Super cute at 8 months!

My goodness how time is FLYING by! Days are chock full of the mundane tasks that keep children fed and clothed, and a house running. And in it all Axel is becoming more independent and demanding and Kenna is developing more personality and changing in ways I probably fail to even notice, until "all of a sudden" she's sitting up without any real worry of falling over and even doing her version of crawling (think army belly crawl).

Kenna is truly a joy. She is happy and easy going. So laid back, even when she gets knocked around by Axel she keeps on being her cool self. She is absolutely smitten with Axel. He can snatch toys from her, accidentally knock her over, point to (poke) her eye and she just swoons and grins. He can do no wrong. She laughs with a bit of effort and smiles easily. She makes happy babbling sounds. The only time she is less than a joy is when she needs a nap or food.

She is really into eating these days. Food- not so much nursing. She'll nurse, but she's so easily distracted that sometimes things get cut short so she can "get in the action" and not miss out on the fun her brother is having. If she sees us eating she wants in. She has more of a sweet tooth, preferring fruits or even peas and sweet potatoes over more savory foods like green beans and avocado. She loves yogurt, and really enjoys feeding herself with the mesh feeder and also teething crackers. As soon as she sees the cracker package she starts turning her hands (like she's turning knobs) and that tongue sticks out, tucks her lips in and fusses excitedly. You can just hear her thoughts: "YES!! Give me THAT!!" She also loves Cheerios. She'll drink breastmilk from a sippy cup and grabs at the spoon when I feed her ("FASTER!").

She continues to be a good sleeper (the second part of the happy baby equation: eat + sleep = happy). She typically wakes around 8 am, has a morning nap around 10 for an hour and half, an afternoon nap around 2 pm for about an hour and a half- sometimes 2 hours and most evenings she needs a third cat nap 45 mins to an hour around 5:30, which even though it's so close to her 8 pm bed time is still "so far away" that she wouldn't last til then and she goes right to sleep at 8 and sleeps through the night, so we'll go with it :)

She's on the move. She's been a roller for a few months, like not just rolling front to back, etc, but rolling across the room. And now she's added this inch-worm/belly crawl and is full on mobile. She sees something several feet away and goes. The gas logs at Gramma's is super tempting and apparently calls her name b/c I have to keep chasing her away from it. Axel thinks it's funny to grab her foot and pull her back- and it kinda is, except that it kinda frustrates her :)

Kenna is not on the same growth trend as her brother, but she's a bit tall for her age. She's pretty lean. She's got CHEEKS, but she's not rolly polly. She's in sz 4 diapers and mostly size 12 month clothes. The doctor was pleased with her growth, etc at her 6 month check up, so we're thankful she's growing on her own trend and continues to be healthy and happy.

Kenna's Stats:
6 Months
Height: 27.3 inches
Weight: 16lbs 2.5 oz

8 Months
Height: 28 inches
Weight: 17.6 lbs

Axel's Stats:

6 Months:
Height: 27 inches, 68%
Weight: 19 lbs 11oz, 86% 

8 months
Height: 29.5 inches
Weight: 21+ lbs

Also- she met Santa and was NOT impressed. She didn't have the violent revolting reaction Axel has, but she was happy to be back in my arms :)

Kenna is 4 months old!

Kenna turned 4 months old on Saturday. We had her check up this week. Doctor says everything looks/sounds good, she's healthy and "solid" and he is pushing for us to have a third baby since we're doing so well with these 2?!?! Sounds like job security to me.

Kenna continues to be a great baby (she is trying to lull us into a third child as well I think... wouldn't count on it baby girl). She's mellow and happy, smiles with ease, giggles, screeches with delight- even when Axel dumps water on her head in the tub she wiggles and laughs- another water baby! She's still eating and sleeping well- 11-12 hours at night and 3-4 naps during the day (2 long, the others short). She supports her head well, pushes up on her forearms when she's on her belly, rolls from belly to back and has even rolled back to belly a couple times. She lifts her feet up when she's on her back. She reaches for toys and puts them in her mouth. She is super drooly!

Kenna loves her bother. Most of the time he is in his own world of cars and trains, but she loves watching him and occasionally he'll play peekaboo or pat-a-cake with her and she grins and laughs. She wakes up SUPER happy. All smiles and giggles- ready to go! Only really fusses when I'm slow in getting her fed.

She's moving into size 4 diapers and 9-12 month clothes. Growing fast and getting so big. It's hard to imagine that a year from now she'll likely be running around getting into trouble with her brother. It goes by way too fast!

Kenna's stats:
height: 26 inches, 96%
weight: 15 lbs 1.5 oz, 68%

Axel @ 4 months

Height: 28 inches, 100%
Weight: 17 lbs 12 oz, 88%
Side by side: Kenna/Axel @ 4 months...

Axel is talking more- though not always understandably. He follows some commands (get your cup/ball/etc) and understands a lot. You can tell he is trying to communicate- he looks me in the eye and says the same thing over and over, but if I don't "get it" he gets very frustrated... totally understandable! He's starting to sing- it's stinking adorable- and he knows it! Video of Axel "singing" pat-a-cake. Axel runs super fast and still loves jumping and splashing. He'll be 2 next month- HOW?!

2nd Child...

Someday when Kenna reads this I hope she doesn't get hung up on the fact that I didn't write a month one update... dear, sweet second child of mine, you are not second rate :)

Double the kids = double the diapers to change and mouths to feed, but it also means double the faces to kiss, bellies to raz and smiles to smile :) In short, double the blessings. Where blessings abound time is short. Like has been said before: the days are long, but the years are short. Every day is so full, but all of a sudden my baby is TWO months old?!

Kenna is a good eater and a great sleeper. Tremendously welcome qualities in any baby, but especially a second child :) Initially I had to wake her to eat both day and night every 3 hours (this helps establish my milk supply). By week 2 I let her sleep as long as she would at night (typically 4 hours), but still woke her every 3 hours during the day to keep her days/nights straight. By 4 weeks she was regularly sleeping about 5 hours at night before needing to eat again. She would have an occasional 6-7 hour night. Starting on Mother's Day she slept 9 hours through the night... and she's repeated this performance several times since then, even going over 10 hours a couple nights- YAY!!

Kenna had her 2 month check up today. All looks well- growing as she should, meeting her milestones, etc. She got her vaccines- took them like a champ with a big cry, but calmed down quickly. (meanwhile Axel was wailing and whining to get out of the stroller!) We ran an errand, came home, she ate and took a nap, then woke up with a great big cry. She was inconsolable. I gave her some tylenol, nursed her, held her, patted her. She finally calmed down and slept on my chest face down. She eventually transferred to the swing. It probably doesn't help that she hasn't had a bm in 2 days- sorry- tmi :)

She typically has a very mellow demeanor. She hates having the hiccups and prefers to be held upright as opposed to cradled. She holds her head up well- though tummy time is not a fav. She smiled within her first couple weeks, but hasn't been as easy a smiler as Axel was until more recently. She's just starting to coo and smiles whenever she sees Axel, who wants to always give her kisses and shake her hand saying his version of "how do you do"  Yes, it's as cute as it sounds :) We're working on being gentle, but he hasn't shown any signs of jealousy, etc, so he's being a sweet big brother even bouncing and quietly makes a comforting "shh, shh, shh" when she cries- even if he hears her through the monitor and she can't hear him.

As you can see, she's proving bald is beautiful, for now :)
Kenna's Stats:
birth
height: 21 inches
weight: 8lb 5oz

1 month
height: 22 inches
weight: 11lbs

2 months
height: 24 inches (97%)
weight: 12lbs 7oz (75%)
Already wearing size 6 month clothes... similar trend as Axel.
Axel @ 2 months:
Height: 25.5 inches (95%)
Weight: 14.8 lbs (94%)

As for Axel he cannot get enough water... he has taken advantage of my distraction by being elbow deep in the toilet about 5 times in recent weeks. Disgusting, way to go super mom. He's always really ticked when I tell him "no" and make him stop. Sigh. He also enjoys walking and jumping on the sofa while I'm nursing Kenna as he knows I'm less likely to get up and take care of that... But he is also loving playing with water outside in the pool, pouring water from one cup into another, or carrying a cup around the yard and watering plants and chairs and people... loves splashing and loves most of all to entertain and make us laugh by dumping cups of water over his own head :) Getting him to take a bath is not a problem, ever.

He's a crazy good jumper. He jumps in his crib where he gets a good bounce (But has yet to try to climb out- fingers crossed!!) he also jumps on carpet, vinyl, concrete, grass, puddles... basically any surface- he loves jumping. He loves playing with cars and trains, and balls- he'll both roll and throw each of these items, appropriate or not :)

He's talking more and understands probably more than I give him credit for. He has "his words" for things like any drink or cup is "meh" all cereal & crackers are "oh-woah" and berries and raisins are "beebeeps"... and of course banana is "nana or nanana" He calls Kenna "Nenna" He says no, mama, dada, papa, mimi, baby, car, ball. When he sees or hears a dog he barks/growls. When he sees/hears an airplane he points and says something that tries to be airplane, and recognizes birds singing or flying and says "birdie" There's likely more.

He has an ear/appreciation for music and will run from the kitchen if he hears a song on TV that he likes. He's getting his molars now- they've been creeping through the gums for a couples weeks now, but he's not so bad. He still eats well- though he is more opinionated. He's still a great sleeper- putting in a good 11 hours at night and 2+ at nap time. He typically goes down easily- plays hard and sleeps hard.
In short he's a mess, he's full of energy, runs wide open and I love him!

Axel is over 30lbs and nearly 3ft tall... big boy as usual :)

1 year old!

Just a couple weeks behind on this post- this one year old keeps me BUSY! We celebrated Axel's birthday in the backyard with family and friends, hot dogs and cake- and mustaches! It was a warm day, so we opened gifts inside. It was a great time celebrating his sweet little life.

  Axel started taking a step or two at a time shortly before his birthday, nowadays he's getting brave and seems to walk whenever he gets the chance. Crawling is still his most efficient mode of movement, he's a little wobbly (Frankenstein-ish) when walking, but he's pretty proud of himself! (VIDEO)

  The week before his birthday Axel caught Hand Foot Mouth Disease. He was tired and cranky, but didn't seem overly bothered by the sores on his feet and hands. He was feeling better after a few days, but he's still healing up from the sores. This was really the only illness he's had, maybe one little cold when he was smaller, but we've been blessed with a healthy baby who eats well and sleeps like a champ! How dare I complain about anything?!

  Axel has switched to whole milk. I had intended to nurse him until it was no longer "easy" or if it seemed to stop being the best thing for us. After he bit me one evening while nursing and made me bleed, I decided it was no longer best for us! He had a few tough days where he fought the transition, but he's fine now and drinks his milk from a cup fine.

  Axel has teeth! He had the two center bottom teeth pop thru at the last week of July and first week of August... which is how he was able to draw blood when he bit me. He is a bear of a teether, the trick seems to be keeping him medicated.

  Axel started playing peekaboo- covering his face and pulling it down. He'll even hide his face behind furniture, etc and then pop out (VIDEO). He's pretty proud of himself, and we're thoroughly amused. We spent a few days at the beach with my parents in August. Axel loved the pool, loved splashing and crawling around... but HATED the beach itself. Cried when he was on the sand, cried in the water... no love for the ocean.

  Axel is still defiant. It is quite a struggle to shepherd his stubborn heart. He can be sweet and funny and good, which makes it that much more frustrating when he chooses to do things for negative attention. This too shall pass...

Axel's Stats: according to the doctor a little less than last month...
Height: 31.75 inches
Weight: 23 lbs 11oz

So ends the month to month updates for Axel. The first year is filled with SO many changes, challenges and triumphs, I wanted to document them all. But do not fear... I'll be starting a new chapter for a new sweet little life in spring 2015 :)

Baby Lake #2

Due Mid March 2015

11 months old

  It seems like every month goes by faster than the one before- is it because it's summer now, or is the world just spinning faster? Axel is weeks away from being ONE... HOW did this happen?!?! He is fully mobile with his wacky crawl (VIDEO). He continues to pull up and stand without holding onto anything (VIDEO). Sometimes he even manages to just push himself to standing from sitting on the floor- walking is very close! He'll hold my hands and take steps, but will plop to sitting once I let go and try to coax a step out of him.

  Axel has about 101 faces- such an expressive face! So much personality- people remark over him everywhere we go. He has his standard blank face, his "cute baby" grin with the head cocked to the side, his "I might cry" grimace, his little pout face, his full-on cry face, his stern scowl (typically when meeting someone for the first time), his ridiculous "O!" face, his sunny scrunchy smile face, his belly laugh face... on and on the list could go-- each face adorable in their own right.

  Axel is a strong willed little booger. He is ever more intolerant of being told "No." Even without a gentle hand smack for repeat offenses (pulling on electric cords, picking up shoes, and myriad host of other things he's been told "No." about before) he will cry like he's been beaten and told he can never have any fun again. World-crushing weeping and screeching. I'll have to get a video... for memory's sake. He knows he shouldn't do these things. He will crawl over to a shoe, sit next to it, look at me and pick it up (I swear with a smirk on his face!) and usually he won't put it down until I come take it from him and smack his hand... sometimes he'll pick it up again and I'll have to remove him from the area and hide the shoe.  Defiant booger. He has plenty of toys, but these forbidden objects are too enticing.

  Axel continues to be a good eater. Lately he's been eating like a starving man, cannot get food into his mouth fast enough or in large enough quantities. The only thing he doesn't seem to like is kiwi, and neither of us like it, so that's no loss. He loves savory and sweet- he'll scarf down cottage cheese, raspberries, raw peppers, tiny chunks of chicken/meat, green beans, okra, squash, peaches, berries... he eats it all with abandon. Perhaps it's a growth spurt, he seems taller, and he is an inch taller than last month! Maybe it's just the way he carries himself that makes him seem bigger.

  In the weeks ahead I'll be weaning him off breastmilk/nursing for the most part and transition him to cows milk. So far this isn't easy, he really seems to derive a lot of comfort from nursing, so we may have to start letting him have a paci at what would have been nursing times. Tricky business :) He has transition to mostly table/finger food and enjoys feeding himself. He also continues to be a good sleeper/napper, so that makes everyone happy :)

  Axel remains toothless and word-free- though obviously he understands words. He happily plays on his own, but loves to crawl on Kellen and be read to and sing songs, be tickled, etc. We hang out in the pool in the backyard periodically and he enjoys splashing and watching the trees and birds. He still starts quite easily. Just today Kellen sneezed loudly in the kitchen and Axel nearly jumped out of his skin and cried.

Axel's Stats:

Height: 32 inches

Weight: 24 lbs

10 months old

"Who took the time?!" Ben and his family were here just last week for a visit and as their time here was drawing to a close Halle said those words :) And now I'm saying them because seriously- 10 months already?! We had such a big time with Ben, Rhonda, Halle and Ezra during their visit. Lots of fun cousin time! Axel loved watching all of them playing- and pulling their hair- oops. He's got busy hands that love to grab and doesn't yet understand how his hands can hurt. Thankfully his cousins were gracious and forgiving :)

Axel started crawling 2 weeks ago. He started with bear crawling VIDEO, and seems to me mostly knees now. And man is he motoring! Crawling everywhere and pulling up to stand any chance he gets. He likes to practice standing too. He is SO proud of himself when he's standing there balancing himself. Then he'll start to fall and he laughs. And he'll do it all over again- making a game of it. He even plays fetch with himself. VIDEO

He's got a lot of personality and opinions. He knows what he likes and is not afraid to let you know when you've made him happy, or mad. VIDEO He babbles and squeals and makes all sorts of noises, but still no first word yet. and no teeth yet either :) VIDEO

He's as happy and as easy going as ever, but loves more interaction these days. He'll happily play on his own, and then crawl over for some bouncing and the stand/fall game, then go play on his own again. He's into everything- which is ok for the most part (yay baby proofing), but every once in a while he'll get his hands on something he shouldn't play with (an old laundry detergent bottle, a shoe or a remote) and when we take it he throws a bit of a fit, but recovers quickly with some diversion.

He's sleeping well through the night- just a couple nights of tough love letting him cry it out a month ago and he's been right back into a regular sleep schedule (hooray!). He takes a couple good naps during the day at regular times, too. He goes to sleep easily and typically wakes up happy.

Axel's Stats:
Height: 31 inches
Weight: 24 lbs

9 months old!?

9 months in, 9 months out

 How are we at 9 months already?? It took 9 months for Axel to ripen for the outside world, and now he's been "out" as long as he was "in." He still brings us such tremendous joy. Such a good and happy baby, most days. He shows little sign that he may be teething, some fussing, grabbing at his mouth, but Tylenol seems to help.

  He has apparently learned what "no" means, and he is not a fan. He started biting me when I nurse him and I'll tell him "no" and unlatch him and his lip shoots out in a pout and he cries, then he'll look me in the eye and do it again! I say "no" and again he cries... kinda bratty, right? He has also started pulling up a bit. He was doing it in the tub the other night and I told him "No, Axel, you might fall and get hurt." He sat down and cried... and repeat, at least 2-3 times. He has fallen in the tub after pulling up, so it's not idle warnings; he didn't really get hurt, but his face got wet and he was quite displeased.

  Axel still nurses 5-6 times a day and gets solids breakfast, lunch & dinner. He has a voracious appetite (apple/tree anyone??) and eats pretty much anything we put in his mouth or mesh feeder. He loves fruit. No teeth yet, but he gums small chunks of food well. He drinks well from a sippy cup, though he much prefers watered down juice to plain water, sweet tooth?

   He is SO close to crawling! He gets himself up on his knees and hands and then rocks. He gets lazy though and lets his belly fall to the floor and sometimes puts his head down. He pulls up occasionally, not for long and doesn't seem to be making the move to walking anytime soon, but it was still surprising to see him do it the first time.

  He had his second haircut a few weeks back. Just trimmed the curls off the sides around his ears; he was looking a little sloppy. I left the curls on top alone- he still rocks them. He is all curls and cheeks- everywhere we go I hear about them from strangers :)

  His sleep isn't what it once was. For a couple weeks he's been waking up by 6:30, then this past week he's added at least one midnight wake/feeding. Hoping this is a growth spurt/phase because I miss 8 hours of continuous sleep :( His nap schedule is still pretty steady, but those nights... according to the doctor he doesn't need to eat, so it's likely just a behavioral thing, so we can let him cry it out. I hate that that may be the only solution, but obviously going in and feeding him 2 times a night isn't something he needs in order to grow, etc and it makes for one tired mama, so we've got to cut that out.

  We've been enjoying the warm weather. He loves splashing in the pool, hanging out on a blanket with some toys watching the trees and birds.

Axel's Stats:

Height:  30.5 inches (99%)
Weight:  21 lbs 12.5 oz (83%)
Size 5 diapers, 18-24 month clothes (12-18 mo fits him best in pants... short legs on that guy!)

In other news, Kellen took a new position as Assistant Principal of Leadership at The NCLA (where he's been teaching). It's been a busy and challenging position so far- much to do and only so many hours in the day. He enjoys the variety and that there is never a dull moment, but would appreciate prayers to be able to do his job well, to the glory of God.