History repeats itself

At church a couple Sundays ago, I lifted Millie up to put on my shoulder, and my friend laughed and said: "She is the bishop with a bow!" I wrote here about how they all seem to look like him, but as Andrew has grown he looks a lot like my side of the family.  And almost everyone says that Millie looks like Andrew. Same big eyes. So I hunted down some baby pictures, and wow - twins.

Here is Millie at the motel on our road trip, getting ready for bed -- one of the few times she doesn't have on a bow.

And here is Andrew at age 4 months.




While going through old pictures of Andrew as a baby, I found some of Ben at around James's current age of 3, 3 1/2 -- and they look alike!   Ben is even doing a James face in the pictures below as he tries to poke or squeeze Andrew. That suppressed rage, you know?

 



Here is James doing a similar face this week.

James at 3 is reminding me a lot of Benny at 3. New baby rocking their world in addition to the challenges that already come with being 3 years old. Lots of meltdowns and defiance and tantrums.

We had many struggles and tears with that Benny's behavior, but now Ben is a sweet, good-natured helper at age 8 1/2.  I asked the big boys to fast with me tomorrow on fast Sunday for James (I do a fast from treats/sweets and just eat the basics while nursing). I am really worried about how he will react when I go back to work next week. Millie is 12 weeks old on Monday. In fact, I pray the adjustment will go smoothly for our whole family.

Dead Horse Point State Park

We had heard about Dead Horse Point so we decided to head there on Tuesday. I interviewed the state parks director for a news story back when the federal government shut down and the national parks were closed. He said tour groups should and were diverting there, because it is by Canyonlands and really cool.

James was great at Arches. The next day, not so much. Here he is trying to nope his way out of JB's arms. There is a good wall along the cliff's edge, but still.

There we go.

They call it Utah's Grand Canyon. In fact the last scene of "Thelma and Louise" was filmed there.

JB and I both took selfies with Max.  It is really nice to have an 11-year-old. He listens, he helps, he is fun to talk to, he enjoyed himself -- he is growing up. Ben also was such a joy. It was fun to see their discoveries of the land and scenery.

5 year old Andrew also was wide-eyed and so cute to see as he looked around. "Ooh look, mom at this rock! I'm going to keep it. Oh look at THIS rock!"

Jamesy had a rougher time. He's a homebody and said he wanted to go home.  At one point, former Utah Jazz player Mark Eaton walked by just as James was throwing a huge tantrum. Huuuge. This area with climbing rocks and a roof helped him calm down.

After a morning there walking around a bit, it was an hour back to Green River where we had lunch and another tantrum from the 3 year old (plus tears from 5 year old Andrew when he didn't get soda (we rarely order soda)), then James finally slept in the car for the 3 hours back to Salt Lake City. It would have been easier for JB and the bigs to camp and hike to their hearts' content, but I wanted a family trip. And overall it was great.

Other highlights include this large watermelon in Green River.

And the railroad museum we randomly came across in Helper when we stopped for me to nurse Millie.

The boys were entertained by the railroad and mining stuff while she was fed -- but she got hungry again as we hit Draper. And done with her car seat. The last 20 minutes of our trip was the only time she really had a hard time. The rest she was an angel baby.


This picture I took while we drove down Sunday afternoon, at the start of our trip. We have a DVD player built into the van, but we said it is only for long trips. "But we never go anywhere! Wah!"  But over the 2 1/2 days they watched The Lorax, Despicable Me 2, and Star Wars and were pleased as punch.

We had talked about going to Phoenix to see JB's brother and their newborn baby, but decided against it because a)a new baby on their end  b) 10 week old baby on our end means lots of nursing breaks and c) 11 hours is a long time in the van for little boys. Looks like it may be a while before we drive 17 hours to Missouri to see my family.

Arches National Park

I think Millie might be the youngest person to make it all the way to Delicate Arch. We took a family trip to the Arches area last week, and set out early in the morning from our motel room to drive to the national park, then to make the long trek up to one of Utah's most iconic images. It's on the license plate. 

Max held Andrew or James's hand the entire 3 miles. He was an incredible help. JB held the other boy. Ben the mountain goat scampered up ahead over the rocks. We saw lots of tourists, even on a Monday. They were from all over the world. I realized that "baby" is the same in every language, because people would pass us coming or going, see the baby in the wrap, and start pointing or commenting. One man even took a picture, which was awkward because she was nursing in the wrap as I walked.  Others took pictures of blonde JB and the boys.

The last 200 yards or so are on a cliff-side with a ledge. It scared me so much. It was like how I feel on the sky ride at Lagoon. Or how I felt on the zipline years ago. It was a wide-enough path to walk on, and even for people to pass, but, I was so anxious about my babies (here's a post from years ago about my over-active momma imagination). When you come around a corner, there is the arch.

Lots of rocks and outcroppings all around. People were climbing to get closer, but we stayed put. We needed the rest after the incline.

 

The way down was hard on our knees. When we could see the trailhead but still had some switchbacks, 3-year-old James's legs and his can-do attitude gave out. So Max carried Millie and I put James in the wrap carrier. JB, Ben and Andrew were ahead.

After a snack at the car, we looked at some other spots. Andrew and James rested with me while the bigs and JB checked out Sandhill Arch.  I think the littles heard hike and thought it would be another 3 miles. This was only a third of a mile.

Then we all walked out to Double Arch.

The boys climbed a bit on the rocks along the trail.

JB caught Millie mid spit-up back at the car, funny girl.

We ate a late lunch in Moab then drove back the hour to the motel in Green River. The swimming pool was cold but still provided some entertainment. Other wise it would have been us saying "shhhhh!" to the boys until bedtime as they climbed over each other in the motel room.  Next post - Dead Horse Point State Park the next day.

About Andrew

JB and I were talking in-depth again recently about our children. As we adjust to having five, we worry about each child getting the attention they need.  And it changes different times in their lives.

Right now the baby and 3-year-old demand a lot of hands-on help and attention, and our 11 and 8 year olds are getting some through sports teams as we take them to practice and games. But our 5 year old seems stuck in the middle right now.  He is often overruled by older brothers or by a louder younger brother who scratches ("I wanna watch PAW Patrol, Anshew!"). I instituted a first-one-in-jammies-picks-the-first-book rule at night so that James wouldn't by sheer volume win. And Andrew hustles now.

He asked me to take a picture of him, and I realized I hadn't in a while. Look at him, with his Star Wars jammies from Nonna that he wears every night if he can.

I sometimes laugh or joke about the other kindergarten parents who are first-timers (many of Andrew's friends are the oldest in their families. It's the nature of this neighborhood, where young families are more abundant than older families). I think that things the school puts on like the bug show or jogathon or first day rituals are for oldest kids in kindergarten, but I am starting to appreciate them even for our third child in kindergarten -- it makes me stop and pay attention just to him and to enjoy these things all over again, through his eyes.

Here is a quick pic of Andrew at the incredible edible insect show in his class. His was made of 3 plums, with carrot legs that shriveled up and made him distraught, until his older brothers told him it looked cool. You know, sometimes those older boys are really helpful! Other times they try to ruin the magic of Christmas or favorite shows by telling him bare facts ("But mom, I couldn't lie!"   "But Ben, he's FIVE!").

Andrew is a running commentary. He is always chattering away to anyone nearby, and unfortunately those family members often tune him out or sometimes leave the room without realizing he is still talking. Imagination and what-ifs and discoveries made in school that day. He still tends to whine-cry when frustrated or stymied.

He is hobbit-like in his hunger, often announcing "I'm hungry" an hour after breakfast or as I have my finger on his light switch and am forming the words "good-night." I was bragging to parents of two of his friends that I put him and James to bed by 7:30. That very night he was calling up the stairs until 9 at different intervals for a) water b) something or another c) water and d) I'm bored. 

At this age, we had Max swimming, Ben playing baseball, etc; others do music or soccer, but Andrew isn't doing anything. Shoot, neither is James, and Ben was doing soccer at 3. It's just, new baby and working parents and bishop and 5 kids and -- busy.

At this age, Max was in 5/6 or even 6 sized clothing. Ben was also tall.  Andrew is 5T but some 4T still work around the waist. He often tags along around the yard or house behind Max and Ben and their friends (to M&B's chagrin), and begs for his own playdates. It's nice to have kids be old enough to come and go on their bicycles, but not 5-year-olds.

He and James are getting closer to playing together better all the time, which I long for. I think these two sets of boys came close together to be friends (M&B= 2 yrs 4 months apart, then a 3 year gap, then A&J=2 yrs 6 months apart). He is cute cute with "Mi-wee" (he is getting the ls in there more often) and will tug on her arm or leg or grab her hand or pat her head whenever he passes her. He did the same with baby James, he can't seem to help it.

Typing this helps me remember to look in his eyes more often, to not rush through his favorite dinosaur book, and to cuddle him more. JB gets it; he is very good at grabbing him and flipping him over his back or shoulder as they laugh together, or announcing, "I need an Andrew hug." Andrew just lights up.

As Andrew would say, "eeeeeehhhhhh!"

Two months

Millie turned two months old on September 18, but this is finally posting now because I wanted to include her stats from her (late) 2 month checkup today. She weighs 12 pounds 2 ounces, the 72nd percentile, and is 24 inches long, the 91st percentile. Our boys were 13 and 14 pounds at this age, but I saw at the doctor's office that girls have a different growth chart.

More pictures from her photoshoot.

I had to keep positioning her bow and straightening her dress. She is moving her arms and legs and head a lot more now. Ben carried her back inside when JB was done with pictures on the grass.

In the last month, Millie-girl has been to sushi lunch with the Deardeuffs.

And a wedding with the Richards.

Many mornings we go on long walks with James and Daddy after the 3 older boys go to school.  I will miss this when I go back to work :(   In the picture below, the baby got sad because I had her facing forwards in the double jogger and the sun got in her eyes.  So JB carried her home several blocks.

So the next time I put her back in her carrier so she could face me and have more shade. I also thought the sunbonnet I made may help.

"How YOU doin?"

One morning I realized we matched.

I have only left her a couple times, like for book group and for an appointment. JB texts me pictures to let me know she is just fine.

When he holds our babies, I think he looks like he is in his 20s again. Heart-eyes emoji.

Millie says "goo!" now and smiles lots.  She gulps and slurps while nursing, so she needs good burpings, and she spits up a fair amount so we have to protect our clothing. Oh, and she does epic yellow blowouts. So different than our last, colicky non-pooping baby at this stage. Lately she is fond of cluster feeding and cat-napping until 10 or 11 PM, then going for a 5-6 hour stretch. This will have to change when I need to start going to bed early and getting up early again, or we'll have another constant co-sleeper.

Jogathon

The annual school jogathon fundraiser this year was Andrew's first, and Max's last. (Here are two posts about previous races)

Having children in kindergarten, third grade and 6th grade means I was there for the whole thing. I was glad, too, because I have missed a bunch of the running in the past while at work.  They did it in grade order, so the 3 year old and the baby and I had to wait around in between watching the brothers.  JB came for Andrew's race but then had to go get more work done. Lots of parents in fact were there to watch the Kindergarteners; but the 6th graders had just a smattering of watchers. Old hat and all.

Anywho, Andrew ran a lot and I kept saying, "He's so cute out there!"

A couple times, he ran right by the ladies marking the laps on the kids' arms, so I had them give him two more marks. I knew Ben would ask him how many laps he ran, and demand the proof.

Doing red-faced stretches to cool down.

Here are James and Millie waiting around for two grades to finish before Ben's third grade turn.

Now Ben!

Competitive much? He's comparing marks with his friends instead of stretching afterward.

Then two more grades to wait through, before Max and the sixth graders.  Millie had nursed in the corner of the playground and was now in the front pack. James was mad at me that we were still there.

Now Max!

After a few laps, I called out to him passing by "Good luck! We have to go home before a meltdown!" and he ran over, grabbed my water bottle, poured it all over his head, and kept going. By this time it was close to noon and hot. I had a fleeting notion of running with the boys next year like some hip young moms in stretch pants, but, it may be more fun just to watch and cheer from the shade.