Luke's Blessing Day

More pictures to come! Luke is in his blessing outfit underneath his fluffy blue blanket, but it was a little breezy and he's not too fond of being cold ;)

We blessed Luke Stanford Plessman at our church on May 7th, 2015. It was such a special weekend filled with family, sunshine, and Jace's non-stop giggles. 

Colt's parents (Grammy and Grampy)flew into Seattle on Friday. They met up with Colt at work, and he took them on a tour of the Boeing campus. I went a couple of years ago when I was pregnant with Jace, and it was really interesting; The Boeing site is huge, with lots to see, and I think they really enjoyed it. Afterwards, they came home and we ate chicken lime tacos in honor of Cinco de Mayo (this was totally accidental, and I was rather pleased with myself when I remembered it was Cinco de Mayo after I'd already put the chicken in the crockpot). After a family walk and a low-key evening spent catching up, we woke the next morning to a gorgeous, sunny Saturday. My parents arrived that afternoon with my dad's mom, Grandma Carol. They checked into a hotel in town, we ordered Red Robin to go, and then we all met up at the park for a picnic dinner. Jace was able to run and play to his heart's content, and the adults basked in the beautiful weather (does Vitamin D prevent the flu? We're desperate).

On Sunday morning, we got ready and headed off to church. I'm so lucky that Colt is a pro at getting the boys prepared to leave the house-I was able to shower, blow dry my hair, put on makeup, and get dressed without interruption for the first time in quite awhile. Haha! He's amazing. We waited until we got to church to put Luke in his blessing outfit, the same one that Colt wore as a baby and that Jace wore at his blessing. 

Colt gave Luke such a sweet blessing. I tried to record it on my phone so that I could write it down later, but unfortunately, the microphone was very quiet, and the chapel was a little noisy due to lots of little ones chattering around us. However, once we got home, I was able to crank up the volume to an unhealthy level, listen over and over again and, with the exception of a couple of words, C and I were able to transcribe the blessing in it's entirety. I'm so grateful, because it truly was a beautiful blessing and I could tell Colt was sad when I told him the recording might not have been successful. 

Afterwards, everyone came back to our house, and my mom, Terri, and I went to work prepping a lunch of croissant turkey sandwiches with all the fixins', chips and salsa, veggies and hummus, and plump, fresh strawberries with fruit dip (the leftovers of which I may or may not have polished off by myself later that night). We spent the afternoon visiting, passing a sleepy Luke around for lots of snuggles and loves, and laughing at the antics of my funny little Jace. He was so cute all weekend; he radiated pure joy. He loved being surrounded by his "fan-club," and ran around yelling "A Mimi! Hi Papa! Hammy! Gampy?!" This weekend really reinforced my already strong desire to live close to family, whether it's my side or Colt's, grandparents or aunties and cousins. Not only to I enjoy the support and the peace of mind having people I know and love just a few short hours away, but I really want my kids to know their relatives, like Colt and I did as children. Cousin birthday parties, Sunday dinners at Grandma's house, yearly reunions, grandparents cheering me on at sporting events...these are treasured memories that Colt and I have of growing up with family members close by, and I want that for my boys. Especially after seeing how happy it made Jace to be surrounded by his clan this weekend. 

My parents and Grandma C left Sunday afternoon, and Colt's Mom and Dad said goodbye the next morning. We are so happy they were able to make the trip to celebrate Luke's blessing day with us. Of course, we missed everyone who couldn't be there, but we are so thankful for the kind and supportive messages we received. My boys are very loved. Family, a strong, loving family, is a gift from heaven. Jace and Luke don't understand yet how lucky they are, but they will one day. 

Jace and Luke 6 Weeks Later

I wouldn't say that we've gotten into a rhythm yet, persay. Getting out of the house with both the boys still feels overwhelming some days, although when I actually go through the effort of getting everything together, it isn't that bad. It's more that someone is always still asleep, or I have to nurse, burp, change, finish nursing, change the spit-uppy outfit, change Jace's diaper, get the bag, buckle into carseats, etc...the thought of it makes me tired! So we are still working on it. But I would say that we are all acclimating nicely to our new family of four, making adjustments as we go, and taking every day as it comes. I think that's pretty reasonable, for six weeks. I think in my head I had an unspoken expectation that by six weeks, I'd have it all figured out by now. They say it takes the body about six weeks to recover from childbirth, and so I think I had this subconscious deadline that my life should have "recovered," or have a semblance of routine by now, too. And it does, to some extent. But not to the extent that we are out and about everyday (or even most days), or that I sometimes have to bag our plans for the day because I'm too tired or the boys are too cranky, or that I can say we don't watch way, way, way too much T.V. To be honest, most mornings pass in a haze of Winnie the Pooh, goldfish crackers, and hoping the boys decide to nap at the same time so we can go for a walk together in the afternoons. But we will get there. For now, I'm trying to remind myself to dial it back, relax, and enjoy these slow-yet-hectic days and nights...and be ok with a messy house (I'm not very good at that). One of these days it will click into place, a routine will get established, I'll hopefully get a better handle on being a mama to two crying, hungry boys in the morning, and we will be up and about, ready to go play! Hopefully in time to enjoy the late spring sunshine that I am SURE is on it's way.  

Jace Snapshot
...Some current favorite Jace phrases include: "dirt dog," (a quote from Homeward Bound, when Chance the dog tells Sassy: "Well look who's down in the dirt with the dogs."),  "Pooh sammich," (a Pooh Bear Sandwich, which is what we call peanut butter and honey sandwiches), asking for "Hugs?" when he gets tired on our walks and wants to be carried, saying "Otay!" when he falls down and wants us to know he isn't hurt, and calling his brother by his name: "Morning, Wook!" "Hi, Wook!" and "Baby Wook!" 
...Thinks it's a fun game to steal Luke's binkie. Call me a fun-sucker, but I really am not a fan of this game. Usually he takes it when it's sitting around while Luke is eating or whatnot, but I've caught him taking it out of Luke's mouth and then trying to stuff it back in. 
...He loves to talk to Mimi on the phone ("A talk a Mimi?"). He hasn't quite grasped that she can't see him unless they're on FaceTime, though, and he ends up running around trying to show her things, forgetting to talk to her. 
...He has a great memory.
...Knows what sound owls make
...Loves to color with his "tannies," (crayons). He can consistently identify and label the yellow crayon, and sometimes the blue and green crayons. He also insists on using a grown-up pen or pencil to scribble on our yellow legal pad every time he sees Colt or I writing something down.  
...Becomes very concerned when the internet connection is disrupted and his show takes a minute to load-"A show working?!"
...Likes to hold Luke's hand in the car when we're driving into town. I've looked back to check on them a few times now, and Jace will just be quietly holding the baby's hand in his own while he uses the other to play with his cars or eat his snack. Best friends. It makes me want to tear up a little. Whatever happens in life, they will always have each other, and I hope they never forget it.
...If Jace were a song, he would be "The Wanderer" by Dion.  "They call me the Wanderer, I roam around, around. around..."

Luke Snapshot
...He's smiling real smiles. They're beautiful. 
...Just spent the night in his own room for the first time, and took his first bottle tonight from Dad while Jace and I went out for a milkshake and ran to the grocery store. 
...This guy is always up for a game of Patty Cake or This Little Piggy. Don't let his serious, suspicious expressions fool you. It might seem like he's not having much fun, then his little face will break out into a gummy grin. It's the happiest thing.
...Is a true Washingtonian. He cries whenever the sun shines on his face. 
...When he's fussy, a diaper change or a burp usually calms him down for at least a while.
...Goes through multiple outfit changes a day. I don't mind too much, it gives me an excuse to get him in as many of his cute clothes as possible before he outgrows them.
...He's so fun to have around. Sometimes I glance over and he's staring at me, just waiting for me to look at him so he can give me a little smile. 
...He's starting to talk to us. He coos, we coo back, he coos, and on it goes. I love his little baby voice. 
...If Luke were a song, he would be "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers. "When I wake up in the morning love, and the sunlight hurts my eyes...then I look at you, and I know it's gonna be a lovely day..."

Easter And An Honest Update

The Update

...I cried the other night after I added too many noodles to the chicken soup I was reheating for dinner, and they absorbed all of the liquid. Then I blamed everything on the (very nice) meat salesman who came to our door and asked for "two minutes of my time" while I had dinner on the stove, and Luke was crying in his swing, and Colt was upstairs with a stomach bug and a fever.

...I have very little patience with my sweet toddler. I find myself snapping at him much more often than I'd like. I need to remember that this is an adjustment for him, too. Even though he's not the one who has to take care of the baby, it's still a big change and his life looks pretty different right now. And he's still only two years old.

...When my newborn is fussing and I've done everything I can think of, I start talking to him like he's 15 years old and defying me on purpose. "Nope, there's no reason to be sad right now, Luke." "It's time to go to sleep, no more tears my friend." "You're fed, you're changed, you're just fine." So much for my grand plans to label my children's emotions and help the boys find healthy ways to process and handle those feelings, rather than telling them to suck it up.

...I  blame all of the above on lack of sleep, and possibly post-partum hormones. But still. 

...Jace and Colt caught another stomach bug last week, complete with fever and vomiting. We're going to have someone look in our crawl-space to make sure we don't have a mold issue. It's not normal to be sick this often, right? 

...Despite challenging moments, mornings, or days, there is so much GOOD! Like Luke's perpetually furrowed eyebrows, which make him look simultaneously thoughtful, worried, and skeptical. My little philosopher. And Jace is such a big helper, fetching diapers and burp cloths when I forget to grab one before sitting down to nurse his brother. Sometimes I ask him for a specific item and he's not sure what I'm requesting, so he'll pause, then go pick up something random, like one of Luke's blankets, and bring it to me with the proudest expression on his cute little face. These guys, man. They keep me laughing.

Luke Snapshot:

...Luke is a spitter like his brother. We're putting the laundry machine through it's paces! The dishwasher, too. Paper plates and towels are not something I've ever really felt the need to keep around the house, but they are my new best friends these days.

...He is squirmy and strong! He throws his body around like a 10 lb salmon, especially his head. I think he wants to see everything that's going on. 

...Luke has always been a little stubborn about falling asleep, and it can take him awhile to get there. I'm trying to just let him fall asleep when he's ready because it gets stressful spending at least half an hour trying to get him to fall asleep, but yesterday he ended up getting overtired early on in the day because he took way too short of a morning nap, and ended up catnapping the rest of the day. Catnapping, my arch-nemesis...we meet again. Luke's naps yesterday lasted no longer than 20-30 minutes, and he was pretty fussy in-between. By the end of the day, we had a sad, tired, overstimulated baby on our hands. Hopefully he gets back on track, because I miss my sweet and observant little fellow. Angry Luke isn't terrible, but he's not especially pleasant ;)

...Luke has become much more fond of the swing, but is still not especially keen on his bouncer or carseat. 

...Luke clearly prefers showers with Daddy to solo bath-time excursions.

...He is losing some of the hair on top of his head, but the sides remain long and luscious. He would look like Friar Tuck, but his hair is light enough that it's not really noticeable (unlike Jace, who decided to sport the "old baby-man" look a la Benjamin Button for many weeks).

...Luke loves to watch his big brother and generally doesn't mind his "snuggles"...but his facial expressions indicate that he also finds Jace slightly intimidating.

...He holds his head up for a few seconds at a time during tummy time or when we hold him upright. He's also in his 3 month clothes. I kept looking at those 3 month outfits last week, thinking how cute they were and how excited I was for Luke to grow into them. I decided to put one on just for fun...and it fit perfectly. I almost missed the window! He's growing so fast.

Jace Snapshot:

...Jace is simultaneously the most adorable thing on two feet, and the most exasperating. Emotions run fast and furious with this one. 

...He LOVED Easter. We were supposed to do a little Easter Egg hunt while Grammy was here visiting. She brought tons of little Easter Eggs and surprises to find while she was here. Unfortunately, JJ got sick the day we were supposed to have the hunt. So she left the treats here, and we hunted for eggs in our yard the Saturday before Easter. He had so much fun gathering his eggs and looking to see what was inside. Then, he found a large bucket filled with rainwater and promptly dumped all of his Easter Eggs in it. 

...Jace loves helping in the kitchen. If he sees me in there, he drags his little stool over saying "I help, I help?"

...He is still all about cars, trucks, trains, planes, and "sheens" (machines). 

...Jace helped Colton put together a small shelf a couple of weeks ago, and since then has been super interested in tools, especially hammers.

...Jace is such a good big brother. He says "Morning Yoot!" when he comes downstairs and sees the baby. He loves to touch Luke's head and give him little snugs. It's really sweet, although I need to get better at reigning in my mild anxiety every time he clambers up next to the Luke's head, or his gentle touch suddenly shifts into a vice-like grip. 

...Jace still loves "shanny walks." Hopefully as the weather continues to warm up and we get into more of a rhythm, we can go for more together.

...He has developed a little bit of a shy streak around strangers and when there are lots of other kids around. He clings to Colton or myself and won't venture off to play without one of us holding his hand. 

...When Jace is very excited about something he gets to do, he will repeat what we say and add "Otay!" For example: I might say, "When we get to Costco, we can get a piece of pizza for dinner!" And JJ will answer "Pizza, cheese, otay!" Makes me laugh everytime.

...Jace has decided to forgo sleeping in favor of laying in his bed and crying for over an hour at nap time.  Is it terrible that I have zero problems letting him cry that long? I know he needs a rest, because when he skips his nap he gets cranky in the afternoons or falls asleep at an odd hour for 15-20 minutes and wakes up angry at everyone. So I don't mind "giving him the opportunity" for an hour or so, if that's how he wants to play. 

...Jace has been sick a lot this winter. He gets some sort of stomach virus every couple of weeks. We've put him on a multi-vitamin and are trying to be better about making sure he washes his hands. He's been such a trooper. Hopefully the spring and summer sunshine will bring good health, too!

Luke's Newborn Photos

We had originally planned to have Luke’s newborn pictures taken when he was 6 days old, to capitalize on that sleepy newborn phase. Unfortunately, our whole family, along with our photographer’s family, became sick with a stomach bug that week. Obviously,  pictures had to be postponed until everyone was healthy and well, and no longer contagious. So, we had them taken this last Friday instead, one day before Luke turned 3 weeks old. Colt had to work and wasn’t able to be there, which I’m a little sad about, but that’s life, right? Thank goodness, my mother-in-law got into town on Wednesday, so she came with us. I’m so glad she was able to be there, because I’m realizing I tend to get a bit stressed out about family pictures, haha! Terri has now been able to be at the newborn photo-shoots of all 7 of her gran’babies, so she knew exactly what to do. She kept JJ entertained and happy, held a few props, reminded me to take off the hairbands on my wrist, and was great company. Thank you Grammy! You rock. 

 I was hoping Luke would still sleep through the whole affair even though he’s more wakeful these days, and things were looking good; I fed him before we left and he fell asleep on the way over. However, when we arrived, he woke up as soon as I took him out of the car seat…and then he pooped. I fed him to get him back to sleep…then he spit up on me. Haha! No way was he going back to sleep after a diaper change in a brand new place. The first half of the session was spent trying to get him to go back to sleep, which happened eventually, but it took quite awhile! I’m 2 for 2 on birthing very alert little boys.

I really wanted at least one picture of Jace and Luke together, but Jace was feeling very shy and didn’t want to come near the photographer or any of her props. I sort of gave up on the idea and told Tasha that it was ok if we weren’t able to get any brother pictures. However, towards the end of the shoot, Jace randomly got up, came over next to Luke and laid down with his head right next to baby’s face, grabbed his tiny hand, and started cooing over his little brother. It was so sweet! But fleeting-Tasha quickly switched lenses and was able to snap a couple of pictures before JJ decided he was done and ran off to play again. I’m so happy we were able to get at least one picture of my boys together.

And how sweet are those tiny baby toes?!

Warming Up

Within the last week, Jace has started showing more interest in his baby brother. He often comes up and places his hand softly on Luke's velvety hair, says "Hi baby!" when he sees him, and likes to sit beside Luke and I (and climb all over us) as I nurse. This morning, I said "Hi Luke!" and JJ repeated me: "Hi Yoot!" It was so sweet hearing my first baby call my second baby by name. My favorite is when Jace lays his cheek on the baby's head and says "Awww!" I love that JJ is starting to warm up to our sweet babe. The video above captured one of their first real interactions. It makes me so happy; I've watched it over and over again, and it makes me smile every time. 

I Said Yes! (Four Years Ago)

The end of March marked four years since Colt whisked me away into the Utah mountains for a picnic...and put a ring on my finger instead. 

I waited awhile for this day to come. About 7.5 months, I think? But when the day finally arrived, it was worth every moment of waiting, every doubt, and every hard conversation.

 Colt told me several times that he did want me to be the one he married, that he hoped I was the one he would spend his life with, but that he needed a confirmation from Heavenly Father that it was the right choice. It was really hard to wait for that answer...but it came. And if Heavenly Father never sees fit to give me anything I want ever again, I can't complain. Colt is the greatest gift I've ever been given. This day is one of my most precious memories.

First Week As A Party of Four

I could be wrong, but I feel like this will be my view most mornings for the foreseeable future. I'm not mad about it.

Jace has been pretty indifferent towards the baby. It's not a bad or negative thing, he's just not super interested. But there have been occasional tender moments here and there, and I was able to catch this one on camera. Jace and I were watching a movie this morning while I nursed Luke. I just happened to look down and see Jace very softly holding the baby's foot. I think we will be okay. ;)

Successful infiltration of  a Boys' Club

Well, Week 1 is in the books, ladies and gentleman! My mom left yesterday in the late morning, and the boys and I embarked on our first family outing together (to Costco, of course). It went surprisingly well! It just took a bit longer to get out the door, and then out of the parking lot, since I had to nurse and change Mr. Cool-Hand Luke before we drove anywhere. But I consider any trip to Costco a success, because it's amazing and I love it there. Also, Jace ate an entire piece of food court pizza all by himself, minus a couple of bites. Good job, buddy! You're a true Plessman/Christensen. Now I just need Costco to start carrying the peaches and nectarines...come on, spring and summer!

I think it was great for Jace to have my mom here all week. Mimi was so helpful. She kept JJ occupied and happy, and was able to take him outside a lot to help him burn off some of that toddler steam. I think it helped having someone here this first week to shower him with lots of one-on-one attention after we brought Luke home. Mimi did all of that and more...after she got better, that is. Yup, both Colt and my mom caught the same bug I had during labor and that JJ had last week. They got sick the same day, and I felt so bad. Also, I was a little intimidated about handling the two kiddos by myself for the rest of the day, but both boys were so great. I think Heavenly Father was watching out for us, whispering instructions to Jace and Luke pertaining to angelic behavior while this virus ripped through every person in the house. Luckily, after about 12 hours everyone was feeling much better. My mom and Colt spent the next morning scrubbing everything with bleach and doing load after load of laundry while I rested and hung out with the baby, like a lazy bum. We are pretty sure it was the norovirus; at least one other family at church has it currently (unfortunately, it's the family of the lady who was supposed to take Luke's newborn photos), and the nurse I spoke with from the pediatrician's office told me it's been going around. We were so scared Luke was going to get it too, and he still could, so we are watching him and keeping our fingers crossed that breast-feeding will work it's powerful magic and keep him healthy.

A little Jace update: He continues to acquire more and more words everyday, producing 2-3 word utterances like it's nobody's business! However,I don't always understand him right away and some interpretation work is required. For instance, he was walking around the living room asking everyone for "a shanny wok? A shanny wok?" I was racking my brain trying to figure out what he was trying to communicate..."A shiny rock? Where did he pick that up?" Eventually, it dawned on me: we have been going on family walks almost every night after dinner for the last few weeks. He was asking for a family walk...my heart melted. I love him and our family walks, and I'm excited to get back to them ASAP. My mom also sang him the "Boom Chicka Boom" song while she was here, and now he walks around saying "Chicka Boom, Chicka Boom." He loves Buzz ("Buss!") Lightyear and Piglet's Big Movie with his whole heart (and still loves Lightning McQueen ("Keen!") from Cars). As I noted above, Jace hasn't shown much in the baby. He hasn't asked to hold him or snuggle him, but he does say "Baby?" when he sees him in the morning, and occasionally he'll walk over and touch Luke's head or toes and say "Awww!" He also likes to point to Luke's eyes, nose, ears, and head while labeling each one: "Baby eyes, baby nose, baby head..." I think we will be alright. It will be so great to watch them become little friends, but for now, everyone is still adjusting. And that's great! We have a few weeks yet to find our rhythym as a family. 
JJ is also the king of mysterious bumps, bruises, and scratches. They're all over his legs, and his daddy couldn't be more pleased. Haha! He's a boy through and through. Jace is still pretty picky, but his favorite foods are the funniest things. He loves traditional "kid food," like treats and pizza (obviously), yogurt and applesauce, toast, etc...but he also LOVES straight up tomato sauce (eats it like soup), and he consumes salsa with a spoon, with or without chips. Such a funny little bunny. Addtionally, whenever he does something exasperating or silly I have always said "Oh, honey!" I've never noticed how often I say it, but it must be pretty regularly, because now JJ says it as well, about himself and when addressing me or my mom. He likes to point out "workers" and any train tracks that we come across, and he has started to say "chop chop!" when it's time to go upstairs for bed, and "scooch!" when he wants me to move over on the couch...come to think of it, he can be a bit bossy. I have to remind him who the head honcho is (and I don't always scooch when he asks, I'm not that patient). He is so much fun. This is the age of highs and lows, I think. He can try my patience in a way that scares me one minute, and have me belly laughing and so glad he's mine the next. His personality is so exuberant and so joyful (most of the time), and I love him so much.

Sidenote: Jace looks so big and feels incredibly heavy ever since we brought Luke home. He barely fits in my lap, and I have no idea how I was able to carry him while pregnant. It's true what they say: when you bring home a newborn, your toddler's butt suddenly looks ginormous and you find yourself wondering "Why the heck am I still wiping this huge hiney?!"

Luke has been such a sweet little addition to our family. I look at him and can't comprehend how new he still is-he was inside my belly just a week ago! And yet it seems like he's always been here. He's so beautiful, you guys. I'm probably a little biased, but it's also the truth. We love his dark, dark blue eyes, his soft blond hair that seems to get lighter every day (I'm wondering/hoping for a little tow-head), his wrinkly little feet and hands, and the soft peach fuzz on his back.  He is starting to fill out and he doesn't feel quite so fragile. I don't know if he will be quite the chunky monkey that his brother was, but he's definitely more squeezeable these days. ;)

I have to admit, I am scared for C to go back to work. Sometimes, when both the kids are crying, or JJ throws a tantrum while I'm nursing, or the baby is fussy and I can't get him to stop and I've been up all night, I realize I'm going to have to deal with it all by myself during the day. I hope I can handle it...and not just handle it, but handle it with patience and love. It's so easy for me to stress out, and those flashes of frustration rise up so suddenly. I just need to remember to pray for help, and accept this is just the season of life we are in right now. Tantrums, whiny voices, all-nighters...it just comes with the territory! We will experience some curveballs and hard moments for sure-like just now, JJ woke up early from his nap, just as I finally got Lukey to sleep, and then immediately a picture randomly fell off the wall and woke up the baby. What the?! Haha! But that's just life, right? I can't force circumstances to be what I think they should be. I need to accept circumstances for what they are, ask God for guidance and direction, worry less, and find the joy that transcends any and every experience, positive or negative. Because having a toddler and a newborn is filled with positives and negatives, but also, always, transcendent joy.

 I need to remind myself that it's ok for the next little while if things are a somewhat chaotic and sleepless, if chores and errands don't get done, and if we have the TV on all day...I'm learning how to care for two children at once (at times on very little sleep), and all of us are still adjusting to the new family dynamic. And that's ok! It won't always be like this, and the dishes will get done eventually. ;) Things will constantly evolve and change. And in the meantime, there is so much joy to be found right now, no matter how hard it is or how tired I might be. There's a newborn to snuggle and hold in the middle of the night, there's "shanny woks" to take with my chatty toddler, chubby cheeks to kiss and stories to read. How blessed am I to have these guys? It's my goal this time around to savor the sweet moments and focus less on the hard ones.

I know if I maintain eternal perspective, am forgiving of others and myself, and when I ask for help, I can have joy in every moment, and the tough stuff will help me stretch, grow, and improve as a wife and mother. I'm so happy I get to be a wife and a mom, especially to these particular guys. I can't wait to get to know little Cool-Hand better and better, spend time with my husband and kiddos, see my boys interact...there's so much to look forward to, and so much to enjoy right now.