Can I just brag on my kids for a moment?

I am really impressed with how well they have both taken to their new sibling and their part in all of it. Now, I know that having a 4 year gap between Bennett and Landon and an almost 8 year gap between Morgan and Landon makes it a bit easier, but seriously, they have been so great -- far beyond my expectations. I expect it out of Morgan, she's another "little momma" and is old enough and responsible enough to be really good with the baby. I was a little worried about Bennett though. His personality is so big and I was worried about what he would do to try to compete with the baby. So far (knock on wood), he has not been trying to compete with Landon. In fact, the only problem we've had so far was one time when Bennett was sick (he got a cold on Easter) and Morgan was feeding Landon a bottle. Bennett wanted a turn and I had to remind him of how he was sick and couldn't be near the baby right now. He understood, but had a small melt down. I took him upstairs with me for some time alone watching TV in my bed (which he never gets to do) while I pumped. He came around and he said he understood. He was so good while he was sick too, never getting too close to the baby and not getting upset by the fact that Morgan could hold Landon and he couldn't.

I have been trying to give him Landon-centric jobs that he could do while he was sick, like helping with diaper changes by getting the diaper, the wipe, etc. and he's done this each time with complete joy. In fact, he comes running every time he's around and I'm changing a diaper. I am so lucky!

Now that he's feeling better, he will sit next to me holding Landon or next to Landon and talk to him. "There's some eyes, Landon! Do you see me, bubbas? I'm your big brother! I love you, Landon!" It just makes my heart all ooey gooey melty. I couldn't be more proud of the kids I'm raising!

THIS is precisely why I wanted to have another child.

Bringing Home Baby

You know that show on TLC? The one where they come home with new parents as they transition their life to a +1 with a new baby at home? Yeah, I always wondered what those parents were thinking. As if the experience itself weren't enough, you should also invite cameras into your home to document some of the most tender moments in your life? Not for me. Those first two nights at home with baby are notorious in our family for being sleepless and trying, often with tears of both joy and also frustration as you try to meet your new baby's needs every waking and non waking moment. Not sure I'd want cameras in my house documenting my exhausted look as I get up to change the baby one more time, or struggle with a tiny baby and getting them in the right position to nurse correctly. Not for me, thanks.

I knew that I could leave the hospital on Saturday morning, and boy was I ready. The bed at the hospital was just unbearable and I was anxious to come home to my family. I just waited for the doctors to do their rounds that morning so that I could be discharged and I was ready to go when they did. Freedom!

Morgan and Bennett were sooooo excited to have us come home. I think Bennett was mostly excited to have Lance and I back home, as he seemed to be having a rough time with leaving us at the hospital. Morgan was mostly excited about bringing "her baby" home to become part of our family. They were both awesome on the drive home. They were our eyes on Landon as we made the 20 minute trek home. Should he bat an eye or make any sort of noise, they would let us know. "Mom, he just yawned!" or "Momma, he's asleep."

When we got home, we followed tradition (since it had been the same with the other two) and let the sleeping baby stay in the car seat. Bennett and Morgan immediately got out their new toys, compliments of Landon, and started playing. As if we hadn't just brought home a new baby. It was actually reassuring to me, seeing them continue with life as normal.

It seems that there is some amazing ability babies have to sense that they are no longer at the hospital and what they had been doing (sleeping non-stop), no longer applies now that there are no longer a team of nurses standing by to take the baby to the nursery if you need a moment of sleep. Ahh, the joys of bringing home baby. 

By now, with my third I'm aware of many of the pitfalls of newborn life. Not eating, not sleeping, etc and with Landon I'm anxiously looking out for the signs of either. The first two nights at home proved to me that he could eat and the first two days at home proved to me that he could sleep. Only need to get the daytime and nighttime in the right order. :)

I reserve the right to change this statement later, but as of now, this child appears to not have the eating issues Morgan had as a baby or the sleep issues Bennett had as a baby. Perhaps, just perhaps, this is my mellow-go-with-the-flow third child. If only I'm so lucky! I'm looking forward to finding out more how this little guy is going to fill in the pieces of our family.

Sisterly love

This afternoon, while at Katilyn's 6th birthday party at Super Franks, Morgan and Bennett both hit it big at this one particular game in the arcade. Morgan got 167 tickets and Bennett had 348. When it came time to cash in the tickets, Bennett had his eye on a broomstick horse. The horse cost 500 tickets, so if he combined his tickets with Morgan's he could get it. When I presented Morgan with the idea, she wasn't interested, and instead picked out a frog, a snake, a lizard and a lollipop. I kept trying to convince Bennett to get anything else and he wasn't interested. He really only wanted the horse. I explained to him that we didn't have enough tickets and that since Morgan had gotten other items, we couldn't use hers. Morgan overheard this and immediately turned to me, and asked if she could return the stuff she had just gotten. I told her she didn't need to do that. I told her that they were her tickets and if that's what she wanted to get with them, then that was fine. She told me that no, she wanted to help Bennett get the horse. She asked the girl working at the ticket counter if she could return her stuff and use the tickets to help her brother buy the horse. The girl at the ticket counter said sure and was so impressed with her generosity that she offered to let her keep the lollipop. Bennett was so excited about he horse and I was so excited about my loving daughter. I'll try to remember this when she's yelling at him tomorrow about taking her puzzle pieces.

Family fun for three

Today was FREE DAY! at The Bay Area Discovery Museum, which just so happens to be one of my favorite museums in the bay area. Lance has never been, so we decided to pack some lunches and head across the bay to Sausalito for a little family fun.

Minus Morgan.

I have to admit, that it felt weird. It even felt a little wrong. The night before, when she asked where we were going, I just answered, "you don't want to know". I know how upset she would be if she realized that we were going there without her. I think she might love it even more than I do. But, that's probably not the reason she would be upset. It would be the betrayal of us all going WITHOUT her. WITH Daddy. How dare we.

But you know what? We did this all the time with her before Bennett was born. Heck, we've even done it since he was born. She has had the two of us to herself so much and Bennett? Well, he's never had the two of us to himself. So, I used that to alleviate the guilt I was feeling, and looked forward to a fun day out with my two guys.

Honestly, it was strangely peaceful and fun! I'm used to taking both kids to these types of places by myself. Two to one, me being the minority. This time it was two to one, but the adults had the majority and it made it so nice! No having to split time. No having to worry about making both kids happy. No having to referee fights. It was Bennett's day. To decide what HE wanted to do. By himself and just for himself. And it was fun to have the peace and quiet to watch my husband be a father. We are often so busy caring for one child or the other, that we miss out on those moments.

I realized while we were there that there are certain things that are easier when you have a sibling along, however. Like, when Bennett was playing with the trucks in the gravel, Morgan totally would have been looking out for him, making sure the other kids didn't take his shovel and showing him the ropes. Or how much fun they actually do have when they are together. But, it was also nice to see Bennett being his own person, without the influence of an overbearing big sister. He had to get the trucks himself, keep the shovel close by or get it back himself. It's when you have them apart that you realize how different life is with more than one child. You get so used to doing everything with two, the difference practically screams at you when you just have the one.

We had a wonderful day and I don't feel that guilty about doing it while Morgan was at school and Daisy's. Only a little guilty that she missed out on the family fun which included Daddy.

He comes from a long line of sibling manipulators

Lance had an observation the other day, that I think is spot on. You see, we've been having a problem with Bennett screaming. Especially when he and Morgan are playing together. Lance noted that he thinks that Bennett screams now to get Morgan in trouble. Hmmm, let's think about this.

Before, when they first started really playing together, whenever he screamed, it was always because she had taken something from him, tried to pick him up, or done something generally unacceptable. So naturally, when I'm in the kitchen cooking dinner and I hear some screaming, who do I call out to (that's a nice way to say "scream at")? Morgan, of course. So, time after time of him screaming and Morgan' being disciplined, and he's figured out how to manipulate things to get what he wants.

Want that toy cat she's playing with? Scream. What's likely to happen? Mom's going to reprimand Morgan for taking away his cat. Pretty smart little sucker, isn't he? Only, I'm on to his game. I used to do this stuff to my brother All. The. Time. In fact, there was an infamous tape that we had made of ourselves playing. During the tape, you can hear my brother pounding on me and me screaming "my earring, my earring!!". You hear a short pause and then "You're not even wearing any earrings!!" Haha!

You can't play a player.