Six Months in Photos

I love writing, really I do.  I want to write more but it is difficult to find the time and energy.  I also love taking pictures of my children but even that doesn't happen as frequently as it did with my firstborn.  Is it too late to resolve to take more photos and write more in 2012?  Nah, it's never too late for a resolution.

So where has all my time and energy gone?  I see other moms with two or more young children and they seem to be firing on all cylinders.  But me?  There have been mornings when I couldn't even find the keys to get the day started.  Claire has struggled with GERD (reflux) and it seems like many of my days have been spent trying to get her to comfortably eat and many of my nights spent trying to get her to sleep.  We've had weeks at a time of night wakings every 45 minutes, including this week, and only catnaps during the day, and feeding after feeding being a battle.  Babies should love to eat, right?  It has killed me to see her in pain.

She is finally outgrowing the reflux and things seem to be going smoother, although at times I can still tell she suffers from pain.  After experiencing this minor health problem, I don't see how parents of VERY sick babies even make it through the day.  Their strength amazes me.

So here is what we've been up to the last six months.

Sisters at home the first week.  I made this quilt for Claire before she was born.  Cora promptly considered it hers, even though she has one of her own, and we've successfully handed it over to Claire.   

First time holding baby sister.  She didn't like it when Claire started crying.  

First real bath.  Cora didn't have hers for a month because it took that long for her belly stump to fall off.  I accidentally ripped Claire's off when it got caught on my shirt after a diaper change the first week.  

First OU/TX party.  Hopefully the big kids will let her play with them when she gets older.

See the brown bear in the picture?  Rob bought this for the Claire at the hospital to welcome her.  When Cora came to meet her she confiscated it and "Shaggy Bear" as she lovingly named it has been in her crib ever since.  She knows who it belongs to because one day she asked me where Claire's bear was.  That little tricky girl.

Matching outfits from a good friend and the pumpkin patch.  Need I say more?

Already having tea parties together.  This was a daddy moment.  He is wonderful with our kids. 

Carving and painting pumpkins.  This girl loves to paint herself.  Of course,  Dad isn't necessarily discouraging it. 

My pitiful excuse for a mouse costume.

A little cat and mouse for Halloween.  

Another new friend to welcome to the gang! 

Thanksgiving Day.  It is really hard to get a good picture of them together.  We took them to see a choreographed light Christmas light show this night and they both squealed with delight.  Claire's squeals were probably due to overstimulation, but hey, the second kid just has to come along, right? 

Someone is potty trained!  This kiddo decided to start the week Claire entered the world.  Really?   She caught on quickly and can now do it all on her own on the big potty with a step stool.  I've really put in the hours sitting on the side of the tub waiting...but I've found we have some really great conversations. 

Despite her constant struggles with eating, she really likes to SMILE!

Christmas crafts double as snacks!

Sporting our Christmas duds early for a family dance night at our church. 

Loves, loves, loves to paint, draw on herself. 

Cora gave up naps two weeks before Claire as born.  Really, child?  She still has quiet time each day and regulates herself by taking a nap every ten to twenty days.  This was a rare moment. 

Making cookies on Christmas Eve.  Rob came home from work that evening sick as a dog with a stomach virus and Claire was on a major eating strike.  Half of our family skipped dinner that night.

Rob was out cold by 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve.  Yeti was offering him some support.  Notice how his head is my side of the bed and his feet are on his.  After getting the kids to bed I was up doing that special thing parents do on Christmas Eve after the kids go to bed by myself and was a little melancholy.  I ended up watching the Sound of Music on television that night not knowing that Rob had it wrapped up under the tree for our family.  

This girl LOVES trains.

Need to give a shout out to my mom.  She knitted the sweaters and hat in this pic.  

Very into DRESSING and UNDRESSING these days.  

Becoming a good helper in the kitchen.  Here she is making waffles. 

Every time she paints we get hobo face.

The swim suit is her current favorite outfit.  She wears it almost everyday and just puts clothes on over it when we go somewhere.  Here she is modeling it backwards.  Her dance dress takes a close second. 

Cora playing Mary and Baby Jesus.  Game and props were totally unprompted.

This girl has some crazy, fuzzy hair.  Mom just has crazy hair that is falling out and turning grey like an April afternoon during severe weather season.

Fingerpainting.  I usually don't consider embarking on creative endeavors with Cora as mistakes no matter the mess, but this one was a different story.  She is certainly tactile.  I think it was precisely at this point that Claire woke from her nap ten minute nap.

Enjoying a little Okie snow from the comfort of Mama's coat.

Enjoying Okie snow in her carefully selected outfit.  That hat is meant for a six month old..

Blogger is being snarky and won't let me add this photo last so we are a little out of order.  Anyway, today is Claire's six month birthday.  We had an awesome day filled with outside play.  So happy to be a mama to these two littles. 

Valentine's Day.  Too tired to go out so we had a lovely date night in.  In the last six months we've had one date night.  We unexpectedly ended up at a Contra Dance and had a wonderful time.  Shout out to Rob's folks for being so much help with the girls.

Here's to more blogging in the next six months!!!