4 weeks!

REALLY? Wowsers! How time flies when you are having fun! I truly cannot believe a month has passed already! Mark is a fabulous little dude and I am enjoying our time together!

Things just for me to remember:

*You are a very chill baby and really only fuss when hungry

*You are NOT into your binkie, very opposite your older brother!

*You LOVE to be in the Moby wrap or just to be held. Often in the middle of the night, you will just sleep in bed with me after eating because you fall back to sleep instantly there!

*You aren't a real fan of the swing either, preferring just to be held!

*Your witching hour seems to be around 730-9ish, often coinciding with brother's bedtime! You two are conspiring against us already, HA!

*You are a precious sweet little boy and I still cannot get over that hair! love it!

Happy 4 weeks, Mark! :)

2nd time around!

We made it out to the wedding and it was great to see Holly on her special day and of to hang out with friends. I am so very very thankful to have my folks live close by and that they are more than willing to babysit almost any time. Getting dressed for the wedding was NOT fun but I think I ended up looking presentable at the least. I am definite need of some non-maternity cute clothes though!!

Leaving Mark for the first time out was not near as difficult as leaving Zachary was. I guess it is just being used to everything and relaxed knowing my folks do such a great job watching the boys! ;-) We had only planned to stay till about 7ish, but when I called and checked in and mom said all was well so we were able to stay until 9 for the couple's departure. Thankfully I had brought the pump with me so I took a good 20 minute break somewhere in there to take care of business!

All and all, the first hours away from Mark went very well. I was actually able to enjoy the time away unlike the first time from Z. It was nice and much needed. Thanks parents! :)

It's beginning to look a lot like Chriiiiistmas!

No seriously, it is! Thanksgiving is still 2 weeks away but I am seeing Christmas decor out everywhere already. A shopping center by our house already has out their wreaths and lights, the grocery store aisles are filled with Christmas cookies and decorations and candy, the Christmas installation signs are out and yes....I have seen a house with lights up and ON as of last night. WOW. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas and everything that goes along with it, but I also believe Thanksgiving should get its full glory and no Christmas decor until AFTER turkey day is over! I will be listening to Christmas tunes and probably have our tree up by the end of Thanksgiving weekend, but still, that's after! ;-)

Thursday my mom and I made the big adventure with Mark to the infamous Nutcracker Market. We have been going for like 10 years now so why would we let us a little 8lb ball of love stop us?? Thankfully, I have the magical Moby wrap and we were there for about 5-6 hours! Mark was PERFECT! We have been using the wrap a lot already so we were both very comfortable in using it. Seriously, he slept the whole time. We would take breaks to just sit in a quiet spot and let him stretch his legs and of course eat and then he would happily pop back into his little cuddle ball. I did, however, feel like a bit of an attraction. I could not tell you how many times I was either stopped to ask a) how old he was? b) comment on his adorableness c) ask to take a peek at him d) mention what a cool wrap I had or e) my all time favorite and for real comment "I thought you had the biggest boobs I have ever seen until I got close and see there is a baby in there!" Nice...... All and all, a good time was had by mom although it was a little more tiring with baby in tow. I did not spend my usual wad of cash, chalk it up to being a little more fiscally conscious with the whole unemployed thing we have going on. The good part about it was I actually got some gifts for other people this year as well as my book club ornament, woot woot! Always feels good to check some things off the Christmas Shopping List!! Now need to refocus my online shopping efforts and get some things ordered from the multitude of toy catalogs I get and we should be a good dent into having shopping complete!!

Tomorrow is my friend Holly's wedding. We have RSVPed yes and I am hoping we get to go, even if just for a couple of hours. She has been a good friend coming to all my wedding and baby showers and birthday events and I am looking forward to being a witness on her special day. My parents have been all set up to watch the boys (still lovin saying that) so pending my dad doesn't end up having to go out of town for work, I will have my first hours away from my precious wee wun...wish me luck (and in finding something to wear...that thought JUST now crossed my mind, YIKES!)

HAPPY WEEKEND!!!!

**(One random note...I am 99.9% sure I saw Kristen Alfonso (aka-Hope Brady from Days of Our Lives) at the Nutcracker Market yesterday. She has a jewelry line apparently and I saw her booth there. When we were walking out around 6 last night...I either passed her or she has one heck of a look a like out there!) :)

Picture Post!

Just a few pics of the fam! We had a good weekend...dinner with Kerri and Michael Friday night and Saturday was Caroline's 2nd birthday party! Busy weekend but fun!! :)

What to wear.....

I am pondering going to Caroline's 2nd birthday party even though M is only 3 weeks old...but momma needs to get out of the house. We will see how I am doing tomorrow but tonight, I am thinking it is a go. Question is, what the heck do I wear? I have not worn "real clothes" in 3 weeks! Its been a life of yoga pants and t-shirts! Is wearing maternity clothes at this point still acceptable?!?! Cause I think that's just what it may have to be! :)

My name is Lisa....

And I am a bfing, ffing, disposable diapering (don't know the acronym for this one, ha!), bwing, co-sleeping, natural birthing (cause it was SO planned ya know!), WOHM to 2 precious boys!! You gotta own it all, right? :)

Cannot believe that Mark will be 3 weeks old already on Sunday. Time surely does fly! I have said it already, but so far...he is SUCH a good baby! I pray it lasts! He is just a peaceful chill little dude and really the only time he fusses is when hungry or when the cold wipes touch his bum. He is NOT a fan of the wipes! He is also a major snuggle bug. If he does happen to get upset when it not food or diaper related, all it takes is some cuddling and he relaxes. That is how the co-sleeping got started. After the middle of the night feeding (3-4ish) he never seems to be able to get settled back into the bassinet. But as soon as I hold him and bring him into bed, he is lights out for the next 3 hours. Can't deny it, I love sleeping with him too.

As for the whole feeding thing, UGH. I am frustrated but accepting again that formula is not evil. Silly, silly I know. So, for now, sometimes we nurse, sometimes we drink pumped and sometimes we have formula! Days when Z is at school I seem to be able to nurse much easier. Perhaps its the less stress and more time to focus. Anyhow, he is getting the nutrients he needs from formula as well as the benefits of the breast milk that he does get. From reading different things though, I do wonder more about the whole PCOS and bfing relationship. My "girls" never grew during either pregnancy, nor have they either time with bfing so I wonder if maybe I have insufficient mammary tissue that I have read about. I have a post-natal appointment next week and may talk to my OB about taking a prescription to see if that would help with supply too. We shall see.

And the baby wearing, I am loving my moby. Mostly used it for going out on walks so far, but it is really comfortable and Mark falls to sleep almost instantly in it. My mom and I are thinking about venturing out to the Nutcracker Market next Thursday and that would be the big test of it for sure. But so far, I give it 2 thumbs up!

Other than all that, things are going very well. The boys and us are getting used to our new schedule all together and for the most part it flows pretty well. Not sure about the rest of you but we are still cursing Daylight Savings Time. We had Zach to where he was getting up in the mornings between 8-8:30 every day...and now its more like 6:45-7:30! Drats! I hope he goes back to his old sleepy ways at some point! :)

I am glad it is Friday. Having pizza with some friends tonight and then Caroline's 2nd birthday party is tomorrow! Matt and Zach will be there for sure...I have not decided if Mark and I will venture out or not yet. I could definitely use a break from the house but not sure about taking the wee wun out just yet....

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Trick or Treat!!

Zach had a BLAST trick or treating. We had planned on going to just a couple houses but he was having such a good time we ended up going all the way around our section! He was quite the appreciative trick or treater too offering "thank yous" and "bye byes" and even a hug for once lucky man! ;-) He was definitely on a sugar high by the end of the evening but was all worth it for the good time had by Z and Daddy and the rest of our clan!

(This morning Grammy gram took him on a walk and reported back that Z still thought it was Halloween as he was trying to head up to people's doors again today! HA!)

Fall Festival at Church

All in a days time

Been busy day...Mark lost his belly button stump today. WOOHOO! I have been puked on twice and peed on once (must remember to point the weewee down in the diaper!). Just need his weewee ring to fall off from the circ and we will have covered just about everything. Oh yeah, and I guess getting pooed on too. Good times ;-)

Something to smile about...

After yesterday's hormone induced post, decided to lighten it up a bit with just a sweet pic and none of my breast feeding drama (which, BTW, I will leave it at not going so hot still).

The best part of my day is when I wake up in the morning after feeding Mark and go out into the living room where Matt and Z are. I go sit in the recliner and the first thing Z does is come over, climb onto the other half of my lap, and give me and Mark a hug! Talk about melting a Mommy's heart! I love my boys!!!!! :)