The Best Big Sister

Life with two is pretty great these days.

(Well, aside from the no sleep part. That could stand to improve.)

In all other ways, I'm having the best time watching Tory and Aden develop a sibling love only they share; one I hope remains with them for a lifetime.

The first few weeks with a toddler and newborn baby were hard. Really hard. Not long ago, I felt frustrated and tired and wondered when things would finally calm down between them (namely; Tory --> Aden). Tory was constantly squeezing Aden, and I was always reminding her to be gentle, leave him alone while he ate and be quiet while he slept.

Fast forward four months and man, things are pretty terrific. Tory is such wonderful big sister. Most days, I couldn't be more proud of her. Yesterday, for example, I was busy with something in the kitchen and Aden was fussing from his swing. He was tired and I'd been called to his side approximately one gazillion times re-plugging his pacifier into his mouth. On this particular outcry, Tory went to Aden, gently placed his pacifier in his mouth and Aden was asleep seconds later. "I put Aden to sleep!" Tory said with so much pride. Yes, kiddo. You sure did. (Either that, or he finally tuckered out.)

When we're all in public together, Tory professes to people that "this is my Aden." She loves her brother with all her heart and can't wait to show him off to everyone. I suspect one day she'll ask to bring him to show-and-tell at school.

She's always sharing her toys with him.

When Aden awakes from a nap and Tory hears him cry, she'll say "Mommy, Aden needs you! Go get him!" She can't bare to let him fuss for even a minute.

We're entering a time where I can leave the two of them alone together and not worry about Tory harming Aden. It's awesome to run and change a load of laundry or prepare dinner knowing they're both doing their thing (her playing with toys; him bouncing in a baby gadget) with no harm, no foul.

He lights up with glee the moment he sees her in the morning.

And, she's his biggest "tummy time" cheerleader. ("You're doing it, buddy! You're doing it! You're doing it!" said while gritting her teeth together the entire time.)

For the first time ever the other day, I overheard Tory singing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star ... to Aden, of all people. I'd never heard her sing a song or lullaby before and there she was standing over him singing in the sweetest voice. 

I'm not sure what it'll be like someday when he's pulling her hair or snapping the heads off her Barbie dolls, but right now watching these siblings grow an affinity for one another is pretty awesome.

Differences the Second Time Around

I've worried about Aden feeling like the "second child" since before he was born. I don't know why it's such a concern of mine considering I, myself, am a first born and Aden isn't even old enough to realize and/or care if he's being slighted as second in birth order. I do worry about it though. I'm crazy, I know. I probably need to get a life outside of being a mom. I want Aden to look back on his childhood and remember how Andi and I always kept things fair and equal for him and Tory; that all his big and little milestones were just as important to document and swoon over as Tory's were.

I give myself a pat on the back for documenting the details of Aden's first year (so far). Part of it is attributed to my nature (to blog; to keep record of things). I'm current in Aden's baby book, his Places I've Been Book and I take photographs of him every single week. Of course, there's his weekly photo with the zebra so we can see how much he's grown. Andi's the better photographer between the two of us and he took all of Tory's zebra photos, so Aden's might not be the best quality but dang it, he has a photo each day he turns a week older!

24 weeks old yesterday

As a mom to two kids, there are differences the second time around. I suppose this is the advantage /or disadvantage of being Child #2. Take, for instance, how it dawned on me the other day to read to Aden. I ran across a stack of Tory's favorite board books and thought, "hey, I wonder if Aden would like these?" And, he did. I spent hours lying on Tory's bedroom floor reading books to her when she was Aden's age and for some reason, it never occurred to me Aden might like to do the same thing. I blame it on life being busier, I guess. It seems like we're always on the go. Anyway, I try to make it a point to read to Aden every day now.

While I may not have the time to read to Aden for hours on end, he has the benefit of being exposed to music and social situations infant Tory was not. Aden gets toted along to all of Tory's events and activities, like attending music class at only a few weeks old. I signed Aden up for swimming lessons next month and I almost reconsidered when I saw the total cost of having two kids in lessons this summer. But, no! He shall not get the shaft as second child! We started Tory in swimming class at 6 months of age and I want Aden to have the same opportunity. (Plus, it just makes good sense considering we have a lake cabin ... even if it is astronomically expensive).

Though, being carted along to so many extracurriculars means Aden is sick far more than Tory ever was as a baby. Sigh. No avoiding germs with an older sibling in the mix.

Another point - I'm constantly reminding myself not to wish away Aden's babyhood. I love every baby stage for what it is, but now that I know what milestone is on the horizon, I seem to be in a rush to get there. Aden is starting to sit up unassisted and in my head I'm like oh, finally! I imagine him crawling around in the grass at the cabin this summer and daydreaming about the day he's big enough to play toys with Tory. What I really need to say to myself is slow down, mind! Quit rushing away the moment Aden is in today.

One milestone I'm not rushing into is baby food. This is the complete opposite of when Tory was Aden's age. Baby food is just ... so much work. Meal times are already a stressful part of my day and I'm not looking forward to adding one more mouth to feed (and person to clean up after) to the mix. I remember making all of Tory's first purees from organic fruits and vegetables and this time ... no way / nope / not happening. For me, making my own baby food purees was more work than it was worth. Aden shall have the best jarred baby food they offer!

I'm more lax about formula, too. I keep a 2oz. bottle of ready-mixed formula in my diaper bag for emergencies / last-minute childcare, etc. I would've never fed Tory formula when nursing was an option, but these days it's just easier sometimes. For instance, when you're in the middle of Target with a hungry infant, a wiggly toddler and a cart full of groceries. Easier. (Btw, have you seen those little pre-mixed bottles? I'm not sure if they're a new thing or new to me, but they're so smart and convenient.) The new mom I was two-years-ago is shocked by how differently I feel about feeding my second baby today.

I stuck to a rigid schedule with Tory. She slept from this time to that time and ate meals precisely at X time on the dot. I used to stress - hard - when I'd visit family in Nebraska and people were noisy in the house after 7:00pm. Tory is sleeping everyone! Don't you have any respect for my child?! With Aden, I'm much more flexible ... with everything. Yes, we have a basic pattern to each day, but naps are often interrupted by errands or plans or people and sometimes naps even happen in the car. I just don't get as worked up about the little details of our days the way I used to.

Speaking of sleeping (through the night, specifically) ... my little boy stinks at it, and failing to teach our child to self soothe is one mistake I won't be repeating. Aden's been pretty sick this week so I've catered to his every whimper, but soon I'll be implementing some tough love.

This is so ridiculous, but I always feel bad for Aden when Tory gets a gift from someone and Aden doesn't. It happened a few times around Easter. Now, I know Aden doesn't know the difference and at 5 months old, he could really care less ... but it hurts my heart a little bit. I find myself compensating for his second child-ness by overbuying clothes for him. It's a bit of an obsession, actually. I feel like Tory had SO. MANY. CLOTHES. when she was Aden's age because she received boatloads of gifts from baby showers, etc. Aden didn't have the same experience, so when I'm in the store I can't help but buy something new for him. I worry he doesn't have enough clothes to wear, then later I realize ... whoa, little dude's dresser drawers are plum full. Just this week, I found a whole stack of 9 month clothes I'd bought a few months ago and stashed away for summer.

Having two kids is such a trip. So many of life's experiences I want them to share and some I'm choosing to do differently with a second chance.

Weekend Recap: Spring Has Sprung, First Boat Rides, Demolition

Here I sit on Monday evening, editing photos and reflecting back to our awesome weekend at the lake cabin. I'm sure everyone in the world is tired of me uttering those words week after week, but I can't help myself. We love our lake paradise so much.

This was the sunset over the lake Friday night. Andi and I were in the midst of bedtime routines for Tory and Aden when we both glanced out the window and seriously stopped in our tracks. The sky was painted in vibrant shades of blue, white, orange, pink and purple. As fast as Andi could grab his camera and run outside to snap a photograph, the purplish sunset had changed. He missed the sight we saw, but this photo is pretty remarkable nonetheless. 

Saturday and Sunday were a good mix of time outdoors (finally!) and spring cleaning / demolition around the cabin. This upcoming week, we're having a patio and outdoor firepit built, new stained concrete floor added to the middle level and granite counter tops installed in the kitchen and bar areas. Andi completed various demo jobs to get the floors and counters ready and of course, "helper" Tory wasn't far behind ... with purple princess wand in hand.

These construction projects are the first of many ideas Andi and I have to make the cabin "ours." There's even more we'd like to do, but we're planning to wait until off-season so we can truly enjoy the warm summer months without construction getting in the way of our play time.

In other news, the ice is off the lake! There's still a few small patches of snow on the ground next to shaded buildings and ditches, but with temperatures in the mid-50's and rain most of last week, I think it's safe to say spring has sprung. Andi put our dock in the water Saturday afternoon, then took Tory for an inaugural boat ride around the lake. Our pontoon boat is still in storage, so they went for a cruise in our new green canoe. Tory Bean was in heaven. She loved every second of the adventure and waved excitedly to Aden and I standing on shore. On Sunday, all four of us (five, if you count Chloe the dog) took the canoe out for a spin around the lake. I didn't capture any photos of Aden's maiden voyage though, so let's pretend his first official ride of the year takes place on our next visit to the lake.

Dad and Tory on a canoe ride

  

We spent the rest of the weekend going for Ranger ATV "truck rides" through the wooded trails, taking nature walks down the cabin road, blowing bubbles in the back yard, collecting pine cones, chatting with fair-weather cabin neighbors we haven't seen in months and having dinner with our friends Josh, Krista and their two little girls Hannah and Kate.

Spotted some deer tracks during our nature hike

Aden's first "truck ride" and he fell asleep in his car seat!

Tory and her best cabin friend Hannah
Tory insists on wearing a full face-mask and goggles, by the way

Sometime Saturday, Aden came down with a cold/fever which was the only bummer part of the weekend. I was up most of Saturday night with a sick baby, so Andi and Tory treated me to a homemade breakfast Sunday morning. We all enjoyed French toast, fruit, hash browns and coffee together.

It really was a (near) perfect weekend at the lake ... and oh my, is it good for the soul to finally feel the warmth of spring!

Fun Fridays: Farm Babies at the Minnesota Zoo

My friend Lindsey and I threw together a list of toddler-friendly things to do around the Twin Cities and plotted them on our calendars twice a month. We call them "Fun Fridays" with the intention they'll give us an excuse to get together and be less stressful than hauling our kids to one more scheduled class or activity. So far, we've met at the Hopkins Library (which is one of my favorites around the Twin Cities because it has a decent kids play area within a semi-enclosed space) and a week ago Friday, we ventured to the Minnesota Zoo's Farm Babies exhibit. I finally had a chance to sit down and write about our day!

I've only been to the Minnesota Zoo twice in my seven years living in the Twin Cities, and both times were to see the Farm Babies. The Minnesota Zoo is quite the drive from my house and seems absurdly expensive in comparison to Como Zoo which is smaller, closer in proximity to me and FREE. Nonetheless, a day at the "big zoo" was something different to do. Plus, the kids got up-close-and-personal encounters with baby farm animals.

This particular Friday morning was the perfect spring day. The air was cool, but the sun shined brightly and it made all the difference for walking outdoors (especially while pushing a giant double stroller). I packed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the toddler girls and Lindsey and I planned to make a day out of our visit.

Impossibly difficult to get four kids to look at the camera at once.
This was the only one where Aden wasn't screaming.
Ashley (2 1/2 years), Taylor (10 months), Aden (5 months) and Tory (2 1/2 years)

Our kids love getting together just as much as Lindsey and I do. Tory and Ashley hugged tightly as soon as they saw one another (and Tory cried "I miss my Ashley!" all the back to our parked car on the way home). As soon as we paid the entrance fee, we booked it toward the Farm Babies. First up: the goats. Ashley (Lindsey's daughter) loved the kids (that is, the baby goats, as not to be confused with the real kids running crazily everywhere). Tory, on the other hand, wasn't a big fan and I was so surprised! She loves the donkeys we visit every weekend at the cabin. This cute black and white goat sure loved Tory though, and tried licking her hand. Girlfriend wanted nothing to do with him.

Next, we walked a few pens over to the pigs and piglets. These little guys were my favorite farm animals to see. Tory loved them, too, and was very interested in how/why the babies were eating from their mama's belly (aka: nipples). Oh, toddlers and their never-ending series of questions. I tried to (quietly) explain to Tory how baby pigs drink milk from their mama, similar to the way Aden eats. She was a bit confused.

 
We saw more cows/calves and horses/ponies which are less exciting in my book because they're already huge even at a few months of age. These barns were super crowded and Tory was quite overwhelmed, so we didn't stay long. It was nice outside these areas though for the kids to run around semi-freely. 

Before we knew it, it was lunchtime and the kids were famished. We stopped at a picnic shelter and fed the little girls lunch while Lindsey drove circles with Baby Taylor in the stroller trying to get her to fall asleep, and I shushed and attempted to nurse a screaming Aden. Ugh. Somewhere between the barns and the picnic shelter he lost his fool-mind, which he rarely does. Thank goodness Tory and Ashley were fairly well behaved and interested in eating their sandwiches once we got them set up at a picnic table.

These are the moments when being a mom to small children (and trying to do something nice, like taking them to the zoo for the day) are so exhausting. Is it worth it? I think so, but I always feel like I've been put through the ringer by the end. After a quick spin through the fish area, we decided to make our way toward the exit as it was apparent all of our children were nearing meltdowns. Car naps for everyone! A "fun" Friday activity for sure, but a tiring one. I'm looking forward to more trips to the "little zoo" this summer.

Teacher Gifts and A School Report

Teacher appreciation gifts - are those a thing? Pinterest says Yes, but I'm not sure if it's an over-ambitious mom thing or real life.

My own mother always says "do what you think is best" and I didn't want to show up to Tory's last day of toddler preschool without a gift for her teachers, so Tory and I whipped together these cute little cards yesterday. I added a $5 coffee shop gift card inside each one.

Thank you for helping me bloom

And bloom she has. 

My little Tory Bean has grown by leaps and bounds since the first day of toddler preschool last September. Gone are the days my girl cried until she had no more tears to give; today, Tory proudly strutted into her classroom, posted her name tag photograph on the bulletin board and ran full-steam-ahead into her classroom. She delivered her handmade cards to her teachers with great pride. This group of teachers and classmates have made a positive impact.

The progression of Tory's development in the last seven months is astounding to me. It seems like just yesterday we (read: she) struggled to part during the parent / child separation portion of class, and now Tory waves me good-bye without a second thought. Tory can follow simple direction and "school processes" such as lining up to walk to the gym or sitting on a carpet square during Circle Time. It doesn't seem like much, and perhaps it could be argued she'd have developed these skills without the influence of a formal preschool curriculum, but I believe this class was great for Tory's overall growth. There were many occasions early into the fall semester where I worried I was pushing Tory too fast and now I'm thankful we stuck with it. She's absolutely thriving in her school environment.  

My girl is growing up. These days, Tory's actions more closely resemble a three-year-old preschooler than a two-year-old toddler and within the last month or two, I've noticed a big shift in Tory's maturity. For the most part, she shares with other kids during play dates and is so sweet and nurturing to Aden. During the parent portion of our last class, we watched a few short videos of our kids playing and interacting over previous weeks. It was interesting to see the same child development principles we've discussed in parent sessions throughout the year unfold before our eyes in the real toddler classroom. One clip showed Tory stacking blocks by herself. The parent educator pointed out this is early spacial development for toddlers (for Tory in this instance) and when another little boy joined in to stack a flat board onto Tory's tower, she welcomed him by holding the tower base steady instead of physically or verbally acting to stop it. Watching the video, I was so proud of Tory for the way she handled herself in various social play situations. How grown up she's becoming! It was also evident how much my Tory Girl loves the camera. Hmmm, I wonder where she would've inherited that trait? Ahem.  Tory seemed to follow the lens as the teacher documented the kids' play and even fake-cried at one point when something didn't go her way. Oh, Tory ...

Our first of many, many school experiences has come to a close. Now, school's out for summer (cue Alice Cooper). If only the weather would warm up around here and actually feel like it.

Cabin: Deep Thoughts & Weekend Recap

Lately, one of my favorite things to do at the lake cabin is lay in bed at night and watch the stars twinkle outside the bedroom window on a clear spring night. It feels like I'm laying directly underneath the heavens when in reality, I'm snuggled in our soft sheets and blankets.

When I think about nursing my babies, I have a touching memory - almost a sensation - that instantly sums up my feelings for them and this it for Aden and I. Those stars. Laying in bed for countless hours over the last five months gazing out the cabin windows at the sky above us. I love it.

Saturday morning as I woke to feed Aden sometime around 6:00am, I glanced out the window and saw a baby deer rummaging for food in the brush not 50 feet away. Seriously so amazing. 

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Signs of spring are taking hold around the cabin. Birds singing, frogs croaking and the ice slowly coming off the lake. The bay where our cabin is located is mostly melted now, but the bigger part of Pipe Lake is still frozen. The beauty of it all struck me Friday afternoon as we arrived for the weekend. Summer, fall, winter ... and now spring is pushing in little by little. This is our fourth year at this cabin, but never before have we visited so often and watched the progression of seasons happen week-by-week. I thought it was neat to look at the lake and see bits of open water next to frozen icebergs. In a few more days (weeks?) the ice will be gone. Pontoon boat rides are on the horizon!

It's become Andi and I's Friday evening ritual to grab dinner at a local restaurant/townie bar, come back and put the kids to bed, then indulge in a sauna sweat session together. It feels insanely good to sit in the hot, humid air and let all the stressors of the week melt away. We listen to Dierks Bentley, John Mayer or Damien Rice and just talk. Or sometimes, we sit in the quiet and don't say anything at all. My crazy husband uped the ante Friday night by jumping in the ice-cold lake mid-sauna session. I thought he was nuts and of course laughed hysterically as I watched him run down the lawn from the steaming sauna to the freezing lake and back again. It's the way traditional Finns sauna, but still ... crazy. You won't catch me jumping into the water in April!

Saturday, Andi's mom decided to join us at the cabin and brought along Andi's 10-year-old cousin, Mia. Of course we were excited to have Grandma Janie visit, and even more stoked to have a built-in babysitter to play with Tory all weekend. Mia is so sweet with her.

Saturday afternoon Andi took Tory, Mia and I out for a "truck ride" on the trails while Janie stayed back at the cabin with Aden. I realized as we drove along I haven't been out on the Ranger ATV once since Aden was born (well, aside from very quick jaunts to the ice house and back). It felt good to be riding around in the woods again, outdoors, scouting for wild life and enjoying each other's company.

During our ride, we stopped by the donkey farm which is one of Tory's favorite things to do at the cabin. She insists on "feeding" them (which is really her picking up grass and straw from the ground and tossing it toward the donkeys). We're such frequent donkey visitors, Andi and Tory nickname them "the donks." 

This one was sniffing me which Andi found hilarious

We invited our cabin neighbors Oscar and Deanna, Krista and her girls Hannah and Kate, and McCall over for dinner at our place Saturday night. Andi bought a new rotisserie for the grill and made chicken, grilled pineapple, smashed potatoes and green beans for everyone. It was delicious and so much fun having a cabin full of people. The adults talked while the kids played together.

Janie offered to babysit Sunday, so Andi and I scooted away for a quick morning date. We went to The County Line Tavern for breakfast (eggs, toast, hash browns, bacon, muffins and coffee - all for $15 total!), then drove around on country roads, talked and listened to the radio. The weather was cold and rainy, so we spent the afternoon cuddled up by the fire while the kids took naps. I rocked Aden for the longest time and watched the rain fall outside the window. So peaceful.

It was a perfect cabin weekend. 

Day In The Life: Spring 2014

As I lay in bed last Wednesday night browsing social media on my iPhone, I noticed someone's Day In The Life post announcement on Instagram. I quickly clicked over to Navigating The Mothership's blog to see if I'd missed the chance to join in Laura's quarterly blog series. Phew, I hadn't. I've participated in her DITL series for three years now (!!) and I'd hate to sit out now. I decided to recap the next day, Thursday, April 17 so it'd give me a few days to pull everything together before the deadline.

Tory is 2 years, 7 months old
Aden is 4 months old

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Midnight: Ack. I'm up way too late tonight. I glance at the clock and I'm already dreading morning. Andi is traveling this week and it's been a constant go-go-go taking care of our two kiddos. With an infant who's still waking frequently to eat, I'm getting little sleep these days but I also crave my own down-time to blog, surf the Internet, read and catch up on some of my favorite TV shows. There's never enough hours to fit everything into a day. Last night (Wednesday), I fell asleep around 11:00pm, Aden woke up at 11:20pm to nurse and now it's 12:00am Thursday and I can't fall back asleep for the life of me. I grab my iPhone off the nightstand and continue reading Freeways to Flip-Flops: A Family's Year of Gusty Living on a Tropical Island. Andi and I are dreaming of the day we pack up our family and travel the world, so I've been into books written by those who've taken the plunge into similar adventures. 

12:47am: Tory runs into the master bedroom, which is just next door to hers, screaming "Mommy!" It seems like she's had a bad dream as she's shaken up and half-delirious. I pull her into our new king-size bed where there's plenty of room for the both of us. For some reason, she still snuggles right beside me leaving half the bed empty.

1:44am: I wake to hear Aden coughing from his crib in the nursery across the hallway. More coughing and then crying. I look at the clock, do the math in my head and decide he's not ready to eat. I get up to plug his pacifier back in his mouth, hoping that'll do the trick.

1:55am: More fussing from Aden. Another pacifier plug.

3:02am: Aden awakes again, I retrieve him and bring him back into bed with me to nurse.

4:19am: I'm jolted awake, sitting up in bed with a seemingly broken neck. I must've fallen asleep while nursing Aden. I glance over at Tory sleeping spread-eagle beside me in bed and Aden snoozing peacefully in my arms. I get up and put Aden in his crib to sleep, then crawl back into bed myself.

5:00am: I wake up to Tory shouting in her sleep. She's moaning and saying something like "don't get me." Another bad dream? At two-and-a-half years old, I wonder and worry what she could possibly be dreaming so vividly.

5:22am: Aden wakes up coughing and crying from his crib. I get up and move him to his swing in the living room which is usually our routine early morning. He seems half-awake, but usually falls back asleep in the swing giving me a few more minutes of sleep. Oof, I'm tired.

6:39am: I wake up to a chipper Tory inches from my face, asking for yogurt and a television cartoon. I can hear Aden cooing and chatting from his swing in the living room.

6:45am: After Tory's tenth request for yogurt in the span of minutes, I pry myself out of bed. Outside the kitchen window I notice 7 inches of freshly fallen snow covering our backyard. I bring back Tory's beloved Chobani squeeze yogurts -- first blueberry, then strawberry; always in that order (never deviate from the routine or there's hell to pay) -- to her laying in my bed. Next, I wish Aden good morning, change his diaper, lotion his body and dress him for the day. He's beginning to achieve the awesome milestone of holding himself in a sitting position while I pull his onesie over his head.

7:00am: I nurse Aden and play with him in bed while Tory eats yogurt and watches Curious George beside us.

7:30am: Aden's already fussy and tired, so I lay him back in his swing to catch some more zzz's. Tory and I head to the kitchen to make breakfast. I brew coffee and make instant oatmeal for me while pre-heating the oven to make bunny cinnamon rolls for her. We've been making our way through a series of activities in anticipation for Easter and this is one of them on our list. Meanwhile, Andi and I exchange a few text messages. He's in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee this week, scouting for an ATV event he's producing for a client later this year.

8:00am: I do a series of morning chores -- unloading the dishwasher, clean up breakfast, pack our bag for swimming class later this morning, make the beds, etc. -- while Tory plays doctor in the living room. Next, I dress Tory and myself while texting my mom, friend Lindsey and one of our babysitters.

8:30am: Tory plays dollhouse while I run around the house, throwing in a load of laundry and loading the car for swimming class.

These two - I'm so in love. Tory begs to watch a show for just one minute while Aden practices tummy time beside her.

9:00am: On our way out the door, I draw Tory's attention to the snow on the ground. "Don't worry, Mommy. It will be gone soon," she says. I must've sounded less than impressed with the weather on this mid-April morning.

9:20am: Aden cries during the entire drive to swimming class. He's dropped his pacifier and given the snowy roads and backed-up traffic, I need to focus on driving instead of doing mama acrobatic moves to find his missing pacifier. Tory's chattering away while buckled in her car seat. She tells me she's caught some (imaginary) tiny fish and asks if I'd like to hold one. "Careful! It's flippery (slippery)," she says. She's un-phased by Aden's cries beside her in the car and praises me "good one, Mom!" as I cruise through a slushy puddle of melted snow on the exit ramp. If she isn't her father's daughter....

9:50am: In the locker room before class, Tory and I change into our swimming suits and I also change Aden's poopy diaper. Tory entertains herself by washing her hands a million times at the sink.

What DITL post is complete without a bathroom selfie?

10:00am: Out of five children in class, Tory is the only student at swimming today. I knew her best friend Ashley would be absent as my friend Lindsey (Ashley's mom) text me earlier saying Ashley is sick with the flu. On Thursdays, Lindsey and I hired a college-age babysitter to care for our two littlest children, Aden and her daughter Taylor, while we swim with the toddler girls (Tory and Ashley) during their class. Babysitter Kayleigh sits with Aden in the swimming pool observation area nearby.

During Tory's (now private!) swimming lesson, the instructor gives her a pair of pink goggles to wear. It's the first time Tory's ever worn goggles underwater. She's a little apprehensive at first, but quickly figures out water won't get in her eyes if she wears them and instantly becomes fearless. Tory's not one of those kids with a natural love for the water. She likes swimming class, but will strategically figure out a way to reach for colored rings without submerging her face while other kids dive full-steam-ahead into the water. Now with goggles, Tory is diving and swimming underwater. I'm so proud of her!

10:30am: After swimming class is over, Tory and I quickly shower in the locker room while Kayleigh continues to watch Aden. I pay Kayleigh for her time and together we walk to our cars in the parking lot.

11:15am: Back at home, I scramble to make lunch for Tory as she whines at my feet from hunger. I prepare Tory's request for "orange soup" (tomato soup) and grilled cheese and a turkey and cheese sandwich for me. Aden's sleeping in his infant car seat and I know as soon as he wakes, he'll also be ready to eat. Of course, Aden cries out just as I'm sitting down to eat, but as least Tory's settled with her lunch and an episode of Super Why! on TV.

11:30am: I nurse Aden, then move him to the Johnny Jump-Up in the living room so I can quickly eat my lunch. I'm still hungry after my sandwich and a few White Cheddar Cheetos, so I make myself a spinach salad with cottage cheese, boiled egg and leftover chicken cut up into pieces on top. The appetite of a breastfeeding mama is truly amazing. I eat twice as much as Andi does during dinner most nights. Over lunch, I can't help but reflect on the last DITL post I wrote this winter shortly after Aden was born. Our everyday routine is definitely getting easier four months into life with two kids.

Noon: I clean up lunch dishes and play with the kids on the living room floor. Aden practices rolling over from tummy to back on his activity mat. He's not a big fan and screeches and squawks while he lays there. Tory's sweet with him and keeps him company with toys and her face mere millimeters away from him. "You can do it, buddy! You can do it, you can do it," she coaches him.

12:30pm: Aden's demeanor heads south, and he's ready for his afternoon nap. I lay him in the baby swing with his pacifier and favorite blue blankie. Tory becomes engrossed in an episode of Word World on PBS so I seize the opportunity to change a load of laundry and tidy up the spare bedroom downstairs. Andi keeps his clothes in the spare bedroom closet down there and that room's ... always a mess. Ugh.

12:50pm: I turn off the TV and tell Tory it's time for books before nap time. She whines something about not being tired. I tune her out and head down the hallway toward her bedroom. Eventually she climbs into her bed ("Tory do it! Don't help me!"), she snuggles under her pink covers and together we read Hello Kitty Easter, My First Easter, Are You A Cow? and a nursery rhyme book. Big time stall tactics from this girl today. She demands to have her night light unplugged from the wall, says it's too dark when she closes her eyes and wants to sleep with a photograph of her and best friend, Ashley. Tory makes a last-ditch plea for squeeze yogurt, asks me to rub her belly and "pinch her eyes" which basically means she wants me to rub my fingers over her temples. Grrr. Go to sleep, child!

1:25pm: Tory's asleep and Aden literally wakes up the moment I'm quietly exiting her room. Seriously, why does this happen? It's like they're in cahoots with one another to prevent Mama from having even one moment alone. As I walk down the hallway to retrieve Aden from his swing in the living room, I pass by the dog near-barfing on the baby's bedroom carpet. Gah. I scoop up Chloe and get her outside before she does any damage. Then, Aden and I play on the floor in the living room. I pull out my camera and take some photos of him. He starts fussing shortly thereafter, so I feed him and put him back in the swing to rest.

2:00pm: Aden acts tired, but won't fall asleep. Eventually, he poops ... ah-ha. That must've been the problem. I change his diaper, take the opportunity to lotion his skin while he's undressed and play with him on my bed for a while. Baby Boy just found his hands and it's the cutest thing.

2:30pm: Suddenly, I'm exhausted and desperately want a cup of coffee but I resist the urge to drink caffeine so late in the afternoon. Aden and I play some more and I fold clothes on the bed beside him. We're driving to Nebraska tomorrow for Easter and I'm trying to get all the laundry caught up before we leave.

3:00pm: Aden falls asleep in the baby swing. I hear Tory stirring but she doesn't emerge from her room, so I leave her alone to wake-up fully on her own. I use this rare moment by myself to check my e-mail and upload photos from the day.

3:30pm: Tory greets me in the kitchen just as my mother-in-law, Janie, arrives at our house. Earlier in the week, Janie offered to come play with the kids while I pack for our trip to Nebraska. Thank goodness for Janie! She makes my life easier. I attempt to talk to Janie over Tory's increasing demands for Grandma's attention, so I leave them be and set to work.

4:00pm: More laundry, picking out outfits for everyone and packing the suitcase.

5:00pm: I ask Janie if she'd like to stay for dinner and she agrees. I pull a meal out of the freezer and begin to cook it while Janie plays with the kids. Tonight, I make white fish, green beans and mashed potatoes (a far fancier meal than I'd make if Janie wasn't visiting and it was only Tory and I eating).

5:30pm: Janie and I eat the dinner I've prepared while Tory has macaroni and cheese, as she's refused to eat any fish, mashed potatoes or vegetables. After dinner and a quick clean-up of the kitchen, I return to packing while Janie plays with the kids.

6:00pm: We're driving Andi's vehicle to Nebraska, so I load car seats into his back seat. I ask Janie for permission to drive down the street and fill up the SUV with gas while she continues to watch the kids. After I return home, I pack snacks for the road trip and finish the laundry.

6:30pm: DONE! I'm seriously thankful for Janie because without her, I would've had to do all that packing tonight after the kids were in bed.

7:30pm: Janie reads books to the kids and Aden falls asleep in her arms. Shortly after, I take Aden to feed him once more before bed while Janie continues to play with Tory in her bedroom. I hear them playing "Sparky the horse" and "tea party" together. I put Aden to sleep in his crib while Janie gets Tory dressed in pajamas for bed. She reads her a few bedtime stories while I upload the remainder of photos for this post to my computer and pick up the house for the evening.

8:00pm: Janie summons me to Tory's room to finish her nighttime routine. I go into Tory's room to tuck her in (aka: sit next to her bed on a stool and rub her belly while she falls asleep -- our greatest parenting mistake to date by establishing this ridiculous routine with Tory). More bedtime stall tactics from Tory and lots of questions asked. Every answer I provide her is repeated back to me in the form of a question. For example:

Tory: Where's Grandma?"

Me: "She went home."

Tory: "What she do at home?"

Me: "She's going to sleep."

Tory: "Why she go to sleep?"

Me: "She has to work tomorrow."

Tory: "What she do at work tomorrow?"

Me: "She takes x-rays, remember?"

Tory: "Why she x-rays?"

OMG, child. Go to sleep! I love my Tory Girl, but I have few patience for bedtime. I'm thankful for Andi who usually takes care of this part of our nightly routine when he's home.

8:45pm: Tory's finally asleep. Thank goodness I've already packed for our trip tomorrow - I'm exhausted and immediately collapse into bed. I hear some stirring from Aden in his room, but he doesn't wake up. I pull out my laptop and play around on the Internet for a while, all while reminding myself the need to go to sleep ... soon.

9:15pm: I shut my computer lid and force myself to go to sleep. I pull up Freeways to Flip-Flops on my iPhone via the Kindle app and read until I fall asleep.

10:30pm: I wake to both kids crying for me at once. I get up and bring Tory to my bed, then I go get Aden from his crib and bring him back to nurse in bed, too. I fall asleep while feeding Aden and wake up at 12:30am with a sore neck. Tory's sprawled out beside me in bed and Aden's sleeping soundly in my arms.

And, here we go again ...