Well, last night was a little better. We kept him medicated all day, and made sure he had a dose of everything right before bed. He felt pretty cool at bedtime, which was a big improvement. And he slept a lot better this time. He made it all the way to 3:30am before waking up. Coincidentally (or not so coincidentally?), that was when Maya woke up for a feeding. I think it's funny that all his screaming the night before didn't faze her one bit, but a few minutes of her quiet fussing woke him right up! He must be a light sleeper like his mommy, I suppose...
Anyhow, he woke up at 3:30am wanting water, so Gus showed him where his sippy cup was (it was already in bed with him). He went back to sleep for a bit, and then started fussing and eventually crying at around 4:30. This time, I went to check on him. I stroked his hair, and he drifted off to sleep. I went to tiptoe out of his room and BAM! He woke up, saw me leaving, and started WAILING! Great! I decided that he was probably in pain and due for another dose of medicine. As I went to the kitchen to get it, the little booger escaped! He ambled down the hall crying for "Diego! Diego!!" He climbed up on the couch and handed me the remote. And, only because he's sick, we sat and watched "Go Diego, Go" at 5am. Have we created a monster? Probably. But we will work on cutting down our Diego time once he's recovered. For now, he gets what he wants.
The funny thing is that, after watching two episodes of Diego, Nikos seemed to be back to his normal, happy self! He danced to the music, colored with his crayons, and ate crackers. Definitely an improvement over yesterday (though the getting-up-at-5am thing needs to stop ASAP). I just hope he recovers completely very soon, because this virus is ruining all our sleep!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Coxsackie Virus Strikes Again!
Three words: Last night sucked!
Yesterday, our little guy woke up with a runny nose, a cranky disposition, and a fever. The fever came and went throughout the day (thanks to the ibuprofen and acetaminophen we gave him), but he was still not quite himself. And last night, things got ugly. His fever spiked to around 104, he was sweating and shivering, and he couldn't stop crying. Gus and I took turns sitting by his bed, offering him water and rubbing his back, until he started screaming for "Diego! Diego!" (one of the two tv shows we let him watch). Wanting him to be happy, we brought him out to the couch in the living room and snuggled with him while watching the show. He'd periodically drift off, only to wake up again and resume crying. It was so sad! :(
In the end, Gus slept on the floor of his room, and he got maybe 4 or 5 hours of sleep total. He woke up when Gus had to leave for work this morning, around 6am, so we cuddled some more on the couch while Maya slept in. He was so tired, he couldn't walk in a straight line. I also noticed that he wasn't speaking very clearly, which led me to ask him if his mouth was hurting (he said yes). He was just an incredibly unhappy little person. His fever was gone, but there was no way I was going to send him to daycare like that.
Anyway, I had called my parents last night to give them a heads up, and they were able to be here around 8:15 this morning to help out. That gave me time to nurse Maya and take a quick shower before taking Nikos to a 9:40 doctor's appointment. He was thrilled to get in the car and go bye-bye, but that all changed when he realized where we were headed. The poor kid has been sick so many times that he officially hates the doctor's office, and I don't blame him! I literally carried him kicking and screaming inside. On the plus side, we were seen by the Nurse Practitioner in record time! Maybe the screaming helped? :P
But yes, it's our good friend Coxsackie. I was not surprised. We were told to alternate ibuprofen and acetaminophen for the fever and pain, and to make sure he got plenty of liquids (both of which I was already doing). The NP also suggested treating the sores in his mouth with a special cocktail, which I hadn't heard of before. She said to mix 5mL of Mylanta, 4mL of Children's Benadryl, and a squirt of Baby Orajel together, then give it to him as needed over a 6 hour period (not all at once). The Orajel numbs the area, the Benadryl helps reduce the inflammation (and causes drowsiness), and the Mylanta coats the area to soothe it. Anyhow, I mixed this up for him and gave him some, along with his next dose of Motrin, and the kiddo conked out in about 20 minutes. He's been asleep for an hour and a half now. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the day goes!
For the record, Maya slept through the entire ordeal. She slept from 10pm until 8:30am, with only a quick diaper change and a super short (5 minute) feeding at 5:30am. Unbelievable!
Yesterday, our little guy woke up with a runny nose, a cranky disposition, and a fever. The fever came and went throughout the day (thanks to the ibuprofen and acetaminophen we gave him), but he was still not quite himself. And last night, things got ugly. His fever spiked to around 104, he was sweating and shivering, and he couldn't stop crying. Gus and I took turns sitting by his bed, offering him water and rubbing his back, until he started screaming for "Diego! Diego!" (one of the two tv shows we let him watch). Wanting him to be happy, we brought him out to the couch in the living room and snuggled with him while watching the show. He'd periodically drift off, only to wake up again and resume crying. It was so sad! :(
In the end, Gus slept on the floor of his room, and he got maybe 4 or 5 hours of sleep total. He woke up when Gus had to leave for work this morning, around 6am, so we cuddled some more on the couch while Maya slept in. He was so tired, he couldn't walk in a straight line. I also noticed that he wasn't speaking very clearly, which led me to ask him if his mouth was hurting (he said yes). He was just an incredibly unhappy little person. His fever was gone, but there was no way I was going to send him to daycare like that.
Anyway, I had called my parents last night to give them a heads up, and they were able to be here around 8:15 this morning to help out. That gave me time to nurse Maya and take a quick shower before taking Nikos to a 9:40 doctor's appointment. He was thrilled to get in the car and go bye-bye, but that all changed when he realized where we were headed. The poor kid has been sick so many times that he officially hates the doctor's office, and I don't blame him! I literally carried him kicking and screaming inside. On the plus side, we were seen by the Nurse Practitioner in record time! Maybe the screaming helped? :P
But yes, it's our good friend Coxsackie. I was not surprised. We were told to alternate ibuprofen and acetaminophen for the fever and pain, and to make sure he got plenty of liquids (both of which I was already doing). The NP also suggested treating the sores in his mouth with a special cocktail, which I hadn't heard of before. She said to mix 5mL of Mylanta, 4mL of Children's Benadryl, and a squirt of Baby Orajel together, then give it to him as needed over a 6 hour period (not all at once). The Orajel numbs the area, the Benadryl helps reduce the inflammation (and causes drowsiness), and the Mylanta coats the area to soothe it. Anyhow, I mixed this up for him and gave him some, along with his next dose of Motrin, and the kiddo conked out in about 20 minutes. He's been asleep for an hour and a half now. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the day goes!
For the record, Maya slept through the entire ordeal. She slept from 10pm until 8:30am, with only a quick diaper change and a super short (5 minute) feeding at 5:30am. Unbelievable!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
My Son is a Genius!
Ok, so "genius" might be a little extreme. But seriously, his ability to pick up other languages is amazing. I know kids his age are little sponges, particularly when it comes to language, but it's still unbelievable to me.
For example, his Greek. He only hears Greek when he visits Yia-yia and Pappou, and yet he understands so much! Gus decided yesterday that he was going to start speaking to Nikos only in Greek, and it was really impressive to see him respond. Gus would ask him questions in Greek, and he would reply (appropriately) in English. And when Gus told him it was time for his bath, Nikos replied with "Let's go"-- in Greek! It is just unreal!
And then there is his Spanish, which is a product of his obsession with the TV show "Go Diego, Go!" He picks up so many words from there, which I never expected. Last night, he was playing with his little stuffed penguin, making him jump around on the dining room chairs. I knew he was saying something, but I couldn't quite make it out... Well, when I went over there, I realized he was saying "Brinca! Brinca!" ("jump! jump!").
Anyway, it's so amazing to watch him learn things so quickly. I look forward to when Maya is this age, so we can have conversations as a family! :)
For example, his Greek. He only hears Greek when he visits Yia-yia and Pappou, and yet he understands so much! Gus decided yesterday that he was going to start speaking to Nikos only in Greek, and it was really impressive to see him respond. Gus would ask him questions in Greek, and he would reply (appropriately) in English. And when Gus told him it was time for his bath, Nikos replied with "Let's go"-- in Greek! It is just unreal!
And then there is his Spanish, which is a product of his obsession with the TV show "Go Diego, Go!" He picks up so many words from there, which I never expected. Last night, he was playing with his little stuffed penguin, making him jump around on the dining room chairs. I knew he was saying something, but I couldn't quite make it out... Well, when I went over there, I realized he was saying "Brinca! Brinca!" ("jump! jump!").
Anyway, it's so amazing to watch him learn things so quickly. I look forward to when Maya is this age, so we can have conversations as a family! :)
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Four Years
Four years ago today, Gus and I got married after dating for exactly six years and eight months. Back in 1998, who would have thought that this is where we would be almost eleven years later? And the past four years have just sailed right by. Crazy!!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Chatterbox
Over the past few days, we've hit a new milestone: two- and three-word phrases! Nikos would occasionally combine words in the past, but he's started to do it with more consistency. For example, this morning he wanted me to hand him all his stuffed animals so that he could make them sit around the perimeter of his bed. I handed him his stuffed penguin, and he said, "Hi! Hi penguin! Hi penguin! (kiss) Mwah! Love you!" He did that again for a bunch of his other animals, too! And when I handed him one of his bears (which he requested very politely-- "bear, pweez!"), he said, "Thank you Mommy!" Can you tell we've been working on manners lately? :)
Anyway, it's pretty darn cute. And there is nothing better in the entire world than when your baby turns to you before bed and says "Night-night, love you Mommy!" Really, there isn't. :)
Anyway, it's pretty darn cute. And there is nothing better in the entire world than when your baby turns to you before bed and says "Night-night, love you Mommy!" Really, there isn't. :)
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Busy Weekend
Well, we did it... We survived our first overnight adventure with both kids in tow! And while I spent most of yesterday recovering, I think we'll call this one a success. Not bad for a first attempt, anyway!
On Saturday, we drove up to L.A. for Eraclis' (Nikos' godbrother's) college graduation party. We timed it so that we'd be leaving our house just as it was time for Nikos' nap. And, as luck would have it, Maya fell asleep at about the same time. The stars seemed to be lining up for us! We hit a lot of traffic, though, and the drive took almost exactly three hours. Nikos slept for the first hour and a half, but then woke up cranky and wanting out of his seat. We kept him happy by discussing everyone who would be at the party (pappou, yia-yia, thea, nouno, nouna, and a doggy!). He was especially excited about petting the dog, and quickly became upset that he couldn't do it RIGHT NOW. Toddlers don't exactly grasp the concept of "later"-- oops! So we quickly moved on to singing songs as a distraction tactic, which bought us some time before he mentioned the doggy again... and again... and again...
Anyway, we got to the party, and he was thrilled to get out of the car. He walked up to the front door, and... promptlydecided it was time to go bye-bye! He would NOT stay in the house or the back yard for more than a few minutes without screaming his head off and yelling "BYE-BYE! BYE-BYE!!!" It was loads of fun. Gus ended up walking him up and down the block in front of their house for a long time until yia-yia and pappou finally showed up. From that point on, he got better and eventually came in for the party. He even played with another little girl who was there. I will never understand what goes through his cute little head, but he did end up having a great time and eating a ton of strawberries (his favorite).
Meanwhile... Maya's tummy was unhappy. I'd go into a bedroom to nurse her, and she would spend half the time bobbing her head around, looking at the unfamiliar surroundings. Needless to say, she ended up swallowing a lot of air and getting pretty uncomfortable-- even spitting up quite a bit. In the end, though, she was relaxed and wide awake, and a lot of people got to hold her. :)
About half an hour past Nikos' bedtime, after saying all our goodbyes, we loaded everyone in the car and headed part of the way home. We decided to spend the night at Gus' parents' house, since it was only about a 45 minute drive from the party. Miraculously, both kids fell asleep on the drive. When we got to the house, we had to set up the Pack N Play for Nikos to sleep in. Normally when we visit, he sleeps in a crib in the room with us. But with Maya, we wanted him to be somewhere else where he wouldn't be woken up by his sister. The transition from the car to the Pack N Play made for a very groggy and miserable toddler, but he crashed after a few minutes of crying. Meanwhile, Maya slept in her carseat in our room until 3:30am. That's when I fed her, and she decided not to go back to sleep. After an hour of us taking turns holding and rocking her, she finally gave in and allowed us to sleep until 7:30 or so. Hallelujah! Nikos had woken up at 6:15, but Gus' parents had gotten up with him. Double hallelujah!
After we went out to breakfast on Sunday (and Nikos spent the entire time stealing food off of everyone's plates), we packed up again and drove another 45 minutes to my parents' house. Nikos fell asleep in the car, at the entirely wrong time of day for him, so we knew he had to be exhausted. Once we arrived at my parents' house, he was in a weird, groggy sort of mood. And Maya, who had slept all through breakfast and the car ride, had woken up in an interesting mood, too. It was a shame, really, because my aunt and grandma were visiting from Northern California, and they didn't get to see how the kids really are on a normal day. But that's okay. Everyone has an "off" day every now and then, right?
Anyhow... We took Nikos to the pool, but he wouldn't do more than sit on the edge and kick his feet. We really do need to get those swimming lessons! Maya enjoyed the ride in the stroller to and from the pool, but was fussy for the remainder of the day. That is, until she had an explosive poop during dinner, which went all up the back of her clothes and onto her carseat. Joy! Luckily, I was prepared with several changes of clothing. I learned that lesson the hard way with baby #1. :)
Finally, at Nikos' bedtime, we got into the car and headed home. Maya, who had been asleep after her diaper explosion, decided to wake up and be unhappy. Which made Nikos unhappy. Which meant that we pulled over, and Gus squeezed into the tiny seat between the two carseats so that he could soothe the kiddos. Good thing he's so skinny! Anyhow, we finally got home, and Nikos settled down happily in his bed. I fed Maya, and we finally got her to go to sleep by 10pm. And everyone slept through the night, happily ever after! :)
So, in short, we survived. It was exhausting, but we made it. And I don't think we will be doing it again any time soon, because that was a LOT of work!
On Saturday, we drove up to L.A. for Eraclis' (Nikos' godbrother's) college graduation party. We timed it so that we'd be leaving our house just as it was time for Nikos' nap. And, as luck would have it, Maya fell asleep at about the same time. The stars seemed to be lining up for us! We hit a lot of traffic, though, and the drive took almost exactly three hours. Nikos slept for the first hour and a half, but then woke up cranky and wanting out of his seat. We kept him happy by discussing everyone who would be at the party (pappou, yia-yia, thea, nouno, nouna, and a doggy!). He was especially excited about petting the dog, and quickly became upset that he couldn't do it RIGHT NOW. Toddlers don't exactly grasp the concept of "later"-- oops! So we quickly moved on to singing songs as a distraction tactic, which bought us some time before he mentioned the doggy again... and again... and again...
Anyway, we got to the party, and he was thrilled to get out of the car. He walked up to the front door, and... promptlydecided it was time to go bye-bye! He would NOT stay in the house or the back yard for more than a few minutes without screaming his head off and yelling "BYE-BYE! BYE-BYE!!!" It was loads of fun. Gus ended up walking him up and down the block in front of their house for a long time until yia-yia and pappou finally showed up. From that point on, he got better and eventually came in for the party. He even played with another little girl who was there. I will never understand what goes through his cute little head, but he did end up having a great time and eating a ton of strawberries (his favorite).
Meanwhile... Maya's tummy was unhappy. I'd go into a bedroom to nurse her, and she would spend half the time bobbing her head around, looking at the unfamiliar surroundings. Needless to say, she ended up swallowing a lot of air and getting pretty uncomfortable-- even spitting up quite a bit. In the end, though, she was relaxed and wide awake, and a lot of people got to hold her. :)
About half an hour past Nikos' bedtime, after saying all our goodbyes, we loaded everyone in the car and headed part of the way home. We decided to spend the night at Gus' parents' house, since it was only about a 45 minute drive from the party. Miraculously, both kids fell asleep on the drive. When we got to the house, we had to set up the Pack N Play for Nikos to sleep in. Normally when we visit, he sleeps in a crib in the room with us. But with Maya, we wanted him to be somewhere else where he wouldn't be woken up by his sister. The transition from the car to the Pack N Play made for a very groggy and miserable toddler, but he crashed after a few minutes of crying. Meanwhile, Maya slept in her carseat in our room until 3:30am. That's when I fed her, and she decided not to go back to sleep. After an hour of us taking turns holding and rocking her, she finally gave in and allowed us to sleep until 7:30 or so. Hallelujah! Nikos had woken up at 6:15, but Gus' parents had gotten up with him. Double hallelujah!
After we went out to breakfast on Sunday (and Nikos spent the entire time stealing food off of everyone's plates), we packed up again and drove another 45 minutes to my parents' house. Nikos fell asleep in the car, at the entirely wrong time of day for him, so we knew he had to be exhausted. Once we arrived at my parents' house, he was in a weird, groggy sort of mood. And Maya, who had slept all through breakfast and the car ride, had woken up in an interesting mood, too. It was a shame, really, because my aunt and grandma were visiting from Northern California, and they didn't get to see how the kids really are on a normal day. But that's okay. Everyone has an "off" day every now and then, right?
Anyhow... We took Nikos to the pool, but he wouldn't do more than sit on the edge and kick his feet. We really do need to get those swimming lessons! Maya enjoyed the ride in the stroller to and from the pool, but was fussy for the remainder of the day. That is, until she had an explosive poop during dinner, which went all up the back of her clothes and onto her carseat. Joy! Luckily, I was prepared with several changes of clothing. I learned that lesson the hard way with baby #1. :)
Finally, at Nikos' bedtime, we got into the car and headed home. Maya, who had been asleep after her diaper explosion, decided to wake up and be unhappy. Which made Nikos unhappy. Which meant that we pulled over, and Gus squeezed into the tiny seat between the two carseats so that he could soothe the kiddos. Good thing he's so skinny! Anyhow, we finally got home, and Nikos settled down happily in his bed. I fed Maya, and we finally got her to go to sleep by 10pm. And everyone slept through the night, happily ever after! :)
So, in short, we survived. It was exhausting, but we made it. And I don't think we will be doing it again any time soon, because that was a LOT of work!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Say Cheese!
She's been smiling at us a lot lately, but I finally caught it on camera! Two words: SO CUTE!! :)
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Father's Day!
Nikos and Maya are just about the luckiest kids in the world to have Gus as their daddy. He's been a hands-on dad since day one with both kids: getting up in the wee hours of the night to rock them back to sleep, changing poopy diapers, giving endless hugs, kisses, tickles-- you name it! He is an amazing dad, and I know he'd do anything for his babies (and their mommy). Nikos sums it up best in his artwork:
Of course, I have a pretty great dad, too! :) Happy Father's Day, Dad!! I found this picture on my computer from when Grant and I were little... We were probably about the same ages as Nikos and Maya are right now, which is so hard to imagine!
Finally, Happy Father's Day to Nick (Gus' dad). Clearly, you did a good job raising your son, or I wouldn't have married him! :) And no, I don't have old pictures of you... But I do have this one!
------------ Now, to be fair, I didn't get a chance to post on Mother's Day because we were too busy... But Gus and I both have amazing moms who we love very, very much! So I might just have to do a mommy post in the next few days... Stay tuned! :)
Of course, I have a pretty great dad, too! :) Happy Father's Day, Dad!! I found this picture on my computer from when Grant and I were little... We were probably about the same ages as Nikos and Maya are right now, which is so hard to imagine!
Finally, Happy Father's Day to Nick (Gus' dad). Clearly, you did a good job raising your son, or I wouldn't have married him! :) And no, I don't have old pictures of you... But I do have this one!
Friday, June 19, 2009
A New Personal Best
Drumroll please... Maya slept from 9:30pm last night until 5am this morning! That is 7.5 hours of continuous sleep, people!! And even at 5am, she ate quickly and efficiently and went back to sleep. And she is still asleep as I type this (at almost 8am). I guess she was plum tuckered out from her tough day yesterday, but I'll take it! She is 7 weeks today, and she has officially slept through the night. AWESOME!
And in a random side note... When I went in to get Nikos up this morning, he wanted me to hand him all of his stuffed animals, one by one. That's nothing new. But when I tossed the first bear to him, he said "Oh, no! Bear, sit!" and proceeded to make the bear sit up (instead of flopping over). He then did that with every single animal, telling them to sit and arranging them around the edges of his bed. And once they were arranged to his satisfaction, he decided that he needed to jump on the bed (holding onto the headboard). It was ridiculously cute! :)
And in a random side note... When I went in to get Nikos up this morning, he wanted me to hand him all of his stuffed animals, one by one. That's nothing new. But when I tossed the first bear to him, he said "Oh, no! Bear, sit!" and proceeded to make the bear sit up (instead of flopping over). He then did that with every single animal, telling them to sit and arranging them around the edges of his bed. And once they were arranged to his satisfaction, he decided that he needed to jump on the bed (holding onto the headboard). It was ridiculously cute! :)
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Afternoon at Grandma and Grandpa's
I am currently sitting in my parents' living room, since we decided to come up for a visit today. My dad wanted to take Nikos in the pool, which was semi-successful. We were able to get him to wear his yellow floatie-vest-thing, which was a miracle! He sat at the edge and kicked for a bit, and then got into the baby pool. But then he fell forward, gulping a bit of water, and was pretty much done after that. Baby steps, right? We really need to get this kid some swim lessons... I know that our local YMCA offers a Saturday class, and it's pretty affordable, so... maybe this summer!
Miss Maya was also awake most of the day, which was unusual for her (not in a good way, either). I think she was constipated because, once she finally got a good poop out, she basically conked out. I fear for this evening, because she's napping so much later than she usually does. However, all the awake time did lend itself to some nice picture-taking! Here's Maya with Grandma. Check out those pretty eyes!
And finally, here's what's happening right now in the back yard... He took a short nap, but is still in a decent mood!
Miss Maya was also awake most of the day, which was unusual for her (not in a good way, either). I think she was constipated because, once she finally got a good poop out, she basically conked out. I fear for this evening, because she's napping so much later than she usually does. However, all the awake time did lend itself to some nice picture-taking! Here's Maya with Grandma. Check out those pretty eyes!
And finally, here's what's happening right now in the back yard... He took a short nap, but is still in a decent mood!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sleep
Since both kiddos are currently napping, I thought I'd take a minute to jot down a few notes about their sleeping habits...
Nikos started out as a horrible sleeper, but after we followed the Ferber method at four months, he improved drastically. He quickly adopted a regular sleep schedule which included three naps, bedtime at 7:30pm, and waking up at 6am. Not bad! As he approached the one-year mark, he dropped down to two naps. And, pretty much right when Maya was born, he cut back to one longer nap in the afternoon. He still goes to bed at around 7:15, and wakes up anywhere between 6:30 and 7am. And since transitioning to his toddler bed, he has only fallen out twice and gotten out once-- and all three incidents were months ago. I can honestly say that he has become a pretty awesome sleeper. Even when he doesn't want to take a nap, he will still stay in his bed and eventually lie down and close his eyes. What more could we ask for?
Maya, for her part, started out as a pretty great sleeper. I can only think of one night so far that was sort of rough-- and even that night pales in comparison to pretty much ALL of the nights when Nikos was a newborn. She consistently gives us at least a four-hour stretch of sleep, sometimes even six or seven hours. And she can be counted upon to go back to sleep fairly quickly after a feeding with little help from us. Even when she wakes up, her cries are plaintive and quiet as opposed to screaming bloody murder.
Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that we are really, really lucky. And remarkably well-rested for having a newborn and a toddler in the house. *knock on wood!*
Nikos started out as a horrible sleeper, but after we followed the Ferber method at four months, he improved drastically. He quickly adopted a regular sleep schedule which included three naps, bedtime at 7:30pm, and waking up at 6am. Not bad! As he approached the one-year mark, he dropped down to two naps. And, pretty much right when Maya was born, he cut back to one longer nap in the afternoon. He still goes to bed at around 7:15, and wakes up anywhere between 6:30 and 7am. And since transitioning to his toddler bed, he has only fallen out twice and gotten out once-- and all three incidents were months ago. I can honestly say that he has become a pretty awesome sleeper. Even when he doesn't want to take a nap, he will still stay in his bed and eventually lie down and close his eyes. What more could we ask for?
Maya, for her part, started out as a pretty great sleeper. I can only think of one night so far that was sort of rough-- and even that night pales in comparison to pretty much ALL of the nights when Nikos was a newborn. She consistently gives us at least a four-hour stretch of sleep, sometimes even six or seven hours. And she can be counted upon to go back to sleep fairly quickly after a feeding with little help from us. Even when she wakes up, her cries are plaintive and quiet as opposed to screaming bloody murder.
Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that we are really, really lucky. And remarkably well-rested for having a newborn and a toddler in the house. *knock on wood!*
Progress!
Last night, Maya slept in her crib the entire night! Gus and I have been inconsistent about this, since a) co-sleeping is so easy, b) she sleeps really well when she's with us, and b) we were worried that she might wake Nikos up with her crying. But it went great! I nursed her one last time at 10pm, put her down for the night, nursed her again at 2:15am, and then she woke up at 7am! Not bad at all! It looks as though our co-sleeping days might be drawing to a close, which is bittersweet.
I do want to add, however, that it stinks when both kids wake up at exactly the same time and both want to be held-- and you are the only one home because Daddy has already left for work. This morning was rough-- I officially need another pair of arms!
I do want to add, however, that it stinks when both kids wake up at exactly the same time and both want to be held-- and you are the only one home because Daddy has already left for work. This morning was rough-- I officially need another pair of arms!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Misc. Movies and Pictures
First, some pictures of both my babies from this afternoon!
Next... A video of Maya. She doesn't do a whole lot, but I figured we needed a video to capture and preserve her newborn-ness. :)
Finally, another video of Nikos dancing, just because I think it's unbelievably cute! He loves our little dance parties, and will run over to where my iPod is docked and beg for me to turn it on. I love it!
Next... A video of Maya. She doesn't do a whole lot, but I figured we needed a video to capture and preserve her newborn-ness. :)
Finally, another video of Nikos dancing, just because I think it's unbelievably cute! He loves our little dance parties, and will run over to where my iPod is docked and beg for me to turn it on. I love it!
Fun Family Day
We began our day with a family outing to Ikea, which is always an adventure (with or without kids)! The goal of the trip was to buy Nikos a small table and chairs set, which I just knew he would love. And he did love it... as well as everything else in the children's section of the store! He sat at all the tables, played with the toys, and had a great time... all while Maya snoozed in her stroller. On the ride home, after eating half of my cinnamon roll (Ikea = cheap food, you know), he babbled happily about his table. And when we got home, he wanted to open the box right away and assemble it. He even tried assembling it himself, putting bolts in the pre-drilled holes and attempting to secure them with the allen wrench. :) Anyway, he LOVES his table! It's currently in our living room, but will be making its way into his bedroom tomorrow. Here he is, putting it to good use:
After his nap today, we went next door for a high school graduation party. Everyone from the daycare had been invited, and they had a bouncy house for all the kids. Nikos was a little hesitant at first, but then spent the majority of the afternoon inside. First, he went with his little buddy Jenna, who is 8 or 9 years old. But when she had to leave, Gus and I ended up taking turns inside with him. Fun! oh, and the kiddo in the red shirt is Teagen, Nikos' favorite friend who he talks about all. the. time.)
We came home right at dinner time, and Nikos happily chowed down on some leftover pizza while we had burritos. Dinner of champions! It was good though. :)
Finally, a picture of our girl. She didn't do much but sit around at the party, but she was still as cute as ever! I continue to guess what color her eyes will end up being-- they are so much lighter than Nikos' EVER were!
A final note: Maya slept from 9pm until 4am last night! SEVEN HOURS! And, while she fussed briefly after eating and took longer than usual to fall back asleep, we got to sleep in until 7:30. ALL of us! Talk about a great start to the weekend!
After his nap today, we went next door for a high school graduation party. Everyone from the daycare had been invited, and they had a bouncy house for all the kids. Nikos was a little hesitant at first, but then spent the majority of the afternoon inside. First, he went with his little buddy Jenna, who is 8 or 9 years old. But when she had to leave, Gus and I ended up taking turns inside with him. Fun! oh, and the kiddo in the red shirt is Teagen, Nikos' favorite friend who he talks about all. the. time.)
We came home right at dinner time, and Nikos happily chowed down on some leftover pizza while we had burritos. Dinner of champions! It was good though. :)
Finally, a picture of our girl. She didn't do much but sit around at the party, but she was still as cute as ever! I continue to guess what color her eyes will end up being-- they are so much lighter than Nikos' EVER were!
A final note: Maya slept from 9pm until 4am last night! SEVEN HOURS! And, while she fussed briefly after eating and took longer than usual to fall back asleep, we got to sleep in until 7:30. ALL of us! Talk about a great start to the weekend!
Friday, June 12, 2009
New Shades
Maya and I went to the mall today, for no reason other than to get out of the house and do something. And it was fun! I picked up some new clothes for Nikos, and bought new sunglasses for both kiddos. I also bought some excellent body scrub that was on sale, as well as a new shirt for myself. And after that, we went to the grocery store. All in all, a successful day!
Here is the little lady modeling her new shades. They're a little big on her ("size 0-2"), but I think they are ridiculously cute! Nikos' are orange with darker lenses (and no rhinestones, haha!)... I'll have to get a picture of him later! :)
Here is the little lady modeling her new shades. They're a little big on her ("size 0-2"), but I think they are ridiculously cute! Nikos' are orange with darker lenses (and no rhinestones, haha!)... I'll have to get a picture of him later! :)
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Out and About
Well, I knew it had to happen at some point... I had promised my students that I would bring Maya to see them before the school year ended, and today was the day! All the fifth graders were at the local pool for their end-of-year party, so I loaded Maya into the car and headed on over. And oh. my. goodness. To get into the pool area, you have to go through the bathroom/locker room. And as soon as I walked in there, I was swarmed by fifth grade girls. As soon as we left the bathroom and were by the pool, the swarm grew bigger. And bigger. I felt like the Pied Piper, leading a herd of fifth graders around the pool! haha! I walked over to where my coworkers were sitting in the shade, and grabbed a chair. The kids were so cute! As part of their year-end treats (which they received this morning), they get disposable cameras. So the paparazzi descended upon poor Maya... I have no idea how many pictures they took of her, but it was a LOT. Luckily, she was totally asleep, and remained that way throughout the entire visit.
Anyway, as much as I don't miss teaching right now (I'd much rather be "mommy" at the moment), I realized that I did miss some of these kiddos. It was nice to see them again, and to feel missed. I got lots of soggy hugs today. :)
Anyway, as much as I don't miss teaching right now (I'd much rather be "mommy" at the moment), I realized that I did miss some of these kiddos. It was nice to see them again, and to feel missed. I got lots of soggy hugs today. :)
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Pictures from Today
Just because! Nikos went to spend the weekend with Yia-yia and Pappou, and Gus is outside working on the yard, so I decided to take some pics of my baby girl!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Time Out
Well, folks, we have entered new territory: Time Out Land. Our normally very sweet boy has decided, recently, to assert his toddler-ness by being a bit of a stinker. And as a result, we are going to attempt to do time outs with him.
I'm sure it's just a phase, brought on by both the sudden major change in his life (e.g., Maya) and his age (wanting to be more independent and being frustrated). Still, our little guy has been acting out. The other day, he tried yanking Maya out of her bouncy seat while yelling, "No! No!" When I told him, "STOP! That hurts baby!" he ran off to the kitchen and starting throwing magnets onto the ground and yelling "No" some more. I went over there and told him to stop, or he'd go to time out. He seemed to sense that he was in trouble, because he stopped... then grinned and threw more magnets. So, wanting to follow through on my threat, I needed to put him in time out. But I hadn't even decided where that was, yet!! I grabbed his little plastic stepstool, put it against the wall, and tried to get him to sit. He kicked and screamed, and would run away as soon as I set him down. I ended up giving up after trying a few times (I know, my bad). Plus, he seemed to be in a better mood.
Anyway... After discussing this with quite a few people, I have decided to try the time out thing again. So yesterday, I bought a little bath math that will officially be the Time Out Rug. And if he needs to go there, I will just keep putting him back there as many times as necessary until he gets the message. It's really the only thing I can think of. A few nights ago, we reached a new low, with him screaming his head off during bath time and yanking Maya's pacifier from her mouth at every possible opportunity. I think he may have been over-tired (he requested "night-night" about 20 minutes before his regular bedtime, which I gladly accomodated), but still... At least we are now prepared with the time out rug, and hopefully it will work quickly and he won't be spending much time there in the future. Wish us luck!
On a happier note... Teagen (the little boy next door) walked Nikos home from daycare the other day. It was the cutest thing ever! He wanted to walk his friend home. So when I went to pick him up, he came along, too (and so did his mom). He even opened the door for us and said goodbye to Nikos like a million times. And Nikos was happy as a clam. Best friends! And, on a completely different topic: Maya slept for 7 hours straight last night!! 11pm to 6am. I don't think her brother did that until we Ferberized at four months. Amazing!
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OH... and I nearly forgot: I discovered my first real gray hair on Saturday night!! Coincidence? :P And, despite what the Old Wives' Tales say, I plucked it out. And taped it to the bathroom mirror so I could show Gus. I have proof!
I'm sure it's just a phase, brought on by both the sudden major change in his life (e.g., Maya) and his age (wanting to be more independent and being frustrated). Still, our little guy has been acting out. The other day, he tried yanking Maya out of her bouncy seat while yelling, "No! No!" When I told him, "STOP! That hurts baby!" he ran off to the kitchen and starting throwing magnets onto the ground and yelling "No" some more. I went over there and told him to stop, or he'd go to time out. He seemed to sense that he was in trouble, because he stopped... then grinned and threw more magnets. So, wanting to follow through on my threat, I needed to put him in time out. But I hadn't even decided where that was, yet!! I grabbed his little plastic stepstool, put it against the wall, and tried to get him to sit. He kicked and screamed, and would run away as soon as I set him down. I ended up giving up after trying a few times (I know, my bad). Plus, he seemed to be in a better mood.
Anyway... After discussing this with quite a few people, I have decided to try the time out thing again. So yesterday, I bought a little bath math that will officially be the Time Out Rug. And if he needs to go there, I will just keep putting him back there as many times as necessary until he gets the message. It's really the only thing I can think of. A few nights ago, we reached a new low, with him screaming his head off during bath time and yanking Maya's pacifier from her mouth at every possible opportunity. I think he may have been over-tired (he requested "night-night" about 20 minutes before his regular bedtime, which I gladly accomodated), but still... At least we are now prepared with the time out rug, and hopefully it will work quickly and he won't be spending much time there in the future. Wish us luck!
On a happier note... Teagen (the little boy next door) walked Nikos home from daycare the other day. It was the cutest thing ever! He wanted to walk his friend home. So when I went to pick him up, he came along, too (and so did his mom). He even opened the door for us and said goodbye to Nikos like a million times. And Nikos was happy as a clam. Best friends! And, on a completely different topic: Maya slept for 7 hours straight last night!! 11pm to 6am. I don't think her brother did that until we Ferberized at four months. Amazing!
OH... and I nearly forgot: I discovered my first real gray hair on Saturday night!! Coincidence? :P And, despite what the Old Wives' Tales say, I plucked it out. And taped it to the bathroom mirror so I could show Gus. I have proof!
Monday, June 1, 2009
One Month Letter
Dear Maya,
Words cannot describe how incredible this first month with you has been! From the moment you entered the world, your daddy and I have both had the feeling that our little family was finally complete. We are so lucky to have you, and love you more than you will ever know.
Since day one, you have been a total angel... Despite a few worrisome contractions a few days before your scheduled birthday, you managed to hang out inside my belly so that all could go according to plan- and for that, we all thank you! As far as your birth was concerned, you had no complications whatsoever, and began crying right away. And, by some miracle, you seemed to know the difference between night and day almost instantly. You have spoiled us by sleeping in three- or four-hour chunks at night (sometimes even five hours!), waking only briefly for a diaper change and a feeding. Believe me, we appreciate what an easy baby you have been. We would love for you to keep it up, but don't want to jinx anything!
These past few weeks have seen you start to "wake up" and notice your surroundings a lot more. You love to stare at faces when they are close enough for you to focus on them, and you are starting to move your head around more and develop neck strength. When you are not quietly alert, you love to sleep (unswaddled-- a big change from your brother) in your car seat or the bouncer, and can sleep through just about anything. You have slept through the sounds of chainsaws, a stump grinder, a chipper-shredder, trees falling, a power-washer, and (of course) a toddler running willy-nilly around the house and shrieking. And yes, you have perfect hearing. You never cease to amaze us with your mellowness!
Your first month has just sailed by, baby girl. You fit right into our family like the missing piece of our puzzle, and already I find it hard to think of a time that you weren't here. You are adored by everyone--especially your big brother, who asks to see you first thing when he wakes up in the morning and first thing when he gets home from daycare. He even makes requests to see you while he's eating his breakfast in the morning! When you do cry, Nikos is often the first one on the scene, trying to give you your pacifier or touching you on the head to tell you it's okay. The cuteness is unbearable. You are so lucky to have a brother who loves you so much, and we hope that this great relationship will continue throughout both of your lives.
In short, you are amazing, incredible, and wonderful in every way... and we love you. You may be our second baby, but you will always be our favorite girl. We look forward to seeing how much you grow and change in the coming months!
All our love, forever,
Mommy and Daddy
P.S. We're going to try something new here, and take a picture of you every month with your stuffed bunny (as a basis for comparison). The bunny looks big now, but I bet it won't for long! :)
Words cannot describe how incredible this first month with you has been! From the moment you entered the world, your daddy and I have both had the feeling that our little family was finally complete. We are so lucky to have you, and love you more than you will ever know.
Since day one, you have been a total angel... Despite a few worrisome contractions a few days before your scheduled birthday, you managed to hang out inside my belly so that all could go according to plan- and for that, we all thank you! As far as your birth was concerned, you had no complications whatsoever, and began crying right away. And, by some miracle, you seemed to know the difference between night and day almost instantly. You have spoiled us by sleeping in three- or four-hour chunks at night (sometimes even five hours!), waking only briefly for a diaper change and a feeding. Believe me, we appreciate what an easy baby you have been. We would love for you to keep it up, but don't want to jinx anything!
These past few weeks have seen you start to "wake up" and notice your surroundings a lot more. You love to stare at faces when they are close enough for you to focus on them, and you are starting to move your head around more and develop neck strength. When you are not quietly alert, you love to sleep (unswaddled-- a big change from your brother) in your car seat or the bouncer, and can sleep through just about anything. You have slept through the sounds of chainsaws, a stump grinder, a chipper-shredder, trees falling, a power-washer, and (of course) a toddler running willy-nilly around the house and shrieking. And yes, you have perfect hearing. You never cease to amaze us with your mellowness!
Your first month has just sailed by, baby girl. You fit right into our family like the missing piece of our puzzle, and already I find it hard to think of a time that you weren't here. You are adored by everyone--especially your big brother, who asks to see you first thing when he wakes up in the morning and first thing when he gets home from daycare. He even makes requests to see you while he's eating his breakfast in the morning! When you do cry, Nikos is often the first one on the scene, trying to give you your pacifier or touching you on the head to tell you it's okay. The cuteness is unbearable. You are so lucky to have a brother who loves you so much, and we hope that this great relationship will continue throughout both of your lives. In short, you are amazing, incredible, and wonderful in every way... and we love you. You may be our second baby, but you will always be our favorite girl. We look forward to seeing how much you grow and change in the coming months!
All our love, forever,
Mommy and Daddy
P.S. We're going to try something new here, and take a picture of you every month with your stuffed bunny (as a basis for comparison). The bunny looks big now, but I bet it won't for long! :)
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