A quick look back!

Isn't she cute? Amazing how they change in two short years!!!

My Almost two year old!!

Zoe is such a doll! She brings us so much joy!! She continues to grow and change so much all the time! She amazes us with her insight and the funny things she says. She has quite the vocabulary although her speech itself is still difficult to understand. She loves all things
Elmo, and anything with princesses on it. She loves purses, and credit cards (I know, I know). She also has a passion for reading,
puzzles, play-doh and piddling in the sink! She is kind and helpful to her baby brother. She adores her Daddy. She waves to him as he leaves every morning and waits at the door for him at the end
of each day. Her favorite thing these days is playing outside. She LOVES drawing with chalk, and swinging in her swing. I honestly could not ask for a more loving, sweet, perfect baby girl!!

Zoe and Gage

So I
forgot what it is like to have a newborn. I forgot how insanely MANY diapers you go through in a day. I forgot the joys, but most of all I forgot what the days were like to "get one thing done". I am always so ambitious about the things I would like to accomplish in a day...and then reality sets in. These are the days of getting one thing done a day! Between feedings, Zoe's nap etc. it seems hard to get anything more then one thing crossed off the list each day. So we are learning to set our goals for the day a little more realistically. Today we actually made it to two stores, and met friends for lunch!

The Cutest three week old....

So here is my little Gage-a-Muffin. I can't believe how sweet, pudgy, and cuddly my sweet little guy is! I absolutely ADORE him!! He was three weeks old yesterday and because we have a busy week next week I decided to take his one month pictures a week early. (We are going to carry on the tradition of a bear picture each month of this first year - like we did for Zoe.) If you look closely you can see his fat rolls in the middle of his arms...they're my favorite!! He continues to do really well and is sleeping GREAT at night! Last night he went from 10:45 to 4:45 and 4:45 till I woke him at 7:45 (that's a Carris for ya!!). I have been taking advantage of every opportunity I have to snuggle and hold him, I love feeling his little puffy breaths on my neck as I rock him in my arms!! I can't believe he is already three weeks old!!

A Day of firsts....

Not only was yesterday a day of firsts, it was a day of fun and spontaneity. We have been borrowing our friend's jogging stroller for some time now, and Friday night they called to say they were coming by to pick it up - they planned to be a part of a run/walk the next day. We got to talking about it, and it was a run for hungry children sponsored by an organization we had the youth group volunteer with in the past. I got all
excited and told Rob he should do it (since losing all his weight he has thought about running a 5K but it has just never worked out.) Initially Rob was a little unsure because he has been sick and hasn't been training at all, but at midnight on Friday when we were still talking about it...he decided to go for it!!! And, he did GREAT! He finished in 29:40! We had a blast cheering him on and enjoying the beautiful (but very windy) day! Getting to the race on time meant dragging all of us (including my two sleeping children...and my sleep deprived self) out of bed early!! It also meant being
flexible and somewhat spontaneous which I find I have a hard time with when I have a newborn in tote! Gage woke up and needed to eat in the middle of the race, so I got the chance I was looking for to give him a bottle....and he did GREAT!! (After doing a hundred consecutive cart wheels I seriously almost cried tears of joy!!). Zoe had a blast hangin' with our friends the "Bo-Bo's", and kept saying, "Zoe run too?" - she really wanted to race with her Daddy. Seeing her give him a pound and tell him she was proud of him when he finished the race was about the sweetest thing ever!!

Pee Pee Ba Ba Cook Cook...(Peanut Butter Cookies)

Yesterday Zoe and I had fun in the kitchen making peanut butter cookies (from scratch I might add). A fun time was had by all, she was able to roll the dough (but needed help with placing them on the cookie sheet - when she did it they were in one big pile), and then did the pressing all by herself. They were quite a work of art! They actually turned out quite delicious, evidenced by the 3 cookies Zoe ate before I even realized it!! (Also note - in the picture Zoe is bathed, and dressed!! Something we have both managed to accomplish for ourselves every day since Gage was born!)

The B's: Belly Button, and Bottle!!

So today marks the "monumental" moment in Gage's life when his Belly Button arrived...but the question remains, is it an inn-ie or an outt-ie?? Either way it is such a cute little squeeshy soft tummy I don't guess it really matters.

After experiencing the "pure raw fun" (note the sarcasm) of nursing a baby for a year that adamantly refused a bottle, I decided we would risk Gage having some initial confusion if it meant he would take a bottle, and we started him on the bottle from the very beginning, and he has done great!!! Rob and I have already taken advantage of the perks of having a baby who takes a bottle by having a couple date nights. I haven't been brave enough to try giving him a bottle myself since the hospital (I am scared to rock the boat) but I know I am going to need to tackle this soon. Rob has been amazing and has been getting up and giving Gage a middle of the night feeding almost every other night.

Gage is sleeping great, and continues to be sweet, quiet, and laid back. He is quite the chunky little thing and has a set of squeeshy cheeks you wouldn't believe! He still hasn't grown into the wrinkle of fat across his forehead, but as his parents we think it is awfully cute!

Surviving....

So we actually are surviving on own as a family of FOUR! The weather is starting to warm up around here, so we have enjoyed going for walks with our new stroller, and playing outside. Yesterday I got Zoe's swing out and she really enjoyed swinging, her other new favorites are blowing bubbles, and drawing with chalk (we lay down on the sidewalk and trace each other - which she loves!). It is so much fun to be able to interact so much with Zoe, it makes it so easy to overdue it though chasing her around!! So after running around like crazy yesterday we are chillin' today and I actually turned the TV on, which we hardly ever do! Gage is doing great! He is eating and sleeping like a champ, the hardest part is getting him to wake up enough during the day to take a full feeding. Last night he slept from 11:30 - 3:30, and 3:30- 6:30 which has allowed me to get enough consecutive sleep that I am not feeling too sleep deprived (atleast not yet!). I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and seem to be healing great, I haven't had near the complications that I had last time around, although I still have a few hurdles to overcome. Overall though I am starting to really feel like myself again (wearing my "own" clothes has really helped with that!).

Zoe's date with Dadda....

Yesterday Zoe and Rob had a SUPER memorable day together. They were off to see "Biiiiiig Elmo" and "Biiiig Cook Cook Mon mon". They had such a great time together. In some ways I was jealous, but Rob shared with me all the
details, and I was able to share in their excitement. Rob is truly the best Daddy ever, and Zoe knows it. She waves like a crazy person when he leaves in the morning, and shreaks when she sees him at the end of the day (throwing herself around like a person having seizures she is so excited). She is so blessed to have a Daddy like Rob and I love watching Rob take her on dates and seeing their relationship grow. Big Elmo was such a HIT with Zoe!! Yesterday she woke up and got to eat on a new Elmo plate, put on her special Elmo dress, and off they went. Rob called me on the way to let me hear her chanting in the back seat "Big Elmo", and "Cook Cook Mon Mon". Rob was able to take video of Zoe at the show and she was dancin' (literally) in the aisles nearly the whole show. Every time a character would go off stage she would say "Wuh Elmo go?" to which Rob would say "They'll be right back". It is SO fun to see Zoe's enthusiasm for life and her passionate love for her Daddy. I am so glad they got to spend the day together. I got to spend some good time with Gage, and actually got some things done!!

Life for Zoe as a Big Sister....

Zoe has been doing an incredible job adjusting to life as a big sister. It seems a little early to tell how things will go in the days to come, but she is patient with the attention I have been giving Gage, and so sweet with her brother. She has been a little out of sorts since she has had a pretty bad cold (perfect timing!), but her cold is getting better, and she continues to love on Gage and be her lovable, passionate for life self! All the things people have warned us about like her changing her sleeping habits or her back sliding with being potty trained haven't even remotely been an issue. I do think the true test is still to come in the next few days as things continue to settle down. To be honest I must say Zoe has had quite a bit of attention lately, I think in an effort to not neglect her we have WAY overcompensated. She went to Chuck E. Cheez for the first time (and LOVED it!!), is going for walks everyday pushing her baby and her baby stroller around and is off today on a date with her Daddy to see Elmo Live! Before having Gage I wondered how it would work loving another little one...would it lessen my love for Zoe?? And I have to say it is amazing how your heart makes room to passionately love another baby!