Vivi's First Trip to New York

Not only was it Vivi's first trip to New York to visit Nana and Pop, but it was also the first time Eric and I took the girls into the city with us.  

I was worried about the drive.  Vivi doesn't always like her car seat, and Madeline no longer sleeps in the car much.  I had visions of listening to  screaming girls for four hours. Thankfully, I was wrong.  Vivi either slept or stared out the window the whole way, while Madeline read books or played quietly with her dolls.  

The original plan was for Eric and I to  take just Maddie into the city for some special time without little sister.  Little sister is wise on us though and refuses to bottle feed.  Where I go, she goes.  So, off to the LIRR the four of us went. 

Madeline was fascinated by the tall buildings.  She spent the first fifteen minutes out of Penn Station staring up and smiling.  She kept asking to go in them.  We had a hard time explaining that we couldn't just barge into someone's office building.  Maybe next time we'll take her to the top of something...

Eric wanted to keep this first trip with the girls simple by avoiding the subway.  We decided Times Square might be a good place to start since it was within walking distance of the train.  Nothing like vast commercialism to hold a little girl's interest.  

We beat the crowds at Toys R Us. There was no line for the ferris wheel, and Madeline got the My Little Pony car, which she was seriously psyched about.  

We looked around the store for a few minutes, but by then things were getting crazy.  Madeline was allowed to choose one parent-approved toy from the store.  Out of all the dolls, she chose a tiny Sleeping Beauty figurine.  Score!  

Vivi spent her time wondering why she didn't get to ride the Ferris wheel or pick out a toy.  Also, why aren't you feeding me, Mumma?

After a quick stop to a hotel restroom to feed the ravenous Vivi Bear, we got some lunch ourselves.  The baby was positioned facing the door of the diner, and oh boy, do New Yorkers love babies!  Every person to walk in or out stopped to talk to her.  Eventually a grandmotherly woman made her cry, and spent the rest of her lunch apologizing.  We tried to tell her not to take it personally.  I'm surprised she made it that long without turning on the waterworks.  

After refueling on grilled cheese, we brought Madeline to the M&M store.  

She picked out some pink and purple candy, and we got the heck out of dodge.  It was packed, and difficult to push a stroller around the small spaces.  

Vivi was not sad that she didn't get any candy.  

   We ambled slowly back to the train until Maddie complained that her legs were tired.  Vivi cried the entire train ride back.  Sorry, commuters looking for a peaceful Friday afternoon ride...

We spent the rest of the weekend visiting with family.  Aunt Carol found her old My Little Pony collection in Nana's basement.  I literaly gasped when I saw them.  Nostalgia Express!  She and Maddie gave them baths in the sink, and Maddie was in pony heaven playing with them for the rest of our visit.  

Also, there was a pink cupcake...

We took a ride to Jones Beach on Saturday afternoon.  Nana and Maddie played in the sand while the rest of us wheeled Vivi down the boardwalk.  

Madeline was tuckered out enough to take a long afternoon nap after a morning of running, sand-castle-building, and playground shenanigans.  

We headed back home on Sunday.  Both girls slept the entire way.  Eric and I didn't even stop for a break.  

Thanks for the visit, Nana and Pop!  

Vivi: Eighteen Weeks

We have been busy the past week while Eric was on vacation.  Vivi spent a lot of time being toted around on various adventures.  She handled all the disruptions to her normal routine very well.  She didn't nap as much as I would have liked, so she was a bit fussy.  Still, as long as she can see the action going on around her, she's happy.  Eric and I spend a lot of meals trying to eat one handed while bouncing Vivi.  

She's getting close to sitting independently.  We can prop her up against the couch or a pillow without her tipping over the moment we let go.  

Vivi still isn't rolling, (other than two times) but she's very close.  She twists herself up on her side, but she hasn't figured out how to get her arms out of the way.  She does a good job of scooting herself around in circles when we lay her on the floor though.  

She's giggling a lot more.  She thinks it's funny when I clear my throat or when Dada blows on her belly.  Laughing babies are my favorite!

Her facial expressions are hilarious.  I love watching curiosity, confusion, annoyance, and joy flash across her face in the span of a minute.  Those wheels are turning!  

And she's getting so chunky!  Her cheeks are epic!  Love it!  

I'm completely smitten with my littlest lady.  She's just fantastic.  

Visiting with Goats

Today I tried to convince Eric to move to the country to become a farmer with me. I argued that it could be a small farm with just one or two sheep and some chickens.  We'd live off the fat of the land (I've been teaching Of Mice and Men too long.) by making our own cheese and canning vegetables!  I could knit sweaters, and he could brew beer.  The kids would have dirt under their fingernails and milk the cow before breakfast.  

Eric, who claims he never even saw a cow in real life until he was in college, could not be convinced. 

 It's probably just as well because I'm wary of gardening in my own yard due to snakes and critters.  Plus, I get squeamish around raw chicken from the supermarket, so I suppose butchering one myself is out of the question.

But just look at how cute these lambs are!  I just wanna squeeze them...

We visited Drumlin Farm with the girls today.  The weather was glorious, and we wandered the farm and trails for hours.  

Madeline loved running over the hills and climbing on rocks.  She's become much braver around the big animals.  She was more afraid of the flies than these gigantic cows.  

If you live in the greater Boston area, a visit to Drumlin Farm is well worth it.  Maybe you'll be willing to raise some sheep with me.  

Happy Easter

Vivi celebrated her first Easter this weekend.  Although, I think big sister enjoyed the holiday more.  Vivi spent the weekend either crying, sleeping, or looking at us in confusion.  Basically, it was just another day in the life of a baby. 

Madeline, on the other hand, is now old enough to enjoy the festivities.  Having kids makes the holidays so much fun!

We dyed Easter eggs and made paper bunny ears on Friday afternoon.  

On Saturday night, the Easter Bunny visited our house.  He filled the girls' baskets!  (Vivi can't eat her chocolate, so I'll have to help her.  So sad.)

He also did something funny to our eggs, and then hid them around the living room.  

Madeline thinks that Easter Bunny is pretty funny.  

We met my family for brunch in the morning.  I ate all the food.  

There was an egg hunt for the kiddos at noon.  Maddie found three eggs filled with candy.

When we got home, she raided the candy from her Easter basket.  I let her eat A LOT of candy.  It is a special occasion after all.  By dinner, she had a tummy ache, and I felt like a bad parent.  

Maddie got a kite in her basket, so we took it for a test flight.  

There wasn't enough wind to get it soaring, but we had fun anyhow. 

Eric's on vacation for the rest of the week.  I'm so excited.  

Hope your Easter was as hopping as ours!  

Vivi: Seventeen Weeks

It amazes me how quickly babies change once they get through those first three months.  Vivi is suddenly much less like a loaf of bread and much more like a human.  

She's falling into a predictable routine now.  I know that at 8:30 am and 1 pm she will be ready for a good nap.  Granted those naps are still taking place in her swing instead of her crib...but we'll tackle that problem soon now that she's actually following a pattern.

Bedtime is still a challenge, but we're making progress in that area too. She loses her temper big time when we lay her down for bed.  I don't think her tummy is bothering her anymore, (although sometimes it is) but I think she's associating being on her back with her reflux.  No wonder she hates it.  

She's getting better at self soothing.  We let her cry for five minutes before picking her up to calm her. Last night she cooed to herself for twenty minutes without crying.  

The only problem now is that by the time she calms down enough to fall asleep, it's been two hours since her last feeding, and she's ready to eat again.  

On the other hand, she's sleeping for great stretches.  She slept twelve hours straight last Sunday.  I woke up on Monday morning in a panic when I realized that Vivi hadn't woken up all night.  Most nights she still wakes up to eat around 2:30 in the morning, but I'll take it!  We've come a long way from nursing every two hours all night long!

Vivi's personality still seems to be a combination of sweet, serious, and ambitious.  She's not as easy to get a laugh out of as Madeline was.  When she does laugh, it's a mixture of glee and irritation.  "Ha-ha, Mumma, you're tickling my chin!  Now, quit it!"

Eric tried to get her to laugh this afternoon and instead frightened her.  She screamed loud! 

She rolled over for the second time this week.  She made it look so easy too.  I keep waiting for her to do it again, but she'd rather hang out on her side.  

Vivi is becoming less stranger shy.  Hooray!  But she's definitely a Mumma's girl.  She cried when I left the room to get coffee this morning, but beamed when I came back in.  She's using me for the milk.  

We still haven't had any major bottle success.  Womp.  

But best of all, she had her physical this week, and she's doing great!  Twelve pounds!  She's still 18th percentile, but she's starting to swing back up a bit.  And as long as she doesn't keep falling, we're good!  

Eric is on vacation next week.  We're looking forward to snuggling Dada, celebrating Vivi's first Easter, and visiting New York!  Hooray Spring!  

Parenting, Currently

I'm attempting to nurse Vivi before putting her down for her afternoon nap, but someone is making the process difficult.  

If only I could get big sister to understand that if she lets Vivi nap then she has Mumma all to herself.  

A few minutes ago I told her she couldn't play with the iPad.  But since she knows I'm trapped under the baby, she pulled her red bouncy horse over to the bookshelves to try and reach it anyway. (See him guiltily peaking out behind her? I realize M looks guilty in the picture too, but she was not.  She was hiding from a pretend monster.) 

I told her that if she touched it, I wouldn't let her play with it for an entire week.  That convinced her to go play with her toys in the other room for about two minutes.  Then she came back and used a drumstick to hammer a nail in the floor.  

Guess who is now not napping?  

*** Update***

Vivi eventually fell asleep, so I don't have to sell my children to the Gypsies afterall.

Now I've unleashed a wild Maddie Bear on the world to get some energy out.