Friday, October 25, 2013

Cheeks and I and Matthew and Wee Boy have made it 2 Months

Yep, Cheeks' survival to date has definitely been a family achievement. She is turning into a much calmer child and sleep is most certainly better now than it was a few weeks ago, and life with two babes is finally easing just a smidge. As of this week, it no longer takes two hours with shift changes to get the girl babe to bed. And once she's asleep she can do 8 hours beautifully. After a really rocky start, I didn't think 8 hours by 8 weeks was going to be possible, but as if by magic, she has opted for self preservation and slept longer much sooner and with less parental effort than her male counterpart. During the day, sleep is still a bit dodgy. She's actually great at falling asleep on her own without tears, it's the sleeping longer than 30 minutes than can be tricksters. But we're working on it. 

Okay, enough about sleeping. I really am falling in love with my daughter. She is so patient with her brother when he's kissing her, shaking hands, getting really close to say hello, or climbing on her to get somewhere else. And really, except for her bouts with crankiness she is patient with us all. I know I've heard it all before from other veteran parents but each child really does need to be parented to their own personality. I had heard it but I wasn't expecting to have to start as young as a month old. So between juggling two small children and learning how to give her what she needs, I'm thankful that she has been as patient with me as she has been. Every week life gets a little easier. Thank you darling Cheeks for being a beautiful daughter and I take full responsibility for all the strife we've gone through over the last two months. Here's to becoming better friends in the next two to 600 months.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Early Halloween - Obligatory Photos

We aren't taking Wee Boy and Cheeks trick-er-treating this year, mainly because I am a firm believer that a child should beg for his/her own candy without parental intervention. And since neither one is talking neither one gets the reward. Not that the boy child doesn't get all sorts of treats from his parents so don't worry that he is being deprived somehow.

But since we aren't trick-er-treating and since our ward doesn't have a trunk-er-treat and since no one we know is having a Halloween party I decided there was no reason to buy/make Halloween outfits for my children. When I mentioned this to some friends they loudly protested saying that my children might be just fine with not having Halloween photos dating to their birth but I wouldn't be. The cuteness factor, they claimed, was just too high to be ignored.

I wasn't convinced by their impassioned cajoling, but my mother aided their cause by buying costumes for them. Five minutes after trying them on the babes I was sold. After that, it was just a matter of making it to my friend's house so she could take photos with her fancy dance camera.

Without further adieu, I bring you the cheerful monster and the disgruntled ladybug. Thank you Ms. Brinton and thank you Mamacita.


Monday, October 14, 2013

We Blessed an Adelae

Our darling daughter turned 7 weeks old on Sunday, high time she be given a name and a blessing by her father. Both sets of parents, Matthew's sister Megan and fiancĂ© Collin and some friends of ours (the Scattergoods) from State College descended on Macungie for the event.
My parents
 
Matthew's family
 
 The blessing entourage: Stephen Scattergood, my father, Matthew & Cheeks, Matt's father and fiancĂ© Collin.
 
It was a perfectly lovely weekend with everyone getting along well, great food, and wonderful family loving on my babies. Matthew pronounced a beautiful blessing on Cheeks and absolutely melted my heart with his obvious love for her.
 
We got a ton of photos of baby girl with every conceivable combination of adoring fans, but none of her in her blessing gown (first worn by her mother multiple decades ago). So on Monday, I redressed her and we took some more photos.
 



I know I should feel bad that I subjected Cheeks to tummy time for the sake of pictures when she so obviously didn't like it, but I can't help but smile at her unraveling caught on camera. I promise I really do love my daughter.

And finally a picture of Wee Boy coming to his sister's aid with some love. She gets a lot of the kisses he is doling out these days. Color me a bit jealous yet touched for her sake if not for mine.


Saturday, October 12, 2013

Pumpkin Patches - everyone's doing it

I think everyone I know descended on pumpkin patches this weekend, at least that's what facebook is leading me to believe. Well that's okay because so did we. With family in town and my dear MIL being somewhat of a photo op-aholic, I thought a pumpkin patch would be a good outing. No cute pictures of Wee Boy perfectly posed against the picturesque fall backdrop, but who doesn't love a good picture of a child trying to pick up a way too heavy pumpkin .
 
And for good measure I'll throw in a gratuitous picture of the boy child smiling ever so sweetly for the camera.

I should say that the little girl was also present for the weekend's activities, but she was so content to sleep in any willing arms that she was less photographable than her older brother.