Tobie here: Wow! Can't believe I'm writing this…but life is great!! We started our new mother's helper last Wednesday. I again had my doubts if it would work out, I kept telling myself "I don't need help. These are my kids and I just need to figure it out". But I ignored myself and I'm so glad I did. Paige and Cole are loving the new girl, and she is making my life so much easier. I'm actually enjoying my days. The babies and I spend a little over an hour in the morning by ourselves before J arrives. J shows up, everyone gets giddy, we play for an hour, then J puts one baby down and I put the other down for a nap. Each baby gets a story read and a cuddle…and I'm not kidding…they go to sleep without a tear and sleep for a good hour or more. Then we eat lunch and play the rest of the afternoon or do therapy. It's so nice. We're looking forward to swimming in the afternoons too…but our pool is a little out of service right now so we busted out the playpool.
Big news for me! I'm so excited. My six week rest after the c-section is over next Thursday. I reinstated my gym membership today. They kind of looked at me funny when I said that I've been on a 2-yr maternity leave. This gym has monitors in every workout room so you can watch your kids in the kid room playing. How cool. I checked out the kid room too…it's awesome. Tons of toys that get cleaned three times a day, gym mats, slides, a huge romper room. And the best part is that it's only for kids between the ages of 1-3. When I was there (which is during the time I'll most likely work out) there were two kids in the romper room. The staff were so nice in explaining the romper room protocol to me too and reassuring me that the babies would be fine…I'm really looking forward to this. Plus…I need to get my body back, I can't believe I'm still in my "transitional" maternity clothes. My plan is to take P and C and leave D at home with J. I'm trying to treat them like normal kids now that we're older, healthier and not in RSV season.
Okay…kid updates. Paige is getting about 5-6 teeth at once. Ouch. She's a vampire…preying on the innocent. When you're not looking, she'll sink her teeth into your flesh so hard and deep (see attached pic). The worst part is we say "No biting" and then she smiles. I'd like to believe she's smiling because her teeth hurt and the smile is a sign of relief from her discomfort. But the realist in me knows she is smiling because she knows she did something wrong. We are going to start the time-out game for her tomorrow. We're going to do time-out in the pack-and-play. I'm scared because I don't want to believe my kids are testing me, though I know it's true. It just shows that they're growing up. Cute, right?
Cole is doing great but he's got a terrible allergic reaction to something undefined. His face is covered in a rash…he looks awful. We have an appointment next week with an allergist to figure out what is causing him to break out so bad. Other than that..he's awesome.
Drew is screaming at me right now. The kid is always hungry. Luckily he is not a piranha anymore. We're still eating every three hours. I'm curious what he weighs because he's outgrown his newborn and 0-3mo clothing and now we're in 3-6mo clothes. I almost started crying a few days back when I put a cute outfit on him. It was Cole's outfit that Cole never got to wear because we weren't able to easily put clothes over Cole's head with his oxygen tubing. It just reinforced to me how lucky we are that Drew is so healthy and normal. And did I mention adorable? 
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Glad to see things are looking up:) Hope Cole feels better soon. The kids are gorgeous as always.
I just started the whole gym thing with the kids in the day care area a few weeks ago. It was harder on me at first than them =) The best part is that it gives me an hour to MYSELF everyday and that is motivation enough to go, lol. My boys have been getting a little sniffle or whatever here and there and I know they are just getting used to all the other “kid germs”, but it is all worth it. Have fun!
Hey guys - could it be from the strawberrys/blueberrys they were eating at our house on Sunday? I know some kids get rashes/hives from that type of berry.
-L
First, I’m still in my transitional clothing and my baby is 6 months, not 6 weeks. You’re not alone.
Second, poor Cole’s rash looks so painful. Have you tried putting him on an elimination diet? I mean, just for the week until you can meet with the allergist (oh, how we love our allergist). I know you want to get any food into him you can but sometimes what they love most is what they’re allergic too. Mine was so into pineapple at that age and didn’t care that it gave him a wicked diaper rash. Drooling can exacerbate the problem so if he’s teething too…my youngest has a mild version of what it looks like Cole has from drooling and from spitting up.
Finally, Drew looks fabulous. Love those full-term newborns sans tubes and meds!
Anonymous ~D~
Lovin the pics even more! sorry about the big bruise fomr the vampire baby (LOL), and Cole’s rash. I hope those both get better!
Just wanted to mention that the pics don’t open in another window when I click on them so I can see them bigger….is there any way to fix that?
ok, when you told me she bit you…well, I never expected it to look that bad ! OUCH !!
I think the route we talked about (mainly what you are already planning on doing & what you are currently doing) will help. At least I hope so…
Cole, wow….poor little boy…give him a kiss for me & I hope his sweet little face clears up soon. I think Laurie could be right…berries can be nasty on some kids. But, maybe try eliminating everything but formula & slowly adding on what you have been using for a while. They couldn’t get you in early than next week, huh?? Maybe you should send the pic of his sweet little face to their office
Drew, dreamy as ever…can I eat his little cheeks up now?
ok….super glad you like J..sorry to see A go, but VERY glad you found a good replacement.
Good job on getting out of the house & leaving the kids for some ME time !!!! I am very proud of you. It is very hard to do & you did good. Now, about that monthly lunch meeting……
Call soon now that you have all this free time
PS - that was from me….
~Gina
Yikes, that rash looks scary! I hope the doc figures out what’s up with that.
Ouch! Biting sucks. Just wait until Drew bites your nipple. That’s where we are right now… it sucks.
I’m so glad that Drew is nursing better and not ripping your tit off. He is such an adorable little chunk!!!
Hey, my son is 13 months and I still rock some of my maternity shirts. I am fully convinced that the belly will never go away. I am sure it will be nice to get out and work out some.
Have you tried biting her back? It worked with both Presleigh and Rach (and apparently with me according to my mom). Not hard mind you, but enough that it gets their attention that it hurts.
Wow! I drive to Phoenix with the kids for a week and someone stole your blog? Good grief. Everyone hates me, so maybe you’ll share the safety stuff in your “free time”?
I’m so glad to hear that the mother’s helper is working out. I knew it would make your lives so much better. No child ever grew up and told their parents, “Geez, Mom and Dad, I just got too much attention growing up. I really wish I would have gotten less attention.”
Help makes life better for EVERYONE!!!!
Yikes! Cole’s rashy face looks terrible. We went through a lot of unexplained rashes with Holland before determining she is allergic to eggs and nuts. Hope you get some answers from the allergist. I’m interested to hear the outcome…