Olivia is Starting Solids

Like I did with Nathan, I'm starting Olivia on baby food quite quickly, and for two reasons: 1) the quicker she needs to rely on formula for all of her nutrition, the cheaper it will be for me, and 2) maybe having food in her belly will help her sleep better at night (which didn't work for Nathan at all).  She was definitely ready to start eating food as she was really starting to watch us eat and try to grab for it.

In her stocking she conveniently received a package of rice cereal.  How perfect!

Our first attempt did not go over as well as I had anticipated because I tried to do it right after she woke up from a nap.  Whoops.  There were some tears shed from her because all she wanted was a bottle.  I stopped, fed her a bottle, and then tried again.  She LOVED it.  She loves her rice cereal and is always reaching for my hand to bring the spoon closer to her mouth.  I started with giving her 1 tsp in a sitting, and now she is eating 3 tsps, twice daily (in the morning and shortly after dinner).

Nathan is 26 Months Old!

I almost missed this.  What I do for one child, I really try to do for the next.  It gets difficult, but if I documented Matthew and Kayla every other month until they were three, I "have" to do the same for Nathan.

{So cute when he's in a good mood...not at all cute when he's not!}

Nathan has grown up immensely the past two months.  His vocabulary has sky-rocketed, and he easily says five-to-six word sentences.  There are occasions where I can't understand what he is saying, particularly if he is telling me about something I didn't witness, but Matthew and Kayla are big helps in getting me to understand.

Nathan has learned the phrase, "by myself."
     Me:  Nathan, do you want me to help you eat?
     N:  No, by myself, Mom.

     Me:  Nathan, come over here so we can undress you.
     N:  No, by myself.

     Me:  Nathan, let's get your pajamas on.
     N:  No, by myself.
He has become very independent, always trying to put his own jacket and shoes on, and often trying to undress and dress himself.  He's getting good at undressing - he just has to be reminded to make his hands hide or he'll just push his sleeves up his arm.  When he tries to put his own pants on, he puts each foot through the opening at each end of the leg rather than through the waist first.

{Watching cartoons from 'his spot' on the couch.  Somehow Kayla took over my spot and he got hers.}

Along with this independence is a stubbornness at meal time.  He went from being my most agreeable eater to being more of a challenge.  He thinks he can choose what he is going to eat and what he isn't going to eat and how much he is/isn't going to eat...but it doesn't work like that in our household.  The only thing that I let him get away with is not finishing his milk, because I know if I leave it on the table or counter he will finish it shortly after the meal is up.

Nathan likes to fight his nap.  I'd say he goes down fine half the time, but the other half the time he gets so angry.  If he gets off of his bed I threaten to set up the playpen and put him in it and that usually will keep him on the bed.  He is not ready to give up his nap, so it's something that we just have to battle through.

Nathan's favourite expression the past couple of weeks has been, "Happy Birthday!"  Out of the blue he'll say to me, "Happy Birthday, Mom!", to which I'll reply "Happy Birthday, Nathan!" and he bursts out laughing saying, "Not my birthday!"

He quite enjoyed my Fisher Price nativity set.  He could point out and name Baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.  When he was playing with my parents' original Polly Pockets he thought that one of the Polly Pocket brides was Mary because of the bridal veil.

{I realized that he hadn't had the opportunity to do stickers yet, so I gave him some to stick on paper.  Poor kid had to figure it out for himself!}

He loves it when Jon gets home from work.  He runs to the door and gives him a big hug.  He also loves to wrestle and play rough with Jon.  Unfortunately, he does not like Jon bringing him upstairs to go to bed.  He stands by me and refuses to listen to Jon calling for him, so I often have to bring him upstairs and then he's fine.

{Showing Olivia where all of the items are in his Thomas Search-and-Find book.}

Nathan can recognize and name all of his colours.  I'm trying to teach him to recognize and say the letter, 'N', now.  He doesn't get the same amount of attention that Matthew and Kayla did at this age, so he'll probably be a little slower to pick it up.  At the same time, he learns from them, so I often hear him saying/spelling out-loud, "A-Y-L-A".  He enjoys saying his bedtime prayer with Jon (repeating after him), and is starting to know what the next words are even before Jon says them.

I've just realized now that he is likely my least-photographed kid.  Matthew and Kayla often have their picture taken for various 'firsts' in our family, and Olivia has her picture taken for various 'potentially last firsts', and then Nathan gets missed.  I need to make a point to take his picture, too!

Olivia's Baptism - September 6

Olivia was supposed to be baptized on August 30, but there was a huge windstorm that weekend, leaving many without power.  That Sunday morning was very chaotic.  No one knew if the church had power or not and you could only call people who had cell phones (and only if yours had battery-power still!).  Church ended up being cancelled that day, and the baptism postponed until the following Sunday.

I'm lucky to have a great-aunt who always offers to take pictures of the baptism during the service:

{Jon's Uncle Tom (our pastor) performed the baptism.}

{Showing Olivia off to the congregation.}

And once again, we are so blessed to be able to worship with both sets of our parents and both sets of our grandparents:

{Jon's Bomhof grandparents, "Opa and Oma".  Opa just celebrated his 94th birthday this past week!}

{My Vander Ende grandparents, "Grandpa and Grandma" to Jon and I and "Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma" to the kids.}

{Jon's parents, "Opa and Oma" to the kids.}

{My parents, "Grandpa and Grandma" to the kids.} 

I wish I could...

SING.

I love listening to artists who have fantastic voices...but then I get jealous.  I wish I could sing and have a natural gift for music.  It's not a secret that I can't carry a tune for the life of me.  Jon even asked me to stop singing along with our Kids Christian cd in the car a couple weeks ago.  Ouch.  Because I want my kids to become comfortable with singing, I always sing along to the songs playing on the radio (when familiar) or on a cd.  Matthew and Kayla seem to have no interest (or skills!) in singing.  Kayla is always a line behind, and Matthew says everything in one tone.  It's hilarious.  Poor kids were given my lack of ability to sing.  Jon, on the other hand, has a great voice (but no confidence!).

I took piano lessons from grade four to the beginning of grade ten (finished grade eight in Royal Conservatory), but any ability I have to play the piano is a learned skill and not a natural ability.  It would take me hours upon hours of practicing to learn a song and memorize it, whereas Jon can see a song being played one time, and start picking it up, based on hearing alone - he couldn't read a note for the life of him.

Why couldn't they have received Jon's genes?

P.S.  I just discovered Peter Hollens on YouTube and am quite envious right now :)

Olivia is 4 Months Old!

Oh, Olivia, I don't even know where to begin!  You're four months old already!  I can't believe it!  As much as I enjoyed you as a newborn baby, you've grown out of that stage and are now just my 'baby'.  As much as I love the newborn stage (nothing beats your own newborn baby sleeping on you!), I love this next stage you're in.

At four months old you weigh 15lb 10oz.  I thought you would be more than this as it wasn't your typical weight gain over the prior month, but I guess your increased activity and spitting have slowed your weight gain this month.  You're starting to wear 6-9 month clothes and I finally moved you into size two diapers.

You still have blue eyes!  I love taking pictures that show your eye colour because you're the only one of my children that has blue eyes like me.  Your older siblings quickly lost their blue eyes and now have brown/hazel eyes.  Maybe you'll keep yours?  My blue-eyed girl :)

You love your morning bath.  You just sit there, relaxing, while I prepare Matthew and Kayla's breakfast (Nathan eats earlier, with your Dad every morning).  If/When I talk to you, you quickly give a large smile.  P.S.  I'm sorry for making the bath water too hot some mornings, I just don't want it to get too cold too quick!  Our house is cool in the morning (I drop the heat down to 17 degrees overnight), and some times you're in there for more than five minutes.  You're a champ though, you don't cry, but just squirm until you're used to it.

Nathan knows our "Get Olivia Ready in the Morning" routine because as soon as I lay you on the ground to change you after your bath, he finds the lotion and he puts a dab on your belly.  You don't like getting changed because you don't like it when I have to put anything on over your head.

At the end of November we said good-bye to the swing.  You were growing tired of it, and so you were only in it the occasional evening.  When we set up our Christmas tree I thought it would be a good time to put it back into storage.

You love being in the Bjorn.  You fall asleep so nicely when you're snuggled against me, and you love to face outwards to watch everything around you.  As nice as it is to have when we're out and about, you're getting quite heavy in it!

Olivia, you don't like to relax very often.  When we put you in the bouncy chair (which you're not a huge fan of) or in your car seat, you pull your head away and try to sit.  That must be exhausting!  You've finally learned how to relax your neck and rest your head on our shoulder when we're carrying you and you want to cuddle.  It's really quite nice!

This past week you've really discovered how to play in your exersaucer.  You no longer get bored after a couple minutes, and I often hear toys moving around on there now.

You are really starting to lose interest in your playmat, because why lay on your back when you can ROLL OVER to your front?  That's right, on November 29 you discovered how to roll from your back to your front, and now we can't stop you!  You always roll to your left.  The only unfortunate part of your rolling (other than your declining interest in your playmat) is that now you will spit more easily onto our carpet.  I can't wait to carpet clean once you don't spit as much, as often.

You've discovered how to put things in your mouth.  Your favourite thing to chew/suck on is the knuckle of my index finger.  If you're sitting on my lap, you like to chomp on it.  This also often results in you spitting both drool and puke all over my hand and my lap.  I think I wash my pants after every wear, because of you!  Don't worry, I still love you, puke and all :)

You love your siblings, and they love you.  Kayla loves to lay by you on the ground and talk to you, "It's okay Baby Olivia, Mommy's right there in the kitchen", and Matthew loves to call you, "Chubby Cheeks".  Nathan loves to smother you, with himself or your blanket and his.  You might win the award for being the most-kissed baby.  He's typically really good with you, but sometimes he isn't aware of his size and kicks you with his feet or pushes the toy vacuum cleaner right into your head...sorry sweetie.  He likes to give you your soother, but if you're not crying I explain that you don't need it.  The other day, after I said you weren't crying and thus didn't need it, he hit you on the stomach and said, "Make Owibia cry".  Sorry again.

You've learned your name and will quickly give a smile when you hear someone talking to you.  You have begun to learn how to giggle, too.  The rougher we play with you, the better the chance of hearing a giggle.  There are always risks with rough play though - spitting :)

You (we?) also got rid of the small basinette in our living room right after you turned three months old, and so you started napping in your crib in your bedroom.  You LOVE being swaddled, and often with a few rocks you starting getting sleepy and then I lay you down in your crib, half-wake/half-asleep.  I would love to let you sleep in my arms for a bit, but I want you to become accustomed to falling asleep on your own.  We don't have a set napping schedule, but you typically follow a Eat-Awake-Sleep-Awake-Eat routine.  You typically only nap for 30-45 minutes at a time, so that often makes for a two hour cycle.  Because it's a two hour cycle, you only drink 3.5-4 ounces of formula at a feed.  I look forward to your cycle lengthening, so that we can start having you drink more ounces, less often.  Making bottles is a pain!

Speaking of which, we've stopped using the Dr. Brown's bottles and now use Playtex Nursers with Drop-In Liners.  I tested one out as part of a campaign a friend who's a blogger was running and actually found Olivia did less spitting with it.  Some days are still really bad, but we now get really good days, too.  And it will only getting better, right?!?!

This next month should be another fun month.  I suspect Olivia will learn to sit just after she turns five months, so it will be fun to see her figure that out towards the end of the month.  I also intend to start her on rice cereal at five months old, so that will be fun too!  

{Hanging out with Opa Struik during the Grey Cup}

Matthew, on my Driving

While driving on Fraser Highway through Fleetwood, I ended up in some traffic.  I'm not an aggressive driver by any means, I'm very patient when there's traffic.  This results in me usually staying in the same lane while I'm driving.  Matthew (who must be his father's son) piped up from the very back seat in the vehicle today and said, "Mom, can you change lanes?"  I laughed, called him a backseat driver, and stayed in the same lane. :)

Lighting the First Advent Candle

We, as a family, had the privilege of getting to light the first Advent candle at church yesterday.  The kids were definitely themselves!  :)

http://video.fleetwoodcrc.org/archive/2015-11-29.html
*We make our appearance at 17:45
*You need to watch it through Internet Explorer and have Microsoft Silverlight.

P.S.  If you're wondering what the kids are saying, it's "Thank you God, for hope."  :)

Kids' First Ice Skating Experience

Matthew will excitedly tell you that he went "hockey skating, without sticks or nets" last night.  Yes, we took the kids ice skating for their very first time last night.  The hope is that our boys will play hockey in the local Christian league when he's in grade two, so it was time that we start getting Matthew (and Kayla) comfortable on the ice.

I asked my parents to come along too, so that my Dad could skate and my Mom could watch Olivia.  I wanted to go on the ice too, even though I think the last time I skated was before Jon and I even started dating, so over 13 years ago.  Yikes.  Let me tell you that the ice is a lot slipperier than I remember it being!  I didn't fall though :).

I have skates for Matthew and Kayla (one pair from our neighbour and one pair bought off of the facebook swap), so I just had to rent for Nathan.  That was a waste of money!  I think he managed to do one lap of the ice and then he had enough and was content to sit on the 'boards', watching with my Mom.

Matthew and Kayla did great!  Yes, they were really nervous, but by the end, after an hour of doing lap after lap after lap, they were much more confident!  Matthew used the skating trainer the entire time, although he did prove to me a few times that he could skate forward a few inches without holding on.  Kayla did a lap at the end just holding my Dad's hand.  Hopefully we can go semi-regularly so that they can keep improving!

Meeting Santa Claus at Guildford Town Centre

I found out that Guildford Town Centre was giving two free 4x6 photos with Santa Claus today so I made a last-minute decision to do it.  The kids have sat with Santa Claus before, but I'm too cheap to actually buy the pictures.

I'm glad I got some free ones this year, because...well, a picture speaks a thousand words:

Nathan was so scared.  The moment it was our turn he stopped following me, turned around, and started heading the opposite way.  I had to pick him up and put him on Santa's knee and run away.  Priceless.

Matthew and Kayla's Thoughts

My conversation with Matthew and Kayla, while they were hiding in the living room waiting for Jon to come downstairs to find them:

Kayla:  "Mom, are you going to have another baby in your tummy?

Me:  "Why?"

Kayla:  "I'm just wondering if you're going to sell this." (the baby basinette she was hiding beside)

Me:  "Do you want me to have another baby in my tummy?"

Kayla:  "No."

Me:  "Why not?"

Kayla:  "Because when they get big like Nathan they just break all our stuff."

Matthew:  "I want you to have another baby in your tummy."

Me:  "Ya?"

Matthew:  "Ya, because if they call at night then we go to Auntie Melissa's, and if they call during the day then I get to go to Grandma's" (referring to the hospital calling me to say I can go in to be induced).

Olivia is 3 Months Old!

At three months old Olivia weighs 14 lbs 15 oz and is 24 7/8" tall.

Olivia is still our little princess.  She is very smiley and loves her siblings ("Mom!  Olivia smiled to me seven times!" says Kayla) and she is getting close to giggling, but is not quite there yet.  We can get the first sound out of her, but she doesn't continue the giggle.  We will keep on trying!  

As happy as she can be, she can also be very angry.  Long gone is that soft little cry she had when she was born!  If she is unhappy, she lets everyone know.  She will go from perfectly content to extremely angry with the snap of a finger.  

{I think I would be unhappy too if my soother was being shoved in my mouth, upside-down, by my brother.}

When she is awake, she loves to be held (especially by me).  She enjoys her jolly jumper and has also started in the exersaucer now.  She does not enjoy the swing as much as it's too restricting for her.  Her playmat is only useful when she's in a very good mood.  If she's not, she'll get angry as soon as she is put under it.

Olivia has discovered her hands!  She is constantly trying to stick her whole fist in her mouth, and now reaches for toys (if she's in the mood!).  She has also discovered that she can lay on her right side.  I'd be lying if I said I hadn't started practicing with her how to roll over!  She's great at tummy time.

Olivia LOVES being swaddled.  She usually needs to be swaddled in order to fall asleep.  She can be fussing like crazy, and then as soon as she's swaddled, her eyes start getting droopy.  It's fantastic.  So long as I'm actively listening to her cues and swaddle her when I hear that she's whining because she's tired then she falls asleep so peacefully.  She's typically has 3 cat-naps during the day and one longer one.  The longer nap often is whenever she's in the carseat, so if we're out and about in the morning then that's when her longer nap is, or if we're driving home in the afternoon from my parents' then that's when she has her longer nap (which is great because then I can get dinner prepped and cooked without having to worry about her!).

She's been doing great with the Dr. Brown's bottles, probably spitting up 15% of what she used to.  I'm still only giving her 4oz at each feed, so she eats roughly every 2.5 hours.  She has a really sensitive stomach if she has too much to drink, so I'm hesitant to push her oz up until I know that she is absolutely ready for it.  She also can't be 'topped up' at all.  With Matthew and Kayla I used to be able to give them a half-feed just before church, so that they would be content during the whole service.  With Olivia, I can't.  She just pushes the bottle out of her mouth.  Slightly unfortunate, although it makes her Sundays a little more normal and she's thrown less out of routine.

{She still has blue eyes!}

Olivia has her last bottle usually around 8pm, and then is usually asleep by 9:30pm.  She doesn't yet sleep through the night, typically waking up once around 4:30am for a feed.  She falls back asleep quite quickly, and then sleeps until 7am.  If she doesn't fall asleep quickly then I bring her to bed with me.  I just have to be careful that Nathan doesn't climb into our bed when he wakes up in the morning like he so often does!

{Olivia's first time being in the stroller}

3 Months Post-Partum

This has probably been the slowest 'recovery' (in terms of weight loss) for me.  I gained nearly 50 pounds, and still have between 15-20 lbs to lose.  I don't dare stand on the weigh scale anymore because it wasn't showing any change for weeks on end and was getting frustrating for me.  I also don't dare stand on it because I've been enjoying the kids' Halloween candy for the last 1.5 weeks.  I have a huge sweet tooth and zero self-control - not a good mix!

I got my period back when she was 9.5 weeks old, as I predicted since she's solely formula-fed.  With my next period, I started taking the pill for birth control.  Never thought I would have to be on birth control again!  My body doesn't like it as much this time; my left eye gets quite irritated and red if I've worn contacts for the day (that's why you see me wearing glasses so often!).  So hard to wear glasses when I really only like wearing contacts.  Jon wants to take more 'permanent' steps in regards to eliminating the possibility of getting pregnant because he says he 100% doesn't want more children...but I won't allow any permanent decision to be made for a couple years.  I'm torn with the decision - my heart tells me that I want more children but my head tells me not to (for financial reasons).  How am I ever going to decide?  And if I do decide I would like more, how am I going to convince Jon?  I like to tease him that I could 'forget' to take my pill... :).  Anyways, it's a decision that I think about almost daily.  So difficult.  I always struggle with big decisions and this is just another I have to make.