six month update

So, what's Maren like? Well, do you know pure joy and love? That's Maren. She is absolutely amazing, "shockingly cute" per her dad, and just the best baby. Seriously, I could rent her out; as in, a wife thinks she wants a baby but the husband is unsure, so they take Maren for a few hours... and then try to get pregnant the same day.

She is fascinated by Toby. If she could talk, she would say, kinda valley-girl style like her Mama: "O.M.G. Did you KNOW we have a DOG?" She just discovered him, and she thinks he is awesome. And she is a good sport (those are blankets on her back that Annie put on her):

She rolls everywhere and is most content on her tummy, just looking around.

She rarely cries - goes days without crying. She smiles constantly. She is just a happy little soul.

She sleeps through the night about two-thirds of the time but gets up around 5 for an pre-dawn snack and goes right back down the rest of the time.

She is social. She likes to look around and be around people. She is absolutely fine going anywhere. She likes being held, she likes baby carriers, and she likes strollers. She even likes riding in the car. I mean, she is open to anything!

She is a super sleeper including naps. :) She prefers to sleep on her tummy. She is a bit of a light sleeper. She and Annie share a room and she pops her head right up with a huge smile when we bring Annie into bed (Maren is usually out by 7-7:30; Annie is up until 8-8:30). It is a bit like a dog does when you walk by them. What? I wasn't sleeping! Then she goes right back to sleep.

She is super long and nice-sized but not chubby:

Milestone-wise, she babbles all day long, can't quite sit by herself yet, and cut her first two teeth last week.

She has the most amazing eyelashes ever. Long and so curly that they literally curl into her eyebrows. Her hair is light brown and soft and short but will definitely be ready for a bow on her first birthday. Her eyes are, well, not blue. That is all we know at this point! I am guessing they will end up in the hazel range??? They have a lot of green, some blue, some brown. So, we shall see. Her features in general seem to photograph darker than they look in person.

It has been a happy six months. We know how very fortunate we are and I hope you can read the love in this post. You can see why we think we want a houseful of kids!

from jax beach with love

hope it's thirty-one-derful!!!

test

Playing with something here. Please excuse the cute baby!

day in the life: August 5, 2011

I have seen this on other blogs and wanted to try it out. Interestingly, I chose a kind of out-of-the-ordinary “day in the life,” as Fridays tend to be (notes: usually Chris drops off at a later time and I pick up at an earlier time; also, we usually get Annie in bed much earlier!). But, then, we have to flexible around here or we would never survive :), so here you go.

4:40: I wake up to a sweet little voice on the monitor, not happy but not crying. I realize it is not Annie, but Maren. I think about how she might roll over and go back to sleep. I spend five minutes deciding if I should go in to nurse her or let her fall back asleep on her own. I think about how my alarm is set for 5:40. I run through three hour pumping/nursing schedules based on first feed in my mind. I decide I should get up to nurse her. Maren stops making noise and I go back to sleep.

4:50: I hear Maren again and get up right away to nurse her. I offer both sides so I don't have to pump one side when I get up to run. Luckily she takes both.

5:05: I get back in bed. I think about how my alarm will go off in 45 minutes. I start a to do list for work in my mind. I decide to use the Hypnobabies rainbow relaxation. It is not working, so I doze off daydreaming about my Sarah bachelorette cruise.

5:40: My alarm goes off. I hit snooze twice. I get out of bed, brush my teeth, and put on my running clothes.

6:05-6:35: Surprisingly good run.

6:40: Jump in the shower still sweating. Get out still sweating. I feel thankful that I am wearing painting clothes to work today.

6:55: I hear the friends on the monitor. I hear the door slam as Annie gets up to use the bathroom. I go in to say hello and give hugs and kisses. I leave Maren in her crib and go kiss a sleeping Chris good bye.

7:00: Get in car to go to work. Gas light is on so I stop and get gas as a random act of kindness to Chris on account of the Big Discussion we had last night about money.

7:10: Arrive at work and start painting the wall (why I am painting the wall is, simply, a post for another day. When I worked at Red Cross I had to clean bathrooms – at least I don't do that now.)

8:15: Leave work. Go home. Nurse Maren. Chris leaves for work and does not take the car so he does not notice my random act of kindness. Ask Annie to get her shoes on. She goes to the bathroom and takes off all her clothes. Pack all the bags. Ask Annie to put her clothes on. She cries that she wants new clothes. I use my stern voice and tell her she can wear whatever she wants but she has to put it on now.

9:00: Leave house to drop girls at Bea's. Stop at Ace Hardware to pick up another paintbrush. Stop at Publix for tonight's dinner's ingredients.

9:45: Back at work. Paint.

12:15: Quick lunch at my desk while I pump and check email. Rice and beans and salad.

12:45-2: Paint

2-5: Work frantically because, when you paint all day, you don't actually get any work done. Plan agenda for pretty-big-deal Principal's meeting I am hosting this Wednesday. Work on new report I had to create because our crappy old computer system won't pull it anymore. Pump again. Realize paint does not look that great and will need a second coat, which I will have to do this weekend some time.

5:05: Home before anyone else!!! What should I do??! I think about how I never have this opportunity. I lay on the couch and watch WWHL with guest Neil Patrick Harris. He is kind of arrogant and rude but it is very relaxing.





5:20: The friends are home! YAY! Nurse Maren. Discuss everyone's day.


5:40: Throw the girls in the tub. Boat and airplane rides on the bed for both girls. Annie can't decide what to wear.

6:15: Chop veggies for homemade pizza dinner. Annie helps Maren with her mesh feeder filled with only ice. Maren loves it. Walk around holding Maren while Chris starts the grill and Annie plays outside. Throw in a diaper load of laundry. I ask Annie to please not use the cry voice.



7:20: Maren starts fussing. Get smiley girl ready for bed. Nurse laying down in Annie's bed. She falls asleep and I gently move her to the crib.



7:40: Put on second wash of diaper laundry. Chris and I talk about how late it is and why we haven't eaten dinner yet. Annie cries because her pants are wet from washing her hands. Annie practices her bike. Annie cries because I tell her she can't change her pants again. Annie changes her pants anyway. I ask her to please not use the cry voice. Chris comments that there is a lot of whining going on for someone who had a two hour nap.

8:00: Annie and I take Toby for a walk around the block. She stops to pick some “lollipops” (??) and tries to carry them in her skirt. They all fall out but she doesn't mind. She shows off her running and jumping.

8:20: Pizza's ready. We watch it and turn on a movie. Babe 2. We talk about how pizza and a movie on Fridays is becoming a nice little routine. Pause movie. Chris gets Annie ready for bed while I do the dishes. Switch diaper laundry.

9:30: My friends are cuddling on the couch. I am icing my foot because I did something weird to it doing mountain climbers at the gym and I have boot camp in the morning.


10:00: Bring Annie into bed. We're right behind her as soon as I finish this!

wordfull wednesday

oh and THIS GIRL

is a rolling fool. Milestone met: just shy of five months. (Hey she's a second child and I'm trying to keep track of the big moments!) She was a major hit at Annie's school party. All the friends gathered around Maren to tickle her (Annie said, "do you want to see my baby?"):

birthday letter for my big girl

Dear Annie,






You turned THREE last week. OK, it was a little over a week ago, but man is the summer flying by!




Some awesome things about you:

• You are sensitive and sweet. You like to hug and say I love you.




• You love to read and you love letters. You know them all. Tonight I told you I was a bookie and you told me, "I'm a bookie too." We read three books every night. You occasionally "lose a book" but those are few and far between.




• You like to play outside. You are girly but dirty too. You are going to be a good camper.




• You have all but given up naps. We had too because you would come out of your bed for literally hours - you come out with a smile on your face and say, "mommy, all my friends turned into monsters." We say, "OK, Anne, throw them into the hallway and go back into bed."




• You are 100% potty trained even for nighttime, with very few accidents.




• You like to dance and have a super cute fast feet thing going on where you twist your hips around and move your feet as fast as they can go.




• You are a gentle girl with a soft voice and a shy smile.




• You have a lot of concentration for a three year old. You can do puzzles, painting, games, etc. for a long time. You saw your first movie, Winnie the Pooh, with Dad. It is so fun! I can't wait for even more big girl activities.




• You have an unbelievable sense of direction. You always know where we are and what city we are in. I am pretty sure we could drop you in Ponte Vedra and you could find your way home.




• You are learning to swim and finally love to dunk underwater. We are working on kicking.




• You love bouncy houses and parties.




• You are a total oldest child so far - a rule following, leader, take-charge kind of girl.




• You have a sense of humor and try to make jokes all the time. You do funny voices and say funny things. (You do a mean Maren.)




• You like to tell stories and have stories told to you, especially scary stories where we do lots of Oooooooooooooo.




• You are a little copycat, which we consider a compliment that you think we are cool. Recently heard: "My whole body hurts." (I have been going to the gym.) "I am going to bring the rest for lunch tomorrow." (I always pack up half my dinner for lunch the next day.)

We have a book called Mommy's Little Girl, which has clarified our relationship for you. You made this up yourself and say all the time, "I'm a big girl now, but I'll always be your little girl."



Always, Annie!


Love,



Mom