Everly's Style

I can't begin to explain Everly's style. So, I'll just show you instead. Just in the past month, this is how we dressed and played:

Century Square

Century Square is a newer place in College Station. It is where the International Housing was when Vic and I were in college. But, they have built up restaurants, a movie theater, retail shopping, and this great big green space covered in turf. We've only been a couple of times with the kids but it has always been so fun. The kids run and play and we have gotten food at the restaurants around it and just eaten on the ground. This time there was live music. We lasted until Hazel got hungry and then nursed in the car before we headed home. It was just fun! One of my favorite moments was when Atticus, who at age 7, still seems to be just growing up so much, asked me to throw the football with him. So, we are out on the green, and Hazel is good in her carseat in the stroller and the girls are playing where I can see them and Vic is off ordering food and there are other kids playing football in the green space. But, of all that is going on, Atticus asks ME to throw the football with him. He's not embarrassed that I am no good or that I am his mom. He WANTS to throw it with me. It just made my heart so happy because I love him so very much and know there will come a day where he picks friends over his mom to throw the ball with. I hope it is a very long time from now, but I just loved, loved, loved that evening of throwing the ball with him for a little bit. Once the pizza came, I had to stop to get the girls settled and eating and some kids asked Atticus to throw with them and I was glad he joined them. But, I was so happy he picked me first! And, actually, I was also so happy to see him join these kids because it really made him feel good to throw with other kids and be good at it! He wants so much to throw the football really well.

Anyways, the entire evening was fun, except next time we will actually just bring Chick-Fil-A or something to eat. It took Vic, the entire night I think, to order our food. We thought it would be easy to get pizza for the kids and burgers for us, but everywhere was busy and had long waits, even though it wasn't that packed outside. So, we ended up skipping burgers and trying crepes. I will say that I was excited to try a savory crepe, but yuck! Not impressed! Give me all of the sweet crepes, but no more savory ones for me!

Here's some quick photos of our night.

The Wash Car

The Wash Car - nope, not saying it wrong. Everly (and Grace before her) have called the car wash "The Wash Car" and neither of them have like going through one. I think the car wash is so fun to drive through! But, with both girls, I have had to taek them out of their carseats to hold them or put them in the front seat close to me. On this particular day, I loved watching Grace hold onto Everly and them both try closing their eyes so they could not see "the wash car". The funny thing is that Everly LOVES to point out car washes and tell me we need to go there, but as soon as we are in one, she changes her tune!

Everly's Bunnies

So, a couple of months ago, when Vic was taking Everly for a walk, he started pointing out things they would see in other people's yards. If they saw little statues of animals or children or other fun yard items, they would look at them and talk about them. Well, soon, they realized that quite a few houses had little stone or metal bunnies in them. So, over the past couple of months. when anyone takes Everly for a walk, it's "to go see the bunnies". We point them out and she walks up to pet them if we let her. It's the cutest thing! She acts like they are real and will tell them "bye bunny" when it's time to keep moving. One house, her favorite, has not only bunnies, but a goat and some carrots as decorations. She will walk all the way over to pet them and then tell the goat to eat the carrots. It's really the sweetest thing and I'm glad she and Vic started this routine. So, that is why, Vic bought for her, her own little metal goat for our yard at home, while at the pumpkin patch that day.

Nursing her baby

 

I walked in to my room one day, where my rocker that I nurse and rock Hazel is, and Everly is sitting in my chair with her shirt up and her doll nursing. It only lasted this one time and I have not seen her do it since, but I asked her about it and she said she was giving milk to her baby. I LOVED it because first, I think nursing is the sweetest thing and one of my favorite things and second, I loved it because she was only doing it because I do it. I love that they watch what we do and mimic it. It makes my heart so happy!

Pumpkin Patch

We made an annual trip to the Farm Patch's Pumpkin Patch this weekend. We actually went to eat lunch at Chicken Oil first and then headed on over across the street. The kids had a good time running through the hay maze, climbing on pumpkins and taking pictures. We picked out some little ones and came on home!

 Atticus gets bigger every year at this pumpkin patch! I think we started coming when he was only one year old!

 Everly needed to take this goat home. She talked to him like he was her real pet.

 

 That's how I felt after Pumpkin Patch day, too, Hazel!

It's football season!

So, for the last 6 weeks, we have been watching some Fightin' Texas Aggie Football! And, of course, we have to wear our maroon! Also, I signed the kids up for the Junior Aggie Club which means they get free tickets to lots of sporting events and then some half priced tickets to one football game, as well as some other conference games for baseball and basketball. So, this past weekend, Vic and Atticus went to see A&M BTHO Kentucky! Whoop! They had seats in the north end zone on the 3rd deck, and they had a great time! And, after overtime play, we won! Vic said Atticus stayed completely into the game; never asked for anything (although Vic said they indulged in lots of good concession stand food!) and never complained. Atticus loves seeing sporting events, but games are long and you can get pretty tired, even at 7 years old. So, we were proud of him and really glad that he had such a good time! Here we are in some maroon and white!

And Vic is so photogenic! He always looks so nice and is so fit and healthy! Maybe one day, his wife will get her act together and look better for him! ha!

And here are pictures from the football game:

Gig 'em Aggies!

Hazel is 2 months old!

Our little Hazel Laine is two months old! Here are some facts about her:

• At her 2 month appointment, she weighed 10 lbs. 15 oz. (37th percentile), was 23 inches long (72nd percentile) and her head was in the 65th percentile.
• She is in size 1 diapers.
• She is in 0-3 month clothes
• She is sleeping through the night!! At least she is about 80% of the time. It probably started about at about 5 1/2 weeks. And she is doing better all the time. Sometimes, we still have nights where she wakes up to eat once, but then goes back to sleep. One night she was up for THREE hours awake and with a tummy ache. But, otherwise, she is going to bed anytime between 10pm - midnight and sleeping on average 8 hours a night. Sometimes she has even done up to 10 1/2 hours.
• She is still nursing well and I have no pain. I still have to help her latch, but she eats well. She eats a lot during the day, so we don't have a schedule yet. 
• She loves taking a bath, but HATES getting out and just cries and cries until she is diapered, lotioned, dressed and then finally nursing. But, while in the bathtub, she is so happy. 
• She sleeps swaddled (but her legs stay out now) in her bassinet at night. She tends to nap in the rock n play or finishes her afternoon nap in her carseat. 
• Except for possibly right before bed, or in the middle of the night when she falls back asleep, she does not sleep in my arms much. This part makes me so sad. I want her to nurse herself to sleep and then sleep on my chest or in my arms. But, honestly, I haven't been able to help her form that habit, because of our inconsistent days. She tends to fall asleep in her rock n play during the day instead. And while this gives me a chance to tend to Everly or shower or do other things, I really wish she slept in my arms more.
• She still doesn't like taking a paci.
• She has started playing more. She hangs out in her rocker and just concentrates on those animals that hand above her and smiles at them and is so interested in them moving when she kicks. She also hangs out on her play mat and kicks and plays while we play in the playroom with Everly. She, however, does NOT like tummy time.
• She likes taking walks in the stroller.
• She is staying awake more, because she plays, but our naps are very inconsistent. If I was actually at home all day long, I think I could get her into a routine. But, she will probably be like Everly was, and just go with the flow of our day.
• Her hair fell out completely on top at about 4 weeks, but has since started growing back. It still looks like a dark blonde.
• She started smiling around 6 weeks old too and they are the sweetest smiles! She will smile after a good poop (she feels so much better!) and when I unwrap her swaddle when she wakes up in the morning. She also smiles a lot at the kids or us when we play.
• She is holding her head up well and really loves to be carried around on your shoulder all the time. She is most content that way.
• Also at night, to get her to sleep, after I am sure she is full, Vic will carry her in his arms to let her fall asleep. Then we wrap her and lay her down. She is falling asleep faster and faster every night. He has this magic touch and comfortable arm hold and she falls asleep easily. But, even during the day, he can hold her this way walking around the house and she also dozes off. I am starting to get her to fall asleep this way too, if it is after Vic has gone to bed. And, she definitely prefers walking than rocking.
• She is still in the bassinet in our room too. I never want her to move to another room!
• She made her first road trip this month, with Atticus and myself, to meet the remaining Erwin family members and meet baby Norah!!
• She is just little and cute and soft and sweet and we love her so much. 

How I am Doing: 
I am doing ok at 2 months postpartum. As usual, all c-section pain was gone right at 6 weeks. I feel like some of my physical strength is gone, so hopefully that builds back up soon. That could be from lack of doing anything strenuous those last 2 months of pregnancy! And, sometimes I can get a little off balance, which I am watching. I'm not necessarily dizzy, but just catch myself off balance. I don't want to fall! And most of the time, my brain is on overload - I am forgetting things which I hate doing. And, some days I just can't clear my head; I have too many thoughts and can get overwhelmed. Then, my patience runs out and it's terribly unfair to the kids at that point. I think I am basically doing everything at about 30% productivity and can't get above that. Not one kid is getting enough attention each day and I hate that. I know, I know - they don't know the difference and they are fine, but I know the difference. I am a stay at home mom, and not a working mom, so I should be better at managing all of the things. I stayed up super late one night and got all kinds of things done and started the next day feeling so good. If I could just do that every other night, I think I would be better off. But, I think that is all just part of life until we get a better routine down. I'll get it together soon!

Here is our sweet girl at 2 months old: