November 2012

November's theme - Life as a FOF begins!  For a long time we were DINK's (Dual Income, No Kids) then we moved onto FOT (Family of Three) and now FOF (Family of Four).  Each stage has its perks, and though that first month with a newborn is challenging - mentally and physically - I have to say so far I prefer the FOF. :)  It has been really interesting to see how our family dynamic has changed in just four weeks.  Jeff has really stepped up on helping around the house, not that he didn't do great before.  Samara now requests Daddy to give her a bath at night, and truthfully, he is way more fun it sounds like from her laughter echoing through the house.  Since it now takes me 2 hours to get out the door if I have to get myself and two kids ready and fed, I find myself running some errands once Jeff is home or after Samara is in bed and Kalum is fed.  Though I did brave the grocery store with two kids by about the third week.  I decided the key is to hold onto my bargaining chip of a sucker for Samara at HyVee until we are paying for our groceries.  I only learned this after she ran away from me several times in the store, knowing that I couldn't run after her and leave Kalum in the cart.  She was laughing as she ran away-having a great time!  I'm sure I got some of the "control your child" stares from people, but I have been working on mastering the attitude that my children's behavior does not control my self-image.  Once I gave her "the look" and she came back, I bent down and we had a heart-to-heart in the store and she stayed much closer after that.  This will be an ongoing challenge I'm sure - but I refuse to have her wear a leash, so we'll just have to work on it.

November was also an adjustment with two kids and a job to still keep above water since I work from home.  It worked really well though, as when the kids napped I worked and some evenings I headed downstairs as well to get things done.  Everyone was very understanding of the potential lapse in my email or voice mail responses.  When Kalum was two weeks old, he even attended his first  board meeting with me. He slept the whole time, and even through my errands on the way home!  I did skip a meeting mid-November when we all got a cold though.  Poor Kalum didn't even make it two weeks without catching something.  But, it was over pretty quickly and all were back to normal soon.

At Kalum's two week Dr. checkup he was 8 lbs 15 oz (53%), 21 in long (59%) and head circumference 36.25cm (30%).  He isn't even a pound shy of what Samara weighed in at 2 MONTHS.  He is our big boy already it seems.  :)  That is okay, though, because he is a good eater and has been sleeping 3-4 hour stretches at night even.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that Samara sleeps through him waking at night (though he doesn't get too loud since he's right by me in his co-sleeper bed) and Kalum doesn't wake up to Samara playing loudly or having a screaming melt-down temper tantrum.  There have been more than a few of those, but she was also cutting two year molars, so that was not a good combination.  Kalum will be moving to his own room now that he is four weeks, so we'll see how that goes.  Mommy needs some sleep and that is when we moved Samara out, so after Thanksgiving he'll get the boot! :)  He is doing great - holding his head up well and enjoys tummy time.  He is definitely a cuddly baby so far and would let you hold him on your chest all day long.  We'll be looking to buy a carrier of some kind so Mommy can hold him while she works, or to keep his loving older sister off of him.  In fact, even his crib is apparently not that safe when her loving arms are around.  One morning I fed him and laid him down in his crib, then Samara was watching a movie so I came down to lay on the couch while she watched.  She climbed up next to me to cuddle, then next thing I know I wake up from a deep, dreaming sleep and she's not there anymore!  I look around and finally go upstairs to see what she's up to.  I find her IN Kalum's crib holding him in her arms.  Needless to say, I lost it!   Samara basically rolled him out of her arms(ack!), I yanked her from the crib and picked him up.  He was still sleeping, so I know she didn't do any harm, but the thought of what she could have done (tried to get him out of the crib, etc) did me in.  Between the sleep deprivation and the pregnancy hormones I started bawling.  Samara was giving me her toys saying "You don't have to be sad.  Here's lambie to make you happier."  After our talk, Samara now says "never touch the crib again" and "never never again get in his crib" when you ask what happened that day.  Everything she does (so far) is only in love or curiosity, so I can't be too mad, but sometimes I just want to say leave him alone - you are always loud and in his face!  

Thanksgiving was a packed weekend of family fun, but it was really nice as well.  Everyone got to see Samara and Kalum again, the weather was great and we ate delicious food all weekend - who could complain?!  On turkey day, Samara, Kalum and I enjoyed the parades in the morning with Auntie Courtney and Nick over.  Since we moved Pennell family Thanksgiving to the day after Thanksgiving and Derby's ended up doing their Thanksgiving on the Saturday after, Thanksgiving day itself was pretty open.  Courtney and I ended up making cake pops and a cake for a customer that needed it Friday.  Nick was a trooper and played with Samara and held Kalum as needed until Jeff got home from doing a side-job in Lincoln for his sister Michelle.  Then Nick and Jeff enjoyed some football while we finished cake pops, etc.  Our actual Thanksgiving dinner was spaghetti and salads! :)  Friday was Pennell Thanksgiving where we had appetizers during the Husker game, then ate our dinner after.  In the evening we all crafted felt ornaments for an advent tree Gemma made.  It was a fun activity to do together and Samara and Kalum can count the days til Christmas every year now!  Saturday we celebrated with Derby's and everyone was there - another day of family, conversation and good food.  

We are so thankful for our amazing families and are truly blessed!  
Next month...Christmas is coming!