miles turns four!

My dear sweet Miles,                                                                                   7/8/15 your 4^th birthday

            I seem to say this every year, but how is it that the last year has flown by so quickly? You are just turning four and already are such a little man. You remind me of your dad, all the time. You seem to have grown up so much this last year, but I think most of the reason is you are no longer the baby. You now have a little brother to play with, protect, love, teach, argue with, push, torment, and just another little one to have around all the time.

            I never imagined what being a big brother would do to you. You have become quite the little protector. When we have play dates or your cousins visit, you defend Logan for any infraction. He gets screamed at by Easton, you rush over to hit him for yelling at Logan. A kid pushes him and you push the kid back, even if I have already handled it and the kid is in time out. You seem to need to be in control (just like mom, sorry son) and need to make sure you do it yourself…. Unless it is cleaning up, and then you need someone else to do it.

            This year you have learned how to speak so much better. Your vocabulary has expanded and people who are not family can understand you. You know all the letters and sounds, numbers up to twenty-ten (30), and you can even read easy words and books. I think you got your daddy’s brains because you understand things so fast and are so smart. You already try to find ways of getting your way or of having us change our minds if you don’t like what is going on. You like to skirt the line of obedience, just like your dad when he was a kid.

            You have started waking up at the super early time of 5:15-5:30 each day… it is way too early for mom and dad, but no matter the bed time, you are awake and ready to start the day at 5:30. This means that bed time has become 6:30 for some books and teeth brushing and a 7pm bed time. You don’t give us any fuss when it comes to bed. You go in and get ready and snuggle in with your bears and blankets and go right to sleep. I love this about you and only hope that each of your siblings follow suit.

            This year has been the biggest change for you, mostly of Logan, who is now big enough to play with, but also because we have started doing school stuff and I realized how incredibly smart you are.  I know the future holds so much for you. You are so caring, smart, loving, and you have so many of my, and your dads, best qualities. I love you Miles, and I hope you read these letters seeing the wonder and love I have for you. You are more than I could have ever imagined and I can’t imagine ever having life without you. I thank God for you and Logan each day.  God is amazing and knew what I needed in my children without me ever expressing it.

            I hope you grow up loving God. He has freely given us so much. He gives us goodness while we only give sin. I love you Miles, but God loves you even more. Never forget that. This last year you have been going to church with us and often when we ask what you learned you say: God loves me, God made me, and Jesus is my friend. Such truth out of such a little guy.

            I have hope for your future, but I also look forward to all the wonderful things we have to share in the next year. Thanks for being my son. Happy forth birthday, my love. I love you.

Love,

      Mom (yes, you now only call me mom… not mama or mommy or even monny anymore… you are such a big boy)

The dentist

Miles had his first dental visit and he did so well!! We played some video games while we waited (and he kept asking to go play while we were getting our teeth cleaned). 

He then watched me get some X-rays and then he took some. The tech said he was one of the most well behaved kids she has seen. He listened so well and she was surprised the X-ray came out clear. Most kids can't hold still enough. 

After X-rays, we went into a room and had the dentist come in. He looked at Miles' teeth and said his teeth look great and to keep up what we were doing. 

After he left, we both got our teeth cleaned. He was so brave and let the hygienist brush and floss his teeth. 

I was so proud of Miles. He did so great and was so brave. 

 

Life according to Miles

I told Miles I was so tired and asked if he could watch Logan while I napped. This was his response: 

"No monny, I can't. I can't because him cries a lot. He cries and cries and me can't watch him." 

Me: "why can't you watch him when he cries?"

"It makes me so hard. It makes me mad and sad when him cries. It so hard." 

Me: "why is it hard when he cries?"

"It just do's" 

The things kids think of. And no, I would never actually go sleep while my 3 year old watches my 6 month old. I am not stupid, just a curious mom who wondered what silly things her kiddo would say. 

Here are a few pics of my sleeping kiddos 

Doctor visit x3

Today Miles, Logan, and I went to the doctor's for a (not so quick) visit. Thank goodness we all see one doctor because he is so great and fit all three of us in one visit. Yea for family medicine! Anyway... My appt was easy and went well. No after birth complications or anything. I'm doing so much better than I did after having Miles. 

Miles did SO great. They checked his blood pressure, his heart and lungs, and weight. He listened to the doctors so well and didn't cry or anything. He actually liked it all (and it didn't hurt that he got a sticker AND sucker for being so good). Here are his three year old stats:

34.2 lbs-weight for age 71 percentile, weight for height 68 percentile 

38.2"- 62 percentile

 

56cm head circumference- 93 percentile

Kid is getting so big! He has grown about 4 lbs and 4in in the last year. 

Logan is doing really well too. Talk about big, Logan is huge. The doctor commented that we should stop calling him tiny and call him Tank, lol. Here are his stats: 

15 lbs 12 oz- 99 percentile weight for age, 85 percentile weight for length 

24.5" (62cm)- 86 percentile 

43 cm head circumference- 96 percentile

Our doctor did find something kind of strange with Logan. He has a hairy spot on his back that can mean he has spina bifida. We got referred to radiology and will have to make an appt. soon to get it looked at by another doctor. 

After the doctor's appt we went to the immunization a clinic and Logan got 3 shots. He took it like a champ and only cried for a few seconds and then we went and say down and nursed. He's sleeping now and I'm hoping he will sleep for most of today. All-in-all the visits went well and only took 2 hours lol. Both my kids and myself are healthy and doing so well. 

Miles waiting for his turn, Logan waiting, his little ouchy legs from the shots, and him all crashed out from all the uproar. 

I also spotted this while in the office. Haha

I'm so proud of my hubby for being a second year resident and doing so well. 

Family update

H

1. We had a resident BBQ on Saturday that was so fun.  I was not expecting to through a party for 20+ people until Friday morning when Carl texted me to see if we could do it. Although I spent most of my time trying to get Logan fed and asleep, I had fun meeting new med students, seeing the new interns, and hanging out with the residents wives I'm friends with. 

2. We took Logan in the pool for the first time this week. He was tired and hated it. He cried for the 2 minutes he was in and then grandma Barney took him inside and gave him a nap.

3. I made felt bandaids for Miles' doctor kit. He loves to doctor his toys and fix ouchies. 

4. Miles danced with a little friend and it was so cute. He put his finger out and danced like a disco dancer. When I asked him why he danced like that he told me, "dance like dancing zombie". It is a sad time when the only kind of dancing your kiddo can emulate is from a video game- plants vs. zombies

5. Logan is doing better with finding a routine and sleep schedule. He has his good days and bad, but I don't think it'll be long before he has a schedule of naps instead of random sleeps and awakes he does now. 

6. Miles loves this little bear. He calls it daddy bear because it is a little brown bear I gave Carl for valentine's day a few years ago so it is daddy's bear. He can't sleep without it and loves to take it all over the house. 

7. I am helping out with a ladies night out tonight. It's spa night and I can't wait to get away and leave the boys with Carl. I know Carl will do great with they boys. I'm hoping they don't give him a hard time for bed time tonight. 

8. We also took Logan to the park for the first time this week. He LOVED it. He looked around all the sky and trees. Miles ran around and had a blast. It was so great since it was only 84 degrees outside and felt amazing! 

9. I got Miles a preschool curriculum for his birthday (with the help of my mom) and we have already started some of it. He is much smarter than I thought.

10. Miles can do AB patterns really well. I showed him what patterns were about 3 months ago and he had no idea how to do them. I showed him again a few weeks ago and he kind of caught on. I showed him again yesterday and he can now do them on his own and make his own patterns with no help. Such a smartie!

Here are some pics from this week: 

Logan's first park trip 

A rare smile

His first swim

Miles climbing at the park

Morning snuggles

Sweet sleeper

He's getting so big!

Family update

1. Miles says "duh-nuh" for 'that one' and will correct himself only when Carl or I remind him that duh-nuh is not a word. 

2. Miles knows all of his letters and letter sounds and likes to sound our words. He doesn't know how to put sounds together yet so he will make all the letter sounds sss-ttt-oooo-pppp, pots sign. It is really cute. 

3. Logan is going through his 6 week growth spurt a littl early and is a monster. He is so sweet and such a good boy until the evening and then all he wants is to sleep but nothing will soothe him enough to get him to sleep. It is awful. 

4. Miles did sparklers for the first time and he loved it. I think this is the first year he has showed an interest in fireworks. Next year we will have to buy some and set them off for him. 

5. I am reading, The Happiest Baby on the Block, and it has so many great tips on keeping Logan happy. 

6. Miles loves his friends and cousins. He asks to play with our neighbors, Blake and Carter, all the time. He also asks to play with his cousins and reminds me often that he has e-nen-non (11) of them.

7. Carl got a four day weekend for the Fourth of July and it was awesome! A much needed break to help with cranky Logan. 

8. Logan is officially 6 weeks old. How is he that old already? Seems like time is flying and both my babies are so big. 

9. Speaking of big, it's Miles 3rd birthday today. I took him out for pancakes at IHOP and he loved it. He has also decided that he wants pizza for dinner and donuts for lunch. I think we will give him pizza but donuts will have to wait. 

10. Logan loves his swing. It is the only way I seem to get anything done during the day. 

Fourth of July

Happy fourth of July! We spent the day hanging out. Thankfully Carl had the day off and actually has a four day weekend. We went out for breakfast and ate some super yummy food. Then came home and had the kids take a nap. After nap we got ready and went swimming and had a BBQ with friends. It was a great day. Here are a few pics from the day. 

Happy Fourth of July!! 

Family update

1. Paternity leave is awesome. It has been so nice having Carl home this last week. Carl and Miles play and Miles has become daddy's little buddy. It has been great having his help all week. 

2. Logan is a little chunker. He has gotten SO big already. At his 3 weeks appt., he was 11 lbs and 22" long. He is such a big baby! 

3. Miles has loved playing with daddy everyday. They come up with new games all the time. The newest is building zombies and plants with his Legos. It is so funny. I'll be in the kitchen and I'll hear, "I need a chili pepper... A chili pepper.. A big dancing zombie, chili pepper, chili pepper. Boom!!" 

4. I am doing really well. It is hard to believe I'm only 4 weeks postpartum. I feel better than I did months after Miles' birth. 

5. Miles has started feeling so comfortable in the water. While we were at Carl's dad's swimming (and by "we" I mean Carl and Miles were swimming) Miles started wanting to swim on his own. Don't worry... He has a floaty on but he loves to jump to Carl and have Carl let him go while he kicks to Carl. This is so different from last year when he was scared to have anyone but me hold him. 

6. Logan is such a sweet baby. I think he is starting to look different from Miles. When he was born he looked SO much like Miles but now he is slowly starting to grow into his own features. 

7. Carl took Miles to a discovery museum this week and I managed to get so much done. I cleaned, baked, vacuumed, and watched a movie. It reminded me how much I can really get done when I don't have an almost 3 yr old asking for stuff all the time. 

8. Logan has been getting one bottle a day. I pump and Carl will feed him. This is in hopes that we can go on a date soon and Logan can take a bottle with no troubles. He has been doing so well with it. The first bottle was spit mostly out, but by the third time he was a champ. He eats about 4 oz and doesn't even spit up. 

9. Every time we do something with Logan or put him in some baby equipment (like the swing or play pin), Miles tells us, "I used to do that when I was a baby." He tells us this each day around 15-20 times. He likes us to be reminded that he did it first. 

10. It is sooooo hot here. Like way hot. Hot like I wish my 6 weeks of recovery were over so I could swim. Hot like when Carl goes swimming I peak at him and Miles and feel so jealous. Only 2 weeks left!! 

Daddy burps

Daddy changing some diapers 

Playing at the discovery museum

Logan at his 3 week appt

Daddy nap time snuggles

Logan's first bottle feed

Cute little Logan

family update

1. Miles has started saying my by self (by myself) for everything. He is becoming so independent. 

2. Logan is already growing so much. I can't really tell until input him in his carseat and I can see he is taller. 

3. Carl is almost done with his first year and gets some much needed paternity leave. 

4. I am finally getting the hang of being a mom of two. It's a good thing newborns are easy. 

5. Logan has started finding his own schedule. He wakes up around 7 to eat, goes back to sleep, has an awake time around 8 for about 2 hours, sleeps and eats every 2 hours, has another short awake time in the afternoon, and then has his last awake 2 hour time around 6. He sleeps good until midnight, eats every 1 1/2 hours until 4, and then sleeps until 7. It is working for us. 

6. Miles loves Logan so much. He is so sweet and gentle and loving. I didn't expect so much sweetness to come from him this early. 

7. Miles may be sweet to brother, but he is naughty in other ways. He has started back talking so much. Whenever I ask him to do something his answer is no. About half the time he does it anyway, but he still has to meanly say no. 

8. Miles has mega anxiety about me leaving since I spent the night at the hospital away from him. He knew it was coming and did so well without me here, but now is nervous about me leaving again. 

9. Logan never really cries... Unless you are making him nakie or he is sooo tired he can't fall asleep on his own. 

10. Because Carl is on inpatient, he isn't often home before 7. This leaves a quick hour of together time before bed. Poor Carl and kiddos. I know I can't wait for him to have two weeks off to spend with us. 

Almost 2 weeks

Have I really been a mom of two boys for almost 2 weeks now? It seems like time is traveling so fast. The hours between 3 and when daddy gets home drag on and on, but the rest of the day seems to go fast. 

Was I really in labor two weeks ago? Really feeling helpless and crampy and wondering if I would EVER get to meet Logan? How is it possible to feel like he has been here forever but also feel like he is so little and how can he already be 13 days old. I'm holding him on my chest while he sleeps and Miles sleeps next to us and I feel so complete. 

Yes, there are times that are hard (last night with barely any sleep was one of them) but I feel like our little family is so perfect. I'm worried that already it's going  by too fast. I'm going to look back and think, wow he was only little for a blink and I didn't appreciate it enough. I'm trying to not waste his days as a little baby. Have I really already done this? How is it that Miles was like Logan and is now so big? It is so weird to be reminded of that each time I look at my boys. 

Sorry for all of the ramblings, but I guess I just need to get the feelings down so I don't forget this wonderful and special time in our family. 

Happiness

This is my happy place 

Can't believe Logan is already 10 days old. I love my two little guys. Being the only girl in a home full of boys has is perks- lots of love. 

Miles meets Logan

The mornin after delivery, Carl brought Miles to the hospital to meet Logan. He was so excited. Logan was out getting some testing done, so Miles got to come in, sit with me, and chat about the day before. We got to have about 20 minutes of Miles and mommy time before he met his brother. When the doctors came back with Logan, Miles was so sweet. He came and sat with me and laid his head down to Logan and kept saying, "hi Logan. Hi. Love you."

He wanted to hold Logan so we held him together. 

It was so fun to see Miles meet his new brother. He was so gentle and loving and just kept looki at him and talking to him. He asked about my belly a few times but seemed to understand that my belly is "little tiny" now because Logan came out. 

Miles and Carl stayed until they discharged me and Miles even helped daddy carry his baby out of the hospital. 

Even now, Logan has been home for 5 days and Miles is the best big brother. He tells me each time Logan makes any tiny sound, loves to hold him ("hold my Logan monny"), and calls Logan his baby. He sings sweet songs to Logan and if Logan is crying Miles tells him," it's ok Logan. No cry." Seems I am seeing a tender side of Miles that I haven't seen before. I have a feeling Miles and Logan are going to be best friends. 

Kisses

Holding Logan when we got home