Halloween

Halloween went pretty well pretty well for Tinkerbell and her bag of pixie dust, although the concept of trick-or-treating was still a little bit lost on Riley. She has recently learned that when somebody opens their front door to you, it obviously means that you are invited inside.  You can imagine that Riley immediately walked right past whoever was greeting her at the door...  A few houses later, she realized that big buckets of candy were awaiting her.  This naturally lead to some pretty epic tantrums when she was told that it was not all hers.  I think we made it to five houses...

I was just frustrated because she kept choosing my least favorite candies!

Next year will be pretty amazing with Riley - our neighborhood goes all out, and is very easy and safe for trick-or-treaters.  I can't wait to see what Riley will choose to be - I know she'll have a strong opinion in a year!

Nora's Monthly Pictures (a little late!)

Autumn and Three Months for Nora

Fall is in the air!  I think everybody and their brother chooses fall as their favorite season, and I guess I am one of the masses.  We get to enjoy the New England autumn in a town that is full of numerous different deciduous trees... it is just so beautiful.  

She is obsessed with this coat because it has pockets...  her day is MADE when I put anything in it (from candy corn to chapstick)

Things around the Poole household are going pretty well... and it always comes back to sleep!  If you ever want an accurate reading on how a family is doing, ask how the kids are sleeping and you will get your answer.  

We sleep trained Riley (again) starting about two weeks ago, and she is doing incredibly well with it.  I was terrified that we were going to be looking at weeks of emotionally charged tantrums and crocodile tears, but it actually only took two days.  TWO DAYS.  She cried for 20 minutes the first night - that was it!  Those 20 minutes were brutal for me - she kept saying mama over and over in the saddest tone ever.  And then she slept through the night!  The next night took about two minutes, and luckily for me she was repeating dada that time.  And she slept through the night.  

Now bedtime is actually enjoyable!  I would never in my wildest dreams have attached the word enjoyable to bedtime, but, at this moment in time, it is.  She loves to pick out her own pajamas (usually emptying her drawer of her Sofia the First and Tinkerbell jammies saying wow with each piece), and for some reason she has been laughing when I brush her teeth (probably because her brush spins around and has princesses on it). Then we snuggle in her chair and read book after book... well, we read the first few pages of many books.  Then after saying goodnight to her lamp, we set her in the crib and she falls asleep when she's ready.  

I think my favorite thing about it is that I finally get to blow her a kiss and say I love you before closing the door.  I used to be unable to even kiss her or whisper those words to her in fear of waking her up.  

7:15pm - 6:00am.  It is amazing.  I guess I should clarify...  it is amazing until I have to peel my eyes open to greet my energetic toddler before dawn.

Nora is pretty up and down.  She was sleeping until 3 or 4 in the morning, but this past week she's been up two or three times a night.  My gut feeling is that she is going through a growth spurt and is getting hungry more often.  So just when we get Riley straightened out with sleep, Nora flips a switch.

Oh sleep... I will meet you again one day.

Nora is getting so big it is killing me.  She is entering that squishy, giggly, gurgly, cheeky, gooey phase and I just love it. I could eat her up. She is just so sweet... She is pretty lean, especially in comparison to Riley at this age.  It is interesting putting Nora in Riley's old clothes because it really give me perspective on their physical differences.  Pants that were skin tight on Riley are baggy and too short on Nora.  

One of the perks of raising a second child is I am much less worried about the little things than I was with Riley.  For example, Nora is a tummy sleeper.  She always has been, and we've always allowed it.  We weren't able to swaddle her when she had her brace, so back sleeping was very, very difficult.  So at this point, she panics in the swaddle and flails when on her back, so tummy it is!  

Right now Nora is smiling like crazy, cooing and chatting, and is a very efficient eater. She is starting to grab and hold onto things, and can hold her head and chest up when she's on her belly.  She's definitely in-between sizes though... too thin for 3 month clothes, but also too long for them!  

She had her backpack on, her stroller filled, her baby-carrier in place, and suitcase ready to go... she clearly paid attention when Charley and I were hauling them through the airport (it was quite the scene)

For some reason, the rolling suitcase is by far her favorite "toy" at this point in time

The past few weeks we've been looking into preschools for Riley (they start at age 2.9), and it feels incredibly surreal to me. First of all, it hardly seems possible that this baby I gave birth to 23 months ago is already nearing the age for backpacks, homework and parent-teacher conferences. I'm not ready to hand my child over to another person five days a week... I'm certain I'll feel a bit differently in a year from now, especially when Riley will be older and more developmentally ready for school...  but right now it is tough to imagine.  And once school starts it never stops!  

Secondly, it is odd being on this side of the fence.  The classroom seems so much different from a parent's perspective than a teacher's.  When I toured the schools I scoured the rooms looking for clues of quality teachers while trying to imagine how my child would do in it.  I also couldn't help being a little bit judgmental and uneasy.  I guess I just know how different teachers are - some can view teaching as a job, and others a passion.

I know Riley will love school, and I am profoundly jealous of the fact that her teachers will get to experience it with her and not me.  They will get to see her face light up when she learns something new, they will see the pride on her face when she figures something out, they will hear her laugh as she plays with her first friends (and who will they be?!), they will be hugging her when she gets hurt or frustrated... And don't get me wrong, I know it is the best thing for her to detach from me and I her (I won't homeschool her or anything!), but it is very bittersweet... especially since I know how magical the classroom can be.  

Well, after writing this out I have drawn two conclusions:  I will be crying a LOT more than Riley on her first day of school, and I (kind of) miss teaching.

We are so lucky to have neighbors with kids the girls' ages.   It is pretty incredible.  We had a few families over to celebrate the season and here are some of the kiddos.  We are missing 4 others all around Riley or Nora's age.

On another note, I've realized recently that I really love parenting.  It has taken me a while to get here because it has been such a roller coaster of infants and pregnancy for the last few years...  it has been very easy to focus on (and impossible to ignore) the challenges, which is largely because the amount that Charley and I (and all new parents) have to adapt to an entirely new life/lifestyle is almost incomprehensible.  We love our children the second we meet them (and even before), yet we struggle to love the strain it puts on relationships, routines, cleanliness, physical appearance, time, sleep, health, work, and all other facets of life!

Perhaps I am now getting into a groove, or maybe I've just accepted a few truths about life as a new parent... but it is such a blessing to have the opportunity to raise these incredible little souls.   One of the biggest gifts of being a parent is getting the chance at a second childhood.  We don't form memories of life at Nora or Riley's age - we will never remember all of those firsts or the crazy emotions only toddlers can have.  And as a parent, I get to experience it and cherish it especially knowing that it is fleeting.  

It is hard to believe that my next post will be of Riley's second birthday (and Nora's 4th month, although the monthly milestones stand out a little less the second time around - sorry Nora!).

Somebody told me yesterday that when it comes to life with kids, the days are long and the years are short.  And, for me at least, this is the truth.  While it feels like it takes forEVER to get through the day and make it to bedtime, it feels like the years are just melting away...

Nora - Two Months

Two Months (Already!)

Oh where has the time gone?  Yesterday I was packing up some of Nora's newborn clothes to give to our neighbors (who just welcomed baby Abby on Monday), and that bittersweet wave came over me. Charley and I are planning on being a family of four, so it is a sad to think that we are done with the newborn phase for good.  Most of the clothes were Riley's as well, and it just felt like I was packing away these precious memories. Having a newborn join a family is incredibly difficult, but it simultaneously one of the most joyous, emotional and tender times of your life.  

And my apologies for the formatting of the photos... 



 




Around 6 weeks, Nora clearly transitioned into babyhood.  I remember being told during a childbirth class with Riley that the 6 week mark after having a baby is the light at the end of the tunnel.  The fog of sleeplessness, recovery and fussiness starts to lift, and your newborn starts to become a real person... and it is true!  I feel amazing and almost back to normal, and Nora, for a lack of a better word, is opening up.  It is like her face is starting to take shape (and those alien-like features - no offense kiddo - are disappearing) and her body is starting to fill out and become less fragile.  Those precious rolls on her legs are starting to appear!  And the best part is she is starting to smile.  It is hard to get at the moment, but every once in a while when she isn't tired, hungry or fussy, her eyes will lock on my face or Charley's (and even Riley's!) and she will just light up with a grin.  Those are the moments.

Nora went through a rough patch where she would cry inconsolably for hours, especially in the evening.  She seems to be getting better at the moment, thank goodness.  

The evenings are still tough in the Poole household though.  Nora typically is exhausted at that point because she doesn't really take naps, and needs to be held.  And at the same time, Riley is ready for a bath and bed which is no easy task.  It is probably comical to watch me try to put them down on my own...  If Charley isn't around to take one, it usually looks something like this: I set Nora down thinking she's asleep, and go try to put Riley to sleep.  As I try and get her down, Nora starts screaming and Riley starts to say "Okay? Okay? Inkie? Inkie?" (translation - is she okay? does she need a binkie?).  I then put Riley in her crib and she starts to scream while I calm Nora down... then the process starts all over until one of them gets tired of crying and actually conks out, or I end up pulling the plug and bringing Riley back downstairs until Charley gets home. It is how I get my cardio.

This juggling act is insane. I think it is tough because I want so desperately to spend quality time with both, but my attention truly is divided.  I just hope I am eventually able to find time to play with Riley and provide her with the right amount of love and discipline while also savoring this sweet time with Nora. 

Riley and Nora are just precious together.  Although Riley sometimes gets angry when I am giving attention to the baby (she tells me to set her in the swing or put her "nigh night" so that my arms free up), she is adorable with her.  She gives her kisses, gives her pacifiers and blankets, gets worried when she cries, and has even started pretending to change her diaper.  The other day she put on the cover that I wear when I nurse Nora, and then asked to hold her...  she pretended to nurse the baby!  A little odd, but kind of cute.

I can't believe we are already starting to see their relationship form.  I love that they will have each other.
























So all in all, Nora is doing well.  She had her two month appointment last week as well as an ultrasound for her hips.  I am a little bit nervous for the results, and hope that everything still looks fine. In terms of her stats, she is now 23.5 inches long and weighs 11.5 pounds.  She is in the 95% for length and 60% for weight.  Tall and skinny (a bit unlike her sister who was quite chubby!).

And Riley has quite the personality these days. She is chatting up a storm, and we are just eating it up. She is so much fun to listen to!  She is determined to learn the words for everything in her environment, and repeats the things we tell her.  She still has some very bizarre versions of words that take a lot of work for us to figure out!  I finally figured out yesterday that her word for macaroni and cheese is something along the lines of "narose." She clearly is picking up on a few sounds in those words and repeating the ones she remembers. She is also understanding possessive words - certain things are "mommy's," " daddy's" and "baby's." Language development is just so interesting!  And she has started to string a few words together...  her favorites are "baby burped" and "baby toot" - she is very entertained by Nora's bodily functions apparently.

It is such a relief to finally start to communicate with Riley, but she does get extremely frustrated when we don't understand her.  She is also using "mine" a LOT... it was terrifying the first time she grabbed something from me and said it.  

Not surprisingly, Nora is already a better sleeper than Riley.  Nora really is a rockstar, and typically sleeps from about 9 until 3am.  It is incredible.  And Riley has been waking up around 1:30 almost every night, and is an absolute BEAST to put back down.  Charley and I are at our breaking point with that...

(The girls' cousins in their annual cousin photo)

We are heading to LA next week with the whole family!  A friend of mine is getting married, so we are taking this opportunity to go visit my brother (and aunts, uncles and cousins who live there) and introduce them to baby Nora.  My parents are flying down to meet us and help watch the girls while we go to the wedding, and most of friends will be there as well.  

I've definitely been having a hard time not being able to share Nora with my west coast friends and family recently, so this trip will be nice.  It is pretty difficult not to have some of the people I am closest with around to watch the changes my girls are going through and not be able to experience this time with me.  There really isn't much of a solution other than visits (and I am lucky because Charley is amazing at orchestrating trips), so it gets to me some times.  

Hopefully the girls will cooperate on the flight...

Overall, things are good! Happy two months Nora!