Happy Halloween...

...from my little Buzz Light Year, Witch, and Pumpkin!

Swine flu?

Swine flu?, originally uploaded by °Giulietta°.

Or, excuse me, H1N1? I guess I'll never know if that's what I've been inflicted with all week. I do know, however, it's been quite a long week. Gene has been away for work all week so I've been on my own with an infant and two four year olds. I missed trick or treating last night and EJ and Olivia's Halloween parade and party today at preschool. I've been worried sick about my three little ones catching this... especially Piper. While my fever is gone, my head now feels as though it's about it explode and I'm counting down the hours until my husband returns home this evening. I may just climb into bed as soon as he arrives and not get out until Sunday. Or actually, maybe Monday, when he has to return to work.

beautiful.fall.day.

Wonderful Weekend

I couldn't have asked for a nicer birthday weekend. Well, maybe a few degrees warmer and less precipitation would have been nice. But hey, I had a weekend away in a historic, quaint and beautiful little town which was only a short walk over a bridge from New Hope, Pennsylvania... another historic, quaint and beautiful little town. We had never been to the area but will definitely be making a return trip. The twins would go crazy for the coal fired steam engine that makes its way through New Hope everyday.

I started off my birthday morning with breakfast at my in-laws, complete with a heart shaped blueberry muffin, sprinkled with powered sugar and topped with a lit candle. After breakfast, we dropped off the kids at my parents and headed on our way.

The weekend was complicated a bit by the fact that I'm breastfeeding a nine week old. So, for a week prior to our planned getaway, I was married to my pump so that I could stash away enough milk for Piper during my absence. I was so proud of myself that by Friday evening, I had more than enough milk to last her the 24+ hours that I would be away. But then, there was the pumping schedule that I would have to adhere to on our trip. So, that meant being a slave to the clock and having to make plans around the every three hour pumping schedule. But, it all worked out just fine and wasn't as difficult or as much of a nuisance as I thought it would be. And, I have 30 ounces now stashed in the freezer for later!

The weather also wasn't as bad as I had expected. For the most part we were able to walk everywhere we wanted/needed to go without getting wet. Most of the time there was just a fine mist in the air. But, it was misty enough that I didn't feel comfortable using my camera (to which I was very disappointed). I was so looking forward to using the new lens that Gene bought for me for my birthday. However, said camera, lens and new camera bag remained in the car the entire weekend.

Other than not being able to get out with my camera, the weekend was everything I had hoped it would be. It was full of antique shop perusing (with price tags much higher than I would be willing or capable of spending), window shopping, coffee drinking, dinner eating (complete with a birthday dessert spread compliments of our waiter that included three desserts, berries, whipped creams and candles), wine drinking, and champagne brunch eating goodness.

And, to top it all off, Piper slept 10 hours for my parents last night. She's been sleeping through the night at home but we weren't sure how she'd do in a new environment, in addition to just getting her two month vaccines on Friday. But, I'm happy to report she was the fantastic sleeper she's always been. I was so worried she's have my Mom up all night.

Could my birthday weekend have gotten much better? I don't think so. Other than the fact that it's extending into this week and I'm looking forward to a birthday dinner tomorrow night with my family!

Lambertville, New Jersey

We're headed to the Delaware River Valley tomorrow morning thanks to my wonderful parents. They offered to keep all three kids for us this weekend so that I can get away for my birthday. So, despite the rain and cold weather, I'm looking forward to a weekend full of flea markets, antique shops, coffee shops, cafe lunches, a relaxing dinner, a bottle of wine and sleeping in.

And then, in the meantime, trying to figure out how I'll ever repay my parents for all they've done for me.

1. Metal cage..., 2. A "Doors Reunion" , 3. love knows hidden paths, 4. lambertville shopping, 5. he liked to break the rules...but only a little, 6. bridge (another perspective), 7. five for a friend, 8. Dreamy, 9. well-uncared for, 10. My, what big hands you have, 11. End Seat (105/365), 12. Up Close and Personal, 13. Waterfall - New Hope, Pa14. Not available15. Not available16. Not available

Two Months Old

10 Things About Piper at 2 months Old:

1) She's sleeping through the night.
2) At last weight check this evening, she's 11 pounds 12 ounces.
3) She hates to have her arms swaddled.
4) She has quite the appetite (hence the almost four pound weight gain in two months).
5) She smiles and coos
6) She loves to suck on her fists
7) She has a bit of a temper and definitely lets you know when she's not happy about something.
8) Her eyes are turning blue.
9) She is entering the "old man hair" stage as she's starting to lose the hair on the sides of her head.
10) Her gummy smile just melts my heart.

Of course I couldn't catch that gummy smile with the camera today no matter how hard I tried.

Happy two months, Piper!

Ugh.

I went running today for the first time in almost a year. And, it certainly felt like it had been a year. Unfortunately for me, I seem to have this issue with walking if I become tired. It's like quitting or failing... even if I have a good excuse. A good excuse like just having a baby or not running once in the last 12 months. But no, I had to keep going and finish, albeit very slowly.

I can tell already that I will be paying dearly tomorrow.

Piper

Had I put in a request ahead of time for the perfect baby, she would have met all of my requirements. This little bundle has just been a joy.

I had been preparing myself for the worst as far as infant care would go. The long sleepless nights, difficulties with breastfeeding, hours of crying, difficulty trying to juggle a new baby with two older preschoolers, etc. And while there was definitely a transition period full of sleepless nights, difficulties with breastfeeding and juggling three kids, it was nothing like I thought it was going to be.

The sleepless nights ended after four weeks when she started sleeping longer stretches. She now goes anywhere from 8-10 hours a night. The breastfeeding difficulties I had (clogged ducts, a bout with mastitis then supply issues) are all behind us. The hours of crying never happened as she's been very pleasant and really only cries if she's hungry. Juggling three kids hasn't been nearly as difficult as I thought. EJ and Olivia show no jealousy towards Piper and if anything, may show a little too much affection at times.

I really don't want to jinx things but Piper is such a good baby. She goes to sleep for the night easily, which for me was always one of the most stressful times of the day with the twins. Trying to get two infants off to sleep every evening was never an easy task, especially with one who always wanted to be held to sleep. Now, I must add that I was pretty lucky with EJ and Olivia, too. They started sleeping through the night at 12 weeks and never looked back, with the exception of the occasional illness or teething. But, up until 12 weeks, the night shift was VERY difficult at times. There were often mornings when the sun would rise and I had yet to sleep. This would sometimes happen consecutive days in a row and I literally thought I would die from sleep deprivation. So, I was preparing myself for the same this time around. But, it never happened.

I started a nighttime routine with Piper around four weeks when I transitioned her out of my room and into her crib. I feed her, put her in her crib while she's still awake and guess what? She goes to sleep on her own! It's heaven.

She started smiling and cooing around four weeks and it's only gotten more consistent and frequent as the weeks have gone by. She now smiles at me when I get her out of her crib in the morning and it's the sweetest thing to see. I love her little smiles and coos. I love the sweet little rolls on her thighs and her triple chin. I love that her eyes are turning from gray to blue. I love that she found her fists this week and spends much of her awake time trying to figure out how to get them to her mouth. I adore this little girl to pieces and it makes me sad that it's all going by so fast. This baby time with her is flying by so much more quickly than it did with the twins so I'm trying to soak it all up as much as I can.

Vocabulary

Oh, the vocabulary of a four year old. Olivia just pulled my bra out of the laundry basket and said, "Oh Mommy, here's your boobie holder!".

:)

Fall

Oh Fall, I try to love you. I really do. Everyone else seems to love you and your chilly mornings and crisp evenings. Now don't get me wrong, your colors, pumpkins, apples and cider are great and all and my birthday falls in October so obviously that scores you big points, but I want my longer days back. I want my crickets chirping and my fireflies. I want my warm, dewy mornings so that I can sit on the patio and enjoy my coffee outside. I want my 9 pm sunsets so that I can squeeze in that run that I've put off all day. (OK, that last one was a bit of a stretch since I haven't run since last fall before I was pregnant. But, point is, I'd like the option now).

Summer went by way too quickly this year.