William is 2 Months Old

Well our sweet little baby is 2 months old already.  It doesn’t feel possible and although I am willing time to stand still and for him to never get bigger, I cannot wait to see what his little personality is like and watch him try to keep up with his big brother and sister! 

He continues to be a pretty content little guy and rolls with what we are doing.  He is still able to nap through the chaos and noise of a typical day in our family and I am hoping that doesn’t change.  Most days he spends sleeping on my chest, in his bouncer or in the boppy.  He still needs to be elevated or his tummy bothers him and he spits up a lot more.  He is slowly patterning into a schedule and is starting to be awake for an hour or so in the morning, mid day and then before he goes to bed.  He usually wakes up for the day between 7:30—8:30 and goes to sleep for the night between 6:30-8:30. I will nurse him before I go to bed between 10-11 and then he wakes up a few times in the middle of the night, usually between 2 and 3am and then between 5 and 6 a.m.  He sleeps next to our bed in a Rock and Play and sometimes with me.  I am not complaining as I feel like my little itty bitty baby snuggles are passing by so quickly!

When he is awake he has just started to smile and coo to us.  He likes to get kisses and do his “baby workout” where I play with his arms and legs and help him cross midline.  He rocks his tummy time and loves to kick his legs around on the changing table or when he is naked.  He has started to watch Thomas and Elin and loves to smile at them.  They think it is pretty awesome too when he holds their hand!  Most days he spends his time snuggled into my chest in a ring sling or asleep in the baby bouncer chair. 

We have also come to find out that he too has reflux.  We started to see it early on as he is a spits baby, but as he got older it continued to get worse (more fussy when burping, crying, ect).  We started to try gripe water and positional things and then we headed to medicine.  He now takes medicine nightly to help his tummy and I have eliminated dairy from my diet. With these two things his is a content and happy guy, even if he spits here and there.  If he eats too much he can projectile spit with furry.  Mike and I giggle saying it is like the scene from stand by me’s pie eating contest.  The kids are so funny if he spits and they quickly get something to help him, but want to be no where near him if he is going to “spit.”

He had a good doctor appointment today.  They were happy with his weight gain/growth as he was 11 lbs 3 ounces and 23 inches long. 

Our Olympian(s)

It is official, Thomas is an Olympian!With all the Olympic spirit that has been going on at our house I felt it was imperative that he participate in the local community centers Olympics.  This event did not disappoint. 

Talk about cuteness, seeing all the excited little Olympians running was absolutely great.  You never know they could someday be a true Olympic star!

This was the “opening ceremony” of the Olympics. Each child stood around the park’s circle and passed the torch from one another until it reached the cauldron.

Thomas loved this obstacle course. He did it about 5 times before we were able to convince him to move on.

Amy came over to watch her little buddy and to help me out.  After a tough day of competition and a melt down on the playground, it was time for lunch and a much needed nap!  

Apparently, Elin caught in the spirit before her nap too.  Once home she was super excited about checking herself out in the mirror.  Next year she can join her big brother and give him a run for his money!

Travel Babies

Don’t know how we were blessed with great air travelers but we were.  We also didn’t have too bad of a car trip either.

Elin’s first flight was pretty good.  She cried for about 2 minutes when she was fighting sleep and that was all.  She slept all but the last 45 minutes on the flight.  Thomas was a trooper for the 3 hour flight and watched a little Man-a-ga-Gar, colored, played with stickers, had a few snacks, read books and entertained Mike and I. 

The drive from Woodbury to Cloquet both babes slept the whole way.  On our way back Elin was pretty upset the last 10 minutes of the ride.  She was done sitting in her seat.  We made it safely to Woodbury and she was happy again.

Our flight home was the most eventful flight we have had thus far.  All was going great when we got to the airport.  Thomas was exhausted and finally fell asleep in the car.  So Mike was carrying him.  After a much too short nap we boarded the plane and wanted him to watch a movie and fall asleep.  Elin was already fast asleep in my arms.  Then the beverage cart came.  Mike took the tray table out and after he finished his drink Thomas went to put the tray back in.  Somehow, he pinched his finger between the armrest and tray table and instantly he was crying with a loud (I really hurt myself) shriek.  That is when we saw the blood.  So we now have a super over tired, overly dramatic normally, 2 year old with a pinched and cut finger.  Poor guy.  It took us about 10 minutes to calm him down and then I was able to get him to sleep.  Once asleep I could finally see that the cut was not as bad as I originally thought.  Oh the drama!  Thomas the rest of the flight was great and couldn’t wait to get his suitcase again.  As soon as he got it he happily exclaimed, “yay, go see Dama and Bampa and other Dama and Bampa’s house.”  No little buddy we are far far away now in Seattle and headed home.

Friday

On Friday Thomas and Elin got to go see where Grandpa works.  Thomas was quite surprised to see all the pictures that his Grandpa had of him on his computer.  After showing him (them) where Bampa worked we were off to meet the rest of the Laschen clan for lunch. 

Friday night Uncle Troy and Auntie Molly came back to the Laschen’s to spend some more time with all of us.  Mike’s grandparents and aunt Leslie who came in for Elin’s upcoming Baptism also came over to see Thomas and meet Elin.  It was also a perfect opportunity to take Elin in the pool for the first time.  She loved it and was content just lounging and kicking around.  It was fun for us to have both of the kids in the pool.  With Thomas loving the water so much we hope she will too!

A night in our life…

Here is a glimpse of our life on a typical night.  Jenny, of Jenny Boyle Photography, did a perfect job of capturing it all, well everything but the noise!  As I looked again at all these pictures it is fun to see a night essentially frozen.

I can’t wait to look at this pictures in a few years or decades and remember the chaos, perfection and imperfection that each night in our home brings. 

Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as Mike and I do.  There are a lot of pictures…she gave us over 200 these are our favorites. 

Elin is 2 Months Old

Little Miss Elin is quickly growing and changing.  She is a pretty content baby and loves snuggling more than anything.  She is exploring the world around herself so much more this month.  The past few days when we are out and about she will look around for a little bit before she falls back asleep.

She likes to lay and look up at her mobile and bat her arms and legs.  She really enjoys any diaper free kick around time she gets.  She loves to talk to all of us and she flashes us big gummy smiles. She loves being bounced on the ball or held close in the Moby wrap. Loves being snuggled and kissed.  Her other current favorites are bath time, watching Thomas and laying on her changing table talking to her toys. 

She is somewhat interested in taking a pacifier.  You have to hold it in her mouth or be holding it in against your body for her to continue to suck.   She will take it most of the time in the Moby or in her car seat.  She has also started to suck on her hands when she is playing, hungry or upset.

Elin has started to work out a pretty consistent schedule.  After waking up and eating she will be awake for 45 minutes to an hour before wanting to go back to sleep.  Her naps are about 1.5 to 2 hours  and she sleeps better if being held (in arms or Moby) or in her swing.  Bedtime for her is between 6:30-7:30 and then she sleeps until the next morning waking up to eat a couple times a night.   I think she is doing some longer stretches of sleep between 4-6 hours but haven’t wanted to see if it is for real or me dreaming! 

We are thinking Elin is going to have red hair and blue eyes.  We will see as her hair gets longer, but so far her eyebrows and the hair she has has a distinct reddish tint.   At her 2 month appointment all was well.  She weights 11 lbs and 9 oz and was 24 inches long.  She is growing so quickly!