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! 

First Day of School Photo Shoot FAIL

Carter started University Heights Preschool today.

It's a cooperative preschool meaning parents have to be pretty involved.  So today I had to join him.  No saying "goodbye" at the door or anything.  But he would have been fine.  That begins next week.

Any Who...Those of you who got great pictures of your 2 year old baffle me.  What did you do?  Bribe your child with chocolate?

Hiding from me.

Running toward me.

CHEEESE!!!

NO Way Mama!

The front door.  Serious now.

"Caw-Ter a Big Boy!"

Fun!

Hard at work!

May have to try for more on Day 2.

4 Weeks Old

I'm falling more and more in love with this boy.

He melts my heart!!

4 Weeks has gone, not quite a month though, that is a whole other milestone!

He is sleeping well and nursing well.  At all times of the night!  But he does quickly go back to sleep.

I feel like we're getting into the grove of things over here.  Don't get me wrong, housekeeping and cooking are still pretty low on priority.  During Carter's nap, I usually nurse, nap, shower and then nurse again.  But I know this is a phase and all will be in place sooner or later.

We're totally enjoying our little snuggle bug.  He loves to be held and I love it.

LOVE you CORBIN!!!

Happy 4 weeks!