5 Months

My baby boy Cohen. I see your little sponge brain soaking everything in all day long. You are a happy baby, just like your brother was. You do tend to think about it first before letting out that giggle. You do have a bit of a temper though. Once you get mad about something, you're mad. And if that means screaming in the car for a 30 min. trip, you'll do just that. Your have lost most of your beautiful dark hair. I hope it grows back soon.

You're still sleeping in your crib at least half of the night and sometimes I don't hear from you until 4 or 5am. Other times you wake up when we come to bed and then into our bed you come. You tend to wake up an hour into your afternoon nap and I usually bring you into bed and nurse you back to sleep. Bad habit? Maybe. But I know it won't last forever. You roll all over the place now. I can't leave you on the couch for a second! When you're on your belly those legs are moving. You just have to figure out how to get your arms moving. I haven't given you any solids yet. I "tried" once, against my better judgment (you were waking up so much at night) and on the recommendation of your pediatrician, even though I knew you weren't ready. Guess what, you weren't ready. I'll try again around 6 months. It's so much easier just to nurse you and you are growing just fine that way. I'm not looking forward to adding baby food to my purse again! I already carry around a whole lot less for you than I did when your brother was a baby. There really is no reason to carry around so much stuff!
I'll be back to report on you again next month!

What's going on in the world of Jess

Let's see. I have been watching way to much Mickey Mouse Club House, Handy Manny and Sponge Bob. The first two I actually like. Sponge Bob, not so much.

I can function a thousand times better on lack of sleep compared to Andy.

I am looking forward to fall TV which means I better get caught up on my reading.

Currently checked out from the library:
Dr. Bob's Drugless Guide to Balancing Female Hormones
Bringing Up Boys by Dr. James Dobson

Currently reading:
The Happiest Toddler on the Block

Passed on to me from my mom:
Three NCIS books by Mel Odom

and from my mother-in-law:
A few Jodi Picoult books (author of My Sister's Keeper)

Whew, that a lot of reading! Good thing my two boys don't keep me busy!

My landscaping looks like crap. Somehow I always find other more important things to tend to.
Seriously, I do enjoy it, it's just that sadly it's on the bottom of my list of priorities.

There is always laundry to do, a kitchen to clean, toys to pick up, mouths to feed, butts to wipe, errands to run, pictures to take, and so on.

Speaking of pictures, I just got Photoshop Elements and LOVE it!!! It's very user friendly. I'm also selling on ebay again and am gonna try really hard to not spend the money that comes in and buy a new camera...we'll see how that goes...

Oh and I just realized that today marks my two year anniversary of leaving my 9-5 job and advancing to the 24/7 one.

I love my boys and am so happy to be able to stay home and raise them. It's frustrating at times but as someone once told me, "The days are long but the years are short."

23 Months

My sweet Ayden, you are just one month shy of your second birthday! Wow! You have definitely kept it interesting these last few months. I am currently reading The Happiest Toddler on the Block and must remind myself that you are primitive in your ways and that you are still learning. I find myself losing my patience very easily with you and I promise to work on that. Having two small boys is not as easy as it may seem. Nap time and bed time have been interesting to say the least but I do see a light at the end of the tunnel. You slept ALL night last night! That hasn't happened in weeks, maybe even months. It is very frustrating in this moment in time to be woken up all night by two little people, not just one. Yes, your dad and I would take turns putting you back in bed, but I was always awake. I try to tell myself that you are still little and I should appreciate the fact that you need me because I know one day, you won't be little and want my hugs and kisses anymore. Your vocabulary increases everyday! I even hear 3 word sentences from you every now and then. We just bought you some new shoes yesterday. Size 9! I'm sure you will follow in the footsteps of your father. The last I checked you were 30 lbs. and 36 inches tall. We were looking at some of your baby pictures the other day. You were so chubby and only had two teeth. Oh so sweet. I miss that already!

Not My Child! Monday

Welcome to Not My Child! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

It was not my toddler that has twice now taken a pen and scribbled on the computer monitor. Maybe he thinks he's an artist...

It is definitely not this same little boy who now wakes up multiple times throughout the night. Just two nights ago, he had woken up twice before Cohen woke up once!

His voice is most certainly not horse from crying when he does this! Nope, not him!

That's all for today folks! I have a mess of clothes to finish tackling in Ayden's room. His generous Aunt has cleaned out Carter's closet once again. This is one mess that I don't mind cleaning!

[Shower] Times Have Changed

When I showered today I did not lock Ayden in my bathroom with Cohen and I as usual. Instead I gave him free reign of the house. Wouldn't ya know, he stayed in there the whole time!

It really is pointless anymore since he can climb in and out of the Activity Center that I have been putting him in forever. Seriously that thing has been in our bathroom for at least the last 12 months and it's not going anywhere anytime soon.

Instead I put Cohen in there and it was way too cute!

10 seconds into my shower I peak out and see Ayden trying to feed Cohen these crackers!

Once he got over that novelty, he flushed the toilet...twice and played with these bathtub knobs...

There is no peace and privacy anymore... but I love my boys!

Not Me! Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I most certainly have not been giving in and sometimes nursing Cohen to sleep. I know that I should always put him down drowsy and let him fall asleep on his own. Which leads me to say that I have not been laying down with Ayden until he falls asleep. An almost 2 year old can totally fall asleep on his own, right? Honestly he was doing so good then somewhere along the way it went up in smoke. It's partly mine (and Andy's) fault. Who wouldn't be able to resist a sweet little boy who never wants to cuddle anymore patting the pillow next to him for you to rest your head on!?! Not me!

I did not let Ayden fall off my bed head first because I totally have cat like reflexes. I am supermom and did not look like a wild animal flailing my arms around completely missing his leg that I was trying to grab as he fell in slow motion. Nope, not me!

I did not walk in to the laundry room and find Ayden drawing on the floor with a green sharpie calling it chalk. Nope, not me! I know better and have all sharpies out of toddlers reach!

I did not enjoy a few hours minus Cohen yesterday while we went swimming and grabbed a quick dinner. Nope, not me!

I did not snap this picture, knowing in the back of my mind that there was a similar picture of the boys from last year.

2008

Wordless Wednesday

A Photoshoot with my Favorite...

...flowers!

Hydrangeas (and some roses too)!

These were taken with my point and shoot camera. I was playing around with the settings.
I didn't even edit them in photoshop.

Not My Child Monday!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

While MckMama did not put up a Not Me Monday post, I did one anyways. She has been busy with Stellan in the hospital but the great news is STELLAN GOT DISCHARGED TODAY!
You can read his story here: http://www.mycharmingkids.net/search/label/Stellan%27s%20story

Ayden was not falling asleep on the mower with Andy because he has been getting up at the crack of dawn lately. Nope not him!

He did not take his diaper off and nap in just a t-shirt because he was so mad that he had to come in and take a nap.

He did not have to be woken up from said nap after 3-1/2 hours! Nope not him!

Ayden did not run wild at the Oberlin Inn on Saturday at a wedding reception. Nope not him. He definitely sat in a high chair the whole time...

He was not bribed with fruit snacks and pretzels out of the vending machine to spend sometime in the highchair. Nope not him!

He was not the cutest looking kid there. He was not rockin' the mohawk, button up shirt, tie and jean shorts. (Will post a pic of that later)

Cohen did not start screaming the second we walked in. Nope not him. He is a perfect angel all the time...

He did not cry the entire way home, when Nana and Pawpa took the boys home so Andy and I could stay at the reception. Nope not him!