9 Months as a Lewman 3.0

My doll baby.

9 Months ~ seems like just yesterday, although it was actually 3 weeks ago because I am really late getting this blog out.  Delaney has been out of the womb for just as long as she was in...went by much faster this time!  She is just the sweetest little butterball.  Although, I am discovering that she's a VERY small butterball for her age.  She matches the 4/5 month olds at her daycare.  She's the first petite Lewman lady to join this gang though she's definitely a chowhound.  I thought for sure I'd be done nursing her by now {Emmy was 8 months when we stopped and I just went off her cues} but Delaney is very much still into it.  All the time.  Day or night.  Mostly night.  When I am trying to sleep.  She has shown a lot of interest in our food but any time we cut it up real small or mash it, she's over it.  She just likes the chase!  She will literally put anything in her mouth but the second you give her food, she has no idea what to do with it and smears it on the table. I can't wait to see her finally enjoy food!

I know, she looks like a swimmer in the 50s.

She is a healthy 19.9 lbs and 28" in height.  I am lucky enough to weigh and measure her every couple weeks with our routine doctor visits because we're still going bout after bout of colds with the girls.  I cannot express how happy I will be when spring hits and all we have to deal with is allergies and sunburns.  Coughs and fevers and runny noses and fussiness is so 2015 - ready for this to pass.  But other than that, she is developing personality traits that I can't wait to watch evolve.  When she wants something, she watches it for a bit, then darts.  When she does not want something, she darts.  Mostly a lot of darting skills but she's also such a snuggler.  Big time snuggler - and is experiencing what we all have been through in the family, a daddy stage.  Now that she will take a bottle from him, they are certainly bonding which takes about 10% of the pressure off of me. Emmy has really transitioned to a mommy stage, mostly during the night while I am nursing D off an on - Emmy calls out for me and only me.  Doesn't want Daddy - only Mommy.  Double duty to prevent midnight tantrums is worth it but really looking for some 
R&R during the Christmas break.

Family photo 2015 - Michael Byers :)

We have been a new kind of busy lately.  The kind I am unfamiliar with.  It's chaotic and unorganized and just the hold-on kind of crazy.  Oh yeah and our house flooded - which has forced a lot of upstairs activity.  There's a lot of people in this house!  The life with 3 kids has certainly altered our evenings and weekends.  It's about 70% preparation and 30% clean up. Don't get me wrong - not one day goes by where I wish it were different but that's not going to stop me from daydreaming about them being old enough to not fall off the bed, not step on their baby-sisters hand, not spill milk all over the table and wipe it into the wood, refuse to put their shoes on or scream when they only have on one headband. I am totally out of my element with them - they are teaching me things I thought I knew.  I thought I knew how to control my frustration and keep my shit together.  Turns out, I don't.  I am learning that I really don't care if the table isn't set when you come over for dinner, but I still care if the living room isn't vacuumed.  I am picking my battles with myself and learning all kinds of things.  I want to reiterate that I love this life I have chosen, and I am not complaining, just more or less sharing my observations but bullshit aside, it's hard.  And just when you've hit your max, you hear your daughter say she calls her little sister her "big sweetheart" and you're reset.  Back to winding up.


The video I have selected is about 5 minutes long.  It's real and I just love it.  This is what our car rides are like, this is what our life is like.  In the end, when I look back on this blog, it's stuff like this that I want to remember - hope you enjoy the goat noises.

GO 'ZERS!! (that looks really bad on me)

Emmy had two school music performances since I last wrote. The Thanksgiving one was very tearful, and the Christmas one was very statue-esque, but she's getting more comfortable being in front of people and that's all I care about.  She is singing ALL THE TIME - making up songs just like her Mom when she was her age (you may remember her as Ms. LaRue with such hits as Rippling River and I Love You [video will not be provided]. 
We went to a Blazer game, flag football, the Nutcracker, had Thanksgiving and let's not forget the birthday boys.  Tye turned 35 and Hayden turned 12.  Both are shocking my system right now - I can't believe how old they are! We had so many opportunities for quality time this past month. Tye has moved on from a softball league to a basketball league.  I finally got to watch one of his games and it's kind of like being in high school again.  I love watching him play and maybe, just maybe try to show-off in front of me even though now it may result in a sprained ankle or other injury.  Gotta be careful out there babe, those hips aren't what they used to be!

I know this year has been incredible for some and difficult for others - it's been quite a mix of both for us.   We are really looking forward to a HEALTHY Christmas with magic and laughter. That's all I want, is that too much to ask? From the bottom of my heart, to everyone we know, from our family to yours, Merry Christmas.

Thank you for reading and see you in 2016!

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