poor excuse for a baby book

First of all the good news... Mom overcame 9 hours of intense surgery and is recovering well.  She has had a couple set backs:  1 being a stroke and she also seems to be getting pneumonia.  We are of course not pleased about that; however, all things considered I'd say she's doing wonderfully given everything she's had to overcome.  

This has been quite the journey.  I'm really struggling.  I'm finding I'm not meeting all the needs in any aspect of my life:  my kids, work, my Mom, my husband, and me!  I hate to complain because I know there are people out there with a lot more going on (like my Mom overcoming major surgery!) but I just wish I didn't feel like I was treading water just to get through the day.  Thank God for the help of family and friends!  My babysitter has also been in the hospital for 2.5 weeks and my mother-in-law has really helped out a ton (thanks Barb!).  My Dad was here and both of my brothers to help with Mom too so that helped a lot too.  And of course Tad has helped a ton and most of all has been patient with my almost-to-a-breakdown state of mind.

Needless to say, "extra" things like scrap-booking and baby books are pretty much out of the question right now.  Not that I ever had that much time for them.  But that's been one thing great about this blog - it's an easy and fast place for me to document important memories in hopes that I one day get it in a real book.  Now, what are the odds of that happening? :)  So, while I may bore you, I'd like to make note of a few important things I've noticed about the kids recently before they become a blur.

Sam

• Still the funniest and wittiest kid I know.  And I'm not at all biased :)  The things he comes up with just crack me up.  He's into his own space now and tells me "I need privacy Mom" when he goes to use the potty.  So today he's using the potty with the door closed and suddenly I hear him yell, "Mom!  I'm really having a bad hair day!"  What?  I don't ever recall using that phrase with him but certainly he heard it somewhere!
• He can't wait for Sydney to grow up and wrestle with him.  He already plays too rough with her but that little girl loves it, and so does he.  He's said to me, "Mom, when Sydney's bigger I can jump on her!"  Um, No.  However, this little girl is growing FAST and it wouldn't surprise me if one day she were bigger than him.
• Samuel is into being a family right now.  He calls out to us, as in, "Come over here with me family!"
• Suddenly Sam looks bigger to me and more like a little boy.  He promises me he won't grow up too fast, but I'm sure that is a promise hard to keep.
• As we read stories he interrupts nearly every sentence with, "Excuse me..." and then one of many questions about the picture on that page.  I love that he's so engaged.  Though we are trying to work on asking his questions after I'm done reading the page so that we can actually get through a book!
• For whatever reason he's not fond of his bed lately and really struggles going down for a nap and bed.  I'm sure it's one of many stall tactics in the many years to come.  But he seems quite scared and I'm not sure why.
• Samuel will be a fireman for Halloween and he tells me that I should be a pirate.
• Samuel has been much better behaved lately.  I've heard the "half year" theory in that kids struggle more around the time of their half birthdays and that has held true for us.
• Sam will be 3 in 1.5 weeks!  Say it isn't so!  We are having his party at the community center water park.  It was a good deal and they provide the cake, balloons, etc. so it was a route I needed to take given everything going on in our lives right now.  I'm not what you'd call an easy-going party-planner!

Sydney

• Baby girl is almost 11 months old!  We will have her first birthday party here (I'm hoping by then things will have settled down with my Mom and she'll be well on her way to health!).  We'll have family over and do the first birthday cake deal, etc.  I only hope that I'll have the energy to put into it like I did for Sam.  I made a pretty intricate cake for him and I created a photo montage that she must have as well!  Grandma Barb made her a party outfit that I just can NOT wait for her to wear.  It is to-die-for cute!
• Sydney has been standing and cruising for a while but I can tell when she's standing she is now giving some thought to trying to walk toward us.  She's not quite ready but it's not far!
• Syd still likes to be held, a lot.  She'll crawl over to us and pull up on our legs.  It's hard to walk anywhere because she's nearly always attached to a leg!  Poor baby girl - sometimes I find myself veering away from her as I walk by so that she doesn't stick to me like Velcro.  I love her and want to be with her as much as I can but I'm worried I may trip over that little girl one day and let's face it, a mom has lots to do too!
• Sydney has the cutest way of communicating.  She'll yell out random one-syllable screams of excitement and Sam seems to "talk" to her in the same language.  She is learning to sign and asks for milk all.day.long.  And I believe she would like to nurse all day long if I let her!
• She loves it when I lie on the floor and she can crawl all over me.  She shrieks with joy when we are down at her level.
• Her hair is getting longer and it's up for debate if it's strawberry-blond/red, or blond.
• She's still not a fan of just anyone holding her but it's much better than 4 months ago.
• I still get the best baby kisses from her.
• She loves to play with her hair while she drinks from a bottle or nurses.  It's her way of soothing herself.
• Sydney is still not sleeping well.  It's worse lately.  I'm certain it's because things have been crazy and I've had a harder time dedicating myself to ensure she's eating dinner really early and that we're avoiding dairy.   Yesterday I tried dairy-based (but lactose free) formula with her and what...a...mistake!  So it's quite clear to me that she has a sensitive tummy and her reflux is exacerbated by it.  I really need to make it a priority to watch my diet (since I still nurse), her diet, and the timing of her food because it only makes a stressful day 10x more stressful if she's uncomfortable and mamas not getting her sleep.

 I am blessed with a wonderful family!