Cranky Boy.

Cranky Boy. Crabby pickle. Hey you. You earn a lot of nicknames when you are the crankiest baby of your siblings as newborns (that, or we just forgot how much babies cry).

We even took Gunnar to the pediatrician to make sure his crying wasn't something more serious- but really, it's just normal newborn behavior. You cry when you're sleepy. You cry when you're not held. You cry when there's anything whatsoever in your diaper. You cry when you're hungry (every 2 hours). So I guess it just feels like you cry all day.

But to be fair, when he's not crying he's the absolute sweetest thing, bright eyed and alert! Watching his siblings, watching the world, loving to be outside. Snoring so softly.

Sweet milky sleep after nursing so long and a tiny hand holding mine. We love him so.

Snuggled up to Mommy and finally happy- I think this will be a baby-wearing summer! Thank God for the peanut shell!

History Repeating

So I've wrapped up the month of August where I managed to blog one photo each day (almost!) for the whole month! In taking photos and sorting/archiving them on the computer, so many photos I took of Finn were reminding me of older ones of Kenna at his age. I had to laugh when I found this entire post of uncanny photos where almost every one I'd taken of Kenna back in March of 2010 had a current "matching" sibling one of Finn!

I already blogged about the first one here:

Finn:

Kenna:

And then literally, throughout almost the entire post I wrote about Kenna at least two years ago, I realized I'd  taken one just like it of Finn! Here are the rest:

Finn:

Kenna:

Finn:

Kenna:

Finn: 

Kenna:

And here's one more that I previously blogged about:

Kenna:

Finn:

How funny is that? I'm not sure what that says about me or my photo taking (is something in my brain stuck on repeat? Hah!) but I'm perfectly happy for history to repeat itself a little bit with how quickly these sweet little ones are growing up. I love how everything is fresh and new and exciting with each baby, but also the younger ones remind you of such happy memories of their sibling at the same age. What a precious gift for God to give mommies in the quickly fleeting baby days!

Wordless Wednesday: Mommy Coaster.

Some Days.

Some days are better than others.

Some days you wake up at 4 a.m. to a little one in her bed with both hands full of throw up. Not baby "spit up" as she calls it, but throw up.

Some days you bathe her & put her in clean jammies at 4:30 just to see more throw up right away. On the quilts and pillowcases too, this time. Then again at 6. And again.

Some days you call for back up and Daddy comes right away. And because he is the best Daddy ever, he lays with her and rubs her back even though he has to be at work just a few hours later.

Some days you just sit and snuggle her all day while she watches Strawberry Shortcake because you know she just wants to be held.

Some days you have to run to the store for upholstery cleaner for the couch, and take a second shower because it got on you too.

Some days you have cleaned up every type of bodily fluid from your children, and were happy to do so, even though that seems counter intuitive. You are now the Mommy, and it is your joy to love them because you remember there was just nothing better than the way your Mommy comforted you.

Some days you catch it too, and have to call the grandparents in for reinforcement because you can't lift your head off the pillow, and now you fully understand how brave your daughter is.

Some days feel like a rite of passage for a Mommy and Daddy... the first time your little one is sick like a big one. Still so little, but so brave too, only crying a little when she's just had enough.

In the grand scheme of things, a tummy bug isn't that big of a deal. For that, and the love we have as we take care of each other, we're the most grateful.

Parents Say the Darndest Things.

Everybody loves to tell you about the cute thing their kid just said. What they don't as readily admit is what crazy things you say to your kid when they are pre-talkers and you have no idea how much they truly understand of what you're telling them or why they've done the crazy thing they just did.

So I've been compiling this list for a few days, crazy and embarrassing thought it may be (these are all as verbatim as I can remember). I give you, Crazy Things We've Said to Our Daughter:

"Kenna, we don't pull all the stuffing out of our pillows, baby."

"Pontouf doesn't need lotion on her face, Kenna."

"Kenna, do not pry the cabinet open with your spoon."

("Mommy, toes off!")
"no Kenna, the baby's toes don't come off."

... and my absolute favorite?

"Kenna, we don't play with Mommy's breast pump cups like a trumpet. Go put them back please."

Classic.

And just to keep the record fair, though we've had lots of "no, mine!" around these parts, here are a few of the cute and sweet things Kenna bear has been saying recently.

Yeah to everything. Do you want some juice? "Yeah, juice." Do you want to get in the car and go to the store? "Yeah! Cahr! Stow!"

"there it is!"/"here it is!"

pappies = paci

butts= blanket/blankies

taaaaa! = ta da!

night night = pillow

mommy nam = yes ma'am mommy

and my favorite:
happy = cookie

We love this wild crazy girl: