two and a half!

Dear Conor,

This past Saturday we celebrated your 1/2 birthday.  I can't believe you are officially 2.5 years old - such a big kid!  You continue to amaze us everyday with your laughter, your kindness, your spirit, your development, and your ability to ALWAYS keep us on your toes.  You are such an amazing little man.

Currently you are wearing a mix of clothing sizes.  Shirts are most often 2T but your pants/shorts are anywhere from 12-18 to 2T depending on brand.  You still have stubby little feet and are wearing a size 5.5W shoe.  You are 33" tall and weigh 28lbs (as per the last check at the doctor's office during one of Colin's well-being checks).  You are in size 4 diapers.

You always sleep through the night now.  Bedtime is a breeze.  We have dinner as a family, you get a bath (this is your special time with Daddy) and then he brushes your teeth, reads you a story, sings you a song, and puts you to bed.  You tend to go to bed anywhere between 6:30pm and 7:30pm depending on when we had dinner and how sleepy you are.  You currently sleep with a pillow and your "ella" blanket as well as a Minnie Mouse and a book.  In order to sleep you need to have your music, your elephant humidifier and your dinosaur night light all turned on.  You are quite the mover in your sleep and I'm never certain where in your crib you will be when I peek in on you via the monitor.  You have spent one night in a toddler bed at Grandma and Grandpa's house when we went down recently but you (and we) are not ready for that BIG step just yet.  You typically sleep until 7am.  You have been taking "rest" time since turning two and more often than not you are falling asleep for at least an hour.  This week its been more like 90 minutes, sometimes even 2 hours so I'm certain you are growing!

so sweet!

You are still a stinker when it comes to eating!  You do not like to try new things.  Waffles, French Toast, Chickie, noodles, fruit, pickles, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, and popcorn are what you will eat.  Mommy tries to get you to experience new foods but I simply won't force you.  Instead I sneak in veggies and other things that are good for you and you take a vitamin twice a day.  I will often mix ground flax seed in with your pancake mix, muffin mix, smoothies.  I put chia seeds in your smoothies and pancake mixes and sometimes in your yogurt (which you still think is ice cream).  I freeze veggie babyfood pouches in popsicle molds and you love eating them!  Its a battle of will little guy and Mommy wins sometimes :)

 

You use a fork or a spoon 90% of the time and you seem to have a preference for your left hand at this time.  Though you still switch during the meal so it remains to be seen which will become your predominant hand.  I have recently started teaching you how to drink from a cup or water bottle.  You still like to keep your entire mouth open when you drink so its a little tricky but you will get there.

 

Your vocabulary is amazing.  There is simply no other word for it.  You have so many words I can't even begin to count them.  You can sing songs, recite nursery rhymes and books, you remember lines to movies and apply them appropriately in your life (your famous line right now is "I can't" which is from the movie Frozen - we can't stand when you say this!).  You can sing your ABCs, you recognize all the letters and you can count to 17.  You can spell your name and Colin's name and little did we know - you can spell FROZEN.  You are slowly learning to use proper words to describe actions and past/present tense (i.e. we went, I did, they did).  Its so much fun to watch you learn.  You know your colors, you know quite a few shapes, and you are able to touch and count up to 10.  Some of your conorisms that are still around are:

"ella" - is your blanket or elephants
"ya ya" - now only refers to Auntie Sarah
"bedopbedop" - dinosaurs
"Talin" - Colin
"Tonor" - Conor
"poppop" - popsicle
"my sings" - my swings
"ahhh" - water/drinks

You also have a funny way of emphasizing certain words, sounds, phrases.  Its hard to put them to paper but the inflection in your voice when you say thing often makes me laugh.  Some of the things you say make me laugh (and others) not only because of what you say but how you say it and when.  You will often blurt out "I so excited" in a high pitched voice when doing something you want to do (this makes Sharon laugh every time).  When on the swings going really high you have started to say "this is Ammmazing" which is from the movie Frozen.  The other night you said to Colin "don't touch my penis baby Colin, I trying to pee on the floor."  Mommy couldn't help but laugh because I was so proud that you knew you were needing to pee but it was funny just the same.  Another famous thing you say is "he so happy" every time you pull Colin's binkie out of his mouth.  We are not certain where you got this from but its cute.

Some of your favorite things are:
(1) to be outside playing - you get so very upset when its time to come in
(2) the movie FROZEN
(3) Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Show
(4) playing trains & trucks
(5) going to the mailbox
(6) going to the park/beach
(7) playing "rescue" with your tow truck and fire truck
(8) doing things "all by myself"

You continue to be a great big brother to Colin.  Sometimes it challenging for you because you want so very much to play with all the toys and you don't always want to wait for his needs to be taken care of (and he's a needy guy).  We have had a few moment of difficulty but Daddy and I are trying to be patient and remember that this is new for you too.  Now that Colin is older and actually plays we have noticed you getting a little bit more jealous and wanting to share toys less but its something we are working on.  Despite what might go on at home during playtimes you are still always so proud to introduce him over and over again to your friends and people we meet.  You also are able to make him laugh like no other - he lights up when he sees you and the two of you are hilarious together.  You try very hard to engage in him your play and you offer him toys or his binkie when he is upset.  We have enjoyed watching you grow as Colin has grown, as your role of big brother has changed.

In another 6 months you will be three and 1/2 way through your first year of school.  I know all to well that day will be here before we know it (and we will celebrate with a Mickey Mouse theme according to you) because time moves so quickly these days.  Happy 1/2 birthday little man - we love you!

xoxo
Mama & Dadda

Happy Birthday Colin!

Dear Colin,

You came into this world in your own special way.  At 4:15am on October 31, 2013 you woke me up by creating a hole in the bag of waters.  I honestly thought it was urine leaking so I got up and went to the bathroom.  There, I peed, and then went back to bed only to have more liquid exit my body.  At that point I woke your Dad up by saying "I think my water broke."  He was very calm (actually - overtired as he had only come to bed an hour earlier as he was working so he would be free to trick or treat) and said to me "don't over-react you could be like those ladies that don't go into labor for days after their water breaks" and then he rolled over and went back to bed.  More water came out and so I called your Grandma Mary to let her know what was going on.  Then I woke your Daddy up and told him that I was sure my water broke and why didn't we just start getting things ready.

Your Daddy got up and started to get his things together and I jumped in the shower.  While in the shower my contractions started getting closer together and within minutes I heard your brother waking up (it was about 5am at this point) and so when I got out of the shower he was in my bed playing on the ipad while Daddy was downstairs putting food together for Conor.  The contractions were getting really strong at this point so the midwives were called and I was told to head to the hospital.  While waiting for Daddy to make sure Big Brother's things were packed (we had just unpacked all his snacks the night before in order to replace the things we felt should be eaten or switched up) Big Brother was helping Mommy to stay calm.  He touched my hand and said "Mamma" a few times.  He also kept talking about "baby heartbeat" because we had told him the night before that we would be hearing your heartbeat the next day at the doctor's office - and Conor does not forget things!

Daddy finally got everything loaded into the car and got Hunter settled and we drove up to the hospital.  Daddy took care of Conor while Mommy focused on getting into the hospital and up to the correct floor.  I was admitted immediately (it was once again shift change - both you boys liked to start things at shift change) and we spoke with the midwife who was just getting ready to come off her shift (Jerri).  Unfortunately, we had some bad news for her - the midwife who was coming on was one that we had said we did not want to work with and she checked out a few things and ended up staying with us.  I felt terrible because I didn't want to be a pain but I could not deliver you with that other woman.

The first thing Jerri did was make sure we were settled and then she checked me.  I was 6-7cm dilated which was far more progress on my own than I had ever made with your brother and I was not in pain so I was very hopeful that maybe I wouldn't need any medications and/or wouldn't need them until the end.  Grandma was on her way and called because she had gotten lost in town and needed help getting back to the hospital.  She finally arrived around 9:30am and was very thankful that she hadn't missed anything!

Before Grandma got there Daddy was focused on caring for Conor but since nothing was really going on with you this was perfectly fine.  But, then Grandma got there and it was her job to focus on Conor so Daddy could focus on you and me!  Around 10:30am I was checked again and had dilated further (7-8) without the need for medications but the pain in my hip was getting a lot worse.  I had been working with a chiropractor  issue in my hip that I first discovered when in labor with your brother.  I had seen the chiropractor after his birth and things improved but as the time came to deliver you the pain reappeared if I walked too far or was on my feet too much.  It was believed that I have a nerve/tendon issue and that is also why the epidurals all fail (more on that in a minute).  So, back to the story. 

As I was continuing to labor the pain was getting so intense that I was unable to feel you descending and when instructed to give little pushes was not able to isolate the muscles needed to complete this task because the pain in my hip was overpowering.  At some point I threw up - just once though - like I did with your brother.  I attempted to push on the area where the pain was but, in the end, I had to request the epidural.  After an hour we realized that it had not worked.  My RIGHT hip was still incredibly painful and I could not focus.  At this point I was 10cm dilated but needed to thin out and therefore needed to push a little to help you drop but still couldn't push.  A new doctor was called in and a booster of some sort was given and my left leg went completely numb and the pain in my right hip was dulled enough that I could focus on the task at hand - getting you out so that we could meet you! 

I was instructed to rest and Daddy went to take Conor for a car ride to give him the chance to nap.  Grandma offered to take you but we didn't think he would sleep for her and Daddy knew the area better and so could get back faster.  He wasn't gone more than 20 minutes when Jerri came back in and said if I felt ready to push I could.  So, Grandma texted Daddy and made him come back.  Poor Conor had only just fallen asleep and so Daddy got him all the way into the elevator before he woke up.  He was handed to Grandma and Daddy came to my bedside and held my hand while we started pushing. 

You were a great partner in this delivery - you let me know when you were ready for the push and when it was time to stop.  Once again, I felt that the actual pushing went very quickly.  There was a moment when you were crowning that I felt like I was too small for your big head and Jerri wanted me to pause but I simply couldn't because I felt like I was tearing in two.  So, two more pushes and your nose was out and then came the rest of you!  (Mommy didn't tear in two - she didn't even tear!).  You didn't cry right away but you were immediately laid on my chest and the nurse rubbed and rubbed you until you let out a big cry. 

You were just perfect and neither Daddy, Grandma or I could get over how much you looked like your brother when he was born.  Despite looking like Conor you clearly are a little boy with your own personality.  You did not want to nurse right away but you wanted to be held.  We waited for the cord to turn white before Daddy was asked to cut the cord.  As with your brother he did not want to and so I asked Grandma if she wanted to.  Once she was given the scissors Conor wanted to help and so he did.  Seeing you there on my chest was just as surreal as it was the first time I laid eyes on your brother.  There was an instant bond and a desire to protect you and not let you go - not even to Daddy.  It was also very special to me to have your brother there.  He was one of the first people to see you and to hold you and I hope that is a bond that the two of you never lose.

Conor cutting the cord

Cutting Colin's Cord (Conor and Grandma Mary)

Baby Colin is his own person.

Colin, you were born at 1:24pm on Halloween Day; my little pumpkin baby.  You weighed 9.25 oz and were 20.5inches long (just as long as Conor but 8oz more).  While you were bigger than your brother you looked so much smaller.  You had a blood sugar imbalance so you were subjected to pricks every few hours so that your blood could be tested.  Finally you got 2 tests that were in the appropriate span of time with the appropriate numbers so you could stop being tested.  This was a little stressful because Daddy wasn't here when I learned what was going on but we (you and I) made sure that we took care of things!

Why was Daddy not there?  Because he took Conor home for dinner and bed while Grandma stayed with us until it was time for her to leave and be with Daddy and Conor.  That left just you and I at the hospital (well, until your first visitors arrived).  Daddy also didn't stay when Conor was born so it wasn't your brother's fault that he left.  I encouraged Daddy to go both times because he's bigger than the couch/bed he would have had to sleep on and I knew you and I would get more sleep without Daddy in the room (which we did!).

Your birthday is a holiday and one that kids love.  I made a promise to you before we went to sleep for the night that no matter what your Daddy and I would make the day special for YOU and not just the night we trick-or-treat.

We love you very much little man and your birth has completed our family.  Happy Birthday Colin!

xoxo
Mommy

Brotherly Love

Dear Colin,

Now that you have a name its easier to write these posts to you.  Your brother is highly in love with you and I mean that very sincerely!  Back in August he started really wanting to have you with him at all times.  When we sat on the couch together he would lift my shirt and rub my tummy and talk to "the baby".

28 weeks pregnant; 19 months old

A few weeks later (8.29.13) he refused to take a nap unless you were napping too so we all slept on the couch together while Daddy was out working.

30 weeks; 20 months old

He loves to give you kisses!

And relaxes with you every day - already sharing his books, toys, and ipad time with you!

33 weeks; 20 months

No matter where he is or what he is doing your big brother is looking out for you.  He always wants to make sure you are included in everything!

35 weeks; 21 months

I hope that he continues to love you as much as he does now when you are here and making lots of noise!  So far, here are the things your brother is willing to share with you:
* toys
* Hunter
* books
* juice
* beep beep (his police car)
* trains
* blocks

The only thing he says he won't share is milk (your brother still nurses once in a while).  We of course, are working on teaching him that babies need a lot of milk and that he will have to share.  I'm sure it will all work out! 

xoxo
Mommy

A Name for our Little Boy

Dear Baby,

Its hard to believe that we are already in our 37th week and that I am considered full term and that means you could come any day and not be at risk for premature delivery issues (though please stay inside just a little longer - we are still trying to get organized in the new home).  Your Daddy and I picked out your name a little while ago but we have been getting use to it before announcing it on our blog.

How did we arrive at your name?  It was a long process.  There were so many names we could have picked but none of them seemed right.  Your Daddy loved the name Garret and its a strong and handsome name but it simply didn't seem right to me.  I loved the name Keegan but it didn't work well with our last name.  So, we made a list of names that we liked and went through them trying out different combinations until we found one that we really truly felt was just right for you - our littlest prince.

I knew I wanted another Irish name to compliment your big brother's and so we arrived at Colin for your first name.  Your name has many origins but the Gaelic once means: "cub" or "young pup".  This goes nicely with your brother's name which means "lover of hounds".  Hopefully this means that you two will get along very nicely!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_(given_name)

Your middle name is Patrick.  This is Mommy's most favorite boys name in the entire world but neither I nor Daddy like the nickname Pat and didn't want you to ever be teased by someone who thought it would be funny to call you Patty.  This name is very special to Mommy and I hope that you wear it well as it means "nobleman." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_(given_name)

So, Colin Patrick J.... - we have given you a name - a name we believe is strong and will serve you well throughout your life.  But for right now, we have taken to calling you Baby Colin and your brother calls you Baby Doro.....he'll get there someday.

Hugs and Kisses and lots of anticipation,

Mommy

Week 22 and Words

Dear Conor and Apple,

Conor you are growing and growing and growing!  Daddy and I talked and its time to get another set of pictures done because you have changed so much.  You now have seven teeth and there are three more popping through and one more showing its ugly little white mountain head!  Your vocabulary continues to grow and grow!  You now say PLEASE, Muffin, more, book, read, rice, truck, knee, bubble, Sarah and boat.

You have also developed a HUGE attachment to mom's old cabbage patch kid Clinton.  He has sat on your shelf since the day you came home from the hospital.  In the last two weeks you have taken notice of him and made requests to hold him and kiss him and that progressed to sleeping with him.  Now you are inseparable and he comes downstairs with you in the morning and goes back upstairs with you at night.  He sits with us when we nurse for bed and you seek him out several times a day.

Sleep has been coming much easier.  You now have a set bedtime that Daddy and I work hard to have you stick to.  At 5:45 we start getting ready for bed with jammies, tooth brushing, and stories.  I take you upstairs no later than 6:15, we nurse for less than 10 minutes and then I put you in your crib and you play with Clinton for a few minutes until you go to sleep.  Often times I have peeked in on you and you are sleeping with your head on Clinton or the two of you are in the same position. 

The last few days you have also started napping in your crib which is a HUGE first!  We started by having you nap on the bed in my office and then transitioned you to the crib.  Its now been 4 days of crib naps and you have slept at least an hour each time. 

Now - you have been growing so much its like you are getting ready to be a BIG brother!  And.....two weeks ago we found out that you are going to have a little BROTHER!!!!  Yup, that's right!  Mommy gets to be Mommy to TWO little boys!  Mommy and Daddy are very excited and we can't wait to see how the two of you are different and how you are alike.

So, now its time to pick a name for your little brother...and its going to be a lot harder this time around because it wasn't even easy to come up with your name :)!

Mommy is feeling pretty good but your little brother is very active and doesn't let Mommy get a lot of rest during the day or at night.  But, we are half way there and summer is going to be gone before we know it and then it will be almost time to meet your brother :)

Stink Face

Mommy and Little Brother at 22 weeks

Mommy and her boys

You have also started identifying body parts and you love to do so on Mommy and Daddy.  So far you know eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth, chin, knees, feet, toes, hands, fingers, bum, penis, belly, belly button, chest, head and hair!  Here you are pointing out Daddy's chin!

Daddy and Conor

We love you little man!

xoxo
Mommy

Week 18, a graduation, and words

Dear Apple,

You are so different from your big brother.  You don't love sweets (whereas he craved them); you move on a regular and consistent basis (he never did); and you need to be fed too much (Conor didn't care when I ate).  If your in womb behavior is any indication of your behavior on the outside you are going to be nothing like Conor!

This week Auntie D graduated high school.  We had intended to drive down there Friday night after I got out of work but your brother got sick and we ended up having to stay home.  We missed seeing her walk across the stage but thankfully Auntie C took a video so we got to watch that.  The good news is that I was able to arrange our schedule so that we will head down for her party this coming weekend instead.

Mommy and Daddy are slowly starting to think about your arrival.  We aren't quite 1/2 way there yet but we have started thinking about what life will be like with you in tow and we are both excited!

xoxo
Mommy
-------------------

Dear Conor,

You are growing up.  Your vocabulary is improving by the day and this week you have amazed me with some new words.  "fresh" "yes" "please" "grass" "tree" these are added to your already big list of words: mamma, dadda, hunter, no, beep, read, beans, more, ball, bee, baby, auntie, elmo, hi, weeeee, bird, up, duck, dog, bubble, ernie, nemo and sarah.  You also tend to call grandmas and grandpas all "bampas".

It is so much fun to watch you communicate!  You make a few animal sounds and you also communicate with sign language for "more" and "milk". 

You also love touching my belly, giving it kisses, and blowing raspberries on it.  I am sure your little sibling appreciates the noises you make for them!  I know that is make Daddy and I laugh every time and also think you are super sweet.  You are a caring little man and I can't wait to see how you do when the baby is really here!

xoxo
Mommy