Road trippin'

Let me start by saying that the longest any of the kids ever been in the car is 1 1/2 maybe 2 hours. Peyton has slept away from home...but it has been quite some time and she slept in the pack n' play....while the boys have never slept anywhere overnight. 

That being said we had our first road trip. Bryce's sister had her college graduation on Seward, Nebraska on Saturday...that is roughly a 7 hour drive for us. After much deliberation the plan we came up with was....drive to Bryce's mom's Thursday night to cut 1 1/2 hours off the trip. Friday morning put Peyton in their car so that one of us could ride in the back with boys. The hope was that that would limit the number of stops since we would be able to do bottles in the car and Peyton would have grandma, grandpa, and 2 aunties to entertain her! We could get to Nebraska Friday afternoon, make it to the banquet dinner, graduation Saturday morning, BBQ after, get on the road by 2ish and be home in time for a late bedtime!! But apparently, the weather had a different plan!

All went well Thursday and Friday.  Friday was a LONG day and we had 3 tired and crabby kids but we made it!

Everyone felt a bit refreshed Saturday for the graduation but we started hearing news of all the crazy weather back in Colorado. So following Becca's graduation and a celebration BBQ we hit the road!

We were making great time but learned just as we were hitting Colorado that the road we needed to take to make it home from Bryce's mom's house was closed due to flooding. This was not the news that a tired mama of 3 wanted to hear. I was tired, the kids were all done being in the car. All I wanted was home, my bed and my dogs! But it looked like none of that was going to happen until the next day. 

And so we camped out one more night at Bryce's mom's. Luckily, everyone was so worn out they slept like rocks. I had hoped to wake up at home on Mother's Day to breakfast of my choice and a relaxing day at home with all my loves. Instead the morning was spent driving out of the way around the closed, flooded road with 3 kids who were NOT happy about another long car ride. 

But we eventually made it home!! And Bryce put forth effort to still make my Mother's Day special.  And as exhausting as the trip was, we also built so family memories to carry with us....but next time, we are flying!!!!

Who's first...

We often talk about "firsts" with the boys. Who will do this first and who will do that first. 

Trevor was our first roller...for both back to belly and belly to back. Jensen rolled not long after Trevor, but only recently started doing it more consistently. 

However, Jensen is definitely the first to use rolling as a mode of transportation!!  Trevor will roll to his belly and hang out there and play. Jensen has figured out if he keeps rolling, he can get somewhere new. 

Both boys have just recently started sitting. Neither can do it for very long but Jensen seems to have better success with it than Trevor. 

Neither boy is crawling. However, Trevor is scooting backwards and attempting to find all fours! (I'm so not ready for a crawler!!)

And just in the past few days we have started getting our first tooth....poor little Jensen has been fighting through that and a cold!

It has been so fun to watch our boys grow and learn and develop! Can't wait to see who has our next "first"!!

Speaking of development....over night Peyton has figured out sentences!! 

"The tiny milk bubbles, so cute!"

"Mom, I poo pooed! Change butt please"

"Come on guy's, follow me!"

"Let's go outside and play in Peyton's tea house?"

Seriously, overnight she started talking like a legit little kid!!

Happy half birthday!!

I'm not sure how this happened....but my boys are 6 months old today!! What?!?!? That's a half a year! Holy moly...did time fly!!!

It has been quite an adventure the past 6 months....can't wait to see what the next 6 months brings...I just hope it doesn't come and go too fast!! 

Proud Mama

Since discovering I had a "crier" a few weeks ago...and shedding some tears about the matter myself....Bryce and I decided we will help her to build a little independence. And so we have continued to take Peyton to her Thursday toddler class and her Saturday dance class. 

Last week when I took Peyton to her toddler class she cried a little...I checked on her (peeking in the window) a few times throughout. She pretty much stuck with the teacher but she eventually stopped pouting and participated. This was huge...the week before she wouldn't participate at all!! This gave me a glimmer of hope! She shed a few tear when I picked her up....but nothing like the week before. 

As of now, I am no longer taking Peyton to dance, Bryce is doing that. Since she can see us pretty much the whole time, we thought she might do better if I wasn't there. 

And so on Saturday I got Peyton dressed and ready for dance and sent her off...hoping for the best. Bryce said she struggled at first but slowly warmed up! By the end she was running around with fairy wings on and checking herself out in the mirror....not listening to the teacher (lol...we'll take what we can get). I was literally so happy I wanted to cry. I'm kind of sad I'm not there to watch...but hopefully in a few weeks I can go again. Her getting used to it is more important. 

Today Peyton had her toddler class. As we were getting ready this morning I kept telling her she had school today....and so all morning she said "school day"....but slowly she started saying she didn't want to got to school...eek!  When I dropped her off I gave her a hug and a kiss and told her I would be back. She cried!!!  After about 15 minutes I checked on her (peeked through the window)...she was playing!! With another kids! Without the teacher!!  If that's not success I don't know what is!  And when I picked her up, she just ran to me with a smile....no tears!!! I was so happy and excited for her!! 

This makes me so excited for Peyton! I hope that she continues to grow and love these classes....because we were optimistic and signed her up for both through the summer!!!

In other news....we have started food with the boys. I was in no rush to start and waited until I thought they were ready. Trevor was starting to express interest in our food so we thought it was time. Much to our surprise, Jensen took right to the food and Trevor....not so much. He threw a fit the first few times we fed him...he yelled at us and kept his lips tight! So we continued feeding Jensen and offered it to Trevor. He slowly improved...he stopped yelling at us but spit everything out! Lol. Until this week...he has actually started taking bites and swallowing!!! I'm so proud of him. 

 

The crier

You might think from looking at the title that I'm talking about one of the boys....but no, I'm talking about Peyton!

I have recently signed Peyton up for 2 different classes. A Pre-preschool class and a dance class. Both classes are once a week and about an hour long. And for both classes parents are out of the room. However, in her dance class has her bestie, Kinley, with her. 

In both classes Peyton is the "crier". Yep, she pouts or cries the ENTIRE time. Granted she has only been to her pre-preschool class twice and her dance class once....but I can't help but be critical of myself as a parent when I see she's the only one in both classes crying. 

I wonder if this is somehow my fault...that because I'm a stay-at-home mom she doesn't get to experience daily activities without me there. And I wonder if I have "held her hand" through too much...that now because of that she can't handle an hour of playing with other kids by herself.

No one enjoys watching their children be upset. So the struggle becomes...do I let her keep pouting or crying in class in hopes that she'll get used to it and let herself have fun? Or do we stop the classes because she's getting upset? 

My mom keeps telling me she's fine and it's just a phase and she'll get used to it. That it's not a reflection of me as a parent and I haven't done anything wrong. She reminds me that all of her kids went through similar things and that my little sister was the worst with it but she eventually learned to do things on her own. 

My motherly instinct is to rescue her...but I worry that "rescuing" her might deprive her of the opportunity to thrive and grow in an environment without mom....to really build independence.  I think about what advice I would give a friend if they were in my situation...and I feel like I would tell them to continue to encourage their child to do the classes because they will eventually get used to it.  That it's teaching independence in a healthy and safe environment.  

I don't know that there is correct solution or way to handle it. Or a specific reason, other than age perhaps, for the behavior. In fact it is probably all pretty normal. But I do know that this mom stuff is hard...and the struggle is real!!

Crib sharing...part 2

Since both boys have really started rolling and moving I have accumulated some adorable crib sharing pictures over the last week.