30!

So the week plus of birthday celebrations has drawn to a close. Tear. Guess I have to wait 10 more years this much birthday fun. We started celebrating last weekend with some of my best friends at the Melting Pot like I had previously mentioned. The night was awesome (and I want to do it again already), the only thing that could have made it better was if my best friend Kate and her husband Kurt could have been there but they live in Duncan, OK so there was no way that was going to happen. Then on Thursday, my actual birthday I had the day off so I packed up the kids and went to my parent's house to hang out with my mom. She bought me lunch (Imo's, yum) and we all played and then the kids and I all took a 2 hour nap together, Reese in her swing and Dono and I snuggled together in bed. Best nap I have had in years. Nothing beats snuggling with your kids, even if your weirdo son is insisting on you scratching his belly button til he falls asleep (I kid, I love that crazy boy).

Then we went home, Tom had cooked dinner and then our neighbor friends Sarah and her two son's came over for cake and ice cream. I had in my head that I really wanted Dono to sing me happy birthday but him and Tyler totally flaked on the singing and poor Tom, Sarah and Trevor (almost 4 yo) had to carry the song themselves. Turns out 2 year olds are terrible serenaders when it is not their idea. The buddies had also come over earlier in the day and brought me a present and a homemade card. Friends that are your neighbors are the best. So all in all, a great, laid back day.

Then Saturday our families (minus Nick) came over for a birthday celebration. We had a lot of pizza, dessert and game fun. They didn't leave til midnight which was late for all of us but nights like those are getting rarer so when we have them we make the most of our time. It was the perfect low key night with the fam.

Today I had my surprise. Tom told me a month or so ago he lined up a surprise for my birthday and I honestly didn't think much about it because I didn't want to get my hopes up for something that turned out to be no big deal. So he mentioned a week or so ago it was going to be on Sunday. Ok, still had no idea what it was. Then today I even forgot about it and was telling him at 10am how I was going to leave to go shopping and he told me I couldn't because of the surprise that was happening at 11. He was like "Do you already know what it is?" I assured him I had no idea, which was the truth. In the next hour I came up with 3 possibilities. 1) Flowers delivered. 2) Singing telegram (?!?) 3) He called up the cardinals pregame people and my name and birthday message was going to be scrolled along the bottom of the broadcast (I had no idea if there even was a day game today, there was). I asked Tom if I needed to get dressed or if I could stay in my PJs and he said I could. So at 11am I am walking up the stairs with Dono to get some Cheese-itz for the boss and Tom is at the door holding petey and he tells me my surprise is here. So he opens the door and now I know it's a singing telegram (again, why?) and then I see Kurt!!!! And Kate!!!!! YIPIEEEEEEEEEEE!! I was so happy and shocked I cried. And I'm crying again just thinking about it. We haven't actually seen them since December and they are two of my favorite people ever so I can't tell you how much that meant to me. Best surprise ever. Kate even tricked me because she texted on my birthday and told me she would call me this weekend so we had set up Sunday for a phone date. This was WAY better. So we got to talk and catch up for the next 3 hours and it was everything I could have hoped for. Yeay Tom and yeay Kate and Kurt! The best way to wrap up my week long "Diva" birthday (as Tom calls it. For the length, not my behavior during it.)

Suson Park

This has been such a fun weekend! Tom and I did something we have never done since either of the kids were born, gone on two dates on two consecutive nights, and it was awesome! Friday, Tom's parents watched the kids while Tom and myself went to the Melting Pot with some of my favorite friends to celebrate my 30th birthday. We had such a great time, we shut that place down and then went to the next door bar for more drinks. Judging by the way I felt the next day, I apparently thought that 30 was the new 21. Then last night we went to a dinner with three other couples that happen to be our neighbors, and fellow Valley Park Country Club (VPCC) founding members. It was our first VPCC founders dinner which we are going to try to do monthly. It was great too! (Yes, we started a fake country club and yes, we have t-shirts and washer boxes embellished with VPCC on them. It's kind of a long story.) So today, since I behaved myself last night and therefore felt better, I thought we should do something fun with the kids. We woke up too late to try to tackle the Zoo in this heat, so we decided to go to Suson Park, which I had taken Dono to last summer. Tom hadn't been in a long time and it was Reese's first time so it was kind of a big deal. Donovan loved all the animals. We even had to do two laps to see everything twice. Then he played with daddy at the playground while I fed Reese in the car and when we were going to leave he wanted to see the animals again! It was so hot so we told him we could save it for another time.

We got there in time to see the end of the cow milking demonstration. Donovan thought that was pretty cool. I am glad he did not try to make any comparisons to me pumping for Reese and the cow getting milked...

This fat lady in the background was the highlight! She was laying in the mud, splashing in the mud, shaking the mud off, possibly eating the mud, and then doing laps to walk off her mud calories. Donovan loved her. There was another pig across from this one that didn't have any mud to roll in (tear for the pig) so Donovan referred to that one as "clean pig" and the other one as "muddy pig". "Come mere clean piggy!"

Donovan the farmer.

About halfway through our visit Reese decided to wake up and join in on the action. Her favorite part was anything that did not involve being in the direct sunlight. Also, eating was a highlight.

"Oh, you want my signature pose?"

Reese posing in front of the mini pony.

All in all a succuessful trip. I will have to take Donovan back a time or two before they close for the fall.

Daily dose of cute

Friday I was going through some hand-me-down clothes that we got from our neighbor's family for Reese and I came upon these two tiny adorable swimsuits that Reese is almost too big for already. So we had a fashion show for dad and brother so she could at least wear them for a few minutes. She cooperated nicely and I am pretty sure that I need to do this on a daily basis now. So stinkin cute.




And outfit number two.


And finally, the reason Reese needs to be strapped in her bouncer at all times. She is so wiggly.

3 month pics and info

So sorry, so late. Life gets in the way of blogging sometimes. Reese, please don't take this as us not loving you as much as Donovan, we are just a little busier with two of you tykes to look after and with mommy and daddy trying to get other stuff done in their lives. We did manage to get the pictures of the 3 month birthday on the correct date, just not the post obviously.
Straight leg Reese.

Monkey Reese.


The latest on Reese:
Her reflux seems to be doing just fine with the meds she has been on for the past month plus. She is also taking the bottle much better. As best I understand (as I have boobs and therefore do not give her a bottle) she latches right on nowadays, but once she unlatches, it is hard to get her to take more. She usually drinks about 2-3 ounces from her bottles per feeding. Which is only about half of what she gets from me most times I think, judging by what I get when I pump.

She is still over all a very happy baby and the same happy, eat, happy, sleep routine applies now as it did last month. She is still talking a lot and as of July 25th, is giggling. Donovan gets her to laugh the best, which is funny in itself because he is never trying to. Him talking with his hands or slamming a wiffle ball bat on a foam mat is enough to get her belly laughing sometimes. She doesn't do it everyday, but when she does it is the highlight. Reese thinks Donovan is the best. She loves to watch him and I love that she thinks he is so great. Her face lights up anytime he is around. Unless he is headbutting her on accident. Then her face does something the opposite of that.

A week or so ago I tried putting Reese in the jumperoo, since she loves standing so much (see following picture) and she loves it! She doesn't really jump yet but she is able to hold her own in there. She has great neck and core control so no more bobble head baby. Her strength surprises me. Just today (ok, so technically should go under the accomplishments during the 4th month) she rolled from her back to her front. All except for one shoulder, which made her very mad. She did it a couple times but never got that shoulder to cooperate. When I put her down on her back she often rolls to one side a lays there, chewing on her hands. She still loves those hands. She also still loves to be swaddled and put in the swing. As far as driving goes, still doesn't like when you are going slow and the bumpier the road the better.

The one thing I would love some improvement on with Reese is her sleeping. I just re-read my 2 month post and I got a little depressed. I think with me going back to sleep it messes with her schedule, since she doesn't eat as much when I am not here. So her sleeping hasn't improved at all, almost the contrary. She still gets up once to twice a night and she likes to stay up late, til 10 or 11 most nights. So I am way sleepier that I thought I would be at this point. She does often sleep at the same time Donovan does so that is nice but I usually use that time to get things done versus take a nap myself, which is what I would really love to do. Oh well. What is a baby without a little sleep deprivation? Ok well, little miss is cranking up for a feeding. Gotta run.

Get ya stunna shades on

Our friends Kris and Lynn got these for Reese last week. How could we not have owned a pair until now? I personally think all baby girls should be discharged from the hospital wearing these after they are born.

Is she flipping me off in this one? Geeze Reese, I'm just trying to have a little fun.

The chilrens enjoying the much appreciated break from the oppressive St Louis heat.
Reese: "Ummm, brother? Is that lady always going to make us do things like this?"
Donovan: "Get used to it kid. This is just the beginning."

Big enough for the bumbo

"Wow mom! That flash is shocking."

Big news for the big boy!

Donovan is sleeping in his big boy bed!
Sitting up!

That is what he looked like when he first fell asleep and this is what he looked like after I pulled him down and tuck-tucked him in.

Yesterday my mom was over helping watch the kids so I could run a few errands. That morning when I got Donovan up I laid Reese down in his crib and told him that Reese was going to sleep in the crib soon and he was going to sleep in the big boy bed. Not news to him but I guess he took it to heart. Nothing more was said about it so when nap time came, I was home feeding Reese so my mom was going to put Donovan down. He was in major stall mode so after about 10 minutes she got him to agree to go in the big boy room for book reading. Not 1 minute later I hear her telling him she is going to shut the door and saying goodnight. I was shocked she was out so fast and that the room she was leaving him in was the big boy room! Apparently they got in there and he requested some books and to be tucked in. I had no hope this was going to last, I thought we would hear him playing in there until he decided he had enough and then we would hear yelling for us to come get him, or he would just open the door and come out himself. 5 minutes later we heard him and my mom went in. All he wanted was a book that was out of reach from his spot on the bed. So she gave him that and his milk that was also out of reach and once again left him and shut the door. 5 or 10 minutes later I peek in on him and there he is, bobble heading it and drinking his milk while sleeping sitting straight up. The milk had fallen by the time I grabbed the camera. I could not believe it! Then I was just sure he was going to wake up scared and confused 45 minutes later and that would be the end of nap time. Well I was wrong again because he slept for an hour and 45 minutes! So great.

So then last night we tried again and similar story. He didn't make Tom read 10 books and went to sleep pretty easily. He screamed when Tom started to shut the door because we used to keep his nursery door half open and his big boy room door is either all the way open or all the way shut, so we kept it open and he was fine. We usually hear Donovan wake up and cry once or twice a night but it usually varies on how long and how upset he is. Most times he gets himself back to sleep within a minute or two but some he has to be comforted with a pat and a tuck tuck. We thought last night would be full of those so Tom went to bed early in preparation for dealing with those. There was only one and I went in when I heard him scream around 2 am. I got in there and he was sitting straight up, crying to be tucked in. So I take his blanket to tuck him in and he pops up, stops crying, and kneels on the bed and points to his "Cars" poster we just hung up yesterday that we got from my Aunt and proceeds to point out and name all the characters. In the dark. Wide awake. What a nut. So I tell him it is night time and he needs to lay down, so he does and I tuck him in, kiss him and then go back to bed. Then I was sure I would see him bright and early standing next to my bed. Wrong yet again! I heard him at 8:20, and then again at 8:30 so Reese and I went to go investigate and there he was kneeling on the bed, looking and pointing to his "Cars" poster again. Angel boy had not even got himself out of bed! Today my mother in law watched the kids and she said he requested the crib for a nap, but she thought it was only because it was storming, but she managed to talk him into the big boy bed. And tonight he went to sleep in the big boy bed after only 1 book like a perfect angel again!!!! (Tom even said Donovan requested to go to sleep, he rarely does that).

Tom and I are so proud of him! Had we not been cheap skates or had another crib to borrow we wouldn't have even pushed the issue at all because he loves his crib and NEVER climbed out of it, even though he is plenty big enough. Then we wouldn't have to worry about him wandering around the house or falling out (even though we have bumpers in the big boy bed). I was really starting to sweat it though and was about to put a facebook plea out to anyone who had a crib we could borrow and if that didn't work we were going to have to buy one. I didn't want to have to force Donovan into something he wasn't ready for so we were just going to have to come up with a second crib for his big boy room until he was ready but apparently he is ready. I don't know if it was Reese hanging out in his crib that day that finally made him want to or if my mom just influenced him or what but it is awesome timing. Hopefully he continues to do well and we can put Reese in her crib when she is ready for it. Not after several more months after we find/bought a second crib for her big bro. And big bro he is! What a relief.

Things Donovan is doing right now

There are lots of things that Donovan has done or said or is still doing and saying right now that I want to remember because it makes me happy. Here are some:

~Donovan insists on being "tuck-tuck"ed in before naps and night time. You have to put the blanket over him, tuck the blanket around his body (green side UP please) and say "tuck tuck tuck" repeatedly until he is satisfied. He also needs all of his guys up by his head and his monogrammed Donovan pillow must be Donovan side down. Also the milk sippy must be placed in the corner of the bed when you sneak it in there in the morning.

~Donovan appreciates a good scratch. He often request "cratch the belly" or "more cratch the back". He especially loves his belly button scratched. I know. Weird. Apparently there has been enough times when I scratch him and then ask "Does that feel nice?" because now every time I scratch him he looks at me and whispers "Feels nice" in the tiniest of voices, even when I don't ask.

~When you sneeze he blesses you. Multiple times. As in D:"Bless you mama." M:"Thanks Donovan" times 10.

~He also says "Cuze (excuse) me mama" as he slides by me or when he burps "Cuze me".

~He is peeing on the potty at least once a day and sometimes as much as 4 times per day for the past couple weeks. Once we even had a poop on the potty by accident. (He pushed his pee out too hard and got a bonus). When he does go potty on the big boy potty he will often look at me directly after he does it, lean over to me with his arms out and say "Proud of you" as he waits for my hug and my enthusiastic compliments which always include me telling him how proud I am of him. I said it so much he knows what's coming.

~He has no interest in sleeping in the big boy bed. He insists on "read a book in the big boy room" before every nap and nighttime, but when asked if he wants to sleep there he says "No! Sleep in the crib!" Looks like Reese might have a bed mate (not really).

~Instead of just saying no to us, he now says "No way Jose!" and if not that, at least "No way!". Me:Donovan do you want to eat some macaroni for dinner?" D: "No way Jose!"

~He is very into poop. Wants to see his own. Repeatedly. I often have to unwrap the dirty diapers so he can get a 5th look. And he wants to see Reese's too.

~He has heard me and Tom say "Sounds good" to enough stuff that he has begun to say it himself. Tom's mom asked him if he wanted some of her fruit crisp the other day and he said "Ok. Sounds good."

~He has also heard us ask "how are you doing?" and so now he asks it too...to the dog. D:"How you Petey? How you? Awwwwwww. (he actually says "awwwww" as he pets Petey). Pet Pet Petey."

~When he pretends to play on our old cell phones, he always want to call his Aunt Jenna.

~He has added the phrase "I need mo (more)...." to his vocabulary. The other night at 9pm he was stalling before bed and climbed up into his chair at the dinner table and said "I need mo dinner! I need mo dinner!" Then he went to bed asking for a "pah-tart" (poptart) which he is very fond of right now. We didn't give in. Then that night at 2:38am we hear him wake up with a blood curdling scream followed by screeching of "I NEED MO PAH-TART!!!!!! I NEED MO PAH-TART". Tom went in and calmed him down and convinced him that it was still nighttime and he did not, indeed, need a poptart.

~Donovan has a favorite commercial that is played while the cardinals games are on repeatedly. It is one where a guy is dancing with a flash mob but he is the only one dancing because he got there too early. The guy does this shuffle backwards across the floor and waves his arms in front of him as he does it. And so does Donovan. There is a second favorite commercial that has the lyrics of "Uh oh, sho did" in a rap song and Donovan sings "Sho did!" every time it comes on.

~He loves to dance and "shake-a da booty! shake-a da booty!"

~Whenever you go somewhere out of his sight he will often follow you saying "Dono"s comin! Dono's comin too!"

~When he can't find something he calls for it, inanimate or not. "Where are you Petey?" and "Where are you football?".

~A few weeks ago Donovan and I were sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast and Reese was in the bouncer in the middle of the family room. She was cooing and talking and Donovan looks at me and says "Reese's talkin". Me: "Reese is talking?" D: (matter of factly) "Talkin to Dono". Me: "She's talking to Dono, huh?" D: (stands up on his stool step and looks over the couch til he can see Reese and address her personally) "Eatin a muffin Reese! Eatin a muffin Reese!" Oh good Donovan. She was wondering why you weren't responding appropriately to her questions.