Giving Up Bubi

Prior to blogging, I kept a message board to keep up with friends and family through pregnancy and mommyhood.  I'm working on bringing those posts to this blog. 

Bubi, Teagan's pacifier, is lost. Disappeared during naptime (yesterday) at Lisa's house. We searched and searched.

Jeff and I have been building up the idea of the Bubi Fairy coming and taking her bubi when she turns 3. 

Thinking on the fly, I made up a big old story about the fairy having a paci emergency and needing a paci right away for a baby. And the fairy knew that Teagan was big enough to handle it. We then looked to see if the fairy had left T's present anywhere... nope. So we decided Daddy could take her to the store to pick out a special present.

Get home and I quickly tell Jeff what's up (with T in the car so she can't hear). He remembers that one of her b-day presents (that I had picked up on clearance) is in the back of his car- a Cinderella dress up set. So that becomes the gift.

And I had a couple of other things tucked around the house. 

So we spoiled her like crazy last night- extra presents from the fairy because of the emergency situation, her favorite dinner (still frozen fishsticks with still frozen peas and very much cooked mac n cheese), watching her favorite holiday movie (she chose Rudolph- she loves the classics).

She went to sleep- took about an hour. Had some pretty good crying spells. We, at first, coddled her and tried to persuade her and be extra gentle and so on. Then I realized that we were teaching her how to manipulate the situation. So I went back into mommy mode and laid down the law... she figured out to ask for what she needed for comfort and went to sleep amongst a stuffed kitty, a pooh bear, and 3 other teddy bears. And Sassy curled up in her bed.

This is not the week for my baby to become a girl. It's her last ounce of babyhood. She's already weaned. She's completely potty trained. She's becoming more and more independent in self care. From here on, it's developmental milestones and learning. This was the last little bit of her babyhood and it is gone.

I'm not ready and she's not really ready. Plus I think her molars are pushing through a bit more and that's thrown her into this totally different child- tantrums and bad behavior at Lisa's yesterday. So she feels crappy which always makes her want bubi even more and now bubi is gone. And even if LIsa happens to find it, we aren't going to give it to her. Once you give it up, there is no turning back. Especially not if Mommy and Daddy want to keep an ounce of credibility!!

She slept okay last night. Several wakings and crying about bubi but it generally only lasted a few minutes and she would go back into a fitful sleep. 

I am prepared... if she happens to be the one to find the pacifier at Lisa's house... she can then choose. Keep all the presents or keep bubi. That's the big thing in all this... what makes it so hard... she didn't have a choice. She got forced into this position through no fault of anyone's. Sometimes things just happen and we just have to deal with them. Tough lesson to learn when you aren't even 3 yet!!

The gifts... 
A Cinderella dress up set- dress, heeled shoes, crown, purse
2 new nightgowns- Minnie fleece and a Cinderella princess one
Ariel (Little Mermaid) tea set

And this morning, since she "made it" through the night without bubi, she got a doctor's kit.

So I'm back to square one for her birthday. But I think all the new things will help with getting through this. I think. I hope.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers. It might be a very difficult weekend. I'm prepared for teething, no bubi, a frequently nursing baby, tantrums, and trying to get the house cleaned up.

Aaaaaaah, Motherhood!

Gotta say... my main support people have come through for me, though. Friends have been so supportive. My mom about made me cry on the phone last night telling me how proud she is of me. Jeff has been helping around the house and being super involved with the kids and was so fantastic in our bubi crisis. Thank heavens for friends and family!!

She's doing better and better. Bubi was found at Lisa's (by Lisa) and has been tucked away. As far as T knows, bubi is gone, gone, gone. 

She has a little trouble settling down when it is time to sleep. To be expected, of course. She has to learn how to calm herself without her pacifier. So there are some battles but overall, it is getting smoother each day. 

Here are some pics of my big girl, enjoying her new gifts from the bubi fairy...

Here she is in her crown


crown and princess heels


and the dress


and there is nothing better than a tea party in your new nightie




Jan 22: She very sweetly asked for it last night- no tears, no whining. Just asked. I reminded her that bubi is gone... and she was fine. Actually went to sleep pretty easy last night!

Back To Work

Prior to blogging, I kept a message board to keep up with friends and family through pregnancy and mommyhood.  I'm working on bringing those posts to this blog. 

Welp. Back to work tomorrow. About to head off to bed. I've got my clothes organized. I have my outfit ready for tomorrow. I have my lunch ready. I know what I'm fixing for breakfast. I've cleaned my house as best I can. Cleaned out my car today. Got my shower in tonight so I have all the awake time possible with the kids in the morning. 

Today, when I picked up the kids from Lisa's, I thought Zach looked different. It was the first time I'de been away from him for such a long time (most of the day) and he just looked different to me. And it breaks a piece of my heart. Because he will change a little every day. Because I have to hold a memory of how he looks during the day. Because I have to be away from him.

I hope that I don't regret this working thing later in life. I hope that I don't build resentment.

I hope that Zach doesn't learn to cry to get his needs met in daycare. And if he does, I hope he knows he doesn't have to use that coping skill at home. 

He isn't a co-sleeper but I still plan to stay close to him by sleeping in his room. 

Think of us tomorrow. And the rest of the week. I'm not looking forward to getting back into this routine. I'm hoping that Jeff will prove himself and be as helpful as I know he can be. I'm hoping that Zach will adjust to this new schedule in a few days and have a smooth and easy transition. I hope I'm not breaking his spirit, his ease, his mellow.

I just hope I'm being the best Mommy I really can be and doing all that I really can do for my kids.

Jan 17, 2008

Day Two

Today is better than yesterday.

My boss got me flowers to welcome me back. And so many people have told me that they missed me and are really glad to have me here again. It kind of helps, I guess.

I miss being home but have adjusted to being back much quicker this time around. Not fully adjusted yet... but I can feel how different it is from the first time. Different baby, different level of mommy-experience... 

Zach has been doing extremely well at daycare. Which, given his personality, doesn't surprise me. And Teagan is having a harder time with the adjustment. And, given her personality, shouldn't surprise me. So, I have to focus on making the morning rush a little easier on all of us. I've moved my shower to the night before. I pick out my clothes the night before (which didn't help this morning- but that was my fault. I just need to do a better job of picking out my clothes and making sure that the clothes still look right together). I can make Zach's bottles up before I go to bed. I can fill up my water jug before I go to bed. I just need to come up with a good routine that gets everything done about 15 minutes before it is time to leave. We'll get there!!

Jan 15, 2008

Prior to blogging, I kept a message board to keep up with friends and family through pregnancy and mommyhood.  I'm working on bringing those posts to this blog. 



Zach continues to be a great baby and Teagan is still an awesome kid and big sis. Jeff and I are doing well. I go back to work full time tomorrow. Zach has gone to daycare yesterday and today (went until after lunch yesterday and will stay until after nap today- all building up to the full day tomorrow). 

Guess I'll get on to what you really want- pics!!

Christmas- Our first celebration was with Jeff's family. Mimi and Pop-pop, Jeff's sister Lindsay with husband Travis and kids (Corbin and Jillian) and Mimi's daughter Lisa with husband Todd and kids (Andrew, Caden, Ava). Teagan and Zach were certainly spoiled with a very generous amount of gifts!!

















A pic from Xmas Eve at our house- T in her new nightgown and you can kinda see her 2007 ornament (this year's is Mickey and Minnie) on the tree.


Some pics of the kiddos- Teagan feeding Zach, Zach's chunky thighs, fun in the tub, etc.











 

A funny naptime moment- Teagan likes to go to sleep by herself now (doesn't need someone sitting in the room with her). She will frequently ask for her pacifier and head to her room, climb into bed, and just go to sleep. Here's how I found her the other day...





Zach is a thumbsucker. It's about the cutest thing I've ever seen. I really didn't want a thumbsucker. Jeff now tells me that he sucked his thumb for a looooong time. So this might be a habit that is hard to break. But Zach is so content and relaxed when he gets that thumb in his mouth. Doesn't compare to the paci... 






He's a very happy baby. He fusses sometimes but very rarely cries. He loves faces. He loves to be talked to and sung to. He likes to snuggle but also likes his independent time. Loves the jumperoo, not the bumbo. Loves tummy time- when he gets tired of looking around, he puts his head down, pops in that thumb, and takes a nap! Weighed in at 17 pounds on Sunday. He's 12 weeks old today. It's all great!









Jeff's birthday was 1/2. Teagan was home with me and Zach and we made Daddy a birthday cake!




And just random shots...




















Teagan moments:
- I had gotten out of the shower and she wanted to brush my hair. I said that I'd had a cold shower (I got the last shower of the morning). Teagan said "Cold? No! It was wet!"

- She is playing independently and imaginatively so much. She has a bunch of Little People and various little plastic characters. She likes to put them all in a circle and have them talk and sing to each other. She puts differents ones into various vehicles and plays out mommy-daddy-kid stories. 

- Loves playing games. We teach her the "right" way to play the first time. Then she makes up her own rules after that. Love it! She is very creative. 

- She is quickly filling out her 3T clothes. I wish there was a size in between 2T and 3T. 

- She puts on he rown underwear, socks, and pants. Working on figuring out shirts. Loves taking a bath and playing with water. Loves to help with housework. Loves helping with her baby brother. Loves reading and trips to the library. Is a pretty good eater. Pretty good listener (for her age, anyway). Fun to talk to and play with. Very few behavior problems. If she has a meltdown, she is usually over-tired or not feeling well. 

Zach moments:
- He is starting to play, too. He has these plastic links that he plays with in his jumperoo. I put them in the tray and he will work and concentrate so hard until he gets his little fat hand on them and knocks them to the floor. Then he looks up and waits for someone to ge tthem for him!! He also loves "stand up, sit down." Teagan or I will say Stand up! and he stands on my lap (I hold his hands or under his armpits) then we say sit down and he plunks down on his butt. When he's really into it, he actually pushes himself up on his legs and he will sit himself down so I'm only helping him balance- not with the up and down part.

- He sleeps all night. 10-12 hours. Not a co-sleeper. Needs and enjoys his sleep. Self soothes with that thumb. With going back to work tomorrow, I've taken to sleeping in his room the past few nights. Yesterday was the first half day at daycare and he definitely nursed more when he came home. I thought he might have some night feedings, too, but sleep seems to be more important! He was somewhat restless so I slept in the twin bed in his room and he seemed to sleep a bit more comfortably. Which is, I think, a fair compromise!

- Zach is being baptized on Feb 10. Anyone in the area is welcome to come. Get in touch with me for details. I'm horrible at sending out invites.

A phrase I used the other day...

Teagan brought us love and Zach has brought us joy.

We were so scared about going from one to two kids. No idea how we were going to handle it. Teagan's arrival taught us a level of love that we didn't know existed. Something so deep and profound that it can't be explained with mere words. She delights us every single day but also taught us about some of the difficulties of infancy. Now Zach has arrived and the love is, of course, there. But he has also brought us an unreal amount of joy. He is so laid back and easy going and we are so blessed with this easy baby that we are able to really sit back and watch him and enjoy him and enjoy him and his sister together. 

Jeff and I are doing great. He has continued to be very busy at work. I'm going to be busy as soon as I'm back to work- I've managed to stay in touch with the goings on of the office (which I think is helping with my transition back into it). We are all healthy- thank God! We enjoy visits from Grandma. Mimi and Pop-pop have gone to FL for a few months. 

Sassy is doing fine as the only dog- she really seems to be flourishing now. It's like she was holding back for Ginger's sake and is back to being like a puppy now.