Ciuca, Baby

fall 2011 recap: sc trip and marin turns 4 months

2011-11-03T23:02:00.000-04:00

i traveled with both children to sc in october. it was a huge challenge to travel alone with both (eric had to work, i'd like to add! if he COULD join me, he certainly would!), but we made it safe and sound. thank goodness for such a mindful little boy and a baby who sleeps in a front carrier...

when in sc, uncle lucas surprised adam with a lightening mcqueen car! he drove it MILES and he asked about it over and over again when we got home. he loved it.

we went to a fall festival while in sc. my dad and adam taking a train ride.

adam's first pony ride.

our BEAUTIFUL girl!

my sweet babies.

marin got adam's ear and wouldn't let go!

adam truly loves marin so much, and he tells her so all day. she loves him too, smiling at him and baby-talking to him almost as much as he talks to her.

sweet girl.

marin at 4 months old.

adam playing with marin in the mirror in his room. she loves the mirror and her brother, and he loves her, so this set up is perfect for them!

fall 2011 recap: family fun at home

2011-11-03T22:51:00.000-04:00

adam and eric playing one of adam's favorite games, "restaurant" adam likes to take turns taking the orders, taking money, bringing the food. he will leave, go to kitchen, pretend to get food and bring it to the table, and then hold out his hand for payment!

LOVE this. i find adam asleep like this so many times. he's actually accidentally torn up a few books falling asleep this way, but i can't get mad because he loves "reading" so much.

we discovered that marin LOVES the baby girl in the mirror. i have never seen a baby get so so so excited as when she sees herself in the mirror.

our family!

fall 2011 recap: adam's 3rd birthday party

2011-11-03T22:41:00.002-04:00

adam and daddy snuggling on the couch. again, i can't get over how much they look alike!

adam had a firetruck birthday party. we asked an artist friend of ours to create this firefighter cut out. the kids at the party put their faces through for a photo.

adam at his party.

our snacks and party food.

the one and only photo we have of adam and marin's AMAZING babysitter/nanny. we adore her and are so lucky to have her in our life! i personally would be lost without her help and flexibility, especially when eric's away.

a friend in the finished fire truck! (i painted it!)

busting the fire truck pinata.

can adam possibly hold any more treats at once?! i don't think so.

at the end of the party, we arranged for a tour of a nearby firestation. all the families caravaned over to the firestation for even MORE fun.

(one thing not photo-ed here but i cannot leave out - this weekend, my best friend courtney came up from SC too! not only did we get to have TONS of kid-free fun before and after the birthday party, BUT i could have NEVER completed the last minute party details without her help. she is amazing and i was so glad to have her there that day!)

fall 2011 recap: birthdays and preschool begins

2011-11-03T22:28:00.000-04:00

for adam's birthday party (we had it sept 17th) eric built a fire truck out of boxes. here is a photo of the work in project. i LOVE this photo because adam and eric look SO much alike in it! it shows how much adam is really looking like eric these days, especially his eyes.

i took these photos of marin and me on my 30th birthday, which i celebrated on sept 11. marin was 3 months, 4 days old.

on my birthday we hiked the circumference of mackworth island here in maine. it was very windy on one side, hence adam in a jacket and hood! it was a BEAUTIFUL day and a great way to spend the afternoon.

then, just two days later, adam turned 3! i got an idea from the Internet to have balloons in his room when he woke up on his birthday, which he loved.

and, ON his birthday, adam started preschool. he LOVES preschool (more on this later...) and we love it too.

after coming home from day 1 of preschool, we had a little cake and ice cream for his birthday. eric was away for work (BUMMER!) but we celebrated with our friends ali and eli who were in town for a short visit. it was nice to have friends to celebrate with... i was glad to not be the only person in the house singing happy birthday! this is the cake adam saw at the grocery store once and begged for over and over knowing his birthday was coming up.

ali and marin celebrating adam's birthday.

1, 2, 3, FOUR

2011-10-23T16:35:00.000-04:00

baby marin -

what a big month this has been!

first, you flew on an airplane for the first time. you, adam, and i went to SC to visit your uncle lucas and maw maw and paw paw. you slept the entire time, both ways, and i couldn't have asked for an easier time with you. (that's not to say it wasn't challenging with you and your brother alone... getting through security, holding you, entertaining and feeding both of you, etc. but as far as flying with an infant goes, i don't think it could have been much better!). in SC it became apparent to me that you are really attached to, well, me. you would cry sometimes when others would hold you and dry right up when in my arms. at this age adam was in daycare 10 hours a day, 5 days a week. you, on the other hand, are with just me (mostly), daddy and our babysitter. i've just started going to the Y a few days a week and taking you with me to the childcare room while i work out. i think that this will do us both some good - mama getting back in shape, you learning how to be around other adults (and kids for that matter).

as we approach your 5 mos bday i've been giving you about a half tablespoon of rice cereal a night, mostly just to warm you up to the idea. most of it is on your bib and face, but you're doing ok. i can tell it's frustrating to you tho. maybe soon we'll try something more flavorful and you'll be more excited. :)

you're sleeping like a champ these days. you take about 3 naps a day, usually 45 mins to an hour or so. and we put you to bed around 7pm and you sleep right thru till 6 or 7am. i have noticed that if i dress you warmly you sleep longer (i get that!). and we've started to use the overnight diapers, which also keep you dryer so you sleep a big longer (waking at 6 ot 7 as opposed to 4 or 5). the overnights come in size 3 as the smallest, so they're still a little big, but we use them anyhow.

you're much more predictable these days. you eat, play for an hour or two, sleep. eat, play sleep. all on a 3 or 4 hour cycle. you and i are often on the go so much that your naps are in strollers, carriers and car seats, but you do great anyhow. when/if you're fussy, it's almost ALWAYS b/c you're tired. i can put you down awake and you find your own way to sleep, which is great.

you LOVE your "binky" as we call it and are learning how to pop it back into your own mouth sometimes (YAY!). you drool, chew on toys and your fingers. you LOVE to watch your brother and smile the biggest smiles at him when he talks ot you. for this reward, i'm sure he'd do back flips if he could. he is SO in love with you, always looking out for you, telling me what you need, trying to calm you when you're crying, and helping me with anything i need to take good care of you. he's never uttered a jealous or mean word toward or about you, which is surprising but true (i know we still have the rest of our lives to get through... but this is a good start, right? :))

you've rolled over from back to front a few times, but nothing consistent. you actually hate tummy time, so i'm sure you're not getting as much as is prob best.

almost EVERY time you poop, marin, you blow it out girl. i don't know what the problem is!! i have tried diff brands, made careful sure i am doing your diaper properly, sized up, etc. no matter what, you leak poop almost every time you go. this is a real mystery to me... and actually has me really nervous about starting solids soon!

you like to talk, blow raspberries, and so often it sounds just like you're saying HI. you squeal and giggle. you could smile at yourself in the mirror for hours.

you're wearing mostly 6 mos size clothes. i love dressing you - girl things are so cute! we have your 4 mos check up this week, so i'll have to report back on your weight! i'm guessing 15lbs.

marin, you've made quite the turn around from the fussy newborn to a sweet, round, smiley infant! we love you so much!!

2011-09-08T22:47:00.000-04:00

adam starts preschool next week and i am really excited, and i also really can't believe it! he's been in daycare quite a bit since he was three months old. not the entire time, but full time for a year and then half time for about half a year. this will be three mornings a week and, unlike daycare, is an actual school.

he has to have a backpack and a lunchbox. they'll have "circle time" and he'll get to be the "star of the day" and do show and tell. he has a cubbie and gets to read books and sing songs and go on field trips. basically, for me, this seems like all the parts of kindergarten that i remember and loved the most for myself, so i am happy for him!

all summer, each week, the school has held a playdate so the kids could get to know one another. and since the school is a co-op, it has also given the parents an opportunity to meet - nice since we'll be working together so closely. i really like all the families, and it's nice hearing how many families have their 3rd or 4th kid in the school - i think this is a good sign of how wonderful the school is.

obsessed with the sand table!

making art.

train table - heaven!

he was able to find his own name on his coat hook :)

today was the school's open house, and this was our third time he'd been in the classroom. we attended an open house back in april when we were considering the school, then we did a classroom visit in may, and then we went today. each and every time, including today, he cried when it was time to leave. i take this as a good indication that he's going to like the place :)

2011-09-08T22:37:00.000-04:00

this summer, eric's been away a ton for work. a TON. one of eric's co-workers is married with children. and his wife and i have become good friends. their children are 2 and 5 and also both boys, so we've spent loads of time together this summer. it helps that my friend's husband and my husband are both away at the same times - we have lots of free time at the same time!

our boys!

funny faces!

comparing ninja moves.

hill climbing.

driving around and around and around on the table.

1, 2, THREE

2011-09-08T22:29:00.000-04:00

dear baby marin,

what a sweet girl you are! you're a new baby this month, meaning your mama is feeling like a whole new woman (or back to my old self again?). you are becoming less and less mysterious. typically you eat, you're active and playing for about an hour, then you nap for about an hour, then you wake up to eat again. this means you take about 3 one-hour naps each day, depending on what we're doing and where you are. often these naps happen in the baby carrier or car seat, as it IS summer in maine and we're on the go almost daily with your brother doing fun things outside. i have a ton of cute baby sun hats for you, and it's been fun dressing you in them each day :) BUT - you do sleep in your crib if we're home, which is great. i have noticed that you are more sensitive to sound than adam was/is (adam could sleep through a herd of elephants ... in his room... bouncing on his bed...). adam often tells me that he has to "talk quietly upstairs, but we can be loud downstairs." he's learned also that you're sensitive to noise when napping. i've noticed that also if i am downstairs talking too loudly you will cry from your crib. and sometimes when i come in your room and start talking, you stop crying. in other words, i definitely think you know my voice and cry when it's not near you, calm when it is.

night time sleeping is going very very well too. you go to bed around 7pm each night and sleep till 6am each morning. i feed you before i go to sleep around 10pm (or 11pm or midnight...) and you don't even wake up! lovely! this is working out well and veeeeeery similar to your big brother. i feel very lucky. there are OCCASIONAL times you will wake at 5am or so, and typically i just pop your binky into your mouth and we can get another hour, sometimes more. but usually, like an alarm clock, you wake at 6am.

you're cooing like crazy these days. today you saw daddy for the first time in awhile (he's been away for work) and you squealed very high pitch and surprised him! he'd not heard you do this yet. some mornings we have conversations - i talk to you, you coo to me, then i talk, then you talk. it's so funny! you're most smiley in the mornings too.

you're in to your hands and adam tells me all the time that you're eating your fingers. occasionally you'll actually get your thumb and you go to town - i have to laugh because from the driver's seat of the car all i hear are these loud slurpy sounds from your car seat. i think you'd be a thumb sucker if you could figure it out. i wouldn't be shocked in the least if you became a thumb sucker soon.

you're also filling out a ton with little rolls on your legs, dimple knuckles, cheeks that are little pillows, dimples galore. your hair is turning blonde and has not fallen out, which is so neat. you're an adorable little baby.

marin, thank you for being such a good baby ~ i was starting to wonder how things would go, but in no time, you're such an easy little peanut. this is nice because this summer has been VERY busy with daddy's job, taking him away from home quite a bit. you, adam and i have been spending lots of time together and we ALL enjoy you so much! i love you!

our sweet, smiley girl!

adam loves you so much. he is so helpful, always telling me when you need to eat, when you're "upset" and asking to give you hugs and kisses.

2011-09-05T22:32:00.000-04:00

we spent our week of vacation on junior lake in maine, very far north, very close to canada, very remote. we had no internet, no tv, no cell service. i read two books in a week, while entertaining/caring for two children! it was very relaxing, but i admit that next time i hope we're closer to civilization. it was 30 miles to the nearest grocery/hospital, which had me worried since we had such little babes.

on the first day of our vacation, we had DOUBLE rainbows!

our lakeside cottage.

adam and daddy preparing to go fishing together for the first time.

adam and dad out on the canoe, headed out to fish.

our view while making s'mores lakeside.

s'mores for the first time.

playing baseball with daddy.

mama and marin.

daddy and babies = love.

mama and marin.

daddy and adam.

practice casting.

caught this sweet moment between eric and marin on the porch at our vacation.

baby face.

sweet girl!

the boys found the biggest frog ever!

adam taking photos with his own camera.

baby girl in the bath/sink.

mama and marin.

collecting our garden bounty upon arriving home!

2011-09-05T22:15:00.000-04:00

at our inn in boothbay harbor, there was a heated pool, yay! one evening i took adam into the pool and he loved it. so the next morning, he got in some swim time with daddy while mommy took photos.

boating around the pool.

jump!

and i ONLY posted this photo b/c of eric's awesome face! love you, daddy! HA.

2011-09-05T22:04:00.000-04:00

last month we took our FIRST family vacation. eric and i have been on many vacations without adam (sorry buddy, but now that we have marin i am even more happy we did that when we could!!). but this year, we decided to take a trip with the kiddos. we first went to boothbay harbor, which is just about 50 miles up the coast here in maine, to see thomas the train on thomas' day out! it was only in the 50's and rainy (thanks, maine), but we made the best of it and had a great time. adam loved it and i'm so glad we did it. we spent the night in boothbay and then left the next morning for our week at a lakeside cottage we rented WAY WAY up north in maine. more on that later!

at our house before heading to see thomas.

riding the tractor train at thomas.

playing with train tables under a tent... thank goodness since it was a downpour at times.

mama and marin bundled up. yes, in august.

CHEESE! we love thomas!

after thomas we spent a little time exploring boothbay harbor and having a late lunch. we couldn't stay out too long b/c it was raining and we had the baby, but we did get around a bit. i can't wait to go back to boothbay harbor, such a cute little seaside town.

mama and adam.

adam at our inn in boothbay.

2011-08-21T18:25:00.000-04:00

dear marin,

what a change you've brought into our lives in the past two (ok, almost three!) months. you are firey, my sweet. SO happy when you're happy and SO mad when you're mad. these days, you're more happy than mad, which is so great to finally see - you have big, dimpled smiles and love to play in your bouncy seat and play mat. you're covered with kisses day in and day out by all of us, and adam is always telling me what he thinks you need!

you're starting to settle into a schedule - eat, play for an hour or two, nap an hour or two (FINALLY!) and the eat again. you were pretty mysterious as far as schedules go there for awhile, so it's nice to have some predictability again. at night you're sleeping 8pm (or so) till 6am (or so), with just one feeding when i go to bed. this is PERFECT for me, so please keep it up!

you are the cutest baby, marin, we can't get over your sweet little face and super plump cheeks. i swear your cheeks hang down lower than your mouth! you LOVE your pacifier and hate being in the car. i suspect this is because you can't see anyone - you love being held, and seem to be very social. i'm starting to think you're going to have daddy's sociable personality.

i love dressing you in your adorable little clothes. you still haven't outgrown the newborn size, at just 11 lbs 4 oz. but i know soon we'll have to get some new, warm clothes in bigger sizes and i can't wait to shop for you. (your length now is 23.5 inches, up 3 from birth. and you ALMOST doubled your birth weight, but not quite!)

this month, you took your first vacation with us to the lakehouse in maine. you didn't sleep very well there, despite having slept great the week before at home... so this was a challenge and a surprise. but all the same, we loved having you with us there and it was nice to have a vacation as a family together.

marin, we can't wait to see you grow and develop, sweet girl, but i am also loving you right where you are - smiley, chubby, innocent and along for the ride! happy second month on the planet, little love. we love you!

getting some lovin' from the boys in our family at the lakehouse

2011-08-16T21:17:00.001-04:00

dear adam,

this is your last month, officially, as a 2 year old. un.believe.able. these months, as all the months since you were born, have flown by too fast for your mama.

you are such a joy as a child and i love you beyond words. you are funny, sensitive, compassionate and curious.

you like to tell jokes, love pop-a-cles and the jokes on the Popsicle sticks, tho i don't think you understand them, but you and i laugh anyhow. you run run run circles in our house, doing nothing sometimes other than running and saying "i am going fast!" this summer, you've loved bubbles, the little pool/splash pad near our house, helping me look at the "baby vegetables" in our garden, and the movie "Cars 2", which was the first movie we took you to see in the theater. you play all day, every day, with Mater and McQueen. you have a big Mater, who you call Big Mater or Daddy Mater, and you have a little Mater who you call Baby Mater. as in, "mommy, can you help me find Baby Mater?" altho, you're into all kinds of cars, trucks, tractors, "snow plows" (as you call a backhoe, and i find this hilarious and telling of your life experiences here in maine...), and basically anything with 2 or more wheels. this includes thomas the train - you know all the train names and colors and numbers. you love to watch thomas the train when we will allow you and read thomas books. you continue to love blue's clues, which pleases me because this show is positive and always introduces themes i like.

you are potty trained, only wearing a pull up, or "nite nite pants" as we call them, at night time. sometimes you wake up dry, sometimes not. you stay dry at naps and can do all the bathroom activities solo (stand and aim, climb up on the seat, lower and lift the seat, wash hands...), except wiping ... which you tell me daily that now you're big and you can do it yourself, but i insist you let me continue to lend a hand. :)

when someone is crying, you say things like - they need a hug, some milk (baby marin), or tell me that they're upset. you seem to be highly aware of others' feelings and needs. you are (usually...) very polite and we continue to receive compliments on your good behavior. occasionally you have been more testy than before, especially now that your baby sister has arrived, but this behavior is rare. mostly, when you don't get your way, you just pout, face down on the couch. i have to be my strongest mommy self to not give into this pouting, because truly i want you to be happy all the time and enjoy every ounce of childhood. BUT... as your mom, i also have to set limits and help you learn that you can't get everything you want when you want it, helping guide you away from impulsiveness and being spoiled later on. just today, we were in the grocery and you spotted a Cars birthday cake. you begged and begged for this cake, and i tried to explain that your birthday is coming very soon and if you're a good boy we will get you that cake. and you said, " but mom, i AM a good boy!" i had to smile and say you're right, because truly you are. you run fast to get me a diaper for the baby, help me carry in groceries (you take the paper towels and bread :)), and tell me you love me lots. you adore your baby sister, asking to hug, kiss and touch her often. you like to try to make her smile. also, recently, i was coming down stairs and you looked at me and said, "mom, you look great!" you'd never said this before and i thought it was the sweetest thing ever. and, tonight i was leaning over you talking, and you said that my "pretty hair was all around" you. such a sweet boy.

adam, you are also a TALKER. goodness gracious, sometimes your dad and i are exhausted (just being honest!) answering your questions, responding to your mommy!? and daddy?!, and looking at all the things you want us to look at. but we always try to respond in earnest because your curiosity and positivity and innocence is perfection. you still love being read to and "reading" books on your own, especially in your bed at night. you still wake up with books in bed. you recently wrote MOM in chalk on your own accord, without me saying - ok, now write M, now write O. you start preschool 3 days a week next month and i'm certain your writing skills will grow from here.

we also recently took you (and marin) on your first vacation that was not to grandparents' houses. we spent a week at a lakhouse in maine and the best part of the vacation, for me, was watching you have the best week of your little life all week long. you played and played, and without work, internet, tv, phone or chores, you had your dad's and my undivided attention all week (well, divided with marin, but that's it!). you played hard and long, ran through the woods and played in the water. you had your first fishing trip in a canoe with daddy and helped make and eat s'mores. you helped daddy gather wood for a fire and read a million books, made dozes of sandcastles. at the beginning of this week, we saw thomas the train IN PERSON and took a ride on him. you were in heaven and it was fun for daddy and me too.

sometimes you say really funny things, like recently i asked you how you slept and you answered: mmmm, like a banana. and then just went on your way, like it was nothing. you love silly talk and making up weird nonsense words. you like to play hide and seek (you're good at counting and searching, but your hiding spots need some help...!) and chase/tag. you LOVE baseball, we've been to several minor league games this summer. and, you can hit a baseball with a bat, which impresses me to no end.

adam, my best boy, as i often call you, i just can't believe you'll be 3 soon. for me, this marks the end of your "babyhood" and the start of your boyhood. i swear, and i know i say this a lot, but it feels like you JUST ARRIVED. where does the time go. i try each day to savor our time together and remember that each moment moves on quickly. i love you super craaaaazy much. love, mom.

2011-08-01T09:55:00.000-04:00

some photos since marin's birth, june 7, 2011 at 3:05pm

big brother adam and mawmaw minutes after marin's birth.

adam loves marin so much. every day for 8 weeks he asks to hug and kiss her often.

adam, with eric's help, won this cow at a seadogs baseball game this summer. recently, i found him riding it on his bed, wearing his cowboy hat.

this july has been very hot and we don't have A/C - almost no one is maine does! when it was 96 in our house, we spent a lot of time outside in the sprinkler or eating popsicles - or as adam calls them, "pop-ah-cles"

marin began smiling regularly around 7 weeks. her smiles are so genuine and adorable.

uncle lucas came to visit in july!

fun time in our cool sprinkler that pops up balls on a stream of water!

shamless pat on the back: look at my great little garden! tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, lettuce, peppers, squash.

our sweet girl marin at 8 weeks old.

2011-07-26T22:06:00.000-04:00

a few summer photos pre baby marin:

it rained nearly ALL of may, and during the first part of may we even ran our heat and had a fire because the evenings were quite chilly! my rain boots were worn daily... by adam AND me.

this summer, eric was promoted and his advancement ceremony took place while my mom and dad were here, awaiting marin's birth. this photo was taken just DAYS before she was born. even tho i felt like my belly wasn't as big with marin, looking back at this photo i can't believe how enormous i look! eric's boat in the background.

adam on our deck in late may (yes, in a sweatshirt!) eating a giant lollipop from paw paw.

adam playing candyland with maw maw and paw paw.

the "41 weeks" belly photo my mom took, the night before i was induced for marin's birth.

2011-07-22T23:21:00.000-04:00

life has changed around here - baby marin violet was born on June 7, 2011. here's a run down of the past 6 weeks.

my parents arrived on may 29 to be here for the baby's birth. she was due may 30 and their return flight wasn't until... june 7. so we figured they'd definitely see the baby. during the time they were here (and during all of may, for that matter...), we walked miles and miles, i bounced on an exercise ball, folks i did it ALL - the baby did not want to come out. i had a 40 week appointment and talked with my ob about an induction. the earliest she'd consider it - june 7.

soooo.... on june 7 at 8:30am i checked into maine medical center, my hair did, my bag neatly packed, my parents, eric and adam there. it was a weird experience to know i was going in and would have a baby later that day. no element of surprise. i told every nurse who would listen: my parents have to leave at 4pm to catch a flight. the baby HAS to be out before then. they promised me they would try.

i was already 3cm when i arrived at the hospital and having random contractions, so once the drug drip started, things moved along pretty quickly. a couple times the baby's heart rate dropped significantly and i was given an oxygen mask and had to change positions. this scared me - especially when i was warned that if it didn't change i may have to have a c-section. luckily, things got better and we trucked along. all the while adam playing in the room with the nurse and my parents chatting and watching the clock.

around 2:30 i started pushing and at 3:05pm eric shouted - IT'S A GIRL! baby marin shocked us with her full head of dark hair and her tiny size - 6lbs 1oz. eric ran to the hallway and shouted to my parents and adam that it was a girl and i could hear them cheering - it was awesome. after marin was all cleaned up and my body was, ahem, taken care of... my parents came in to hold marin for about 20 minutes before they had to leave for their flight. it was so bittersweet, but i am thankful they got to meet her, however brief!

our stay in the hospital was great and by the time we came home, eric's parents and brother had arrived. they stayed for a week. and THEN - they left and eric left too, all on the same day! eric had a THREE week work trip that could not be avoided. to say i was nervous and overwhelmed and sad would be an understatement. i was awash with emotions and cried a lot. i had NO idea how i'd manage a new baby and a toddler, plus my own physical and emotional needs.

but, as is always the case, the world kept turning even when i was sure it wouldn't. i struggled through all the feedings, sleepless nights, nursing woes, toddler tantrums and playtime, meals, laundry, and my own physical recovery, but i made it. well, we all made it. poor eric, by the time he was able to call me in the evenings, i was so exhausted and overwhelmed i melted into a blubbering mess on the phone. i'm sure he thought i was on the brink. (ok, maybe i WAS on the brink...?) but yes, can check that off my list [take care of 1 week old + 2 yr old + own broken body 1 week postpartum alone] and never hope to do it again. ever.

during that time, i was blessed to have meals delivered every other night by a group of women i am friends with. it was SO nice and i wondered many times how or what we would have eaten without them. every other evening, a friend arrived with a meal, placed it in my fridge and was on her way. life saving. during this time, it was also very important to me that adam not feel excluded or unimportant, so i made an effort to get him to play dates, swimming pools, and even to the beach once (bad idea with a newborn, but hey, at least i tried!). we went on walks along maine's beautiful rocky coast (marin strapped to my chest in our new, oh so amazing moby wrap! how did i go without this time last time?!), and to playgrounds. when eric came home, we took him to see the movie Cars 2 (which he calls the "tow truck movie" since his favorite character and recent CRAZY obsession is with Tow Mater), during which marin slept the whole time.

eric came home for a week to a month old baby and is now away again for 10 days (arriving home tomorrow, yay!). during this stretch, my mom visited, rachel and my brother is here now. having the extra hands and the adult company has been SUCH A LUXURY. LUXURY. one person cleaning up from dinner while i rock a baby? will NEVER take for granted ever ever again.

when eric was home briefly we painted marin's room pink. ironically, the exact same pink as the strawberry milkshakes i ate daily while pregnant with her. :) it's an adorable little room. around 5 weeks we moved her to her own crib and out of our room. i was sort of sad when we did this, and i can see this will be a theme, probably for her whole life, ha. "but this is the last little baby to sleep in our room...." i thought and said out loud. eric reminded me that she'd be 10 feet away and i'd see her every few hours. ah, right.

speaking of... marin is a mystery sleeper, but things are getting a little better every day. she has no real schedule to speak of yet and her naps are mostly cat naps. when she naps more than 30 mins i actually start to wonder if something is wrong! sometimes she likes the swaddle and sometimes she is cool and content without it, arms stretched overhead. since it worked so well with adam, i have tried to start a nightly bedtime routine at the same time everynight. now, i know she's just 6 weeks and this will probably not really do much... yet. but having a schedule is good for all of us, and eventually she'll get the memo that a bath = her bedtime. MOST of the time i can give her a bath, a bottle, a rock and put her down around 7pm, leaving adam and me to enjoy dinner sans baby - a little special time just for us, and this also frees me up to put him to bed and keep his routine in tact. then i feed marin again before i hit the sack. typically she wakes anywhere between 2 and 4 for another feeding (has been closer to 4 more often lately, so i hope this means soon she'll stretch it to 6am!). BUT. after that feeding, all bets are off and i have the damndest time getting her back to sleep. she falls asleep, wakes up, falls asleep, wakes up. every 20 mins or so i'm up out of the bed. most times, i start to see the sun rising and finally give up, bringing her to bed with me and letting her sleep on my chest while i sleep on my back. bad, i know. but knowing that i have to "clock in" for adam in just a few hours has me desperate for rest. the most frustrating part of all of this is that her ability to sleep with me in my bed shows me that she IS still tired. why all the sudden can she not sleep in her own bed??? see? a mystery, this one.

marin is also more particular than adam was - she does not like a dirty diaper at all, she must eat every 2 hours or else, she hates the car and cries when we're not moving (stop lights, drive throughs, in the driveway, etc). BUT. she is the most adorable little peanut. her eyes are so curious and her smiles (new) are so full and happy and have dimples. she's gaining weight nicely - still wearing newborn clothes no problem, but filling them out finally. her hair is turning lighter, though she is rarely in the sunshine without a hat. she's not a big burper and i've only seen her spit up once - unlike adam, who was the world's worst spitter upper each and every time, no matter what we did. i LOVE dressing her and all her little clothes are so cute. she loves listening to and looking at adam, who is almost constantly asking to touch her, kiss her, hug her, sing to her and telling her he loves her.

tho i still feel truly exhausted just about all the time, and amaze myself with how much coffee i am drinking to keep myself going, i can also feel a normalcy creeping in. i know that maybe the dust is JUST starting to settle a bit. i feel confident that in a month or two i will be in a new place and feel so much more adjusted. i definitely feel fulfilled and crazy lucky to have two beautiful healthy children. and adam is such a helper and so loving and adjustable. when eric is here, he is totally hands on and takes over so i can escape for a jog, a yoga class, or just a grocery trip alone. i have to admit, however, i will be happy when his busy work schedule lightens up a bit!

we're currently in a heat wave - it was 102 in maine today. we don't have AC (almost no one in maine does) and it was 96 in our house. we have fans in every window in every room, it's like a wind tunnel in here. marin and adam are sleeping in diapers/pull ups and it's just so hot it is miserable. adam is loving freezer pops and a sprinkler i bought him that blows balls up into the air on a water stream. he loves blowing bubbles and helping me water my garden. marin sits fairly happily in her baby seat outside with all this going on. we're making it!

2011-05-16T22:17:00.000-04:00

dear adam,

our baby is due to arrive in just a couple weeks, so this is our last little bit of time that it's just us, before we have a newbie around here and you're officially a "big drudder," which you're definitely looking forward to. you read books about being a big brother and what our baby will be like. you know that our baby will not "walk or talk or eat pizza or apples or ice cream." you tell me that you are gonna kiss our baby on it's eye and help mommy and daddy get the baby a diaper (then you're quick to remind me that "i not wear diapers mommy! only baby wear diapers, not me, not daddy, not mommy!). i have had some random, painful contractions lately and if i groan or wince in pain you say - your big belly hurting you, mommy? too funny.

you're a pro on the potty these days. i've been experimenting lately with letting you go without a pull up at nap and you're doing great. you wake up wet (in your pull up) in the mornings, but getting through nap dry makes me very happy and i'll take it for now!

you had a few days at our new house recently where you told me you wanted to "go home" and didn't seem to understand that our new house IS our home. i had to explain to you that where ever we live is our home, that daddy's job will tell us to move again someday and when that happens, where ever we go will be our home too. we will have lots and lots of homes and right now, this house is our home. now, when we pull in the driveway at the new house, you say - mommy, we are at the new house, it is our HOME! you've also mentioned your daycare teacher a couple times and your friends from school. you haven't been there in two weeks, but your bringing them up has made me consider taking you over to visit sometime soon. we have had a lot of change going on around here!

all of the sudden over the past few weeks, you're obsessed with thomas the tank engine and know more about the engines than i do! today we went to greenlight studio to play and i picked up a red train and you told me it was James. i was shocked to turn the train over and see "James" written on the bottom! i read you your big thomas book every day, so how i have not listened to myself i do not know. but apparently you are listening quite well!

you say and do very funny things lately. you recently tried to color a white crayon on white paper and when it didn't show up you told me that - this one is broken, mommy. it needs batteries. i gonna ask my dad to fix it! hilarious. you refer to your room here at the new house as your "big boy bedroom." our steps here are hardwood and i know it's only a matter of time before you tumble down the slippery steps in your socks. i remind you EVERY time to be careful. so much so that you also warn ME - be careful on the steps, mommy! and when you're going down in bare feet, you say - my feet are not slippery mommy. just my socks and my jammies are veeeeeery slipperrrrrry!

each night, now that you have a "big boy bed" (our old guest bed), your dad and i can just lie down in bed with you to read books and sing songs. i love love love this time together with you. we lay face to face and take turns singing songs. when i read you books you cuddle right up, holding onto my arm. you like to take turns singing the same song and love learning new songs. our newest is B-I-N-G-O, and i also taught you there was a mommy who had a little boy and adam was his name-o, A-D-A-M. you're really into letters and writing your name, so this is fun to sing with you. recently you asked me to sing you the curious george song and i had no idea what you were talking about and you were pretty sad and frustrated. for days you asked for this song and i had no idea why b/c i had never heard it or sang it. finally, one night, you said - daddy sing the curious george song! ah ha. i asked your dad and he said he made up a song and it changes every time he sings it. guess that one will be between you and dad only! after we sing and i'm telling you goodnight, you like to tell me that in the morning you're going to call out "mommy!" and then i am going to come to the door and open it. i agree and you seem happy to know and agree on the plan. wonder where you get that from????

adam, you are such a good, good boy. you are sensitive and caring and compassionate and smart. i love watching your brain work, i love it when you get excited about a cute baby or a funny joke (you LOVE the knock knock boo hoo, don't cry baby!). i love listening on the monitor to you read and sing in your room after we leave. you are such a lively, happy little person and i know you'll be an excellent, caring big brother and helper to mom and dad. i love you very much!

2011-05-02T22:17:00.000-04:00

we enrolled adam in a co-op preschool for the fall. unlike daycare "school", this school is more school-like, complete with lessons, field trips, a teacher ... ok, and tons of play time - these kids are 3-5 after all. we went to an open house and a classroom visit and love it so much, so we're very excited. and, since it's a co-op, the parents run the school and act as the board, and also volunteer in the classroom, so we'll get tons of interaction in this new little world of adam's.

tonight we went to the first new parents' meeting and the entire time i was thinking - this is crazy! i am sitting here listening to talk about a lesson on the heart and field trips and special "stars of the day" and my baby will be part of all this in a millisecond. the speed that time flies makes me so, so sad.

around that time, the teacher told us if we spend the entire summer saying tearfully to our kids - i just can't believe you're old enough to go to this school...! then the separation in the fall might be hard for the kids. ok, keep sad mommy feelings to self, got it.

but seriously. how did this happen? in the fall he'll be 3!!!! THREE!?! wah. tooooo fast. i feel like i'll blink and he'll be 13 and then 33. sigh.

--

lately, adam has been saying "i love YOU more!" and likes to argue it back and forth, which is beyond adorable to me.

he's writing his name, knows it's spelled A-D-A-M, can count to 10 holding up fingers, can put on his own pants and underwear and coat (shirts are a little traumatic and usually end in a hug after adam panics when he can't get it down over his head and can't get his arms out.... i have to stifle my giggles...). he's pretty good at drawing stick people and often tells me they are mommy, daddy, adam and baby. he knows his parents are "mommy and daddy, not adam" and that his family is "mommy, daddy, adam and baby." he shakes hands and says "nice to meet you."

this weekend we moved into our new house. a couple times adam has asked me if/when we're going "home" and i am trying to gently explain that this IS our home now. last time we moved he was too young to comprehend what was going on, or at least too young to express his feelings or desires in words. but this time, i wonder how he feels. i think he likes it here - he's played nonstop in the abundance of space we have compared to our old place - but i wonder if he thinks we're just on a big vacation? he is now sleeping in his "big boy bed", which is a full size mattress, freeing up the crib-turned-toddler-bed that he WAS sleeping in to be given to the new baby soon.

--

speaking of new baby, i had my 36 weeks check up today. baby is low low low and i am just 1 cm. i gained another 2 lbs, for a total of 12 or 14, i can't remember. the baby's heart beat was 120 and sounded lovely! i had to take adam with me today, and while the dr "checked" me, she had him look for lady bugs in my ears. clever way to keep from scarring my son for life!, since he wasn't interested at all in the books and toys i brought to distract him. i'm now going once a week... and cannot BELIEVE that within a month we'll have another newborn baby around. CRAZY.

2011-04-28T07:59:00.000-04:00

yesterday morning i was watching the news and adam was sitting next to me.

he said: mom, those people can't get out. (referring to the newscasters.)

i said: that's right...... they can't.

after a pause, he said: they don't have a door!!

2011-04-22T21:12:00.001-04:00

adam and i made easter eggs tonight. he did a great job and loved it!

(our place is a TOTAL disaster as we prepare to move to our new house NEXT WEEKEND! cannot come soon enough.... moving at 8/9 mos pregnant = not recommended.)

2011-04-22T21:02:00.001-04:00

had my 34 weeks check up this week. baby is head down (phew) and i'm dilated just a bit, which means nada, truly, but it's still fun to know things are moving along as they should.

all the ice cream paid off. i finally gained another 2 lbs.

my next appt is at 36 weeks, and then i start going once per week until we have a birthday around here...!

baby is moving around a lot and sometimes it hurts and i would swear baby is trying to bust out. and sometimes it just tickles - little hands and feet!
--

adam informed me today that - daddy is gonna get a tractor and push that baby out, that daddy is the one who is gonna push the baby out of mommy. i honestly couldn't contain my laughter, since this is so clearly incorrect. because i was curious, i went ahead and asked - how does the baby get out? and his answer remains - baby gets out at the doctor!! phew.

--
today i had a baby "sprinkle" with some friends in maine and it was so, so sweet.

janeen made this diaper cake and the ladies sprinkled me with some sweet gifts for little baby.

all of us brought our kiddos and started out the sprinkle with an easter egg hunt, since easter IS in just 2 days. for the rest of the party, we had a mother's helper tend the kiddos while we had brunch, opened gifts and spent some time together. it was fantastic and i feel so lucky to have made such sweet friends here in maine.

at the sprinkle, some of the women wrote down their predictions for little baby's sex. only one vote for boy!

2011-04-19T21:09:00.000-04:00

today, adam's teacher told me that he had just woken up from a nap and was eating a muffin and carrots for snack. he looked at her and out of no where said: carla, i like pork chops!

i can't stop laughing about this.

another teacher, who is not his teacher but loves him so much, told me today she is heartbroken he is leaving at the end of the month (when i start maternity leave). she told me that today she said to him - adam, you have to stay here with us! and he said - i can't, i a big brother now! i couldn't believe he said that and had NO idea he was so aware even of the fact that he was leaving school soon!

2011-04-11T21:13:00.003-04:00

today, adam said:

mom, i gonna fish that baby!

(i said, huh?!)

he said:

i gonna get a fishing pole and fish that baby out!
--

i've worked out a "kid trade" with a friend here in maine for the summer, a mom to one of adam's little buddies. adam starts preschool in the fall 3 mornings a week. but this summer, you know, the summer where i am having another INFANT around, he's going to be home with me. we can't keep him in daycare if i am not working/on maternity leave (hello dolla bills!). so, this kid trade is going to ROCK. one day a week, for an entire day, it will just be me and Baby. and on another day, adam's pal will come over to play, giving his mommy the day off too. i am so happy this worked out and can't wait to start our trade.
--

our apartment is FULL of boxes. i feel we've made a good start on packing. but i've been knocked on my, ahem, hiney from a killer cold that adam gave me. there should be a universal law against women in their 3rd trimester getting colds or flus. i mean, seriously. for one, if you've ever been pregnant (and maybe if you haven't...), you know that all this coughing and sneezing is a major MAJOR problem and i'm changing clothes all day. sigh. also, during a time when you're already feeling tired (for legitimate reasons, hormones that stimulate milk production make you SLEEPY), you get a cold and feel even MORE tired. bleh. my voice is almost gone, my throat is raw and firey. seriously!? so wrong.
--

tonight i taught my last monday night yoga class for awhile. another teacher will be subbing for me until july. i LOVE LOVE LOVE teaching this class - i love the format and the students and the time of day. but, i am just getting too big to be standing for two hours straight and to be demonstrating yoga poses effectively. not to mention (see above...), we're moving and i'm beat!

2011-04-07T15:23:00.000-04:00

32 weeks appointment today. i lost 2 lbs, which is really unbelievable given all the ice cream and milk shakes i eat. this makes for a total weight gain of only 10 lbs, and my doc said today she wanted me to gain at 20 total. it took me 8 months to gain this 10 so i really don't know how i will gain 10 more in 8 weeks, but i guess i'll just keep eating my cookie dough ice cream and cheesy shrimp and grits and hope for the best!

the baby is definitely head down, which is excellent news.

--

the other morning i came out of my room in my bra and pants before work and adam said:
mommy your belly is really big! you gonna need another shirt...

hilarious!

2011-04-03T21:52:00.000-04:00

bleck. adam has pink eye in both eyes, along with a wicked runny nose. he woke up today at 3am screaming for me. when i went in his room, he was in his bed saying - mommy my eyes are closing! they are stuck! SO.MUCH.GOO. now he has big (weird) purple circles under his eyes too. it looks like he has two shiners. all day, he looks at me with runny, watery eyes and says - i need a tissue for my eyes, mom. simply pitiful.

needless to say we'll be at the dr. first thing in the morning. i have been washing my hands like CRAZY. i guess it can't hurt to throw in a few prayers too - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't let me get pink eye!