Blair of course hit her 4 month mark, and these were probably the realest photos I could catch. She wasn't in the mood, and Colin was doing what I asked but I could tell Blair was getting on his nerves, so I didn't force it. That's life though - someday I know they will laugh at these pictures.
Blair also had her 4 month check-up, and she's doing awesome! She's 95th percentile in height and 49th percentile in weight. This round of shots was particularly tough for her, so it was good her big brother was there to help her out!
Our biggest and best adventure of the month was our family's first major road trip together! We met Chris' family in Branson, MO in early May. It was about a 10 hour drive with no stops, but as anyone with kids can attest you can add 1/3 hours to any road trip with kids, especially when you're breastfeeding. I was so proud of both kids though - they did really, really well. Of course they had their moments, but after all, no one likes to be constrained in a seat for long periods of time no matter how old you are! Here's a blurry photo of Colin releasing some energy in the hotel room (don't tell Dad).
The long car ride was worth it to see all of our cousins, aunts & uncles, grandparents and even great Grandma! It was a total of 9 adults and 8 kids under the age of five, and when you hear those numbers your mind thinks : circus! There was a lot of activity but all the kids were so great every single day. No major fights or meltdowns, and they all had a blast playing with each other. There was a good balance too between getting out and seeing the sights and staying in and relaxing at the house. I could go on for pages about all the fun, but the pictures speak for me - look at the happy faces! We look forward to the next time we can see everyone, and to see how the kids grow and change.
Downtown Branson
Indoor waterpark! Colin was there too, but any picture of him would've been just a blur.
Go Karts and Arcade!
Fun at the house!
And then it was back to business as usual, with just these two to occupy each other's time. Here are some highlights from May!
Home Depot workshop was a windmill planter. The dirt lasted about 4 days in the pot before being knocked over - by DAD!
Farmer's Market season is upon us! I love going, and it turns out Colin does too! After we went opening weekend he was always asking to go again. He loves browsing, but I can only stand it for about an hour; alone with two kids in a small, hot, crowded space...you get the idea. Yet we continue to go!
We had another dance party this month - and Colin didn't disappoint. To quote Chris "That kid is in his own world and is completely unapologetic about it."
Dad was golfing one Sunday, and it was WAY too hot to have them outside, so I took a gamble and we went to the dog show. It wasn't what I was expecting; I didn't see any agility or obstacle courses going when we were there, but they did have dock diving. On the way out they had a makeshift photo booth and Colin had to participate - he of course picked Blair's hat.
Now that it is warmer and not as wet from April rains, we're able to get outside a lot more often. We had a couple picnics and trips to the parks and playgrounds to occupy their time together.
I've been doing a lot of yard work this month too. I've waited so long to have a house and a yard, and I really wanted to make it my own this summer so we could continue to enjoy it for years to come. It doesn't happen as quickly as I'd like with two kids, but luckily they both like being outside so I can usually bring them with me when I'm working. We've also been able to enjoy our awesome deck!
Colin has started to ask me now to do science experiments, which I love. Of course he doesn't understand the science behind them, but I tell him what I'm doing and have him guess what might happen in each one. His reactions are priceless. Let me just say that I am glad baking soda and vinegar are so cheap!
We didn't do as much baking this month - mostly because we were outside - but Colin managed to make some marshmallows dipped in chocolate & sprinkles and some cheesecake cupcakes for Dad's birthday. Very serious business.
Speaking of Dad's birthday - here's how Colin wished him Happy Birthday!
They still play pretty well together, but Blair is starting to grab and scratch and it does make Colin mad. I have to explain that she's a baby and she doesn't know she's hurting him, and that she pulls my hair and scratches me too! The most important thing is that he comes and tell me when she does something similar to him instead of hitting her back. There have been a few times where he's hurt her (bonked heads, hit her, threw something at her) so I can't take as many liberties leaving them alone together for too long anymore. It is hard to explain to Colin why he's getting in trouble for hurting her and she doesn't when she hurts him, and I think it frustrates him - understandably so. Of course, Colin still loves her and wants to be with her always, and she thinks he's hilarious, but we just have to be more mindful and cautious of when they are together.
COLIN! Poor kid hears that quite a bit these days. His listening skills have really improved (he still asks, "but why?" every time you ask him not to do something) and has done a really amazing job not throwing fits when I'm alone in public with Blair. Since Blair is older now and I have a little more freedom/sleep, I can make more time to spend with just Colin and do things that he enjoys, and I think that keeps him from acting out. Don't get me wrong, he still has his moments where he is a total jerk tyrant (like just now he kicked a toy out of B's hand), but these days there's usually a reason (hungry, tired, hot, etc).
I've been playing games with Colin to get him used to taking turns. He does surprisingly well, but loses interest pretty quickly. He also doesn't understand the concept of winning/losing (bless him) and he thinks the goal of the game below is to get the Yeti to fall into the spaghetti bowl (it's the opposite). I don't hold him too close to the rules at this point, just being patient is the name of the game these days!
Colin (and mom!) has finally found a friend. They love playing together, and I get along really well with his mom. Making new friends with other moms is a lot harder than you'd think - you have to like the mom, her parenting style and her kids! It is the mom trinity!
I went to brush Colin's teeth and noticed some bright pink in his teeth. Crayon. It seems he has regressed back to eating and tasting everything!
I was woken up one fine morning to Colin waving an Italian sausage around in my face (insert pervert joke here). I walked out to find him playing grocery store. Look at him, expecting me to pay for them.
And my sweet little Blair. She's just growing so fast, and meeting the milestones and then some. Still happy and laid back as ever, just like her Dad! Blair is pretty content to play on her own, but will let you know when she wants you to come back and play! She loves going on adventures and is the best little sidekick to Colin and I wherever we go. I take her chair with us whenever I can, and I got her a little tent for beach days, or when there's no shade for her to lounge in.
This little monkey can roll back to front all day, but doesn't roll back over. I know she can, because she's done it before, so I'm not sure what her deal is. The only issue is before she sleeps, she will roll onto her belly and if she doesn't fall asleep right away, she will fuss to get me to roll her back over. So I've been seeing a bunch of this lately:
Blair always has something on her mind, and is very chatty. Her favorite thing is to hold a toy or her pacifier up above her and just sit there and talk to it.
I can't begin to explain how fortunate I feel to be able to stay home with both kids, especially Blair since she's constantly changing, even day to day. I do have my moments, and when I lose it I am conscious to try and explain to Colin that it was wrong how I reacted but why I reacted that way. I try to tell myself everything is a teaching moment, and kid's are your mirror. And at times I see Colin doing things I am not overly proud of that he clearly got from me (telling the lady at the Memorial Day Parade that we have "f*cking bastard squirrels in our basement") but I also see him doing really kind things (like standing up to bullies for other kids), and that makes my heart happier & more proud than ever.
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