Extended Shopping Cart

Once you figure out how to change your newborn's diaper and feed them, the next big challenge is how to go shopping with them.  Do you move them from their cozy car seat to a carrier or do you somehow put the infant car seat on the shopping cart?  Some places have big carts and you can put the whole thing in the cart (much safer), some others you are balancing the darn thing on top of the cart (totally not safe, but have done many of times).  A few months later, your sitting baby moves to the front of the cart and everyone is happy.

Then you have a second child.

It starts all over again. 

I had it down when B was in the Ergo or infant car seat, but now that both kids want to sit in the cart, I am in a pickle at some stores.  Evie has been sitting in the back of the car, being a helper putting the groceries in and out of the cart, but I have to keep my shopping to a minimum (probably a good thing).  

Costco is definitely my favorite place to shop with both kids.  Both kids are up front, buckled in, and close to me.

Clearly this was months ago and yes, I didn't
have shoes on Braylen

I like the products in Trader Joes, but they have the worst shopping cart situation.  I have bruised bananas and crushed pasta from my last trip there.

I know other grocery stores have those carts with a car-like thing on the front.  I don't like Evie being that close to the ground.  She is really good in stores and I want to keep her buckled in and not tempt her to get in and out.  I can hear it now "Ebie walk, Ebie WALK!"

I love Target.  And I might love it a little more now.  Look what we discovered tonight.

Both kids near me, buckled in, and super happy

However, look at this thing!  Daddy was with us to steer that beast.
Check out the shelf to put your diaper bag.  It's kind of like a bar
that has hooks for your purse... it makes a woman happy.

I will give the extended shopping cart a try by myself.  Daddy had some trouble handling that monstrosity so I'm not sure if it will be a good thing or not.  Luckily the isles at Target are wide; however, I can see maneuvering this double wide cart becoming a stressful, sweaty situation during the holiday season.  For now, we had some good laughs at Target on our Saturday evening family expedition.

Another Trip to NC

Another girl cousin is expected in our family in January!  After her arrival there will be limited space for my family of four, so we thought we would make an early Thanksgiving trip and sleep in the guest room before it is converted to another kid room.

We made one big outing on Saturday to the Museum of Life and Science in Durham.  The museum was awesome for all the kids, big and small.

Making a sand storm

She's ready for the big wheel on the Price is Right!

Can you guess who won?  :)

What kid doesn't love the phone?

Some kind of physics thing... I really should like this stuff
as a math major, but I don't.

Buttons and phones.  Do they need
anything else in a museum?

The boys played here for a long time while
Evie and I checked out the outer space area

Building and destructing

Totally kid friendly there.  Braylen is on a stool checking
out this exhibit.  He loved it

Launching paper cups

Everyone would have been content after all the inside exhibits, but wait, there are acres of exhibits outside!

We strolled through the petty farm while the little ones snacked

You don't realize how big a cow is until you are this close to it.
Evie was thankful to be in the stroller.  Look at her face, poor girl.

The butterfly house

Aunt Jen and Uncle Matt hit the jackpot with this museum!

The rest of the time was spent closer to Aunt Jen and Uncle Matt's house.  The weather was iffy, but we did get in some stroller rides, a playground visit, and time putzing around the front yard on bikes.  Shockingly the kiddos all napped at the same time in the afternoon allowing ample cousin play time during the morning and late afternoon (and much needed down time for the adults)

Evie and Braylen thoroughly enjoyed a house full of new toys.

The trucks and other moving vehicles kept Braylen engaged for days.
He doesn't have many... yet

Some of the best "toys" are dogs.
Evie gave Guin commands all weekend.  

We gave them baths together two nights

Braylen- 11 months, Luke- 23 months, Evie- 29 months

Were three adults really necessary?  

Uncle Matt fried up a turkey for our Thanksgiving feast.

Could these two look any different?

After three nights of Braylen waking up the whole house multiple times a night, I was ready to get back to our own beds.  Daddy decided to sugar up Evie for the flight home

 We were almost those people on the plane ride back to Baltimore.  Braylen did not nap in the morning and was melting down very loudly as boarding began.  Everyone lined up was staring at me with my screaming child mentally noting to put on his/head headphones asap.  Jason and Evie boarded and I worked my magic in the terminal.  I was literally the last one on the plane... but with a sleeping baby in the Ergo.  Crisis averted.

Good-bye Raleigh!  Next time this
guy won't be the youngest one!

Flying With Two Kids: Our First Adventure!

After listening to Braylen and Evie squawk at different times on our way to/from Massanutten in August, I vowed that we would not drive to Raleigh to see our family the next time we went.

I stuck to my guns.

We went to Raleigh, NC for a long weekend and we flew.

It is 50 minutes from gate to gate and each of us live 15 minutes from the airport.  That versus a 6 hour drive on 95 through DC?  Um, I will eat Ramen noodles for a year if needed to avoid that trip at this season of our lives.

This was our second time flying with Evie.  We picked another short flight for our first flying experience; we flew to Boston.  Evie was 13 months and we timed our flights around her nap time.  She slept in our arms for the flight.  It was fairly easy.

This go around, we decided to fly during snack time.  I tend to plan driving trips around nap times and if they don't nap, it leads to a long, tantrum filled day.  I figured Evie would be too excited to sleep and Braylen won't sleep if we were holding him (unless it is between 11:30 PM and 6 AM).  It worked like a charm on the way there.

Two other things made a huge difference- Evie flew in her car seat AND strolled through the airport in her car seat.  No stroller needed thanks to my friend lending us their car seat cart.

Best. Contraption. Ever (for us)

We (and I mean Jason) prepped Evie all week for where and in what she would be sitting for the airplane ride.  He also explained Braylen had to ride on Mommy's lap since he is a baby.  We didn't want any fits that he got to sit with us and she was in the car seat.  Have no fear, she was more than happy to be in next to the window in her car seat.

My adorable traveling companions

I bought a book for her a while back about the experience of flying on an airplane.  She had stickers to match up with the story.  I think it was a little old for her since it kept her attention for about 1 more minute after I snapped these shots.

She did love the $3 magna-doodle I picked up at Target.  Another great recommendation from a more experienced flying mom :)

Braylen did well switching between our laps.  Yogurt bites, cheerios, books, and the arm rest kept him occupied.  He was content being strapped to me in the Ergo through the airport, which was a little surprising since he is rarely in it anymore.  I don't think he was even aware that we were doing something completely new and different.

Braylen's first flight!

I was really anxious before our trip for the flight.  Packing up everyone causes me stress.  But once I figured out who was getting us to the airport, it was smooth sailing right to Aunt Jen and Uncle Matt's front door.  We spent about 3.5 hours total from door to door and there was about 2 minutes of crying.  It was glorious!  This trip was also very possible because Aunt Jen had just about everything I needed for my family at her house- from a car seat for Braylen, pack n plays, high chairs, cups, to her pump for me.  It might not be this easy after Thomas cousin #2 arrives.

11 Months

I am running out of steam composing monthly updates on Braylen; good thing I only have one more month to go.

Approximate Weight:  21 lbs. 3 oz.

Food/Drink
Braylen bats away purees and most food coming at him on a spoon.  My growing-independent baby wants to feed himself.  I have to do a little bit of trickery to get him to eat yogurt or pureed veggies; I give him a finger food and as he is putting that in his open mouth, I shovel in the spoon.  He enjoys bananas, turkey meatballs, pasta, cheese (thank goodness!), avocado, and buttered toast.  He has tried most meats and some fish.

Braylen is down to nursing at wake and bed, 2 bottles of breast milk a day, and the rest is formula via sippy or straw cup.  He doesn't need to take the bottles, but he is still sloppy with his cup drinking and I will not let one drop of breast milk go to waste.  The nipples on the bottles are very worn so I think my days of pumping and bottle feeding will be ending very soon (yip.ee.)

Gross Motor
Braylen is steadier walking behind his toys and when we hold his hands.  I notice him being daring at times and switching between different pieces of furniture.  He cruises along the couch.  No standing alone yet.

If you turn your back long enough, you will find him at the top of the stairs smiling down at you.  He thinks he is hot stuff.

When "The Wheels on the Bus" plays on the CD, he will giggle and wave his arms to the music.  He has inherited our musical talent.  He enjoys Evie's singing and motions to a plethora of kid favorites.

Language
Braylen can say "Dada" and "Mama", but does not use them to identify us.  His most used word is "uh-oh!"  I heard him practicing through the monitor at nap time.  He uses it correctly when he throws food and his cup off his tray.  We hear "uh-oh!" A LOT!  Parker is loving life :)

Other random stuff
No new teeth poking through.  I brush his teeth once a day.  He thinks it's funny.

He slept through the night (i.e. Mommy got to sleep from 10-6:30) one time this month.  I don't think this is funny.

Braylen and Evie are trouble together in the bath tub.  Braylen will splash, Evie joins in, both are laughing and splashing, Jason and I are soaked.  It's pretty much a nightly thing.  Should I stop it?  Probably.  Seeing my kids so happy together is kind of worth a wet sweatshirt and a damp towel on the floor though.

Braylen is into every thing.  He yanks on the blinds, opens the bottom drawer on the oven, splashes in Parker's water bowl, bangs the stainless steel colander on the tile kitchen floor, pushes the button on the carbon monoxide alarms, pulls at the toilet brush... your 11 month old did it too, right? It's a season, luckily I know it will end.

Sadly, no slide show of pictures this month.  I'll give you a sneak peak of Braylen's birthday party theme though.

Month of Being Thankful: Week One

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, many make November a month long thankful fest.  My family started a new tradition this month to celebrate our thankfulness.  I am so THANKFUL for my friend Laura, who pinned this idea on Pinterest, organized all the supplies, and invited a handful of moms over for a craft night to complete the prep work for our daily dose of thankfulness.  My creativity is at an all time low therefore I am so excited to look like I have my mommy act together and all I really had to do was cut out leaves!

Every night before bed we gather as a family and decide what one thing we are thankful for that day.  I try to gear our response towards something we did that day.  I came up with day 1 and 2- " play time with our cousins" and "sunny, warm days to play outside".  I asked Evie to come up with something on day 3.  She quickly responded with "brother".  Perfect.  The next night she decided on "God".  Another good one!  Now every night she says "God".  Clearly Sunday school is making a huge impact on her : ).   I had to help with the last few nights.

Our leaves are hanging in the kitchen so we can look at them throughout the day.  

    

Other leaves this week- warm baths, our babysitter Allison, and our special neighbors Lisa & Emily

So Close

Tomorrow there will be no back up supply of breast milk.  This is my last bag.  I knew this day was coming.  I was hoping to have enough milk to get to the transition to whole milk, but I didn't make it.  I started pumping when Braylen was about 1 week old and was able to store a freezer full of milk.  In fact, I ran out of room in my freezer for food.  My friend so kindly allowed me to store half of my supply in her deep freezer for months.  Thank you, Laura!

I get strange looks when I tell people that I pump even though I stay home with my baby full time.  I had a very negative experience with nursing Evie.  Luckily Braylen and I had a much better nursing relationship.  I am still nursing him in the morning and night, but have been bottle and cup feeding him for months during the day.  I nursed Braylen one time in public.  That's not me at all.  I decided to stay close to home during feeding time or be at a close friend's house instead of "whipping it out" in public.   The pumping and bottle route was more comfortable for me even though very time consuming.  

I am very, very thankful for my ample supply of milk I could give Braylen.  I've been questioning for weeks whether to introduce whole milk now or go to formula and wait until 12 months for whole milk.  Miss Evie pretty much scarred me with her slow and painful transitions from breast milk to formula to whole milk.  Did I really want to endure that again?  I went back and forth for weeks and finally was swayed to formula by my new pediatric nurse practitioner friend on Monday.  

I started formula with B a few months back when I mixed it in with his oatmeal baby cereal.  I have a container already.  I mixed it up for him, put it in his cup, and prayed for the best.  Braylen guzzled the whole thing.  God is good!  

It's amazing how freeing it is that Braylen drank the formula without a battle.  So it cost 20 more dollars than the free milk I was supplying.  Hopefully the transition to whole milk will be just as easy.  The next big "freeing" experience is the end of pumping.  I am still pumping to give him as much milk as I can, but my supply is dwindling hence the need for some cups of formula.  

I am really proud of the commitment I made to Braylen to give breast feeding another try and to pump 3 times a day to provide him with nourishing food.  I am so close to the end.  I cannot wait to zip up that little black backpack one last time!  I know my family members will be overjoyed not to hear that familiar whoosh sound 30 minutes every day.  

The Running of the Bath Water

I can't think of one time Braylen didn't enjoy a bath.  From the newborn days until now, this little guy loves some warm water and a good chew toy in the evening.

We give the kids a bath just about every night since they enjoy them so much.  Braylen will shreek with delight when he hears the water turn on in the bathroom.  He will stop whatever he is doing and speed crawl to the bathroom and pull up on the tub.  The other night he smiled and giggled the entire way up the stairs.

Here's B mad dash crawl to the tub tonight.

These are the moments I want to remember and I need to remind myself to document them more often.