Easter Photos

I know it's not Easter, but here are some photos from the night before at Jessi's coloring Easter eggs and the next day at Linda's eating Easter lunch.

Updates

Between doctor's visits (for me), working full-time (me), and traveling (me + the girls), I've had no time to update this blog. So, here is a short, but sweet, look at the past couple of weeks.

Sofia - we're still having our good days and bad days, but lately the good days are coming more frequent. We still have the battles, and she still does random destructive things - such as pouring out the hot wax of a candle all over the bathroom sink and cutting her dolls' hair. But on the flip side, putting her to bed is now easier. We used to keep a small light on in her room, but when I finally realized that "hey, maybe the light is what's preventing her from going to sleep," I started turning it off and what do you know, she falls asleep faster. Sofia has also been pretend playing a lot more, which makes me happy. I'll find her in her room playing with her princess dolls. However, for some reason, the princess doll usually dies in these senarios and then the prince brings her back to life. (Is that the next Disney movie - Zombie Princess?)

Adeline - is so stinking cute! She's at that fun age where she's not crying as much, she's pretty much on a schedule, and she does new things almost every day. For instance, last week she could barely sit on her own without toppling over. Now, she's a champion sitter. She loves to stick anything and everything in her mouth. She's squealing all the time. But, my favorite thing she's doing right now is this leg-kick that I call her "kangaroo move." She'll be laying on her back and all of a sudden she'll start kicking both legs at the same time and slamming them down together on the floor, bed, chair - whatever she happens to be on at the time. And it's not just a couple of kicks either - it's a lot, over and over.

So, that's about it. I'm still getting used to working full-time, even though it's been almost 4 months. Everything feels like such a blur. Now I know why my friends who worked full-time and had kids could never hang out much on the weekends. Because there is so much stuff you have to get done on those few precious days off. Oh, and did I mention the never-ending pile of laundry? I'm serious - I'll have it almost all done and I swear it magically reappears.

Baby Food Porn

Okay, so tonight I gave Adeline her first taste of rice cereal and bananas. Well, that's not entirely true. Last night was the first time she tried rice cereal, but since the camera battery was dead and I didn't get any pictures, it didn't really happen.

Now, I know you're "supposed" to just do the rice cereal for a week, then move on to the other types of cereals. Since Adeline is my second child, I can throw the rule book out the window and take more liberties with her feeding schedule.

Tonight I mixed a gourmet meal of Gerber Rice Cereal and pureed bananas. Adeline seemed to like it. She swallowed it, so if you take that as an indicator of her liking it, then yes, it was delicious.

Sofia did a good job eating tonight as well. I whipped up cheeseburgers and sauted zucchini, and she ate almost all of her portion. But Sofia couldn't let me be happy for too long, because as she was in my bedroom "watching" a Barbie movie, I walked in on her butt naked on my bed. Ew. I'm the only one allowed to be naked in my bed. She was naked because she spilled her water from her water bottle on her clothes. Oh, and on my bed as well. I snapped and told her it was time for bed. (I may have dropped an F-bomb as well.) I feel bad after yelling at her, especially when I curse, but I can't help it! She just makes me so mad sometimes. I can't believe how much she tests my limits. If I wasn't on my happy pills, then I think there would be broken furniture and broken children in my apartment. Thank goodness for happy pills.

Food Porn

Who needs to watch Top Chef when I have one in my own house?

You can wipe the drool off your chin.

I can't believe I am 30 today. 3-0. Where has the time gone? I don't feel like I'm mature enought to be thirty, if that makes any sense. Probably because I hang around children all day, read children's books, watch Spongebob Squarepants, and still wear the same type of shoes since 7th grade. It's like I got stuck in junior high and haven't been able to find my way out.

I've been waiting and waiting for it to happen, and today it finally did. Adeline had an exploding poo. You might be thinking, "It's been almost 6 months and Adeline hasn't exploded out of her diaper?" That is correct. Well, to be more precise, she hasn't done it for me. Until today. I'm sure all mothers recognize the tell-tale grunt of poo explosion. Adeline was in her exersaucer and I heard her little grunt from the couch. When I lifted her out, I smelled it, but didn't see it. Sofia and I took Adeline into the other room to change her and when I first took off her pants and saw a little stain I couldn't help but think, "Hmm...that's not to bad." Oh how wrong I was. Once the pants were off and I unbuttoned the onesy, that is when the full force of the explosion hit home. Not only was it up her back, but up her front as well. Poor Adeline. I didn't know if I should just cut the onesy off or risk getting poo on Adeline's head and face. I took the onesy off over her head. What can I say, I'm a risk-taker. I got her into the bathroom with the special mommy-maneuver of holding the baby as far away as possible. After careful deliberation of two point oh seconds, I decided the easiest solution would be to undress myself and the baby and hop into the shower together. What I didn't figure into the equation was the four-year-old wanting to join. I vetoed that request right away. Sofia was relegated to the sidelines, or in this case, peering into the shower and commenting on the situation. Adeline enjoyed her first shower experience. I was afraid I was going to drop her slick butt a couple of times, but we made it through. After getting her out, drying her off, and redressing her, it was my turn to take a "real" shower so that I could get ready for work. Again, this involved the audience of the four-year-old. After she watched me shave my legs (which have been neglected for too long), I heard silence. I peek out of the shower to see Adeline in her seat happily chewing on her hands and stuffed monkey and Sofia trying to shave her leg. With my razor. Wha!? It's so great to have a four going on thirteen-year-old.

Sharing is such a wonderful thing. Except when it's not. Like this weekend at our house. We shared the gift that keeps on giving - stomach virus. It started with Adeline and then she didn't want her big sister to be left out, so she passed it on the Sofia. Poor Sofia. I think she got the worst of it. She puked on herself as well as the backseat of my car, herself, a couch cushion. We had to break out the "bucket." Which is really a bowl with paper towels in it, but we use it as a puke-catcher. Ryan slept out in the living room with Sofia all night, until about 5 a.m. when I heard him getting sick. I made it until Monday night, but mine was a pretty mild case. Sharing is caring, at least in this house it is.

Some of the things going on at our house:

• Sofia constantly saying, "Oh my god! Oh my god, mommy!"

• Adeline eating her toes (I only wish I could bend like that)

• My job interviews (you'd think I'd actually get one)

• Sofia was playing with Adeline. Adeline grabbed Sofia's hand and Sofia said, "Ewww...I don't want your baby slime Adeline." So now drool = baby slime

• Adeline is still not sleeping through the night. Partly my fault - when I only see her a couple hours each day, I don't mind getting up in the middle of the night at least once. By the second or third time, on the other hand, that's a different story.

These are just a few things that have been happening. Nothing too exciting, but stuff worth remembering.

New Day, New 'Do

Thank the lucky stars I was able to get Sofia a hair appointment at 9 a.m. this morning. I was really afraid that she was going to go out today with her butchered hair. Ryan is taking her to a library program this morning at my library, and I really didn't want to be embarrassed. Here's a shot of the new 'do.

Worst Day Since Yesterday

Today has been one of the worst days in a long, long time. Here, let me show you:

6:30 a.m. Wake up to Adeline puking all over the bed.

8:30 a.m. Go to work

9:30 a.m. Get a call from Ryan. His car is broken. Again.

10:00 a.m. Leave work to go to the doctor.

11:30 a.m. Get back to work and try to arrange an appointment with a stomach specialist. Call Tuffy about the car.

3:00 p.m. Get a call from Ryan. Adeline keeps puking and has been sleeping all day.

4:00 p.m. Leave work, pick up Adeline at home, and take her to the doctor.

5:00 p.m. Adeline probably has a virus. Am instructed to give her Pedialyte. Go back to work.

6:00 p.m. Leave work. Pick up dinner and Pedialyte.

8:00 p.m. Feeding Adeline. Suddenly she projectile vomits all over me and the couch. She looks like Linda Blair from the Exorcist. Pass her off to Ryan, strip off my puke-covered clothes, clean the couch and get in the shower.

8:30 p.m. Out of the shower. I hear banging on the bedroom door. Sofia has locked herself in our room. I hear "Oh my God, what did you do?" Step out of the bathroom, look at the floor and see hair. Sofia's hair. Sofia gave herself a haircut. I'm not just talking the bangs like my older sister did at that age. I'm talking huge chunks out of the side of her hair. I can barely look at her without laughing/crying.

9:00 p.m. Call my mom, dad, and sisters to tell the story.

9:15 p.m. Can't handle it anymore. Go to bed with Adeline.

Here are some pictures of Sofia's lovely haircut.

Pictures, finally!

Adeline with her bunny Thumper. Its got a bigger head than her.

What you lookin' at?

Sofia's secret identity - Crazy Butterfly Girl!

I took Sofia and Adeline to storytime this morning before work. Since we were up at 7 a.m., I figured we had the time. Storytime was fun - Miss Jenny was great, as always - we got some books and left. Afterwards we went out to lunch, which lately has been my biggest vice. By the time we got home, I had about 20 minutes before I had to be at work. During that 20 minutes, I spent most of the time looking for Sofia's yellow blanket and turtle stuffed animal. I knew she had brought them to the library because I distinctly remember putting them in the basket of the stroller. I was pretty sure she brought them into the restaurant for lunch. After a quick call to both places, no luck. Sofia kept insisting that she had her yellow blanket, but I told her she was wrong. Finally, as I was leaving for work, I decided to check my trunk. Lo and behold, there was the turtle and blanket in the basket of the stroller, all folded up. I brought them inside and apologized to Sofia for saying she left them. Oh, and the blanket she brought with us? It wasn't yellow - it was pink. Oops.

Sofia is turning into the little girl in The Exorcist. She got in trouble today for picking up Adeline. She'll carry her to another part of room and put Adeline in her chair, or turn her around on her playmat, or pull her up. I've told Sofia repeatedly not to do this. Today, before I left for work, she got a timeout for now listening. I thought that would work (and the threat of Adeline puking on her). I guess I was wrong.

I called home a little bit ago and could hear Adeline and Sofia crying in the background. Ryan told me that Sofia had picked up Adeline and was swinging her around. I'm sure the vision of this in my head was much worse than the reality, but it sounded pretty awful. Sofia would not listen to Ryan as he told her over and over to put the baby down. When she finally listened, Ryan smacked her on the butt and sent Sofia to her room. Now, Ryan doesn't normally spank Sofia - he's usually the calmer of the two of us, but that's how you know he's mad. Ryan went to check on Sofia a few minutes later and noticed something. A puddle. On her art table. In the middle of her room. Sofia without pants or underwear. Yes, that is correct. My child peed on her table because she was mad. I was speechless. What is wrong with her? Who does that?

I'm at my wits end with Sofia. After all the stuff with the babysitter (that's a whole other story that I'll have to post sometime), we're really hoping things will get better with the new daycare and a new schedule. I know we're not alone in this, that what Sofia is doing, while not good, is normal. But still. Peeing on a table. What will she do next?

Adeline had her 4 month checkup today. Here are the stats:

weight: 11 lb. 3 oz.
Length: 23 inches

She's 10th percentile for both. Another small baby, just like Sofia. I can't get over how fast time goes. This time around I haven't been wishing for Adeline to be older. With Sofia all I could think was, " I can't wait until she sits up." "I can't wait until she crawls." With Adeline it's the opposite. There are some things I can't wait for her to do, like sleep through the night. (Do you hear me Adeline? Mommy would love you even more if you slept through the night.) As for now, I'm enjoying the baby stage. She's not mobile, she smiles all the time, and there is minimal crying.

Dancing Queen!

Can you guess who is who?

Now that I'm working full-time, I really look forward to having the weekend off. Not that I do much. For example, today I did laundry, talked to my Mom on Skype, cleaned the bathroom, vacuumed the floor, and took a nap. Not what you would call exciting, but I enjoyed it. The girls were both pretty good. Adeline didn't have anymore screaming fits like yesterday. She would cry for about 20 minutes, and then when she finally started eating, she would be sucking away and farting - so it must have been gas. I won't be eating cabbage again anytime soon.

Adeline is starting to play more. I got her to laugh earlier today. Usually this involved me rubbing my nose on her belly and tickling her armpits over and over again. When she does start laughing, it almost sounds like crying, but I can't help it. I'm addicted to hearing her giggle. She's also really started to go to town on her hand. She'll shove three or four fingers in there and the drool! It's everywhere. I even got it in the mouth the other day. (Note to self: do not do airplan with a drooling baby.) Adeline is just such a happy baby, constantly smiling. Sofia was a lot like that too, but now she cries more than the baby. No one ever tells you that four-year-olds will cry at the drop of a hat, or a chicken nugget on the floor. And she'll have real tears too. I should get Sofia into movies, I'm sure there's a need for children who can cry real tears.

We took a trip to the Zoo earlier in January. It was the middle of the week, the temperature was above freezing, and we knew it was now or never. The great thing about the day was the lack of people. That's the one thing I hate about going to the Zoo on a weekend, is the crowds. I don't get why people feel a need to walk in the middle of the trail and then stop, forcing everyone else to go around them. Are they really that oblivious? (Do I really need to answer that?) At one point, we were the only people in the aquarium. It was awesome. Sofia made a friend, and was holding the little girl's hand, dragging her around to look at the fish. Adeline got a kick out of the fish and seemed to be enjoying herself. But then again, she was 3 months old - anything is enjoyable at that age.

I like this picture because it looks like the polar bear is going to eat Sofia's face.

Lately we've been a little off putting Sofia to bed. When I was on maternity leave, we let her stay up later because I knew I wasn't going anywhere and she didn't have to get up at a certain time. Now, with my schedule change, we've been trying to put her to sleep earlier but some nights it just doesn't work that way. The other night I came home from work at 9 p.m. and she was still awake. Finally around 10 p.m. I told her it was time for bed, led her to her room, and tucked her in. I returned to the couch to veg and watch t.v. As I was sitting there, I thought I kept hearing a noise. When I turned the t.v. to mute, it was silent. But as I sat, I continued to hear it. After a little while I decided to investigate. I went to Sofia's room and what did I find? Sofia, laying in her bed, drawing on the wall with a blue crayon. All over the wall. Blue crayon. To say I was a little upset would be an understatement. What get's me is I know she's only 4, but she knows better. I know she knows better. She knows she knows better. So why oh why was she drawing on the wall? It could be that she has Ryan's artistic talents and was just expressing herself. Or (and this is the most likely answer) she was pissed at me for making her go to bed. Let's just say, Saturday we will learn just how well Magic Eraser's take crayon marks off the wall (per my Mom's suggestion).

Now that I'm working full-time, it's much harder to get errands done during the week. Luckily today I didn't work until 1 p.m., which gave me time to run out to Target with the girls. Ryan and I are low on cash, so we're only getting necessities until we get paid on Friday. Diapers and formula are necessities.

Anyway, I got myself showered and ready while having a "girl party" in the bathroom with Adeline and Sofia. Sofia's words, not mine. Any time it's the three of us, she says we're having a "girl party." After getting everyone else ready and bundled up, with minimal yelling at Sofia, we were off to the wonderful land of Target. Here's the thing, though. Sofia has gotten so used to getting a small toy or candy whenever we go anywhere that she freaks out if you don't do it. I know, bad parenting 101. Most of the time we let her get something small, like a gumball. Today, for instance, she wanted fake fingernails. Umm...no. Then she wanted some little $2.99 light-up toy. Okay, that one's fine. Then I saw 99 cent candy. That had Toy Story on it. I got her to trade the more expensive item for the cheaper one. Sucker! (Just kidding.)

So, after spending a lovely 20 minutes in Target we went to Panera for lunch. Panera always reminds me of when I used to go there when Sofia was only a few months old. Lunch was surprisingly easy and fun. Sofia was well-behaved, which she usually is at resternauts (her word, not mine). I enjoy spending time with the two of them and to be honest, it's really not as hard as I thought it would be.

This has been a long, crazy last couple of months. Looking back I really wished I would have kept up with this blog, but I just didn't have the time. Can you blame me? I will admit that when everyone said, "The second child is nothing like the first!" they were right. Here I was scoffing behind their backs, but they were right. Where Sofia was sleeping through the night by 2 and a half months, Adeline is still getting up anywhere from 2 to 3 times. Adeline and I had the worst time trying to breastfeed the first month or so. It was horrible. So horrible I cried for three weeks straight. We've got it worked out now, better late than never.

Other differences this time around also include: I got help for my post-partum depression. They put me on Zoloft which has changed my life. I mean that in a good way. I don't feel ashamed that I had to get help - it has made me a much nicer person. I also started working full-time a couple of weeks ago. I switched buildings and work with different people, but I really like it so far. I miss being around my kids, and I admit that I feel like Adeline is getting the short end of the stick because I was around for Sofia at that age, but it's better for everyone. I'm happier, which makes me look forward to coming home and seeing everyone.

I'm excited to start posting again, especially after going back through some of my older posts. We'll see if I can keep it up!