More Cora Funnies (again)

While taking Alex's temperature she said to me, "You are a very good doctor, Mommy."

Warning: Vulgar but funny
Cora had an incredibly long and loud toot (Matt and I were staring at her with our mouths open due to it's duration and volume). Afterward she said, "Oh, I burped!"

She also said of this song http://www.musictogether.com/ListentoOurSongs (click Hello Song to hear a snippet), "This is my favorite song!" Listen to it 5 times in a row and see if you wish you would suddenly lose your ability to hear.

Full Hands

My aunt has said in regard to the number of children one has, "One is like none and two is like ten." If that math is correct, then three kids is actually like 15 (or would it be 20?). It sure feels like it sometimes. The frenetic pace that three kids has brought is a little crazy (sometimes it's a lot crazy and I actually think I'm losing my mind). Matt sat down one evening recently and said with exasperation and exhaustion, "Somebody always needs something!" Gee, really?

I get why three kids might be a springboard to agreeing to have four, five or more children (though we are done!). I think it's that tipping point between manageable and plain nutty--once you've crossed over into nutty, you might as well stay the course.

Having Cora really rocked my world and I had a hard time "starting over again" with another newborn (no sleep, no schedule, no life). Adding Alex has been much easier. Maybe I was more prepared for the upset that was going to occur? Or maybe it helped that Eva can do a lot of her personal care and is very helpful around the house? Either way, adding him to our family was not too much of a shock.

Even though I have some days that I just want to put all three of them in a box with a sign that says, "Free to Good Home" I would obviously never trade them for anything. Each of them is so different and so special and have already taught me so much in their short little lives. I met a woman recently at Eva's school and she told me, "You have your hands beautifully full." And I truly do.

Today in a nutshell

Wake up.

Put dishes away.

Get self ready for day.

Clean house.

Put Alex to bed.

Make a cake and subsequently destroy kitchen.

Get Alex.

Have friends over for playdate (children still in pajamas).

Friends leave.

Feed Eva & Cora cake for lunch (because I’m the mom and I can).

Put Alex to bed.

Put Cora to bed.

Put dishes away again.

Waste a little time on the computer.

Get Alex.

Read some books to Eva and Alex.

Put Alex to bed again.

Get Cora.

Get Alex after he did not fall asleep—it’s late enough so he’ll just go to bed super early.

Take everyone outside to play in the driveway.

Play referee for Cora and Eva.

Blow some bubbles.

“No, let’s not play with the paint today. Oh, you can open it yourself? Too late…whatever.”

Eva gets paint on her clothes—drama ensues, sadness and despair, etc.

Cora gets paint on her clothes—doesn’t care.

See two large black labs and one very large German Shepherd coming down our street.

Elsie, who was shut in the backyard (or so I thought), comes rushing up the street toward them barking, hackles raised. Chaos ensues (second time I used the word “ensues” in this post).

Somehow get Elsie inside the house (all the while holding Alex).

Decide that we need to go inside.

Cora has tantrum.

Strip Cora down inside the basement (due to paint all over her clothes).

Turn tv on while I wait for the man of the house to come home.

Matt comes home—some order is restored.

Put Alex to bed.

Scarf some dinner.

Matt fills hole in fence and starts some laundry.

Put Alex to bed again.

Sit for a few minutes on the couch and watch the girls run laps around the coffee table.

Put Alex to bed AGAIN.

Tuck girls in.

Type this post.

(Not included are the million diaper changes, breastfeeding sessions and food preparations that are part of my daily life.)

Alex's 4-month Check-up

Alex had his 4-month check-up today. He is 18 pounds and 6 ounces (95th percentile) and is 26.5 inches long (91st percentile). You know your child is the exception rather than the rule when the nurse can't stop giggling (really, couldn't stop--get a grip, woman) over how big he is and your pediatrician uses words like "sumo wrestler" to describe him. In regard to milestones, the pediatrician said to go ahead and let him scream his head off at night because he should be able to sleep much longer at night than he currently is. Also, he is not rolling over in either direction--the doctor noted his excellent strength, muscle tone and head control and said he's just a little "lazy." So it's not a lack of ability that is preventing him from rolling over but a lack of motivation (making a mental note of this for the future). I prefer to think of him as low key rather than lazy.

Eva Funny

After learning that I received a shot today at my doctor appointment Eva said, "Did you get a mom band aid?"

More on Sleeping (or should I say less?)

We are just a week away from a magical mark. Yes, Alex will be 4 months next week and according to the "Sleep Bible" (aka "Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child) this is when we can finally sleep train with success. Up until now, Alex has been pretty good--not perfect by any means, but pretty good. I have noticed lately that it is getting harder and harder to get him to sleep as the day wears on and he is waking up a LOT more at night to eat. We've been letting him cry a bit more to see if he can calm himself and go to sleep but we usually cave after some time and soothe him. He calms down and falls asleep within 30 seconds of being picked up, so it has become a matter of wanting our presence rather than an inability to sleep. So if you go past my house and hear incessant screaming, you'll know why.

Speaking of sleep, here are Eva and Elsie cuddling during an afternoon nap. Elsie would do anything for a good afternoon cuddle and she was happy to cozy up to Eva while she snoozed. Eva made sure Elsie was nice and toasty by throwing a leg over her.

Funny story: A parent at Eva's school told me I'm "Super Mom" as I unloaded my three munchkins from our van. I laughed and said I was far from it. But maybe not...I'm SUPER tired most days and my house is SUPER messy. Maybe I am "Super Mom" after all. Here are my kids looking SUPER crazy in jammies and some winter accessories. The pacifier in Cora's mouth is just for fun--she seems to think it's pretty funny these days.
Random: Alex contemplates hair choices. A buzz cut or a nice brown weave. Which do you prefer?

Sleeping Situation

I have had a hard time putting Alex in his crib to sleep. Since this is our third and final baby (that's the plan), I have not been in a rush to put him in his own room. Also, I have two other kids to take care of when I wake up so it is key to my survival to get as much sleep as possible and that has meant co-sleeping with Alex. We have an actual co-sleeper next to our bed but Alex inevitably wakes up to eat and the next thing I know it's two hours later and he's still snuggling with me--it's sweet and I don't mind it one bit.

Alex now takes all his naps in his crib and starts his night out in there until I go to bed and he asks to eat. Other times, nursing him to sleep while we both lie in the big bed is the only way to get him to settle down and go to sleep. The other night we were laying in bed gazing lovingly into each other's eyes and I started to sing him a little ditty that I always sing at bedtime and his eyelids got heavier and heavier and then he was asleep (I felt like the baby whisperer). It was a sweet moment.

Back to napping... He still takes a lot of 45-minute naps and that's starting to get old but I know eventually he'll stretch out and it will all be ok. In fact, I noticed yesterday and today that a few of his naps were closer to an hour long (of course, one of those naps ran into the time that I had to get Eva from school so I had to pull a sleeping Alex and put him in his car seat).