Catching Up

 

It has been so long since I blogged, and I’m feeling kind of rusty.   I don’t feel like my thoughts are flowing cohesively (ever) (could it be because I have to say everything at least 3 times in a row during the day?) (see?  Rambling!)

So, I’m just going to go for it, and see what comes out.

Caitlin, unedited and unprepared.

Late night edition.

Also, I’m extremely hungry because of my diet.

Wait, where were we?

Yes, catching up.

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Let’s start youngest to oldest- shall we?

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SAMUEL:

How did he get to be SIX MONTHS OLD??!   Oh, heavens!  How I love this baby!  I mean, I really, reaaally love this baby!  His smells, his squishyness, his feather-soft hair! 

 

 

I am pretty much his slave.

He whimpers, and I pick him up and snuggle/comfort/feed him.

Luckily, he hasn’t realized that this ALSO applies in the middle of the night (he sleeps through about 5 nights a week), but his naps have still been a bit of a bust. (20 minutes, once or twice a day).

And anyone who says that I shouldn’t complain about a non-napping baby- seeing as how he sleeps through the night- has never spent the day with a 20+ pound ball of exhaustion and whininess strapped to them while dealing with the shenanigans of two others!

 

But there’s hope!  This week his naps are getting better! (knock on wood!  knock on wood!) Mostly because I have been a hermit so that he can get on a schedule! Pros and cons, I suppose.

Anyway, besides his sleep habits, which can be a bit monotonous to people-who-are-not-his-mother (at least I’m not talking about his poop!) Samuel is now sitting up pretty well, and rolling over one direction!

In fact, he rolled over the DAY before his 6 month appointment- so that when the doctor said, “he IS rolling over- right?” I could proudly announce- “YES!”

Also, he is 22 lbs 8 oz, and 28 inches long.  Bigger than Joseph, but not as big as my 25 pounder, Isaac!

 

Lastly, and surprisingly given his weight, Samuel LOATHES solid foods!

 

 

 

ISAAC:

Is, as I’ve said before, extremely mischievous.  And physical.  And filled with 3-year-old angst.  (Terrible Twos?  Pshaw!  Terrible THREES in our family!)

 

He makes me laugh every day, and makes me CRAAAAAZY every day!

He LOVES his Mama, and is always up for a Mama snuggle, kiss, or book! (His current favorite is “Llama, llama, Mad at Mama” which he thinks is titled, “Naughty Sheep.”  Ha!)

 

He got into the fun this April Fool’s Day by trying to trick me (btw: the most common one I heard ‘round here was “Mama!  There’s poop on your face!”  Luckily, it was never true.) However, for whatever reason, he could not pronounce “fools” and instead called it “fourrrrs.”

I even tried telling him: “Say pool” 

“POOL!” 

“Say pools” 

“POOLS!” 

“Now say  April Fooools” 

“April FOURRRS!”

Did I mention that he makes me laugh?!

He has also taken to telling me, “Don’t worry, Mama, I not break my collarbone- I pwomise!”  Before he attempts something dangerous and generally against the rules!

 

 

 

JOSEPH:

Is super in love with his baby.

All day long he exclaims, “Isn’t Samuel so cute and chubby?!”  “Isn’t he the cutest baby in the whole WORLD?!” etc etc etc.

He is reading amazingly well!  I should take a video soon, because it is glorious for my Mother-ears to hear.

He is growing older right before my eyes- and it is painful!  Why does he have to grow up?!  And how soon can he be out of the house all day?!  I feel both things at once!!!

We are gearing up for Kindergarten in the fall, and we checked out a private local school last night

(Joseph waiting for our orientation- BEFORE he saw me watching him, when he had his natural nervous face on: )

(And after he saw me watching: )

The school was fabulous!  And right up Joseph’s alley! It would be WONDERFUL for him!  And so many great things!

But… $700 a month!

So- public school it is!

Brian and I laughed a bit about it last night. 

Sorry, little honey Joseph, that you have siblings and parents saving for a house, and all those things that are keeping you from some potentially great opportunities!

But, I will tell you one thing- He will be FINE!  I will help to instruct him at home to fill in any gaps he might have!  And some day, all of this angst and indecision about Kindergarten will seem so inconsequential!

 

 

BRIAN:

Working hard!

Still not looking much like our children!

 

 

And, last, but certainly not least:

 

 

CAITLIN:

I chopped my hair off.

Because it was making me hot, and getting covered in spit-up, and my plan of waiting until my cheeks got less round before I cut it didn’t seem to be panning out.

So, I just went ahead and did it!

Let’s see, what else?

I may have said this before, but I am realllly in the thick of motherhood right now.

THANKFULLY, I am able to realize this, and to also realize that it won’t be this way forever, and to stay relatively calm about the whole thing.

(Except on Tuesday night when- at 2am- I told Brian, “I CAN’T DO THIS ANYMORE!” to which he replied, calmly, “Okay, what does that mean?” to which I whisper-yelled, “NOTHING!  Of course I have to do it more!” and went back out to nurse my gigantic baby AGAIN.)

 

I also had an embarrassing experience recently when I ran into a deaf woman with my shopping cart.

I (obviously) didn’t know that she was deaf at the time and said, “Excuse me, I’m going to squeeze behind you!”, but of course she didn’t hear me and a collision ensued.

When she started making hand gestures towards me, I cringed and looked away New Jersey-style (I have been “gestured to” enough to be traumatized) only to realize that she was speaking and signing “I’m sorry!” to me!

I apologized profusely as well, and tried not to over-pronounce my words since I knew she was lip reading (but –guys- I TOTALLY DID ala fake-accenting when I was in England!!) and I used the three signs I know, “milk” “more” and “thank you” in relation to a conversation about my baby.  haha!  Why, Caitlin, why do you do these things???

I am also still struggling with the whole eye-contact thing, specifically with regards to a gas station attendant who ALWAYS seems to be on duty when I pump my gas.

He is really friendly, and just a nice guy who has never said anything remotely flirty or inappropriate.  But, he is

1) male

and

2) a stranger

which makes me all rambly and how-much-is-too-much-looking in the eyes?!….y.

All compounded by the fact that I have not been wearing a wedding ring lately (Because it was a 4 1/4 size and apparently now I’m a 5 1/2??!  Whaaaaat?!) and the other day when I was talking to him I REALIZED that I wasn’t wearing it, and then the conversation faltered and, do I hide my left hand?  Or just go with it?  Waaaaah!  Please tell me that I’m not the only one with this social awkwardness?!

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So, basically we are all about the same!

And, now you’re caught up!