Before & After...

In the words of Nate, "Our white home...."






A work in progress....



And, now "Our gween home..."



There's still work to be done on this old house, but I think we came a long way in just three days!

Our week....

Our week has consisted of lots of noisy workmen pounding on the house, a whole day of denied access due to lead paint, lots of ladders and scaffolding, and, best of all, a huge makeover to the outside of our home! Before and after pictures to come--just as soon as it's finished (which looks like it might occur later TODAY!) Also, a little stinker who can pull himself now....whether Momma's ready or not! Happy Friday!!

Letter to my Second Baby.

My Dearest Levi,
I want to take a moment now and let you know how much you are loved--and, Honey, it is so much! There are times that I wonder if worry about how you might feel left out in the future because you are Child #2. You are the youngest--and, someday, you might even be the Middle Child. I don't know what it's like to be a second child, and nor does your daddy. (If you want someone who understands, I know a few uncles and aunts who have some experience in that area!) But, no matter what the stereotype, you are very special to me. Being a mom to two kids is a little more challenging and a lot more busy--but I would never, ever trade either of you for the world! I'm sorry that I don't keep your baby book updated (or even this blog!) or spend as much one-on-one time with you as I'd like. Caring for two kids keeps me busy (in a good way!), and I'll even go as far as to say that I was bored very often when Nate was my only child (even though I didn't know it then!).
You, my darling second child, are the most amazing little fellow! You are sweet and easy-going, not to mention so stinkin' adorable that I can hardly stand it! Your big personality is shining already, and I can't help but smile every time I see you (even when I'm plucking pieces of dog food from your mouth!). Your chubby little thighs and your six perfect little teeth make me swoon. You are the happiest baby--constantly smiling, and your big belly laugh is the best sound in the world. You absolutely adore your big brother--which only makes me love you both more!
As a mom to two young children, it seems that I am constantly feeling as though I've abandoned one of you in favor of the other. That's simply not true; it just feels like it. Since you're both of the ages that you needs lots and lots of attention and time, I am constantly on my toes while caring for you. And, I'll admit that I love it! I love you both, and I love being your momma! You, my boys, are the hardest job that I've ever encountered, but also, by far, the most rewarding. I hope that you never feel that I (or your Daddy) favor one of you over the other, but rather know how incredibly much we love both of you. That being said, yes, your big brother is older, and I'm sure that there will be lots of times that he is allowed to do something that you're not. Unfair? Maybe, but he's got 103 weeks on you, my little one!
I love to the moon and back, my precious Levi!

XOXOXOXOXOX,
Momma

PS-If you're feeling like I'm not paying enough attention to you, it's not really necessary to eat a wilted cactus flower that you may find on the floor. Sure, you'll get my attention--and, it will even warrant my very first call to Poison Control! But, again, it's not really necessary for my attention. Your high pitched shrieking will do just fine in the future when you need me. Please? And, thank you!

Letter to my Two-Year-Old.

My Dearest Nate,
I want to apologize for the way that I've been treating you recently. I've been frustrated and grumpy with you, and in turn, you've been acting out more than normal. I suppose there's a certain amount of "normal" to your behavior these days (After all, you are two!), but it's not something that I'm accustomed to seeing. You've been pushing the limits of practically every rule that you can think of, and it is wearing on me. I'm sorry that I've been yelling at you so much, and I promise to try harder to get through to you in a normal tone. I am sorry for my attitude.....but I'm not sorry for disciplining you. Sweetheart, I know that you don't understand it now, but it is my job to teach you to be obedient. When God gave you to me and Daddy as our little boy, he gave us the very important job of teaching you right and wrong. And, as ridiculous as it sounds, a spank on your tush really does hurt me more than it hurts you. It hurts my heart to see you doing wrong, and it is my job to discipline you. I love you very, very much, and I want you to know the difference between right and wrong. And, as your parent, that means that you will be punished for doing wrong. You are a sweet boy, and you are a good boy. I am proud of you, and I know that you do many more "right" things than "wrong" every day. You are precious to me, and that is why I will continue to scold and use the "time out" chair whenever it is necessary.
I'm sorry for being such a grouch, and I'm sorry that you're not getting as much Mommy Time as you'd like. I'm sorry that your brother takes so much attention away from you, and I'm sorry that you feel the need to act out against him sometimes. All that being said, I do not regret for even a tiny second giving you a sibling. We knew that bringing Baby #2 into your life when you were this young would have both advantages and disadvantages. This jealousy is a disadvantage. But, the love and the adoration that you both so blatantly have for one another is an advantage that far outweighs any jealousy.
Nate, you are a super kid! You are smart and funny and energetic and sweet. You are more awesome than I could have ever dreamed, and I love you far beyond my wildest dreams. I truly am sorry for being a grouchy mommy, and I want you to know that I am certainly not perfect. I can promise you that I will do my very best to be the best momma than I can be to both you and Levi. You guys are the greatest, and I love you to infinity and beyond!

XOXOXOXOX,
Momma

PS. It's after 10:30pm; why are you awake?? I'm fairly certain that you were asleep (or you were strangely quiet for a long time!), and now you're up again. PLEASE GO TO SLEEP!

Wordless Wednesday.

A romper: then and now.

There are simply no words to describe the way that I love these two baby boys (even though one of them is a whole lot bigger nowadays!)....



Nor can words describe my deep afinity for little boy rompers!

Nate, May 2011; Levi, April 2013

8 months.

My little Levi is eight months old today! I can hardly believe how quickly he's changing and growing, but I'm loving ever second of it. I love this stage of exploration and curiosity and chubbiness! Levi is such a happy little guy, my "jolly bear"! He's constantly smiling, and really only gets fussy if he's very hungry or sleepy. (Even then, he will quiet down if he's in someone's arms.) He loves to cuddle and be tickled--and, oh is he ticklish! Even Nate can't resist tickling those chubby little tootsie toes multiple times daily, just to hear Levi's big belly laughs!

Levi is 100% mobile now! He scoots around on his belly, and he's quick about it! (I'm so glad for the warm weather because the less clothes he has to scoot around all over the floor, the better! And to think that I thought my floors were relatively clean!) He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth often, but he hasn't quite figured out how to crawl properly yet--won't be long though! Levi does still roll as a mode of transportation sometimes, but not nearly as often as he did a month ago. Still, it is very funny!

As far as other physical developments go, Levi is now sitting up on his own unassisted! He is very steady, and rarely falls over--except when he wants to go somewhere. Since he hasn't mastered manuvering his position from sitting to scooting yet, he simply falls over sideways, then rolls/scoots to wherever he needs to go! Not the most graceful motion, but it works--also, very funny! Most often, Levi will scoot himself over to whatever object has caught his eye, then roll over onto his back to explore (IE chew!) on it.

As always, Levi's favorite form of entertainment comes in the form of his big brother, Nate. The two of them are so funny together, and the way that they both so obviously adore one another makes my heart melt! I'm fairly certain that they'll be inseperable before too long (just as soon as Levi can get himself moving a little faster to keep up with Nate!). Their favorite brotherly activity right now is bathtime!

Other toys that Levi enjoys are the pop-up toy, Matchbox cars (who knew the obsession would start so early?!), Sophie the Giraffe, and pretty much anything else that he can get his hands on--especially non-toy items! Since Nate crawled at such a later age (and is much older now), Levi has shown us several spots in the house that we need to baby-proof a little better! (Mostly cords that aren't entirely hidden.) Levi also loves to look at books with us. Most days, he sits quietly on my lap and listens while I read both boys a few stories.

At night, Levi usually sleeps for about 12 hours (8:30 to 8:30ish). He takes three naps daily (morning, afternoon, evening), although he's skipped his morning nap for three days now, so we might be down to two from now on. He still sleeps in his pack 'n play on his belly, often snuggled up with his stuffed monkey. He loves his monkey, and giggles and hugs it every time he sees it. When he's sleepy, he holds it and rubs the foot or tail against his cheek (often while nursing). He wakes up anywhere from once to three times/night to nurse. When he's teething, it's more often--I think more for comfort than calories.

Levi has five teeth, and we're waiting on #6 to erupt through the gum. For some reason, this particular tooth has taken forever to come in--it seems to bother him for several days, then nothing, then more pain for a few days, then nothing, repeat, repeat, repeat. Poor little guy sounds so pitiful when his mouth is hurting and he cries quietly in his sleep. I hoping that it comes through soon; all this teasing isn't much fun for Mommy or Baby! And, it's soo close! But, until then, we're well stocked on teething tablets!

I am still nursing Levi, usually about 5 or 6 times in a 24 hour period. He eats two meals of solid food daily, as well as a snack or two in between! Levi is getting a bit fussy about what he eats--namely that he wants to feed himself, so my feeding him purees with a spoon are a no go! Unfortunately, I still have a relatively large supply of pureed baby foods in the freezer, so he'll be stuck eating them until they're gone. Within the past few days, he's really mastered his pincer grasp, so he's been able to feed himself some smaller [bite-sized] food items. Some of his favorite foods are sweet potatoes with cinnamon, bananas, dry cereal, teething biscuits, kale chips, and applesauce. His very favorite food in the world would have to be the Ella's Kitchen Yummy Apple Ginger Cookies. He loves them!


Keep on growing, my sweet Little Guy! We are so proud of you, and you are the perfect addition to our family. We love you so very much, Yiyi Baby!

Wordless Wednesday.

Spring Lovin' Days!

Suddenly, within the past week, it's as if the world has woken up and agreed with the calendar that IT'S SPRING! We've had the most gorgeous weather--perfectly suitable for open windows, and grilling burgers, and transplanting little plants, and bare baby toes! Daffodils are beginning to bloom, trees are growing tiny buds, and I am in love with it all!
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We've been busy getting our much-needed Vitamin D fixes, and planning big projects for the outside of our home. We visited the zoo, celebrated a lovely Easter, and are getting excited for sweet summertime! I'm up to my elbows [in a good way!] in bridal shower plans, new window treatment ideas, and spring cleaning. Eric and Nate have been recovering from the nastiest of colds (we're crossing our fingers that it's the last one of the season!). Levi has been keeping himself quite busy exploring all that there is to be explored in this big new world--starting with the dog food bowl!

I know that, as usual, I've abandoned this blog, and I apologize. We've just been busy recently, and I don't get much time to myself these days--and, I'll totally admit that the time I do get is often spent on Pinterest! I hope that you and yours are enjoying a spring as lovely as ours!