Snapshots (3 months & 2 1/2 years)

At 3 months, Peter:

-Takes only 30 min naps throughout the day, but he will do it laying down on his own (which is a huge improvement because he used to only nap if you were holding him). He will take a long nap in the afternoon (like 2+ hours) but this is only if I nap with him. And still he wakes up about every 30 min and needs to be soothed back to sleep during the 2 hours :/

-At night he will wake about 2-3 times if he can be touching Mom. If he is in his own crib he doesn't stay asleep very well. We put him in the bed and then Pete and I sleep on the edges so as to not touch him (we are paranoid about co-sleeping) but baby Peter will throw his hand out so that his fingers are resting touching me. He also somehow inches closer to me troughout the night and I conatantly wake up and scoot him back further away. Needless to say, these parents aren't getting much sleep. BUT I am pouring over my favorite sleeping book and trying to help him learn good habits. Unfortunately, they say colic babies don't train well under the system until at least 4 months but I am trying to be hopeful!

-Loves to coo and talk. It's fun to hear his little voice. I think he is just trying to keep up with his big sister who talks and sings all day long!

-Hates binkies but desperately wants something to suck on. He gnaws on his fists all day long and has found his thumb a couple of times. The last few days he has found his index finger and that somewhat satisfies him. But his sucking is so loud it wakes him up when he is trying to fall asleep.

-He still eats about every two hours throughout the day.

-Is getting SO much better about not being held all the time when he is awake. He loves to watch his sister play and also loves to play with hanging toys. This has made my life significantly easier to have a few arm-free hours, even if he often still requires that you be in his face talking to him, or at least near him.

-HATES his carseat! Thank goodness he developed this after we drove to San Diego. We try to plan outings when he is in those magic moments of sleepiness but not yet overtired so that he will just fall asleep. If you don't catch him at that time he will scream the entire car ride. And if the trip is over 30 min (like to go to our parents' houses down in Utah county) he will be screaming after his nap. We have had some rough times but we are getting used to chatting and listening to music over the screaming.

Caught the magic moment

Afton is close to 2 1/2 so here is a little snapshot of her at this age:

-Loves singing and music. She knows a lot of songs although I get a kick out of her singing sometime because instead of singing actual words she just kinda matches sounds (for example: one of her favorite songs is Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She sings "I hear (wear) my coat with golden lining, brigh sholors brining(bright colors shining)") it's a hoot. She also likes to input people's names and things she sees into songs. She does this all day long. We love it! Most of the songs she knows are primary songs and it is heartwarming to hear her bust out "I am a Child of God" and "Families can be Together Forever" anywhere we are.

-She has started having a rough time sleeping and falling asleep. I think it is a reaction to her world being turned upside down with a new little brother in the house but we are trying to figure it out and be sensitive to her needs. We miss our good little sleeper!!

-She is potty trained but has regressed a little recently. We are working on keeping her motivated with stickers and such.
-Picks up on so many adult phrases that she will randomly say. For example: the other day we were in the car and she dropped a pinwheel she was playing with in the backseat. She got really mad for a moment and said, "My pinwheel!" and I braced myself for a fit and a discussion of how I couldn't get it for her since I was driving and it would be dangerous. Then she surprised me by saying, "Oh well" over and over again. She also says things like "No way!" and other small phrases Pete and I say.
-LOVES to be helpful. If I ask her to get a diaper for baby brother she drops whatever she is doing to run and get one. She loves to help cook dinner, sweep floors, and anything she can get praise for doing :).

See the CRAZY love in those eyes? HA!

-While she has her moments, Afton sincerely loves Baby Peter. She wants to kiss and hug him all day long. She loves to hold him by "herself" and will lay down by him and cuddle with him any moment she can. He also loves her and will follow her with his head when she is nearby and smile at her when he sees or hears her voice.  I cannot wait to see them continue to interact and become best little buddies!

So proud of herself for holding baby brother without mom's help

While I was cooking dinner one day Afton pulled a chair up and just hung out with Peter. He smiled and watched her talk and play. It was the sweetest!