Did you hear that?

BW is in this fun stage where she says "Did you hear that?" or "Did you see that?" and the hubs and I almost always repeat it and giggle because all we can think of is Elf and Will Farrell and the belch scene when he says "did you hear that?"  It's awesome. 

Christmas with 2 and a half year olds is SO MUCH FUN.  They get it enough to be excited about it this year.  They can sing large portions of Christmas songs and have some favorites (Rudolph, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah...)

Christmas with 2 and a half year olds and an infant is EXHAUSTING.  Nugget started sleeping better, and is taking bottles again (hooray!) but then got sick and therefore sleeping like poo again, plus is suddenly starvingmusteatseveraltimesatnightbecauseyoudidn'tfeedmeforafewweeksexceptforthoseyuckybottlethings.
I got a whopping 6 hours of interrupted sleep last night, some of which was on SB and BW's floor since BW must have had a nightmare and either wanted to sit in the bathroom pretending to poop with the lights blazing or have me sleep next to her on the floor.  Floor it is.  So, we're hosting both Christmas Eve and Christmas day at our house (thank you, divorced parents).  Luckily, the hubs is the cook in the family, an this week is the week our cleaning lady comes, but still.  I already don't have enough time.  Even with doing nearly all of my shopping online, I am still struggling to find time to wrap the gifts. Christmas cards just got finished up last night (and in the mail today! they might make it!).  Work still needs to be done and stuff, and the end of the year is looming quickly.  At least I'm sort of halfway not really but its better than it was caught up on laundry. 

So, I could be freaking out.  I could be sleeping even less to get everything done (and I probably will tonight and tomorrow) but last night as we wrote out Christmas cards we had ice cream and DH and I teased each other and laughed and entertained DSD with our witty banter and childish behavior (there was a pen fight that drew blood and tickling and sitting on one another and otherwise acting not our age).  It was a great pre-holiday evening.

Bottle refusal

Nugget has taken me into new territory once again.  About a month ago, she started getting wishy-washy about taking her bottles.  Daycare was struggling to get her to take her whole bottle.  Daddy was struggling at home to get her to take her whole bottle.  I wasn't too worried because she was teething and was only missing out on a few ounces here and there. 

Now, a month later, the little stinker is pretty much outright refusing bottles.  Takes an ounce here or there.  I can nurse over lunch most days, and have been doing so, but she is effectively taking in anywhere from 2-4 ounces in addition to her nursing session.  If she is getting a full session, which I think she is, she is probably getting close to the 9 oz she would be expected to take in, so I'm not too worked up about it, but it makes life more interesting, as I'm supposed to have a work trip coming up, that I am seriously expecting I might have to bring my mom with me on so she can watch Nugget and I can nurse, since she won't take bottles.  She's not nursing at night to make up for the low volume at daycare, in fact has dropped to one night waking, and isn't eating much for solids yet, so I'm a bit baffled.  She could easily be taking in 5+ oz a nursing session though, so 5 feedings could still be 20-25 oz of milk, which isn't abnormal. SB and BW were every-three-hours during the day and 1-2 times a night nursers until close to a year, so this chubby baby who slows down her eating thing is all new to me.

Sickness strikes again

It's only December, and I already feel like we are living at the doctor's office this cold and flu season.

SB kicked things off with an ear infection.  This was like her third ear infection total, so it wasn't really on my radar.  10 days of antibiotics later...

Nugget had her six month appointment, and as I wrote earlier, had a double ear infection. Since she's been on antibiotics twice recently (ear infection, then respiratory infection) they tried a Z-pac this time - three days of antibiotics for her.

Then, BW had a couple accidents at daycare, and was suddenly waking up every morning with a wet pull-up.  I greatly appreciate daycare, because I would probably have been clueless had they not gently suggested that accidents like that can be indicative of a UTI.  So, after a doctor visit and urine sample (I'll write more about that later) BW was diagnosed with a bladder infection.  7 days of antibiotics for her.  Then, she has to have a repeat urine sample 3 days after finishing the antibiotics.  The following week, Nugget is scheduled for an ear recheck to make sure her ears are clear since she's had two ear infections in short order.

Sigh.  At least giving birth this year means we met our deductible long ago.

The last time...

I read an article or blog post a few years ago, can't remember which, about how we celebrate the "firsts" for kids, but how it's the "lasts" that are the most bittersweet.  With Nugget, I am finding how true that is.  I am 99% sure she is our last baby.  As the article stated, you often don't even know that you had the "last" until it is already gone.  Like the last time baby fits into a newborn outfit.  Or the last time you see that gummy smile before a tooth pokes through. 

I've sold our infant swing.  The rock n play is folded up, waiting for me to list it for sale.  The bouncy seat is stashed in our storage room, also waiting to be sold.  Nugget is closer to seven months than six.  She is sitting up on her own, army crawling across the floor, and loving eating solids.  I am oh-so-tired, but I know that there will be  time not very far off that I will not sleepily carry Nugget into our room in the early morning hours, before the sun is quite up, and snuggle and nurse her while we both half-doze.

This morning, BW picked out her clothes, then completely dressed herself, except for a little help with her socks.  With three under three, I've been working on self-dressing with SB and BW, but to have it suddenly a reality makes me realize how quickly they are growing up.  SB talked excitedly this morning about how when she gets bigger she will ride on the school bus, the biggest one.  Soon enough, little one. 

......

Then, we got to daycare and BW threw a fit because she wanted to go first (I'm not sure what or how she wanted to go first, as we were walking down the hall and she was in front of me) and then SB started crying as well, because why wouldn't you cry if you sister is crying? Still my little toddlers, after all :)