Saturday, August 11, 2012

New Year's Resolutions

What? It's not January?

I know it's not January, but I feel like as a mom of school aged kids, I get a second chance to make changes.  At the beginning of the school year, I always get the urge to tweak what is working and revamp what hasn't worked.  After having the whole summer off and having "go with it" days, the new school year brings new activities and new schedules into our routine.  And especially since we have added a fourth child to the mix, I am really going to need to be on my 'A' game in order to stay organized and accomplish all that needs to be done.

One of the big changes we are preparing to make this school year is making allowing the kids to ride the bus to school two mornings a week.  With the kids attending the magnet schools, it is a good 20-30 minute drive each way then add car line in the afternoons and I am spending 2.5 hours in the car each day...now add on the cost of fuel and you get one grumpy momma!  Fortunately, even though the kids are at two different schools they will ride the same bus and it picks up right in front of our subdivision.

Another change that I will be making is something that is going to require a lot more dedication and determination on my part.  I'll be honest with you, my housekeeping skillz have have been sporadic at best.  Sure I keep the kitchen cleaned and toys picked up (most days), but the weekly chores often go undone.  And that's WITH the big kids responsible for cleaning their own bathrooms and vacuuming/dusting their own bedrooms.  So I will be attempting a daily chore chart for myself.  In the past I have always done all my cleaning on one day, but with a big pregnant belly for a number of months and now a newborn, trying to block off an entire day is just not feasible.  Please pray for me that I will not let the distractions of the world (ie. facebook, blogs and of course baby sugars) prevent me from accomplishing my responsibilities.

So there we go...I bid you all a happy new year...new school year that is!  What does the new school year bring out in you?

Thursday, August 9, 2012

8 Weeks

At 8 weeks old you are completely sleeping through the night.  You are usually asleep by 11pm and wake at either 6 or 7.  When school starts you will be on a 3 hour schedule starting at 6.  I am hoping that we can get you to sleep before 11pm consistently on that schedule.


Unfortunately, nursing is not going so well.  I am baffled by you.  Sometimes you will nurse without so much as a whimper and other times you will scream and fight to stay latched on.  It's not a production problem.  So either (1) you are too lazy - breastfeeding requires more work on your part or (2) you are too nosey and want to be able to see what's going on around you.  So sadly enough I am weaning you to a bottle.  I tried pumping on a regular basis so that we could at least keep you on breast milk instead of formula, but with 3 other kids to take care of it just wasn't happening.  You were already taking 2-4oz. in a bottle after every nursing session anyway.  As of today you nurse first thing in the morning with no supplement.  Your 9am and 3pm feeds are all formula (5-6oz.) and the rest of your feeds are nursing + 2-4oz. of formula.  I think it is awfully bizarre that my two "big" babies were not good nursers and my two peanuts were nursing champs!  Something else that is weird is I was the most diligent with you in watching what I ate and drank and yet you have been highly unappreciative! :)



You go next week for your 2 month check up (and shots - sniff sniff).  I am pretty confident you will be weighing in at a whopping 10 pounds (maybe slightly more).  That is a whole pound more than what Kinley weighed at this same age.  Who knows maybe...just maybe...I will have one kid who is a great eater!

You still like to be swaddled at bedtime or other times when you are fussy.  Tummy time usually ends in you falling asleep but your head control is really starting to come along.  Still no rolling over yet, but you have started rolling over to your side so I'm sure the rest of the roll is right around the corner.

And just for fun...here is the comparison photo of you and Kinley!
Kinley                             Sophie