Rainy Days & Sick Days

I was sad to leave the Midwest for a lot of reasons, and the thunderstorms were high on the list. I absolutely loved it when the sky went crazy in Indiana and thunder and lightning entertained us in the middle of many nights. But Fresno has had two great thunderstorms since I've been here and they have made me so happy! We're also getting TONS of rain, and I love it. We went on a walk and had to keep changing directions because of flooded streets and Westin was so intrigued by the trash cans that "oh no, fell down!"

Michael:

Hasn't had a weekend off since the holidays and it's a bummer. He went to San Francisco this weekend with the other residents in his program to work on cadavers. Sometimes I stop and think hard about how different our lives are. I can hardly imagine being in the same room as a cadaver. It's really cool to hear about the things Michael is learning and doing, especially considering the fact that I think he only gives me highlights. I have a hard time handling blood, or stories with blood, or sad stories, or sad stories with blood. You get the idea. He gets next weekend off and we're going to party! Read: sleep. When the kids let us sleep.

Maddie:

Is the only healthy one in the family right now, knock on wood. Knock really hard and lots of times on wood. Westin came down with something first about a week ago, then Bennett, and Michael picked it up right before leaving on his trip. There's a lot of coughing and nose wiping going on around here. Add that to the two in diapers and the one who spits up all the time and my life is just feeling really glamorous. The laundry, you guys. I finally let it break me. Piles of clean over there, piles of dirty over there, stacks of folded over there. Can't we all just wear one clean outfit a day again? This week was also the first week I really felt like myself since having Bennett. It was a combination of fun distractions and projects, recognizing that I'm much stronger than those first awful workouts after my c-section, and being able to put Bennett down awake at night and closer to Westin's bedtime. I really missed having evenings to myself even though newborns are precious. I'm also working on making fun plans each month during Michael's crazy busy schedule right now and it's helping so much to have things to look forward to. Except May is open so, who wants to come play with me?

Westin:

Has heard the phrase "We don't whine" close to 2,000 times this week, and I think now the phrase itself is maybe what he's whining about? I don't know. I just get so frustrated when he whines at me for something before ever asking me in a nice voice first. So we're working on that. And working on it. And working on it. He's so fun to play with though, and I don't know how many times I told him I was glad to have him around during this stage of life. He's such a fun little buddy to have by my side while we take care of sweet needy Bennett while dad is busy, busy. I love when he taps his chin and says "Hmm, which book to read..." while looking at his bookshelves. I love that every single day since turning two he has received one dinosaur gummy vitamin but every single day since turning two he has asked for "twoooo dinosaur medicines?". Here's to always having hope that today is maybe the day that you finally get two vitamins instead of one. I also love when I let him make little choices throughout the day and he ponders them hard but I know in my heart what he will choose already. Red bib or blue bib? (Always red.) What color of plate? (Always purple if it's an option.) He's such a cutie and I love him.

Bennett:

Should not be allowed to be sick like he is, poor little guy. He's still so new and it's sad to hear him cough so much and listen to his tired sad breathing. He's only been sick two-ish days and his four-month check up is on Valentine's day so I was hoping to avoid taking him into the doctor before that, but we'll see how this week goes. I'm anxious to see what he weighs at his appointment, but when I stop on the scale holding him to figure out his weight it shows that he's nearing 20 points. Yeah. I bought him size 3 diapers today and felt so ripped off. Bennett, you big kid, stay a baby! Westin has also really started loving on Bennett in just the last few days and it's adorable. He always wants to get Bennett out of the swing when he's crying but puts his hands around him and says "too heavy!" and I'm like, thank goodness. Maybe Bennett's weight is a defense mechanism against his older brother. Sometimes I hear "Here you go, baby" multiple times and turn around to see Bennett covered in Westin's toy offerings in his bouncer seat. It's very sweet but does require some rescuing. He's a terrible sleeper.... waking up ever 90 minutes or 2 hours. I hope that improves when he gets over his cold, but let's be honest. This terrible sleeping has been going on long before this cold started. But we're letting him use it as an excuse at least this week. His laugh is the best sound. I love my boys!

Such crazy flooding in our neighborhood! I ran into a guy that has lived here 20 years by this water and he said he's never seen anything like this here.

Westin kept wanting me to turn the hose on to water the plants that day... I finally reasoned with him that we didn't need to add to the situation.

Bennett snoozes right next to me after his 4am feeding and I love it.

"Come on dada, let's get in little blue truck!"

Laundry. And Maker of Laundry.

Lots of rolls going on for this four-month-old.

Poor sick baby doesn't understand why breathing is taking so much effort.