I am so over you, 2012.

I've written three different posts today in an attempt to bid farewell to 2012...  The first was a painfully long over-share, and the second was just a list of popular posts.  Here is my third and final attempt, since there are approximately 2 minutes left of 2012.

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Dear 2012,

You were a challenging year.  You were by far the most stressful, emotional, and draining year that I have ever encountered; BUT I refuse to remember the bad.  And, instead...

I will remember you as the year that Parker was born.  (By VBAC!  Booyah!!)  I will remember the first time we were a family of four.  I will remember the first time Parker laughed-- when Casey was undressing him for bathtime and Parker let out the weirdest squeal.  (I actually thought he was upset at first, but soon realized that the boy has very ticklish armpits).  I will remember Parker's hysterical jumperoo dance and the sweet humming sound he makes while nursing.  And I will remember how Sissy so lovingly dubbed him Car Car.

I will remember Lulu's first birthday, first steps, and first words (bye-bye).  I will remember being utterly amazed by her crazy huge, endless vocabulary-- the girl is practically a parrot.  I will remember the first time Lucy met her little brother, as she ran across the hospital bed and dove into our arms.  I will remember all the hugs and kisses she gave (continues to give) him, and how she always says Hi, Bye, and Ny-Ny to him.  I will remember her obsession with Barney and Orphan Annie.  I will remember how much fun she had this holiday season.

I will remember this as the year my dreams came true. 

I will remember this as the best, most constructive, appreciative year for our marriage.

2012, you tested me.  You showed me how much I am capable of handling, and for that I am thankful.  But, 2012, I am in dire need of a break.  So I am asking, please, please for the love of God, let 2013 be a little easier.

Best,

The Momma

4 Months

Car Car!  You are 4 months young!  How did that happen?  When did that happen??!  (Um, like, a week ago...whoops.)

You have grown so much this month. You're more and more fun with each day.  Everyone, especially me, always comments on how sweet and laid back you are.  (Your sister would scream if anyone but me or Daddy held her.)  I'm really trying to soak in our "Mommy and Car Car" moments...snuggling in the mornings, holding your hand as you fall asleep nursing, those big smiles you give me every time I pick you up from a nap....because I know you will never be this small again.  Your sister grew up too fast; I am determined to savor your babyhood.

At 4 months you are:

The best baby.  You almost never fuss.

Drooling like a beast.

Baltic Amber fail.  FAIL.  FAIL.  FAIL.

"Talking".  (Just watch the first 5 seconds of this video-- he stopped talking as soon as I got the camera.)

Blowing raspberries.  It's messy hilarious.

Laughing at everything.

A huge fan of the jumperoo and standing on your big boy legs.

THIS close to rolling over.

Reaching for and holding toys.

A chubber, but that's to be expected in this family.  You're 3-6 month clothing is getting to be too short and snug; we'll unpack your 6-9 stuff soon-ish.  Also, you're wearing size 3 diapers.

19 lbs, 7 ounces and 26.5 inches, 90th percentile for both.  

All head.  (Like Uncle Cole.)  Hats do.not.fit you.  Holy crap.

Exclusively breastfed.  You haven't shown any interest in eating.  We plan to introduce solids at 6 months, just like we did with Sissy.

Lucy's favorite.

Following a pretty regular routine.  Wake around 7:30 or 8 am, waketimes are consistently 1 hour and 15 minutes, naps are consistently 1 hour long, and you go down for the night around 7:30.  You sleep from 7:30-12:30 (give or take 30 minutes), and wake every 3 hours after that.  You self-soothe 95% of the time, babbling and wiggling until you fall asleep-- it is very rare that you ever actually CIO.

Still sleeping in the pack-n-play in our bedroom (for the first 5 hour stretch); we bed-share for the remainder of the night because I am lazy.  I'd really like to move you to the nursery, but I'm afraid of how it will impact Lucy's sleep.  I'm also a little reluctant to walk across the house every time I have to feed you in the middle of the night.  Alas, we'll probably give it a try in the next few weeks.

Relatively underwhelmed with the holidays this year.  Next year will be better, I promise.

  
Impossible when it comes to clipping your fingernails.  They are wicked long, and you claw my face every morning.

Still a fan of bathtime.

Healthy!  Although, your poop schedule is still a work in progress; sometimes you go everyday, other times you go once a week-- which led to that one really epic shit.

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We love you, buddy!  We are so incredibly blessed to have such a beautiful, content boy and we thank God for you every single day.

Favorite outfit to date!  I am a total sucker when it comes to flannel.

 

"Oh hey, Lu.  What's good?"

Christmas 2012

Here's a little recap of the past 48 hours...

Casey had to work on Christmas Eve, so I packed up the kids and headed over to Fort Russo for some major grubbin' and Christmas pajamas.  My mom made Baccala, which I love, and about a dozen other appetizers, entrees, pastas and sides-- all seafood oriented.  Mmmm! 

((Will never be able to emphasize enough how much Italians love to feed people.))

Once Casey was home, we headed over to his parent's house.  Lucy thoroughly enjoyed hanging with her older cousin, Corbin, and I thoroughly enjoyed my mother-in-law's pumpkin cheesecake.

After the kids went down, Casey and I began wrapping presents.  We went to bed around 1:30...

And just a few hours later, we watched our silly girl tear through all of our hard work.  We loved every second of it.

Before:

After:

Interim:

Christmas kisses and polar bear jammies!

Parker was sort of indifferent about Christmas...

...until he got this sweet hat. Then he loved it!

The slide captivated her morning.  Favorite present, hands down.

It was so nice to spend the morning in our home, just us.  That's one tradition I will look forward to for years to come.

The running around began again shortly after.  A quick stop at the in-laws, and then to Grammy and Grampy's!  (Thank God we're within 10 minutes of our families.))

All the cousins with Great Grandma

Best looking boy in the whole world!

Nap fail.

BFFs since 1992.  (Way to miss the photo opp, Fallon.)

Best looking family EVER.

 

New recliner from Grammy and Grampy!

Lucy like.

Christmas was awesome this year!  Lucy recognized "Danta" (not necessarily his purpose, though), she yelled "Mo mo pwees" (pretties)  ((pretties = Christmas lights)) every time we drove around town at night, and she LOVED opening presents.  We fully expect next year to be twice as much fun.  For now, the kiddos are really loving all their gifts.  We are so blessed!

Car Car sitting in his new highchair at the big kids table.

Lulu watching Annie at her new table and chairs.  Her life is complete.

21 Months (photo dump)

(It's officially weird to refer to your age in months, babes.)

I think I literally said, "I love this age!" at least once everyday this month.  And Daddy probably said, "You're a goof!" just as frequently.  It could not be more true, though.  You learn a new word or dance move everyday; you are very polite (please, thank you, and bless you); you have a new obsession:  Annie (as in, Orphan Annie and Daddy Warbucks.  All thanks to Grammy, by the way); you tickle our feet, brush our hair, and mimic me when I shave my legs; you throw some pretty brutal tantrums; you have a strong distaste for all things denim.  My current favorite Lucy-isms are "Mo mo gookies" (more cookies) and "Dan-ta" (Santa).  Daddy's favorite is hands down "Ny-Ny Car Car" (Night night, Parker) and "Um-pin" (armpit).

You are more beautiful than there are words to describe, and we love you beyond measure.

Professional tree decorator...

...and un-decorator.

"Is this comfortable for you, Car Car?"

Watching Annie, of course.

GOOF.BALL.

"Uncle Cooooo"

Yelling "Baby!" and bursting into the nursery when Parker wakes.

 

Grammy (i.e.: your all-time favorite person in the world)

Those boots!  I die.

 

Lighting ceremony on the avenue-- our oldest tradition.

Dirty feet.  Dirty, dirty, diiiiiiiirty.

 

Boo!

"Hi Belly." and "Bye Belly"

Daddy has been the one working with you on potty training.  You two have the cutest potty conversations.

"Ny-ny Car Car"

 

Re-purposing the Bumbo.

Christmas chain!  Another Russo tradition.