Happy 5 months babies!

I think they grew...



and 4 months for reference:


Notice how J is sitting up better.. a result of his chiropractic care... gotta run. L needs a nap!

A bit better

It went a bit better last night.. it didn't take so long for them to fall asleep. L slept in the co sleeper until midnight.. then went back in until 4am. J came into the bed around midnight as well and woke up at 2am for whatever reason.. he went into his crib at that point.. cried for about 20 mins then fell asleep until 5am. We were baby free for much of the night last night. I still enjoy waking up in the a.m. to 2 sweet dreaming faces... well I guess it's usually one crying one and one dreaming one. :) But all is well after the crying one is fed. This a.m. L slept in till 7:45 am - she had been waking at 6:30am. I went to wake J after changing L's diaper and he wouldn't budge.. I didn't try REAL hard.

L was back down for a nap an hour after waking and J just went down 45mins after waking... so we are making some progress I think. And so far they don't seem to hate me for letting them cry! ha ha Now that they are older and I know they don't feel abandoned and I know they aren't hungry I feel much more confident in the sleep "training" (hate that word).. how about sleep TEACHING. I know they are just fussy b/c they want to spend time w/ me and not sleep.

The one thing I'm unsure of is the swaddling thing. They are still swaddled and when I've tried to put them down unswaddled they flail about and can't seem to settle down enough to sleep - I think it's the developmental stage they are in... they are learning to grab things and put them in their mouths and they just can't stop doing it to go to sleep. The problem is that if the pacifier falls out of their mouth they can't get their hands in their mouth (though L is so pissed she won't even try) and they can't grab at anything for comfort... same ordeal when they wake up. I'll keep trying the unswaddle off and on until it works I guess, or I suppose they will let me know when they are done w/ it by not being able to calm down when they are swaddled.

I'm just LOVING this stage. I love to watch them play w/ their pacifiers, or whatever, trying to grab them then trying to get them in their mouth. It's so cute. After a while J will get so frustrated! He also gets frustrated w/the keys/beads on the exersaucer. I think he's trying to pull them off to put them in his mouth, but they only slide back and forth.

L is trying SO hard to scoot on the floor... they'll be moving in no time. I've slowly started to child proof the place!

The new drill - the babies and the willis

So it's time.. the babies are old enough and I need to do the hard work of parenting. We have decided to fight the sleep battle. It's what the babies need and it seems we are starting to be controlled instead of us taking the helm and setting the ground work. So thank you Meghan for your great advice.. we started last night.

I put J down after nursing... he was asleep around 6:30pm. While Idid that L fell asleep in Tom's arms. We put her down. As usual they woke up w/i the hour.. I think around 6:45pm. We started the "program" (haha) ... we let them cry, but went up to put the pacifier back in for them every so often (around 2 to 5min) and to soothe them if they were really over the top. After they settled down to just some whimpering we left them be to figure it out. J in the crib and L in the co-sleeper in our room. They cried on and off for about 2 hours or so, but were still awake in their perspective sleeping locations. L just laying loooking around and J babbling away. We went to bed around 9:30pm and left both babies to figure it out. L woke around midnight for her first feeding, J around 2 am, then L around 4am and J around 6:30am. It's now 7:30am, L is up for the day and as soon as I'm done here I'll wake J. Today I'll do the same for naps, but will only allow the crying to last an hour and we'll do it all again tonight. It was nice to get a little sleep by myself. I even put L back in the co-sleeper after her midnight feeding.. she was there till 4am.

It was really hard to hear them cry, but I know now that this is best for them.

Phoebe has a new drill too!! Poor willis is getting so stir crazy lately.. she really needs more exercise. So thank you Mom and Cesar Milan - Dog Whisperer. While mom was here she was reading through his book and on his suggestion bought Phoebe a lovely doggie back pack....





It works like a charm!!! It was tough getting it on her the first couple of times, but this a.m. was much easier.. she's starting to get that she gets to go for a walk when this thing comes out. The new drill is that I feed the babies and get up and take Phoebe for a walk before Tom leaves for work. :) This helps her to be more relaxed during the day and gets her (and I) some much needed exercise... and me some alone time as well.

This a.m. during our walk we walked RIGHT BY this big black dog that is chained in his front yard. In the past I would avoid the street entirely.. then when we first started "whispering" (training) her I would walk by the dog on the other side of the street to correct her when she got worked up. Today I walked right in front of the dog. He jumped up and barked at Phoebe as we walked by and she only needed ONE - O.N.E. - small correction as we went by.

So that's the new drill at the Mount household. Please wish me luck that this sleep thing works. It's going to be tough on me... Meghan said it took her's two weeks to get it.. Julie and Todd.. I hope my kids get it in a week so we aren't going through this at your place. I know we are running the risk of having to start all over when we get back from Tday then again at Xmas, but I've got to stop w/the excuses as to why I need to wait.. these kids NEED TO SLEEP!

totscicles!

So.. we got our bill for our two little totscicle.. when I first opened it I thought.. gosh, we should decide now what we want to do about this... we could save some money not paying for the storage of these things if we are D-O-N-E... but I'm just not ready to say I'm done... Tom seems to be, but is willing to humor me and allow me to keep these little babies on ice. I know I won't be ready any time soon.. like not for the next couple of years... but I MAY want to do this again.. see what it's like to have one baby at a time. :)

It's only Nov. 10th

Well, Yesterday it was in the mid 60s... TODAY it is in the mid 30s and SNOWING!! Ah the midwest! Hopefully this isn't starting the trend for it to snow every time Tom is out of town!



Julie and Todd are sad to miss this while are in Seattle I'm sure!!! ha

Congratulations to Jennie and Brian on their baby BOY!!!!

A good quote!

Just wanted to share this quote that I saw today...

The purpose of life is not to be happy. The purpose of life is to matter, to be productive, to have it make some difference that you lived at all.

-Arthur H. Prince

My name is Laura....

... and I'm an internet-aholic. SERIOUSLY I need to move this computer into the office and only allow myself to be on it when the kids are napping. I find myself pushing them to play on their own while I check email, check up on friend's blogs, search the web and post here.. (they are napping right now.. just for the record!).

this thing is making me a bad parent... I need a 12 step program!!! AHHH!

He's trying so hard.

Jason is working so hard at picking things up and getting them to his mouth. Last nigth we were sitting at the table and J's pacifier was on the table. He actually picked it up and got it in his mouth FACING THE RIGHT DIRECTION on one try! Ah So proud of my little man. It's so cute to watch him concentrating so hard and slapping his hand on the table trying to grab stuff... get it and put it in his mouth. Oh the things we think are so cute when they are done by OUR kids. I'm sure the novelty will wear off when he is grabbing at EVERYTHING! ha

Here's a pic of his handy work.



L is working hard at it in her exersaucer, but hasn't figured out she can grab stuff off the table.

Every now and then I offer them little bits of food.. like a small piece of mashed banana or avocado on my finger... so far, not interested. I'm planning to wait until they are showing interest... here's hoping it's not till we get back from Seattle in December.

Car Seats...

Thank you all who chimed into my 'which car seats' emails! I went and looked at them and have done some research.. I was dragging my feet on it until I saw this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azgBhZfcqaQ&NR

We got our car seats for free from my SIL (thanks K and A) ... they don't have the latch belts so we use the seat belts and now I'm all freaked out ... so I ordered to convertable car seats.. which I will replace when the kids reach 40 lbs.. then I will buy a booster seat that still uses the latch system.. neither Cosco or Britax offered this. Britax got to 65lbs w/ the Latch system, but I would still have to replace them w/ another booster so I went w/ the Eddie Bauer Alpha Omega Elite and got TWO for the price of one Britax from this website: http://www.specialtybaby.com/eddiebauer.html (Thank you Allyson for the link) Free shipping and no tax!! YIPPEE!!!

Please please please secure your children w/ the latch system. Learn from this woman's loss.. do not let her son's death be in vain..

love and hugs to all you!

A running buddy!!!

Looks like I found myself a running buddy! YIPPEE!!!! We may run tonight, but we are definitely running on Wed. She ran a marathon about 6 years ago and is now trying to get back into running more often. She has two boys.. one 4 and one 2.5 (I think that's right) She's commited to running the Crazy Legs 5k in May (I think it's in may) and I told her about the Mad City half.. she said she might be able to be talked into it! I'm so excited! We're going to try this evening running thing to see if it works for our scheduled... at least the weather is going to cooperate this week! It's going to be in the high 60s.. woo hoo!

I'm still on the hook for the Jingle Bell run on Dec. 9th... even though I haven't been running at all. I promised Kelly that I would do it even if I have to suffer through! ha

Seeing all the coverage of the NYC marathon has got me jonesin' for a long run!! Jennie, what year was it that we were there when you ran?? I can't remember.. 2002? I'd love to do that race sometime too... what are the odds that we would both get in for the same year? Guess you aren't thinking too much about running your next marathon huh? :)

Okay... gotta run.. mom's still here.. J is napping and mom is working on getting L to nap. Just finished some sushi from Trader Joes.. God I love my neighborhood!

Am I really that sensitive

So I woke up to this comment today regarding my post titled "Holy Crap":
Anonymous said...
Geez, that is so rude to compare yourself to a now pregnant lady. Get over it and for once, stop thinking about yourself.


So now I can't stop thinking about it.. am I really so sensitive as to let a comment by an unidentified person get to me so much? Somewhere deep down inside I must really think that I need to get over myself or I wouldn't be letting this comment bother me so... part of me feels that this person should keep their comments to theirself if they have nothing nice to say... and part of me feels like maybe I needed to hear it?? I just don't know. I mean this person is entitled to their opinion... to send their negative words into my home, my heart and my head.. right? I thought about not publishing it to the site then decided what the hell.. Maybe others feel this way???

Julie.. and other preggos out there.. I'm sorry if I offended you by showing my belly 'compared' to Julie's. Seeing Julie's belly caused me to look mine up and I was floored by what I saw and thought I would share my amazement... now that I had something to 'compare' my 26 week belly to.

Anyway.. not making excuses b/c I don't really think I did anything wrong, but wanted all to know I meant no harm. I know each pregnancy is different and each has it's own struggles... :)

So now I'm left wondering.. am I self centered?? I must think I am to a degree or, like I said, I wouldn't give two craps what ANONYMOUS had to say about me. I suppose I'll get over it. :) HEE HEE

Much love and hugs to my preggo friends .... non-preggos too!

HOLY CRAP!!!

So my friend Julie is pregnant... her pregnancies have gone like this.. first part: Sick as a dog, lose weight, middle part: getting the nausea under control.. last part: gain some weight. She sent an email saying she popped and felt HUGE... and commented saying "am I having twins?" ha I decided to go through my pics and find my 26 weeks shot to assure her she is not... WOW! Then I started thinking.. how could I get any bigger so I looked up one of my last shots! OH MY GOD i was huge! I look at that and it looks painful. It wasn't great, but wasn't as bad as it looks. I can't believe I was that big. Here are some pics for your amusement. :) Not trying to make Julie feel like she's got it easy.. just can't believe how big I was. :)

36 weeks:


26 weeks:


Julie at 26 weeks:

All snot all the time!

L, J and I have been fighting a cold since Monday. I think I got the brunt of it and I think it's finally starting to clear up. Poor L and J are congested... I'm not sure if that's why they are being so difficult or if they are just tired. They didn't sleep as well as they usually do (naps) while the girls were here.. had some people to see and hang out w/ and they are not ones to miss out on a good time!

Then there was the cold.. then Tom left. This morning they were finally back on a nice morning nap schedule and seemed to sleep well. L even nursed really well today - we've been struggling w/ that a bit lately. J took a 2.5 hour nap this afternoon (a rarity) so I thought things were going well. L didn't nap this afternoon, but that's not unusual for her. We went to Sam's after nursing / changing when J woke up from his long nap. I figured L would nap while I wore her around the store. They were great on the way there.. J cried a bit, but not too bad. In the store they were fantastic.. looking around and getting lots of compliments on their cuteness and questions "are they twins?" L fell asleep after the sample of apple pie (5 mins before we checked out so about 15 min before we had to get in the car)... she went quietly on her own. I had to wake her up - or drive home w/ her in the sling and risk getting arrested!!! She SCREAMED bloody murder the ENTIRE way home. J chimed in here and there just for kicks! We got home and nursed and thought they would take another little nap. Well, we were WRONG! We got home around 5:30pm and spent the next 3 hours w/ them back and forth asleep then up crying. They are doing this really neat thing now where they want their mommy! They won't calm down for Gma...they just look at me and scream as I am working w/ the other baby.. so we go back and forth. Gma tries to calm one.. I get the one I have calm/sleeping then take the other while hoping and praying that the first stays down. Poor Gma has spent much of her trip w/ a baby screaming in her face/ear! :) We appreciate you gma!

It's so amazing how we go out and about and the babies are happy and looking around (for the most part) everyone comments on how adorable they are.. I'm all proud of myself and them.. we get home and BAM! They are devil children! ha I guess they are entertained / distracted by everything when they are out and about that they forget they are so tired they can hardly stand themselves.

So right now J is asleep in my bed after having caved and given him the boob.. and L is asleep in the co-sleeper w/ a cloth diaper on.. I put her in cloth at 6pm thinking she might snooze for 30mins or so then nurse then change dipe.. then bed, but no.. three hours later... she's finally asleep and I'll be damned if I'm waking her to change her diaper. Two things mom has to remember w/ her foggy head cold in the middle of the night.. change baby girl's diaper and give baby boy his medicine!We'll see what happens!

All I really want to do right now is go finish off an entire pumpkin pie (stress), but I won't.. I had a piece (okay and an extra not so little sliver) and will save the rest for the stress case I'm sure I'll have at some point tomorrow! Did I mention that I haven't run in weeks and it was 20 degrees here (w/ the wind chill.. w/o it was a balmy 27)..... how many years till the kids might go ONE WHOLE day w/o crying???

Calgon take my children away.. I mean take me away! ha So if I continue nursing after the 1 year mark do I get to go on vacation sans kids then, or do I have to wait until they are completely weaned?? Do I let that be a factor in what I decide around that issue??? ha ha I'm SO tired right now.. maybe I should have just gone to be w/ J at 7:30pm.. stop laughing.. I do that!

Look who's talking too!

J has been babbling for a while, and L started to really babble a lot yesterday and hasn't stopped since. :)

Tom's heading off to work right now and I've got L and J will be up soon so I'm just going to post a few cute pics for now..

Here's a new thing J is doing.. making funny faces and raspberries:


We were trying to get a shot of L sitting up.. and she got tired of it..


Here is a shot of only the girls on the couch.

Kelly, Jen, Kendall, Laura and Lily (and Phoebe too!/)

Thank you guys for coming!!! It was so great to see you and for you to meet the `kiddos.

One year later...

Tomorrow is our one year anniversary of finding out that we were pregnant! I won't have time to post tomorrow so I wanted to post today! I can't believe it's been a year... a year since I was staying at Lynda and Larry's, a year since I was sitting wondering all day every day if I was indeed going to be pregnant, did it work?, is this journey finally over/just beginning? A year ago this very moment I'm sure I was anxiety ridden and nervous about going in the next day for my blood test. I believe that the morning after I dropped off my blood sample I went and had coffee or hung out w/ Julie hoping to kill some time. Lynda and I headed to Fred Meyer to pick up some things for our trip out west... things like gloves, a hat and down coat. I think we picked up some shoes too.

While we were shopping Tom called and I remember looking at my phone and thinking ... "oh shit, I'm in Fred Meyer, is this really where I want to find out whether it worked or not? Crying if it didn't and elated if it did. Is this where I want this to happen? It's too soon to know isn't it, what does he want?" I decided to answer it and he said, "geez, when are they going to call already?" I said, "don't do that to me!!!!!!! it will probably be a couple hours!" We hung up and I kept shopping. 10 mins later he called and I thought, "what the hell does he want now??? He can't keep calling me all day." I answered and he had heard from the clinic. I couldn't believe it.. that was quick. And here I was... going to find out while I was standing in the middle of Fred Meyer of all places. I couldn't wait! Wow!!! Lynda and I both cried. In Fred Meyer. Then we couldn't decide if we should keep shopping (going about business as if I hadn't just gotten the biggest news of my life!!!) we decided to at least purchase the items we had in our cart and headed out. I got on the phone immediately to share the news w/ everyone that was waiting to hear!

God, A WHOLE year ago that was. I just can't believe it!

I'm not sure if it's the nostalgia of all of that, but just the other day I was kinda missing my preggo belly and the baby kicks.. not the freakishly large preggo belly... the about half way there preggo belly where I was still easily mobile and looking all cute and pregnant not all "oh shit she could have a baby any moment" pregnant (which lasted a good three months)!!! Don't worry (mom and dad) there are no babies coming.. ha ha I would die I think.

All this being said things w/ the babies have gotten so much better over the last couple of weeks. It's amazing how much they have changed in that short time. I'm so glad Tom wasn't on a trip these last couple weeks (though who knows what the upcoming weeks have to offer). They have started to reach out and grab things, Jason is practicing rolling front-to-back and back-to-front. He's only done front-to-back on his own a couple times, but it's coming. He's also really trying to get his knees under him... but that usually results in a face plant. Lily has become a smiling fool!!! And it just melts my heart every time. I've loved them from that day on Oct 28th when I found out I was preggo... and really thought they were both in there.. I talked to them both just in case... as to not hurt anyone's feelings by leaving them out! ha But now.. God now.. I feel like I love them even more.. just in the last couple of weeks. Must have to do w/ them giving so much back.

Jason has started to hold onto me when I hold him and they are both burrowing in and putting their heads on my shoulder. It's the sweetest thing.

For those I've talked to about how much we DID NOT like the 0-3 months... 4 months is pretty darn cool so far! There were times during the first 3 months where I felt overwhelmed and wondered if I had known what I now know if I would have just put one back, but now... now I know I WOULD definitely still put two back ... I love them so much.. w/ all my heart... every second of torture in the beginning is worth every smile I get today! NOW I get why people do this again!! I haven't totally forgotten the pain of the "fourth trimester", but I get why you would put yourself through it again... AGAIN, no more babies here! ha

Much love to everyone.. and again a big HUGE thanks to you for going through the long journey w/ me... and for continuing w/ me on my new journey as parent! Wow.. PARENT.. MOTHER... MOM!! I'm a MOM... so many days I thought I would never get to say those words.. Son, Daughter.... MOTHER! Brings tears to my eyes. I truly am blessed!

Happy 4th Birthday Liam!

Wow, I can't believe you are four years old already!!! I remember when you were just an itty bitty little peanut of a thing. I used to hold you w/ one arm!!! then you just loved to bounce bounce bounce!!! You were the first baby to bless our little coffee group... and now look at us... four years later we have not one, not two, not three, but a whopping five babies w/ TWO more on the way!!! We'll be seven babies large soon... w/ more to come I suspect! (though not from me! ha)

Liam I miss you SO SO much and wish I could be there for your 4th birthday! We'll see you soon though in December at Grandma Lynda and Grandpa Larry's house! We'll have to party then! :) hee hee And now we get to go to see Santa w/ SIX kids! YIPPEE! Bring on the lattes!

Much love and hugs to you and Riley!

"Moby" - best I can do.

So I figured out how to use my "moby" (in quotes b/c it's not a true Moby brand) to front carry the babies so they can see.. kind of like a bjorne. I have L all tucked in for warmth in this pic. I had to take it myself in the mirror. By the time Tom got home last night the babies were READY for bed so no "playing" w/them. Tom reminds me they aren't toys. ha I used this carry to get J into the chiro while I carried L in her car seat. Was able to open the doors much easier than trying to wield both car seats. :) They are getting heavy. We were thinking about buying a bjorne (I have to return Julie's next month), but I'm good w/ this.. and it has the built in "blanket" ha. I'm working on learning other ways to use it. It's a bit cumbersome and you can't just "slip" the sleeping baby off like you can the sling.... anyway... better get the pic posted... babies waking .. gotta go.

comments

don't know what I was doing wrong before.. I was wondering why no one ever commented on my blog, but did on everyone else's.. um. Just found all of your comments. Thank you and sorry I never responded to them. Comments are now showing up in my email box so I know when they come.

Thanks to everyone for all of your support over this time.. :)

I'm really starting to enjoy the babies. I know that sounds just terrible, but now we are having whole good DAYS instead of just good moments mostly overshadowed by the bad ones. :( I'm so excited to be a mom for the last couple of days...

Probably has to do w/ Jason sleeping better and therefore being in a better mood! :)

Gotta run!

Big News for the Mad City Mounts!

We are so pleased to announce the grand opening of Trader Joe's.... just TWO blocks from our front door. I'm so happy that I feel like I died and went to heaven! We walked over for the grand opening on Friday and I am just so HAPPY! It's like a little piece of home in my own backyard! Being able to walk to the grocery store is SO huge. We feel much more urban now! No way could we afford a house two blocks from TJ's in Seattle! :) Propery value just went way up... for US anyway! ha Guess we'll have to figure out how to add onto this house when the time comes for a bigger one.. surely when these kids are older this place is going to get smaller and smaller!

Oh my God!

So Jman went to bed around 5:30 or 6 last night.. up once or twice, before I went to bed at 8pm (shh don't tell anyone how lame I am, but I knew he'd be up early and I was zonked) He got up at 6am. We played a bit and Tom brought Lily down... she got tired faster so I wrapped Jason and put him in the pack n play while I fed Lily. J was in the PNP babbling while I nursed L. L fell asleep so I took her upstairs, and when I came back down to put J to sleep he had fallen asleep on his own. That was about 45 mins ago and he's still asleep... all by himself in the PNP like a big boy! I just can't believe it! I'm so proud of him. :)