Three Weeks with Camden

Camden:

This cute little guy! So needy but so loved. I think he has some reflux going on, he just cannot lay back down after eating at night. But once I've accepted that and shifted my expectations (keeping him upright for about 30 min after feedings rather than back to sleep for us both), we're doing ok. He's never woken up more than twice in a night, and he sleeps about 5 hours for his first stretch. I feel like he needs to be held more than Westin or Bennett did, but I think that might just be because I don't remember how much they needed that AND I'm pulled in more different directions this time so it feels harder to slow down. But we've definitely slowed down :)

Slowing down, staying home more, and more simple interactions have shown me these things about my cute boys:

Bennett:

always so conscious of others. Brings me a water bottle when I start feeding the baby. Brings me a stool to put my feet on. When he gets a special snack he always brings me a little bit and wants to share. Loves books with animals in them, especially giraffes. So animated when he plays with his brother -- jumping around, so many excited noises and faces, such funny mannerisms. He is so, so sad when he's corrected at all. He loves to wipe his tears away and take a deep breath when he's done being sad. He loves to give a little forced chuckle to lighten the mood and make sure you're not mad. He pets the baby's head when I feed Cam, and loves to tell me that he's "so so soft to brother". 

Westin:

such an inquisitive, sensitive, smart little guy. He becomes SO sad if he accidentally hurts Bennett, and unfortunately reacts with a lot of grumpiness and anger even though I know it's coming from a place of feeling bad about what he did. He loves to color and do projects together, or cook together. His face is pure joy when he's watching home videos. Such a good, good eater and interested in what foods are good for you or not good for you. Loves listening to stories from grandpa. Likes noticing when Camden makes funny faces but not interested in holding him. He wants to make us happy and is such a sweet boy. I can't believe he's going to go to school every day soon.

Maddie:

still feels like I have completely put life on hold to have a baby and nothing has started back up again. Which is ok, but I miss feeling fully human. I did sneak away to get my haircut this week when we learned that Camden was totally ok with a bottle. I miss getting ready and getting out, but that will come soon when I can lift the carseat and figure out what on earth to wear these days. Oh man, I've had so many bodies in the last few years :) But it's all worth it for these sweet boys.

Michael:

was on call this week but has this next week off and we're happy to have him around for some days at home! He had an interesting self-portrait drawn by a patient this week, he always has some interesting stories from his hospital life and the characters he meets :) He made us a Spanish meal this week and it was really fun. I decided we should make it a tradition to eat it every year on July 11, the day that Michael left on his mission to Spain. I want to work in more traditions like that into our year because holiday traditions just always seem to need to be more simple than I originally plan on. We've had a good weekend with him home half the day. 

Grandma and Grandpa:

They get their own section this week because they probably feel like they live here now! They were SO nice to be here for two weeks with us. We are so, so sad they are leaving soon. They've been so sweet to get the boys out of the house, help with Camden, keep us above water at home, and just be here for moral support! My dad is so good at getting Camden to sleep and my mom makes sure I walk each day. They are just so kind to help us so much and we love having them here. I'll always remember Camden's newborn nights of yogurt parfaits and Queer Eye episodes with my parents, haha. Grandparents are the best!

Self Portraits! Westin went with 100% green, maybe because we recently watched the Grinch?

I don't know if anybody is better at getting Camden to sleep right now than my dad.
Walks and humming and stories, and he's a happy little guy.

First bottle! He loved it instantly.
Which shocked me, because he is NOT interested in a binky.
But I will not give up. I have never had to try this hard to get a kid to take one,
but I know it's worth the effort!

First walk in the sling!

Westin and Bennett showed Grandma and Grandpa around the fish hatchery

So fun when they start to have more bright-eyed moments

Michael and Kitty. Everyone around here is tired.

Michael decided to make us a Spanish meal on Saturday
(gazpacho, tortilla espanola, and some manchego cheese snacks)
and this cute boy helped with cutting things up. But it went south when he touched his face after touching a serrano pepper.
Poor little guy! Ice bags and Wild Kratts later, he was doing ok.

I still don't feel quite human but we'll get there soon enough :)

A Spanish Saturday night

I love when he sleeps like this.

Michael's fancy portrait drawn by a patient... :)

Sweet Brothers