Hooray Mail

Have you guys seen Hooray Mail? Its a subscription service where your child gets mail twice a month. Olivia is obsessed with checking the mail and always said "dat for me?" Unfortunately, it's usually never for her. 

Sometimes I'll read a wedding invitation and pretend its for her. Says .. Olivia, congratulations on becoming a big sister! She'll light up and carry the card around with her. 

You can choose who the card is from - we chose "mama and dada." And it's specifically addressed to them. Or as Olivia says, "look mama it has my letters on it!" (Which, by the second card changed to "This says my name. I open this." Seriously, how do they grow up so fast?)

Each card has a fun activity for you to play with your child geared toward the 2-6 year old range. 

Our first card was all about food. Her favorite!! We talked about her favorite healthy food "mac and cheese!" And realized we needed to start talking about what constitutes a healthy food. She loved having me fill in the plate with her favorite foods. (Hot dog, mac and cheese, and gummies). 

Our second was an Earth day theme. She loved that she could 'read' the card herself with the pictures. We went around the yard on our scavenger hunt and talked about all the different things in the year. We never found a butterfly though!

The lovely people at Hooray Mail are offering one free month to a reader. Comment here to be entered - and there are more chances to enter on Instagram @kelley_lovelikecrazy

Winner will be chosen May 1st. US residents only.

Can I Not Title Some Posts?

Who is running out of even more boring post titles? Just me?

In summarizing our week last week, I forgot to add the following text conversation.

K: I just listed Emma for sale for $6 in my mom's group. Porch pick up.

D: ....should I come home?

K: No, it was an accident, I tried to list a coffee mug but posted the wrong picture. #sleepdeprivation Then, it was too funny to take down.

D: Well ... any buyers?

K: Yep. Bidding war. She got all the way to $10.

She's really started noticing her feet lately. Probably her painted toes.

Unrelated - I need to figure out how to manage two kids and a cell phone so I can actually get some pictures of our shenanigans. The last few hours before Dan gets home are the hardest. Livi is up from her nap and Emma is pissed at her existence (or the fact that I tried to sell her?). So we do anything to entertain Olivia so I can try to calm Emma.

This week it has consisted of silly string, sprinklers, a water table, real paint, and cans of shaving cream. Our neighbors have taken to waiting outside for us because they know we've got something to entertain their kids. I don't promise that they wont be covered in paint or soaking wet when they come home. But Olivia loves the company. 

Also unrelated - anyone know how to get silly string off a driveway?

Our Week

Just a glimpse into our week - because who has time to write read a long post. 

Olivia was eating mac and cheese and she looked at me and said "mommy you no can have mac and cheese." I said, "that's right Olivia." She then looked up and said "Don't worry mommy, you still can have coffee!" Once she learns the word bourbon, she'll really be able to cheer me up.

Took her to Dunkin Donuts to kill time because I'm an idiot and went to Crate and Barrel before it opened. She said "mama you can no have donuts." And I said, "thats right Olivia - but what can mommy have?" Waiting for her to say coffee. "Umm ... the bag?" as she eyes the brown paper bag on the table. #suchab

Emma rolled from back to belly for the first time while on the coffee table. Being mom of the year, I had left her to grab another diaper. I thought we had at least another two months for that.

Took Olivia for a walk and asked her to pick out some good shoes. She, clearly, chose bedroom slippers. Not wanting to admit defeat, she told the neighbor boy, Adrian, "just walk Ad-den! No running outside!" 

Speaking of shoes, I legitimately showed up to another mom's house not wearing any. #trainwreck

I had to decorate a hat for Olivia for school. Thanks for the homework guys. And then didn't go to her 'parade' so Emma could get one good nap in. Afterward I had anxiety about her taking that memory with her to therapy as she overcomes her heroine addiction. 

Currently eating a bag of carrots wishing they were mozzarella sticks dipped in queso. 

Emma vs. Olivia Two Months

I just love seeing these side by side.

Same bow. Not planned.

Emma - Two Months

Cannot believe my baby is two months old. The past week I swear she has gotten bigger everyday. Also, I still can't believe we have another child. I call her Olivia a lot like the senile grandmother who can't get the sibling's names straight. It may sound weird, but I feel like we are re-living Olivia, and it hasn't sunk in that we have two. I also could use more sleep. 

I spy painted toes and a big sister hand.

Height: 21 3/4 inches
Weight: 10 pounds 3 ounces

Sleep: Why is this one always first? Such a downer. Sleep is ... better? Previously, Emma would take around 4-5 hours to 'put down' - sleep for about an hour and then eat, refuse to eat except every 3 hours and cry most of the night, with maybe 45 minute sleeps. We know that was all attributed to how much her stomach hurt her as she would cry and grunt and pull her knees up. BUT she was going a 5-6 hour stretch without eating - so I was hopeful.

After 2.5 weeks of this diet, things might be looking a little better? She now eats every 2 hours at night .. womp womp. But she does fall asleep for 1-1.5 hours afterward. So while it is hard to get up so many times, I love that there has been so much less crying. This has only been happening the last two nights - so it could be a fluke. Her 2 month shots were today, and Olivia screamed for a week straight after those. So I'm sure we are in for it.

Eating: She eats 9-10 times a day - which is still newborn status.

Best Moment of the Month: Honestly, probably figuring out that Emma has the protein intolerance. I would ask friends for sleeping advice and we had tried everything they said. Some people made it seem like I was clearly doing things wrong if Emma slept as little as she did. I just knew there was something else going on. One pediatrician said "food and sleep should bring comfort to babies - if they aren't, something is wrong." That is so true. We are early in this journey, but Emma already spits up SO much less and seems much more comfortable and in a lot less pain. We have a ways to go on sleep, but I'm glad my baby is starting to feel better.

Parent of the Month: This totally goes to me again. I was eating chips with her in my lap and a piece of salt fell right onto her lip. Before I could grab it she licked her lips and her eyes lit up with this huge smile! She might like salt as much as her daddy. 

Milestones: Right after the one month post, she started rolling from belly to back. I can't believe it! I make her do it all the time, convinced that it was just a fluke. She has always been super smiley, even as a newborn. I thought it was around 2 months that they learn to smile with their eyes open (as opposed to that sleepy, reflex smile) but this girl has been smiling since she was born. Also crazy. You can tell she's dying to laugh out loud, but hasn't gotten there yet.

She also wormed her way up to her pacis, rolled on her side and sucked the paci in her mouth twice the other night. Who is this child? She really doesn't even like pacis.

Clothes / Diapers: 0-3 month clothes and size 1 diapers. 

Favorites: I'm still loving the wrap for wearing Emma. We finally invested in a double stroller which is a lifesaver. On days where Emma is fussy and wont sleep, and Olivia insists on being entertained, we can go for a long walk to kill the time until Dan gets home. Sometimes we make our way over to TCBY and spoil Olivia's dinner - just depends on how the day goes.  Emma takes all of her naps in the swing, so we couldn't live without that as well.

What most of the two month pictures looked like:

Photo Catch Up

If I have shared some of these before, I apologize, it's the lack of sleep. But I think I haven't put any of these on the blog yet. 

She's already gotten so much bigger! Olivia is so good with her. She'll say "Emma, you spit up!" and go get a burp cloth to wipe her face. She always tells her she loves her and tickles her "itty bitty baby feet." She's always concerned we might leave her at home. Everywhere we go, Olivia says "Emma's coming too??" When Emma goes down for each of her naps Olivia kisses her cheek and says "Good night Emma! Sweet dreams!" She brings her toys during all of her awake times and tries to get her to roll over by saying "Emma look this way." Every burp she goes "good burping Emma! so proud of you!" If Emma is crying Olivia runs in with the paci and says "its okay Emma" and rubs her head trying to calm her down. It just melts my heart seeing the two of them together. Olivia couldn't love her little sister more!