MILKING MAMA ON STANDBY

What is THAT, you ask? THAT, my friends, is the interior of my breastpump. (Well, the breastpump that my awesome friend Nicole has let me borrow since James was born). See that white circle in the middle? That's the diaphragm. In case you don't know how diaphragms work, I'll enlighten you. They are NOT suppose to have large, gaping holes. With the breastpump, such a hole causes you to lose suction. No suction = no milk. No wonder I haven't been pumping as much lately. I thought maybe it was just because Cora has been sleeping through the night and my supply was decreasing a bit. Or maybe just that my body was out of practice, what with the holiday and all my extra time off to be with Cora, that perhaps my body didn't like the pump anymore. Well, when I ended up with NOTHING (not a single ounce, not even a drop) at my 3pm pumping session today, I totally panicked! I had done alright at the 9am session, so I KNEW (well, hoped beyond hope) that it wasn't me. It had to be the machine. Being the engineering sleuth that he is, Jay took the pumping mechanism apart and discovered the problem. Even better? Medela doesn't sell replacement diaphragms. You can get just about any other stupid little part (valves, membranes, FACEPLATES even), but not the crucial one. The one that (other than the motor) makes the milk flow. You know what this means, right? Yup, I get to go buy a brand new pump in the morning. As soon as Target opens at 8am.

"THE BOW"

That's what they called Cora at daycare today, due to the immense amount of ribbon on her outfit. (Grambot did it!)

SACKED OUT

Well, we've finally weaned Cora of the swaddle. We were getting so nervous about having her arms pinned at her sides while she (and we) sleep all night, worried that she'd somehow flip over and get stuck, that we decided to work on getting her out of the Miracle Blanket and into a sleep sack. For 3 nights in a row, we half-swaddled her (leaving one arm free, while the other arm and her legs were still bound tightly), and she managed to sleep through the night with no issue each night. (I was too nervous to go "cold turkey") When that worked, we moved her into the sleep sack. She did great for 2 nights, then had a bad night. The very next day (yesterday), she learned to flip from her back to her tummy. I guess we weaned her just in time...

Accordingly, I switched out her beautiful plush crib bumper for the mesh bumper. Cora is now officially an unswaddled sleeper. I wonder if this means she'll start napping in her crib? (Yeah right...)

ALL ABOARD!

The Santa Train came to town, and we almost missed it! I had my dates mixed up. Good thing Christina set me straight. We had a fun time checking out the model train villages and ornament/figurine arrangements, and even managed a quick family photo with Santa.

Thanks Christina! (And Will!)

Rather than risk a touchy-grabby toddler wreaking havoc in the ecclectically decorated train cars, we decided to contain him. Since strollers wouldn't fit, I carried him in his Beco Butterfly II in the back carry. And Jay carried Cora in her Beco Gemini in the front carry position. Couldn't have been easier. LOVE wearing our babies.

For anyone who is undecided between the Butterfly and Gemini, here are the main differences...

The Butterfly has an extra piece of fabric between the wearer and the baby, so that you can strap the baby in before hoisting them up onto your back. Perfect for toddlers (especially those who tend to prefer back carries over front carries). And perfect for moms or dads that need to get the toddler on their back unassisted.

The Gemini has snap-in sides at the bottom, allowing for a more narrow "seat" for the baby if desired. Perfect for younger babies who will not tolerate having their legs spread wide, but who are no longer comfortable being "froggied" either. The Gemini also has the ability to cross the straps. I find this to be SO much more comfortable for the front carry position than using the straps like a backpack (only backwards - does that make sense?). Even Jay likes wearing it that way. Oh, and should you want to carry your baby forward facing (that is, facing out at the world instead of into Mama or Daddy's chest), the Gemini allows for that too (due to the narrower "seat"). While babywearing enthusiasts everywhere will tell you not to do so, based on poor spine positioning, the makers of the Gemini insist that their new carrier allows for proper alignment, even in the forward facing position. We've tried it, and Cora likes it. WAY more comfortable than the Bjorn. However, it is definitely most comfortable when she faces into our chests (rather than out), regardless of the wasit belt that distributes baby weight so effectively. The Gemini can also be used for back carries, and has the added benefit of a hip carry position. We haven't tried either of those with Cora yet though, since we need to wait just a bit longer for her to be big enough! One last difference is that the Gemini has a snap-down padded head rest, as opposed to the removeable sleeping "hood" that comes with the Butterfly (which we've never used with James).

So, they're both great carriers. And there are lots of others on the market. It just depends what you're looking for, I suppose. I love both our Beco's, and if the Gemini had come out before Cora was born, we probably would have never used the Bjorn with her. And after using the Gemini, I'll always recommend it over the Bjorn in the future. Besides, Bjorns are WAY overpriced for what they are, and they're really only comfortable until the baby hits about 15 lbs...

TREE TRIMMIN'

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

James loved taking all the ornaments out of the boxes......but he did NOT like putting them on the tree!

The finished product:

And yes, there are only ornaments on the top half of the tree. I'm sure you can guess as to why...

4TH GENERATION

Perhaps not the greatest of photos, but the best we could do on short notice as we were leaving for the airport this morning. Hopefully we'll get a real 4 generation portrait this summer at our family reunion!

(Yes, James is hiding behind my legs...)

We miss you already Mom and Grandma! Thank you so much for coming out to spend the week with us, we really enjoyed hanging out and showing off our cuties!

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

Even though the temperature dropped (plumetted, to be accurate... upper 70's on Thursday afternoon and below freezing Friday morning), we decided to get out of the house and let James burn off some energy at the park.

(And Cora looked mighty cute in her new little beanie)

30 THANKS

I have more to be thankful for this year than ever before. I have seen folks list their thanks daily on Facebook, and have decided to do something similar. In no particular order, here is one thing I'm thankful for, for each day of this month:

1. Love and support from my family and friends, near and far, old and new. Thank you!
2. Two healthy, happy, beautiful, fun babies that make every day an adventure.
3. A husband who does more than his share around the house, and never, ever complains.
4. The ability to help others, in small ways, and sometimes big ways.
5. Sleep. And my luck with having 2 babies who are good sleepers, who thus allow me my sleep.

6. Lovely fall weather and the promise of many wood stove fires in my near future.

7. Chocolate. And peanut butter.
8. This blog, which has become my journal, my outlet, and my place to record the details I hope to never forget about these years as my babies grow.
9. Kisses. Cute little "muah!" kisses from James, open-mouthed drooling kisses from Cora, and sweet kisses from Jay. Hugs and "sugar" are pretty awesome too.
10. Amazing friends who never let me down and never forget about me, no matter how far away they live.
11. Expanding families. Not mine, exactly. As in, Team Lindsay is not expanding, so don't get the wrong idea. I am referring to my niece on the way, and some friends who are expecting their first (or second!) baby in 2011. In the past 2 days I learned about 2 new babies! I think that makes 6 babies due in the next 6 months or so!
12. Energy. It takes a lot of energy to keep up with my toddler. And patience...
13. Miracles. Little and big. Especially the big ones.
14. Having a good job that I enjoy, and coworkers who make even the stressful days fun. Or at least interesting! An understanding and supportive boss is a major bonus.
15. A successful first semester of school for Jay. He has been so dedicated and organized. I am so proud of him and thankful that he has been able to adapt so well to the demands of a full-time job, two little munchkins, and full load of graduate coursework.
16. Healing. So many friends have needed healing this year, and their health makes me happy.
17. Quality time. Whether it be our little family of 4, or extended family visiting, there is nothing more important for my kiddos right now than getting the loving attention they deserve.
18. Safe vehicles and our car "rules". We may be strict, but the safety of our family is too important to take risks.
19. Laughter. I am so blessed to be surrounded by people who make me laugh. Laughter really can change your day. It lightens your heart.
20. Good video baby monitors. I wouldn't enjoy my sleeping hours nearly as much without them. Or my blogging hours, for that matter.
21. Generosity. We are quite lucky to have so many generous people in our lives, who give of their time and energy and heart.
22. Communication. Jay and I strive to maintain excellent communication with eachother at all times, and we're so excited that James is learning to communicate his needs and wants and likes and dislikes. Good communication makes any and all relationships so much easier.
23. Snack traps. We wouldn't survive the weekends without them.
24. New experiences. For recent examples, learning to sew and getting my very own pair of "toe shoes".
25. My king-size TempurPedic mattress and pillow. There is no better bed in all the world.
26. A husband who wears the hat of a handyman so well.
27. Flexible work schedules, working with my husband and working similar hours, and not having to commute (to work or to daycare). The extra time I have with my family every day is not something I take for granted.
28. Daycare ladies who love my children.
29. Modern cloth diapers, for all the cuteness and convenience they provide.
30. The opportunity to see all the world has to offer anew. There is something very exciting and refreshing in watching your child(ren) learn and grow and experience new things and situations. Their "fresh eyes" and innocent hearts really help me to slow down and enjoy the wonder of even the everyday things in life.

THANKSGIVING AT HOME

We had a quiet, yet busy day here at the Lindsay zoo...

The boys rough-housed

And messed with GrambotCora was chill and happy (most of the day)

James did not eat turkey, but he loved the jellied cranberry sauce. And my sweet potato casserole did not end in flames this year.And we watched Toy Story 3 to end the night

CORA VS. GRAMBOT

The Queen may have ruled the house this week, but Grambot still enjoyed her time with her princess.

Monday morning was rough. The afternoon was better. And by Tuesday Grambot had her little princess all figured out. See? I told you Cora is an easy baby. As long as you give her exactly what she wants, when she wants it!

AND THE RUNNER UP IS...

...our daycare!

That's right. James and Cora's daycare was voted 2nd best daycare in town this year, and we're really happy for them. While we've had fleeting issues (mainly with James' ex-teacher, who has now moved on and opened her own daycare), we really love our daycare and the ladies who lovingly care for our babies. Way to go girls!

(Don't mind the edited newspaper ad - I have a thing with not sharing the name of our daycare)

AND NOW, BRONCHITIS

Yup, James is sick again. AGAIN. He's had what we thought was a cold/allergies for a few days, but the cough and drainage was getting worse, even with Mucinex and Pediatex. Then he developed his signature "sinus infection breath", and on top of that, a yeast diaper rash (due to the LAST round of antibiotics he was on). So rather than wait it out, and risk ending up in the ER on Thanksgiving, we went to see the good doc today. Luckily, we caught the infection before he developed pneumonia. He got a shot, is on ANOTHER round of antibiotics, and has a couple of bum creams to switch between until his rash clears up. Poor kid is walking bow-legged in the meantime. Well, running actually. A little sickness like bronchitis sure isn't going to slow OUR boy down...

(And yes, that is another Sassy Britches. "Pirate Patch", to be exact. Arrrgh Matey!)

SASSY OWLS

Margie's redesigned diapers are AWESOME! Such a great fit, and cute to boot!!

YEAR 2

Continuing the tradition we started last year with James, this year we did Operation Christmas Child for two kiddos: one for James and one for Cora.

By next year, James will probably be able to help us pick out the gifts for his Christmas Child. We're really looking forward to being able to use these gifts to teach James and Cora that it is just as important to give as it is to receive. We love this time of year...

ZOO CREW

Our first stop was the Merry-Go-Round, and James' first time ever to ride one. He was so excited when we got there (he ran up to it and pointed out all the animals), but then he get scared. The only way he would ride was in his Daddy's lap. So they joined Cora and I on the peacock.

He liked the petting zoo... until a rogue chicken (yes, the pictured chicken) ran up and pecked him on the pant leg. Then it was time to go!

The prairie dogs were MIA, but the boys went through their tunnel anyway.I took a break from carrying Cora and the kiddos strolled with Grambot. Cora spent as much time watching her big brother as she did watching the animals. Turtles and fish are some of James' favorite animals. He liked showing them to his Great Grandma. Getting a closer look at the beaver... James LOVES the little playground near the Mississippi exhibit: Beverage break at the end of the day. James tried Sprite for the first time. Not a fan...

James and Cora were both so well behaved, all day long. Even when we then hit Toys-R-Us (utter chaos!) and the mall for a little Christmas shopping. And even with missed and shortened naps. It was really quite amazing. James impressed us all by naming (or repeating) many of the animals we saw: peacock, lemur ("yeema"), kitty (for all the big cats - tigers, lions, leopars), bear bear, sssnake!, monkey, duck, bird, owl, fish, giraffe ("rav"), wolf, etc. Oh man, this is such a fun age!

WELCOME BACK!

(Oh man, do I ever love this little owl outfit!)

RECYCLED STATE

Forgive me, for I am slow in posting these photos of the awesome shark our friend John made for James. It is absolutely perfect in his pirate room, and we all love it! If you want your own shark (or angler fish, or whale, or pirate skull, or seashorse, or dinosaur, or even your own state, or anything else you can come up with), be sure to check out his new shop on ETSY: Recycled State, for which business is booming! Congratulations John!

FLOWER POWER

GIRLS RULE AND BOYS DROOL!

Cora has been a drool machine for well over a month now, so I guess the saying isn't true after all...

(Although, she did get started a whole lot later than James. That boy started leaking like a faucet when he was just 10-weeks-old, and Cora held out until 16 weeks.)

BEFELT

We got "fluffy mail" the other day! I had joined a co-op (discount group order) on BabyCenter quite a while ago to get some absolutely adorable, semi-custom fleece soakers from BeFelt, and they finally arrived. They're even cuter in person! These will be used at night, along with overnight-rated fitted diapers, so that James and Cora's bums can breathe (fleece allows greater air flow than PUL covers). If our initial testing goes well, we just might have to get a few more...

Seriously, could you have passed up these designs? SO cute!

Unfortunately, only James will be able to test these out right now, since Cora's is WAY too big on her. Bummer too, because I had ordered her "refresh" in a medium. The "c'mon pokey" is for both of them, size large. And "toofy the monster" is an XL for James. I had heard they run small, so I ordered up. And I wanted an array of sizes for the kids to grow into. Hmmm. Hopefully they'll "snug up" in the wash and Cora can wear hers soon!