Owen at 18 months!

Little doll baby. XOXO

Weight: We haven't had his 18 month checkup yet, so we'll find out soon.

Height: Ditto.

Clothing size: 18 months. 

Diaper size: Cloth, but 4.

Feeding: This kid can EAT. He seriously puts it away. He likes anything off Mommy/ Daddy's plate the best. His favorites are probably anything with bread- grilled cheese, muffins, banana bread, etc. He's not too picky yet, but I know that might change soon. :/ He also loves his milk, and usually downs 2 sippy cups worth before lunch. 

First time to jump on the trampoline on his own!

Totally fascinated by the Christmas tree.

Sleeping: Takes one nap (dropped the morning nap around 14 months I think??), usually 2.5ish hours. Sleeps at night around 7pm-7am.

Milestones: Communicating more! He says a few words, but also signs some, points, grunts, screams, whatever it takes to get his point across. He crawls up the stairs now! He never crawled, so this is big! He started walking around 14-15 months.

Proof that he did have some curls at one point...
But it's looking like it's going to be straight.

Likes: Exploring. Destroying. Throwing. #allboy ... Hahaha. But seriously, he is. His favorite book is absolutely "Brown Bear, Brown Bear." We read it about 10 times/ day. He also loves "I Love You Through and Through" and  anything by Sandra Boynton... and any books that are songs (Itsy Bitsy Spider, Jesus Loves Me, etc.). He's super picky about books, screaming after one sentence and slamming it shut if he doesn't like it, and begging you to read it over and over if he does. He likes having any toy in his hand-- blocks, tools, gears, cars, etc. He's really into things with lids- taking them off and putting them on again and again. He loves being outside, even though we haven't been able to as much lately. He adores GRAHAM. Loves being tickled, thrown up in the air, turned upside down, wrestled, etc. Giggles and begs for more every time. He still loves being held as much as possible. Kid loves his mama. Presh.

Dislikes: Being told no. He seriously CRIES every.single.time I tell him no. His pouty lip comes out, and he just loses it. Cannot handle it. Not sure is he's sensitive or stubborn, but he is my child- so probably both. ;) He was licking the wall at my in-laws' house over Christmas, and I told him in a sweet voice, "No no, Owen, don't lick the wall." And he started wailing. The whole room turned to look at me. Hahahaha... Teething. It's rough, man. Traveling. He screams for hourssssssssssssssssss in the car. Not being held. 

Every.single.night when I'm cooking dinner
... and many more times throughout the day when I can't hold him.
My little koala bear still thinks he's attached to me.

Adventures: First time playing in the snow! He was really curious. Music class, MOPS, Children's Museum. Parks.

What we couldn't live with out: Double stroller. I usually say Ergo on this question, but my belly's too big for it now. :(

My favorite part of parenting this age: Seeing them coming into their little personality- communicating preferences, interacting more, etc. 

The hardest part of parenting this age: Teething. Clingy-ness. Traveling. Not understanding all they try to communicate. 

Oh little Obaby, you are so, so loved. Alllllllllllll the heart eyes.

28 weeks with Baby#3

How far along?  28 weeks. Hello third trimester!! What?!!! Crazy how fast this pregnancy is going! Not surprising since chasing the boys all day every day keeps me more than occupied.

Total weight gain? 20ish pounds. 

Maternity clothes? I've been living in my maternity leggings and mostly comfy maternity shirts. My fav is a fitted gray Gap maternity sweatshirt that makes an appearance several times a week. ;) I also got a few Target long fitted non-maternity shirts that have helped with the in-between months where maternity shirts just make me feel frumpy. (Pictured above in red.) Not feeling so cute these days, like I'll just keep getting bigger and bigger the rest of my life. I told andrew maybe I need to start doing my makeup or get some highlights or something. ;)

It's crazy how few pic's I have of this bump. I need to do better documenting.
Here's a pic of us on the carousel, with baby3 showing off!

Sleep? I just don't sleep well pregnant. With past pregnancies, it was restless legs or heartburn or backache ... Haven't had any of that yet this time around; lately it's getting up to pee a million times. Seriously last night I think it was 6 times! Ughhhhhhh. This girl needs some serious rest. I think the holidays and traveling was really stressful too, so I felt sleep-deprived and exhausted for like a month. Feeling much better now that we're back at home and in our normal routine.

Best moment this week (month)? I have my checkup tomorrow, so hopefully I'll hear good news on the baby's growth and my diabetes test. Eek. Also, Andrew has been working on the boys' bunk beds and a growth chart for the kiddos. I can't wait til both are done. We have a 3 bedroom house, so the boys will move in together about a month before my due date, and the baby will have its own room. 

Miss anything? Fitting into clothes. Feeling normal in my own body.

Movement? Yes! Sweet thing is moving a lot now, especially noticeable when I lay down at night and when I eat anything sweet. I've been feeling hiccups lately too!!! Which is always encouraging to be able to tell that baby is head down- at least for now.

Food cravings? Nothing really stands out this time around. BORING. 

Anything making you queasy or sick? Not anymore. Whew.

Have you started to show yet? Absolutely. I feel like I'm carrying this one like my other two- low down in my belly. Another boy?!!! Also, strangers started making comments around week 24, so that's when you really know you're showing! My belly button gives it away. :/

Picking out bunk bed mattresses for when they share a room!

Labor signs? I've started having Braxton-Hicks consistently... Mostly after going up and down our stairs, but other times too.

Symptoms: Bellllllllly. I think tomorrow my doctor will check my iron levels too, which is when I was put on iron supplements for both my other pregnancies. I remember getting the phone call with Owen's, and the nurse asking me, "Ummm, have you been really, really tired lately?? Because your iron is extremely low!!" I've been eating more spinach smoothies this time, so I'm hoping that will help. I haven't felt that complete exhaustion that I did with Owen at this time, so I'm thinking they're at least not as bad this time.

Belly button in or out? It's popping out. It'll never be the same again. Haha

Wedding ring on or off? On.

Happy or moody most of the time? I think I've been more moody with this one than the others. Maybe it's the hormones? Or the fact that Andrew's super busy with his PHD thing, which makes me even more busy with the boys??

Name possibilities? To be honest, we haven't even talked that much about names. There's just so.much.going.on.right.now. I have a short list of names I like, but Andrew has not been a big fan yet. My top girl and boy name are both leftovers from past pregnancies, but I LOVE them, so I really hope I get to use them. ;)

Looking forward to? Same- Deciding names. Andrew building bunk beds for the boys to share a room soon. Seeing if it's a boy or girl!!!!!!! (A long time to go for that one!)

Pregnancies 1, 2, and 3 all at 28 weeks.
Am I carrying a boy or girl this time??
Looks like another Owen to me-- low and big!! ;)

Thanksgiving/ Christmas 2015

We headed to TN for my family's Thanksgiving, had Christmas Day here to ourselves in Indy, and then headed to IL for Andrew's family for Christmas celebrations. Traveling with littles is absolutely my least favorite part of parenting. The five million things essential to pack, the unending screaming in the car, the track record of one of them being sick every.single.trip.we've.ever.done, the sleep deprivation, the different food, the time change that throws them even more off schedule, I could go on and on. It's just stressful. But we are so thankful for family that showers our boys with love. The memories help make it all worth it.

Working on gingerbread houses at Nonnie's. 

Cousin love.

Buckle boys go flannel.

Cookies for our awesome neighbors!

Happy Birthday Jesus party with friends.

Terrified of the "real" Santa, but mesmerized by Santa Cow at Chick-Fil-A. :)

Not going to lie- I LOVE when they're matchy-matchy.

Graham's much anticipated cinnamon cupcakes for Jesus's birthday breakfast. 

Checkin out their new toys.

Christmas day hike because it was so crazy warm!!!

Bring it on 2016! Ready for the year we become a family of 5!! 

Buckle boy daily life...

Graham always wants to climb in Owen's crib when he wakes up from nap.
I let them bounce around like they're on the trampoline for a bit.
They both love it.

I always love reading other mom's posts about their daily routines, what real life looks like with toddlers, etc. And I love reading back on mine. So here's a glimpse of what life looks like with a newly 3 year old and a 16 month old...and a preggo Mama. ;)

6:30am- I get up. If I'm nursing a newborn or in first trimester of pregnancy or something equally exhausting, I just let the boys be my alarm clock, soaking up every moment of rest. But if it's somewhat normal life, I am so convinced my day goes WAY better if I get up before them. I either shower or start breakfast or stuff diapers, or whatever the need is for that day.. Because let's be honest- I don't shower every day.

7:00am- Owen is for sure awake by now, and usually Graham. Since he's given up his nap, he sometimes sleeps in til 8.00ish, but it's unpredictable. Diapers changed, clothes on for the day, and head downstairs for breakfast. Breakfast lately is usually scrambled eggs, pumpkin muffins, carrot muffins, banana bread, or oatmeal, plus a smoothie or fruit. I've been loving this granola lately too. We've been reading Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing at breakfast and praying for our day. After breakfast, I clean up and the boys immediately run to the living room and start fighting over the new workbench and toy tools from Graham's birthday. At least twenty meltdowns between the two of them before anything else happens. I seriously never want to get them new toys again. It's ridiculous. Good thing Christmas is just around the corner, huh?? The rest of the morning consists of us just trying to get things in order before we leave the house... Washing a mountain of dishes (have I mentioned we don't have a dishwasher?!), stuffing a millions diapers (we haven't even attempted to start potty training Graham yet, based on the pediatrician's recommendation with some other issues going on in his little body), packing the bag for our morning activity, making the bed, changing myself from pajama pants to yoga pants :), changing more diapers, etc, etc... Exciting stuff. I've realized I usually only even look in the mirror on Sundays. Not good, people. Not good. Andrew usually eats breakfast with us and then heads out to work.

Children's Museum 

9:30ish am- We usually head out around this time, depending on what we're doing. Our typical activities include grocery shopping/ running errands, MOPS, Music Class, the Children's Museum, playdates, parks, and plenty of trips to Target. :) I HAVE to get out of the house every day, and the boys love it too.

12:00pm- We're back home and everyone is hangry. HANGRY and in need of new diapers, shoes removed, coats unzipped, and they let me know it. Loudly. Lunch lately is grilled cheese/ black bean burgers/ dinner leftovers/ crockpot soup, along with a fruit and veggie. My boys can EAT, so they usually devour especially their first two meals of the day. After lunch, they play for a bit while I clean up.

Graham's latest favorite Room Time activity. 

1:00pm- Naptime for Owen/ Roomtime for Graham. I'm sad to say that Graham has officially dropped his nap, right around his 3rd birthday. It has been gradual; the last few months have just decreased in the number of days he would actually fall asleep. After a couple weeks of him not napping at all, I told him we were going to start doing "roomtime," which basically means he just has to stay in his room but can do whatever he wants- play with toys, read books, whatever. His favorite is probably to watch the neighbors out the window. Ha. I consistently hear him banging on the window and calling "hiiiiiiii!!!! hi megan!! hi johnny!! hi charlotte!!" Hahaha. We've only been doing this about a week or two, so I'm still figuring it out. So far he's lasted between 1-2 hours before melting down. So I'm not sure where we'll land on the length of time. But Owen for sure sleeps longer than this (usually around 2.5 hours), so I'll just go to Graham's room after his roomtime is over, and we read books until Owen wakes up. Since around the time Graham turned 2, I've been making sure we read every day for 30 minutes. He just couldn't sit and listen that long before, and I can see the same thing with Owen now. But Graham LOOOOOVES to read now, so sometimes we read up to an hour, if Owen is still sleeping. His favorites lately are the "How Do Dinosaurs...?" series, Clifford books, the Pigeon series, Little Critter, etc.

He became a teenager overnight. Seriously.
We love our neighborhood gardens.

3:30pm- Owen is usually awake now. Occasionally he'll sleep 3 hours, but whenever he wakes up, I'll change diapers and give the boys a small snack. Then, it's whatever the need of the hour is- sometimes play at home while I dinner prep, or a walk around the neighborhood, or a Target run, whatever.

Typical scene when Daddy comes home.
I LOVE THIS.

5:30pm- Andrew gets home and rescues us from all melting down. Ha. Something about the clock striking 4 makes us all lose our minds. The boys are like instantly whiny, I'm instantly impatient, and my eyes stay glued on the clock, counting the minutes until Andrew walks through the door. He swoops in like Superman, throws Owen up in the air, chases Graham around the table, and all is right with the world. I finish dinner in peace, and we sit down to eat. Dinner is usually a madhouse. Owen is still a mess in the high chair, flinging his sippy cup to the floor every 2 minutes, screaming if it's not food he likes, frantically signing "all done!" but then begging to be held and eat off my plate (which is always the exact same food). Graham screams at Owen to stop screaming, constantly interrupts us with "Graham's turn to talk!!!", and immediately declares "all done" as soon as Owen does- I'm pretty sure because he thinks Owen is going to run back to the toys and take all the good ones. So, yeah, madhouse!!! But both boys are usually done in about 10 minutes, and then they run off to play while Andrew and I can catch up on our days and relax for a bit.

A glimpse of dinner crazy.
Both boys in my lap, Owen screaming, Graham smearing my food everywhere while ignoring his.
You get the idea.

I love this guy.

6:30pm- We start the bedtime routine. It seems to take exponentially longer with two kids than one. Am I right?! We clean up the toys, fight over the dreaded toothbrush, triple-stuff cloth diapers, triple-layer our boys' PJ's on really cold nights, read two books, sing, pray, and then both boys collapse into bed.

7:00pm- They're out. Graham used to stay up later when he was napping, but he is beyond DONE at 7 since he gave up his nap. Andrew will usually relax by watching one episode of the Big Bang Theory or something, and then head off to study the night away. Did I mention he's getting his PHD?! We're all just trying to survive here, people!! I clean up the kitchen and then do whatever the need is. I've seriously had a 4-month long to-do list since I had ZERO energy during my first trimester to do anything but survive. So I'm playing catch-up still.

10:30pm- We usually collapse in bed around this time.

But seriously- I.JUST.LOVE.THEM.

Grahammers at 3 years

The day my baby turned 3.

Typical picture attempt. 

Waking up to his birthday balloons.

He will always be my baby. So how the heck is he 3 now?!!! Even reading his 2.5 year post, I can't believe how much he's changed!!! Mostly verbally. This kid was a late talker, but now he talks all.day.long. And I LOVE it. I always said going from 0-1 kid as a stay at home mom was SO MUCH LONELIER than going from 1-2 kids. Maybe also because I was living in a new city with like one friend, but seriously, having a kid who talks to you is such a sanity saver!!! Anyway, Graham. HOW I ADORE YOU. We are so, so very thankful for our 3 years with you.

Age: 3 Years

Stats: 37" tall (50th %) & 33 lbs (50th %) ... After he caught back on his weight gain as a baby, he's been pretty steady at the 50th % for height and weight the rest of his life.

Clothes: 3T. He moved into 3T right around his 3rd birthday. He's pretty much followed the sizes/ ages really closely, which makes him easy to plan for. 

When Daddy's not eating a meal with us,
we almost always end up here.
Graham always requests it, and I think it's so stinkin cute.

Favorite Foods: CUPCAKES! I think he really discovered this love when Owen turned one, but he didn't know what they were called (we're mean parents and hardly ever give him dessert), so he would say "eat happy birthday! eat happy birthday!" Hahaha. And now he thinks any birthday party we go to is ONLY to eat cupcakes at. It's pretty much a disaster every time we go to a birthday party where they don't serve cupcakes til the end. Yikes. For weeks before his birthday, he would pray every night for cupcakes and balloons. Now that he knows baby Jesus's birthday is coming up, he prays every night for "cinnamon cupcakes" (what we'll have Christmas morning to celebrate). This kid cracks me up... He also loves pizza and ANY and all fruit. Still not big on veggies, so we shamelessly bribe him with a few "bunny crackers" after dinner and he happily agrees. Veggie muffins and smoothies are staples.

Graham asks to push Owen every time.
#momwin

Words: He is a walking commentary on whatever is happening around him or whatever he's thinking. He wants to be in EVERY conversation I have with adults- on the phone, with neighbors on the sidewalk, friends coming over to visit. "Graham's turn to talk!!!!" He declares, and then jabbers about the vacuum making loud noises and the minivan doors going open and shut and building bridges for his cars and trucks. It's pretty comical. He is funny about verbalizing his emotions, consistently saying things make him "sad" (Owen taking his toys or knocking over something he worked on) or "scared" (loud noises). He also has memorized a ton of books and recites them with emotion, which is pretty great. "The Pigeon Wants a Puppy" is my favorite one because he really gets into it. Hahaha. He loves making up new lyrics to songs, so we're constantly changing the words to familiar tunes because he requests to sing about the splash pad or carousel or tools... or poop. Hahaha. Lately when I tell him the day's activities, he'll respond with "Yeah, that'd be good."

"Throw the ball" song in his beloved Music Class. 

Activities:

Music class (A favorite of Graham's since he was a baby. He still LOVES it.)

MOPS (He got moved up to the 3 year old room, which has toy tools, so he's pretty much in heaven.)

Children's Museum (He's still obsessed with the carousel.)

Playdates

Grocery shopping (He would grab a plum first thing every week and carry it all around the store, until they went out of season. That was a sad, sad day. Luckily he befriended Mr. Jim, a worker, so that gives him something to look forward to every week now. Mr. Jim is the best and even gave him a little Hot Wheels car a few weeks ago! I'm telling ya, Graham is quite a charmer.)

Favorite friends: He kinda has friends now! Haha. He loves to play with Elodie, Chet, Chapman, Liam, Cori, Charlotte, Jonathan. And of course, we always remind him that Owen is his best friend. ;)

Favorite Things: Being center of attention. Graham at first was quiet and cautious and reserved, but this boy has come out of his shell! He can still be those things when he's uncomfortable in an unfamiliar environment, but he has become quite the little performer in the last year. We had Andrew's family over for his 3rd birthday, and you would think this kid had a stage and a mic. Quite the entertainer. I LOVE seeing his little personality blossom!! He LOVES Teddy. He comes EVERYWHERE with him. Pretty cute. His favorite toys are blocks, cars/ trucks, and tools. Favorite books lately are these series: Pigeon, Clifford, Dinosaurs, Little Critter, etc. He also loves going to the "tool shop" with Daddy and Owen. Andrew will occasionally take them to Lowe's, etc, and as soon as he mentions it, Graham will literally drop whatever he's playing with and immediately say, "Bye-bye Mommy!" and start walking to the door. It's their special "boy time!" and we all love it. He also loves helping me in the kitchen, especially dumping things in the blender, stirring things in a bowl, handing me things when I'm washing dishes. Pretty presh.

Give this kid a mic!! 

Mom's Proudest Moment: Seeing him grow in kindness and thoughtfulness with Owen. He's had a hard time sharing since Owen's learned to walk and is more on "his turf" with toys, but lately he will offer Owen toys consistently without being prompted. And just seeing him be comfortable enough to let people see the real Graham- silly, loud, funny, engaging. He really is a little ray of sunshine.

He loves helping Daddy do anything!!
So stinkin sweet. 

Dad's Proudest Moment: Being able to remember and recite his favorite books and how much he likes to read.