A room with a view

About a week ago, I finally realized--probably a little late--that Cole was strong enough to sit upright. What a wonderful development! Before, when fixing meals or cleaning up the kitchen, I would put him in his bouncer while I proceeded through the daily routine. Although the best place for him at the time, unfortunately, it gave him the thrilling view of my legs from the knees down--not the ideal positionment for a little guy trying to figure out how the world works. In the chair, however, he becomes more a part of our daily routine, and is able to see first-hand how our day unfolds. And, even more importantly, it is easier to talk to him and involve him in what we're doing. It also allows me to relax more; before, I would rush through everything so I could free him of the bouncer. It's such a little thing, but yet, it makes such a tremendous difference. For Cole, as well, I am sure!

A delicate balance (unbalance?)

I try to balance the very diverse needs of Franny and Cole throughout the week. Wednesdays, however, Cole sacrifices most of his day to Franny. This is her playgroup day and we frequently meet somewhere for fun and then follow it up with lunch. Needless to say, door to door can be as long as 3-4 hours, which is a lot to ask of a 4-month old. I think that he enjoys being out and seeing new things. But, I know he doesn't like to be put in his car seat twenty minutes after he awakes in the morning; cooped up in his stroller for long periods of time; patted, poked, and grabbed at by six curious toddlers; and forced to take irregular naps throughout it all, only to sporadically awakened by those same curious toddlers. Not to mention being covered up in creative ways to protect his fair skin; nursing on the go; and having an unwanted pacifier repeatedly put in his mouth when he does finally express some discontent. Although the list could continue, I'll stop there to avoid aggravating my conscience any further. In the end, maybe there is little harm done, and maybe, he gets more quality stimulation from being out than he would get from staying home. And, he does get two days a week that are predominately Franny-free, calm, and at home. So, in the larger scheme of things, maybe there is a little balance, after all, albeit a very delicate one.

His temperament says: "I'm a trooper"; his eyes say: "Mama, please take me home".

Bloopers

Photographing Cole can be quite a challenge at times. Although he is unquestionably a cutie, he is not the most photogenic, and his sweet personality doesn't always come through...

But then I finally get one that melts my heart...

A new way of looking at things

Cole is getting stronger and stronger by the day. Today was the first day where his head control was significantly improved. He was able to hold his head up without bobbing for close to 10 minutes. He also is starting to push himself way up, and one time, pushed himself so far he toppled back onto his back. With his new found perspective, he was able to observe his world in a whole new way, and clearly enjoyed watching Franny bound around.--he smiled, laughed, and cooed at her, which amused her to no end, as well. I am sure he was thinking to himself "At last--I can see her coming!"

Putting their heads together

I'm starting to feel outnumbered...

Heads up!

Unbelievable coincidence

Franny and Cole are tremendously different, but as of this Sunday, they have one thing in common: they both slept for a continuous 8 hours at the age of 3 months, 6 days. For Franny it was July 8th, on a trip to Sunriver; for Cole, the event coincided with our 5-year anniversary on September 2nd. What an amazing coincidence! For Franny, it was a one-time moment of bliss that subsequently, went completely downhill. Hopefully, with Cole, it will become the trend.

Variable X

One hour before his session

Three weeks ago I scheduled a portrait session for Cole. I took into consideration every possible variable--from when he would nap and eat to when Franny would be in school and when Cole would be the most relaxed--and booked the ideal time. The only aspect I didn't take into account is the fact that, in the early months, babies' daily schedules are constantly changing . Today, we arrived at our scheduled appointment twenty minutes into a nap and three hours since his last meal. My expectations for it being disastrous were very high. And, without a doubt, Cole exceeded my expectations. Apparently, his sweet voice reached volumes that could be heard all the way in the front lobby. Needless to say, after viewing the proofs, we scheduled retakes. We'll see what new variable emerges non our next attempt!

Vacation for who???

As long as Franny is awake, there really is no safe oasis for Cole. She is constantly checking on him, kissing and hugging him, trying to pick him up, rolling him on his tummy; the list goes on and on. And then, on our vacation, he had to cope with two toddlers, instead of just one. While he took it all in stride, it really makes me wonder what his feelings are. Overwhelmed? Anxious? Happy? Amused? Possibly, all of these. Ironically, although Franny's early life was spent in peace and quiet, she has always mirrored chaos (in it's sweetest form); and while Cole's early life is spent in nothing short of chaos, he is such a peaceful baby. It is definitely fun to have two children that are so unique and different from each other. And while having to be ready to accommodate both personalities at any given moment is challenging, it is always interesting and always a joy.