Something Weird Has Happened

I almost hesitate to write about this.  Something very strange has happened in our house.  Adam and I are still in disbelief.  We don't know what happened, but just like the flip of a switch, Vince decided it was time to be happy.  The day I went back to work, things started to change.  Prior to that, he was good, but he still woke up through the night, did plenty of fussing, and required maximum attention at all times.  I also think that we all became so immune to the crying that it didn't bother us anymore.  These days, he smiles, lays on the floor alone, sleeps all night, and interacts with everyone more.  He even falls asleep on car rides.  Previously, we'd dread car rides (of any length) because Vin would scream the entire ride.  He cries now for usual baby things, instead of crying just because.

I don't have anything to attribute this change to.  Maybe it was getting him to a new environment with Patty that made the change.  Maybe it was that I bumped him up to six ounce bottles.  Maybe it was having him baptized and washing the fussiness right out of him.  Maybe I just got tough and refused to wake up through the night to feed him.  I'm really starting to think that it was colic combined with reflux.  People have told me that children with colic sometimes just snap out of it one day and become happy babies.

In any case, the change has been quite welcomed!  I am so grateful that he's good at Patty's house.  It's nice to be able to go places and do things around home without the stress of a fussy little boy.  We knew it would get better.  I would've never guessed it'd take three months.  We love the little guy to pieces.  He brings smiles to our faces and fullness to our hearts!

Vince's Baptism

We had Vin's baptism on Sunday, September 28--the day he turned 3 months!  The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed good food and company while celebrating Vince's special day.

Godparents Mandy & Jeff

4 generations

 The kids had so much fun playing together.  They were all exhausted at the end of the day. There are no pictures of Vera getting run over by the PowerWheels Jeep, but I have to mention it here for memory's sake.  Blake was the driver, Bailey the passenger, and poor Vera just couldn't get out of the way in time.  Thankfully, no one was hurt and Vera recovered well.

The newest, most handsome little Catholic: Vince Michael Pearson

Fall Festival

While I was still off work, we slipped in one last camping trip to Fall Festival.  It's always a fun weekend of camping because there's a lot to do.  Unfortunately, the weather was a little chilly so Vince and I slept at home each night, but Vera stayed in the camper with grandma and her dad.

Vera loved the face paintings.  She cried when we had to wash the paint off at the end of Saturday, so on Sunday her dad took her to get another.

The bounce house was more fun for Vera than for grandma and mom who were watching from the outside.  Vera got bounced around like popcorn because she's so small.  She said she had fun, but it was pretty crazy inside!

On Sunday morning, Paula took Vera out and about while dad packed up the camper.  It was pretty chilly!

The second face paint was Hello Kitty.

When Vera and dad came home with the camper, she spent some time playing outside--complete with Hello Kitty face paint, Ariel dress, and helmet.  The people driving by were probably scratching their heads.  Vera isn't the best Jeep driver.  Here she is trying to get herself out of one of the many mishaps she's had with the jeep.  She hasn't mastered the skill of steering so well.  More than once she's hit the camper and vehicles.

On Friday of Fall Festival, my mom and I had fun garage saleing around Ft. Loramie.  We snagged many deals for the kids.  Here's Mr. Vince with a free hat Paula grabbed for him.

Just to Compare

Vera
5-16-11
6 weeks

Vince
8-11-2014
6 weeks

We don't think they look much a like.  I have plenty of pics I could post to compare.  I've been meaning to post these 2 for a while.  I'll try to add more soon.  

It's Bittersweet

Today is my last day of maternity leave.  Tomorrow will be our new normal.  It truly is bittersweet to go back to work.  I am anxious to see everyone at school, and really ready to establish a routine again.  But like all working moms, I am sad to leave my two sweet kids.  I have had so much fun watching Vera play, grow and change this summer.  Her creativity and imagination always make me smile.

Vince is three months old.  I can't believe it.  He's starting to smile a lot more.  Just this week he really started to coo and it is the cutest thing, even though his talking sometimes sounds like we have a cat in our house.  (Thank God we don't!)  :)  He still isn't sleeping through the night regularly.  Some nights he's up twice, which is definitely not ok.  I'm making a conscious effort to not feed him when he wakes up and just rock him back to sleep.  Sometimes that's successful and other times, he won't have it.  I really think he has figured out that if he wakes up when it's dark outside, I will feed him, and I don't want to fall in to his trap.  (He has us in a few other traps!)  Vince's hair is starting to grow in blonde.  It's so cute to see the baldness fill in with little fuzzy hair.  He is also a chewing and slobbering machine right now.  It doesn't seem possible that he could be teething already, but then again, Vera got her first tooth at 4 months.

I spent a lot of time yesterday and today thinking about how far we've come since the first weeks of crying with Vin.  The three months have gone by so fast.  The month of July is completely a blur.  August was a little better.  September has been a sigh of relief.  These months have been trying times for Adam and I, and I know someday I will look back on this time and smile.  I couldn't have done it alone.  My mom came over on a moment's notice more than once, and Adam's mom took Vera a number of times to play for the day.  Countless friends offered support and encouragement when we needed it most.  Though we still have a few hard days, I've really enjoyed the month of September.  It's been fun to watch the seasons change and really have a chance to take it all in.  Nothing beats fall in Ohio!  The trees are so pretty right now!  Whoever ordered the weather for the last three weeks has done a superb job!

I spent today tying up a few loose ends around home, took Vin to get his three month pics taken (he did so well!), and soaking in as much rocking and smiles as I can.  I'm going to miss my little munchkins tomorrow, but I know they're in good hands.

So, here's to the new normal for us!  I hope it's filled with smooth mornings, a sleep-through-the-night baby, 2 healthy kids, and 2 sane parents!

The best ending to the last day of maternity leave--a long snuggle with this sweet boy!