I Think…
…my children are snuggle bunnies.
…my children love sleepover nights.
…my children love each other.
I think.
March 13, 2011
March 8, 2011
Due Date
So, today is the day that Tiny Monkey (I’m trying this out as his blog name for now) was due.
I’m so glad he came early.
Not because I was tired of being pregnant, which I wasn’t.
But, because I can’t imagine the past few weeks without him in our lives.
This morning, I was dropping Monkey Girl and Baby Monkey at school (Monkey in the Middle had a fever yesterday and needs to be 24-hours fever-free before returning to school) and I started to cry.
Not postpartum, hormonal tears.
Tears of wonder and tears of joy.
I looked in the rear-view mirror and listened to the excited chatter and realized that the four kids behind me were all mine.
Me.
Mother of four.
Could I seriously be lucky enough to have these four babies?
Did Real Man and I really make these sweet little beings?
As a family of 5, we were awesome and happy.
Who knew that being a family of 6 would be even better?
Tiny Monkey has completely completed this crew, and, I love that, like his Mommy, he wanted to be early (I hate being late) and we got to spend a few extra weeks with him.
May not seem like much over the course of his entire lifetime, but believe me, every second is precious.
March 5, 2011
Product Review – Nap Nanny
My friend, Erin, recently sent us a Nap Nanny for the newest monkey.
Having never had a swing or bouncy seat or any of those accoutrements for any of the other monkeys, I was unsure about the Nap Nanny.
Would he like it?
Would he be comfortable?
Would it confuse him when it was time to sleep in his crib?
And then, I popped him in, one night, while I was making dinner.
Clearly, at hit.
He doesn’t always sleep in it.
Sometimes, it’s just a comfy place for me to put him while I’m trying to get something else done, like cook dinner, help with homework, etc.
During those times, he happily reclines and looks around.
Completely comfortable.
Completely content.
The cover of the Nap Nanny zips off and can be washed, or you can order different colors to match your decor and then swap out a dirty one for a clean one, while you wash it.
It is so plush and soft, and completely safe.
Comes with safety clips that are enmeshed in more softness so that your little one doesn’t even realize they are safely strapped in place.
You should only use a Nap Nanny on the floor…not on a table or in a crib.
However, the floor is really perfect.
Our little monkey hangs out in his Nap Nanny while we eat dinner, and he’s on the floor next to the table where we can all see him and interact with him while we eat.
If we’re on the floor, playing a game, he’s right there with us…snug and happy in his Nap Nanny.
And, it’s a great place for him to take a nap, as well.
Seriously, who wouldn’t be lulled to sleep in all that plush comfort???
So, anyone who has a baby or is thinking of having a baby or knows someone who is having a baby…buy the Nap Nanny.
It’s fantastic!!!
March 2, 2011
Superman
I’ve got this monkey, you see.
This particular monkey is very into super heroes.
In fact, you might say, he’s obsessed.
But, more than the super heroes themselves, he has a complete infatuation with his Superman jammies.
If you were to stop by my house at any time of the day that he isn’t in school, this is who you’d find.
Seriously.
As soon as he walks in the door, he goes to his room and puts on his Superman jammies.
Which means, of course, that I’m washing them every other day.
Some days, we wind up having a bath at 4 pm because it’s the longest I can hold him off in putting on those jammies.
Other days, the jammies are on before I’ve even taken off my coat.
So, if you happen to run into this guy, feel free to actually call him Superman.
Because, I have a sneaking suspicion that once he is old enough to legally change his name…
Superman it is.
March 1, 2011
Note to Self:
Dear Amy,
Not that it will ever be an issue again, however, you are no longer allowed to order Girl Scout cookies while you are pregnant. It’s possible you may have lost perspective regarding exactly how many cookies one family needs.
Love,
Amy
February 28, 2011
Ch, ch, ch, ch, Changes
So, as you can imagine, the monkey house has undergone tremendous change in the past week.
On Wednesday, we brought home the newest monkey (blog name to come), and we all needed to adapt to a new routine.
Real Man and I needed to adapt to a new sleep schedule.
Luckily, the baby is a fantastic night sleeper.
There was one night where he was up every few hours, and I was sure he was confusing night and day and was anticipating months of being up all night, however, it was a one-night event.
Now, he goes down around 9:00 pm, wakes up around 2:30, goes back down after eating and doesn’t wake again until 5:30ish. He eats again and sleeps until 9:00 am. Then, he’s up for the day, eating and taking smaller naps throughout the day.
The other monkeys have been fantastic with him.
They love to hold him and kiss him and talk sweetly and gently to him.
Monkey in the Middle has taken to the new baby the most.
As soon as he walks in the door, he does his homework and has a snack in record time so that he can hold the baby.
He wants to be there during diaper changes, handing us supplies.
If I realize I’ve left the burp cloth in another room, I don’t even have to ask or don’t even need to begin to rise to get it myself, he’s on the case.
He’s so sweet and gentle and kind with the baby.
It’s so interesting to watch, as Monkey in the Middle, much like me, is quick with his temper, and low with his tolerance for frustration.
So, I was concerned that a baby that took up a lot of time and attention would be something he would struggle with.
And, in fact, it’s been just the opposite.
In his role as second oldest of four, Monkey in the Middle has thrived.
This new baby could possibly have been the best thing to happen to him.
Baby Monkey is enjoying his role as big brother, for the first time.
He still goes about his business as usual, but he waits his turn to hold the baby, as well, and loves to give him kisses.
He talks to the baby in a sweet, little voice, and tells him that everything will be alright.
Monkey Girl continues to be the perfect big sister.
She loves to help care for the boys, and is just enjoying the new dynamic in the family.
She keeps referencing how we are now a family of 6, and just how cool that is.
As for Real Man and I, well, let’s just say it happened again.
We’ve always thought that our family of 5 was just perfect the way it was.
We’ve always known that our kids were wonderful and special.
We’ve always realized that we loved them more than we thought anyone could ever love their kids.
Our hearts were completely full.
And yet…
…at 8:19 am, last Sunday morning, it happened.
Our hearts, which we were sure were completely full, expanded again.
And now, we are just as head over heels in love with our new baby as we have always been with our other three children.
Because, apparently, when you have more than one child, your heart doesn’t divide, and you give little pieces to each one.
It grows larger and you wind up giving your whole heart to each one.
All four of my children are remarkable and wonderful and just the right children for me.
And I love each of them with my whole heart.
More than I could ever imagine.
February 26, 2011
February 23, 2011
Monkey Girl Turns 10!!!
I guess it’s only appropriate that, in a week full of posts about the birth of my last baby, I talk to you about the birth of my first baby.
Because, 10 years ago, today, Monkey Girl was born.
And my life was forever changed.
For the better.
So very much for the better.
I’m going to refer you to my post about her birthday last year because it has the best pictures of her as a little one, and explains how I felt about her birth.
But, I’m also going to tell you that I consider myself a very lucky woman.
This oldest child of mine is just…remarkable.
Her capacity to love is unreal.
Her concern and care for others, over the course of her 10 years, has always been inspiring.
Kids are supposed to be ego-centric. It’s the way they are wired.
Not Monkey Girl.
She’s funny, she’s intelligent, she’s creative.
She’s everything I wish I could be.
I love this girl so much, I can’t even stand it sometimes.
And, I hope she always, always knows it.
So, celebrate my beautiful, oldest child with me, today.
She’s worth every second of celebration you can give her.
February 21, 2011
We’re Gonna Need a Naming Contest!!!
I am so proud to introduce our newest monkey! More info to come when I don’t have to type it on my phone! 🙂
We couldn’t be happier or more in love with this little guy!
