Ordinary

An update post, full of the stuff that now makes an ordinary day at our house. For those of you who are wondering how we are doing but never get a chance to talk to me because I am always unavailable and busy nursing or napping or playing catch up.

First, for the grandparents and aunts and uncles-
Elizabeth is doing well. She is about 9 lbs now and has grown another inch. He red hue has faded into a rosy pink. She has grown into her wrinkles and now looks like a chubby baby instead of the saggy baggy elephant. Rebecca keeps her in a constant supply of kisses to her soft brown hair and dimpled cheeks. She has ten tiny toes and ten long fingers and a belly button that hasn't yet decided if its an innie or an outie.  Her tear ducts took a while to catch up but are not functioning at full capacity, which has ended the watery cheeks and goopy eyes.
She eats well, but most of what goes in comes right back out. We are treating for reflux and I just started a dairy-free week to test for a possible milk allergy. I already miss my midnight cereal snack and chocolate treats. And soy milk is blech.
She sleeps like a baby. She is starting to be awake more of the day time, but not enough to say she has a nap schedule or anything. She cries for a few hours before bed but sleeps the rest of the night, with breaks for feeding every few hours. Recently she has been stretching her sleeps to four or even five hours at night, for which I am grateful. If only I could convince the rest of my family to sleep during those four or five hours as well so I could sleep, too!
She had her first kitchen sink bath a few days ago. Lenna enjoyed helping and watching. Elizabeth didn't enjoy it as much but was happy to be out and snuggled after.

Rebecca is adjusting in her own way. She loves her "baby sister Elizabeth" and is very gentle and loving toward her. Mommy takes the brunt of any animosity or hard feelings. Her new favorite words are "No!", in response to any requests to do anything, even something she likes, or "I want my mommy!" in response to anyone else trying to help her or move her or breathe near her. She won't sleep unless it is in Mommy's bed, and not until mommy is right next to her. Mommy appreciates the love, but is kind of tired of the extra long nap and bed time duties. Especially at 4 in the morning when she wakes in her own room and discovers mom isn't with her, but has just put the baby back to bed and is trying to go to sleep.
She likes to steal the pacifier and claim it as her own, wants to be fed her dinner, and has watched more tv in the last month that she has in the previous six combined. But she loves to take a bath, help change diapers, or pat the baby to help with burping.
Rebecca just learned to pedal a tricycle yesterday when we borrowed one she could reach the pedals on. She also loves to ride in the stroller and go for walks, so we are trying to go out each day and take a walk. She will let me read her books while we are feeding the baby, unless she is busy scattering puzzle pieces or board games around the living room, unfolding all the towels, or climbing on the counters to find a valentine candy stash.

Andrew is doing well. I think he has grown a foot this year. We have worked hard to cut his tv and computer time down, and eliminate anything violent or scary. There has been a big improvement in his behavior problems and his nightmares. He still likes to play super heroes and pirates and star wars, but has to imagine the bad guys instead of replaying scenes from tv. The ones in his head are much more age-appropriate (although, is there even an age where violence and fighting and terror are "appropriate" viewing for anyone?)
Andrew has taken off on the reading rocket. He loves to read, especially chapter books that make him feel like a big kid and on par with his big sister. He still doesn't like to write, but loves art and music and PE at school. Lenna is teaching him to multiply when they play school. He has been a really great help the past month, when he wants to be. He came with me to the grocery store Saturday and did a great job keeping the list, pulling things off the shelves, and unloading the cart onto the check out while I held a hungry crying baby. He is learning to include Becca in his games and likes being responsible for his own list of chores- he takes out the garbage, clears the table, feeds the cat, folds towels, and runs the vacuum. When he feels like it. Other times, he is a super-stinker and jumps with both feet into the "annoying little brother" roll complete with silly songs, weird faces, pranks, surprise attacks with a Nerf gun, and stolen treasure.
He has had a break from his allergies the past month or so, which we have all enjoyed. The trees started blooming this week, so our break is over and we will start new medicine after his check up next week. I hope this spring will be easier on him than the last few. His last remaining food allergy is milk, so he and I are experimenting together with no milk this week. He thinks soy milk is blech too, but likes the coconut milk mint chip ice cream Mike brought home from the fancy organic grocery store.

Lenna is growing up fast. She was very worried about how much work she would have to be doing to help with things here after the baby arrived but seems to have settled in ok. I try not to ask too much of her and remind her to breathe when she starts to get too dramatic or to demanding of herself. And I try not to forget about her. We spent 5 minutes making a bracelet last night that seemed to make her day. Wish I had done it sooner! She stopped going to her clogging classes, it wasn't her passion and I couldn't see the point of paying for classes and hauling all the kids out to lessons when she didn't love it. Soccer started this week and she is disappointed that she isn't playing but is looking forward to swimming lessons this summer and maybe learning something new at a summer camp. With the warm weather this week she has finally had a chance to tackle her new bike and learn to ride again. I think she has got it.
Lenna just finished a report at school on Eleanor Roosevelt and now is on a hunt to find out about all the first ladies. She has started reading books in the "Dear America" series and has started asking questions about immigration, war, racism, poverty, and discrimination. Its hard to explain the KKK to a 9 yr old. I would rather go back to matching the correct villain and prince to each princess in her story book. She is excited to be moving to the DC area so she can visit the museums as often as she would like. I predict a busy summer!

Mike had a birthday last week. He wanted it to pass unceremoniously but the kids thought that was a terrible idea. Since they are the ones really in charge around here we had a party anyway. We had a family movie night.I borrowed a projector from a friend so we could turn the living room wall into a big screen. Lenna ran a concession stand in the kitchen and sold candy, popcorn, hot dogs, and nachos for monopoly money. We watched Despicable Me and had a birthday cheesecake. And we still had everyone to bed by 8!

 My "all about me" post will have to come later, but I am doing ok. Really tired, finally stopped hurting all over from child birth, and am trying to adjust to only putting two things on my to-do list, and still not getting it all done. And I think they are going to release me from my church calling because I delegated away all my duties and they haven't missed me all month. And there is a for sale sign in my front yard.

The End.

Hope you enjoyed our ordinary!