A lesson in intention

Since Ryan's birthday weekend, when Hollace got an ear infection, Hollace has slept terribly. Both at night and naps. It's been exhausting for all of us and a challenge for his care givers. On Monday evening, after failing yet again to get Hollace to sleep and stay asleep for longer than an hour or so, and on the heels of having to leave a friend's birthday party early because Hollace was up and starting to struggle, I decided it was time to make some changes. After a long Google session I made a game plan for Tuesday night. I don't know if my plan was perfect, perfectly timed or that Hollace and I were just so tired that anything would help, but he has started to sleep! He immediately slept for a 4 hr stretch on Tuesday with only minimal squawking. And last night he slept for 11.5 hrs straight! I'm not expecting that to repeat itself consistently yet, but for now I will relish in us both being well rested and the reminder that change always comes. 

Bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning enjoying pancakes and pears. 

Chipmunk cheeks on pasta night. 

Enjoying the newest and best food in the neighborhood. Thankfully it's pizza, so is easy to go with us all. 

Anders dropped a vice grip on his toe (long story) and insisted I put a cast on it. I fashioned a cast out of several socks. He insisted on wearing the cast for the entire day. 

Also, Hollace has started to love to eat. He's up to three meals a day. Not sure how much food he actually gets in his mouth, but he working on those fine motor skills!

24 hr later Update: Hollace slept through the night last night, too! I'm drunk on sleep. He also had a low grade fever yesterday, so while I'm hoping the sleep is helping his immune system do what it needs to, I'm also hoping the full nights become a habit. 

Laughter

Scenes from quarantine

Hollace, Anders and I stayed home today while we avoided exposing Portland to pink eye and tried to kick our colds and return to normal good health. It is no secret that I am not meant to be a stay at home mom. Just a few hours in, when the novelty of being home has worn off and Anders is looking to me for activities and entertainment, I am reminded just how much I respect those who stay home with kids. But, all in all, I think we did pretty well. 

We made birthday crowns (later, in a fit of anger, because I wouldn't let him eat chocolate chips, Anders ripped his up and threw it in the garbage), Anders made a cake out of magnetic block with four candels and we practiced singing "happy birthday".

Then we dyed Easter eggs. Anders didn't really understand the idea of saving them for the Easter bunny (how does the Easter bunny get into the house to get the eggs and hide them??)  and ate most of the dozen we dyed.

Later we made cookies. Hollace "licked" the beater while Anders LICKED the beater. His eye was looking pretty good, too. 

For dinner we had chicken and rice with black eyed peas and carrots. While Hollce loves broccoli more than anything he's eaten thus far, this dinner went over very well. 

 

Le Sigh

The gods of health have been teasing us with common but distributive sicknesses for the kids and colds for the parents. Just as Hollace started feeling some relief from his ear infection, Anders came down with pink eye today. As a result we spent another Sunday at urgent care. 

After dinner on Friday, when things started to turn around in our favor. 

Playing memory and snacking on yogurt at urgent care. 

Finally back home, enjoying an appetizer. 

The ups and downs of it all

This past month has been full of them. 

Hollace accompanied me to PA/NJ to see friends and family. He was a great little traveler!

Working on his immune system while stretching on the floor at the Atlanta airport in our layover. 

He was very interested in my friend Robin's 4 girls (7, 4, 20mo twins). 

Snuggling with his great grandmother, Nonni, at her surprise 85th birthday party. 

He also has had an ear infection the entire month!

Waiting to see the doctor yesterday. 

Unable to sleep for very long on his own, last night he and Ryan passed out together in our bed. 

Anders continues to be lively, creative and very stubborn. 

"Fishing" while waiting for me to clean out my car. 

He thought that putting both his feet in one sock was hilarious. 

Telling stories to Meme on her recent visit. 

And, just this morning I caught him cutting is hair. He told me "I just had to cut my hair. It was in my eyes." I appreciate his take-the-bull-by-the-horns spirit. 

Starting to figure it out

Hollace is slowly starting to learn how to eat solids. Gone are the days of screaming for food but gagging when food got in his mouth. Now he chews and sucks to his heart content, or until he drops it. 

Double fisting.