New Year's Resolution

After a particularly difficult day involving temper tantrums, wresting Meg into the car seat, and chasing her through Target as she attempts to escape I've decided to make a different New Year's resolution. In 2010, I vow to appreciate my children & their stages more. I've caught myself wishing they were older, or out of this stage. What's the old saying? Motherhood - the days are long but the years are short. Too soon they won't light up when they see me. In the blink of an eye I'll dropping them off at college and I'll long for the days of cuddles and sloppy kisses. So yes, I may wish for the time when I can eat a meal without someone in my lap or have a complete thought without interruption I need to remember how lucky I am that I've been blessed with these 2 perfect little babies. I need to appreciate how much they love and need me right now. Growing up is hard and I am lucky I get to watch Quinn & Megan grow and change into amazing little people. So God please give me the strength to get through the upcoming years of tantrums, clinging to mommy, & new found independence.

Christmas!

On Christmas Eve we went to one of the kids' services at church. They had a puppet show, and Megan liked it. She got to sit in church instead of going to the nursery. The adults got candles and the kids got glow sticks for the last few songs. Quinn was transfixed by the light candles in the dark church. It was so funny to see him so fixated on the candles we were holding.

Both kids decided they needed me and only me after church so here I am juggling them both. My arms defiantly got a workout that night.

Isn't this just a great picture of the kids? I LOVE it!

Quinn's first Christmas Eve.

Megan in her Christmas dress. This is her second one because the one I originally bought, at a huge consignment sale in September, was way too short. It didn't even cover her diaper! The girl had a growth spurt.



Christmas was a big hit here. Santa brought her a kitchen, a stroller for her dolls and a Leap Frog alphabet game. Uncle Aaron got the kids a Little Tykes car and Megan LOVES it. You should have seen her Christmas morning she couldn't decide what to play with first. Meg was standing there going back and forth between toys. In the end the car won out. But Megan compromised - she takes a cup from her kitchen, and the alphabet game and gets in her car. She tells me she's drinking coffee and talking to Grammy on the phone while she pedals around the house. Grammy and Grandpa came down later on Christmas Day. Mom got the kids hats from Disney (when she was there visiting Aaron). As soon as Meg opened them up she put them on and announced she had to go bye bye in her car. SO cute!


Quinn in his Mickey hat. Too cute!

Here's Megan in the car Uncle Aaron bought. She loves it. On Christmas Day she didn't eat breakfast or lunch, because she didn't want to get out of it. We had to pry her out of it to get her to eat dinner. She has to find a parking spot for it every night before going to bed. Usually it's right by the stairs so she can get right back into it again in the morning.

Quinn gets a turn too, although Meg wasn't so very fond of sharing it. She kept telling me Quinn was a baby and the car was for big kids.

Pre Christmas Pictures

Busy, busy Christmas. But lots of fun. Here are a few pictures of the celebrations with Nathan's family and my dad and Bernie.

Megan and I opening presents at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Megan was more than happy to open her presents and a few of Quinn's. Well, until we had a mini meltdown. But all was well after a brief time out.

Quinn sitting on Grandma's couch as we separated the presents. Note his serious face. It's as if he's saying "Mom, let's get on with it already."

One of my favorites. Here's cousin Katie handing Quinn his pile of presents. What a good little helper she is! Watch out world because Miss. Katie will be ruling (with her big cousin Megan of course) very soon.

Megan tearing into a present at Dad's. It was a pimped out wagon - cup holders, juice box holders, a canopy, storage space, different seating configurations. All of which I'm very excited about using this summer, by the way.

Pre Christmas

This is the first year Megan "gets" Christmas. She understands the idea of Santa, but is still afraid of him. We celebrated Christmas with my dad and Bernie on Sat. and Nathan's parents, sister and her family on Sunday. At my dad's Meg wanted to open every one's presents for them. She was excited over everything -from socks to the wagon. Everything got the same "Oh, wow! I like it!" reaction. It was very cute. Quinn just drooled over it.

At Nathan's family's Christmas Meg was tired and we had a few....issues. She didn't want to say thank you (even though she's usually very polite. She even says bless you after I sneeze. anyway.....) I took her into another room to discuss her manners. As we were walking out she started yelling, "I not tankful. I not." Don't you just love the over load of Christmas. After Megan had a chance to cool down she went right back to opening presents and saying thanks. She loves the books, and blankie Aunt Jill made. She's cuddling up with with it every day whenever she gets hurt, (I hurt myself.) or just needs a cuddle. It's adorable. Thanks Aunt Jill!

Meg after picking out our tree. Believe it or not she was more interested in the cows & dog we saw on the farm than the actual tree.

Quinn in the car seat after we picked out our tree.

Getting ready for Christmas tree placement.

Back to Work

Well I'm officially back to work. The first couple of days were really hard, but once I started I remember how much I love my job. Add in joining a gym & getting up to work out before school to lose this baby weight. But man, oh man is it crazy around here. I get up around 5 on work out mornings, or 5:40 on non work out days, get to school about 7, teach from 7:30 to 2:10, leave work & pick up the kids around 3:30, spend a little time with the kids at home, make dinner, clean up, put the kids to bed around 7, clean up and get ready for the next day, and in bed around 10. Then get up and do it all again. Now with the craziness of Christmas I'm barely sleeping. See how much fun it is having small children?

Anyway, here is a picture of Quinn with Santa. Megan refused to even sit in my lap when I sit at his feet. She declared he was scary. At least she was honest about it. ;) Quinn slept through it. He fell asleep while Nathan was holding him and stayed asleep handed over to Santa. Megan loves to see all the Christmas lights that people have on their houses. She looks out our window and points out all of our neighbors houses....every day. Then Q and I have to go check it out....every day.

A Few Random Pictures

Megan & Quinn playing together. Most of the time when Quinn is lying on the floor playing Megan wants to lay next to him and play with him.

Quinn in his winter hat.

Here's Megan playing in the leaves. She loved it, and even grabbed the rake and "helped" Nathan make new piles.

My mom with the kids.

The first picture of Quinn and Cameron.

Busy Saturday

We had a very busy Saturday. Megan had her gymnastics/movement class this morning. She's so coordinated and athletic it's amazing. She swings from the high bars, walks on the balance beams alone, and flips herself over the octagons. Then after everyone took a long nap we went on a walk in the Metro Parks. Such fun!

Here's Meg throwing and catching balls.

Here's Megan climbing behind the bar. She climbs up the incline behind her, I grabbed her hips and flipped her legs over the bar so her tummy was against it. She LOVED it. Honestly, anything having to do with the bars Megan loves.

How can you not love these big blue eyes?


We're just starting our walk. Carrying Quinn counts as carrying weights right? I mean it is an extra 13lbs.

Here's Megan doing another favorite activity. Running.

It was a full family event. Cameron came too.

Quinn at 9 weeks

Q had his 2 month check-up today and the boy is a beast! He's 26 inches long (which is above the 100%) and 13 lbs 10 oz (in the 97%). He defiantly doesn't have any problems growing.

The doctor thinks he wheezes a bit, but since he doesn't have trouble eating or growing (obviously!) & doesn't seem to be in pain I'm just to keep an eye on it. She thinks he may have large adenoids and we're supposed to put the humidifier back in his room since it helped when he had a slight cold about a month ago.

Quinn is holding his head up very well, and is just a big, strong boy.

Exhausted

Apparently having a baby in the house exhausts everyone.

Baptism

Q before the festivities. Man it was tiring getting dressed and riding in the car.

Both kids got baptised this weekend. It ended up we waited so long with Megan that we just did a two-fer. Both at the same time, 1 party and we're done. Something to be said for procrastination. ;)

At our church they do baptisms in the beginning of the service. Sunday was All Saints Day and the church had a little ceremony to remember those who died in the past year. The pastor read the person's name, someone lit a candle and the rang the church bell. Megan decided to ask questions during the silence that followed. So the bell would ring, and Megan would make some comment like, "What's that?" or "Miss Beckey that's a bell!" I even tried to give her a coloring book in an effort to keep her quiet but all that did was get her talking about what was in the coloring book. And that would be the reason she goes to the nursery.


Megan and Quinn did well during the actual baptism. Megan kept trying to get down and go look at the candles behind us. Fortunately, she didn't try too hard to get down. Since I had been telling her all week that the pastor would put water on her head she was excited for it. Quinn fussed a bit, but took it like a champ.

A family picture. At least in this one Megan isn't flashing the camera.

Megan and Quinn during the party afterwards.

Halloween

This is the first year Megan has "got" Halloween. She's been very excited to see anything Halloween related. When she spots Halloween decoration in yards or in stores she yells, "Look MaMa, Halloween!" We've been practicing saying trick or treat and Meg has been very excited to wear her costume.

Here's Megan picking out the pumpkins. The place had a couple of blow up Halloween decorations and, well to say Megan loved them would be an understatement. I told her to pick out a big pumpkin and she kept telling me she wanted the big blow up pumpkins.

Here we are after carving Megan's pumpkin. She told me the eyes had to be circles, the nose a triangle and the mouth should have 2 teeth. And that's what she got.




Tonight was trick or treating. Quinn was a penguin, recycled from Megan's first Halloween. Still adorable though!

She says she's a Halloween monkey.

And finally here the 3 of us. Notice Megan is eating a tootsie pop. She grabbed it out of the goodie bowl and wouldn't let go. She ate it the entire time we were trick or treating. Despite the practicing Megan wouldn't say trick or treat, but she always said thank you. At least she got the important part!

My Little Mommy

Megan is such a good big sister. She asks to hold him several times a day, and lately she's started hugging and kissing him. She genuinely loves Quinn and loves to help. Apparently, he talks to her because, according to Megan, Quinn likes the diapers with Cookie Monster on them. And he prefers the blue pacifier. Who knew? Thank goodness she's around to tell me these things!

Since Quinn has come home, Megan has become quite the little mommy. She's loved her baby doll for a while, but you'd be amazed at the care white baby now gets. White baby gets nursed, burped and rocked. White baby rides in the swing, and bounced in the bouncy seat. White baby even gets a ride in the car seat.

Megan is nursing her baby.

Pictures of Quinn

So I realized after my last post that I was talking about Quinn, but didn't have any recent pictures of him alone. The curse of being the second child - you never get the amount of solo pictures the first child did. So here are a few solo pictures of Quinn.

Quinn's first bath. He loved it! He didn't cry at all, just sat in his little seat and took it all in. Now, I throw him and Megan in the tub together and he just gazes at her like she's the coolest thing he's ever seen.

Quinn and his great grandma

My Boy Quinn

Quinn had his 1 month check-up yesterday and WOW the boy knows how to grow! At 5 weeks he is 12lbs 2 oz (75%) and 24 1/4 inches long (95%). That means he grew just under 3 inches and gained almost 3 lbs in 5 weeks. Actually he gained more weight if you count the amount he lost after being born. Mamma's milk does a boy good!

This may be TMI, but I asked the doctor about his poop. Quinn is 5 weeks and has had 3 poops. Not at all common for a breastfed baby. The doctor said his color, skin, and stomach all look perfectly healthy. And he defiantly doesn't have a problem growing or gaining weight so she attributed it to his body being able to take everything out of the breast milk. So much so that there's nothing left over to poop out. Again, yeah for mamma's milk!

Quinn has started smiling at me. Maybe once a day or so I get a big smile when he looks at me and since I don't smell or hear anything I'm calling them social smiles. ;) He's up on his forearms holding his head up for a few seconds at a time. Such a strong boy!

He's loosing his blond hair. He looks kinda funny as he's slowly getting a receding hairline. Quinn has the most beautiful blue eyes. There's a dark blue rim with light blue in the middle. So handsome. I hope he gets to keep them. And even though he's covered in baby acne and and cradle cap he's such a handsome boy.

Reading Time

Megan is reading to her favorite doll, white baby. Appropriately, named because the baby's body is white. Not to be confused with purple baby- whose body is purple.

Megan is reading a story to Quinn.

How can you not love this picture???

A Few Pictures of the Kiddos

My favorite picture so far of the 2 of them. Megan loves to hold Quinn and is so gentle with him it just melts my heart.

Quinn flashing a big smile. I can't wait until he does it on purpose!

Me and my babies. I don't think I look too bad for it being just a few days after giving birth to a 9 pounder!

Here's Quinn in a cute little outfit that he's already on the verge of outgrowing. Newborn clothes are already too short. Gotta love a tall boy!

Quinn's Birth Story

I woke up at 12:40 Mon. (Labor Day!) morning when my water broke. I labored at home until my contractions were between 2-4 mins apart. We got to the hospital at 5 am. When I got checked out and the baby was so posterior that the resident couldn't reach my cervix. Based on what she could feel she estimated I was only 2cm dilated, but since my water had broken I had to stay. Of course, once I got checked in and was put in a room my contractions stopped. The doctor and nurses agreed to let me be and try to get things started on my own and not to check me for dilation unless I asked. Nate and I walked the halls for hours. Whenever I walked I got contractions, but when I stopped they stopped. Finally, at 1 pm. I told Nate I would let them check me when they came in to do the fetal monitoring at 2 and if I wasn't any further dilated I'd get pitocin. Around 1:15 contractions picked up and at 1:50 I sent Nate out to find the nurse so I could get in the shower. 2 nurses came back (my nurse and one who had the longest fingers to find my cervix). They checked me and I was 8 cm. They went to call the doctor & get some towels. With the next contraction I leaned into Nathan, my legs buckled and I started pushing. Nathan couldn't reach the call button so he started yelling "HELP!" They came running back in and helped get me on the bed. They checked me again and I was 10 cm. One nurse went running to call the doc & get the resident since they didn't think the doctor would get there in time. (he had gone home). I was on my hands and knees and Nate ended up sitting on the top of the headboard holding my shoulders while I pushed. The counter pressure really helped. The doctor made it, (barely!) and after 30 mins of pushing Quinn arrived. Nathan cut the cord and was the one to tell me the baby was a boy. It was a miraculous experience.

On a funny note, while we were waiting for the doctor to come the resident came in, his eyes got big, and he was going "Ugh.....How do I deliver this?" The nurses kept telling him "You'll be fine. Just catch." Apparently, he had never delivered in any other position besides feet in stirrups. So glad I could be the one to educate him!