Saturday, April 6, 2013

Millie's 3rd Birthday Party {and some 3 year life updates}

I really wanted to make Millie's birthday special, especially since so much attention has been focused on Wyatt lately. I think she had a great time, especially playing with her "best friend" Hunter Claire from school , running around, blowing bubbles, and eating cake. The girl probably had more sugar that day than all the other days of her 3 years combined. Parenting win. It was a little chillier than we would've liked, but the sun was shining brightly and Millie didn't seem to care. 















 





At three years old, Millie Bean is quite the character. There are so many different facets to her, just like a regular grown-up person. She can be sweet and soft and gentle one minute and then wild and rough and tough the next. She speaks so well and can often identify her feelings with only a little guidance or questioning. She loves music and dancing. She carries her music machine all around the house and always requests/demands that we watch her dance. She is 100% Daddy's Girl. I know she loves me (she tells me!), but she by far prefers to be by his side. They are the best of buds. He sure is sweet on her. She is a great big sister too. She really delights in all that Wyatt does and likes to be with him and soothe him and give him toys and laugh at all the noises he makes. He adores her too.

Millie loves to learn and play and do her work. She loves to read, play with her dolls, and care for her animals. Usually, instead of taking naps, she has "quiet times" each afternoon. There are definitely days where she sleeps, but it is no longer guaranteed. She's even fallen asleep on the floor a couple of times listening to music like a real teenager. Bedtime can be pretty late on the days she actually sleeps, but she is still in her room at her regular bedtime. When she turned three, she started waking up at night again. Oh joy. She now sleeps with her light on, door open, and two night lights. She has been keeping her pull-up dry during nap and at night more and more so YAY for those improvements. She has started to go to the bathroom all on her own (in the morning and at night) too.

Some of her favorite things: tutus, bubbles, juice (recently introduced), playing games, doing the days of the week board, looking at pictures on my phone, wearing "fancy dresses," going to the beach, going to restaurants, playing with dolls, asking questions, being bossy and persistent, eating cereal and blueberries, climbing on top of us, playing hide and seek, going to Izzy's house, going to school, dancing, reading before bed (she's been sleeping with a book), just hanging out, going to Target, going to the park, doing crafts, and creating little worlds with her people.

Her imagination continues to evolve. She tells wild stories and we can have full on conversations with her these days. She has a lot of BIG feelings that are sometimes difficult to handle and express. But we're working with her to get through them in a peaceful way, even when that is hard for all of us. That's our goal, at least. She demands a lot of attention, but is also so good at playing independently for long stretches of time. She tries to be quiet and have "soft feet" when Wyatt is sleeping. She doesn't like getting her hands dirty. She likes to blow her own nose. She is generous with hugs and kisses. She has started saying thank you to strangers. She is still quiet and hesitant around people she doesn't know, but she is easy to warm up. She really is a darling. A wild darling, but a darling just the same.


Thursday, April 4, 2013

Wyatt James: 4 months old


Sweet little man
Besties
Those teeth
Cubs opening day
Going BLUE! (So close...)

Beach bub.


Sibs.
Easter 2013
Rider buddy
 First bath with sissie

This guy is growing and changing so quickly; it is terribly bittersweet. I'm not fighting against time, well, because clearly there is no point to that. But also because I am looking forward to getting more sleep one of these nights. And hopefully time will help with that. He is such a sweetheart, but sleeping long stretches is not his top skill. We still have at least two wake-ups each night and it is really wearing us out. His naps are improving and are becoming more consistent (1hr-1.5hrs in the morning and afternoon and then a short one in the late afternoon). But now we're dropping the swaddle, so I'm sure we'll have a (hopefully) short regression there.

He's become quite the Grabby McGrabberson in the past couple of weeks. Hard to get much done holding or carrying him. He is awake and most definitely an active participant in this world. He is so close to rolling from back to belly and easily gets to both sides. Belly to back has been going on for over a month. Dude is teething. Like, whoa. He doesn't get crazy upset about it too often, but everything goes in the mouth. Everything. And he's drooling up a river. So we're hoping these toothers pop soon and give him some relief. And maybe, just maybe, help him sleep better??

As these pictures attest, Wyatt and Millie are besties. He is obsessed. She is my magic bullet when he is being a grouch. He will just follow her (with his eyes) wherever she goes. She gets a little rough now and again and sometimes gets too much up in his business, but usually she is a dream with him. One of the videos above I captured spying on them from the video camera (it records!). It makes my stone cold heart melt. Millie can make him laugh like no other.

We haven't had his 4 month appointment yet (it's this week), but I'm guessing he's around 15 lbs. Much bigger than his itty bitty sissy was at this age. He is such a smiley little guy and chatty too. He went on his first trip this past week--back to Chicago. He was shockingly amazing on all four flights, sleeping almost the whole time.When he wasn't sleeping he was looking around, smiling at fellow passengers, and being a squirmy worm. He loved meeting all of our friends and seems to be happy when someone/anyone is paying him some attention. Although, I have to say that sometimes it seems that he just needs his mama. I don't hate this. Like, at all.

He likes to try to stand and wobble. And he's a pincher. I have to cut his nails regularly or it's major ouchie.  He is one strong guy. We've been taking a baby yoga class once a week and he really seems to love it. He likes to lie on the activity mat and it can keep him occupied for a while. He's discovered his toes. And he wants them in his mouth, like everything else. He gets frustrated when he can't rub his gums with his toys as he'd like to. But he'll learn.

He is a charmer and offers his gummy smile to friends, new and old. He seems thoughtful and determined. And not nearly as intense as his big sister was/is. But I guess there's still time for that.

He is our special guy. Happy four months, little man. We are so glad that you're here. One of us. On our team.