Alford Family -April

April 2016

The month of April is over and we have done some fun things this month.  

First things first, Sally got some glasses.  She likes them sometimes and other times she does not want a thing to do with them.  We do not think they are helping her eyes from crossing.  We think we will still need to have surgery.  We also still patch every other eye each day for 1-2 hours.

Ava and Sally have taken a huge interest in feeding and changing their babies diapers.  Sally likes to sit on the couch with me when I am feeding Evie and feed her baby.  It is pretty cute.  

These girls love spending time outside.  They can't get enough of it.  They love to ride their bikes and cars, blow bubbles, swing, slide, race and pick flowers weeds.  

 The girls love to pretend to make dinner in their play kitchen.  Taco Soup is one of their favorite dishes.  :)

Ava has been learning lots and lots.  She knows her letters and sounds, shapes and colors and numbers 1-5.  We have been focusing on one letter at a time for a whole week.  We have done A, E, I, and O.  We work on writing the letter, thinking about other things that start with that sound.  We also use dot markers to make the shape, play dough.  We play games involving that letter and make a craft with that letter.  We also learn a verse for each letter.  We also learn a shape and number that week.  She loves "school".

Another huge development this month is Evelyn is sleeping 9 hours per night and she soothes herself to sleep.  She is such an easy baby!  

I love the month of April because it is the beginning of new beginnings.  Flowers start to bloom, the sun is warm and inviting, we spend lots of time outside while the weather isn't too hot or too cold.  I have always loved this month, but with little ones, it is even better!  

Evelyn 3 Months

Oh Evelyn,

It is official!  You are an all night sleeper!  You sleep about 9 hours per night!  What an amazing little babe you are!  If that wasn't great enough, you are also super content, laid back,  and happy.  I am blessed!

You are eating about 6 oz. of formula 5-6 times per day.  I try to feed you when you wake up instead of when you are getting tired, that way you are not relying on a bottle to get you to go to sleep.  You can be laid in your crib or pack and play wide awake and you will soothe yourself right to sleep (with or without a pacifier)and often with your little thumb. You prefer your left thumb. You sleep in your crib at night and do some naps there or in the pack and play.  It really doesn't get much better than that.  I can't believe you are such an easy baby.  You remind me a lot of your big sister, Ava, when she was a baby.  She was just like that.

You are putting lots of weight on your legs.  You are holding your head up superbly, and you like to sometimes sit in your Bumbo.  You still are not a fan of tummy time, but started to get the hang of it towards the end of the month.  You smile a lot and are very chatty.

You do not like to sit in an idle car.  You will cry immediately and then stop immediately as we start moving.

Your skin is looking much better.  There is still some cradle cap, but your face is getting softer again and the skin behind your ears has cleared up and your eczema is getting better.  We followed Drs. order and have you taking a warm bath every other day using Cetaphil soap, and getting lathered with Aquaphor 2 times daily.  Every 2 weeks, if you have bumpy spots, I will spot treat you with your prescription Hydrocortisone.  Then we take a two week break on that before spot treating your skin again.

You love to be held, mostly over the shoulder and cuddling is one of our favorites.

Blessing is a great word to describe you.  Loved is a great word to describe how everyone in this house feels about you.  I am so glad your daddy and I decided to have a 3rd baby and I am so grateful to God it was you.  We love you EvieLu!

Sisters

                                             

Ava and Sally. Sisters. Best friends. Enemies. And everything in between.  I just love watching these 2 develop their relationship.  Sometimes, it is me praising and encouraging the love they are showing one another.  Sometimes, it is breaking up fights between them-from pulling hair, kicking each other, pinching, etc.  Other times it is watching and appreciating all their differences and sometimes it is enjoying the fact that they have things in common.  

They are so close.  They don't know what to do with out the other.  Sally is always asking where Ava is when she is in school and Ava is always asking Sally to join her in playing in the playroom.   They are often found twirling around the family room dancing together, cuddling on the couch, or sitting in their tent reading to one another or feeding their babies.  

When they are giggling together, my heart melts.  When they are fighting, my eyes roll.  Sally loves to do everything her big sister does and Ava roots for Sally all the time.  

I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say that some days aren't quite as endearing between the two of them.  They fight, as all sisters and siblings do.  Recently, Sally broke Ava's watch by snatching it off her wrist.  I told Ava that she was going to have to muster up the strength to forgive Sally and Ava said, "I am just not ready to do that."  Later on, Sally shared something with Ava and Ava said she was ready to forgive her.  There are often scuffles over toys or one not doing what the other wants.  There are often talks with Ava about not instigating things with Sally and there are many talks with Sally about hair pulling and pinching.  

But, as I watch them, I know that their relationship, their friendship, and their fights will be a blessing to them, as it is to me.  I am so blessed to have these girls.  To have them so close together and to be able to see with my own eyes how much they really do care and love for each other.  

I know that not all their interactions are pleasant.  I know there will be times that they just won't like each other.  But I pray that God will always keep their relationship strong, to be able to endure those battles.  I pray that He will enable them to forgive one another,  and give them encouragement towards each other.  I pray that they will realize each others gifts and encourage them in those and be accepting of their differences.  I pray that they will also allow Evie into their "circle".  

They are such treasures...even when they are pulling each others hair out!

Evelyn is 2 Months

I really cannot believe I am already writing your 2 month blog update.  Where has the time gone?  It moves so fast.  The saying, "The days are long, but the years are short" is so very true.  I am trying to savor this time with you being so itty bitty.  I am already missing that little newborn baby I had what seems like just yesterday.  You are already cooing, smiling, trying to imitate the movement of our mouths when we talk to you, noticing objects, preferring some people over others, and trying to grasp objects.

It seems like it took my other two forever to do these things.  In retrospect, I probably said those things happened with them too quickly, also.  It is all such a blur, but a good blur. 😋

You have absolutely melted our hearts.  Every one in this family absolutely adores you.  And we are all very protective of you.  Get use to this, little lady.  I am the baby in my family and that protectiveness does not go away.

You are eating about every 3 hours and drink about 4 oz of formula each time.  You have been adjusting well to your formula and do not seem to be as gassy and uncomfortable as you were a couple weeks back.  During the night, you usually wake up around 2 or 3 am and then again around 6:30 am or 7 am.  Not too bad.  Most of the time you will go right back to sleep after your feedings.  You do like your pacy, but are not totally dependent on it like your sister, Sally. At night you sleep downstairs in your pack and play and I sleep on the couch during the week and on the weekends your daddy and I switch and I get a night or 2 of uninterrupted sleep. During the day you will sleep in your pack and play, boppy seat, swing, Moby, or your crib.  You still love to be cuddled and do your best sleeping when someone is holding you.  You also still enjoy being carried around in the Moby which I do in the day many times because it helps me get things done around the house and to be able to deal with your big sisters.

You are wearing mostly 3 month clothing.  0-3 is getting too small because you are so long.  You are still in size 1 diapers.  You do not like sitting in a wet diaper whatsoever (not that I can blame you).

I LOVE your smile and I see Ava in you the most when you smile.  You smile at your mommy all the time and Ava has gotten a few smiles out of you.  I think you are very comfortable with her and she just loves you and, to be honest, she is very good, gentle, loving, and comforting towards you.  Sally has just begun to really become responsive to you.  She loves to talk to you and enjoys holding you.  I have to watch her a lot more closely when she holds you.  She also likes to burp you, kiss you on the head, and hug you.  You will never be able to deny the fact that you are very much loved.

Evelyn Olivia, you light up my eyes and my life.  You truly do.  You are such a precious child and such a precious gift and I am so undeserving to have you.  But I thank God that not only are you healthy and beautiful, but that He has made me your mother.  You have a very gentle and sweet spirit about you.  You are extremely laid back-almost as if you already knew you were just going to have to go with the flow being the third.  You have been so pleasant that I have been wondering about having a fourth (but rest assured, unless God has other plans, I think we are done).

We love you so!

xoxoxox
Mommy