What's Zach Up to?

I realized this morning that I've really let my blogging slide. There's been SO much going on that it's just been the last thing on my mind. The thing is... There is SO much going on that I should be blogging. So here's some snipits of what Zach's been up to as of late.

I've been conciously trying to create Zach time lately so that he wouldn't feel so bad that Kyle gets so much of the attention that was once his. I think it has actually really worked to keep him from acting up. Whenever I get Kyle down for a nap (which hasn't really gotten regular yet, but hopefully it will soon) if it's NOT Zach's nap time we have Zach time.

One day we made Rice Crispy treats. I believe this actually is what lead to the Rice Crispy disaster I posted about earlier. Zach LOVED the stirring. He sang the Bate-Bate Chocolate song from Dora as he mixed the marshmallows and butter.

Some friends of ours gave us a wagon and Zach has really enjoyed filling his buckets with rocks and then toting them around the yard.
We had some friends over to play outside on one of our nice weather days before the rain came. (BLAH!) The boys actually got along great! Some days they tend more towards "frienemies" but this was a great play date.
They even shared the car!
Zach is very helpful with Kyle. Whenever Kyle cries he shouts. "Uh OH! Kyle Binky!" And then goes on a search. When I took this picture, Zach had informed me that he was "helping" and I turned to find him shoving the binky in his mouth. The funny part was that Kyle seemed to be enjoying it and was grinning from ear to ear.
Here's Zach imitating ME! How embarrasing. I guess imitation IS the sincerest form of flattery. Right?
We found these boxes that fit perfectly under our coffee table so I labled one for blocks and one for trains. I guess I should have gotten a third to label "ZACH!".

P.S. he did this entirely on his own, no help or encouragement from either parental unit. What a HAM!

Guess What....

I have a toddler.

I guess this is just one of those moments that you act stern, put the child in time out, Hide in the other room while you giggle quietly to yourself while cheering for his independence and grabbing your camera before having a talk with him about asking mommy for help. I love that kid!

Zach's new puzzle

For Easter Zach got this giant puzzle and he is pretty thrilled with it.

As you can see!

Jason found it online for a super deal- $6 for the puzzle and a big toddler eye spy book. Zach is actually getting pretty good at assembling the puzzle with very little direction. He's also becoming quite a ham when the camera comes out.

Other Zach-isms

He's started adding syllables to words some of my favorites are

*Wo-wo-wo-wo (yellow)

* Ba-na-na-na-na

and my favorite

*Doh-guh-di-dit (yogurt)

He is also VERY polite as he is ALWAYS saying

*Dat-do (Thank you)

*Danks Mommy (or Daddy)

and even

*No Danks (said very ironically grumpy)

Basically whatever you say he will repeat (sometimes much to my dismay).

I will try to start keeping track of some fun stuff like this to record here, maybe for your enjoyment... but mostly so I have it recorded somewhere.

Grocery Shopping

Saturday I took BOTH boys shopping... BY MYSELF! It was the first time I have attempted such a feat. Jason was using a rug doctor to clean our carpets before our BIG open house on Sunday (more on that later) so we had to get out of the house. I had a couple of other errands to run and thankfully both boys were being perfect angels. Surprisingly cooperative... until nap time started to approach. Thankfully I made it through 2 retail stores and most of the grocery shopping before Zach really decided he was done, but THIS was the result.

It looks worse than it really was. I promise. He didn't have a meltdown or anything. We were actually in the checkout lane so I was a little frazzled trying to track down my wallet AND unload the cart AND keep Kyle happy AND corral this munchkin. It was way past naptime and Zach was very restless and VERY busy. Our trip culminated in Zach actually throwing his shoe at my HEAD! At which point he was put in a makeshift checkout lane "timeout" leading to his sprawling out on the oh so clean floor... ewww. I guess there's worse things. I think they probably thought I was a bit strange for pulling out my camera amidst everything but I thought it was something I would like to look back on. I'm sure there will be many more eventful shopping trips to come.

4 weeks

Sorry this is late Grandparents! I did take the picture on time, I just wasn't able to get it posted until today.

I can't believe it's been 4 weeks already!! The strange thing is that I feel like Kyle seems so much older every day that goes by. He smiles more. His facial expressions are becoming, well... more Expressive. His nap times seem to be a bit more regular, though he is still the MOST awake between the hours of 8pm and midnight. Sunday was his first day to go to church, this is actually a picture of his Sunday outfit. I know, it's not technically a church shirt but all I had was sweaters and it was pretty toasty here on Sunday so we went for more of a casual look.

I found a HUGE difference between the boys this week. Kyle can self soothe!!!! Hooray! When he is tired he will grumble for a minute and then Zonk out. FANTASTIC! At this age I had to breastfeed Zach to sleep and it was pretty rough. Kyle is the exact opposite. During dinner last night he started to get fussy in his bouncer but before I could get to him (his older brother was requiring my attention a bit more at the moment) he had fallen asleep.

I am pretty thrilled about it. Heavenly father must have known we were going to be having some chaos at our house so he sent us a really easy going baby. I'm so thankful... you have NO idea.

Zach wearing Dad's Shoes, and Kyle

Brothers

I had posted earlier about the cute matching tie shirts I made when I was nesting. Well, I gave them to the boys for easter and they were SO cute. Zach was thrilled about his. Kyle... not so much.

Comparison

I've been trying not to compare my boys too much. I don't want to get into who did what when and whatnot. (wow, that's a lot of w's) But I think when it comes right down to it, you can't help but wonder about their similarities and differences. So, for those of you wondering if they look anything alike... here's a refresher for you.

Zach January 13, 2008

8lbs

Kyle March 13, 2010

8lbs 12oz
Similar? Different? You be the judge. I change my mind every day.

As for mannerisms, I have determined that they are totally different! Though I realize that time and perspective could be major contributing factors to my opinion there. I was nervous that, after having a baby as calm and laid back as Zack was, I would have to pay by having a real troublemaker. I'm happy to say that I was wrong on that one. Kyle is just as easygoing (though we do have our moments) While Kyle is fascinated with the fish that circle his swing, he doesn't quite focus in on them like Zach did. He doesn't seem to have the eternal attention span of his brother. At least not yet though. Kyle is often content to just sit somewhere... anywhere... bed, bouncer, swing, as long as there's something going on that he can watch he is happy to just sit. I've found that if I rotate him around to different sitting areas periodically, I can keep him fairly well entertained. Zach, on the other hand, seemed to prefer to be held. He wanted to be a part of the action, moving with me wherever I went. I guess this is one of those merciful differences that I am REALLY thankful for as it makes it possible to manage having 2 kids.

Physically they may look similar but their stats are quite different. As you saw before, Kyle was a whopping 12oz heavier than Zach but Zach had a HUGE head in comparison with his body. His head circumference was in the 95% while his birth weight was only the 50% (if I remember right). Kyle, on the other hand has an average head, 50%. Hopefully, that will help him walk a bit earlier since he won't be so top heavy. Instead of a huge head, Kyle keeps his weight around his belly. He's a bit of a pot belly kid. Zach had stubby toes/toenails and Kyle's toes almost look like fingers they are so long! I also think that Kyle has a bit more of a round face and MUCH less hair than Zach had. For those of you who have commented on Kyle having a lot of hair. You must not remember the MOP of hair Zach had on his head. LOL!

It's going to be fun as they get older to see how they turn out. How alike they will look. How they act. How they interact with each other. I'm sure they will be best buds and I'm so excited to see that friendship grow as they do.

3 weeks

It's crazy to think that Kyle is already 3 weeks old. He still thinks his favorite time of day is between 8pm and midnight but I think he's starting to catch on since he seems to be a bit sleepy-er (read- fussy). Hopefully that will translate to sleep soon.

I don't really have any fun anecdotes this week since really we are still in eat drink sleep mode. He's cute, we like him. There's not much more to tell.

Eggs!

Counting Eggs

The eggs took a spill, but that gave Zach the perfect excuse to count his booty.

Egg Hunting

Trampoline-ball

Twinkle Twinkle

Zach has actually started singing himself to sleep with Twinkle Twinkle. I haven't been able to get it on video yet, this is the best one I have so far. He usually really sings it out. I love his little hand motions though, especially the diamond that he focuses so hard on creating with his fingers.

Just double click the video to see the whole screen- I'll figure out You Tube one of these days. Just not today.

Sword Fight

Double click the video for the full version- for some reason the whole screen doesn't show here sometimes. Sorry!

Sunny Day

We got some sun today, not so much warmth, but at least we got some sun. So we went out to play. Zach and I have created a game where he tries to kick the ball off the trampoline and I run around it trying to catch the ball before it hits the ground. Granted, this is not a recommended activity for 2 weeks after giving birth but I gave it my best shot... and Zach totally creamed me... and I'm going to remain sitting for the rest of the evening. I keep forgetting that I'm not QUITE up to 100% yet. Ooops!

He sure had fun though and I was glad to be able to spend some one on one time with him while the wee one was sleeping.
Now I just need to find a good chiropractor.

P.S. Yesterday I put on my pre-pregnancy pants... and they FIT! (for the most part) Hooray! They aren't quite as cute on me as they were last time I wore them but it's still very promising. Ahhh... REAL pants, with a REAL waistband. Holding my breath to button my pants never felt so good. LOL!

2 weeks

Well, I guess this is a bit late. More like 2 weeks and 2 days.

We had a check up from the doc today. Kyle is 9 lbs 3 oz and 75% across the board.
He's a really laid back kid! Though his sleep schedule is a bit screwy. His favorite time of day, when he is most alert, just happens to be between the hours of 8pm and 1am. He's so darn cute that it's hard to be irritated but lets just say I'm NOT a fan.

WE MATCHED!

I guess this is kinda old news but I figured I ought to post it anyway for anyone who hasn't heard yet. We are officially moving to Springfield Illinois where Jason will begin his Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency. Pretty darn exciting... actually, more terrifying. In a few short months we will be packing up and moving ourselves, our two children (one very very small one) and a whole lot of stuff to another state.

Mostly we are nervous about selling our house. SO, you might notice in a lot of my recent pictures and upcoming posts as well, our house is full of bins for packing away all but the essentials and my kitchen has been torn apart. Jason is re-drywalling and adding new baseboards and crown molding so that it's a little more attractive to potential buyers. Sad that it took us moving to finally fix up the kitchen... I won't get to enjoy it!

Anyway, wish us luck! This is going to be a HUGE adventure.

Choice moments from the week

Muck was hungry too:

Daddy has BIG shoes to fill:
Slave labor:
Let me in!

Loving big brother

Maybe I'll save this to show Zach when he's older and complaining about his pesky little brother.

p.s. Susan had to go home yesterday (many tears were shed) but at least she left her mark by polishing Zach's fingers pink. LOL!

1 week old

Baby Zach?

So far, Zach has really enjoyed his little brother. He's been protective and attentive and very affectionate. (more pics to come) Still, we have noticed a few changes as he attempts to adjust to this HUGE change in his life. He has decided that he wants to be wrapped and cuddled just like a baby. It's sure cute for now, I just hope it doesn't last too long.

(note, he is squinting his eyes closed as tight as he can)

He even took "his" binky to bed with him the other night. Even though he never took a binky as a baby.

Zach likes his brother

Zach's present for his brother

IT'S A BOY!! 8 lbs 12 oz

Countdown

Well, the countdown has begun. We will be headed to the hospital at 9 A.M on Saturday morning and I'll be induced! That will be ON my due date which surprised me but I guess with all of the other craziness (MATCH!) happening next week, my doc decided to be merciful. I'm SO nervous and excited and TOTALLY in denial. There's still so much I wish I had ready, disinfected or organized but I think for the most part we're ready.... ish? So I guess that means more pictures to come!

AND... just for the sake of having a picture on my blog post: Here's a picture of Zach doing some ballet in a ladybug tutu I made a while back for a craft fair. He actually insisted on wearing it until I finally got him down for his nap. (please excuse the mess of toys in the background)

Kids do the darnedest things

38 weeks

This is me July 10, 2009

Tiny, OH so tiny... Please reassure me that those days are not over for me? There is hope right?

ANYWAY... I didn't post this just to make myself depressed. I posted it for comparison sake. You may not want to scroll down as it's NOT pretty!

OK NO JUDGING!!!

I realize this is not the most attractive picture. Just know this, it's not MEANT to be attractive. It's all about the belly. OK? I have this tradition with my pregnancies where I take pictures periodically so that I can look back and compare and what not. For each pregnancy I have chosen a tight fitting shirt and exercise pants so that I could REALLY see the changes. This was me on Wednesday so that's actually about 38 1/2 weeks.

Now, for those of you who haven't seen me in a while... please try to remember me as I was in the first picture. Hopefully it's not TOO far from what I'll be soon. VERY soon.... EEeeeek!

I need to go scrub the bathroom floor before I POP!

Most Fun Ever! (Or Literally "nesting")

So, yesterday wasn't so much of a crafty nesting day but it was definitely nesting. I disassembled and scrubbed down Zach's high chair, and did a bunch of scrubbing- floor, walls ect. AND, I finally found our shredder so I decided (randomly!) to shred the bag of papers we'd been collecting for the last few years. You know, bank statements and personal info stuff that we wanted to keep secure. I promise it wasn't THAT big of a bag but apparently when you shred paper it becomes about 100 times larger. I was trying to keep it all in the trash but little bits kept sneaking out and I noticed Zach thought they were pretty fun so I finally gave up, dumped it all out and we just went crazy with it.

We started out building a nest. (Get it: Literally nesting... in the title. LOL! SO clever right? ya whatever) But then it started to evolve and Zach really got into it.

Soon, he was burrowing into it and then Jumping out growling like some kind of swamp monster.
It was a non-stop giggle fest
Where did he go?
Ahhhh! Swamp monster!
Terrifying right?
After a little bit of him being the monster he insisted on burying me. He would carefully grab handfuls and cover me from head to toe and then I would jump out and he would just laugh and laugh. After that we buried his dinosaur who was "hiding" until Zach dug him out triumphantly only to "hide" him again. Needless to say, it was quite the adventure. My only regret is that I had vacuumed just before our adventure began, so I ended up having to vacuum twice- still well worth every second!

In other news, Zach has a new best buddy. We have been hearing about "ghost" ever since church on Sunday. Apparently, they learned about the Holy Ghost in nursery and Zach became obsessed. It's almost a week later and he still will stop randomly throughout the day to say "GHOST!" "Sky" and "Buddy" sometimes accompanied by "hug". At first he would "hide" from the "ghost" but I think we've convinced him that the Holy Ghost really is a nice ghost who is his friend. It's just funny how he could pick up on something like that and keep talking about it throughout the week. At least I know he's actually learning things at church!

Felt House Along

So as yet another nesting activity I've joined a sew-along group at Fireflies and Jellybeans. I've seen these adorable houses online but never had the daring to take on building one myself but this blog gave me just the little extra push I needed to make it happen. You'll notice that I added a button on the left here to say that I'm a part of it. Now, I'm not sure it was quite the best idea to start such a project less than two weeks before our new addition is scheduled to arrive but HEY... Zach is gonna need some fun stuff.

The concept is that this little house will be all sewn together and floppy and then you just throw it over a card table and WA-LA the perfect playhouse.

I've already cut out the walls and the roof and now, following the guidance from F&J I am working on each wall. This last week was the front. I'm not a very good planner and I am TERRIBLE at visualizing how things will turn out so I cut out mock pieces so I could see how they would all fit together.

Then I adjusted them a bit and cut them out. I made the mailbox to look like Mailbox on Blue's Clues since that's the rage at out house right now. I plan on making it so that we can fit mail into it but I need YOUR help! Does anybody know how I could maybe make the little flag on the mailbox so that it can be twisted up or down? I thought that would be really cut but I'm just not sure how to pull it off.
I'm also not sure if I love the little brown roof piece over the door. It's supposed to tie it in with the brown roof but I'm not sure. I'm also planning on making this entire front panel with velcro on the edges instead of sewing it closed. That way we can open it up more and maybe I can even fit in for a party or something.

The next assignment comes out tomorrow so I'd better hurry to get this finished up quick! (Not to mention other stuff that could be happening any day.) Seriously though, I could really use some advice on the mailbox thing. HELP!