Three Musketeer Gift Exchange

So even though it was 3 weeks late, we did our annual Three Musketeer Christmas gift exchange this past Saturday.  We had dinner,opened gifts, and played indoors and out. 

We know by now that candid action shots are the only ones we are going to get of these 2 year olds.

So while they were coloring, we got a few smiles and "ta-da's."

Marne, Tara and I actually got to spend quite a bit of time talking and drinking (water for Tara) because the men owned the kids when they were outdoors.  Tara is ove 6 months pregnant!!!

The kids were super excited to get to open presents several weeks after Christmas!  Carleigh absolutely loves the Animal Planet Treehouse she got and her princess books!  T and Carter were also pleased with their toys.

It looks like Carleigh's sharing here, but she's actually getting quite territorial over her present.  She got in a lot of trouble for her agressive behavior towards T.  Later in bed, when I asked her why she hit him (numerous time), she said "my animals are mine!"  The sharing skill is still very much in the early development stage.  She knows she should share, but doesn't want to.

Brad helped Carter open his Tag Reader!

And Tennyson couldn't get passed his hot wheels (even though there was a big plane toy waiting to be opened)!  He was very sweet showing them off to everyone and sharing with Carter and Carleigh.

It was a jam packed night and the kids were never bored!  Carter and Tennyson even stayed up the entire time (almost 11)!  Carleigh needed her beauty sleep and turned in at 9.

All in all, (save for a hit or two) it was a great night of memory making with great friends!!!  Looking forward to next year and Parker and Harper joining in the fun!

Little Laugh Video

So it's not his normal chuckle with a snort but I tell you, capturing that on video when it only happens about once a day, is tough.  But here Parker gives a little laugh.  The Fisher Price Alphabet duck is one of his favorites!

Potty Dance

I can't tell you how many dialogues I've had over the past 6 months with other moms about tips and shortcuts to pottytraining.  Each child is different in what works best for them, when they are ready and how they react to the process.  Careigh has proved to be quite a challenge.

Most moms I talk to aren't into their children jumping on furniture.  I used to not be into it, either.  Until, Carleigh's excitement over pee-peeing in the potty turned into a Tom Cruise/Oprah moment where jumping on the couch is just the way you express yourself.

We aren't in full blown potty training mode but most mornings, Carleigh doesn't want to wear a diaper, so her options are big girl panties or going commando with potty attempts every 20-30 minutes.  She always picks commando, no matter what princess is on the panty.  Can you blame her?  After almost 2.5 years of a confining diaper, the freedom feel of wearing nothing has a certain appeal, not to mention makes trying a whole lot less cumbersome.

So these picks are from a postpotty success situation and I wanted to document what she does.  I tried to video it, but videos don't lend to cropping the commando part out like photos do. :)

She sings a little pee pee on the potty song we made up and twirls in circles on the couch (or wherever she so chooses).  How could I reprimand her for such delight over her toilet victory?

I can't say when she'll be fully potty trained because come nap time, she usually requests a diaper and I've learned after all sorts of tactics, that she is much easier to train when she wants to do it.  So if we continue to have half days of potty attempts and half days of diapers/pull-ups, so be it.  As long as the road to becoming potty trained is this enjoyable for her, I don't mind that it's the long way.

12 weeks old!

Happy 12 weeks, my love!  You are such a joy and I couldn't ask for a better baby!  You are currently treating Mommy and Daddy really well at night with 8-9 hour stretches lately!  It may be a fluke but even before that you were giving us 5-6 hour stretches consistantly.  We are beside ourselves and can't wait to see if it continues.

You are sitting up better in your bumbo and in chairs (not so wobbly) and sorry buddy, but everyone thinks your chunky.  Not me, of course.  I think you're just a big boy!  You're Daddy and I love you so much and can't believe how fast 3 months is approaching!

Enjoying awake time!

Crazy that a week ago, Parker was moody, fussy, and screaming constantly because this week he has been all smiles!  He has really started embracing awake time and "play" time.  (Funny how with an Iphone, the nice camera is never as near as it used to be).

Parker's grasping things and focusing on objects hanging in front of him.  He smiles at certain toys more than others and I find it hilarious!

He likes tummy time now, too!  I tried to tell him he'd like it as he got better at it. 

And his playmat is a great source of entertainment!  The big news of the week is that when Parker laughs, he snorts!  And then he gets startled by his snort!  It's so cute!!!  Just like him!

First Jumperoo Experience

Parker's first time in the jumperoo was a success! So crazy that he fits well in it (no blankets needed) at 2.5 months and Carleigh didn't until 5 months!

He didn't pay much attention to the toys all around it but did bounce up and down with a pillow beneath his feet.  Parker loves being upright so I think this may help during fussy times to aid in digestion.  So glad he seems to be feeling better!!!

You'd think this was my first time...

... as a parent!  I thought about deleting my post from yesterday after getting the news I got today about Parker.  But later when looking back, I realized that if my concern and worry and yes, being wrong, wasn't documented, then I'd forget how hard parenting an infant is, regardless of how many children you have. 

Parker has been way fussier than normal, and today was almost unbearable for me because I couldn't console him.  He would cry for 1-2 hours (and get so worked up that he'd choke) and then pass out for 2 or so hours.  I was grateful for the few naps he took but his awake time really had me worried.

  I wanted to double check with the doctor that it was his teeth and not something else bothering him.  I also didn't want to be giving him tylenol if nothing was wrong with him.

My friend Jill mentioned Epstein Pearls to me this afternoon before my visit, but I was sure I was right about the teeth.  Turns out, I was wrong. 

Epstein pearls: definition (From PubMed website)

Gingival cysts of the newborn

Epstein pearls are whitish-yellow cysts that form on the gums and roof of the mouth in a newborn baby.

CAUSES, INCIDENCE, AND RISK FACTORS

Epstein pearls occur only in the newborn and are very common. They are seen in approximately 80% of newborns.  The pearls are protein-filled cysts. The condition is harmless, although it sometimes worries new mothers.

SYMPTOMS

Whitish-yellow nodules appear on the gums or the roof of the mouth in a newborn. They sometimes look like emerging teeth.

Well, you can imagine that I felt like an idiot :)  The pediatrician just thihnks he has a tummy bug because he has been vomitting and has more frequent and looser stools than usual.  I actually left the office a little disheartened.  Not because I wanted him to have teeth, but because I wanted a more concrete answer to why he has been so out of sorts lately.  We're supposed to see how he's doing in 2-3 days and if he's not back to normal, we'll go back and revisit his milk allergy/reflux issues.  And of course, wouldn't you know that this evening he was smiley-mcgee! 

What a day!  Did I mention that parenting doesn't get easier the second time around?

Unbelievable

Over the weekend, I said more than a few times how something seemed wrong with Parker.  He is normally a very calm, happy baby and over the past few days he has been ...

... fussier than usual ...

...drooling a lot ...

... and believe it or not, sleeping harder when he fell asleep.

I took his temperature several times and the 99-100 degree temps combine with the constant biting, rather than sucking, of his pacifier and the above symptoms made me instantly think "could he be teething?" 

Carleigh teethed early (or what I thought was early) at 4 months with her upper incisors coming in first.  But 2.5 months?  Surely, it couldn't be.

Last night, Dustin and I looked and noticed one tooth breaking the skin.  But not a central upper incisor.  A cuspid (vampire teeth)!!!  How bizarre!  So bizarre that I called my pediatrician about it first thing this morning and the nurse assured me that while it's rare, the cuspids can come first.  Like most things to do with babies, everyone is different and with Parker, the timing and order his teeth are coming in, is VERY different.

This morning (after a fussy evening but surprisingly good sleep), we checked his mouth again.  The left side is definitely breaking the skin and I felt something on the right side in the same place hard and potruding under the skin.  After taking a picture to confirm, it is indeed the other upper cuspid making its way into Parker's mouth, too!  We are going to have a little vampire on our hands! :(

I'm hoping these come in soon and his discomfort is short-lived, but the mom in me knows that we have a rough road ahead of us, because once the first teeth break, the others aren't far behind.

New Year's Eve Part 2

We arrived at Papaw's around 7 pm and Carleigh and Carter immediately started doing more sparklers.  My camera battery died but thankfully Ronnie came through with his point and shoot in a clutch!

Nothing like closing out the year with one of her best friends!

The Little's left and we tried to get a family picture multiple times and this is the result.  Carleigh has been going through a "I don't want to" phase with photos and I've decided that my goal in 2012 is to attempt to be more realistic about life rather than try incessantly for fake perfection.  I will still have my camera with me often, but rather than 20 outtakes for everyday moments, take them as they are, and document whatever the result.  I feel like this will be less stressful for the kids and cathartic for me.  I know it will be harder than any other goal I've ever had but the challenge is good for me.

I actually stayed inside with the kids most of the night and Dustin hung out in the back around the firepit.  I didn't even stay awake long enough for the ball to drop but I was actually happy about getting to sleep at a decent time.

Good-bye 2011 and hello new year!  We are excited about 2012 and the adventures that lie ahead of us!

New Year's Eve Part 1

This New Year's Eve we decided to keep the kids with us and keep things low key.  We first went to a friend's get together where Carleigh and the other kids played, made s'mores and did sparklers! (with parental supervision).

Parker slept the entire time!  Surprise, surprise.  Carleigh, on the otherhand, was having so much fun that she didn't want to leave.That is until we told her that we were going to Papaw's for a slumber party! We left this party and headed over to Dustin's parents house to celebrate Ronnie's birthday and bring in the New Year.