Grandma Time

Grandma (Craig's mom) came and stayed for ten days, though things were still a little crazy it was a lot of help!!!  We are so thankful she was willing to come, stay, and put up with us.  Lucas loved it!!!  He wanted Grandma to do everything!  He wouldn't let me get him off of the bus, he wanted grandma to do it.  Grandma had to help him pray, read him a story, put him to bed.  It was all about Grandma!  I know Lucas had fun with Grandma!  Thanks Grandma!  (Also, thanks for the awesome shirts!)

First Day alone with two!

A couple of days ago I was left all day with two kids......alone, and I have to admit I was a little nervous, wondering if we would manage.  The last couple of weeks I feel like we have just been surviving and that was with Craig around and grandma!  Good news is both kids are still alive and I managed to maintain my sanity!  It was a successful day!  Though it didn't come without some stress and drama.  I slept in, storing up my energy for the day.  We weren't ready for the day until eleven, but we were ready before lunch time!  At one point I found Jaxson half undressed, shivering and was soaking wet, he had leaked through his diaper and Lucas had attempted to undress him, poor little man!   Lucas played at the playground and had lunch with his friends.  Then came nap which started out well, until I was talking to my mother, while feeding Jaxson and heard the upstairs toilet flush.  Several minutes later, here comes Lucas in distress and covered in poo (diarrhea).  I quickly hung up with my mother, put Jaxson down, took several deep breaths and took care of the problem.  Which involved changing clothes and a bath for Lucas.  Cleaning up poo in the bathroom, and off the rugs.  Meanwhile Jaxson is screaming.  I try to calm him down while getting Lucas back down for a nap, but in the process Jaxson spits up all down the front of me, but he manages to stay dry.  Several minutes later Jaxson and Lucas are asleep!  Success!!!

Surviving with two!

The last week and a half I feel like I have been running a marathon.  We are off our routine and taking it one day at a time.  Lucas was really good with the baby the first week, he was just irritable and whiny with us.  This week however, he has been attempting to pick up the child, hitting him on the head with a wooden toy hammer, grabbing at him, etc.  I keep having to tell myself that Jaxson is more resilient then you would think.  He is just so tiny, it has been an adjustment.  When I am picking him up I am not quite sure how to hold him, it feels awkward because he is tiny.  He is also a 'grunter', he stretches and grunts.  He has been sleeping really well, in fact, we have to wake him to feed him.  Lately I feel like I am feeding him all the time, because he will eat for five minutes and fall asleep for thirty then realize he is still hungry eat a little more than sleep for thirty minutes, it is just a cycle.  Lucas is having a hard time adjusting and luckily reinforcements has arrived (Grandma).  Thank goodness for grandmas!  My mom is coming out, but due to Jaxson unexpected early arrival, it will be a month after Jaxson's arrival.  So Craig's mother was willing to come and provide some needed support.  Lucas loves having grandma here, and wants grandma to do everything with him.  For example:  I went to get Lucas off of the bus this afternoon, he started to whine at me and wanted grandma to get him off of the bus.  Hopefully with time we will be able to find a routine, Lucas can re-adjust and hopefully I can maintain my sanity in the process!

First outing as a family.

Two weeks ago we took Jaxson to first doctor's appointment.  What an event.  The doctor was running behind so it took longer than usual.  Since we were out and about we thought we would run a couple "quick" errands.  On our way to Home Depot we could hear that the car was making a noise, so after Craig ran into Home Depot (Lucas whined the whole time, because he wanted to go with daddy) we drove around the Home Depot trying to figure out where the sound was coming from.  Then Jaxson started crying because he was hungry.

So Jaxson is crying while we are driving to Walmart, we are hurrying to get there so I can feed him, and suddenly Lucas says "Mommy, I make a mess."  I turn around and my child has picked his nose and is now covered in blood, and he is hiding his hands because he is ashamed, poor little guy.  Craig runs into Walmart with Lucas to get him cleaned up.  I am in the car feeding Jaxson.  It takes Craig longer in Walmart because he has to clean up Lucas and then the cashier was being difficult.

Our last stop is Comcast, so Craig can pick up the HD box (very important, apparently).  We arrive and low-and-behold Comcast is no longer at that location.  We call to see where they move to, but the location doesn't sound familiar to us, so we end up downtown at the other location, only to find that it is packed with college kids.  We spend the next several minutes in the car while Craig is trying to figure out where Comcast has moved to.  Craig figures it out, but it is back by where we originally thought they were, so we head back find the Comcast place pick up the box.  Three and half hours later we are heading back home.  Wow!  That was an event, and I had backup, because Craig was with me.  So needless to say I will not be venturing out on my own with two kids for awhile.

First day of preschool!

The day has finally arrived!  We have prepped Lucas for this day for the last several months.  This morning we woke up, got Lucas dressed, fed him some breakfast, gave him his backpack, took his picture by the bus, buckled him in, and watched as my baby boy headed to preschool.  I would be lying if I said I didn't shed at least one tear.  That morning our home seemed a little empty and quiet without our Lucas.

However, Lucas had a blast!  When grandma asked him what he did at preschool, Lucas said, "had lunch".  I am glad it was a productive day at preschool!  Asked him if he wanted to do it again tomorrow and he said, "yes."

The baby has arrived

Sunday, August 26th at 8:56am, Jaxson Boyd Swenson was born.  He weighed 5lbs 14oz and was 19 inches long.  Jaxson arrived just over two weeks early, which was an unexpected surprise.  Unfortunately, Jaxson arrived at about the time Craig was on a plane, landing in Denver (oops!).  Labor and delivery went well.  Craig arrived later that evening.  Jaxson looks like a Swenson, there are times when I think I am looking at Lucas when he was a baby.  He's a beautiful little boy with dark hair, no dimples (surprising), and we love him.

Craig and the Elderly Lady

Lucas and I take our daily walk around the town, and when I can convince him, Craig comes with us, usually on Sundays.  Towards the end of our walk, when were heading home, we walk through a retirement community, (they don't call it that, it is an "active adult living area", but whatever).  On this particular Sunday, Craig is with us and we are walking up this steep incline in the retirement community.  This elderly lady stops her car rolls down her window and in a somewhat joking, but mostly serious manner, chastises Craig for making me push the stroller up this incline.  I start to chuckle  because she doesn't know that I push a stroller up this hill on a daily basis, and that Craig has bad knees and due that to the height difference between him and the stroller it hurts his back to push.  Just then I straighten up and turn towards her and she notices that I am pregnant, the elderly lady looks surprised and responses, "and she's pregnant!"  Poor Craig!  I thought it was hilarious and pretty much laughed all the way home.