Lawson is TWO

Lawson turned two in January.  I have really been slacking in the memory keeper role for my family, and I realized today that if I don't document these moments for my family, no one will.  So here is a little info about Lawson at two years old!

Height: 35 inches, 66th percentile

Weight:  25.5 lbs, 16th percentile

We have been feeding this kid anything and everything for so long and it is finally paying off.  He is not only on the chart, but it double digits percentile wise.  We are so happy to finally see some growth in this area.

Likes:  playing/tormenting his sisters, watching Super Why, being naked, playing outside on the swing set, eating dirt, taking baths, Thomas the Train, eating vitamins, the Thingamajigs book, stacking blocks, playing on the ipad, sitting on my lap, doing puzzles, playing with his basketball, football and soccer ball

Dislikes:  drinking milk from a cup, being told no, speech therapy (haha), sharing his toys

Favorite Foods:  spaghetti, oatmeal, pb&j sandwiches, goldfish, raisins, grapes, chicken, cookies

I won't lie and say that Lawson is the easiest child on the block.  He throws fits, he doesn't talk and he does a lot of things that drive me crazy (like eating dirt and putting his hands in his diaper when he has poop!).   But, I will say that despite all the hard work, and tears (his and mine) and frustration, I feel so blessed to be his mom.  I know that God has a plan for Lawson's life and I pray every day for patience and wisdom in parenting him in order that he can grow up to be the man God intends.  I feel a tremendous responsibility with Lawson and I can honestly say that my walk with the Lord has grown more during the last two years than I thought possible.  I simply could not parent Lawson without help from Him.

I don't want to make it sound like there are no good or fun times with Lawson, because that wouldn't be true.  He is a huge cuddle bug and loves to give hugs and kisses.  He cracks me up with his dancing and the games he plays with his sisters.  He is a great little boy and I love him so incredibly much.

For his party, we had family over for cake and ice cream.  The cake was Thomas inspired and once again the hubby did a great job decorating.  The party totally wore him out!  He fell asleep playing the ipad once everyone had left.  That NEVER happens!

Happy birthday, Lawson.  Mom and Dad love you and feel so thankful to be your parents!

A Few Things About Laws

Lots of exciting things have been happening with my little man.  I thought it was time for an update.

First, Lawson is now a walker.  I know, it only took 16 months, but still.  The day we celebrated my birthday with family, he decided to stand up and start walking.  He still crawls a little, but mostly he is walking.  Pretty exciting stuff!

Next, he got his first tooth.  And now his second, third and fourth are all trying to make an appearance at the same time.  He is beyond cranky, having a hard time sleeping, has a constant runny nose and is producing nice and disgusting diapers.  All hallmarks of teething for my kiddos.  Fun times.

Also, he is climbing up into things.  He started climbing up on the ottoman in the living room, but quickly progressed to the rocking chair in his room.  I tried to get a good pic, but he wouldn't stop rocking!  He was quite proud of himself.

Another change coming our way is speech therapy.  Lawson isn't much of a talker.  I have been a little concerned with his speech so I took him for an evaluation today.  We will start sometime this week or next and I am looking forward to it.  I think (as do the therapists) that a large part of the problem is from when he had fluid in his ears and wasn't hearing all that well.

Lastly, for today, Lawson is finally big enough for his car seat that we bought back when he turned one.  My girls both hit the weight limit on the infant car seat right at their first birthday, so we assumed Lawson would also.  Not the case.  But, we have been working very hard to get him to put on some weight and I am proud to report that he is over 20 lbs now and if my scale is correct, close to 22 lbs.   We still have some work to do but he is making progress and I am happy.

I love my sweet little guy.   

Pete the Cat and other favorite books

I attempt to make reading a priority in our house.  I love reading and grew up loving reading and I hope my kids have the same passion for it that I do.  Because I love reading it should come as no surprise that I love buying good books for my kiddos.  One thing that drives me crazy is bad children's books.  And there seem to be a ton of them.  So, I thought I would share some of our favorites in case you are looking for some good books for your little ones.  And, I would love any suggestions you have for me!

First, Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck!

We checked this one out from the library and it became an instant hit with the girls.  Now, we own it and we can read it as much as we want!  It is a very cute tale of a boy trying to escape hugs and kisses from his Auntie Elsie.

Next, Pete the Cat's I Love My White Shoes.

The girls love, love, love this book.  It is one of the books we have read so many times that they can "read" it with me.  I really like this book also!  And, it was another book we found by checking it out at the library and then buying it.

We also love the Jesus Storybook Bible.  Like a lot.  This is a must have for every family in my opinion.  We try to read to the girls from this every night.  We don't always get to it, but we have been through the whole book more than once and they don't seem to be tired of it yet!

A couple of books that we love, but have yet to purchase are Duck Tents and Can I Just Take a Nap??

These have been checked out multiple times from the library and when we have them we read them over and over again.  The first is about a group of five ducks going camping and the second is about Aiden McDoodle trying to find a quiet place to take a nap!  Great books!

Molly's favorite book, Everyone Poops.

Isabelle's favorite, Cat in the Hat.

And Lawson's favorite, the only book he sits still for, Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site.  (thanks, Rochelle!)

So there you go, just a sampling of the books we love and that we read on a regular basis at our house.  What are your favorite children's books?

Ordinary Days

Recently I watched a video on facebook of an author reading part of her book, The Gift of an Ordinary Day.

After watching the video, I checked out her book from the library and read it.  And while it wasn't exactly my type of book, it did force me to think about my children growing up and how fast it all really will go by.  When you think about it, taking care of small children is such a very tiny part of our lives.  Yet, when you are taking care of three toddlers under the age of four, it seems like the runny noses, dirty diapers, night time interruptions and constant corrections will last forever.

In an effort to try and keep perspective, and to make sure I can record as much as possible about this time in our lives, I thought I would make a list of some of the ordinary things that make up my days with my wonderful kiddos.

Cuddles on the chair holding at least two sometimes three kids while watching Gabba, Curious George or some other children's program that drives me bonkers (Barney, Dora, Pinky Dinky Do).

Preparing, and cleaning up three meals a day for three kids that often just want to eat grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly or mac n cheese, not the well thought out, well planned, balanced meals I have fixed that day.

Playing games like Memory or Splish Splash or better yet, the games out of the back of the Highlights magazines.

Hearing a million times a day, "I'm done," being hollered from the bathroom.

Bath time with three babes who all love to see how much water they can get out of the bathtub and onto the floor.

Doing "school" which basically amounts to us singing songs, talking about the calendar and weather, coloring pictures and doing some phonics/reading lessons with Isabelle.

Breaking up arguments between Isabelle and Molly one moment and then seeing them play together wonderfully the next.

Kisses, hugs and snuggles all day long.

Cookie parties and dance parties.

Hearing made up stories from the girls.  Molly just told us that her grandpa had a polar bear that hurt his eye and that her grandpa told the polar bear, "don't eat my chips."

Molly calling Jason, Grandpa and me, Grandma.  Molly calling herself Kenna or Lauren or Will, calling Lawson, Seeda, and calling Isabelle, Hannah.

Taking walks to the neighborhood park or just playing in the backyard.

Reading books like, Can I Just take a Nap, Pete the Cat, Kiss Kiss Yuck Yuck, Madeline, Hurricane Henrietta, The Thingamajigs, Cat in the Hat, and I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas over and over and
over again.

Saturday morning breakfast with donuts or pancakes or cinnamon rolls but always together as a family.

Telling my girls repeatedly that they are beautiful and look so pretty despite the crazy outfits they choose to wear.

Tucking in and singing songs and saying prayers and giving "one last hug and kiss" every night at bedtime.

So there you have it, some (but not all) of the ordinary things that take place during our days.  I am in a phase right now where I really, really, really don't want my kids to get any older (especially Isabelle).  I can't imagine a time where she won't want to give me kisses on the lips or hold my hand or sit on my lap or tell me how much she loves me or even that she is so glad I am her mom.  And frankly, I know that time is coming and will be here before I know it.  I don't want to see the end of her asking if I'd like some loving or crawling into bed with us in the mornings to snuggle.  And since I know that I don't have control over time, I am trying to soak in every kiss, every hug and every moment of her being four instead of being sad at how fast it is all going by.  I encourage you, no matter what phase of mothering you are in, to capture some of the ordinary moments in your day.  Write them down so that you can remember the perfectly ordinary days that I am sure will be what you will treasure most after the kids are gone and living lives of their own.

Party Time

Today we had Lawson's follow up appointment at the ENT's office.  It is a little hard to believe it has already been two weeks since his surgery for ear tubes!  After a great hearing test and a quick look in his ears, our wonderful doc says all is well and we don't need to come back until it is time for a one YEAR checkup.

pre-op

Lawson got sick right after his tubes so until this week it has been really hard to tell how much the tubes have helped.  His disposition has been much better during the day, but until I saw him at the hearing test today, I was really unsure if the tubes had helped at all.

Since he is feeling better, we started sleep training.  I prefer using the "Ferber" method of progressive waiting and it has worked like a charm.  I know that not many people like the CIO method, but with this at least you have a point at which you can go check on them.  And, for the record, there has not been one single time where Lawson has cried longer than 10 minutes or had to go past the second waiting time.  Last night he slept (without waking) from 8pm until 2:45am.  That is a miracle, people.  And, after 10 minutes of crying, he was back asleep until 6:45am.  Praise the Lord.  CIO works for this family.

In other news, tomorrow is his first haircut.

I am not exactly excited and have yet to decide how much hair will be cut from his head.  He is just so stinking cute (even with the curl that sweeps away from the side of his head).

I'll post an after pic for you soon (assuming the haircut takes place...lol).

Last but not Least, Lawson

My friend, Erin, did a series about her kiddos (that you can find here, here, and here) that I just loved.  She is a great mom and a wonderful blogger and after reading her first post I decided to steal her idea! My first two are here and here.  And now, on to my precious baby boy, Lawson.



photo by ccmiller

 If I were going to introduce you to Lawson, I would probably tell you the following things....

1.  He loves his sisters.
2.  When he eats he likes to have a cheerio or puff in his mouth before taking a bite of his actual food.
3.  His favorite toys are the Dora guitar, blocks, and his rocktivity music table.
4.  He is a dancing machine.
5.  Yes, he is small for his age.  No, he isn't walking yet.  Nope, no teeth either.  Am I worried?  No.
6.  Oh, and yes, still breastfeeding.  As much as I have tried, he refuses to drink from a cup.  Bottles aren't much better.
7.  He is ticklish on his feet and on his belly.  For extra laughs, give him a big zerbert.
8.  Favorite foods include avocado, banana, spaghetti, and pancakes.  He is old enough to want to feed himself, but the no teeth thing makes it a little tricky.
9.  I think he secretly wants a little brother.
10.  He is a momma's boy.  I don't know how it happened (haha), but I love it.
11.  Whenever he hears the garage door opening he starts waving.  The girls have been waving at Jason when he leaves for awhile now and Lawson is starting to catch on.
12.  He is a total paci addict.  While I realize that for some paci use is totally normal at a year and for others it is totally not normal, we have been waiting for a period of wellness before taking it away. 
13.  When he crawls on the tile he does this weird one leg extended crawl that is hysterical.
14.  If you are looking for a cuddle bug, look no further.  Lawson is one cuddly kid.


I know from past experience that children change.  What you say about them when they are babies can so easily change when they are 2 or 3, or 4 and so on.  After all, I once called Molly easy and laid back.  However, with that being said, I think Lawson will remain as laid back and chill as he is now.  And my hope is that he remains just as sweet and happy as he is now also.  I love him more than I really thought possible.  I mean, I know that you love each kid just as much, but I may have been a little worried about being a mom of a boy.  Turns out, it is pretty amazing.  Lawson is pretty amazing.

Update on Sleep

Awhile back I posted about what I consider to be a myth, children sleeping through the night.  Many of you commented, and some suggested ways I might experience the magical joy of a full night's sleep.  After a few months of experimenting, I thought I would update you on our sleeping lives.  As if you care!

So, as I mentioned in my first post, I believe (and still do) that first time parents fall into the trap of thinking there is some wonderful age, usually around three or four months, where their child will start sleeping through the night and life will go back to normal and they will forever more be sleeping without any interruptions.  The problem is, in my opinion, that idea is crap.  A crap idea that I bought hook, line and sinker. 

See, there are these things called growth spurts, and sicknesses, or ear infections (ugh!), and nightmares, and loud thunderstorms, and so on.  The list of possible night interruptions is endless.  Most of the time, once kids start sleeping through the night, they keep it up.  But, it does not mean that you will never again be up in the middle of the night.  (I think even as they are teenagers, I may be awake some in the middle of the night......maybe not because they are in bed with us, but I think parents still have restless nights even with grown children)

With that being said, many commented that perhaps if I stopped the afternoon napping habit that bedtime would be much easier and my kids would, in fact, sleep through the night without waking up.  So, we gave up naps. 

Gave. Up. Naps.

Except for Lawson.

No naps. 

Did you catch that?  No naps.  For anyone.  Including me.  UGH.

The results?  No naps is much, much, much more work than naps.  Because, you see, Molly is still tired.  And it is serious work to keep her awake throughout the day.  If we go somewhere in the afternoon, forget it, she is out in seconds once the car starts moving.  And forget putting on a show while I cook dinner.  She will be out in a matter of minutes then also.  She has been known to fall asleep during dinner!  My kids have never been the type to fall asleep anywhere other than their beds.  Until now.

BUT, if we manage to keep Molly awake during the day, bedtime is a breeze.  And she stays in her bed at night.  Mostly.  Isabelle has also improved in going to bed.  She was never really difficult, but it is easier now.  And like Molly, she has improved at staying in her bed throughout the night.

I can't say whether or not I think no naps was a good idea or bad idea.  I am so tired from being up with Lawson that a nap really sounds great about 2pm.  And, it is serious work to keep Molly awake sometimes.  And, the days where I fail, and she falls asleep....bedtime is right back to being a chore.  So who knows.  I am sure Jason appreciates the decline in the number of nights a little child is crawling into bed with him, but again, they aren't gone altogether.

As for Lawson, I am just hoping and praying that once we have the ear tubes put in, sleeping will go back to normal for him.  Only two more weeks until surgery.  To the mommas who have been through the ear tube madness, I am so impressed by you.  This not sleeping thing is no joke!

I am going to continue the no nap routine.  It gives us an earlier bedtime, and usually more sleep at night from the girls, which I like.  However, I would hate to give the impression that taking away naps was easy or is easier than what we were doing before.  Kids are work.  Plain and simple.  I only traded one kind of work for another.  Lawson will continue to nap for at least another year.  And I am counting on the tubes to do the trick at night. 

Do your kids take naps?  What has been your experience with your kiddos sleeping through the night?  I would love to hear your opinion!

Lawson is ONE!

So my baby boy turned one this past weekend.  One.  Crazy.  I am having a hard time coping.  Freal.  He is helping me a little by not walking and not getting any teeth so he still looks like a baby.  Kind of. 

one of the greatest days ever

Here is some info about Lawson at one.

Height: 29 inches (24th percentile)
Weight: 18 lbs and 11 oz (3rd percentile)

photo taken on his actual birthday

Eating:  Was improved until this past weekend.  He is/was eating more "real" foods like non-baby oatmeal for breakfast, veggie pasta or spaghetti, chicken cut up into tiny, itty bitty pieces, soup, bread, etc.  Basically I am trying to get away from baby food.  It is hard with the no teeth thing to find table foods that he can eat!  Lawson still nurses about 4-5 times a day and I think for now I will continue to nurse.  I may change my mind once those teeth come in, but for now we're sticking with it.  Lawson eats just about anything I give him with the exception of chicken pot pie!

Sleeping:  Also had major progress until this most recent sickness.  While Lawson has never really gone through a long phase of sleeping through the night, it was close during these past three weeks.  I had finally felt enough peace about his ears to do some sleep training and then BAM, sick again.  After seeing the doc today we are scheduling a time to meet with our ENT to discuss tubes.  Hopefully one of these days Lawson and I will sleep.

Likes:  Anything his sisters like, his rocktivity music table, his paci (lol), pulling up on the furniture and cruising around, taking baths.

Dislikes:  Having his nose wiped, not being allowed into his sisters' room, drinking from a cup.

Milestones:  Lawson started clapping and is close to mastering some signing.  We are working on mostly food/eating related signs for now.  He also started taking baths in the bathtub without the baby bath and really likes it when he gets to take a bath with Isabelle and Molly.

For Lawson's birthday Jason and I made a construction cake that I discovered on pinterest.  I found the picture on pinterest but the link only took me to spam, so I googled construction cake and found her site.  Here is the link.

Her cake was pretty awesome and I thought we could pull it off.  I was responsible for the cake (I used the recipes from her site) and the icing (used this icing and made the chocolate version).  I have to tell you that I think this was the best from scratch cake I have ever made.  The frosting was super yummy also!  Jason was responsible for the decorating.  He cut a little sliver out of the top and piled it back on the cake and frosted over it all.  We then used oreo crumbs for dirt and put candy rocks on as well.  The trucks were purchased at target in a little combo pack of construction vehicles.  Jason did a great job and overall the cake was a huge success. 

Here are some photos of the cake.

And, just as soon as Laws is feeling better the lovely CCMiller will be taking some photos for us!  I am so excited to hopefully get some great shots of my little guy!

Happy Birthday to the cutest, most cuddly, sweetest, most adorable little guy on the planet!

Ten Months Old

This past month has been the slowest and fastest ever.  I guess that is what happens when your child is sick for pretty much an entire month.  Poor Lawson couldn't catch a break this month.  First was a cold, then an ear infection, now Roseola.  He has dealt with snot, vomiting, fever, diarrhea, ear pain, and now a rash all over his body.

He is miserable, I am tired and the girls are pretty sick of not having access to their mom like usual.

Here is some info about Lawson at 10 months old.

Height and Weight:  He weighed in at 18lbs today.  This is good since he had diarrhea for four of the last seven days.  He was fully clothed which may have contributed to a weight gain, but we'll take it! 

Eating:  Lawson has had a marked decrease in his appetite this month.  Again, probably because he has felt like crap most of the month.  I don't feel like I can say how his eating habits have been because nothing has been consistent.  He isn't eating much, isn't nursing much and won't really touch his snacks.  My doctor said the nasty word "self-weaning" today at our appointment suggesting that is why he isn't nursing but I will not accept that.  I think I will cry if that is what is happening.

Sleeping:  Ugh.  Again, being sick sure gets everything out of whack.  This month has been terrible for sleep.  Hard to get to sleep, doesn't stay asleep and naps are all over the place.  Looking forward to a healthy baby so we can get back on track.  Though, I have decided (and may do a blog post on) that sleeping through the night is a big, fat myth.  Seriously, not even my four year old consistently sleeps through the night. 

Likes:  Being held, being rocked, watching Gabba, and playing with toys that play music.

Dislikes:  Taking medicine

Milestones:  I don't know if I mentioned it or not, but he has been waving for a month, and while he hasn't started signing, I am starting to sign to him.  He isn't crawling, but still doing his army crawl, however he is starting to try and pull up on the furniture.

I say it every month, but it seems fitting to say how thankful I am for Lawson during November!  This month hasn't been the easiest month, but I realize how fast this time goes by.  I am more than thankful that I have the ability to stay home and take care of my kiddos when they are sick without worrying about losing my job or not having an income.

Looking forward to a much more healthy report next month!

Eight Months

Lawson just keeps growing up.  I hate, hate, hate, hate it.  Like seriously, hate.  There is not much in this world that I would say I hate, but Lawson getting older falls in that category.  And hot weather.  I hate hot.  Moving on....Lawson is eight months old today.  Sometimes I look at my husband and realize that someday Lawson will be that big also and it makes me want to cry.  I am going to be a hot mess when he turns one.  Unless I am preggers again by then in which case I might be less sad, or maybe way more sad who knows. 

ANYWAY...Lawson is eight months today.

Here is some info about Lawson at eight months!

Height and Weight:  Unknown

We have managed to go another whole month without any trips to the doctor.   Whoo Hoo!!!  Though, just as before, he is still the smallest in his nursery at church.

Eating:  NON STOP.  For real.  We have started more and more and more solids.  We also started with the dreaded puffs.  He loves them but I had forgotten just how messy they were.  So basically he eats actual food two or three times a day (fruits, veggies, rice cereal), and then nurses what feels like a bazillion times a day.  In reality he is nursing every four or so hours sometimes less.

Sleeping:  Let's just say that no one in the house is really sleeping great these days.  Lawson included.  He has been waking up two or three times a night.  And yes, I realize there are those that would say to let him CIO, but at this point I am not going to do that.  Naps, however, are going great.  And I am not using the swing to get him to sleep anymore, just laying him down in his crib.

Likes:  crawling/scooting all over the house, playing in his sisters' room, eating puffs, putting things in his mouth, giving mom kisses (whoo hoo), and playing with toys

Dislikes:  sleeping through the night, not eating, being hot, being wet, being ignored

Milestones:  Lawson is sitting up all the way (PTL), scooting/crawling, and since I forgot to mention it last month.....saying dada.  Still no teeth and still has the paci. 

Well, there it is, a glimpse into Laws at 8 months old.  He is such a cutie pie.  I am so thankful for my little man!

Friday Five: Updates

Time for a few updates on the fam!  There have been lots of new developments going on and I don't think I have documented any of them!

First, one of the greatest things ever in all of time......MOLLY IS POTTY TRAINED.  Of course, now that I put it on the blog I am basically asking for an accident, but oh well.  We have been working for what seems like an eternity with Molly to get her out of diapers.  I hate having two in diapers.  It makes it seem like all I do all day long is change diapers.  So, we have been working overtime with Moll to get her out of the stupid diapers.  We tried candy and sticker charts and new princess undies and peer pressure and nothing was working.  And then we went out of town.  I just knew that throwing a wrench into our schedule and sticking her in the car for hours on end was going to erase any progress we had made, however, it had the opposite effect.  Cuh-razy.  I don't know why or how it happened, but while we were at the lake Molly stopped having accidents and started going in the toilet all. the. time.  And we are still accident free since being home.  We do still have to use diapers at nap and bedtime, but hopefully that will be over with soon also.  I used to hate it when people said their kids were potty trained when they were still in diapers at night, but I get it now.  She is potty trained.  She knows to go in the bathroom when she has to go and that is a MAJOR success.

photo from our recent playdate at chick-fil-a

Second, Lawson has done a few major things lately.  He is sitting up now, though he won't do it unless it's his idea, he is almost crawling (just needs to get one more arm in the mix) and he has been saying dada for like a month.  But the biggest Lawson news of all is his sleeping all the way through the night without waking up at all even for a paci replacement!!!!  Yes, yes, I know.  Kids much younger than Lawson sleep through the night, but well, I just couldn't find it inside myself to sleep train my little guy.  I have been tired, yes, but I have really enjoyed my middle of the night, quiet, nursing time with him.  And once again, by putting it on the blog I am practically ensuring that tonight he will be up a dozen times! 

Lawson being his regular smiley self.

Next up, Isabelle.  That girl is a hoot.  She is getting so big and so smart.  I have learned that for her when she says she wants to do school what she really means is that she wants to color pictures, read books and sing songs.  She does NOT want to practice writing, practice cutting or work on patterns.  Since she is already so far ahead in those areas I am going to give her a rest and try to get a little more creative in my schooling approach. 

Isabelle at CFA.

As for me, things are going well.  I joined a local MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) group and l.o.v.e.d. it.  I don't want to sound to nerdy or cheesy or anything, but for a long time I have been trying all kinds of different things to meet people and get connected with other moms and each time have come up short.  While I have gotten something out of everything I have tried I always come away with the feeling that I haven't quite found a place to fit in or to belong. Because of that, I almost didn't go to MOPS.  I was apprehensive to say the least.  I was worried that I would be odd man out or that people wouldn't like me, or that I wouldn't like any of them, and I was worried my kids wouldn't like going.  Thankfully I went ahead and went and it was so great.  Like so great.  The girls had a great time, Lawson did great, I was not odd man out, in fact everyone almost everyone I met was new to the group this year, and they were all so incredibly nice.  Not fake nice, but like actually nice.  In case any of them are reading this I will stop now so I don't seem weird, but just between you and me, it was such an answer to prayer!

Lastly, J man.  Well, I bet you can guess what kind of updates I have on Jason.  He is busy.  Betcha didn't see that one coming!!!  That man stays busy.  I laugh when he says something about how he is "super busy this week" as if he wasn't "super busy" last week.  I am grateful that his company has work and that he is staying busy but there are times when I wish he wasn't so busy all the time. 

So there you go, some updates on our little fam.  I am almost done with all the laundry that we dirtied up while on our lake adventure.  This weekend is a busy one so I need to get it all finished today!  Hooray for laundry!

Six Months

Lawson turned six months old last week.  Just saying it is a little weird.  Sometimes I feel like the time has gone by so quickly and other times I feel like he has been a part of the family for much longer than six months.  He fits right in around here.  As I am typing this, the girls have their Elmo chairs pulled up by the swing and are both reading him their library books.  It is precious.  I would take a picture except my phone is plugged in to the computer!

this photo is from today when i was trying to get him to take a nap!  he is chillin' in his sister's pink swing, rockin' the paci.  not the best picture in the world, but pretty much sums up his life at six months old.

Some facts about Lawson:

Height: 26 inches.  35th percentile.  He was in like the 60 something percentile at four months...he just hasn't gotten much longer!

Weight:  15lbs 13oz.  22nd percentile.  Again, he was the 25th percentile at four months, so just a little less this time.

Lawson has been the smallest of my babies so far.  I am sure that will change at some point, but for now I like my small little man.

Eating:  This kid is an eater, which is weird considering he stays so small!  We have started rice cereal and bananas.  Sweet potatoes and avocado are right around the corner.  Truthfully, I need to be more consistent about his eating times.  It is just not super easy to remember.  I sometimes feel like all I do all day long is feed kids and wipe their butts.  Oh, and clean up after they eat.  That is a big job too.

Sleeping:  Several naps a day and at night he sleeps 8 or 9 hours, eats and then sleeps a few more hours.  I would prefer a longer stretch, but I will take what I can get.  I am still terrified of letting him CIO for naps or to get to sleep so we are one of "those" families who let him fall asleep in the swing, or rock him to sleep.

Likes:  Rolling all over the living room floor, playing with toys, swinging, and blowing spit bubbles.

Dislikes:  Being hungry, being hot, being ignored.

Lawson is becoming more and more mobile everyday.  He is up on all fours and rocking back and forth, but not crawling yet.  He doesn't like to be in a sitting position, but we are working on that.

He is still an easy baby.  He is almost always happy and quiet.  I think it has more to do with the fact that he is number three and really has no choice but to be easy going, but whatever the cause he is for sure the most laid back and easy going one of the three.

I can't say enough how much I love being his mom.  He is such a great little guy.  Happy six months, Lawson.

Friday Five: How three is easier than two...for real

If someone had told me that three kids would be easier than two, I am pretty sure I would have laughed in their face.  After all, it isn't like my two oldest are way older..they were three and almost two when Mr. Man arrived on the scene.  So the thought that it would be easier than the transition from one to two was pretty unbelievable.  But, you know what, it is easier.  Three kids seems to be easier than two and I think I know why.  Or at least have a few ideas.

1.  I am a different parent.  I think this makes the biggest difference.  With Belle I was very structured.  Like very, very, very structured.  And I don't think that was a bad thing.  Being that structured helped me learn.  We never left the house during a set nap time, and believe me there were set nap times.  We didn't go somewhere if it meant not being home by bedtime and you could set your watch to Isabelle's sleep-eat-play schedule.  I was a firm Babywise mom and nothing was going to get in my way.  I read a lot of books and the ones that I agreed with I pretty much did exactly what they said and made no exceptions or adjustments. 

With Molly I was a little more relaxed.  Probably not by choice, but by necessity.  I had a 16 month old to take care of also, so my time was a little more stretched.  Making the transition to two was very tough for me.  I didn't have a clue what to do if they were both crying at the same time, or both hungry, or both anything.  So there were a lot of days where I was stressed and frazzled and downright exhausted.

Now comes Lawson.  He is an easy baby, yes.  But he also has no choice.  I am not as structured, and don't think I have to be.  I realize flexibility comes in handy.  Sure, I still try to stick to the babywise philosophy of sleep-eat-play, but I don't stress if his nap times aren't at exactly the same time everyday and I am beyond okay with letting the swing get him to sleep.

2.  I am a more confident parent.  I finally feel like I have some idea of what I am doing when it comes to being a mom.  I don't freak out at every cough, or runny nose, or rash, or whatever.  I have seen it before.  I know what to do.  I spend much less time on the phone with the doctor, going to doctor visits and looking on the internet than I did before.  I also know what routine works best for our family.  Our routine has taken some time as well as trial and error to figure out, but now I feel like I know what each kid needs and how best to keep everyone mostly happy.  Along that same line, I don't freak out if they are all crying or all hungry, I just take care of them one at a time.  Learning to be patient and wait happens everyday at this house.

3.  I gave up on the idea of a clean house.  I guess this could fall under #1, but a clean house really has little to do with parenting.  Again, this was a progression with each child I had, but now at number three I am at a point where a little mess isn't the end of the world.  Our house most days isn't necessarily dirty, but almost always is cluttered.  I try to pick up only a few times each day.  At nap time, before Dad gets home, and before bed.  The whole play with one toy then pick it up business didn't work at our house.  There are usually toys of all kinds everywhere and I have learned to be okay with that.

4.  I do a lot of the things I would have NEVER done with Isabelle.  I let Lawson fall asleep in the swing.  I have also been known to nurse him to sleep at night.  I let the girls watch more tv than I should.  My kids sometimes stay in pjs until lunch time (or later).  Sometimes the girls never get dressed and run around with only diaper/underwear on.  I don't keep them to an exact schedule from day to day.  I bribe them with suckers and other sugary treats.  You know, regular mom stuff.  Except that when I was a mom of one, I swore I would never, never, never do most of those things.

5.  I figured out that I can take care of more than one child without having a nervous breakdown.  Seriously.  I remember days that I would call Jason (both when I was a mom of one and when I was a mom of two) and beg and plead and cry for him to, "PLEASE COME HOME NOW."  I am slightly embarrassed to admit it, but I remember feeling like I just could not take it one more minute.  Of course, he couldn't just leave work every time I was having a rough day and after surviving enough of those days I now realize that a bad day isn't the end of the world.  I will survive.  Not only that, but I have figured out how to cope and even how to turn a horrible day or a horrible moment into something better.  Girls having serious meltdowns?  Turn on music and have a dance party.  I don't know why it works, but a dance party cures a lot around here.  Everyone needs their butt wiped at the same time?  Deal with the youngest first, then work my way up.  Isabelle is old enough to wait.  Everyone cranky?  Feed them.  Giving food to my kids almost always cheers them up.   Not having someone to rush to my rescue all the time forced me to figure it out on my own.  It wasn't fun at the time, but I am glad that I now know what to do on the days where I feel like I might explode!

What about you?  Do you feel like things got easier after two?  (E, you don't count...you have twins!!!)  Pretty sure that the fact that it was easier this time around is what is contributing to the strong desire to have one more!  (if you listen closely you can hear my in-laws gasping in horror right now!!!)

Back to Blogging

I took a little break last week from the blog.  Not intentional, but it happened.

Here's what I should have been blogging about........

Our Fourth of July.  We didn't do much, so there wasn't much to blog about.  Truthfully, Jason and I spent a majority of the morning/afternoon cleaning all of the grout in our kitchen with scrub brushes.  We are majorly weird.  Jason spilled something and after he cleaned it up we were painfully aware of how dirty our floor was.  We are the kind of people that really can't leave things like that alone.  So on our hands and knees we scrubbed away!  I am happy to report that we did eventually have some real fun watching the girls swim in the backyard, eating burgers and watching fireworks. 

not related to the fourth, but too cute not to share!  taken at our church's 25th annv. celebration.

Every night since the Fourth of July Isabelle has been requesting the National Anthem as her bedtime song.  She asks for the fireworks song.  It is pretty funny.

My new vegetarian recipes.  Seriously delicious.  We have had Healthy Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes and Stuffed Peppers.  I have not managed to have a single vegan day, but I have done pretty well with no meat.  My favorite thing so far has been the cucumber, avocado, and tomato sandwiches at lunch.  I have switched from real milk to almond milk and since I am not a milk drinker (just have it on cereal) I have not minded the difference.  I am pretty pumped to keep trying new recipes and avoid eating meat as often as possible.  (I did have a burger on the 4th!)

Lawson.  He is going to be six months this month and I have finally started serving him some food.  We have tried rice cereal and bananas.  He doesn't seem very interested.  He does look pretty cute when he is eating though.

cutie patootie even when covered in cereal!

My sister's new blog.  Life in Progress.  I am so excited to see what she posts next!  My sis is new to the blogging world, but I know that she is going to do great!  She is full of good advice and helpful info for parents.  Check it out when you get a chance and leave her some love!

So, it is clear that I should not have taken such a big break, but it did give me some added time to finish up some homeschooling stuff for the girls (so excited to get started), spend some extra time with the hubby, and be in front of the computer less!

I promise to not take such a long break again for a while!

A List

1.  I have decided to do homeschool preschool with the girls.  Isabelle technically would not be able to start preschool until next fall, but I think she is ready and most of the material Molly can do also.  If preschool goes well, I may just decide to keep going...who knows.

this has nothing to do with this post, but i think she is so darn cute!

2.  I watched Forks Over Knives the other day on netflix and it has rocked my world.  No, I am not going totally vegan this instant (i love cheeseburgers and ice cream too much)....but who knows, I might one day.  For now we are working on eliminating the vast majority of meat out of our diets.  I really believe everyone should watch these types of movies (like this one and food inc. and many like them) and be more informed, but that isn't American's style now is it?  Crazy to think how many people suffer from obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. and won't try something so simple as changing their diet.  Notice I said simple, not easy.  Okay, I will step off the soapbox now.

just another cute picture.

3.  Saying I am going to homeschool and looking into veganism makes me sound like quite the hippie.  I assure you I am not.  Of course, I don't fully immunize my kiddos either so maybe I am???

4.  I took the girls to story time at the library yesterday.  They had a great time and I think we are going to make it a weekly thing.  The funny thing is I told them to be quiet and sit still while we were there so during the song time when the other kids were standing up and singing, my kids were just sitting there looking confused.  Mom fail.  Next time I will tell them just to obey the teacher!!!!

5.  Lawson is getting too big.  I want my baby back. (in my head is the baby back ribs song)  It is high time he should be sleeping through the night and instead he is getting up again.  I should let him cry it out but I am terrified, TERRIFIED of him waking up the girls.

6.  One of the most exciting things that has happened to me this past week was learning how to use emoticons on my phone.  True story.

7.  I want to move to Minnesota or Alaska, or Antartica.  Somewhere cold.  Very, very cold.  It is going to be over 100 here again today....like 106.  I hate hot.  HATE HOT.

8.  I have become slightly depressed over never being able to check off laundry or dishes from my to do list.

9.  Did I mention how much I hate hot weather? 

10. Right at this very moment my girls are jumping from the chair to the table to the other chair in my living room while throwing plastic french fries all over the place.  I think I am going to lose my mind!

11.  Isabelle used her newfound scissor skills to cut her hair this past week.

I am ending on #11 to see if my bro, Danny, reads this.  He hates odd numbers.  And prime numbers.  We are a weird group!

Five Months Old

As Isabelle would say, "Holy moly cow." 

How is it that my little baby boy is five months old?  Totally weird.  And crappy.  I want Lawson to stay small.  Late night feedings and poopy diapers and all.  He isn't cooperating.  What a little stinker.

Here are some facts about Lawson at five months old!

Weight: 14lbs, 11oz

Height:  Who knows

Likes:  his swing, playing on the play mat, grabbing his toes, talking (well, babbling really), being held, and his momma

Dislikes:  tummy time

What's happened in the last month:  developed thrush (fun for baby and mom...), started sleeping more consistently, started being okay with the car seat, went swimming for the first time, another zoo trip, tried rice cereal (fail), and went on our first vacation which included lots of other firsts!

Eating:  Still eats all the time.  during the day it is at least every three hours, sometimes more.  pretty sure most babies are eating every four or four and a half hours at this age.  not laws, he is an eater.

Sleeping:  Several naps during the day, goes to bed around the same time as the girls (8:00 or 8:30) and then sleeps till about 5am, feed him and back to sleep for awhile.  I am way, way, way less consistent with the whole Babywise thing with Lawson than I was with the girls.  Funny how that works out.  We still follow the whole sleep, eat, play thing, but that is about it.

With a third baby it turns out you are a little bit more relaxed in your parenting.  I realized how true that was when we were at the pool on Sunday.  Lawson was asleep and I was holding him while the girls were swimming.  When Isabelle was a baby there is no way I would have left the house during her nap time.  Poor Lawson has to get his naps in when and where he can.  I think it is probably a good thing that I am not as rigid this time around, but I still sometimes feel a little guilty for not being the same with each kid! 

Happy five months, little guy.  Your mom and dad sure love you!