My other "baby"

Keeley is still refusing to allow us to read her book, rock with her, or sing her songs at night. She just wants to get straight in bed. I'm not happy about the fact that she is too big for her nighttime routine!

One month!

Kayden is one month old!!! As you can see from the picture, she is clearly not wanting for food.

Kayden is clearly the second child and is less sheltered from the world. She has already been to several restaurants, a few trips to Mom's, Little Gym a couple of times, IKEA, and grocery shopping. Most of these trips have been from the comfort of her Moby Wrap and she has slept. We know that she will soon not be such a sound sleeper and we will be much more limited on our trips! She is just now starting to have some of that "quiet alert" time all the books talk about. Up until now, she has slept or fussed most of the time. In this quiet alert time, she has enjoyed smiling at Keeley's antics and watching the dogs. She is also, like most babies, fascinated with the fans.

She is a sweet girl with lots of smiles - especially for Keeley. She is sleeping fairly well. If we could only convince her that we would like to be sleeping from 9-midnight and not awake with her, we would all be happy!

Kayden continues to be a bright spot in Keeley's day. Seeing her baby sister is the first thing she wants to do in the morning and after naps. This week, Mom came out to watch Kayden so Keeley and I could go to Little Gym by ourselves. Keeley stared at Kayden's car seat the whole way to the gym and then asked where Kayden was when we got to class. So much for me thinking that Keeley wanted some one on one time with me!

Tough day

Today we had Keeley's 15 month appointment. Kayden, Keeley, and I went by ourselves. In my head, this arrangement was fine. We had an early appointment which meant we wouldn't have to wait and Kayden falls asleep in the car and then stays asleep in her car seat for a good 30 mintues at least once the seat is moved. She does that every day but today. Today, she chose to wake up as soon as we got to the office. So, instead of having one sleeping child and one at the appointment, I had two girls under 2 awake for the appointment.

This wouldn't have been a problem except for two things:
1. Keeley HATES her appointments so she needs lots of attention. She cried and screamed starting the moment the stethoscope came out. When she finally got her shots, the intensity increased and went on for a long time. For so long, in fact, that the nurse came back in and said "do you think this sticker or a lollipop might help her calm down?"

2. Kayden is more alert now and has certainly found her voice. She insists on being held most of the time - or you pay the price of her screaming (I'm not exaggerating. It is screaming and not crying). I've decided this is a blessing because it prevents me from ignoring her. Ignoring her might be easy if she were a quiet, complacent child because Keeley keeps us on our toes. Also, she has been particularly fussy today.

So, what I basically had was two crying/screaming girls. Fortunately, our appointment was early and there were plenty of nurses free to hold Kayden so I could focus on Keeley. Needless to say, the rest of the day was long for everyone. Keeley didn't feel good from her shots or the teeth she is cutting. By the way, the molars are nothing compared to these eye teeth. Anyway, Keeley was pretty uncomfortable and definitely needed Mom. Kayden was uncomfortable and needed Mom. Unfortunately, there is only one Mom and neither of them really understand that. I essentially begged Kelly to come home early. I didn't really need him for me, but because I felt so bad for the girls. When he got home, being the wonderful husband and Dad that he is, he let me leave and run some errands. Keeley cried for 10 minutes after I left. Look at how miserable she is! Drama queen maybe?
When I got home, we played and ate dinner. I was feeding Kayden when Keeley needed to start her bath but I told Kelly I wanted to put her down. I enjoy our nighttime routine and had missed it the night before because I was feeding Kayden. As soon as they got out of the bath, I took Kayden to him and got Keeley ready for bed. I settled into our chair with her and reached for her brush. She began frantically waving her arms, making the ugly face, and saying "eeh, ehhh". So, I put the brush down. Then I picked the book up that we read every single night and got the same reaction. I asked if she just wanted to go to bed and she nodded emphatically and said "ya" with a huge smile on her face. I didn't even get to sing our songs! Where did my baby go?!?!? In fact, where did my babies go?! Kayden is almost a month and Keeley doesn't want to have her nighttime cuddles. Time is going by WAY too fast for me!!

From our walk Monday night...

Keeley wanted to push, not ride in her car.

Kayden in my wrap with the hat that Keeley insisted she wear.

Freckles

We took the girls over to Mom's yesterday afternoon to help Keeley burn off some of her energy in the pool. When she saw Mom, she reached her hands out and said "Oma". Mom was very happy! She and Mom swam played in the pool while I snapped pictures and Kelly watched Kayden.


After playing, Mom gave Keeley a bath. While they were in the bath, Keeley looked at Mom's arm and rubbed it. She looked up at Mom confused when the freckles didn't come off. Then she took Mom's arm and stuck it under the faucet to try to rinse the freckles off! Obviously that didn't work and she quickly went back to playing in the tub.

Daddy's girl for sure

Could you even wonder if this child belongs to Kelly? Look at that face!


P.S. I have no idea why she is so fascinated with everything baby that we got out for Kayden - this chair, her newborn lounger, the swing, her car seat...everything!

Feeding time!

Mom came over the other day so that Kelly and I could have a little bit of a date. This required Kayden to take a bottle so we could actually be kidless for a few hours. When Mom got here in the afternoon (to relieve me...thanks Mom!), we decided to see if she would take a bottle so that I could leave her later without worrying about it. Keeley, of course, needed to help. I'm so proud of Kayden, she took the bottle with me in the room talking to Mom and with all her sister's "help". Here are some of the action shots.

Helping Oma hold the bottle.

Bringing Kayden her pacifier "ba".

Drinking her milk while Kayden takes the bottle from Oma.

Feeding Kayden by herself. Moments later she was taking it away from Kayden....

And the best one! Of course Kayden needs a cold, wet wash cloth on her face while she drinks her milk. Keeley went to the bath tub just to get this and was very deliberate about its position.

I know we aren't even a month into this yet, but Keeley really is doing surprisingly well. Kayden seems to be helped by the reflux medicine. So much so that she even slept 8 hours last night - in a row and quietly! No, I'm not going to count on that every day. However, it was nice and a very needed by everyone. I know I'm technically not supposed to let her go that long yet (the pedi recommended 5-6 hours) but I figured I have more than enough milk so it isn't going to hurt that and she has more than enough chubs right now. Look at those chins!!
When I took her to the doctor on Monday (two days before she turned 3 weeks old) she had already gained 2 pounds. Her weight chart went straight up instead of having a curve to it! Our girls like to eat when they are little. Apparently, that goes away as soon as they start moving though because Keeley eats like a bird now! Kayden is also very much a cuddle bug still.

Blessings times 2

Most of you know that Keeley had a host of issues as an infant. Included in these were reflux and colic. Keeley screamed the majority of the day (all 24 hours...not just the waking part) regardless of what we did. Everything worked a little, nothing worked consistently or for long. When I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING. I did countless hours of reading and talking to people about things to do to help my daughter. Everyone said that it would get better at 3 months. Everyone was wrong. It wasn't until somewhere between 4 and 5 months that the screaming subsided. One month may not sound like a lot to someone that doesn't endure excessive screaming for the majority of the day, but, to me, it felt like an eternity. It didn't matter how many people told me that it would get better, all I could see was crying and screaming lasting until she went to college.

Fortunately for everyone, it did end. It was a gradual process but around 8 months, Keeley turned into a very happy, albeit still high need and intense, child. My "eternity" of crying was really only short season in my life.

When people kept telling me that Kayden would be easier, I felt they were jinxing me. However, she appeared to be easier - until this weekend when the screaming started. I asked my mom if all people's babies cry like mine do and I just don't cope well. She said that other babies cry - mine scream. There is a significant difference in that. We went to the doctor on Monday and got some medicine for reflux. At that point, I thought we might just be dealing with reflux and that would be manageable. However, as the week has progressed, I feel we are dealing with colic as the screaming periods get longer, more inconsolable, and more frequent. Now, I will say, thus far, Kayden does not cry nearly as much as Keeley did. So, we could just be dealing with a fussy baby or a less intense form of colic - either of which would be fine with me.

However, regardless of the intensity and duration, I've started to prepare my mind. This preparation includes plans to shower while Kelly is still home because, as it is, it is 12 and I have still not showered and honestly don't see that happening until Mom comes this afternoon. When I put Kayden down, she screams and that upsets Keeley, and that upsets me....a bad cycle. When Mom is unhappy, everyone is unhappy. I've also planned to get more frozen meals and to accept the fact that Kayden is happiest in the wrap so I will just wear her before the fussing and screaming starts in an attempt to prevent it. I've also started to think of all the blessings in having a colicky/high need baby. For my own mental health, and for those of you that experience this first hand, I have made a list:

1. I get to intimately know my children and form an intense bond with them. Both of them have responded well to being in the Moby Wrap (have I mentioned this as the best invention ever) and that has caused me to wear them probably 8-10 hours a day. When you have a child strapped to you, you get to know them VERY well. I think this is one reason Keeley and I have such a great bond.

2. Losing baby weight will be easier. Kayden already weighs 10 1/2 pounds and Keeley is about 21. Wearing Kayden and carrying Keeley is a lot of weight to carry. That has to help me get rid of some of my baby weight.

3. Advanced vocalization. Keeley started talking early and talks a lot now. I think some of this has to do with the fact that she was so in tune with my conversation for such a HUGE portion of the day for the first year of her life.

4. Pretty heads and happier tummy time. When babies are under 4 months, they have to be worn facing your chest. Wearing all the time means less time in a crib or infant seat which means less time on their backs. This will hopefully mean less flat head possibilities. Being in the wrap makes them want to lift their heads more which should help with tummy time.

5. Creativity. You have to be creative to figure out ways to cope and help your children deal with their discomfort. I'm keeping my mind sharp :-)

6. Exposure to less germs/baby touchers. Because neither of my girls have been terribly content to be in their car seats as infants, I wear them in the sling when I'm out and shopping or running errands. There are few people that are going to put their hands on the baby's head when it is just inches from my mouth and hidden beneath the wrap. Less baby touchers = less germ exposure.

That is my list for now...I will add to it as I think of more things.