Blake Olivia: 3 years old

**Better late than never.  Her b-day was September 8th.**

Well, we now have a "threenager."  Three is going to be a fun but tough year.  Blake is too smart for her own good.  She genetically has been gifted with a stubborn streak. She can do so much now which makes things really fun but oh man is she tough on us.  She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to let us know .

Yes I know that I will one day, when she's about 13, be wishing for these days of toddler battles and potty struggles. I truly do love every moment with these kids and can (mostly) laugh off all the drama. You have to just laugh at the logic of a 3 year old or you will go crazy.

She wanted a Tangled themed birthday party and we wanted something easy so we did it at Pump It Up. I highly recommend a bounce place for a party.  They did everything for us, including packing up my car at the end. And the kids love it and are exhausted by the end.

Rapunzel stopped by and sang all the songs from the movie.

And we bounced.

  And then ate pizza and cake.

And in two hours we were out the door with no mess to clean up :)

 Also, we all had a Rapunzel themed t-shirt. Special thanks to the best dad ever for being a good sport about that. 

Then, the morning of her actual birthday we had a special donut cake and I took the morning off of work to celebrate :)

Here's an update on what's going on with Blake:

• He eyes are now greenish and change color all the time. I love when they are kind of grayish.
• She's tall, like mom. (95th percentile)
• She's stubborn/strong willed.  I'm told this is a really good quality to have and can lead to more success in life.  Let's hope so because it's challenging right now. 
• She is still the pickiest eater. It's a daily struggle to get her to eat.
• She needs to but refuses to nap and hasn't had regular naps in over a year.
• She is testing boundaries and experimenting with some new attitude but all in all she is really very sweet natured.
• She is starting to come out of her shell but still can be really shy with new people.
• Her language skills are a little too good.  She says hilarious stuff though.
• She loves playing with older kids.  I was so worried this summer when she would just run up to the big kids at the concerts in the park. I was terrified they would be mean to her but the kids welcomed her right in and because her language is so strong, she does fine with them.  Gross motor skills, on the other hand, are still a bit slow.
• We did My Gym for most of the year but finally gave it up when she kept getting sick after her classes.  It's such a germy place and people always bring their sicks kids to class.
• We are currently deciding what activity to do next. 
• We have talked about and tried to encourage potty training but we are getting a lot of push back from her.
• She gets so much attention for her curly hair.  People can not help themselves. Some actually reach out and touch her head.  SO weird!
• She is excited about going to school soon. 
• Her current loves: gummy snacks, swimming, Disney, Fashems and Mashems toys, dressing up, pretending, anything girly, doing make up, baby dolls, Barbies.

Tanner James: 10 months

{climbing the rocking chair}

• His hair is covering his ears on the sides now. Not sure how he is going to sit still for that first hair cut.
• He got 4 teeth at once and I think they are still coming.
• Sleep hasn't been so great. Probably partly because of the teeth and also, now that he's older, co-sleeping is hard because if he wakes up and sees Kyle in bed he wants to crawl over and play which is not so cute at 3am.
• Still super happy boy and he loves to flash his dimples at anyone who will make eye contact with him.
• He loves his big sis and follows her around laughing at everything she does. He's starting to fight back a little if she tries to boss him around though.
• He runs so hot. He gets so sweaty when he sleeps. It's crazy but I've Googled (of course) and I think we are still in the normal range ;)
• We all keep getting sick.  We share everything in this house including every illness that comes within 50 feet of us.
• Tanner is finally starting to imitate and is high fiving.
• He has bumps and bruises constantly and we have had to start getting rid of everything not bolted down for his safety. He's definitely a climber.
• If he's not eating or sleeping, he/s on the move.
• He had his 1st Halloween. We did a family costume of Blake's choosing. She was Alice in Wonderland, Tanner was the White Rabbit, and Kyle and I were Tweedle Dee/Dum.
• Taking 2-3 steps at a time now.

Tanner's Nursery

Better late than never.  Here's a peek into lil'man's room.

I know these pictures are really bright.  I had too much light coming in the window and still can't always figure out the correct settings on my camera.  That and the fact that I have no time for camera  adjustments with these crazy kids around :)

Tanner James: 9 months

This is the best I could get. It's getting harder and harder.

• Still loves all foods and has tried everything. He's had Chow Mein, spaghetti and meat balls, tacos, etc. 
• Starting to do a few more sounds, finally, and has figured out how to gain attention by raising his volume.  It makes things interesting when we are out in public.
• Cutting 1st tooth
• He is cruising really well now and has let go and taken a few steps. He's at expert-level crawling now. It's terrible because he's so fast that he gets away too quick and is into everything these days.  He's a climber too!
• His hair is still a darker, auburn color.  Definitely different than Blake's in color but about the same as far as the curls go at this point.
• He refuses to wear a hat or socks. This bugs me because I want him to wear beanies in the winter because they are so cute. 
• He's a sweaty hot guy all the time. 
• He was a total trooper at his 9 month appointment shots.  Nothing really bothers him for too long. It's a good thing too because he is always getting bumps and bruises. 
• His stats at 9 month check up are: Weight: 19lbs  Height: 28.5 in Head Size:47.5 (98th percentile) That's a huge head!

**Yeah I know this is over a month late. The pictures are taken at at the correct time and I collect the info/milestones on my phone so the info is accurate. I'm just late on the post ;)  10 month post coming soon. 

Tanner James: 4 months

What's been happening this month:

• Scooting around all over. He tries to scoot on his booty out of the bouncy chair and swing.  He has to be buckled at all times now. He can also turn himself completely around when laying on his back.
• Still swaddled but gets his arms out a lot.
• Still in bassinet and sleeping with us.
• He is waking up more at night since I have gone back to work.  I don't really mind it since I get extra cuddles at night.
• I'm back to pumping, so that's annoying.
• I've had a lot more trouble losing weight this time around so Kyle got me a Fit Bit for my birthday.  It's helping a lot.
• He still spitting up a ton.  It's frustrating for all of us.  We all need an extra change of clothes at all times.
• He is super snuggly and loves to be held, worn in a sling, and cuddled.
• Rolling over from tummy to back.
• He doesn't mind his tummy time and will hang out there for a while.
• He has set a predictable schedule with a long afternoon nap but is pretty flexible too.

Tanner James: 1 month

One month down and it has been so easy.  I get to really enjoy every moment home with both my kiddos because I don't have any of that first time mom stress and anxiety. We have been making the most of every day and doing as much as possible, while still making sure to have lots of relaxing down time for bonding.    

• Tanner is eating like a pro and has been since the first day.  He was already almost up to birth weight at the 2 day doctor appointment.  At the 2 week, he was up to 8lbs 9oz from 7lbs 1oz leaving the hospital.  He does spit up a lot but we aren't too worried about that, it seems to be a laundry problem only.  He also eats fast.  It's such a change from Blake, who took an hour to eat every time. 
• He is super noisy.  He grunts and snorts all day long.  It's pretty cute.  Blake says he sounds like Peppa Pig.
• He's so easy-going and just goes with the flow.  He sleeps under any light or noise conditions, which is convenient because his sissy is often screaming and running through the house during the day.  
• We have been going everywhere because he's so easy.  I started doing things right away.  He has been to a dinner party with the girls, visits to MiMi's and Grammie's, Knott's Berry Farm, Disneyland, a baby shower, a birthday party, the park, the beach, story time at the library, a Superbowl party, my office, My Gym, countless walks, several doctor appointments (mine and his), tons of dinners out, and trips to Target and the grocery store. We have been very busy. :) 
• He has quite a bit of hair and it's darker than Blake's.
• He grew out of the newborn diapers and newborn clothes by the 2nd week.  We are in the size 1 diapers and have not started cloth yet. 
• He loves to be swaddled and is 50/50 on the pacifier.
• He is sleeping in his Halo Swivel Sleeper Bassinest, which is the coolest bassinet ever.  He also sleeps with me when I can't get him back in the bassinet.  This time around I'm not going to make myself crazy with sleep deprivation.  We just do what works and yes we are being safe when co-sleeping. 
• He sleeps a lot still. Napping on and off during the day with a few short periods of wakefulness in the morning and in the evening.  At night he sleeps really well (up only once or twice usually). Of course I get up and change him and feed him but it does not seem hard like it did the first time.  We are pretty rested.  Maybe because he goes back to sleep pretty quick.  I'm sure I will feel differently when I got back to work. 
• I don't need to pump so I haven't been and that makes all the difference.  I feel free.  Pumping sucks!
• He makes tons of funny faces and smiles a lot.
• He loves being in my Solly Baby Wrap.  I also use the Ergo because it's easier to nurse in but the infant insert is kind of a pain so I've been using the wrap more. 
• We got a cool double stroller for our walks that Blake can stand up on so we are getting used to that still. 
• I'm still obsessed with his smell, especially his head. It's like a drug. 
• I seem to have less ADHD symptoms which is weird because the opposite is supposed to be true.
• I got pink-eye. Ugh, the worst. I followed the advice of many mommies and put my breastmilk in it.  Gone in less than a day. I know doctors disagree but it works.
• We survived a cold that Blake picked up at Story Time. She had a pretty miserable stuffed up nose for a few days and I panicked that Tanner would get it so I washed all our hands obsessively and sprayed Lysol on everything.  I thought we were in the clear as she came out of it but a day later Tanner had a stuffed up nose.  It lasted less than a day (yay for the antibodies in breastmilk) and he is totally fine. As a side note, I recommend the snot suckers like the Nose Frida for every mom out there. They work SOOOOO much better than the bulb syringe.  
• Kyle and I both think he looks really different than Blake but most everyone else says they look the same :/ 
• Blake is so in love with him and with being a big sister.  She asked to hold him all day long, gushes over how "tiny" and "cute" he is and gives him tons of kisses. It was hard to tell her no she couldn't kiss him during the days she was sick :(

Overall, it has been an amazing month.  I feel like I could do this at least one more time but hopefully two more.  Now to convince Kyle that we need two more kids...

Early Toddlerhood: 12-18 months

Sleep: 

Well we made it!  I'm now on the other side of the endless sleepless nights.  Every night is not perfect but for the most part, we sleep through the night (in our own beds).  She wakes in the night and puts herself back to sleep. Whoo Hoooo!!! It feels good.  I'm so glad I waited for her to get there naturally in her own time.  It isn't easy to wait patiently for this milestone but nothing about parenting is easy.  Looking back, I am so thankful for all that quiet time we spent together in the middle of the night.  I'm happy we co-slept a little bit too, even if Kyle and I both got kicked in the head more than once.  I will never regret the time that I have spent on Blake's needs because she is already needing me less and less everyday. 

Naps are improving too.  It is all just coming together now :)

**I do still rock/walk and/or nurse her to sleep.  She loves to read at bed and nap time also.  She is in a size large Zipadee Zip which is probably not necessary but is a comfort to her and keeps her warm.  

Food:

Oh man food has been a struggle.  I had such high hopes for the healthy habits I was going to create for Blake.  Then we started solids at 6 months and have struggled ever since.  Until now...

I was desperate for her to just try ANYTHING.  I gave up on healthy food and made things like mac and cheese and chicken nuggets just to get her to try different tastes and textures.  I figured if I can get her to try things then I can move into more healthy foods.  Well she pretty much hated everything except fruit and the squeezy baby food packets. Then all of a sudden, she decided she would try things.  It's like she slept through the night one night and woke up thinking "ok I'm ready to eat now."  It's crazy how these two things started happening at the same time but it's making life much easier. 

I'm trying to get her to eat more meat (the biggest challenge) because her iron levels are always low at her doctor appointments.

Nursing:

Yes, I'm still nursing.   No, I don't think there's anything weird about it.  I do think it's weird that people make a big deal about it.  If you are thinking anything other than that boobs are for feeding and comforting babies then you're the weirdo :)

That being said, 2 years is my new goal.  It's what I am comfortable with and it is what's recommended by the World Health Organization.  Our nursing relationship has given us such a special bond and it has been my savior at times.  It can cure hunger, fear, pain, tiredness, anxiety, tantrums etc etc etc.  I'm so happy we made it this far.  I think I will be ready by the time she is 2 to let go of this special time in Blake's life.  It's only really a couple times a day at this point.  She comes to me for comfort and when she's tired and that's it.  

Also, I don't think I have it in me to tandem nurse (look it up) and I'd like to have another baby soon-ish.  Overall, I'm so glad I stuck with it even in the hard times and that I didn't rush into weaning.

Bottles: 

Bottles are another story.  The pediatrician said we should really start weaning off the bottle and I guess I agree with that.  They aren't totally necessary since she can use a cup.  It's just what she's been used to when I'm not there and might make things harder for her caregivers to get rid of them.  Since sleep is getting better, maybe this will work itself out.  Every time I start to worry about something the doctor or a friend says we "should be" doing, it just happens naturally and I remember I need to trust my own instincts and stop worrying. 

Frozen:

Frozen is her favorite thing on earth! It has become a way of life. She loves Anna, Elsa, and Olaf.  We have several Frozen books just to keep us from being bored to death at bedtime.  We have multiple Olaf, Anna, and Elsa dolls and a Frozen nightgown that has to be hidden when dirty.  We even have Frozen band-aids.  I have the movie on DVD, on my phone, and on my iPad (just in case) :)

Milestones:
I find it funny, now, that I ever even worried about Blake reaching her milestones. But it's hard not to think about it when I have been studying child development and delays. I think stressing about every thing with your first child is just a right of passage.  It's a learning experience that no one can teach you.  It's also valuable to be aware, if any delays do come up, because early intervention is so important. That being said, the range of what is normal is wide and all children get there at their own pace.  Blake was never even behind in any of her development but she wasn't ahead either.  That's enough to make a new mom crazy.  I will definitely not be such a worrier with the next babe.
At 18 months, she is now walking, running, climbing, hiding, chasing, screaming, laughing, teasing,  going down the slide, feeding herself with a spoon,  saying 50+ words, imitating everything we say, putting 2 words together, and generally bossing everybody around.  She has memorized songs and books that we read often and can fill in the blanks when I am singing or reading to her. She can hold and write with a pen or crayon and she can manipulate our iPhones and iPad.  We are right on track :)  

Momma's got a day job:
We are transitioning into a new time.  I am working a full time day job as well as some nights at Tsunami on the weekends. I finished school and got hired at Cornerstone Therapies (where I did my clinical hours and also known as "the best pediatric therapy center in town")  I'm so thrilled to be a part of their team. I am learning so much more than I ever would somewhere else because of the amazing mentoring program they have.

Potty Training: 
 Not ready to potty train yet but we are starting to look for the signs.

 Preschool: 
Nope.  Not worried about that yet either. Though people tell me I should be getting on lists, etc etc.  All I know is I want a play-based school and I have one in mind that I think might be good when the time comes.

Hugs and Kisses:  
One of the greatest things to come out of the last 6 months was hugs and kisses. When your child can actually show affection back to you, it is the most amazing feeling.