tossed salad and scrambled eggs

For the last couple of weeks my husband has been binge watching Frasier. I feel that the intro song for the show fits my scattered thoughts perfectly. Today I'm tossing together a little bit of this and a little bit of that...and hoping for the best.

Thought #1:

Lucas has been boycotting dinner. He has always been a picky eater, but lately he has been more opinionated about it. All I have to say is "I'm starting dinner" or "dinner is ready" or simply say the word "dinner" out loud and he A) throws himself dramatically to the ground wailing or B) runs away and hides in his closet or C) a combination of the two. His flare for the dramatics would be amusing if it wasn't so frustrating to to deal with it during dinnertime.

Thought #2:

I'm feeling sleep deprived. It's a common complaint of mothers with small children. Last night Alara decided to abandon her usual nighttime routine of sleeping for six to seven hours at a time. Instead she opted for waking up every couple of hours....she was hungry, she wanted to party, she was cold, she felt lonely, she needed to be close...the list of reasons could go on for days. In addition, Lucas had a whale in his bed. He couldn't sleep until my husband got up and heroically saved the day by evicting the whale from his bed.

Thought #3:

I'm thankful for having a strong "village" of supportive family and friends. This week, the kiddos and I had the opportunity to swim, hike and play with friends and family. I love being a stay-at-home mamma and wouldn't trade it for the world. However, the job can get tiring and lonely. There have been times where I feel like I'm on my own island...with two needy humans and one extremely needy dog...for company. It is refreshing (and necessary) to get out and socialize with other adult humans while our little humans play.

till next time..

...the old stomping grounds...

Pine Springs Ranch will always have a special place in my heart. I've made incredible memories and lifelong friends from working at camp. I am the person that I am today because of camp. Now...my husband and I are able to share this special place with our two children. We spent Sabbath afternoon worshiping along side the staff and campers, walking around breathing in the fresh clean air and ending the day with silly songs at Saturday Night @ the Ranch. The weather was perfect..cloudy and cool...with an added bonus of rain on and off all day.   Lucas had a blast playing in the rain, stomping in mud puddles and kicking pine cones. It was refreshing to be able to get out of the city and enjoy the beauty of God's nature.

*photos by Jonathan Soto 

family beach trip and the aftermath

I had always thought that Lucas's first hospital stay would be because of a broken arm or leg. Never in a million years did I think that he would be admitted for a bacterial infection in his foot.

On Sunday, we decided to beat the heat and head to the beach. Originally, the plan was to take the train to San Clemente, however due to a mechanical break down we barely made it out of our zip code before the train was towed back to the station. We were disappointed; however still determined to go to the beach. Luckily for us, we live close enough to just drive.

It was the perfect day for the beach. While Alara and I relaxed under the shade of our umbrella, my husband and Lucas played in the sand, climbed on rocks and splashed around in the shallow water. The only indication of what was to come was when Lucas climbed off one rock fussing about an owie on his foot. My husband checked him noting that a small scab had been scratch off on his left foot.

We ended the day on a positive note. Nothing seemed amiss.

It wasn't until around bedtime (7:30ish) that we noticed something wrong with his right foot. The foot was swollen and he had a fever. My husband feared that maybe while playing on the rocks Lucas had sprained or broken something and decided to take him to urgent care. At urgent care, the doctor ruled out a sprain or break. Lucas was given two shots - one in each leg - to help with the swelling and a prescription for antibiotics. 

The next morning, I took Lucas to see his regular doctor for a follow up appointment. His fever was down, but the swelling had increased. Concern about the increased swelling and its location, the doctor put in an order for Lucas to be admitted to the hospital for further observation and treatment.  

I called my husband and he came home from work. Alara had a scheduled well-baby exam the same time that Lucas was suppose to be checking into the hospital. Torn between which child to go with, we decided that I would go to Alara's exam and my husband would go with Lucas. 

Lucas had to stay in the hospital for about twenty-four hours. I'm grateful that between my husband, Dadi and Dada someone was able to stay with him the entire time. Although I spent several hours in the afternoon, and later in the evening with Lucas the idea of me not being there with him was hard. I felt torn. On one hand I knew that I couldn't stay overnight at the hospital with Alara - a newborn...but on the other hand I didn't want to leave Lucas. He looked so small in his hospital bed. Yes, my husband was with Lucas...and perfectly capable of taking care of him... but my Mother's heart still wished that I could be in two places at once. Thankfully, Lucas's stay was short and he was able to come home the next morning with a clean bill of health. 

One Month

With the craziness of our 4th of July weekend I'm a little behind on posting Alara's one month pictures.  Monday, July 6th was one month exactly..so I'm only off by two days! Alara is modeling several newborn onesies that were designed by friends and family at her baby shower. I'm loving the designs on these decorated onesies! 

Anyways, here are a few highlights about her first month of life. 

• At Alara's well baby check up she weighted 8 lbs 11.3 oz. The doctor gave her a clean bill of health and is looking forward to seeing her next month.   
• She continues to sleep well (for a newborn) at night. She wakes up about three times during the night - once around 10 pm, and twice between the hours of 4 and 6 am to eat and then goes right back to sleep. During the day she enjoys one long nap in the morning and one long nap in the afternoon with several cat naps in-between. 
• This girl likes to snuggle! Her two favorite places to fall asleep are on my chest or nestled in my arms.  Sometimes she gets all worked up for some reason, and when I go to pick her up she just lays her head on my shoulder, wide wake calming herself down. She needs to be close, hear my heartbeat and the feel warmth of my arms. I'm loving all the cuddles and snuggles. 
• If she can't sleep with me, then Alara prefers to sleep in her bouncy chair in the pack in play. The bouncy chair provides security, and keeps her slightly upright which is great for when she spits up.  
• She's a terrific eater and has outgrown several of her newborn onesies and sleepers. I'm already dressing her in 3 month clothing. 
• She is wearing size one in diapers. 
• She had her first beach trip on Sunday. Alara wasn't a fan of the heat or the sun, and preferred to relax in the shade under the umbrella. 
• Her relationship with big brother is off to a great start. I think the two of them have secretly decided to get in sync with their meltdowns - especially during meals, naptime, bathtime and bedtime. 

It's been an adjustment caring for a newborn and a toddler, however I wouldn't trade it for anything. Please don't grow up to fast Alara,  Mamma's trying to enjoy every minute!