WORDLESS WEDNESDAY - MY PEANUT'S A HAM

For more Wordless Wednesday, check out 5 Minutes for Mom.

PRINCESSES AT PLAY

My girls are very princess-y. They like clothes, costume jewelry (including earrings, necklaces, tiaras, the whole deal), Barbies, make-up, etc. So, one would expect their play to be rather refined. One would not expect their play to be like this:

They must get it from their dad ...

PLAYING DRESS-UP

Big Daddy kindly let me sleep in this weekend. He kept an eye on the cherubs and prepared a wonderful breakfast of fresh fruit, pancakes, turkey bacon, eggs, and biscuits. While he was in the kitchen, the girls said they wanted to play dress-up.


Bean and Cakes got me up for breakfast and let me know they'd been playing dress-up. I admired their wonderful clothing choices, and we all had a hearty breakfast. After breakfast, Bean said she needed new clothes because her outfit was dirty.


So, I went to the girls closet to get a new outfit for Bean. This is what the girls' closet usually looks like:




This is what I found:



And this:



And this:




So, I dug through the foot-deep pile of clothes for new outfits for my girls, and spent the next two hours sorting clothes while simultaneously nursing and burping Peanut. I didn't really mind. At least they got along swimmingly for a couple of hours - they could only wreak this much havoc by cooperating!

DAY AT THE PARK

It's been in the 90's here. Very hot. I'm not a big fan of hot. I'm not a big fan of cold either; I prefer a Mediterranean climate. But, I digress.

It's been very hot here. Normally, that would keep me holed up in my air-conditioned house; but, work has slacked off for Big Daddy after six long weeks of working double shifts and going out of state for jobs. So, he was itching to get outside with the cherubs and their new bikes. Bean has been riding for a few weeks now.

She did very well. She did panic a bit on some downslopes, and she took a few spills; but, she always got right back on that horse like the little trooper that she is. We even had the appearance of *gasp* blood, bit she shook it off and tackled those little slopes before Big Daddy and I were too sweaty to go on.

Cakes is new to the bike scene. She's done the whole tricycle thing, but a two-wheeler is a whole new animal. She spent the first hour or so trying to pedal backwards. But, she eventually got the hang of things and was riding around like a pro by the end of our outing.

GOING NATURAL

I encouraged my friend over at Chico and Me Plus 3 to go natural for her childbirth. Check out her birthing story! It made me laugh out loud.

How many of you went natural? What made you decide to go that way?

A LITTLE (S)MOTHERING

Peanut continues to be a constant source of entertainment for Bean and Cakes - especially for Cakes. She practically mauls Peanut with love and affection.




For the most part, Peanut enjoys the attention from Cakes. I think Cakes gets more smiles from her than anyone else in the family.

Cakes is also her chief tormenter. As previously stated, she often tries to pick Peanut up by her head. She's also a "close talker." She'll get right up into Peanut's space (and Peanut has a definite sense of personal space) to babble and squeal adoringly. She smothers her with kisses on the mouth and head hugs (wrapping her arms around Peanut's head and squeezing), despite my protests of, "Gently, gently!"

But, Peanut is an easygoing kid. She's got quite a tolerance for her doting big sisters, and knows that her mom will swoop in to rescue her when things get a little unbearable.

And, breaking out the baby and the camera phone is a surefire way to put an end to any fighting between Bean and Cakes.

I'M BAAAAACK!

I have been so woefully neglectful of my blog lately! Having three kids is an enormous change from having two. I've always heard it said, and now I'm living it.

I remember how busy I was when Bean was born. I was a new mother and I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I felt like I barely had time to breathe or bathe.

Then, Cakes came along. Overnight, the number of children I had doubled. I was so busy. I remember wondering what the heck I was doing when I had just one - sitting around and eating bonbons? I felt like I was running ragged.

And now Peanut is here. Six weeks, two bouts of mastitis, and a 24-hour bug later, I'm wondering how I thought having two kept me impossibly busy! In spite of that, she's a very good baby. She's been sleeping better than Cakes since the day she was born. She only cries when she's hungry or poopy (which is pretty much non-stop; seriously, I have never seen a kid poop so much; she's like a Poopinator).

Peanut was tiny when she was born. And she's stayed tiny. Her weight gain has been about 1/2 an ounce a day (normal weight gain is 1/2 to 1 ounce per day). Her regular pediatrician (who is used to me bringing in my petite children) has been out on maternity. The pedicatrician that has been seeing Peanut in the interim is obsessed with getting her to gain an ounce a day. So, I was at the lactation consultant every other day. Once, I went from nursing in front of the lactation consultant to getting examined for my mastitis by my OB. Sheesh! I may as well have just spent the day topless!

But, things have settled into a routine. Peanut is up to about 7 1/2 pounds, which makes everyone happy. Bean is manhandling the baby less and helping me out more. Cakes has pretty much recovered from her jealousy, and now spends a great deal of time trying to pick Peanut up by her head when my back is turned.


And, I'm busy. And, I'm sure that after I have a fourth baby, I will wonder why I thought I was so busy with just three kids.