Boys, boys, boys
September 29, 2004, 3:58 pm
When I had Noah all of my friends seemed to be having girls. Noah has spent the past few years playing almost exclusively with girls. Until he started preschool this month, he didn't have any playmates who were boys. Now he's in a class full of 3-year-old boys. Bless his teacher.So then I got pregnant the 2nd time and found out that my cousin, sister-in-law, 2 of my good friends, and then my sister were pregnant. I just wanted one or maybe two of these babies to be the same gender as my baby. So far every single one is a boy! And of course this time around I had a girl.
Lily is going to grow up surrounded by boys. I'm curious to see how this will affect her personality and likes/dislikes. I wonder if she'll be more into sports like Noah. Maybe she'll love playing with trucks and cars (something I never enjoyed as a child in a house full of girls).
But I guarantee that she will enjoy playing with Barbies and paper dolls...with her mom.
NOTE **My sister just found out yesterday that she's having a boy, and I'm very excited to have a nephew on the way. **[ 1 comment ] ( 32 views )
Sick kids
September 28, 2004, 7:05 pm
Is there anything worse? I thought during my pregnancy with Noah that after I had the baby I wouldn't have to worry anymore. Oh, little did I know. The worrying had just begun.Noah is sick. He was up last night with a fever which always scares me. When he had pneumonia he had a fever at night, so I always worry about fevers. I spent last night nursing Lily and laying with Noah and worrying. He's much better today, and we managed to get a very long nap in this afternoon.
On a funny note, I asked Noah if anything hurt this morning (like his ears, throat, etc.) He responded very matter-of-factly, "Yes, my feelings hurt!"
[ 2 comments ] ( 31 views )
Law and Order, Criminal Intent
September 27, 2004, 12:18 pm
I have heard people say that before you have kids you are selfish. I think you're just used to having time to yourself and you don't have to worry about kids. But it does seem amazingly selfish to be able to sleep in and do whatever you please and watch whatever shows you want.I was selfish last night. It was the season premiere of Law and Order, Criminal Intent...my favorite show. We just got a new television which would allow me to watch my favorite show in high definition and wide screened. I was pretty excited.
But the children conspired against me and Nathan as we settled in to watch a little Vincent. First Lily started her evening grump fest which really conflicts with primetime TV (starts around 7:30 and goes until 8-8:30). So my sweet husband took her and kept her quiet by walking around with her while we watched the show. Noah was in bed asleep.
But about 20 minutes into the show I hear Noah yelling, "COME LAY WITH ME!!!!" and crying. So I go up there to lay with him and after a few minutes go to leave and he says he has to go to the bathroom. Then he needs a drink. I couldn't take it anymore!
So I go downstairs and use code (also known as whining) to get Nathan to get Noah to sleep. He puts down Lily who starts crying. He gets Noah to sleep, and then he comes downstairs and gets Lily to sleep. I know, Nathan is a saint.
SO FINALLY I GOT TO WATCH MY SHOW.
Is it too much to ask, kids? A little Law and Order in the evening?
Let's do better next time...[ 4 comments ] ( 43 views )
My internet friend
September 25, 2004, 4:00 pm
I have an internet mom friend. Sure, some people cheat on their husbands with people they meet over the internet. I meet other moms. And one mom that I have met has become a very good friend of mine.Anyone who actually listens to me babble on has heard me talk about my internet friend. We met each other on a babycenter bulletin board about 2 1/2 years ago. We both have children who were born in May of 2001. She has a girl, and of course I have Noah. So we had a lot in common from that alone. Then we started emailing each other and sharing stories, advice, etc. We even met each other in NYC when we were both visiting. Our husbands may have thought we were a little bit crazy when we planned this meeting, but we all turned out to be normal...
So now my internet friend has a little boy too who will be 1 soon, and of course I have Lily. I just got a present in the mail from my internet friend, and it made me cry. Three times.
The first thing that made me cry was the card. It's a beautiful card that she made and in it was the following:
Welcome Little One
So sweet and divine.
So wonderfully perfect.
So perfectly fine.
Lily, just Lily.
An adorable smile.
Just smiley and silly.
That is so Lily.
Then I opened the gift, and it was a beautiful photo album all finished with amazing paper and embellishments...which anyone who does scrapbooking knows is a big job. So I cried again.
Then I read the letter she sent and cried again.
So what I'm trying to say is that I was touched, and I'm so glad I have this friend in my life. I think you know who you are, internet friend. I just wish you lived closer...
[ 3 comments ] ( 47 views )
Sweetest thing
September 24, 2004, 9:46 am
I was worried like all parents are that Noah wouldn't adjust to a new baby brother or sister. I post on a babycenter board of other May 2001 moms who had some horror stories about their toddlers being mean to their new baby siblings.So far Noah is the sweetest thing to Lily. Yesterday I caught him talking to her while she was in her car seat, and then he went and got her a blanket and carefully covered her up. He informed me later that she was cold. I have also caught him holding her hand and talking to her many times this week.
After preschool yesterday a friend of mine was carrying Lily out of the school in her car seat to help me out. She joked with Noah that she was going to take Lily home. Noah burst out in tears and said, "No, that's my sister!" [ 4 comments ] ( 38 views )
7 hours
September 23, 2004, 10:32 am
I got 7 hours of STRAIGHT sleep last night. I don't think that has happened to me in about 3 months. Towards the end of my pregnancy my hands were very swollen and I had horrible carpal tunnel. My arms would be in severe pain at night, and I would wake up every 2 hours or so (to go to the bathroom too of course).So blessed Lily let me get 7 hours of sleep. I woke up at 4 a.m. and felt full of energy and ready to tackle the day. Then I talked myself into going back to sleep until 7 a.m.
It's all relative, people. I used to sleep 8-10 hours on average, but now a good chunk of 7 hours seems to be enough to me.[ 2 comments ] ( 32 views )
Supermom
September 21, 2004, 3:22 pm
Ok, so it's my 1st day at home alone w/Noah and Lily. Right now it's 2 p.m. and both of them are asleep in their beds. I feel more accomplished than I ever have in my life. Sure, people have 10 kids and can handle that, but for me 2 is amazing. I am going to spend the next who knows how long doing whatever I please. I won't be cleaning. That's for sure.[ 4 comments ] ( 47 views )Celebrities
September 19, 2004, 9:14 pm
I've discovered the key to easy parenting. We just need more people in our lives. Over the past 5 weeks Nathan has been on paternity leave. Having 2 parents at home all day sure makes things easier. We each have time to go work out or take a long bath or just get a break from parenting.Then a week ago my sister Lori visited. She cooked our meals, did our laundry, and went for walks with me each day. Wow, I had it made.
Now my sister Janelle is here and made us dinner tonight and entertains Noah all day long and loves to hold Lily.
I now understand how Oprah does it. If I had a cook to make me wonderful meals and big salads...and a personal trainer to exercise with me each day...I could so easily get back into shape. Now I see how Kate Hudson gained 60 pounds with her pregnancy and had it off in a month.
Alas, Lori is gone and Nathan returns to work tomorrow and Janelle leaves tomorrow as well.
Reality is about to set in...[ 6 comments ] ( 58 views )
Thumb
September 14, 2004, 1:24 pm
Noah found a little flash light last week, and he was frustrated because he couldn't get the light to turn on. He was using his finger to push on it, but it was too hard to push down. I told him to use his thumb, and he looked down at his hands and asked, "Which one is the thumb?"[ 2 comments ] ( 32 views )
Happy baby
September 13, 2004, 9:19 am
I know that everyone says if a newborn smiles it's just gas, but Nathan and I are convinced that Lily has been smiling at us from birth. She looks up at us and focuses on our face and smiles. She also breaks out in crazy laughter while sleeping. We predict she's going to be a very smiley, happy child. [ 2 comments ] ( 32 views )1st day of school
September 7, 2004, 9:24 am
Today is Noah's first day of preschool. He had me put his Spiderman backpack next to his bed last night. He woke up and came downstairs all ready to go with his backpack in hand. This kid's enthusiasm breaks my heart.When you have a baby people always say that it will go fast, but you can't imagine it going fast when you're sleep deprived and changing 10 diapers a day. But in just 2 years Noah will be getting on a bus for all day kindergarten. I didn't cry this morning, but I guarantee you I will that day...
[ 3 comments ] ( 42 views )
Second time around
September 5, 2004, 9:21 am
So many of my friends who have two children claim that the 2nd baby is "easier" and a "good baby" compared to their first. I have to wonder if it's the baby or the parents.Lily seems very easy to me, but I'm such a different person than I was 3 years ago. I remember when Noah would wake up in the night as an infant I would think that he would do this forever and I would never EVER sleep again. I often had this all or nothing attitude with Noah. But now that I've been a mom for 3 years I know that things get better and better. Noah now sleeps 10-12 hours straight and naps like a pro.
I remember feeling guilty that Noah didn't sleep in his crib all night long as a newborn. I held him most nights until he was 12 weeks old. Now I tell everyone that Lily sleeps right on my chest. I mean she's only 20 days old! She slept in my womb for about 250 days. The girl deserves a little cuddling...
Lily does cry now, but it doesn't bother me like Noah's crying does. Lily cried all the way home from Panera on Friday, and we all laughed at her. When Noah would cry I would immediately clench my teeth.
So maybe this is why first borns have so many characteristics in common....and middle children and youngest. I think Lily is being treated like a youngest child. Uh-oh...[ 2 comments ] ( 30 views )
"Oh damn, my foot"
September 2, 2004, 1:57 pm
This is one of my favorite stories about Noah. I thought of it this morning and it made me laugh aloud in the car...Noah was about 2 years old and still sleeping in his crib. It was naptime, and Noah was fighting going down for his nap. I can count on one hand how many times Noah has missed his afternoon nap. I'm way too structured of a person, and I always make sure he naps so he wasn't going to get away with skipping a nap. Anyway, he was talking to himself and calling out for me. I went to his room a few times and told him it was naptime. Finally after going up there about 3 times I told him, "This is it, Noah! You have to go to sleep. I don't want to hear any more talking!"
Then I went downstairs where I had the monitor on. About 30 minutes passed where Noah was quiet. Then I heard him say on the monitor in a very serious, adult-like voice, "Oh damn, my foot."
I ran upstairs to find Noah's poor little foot stuck between the rails of his crib. [ 2 comments ] ( 32 views )
Worry
September 1, 2004, 10:40 am
I am very good at worrying. When I was younger my Dad said that as soon as I was finished with whatever I was worrying about I would look for the next thing to worry about. That is so true. It's a curse. As a mother it's so much worse. Now I can't imagine what I used to worry about.Today I'm worried about Lily. At her 2 week appointment yesterday she weighed 8 pounds which was only up 1 oz. in a week. She also has been spitting up a lot and occasionally vomiting. Her doctor is concerned and wonders if she has a condition called pyloric stenosis which requires surgery.
So let the worrying begin. I was so worried yesterday that I held Lily all day. I felt like if I set her down she would spit up. Now that's ridiculous.
For now we take her in for weigh-ins for the next 3 days. If she gains an ounce each day then she's ok. If not she has to have an ultrasound to see if there is a problem.
I never thought I'd worry about anyone like I do Noah, but Lily is only 2 weeks old and look at me go. [ 3 comments ] ( 38 views )
