Growing Pains

It is amazing how quickly you forget everything that goes along with having a baby in the house again. And it's not like we didn't just have a 5 month old, oh just 18 short months ago. We should still be in practice...but we're not! Rutland is growing up so much faster than Caroline did, and it's killing me. He has the sweetest disposition and just smiles at everyone who looks at him. I don't know if hormones play a part (i.e. being a female), but Caroline was a little less generous in the "cheer" department. She was a happy baby of course, but it seemed like we had to turn a few more tricks to keep her that way. Anyway, Rutland has started eating baby food, sitting in a high chair, starting to sit up by himself, and even getting up on all 4's to "creep", and he's only been 5 months old for 1 day! I went to get him up from his nap the other day and he was all but sitting up in his crib, propped up on one hand. I thought baby #2 was supposed to be "delayed" because you don't spend as much time with them as you did with baby #1. And I'm starting to feel panic set in at what is going to happen when baby #2 gets mobile. The blog may suffer considerable set backs when that happens. Those of you with boys, I never believed you about how much more active they are than girls. Now I do...changing a boys diaper on a changing table is a total joke! Someone should have told me that it was a huge waste of money buying another changing pad, because it's much safer to change Rutland's diaper on the floor. I have never seen a baby's body contort into so many different and painful looking positions. I'm already gun shy that I might get tee teed on, now I also have to worry about whether or not the child is going to fall off the table - nightmare! Baby #2 is supposed to be exactly like baby #1, right?? It's not fair that they throw you curve balls. We are in a great place right now and actually feel somewhat normal again. Our friends Robb and Libby's second child, Miller, just celebrated his first birthday this weekend. It was a major milestone for them, and they really upped the ante for birthdays by getting a blow-up jumper. Caroline was so shocked and excited by the jumper, that she immediately got in it, jumped, and tee teed in the jumper. One of the other kids said, "Mommy, there are bubbles in the jumper!" Christopher went in to investigate and yes, it was our precious child who went in the jumper. She immediately called for Aunt Libby, because she knew Libby would not get on to her. After we sanitized the jumper, everyone had a great time, and no more accidents. Here are some pictures from the weekend...

Rutland's first time in the swing. He loves it, but is not as big a daredevil as his sister yet.

He loves to stand up in the chair in our living room and look out the window.

Could these two children look any different??

Rutland and Caroline love to ride in the stroller. It is my favorite "baby" purchase we have made!

Caroline loves to peek-a-boo at me through the slats on our front porch.

She is so big cutting the grass like her daddy...notice she is choosing to cut the concrete instead of the grass near the "real" lawnmower.

Here are Caroline, Harris, and his cousin Lizzie taking a quick rest from bouncing.

This was a great birthday idea and actually entertained the kids from Friday night through Sunday night. It might be worth renting on a weekly basis!

Here is our sweet pug Bella. She puts up with so much, I actually took the time to take her picture this weekend and thought she deserved a photo on the blog. She was my first baby! She is 4 years old now.