4.5 Months

I love her dress in this! She now sits in the Bumbo when we are eating. She likes it for 10 minutes at a time. Sometimes I set her by us on the floor when we are playing.

I could gobble her up!

I am so biased. Stinkin adorable! I kind of wish she could wear this outfit every day.

This sweater is special. I bought it when I was pregnant with Mateo. I didn't know the gender (obviously). The other girls clothes I bought have now been passed on as gifts, but this I loved too much to get rid of it. I think Minnie Mouse is so cute. I am not really into other Disney clothes, but Minnie is good. Now that Mateo has seen Cars, Nemo and Jungle Book, it is actually cute to see him get excited about clothes with the characters.

Liora is moving a lot. No rolling over yet, but she is trying. Somehow she manages to twist in a circle when she is on her playmat. She is also not very cuddly. She likes to lay on my lap, but squirms all over.

She got a tooth last Tuesday, the 18th.

She has had carrots one time, rice cereal another and Tuesday she had something from a jar. She ate more than she had the other time, but spit it all out 10 minute later. Eww! I still want to work on her to take a bottle.

Liora moved into size 3 diapers on the 9th. She is wearing mostly size 6 months. When I took her to the doctor, she actually had LOST weight! A few ounces in a month. I think it was because she was sick and then I had a stomach bug, so I didn't eat for 3 days the week that she got weighed. Her next appointment is June 2nd.

Missy is starting to discover her feet. It is so cute. She loves being without clothes or no bottoms or socks. She then starts waving her arms and legs all over.

She is almost too big for her babytub. She props her feet up on on edge of the tub. I have put her a few times in with Mateo. They both like that. He helps wash her and she thinks he is funny.

See you in a few weeks!

32 Months

March 22nd

Every few days I have a nagging feeling of 'I'm supposed to do something today, what is it?' Then I remember, I need to update the blog...Um,  that feeling must've been coming and going for a month, because I realized we are 2 days past Mateo's 32 month mark. I planned on posting for 31 months! So, that is basically how my whole life feels. Like I am always trying to get caught up and when I finally do I realize how much time has flown by and I need to start working on the next thing.

Eating
Mateo is doing so much better with his eating! That bottle issue solved a lot! He is even drinking some water or plain milk. Our rule is that he is allowed a chocolate milk cup in the morning and then he takes watered down juice or water to school. The rest of the day we kind of see how it goes/what we have in the house. Breakfast goes smoother when he has been awake a bit. He eats oatmeal very well and likes cinnamon roll oatmeal (I mean, who wouldn't?). Following the advice of my MIL, I added a little Splenda on his carrots and he ate 2 whole ones! Mateo learned his 2nd week of school about food and utensils. Since then he wants to try to eat with a knife and asks for a 'mife.' Often I have him eat his sandwich at school, so he can play outside PLUS someone else can clean up his mess.

Jules is the class doll. He takes turns of who he gets to visit each weekend.

Sleeping
Maybe the reason I didn't get to his 31 month post was because of the serious sleeping issues we were having. They are mostly solved. Everyone told me 'Once he goes to school, he will sleep more/longer.' *wrong* Not with this kid. I decided to give up fighting on naps every day. I basically figure he takes one every 2nd day and it is only after he has had a good dose of play time after lunch, then he is allowed to read in bed. Most of the time he falls asleep, if not, I get 30 minutes of quiet time. Nights are also going better. He was sick with an awful cough and that was waking us all up. I guess I don't need to post about all the fights and fits we have been through. The good news is that he doesn't ever ask for his pacifier and most nights now he goes nicely to sleep. Bedtime is between 7:00-8:00 and he is awake around 7:00.

Talking
Everyday he is saying new things. I feel like being my brother's sister (aka interpreter) helped prepare me. I understand what Mateo says, but realize others don't. It is a mix of the 2 languages and then lots of mispronounced words. I noticed in the wekeend that he says N's as M's. So Memo is that cute, little, orange fish.  I am realizing now how 'behind' he seems in his speech. I sometimes worry if the teacher can understand him, but she said it is going fine at school, so I guess he can communicate his needs. I also realized that I am underestimating how much he understands and remembers, because he doesn't speak so clearly. BUT, a proud parent moment was when I was telling the story of Noah (I started feeling like a bad parent a few weeks ago that we weren't telling Bible stories, so I pulled out his beginner Bible and we now try to do one story a night) and he said "All done regen (rain)!" I was shocked. I then realized that Daddy must've read it already, but I also realized that Mateo listened and remembered what it was about!

School
We both love it, not sure about the school and teachers *wink*. Mateo has gone a few full days. I think I'll try 1-2/week. Normally he is there from 8:45-1:00. He seems to be learning a lot. Like I said, he doesn't say much about what he does, but then he surprises me with new words and actions (such as putting soap on his hands while washing, wiping his own nose, putting on his jacket).

...it is now 5 days later, so I have lost my train of thought!

Things to remember
-He says 'ikke doen' for EVERYTHING. He wants to do everything himself, until it doesn't work and then he starts whining.

-Rode his balance bike for the first time today

-Went to the Zoo for the first time Feb 15th.

-Had antibiotics for a nasty cough. He had an ear and eye infection at the same time.

-Has grown out of all his size 86 pants and needs 98 shirts for the length.

-I finally got size 5 diapers. We were having some issues with the 4's, but I think it was more the brand.

He was a zebra for Carnaval.

4 months

Liora 3 Months

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Mateo's First Day of School-Feb 3, 2013

With this post I figured out how to download multiple photos from Dropbox, how to make a photobook in under 10 minutes, how to share an un-ordered book from Shutterfly (I thought it was a nicer way to share photos instead of just posting 40 of nearly the same thing). I see now some of the colors are hard to read. That is the disadvantage of making a book so quickly. Mateo has now gone 4 half days to school. It starts at 8:45 and I get him at 11:55. He eats and goes to bed around 1:00 for about 2 hours. He is not to the age where he tells much about his day. I asked the teacher and she said he has a hard time sitting for group story time (no surprise there), but that he is doing well. He is making friends and has never cried.

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30 months = 2.5 years = SCHOOL AGE

Today Mateo is 2.5 years old. I had already asked his cousin (bestie) to come spend the night when I realized what a special day it was. So we had a little 'appy do you' ('party' in Mateo language).

After a 1 minute search on Pinterest (this morning...), I decided a half cake was in order. Since mommy is on a diet, this was a perfect excuse to have some chocolate. How can I *not* celebrate this important day. I had fun at the little party and so did the 2 toddlers. Or are they preschoolers?

I removed Liora's banner and hung up a blue one that ways 'Party Time!' We had cake, they each got a present and we had music. Fun, fun, fun...

Actually having a party today was probably just as good for mommy as for Mateo. It has been a ROUGH week. A big week, so actually a good week in a weird way.  The reason it was good for me is it make me reflect on how much I love my little man.

Last week I decided it was time to be strict with bottle and pacifier usage. I also took out the crib, so Mateo had more space to play. That meant he had to sleep in the big bed. No more switching back and forth.

Loving his jungle animals

Last week went well until this:

What an artist I am-hehe

Broken computer screen! From his pacifier. We decided an appropriate punishment would be to take it away. We have been putting it off for over a year. Always another vacation coming up, mom and dad going away, new baby, etc. Finally.we.did.it.  He is doing better in one way than expected. He does not really ask for it. What I did not think about is that he would have a hard time sleeping. Hard time as in a FIGHT, DRAMA, TEARS, YOU-NAME-IT.  Since Sunday almost every bed time has been a drawn out process.  Once he falls asleep he is then awake earlier than normal or after an hour nap. He has been very grumpy and defiant all week. But...*drum roll* we are pacifier and bottle free! Next up potty training.

 

He starts school February 4th. Mommy has to admit she is pretty excited about this. Potty training will commence sometime in February after he sees other kids at school doing it.

 

Next week we go for his height/weight/overall check-up.

 

 

Now some photos of the day...

Half a cake for a half birthday

Loves chocolate like his mommy does

Such goofs

He copies everything she does...

Goofballs

His banner. Playing with their gifts

She is 14 months older and they look the same height.

2 months

We are getting more smiles every day. I love it! Liora went yesterday for her 2 month check-up and first set of shots.  I predicted how she would react. She seems to be a little diva. I remember with Mateo he screamed (duh), but was fine a few minutes later. Little missy whimpered for about 20 minutes until I finally ended up feeding her. 

She is 5,780 kg/12.74 lb and 58 cm/22.84 in at 9 weeks.

We have been trying to get her to take a bottle and are not having success. I am convinced she knows that if she drinks it, she will have to go to a babysitter (hubby's work party is next week, but I think I am going to have to skip the event).

Liora seems to have mellowed out since the first month. No more random, unexplained crying. She is pretty easy to take out and about.

She has reached the 3 main 'points' for her ages. 1. Moves arms and legs 2. Follows with her eyes 3. Makes sounds

Until next week when Mateo turns 2.5 years!