Christmastime is Here...

I. Love. Christmas. Its absolutely, no question, my favorite time of year – the snow, the lights, the busyness, even the cold is fun, because it comes with hot chocolate and firesJ I am also very sentimental (really to a fault sometimes) which means I LOVE traditions, and there are so MANY at Christmas!  We just couldn’t wait to start the season this year, and actually started decorating 2 weeks before Thanksgiving! We are going to be out of town much of December, so that was a big reason for getting a jump on things. And I’m so glad we did, because as I look at the next 2 weeks preparing to leave for Washington, I am a little overwhelmed by all that needs to get done…and I believe that Christmas decorating should be a FUN process and not part of a to do listJ

  
 

 

 

 

SO, 2 Saturdays before Christmas we got out all our décor and spent the day listening to Christmas Pandora, drinking hot chocolate (Caleb LOVED his first taste of itJ), and “decking the halls”!

                                         

This is my picture of “Joy” – Caleb in his jammies reading a story with Daddy by the “tinkle yights” J

Speaking of Christmas Traditions, we are excited to start some with Caleb this year! We will be doing an advent calendar with him for the first time – just chocolate kisses this time. But when I made this calendar a few years ago, the idea was that it was reusable and we could put really anything in the little boxes. So next year I’d like to do something more meaningful – like activities each day or something.

 

We are going to go through the advent wreath with Caleb this year too, using his Jesus Storybook Bible (the BEST children’s Bible I’ve ever seen!). Each candle represents a covenant promise made by God to His people prophesying Jesus’ coming. We did the first one tonight (late, because we weren’t here last Sunday!), and it was the covenant made with Adam and Eve. Here is the excerpt from the JSB Bible, just because I love how its written:

“God loved his children too much to let the story end [when Adam and Eve sinned]. Even though He knew he would suffer, God had a plan – a magnificent dream…One day, he would make the world their perfect home again. And one day he would wipe every tear from their eyes. You see, no matter what, in spite of everything, God would love His children – with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Always and Forever Love. And although they would forget him, and run from him, deep in their hearts, God’s children would miss him always and long for him – lost children yearning for their home. Before they left the garden, God whispered a promise to Adam and Eve: “it will not always be so! I will come to rescue you! And when I do, I am going to do battle against the snake. I’ll get rid of the sin and the dark and the sadness you let in here, I’m coming back for you!” And he would. One day, God himself would come.”

Well, then we went and got our tree the Saturday before Thanksgiving! We’ve always gone to a farm near us that is family owned, so even though they weren’t technically open yet, they said they would be there and we could come! So we were the only people there…but that was kind of funJ It was FREEZING outside and really windy so Emma and I hung out in the gift shop:

 

Caleb and Daddy picked out the tree and then Caleb joined me for some hot chocolate:

He loved the barn cats and played with one while they got our tree ready!

Here it is all dressed upJ

Both the littles LOVE the tree:

 

It is so much fun to sort of re-experience Christmas through the eyes of children! I pray that as we raise our kids we can show them the TRUE “magic” of Christmas – the incarnation of Christ – and re-experience the awe of that miracle ourselves!

 

3 Months Old!

                                                        

Our sweet girl is 3 months old! I can’t believe how fast she is growing and changing! I love that now we can start to see her little personality come out, and the little differences between her and Bubs. It is so amazing to be reminded how each little person is an individual, and was “intricately woven” by our Creator – how amazing and humbling! Makes me pray during the day that as I try to parent these little people that my focus would continually be to turn them towards Jesus, and that He would draw them to Himself early onJ

Measurements:

Well we don’t have a doctor’s appointment this month, but I think this picture is pretty clear about one difference between our two littles: compared to Caleb at this age, Emma is a little chunkamonk!

 

This is the time when Caleb started to really get tall, but his weight just couldn’t catch up! He dropped to below the 10^th percentile until after he was walking, and then he caught up fast. Our pedi said it was because he was trying to walk early…and he did! Hm I wonder if that means Emma won’t be so anxious to walk… I think I would be OK with that J

Sleep:

Like most things, we have the good days and the bad days! Today princess girl took a 3 hour nap…I know exactly how many of those Caleb has EVER taken in his life: 2. Buuuut yesterday it was less than an hour, so you never knowJ Nights are great still, and we are counting our blessings with that!

Likes and Dislikes:

Still hating tummy time, even when Howard does it with herJ

Caleb is totally into mimicking what I do with Emma, with Howard: Howard has tummy time, and Howard also gets his diaper changed...of course none of the diapers fit Howard perfectly so we end up with a snowstorm of diapers that are "oh no too big" all over the room.

We busted out the Bumbo seat the other day, and it was a hit! Emma is definitely more into being held than Caleb was – if she is awake, she does NOT like to be alone, and if she is fussy she most definitely wants to be held. 4 months is the normal age for starting the Bumbo, but Emma is much better at attempting to sit than Caleb was at this age. Caleb wanted to MOVE – at 6 months he was crawling across the room but still not sitting well on his own! Emma is more sort of quietly observant, and she has amazing head control. So we tried...

 

…and she loves it. This was the first time the two really “played” together for a minute – Caleb is showing Emma this toy, and then she took it and sort of played with it. It was so sweet! Great picture of (hopefully) things to come!

Emma also LOVES “patty cake” – she was giggling the other night when Garrett was doing it with her (stopped of course when the camera came out!) and it will almost ALWAYS make her smile!

Milestones:

She has sort of giggled a couple times, but no real laughs yet – I can’t wait for that! And sitting up in the Bumbo like a big girl!

Sibling Love:

SO far these two love each other so much! Caleb loves to give Emma kisses, he MUST say goodnight to her before bed (with a kiss on her hairs) or he won’t sleep. He talks about her, asks about her, and altogether shows in his 2 year old way that she is an important part of his lifeJ And Emma loves Caleb. If he is within sight, she is always watching him and she smiles at him when he comes to see her (although past experiences should make her more wary!). When Emma gets fussy, Caleb is the first one there. If she’s in her carseat (as we are getting ready to leave somewhere) he will rush over, tell her “shhh” and rock her seat. If she’s in her swing, he will lean over her and say “shhh” and try to put her paci in her mouth (which usually makes her cry harder but its sweet anyway!). And if she’s laying in her jungle gym, he will run over, tell her “shhh”, and shake a toy in her face or try to make her had grab a toy. Most times he doesn’t really actually help the situation, but it is SO sweet that he tries to help and that he wants to make her happy! I am so excited to see their relationship developJ

What We’ve Learned:

 

Having 2 kids is about strategy. Ever since its gotten super cold, its gotten harder to keep Mr Hurricane entertained. This is what he really likes to do:

So…its about strategy. For me, success is about breaking up the day into sections and just having a strategy for each part;) After Emma goes down for her morning nap, Caleb and I spend some time reading – the kid LOVES books:

We recently started going to the library and he will sit and listen to HOURS of Curious George, Pooh Bear, and anything with trucks or fire engines – love it.

The other thing that makes 2 kids doable is that Caleb has a great imagination – he really amazes me some days with the little games he comes up with all no his own:

This is his “puter” (computer) because it has numbers on the bottom – he will play office at his table with this setup for a good while

This is a blender – he totally came up with this ALL on his own. He puts the two cups together, makes a buzzing sound like a blender, and then doles out “smoothies” to me, Emma, and Howard.

                                                            

This is his “fower tuck” (fire truck) – I know it looks like a train, but I didn’t come up with it, Caleb did. Howard is driving (from the back), and yes, the blanky is part of the design.

Caleb loves ANY kind of fort. This one was actually created in our under the stairs closet because of a tornado warning, but he didn’t have to know thatJ

And, if all else fails, “help mommy make-a coogoos” is always a fail-safe!

Plain and simple: we are incredibly blessed. I think that thought runs through my head at least 50 times a day. When I’m cuddling Emma as I walk her upstairs to her bed…as I get Caleb up from his nap and he rushes around in circles in his crib describing (I think) the tiger he dreamed about…when Emma is crying, and she stops the second she sees me…when Caleb suddenly starts singing a new Sunday School song that I’ve never heard him sing before and I realize again how amazing his little “wet cement” mind is…when Caleb jumps up and down because he hears the garage door open and that means “Super” Daddy is hooooome (that sound makes us ALL really excited!) J

 

Looooong Overdue....SHES HERE!!!

Warning: this is a looong post...a lot of what I write is so I  will remember...so feel free to skip! :)

I remember when Caleb turned 3 months old…and I posted my very first update on him. I totally promised myself that this time around I would be more prompt…but amazingly enough I’m actually busier with 2 kids than I was with 1! Sooo here is an almost 3 month overdue update on our girl:

 

Emmalyn Dianne Lowe

BIRTH STORY;)

Following in her brothers tradition, Emma had to be threatened with eviction to make her appearance. Because Caleb was a C-Section, we had to schedule a c/s for Emma in case I didn’t go into labor on my own. If I did go on my own, then I would be allowed to try a VBAC, but its dangerous to induce after a C/S, so we didn’t want to risk that. However, starting at 38wks, I did everything I could to try to go into spontaneous labor – loooong walks with Bubs at least once a day, special teas, anything I found online that ‘supposedly’ promoted labor. Had TONS of Braxton hicks (which I didn’t with Caleb), but I hung out at 1cm the whole time! Truly, having kids is all about NOT being able to plan;)
The morning of the scheduled CS (after packing, and when my parents, who were going to watch Caleb, were 10 min away) I got a call from the charge nurse that the delivery unit was full, and they had to reschedule the c/s for the evening of the 25^th. Already 3 days overdue, this was NOT news I wanted to hear at ALL.  BUT, God is sovereignJ Just like Caleb (who came spontaneously the morning that my induction was scheduled), Emma decided to come on her own the morning of the 25^th!
I went into labor about 5am, and, since it was a Sunday (Oh, Emma, of course you choose to come on the LEAST convenient day!), waited to call my mom until I was SURE this was “it”. Of course my Dad was preaching, so they had to come separately! We went to the hospital as soon as she got there – about 9:30am. Apparently there had been a rumor that I was having the C/S anyway, so we initially were checked into the wrong room (a preop room) and were visited by the preop nurse, and the anesthesiologist before we finally convinced them that no, we were going to try for the VBAC (which my Dr was all for, she just got misinformed)! We walked the unit for a few hours because I wanted to make sure I was progressing well before I got the Epidural. That happened at about 2pm (oh how I love those thingsJ ) and after that it went pretty fast! I was complete at about 530 and then Emma made her appearance at 8:49pm! She was meconium positive, like Caleb, although unlike him they didn’t know until after she was born. As the special care Dr caught her (they were in there because she had  some heart rate issues during pushing) she said “Wow she’s big” and then “I need an ET tube stat”. Of course to PICU nurse me that meant umm she’s not breathing and I said “What?!?” They explained right away that they needed to get the meconium out BEFORE she took her first breath so that was the hurry, not that she was in any distress…and she cried as soon as they were doneJ

And who does she look like? Well, once we got her all happy and swaddled, she reminded me a of a picture...

The left is my newborn picture and the right is Emmas! Its only fair, since Caleb is a mini Garrett ;)

 

My parents and the Biehl Great Grandparents came to the hospital that night for a quick “meet n greet” but it was past Caleb’s bedtime, so he didn’t get to meet his new sister until the next day:

 

“Gentle” has become the most often used word around our house!

 

MEASUREMENTS:

Born 8/25 at 8:49pm, Emma weighed in at EXACTLY the same weight as big brother: 8lbs 15oz (what are the odds?!) and measured 21 ¾ inches, which is just ¼ inch shorter than Caleb!

 

Now, as of her 2 month appointment: Emma weighs   lbs   oz and she is   in long. That’s somewhere in the 90the percentile for both! She is just about to outgrow most of her 3 month clothes (to compare, Caleb was still in some of his 3 month clothes at almost 6 months!)

SLEEP:

Well Emma is very similar to her big brother when it comes to sleep. She is a great night sleeper – better actually than C. She started giving me some 5 hour stretches after just 2 weeks (before that I wouldn’t let her sleep longer than 4 hours anyway), and for the last couple weeks has been sleeping  from 7pm-4 or 5am, eating, and then going right back down til 7! She’s a MUCH quicker eater than Caleb, too (10min versus 45!) which is a lifesaver, especially during the day when Mr Tornado is running around and I have to feed her! We started sleep training with Emma at about 2 months, because she got to where she couldn’t sleep in the swing in the living room anymore (who can blame her with a busy big brother and talking dog?!). She’s done pretty well finding a schedule, though she’s the short napper that her brother is. We got a video monitor for Emma which has been AWESOME. Honestly sometimes I think it’s the only way I keep my sanity during this sleep training time. I can deal SO Much better with listening to her fuss if I can SEE that she’s fine, hasn’t wiggled out of her swaddle or is sideways in her bed! The best part is  that most days I can get the two littles to sleep at THE SAME TIME for at least a small part of the afternoon which is GREAT!

LIKES AND DISLIKES:

Loves to be held…definitely more of a cuddler than Caleb, which I don’t mind at allJ Loves bathtime (so does Caleb – her bathtime I mean!).

 

Loves her swing, but ONLY in the morning apparently. Hates the evening from about 530 til bedtime; she must be held, and often walked to stay happy at this time. Hates her pacifier…and I tried SO hard to get her to like it…oh well! 0 for 2!

MILESTONES:

she has the smiling thing DOWN, and she is a very smiley and chatty little girl:)

 

Emma rolled over on October 19, 3 times, and then randomly a few times since, but she’s not consistent with it. She HATES tummy time after about 5 minutes, and doesn’t want to learn to roll consistently apparently, even after Caleb “shows” her how by rolling all over the living roomJ

 

SIBLING LOVE:

Oh how he loves her!

 

Caleb has been slightly obsessed with his little sis from day oneJ His favorite thing to do in the morning after Emmas morning nap is to “go say morning Emma” – he wants to be the first one in her room and reaches through the crib bars to pat her and say “Morning Emma!!”

In the beginning I was truly concerned he might seriously hurt her. He HAD to be right next to her touching her whenever she was awake (or sometimes not even then!), and he doesn’t really understand the concept of gentle. Emma has been run over by a toy lawn mower, a truck, sat on “like a horsey”, and even picked up once by her big brother. And she is okJ He has progressively gotten less fascinated by her, but still I don’t ever leave them alone together – he’s just too aggressive with his love! However, 99% of the time, hes just trying to love her, or play with her hands (translation: pull her tiny arms out of their sockets), or give kisses (ON her eyes) , or pat her like he sees mommy do (hit her very hard on the head), or touch (pull) her “hairs”…so its hard to be mad at him;) the one and only way he’s “regressed” since Emma is that he REFUSES to go down the stairs by himself, which he used to love to do. When we come down stairs he sits at the top and says “mommy Emma down, then Caleb”, so I have to go put Emma downstairs and then come get him and carry him…I don’t mindJ

Some favorites from the past couple months:

Since a C/S was the most likely scenario, Garrett’s parents planned to come in for a whole week just after Garrett went back to work – it was such a great time! They played spent a lot of time playing with Caleb (cookie parties with Grandpa were a huge highlight), and cooking and filling our freezer with yummy soups for after they left! What a blessing!!

Just shy of 3 weeks after Emmas birth, my brother Andrew got married! Caleb was honored to be the ring bearer and got his FIRST haircut for the occasion:

My fabulous in-laws flew in AGAIN just to help us out this weekend, as both Garrett and I were in the wedding too! Seriously could not have survived the weekend without them!

 

We’ve been able to see Uncle Googoo (Griffin) play football for Taylor a lot this season as he has been starting a lot! We are DEDICATED fans – even when its freezing out!

When Daddy and Caleb watch football on Sundays, he’s convinced he’s watching Googoo play!

 

Halloween was fun! Caleb didn’t dress up, but he got to hand out candy, which he thought was awesome! He kept watch at the window for “the peoples coming”, and apparently they weren’t coming fast enough, because finally he opened the door and started yelling “Peoples! Welcome!” and throwing the candy out the door…and for the next few days he randomly would run to the window and ask when the peoples were coming for their candyJ

Took the littles to the U-Pick orchard to pick some apples and pick out pumpkins!

 

 

WHAT WE’VE LEARNED:

We truly love being a family of 4J Its busier for sure, more of a change than I ever thought it would be, and some days it feels extremely tiring and stretching, but 2 kids is SO much more fun than 1. I LOVE seeing a new side of Caleb that I’ve never seen as he interacts with his sister. I love watching them together. Yesterday as I was changing Emma on her dresser, Caleb was standing on a little side table at her head and talking to her. Suddenly he grabbed her hands (I immediately got ready to stop him if he was too rough!) and started playing patty cake with her “Emma: Pay cake, pay cake, baker man, bake cake fast can! Wooooolll it, paaaaa it, marka C! toss for Tayeb and meeee!!” The whole time she was smiling up at him hugely and adoringly. It. Was. Precious.

 

And even though there are days where all 4 of us (Maya included) are crowded around the window counting the moments til Daddy gets home, and there are days where it seems like one or the other is crying at any given time, and there are days when there is way too little sleep and way too many tantrums, it is SO so worth itJ I am so excited to see them grow up together, to get to know Emma’s personality, and to see them play together. But for now, I’m trying to just enjoy the baby/toddler stage, because I know from last time that it goes WAY too fast.