Halloween Fun! :)

This was the first year we decided to let A go trick or treating. In the apartment, there was really no where to go unless you went outside your own neighborhood, and she was so little, we'd have had to carry her the whole time anyways. But this year, we decided she was old enough and there are plenty of houses with kids around ours.

Hurricane Sandy gave us a rather windy, cold and rainy Halloween, but at least we got to go - it could be much worse, and our prayers go out to all those affected by that superstorm. Since it was so chilly outside, I had to make sure that A's wings would fit around her winter coat, and J and I decided that he would just take her down our road and the road next to ours. They were out about a half hour, and she has plenty of candy for an already energetic toddler.

This year, we dressed A up as her favorite Sesame Street character, Abby Cadabby the fairy. Mimi made her the skirt and the "Abby tail" pom poms. Pink, sparkly stretch pants and a pink turtle neck made up the rest of the costume, and we added a fairy wand and a pair of wings to complete the fairy look :) I think she looks pretty adorable :)

We, of course, did not take Kylar out trick or treating, but I did dress him up. Isn't he adorable? :D My little Tiger :) 

K's 1-month Photos

These are by no means professional shots... I just took a couple of him in his room. Special thanks to his Aunt Allie, who gave us the monthly stickers and adorable matching hat :) I can't wait to fill up a frame of his first year, month by month!

Twinkle Pink!

I had to write this down before I forgot, or she stopped doing it. Aria's favorite character in all of this world - besides Elmo - is Abby-Cadabby, also from Sesame Street. She has the little doll, and is even going to be her for Halloween tomorrow. Abby's show on Sesame Street, Abby's Flying Fairy School, is really geared towards kids A-bug's age, and teaches them basic logic skills. One of the phrases they say all the time is "Twinkle Think!" whenever they face a particularly puzzling problem. Now, whenever A is playing with her Abby doll, costume or doing anything with her ABC's she says "twinkle pink! twinkle pink!" - it's like her 2 favorite things combined: Abby and her favorite color, pink. It's so cute, I hope to catch it on video soon. If I can't, I hope I don't forget the cuteness of the way she says it :)

One Month... Already?!

Today, my baby boy is 1 month old. Already. Crazy talk. This past month, I have been reminded of what extreme sleep deprivation is all about, how much newborn spit up and how much money I will be saving by nursing this baby instead of using formula. I've also learned for the first time what it's like to really cuddle with a baby... A-bug was never really into that. I've learned that Gripe Water really does work for some kids, just not A. I have come to appreciate nap time on a much higher level than ever before. I have gained a whole other skill level when it comes to multi-tasking. I have eaten more leftovers than food prepared that day (and thank you VERY MUCH to everyone who was a part of bring food to my fridge.)

I have also learned that it is indeed possible to love your second child as much as your first, and that your heart doesn't run out of room. I have watched some of the most adorable moments happen between A and K, and I'll always treasure those nightly kisses she gives him. I have been reminded of how wonderful a feeling it is to watch your new baby carefully studying your face and cooing at you. And there's never so much cuteness as when a newborn yawns and stretches out that teeny-tiny neck, scrunches up his little wrinkly face and momentarily turns himself into ET :) 

Here is some of the adorable-ness that's gone on in our household in the past month :)

Getting kisses from his big sister :)

All dressed up for his first trip to Grandma and Papa's :)

4 generations! Plus Uncle Mike :) 

Chilling outside during the October Indian Summer

I'll never get over those dimples

Sacked out in his Flannel Hoody - just like daddy :)

Piled up in all the blankets :)

I just love this little face :)

Such big eyes :)

Serious Sleep Deprivation

Overall, Baby K is a wonderful baby. He eats really well and is incredibly laid back, which is a welcome change from when A-bug was a baby. The one major issue we're dealing with right now, however, is the fact that his days and nights are still mixed up. This isn't an issue every night, but about every other. He's not even always bad, either - he's just awake. And awake infants aren't fold of laying in the dark doing nothing. They like attention. And while I love my son more than anything, I'm not the best attention-giver at 3am.

Last night, however, he was a totally different child. He was screaming and fussing all. night. long. As soon as he would calm down for a few minutes from eating, he would get the hiccups, or have a dirty diaper, or spit up. It was just one thing after another, and if he did get quiet for longer than 30 seconds and I laid him down to sleep, he would immediately wake up as soon as I turned the lights out and start screaming again. It was a fun night.

As difficult of a infant as A was, the one thing I could count on was that she would sleep at night. I'm not sure how to go about getting K's  nights back on schedule. I had thought that keeping the lights on during the day, and not tip toe-ing around him would help get him on a better days/nights schedule. I have tried waking him up, but once this child is asleep, there is no changing his mind. I have changed his diaper while he stayed asleep before. If he wants to sleep, he's gonna sleep. And at night, if he doesn't want to sleep, he's not going to. It doesn't matter that we keep it dark at night and it's considerably quieter after Aria falls asleep. To him, that signals the time to wake up, not the other way around. All that to say, I am fresh out of ideas of how to train this child to sleep at night and not during the day. Anyone else deal with this issue? I hear it's rather common. If we don't do something about this soon, I'm going to lose my mind.