More Milestones

Sam has a tooth! I'm so happy for him--and for me. He is not a good teether, and I have no experience with that at all. He's been waking up a couple of times a night for two weeks, and he's not been eating well (still taking plenty of bottles though). He has settled down a little since the tooth broke through. 

In general, he is a very sweet, happy baby. He'll smile at just about anything, and he's a little bit of a snuggler. He wants to eat everything we're eating and will just have a fit if he thinks he's missing out on something. He has tried to take steps from the couch to a chair and from one toy to another. I don't know how long before he learns to walk, but the process is fascinating to watch--for his mom anyway. :) 

 

I still haven't put the boys in a room together, and now I may wait until Sam's done teething if the waking up at all hours continues with the rest of his teeth. I can't imagine David waking up every time he does.  Still, I'm looking forward to the change. We need the space where Sam's bed is to set up a desk for Benjamin's school stuff. Plus, a couple of weeks ago while we were at Mom's, we had them in Pack-n-Plays next to each other (for the first time) and they had so much fun. I woke up one night and heard them both giggling in the other room. It was 3:00 A.M.!!!!! They eventually went back to sleep though. When I told Benjamin about that when I got home, he was all for moving Sam that day. Really the main reason I'm not ready for it though is that they wake up at different times in the morning (Sam is stirring now, and David is likely to sleep another hour). I enjoy having time to feed Sam and dress him, then get David's breakfast ready before David wakes up. I think that we'll make the change over the Christmas holidays if not before. That way, when Benjamin starts the new semester, he'll have his space set up and organized. 

Sometimes being a mom is really frustrating--not knowing if the fussiness and not sleeping is ears or teeth, that sort of thing--but it's an adventure I dearly love. I always wanted lots of children, but I am so blessed to have the two I have with the love of my life. God is truly faithful and good.

Portraits and Milestones

We usually get our family portraits done at JCPenney. They are very inexpensive and the quality is outstanding.  Due to circumstances beyond my control, however, we went to Sears last week to have the boys' portraits done.  David didn't have a formal baby picture at all before he was a year old, and I was determined that Sam would have one before then.

The time the photographer actually spent with the boys was great. He was very patient with two boys who were very cranky.

However, he took a long phone call while we were waiting for him to get set up for us. He disappeared for 30 minutes after the photo session, and when I finally went to find him to ask how much longer it would be, he said he was editing the photos and it would be five more minutes--did we want to go grab something to eat.  Well, why didn't he tell us BEFORE he began the editing that we had time to go somewhere. Fifteen minutes later, he showed us the photos. There were only three that were worth having--did I mention the boys were cranky? 

As we were checking out, he asked if we wanted to pay $3 per sheet extra and have them printed while we waited. I asked how he could do that, and he said oh, he just prints them on the computer, JUST LIKE THEY DO AT THE LAB.  WHAT????!!!!

I did not just spend two hours (all day if you count the crazy time we had getting to the studio in the first place) and lots of stress to have computer-printed pictures, which are not the quality of lab-processed photos. Well, apparently I did. It never occurred to me that a portrait studio of any kind would produce computer-printed pictures.

Then, I noticed as I was checking out that a brochure said that I could have free on-line access to my photos. When I asked about it, the photographer said, "Oh, I was going to tell you about that in a minute."  After he got my money so I wouldn't put off my purchase.  He didn't give me any information for accessing my photos except that they would be available in 48 hours.  I assumed the log-in information was somewhere in the paperwork he had given me.  When I tried to get the pictures yesterday, I discovered that I didn't have the information I needed, so I called.  They gave me the log-in info, but I still couldn't get anything. I have to call back today when my photographer (who is also the manager--what?!) is in and find out what the problem is.

This definitely goes in the Live and Learn file.

On a happier note....Sam figured out how to get his feet moving yesterday. He's been pulling up on everything for about three weeks now, but he hasn't shown any interest in moving around once he got up.  Yesterday, the phone was on the sofa, and he WANTED it, so he figured out how to make those feet cooperate.  He was so proud! 

I am always amazed when he learns something physical so quickly.  As I'm sure I've mentioned here before, David rolled over at 13 months and walked at 20--he only just started walking this time last year, so Sam's progress is supersonic by comparison.  The funny thing about David though was that he didn't seem slow, even though we knew he was way behind, and we never, ever worried. I got frustrated when he didn't walk sooner, but I was never afraid that he wouldn't.  God is good.