How can two brothers be so different? Carter never slept. He might have slept 4 or 5 hours MAX on several occasions for the first, oh, two years of his life. Wyatt, on the other hand, slept 4 or 5 hours a night by week two of his life. He now sleeps a good 6 to 7 hours a night. Carter, fortunately, decided to sleep in his own "tiny tiny bed" for most of the night right about the same time Wyatt moved into our home. He's still in our room and in our bed a lot of the nights.
And nursing. I joke that Wyatt will have weaned himself and Carter will still be nursing. Carter was, and still is, a comfort nurser. Wyatt is all business. He only wants to see a boob when hungry. If he's not hungry, there better not be a boob nearby. I learned that early on when, if offered a boob and not hungry, he would wail like someone was really trying to do him wrong.
Carter? He will take a boob any time, anywhere! He asks every few minutes to nurse...guess he figures, what can it hurt? He asks when I get out of the shower. Why not? They are right there. Stubs his toe, scratches his knee, bumps his head? "Wanna nurse on mama." Can't listen to another music video? "Wanna nurse on mama." Can't play outside because it's raining? "Wanna nurse on mama."
He's evolved too, in his asking to nurse. He used to just sort of smack my chest. Then he signed "nurse" (and sometimes still smacked my chest). Then he moved to "wanna eat the boob". And while we thought that rather funny, we moved him on to "wanna nurse on mama". He also recites mama's rules for nursing a toddler. "Carter wanna nurse. Don't bite! Nurse properly, just five minutes! No hands pinching, hold mama's belly!". Poor guy, he must think he's attending some sort of paramilitary nursing camp.
We took the boys to work to see Santa. A nice lady asked Carter if he liked his brother. Carter said, "he eats the boob." I'm kinda surprised he didn't repeat his other favorite saying, "Mama nurse the both of you. Carter on this side and Wyatt on this side".
Ahh, I did it! I raised a boob man. At least one.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Is Your Butt Sticking Out?
Carter likes to tell us what to say. He is actually mimicking what he's heard and anticipating what we might say and then expects us to actually say it.
For example, Carter climbs in a swing. Carter: Are you swinging? Mama: Oh, Carter, are you swinging? Carter: Yeah.
Or, running into the hallway with scissors. Carter: What do you have? Mama: Ahhhh! Carter, what do you have? Carter (waving scissors wildly around): Scissors!
Today's question of the day while playing in the sandbox. Carter: Is your butt sticking out? Mama(laughing hysterically while catching a peek at Carter's bottom sticking above his jeans: Is your butt sticking out? Carter: Yeahhhh!
For example, Carter climbs in a swing. Carter: Are you swinging? Mama: Oh, Carter, are you swinging? Carter: Yeah.
Or, running into the hallway with scissors. Carter: What do you have? Mama: Ahhhh! Carter, what do you have? Carter (waving scissors wildly around): Scissors!
Today's question of the day while playing in the sandbox. Carter: Is your butt sticking out? Mama(laughing hysterically while catching a peek at Carter's bottom sticking above his jeans: Is your butt sticking out? Carter: Yeahhhh!
Wyatt's Wiles
Ohh, the smiles and laughs of a baby. Wyatt started smiling consistently about a month ago. He has the cutest smile. A dimple on his left cheek and a big grin. Might be a keeper.
He started laughing about a week ago too....mostly at mama singing silly songs, but he laughs when his papa laughs at him. And today, our first unsolicited laugh....at the orange tree. Maybe it was telling him that old joke...you know, knock knock, who's there? Banana...
He's looking pretty blonde these days with dark blue eyes. He still has that swatch of what his father calls "old man hair" at the back of his head. But he's got a dimple in his cheek and one in his chin. He's going to be quite the charmer.
And he sleeps for about 7 hours at a stretch. That trumps cute every time.
He started laughing about a week ago too....mostly at mama singing silly songs, but he laughs when his papa laughs at him. And today, our first unsolicited laugh....at the orange tree. Maybe it was telling him that old joke...you know, knock knock, who's there? Banana...
He's looking pretty blonde these days with dark blue eyes. He still has that swatch of what his father calls "old man hair" at the back of his head. But he's got a dimple in his cheek and one in his chin. He's going to be quite the charmer.
And he sleeps for about 7 hours at a stretch. That trumps cute every time.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Carter and His Ear Protections
Carter has a love affair with "ear protections". He had a fuzzy white set of ear muffs that his grandma picked up at the thrift store. They were worn in the mornings on our walks and in the car to protect our ears from Wyatt's crying. Once, Carter hit Wyatt, Wyatt cried, and Carter requested his "ear protections". Sorry, buddy, it doesn't work that way. Mama broke them one day putting them in the stroller. I felt bad...I felt even worse when I heard someone muttering "mama broke your ear protections".
His other set of ear protections belong to papa. Carter wears them now when the two of them use the leaf blower outside. It's quite the sight.
His other set of ear protections belong to papa. Carter wears them now when the two of them use the leaf blower outside. It's quite the sight.
A Post for Wyatt
So, my poor second child....he is going to have to share everything. Clothes, toys, even this blog. So here is a post just for him.
I can't believe it has been 11 weeks already that he's joined our family. He has turned into quite the charmer. He smiles and laughs and the dimple on his left cheek deepens. Never thought I could love someone as much as his big brother, but he's oddly enough proven to me that I can.
I am curious to see how his personality evolves. He's already very different than Carter. A business nurser.....hungry, eat...not hungry, don't eat. Tired, sleep. He slept seven hours last night. He has been sleeping five hours plus for the last 4 weeks. How lucky are we? Both of my boys sleep for most of the night now. One started at 26 months and the other at 8 weeks. Go figure.
I have to go to work tomorrow for a few hours, so Wyatt is stuck with his papa. Papa isn't our favorite right now. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that papa can successfully get a bottle into Wyatt if need be.....if not, well, we will nurse in the parking lot at work.
I am sure Wyatt thinks he's joined the funny farm....between getting whacked on the head by big brother (we have been hit-free for 1 week now) and having to try and sleep through the noise that always accompanies a 2-year old...I'm surprised he has yet to jump ship.
I'm writing this post in bed with Carter on my right and Wyatt on my left. Looks like papa has to squeeze into that little space between Carter and the bed rail. We've slept 4 to a bed on a number of nights since Wyatt has joined us. It feels good. It feels safe.
I can't believe it has been 11 weeks already that he's joined our family. He has turned into quite the charmer. He smiles and laughs and the dimple on his left cheek deepens. Never thought I could love someone as much as his big brother, but he's oddly enough proven to me that I can.
I am curious to see how his personality evolves. He's already very different than Carter. A business nurser.....hungry, eat...not hungry, don't eat. Tired, sleep. He slept seven hours last night. He has been sleeping five hours plus for the last 4 weeks. How lucky are we? Both of my boys sleep for most of the night now. One started at 26 months and the other at 8 weeks. Go figure.
I have to go to work tomorrow for a few hours, so Wyatt is stuck with his papa. Papa isn't our favorite right now. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that papa can successfully get a bottle into Wyatt if need be.....if not, well, we will nurse in the parking lot at work.
I am sure Wyatt thinks he's joined the funny farm....between getting whacked on the head by big brother (we have been hit-free for 1 week now) and having to try and sleep through the noise that always accompanies a 2-year old...I'm surprised he has yet to jump ship.
I'm writing this post in bed with Carter on my right and Wyatt on my left. Looks like papa has to squeeze into that little space between Carter and the bed rail. We've slept 4 to a bed on a number of nights since Wyatt has joined us. It feels good. It feels safe.
Nursing the both of you
I've been tandem nursing both of my boys for 11 weeks now. I will admit it, it hasn't been easy. Nursing a newborn and a two year old is tough. Tough on me and tough on Carter. He has to wait sometimes until Wyatt is finished. Sometimes he has to stop mid-nursing because mama has to deal with his baby brother. He hangs in pretty well unless he's really tired and then I feel like I'm nursing two newborns.
Carter's nursing now has a time limit. His marathon nursing sessions are usually centered around sleeping, but he sneaks a little nosh in here and there. A few weeks ago, I was asking him to wait because I was feeding Wyatt and "Wyatt is little". Carter looked at me and said, "Carter's little too". He's right, I sometimes forget that he's only two. He's so verbal and growing so fast, but he's still my little boy.
He's got a few tricks up his sleeve however. When Wyatt needs to nurse I will hear Carter say, "I will nurse the both of you, okay!". So cute, how can I resist? Or sometimes he will say "nurse on mama, just five minutes?". And tonight, my favorite: "Nurse on mama?" Oh Carter, I said, in a few minutes. He replied, "just wanna give it a try." Needless to say, he got to nurse.
He's still quite enamored of nursing and always asks to nurse in new places. The other day he asked to nurse at an office. There was a mural of animals and he said, "mama nurse here in the office with the animals looking at you". That would be nice, wouldn't it?
A few days ago he thought that nursing on the kitchen stool would be nice....we did, for just a few minutes, and mid-nursing he looked up and said conspiratorially, "nursing on the kitchen stool!".
My husband's cousin phrased it best when she said she felt bad that she hadn't had the privilege to tandem nurse her kids. That is exactly what this is...a privilege.
Carter's nursing now has a time limit. His marathon nursing sessions are usually centered around sleeping, but he sneaks a little nosh in here and there. A few weeks ago, I was asking him to wait because I was feeding Wyatt and "Wyatt is little". Carter looked at me and said, "Carter's little too". He's right, I sometimes forget that he's only two. He's so verbal and growing so fast, but he's still my little boy.
He's got a few tricks up his sleeve however. When Wyatt needs to nurse I will hear Carter say, "I will nurse the both of you, okay!". So cute, how can I resist? Or sometimes he will say "nurse on mama, just five minutes?". And tonight, my favorite: "Nurse on mama?" Oh Carter, I said, in a few minutes. He replied, "just wanna give it a try." Needless to say, he got to nurse.
He's still quite enamored of nursing and always asks to nurse in new places. The other day he asked to nurse at an office. There was a mural of animals and he said, "mama nurse here in the office with the animals looking at you". That would be nice, wouldn't it?
A few days ago he thought that nursing on the kitchen stool would be nice....we did, for just a few minutes, and mid-nursing he looked up and said conspiratorially, "nursing on the kitchen stool!".
My husband's cousin phrased it best when she said she felt bad that she hadn't had the privilege to tandem nurse her kids. That is exactly what this is...a privilege.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Bottom Balm and other Delicacies
Well, we called poison control for the second time in maybe 2 months. The first call was to determine whether or not a 2 year old brushing his teeth with Icy Hot would have any cause for concern. Other than the obvious burning mouth, it did not.
The second call was to determine if eating an entire jar of Bottom Balm was cause for concern. It also was not. Thank god for all natural diaper ointments! As it turns out, Carter had eaten the contents of the almost empty jar. I tasted it to see what was the appeal. It tasted bad, really bad. We asked Carter if it tasted good, he said no, not really. Go figure.
Most every morning Carter and I have gone for a walk....since we've moved to San Diego. I used to load him up in a carrier and off we'd go. Now Wyatt is in the carrier and Carter is in the stroller with a bowl of snacks..sometimes O's, sometimes pecans, they never make it too far without being dumped in the street or offered up to the neighbor's dogs. We lost a tomato once in the street. There were a lot of tears until mama convinced him that a hummingbird would come along to eat it. I had to think quick. There were probably more reasonable birds that I could have come up with, but I was under pressure.
I love our morning walks. It gives us a chance to talk about nature and get lots of insight into Carter's fascinating brain. He tried once to reach the moon, just raised his hand up and tried. I asked him if he could reach it? "No, too too far". We've learned that the black birds are crows and they yell "cah cah cah" and that the silly birds that wander through the neighbor's flower beds are peacocks and they yell "help help!". We've seen bees working and snails crawling and have made wishes on a number of dandelions. When noticing that a neighbor's bushes had been toilet papered one morning, Carter exclaimed, "a lot of paper towels".
We usually bring something on our walk, a pinwheel, caulk, a hat, three flashlights, sometimes all of these things come together....they slowly get passed back to mama until Carter's hands are empty and mine are full.
I am so grateful for the walks I've taken with Carter. I've learned a lot.
The second call was to determine if eating an entire jar of Bottom Balm was cause for concern. It also was not. Thank god for all natural diaper ointments! As it turns out, Carter had eaten the contents of the almost empty jar. I tasted it to see what was the appeal. It tasted bad, really bad. We asked Carter if it tasted good, he said no, not really. Go figure.
Most every morning Carter and I have gone for a walk....since we've moved to San Diego. I used to load him up in a carrier and off we'd go. Now Wyatt is in the carrier and Carter is in the stroller with a bowl of snacks..sometimes O's, sometimes pecans, they never make it too far without being dumped in the street or offered up to the neighbor's dogs. We lost a tomato once in the street. There were a lot of tears until mama convinced him that a hummingbird would come along to eat it. I had to think quick. There were probably more reasonable birds that I could have come up with, but I was under pressure.
I love our morning walks. It gives us a chance to talk about nature and get lots of insight into Carter's fascinating brain. He tried once to reach the moon, just raised his hand up and tried. I asked him if he could reach it? "No, too too far". We've learned that the black birds are crows and they yell "cah cah cah" and that the silly birds that wander through the neighbor's flower beds are peacocks and they yell "help help!". We've seen bees working and snails crawling and have made wishes on a number of dandelions. When noticing that a neighbor's bushes had been toilet papered one morning, Carter exclaimed, "a lot of paper towels".
We usually bring something on our walk, a pinwheel, caulk, a hat, three flashlights, sometimes all of these things come together....they slowly get passed back to mama until Carter's hands are empty and mine are full.
I am so grateful for the walks I've taken with Carter. I've learned a lot.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
