Wednesday, June 11, 2008

For Dash at 8 Months

My Dearest Dash,

I'm trying to keep up with these notes to you, but you boys keep me SO busy!!

You're sleeping through the night almost every night! Yay! Now if you could show your brother Fin how to do that...sigh. No more swaddles for you either - you're too big! You're still growing too fast and it's size three diapers for now. I had to take down your swing this weekend since you're too big for it and you'd rather crawl out of it than swing anyway :)

We're staying busy! We're watching Leila and Zach grow and I can't wait until the three of you are ready to play together. We just got back from your first Vacation - to North Carolina with Mommy's family. You LOVED the beach! Not so much a fan of the sand but put you in any body of water and you're totally relaxed. Speaking of which, we try and get to the pool a few times a week and I just pop you in your raft and you float around happily while I play with Fin. You're even more in your element in the tub and Fin is constantly yelling at you to stop splashing.

You're talking all the time - just mama and dada and other babbles, but it's so cute to hear. You're also quite the giggler lately. And waver too! All I have to do is ask for a wave and you're more than happy to oblige. You're also becoming more mobile by the day. You're crawling short distances (you have to be VERY motivated) and pulling up on anything you can get your hands on. The ability to get around, albeit a little bit, is really making you a much nicer little man. You love to sit and play, surrounded by toys.

You're still taking two naps a day and a few little snoozes (usually in the car). We all lay down for famliy nap time at 10:30 - I'm usually beyond ready by then for a little down time. You only really need an hour, so you and I sneak out and let Fin nap a little more. It's nice to get some alone time with just the two of us. We work on crawling and chatting. Then when Fin gets up you are SO excited to see him! I can't wait to watch the good friends you boys become.

So there you have it Dash, your life today in a nutshell. You're still teething like mad with NO teeth to show yet, and perfecting your speed crawl. Again, I'm asking you to please slow down my little one!

All My Love,
Mom

Sunday, June 01, 2008

To Fin at 2.5

My Dearest Fin,

Time seems to be in fast forward with you boys these days - I can't believe you're two and a half. Before I know it, you'll be three!

Our morning routine is unchanged, you get up and come into our room and crawl into bed with Daddy and I and snuggle for a bit and watch some TV. You let Mommy and Daddy seep in a little more, but not too much, you really prefer for us to watch your shows with you :) Daddy goes and gets Mom's OJ and your milk and we chat a bit before Dash wakes up and wants his breakfast. Some days he sleeps until 8 and since you never sleep later than 6, we get some nice time in together.

You're retaining your title of greatest helper to mommy. You're quick to throw any clothes on the floor into the washer and help me get all the dirty diapers directly into the "diaper thing". The clothes part makes Daddy a little frustrated since he sometimes plans on rewearing (ew) stuff he puts on the floor. I think he's learning that clean clothes don't go there :)

Back to our routine. It's more fluid these days since Maya and Taylor became big sisters. Life is more difficult to coordinate with so many babies involved! We see your friends as often as we can and make sure we get to go on a few walks to the park and to the pool a few times a week. You still go to MyGym on Tuesdays and we just started a new preschool class on Thursdays. Your friends are all in it, and it's the first class you've done where Mommy can leave you. Although you wanted me to be visible in the waiting room during the first class so we'll see how that goes! On Fridays, we're back to having lunch with Mommy's friend Katie. You love her and you always beg her to come back to our house and play with you - and usually she does.

On the weekends we do walks with daddy and enjoy eating out. You're so funny with your pasta and burger diet, but I get plenty of fresh fruits into you during the day and you'll still eat baby food veggies so you do get some of those. We also do family movie night every Sunday. You love to sit in bed and watch movies with us and Mommy and Daddy LOVE that!

You're still a chatterbox. Some days I have to beg you to just give me a little quiet time. But you're so smart! You're also always listening so I have to remind everyone to watch what they say around you. We just returned from Topsail with your Uncles and I'm amazed that your vocabulairy didn't come back "enriched". You have total mastery of the alphabet - you can tell me any letter by sight and sound and vice versa. We're working on your writing and you're always asking me to help you write your name. Someday you'll appreciate the brevity of "Fin"! We're also working hard on recognizing your numbers, but you're not nearly as motivated with them as you are with the alphabet. Our potty training has stalled a bit, which is a bummer since James and Taylor are well on their way. But I know you'll let me know when you're ready - or at least I know you're very clear with me that you're NOT ready right now.

That's all for now my dear, I love you more than you know!

Mommy

Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Photo Editing


I've been playing around with some photo editing techniques and thought this one turned out pretty cool...

Friday, March 21, 2008

For Dash at 5 Months

My Dearest Dash,

Just like I did for your big brother Fin, I thought I would write you a little note and tell you some things about what your life is like at five months old.

You're sleeping in your own crib now, like such a big boy, and some nights (rarely) you even sleep straight through until morning! We still swaddle you, although you are quckly outgrowing your blankets. If we want to keep it up, we'll have to use quilts soon :) You're growing faster than I'd like and I think you're days in size two diapers are numbered. I went to Target last night (leaving you boys home with Daddy) and as I walked past all the cute little baby clothes I suddenly realized that you'd already outgrown them! It feels like it was yesterday that I found out I was pregnant with you and started looking at them again. How did you get so big??

With all of Fin's activities and playdates, our days are BUSY! We see Fin's friends from Mommy's birthing class almost every day. Lucky for you, Maya's mommy Kindra had a little girl a few weeks ago - Leila - and Taylor's mommy Elise will have little baby zach in a few weeks. You'll soon have a playgroup of your own! You've survived your first trip East as well as your first trip to Vegas (which you loved!) and our next few months will be filled with tons of travels as we go to New York for Aunt Carrie's Wedding, Topsail, NC for the beach vacation, and then back to DC in September for Aunt Julie's wedding. You're going to be one well-travelled little guy! Speaking of travelling, you're quickly becoming far too long for your "baby bucket" car seat. Your skinny little legs dangle off the ends of it and that's not to mention how buff mommy's arms are getting from trying to haul it around. We've already got your big-boy car seat ready to go, I'm just waiting until you can sit up a little better so that you're ready to tackle the world of shopping carts and high chairs!

Speaking of moving on to big things, you said your first word this week (3/19)! Daddy had come home from work early and got to hear it - Mama. Since Fin's first word was Dada, I think this was fair :) We're so proud of you, but a little concerned. I can't imagine a child more talkative than Fin, and you said your first word a little earlier than he did. At least you'll have eachother to talk to.

You take two naps a day and a few little snoozes. After running around all morning, we take a family nap together at 11. You're not very good at sleeping on your own yet, so most days I have to lay down with you both. Although I usually don't sleep, it's probably a very needed rest for me. Some days you and Fin both insist on "snuggles" and I find myself with a boy under each arm. I have to admit that there are days when you two seem too good to be true.

Like Fin, the late afternoon is the most difficult time for you. Everyone is waiting for daddy to come home and mommy's usually a tad tired and crabby. Once everything settles down, it's time for a bath. This is a mommy and daddy tag-team effort. Mom get's in with you AND Fin(oh the embarassment this will cause when you're both teenagers!) and dad get's everything ready for when we get out. You love the tub and you could care less when I dunk you or dump water over your head to wash your hair. There are some nights when I think you'd like to stay in the tub for hours! You love to lay on your back and kick and float. You're learning how to splash too - no doubt by the example of your big brother! After your tub it's time for one last meal and then to bed. We've been trying desperately to get you to take a bottle, but with no luck. Apparently there is just no substitute for mommy! We miss you being in our bed at night, but we all sleep a little better with you in your crib (three nights in a row of sleeping straight through as I type this). But on the weekends we all pile into Mommy and Daddy's bed in the morning and settle in for some snuggles and cartoons. You love to watch TV :)

So dearest Dash, there's a picture of your days right now. You're teething like mad, working very hard on your sitting skills and enjoying your first tastes of food (bananas are your favorite right now). We love you so much and are so enjoying watching you grow. Could you just slow down a little?

All My Love,
Mom

Friday, March 07, 2008

Carrie's Bachelorette Party



Here are just two shots from our weekend in Vegas for Carrie's BP. Mama ready to go and one of Susan, Carrie and Jess out front of the Bellagio fountains.