Month 4: Sleepy is as Sleepy Does

Ellie had a lot of firsts this month. She has developed little wispy curls at the back of her head, and has started seriously teething. She'll nom anything that comes near her mouth - including hair, matchbox cars, and college students. If drool were a currency, we'd be rolling in wealth (and I mean that quite literally).

She's definitely been working out, because her muscles are getting pretty strong. She's been sitting up unassisted for longer and longer stretches of time - it won't be too long before she can sit reliably.

Her bubbly little soul has been busy melting hearts:

 

And she's been picking up new nicknames left and right:

We  call this one the "Goober-Mensch." Nerd jokes, anyone? Anyone? No? Okay. 

Kekoa introduced her to his favorite baby toy, the little piano.

 She thought it was so great that she wanted to push the buttons.  Unfortunately, she couldn't figure out how to lean on one elbow without rolling over.

It was great fun until it wasn't anymore.

Speaking of that Koa, how's he doing? Oh, just fine. Lately he's been pinning himself to walls and shouting "Help help! I'm stuck!" as he tries to pull away.  

there's an invisible hand holding him to the wall. really.

 Back to Elle-Belles. She was utterly underwhelmed by her first snow.

And got to spend her first Thanksgiving with her Uncle Aaron, among others.

It was a pretty good month. Especially because she started sleeping 10-12 hours a night.  When the weather turned cold we discovered that keeping the apartment a little chilly keeps the kids in bed longer...talk about perverse incentives! She adores watching her big brother, gets excited about eating, and loves video calls with the grandparents. She's also getting to the stage where she's a little bored with the little baby stuff like bouncers and not quite ready for big baby stuff like jumpers.

I think I've told Josh a million times this month "I wish we could just freeze her at this age," because it's really just perfect. But I also can't wait to see what comes next. :)

Month 3: All's Fair in Love and Spit-up

Ellie didn't want to write her three month post, so I guess it's my turn. To be honest, she's still kinda...blobby, so Kekoa will probably show up as much as (or more than) Ellie. Hey, you want a post all about you, you can write it yourself. (Hashtag notafirstborn)

Kekoa continues to adore his little sister and hams around with her all the time. He's been a great little helper in bringing me burp cloths and water, wiping up spills, and being my baby monitor. He's fascinated by all things baby and likes to pretend to be one himself.

He is, however, on a personal mission to make sure that I get an adequate source of mommy guilt. You know, in case the internet isn't living up to its sole purpose in life. Scene: I'm in the kitchen making hamburger patties (read: raw meat ALL over). Ellie wakes up from her nap.

K: "Mommy, baby sad."
M: "Yes, I'll get her as soon as I'm done here."
K: "Baby cry. Poor baby Ellie."
M: "Yes, I know. I'll get her soon."
K (to himself, repeatedly): "Baby Elli-nana cry. Help baby. Baby sad. Baby crying crying crying. Nurse baby. Poor baby. Poor poor baby."

Then the other day he noticed some cradle cap on Ellie's scalp. "Baby itchy! Help baby!" he shouted, attempting to scratch her head. He absolutely refused to move until I took care of the poor baby's head to relieve the itchiness.

Hamming it up together (no, he's not crying. He's making a face for the camera because he's 2.)

He's also developing his little independent self since he's not getting as much attention. The current fad is Lego Duplo fashion shows while I feed the baby. Fire trucks, dump trucks, and crane trucks come parading out for my approval. His biggest breakthrough was when he figured out how to connect the cars to make a semi truck.  My my, wasn't that an exciting day in the K household!

Crane truck and dump truck, awaiting inspection

Explaining how he made the fire truck

He also enjoys "reading" things to himself, which provides Josh and I with endless hilarity.

On a Caterpillar-brand construction toy: "C-A-T spells bulldozer!"
On Ellie's bed: "P-A-C-K-N-P-L-A-Y.....bed!"
On our digital alarm: "S-O-N-Y....clock!"

Ellie's doing great too. Josh and I still marvel at her impossible level of patience. It's possible for a baby to lay in bed quietly and not be asleep???

Calm

She is more sensitive to things like wet diapers, cold weather, and the need to burp. We always know when she's uncomfortable (Kekoa,on the other hand, wouldn't have minded being in a dirty diaper for days). But it's so much easier to handle crying when you know there's a specific reason, and as soon as we help her feel better she'll be her tranquil little self. We'll see how she does with the cold!

Post-change happiness

 She loves to chat and is quite the little diva - once she gets your attention, you'd better not look away or she'll start screeching to win you back. She recently had a gig as a model when my mom pulled out all my old baby clothes while we were visiting. Of course, we had to try them out and do a picture comparison:

You'd never guess SHE was the one with Hawaiian blood.

We also switched her to cloth diapers, which makes her look ridiculously similar to a pear (albeit a very cute pear). It also put a stop to rolling over...she just can't flip herself over the great big rear end bulk. And although it might be a tad bit mean, it's fun to watch her try - like watching an upside down turtle. :P But she remains the calmest little wiggleworm you ever did see and we love her oh so much.

3 Months

Month 2: Practically a Grown-Up

Hello world! I have now survived my first two months!  I know you all are hoping for an update from my busy and active life.

Naturally, my main jobs still consist of entertaining middle-aged women by simply existing, and continuing to exercise my bodily functions. I am quite good at both, I might add.  I like to play games: the "see-how-may-times-I-can-make-Daddy-change-his-shirt" game, the "see-how-many-diapers-I-can-use-in-one-hour" game, and the "see-how-loudly-I-can-burp-in-the-middle-of-the-sermon" game. I also enjoy tummy time, but I prefer to be on my back. That's probably because brother likes to see how long can I keep things balanced on my head while I'm on my tummy.

 Speaking of brother, I'm still his favorite person. He likes to take naps with me. Haha, the joke's on him, because sometimes I'm not actually napping but he goes to sleep anyway.

He also still loves to share with me when I cry to make me feel better, but he doesn't always ask permission first. I prefer felt pieces to bulldozers, though what I'd really like is a little personal space (excepting Mommy and Daddy, of course).

Being offered a 2-year-old's choo choos is a sign of high honor.

Daddy is my favorite person in the whole wide world. I like the way he holds me in the sling and I usually go to sleep on our walks together. It's just so cozy!

I have a variety of nicknames. Daddy calls me Elle, Elle Belle, Ellie Girl, and Blue Eyes. Brother calls me Belle, Baby Eh-yah, and Elli-Nana. Mom calls me Winston, Goober Pants, Stinky McStinkerson, Lovey Dove, and Chubs. She also says she hates the nickname "Ellie Belly" but she's the worst offender.  Here's a tip: don't let Mom pick your nickname.

Who does she think she's kidding? We all know I've got her wrapped around my finger.

My big milestone for this month was my very first plane ride, first trip to Disneyland, and first time meeting my uncles. I also slept eight hours straight some nights! Unfortunately, all this adult-like activity does not prevent Mom from dressing me up like a baby doll.

"Mom, WHAT is this monstrosity on my head?"

2 months

Month 1: Peace and Quiet are Overrated

The kids wanted to give Ellie's one month update together. Ellie talks like this and Kekoa talks like this.

I hope you weren't fooled by Mommy's last post. I am an adorable angel, of course, but I also have a feisty side. This girl knows how to bust a move! The other day I demonstrated my mad breakdancing skills - Mommy and Daddy looked over to find my whole torso and legs off the ground, while I balanced on my shoulders and head.  My motto is "Play hard, sleep hard."

And sometimes you just fall asleep in the middle of playing.

I don't get it. Everyone's all, "Wow, look at strong she is!" and I'm all, "Dude, she's a blob! Watch me almost do a somersault!" And speaking of double standards, MAJOR shiftiness here. One minute you're wrestling with Dad and everyone thinks it's funny and the next minute everyone's like "No, don't Hulk smash the baby!" And then the baby spits up and they're all like, "Oh, do you feel better, sweetie?" and then I spit and they're all like, "No spitting!" And let's not even get started on the diapers vs. potty. 

For some reason, it's cute when *I'm* hiding, but not cute when I help Ellie hide

Whatever, brother. Back to me. I really like riding in the sling, cooing, and pretty dresses. Actually, I don't really care about dresses at all. In fact, I personally share my brother's opinion that clothes ought to be optional. But for some reason everyone else seems to think they're great, and headbands too.  And hey, I'm not one to refuse adoration.

I try to be really helpful, but sometimes I just feel unappreciated. I keep trying to give the baby her pacifier but she refuses to take it. So I offer her my finger instead like I see Daddy do and then I'm being whisked away. I try to help burp her like Mommy, but I'm not allowed to anymore because they say I'm doing it "too hard". Do you want this kid to burp or not? And how exactly was I supposed to know her diapers were clean before I threw them away?  Just doing what I see my parents do, ya know?

Mommy says this is the most helpful job I have because it makes us all happier.

My brother's all right, I guess. He's kinda noisy and he keeps trying to stick his fingers in my mouth, but he's the first one to worry about me when I cry. That's really nice of him, because he always runs to get Mommy and tells her that I'm sad.  And he always makes sure to kiss me good night before his naps and bedtime. If Mommy and Daddy forget, he knocks on the door to remind them.

Supervising tummy time

The baby's all right, I guess. I really like holding her tiny little hands and counting her toes. And I really love kissing her. It makes me really sad when she cries and I try to make her feel better, but sometimes that just makes her cry harder and that makes me sad too.  But it makes me happy when Mommy lets me hold her all by myself.

Holding Hands

One Month

Different

It's early to make blanket statements, but so far, Ellie's infancy has been basically the opposite of Kekoa's infancy. Observe:

2-week-old Kekoa: "I woke up and there's no one holding the baby. ALERT ALERT ALERT! Child neglect! Call the fire department!"

2-week-old Ellie: "Oh hey, I just woke up in my bed. Oooh, pretty window. Hey, maybe I should cough to let Mom know I'm awake. Or not."

The first responder to Ellie's cries. That might possibly be the reason she cries so little.

2-week-old Kekoa: "Hmm, it's dark in here and I don't hear any noises. The parentals seem to be passed out on the bed. ALERT ALERT ALERT! Are you guys alive? EVERYBODY PANIC! The baby's going to starve to death in a wasteland of corpses!"

2-week-old Ellie: "Hmm, it's dark in here and I don't hear any noises. That must mean I should go back to sleep for a few more hours."

"Will six hours be enough, Mom? Or should I go for seven?"

2-week-old Kekoa: "I'M HUNGRY. FEED ME FEED ME FEED ME."

2-week-old Ellie: "Hey Mom, I'm a little hungry. I might cry if you don't feed me in the next fifteen minutes. Oh what's that? You're unloading the dishwasher? That's cool, go ahead and finish. I might just go back to sleep anyway."

Just me, chilling until someone can get to me

2-week-old Kekoa: "I'm little. Feed me every two hours. What does the clock say? Two hours is coming up! Isn't it time yet? How about now? No? How about now? No? How about every hour instead?"

2-week-old Ellie: "I'm little, so I must need sleep to grow. Don't worry, Mom, I'll eat well when I wake up, but I've still got another hour in me."

Next to a 6-9 month onesie - hard to imagine this fitting her five months from now!

2-week-old Kekoa: "I want to nurse. I want to nurse in this position, all the time. Do. not. move. Do not scratch your nose. Do not adjust your arm. Do not sneeze. If you move from this position I cannot nurse and I will starve. And there will be pain."

2-week-old Ellie: "Whatevs, Mom. Just so long as there's milk."



To be fair, Kekoa had undiagnosed food allergies that caused acid reflux, so it wasn't all personality. The poor little guy was in pain most of the time. But oh boy am I glad we had him first.  If Ellie had been born first, we would have been absolutely blindsided by Kekoa. Even if this is a just a prolonged sleepy newborn stage, it has been amazing to get a chance to recover.

Almost Not an Only Child

Kekoa is just ...a week? ...2 weeks? ...heaven help us if 3 weeks away....from being an older brother, and he has No Idea what's about to hit him. In the meantime, he is developing his newly 2-year-old personality. So this is a post for Kekoa, on Kekoa, about Kekoa, before 90% of my pictures are of a sleeping baby.

Josh and I like to say that Kekoa is a man of many passions. He wears his heart on his sleeve, which provides plenty of both challenges and heartmelts in parenting. For one thing, he's extremely affectionate and always wants to hug, kiss, hold hands, or just snuggle. It can be a problem with other kids who aren't quite so touchy (which is all of them. He's a serious snuggler, y'all), but hopefully Ellie will be okay with it.

One of his favorite post-nap activities is to schmooze whoever's home into snuggling with him. Usually it's just 15 minutes or so of having your eyes, ears, nose, elbows, and toenails generally harassed and examined, but sometimes he falls back asleep for another 30-45 minutes. But forget about tiptoeing away - he's a master of entanglement. I've been savoring these last few mini-naps with him before there's another kiddo calling.

Post-nap snuggles with Dad

Part of his passionate nature means that he gets very strongly attached to ideas, concepts, and even words. Each night before bed, his cars and trucks have to be lined up just so before he can brush his teeth, but then when he actually climbs into bed they all join him for a good night's sleep. He also is obsessed with clocks, dice games, numbers, and the letter K (which stands for "Koa").

Can't pick just one best friend to cuddle at night

Kekoa is also a man of few words, but very distinct ones. He's a type-A perfectionist who doesn't like to try new words until he's absolutely sure he can make the proper sounds, and then hilariously overexaggerates them. It can be frustrating for all of us sometimes because he understands far more than he is willing to say, but I do love to hear him say "ReaD, Puh-LeaSe" in that very careful way he has.

Josh's hat has been christened "Tut Tut" (like Christopher Robin's umbrella) because it's so big on him

My mom always used to say of me that I was always rushing ahead to get to the next stage of life: as soon as I could crawl, I wanted to walk, as soon as I could walk I wanted to read, as soon as I could write I wanted to go to college.  Kekoa seems to be the same way. He shows absolutely zero interest in typical toddler things like learning colors and shapes. But he wants to be an independent adult NOW (as long as independent adults get to snuggle, that is).

This helps a ton in areas like moving to a big boy bed and potty training, not so much in areas that involve us making decisions on his behalf and then forcing them upon him like "You must wear pants today."  Throw in his passionate nature and you've got a recipe for lots of new milestones and family drama. It always seems we just cruise through the big changes with just minor hitches, and then some little thing takes months to resolve. Life stays interesting around here. :)

RoboCow (the only way we could get him to wear the ears) for free Chik-Fil-A. I made the mistake of taking the picture after dinner...most of his front spots had been peeled off.

On the other hand, he's developing a pretty good ability to self-regulate. I rarely bother to put him down for naps anymore...I just listen for his door to close, which is the signal that it's nap time. I hear him throughout the day saying to himself, "No no, Koa!" whenever he's about to do something questionable. I think it's hilarious when his trains tell him "No no Koa!" as he crashes them together. :)  As long as we're in agreement about the rules, he's pretty good about keeping himself in line. It's just those pesky non-agreements....

So that's a snapshot of Kekoa as he is right now - I know that we will face a lot of changes in the next couple months.  But for now we're enjoying the last few days of being able to give him our full attention and snuggles.                           

Gratuitous pregnancy picture from last week.       

Strong Will

In Kekoa's room, there is a futon for guests. He loves to have someone in there with him and actually sleeps better (usually) with a guest in his room.

He's been asking to sleep on the futon for some time now. We told him no. We were going to have to get a second baby bed, but we weren't quite ready to trust him to actually sleep instead of playing with his toys. We also didn't want to make too many big changes so close to the baby's arrival, and this was not one of our priorities.

Then one day, I gave his usual 15-minute warning that naptime was coming up. He disappeared into his room. 15 minutes later, I found him like this:

He had put himself down for his nap early to ensure his preferred sleeping place. He did the same thing the next three days, and napped longer than usual. 

We still told him no to bedtime, though. So one night his soft-hearted daddy was putting him to bed and Kekoa climbed up on the futon and covered himself with his blanket. And his daddy bought it hook, line, and sinker.

That first night we went in an hour later and put him in his regular bed, as we could hear him definitely NOT sleeping. He was not pleased. It took about a week to convince us to let him try again, which he did by using the same tactic - putting himself to bed and falling asleep.

And so the rest is history. He's been on the futon for two weeks now. He stopped putting himself down early as soon as it was clear we would let him sleep there.

The good news is that we now have the pack n' play free for little girl.

The terrifying news is that my not-quite-two-year-old is determined, stubborn, and crafty enough to decide on, plan for, and execute his own move to a big boy bed. I think I have my hands full with this one.