Well Hello Again

Yes, the Weatherwax family is still alive.  In fact, we are more than alive, but I'll get to that later.  As you may have guessed by the blog's radio silence for the last 2+ months, we've been busy.  Dave and I are working hard, just trying to keep our heads above water, and almost all "discretionary" activities (like blogging) have fallen by the wayside.  In fact, this blog is only brought to you by a child (Mudgie) who is home sick and napping while the other 2 are at daycare.

Where to begin? Tommy, also now referred to as "Little T," "Tommy 2 Stepper," or just "2 Steps" is just about 4 months old.  First of all, how did that happen???  But of course, I know how that happened...1 day at a time, just like his brothers.  He continues to be our best/easiest/happiest baby yet. He started smiling around 6 weeks, and hasn't really stopped.  He loves looking at people, and has already figured out how to turn on the charm.  He flirts, much in the same way that Aaron does, lets anyone hold him, and is just an easy-going little man.  The only time he really cries is when he is hungry, which is still about every 2 hours during the day.  At night, he really only wakes up once, usually between 2am and 4am, eats, and goes back to sleep.  He also usually wakes up between 5am and 6am, and will eat and play, but if I don't have to get up for work, he'll eventually fall back asleep until 7:30.

I know it sounds like a great schedule, and because he's so easy that I should have plenty of time to write all about it on this blog, but there is one key to all of Tommy's happiness...I can't put him down! He is getting a little better at playing now that he is strong enough to go in the jumperoo and the exersaucer, but at night time, he's all about mama.  He sleeps in bed with me (Dave moved into the guest room because Tommy makes too much noise in his sleep and it was bothering Dave), and while I would LOVE 6 hours of sleep in bed by myself, able to get comfy in whatever position I felt like, Tommy is such a little warm snuggle bug that I can't complain too much.  Having been through this with his big brothers, I know that it is not forever, and knowing that Tommy is the last Weatherwax baby, I'm really trying to savor it.

And speaking of his brothers, they are both doing really well.  Mudgie started kindergarten this fall. Can you believe it???  It's no surprise to us that he loves it.  He's just thriving, and comes home from school each day with all this new knowledge.  He's been making his own books, illustrating them and writing a little narrative.  He'll ask us to help him spell words, and we'll sound them out together and he'll write down the letters.  I'm so impressed with what he's doing, both in school and on his own at home.  He has a real love of learning right now, and Dave and I are just doing our best to foster that.

Aaron, though now the middle child, is anything but lost in the crowd.  He has no trouble focusing your attention on him if he's feeling left out.  He has always been dramatic, and his knack of getting people to react has only improved as he's gotten older and more observant of body language and social norms.  For a good 2+ months after Tommy was born, Aaron became very whiny and needy.  He was throwing massive temper tantrums every day, and no one could predict what would set him off.  Lately, though, we must be finding our rhythm as a family of 5, because the meltdowns have slowed considerably, and he is once again a cute, funny, pleasant little boy to be around.

And how do the big brother feel about Tommy? They are still completely in love.  Aaron loves to cuddle with Tommy, and tells me, "Mommy, I'm so glad we have a baby!" He loves to play with Tommy's hands and feet, but can sometimes be a little too loving. Tommy has been known to be a little overwhelmed by Aaron's love.  Mudgie also enjoys Tommy, and is a huge help with him, especially in the car.

The car is one place that Tommy is really unhappy.  He gets upset and there is nothing I can do. Sometimes Tommy will get his thumb, be content with it, and fall asleep.  Unfortunately, more often than not it doesn't work like that.  When Mudgie is in the car with us, he will hold Tommy's pacifier in his mouth until Tommy calms down, and replace it if/when it falls out.  This makes a big difference! That said, sometimes there is just no calming Tommy, and Mudgie gets frustrated that it's not working.  He'll say things like, "Tommy just keeps spitting it (the paci) out over and over.  If he doesn't stop I'm not going to help him!" But when he does get Tommy to stop crying, I hear him telling Tommy what a good boy he is, and it just melts me.

I will try to post more often from here on out.  There have been so many cute/funny things that I forgot because I didn't get them in here, but for now, all of the adorable pictures will have to do.