Foot pursuits and heating pads

So right now it's very quiet around the house. Max is at a friend's house and Luke is sleeping peacefully in his swing. You would think I would be enjoying this time, and I would if it weren't for the stabbing pain in my lower back. You see, it all started Monday morning around 11:00. About this time every morning, Sesame Street ends and so does Max's attention span. I quickly throw on his shoes and kick him out to the backyard to burn off energy. It took a while for me (and Max) to feel secure enough to send him out on his own. We had to clear and childproof the yard so he could have some freedom... backfire! I'm not sure how this qualifies as a milestone, but on Monday at 11:00am Max climbed over the 5 foot fence behind our house. As I went out to check on him, I caught him running across the ditch and onto the 3 foot fence that borders the busy road behind our house. I screamed at him to stop and I got a very nonchalant, "Okay, Mommy." from him. However, to Max, "Okay" just means, "that's nice whatever you just said, but I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing." I attempted to climb the fence (yes, I'm out of shape too) but quickly realized I would have to climb back over it with an unwilling toddler. So I quickly ran to the garage, hopped in my car, and squealed out of the driveway and around the corner just in time to see him get over the fence and start to run toward the road, all the while my baby is laying on the floor screaming in the living room. The kid is C-R-A-Z-Y! I really don't know what to do to contain him. I thought our yard was big enough, but apparently not for this free spirit.
My back has been a little wacky ever since lugging Luke the Puke around. I think the stress of pulling my toddler off the fence, acerbated it. It was a little throbby that evening, but then yesterday morning I attempted to get up quickly off the floor to answer the phone and SNAP! I looked just like an old person in the cartoons that walks around bent over at the waist. It was a little alarming to find I was unable to get up... then Max jumped on my back. Awesome. My wonderful friends took my children and I made an adventure-filled trip to the Chiropractor. Anyone else have their chiropractor check their facebook page while working on you or make small talk about how they're filing bankruptcy? I don't think I'll be making a return trip to him anytime soon. In the mean time, I'm walking around with heating pads and ice packs tucked in my waistband trying so hard not to make any sudden movements or heaven forbid, sneeze.

Monkey Max is Two!

Most days I find myself trying to calculate exactly how many days I have until Max enters kindergarten. Nursery has given me a taste of what school could be like... hours of quiet!!
Today is different, I'm feeling a little nostalgic.

Two years ago today I was pretty sure this baby was not going to come out. Max's dramatic entrance should have tipped me off that we were headed for trouble. The moment the doctor announced he was, in fact, a boy, he peed on me. From birth, he has had a mind of his own. He has to do things his own way, in his own time... not that I know anything about that. I never would have guessed that the same person who woke up every 45 minutes for the first two months of his life, peed through every piece of clothing, and refused to take a bottle would turn out to be one of my favorite people. These past two years have flown by, and I can't help missing my fuzzy headed little monkey baby who could only sleep snuggled up on my chest.

Happy Birthday, Monkey!

Randomness

So I wish I could post pictures from Luke's baby blessing but alas, pregnancy left me with crap for brains. We didn't take a single picture the entire day. Just another thing for Luke to present to his therapist in the future. Thanks to all the family that came to support us that weekend.
Here are some random pictures instead.

Turns out Luke is scared of the camera. I took many pictures, with and without the flash, but every time I got this wide eyed look out of him. He is really getting cute. He loves to smile and show off his dimple. He coos and squawks a lot. Best of all, he sleeps! We are up to 6 hours consistently at night. I'm sure lots of babies out there do it better, but in this house, that's a record. We tried formula the other night out of curiosity and Mr. Piggy didn't even flinch. Luke is already wearing 3 month clothing (which Max was wearing at 6 months). I'm picturing him sitting on Max as soon as he can catch him.


I had a milestone of my own. I made a trip to Michaels with two kids, bought everything I wanted (at half off, no less), came home without a tantrum, and decorated with what I bought. Ok, it's not the grandest floral arrangement, but I love looking at it because I was able to do it with both boys. It's proof that I can do this mom thing!


We're still working on projects around the house. Joey worked on the spa this weekend, working out the kinks so we can sell it finally. He tried to convince me we should keep it, but I'd rather have the money. Here is Max doing his part.


Lastly, here's a picture of Max, back from camping over night with his daddy. It's amazing how less than 24 hours can produce that much dirt. He says his own prayers at night now. His favorite phrase right now is, "Thanks...that's nice!" I guess he's trying positive reinforcement on us. He also has discovered his love of bubble bath. Randomly throughout the day he'll smile and tell me, "I got bub-bows." Whatever gets him through the day, I guess.

Max gets a DUI

From one month

For some unexplicable reason, Max has decided he can, in fact, eat meat and vegetables. For two nights he has eaten his entire dinner! Okay, so we bribed him with strawberries, but he ate a whole meatball the other night! I can think of worse things than bribing your child with fruit. As a side note, I have tried bribing him many, many times before, he just has decided to take me up on it finally. He also said the prayer before dinner last night. Well... okay, he mumbled a few words and ended it with an enthusiastic "MEN!" I figure if anyone can, God can translate Toddler. Yes Max is starting to mature, so much in fact, he has tried to drink his first beer. We were at the park yesterday (mind you I was in the car feeding Luke while the other responsible parent was in charge of Max) when Max decided to cozy up to a nice man with a beer can at a picnic table (I'm pretty sure Joey was nearby...maybe). Max helped himself to the man's beer (Joey assures me he didn't actually get any in his mouth) and in the process of trying to chug it, spilled the can all over the front of him. We drove home with our wino of a toddler in the back seat saying, "I love you, man! You're the best!" Okay, I made up that last part, but he certainly reeked of alcohol on the way home.

Luke, however, has decided to just say no to the stuff, as beer is high in calories. He's up to 10 pounds already, and gaining. He's started cooing and I'm amazed I have a baby with a longer attention span than my toddler. I know people say their smiles aren't real at this point, but he really has some mischevious ones. He's probably formulating evil plans to use on Max at a later date. I haven't captured them on camera yet because I have my hads pretty full all day. In fact, I'm feeling pretty guilty about the gazillion newborn pictures I have of Max and the ten I have of Luke. I'll just have to buy Luke's love when he get's older.

Campout

Joey and Max are off to the Father and Sons campout tonight. It's interesting how my perspective has changed. Things seemed so much harder with Max as a newborn. I would have cringed at the idea of being left alone with him overnight. Many nights I spent bouncing him in his bouncer with my foot trying to figure out something to make him stop crying. Now, the thought of being alone with Luke for the night sounds peaceful and easy. I don't have to chase him around anywhere and his demands are relatively simple. Oh yeah, and he doesn't know the word, "No!" yet. I just hope Max makes it home in one piece and doesn't try to run away to be raised by bears.

Baby Luke

It seemed like I was never going to go into labor with this baby. I never really put any stock into old wives tales that were supposed to put you into labor, so I never tried them. Thursday, I was fed up. I did not want a repeat of Max and sit at home contracting (but not enough) for two days. Joey came home from work and since it wasn't stifling hot anymore, we went for a walk. I was actually keeping the pace, and by the third block, I started having contractions 10 mins apart. We got home and it continued. What would be the logical next step? Well, go to Taco Smell, of course. I did not want to be in the hospital for-ev-er starving, so I loaded up on a quesadilla (yeah, yeah, not the smartest). By the time we got back home from Taco Bell, my contractions were about 5 mins apart. We decided to head up the hill towards Reno, making plans with my mom and sister along the way. Because it's me, my contractions stopped as soon as I got on the monitors. I tried my best to stay positive in case she sent us home thinking we could go to Farmer's Market and I could get on that nice bungee contraption to make the baby fly out. Finally I got some really hard contractions and she let us stay.
We arrived at St. Mary's at about 7:00pm and Luke James Light was born at 3:00am exactly. He is a hefty fellow weighing in at 8 pounds, 15 ounces and measuring 22 inches. I think the heftiest part is his umm... sack. Apparently he has retained some fluid there, so his diaper is a little snug around the racket ball-size...balls. He seems to be a pretty calm baby and is content to be a blob. We are keeping our fingers crossed he stays this way. He has two chins, no neck, and a full head of hair. At the moment he has deep blue eyes, but I think that will probably change(I don't want to get my hopes up).
I'm doing good. Recovery has been a TON better this time and surprisingly no tears or sutures to heal from. We've had great nurses this time and now we're just waiting for the okay to get outta here!

From Luke James Light

The Final Countdown

We are now T minus 5 days for countdown. I think I'm finally ready. Last week was a mad rush to finish my online education class. This week is actually the last week of the class, but with my "bag-a-bulgin'" as Sarah likes to call it, I didn't want to take any chances. I asked my instructor to work with me just in case I went into labor. She eagerly said, "Sure, what'd you have in mind?" I asked for a simple extension on my final just in case I went into labor. She responded to my email with an ever so helpful, "No, you cannot have an extension. You can just finish everything a week early, ok?" Not ok! So as I raced around BSing my final assignment, Max had to intervene. He somehow plugged the laptop adapter into the outlet (child plug covers are no match for him), tripped the breaker, and shorted out my adapter. With no battery and no adapter I was freaking. Outsourced Dell support to the rescue. I have no idea what the Middle Eastern woman said half the phone call, but she nicely overnighted me an adapter and I finished my ridiculous class! Now we are just waiting for this baby to arrive. The next date that my doctor said she would induce me is on the 3rd, so atleast I know I only have to make it until then. For now, I'll just settle for running through the sprinklers with Max.