Mr. Mason Man and Miss Kensie Girl {new stages}

This boy has a smile that can light up a room. Seriously. And those big blue eyes--just like his big sister. He melts me from the inside out with that sweet face. He's 5 months today and just gets cuter by the second.

I never thought boy babies could be cuter than girl babies. You know what I mean? Not that girls are cuter than boys...I just always had it in my head that baby girls would ALWAYS beat out baby boys (in the "cute" department anyway). But, now I bite my lip. I tell Greg almost every night before bed, "I really never thought a boy could be cuter than Kensie but, I think Mason just might have passed her up!"

I've said it before but he has SO much more personality than Kensie did at this stage.

Who knows how that will translate once HE turns 2. Speaking of turning 2.....someone is crossing over to her second year of life in a month.

Miss Kensie has had a few more spanks and time-outs this week. Oh my dear Kensie girl. She has run out of teething excuses, up-too-late-last-night excuses, etc. As one friend put it, she's just growing up. Testing to see which buttons are best to push. I see her frustration when she can't communicate, or can't finish whatever task she's trying so desperately to finish. And I see her wanting to make her own choices. Not just the ones I give her. *Sigh*. And I'm trying to stay calm. Make lots of eye-contact. Talk calmly repeating the SAME thing for the ten thousandth time. Many of my friends have kids between ages 2 and 3....and well, I think I'm next. Should be an interesting year to say the least.

I'll be honest, I'm not looking forward to potty training, moving to her big-girl bed, and being in the front lines of parenting. Consistency is key but patience is fleeting. So pray for me if you think of it.

Mr. Noodle

I love our town. It reminds me so much of the town I grew up in. Cute little downtown with unique shops and boutiques. Farmer's Market every Wednesday and Saturday. Just minutes from the beach. Small enough to run into people you know. A place where "college-town" meets "family-friendly". A perfect place to raise your kids.

It's definitely what gets me through those tough mid-west winters sometimes.
That's for sure. 

Every Thursday night {during the summer} is Street Performers Night!

It's basically an outdoor talent show featuring a variety of live performances throughout downtown. They close off the street for easy walking and performers litter the sidewalks in every nook and cranny.

Singers

Hip-hop dancers

Juggling acts

Belly-dancers

Magicians

and Kensie's favorite.....

Mr. Noodle

Well, that's what we call him anyway.

Big shoes. Red nose. A hat full of tricks. Silly suspenders and white gloves. The quintessential clown.

He never says a word but, has the ability to capture an audience {especially kids}.

What a fun and rewarding gift he has!

Unfortunately, he wasn't there last night. We walked up and down the street while Kensie repeated, "Noonle...Noonle...Noonle".

Even the "juggling-fire-while-riding-a-unicycle" act didn't impress her.

Let's hope Mr. Noodle is there next week, or I'm gonna have some serious explaining to do.

My motto

My new motto lately {one of many by the way} has been this:

"Mommies think about mommy things and Daddies think about Daddy things"

It's silly, but I say it ALL the time.

It has recently helped avoid many a conflict between Greg and I.

All in all, it keeps me sane.

Here's some {purely hypothetical of course} examples:

• When packing the diaper bag...
• Mommies remember everything for baby--plus some extras.
• Daddies remember everything accept the most important thing (ie: got the formula, but forgot the bottle...got the wipes, but forgot the diapers).

• When eating a snack...
• Mommies eat the same thing as their toddler to avoid a scene--or sneak it in the kitchen when the child is not looking.
• Daddies eat what sounds the best at the moment (like cheetos, or cookies of some kind)--in the living room, with an open can of Mt. Dew on the floor between munching, IN FRONT OF THE CHILD.

• When putting the kids to bed...
• Mommies (1) brush the toddlers teeth (2) get them in pj's (3) turn on the fan [for noise] and (4) shut the door.
• Daddies do 2 out of the 4.

• When doing "man-required" projects around the house...
• Mommies don't do "man-required" projects but, if they DID (and some of you mommies may) tools would be color coded and hanging in alphebetical order with labeled bins for scraps high up on shelves AWAY from kids. Am I right?
• Daddies leave every possible tool and scrap piece out in plain sight until whenever they get around to working on it next--usually on the floor. Perfect kid magnets.

• When coming into the house...
• Mommies take their shoes off and line them up against the wall.
• Daddies drop their shoes (and socks!) wherever they feel like it--usually in high traffic areas.

• When sitting down for dinner...
• Mommies only put the food out that will be consumed.
• Daddies leave ALL food and preparations out 'cuz they "might" eat some more later. And it ends up staying out until bedtime rolls around.

So, while we still have "discussions" about these everyday things....I am TRYING my hardest to plaster my motto across my brain and let go a bit. It's not worth fighting over petty things. And honestly, there are a LOT of things Greg thinks about that hardly ever cross my mind.

Like:

• How to financially plan for our future and our kids' futures. Remember, yours truly is Spender McSpendsalot.
• In what order to do house projects. I often just want the end result, and don't care how we get there.
• Coming up with more efficient driving routes when we take family trips (his super-power).
• Being adventurous and willing to let the kids try new things. I have a comfort zone so big that it needs it's own zip code. Really. Truly.
• Taking the kids outside with him while he works around the house. I would just do it during naps, but he takes the time to work along side them. Precious to watch.

Who knows what next week's motto will be but for now, I'm thankful for both of our roles. We need each other.

Toothpaste {a friendly competition}

Every couple months we go through another tube of toothpaste.

(Usually Crest, 'cuz I'm high-maintenance when it comes to my teeth and I'm a spender. Greg would brush with baking soda if he had to, 'cuz all he thinks about is how much that tube of Crest is costing us....aren't we such a good balance for each other?)

Anyway, every time we near the end of yet another tube something ignites in Greg and I. Well, it ignites in Mr. Penny-pincher first ('cuz he wants to get every last dime outta that thing) and I follow along ('cuz I'm oober competitive).

A battle of the wills.

Who will be the one to finally throw it away and start a new one?

Oh, it's onnnnn.

Who usually wins?

mmm not me.
(guys have stronger thumbs okay?)

Am I bitter about it?

usually.

Do I cheat?

sometimes.

Who's keeping track?

both of us.

Is it childish?

probably.

***

Competitive much??

Just a little.

Another year {flashbacks on marriage}

We are celebrating 6 years of marriage today! Whoa.

I remember that first year of married life so so SO well.

Every. little. detail.....

Well, the wedding was a blur to be honest--thank goodness for pictures! But the moment we left for our honeymoon to the Riviera Maya, we soaked up every teeny tiny moment together.



He's all mine ladies....



We giggled every time we referred to the other as "husband" or "wife". And we couldn't wait to tell people we had just gotten hitched. With each week that passed we neared another month and it felt like FOREVER to get to 6 months. "Wow! We've been married for 6 months! Doesn't our wedding seem like SOOO long ago!" Oh my past little self...how much faster it would get. 

Our tiny one-bedroom apartment was barely furnished, but we loved it. We couldn't wait to invite our other newly-married friends over for cards, movies and double dates.



Cathi & Justin. Aaron & Allison
These are some of our long-time "newlywed" friends from college (they're not as crazy as they look...ok maybe just a 'lil crazy). We all got married within just a couple months of each other and now all 3 couples have 2 kids each (just months apart as well). They also stood up in our wedding. LOVE these guys. And this is by far my favorite pic of them.

 Ok, back to us...

I would spend all day thinking of how I wanted to set the table and what new recipe I would try for when my hunky man came home from work. We would go for long bike rides with no destination in mind....take as long as we I wanted wondering the malls....spend Sunday afternoons hid away in our bedroom....

Ahhhh that first year. There's just nothing like it. I truly remember thinking to myself, "this is everything I thought it would be!".

***

And although those days are gone (in some ways).....although we are busy with work, blessed with children (who add to the busyness)...although we find little time for dates and disagree on occasion....although we fight over the blankets and sleep on opposite sides of the bed sometimes....

...We celebrate 6 years gone by...we celebrate the depth of our conversations and late night talks...we celebrate our triumph over tough times and being there for each other when we need it most....we celebrate commitment and choosing to love even when we don't feel like it.....we celebrate marriage because not many do anymore.

Happy 6 years my love! I pray the next 6 will be even sweeter.

Pardon me...

...while I switch things up a bit.

I'm in the process of changing the style of this here blog. I'm an amateur mind you, so don't get too excited. Just a few font changes here and there, a few color and background tweaks and hopefully a more updated header pic (since we have a new member to the family who is almost 5 months old already!). Although I simply LOVE the feet pic {taken by the talented Tammi Dryden btw} and it's nearly impossible to re-create something that special a second time. Or maybe I'll do a collage of some kind...I dunno. But, mostly I wanted a W I D E R layout so my posts look less like a never-ending novel and make it easier on the eyes to read. Even though I know you read every post all the way to the end, right? Psshhhh. Yeah right. More like speed scanning--that's what I do most of the time (secret's out!). That's why I use lots of lists and bold letters--so you have an excuse to scan and get the gist (or is it 'jist'....they both look wrong but I really wanted to use the word. Oh well).

Gotta run!

Nursing {personal pro's and con's}

Today's topic? Nursing.

Controversial? ummm YES.

Like SO many child-rearing topics, nursing is one of those things mothers spend a lot of time discussing. Whether you are nursing or bottle feeding or both, it's a hot topic. Here's a few sub-topics to get you all fired up about...

• Nursing in public--it's legal but is it appropriate? And to what extent?
• How often should you nurse?--is it simply a matter of supply and demand or should you stick to scheduled feedings?
• How do you increase milk supply if your baby isn't getting enough? (Don't get me started on how much I've read up on this one and how many crazy ideas are out there...) 
• Should you nurse your baby to sleep? Or keep them awake after a feeding?
• If your baby cries after the bottle is empty does it mean he/she is still hungry? Or does your baby not know he/she is full and is crying out of frustration more than hunger?
• If nursing is easy for you: to what age should you nurse your baby?
• If nursing is a hard for you: how long do you struggle with it and when is it ok to "throw in the towel"?
• When and how do you start to wean your baby? (Which I'm currently starting to do with Mason for many reasons. Keep reading to find out...)

**As far as all that (above) is concerned....do what is best for you, your family, and your way of life. When it comes to nursing, there are no black and white answers. Every baby is different and every mom is different. You should not feel forced into a corner by one person's experience. Learn what you can from others and apply it if needed.
That's my opinion.** 

So, here's my perspective in a list ('cuz I like lists...and 'cuz I like looking back a year from now to remember where I was at...and mostly 'cuz I'm not good at writing in paragraphs and have terrible grammar).

PRO'S--short and sweet:

1. It's FREE. Formula is expensive. Period.
2. It's better for baby (from a nutritional stand-point)
3. Prevents baby from getting sick (due to the antibodies you give through your milk)
4. It's great bonding for mama and baby
5. It teaches patience and persistence (can also be a con)--which I always need to practice.

CON'S--this is where it gets more personal and "wordy":

1. It's hard to nurse baby #2 when baby #1 doesn't understand the importance of feedings and wants you to play with her instead of nurse her baby brother. Multiply this scenario by 6 feedings a day and it starts to get old. Fast.
2. I DON'T LIKE NURSING IN PUBLIC. I wish I did. I don't mind when other people do but I'm not graceful at it. My babies are loud and messy eaters and therefore draw attention, not to mention the clumsy "shield" I have to use and cannot go an.y.where without it. And depending on the circumstance....what do you do if baby #1 starts acting up in public while you are nursing baby #2?? You have to bring a babysitter along if you go anywhere. Overall, me no likey. 
3. I'm one of about 7% of ladies who start their menstral cycle immediately following the 6 week after-birth. Yes, with both babies. Yes, even though I am nursing. I get my period once a month. Horray. After Kensie was born I was shocked but just went on with nursing like I thought I was supposed to. She ended up losing weight between 5 and 6 months old and I eventually switched to formula and was done nursing. I honestly have met NO ONE in real life who shares this experience. It wasn't until I came across this blog that I stopped thinking I was a complete freak-of-nature. In short, having my period affects the taste and supply of my milk--causing a fussier, night-waking baby during that dreaded week once a month. This time around (after Mason) I knew what I was getting into so I pumped A TON in the beginning and had a freezer stocked full of "emergency milk". I also started taking "the pill" this time around which eliminated my actual period but I still seem to have a drop in supply once a month. Booo!
4. I can't keep up with his growth spurts as a result of point #3. He is such a good sleeper if he gets enough to eat. So an extra bottle at night has really helped with the night-wakings. But, I currently have less than a week's worth of "emergency milk" left!

Now that I'm looking at my list it's no wonder that after ALL that I have indeed decided to start weaning my dear Mason. It is time. And I will be doing it much slower this round. I went cold turkey with Kensie and I was miserable for 3 straight days. So, this time I am substituting one nursing session with a bottle usually around his 3pm feeding. Then we'll move to 2 and so on. I'm looking to be done by the time he is 6 months old.

And that's my take on nursing! If you actually made it to the bottom I'm impressed...not always a fun topic but I like to keep things interesting!