Work...

(We're on the 7th floor)

This week has been quite a whirlwind! It's been nice to get out of the house, challenge my mind and get adult interaction. As you can guess, I miss the kids tremendously! I typically call home 3-4 times, just to see how things are going and to talk to Madisyn. It's so sweet to hear her say, "Mommy, you come home?" or "Mommy, you at work?" And she always love to tell me about all the cool things she's been doing with the grandma's.

Luckily Landon has been doing extremely well during the nights. Most nights he slept for a good seven hour stretch. Now we just need to work on that coordinating with our sleep.

Overall, things are going great! We're tired, but hopefully after a few weeks we'll be better adjusted (or we'll figure out that we really need to go to bed earlier!). This week was also my first week of training for the GR half marathon or marathon (yet to be decided). I'm following Hal Higdon's 18 week training schedule (even though I've run a couple marathons, it's been so long that I feel like I'm starting all over again). So maybe that's contributing to the exhaustion :)

Pure Joy!

One of Landon's first experiences in the exersaucer!


He was trying despritely to get that butterfly in his mouth!


A picture says a million words!

In two days Landon will be three months old already! He still has his ups and downs, but in general is doing very well. He's been sleeping an average long stretch of 6-7 hours per night except when he wakes up with terrible gas. We're trying something new AGAIN... a formula for fussiness, gas and spit-up. Rob's hesitant to think that anything is going to help, but I'm willing to try. I'm not ready to give up nursing, but if this helps, I think I'll slowly start to incorporate nursing again and see if we can find a happy medium.

Monday I start back to work, still three days/week. The kids will be staying home with the grandma's, except for one day that Madisyn will go to daycare. I am SO grateful that the grandma's are willing to help out this summer because I don't think I'm ready to start Landon in daycare.

I have mixed feelings on returning to work. On one hand I think it will be a great "break" from the exhausting days with both kids. On the other hand, I will dearly miss my time with Landon (and the naps I still despritely need). I'm not worried about Madisyn because I know how much she loves time with her Grandma's. It will be an adjustment, but I recall it being a smooth one after Madisyn, so I'm hoping for the best!

Speaking of...

4 days old


2 months old


3 months old (I can't believe Landon's almost this old!)


4 months old


5 months (after pulling her hair up while it was wet, then taking it out for bedtime)


1st birthday

In response to the comments to our last post, I didn't realize until recently how rare the amount of hair that Madisyn had really was. Sure, I knew she had a lot of hair, more than most kids... but even comparing her to Landon, there's no comparison! Not to mention, I gave her haircuts regularly (because she kept on growing a mullet). Her first was at three weeks (and I didn't even take pictures, it seemed so normal).


I actually gave Landon a haircut about a week ago (against Rob's will). He was losing that ring around his head, so he had a chunk of long hair near his neck and then had a huge bald spot all the way around his head until the top. I think it looks better now :)

Happy Father's Day!

Daddy and Madisyn 3 days old


Daddy and Madisyn 6 months old


Daddy and Landon 5 weeks old

Today Rob was able to go to the NASCAR race at MIS with Brad and Dan, so we celebrated Father's Day yesterday. Although I think the race was kind of the icing on the cake, since he deserves some fun (maybe a little too much fun ;) ) and relaxation after the emotional ups and downs of the past three months :)

I can't believe that it was Rob's third Father's Day already! Where has time gone? Madisyn has typically gotten him some sort of cute "daddy" gift... like a mug with her picture on it, outfits that say "I Love Daddy" or "Daddy Loves Me." You know, the pretty typical Father's Day gifts. This year was different though. Landon wasn't all about the typical present, and since it was his first Father's Day, he won. He chose to get Rob this edger:

I think Landon did a pretty dang good job (for being less than three months old). Rob used it within about an hour!

Thank you Honey, for being a wonderful husband and amazing father! Everyday I feel so blessed to have you in my life. I love you!

Nigh-night video

What kind of mother have I become? Today I found myself bribing Madisyn to finish her hot dog before she could eat her Light and Fit yogurt (when a couple of months ago I wouldn't have even let her eat hot dogs). Then she wanted to take a nap. I was trying to get her to stay up and finally told her that she could go to bed once Wonder Pets were all done (thus her repeating to me that the Wonder Pets were "all done" in the video). We rarely even let her watch TV, and now I'm bribing her with it??? I thought about the whole situation after the fact and just laughed :)

Broccoli

Poooootty training

In February we started introducing potty (Madisyn likes to drag out the "o")training. We let her run around without any pants on with a portable training potty close by. She did remarkably well, but of course, she couldn't run around everywhere without pants on (especially in public) :) So as long as she was bare bottom, she would go... but once she had a diaper on, she'd forget about the potty.

We became more lackadaisical after Landon was born, but she has continued to make progress. A couple of weeks ago we hit another milestone; she asked to go potty while we were shopping... and actually held it until we found a restroom. Daycare also told us that we could send her in real underwear, since she usually makes it all day (although we haven't yet since we're hesitant to try it at home).

I think we're on the home stretch! Every week we're buying fewer diapers (yeah!). The last big hurtle... getting her to go #2 in the potty more. We're open to suggestions! You'd think that would be the easiest, after all, why would anyone want to sit in that??? (I thought I'd spare you a picture of her on the pot)

Can't Go Nigh-Night Until...

I know of no other children who get as excited as Madisyn to go to bed! Here's a common night at the Dykema household:

Madisyn: "I tired, I go nigh-night."
Mommy: "Honey, it's too early to go nigh-night. How about we play toys?"
Madisyn (in a whiny tone): "I go nigh-night."
Mommy: "Do you want Mommy to read you a book?"
Madisyn (sometimes a tear is forming by this time): "I go nigh-night."
Mommy: "Can't go nigh-night until you _________."

Sometimes it's pick up her toys, other times it's drink her milk, you get the idea. We have to bribe her to stay up, then depending on the time, we usually give in. We try to get her to bed around the same time everyday, but some days she's just too tired to make it until 8:00. Other nights, when she doesn't ask to go to bed, we ask her if she wants to and she immediately says nigh-night to anyone who's around and gives them hugs and kisses. I really need to get a video of this since I know that it's not going to last forever!