A at 21 Months

This little guy is growing up so quickly!

At 21 months, his stats are:

• Weight: 25.7 lbs.
• Height: 34½ inches
• Diaper Size: He's still in Size 4.
• Clothing Size: He's still wearing 18 Months but his pants are starting to look a little short!
• Likes: Talking about everything, learning and exploring.
• Dislikes: Being hungry or tired.

He is so smart and constantly amazes people with how much knows and can communicate.

This kid thrives on learning! He has a puzzle with the letters of the alphabet and was able to learn every single letter in just over a week! He can also count to twelve flawlessly {and thinks he can count through his teens, even though he says them all as "hit-teen" and repeats it over and over until he has worked through all of the objects he is counting!} and knows tons of shapes, such as diamonds and octagons.

He talks non-stop! We've lost count of the number of words he knows and he surprises me almost daily with new things that I didn't even realize he knew. He seriously amazes me.

I have also become cautious since realizing how much he is constantly listening and learning. On multiple occasions in the past week, he has repeated lyrics from songs on the radio that are hilariously awkward coming from the mouth of a 1-year-old... {Don't worry—nothing awful! He's just told me things such as "bringing booty back"... thank you Meghan Trainor!} We do a lot of driving around to help Baby E fall asleep in the car... and apparently it's having an effect on both kids!

He is also witty and has an adorable imagination. He loves playing games such as his magnetic marbles and chasing/hide-and-seek with daddy. He loves building caves and forts, reading books together, and pretending things {such as his cookie being a steering wheel or his Blankey being long hair}.

He is a fantastic big brother. It has been a struggle for him to adjust to sharing his parents with a new baby {especially since she has been a colicky baby}, but I have been so proud of him because he has tried really hard. He loves her so much and is very protective of her. He rushes to help get things she needs such as her bottles or supplies for a diaper change.

Although he cares a lot for his sister, he has been quite adamant about not wanting much physical contact with her. He even gets upset if her hand brushes past his foot sometimes. But as she gets older and more interactive, he has been warming up to her. He even let me have him hold her the other day for the first time!!

He's an includer and always wants everyone to participate. This list includes, but is not limited to: Daddy, Mommy, E, A {yes, he includes himself!}, Blankey, and Milky. I love this about his little personality and am so grateful he loves his family so much!

He is so much fun and loves being with his family, but he is definitely an introvert. He struggles with too much attention in large groups and getting some quiet time alone in his room helps him calm down. He is making progress socially and is more comfortable one-on-one with other people but still constantly checks to make sure mom or dad are still nearby.

Recently, he is starting to really enjoy time with his little friends. Our previous playdates were typically spent with the moms talking and the kids doing their own thing in different corners of the room. But lately, he loves to interact and play with other kids! He gets apprehensive if they make loud noises or act aggressively, but as long as they are willing to play as mellow as he does, he has a blast with them and really enjoys the friendships.

He's strong-willed but is so well-behaved for a toddler!! He is very obedient when we ask him to do something and doesn't like the rare occasions we get upset with him for negative behaviors. As soon as he does something he knows he shouldn't, he runs to his designated time-out spot and puts himself there! Luckily, time-out is something we rarely have to use because he behaves so well most of the time!

I am so grateful for this cute, clever boy! As our family has made the adjustment from one kid to two, I keep thinking how different of an experience this would be if he had any different personality. He is so much fun yet seems to know when I'm feeling sad or overwhelmed and comes to snuggle with me. I am so fortunate to have him as E's big brother and my little best friend.

Baby E's Blessing Weekend

Today was Baby E's blessing at our church. We go to church at 9 am and it was such a chaotic morning! A woke up early and super cranky, which woke E up early too. Both kids were crying throughout the morning while M and I were rushing around to get everyone ready plus tidy the house for visitors after church. We barely made it into the chapel on time for the meeting to start and A was literally screaming and had to go outside with his grandma. E was refusing her bottle and gagging, which had been my plan to have her content and not crying for the blessing. It seriously was the worst morning we've had in a long time—and on such an important day!

But then as M walked up to the front of the chapel with E and the other men who would be helping with her blessing, it was suddenly peaceful. I was amazed! My dad said that E smiled up at him and then just stared at the lights during the whole blessing. It was such a beautiful and peaceful moment!

M gave Baby E her blessing and it was absolutely lovely. I am so grateful to be married to a man who is worthy and takes his priesthood responsibilities seriously. He spent time over the weekend to ponder and focus to be prepared to give the blessing. He is such a good example to me and to our kids! I hope E can one day marry a man as amazing as her dad.

We chose to keep the event to just mine and M's immediate families. I was so grateful to everyone for making the time to share and celebrate E's big day with us.

My little sister wasn't able to be here with us because she is serving an LDS mission. Before she left, I asked if I could have a white skirt of hers and decided it would be fun if I made it into E's blessing dress. It was so special to me every time I looked at my beautiful daughter in a dress that kept a piece of my sister here with us.

Wedding Fun!

M's baby sister got married today. And of course, weddings mean we all get to wear color coordinating outfits! And let me tell you, having a family of two boys and two girls makes this really fun!!

Oh gosh, I love this matchy-matchy little family of mine!

I Hate Colic

See this little face. It's like totes adorbs, rights? 

Yeah, well this face is the warning before the storm. The little smile to remind us to keep loving on her once her tummy begins to rage and make her scream inconsolably for the next hour or two. This, my friends, is colic. And it's miserable.

This poor girl. She cries like she is hurting so much and yet we have no idea why. We've tried every suggestion we hear and nothing is really helping!! We took her to a chiropractor and that seems to help short-term, but after a couple days she's back to being upset again.

The part that is the hardest for me is that I struggle to separate the colic from Baby E herself. She is such a beautiful and sweet little girl; she can be absolutely delightful to be with. But the hours of screaming wear on me and make me feel frustrated. I really hate colic. But I love my baby girl.

Baby E at 2 Months

I love Baby E! Although we have had a battle with artist formerly known as colic, she seems to be having more good days than bad days lately and is more and more fun each day.

At her two-month pediatrician appointment, her stats are:

• Weight: 9.5 lbs.
• Height: 22 inches
• Diaper Size: Newborn diapers are still working for her but we will be switching to Size 1 as soon as we finish off our last newborn package.
• Clothing Size: Newborn but they are starting to be a bit snug even though 0-3 Months is still baggy on her.
• Likes: Being held, eating, bathtime, and smiling at her parents and brother.
• Dislikes: Having to take naps, not being held, and when her brother makes loud noises.

She gets 4 vaccines as her congratulations for turning two months. Even though the nurse does it as gently as she possibly can, it is heartbreaking to watch your baby get needles stabbed in her cute, little thighs and hearing that sad, in-pain cry.

Her personality is starting to develop and there are some really cute things that she is starting to do. She has started cooing and has the sweetest little voice. She especially loves her daddy and smiles the most for him, but she has also started smiling in the morning when she sees A. It's so cute how much she loves the boys in our life!

And my very favorite - I am convinced that she is starting to try laughing. There have been a few times while she has been smiley suddenly starts making a noise that sounds like a throaty giggle. It's absolutely adorable!

The Sweetest Smile

Baby E has started smiling! I absolutely love it.

She has been flashing her cute little smile for weeks now... but before it was typically the warning before a major rumbling in her diaper...

Now she is smiling in response to us! Proof: this past week when I sing to her, she gets this a sweet little smile!

She has been extremely fussy the past couple weeks, so these smiles are such a blessing to get us through some rough, tear-filled days {and yes, I can admit it, the tears are from me almost as much as from A and Baby E!!}.

Baby E at 1 Month

I can't believe this cute little princess is already a month old! We love her so much! She's doing so well with her milestones in these first few weeks plus she has been completely successful in stealing her parents' hearts.

These are her stats right now:

• Weight: 8.2 lbs.
• Height: 21.5 inches
• Diaper Size: She's still wearing newborn diapers and probably can for a couple more weeks because they fit well around her scrawny thighs.
• Clothing Size: Newborn. And they are finally fitting perfectly!
• Likes: Sleeping, eating, taking baths, still staring at lights, looking at her parents and big brother when they talk or play with her, being sung to, her car seat, having people hold her.
• Dislikes: Having gas bubbles in her tummy, cold diaper wipes, hiccups, not being held, and not being fed the instant she wakes up.

And for a little fun, we tried to catch her birthday to the minute...

I can't believe how quickly this month has flown by! We are so grateful that she is healthy and growing well. We are so lucky to have this little sweetheart as a part of our family!

Baby E's 2-Week Checkup

Baby E had her 2-week appointment today, even though she's technically 2½ weeks old already. Isn't she cute?! {And finally fitting into her outfit we took her home from the hospital in!}

Some things about her:

• Weight: She is up to 7.7 lbs! At her 2-day-old bilirubin checkup, she had dropped down to 6.2 lbs. In 2 weeks, she's gained more than a pound! She's such a good eater and it's great to see she's gaining weight so well.
• Height: She is 20" tall. She's grown an inch in just two weeks!
• Diaper Size: Newborn. And they are finally starting to fit well enough that she's not leaking out the sides of them constantly!
• Clothing Size: Newborn. She's always been too tall for premie clothes, but newborn clothes still seemed to drown her. She always curls her legs up but is finally getting tall enough that when she stretches her legs out, they are fitting all the way to the bottom of her jammies!
• Likes: Being held, eating, sleeping, staring at lights, eating more, constantly dirtying diapers, going for rides in the car, being held, sleeping more, and eating again.
• Dislikes: Having her diaper changed, being cold, having to sleep in her bed instead of someone's arms, and spitting up.

So Much Love

One of my biggest fears about having a second kid was that I didn't know if I could love Baby E as much as I love A. He is my whole world and tons of fun. He makes my heart so full of love—and I was afraid there wasn't enough room in my heart to love my baby girl as much as I love my little man.

It was amazing to me that as soon as I held her in my arms at the hospital, I felt so much love for her. And I felt all that love so immediately. I guess my itty bitty heart grew twice its size that day because now both of these little ones are my whole world and my heart is stuffed clear full of love.

Not only has my heart grown full of love for Baby E, but my love for A has also grown even more as I've watched him with his sister. Even though he's struggling to adjust to life with a new sibling, he has such a sweet concern for her. He says "uh oh!" and rushes to her side any time she cries or needs something.

My love for A has also deepened as I understand even more how he views our relationship. I have felt that his relationship with his dad was the special one because the two of them have so much fun together and A always gets so excited anytime M walks in the door. It wasn't until I saw how much A was struggling to cope when I would snuggle and spend time with Baby E that I realized how much my little A loves his mommy—even when he has his dad there too. It just really confirmed to me how important it is for children to have BOTH a mom and a dad.

So all in all, bringing a new baby home from the hospital has taught me so much about love and our capabilities to feel more love than we ever knew was possible.

Baby E Is One Week Old!

I can't believe how fast this first week has gone! Some of my favorite things about Baby E already are:

• She loves eating so much that when her food {or even a pacifier} comes close to her mouth, she thrashes her head back and forth like a wild animal shaking the life out of a recent catch.
• She always wants her hands up by her face. Even in ultrasounds, she had been like this! Needless to say, she hates being swaddled and just starts bawling because it locks her arms down.

• She has the cutest smile... even if at this point she only smiles after filling her diaper.

• She sleeps about 18 hours a day but is extremely alert during her awake times and has been like that since the day she was born.
• She loves having her hair played with... to the point that she'll cry all through the rest of her bath but calms down as soon as we start rubbing the shampoo in her hair.