Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Killean 4 months!

Four Months old!
Killean is now 4 months old!  He's doing lots of growing, smiling, and playing.  He has recently discovered his tongue and has lots of fun playing with that.  He has a hard time getting laughs out.  He's definitely ticklish, but he doesn't quite know how to get laughs going.  Once he does get them going, he gets some good laughs.  He does smile all the time though.  And when he smiles, he smiles with his whole face.  Rowan makes Killean smile a lot which is pretty precious to see.  These brothers are getting to be pretty good buds already.  

Big boy!
We've figured out that Killean does has a mild sensitivity to dairy.  Over the last couple of months, I noticed that his poos were a little funky. That and he was pretty fussy at nights and had a hard time settling down.  Plus he was pretty gassy and spit up a bit.  All of these things were signs of an intolerance to dairy.  So I cut that out of my diet for a while.  This last weekend I decided to see if this dairy intolerance was all in my head of it was for real.  I had some pizza and ice cream on Saturday night.  Then Sunday I had a cheese stick with lunch.  Sunday night Killean decided going to bed was over rated.  Prior to Sunday night we were getting into a good routine of getting him to bed around 7:30.  Sunday night: going to bed was not happening unless he was being held.  Same thing Monday.  Monday he also seemed to be having a little more trouble pooping, but we didn't notice anything too off.  Tonight, he was way more fussy than normal (though he did get shots today too...would make me fussy!)  Ian managed to get him to go to sleep on his own, so here's hoping we're settling back into our routine.  Until then, I'm going to keep cheese and such out of my life until we're closer to a year and/or weaning.  But man, I'm going to go on a dairy binge when I can!  Cheese.  Ice Cream.  Milk.  It will be glorious.

Despite some of these dietary limitations, Killean is definitely growing!  He weighed in at 14lb 15oz today and about 25 inches.  I've been feeling like I'm not making enough milk to keep up with his demands.  This has been insanely frustrating for me.  With Rowan, I had enough milk to feed him, build up a freezer stash, and donate milk to a milk bank.  With Killean I'm having to do some power pumping at work to make sure he's got enough.  I don't have much in the freezer, and what I do have is filled with dairy so I'd rather not give him that unless we have to.  I can honestly say I've never been so happy to work in an office by myself.  I can pump every two hours without stressing too much about my lack of productivity or bothering coworkers.  Now if only they could install a sink in my office. That would be great!

Happy boy sitting up so big!
He's great at sitting up with help-he's got a steady head and strong neck.  He doesn't mind being on his tummy either.  He seems to like holding his head up and looking around.  He hasn't quite figured out the rolling over thing.  He can, and occasionally does, roll over from his stomach to his back.  He also can, and occasionally does, roll from his back onto his stomach.  He's putting a lot of stuff in his mouth and chewing on his hands (and ours) non stop.  No signs of teeth yet, though for a moment I thought he might be getting one on the bottom.  We'll see when that first one pops through.

We love our boy!  He's a happy guy and brings a lot of happiness to our family-picky eater and all!





Saturday, January 10, 2015

Looking into 2015

Now that we're a bit more than a week in 2015, I feel like it's time to put into writing some hopes I have for this year.  I'm not one that's big on New Year's Resolutions.  I have the philosophy that if you feel like you need to make a change in your life, then do it.  There's no reason to wait for an arbitrary date, just do it.  However it's hard not to get caught up in the spirit of reflection the new year brings around.  Everyone's talking about what their year was like last year and what they're looking to do differently in the coming year...it's hard not to get sucked into that. 

So here I am, getting sucked into it.  What 2014 looked like and what I hope for in 2015. 

I'm not going to say 2014 was a bad year, but it certainly wasn't one of my favorites.  I feel like it was marked by so much change, and so much chaos at times, that I forgot to really enjoy any moments.  We started the year talking about our goals-me wanting to run another half marathon, paying off our 2nd car, doing some home improvements...and then BOOM, we found out we were pregnant with Killean and that changed some of our plans.  Took a moment to reset and them we were good.  And then BOOM, find out I have an actual opportunity to transfer to Lincoln instead of a possibility of a potential transfer to Lincoln.  Decide to take that chance and start moving towards that.  Spend quite a bit of time getting the house ready to sell.  BOOM, sell the house in a weekend (well...a few weeks after the back and forth with the buyer).  Scramble to find a place to live, and find one we think will be decent.  Tiny, but cheap and livable so we can save a good chunk of money and then buy a house summer of 2015.  BOOM, have a baby.  (Ok...this one really wasn't a boom...we knew it was coming.  But still, big event that drastically changes how your day to day life looks.  So...BOOM!).  Barely start adjusting to life with a second child and BOOM, apartment has mold so we have to move.  Move into a different apartment unit in the same complex, realize the apartment managers/owners are not that great (to be kind) and decide to move on the buying a house thing about 8 months earlier than expected.  BOOM, find a house and move in.  BOOM, go back to work.  BOOM, holidays.  BOOM, welcome 2015!

I know the year held more than that, but that's what I see in my memory highlights as I look back.  There's lots of good in there, but lots of BOOMS too. And no matter how good the BOOMS are, they still shake up your world a bit.  I'm truly not complaining because I'm VERY grateful to be where we are.  I love how the timing worked out wonderfully with everything that came at us this year.  I wouldn't have chosen that timing, but I think it all worked out pretty darn well considering. 

But for this next year...I would love to look back at 2015 in about 360 days and not see as many BOOMS.  I would love to look back and see memories of time spent with family-near and far.  Memories of laughter and fun. The feeling of setting a goal and accomplishing it-not being derailed before you even take your first step.  I would love for 2015 to be a calmer year, where we get to enjoy our time and those around us.  I want to take the time to be in the moment and feel ourselves settle into where we're at.  I haven't felt settled for a while...it would be nice to have that feeling.

So that's what I'm hoping for in 2015.  I'm hoping for a chance to relax and enjoy life.  I'm hoping for a chance to develop my relationship with my boys, and deepen my relationship with Ian.  I'm looking forward to the changes and challenges that will come with my desire to feel settled (not sure how that will work my personality that is always go, Go, GO!), but I'm hoping that includes a chance for me to read a book (or two)...have regular date nights with Ian...go the museum/park/zoo with my boys...save up some money for a trip with my girlfriends and maybe get an awesome Christmas present for our family next year (thinking a new refrigerator!!!!-real exciting, I know!).

Maybe by June or July this idea of settling will seem boring and torturous.  But for the forseable future, I can't imagine anything better than enjoying a glass of wine on a Saturday night and just soaking in the calm of a home where everyone has gone to bed.  That seems like pure. heaven.

Here's to a happy 2015 filled with all your wildest (or calmest) dreams!