Riddle Me This

This little beauty

is afraid of the dark.

Okay, maybe "afraid" is too strong of a term.  She certainly does not like sleeping in the dark, though.  Not one little bit.

This is how our nights would go:

Nursing, rocking, baby asleep, baby in bed, mom in bed, light off, 10-30 seconds, baby awake.

When this first started to occur, I refused to believe that issue was really the light  I mean, the child spent an entire nine months without any light whatsoever, for goodness sake, and she had no trouble sleeping then!  It didn't make a lick of sense.

But that did seem to be the common denominator.  So I experimented.  I left my bedside lamp on.

And Poppy stayed asleep.

Huh.

The next night, I switched to keeping the closet light on.  With the door ajar, the light pools at the foot of our bed, which happened to be where Poppy slept in her bassinet.  She was fine with this for a couple of nights, but then she started waking up just like before.

For a while we thought she might be too cold, so we put her in her brother's old jammies.

After fretting for several sleepless nights about what to do (the answer is logical, but I don't make my best decisions at two am), and resorting to just letting her sleep in our bed with us (the light issues never bothered her there) (if you're into true attachment parenting and have your baby share your bed every night, more power to you.  I'm too scared I'm going to roll over on her or do something else to hurt her or cut off her air to feel comfortable with having her in our bed each night.  There was already one night when she was with us and I woke up to find the blanket completely covering her face), I decided to move her bassinet to right next to me and to leave my bedside lamp on.

So far this seems to be working.  Keep your fingers crossed that it continues to work and she doesn't decide she needs even more light.  I don't think Lewis or I could handle having the overhead light on all night.

What?

The Holidays 2013

Something amazing is happening right now.

Both my children are asleep.

It's a beautiful thing.

So I decided to take advantage of my free time by cleaning up my disaster of a house blogging.

You're welcome.

Last week was Spring Break.  It came at a wonderful time.  My mom went back home, and I didn't have her help any more, so having Lewis home was a tremendous blessing.  We made no plans and decided to spend our time at home, getting used to being a family of four.

Best.  Week.  Ever.

First Saturday

We started off the day with taking my mom to the airport (sad).  After that, I got to stay home with this:

while Lewis took Jack down to Provo for the spring scrimmage.

Then we sped up to Salt Lake to attend the wedding reception of one of my dearest friends (but not before Poppy pooped all over her father).  Jack spent the time sneaking trying to sneak cookies off the refreshment table, staring at a young gentlemen the somewhat resembled his uncle, taking off his pants, and avidly watching the swimmers in the adjacent pool.

First Sunday

Easter.  We hid eggs for Jack's first hunt.  He didn't get the whole "finding" thing, but he did appreciate the fruit snacks inside the eggs.  They were all consumed within 24 hours.

Later, Lewis and Jack went to church.  On the way home, Jack decided he'd rather stay at church and made a break for it.

While they were on their way home, I dressed Poppy up in her Easter finest.  Yes, I got my newborn an Easter dress for going to not church.  It was adorable.

Then we went down to the grandparents' house for Easter dinner and an egg hunt.  Jack found all the eggs.  Maybe before they were hidden.

Monday

We went to the library.  Jack set his heart on an entire pile of books he knew he would love... because they were all books he already owned.  We managed to distract him by finding a Toy Story book.  I fear the meltdown coming on the day we have to return that book.

Tuesday

While at the store for groceries, we found the perfect chair for Jack.  We've been wanting to get him a little chair for a while, and we finally found one that fit him and our budget.  What it did not fit, however, was our car.  I squished in the back with two carseats while the chair squished in the front.  Thank goodness we live close to the store.

Also, this.

Wednesday

Lewis had school, so I decided to take Jack to Burger King for a treat while Lewis was gone.

Poppy was the best baby that ever existed.  She stayed awake and pleasant during our entire trip to Burger King, as well as throughout Jack's bedtime routine.  Love, love, love.

Thursday

Jack decided he prefers to sit in the jogging stroller rather than his new chair.

We spent the evening up at the Francis' cabin.  Burger and s'mores, doesn't get better than that.

Since I was (am) behind on the laundry, Jack wore one of my t-shirts to bed.  Cutest thing in the world.

Friday

Lewis played grad school catch-up.

Jack and I went to the store to get toppings for Pizza Night.  He decided he'd like to try our green pepper.  After he took a few bites, it became a ball.

Poppy was tortured with an oversized bow.  She'll grow into it.

Second Saturday

General Conference.  We might have each slept through some of it.

I tried to put Jack to bed while Lewis was at the priesthood session.  Poppy was less cooperative than Wednesday.  When I realized I didn't have any Jack-sized diapers upstairs, a naked Jack made an escape attempt, but changed his mind and went to try and comfort his crying sister instead.  Bedtime was scrapped and we watched a movie instead.  When Lewis got home, Jack hid because he knew it was time for bed, for reals.

Second Sunday

We went to Park City to watch the rest of General Conference.  When we were almost there, the car started acting weird.

Jack made faces on our favorite rock.

Poppy was a trendy pirate.

Jack and his twin cousin matched.

The car flipped out on us right after we left for home.  Lewis and his parents waited for the tow truck while his sister drove the kids and me home.

Jack and Poppy were hungry at the same time, so I let the former try to feed oatmeal to himself while I nursed the latter.

Lewis and I reflected on what an amazing week we had, even with car troubles.  And the pictures don't even show the half of it!  It turned out way better than if we made plans.  I have the best family.

Talented Poop

By the time Jack was a mere six days old, I published an account of his urine mishaps to that point.

With Poppy, I am happy to report that the rumors are true: little boys and little girls are anatomically different.

The only things outside of her diaper that Poppy has peed on are changing pads because we didn't get a fresh diaper on her quick enough.

While thankfully not soaking us in the urinary department, Poppy has managed to have one highly-skilled bowel movement.

It was Saturday last and I had just dressed the little darling up in her Easter finest so that we could attend a wedding reception.  Lewis was holding her while I tracked down everything we just had to have in the diaper bag.  It was time to go, so Lewis passed Poppy off to me so I could put her in her carseat when he discovered something wet and juicy across his midsection.

Poop.  Poppy had pooped all over him.

Considering her dress was brand-spanking new, I was pretty ticked.  Lewis went upstairs to change, while I set Poppy down to assess the damage.

The dress in question, along with snuggles from her big brother.

Except... there was none.  Poppy had managed to poop in such a manner that she completely missed her lovely dress, even missed the matching diaper cover!  For that matter, she mostly missed her diaper; there was very little inside.

Lewis might not agree, but if such a thing exists, that was a successful blowout.

Sorry World

As you may have heard, I recently had a second child.

I'm still having a little trouble believing that she is related to my first child.

Newborn Poppy and Newborn Jack could not be more different.  Jack was incredibly active and incredibly high-strung.  He didn't sleep well or eat well and if he was awake and not being held, he was screaming.  And if he was being held, he was constantly wiggling and shifting.  He didn't just cuddle.

Poppy, on the other hand, is totally chill.  She likes to be held, and she snuggles like a boss, but if she has to be set down, that's cool too.  She lets you know when she's uncomfortable, but as soon as you know, she's done telling you.  Example: last night she had some gas or something that was bugging her.  She would cry out once and then be done.  A few minutes later she would cry out again - once - and then be done.  Poppy was clearly irritated about the gas, but the expending energy of constant crying wasn't worth it to her.

My sweet little Poppy Jane.

Having a baby like this when you have an incredibly active and still rather high-strung toddler is a tremendous blessing.

I love both of my kids the infinity and beyond.  But I am so, so grateful that Jack came first.

But I have to apologize.  I've been judgy.  I would see people in their blogs or on the Facebook talk about how chill their baby was and how he/she would never/only occasionally cry and I wouldn't believe a word of it.  I've been around babies!  I know how they are!

Well as it turns out, babies like that do exist.  Cause I have one now.  So I'm sorry for judging you.

Now let's just hope I haven't jinxed things by writing all this.

Love my kids.