Memorial Day

For Memorial Day this year we went hiking and swimming at Mortimer Mountain. I really did not want to go. It just didn't seem like a good idea especially with a baby that hates all baby carriers. This meant she would have to be held the whole time and I knew that most likely that would end up being my job. I almost didn't go but I didn't really want to spend the day alone while everyone was having fun and I convinced myself that it wouldn't be that bad.
Hiking while carrying a 2 month old isn't fun and it can be a little scary. We stopped for some play time and to cook lunch and some s'mores. Then we hiked the rest of the way to the tip of the mountain where you had to kind of repel down to get to the foot of the waterfall for more swimming. Well Aubree and I couldn't do that so we watched from the top of the mountain. Everyone played for a little over 3 hours. I was able to get video of Daniel jumping from the top of the waterfall and of he and Scarlett sliding down the waterfall. Scarlett ended up further to the left than she should have and she hit her foot which resulted in a broken heel. There was no swelling so no one thought it was broken but Scarlett could not put any weight on it at all and she couldn't even move it without it hurting. Mark and Daniel helped her get up to where I was. I gave her my tennis shoe to wear so her foot could have some protection and then Mark and Daniel carried her the 2 miles down the mountain. Nate walked with Carolina. Katelyn walked with and at the end carried Brigham down the mountain. I carried Aubree and hiked down wearing my Rainbows. We all ended up getting separated along the trail and I ended up just sitting down to slide down one part that was too steep to walk down while holding Aubree but we all made it in 1.5-2 hours and we were all exhausted. We got there at 12:30 that afternoon and didn't leave until 9:30 that night. Brigham and Aubree did awesome. Brigham walked the entire way up the moutain and t of the way down. Aubree stayed on schedule all day and did really well sleeping in my arms which usually isn't the case. A couple times she slept on a blanket for 5-10 minutes and I gave up on that since she couldn't stay asleep.

3 Months

Three months has been so good to us!  Aubree has really turned into such an easy baby.  She began sleeping through the night completely on her own on July 13th.  She has only woken up 2 times during the night since then.  One time I just let her fuss and after a few minutes she went back to sleep.  The second time she was screaming so I got up and gave her a 3 ounces to drink and she was back asleep in no time. Some mornings she wakes up on her own between 7:45 and 8 and then some mornings I have to wake her up at 8.  She has been drinking 5 ounce bottles when she wakes up from each nap and she is happy as long as she is full.  She isn't a great sleeper if she is not in her bed but she will take little cat naps while we are out and about and she stays happy.  She also won't sleep more than an hour or so if she is just in a diaper.  She needs to have on at least a onesie to sleep.  She will not take a pacifer at all anymore.  If I try to give her one it will just make her scream.  She soothes herself in her bed by sucking on her fist or her middle and ring fingers.  Yesterday she finally found her thumb and started sucking on it.  I didn't see that until tonight when she just couldn't seem to get enough of it! Now I am just hoping she ends up just sucking it at night like Brigham does.  I need to get her something similar to Brigham's lion so maybe she will associate thumb sucking with it and we can limit it to the bed like we have with Briggs. Aubree is really starting to get cute.  Mark says she is looking less like a grumpy old man and more like a beautiful girl. She seems to already be daddy's girl.  She smiles and squeals when she sees him and does so much better when he puts her to sleep. It is just so adorable.
Today we moved Aubree-Rose to a 4 hour schedule.  She got 3 naps, 3 six ounce bottles, and 1 seven ounce bottle.  She did pretty good for the first day.  Each 4 hour block consists of 2 hours of awake time and 2 hours of sleep time.  I had only recently realized that she doesn't like to sleep without clothes on and I hadn't shared this information with Mark yet so her 2nd nap was a short one since she was "naked."  I had to wake her up after a long 3rd nap though so it all worked out.  I still need to figure out how to work the 3rd nap so she isn't napping from 6-8.  I am thinking I may just have to get her up at 7:30 but we will see.
Brigham is just so sweet and protective of his little sister.  A week and a half ago at church he saw this lady holding a baby that looked similar to Aubree.  He kept pointing and saying someone was holding Aubree and I needed to go get her (in a very worried voice).  I told him that wasn't Aubree and then I pulled the blanket back on the car seat and showed him she was sleeping.  He was so relived. ha ha.  He hugs and kisses her all the time and if I just want to take him to the store he always says that Aubree needs to come with us too.If she is crying he will go pat her belly or her back and say "shhh" or "it's ok sweetheart."  If she is in the car seat, he will rock her.  He gets her to stop crying pretty much every time.
Now, as much as that boy loves his baby sister, he also gets a little jealous sometimes.  He will tell me that Daddy needs to hold her or to go put her in her swing.  He has become even more of a cuddler and wants to be held so much more than ever before.  I love it though.  He is such a sweet boy and a good cuddle buddy.
Brigham is still an unpredictable eater.  He has days where all he wants is cereal or milk and then there are days where he will eat almost anything I suggest.  Sometimes he even really likes eating the lettuce from salads.  Right now he is watching The Lion King for the first time and I am pretty sure this will be his new obsession.  He has been hooked from the very beginning.
Mark and I just love these kids to pieces.  Mark is such a great dad and he just keeps getting better.  They both love him to pieces.  We are so grateful that we have been blessed with such cute, sweet little spirits.
This week I have been working everyday while Crystie is on her honeymoon.  I really do love my job and I am so glad I was able to work all week.  Mark starts his new job on July 9th and after that I won't be able to work very much.  Luckily I love being with Aubree and Brigham all day more than any job.  What I love about my job is the people I work with and being able to talk with clients about their studies and whatever else.  I really just like being able to have a different kind of conversation with people and learning about other people's lives.  On top of working all week, I am also preparing for an open house on Saturday.  I am in charge of all the food for it.  I have made 11 cake pedestals and I have painted and polyurethaned them all.  I finally finished them last night after starting on them Friday or Saturday.  Tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday morning will be spent preparing all the desserts and a fruit.  Saturday afternoon Mark has tickets for us to see Beauty and the Beast at Blumenthal.  After the show I will head straight to the open house to set up the food.  Hopefully I can finish it all with plenty of time to spare and be able to enjoy the show.  We'll see what happens.  I love having these opportunities as a creative outlet.  I can't seem to motivate myself to just make things for me, the kids, or our home when there is cleaning to do or my favorite almost 3 year old to play with.  I am so grateful when I get these little opportunities even though it much drive Mark crazy sometimes since right now our kitchen table is covered in some really cute turquoise cake pedestals and our house is a mess.  Luckily I am a procrastinator and it will only be crazy around here for a week. ha ha