"You're Gonna Miss This"

I think I've mentioned before about how I come up with all these good things to say when I'm busy. Well, yesterday was a busy day. Laura came over and helped me clean my house. It hasn't been this clean since my parents cleaned it for me. ;) She even brought her steamer over so she could get all the gunk off my kitchen floor that doesn't come off with normal mopping. I normally get down on my hands and knees a couple of times a year and scrub it really good, but the steamer is so much nicer. So anyway, while I was cleaning, I was reflecting. Reflecting on how busy life is right now. About no matter how hard you try, you can't get everything done in a day that you would like to. About my growing pile of clean laundry on the guest bed waiting to be folded/hung up. About the pile of laundry that still needs to be washed. About how incredibly blessed I am to have those piles of laundry (and the guest bed to put them on). ;) About not having as much time as I would like to spend with my kids to just enjoy them. About not having as much time with Ryan as we used to have. And the whole time I was thinking of this song. This song brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it, because it's so true. One of these days I want to get some of my pictures together and make a slide show with this song. I just want to treasure every minute of my day, because the days go by so fast. I have an almost 2-1/2 year old and a 2 month old! And it seems like it wasn't that long ago that Ryan was asking me if I wanted to start writing him. And I wished those days away. Always waiting for the next time I would see him. (And I'm not saying it should have been different.) But I wish I had focused more on enjoying my time with my family, because now I look back and kind of wish I could relive those days. Singing at the top of my lungs with Drew in the car, driving to work with Dad to fill in as "secretary" at Caffes-Steele (and Drew and I helping push the car down 95 when we ran out of gas on the way home ;)), eating lunch out with Mom while we were shopping, and going down to Molly's and giving her a bad time about how I always had to do her dishes when I was there. There are so many good memories of my childhood, teen years, and early 20's. There are bad memories, too, but mostly good ones. And then so many good memories of life with Ryan and starting our little family. Moving to a new part of the country and making new friends - friends that I can't imagine not having. Friends with kids the same ages as mine. Friends that help me feel so normal. ;) And yet I need to treasure the hard times, too, because those are the times that make us stronger and bring us closer to the Lord. Those are the ones I would rather just shove under the rug and not think about, but they are there. And they don't have to be completely bad memories if we let God work his will in us and shine through us even in those times. Because looking back on some of the hard times, I can actually smile. Not because I don't remember the tears and frustration, but because I can see how He helped me through it. Sometimes with a whisper, sometimes with an overwhelming since of peacefulness, sometimes through encouragement from someone close to me, and sometimes with a beautiful day. And so I want to live remembering the past, looking to the future, but focusing on today. Because I don't want to miss out on anything because I'm too focused on how I wish things could be.

Ronan is 2 months old!

   I can't believe my little boy is getting so big! He's not sleeping as much as he used to and when he's awake, he's very smiley (most of the time). As with Olivia, my milk supply hasn't been keeping up with the demands of a growing baby, so I've been supplementing with formula. It isn't something that I would choose to do, but if I must I must. So for the last couple of weeks we have been trying to find a formula that doesn't make Ronan gassy and/or constipated. Unfortunately Nutramigen seems to be working the best, which means we'll be paying more than we thought we would for formula. I'm hoping that as he gets older he won't need the milk proteins broken down so much and we can switch to Gentlease (which is what we used for Olivia and is a lot cheaper).
   As sad as it is, we haven't had a "photo shoot" for Ronan. There are lots of pictures of him, but we don't have any of the cute newborn ones that you normally take. Melanie said she would take our pictures, but we have yet to find a day that works well for all of us. So today I decided I would take my camera and make a feeble attempt to get a few cute pictures.

 At 7 weeks and 2 days:
weight: 9 lbs, 13 oz. - 25%
height: 22.5 in. - 50%
head circumference: 38.5 cm - 25%

Tattle - tale

"Mama, Wonan grab it!"
I looked down at Olivia. She was holding a flat rubber basketball and her face had a very cute, perplexed expression on it.
"Ronan tried to grab your ball?"
"Yeah!"
Hmmm. She's already tattling on him.

I've written this post a million times in my head. Each time it's a little bit different. And each time it never actually gets written. For some reason when I'm the busiest, it easier for me to compose stuff in my head. Then when I have time to write, it's the last thing I want to do. ;)
We are settling into life pretty well as a family of 4. It's hectic at moments, but then there are moments, like right now, when everything is calm and peaceful and both kids are sleeping. I'm appreciating these quiet times a lot more now.

Today, right before I started writing this post.

I'm so glad Mom and Dad were able to be here for a little bit. Mom came out 2 days after Ronan was born. I was fully expecting my recovery this time to be like it was with Olivia (which wasn't horrible, but I could tell I'd just had a baby). It wasn't. It has been way better and I keep having to remind myself that, yes, I did deliver Ronan. I have the memory of it, but other than being tired, I feel great. So as a result of feeling so great, we were able to do a lot while Mom was here. Tons of fun! Among the things that we did: grocery shopping (a few times), Morro Bay, San Luis, coffee with Laura. And after Dad got here: Cayucos (to see the fireworks),

Yes, we were sitting right by the ocean. ;)

Morro Bay, Cambria. And of course through out that time we had several visitors drop in,

Apparently Wyatt was very happy to see Olivia.

Eating goldfish.

went out to eat a few times, and just chilled at home. Well, at least I chilled. :) Mom was kept busy with the laundry, dishes, cleaning the house, and Ryan was helping, too, when he wasn't at work. And Dad, once he got here, was put to work, too, mowing the lawn, cleaning the showers. And everyone entertained (or was entertained by) Olivia and enjoyed snuggling with Ronan. ;) He loves to cuddle - just like his big sis.

Having Mom and Dad here was truly an answer to many prayers. I'm so thankful for the time we got to spend with them.

Family

First picture of our family of 4.

Ronan Isaac Whaley

Born: 8:04 pm

June 19, 2013

8.0 lbs, 20.5 in

Olivia

There's nothing like talking to someone who's talking about what funny and cute things their child has been doing, and all the while thinking, "oh, she thinks that's cute - wait til I tell her what my child's been doing recently". And then you realize it isn't a contest to see whose child is cuter or more advanced, it's more about sharing in their joys as a parent. I find myself continually telling myself to just listen to the story without thinking of one I can tell about my child. This can be the same for the stories about the bad things they do too. And I almost feel like I tell more bad stories about Olivia than cute. Maybe that stems from the fact that everyone thinks I have the perfect child - she's "Princess", "Gorgeous", "Precious", and "Little Sunbeam" (which I have to admit is one of my favorites, because she truly does light up the world with her presence). Sometimes it seems like people don't really grasp the fact that all she has is an old nature and so, for all her smiles and hugs, she can throw a good tantrum. Luckily the people with kids around the same age as Olivia have seen her old nature enough to know that she is a normal child. So anyway, all that to say, this is a brag post. A post about all the funny and wonderful things my child does and how she is always doing stuff that makes me smile. So if you don't want to read it, that's ok. I understand. But it will be fun for me to look back on and to let her read when she's older. ;)
I am very blessed to have a very beautiful little girl. She has a very sunny disposition and loves to give out smiles and hugs. Sometimes the girls that are a little older than her take advantage of those hugs and keep asking for another one until Olivia's finally had enough. After all, aren't we together to play? :) She is very organized - even when she makes a mess. I walked in her room the other day to find this:

I had to laugh. Even the flip-flops have a pair of socks to go with them. I can't imagine where she gets this kind of organization from.
- She has a great imagination. She makes "pancakes" on her merry-go-round (and sometimes on the swings) and one time when there was water in the pool she made mud pie/pancakes using her tricycle as the oven.

- Elmo is very real to her. She talks to him and he talks back to her (when you press his foot) and she tries to feed him some of her toy food. She also likes to read him books.

- She loves to sing. Action songs are her favorite. She always wants to sing "Building up the Temple" before she goes to sleep. She helps her bear do "dwelling together". The other day, though, she was doing the "dwelling together" bit with me and she turned to her bear and said "I'm sorry, Bear. With Mama". I hope Bear's feelings weren't hurt too badly. ;)
- She really likes Clifford. One day we went to the store and as we were getting out of the car, she heard a dog barking. "Dog. Clifford." she said. "Clifford?", I asked, grinning. "He's too big to come to the store. Don't you think?" "Yeeaw (yeah)."
- She's very compassionate. I went into the health department a few weeks ago to get a booster pertussis shot and she sat next to me very quietly as I explained to her what was happening. Then when the nurse put a band aid on my arm, Olivia said, "All better?"
"Yes, Mama's all better. Was Mama so brave?"
"Yeah, Twinkle, twinkle little star..."
"Aw, are you singing to make Mama feel better?"
"Yes."
I have no idea if the nurse had any clue what was happening, because her back was turned, but I thought it was adorable. ;)
- Annie and Cali McWilliams came at the end of May and brought coffee, donuts, and stuff to give me a foot massage. It was a wonderful morning. ;) Olivia didn't quite know what to think of the foot massage. She kept watching trying to figure it out. I started out soaking my feet and then Annie massaged one while the other continued soaking. It wasn't til I pulled the second foot out of the water that Olivia came over and said "All better?"
"Oh my goodness, yes," I said. "You have no idea how much better!"
After Annie was done "washing my feet" she rubbed some lotion into Olivia's. Olivia loved it. ;)

 

Doing yoga with Dada.

Looking at books. Very reminiscent of Uncle Drew at the library.

Taking a picture with her dolphin flashlight.

She loves to take pictures "together, ok, together."

 Posing for a picture she begged to have taken.

Another lovely pose. She always begs to have her picture taken when she looks like this.

And when she looks like this she's begging NOT to have it taken.

"No, Mama, no!"

And one of my most recent favorites - laying out. Mind you, I have not laid out at all this year. I don't have a lounge chair and laying out on concrete is uncomfortable enough without being pregnant.

So many more stories. I'll have to keep up with them, so I can remember them in a few years.