A Little Sleep With My Wine

Just a little warning to you before you start reading. This post is going to sound a lot like whining and in fact it is just that--me whining. Ben and I have come to the conclusion that while we make really cute babies, we are clearly not capable of making babies that sleep. Our last several hours have been a wee bit sleep deprived and looked a little bit like this:

10:30pm--sleeping baby

2:00am--awake baby

4:35am--sleeping baby

5:10am--awake baby

5:10am--7:00am--baby dozing in and out of sleep but mostly out

8:45am--sleeping baby

9:15am--awake baby

12:00pm--sleeping baby

12:30pm--awake baby

1:50pm--sleeping baby

2:00pm--sleeping mommy and sleeping big brother

3:45:--awake big brother

4:00pm--awake baby

5:30-6:15pm--baby sleeping on mommy while mommy ate dinner

7:38pm--sleeping baby

8:07pm--awake baby

8:16pm--sleeping baby after some begging and pleading by mommy

RIGHT NOW--sleeping baby. hopeful and tired mommy.

For a girl that loves (LOVES) cheese this is a bold statement but I would take sleep over cheese with my wine any day. Here's hoping for a better 24hours. Goodnight (almost).

My attempt to get everyone sleeping at the same time.

Squeezy Fruit

The newest thing to hit the Thorpe house other than Isaac is a little something we like to call Squeezy Fruit. If you've got a little one you have probably seen those little squeezable fruit pouches. We first encountered them in a Chick-fil-a kids meal and Noah LOVED it. It was during one of those typical toddler periods when we couldn't get the child to eat anything. So, Ben immediately went to the store and bought a few. I loved that Noah was eating something but didn't like that they were so expensive (about $1 each) or that they are so wasteful (a lot of materials are used to make that little pouch of pureed fruit). We purchased them one more time when Noah was sick as it was one of the few things he would eat. After that I told Ben, "no more, we have to come up w/ a homemade solution". We started brainstorming and stumbled upon the Hydrapak Softflask--a collapsable energy gel and drink flask--and it's almost perfect. Then we discovered that Ben could get them through one of their suppliers at work. Bonus!

It took a couple of tries but Noah has really taken to them and is trying pretty much anything we put in them. Today he had one filled with apples, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, and spinach. We also use it for applesauce or yogurt (either plain or mixed w/ pureed fruit). A couple of our friends have started using them too and they have been able to get their little one to eat carrots, peas, prunes and all sorts of other good stuff.

Now for the pros and cons:

Pros:

-Less expensive and less wasteful than pureed fruit pouches in store

-Easy on the go breakfast or snack.

-Not messy. It has a bite valve so it doesn't just pour out when it's squeezed

-Your kids might eat fruits and vegetables they typically wouldn't eat

-Comes in 2 sizes: 5oz and 8 oz (we prefer the 5oz most of the time but 8oz is great for bigger eaters and for a breakfast smoothie)

-Relatively easy to clean. It comes completely apart and all the pieces can be cleaned with a little soap and water. We've found that using the combination of a bottle brush and a nipple brush make it really easy to clean.

-Fun--Noah really enjoys his and will ask for his "squeezy fruit"

Cons:

-Cost--they range from about $5-$8 per pouch. Small investment on the front end if you want a couple.

-Bite valve may be difficult for your kids. Noah figured it out quickly. Most of his sippy cups have some type of bite valve and are harder to drink from than this.

-Fruit needs to be pureed really well. Large chunks can clog the valve.

-Pouches are clear. I think kids would have even more fun if they had a kid-friendly design on the outside plus we could put even more "green stuff" in them w/out our kids being turned off by the color.

Time Flies

Happy One Month Birthday Isaac Jett. I can't believe it's already been a month. My how time flies when you are having fun and when you are so busy you can hardly look up to see what day it is.

One month is looking pretty good on you:

-You are a good eater weighing in at 9 pounds 7 ounces. You are 22 and 3/4 inches long.

-You are sporting a little male pattern baldness and you wake up each morning with less hair on top.

-You are not so sleepy anymore and enjoy waking up to look around and hang out on your playmat. You especially like looking into the lights.

-You've got some lungs and you can BRING IT and often do every time we put you in your carseat. You are definitely following in your big brothers footsteps.

-You are only waking up once in the middle of the night--we are very grateful!

-You are sleeping in your crib, in your room, on your tummy. Such a little rule breaker!

-You make the sweetest little cooing sounds and enjoy talking to mom and dad.

And right now you are waking up from a very short nap. It's been a good month and we look forward to watching you grow.

Surviving--Two Under Two

Phew! Here we are four weeks in as a family of four and I'm happy to say that we are surviving! Our house is a mess, showers and baths don't always happen, the piles of laundry and dishes are mountainous, we can barely hold our eyes open and our boys are often screaming at the same time (especially between the hours of 5pm-7pm; dinner anyone?). Frazzled--absolutely! But, we are alive and finding ways to maintain our sanity and doing our best to cherish and not wish these hard newborn days away. We are also trying to remember what love is and are trying to continue to love each other and our boys well.

We are surviving because...

-Our family is amazing: Yesterday was the first day I was home alone with both boys. Our family has loved us and come to our rescue more that we could imagine.

-Our friends are incredible: We've been showered with diapers and meals. In fact, I will not have to cook a single dinner this week.

-Cars and Sesame Street are God-sends: Truly, I'm convinced of this. Nursing and/our pumping with a 16 month old running around is nearly impossible and can actually be quite dangerous (Isaac was whacked upside the head w/ kitchen tongs during one such time). I believe we are on our 40th episode of Sesame Street and I can't even tell you how many times I've seen Cars. This coming from a house that rarely turns on the t.v.

-Chocolate: We have consumed lots of brownies, M&Ms, etc. and it helps.

-We have Sound Machines: Our upstairs sounds a lot like a rainforest but they keep sleeping boys sleeping.

-Our car stereo can get LOUD: We have been blessed with two little carseat haters. Just this afternoon I drove out of Noah's school parking lot, windows down, two screaming children in tow, and the radio blaring as loud as it could go. While I think at least one of them stopped screaming on the way home, it didn't really matter b/c I was groovin'.

-Swaddle Blankets--REALLY BIG Swaddle Blankets: We definitely believe in swaddling and have calmed many a screaming baby burrito using this technique. Noah even asked to be swaddled the other day. Yes, I managed to successfully swaddle him and carry him upstairs for his nap. It was hysterical and I should have (but didn't) taken a picture.

-Of GRACE: Grace from our children who wake up every morning loving us and trusting us to take care of them regardless of the number of times we screwed up the day before. Grace from my husband who continues to forgive me when I lose my patience or when I growl not-so-nice things at midnight and then again at 3am and then again at 6am. Grace from my Heavenly Father whose strength is made perfect in my weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

-Because of Love: I have a husband who loves me and lives and believes that:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

How we are doing dishes these days.

Pumping w/ a 16 month old.

Proof that our house is a mess.

A not-so-current picture of Isaac. We will get there...one day!

It's Nice to Meet You Isaac Jett

Hi there little Isaac Jett. Welcome to this world and to our family. You've already added so much to our lives and we can't wait to learn more about you each day. We fell in love with you the moment we knew of you but that love grew enormously the moment we laid eyes on you. We've enjoyed cuddling with you, kissing on you, and just staring at you as you've transformed from a wrinkled up little newborn into a beautiful baby boy. In the 2+ weeks that we've spent with you, we've observed:

- You were wonderfully made!

- You love to be held, cuddled and kept warm.

- You don't so much love to have your diaper changed.

- You don't cry very much (yet) but when you do, you can BRING IT!

- You are a sleepy little dude and we have enjoyed the 7 hours of sleep you've let us get several nights in a row (we realize this might change but do want you to know that it's totally fine if you just keep it up).

- You like to eat and you bring tears of joy to your mommy every time you gain even an ounce.

- You're tough--your big brother is rough and you've taken the blows like a champ. Even the tongs that landed upside your head seemed like no big deal to you. Noah does love you and he's given you several kisses to show it.

- You are LOVED!

Isaac Jett arrived January 18th at 8:23am. 7lbs 7oz, 21 inches.

Labor Strike

It seems that our little Isaac is putting a new spin on the phrase Labor Strike. These last few days at the Thorpe house have been both exciting and extremely uneventful at the same time. This is what has transpired:

Wednesday: Routine weekly doctor's appointment turns stressful when my blood pressure is up and doc tells me she thinks I should go to hospital for observation and possible induction. Ben's not with me at this appointment, my cell phone is dead, and I'm simply not ready to have this baby. Outcome: I cut a deal with the doctor that I will continue to check my b.p. and call if it continues to be high. She thinks I'm going to have this baby in a few days anyways.

Thursday: Ben's birthday. Post birthday dinner and cake I decide to hold up my end of the bargain and check b.p. It's high...again. I call doc and she tells us to go to hospital. Spend two hours in hospital hooked up on monitors. All is normal and I get sent home around 11:30 pm.

Friday: Back to work. Terrible back pain all morning followed by strong contractions that grow close together by 2ish. Call Ben and we both head home. Get home, mentally prepared to go BACK to the hospital. Take a relaxing bubble bath...labor stops.

Saturday: Contractions off and on, lots of walking and unnecessary trips---Walmart, Kohl's Home Depot, etc. Trying to make this thing happen...Nothing. Family squat session (wish I would have taken video as Noah was really into it and absolutely hysterical)...still NOTHING. Meanwhile b.p. is still on the high side but doc thankfully thinks it isn't a big deal.

Saturday Night: Convinced Isaac has decided to go on labor strike. Snapped a few pictures of nursery updates and have now determined I should just go to bed. We will try again tomorrow.

We look forward to introducing you to our newest addition sometime in the days ahead. Until then, here a some photos of the little space that will be his room.

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a happy and safe New Year! Hoping 2012 is a wonderful year for you and your family. We end 2011 feeling very blessed and look forward to growing from 3 Thorpes to 4 Thorpes in 2012. Here are a few of the special moments from our busy and fun-filled Christmas!

Less Stressing More Treasuring

If I am completely honest, and I will be, the Christmas season can be STRESSFUL! I'm not a shopper and don't like malls. Decorating is not one of my gifts. I tend to procrastinate. I am a pleaser and being in five places at one time in an effort to make everyone happy is well...impossible. Add in that we are about 4.5 weeks away from baby number two just sixteen shorts months after baby number one and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed this holiday season. Before I get too consumed with my anxiousness and throw myself one big pity party, I think it might be more appropriate to sit down and reflect on how incredibly BLESSED we are! Reflect on how our blessings began with the ingloriously glorious birth of our Savior. Joseph and pregnant Mary traveled about 80 miles on a DONKEY from Nazareth to Bethlehem. With no room available for them, Mary then gives birth to Jesus in a probably very smelly manger. Somehow, Mary still found a way to "treasure up all of these things and ponder them in her heart". Makes me realize that although this season can be stressful I have much to be thankful for and should be stressing less and treasuring more. And with that, here are the things I am treasuring in my heart this Christmas Season:

An incredible marriage to an incredible man who is always finding new and creative ways to love me and serve me. He cooks, he cleans, he rubs my feet. Ben has truly been the calm to my storm this holiday season. Yesterday he was at home with Noah all day and still found time to bake cookies (OVER 300 of them) for everyone on our list and make gifts for Noah's teachers (a craft project that I started--barely--and he finished). Did I mention he's also an incredible father?

Precious moments spent as a family of three. Noah is such a fun and funny little boy and we are treasuring these last few weeks with him as our only child before the chaos of a newborn ensues. Moments like tonight when all three of us were giggling uncontrollably as we watched Noah try to slurp up long strands of spaghetti. Moments like this weekend when we took a family outing to the Varsity and all of our attention was on him as he happily gulped down a Frosted Orange.

Even more stockings are hung by the chimney with care. Our family is growing and we can not wait to meet Isaac. We feel so blessed that we have been entrusted with two little boys.

Noah's sweet face when he saw our Christmas tree light up for the first time and how he has asked/signed for "more" when he walks up to it after we get home in the evenings.

The unexpected and the incredibly generous. We have been surrounded by both this holiday season. Our Church raised more than $2 Million to help communities in need locally and around the world in just a few weeks. Our sweet Small Group knowing that I was feeling anxious and overwhelmed came over and decorated our house for Christmas when we weren't home. Today I was brought to tears when our family received an incredibly generous package in the mail with a note that read, "Because your family is loved. Merry Christmas, Santa".

Time spent with family. Our first official family Christmas gathering was this past weekend. Noah got to spend time with his two cousins Bella and Abi. It was so much fun to watch the three of them play together and act silly. It's not often that they all three are in the same place at the same time. With one gathering down and several more to go, we are grateful to be surrounded by the ones we love.

And last but not least, I'm treasuring these last few weeks of pregnancy. I have felt amazing the entire time. Knowing that this will most likely be the last time I'm pregnant, I am treasuring every little movement and kick (even the ones where it feels like little Isaac is trying to claw his way out of me). I am treasuring all of the Oreos that I have suddenly felt entitled to eating. And I am definitely treasuring the probability that I will not be riding a donkey to a manger but will instead be driven by my husband in a car to a nearby hospital where I will give birth to little Isaac without the sounds or smells of any type of cattle.

Merry Christmas to all. May your holiday season be filled with little treasures!

Pucker Up!

"Noah keeps kissing Ellie. She is liking it. She is kissing him back," was the first text we received from Noah's teacher this week. "They are into each other today. Constantly sitting on each other", was the second text. My response, "WHAT?!? He's in big trouble". Ben's response, "No, no, no, that needs to stop, I'm on my way!" For one, he's only 14 months old and it's way too early for those shananigans AND we NEVER get hugs or kisses. Noah is an incredibly sweet child however he is definitely not cuddly or affectionate. He's not really into being held (and hasn't been since he was about 4 months old), he doesn't want to be rocked to sleep and instead dives for his bed, he doesn't like to be soothed or cuddled when he's hurt or frustrated and he definitely does not give kisses--to humans. He loves animals and will kiss and cuddle on all the neighborhood dogs and all of his stuffed animals. Just the other day he was walking up and down our street and would stop, bend over and kiss the ground. I immediately asked for a kiss hoping to take advantage of what could have just been a kissing kind of mood. NOPE. I got the typical hand in my face followed by the head turn and pierced lips. BUT there must have been something magical to Ellie's kisses b/c this weekend we got our first lips puckered, Noah initiated smooches. Granted I'm 8 months pregnant but I may have gotten a little emotional. He also gave kisses to his Nona, his Nanny, his new friend Hannah, and his cousin Bella. That's a whole lot of kissin' for one weekend but we are loving those sweet little puckered up lips. Thank you little Ellie for showing Noah how it's done.

We are definitely looking forward to more sweet kisses from this guy

We Can't Believe our Ears

It's been a good week, but nothing incredibly exciting to share. While I don't have much to say about our week, our little one is saying A LOT these days. Ben and I decided that it would be fun to take the time and write down all the words Noah is saying. A little list to come back to when we take a trip down memory lane.

Up. Wow. Guitar (sounds like gar). Mama. Dada. Thank you (sounds like tank you). Please (lots of spit flying w/ this one). Hello. Yes. All Gone. Circle. Go go. Spoon. Balloon (sounds like ba-ewn). Tree. Cheese (lots of spit here too). Cookie. Fork (or gork). Fish (a whole lot of spit). Star. Socks. Shoe. Yellow. Purple. Bye bye. Love you (buv you). Three. Down. Eye (usually as he's poking yours out). Wall. Hot. Grandma (gam-ma). Nona. Pooh (as in Winnie). Car. Night night. Again. More. Trash. Jack (boy in his class). Yuck (accompanied by food coming back out of his mouth). School (he loves that place). Elmo. Banana (sounds like nana). Ball (his first word). Apple (or bapple). Bottle. Bath. Duck. Uh-oh. Crash (as he rams his truck into other objects). Rock, rock. Cheerio (ear-e-o).

We can't imagine what he will be saying in just a few months/years. So we decided to try to imagine what he will look like instead.

A Beautiful Mind

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.

~Pablo Picasso

While a little dose of Hand-Foot-And-Mouth disease kept us from the turkey, stuffing, and visiting with most of our family this Thanksgiving, we were thankful to have some extra time at home with our little monkey. It was in those turkey-less moments that we got to see Noah's imagination come to life. We had seen glimpses of this before--he often walks around the house talking on his imaginary phone. He holds his little bitty hand or any other object he can find up to his ear and says, "Hello.......(pause)......yes". But over the past several days we watched the phone conversations get longer and more animated. We were amazed when what remained of his nutri-grain bar snack became a car that he started driving around on his high-chair tray as he made fire truck noises (he thinks all 4-wheeled objects sound like fire trucks). By the end of the weekend, his Little People Construction set had taken on a couple of different identities. It consists of a bulldozer, a few ramps, a wrecking ball, and this rock/mountain formation that has a handle and becomes a carrying case for all the parts and pieces. The rock/mountain formation first became his school bag. He'd put it on his arm and start waving and saying "bye-bye" and walk to the front door saying, "school, school, school". When he grew tired of his unimaginative parents not allowing him to walk out the door and go to school, the mountain formation became a rocking horse. He'd attempt to sit on it like a horse (which was hysterical b/c it's way too small to sit on and led to a few hilarious wipeouts), hold on to the handle and start rocking and saying "rock, rock, rock". We would trade turkey and stuffing for these moments any day. We are so thankful that God specifically picked us to be the parents of this little boy and is allowing us the joy of watching as his beautiful little mind runs wild with creativity. It is our hope and prayer that Noah's imagination will remain uninhibited and that he will grow into an adult that is unafraid to have great faith and dream big!

To Faux Hawk or not to Faux Hawk

Last Sunday was a big day for our little bit. He turned 14 months old and got his first haircut. 14 months wasn't the magic number rather mom and dad finally agreed that it was time. Surprisingly, mom was ready long before dad but dad got on board once it started shaping into a baby mullet. So, how did it go? Noah did great! We were a little nervous b/c he's not too keen about the hair dryer and we knew those would be present. He's been known to hit the ground and assume the duck-and-cover position when one is turned on. We wouldn't say that he loved getting his hair cut but there were no tears and he stayed mostly still. He was still enough to avoid any tragic mishaps with the scissors. It helped that the sweet lady cutting his hair was incredibly patient and didn't mind running in circles around him.

Here are some pics of Noah's first haircut. And yep, we even have the certificate to prove that it happened. Not being a very nostalgic person it cracks me up to think that this might secretly be why I chose this particular haircut place over some of the others. Our little one has the power to make me foolishly sentimental.

Now the question (bordering debate) in our house is, To Faux Hawk or Not to Faux Hawk? Mom likes the Faux Hawk and Dad's not too crazy about it. He thinks it's a bit too trendy and thinks it's silly to put product in a 14 month-old's hair. While I agree that part does feel a bit silly, it really is so stinkin' cute. So we ask you, to faux hawk or not to faux hawk?

Less for More--Immeasurably More

As Thanksgiving fast approaches and we reflect on the things for which we are thankful, at the top of our list is that we are blessed to attend a church that we love. Each week we walk away encouraged and challenged to be more, give more, serve more, do more. Most recently we have been challenged to give more and to become more generous. This is our heart's desire. We want to be able to help our neighbors fix their car if it's broken and they don't have the money to fix it. We want to fill shoe box after shoe box after shoe box for Operation Christmas Child. We want to support not just one but several children through World Vision. We want to feed a local family who is hungry--for a YEAR! We want to teach our two boys to have a heart for others and a compassion to help those in need. We want to live the rest of our lives Giving, Saving, and then Spending. But right now, we can't. Yes we are doing what we can (most of the time) and yes, we have learned a lot and are getting closer (I encourage you to check out Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover). We have paid off our cars, we have paid off and given up credit cards, but standing in the way of our generosity makeover is our student loan debt and we DESPISE IT! So we are doing what was once unthinkable to us...something we pretty much said we would never do. We are selling our property in North Carolina and our little mountain shack. It's going on the market next week. If you know us, you know we love this place. We are a family that loves the outdoors and this is our little escape. We could go on and on about why this is going to be hard and why we are sad. But, we learned something at church on Sunday. We learned that while we will be walking away with less, God can turn our less into immeasurably more. (Eph. 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us). We can't wait to share this journey with you and we look forward to telling you all about the More that God is doing with our Less.

We will definitely miss this view.

Our little shack.

Noah's going to miss it too!

A Halloween to Remember

While this was not Noah's first Halloween, it will always be the first one we remember. Last year Noah was about 6 weeks old and I'm pretty positive we were still figuring out how to change a diaper in less than 10 minutes (while I'm sure getting either peed on or projectile pooped on). Ben had just lost his job and I was still very much a train wreck. Hormones + sleep deprivation = ONE HOT MESS! I just looked back through old pictures to make sure there wasn't a costume that I forgot about...Nope! This picture taken a few days before Halloween was our best effort.

This year Halloween turned out to be much more FUN and memorable. Noah, at 13 months, really had no clue what was going on which made it hard for me to get motivated and figure out a costume. As of Sunday afternoon all we had was a plain yellow cape. Bed time came and Ben and I got to work determined to create a cute costume without spending a dime. And overnight, this:

Turned into this:

We had a blast taking our little Super Hero trick-or-treating. Super Noah went house-to-house rescuing every pumpkin top he could get his hands on. But perhaps our most proud moment was when he displayed his Super Manners and said, "thank you" unprompted after receiving candy at the first house we visited.