And the Mommy of the Year Award Goes To...

NOT ME!!!

Yesterday was a rainy, mucky day so we were stuck indoors. I was tired from a rough night with the baby and not feeling much like being a mommy. I wanted to be 21 again on a Saturday morning with the ability to sleep until 1:00 p.m. if I wanted. Of course we were up and at em by 8:00 and my children were trying my patience (as they do when I am tired. It is like they know that Mommy is more tired today so lets annoy her more). Anyway... Let me list a few ways I didn't get the Mommy of the Year Award yesterday.

1. Charlotte was babysat by the television all day. I know, this is horrible but with my being tired, her being whiney, and the rain outside I didn't feel that I had much choice. I know I did, but I chose the easy route - watching television.

2. Douglass Charles wound up taking a nap with poop on his little bottom for two hours. In my defense, I didn't know. I thought I smelled something, but I wasn't sure and he was asleep. God knows, I wasn't going to wake him. I did feel badly when I realized that my instinct was indeed correct.

3. I ignored my baby's cries when I thought he was being stubborn only to find out that he was indeed needing his Mommy. This one really got me and I just have to chuckle now. My baby boy loves to be held and would be all the time if I would allow it. With a 17 month old this is not possible and in order to get a shower yesterday morning I put him in his swing hoping he would take a nap. Charlotte and I made our way upstairs to get dressed, straigten up and for me to hop in the shower while she watched yet another tv program. I turned on the monitor to make sure the baby wasn't screaming. He did begin crying so I jumped in the shower knowing he just wanted me to come hold him.

Now the good Lord has blessed me with two stubborn children - I couldn't imagine why they are that way. Douglass Charles has already shown me that when he doesn't get his own way he just cries louder and louder (his sister was the same way). He will even make himself throw up he gets so upset (and all this fuss is for me to come and hold him - I should feel special, right?). I thought this was what was transpiring while I was showering when I heard his crying turn to screaming and then later subside. I carried on about my business knowing that he would just have to wait a few more minutes.

He stopped crying and after my shower I checked on him. He had finally drifted off. After we were both dressed, beds made and clothes put away Charlotte and I headed back downstairs. I went to start picking up Charlotte's mess before I started on lunch. I began picking up items around the baby's swing where he lay taking his nap. I kept finding rubberbands, bobby pins, a cap to a bottle and then I looked at my sweet son. I was confused to find my face wash bottle in his arms. How did that get there?

As some of you know our living room opens to the second floor and you can see the the second floor. Charlotte loves to call over the banister at people below. Obviously she has learned that it is also fun to drop things through the railing. This is how my face wash wound up in my son's lap. Charlotte had removed it and the other items found from the bathroom drawer while I was in the shower and evidently thought it would be fun to drop them on her brother from the floor above. His loud screaming that I had formerly heard was caused by these things being pelted at him. I knew this because of the bottle in his lap and the nice little red mark on his face. Ahhh... the things I am learning the second time around. We now must move the swing to a safer location on the first floor. Who knew?

So hats off to you moms that keep it all together. At least we survived yesterday. Hopefully my children will survive one another and not hate me in the process. :)

"Peas"

Our Sweet Boy


Such a cutie!

I had to post a cute story about Charlotte but knew people would like to see more photos of our little guy. These great pics are courtesy of Kate, Doug's sister. They were here this weekend visiting and they snapped many a great photo.

So, Charlotte is adding more and more words to her vocabulary. As of late we have been teaching her to say please whenever she wants something. It has been going well and she normally does the hand motion to go along with it. Yesterday morning I asked her to say "please" when she wanted something from me and she said, "Peas" (aka please in Charlotte language)slight pause "Good Girl." I had to laugh. She has linked the two phrases together becuase I always praise her after she says please by saying "good girl." It really is too cute and it has continued throughout today as well. At least she is learning some good manners.:)

Pictures

Our handsome boy


Our pretty girl




Charlotte wouldn't look at the camera and was busy "eating" something she had made in her kitchen.



The next three posts are meant to be "put together" and are titled "Pictures, Posts, and Other Things." I had to seperate them out because I can only upload five pictures at a time. I mainly used captions to describe the pictures since I am limited on time for posting right now (both kids are actually asleep at the same time this afternoon so I am trying to get a few things done while I have a few moments of quiet to myself).

Things are going well and we are continuing to adjust to being a family of four. Douglass Charles if five weeks today and we go for his six week check up next week. I look forward to seeing how much he has grown. I know it is happening just by looking at these pictures.

Enjoy the pictures. My goal is to have Easter pictures up by the end of the month. I just hope I can get some good ones since our little red head is quite difficult to photograph these days. She never stops except to sleep and eat and the occasional tv program. I wonder if her brother will be as busy. :)

Until then (or maybe sooner - who knows - really who am I kidding)...

Posts

Charlotte bouncing her brother in the bouncy seat - one of the things she gets in trouble for all the time. Mainly because she presses down on his stomach in order to make the chair bounce. As you can see she thinks it is fun!


Charlotte is always kisses and hugging on her brother. She loves to bring him his pacifier and help me burp him. She has also taken to do these things with her own baby dolls as well as making them cry.


Holding brother - she actually reached out and wanted to hold him while she was sitting on the couch with her dad.


Getting a little less interested...


Deciding to bonk him on the head instead of holding him. Needless to say, I have to really watch her because she thinks this is such fun!

All these pictures are interactions of the kids together. Charlotte is great with her brother, there are just a few things we have to work on - like keeping his passy in his mouth and not making him bounce when he is asleep in his bouncy seat. She really loves him and I look forward to seeing them getting more involved with one another as he gets bigger. I am sure they will have a lot of fun!

And Other Things

The face he makes when he gets hungry. There is no question about it. He lets you know when he wants to eat!


The kids with my parents. This picture was almost near impossible to get.


Doug and his namesake. Father and Son.


Charlotte finishing off her first cup of pudding. I'd say she loved it!!


Her brother watching her eat the pudding. I'm thinking he wants some.

These are random photos from the last five weeks. You can see how much our little one has changed.

Yes, We Are Still Alive!

I know, no pictures. I promise one day soon I will get to this, but I have had several of you mention that you have been checking the blog and I felt compelled to let my few readers know that we are still alive. Douglass Charles turned one month yesterday and this is my first full week by myself since he came. We are managing and things are going relatively well considering I have no idea what I am doing. Thankfully I cooked ahead and with several leftovers from my mother-in-law's stay and a sweet friend delivering food today Doug is at least getting dinner most nights.

I still haven't managed to figure out how to get dressed everyday. If I have to do more than that - like get the store - it is quite the challenge. The house is incredibly dirty, but we try to pick up every evening to keep our sanity.

Charlotte is adjusting very well and continues to amaze me and make me laugh. She currently carries her baby doll around and makes her cry constantly, feeds her a fake bottle, and puts her in her brother's swing. She also likes to help with her brother by pulling his passy out of his mouth and then trying to give it back. Douglass Charles will amuse her at times and let her try and then he eventually gets mad.

He is a little piglet. He eats at least every 3 hours and is now averaging 4 ounces every feeding. I don't know how much he weighs right now, but he has already moved out of his newborn diapers and is in 3 month clothing (some 3-6). I believe he is going to be a big boy. He is a good baby, though. I am very blessed.

Doug and I are managing to get some sleep. Your prayers are appreciated as we try to get our second born to learn that his bed is for sleeping not our arms. This stage will soon pass and then our little boy will be too big to be held. I keep reminding myself to enjoy my little sweet moments with him. The go by all too quickly.

Again, I hope to get pictures posted soon. It seems crazy at the end of the day that something this simple just doesn't seem to get done. All you mommies - especially those with more than one - know that even the simplest things are a challenge when one has two to care for.

Until then... xoxo

Welcome to Our World!

As many of you already know, Douglass Charles English, Jr. finally made his debut on February 25th. Ironically, he shares his birthday with his Paw Paw, my father, who was born on the same day fifty some odd years ago (Dad, I won't reveal your age). Needless to say, I scored some big points with my dad having his first grandson on his birthday.

Douglass Charles (what we are calling him) came fast and furious as I went into labor at around 6:00 a.m. and had him at 8:09. We barely made it to the hospital and drugs were out of the question. While quite painful and somewhat frightening this kind of delivery was my kind of delivery if I couldn't have drugs. He weighed 8lbs 11oz and was 20.5 inches long. He is a sweet boy and is adored by his big sister Charlotte.

We have had plenty of help - which I have needed - since I came home from the hospital. Doug's parents have been here for over a week and my mother comes in this evening. Doug also took a week off and has been a tremendous help. I really don't know what I would have done if I hadn't had all this assistance.

I apologize to all of you for such a delay in making this post and to all of you who have still not heard from me personally. I was barely in the hospital for more than 24 hours and my phone died not long after arriving there (honestly, remembering to bring the charger was the last thing on my mind). I wanted our time this time in the hospital to be a little more quiet than the last so I opted to make phone calls later - my phone also decided this for me. Douglass Charles and I got to have a nice three hour period alone not long after he was born with no visitors just soaking up time together. It was nice for me knowing that I was going home to be mommy of two.

We appreciate your prayers as we continue to transition. I am having troubles breastfeeding again and Charlotte is begining to understand that "Bubba" (what she calls her little brother) is not going anywhere anytime soon (i.e. a trantrum that transpired yesterday morning when I was unable to hold her immediately). Until the next post, enjoy the pictures. Thanks for all the prayers and support!