Life with 2

I have slacked so much with blogging. I really have so much to write about and really want to most days and then by the time the kids are asleep I either have cleaning to do, laundry to wash or fold, cooking that needs to be done or it's time for me to go to sleep to. Don't get me wrong, life with 2 is great, but it's exhausting!

Payton is 4 months old now...seriously 4 months? How did that even happen? Oh well, it is happening and I guess I have to stop being in denial about my baby getting 'older'. She is so fun right now, she has the sweetest little personality and it comes through more and more every day. She smiles all the time but mainly at the people she knows, she has already shown quite a bit of stranger anxiety and it's not pretty, she is definitely a bit dramatic. We had her 4mth well visit the other day and the nickname peanut that I gave her seems to be perfectly fitting, she is now 13lbs 3oz and 24.5 inches long, so right at the 50th %tile for height & weight now and only 25th for head, haha, she's a tiny one :o) Yesterday Joe and I started feeding her a little rice cereal and so far she seems to do pretty good with it. It's funny because Jack was so in to the whole eating thing, he devoured the cereal the first day we gave it to him and hasn't stopped eating since. Payton on the other hand seems to like food but not nearly like her brother did.

Sleep is starting to get a little better too (although I probably just jinxed myself). We are now sleeping 5-7 hour stretches at night which is awesome and would probably be even better if I could start making myself go to sleep when she does so that I get the full sleep time too.

For our big boy, he is amazing, really, it's not just because he's my son...ok, maybe it is a little, but he's really something. He is learning more and more every day and is just so good with his baby sister. He is now counting to 10, knows how to spell his name, knows his right and his left and just comes out with things that make us laugh so hard even if it's something we really shouldn't be laughing at. When we were at the dr. for Payton's appointment this last week we made the appointment for his 3yr well visit, I wanted to cry! How is it possible that my sweet baby boy is going to be 3 in just a little more than 2 months? Really, why is he getting so old so fast, I'm NOT OK with this!

Joe & I are doing great too, we have a lot of things on our plate right now and trying so hard to get them all done. The last few days we have been re-painting, re-decorating & re-arranging the dining room and it's amazing. The color we chose is called Divine Wine and although it's a dark maroon color it loos great with the crown molding, chair rail & base molding all being white. I can't wait to have it completed and once I do I will be sure to blog and post pictures. Then once the dining room is done we are moving in to the kitchen where there will be painting done, walls knocked down and lots or re-arranging, I can't wait!!

So that's all for now from the Farley fam...here are a few pictures though because what can I say, I like to show off my kiddos :o)







He wanted to be a knight in shinning armor because that's what Goofy was doing on TV...this is what we came up with:

Necessary things w/baby #2

I am learning more and more every day about the phrase 'never say never'. I feel like there are things that I swore with Jack I would never do, things I said I would never use and now those things are not only an option but more of a necessity. Here are some things I am finding so very very useful this time around, some are still around from last time and others are very new to me!

1st: Homedics Sound Spa & Lullaby aka The Baby Crack Machine

With Jack I had this and it came in very handy, he would sleep the best during the day when it was on. This time around it is a godsend! With a noisy toddler it is so great to put this machine on to the sound of the ocean (which makes me want to sleep half the time too) and have my baby girl sleep so peacefully while still being able to let me toddler run and play and be the boy that he is :o)

2nd: the Rainforest Jumperoo

Jack spent so much time in here and loved it. There were days where he would jump & jump and the next thing I knew he jumped himself right to sleep in it, haha. So far Payton hasn't been in it all that much but she does love it already :o)

3rd: Fisher Price Papasan Swing

I hoped and hoped that my second baby would actually like this swing. I registered for this swing when I was pregnant with Jack and loved it...unfortunately Jack did not feel the same way about it. I think that maybe he spent a total of an hour in it the entire time he was an infant, he hated it so much that I put it away very early. Luckily Payton loves it, she will hang out in there, fall asleep and take small naps in there, it's been great :o)

Last but certainly not least...and more the reason for this post than anything:
BabyBjorn Baby Carrier


I was so against these when I was pregnant with Jack, always said I would never 'wear' my baby, that it just didn't seem necessary because if my baby needed to be held than everything else in life could just wait until later. Well fast forward to now being a mother of 2, that is just not the case anymore. There are times when we go out now that Payton needs to be held but Jack also needs me at the same time. This has been a huge lifesaver! A friend lent me hers when we went to the circus and I don't know what I would have done without it. I was able to walk with Jack and soothe Payton all at the same time. I loved it so much that Joe & I ordered one the next day.
So far it's been great, Payton loves to be cuddled up in it and it allows me to still have both hands free. We can now all go grocery shopping together, Jack sits int he cart while Joe pushes it and Payton hangs out in her carrier on me. We have also been to the park a few times and I can run around the park with Jack and not have to worry about Payton being in a stroller. I think having to worry about her in a stroller and turning my back on her to run after Jack would make it not so enjoyable, this way, we all have fun and we're all happy :o)

I'm sure there are other things that I'm leaving out but right now I heart these baby things and hopefully will continue to love them for a long time!

To double or not to double

I have gone back & forth on this for a while, ever since I got pregnant with Payton probably. I love our 'big' carriage that I had for Jack. I love that it has a bassinet option for the small baby so that the baby can sleep, relax and stretch out when we are on long stroller trips and that it transforms to a big kid seat when the little one is ready for it. I also love that I have the option of having the baby look at me or look out at everyone else. The only thing, is that there isn't an extra place for Jack in that stroller now. When Joe & I go out together with the kids of course we can take both strollers, the big one and the Maclaren, but when I am by myself Jack has to walk.

Don't get me wrong, he is awesome at walking, listening and holds on to the stroller like I ask him to. He's really become such a big boy it amazes me. I just feel like it would be nice for him to be able to sit somewhere and be comfy if we are shopping or even maybe a place to stand so in case his little legs get tired he doesn't have to walk. I'm just not sure if this is a huge waste of money or not.

So what do you think? Double stroller or no & why? Also, here are a few of the ones I have been looking at...any opinions would be appreciated :o)

Baby Trend Sit 'N Stand Double Stroller:


Jeep Traveler Tandem Stroller:

Peg Perego Aria Twin 60/40 (my favorite so far but also the most expensive of these 3)

Back to Work

How could this be? How could my time home with my angels already be up? Luckily I had 8 weeks of disability and was able to stay home for 10 weeks but to me it's still not long enough. It's been so nice to be able to go about our day without time restraints, without having to rush through the morning getting everything I need to do done before leaving for work and even better, being able to have playdates or do fun things without worrying what time it is and having to get to work.

Don't get me wrong, I am very lucky that I only work part-time, only 4 hours a day in the afternoons but still, it's 4 hours a day away from my little ones and I'm not ready for it. I know it's going to be hard to leave Payton, especially that she's so young and I don't want to miss anything but it's really killing me to leave Jack. I have enjoyed being home with him so much, coloring, playing with toys and watching him play with his baby sister. The best part though is being home when he wakes up from his nap. When I work I put him down for a nap before i leave so that it is easier on Grandma who watches him and when he wakes up it's Grandma that gets him. Being the one that walks in his room and seeing the smile on his face when he says 'Mommy, I wake up' has been the best and it's one of the things I am going to miss the most! I also feel bad because I know he is going to miss having me home too. Being that he is 2.5yrs old now and understands so much more but doesn't understand everything just yet, it's going to be hard for him I think to not have be here 24/7.

I also have some mommy guilt. I know it's ridiculous but I can't help it. With Jack I worked full time in the city, had maternity leave/disability, vacation time and some unpaid leave that left me home with him for 4 months. This time around I work part-time, no vacation time to use and so I have to go back when Payton is only 2 months old (well a little more, but you get the idea). I feel like I am slighting her, I know she doesn't know and really in the long run I am doing what is best for our family but still, it's hard :o(

So tomorrow is my last day home before work starts on Monday and I plan on snuggling with my babies as much as humanly possible and lord help the person that tries to take one of my babies out of my arms tomorrow, hahaha.

2 months and a 2 yr old

Wow, these last 2 months have flown by. I can't believe our little princess is now 2 months old, it's crazy to think that I will probably blink too long and she will be hitting milestones like eating foods, crawling and all kinds of other things. I like to think she will stay small forever but we all know that is not the case. She is starting to become more her own little person and her personality comes through more every day. She loves to be cuddled, smiles, coos (especially at 4am when I want her to go back to sleep) and just brightens up even my worst days. I never knew how amazing it would be to have a little girl and she is the sweetest little thing I never knew I wanted :o)

Jack has continued to be amazing with his little sister, he is very attentive to her, he will come over and kiss her head for absolutely no reason and without any one saying anything to him. As sweet as he is though, he is very much a boy's boy! He wants to play ball all the time now, he has always loved to play baseball and hit but now he plays catch with daddy & grandpa too and it's great! He also seems to be showing more of a lack of patience, I must admit he gets this from me, I'm not proud of it but what can you do. I am trying to work on this more and more with him. I am trying to show him that we won't ignore the things he wants us to do or the things that he wants but he also can't have everything that he wants as soon as he says it. It's so hard because before Payton I feel like I jumped at every thing he said and am now paying for it, but so far so good and he's getting better about it every day.

So here is where we are at with everyone:
Payton - 2 months
-you now eat anywhere from 4-5oz at a time
-sleep has gotten a little better and the fight for it hasn't been as bad as it was for a week or so
-smiles are more & more often and light up her whole face
-she is becoming more vocal now and loves to coo & squeal
-she will imitate me sticking out my tongue now & it is so cute!

We went to the dr. yesterday (1/27/11) for her 2mth appointment and she is now 10.6lbs and 21.75 inches long.

Baby/Toddler Room 'Renovations'

So, we're a little late on this seeing that Payton is almost 2 months old already but hey, at least it's getting started now. We have decided that for now, while she's too young to really know anything, we will just paint the wall behind her crib so I can put up a few 'girly' decorations and leave the rest of the room to Jack. When she is a little older and actually sleeping in her room and spending more time in there then we will once again do some renovations. For now, here is the 'progress' we have made, pretty much only painted, hopefully this week we will put the decorations up and finish it up for now.

Before:



After:

'I love you to a 5!'

I think I have said it time and time again int he past but this is really my favorite stage/age with Jack. He has become more than my son, he is like my new best friend. Never in my life, even though I have always loved kids, did I imagine that I would love to be around a 2.5 yr old as much as I do. I am in no way a morning person at all (my mom can tell you about that one from the years of waking me up) but seeing his face at the side of my bed every morning makes waking up a little easier :o)

He now has full on conversations with me and while they may not be the most intellectual conversations, they are real conversations and he does not hesitate to tell you what he is thinking or how he feels. I love the innocence of everything that comes out of his mouth and the excitement that comes along with certain things like when he is talking about his new favorite movie 'Cars' or when he's telling me about the new train he wants. He also comes up with some pretty interesting things which make me smile, giggle, and some times shake my head.

The other night I was getting Jack ready for bed. We have a routine that usually Joe bathes him and gets him in his bed where he lays and watches TV for a little while. When it's time to go to bed I go in, turn the TV off, get him to go potty and then back in bed for our kiss, hug and then night nights, love yous and see you in the mornings. Well this one particular night here is the conversation we had:

me: I love you so much buddy, you are my favorite little man ever!
Jack: I lu you too mommy
me: how much do you love me?
Jack: :after a little thought: mommy, I lu you 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!!!!!!
me: you love me to a 5?
Jack: ::with so much excitement and the biggest smile:: Mommy, I love you to a 5!
me: ::holding back tears of sheer joy:: I love you to a 5 too!

He obviously thought enough to know that when he counts to 5 it is the most and therefore that is how much he loves me. Now every time I ask him how much he loves me he says 'I lu you to a 5 mommy' and I have never heard anything better :o)