PreSchool 3, Here He Comes

Luc was officially accepted to St. Paul's Lutheran School!

Luc will be starting Preschool in the Fall. Since his birthday is so late in the year, he'll be with the 3 year old class as he's turning 4. Frederic and I have thought a lot about this and think it'll work out just fine (though we don't really have an option because even to test out of that grade, the birthday cut off is mid-October). Being a Fall baby, I know from experience how hard it is being the youngest in the class. I spent most of the school year struggling to keep up with my peers in class. At the same time, my brother was the oldest in his class and often he was bored with school. We've decided it's best that Luc will be the oldest in his class since boys mature later and hopefully it'll keep him out of trouble in the future. The school he'll be attending has counselors who can take him out for one-on-one teaching if they see he's a little more advanced and needs more of a challenge. I like that idea. And later on there are always advanced classes he can take.
I don't know who's more excited for him to start school, Us or Luc. Not that I want him out of the house just to give my mom a break, but I'm excited for him to learn how to get along better with other kids, have more structure, and mostly- to learn things. I love how happy and ecstatic he gets now when he figures something out, remembers the lyrics to a song, or learns something new. I can't wait til he gets to school and can be happy like that all the time and have access to so much at his fingertips.
Next challenge: Potty training. Luc must be completely out of diapers/pull ups, etc during the day before he starts school. For a boy who has absolutely no more interest in this right now, this will be a trying time.

Family Visit, Aria's Blessing

Right after Matt and Jackie went home to NY, Nathalie and the kids came for a visit and for Aria's Blessing.
We spent time outside since the weather was gorgeous. After the blessing on Sunday, we did an Easter Egg Hunt and played some more. The kids get along so well, especially Luc and Kendall. It will be sad to only see them once a year after they move to Arizona.

Scooter Fun!

Two peas in a pod

5 Grandkids

Opening the chocolate egg after the hunt

Aria's Blessing was at Bonne-Maman and Bon-Papa's church. Bon-Papa spoke at the blessing and blessed Aria with health and happiness, to be a good example for Luc, and to know and love God throughout her life. Aria was very quiet during the blessing until the last words when she started to fuss a little.

Godfather Visit

Matt, Aria's Godfather, came to visit with his girlfriend, Jackie last week. This was the first opportunity for Aria and Matt to meet. She was quite smitten with both of them. She let them hold and play with her, and Matt fed her.
This first day they were here we waited for Frederic to come home from work at lunchtime and then headed to Boordy Vineyard. Wednesday, we all took the trip to D.C. (Grandma came too) to see the Cherry Blossoms in bloom. It was misty in the morning and pretty chilly throughout the day, but most of the trees were in bloom, so it was well worth it. Thursday we hung out at the house, went to the mall for lunch (and for Luc to use his coins from Matt and Jackie to ride the carousel) and got Coldstone ice cream as a treat on the way home. It was a busy three days, with little sleep, but totally worth it!

Boordy Vineyard:

Luc chasing the black flies off the tables

Washington, D.C.
Cherry Blossoms:

Hanging Out:

Jackie & Aria

Aria is 3 Months Old

Aria is a good day napper.  She can fall asleep on her own after she gives out a few cries and has her pacifier put back in her mouth two times. She likes to be wrapped up in her blanket though. At night, she easily falls asleep after her bottles (10pm and anywhere from 2:30am-5am, pushing more toward 5-5:30am these days).
She always wakes up with a smile on her face and patiently waits to get her morning bottle until Luc is finished with his cereal.

She can hold her head up at a 90-degree angle when on her stomach.
She started rolling over from her back to her stomach a week before she turned 3 months.
Aria can go on for quite awhile with her cooing and talking. She's recently added some squeaks and screeches to her repertoire.  

Likes:
She loves to sit in her Bumbo seat and be able to watch everything around her.
She also likes to sit in the highchair at the table when we're eating dinner.
She likes to be in her swing, as long as someone is in the room with her and paying attention to just her. When someone leaves or walks away, she starts to fuss.
She hits and grabs the hanging toys on the play mat and will grab hold of a toy on the tray in front of her when she's sitting.
Her favorite toy right now is the crinkle tab blankie I made for her. She loves to grab and scrunch it. She especially loves putting it in her mouth. Everything she can get a hold of nowadays goes in her mouth. And if she can't grab anything, she'll suck on her fingers and fists. 
She likes to stare at our food when we're eating.
She likes being read to.
Aria loves to Smile. Unless she's dying from hunger (which never happens), you can always get a smile out of her.
She likes to lay sideways while being held with her stomach facing yours and her head buried deep into your elbow when she falls asleep in my (she doesn't fall asleep in Daddy's arms) arms.

Dislikes:
Aria does not like being on her stomach. She even doesn't like to be on her stomach flat up against your chest, upright.
She does not like loud noises when she's trying to eat. She tries to turn her head to see what's going on or it scares her and she starts to cry.
Aria freaks out if her hat falls over her eyes.
She does not like taking her daily dose of Flax Oil (for her constipation). I have dedicated one bib to get completely ruined from the oil that manages to be spit back out from her crying and shaking her head back and forth. 

Luc @ 3.25

Lots can change in just a few months' time.

Since November, Luc:

-Can identify most of the letters in the alphabet correctly
-Spell his name
-Type is name on the computer all by himself
-Type Mommy, Daddy, Aria on the computer while we tell him what letters to press that spell the word
-Tries to write his name, can do better trying to tracer the letters we write first
-Recognize numbers
-Knows and types the password to our laptop at home to turn it on ("You have to press Enter, Mommy, to make it go.")

watching WordWorld on the iPad

Favorite TV shows: Nick Jr Shows, he's moved on from Disney Jr (Yay! I was loosing my mind with the repeats), even though he still likes Mickey Mouse: Team Umizoomi, Paw Patrol, Mike the Knight, Little Charmers, Wallykazam
Favorite Movies: Toy Story, Polar Express
Favorite Color: Purple (and no one else is allowed to like it)

Favorite Things to Do:
-ride on his scooter
-go to the playground
-play outside
-take a bath
-help cook
-help vacuum
-play with his train track
-kiss and hug his sister, hold her, hold her hand, and play with her during "Tummy Time"

Favortie Games:
-chase with the remote controlled car
-play fort with the kitchen chairs and blanket

Things Luc's Said Recently:
-I was pretending he scared me when he was acting like a monster and told him I'd have nightmares and need him to sleep with me. He said, "That's why me always here for you, Mommy."
-"Me Looooove having a baby sister." (I hope he remembers that when he gets older)
-"Daddy's my favorite." (Burn.)
But
-to Me: "You're the best!" (I'll take it.)
-While getting ready for bed, Luc likes to have Aria next to him so he can hold her hand. When we're done he tells her, "I'm sorry, Aria. I have to go to bed now."
-To Aria:
~"Awww, you're so cute!"
~"Come here, my girl."
~"Don't cry, Aria. I here."
-When Aria cries, "That's what babies do."

-"Me love chocolate, you know."
-To Luc: "See you later alligator." Luc: "Bye bye, Cali mouth." (back and forth, replace Cali for anything else around, i.e.: car mouth, blanket mouth, etc.)
-"Jeez, boy!" when he drops something.
-Me: "Luc, be careful." Luc: "I know. Big boys always be careful, right?"
-"The sun is up! Yay! Time to wake up."
-While changing his diaper before bed, Luc farted. Frederic and I started laughing and Luc said, "Didn't see that coming, huh?" 

All I Need

by Christina Aguilera

Kissing your lips, kissing you top to toe
Wishing for this, hoping for all we know
Hearing you breathe, you leave and return
Oh, how we take, how we give we learn

Taking my time, seeing the signs
Letting you guide me home
Watching you grow, letting you know
You are my only

You bring me hope when I can't breathe
You give me love, you're all I need
Slowly I'm holding you closely
You're wrapped in my arms and you're inside me

Tell you my fears, telling you everything
Telling the truth to you gives me wings
Free with my words, free as a bird
I am flying high looking at you
Everything new, you are my life

You bring me hope when I can't breathe
You give me love, you're all I need
Slowly I'm holding you closely
So happy to carry you inside me

I'll feed you love, and I hope it's enough
To inspire you through suffering, holding you up

Aria is Two Months Old

"A baby fills a place in your heart that you never knew was empty."

- Anonymous

In my on-going attempt to train her hair to go off to the side instead of forward like Luc, I have made her into Crazy-Haired Girl. Sorry, baby.

Before Aria was a thought in our mind or a cell in my body, it was hard to imagine life with more than just Luc. Even while pregnant, I tried to think about how I would handle two kids- getting in and out of the car when I'm alone with them (especially holding shopping bags too), feeding them at the same time, paying attention to them both at the same time, when they're both crying simultaneously, etc. Now, it's not always easy having both of them, especially when I'm alone with them before Frederic gets home for work, but I manage. It was such an accomplishment the first time I went to the store with both of them!
Even though things are a little more complicated now, I can no longer imagine life without Aria in it. And sometimes it's hard to think back when it was just Luc and remember what it was like without her. Before Aria was born our life didn't necessarily feel incomplete at that moment. But looking back now, it definitely doesn't seem like it was complete then. She was definitely missing. We love our little Bugga-Boo!

Weight: 10 lbs 12 oz (43%)
Height: 23.8 inches (87%)

Aria wears 3-6 month clothing, eats about 4 oz at every mealtime (~6 feedings per day), can sleep up to 5-5.5 hours straight at night. 

Aria has lovely, perfectly-shaped almond eyes. They are a dark blue color (almost purple), I could stare at them for hours.
Aria loves to smile. You can pretend to give her her pacifier and then take it away and say, "You want it? Nope!" and she thinks it's funny. I can't wait to hear her laugh!
She's cooing and ahhing more and more. She responds to our voice and can hold a conversation. She even goes on and on when she's by herself. When she makes a noise, she then gets a smirk on her face and tilts her head like she's embarrassed or timid to speak. It's adorable. She's become quite talkative and it's hard to make her be quiet. She even has started to try talking while eating from her bottle- which doesn't work out so well.

She has started to bat at the hanging toys on her play mat and has even rolled onto her side a few times.

She loves to be warm and snuggled up. If she's a little bit cold, she won't settle down and she won't sleep well. 

Whenever Luc is around, Aria is all about him. If she's not sleeping or eating, she's looking for him. She watches him like a hawk and loves it when he holds her hand. He still calms her down (except when he's being very loud in the evening and she's had too much stimulation). She can be fussing and Luc will come up to her or lay down next to her and she stops. She smiles at him playing or being silly near her too.
She even tries to sneak a peak at the TV when it's on for Luc.
Luc has also now claimed Aria as his own. "She's mine. Not yours."  Sure, okay kid.

Luc carrying His baby

Aria loves her Mommy and Daddy too. She loves to toot when Daddy holds her on his lap. In the evening she'll often fuss and Frederic will try to calm her down. When she won't stop, he'll hand her to me and she'll stop almost immediately, settle down, and fall asleep in my arms. She does this with Grandma too if I'm there.

Sitting up

Aria is getting stronger and stronger holding her head up while sitting on our lap and being on our shoulder.  She also cannot stand laying down when she's not sleeping. She does endless crunches trying to sit herself up. She has started to put weight on her feet/legs when you hold her up to stand. She noticed her feet the other day and was very confused as to what they were while she was looking at them.
When she's laying down or in the car seat, Aria tries to sit up on her own/do crunches.


Aria has a wonderful temperament. She is patient when it comes to waiting for her food. She is rarely fussy. Even when she's trying to fall asleep, she doesn't cry endlessly or loudly. She just makes a few "shouts" and grunts, and kicks her legs. When you leave her alone, she eventually falls asleep. If she's in a quiet place, she relaxes instantly (as well as if there's water running at the same time). She's very calm in general, and happy. She doesn't like to be left alone in the other room when everyone else is together. She'll fuss until you bring her in with you, then she's quiet. Besides her excitement at learning to "talk", she's usually very quiet.