July photo challenge: Week two

Something beautiful


Fun


Something I can't live without


Work


Texture


Starting the day


A Treasure

5 Months

Where has my little baby gone? Newborn Milo has been replaced with delicious chunks of baby fat, roly poly thighs and huge smiles.

Milo's favorite thing to do is hang out on the floor and grab things. The kid can get all over the room. It seems like he might be an early crawler with the way he rocks back and forth prepared to propel. He makes lots of squeals and babbles and it's pretty easy to get him to giggle. Collin loves to lay next to him (sometimes with a little too vigor for Milo) and usually gets lots of smiles in response.

Milo is in the first stage of learning by mouth. He gets very excited and reaches for anything he can and immediately tries to eat it. One more month and we'll get to try solid food. By the way he reaches for food while we eat, I imagine he's going to like it.

July photo challenge: Week one

I'm doing a photo-a-day challenge (different theme every day) with a Facebook group of "momtographer" friends. It's inspiring and fun to see what others come up with and to think of different ways to meet the challenges. Here's the first week:

Self Portrait


Heat/hot/fire


A work in progress


Independence


Colors


Vintage


Water

Happy Birthday America

Summer finally decided to show up and luckily the 4th of July was clear and sunny. We had delicious food and celebrated with family on our deck. We're trying to take advantage of eating outside before we move. Chances are whatever house we find will not have a deck as awesome as what Mike built.





At dusk we started our fireworks display courtesy of Mary Ann and Jon. Collin's favorite are the sparklers. 



Then the real show began at nightfall. Our neighborhood suddenly turned into Afghanistan with professional looking illegal fireworks lighting up the sky. We watched our drunken neighbors across the street relive the show, "Jackass" while they shot Roman Candles at each other. Hmm some stuff I won't miss about this neighborhood.

It was a pretty awesome free fireworks show. We also watched from the "Pirate Deck" that Mike built adjoined to Collin's room, for the best view.

Finally, we ended the night with the grand finale firework that Papa brought. For a legal firework, it was pretty awesome. It lasted more than a minute with an impressive fountain of colors and sparks that blasted up into the sky. It was pretty surprising that it was actually legal. After that we resumed with watching some more of the neighborhood fireworks show. By 1030, Collin proclaimed he was tired and crawled into bed and fell right to sleep.

One more day...

It's been nearly 12 days since Mike left to Virginia for training and I've been on my own with two kids. This has probably been one of the hardest challenges I've faced as a parent and well, maybe in life!

I have so much respect for single parents/military families/spouses that travel a ton. I know compared to them, I shouldn't complain. But this is my blog so bare with me. Both kiddos are in daycare three days a week and thankfully Mike's parents helped me out. But barely getting sleep, then having to make breakfast, feed Milo, get out the door, work, pick them up, make dinner,  get them to bed and then start the whole process over, is mentally and physically exhausting.

Well let's just say it gets old. On the non-daycare days my sanity is challenged with Collin (aka boundless energy boy). When Mike's home, I can relax when he gets back from work. I don't mind making dinner. When it's just me though, it takes every ounce of energy to compel myself to make a home cooked meal. It's also discouraging when Collin turns up his nose at almost anything that's not a hot dog or a nugget. I'm starting to do the "eat it or starve" mantra because I'm just sick of it and tired. Going out to eat isn't exactly fun with two either.

On top of it, our house has been like a dust storm as the contractor finishes up so we can list our house. Then of course, Milo got sick. Although he's feeling better now, he seems to be in the reverse pattern of waking up several times at night which is making me feel like a zombie again. Collin wakes up when the sun rises (530 am or so), it doesn't matter how dark his room is, or how often I tell him not to get up until there's at least a 6 on his clock.

I'm far from a perfect parent. There have been times I snapped and yelled at Collin ending in lots of tears. There has been way more ipad watching than what is recommended. Pat on the back for not physically hurting him, seriously. The fact that both kids are adorable and Collin gives me cute lines and sloppy kisses helps.

I know Mike is not having a blast in the middle of nowhere, Virginia where his only food options are Applebees or Chili's and he's studying complicated computer forensics with a test for certification. At the same time, I don't hold lots of sympathy for him because compared to being ALONE with two kids, studying and sleeping without being waken at night, doesn't sound so bad.

And now, because why not, I'm feeling crappy and hoping coconut water, vitamin C and zinc do some magic. But there is only one. more. day.

Happy 4 Months

Poor Milo hasn't had it easy the last few weeks. Collin loves his baby brother and with that love comes four year old snot sharing and sloppy kisses. Topping that off with daycare, our little baby has basically had back to back illnesses, including cough, ear infection and impetigo.  I took him in a few days ago to the doctor when he was crying inconsolably and just seemed miserable. Pretty unusual for our happy little guy. The doctor diagnosed it as and, foot and mouth disease which basically means  a nasty virus that causes fever and sores on the hands, feet and most annoying, the mouth. The sores are probably pretty painful and for once Milo refused to eat. There's no treatment except Tylenol to relieve the discomfort. And lucky Mike got to miss out as he's been out of town on training. 

Last night was rough with Milo waking up in pain every couple hours, but  today Milo seems to be feeling much better and the sores don't look nearly as bad. He ate like he was starving and is starting to act like his old self. Tonight, I'm hoping everyone gets more rest and we can avoid more sicknesses for a while! 

At four months, Milo's favorite pastime is to show off his rolling ability. He loves to hang out on the floor on his tummy, pulling at toys and sucking on his fingers. He's rolled from his tummy to his back a few times but it seems accidental. I'm sure he'll figure it out soon. 

He also lunges forward like he's ready to propel (but we're not ready for you to crawl yet Milo!) We don't plan on baby proofing this house again and are hopeful it'll sell before we have to worry about that. 

However now that we're entering the oral fixation-everything-goes-in-the-mouth-stage, it's getting crucial to make sure Collin't tiny toys and legos don't end up near Milo's reach. He also loves to babble and we have quite a lot of conversations going. He gives wide mouth smiles and loves to watch his big brother act crazy. 

He's still a pretty happy, easygoing baby. And for the most part (except for when he's sick!) he's starting to sleep much better, which means I don't feel like a zombie anymore, yay!

Catch ya on the flip side

The other day Milo rolled over from back to tummy.















It's tiring!

He can't flip back the other way around, but I'm sure he'll get there soon.