Potty Training

Potty training is still going well.  Thank goodness for the power of stickers.

7 Months/July Updates

 Dining room yoga.  Alma in downward dog and James just coming out of up-dog.

 Alma's first movie: Dumbo on a tiny traveling DVD player (our real DVD player broke a few months ago).  While she loved it, playing such close attention to the screen for so long made her incredible tired and incredibly cranky.  We may wait a bit before her next movie.

He is eating like a champ these days.  I'm so grateful that he opens his mouth wide as the spoon approaches his face.  Although he likes to kick like crazy so those little toesies become an obstacle.  Alma always put her lips into her mouth and it was maddening to try to feed her.  James would prefer if we just fed him avocados and water but will also happily eat bananas, sweet potatoes, apple sauce, apricots, nectarines, rice cereal, and mangos. 

He has seven teeth and a great smile.  This week his front two teeth are cutting through (one popped through yesterday) and that has caused some fussiness.  But in general, he seems to be a champ with the teething pain.  It's been funny that the teeth next to this front teeth came in first.  He was our little vampire. 

 We broke down (ahem, I should say that I broke down) and got a big circle of neglect.  Well, more like city block of neglect based on its size.  Both kids love it and the variety of songs it plays makes it bearable for the adults too.

 Lunaversary on the stairs photos.

He can sit up without any props, which has allowed him to play with us more successfully.  He also spends a lot of time in crawling pose, rocking back and forth.  From this crawling pose, he often crawls in a spin.  Not really forward or backward, just in a stationary circle.  We have seen him crawl both forward and backward across rooms to get toys but he spends most of his time spinning in place.  Slightly odd but useful for keeping him in one place.

At his 6.5 month pediatrician's appointment, he weighted in at 18 lbs 4 oz, 27 inches, and was in love with the crinkly paper.

James has hit the stage of babyhood where he enjoys loudly screeching.  Alma happens to be in the toddler version of this stage which creates both a lot of giggles from the two of them and a headache for mama.  Their laughter is usually contagious so it isn't too bad.

"Doing choo-choo" (pretending do be a train) along the wall at Moravian College.  We spend a lot of time during walks playing on the Moravian College campus. 

A camera phone snap of her bedroom which got a facelift.  Silverberry (Behr) paint on the wall, bright white trim paint, a grape purple table and chair, my childhood canopy bed set.  Alma is obsessed with purple and pink (how does this happen?!) and loves her new "castle" bed.  While she still sleeps in her crib (her choice), it is nice to have the bed for reading books.  We will transition her to her big girl bed once we install the bed rails and finish potty training.

Speaking of potty training, we went cold turkey with that transition.  After feeling terrified of the process, balking on it a few months ago when she was interested in starting, reading some good books on the topic and then a great pep talk from Joshua ("Remember the adventurer you used to be?  Tackle this like a new adventure!"), we dove in headfirst and it has been awesome.  I know, I really did say awesome and I'm not being sarcastic!  We set aside a weekend when she would start wearing underwear and then not put on diapers ever again during the daytime (naps and bedtime are still diapered until she gets the hang of things).  Every 20 minutes, she would "try" and we would read her a special book (Once Upon a Potty).  Only two accidents the first morning and (so far) three perfect days since.  That is, perfect for peeing; we are working on bowel movements still.  We are so proud of how brave and mature Alma has been about the process. 

Alma demonstrating crawling for James.

Alma acting like a bird in front on a peahen (female peacock) at the zoo last week.

James's patented means of sucking his fingers.  This kid has no idea what to do with a pacifier and I couldn't be happier.  Those fingers find their way to his mouth whenever he needs some soothing.

Pool Days

The Back Garden

Updates

Our sweet James seemed to develop a new skill (or tooth!) every day recently.  While Joshua was away in California and Seattle, James learned to crawl backwards rather quickly, is no longer able to be contained by any of the baby chairs (he wriggles and rolls his way out of them almost immediately), is constantly on the floor doing an extreme plank move that is more like downward dog, is eating more solid food items (e.g. smashed banana without any milk added), and had four top teeth peek through his gums. 

Alma has been adjusting quite a bit recently.  She has been slow to warm up to new people and even feeling shy around people she knows well, she has been asking for more time in our arms and has developed a bit of a whine.  It seems to be a combination of being in lots of new environments (e.g. traveling), coming to terms with the decreased amount of attention now that she is a big sister, and her age.  Joshua also pointed out that she may be reacting to some of my sadness about her starting at a preschool in the fall.   While it is only two half days a week, it is difficult for me to not be emotional about her growing up and doing things without me.  We are starting to gear up for her transition to a toddler bed and the start of potty training.  All the things we have been putting off as she adjusts to being a big sister.  

In other news, she can now do a forward roll, talks nearly constantly (often asking for and telling stories) with a great use of pronouns and sometimes a Boston accent, and is still very willing to include James in everything we do.  I'm so grateful for her enthusiasm, tenderness and love for her family; it continues to be an inspiration to me.

Joshua received exciting work-related news a few weeks ago as he learned that CUNA will be part of large $14.3 million grant for work related to health care.  You can read more about it here.  The grant will bring $1.4 million in funding to the Allentown area.  Joshua worked hard to make this grant happen and I'm so proud of him for it.

My big update is that I've been working out much more frequently recently.  On Saturday mornings, Joshua has been wrangling the kids so that I can attend a crossfit class that helps me find group motivation and get a good muscle workout.  Moreover, during the week, I've been quickly heading over to the gym two mornings a week to work out on the elliptical machine.  And last week, on the Fourth of July, I was able to go to a yoga class a great studio that really kicked my bum.  It feels so good to move again after such a long, difficult pregnancy and then months of adjusting back to not being pregnant.  I'm so grateful to Joshua for his support and encouragement.  I would not be able to prioritize these activities, which keep me sane along with helping me to stay healthy, without his assistance.

Joshua's Vacation: Seatte

After a week in Applegate, CA for work, Joshua was able to join his family in Seattle to celebrate Hayden's 7th birthday.  How awesome to see this photo of the Chisholm kids together. 

Vacation Part 2: Pittsburgh

Vacation Part 1: Thomas the Train and Carlisle

Happy 4th of July

(Alma acting as a firework)