Half way there

Dear Hudson,

You are 6 months old tomorrow! How did we already get to this point?? Where did the first half of your life go??? You are such a dream and we love you so much! Cheers to the next 6 months!

Love,
Mommy

Here are your 6 month stats:

Weight: I am guessing you are around 18 pounds...we will find out on the 29th

Health: You got your first 2 bottom teeth! Just in time for Christmas. I was singing "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth" to you and then all of a sudden they came through! You have been a little fussy but nothing like your brother..thank goodness!

Sleeping: Sleeping through the night..yay! You want to be in bed at 7pm on the dot if not sooner and you wake up between 6-7am. You are napping 2-3 times a day. Your first nap is from 8-10 am and your second is between 12 pm and 1pm depending on when your brother goes down for a nap.

My #1 rule with napping...you don't go to sleep until brother does..Mommy needs 2 hours by herself.

Then lately you are taking a cat nap around 5 pm but only for 30-45 minutes.

Eating: You are eating 8 oz every 2-3 hours. I have tried to give you solids but you are not interested. You only like oatmeal still so Mommy needs to get creative. I am still pumping but this past week my milk supply has gone way down so I don't know how much longer I will pump. Luckily you drink formula (Gerber Goodstart) just fine.

Clothes: You are wearing 6-12 month clothes and a size 3 diaper.

Activity: You are sitting up but I have to sit you up first and then you sit up on your own. I actually think you are going to crawl before you sit up. You are on all fours and rocking back and fourth. I am not ready for you to crawl! You are also sitting in the double stroller facing forward right next to brother and you love it!

A typical Tuesday

Snapshot of how yesterday went down...12/4/12

6-6:30am-I hear Hudson talking and babbling and turn on the monitor and watch him for a few minutes. Then I get up and brush my teeth, splash some water on my face and throw my hair in a ponytail. I grab the bottle out of the fridge and drop it in the bottle warmer, best invention ever especially for my picky boy who only likes a warm bottle..not his fault I created that monster. Kevin has already left for work so the coffee is already made..score! I pour my first cup of coffee and go and get Hudson. He looks up at me and smiles like he has never seen me before and squeals cause he is so excited to see me! Best feeling!

6:30am-8am-Feed Hudson while drinking first cup of coffee. After his bottle I put him in the bouncer to play for a bit while I check my email. He entertains himself for a bit and then starts getting fussy so I lay him on the floor and we play for a bit. Currently we are working on sitting up.

8am-Put Hudson down for his morning nap. I hear Jake now so I go in to get him. First thing out of his mouth is "Where's Daddy"...good to see you too buddy! Daddy already left for work so its you and me kid. Jake goes to the pantry, opens it up and tries to decide what he wants for breakfast. I don't know why he does it cause he always picks the same thing..breakfast bar and milk. I pour him his milk and get him set up in his "spot", left cushion of the big couch, turn on the most recent dvr'd episode of Transformers Rescue Bots. I pump real quick  and go hop in the shower. I am lucky that Jake will watch the entire episode and hang on every word coming out of Cody's mouth which gives me plenty of time to shower. After I get out of the shower I check in Jake and he is usually playing in the living room while watching another cartoon. Big benefit to having a one story house is that the rooms are all close and I can pretty much hear him from my bathroom.

8:30am-It's a school day so I am now rushing to get Jake dressed which is quite the battle these days since he now cares about what he wears. Preferably shirts with trucks on them and sadly today all shirts with trucks are dirty so its a battle. It's almost 80 degrees around here so he is wearing a tshirt and shorts to school...gotta love Texas in December. I didn't pack his lunch the night before...dang it..so I am throwing that together..he hardly eats anything I pack so really I could send him with just milk but I'm sure the school would frown upon that. At this point its almost 9 and we are already running late. I run and grab Hudson and throw him in his carseat and load everyone in the car.

9am-12pm-We are on our way to school and running late. After hitting every light we pull into the parking lot and I unload the boys and we run in. Today I am told that Jake's Christmas program is next Thursday morning followed by the class party that afternoon which I am in charge of. Great add that to my long to do list! Get back in the car and head to the Tolltag store. I called 3 times yesterday and was on hold for at least 10 minutes each time and never got anyone on the phone, annoying, so I have to go there. Of course its busy and the lady is rude but I get the new car added and we are good to go. I feed Hudson in the Tolltag store while we are waiting so he is happy and we are off to run more errands. Kevin's turning 35 on Friday, man he's old :), so I go and get his birthday gift. I venture to Bass Pro for the first time and I am the only woman in there besides the women that work there with a baby and i'm strolling the gun section. I was definitely out of place there and after wandering around aimlessly I find a nice guy that works there that answers my questions. I am sure I sound dumb as I know nothing about guns but he was nice and I ended up walking out of there with Kev's birthday gift so that's done. Note to self...take Jake back there cause he would love it! Lots for him to do. Finally we are off to Kroger. No food in the house and have to go. I get everything and i'm loading up the car and I grab the bag with the milk in it and the bag breaks and the jug hits the pavement and breaks and milk goes everywhere including in my shoes and all over my jeans so I am sopping wet with milk. I get Hudson back out of the car and go back in and get a new gallon of milk and am grumpy at this point and wet and ready to be home.

12pm-Get home and unload the car, Hudson is hungry again and so am I. I feed Hudson, put him down for a nap, put all the groceries away and finally sit down to eat lunch. This is my time during the day. I eat lunch while looking at email, FB, blogs whatever. Today I had to call about our FSA and HSA accounts..super fun. I am so confused by it all. Kev left a list of things for me to do and this was on the list. I "think" I asked the right questions and I "assume" I got the right answers. I guess when I explain it to Kev I will find out??

1:45pm-I pump again...necessary evil..then go and get Hudson up and ready to go pick up brother. Today I have a dentist appointment so I warm up a bottle to feed Hudson with while i'm there and put together a quick snack for Jake to eat in the car.

2:30pm-Pick up Jake and we are off to the dentist. I need gas but we are running late so we are riding on fumes. Thankfully my Mom is meeting me there to keep the boys occupied while I get my teeth cleaned.

3pm-I haven't been to the dentist in forever but I get a good report and Jake isn't too bad. Luckily my dentist is an old family friend so he doesn't mind my wild child in the waiting room. I always feel like I am 10 again every time I step into his office. Nothing has changed..even the posters on the ceilings are the same. I asked Dr. D to talk to Jake about how important it is to brush. Jake only like to eats toothpaste and not so much brush them. He is shy and super sweet to Dr. D and he tells him he will brush his teeth. We will see if that actually happens.

LONGEST PART OF THE DAY

4:30pm-Finally get home. Contemplate going to the park like we do everyday but I am too tired today so we stay home. I pick up around the house, throw in some laundry and get Hudson's next meal ready.

5pm-Feed Hudson oatmeal followed by a bottle. I swear this kid is always hungry! Jake and I play and Hudson rolls around on the ground and I am already thinking about a glass of wine.

6pm-I just put dinner in the oven when Kev walks through the front door...hallelujah. I am surprised he is home since he said he would be late. I was supposed to go to a candle exchange party but cancelled since he said he would be late but I guess he's home now but I decided to stay home with my boys. I will see the girls next week. Kev plays with the boys so I can finish dinner and I am on my 2nd glass of wine :)

6:30pm-Sit down for dinner. Hudson is screaming cause he is tired and ready for bed but we power through dinner and I start the bath while Kev cleans the kitchen. Both boys are in the bath and we are singing Christmas songs...love Christmas this year with Jake...Hudson is happy again and things are good.

7pm-I get Hudson out of the bath, Kev steps in to watch Jake, and in his jammies and feed him an 8oz formula bottle, that he sucks down..didn't this kid just eat?? I then lay him down and he is out for the night. Jake would stay in the bath all night if we let him but at this point he is all Kev's so he can stay in as long as he wants.

8pm-10pm-Me time. Ahh Kevin and Jake hang out and eventually Kev puts him in bed and they read books and Jake "tells" Daddy about his day. I watch it all on the monitor. It's so cute. I am on the couch with my wine, I promise I am not an alcholic, and watching my shows thinking about what a long day it was. Jake is a night owl and will stay up all night if we let him. Tonight he has a screaming fit about wanting more milk and screams and crys..it's sad..but he is smart and knows we will give in and we do and then he screams for more. This literally goes on til 10pm when I tell Kev to let him cry cause he is playing us at this point.

10pm-Finally fall into bed to watch a show with Kev...Homeland..if you are not watching you are missing out..amazing! Jake is still awake in his room but I am too tired to worry anymore.

11pm-ZZZZZZZ

I am back...for now

Since my last post..almost a year ago..I know I am doing a great job at blogging...a lot has happened! Jake turned 2, Kevin's Granny Lewis passed away, we welcomed Hudson Charles Lewis into the world on 6/14, we decided that it was time for me to "retire" and become a stay at home mom (yay), Jake left Sweet Peas to stay at home with me, we survived the summer as a family of four, more importantly I survived being a new stay at home mom to 2 kids, Kevin's Mom passed away, Jake started MDO 2 days a week and we are about to celebrate Hudson's 6 month birthday! Ok a lot more happened but you get the idea.

Wow so much happened! Good and bad, happy and sad but we made it through it all. Jake will be 3 in two short months and I can't believe it. Where has the time gone? He is such a special boy. His current obsession is Transformers and to see the joy that they bring to him makes my day. He is very spirited, loud, stinky, messy and just an all around amazing little boy. He has grown so much since he started MDO and knows his ABC's, can count to 20, sing countless songs and so much more. Of course he still won't recite the abc's or count on command but he talks to himself all day and I hear him.  I have decided that he doesn't like to showoff his talents :) It was definitely an adjustment when we brought Hudson home and to be completely honest it was rough. It wasn't that he hit Hudson or kicked or anything like that its that he flat out ignored him and just pretended as if he didn't exist which broke my heart. The last month he has turned a corner and I think its mainly because Hudson moves now and "talks" and he loves his big brother. Hudson's face lights up with he looks at Jake and I have a feeling they will be good buddies soon. I still have yet to potty train Jake and again if we are being honest I am just in denial about that whole thing. I keep thinking it will magically happen and he will wake up potty trained. I never attempted when I was pregnant cause he was too young and with the arrival of his brother approaching I didn't want to add one more change to the list. We moved him into his big boy room and moved him to his big boy bed  and I could tell that potty training would put him, and myself over the edge :) But the countdown is on to his 3rd birthday and his doctor said he needs to have STARTED potty training by his checkup so the pressure is on! I faced every other thing head on with Jake; sleeping in the crib, breaking the swaddle, crying it out, taking the bottle away, taking the paci away and moving him to a big boy bed but potty training I can't wrap my brain around. I will update once we have conquered that.

And Hudson...ahh I love that sweet boy! He seriously is an angel and such an easy baby and God knew that I would have a lot on my plate so he blessed me with a laid back, go with the flow baby. Thank goodness cause Jake was so high maintenance!! We brought Hudson home on June 16th and it was if we didn't skip a beat. Life with two is BUSY but not harder..at least I don't think so. I was so worried about having two but I was so much more confident this time around and Hudson just fit right in. I have loved every single moment with Hudson and I have never "wished a phase" away like I did with Jake. I was so tired and exhausted with him and I always wanted him to be doing the next big thing but not with Hudson. Maybe its becuase I know how fast they grow up and I don't want to take a single day or phase for granted cause I know 3 years from now I will be looking back thinking where did the time go just like I am doing as we approach Jake's 3rd birthday. From the start he has been a great sleeper and even slept through the night early on..it was a fluke but I enjoyed it none the less. We then hit the 4 month marker and good old sleep regression kicked in and I was back up feeding him in the middle of the night and I went from only pumping and bottle feeding to nursing again in the middle of the night. My body is so out of wack. Just when it got used to not feeding in the middle of the night I started again. All I have to say is ouch! But I am happy to say that after a week of boot camp we are back on track! So yes I am still "breastfeeding" so to speak but mainly just pumping and giving bottles. I EBF for the first 4 months but life on the go with a 2.5 year old and nursing was hard. I was feeding him in parking lots, restaurants, dressing rooms..you name it. I had no shame this time around. With Jake I would have NEVER breastfed in public!! I would have gone home first before I fed him in Chilis during lunch hour but you know what..the 2nd time around you really gotta do what ya gotta do and yes I got looks but I didn't care. He was hungry and I was making him happy. He started rolling over at 2 months from his tummy to his back and then at 3 months he started rolling from back to tummy! Both things Jake never did til 4 months! He still has that gummy grin but I know a few teeth are trying to break through so hopefully that will happen soon cause that boy can drool! I think the thing I was most excited about when I found out I was having another boy was seeing the difference in them and boy are they different! Not only do they look completely different...I finally have one that looks like me..but their overall demeanor is so different. I have a loud, rambunckious, stubborn and wild almost 3 year old and a very laid back, smily, go with the flow almost 6 month old. I know this will all change as just the other day he army crawled so I see crawling in our near future...maybe even before sitting up cause that boy shows no interest in sitting up. He is eating solids once a day, oatmeal, and I am trying out new foods but he doenst like anything cold so fruits are out for now. I rememember with Jake I was so excited for him to start solids and this time I am fine with just the bottle...sadly its one more thing to add to the list of things to do for the day. I hate that I just said it but its true. I am going to look in to  Baby Led Weaning this time around. We will see.

All I know is that being at home with the boys is exactly where I want and need to be. I promised myself that now that I am home I would blog more and 6 months after being home I am finally starting :) Next up is a day in the life..I did it with Jake and man was it boring to read but I am glad I have it written down.

Christmas Card 2011

Well it's been about a year since I posted last. I will probably right a post about Jake turning 2..but don't hold your breath :) Maybe once I am home with baby #2 I will find sometime to start blogging again?? Until then here is our 2011 Christmas card...how cute is he!!! XOXO

1 year later

How did we get here already?? 2/2/10-2/2/11 went by in the blink of an eye! The moment that sweet little boy entered my world was a day I will never forget. I've been pretty weepy these last few days thinking back to this time last year. I remember January being the LONGEST month of my life with the anticipation of Jake's arrival. I was a mess everyday! I couldn't take one more day of being pregnant and dreamed of my water breaking and going to the hospital. Sadly that didn't happen..well naturally at least...and Tuesday February 2nd finally arrived! I remember the night before laying in bed with Kevin talking about how the next day we would be parents and both of of talking about how scared and excited we were all at the same time. I remember waking up at 4 AM cause I couldn't sleep one more minute...I was ready to meet him! I remember looking at myself in the mirror thinking that I will never be the same and that when I come home I will be a Mommy! I remember driving to the hospital in the dark and Kevin playing some sappy songs and holding my hand as I cried cause I was so scared and anxious. I remember getting into the room and starting the whole process and thinking "this is really happening"!! It was a long day filled with friends and family sitting by my side waiting on Jake's arrival. I remember his heartrate dropping and the nurses running in and flipping me from side to side while putting me on oxygen and my Dr running in saying we might have to have an emergency c-section and to trust her. I remember his heartrate coming back up and the nurses telling me they were going to stop the pitocin to give him a break. I remember Laura, Shawna and Reedy sitting by my side and the nurses asking them to leave to check me. She had put me in the "go fast" position and let me tell you ladies that postition works! I remember feeling the need to push and Dr. W coming in telling me he was crowning and asking if I was ready to push. I remember pushing 2 times and he was out and Dr. W laying him on my belly. I remember it being an out of body experience and felt as if I was in a dream. I rememebr Kevin standing there frozen and not saying a word in complete shock of what had just happened. I remember him taking a picture and sending it to my Mom who was out in the waiting room with all of our family and friends. I remember looking at Jake thinking "this is him, this is my son" and saying to him " we've being waiting on you for a long time". Here we are a year later and every night when we get in bed we say to each other how much "we love that little guy". He brings us pure joy and everyday is better then the last. Being a parent is not for the weak and there were days when I didn't think I would make it. But I did..we did. We had his 1st birthday this past weekend and the same people that were there the day he was born were there to celebrate him turning 1...it was amazing! People tell you how amazing it is being a parent and you never really know until you have a child. A child truly changes everything.

Happy 1st Birthday Jacob Michael Lewis! Mommy and Daddy love you so much!

Where did the last 8 months go??

I know everyone told me and I don't think I truly believed it until I had Jake. Time FLIES when you have a child! What a whirlwind the last 8 months have been!! Is it bad that I already have a slight case, emphasis on slight, of baby fever?? Why you ask?? Because Jake is no longer my small little sweet boy...he is now my 20 lb nearing 21-22 lbs big, still sweet, boy. Jake is changing everyday and keeping Kevin and I on our toes. NOthing is more special then wathcing the world through his eyes. I swear we can sit and watch him for hours! Here is what he is up to these days:

-20 lbs
-Eating an 8oz bottle every 4 hours with solids at lunch and dinner
-Holding his own bottle-so proud of him but sad that I don't have to hold the bottle anymore
-Has 3 teeth-2 on the bottom and 1 on the top-which I finally got a good look at and it's not the middle top tooth but the one next to it so he might have a snaggle tooth grin for a bit but he's so cute it won't matter!
-CRAWLING-wow he is in to everything!!!! We had to put all of my knick-knacks in the garage cause I was sick of putting them on the kitchen table. Our house is going to look pretty bare soon cause my plants are about to go as well since he loves pulling the leaves off and eating them.
-Sleeping from 7pm-7am-if we let him
-Happy as can be and so "easy"...literally he goes to anyone and is just sweet and happy all the time..unless another pesky tooth is coming in...there was a time when I didn't think these days would ever come
-Starting to pull up on his crib-which reminds me we need to lower the mattress
-Saying Dada!!!! That is the sweetest sound ever! We are working on Mama/Mommy and everyday I work on it with him and everyday he looks at me and says Dada. Oh well he can call me Dada all day long if he wants!

Here are a few downsides to him crawling...I have to clean the floor ALL.THE.TIME. Have I mentioned how much I hate cleaning the floors?? But nothing is worse then him crawling over to me and him turning over his sweet little hand and seeing dirt...yuck! I was talking to my mom about it and she is a clean FREAK! We were those kids that had to make our beds everyday no matter what and Sunday was always cleaning day. Mom actually told me she was never like that until she had kids...and now I understand why. He will put anything in his mouth including and not limited to-dust bunnies that reside in the corners of my living room and kitchen, checks for his tuition, his Daddy's flip flops (he likes to lick the bottom of those) so nasty, any paper product, and many other things, So needless to say we are working on being a clean as possible.

Ok well I gotta run..gonna go watch Jake jump in the Jumparoo...that kids can jump for hours! I'm still waiting for him to throw up!

This quote sums it up...

“A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.” -Anonymous

I am an emotional sap these days! Maybe it's because my dear friend Laura just had her sweet baby Blake,  or maybe its because my other sweet friend Klusman is about to have her precious baby boy Grayson or  could it be because my amazing sister Mikah is about to have my longed for nephew Beckett! Or because we are looking for a part time nanny and the thought of anyone other then family watching him breaks my heart????

Holding Blake's little body in my arms made me realize how quickly they grow up and how much I should cherish every moment I have with Jake. I looked at Blake and could not believe that 3 1/2 short months ago Jake was that size. And at that same moment I became very sad because life is going by too fast and I have already forgotten the beginning of Jakes life. I know it makes me sad saying that as well but its true. The first few months are such a blur. I was tired and worn out and dreamed of the days when I could sleep thru the night.  I was also thinking everyday how I couldn't wait for Jake to be able to fit into his "big boy" clothes, sit in his Bumbo, start rolling over, sleep through the night etc. Now that is has all happened and is all happening I want to go back to the beginning when everything was new and he depended on me for everything! I look at Jake everyday and wish I could freeze time and keep him just as he is.

One thing I know for sure is that life is too short and is obviously  going by too fast and I am not going to waste one more minute on things that don't matter or things that take me away from my family!