C and D

C and D

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Foof Jr.







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Another good one!

Tuesday afternoon my mom and brother, graham, came up from the beach for a quick visit! Grammy was home from college on spring break so he came up to meet his latest and greatest nephew!!!

Good morning pic:)



The night they came, my mom basically forced Paul and i out of the house and on a date which we just haaaaaated ;) it was so nice. We were only gone for about 2 hours but it was a beautiful two hours. And we came home to a sleeping decky and a peaceful happy carrig so there's not much more you can ask for!
The next day was again, wonderful. I laid in bed relaxing while my mom took care of decky early. This is probably the hardest part of my day - the mornings. I hate the mornings as much as carrig hates his carseat. It is damn near impossible to get me out of bed, especially after early morning feedings so to lay here, relax, and know Declan is being taken care of was wonderful. Maybe the best gift anyone could give me :)
Later that morning I went to lowes to stock up on garden material while mom and Grammy took care of the boys. Ps - lowes is my new favorite store. I could live in that joint. The rest of the day was filled with garden planting, mom getting carrig to sleep like a normal human bEing, trying out a new carseat situation, bubbles with decky and just overall an awesome visit with family. Thanks for coming down to visit uncle boo boo and Gigi! Love you lots and lots........chalk that up to a great day :)









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Friday, March 30, 2012

The thing about bad days....

Is that it makes good days soooo good. And I appreciate them soooo much. Today was one of those.

We met Emily, Carl, and our new friends Kim and Kaylie down in Murrells Inlet at Brookgreen Gardens. If you are ever in this area you have to go its just beautiful. So we met them down there and headed to the zoo they have which is basically a huge nature area where they have inserted animals in their home environment and called it a "zoo". It's pretty cool and we basically just walked a couple miles thru the woods with three toddlers and one 4 week old :)

Or rather, they walked and held hands and us mommies walked behind taking pictures because they are really friggin cute...




We then walked up to the main gardens and had lunch at this cute little pavilion. The kids all did amazing and we sat for almost 2 hours eating, hanging, talking and watching the kids play with flower bushes and rocks - pretty sure the people that worked there were happy to see us leave.

All in all though it was an awesome day.... Carrig slept the first two hours in the Moby (turns out that is well worth it), ate lunch, played with Emily, then got back in the Moby and went to sleep again. Declan was super well behaved and was hilarious with Kaylie and Carl - he is getting more and more social with other kids and ohhhhh do I love watching the interactions.

I know tomorrow is gonna be rough because today was so great so for now I'll enjoy looking at pics from today! Yay!!!





Here's a wolf but Declan was sure it was a "wo wo" so he insisted i take a pic.













Em has two more months until her 2nd boy comes so she likes to practice with carrig :) and he loves her!!!!






Attempting a family pic.



Future wifey.



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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

1 month!

Carrig, my little love, you are just the sweetest, most mushy little boy on the planet. I cannot begin to count how many times per hour that I kiss your big cheeks. And you love it. You have really started smiling the past few days and every time I kiss your face you smile sooo big and your eyes light right up :)










You weighed in this am at 10lbs 7oz. Youve started sleeping much better at night and if you keep this up, daddy and I will celebrate your one month birthday by moving you out of our room - so get to stepping' buddy!!! You eat every 2.5-3 hrs during the day and have gone for as long as 8 hrs at night. You are breastfeeding but do take a bottle before bed. You loooove the boobies. Oh my word. I love that it brings you so much comfort I must say....we are pretty tight, you and me.

This has been one helluva month, dude, but your addition to our family has been nothing short of miraculous. All that has changed in one short month is wild so I can't wait to see what will happen in another. You have been the most beautiful, wonderful addition to our family, Carrig James and we love you so very much. Happy 1 month little little buddy!!!


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Monday, March 26, 2012

Quick

Both kids are occupied and NOT crying. Shocking.



I actually got to unload the dishwasher. Exciting times around here ;)
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Bath time

Baby hawk! Oh I love this little dude. And his cheeks are pretty darn kissable :)



Oh heyyyy


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Team player

So I've been thinking so much about this lately and since Paul was gone this weekend (actually that was 2 weekends ago but i am just now getting around to finishing this post) recruiting it just became so much clearer to me (if it wasn't already). I am a team sport kind of girl. I want nothing to do with individual sports.......I swam when I was younger but I can't say how nervous I always always always was the day of a meet. And leading up to the actual race - oh forget about it. I was nauseous every single time - from the earliest I can remember until I was 14 or 15 and stopped swimming. I'm so competetive and I think the thought that it was all on me was just a little too much for me to be able to enjoy. I hate losing......almost more than I love winning, so to think that if I lost and it was all my fault was just not something I was ever able to enjoy, even if I ended up actually winning.

The same goes with parenting. I want nothing to do with doing this on my own. I was talking to my mom about this when she was out here because when she was is in the child rearing years, my dad traveled basically 5 days a week, every single week, and most weekends he was working because that's just how his job was. That said, I don't really think she minded doing it on her own. She got in a rhythm and I'm sure at some point it was easier to do it all on her own than have my dad come home and kind of throw a kink in things when she had it all running how she liked it. My mom was also a phenomenal athlete back in the day - and guess what - she was a gymnast, swimmer and a diver. Individual sport lady she was :)

Not me. I HATE when Paul is gone. I can't say it enough. Even in the middle of the night when I'm breastfeeding Carrig and there is absolutely nothing Paul can do, just knowing he is right beside me in the bed and when I put Carrig back I can snuggle over to his side just brings me a comfort that is sort of inexplicable. Just knowing I'm not alone makes those nights sort of bearable ;)

Paul has always been my comfort. Always - and I don't mean that in the "oh we've been married for a few years now, we're comfortable"  - i mean he has always brought a huge amount of peace to my heart. From the day I drove into Colorado, called my new coworker to tell him I had arrived and heard his voice on the phone. I immediately felt at ease. That was a pretty massive change in my life that he saw me thru and here's yet another..........

So anyhow - team sports. That's my game. And this man to man defense thing we're working with right now is a full on team effort and thank GOD that Paul is my teammate. We joke about and people think we're super cheesy but seriously - Team Hogan all the way. I love you so so so so much Paul and I'm so lucky that you are the man that I get to live this life, the craziest, most ridiculously difficult, challenging game we will ever play, with. I wouldn't have it any other way. You are amazing.

A very good day

It's no secret that most days around here right now are pretty rough. Between Declan and him fighting me on every single thing and Carrig not being the most adaptable baby, its been frustrating, exhausting, mentally debilitating etc etc etc...............we did, however, have a really good day last week and I don't want that to get lost in this tough time.

Pawleys Island is one of my favorite favorite favorite places around here, its Nancy's favorite beach, and Carol and big Paul used to live very close to it so they always love to visit as well so we all decided to take a trip with the boys down there to the Fresh Market and then head over to the Marsh Walk in Murrells Inlet and grab lunch. There's something about driving down 17 and hitting that area, smelling the salt water, that just puts me in a good mood. I know we live at the beach as well but something is just different down there and I love it.

Despite Decky's meltdown at the end of the trip to Fresh Market, it was awesome and we got tons of yummy goodies. We headed over to the Marsh Walk and Nan and I both rocked out with our double strollers...nothing makes you feel like a hot sexy lady like the limo of strollers........

We had a really wonderful lunch right on the water, all the boys were well behaved (for a 2 yr old and 11 month olds), and Carrig slept right up until the end. That was my second in public nursing session and it went ok....still need some work but I never ONCE nursed Declan outside of the house and now I've done it four times in almost four weeks so we are well on our way ;) This one has no choice.....

We drove home after lunch, boys took naps and then we headed over to the condo where Nancy and Pop were staying. We took the older kids down to the beach and then to the pool where they had such a blast. Living at the beach really does not suck. I'll say it a million more times on here but I do love that part of our new life.........

Nana then made a super super delicious shrimp scampi dinner, the older boys took a bath together and then we headed home.

I know none of this sounds that cool to the average person but to this new mom of two, it was a truly great day out and about, with both my boys, with their wonderful grandmother, super cool aunt and hilarious cousins. I love family, I love that I married into this amazing group that has taken me in, that comes to visit and sees me about 10 times more than they see Paul but they don't ever make me feel like I'm second to him in their eyes. I know Declan's (and now Carrig) probably the reason for that but hey I'll take it ;) haha....truly though, I just feel so lucky to have such a wonderful, big family and family-in-law and last Friday was a really, really good day with them.












Sunday, March 25, 2012

Sunday afternoon nap

Who doesn't love a good one???


Sweet baby boy.........

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Friday, March 23, 2012

Being a mother

Is just the hardest thing I have ever done in my whole life. Ever. I don't have much else to say right now but if you have a mother, if you are friends with a mother, if you ARE a mother (God bless you).................give them a hug today. It would go a really, really, really long way.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

"it's us against them"

"baby, it's us against them. Two kids under two, we can't let them win. We are smarter than them. I don't lose to a two year old." ~Paul P Hogan

The war is ON.


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And the day just keeps getting better.......

Well the day started off a little rough from little to no sleep thanks to the little little buddy.....I was desperately hoping for a nap (have yet to "sleep while the baby sleeps") the second go round. That idea is just Busch League of you have an older kid. So anyhow carrig finallllllly fell asleep right before I had to pick Declan up from school so of course I have to wake him and put him in his least favorite place on earth - the carseat. I cannot say how much he hates this thing ....ugh....he screams so hard that he vomitted all over himself - sweet. We got home and I was trying to nurse which really pissed Declan off so he starts slamming the door as hard as he can while giving me the big "f-u" look. I took him to timeout, didn't work. He did it again and I spanked his butt so hard my hand hurt. Hopefully he will not slam the door again.......
They both finally went down, both didn't sleep for long so i fed carrig again and got in the car figuring he would pass out and decky and I could go to the park. Sike. He yelled the whole time. The.whole.time. Ughhhhh.....
But oh well decky deserved some attention so we went to the park anyhow and I was holding c while some cute little girls were pushing d on the swing and he was having a blast. Apparently they were pushing too hard/high because he flew right off and landed smack on his face.



Blood filled mouth, nose and eye. Wonderful. Poor guy :( but he was a stud and kept playing and even had a race with a 6 and 9 year old boy. Needless to say, he did not win. But I was proud anyways :)
The day is far from over so wish me luck.
Here are the boys earlier. At least they love and are nice to each other even if they aren't nice to me....





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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The master scooter





Here I had put him in the middle of the couch and he somehow shimmied his way to the end so he could butt his head up against something...


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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Shower time

He might look cute here but this was a fit in the making. He said "night night" and layed down in the shower and refused to get out........and then screamed and screamed. Deeeeeelightful!







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"me, me, me"

Nana taught decky a song and it is super super cute :)


YouTube Video

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Miracle blanket!

Sleeping like a BABY!!!!


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Where we at?

Ok so its currently 5pm on 3/20/12. Carrig, you are officially 3 weeks old my little love bug and here are some things that have been happening around here in your first weeks of life......

-well you are currently napping which is a miracle. and speaking of miracles, we purchased the miracle blanket yesterday (miracle blanket on amazon) and who knows it could be a coincidence now that you are the big 3 weeks but you slept 6 hours straight last night in it and are now on your 2nd nap in it.
-speaking of naps, you're sooooo much like your brother. SO much. most babies (at least from what i've heard and read) just sleep and eat for the first 6 or so weeks of life. not declan. and not you. you are a live wire my friend and you are so much more like a 2 or 3 month old with your patterns. you have to actually be PUT to sleep. you eat, want to hang out for a bit and then you get tired but instead of just passing out wherever you are, you get pissy so we have been trying all the tricks up our sleeves to figure out how you like to sleep. sometimes you like your belly, you always hate to be swaddled but once you're locked in you seem to sleep really well........
     -on this sleep note (i thought/hoped i'd be a little less anal about sleep this go round but alas, not the case), you seem to be a light sleeper. i will rock and sing to you but the minute i put you down, your eyes are wiiiiide open and you start screaming. same goes for in the car seat. if we go for a ride and you pass out, the minute we get you out you are up and crying. why??? why why why....as soon as i cuddle you though you literally sigh and relax. i do love that you love your mommy....
-you HATE, with a very serious passion, your car seat. unless you are sleeping in it, you are pissed the what what off. we will just keep working on that.....
-you LOVE, with a very serious passion, your mommy. i can't complain for a minute about this but it just means that i don't really get a break. its ok though. i know there will come a day when you want nothing to do with me so i will cherish the fact that up until now (could change tomorrow), i'm really the only one who can soothe you when you are upset.
-again, like your bro, you hate the swing and bouncy seats. of course everyone and their mother swears by these things but really all you want to do is be held. you and i haven't quite figured out what you would like to do during your "playtime" but hopefully we do soon because i cannot hold you 12 hours a day......
-thus, why along with the miracle blanket, we got the moby wrap (moby wrap on amazon). my cousin's wife, kate, got this for merrill when she was little and swears by it and basically this is the only way you are really happy so i figured if i can strap your little behind to my chest than that's what i shall do
-you are allllmost breastfeeding exclusively. every once in awhile i have to supplement with an ounce of formula and always before bed i give you a bottle and pump instead just to get a break and give daddy a chance to feed you. you are doing much better than your bro on this, thank heavens, but i'm still not a very confident nurser so i question if you're getting enough, oh just about every other minute. the fact that you are a finickiy sleeper too makes me wonder if you are fussy because you are hungry.......we'll figure it out sometime in the next year! ;)
-i weighed you this morning in just your diaper and you were 9lbs 13oz. Chunky monkey!!
-you're ridiculously strong (and stubborn). you've been holding your head up from almost the day you were born. when you sleep on your belly you pick it up and move from side to side to get comfy. you also scoot like a crazy man. i put you in one spot on the couch and you always end up on the other side. which is pretty far to go for your age. ugh.....you will be crawling before i can blink my eyes.
-you've been out and about quite a bit and have mostly done well with it! hopefully you will remain fairly laidback about traveling (in the am mostly) because your big bro is on.the.go.........
-you are as handsome as could possibly be. i am not biased in the slighest.
-your cry is like a little pirate. when you are about to start you go "arrgggggghhhh"
-your big brother loves you SO much. he asks to hold you all the time and is CONSTANTLY coming over to rub your head, kiss and give you hugs. its the coolest looking thing.

alrighty that's all i've got little c-money. i have to get moving before you wake up again to eat but i love you so so so so much and i can't believe in another week you will be 1 month old. oh be still, my heart....

First bath!

Carrig has been a little slow on the healing process for both his little man part and his belly button. The man part I will spare you but the belly button finally!!!!! fell off last night. It had been 20 days and I read that 21 days was the max it should take....... Just got it in buddy. It was starting to stink to the high heavens too. So much so that Paul wouldn't even hold him. Mommy loves you no matter what though, C ;)

So anyhow - bath time! He was so cute and content with a warm wash cloth on his belly.....









YouTube Video

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Sunday, March 18, 2012

Goofball




I can't say enough how much I love this face. Here's my little dork with his crayons in his pocket........he is quite the cool kid ;)

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Location:Hunters Trail,Myrtle Beach,United States

Baseball

Coastal has a great baseball team, a cool stadium and really awesome spring weather so we try to get out and see games when we can - and we went the other day!

Carrig's first game - he was so excited he couldn't stand it.



Go coastal!







Daddy and his boys. Carrig was getting fussy and Declan had just poured out the entire cup of peanuts so all Paul could do was laugh :)


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