Band-aid

Conversation with Jonathan after his nap today

Jonathan: Mom, I need a band-aid.

Me: Why, did you hurt yourself?

Jonathan: No, I just got a bruise.

Me: Where?

Jonathan: Just my leg.

Me: How did you get it? Did you fall down?

Jonathan: No, you just spanked me! I just need a Spiderman band-aid.

I did in fact spank him just before his nap today -- a quick swat on the bottom to get him to listen...some 3 hours earlier. Of course there's no real bruise or need for a band-aid, but you gotta love the kid for trying!

Sleepyhead

For some reason this is how Jonathan has been sleeping this week...

I don't know if it's because Clara slept on a mattress on his floor while my parents were visiting, but every time I go to tuck him into bed, he insists on the floor instead! I suppose I should just be thankful he's still sleeping!

Rearview

I love looking in the rear view mirror of my van now. Well, initially I became obsessed with it because of how quiet Matthew is. I am constantly afraid I'm going to forget him some place. There's no way I could possibly leave Clara or Jonathan somewhere without noticing right away, it would be way too quiet! But Matthew scarcely makes a sound unless he's hungry, so I find myself constantly looking in the rear view mirror just to be sure he's still with us.

But now, I love looking back there and seeing the full back seat - Clara, Jonathan and Matthew. It helps me to reflect on how lucky and blessed I am...that Chris and I were on the same page about how many kids would make our family complete, that the Lord saw fit to bless us with 3 beautiful, healthy children and that I get to be home with them and share in every part of their day. I look forward to watching them grow into themselves, and hope they'll always want to have me along for the ride!

Date with Daddy

Last Friday I surprised the kids with a date with Daddy. The base/ship set up the day for Video Teleconferencing (VTC), and the kids and I signed up for a slot. We originally were going to skip it, because they were only allowing 10 minutes slots. Chris and I agreed that to get the 3 kids ready to and to the place where the VTC was to take place, all for just 10 minutes of face time wasn't quite worth it. Then, the night before, I received a call from the CO's wife letting me know that there were still slots open, and since not many people had signed up, and since we had a new baby, they would allow me a longer time slot. So we jumped at the chance, but since it was a last minute thing, I didn't want to let the kids know what we were doing in case it fell through. So the kids found out just seconds before Chris walked into the TV screen that we were going to chat with him. They were soooo excited!

It was hard to keep them in their seats. They kept wanting to touch the TV, but then Chris couldn't see them since the camera was right on top of the TV.

Chris got to see Matthew for the first time in 'real time' and this is how we saw him. We had 20 minutes with him and it was great to see him and speak with him. However, it left me sad. The kids were so excited to see him on the TV, and they were so happy and hyper that Chris couldn't help but laugh at them through most of those 20 minutes. It was heartbreaking for me to see the smiles on every one's faces and know how much everyone just wanted to be together...especially to know Chris had to walk away from that alone, while the kids and I still have each other for comfort and company. I often think Chris has the harder part of the deal - to be away from his family and miss all the day-to-day stuff.

On the bright side -- only about a month left at most until we are all together, for the first time, a family of five!

I Love Daddy

Visit with Grandma and Grandpa

I am so far behind with my blogging, and the sad part is that it's not like I have a lot of pics of the past few weeks to chronicle Matthew's first weeks of life. Since my parents left and with Chris still gone, I have scarcely had time for much more than the necessities, and when I do get a moment, I choose to use it to do absolutely nothing. As a result, the blog is just the least of the things that has suffered (you should see the mess the house is in!) Perhaps, the person who has suffered the most is Chris. He's been understanding, but today, finally broke down and asked for more pics of Matthew. I feel bad that I have not kept him more posted on Matthew and the rest of us here at home...so here's to catching up!

Jonathan LOVES to hold Matthew. He asks to do it all the time, and gets really upset when the answer is 'no'. I try to let the kids hold Matthew as much as they like, but sometimes I just can't sit with them to watch over them, or it's just not a good time for Matthew. Jonathan doesn't understand these things so much.

Grandma Yonka's Birthday

My mother celebrated her birthday while they were visiting. It was actually supposed to be the day Matthew was born as well, but as you all know he had other plans...I guess he didn't want to share his special day! Anyway, when Clara learned of Grandma's birthday she insisted we make a cake. She knew Grandma's favorite color is green, so she also insisted the cake have green frosting with green sprinkles. I suggested in that case, we make the cake look like a watermelon, and Clara was all for that. So on Grandma's birthday, the kids and I made her a watermelon cake.

Clara and the cake

Grandma Yonka didn't even have to ask for help blowing out her candles, the kids just joined in. (Of course Jonathan had spent most of the day insisting that it was everyone's birthday!)

We even added food coloring to the cake batter to make it pink, and Clara also suggested chocolate chips for seeds, but they all fell to the bottom while cooking, so you can't really see them in this pic.

First Bath

Matthew's belly button fell off the night of August 24th. So on the 25th he got his first bath. My parents went to Yosemite that day, so Clara got to take the pics to document this first milestone!

Apparently when I concentrate on trying not to drown my child, I make a horrible face, like I'm disgusted. For the record, I was not at all disgusted, but apparently making the face works, since Matthew made it through his first bath unscathed :)

He was slipping around so much, that I flipped him around upside down in his bathtub. He didn't much like his first bath. We have since resorted to just bathing him in the bathroom sink, but he still doesn't much care for baths!

Warming up in his Jammies after his first bath.

Family Pictures

The day my parents were set to leave, we realized we hadn't taken many pictures during their visit, and absolutely none of my dad with the kids, so we went out to the front yard for an impromptu photo session.

Grandma Yonka, Matthew, Clara, and Jonathan

Grandma Yonka, Matthew, Clara, Jonathan, Grandpa Michael

Grandma Yonka, Matthew, Grandpa Michael

Grandma Yonka, Grandpa Michael, Matthew, Clara, Me, Jonathan

Grandpa Michael and Matthew

So that's pretty much the condensed version of our visit with Grandma Yonka and Grandpa Michael. They had a good stay and even took the opportunity to see some of California.

2 Weeks

I just realized in all the commotion, I forgot to post Matthew's stats from his 2 week well child visit on Friday. He's a great eater, so it's no wonder that he's already growing big! As of Friday he was 6lbs 7 oz, and still just 18.5 in long. His head circumference was 13 in.

He's really a good baby. Luckily, I was blessed with yet another sleeper. Most nights he sleeps in at least 4 hour stretches, but I've had a couple 5 or 6 hour stretches already too. He's a pro at nursing. I was worried that it might be difficult for him as it was for Clara (and for many other tiny babies), but we've had no problems at all.

He's still so new that he scarcely does much more than eat and sleep. He doesn't cry unless he's hungry or cold. He loves to be bundled up and warm and most of all, to be held. Luckily, he'll still let me put him down to get things done though.

Clara and Jonathan have adjusted well to their new baby brother. Of course it helps that he's not a demanding baby. Though I think there are times Clara is ready to just ship Jonathan off and go back to having just one brother, one who's not quite old enough to torment her yet! Jonathan has really assumed the role of big brother. If Matthew cries and I can't get to him right away, you can count on Jonathan to be by his side, talking to him and loving on him, letting him know, "Don't worry, Mommy's coming."

A neighbor asked Jonathan the other day where she could get a baby like Matthew, to which Jonathan's response was, "Umm, my mommy's doctor." Clara has since informed him that the baby came out of my belly though.

Jonathan has the most difficult time understanding that he can't feed Matthew. He got really upset with me one day when I told him I had to do it, so I said, "OK, then get out your boobies and you can do it." He folded his arms across his chest and insisted his boobies were out. Chris may have to do a little damage control now when he gets home, because Jonathan still insists he has boobies. Just ask him where they are, he'll fold his arms across his chest and pat his elbows and say, "Right here".

Clara, on the other hand, has been more preoccupied lately with how the baby got in my belly in the first place. Apparently she must have asked Chris at some point and he explained that the dad has the seed and the mom has the egg, but he didn't explain much more. Apparently, somewhere in his explanation he must have also encouraged her to ask me these questions and told her he'll explain more when she turns 10...she told me today that she didn't want to wait that long. The fun part is that Chris didn't even let me know that their conversation had taken place, so now I'm fielding these questions and trying to figure out a delicate way to explain the truth to a 5 year old. So far she knows God is responsible for putting the 'seed' and the 'egg' in the daddy and mommy, and that's why it takes both a mommy and daddy to make a baby. She asked how the seed gets into the mommy's belly with the egg, which I kinda side stepped by adding that love and marriage are also necessary and never fully answered. I know it's just a matter of time before she realizes that and asks again, so if anyone has a suggestion on how to answer, let me know. I don't want to lie to her, but I'm not sure I'm ready to have 'the talk' with my 5 yr old. At the same time, it's best that she learns proper information from me and that I keep this line of communication open so that when the time IS right, she'll still feel comfortable coming to me.