Flashback Friday

These two posts are very pivotal to where we were at, where I was at, 1 year ago!

1.  Same moon: I cried when Finn did that - I was so homesick - I was having a really hard time being away from family, on my own with 2 kids, not having Conor home on a regular basis for the first time in our marriage, let alone since we had children.

Now to get real - a few weeks before that, Elle being just over a year, I started panicking about having baby #3.  I knew that I wanted the spacing between Elle and the next child to be closer than her and Finnian had been... but I COULD NOT imagine having another child to take care of... not in 9 months, not in 18 months.  I really felt that I didn't think I could ever handle another child!  I really cried to Conor that I thought we should start at least thinking about it, but that I was just way too overwhelmed.  He calmed me down and told me that we didn't need to think about anything at the time, obviously I wasn't ready, and we didn't need to think too far ahead (as he always tells me! haha, I tend to think a *little* far ahead sometimes most of the time).

Then the day before Fathers Day, a year ago tomorrow, I took a pregnancy test and I was pregnant with our third child!  Everything changed for me in that time.  This was our first "unplanned" pregnancy - but having said that, we weren't actively planning like we did with Finnian and Elle, but we also knew at that time that there was a possibility, and left it open... and it took.  Before I took the test, I was a few days late, and Conor was joking that I was pregnant.  I just kept denying it - it couldn't be - I couldn't handle that at all.  I was terrified.  But then I thought about it a bit - and I just KNEW I was pregnant.  Without Conor knowing, I went and bought a pregnancy test - and took the test while he was making dinner.  As usual, I didn't have to wait the 3 minutes or 5 minutes or whatever it was - it was clear.  I was pregnant.  And as soon as I saw that - I was completely at peace about it.  I don't know what I feel about the "things happen for a reason" saying, but I really think that this was just meant to be.  Children are a gift, a gift that we will always accept - the "timing" might not be perfect (for us at least), but each child is, and they can and will make us better people.

So my second flashback post, Father's Day, Finn and I had already made that card on the Friday, before I knew for sure I was pregnant, so I added the little announcement for Conor :)

I wasn't dumb - I knew it was going to be hard.  BUT I was so glad it happened the way it happened.  And I'm still SO GLAD that it happened.  I really think I would not have been "ready" for awhile - a couple months, 8 months... who knows.  And it's been the HARDEST year of my life, as I've already ready talked about (Elle being hospitalized so many times, being on bedrest, feeling so lonely and isolated) but I can't imagine what it would be like without Thea here.  Without us being a family of 5.

My prayer was that at this point, with 3 kids, we would be "getting by" - but I actually feel like we are thriving.

What a difference a year makes!

She couldn't even WALK a year ago! Cray-cray

Improvements

I just realized I never updated since that AWFUL night of Thea's.

For a couple nights after that, she was waking up a couple extra times to feed - so not too bad, I can handle that.

Then she had a night where after 10pm she woke up EVERY HOUR!  THAT was difficult - and made me pretty tired and grumpy the next day!

I decided to pull out the teething necklace I had bought awhile ago (I was buying one for Elle, so I went ahead and got one for Thea).  I'm still not convinced they really work, and I don't even know if she is teething or not, but in my opinion, it couldn't hurt to try :)

That night she was up probably every other hour, and then last night she only woke up twice to eat.  Hopefully she gets back to her 1 feed soon - but I can handle two!

David went back to Korea today. It was really great having him here.  The kids always like visitors and its a nice change to have someone to chat with after the kids are in bed.  I used to babysit him when we were younger, but I haven't really chatted with him lately, so it was also nice to get to know him a little better.

Yesterday the kids and I took him to the zoo - they enjoyed showing him all their favorite animals :)

At the zoo

Just before David left - Finn didn't want to be in the picture,  Elle is sad her friend is leaving! hehe

Praying for a better night

Last night was awful!  Around 2 am Thea and I finally fell asleep on the couch, she woke up a few more times but wouldn't cry for TOO long, so we slept that way until 5:30 when Finn had to pee.

She was stirring so I went back to my room with her hoping I could feed her and get her into her bed for a couple hours sleep. As I was feeding her she was releasing a lot of gas and then had a big explosive poo requiring an outfit change!

But, I put her back in her bed and she fell asleep!!  I don't know if that was her problem, gas, or what - but I have some "infants friend" (similar concept to gripe water) so I gave that to her just now before I put her to bed just in case.

Anyways, Conor woke up with the kids (as usual) but let me sleep until 8 with Thea!  This morning Thea pretty much seemed fine, she even had a good nap in her bed, but her afternoon nap was wrought with more crying, and waking up after about an hour grumpy again.

She had a couple more sleeps on me, and I gave her a bath, and that infants friend - and now we hope and pray she sleeps better tonight!

So tired

These sickness are doing my head in!  If the "cold" we're a person, I think Conor would pinch it in the face... And then again for me!

Finn and Elle got this cold last Thursday, so a whole week ago now, and Thea got it Saturday after naptime.

On Tuesday evening Thea and I went to the pharmacy to get some nose drops and Vicks vapor rub and I asked the pharmacist how you tell the difference between congestion and a wheeze...he took one look at Thea and said we should probably see a doctor.  So off to emergency we went, to Children's hospital.

Saw a triage nurse a d she said that Thea was wheezing a bit.  At children's they either slot you in to see a GP or to see an ER doc, so we got slotted in to see a GP (less wait time, yay!) and the doctor said she had a slight case of bronchiolitis.  Poor baby - but she wasn't too bad - non meds a d just keep an eye in her.

Thankfully she had been sleeping almost normally...until tonight!  She woke up at 4 from her nap and was a bit grumpy, slept a little in the wrap around 5ish, I put her to bed just before 7 because she was tired and cranky. 

She woke up at 930 and hasn't slept in her bassinet since (its now 1am!). I don't know what to do with her, she has always been such a great sleeper!  I can't even get her settled in my arms for very long before she's grousing and crying again.

It's going to be a long night tonight and a LONG day tomorrow!

Boring blogger

I feel like I'm a bit of a boring blogger right now - but I'm okay with that :)

We don't get out and do really exciting things right now, that's how life can be with 3 kids.

Oh, and we all (minus Conor) have colds again - so I'm running around wiping noses and trying to entertain 2 big kids who are getting a bit of cabin fever!

BUT I might do a post soon about homeschooling...we'll see how brave I am!

Also, my cousin David who has been living in South Korea teaching English and studying is come to visit for 5 nights - so if we do anything special with him I'll have something to write about!

Facebook Fridays [August 10-16]

My week according to facebook.

Saturday

I feel bad that Elle has been getting to go in trams and Finn hasn't...so we're heading into the city today for some family time!

Waiting for the bus

Still using [Starbucks] gift cards from Auntie Erin!

They look like celebrities!
[and I'm the paparazzi - as Sioban pointed out!]

Sunday

Thanks for the dress Grandma!

Can you guess where Conor and Finn are going?

Well we chatted with both our families this weekend.
Upon seeing Thea, my mom said to me "finally a baby that looks like you!". Then today Conors mom and dad both said that she looked like their babies...

Elle's bottom two molars are popping through - no sign of the top ones yet

Monday

Finn doesn't like it when he colors out of the lines, so his picture (right now it's a sun) just gets bigger and bigger until he eventually asks me to help.
Finn: mommy you're doing very well for Finnian coloring the sun
Me: thank you (while chuckling)
Finn: yup you're welcome

Do other kids drool as much as Elle at night?
[I blame teething molars and a stuffy nose]

This is my most favorite picture in the whole world!

Asking Finn if he would like a fish or a hamster and he says "what about a tiny little mousey". No son, hamsters are mousey looking enough to me!

Tuesday

Another cute outfit from Grandma

Felt like I was back in Rome today, doing my grocery shopping with the stroller... except this time it was Elle in the stroller instead of Finn... and I had Thea strapped to my chest... and I only had to walk to my car instead of all the way home 

Okay, I knew Elle's LONG nap times would come to an end sometime... but it still makes me sad.
1-230 yesterday, 1:45-3 today. She used to nap 1-4!

Wednesday

I love watching Thea move around. I put her down on the ground. Imagine her head's at the center of a clock and her feet are at 3 o'clock. She then moved her feet to 12 o'clock, then down to 6, back to 3, then 12 again. Haha

Thursday

Big sister reading Rupert to Thea 

"I did it!" When she got to the other side (with some help )

Grumpy girl did want to stay at the park OR leave the park - big brother offered to hold hands 

Friday (today!)

My cousin David Doerksen is coming in a week... good excuse to not do any housework for a few days at least!!

Sometimes the mornings go quickly, and sometimes they go ssssooooo sssslllloooowwlllyyyy.
Can you guess what kind of morning today is? (Normally we go to playgroup Friday mornings, but Finn and Elle both have colds)

I really don't mind Melbourne winters except for all these wretched colds! The big kids are down for the count - praying for Elle, yet again!

Mother of the year

Last night I think I earned myself mother of the year with this little "sweetheart".

I put her to bed at 7pm no fuss, and didn't expect to hear from her again until 4am at the earliest.

But she was crying at 9:30.  Went in, re-swaddled her, gave her back her binky - still crying - patted her bum - still crying

Eventually I fed her, because she hadn't actually eaten much at 7.  And she went back to sleep.

At 4:30 she woke up again, I went to pick her up to feed her and she was SOAKING WET!  Like, everywhere!  I couldn't figure out how she had peed SO much, until I took off her clothes and realized I had never changed her diaper before bed...her cloth diaper (I put the girls in disposables at night).

That's probably why she woke up at 930, but I didn't notice then.

Anyways, I proceeded to change all her clothes and bedding, when she just started SCREAMING.  This girl NEVER cries while I change her.  If anything, she just gets happier.  If she's crying and I start changing her, she stops, and starts smiling and cooing at me.

I figured she was crying because it was cold and the middle of the night...until I realized the open clip part of her binky clip was behind her, I lifted her up and it had been digging right into her back!!  There was a big purple and red spot!

Ugh, but I fed her and she went right to sleep (after 10 minutes of talking to herself, of course)...and only a tiny little red spot on her back this morning.

Mother of the year right here!

Make ALL the crafts

Finnian has become quite the crafter, especially in the last week or so.

I never used to do crafts with him because I always thought I had to have these elaborate Pinterest-esque things prepared AND I dreaded the mess and chaos of doing crafts with a child.

But a few months ago I figured it was time.  I went to Big W and bought a bin dubbed the "craft box" and bought enough colored paper, pipe cleaners, colored pompom balls, googly eyes, tape, glue, etc. to fill it up. 

At first we would maybe do a craft a week, when Elle was asleep.  I would end up doing most of it.  And then Thea came along so that put a halt on things.

The kids have been watching TV after quiet/nap time for awhile now, and Finn loves "mister maker".  The whole thing is this guy doing different crafts/art projects, aimed at preschoolers.

All of the sudden he wants to do crafts ALL.THE.TIME.

Literally, he wakes up and immediately asks if he can do a craft.  He grudgingly stops to eat breakfast, then is back at it.  If we go out, as soon as we walk in the door he wants to do more crafts.  As soon as lunch is over? Crafts.  As soon as quiet time is over? You guessed it - Crafts. Good luck trying to get him into bed at night... because he's working on his crafts.

He did this one morning - all of these... just in the morning

He calls himself "maker boy"!  Usually he wants to just do something that he's seen, like in Sesame Street the other day they made airplanes.  He basically did the whole tiling himself, just needing my help to tape a few things on (because they had to be perfect!) [I was going to take a picture of the airplane... but then Elle got to it and crumpled it up!]

He's getting good at gluing and cutting by himself, but some days he wears on my patience as he repeatedly asks me to cut this or tape that.

I'm actually enjoying it though - I really get to see his thought process as he creates things.

Thea - 3 months (and a few days!) old

S

Thea's new thing this month is giggling!

You don't always know when it's going to happen, or why, but it is the sweetest thing.  The other day she was sitting on my lap while we playing on the floor with Elle and Finn, and Elle was banging Lego on the ground.  I felt her laughing before I heard it.

I love these first laughs...it's just so sincere and real.  They are happy and they don't really know how to laugh, or how to stop, but it just comes out!

I also discovered just before bed tonight that she's getting a bit ticklish in the tummy!

She's also inching around the floor on her back.  Usually turning in a circle if she's there got long enough, or else pushing herself backwards. 

She still sleeping great at night.  Usually having her last feed just before 7 and then heading off to bed.  I sometimes have to hold her a little bit, but it's usually just so she can get a burp up...otherwise patting her bum is enough to settle her, and even that I don't have to do often.

She wakes up sometime between 4-6 for one feed, and then usually sleeps until 730.  In the mornings she will usually have a little sleep in her carseat while I do dishes, and then we either head out shopping, go to the park or go to Playgroup, so she'll have a longer nap in the wrap on me.

I have been getting frustrated that she only naps 45 minutes in the afternoon, because she used to sleep at least a couple hours.  But then I decided not to get upset about it because she sleeps so well at night!  And now? It's 4:30 and she's been napping since 2! Haha.

Breast feeding is still going splendidly.  She feeds about 6, sometimes 7, times in 24 hours.  Sometimes the last couple feeds in the day can be frustrating because my letdown is slower and she gets angry, but we get through it.  I also really enjoy that feed in the middle of the night.  Everything's just so calm and silent, I can hear her gulping and her little sighs of pleasure - it's the only really quiet moment I get with her (even though she's half way asleep!). Sometimes she'll stop nursing for a few seconds to smile at me and coo a bit, and then finishes her feed and goes right back to bed.

She loves when Elle or Finn talk to her.  She just smiles and starts booing back at them.  I even got a video of her giving Finn a little chuckle.

I can't wait to see what the next month brings...I have a feeling that she could be not too far from rolling from back to front, but we'll see!

Behind

I feel so behind in everything sometimes all the time!

I realize a lot of this is trivial little things... like Thea's 3 month blog post (which I HOPE to write tonight to post tomorrow), but it still bothers me.

Thea is no longer the sleepy little baby who would sleep most of the day away - don't get me wrong, she's still a great baby, and I love seeing her grow up, but it poses difficulty with housework and all that stuff.  I'm a bit of a freak when it comes to tidying... if I had the energy I would just be tidying up after the kids all day long... even though I realize that's a really ridiculous thing to do, but I would.  I try to get Finn to help me tidy up the living room after lunch/before quiet time everyday, and then I do it again when they're getting ready for bed.  Lately I've been foregoing the afternoon clean up because 1. It's just going to get messy again! and 2. It's the only time that I can really spend with Finn without Elle getting in the way (mainly thinking about this when it comes time to start homeschooling).

I hate going down for naptime with the mess, but I'm getting used to it.... but it's all the other cleaning that has also taken a VERY backseat (bedding, floors, toilet, bathroom, etc).

Well this morning I had a bit of a breakdown.  I just wanted to get the breakfast dishes done and have a cup of coffee.  Thea just wanted to be held, even though I knew she was tired and just needed to sleep (usually she has a little sleep in her carseat while I do breakfast dishes), but every time I put her down she would start screaming.  Elle was being very needy and kept asking for cuddles and a book.  Finn is on a HUGE "craft" kick these days, and while I  love to see him creating things, the constant "can you cut this, can you tie this, can you get me some tape, can you draw this" can really get on my nerves! (thankfully he's also getting better at doing those things on his own, but sometimes he needs a hand).

It was all culminating to ALL 4 OF US screaming and/or crying at the same time.  It was AWFUL.  Somehow amidst it all, I got the dishes done and a coffee going.  I somehow got Thea to sleep in her bed with Elle screaming for cuddles outside the door.  And then I just stopped.  Who cares if the house is clean if I end up just hating myself for ignoring the kids.  I can always do these things in the evening when they are asleep (not that I want to, and no matter how many times I say I will, I don't because I'm too tired.. but still I CAN if it's absolutely necessary).

So I grabbed my coffee and cuddled on the couch reading numerous stories to Elle, while Finn kept handing me the roll of tape and a pair of scissors, so I cut the tape while reading to Elle.

The laundry finished, so Elle and I got into the backyard to hang the laundry.  Then, because I had spent that time with them, without being distracted, they were happy enough to go back to playing on their own so that I could go tend to Thea who had woken up.

It's a juggling act, it's not always going to be pretty, and sometimes I'm going to drop ALL of the balls... but I just have to keep picking them back up.

Babywearing: Different carries

One of the fun things about a woven wrap (as opposed to a stretchy wrap, and carriers like bjorns), is all the variety of carries you can do.

You can carry on the front, on the hip, and on the back - and there's a variety of ways to tie your wrap for each of those.

The standard is to master front carries before moving on to back carries (especially if your baby doesn't have good head control yet) - so I haven't tried any back carries yet.

The standard front carry I'd a Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC).  Below is a picture of the first woven wraps ever did!

On one of the baby wearing Facebook groups that I follow, they have a try-it-out-Tuesday (TIOT) where they tell you a type of carry to try and give you instructional videos to help you do it.  Then you can take a picture at the end and there's a special album each week for people to upload onto for fun.

Obviously you don't need this TIOT thing to try any wrap, but its something fun.

This weeks was called a Robbins Hip Carry.

I had been thinking of trying out a hip carry but never got around to it, so this week I joined in!