Raising Cubs in a Campground

Disclosure: My 8 week old baby has been sleeping for 3-7 hour stretches from the get-go. Miraculously I've been able to avoid the sleep deprivation that usually goes hand in hand with a newborn. I consider myself VERY. VERY. VERY lucky and as I was discussing with a friend just last night, I feel more than a little guilty about it. I have been spoiled this summer with two older kids who let me sleep in until 7:30-7:45 even though they are up and at 'em as early as 6:00. They either play in their own rooms, in the playroom, or in Sam's room. I am a stickler about them staying upstairs where all our bedrooms are and they always follow that rule.  (If only I could figure out how to extend that exceptional behavior to other things!!!) The second their clock turns to the appointed time they come bounding in to wake me. They are hungry, they want to watch a movie, they want to tattle on each other, you name it....they are more than ready to get a move on!  So we do.  If El...

alternately titled: I'm gonna need a bigger basket I haven't really noticed many changes in Elsa from last week to this week, but there are a few things I want to make sure I make a note of....She's up to 2-3 15 minute stretches of contentment that don't require bouncing, rocking, or singing. We bought a floor gym that she's getting the hang of. Her favorite part of it is looking at her reflection in the mirror. She smiles the most when she's on the changing table. That's Sam and Julia's favorite place to talk with her since she's at their eye level.  She spent her first night in the tent this past week. She did great!  She was asleep when I put her on the air mattress and she stayed asleep until 3am. Her siblings on the other hand gave me a run for my money that first hour! ugh. They would not settle down at.all. She found my hair this week so I've been keeping it pulled back as much as possible. If she doesn't have my hair then she...

The morning of July 1st started out like all the other mornings this summer. The kids let me sleep until 7:30 and then came in to wake me up. We ate breakfast and I started picking up around the house. We had spent the previous day at the town pool and because the heat index was going to be just as high again we made plans to go to our beach. The kids really wanted to practice their swimming skills but I didn't want to have to pay for the pool again. At 8:30 I lost my mucus plug and my brain started running a mile a minute. Could this mean we're getting close? Could I actually go early for a change?I turned to Google and learned that labor could be hours or days away. I feel I should warn you - if you decide to Google mucus plug be prepared to see photographic proof. Why people felt the need to post pictures to Google images is beyond me!  Moving on..... Just in case I ended up being one of the lucky ones who only had hours to wait until labor started I kept up with my clean...

We're also celebrating seven weeks since Elsa was born. Overall it's been a smooth ride - some days being easier than others. We're slowly working in the direction of a schedule. I'm not a stickler by any means but I know that a rough schedule will help everyone.  Two nights ago she didn't fall asleep until 10pm and then didn't get any long naps during the day. She was much more crabbier as a result.  Last night I put her to bed at 8pm and she slept all the way through until 3am! I fed her at 6 and again at 7. Then she slept until 9am.  Today has been much better. She's had more stretches where she's content to sit on her own without being held.  I've made some changes to my routine but I'll save that for another post.  My dearest Elsa, Your smile melts my heart every time, especially when you smile at your big brother and your big sister.  You love bath time and diaper changes. You are taking a new paci like a champ and in combination with y...

If you know anyone who might be interested in a kitten let me know! They will be two months old tomorrow and are ready to go to a good home. Thanks!

Elsa at 1 month. August 1st, 2011. I have been doing a terrible job of journaling Elsa's early weeks. Most of the time I get her weekly photo taken but writing my thoughts on her rapid growth, terrible spitting up, and the noises she makes when she eats? I just can't seem to get into a routine that leaves time for reflecing on what it's been like with a newborn in the house. At least I have the photos safe on my phone and computer so I can refer to them and write things out another day. So why am I blogging today when for the first time in forever it isn't 90+ degrees? Well because we've already gone on a bike ride, baked a pie, cleaned the playroom, and done the laundry so we're chilling in front of a movie while we wait for Daddy to get home. That, and I'm hoping someone can offer some insight into Elsa's spitting up. She doesn't cry or appear in distress when she spits up, but there is SO much that comes up that it's disturbing. My...

It would show both of my kids sword fighting on the deck of a ship. It would be of sweaty, tired kids having fun with random kids at the castle park. It would remind me of a former preschool classmate's words when she left " Bye Sam! I'll miss you!!!" It would be of simple pleasures like make believe and lazy summer days. Since I won't have a picture, my memory of this day will have to do.

School starts in 29 days. Not that I'm counting or anything. We've had a fun and busy summer. I have LOVED not having to work three jobs (four if you count running a household). Most of the pictures I've taken have been with my cell phone and some day I hope to get them posted here on my blog so my kids will have a record of what they did this summer. The list of activities is long and rewarding. Yet I can't help but question whether we did TOO much. Lazy days of summer? I don't think we had very many of those, but then again....I was pretty uncomfortable at the end of my pregnancy so we didn't do a whole lot in June. We made up for it in July! It's been ridiculously hot and humid all of July. I really hope August brings some relief! You know it's bad when you are grateful for a rainy day because it brings the temps down from 103 to 73! There is a threat of more rain today so I think we'll head to the library. It's Julia's special day so w...

It looked a lot like this one except she wasn't dreaming at the time. On Friday night (at exactly 4 weeks old) Elsa smiled at me for the first time. Be still my heart.

Three weeks have passed and our little girl has woken up from her newborn sleepiness, not that I have the photos to prove it. She never did get her days and nights mixed up - something that still amazes me. The other difference between Elsa and her siblings is she spits up a LOT. It's not reflux because she doesn't cry afterwards but I'm still getting used to having to change her outfit (and mine) multiple times a day.  It's summer though so she spends quite a bit of time in just a diaper or a onesie so those changes are easy.  Hopefully I'm not jinxing myself, but 'easy' seems to be the theme with her.  How did I get so lucky?