Big Baby

Remember Big Baby from Toy Story 3?

I have got one of my own. The kid turns 17 months this week. He doesn't talk (not a single word!), he doesn't walk, or hold his own bottle. Yes, he still takes a bottle every morning and evening and wants to be held in his glider like a newborn while he drinks it.



Yet, he can climb like a monkey:







He is off the charts for height and weight:

And gives the world's best smooches.





The last few times I have gone to the gym, I have found him back in the newborn room in a bassinet. The ladies tell me that is where he wants to be....big baby.

You can't tell he's my last can you?

When You Have a Really Fat Baby

You get told every single day that you must be making "straight cream." I have probably been told this at least 100 times and I'm not exaggerating. I think it is just what comes to mind for people to say when they see a really chubby baby like mine.

It usually doesn't bother me, because let's face it, I must be making straight cream.

When Luke was about 3 months old and fat (because my babies are always fat at 3 months) I went to one of Sam's work parties. One of the senior partner's wives took one look at Luke and told me that when her son was a baby, she had a friend who also had a fat baby. Her own baby was skinny. She told me that one day both she and her friend had pumped milk and put it in the fridge. Her friend's milk was thick--just like whole milk-- "straight cream" and her own milk was almost see through--like skim milk. She said it was because she was really active and went out running every day and her friend just sat on the couch all day and took naps.


Then she walked away, leaving me holding my fat baby and the assumption that I lay around all day. Oh well. I feel bad for her and her skinny baby and I think her friend is the smartest woman alive. I wouldn't trade Buster's chubba thighs and cheeks for anything.

Boy oh Boy!

I'm having another boy....

I'm only 15 weeks but because we are still on the insurance from Sam's old company ie. the world's crappiest insurance, I wasn't going to be able to get an ultasound until sometime in February when our new insurance kicked in. So Sam insisted we head down to Fetal Studio (an ultrasound place in the mall--I know--only in Utah!) and find out what we are having.

So we did and I saw it before the tech even told me. So did Sam. Another boy. I was going to try to put up a good front for the blog and just announce it and let the congrats roll in. But to be completely honest, this has been a little hard for me. I really thought this was a girl, I wanted another girl and I wanted Sammie to have a sister.

Sammie took the news really well, better than I thought. She just keeps saying under her breath "We wanted a girl and we're getting another boy...."

I'm embarrassed for being even a little disappointed because 1) I have three healthy kids already 2) I already have a girl and 3) every child is a gift and I know when he gets here I will fall madly in love with him.

Ryan 6 weeks

The hardest part is that Sammie has been an absolute joy lately. I think four is the best age ever and she is the sweetest, cutest four year old around. I would love to have another Sammie and let her wear all of the clothes that I've spent literally thousands of dollars on (some still with the tags that were bought for this baby.)

But you know what? All of that is just stuff. It can be passed on to my sister when she has a baby girl, or my sister-in-law, or sold but Ryan will have a little buddy forever and Luke has been such a good, sweet, easy boy, that maybe I will just beg Heavenly Father a little for another Luke (but maybe with Ryan's dimples.)

Me and my boys circa 2008

We'll just do a little more basketball and a little less ballet. There will be more urine around the toilet and less clothes to buy, more transformers and less Barbies. More jokes and less drama. Another girl just wasn't in the cards for me. But I'm okay with that.

Tomorrow I will finally post my "I hate Tiger" post that has been in my brain forever.

Two Pink Lines

I'm not having twins (thank goodness!) but aren't these two the sweetest? picture from www.peekaboophotos.com.

Sam and I could not decide for the longest time whether we should have a fourth child. Honestly, I have had my hands completely full with three kids and Ryan might possibly have been the worst baby on the planet. No one believes me on this because he is an angel in public. But he is screamer and he didn't nap for a full year. And I had a really bad pregnancy with him. Sam and I were convinced he was sent as a sign that we were to never procreate again.

But somehow, someway I began to feel like I needed to have one more. Sam didn't want to. He was sure that my practically non-existent cooking and cleaning had no where to go but down if I had another kid. I assured him it wasn't getting any better even without one more. Further, he argued that our entire family couldn't ride in his jeep if we added another child. He honestly thought that was a valid reason to not have any more children.

I consulted friends and family. My friend Mandee told me I wasn't done until I had one too many. Others told me I had to try for a sister for Sammie. Still others told me I had my hands full and a mother knows her limits.

Somehow, I knew that despite the craziness at my house--the noise, the mess, the urine around the toilet, on the floor and up the walls in my kids' bathroom (Heaven help me if I get one more boy!) I had to do it. Because as much as I hate getting huge (and I will get huge) and as hard as newborns are, I know I will never regret having another child. I may always regret it if I don't.

The minute I got pregnant, it hit me that I already have one too many and I should have stopped at three. After a few weeks of sheer panic, I calmed down and began to be excited about this pregnancy.


Sammie has her heart set on a little sister and she has already told me she has no use for another brother. I've assured her that no matter what--we will always have the two of us--just the girls and we can go do fun things together. She replied that would be fun but that it would be even more fun with one more tiny little girl. She's right. But no matter the gender, I will be so happy with one more tiny, fuzzy, bundle of newborn love.

Here are some fun pictures of us telling our families at Thanksgiving. I was twelve weeks along and they were pretty shocked and excited:

My mom getting the news at Mimi's during Thanksgiving dinner.

Sam's mom getting the news at our home.

We told them we had some recent pictures of the kids are gave them these three pictures with the ultrasound photo on the bottom:

I'm too lazy to go find the ultrasound pic but you get the idea. I'm due June 8th!

Gear for Baby's First Year

Ryan is almost 1 and I can't believe how fast his first year went by. I think he was about 4 weeks in that picture. I lovingly refer to him as "the carseat baby" because the poor kid does half his day in the carseat going to the gym, the store, shuttling Luke and Sammie's carpools to preschool and kindergarten, etc. However, he takes his best naps there and sometimes on bad days, when I just can't deal anymore, I will put the kids in the car, turn on a movie (Ryan will usually go to sleep) and I pull through Micky D's for a large cup of sweet nectar (Diet Coke!) and just drive. Oh how I could use one right now!

Anyway, I was thinking about all the baby gear you use the first year and wanted to share some of my favorite items. I kind of think I'll have one more baby but right now we are so beaten down, who knows. All of my male readers (Sam!) can exit now because you will be bored to tears.

Of couse you need the indispensable items: The carseat/stroller combo, the highchair, the swing (even though none of my kids loved the swing), the bouncer, and crib. I believe in buying nice baby gear--I want it to last through all my kids. I took some heat from my friends for buying "high end" but it is worth it. Peg Perego for the strollers, Britax for the carseats, etc.

My confession. I have four strollers in my garage. Excessive? Maybe. But I use every one of them. I have the single, the double, the single jogger, the double jogger. I love Peg Perego. I have this bad boy and it was worth every penny.

I don't have the cup holder and I feel jipped.

I also think it was worth it to buy a nice exersaucer even though your baby will only use it for about four months. It is worth the 15 minutes they will do in it everyday.

I also believe in buying a Baby Bjorn for ballgames, outdoor parties, Disneyland etc.


Now, my favorite items that I discovered with Ryan:

Bebe Au Lait nursing cover (also called the "hooter hider")

I am not a gal who likes to nurse in public. It makes me feel very awkward. This is the best solution I could find. It allows you to have both hands free and it is lightweight so your baby doesn't get all sweaty under there. I use it in the car.

Yo Baby yogurt:

I know this ain't gear but it is awesome. My sister Ashley introduced me to this stuff. It is made with less sugar and is fortified with DHA and is organic. It also comes mixed with rice cereal. Since I'm trying to wean Ryan it is great to have him get the calcium and DHA. THe bad news: I can only find it at Walmart.

Pediped shoes and Tip Top Joeys shoes.

Ryan wears these two pairs of shoes constantly. I believe in the winter, babies should wear shoes--not just socks. Ryan received compliments regularly on both pairs. I'm completely in love. They both slip on and stay on and both are made out of real leather. My friend Pam sent him the Tip Top Joey's and they may be my favorite gift I received for him. I just ordered him a bigger pair in light blue.

Binki leash:

This may be the single most important thing for a baby. My bff from High school, Natalie made me the cutest brown and blue one.

Finally, the world's best baby bows (too bad I couldn't use these on Ryan!)

Baby Bling bows.

They are made out of tights material--super stretchy, super cute.

If you are still here--it's a miracle. What baby gear item was your favorite and why?

Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner

It's no secret that Ryan (affectionately refered to at our house as "Dino" pronounced "Dee-no") has not been an easy baby. He is always sick (started life in the NICU, constant ear infections, tubes, sinus infections, etc), high maintence, likes to be held, loves to nurse, won't take a bottle, chubby (Okay, wait--that's a plus in my book!) and loves to sleep with me. Someday I'll do a really disturbing post where I will show pictures of my distorted body from holding a fat baby on my left hip all day long. But I'll spare you tonight.

Just when I thought this baby couldn't get any worse--he went out and totally redeemed himself. Overnight, he became adorable. He waves, he giggles, he does pattycake, he crawls with his big bum in the air, he cruises along furniture--he is so happy to have his freedom--he doesn't need me to hold him anymore. I couldn't be happier.

His pants are always undone--did I mention he's really chubby?

But the freedom comes at a price. He is into EVERYTHING. He has a sixth sense for the forbidden spots--the computer printer, Sammie's beloved dollhouse, and the bathrooms. If there is ever a quiet moment I immediately say "where is Dino?" and we all start looking for him in one of these spots.

I'd be mad if he wasn't so dang cute.

Then there is "the kiss." He gets really serious, takes my face in his hands and lays the sloppiest, wettest, softest kiss right on my lips. I'm in love.

Ryan getting all serious right before the kiss

Finally, on an unrelated note "When I'm wrong I say I'm wrong." (I'm on a Dirty Dancing kick!) So I was wrong about the Bachelor. I could love him. Yes, he's a small man and I'm a big woman but he is classy and I could love him. There I said it. And goodbye crazy crazy Shannon!

Okay--so I promise not to do 1 year post for Dino in a month so as not to lose all my readers!

Unless I change my mind.