Oops

April to July? Seriously?

As Eli would say, "Whoops! Soddy!" (translation: "whoops! sorry! I spilled something... again!")

I knew this two-kid thing wouldn't be any kind of breeze, but I really underestimated the exhaustion. Things are only just starting to get easier, and I think the last few months have been a nail in my done-having-kids coffin.

In a quick wrap, in answer to Colic Round Two, I dove head-first into a dairy elimination diet when everything else I'd tried failed. About 10 days in, he started to change demeanor. Then I made a little mistake with some pumped milk from the freezer from before the diet and BAM, set back another 10 days. After that, things improved drastically and at a little past four months, I was able to ease back on the diet without adding extra screaming. The diet was brutal, but it was worth having more moments of peace. He's doing much better now and although he still refuses to be put down most of the time, he can sit and is already scooting himself around.

About a month ago Eli started some occupational therapy for a sensory processing dysfunction. It's been interesting to watch how the different methods of therapy make a difference in the way he responds to his environment. We are trying to learn the best way to give him what he needs without losing our minds. He is wild, but he is so sweet and I just know he's going to break through his issues one of these days. Now I just have to hope Lincoln doesn't follow in his monkey brother's crazy footsteps...

I added Lincoln's last four month shots to the slideshow at the top left. Four at once! Whoops! Soddy!

two months and two years

My little guys hit a couple milestones recently.

Lincoln is 2 months old!

Eli is 2 years old!

In other news, we just returned from a crazy trip to Georgia. I say "crazy" because I think I was insane to attempt a 12-hour drive alone with these two very loud little boys. We had a good time though and we sure loved the sun!

back again like a bitter friend

Why haven't I posted even a one-month picture? Well, because I never have two hands free--and rarely even one.

To bring my nightmare to life, Lincoln is following his brother's footsteps and I'm experiencing Colic Round Two.

I feared this, but I really thought the odds were in my favor and surely this wouldn't happen to me again. How wrong I was! He started a little sooner than Eli did, and at first it was more mild. However, it has gotten progressively worse day by day, week by week, and here we are at 7 weeks and he is downright miserable--and so am I.

I'm struggling a lot with this. I'm sleep-deprived. Eli is tantrum city. Josh is working horrible hours. And I just can't believe this has been handed to me again. I'm tired and discouraged. I feel angry and hurt. And then of course comes the guilt--he is a healthy boy and this WILL pass. I know that. There are people who have lost their babies who would shake their head at my being depressed over a screaming baby. But everything is relative, and screaming is relatively awful.

Did you know the sound of screaming babies is piped into the cells of terrorists to torture them during interrogations? What else do they use? Oh! Sleep deprivation! Sounds kind of like my life...

finally...

Final eviction notice received February 3, 2011: Lincoln Beckett Burke, weighing in at a hefty 9lb6oz, 22 inches long, with one giant head!

After weeks of hoping for some progress and having none, I finally gave in to a c-section at 41 weeks. It turned out to be the best thing--some time in the days before, the little stinker had flipped around and was feet down! So if I had ended up having any progress, I still would have ended up disappointed about being wheeled into the OR anyway. So having it scheduled ended up being a whole lot easier than the alternative.

I've been so thankful to have some great help from my mother and sister for the first week. Josh has been home all this week. And in spite of having met most of them only once, we have been lovingly provided with meals from the local MOPS group and our new church. I'm loving this town!

...and counting

40 weeks and still waiting!

the waiting game

39 weeks and I'm totally surprised! I really didn't expect to make it all the way! My 39-week appointment is tomorrow and I'm pretty anxious to find out if I've had any progress since last week. I'm feeling pretty ready, so... let's go little guy!

I'm also ready for spring... but these snowboys are pretty cute.

settling in... and out

What a month it's been! We finally got ourselves moved out... and in. We've settled ourselves into our new home in NE Ohio and are adjusting to a little more snow and a lot more space. It's been a great change so far to have so much more space for the kids' things and not having our living space entirely overtaken by toys.

We've hit a few churches so far but nothing has felt right yet. I was hoping we might love the first one we visited so we could get connected right away, but that hasn't happened. Hopefully we'll find something soon. I'm planning to go to the MOPS group this coming Tuesday and hoping to make a few connections before I'm out for awhile with baby duties.

Speaking of baby, at my appointment this week, my doctor said he's pretty sure he's gone head-down! My response? "Nuh-UH!" I can't even believe it. He said he'll do an ultrasound in two weeks so we'll find out for sure whether we'll try for a vbac or not pretty soon. I'm getting huge, uncomfortable, and incapable. But we're almost there!

Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!