4 months

My little "O" will be four months old in a couple days. He's getting SO big. I tend to be a minimalist when it comes to toys/accessories in my house. However with Lilly and two other big "littles" in my house I get a bit worried about them pulling him off or out of something or stepping on him. We've had a couple accidents ending with "O" on the floor crying. I thought a bumbo seat might be just the ticket. I looked on craiglist for several days with no luck. Fortunately one of Mikes co-workers had one he didn't want. So last night we got this lovely green seat for FREE. *happy Mommy*

He's trying to get his thumb in his mouth. This task usually requires both hands and is usually successfull. However he usually ends up looking like this at some point in time.

Love that smile, takes up his whole face.

And apparently all that smiling was hard work.

Lillian Turns 2! (pic heavy)

Lilly's birthday this year was so much fun. Mike decided to use his two weeks of paternity leave the week before and after her birthday. He spent the week working on a kitchen for her. He even drew up the plans himself. 

He's learning a lot these days about constructing things. His biggest complaint is about the poor quality of lumber up here. Seems as though everything is warped, badly. He made it work though

Primed and the painting started. He obtained a can of chalk board paint from work. The entire fridge is painted with it. Cool stuff, you should try it sometime!

We ended up using a couple of the sample size jars of paint from Lowe's. It was cheap and we had plenty. We even managed to get one of the jars for 1$ (a mis mix) I will admit that I didn't do much with the constructing or the painting, or really any of the planning. I did however pick the paint colors. Here's what I spent my week doing.

I made this using scrap fabric I had laying around. Way cuter than the ones you buy at Wal Mart right?

I also made this little apron. As well as the curtain you see on her kitchen. 

We had plans for the majority of her birthday (all the party prep for her evening celebration) and so the night before we moved the kitchen into the house. She got to check it out and open her presents first thing Saturday morning. 

So far she seems to like climbing in and out of the oven and fridge the best. 

Saturday afternoon we got lucky enough to have a surprise visit from my dad's cousin. She and her husband as well as son and daughter-in-law had flown up for a long weekend. Alaska made Sherry's 50th state. I was so pleased that they took time out of their busy schedule to stop in and see us for a few minutes. They even sang their own family birthday song to Lilly. It was BEAUTIFUL. There are a few photos here just scroll toward the bottom.

From there we finished getting things ready for company. We planned a very low key party, Lilly is only 2 after all. We asked people to bring a dish to share instead of a gift. We had lots of kids, lots of food, and lots of great company. 

My big two year old! 

We opened the garage and asked everyone to bring their camp chairs. Worked out great!

I made Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cupcakes. Lilly wasn't real sure about blowing out her candles. 

The kids had a great time on this thing. 

I was so pleased at how it all turned out. Pretty sure that a good time was had by all!

Excuses

I have a million reasons why I haven't blogged in ??? way to long. Getting settled in to life with two, I have realized that a routine is about impossible. Mike had two weeks off. Enjoying the beautiful Alaskan summer and new friends. Lilly's birthday. Projects around the house and a NEW sewing machine. Meetings for MOPS and church things. And last but not least the workings of a new BLOG (web address to come)

Lillian is now 2, talking more and potty trained (that happened in about a week, a month before her birthday.

Owen is almost 4 months, wears 9-12 months clothes, eats all the time and for the most part is a very happy, easy going baby.

I've started babysitting a friends boys 3 and 1 a couple times a week. That means that for approximately 8 hours on those days I have under my roof four children ages 3, 2, 1, and 4 months.

About a month ago, I bought a sewing machine. I'm in love! I'm working on a craft blog, just a place to write about what I'm making, crafting, sewing, knitting and learning. I place to share that's separate from
talking about my kids.  Hopefully it will be up and running by the beginning of September.

Our lives are about to get a bit more scheduled. Mike is going to be really busy with work for the next 4-6 weeks. I have babysitting, MOPS starting, and about half a dozen sewing projects plus knitting hats for the kids. (it's about to get cold here in Alaska)

I think that about sums it up around here for now. I'll try and write some more specific posts about what's going on in the near future, when my finger (slammed it in the truck door a week ago) allows me to type a bit better.

Life

Wow! I feel like I've been in limbo for two months now.
It all started a few weeks before Owen was born, you know when you get to the 37th week of pregnancy and your brain switches to the "it could be anytime mode." Well that "mode" lasted an entire month as he was a week late. We left on little Oney's 5th day of life and flew to Indiana where we thought we were staying for the entire summer. Mike left after a week to head back to Alaska and the kids and I are still here. We have heard nothing but contradicting info from the AF and so after four weeks of being here I decided I'd had enough. Rumor has it the the deployment is not happening so I bought tickets and we are headed back to the great state of Alaska where 90 degrees and humidity do NOT exist. (I am a wuss after living away from Winona Lake for almost 6 years now)  Can't wait to get back home to my house and my husband. ( I kinda miss that guy)

Owen is now 5 weeks old, can't believe it! He is definitely very very different from his sister. Likes to be held and needs a lot more comforting than she did. (maybe that's because with Lilly I didn't have anything else to do but hold her)

Lilly is doing well with him, the last couple days she wants to hold him, all the time, and throws quite the fit when I tell her no.
She's talking more, I don't think anyone understands her but me and my mother but she has lots of words and understands most of what you tell her. She's starting to show interest in pottying in the toilet but I'm not even going to tackle that until fall.

I have adjusted to being mommy to two. Somehow I still manage to knit a bit every day and should soon have Owen's second sweater done.  I think we're all ready to go back to our own space and get into a routine of sorts...

Owen Caleb

Owen Caleb joined us at 3:17am on Tuesday, April 26th. Labor lasted about 6 hours and Owen, like Lillian, was born in the water.

We are adjusting pretty well,  Lilly is taking to him fairly well. I will write out the birth story soon enough.