The Difference a Year Makes

Last April, Matt took a day off work, and we took Nathan to the zoo for the first time. It was such a wonderful day and special time with our little Nathan.

Fast forward to this April, and once again Matt had a day off, and we went to the zoo, this time with our two sweet boys. Walking around seeing Matt push our double stroller and my almost two year old running all around telling us about the animals, I was struck by just how much our lives had changed in one year.

Boy, do babies grow up fast!! It was another great day with my precious family.

A Few Cute Things

Nathan has been saying and doing so many cute things lately. Here are a few I want to make sure I remember.

My grandparents came up to visit last week. Nathan was so excited when he saw them at the door, he ran to them screaming and laughing, then he grabbed his diaper and said, "pee, pee." I guess he got a little too excited :)

I was helping him work his train puzzles. When he put a piece together, I said, "Good job, Nathan." The next time I put a piece in, he said, "Good job, Mommy."

When I ask him what a horse says, he says, "Yee Haw." And when Daddy gives him horsey rides, he yells "Yee Haw" the whole time.

Tonight at dinner, he took a bite of his food, and said, "It's good, Mommy." He's going to make some girl a very happy wife someday.

He likes to play a little game with us. He'll be in the living room and he'll say, "Bye Mommy" or "Bye Daddy." Then he'll run off, sometimes by himself and sometimes he'll drive his dump truck or take something else with him. Then he'll run back to the living room and say, "I'm back." He does it over and over everyday. And he won't "leave" until we tell him bye back.

My kisses have magical powers. Whenever Nathan gets hurt, or thinks he is hurt. He will point to where he is hurting, say "hurt" followed by "kiss it." As soon as I kiss his boo boo, he smiles and goes back to playing.

Almost two has been a really fun age!

Life as a Family of Four

We have been a family of four for six weeks now, though most of the time it feels like we've always been this way. The last six weeks have been filled with so much joy and sweet memories as well as stress and adjustment. In my short experience as the wife/mother in a family of four, I've learned a few lessons.

1. This is a season- I've been telling people that so far I have felt that going from one child to two has been an easier adjustment than going from zero children to one child. I think a big reason for that is simply my perspective. When Nathan was a newborn, our world was rocked and our lives were completely changed. At the time, I felt like it would last forever, the sleepless nights would never end, the spit up and diaper blow outs would always be happening, etc. But guess what, it didn't last forever. Eventually, I started to feel rested and full nights of sleep returned. Nathan  even started going to bed early enough that Matt and I had plenty of time to spend together and doing individual things in the evening. We had date nights, even weekends away and vacations again. It was a season, and a precious one at that. This time around, when I'm totally exhausted in the middle of the afternoon, or when both boys are crying and need something at the same time, or when getting out of the house and loaded in the car takes 10 minutes, I remind myself that this is a season. It won't always be an ordeal or require three different bags to run a simple errand, I won't always be changing diapers all day long, and our lives won't always be scheduled around feedings. In fact, a year from now, I know I'll be sad that the time went so fast, and I will miss these days with my little guys. So in the chaotic moments I'll remind myself that it's only a season, and during the precious times when I'm cuddling both boys on my lap or Nathan says "I love you Mommy" in his sweet baby voice, or I hear Samuel's coos from a blanket on the floor, I'll remind myself too that this is only a season and I will soak up each moment and memory with my little family.

2. I can't do it all... and that's okay- Before Samuel was born, I felt like I could do it all as a stay at home (and even working a few hours a week) mom. The house was cleaned weekly, laundry was done, folded and put away, meals were planned, groceries bought and dinner cooked every night. We were able to make it to Storytime at least once a week and plenty of other fun outings, and I spent lots of quality time on the floor playing with Nathan. On top of that, I had energy in the evenings to go for jogs, and spend time with Matt after Nathan went to bed. I spent time with friends and finished my Bible Study every week. Since Samuel has been born, that is not the case. There's always a pile of laundry that needs folded, and dust on my furniture. We make it to Storytime only if it's a good week, I'm relying on freezer meals and simple meals each night for dinner, I'm slow to respond to emails, and the list goes on. Sometimes it seems like I'm constantly working and nothing is getting done. That's been hard for the perfectionist in me, but I've had to learn that it is okay. Ten years from now, shoot, even one month from now, I won't care that my shower didn't get cleaned every week or that I only vacuumed every couple of weeks and we ate mac and cheese three times in one week. It's not that big of a deal. I've had to learn to let things go and relax. In this stage of my life, my "job" is being a mom and a wife. I take pride in it, and I want to do a good job, but right now I can't do it all, and I'm learning to be okay with it.

3. I have to prioritize- Since I can't do it all, I've also learned that I need to prioritize. This has also been a challenge especially since I'm a pretty goal oriented person. I like to check things off my list and see tangible results. The hard thing right now is that the things that are most important don't always have tangible, immediate results. Doing train puzzles with Nathan and playing cars with him or snuggling with Samuel doesn't always feel productive to me, but I know that it is vital. The main reason Matt and I have made the decision for me to stay home with our children when they are little is for me to be engaged and interactive with them. So when Nathan grabs my hand, and says, "Mommy, play," when I 'm in the middle of folding laundry, I will choose to stop what I'm doing and get down on the floor and play with him. Even if my to do list never gets accomplished anymore, I want to make sure I keep my priorities straight.

 4. A strong marriage is vital- In the craziness of adding Samuel to our family, I feel like our marriage has taken a hit. Newborns are needy, 24 hours a day. And although two year olds are less needy, they still require a lot of time and attention. So, especially in the early weeks, Matt and I were both busy meeting the needs of our boys which took practically all of our time. Evenings seem especially crazy. Between the time when Matt gets home from work, and Samuel goes to bed for the night, he has three feedings, dinner is cooked, eaten, and dishes washed, two baths are given, and lots of bedtime stories are read. There's just not much time for anything else, and if there are a few minutes to spare, both Matt and I are usually exhausted. We were talking about it a couple of weeks ago, and Matt said that he felt like I was spending all my time meeting the needs of Nathan and Samuel, and wasn't meeting his needs. I completely agreed with him, but I told him that I just didn't know how to fix it. The boys' needs are so immediate and important right now. I strongly believe that in my line of priorities, my husband should come before my children. I'm a big proponent of date nights and time alone without our children and being purposeful in working on our marriage. And I also believe that one of the best gifts Matt and I can give our children is for them to grow up with parents who have a strong, Godly marriage. It just seems that right now, in this short season, the boys' needs have to come first. They have to be fed, changed, bathed, etc. and those basic needs take a lot of time. So during this transition, Matt and I have been relying on the strong foundation we have built in the seven years we've been married. The trust, security, and love that we have established is carrying us through this time, and I've been so thankful for it. I'm thankful that even when the only time we really get to talk and catch up is an evening walk to the playground, and the only alone time we have is when we collapse into bed at night, we both know we are loved, and our marriage will make it through this season without too many bumps or bruises.

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One Month Old

My precious Samuel Jacob,

You have been in our lives for one whole month, and in that short amount of time, none of us could ever imagine our family without you in it. We are so thankful the Lord gave you to us, and you are the perfect addition to our family. I love calling us a family of four! You seem to have brought some balance to our family. I think your brother is glad he's not outnumbered anymore :).

Your first month has certainly had some crazy moments, but in the midst of all the chaos, there is such a joy since you've joined us. Getting out of the house to do anything may be an ordeal these days, and our dinner, bath, and bedtime routine may always be hectic, but none of us would have it any other way. You are the sweetest little baby, and I'll never get tired of your snuggles.

Speaking of snuggles, you love to be held. You tolerate being put down for a few minutes at a time, but you like to let us know when you've had enough and need some loving. We gave you a pacifier in the hospital and then had to take it away for a few days, because you were having some trouble nursing. We gave it back to you when you were a couple of weeks old. You like it when you want it, but a lot of times you don't really want anything to do with it. It does help you fall asleep during the day when you can keep it in your mouth.

You really like your swing. Your brother wasn't a big fan of it, but it is certainly getting some use with you. I put you in it for most of your daytime naps. It's the one place (besides my arms) where you seem to sleep soundly during the day.

You also enjoy swinging during your wake time too. You watch the mobile or look at the light as you swing. You really like lights! You can always spot them in a room and your little eyes focus right on them every time. I'll lay you on a blanket in the office and open the blinds and you'll stare at the sunlight.

We try and go for a walk almost everyday, and you seem to enjoy the fresh air and being outside. You'll usually snooze in your car seat while your brother plays at the playground. You've also been to Storytime at the library a couple of times. You slept through the whole thing :).

You are nursing  every 2.5 hours during the day for 10-15 minutes per side. We're supplementing with an ounce or two of breast milk or formula during most feedings too, to make sure you get your belly full.

You sleep wonderfully at night. You always have at least a five hour stretch between feedings, and a few nights you've even gone 6 or 7. You figured out your days and nights so quickly and basically all on your own. Since you were just a week or two old, you always saved your long stretch of sleep for during the night instead of the day. You also fall right asleep after your late evening feeding, sometimes even while you're eating, and you go right back to sleep when I feed you in the middle of the night. During your first week or two, you had a little trouble going back to sleep after some night feedings, and your daddy would hold you until you fell asleep, but you let him get off easy, because you sleep so good now! I swaddle you at night and you sleep in your Rock and Play in our roomn

You spend a lot of time in your sling. We're thankful we got one, because it has been really helpful especially since you like to be held so much. I'll put you in it and let you nap while I get things done around the house.

We are in the process of transitioning you to size 1 diapers from newborn. I just have a couple of newborn diapers left, but they are really getting too small. You've outgrown all your newborn sleepers too because you are so long. You can't straighten your legs while you're wearing them. You are mostly wearing newborn size onesies and pants, but they are getting snug, and each time I put you in one, I think it's the last time you'll get to wear it, and then I get sentimental and sad since you are wearing several outfits that your brother wore, and I have a hard time thinking it might be the last time it gets worn.

We took you in for a weight check on 4-17 and you weighed 10lbs, 3oz.

You nap after most of your feedings, but usually for only 20-30 minutes or so. You usually will take one long nap each day for about an hour, but you have a lot of wake time during the day, sometimes you'll stay awake for 2-3 hours at a time. Since you sleep so well at night, I'm not too worried about your lack of napping, although it does make it hard to get things done around the house sometimes. Dirty showers and kitchen floors just have to wait, when you want some cuddle time :).

You have started to coo a little. It's the most precious thing. I love hearing your little voice and watching you kick your legs and wave your arms while you're lying on the floor. I've even caught a few smiles. You smile while you're nursing occasionally, and I've caught a few others.

You are such a handsome little guy. You have dark eyes and a red tint in your hair.
Your big brother is enamored with you, and you tolerate all his hugs, and his not so gentle way of putting your pacifier in your mouth. I promise he means well :).

Samuel Jacob, whenever I look at you, I feel so incredibly blessed that the Lord gave  us you to love and raise. You are our precious little guy and we can't wait to watch you grow and learn.

23 Months Old

Nathan, You are 23 months old. Your daddy and I are starting to refer to you as our 2 year old. It's amazing how much you change so quickly.

This month was obviously huge for all of us with the addition of Samuel into our family. Nathan, I have been so proud of you over the past few weeks since you became a big brother. You have adjusted so well to having a baby brother and you seem to have matured right before our eyes. Occasionally, you show a bit of jealousy, always when I'm holding or nursing Samuel. You'll want me to hold you, but those moments are rare, and you are in love with your brother and such a big helper to Mommy and Daddy.

You always let me know when Samuel is crying. You'll yell in a concerned voice, "Samuel cry" or "Baby cry." You'll also try and soothe him when he's upset by giving him a hug or putting his paci back in his mouth. You also still want to know where he is and check on him often.

Your maturity has been tremendously helpful in helping Mommy adjust to having two kids. You have made it much easier on me than it could have been. You have begun playing better by yourself. You still like to be in the same room as someone, so you're good about getting toys out of your room and playing with them in the living room. You do great at entertaining yourself while I'm busy with Samuel. Thank you for that. I've really noticed your maturity when I am out and about by myself with you and Samuel. You and I took Samuel to the doctor last week, and you were so well behaved and obedient. It made the whole visit much less stressful.

You have been watching more TV than usual since Samuel was born. Once we get into a better routine, I'll probably try and cut that back some, but most of the time you play with your toys and the TV is just on in the background. Your favorite show right now is Bubble Guppies. You always ask for "Buppy" when you want to watch TV and you dance to the theme song. There is a train episode and an airplane episode that are your favorites. You also request to watch your Elmo Potty DVD pretty often.

I feel like I say this every month, but your vocabulary has exploded this month. You are talking in two to four word sentences all the time, and you say new words every day. Your daddy and I look at each other sometimes and ask each other where you learned a new word that you started saying. My favorite thing you say right now is, "Here you go Mommy." It is so cute. I also love the way you say Samuel, Papa Joe, and soccer ball. I could listen to your sweet baby voice all day long. When we read stories at night, you point out all the pictures in the books and tell me what they are. You'll point out balls, trains, cars, ice cream cones, animals, etc. In your Llama llama book, you always point to the picture of the llama with tears on his face and say, "cry." You are an empathetic little boy, and seeing others sad or upset bothers you. 

If we are trying to figure out what you are telling us, we'll ask you what you are saying. If we say the wrong thing, you'll tell us no, and as soon as we figure out what you are saying and ask you if that's correct, you get excited, smile, and say "kay." You're always really glad we understood you.

You are all boy. Your favorite toys are balls, cars, trains, and airplanes. You love all different kinds of balls and know the difference between soccer balls, basketballs, and footballs. You are still really into puzzles. We've gotten you a few puzzles that are much more difficult than what you're used to. They're beyond your age level right now, and Mommy and Daddy help you a lot with them, but you are figuring them out quickly.

When we are in the car, you point out every bus you see and say "bus". You are so observant.

Bedtime is my special time with you. I'm enjoying it even more now because it's one on one time with you which is rarer these days since Samuel was born. We read and pray and sing and rock. It's my favorite time of the day with you. Hearing your sweet voice thanking Jesus for all your family members turns me to mush every night. You pray for Daddy, Mommy, Samuel, Rhapsy, Grammy and Papa Joe every night.

Your favorite foods are cheese and strawberries (and most other fruits). You also like yogurt, bread, and peanut butter crackers, and juice of course. You are always asking for juice. You request cheese most mornings for breakfast, and usually several other times during the day too.

You are wearing 2T clothes and a size 5 diaper. You love any clothes with cars or trains on them. You consistently take a 1.5-3 hour afternoon nap and sleep from about 8:30-7:00 every night.

You are really starting to use your imagination when you play. I love seeing that. We got you a set of toy keys for Easter, and you play with them a lot when you're driving your dump truck. You'll point the keys at the front of the truck and push the buttons, and then hang the keys on the steering wheel so you can drive.

One month from today, we'll be celebrating another year of your life. What a great year it has been for all of us!

Easter 2013

Easter was extra special for us this year, since we got to celebrate it as a family of four! We had a great weekend filled with family and fun activities. Matt's parents came up on Saturday afternoon to celebrate with us.

That afternoon, we went to an Easter egg hunt at our church. It was Nathan's first time to hunt eggs, so I was excited to see how he would do.

Our family before we headed to the church

Samuel slept through the entire hunt and other activities our church had.

Nathan did great at collecting eggs. I figured he would since he loves to pick things up and put them away. And this wasn't really a hunt. It was more of a gathering.

I thought he was so cute getting all his eggs, and he went crazy when he found out there was candy in the eggs. He would hand us an egg and say, "open, open" over and over.

Sunday morning before church we let Nathan have his Easter basket. I felt really prepared since I had bought everything for his basket a couple of weeks before Samuel was born. It took some self control to make him wait until Easter to get his goodies.

We got him a praise and worship CD, a Thomas the Train book, a set of toy keys, and some peeps.

We managed to all four get fed and dressed in time for church. It was Samuel's first time at church. Like I said, it was an extra special Easter.

Our little guy decided he wanted to eat just as the sermon started, so I missed almost the whole sermon. It was still so sweet to have him with us at church, and as a mom, the Easter story seemed to take on extra significance this year. As thankful as I am for our Savior's death and resurrection for my sin, to know that he made that sacrifice for my children adds a whole new meaning to the story. I looked down at Samuel sleeping in his car seat as we were worshiping, and I was so very thankful that because of Christ's resurrection, my son can have eternal life and a personal relationship with Him. It's such a blessing to be able to teach my children the Easter story as they grow.

I usually host Easter lunch, but I let my mom take over this year since Samuel was so little and life is still pretty crazy around our house. She did a great job. Everything was delicious.

After lunch, Nathan hunted Easter eggs in the backyard. He did such a great job finding all of them and spent the rest of the afternoon opening them all to find all the candy inside.

It was a memorable Easter for sure!