Day to Day

Lately, I feel most of my days are parenting fails - not disasters but not smooth either. I am constantly assessing the greatest need to determine what to do next. Diapers trump all. Then Celia eating usually comes next except when feeding the majority of the house is more beneficial for the greater good of the family. It is manageable but takes juggling and keeping expectations low.

Yesterday, I had good parenting day. I handled my refereeing duties with the girls calmly. Kept George engaged and out of trouble. Celia had tummy time 3 times - which is more than she has had total. She also had a bath - she's had about three of those in her life too.

Today was going okay. George and I are in the playroom. He wants me to leave to take care of his business so to speak. Good timing - I need to check on Celia who is napping. He has poked around in his diaper twice lately so I remind him to stay out of his diaper as I walk out. A few minutes later we go to change him. Things quickly fall apart - he did not stay out of his diaper. In short order I am relieved to have him showered and am on my way to the washing machine. But I begin to wonder...sure enough I find a trail of fingerprints on the wall up the stairs. Gross but not too bad. Now I do not have a good feeling. I look behind the playroom door to find poo smeared on the wall and curtain. I did take a picture to share the joy with Brent. I will spare you though.

Not a big deal in the overall scheme of life. But something I hope to not handle again!

How could I be bothered by the morning's events? My little buddy brought home "bubble flowers" for me from his walk...

No Smiling

No smiling at midnight little girl...

Yes, I Love Technology

I do love technology except when it does not work easily. Then I HATE technology. This week I give two big {hearts} to technology!  (These are not new to the world...only new to me.)

FaceTime

We video chatted with my sister for her birthday. I have a love/hate relationship with Skype.  My laptop has never streamed great, so it not Skype's fault.  But with FaceTime on the iPad it was as simple as calling her phone. I took her on a house tour and she saw Celia in action. Love! (Did not get a screen shot as neither of us were looking our personal best.)

iBooks

E-reader fever is going around and I caught it!  Newspapers are reporting high sales of the gadgets over Christmas. My official line is I prefer hard books. I like buying, borrowing, browsing, carrying and looking at books. Stacks and shelves of books are lovely sight. Brent told me the iPad works as an e-reader too. But taking a stand, I did not bother with it. However, I am easily influenced and finally caved to check it out. Be still my beating heart! With iBooks bajillions of books available with a touch and password. There is also free books for classics.

What will they think of next!?!

2011/2012

Happy New Year!

And good-bye to 2011.  It was a good year.

Highlights by month:

January - Best birthday ever!

February - visit Rome and celebrate Brent's birthday.

March - 11 year anniversary and Celia is on her way!

April - Mary Kate turns 9!  Father-in-law visits. 

May - We buy a car! Aunt Allie visits. 

June -Babymoon in the Cotswolds. 

July - George turns 2!

August - spent the month in America.

September - move to the suburbs.  Family friend visits.  College roommate visits. 

October - 9 months pregnant - do not recall. 

November - Celia arrives.  Aunt Kim visits. 

December - Caroline turns 8!  My dad visits.  3 years in London!

A year ago, I would not have guessed I would be writing this from a London suburb and watching a new baby girl sleep.  I hoped she would be on her way but to be nearly two months old - never.  

2011 travel was rather light but still good:  Rome, girl's weekends in Brussels, countryside spa and Bath, Cotswolds Babymoon, Arkansas, Texas, Arizona, Florida and let us not forget the hospital mini-break for Celia's birth - ha, ha.    

The year did not hold much in the way of personal growth (unless the remaining 1.5 stone (you will have to google stone) counts as growth) or enrichment - gestating and lactating was all consuming for me.  The children all grew nicely - I can not buy clothes or shoes big enough or fast enough for them.  I am also having trouble cooking enough food - leftovers are rare. 

Overall the year was good.  Thankfully no bad lows - just regular life of highs and lows - the move, parenting challenges, fun and difficult child stages, minor ailments, saying good bye to friends as they move on to new adventures, traffic tickets, newborn sleep deprivation and visitors.  The best high of all:  welcoming a new baby.  

As I look forward to 2012, I am not making resolutions.  I am blocking the year off as the "year of the baby".  In some ways, I simply look to survive.  But I'd like to do it thoughtfully and intentionally by being the aunt/daughter/friend/sister I would like to have and the mother and wife my family needs.  

If 2011 was not a good year for you, I hope 2012 is better.  May 2012 is full of health and joy for you and yours!

A Little Christmas

Pics from the phone...

Cracker paper crowns...

Funny Celia...

Annual Nutcracker...

1 Month

Celia is closer to 2 months than one month now but I did take her bear picture on the day. She is too good to be true. To describe her in one word: contentment. She lets us know if she is hungry or wants a cuddle but otherwise is a content little baby.

She likes to eat (what feels like) non-stop in the evenings and be held until her midnight bedtime. She sleeps a solid 6 hour stretch then goes straight back to sleep for another 3-4 hours. She still does not burp and rarely spits up. She is swaddled for night and most naps.

At her 6 week check, she weighed 9 lbs and 8 ozs and is 24 inches long. She is 25th for weight, 75th for length and 50th for head. Those genetics run strong. The smallest clothes are too small. She only wore long gowns for day and night for the first 5 weeks. Now she gets "dressed" in footed sleepers for day.

Last week she hit a less than desirable "milestone": a cold. The Nap Nanny has really came in handy. She is a choker so I worry a little less with her in a reclined position. One choking episode as she was turning red and purple I considered calling 999. But she quickly recovered. She is now good as new.

She is giving us lots of smiles and holding our gaze. She is starting to coo. She is a sweet angel.

Rosemary Beach Whites

I have over 20 drafts in Blogger to finish and post. Brent is home for two weeks and we are in organization/purge mode.  So I'll start with this one...

A trip to the Florida Panhandle is only complete with beach pictures. Surprisingly, whites for everybody were easy to find and since I waited until July to start looking meant everything was on sale.  Double like.

Merry Christmas

Tree

We finished decorating the tree...

Oh What Fun It Is To...Decorate!

I am "linking up" for the first time with Blue-eyed Bride to share Christmas decorating ideas. Click through to find loads of inspiration.

Today was the last day of school for nearly 4 weeks. Now it really feels like Christmas to me.

I love the Christmas season.  I enjoy the way it is done in England.  In the year of the (6 week old) babe...and 2 year old...(and the 8 & 9 year olds) with only 9 days to go...here is our simplified Christmas decor. Luckily, we extend Christmas until the Epiphany so we get an extra week.  I have intentionally stayed off Pintrest.  Hopefully, I will have many more Christmases to come to use all the greatness that is Pintrest. 

Front door swag from the grocery delivery man...I added the star for a little something extra...

After being married for 12 Christmases I finally pulled the trigger and ordered a nativity...(Fontanini is a little cheaper in the UK than US)...another blogger adds to her scene each year...we will do the same...

Dining room dresser...there was a bell jar full of red & green M&Ms my dad brought over...I like to think I had help devouring them...

I managed to have the Advent wreath ready in the nick of time for the first Sunday...

Mommy's helper stringing bells...

For a not yet decorated tree...

Will post a picture later in the weekend when we finish the tree...

One More Today

Blogger app is amazing. Basic but useful.

Celia has the night owl gene...

From the Phone

Testing the Blogger app...

Sleepy smiles...

Sleeping more...

Sweet curled legs and big yawn...

For Celia's Fan Club

A big thank you to Celia's fan club!  Ask and you shall receive...

When we arrived at dinner for Caroline's birthday and removed the blanket covering the carseat we found this...
luckily no accident on the 5 minute drive...

 Kicking and growing...

Sleeping and growing...

She is doing wonderfully...eating, sleeping and growing...more words to follow...

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is business as usual here in the UK.  But thanks to technology I am aware of what I am missing.  We are celebrating on Saturday so just a two day delay.  I am roasting a whole turkey on my own for the first time.  Hope it is a success.

It is fitting to list the things for which I am thankful today.  I struggle with the fine line of blessings versus boasting.  But today is about Thanksgiving and I am writing this as quickly as possible so I will save that debate for another day.

I am thankful for my little family:

      Brent - who I still really like, makes me laugh (or roll my eyes), who works very hard to provide for his  family, is remarkably hands-on with the children and never leaves his socks on the floor.  

     Mary Kate, Caroline, George and Celia - bright and lively children who fill my heart and home.  They make each day anything but boring.  I am especially thankful for the gift of Celia this year.  With age I see the miracle in healthy, full-term, screaming newborns.  I am so thankful I get to have her.  

I am thankful for my big family:

      Your family is your family like it or not.  I appreciate mine.  They are usually happy to see me.  The girls think they are great.  I think it is wonderful my children get to have relationships with teenagers and young adults.  We get each others sense of humor. 

 I am thankful to be American:

      Even though I choose to live in another country, I am thankful for the opportunities provided to me simply because of the country in which I was born.  Oprah once said something about being born a girl in America already makes one very lucky.   I agree.    

I am thankful for my work:

     Staying at home with the children and getting to geek out with taxes - it does not get much better in my book.  I thoroughly enjoy caring, feeding, cleaning and helping the children, homemaking and I will admit:  lunches and coffees.  I also enjoy spreadsheets, problem solving and pleasing clients.  Not always easy to balance it all but a nice mix for me. 

I am thankful for random things:

      Coffee, wine, croissants, children singing together, iTunes, walking OR driving to the high street, Skype (when it works), Christmas cards, fall color, getting to pat a baby bottom again, hairspray, girl clothes, boy energy....

I am thankful I posted this post on Thanksgiving Day.  It may not be coherent and it is certainly not complete - I have my littlest turkey to thank for my state of blissful sleep deprivation. 

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Good Thing #6

Nap Nanny Chill

A couple of weeks before Celia was born I decided I had to have one of these for her.  However, they are not available in the UK.  They believe babies should lie flat as much as possible for spine development and comfort.  So I doubt the Nap Nanny will catch on here.  I gave up on it because shipping would cost more than the recliner and I did not know of anybody coming over until December.  But my sister came for a surprise visit and brought Celia one.  

According to my niece you lay the baby in it and they go so sleep.  It is not quite so fool proof but Celia does nap well in it.  She can be a little chokey so I like to have her upright after she eats.  I highly recommend it.