And as I mentioned, he's doing great at night, so again, no complaints.

He can almost sit up on his own, but he isn't stable yet and tips over easily.  He does like the exer-saucer thing and has started to actually jump in it some now.  Mostly, he likes to tinker with all of the toys that are on it and spin himself around.  Sophie the Giraffe is one of his favorite toys as well.  He still only has his bottom two teeth, but I think the top teeth will come in any day now (I've been saying that for a month).  He is definitely chewing on everything.

We're still wearing the helmet, but at his appointment last week they said that he was doing great and might only have 4-6 more weeks in it, so here's hoping.  It is fine, but I am ready to see his head!  I'm trying to be patient though.  I know it will be worth it in the long run.

He still thinks his brother is hilarious and will just start laughing at whatever Henry is doing.  I hope he always looks up to him like that! Time will tell.

He is mostly happy and always kicking or waving his arms.  As long as he is included he is content and we've learned that he wants to be on the same level as everyone else (no sitting him on the floor in his car seat at a restaurant!).

I can tell so many ways that he is like Henry, but there are so many ways he is different.  I cannot wait to see them together as they grow and watch their relationship develop.  I think we are in for some very busy and very fun years ahead!
Kim

Here I are!

One of my favorite "toddler sayings" from Henry lately is: "Here I are!"  I know it is not grammatically correct, but it is super cute when he says it.  He likes to throw a blanket over his head and we play the, "Where's Henry?" game.  Then he uncovers his head and shouts, "Here I are!"  That boy just loves to play.  From the time he gets up to the time he takes a nap/goes to sleep, he is BUSY.  The only time he slows down is if Curious George is on TV, but even then he usually runs around and occasionally stops to watch when it grabs his attention.

Playing at the park with dad.
His imagination is exploding.  I walked in his room this morning and he had lined his three paci's up on a shoe box and he proudly told me that he had created a caterpillar.  Then he proceeded to take one of the paci's and put it in his mouth and he said, "I ate part of the caterpillar, Mommy!"  Ew.  But cute.  And all boy.  He loves to play outside and insists on putting his shoes on to go out with Matt each night when he goes out to water the garden.  Mostly he just runs around the yard and picks up things.  He'll throw and kick a ball around occasionally, but I think he just likes the freedom to move and run mostly.  Bubbles are always a huge hit with him and he really likes sidewalk chalk right now too.  He is a collector and always seems to be interested in gathering things and putting them in a bucket.  I think he's going to love the beach this year just because of the abundance of seashells to gather!

He still is a great eater, but is all two-year-old and it depends on his mood whether or not he eats a lot.  He loves chicken and pretty much any fruit and vegetable.  Occasionally, he'll eat red meat, but he seems to only eat it for Matt, not for me.  He eats a lot of beans and rice and still loves mac & cheese.  He will eat cherry tomatoes and cucumbers like they are candy.  Oh, and he is currently obsessed with pickles.  Every day when he wakes up from his nap, he asks for a pickle.  Actually, he asks for one for breakfast too, but I tell him that pickles are only for snack, not breakfast.  All of a sudden he is great with a spoon and pretty good with a fork, and he still drinks a ton of milk.  That is his drink of choice and he goes through almost a whole gallon a week, just by himself.

He's happiest playing with other little kids and I think he learns the best by watching and copying them.  His memory continues to be crazy, and he loves singing songs and spinning around in circles.  Also, as I mentioned he's all two-year-old and is really loving testing his boundaries lately.  He thinks that going to time out is fun and will actually ask to go to time out, so that is making things a little difficult.

He has started to get a little more possessive around James lately.  Whatever toy James has, Henry immediately "needs" it.  That is to be expected though and I know this won't be the last of that.  He still loves his little brother though and expects him to be with us wherever we go.  If someone jokes that they are going to take James with them, Henry gets upset and says, "That's my baby!" so I know the love is there :)  I think he's just too busy for the most part to be bothered by him.  The time is coming though.  Each day, James is more and more mobile and I know it won't be long before they are both running around the house having a big time.
Wearing dad's shoes.
We're not potty training yet, but we talk about it a lot and just ordered a little potty for him.  Everything I have read/heard says not to pressure him until he's ready, but he actually asked to sit on the big potty last night and he's started telling me when he's pee-peed, so I am guessing our time is coming.  He definitely feeds off of my mood (if I act stressed or scared, he gets more stressed or scared), so I am trying to take a relaxed approach and not make it a big deal.  Infamous last words, right?  It will be a good day though when I get him out of diapers and James off of formula!  Our checkbook will appreciate that.  

Henry is still a great napper and although he fights me about taking a nap, once he lays down, he will usually sleep for 2.5-3 hours.  His bedtime is around 7pm-ish and he wakes up around 6:30am each day.  He's always been a good sleeper and I really can't complain.  James is finally starting to get the hang of the bedtime idea and goes down around 7pm too.  It's nice for Matt and me to have our evenings back.

He's not quite 2.5 yet, but people assume all the time that he is at least 3.  There's no doubt that he is bright, and he is definitely a charmer, but he's still my little guy and I treasure the times I get to cuddle with him on the couch. He still sleeps in a sleep sack and in the mornings when I go in there he is usually still wearing it, waddling around his room.  He knows how to take it off by himself, but he usually doesn't.  I love it.  He just looks so sweet and sleepy like that.

Henry begged to ride in this cart at the grocery store.   James was a little tipsy, but he held his own.
I didn't intend for this to be an ode to Henry, but I don't think I've written a thorough update on just him in a while, so it was easy to do.  He is a treasure.  James is a treasure.  We are very blessed by them both!

Kim

Lots of Fun

Preschool is officially on summer break, but they have several weeks of camp that meet Monday-Thursday.  Each week has its own theme.   James' class is too small to participate, but Henry's class is really getting into it this year.  So far we have had Hawaii week and Rodeo week.  On Thursdays, the kids all meet in our New Life Center for a special wrap-up.  For Hawaii week they had a luau and for Rodeo week they had a hoedown/line dance party.  Of course, Henry's class mostly just runs around and looks cute, but they dress them up in the theme and it is adorable. 

For example...

Hawaii Week

 
Rodeo Week
Isn't he adorable?  The noodle/hobby horse cracks me up.  They are so creative at his school.  He's having fun too.  Imagine 10+ two-year-olds running around like that and yelling, "yee-haw!"  So cute.

In other news, we're through with our second month in the helmet.  I didn't think the progress was as drastic this time around until I compared the pictures again...

Pretty amazing, right?  I am so glad we are seeing such improvement.  At least we know it has been worth it.  And it really isn't that much trouble.  I will be glad when he gets it off though.  I miss seeing his little head.  He is super cute, no matter what, but it will be nice to see him as he is.

 
We are rolling with the solid foods for James now, and he is starting to get into some really good sleeping routines.  I put him down just after 7pm each night now when Henry goes down and he is mostly sleeping until the morning.  This week he figured out how to consistently roll onto his stomach, but at first, it was making him mad because he couldn't figure out how to roll back over.  He seems to be over that now though and hasn't woken himself up the past few nights.  As for the food...he loves it, of course!  He's had applesauce, oatmeal, pears, bananas, and a little bit of pureed mango.  I am thankful for my good eaters! 
 
 
June is halfway over already,  which is nuts.  We're hoping to get to the beach sometime soon and really get in some fun summer activities.  I am ready for the sun and surf!
Kim

7 Years

This week, we celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary!  Crazy.  I'm not sure I feel old enough to have been married for 7 years.   We always try to get away for our anniversary, at least for a night or two.  We didn't have any plans this year because we have some fun things coming up (we're going to the US Open next weekend), and we have a 6 month old and two-year-old.  However, last Friday we went a little wild and decided to go to take the whole family to the mountains. Matt literally called the hotel Friday morning and booked us a condo in Blowing Rock.  Then, once he got home from work, we loaded everyone up and off we went.  All things considered, everyone did great in the car.  It's an almost 4-hour drive from our house to the mountains.  We stopped and ate dinner, but otherwise drove straight there.  When we first told Henry we were going to the mountains he said, "Will we see big snowflakes, mommy?"  I think we can thank Mickey Mouse for that one.  I told him there probably wouldn't be snow this time of year, but that they'd be big and really fun to see.  Driving in, it was so sweet to hear him in the back seat going, "I see the mountains!"  Little did we know that Friday would be the only day we could actually see the mountains!

Just riding in the car to the mountains!

The fog rolled in Saturday morning and you literally couldn't see anything.  Everyone did a great job sleeping - James in the pack n' play and Henry slept in a queen-size bed we pushed against the wall.  We decided to venture to Grandfather Mountain with the hopes that the fog would burn off and with the knowledge that even if it didn't, they have a zoo and some other fun things to do there.  The fog definitely didn't burn off.  Visibility was very low.  We were able to enjoy the zoo - Henry got to see the bears and eagles, and we did (stupidly) drive up to the top of the mountain thinking maybe we could get above the fog.  Nada.  No such luck.  The fog was so thick up top that you could hardly see the car in the parking lot.  Needless to say, we didn't venture out on the swinging bridge. 

Foggy at the top.  See the bridge in the background?
 
Just chillin'
 
See the bear?
 
We did have a delicious lunch at one of our favorite little restaurants in Boone and then headed back for nap.  We had so many leftovers from lunch, that we were able to feed Henry dinner from that.  Matt went fishing during nap time and after everyone woke up, we walked around the lake at our resort and just enjoyed being outside.

When we checked in, they gave us a take-out menu for the nice restaurant at our resort.  Matt and I decided to celebrate our anniversary after everyone was in bed, so we ordered take-out from the restaurant and enjoyed a yummy meal in our condo.  It was actually really peaceful.  Unconventional, but a nice way to celebrate.
Everyone ready for bed in their sleepsacks.

We hoped that Sunday the fog would be gone and we could stop at some overlooks on the way down the mountains, but again...no such luck.  Foggy the whole way down.  We still managed to have a great time though and it was just the change of pace we needed. 
So foggy.  And Henry was over it. 

Another bonus was that we got to stop on our way home and meet our new nephew, Ian!  Oh, he is such a precious little bug and we love him so much already.  He seemed so tiny next to James, but he is as sweet as can be.

Baby Ian and Baby James
 
Love this little nephew.
 
It is hard to believe that 7 years have gone by, but we've accomplished a lot and been so very blessed.  Looking forward to all that the future holds!
Kim

Half a Year

I cannot believe that our littlest guy is 6 months old!  That means he's been around for half a year.  How crazy.  Time really does fly.  James had his check-up yesterday and is doing great.  He weighs 19lbs, 5oz (84%) and is 27 3/4" long (91%).  He really hit a growth spurt with his length this time, and he continues to be a big boy.  He's healthy though and that is what matters. 


He continues to have really dry skin though.  He's had eczema pretty much since he was born and poor little guy itches at his legs and arms constantly if you let him.  The preschool teachers think I am crazy because I put socks over his hands a lot, but if you don't he'll just dig at his legs and make them bleed.  I don't want him to get an infection or anything.  Between his helmet and his socks he looks pretty special sometimes.  Good thing he won't remember it! 
He's going to kill me for making him wear socks on his hands one day. 

James is still a sweet, mostly happy little guy.  He LOVES to laugh.  Henry used to make you work so hard to get a giggle or a smile.  James gives it up easily and I love it so much.  He really has the best giggle.  He also loves to watch Henry.  Sometimes he just starts laughing at his brother for no obvious reason.  It is pretty great. 
He thinks his brother is great!

James has been sleeping in his crib at night for a few weeks now.  He still doesn't fall asleep until around 8:30pm, but after that last feeding, he is usually out and he will sleep pretty well.  Occasionally he wakes up around 5am and can't find his paci, but most days he's making it until I wake him up.  I think he is going to be our late sleeper.  Right now I actually wake him at 6:30am so that I can feed him before the crazyness of the morning begins and we have to get out the door to work/school.  On the weekends though I will let him sleep and usually end up waking him around 7:30am or so.  One thing that does weird me out a little is that once he falls asleep he does not move.  At all.  That will scare a mama in the middle of the night!  I have definitely gone in to check on him a few times just to make sure he is still breathing.  He turns on his right side in that awkard position I wrote about a while back and stays like that all night long.  It is sweet.  But funny.  And a little scary when every time you look at the monitor he looks the exact same. 
He's still figuring out the bouncer.

I also started him on some real food this weekend.   He's had oatmeal and applesauce and seems to like them both.  This boy likes to eat (just like his brother), so I don't think he's going to have any trouble figuring out food.  I am more nervous for him to have allergies though.  He just seems more prone to them, but hopefully he won't have any trouble.  Time will tell. 
A fun Saturday morning walk.

He can roll both ways now, but doesn't do it consistently and he's trying to sit up, but just isn't quite stable yet.  He's doing great with his helmet and we can already tell a difference in the shape of his head.  He loves his brother and likes to be social (just like Henry).  I think we have two extroverts on our hands!  Oh, and his favorite noise to make is this really high-pitched squeal.  It pierces your ears when he does it.  I think he likes the attention it gets him. 
Helmet progress. 


It's funny because I can see so many similarities between him and Henry, but they are so different as well.  It is going to be interesting to see how they grow!
Selfie with mommy at work.
Just doing some light reading.
We love you little man and can't imagine life without you! 

Kim

Big Boy Bed

So, I knew it would happen eventually, I just wasn't prepared for it to happen yet.  Monday of last week, I was getting ready for work (I always get ready before I get Henry out of his crib), when I heard a door open and then Henry was standing in our room saying, "I'm all done, mommy!" He was so happy and proud of himself.  I was in shock.  It took me a minute to figure out what had just happened.  Clearly, he had climbed out of his crib.  He's never even attempted this before, so that is a big reason why I was so shocked!  A few months ago, he started taking off his sleep sack when he woke up.  The first few times he did that, I just knew that climbing out of his bed would come soon, but it didn't, so I let my guard down and forgot my worry. 

We didn't actually see how he climbed out that morning, but he did have a small scrape on the top of his foot.  I am just glad he didn't fall and hurt (or break!) anything.  I thought we might be in for it, but I was really hoping it was a one time thing...

...Alas, it was not.  Monday afternoon we got home from work/school and I put him in his bed to nap...within seconds he was taking off his sleep sack, throwing his leg over the end of his crib and hoisting himself out of there.  We made a deal to watch one episode of Mickey and then he would take his nap (a deal with a 2-year-old...I know...but I was desperate!).  When Mickey was over, we went back upstairs, but again, within just a few seconds (before I could even really get out of the room) he was out.  I knew there was no turning back.  The crib was no more.  All that constraint and peace that it provided us, knowing he was safely in his bed and not getting into trouble, was gone.

Luckily, his crib converts to a toddler bed, so I gave up on nap time and proceeded to take the front rail off of his bed.  Matt stopped by Target on the way home and bought a bed rail, and by bedtime that night, Henry had a "big boy bed' that he could climb in and out of, but that otherwise wasn't all that different from his crib. I did my best to make sure that his room was as safe as possible.  I knew he would get out of bed and get into everything, so I had to make sure everything "dangerous" was put away...way away...Henry has really long arms and legs!  We also bought a thing that goes on his doorknob so that he could not turn it and open the door anymore.  I am sure that is against some parenting law somewhere, but we knew that if he could get out of his room, we'd just spend all night with him opening the door and wanting to hang out.  Henry is very persistent.

We talked and talked about his "big boy bed" all afternoon, and he played in it.  I was not very hopeful for the night though.  I knew it was going to be horrible.  And it was...at first.  He screamed and cried for a good 45 minutes.  We went up there once, but with Henry, you really have to let him work it out.  Eventually, he climbed into his bed and went to sleep.  He slept fine all night (much to my surprise!) and actually played around in his room that next morning when he woke up.  We have a video monitor, so I can see him, which is nice.  Nap that afternoon was terrible again - he screamed for another 45 minutes, but he eventually climbed into bed and fell asleep.  The boy needs his sleep.  He still takes a 2-3 hour nap every afternoon and goes to bed just after 7pm.  I was impressed that he actually climbed into bed each time.  He definitely gets that from Matt, who really doesn't like to sleep anywhere else but in a comfy bed.

Each day got a little bit better.  He still cries some when you're getting ready for bed, but lately he hasn't even been climbing out before he falls asleep.  I thought he'd just play and play and play in his room once he had that freedom, but he really only plays when he wakes up.  And then he mostly just sits and reads his books or plays with his music toys.  It is really sweet to hear him, and I love walking into his room and finding him sitting on the floor with a book on his lap.  I think the thing on the doorknob has been a big key to his success.  Once he realized he couldn't get out (he's very social), he began to understand that this was his time to rest.  I always tell him that he doesn't have to sleep, but he does have to have some quiet time, but like I said, Henry needs his sleep and thankfully falls asleep pretty well.

Overall, things have gone relatively well in this whole process, minus the first few days of 45 minute screaming fits.  I was not mentally prepared to be here with him yet - I thought our next big adventure would be potty training, but he had other plans.  It will be interesting when we go to the beach this summer to see where/how he sleeps, but I know that's all part of growing up and it was bound to happen sooner or later.  Just like everything, we're learning as we go and trying to do what works best for our family.  Here's to the next adventure, whatever that may be!

Sweet sleeper in the big boy bed.

Kim

Summer Fun

FINALLY, the sun has decided to start shining and the weather is beautiful.  We have been enjoying it every chance we can.


Grilling out on the deck.

First picnic!
Kim

Picking Strawberries

I grew up in the Piedmont, so this wasn't something we ever did, but around here there are lots of strawberry farms within close driving distance and everyone goes strawberry picking.  Matt's roommate from law school actually grew up on a strawberry farm and his dad still runs it.  Each year they kick off strawberry season with "the world's shortest parade," which is basically local fire trucks, tractors, people walking their dogs, etc., driving less than .5 mile down the road in front of the farm.  They have snow cones and balloons and really it is nothing big, but it is a lot of fun and perfect for a 2-year-old, so we decided to take Henry this year. 

This was my first time picking strawberries, but it is super easy and a lot of fun.  Plus, the berries just don't even compare to the ones you get at the store.  They were so delicious!  Henry had a great time "helping" Matt pick strawberries, and James and I walked around taking in the sites.  The parade was sweet and Henry enjoyed waving his pinwheel and watching the firetrucks roll by.  All-in-all it was a perfect Saturday morning and I hope we can make it again next year!

James got in on the action too!

A free giant pinwheel?  Yes, please!

The parade.

Watching the parade. 

Picking strawberries.

Oh, and I forgot to mention...I don't know if it is from watching Mickey or what, but Henry had it in his head that every parade has a marching band, so he kept asking where the marching band was.  Luckily, there was a lady playing an accordion and that seemed to satisfy him!
Kim

Congratulations

Congratulations are in order for Matt.  He was awarded the Cumberland County Bar Association's Young Lawyer Pro Bono Service Award!  It is a really nice recognition for the pro bono work he has done, and I am so proud of him.  He received the award at the annual Law Gala.  It was fun to have a nice night out - we got to get dressed up and feel like Matt and Kim (not just mommy and daddy) for a little bit.  It was a great night!
 
 (Sorry for the bad cell phone pictures!)

So proud!

The Richardson Firm attorneys

Having a little fun in the photo booth.

We dress up pretty well!
Kim

Retro-Post: The week and a half from you-know-where - Part 2

Because of the way things post to the blog, go back two more posts to the one entitled, "A Look Back" to understand what all this is about.  Then read Part 1 and finish here, with Part 2.  It will seem weird out of context. 

Here's part 2 of the story.  Again, I actually wrote this a year ago, in May 2013.  Thank goodness we have our sweet guy here with us now.  Obviously, all turned out to be fine. 

Here's part two of our tumultuous beginning to this pregnancy.  Again, I'm writing this while it is fresh, knowing it won't be published for a while...

Thursday came, and I went to the doctor by myself.  There was no need for Matt to come - they were just going to confirm that the sac was empty and that it wasn't a viable pregnancy.  It was terrible walking into the office.  There was an awkward moment with the receptionist when she couldn't quite understand my chart and had to ask me if I was pregnant.  I think I replied awkwardly that I was, but that it didn't quite work out and this was my appointment to confirm that.  It was weird.  Anyways, I finally got called into the ultrasound room and I told the tech upfront what the situation was.  I didn't know how much she'd know, and I wanted her to know I was prepared for the bad news, so it was ok. 

Well, she started the procedure and almost right away she said, "I see a baby with a heartbeat!"  My jaw dropped. I had spent the last week and a half convincing myself that it wasn't there, and yet, there it was!  I don't know what I said to her - I was just in shock.  But she showed me the little blip on the screen and let me listen to the heartbeat and sure enough, there it was.  It was amazing.  Such a miracle from God!  Here was this teeny-tiny babe that we didn't think we had...and yet, there it was.  My heart was pounding.  She estimated that I was only 6 weeks and 2 days, meaning at the last appointment, I was probably around 4 weeks, which is really, really early.  She also gave me an estimated due date of December 17...an almost Christmas baby!

Wow.  I couldn't wait to text Matt and let him know.  I still had to meet with the doctor and had about a million questions for her, but it really was a miracle, and we couldn't have been happier.  Matt was in shock when I texted him, but so happy as well.  We were both just honestly dumbfounded because we had spent the last week and a half convincing ourselves that this wasn't meant to be and that we had to move on.  And yet, here it was!

The doctor was happy for me and said that it turns out that it was just really, really early last time.  I was still very nervous about things, but basically she said that if this had been my first appointment, everything would have been as it should be and that she would have no reason to worry.  Of course, it is still very early in the pregnancy and lots of things can happen, but everything was normal and as you would expect it to be at this stage.  We made another appointment to come back in two weeks and check in on things.  After an awkward chiding from the check-out receptionist ("See, this is why they tell you to wait before you make your first appointment."  Really, lady?  Actually, no one told me to wait.  My last period was out of whack because of the birth control issue and I actually thought I was further along than I thought I was.  And even if that wasn't the case, I really don't need you commenting on my situation.  Thanks.), I was on my way and Matt and I spent the evening just looking at each other in disbelief.  Happy, cautious and anxious.  But oh so happy. 

So that's where I am now.  I have my appointment this afternoon.  I should be just over 8 weeks and they should be able to see the babe well with the ultrasound now.  Matt is coming with me again.  I am very nervous, but excited.

I've been feeling pretty crummy over the last week, so I think that is a good sign.  As much as I dislike queasiness, I am so very thankful for it this time around.  And, it hasn't been unbearable - just enough to be uncomfortable, but there's been no throwing up or anything.  Also, I am famished....all the time.  It is weird to be queasy and hungry, but I am. Oh, and my sense of smell has really been crazy.  I didn't have that so much with Henry, but it sure is coming on strong this time.  I can smell things in the kitchen trash while I am sitting in the den; I had a pack of spearmint gum in my car that I had to throw out because the smell the overwhelming me. It really is weird.  Again, I am just so thankful for the symptoms.  They give me hope that today will be a good appointment and that all will be well. 

I don't mean to be dramatic about all of this, as we are so blessed to have a happy ending.  But I had never been through something like that before.  Unfortunately, it is fairly common and a lot of women experience it.  I am so, so thankful for the way it turned out, and as I keep saying, I know many people go through much worse.  But wow, it really was a terrible week-and-a-half, and I hope that we never have to go through something like that again. 
Kim

Retro-Post: The week and a half from you-know-where - Part 1

So here is the first post that I wrote almost a year ago, but never published...

I know I won't publish this post for awhile, but I wanted to write it while I was in the moment and everything was still fresh...

This past week-and-a-half has been the week-and-a-half from you-know-where.  In early April we got a positive pregnancy test.  We were excited, of course.  It was our thoughts (God-willing) that there'd be about 2 years between Henry and his next sibling, and so after a bit of a tumultuous relationship with the new birth control they put me on after having Henry, we finally decided at the end of February to just go ahead and see what happened.  I took the test on Sunday and Matt left that next Monday morning to go to Mississippi for the week for work.  Because I had just stopped my birth control, I really didn't have a good idea of how far along I was, as things hadn't been particularly "regular."  I'd also bought the pregnancy tests that can tell you as early as possible (seemed like a good idea at the time - in retrospect, I won't be doing that again.)  Anyways,  you don't feel much different in those early weeks anyways, so I felt fine and assumed that all was fine.  The week after Matt got back from Mississippi, I made a doctor's appointment and on April 16 we went to the doctor, excited to see our new babe.  It's amazing how much more you know the second time around.  I was feeling good because I knew what to expect from the doctor's appointment, etc.  I am always nervous during this time, probably a bit abnormally so, but generally, I believed that everything would be fine and we'd leave there with a picture of our teeny-tiny bean, just like we did at Henry's first appointment. 

Not so much. 

She did the ultrasound and pretty quickly we knew things weren't quite right.  There was a sack, but nothing in it.  Nothing.  Empty.  Wow.  That pretty much took the wind right out of our sails.  I have a wonderful doctor and she explained that there were two possibilities: 

1) It is a pregnancy that will miscarry; however, this is strange to say, but if you're going to have a miscarriage, this is the "best" way because the baby never actually forms.  The egg is fertilized and implants (hence the positive pregnancy test), but the embryo never develops - no heart beat or anything.  As hard as it was to even think of the word miscarriage, I was thankful that if we had to go through that, it would be like this.  I know that many couples suffer from much worse circumstances.

2) The other possibility was that I was still really early in my pregnancy.  Since we didn't know the exact date of my last period (because of the birth control issues), I could be off on my timing and things just hadn't formed yet. 

Of course, I wanted it to be the second possibilty, but I knew in my heart it was probably the first.  It is a suprisingly common thing to happen, and sometimes it happens before a woman even knows she's pregnant (so I learned from my prompt Googling).  My doctor suggested taking my blood to test my hormone levels.  We'd take it that day and then a few days later.  If my numbers were doubling, that was a good sign.  If they weren't, it probably meant things weren't going to work out.   I also had another appointment in a week-and-a-half to come back for another, more thorough ultrasound. 

I managed to hold it together at the doctor's office, but once we got outside, the tears came.  Again, if this had to happen, I was so thankful that it would be this way, but still, it is such a sense of loss that accompanys that news.  I can't imagine how people get through it when it happens later.  Matt was wonderful as always and clearly shaken by the news as well.  There was absolutely nothing we could do now though, but wait.  Hopefully, on Friday I would get the news of my hormone levels and that might give us an idea of where things were going, but we wouldn't know anything for sure until my next ultrasound in a week and half.  Thus began the week from you-know-where. 

Well, on Friday my doctor called and said that my hormone levels were going up, but they didn't double like they should.  Basically she told me that this meant it probably wasn't a viable pregnancy.  She urged me to come in first thing Monday if I had any bleeding over the weekend.  Otherwise, I'd keep my Thursday appointment and have an ultrasound to confirm things.  Despite the bad news, I almost felt better just "knowing" something.  We still had to wait, but at that point, I was pretty convinced things weren't going to work out and I was ready for my body to just be rid of it so that things could get back to normal. 

Nothing happened over the weekend, and we went into the next week pretty sure that things were over, but still with that bit of hope in our minds that it was just really early and things would turn around.  It was a bad place to be...not knowing for sure.  I had a couple of breakdowns, but I really was so thankful that if it had to happen, it happened this way.  I know people deal with much worse.  By mid-week, I had convinced myself that it was over and was just praying for my body to deal with it so that I didn't have to have surgery or take medicine to speed things along.  I just wanted a fresh start.  If it was over, it was what it was and there was nothing I could do about it...I just wanted it done. 
Kim

A look back..

So there are two posts that I never published that I wrote almost a year ago when we first found out that I was pregnant with James.  We had a bit of a tricky beginning with him, but things worked out and now we have our sweet babe here with us and all is well. Maybe one or two people even actually know about this. In the grand scheme of things and in perspective of the trials of what other people face, our "tricky" beginning really wasn't much of anything, but it sure felt like it at the time.  I have always thought I'd publish those two posts, but I just haven't done it.  In a way, now that James is here, safe and sound, it just doesn't seem that important...but then again, it is part of his story...part of our story.  I don't know.  I re-read the posts today, and pretty much hated remembering how all of that felt.  But again, in the grand scheme, it really was nothing...and people face much, much worse.  All that to say, I think I am going to post them now.  It has been a year, almost exactly.  I wrote both of these in early May 2013.

And plus, now we have sweet baby James here with us...adding to the love and excitement of our lives. We had a happy ending.  Thank goodness.  It all really is such a blessing.

I recently read a blog where the guy described love for children like this, and I think it sums up life lately for us perfectly:  "Just when you think your love is at maximum capacity, just when you think that there is no way to fit any more love in a heart that feels so full, you discover something that changes everything. Your love is not a finite resource. It is infinitely replenishable. While your [first child's] gift will be to make you a father, your [second child's] gift will be this knowledge: When you are tired, your love is not. When you are angry, your love is not. When you are Jimmy Olsen hanging from the side of the Daily Planet, your love is Superman. You are going to fail so beautifully at so many things in the next years, but your love for your family will not fail you once. It will pick you up. It will straighten your path. It will make you whole again."
Kim

Easter 2014

Womp-womp.

That is a little bit what this Easter felt like this year.  Henry woke up Saturday morning with the Hand, Foot & Mouth virus.  This is one of those preschool illnesses that spreads quickly and infects small children.  Turns out, pretty much his whole class has had it this week.  It's not the worst thing in the world, but it is not great either.  It kept us home from church Easter Sunday and therefore, it really didn't feel a whole lot like Easter.  No one even got to wear their Easter outfits.  (I'm thinking I should just stop trying to get holiday outfits...it has been working against me this year.)  We did have a nice dinner at the Richardson's that evening, and Henry perked up enough to get excited about his Easter basket and to hunt for a few eggs, but otherwise, it was pretty anticlimactic.
Colonel got in on the action too.
I told Matt that once everyone is well, we're going to dress up in our Easter clothes and take a family picture!  Oh well, at least we didn't have the stomach bug again or something like that.
Kim

Cranial Band

So, as I mentioned in another post James has been fitted for a cranial band.  This is basically a helmet that will help reshape his head.  It isn't a big deal, and in fact our insurance considers it a "cosmetic" thing and therefore won't pay for it.  James has a flat head.  Henry had one too, but his rounded out on his own.  James needs a little extra help.  Several factors can lead to a flat head, including the increased time that babies spend on their back these days, the way they were positioned in utero and the actual birthing process.   Their heads are so soft that they are easily molded.  Here's what James' head looks like right now:
 I took this the other day, so that I could have a "before" picture and we could see what a difference this helmet really makes.  You can clearly tell that the back of his head is flat.

Here's what James gets to wear for 23 hours/day for the next 3-4 months:
I mean, if you have to wear a helmet, you might as well wear a Carolina blue one, right?  :)

We've had the helmet a few days now and it really doesn't seem to bother James at all.  The first week you gradually work them into wearing it full time.  He hasn't minded it when it is on, and he actually slept in it the other night because he fell asleep with it on and I didn't want to wake him to take it off.  It does make his head sweat and you have to wash the helmet (and his hair) every day, but other than that, it just makes him look like an incredibly cute, tiny football player.  Hopefully, it will help round out his head quickly, and he won't have to be in it too long.  We figured it was better to do it now while he is little.  The younger you can get it on them, the faster it is supposed to work because they are growing so much right now.  We just had this fear of James being 13 and still having a flat head...I mean, what would we tell him?  Sorry, we didn't fix that when you were little and we could have?  It is just one of those things that is easier to take care of now and that won't be a big deal in the long run.  It honestly doesn't really bother me.  We get a few funny looks, but James is too small to care.  I'm just glad it is nothing invasive or major.  We can totally handle a helmet.

Stay tuned for an "after" picture in 3-4 months.  Hopefully, you'll be able to tell a big difference!
Kim

Awkward

So the past few nights James has started sleeping like this:

I don't know if he's trying to roll over or at least get to his side or what, but inevitably he ends up like this.  I've tried to reposition him, but he immediately goes right back here.  I wouldn't really mind how he's sleeping (hey, whatever works, right?), except that since he's started sleeping like this he's woken up around 2am every night. I'm guessing it is because he has a crick in his neck! I know that probably isn't why, but he was sleeping great...then he changed positions and boom...waking up again.  He's still dealing with some congestion, so that is probably more the problem than his position, but still - that cannot be comfortable.  (And yes, he is still sleeping with socks on his hands.  His fingernails are ridiculously sharp, no matter what I do.  And this boy loves to rub his face and have his hands up by his eyes.)
Kim

Random Notes

And BOOM - it has been way too long since I last posted.  Somehow, time just gets away from me.  I fully intended to blog the last few weeks and things have just been busy.  Busy at work, busy at home.  Time flies when you're having fun, right?  Anyways, I've been keeping a list of things to blog about on my phone, so that I can remember them when the time comes to actually blog.  I'm just going to paste them in here and expound on each one a little bit.  They are just funny anecdotes of our life and where we are with our two boys at this moment in time.


Brothers!

1) Henry thinks Matt is hilarious:  This is so great.  Henry thinks that Matt is just the greatest thing ever and any little thing that Matt does can crack Henry up.  They definitely have the same sense of humor.  Matt will play little games with him, or make funny voices and Henry starts laughing so hard he can't stand it.  It is so fun to watch.

2) Eating Game:  Sort of on that same note, Henry is still a great eater, but he is also a full-on two-year-old and all that comes with that.  So sometimes, even if I give him his most favorite meal of all time, he refuses to eat.  I generally don't make a big deal out of it because he is eating well and is healthy and if he doesn't eat a lot at one meal, I don't worry, but Matt has a created a game that gets Henry to almost clean his plate every time.  Matt will say, "Can I have that piece of chicken?"  And Henry will snatch it away and put it in his own mouth and eat it while saying "Nooo!"  It's very cute and Matt seriously can get Henry to eat almost everything on his plate if they play the game long enough.  Of course, it doesn't work if I try to do it though.  Henry just says, "Here you go, Mommy," and hands it to me.  Lol. 

3) YES:  Henry has finally gotten the hang of the word "yes."  For so long it felt like "no" was his standard, even when he didn't really mean it, but now he has discovered "yes" and uses it properly.  It is so cute when he says it because it is always very definitive. 

4) James has started to roll from his front to his back - inconsistently:  As in, he's done it 3-4 times.  He does like tummy time though...which is a nice change from Henry.  James will lay there on his tummy just looking around at everything for a while, until he gets tired.  He also can roll to his side from his back, but he hasn't made it all the way over yet.

5) "Did you cute James' hair?"  Oh my gosh!  I cannot tell you how many time people ask me this question!  James has a perfect hairline across the top of his head and everybody asks me if I've cut his hair!  I mean probably 10+ people have asked me!  If only they looked at his little bald mullet that he has on the back of his head, they'd understand that no, I did not cut my infant's hair!  Lol. 

I do have a nice hairline, don't I?

6)  The Swaddle:  I really cannot say enough about how the swaddle helped James sleep those first few months.  Just recently I have stopped swaddling him because he was escaping consistently and I figured that meant it was time, but I am convinced that it single-handedly helped him sleep more consistently in the beginning.  I never had to do that with Henry, so it was amazing to see the difference it made!

7) Our morning symphony:  This is a perfect example of our life right now with a 2-year-old and an almost-5-month-old.  James is still sleeping in the Pack 'n Play by our bed.  He just can't seem to get over this cold/he has allergies and he is still stuffy and coughing at night and I am just not ready to send him off to his own room yet.  Anyways, Henry has been waking up at 6:30am on the dot almost every morning now, but I do not go to get him until closer to 7:30am on the weekdays.  So often, we wake up to James' happy squeals and feet-kicking in the Pack 'n Play, compounded with Henry singing songs in his crib (this morning it was Ba Ba Black Sheep and Row Row Row Your Boat), jumping up and down (his mattress is very squeaky), or just generally talking and making lots of noise.  It is a regular symphony in the morning.  It is sweet and precious (and sometimes a little annoying when I am sleep-deprived and grumpy), but it is one of those things that I know will be but a fleeting moment in the long run and I want to remember it.  Usually, we try to just laugh.  What else are you going to do?  And at least they're not screaming and crying...most days.

Before church one Sunday.

So there's the summary.  Life is busy, but good. (Do I say that every entry?)  James does have a flat head, and has been fitted for a cranial band, which is a little helmet that he'll wear for  the next couple of months, but we head to Raleigh today to get it, so more on that later.  It really isn't a big deal, just one of those things that we need to deal with while he's little.  Plus, I know he's going to look so cute with a helmet on his head. 
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