The end of a chapter

Its crazy to think that Roman is 2 1/2 years old and that Dominic will be 10 months next week.  Roman seems to have slowed down a bit in growing, even though he did just recently jump from 2T to 3T in clothing size, like overnight.  I put a dress shirt on him the other day and the sleeves stopped way above his wrist and he looked like he was wearing a crop top.  Our little guy is getting bigger all the time too.  I don't realize it until I see him next to a younger baby and I'm like, oh yah, you are bigger than a newborn. He's into size 9month/12month pants and 9 month onsies.  He's not as porky as Roman was at that age but he's very long or I should say tall.  But the point I'm getting to is we are quickly outgrowing our baby phase.  Dominic crawls all over the place, he pulls up to stand and he'll take a few steps holding our hands.  He is lazy though, he'll tend to sit down after a few steps and crawl away.  Like dude, this is too much work just let me crawl.  He's eating all kinds of things even though he only has two teeth.  He doesn't let that stop him.  Even though Roman was/is a big eater I think Dominic is the one who will eat us out of house and home.  He is not picky in the slightest and eats everything. 

Another change, a couple of weeks ago I had to admit that my breastfeeding days are almost done.  I had the 24 hour flu about a month ago, I think.  And it was a doozy, I could not keep anything down.  To just function I took some Theraflu so I could at least try to attend to the kids.  The combination of being extremely dehydrated and taking the Theraflu greatly decreased my milk supply.  Thankfully Dominic has no problems taking a bottle (unlike Roman who refused all bottles and would just wait till I got home from work).  He's always taken bottles while I'm at work, either pumped milk or formula.  After having the flu, though I couldn't pump anything and I wasn't producing enough to keep him satisfied when I was home.  I came to the realization that this is it.  No gradual tapering off at 12/13 months like Roman.  Just done.  I still can feed Dom before bedtime but that's it.  The rest of the time he is on formula.  I know my days are numbered for the bedtime feeding too, I'm just trying to make it till he's 10 months (only 9 more days).  I know some people are like, well at least now you can do whatever without worrying about feeding him or that I'm being silly about it.  But it never bothered me, I always enjoyed our little time together.  I still hold him while he drinks his bottle but its just not the same for me.  I know there are ways to try and increase your milk supply but why prolong the inevitable.  A couple weeks ago, I was nursing him forever and he just kept crying because he was hungry and I had nothing so I had to give him a bottle.  Oh he was so happy and content finally.  I've never had a problem giving him formula.  As long as he likes it, its fine with me.  I read your body goes through this crazy hormonal thing when you stop breastfeeding so it could be my hormones talking and making me emotional.  I didn't experience this when I stopped breastfeeding Roman but he was a little older and I was pregnant with Dominic at the time. 

I realize my little baby is growing up and moving on to the next stage, toddler and I'm just not ready.  And that my toddler is actually a pre-schooler (that's what he's called in my babycenter emails) and I'm like excuse me?  Didn't I just have babies a second ago.  Oh well, such is life.  They can't stay babies forever.  I am just doing my best to try and enjoy each and every stage.  Even though I could really do without Roman's running away from me when we are outside stage or laying on the ground and refusing to move so we have to drag him.  Can we skip that please? 

So to all those breastfeeding mama's out there, enjoy it while you can because before you know it you'll blink and you'll be done.

My little sweet pea

Potty Training Days

So we knew eventually one day the diapers would have to end.  Roman wasn't going to be graduating high school in them you know? lol  I've tried a couple times in the past several months to initiate potty training but he just wasn't ready.  He would cry and scream putting him on the toilet or potty.  So I decided to wait till a later date.  I really needed support from the other adults in the house too because me doing it by myself was exhausting.  Not only with Roman but trying to keep up with a demanding baby.  So when my mom told me a month ago, "I'm working on potty training Roman today." (this was on a Monday on the day she watches him) I was like, ok cool.  So just like that we ditched diapers.

The first three days were the worst.  He wasn't letting us know when he had to go or he would tell us after he went.  We didn't do the bare butt method because he would just pee where ever and go on playing.  So we had him in underwear only in the house.  Finally on the fourth day we had the breakthrough.  He peed his underwear and instead of changing him right away I made him stand there wet for 5 minutes while I cleaned up the mess on the floor.  He hated it!  He did it again a little later and I did the same thing.  No lie since then he lets us know when he has to pee.  Now I'm not saying he hasn't had accidents since then but the majority of the time he tells us.  In the past week he's only had a couple accidents.  He's holding it all night and during naps.  So its safe to say we have number one down pat.  When we go out I put him in pull ups just in case but the rest of the time its underwear.

Now if we can only have success on number 2. Ugh.  That my friends is a post for another day.

One month down

We are already in February.  Seriously, where did January go?  Boo.  So I've been meaning to post something but I can't think of anything to write.  I don't want to bore my loyal readers with our day to day life.  For me it may be exciting but I'm not sure everyone shares my excitement.  Its just the same old thing going on over here.  Maybe I'm in a writing funk.  I read other blogs and they have funny quips and silly stories.  Or perhaps useful advice.  Sometimes I do think of useful things I could tell others but I forget to write them down.  Having mommy brain doesn't help either :p   Sounding like Debbie Downer over here.

With that being said, I'll get you up to speed on our going ons.  Roman is saying more words and sometimes a sentence or two.  Cutest thing are he calls the moon, "moop" and boat "bop".  And if you ask how old he is, he says "TWO!!" and holds up one finger.  Can't get that other finger up.  Dominic is crawling all over the place now.  Just like Roman he is fascinated by the dog's water bowl.  Never seen a kid crawl so fast to splash in some water for a few seconds before we take it away.  Poor dogs and cat, they are so thirsty all day. Trying to get Roman to be nice to his brother.  Sometimes he's gentle with him and gives him a kiss and then other times he runs over him with his dump truck.  Seriously kid?  He definitely is showing some jealousy because Dominic does take a lot of my attention.  So I'm trying to make sure I spend time with Roman and get down and play with him as well.  Dominic is eating solids now.  He eats alot!  Even though Roman was way chunkier as a baby, I don't remember him being so hungry all the time.  Roman's favorite cartoons are still Toy Story, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Masha and the Bear.  He likes other cartoons as well but those are in his top three that he asks for consistently.

For a follow up on my last post regarding Roman's sleeping habits. It hasn't really improved.  If we want him to sleep in his room, I have to sit in the glider and wait for him to fall asleep in his bed.  If I leave before he's asleep he gets up and comes to our room.  Sometimes he falls asleep in 10  or 15 minutes, but I've sat in there for up to an hour on multiple nights.  He's not playing either, he's just laying in his bed, but he'll pop his head up and look to make sure I'm still there.  Even when he does fall asleep in his room he usually wake between 4-6 and comes to our room and gets in our bed.  At least we have the baby sleeping in his crib all night so there is room in the bed.  I figure at this rate by the time Roman finally stays in his room all night Dominic will be the one coming in our room.  Hooray for us! Haha!

This should be a pretty busy month for us, we have Circuit Overseer visit this week and next week we are going to the Circuit Assembly in Salisbury.  I feel like there is something going on in the latter half of the month but I can't remember right now.

So that's our life right now in a few paragraphs.  With that I leave you with these photos and videos :)

Being adorable at all times

Serious boy who loves to eat and play (He's eating a costilla)

Nighttime Blues

Its been just a little over a week since Roman figured out how to get out of his crib.  It was so cute, I hear a light thump and a door opening and closing and then he comes in our room all happy.  So we put him back and he was out before we could even get back into our bedroom.  Tried lowering his bed to the lowest setting but he was like, whatev's I got this now.  He could get in and out.  The first night we gave up and let him sleep with us.

The next day I went to Ikea and bought a toddler rail.  When I got home I took off the front crib rail, really was no point seeing as he could get out.  He thought it was the coolest thing he could just climb in bed with no big rail blocking him.  I was hoping he would be so fascinated he would stay in his room that night.  Nope!  We tried several times putting him back in his room and amidst all the tears he finally went to his grandma's room and climbed in bed with her.  So he slept there the second night.  Tuesday night he miraculously fell asleep when Mike was reading him a story.  We weren't so fortunate Wednesday night, he went to bed crying.  Thursday was the turning point.  Mike was working late so I had to get him to bed.  We did our usual routine, bath, story, prayer and into bed we go.  I also talked to him, told him he had to stay in his bed, we each have our own bedrooms etc. etc. Of course he starts crying as I am about to leave, mind you he used to love going to bed before he figured out how to get out of the crib.  Bedtime was super easy back then.  So I left his room and held the door closed.  It was the most awful feeling, I had to fight back tears as he was screaming and hollering on the other side of the door.  It felt like an eternity but maybe only lasted 15-20 minutes.  I heard him finally go lie down in his bed and go to sleep.  I felt like I was torturing my baby but I knew it was for his own good in the long run.

Since then its gotten a little better.  Same bedtime routine and he only cries for a minute then goes to sleep.  Last night I was putting him to bed and he was trying to reason with me.  He was sitting up in bed and I said, "Roman you need to go to sleep so we can do all these fun things tomorrow." Roman says, "Why?" Me, "Well if you don't go to sleep it won't be tomorrow." Roman says, "Why?". lol!  Oh my goodness, the why's have started already.  Fun side note, when Roman calls me I respond by saying, what? He then repeats my what, even when we are asking him to do something.  What?  I need to capture all these moments on camera they are hilarious.

If its not one kid not wanting to sleep its another.  Let's hope this phase passes quickly.

What?

Almost December...

Well November sort of blew by, didn't it?  Honestly if you ask me what I've done so far this month I couldn't tell ya.  Probably snuggling with my babies, taking them outside to enjoy Jehovah's creation, and watching lots of Toy Story and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  All of us know how to do the hot dog dance.

The boys keep on growing.  Roman's vocabulary is growing but the only new words I can think of right now are "saucy" for sausage (he has to have his sausage every morning), "wawee" for water, "mickey", "toys", and "Buzz" from Toy Story.  He has so much energy.  Even this past week with a cold he keeps right on going.  We went to a congregation gathering the other week and Roman was all over the place.  Playing with the balls, running around the yard, rolling down the family's garden embankment (at least there was one other little boy rolling down the hill too so I didn't feel so bad).  People kept telling me "He's all boy" and then give this knowing look.  I'm like yep, but what I think they were really saying, "Are you going to get a hold of your kid, he's all over the place."  But hey, guess what, he's two and not hurting anyone, just running around having fun.  And not to burst their bubble, but I was the exact same way at two.  Did people used to tell my mom, "She's all girl."  I doubt it.  I don't know that just annoyed me after awhile.  But I digress.  I'm taking the boys to a music class in a couple weeks.  Its for ages 0-7 years.  Roman really has a musical interest so I don't want him to lose that curiosity.  He takes my dad's guitar and likes to strum the strings.  And I know I've said it before, but we are going to try potty training again next week.  We are all off for the whole week so I think this will be the best time.  Course if it proves too traumatic we'll just wait till another time.  Roman does let us know when he's gone the bathroom in his diaper its just a matter of making him go in the toilet.  Fun Fun!

Dominic is growing right along.  He'll be 5 months on Sunday!  Just insane.  He's very aware of his surroundings, he likes to grab his teething toys and put them in his mouth.  He's an expert roller now as well.  No more leaving him on the bed by himself.  If I sit him down, he'll sit for a few seconds then usually falls forward.  He's also taking naps in the crib so that means I will be moving him into his crib full time.  Sad but I'll finally be able to rollover in bed again instead of lying there like a log all night.  When he was born he had a head tilt to the right from being squished in my womb.  We've been doing exercises and its a little better but his doctor recommended him to get Physical Therapy.  He'll be starting at the end of the month.  And he definitely has "mamitis", he'll be fussing with Mike or my mom and as soon as I get him he's perfectly happy.  He's going to be mama's boy because Roman could seriously care less about me sometimes.  I'll be leaving and he's all "bye" Felicia.  Course I wonder where he got that from, probably me, ha!

So that's a little update on our family.  Next month my sister in law is coming down with the kids for a week so that'll be fun.  That is if we don't all go crazy with 4 kids under 5 in the house. Till next time, ya'll have a Hot Dog Day!

My big boy is 2!

Wow, just wow! I can not believe Roman is two.  I distinctly remember being excited and giddy to meet him when I was pregnant.  Those first few months just drinking him in and enjoying every minute.  Then I blinked and he was one and we were expecting another baby.  I blinked again and he was two.  Now that he is two, he is learning new things every day and testing his boundaries.  His vocabulary is growing even though he is perfectly content to hold a conversation in gibberish.  At night before bed he'll sit on your lap and just "talk" about stuff.  I'm not sure if he is telling me about his day or that he is scared of the boogeyman because he keeps pointing at the door.  Either way, its super cute.  Also, some nights after we put him to bed we can hear him talking to himself.  Its not right away either, it'll be 30 minutes later.  Last night he was talking and singing for almost an hour before he fell asleep.  I had to record him so I don't forget.  Here's a sample from last night.

Roman understands us when we are talking to him.  When he's done eating we tell him to pick up the food he threw on the floor and he'll pick it up and throw it in the trash.  If we ask him if he is hungry he'll say "eat" and point to the table.  Or if he's not hungry he just shakes his head and keeps playing.  When he's thirsty he says "choose" for juice.  Not be confused with "shoes" when he wants to go out.  He says "cook" for cookies.  Umm, what else, "chess" for cheese.  He says "fruit" well.  I can't remember how he says milk but he does say it.  He calls Leela, "La" and Dominic "babeee".  He also loves giving his brother a kiss on the forehead or giving him his paci or a blanket.  He's good about giving us big, sloppy kisses as well.  He loves to say "buh bye".  Even when he is throwing his diaper in the trash he'll tell it "buh bye".  Oh and like I mentioned the other week on Facebook, he says "no" and "mine".  Usually combined, "no, mine".  haha!  It sounds so cute in his little voice. 

But its not all roses.  Sometimes he tests are patience with his independent streak.  You tell him not to do something and he gives you a look and does it anyways.  Kinda like this cat


At the meetings he doesn't want to sit still for nothing.  So if you see us at the meeting and he's sitting on the floor playing with his books, please don't judge us.  We just need a break. We are trying.  Some days are better and he'll be good and sit there or fall asleep.  Those are the best days.  haha!  We'll get there eventually.  Parents with older kids constantly tell us that'll pass.

But even when he's being stubborn or falling out cause he didn't get his way, I wouldn't change it for the world.  When he came into our life, my heart grew by loving this little human.  I look forward to our journey and just taking it one day at a time.

Love you little man.

Children 2.0

Ok, I am woefully behind on updating my blog. Sorry my loyal fans, life has gotten in the way.  How rude, right?  But I digress.  Everything has been going really well on the home front.  It was a bit of an adjustment having a toddler and a newborn.  But now that two and half months have gone by I feel pretty good and have a good rhythm going with them.  I won't see routine cause every day is different but we are doing well.

In the  beginning if felt like Dominic was up all night, every night.  I'm sure it only lasted a couple weeks but it felt like forever.  I was having major sleep deprivation and Mike had to go to back to work, so the beginning was a bit of a fog.  Now though, he's sleeping 5-6 hours at night, which is awesome and he's super chill.  He's totally cool with us putting in him his bouncer or swing and just hanging out while we get stuff done.  He is a very happy baby, since the beginning he's been smiling at us (and its not gas).  He loves to coo and talk, I try to record it but everytime I get the camera out he stops and just stares at it.  Last week he discovered he can grab his feet, so that's his new thing just holding on to them.  That is when he's not kicking like crazy.  I think that's why his legs aren't getting super chunky because of his constant kicking, haha!  He also takes a pacifier which is amazing!  Its amazing because Roman never took one so if he was fussing there was only one way to calm him down.  Which Dominic, its like here ya go!  Also, in case you don't follow me on Instagram, Dominic is a very big baby.  With Roman it felt like I was carrying a sack of flour, just so heavy and compact but Dominic is long and heavy.  He's too hard to hold with one arm, always have to use both.  Last checkup a couple weeks ago he weighed in at 14.5 lbs and 25 inches long.  So he's coming right along.  He's already trying to rollover, he's does a half turn onto his side.  He needs to slow it on down.  I'm trying to enjoy every moment with this baby since we are 99.9% sure we aren't having anymore (I say 99.9% because nothing is 100% in life).

So Mr. Roman is almost 2 years old! Yikes!  He is just a ball of energy.  If we don't make him take a nap he'll just go go go.  And when I say go, I mean go! AND FAST!  When we go out we usually keep him in the stroller or if we are doing a lot of walking he has a bear backpack leash.  Now I see some people judging us and giving us looks but they don't know.  I want to say, hey do you want to chase him through a crowded sidewalk or into a busy intersection?  When we are at home he knows not to cross the street and to hold our hands but out in public all bets are off.  He's talking a lot more, he still does mainly gibberish but he's very expressive and gestures a lot so we usually can figure out if he wants something.  He understands everything we say, if we tell him to get something or throw something away he knows exactly what we are saying.  His new favorite thing to say is "Did ya poop?" which sometimes sounds like "Ze poop?".  So anytime someone passes gas he'll ask, "Did ya poop?".  Its hilarious.  He says, book, shoe, stuck, yuck, jet, more, done, mom, stick, daddy, zeta and a host of other words which I can't think of right now.  His new favorite fruit is watermelon and he still loves beans and rice.  Broccoli is hit or miss with him now.  We are trying to get Roman out there to experience new things.  He loves the beach but isn't so sure about the ocean yet. He's perfectly content to sit and play in the sand.  He likes the pool but it takes him a few minutes to warm up to the idea.  I took him to a splash pad the other week and I had to physically put him in the middle in order for him to try it out and not be scared.  We went to a baseball game and he did not like the fireworks at the end one bit.  He held onto Mike and kept his head buried.  On the other hand, he loves flying.  We just went to Chicago and he was like whatever no big deal.  I took him on the kids train at the mall and he thought it was a hoot.  Choo choo as he calls it.  Meetings are still a struggle, he's slightly better but still likes to cause a ruckus.  He's a work in progress but we love him to the moon and back, our little munchkin. 

So that about brings you up to date on the Regina household.  Hope everyone else had a great summer, so until next time here's some photos to hold you over.

At the beach, riding the choo choo and face off with Micah, lol

Service with daddy, checking out the jets

Dominic's motto "I love to sleep"

Happy baby and fireworks don't scare him