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!

state of the union

My little sister and niece have been staying with me the past few days. It was so nice having another adult around to talk to and laugh with while the kids entertained each other. Well, I had to entertain Jack myself by nursing him all the freaking time, but at least I had Dianna around to talk to while I was confined to the recliner. I dropped them off at the airport this morning and now my house seems empty. Ellie keeps coming in to tell me, "Mom, my cousin is gone. I am so sad." Poor kid.

I bought Ellie a second booster seat for Tom's car and the girls looked so cute sitting side by side in their matching boosters. Unfortunately, they fought every single time we got into the car about who got to sit in the middle (closer to baby Jack). Ellie is still having adjustment issues (ie. not listening AT ALL) so I busted out the "Good Choices, Bad Choices" chart this week and put it on the fridge. If she can get the magnet all the way to the far right in Good Choices, then she gets a doctor's set that I had originally bought Kolby for Christmas (sorry, Kolby...although Ellie may never actually make it all the way to the right).

Halloween

It has become tradition that we spend Halloween with Daniel and Sabrina's family. So, yesterday, we went over to their house for chili, hot apple cider, cookies, and, of course, trick or treating. This year Ellie was really excited about trick or treating. She kept running ahead to the next house. She was dressed as Cinderella and kept tripping over her petticoat. The best part was when she lost her shoe. Way to stay in character, Ellie. On the way home, Ellie asked if she could go trick or treating again tomorrow. She just couldn't quite grasp the concept that Halloween is only one day a year.

Here are all the kids racing to the neighbor's door:
Ellie and Olivia were supposed to be posing with those mini pumpkins:
Not exactly the face of a princess:

This is more like it:

And, of course, my hungry little bear: