Another Week

We actually had a very productive weekend, which was long overdue. We got alot crossed off our to-do lists. The cabinets all have locks on them now (or at least the ones that the locks we bought will work on), we got the new light fixture up in the entry way as well as one in Lexi's room, Jamie finally took down the Christmas lights and brought in all the extension cords he had outside, the deck got pressure washed, some of the raking in the backyard got done, the vehicles got washed and a bunch of other little miscellaneous jobs got crossed off.

And I got a massive sunburn, not to mention a touch of sunstroke. I do it every year. The first really nice day comes along and I spend way too much time outside and without any sunscreen (and I know better, and I'm usually really careful about sunscreen, but I always do it) and I end up sick and sunburnt to a crisp. And to make matters worse, all that raking I did left me with arms and shoulders so sore it's painful to pick up Alexis.

And speaking of which, I cannot believe how quickly she is growing. She is already into 6 month sleepers and outfits, although she hasn't quite outgrown all of the 3 month stuff. She is smiley and happy and much less demanding of my attention now and she grins when she sees her big sister. She's still sleeping in our bed, but she is also now spending a good chunk of her time at night in the bassinet next to me. She loves to be outside and even though she won't fall asleep in her crib or bassinet on her own, if you put her outside in the stroller she will doze off on her own.

Addy, it seems, has finally made the adjustment to her new bed. As long as you get her down for her nap or bedtime on time (and don't try too early when she isn't ready yet), she goes down on her own and doesn't need someone in the room. She is now (other than the rare time) back to sleeping through the night. Typically she is down for the night at about 8:00pm, and sleeps through until early morning for a bottle. She'll then go back to sleep until somewhere between 8-9:00am. Everyday it seems she does something new. She has mastered going down the steps to the living room on her own, as well as climbing up on the couch and stealing the phone or remotes off the end table when nobody is looking and she loves to throw toys, shoes, bottles and whatever else she can get her hands on through the railings down the stairs. She also loves to be outside and likes to walk on her own when we go for walks. Yesterday she had her first trip of the year to the park and she was all over the place, swinging, going down the slides and climbing on anything and everything. She loves her baby sister and I have to be extremely careful about making sure that if I'm not in the room that Lexi is out of her reach because she will pick her up. She is a smart, loveable little girl, and I can't even fathom how much she has grown and changed in the last 14 or so months.

Last night, I did bedtime on my own with no help. I even had to bathe Lexi after supper (she doesn't usually get her bath around that time because we're so busy getting Addy into bed) but she had a major poo explosion so we had no choice. So 2 baths and I still had Addy into bed at a decent time. And I was on my own for the night too, and we all did really well. Addy was up at about 11:30 and was not very happy, but it only took her a few minutes to calm down and we were all back to sleep fairly quickly. And other than the crappy sleep I had because of the aforementioned sunburn and sore arms and shoulders, we had a really good night.

Welcome, Weekend!

I am so glad it's Friday afternoon. Jamie will be home in a few hours and I can enjoy the weekend. Hopefully I can actually get some stuff done and get Jamie to do a few things around here too. Number 1 on the list: installing the childproof locks on the cupboards. *Someone* has been putting off doing it basically since Addy has become mobile, and I am sick of picking up stuff she has pulled out of the cabinets and drawers and fishing her out of the lazy-susan cupboard.

I am also looking forward to a break from the laundry. This week has been an entire week of catching up on laundry and I am almost there. There's a load drying right now, a load in the washer waiting for the dryer and one more load to be washed. That is the closest I have been to caught up probably since Addy was born. In the past 5 days, I have washed, dryed, folded and put away...I would say if not 20 loads, pretty darn close to it. I am so sick of laundry but I will stay caught up with it from now on.

My Gorgeous Baby sling arrived this week too. I am having some difficulties with it, though. I can get Addy into it no problem in either the tummy-to-tummy with legs out position or the hip hold position. But I have been having some real issues with Lexi. I bought it basically for the cradle hold so I can nurse her in it or let her sleep in it so that I could get some housework done. But she does not like it and I can't figure out how to position her to nurse her. I tried the tummy-to-tummy hold with her today (legs in, though, not out like with Addy) and she liked that a bit more but I can't nurse her in that position. And I still don't even know if I have her in right in either of those positions. I'm sure that the sling fits me, I just don't know how to get Lexi in it. With Addy it's easy because her body isn't hidden away in the sling. But with the positions for Lexi, I don't know how she is supposed to be positioned because in the pictures and videos, you can't actually see the baby's body once they're in there. I feel like she is lost in the pouch. And of course I can't contact the company I bought it from because the couple that runs it just had a baby so they are closed until June 1st. Any baby-wearing mommies out there that can offer me some advice?

It's Been Awhile

I've been slacking with my blog lately, but things have just been so busy it seems I barely get a chance to check my email, let alone post an entry here.

Things have just been the same chaos as usual around here. Jamie is still working in Camrose, but it looks like he should be back working close to home and here every day within a month's time. So that'll be nice. Especially for Addy because it's obvious she misses him alot when he's gone.

Alexis is growing like crazy. I've already packed away alot clothes she has outgrown, and it looks like I'm needing to do it again. She is finally starting to go longer in between feedings and sleeping for longer lengths. She is also happy when she's awake, for the most part anyways. She has been smiling for a couple of weeks now and although she hasn't rolled over yet, I don't think it will be long. Maybe now that she is awake for longer periods throughout the day she will be able to get more tummytime and hit that milestone soon.

Addison is now in a big girl bed. We had to ditch the crib because she was very close to being able to climb out of it. Not to mention she's done a real number on it. She would stand up in it and shake it, and it was not taking the abuse as well as it should have been. So into a big girl bed she went this past weekend. It has been a fairly smooth transition, although we have to stay in the room with her while she is falling asleep. If you leave her alone she either gets out of bed and bangs on the door while screaming her head off, or she stays in bed but makes herself throw up. Yes we're still dealing with that. Will it ever end? Anyways, all in all it has been a pretty easy transition. She sleeps normally once she's fallen asleep, it's just getting her there.

Yesterday we ended up spending the afternoon in the ER, though. I was sitting with her while she was falling asleep and she had been sitting up in the bed. I don't know if she lost her balance because she was on the pillow, or if she went to lay down and moved too quickly or what, but she smashed her head into the side of the bed. Right along her left eyebrow, across her temple and to just above her ear. She cried and cried and cried, and then she quit crying, calmed down and proceeded to throw up. So off to the hospital we went.

The nurse checked her out when we got there (about 1:45) and the doctor ordered x-rays and said we'd have to stay there the afternoon to make sure she was okay. He said he wanted to check her out when he got there after clinic hours and then we could go, assuming all was well. Other than the x-rays which she did not like, she was really good all afternoon. She was running around the ER and the waiting room like the crazy child that she is, and she even had a little nap on the stretcher. And we finally got to go home at about 5:30. Today you'd never know she was hurt except for the bruise on her eyebrow and the goose egg above her ear.

So that was her excitement for the week. And really, in all honesty, with the way this child is and being into everything, climbing on stuff and trying to jump off of things, I'm really surprised that was the first trip to the ER with her.

And for me this seems like it has been the longest and most stressful week ever, and I cannot wait until it's over.

Happy Friday!

Today the girlies and I had a nice, relatively quiet day. Lexi and I were up early and Addy slept in. We spent the morning visiting with my mom, who stopped in before work, and playing. I even managed to squeeze some tidying up in there.

After a late lunch, I got the girls ready to go out, strapped them into the stroller and headed downtown. We went to the bank, then across to the clinic to visit Grandma, to the post office and finally home. We went about 1km and it was so nice to get out of the house and enjoy the weather. And when we got home, before coming in, Addy and I played in the front yard while Lexi snoozed in the stroller. And apparently all that fresh air tired them out because they are now both in their cribs sleeping.

Tomorrow we're going into Walmart to get some photos done. I've been really wanting to get photos done by Tammy from Smiley Eyes Photography but it's been really hard to find a day where we can make it out to see her. So to Walmart we go for now. Addy has a bruised fat lip from falling and biting it, so she'll be wearing her first makeup at an early age, I think. And Jamie needs to get a haircut before. So we'll be in Veg for awhile, but it will be nice to finally have some pictures of my new girl.

Other than that we don't have alot planned. I have a couple of things that I want to get done around the house, but they're pretty small jobs that shouldn't take long. And Holly and I are planning on going out for a walk and enjoying the nice weather too, so that will be fun.

But it's getting to be that time where I have to figure out what we're having for supper, so I'm off.

Halfway there!

We're halfway to the weekend and I am definitely going to need a rest once we get there. This week has been busy, and today was only the first time I had to actually leave the house.

Grandma Dianne came this morning and took Addy because Lexi had her 2-month shots scheduled for 10:30am. She actually did quite well. She cried alot during the visit but that was just her normal fussiness. She got measured and weighed. At birth she was 20 inches long and 7 pounds 15 ounces. Today she is 22.5 inches long and 11 pounds 12 ounces. She is in the 25th percentile for length and the 75th percentile for weight. So she is growing nicely, and on a steady curve the nurse said.

She slept through the first needle although she did cry out in her sleep. But once that 2nd needle went in she was wide awake and screaming. And the volume only increased by the 3rd one. But as soon as she was done getting poked, I gave her the boob and she was fine. If memory serves me correctly she did alot better than her sister did at her 2-month shots.

Now she is fast asleep in her bouncy seat and you would never know she had such a rough morning.

I also got my flu shot. I apparently should have gotten it when I was pregnant, but I didn't. Addy has to go in later in the week to get hers too because she was supposed to get it last month at her 12-month shots but she didn't.

Today is absolutely beautiful out so I think I may take the girls out for a walk. We tried yesterday but Lexi cried the whole way so we cut it short. Hopefully she enjoys herself more this afternoon.

But Addy and Dianne are still not back, so I think it is time for me to tackle some laundry. There's a big pile to be washed, 3 baskets to be folded and 3 baskets that are folded but still need to be put away.

Have I mentioned that I hate laundry?

My Little Mischief Maker

Yesterday was quite the day with Addy. Trouble was finding her like it had never found her before. First off, I was trying to get Lexi to sleep and I realized I could hear Addy's whiney cry. It sounded like she was in the kitchen, but when I got there all I found was one of the lazy susan cupboards open and a bunch of cans out of it on the floor. But no Addy. Which I found strange because the whining was definitely coming from the kitchen.

I had a little moment of panic before I discovered where she was hiding. At that point I burst out laughing, which apparently made her feel a little better about her perch because the whining stopped.

I managed to squeeze her out (it is an unusually small opening), but 2 minutes later she had crawled back in. How in the world she could manage to squeeze through the opening, climb up onto the top shelf and get turned around and sitting, I do not know. She is mind boggling sometimes.


Then a little later in the afternoon I was once again busy with Lexi and I realized that things were a little too quiet in the house. So I went looking for Addy and found her on her way to the patio door. Which wouldn't be so bad except she had a trail of sandwich bags following her all the way from their drawer in the kitchen. *sigh*

She also got stuck trying to get behind the swing to play with the wood stove tools that she knows she's not allowed to touch. Nothing like getting busted disobeying, eh?

And here I thought the girls were having a nice sisterly love moment, but upon closer inspection of the picture I realized that Addy was pinching Lexi. Poor baby.

Yesterday we also had a little lesson on getting down the stairs. She has no problem going up the 2 steps from the living room, but she always needs help getting down. So I taught her how to get on hr tummy and go down backwards. She caught on quick and was up and down them all day. After her nap she was playing in her room and I was sitting on the couch nursing Lexi (notice a pattern here? She always gets into trouble when I'm busy with Lexi) and she came out. She was standing at the top of the 2 steps holding onto the railing and waving one foot out at the top of the stair. I wasn't too concerned because if you are holding her hands to get her to go down, she will do this but she will not step down them. Only this time she did. Somehow I managed to get from the couch and to her and catch her in midfall. And Lexi didn't even lose her latch. lol

And after all that, what better way to wind down than by sitting down with a sippy cup of apple juice and watching Cinderella?

Oh Yuck!

I just finished nursing Lexi about 5-10 minutes ago and I decided to treat myself to a little piece of chocolate because she wouldn't need another feeding for a couple of hours.

So I pop a chocolate Easter egg in my mouth and grab the jug of milk out of the fridge. I checked the date on it and it said April 15 so I poured a glass and downed it.

And after finishing gulping it down I realized it had turned bad and I drank it so fast I didn't realize this until it was gone. So now I can feel the belly ache coming on.

How does milk go bad a week before the best before date??

I think from now on I'll stick to water.

Another Monday

Today Jamie went to work and I began another week alone with the girls. GO's opened so Martina is working there in the evenings so it's a little later than usual that she gets here, but I think we'll cope okay.

This weekend was a busy weekend, and I didn't seem to get anything done around the house. We went to the home and garden show on Sunday and I got some good ideas for the house and yard, but mostly I just wanted to get out of there because it was incredibly busy.

This evening I got Dianne to come over and watch the girls after supper so I could get some housework done. I got quite a bit done, so now if I can just catch up on my laundry this week and stay caught up with the kitchen I should be doing good.

Anyways, I'm beat today so I'm gonna grab a snack and crawl into bed, I think.

Some (Overdue) Pictures From Easter

Hunting for eggs.




"I see more!"




"Gotcha!"




Checking out her loot.




Lexi showing off her Easter dress. I couldn't find matching ones that I liked, so the day before Easter my mom made 2 dresses and 2 pinnafores.




Giving Mommy a dirty look.




My 2 girlies (and Lexi's crazy eyes...lol).




I love how worried she always looks!




"Woohoo! Can I open it??"




Addy opening the basket the Easter Bunny left her.




Lexi wearing Addy's bunny ears.




Lexi getting help opening her basket from the Easter Bunny.

Pictures!

Oh the emotions!

It seems my girls are a little grumpy today. I thought I would share a couple of pictures of their grouchy faces.

An update...

Things here have continued to be busy and chaotic. Alexis seems to have settled down a bit, but she is still very demanding. She always wants to be held and won't sleep at night unless she is snuggled up to Mommy. Fortunately, I have learned to adapt to having a tiny person in bed with me and I am getting a much better sleep while still being aware that she is there.

Alexis is still also very gassy. You have never met a child that stinks like she does, I tell you. And she's strictly on breastmilk so I don't really understand why. But it does seem to be improving. I only have to turn to my friend Mr. Ovol Drops about 1-2 times a day now, rather than at every feeding. She is still only giving me about 3-4 hours of sleep at a time, although last night I was treated to 5 straight hours of glorious, glorious sleep.

Addy is continuing on with her sleep issues. Some nights she sleeps right though, but most nights she doesn't. She is back to being parented to sleep (by Auntie Martina, though) which frustrates me. I know she is old enough to be able to put herself to sleep, but I also have to accept that her world has been turned upside down basically since Christmas when I was put into the hospital. She also is rarely sleeping the night now and I know she can do that as well, so once we have a better routine with Lexi and she becomes a little less demanding and is sleeping better, it will be back to the Empathic Sleep Teaching with Addy.

I am both very proud and a little sad to announce that my baby Addy is now walking. She looks so funny because she is so little, but she just cruises around and it seems that the trouble that would find her before is finding her alot more quickly now. How can one little "innocent" baby find so much mischief to get into? No, the dog food is not to eat. No, don't put the dog food into their water and make them soup. No, please don't rip everything out of your dresser. No, please don't pull everything out of the kitchen drawers. Please get out of the fridge. Don't tear up the newspaper. Where in the world did you find that? No, don't shake drops of your drink out of your sippy cup and onto the floor and then lick it up. Please get out of the toilet. Why do you try to climb into your playpen, then scream bloody murder when I put you into it? Stay out of the garbage. Please don't climb into the dryer. Please don't swing the baby so high in her swing it threatens to tip over. *sigh* I am going to get old before my time, I think.

Anyways, despite her sleep issues and her mischievious ways, Addy really is a joy to have around. She loves to love her sister and give her hugs and kisses. When she isn't pulling the dogs' or the cat's tails or whacking them with her toys, she loves to love them too. Every morning and after her naps when I pick her up out of her crib she gives me a lovely snuggle and she makes me laugh every day. Her vocabulary is increasing by the minute and you have to be incredibly careful about what you say in front of her because she picks things up so quickly.

And I have been doing well too. I don't know what I would do without Martina staying here with me. I think I would have lost my mind by now!

My New 'Do

Last week I decided it was finally time to do something for me. Plus, I needed a little break and my mom offered to take the girls for me. So I went and got my hair cut and colored. I had been wanting to go short for awhile, but thought that with 2 babies it would take too long to style (as I do have to dedicate at least 5 minutes to styling my short hair) and a ponytail would be much easier. However because of my natural curls, it was taking me close to 10 minutes to brush it out each morning so I decided to go for it.


Here is the before picture:





And here is the after: