The Luck of the Irish

A much belated post about our little St Patrick's Day celebration!
We went to our town St Patrick's Day parade.  That's one of the great things about our town - all the awesome family events that they have. 
This was Barrett's first parade that he could actually participate in.  He quickly caught on to the eating of the candy bit, but was a little perplexed as to how to actually get the candy.  When it was laying on the ground he'd just eye it while some other kids would come along and snatch it.  Oh well.  He got more than enough anyway.
The kiddos looked great in their green and we had a good time.  Not quite the same St Patrick's Days Tim and I used to celebrate back in our pre-kids days, but still a good time. 

Photos and Fever

I have been fighting something awful this week.  We're talking temperature of 101.8, extreme nausea any time I sit up, the works.  It's been three days now.  I just hope that Tim and the kiddos don't get this awful thing I've had.  I feel a lot better today, still not 100%, but miles better than this time yesterday.  So hoping and praying it's on its evil way out and that's the last we see of it in this house.  I have been trying to avoid the kids so I didn't even see Barrett yesterday and only saw Audrey briefly.  Boo.  I just hope it works.

Here are some of my favorite photos from the last few weeks.  No matter how bad I feel, these manage to bring a smile to my face!

B loves giving Audrey ("Baby Audee") kisses on top of her head. 

Audrey wearing a dress that was mine when I was her age.

Pottytraining Time?

Are we ready for potty training in this house?

Well let's see...

Underwear is a good hat.

It can be worn by all!

Underwear is fun to carry around the house

But underwear instead of diapers?  No thanks!

We are definitely not pushing Barrett into potty training.  But we are starting to talk about it and spent about 20 minutes on Sunday in the bathroom where he happily sat on the toilet and we read books.  So I'm hoping that it'll click at some point and we'll be able to say goodbye to diapers for one of the kids. 

However, I'm predicting that B is much more likely to be wearing his new Thomas the Train underwear on his head than anywhere else for a little while longer. 

Tidbits

I keep thinking about this poor little blog and all the things I want to write about and just can't seem to find the time or energy to write.  I wrote Audrey's 3 month post on her 3 month birthday and then didn't upload her pictures until 2 1/2 weeks later so I could post it.  Bad blogger!

1.  We are experiencing the greatest spring Chicago may have ever seen.  It's so unseasonably warm!  We're on something like a week straight of temps into the 80s.  It's so nice!  Which brings me to #2...

2.  My office is currently without air.  It is miserably hot.  I'd rather be in a bathing suit at a pool in temps like this.  It's been into the 80s inside my office every day.  Yuck!  Which brings me to #3....

3.  I have nothing to wear!  I have spent 2 of the last 3 summers pregnant so I have no clothes to wear for spring/summertime.  I already warned Tim that I will have to be going on a shopping spree to avoid going to work naked.  I pretty much need it all - shorts, tops, work clothes, a bathing suit, summer shoes, the entire bit.

4.  Barrett surprises us every day with new words and things he knows.  This weekend he pointed and said "moto-cyca!"  That was astonishing enough but then the next day he heard the sound of one and said it again.  Crazy kid!  I already instructed him though that he is not allowed to go on one until he's 80 and I'm dead.

Twins? You Be the Judge

One of the first things people comment on in regards to darling child #2 is trying to guess who she looks like.  In fact, one of the first things Tim and I commented on in the operating room was to say that she looked like Barrett.

But then I looked at her 10 minutes later and thought she didn't look like him much at all.

And still it continues with our daughter with the ever-changing face. 

Now I don't think she looks much like Barrett.  I do see some similarities - they have similar eyes (mine) and some of their facial expressions look alike.  But otherwise, I don't really think she looks all that similar to him.

But I hear from others that she looks just like him.  So maybe they see something I don't?

You be the judge:

Audrey at 3 months

Barrett at 3 months

I don't really see much of me in Barrett - he's all Tim, with the exception of the eyes.
But I do see some of me in Audrey.... or maybe that's just me clinging to the hope that I passed on at least a few genes to at least one of my kids!

Either way, she definitely is exhibiting one weird quirk of mine - she's losing her hair on the sides of her head while still keeping it at the top and turning into a mushroom-haired kid.   I'm not sure this is the gene I'd choose to pass...

Audrey - three months

My dear little Audrey Kate -

These last three months have flown by in the blink of an eye.  You have been such an easy addition to our family.  I keep waiting for you to change, to stop sleeping and to become difficult but you continue to be the sweetest little baby.  I have to pinch myself!

You are the most amazing sleeper I have ever seen.  You consistently sleep 10+ hours a night.  You go down around 8 or 8:30 and I wake you weekdays at 6:45.  Not a peep out of you all night.  It's truly astonishing.  You are inconsistent with your naps.  I know I'm partially to blame for this - I didn't work to get you on a regular nap schedule, so mostly you just catnap throughout the day, but will sometimes take long naps for us at home.  Not so much at daycare.  The only trouble we've ever had with your sleeping was in the first two months - it was a challenge getting you down for the night.  But around 2-2 1/2 months you suddenly seemed to set your own bedtime and have been great since then.  We moved you into your own room when you were about 12 weeks old and you did great.  You look so teeny in that big crib, but had no problems adjusting.  We still keep you swaddled in the miracle blanket but I'm not sure if you necessarily need it or not. 

Eating is a different story.  This is where we struggle.  You are not an eater.  I strive to get you to take 25oz/day but there have been days recently where it's 5pm and you've had 11oz so far for the day.  It's frustrating.  We were using the special Haberman bottles but you seemed to revert in your ability (desire?) to eat from those, so now we're switching to preemie nipples with slits cut in the top.  It sometimes takes you 45minutes to an hour to eat a few ounces.  You just aren't interested.  I worry because your weight is not where it should be but I can't forcefeed you so we continue to struggle with your unmotivated feedings.  Girl, just eat the milk!

The funniest thing about you is how you have a million faces.  Sometimes I look at you and think you look just like me in photos when I was little.  Then other times I think you look a lot like Barrett and other times you look like no one else.  You smile easily these days - just not for photos.

 Developmentally, you are doing great.  You are so strong and don't mind tummy time.  You lift your entire upper body up and look around.  Your hands are open now, rather than in fists, and you're starting to grab and bat at toys sometimes.

You started daycare when I went back to work when you were 12 weeks old and adjusted easily.  You definitely don't nap as well at daycare as you do at home but you didn't change your nighttime sleep at all, so that's a relief.  Just like Barrett, you come home smelling of your daycare teacher, which makes me sad that you don't smell like yourself but happy that you're being held and loved on all day.

Three months old, baby girl, you are growing up so fast!