8 weeks!

Grant on Left, Aimee on Rights (~6 mo.)

8 weeks: that's how long it's been since I've posted anything on the blog... I believe the saying that it's harder to go from one to two kids than from zero to one is true! I've never been busier in my life; two children, two different child care situations, new job for me, Tyler back at work... it's a lot of stuff to get used to but we are surviving.

Grant just turned 3 months old which I find incredible. I knew that once he reached 90 days it would be really strange for us. At that point he became the same age as Caroline when we brought her home. I did some comparison pics to show the difference in their physical size:

Is it any wonder we call Grant "Bubba?"

I spent some time looking back at pics of Caroline in the NICU and when we first brought her home and I realized that because of Grant's size I have been treating him as if he is older... or maybe Caroline was just treated like a newborn longer - who knows. I brushed up on my infant sleep knowledge yesterday (thanks to Isis Parenting webinars which were introduced to me by my friend Lianne - love them!). I remember being so protective of Caroline's naps but we've been pretty relaxed with Grant's naps until now; he's been really fussy during the day and I've realized that he's constantly overtired. In addition, going back to work means that I have to pump during the day, which caused a breastmilk overproduction again resulting in tummy aches for poor Grant. I think I have a handle on that and a plan for pumping at work next week that should not cause extra milk production. (I've had overproduction issues all along, but thought I got it under control the week before work started...)

Grant sleeps pretty well at night and now gets up to eat only 3-4 times a night; I have friends with babes the same age who get up once a night and I just can't believe it! I think the 9-10PM feeding will drop off soon - or I'll help wean it - in the next few weeks and that will bring me to just 2-3 times a night. I can handle the sleep deprivation on non-work days but it's going to be tough when I have to get up and function at work all day.

Caroline turned 2 since the last time I posted. We do not want to get into the cycle of huge birthday parties so this year we kept things very small. On Sunday before her birthday we spent some time at Dennis and Susie's camp. Dennis made Caroline an incredible miniature picnic table which she loves to sit at. On Monday we took a cruise on Lake Memphremagog with Ed and Elijah. We'd been wanting to do that all summer and it was pretty neat. Later that day Peter and Jeanne stopped by and we sang Happy Birthday and ate more cupcakes. Caroline was pretty spoiled again this year and got a lot of nice gifts from her friends and family.

Caroline had a 6-month Boston trip the week before school started. We had to take a rental car down there since our car was still being fixed (long story but Tyler did not have good luck this summer). We ran out of gas on the way down (Ty driving!) but had scheduled in extra time so it wasn't a problem. The kids actually did really well in the hotel and we managed to get some decent sleep. (As a side note, since we were visiting Children's we got a discount on our hotel room and they gave us free parking and free breakfast. The hotel was in Cambridge and we plan to stay there from now on as it was very convenient.) Caroline's neuro appointment went well but they told us to start PT once a week for her hypotonicity. We had her first PT appointment last week and they said she is about 6-7 months behind with very weak core and leg muscles. Her endo appointment went well... no real news there. We'll be back in 6 months!

I know I'm kind of scattered so I'm sure I am forgetting news, but babies are trying to go down for the night and need constant help from Mama in the process!

Here are some pics from the last 8 weeks. Hard to narrow them down!

JULY

We got an a/c unit for Grant's room and he and I spent a couple weeks in there.

We played in sand and/or napped.

We went to Canada, got stuck in a storm, and came home.

We grew a garden that is currently being ravaged by 'coons

Tyler killed my car

We had fun with French cousins

Grant turned 2 months old

AUGUST (So out of order!)

Fun in Cambridge with Uncle Gabe

Kitchen for her birthday

Someone needed to be close to Mommy

"Hike" on Hinman Settler Rd to Inlet of Shadow Lake

Gnome Trail on Wheeler Mountain

Out of gas... near St J

Hotel Fun

Firehouse tour for a friend's birthday party

New haircut

Hugs?

My girl likes to read

Happy birthday to Ty

My boy now takes a paci thanks to Nanny Mary Poppins!

Birthday BBQ for Susie's 21st birthday

Sharing is caring

Caroline's first jewelry

3 months

Go UCF!

Garden fun in early August

More birthday fun

Time for bed!