Simplify

I'm consolidating. For the last few years that I have blogged I have maintained this blog, though the maintenance of late has been quite sad, and another blog that I posted for family and friends alone. I kept them separate because at first I thought I needed this "other" blog as a space to vent and ruminate about my life in a way I didn't think appropriate for my family's eyes. Now, considering the infrequency with which I post here, and my lack of time and enthusiasm for the job, I am going to say goodbye to this space and focus on keeping just one good blog. No promises on whether or not this will increase the number of posts I manage a month, but this still feels like a weight off my chest so it must be the right thing to do. For those who might still want to keep up with my/our lives you can now find me here: http://www.littleskyeguy.blogspot.com. I will still be following all of you, for although I have been a lousy and lazy commenter as of late I still enjoy peeking in on how you all are. Thanks and goodbye (kind of).

MIA

It's been a bit, I know. With everything else going on here, and whoo boy it's been full up around here, it's just so hard to find motivation (and time) to blog. It only gets worse the longer I stay away...

The kiddos are doing great. We are at a wonderful phase with Mason in which he spends all day just being a sweetheart. He is such a mellow and patient baby (KNOCKING ON WOOD). He is making lots of coos and aroos now, and is always ready with a smile to answer yours. I don't dare claim to have figured out the ins and outs of Skyler's moods, but things have been better. I am pretty certain that 99.9% of the tantrums we see out of him now are completely the fault of his age. Even then we haven't been having nearly the same level of occurrence as what we did about a month ago. Overall they are quite the pair of awesome little boys.

We have been busy with guests and travelling. Andy had a friend in town first, then I had some college roommates come into town just before we all headed out for an out of town wedding. It was my/our first time away from Mason and things went really well. My mom took over the littlest guy in our absence while Skye spent time with Andy's family. It felt strange initially, leaving Mason for so long so soon, but friends and wine helped ease the separation. The only downside to the whole thing was all the milk I bothered to pump while we were gone had to be tossed due to it's untimely defrosting on our return trip. Which reminds me, I have a breastfeeder now! About a month ago the tide changed and Mason suddenly became amenable to taking his milk straight from the tap. This was/is a huge relief as pumping to provide for feedings was really wearing me down. I was literally counting down the days until he would be less reliant on my milk, just wishing the time away so I could not be attached to the damn pump. I did because I had to, well I felt I had to, but I most certainly hated it. So very glad the little monkey changed his mind.

The biggest and latest news in my world is that I got laid off. My former employer had to reduce their staff by about fifty percent, I was part of the deleted chunk. I actually received this news while I was en route to the wedding mentioned above. Granted I did work for my in-law's company and the news was delivered by my husband, but still it was a bit of a shock. Really it's not a bad thing though, we were going to be paying an arm and a leg to have both kids in day care and not really looking forward to putting Mason into someone else's care at such a young age. We have a bit of money tucked away to help us for at least the next year, so now I have a new job title: stay at home mom. It's something I've wanted, so obviously this isn't the end of the world. I have some feelings of guilt knowing that I will be home with the boys when Andy is in an office, but we both agree that at least one of us has this opportunity. I have some thoughts on how to perhaps make a little side income too, so we will see how that goes.
I'd like to say that I will be better about blogging, and commenting, but really I am lucky to get to my computer once a week. I will try though:).

We survived

We managed to survive, and (I will concede) even managed to enjoy our week of just us three. It was certainly hard, it was definitely tiring, and I am sooooo very glad to have Andy back BUT we did manage just fine during the week that he was away. Not surprisingly I feel much more comfortable and in control of the whole parent-of-two thing having gone through this past week. Perhaps I really needed this trial by fire? I wouldn't go so far to admit that, but being on this side of the week I can at least see that it was a validating experience.

Since our family's expansion I have always been a little anxious when left with the two boys alone. I didn't really dread it, but I definitely avoided it when I could. There was no avoiding this situation with Andy gone. We are lucky enough to live very close to both of our parents, so I did have relief throughout the week here and there. The majority was all me though, and as silly as it might seem I am pretty proud of having managed this last week all by my lonesome. It's given me greater confidence regarding my ability to parent these two (especially when they are together and I am alone).

Things I am not looking forward to

I like this picture of the Mason monkey because you can really see how blue his eyes are. It's crazy to have this little blue eyed boy, he looks just like his daddy.

Things are bumping along around here. We are currently down to just one kiddo as our big boy went out to the family cabin with his Nana, Pa and aunt and uncle. Without us. It's great for him, because he is having a blast with lots of Skyler only time. It's a bummer for us because nothing sounds better than being on the lake with sunshine and our boy. Sigh. It's all in part to preparing for this upcoming week when Andy will be gone the entire week for business in New York. Leaving me and the two kids to fly solo. To say that I am terrified is an understatement. So having Skye off my hands for a couple of those days will be helpful. Still, I miss my big boy and I wish I was there with him. I also wish that I didn't have a week of solo parenting ahead of me. Not all wishes come true apparently. So aside from the fact that I blog less in general now, I likely will be completely AWOL this next week as showering will be a monster accomplishment, let alone finding internet time.

How we keep ourselves entertained

Pinching ever chubbier cheeks

Attacking the oldest child with cheap water toys

Bestowing the gift that is super Nintendo gameplay

Like father like son

Seeing how many children we can fit our arms around

That's how we roll around here.

MM: Month One

Well Mason man, you are one month old today. It's official, since you came out at 11:39 and it's now a little past 3:30 pm. What can I say about you at one month? I am still just starting to get to know you, especially now that you are starting to be more wakeful during the day. You have been a pretty easygoing baby up to this point. That is not to say that you are no longer mellow, but in comparison your presence is much more noticeable.

You sleep most of the morning hours away, after waking up around 6 or 7. You are pretty good to us, falling asleep around 9 or 10, waking around 3 am, and then sleeping on from there. I have to say that I feel much more rested in your first few weeks than I did with your brother Skyler. But perhaps this can be accounted for my already being used to sleep deprivation. I no longer take the night hours for granted.

You are starting to push up when we hold you on our chests, working on those neck stabilizer muscles. I welcome this activity because it means you are working hard at getting control of your neck and bobble head. Life is so much easier when you get these skills under your belt, for all of us.

You are a sweet little bug, and everyone is quite infatuated with you - your brother included. He likes to coo over you and hold your hand. He has tried to help us feed you and has even inserted himself into a diaper change or two trying to wipe your bum. I think this will be the only time in your lives where this will occur, let alone be cute. I look forward to seeing your relationship develop, especially once you become more aware of him as a person and not just a helpful/pestering presence. Happy one month Mason man!

Hodgepodge

I don't currently possess enough motivation, or brain cells, to create a coherent post. So here's random for ya:

- I am still in wonderment in how very different our boys are in looks. Skyler is brown like me, and Mason is (so far) white like his daddy. White skinned and blue eyed. Genetics are a funny thing.

- Pumping is going better, but I am still going to be so glad to be done with it. The question is when? Pumping will be easier, and make more sense, when I go back to work (at 12 weeks). Just wishing there was a more efficient way to do all this.

- Not sure if it is just me, hoping it's not, but I am still working to find room in my heart for two little people. Don't get me wrong, I love both boys dearly, but it's a different kind of love. I have known Skyler for two years now and love the person I have come to know him as. Mason is a love for the sake of loving, I don't really know him yet. This and the process of watching Skyler struggle daily with sharing "my mommy", it can be heartbreaking. This gets easier, yes?

Mmmm, Coldstone