Pavlov's Dogs Live Here.

I'm not sure how it happened, or how they even know, but BOTH of our children seem to be trained by Pavlov.  They could be completely immersed in something else, Addison sleeping ever so soundly in her swing, Gwen watching an episode of her fav show, yet the SECOND we {Hubs and I} sit down to eat, they instinctively decide to go BUCK WILD... simultaneously.

My fork hasn't even reached my mouth and Addison is awake and crying for a change or she needs to eat as well.  Meanwhile, Gwen is barreling down the hall with every toy she can carry, ready to tear apart the living for the ump-teenth time.

They just know.

They know that Mom and Dad are about to have some normalcy, a moment of peace together and think, "Hahahaha, not on our watch!  We'll take care of THAT!"

Now, Gwen, we can sort of  distract, with a snack or a movie, but Addie is in need of us, so dinner in shifts it is... again.

We just laugh at this point, because no matter what time we plan dinner for, they are on to us.

But, that's being a parent right?!?!  Putting them before yourself.  And hey, we've got plenty of years to eat a meal together.

Good thing they're adorable.

Addison Kay :: 1 Month

How in the world has one month {well more} gone by already?!?  Slooooooow down time, please.  It has been a whirlwind of a month+, between Addison's arrival, the holidays, and getting into a routine, so, I guess it's easy to see why it has flown by.

Height
Girlfriend grew two inches!  22 inches.

Weight
AND she gained two pounds!  That explains the CONSTANT eating she's been doing.  She houses at least 4 ounces every time she eats.

Diapers
Newborns currently, but when we run out of them {we don't waste diapers in this house}, I can easily put her into Size 1.  

Clothes
Newborn.  Even though she is gaining weight, she's still a tiny little peanut.  0-3 month clothing is definitely still big.  

Food
I am nursing and supplementing, so breast milk and formula.  I have been lucky that both of my babies were easy and nursed AND used a bottle.  Thanks girls :)

Sleep
The first two weeks she definitely had her nights and days mixed up, but I think we have corrected that ::knocks on wood::  She has one long stretch of sleep during the night from 11-11:30 until 5-ish, which is great! She is a loud sleeper though, constantly squeaking and grunting, which sometimes keeps me from getting "real" sleep.  

Naps
We've been trying to wake her up every few hours to make sure that she isn't wide awake when it is time for us to sleep.

Teeth
Nope, just a cute gummy smile!

*We've been calling her "Addie-cakes" {her Wela gave her that name} or Addie Kay*

Can't wait to see what this month brings!

Being In The Moment.

Although the past four weeks {btw I can't believe it has been four weeks already!} have been somewhat of a blur, I have been trying my hardest to stay within the moment.  Even when our toddler is tantruming crying because we put her dinner in the wrong bowl, while our newborn is wailing because she's hungry again, and as the dog is whining/barking to go outside for the fortieth time today... I am trying to just be present.  To not wish it away.  To soak it up.

Because they will never be this little again.  They are growing up by the minute.  Learning new things every second.  They depend on us less every day.  And once it's gone, we don't get it back.

So, I am really pushing myself.  Pushing myself to instead of seeing the nagging  of my toddler to do yet another puzzle, see the admiration  of my little girl that just wants to spend time with her Mommy.  To enjoy the fact that she still calls me "Momma" and with such innocence.  To really hear each and every "I love you"  and let it burn into my memory.

Pushing myself to instead of dreading the early 4am wake up call of my hungry/wet newborn, take the opportunity of my quiet house to sit and bond with her.  To soak up her little fingers and toes.  Her coos.  Her exploring eyes.  Her tight trusting grip on my finger.

Because tomorrow they will be older... not by much, but they will be.

It's not easy... to be in the moment.  Sure there are days that I am counting the seconds until bedtime.  That I need to get out of the house as soon as my husband gets home, even if just to the grocery store.  But, I have realized that one day I won't have these moments.  Yes, there will still be "moments" but they will be different, and I need to enjoy what I have now, while I have it.

We Have Kidsssss :: Our "Oh $hit!" Moments.

Sure.  We knew it was coming.  Obviously.  We knew that we were about to become a family of four.  BUT, that doesn't mean that we were prepared for those moments when it first hit us that we have children and not just a child.

Jason's happened first.

On the morning that Addie and I were supposed to come home there was a snowstorm that was about to hit our area.  My in-laws had a ride ahead of them to get home, so Jason and I decided that it would be best for him to get up early {he slept at the hospital with me} and pick up Gwen so they could head home before the snow, then he and Gwen would come to the hospital and pick us up.  

When he got back to the hospital he told me that he was pulling out of our driveway and as he looked in the rear view mirror he saw two car seats.  "Oh shit!" he said.  We have two kids.  We have kidssssss.  

"How funny?!" I thought to myself, laughing at his panic.

Then it happened to me.

A friend of mine and I were texting and as we were saying our goodbyes, she wrote, "K kiss the girls for me."

Girlsssss. She just said GIRLS.  Like more than one. "OH SHIT."  I'm responsible for more than one.  I'm a mom of two.  A stay-at-home  mom of two.  They out number me now... until Daddy gets home.

Of course we are on cloud nine, but that doesn't mean that we aren't allowed to have those "Oh shit" moments.  Because it can be quite an overwhelming thing, being someone's parent, let alone, more than one someone's parent.

Mom, WHAT Are You Taking Pictures Of?!?

Moments before Addison's delivery, I asked either my mom or Jason to get the camera out and prepare to snap away at our new little princess.  Jason decided that he would rather my mom take the pictures so that he could really be in the moment with me, and my mom happily accepted the task.

Just as they were prepping everything for her arrival and I assumed the position {lol, sorry if tmi}, my mom stood in front and to the left of me.  She was just hanging there, when all of a sudden she picked up the camera and aimed it across me to Jason... but it looked like she was about to shoot some candids of my hoo-haa... so naturally, I reacted...

"Mom, WHAT are you taking pictures of?!?!"

She paused and said, "Well I was going to take a picture of Jason, but it's not working"

And then it hit me, I had set the timer to take 10 pictures that morning while taking pictures of Gwen kissing my belly... and it was just about to snap away.  

"Oh, mom, hurry give it to me!" {Yes, I was just about to push and took a break to fix the camera.}

But it was too late... 

As she was walking towards me, camera now pointing directly in the WRONG place, it began to take 10, I repeat TEN pictures.  I shit you not. click. click. click. click. click. click. click. click. click. click.

I just about died laughing.  My mother had just unknowingly taken X rated photos of her daughter.  Lol!!  

We all had a big laugh about it, I fixed the camera, and then it was back to business.

It was a nice little moment of comic relief right before the big moment, but Thank God for the delete button.

Only me people, only me.

*****

Happy Gwens-day, lovies!

And hey, look at me blogging three days in a row.  Impressive.  No?? 

Big Sister Gwen

All throughout my pregnancy, I made my "fears" for this next stage of our lives very well known.  A major one being how Gwen would react to being a big sister and no longer having us and the house all to herself.

I am happy to report... she's been amazing.

I can't lie, she has exceeded my expectations and put all of my fears to rest.  Does that mean that there haven't been moments with her that I have wanted to pull my hair out??  No, of course not.  She's THREE.  Those moments would be there with or without another child in the picture.

But, as a big sister??  She rocks.

She adores her "Addie Kay."  She wants to help with every task - feeding, burping, changing, diapering, bathing, EVERYTHING.  She gives me the play by play if I step away from Addison for a moment - "Mom, the baby's crying."  "Mom, she's waking up!" "Mom, I think she's hungry!"  She's like my human baby monitor.

And all she wants to do is hold her and kiss her and love on her.  It makes my heart explode.

Now, I am realistic and know that this won't ALWAYS be the case, but in this time of transition, it is EXACTLY what we needed.  I love that Gwen loves her and is proud of her and is happy she is here.

Yesterday Gwen went back to school wearing her "Big Sister" shirt and bringing her teachers a birth announcement {which btw I am in love with}.  Her teachers made a big deal about her becoming a big sister, made her a special hat, and had Gwen wearing a huge smile when she walked out of class.

So overall, the "sibling" thing is going well... so far.  Now, I must admit that I have some work to do on myself and my patience being a stay-at-home mom of two.  I am ashamed to say that I have raised my voice more than I should have.  That I have lost my cool more times than I would have liked to.  But, I am adjusting too.  I'm working on balancing it all, while not losing myself along the way.  Baby steps.  That's what I keep telling myself.

*****

Moms of two+, how was the "adjusting" period for you? What survival tips do you have??

...And A Pop In A Pear Tree

Yes, yes, I know... bad blogger.  But, cut me some slack... I just had a baby.  And I have a toddler.  AND it was the holidays.  SO, back up off me, will ya??  Today we finally returned to reality, no more Christmas activities (ok we still have ONE more, but that's not til the weekend), school started again, and we can finally try to get a routine going in this crazy house of ours.

Let me apologize for my absence, wish you a Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year first.  I hope that your Holiday season and celebrations were full of fun.  To say that our Christmas is BIG is an understatement.  Let me break it down for you this way...  

Gwen and Addie have:

Numerous Aunts and Uncles

4 Grandmothers

3 Grandfathers

3 Great Grandmothers

And a Pop (Great Grandfather)... in a pear tree.  Lol. 

So you can only imagine the amounts of gifts that come into our house... PLUS all the gifts that were brought for Addie's birth and for Gwen becoming a big sister.  Our house has been Giftapalooza since Addie was born... and it looks every bit the part.

Truth is, our girls are so loved (and spoiled) by our families, that Santa caught a bit of break this year.  

We didn't travel ANYWHERE this Christmas (THAT is a gift in itself), and we had many wonderful Christmases with each an every one... expect our nephew Carter and his Mommy and Daddy.  The sickies caught both of our houses, so we have had to reschedule... more than once.  Fingers crossed we all stay healthy and get to see them Sunday.

New Year's Eve we spent here, well, upstairs, with my besties {one lives upstairs with her husband, Jason's cousin}, and our kids.  Well, they obviously went to bed, but they were technically there.  It was simple and comfy {we all rocked our pjs}, just what we needed.  It was this Momma's first night of "partying" aka "more than one cocktail" and boy did my head hurt in the am.  Hangovers and children don't mix my friends.  They actually work against each other!  Anyway, we all survived and had a fabulous New Year.

I REALLY hope to be blogging more often, but I can't promise anything.  My free time, well, it doesn't exist.  And if it did, I can't say that I would spend all of it blogging, but I do love how this is a little online journal of our lives, so I'll do my best.

Hang in there, peeps.  Thanks!