Baby Bees

an end to the drama

2012-02-10T07:21:00.000-06:00

I wasn't lying--we do have some fun Quinn news to share--but I think I'll use this Friday to wrap up the poor little Delia drama that's been going on for 10 days. I know, right? It just keeps going! Little lamb went from not drinking milk to sick to really sick to really REALLY sick (did I mention we brought her to urgent care TWICE last week?) to "I have no memory of sleeping through the night. Instead, I will wake every three hours the way I did when I was an infant."
I have to admit, while she was so sick, I didn't mind waking with her so often. My sympathy for our sweet girl was so intense that I only wanted to hold her and cuddle her and make her all better. But then, when the fever broke and the rash faded, I started getting pretty annoyed at her 3-hour sleeping maximum. And so, we went drastic. This week, we stripped our bed, made up the futon in the basement, and called it our room. Why? So that Delia could do her nights in our room. This way, she could re-learn how to self-soothe without waking Quinn so often, and we could hopefully get some sleep, too. It is tough to go to work at 7 a.m. on four hours of sleep. It's equally tough to be a patient, fun mother to two kids and meet important freelance deadlines on four hours of sleep.
We took to this new sleeping arrangement for two nights. Last night, we decided to see what progress was made. We re-made our bed, and I put Dee down to sleep in her shared room with Quinn. She slept there from 7 p.m. until almost 6 a.m. We're getting back on track! A-MEN.
Guys. Parenthood is hard.

Hey, crazy-hair, you're lucky you're cute!

he lives!

2012-02-07T07:38:00.000-06:00

It seems the Q-man has been rather underrepresented on this blog, lately. Miss Dee has had more than her share of drama and I haven't been able to get much in about our little dude. I will soon, though, because he has a pretty exciting milestone that we can't wait to share with you all.
In the meantime, here's a verrrry long video of him in one of his sweetest-ever moods. It doesn't really get interesting until about minute 1:30, so feel free to skip through (if you want to watch it at all). That's when the tractors get mentioned.

this photo pretty much sums up the past five days

2012-02-06T08:12:00.001-06:00

Roseola, you suck.

help a sister out

2012-02-01T08:08:00.000-06:00

It's official: girl's gonna make Mama crazy. (Side note: Have I told you that whenever I sigh, Quinn asks "Making Mama crazy?" Yes, dear. But I still love you.) Back to the case at point, though. Delia is REFUSING anything but being nursed. Some days, she'll hardly even sip water. I am going to lose it because A) my milk is not ever going to replenish its necessary supply (I've come to terms with this after a couple of weeks), and B) I don't want my daughter to starve or become totally dehydrated. She's drooling an awful lot with her teething, and that's the only thing making me feel like she might have enough fluids in her, after all.
I liked BethMN's comment on my last post, suggesting I stop fighting the bottle battle all together and just go straight to a sippy cup. I'm a fan of bypassing things that will eventually have to be weaned off of, so I'm definitely on board with this one. Thanks, Beth! That said, I still need to figure out how to get this girl to drink. Yesterday, while she was at my mom's she drank some organic 2% after seeing Quinn drink from the same cup. Seriously. This girl was royalty in her past life. She's still worried someone's trying to poison her. I wonder if I should consider hiring a Royal Taster. ...
In any case, I'm here as a call for help. So, HELP! Girl needs to drink some milk! Here are some techniques we have tried:

Warm formula in a sippy cup.
Warm breast milk in a solid cup.
Warm breast milk in a clear cup.
Warm breast milk in a bottle. (Girl has lost all faith in bottles after drinking formula once or twice.)
Cold formula in a sippy cup.
Cold formula in a solid cup.
Cold formula in a clear cup.
Cold whole milk in both cups.
Cold 2% in solid cup. (This worked for my mom; did not work for us when we tried last night. Even after we all took drinks from it in front of her. WE ARE HER PUPPETS!!!!)

Seriously, I don't know what else we can do. She'll usually drink water out of my glass, so that's been our fallback. She NEEDS to drink something! Last night, I went out with some friends so Dave was in charge of putting the kids down. I left a bottle of breast milk and she straight up refused it. So of course she was up at 3:30 this morning, because she was hungry. This whole scenario is making me more and more frustrated. Transitioning Quinn went so much better than this. There were hiccups, and it took him a while to like milk with his table meals, but he DID come around, and Delia is starting to convince me that she won't. Have I mentioned I only produce about 2 to 3 ounces at a time, now? I'm freaking out. Can you tell? HELP ME! PLEASE!

ungodly early playgroup, anyone?

2012-01-30T10:23:00.000-06:00

I've seen an influx of parents commenting that their wee child is suddenly waking at 5 a.m. for no apparent reason. I winced when I read these comments, and I truly felt for the parents. After months and months of no sleep, I well know how necessary a full night's sleep becomes (and really shouldn't be an issue by the time kids are a year, no? (THAT COMMENT IS FOR YOU, BABIES!)).
Apparently Delia didn't think I was sympathizing enough. After two weeks of FINALLY sleeping through the blessed night, she is suddenly starting to wake at 5 a.m. Since I'm about out of milk and I still haven't been able to get her to take a bottle (I should video tape her squeezing her lips together and screaming through her nose, when I offer ... twice a dang day.), these early morning wake-ups are not quickly settled. It's frustrating.
Parents of early-morning risers, you have my sympathy. Even more of it.

11 months

2012-01-27T15:18:00.000-06:00

Sweet Delia, today you are 11 months old. You are no longer a tiny baby, but rather a tiny person on the verge of being a toddler. You remain our fragile flower, and mostly crawl and cling to Mama, but you also pull yourself up onto every surface you can reach, and have balanced yourself to stand for a couple of seconds a handful of times. If you weren't so determined to glue yourself to me, I think you'd stand much longer. You are quite good at lunging when you suspect I might be moving away from you.
This tentativeness does not translate to your appetite. To quote Claire, girl, you can put it DOWN. I am constantly amazed at how much you can eat. It is definitely more than Quinn eats right now. I take this to mean that you take after your mama. To give you an example, earlier this week you ate a good chunk of cubed chicken (about 1/3-1/2 cup's worth), twice that amount of both peas and carrots, half a piece of whole wheat bread, applesauce, and half of my yogurt, and you were STILL HUNGRY. You are amazing! I am often at a loss of what to feed you next because you so quickly go through all our options.
And speaking of eating, you and I went through quite the trial this last month. When I came down with food poisoning, my milk production completely shut down. This also happened to occur the week you and I were to go to San Diego.You had never tasted a drop of formula before, but as I literally had no milk to offer, I had to keep trying. You gagged and gagged on it, but eventually, when I mixed it with a bit of my frozen milk, you took it. I frantically tried to get my supply back going with huge doses of Fenugreek, and while we were on our trip, my milk slowly started coming back. It still is not fully back, and you started refusing bottles again, so I'm not sure quite what to do with you. I don't believe you can be getting enough milk, but girl, you know how to refuse what you don't want. And what you don't want is formula and bottles. This might be a fight I take more seriously this month. Soon, you'll be drinking whole milk, so you may as well get angry about everything now. (Just kidding, sweet baby.)
You are still sporting a sweet two-toothed smile, Your two upper teeth have been trying for months to come in, but every time they break through, your poor gums swell up so badly that they get covered again. It is agonizing, and I pray each day that today will be the day they come through once and for all.
Your hair is another force I'd like to talk about it. "Force" is the best word I can think to use for it. Darling girl, it is adorably out of control! I sometimes refer to it as your Bieber hair, but now it's growing so long at your neck and over your ears, that its surpassed that reference. You quit letting me use barrettes and so it is all on its own. Sticking this way and that way and every way but where I try to lay it. Mornings are always a hoot for me. I bring you straight away to the mirror so we can admire your 'do together. Smiles abound.
Quinn continues to be your very favorite form of entertainment, but you've added to your list. You now mimick (perfectly!) every sound you hear, and you loudly guffaw in Daddy's direction at dinnertime to get his attention. You giggle like made when Quinn touches you (which is rare), and when Daddy chases after you in the evenings, you face-plant onto the floor--paralyzed with glee. You occupy yourself playing for long periods of time, and favor the Hot Wheels we (used to) try to keep our of your reach. You clap "yay!" and you wave bye-bye and hello (two things Quinn only recently started doing, himself! You've inspired him, little one.), and you hold your hand up to ear and say "ahhhh" as if you're holding a phone and answering hello.
In short, you've only grown in sweetness, and we love you for it.
Happy 11 months, dear daughter.
Mama

closet inventory time

2012-01-26T06:48:00.003-06:00

I wanted to poke fun at Quinn's awesome outfit here, but then I realized "Oh, yeah. I dress him."

But on a side note, when I look at this photo, (right after I get done giggling) all I can think is "How lucky am I to call these two my children?"
There's never a dull moment, and now that I'm finally getting some good sleep consecutively (more on this, later), I can appreciate it more and more. I think other parents will relate when I ponder how blissfully easy it is to be a good mom when the kids are happy, and alternately how horridly difficult it is when they aren't. Here's to happy children, and their wonderful, wacky wardrobes.

what a camera upload can tell you

2012-01-24T21:33:00.000-06:00

I just uploaded a bazillion photos from our camera. In an effort to save some of the 0% of space left on my computer, I liberally deleted all the blurry and back-of-head photos. This accounted for a lot of photos. Sadly, most of them were of sweet Delia. It turns out she's in "that stage." You know the one. Where you CAN. NOT. get a photo of a baby's face. This is why I have yet to add a 10-month photo to my sidebar (even though she's very nearly 11 months old), and why I have far more photos of Quinn than of her. Making this imbalance even greater is the fact that Quinn now very much enjoys the camera. He even has a "camera face." It's a good one. And by "good" I mean ridiculous. So I want to apologize to Delia for the lack of photos in this brief stage of her life. I suppose I should apologize to Quinn, too, for an influx of photos like these:

But lest you think I'm lying about our illusive daughter, here's the best of what I've got. If you knew how beautiful she was in person, you'd be annoyed, too.

at least it got better

2012-01-20T07:58:00.000-06:00

Just had to report that since the Great Potty-Training Disaster of 2012, Quinn has improved greatly. In the past two days, he has had two very minor accidents. Neither of which was of the dump truck material variety. This whole pantsless thing? It is really the way to go. I know I shouldn't jinx the situation, but I really feel he might be fully trained (daytime-wise) by Monday.
Alright, Universe, time to let me have this one!

will this be embarrassing? good.

2012-01-18T07:02:00.019-06:00

After my vacation, I woke Monday morning feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the world. And if not the whole world, then certainly potty training, at least. Yes, I was ready to potty train Quinn once and for all.
I took off his jammies, and put on his shirt and socks. I made him very aware that he had no diaper, underwear, or pants on, so he MUST use the toilet. For the next two hours, he was awesome. Stayed dry like WHAT. Went potty on the toilet like WHAT. I was so proud of him. Asking him constantly if he needed to use the bathroom, and talking about staying dry and letting me know when he had to go potty.
Eventually, it was time for Delia's nap. Cue dramatic "DON-DON-DONNNN" music.
D fussed going down, so I was gone for at least 10 minutes. As I approached the basement, I was yelling to Quinn "Are you still dry, big boy? Do you have to go potty? Mommy's SO PROUD of you!." And then I reached him. He was playing diligently with his front-loader and dump truck and ... what was that substance he driving them through and playing with? I looked for wet spots on the floor indicating potty, but saw none. Then I got even closer to Quinn.
And I saw it.
Dude was elbows deep in the crap he had just taken on the basement floor (which is CARPETED, by the way.). I gasped, picked him up, and RAN to the bathroom where I plopped him on the toilet. Just as I was starting to reprimand him about pooping on the floor, the dude deliberately went potty INTO the toilet and looked at me with glee "M&M!" he shouted.
QUINN: 1
MAMA: 0

SIDENOTE: I deliberated if this story was too embarrassing for Future Quinn to post. When I decided it indeed was, I immediately blogged it. That's what he gets for pooping on my carpet and driving his treaded tires through it.

delia's and mama's GREAT ADVENTURE

2012-01-17T07:04:00.001-06:00

Sweet Delia,
This past weekend, you and I went on a Great Adventure. Yes, my little travel buddy, we made memories! But seeing as you're just 10 months old, I'm a little afraid you might forget all about it, so I'll tell you about it here.
It started back in November, when I was starting to miss my friend, Claire, oh so badly. She has two little girls, and I'd only met the eldest. Claire had not yet met you. I whined about this a great deal. And then, I remembered a gift I had from Great Uncle Simmy and Auntie Doris. I used their gift and purchased a ticket to San Diego. I'd take you as my "lap baby" and we would visit Claire, Josie, and Kate.
The weeks slid by, and suddenly, it was time for our departure. I worried terribly about missing Daddy and Quinny, but was glad to have you by my side (er, on my lap). We arrived at the airport two hours early and played while we waited to board.

I prayed that you would fly well, and that we would have nice, understanding seatmates. The Lord provided. You had only a few outbursts and won the hearts of everyone who saw you.
When we arrived in San Diego, it was already your bedtime, but we had people to see, hugs to share, and stories to exchange! Claire and her girls picked us up promptly, and whisked us away to her home 30 minutes outside of the city. Oh, I was SO. HAPPY. to see Claire. It had been over a year, and though we talk constantly (as you undoubtedly know), it is always better to spend time together in person. That first evening is a blur, as I had travel brain. I think you had a quick snack and then were shuttled off to bed. You slept in Josie's crib, and I in Josie's bed. (Josie and her mama were sweet enough to share a bed so you and I could have a room to ourselves.) Mama was shortly behind you in slumber, and everyone slept like logs that night.
On Saturday, you three little ladies got acquainted,

while the mama's drank away the morning. (COFFEE, y'all!)

After navigating three napping and eating schedules, we mapquested our way to a cove and set out to the ocean. It was beautiful. You wore short sleeves, but not for long. The wind was chilly and the sand was cool.

(Though neither of those kept Josie from dipping in.)

Later that night, I grilled up some burgers while Claire did Mama duty, and as we ate (you were already sleeping, I'm afraid.), Josie fell asleep. In her chair.Eating an Oreo. I wish I had a photo, but I do not. We will giggle over this for the rest of our lives, I'm sure. There are few things cuter than that.
I should mention that after getting you three babes in bed each night, Claire and I had time to hang out alone. The silence was welcome and sweet, and the trashy TV was just trashy enough, but neither of us could ever stand it for very long. We had early nights every night, and I can't find it in me to mind. 5 a.m. comes quickly, you know.
Saturday was spent doing more of the same. Playing with each other,

laughing at one another,

And being together. Claire and I thought it would be fun to shop together (it's been a few years), so we got up the gumption to try it out.

It didn't go well. MOVING ON.
We were exhausted, and celebrated with the second thing on my wishful To-Do list: SUSHI. Claire treated me to tuna sashimi, crab rolls, spicy something-awesome rolls, and tempura shrimp rolls. Served alongside some cold beer, it was pure heaven. Yes, heaven in a styrofoam container at 4:30 p.m. I honestly couldn't have asked for anything better.

Claire and I rounded out that night with a Lifetime TV viewing (YES! "The Pregnancy Pact" fulfilled my every crap-TV wish.) and chilling couch-side. It was just like E.C.
In the morning, I packed our things together, and wrote out an hour-by-hour itinerary. (It's difficult to keep track of your eating and sleeping schedule on a 2-hour time difference, little miss.) And then, we got to check off item #3 on my list: the San Diego Zoo.

Now then, every parent out there realizes that trips like these depend 100% on the state of your child(ren). If one or more is out of sorts, game over! Unfortunately, miss Kate did not love her new stroller (though I sure did!). We did our best despite her attitude (hehe, sorry Kate) and ran through the zoo catching some very close glimpses of some very cool animals.
Though I never really understood the point of photographing animals in a zoo (Hello? They're captive, people. You're not exactly discovering these things in your backyard or, heck, even a safari.), but these animals were exotic and close and made me EXCITED. So I played the tourist (happily, I even admit.) and shot away.
Also, Delia, these will be helpful for your memory because you were too low in your stroller to actually see the animals. Sorry about that.
We saw giraffes,

a zebra,

a rhino (SO COOL. He actually looked as if he were wearing armor.).

and even some cute sleeping koalas.

On the walking path, I took this photo of the peacock. A moment later, that yuckin' bird SWOOPED DOWN at us, and nearly took one of our babies. (Seriously. We have witnesses. All of whom gasped and put a hand over their mouths. It was fantastic.)

But alas, it was your dinnertime and our departing flight was impending. We stopped at this colorful bench to feed you,

And then it was off to the airport again. Driving through San Diego, I couldn't help noticing the diverse elevations and beautiful mountains we saw. I'd love to go again and dig through the city. Maybe when you're quite a bit older, you and I could do this.
We got to the airport too soon, yet right on time, and hugged and kissed goodbye to our dear, sweet friends and hostesses. They were so good to us. We missed them as soon as we turned away.
But our adventure continued, dear one. In the airport we had another dinner (my first, your second) and changed into your jammies.
We watched the airplanes through the big windows,

and crawled around. In the airplane, you were a perfect sweetheart until we took off. I could hardly blame you, since it was after your bedtime and all, but I feel we should write apology notes to every other passenger on that plane.

You cried the first hour, slept the second hour, and screamed the third hour. Needless to say, we RAN into Daddy's arms (or was it the car?) when we saw him waiting for us.
Oh, it is indeed good to be home. We missed Daddy and Quinny terribly. But these gals?

Well, they're pretty awesome, too.
What an adventure, little girl. I'm so glad we were on it together.
Love,
Mama

p.s. THANK YOU, CLAIRE! You are a WONDERFUL hostess. How incredible to spend this weekend together with you and your sweet little ladies. You are a beautiful family.

500th post!

2012-01-16T15:03:00.000-06:00

Yep, that's right. This is my 500th post. And to commemorate that achievement (can I refer to it as an "achievement?" Good. I will.), I will be giving you an excuse as to my tardiness in blogging.
It's been well over a week since I last posted, and that is highly unusual for me. Likewise, my excuse is highly unusual. To best illustrate, I will list the craziness in order of days.

Saturday the 7th: Celebrated Christmas by going out for dinner with my parents, brother, sister-in-law, sister, and brother-in-law. Had a blast, stayed up late.
Sunday: Had a nice day at home, ended the evening feeling icky and soon realizing I had contracted food poisoning from our lovely dinner the night before.
Monday: Food poisoning. Mom rescued us by taking the kids for the day AND night.
Tuesday: Food poisoning, and the start of an icky cold.
Wednesday: Tummy feeling better, but cold in full force, and it's time to pack and prep for Delia's and my GREAT ADVENTURE (more on that soon).
Thursday: Feeling okay, and plane leaves with Delia and me at 3 p.m.
Friday - Sunday: Delia's and my GREAT ADVENTURE.
Monday: Back at home, and started up the computer for the first time in five days.

I really feel that's a pretty good excuse for my absence, but I'm definitely looking forward to making up for lost time. More soon ...

future food critic. great.

2012-01-06T10:28:00.000-06:00

Right now, Delia is my absolute favorite eater in all the world. She will (and does) eat anything put in front of her, without a second thought. Beans, peas, corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, avocado, mushrooms, lasagna, burger, ground venison--the world is her edible oyster! Though it may be messy (girl thinks she ought to have a fork at all times, but doesn't quite utilize it correctly), it is incredibly stress-free for me. Probably because Quinn has outgrown that stage.
SIGH.
This is where I come to terms with the fact that we have a picky 2-year-old eater. Granted, I have hope that this is a phase and he'll outgrow it eventually, but in the meantime, dinners are TRYING. He inspects every tiny morsel of food in front of him, and I swear to you, he even has the audacity to point at tiny specks (you know, SPICES) and say untrustingly: "Bug?" YES, DEAR, WE'RE FEEDING YOU BUGS. EAT UP! I mean, seriously! Where would he even get that idea?
Most of the time, as I said, this is a very trying process. But often it's merely eye-roll-worthy. And sometimes, you can't help but have a good laugh over it. Last night, I put strawberry frosting between two graham crackers for a fun dessert. Dude loves frosting (his normal after-dinner treat is a vanilla Oreo. (Stop laughing, Desvousges!)), and I thought this was a nice change of pace. He looked at the cracker, delightfully said "Mm, frosting! Nummy!" and continued to make encouraging "Mmm" and "Numm" noises while he ate it. When he finished, he asked for another, so I gave him the last bite of mine. He took it. Squinted at it, inspected every square milimeter of it. Then placed it on his plate, poked it with his index finger, said "YEP!" and refused to eat it.
Would someone care to tell me what he could have possibly found so distasteful in that bite of cracker? Good grief, son.

irony

2011-12-30T07:10:00.001-06:00

What sort of cruel torture is it to have dozens of the sweetest, prettiest, cutest new hair clips delivered by Santa, only to suddenly have a baby girl who will NOT tolerate wearing them?

I had to take this picture the second I got the clips in. A moment later, they were in her mouth. I haven't gotten them back in since.

* Le sigh*

copycat

2011-12-29T15:09:00.000-06:00

I keep forgetting that Delia isn't a new baby, anymore. Granted, with cousin Henry's arrival, I am quickly reminded how HUGE she is (relatively), but compared with Quinn, she will always be my little flower. So when she does things like hang out on her knees (she's not quite mastered the technique of pulling herself up to standing, unless she's in her crib), clap and excitedly say "Ahhhhh" (instead of "Yay"), or take down an entire piece of bread, a graham cracker, half an avocado AND a banana ... for a SNACK, I'm always a little surprised.
But now, there's a whole new level of being "big." She is Quinn's shadow. Whatever he says, she mimics as best she can; wherever he goes, she follows; whichever toy he's loving on, she wants. But I wasn't at all prepared to see her copycat tactics this morning when Quinn grabbed my cell phone, put it to his ear and said "Hello?" She looked at big brother, then with a swift, sure movement, threw both of her hands to both of her ears and yelled what I can only assume is Delia Language for "hello." And then, she smiled as if she were the cleverest girl there ever was.
I'm not arguing.

christmas 2011

2011-12-27T08:15:00.000-06:00

I have a hard time starting posts that I know need to capture so much. Photos, memories, timelines ... the whole shebang. I never know quite where to start, or how to rein in what is sure to be a 17-page narration of "important" family events. But I suppose it would be better to just dive right in, rather than continue chatting on about nothing.
As you know, we've been full of anticipation for this Christmas. It would be Delia's very first, and it was Quinn's first year of understanding the excitement of the day. The Catholic in me tried hard to instill in him that the day was in celebration of Baby Jesus's birth, but try as I might, the only answer he would give when asked whose birthday it was, was "Happy Bir-day, Pancake tree." And when Dave or I corrected him, his eyes welled up in tears, and he'd try once more, pleading "Haaaappy Biiiir-daaay, Pancaaaaake treeeee." And so we'd sort of agree that it was Pancake tree's special day, too, and move on.
We celebrated Christmas Eve with my family at Mom and Dad's. With the addition of Henry to the family, we now have 12 grandchildren--11 of them under the age of 9. The house is noisy, rambunctious and filled to the brim with love and Christmas cheer.

Admittedly, Quinn never quite knows what to make of this crew (who try their best to love on him all they can), and usually ends up a little crazy. An hour in his crib, talking to himself and Roy, turned out to be time well spent.
After snacking for a good long while (ham, chicken wings, barbecue meatballs, veggies, fruit salad, dips, crackers, breads and COOKIES ... oh, and a very full bar), it was decided that it would be time to open gifts. My mom has started a tradition of spending roughly a year preparing her gifts for the kids. She finds a project, and puts her whole heart in it, gifting the grandkids with love, quality, care and a gift so unique they will treasure it always. This year, she sewed a zoo of stuffed animals. I'm kicking myself for not getting a picture of them, but suffice it to say the slew of giraffes, zebras, monkeys and elephants are beautiful, sturdy and adorable in every way. They are so realistic, they stand on their own, and Quinn was quite afraid of his zebra for all of 30 minutes. Now, though, he asks to take it to bed with him and enjoys feeding it often.

For the two baby girls, Lizzy and Delia, Gran made special Raggedy Ann dolls. I cannot express enough how precious these dolls are. Both Liz and Deels adore baby dolls, so it was the perfect choice for these sweeties. Delia saw hers first, and positively squealed with delight. She is in love with Raggedy. I can't say I blame her.

After these special gifts were handed out, the rest of us exchanged our Secret Santa presents and delighted in fun trinkets and thoughtfulness. We snacked, gamed, laughed and drank as late as we dared, and then headed home well after the kids' bedtimes.
As we drove home that night, Dave and I told Quinn all about Santa Claus and how we needed to prepare the house for him tonight. We could set out cookies, we told him, and we'd lay snug in bed, so Santa could visit and maybe even leave a gift or two for him and Delia. After all, though 2011 was a little hard on us all, they both tried their darnedest to be good. That's gotta count for something.
So when we entered the house, with only the Christmas lights shining, I laid sweet Delia down to sleep and then joined Daddy Longlegs in helping Quinn get ready for Santa. We straightened up the stray toys, and thoughtfully chose two cookies, a carrot and a mug of milk for the jolly ol' elf. We set it up on a stool near the tree, and kissed goodnight under the mistletoe (a holiday tradition we've been enjoying for a few weeks).

And then, we stepped back, and admired the welcome scene that Santa would soon see for himself.

The kids had a rough night that night, for whatever reason. Be it anticipation, heartburn, tummies too full or too empty, we're not sure. But when they woke in the morning, it was hard not to be excited for the day to begin. We reminded Quinn of the cookies we'd left for Santa and wondered together if he'd eaten them. We rushed out to the living room all together, and beheld the magic that is a visit from Santa himself.

Yes, the cookies were now nothing more than crumbs, and the only evidence of milk in the mug was a bit of dried white stuff. The carrot, too had been nibbled down, and the best proof of all was the gifts beneath the tree, labeled for brother and sister.

Santa put some thought into the gifts, and while he wrapped Quinn's all individually, he figured Delia would be fine with just one box filled with niceties. He was right. We had church that morning, so we pulled a single gift for Quinn from beneath the tree and let him tear away the paper. He thoughtfully removed a piece, and handed it directly to Delia--knowing full well how much baby sister loves a good chew on paper.

The book was a hit (and so was the wrapping paper), but we had an agenda to keep, so it was into our good clothes we changed, and out the door we went, to celebrate the birth of Jesus at church. Back home that morning, we feasted on caramel rolls baked by my mom, donuts, coffee, fruit and milk. While Delia napped, Quinn opened more gifts, and Dave and I exchanged as well. (Don't worry--once D woke, we helped her open hers, too. For some reason, she's not nearly as excited about all her hair bows as I am.) They are both so fun to watch with presents, as they devote their full attention to each one individually. Quinn played dutifully with his tractor/flashlight from Grandma and Grandpa, his Play-Doh set and wooden food from Santa, and of course Mr. Zebra. He loaded them up into his new sled (or, as he calls it, his rocket ship), and requested a tug. Where is the snow when you need it? And so, for at least an hour on Christmas day, this was the scene before us:

And then this:

Oh, my heart. Could the Christmas spirit be any cuter? Close, it would seem:

The rest of the day was spent rather relaxed, playing with toys, snacking on Christmas cookies provided by both of our moms, and eating our annual Christmas chili (white chicken chili ... yum.). With the kids in their PJs once more, we were able to snag a family photo, and then we tucked them in tight before squeezing onto the couch to alternately watch the ending of It's A Wonderful Life and the Packers game.

Sometimes I look at the time we spend together and I feel almost guilty for how wonderful it is. But then, I remind myself that precious moments like these happen because we put an effort into making them precious and memorable. Dave, especially, is wonderful at remembering to have a good attitude and that time is only what we make of it. I'm so grateful for that trait in him, and hope it rubs off on me once and for all. If every Christmas could be as sweet as this, I would be forever happy. But I have a feeling I will be, anyway.
Merry Christmas!

merry pancake!

2011-12-24T06:39:00.001-06:00

Even with sending out 100 cards this year, we still couldn't get one to everyone. And so, let this be our greeting from us to you. Merry Christmas! (or, as we like to say, Merry Pancake!)

i love them

2011-12-23T07:34:00.000-06:00

Deels has been such a sweetie these days. Full of smiles, full of giggles, full of kisses and hugs. Oh, my mama's heart can hardly handle it.

And in hilarious juxtaposition, Quinn demonstrates why Mama has a coronary every time I let him use a big spoon to eat his blueberry applesauce. Really, Bud? In your eyelashes AND eyebrows? How?!?

But fear not. That stuff washes off. (Thank God.)

waiting

2011-12-22T07:31:00.001-06:00

I'm trying to figure out why I haven't been blogging this week, and my best guess is that I'm too busy being excited for the upcoming Christmas weekend. I don't know when I've ever so looked forward to celebrating a holiday before. Don't get me wrong--anticipating and celebrating with a 2-month-old Quinn, and then again with a year-old Quinn (and Delia getting large in my belly) were absolutely wonderful, but this year? This year I feel the magic more thickly than ever before.
Maybe it's because of the way my babies' faces light up in unison with the Christmas tree, or the moments I've caught each of them gazing at the stockings hung over the chimney, or maybe it's the combination of our awesome Christmas music dance moves and a new-found appreciation for hot cocoa.
The gifts this year are not large or many, but I grin in giddy anticipation at the idea of sitting around the tree on Christmas morning and tearing through the paper together. Delia, undoubtedly, will be a force to keep away from eating all that wrapping material.
In any case, I guess you could suffice to say that we're suffering from a pretty awesome case of the Christmases, in this house.

Below is a preview of why our Christmas card doesn't feature two smiling children sitting quietly beside the tree.

meet the guys

2011-12-16T08:33:00.000-06:00

Quinn has a small bevy of stuffed animals that go to sleep with him each night. We refer to them fondly as "The Guys." I thought it was high time they had a proper introduction on the blog, so here we go.

Each morning, Q asks to take EVERYONE with him to the changing table. Here's everyone, from left to right:

Pup-pup, Tina (pronounced Teen-tah), Blankie Caw, Roy, Stompy.

Lately, the guys have been coming along to play, too. I set up a table in the kitchen for playing Play-Doh and coloring, and the other day, I found the dude setting everyone up, tea party style.

Pup-pup, Tina, and baby girl's bumkin.

Here, Grandpa Bear (pronounced Gramma Bear) makes an appearance. I've been fighting tooth and nail to keep this large, heavy bear out of the bedtime posse. Quinn and Delia both adore Grandpa Bear.

And finally, Quinn completes the party with Stompy in a bucket. Now, where's the tea?

identity crisis

2011-12-15T11:58:00.002-06:00

Is it weird that Quinn asks us to call him either "Opie" or "Kiki" (short for cousin "Erich") on a daily basis? Yes? Okay then.

two things

2011-12-13T15:00:00.000-06:00

Two things are official. First, I finally found a loophole in the boy vs. girl gender specifications. While the first I've found so far, it is a major one. Delia is way more of a bruiser than Quinn ever was. She goes at things full-force, and unfortunately lacks much strength, and thereby also goes face-first into many a hard surface. I hearby determine that if she were in a padded room with just an inch of hard surface exposed, her forehead would find it.

Secondly, I have had much success in sharing my Christmas music love with Quinn. He is now a bonafide Christmas carol enthusiast, and regularly brings me the Bing Crosby CD, while saying "Bing Cozby, please?" And then proceeds to dance once "Do You Hear What I Hear" comes through the speakers. It is a good ol' time.

so i won't forget

2011-12-09T16:01:00.000-06:00

We're in some fun stages with Quinn and Delia right now. Let me rephrase that. When we aren't trying to figure out how not to die from coping with the TERRIBLE HORRIBLE AWFUL TWOs, we are in some fun stages with Quinn and Delia right now.
Miss D is 9 months old and while she spent most of her first nine months happily playing away on her back (an activity my mom lovingly referred to as "lazy"), she is suddenly on the move. She like to kneel up against things, and I see her little Bambi legs strain as she tries SO HARD to pull herself up to standing. She hasn't mastered it quite yet, but I'm sure she's close. She also just developed a mischievous glint in her eye. It's something that Quinn was born with, and we've heard comments about more than once (regarding him). But I was surprised when I recognized it in her sweet disposition. I suppose "delighted" might be a better adjective than "surprised," actually. What can I say? I like them feisty. She now enjoys trucking full speed ahead to our stereo and DVD player. The kicker is, though, she'll stop and look behind her to catch your eye, then smile wickedly/sweetly (a great combination, I promise) and wait to be reprimanded. Usually, she'll turn around, but I've found that if she's still full speed ahead, I can usually deter her by saying "Soooo big!" No matter what she's doing, she'll stop and put her arm(s) in the air. It is CUTE. We completely forgot to do this with Quinn when he was her age, and are taking full advantage of it now.
D's also becoming a more adventurous eater. Or, I should say, I'm becoming a more adventurous feeder. We're done with buying veggie baby food (I still get the fruit because it's actually cheaper than making our own AND it's delicious), and I now rely on our baby food mill to grind whatever we're having for dinner and feed it to her. She is always pleased with it. She also likes eating kernels of corn, peas, cut green beans, and most especially, Cheerios. I can't interest her much in a sippy cup or water, period, but she still has plenty of wet diapers, so she must be getting enough milk from me. (TMI? Oh well. It's my blog.)

Quinn, our little 2-year-old, remains as crazy as ever. Like I said, when we're not battling the Terrible Twos, we are utterly delighting in what a little man he's becoming. His vocabulary is wide and deep, and he repeats every single thing he hears. (Thus his perfectly inflected rendition of the : "Let's go, Cheerio butt!" he heard me say to Delia last week.) He sings quietly to himself while he plays/eats/works/uses the bathroom/anything. He politely asks if he can hit Delia (no, I am not kidding, and no, I am not amused.), and would eat six apples a day, if we'd let him. Probably more. I recently introduced him to Finding Nemo and he really likes the first 15 minutes of it. *sigh* Thank God this kid naps, is all I can say. Nothing else keeps his body still. Now that Christmas season is upon us, he is truly delighting in all the glitter and glory of it. He stands right next to our tree and sweetly says "Touch Pancake tree." And then will turn to me and ask "Hear Pancake song? Dance Pancake song?" Yes, that's right, folks. Quinn's pronunciation of "Christmas" is "Pancake." And yes, this does mean that we constantly ask him to say Christmas tree/book/music/etc. For this reason alone, I will never understand why people choose not to have kids.
I'm working on getting him potty-trained and it is decidedly not at all fun. He wore underwear this morning and kept dry for an hour before I had to put him on timeout. In that 90 seconds, he peed all over the chair and floor. OF COURSE. I just don't have the stamina to keep trying (if I could keep the bathroom door open, toilet seat up and his pants off all day long, it might be easier, but with an adventurous/inquisitive/mobile sister and a winter-chilly house, it's just not in the cards), so it is very slow going. I am crossing my fingers that he wakes up tomorrow and says "No more diapers for me, Ma. Give me my underwear! I'll tell you when I have to pee from here on out!" If that doesn't happen, I'll have to consider Plan C, and I really don't know what that is. I hate sharing my M&Ms.

Well, for a post that was started in order to share the Christmas/Pancake mixup, I feel I've gone way over my word count. I'll stop procrastinating on dishes, dinner, and freelance and wrap this up. Happy Weekend to all!

early bird does not impress

2011-12-07T07:39:00.001-06:00

Dear Quinn,
If you're going to wake at 6:30 a.m. (well over an hour, close to two, earlier than normal) and IN.SIST. on coming out to play--insist SO FERVENTLY that I actually do the unthinkable and lift a hard-sleeping Delia out of her crib in the living room and transfer her (not effortlessly) into the middle of Dada and Mama's bed, then you better darn well stay awake and actually come out and play.
Seriously. You know those 15-20 minutes I let you just yell away in your bed when you first woke? And then those additional 15 minutes when I snuggled into your bed and tried to convince you to fall asleep next to me but all you did was pounce on my face? THAT was the time for you to fall back asleep.
You little stinker. You are darn lucky that you're so cute.
Love,
(a sleepy) Mama

warning: nudity

2011-12-06T07:04:00.000-06:00

Seriously, Delia. How do I not eat you up every single day?

Also, how are your eyes SO. BLUE.?

And also, that belly? Stop it. Just stop.

And finally, YOUR HAIR. I can see that it's trying to stick up EVEN WHEN IT'S WET!

You are amazing. I love you.

p.s. Boy, that brother of yours sure does stay busy in tub, doesn't he?

christmas has arrived! ... or, is arriving

2011-12-05T08:05:00.000-06:00

What we have here, folks, is a really excellent weekend update. While I really can't complain about last weekend's holiday festivities, this weekend was all about catching our breath and going with the flow. Oh, and Christmas.
Remember my angst about Delia's Christmas stocking? (Dumb question, I know, seeing as it's the post before this one.) Well, my mom is a real saint on earth and took the kids for a few hours on Thursday so I could catch up on freelance. This left my evenings more freed up, and after some urging from Dave, I was able to put a huge amount of effort into her stocking. So this is what I did on Friday night. While Dave browsed through Netflix videos, I cut, embroidered, sequined, stuffed, and appliqued my little heart out. I did more of the same on Saturday afternoon and evening, and by 9 o'clock on Saturday night, I had put in the final stitch. The end result is pretty dang cute, if I do say so myself.

But now I'm all out of order. So, Saturday was a wonderfully unscheduled, on-schedule day for us. The kiddos and I stayed home (happily, I might add) all day long, and Dave was gone only long enough to help Uncle Jer make wood for a few hours. By the time he got home that evening, snow was falling heavily, Christmas music was playing, and I didn't feel like cooking. Thus, we ordered delivery for the second-ever time in this house. Usually, the guilt I would feel in doing something like this would be so overwhelming that the food would taste bitter, but this time, I just indulged, and it was AWESOME. Mid-bite of my pizza, I said to Dave (over the hollering of our ever-yelling babes): "This just feels so right." I think it might become a new winter storm necessity, really. I highly suggest it.
After the kids were in bed, it was on to Christmas-making. Dave put up most of the tree while I finished the stocking, and then lit it up (with lights. not fire.). We stayed up past midnight (rare, for us!) hanging stockings, arranging the tree skirt and the like. In the morning, the kids were greeted with the scene and were delighted.
Now, I realize this next part of the report will officially make us the dorkiest family around, but yesterday, we literally spent HOURS cutting out paper snowflakes. Seriously, every SINGLE ONE made us more excited about the next. I mean, it's a surprise every time! Try it! (So that we don't feel like dorks alone.) I think I may have actually neglected the children in order to make the 30+ flakes now adorning our wall, since I can't remember what we did with the kids, but man, it's pretty in there.

Oh, I do now recall watching part of "The Nutcracker" with Delia and occupying Quinn with two cups of water to pour back and forth (so that I could make "just one more" snowflake), and that the Packer game was on for a few hours, and that Dave made a delicious Indian-style dinner, and that Delia is, funnily enough, trying to say "button," and that Quinn's new catch phrase is "Hear somefing!" (translated to: I hear something!), but really, the crux of the weekend was that relaxed, at-home feeling that makes me so ridiculously happy to be part of this family that I sometimes swore I could feel my heart swelling. HALLMARK SAP, I know. but it's true.

p.s. It's worth noting here that though our tree is up and we gave Quinn a handful of child-friendly ornaments to put on as he wished, it is largely un-decorated. Given the state our curious babies are in, it may very well stay that way. Why don't I feel guilty about this? Oh, yeah. The snowflakes.

2011-12-01T07:44:00.001-06:00

Dear Dee Dee,
I'm trying. REALLY. Really, really hard. Believe me. I have been excited about your Christmas stocking since last fall, but waited until having you before choosing one (a stocking needs to know its owner's personality, after all). And then once you arrived, you can only imagine my discontent at having to wait until the following Christmas season to finally purchase a stocking kit. I ordered one immediately, and got right to work on it. This was early October, little sister. Believe it. And then, suddenly my free time got swallowed up with freelance work. And little by little, I've gotten behind. Last night, I made a firm decision to stay up late and make progress. I sat down at 9:30 to get to work. I burned myself on the lamp I plugged in to work under, and then I spilled our good-smelling Wallflower that I had unplugged in order to use the lamp, and that mess stripped the wooden table of its finish. And then you woke up screaming (at 10:30!), and that woke your brother up screaming, and that meant we had to clear out of the living room to make room for your crib and let you (and brother) rest.
After an hour of work, all I had to show for it was a burned finger, a stripped table, two angry babies, and not even one more piece attached to your stocking.
*sigh*
I'm trying.
Love,
Mama

thanks

2011-11-28T07:49:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving, indeed. We had a wonderful holiday weekend filled to the very brim with family, food, and fun. Each fall, we celebrate the "trifecta" of celebrations in late November. Thanksgiving, our anniversary and my birthday usually fall within two to four days of each other. This year, we had them all in a row.
We spent Thanksgiving at my parents' house with my brother's and sister's families, complete with the newest addition, tiny baby Henry, who was born just a week ago. Oh, Henry. Love him!

I have to say, I got a little jealous that Quinn smiled and pointed at this sweet wee one, whereas his reaction to a tiny Delia was much less positive. I suppose it's just about time for me to get over that, though, huh? Yeah. I will. Just as soon as brother stops screaming at sister. (i.e. possibly never)
Anyway, am I the only one who never gets full on Thanksgiving? I know that's the point--stuff yourself silly--but I could always keep going. And Thanksgiving leftovers? Oh, be still, my heart. I can't get enough. Some day I'll host turkey day simply so that I can have a big, leftover turkey to call my own.
But as I was saying ...
Friday, Dave and I celebrated five beautiful years of marriage. This is the one night a year that make sure to get on a date, so when we go, we go big. This year took the cake, though. Dave got us reservations at the Dakota Jazz Club downtown on Nicollet. We've been jonesing for live music, and we'd heard the food there was none too shabby, either. It wasn't until about two hours before our dinner that we realized that the time and location just happened to coincide too perfectly with Minneapolis' hugely-popular Hollidazzle parade. YIKES. Somehow, things just worked out, and traffic moved and we got fine parking, and all the extra people and Christmas decor really only added to the sweet experience. We had a small table nestled into a corner, about 15 feet from the piano. Nachito Herrera and his Latin-jazz band were incredible. The food? I am not kidding you when I saw the venison and brussel sprouts actually made me weepy. We were there for four hours. FOUR. HOURS. people! And it wasn't enough. I can't wait to be rich so we can eat there every week. (HA HA HA)
Saturday, we celebrated my birthday with sweet birthday wishes from Quinn (my favorite gift of all, to be honest), a smattering of thoughtful, wonderful gifts from Dave, and a lightrail ride to the Macy's Christmas display: A Day in the Life of the Elves. Quinn was delighted, Delia was as happy as ever, and Dave and I enjoyed it, too. Back at home, we had lunch, naps, and tried to make our own sunshine, as it was the gloomiest day ever. We did pretty well, and the night wrapped up with the last Harry Potter. Amen.

We so enjoyed having Daddy Longlegs home for four full days--Quinn wakes from every nap and each morning, yelling and crying out for Daaaadda, Daaaaadda, Daaaaabe, Daaaaabe, so he, especially, soaked up lots of time with the big guy. We have much to be thankful for--our family, our home, our love. We hope your weekend was as blessed as ours.

mind dump II

2011-11-23T10:21:00.000-06:00

Wow, it just doesn't take long to get behind these days, does it? Dave took a long hunting weekend last week, so I think I'll blame that. Being a single mother is NOT my forte, and it was a long four days without him, but I know it was an experience that he wanted and deserved, so I'm glad he got out in the great outdoors with his dad, uncles, and brother-in-law. As for me? Well, I'm almost done feeling sorry for myself, now. It doesn't hurt that he came back to a week filled with togetherness planned. Thanksgiving, our fifth wedding anniversary, and my birthday are all on the agenda before week's end.
Anyway, I finally uploaded some pics and thought I better share before the kids are adults.

Quinn's been enjoying watching the Packers with Daddy. He has his own jersey (courtesy of some very generous friends. Lord knows Mom and Dad are nowhere near that nice (or cool).), and a few weeks ago, Daddy even shared his chips with the dude. It was clear that he felt pretty grown up about the experience.

Delia's hair has turned out to be a force of nature. It is long and lightweight, which means it sticks straight up. And out. And every which way but to her head. There are many giggles on account of her hairstyle on a daily, nay, hourly basis.

Daddy has taken over as Quinn's favorite story reader. This makes me a little sad and a little happy. It's precious moments for those dudes to spend together, but I do miss the cuddles that result from sharing a book with the sir.

When Dave came home last week, he encountered the results of the previous day's snowfall. Our first of the year! The world was Quinn's snowbox, and we couldn't get him out there fast enough. He's been asking to go out ever since, but the unfortunate reality is that it's pretty impossible for me to get him out during the day, with little Delia not so much a fan of the cold.

And speaking of Delia. Ah, my heart.

A few days ago, I wrangled her crazy hair into a pony tail. Does anyone else see a striking resemblence to the SNL character of John Belushi as a sushi chef (or something like that)?

And finally, we are getting ready for a day of thanks. Tomorrow we'll celebrate with my family and thank the good Lord for all he has given us. Turkey, stuffing, and naps included.

she screams (loudly)

2011-11-15T11:26:00.000-06:00

Delia's new favorite activity: screaming as loudly and for as long as possible.
Trying to interrupt said scream by shoving a wet washcloth or a pickle in her mouth is not working. In fact, after getting over the initial surprise at these forced "snacks," it seems she actually quite enjoys pickles.
Any other ideas? Daddy Longlegs and I aren't sure how many more dinners we can survive with screeching babies in stereo.

Deedle Bug mid-screech.

he eats (better)

2011-11-14T11:18:00.001-06:00

You know how they say that even if your kid refuses to eat something, you should keep offering? Well, turns out "they" are right.

Quinn's always been a pretty decent eater. He enjoys lots of different types of foods, but regardless, he still goes in fits and starts. He'll love chili one day, and turn his nose up at it the next. He is a dinnertime mystery, and it often makes me go IN.SANE. (Sidenote: the other day, I read an awesome quote from a children's nutritionist. "As a parent, you are responsible for offering your child healthy choices. Your child is responsible for how much he eats." This has given me crazy peace of mind.)

Anyway, as I was saying. Quinn eats decently. However, his "decent" eating is limited. Veggies? Sure. As long as they're peas or corn. Meat? No problem. Just load it up with barbecue sauce. Fruit? MORE, PLEASE. Though some days he'll only eat bananas "like a baby monkey" and others he insists on having it cut into a bowl so he can eat it with a fork.

But Dave's and my food choices are a bit more diverse. Because, you know, we're adults. So the other day, when I made broccoli for us, I decided to put it on Quinn's plate. I've done it plenty of times, but never with any eating success. Before I knew it, he had gobbled it all up and was asking for more. WHAT?!?! The next day, it was carrots. Same story. Last night, I made butter-basil noodles. He could not get enough! This is especially exciting because he used to literally gag when he even TOUCHED pasta.

People!!! There is HOPE! And I wanted you to know.

mind-dump

2011-11-11T07:10:00.005-06:00

So here's the deal. Life is busy. I don't think I'm alone in this, but this recent kind of busy has (obviously) kept me from blogging. LAME. As usual, when life is busy, it translates to mean life is full. We came off our weekend of hosting Dave's parents to a weekend of hosting my newly-engaged (YIPEE!) roommate-for-life, Nic, her fiance (YIPEE! Oh, wait, did I say that already?), and the Austins (adorable Baby Bayle included). It was a full house, and a full weekend. On top of the cleaning/planning/food-pre/etc. of having the privilege of all this company, I've had a very full load of freelance work keeping me busy. I literally feel that every minute of every day of every week has been FULL. That's the best way to say it. I'm not complaining, just explaining.
So this drought of blogging? It's not for lack of fodder. Off the top of my head, and in no particular order, here's a list of things I want to remember:
* Bayle following Quinn; Delia following Bayle; no one ever quite catching the one in front of them.
* Seeing Bayle take his very first steps in our living room.
* Sharing my babies with the ever-adoring Nicole.
* Delia occasionally deciding she can crawl for real, instead of Army-crawling.
* Laying next to Delia in the early mornings after nursing her, smiling at each other and watching her play with her hands.
* Quinn squishing Delia's cheeks together and Delia giggling like mad.
* Quinn singing to himself while he plays.
* Delia mimicking our sounds. She can click her tongue and raspberry like no one's business. I'm also pretty sure she's trying to say "Love you." ... pretty sure ... that, or I'm hearing what I want to hear.
* Quinn telling us when he has to go to the bathroom, and then going in fewer than 25 minutes.
* FINALLY figuring out a bedtime routine for our room-sharing babes. For future reference: Delia nursed and put down around 7; Quinn prayers and put down around 7:30. This has recaptured an hour-plus of our adult evenings. Hello, productivity!
* Weathering the perfect storm of the Terrible Twos. I tell you what. They're not kidding around.
* Dave taking a day off mid-week and taking the train to Minnehaha Falls for no particular reason at all.
* Raking leaves with Quinn unhelpfully un-raking them next to us, and Delia plopped in a giant pile of crisp leaves to keep her warm (and immobilized).
* Selling the Volvo and subsequently having to field Quinn's questions about "Where's Volvo car?" every five minutes.
* Figuring out that even when life is most busy, it's important to remember to take a moment to enjoy the small things and celebrate every milestone. You know, like my babies smiling at each other.

mama's little dancing queen, accompanied by quinn the lounge singer

2011-11-09T16:55:00.005-06:00

skillz building

2011-11-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

Life has been crazy, insane, filled to the top, B-U-S-Y. That's why I haven't been on much this week to blog. But I had to make a point of stealing a few seconds today to report that the little Miss can officially get herself into a sitting position from crawling! I'm so excited for her. She is literally growing before our eyes, and I'm pretty sure she's getting cuter AND sweeter by the minute.
... Oh dear. There's Quinn, screaming from the bedroom he just shut himself in. *sigh* Back to crazy ...

spooktacular

2011-10-31T08:04:00.000-05:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, from ...

Gilligan, the Skipper, too, a movie star and Mary Ann.

8 months

2011-10-28T07:52:00.000-05:00

Another month has passed, sweet lamb. Today you're 8 months old! And just look at you. In the past month, you cut your first tooth (with the second shortly behind), you started scooting like there's no tomorrow, you decided you actually do like solid foods, after all (green vegetables being one of your very favorites, but applesauce from Gran and Pops' apples taking true top status), you've taken a strong liking to Quinn's tractors and trucks, and ... you started saying "Mama."
This latest development is quite a shocker to Mama. You aren't all that jabbery of a baby, and when you do, it's more of a loud, long "AHHHHHHHHHHH" than baby gibberish. And then a couple of days ago, I suddenly heard "Mama." I thought it was just a coincidence until I realized how different your baby talk sounds from those two syllables. And then you started saying it more. Mostly when I leave a room. You mournfully call "Maaammmma, Maaaammma," and though I know you're sad, it still makes me so happy to hear it. I talked to Great Grandma on the phone and I got to tell her about it. She said "Oh, you must like that." She had 16 kids, and she still remembers how special it is to hear "Mama" for the first time. It's a pretty big deal, little miss.
If we can sum Quinn up in one word (crazy), then I can do the same for you. Your word? Sweet. You are just so sweet, Delia. You are so tolerant and forgiving when your brother demands so much attention. You can keep yourself occupied when you need to, and then when we're able to give you more attention again, you reward us with a smile so big, your eyes nearly scrunch shut. You are such a perfect addition to our family. We're so lucky you're ours.

sugar and spice and everything nice

2011-10-26T14:45:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite things about having a daughter is finding tiny hair bows strewn all over the place. There's just something about seeing a sweet hair doo-dad peeking out from under a lamp that always makes me smile and thank my lucky stars for this sweet girl. Our little belly-scootching, lip-sucking, "Mama"-saying Delia:

a weekend with the people

2011-10-24T13:52:00.000-05:00

We are fresh off a long weekend spent with Grandma and Grandpa Bromeland. Boy, was it wonderful! I'm always anxious about how Quinn will react to people he doesn't see that often, but the boy didn't miss a beat. It was like he'd just seen them yesterday. Delia took just a tiny bit more time to warm up, but then she was just as happy to be in Grandma's arms as anyone's. What fun everyone had playing together! Grandma was an especially huge help with the kids, playing with them just as hard as could be, and Grandpa was a big help in the way of automobiles, yard, and kitchen. It's going to be sad tonight when I have to do dishes by myself.
In any case, Grandma and Grandpa came just after Quinn's birthday, and so they were bearing a gift. The gift of HEAVEN. Check it out:

Yes, folks, that's what pure fulfillment looks like. Quinn has his own tractor. He sits on it, holding another tractor, watching a tractor video and achieves Zen.

But once in a while, this weekend, we were able to drag the dude away from his John Deere. Like on Saturday, when Mike picked up three pumpkins for us, and we took advantage of the sun for a while.

Daddy and Delia got to snuggle,

And Grandma, Daddy, and I wielded knives and let our creative talents shine.

What? Too many pictures of pumpkins? Too bad. Here's another:

From left-to-right: Delia, Grandma's pumpkin, Mama's pumpkin, Daddy's pumpkin, Quinn.
We roasted the pumpkin seeds in butter and Worchestershire sauce and they were delicious. Like popcorn, but better.
During the evenings, we got to play in our jammies, and Dee Dee got to hop on (grand)pop.

Yesterday, while the big game was on (Go Pack, Go!) I took the babes for a walk (sorry, I just can't get into football). Delia was happy just to enjoy the fresh air and scenery, but Quinn insisted on bringing all three of his new tractors from Auntie Sue and family. It was a fumbly little ride, we had.

Today, we played some more, and finally moved the big tractor downstairs. I gathered Quinn's birthday tractors together and took a photo to commemorate what will come to be known as "the week of Quinn." He couldn't be more delighted if he tried. Also, I think our family bought out CAT's tractor supply.

When Grandma and Grandpa had to head home today, Quinn got quite mild, a bit withdrawn, and said "Quinn, van?" As if to say "Take me with you in the van!" He was so sad to see them leave. He calls them the "People" instead of "Grandma" or "Grandpa" and I have no doubt he'll wake from today's nap, wondering where the People are.
Thanks for a perfect visit, People!

the tooth

2011-10-20T07:47:00.002-05:00

Guess who cut her very first tooth yesterday ...
This girl did!

I'm pretty excited for this milestone, and am shocked at how differently she deals with these types of things than Quinn did. I swear that kid went through three bottle of Tylenol before his first tooth finally broke the surface, and here little Delia barely makes a peep and then POP! there's her tooth. It is just barely through, so I didn't get a picture, but it looks like the second one isn't far behind. Oh, she is going to be even more edible with those little chompers! I can't wait.

p.s. This is where I note how odd it is that, besides being born three weeks later and not holding her head up or rolling over until FOREVER, Delia reaches her milestones at nearly the exact same time--to the week--that Quinn did. Sitting, scooting, teething ... it is crazy!

boo turns 2

2011-10-19T05:31:00.001-05:00

Sweet Son,
Today you turn 2. Yes, 2 years old. Already. Though sometimes (I admit) I think, "only?" instead of "already?" But regardless, the fact of the matter remains that in two short years, you have turned our lives upside down. In the good way, of course. I remember not identifying with parents who held their newborns and immediately claimed they couldn't remember life without their child. It took me longer to get there. Now, two years later, my memories of life without you are there, but they're admittedly hazy, and even more importantly, a bit ... empty. Don't get me wrong. Your dad and I had a wonderful time together in those years of dating and marriage before you entered our world, but since your arrival, things--all things--have been more meaningful, more important, more ... life-affirming.
We have many friends who haven't yet had children of their own. Sometimes it makes me wonder "Were we supposed to wait longer?" But then, I have conversations like one recently, with Daddy's old roommate. We discussed wanting to build families and having children. Though he has none at the moment, he said something that resonated so deeply with me, that I recall it almost daily. He said "It's just part of that human experience." More than ever, I get that. Since you became part of our world two years ago, every tiny thing we've encountered/done/seen/tasted has been elevated to a different level. You make us want to be better people, to lead by example, to blaze a path that you'll want to continue blazing yourself--hopefully much better than we have done.
But when did this letter become about me and your daddy? Forgive me. Now, on to you. Oh, Quinn. Where to begin? You are crazy. That is the word we most often use to describe you to those who haven't had the pleasure of meeting you. You have enviable energy. You wake with a start--straight from dreaming to standing up, Caw, Roy, Pup-pup, and Tina (Teen-tah, as you say) in hand, ready to start your day. You immediately request peach boppy (apple sauce) and I have to wrangle you down to change your diaper before we run to the kitchen where you sit up on the counter while you eat.
Your fascination with tractors, trucks, and trains has only grown. We go to the library every few weeks. I used to get books with an array of subjects, but I've given up. Now, it's just tractors. Recently, we discovered that you have these books memorized. While we're reading them to you, if we pause, you fill in the next few words. This is especially funny to us because they are non-fiction, factual books. To hear your sweet baby-voice saying things like "strong fuel tank" and "tractor attaches heavy machines" is an adorable juxtaposition.
Yesterday, Uncle Jer invited you over to ride in his combine. I wasn't able to be there, but I am sure your heart positively heaved with excitement, and that your little nerves just rattled with glee. There is nothing better, in your mind, than huge tires. When you spend time at Gran and Pops' during the week, you incessantly ask to go to the shed to see Papa's tractors. Then, you run from tire to tire to tire, until you reek of oil and have grease smeared on your fingers from touching all the bolts on the wheels. Oh, you love those bolts.
You are becoming more and more delighted with your little sister. Last week, I laid her down for a nap without telling you, and when I returned, you asked with a puzzled expression, "Where's Baby? Where's Dee-dah? Where's King Kong?" You missed her, I know you did. You're getting good at remembering to "trade" with her when she has a toy you want (which is everything, by the way), and in the mornings, you immediately double-high-five her and say "KAKE GIGGLE?!" which is your way of saying "I'm going to make Delia giggle, now." All you have to do is look at her, and she does. You also like to pet her fuzzy hair, and "boop" her little nose.
In the past week or so you have finally started giving actual hugs. One day, while I was playing on the floor with Delia, you suddenly ran up behind me and put all your weight against me, wrapping your arms around my shoulders. It was a hug. I nearly melted through the floor.
You're still "half" potty-trained. Next up, we'll figure out how to get you to go potty in the toilet, too. But you're close. I guess that happens after a year of hauling you up onto the toilet to do your business. Don't tell, but you're getting big boy underwear for your birthday. And speaking of big boys, you still love your new bed. You've surprised the heck out of Mom and Dad by staying in it, and laying down when you're supposed to.
Your other milestones include knowing your letters, counting to three (hey, you have to start somewhere!), drawing lines and circles, knowing your shapes, colors, and most numbers, knowing animals and their sounds, eating apples like they're going out of style, running, turning somersaults, making goofy faces, mimicking noises and voices to a T, drinking a gallon of milk a week, and reminding us how lucky we are to be your parents.
Quinn, we are so blessed to call you our son. You are loved, sweet boy. Yes, you little big-boy-bed-sleeping, baby-sister-poking, tractor-obsessing, apple-chomping, milk-guzzling, chin-tickling Boo, you are so, so loved indeed.
Happy second birthday.

king kong: explained

2011-10-13T07:11:00.000-05:00

After reading the comments to my last post (Thanks, guys!), I realized I haven't yet shared the official King Kong story with you all.
We recently set up a cute, hand-me-down wooden train track in our basement. Quinn has such fun stationing a rail car at the top of the bridge and giving it a nudge to fly down the hill. It's a pretty hot item in the house, at the moment.
But Delia. Oh, Delia. That girl cannot resist those little train cars. CAN.NOT. RE.SIST. She seeks them out, then scoots like she's never scooted before until she can grab one and shove it in her mouth.
Of course, you can see the problem this poses, especially if the sought-after train car is on the opposite side of the tracks. Baby girl comes scootin' right on through the blessed set-up, taking the track out with her little dragging belly.
When she first did this, I tried to lighten the impending gloomy mood by exclaiming, "Oh no, Quinn! Look! King Kong is coming!" And that was all it took. He was quick to pick up on it, and he transitioned easily from saying "Oh deeeeear! King Kong!" whenever D took to demolishing the train track, to sweetly positing, "Hi, King Kong!" and "Look, King Kong!" and "Awww, King Kong."
I about die every time he does it, and he often says it with such sweet brotherly love, that I haven't had it in my heart to suggest calling her anything else. Thus, we have Baby King Kong in our house. And she's cute. So is her big brother.

Train track in left-hand corner. It can survive the tractor, but not King Kong!

Who, me? But I'm so innocent and sweet!

indian summer 2011

2011-10-12T11:56:00.001-05:00

Oh, this weather. It is divine! We are soaking it up, spending lots of time in our back yard. Here is Quinn's new favorite snacking spot:

He sits there just as happy as can be, munching away on "Mama's cereal."
I also felt it necessary to take a picture of his beloved yellow boots. Or, as he says, yellow boops. He loves these things. Wears them no matter what--shorts, dress pants, they go with everything.

Delia's been snacking, too. On leaves. Mmmm.

But leaves aren't just great for eating, they're also great for stomping in! Thanks, Quinn, for demonstrating.

And finally, I'm so happy to report that Quinn is FINALLY playing with Delia. I mean, not all the time, but often enough to report progress. Here, he's pushing her on the swing. In the mornings, he's stopped screaming at her and started saying "HI, Baby!" Or "HI! King Kong." Or "HI! Dee-dah!" I love it.

Oh, yeah. And you know what else is great about Indian summers? Having lunch outside. Can I get a holla for all the squirrels who clean up our mess?

mama's little helper

2011-10-11T12:06:00.002-05:00

Little Miss Mobile got plopped in the basket the other afternoon when I went out to hang diapers. We've been having unseasonably warm tempteratures this October, and while I don't love the confusion I feel over whether to turn on the AC or not (like, when it's 80 degrees in our house), I am loving how easy it makes it to continue hanging diapers out to dry.

rub-a-dub-dub

2011-10-07T07:51:00.000-05:00

There are few things I enjoy more than clean babies straight from the tub. With Delia being such a strong sitter now, it's been much easier to get both babes in the tub together. It's pretty funny to see, as Quinn still doesn't appreciate when his sister accidentally (or purposely) touches him, so we make the most of it. After I had them both in towels last week, I couldn't resist some photos.

Look! They're both ... oh, wait. Well, at least they're both facing the same direction.

LOVE Dee Dee's face in this one!

Aw, sibling love.

have your grand canyon cake and eat it, too

2011-10-06T07:55:00.000-05:00

I'd like to introduce you to the Grand Canyon Cake:

I couldn't take a picture of it outside of the glass case, because when I lifted the lid, it all but fell over and it was all we could do to immediately cut a slice and dig in. You know, before we had (more) cake all over the table.
Anyway, we had an excellent celebration last night, and at one point, I looked around the table and couldn't help but smile. You would have, too.

happy birthday, to our favorite guy

2011-10-05T07:54:00.000-05:00

It's Dave's birthday, today. Earlier this week, as I was playing out in my head how the evening's celebration would go, I thought how lucky we are to share these special days with our sweet babes. Yes, a birthday is always fun (or at least it should be!), but having a little one to pass the excitement on to has proven to be one of my very favorite parts of being a parent. There's something about creating that extra hype, to help a wee one understand that today is a day to make someone feel extra-special, that helps me put in a little extra effort, too. I so look forward to building these family traditions so that it won't be long before Quinn and Delia are the ones reminding me of the things we must do to show Daddy he's loved.
We'll decorate the house today, and I'll commission Quinn to make a card (sorry, Hallmark. My stock in you has lowered since we got a resident artist.). We'll walk to the dollar store to find candles for a birthday cake gone terribly wrong (it is literally in three pieces as of this morning. When Dave saw the fault lines beginning to take form last night, he proclaimed: "I love it! It's like the Grand Canyon!" Oh, I love that man.), I'll try to make Dave's favorite dinner--chicken & cream enchiladas--while the wee ones coordinate a nap, and oh, we will shower that Daddy Longlegs with love from the moment he walks through the door.
I know our children love their daddy. Oh, it is always perfectly clear from the thrill you see in their eyes when Daddy enters the room. But I cannot help but look forward to the day when they fully understand just how lucky they are to have him in their lives. I might be biased, but I just happen to think he's the best darn daddy there ever has been.
We love you, Daddy/Dadda/Dave!

baby-camera issues

2011-10-04T07:08:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I wonder why I don't have a nice picture of Quinn and Delia together, so I decide to solve the issue and take one "now." And then, eight photos later, I see why I don't have a nice picture of Quinn and Delia together.
The proof:

big boy bed

2011-10-03T08:45:00.000-05:00

You guys, we did it. We made the leap. We put Quinn in a big boy bed. It kind of (kind of? REALLY!) snuck up on us. He does great in his crib, and has never tried to climb out, but we're borrowing both of our cribs from my sister, and with her expecting #5 in December, we knew we needed to make the transition sooner than later so their sweet babe could have the crib intended for him/her. We debated over toddler bed vs. twin bed vs. bunk beds for a while, and then on Monday, my sister sent me a Craigslist link to a great set of bunk beds. I called the guy, we talked, then Dave drove out to Minnetonka to put the money down, and then Saturday, my parents graciously lent us their truck AND babysitting skills while Dave and I fetched the set.
We literally ran around like crazy, getting the beds from 'Tonka to our house, then to Kohls for sheets, then IKEA for a comforter, then back to my parents in time to celebrate our niece, Caroline's, 7th birthday.
It wasn't until Sunday afternoon that we decided to set the bed (just one) up in their room, and I was so tentative about the whole idea that we kept Quinn's crib set up too. The room is not large. Two cribs, a bed, a changing table, a dresser, and a rocker ARE large. The room is CROWDED.
We showed the bed to Quinn, and he celebrated:

Then we laid him down for a nap and crossed our fingers. He was quiet, but after an hour, had dropped Pup-pup over the ledge and was done resting. UGH. I was not excited by the prospect of nighttime sleeping. I was terrified that when Delia inevitably woke in the middle of the night, he would be disoriented, try to stand up, and fall over face-first into her crib. Luckily, that did not happen. He stayed sitting when she woke, when promptly back to sleep, and then was bright and shining at 8 this morning. I couldn't have been happier or more relieved!

And here's how the proud, big boy looked when I went to get him:

I think we'll be deconstructing the crib tonight. Way to go, Big Boy!

on the move: captured

2011-09-30T08:28:00.002-05:00

I apologize for the poor quality of this video, but the important thing is that Delia's scooching activities have been captured! Enjoy.

7-months: HOW?!

2011-09-28T07:51:00.000-05:00

Baby girl, you turned 7 months old yesterday! I wanted to post a blog about it then, but I decided I'd wait until I brought you home from Gran and Pops' so I could take a picture of you in the sweet, corduroy jumper and pink hair bow I had dressed you in for your day. But then you had a giant, explosive diaper, and the photo would have ended up being of you dressed in a ragamuffin shirt with unmatched pants. But, I digress. Regardless of what you were wearing, you still hit that 7 month mark.
Daddy and I have been so proud of all the physical progress you've made this last month. You are a sturdy sitter, and when you tire of it, you kind of lean over and assume what we call your "Supermodel Post." It is a hoot! Daddy, especially, gets a kick out of it. You've been getting up on all fours and rocking it out for a few weeks now, but a couple of nights ago when Quinn's toy tractor was just out of reach, you shimmied your way on your belly all the way over to it! Little girl, you are ON. THE. MOVE. As a parent of one already very mobile toddler, I feel like your mobility should strike the fear of God in me. But I swear to you, this couldn't be further from the case. I am so excited for you to be able to get to where you want to be. I'm so excited to watch you start chasing after your brother. I'm so excited for the inevitable day that I'm washing dishes and look down to see you clutching at my leg, looking back up at me. This is the start of something beautiful, I know. Of course, it's also the start of your fascination with electronics, so perhaps we should move the TV downstairs soon.
As always, you are full of sweet smiles all day long. You are so quiet at times, and then at others, you happily screech at the top of your lungs. I suppose they need exercise, too. You absolutely love Mr. Phone and your baby doll from Grandma Bromeland. You also love chewing on Mama's red cupcake liners. Good thing I don't bake all that often. You'll nibble at a banana if it's whole, but when I mash it up and try to give you a taste, you gag. You're silly that way. Daddy and I call you "Dumpling" and your brother, who often pronounces things backwards, therefore calls you "Bunting." He'll say "Poor Bunting" if you're sad, and then look at me and say "Deeda cry?" He wants me to fix you. When you cry out at night and I don't hear you, he screams "MAMA!" until I come in, then quickly lays back down and falls asleep once I grab you. Some tell me this his merely his egocentric self protecting his territory and getting some attention, but I can't help but feel in my gut that it's actually him protecting you. I always hoped I would have a boy before a girl so that she would have an older brother to watch out after her. I doubt you'll need much help--you're a smart and able girl, after all--but I'm glad, nonetheless, that you'll always have Big Brother Quinn at your side. Of course, you'll also always have Daddy and Mama, and we couldn't be prouder.
Love you, sweet Bunting!

sir crazy-pants

2011-09-27T07:36:00.000-05:00

Dude has been a funny guy, ever since the last of his long-drawn-out illness has passed (YES! No fever or weirdness since Saturday!). I mean, we've always found Quinn to be a silly little boy, but lately, we've been guffawing, laughing loud, and snorting over the "funny" that is our son.
He's taken to repeating us when we say things like "Oh, man!" and "Oh dear" and "Whaaa??" When prodded to say "Thank you" he will smile like the Cheshire cat and say in a voice that trails up and up and up: "Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnk ..................." and right when you think he won't finish the phrase, in the highest of high voices, he squeaks out: "you!"
In the middle of dinner, when you ask him what he wants next (why do we keep falling into this trap? How dumb are we?) he'll nonchalantly say, "Mmm, cookie?" Like he just thought of this, and isn't it a fine idea? And why not just have a cookie mid-meal, guys? Why be so uptight? Jeez.
Last night, when it was legitimately dessert time, I handed him his cookie and one for Dave. I asked him to please hand Daddy his cookie. No, I wasn't trying to torture him, it's just fun to involve him in little things like this. He's done it before. But this time he held tight to both cookies. Looking from them to Dave, back and forth, then held up Dave's cookie, slowly said "Try?" and then, as if in slow motion, bit a piece off of it before handing it to Dave. WELL PLAYED, SON.
If I'm holding Delia and leaning down to help him with something, he'll look over at his sister, and right after putting away his look of fear, he'll grin and say "BOO!" right into her face. She loves it. In the evenings, when it's time to change into pjs, he'll take off fast as a bullet the minute you've stripped him down. Catching him to finish dressing him is a feat. He sprints in circles, slapping his belly, and finding his belly button which my mom has named "George." "George? George?" he'll say as he runs around the house, and then lifts up all our shirts to find our Georges, as well.
After a job well done, we request a high five. Quinn's high five is more awesome than anything I've witnessed before. He does a double. First one hand, then the other. You can see the conundrum he's in when he's holding a toy. He'll do the first high five, then look at his occupied hand, puzzle for a moment before swapping hands, then seal the deal. You're always guaranteed to feel more satisfied after that second high five, and I'm already starting to wonder why we haven't used this model our entire lives.
He is, in short, ridiculous. In the best way possible. And we love him for that.

Regular pose with blankie caw. Yes, he's sitting in Deels' exersaucer. Why wouldn't he?

When asked to smile for the camera.

When asked to remove Caw from his mouth to smile for the camera.

test 1, 2 ...

2011-09-26T14:22:00.000-05:00

Hey, could you guys do me a quick favor? My sister seems to have found the issue with blogger and commenting (a new cookies issue as of May 2011), and I think I may have found a workaround. If you've had problems commenting recently, could you please give it another shot now? No need for a real comment--just say "test" or something like that.
To thank you, I offer you these:

sickness

2011-09-22T15:15:00.000-05:00

My babies are sick. Or have been sick. Or still are sick. This has been going on for three-plus weeks and I am TIRED of it. Officially. It was just a cold, with Delia (it's passed, at last! Thank God for humidifiers.), but for Quinn? It has been everything. Remember the crazy rash I mentioned a while back? Well, it was called HSP disease and the worst of the worst possible side effects is something crazy with the colon. We've been on high alert for anything "strange" with him, so that nothing would get out of hand. The effects of HSP can last anywhere between four and six weeks. So, (and here's your warning for upcoming TMI) for the past two weeks, or so, he's had diarrhea. He went from pooping twice a day in the toilet, to pooping three times a day in the toilet, plus an additional two dirty diapers. It has been a mess. Not to mention how badly we feel for Quinn, since he's obviously not feeling great. But he's been fighting the mighty cold, too, and he's getting the last of his canine teeth, and and and. So I haven't been all that concerned. But then last night, after tucking a very tired Boo into his crib, he barfed all over. The grace of God kept it off his blankie Caw, but a bath and bedding changing were still required. This morning, he still had diarrhea, and that was enough for me. So it was off to the doctor AGAIN for the third time in as many weeks. The good news is that the doctor deemed it is not a side effect of HSP, but the bad news is we have no idea when the virus will be out of his system. I am just ready for both kiddos to be back to normal. I told Dave the other day that I feel like all I do all day and all night is fight someone to go to sleep. It is exhausting. I'm ready for a break. Go away, germs. We've had enough.

undecided

2011-09-20T11:05:00.000-05:00

Alright, I'm all set to reveal my new wordpress blog ... but I'm not sure I want to do it. I mean, I have everything transferred and all, so I haven't really lost anything, but I'm still tentative. Everyone should be able to comment easily, so that's not it. I guess I just feel a little sad to leave this blog, where I started my baby blogging journey. Lame, right? So why can't I get over it? SIGH. So excuse me while I figure out what I want to do, here. I should have an answer soon. And in the mean time, I offer you two sleepy babies:

Poor Delia (or "poor Bunting," as Quinn calls her) literally fell asleep standing up the other evening. This is what happens when you skip your afternoon nap, miss!

Quinn woke with one of the most severe cases of bedhead I've seen in a while. I could hardly contain my giggling.

yikes

2011-09-19T08:03:00.000-05:00

I've heard from a few people, now, that my blog is giving them some grief in trying to comment. I don't like that. So ... I'm contemplating something drastic. Stay tuned.

sniffle sniffle wheeze

2011-09-16T08:09:00.000-05:00

My baby girl has a cold. She cannot breathe through her nose. I've tried Vicks, nose drops, booger sucking, and nose wiping. NOTHING. HELPS. This has been going on for two full weeks, and I am exhausted for her. The poor lamb sounds like a pickup truck that's lost its muffler when she tries to breathe with her mouth closed. It's not okay. Does anyone have any suggestions for clearing this up? The doc says that unless she gets a loose, rattly cough, he won't prescribe antibiotics, so we've gotta rely on a home remedy. What do you recommend?

pictures to prove it

2011-09-15T07:23:00.002-05:00

I feel badly about the lack of pictures this week, so let's catch up, shall we? Here's what we've been up to:

Eating avocados.

Taking baths and styling our hair.

Trying to feed our little sister, Baby Bunting.

Being adorable.

Sitting like a BIG GIRL!

catch up

2011-09-14T08:23:00.000-05:00

This is the third time this week that I've opened a New Post window only to sit and stare at it as blankly as it stared back at me. Why? I have no idea. It might be, though, that I don't have any new pictures to share, so I'm stuck as to where to start.
Things are going well here in the house of Bromeland. A friend from playgroup (yes! I'm part of a playgroup! And it's saving my life. More on that another time.) was commiserating with me over Delia's awful nighttime sleeping and suggested Dave try to soothe her in the wee hours of the morning so she wouldn't assume she should be getting milk from me. We started it on Friday night, then Gran helped on Saturday night while Dave and I celebrated a friend's wedding, and then Delia needed no help on Sunday OR Monday night! It was incredible. She slept until 5 a.m. both times. Last night she was up around 2:30, but Dave got her back down shortly and she slept again until 5. I feel we may just be seeing a glimpse of sanity, and it looks GOOD.
Also, little Dee is officially sitting! She can sit all day, and boy is she cute doing it. See? This is where a photo would come in handy. I'll have to make that happen soon.
Quinn is as crazy as ever. The little boy has been talking nonstop for, oh ... six months now? He literally narrates every single thought he has, and repeats one thought until he has the next. Here's an example transcription of one minute with Quinn:
"Big truck, big truck big truck big truck biiiiiig! Ohhhh! Biiiig! Tractor? Tractor? Yellow tractor. Red-red tractor. Papa's tractor. Red Mule tractor. Biiiig wheel. Noon-ah wheels. Baby? Baby? Bonk Baby? Awwww, baby. Pooor Bunting. Mama? Mama. Mama. Mama. Mom. Mom. Mom. Ma. MA! Num-num. Num-num. NUM-NUM! PEEEEEEESE! NUM-NUM!"
It is, to say the least, pretty noisy over here. And, in fact, perhaps another reason why I haven't gotten around to much blogging lately. You see, the Sir is a tinse on the high maintenance side of things, so my hands are pretty busy away from the laptop.
But today is a beautiful, early fall day, and it makes me eager to bundle the babes up (Delia gets to sport the knit monkey hat this year and she is SO. CUTE. Again. A picture would help.), and strap them in the stroller for a nice long walk. We'll see how the day pans out. Maybe I'll even take a photo or two.

triumph

2011-09-08T07:27:00.000-05:00

After breakfast the other day, Quinn happily scampered off to the living room and immediately became engrossed with something or other. By the time I had the table cleared off, he was still quiet, so I took the opportunity to busy myself with emails and such. Quinn playing on his own is not something that happens often, you see. I was pretty excited.
I heard him clunking around for a while, and then heard the pitter patter of his feet approach the kitchen, where I was, and uttering an excited "OOOOOH!" I didn't turn my head, and kept at what I was doing. But when he repeated this a few minutes later, I looked over at him. His face was pure astonishment, and he was pointing toward his toys, repeating "OOOOH! OOOOH!" I got up to see what the fuss was about, and he triumphantly showed me a tower he had built, complete with a Post-it note star on top. And then, quick as a wink, he toppled it over.

Our little man is decidedly more of a wrecker than a builder, and this was the first tower he had built that went more than two stories high. I could have eaten him up for seeing how thrilled he was with himself. And I could get used to having him play on his own from time to time.

6-month check-up

2011-09-07T15:18:00.001-05:00

I always try to get my kiddos in for their monthly appointments within a few days of whichever age they're supposed to be seen. This is probably the longest I've waited for one--D had turned six months a week before I could get her in. Which was a battle in and of itself. I rescheduled a few times for our personal sanity, and then when Quinn came down with a hideous rash (it looked like someone had chucked softballs at his butt and thighs--huge, purple and red bruises that turned out to be HSP disease, from all the mosquito bites two weeks ago.), there was even more screwing around to get her in.
ANYWAY, all this to say, Delia had her six-month check-up last week and it went great. Since Quinn was seen at the same time, Dave got to be there too, which I loved.
She is healthy and on track with growing, and the doctor wasn't worried about her nighttime sleep patterns--he says we have until 9 months of age before we have to worry much about that. She is still long and lean--just like Quinn and just like herself. For my own reference, here are her stats:

Length: 26.5 inches (75th percentile)
Weight: 15 lb. 6 oz. (35th percentile)
Head circumference: 41.5 cm. (21st percentile)

Her round of vaccines got her out of whack for a good few days, but aside from a sniffly nose, she now seems to be on the mend. Our little flower is working so hard at sitting up and crawling; neither of which she's having too much success with just yet. She can balance herself sitting for about 30 seconds, and while she's wonderful at getting up on all fours and rocking, she has so far only been able to move herself backwards. Poor doll. As you can imagine, it's terribly perplexing to always be moving FURTHER from the object of your wanting.
She is just as smiley as ever--greeting me each morning with a wide, gummy grin. She snuggles in for hugs, and has recently taken to grabbing me by the face and pulling me in for a huge, wet, sloppy kiss on my cheek. To say I cherish this display of affection is an understatement. I have yet to get a contact kiss from Quinn (apparently Mama's bubble is hereditary!), so these kisses and hugs and snuggles from Delia are all the more sweet to me.
We've started her with solids, but she hasn't been too interested these past few days. I'm hopeful it's just because of her cold and that she'll soon regain interest in the sweet potatoes, avocados, and bananas that she was beginning to acquire a taste for. We now have two high chairs at our table and officially look like a family at dinnertime. Delia seems utterly delighted to be so included during our meals, and Quinn is delighted to have another adoring fan. Oh, how she loves her big brother. Even when Daddy Longlegs and I cannot get a smile out of a fussing baby girl, Quinn always ekes one out of her.

We love our little lamb like crazy. And it's not too hard to see why.

out with the bad

2011-09-02T07:04:00.000-05:00

While you all look forward to the end of your work day, a long weekend of grilling, and a nice cold beverage or two, I will be looking forward to finding the missing pieces of this:

in a certain little miss's diaper.
In related news, Delia is (apparently) now on to solids.

now you know

2011-09-01T07:20:00.000-05:00

I have a limited slot of "free" time each day when both babies are down for a nap. This is usually about 40 minutes, but hopefully longer. Below is a rundown of what goes through my head during those minutes.

"I need to think about dinner. I'll make chicken. I should make a marinade." [Googles marinade recipes; finds one that looks good, stands up, turns around toward cupboard to get ingredients.] "Whoa, there are a lot of dishes. I should wash those up before I start something new." [makes dishwater.] "UGH. The rack is full!" [Begins putting away last night's clean dishes. Opens cupboard to put away Nalgene, notices jar of vanilla beans. Thinks about recent conversation with Nicole about her wanting to use one. Grabs jar from shelf. Goes into office to fetch paper, envelope, address book. Finds she has no decent stationery so pulls out an old invite. Writes quick note, remembers it's also time to pay monthly insurance. Seals letter to Nicole, writes new envelope out for insurance payment. Writes check, short note, Googles insurance address, seals envelope, walks toward front door to mail both notes. Discovers a toy bomb has exploded in living room. Puts away toys. Opens front door to mail notes. Sees plants are dry. Comes back into kitchen to get watering can. Remembers dishes need to be washed. Remembers the reason dishes need to be washed is to make dinner. Takes chicken out of freezer. Remembers clothes are done washing and need to be hung out to dry. Remembers needs to make marinade. Makes marinade. Puts frozen chicken in a plastic bag and submerges in hot water to thaw. Goes downstairs to fetch wet laundry. Remembers there's also dry laundry in dryer. Pull out of dryer. Comes back upstairs and hangs laundry out to dry. Discovers garden is dry. Waters garden. Sees weirdly dirty spot on the house. Sprays with hose to "clean." Comes back inside and finishes putting away clean dishes. Washes new dishes. Puts chicken in with the marinade and moves it into the fridge.] "Oooh, I should make mashed potatoes, too!" [Pulls potatoes out of cupboard. Hears Quinn wake up from his nap.]

All this to say: If I don't return your call in a timely manner, now you know why.

who likes to swing outside???

2011-08-31T07:12:00.000-05:00

THIS GIRL!

the great austin-bromeland camping adventure: take IV

2011-08-29T09:18:00.001-05:00

We've planned an annual camping trip with the Austins for four years, now. In 2008, it was a three-mile hike along the Superior Trail--just the four adults. In 2009, it was a walk-in site in Red Wing along the Mississippi, with Quinn in utero. In 2010, low temps killed our plan, and we opted for a day-trip to an apple orchard in eastern Minnesota, Quinn toddling along, and Bayle taking tiny residence in Arianna's belly. This year, after a date and location change, we found ourselves in a walk-in site on Lake Mille Lacs with three kids under the age of two. HELLO, change of pace! It was an adventure, to say the least. We battled hoards of mosquitoes, survived what I can only assume was an owl pair mating right above us, learned we didn't need any sleep, after all, and had an awesome time. And now, some photos.

Like I said, when we arrived, we were immediately swarmed by mosquitoes. We have never seen anything like it. We spent our time waving our arms around and trying to protect our young from being carried away. I am not exaggerating when I tell you I literally have more than 100 bites to prove this. Ask anyone who's seen my arms. However, this did not thwart us from being adorable, as seen here.

The boys got the tents set up (this was--as Aaron pointed out--our maiden voyage with our new, six-person tent. What a thrill!), and I asked Quinn to pose for a photo in front of our camp. This is what I got.

Dave is modeling the new approach to camping, here: One arming it. It is considerably different to camp with one arm vs. two. I believe this will be how we make do for the next couple of years.

Oh, and a better pic of our guy outside our tent.

Delia, enjoying four seconds in her play fort before calling foul. Who can blame her?

The first night, the kids slept okay, at best. Quinn could NOT. STOP. TALKING. all night long. Over and over, he repeated words that were on his mind. I actually thought I was going to lose my mind, as he kept waking Delia (and probably Bayle), and wouldn't shut his yap. Eventually, around 11, he did.
In the morning, Delia proved that she's every bit as cute as Quinn was in his dino PJs, and then we got a start to our day.

Since the mosquitoes were so out of control, we had no choice but to pack up most of our stuff and head out for the day. We went to the visitor's center and tested our wingspans. Quinn was a screech owl (how fitting),

Delia was adorable,

Mama was ... clearly embarrassing Delia,

and Aaron almost wouldn't even pose. That was a close one!

There was an eagle's nest that was just screaming for our babies to be plopped in, and we agreed.

Bayle shows here that Delia is every bit as delicious as I suspected.

After our nesting experience, we headed to the park where the kids got some energy out and Bayle and Delia shared a swing. I cannot express to you how much Delia loves looking at Bayle, and how much Bayle loves touching Delia's face. Stinkin' cute.

We had a picnic lunch afterward and then drove to a lookout tower. The climb was equivalent to 50 trips up a regular set of stairs, which reminded me so much Eau Claire. I'm not normally afraid of heights, but having Delia strapped to me while climbing up, I really was quite nervous. The view was worth it, though.

We drove around for a lot of the afternoon, trying to stay away from our mosquito neighbors. But finally, we realized we had to get back. Dave and I stopped at three stores to gather as much repellent as possible, and it paid off. Back at camp, we lit a candle, coils, and modeled the Off! repellent fan, and ... the trifecta worked! We were able to sit and not pull any muscles trying to fend off the blood suckers!
Arianna was AWESOME and made matching camping shirts for all the kids. (Delia actually wore hers the entire time we were there. Even at night.) We plopped the babes on a chair, expecting the worst, and got this:

I think it's about as perfect as it gets.
The rest of the night we enjoyed dinner, playing in the dirt, and finally having actual conversation (something that wasn't possible when we were swatting so much, earlier).

After the kids were in bed, Aaron, Dave and I were able to hang out around the fire for a while that evening. We shared stories, laughed quietly, sipped wine from a box, and then were harangued by a pair of owls trying to find each other in the night. They did, eventually, and it happened directly above us. I have never heard anything like it--loud, long "WHOOOOs" and then something that sounded like monkeys yelling at each other (mating??). It terrified me in the darkness, but now that the sun's out, I can say it was a pretty cool experience. Though I worried all through the night that they would come back to snatch me up. ...

Quinn absolutely loved the whole experience, and slept a lot better the second night. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case for Deels, who was up every 30 minutes. I finally took her to the car at 4 a.m. and sat with her in there until morning. I'm not sure if she was cold (it was 60 degrees), hot (she was wearing two pairs of jammies), or teething, but she definitely wasn't comfortable. We were all glad when the night was over.
In the morning, we quickly packed up before the mosquitoes came back,

and regretfully said our goodbyes in the parking lot. We all agreed that this first venture with the three kids will likely be our most difficult (one toddling, one crawling, and one clinging leads to very busy parents), but I can say with 100% honesty that I am really looking forward to doing this again next year.

best of buds

2011-08-24T14:51:00.000-05:00

Sure, when the Austins visited the other weekend, I didn't manage to take a SINGLE picture, but when we noticed that Delia couldn't get enough of her good friend, Bayle, we did bust out a little recording action.
This really doesn't do it justice, but it's better than nothing. Basically, any time Bayle made a single noise in Delia's general direction, she busted into the cutest and heartiest fit of giggles we've ever witnessed from the little girl.

Come back soon, little Bayle. Delia needs a good laugh.

meet ruth

2011-08-23T07:30:00.001-05:00

Quinn owns a pair of sunglasses, but we don't always have them with us when we need them. In a pinch, he wears my "just in case" pair that I keep in the car. And then we start calling him Ruth:

Pretty sure you would, too.

the minnesota river valley

2011-08-22T12:22:00.000-05:00

Gosh, I went an entire week without a blog?? Oops. Let's forget that happened, okay? I'll start anew, now.
This weekend we sort of pretended we weren't homeowners and we had no real responsibilities. It was fun. I recommend it. So Saturday morning, after we were all fed, we decided to try a little hiking. We packed up the kids, Bjorn, back carrier for Quinn, and some water, and headed to the Minnesota River Valley in Bloomington. It was a place I've heard and read about, but we'd never visited. There's no time like the present, right? The morning was cool and cloudy, but wonderful for a hike.

I took my little girl,

And Daddy Longlegs took the Boo.

And then we started on our hike.

Quinn NEVER stopped talking. Literally, not a moment of silence during our hour's walk. But it was okay. We had scenery like this,

and this,

And we memorialized our visit with a little engraving. So romantic.

I wanted SO BADLY to walk across the Old Cedar Avenue bridge, but alas, someone was really set against that happening.

So instead, we walked on another path, seeing more incredible sights, like this one,

I just cannot believe that this place is only two miles from our house--right in the city.

Can you?

It was a hike I expect we'll do again and again. Quinn had fun seeing all that nature has to offer (he kept an eye out for turtles and enjoyed watching a fawn drink from a pond), and Delia really seemed to enjoy the fresh air. As for Dave and I, it's exactly the type of thing we enjoy doing ourselves, and we're excited to share it with our kiddos. Maybe we'll see you all there next week.

a little of this, a little of that

2011-08-15T09:51:00.000-05:00

We seem to be staying pretty busy, these days. Last Thursday, we welcomed one of Dave's college roommates, Shaw, to our place. We hadn't seen him since he stood up in our wedding (nearly five years ago!) and it was just wonderful to catch up and introduce him to our family, which has doubled in size since we last saw each other. He was a trooper to sit so patiently through our crazy dinner/bedtime routine, and Quinn, especially, had tons of fun with him.
On Friday, the Austins came down for another visit while they caught a wedding and some other Cities friends time. Delia loved Bayle, and Bayle loved Quinn. What is it about always liking the kid who's older than you? So funny. Anyway, we prepared for them by vacuuming. You're welcome, Austins.

And then, I decided my final option to get Delia to sleep at night was to start rice cereal. She's 5 1/2 months old, now, so I felt better about the timing than any earlier time. She was positively insulted the first two times, but last night, she took it down like a trooper! She's had a few decent night's sleep in a row, now, and I am hopeful that this is the trick. I'm not sure how many more five-mid-night-waking nights I can survive.

Yesterday afternoon was beautiful and sunny, just like my little girl, and I put our camera to work on her. She's trying so hard to sit up, and I'm so excited for her to be able to do it. It won't be long, now!

calling all tipsters/dealsters/savers

2011-08-11T07:57:00.001-05:00

Alright friends, I am soliciting all sorts of advice/ideas/tried-and-true ways to save.
As I mentioned in a previous post, Dave and I decided that it was best for me not to return to my part-time job after Delia was born. I was on an extended maternity leave (through the summer), but after my office moved to a less convenient location (for me) and I could no longer receive benefits (since I wasn't full-time), it seemed the best plan was for me to stay home with the babes and concentrate on my freelance work.
I've been hard at it for a few months, now, and my mom has been a huge help by taking the kids once a week so I can devote a full day to writing and editing, rather than trying to squeeze everything in after the kiddos' bedtimes. It's been quite the transition--one that, quite honestly, has been more trying than I ever expected. I mean, this is my dream, for crying out loud! But things are starting to settle a bit more, I'm finding my groove as both a stay-at-home mom and as a freelancer, and I'm hopeful.
That said, losing my income on top of now having to pay a very hefty monthly insurance premium for myself and the kids (very hefty, but slightly less hefty than adding on to Dave's work plan. Isn't that sick?), is certainly having an effect on the ol' bank account.
I don't have any illusions that we're alone in this tightening-the-purse-strings time of life. In fact, I'm quite sure we're in very good company. And that's the reason for my post. Tell me, friends, what are the ways you've found to save money? I'm especially soliciting advice on saving money on groceries, as that's our biggest bill.
But don't worry, I'll share my tips with you guys, too. Here's a start:

Comb the coupons. We get all sorts of giddy from seeing how much we can save on a grocery shopping trip.
One car for all. Our Volvo's laid up with bad brakes, but having it parked in our driveway is showing us that we can make it on one car, thanks to public transit. Dave's back on the bus, and I have our Corolla for the occasional escape from our house.
Wash your hair every other day. This one makes me giggle, but I figure I've gotta be saving SOME shampoo/water by taking this approach, right? Plus, it's actually better for your hair anyway.
Hang laundry out to dry. This obviously only works if the weather is cooperating, and I find it much easier to line-dry the big items (pants, towels, etc.) and machine-dry the things like socks and underwear, so I don't pretend to be fully devoted to this.
Make meals, don't buy them. We've never been much for eating out, and having two babies has restricted that even more. Having one income has made it all but impossible! HA! But it's fun to see what we can cook from the ingredients already in the house and garden. I literally feel I've performed a miracle each time we sit down to eat.
Plant a garden. I had very realistic goals with this year's garden. I knew I wouldn't have much time to devote to it, so I only planted three tomato plants, three cucumber plants, a summer squash plant, and some herbs. I miss the beans and corn, but know they most likely would have gone to waste, anyway. I'm looking forward to using the romas to make sauce to freeze this fall.
Cloth diapers. We already have them, and even with both kids sporting them, I only have to wash them once a week! This blows my mind. Plus, hanging them out to dry eliminates more of the poo stains, too. Double saver!
Nurse for the first year. The FULL first year. When I got pregnant with Delia, Quinn was only 7 or 8 months old. This meant that my milk supply died right around the 10-month mark. I am bound and determined to make it a full year with Delia if for no other reason than that I remember how expensive the formula was!

Alright, what are your ideas?

now i know

2011-08-10T08:46:00.000-05:00

I've often wondered what little kids dream about. I think I'm starting to get an idea.
Delia goes to bed about an hour after Quinn, and now that they share a room, this often means Q gets a second tuck-in. (He's almost always still quietly awake when I bring her in there!) Last night, I laid Delia down, and then shifted to Quinn's crib to rub his back--our new "second bedtime" ritual.
As I rubbed, he quietly, sleepily started listing what was on his mind:
"Green tractor"
"Red-red tractor"
"Yellow tractor"
"Papa's tractor"
"Blue tractor"
"Cool tractor"
"Cooool tractorrrr"
"Cooool ... tractooo ..."
Sweet dreams, my farmer boy.

baby got cloth

2011-08-09T07:32:00.001-05:00

After starting Q in cloth diapers at around 7 months, I swore we'd start our next baby much sooner. And even though I tell every mom I know about the benefits of cloth and how much I love it, I found myself stutter-stepping to start Deels in them. Why? I have no idea. Maybe the notion that I'd have to actually clean poo again (remember, Q does most of his #2 in the toilet), or that it would mean more laundry. But regardless, I knew that once I started, I wouldn't regret it. And let's face it: cloth saves money. I recently officially quit my part-time job (I was on an extended maternity leave, but Dave and I decided it didn't pay for me to return this fall, after all.), and now I'm looking for every chance I can to save a little cash. One of the most obvious ways is to use what we've got, and that's cloth.
And so, I now introduce you to, my sweet little bubble bum:

I still put Delia in disposable at night, simply because they'll hold more and I don't want to deal with rinsing out a poopy diaper at 3 a.m., but during the days, she's been boasting the colorful cloths, and I find it simply adorable. It's a double bonus, really, because I seem to have a penchant for forgetting to put pants on my children.

Now, then, if you'll excuse me, I have some laundry to do.

cheap thrills

2011-08-08T08:31:00.000-05:00

Ever since Quinn's fall down the stairs last weekend, we've taken to equipping our son as such:

Ha. Kidding. But seriously, Dave and Q-ball have a new favorite past-time, and it is one of the cutest things I've ever seen:

A few weeks ago, we set out on a quest to find a cheap seat to attach to Dave's bike. REI, Target, Walmart, we went through the whole works but weren't too excited about spending any real amount of money on the seat. Then, one day while visiting my parents, we checked Craigslist, and low and behold, there in the same town as we, was a $30 bike seat--basically new. We drove the few miles, exchanged cash for the goods, and called it lucky. Now, every chance they get, Daddy and son saddle up for a spin,

smiling all the way.

Lucky dudes.

who wears it best?

2011-08-05T07:04:00.001-05:00

You know how People.com always has those celebrity stand-offs, showing two people wearing the same dress/boot/accessory/bag and asking "Who do you think wears it best?" Oh, you don't? You don't read People.com? Only I do? Embarrassing.
Well, regardless, I'm posting my own version of it here. Let the voting begin!

Daddy Longlegs

Deedlebug

dude loves wheels

2011-08-04T07:09:00.000-05:00

Sometimes the word "obsession" gets thrown around a bit lightly. Overused, if you will. But it would appear that Quinn has an actual, full-on obsession with anything with wheels. He goes berserk anytime he sees a car, tractor, lawn mower, wagon, wheelbarrow, truck, etc., yelling "WHEE-O! WHEE-O!" He just loves to spin those things around. Tractors are, by far, his favorite, though, with him often waking in the morning and announcing, first thing, "Papa's tractor! Papa's tractor!" He loves that thing. Never mind that he only sees it once a week. It is always on his mind.
So this weekend, when Grandma Bromeland procured the toy tractor of Dave's she's been saving, well, it's safe to say Mr. Obsessed was very happy, indeed. Here's a very common sight around these parts:

baby trendz

2011-08-03T07:32:00.000-05:00

All the latest baby fashion trends are here, and it turns out that this season, the tongue is in. See for yourself, as Delia proudly models the look below:

family, bonks, and car rides

2011-08-01T15:03:00.001-05:00

Well, we did it. We survived our first major roadtrip as a family of four. Notably, Delia is a much better traveler than Quinn, but with Mr. Man declaring "Done! Done!" a mere 15 minutes into our journey, even she couldn't do much more than complain. But I digress. And I shouldn't start with such negativity! Let me begin again.

Dave's family has a summer reunion each year. His three sisters and he are in four separate states, so it's pretty exciting to get together when we can. We all really look forward to it--especially seeing how much the six nieces and nephews grow between visits! The drive is long, though, so we decided to break it up. On Thursday morning, we took off around 10. First stop? Mogie's in Eau Claire. I can't believe I didn't think to take our camera in to commemorate this, but take my word for it, it was awesome. Garcia burgers, spuds o' plenty and Coke and milk. YUM. Q and D seemed to like the place every bit as much as Dave and I ever have.

From there we drove to our friends, Marcus and Erin's, near Madison. Their little girl, Peyton, is just a month younger than Quinn, so it was fun to see them together, though anyone with kids this age knows they don't play together. Mostly, Quinn was delighted to have different toys to play with, and Peyton tried her best to hold her own.

We tried our dangest to get a picture of the three kiddos, and here's proof:

Well, at least we made the effort.
We spent the night, and in the morning headed to Dave's parents'. After a welcome lunch, we threw on our suits and made way to the Lake Geneva. The beautiful lake was warm and splashy and wonderful. And I forgot my camera in the car. Quinn learned to love the wet, and D caught a nice nap in the shade of the beach umbrella. As for Dave and I, we caught a little too much sun on our shoulders. Lesson never learned.
That night we wrapped things up at Sue and Justin's.

Which went really well, until Quinn took an epic spill down their stairs at bedtime. It was hands-down the worst moment of my life, to hear that tumbling followed by the sick "splat" of a tiny human hitting the wood floor. Thank God for Sue and Justin, who were so calm and helped bandage Quinn's head right away. A huge egg formed right away, and he cut his forehead on the little rocking horse he was carrying in his hand. Suffice it to say it was a very long night of no sleep, making sure our little boy was okay and not suffering a concussion.
Saturday, we were unfortunately wading through a thick haze of exhaustion and leftover terror. This (along with having two babies) made it a little difficult to do much catching up with the family, but at least we were all together.

That night, I went back to our base with the kids while the rest of the family took to the lake for what I understand was a BEAUTIFUL boat ride. Dave took pics to share.

As always, there just aren't enough hours in the day, and certainly never enough in a weekend. But I, for one, am looking forward to the time when these family trips will mean as much to the kiddos as they do to us. Promise me, parents of older children, this WILL happen, won't it?

diaper babies

2011-07-29T07:25:00.001-05:00

Is there anything cuter than a baby in a diaper? YES! TWO babies in diapers!

You're welcome.

five months

2011-07-27T16:24:00.000-05:00

Sweet Deels, Deedlebug, Little Lamb, Deedle Dumpling,
You go by so many names these days, but you smile for them all. You are five months old today, and unlike when your brother hit his monthly milestones, I am only excited for you to reach them. I know that mobility is just around the corner for you, and I'm so eager for you to be able to get where you want to be, and to be able to sit without toppling over. You are getting nearer and nearer, I know. In fact, you've taken to rolling, and rolling, and rolling some more when you're on the floor for tummy time. Though I don't think we can call it that anymore, since you don't stay put in the least. You don't have many toys, but it's just as well because you're favorite thing to do is watch your brother. Even though he bonks you on the head from time to time, he remains your very favorite playmate.
This past month was a trying one for us all. You had taken to waking six, seven, and even more times during the night. You always woke in the morning with a smile, but it was hard on your mama. And then over the weekend, I plunked you in your big crib in your shared room with Quinn, and wouldn't you know it, but you slept like a champ. You've been in there ever since, and are sleeping better than you have in months. Quinn enjoys seeing you in the crib next to his, and though he lusts after your cribmates (a spotted elephant and wind-up pink giraffe), you've maintained possession (maybe because Mama finally put up some bumper pads to stop your brother's hands from squeezing between the rungs to your animals).
You know, there was a time during my pregnancy when I thought all I wanted was another boy. But as always, God knew exactly what he was doing. You are my sweet little girl. The one I primp with, the one I swoon over, the one I squeak with glee over when I fasten a bow in your fuzzy little hair. Oh, I cannot imagine life without a little girl, and I'm so blessed that I got you.
Much love, my darling sweet,
Mama

by the book

2011-07-26T09:58:00.001-05:00

I've kept it no secret that the past two weeks have been VERY trying in this household. Quinn seemed to have turned into a new boy altogether. And not one who was very pleasant to be around. I ended up in tears multiple times, tried in vain to think of ways for him to spend time with other people (instead of mean ol' ma), and generally tore my hair out.

THANKFULLY, this week has showed that he turned a corner. Oh, how I have missed my boy. It's so good to have him back and I can't stop praising him for returning. However, when I opened my weekly BabyCenter newsletter about my 21-month-old, it became rather apparent that Bizarro-Quinn isn't really a stranger. Their list of topics to click into:

• What to do if your toddler gets upset in shopping malls or other busy places.
• Is it realistic to expect a toddler to sit still in church?
• How to deal with a toddler who runs away from you in crowded areas.
• Find out how other parents cope with a toddler who likes to scream in public.

I had no idea I had a reporter following us around.

IT HAPPENED!

2011-07-25T07:33:00.000-05:00

I have to report this milestone before I stop believing that it ever happened.
Last night, nearly five full months after Delia's birth, Quinn and the little lady shared a room. All. Night. Long.
Q went down at 8, was still up when I laid D down at 9:20, and only whimpered a little when she woke to eat at 3:40. At 7:15, Q's the one who woke D! The only downfall? It's not as easy for me to let the little dude sit and talk/play in his crib in the morning. Once D's up, she's up, which means Q's up (and, more specifically, out of bed), thus Mama's up, too. But I will SO take an early wake-up over 14 mid-night wakes!
THANK YOU, GOD!

sir territorial

2011-07-20T08:27:00.001-05:00

It's nothing new that Quinn loves his caw (white blanket). About two weeks ago, he started calling it "blankie" which made my heart split, but since then, he's taken to calling it Blankie Caw. I like that his good ol' blank has a first and last name. It seems fitting. ANYway ... we also keep another blanket (green caw) and a stuffed frog (Roy) in his crib with him. To be honest, I never thought he gave these items much thought; his love for Blankie Caw is that strong. But recently, when I go to get Quinn in the morning, he wants to carry ALL of these items with him. It makes for a very crowded diaper change, and then an adorable, sleepy snugglefest afterward.

Stinkin' cute. Which is lucky for him, because he's been pretty full of vinegar lately. I don't know if it's because of his cold, teething, the encroaching age of 2 or WHAT, but it is wearing this mama down. Pray for us, friends! Just last week, I had to stop myself from Googling whether parenting has ever been deemed a cause of death. While I fight the battle, I will kiss those cheeks like crazy. I'm entitled to that much.

prettyboy

2011-07-19T08:03:00.000-05:00

The kids were unattended while I did some laundry in the basement yesterday. When I came back upstairs, Quinn was busily playing ... and modeling my new headband.

Happy 21-month birthday, you silly, BEAUTIFUL boy! Mama loves you.

vegabond

2011-07-18T07:59:00.000-05:00

Sweet Delia now has three places she sleeps (hmm, could this be her problem?). Let me break it down:

Morning nap: Her crib in her shared room with Quinn
Afternoon nap: Her travel crib in our room
Nighttime: Her travel crib ... in the dining room

Yes, my little nomad is on the move again. After a couple of weeks of sleep so interrupted that neither Dave or I could function during the days, we made a decision to try something new. We brought her crib out to the dining room (which shares a wall with our room), turned on a fan, left our door cracked, and slept better than we had in a LONG time. Now, instead of hearing D's every breath, we're only awaken once she's been talking for a while. She still wakes plenty often during the first part of the night, just to be flipped back onto her belly, get covered up again, and find her nuk, but she'll now go without eating until 3 or later, which is JUST my prerogative. We've been doing this for four nights, and each one seems to get better. Last night, I didn't have to feed her until 4 a.m., and that was a beautiful thing.

You may easily guess that the problem with this scenario is that while we regain our bedroom, we basically lose the rest of our house after we lay her down at 9. I admit, it's not ideal, but we're extra grateful for the finished basement (which is much cooler in this heat, anyway) and wireless Internet. It's a trade-off I will gladly make for the sake of better sleep. And for the sake of having more daytime patience with this little sweetie:

Check out that form! Little ballerina in the making, I'm sure.

all systems a go

2011-07-13T12:01:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I don't know whether to bless or curse the fact that Quinn is poo-trained. Between yesterday and Monday, the kid went NINE TIMES. Nothing appears to be wrong with him, medically speaking (well, besides an awesome rash that the doctor is decidedly not worried about, so neither are we.), he just had a lot to get to get out of his system. Apparently.
Today I am glad to be spending more time outside and less time in the bathroom with the sir. I'll take what reprieve I can get.

p.s. Did I just cross a line? Sorry.

so tired, it hurts

2011-07-12T08:42:00.000-05:00

How on earth a week has passed without me posting is beyond me. I think it may have something to do with the utter lack of sleep I've been getting, though. You see, Miss Delia has more or less forgotten the virtue of sleep, and will lay in her crib literally yelling for up to three hours at a time in the wee hours of the night. In order to regain my sanity, I've recently started giving in and just nursing her for a few minutes right away and then basking in the next three to four hours of slumber. But this weekend, we were away at a cabin and the four of us shared a room in which none of us got sleep, and now this week is starting off all wonky again. Quinn was up from 8:30 until 10, crying, and then Delia started waking up at midnight, and never really went back to sleep. I think I nursed her three times out of sheer desperation for any sleep. Needless to say, this morning could only come too quickly, and now I'm really whiny.
So, I offer you guys two things.
One: A plea as to what YOU have done or would do in Delia's situation. (We share a room, remember, so the crying out method is particularly painful and hasn't yet worked.), and
Two: a reminder that I really do love these kids.

spectacular, spectacular

2011-07-06T07:05:00.000-05:00

If we had had a crappy weekend, I could sum this post up with a mere two sentences: "The weekend started with RotoRooter and ended with a cashed propane tank, mid-grilling. Enough said." But then the Austins came and their company resulted in some of my favorite days of the summer. Dang you, Austins, for ruining a perfectly concise blog post! Thanks to them, you now will be subjected to a very long, very photo-heavy, post.
So, I'm going to leave out the RotoRooter part, and just dive in with this adorable photo. How sweet are they?

Aaron, Arianna and Mr. Bayle arrived Friday evening in the sweltering heat, and emerged from their air-conditioner-less vehicle yielding not only smiles and a baby, but CHIPOTLE. God bless them. The fast food burritos have become somewhat of a tradition for us now that they no longer live in Minneapolis, so we got right down to business. We spent the rest of the evening in the AC'd house, catching up and admiring each other's kids. It's an easy thing to do.
Come morning, we hit the beach--WHICH I HAVE NO PICTURES OF. Idiot! We went down to Eagan to enjoy the beach I claimed as a child and teenager. It was free, so of course there were a lot of people, but really, it wasn't as crowded as I expected. Bayle was regular little water buffalo, and Quinn was on cloud nine with water to splash in AND dirt to dig in. Heaven, for that little one. Delia couldn't have really cared less, honestly, but she looked adorable in her swimsuit. hehe. After a good little while, it was back to the house where we did a bunch of this:

And this:

Because the day looked like this:

PERFECTION. We grilled out that evening, and then the boys went to a movie while Arianna and I gladly couched it and crashed by 10:30. It's our style. The morning brought with it another gorgeous day, and we were happy to head to the backyard again after enjoying some doughnuts. Quinn took up football,

And Arianna and I took the babes for a nice long walk to the park while the big boys played video games. Oops, did I just out them? That night we enjoyed our favorite take-out Indian food from Surabhi. YUM YUM and YUM. With babes sleeping, it was another low-key evening with lots of laughter and chatting, but this time around the firepit. We discovered that we no longer have the stomach constitution to handle more than 3/4s of a s'more, but did it anyway, and then fed the mosquitoes.
The Fourth of July proved to be yet another gorgeous day. How lucky were we all? It was bittersweet, since it was the Austins' last day here, but we made the most of it. Aaron and Dave graciously watched the babes and gave Arianna and I some time to do what we want. We literally looked at each other and said at the same time: The world is our oyster. So what did we do? Why, the only thing we could, headed to Lake Harriet for a wonderful walk and ice cream cone. We solved the world's problems, caught a little tan and enjoyed being free from little hands needing us. But we were happy to come home, too. I mean, who wouldn't be?

The visit came to an end after our grill ran out of propane and it was time for the Austins to head north once again. It's funny, I don't know many people you can spend four days with and still wish it wasn't time for them to leave, but that's just how we felt.

After our friends left, we played outside for a while more until it was bedtime.

And even though Delia might not look the picture of happy right here, I promise you she's thinking HAPPY FOURTH to all of you, too.

4-month check-up

2011-07-05T10:23:00.002-05:00

Little Deels had her four-month check-up last week. She's a healthy little girl, who the doctor thinks should be able to sleep in her "own" room any day, now. I am still doubtful, but hope to have her weened off her 2 a.m. feeding/waking by the end of this week. That should help our chances, anyway.
Delia was all smiles for the doctor, and proved that she's been growing as fast as I suspected. Here are her stats:

Length: 25 in. (75th percentile)
Weight: 13 lb. 5 oz. (39th percentile)
Head Circumference: 40.2 cm. (25th percentile)

I have to giggle that we have another long and lean baby--apparently this is just how Dave's and my genes trickle down, though, clearly, my husband's genes are stronger than mine. But I was surprised that when I checked D's stats against Q's at the same age, I found she is actually smaller than he was! And here I thought he would always be the peanut of the family.
Nope. Now that title goes to this sweet girl:

he's a dirt digger

2011-07-01T07:29:00.000-05:00

I forgot to put away my gardening tools the other day, and when Q and I went outside to play, he found my little spade propped in the dirt. I was going to try to keep him from it, and then thought, why would I do that? Dirt is his favorite thing, it's free, AND he already needs a bath tonight, anyway.
Let me tell you what. This kid set to filling in the holes I dug for him like it was his job. He could not be deterred--not even to make eye contact with me when I was trying to shoot pictures. I'm pretty sure I have a new favorite activity. But next time, he might be wearing just a diaper and his rubber boots. Minimize the cleanup.

photo session: a roller coaster of emotion

2011-06-30T07:30:00.000-05:00

Ahhh! Flash!

Mmmmm, fist.

But wait, I don't WANT my picture taken!

What's that? But you love me?

Well, I could try to smile ...

Is this good enough?

No? How about this?

Hehehe I knew you'd like it.

Oh, I am sooo funny.

Annnd that's a wrap.

and god bless wheels everywhere

2011-06-29T07:32:00.006-05:00

Each night at bedtime, Sir Quinn does his prayers. We say the usual Angel of God prayer, and then start our list of "... and God bless ..." Lately, his list of petitions has expanded from people to more of an exercise in vocabulary. Unless, of course, he really does want God to bless chain saws everywhere.
Here is an example, taken from last night's prayer time:
And God bless ... PAPA!
and GRAN!
and PAPA!
and PAPA!
annnnd, BABY!
annd CAW-CAW!
and PAPA!
and CHAIN SAW!
and PAPA!
and TRACTOR!
and DADA!
and CHOO-CHOO!
and PAPA!
and CHAIN SAW!
and SKUNK!
Okay, goodnight, Quinn.

four months

2011-06-28T13:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, at about 4:15 p.m. I suddenly realized it was Delia's 4-month birthday. That sort of "hold the phone, something is happening!" feeling is exactly how I have felt for the past four months. Delia, sweet girl, your little life is cruising by with speed I could not have anticipated. Quinn's first six months were a veritable lifetime; your first four months have been a blink of an eye. Tell me, wasn't it just yesterday that we brought you home from the hospital in all your sweet, rosy, dark-haired glory?

And now, just look at you, little flower. Oh, how you have grown.

You continue to be just the sweetest of the sweet. You smile all day long, but most especially at your brother. You love Sophie the Giraffe, squeaky Mr. Cow, and Mama's old pink rattle. When we dress you in dresses, you are most content to chew on the skirt all day long, leaving your frock sopping wet. You finally lift your chest at tummy time, but still prefer to be either on your back or propped up to sit and look around. You can roll over from tummy to back, and from back to tummy, but your preferred mode of mobility is rotating in circles on your back. In the evenings, you exercise your lungs, yelling as loudly as you can. I'm sure this is your attempt at imitating Quinn, and quite honestly, it'd be okay by me if you gave that up. Your night-time sleeping has been wonky these past two months. You sometimes wake every hour and a half, and we're not sure why. And since you still share Mommy and Daddy's room, it's difficult for us to let you just yell it out, like Quinn did. I know this is just a phase, but it can be difficult for me to remember. Please be patient with your Mama when she is not with you. In the mornings you wake with such a smile that I often forget my night-time frustration, and for that, I am forever thankful. You love to be outside, and you love to be held. When I lay you down for a nap, you often grab on to my ear--even in your sleep--as if to say "Just a few more minutes in your arms, please." We know it won't be long before you, like your brother before you, are moving all about the house, running from our arms instead of snuggling into them, and so I cherish your want of contact. Oh, sweet darling. A blink of the eye. Four months already.

mama's little flower

2011-06-23T08:17:00.002-05:00

Well hello, my darling sweet!

mama's little pirate

2011-06-23T08:15:00.001-05:00

Good grief, this kid makes me laugh.

mixed emotions

2011-06-22T09:13:00.000-05:00

Dear Quinn,
When I put you in the corner this morning because you screamed so at the top of your little lungs, I did not expect to find that you had used your corner time to figure out how to put your pants on--for the first time in your life. (Okay, you had only gotten one leg in, but I'm counting it.) How am I supposed to reprimand you for screaming, when I want so badly to applaud you for dressing?
You don't always make this parenting thing very easy.
I love you.
Mama
p.s. But seriously. STOP. SCREAMING. I mean it.

the proof is in the pictures

2011-06-21T07:53:00.002-05:00

A while back, my dear friend Arianna (who had her first baby almost six months ago) asked if there was any chance I had as many pictures of Delia as I took of Quinn. I sighed, and assured her there was no way on Earth I did. I felt like all I did was snap pics of Q when he was our one-and-only, and I was sure that Delia was being mostly ignored in front of the camera. But then this morning, I uploaded my recent pictures and saw this:

And now I'm pretty positive that our little flower is anything BUT ignored.

Also, I'm fairly sure that when I left Delia propped up in the Boppy, she didn't look like this:

father's day

2011-06-20T07:55:00.000-05:00

Two years ago, this is what our Father's Day looked like:

Last year, it looked like this:

But I'm quite sure, neither of us expected Dave's third Father's Day to look like this:

How blessed are my kiddos to call Dave their daddy? Oh, more than words, my friends. They have the very best, and I don't mind saying so.
Here's to an INCREDIBLE daddy, all around!

lessons in dieting

2011-06-17T07:29:00.000-05:00

I recently had a Facebook post about things I never expected to hear myself say. Something to the effect of:
"We don't put socks in the toilet" and "We don't eat clocks."
Anyway, now I'm finding myself hearing things I never expected to hear. Exhibit A):
Quinn approached me while I was feeding Delia and was clearly chewing on something. Since I hadn't given him anything to eat recently, I was a little worried. "What do you have in your mouth, Quinn?" I asked. He responded with a muffled "Oh-al." And then held up his oval puzzle piece that was now missing a Quinn-sized bite. Awesome. But at least he knows his shapes, right?
Something similar happened this week when I brought him from his crib out to the kitchen to get him a drink of milk. He sat in my arms, messing with his tongue and seemingly trying to swallow, before he would take a sip. I asked again what he had in his mouth. He looked up at me and proclaimed "Caw." And so he did. He had taken too big a bite of caw (apparently) and was now eating some white thread from it.
Lord only knows what the offender will be next time. And, oh, I'm SURE there will be a next time.

fluent in quinn

2011-06-15T23:27:00.000-05:00

I just realized it is high time for a Quinn post. Poor kid. You're all probably thinking the Boo is sitting here ignored, bypassed, put on the sidelines. I assure you: this is not the case. Dude is crazy as ever, and making me love being a mom more and more. It's weird, actually. I find that my kids' current ages are my favorite stages EVER. Every. Single. Age. So anyway, right now, I think Quinn is about as fun as they come. Part of that is born of his way of communicating. Like I mentioned recently, he doesn't often link words together to form sentences, but after I started a "Quinn's Dictionary" document (for my personal reference when he gets older and starts to correctly pronounce words), I realized this kid's no slouch in communicating. I finally stopped around 50, because it became apparent that he talks a LOT.
And also? I have to report this here so that I don't forget: BOO KNOWS HIS LETTERS. All 26 of them. Granted, the rhyming ones (i.e. E, G, C, D) sound pretty similar, but still. He deciphers them, points them out, and will tell you what's what! I couldn't be prouder. This creative writing degree is totally coming into play here. HA.
But I digress, In any case, right now Quinn has two "stories" that he tells over and over. One goes like this:
"Baba-baba-baba-baba." Pause. "Bumbee?" Pause. "Dadda!" Pause. "Baby?" Pause. "Mama?" Pause. Pause. "Baba-baba-baba."
The end. Did you catch the story? No? Let me interpret:
The brook at Nine Mile Creek goes "babble babble babble." We were there in a buggie (this is what he calls the stroller). Know who else was there? Daddy, Baby, and Mama. The end.

The second story is a little more violent. It goes a little something like:
"Chain-daw?" Pause. "Voom! Voom!" "EEEEH!" "Done."
Before you all worry that someone was seriously injured, I'll clarify immediately. There was a chain saw. It went "VOOM! VOOM!" We heard it at the park (he sees a slide and yells "EEH!" all the time.). The sound scared him, and so we left.

I seriously cannot wait to see what this kid comes up with next.

adelia's baptism

2011-06-14T07:56:00.000-05:00

I feel like we're stilling down off the high of an incredible weekend. We celebrated Delia's baptism, and so not only did Dave's parents come up for the occasion, but his sister Sue and her two kiddos, Josie and Scout, got to finally meet our little girl. This was especially special because we asked Sue to be Deel's Godmother.
The weekend was full enough that I could devote a full post to each day (at least!), but what I really want to focus on here is Sunday--Delia's baptism.
Dave and I started going to Incarnation in Minneapolis when we lived in Uptown. We were both in awe of the 100-year-old church's physical beauty, but what really stood out was the pastor. He managed to have a meaningful, beautiful, thought-provoking sermon every. single. Sunday., and yet, he didn't drone on for 25 minutes or more, like so many priests seem to want to do. In my defense, my arguement against long sermons is two-fold: 1) I can't pay attention that long, and 2) our son will start freaking out around minute 9. Take your pick. Anyway, the church got a new pastor about a year ago, and we were thrilled that he was just as charismatic with homilies every bit as strong as the first. What luck! So we were pretty disappointed when, four months ago, we felt we had to go to a different church because of Q's conflicting nap schedule (i.e. having a TERRIBLY crabby baby at church each week). Even though we started the new church, we couldn't quite let go of Incarnation, so we scheduled Delia's baptism at that church. Dave, the kiddos, and I scoped it out again two weeks ago and fell back in love. And then this Sunday, it was the big day.

We hadn't yet seen a baptism at this church (well, not since Q was baptized by the former pastor), so imagine our surprise when at the beginning of Father Kevin's sermon, he mentioned Delia and then asked "Where is my next little victim?" I stood with our beautiful baby girl, and he came over and held her high for all the congregation to see. I was slightly mortified because I was SURE the sweet thing would spit-up all over him, but she held it together. After a lot of applause, Father asked if he could steal her for a little bit. I smiled and said something to the effect of how much I'd miss her. And then he took off with her! HA! Dave and I looked at each other wide-eyed, and our family started whispering questions amidst their smiles. Delia was in Father's arms for not only the entirety of his homily, but he also took her back up to the alter with him during the next section of prayers. She was in his arms for 10 to 15 minutes, and she didn't make a PEEP. She was perfect.
The actual sacrament took place following the mass, though, so after most everyone filed out, our family headed to the front of the church where the little ones (all 13 of them) were asked to gather around Father while he started the service. Everyone blessed our Adelia with the sign of the cross on her forehead,

Dave and I proclaimed what we wanted for our daughter, and then she was born anew with holy water and chrism.

Father prayed over Delia with so much heart and soul that I nearly cried, and then he prayed over Dave and me, too.

It was just a gorgeous ceremony where I truly felt Delia was taking another step in her relationship with God. This may sound crazy to many, seeing as she's only three months old, but it's the best way I can explain my emotion.

Our family with Delia's new favorite guy.

Godfather Mike, Father Kevin with Delia, me, Dave, Q, and Godmother Sue.

Godparents! Auntie Sue and Uncle Mikey,.

Such sweet Godmotherly love. Deels looooved Auntie Sue.

Jo took this picture as we all walked out to our cars. She said we looked like a parade coming out of church. I guess she was right!

The beautiful cake Mom made for Deels. And YUM.

Our precious star of the show.

Delicious little feetsies.

Oh, what a blessing to have this sweet girl in our lives. What a blessing to have our families surround us as our daughter was baptized. What a blessing that we get to walk along Adelia in her journey with God.

bambi legs

2011-06-09T07:11:00.002-05:00

Oh, Delia B. My sweet, Bambi-legged baby. Do you have any idea how hard your Mama has to fight the urge not to eat you up every single second of every single day?

The temptation is great. You are positively edible, my darling girl.