Just Moments

Boy, have things been busy. Busyness NOT made easier by last night when Alaina at 5 years old had her first accident in the bed and Zane peed, then pooped through his clothes twice. Let's just say I will be spending lots of quality time with my washer and dryer today. So, instead of a grand update on exciting things going on in the Sandberg home (of which there has not been much), here are just a few moments of mine......

Someone is getting stronger.....

Determined to find the thumb. I say, Go for it! It saves me trips to the crib at night!

Sweet Brothers. Enough said.

The picture Alaina drew of her and her brother. She propped it up in his crib so he could look at it "whenever he wants to". And yes, that is a heart she drew in the middle of the page. How sweet is that?

 Getting ready to leave the house. I almost feel like I have a traveling side show with me to entertain Zane with. Kinda nice....I guess a perk of having older ones?

Who needs new toys? Nine years ago, Conner loved this "Kick and Play" bouncer (it lights up and plays music when they kick). Well, after a little TLC and cleaning battery acid off the elecrodes, it is good as new and Zane is loving it!

More snuggles with Conner. Picture compliments of Alaina.  : )

 Snuggle with new friends. My college roomates came this weekend and Zoe, age 4, is getting practice with Zane since she is expecting a new brother or sister next Spring!

 

 Kicking! Watching the mobile is getting more exciting everyday!

Changes

Zane turned two months yesterday. In one way, hard to believe, in another, THANK GOODNESS, cause it is getting easier. He has changed so much just this week. He is holding his head up and looking around

He is smiling! At first it was just here and there, and now, just this morning, he woke up all smiles. 

 

 He is totally into watching things now. His mobile, his bouncy seat, the toys hanging from his car seat. For the first time he was awake the entire time I ran an errand the other day and just cooed up at the toys as he looked. Yes, cooing started this week too. Not much, but sounds so sweet. 

Here is his "official", or at least as official as it gets around here, two month picture. 

The official stats are 11 lbs 4ozs, up almost 3 pounds this month and grew 2 1/2 inches. Big bubba he is. He did great at his well check, tolerating his two shots well and is still sleeping them off tonight. : ) He had his first night in the crib last night and all in all it went OK. He eats around 10pm, then can go until 3am and then is up at 7am. He was only up twice other than that fussing last night, so I say the first night was a semi-success. It was weird going to bed without a baby next to the bed. On one hand, I was getting frustrated with him getting noisy , but then last night I realized again, how quickly these stages go. He was there, and now.....gone.






Other changes this week, I inserted myself into the 21st century by purchasing this for my birthday

Look closely....no it is NOT an iphone. Oh, I wish, but no. That is an itouch which will offer me enough fun for now until our budget allows for us to jump to iphones. It offers me much more flexibility in taking video and snapping pics like this one I snapped while we waited in the doctors office today. How cute is he???

     

And pics like this, my boy Conner.

 He has certainly changed for the better since Zane was born. He is so attentive to Zane, especially in the car (he sits next to him most of the time). Today when we got home from school, he was getting out of the van and his arm had gone numb from holding his arm up so Zane could hold his hand for the entire 20 minute ride home. Conner dives right in with full baby talk and get an instant smile out of Zane. This morning I swear I saw the first glimmer of adoration in Zane's eyes as he smiled when they were face to face. Such a sweet moment.

 I can also snap pics like this with my new fancy shmancy itouch. This was a page in Conner's writing journal from school today. I hope you can read it. It is a list of his favorite places and the reason it is his favorite. In case you can't see it, the second place listed is "Karola" (or Corolla rather),  followed by Frankeys (or Frankies, aka, Frankies Fun House) which he has been to once in his life, the last is the "Neborhood" where he lists all his peeps, two of them being five year old girls, HA! So sweet. I love how it shows how much being with family has meant to him.

And then there is this girl.....

I think she has changed the most. Poor girl is already getting the middle child treatment I guess, or maybe she just demands, or NEEDS, more attention. She has been doing more grabbing, sassing, aggravating and just acting out in general. Not bad, but Keith and I have noticed that it is often when we are fawning all over Zane and talking about how wonderful he is. Good reminder that each child needs to feel valued and important. I think it is especially important for girls and certainly true for Alaina. Point taken, girl, we are working on it. She continues to love on Zane, and by love on Zane, I mean, literally smear his face with caresses

Oh, Zane, you poor lucky boy!!

Blessings and Challenges

It has been a long and busy week already starting on Sunday where we went to church and met up with our new small group afterward and then headed to Gresham and Jen's house for a little birthday celebration for a certain girl woman who turned 37.

 

 Amazing how young 37 is when you are the one turning it, right? It was very nice to be together as a family and another reminder that it is such a blessing to live near awesome Aunts,

  

Sweet Uncles

 

and fun cousin dogs that we can love on since we are dogless for the first time EVER. 

 

 It is truly amazing how Keith and I constantly feel the void in our lives from not having a dog. It is the first time in 17 years that Keith nor I have not had a dog or cat by our side. We miss it terribly, but figure having a newborn is not the time to get a dog and when it does come time, we may have to get a dog that works with us versus and dog that we ideally want. Meaning that, we are big dog people, but may have to get a small dog so that both kids can control it easily since Mom and Dad can't have one more thing on their plate!

Yes, the plate has been full with our normal home stuff of making lunches, homework, quiet time, media time, work time, dinner, showers and bedtime. Then you add in starting soccer practice, open house at school, grocery store errands, appointments, creating and getting out baby announcements, laundry, dishes and cleaning and you have two haggard parents at the end of a day.

There was actually a point one day this week (I can't remember when since I can barely keep track of what the current day is!) as I was in the living room feeding Zane and Conner and Alaina were having and impromptu WWF match, that the thought occurred to me "What have we done? I mean really, WHAT HAVE WE DONE? We have created these THREE children and now we are responsible for them!!" You think that idea would have hit me before, but no, I tend to realize I am in over my head AFTER I am in over my head. However, the Lord is merciful and I believe he did work it out to preserve my sanity by me having my third later and allowing my other two to be safely away at an awesome school for the day. Not only away at what we feel is the best school for them, but right next to Keith's work, where he can take them every single day (and volunteer in my place this quarter) so all I have to do is pick up. That means the only true chaos I have to deal with is from 3:30pm to 8:30pm. Hopefully by the time track out comes in October, I will be more sane, more rested and have Zane on a schedule. Lord willing!

Speaking of Zane, he was a complete fuss pot Monday and Tuesday when he was awake, he just wanted to sleep. I did get a half smile on Monday (best birthday present ever) and it is emerging more and more each day. We have the "I am staring at my mobile and I'm serious" look,

We have the emerging smile!

 Check out that little dimple on the right cheek! Just like Alaina. Love it.

And then we have the "I am zoned out staring at you and nothing you do, especially acting like a silly moron with that voice, is going to make me smile." : )

Happy eight weeks old Zane David!

Wordless Wednesday

Cousins

Friday Moments

Alaina excited to be able to hold her brother all by herself.

Locking eyes with his big brother. 

Another one of the cool baby things that has come out since Alaina was born. This toy is awesome for Zane's age and attaches to anything and everything. Here was mesmerized by it.

Monkey butt taking a nap. 

Today Alaina mastered drawing a heart. I love how excited she gets about the little things.

Alaina's first diaper change. 

More mesmerizing mobile time (and a hint of a smile!).

Conner in full fledge baby talk mode while Zane stares back. 

Look who is holding his head up nice and steady now!

 Olympics watching. 

Wordless Wednesday

Always happy and calm after my nightly bath.

My new "normal" and my little fuss pot.

Last week was the first full week of school for Conner and Alaina and it hit me one day while loading the dryer that this is my new normal. The next five years, FIVE YEARS, will be Zane and I at home with the bigger kids at school. One one hand I feel such joy looking forward to the five years, knowing how fun they can be, but on the other hand, I feel like taking a nap just thinking about it. : ) 

A certain little baby has been quite fussy lately. While he has had some content moments like this one where he was fascinated with his hand,

and this one, where he layed on his playmat for the first time,

he often quickly starts to do this,

 and would much rather do this than anythig else:

Laying on a tummy with his pacifier is by far his favorite position, especially when he is fussy. Can't say that I blame him if you get to do it with Mommy a lot during the day and then Alaina in the afternoon,

and the Conner in the evening.

Our afternoon ritual when coming home from school has been for Alaina, Zane and I to watch the Olympics together. While Alaina never really "watches" the Olympics (she sings, dances and does gymnastics while I watch), she did lay with Zane today and enjoy some track and field with me.

After quality time with her brother, Alaina went up for quiet time. This has always been a struggle for her because as an extrovert, being alone is practically torture, so quiet time is typically spent with her asking 47 times how much longer she has to stay in her room. She is doing better however, and typically comes downstairs to share what she has been doing. Today I was graced with beautiful piece of artwork that she was quite proud of. If only she knew that I throw them out how much I cherished them. 

Another new "normal" that we are getting used to is nightly homework. Gone are the days when Conner could have his afternoons and evenings to himself, and he has decided that his "homework" time is right after dinner. Tonight he was a little distracted by a certain someone. : )