Madoc 5 Months

So I am not so good at writing in my blog these days. Mostly because I just don't have two minutes to myself. The only reason I am writing tonight is because Hubs is upstairs putting Chase to sleep.

So what's new? Well, I'm still munching away on brown rice, steamed squash, sweet potatoes and pears. Can't believe it has already been two months of this! Although I have been starting to take little nibbles of things here and there. Fruit salad kept Mads up, but that was probably because there was some pineapple juice in it. More and more I find myself trying to figure out if it is just the way things are - or if it's because I'm eating something wrong. It is making me crazy; I mean really crazy. So I decided to just start eating a little here and there - and play it by ear.

Tomorrow is Mad's 5-month birthday, so that's five months of getting up no less than 5x night. I have high hopes though, because the pediatrician has given me the all clear to start rice cereal with her, so I am going to give it a go tomorrow morning to make sure it doesn't make her too gassy, and if it works, I will try it tomorrow night, too.

All in all, I shouldn't complain. She is a simply wonderful child. I am so lucky to have two. I just wish I could get more sleep, as I get really short with Chase - for no reason other than that I am exhausted. Poor child, I used to have endless amounts of patience for her and suddenly I have turned into a mom who has little patience for everything.

I am so sorry, Chase. It will get better, my love, I promise.

As for all the rest, we have started our veggie garden (which has already produced one, luscious, strawberry). The columns are fixed so we are working hard on making our front yard presentable. I am trying to jettison items we no longer need/use/want, but there seems to be no end in sight of things coming in -- just as I get a box out, another box comes in.

We are getting excited about our trip to Portland in July. That will be so nice.

Denver is simply beautiful. The weather here is really, truly, amazing. It just seems to stay at 70 degrees - or thereabouts for the majority of the year.

Hubs is in consideration for another role at his company. My fingers are crossed. I so hope he gets it. I purposely avoid blogging about his work, but I have to say I am having a really hard time with all the travel he has to do in this role. He leaves again on Sunday - and taking care of the two little ones wears me out (and I am already working on empty).

Chase starts her Summer camp in June. Should be very interesting to see how she handles it. It isn't much time, but it is enough to break her in to the idea of a school environment. Two times a week for two hours each time.

The pools open this weekend. I am super excited. I love the Denver Summer pool scene. It's just loads of moms and kiddos. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle two girls this time. The most interesting thing is that I have never felt better about my body - and I have not been to the gym in three years. I would have never thought I'd feel good about my body after having two kids, but I do.

Other ramblings... Madoc is disliking her swing and enjoying her excersaucer. She can almost roll over. I think she may be a little behind because I haven't given her as much tummy time due to her reflux. She is so curious. She really likes observing. I can tell she is just waiting until the very moment she can move freely about. I think once she starts crawling/walking, we won't be able to slow her down. Not even for a minute.

Chase is amazing (as always). She counted to 40 the other day. She can tell time (at least name the hour). She makes up her own songs and rhymes. I continue to be amazed at how gracious and giving she is with her friends. She desperately wants to read and write, but doesn't like to "learn" how. She does really complex (funny) dance moves, where she rocks around on the tips of her toes and then pulls an "Elaine-like" move. Her drawings are starting to get more complex as well. She cares deeply for Madoc, so deeply I have to peel her off of Madoc many many times each day. She's having a hard time listening these days. And since I refuse to use food as a motivator (snacks, candy), I have had to turn to TV. If she listens all day she gets a show just before dinner. I hate to do it, but it works like a charm. Gone is the defiant, non-listening girl and back is my good, ole sweet Chase.

The biggest thing I'm struggling with is bed time. It is so hard to put them both to sleep by myself. Madoc has a hard stop at 7/7:30 and Chase usually goes to bed at this time as well. So I end up with both girls keeping each other up - each getting more and more wound up. I have to figure something out, and soon.

And so, I can't believe it has already been five months. It feels like Madoc was born yesterday, but I sure feel tired. And I sure to love both girls sooo much. And while I'd never wish this time away, I do look forward to being able to sleep a little more and have just a little more time (read: any) to myself.

Asleep, Finally....

So it has taken me, oh, at least 2 hours to put both girls to bed (on my own). It's painful. Mads starts crying. Chase wakes up. Chase kicks or claps or something and Mads wakes up. And I keep telling myself, "they must fall asleep eventually!"

Germs

When we lived in China, I never let Chase touch anything. I was horrified when locals reached out and touched her hands, her face, her lips. I bought the strongest germ-killer I could (which is more potent than anything one can buy over the counter in the US - I'm sure it burned a layer of skin off with every application).

At any rate, none of this seems to have impacted Chase. She has no concept of clean vs dirty. None. She will touch the bottom of her shoe and then put her hand in her mouth. She will use the brush on her toothbrush to scrub the sink. She will let Tag lick her fork and then stick it in her mouth. She will use sidewalk chalk and then dig in the dirt and then put her hands in her mouth. Seriously. I don't get it. I feel like every other word these days is, "Chase, please wash your hands."

And no, I don't feel like I'm being extreme. I mean there's pig flu out there. And she needs to learn good hygiene, especially as she heads to camp in June.

But that's not the only thing I'm pulling hair out about these days. She asks WHY all-the-time. Which I honestly don't mind if she would just listen to the answer instead of asking WHY again and again. And then there's the whining and the hanging on me. I can take one of these things, but all three is like she has somehow identified the Torture Triangle, which, when combined with my lack of sleep makes me want to curl into a ball under the dining room table.

She has also identified the fact that her feet drive me crazy. She puts them on me. All the time.

But then, she will lean in and kiss me, and say, "mommy, I love you," and somehow all is bright and beautiful in the world again.

Whoa

Mads slept from 9 p.m. until 4 a.m. - straight!

And Chase was cleaning her mirror today until it was "clean as a whistle." Where did she get that from? It couldn't have been me, I always say those things wrong - like clean as a bell or something like that...

Chase is getting soooo big. And so it Madoc. I guess that is what happens, it's just hard to believe it happens so fast. I mean, she's only been around for just over 3 years and she is already so opinionated. How does that happen?

And today, out of the blue, she said, "Oh mama, I love you SO much." With the same emphasis she uses when she is "SO" hungry (aka wants a marshmallow).

Updates

Mads night schedule is as follows.
Bedtime: 7/8pm
Wakes at: 10, 12, 2, 3:30 and 5 a.m.
Then she takes a nap again around 8 am.
During the day she can go for 3 hrs without feeding.

Many children at this age are supposed to be able to sleep through the night. Egads.

I have tried keeping her awake all day.
I have tried stuffing her with formula just before bed.
I have tried to give her regular naps.

Nothing seems to work. And her waking at night is pretty consistent - the time of night.
But I also recall that nights, from the beginning. were really tough.

So I am totally open to any/all suggestions. Bring them on.

Mads Update

Took Mads to the pediatrician for her 4 month check-up. All is well. She is almost 17 lbs! And in the 97th percentile across the board.

Pics From MS

Upon arriving in MS, we headed for Great Granddaddy Claude's.














After a lovely visit, we went to the annual crawfish boil in Smith County.













and Brian got to ride dirt bikes.

Mads n' Mom

Pics From AL

After a few days in Maryland, we headed for Mobile, Alabama...













After spending a couple days in Mobile, where Chase played with Yei Yei and Nee Nee...



















We headed out to Mobile Bay to scatter Grand Daddy Herbert's ashes. But first, we stopped at the Bragg-Mitchell, where we held our wedding reception over 10 years ago! I really wanted a picture with the girls!













after a couple minutes waiting on the dock, we boarded Uncle Mark's paddle boat and set course for the bay...

Pics From MD

So we started our baby tour in Maryland, where we introduced Madoc to Grandpa Jim, Grandma Dorthy, Uncle Mike and Janet, Uncle Shawn and Elizabeth, Aunt Michele and - my mom, who flew out to bury her mother's ashes with her husband, my Grandfather Victor Skinner. Here we are going to Baltimore's BYOD (bring your own dog) show.














Chase loved Grampa Jim's screen door. She didn't really get the picture that she wasn't supposed to lean on it.














Here's Chase with Grandma Dorthy (her Great Gran).














Me and Grandma...














My relatives encouraging Chase to play with fire.














Mom and Grandma...














My dear Grampa...














Auntie M...














And of course UNCLE MIKE, who Chase could simply not get enough of!














I kick myself for not taking pictures when we drove Mary The Great's ashes to rest. I have a small video that I may post - if I can figure out how to do it.

Too Cute

Our next door neighbor, who has one of the cutest little boys on Earth, just had a monster swing set installed and invited us (okay, Chase) over to play. It was too fun for words, but I think this picture sums it up.

Updates

Happy to report that during Tummy Time yesterday, Madoc reached out and grabbed the item I placed before her!

Her reflux is really getting so much better. But I get punished if I stray from my diet. Yesterday I had a handful of jelly beans ('cmon, it's Easter) and she was up all night.

The good news? I can eat Sesame seeds (and oil) as well as seaweed (which I love). YUMMERS. I can also eat bananas (I think). Madoc is super-healthy and is squarely in to 9-12 month clothing (at almost 4 months). It is amazing to see her in outfits that Chase was wearing at 1 year. WOW. And she is so smiley. So sunshiney. She rarely cries - very similar to Chase.

Chase, on the other hand, has had a rough couple days. Maybe it is because she is sleeping poorly, but she has been a real mess all day long. Tears over everything. Poor darling!

Mom's Time In Denver

Not the greatest photo, but I have been so bad at not posting pictures that I figure all pictures are good at this point.

The Girls

Happy Easter!

We have had quite a fun-filled week. Loads of eggs colored - both at home and at our friend's houses.














We made Easter baskets for our friends...



















On Easter morning, Chase woke up to find an Easter egg hunt in her backyard...

































So many eggs!














And then on to the Easter baskets!




















Mmmm, candy!














Daddy and Madoc....














Thank you, Easter bunny!




















Special thanks to NeeNee for the Easter package!

Kids and parents

I hesitate to write this, but I am finding it increasingly difficult to find both kids and parents I like - maybe it's just because age 3 is so volatile, but seriously! It's like kids who were previously nice are developing mean streaks. Is this normal? Or should I look for other playmates?

Easter

So Chase ate three hard-boiled eggs today. She wanted four, but I told her she had to wait until tomorrow. It is at this point that I must note she only eats the whites, not the yolks.

The eggs must have tasted especially good because they 1) were not from our house, and 2) brightly colored with stickers on them.

It's a good thing she thinks Easter is all about hard-boiled eggs! This will probably be the last year we can get away with filling the plastic eggs with stickers.

Updates

So I have found that if I stick to the basic elimination diet, Madoc sleeps SO well. I added avocado the other day and she woke every 20 minutes - all - night - long. The good news? She is thriving and not on Zantac anymore. The bad news? Looks like I will have a severely restricted diet for the next 6 months (let's just hope I can keep nursing for 6 more months). It's really weird not to be eating any-fat-at-all. But I'm starting to feel good, instead of deprived. Although we were at a birthday party today and I really wanted a piece of cake, or at least a taste of the sorbet. Arg.

We have some travel coming up which is really going to test it - I'm going to have to cook up rice and squash in various locations and people are going to give me funny looks. It's amazing how social food is - and how when you can't eat certain things - people react to you in ways you'd never expect. Not like I'm doing this for fun, you know? It's not like I'd be doing this if I had a choice.

If I have to keep this up for 6 mo, I will be thinner than ever in my whole life (and will probably feel pretty darn good, too), but I can't imagine re-introducing processed or fatty foods after being off them so long. I guess we'll see! Oh, but I do long for avocados.

Chase and Icky, her imaginary Komodo dragon, are doing well. She just had her 3 year check-up and is now in the 75th percentile for height and the 50th percentile for weight. Everything else checks out! Thank goodness for happy, healthy kids!

Thanks, Mom!

Can't believe it has been so long since I posted something. I am pretty tired so this will be short and sweet.

HUGE thanks to my mom for coming out to Denver. Picture of the BIG SMILE to be posted soon.

Gotta run and get some sleep.

Chase Quotes

"Madoc's toes are delicious."

"What kind of cake should we make for daddy's birthday?" - Me
"A blue cake. With blue frosting." - Chase
"And what will it taste like?" - Me
"Vitamins." - Chase