Shelby Claire Four Months

Our precious girl is now four months old!! She's grown my leaps and bounds this month and is trying out all sorts of tricks.

She loves her bumbo seat!!

 And she's earned the nickname "Smiley" because she smiles ALL THE TIME! We love it!

 She also drools constantly and has her hands in her mouth as much as she can!!

During her third month, she got her first cold- which she caught from her sister. Not only did Audrey share it with Shelby Claire but also with me and their grandmother, Too, Too. It wasn't just a normal cold. It was a knock you flat on your back cold with fever and extreme fatigue. It was a rough two weeks around here!! It lasted exactly 7 days for all three of us. Thankfully Clay didn't get it!! It was a pitiful sight seeing my two little girls try to fight it off! We had many days of snuggling and cuddleing!

At Shelby Claire's 4 month check-up, she weighed 13 pounds 11 ounces and was 23 3/14" long. She was in the 40 percentile for weight and the 44th for height. She was in the 94th percentile for head circumference. Ha! Just like her sister!! She also got an oral vaccine and 4 shots in her chunky little thighs. It was terrible!! She was smiling and cooing at the nurse and then "WHAM" she stuck her four times! Shelby Claire looked at me with a look of pure betrayal on her face. I know the shots are necessary but err... I don't like them!

Adjusting to having two babies is getting easier as the days go by. Don't get me wrong, it is hard work but we are figuring out how to manage two and each day I figure something out to make it easier. Audrey is adjusting more and more and interacts with Shelby Claire frequently. I'm not sure if that is because she is getting used to her being here or if it is because Shelby Claire responds so positively to Audrey's attention. Either way, I am so thankful. Many random people (grocery store, target, etc.) will ooh and aah over Shelby Claire. Once they are done, they normally will turn to Audrey and ask if she likes being a big sister. She has finally stopped telling them, "no!".

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Knee Deep

We have been knee deep in the middle of the two's around here lately.

Bandage was a bad little chipmunk and got put in timeout. He didn't mind his Mommy.

When Shelby Claire was a newborn, I can remember thinking that "this isn't so hard- what does everyone complain about?" in regards to having two kiddos. Well, let me tell you, it ain't no walk in the park. In the beginning it truly was easier than I thought it would be. All Shelby Claire did was eat and sleep, eat and sleep. That left me plenty of time to love on Audrey and give her the attention she needed. Her love language is definitely "quality time" and being that SC was so small, we rarely left the house. I had time then to give to Audrey.

Bandage's Mommy made sure to explain to him why he was put in timeout.

 At around the 10-11 week mark, Shelby Claire "woke up". She no longer spent most of her time sleeping and that's when it became harder to balance being the parent of two. Around that time, Audrey went through a phase where she was a little "off her rocker". She was misbehaving and acting out in ways I had never seen her behave before. It was driving me crazy- I tried every discipline technique I'd ever heard of and none of them worked. NONE.

"I'm going to put the timer on!"

I was at my wits end but I wasn't really thinking about Audrey. I SAID that I was thinking about her and trying to figure out what was going on in her little head but it took me a few weeks to realize what made her tick. I finally figured out that she wasn't getting what she needed from me-- quality time.

"Two minutes!"

 Yes, I stay at home with her and we are together all the time but we weren't really *together*. I was trying (and still am) to learn how to balance both girls needs and wasn't doing that great of a job!

Bandage served his time and is getting lovin' from his Mommy!

 The turning point was a night out with just me and Audrey. I took her to the movies to see "Rio" (don't take your toddlers- not appropriate- we left early) and to have some time for just the two of us. The next day, I took her on a playdate with her friends and left Shelby Claire with Clay. That was a few weeks ago and we've not had nearly the issues with discipline that we were having. Don't get me wrong, she does test us on a daily basis but it is NOTHING in comparison to what it was. A sweet friend of mine told me that it was "just a phase" and I try to repeat that to myself everyday. It will be different tomorrow.

Having said all that-- I don't really know if it was quality time that helped Audrey or if she just adjusted on her own. Either way, I am glad that phase is over and I am enjoying having her back to her super-sweet self. I am going to continue scheduling specific dates with just Audrey from now on (and just SC one day). I know that as Shelby Claire gets older, we will have more and more challenges from the both of them but I am so thankful God chose me to be the Momma of these two girls. I'll pay for their therapists one day if necessary.

Splash Pad opened- hallelujah!

The splash pad opened at the end of May and we are so excited! I know we are going to be spending a lot of time there this summer!!!

We have a standing playdate there every Thursday afternoon with some of Audrey's sweet friends. This particular day I was desperately trying to take a picture of the four of them but Audrey was having none of it.

She was much more interested in the snack Mrs. Amy brought for Addie. Ha!

Audrey's an interesting little turkey when it comes to playing with her friends. I can't decide if she is developing a more reserved, shy type of personality or if she is just moody-judy. She plays really well in one-on-one playdate type situations but would rather not be in a group. When we have playdates with multiple friends, moms, and lots of excitement, she tends to withdraw and want to play alone or with me. If it's just Audrey and one other child, she will branch out and play with them. I can't wait to find out what she's going to become. At this stage in her life, every day is different.

Last Day of MDO

Audrey's last day of MDO was last Thursday. She will go to two summer sessions and will start official preschool in the fall. Time goes by so quickly. The days are long but the years are short.

 Shelby Claire made her first appearance at a school party. She had to eat right when the party started so she got a bottle! See that cow hanging on her carseat? That was the first toy Audrey ever paid any attention to- now Shelby Claire loves it too!

 Audrey's sweet little friend, Addie. It wasn't long before Audrey squeezed herself over onto Addie's chair with her. This will be the last year they are together because Audrey will only go three days a week in preschool and Addie goes five. I'm sad that Audrey won't be able to see her friend at school anymore! I know she will make new friends but she loves this little Addie so much!

 Audrey's teacher will have a birthday at the beginning of this month so they surprised her with a cookie cake! For Audrey, nothing is better than Chik-fil-a and a cookie cake!

Audrey learned so much from being in Mother's Day Out this year. When she first started back in August, she would barely talk to her teachers or the other children. Now, she talks up a storm to the teachers. She still would rather parallel play than actually play with other children (unless it's Addie or older children). She knows her colors, shapes and can count to 15. She is still working on identifying letters and numbers but I'm sure she will get those once she develops an interest in them. Right now she just wants to play, play, play and that's exactly what she should be doing! If she doesn't know her numbers and letters by the time she starts kindergarten, maybe I will worry a tiny bit then. Ha!

Wordless Wednesday: Shelby Claire 3.5 months