Siblings

Mallory is really starting to take great interest in Max.  She gets right in his face and yappers at him and repeats the noises he is making back at him.  She gives him toys.  She flips his nuk around if it is upside down.  She gives him his blanket.  She is even to the point where she wants him to watch Sesame Street with her while I go take a shower.  I usually take him with me and she stays and watches Sesame Street… but now she says – leave Max here!  One day I was feeling really brave and thought… ya know, a private shower sounds fantastic!  So I left him on his play mat – he was content swatting at toys and babbling.  I told Mallory if he cried to give him his blanket and nuk and then come get me.  He never cried!! 

Now I leave him upstairs with her more often and every once in awhile I’ll hear him crying and she doesn’t come get me.  She apparently is really good at tuning him out and she just watches her show as if there is not a screaming baby sitting right beside her.

She has been wanting to hold Max now too.  When I put him in her lap – he is just as big as she is.  Makes me giggle!

I have been horrible at getting my camera out and taking day to day pictures like I did with Mallory.  I need to get better at that – pronto!

Trying to get them both to look at me at the same time – not gonna happen.

Wait… I almost did.  Max spotted something out the window though!

And then they tipped over.

Do you ever wonder how long Max’s hair has to get before it will lay down and not spike up?

We just concurred some really tough days and nights with Mr. Max.  He was running some pretty high temps – for FIVE days!  He didn’t have anything else going on – like cold symptoms or flu symptoms to go with this fever, just a high fever!  I was having to hold him to get him to sleep – even during the night.  If I put him down he would instantly wake up and cry.  He was only staying awake for about 15-20 minutes at a time and then going back to sleep.  During his awake times he would just lay on me and be very still or he would lay on me and whimper cry. 

I had to hold him all night long, he would not sleep in his bed.  He had to be sleeping on my chest snuggled with his blanket and nuk… and I had to be either patting/rubbing his back, walking, rocking, or bouncing him to keep him sleeping.  We had to do this for four nights (five days) straight!!  It wasn’t fun! 

Sunday afternoon (day three) I was about to have a melt down because I couldn’t get him to sleep longer then 10 minutes (so it felt like) so I thought he would sleep so great if we took him for a ride in the truck.  So we went for a ride… a long ride!  He slept for 3 hours straight – that was the only time he slept that long during his whole sickness!  And he broke his fever… but it came back.  That was the thing, we could get his fevers to break and then they would come back in a hour or so.

I felt so bad for him… and I took him to the Dr. 3 times during it all too!  They told me it was just viral and it needed to just pass on its own.  One time it was to the ER because his fever was 104.1.  The ER told me to take him back if I couldn’t get his fevers below 101 in two days.  I couldn’t they were at 102/103, so I took him.  Then they wanted me to bring him back again the next day.

Finally by day five (Tuesday) in the afternoon he was starting to feel better.  I got him to eat way better, he was able to be out of my arms and playing for a good hour!  And by bedtime that night he went to bed in his own bed and slept there the whole night!  He did wake up about a half dozen times… but that is typical Max.   

Today he is completely back to normal Max… and we are on day two of post sickness.  When you have sick kids – it so makes you appreciate the healthy days!!

Happy Friday!

I get real excited about Fridays. I don't have to work for two days. I can lounge around in the mornings and not hurry to get the kids dressed and fed and myself ready. I am not a get up and go kind of person - which I am very thankful that I don't have to be to work until 9am! Plus I am very spoiled in the sense that I don't have to get kids out the door to daycare - because they are taken care of at home. Love this!

Well this Friday morning was a wild one! I am awaken to Max who is already in a fussy mood. I think he is teething already... he seems warm-ish, his nose is a touch runny, he just lays on me and snuggles, he wakes up if I put him down.

I get him up and take him to the living room because everyone else is still sleeping. I discover that Max has exploded out of his diaper. Hm, great! This could be why he is not in such a great mood. I get him all cleaned up and now he is happy laying on the floor playing with toys. So I think... I am going to quick eat breakfast before Mally wakes up. I am a totally got-to-eat-as-soon-as-I-get-up kind of person - Or I am cranky! I get my bowl of cereal (has to be cereal too) and set it on the table and here comes rapid running feet down the hallway straight towards me! Mally, her doll, and her blanket! I scoop her up and say good morning... and YOU ARE SOAKED! Why are you all wet!? I feel her bottom... no pull up! She went to bed in her underpants! OH NO! (we have her daytime trained - but not night trained) I don't want to put the blame on any one... but um... Daddy put her to bed because I was dealing with a Mad Max... and he may have forgotten the step about putting a pull-up on! : ) Or it could of been the fact that Mallory had talked Grandma Mary into putting her "Cutie Pie Pajamas" on for nap time... and she insisted on wearing them the rest of the day. So she was already in her pajamas so we completely forgot the pull-up & pajama bedtime routine.

Anyway - into the tub she went! And she did not want to get out! I finally get her out by telling her she can have a yogurt and a hard boiled egg. Then she seen that Max didn't have any clothes on (because his clothes were in his room which was where Mallory was sleeping and I didn't want to wake her up by getting him clothes) so she didn't want to wear clothes. I at least got her to wear underpants! Whew! And she tore out of the bathroom looking for yogurt!

My sister is coming today to watch the kids for me as my babysitter is on vacation this week. So I knew help was on the way. I know I am the older sister... however... Shannon is like the older sister. She comes here and she totally takes over. I love it! When we go places together - she has it all. She is taking my kids out of the truck. She is changing diapers. She is feeding them. She is bouncing and snuggling trying to get them to sleep. It's fantastic! I call her my wife!

When Mally was a little - I couldn't get her to take a nap anywhere but her own bed... except Shannon could! Shannon could get that girl to sleep in her arms in a few short moments! Same with Max now. She shows up today and I am rocking Max and snuggling - because he still has something going on - has to be teeth - and I pass him off to Shan so I can get ready to go to work; and he snuggles right in, gets sleepy eyes and lays on her chest and doesn't move.

I even talked Shannon into spending the night tonight! *big grin!* Jesse is going to be working most of the weekend - so I have my very own wife this weekend! : ) Happy Friday hidden in all the dirty diapers and dirty beds that greeted me so early this morning!

No words

Life with two has me exhausted at night that I have no words or energy to blog.  Heck, I am not even doing a good job of keeping up with the blogs that I use to read on a daily (yes daily) basis. 

I like things that take zero effort… like flipping threw images on pinterest or zoning out in front of the TV. 

So here are some professional pictures I had taken of the kids… and actually it was a long time ago – and I am just now looking at the pictures.  Sorting threw these pictures took effort… : ) 

These are some of my favorites.

You can tell these were taken awhile ago because Max’s spikey hair is way longer now.  : )

We tried so hard to get them to take a picture together… not a chance says Max.

Have you seen this smile before?  I’m thinking she gets it from me.

And her serious side!

Tried one more time to get them together… this time we had tears!

Oh so sweet!  Pictures like these make my heart melt! 

I see Emmerich (My Mom’s side) all over Mally in this picture.

My sister got this dress for Mally a long time ago.  She saw it and thought Mally needed it.  However, they did not have Mallory’s size at the time and she had to buy a 3T.  (Mally was just starting to walk when she bought this.)  We finally got to put her in it and take some photos!

Hands down this next picture is one of my favorites!! 

All the pictures were taken by Hemmer-Ich Photography.

Picture Says it All

Momma, I think my hat is too small.

 

I attempted to get Max a winter hat and found this adorable one and ordered it up quick.  Got it today… and well it was too small.  I am so so so bummed.  Max on the other hand… not into hats. 

Can I just confess how much I love this stage!!  OMG!  They are getting a little personality.  They are covered in sweet baby rolls – at least the babies I grow.  They giggle and start to coo.  They should be rolling and exploring… however my little man would rather you do all the exploring for him by carting him around.  : )

Yup, I think it is official.  He needs a bigger size.  My chubba-lubba!

Um… Mom… did you happen to notice that it is 80 degrees outside and you have me in this hat!  Can we take it off now?  Are you done laughing at me yet?  Please… Mom…  Stop snorting… Mom…

Oh my goodness this kid cracks me up!  Love you little Buddy Max!

Fall Fun

Today Mrs. C and K brought along a little rake.  As soon as Mally saw it she was begging to go outside.  I kept peeking out the window while I was working to watch the girls.  They were having so much fun raking leaves!  It was driving me crazy that I couldn’t get out there and take pictures of them.

Mrs. C keeps telling me that her middle daughter is into photography.  So I ran into the house and disrupted her home schooling (oops) and said… these girls are being so cute outside and no one is taking pictures!  I showed her how to run my camera and she left her school work on the living room floor and was outside in a heart beat with my camera in tow. 

Mally and K stayed outside until Mrs. C called them in to do some school work and then they were back outside until lunch!  They had a blast!

All these pictures are taken by C (Mrs. C’s middle daughter).  C just turned 15… yesterday!

These girls love Maggie.  And Maggie loves them. 

Mally’s play buddy during the week… K!

She took a ton of pictures and I tried to pick just a few… but you can see how much fun they were having in all these pictures!

Not too bad for her first time behind my camera!

Conversations with Mally

Oh my sweet Mally Rae.  She has been cracking me up with some of her stories.

Yesterday when Mrs. C came she didn’t have K with her.  When K doesn’t come, Mally’s little heart is broken.  Her and K play so well together.  So Mally clung to me and didn’t want me to go to work.  I think I can count on two fingers the number of times she has done this since we started this in May.  She usually just yells “bye momma and she is off doing her thing”.  She grabbed onto me and wouldn’t let go and cried.  Cried hard!  It broke my heart.  Plus I had to work late – so I was really feeling bad.  However, K’s older sister brought her over for the afternoon!  Her and Mally played and played and played.  So when I got done with work – Mally could of cared less about me!  : )  She was now crying because she didn’t want K to go home!  Some how I distracted her but I don’t remember how and then I had to feed Max.  So while I am feeding Max she finds Sweetie Pie (her baby) and says to me

“Sweetie Pie needs a jacket.” 

I don’t have a jacket for her.  You will just have to pretend.

I’ll go to the store and get Sweetie Pie a jacket.

(thinking she is just pretending I say)  Okay.  Good idea.  Go get Sweetie Pie a jacket.

(She stands at the top of the stairs and says) Open the gate.  I need to go to the store.

Mally.  I am not opening the gate.  You’ll have to get to the store a different way.

(She walks into the kitchen and walks out the kitchen door onto our deck)  I go this way?

Sure.  Go that way, but stay on the deck.  (I’m still feeding Max)

(thinking to myself… hmm I don’t hear her on the deck)  MALLY!  YOU NEED TO STAY ON THE DECK.

(Mally mumblings coming from the front yard)

(I whip myself together, throw Max on my hip, and dash out the front door.)  Mally, I thought I said you needed to stay on the deck.

Help me find my truck.

What?  Your truck?

Yes, help me find my truck.  I think it is in there.  (she points to the garage.)

Mally, you are not getting in the truck.  (realizing we are not playing pretend anymore – she really thinks we are going to go to the store to get Sweetie Pie a jacket.)

(I open the garage door and let her in.  I kind of want to see what she is going to do.  LOL)

(She walks in and walks over to the driver side and looks up at the door.)  Help me open the door?

No Mally.  You are not getting the truck.  We are not going to the store.

Yes.  Yes we are.  I wanna take Sweetie Pie to the store.

I walk out of the garage and I’m laughing really hard.  Mally on the other hand is really mad and crying.  Then she gets mad at me for laughing.  I distracted her from taking Sweetie Pie to the store by going to get the mail… which Sweetie Pie needed to carry her own piece too.

- - - -

Today we played outside this afternoon since it was so nice out.  She was playing so good doing her thing and Max was sitting so good in his chair so I thought I would catch up on some of my work.  So I am sitting next to Mally and I had the paper cutter next to me.  She grabs the paper cutter (it is one of those scrapbooking ones) and starts sliding the cutter up and down and I say – You need to be careful with that.  It could hurt you.  She says “Don’t worry about it Mom.  I’m just going to put it on my lap.”  Don’t worry about it Mom!?!?!?  Who says that?  I don’t think I say things like?

- - - -

Tonight after bath we came upstairs and she asked to watch Mickey Mouse. 

No, you are not watching Mickey Mouse. 

Yes. 

She then proceeds to pick up her chair and say “I’m going to go throw it in the garbage?”

What are you throwing away?

My chair.

Why?

Because I’m not listening.

She carries her chair over to the garbage and mumbles all kinds of things than brings her chair back to the living room and reads books.

Now, I do not throw things away when she isn’t listening… so where this came from I don’t know.  I usually send her to her room and give her timeouts.

- - - -

We see a commercial for the Lion King which I really want Mally to see.  She says “I want to watch dat.”

Yes.  I think you would like that movie.  I will have to look for that for you.

Lets watch it.

We can’t.  We don’t have it.

Just push the button.

It isn’t on the TV.  I can’t push the button.  (The trouble with on-demand.  She thinks everything is instant and now)

She finds the remote and brings it to me and says – here this button.

- - - -

Mrs. C’s middle daughter has been coming the last couple of weeks.  Today she tells me that she is sitting at the table doing her school work (They are homeschooled) and Mally climbs up to the table and tells her that she is going to do her homework.  C says, okay and gives her some papers.  Mally says “I love homework.”