Little By Little ...

... they might become friends.

Fun on a Sunday

Yesterday was lovely. After a nice morning together as a family (using Amalia's bouncy seat as an arm rest) ...

... we headed off to Oma and Grandpa E's house for a little fun and food.

Both kids got to enjoy a story with Aunt Christine.

Then we decided to try giving a bread and butter pickle to Baylor.

He didn't like it too much.

He did, however, like the hamburger patty my dad cooked up for him.

And that he and my sister lovingly squirted numbers onto for him.

After dinner it was time to inspect the office ceiling fan and light with Aunt Christine.

And build some fun towers with Oma. Big smiles!

Amalia got to spend some time on the couch.

Sadly, she was a little short on the head control.

Ahhh, that's better! Grandpa E to the rescue!

Then Aunt Christine got to take a turn, putting Miss Mollie into her favorite relaxation position.

Little B is big into hiding now, and Aunt Christine decided to join him in one of his hiding spots right before we left.

So much fun!

Easter with the Cartwrights

My grandparents came to visit last Sunday to see Baylor, meet Amalia, and celebrate Easter, and a fun time was had by all.

Miss Mollie slept through most of it, of course, but that's what two week-olds do.

Baylor showed off his amazing typing skills to Gigi.

My mom baked a stellar raspberry-blueberry pie. It was truly delicious!

Baylor is currently fascinated with all the things his sister has, so he spent a little time trying to figure out the buckles on her car seat.

After a lovely lunch and time spent visiting, we got some pictures before my dear grandparents had to go. Sadly, I personally did not get a good picture of the greats with their great-grandchildren ... but this one sure was funny.

Then my parents posed for a picture with their grandkiddos. Don't the boys match so nicely? It's almost like they planned it, but they didn't ... Baylor chose his own outfit that day!

Amalia finally decided to open her eyes for a bit to see her Oma.

It was so nice for everyone to get to spend time together and meet the newest member of the family. Hopefully we'll get to do it again soon!

The Suburban of Strollers

Our new stroller is a behemoth, but it's pretty sweet! We chose the Chicco Cortina Together stroller because we have a Chicco Keyfit infant car seat, and this is the only double stroller it will safely snap into without an additional attachment. This is the first and only in-line double stroller Chicco has made so it has been highly anticipated and in hot demand, so much so that my sister had to order it online from a company in California. It finally arrived via UPS the other day, and though my sister and I put it together immediately the weather wasn't nice enough to try it out until yesterday.

After dinner last night, though, the sun was out and the air was mild, so we decided to take the kids for a stroll through the neighborhood. With Mollie in the back and Baylor in the front, we paused for a sec for a few pictures of the new ride and the first walk as a family of four.

She slept through the entire walk, creaking and squeaking occasionally along the way.

Cheesy smile, anyone?

Apparently I took one photo too many ... that is Bryson's "come on, already!" face.

The stroller worked great; it handled well and rode smoothly. The real test will be taking it on a shopping trip, but for now this was a good first run.

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for this awesome ride for the kiddos!

My Little Grunting Lady

I really wanted to do a photo post about the new double stroller we got the other day or just post some pictures of the kids for y'all to see, but my camera and cord are downstairs and I'm still trying to restrict myself to once down/once up a day.

So, I'll post about what's going on right now instead. Lucky you.

Right now, my sweet little daughter is grunting in her crib. She is awake, as far as I know, and is grunting loud enough for me to hear it across the hall. This has been happening for the last several nights and I don't know what to do about it. I want to feel good about putting her in her crib awake, since I know you're supposed to do that and all, but she's awake so rarely through the day that I feel I'm squandering a chance to stimulate her brain. And I think she's more awake than she should be; I always remember putting Baylor down awake yet VERY drowsy, and she does not seem drowsy in the slightest.

Every once in a while, she gets really quiet for a minute or two which gets me thinking that she's asleep, only to have her start grunting again. It's moments like this that I really wish we had one of those video monitors so I could see what in the world she's doing without having to go in there and disturb her (since, in my mind, babies have a shark-like sense of smell and can catch even the most faint whiff of their mothers - I know she might not be able to see me, but I am convinced she can smell me).

What to do? What to do?

I so want her to be a good sleeper like her brother is, but right now I'm feeling like a total rookie at this mom-at-night thing. Plus, I have the added concern that she is going to wake the little man up, so I probably rush in there earlier and more often than I should. (And don't even talk to me about when we're eventually going to have to let her cry it out ... the thought of two kids awake and crying in the middle of the night is a little more than I can handle right now, in my exhausted state.)

Speaking of which, I should go to bed. Maybe if I turn out my light and set a good example, the little lady will follow suit and quiet down.

Maybe.

An Ephiphany on My Stubbornness

As I was getting ready for bed tonight, I had an epiphany about why I am so incessantly stubborn. Aside from being genetically predispositioned to it (thanks, Mom!), I also have an underlying need to be self-sufficient.

Let me explain.

I think, in the back of my mind, I am always waiting for the bottom to drop out, for the next person to leave me hanging. I don't know why I feel this way, but I do. So, in my stubbornness, I am teaching myself to be self-sufficient, to know that - should someone/something not come through for me - I can do it myself. No problems. No worries. I have it down because I've stubbornly done it before without any help.

In short, I insist on doing things for myself to show myself that, quite simply, I can.

A Treadmill vs. A Run Outdoors: Why We're Having Only Two

I've been wanting to write this post for almost a week now ... clearly this new addition has taken some getting-used-to.

I have thought a lot recently about Michelle Duggar. You know, the "19 Kids and Counting" mom of TLC fame? For the past twenty-two years this woman has been popping out one to two kids (she has two sets of twins) every eighteen months or so. While I appreciate that this is the lifestyle she has chosen, I cannot for the life of me understand it.

I feel like Baylor's personality is emerging more and more everyday, and it kills me a little bit that I missed even a moment of him taking shape, becoming "Baylor". Don't get me wrong, I love Amalia and am thrilled that she has joined our family, but I am not a fan of the newborn time of life. There is so much uncertainty; from "why is she crying" to "should I wake her up to feed her", there is no way for me to know for sure if what I'm doing is right or not. And there's the breastfeeding; I know it's good for my babies so I do it for a year, but I don't feel like it's this huge bonding experience and I don't really like whipping my boobs out in mixed company. Those two factors, plus the burping, spitting up, constant poop, and floppy head make this a time I just cannot entirely enjoy. I wish I could, but for me it's like being on a treadmill all the time - it's exhausting.

Truth be told, I like this whole toddler time a lot. I like that he smiles when he comes down to see me in the morning, how he tells a little story about the elevator he rode when he come to visit us at the hospital, how he is curious about EVERYTHING. Yeah, it's exhausting when he realizes he's tall enough to reach this or that and when he climbs onto things he shouldn't, but he's a little man coming into his own and it's exciting to see him discovering the world. And I like being the one to show him new things and try to come up with ways to explain things to him. It's fun, it's exciting, and though it's just as exhausting as the treadmill days of a newborn it's more akin to running outside ... there's always a new challenge, a new sight, a new bit of the world to enjoy.

So this is, in part, why we're only having two. I can only do this twice. I can only do the c-section/newborn time combination twice. I like a good run outdoors, and I can't stand the thought of missing my outdoor runs to run the treadmill a few more times.

But that's just me.

Final Four Get-Together

Yesterday the NCAA Final Four games were played, and our beloved MSU was one of the teams vying for a chance to play in the big game.

Amalia was really excited about the game, as you can tell. But she was rocking green and white, courtesy of Great-Aunt Sharon!


After Baylor finished his nap, we headed over to my parents' house for pizza and the game. Here is the little man, helping baby-proof the living room by pushing the candlesticks back into the entertainment center. So responsible!

Once the living room was deemed safe for babies and toddlers alike, it was time for Oma to read Little B There Was an Old Woman.

Then, Grandpa E brought out the cards for a little game of concentration. Ambitious to be playing that with an 18 month-old, isn't he?

They made it through a few games of that before Baylor headed off to explore some more.

"Mom, do not tell anyone where I have hidden the 4 of clubs, okay?"

"Cheese!"

After dinner and well into the game, the little man finally got the fruit bar he's been lusting after (and subsequently mangling) over the past few weeks.

In between bites of the bar, he enjoyed a little man time reading Sports Illustrated on the couch with Daddy!

Amalia, meanwhile, slept through all of the evening's festivities. My mom, dad, and sister each got to hold her, though it was my dad who got to enjoy a little hand-holding with the little lady.

In the end, MSU lost in a disappointing upset against Butler, but it was still fun to hang out with everyone. And, after all, it's just a game.

Newborn Days vs. Toddler Days

Days with a newborn are so incredibly different than days with a toddler. I forgot how much they sleep, how their only real times awake are when they want food or a clean diaper. As I write this, Amalia is asleep on my lap, her little legs curled up by my stomach, and Baylor is outside having a ball with my dad.

I know my therapist told me not to think too far into the future, allowing all my thoughts and worries to pile up on my shoulders, but I can't help it at this moment. How on earth do you combine the whirlwind of activity that comes with toddler days with the sleepy comfort of newborn days? How am I supposed to chase after Little B with a sleeping Amalia on my shoulder? How will I get him outside to run and play like he should be able to?

This is just one of the logistical questions I have regarding caring for two children. My head is swirling with millions more.

Deep breath, Nicole. Deep breath.

A Sea of Memories

Quite frankly, I had so many pictures I didn't even know where to start. The last week and a half has been chock full of so many memories that I've wanted to capture that my "Baylor & Amalia" file already has over 170 pictures in it. Since I couldn't post them all, I took my mom's advice and posted my favorites to share with you.

My view of Miss Amalia while we were in the hospital.

Baylor's second or third visit to the hospital to visit us. He loved the hospital bed and made it go up and down. But what he still talks about every single day ... the elevator. He tells us his own little version of how everything went down; today he finally included "baby" in the story.

First hugs from her big brother.

Trying so hard to make it work. I'm going to will it if I have to.

First go at tummy time ... she's a champ already!

Lately the little man has been all about peekaboo ...

Mollie was a champ at her first doctor's visit, only crying when they stretched her out to measure her and when Dr. Mike swaddled her arms in. This is the only time I've caught her sucking on her fingers; I'm glad I was able to capture it.

More hugs from her big brother ...

And he helped put together her new bouncy seat! Look at those skills!

Now that the weather is finally warmer, Little B has been over to our neighbors' house to enjoy their slide a little bit.

Enjoy!