Noah is 4 months old!

Noah turned 4 months on Tue. and is so much fun to be around.  He laughs and smiles all the time and also makes high pitched screaming noises to get attention.  He is still sleeping in his bassinett beside our bed which is now way too small for him.  The pack and play, however, is too big for him and he didn't sleep well the one night we tried him in it. 

For now, I will post some pics but will return to finish this blog tomorrow.

Back to the grind

I returned to work this past week after spending 3 glorious months on maternity leave with my boys.  It was quite an adjustment getting used to waking up at 6 am and getting the boys ready by 7:30.  I am very thankful for Mom and Dad who pick them up in the morning so I can get to work around 8:10.  Steve started his new job at Charfen 2 weeks ago and because its 45 min away he's usually out the door by 7.  Its funny how I know exactly what time I need to do each task in the morning to get everything done by 7:30.  I didn't cry all week though I cried the Sunday before all day.  I carry around a pic of Noah since everyone I run across asks for it.

Steve and I have decided that dinner will be easy meals that I can cook ahead of time with lots of leftovers.  By the time we get home its 5:45 and I start dinner for Joshua by 6:30.  Our goal is to get Joshua into bed by 8:15 since he has to wake up by 7.   He still cries periodically at night but we haven't got him from the crib in a couple of weeks.  Noah occassionally needs a pacifier once to twice a night but that's easy since he still sleeps in the bassinett beside our bed.  I have definitely been spoiled by not having to physically get out of the bed.

We went to early church at 9:15 and we went to the mall around 2:30 and then went to small group at 4:30.  So we had a pretty productive day for a Sunday.  I am going to look forward to relaxing weekends where we do absolutely nothing.

On Fri. Apr. 13 we all went to the opening game of the Round Rock Express.  Joshua loved the baseball game and he would have stayed out there way past his bedtime if he could have but we ended up leaving around 8:45.  The next day Steve took him to the Cedar Park Heritage Festival.

Here are some pics:

Easter weekend!

Joshua and Noah had a great Easter weekend complete with an Easter egg hunt and petting zoo on Saturday and of course, church on Sunday.  Joshua had a blast at the egg hunt since he had gone to one on Friday that was organized by some girls at our church.  We had also practiced in the living room at home :)  So by Saturday he was an expert! 

Here are some pics :

 Riverbend Church

Easter Day after church

 

Noah is getting bigger!

I can't believe how time is just flying by!  We had Noah's 2 month appt on Mar. 28 and he weighed 11 lbs 11 oz (25-50%) with his height at 22 1/4 in. (10%).   He did so well at his appt with just a tiny cry after his 2 shots.  He didn't even need his pacifier! 

Noah has been such an easy baby and we are so blessed to have him and Joshua in our lives.  Noah has been sleeping through the night since he was 7 weeks old and with the exception of a few nights he sleeps in his bassinet without a peep.  Joshua has also stayed in his crib for the past 2 weeks since we are letting him cry.  He cries maybe once a night for about 10 minutes.  Its amazing that we are actually getting sleep.  Who would have thought?

Noah's reflux is under control and he doesn't have gas or spit up which is great since we dealt with Joshua's for 9 months.  Noah loves to smile and talk by saying "Oh" and he loves music like Joshua.
He is happy as long as you face him outwards so he can watch the world go by.  He loves when you play with him and wave all his little rattles and musical instruments.

Here are some pics:
 

3/26

3/26

3/28

4/2

4/6/12

Joshua is 2!

Joshua had a wonderful B-day today!  He woke up to Steve and I serenading him with the Happy B-day song.  He was so excited to see his Sesame Street decorations around the house.  We had a small party for him with our church group.  Joshua loved playing with his friends and we all had pizza and cupcakes.  Noah slept through most of the party:)  I think Joshua really understood today was his birthday since we had prepped him all week for it.  He also got numerous calls from Ammachi, Appachan, Uncle Suno, Austin, and he even got to watch a video of his cousins Ethan and Mia singing the birthday song.  He wanted to watch it several times. 

Here are some pics:

Time is flying by!

Noah is now 8 weeks old and getting bigger and bigger.  He's over 10 lbs 11 oz now and looks more like Steve everyday.  Last week he started to smile when we smile and is interacting with us a lot.  He locks his gaze for longer and is able to focus more easily.  He has the biggest eyes and loves to watch his brother play.  He still prefers his right side but I am trying my best to counteract that.  He slept through the night at 7 weeks for two straight nights and I loved every second.  He's done that a couple of times now.  I'll take what I can get :)  He didn't like to be swaddled early on but I realized last week that now he does better with it.   He still has reflux but the Prilosec seems to be helping which he's been on for a month now.  He doesn't spit up that much, just occasional dribbles but nothing like Joshua.  No signs of eczema yet either.

Joshua still loves to kiss his feet and wherever Mommy and Daddy will let him.  He loves to hover around Noah when he's crying and tell him, "It's OK, Baby Noah, it's OK."  Probably because he's heard us say it so many times.  Joshua himself has done better with his sleep pattern more due to Daddy's 2 way video monitor in which Daddy talks Joshua back to sleep.  It's been 2 weeks since Steve has had to sleep with Joshua on the couch.
Joshua has also enrolled in Kindermusik and he attends with Granny and Grandpa.  He listens to his CDs a lot and his two passions are golf and music.  He is amazing with a golf club and can hit a ball better than Steve :)
We finally stopped using his high chair last week and he sits in his booster seat at the table.  He now "brushes" his teeth and I'll have to get a step stool for him to rinse.  He's also been in physical therapy for a month for his off again on again toe walking.  We've been working on strengthening his postural muscles on the exercise ball and sensory activities with the bristle brush.  He enjoys PT and I enjoy relearning pediatric techniques.

I only have 4 weeks left on my maternity leave and I am already starting to feel sad about having to go back.  But I am going to everything I can to enjoy the rest of my leave, because it literally could be my last maternity leave.  This one has been so different from the first and part of it is that I knew what to expect and Noah didn't have the same issues.  I also am getting out a lot more with Noah.

Here are some pics:

Happy Valentine's Day!

It's been 4 weeks since I gave birth to our little Noah.  He had his first smile one week in while I was burping him and he was in his "milk coma." Since then, I look forward to seeing his smiles after he has milk and is half asleep.  I've even seen him chuckle a couple of times. 

He still sleeps most of the day and I have been trying my best to keep him up more during the day.  He is pretty stubborn though and even a wet washcloth won't sway him to stay awake.

I completely forgot how little sleep you get with a newborn.  Every three hour feedings with burp time, change time, and holding time to prevent spit-up turns into around 2 hours of sleep at a time.  Its amazing how God helps you forget all that as your kids get older. 
He is still wearing Newborn diapers and is still in Newborn clothes, though today I put him in 3 month clothes and he somewhat fits in them.  Its funny how you think you won't need that many of those tiny diapers but then Joshua and now Noah will need them for over a month. 

I had my first outing with just Noah and I last Fri for the MOPS meeting.  He did great - I was able to stay for the entire 3 hour meeting.  I did cheat by giving him the pacifier when he started to cry.  Funny how you say you won't use a pacifier on the 2nd child and how easily that goes out the window :)

Steve has already given our little Noah a "haircut" at 2 weeks old.  He had so much hair that it started to cover his ears. 

We took both Joshua and Noah to Sears to take pictures on Fri and that was a disaster.  Joshua who was dressed so cute wouldn't take any pictures after he heard the pop noise of the flash.  He would try to run out of the room each time we asked him to stand or sit next to Noah.  At least we got some newborn pics of Noah.

For Valentine's Day, I received my customary chocolate covered strawberries (I've already finished half the box) and I had Joshua give Daddy a card from him and Noah and a box of chocolates.  Joshua also "made" a card for Grandma and Grandpa.

 

3 days old

6 days old

11 days old

18 days old

LOVE my boys!  (2/8/12)

2/12/12