To The Left (to the left)?!

OK, all you Lefties and Parents-of-Lefties...I need some advice. Since he was old enough for me to pop him up on my hip and haul him around as such, Lincoln has preferred to be on my right side. Always. If I tried to switch him to the left side to balance myself out, or heaven forbid, use my dominant hand to complete a task, he would completely freak out, acting like a little monkey suddenly in fear of being dropped by his mama, crying, yelling, and scrambling back to the right side of me as best he could.

In fact, he still does the exact same thing now, at age 20+ months. I give to you the progression of a typical Oh-NO-You-Didn't! Scramble (which includes, to my horror, but you know, for reality's sake - my own double chin):

This could almost be misconstrued for a smile
which is so not the truth!

On his way!

The D.C. and Linky's true feelings about me trying
to hold him in my left arm. 

So. To all of you with knowledge of Lefthandedness, I ask...is this common? Because Mr. Lincoln is indeed a Lefty, and someone brilliantly suggested to me recently that perhaps he does this because he wants to hold on with his dominant hand/arm (sorry I can't remember who said that and therefore can't give you a proper shout out for said brilliance), so could that be it? He likes right because he uses his left?? 

Pre-yoga, I don't think I would have ever paid attention to this sort of thing, so I have no frame of reference for HD or RL in terms of sidedness. It seems to me that my babies have all preferred the right side to some extent but I figured that was because I tend to that side because it is my stronger one. But hence the need now, post-yoga (wait - not post. what prefix am I looking for there? my brain cells escape me daily thanks to Bambino No.4) to get some darn balance, but no way, no sir, no how - Lincoln's not buying it. 

The glamour shots from above were taken tonight as I tried to make scrambled eggs for dinner and oh. my. You try making eggs using your non-dominant hand! Even of the scrambled variety, it was all just too much so I decided to finally document our little phenomenon and bring it to the people to ask...what is this?! I promise that I've never dropped a baby off my left hip, so why the great aversion to being there? Inquiring minds want to know! 

Christmas Book Countdown, Take Two

December! How on earth is it December already (which I'm pretty sure is going to be one of the opening lines for my Christmas letter this year because, seriously, how is it even possible?)?! I guess it sure feels like it, now, not that you'll find me complaining about the high 70s we had on Saturday; my little family spent the whole day outside and soaked up every last ounce of warmth and sunshine we could. We knew we'd need it! Now that the freezing cold is here, most likely to stay, we've got to find other ways to keep warm and entertained, which leads me to our Christmas Book Countdown. We haven't ever tried any other sort of advent calendar, but we did a Christmas book a day last year in December and it was a great success. Well, the kids loved it, anyway, and even though I got very sloppy on my plans to record openings/reactions (see here), the grown ups in our house enjoyed it, too. Who doesn't love getting to open presents early (and what parent doesn't love gifts that will continue to give, year after year?!).

So here is this year's countdown. While this looks like the shortest post in the history of my blog, I'll keep adding to it throughout the month so we have list of this year's proceedings, no matter how rough my notes get as the actual holiday approaches. We have swapped out a few titles from last year, so some books aren't in the rotation at all, but the majority of them are ready and waiting in shiny snowflake wrapping paper under our tree right this minute.

1) The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore -- HD got to pick first (RL opened - a pattern we'll keep reversing each day, as Linky is still too little to get it this year and we don't really want to encourage him grabbing and tearing anything from under the tree just yet!), and while he wanted oh. SO. Badly for the book to be The Polar Express, we got this one instead. HD was bummed but RL was excited and has been carrying it around the house this morning. Last year we took pictures of the kids opening their first book and then of them snuggled up in my lap reading it. This year, Ben supervised the grabbing of the book before he hopped in the shower to get ready for work and I did my best to pry my eyes open as they stood next to my bed, tearing off the paper and looking through it. What a difference a year makes, eh? But in all seriousness, we look forward to continuing this tradition and I am hoping they'll let their dear, old mama keep doing this for decades to come! And in all fairness, we got this pic yesterday when they were busy sorting them (and in HD's case, trying to decide which one might be TPE) and preparing to begin the countdown today. Love my little bookworms!

2) The Berenstain Bears Meet Santa Bear by Stan and Jan Berenstain -- well, obviously still no sign of TPE, but this title was still met with joyous exclamations (the children love TBB) and immediate crawling in bed, one on each side, by RL & HD for early-morning reading. Good stuff!
3) Richard Scarry's Best Christmas Book Ever
4) The Polar Express
5) Jingle Bells
6) The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg
7) The Spirit of Christmas by Nancy Tilman - love her books.
8) Santa Comes to Nebraska
9) Busy Town Christmas Board Books
10) An Otis Christmas by Loren Long
11) Olivia Helps with Christmas! by Ian Falconer -- Oh, Olivia. You are so funny!!!
12) Thomas the Train: Christmas Delivery
13) The Christmas Story -- think managers, not pink bunny PJs.
14) A Star So Bright
15) The Nutcracker by Gail DeMarcken
16)
17) The Grinch Who Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
18) Home for Christmas by Jan Brett
19) The Best Christmas Ever - Junior Discovers Contentment by Dave Ramsey
20) The Twelve Days of Christmas by Jan Brett
21) Christmas in the Big Woods adopted Laura Ingalls Wilder
22) Stick Man by Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler
23) The Christmas Magic by Lauren Thompson
24) The Legend of St. Nicholas by Dandi Daley Mackcall
25) Merry Christmas, Curious George! by H. A. Rey

My Lovable Lefty

When you are 16 1/2 months old, going on 2 or maybe even 3 years old, there's a lot of excitement in life. Or, at least there's a lot of excitement, growth, and change happening for Mr. Lincoln as of late, which might be why it feels like he's a baby turning into a toddler so very quickly. First there's this face. Do you see this face?! When did he get to be such a big boy?! His uber blonde hair is growing, growing, and even though it is starting to hang in his eyes just a titch, I refuse to cut it because he has the most beautiful curls in back with which I will not part. And I cannot trim the front because there's really not so much happening on the sides and I also refuse to give the poor kid a mullet. He's the cutest thing ever, but I'm not sure even he could pull off business in the front, party in the back. 

Sweet cheeks and locks aside, there's also the fact that he can now get up on the furniture all by himself which is also making him suddenly seem much older, too. When he started walking a few weeks ago, I knew I was in a totally different realm of keeping him safe, but now that he's also added climbing in such a short amount of time, I'm at a loss. Just this morning I looked up to see that he'd scaled onto the kitchen bench and from there all the way up its armrest onto the kitchen-flippin'-counter! And when I moved him to the dining room for safer keeping while I did some work on the computer, he made it onto a chair and then the table I don't know how many times every time I turned my attention back to my project. He's a complete Mt. Goat and a bouncy one at that:

This picture was taken on our mini-trampoline that has once again been moved inside our sunporch so we can get great winter afternoon use out of it and the kids have been having a blast jumping leaf-free the last couple weeks. HD has also figured out that it is quite fun to lift LT onto it (thank goodness HD is well trained in zipping the net shut behind them!) so all three kids can jump together. At first this terrified me, but it didn't take many times of watching Linky Monster hold his own and add his own crazy jumps to the mix to know that he's much rougher and tougher than I give him credit for these days. The kid is a nut! He jumps and jumps and launches himself up in the air, only to land straight on his seat from which he rolls over, laughs, and gets up to do it again (and again and again). Just when I made my peace with all of this, he started doing the same launching on the couch cushions (and over the side of the couch into the bean bag). Remember when I claimed he was the wiggliest to date in my tummy? Yeah....I'd better invest in some running shoes and foam padding because it looks like the next couple years might be quite active and quite accident prone! 

Jumps and bumps aside, this kid totally has my heart. Does it stink to try to take him anywhere because he refuses to fold in half to be strapped in his carseat and hollers at me for trying to do so? Yes. Does he reject more than half the food I try to feed him and toss enough cereal and pretzels and other crunchy times on the floor so that I'm constantly sweeping or stepping on things? Yes. Does he still try to bite his brother and sister when they don't give him enough space? Yes. But do all of these things melt away when he comes toddler-stumble-running to greet me when I walk in the door or rests his head on my shoulder as we snuggle on the couch or on a walk through the house with him on my right hip? Yes (well, not the biting. I really wish he'd quite doing that!). Lincoln is my adorable baby growling sound maker, banana, popcorn, and yogurt loving (but not all at the same time) eater, and sweet, sweet boy, who totally prefers to use his left-hand (what?!) and understands pretty much everything I tell him during the day. Except for "please sit in your carseat!", that is. 

Linky Monster on Halloween. Cutest baby monster EVER! 

The Hodge-Podge Days of Fall

Huh. With all the writing I've been doing the last few months, I'm rather surprised that it has been an entire week and I haven't added anything to the blog. Perhaps the weather's been too nice and we've been too busy doing and being outside. Or perhaps I've been swamped with teaching and by the time I get home at night, I'm crashed out. Or perhaps having the kids go, in shifts, to visit the grandparents meant I had to make the most of the 24 solo hours I had, starting yesterday morning, to get a c.r.a.p.ton of stuff done around the house (i.e. clean the store room) while also taking a little time for myself (i.e. epsom salt + essential oils bath!) before, again, jetting off to teach the yogs. Or perhaps when you throw all of the above into one week, you come up short with time to blog. Whatever the reason, here's our week-in-review a.k.a. hodge-podge-picture-blog:

The weather has been gorgeous. Clear and sunny skies but with bits of bite in the air most mornings. Some wind (duh. this is NE we're talking about!), yes, but mostly just awesomeness. The kids and I have been getting out in the afternoons and having fun. We've also been practicing for Halloween:

 RL found this old costume that is probably closer to LT's size than hers, but she got it on and decided to have some Dragon Fun stomping in the leaves...

 ...and chasing her big brother though the neighbor's yard.
Silly monkey! I mean, Silly Dragon! 

Because of the nip in the air, we've had to add more layers lately (love Fall layers!) which totally works, except I did this to poor Linky the other day. Why must buttons be so hard to align when fastening them together?! Perhaps I can blame his wiggles and constant on-the-move moves?

The cooler weather also means we have to be sure to be in shoes all the time which totally works, too, but some days we have to get pretty creative with our footwear. For example, on Wednesday, I followed HD's lead (he wears this combo of shoes to school more days than not anymore) and just went with the first two shoes I could find so we could go out and enjoy the sunshine. They're both TOMS, so that counts for something right?!

Speaking of creative dressing and TOMS, check out Miss Raegan's style from the last couple weeks. She loves wearing her polka dot pink rain boots with pretty much anything, and the other day she was just as excited as I was about getting out my TOMS wedges (again, I say, "YAY, Fall!"). I will never tire of Baby Girl's fashion sense. Well, I guess I can't speak to what the teenage years will bring, but right now, I'm totally loving it. Every single crazy combo is the best.

In other news, Lincoln is a Walking Man! Well, he's got the wobbly sea legs/drunken toddler thing going, anyway, and he pops up anywhere and whenever he likes now to take his shaky steps.

It's adorable and awesome. Except when it is not. The poor kid crashes all the time and it seems like at least once a day, one of those crashes involves also hitting his head on something on the way down, like the kitchen bench last Wednesday which lead to this round of tears:

Poor baby. Seriously considering a foam crash helmet of sorts because otherwise he's going to be a bruised mess for who knows how long.

Besides all the playing and walking (and crashing), I've been a busy mama, running out the door to teach one (sometimes two!) yoga class(es) a night. This last week saw me teaching Tuesday-Friday straight (with Monday at the college, of course) and next week will be even more of an adventure as I'm starting a two-week subbing gig at the Y for their 5:45 a.m. class. 5:45 A.M.?! Oof. Well, at least I'll feel nice and limber for the T/Th that follow those classes (and I'll have some extra cash for buying coffee on the way home!). And at least I got a little break yesterday to sort through all the kid clothes that have been piling up in my store room so I feel slightly less scattered and cluttered going into two weeks of chaos fullness. Can I just say, though? How did my babies get so big? All those clothes I was putting in bins yesterday? They seemed both so tiny and also like it was impossible for all of the kids to have outgrown them already. Goodness me, I sound like I'm 85, but how do they grow so fast?!

And speaking of growing...my other plans of late are revolving around finishing starting RL's Year Three Shuttefly book and getting ready for her Frozen bday party. Here's what I found the other day as her present/to wear on her party day:

 And yes, it's entirely possible I bought these for her because they are totally in line with my own crazy-yoga-pant obsession. Hope she likes them!

Closing this Chapter

What a gorgeous day! Beautiful, cool weather that actually fees like Fall...a visit (and peach pie) from my parents...a super fun flow class this morning in which I took everyone through some of my favorite music and asanas (needless to say, they weren't all so happy that Broken Toe is one of my faves!)...and a semi-sort-of-we're-just-gonna-call-it-easier week ahead on the calendar. After the last few weeks, all I can say to that is, whew!

Today also feels, if not a wee bit sad, then at least a little bit nostalgic because I think Lincoln is done nursing. Actually, since he hasn't nursed a full session since before yesterday, I should just say, "Lincoln is done nursing," but then that makes it feel more real and right now, that all feels so bittersweet.

I mean, Baby Dude is 14 1/2 months now and that's an even split between how long I nursed his brother and his sister, so I know he'll be just fine, but with all of our crazy run around otherwise known as Life, I know I am super going to miss nursing because those are our sit down/be close/snuggle times during the day. And LT is such a good snuggler - I'm sad to be missing out, already, on those moments with him. But maybe today is just hard because it is new. And maybe it is hard today because  I'm trying to keep my distance a little bit so he doesn't smell milk on me so we actually can make this happen. 'Cuz that's just it. There is a totally a flip side to this that has me a little excited.

I mean, Baby Dude is 14 1/2 months now! He's growing and getting around and I'm ready for both of us to have a little more independence in our day-to-day. In a couple weeks I head back to Omaha, just for a long weekend, for training, and I'll be real honest - I don't want to pump day in and day out again like I did all of July. Granted, it's a long weekend and not a month, but still. If I know he's OK with a sippy and table food and all that, then I'm good with it, too. Plus we're ready to see if the world is ready for one more Little Welschie and after my experience with LT's pregnancy, I know I do not want to be pregnant and nursing again. That was so physically draining on my body, so if we get a little separation between those two activities this time, I think it will be for the better. Plus, this was totally LT's idea so why force it if he's ready?

It started last week when he skipped his mid-day nursing session one afternoon, just at random. Then there was Root Canal Tuesday when Gma gave him a bottle before his nap but I didn't pump to replace that feeding. And then there was Friday when he didn't nurse much at any of his feedings, and then yesterday when he just flat out wriggled off my lap every time I tried to nurse him - even straight away in the morning! So today we are just going with it. More snacks and cups of milk/water and me just not getting too close. In fact, I haven't even attempted any feedings and since he's not chasing after me asking for it, I think he's OK. I, on the other hand, am literally hurting (woke up not feeling too bad, but now that we're halfway through the day and he hasn't touched me, I'm feeling the milk) and aching a bit in my heart, too, because it feels like a big part of our relationship to put down. But of course everything is fine and I'm just having an emotional response to closing this chapter. I know that. The nice thing is, I have pictures this time to remind me of what it was like to cuddle and feed my sweet babe these last 14 1/2 months. Snapshots that B took and professional pics both exist to document that bond and I am so grateful I had a change of heart/reasoning this time.

Now. Who has advice on how to ease my physical discomfort these next few days? I don't want to pump because I don't want to keep stimulating my milk, so....any thoughts on what helps?!

=======================
Update: Thank goodness for wise mama friends on Facebook! Their ideas and encouragement have me using cabbage leaves and looking forward to my first NyQuil in six years later tonight. The cabbage feels amazing, by the way, especially when it is first on, straight from the fridge. Very soothing. But it smells bizarre and I keep catching whiffs of it that make me go, "Huh? Oh, yeah" and I can only imagine how I would smell to others right now (Ben's busy grading and hasn't seemed to notice my odd odor).  I also caved and pumped for five minutes to relieve some pressure because, as it was wisely pointed out to me, I do not want to get mastitis, especially since this is a rather abrupt cut-off of my supply. Here's hoping these techniques keep me comfortable and healthy over the next few days!

1,000s of Words

Since the stories behind these images (taken the last few days) are lengthy, I'll let them do most of the talking while I do a wee bit of the explaining...

HD climbed up to help me make my playlist for Family Yoga on 

Sunday; it's safe to say he missed me last week! 

OMG! I finally got a sewing machine. I haven't sewed much since my quilting days in college, and I have a big project that I'd like to complete for HD's preK (more to come on that in a later post), so I am super stoked about this arrival. Except now I need, like, bobbins and thread and stuff, not to mention the brain cells required to operate the darn thing! 

OMG again, but for all the wrong reasons. Do you see those two purple spots on RL's cheek? Yea, those are LT TEETH marks. I wasn't in the room with them when this happened, so I can only guess what she might have done to provoke this, but Baby Dude is totally a biter which is totally not cool. 

For Pete's Sake. There is no longer a single surface 

that is either safe or mine left in this house. 

The little buggers are still super cute, though. This is them with their 

"space gear" and friends, ready to get on their rocket ship 

(a.k.a the love seat) which has been entertaining them, 

blessedly, for a good half hour or so. 

One result of the desk top takeover....creative calendar dates. 

Actually, though, it sort of does feel like the 56th of August, 

so maybe this is just flat out brilliant instead of bothersome. 

Babydude

Just shy of a year ago, I found myself at my 6-week appointment after Lincoln's birth which ultimately became a breaking point for me. I was heavier post-baby than ever before and I freaked out. And then I freaked out because I did not want to be freaking out about such a thing, so I decided to get help. I got a recommendation for a therapist, started going, and started doing the work that led to some intense revelations and some serious growth. So while I initially joked to myself, Oh, great. My third kid drove me to therapy!, I now look at it as, Thank goodness. My third kid saved my sanity and has totally changed me and my life for the better. And there's not a bit of exaggeration or hyperbole there. I really mean it. The little meltdown after Lincoln's birth was the final straw - the turning point that finally led me to get the help I had been seeking and needing for years but had put off time and time again. It got me to therapy which got me to yoga which got me back to me. Rather than scoff or roll my eyes at the situation, I look at Lincoln with such love and such gratitude. For seriously. I have miles to go, but this kid totally saved me.

Of course there's a lot more to 13 1/2 month-old Mr. Lincoln than just his role as Life Saver. He's also 1000% rough and tumble kid. I mean, the babydude cannot get enough of crawling on pavement. Perhaps this is partially my fault since I made his dad promise not to work on the whole walking thing while I was off to Omaha last month, but seriously? Crawling on pavement?! Whyyyyyyy? He does it constantly. No matter how many times I pick him up and put him back on a blanket or in the grass, off he goes in search of the sidewalk or driveway. His poor knees. They can't possibly feel good and they look terrible (super dirty and all rough and scratchy, too). But he never complains. In fact, he only squawks when I pick him up to move him away from it. Goofy boy.

The other part of the rough and tumble would be the literal tumbles he's been taking, lately, too. I don't know if you can see it so much in this photo, but currently LT is sporting at least two and possibly three bruises on his forehead, one one his cheek, and numerous ones on his legs (hello, concrete crawling!). He has also split his lip open the last two mornings in a row although on what/whom is anyone's guess. Just all of the sudden, there will be this little spot of red on his mouth and he'll be all mad and I'm all, Oh. This again. Of course there are also lots of incidents I do see, or at the very least, hear. Twice this morning Lincoln was within three-five feet of me when all of sudden, boom! I heard him thumping his way to the hardwood floor. Fortunately a few snuggles were all it took in on both occasions to fix things, but my poor boy. I think we need to find him a crash helmet and some elbow and knee pads immediately!

Even though Lincoln's turning up all Crash and Bash these days, he's also still such a little love. Ben recently started this routine of pulling him into his lap for hugs and now Linky will do it all on his own. Several times this morning I found him clinging and pulling up on me (which he does on everyone and everything these days, as he's starting to get the itch to get his walkin' legs a'going), but then the sweet surprise came each time that he then leaned in and wrapped his arms around my neck. I mean, really? My baby is giving me hugs? Does life get any better than that?

Clearly we are so blessed by LT. He's a whirlwind and a total sweetheart, all rolled into one package. I am so grateful to be his Mama as so much joy, adventure, and growth surround him. Carry on, Babydude. The world is your (concrete) oyster.

We Begin Tomorrow

Holy mother of what a weekend. The last few days have been intense. On top of celebrating the Good Ol’ Red, White, and Blue, we have, of course, been celebrating our own Yankee Doodle baby as Lincoln turned one on Friday. With the exception of fighting naps (no surprises there), he had a wonderful day. There was a parade, a high chair worthy of The Oval Office, and, naturally, a cupcake. He might have been a wee bit tired and more sugarfied than ever before by the time we put him to bed, but I think he had a pretty fantastic day of One. I know the rest of the fam certainly enjoyed it!

But, yes. On top of Fourth of July activities and First of Lincoln activities (which also included family pics the day after his birthday to celebrate his first year and my parent’s 35^th wedding anniversary), and trying to get ready to leave for Omaha, I’m rather surprised that my head didn’t just spin right off my shoulders this weekend. It’s probably a good thing I’m a good planner (for the most part – forgot my toothbrush, but thankfully that’s easily fixed) and so infatuated with yoga. Deep breaths have kept me relatively calm this weekend (at least on the outside – on the inside I’ve been mildly freaking out for at least the last 48 hours).

There’s just a ton swirling through my head right now. I’m trying to get used to the idea of being in Omaha for four weeks where I can see folks I rarely get to see (and let’s be honest – the fact that I’ll be staying within minutes of a Target is not exactly a bummer)...of being away from my kids for longer than ever before in one stretch...of pumping ALL. THE. TIME...of the taking on such a big challenge – mentally and physically – with the teacher training...

I’m also trying to wrap my head around the fact that my baby is both one now and trying to conquer the world these days. The kid is all over the place. Literally – he can get all over the house in super speedy fashion, even though he rarely bothers to get all the way up on his hands and knees to crawl. He’s also pulling himself up on every and all ledges, climbing up and on and over things, and is full on IN LOVE with stairs. If he hears the door to the upper or lower levels of our house open, he goes army crawling at top speed (which is saying something) and starts scooting up (or down) them. For the most part, Ben and I are there with him when he does this. Thankfully, if we are not, then his brother or sister usually are and another thankfully comes into play for them being the loudest little people I know because they always start hollering, “Linky stairs! Linky’s GOING ON THE STAIRS!” so that Daddy or Mama can come running for the assist. Now, mind you – I am running a constant campaign for these access doors to stay shut, but in a family of five where four people can operate doors but two of those people are under the age of five, that just doesn’t happen. But let’s not blame the children entirely – Ben and I forget plenty, too (how could we not with all the heads almost spinning off the shoulders that's been happening lately?!). 

Of all the Lincoln accomplishments of late, I think my real Oh My of being gone, besides the What if? of continuing nursing is whether or not he will suddenly decide to start walking. He’s just recently begun cruising along the couch and kitchen bench, but he’s also doing all this crazy down dog/headstand business that makes me think he wants to be standing and soon. And once he gets that figured out, I don’t think it will be long before he starts walking running. Naturally I told Ben he needs to discourage all such behavior while I am away. I don’t want to miss it! But, since Linky’s achievements are far from being all about me, I will take it in stride (ha – pun not intended but it’s a good one) if he decides to get up and go.

As for my own first steps down the path of teaching yoga, I am most excited. The support and encouragement I have received from folks has been so great. I cannot wait to bring back all that I have learned and see what begins from here. Am I nervous and antsy in that way that can only be described as “first day of school” jitters? You bet. But I’ve always loved school, so hiphip for the start of what I explained to HD & RL today as “Yoga School.” Namaste.  

Tree Frog

From the very beginning, Lincoln has been a love. Like his daddy, LT runs about 10 degrees warmer than the average bear and wiggly as he is, he still loves a good snuggle. Quite often when I scoop him up off the floor (where he now army crawls with all get-out, usually to get the one thing on the floor that we have overlooked but that he most definitely should not have), he wraps his legs and arms around me and clings on like a little monkey. His sister used to do the exact same thing, shirt grab and all (although she had a few other grab styles at this age, too). But since HD is my monkey (and RL my owl), perhaps I need to amend that statement so it reads that LT clings on like a little tree frog, since that is his given animal. It looks a little something like this:

[And yes, I often end up dressed in similar patterns or colors as at least one of my children; my theory on this is that we are like those couples who spend so much time together, they end up looking like twins.]

While the clinging may not be an original move, Lincoln's head-snuggle-on-the-shoulder when in my arms certainly is. It doesn't happen every time, but quite often when I scoop him up and he clings on, he also leans in for a little extra contact with my collarbones; it is gentle and soft and so, so sweet. So, so him. And today I found out that he is willing to use this charm on others, too.

I had a chiropractor appointment this morning and had to take the two littlest Littles with me; this always ends up being unfortunate because LT is at the age where he gets totally freaked out by the noise of the table when it drops and he starts screeching. My doc and his office staff are quite used to this, though, because it really is an age thing. Raegan used to be the same way and they see it all the time with babies who are tagging along for appointments. Usually the Bigs do their best to entertain/distract him, but today after we were taken back to the exam room, the office assistant who lead us there offered to take Little Man for me so he wouldn't be scared. I decided to risk Stranger Danger vs. Loud Noise Startles and let her scoot out the door with him. [The beauty of the third kid is that you are (or least I am) a lot more wiling to let other people hold your baby for you. As many of my friends will attest, when we are out in public at the Y or Children's Museum or anywhere where someone might need to use the potty and therefore need my assistance, I'm quite good at asking, "Do you mind holding Lincoln for a second?" and then passing him off to the closest volunteer. And they hardly ever mind (or hardly ever tell me so, anyway) because he is so darn chill and snuggle-tastic). So really it was no surprise this morning when he clung on to her side just like his little tree frog self as they left. When she returned him to me five-ish minutes later, she said he didn't make one peep. I could tell she was a wee bit reluctant to hand him back, especially as we were making the exchange and talking about how warm he is and he suddenly decided to pull the shoulder cuddle move causing her to exclaim, "And he does that!" Like I said, someone knows how to work the charm!

Spring Break

In college, Spring Break means vacations. Exotic, or at least warm, destinations. Partying and whatnot. In real life, Spring Break means you're lucky if you get some help with the kids while there is no school for the majority of the week. As it turns out, I'm lucky.

For the first time since before Christmas, the Bigs are off to Grandma's again for a few days. And true to form, life with just Lincoln reminds me of why having one is as humbling as having seven. Thankfully, his sleep has not been as erratic as last time, but I swear, there are some real obvious changes in the atmosphere here when we're down to just one babe in the house.

For one, I seem to hear more of the fussies. Is that because LT misses the entertainment and distraction of HD and RL? Probably. It seems like on a normal day, I can set him on the floor and walk away just fine. Sure he might fuss for a second, but then he starts playing with a nearby toy or watches the Bigs playing with toys and calms down pretty quickly. But when it's just the two of us in the house? Apparently Little Man gets lonely, because if I try to step away for a second to - heaven forbid! - use the bathroom by myself, he gets so upset! I can totally tell he is thinking: Where are the all of the faces and what happened to all of the noise?! It is too quiet, so fussies must commence! 

Maybe it's just me. Maybe my head is spinning less when I'm not trying to juggle the schedules and napping and bathroom and eating habits of three Littles all day long, so I just think there are more fussies when I'm down to just one. Could that be? Some of The Best Advice a friend gave me when Lincoln was born (she'd just had her third earlier that summer) was that it was OK for there to be more. More crying. More TV. More whatever works for dinner. Totally, totally OK. And I think of those sage words almost every day when it does seem like I'm just spinning from one task to the next. More fussies are OK because more love is happening all the time, too. Being here, spinning my plates in the Great Mama Circus is more love than I have ever known. And if a few fussies have to be had occasionally, so be it, because thankfully I'm aware of all the good happening right now, too.

Good like having a beautiful March day of mid-70s yesterday and getting to spend time outside with Harrison before he and Raegan left. Good like having him crawl into my lap numerous times as I sat on the ground soaking up glorious sunshine and telling me that he was going to miss me while he was gone. Good like watching Raegan be a little mama to Lincoln, telling him "It's OK! It's OK! I hear you, Buddy. I'm here Little Buddy!" while he was crying (See! He does fuss when they are here!). Good like getting to bask in the sun yet again after Lincoln's second nap and watch his eyes light up with wonder as the breeze blew in his hair and his fingers found the trying-to-turn-green-again-hallelujah! grass. I mean, seriously. Look at this face. I think anyone can forgive a few fussies when you get grins like this:

Transition

One of the best, most true pieces of advice a friend ever gave me when Harrison was born was this: just when you think you know what's going on, the baby changes. Thanks, MB, for that because, wow, has it helped me a lot in the last four years to not totally freak out when my world has been tipped upside down (again and again and again) by the ever changing stages of babyhood (and toddlerhood and prekhood). I am a big believer of strength and comfort in numbers, so knowing that my baby is not the only in constant flux (duh, but still needed to hear and learn it) matters. Especially since that first baby has now added a little sister and a little brother in the years since. And today is the little brother's turn in the spotlight.

Over the weekend, I decided to do little update posts on the kiddos. It seemed like a nice way to get my mind off sleep while filling y'all in on the cuteness and fun that is just as much a part of our daily lives as is the crazy and chaos. I started with Mr. Harrison and proceeded in birth order from there, but that was done in part because I've been trying to figure out what to say for Lincoln. What hasn't been going on with that kid lately?

95% of the time, Lincoln is still Mr. Chill - the laid back baby who is content to wiggle on his belly on the floor, watching his brother and sister play around him. He's a strong dude but I still don't trust him to sit up by himself unsupported. He loves his exersaucer and America, too (sorry, little T.Petty reference for my Yankee Doodle boy). His neck and chin are ticklish, so when I bend my face to his and give him funny sniffs or kisses, he gives me the best non-laughs ever. No, really. Have you seen the facebook videos? His laugh is hysterical. It's like an intake of air grunt/squawk thing that is clearly a delighted sound but unlike any other laugh I have ever heard! All in all, Lincoln is my Love; I love to snuggle him and smell him and the quiet moments we get together nursing or before his naps are awesome.

5% of the time, Lincoln is beyond my comprehension. Of course, this 5% is comprised of his sleep. Actually, his sleep takes up far more than 5% of our days and nights, but I'm weighing it lightly against the rest of his lovely personality and disposition because even with the crappy sleep I'm about to explain, I stand by my previous Lincoln in my Love declaration. But yea...his sleep is as crappy as mine lately. OK, time for another actually. Actually, at night he's doing pretty well. Goes to bed at the same time as the big kids and sleeps well into the night, most nights, before needing to be fed. And most of the time, he goes back down after that. Except for when he cries and cries or if it is in the 5s and then, well, you're just SOL on that one.

Lately, though, it would be the transitions of Lincoln's day sleep that that is the most baffling. Several weeks ago he decided he was done with three naps; boom, just like that, he wouldn't do it any more. And for a wee bit (like five days), this seemed like a good thing. Suddenly he was sleeping longer than 40 minutes for his two naps and sometimes the afternoon one was even as long as - gasp! - two hours!! Pretty awesome. But then this last week, on top of my own exhaustion, he decided to go back to the 40 minute (or less) naps, but still just the two. So, holy red-rimmed-eyed baby by the end of the day! And holy stress-seeping-into-my-shoulders-making-them-climb-to-my-ears me from listening to him fuss, hoping he'd go back to sleep! Not fun. So not, not fun. And can you guess what he did this weekend? Went back to taking the longer naps again. What the huh? I'm officially stumped, but am crossing my fingers that he'll continue with the elongated afternoon rests. HD and I could use the rest!

The other positive backwards trend for LT is at the table. After throwing holy terror fits about eating solids, after a great week and a half to start, he is back to doing just fine with his baby oatmeal, sweet potatoes and squash. I don't know what I will try making next for him, but I am so glad he's not flat out refusing the food/spoon anymore (or at least not right now). Hopefully this will pay off on the scale when I take him in for his March weight. He feels solid and looks (sort of) chunky (to me), so maybe he has gained a bit, eh?

So there you have it. The ever-growing, ever-changing, ever-moving, ever-sweet Lincoln Thomas. Oh! And he has the best little baby mohawk going. So fun!

Welcome Back, Mr. Coffee

I am in sleep hell. Actually, I am in no-sleep hell. *sigh* Trust me, I wish I had something else to write about right now, but unfortunately poor sleep is still the headlining news from our house.

Thanks to Operation Bottle Warmer last week, I did get in several nights of sustained, uninterrupted sleep in our guest room. Talk about necessary. Mandatory, even. But then this weekend came and ForTheLoveofPete, all that progress went right out the window.

I don't know what in the world is going on with my sweet-as-can-be and normally totally chill Mr. Lincoln, but he is having what we'll call a "helluva time" with sleep right now. Lincoln! Listen to your mama!! Now is not the time to become a crappy sleeper. I'm sorry, Baby, but I'm declaring an expiration date by which a baby either is or is not a good sleeper and you've already passed that and picked the good. Do not be swayed by the Dark Side. Trust me. It's not a fun place to be! And your daddy and I do not want to go the Dark Side with you anymore. Two of the last three nights have been dark enough, thank you very much.

The first set back was Friday night. LT was up to nurse about three hours after we went to bed and then, instead of just going back to sleep like he normally does, he cried. FOR TWO HOURS STRAIGHT, he cried. We tried changing him (diaper, clothes, sleep sack, sheets) and letting him work it out and finally, a little after 3:00, gave up and I nursed him again. After that he was still making noise for a bit in his crib, but get this - he was cooing. After two hours of screaming, he was freaking cooing! Once that stopped, we had roughly two-ish hours to go before Harrison would be up for the day and wouldn't you know it, I super struggled to go back down. I kept imagining that I was hearing things (i.e. the big kids) or then Ben would move next to me and I'd startle and just in general, my mind was racing like a crazy person's. But at least it was Saturday and I could go back to sleep after the boys went downstairs a little after six and get a couple more hours of disjointed crazy-dream sleep. Today I am not so lucky. Today I have to function on three hours of sleep because that's all I got amidst Lincoln's antics last night.

OK, so I can't blame the baby for the whole night. I can only blame him for the first two-thirds of it. After going to bed nice and early (but still taking too long to fall asleep), Lincoln had me up to nurse at 11, just as I was ready to hit some nice, deep sleep. So that sucked. But what sucked even more was that he was up again a little over three hours later like he's a newborn again or something. And because I didn't think my head or my heart or my body could stand another potential two-hour cry fest, I nursed him again (even though my better judgment fears this is the start of a very slippery slope). But in the moment, it worked, or at least it did for LT; he and Ben both went right back to sleep. I did not. So at 4 something I came downstairs to try to sleep down here, but hello racing-minute-counting-couldn't-go-back-to-sleep-head. And a sore throat to boot. In other words, I am a hot mess. And so are all of my boys. Apparently HD was up at 5 this morning (and 5:20 and 5:30) and then LT was up again at 5:45. WHAT is wrong with us? Why is Raegan the only person capable of sleep in this house? How am I going to survive on three hours of sleep today? Especially when I only got four-ish pieced together hours on Friday? I think it is safe to say that the no-caffeinated coffee days are over.

Sanity Saver

While I haven't given a full-on sleep update lately, you may have picked up on the fact that we've been a tired house again lately (always?). Or that I am a tired mama again lately (definitely always on this one). To be honest, I haven't given a full sleep status because 1) I don't mean to use this blog to complain all the time, 2) I've been too exhausted to get around to it, and 3) writing about it would be admitting just how bad it has been. And it's not been good.

A few weeks ago, we gave up the beloved Dream Feed because it wasn't working. That was a good choice. However, it now means that when I go to bed at night, I never know if I'm going to get an hour or two or four or maybe just the whole darn night before Lincoln is up to nurse. While there have been a few nights when he's gone the distance, there has been very, very little consistency in terms of feeding time on the others. If you've ever had sleep issues, you might know how this uncertainty can make it hard for me to go to sleep at night, even when I'm exhausted.

Then you throw in the complicating factors of a week of sick kids plus a random Sunday night when HD decided to get up to use the bathroom at 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. (of which the first woke me up and I was still up for the second one because I couldn't go back to sleep) and the result is me. One extremely tired mama. As in, a can't think/talk straight, barely keeping my sh*t together but still can't fall asleep at night mess. But then I'm responsible for the health and happiness and all the other things for three little people all day long, so I've had to keep going which is what I've managed to do by the grace of yoga, chocolate, God, and Orange is the New Black on Netflix (not kidding...those are my coping mechanisms).

But Wednesday night was a recent record low. It took me over three hours to go to sleep that night, only to be woken by Lincoln an hour-ish later, and then up for the day for real another four-ish hours after that. It sucked. So while I opted out of other activities Thursday morning, I did bundle the kids up (hello, subzero temps!) to make the dreaded trek to Walmart solo with all three of them just so I could buy a bottle warmer.

While Lincoln is still too little to skip night feedings altogether (especially since he's not gaining weight right now), he is old/big enough to be doing just one night-time feeding. No one ever said, though, that I had to be the one feeding him. At the suggestion of a few wise mamas, I got the bottle warmer so I could pump before bed and then send the milk and warmer upstairs with Ben so he could handle the middle-of-the-night feeding. & that way, no one - not the baby who wants milk or the preschooler who needs to pee - could bother me. To his credit, my husband wasn't bothered by this idea (perhaps because he realized, at this point, it was crucial to my survival?).

Last night was our first attempt. I got settled in our guest room downstairs and managed to fall asleep sometime around 10:30. I'm guessing because there is no clock in that room which is a godsend because, again, another trigger for my sleep problems is seeing the damn clock and then calculating how much little sleep I'll be getting from that exact moment.

So. I slept. It was lovely. I didn't have to shove a pillow on top of my head (another coping mechanism that has seriously ruined my neck and shoulders, not to mention ruined my sense of trust when it is quiet). I didn't have to get up to nurse or use the bathroom or anything. I just slept. And when Ben came in at 5:57 with a missing mama LT, I could hardly believe it. What a relief to get some uninterrupted sleep. Apparently there was a 2 a.m. bottle that took a little bit longer than a typical nursing session to get in Lincoln, but it worked and he went back to sleep and all was well. Especially since I got to sleep right through it. I have a feeling he'll get more used to the bottle and it will go quicker in the future and there will definitely be a future because this mama needs to recover a bit. I've got to get my trust back with sleep and that is not going to happen, excuse the pun, overnight.

If you can, send me some sleepy vibes here in the next few nights/weeks. Just maybe don't wish me good sleep in person any time soon because I'm still so off that those well wishes just add more pressure to my poor, tired brain. See - I told you it's been bad!

Shining Examples

On the first Tuesday (ahem - first clue right there, eh?) of the month, I try to make it to Baby Weighs to get a weight for Lincoln to put in his baby book. With Harrison, I was obsessed with BW and went every single week. As in, almost cried the time it snowed and I had to miss, but with Raegan it became more problematic (taking the 2.5er along + her not wanting to nurse there ever), and I learned to survive without it. Good thing, because with Lincoln it is even more problematic (the load time, the what-to-do-with-two-older-ones-in-tow, the excessive heat in the place - that last one is random and has nothing to do with me going or not going, but holy geez, it is always so hot there!). So. Once a month, usually on the first Tuesday because that is closest to his monthly growth mark of the 4th. And what do you know? Today we hit it spot on! Perhaps that explains why things went so well (at first).

After much negotiating and prep work (and a solid 45 minutes of effort), I got all four of us dressed, layered, and in the van. Baby Weighs isn't far from our house, and in the past we have walked, but hello. This is February in Nebraska. We drive! I packed snack bags for HD & RL (crackers, cereal, fruit snacks, all mixed together so it takes longer to eat and I don't have to open multiple packages) and told them they could have them once we got there (always good motivation for getting in the car and listening, at least initially). I also told them that if they followed the two (only two - c'mon! how hard can it be?!?!) rules while we were there, we could get a special lunch. Temperature Tuesday still exists at Runza in February, right? Because that's where I wanted to get lunch today, but I wouldn't know because the two rules were not followed. And they are simple rules!

Rule #1 - do not run up the stairs where Mama cannot see you. Baby Weighs meets in a basement room of the Home Away from Home building across from Mary Lanning; it is accessible by two sets of stairs. This also means there are two doors and sets of stairs from which my children can escape and apparently they really like to do that because we have (obviously) had this problem in the past.

Rule #2 - do not touch other people's things. Not that they normally do, but I remember the days of going all the time and being there with just one baby and wishing other people's big kids would leave my stuff alone, so you know, I try to extend that same courtesy to other mamas while I am there.

So today started out really, really well. We came in, found a spot to unload (RL even took her shoes off; guess she felt really at home!), and I grabbed books for the older two from the bookshelf. It was a busy place, though, so I knew we were not going to be in and out even though all I wanted was to get Lincoln's 7 month weight and not even attempt to feed him there. While I waited in line with Little(st) Man, HD & RL got out their snacks. They weren't running, they weren't yelling, they weren't touching anybody's stuff. My mama chest was puffed with pride. And we all know what happens next when we get too proud and puffy - we deflate.

Just when I thought we were in business because Lincoln was next up on the scale (the kids usually love this part), the stairs became Public Enemy No.1. First it was HD in the doorway, looking at me and me reminding him not to leave, and then it was his sister joining him, and both of them egging each other on as they took off up the stairs. Lovely. I had to leave LT with the nurse, naked on the scale, and go get them. And tell them no lunch (which probably sounded awful to anyone who heard me say it, so I clarified and said again, "No special lunch."). Harrison tried to appeal for a second chance but I'm in a tired, there are no three strikes mood today, so no. I explained the rules when we got there. They broke the rules. No special lunch.

The rest of our time there was sweaty and rather frantic. No one wanted to listen and I still had to get Lincoln dressed and everyone coated and hatted (and shoed, in RL's case) before we could leave. So here I had been thinking five minutes earlier, Wow! Look at my babies! They are being so good! These other moms must be so impressed! What shining examples of angelic children! and now I was thinking Wow! Look at my babies! They are such hooligans! These other moms must be so relieved! What shining examples of real children! Or maybe the other moms were annoyed, but I don't think my kiddos were being that obnoxious. At least not to anyone but me. But somehow I herded my kids cats and we made it up and out together. There were no tears and no screaming (from the children or me), so I guess it all turned out OK even without the special lunch.

Except then there was the whole issue of Lincoln not gaining a single ounce in the last month (*sigh*) and the whole other issue of me overhearing another mom talking about her baby, who is one and a half weeks old, sleeping eight hours at night, and I could have just cried. I struggle so much when my babies don't gain anything because I feel responsible. But we have small kids, so I should be used to this by now, right? And are you flipping kidding me? EIGHT HOURS?! IN A ROW?! I haven't gotten that much straight sleep in at least three years, so the whole thing made me want to, again, cry and possibly take her out at the knees.

So what do you think? Time for brownies?

Good Eats?

If I am being honest with you (and myself), I would have never thought on my own that I could/would/should make baby food for my kids. Would have never even occurred to me. Isn't that why they sell it in those cute little jars at the store? Because you are supposed to feed it to your cute little ones at home? And yet, with Harrison, I made 95% of the purees he ate starting around the six-month mark. Why? Because my aunt asked me if we wanted a Babycook for his first Christmas and I said, "Ummmmm? OK?"

While I have some contention about the product's name (seriously? it sounds like you are meant to cook the kid, not for the kid. this is just as disturbing to me as the phrase "good enough to eat" when used in reference to children. why do we want our little ones to think we want to eat them?!), the Beaba Babycook really is amazing. I believe my aunt found it through Williams Sonoma (T, correct me if I'm wrong) and she also got us this amazing cookbook that I truly adored. The first time I tried using the Babycook, I had no freaking clue what I was doing, but it turned out to be a pretty simple system and the little man liked the end result, so we just went with it. I made everything from sweet potato and squash to asparagus, whipped cauliflower, and ground turkey. I honestly don't know if I bought any baby food in jars from a store for him. Puffs and snacks, yes, but nothing else.

Then came Miss Raegan. Our little peanut who refused to eat pretty much anything besides yogurt and certainly nothing homemade besides some sweet potatoes and squash. Actually, mostly just the squash. She just didn't care for anything I tried making for her, which, I'll be honest again, wasn't as much. I was too frazzled, apparently, and since my few attempts didn't exactly win her over, I decided it just wasn't worth the hassle. Jarred baby food it was. I felt a fair amount of mommy guilt over this that I tried to assuage with Organic jarred baby food, but it was what it was (and I was not going to spend every weekend making stuff she was going to not eat!).

So now that Lincoln has hit six months (almost seven, actually, if you can believe it), I get my third shot at this. And because, you know, I have so much free time, I decided to try the Babycook once again. Last weekend I spent about an hour chopping up, steaming, and pureeing two batches each of sweet potatoes and squash. It looked like this at the mid-point:

And then, true to form, both HD and LT were willing to try the goods:

While some feedings since the first have been less than successful, Lincoln's general consensus is that my homemade stuff is OK ( or, at least, he seems to have fun spreading it all over his face). I guess this means that, for now, the Babycook is back in business!

1/2 of 1!

How is it possible that Sweet Mr. Lincoln is already six months old? Six months?! I guess for good measure I should just go ahead and underline that last statement as well - that's how shocked I am at how quickly those six months have come and gone. Didn't I just push him out on a 90+ degree holiday? But suddenly here we are at the beginning of January and we're set to have some of the coldest temps in decades (see what I did there?), and my baby is quickly working his way into being a little person. Craziness.

Half birthdays are interesting. I remember being overjoyed when Harrison hit two-and-a-half, simply because I had survived a whole half of the terrible twos (I think I even texted my brother in celebration on that Jan. 22 two years ago). Of course, in time, I learned that when my friends had said "Just wait til he's three. Just wait til his' four" they knew what they were talking about. So now I know that hitting a half birthday isn't about celebrating surviving, it's about celebrating thriving. 2014 is going to be the year of perspective, my friends, so while you'll still be getting stories from me and mine about us and ours (including our less than shining moments), I want you all to know that I am working this year to remember that my perspective, my attitude, about where I am and what I am doing is, well, it's pretty much everything.

So half a year with Lincoln. My perspective and attitude on that? It's been awesome. It's been exhausting. It's been like it couldn't have been any other way. I needed to have some of those growing pains and struggles (hello hips-post-third-baby) to get me into situations and places from which I could grow. Enter yoga. Enter opening up to friends about my struggles. Enter a commitment to love first and leave the rest for later (OK, so I'm still not great at leaving all the other for later because then it would never get done, but hey, I'm a work in progress). That's enough, though, about me. What I really want to do here is tell you all about this adorable little big-eyed baby boy who is my best little buddy.

As the third, there are definitely more times that I set Lincoln down or walk away from him than I did with the first two because I inevitably have to go see what the first two are up to when they wander away from us to play elsewhere in the house. A Four and a Two can only be left alone so long before you start to wonder what's up! But Lincoln is patient with me and if I do set him down, he tends to wiggle contently on the floor until I return. Lately he's taken his Super Baby moves a step beyond and started flipping from back to tummy and tummy to back, so I know these days of leaving him are numbered because once he's mobile, look out. I'm going to have a world of work on my hands keeping him away from everything that the Four and the Two leave out that the >1 shouldn't have. Seriously. That is going to be scary. But for now we're all happy because he's fairly limited to blankets on the floor where he loves to explore toys and burp rags and teethers with his mouth and his busy, busy hands.

Speaking of busy hands, I have learned in the last few weeks that I need to look out when nursing LT during the day. Holy Moly Windmill Arms, Batman! He reminds me of Baby Raegan who was never very pleasant to nurse because there is just so much movement. Thank goodness I've gotten his sharp little fingernails under control, otherwise my face and lips and chest would be covered in tiny scratches because his free hand just whips all over the place as he eats. I am also thanking goodness for dream feeds. Every night between 9:00 and 10:00, Ben and I head upstairs where I get settled in one of my beloved gliders and he collects Lincoln for me. Then I sit and nurse the sleepiest, sweetest little boy you've ever seen. It is quiet and peaceful and beautiful. It is warm and snuggly and my heart could just about burst with love for my Littlest Man every single night. Those dream feeds totally make up for any nursing shenanigans during the day. Actually, they heal me of petty much all daily shenanigans, so even though I sometimes don't like having to end my evening shortly after 9 p.m., it does my body and soul good to spend that nightly time with Mr. Lincoln.

Seeing as this first half of the first year has gone by so quickly, I can only imagine how soon it will once again be blazing hot (although that seems unlikely on a cold day like today!) and Lincoln will be one and on the verge of walking and then talking and all the other amazing things he's going to learn and do and be. I can't hardly wait to see his personality and happy heart grow. He may be the crappiest napper on the planet (did I forget to mention that in the post? oh well..."perspective" can also be exchanged for "overlooking"), but we couldn't be happier to have him as part of our little family. Happy Half, Linky!

Wiggle Worms

While I realize this is no surprise to any of you, I feel the need to state (again) that I have active children. How active, you might ask? Well, from my decaffeinated point of view, VERY active! They are the products of my racing mind and my hubby's ever-tapping feet (no, really...the guy can't sit still to save his life), so how could our Littles be any other way? And why would I want them any other way? Well, fewer gray hairs and more time to read might be two reasons, but meh...gray hairs and time for books will come regardless, so I might as well embrace my current season of life which I think I shall dub The Wiggle Years (a.k.a The Sleepless Years but wiggling is so much more fun than not sleeping, so let's keep the focus light, shall we?).

The Wiggle Years began four years ago when Harrison was just about the same age as Lincoln is now. As a baby, Harrison loved to bounce and scoot and roll. Actually, as soon as he did this for the first time (he started on the blanket), I knew my freedom as a mama - as a person - was severely limited because I needed to keep an eye on him constantly to know where and into what he was getting: 

Of course, it's not just my boys who are wiggly. Raegan was such a squirmer that I have to admit, I really don't have fond memories of nursing her. I mean, we did it and it was fine, great, and even lovely sometimes, but for the most part, breastfeeding her was always part wrestling match. She was all over the place with arms and legs moving even while on my lap, so it's no wonder that she's stayed such a little peanut what with all that simulataneous consumption and exertion of calories. She just a strong little monkey who has been pulling tricks like this since well before she was one: 

And now the Wiggle Years continue with Mr. Lincoln. Good gracious, that child can move. Perhaps you remember me writing that he was my most active babe in the belly yet? Well, look out world, because I think that might be true out of the womb as well. Just under a week ago, when LT turned five months, he finally managed to achieve his long-sought-after goal of flipping from his back to his tummy. And in doing so, he seems to have flipped some switch in his brain that said, "YES! MOVEMENT! LOVE IT!" because my previously chill baby is now squirmy as all get out. Instead of hanging out in his swing or bassinet during the day, he much prefers to be on the floor where he can wiggle and flip. Just look at him! 

And, suddenly, Lincoln's nursing sessions are starting to seem very similar to Raegan's in that I'm having a hard time keeping his head facing me and his arms and legs still. Last night, during our little dream feed before Ben and I go to bed, Lincoln's bottom arm stretched out behind my ribcage and his little fingers with his sharp little nails started wiggling all over the place. I noticed it and it wasn't pleasant, but I really didn't think much of it. That is, until this morning, as I was getting ready for the day, and Harrison came in to see me and said, "Mama! What's that?!" because I had scratch marks in a neat little cluster on my back. Not to worry, though; Dr. Harrison patched me right up with an Angry Birds Band Aid that he insisted I have because a kiss just would not be enough to heal me. Oh, my babies. You are so funny. And soooooo wiggly! 

LT's pretty strong and pretty determined, so I would imagine it's only a matter of time before he's trying to keep up with the older two. Good thing I'm doing my yoga twice a week so I can get strong like all of them; I'm going to need the strength and stamina to keep up with this crew! 

WTG?!

In grad school I spent two years working for the Willa Cather Archive and the UNL Digital Archives. While that means I was once fluent in XML, it also means that I worked with a guy (who was already married with children) who used the phrase, "What the Grunt?!" to express concern, disdain, frustration, etc. in a PG manner. As it turns out, this phrase is one that keeps coming back to me this week as we seem to be stuck in a bit of an illness/oddity wheel.

Last week it was a coughing Harrison who missed two days of school but waited until 3:30 on Friday to spike a fever. A (not-so-quick, but bless-their-sweet-souls) trip to Convenient Care revealed that he had bronchitis. There went all of our plans for the weekend in one quick WTG (whoops - just typed WTF instead) moment.

This week, like so many others this Fall, has been filled with long days. It seems like my dear husband is gone at least twice (and sometimes thrice) a week in the afternoons or evenings due to meetings, committees, etc. which leaves me with very long days with very small children. And since the icky-sickies have started, we are stuck for these very long days in our house. We love our house but it's only 3/4 of the way through November and I'm already getting cabin fever. Not good, eh?

HD is back to school this week and I thought we were in the clear, so we did get out for Toddler Art on Tuesday. Well then Tuesday (damn you, Tuesday!) night came and Lincoln woke up mid-night with an awful, barky cough and a low-grade fever. Welcome WTG illness No.2 - the start of croup! Thankfully we got to the dr. quickly Wednesday morning and he's doing much better, but still, no getting out of the house or social time for me/us for a few days. And again - it's only November. If we're getting blasted like this now, what does the rest of the winter hold for us healthwise?!

Not to be left out, Little Miss has been adding to the WTGs, too. The self-potty training sort of continues with her going accident-free some days and others not-so-much. I suppose if I had a day or two to really devote my attention to it/her, we might be in business, but yeah right. With sick brothers and naps and nursing and whatnot, my attention is clearly divided. Speaking of nursing, check out her WTG play session that took place while I was with Lincoln in the living room this morning. Apparently she is thinking all things diapers and potties and babies, because this is what she found to entertain herself:

And did I mention that she chose last night to start getting out of her crib?! This is perhaps the biggest WTG of them all right now. I cannot stand the idea of losing the containment the crib offers and if she really is done, this will make it even earlier and worse than when Harrison gave it up at 2 yrs., 3ish mos. But the toddler bed is probably coming soon because this morning she flipped out of her crib and (naturally) landed on a basket that holds blankets, etc. on the floor and did this to her eye: 

She is fine, but in hopes of avoiding any (more) serious injuries, we don't want the little monkey to keep experimenting with escaping. Because, you know, with the potty training and the sick brothers and all the whatnot, I clearly have lots of time for teaching her to stay in a toddler bed, too! Sheesh, child. Could you slow down a bit on the growing up/demanding independence?! Just a little for your poor Mama?!

In other random news, I tried to go old-school with Harrison and get him some books on tape from the library (to avoid messing with potentially scratched or scratch-able CDs) to entertain him during these long house-bound days. It took him two seconds to do this to the first one (after asking "What's this, Mama?!" in his own WTG voice): 

The brilliant-albeit-still-a-stinker also told me yesterday, when playing CandyLand, that he hid the cupcake card because he didn't want to land on it (it's the first one, in case you aren't as familiar as I am these days, so if you're almost to the end and draw it, it is apparently a BIG bummer/WTG in the eyes of a 4-yr-old). Today I found it behind the pillow of my rocking chair: 

And last, but not least in this random collection of WTGs, I bring you sweet baby Lincoln's hair. Not that he has much of it, but he does have one strand that is really giving its all. Yes, one strand. While the rest of his head is covered in the sweetest little fuzz, there is one strand on top of his head (of course) that is a solid 1.5-2 inches long. Why? How? No one knows. But here you have it:

My apologies if this is the strangest post you've ever read from me. I'm solo parenting for 13 hours today, so I'm a little loopy.