Esther 3 Months

She's a big baby. Tall and big. I like fat babies- I really do- I love the chunk and having a few pounds makes them not so fragile-ish. BUT! They grow out of their clothes so stinkin' fast! And your arms hurt from carrying the chunk around. I don't know if I'll ever have a small baby- I was hoping my girl would be smaller than G- and she is but she's still chunky. I'm not going to lie- when I see babies a year old and the same size I get a little jealous that they get their baby smaller longer. Oh but she is so cute and I just need to do some weight training so I can stop whining about my arms ;) That will solve all my problems.

Uniqueness:
Always, always has her little hands together up by her face- G never did that- it looks pretty girly too- like "oh hi, you are looking at me? *girly giggle*". Then she'll do her little smile into her shoulder all shyly and cute. Oh she melts my heart.
She talks and talks and LOVES when you sing to her.
She crawls! Well- not really but holy cow! I put her on her tummy for tummy time and she moves those legs and feet and pushes her face into the floor- she doesn't like that but she moves.
Still a good sleeper! Yay!
Loves her binky sometimes even more than eating- she's hungry but wants the binky first then she'll take the boob.

And here's some more cuteness:

And some more:

And a few more:

first time- hated it after this picture:)

practicing sitting up

Awwwe.

Grant's Birthday

We celebrated Grant's birthday all week and then some:

On his birthday we went to Cold Stone where the staff sung to him and everyone else joined in. Grant was thrilled.

He's still funny about eating cold things- he has to do some "tests" first.

Then off to my side of the family:

 Grandma and Grandpa's house and did a homemade pinata

 And ate a two tiered watermelon cake -all fruit with a whipped cream "frosting" and some coconut and nuts.

Then later that week we went up to the zoo and enjoyed a day looking at the animals with Nana, Aunt Mandi, Uncle Austin and Uncle Garrett- we were sad to Papa and Uncle Patrick couldn't make it this time.

The zoo is completely different than the last time we went:

A splash pad was added-I think this was Grant's favorite part of his whole experience.

I know- really? This was his favorite? Where's the smile? Well- this is G enjoying something new- he is very good at concentrating and studying it out.

Looks like a pose- but this was before he reached for the camera and said, "SEE!"

We got to see the seal show and the bird show- both of which I recommend.

And enjoy trying to nab pictures here and there without getting in the way of someone else and hurrrying out of the spot so someone else could take a picture there. And apparently this was a "calm" day for the zoo- wow.

Thought this was fake- no it was real. It was just sitting there, not moving- with his mouth open. So strange.

Uncle Garrett being goofy.

Austin, Nana, me and E

Austin, Garrett, Nana, Esther, Mandi, Jay and Grant

She saw us and came up to the window and just kind of glance up here and there- it was sweet. 

We chased down a peacock- Grant got excited about that one.

In the middle of the day we had to take a break and go feed the baby and change diapers. This was one of those times I felt overwhelmed and hot and hungry and G was passed his nap time and hungry and the baby was losing it and I was just thinking "Why on earth would we come here and do this? This is hard and nobody is happy! Is this worth it?!"  So we go up front and to my surprise, everything you could ever want and need was right there- a nursing room, changing room and benches in the shade to give Grant a snack After everyone was taken care of I got to use the restroom! Something moms have to put off :) When I came out I had my "proud moment".
I walked out of the bathroom and got to see my family. My little cute family just sitting there- changed, fed and smiling. Oh yah- we got this. We can do this going to a zoo thing. They are the cutest don't you think? I'm proud to call them mine.

I love these people. This is my family. This is my work and my joy right here.

Happy Birthday Big Boy Grant!!!! We sure do love you!

Grant is TWO

Grant
I didn't know my 2 year old would be a totally grown up little person.

Favorites:

• His favorite phrase? "What's this mama?"- even when he's talking to dad he says, "What's this mama?" ha ha- then he'll realize after a couple times that he's talking to dad. 
• Favorite book(s)? Go Dog Go and The Jungle Book
• Favorite food? Still cheese. "Green cheese". (The bag is green on the mozzarella) and cream cheese- plain- with nothing on his "singer" (finger).
• Favorite treat? Chocolate. This boy loves his chocolate treats. (hunting for Easter eggs totally did us in).
• Favorite vegetable? Yes. He does eat vegetables- sometimes. Peppers! "Uncle Austin!!!" is what he declares every time we eat them.
• Favorite past time? "Blue park!" and then his youtube requests are "Chicken!" and "Pumpkin" and "Bear Sessities". Usually I'll tell him we can listen to the songs while I am on my email and a couple more are "head, shoulders, knees, and toes" and always, always "Row row boat".
• Favorite songs? "Let it Doe" (he loves Elsa from Frozen) and "Happy Birthday" He sings it to Baby Esther and himself (Dant) and dad and me. He also can almost sing "Green Grass" and oh- the "ABC song" where it just repeats and repeats the same exact lyrics. Every time we get in the car- that's what we have to listen to. 
• Favorite conversations: "Where's ______?" Tassy, Damma, Ward, etc. He'll turn to me during the day and seriously just say, "Where's Daddy?"....then he'll answer, "Work". He likes to ask where someone is and repeat the correct information. He likes knowing these things.
• Favorite bedtime requests: "Cuddle" and "Tummy rub". When he would have stomach pains, Jay would always rub his stomach so now he requests it. And always, always, "Mama milk".
• Favorite color? Pink and green.
• Favorite way to play with the baby: "Boop!" and poke her in the stomach. Then when her belly is showing he'll do raspberries on her tummy.
• Favorite Play with Mom: "Sips mama!" which of course translates to "Flips mama!"
• Favorite Play with Dad: "Horsey dada!"
• Favorite thing outside? Jumping in puddles, going to the park, walking on the ledge (3 inches tall), and his new tricycle. He'll only do that though if his little friends are outside on their trikes.

Least Favorite things:

• Brushing teeth...it's still a struggle for Jay! mwah ha ha- somehow he always does it for me.
• Nap time.
• Bed time.
• Being left by either Jay or me. He's very attached. Especially with the new baby here- which isn't such a bad thing. I am so glad he wants to be with me and will follow me home from the park, to the car, etc. because I wouldn't be able to tote him around all the time while I'm holding the baby.
• Getting help with anything.
• Dinner time- he is usually having too much fun outside and hates coming home and having to sit there and eat.

Did I mention he won't allow help with anything?

"GRANT'S SELF!"


I'll put some videos up soon.

Finally- FINALLY- My Back Pain Management Trick!!!!

You remember with my pregnancy with G- how my back started hurting? The right side, middle by the spine.
How Jay massaged my back very frequently for a month straight?
How then I tried physical therapy?
Then the chiropractor?
Then, finally splurged and got therapeutic massages....

All for nothing. The pain never went away. The massages seemed to help for a couple days- helping my tender muscles.
It eased up when Grant was around 8 months old and it was manageable- would only act up once in a while.

Then while I was pregnant with baby E- there it was again- this aching, non stopping pain that made everyday so hard to get through.

I decided to give the chiropractor another shot- but this time I got recommendations from a bunch of different ladies in our new town and the very first day I knew there was hope.
She found the problem right away.

MY RIBS!

Yes, it was my ribs in the back that had popped out and was causing all the discomfort and unending pain.
"Why, why did the other chiropractor not know that? Why didn't they tell me about my ribs?" I asked her.
She responded by saying that most just assume they just need to do the basic adjustments needed for most pregnant people and don't take the time to do a full assessment.
It made me kind of upset at the other guy- why didn't he take the time? I remember on my second visit that he would ask, "How's your low back doing?" just assuming that was where the pain was- I didn't want to make him feel dumb and I was sure it was in his notes that my real pain was in my mid-back on the right side. And he was great- so nice- just didn't take the time to do the full assessment.

So HALLELUJAH! Someone who really takes the time to fully figure out what the problem is! I was so happy. So I kept going back and every time I went, I was so happy to be going back because it really felt like it was making a difference. But after a week or so it was time to go back and by the time I was in her office I was saying, "I'm sooooo glad to be here". That's a bitter sweet thing I'm sure for a chiropractor to hear.

Well, the baby is born and I knew I wouldn't be able to afford going back again and so I dug around discovered a trick! An awesome, amazing, life-saving trick.

So simple.
So easy.
So cheap.

A tennis ball.

Yes. A dumb old little ball that has been staring at me through years of pain. Always there, always waiting for me to notice it and realize I could use this golden tool to make my life 100% better.

I just lay down on it and roll it on those ribs and they pop right back in!

And now, instead of massaging the muscles around the pain, I have the hubs just push them back in (gently).

Then I googled some back stretches and some row exercises to strengthen those muscles and wow- just wow. These are the ones I'm doing:

15 minutes a Day Back Exercises

Resistance Band Exercises

I am a new woman.

I carried my baby in the Ergo for the first time without wanting to curl up in a ball and cry. My pain was gone- I was actually doing baby-wearing how it should be! It felt good and I felt strong.

I can't believe my life is changed from this little green ball.

And more research has shown me that there may be some healing in the gallbladder that needs to happen to help those ribs stay put as well but for now that little tennis ball has saved my life.

Esther 2 Months

12 lbs 8 oz.
80% for both height and weight.

Baby Girl:
She's alive! I have somehow protected her from her brother. And now he does pretty good. Whew.
Smiles all the time.
She loves me singing to her- let me rephrase that- every ounce of her lights up when she hears you singing to her- she goobers and gurgles at you adoringly. You should just come over and sing to her if you want to feel adored. Really- it's a good feeling.
She really doesn't like to be held that much- she is very happy playing on the floor- she loves kicking and moving her limbs. When I pick her up to hold her she gets angry (unless she's sleepy)- she just loves being on the floor but having someone talking to her or cooing at her.
Her song is "Sweet Caroline" except of course we changed the words "Sweet little girl....bom bom bom". Yep- her favorite song ever- she'll stop mid-cry to listen. So interesting.
She sleeps better than Grant. She pretty much wakes up once to dream feed and sometimes sleeps through the night. From 9:30 pm-9:30ish am...I know....that's pretty awesome for a little baby. Don't worry, I'm holding my breath for teething. I know it this can't last.
She's a talker- especially when she needs something- I think she really tries to explain it to me. We'll be talking and cooing back and forth then after a minute her tones change and it's not fun and laughing anymore- she's like "okay, we had our chit chat- now I really need you to help make me feel better. I'm _____(tired, poopy, hungry) so please mom- wah! Okay WAH!!!! I do have fun though talking with her. Grant was never a big baby talker.
She's had bad cradle cap: I've taken her soft bristle brush and combed it out. Then I tried coconut oil on it for a few days- made it worse!!! So I tried Renew lotion from Melelucae...AMAZING. Totally beautiful scalp the day after I put that stuff on. Miracle lotion I tell you. Wow. Her scalp still looks good 2 days later and when I mentioned it to her Doc he said he couldn't see anything...guess it really worked so far.
She has so many cute little outfits! It's so fun dressing her up.

He does love her.

Kisses. Well, now he does raspberries on her belly and somehow he thinks it's okay on her face. I feel like a broken record "BE soft!" "That's too rough!" "Soft...."

Whenever the camera is out for the baby he has to pose with her.

When the baby does tummy time, Grant wants her to be on his tummy! He loves helping out.

"Little Lady" outfit.

Before I talk to her.

Once she hears my voice cooing at her.

I'm a lucky mama.

I love these pants. 

This is her "I adore you" face.

Sometimes I see an old soul

So pure. Pure love. Pure adoration. Whatever she feels, she feels it purely and openly.

Always hands by the face

even wrapped up she loves the security of that hand

These pictures are always the best right- you just think how tired they must be and how cute and oh my goodness, what if the baby woke up and jumped off the couch? right? She looks pretty secure though to me.

Growing out of her newborn clothes.

How she sleeps for a couple hours a day while Grant plays at the park. Cuddled up on my chest in the carrier. Even carrying her around all the time, I still savor those quiet times in the rocking chair where I get to hold her and smell  her.

How's the mom?
I have an amazing support system. I don't know what I would do without being able to call my mom crying about everything. And I honestly have the most patient husband in the world. Like, really. Jay doesn't lose it like I do. He is patient when I am not. He remains calm and kind when I am not. I am totally becoming a better person from this- come on- like this is a giant smoothing out the rough edges in action people.

 My body did not bounce back like with the first pregnancy. I totally have this weird dried up apricot attached to my torso- oh wait that is my torso- that is my body? Mine? It doesn't feel like me. It doesn't look like me. When I touch it, it feels like someone hot-glued some weird textured fabric to my stomach. It's so weird. It's made me think about being an old lady some day and how I will be the same person in a different body.

We now have a gate (thanks to my mom) so now Grant can't stomp on the baby when he's angry and I'm doing better about getting the baby out of the way before Grant acts out by hurting her- which now I can see when he's getting there and just scoop the baby up out of the way or put her inside the safe gate. I have friends who are willing to walk with me and tell me about how to get a deal to go to a gym and these free exercise classes and craft stuff- just things for me. I am seeing that I have to make me a priority too. I would love to do everything for the kids and have everything perfect but I see that for me to stay sane and be a good mom, I have to take time for myself too.

Me and Grant are friends again. I'm so happy. I think I might be able to do this being a mom of two kids thing.