Tomorrow is Vincent's 6 month check-up. I can't believe how fast this time has flown by. Sometimes it seems like he's hardly a baby...he's growing into a toddler...scooting around on the floor, interested in all the buzzing and noises that are going on around him...and just this week...here come 2 new teeth. The first one appeared on Friday, March 12th. The second one appeared today, Monday, March 15th.
Today, I picked up my book "Babies first year week by week". I have to admit that I have rarely looked at it, this third time around. With Zachary I studied it religiously, always checking to see if he was up to date on his next milestone or ahead or behind the curve. I secretly was satisfied each time I checked the book to find he was already doing at 20 weeks what the book suggested was typical behavior for a 25 week old. Now I realize that the book is probably just playing it safe with the weekly milestones. But today when I checked the book, I smiled as I read about the milestones that Vincent, now at age 25 weeks, has achieved. Week 21 includes protest and resist someone who tried to take toy away. Whew...he just started that last week when I tried to take away a paper choking hazard. I'm glad all babies are doing this at that age and that he's not special in that category! Week 22...leans over to look for fallen object...he just started that this past weekend when he dropped a toy off of his high chair. Week 25..likes to play with food...he also just started this annoying habit of wanting to stick his hands in his food bowl and make a baby mess! Thankfully he hasn't started the other week 25 milestone of crying when parent leaves the room.
This week is my last week of maternity leave. I was very blessed to get 6 whole months off, however I am still sad that I have to return to work. I've been trying to spend extra time with Isabella this week because I know things are about to get very hectic. Today I picked her up early from school. First we got an ice cream and then we went to the pet store and the library. I let her pick out books for her and the boys and we had lots of girly fun while Vincent napped in his car seat. Zachary and Isabella are both starting t-ball. They are also involved in the upcoming St. X play Jesus Christ Superstar. Tomorrow we have play practice and two t-ball practices. Thursday is the same...and then Monday will be Vincents first day at daycare. I have been working on storing up lots of Mommy's milk so that I can continue to nurse him when I go back to work. I know it will be challenging but I have talked to a lot of people who have pumped at work and made it work! I do have to remember that it will only be about 10 weeks before summer rolls around and I will get to be home again.
I am so lucky to have 3 wonderful, beautiful kids. I can't help but want more, but it already seems like there is no time in the day. Once we come home from work we have 3 hours, at best, to give them all of the attention they deserve. There is no time for TV or video games...it is rush, rush, rush from one thing to the next. . Homework, piano practice, dinner, baths, story-time, and in bed by 7:30. How could we fit in more?
I absolutely adore everything about the baby stage, except for maybe the lack of sleep. People at work thought I was crazy to have a third child. But of course, I can't imagine life without Vincent. He has brought so much joy to us and to the kids. They pet and coo over him. I am pretty much always exhausted all the time, however I forget all about how tired I am the second I see that adorable baby smile.
About 2 weeks ago was Zachary's conference/report card. All was pretty good. Zachary got all A's, but his teacher brought up his often lack of focus/listening while she was teaching. Just a week before Zachary had gotten into trouble at school for coloring on his desk and his teacher sent home a "bad" note. He lost a week of tv and computer time...not that we really get that much time to do that anyway, but there wasn't much else we could take away. This past week to our shock we got an email from his teacher. Apparently, Zachary had colored on his desk for a second time. Again, she sent home a note, but this time he threw it in the kitchen trash before mom or dad could see it. Kyle was furious! His teacher actually downplayed the whole thing. She said he was really sorry and that he almost cried in class when she confronted him with the absent note. He confessed to her and apologized, but now he has to go without 2 weeks of computer or TV. It was funny because today he began to tell us a story about library class and then he immediately stopped and said, "Dad, is it ok for me to watch tv at school?" He looked really worried. Then he said, "Ok well today in library we watched..." He is a good boy..but I still don't know why he colored on his desk twice!
There will be plenty to write about next week...if I get time. Things will get really busy, but I will try to make the time to write down my stories for the kids. I never did a good job of keeping a journal before this blog. I really wish that I had written things down when Zachary and Isabella were born. I guess it's never too late. I will write what I remember and hopefully preserve a few memories for them as they get older.
