{ happy 4 months alexander! }

{ I can't believe he's 4 months already! }

Nicknames ::  Alex, billy goat, scooter, fussy bucket, drool bucket, little one, baby, chunk-a-monk, and Evan has started calling him "bug"

Diaper Size :: size two

Clothing ::  some 3 month clothes, some 6 month clothes

Firsts ::  Toys for Tots shopping, Christmas, ear infection

Food ::  Nurses or expressed breast milk.  We tried to move him to a hypo allergic formula since he's been having very painful gas and increased bouts of colic.  Absolutely refuses - turns up his nose and refuses the bottle.  We've just given up and have continued to nurse and give expressed breast milk - we just make sure he gets gas drops right after - it has seemed to help.  Luckily we are also going to start solids next month in hopes that might help with his tummy troubles.

Life with Alexander ::  oh what a month!  This poor baby can't catch a break.  He's had 2 back to back ear infections.  First a double ear infection, and then just in his right ear second time.  I'm hoping that once we finish this round of antibiotics we will be done with ear infections.  period.  

The inlaws finally experienced what we've been experienced since bring Alex home.  Inconsolable crying for 4 hours or more.  I took him into urgent care after I left work early only to be told we have a very healthy baby - except for the ear infection that was resolving.  yay.

It hasn't all be bad.  Alex sure has a demanding personality and mommy issues.  It's pretty entertaining.  He's been giggling more and Mike just can't wait for him to start belly laughing.  He has also started to reach out for us.  Especially Evan.  (which Evan loves)  He also loves to face-scoot a couple inches when on his tummy.  He is also obsessed with a lantern toy that he got for Christmas.  He either has his hands in his mouth or on his feet - which seem to also always be in his mouth too.  In his perfect world I would hold him and talk to him all day while he has his fingers & toes in his mouth - while nursing and while his lantern is singing some song that is now constantly stuck in my head.

Although this month has been a hard one - I'm hoping next month will be better!

More pictures of my littlest buddy.  

{ my boys }

Dear littles,

oh how I love the both of you.  each for your own reasons & most importantly because you are mine (& your dad's).

mr. evan...

You aren't unnoticed.  Sometimes I know that you feel that way.  Especially since you are more self reliant.  You are an awesome big brother.  An amazing helper.  You are special and unique, and don't ever forget that.  and even when it seems like we don't notice those quiet times when you are doing good - we notice.

i love that you love school so much.  i love that each day you get home and you can't wait to tell us about your day.  (& report that you haven't gone to the nurse's office that day)  Know that I love hearing about those moments.  I treasure your stories - even when I'm exhausted and completely drained.


mr. alex...

you've had such a difficult month.  both your daddy and i are trying so hard to figure out what is going on with that small body of yours.  (& we hate being told nothing is wrong when something most definitely seems to be going on).

regardless, i love how chunky your cheeks and thighs are getting.  seriously...i'm in love with your fat rolls.  i love that you "talk" at us each and every time you get to.  you're reaching out for us & a giggling more.  even though at times i really wish that you would just sleep - i love that you still prefer to nurse at night.  that time is just for you and me, and i will most definitely miss it when you wean.

oh boys...i love you.  completely.  totally.  forever & for always.

{ lovin' this view }

Tomorrow is my day off & I already have a to do list that is a mile long it seems.  

However, I have a feeling this will be my view for most of the day.

While I know I won't be able to get all the things I "need" to do off my mind while I lounge with my sweet Alex on my lap...

I know that I don't really want to be anywhere else.

{ sometimes }

Sometimes you come home from work and find your baby has come down with something.

So then sometimes you rush out after packing both kids in their winter gear and forget to grap a nuk for said baby.

Then sometimes, said baby is so distraught nothing but a nuk will comfort him.

So sometimes while filling a prescription at Target you run to the baby section and buy another pack of nuks.

Then sometimes when you get home and go to nurse said baby before laying him down you find you've been carting a nuk in you bosom all evening.

sometimes...like today.

{ momma said there would be days like this }

{ should have gotten my own kiss for luck }

Today started out okay.  I had meant to get up earlier, but thankfully Alex chose to sleep-in so I figured I would to.  After our regular morning routine, we had planned to go out to the Mall of America and meet up with my mom for lunch and letting the boys play at Lego land inside the mall while we caught up.

Somehow I managed to get the boys out of the house - I couldn't find Alex's winter hat so I found another random hat and stuck it on his head.  Maybe I should have seen that as a sign that maybe - just maybe I should stay home.  We got to the Mall okay and early so we got a nice parking spot.  Evan jumped out of the car and raced to my side while I was putting Alex in the moby wrap, and then I shut the door.  Which I shouldn't have done.  Because right next to Alex's car seat were my car keys and I had already locked the car.

So...we went to Lego land to meet with my mom.  While we sat there I started looking up towing companies that could come and open up the car.  And then my phone died.

Thankfully when my mom came, I left Evan with her and went to go track down a number and used her phone to call the towing company.  They said they would be there in 25 minutes...an hour later they showed up.  But I got my keys and Alex slept the entire time this was going on.

After I went back inside I headed to the Lego land to meet back up with my mom - but just as I got there - she called using my sister's phone to tell me they were back up on the 4th floor getting lunch from Dicks Last Resort - where my sister works.

After getting back up there and sitting down to order - Alex decided that was then he wanted to nurse.  Now I have recently just gotten over my hangups about nursing in public - however, I prefer to still find a quiet corner to nurse with a hooter hider.  So after finding a quiet spot and Alex nursed - I figured we were golden.  However as we made our way back to the restaurant - Alex promptly puked (not spit-up but projectile vomit) all over the floor and my shirt.  Awesome.

So after lunch, we went a got a new shirt for me and I bought Alex a new winter hat.  And then we headed home.  Where we then took a nap.

And then all was well.

Good thing we're staying home tomorrow because I'm not sure I could handle another trip like that...

{ routine }

Life for the past few weeks has been...well...hectic.  Between running to the hospital to check on Nancy, being a mom and wife, trying to keep a handle on our apartment, and working...well a lot has seemed to fall by the wayside.  Especially since we had two holidays in a row and Evan's been off from school.

I have noticed that my boys thrive on routine.  And when we don't have any routine...well...the days doesn't go well.  Especially with Alexander.  He gets easily overwhelmed and the noise and constant commotion that comes from a 6 year old, hasn't really helped him take very good naps.  Leaving him extremely cranky.

So for the next three days (yay for days off) we're going to get ourselves into a pretty regular routine.  With good nap times and trying to get our household in some sort of order.  I figured that if I can start setting the groundwork - hopefully during the week Mike can follow through.

In either case, I feel like this next month will be pretty boring.  Not that I won't try to sneak in a fun trip to the zoo or heading outside if the weather is warm enough to play in the snow - but I know that at this point, our schedule needs to be our first priority.

If for nothing else but my sanity.

{ looking forward }

{ relaxing with a cup of tea after a long first day of 2013}

2012 was a decent year.  I'm not where I thought I would be by this time last year.  But I am in a way.  I had spent the first day of last year hoping & planning to hopefully be pregnant and have a healthy baby by now.  And I did.  I'm so glad that our fussy, difficult, beautiful baby is now apart of our family (yes...even at 3 in the morning when he is screaming).

However the last month of the year was hard.  Dealing with my youngest sister's accident has been hard.  It has brought several of my family members & myself closer, which has been awesome.  However, I have come to realize that my sister may never the sister I remember her to be.  (I mean I hope so...but I'm trying to be realistic)

But, today brought new beginnings.  I get to shed myself of 2012 and move forward to 2013.  I do write down resolutions.  As I wrote them down I got excited.  This year I'm focusing on getting organized, healthy, and experiencing life.

So I'm not going to dwell on the things I wished I had done last year.  I'm looking forward to a year full of fun and growth both personally & spiritually.

This year is going to be a blast!