A Busy Month

Whew!  What  a busy month!  We've had our gospel meeting, the fair, one daughter moving, and the constant renovation of Steve's mother's house that we're trying to get ready for our other daughter, we've had hardly any time to catch our breath.  On top of that we made a trip to East Tennessee to see Lucas for his birthday.  I keep thinking that things will calm down and I can get caught up on some things I want to get done, but then something else always comes up. 
The girls are coming along great.  They're growing and learning so much.  Lorien is really talking a lot, and Ava is starting to say some words and is getting to where she can let us know what she wants, which makes things a lot easier.  Of course, I'm trying to enjoy this time, because I know it will get hectic again once the new baby gets here.  We're really trying to enjoy going outside and the nice weather we've been having.  I know as the cold weather comes we're going to be trapped inside a lot.  I'm hoping for a cold wet winter with lots of snow days, so I can catch some breaks here and there, although I really love spending time with my babies. 

This week has been a time of settling into a routine.  The girls are growing so fast.  Lorien is developing an amazing vocabulary.  And Ava is taking off physically.  It's so much easier to maneuver around now.  We try to go outside as much as we can.  Even though they are able to do so much more than they could last year, I still have to get right in there with them in their play to encourage them to actually play, and not just follow me around.  If Lorien's attention is drawn to something, she'll play with it for quite a while, but Ava still needs direction in her play. We go for long periods of time without the television on, because they don't have the attention span for it anyway.  One of their favorite things to do is jump on the couch or the bed.  Lorien loves to wag her finger and say "no more montees (monkeys)".  And they both love to play with Mimi's ipad.  (It's actually a Kindle Fire, lol!) 

 

Well, it's been a year since my last post.  So much for trying to post on a regular basis.  Last year went by in a whirl.  The babies have grown and changed so much!  And now there's going to be another baby, another girl!  I've had the girls off and on all summer, but now that school's started back, I've had both every day.  And it's gone really well.  Their schedule has changed a little. They only take one nap in the afternoon.  But they're both a lot more independent.  Of course Lorien was walking last year, but now Ava's walking, too.  And that's a big help, even though she still falls down a lot.  She's already had two falls that smashed her top lip, poor thing. We haven't had any crying spells or meltdowns like we did last year.  And they are starting to interact together in their play some.  Everyday's an adventure!

Another week goes by

Another week.  It's had its ups and downs, but overall things are going smoother.  I'm starting to get into a routine with the babies.  And I'm finding out what works with them and what doesn't.  A couple of bad incidents, though:  I let Lorien fall off our bed, and I let Ava slide off the couch.  I felt so bad that I let that happen.  I've really been more vigilent since then, though.   Today was an especially good day.  They both took good naps, even if not at the same time, and were both in a good mood. It's a good thing, too.  Stephanie had to go to a meeting and Ashli was sick with a throat infection so I had Lorien later than usual and I'm taking care of Ava all night.  Whew!  I hope tomorrow goes well.

diaper changing time!

Catching up...

It's been almost two weeks now.  I was intending to be more faithful posting, but apparently it ain't happening. My days are so full, and in the evening I'm so exhausted.  But I'm not complaining.  I'm still loving it.  It's so rewarding taking care of babies who depend do much on you.  Some days are more challenging than others, though.  Today was a little rough.  Lorien is getting more mobile, even though she's not crawling.  Which means I have to really keep an eye on her.  Ava had her two month shots yesterday and was feeling the consequences of that.  She was running a fever and I knew her legs were hurting by the way she drew them up.  But she was still in a good mood, poor thing!  I am getting better at timing their naps and feeding schedule, and it's not as nerve racking when they're both crying.  I'm learning what soothes and entertains both of them, and sometimes my creativity kicks in when dealing with "situations". 

Today was the first day of school, and I wasn't there.  But I was busy none the less.  As a matter of fact, it was a pretty hectic day.  I found out pretty quick that each day brings its own challenges.  And if I think I've figured out the best way to handle things, the next time it doesn't work.  But I just try to go with the flow. The worse situation I deal with is trying to get one asleep while the other is still awake, because neither one of them can entertained themselves long enough for the other to get to sleep.  I know this will get better with time.  I'm looking forward to getting into a routine, which has been impossible up until now.  But I'm still loving it, and look forward to seeing both my babies every morning.

The Adventure Begins

For the last 48 years, when school started, I started with it.  This year, that's all changed.    Both of my daughters had babies within the last year.  After a lot of soul searching and budget crunching, my husband and I decided we could make the sacrifice to care for these precious babies.  So I turned in my time to the school system, cleaned out my desk, and went to the house.  That's right!  I'm officially retired.  Since both my daughters are teachers in the school system, my clock will still run on school time. But that's okay.  I like  that I'm still connected to school in some fashion.  And since they've had in-services this past week, I've had the chance to begin my new "career".  It's been hectic, it's been challenging, but it's been so rewarding.  I'm loving every minute of it!