Becoming a mom round two

Man, becoming a mom the second time around is AWE to the SOME. Le'me essssplain.

Fact: babies cry

Fact: since first time moms really don't have anything else of dire need most of the time to attend to, when a baby makes the smallest cry they jump to the rescue (ok maybe not all first time moms but I sure did. My baby is not perfectly content? I shall rescue you my beloved first born child! Fear not!)

Fact: Second time around and baby(s) cry this is how it goes down:

(the following is less than 30 seconds)
baby: squeak
kimber: sit
baby: squeak cry grunt a little
kimber: glance at the baby but continue sitting (first time mom jumps to the rescue)
baby: SQUEAK CRY GRUNTTTTTTTTTT
kimber: sit
baby: CRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
kimber: sit
baby: silence

Babies just make sounds and cry a little when they sleep and, for me, that first time around being mom I would just swoop in and try to give him a binkie or pick him up or whatever. Not only do second time around moms get this but also literally cannot run to the rescue of the squeaking babies because they are in the middle of something else with their toddler, food making, or mess clean upping. Second time around is great.

I was very religious with keeping track of Maxson's schedule. Eating time/lengths, sleeping time/lengths, diaper changing etc. I was totally on top of it all. And that was ok! To be honest as a first time mom you're just coming from no where so writing it all down and keeping track if it is super helpful.

This time around it's easier for me to accept sleeping vs not sleeping times. Babies will sleep when they are tired. They will let you know if they're still hungry and the list goes on. I feed the boys and pretty much let them be awake or asleep whenever they want, it's grand and way less stressful.

 Bryson in stripes, Q  in elephants.

IS THIS NOT THE BEST PICTURE EVER? BOTH SMILING? YEAH, I ROCK. 

(humility comes natural my friends)

 Bryson, love this sweet little face so much

 Max after the children's museum. We love putting mustaches on him.

Q, B

There's a lot of other awesome things about being a second time mom. But I want to get this post done and go binge read on a new favorite blog I found: camppatton. Go take a looky and if you never come back to look at my blog I will understand.

Kisses.

mommyhood by fire

so my sweet little niece, ruthie, is still in pennsylvania recovering from surgery on her pancreas.

i have come to arizona for a 2 week stay to watch over the 2 older girls.

it really has been fun.

they are 2 super easy going girls.

very obedient and polite pretty much 24/7 (except if annalee is hungry...)

things i've learned thus far this week:

1. white shirts are the dumbest idea ever. they will undoubtedly get stained.

2. even really tidy kids make big messes.

i clean the kitchen floor and counters like a majillion times a day.

3. if you actually think of something remotely fun/new to do they think you're the best person in the world.

4. they can eat like a million cookies but only like 3 carrots before they're full, weird...

5. the really will copy what you do.

here they were sitting on the couch with book of mormons open making me repeat what they were saying.

6. kids yoga is so funny to watch them do.

we are most definitely doing more of that!!!

this is the tree pose.

7. these little sinks at IKEA are the best things ever.

why doesn't every place have them?

8. while we're on the subject of bathrooms, being fully potty trained is worth the child's weight in GOLD. annalee is spectacular at it. phoebe is pretty darn good at it when she's at home and bare bummed, if not, there's no telling what it will be like. never really understood how parents remembered their children's potty schedules but now i KNOW to stay close to home during the afternoon hour if you know what i mean...

9. being a parent is truly exhausting. i now understand why other parents love when casey and i come over and play with their children for long periods of time. what a nice break!

10. mini vans are pretty darn convenient.

i'm cruisin in the honda odyssey and those automatic sliding doors open/shut buttons are the best things ever.

11. bananas are apparently the yummiest food ever.
i bought eleven  bananas yesterday before dinner,
tonight after dinner we have 2 and 1/4 left.
12. it's really funny the things kids will start repeating after you.
thus far they've really clung onto "crazy lady" and "not cool"
to my luck they ignore my crap/py, dang, and stupid.
i know, bad example on those, i'm working on it.
13. having visitors over is the best thing ever.
you'd think granny and papa and kirk and whitney were super heroes with the way they treated them

14. lastly, this moment of parenthood is GOLDEN

 
15. even more golden is getting them out of their car seats half sleepy as they cling to your neck, they half awake say "i love you kimber" and then pass them into their beds, back to sleep.

really, being with these girls all day is cake.
they're so easy.
i'm really grateful that my situation at this time in my life has allowed me to come help their family out.
lil ruthie's suregery went really well.
but she now has pancreitis (or something that sounds like that).
her stomach doesn't feel good at all, she's not eating normal, and throwing up a lot.
logan has gone for the weekend to be with blair and ruthie in PA so I will be alone with the girls til Monday night.
they facetime a lot as a family and individuals which helps everyone emotionally i think.
(even i get to facetime with casey about 2 times a day and it emotionally charges me).

i'm so happy i have this experience of being here with these girls and family!
hopefully i will actually write about more of the funny moments each day!

examples:

annalee got a cookie because she ate all her dinner.
phoebe had barely touched her dinner but she insisted she get a cookie too and NOW!
i squatted down to her level trying to explain how she could get a cookie and why it was that way.
i counted off my fingers saying "you can have a carrot, a cucumber, more potatoes, or cottage cheese."
so i have 4 fingers up.
she looks at my hands for a long time debating.
in my mind, i'm thinking i've finally gotten her.
she reaches out to grab my 2nd finger and says "cookie!"
oh that wee devil.
she did eat 1 carrot

when annalee and phoebe realized logan was with blair at the hospital through facetime,
annalee shouted at "you're in nebraska!?!"
they apparently remember me talking about casey in nebraska a lot.

annalle kept calling yoga, gogurt.

and this last one isn't really a specific story,
but every morning phoebe questions me "you have a baby in your tummy?
a big baby? because you have a big tummy."
i always ask her what should i name my baby and she always responds "boy"

that's it for now!
i must now continue my mommyhood training by going to bed early so when those girls wake me up at the crack of dawn, i won't be exhausted!

ps- i'm officially 7 months pregnant! wahoo!

brushing your teeth and vegetables.

last night, as lay in bed, i admitted to casey that i had't brushed my teeth.

you know what he did?

got my tooth brush, put toothpaste on it, brought it to me while i lazily remained in bed, forced it in my mouth, and turned the power on so it started splattering all over my face.

that there ladies and gentlemen, is a man who deeply cares about oral health.

casey 1. kimber 0.

tonight, i force fed casey sweet potatoes and broccoli (that were quite yummy, might i add) while we sat and watched our favorite show.

i literally had a fork up to his mouth with a sweet potato on it,

and each time he would give his best 4 year old idontwantoeatthisfood face.

he would also say in his best pouty voice "no, i don't like vegetables..."

but alas, the sweet potatoes and broccoli were gone.

casey 1. kimber 1.

i think we're just gonna make great parents someday.

sweet little angel came to visit!

we finally got the cute little abby all to ourselves!

this i our niece up here in utah from my darling brother and SIL

usually when we see abby it's with a bunch of other people and you have to take your turn

but this time it was just her and us, we loved it!

we just chilled and were super cool together :)

Haha this last picture like triples the size of her cheeks, it's so funny!

her lips are to die for

her eyes are always so interested in everything (aka they're always big and staring:)

her headband that day was so cute! it would fall in her eyes every once and awhile and it was just so funny!she like didn't even notice it, not a peep!

can you imagine wearing a headband and it falling in your eyes and you just sit there and don't fix it? haha 

and it's always fun for us to be around babies in general,

casey came home and all of his attention went straight to the little princess

i love the way he plays with her and talks to her and holds her

it's adorable

he's going to be such a great dad when that day does come

she is a cute little cuddle bug and we can't wait to have her to ourselves again!