Things I love...

• My Baby Bjorn - this was given to me by Alex (hi!) when I had Ellie, but I didn't really use it because why would I want to stick my sweet, shiny baby in a carrier when I could hold her in my arms at all times? I mean, I had nothing better to do, right? This time, Jack gets planted in that carrier as soon as he starts getting too fussy. Plus, he has digestive issues (meaning he cries and struggles every time he has to poo or pass gas...you wanted that clarification, right?) and being pressed against me in the Bjorn really seems to soothe his tummy. In case you are wondering (and I know you were) he is sleeping in it right now as I type. A must for every second child.
• Nursing tank tops - I wish I had discovered these when I had Ellie. They are awesome. Seriously, I can nurse and still have my flabby tummy and muffin top covered. Plus? Way more comfortable than nursing bras. I bought two at Walmart and two at Target. Walmart's are $3 cheaper, but Targets are a little longer and thicker. Just FYI.
• AngelCare monitor - Again, wish I had purchased for Ellie. Would have saved me so many trips to check to see if she was breathing. Jack is still in the bassinet next to my bed at night, and this is a crib monitor, but I use it in the daytime for his naps because, shhhh, Jack naps on his tummy. At night, I prop him on his side in one of those wedge things, but again, the tummy sleeping seems to help him with his digestive issues and I don't freak out as much since that alarm will sound loud and clear if he doesn't breathe for 30 seconds. A little pricey, but so worth peace of mind.
• Glider - this was a gift from my mother-in-law and I love it. With Ellie, I just used the recliner and it was dang hard getting out of that seat. The glider is in my bedroom and makes nighttime nursing so much better.
• Boppy - okay, I loved this last time around, too, but seriously, Boppys (or Boppies?) are a must. I have two and kind of wish I had a third!

My crazy kid

Getting Ellie to clean is a daily struggle. She will often take things and hide them in drawers or in the closet or under her covers rather than putting them away. This drives me crazy because it takes more effort to hide them than to put them in their correct places. The other day, Ellie completely trashed her room. So I shut the door and told her she couldn't come out until it was all clean. I walk into the room and at first glance, I am somewhat impressed. Not great, but definitely an improvement.

Then, I look to my right and notice she has draped a blanket from the corner of her bed to the closet door. Take a wild guess what was behind the blanket?

Unbelievable.

Of course, I laughed to myself, but I didn't let her see it. Other things keeping me laughing? Ellie's determination to do her own hair. She had something like 8 barrettes in her hair in this picture: And here she has a barrette, a ponytail, AND a headband. So pretty.

Weekend recap

This was such a busy weekend! Tom was going out of town for the state cross country meet, so Ellie, Jack, and I drove to Beaumont to stay with my parents. My cousin that I have only met a few times was in town to get some dental work done (3 root canals from her cousin Mark), so she hitched a ride with us. Poor girl, we had only been on the road for 10 minutes before she threw up all over herself and my car. She was horrified. I would like to think the sickness was the result of all that dental work and not my driving. Anyway, after a nice relaxing weekend at my parent's where Jack actually slept for four straight hours, we returned home for Tara's birthday party the following day.

Jack slept through the party, but it was rather nice to have my hands free to enjoy the yummy brisket and cake!

Here is Ellie cuddling her cousin, Brannon. They are so cute together. I can see all three cousins being great friends in a couple of years when they can all chase each other around.

Dear Jack - Month One

Dear Jack,

Today you are one month old! I didn't start the monthly letters for your sister until she was 5 months old, so I had a lot more milestones to include in her first letter. What do I put in your first letter? That you can hold your own head up unsupported? Way to go, little man! As Ellie likes to say on a daily basis, "Babies just sleep and eat and poo and cry." That about covers it. I would like to say that you often prefer to do your sleeping during the daytime and the eating, pooing, and crying at nighttime. Hopefully that will have changed by your two month letter.

Before you were born, I braced myself for the sleepless nights and the surge of hormones. I was so focused on preparing myself for the hard stuff that I forgot all about the sweetness of newborns. I love how you snuggle on my chest. I love the way you smell. I love those inadvertent smiles as you are falling asleep. I love your incredibly long fingers and toes. I love the way your lower lip will stick out in a pout when you make your "sad face." But most of all, I love your sweet spirit.

I feel so much more relaxed with you than I was with your sister. I can tell when you are hungry, when you are tired, when you are going poo, and when you just really need to burp. And really, those are the only times you cry. You always have a reason and they are pretty easy to remedy.

You are so lucky to have a big sister like Ellie. She is already your protector. Yesterday, we left you with your Daddy while Ellie and I went for a walk. Ellie didn't know your daddy had come home and she was so alarmed, informing me, "We CAN'T leave Jack alone!" She also loves to sing you songs, her favorite is "I am a Child of God." She is so gentle and loving with you.

Jack, you are such a great addition to our family. And I am saying that on only three hours of sleep (if you let me have more, this letter would have sounded better, but I would still love you just as much). You are amazing and we love you. I look forward to getting to know you more and more every day.

Love,

Mama

In the trenches

I woke up this morning in horrible pain. I'm talking waves of sharp pain in my stomach. This really freaked me out since I just had abdominal surgery and all, but I soon realized I merely had a case of the stomach bug. Not fun, but I'd survive. However, each time the pain hit, it would take my breath away and cause me to double over. So, poor Ellie got placed in front of the television with a bag of goldfish and Jack and I lay in bed for awhile. Jack seemed to be suffering from a stomach bug, too, so he was ultra fussy. I just let him use me as a human pacifier most of the day. Luckily, Sabrina came by to take Ellie to the park. Sabrina rocks. We were supposed to have a pizza party at my house tonight while our husbands were away at the regional cross country meet, but I figured I wouldn't expose the pregnant lady who already throws up enough. The pain finally went away this evening in time for me to bathe both my kids and read Ellie several stories. Ellie was a dream today, moving up two whole spots on her good choices chart! Here's hoping for a somewhat restful night and a better day tomorrow!