Week 96 and Week 9.5 - Talking

Charlotte is talking a lot these days.  She has just begun to say "Bless You" when we sneeze.  The other day Bucky was in her way going up the stairs and she said "Excuse Me, Bucky!" 

As I thought she was ready, I let her walk down the stairs by herself (holding the wall and handrail).  Success!

We are also potty training - albeit not aggressively.  She has pooped in the potty twice (success!) and peed several times.  Matt is the most vigilant of us - which is good.  Having 2 kids in diapers is not a huge issue until you realize how much diaper waste your house is producing.

Sophia had her first jabs yesterday and is running a slight fever. She is 57 cm and did not cry so much after her jabs.

I am doing this 'pumping and nursing' at the same time which is kind of a pain but I am conscious that I am not making enough milk.  I think I have hypoplasia as my breasts never really got full during pregnancy (and it took a good 5 days before I got milk).  My friend Tina has recommended this supplement that has goats rue which is supposed to help with the improperly developed glandular tissue.  It is coming with Matt's dad in a week!  Yay!

Sophia pooped on her own on Saturday!  She is getting enough milk (I guess) but is an infrequent pooper.  O, the chronicles of the infrequent pooper.

Charlotte has been ok but her jealousy does manifest itself.  I went jogging in the morning and asked Imee to watch Sophia in the park.  Charlotte was SO jealous!  I wanted to take her with me but our MacLaren would make for a hideous ride!  Thank goodness Matt's dad is bringing a jogging stroller (forever grateful to Bob for the BOB).

I have met a lovely mom in the park - Natalie.  We had coffee (or a water for me) at her house across the park from us.  I marveled at the schedule of her adorable son (now 6 months or so) Reese.  I love the park.  It is the water cooler of the mom's world!

We also went to dim sum with our friends the Briggs and it was a great way to pass time on a Sunday.  And our Charlotte (they have a Charlotte too!) is a champion eater of Chinese food!

Videos:

Trying to get Charlotte to do the Peanuts dance. Man is she a fast runner!

And Ila almost driving into me! :)

Pictures..

Charlotte's crabby...

And crabby wearing TT's hat:

TT shoots...

Comfy with Monica (the baby whisperer):

Playing in the sandbox with daddy:

Sophia happy in her Ergo insert - I call her "Souvlaki Sophia":

Charlotte in the park:

I feel like a paparazzo here at Vivo City:

Playing in the water:

With a super wet diaper:

Ila is a serious driver:

Reese is a serious cutie:

The Bumbo is slightly more successful:

More Sophia smiling:

Week 95 and Week 8.5 - Smiley

First, onto the important things.  Big poop on Thursday.  Happy Ho!

Had a great week with Sherry - she is amazing with the girls!  She also got me into Downton Abbey and I am sad I have seen every episode except the Christmas one.

We went to John Ivor's new moon (full moon?) party on Saturday where Sherry was taking  charge of all the kids outside.
Sophia is in the midst of a growth spurt and I nursed 15 times yesterday.  Matt was in India the last few days and said she looked bigger when he got back this morning.

Sophia is near to having some neck control but is a couple of weeks away from Bumbo.  She is also smiling more - she has a brilliant smile if I do say so myself.  Very sparkly.

I washed dishes with Charlotte this morning (at her request) and she said "dress off" - I was impressed as I did not know she even knew what a dress was.  And we always take off her clothes because dishwashing is a proxy for a bath, really.  Charlotte can count to twelve too!

I am desperate to take a video of Charlotte dancing - she dances like the twin girls in purple in this Peanuts video:


Let's start with the pictures this week:

Sophia has a widow's peak at the top of her head and the bottom of her neck:

Charlotte plays with some neighbor's plants:

Channeling Pepsi and Shirley - again:

I love this picture...

Sophia is not so sure about these matching shirts:

Charlotte tries to burp Sophia as she tries to figure out the Bumbo:

Successful Sherry burping:

Charlotte blows bubbles...

...and wears random shoes...

Cute Sophia:

Cheeky Sophia:

"Watcha talkin' 'bout Willis?" Sophia:

I spent some time with Charlotte in the park earlier this week.  She picked and brought me this flower:

And some more videos:

Sophia and Charlotte with Aunt Sherry and Uncle Neil in the background:

Trying to get Sophia to smile:

Week 94 and Week 7.5 - Breastfeeding and more

I am rounding the corner on the fabled 8 weeks where breastfeeding is supposed to get easier.  Is it getting easier?  I suppose - gone are the nights of feeding all night long.  Sophia is on a schedule where she sleeps in the afternoon forever and now at night forever.  The biggest issue I have now is whether she sleeps too long and whether I should wake her.  Wise Minjenah says to let a sleeping baby sleep but if there are less than 8 feeds a day (there hasn't been to date) then well - I will intervene.  But for now - I am enjoying some decent rest.

Also - I have now been breastfeeding Sophia longer than I did for Charlotte!  

Sophia pooped on her own last Wednesday (yay!) and then had a blowout on Sunday (double yay!).  So I think this Hirschsprung business is out the window - but now I wonder whether she is getting enough milk.  I am pumping twice a day (the rest of the time there are still continuous feeds) and now getting a whopping 4 oz a day.  The day before the blowout (never before did I think I would be SO excited for such a disastrously messy poop) I gave her 3.25 oz of expressed milk.  So I am experimenting with the milk volume on a daily basis to see if and when we can repeat (although the next time I would prefer not to have to wash the car seat liner again).

I am taking Fenugreek, Motilium, and Blessed Thistle.  Today I tried acupuncture to help with the milk production and I forgot how much I hated needles.  I couldn't even look at myself!  Much worse than childbirth.  People often ask me if I have a high pain threshold, and instances like today confirm that I absolutely do not.  I literally do not FEEL the labor pains - I am not trying to suppress some Hurculean pain I can assure you.  Acupuncture does not even really hurt (though I can feel it and it is not at all comfortable) but I could not relax at all during it.

Charlotte is still hitting us and getting her share of timeouts.  She closed the screen door while we were inside and proclaimed "I'm in timeout!"  Aunt Sherry is visiting and helping this week and has advised us to say "Kiss Me" at the end of a hitting/timeout episode so we end it on a positive note.  Charlotte complies and you know, all is better then.

On with the weekly pictures!

Cutie pie!

Tita Monica helping with bottle duty:

Restless waiting for pigtails:

The quintessential toddler pose:

Cheese!

Charlotte hanging with a neighbor dog JD:

Cute park poses:

Lovely Sherry has been a great help this week.  Here she is looking fresh and lovely:

More cheese (the last pictures are all in appropriate Wisconsin garb)!