shhhhh.... the baby's sleeping

First things, first.  Before reading another word of this post, it is imperative that you lean in close (I'm going to whisper), cross all appendages, and find some wood upon which to knock....

I have hesitated to even think the following for fear of jinxing all the wonderment and fantastic-ness... but, I believe it may be more than mere coincidence at this point- Carter has (every night since Monday) slept at least 5 consecutive hours!  And last night- A full 6 hour stretch, from 11:30p to 5:30am.  BIG HUGE SIGH!!!  

But wait, there's more!  Apparently, the better a baby sleeps at night, the better he sleeps during the day, and the happier he is overall.  Another benefit: the better a baby sleeps at night, the better his  mommy sleeps and the happier she is overall!  Amazing!  I cannot even begin to describe how luxurious 6 hours of sleep feels (especially when compared to the two hour chunks of nights prior)!  So, yeah.  Things is good.  In the dreamy kind of way :)  

SNOW-DAY!! YAY!!

Considering I haven't been out of the house in a month and a half,  this years' below average winter temps have not affected me in the least.  That said, the dreary, blustery days stacked end-to-end without reprieve do tend to drag on a bit.  So, I am thrilled for our first real snow! Here's the picture tour of Sofie's first romp in the snow:

The pre-outing snow experience:  she liked to hold it, to smush it, and, of course- Eat it.  She did not so much like it soaking through her socks.

This is the sign for "please".  As in, "please hurry up with all this dressing  and TAKE ME OUTSIDE ALREADY!"

Here she is outside, sitting on the table, because her numerous attempts at standing in the snow in leather soled baby-boots ended in the large quantity of snow you see stuck to her hat.  

Such a doll-baby!

And this is the moment directly before she let me know (in no uncertain terms) that fun time in the snow is O-V-E-R, thank you very much

Mid-Winter Time Warp

Maybe you were wondering, "what happened to the Demers'?" or perhaps, "hmmm... no, one returned my call- I wonder how things are going over there."  or even,"where's my friggin' thank-you note, already!?!"  Here's my cleverly crafted* response to the above...  in bulleted format:

• WE'VE BEEN A LITTLE BUSY LATELY...

Patton:

• came down with a killer cold and has managed to break the world record for it's duration- poor guy
• despite being miserable, has been my hero and taken baby-duty on more than a few occasions 
• is the most awesome

Sophia:

• has gotten a molar (or two- but, I'm not going in to check!) 
• is no longer willing to accept assistance  in feeding herself.... all by herself- all the time
  
• is saying real words (as in, using her voice!): "kouck-kouck" (cookie), "ba-ba-bat" (bath),  "jouuch" (juice), "go-go-go" (go, go, go!) 
  
• gives adorable pursed-lip kisses and hugs with arms around your neck! 
  
• has circled back to check-off the milestones she altogether skipped (i.e. learning to sit herself up from laying down, standing unassisted from a seated position, pulling herself up in her crib, crawling and bending down to pick objects up from the floor). woo-hoo! 
  
• came down with a crappy cold that has green stuff oozing from her nose 100% of the time
  
• turned into a real-live toddler, complete with strong opinions and the occasional temper-tantrum (due most often to not being able to reach/lift/cary something cumbersome- like the book called "DOG"  that we've read 897,394,596,511 times... this week)
  
• developed an intense obsession with this touch & feel book called "DOG"
  
• has added the sign for please to the end of every request (SO CUTE!) to which it is impossible to say 'no'.
  
• tells us when she's ready for a nap or bed by showing us the sign for 'sleepy' and heading directly for the stairs
• has attempted to share with her little brother her binky (straight into his left eye), a very large and FULL bottle of cow's milk (right atop his tiny head) a varitey of cookies (generally in or about the mouth area), a pair of her daddy's shoes (again, atop his little head) and few very sharp and pointy wooden blocks (yep. also, too, the head)... she's so sweet 

Carter:

• is freakin' huge (12 lbs or so at present)
• can withstand just about anything his big sister chooses to "share" with him- including the icky cold complete with oozing nose.
• is starting to take interest in things other than the ceiling fan
• may have attempted his first(not related to gas type) smile, but, really- it's anyone's guess.
• has hit the 'six-week-peak' which is not nearly as fun as it might sound, what with it's rhyming-name and definitive innuendo.  
• is on a 3 hour/3 day cycle (2 hours sleeping to 1 hour eating/playing; 2 days of being a perfect baby to one day of gassy, gassy fussing)
• is quite possibly the gassiest little person on the face of the planet
• has had us running in circles trying to figure out if he is 'lactose intolerant', 'dairy sensitive' or just abnormally vocal about 'normal' baby gas
• will without reservation take any one of three different styles of binky, the breast, a bottle, milk, or formula... thus making him the most easy-going (and AWESOME) baby ever!
• has grown out of just about every article of clothing in the 0-3 month range.  
• is the newest love of my life

I am:

• the only one in the house who isn't infectious at the moment 
• learning to type, cook, channel-surf and use the bathroom one handed, lest one or both of my children be left to their own devices for more than 17 seconds.
• waaaaay behind on the general up keep of this house, a little stressed-out and VERY sleepy....
• happier than I ever could have imagined!

*Perhaps 'cleverly-crafted' was a bit of a stretch... but maybe you'll let it slide just this once?  And you'll get that thank-you note- come hell or high-water, or mid-april.

things... and stuff.

So, two things:

Thing one:  Carter is 4 whole weeks old today!  It is absolutely mind-blowing that it's been four weeks since this amazing creature came into our lives.  Somehow, I'm not exactly sure where 4 weeks has gone-and simultaneously-I can't believe he's only been part of our family for a mere 28 days!  KA-RAZY! 

Well- In these last four weeks Carter has morphed innumerable times... He's still mostly an eating/pooping/sleeping machine, But it seems that he's becoming increasingly more adept at all three of his fabulous characteristics!  And, it's been amazing to watch him become increasingly more alert.  His periods of wakefulness are getting longer by the day and he (like his big sister some 14 months ago) seems remarkably focused.  He has an on-going love affair with the ceiling fan, the sunlight through the plantation shutters and (just recently) the singing/blinking baby-crack-addiction that is the Baby Einstein play mat Star.  For me, the love affair is all about these new shared moments of sweet coos and eye-contact.  It's incredible to watch those gorgeous blue eyes take it all in :)  

Thing two:  I would like to have a stern talk with whomever decided it was okay for my tiny-widdle-baby-girl to go ahead and grow up into a walking, talking, singing, feeding herself and heading-up-to-bed-all-on-her-own KID!  I'm pretty sure that last month I had a baby and now all of a sudden I've got a seriously big-girl.  In all honesty, it's pretty awesome to step back and watch Sof's do for herself, but I'm worried to sleep in or take too long in the shower for fear that when I emerge- she'll be a teenager. I do really love the hugs (with arms all the way around my neck) and kisses that don't involve wide-open mouths and/or tongues so I guess I'll let the growing-up thing slide. just this once.

  

Please pass the Christmas Ham...

At my 36 week OB check-up, my doctor announced that based on my "fundal measurements" [READ: belly size] Carter should be born at or around the 8 pound mark.  Seemed like a reasonable estimation given Sofie's birth weight of  8lb, 2 oz.  Well- he was a full half pound PLUS smaller at birth. But, I'm starting to think that rather than letting that get him down, our little guy has viewed it as a challenge.  

Most babies, after birth spend about a week loosing weight and then start to slowly gain it back at the rate of about an ounce a day.  "Most babies" born on 12/16 at Carter's birth weight would weigh about 8 lb, 6 oz today.  

Since I'm taking the time to post about the weight issue, I bet you guessed Carter does NOT weigh 8 lb, 6 oz... and you guessed right.  So, let's see how our tiny little baby has chosen to interpret the issue of 'one ounce per day.'  Carter weighed 7 lbs, 8 oz at birth.  By the time we left the hospital he was down to 7 lbs, 1 oz.  but by his two week appt he was an astounding 8 lb, 1 oz (for a gain of 16 oz in 11 days).  But wait! Here's where it gets good... Today our little butterball weighed in at (prepare yourselves-) 9 lbs, 12 oz!! (yeah- you did the math right, it IS 43 oz in 21 days!) GOOD GOD- What am I feeding this kid!?!?  I mean, other than the pureed cheesecake and pizza that I've been sneaking into his bottles, I can't imagine how this little guy is packing away the pounds.  Holy Ham Hocks, Batman!

For reference (and out of curiosity) I just checked Sofie's stats:  At birth- 8lb, 2 oz.  At 2 weeks- 8lb, 13 oz (11 oz in 14 days) at one month- 10lb, 1 oz (31 oz in 28 days).   Carter is kicking baby-Sofie's puny ass!  

mmmmm..... nom nom nom... mini-linebacker:

Also, in case you're wondering how Hurricane Sophia is doing; she's currently registering as a Category 5 Toddler.  She made landfall over the great room this morning at 10:42 am and left the following destruction in her wake:  

Authorities are still searching for survivors :)  

Officially Out-Numbered

Today is my first day of mothering two children- ON MY OWN.  Patton went back to work today after a truly amazing THREE WEEKS home.  It was incredible having him here.  Not only did he whip this place into shape, but he was stay-at-home-dad-extrodinaire!  I was sad to see him go this morning but a little excited to get back to life as usual (+1) -or- to see how I'd do without him.Well, I am happy to report that, so far, all is going exactly as I had hoped.  As a matter of fact, (I'm bragging here, so prepare yourselves...) Not only are both babies fed and napped, we are (ALL THREE) dressed and ready for the day.  In addition to all that-  I've even managed to sneak in a FULL-HOUR of down time, as both kiddo's napped -at the same time!  

It remains to be seen how the second half of the day goes- but, I'm encouraged.  And that goes a long way!  

Update on the Kids:

  Carter is, how to say this...., a VERY GOOD EATER.  His is gaining weight at an alarming rate and seems much more a hearty baby than a fragile newborn.  At his two week check up (last week) he was well up over his birth weight and looking good!  For the last few days his has adopted a perfect little 3 hour routine and is both sleeping well and happy when awake. amazing.

  And Sofie. She is my personal hero-  Never-mind that we totally pulled the rug out from under her- what with the arrival of her little brother, the holidays and Dada being home for 3 weeks. Never-mind that, we think, her molars are coming in.  She is just as happy and content as ever. Flawless in her routine- Sleeping great, playing independently and eating like a champ- She is simply awesome.    

So, Here.  Pictures.  Of  awesome babies.

Happy New Year 2009!

My Resolutions for this coming year:

• Show my husband and children love, patience and respect even when it's hard.
  
• Keep on top of the household chores (clean as you go?  what??)
  
• Grow as a person, and stuff.
  
• Call family members on the phone instead of assuming they've read the blog and or checked Picasa.
  
• Get over the Thing with the phone.
  
• Read at least one book that does not contain the words "Baby" or "Whisperer" or any combination of "baby" & "whisperer" in the title.
  
• Write more "Thank-You" notes
  
• Go an entire year without peeing on a pregnancy test or even THINKING about peeing on a pregnancy test.
  

And the New Year's List:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

• Became the mother of TWO beautiful children
  

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

• I don't even remember New Year's of last year- I believe I was in the same sleep deprived, new-baby black-hole that I'm in this year.  BUT, I'm gonna assume that I made some lofty resolution to love my husband, my new baby and myself and to write more "thank-you" notes; so SURE.  I KEPT 'EM.   
  
• Yes, I'll make more for next year. and by next year this time I'll probably say something like "I don't even remember New Year's of last year- I believe I was in some sleep deprived, new-baby black-hole.  BUT, I'm gonna assume that I made some lofty resolution to love my husband, my new baby and myself and to write more "thank-you" notes; so SURE.  I KEPT 'EM."
  

 

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

• A number of friends had babies this year; Simone, Susan, Suzanne and Kelly all had beautiful babies and are all looking radiant themselves.
  

4. Did anyone close to you die?

• No. Thank goodness.
  

5. What countries did you visit?

• Hmmm.... can we spell-check that into "counties" I think I made it to at least two of those....Because not so much with the exotic travel in 2008.
  

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

• Honestly, the first thing to come to mind is a really great bottle of red wine- I think I'd love to have enough to drink to warrant a hangover :)  Oh, and world peace.
  

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

• The obvious, of course... December 16th-the day Carter was born.  And November 4, the day Obama was elected.
  

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

• Other than the whole beautiful baby boy thing?  Um...I don't know if I'm allowed to claim credit for this one, but I'm listing Sophia- She's had an amazing year.
  

9. What was your biggest failure?

• I don't know about failures... maybe more regrets- but not many or any thing worth listing.
  

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

• no.
  

11. What was the best thing you bought?

• Probably our Nikon D-60.  I freaking love this thing.  Best thing "WE" bough was far and away our i-Mac!
  

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

• Let's go presidential with this one: Barack Obama
  

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

• In keeping with the theme- George W. Bush
  

14. Where did most of your money go?

• Probably Costco, the grocery store, and Baby clothes
  

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

• The impending arrival of our second child and Sophia's First Birthday
  

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

• Probably John Mayer's "Daughters" because of the soundtrack to the DVD Patton made this year.
  

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?  Happier (though I was pretty Happy this time last year)
b) thinner or fatter?  Probably a few pounds heavier (but I'm blaming baby weight)
c) richer or poorer? Infinitely richer (but the bank account looks about the same)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

• I wish I'd taken Sofie on more outings- done more of the cultural stuff that we have at our disposal.  I also wish I'd done a bit more healthful eating and excersise (but don't tell Patton I said that!) 
  

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

• TV watching- it's an addiction, people!
  

20. How did you spend Christmas?

• In the most perfect way.  With my newly expanded family.
  

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

• Over and Over and Over again with my husband, my daughter and my brand-new son.
  

22. What was your favorite TV program?

• Oh. So. Many. Favorite. Programs.  But I really like the Mentalist, House and Criminal Minds.
  

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

• I don't think I hate anyone... save for maybe the douchbag from answer 13 above.
  

24. What was the best book you read?

• The Baby Whisperer-  It's probably the only book I read this year, But I credit it with my sanity and Sophia's good temperment.
  

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

• As if I had the time or energy to go fourth and uncover some cute little indie band... no discovery.  nothing.
  

26. What did you want and get?

• A perfect, healthy, beautiful baby boy.
  

27. What did you want and not get?

• Nothing major comes to mind- a testament to just how lucky I truly am.
  

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

• As lame as it may sound, Sex and the City totally did it for me.  
  

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

• I turned 29 this year and spent the evening with my family.
  

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

• Nothing. Really. Save for maybe a stay-at-home-wife of my very own! 
  

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

• Mama-frump; or What-ever-doesn't-smell-like-milk; or Maternity-meet-post-baby-body.  In summation: Yikes.
  

32. What kept you sane?

• My husband.  And my mom and her weekly "grams play-dates."
  

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

• Always and forever Jon Stewart.
  

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

• The terrifying combination of ignorance and aggression that is Sarah Palin.
  

35. Who did you miss?

• Only my hubby on those nights that kept him working late
  

36. Who was the best new person you met?

• My new baby boy, Carter.
  

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

• Johnson & Johnson was right: Having a baby really does change everything.  Having children is the best thing that could ever happen to a couple.
  

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

• "If ever there was a doubt; My love, she leans in to me. 'This most assuredly counts,' She says, most assuredly." -The Frey