Train

Warning: baby in image is smaller than she appears.

Jon had an early hockey game the other evening which means single-parent double-duty at bedtime.  Exhausted the big one, over-fed the little one and managed a simultaneous de-waking.  Don't ask me how or if I can do it again.  

Any parent will verify that juggling bedtime is an art.  You have to get the child in bed just after the energy is spent and just before they melt down (due to the lack of energy).  You have to be scarily precise and it RARELY goes off without at least one crying fit (sometimes the child, sometimes the parent).

We were probably three mini-melt downs into the bedtime routine.  Nooooo!  Not a bath!!!  Nooooo! Not take-the-shirt-off time!!! Noooo! Not the socks too!!!!  Thankfully these are mini melts; half hearted protests easily ended via a distraction (Listen!  Was that a FIRE SIREN?!  No?  Oh well!)

Ever leaked through her diaper.  Again.  The girl is an artist and an activist.  Freedom for poo!  A bath was needed before putting her to bed.  But I also needed him to be asleep to give her a bath and needed her to be asleep to get him asleep.  DILEMA!

Solved by plopping her the bath with him.  Why not!  She has almost mastered head control.

Owen thought it was awesome and has wanted to play "train" every time she's on the floor with us since. 

And that is the story behind this photo.

Quite the spectacle(s)

Earlier this week the family loaded up in the Mazda and headed back to our local generic ey-doctor/glasses hut to pick up my snazzy new frames.

While waiting (in the near empty store) for my name to be called off the list we amused Owen, and ourselves, by letting him try on some of the kids' samples.

At that point I realized that I was one of 'those' parents.  Then I justified it to myself because he does, after all, put them back when he's done pawing them.  Plus he's so darn cute.  

Evidence*:

The "I'm soooo cuuuuuuute!" face.

These were a little too Elton John for me.  Or grandma.

Probably my favorite.  But I may be biased by the overbite and excessive cheekage.

The "Pop-pop".

Thankfully Owen does not need glasses - at least for now.  But given the stellar genetic material that he has to work with it won't surprise me if we're back at some point for a real fitting. 

*Please note how Jon is holding or restraining Owen in almost every shot. It proves we are good parents.

80% Eyes

Those big eyes kill me.

Laundry Day

I love folding tiny clothes. They remind me of the tiny bodies that I love so much.

As most childrens clothing is held together by a variety of snaps, buttons, zippers and ties, the buzz of a zipper or click of a snap has become familiar to me now in a way it never was before It sounds like home and makes me think of freshly washed babies getting bundled up for bed.

Wet hair popping through the too small neck of a onesie. Three snaps to close it up - click, click, click. Clean, pudgy feet sliding into footed pjs. A quick zip up, careful not to pinch cubby thighs. Two little arms wrapped around my steady neck and a smooth forhead snuggled in my neck.

Yeah, I love laundy day.

Picasso

Part of a new series of original chalkboard art. By Owen (not me...just to clear up any confusion).

1,2,3

Three Happy Months!

My Everly is three months old.  Still a baby but no longer an infant.  At least the way I see it.  Right on time for that transition too - she's developed both a set of cubby thighs AND the ability to have short conversations with me.  The feeling of looking into your baby's eyes as they squeal and sing in an attempt to communicate with you is beyond description.  That moment of  recognition and playful replication of happy noises.  It's amazing and so bonding.  

For the last few days I've smiled every time I think of Everly.   Images of her gummy smile flittered through my head while running errands and my heart swelled as I realized how grateful I am to be able to see that smile for the rest of my life.  

She is my joy.

A few things about the three month old Ever:

• She loves blowing bubbles.  Her constantly slimy chin is proof.
• She still sleeps most of the day.  She perks up a little between 4 and 8 - but still manages to take a short cat nap or two in those hours.  
• She loves to be snuggled in the evenings.  Morning naps are best in her swing but arms only after 8 please.
• You know that you've hit a special high when you get her wrinkled nose smile. It's adorable.
• Loves Owen, her dad (obviously), the cat, and pretty much every person she meets.  I love her quick smile.
• Has traces of a brownish color around her pupils.  Not sure what the final color will be - they're still grey for now.  
• Aaaannnd...she's still bald as the day she was born.

Carrying Everly

When I was pregnant with Owen we started taking these shots from twelve weeks and ended up with 26 weeks documented. 

This time around I started at 20 weeks and ended up with 13 weeks documented. (My favorite?  Week 27 with diapered Owen.)

Next time I'll be lucky to grab the camera on the way to the hospital.  Kidding.  Next time I'll get all 40 weeks.  Or maybe I'll go crazy and do a daily picture.  (not going to happen.)

I carried little Ever differently than Owen.  Girl effect?  Second baby effect?