Wrapping Up an Adventurous Month

With Evan on fall break for two weeks, we needed something to fill the days. Dan and Evan had some father-son adventures to the Slugger Museum, another local history museum, and a family fun park with laser tag and bumper cars. That gave me some time at home with Connor to relax. But we also did a few family outings.

Harvest Homecoming is a festival held every fall in a neighboring town. It was a pretty fall day so we decided to go. We walked around the booths, then discovered there was a carnival area for kids. Evan was ecstatic. So while Connor chilled in the Ergo with me, the boys did some more adventuring.









The slide was a HUGE hit. Can you tell?



A few days later we went to the local orchard where everyone within a 100-mile radius seems to go to pick out their Halloween pumpkins. One advantage of maternity leave is being able to go during the week, so the crowd wasn't nearly as bad. Which is good, because I forgot just how much equipment we lug around for babies for even the shortest trips. Car seat, carrier, stroller, diaper bag, etc. 10 lb baby. 40 lbs. of stuff. There are times I don't even want to bring my camera because it's one more thing. But I'm almost always glad I do.

My mom was doing something to make Evan laugh here. I love his toothy, silly grin.







Evan ran into his friend, Charlie, from his Little League team. They ran around like crazy fools in the pumpkin patch.



Sitting still is akin to a miracle in the world of 5 year olds.







It's a little easier to photograph this guy (for now). Four weeks...





I love his itty bitty baby feet.





And sweet little hands.



He is King of the Swaddle Break.



One month old!



Stats: 9 lb 15 oz (54%) 22 in (60%)

Week Three and a Milestone for Evan

Before Connor was born, I asked my boss, who has two kids, if it was easier going from zero to one child or one to two. He pondered it for a moment and said "zero to one." I took this as a good sign. NOW I know that what he was really doing in that pause was deciding whether to be honest or kind. He went with kind.

I thought I had no "me time" before? I can't do anything but laugh at my silly, naive self. I wouldn't trade it for the world, it's just a different reality to adjust to.

In the interest of time (i.e. a currently sleeping babe and occupied-for-the-next-5-minutes 5 year old), here's the rundown of week three.

- Connor had his first bottle. I had to take Dan to drop off one of our cars for service. My parents volunteered to sit with the kids for the hour or so this would take. I left a bottle "just in case" and it was needed (we might have made a slight detour on our way back to pick up a bottle of wine and some Jack Daniel's. Parenting pick-me-ups.)



- That beautiful head of (reddish) blonde hair Connor has turned into an old man 'do this week thanks to a nice case of cradle cap. The hair on top of his head started receding, then came completely off in the bath one night (technically I think this might have happened a few days into week four, but close enough). So now he has the hair wrap around the sides and back of his head, complete with long strands on the crown to make for a smashingly awesome comb over! Here's one of the last shots I got before it fell out.



And the so-light-you-can-barely-see-them eyelashes.



-When a fair-skinned Irish kid gets mad he can get as red as the shirt he wears.



-Evan's adoration of his little brother continues. He loves getting down in the floor with him. They say your older child will seem huge when a new baby arrives. It's true.



I love Evan's observation about newborns (around the :20 mark):



I love the newborn stage, despite the middle of the night feedings and incredible ability to pee on me not once, not twice, but three times during one diaper change. How can you not love this sweet face?

Officially three weeks here...



...but I took some a few days later with the new stickers I ordered to mark his monthly milestones (it came with some bonus stickers for the first month).

Post-paci removal



And a tiny grin. The balding head really does make him look like a little old man.



In HUGE big brother news, Evan lost his first tooth! My friend Heidi came over to visit and see Connor and as she walked in, Evan announced his tooth fell out. Scene stealer.

Week Two

We started to settle into a routine during week two home with Connor. I'm not sure if Connor is easier than Evan was as a baby, if I'm more confident in parenting a newborn, or a combination of both. One huge difference: there's much less rest time. Which is odd given that Dan is home most of the time as well. There's more to keep up with, that's for sure. I could spend hours a day picking up, cleaning, doing laundry, planning meals (failing at this most often), running errands, 'round the clock feeding, diapering, giving baths, taking care of pets, etc. I tried for three days to find the time to go get a pedicure. Pfft. There was always something else that took precedence. You know, like showering. Thank goodness sandal weather is over. There was a very real part of me last week that was ready to go back to work immediately just to catch my breath. Then I look at the sweet faces of Connor and Evan and realize I need to embrace the chaos a while longer.

We had some more visitors this week - near and far. This little guy already has lots of admirers. Renee, our church's Children's Minister came by to meet her new constituent.



Evan and Connor's Nana and Poppy came to visit the second weekend. I am so grateful to have such awesome in-laws. Fran cooked two delicious meals AND made enough for leftovers. Remember that earlier reference to my failure to cook? Having this crossed off my list makes my life so much easier.



Thanks to the Rock 'n Play sleeper some friends got me, we all sleep better. I usually get one 4-6 hr stretch of sleep at night, which is awesome at this age. This little "fist pump" shot taken during the day just seemed appropriate.



Posin' and dazzling us with his baby blues.







From day one, Connor has LOVED kicking his legs out like this. I think after 40 weeks and a day "on the inside" this little jailbird likes the freedom of stretching his legs.

Week One

Time flies when you're sleep deprived. Ok, that's the opposite of true. I just thought it made for a semi-valid excuse as to why I haven't posted anything new since Connor's arrival. Several people have called, emailed, and texted to ask how things are going and if I'm getting sleep. I think we're probably doing as well as is typical when you have a 5 year old and a new baby at home.

In short: Adjusting.

No doubt those first few days were rough. Post-partum exhaustion and hormones are super fun. In an ironic twist where fantasy mimics reality, the TV show Parenthood featured a story line the same week where two of the characters brought home a new baby with an elementary-age boy already at home. The glazed, wide-eyed expression on the mom's face? That was definitely me week one.

It's getting a little easier. We're getting in a groove now. Evan's home this week and next though for fall break so my days are pretty full caring for the kids (just typing "the kids" is still a little foreign). But I wanted to get some photos up from the first week. Sadly I didn't take a ton. Lots more iPhone and much less "real" camera. Like I said, exhausted. More to come soon.

Bringing Connor home.



First neighborhood stroll.



More brotherly sweetness.





I was in the process of taking the photo when he went from contented to this face.



This was exactly one week.



iPhone:





Some non-photo stats:

Connor's slight case of jaundice resolved itself. We had one trip back to the hospital on day three to check his bilirubin level. He was 7'4" on day two, 7'6" on day three, and 7'15" on day eight. I don't make milk, I make human growth hormone.