Gaining Pounds!

look at those chubby cheeks!

Yea! Mason gained some weight!!!!!!  Mason and I had a WIC appointment on Friday, and when we went in she was weighed and measured.  She had grown 1/2 an inch in length (sorry I don't remember how long, but I want to think it was 22 inches... she's a shorty!)  and she weighed in at 14 pounds!!!! Now at her last appointment she only weighted 12 1/4 pounds.  However, she had a on a pretty wet diaper we when got to the appointment, and mother of the year here only had Campbell's diapers in the diaper bag....so at WIC we recorded her at 13 3/4 pounds- a pound an a 1/2 gain! Yippee! 

Babywearing

I love babywearing! More specifically I love my SleepyWrap!  It is the best babywearing device out there.  And just look how happy Mason is while I use it.  My only hope is that I'll still be able to use this on the airplane (got my tickets yesterday, the kids and I are going to Oregon/Washington to visit my family!) and that my belly won't be too big and in the way by then.  Yikes.  We will see.  Hopefully it will all work out well on the plane.  Mason isn't always so content just sitting.... she prefers to stand.  So I am throwing all my eggs in hoping that my SleepyWrap gets to be used in flight!

Family Pictures and Updates

I know its been a horribly long time since I posted anything.  I'm done making excuses.  I will try and do my best, but I am also done making any promises.  But I do like to share.  And the more time I spend typing, the better medicine I believe writing is for the soul.

But to make up for my lousy blogging ability, I have posted several new blogs, so for those of you who don't really understand how the blog works, make sure you check out all my posts in September.  As for myself, who doesn't understand how this blog stuff works, I would post a link for the posts here, but I don't know how to yet!

Anyways.

September has come freakishly fast.  Friends have had babies, and jobs have started.  I am watching Ms. Piper this year, 3 days a week.  She has turned into such a sweet little gal, and Campbell enjoys his playmate... most days.

Most days, Campbell is struggling with sharing, and this makes me struggle with patience.  Everyday I worry that I wake up with a little less patience for him and his never ending whining and screaming out "mine!"  I know that all 2 year olds go through this, I just wish it would pass.  And nothing seems to get through to his little brain.

For those of you who don't know.  Campbell has renamed himself.  Campbell has decided that his name is Doby.  At first it started as his answer when I tried to get him to sound out his name.  Then he just started adapting it as his name.  Then he would get laughter when he called himself Doby.  Well, now he has decided that this is the best name ever.  And he refers to himself in the third person, as Doby.  Doby's toy.  Doby's food.  Doby's turn.  I have no idea where this came from.  He only watches Veggie Tales and Sesame Street, and there is no Doby there.  I am completely perplexed by this strange name.  And now others have started calling him Doby (which is not appreciated by the way).

Campbell also started saying  I love you.  August 12.  I remember the date because it was Sam's birthday, and when he was giving Sam a hug he said "I love you Dada" completely unprompted.  2 days later he announced that He loved his Mama as well.  It is truly one of the most wonderful things to hear come out of his mouth.  

He is reciting numbers all the way to 20 now (in a row...) and I have successfully heard his chant his ABC's all the way through as well... I'd like to thank Sesame Street for their wonderful influence on his desire for this, but I also know that he has such a strong desire for reading and asking questions.  Two things that I think will make home-schooling him a blast and a challenge, but more fun than anything.

He is also singing a little.  I teach a Sunday School class for his age, and basically the kids sit in these small little seats, and I hand out various toys and we sing songs.  So Campbell believes that Mommy should always be singing at home.  Which I do indulge him quite often.  But how many times can a gal sing "The Wheels on the Bus"? Apparently its rubbed off, he can now sing all the verses in order.  And if I don't go in order, he lets me know.

He is a lot of work, challenges my patience, but he is really still the sweetest boy in the world, and today when I was working on the computer he still wanted to crawl into my lap and be held and cuddled.  I do love him...

Sweet little Mason (by the way the outfit she is wearing directly above this picture was made by me!) is not exactly growing every day... at least not in size, but she is growing in what she does.  She has started sitting up, not excellent yet, but she is getting to it!  She is still crawling everywhere, and is started to realize that she wants to play with her brother.  She is still just such a mama's girl.  To the point where she just will not be happy in most people's arms if she can see me.

This morning I woke up with a terrible headache, and Mason woke up a little too early for my taste.  Sam was getting ready for work, so I had him just get her up and put her in the booster seat for some morning cheerios.  I got up about 10 minutes later.  Now usually in the morning Mason sees me immediately after waking up, usually to nurse and snuggle in bed.

As I walked through the hallway and Mason saw me she absolutely freaked out! She was banging both of her arms up and down frantically, hitting her booster tray and just laughing and banging. I had never seen anything quite like it.  And when it looked like I wasn't going to immediately pick her up she started to panic a little.

A Mama's Girl, what can I say?

She will still lay her little head down on my chest, pop her fingers in her mouth, and start to go to sleep, so I really can't complain to much.

As for Sam and I, not much to update on there.  Work is still going well for Sam, and no his store isn't closing.   I think we are both just really tired here.  The kids haven't been going out a lot lately, which means we haven't had a ton of alone time where we aren't completely wasted.  But I have huge plans for 10 or 12 years down the road.

We have another baby checkup in a few weeks.  We will most likely hear the baby's heartbeat and find out that I have yes, gained a ton of weight, in oh my only 4 weeks?  I am trying hard to be excited for this baby, I just still feel like so many things are changing, and so much is out of my control.  And gaining this weight is really depressing.  

But, I am trying to pray for patience and trying to remember that this baby is a blessing.  I still have weeks to get better about this... and truthfully I am getting slightly more excited.  And I am planning a trip up north to see my family, which makes me really excited.  My dad loves Halloween and I can't wait to let him take Campbell trick or treating.  And we get to be up there for my youngest brother's birthday, which will make him so happy.  And Seattle and Portland, I love these places.  And my sister, and my mom, and the rest of the family.  I can't wait to go!  

For those of you who can give an extra prayer time, Sam's brother is starting his second dose of chemo. He is being such a trooper and has such a great attitude.  This is still scary, and we are all feeling emotionally drained, and poor Levi is just drained.  So please pray!  

That's about all.  Its after 9 and I need to retire to the couch.  

I have 3 more blogs a coming:

Babywearing (my favorite thing)

Our trip to the Fair (so much fun!)

And Auntie Ashley and Uncle Steven come to visit! (We miss you guys!)

Guitars and Goofing Around

Everyone has a blast when Sam plays the guitar.  Campbell loves getting to have the free time to tickle his sister.  He is really into tickling just everyone right now.  Mason is very entertained watching her Dad play the guitar.  And if she is in a pleasant mood, she will be mesmerized for quite awhile!

Mr. Mischief

Baby Powder Banaza

This is just what every mom wants to wake up too, baby powder- everywhere!  After a fun night celebrating Aunt Jess birthday, and me getting fake wasted on Shirley Temples (oh man, could I get Sam to go get me one right now???) I went into Campbell's room to find him happily awake, and quite happy with what he had done.  I had some friends watch Campbell and Mason so I could go out with Jess (Sam had to work) and I forgot to tell them that at night we move our little basket of diaper supplies out of reach of the crib.  And seeing that I didn't, well move it when I checked on him, this was the outcome.  And yup, this isn't the first time this has happened.  And probably won't be the last.  At least he doesn't mess with the diaper creme!

Mason, my little food nut

Mason, The Eater!

Oh my, does Mason love to eat.  I didn't really plan on giving this little one food at 6 months (she's now 8 months old) instead my plan was to wait a bit longer.  However, just like Campbell, Mason has not been gaining weight in the way that would make my Dr. and WIC happy.  In fact she had lost weight on our last check-up, and then got red flagged at WIC. This is so frustrating for me, because I am well aware of how much she eats- she eats a TON! And she will eat anything I give her.  But at 8 months old, I still doubt that she has topped 13 pounds.  What can you do?  I still think I should be able to bring in pictures of my father and my brother-in law, they are both tall and so skinny, incapable of gaining weight.  Maybe Mason will be happy to have a wonderful metabolism? Or perhaps when she really starts eat dairy will her weight come on (dairy does it for her mama!)