three months and counting

Today was a big day! Taryn Bo Baryn turned three months, Gramps turned * mumble mumble* and my brother flew in home on leave for two weeks. Taryn met her Uncle for the first time ever and Ariah saw her daddy for the first time since January. It was a busy busy day! Tomorrow will be even busier as family members from far and wide come to see everybody else. We live at a mid point between my mothers two remaining sisters so they come here and visit. Should be interesting.
Taryn is now a supported sitter.... so many stupid names. That means that she can sit up with support and the core of her body doesn't cave on her. She has such a strong neck and is showing every body that as often as she can. She smiles like a champ... and while she fusses more than other babies in my experience she makes up for it by smiling OFTEN! And it is such a great smile it is so full of glee and excitement. It makes my heart jump with love and my whole mood lift. She is a joy to be with in between fuss sessions... but even the fuss sessions have gotten fewer and shorter as I am getting better at anticipating her needs and fulfilling them for her. She has shown me with out question the certainty that no two babies are alike. She has also taught me the valuable lesson that your heart makes room. I adore her more every day and it in no way dims or diminishes the love that I have for Ash. Truly it is amazing to be a parent!
Ash was so excited to see her uncle Shawn. She remembered him and spent the afternoon climbing on him just as much as her cousin did. It was good to see. We have been looking at his photos and talking about him a lot while he has been gone so that she could remember him. Ash is teaching mommy all about patience right now... and the lack of it that mommy suffers from. She is a brilliant child. She amazes people when they learn how young she is! She has a vocabulary that would rival most any three year old, she knows her colors her shapes, and she can count to ten. She recognizes some of the letters by sight she recognizes 1 through 9 of the numbers. 10 still gives her a pause. The thing is that being so advanced makes people think that she is older than she is and that she understands more than she does. Even mommy and daddy have a hard time with that expecting more from her than she is able to give developmentally. So it is frustrating for all of us. As long as we stick to a fairly regular routine we are good... but if we break that routine we are often in for a real show. She has a temper and she pulls it out. She is a sight to behold. She has a screech on her that can fell a tree. It is sharp and piercing, and the child knows how to use it. I always swore that I wouldn't have a screaming girl... but Ash is showing me that not only will I have one, but there is nothing I can do about it.
It is humbling to be a mother and see that all the behavior that you have handed dirty looks out for in stores, is at times unavoidable. That is just how the cookie crumbles... and right now it isn't just Ash that makes us wary of public places it is Taryn too.... THAT one is going to be a serious run for the money when she gets to be Ash's age. Although she may not be that bad, as she may get it all out in her infancy. There is another thing that humbles you... when you don't have any food in the house and you HAVE to grocery shop with the infant.... when she starts screaming you have to finish the shopping, irregardless of the looks that others may give you. Oh and the people who make comments aren't helpful.... when I am holding a wailing baby pushing a cart and trying to shop someone who says something to the effect of the lungs on the child isn't helping in any way. The looks the people send you aren't helpful either. It isn't as if I pinched the child because I prefer to shop in the most annoying manner possible. Thankfully that has only happened once, as Dave usually watches her while I do the shopping.
We are molding ourselves into a family and it is a truly great thing. I think that the teeter totter of life is starting to slow down and the ups and downs are starting to level out. I am working hard at enjoying every second of my children's lives.... because those moments fly by all to quickly. I will never have another baby, and while that is a good thing considering the difficulty of my pregnancies and the present economy, there are moments when it makes me sad to know that I will never hold another that is as little as Taryn and have that baby be mine. I will never hold a little boy that is my own and smooth down his hair or give him a bath. It is something that makes me a little bit melancholy some moments... so that is why I must throw myself into enjoying the moments that I can!
By the way Aidan's birthday was last week. He would have been three years old on the 18th. Amazing how the time flies. Happy birthday little boy. Mommy remembers!

We had Taryn to the Doc last Friday for this stupid cold that she has. Thursday night scared me spitless because there were long pauses in her breathing three different times and then when she woke up on Friday she nursed and then choked on the mucus that she had in her throat and then threw up all that she had just nursed. I am a fairly calm person most times but that night scared the pants right off of me so I took her to the doc. Doc left it up to me if I should take her to the hospital for the duration of the cold or take her home, and did some cultures for RSV and flu. The stipulation being should either culture come back positive she would go to the hospital regardless. I of course chose to keep her home. As a mommy I want to keep her from trauma not rush headlong into it. Those cultures came back negative and she stayed home. Whew!!!
Doc told me that the 4 or 5 day of the virus is the worst and then they get better usually. Well that held true for us. She did indeed start getting better. She hasn't had any more apnea episodes and isn't snotty through the day... she wakes up that way, but we park her in front of the humidifier and she is better for it.
So this Saturday we went to the Fall Fest that our little town has. We weren't there long and the outside air did Taryn good. It actually took us longer to walk one direction than we stayed there. We bundled both girls into a stroller and off we went. I got my funnel cake and Dave got his elephant ear. We let Ash go fishing and win a prize ( she was so proud) and we were out of there. We turned around and walked back to the house. It was nice and Ash was thrilled with the lights and people walking as we took a turn around the fair searching out our various vendors. Taryn conked out lulled by the noise that the fair makes and when we got home night night was as good as done. Even though she hadn't actually done the walking Ash was pretty tuckered out.
On Sunday we went to the Apple Orchard!!! Ash is such a perfect Age for this!!!! No pictures I am sorry but I was too busy helping her to pet the farm animals and ride the ponies and go on the wagon rides etc etc etc. This child is Animal Crazy. She went right up to the draft horses for the wagon to pet them with zero fear! I am so glad to see that. We were in the barn with the animals for nearly an hour because she went from one animal to another repeatedly. She pet the pigs and the goats and the calf they have there. She would have pet the chickens if they would have gotten close enough. The only way to get her out of the barn was to tell her there were ponies on the other side of the yard... and then she was so eager for the ponies that she didn't even WANT to play in the play yard... and that says a lot because there are tractors and all kinds of really really cool play equipment that she didn't even see... she was so focused on a pony ride.
So of course she got to ride the pony and was so very proud. And it makes this mama's heart proud to see how well she gets on with the animals. Dave and I have already decided that next weekend we will be going back to the pet store, where she loves to pet bunnies and all of the other little creatures. She loves all the fish too... the only animals that she is a little skittish of is the birds. And I don't blame her!! We will in a couple of weeks be going to the pumpkin patch where once again she will be able to see all kinds of animals. A llama or two that time.
She is at such a fun age... though at times it is such a frustrating age. I am beside myself half of the time trying to figure out how to outwit her. I do a lot of hollering these days, because she is well aware that once I sit down to nurse I am incapacitated for a bit. And I can yell my head off and she just laughs. But what she isn't noticing is that as Taryn gets older it takes less and less time for her to get full ( because she is more efficient at nursing), and mama is taking the household back. I had to give my power away during the end of the pregnancy and the first few months of Taryn's life.... but I am not a mama to be messed with. So Ash is learning that mama has a few tricks up her sleeve. We have also just got a potty seat and pull-ups. She has been asking. So my parents picked one up for her this weekend. This is a process and I know it won't happen in one weekend, but we are off and running on the potty training. It will be nice to have only one in diapers! Though it is more labor intensive while we are training. ( and like every thing else Ash is so into it that we spend 1/2 our day in the bathroom)
So I don't have any photos of this weekend to post but I have a few from last Thursday while we were playing outside and Ash found the bike that was bought for her brother Keagan when he was her age. I will post some of those and hopefully I will be better about getting photos of the fun we have. But I make no promises. Sometimes we are just having too much fun to stop... and that is fine by me!

This place should be quarantined!!!

Well maybe it isn't that bad. Seems like the whole world has been sick though... and my three housemates have been a part of it. It has been a busy week. Since last I wrote I have turned a year over, Ashlynn and Taryn have grown an inch and the leaves have started turning..... Well all of those are true except the Ashlynn and Taryn growing an inch bit... they ARE growing fast though!
Both girls have tried a cold on for size in the last week. Ashlynn is as usual her easygoing laid back self who needs a little more cuddling and a little more sleep. I don't think it should come as any great surprise though that Taryn IS NOT laid back and easy going in the throes of illness, rather she is one who screeches at the top of her lungs how unfair it is that SHE is feeling cruddy... making all of the rest of us feel somewhat cruddy on top of it all. She would settle for nothing less than mommy holding her and was more than willing to tell Daddy ALL about it. Saturday was an interesting day and night to say the least. Dave also has been ill... though it has not been a cold but more of the same ole' same ole' and he was in the hospital on Thursday for it.
Every one is better now... with the exception of a hanging on cough it seems the storm has mostly passed.
I did not get sick (with the exception of a minor sore throat that had me concerned the kids might have a sore throat on top of the runny noses and coughs!) But I did get to nurse every one and lose sleep while up all night Saturday with the youngest member of the house hold. The girls are catching up on some much needed sleep right now and Dave is back at work. I am enjoying a quiet moment and afraid that it will end at any moment.
So I am going to post a few photos for you all.... and then I think that I may let the dishes stay undone and the laundry stay dirty... and I may just crawl into bed with my sleeping angels and take a nap...... SCANDALOUS! And in prelude I will post a few pictures of sleeping angels with this.... ( I have one of Dave sleeping next to the girls... however he has threatened death should anyone outside of our household see it.... I personally think that it is sweet but well I guess I should listen to him. ) Enjoy!

Mommy is a year older

So tomorrow is my birthday... another day another year. This year it was a low key celebration style. We went out to dinner at Chili's and then we took the kiddo to the pet store. Today we went out and played in the yard. All in all quiet and unassuming. But I did get some really wonderful shots of Ash and Daddy playing in the yard today. I am about to go to bed its midnight here.... but I thought that I would post a few photos for you all ! Enjoy!

Lazy day lazy day

Taryn is a fuss to the 10th degree today and it seems like it wants to be April all year long... so I am not in the mood to do much more than post a few photos while I listen to my newest daughter cry in the background while my husband takes a turn at making her happy.
Enjoy!

Taryn Taryn Bo Baryn is two months old!!

We had Taryn's two month check today... and found out that she is a beautiful healthy little girl! Well no I knew that before... but the doctor found that out today. She is 11 lbs 13 ounces and she is 22 inches long... ( well just about 22 inches long but whose REALLY counting?) She is in perfect health and came away with a prescription for a vitamin that the doc suggested because of the fact that T is a breast fed baby.
We have been so amazed by how big she is getting and Dave even called her a "bruiser" saying that she was going to be much bigger than her sister... because she already was bigger.... I warned him that you don't know until you know... but he insisted that she is such a big girl. So I looked back for a comparison and at the two month check our Ashlynn Bear was 12 lbs 13 ounces and 23 inches long. So much for T being so much bigger than Ash was... Ash had a full pound and a little more than an inch on her. There is no way to know what either of these two girls will be as adults so I will stop all speculation right there. But I am happy to say that at this age we were having such a tough time with Ash and eczema and Taryn doesn't seem to have the same trouble. We will see as time moves forward... but I just may find that for all Taryn is harder to please and far more demanding of attention... Ashlynn's health concerns may not be an issue with this one. One thing is certain.... God is teaching me the lesson very clearly that all people ( read babies) are indeed very different. Just because you have had one DO NOT think you will have the same or even a comparable experience with the second. Not that I thought that I would... but I thought there would be some similarities and this is like opposite ends of the spectrum! One thing is very sure though.... it keeps things interesting.
We went to the Children's farm this weekend. Ashlynn was entirely taken with the animals! NO FEAR! She stuck her hands in to pet and held food in her hands with never a hesitation. Now every time we get into the car she asks if we are going to ride ponies or pet goats. She must have had a ton of fun, because it made quite an impression. We did get pictures of that!!! I am still out of sorts that I forgot the doggone camera for the zoo trip. ARGH!!! But at least I got a few of this last weekend to share.
Ashlynn has started calling T Taryn Bo Baryn because of the name song. When I ran out of things to sing one night while T was fussing I pulled that out and started singing it. Ashlynn thought that it was great fun. She was giggling hysterically by the time I was done. I did Ashlynn's name too... but it didn't glean near the hysteria. Since that night though Ash has called her Taryn Bo Baryn. She is becoming quite the loving older sister and while she enjoys time with just mommy she worries if Taryn isn't with us. Mommy took just Ash out on Monday to play ( no pics of that one... I ran and twirled with my daughter rather than just watched her and Daddy watched Taryn) and she ate up the time... but kept asking if Taryn was okay. We went to the store today just Ash and I and the same thing "Taryn Okay? Taryn okay?" She also wants to hold her all the time and is asking to kiss and hug her spontaneously. It truly is a wonderful thing to see. For her part Taryn is completely taken by her older sis. She talks up a storm and smiles something fierce when Ash is in her line of sight. She gets those legs kicking and her arms a waving and everyone in the world can see that she likes her older sister. I hope sincerely that they will grow up to be great friends.
So two months gone... and I won't lie and say that they have been easy. They have flown! That much is true. They have been wonderful in their own way. They have been difficult and they have been full of trials, but I am not sure I would change one thing about them. I am learning how to be a mommy to two little bit by little bit. I am madly in love with my newest daughter and though I joke about her crying ( and sometimes it DOES feel excessive) I love that she has standards and that even at a few weeks old she will stand up and say something about it. I adore her feisty little spirit. And we are coming to terms with each other little bit by little bit. I am learning her cries and she is .... well she is still crying... but she is getting used to being down and it takes longer for her to start wailing these days. Funny thing though I am getting to the point where I hardly hear it anymore. She started up while I was filling out some paperwork at the docs and I didn't even notice until some woman gave me a nasty look... Oops.... not everyone understands that when you have a kid who cries so much your psyche tunes it out in self defense. Ah well they can give me dirty looks all they want... they don't have to LIVE with her! HA HA HA

Look at that smile though... who wouldn't love her?
Seriously who... I want names!!!!

Daddy's Girls

I thought that a montage of Dave with his ladies might be nice to see. You will most likely never see one of me with the girls... because I am always the one taking the pictures. Maybe some day. I have been trying to use the option on our camera to take video. I thought that would be a nice little addition... um the camera is really just meant to take pictures though. No sound ( which isn't a surprise I knew that) and the picture is really really bad... I deleted all videos that I have tried to take. The one that I took of Taryn outside today made her look like a smurf. She was literally blue looking. I had her outside for light too... sigh maybe some day I will have a video camera and will have some nice video to share until then you will have to make do with the photos.... As if that is hard, these are some of the cutest girls on earth!