Corbin: Laughing

Who has a great laugh and funny mom?

This guy:

3 Months

Dear Corbin,

You are officially a baby and not a newborn.  And to type that is bittersweet.  When I look at pictures from 3 months ago I can't believe you will never be that itty-bitty again.  However, when I'm enjoy YOU as you are now, I'm thrilled with who you've become.

You are the happiest little baby ever!!  You are so smily and giggly it is addicting to play with you.  You seem to be very social, like your big brother.  You are a great eater and are weighing in at about 15 lbs!  Big boy!  You've flown your fist international flight and met both sets of grandparents and all of your cousins.

You still sleep a ton.  But as I remember, that is the life until babies are down to one nap, right?  You sometimes like to fight sleep and trick us by acting super happy and then screaming within the same minute.  Who can blame you?  There is so much fun going on with your big brother in this house!

I hate to post this again, but it's kind of on the short list of what you are doing these days...you are a gassy boy.  Even after cutting dairy, you are just gassy.  Not nearly as bad and you aren't in pain.  But you do just toot constantly.  I'm afraid you are going to take after your uncles.  Once again, I'm thankful God prepared me for boys by having some crazy brothers.

**ADDED Sunday, November 18, 2012:
As I'm wearing you in the Baby Bjorn, I'm reminded of the major progress we've made since our first night together in the hospital up the road.  You are really on a little routine these days.

Wake around 8:00 (give or take :30min).
Morning: Eat, Play Sleep.  Once or twice through, depending on nap length.

1:00 (give or take :30 min).  Wrap you in your swaddle for a big nap with brother. Wake around 3-4:30.

Afternoon:  Depending on the length of your big nap, either just eat, play, bathe and to bed by 6:30.  OR eat, play and mini nap, bathe, bed by 6:30.

6:30 (give or take :30 min) bed.  And this can mean eat then go straight to sleep.  Or eat, sleep, stir/request food off and on for the next 2 hours.

I LOVE routine!!  I know they change.  But I just love having an idea as to why you may be fussy.  It's usually because you are ready to move on to sleeping or eating.  So nice to have a way to communicate with you!

While on the topic of communication, you have a new cry.  Imagine a child fake crying.  That is what you do.  I know it's not a fake, but it's a new version of the sound you know how to make.  And this is your warning whine.  When you do this, it means you are ready for bed.  Thank you!

Your head strength is amazing now!  You love to look all around from the baby bjorn or do some tummy time in front of the mirror.  You love that baby in the mirror!

And finally, while I'm rocking you or wearing you, if you are ready to nod off, you simply turn your head toward me so that your face is covered and call it quits.  I'm guessing you like it super dark.

See, we do know more about you thank I previously thought!!

*****

Here are your 3 month pictures!  We love you so much!

Love,
Mommy, Daddy, Carter and Lucy

Had to Share..

I've just uploaded our pictures from the past month and decided these four couldn't wait.

Corbin sleeps a TON.  But in the little time he's awake, he's so happy!!

(Unless he's tired again.  Ha!)

So glad I caught this.

I LOVE this boy!!!

Brotherly Love

I have lots to blog about but life is crazy.  However, I did not want to forget what happened today.

At the mall, while shopping for a birthday party gift, we made a pit stop at the pet store.  You can't pass the pet store without taking a look, right?  I was wearing Corbin in the Baby Bjorn.  Carter was running from pet to pet.  When he got to the lizards/dragons he needed me to lift him up.  So I one-armed him up on my hip.  While he was staring at all of the lizards/dragons I notice that Corbin was staring up at his big brother, smiling, and laughing!!!  He was so excited that his big brother was joining him on Mommy!  It was the sweetest thing!!

I really think this was the first time he noticed Carter and seemed happy about it.  I think he really knew that was his brother!

While Mommy's Away...

While Mommy has to spend one-on-one time with Corbin, 

this makes for lots of one-on-one time for Carter and Daddy.

Nightly routines of dinner, bath and bed are split up.  I haven't seen Daddy and Carter during these times in weeks.

Well, Corbin has had a few quick nights so I got a sneak peek at how my Big Boy is doing.    I, of course, assumed that routines had been tweaked, as they should!  But didn't expect "Bath Time" to look like this:

Yes, this is how he's bathed these days.  And yes, he is sitting on his excavator. In the shower.  Door closed.  Just digging away.  John said if you turn football on TV, then open the bathroom door all the way, sit on the potty (lid down) you can see the game at the same time.  I about died laughing!!  It was hysterical!

Their night concludes with a game of catch in his bedroom, jumping off his blue chair several times and playing "Oh No Dada!"  Which is Carter-created game, where John lays down on the floor and he body-slams John.   Really??

Hil.ar.ious.

Apparently, Mommy doesn't always know best!  I'll leave them to it because it's great man bonding, as barbaric as it may be!  Right? 

8 Weeks!

I can't believe it's been 8 weeks (and :25 minutes) since we first met this guy!  

Wow, so much has changed in our lives!

He weighs about 12 pounds now!

Sleeps about 10-11 hours at night, with a 6-7 hour stretch at the beginning.

He sleeps a ton during the day and when he doesn't he makes us pay in the evening.

We had a 3.5 hour scream fest Saturday night.

The gassiness is almost extinct with Mommy excluding dairy from her diet.

I love his smile!  And he gets so excited and has a big open mouth smile too...so sweet!

It's hard to remember what it was like before Corbin.  We (John and I) are constantly multi-tasking these days, it just seems to be the norm now.  I really feel like we're adjusting nicely to being a family of 4.  

Today, I took Carter grocery shopping (he ate doughnuts, of course) and Corbin stayed home with Daddy.  Carter kept asking where Corbin was and that he missed him.  Sweet boy!

At church on Sunday, John went to pick up Carter from his class.  The teacher asked if Carter has a new sibling.  John told her he has a new brother.  She asked his name and John told her.  Then she pointed at Carter who was carrying a baby doll named "Corrrrvin".  "Ahhhh!"  She said, "Corbin!"  Ha ha.  Lots of adjusting and internalizing going on!  Makes me feel good.  

I just wonder if he tried to feed "Corrrvin."

Okay, here are a few more pics and a video of Corbin cooing (boring to most, I'm sure).

He seriously looks pretend in this picture!

Carter too!!  Look at Corbin's face!  Ha ha ha!!!

Diaper hanging out!

What are you doing Mom?

It's Fall!

Fall...or in Texas we'd say:  Winter is here!

"It's cold."

Yesterday morning we had snow.  But it didn't stick...yet.

See the brown thing in his left hand?  He found a lady's glove.  And used it.  His hands were too cold to climb up the slide.  Thank you, random lady for leaving your glove.

"Ma!  No more pictures of Carter!"

Time to go!!

"No Mom.  Carter just plays hide and seek, first."

"BOO!"

"I'm just going play hide and seek first."

(He has to do lots of things first right now.)

7 Weeks (Dairy Free)

Happy 7 Weeks Corbin!

Whew, you are a growing boy!

At his 6 Week appointment he weighed 11 lbs and 24 inches!

I eliminated dairy from my diet and have seen MAJOR improvements!  He is much less fussy and gassy!  The witching hour has been gone for 3 nights in a row!!  I love this!

He's much happier!

He seems to prefer a 7:00pm bedtime.  He takes a LONG nursing session, with lots of mini feeds.  Then is asleep by 8:00.  

Of course, I expect all of this to change.  Because that is what happens, right?

This week has been so much fun!  I feel like we are really getting life under control. Yes, tasks like dinner are still hard to accomplish at the moment.  But we've been cooking in bulk.  So we are still eating!  Ha!

Both school days this week, when I went to pick up Carter, he asked where Corbin was. :)

One more, one more..

On Tuesday, his classmates were playing with another friend's baby brother in the hallway.  This baby was much older and was interacting.  Carter was watching his friends making a fuss over another baby and said "Everybody come see Corrrrvin."  I thought that was sweet!  He was proud!  

Seems we're all at a happy place with our newest addition!!  Such a great feeling!

Thursday Confessionals

Okay, so after reading my friend, Courtney's, Wednesday Confessionals, I find myself nodding in agreeance to the majority of things she confesses on her blog.  I thought it was only fair that I fess up and confess a few myself.

1. My "to do list" for the week has 3 items on it:  vacuum the upstairs, pick up the kitchen (not necessarily clean it), and return the dishes from our neighbor who made us dinner 2 weeks ago.  Two have been marked off.  And in case you are wondering or judging me for not doing the third item now, I'm nursing.  (UPDATE:  It took me 2.5 weeks to complete the list.)

2. I find peace being in the car.  Kids strapped in, music on, and house not getting any messier.

3. While grocery shopping hungry, I always come home with tons of junk food.  And I entertain Carter by feeding him Tim Bits, little doughnut holes.  (Tim Horton's=Canada's favorite coffee/doughnuts.)

4. Carter has been eating waaay more chocolate since the arrival of Corbin.  I don't really know my reasoning but it's pretty much daily.  Chocolate and doughnut holes...we need a detox soon.

5. I only wear like 3 outfits a week.  Yet my children wear at least 7 and all clean. Go figure.

4. This is my closet at the moment.  See the white labels on the drawer?  There was method to this madness at one point.

5. This was John and Corbin at the American Consulate.  We were trying to make Corbin an American.  Notice how I'm not in there?  Yeah, it was such a complicated mess.  We went redhead temper on them and left.  We had a babysitter for Carter, sooooo impromptu Lunch Date!!  It was fun!  Looks like Corbin will solely be a Canadian for a while longer.

6. Pedestrians have the right-of-way here.  Yes, they do in the US too.  BUT not like here.  It's serious business here.  It's SO annoying.  They actually have random stoplights on busy streets just for pedestrians.  They light up when the pedestrian pushes the button and all driving traffic comes to a halt. There is no yellow on these either.  So everyone comes to a screeching halt.  I think it is so dangerous.  Also, even if there is no light or cross walk, cars will randomly stop for pedestrians they see waiting on the curb.  It panics me as a driver.

7. As a pedestrian, I hate it when traffic stops for me.  I can wait for a gap in traffic, really, I'm already walking so it's not like I'm in a hurry.

8. The doctor agreed that Corbin's toots stink.

9. It took me 3 weeks to complete this post.  But look, third post this week!  I'm getting better!!  There's hope!

C2 Overload

Ok, forgive me for this overload of photos.  In our defense, we live nowhere near family.

C is our text code for Carter.

C2 is for Corbin.

BEWARE: You might fall in love with this boy...

C2 chipmunk.

Seriously, they are huge!!

His favorite move.

Milk drunk.

Still milk drunk??  Kidding.

Blerg.

Sunday ritual.  Church then Farmers Market.  

Corbin in his favorite hiding place.

Cracks me up, two totally different infants.

A little spit up never hurt anyone!!

Dancing in his bed.

Face shot!

Boys at church together!

Life of the party!!

Hi Mom!

Ornery grin!!

Love him!!

See the left dimple?

Okay, so see my motivation for waking at nights and sleeping sitting up??  It's so worth it!!  Love this cuddle bug.

Week 5 & 6

Week 5 Photos:

Getting bigger!

Brotherly love.

Tough love.

Hanging out with my big brother.

Hanging out in my big brother's room.

He's so cool.

Week 6:

"Wow!  Look at my brother wearing a hard hat!" ~ Carter

Week 6

Getting chunky!

FACE shot!

We've had major improvements in the gas department!  This has really cut down on the fussiness.  The evenings are still a challenge and 2-man-job with getting Carter ready for bed and cluster feeding/comforting Corbin.  6:30-8:00 is his fussiest time. 

Nights vary. A couple of nights we've had 4-5 hour stretches of sleep!!! Most are still at 2-3 hours.

He's having a few more happy awake times each day now!!  Smiles, chuckles and coos are happening!!

Best ever!  

Corbin is a huge fan of our baby bjorn and loves to be carried in it as much as possible.  Actually, he'd prefer to do all of his daily activities on me.  Eating, looking around, tummy time and sleeping. Mama's boy...and I don't mind.  I try to let him as much as possible, because let's be honest, the second child doesn't get as much of this as the first. :(  (He's sleeping on me now, and I'm typing one-handed.)

I love his warm little body.

And let's be honest here...No one has blogged about how HARD the second round is?! I absolutely love this baby and am truly impressed with how Carter is adjusting, but man, the logistics of the day and physically, life is crazy right now!  It takes us 2 hours to get out of the door, with prepping clothes and food the night before.  AND I actually cried last week at a playground when a random lady asked if I needed her to help get Carter down from the jungle gym while Corbin was rooting on my shoulder.  Yes, I hadn't hit that glorious 4 hour stretch of sleep so I was at a sleep deprived low, but still embarrassing.  When she left she made sure to come back and let me know it will get easier.  Hormonal and sleep deprived are not a good combo.  Ha!!

I'm learning so many tricks though!  Every day is getting easier!!  I keep thinking to periods like this with only one, teething, jet-lag, potty training, getting rid of the pacifier, the tiredness passes and all adjusts even better than before.

P.S.  We're heading to Dallas and Houston next month and would love see you!