Good Good Nights

Samuel is such a little BOY.  There is nothing delicate about this child.  He's a gassy little guy (especially embarrassing in public) who often has major poop-a-paloozas all. over. everything.  He grunts and growls, throws and rolls, head-butts, and shakes anything in his path of destruction.  Eleanora would to softly pat my face and hair while eating, but Samuel grabs, pulls, and rips anything he can get his hands on.  I'm usually more than a bit disheveled after feeding him, but I wouldn't trade his love taps for the world.  Just look at the angelic sleeping face of our little bruiser.

Snuggled up with the "hand pillow" he got hooked on in the NICU.  A bit strange but he looooves it.

 Patiently waiting for the day to start.

Our boy is a gentle giant.  He almost always wakes up happy and cooing, full of smiles and kicks as soon as I start to sing his good morning song.  At his 9 month check up yesterday, he was 50th percentile for weight and 75th for height unadjusted for his prematurity!  That means he is pretty much caught up growth-wise.  Yay Samuel!

Post-bath time snuggle in bed

Eleanora has completed a major life event - transitioning from crib to "big girl bed" in her new room.  We prepared by reading books about big kid beds, moving her toys and books a few at a time into the new room, and playing in the new room together during the day.  It certainly didn't hurt that her new room was previously inhabited by her favorite big girl, Aunt Na-Na.  After Ben and I tucked her in the first night, kissed her good night and shut the door, I'm the one who started crying.  She looked so little in that big bed, clutching her lambie and being so brave.  Speaking of bedtime, Eleanora has added a new element to her bedtime ritual.  After she brushes her teeth, she asks for "snuggle time!" on the couch with Ben and I.  The three of us curl up for one song before she goes to bed.  The typical conversation goes something like this:

Snuggle time, Mommy!  One song, ok?

Good good night?  Please??? 

She loves the Black Eyed Peas song "I Got a Feelin' (Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Night)".  Not my first choice for a wind-down snuggly song, but she loves to sing along.

Close eyes, Daddy.  Close eyes, Mommy! 

We happily oblige.

Wake up, Mommy.  Open eyes!  

(in a whisper) Daddy's sweeeping, no wake him, ok?  

Scwatch (scratch) my back?

 -song ends -

All done song.  Time for night-night.  See you when the sun is orange!

It's one of the best parts of my day, just being still and snuggly together.

I'll sign off with a few pictures from Easter...what a fun day it was!

 Opening Easter basket from "Na-Na-Liam"

 Looking hard for her Easter basket

Baby's first Easter!