And How

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Random

So, I've been avoiding the blog for a while now because I've been to scatterbrained to think of any one thing to write about.  So here's a little hodgepodge stuff:-)

Sickness.  After recovering from May's round of doctor visits for Jude's broken arm and Penn's stitches, we hit June thinking we were home free.  Wrong.  Jude got sick with strep and Penn followed suit (although he didn't have strep).  Almost exactly one week later, Anna came down with her first illness (which required four doctor visits, a few days of an oral antibiotic, and and one antibiotic injection).  We deduced that she had something viral (probably croup) in addition to something bacterial (which caused her fever to shoot up to 104.5...SCARY).  It was a rough two weeks for me and I thought I would scream if I had to to go to the pediatrician/urgent care office one more time.  I'm singing praises that they are all well now!

Anna is officially five months old now!  She's a little over 15 pounds and absolutely perfect.  I've never had a baby in the 50th percentile for weight and height (Penn and Jude were always "above the 95th percentile" in height and in the 25th percentile for weight).  I really think she might be the easiest baby on the planet!  She tells me when she's hungry (usually by rubbing her face against my chest and pulling at my shirt) and then I nurse.  When she fusses, that my sign that she's wet or dirty and I change her.  I put her to bed awake each night around 8:30 and she normally only wakes up once (at about 4:30 or so).  Then I bring her to my bed and "dream feed" until morning.  We don't even really do a daytime schedule with her because she's just so easy-going.  I'm positive she gets it from me;-)  I'm sure her "easy days" are just helping me to rest up for what's ahead, but I'll take it!

Penn and Jude have been having "disobedience" problems some lately and we've been trying some different discipline methods.  I get so frustrated (especially when Pack is at work or out of town) and I feel like I'm a completely ineffective parent.  Then it hit me suddenly when we were out somewhere.  I might get frustrated when they don't do every single thing that I ask of them, but when push comes to shove, my boys do the right thing for others.  I've seen then being a good friend (even SHARING!!!), listening to other adults, and doing some of the things that I have to nag them about at home.  Even if they aren't perfect (and Anna won't be for long...I have to keep reminding myself), they are learning and it warms my heart when someone tells me that my kids are doing well at something.  I'm going to start making it a point to tell parents (and their kids) when I see their kids doing something right.  That might be just the thing that parent needs to hear to get them through the rest of the day.

And coming up?  Swimming lessons start for Penn and Jude.  We are planning a week-long trip to SC in mid-July.  And Pack turns the big 3-0 in August (and he won't let me throw him a party...BOOOOO!!!).  It's gonna be a fun summer!