Guess what? I'm not dead!

I can't believe it's been a month and a half since I last posted.  It's not as though there hasn't been anything interesting going--on the contrary, there's almost too much interesting things happening that it's hard to process it all.  So I'll just break it down crazy bullet-point style and elaborate in more posts later this week and next.

• Charlie turned nine-months old in May and marked the occasion by learning how to crawl like a peg-legged pirate.

• You know how I said we were moving to Colorado this summer?  Well, we decided to be wild and crazy and bought a house.  I still can't really get over the fact that we will soon be calling this lovely place home in less than a month!

• Charlie turned ten-months old this month and marked the occasion by finally figuring out how to roll over from his back to his belly and vice versa.

• Sammy turned three this past Sunday.  THREE.  Where in the world did the time go?  Sammy's about 90% potty trained and a non-stop chatter box; some of his favorite things are pierogies, riding his bicycle, and dancing; he's even started his own version of break dancing.  Video to come soon--hopefully.

• And last but not least, I've taken the first steps towards opening a vintage shop online.  I won't have everything fully up and running until after we've settled into our new house in Colorado, but I've started a Facebook page for it so stop by and say hi! 

 

Moving on up

 It's official--the cast of L to the Third is going to be trading our view of the Franklin Mountains of El Paso for the Front Range and Pike's Peak of Colorado!  It's all come as a bit of a surprise, especially as Captain Husband thought we were going to be in El Paso for at least three years, but it turns out that we won't even make it to a full two.



We're still working out all of the details, like where we're going to live and just when exactly we're moving, but I think it's safe to say that the entire family is pretty excited for this next adventure, especially as it's only a day's drive away. So who wants to come visit once we're settled in at our new location?

Stopping to smell the flowers in San Antonio

A few weeks ago, Sammy and Charlie's Auntie G emailed me to let me know that she and her husband were going to be journeying to San Antonio, Texas, to visit with some family.  I couldn't resist the opportunity to see the two of them, so we made arrangements to meet at the San Antonio Botanical Garden the weekend they were in Texas.

The boys and I tackled the eight-hour drive to San Antonio on our own (Captain Husband wasn't able to take the time off) last Saturday and checked into a hotel on the northwest side of town where we explored for a little bit before settling in for the night--it had been a long day in the car and we wanted to be well rested for our visit with Auntie G and Mr. P!

Sunday was a beautiful day to spend wandering through the gardens (although a little too humid for me--two years in El Paso has definitely ruined me in regards to humidity); all of the greenery and flowers were a welcome sight after the long drive the day before through the Texas desert.  Both of the boys really seemed to enjoy themselves and the extra attention that Auntie G and Mr. P lavished on them.

Before we knew it, it was time for the boys to take a nap, so we said our goodbyes and headed off on our separate ways.  I'm so glad we were able to meet up and visit, even if it was only for a little bit; hopefully we'll be able to get together again soon!

Wordless{ish} Wednesday: A few fun finds

{You might be wondering just what's been keeping me busy these days, or at least busy enough to be dropping the ball left and right in regards to keep up this blog.  Well, I'll tell you--I've been busy finding fabulous vintage things all over the place thanks to local thrift shops and estate sales.  If I keep this up I really am going to have to consider opening up my own little vintage store.  Captain Husband thinks I'm nuts for buying quilts when we live in the desert, but we won't always live in El Paso, right?}

{I found this lovely Arts and Crafts drop-front desk at an estate sale a few weeks ago; the estate was of a couple who had owned their own antique store, so going through their house and giant garage had me feeling like a kid in a candy store.}

{This stunning step-back cupboard came from the same estate; it had been hidden at the very back of the garage and no one seemed to notice it.  Of course, they probably had more sense than me and realized that moving an 8' tall and 4' wide ONE-PIECE cupboard just wasn't worth the trouble.  Thank goodness the ceiling in my garage is high; this thing just barely fit inside with only a few inches to spare.  The movers are going to hate me the next time we have to PCS.}

{And last, but not least, is one of my favorite thrifted treasures: a full set of vintage Lustro Ware yellow kitchen canister set, bread box, and salt and pepper shakers.  I honestly don't think they've ever been used--the bread box still has the Good Housekeeping seal of approval sticker on it.  I found them at a thrift store in New Mexico and nearly did a little dance when I realized that the bread box was filled with the other things and that they were all included in the already ridiculously low price.  I think these might be my best thrift store find to date!}

Charlie's eight-month update

I'm having a little bit of trouble coming to terms that my baby boy is now eight-months old; it seems like just yesterday he was this tiny little creature that I had brought home from the hospital.  But there's no doubt about it--Charlie is fast on track to becoming an independent *gasp* toddler.


Charlie is this close to crawling...in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he figured it out by the end of this week.  He's very adept at going from a seated position onto his hands and knees and Charlie has also mastered the art of scooting along the floor on his bum.  It's slow going, but he doesn't seem to mind--Charlie's just so happy to be able to get to some of his favorite toys on his own.

Charlie has figured out how to use his two bottom teeth over the past month and loves to chew on steamed veggies like cucumber, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and sugar-snap peas.  He has nothing but disdain for being spoon fed, so I've started letting him finger feed himself and Charlie seems to really enjoy this new independence.

Stats: Charlie is currently wearing 18-24 month clothing and probably weighs around twenty-four pounds.  He's settled into a regular nap and bedtime routine and is generally sleeping through the night most of the time (when Sammy leaves him alone, that is).  Charlie is babbling a ton now and is beginning to copy the sounds and movements of others--he loves to blow raspberries whenever Sammy or Captain Husband do and shake his head back and forth in imitation and he's even started to wave.  And in other news, Charlie has mastered the fine art of clapping!

Wishing you a totally egg-cellent Easter!

Charlie's seven-month update

I'm a little behind on giving you the monthly update on Charlie, but better late than never, right?  Charlie is now the proud owner of two bottom teeth and he enjoys using them to chew on a wide variety of things, such as baby carrots, his fingers, and just about anything else he can stick in his mouth.  I'm still working on introducing him to solid foods--he appears to really enjoy sweet potatoes, peas, and applesauce, but was rather indifferent when it came to avocados; Charlie also appears to have a sensitivity to bananas of all things, so I'm going to wait a few more months before reintroducing those.

I decided to movie Charlie into Sammy's room when he turned seven-months old; I think the transition was made easier on both boys by having them take their afternoon naps together for a week and a half before making the big move to sharing a room overnight.  It appears that the only thing keeping Charlie from sleeping through the night was being in our bedroom--he's only woken up once in the night to nurse since we made the change, which means I've been getting a full night's sleep again.  Speaking of sleep, Charlie has turned into a napping champ over the past month.  He typically wakes up at 8 am and plays for about two hours and then naps from 10 am to 12:30 and then again in the afternoon from about 3 pm to 4:30; thanks to the time change, he's going to bed at 7:30, which means Charlie actually gets to see Captain Husband most evenings now.

Other stats: Currently wearing eighteen-month clothing.  Has started getting into the crawling position and rocking back and forth, but he still hasn't rolled over yet.  Loves being tossed into the air and having raspberries blown on his tummy.  Likes to get into yelling contests with his big brother.  Enjoys playing peekaboo and hearing me sing silly songs that feature his name and dancing to Beatles songs.  Absolutely adores bath time and has figured out how to scoot around on his bottom in the tub.  Thinks Sammy is hilarious and that Sandy Cat is his nap-time partner in crime.

Charlie's six-month update

I had every intention of posting this last week, but my laptop has gone and lost it's mind and has decided to take my external drive along with it.  I'm still trying to figure out just what is going on and will probably resort to taking it in to the geeks at Best Buy but after the debacle that was the last time I took my laptop there, it's probably going to be some time before I'm back and running at 100%. Anyway, Mr. Charlie now measures 27 1/2" long and weighs just over twenty pounds and is wearing 12-18 month clothing.  He has yet to roll over on his own but Charlie's so close--plus he's got a lot of weight to hoist around.  Still no teeth, but he's showing all of the classic signs of teething--copious drooling, chewing on his fingers, and sucking on his bottom lip.  I peeked inside his mouth and it looks like his bottom canines are the ones giving him trouble (and keeping us up at night); I might have a vampire baby on my hands.  Aside from the occasional teething woes, Charlie continues to be a ridiculously easy-going baby--as long as his belly is full and his bottom is dry, he's a happy camper.

As you can see, Charlie's totally sitting on his own now and loves to watch the antics of his older brother and Sandy Cat from this new vertical vantage point.  Tummy time continues to go well and Charlie's started to push and scoot himself around a little bit on his belly in order to get to toys just out of his reach.  He's also started babbling a bit more and making different syllable sounds, but nothing delights Charlie quite so much as blowing raspberries at anyone and everyone.  Charlie's agenda over the next few weeks is to tackle some more solid foods (he's sampled pears and bananas so far) and to make the transition to sleeping in his crib full time, which means sharing a room with Sammy; I've actually managed to get both boys to nap simultaneously in the same room so I'm hoping the transition won't be too painful.

And just for fun, here's a video I took of Charlie tickling the ivories for the first time:

Guard your hearts this Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

I'm down with PPD (yeah you know me)

I've written this post a thousand times in my head, but when it comes time to put actual pen to (digital) paper,  I'm at a loss for words.  To put it bluntly, I've been miserable for a while now...and when I haven't been feeling so overwhelmingly sad I've been either angry or numb from crippling apathy.  There have been a few instances here and there when I've felt close to being happy, mostly when I was enjoying some one-on-one time with Sammy or Charlie, but for the most part, my emotions have been limited to sadness, anger or numbness.  I've felt like a bundle of raw, exposed nerves--the slightest thing could set me off into a raging, yelling mess one second and a sobbing, heaving wreck the next.  The guilt that I felt was overwhelming; I felt guilty because I wasn't able to care for Charlie to the best of my abilities because I was constantly having to police Sammy's toddler antics; then I would feel guilty for not being able to give Sammy my undivided attention any more because I was busy with the baby--no matter how I looked at it, it seemed that the entire set up was a lose-lose situation.  I joked to my friends that my only hope was that I was neglecting the boys equally--everyone laughed, but they didn't realize that behind my laughter I was quite convinced that I was causing my children some sort of emotional trauma due to my shortcomings as a mother.  I dreamt about running away from home on nearly a daily basis as I believed that everyone would be better off if I weren't there to ruin their happiness with my complete and utter lack thereof.

Two weeks ago I worked up the courage to mention these feelings to my OB/GYN; I cried as I told him about my daily struggles to feel anything other than melancholy and how difficult it was just to get out of bed each morning and face whatever the day might have to bring.  He listened to all I had to say and then told me what I had suspected all along--I was in the throes of postpartum depression.  He then gave me a hug and we discussed my treatment options and decided that a low dose of Zoloft (which is safe for breast feeding) was the way to go.  At this point I've been on the medication long enough that I'm beginning to see its effects on my day-to-day interactions with my family; my patience has been restored and I'm actually starting to enjoy things again.  I still have quite a way to go before I'm back to my old self but at least I now know that the light at the end of the tunnel isn't a train.

The softness of a horse's eye...

... is enough to warm even the coldest of hearts.

I suppose this is going to be kind of a wordless Monday; I had an idea for a post but a certain baby whose name rhymes with barley decided to get up every other hour all evening, so I never really got a chance to sit and think long enough to really accomplish anything.  Oh well, there's always next time!

A status update from Sammy

I just realized that I am horribly overdue on telling you guys what's new lately with my favorite resident toddler.  Sammy is now a whopping two-and-a-half-years old and fully entrenched in the oh-so-aptly-named terrible twos.  There's no other way to describe it other than it's like living with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde--one minute, he's my sweet, polite and well-spoken little gentleman and the next he's screaming at the top of his lungs, throwing whatever he can get his hands on and bawling his eyes out.  Fortunately (ha!) Sammy saves most of his rotten behavior for the confines of our home, so at least I haven't really had to deal with a thrashing, yelling mess of a kid while out in public.  That sound you just heard was me frantically knocking on every wooden surface in my house.

Sammy's had another growth spurt recently and is at least 38" tall--all of his 4t pants fit him in length perfectly now and things that used to be out of his reach far back on the kitchen counter are now fair game.  He is also wearing size 10 1/2 shoes--there's no doubt that Sammy takes after me in that department.  Sammy is now the proud owner of a full set of teeth--all molars are present and accounted for.  Now if I could only get him to brush them on a regular basis.

This kid.  Never.  Stops.  Moving.  Seriously, it's like watching a whirling dervish.  He's also something of a chatter box--Sammy's now talking in full sentences and slowly dropping the whole third-person thing.  I still have to translate for him every now and then, but he's pretty easy to understand for the most part, but then again I get to spend every day with the kid so I might be a bit biased.  While there are days when he makes me want to rip my hair out in frustration, his positive attributes far outweigh the negative ones, especially when he's being sweet with Charlie--Sammy's definitely on the fast track to becoming the world's best big brother.

Charlie's five-month update

I am now the mother of a five-month old and a two-and-a-half-year old, people.  This realization pretty much blows my mind every day.  Anyway, on to Charlie's stats--he's basically a giant.  This kid is at least eighteen pounds, although I'd say he's probably closer to twenty about now; some of his twelve-month clothing is beginning to get a little tight.  Strangers typically do a double take when I tell them how old he is, expecting to hear that he's at least nine months old.  What can I say--I make big babies.

Charlie's settled into a pretty stable nap routine and takes a morning and afternoon nap every day; some days, I can even get him and Sammy to nap at the same time, and those days are pretty much awesome.  Charlie still hasn't fully rolled over but he's able to roll onto his side pretty easily and he's *this* close to sitting on his own.  He also loves to spend time in his Johnny Jump-Up and has begun to scoot around a bit in his walker.  As I was going through some of my recent photos of him, I noticed that Charlie has started to suck on his bottom lip a lot, which tells me he might have some teeth making an appearance soon (the fact that he's also turned into a drool factory bolsters my theory).

Charlie's still exclusively breastfed and doing pretty well in that department aside from being so easily distracted by anything and everything.  He's also very interested in what people are eating these days, although I think I'm going to hold off until the six-month mark to start introducing solid foods.  Now that he's kicked his double-ear infection, Charlie's back to his sweet, cheerful self and I'm back to some semblance of a full night's sleep.  And last but not least, Charlie just adores his big brother, and so far it appears to be a mutually shared affection; it makes me so happy to see the two of them loving on each other.

So I'm a little late...

Happy belated New Year!  And if you're thinking to yourself that, boy, the baby in this picture looks a lot like Sammy, it's because it is Sammy--from 2011.  I had been hoping to do something similar with Charlie for this year, but he was too busy being sick.

We spent a good chunk of time in the emergency room last Sunday thanks to Charlie having a fever just shy of 104, which is when I learned that the nasty head cold he had been fighting since right before Christmas had provided the perfect breeding ground for a nasty double ear infection.  Fortunately, the ER staff were able to bring his fever down and prescribe him some antibiotics to clear up things.

Charlie's fever returned with a vengeance the next day, but some infant Tylenol, a lukewarm bath, and one of those Be Koool gel sheets had him feeling better in no time.  He's got a few more days left of antibiotics to take (I'm beginning to think it's easier to pill a cat than it is to give an infant nasty-tasting medicine twice a day), but he's just about back to normal.  Unfortunately, this also means Charlie's back to waking up two to three times a night to nurse...oh well.  Can't win 'em all.