The Truth

It's so hard dropping Isadora off at day care. It was so easy with Lincoln.  I cried the first day we dropped him off and after that, dropping him off was a breeze. I have no idea why it's different this time.

We admit we probably have babied Isadora a little more than we did Lincoln. I think that's because we were completely clueless and had no idea what to expect. This time, we know what's coming; we know now that all you do is blink and that itty bitty newborn is sitting up. You blink again and they're walking. People always say it goes so fast.  I never believed them.  I should have listened.  It does go by so fast. That was something we didn't realize the first time.

With Isa, I am determined to make sure she's on breast milk until she's 6 months old. We started giving Lincoln cereal around 4 and a half months. We gave him a bottle at 5 weeks.  We weren't even sure if Isadora would take a bottle her first day at day care: she was 14 weeks.  We hold Isa a lot more. In fact, I've actually gone into her room and taken her out of bed just to rock with her. I never, EVER would have done this with Lincoln. Ever. Although, for as much as she slept on us for the first 6 weeks of her life, she would much rather be in her bed than on someone. Which is good…I suppose.

Anyway, the truth of the matter is dropping Isadora off at day care makes my heart break into a million little pieces. This was her third week and it's not getting any easier for her or I.  Tuesday when I handed her to Ms. Susan, her eyes immediately got red and she stuck out her bottom lip. I thought that was bad until I dropped her off yesterday and she turned her head away from me when I went to kiss her cheek good-bye. I ran out of there so fast. It took everything I had to not take her home with me.

They always tell me she does fine even though I pick her up and she looks exhausted. I don't think she's ever slept more than 45 minutes there. At home, she usually sleeps for a good 2 or 3 hours twice a day. They keep telling me it's fine and it's ok, but I am so afraid all the infant room teachers will start dreading Tuesdays and Thursdays!

It has to get better. It will get better for her and I...right?

Ultrasound

Today we headed to Sparrow for a follow up ultrasound on Isadora's hips.  As a refresher, we needed the ultrasound since she was breech for weeks.  At her original ultrasound, they found one side was a little looser than the other.  They wanted to do a follow-up to see if this was "just the way she is" or if it was something more serious.

Thankfully, the ultrasound was perfect!  No issues and everything looks great.  Phew!  Hopefully that's our last test with this little one.

Last week wasn't horrible and it wasn't great.  I hate that we even have to send Isadora to day care, but at least this time around we know the teachers in the rooms and know she's in good hands.  Because we're only taking her 2 days a week, I think it'll take her a little while to get acclimated with her new surroundings.  Ms. Susan (her infant room teacher) said she did really well, but in true Lincoln fashion, she didn't sleep.  Lincoln used to, and still does, the same thing at day care.  I think it's because he doesn't want to miss out on anything.

Thanks for thinking about us and checking in.  We have Isadora's 4 month appointment in a few weeks.  Oh, how time flies!

Isadora's Baby Pictures

Yes, yes...I'm really late posting baby pictures of Isadora!

We had Sabreena with Photography by Sabreena take Isa's baby pictures.  She did a fantastic job!  She told us to set aside 4 hours for the session since you just never know how a baby can be.  Lucky for us, Isadora was really good and only needed to nurse once.

The pictures could not have turned out better.

This is only a small portion of the 200+ pictures she took.  All of the pictures turned out fantastic!  We are looking forward to many more sessions with Sabreena!

Isadora Update

Yes, our sweet Isadora is growing up!  I cannot believe how quickly the last 14 weeks have gone.

Kirk and I ask each other on a regular basis how we made it through the first month with her. I may have brushed it off and lived by the mantra "this too shall pass", but it was rough. I am so happy the doctor put her on Zantac and recommended she sleep in the Rock-n-Play. She's been a new baby ever since!  It is shocking how often she sleeps through the night. Last night she slept from 7 pm until 9:00 this morning!  Lincoln didn't sleep through the night regularly until he was 8 months old.

Isa isn't a pacifier baby, she is, however, a thumb sucker. Ugh. It's cute, but I hope it doesn't last. All I can think about is the orthodontist's bill in 10 years if she keeps it up!

She's so much more interactive now playing in the Baby Einstein or sitting in the Bumbo. It's only a matter of time before she starts sitting on her own and playing independently.

She's a pro at tummy time!

Lincoln loves "Baby I".  He asks about her first thing in the morning and shouts good night to her every night from his room to hers. He loves laying next to her while she's laying under her activity center.

It's not all roses with him, I will be the first to admit, but he does do really well with her. I think he is anxious for her to get a little older so she can play with him.

We have a repeat hip ultrasound next week. And I know you all want to know if she's pooping and she is about every 2 or 3 days. This is an improvement! I can't help but chuckle when someone is holding her and they tell me she's pooped. I always tell them to wait and see if the smell goes away cause chances are it was just a toot.

Looking forward to all the upcoming milestones. I loved watching Lincoln grow this first year. I am excited to see what kind of personality Isa develops.

I will try to be better at updating. 2 kids is more work than 1. Who knew?!  :)

Happy New Year!

I know I don't have to tell anyone about the New Years gift tradition started by my mom.  It's still one of my favorite traditions growing up and I hope it will be one of our kid's favorites, also.  Then again, who doesn't love getting gifts?

By New Years Day, I learned quickly Lincoln was officially a pro at opening gifts.  Kirk worked so I told him we could open one present (as if he could stop at one - ha!) and open the rest when he got home.  That didn't last.  Lincoln opened his gifts and Isa's, too.  Silly boy.

I'm always sad to take down the decorations and see the Christmas season end.  It's such a special and magical time of year.  The years seem to go fast, so I guess that means next Christmas will be here before we know it!

Happy New Year!

Good-Bye December!

And just like that, it's January!

WOW did December go fast or what?!  Hoping you all had a safe, happy and healthy holiday season.

We had a fantastic December.  It went quick, but part of that is because we kept ourselves so busy with all the  holiday festivities.

We were able to sneak a trip to Great Wolf Lodge into my maternity leave before I went back to work.  We had a really great time and there was no one there. I loved that!  Lincoln loved it so much, he woke up at 3:30 in the morning talking about the bucket at the water park.  So happy he had a good time!

Isadora also had fun.  I didn't want her sensitive skin in the over-chlorinated water, so Kirk or I sat back with her while Lincoln played in the water.

There were a lot of really fun activities for kids while we were there.  They had story time down in the lobby.  Kirk brought Lincoln (in his PJs).  After the book, they made it snow in the lobby!  It doesn't look like it in this picture, but it was snowing!

We didn't get a ton of pictures, but it was a blast!  Can't wait to take Lincoln back again!

We went to cut down our tree again this year.  We thought Lincoln would love it.  There was snow on the ground and we thought he would love picking out a tree and playing in the snow along the way.  We were wrong.  The kid hated every last second of it.  He sat down on more than one occasion.  The most fun he had the whole time was helping Kirk cut down the tree and inside afterward where he had a doughnut.

For picking out our tree really quickly, (which is hard for Kirk and I who both suffer from a bad case of Indecision) we were really happy with it.  It was the perfect size and shape.

As you all know, I love the small town charm of Howell and all the fun activities.  In the past, we have gone downtown (uptown for the locals) for activities.  It seems this year they canceled the uptown activities and moved everything to the city park.  It was really fun!  Santa made an appearance (the line was too long), there were lit mini-Christmas trees all throughout the park and our favorite was getting to send a personal message to Santa.

They had lanterns where you wrote a message and an elf lit it and it went to the North Pole (clearly a fire hazard).  I asked Lincoln what he wanted for Christmas so I could tell Santa.  He told me "two presents".  I wrote:

Dear Santa,

Please bring me two presents.

Love,
Lincoln Schultz

I don't think Santa got the lantern because Lincoln clearly got more than 2 presents!

I'm back to work now, (sad face) but I really enjoyed my time off with Lincoln and Isadora.  I feel so lucky to be able to have spent 12 weeks with them.  We're hoping in the future I will be able to stay home full time, or at least part time, but for now, I'm back at work.  Tomorrow is Isa's first day at day care.  We feel better knowing she'll be in good hands, but I'm so, so sad to leave her.

We hope your holiday season was filled with blessings!

Christmases

We started out the Christmas celebrations with the Schultz Family Christmas.  It was Lincoln's first Christmas of the season and he still didn't get the whole idea of opening gifts.  He would open one and want to play with it.  Open another and want to play with it.  Opening gifts that day with him was a long process!  He had a really fantastic time opening gifts and playing with his new toys.

Kirk was really sick of getting Lincoln's gifts out of the boxes.

Love the cousin pictures!  From L to R: Isadora, Noah, Olivia, Sophia, Gavin, Lincoln and Lexi.

Lexi doing her best to hold Isadora!

Sweet picture of Isa and Lynn.

We spent Christmas Day with my family.  It was another great day of hanging out with the kids and watching their little eyes light up with excitement over their new toys.  By Christmas with my family, Lincoln was much better at opening gifts and was asking for presents.  I love that Lincoln has cousins close to his age.  They have so much fun together.

Quin is so good with Isadora.  She loves her!

Getting a picture of all the kiddos is never an easy task!  They're getting better, darnet!  I have faith a really good picture of all 6 of the kids is not far away!  From L to R: Gianna, Quin, Ellery, Isadora, Easton and Lincoln.

 Ellery and Lincoln seem to be 2 peas in a pod.  Here they are playing with Rock-n-Roll Elmo.

Lincoln and Easton checking out the Elmo guitar.

Here they are with Uncle John checking out Lincoln's airplane.

Love this picture of Joelee and Gianna!

Christmas morning was really fun.  Santa had no problem finding our house.  I think this is due, in part, to the reindeer food we put out the night before.

I think next year will be awesome, but we had a good time this year.  Isadora slept right through Christmas morning, but Lincoln spent the morning opening gifts and playing with his new toys.  He loved his new Thomas Power Wheels.

In addition to Thomas, he got some new books, videos, a helmet and blocks, just to name a few things.  Isadora got a kitchen from Santa which Lincoln seems to be enjoying these days.  The last few days he's been making us food.  Love that!

It was a fantastic Christmas.  We had so much fun spending time with our families and with each other.  I love that each year Lincoln is a little more excited about Christmas.  I'm loving this age.

Looking forward to Isadora joining in on the fun next year!