My Smart Girls

I am going to post a video of Audrey playing "sleep" and "wake up".  It is long and I don't have the energy to edit it down to a short clip, but I know that the Grandparents will not mind the length!!

In anycase, Celia and I have been working on her reading skills when she feels like it, so not that often.  She amazes me.  She now can read the at family fairly consistently.  She knows all her letter sounds, upper and letter case letters, can rhyme, and can match pictures to the sounds that they start with.  She is certainly ready for reading even if she is just 3.  She is also making progress with handwriting, again, when she wants to.

Today she read the words, spelled them, then I wrote them and she traced.  She then wanted to write a Thank You note to Amber and I told her the letters to write, she only needed help with the upper part of the Y and the U!  She also asked me how to spell butt.... I made her sound it out. 

My Smart Girls

I will post about my other smart girl shortly. I apologize that this is a longer video.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I am not in love with today

So... I am just not in love with today.  I am trying not to be so pessimisitic, trying to think of the good things that happen lately... but not so much today.

Audrey woke up a lot last night, I mean it seemed like the minute I drifted off she was waking up.
Her diaper rash was not better, which I had hoped.  I found out what it really means to have a baby with a probable yeast diaper rash and cloth diaper.  I am currently treating my cloth diapers and Audrey is bottomless- yep bare butt.   I also found out that the prescription cream that the doctor gave me is not all that reliable in treating said yeast infection and the all natural stuff that a lot of people rave about that worked with Celia likely won't come in the mail for another day or so.

So... in the process of treating the cloth diapers I had to use a bleach wash.  I took off my shirt, as I know that I always, always get bleach on my clothes.  I washed my hands afterward, made sure everything was dry, etc.  Somehow I missed something because when I put my favorite gray sweater back on, my absolute favorite, bleach got on it. Ruined...

Nothing every comes of a 3 year old saying "now Mommy, don't be mad".  Nothing, imagine 1/2 a container of sprinkles on a floor that you just vaccuumed and mopped the day before..

Audrey has been crying screaming it seems like all day long. 

We are picking up our neighbor from the bus stop today and she is coming over and Celia has been asking me since 6:30 am if it is time to go, every 10 min.  She tried to say she was finished with her nap after being up there 2 min.  She did end up taking a 90 min. nap, not her usual 2 hours but a good nap, if she napped that along.

I mistakenly thought that Celia could help me clean out the hall closet.  I didn't get downstairs prior to her starting to "clean out the hall closet".  It is fun cleaning up a spilled recycle bin and a pile of winter gear that she dug out. 

Did I mention I am tired??

But...

We made Snickerdoodles that taste yummy and Celia did a great job of helping.
Audrey has not peed yet on me (remember bare butt)
Amber is coming over and that means she will entertain Celia
Pete fixed the wobbly wheel on the double stroller and the big box is now out of the living room
Audrey can do "So Big" (see previous post)
And I guess that after all these months, sleep is just a luxury anyhow!

SO BIG

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Fun with the mirror and Celisms

Celisms:

"I demand" she said that one night at dinner when she was requesting something, I think it was tomatoes or something like that.

Me:  "Let's go in the living room so I can keep an eye on Audrey"
Celia:  "Oh no Mommy, don't take your eye off and put it on Audrey"

This past weekend she wasn't paying attention and walked into Pete's car door but only because "Daddy opened the car too wide"
This morning I took her to school and after I opened the door "See, you know how to open the door so I don't get hurt"

Celia:  "Mommy, I think I have decided that when I grow up I want to be a fairy"
Me:  "You can be what ever you want Cealy, what kind of fairy"
Celia:  "The red one, like iradessa (I have no clue who that is)"
Me:  "Okay, well are you still going to be a Mommy (that is what she previously wanted to do when she grew up"
Celia:  "No, of course not, that would be silly"
Me thinking and being a fairy would not...

I let her pick out her outfit today...  Leopard print dress, white shirt, sunglasses, flower headband (but left at home), navy polka dot tights.  She looked stunning.  Somehow she was planning on mixing a flowered short sleeve shirt into the mix but decided against it.

4 months

My sweet little baby, you were 4 months old yesterday.  It feels like 4 months, I can't lie about that.  I haven't blinked my eye and seen you grow overnight, it has been rough.  100% worth it rough but likely one of the more difficult experiences I have had!  But, see those sweet photos, you only do that for me.  You look at me like I am the most amazing person on earth and you let me know that all of this is worth it.

So the stats:

Weight 12.7 oz (20%!)

Height: 24.5 inches (75% but.. she was uncooperative and it looks to be about an inch or so more then what she actualy is!)

Head 16.5- (90%- blame that one on your Daddy)

What you are wearing:  0 to 3 month clothes are still fitting you but I am putting some 3 to 6 month onesies and outfits in the mix.  With the cloth diaper, some 3 to 6 month pants fit better. 

Diapers- we are officialy out of all newborn cloth diapers, okay the prefolds still fit but they I think are more infant prefolds then newborn.  Mommy is in love with Best Bottom diapers and thinking about making them more of a part of our huge, huge, amount of cloth diapers!!  I see a craigslist sale needed in the near furture (for those of you that don't know, amazingly cloth diapers hold there value- sometimes up to 80% even used).  As far as disposables, you are size 1 for the overnight ones however... we are looking for an overnight cloth diaper solution as your bottom just can't take it anymore.

What you are doing:  Sayin :"who, ho, who, ho", giggling, smiling more and more at your big sis, rolling from tummy to back, rolled a few times from back to tummy, holding your head up very well, enjoying your tummy time if Mommy or big sis is right there, enjoying your bouncy seat a bit more.  You are still sleeping with Mommy and that seems to be how you sleep the best for now. 

You are still fussy when you are not held and sometimes when you are held!  At the same time, you smile a ton and look for social interaction, you are a flirt!  The doctor thinks that your fussiness is still reflux so we are going to give prilosec a try and see what happens!  Mommy is not really convinced.  We also have a prescription for the stupid rash that the disposable diaper at night is giving you and Mommy will try to figure out a fluffy night diaper that will last.

A weird thing that you do now is pee in the toilet a few times a day and for the past few days- poop in the potty.  Yes, crazy but Mommy has found if she holds you over the toilet, you go.  So why not!!  Your big sister thinks that this means that you potty training!  I don't think so, but it saves some diaper changes and helps your very sensitive skin heal.

Oh, and you like the show Wipe Out.  We don't encourage tv at any age but one night Mommy and Daddy found that you were strangely calmed by watching Wipe Out!  You love, love, love the sleepy wrap and get excited when you see it.  Mommy wears you in that where ever we go.  This past month we have been to Longwood a few times, to the library, lancaster to see your Aunt Susie and Cousin Cole, and the mall (along with the grocery store, etc).

It will be April next week...

If you can't see it clearly- that is snow!

But...

I am so sleep deprived that my head is pounding and I have to think really hard before doing most common activities, like where does the orange juice go? 

Celia is running around the house completely naked and has been for at least 30 min. and really it isn't phasing me.

Audrey just spit up all over my sweat shirt and it will stay that way until I change in about an hour- Pete is gagging reading this.

Celia sneezed in my hair while "styling it" and it is still wet

I have to go to the bathroom but I know I won't get to for at least another half hour because if I put Audrey down she will scream and Celia will squish her.

But I am extra thankful for my two little ones today because of this

Tired

Audrey is in my Sleepy Wrap, resting her head on my shoulder but not asleep, almost though.  We are both exhausted I think.  Saturday night she was up basically every hour, wanting to be held or to nurse.  The nursing part is not common for her, typically for some reason she is disinterested in nursing until around 3 am.   Last night was worse!  She was up every hour from 9 to 1 am and then up every 20 to 40 min. from then on.  Yesterday she took a broken up 40 min. nap in the morning, a 90 min. nap with Pete, and likely a 20 min. nap in the evening.  That really isn't that much for a not quite 4 month old who had a very rough night's sleep.  Today she is fussy and has no clue what to do with herself.  I have been trying to push her to sleep in the crib but today I am so fried.  I think it is a growth spurt, hoping that is what it is and that we aren't starting a decline in sleep because quite honestly a decline will just mean I need to stay up 24 hrs at this point.

Yesterday I decided to do something for me for a change and I left during Celia's nap, and during Audrey's 90 min. nap to go shopping.  I had a Kohls giftcard and a $10 coupon that was going to expire.  I also had a DSW gift card and two big coupons.  So in less then 3 hrs I went to Kohls, DSW, Walgreens, and Giant.  I should have taken a nap!!!  Pete survived and even emptied the dishwasher, that is a hard task with one hand (Audrey in the other hand).

My Montage 3/21/11 at OneTrueMedia.com

I was looking for a picture of Celia rearfacing in her carseat and I came across this video. That was May of last year so Celia was a little over 2 ½ and yes still rearfacing in her seat. The Today show is highlighting the fact that the APA recommends that children stay rearfacing until atleast age 2 or until the limits of their carseats, which for most kids is after age 2. This is not “new” news though, I knew this when Celia was born. The APA has had this as a recommendation for at least 4 years. I am glad it is highlighted though!! I will have to say though, it would be nice for carseat manufacturers to get together with the car industry and figure out easier ways to install carseats and make rearfacing convertible seats not take up as much room! I have yet to understand too why so many cars do not have latch in the center seat!!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Wordless Wednesday

Some of the blogs do a Wordless Wednesday post.  I am not starting this as a weekly thing, just a random, having pictures that are perfect for the day post...

Just Chillin

I am sitting here in the kitchen with Audrey just chillin on my lap, fussing every so often because she has the hiccups.  She doesn't like hiccups, but it is part of being a baby!  Audrey has started ever so slowly playing with toys without Mommy with in reach.  It is amazing how much you can do in 5 minutes when you haven't been able to leave her for 5 minutes in 3 1/2 months!!  Sometimes I even get 10 or 15 minutes.  Today I cleaned our powder room and she didn't scream at all while I was doing it.  I pulled her little playmat to the center of the room and every few minutes while cleaning, ran to her, made funny faces, let her know I was there and then ran back to cleaning. 

Accomplishing something during the day makes me feel just a little better about the day.  It doesn't happen that often either!  Today I was able to do laundry (which I do every day!) but I am washing my coat which has quite a bit of baby spit up on it.  I know gross, but if you are a Mom you will understand.  I was able to make some calls to take care of some things and of course clean the powder room.  I am hoping that Celia will cooperate to having her hair washed.  That is perhaps the hardest task!

Oh well, nothing interesting written perhaps, no cute photos, just boring stuff today!

Giggling Audrey and Loud Celia!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

New Haircut, Giggling, Etc

Getting to the computer for more then a few minutes at a time is very hard lately.  Our laptop has been down for awhile and that is what I used to use.  So when I was nursing Audrey or just holding her (always holding her!!) I could use the internet.  It was my little bit of stress relief/ my own entertainment during the day!  So the blog has not been updated that frequently due to this situation.  At the moment Audrey is actualy sleeping in her swing, a rare moment.  I should be sleeping too but it is a toss up sometimes, actualy get something done or get sleep.  Having a high maintenance baby is tiring and although I do have fun with her, I can't get very much done.  I never thought that at 3 months plus, I would still be living in a haze of sleep deprivation most days.  But it will not last forever, there is no way.  She is cute, very cute, and her response to your voice or actions is awesome.  She has started giggling for me, yes only for me.  Honestly Pete is the more animated one most of the time so I would have thought it would have been for him, but I guess that is my little gift. 

Last week I got Celia's haircut, it is shorter then she has been wearing it but looks a lot better.  I don't like curly hair.  It looks adorable when styled right but it is a pain to style right, it frizzes, gets in knots, etc.  Audrey looks like she is likely going to have the curls too, it curls when it is wet.

Talking on the phone with her baby doll in the moby wrap.  I think she was talking to my Mom.

Playing with ice.  She likes to transfer them between two bowls.  We also practiced melting them, etc.

Believe it or not, but Celia took this picture of Audrey- isn't it awesome!!