Baby Rittmann: August 2010

Blogger won't let me move this picture down to where I want it (under Maddie and her easel). These are her beautiful circles that she is trying to master! Fabuloso!

Ok. Lots of pictures here, folks. Lucky for you, they're cute!

Calum LOVES his play mat. He's even tolerating tummy time on it. He can push himself up a little, especially if sissy is playing next to him; he loves to watch her and just smiles away. I have a picture of it somewhere...I don't think I've uploaded it yet.

Super-silly sissy always has a big, "Cheeeeese!" for mommy's camera.

Total baby genius. The Leapster2 is a hand-held game for ages 4-8. She has mastered pretty much all of it. She wants a SpongeBob game, but I'm saving that for the airplane trip to Michigan. And for the road trip to/from Kentucky. For all of which, by the way, we are extra excited!

First time playing with his rattle. I think he may have been trying to taste it, but couldn't quite get it up there. Today, he grabbed a toy from my hands and almost got it into his mouth.

Lovin' on his mommy. He is such a widdle sweetheart.

My favorite guys!

She loves to hold him.

Me and my LittleMan! It took several attempts to get one where he wasn't all blurry. He still has the bobblehead after all.

The Artiste.

Week TWELVE. It's flying by and he's getting so big already.

He couldn't have asked for a better big sister. She is so good to him.

Cutie-patooties.

Almost bedtime, getting ready to cozy up with his mama.

Looking cute and extra-snugglicious!

Aaaaand...still lookin' cute!

Oh, so much is going on with these little ones. Never a dull moment around this place. I was determined to get Maddie somewhat potty trained this week, but it didn't happen. The first day, she did awesome. The next day, she said she did NOT want to use the potty like a big girl and proceeded to pee pee five times on the floor (once right next to her potty) to get her point across. The good news for me is that she can't possibly be in diapers forever. Right? Pleeease tell me I'm right. I figure she'll let me know when she's ready. But for now, she wants to be both baby and big girl. She wants her binky again ~ just like brother. She asks for bottles and for me to rock her. And, just when she'd begun sleeping the whole night in her own bed, she now wants to sleep in out room. Just like brother. It's been hard for her, but I try to spend as much time as possible showering her with attention. Poor Calum even has a little bald spot on the back of his head from me putting him down constantly. Thankfully, he stays pretty content. Maddie's latest thing is playing the games on PlayhouseDisney.com. We are always on the computer lassoing Goofy's shoes or catching fish with Donald. She is a huge Mickey Mouse fan.

Maddie is also learning to count. Not just saying numbers anymore, but really counting. The other day, she had gotten 3 pairs of shoes out of the closet plus one whose mate is heaven knows where. She said, "Mommy, there's seven shoes." She is crazy smart.

Calum is growing big. And bigger. And bigger. My back is a huge tangle of knots by the end of the day. He's 16lbs according to my scale and is already wearing his 3-6month clothes. He's really starting to vocalize and loves to watch people's mouths when they talk to him. He has stopped getting up in the middle of the night to eat most of the time and is sleeping from 10pm to 6am. A big, fat HOORAY for me! He loves to snuggle and be cuddled, but is just fine to be in his swing or in his crib. He really digs his mobile and fusses when the song stops. That's another thing about him, is that he really doesn't cry very much but makes noises that sound like he's complaining. It's really neat getting to know his little personality. It feels like he's always been here and I can't decide if I should say that I can't believe that he's only three months old or that I can't believe he's already three months old.

It's beautiful and hectic and fun and exhausting. I never thought I was cut out to be a mom to one child, let alone two. But I was made for this. And I'm getting the slightest hint of baby fever...