The Palmer Rambler: A New Year...New Changes and Challenges

The beginning of 2015 brought on a new set of changes, which always brings its challenges... Mommy went back to work! It was a wonderful 4 months at home with Kate and the kids, but the bank account, and fairness, said it was time to get back to being a part time PT. So back to working 3 days a week starting the first week of the month we went. It was a big switch from only getting 2-3 people out of the house on time, to all 5! And 3 days is not that much for those of you that work 5 days a week, but it sure was a shock to our family's system! But, we are making our way through it...quick meals, busy evening, lots of pumping and washing bottles...and we are surviving, mostly!

Kate is being cared for by the sweetest retired couple that God moved into our neighborhood about 1.5 years ago. They have always been very friendly and we see their grandkids (all in elementary school) over quite a bit. I really didn't want to start Kate in daycare right away for lots of different reasons and so I dragged my feet letting our daycare know I wanted her to go there. So when I hadn't found anyone and contacted the daycare, they didn't have a spot for her! Whoops! So, I prayed to God and in one of Kate's early morning feedings, I had a God moment and He told me to figuratively walk up and down our street and think about who was doing what. It didn't take long to get to the house 2 doors down and realize this couple might be willing. So on a whim, she was outside one day with her granddaughters as we were coming home from a walk, and I simply asked her if she would talk to her husband and consider it. She jumped at the chance, saying she didn't even have to talk to her husband, that they would LOVE to have a baby to care for! What a blessing they have been for Kate and our family! It has been such an amazing transition! Kate has done almost perfect for them (at least that's what they tell me) and they get along beautifully. She gets so much attention and love from both of them! They love to take her on walks, which she loves of course. We think they hold her and talk to her most of the day - she just loves the attention! She gets more attention there than at home! They both have said, "I hope you like rotten babies, because we are going to spoil her!" And I love it! I could go on and one about them and what an answer to prayer they are, but you get the idea! It was harder to leave her to go back to work than I thought it would be, with her being the 3rd I've been through, but knowing she was in such good hands helped so much! She was such a sweet and fun infant, and my easiest baby, to care for, I really could have stayed home with her forever it seemed. But alas, back to work, and we are all better for it...she's not as Mommy focused but still getting tons of love and attention as we work through finding her pattern to the day and Mommy is getting a better balance in life and changing out of pajamas and into scrubs! :)

Kate's sleeping and eating has changed quite a bit this month, and we are starting to see some patterns emerge by the end of the month. She is getting pretty good at getting down to just 3 naps a day and eating every 3-3.5 hours during the day (except for a week long growth spurt!). I'm so thankful that she finally got to a point of spreading out her eating just as I was going back to work (it's just so difficult to find time to pump at work). She is doing better going to sleep without much fuss if you catch it at the right time, and ends up doing better for Earnie and Diane than she does for us at home.

She's starting to move around more, rolling from stomach to back, and back onto her side, which is where she tends to sleep the best. Being on her tummy is still something she is learning to tolerate, but it's getting better, and be a bit of an issue at night as she often gets stuck on her tummy and can't figure out how to get onto her back - it's slightly painful to watch her try to roll over her arms...such a mess! She scoots around a bit in her crib and her playmat as well, getting herself in all kins of stuck positions.

She is giggling more and more, and there's no doubt it's a favorite sound in our home. She gets a kick out of zerberts and starting to enjoy playing peek-a-boo as well. She really perks up when she hears her brothers around, turning her head to the sound and trying to find them...there are usually on the move, so hard to catch up with. But then they'll come to her and just smother her with kisses and face to face - she just loves it - and we watch VERY closely! She is making more noises and tends to be more vocal in the evenings...will we finally get a night owl?! She is starting to make spit bubbles and drooling lots. She's starting to bring things to her mouth as she explores too. Toward the end of the month, she became big enough to be in the exersaucer and it seems it will be a winner for her as much as it was for the boys - she loves it!

Noah has really become a great big brother to Kate...I think they will have a special connection since they get to be together at home with me on my days at home. He loves to get real close to her face, make silly faces and noises and gets a big kick about making her smile and giggle! He will usually then turn to me to tell me: "She likes it Mommy...she loves me!" to which I respond, "Yes she does, and we love her!" So sweet!

It is very apparent to us that Noah is 3. Noah on the other hand is convinced he is now 7. That is now his favorite number and when asked how old he is, he'll flat out answer, I'm seven! There are things that have to be done just a certain way, in certain order, etc., often the task has to be complete before we can move onto the next task. This is all fine and well until we need to get something done of course, at which point, lining up 20 toys before we get in the car seems a little ridiculous! He has also gotten into having all the lights turned off, and then turn them all on, but usually h wants them all off - even during the day. What a goof!

Noah loves to play on Mommy and Daddy's bed...recently he's loved more to 'make a tent' with our covers and go in and out of the tent. He still loves for Daddy to be Tickle Monster, play like Ninjas and play hide and seek. Toys he loves to play with continue to be his super hero figures or similar (Minions and Doodle Jump figures, and cars continue to be favorites as well) to set them up and knock them down.

Potty training is going slow. He will stay clean and dry at school, and then save it for home. We will have him go potty when he goes home and 5 minutes later, he's pooped in his pants! Then we ask him if he's gone and he denies it, and walks away with this clear waddle that proves he has gone and doesn't want his legs to touch it, but doesn't want to stop playing to do anything about it! But there is slow progress, some days with no accidents, even random times he'll initiate the process...it will happen!

He is doing a great job with putting puzzles together, and is really loving the seek and find type books. He loves to be outside, enjoys the swings lots and does pretty well usually on walks with Mommy and Kate. He is such a boy, always ready for a wrestle, tickle or general rough housing - so he loves it when Uncle Kevin comes, which did happen once this month, so that was great!

Mr. Drew, getting more independent and opinionated by the day. He's a bright kid and very determined, and just like Mommy, can be very set in his ways. The two of us already butt heads, oh, the teenage years might be the end of me! Honest Mommy moment: I see so much of me in him, that I can easily focus on all the bad, subconsciously probably because those are the things that I struggle with daily too. Maybe God gave me Drew as a mirror to show me what I need to work on because he just mimics me so much...yuck, that hurts! He can be quite emotional, and can already give me quite a bit of attitude and arguing more with Noah and determined to get his way, and starting to manipulate how he presents things to Noah so he gets his way, knowing Noah either doesn't know better or doesn't care as much. All of these things I see all the time, but I can see myself doing all of this too...Lord, please mold us to honor you!

He loves his Legos and certainly enjoying all the new ones he got for Christmas. He still loves those video games, but we've recently started playing Just Dance some, which is much more fun for Mommy and feels more like exercise than anything else, and getting them to feel free to dance and love music. He loves building and creating, which we love as well. The boys got some magnets builders for Christmas and they are pretty great, and Drew has really enjoyed building with those as well. There are lots of houses and ships made for his lego figures, etc.

Random evening memory: out of nowhere one day Drew decided he wanted to learn how to juggle. Ok, well neither of us know how, so we started with 2 balls, but that still was very frustrating, so we googled how to teach kids to juggle. Turns out it's best to start with scarves...makes sense, gives lots more time to throw and catch. Well, we didn't have anything that would work well after many attempts. Drew was not to be consoled, just set and determined he needed to learn in one night how to juggle, and was torn between giving up on something that was hard, and being determined to learn. It was kind of incredible to see him so passionate and emotional about a seemingly random skill. He was literally in tears at times about it. At the end of it all, he said "I guess I'll just have to give up on juggling!" - it was quite funny to us, but we were supportive as much as we could be...and we never heard another thing about it since that day!

Drew lost 2 teeth this month! It was pretty exciting and we were happy to be around when it happened. Now, he lost one back before he was 2, but that one was an accident. These 2 were legit. He was pretty excited about it all! Fun times!

He does love imaginative play too. He enjoys dressing up in costumes (most are superheroes of course!) as well as role play with toys. Daddy especially enjoys when they play with the castle toys and light sabers of course! Always a boy at heart I suppose!