3rd Time's a Charm

My first semi-decent attempt at sewing a diaper!! Not perfect but definitely improved, now I just need to get the right kind of fabric (cheaply!) and make more.

Amazing

I've been reading this blog for a few months, written by MckMama. She was told a few months ago that her unborn son had a heart problem and would probably not survive. He was born yesterday and they can't find anything wrong with him!! Wow!

Changes

In case you can't tell I've made some changes to my blog. What do you think? Do you absolutely hate it? I figured I need a title change, since the baby bump is no more. Well it's still kind of there just without the baby! I don't know how much I like it so I might look for something new, such tough decisions.

4 Months of Eli

I'm sure I say this every month, but still- 4 months, WOW!! I really can't believe how quickly it's gone! This month Eli has decided naps are highly overrated. Although, I'm not going to mention that the other day he slept for 1.5hours!! But i won't mention it cause that would obviously jinx any chance of him doing it again (just go ahead and knock on wood for me, if you happen to "hear" that he DID sleep that long- thankyouverymuch). Anyway back to month 4, he can roll over both ways, but doesn't do it very often. He puts everything in his mouth, is starting to drool, and is spitting up a little less. He "talks" and laughs and thinks his big brother is hilarious. With both boys I've kept a blank calendar (where you fill in the days for their first year) and write on that rather than the babybook (I'm sure I'll fill that in eventually). Well Rowan's was always so full, I wrote down everything, Eli's is pretty blank. I write just the important stuff and even then sometimes I have to guess cause I forget to write it down. How sad it must be to be the second born! I'm glad I'm a firstborn :)

He had his 4 month check-up yesterday and passed with flying colors. His weight was 17lbs 10oz- even I was surprised he was THAT big! 25in. long and head circumference 43cm-incase you're keeping track. I think we may have to get a new car seat sooner than we expected!

Can you see the drool?

Look I have feet!

601 and 10 and 25

601- the number of pictures on my memory stick. I will try and remind myself to upload a few times a week rather than when the memory stick is full- which it still wasn't. For now I am trying to delete a couple hubdred bad pictures.

10- Today is my 10 year high school reunion, or maybe it was last week? I don't remember because I'm obvioulsly not going. I pretty much hated high school and could care less about seeing any of my old "friends," and I am having a hard time with the fact that I have been out of high school for 10 years!!!! Really 10 years, how is that even possible?! I won't bore you with anymore of my pathetic 10 year stuff, instead check out a very few of the pics from the last 2 weeks, since I'm sure you all are going crazy not being able to see my boys (and me) for so long!

Oh yeah, 25- I got a $25 gift certificate to 88 Broadway today from the Disability Expo, which we attended w/ Libbygirl and boys. Yippee I haven't been yet and could really need a drink- soon!!

Does anybody else think I look like I have a baldspot in this pic?

Please let me know if I have that in real life- thanks!

YEAH!! I'm the BIG brother!!

October is...

Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So go buy your little girls some pink ribbon babylegs.
Don't forget to Feel Your Boobies.

Recent Happenings

*I have a pretty new BLUE camera, with a fancy new memory stick that holds over 600 pictures. I will try and convince myself I don't need to fill the memory stick before putting on the computer- but until then no pics- sorry.

*Eli napped a total of 45minutes on Saturday. Yes. that is all day! Have I mentioned he's not a good napper?

*Rowan does not listen to a word I say. In fact when I tell him no he says "but I ALWAYS CAN!" This not listening thing resulted in him walking on the lid to our cold frame (where we grow spinach...in winter). The "lid" is actually an old wood framed window- window meaning the entire center is squares of glass. Yes, GLASS, Rowan walked through a glass window and somehow, did NOT get cut at all. He broke 4 pieces of the glass with his hands and feet and wasn't hurt!

*I think I may have, finally, sewed a decent diaper! :) I also, not so successfully made Rowan some comfy pants.

*I made Rowan a morning schedule to help him get ready on the days he goes to daycare. He LOVES it, it's working so well I think I am going to make him more for other times of the day, especially when he has the most trouble listening. I actually think it'll help, hopefully.

*Rowan's bites seem to be getting better, and I haven't noticed any new ones. I also haven't noticed the pirate bugs lately.

*Apparently, big boys don't ALWAYS like to poop in the potty- who knew?

*I've gotten a couple of babyshower invites recently- I absolutely LOVE seeing what first time-to-be parents register for, always gives me a good laugh!!

So Tell Me About....

FLEAS.
I'm getting worried. Row has had strange bites on his body (pretty much all over) for the last few weeks. They don't bother him, I've never even seen him itch- although if I ask him if they itch he says yes- but you know he's 3. He's seemed kind of sensitive to bites in the past so I didn't really think much about it. He could walk outside and a minute later have 3 mosquito bites, his bites also tend to hang around a little longer than on other people. So tonight (after having been outside) I saw what I thought was another damn pirate bug on my arm, I was on the phone so I didn't really look at it good, I went to smack it and it jumped, pirate bugs don't jump do they? None of the ones I've seen do, and the only bug I could think of that would jump is a flea.

We don't have any pets, but I know we could still get them, but if we had fleas in our house would it make sense that only Row would be getting bit? The rest of us don't have any bites. Do the bites itch, if that's what he has would they be bothering him? Could the fleas be living happily in his room only? Is there a way that I can actually find out if we have fleas? Please help I'm a little freaked out here- and feeling very itchy!!

One Year Ago Today

I found out I was pregnant with Eli. I took the test(s) 2 days early so I could tell Mike on his birthday (tomorrow). I can't believe how quickly a year can go!

Right Now

There's no room for me in my bed, but they look way too cute to move..

Almost Forgot

I can't believe I blogged without posting any pics of my beautiful boys! I apologize it won't happen again.

Ha CAN sleep!

not for too long, though

"Can I chase the cat w/ my monster truck?"

Rowan and his little cabin in the woods



Aahh to be a boy!!

"Look I peed on a ladybug!" That's great!!!!!

Love and Cloth

We've made another switch this time to cloth wipes. I know, even I am amazed at my crunchy/greenness. Eli is a pooping machine, he doesn't seem to be slowing down with the frequency (although he doesn't go at night anymore). We were going through so many wipes I think we've gone through more in his 3 months than in the last year with Rowan. I don't like anything I have to keep buying- especially disposable things. I mean we weren't going broke from wipes or anything- we buy store brand about $8 a box-but I figured why not. So I made a bunch up from some flannel pj's I swiped from my mom's garage sale items. SO far they work great, and really are WAY more absorbent than the cheap ones we bought. Although at first I was just using water on them and he seemed a little red so I mixed up some tea tree oil, baby soap, and water mixture and that seems to work better. I know you are all so fascinated by this- right? :) What can I say I live a very fascinating, exciting life!! I won't bore you w/ pics of my wipes since they are just for cleaning poop I did not even attempt to make them look nice.

I think I've discovered Eli's sleeping problem, he just loves me SOOO much he can't stand to be away from me, not even for a minute (ok maybe a few minutes) not even in his sleep. When Rowan was born he was in our bed pretty much from day one. I was in so much pain I couldn't even get him out of the bassinet w/o hurting, so it made since to just lay him next to me so I could easily nurse him. As he got a little bigger we tried a few different arrangements for co-sleeping (crib pushed up against our bed, our mattress on the floor next to his mattress)... The only way we seemed to get sleep was if he was in our bed. I was also working at the time so he wanted to nurse more at night since I was gone during the day (it's normal look it up). I was fine with this, since he took more at night I didn't have to worry about pumping a whole lot. Rowan was in and out of our bed usually at least one point during the night until he was 2-2.5. There were nights when I couldn't stand it and wantde him gone, but now sometimes I miss him. And although at the time it seemed like he would never leave now it seems like it has been FOREVER since he layed next to me.

I am trying to remind myself of this as it seems Eli is heading in the same direction, but it's different this time. I could sleep good next to Rowan, this time I don't feel as rested for some reason. I can't get comfortable and wake up A LOT. He sleeps much better next to me and hardly wakes up maybe once or twice a night, but in the crib it's almost every 2 hours!! I think if he went to bed and got a good amount of sleep before I went to bed it would be easier, but he wakes up a lot or won't even go down. I think we just need to get a king size bed, maybe then I'll be happy and comfy. Until then I'll just think that he loves me so much he can't stand to be away!!

On a very happy note- I think I can now say that Rowan is officially potty trained!!!! I have learned that with Eli we will do nothing and not even mention the potty, because apparently it will just happen when THEY ARE READY!! I guess all those wise mother's WERE right- who knew? :)

What's the Problem?

Rowan use to say that all the time, and it always made me laugh- especially when I was having some pregnancy hormone induced crying- aahh good times!



Now the problems-

- My internet is having some issues, only certain sites come up and others act like they are loading but never open. It's very strange. Anyone smart enough to give me an idea on why this would happen or what to do? I haven't been on myspace in days- (gasp)!!



- Eli has lost all interest in sleep. Naps- maybe a couple 20 mins ALL DAY. Bedtime- sleeping baby goes into the crib and either wakes up immediately or sleeps 20-30mins then wakes up. Repeat!! It is not working for me at all. I can put him in the Mei Tei but there is only so much I can do standing up and walking around for 2 hours- doesn't really work for me! He is finally asleep in the swing after a 30min nap this morning and then crying/fussing in my arms for 30mins from exhaustion- before FINALLY giving in. Of course soon he'll have to be woken up to go get Rowan.



-Rowan gets called a girl WAY too much, it is really starting to bother me. Boys can have curly hair- OK- I don't perm his hair it is just curly



Tip to people who can't tell if the the kid is a boy or girl- (it is usually ok to ask if it's a baby)

instead of asking the parent what is your daughter/son's name or saying is "it" a boy or girl- ask the child "what is your name?" This may help although I understand the child may have a name like Rowan that you have never heard of or maybe you know a girl named that so you are even more confused. So how about you look at their clothes. Now I don't like to do the whole gender thing with clothes, I think boys can wear pink and girls can wear tractor shirts. BUT most of the time boys are dressed like boys and girls are dressed like girls.

I actually like the color purple, but probably will never put it on my boys (in public) because I am so tired of the girl comments.



Sorry for that little ramble there, so anyway I was tired of the comments so what else could I do, but cut his hair!! Yes I cut it myself. I'm actually surprised at how well it turned out, especially since my only experience with hair cutting was when I was 20 and I sat on the floor

in front of my full length mirror and just started cutting- that did not end well- luckily I had some nice friends who fixed me up!I don't think it looks too bad, but I think I need to take a little more off the top. I will try to get some more pics posted, but I almost think the cut itself is kind of "girly"- I know exactly what i was trying to get a way from!

Wanna see why that bear is so close to Rowan's back?

The Great Outdoors, and Chuck E.

Mike doesn't have class on Tuesday night anymore, so we decided to take a little day trip. We've wanted to check out Morrain View State Park and since it may be closing soon figured we'd better do it now. It was nice, we went on one trail and drove around the park a bit. I thought it was freezing and realized I am so not ready for the cold weather. After the park we decided to drive to Bloomington to Chuck E. Cheese's. We haven't gone since we were kids so Rowan's never been. We had so much fun!!!!!!!!! I really don't remember the las time I had so much fun, Rowan had a blast but he doesn't have old childhood memories of it like me so wasn't as excited. I love skeeball, but haven't had much practice lately so wasn't as good as I use to be. I did do good trying to control my cussing when I would get zero points- you know wanted to be a good example for the kids :)

At the park- ready to walk

Rowan sitting in the double tree

He asked for his picture to be taken here

The joys of being a boy and not wearing diapers-

peeing in the woods!!

We never get our pic taken together!!





He wasn't impressed




My favorite picure (Mike didn't see the big sign that said LOOK HERE!!)



Me, Row, and Chuck E.

Mike, Row, and Chuck E.

In the tunnel on the ceiling




Going up up.....

Going up and around....





Rowan driving some creepy kid (who wouldn't stop staring at him...)

Nothing better than ice cream from a vending machine!! MMMM!!

Chuck E. Cheese's ROCKS!!!

Showing off the cheap crap he got with his tickets- oohh!

How I was able to play so much skeeball!!!