So much for global warming

This is the view out of our front window! Two inches of new snow and it's almost April. Weird.
This is our car. At my Mom's house only an hour north they got SEVEN inches of new snow. And I thought it was spring... silly. If the snow stays this way maybe I'll go cross country skiing. I really wanted to cross country ski this winter and of course couldn't because I was pregnant up untill three weeks ago. Who'd of thunk I'd get a chance to still go. :)


Lily helped me make waffles this morning.

We have a bunch left over because Youssef isn't here to eat all of them

Oh... and her hair is long enough now for a new hair do.

She looks so grown up.

Sometimes when Renna is fussing and I go to her bed (which is in the living room during the day) to see if she's waking up and wanting to nurse or just moving around and will go back to sleep, Lily will come in front of me and say "stop" and want me to hold her. I think some of the novelty of having a baby in the house is wearing off and she's wanting some more Mommy time again. Since taking the snow pictures the sun has come out! It's really pretty actually. I'm feeling so much more optomistic than I did yesterday. Even with the snow and only getting barely 6 hours of sleep (couldn't fall asleep last night and Renna woke me up early.)

Anyway, I'd better go clean up the house.

The great divide

Lily was enjoying the vibrating bouncy chair, but it's a little too small for her.
This is right before her nap, but she's wearing her jammies because we stayed in our jammies again today because we are siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick (Lily will say that now "siiiiiiiiiiiiiick" just like that.)
And not that you need to see another sleeping baby picture, but this was from today and she was so cute I thought I'd just include it too. She's been really sleepy and having a hard time staying asleep because of her stuffy nose, but I think she's been nursing more so that should help her get better quicker. I'm holding her right now since she sleeps better propped up more.
This is Lily reading stories before naptime.

Oh, and the title is I guess because of the difference in a two year old and a baby (as Lily was trying to fit in the baby chair) and also just because of my mood I guess.

It's snowing right now (and I thought it was spring... silly me) It's suppose to snow tomorrow too. I guess it doesn't matter much since we weren't going anywhere anyway. I'll probably still make waffles for Saturday even though it will feel like any other day with Youssef gone. He keeps saying how much he'll miss us and stuff, but it's not like anyone is making him go so I don't know why he keeps saying that (?) Sometimes when he does things like the retreat and I'm left alone I wish he'd change his mind and choose to stay with us, but that's probably me just being selfish. Everyone needs a retreat sometimes. I know I need one. I get very mini retreats. Like normal weekends when we all can do stuff together and when we get to see friends, and sometimes when the girls are both sleeping and I'm not tired enough for a nap myself so I can watch a movie or read without interruption. I wish I wasn't sick so that I could eat all the twix and cookies that we have in our freezer. I bought the twix for my birthday but had a sore throat so I was a good girl and didn't eat them and the cookies came with dinners that people in our church brought for us. The meals are really nice... I don't really remember the last time I've really had to do much cooking. I have made bread since Renna was born but all the meals have been pretty easy or already made! Tonight we are going to have frozen pizza! .. maybe popcorn too... and "Enchanged" again (I really like that movie) I'm glad Lily likes it too. Those are the best when everyone likes it, though the "Dinsoar" (it's a dragon but that's what she calls it) makes her snuggle up to me cause it's a little freaky. Speaking of food, it's 5:15 and there's no reason why we can't eat when ever we want. Lily woke up at 4:20 so she'll probably be ready to eat soon.

And I thought 'Get Fuzzy' was funny

Who would have guessed that when you remove Garfield from the Garfield comic strips, the result is an even better comic about schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and the empty desperation of modern life?

Friends, meet Jon Arbuckle. Let’s laugh and learn with him on a journey deep into the tortured mind of an isolated young everyman as he fights a losing battle against loneliness in a quiet American suburb.

I thought Lynne might enjoy this though. ... well, everyone else should, too.
http://garfieldminusgarfield.tumblr.com/

lovely poem

I found it in a "Mothering" magazine...




Picasso


Picasso,
did you ever have to go suddenly
and clean up an overflowing drain
when caught between two images?
or find a square root for solving
thrust under your nose
when you were trying to find the roots of the world?


Some men would say I don't know reality,
But it is my reality to wait
like so many women,
and not rush, childlike,
to find that glory rhymes with bitterness.


I don't believe your jagged, searching lines
were ever interrupted with cries of babies,
wars perhaps,
but not the small domestic insistencies


But then I have no wish
to be stuck high up on walls,
my patterns caught,
dissected there by critics.
I like to think my thoughts are shaken out in dusters,
are blowing in long lines of washing,
are caught in the smell of fresh cooking,
and lay perhaps in the minds of my children.



by Pam Redmond

First bath at three weeks!

A bit nervous at first about the bath...
But her big sister was taking a bath too so it couldn't be too bad...
It's a little weird, but still pretty interesting
I think she liked it!

It's sort of funny that I haven't given her a bath untill now when she's three weeks today, when you considar that I gave a bath to Lily every day starting at two days old. But with her I didn't really have much to do with just one baby, so a bath was our play time and gave me something ineresting to do with her. Renna's eyes look so much like Youssef's to me! That is the really huge difference about how Lily and Renna look I think. Though Renna's eyes are still dark blue/grey you can't tell in the pictures.

This is going to be a really long weekend and following week. I hardly see Youssef for three hours out of the day (and only if we stay up too late) and he's going to be gone all weekend at a men's retreat (I hope it's good). So I won't really see him till next week end. Lily, Renna, and I are all sick with head colds so I don't know that we'll be doing much to make it fun without him. I thought about going to my Mom's but with the colds I don't know that I should take the girls out much. Today we all stayed in our pj's and watched princess movies and drank juice (and took naps together of course.)

Something neat from my birthday! When I was putting Lily to sleep she kept kissing me! My cheek, my arm, my chin. It was so cute. Usually, she'll kiss me if I ask for a kiss, but that was the first time that she just came up with that all on her own (we are more of a hugging family I guess because she hugs a lot) She had her Pooh Bear and another teddy kiss each other too! It was really sweet and a nice little birthday gift for me.

Renna smiled at me today. She was memorizing my face and I was talking to her and she smiled at me for a second. Lily smiled at me a lot more at this age, but I think Renna just might be a bit more serious. She'll be like her Daddy and be thinking philosophical thoughts. ;) And no it wasn't gas. Renna is much more burpy than Lily ever was at this age and doesn't smile as much, but if you are in tune with your kid you know when they are going to burp or spit up (for the most part) and can tell what's a real smile or not too. Renna is my little snuffelufugus today because of her stuffy nose, but she's doing pretty good, just nursing more and needing the snot sucker a lot. Lily likes to watch me use the snot sucker on Renna and gleefully says "Nose" after I'm done. I think she likes to see me use it on someone else now that she's too old for it! It really does help though and Renna sleeps so much better after that and a good feeding. Just not quite as long because her nose gets stuffy again. Renna is sitting on my lap now looking around, and Youssef is in with Lily till she falls asleep. I think Renna is sleepy, but needs a diaper change before she can go to sleep, so I'd better go. :)

Happy Birthday to me

We are watching "Enchanted" and playing princess!

The girls both have runny/stuffy noses and I have a little sore throat,

but it hasn't been too bad of a birthday.

In case you are wondering, I'm 27 today. Officially into my "late twenties". I'm glad the sun is shinning today. We had to go to the library and also had to buy some vitamins and cold stuff.
I think this is probably the most unbirthday birthday that I've had. I wonder if that's what happens when you have more kids? We'll see what Youssef has planned though. I have a sneaking suspicion that he hasn't even bought a gift yet and will say how he needs to go to a store when he gets home (which I think at that point I'd rather have him forget about the gift and just hang out with us.) That's always depressing when I'm the last minute rush, but perhaps I should give him the benefit of the doubt. I bought some "Boboli" pizza for dinner (because it sounded so yummy) and I have lots of dessert type stuff (except that we are all sick so I'm going to save it). Lily wanted me to blow up some balloons that she found that my Mom gave her, and I already pretty much straightened up the house so it's somewhat festive. Lily is really enjoying "Enchanted" and Renna is laying on my lap just looking around quietly. The dryer is almost done and I need to fold clothes.

Youssef got me my own crown! It's much more flattering, don't you think?

This was just cute how she was wearing some of her princess things

and playing with her new cars!

Baby parts

Easter dresses

My Mom probably got better pictures than I did (my camera is too slow and always misses the smile *grrrr*), but this gives you the idea. I'll just have to get some from her for scrapbooking. :)

"Not Yours to Give"

A Davy Crockett story! Of When he was a congressmen and was reminded to follow the constitution. Read it with your kids. :)

Grown-ups we

So, Lily went to sleep in her room by herself again!

And we thought it would be fun to actually be able to have the light on and sit in bed while watching a movie!!! (Since she has been sleeping in our room.)

And eating lots of kitkat!

I think the last time we were able to do this was two years ago when Lily was only a few months old. It feels so weird... it's like we are adults again!

And this is us cracking up (me a little hysterically) at the funny pictures that we just took.

Two Weeks Today! (added amendment)

Renna's two week appointment was today and she weighed 7 lbs 9 oz. Beth (my midwife) said that they usually liked them to be back to their birth weight by two weeks old and Renna is almost a pound more, so she's doing really well. She's an inch longer and her head is an inch and a half bigger than her birth size too!

I had to put up pictures of the spiffy carseat carrier that we got as a shower gift. And since I was out today and then went shopping I figured I'd just snap a few pictures when we got back (which I did as you can see.)

We went to Walmart to get a few things. I wanted to buy "Enchanted" for my birthday (Youssef will be working since it's a Tuesday, and I didn't have any plans so I thought it would be fun to watch "Enchanted" and eat chocolate and drink lots of Ginger Ale -the good kind.)

The other things that I got were because of an incident this morning. Lily usually gets up before me and helps herself to things in the fridge that she brings to me and I groggily open for her. Well, today apparently she had quite a wet diaper which she decided to take off herself along with her jammies of course. She got her princess nightgown (that she brought to me and I sleepily helped her get into it before I drifted off again) and later brought her rob in. Well, she wasn't wearing a diaper remember and normally that's not a huge deal except today when I got up, and found her clothes here and there and her diaper in the bathroom, I also found a pile of pooy in the living room. When I asked her if that was her poo and tried to explain that poo is suppose to go in the toilet or her diaper (we've talked about that before) she seemed to understand, but didn't seem to mind that there was poo on the floor and also helped to point out another spot that had some poo. SO, I'm thinking she's getting ready to learn to use the toilet. The picture is of her new baby doll that she's feeding and it will pee in the little toilet that it comes with. She really likes it, though she did just start squirting the water from the bottle directly into the toilet (why have it go through the baby doll if you can just play in the water?) We also got her some pretty princess underpants. I'm going to be gone tomorrow morning though, so I'm not sure when I can really start. I might have to wait till next week and then give her my full attention so we can work on potty training. In the mean, time she can play with the baby doll and we also got a DVD from the library called "Elmo's Potty Time" which she's really liked watching (might explain why she decided to poo without the diaper?)

Anyway, I'm sure you all really wanted to hear all that. ;) Such is my life. :)

To end the post with a less disgusting subject, and in case Youssef is reading this from work or at plasma.... The other thing I bought was a special "new Daddy of two girls" present. (*grin* You'll never guess!!!)

Amendment!

Tonight after dinner and when Lily was almost finished watching "Elmo's Potty Time" she came to me walking a little funny and I asked her if she needed to go potty and she said she did! And she went! And this is her happy face because she went in the toilet. It was so cute how excited she was. :)

An hour left to go

It's that time of day again (the picture isn't actually from today but her sad expression is how I usually feel right now.) It's that time of day again when there is just an hour left to go till Youssef comes. I was straightening up the house (a usual practice at this time of day) and I'm reminded again how I always wish for some adult conversation about this time. Youssef usually sleeps or reads on the bus and doesn't want to talk to me now anyway. Oh, which reminds me, we are canceling our cell-phones so if you don't have our house number give us a call so we can give you the house number (it's just an extra $100 a month that we really don't need to be spending so that's why we are canceling them.)

So... that time of day when I feel like talking which is why I'm blogging. Only, I really don't have anything interesting to say. We went to the library today and the park and target and other mother's (not in that order) and left the house too late in the morning so Lily was a bit sensative and we had some troubles communicating. I got some nice jammies for Renna (I only had three in the size she is right now so a few more will be nice) and both girls got tights to go with their easter dresses and Lily got some pretty sandles to wear with her dress (they are violet and sparkly.) It was pretty nice getting those things there because I was able to turn some stuff in so I actually didn't spend any money today! (Youssef always likes hearing news like that when I list all the loot we got shopping.) I let Lily pick out a toy at Other Mother's too. She got a Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal. She's always wanted a real Winnie the Pooh and we had enough money from the trade in stuff to get it.

Oh!!! Youssef's actually calling me!!!

From the weekend

On Saturday after naps we walked to Staples on Division to mail a package and then got a honey latte at the Starbucks on Buckeye/Division then stopped at the park for Lily to play! (Still LOVING the stroller!) It was pretty fun, but by the time we were at the park it was a bit chilly and so we left even though Lily wanted to stay a bit longer. My legs and hips are finally starting to feel normal again and don't ache when I'm laying down (though they still hurt when I'm getting up sometimes.) The walking actually feels really good, but I know I need to still take it easy so my uterus can get back to normal too. The picture of Youssef is of him demonstrating his "Heely's" that I gave him for Christmas. He wears them all the time and is getting pretty good at them!







And of course we have to include a couple cute pictures of our newest little one!

She loves the stroller and sleeps really well in it! But she also likes to look around too!

I don't know if you can tell in this picture just how much her eyes look like her Daddy's! (They are still blue though, but of course we don't know if that will change or not.)

This last picture was from Sunday right before we went to church. She just looked so cute in her little red dress I had to take a picture of her. The Binky is pretty nice to keep her busy when she doesn't want to nurse (or can't nurse for the short car ride). So far she doesn't need it very much and doesn't want it when she's hungry so she's doing really well. She found her thumb a couple times, but since I was a heavy thumb sucker and it was a bit traumatic to have to stop, I'd rather use a Binky because it's easier to take away than the child's thumb. I think the Bink looks cute though. ;)

Sleepy time

This was the atmosphere in our house from a bit after 1:00 till 3:30 or so! Lily fell asleep all by herself in her room again and Renna fell asleep after much nursing and burping and nursing and burping and nursing (the bubble makes her feel full and then when she burps she's hungry again). :)

We took it pretty easy today and Lily spent the whole day in her princess jammies or in her robe. I read a bunch and actually got the clothes folded (!) while they slept (folding clothes is probably the thing I dislike the most ... though emptying the dishwasher is another annoying thing... I probably dislike those things the most because I had to do them growing up.) The clothes had been wanting to be folded for quite a while now so that was a big accomplishment.

These two pictures were actually from Friday when they slept really good then!

And I actually had the kitchen pretty clean too. :)

The fabulous four!

My Mom and Dad and Jonathan stopped today and got some pictures of the four of us together. Lily's still wearing her jammies, but it's Saturday so that's normal. ;)

And since it IS "waffle Saturday" we had Belgian waffles like usual except that YOUSSEF made them! All on his own initiative too. I was quite impressed. :)

We're all a bit tired today as we stayed up too late watching a movie, and that movie was "Vertigo"... not a good ending to go to sleep on! Youssef and I both were a bit creeped out from it as we got ready for bed in a dark house at 11:00. Lily's pretty tired too, but it will be nice for us to have her take a nap early. :)

Play time!

Renna likes to be awake in the late afternoon so I got some good pictures of Lily playing and Renna watching. :)