family fun

Sunday morning was the perfect time for us to get outside and have some fun all together.  We set up Palmer's tiny pool from last year, put up the shade tent and laid out a blanket for baby Russell.  Don't be jealous of Palmer's hat/diaper/shoe combo ;)

Russell was very intrigued by the grass, but didn't love the taste.  He is becoming a little explorer, dragging himself around in an inchworm crawl!  His sitting has really improved, but we do have an occasional "incident". . . like two days ago when he face planted on the tile and busted his lip- OUCH! Poor baby had no idea what happened or why it hurt so bad!  

These two boys are just getting more and more fun and growing up so fast.  Palmer has one side of his crib now so it's his "big boy bed".  He has done great in it and doesn't get out of bed at all during the night!  Yay him!  He really is such a good boy MOST of the time :)  Have a wonderful long weekend friends!

summer is coming

Palmer is talking more and more which is so neat to hear.  He is now saying Mimi for Grammy, PawPaw for Grandpa, KaKa for KayKay, and of course BO for Beau the dog.  Scout is Cow, Russell is Bebe, our cat Vlu is Bloo.  Palmer's spring semester at MDO will be over in a couple weeks and his Kindermusik class wrapped up this Tuesday.  It will be a challenge to keep him busy without this structure during the summer!  We just got an easy-up shade tent for the backyard.  Hopefully the mosquitos and heat won't be immediately awful and we can spend some of our days in the baby pool and sandbox!

Russell is eating a variety of solid foods following the baby led weaning approach.  He has had steamed sweet potato, carrot, and pear sticks; scrambled eggs, cheerios, black beans, and bananas.  I've also let him gnaw on pizza crust (bad mommy!) which he loved.  He always wants food of his own now while we're sitting at the dinner table.  His sitting skills are much improved, but he will eventually topple over so I don't leave him on the tile unless he's on his belly.  Speaking of laying on his belly- he sneezed a few days ago and bashed his face on the floor- OUCH!  Poor baby had no idea what hit him!  Russell is looking like he wants to crawl, regularly assuming the plank position to practice his pilates.  I wouldn't be surprised if it happens next month!

Here is Palmer "helping" me with the laundry.  During this folding session, he was told not to mess with the already folded clothes and proceeded to exclaim, "NO Daddy, NO NO!" when Tyler picked up some clothes to put away.  Bossy pants!

photo update!

mommyhood round 2

When it was just infant Palmer and me at home, it was an eternity til naptime.  Weekends were few and far between, and I actually cried in the parking lot one Thursday when Kindermusik was cancelled.  It is so isolating being a new mom of one! Eventually I got involved in a few different groups of moms, we got busier, and met lots of other moms and kids who are now wonderful friends of ours! Fast forward to now. . .

Infancy with baby #2 is so different! With Russell + Palmer I can hardly get all the diapers changed, meals fed, messes managed, and playing done before nap. Before I know it, it's Wednesday night again and I have to pack Palmer's MDO bag for the next day, and sometimes we have too MANY plans and skip something just to relish a whole day at home. I have a big network of friends and never feel alone in this whirlwind of mommyhood anymore.  Two keep me too busy to be lonely!  I love that Russell has his big brother for entertainment. Babies get tired of just mommy sometimes!  (Although you wouldn't know that from how Russell acts when he see me in the next room, not holding him while Tyler is on baby duty).  Palmer pretty much runs the place, but Russell is as pleased as punch to be the spectator of older brother's every move :)

Russell gets out a lot more than Palmer did, since we have probably triple the plans when you count grocery shopping, dr visits for two, playdates, and all the other random errands that crop up.  Also I think you sort of get over the tendency to shut yourself in once you have a bigger kid.  Gotta burn up some toddler energy! Russell and I have special one on one time twice a week- Tuesday mornings while Palmer is with Grammy, and Thursday when Palmer has Mothers Day Out.  It's so nice to be able to play with just him, listen to his sweet giggles, and nuzzle his neck without all the toddler commotion and "issues". Believe me, toddlers have a LOT of issues ;)

Babywearing makes toting Russell around the house and the town so much easier and more enjoyable for us all rather than listening to him fuss in his exersaucer in the evening while I cook, or lugging the infant seat into Hobby Lobby.  I love our Ergo carrier for quick on and off in public, like in the grocery store parking lot, but I'm quickly learning how awesome woven wraps are! At least an hour a day, Russell rides around the house perched on my back just as snug as a bug.  Happy too! He falls asleep eventually more often than not.  I LOVE that instead of having to lay my cranky baby down to change big brothers diaper or move a load of laundry, I can do it all while he's close to me.  I can take my time preparing a healthy lunch for Palmer while Russell is in the wrap. I can push Palmer around in his truck. It's just awesome to be able to meet everybody's needs (especially the sad, sleepy baby's) at once.

I love these babies. I'm trying to soak in those precious moments as they happen, and constantly reminding myself that those "awful" days when I just want to scream or cry or both, aren't really that awful. I don't need anything else, except maybe daddy home more often :)

half a year????

I just plain cannot believe that Russell is 6 months old.  That means he is only 6 months away from his first birthday.  CRAZY!!!!!  He rolls over like a pro now and we can't hardly keep him on his back.  He would love to crawl and grab those awesome toys that are just out of reach, but I think it will still be a couple months :)  Ever since getting over his car-phobia he is just the happiest baby!  His brother demands quite a bit of attention so that's probably a good thing.  Russell loves nursing, biting fingers, and watching Palmer play.  He has had some baby oatmeal and a little bit of carrot puree, but I honestly haven't felt the urgency to start feeding him solids yet!  I want to do some more research on baby led weaning and will probably do a combo of that with standard homemade baby food.

My sweet baby! Stop growing!

Having fun as usual!

It has been so fun cloth diapering Russell from birth.  As you all know, I highly recommend it to anyone who asks!!  Less waste, more cute, plus a hobby for mommy :)  I read a quote once that said, "You don't wear paper underwear, why should your baby?".  That makes sense to me!  I have been slowly converting our mixed "stash" of pocket diapers/all-in-ones/prefolds/&covers, to all fitted diapers and wool.  That means mostly natural fibers, which is nice.  It's definitely an investment up front, but the resell value of high quality cloth diapering gear is really good.  My favorite brands are Little Fancy Pants, Bumstoppers, Pianissimo Cloth, and Sustainablebabyish.  If you see pics of the boys, it is highly likely they are wearing their wool shorties or longies from SBish (for short).  We <3 p="" woolies="">

brother bath time!

Palmer and Russell took their first bath together last week!  Well, sort of together.  Russell is in his large plastic whale and the whale is in the tub with Palmer.  It started out with Russell getting a bath and Palmer insisting on being included!  The funny thing turned out being Russell splashing Palmer.  Role reversal?  I think so!

here you can see the offending splashy foot

brother toes!

 

I love this picture.

awww, big bro got splashed in the eyes

aaaaah!  

what's up with us

Life sure does get busy with these two babies!  Plus Tyler and I have been on a "Breaking Bad" binge so I have been watching that in the evenings instead of blogging ;)  Things are going well around here, especially just in the past couple of days.  Russell has had a sleeping breakthrough THANK GOD!  Up until now I could count on one hand the number of times in his 5 month existence that he has slept for more than 3 hours in a row.  Now he's going to be between 7 and 8:30, depending on when he naps, nursing around midnight or 12:30, and sleeping til 6 am!  It is glorious.  He is such a happy boy in the morning too since I'm sure he feels much more rested.

We recently cemented ourselves in the upper middle class according to Tyler, after the purchase of a Bob double stroller.  Wow, they are PRICEY!  I found a used one on CraigsList in Frisco though and I know we'll be able to resell when we are finished with it.  There's the justification ;)  We might take it out today if the wind isn't too bad!  Palmer of course loves going outside and I have some catching up to do on my running plan.

Russell is grabbing for everything that looks brightly colored or interesting these days.  He is getting good use out of all his baby toys and exersaucer!  A few things that have spent a lot of time getting slobbered on are a Burt finger puppet and Sophie of course. He's also interested in his new giant plastic beads and all Palmer's cars.  He has rolled from his tummy to back, but not the other way yet.  Palmer plays with trucks, cars, his choo choo train, loves lots of books read to him at nap and nighttime, and can eat unlimited amounts of yogurt.

Just about to shove over onto his back

Palmer gives lots of hugs. . . this bouncy seat is losing its spring!

Consider the animal magnet

Place the animal magnet

Inspect placement

Pulling weeds with Daddy!  (Someone didn't want to take their bike helmet off ;)

put em in the bucket

Laughing and playing and drooling

The face that precedes the crying

Dancing to the music of that little barn on the fridge!