Thanksgiving

We had Thanksgiving without Matthew but it was good. We went over to another wife on the boat's house. Max and Maggie wore their matching shirts. Max did well though he was a little young to play with the other kids but he is used to playing alone. He mostly just messed with magnets on the fridge. He did make a friend who he could convince to pick him up and get him another crescent roll. He probably had like 5 rolls and 16oz of milk while we were there. The next day while we were eating leftovers he enjoyed the carrots I made and the ham. I'll post the carrot recipe below.  I generally try to pick things to bring to potlucks that I know will be forgotten. For instance at Thanksgiving we had I believe 4 stuffings. I think that is over kill.  T

This Thursday I have another Thanksgiving potluck which is for the FRG. I am slowly liking this FRG better. I didn't really care for them at first. I think spending Thanksgiving with a few of the wives helped me get to know some of them better and I had a good time. I forced myself to go to the Thanksgiving so I wouldn't be alone when I had a good offer. It is making me rethink my decision not to go to the Halfway Night or Final Fling which are only a few weeks apart.

This brings up an issue I have. Being on a fast attack boat deployments are 6months long and you plan all these events to try to pass the time and it helps to some extent. Now we are on a boomer and "deployments" as they like to call patrols are 6weeks to 3months long generally and so they try to cram everything into this shorter period. It is just funny to me. So far I haven't heard any complaining which is good. This is the first patrol for most of the wives and sailors on the boat. I guess technically ours too. I just keep thinking back to Matthew's first deployment on the Columbus where he had I think 7weeks without communication. I remember during those 7 weeks watching the news and wondering. It  was 7 weeks of worry but I also remember how happy I was when my email downloaded those 30+ emails. It was exhilerating. However, I was out of town on a quilt retreat and had to wait a few more days to read and respond to them. On this boat there will be none of that.

This post ended up being very long. However,  I still need some kids updates. Max is 18months and I don't think there is really anything new except he is better at climbing. For example he climbs on the ottoman and toy chest well but to get on the couch he pushes a cushion off part of the way and uses the base as a step to the cushion. It is cute. Maggie is doing better with tummy time. She loves to laugh at this app that makes noises of animals and objects when you touch the picture of the object or animal. She is also sitting up really well in her entertainer. She also has been interacting more with Maxim such as reaching for him. She has held her bottle, when I give her one, and has tried to take her playmat with her when I take her off of it just like Max used to do. I think that's it for now.

Roasted Carrots

2lbs of baby carrots in a single layer on a cookie tray drizzle with olive oil, s&p, and veggie seasoning. Roast on 400 for 20minutes then drizzle with honey and balsamic vinegar and a little more olive oil and roast another 5minutes. Super easy and delicious. 

421 We love and miss you Matthew. Stay Safe

The Adventures in Taking Christmas Photos

It took us two tries but we got some awesome photos thanks to our awesome photographer Bri Westfall. Check her out at HERE. If you remember she did our maternity and newborn photos. She was offering Christmas mini sessions where it was 20minutes sessions with 15photos at a discounted price so we jumped on the chance. Matthew is out protecting our country so it was just me and the kids.

We went bright and early to the location and the kids were dressed in their christmas outfits and looked so cute. Maggie even had a great big bow. However, Maxim was not having it. Luckily I planned for this and dressed so I could be in pictures. Bri did manage to get some photos of him though she got quite of few of him eating graham crackers because other wise he bawled. He eventually warmed up to climb in and out of her multiple chairs though never long enough to pose Maggie with him. She kindly offered us the opportunity to come back the following weekend so we did.

The second time I put them in their christmas pjs in hopes that Max would be more comfortable and not cry. I also dressed so I could be in pictures once again. Max wouldn't let us pose him with Maggie but we did get some cute shots of Maggie sitting in a chair and Max handing her ornaments.

Also we got way more than 15photos. I can't stress enough how awesome this photographer is. If you'd like to see the photos go to her website and type the password lippertchristmas.  We have already booked Maggie's 1 yr photos with her and plan on booking a family christmas session with the 4 of us.

I love and miss you Matthew. 421

Double Well Baby Visits

So I took both kids for their well baby visits today. Maggie for her 4month and Maxim for his 18month.

Maxim is now 22lb and 1.5oz. Sorry I forget how long. What a bad mom! He got two shots: Flu and Hep A.  He started crying as soon as we went into the vitals room. I don't know what is with him lately. We went for pictures and he wouldn't take pictures and he loves the camera. Anyway take 2 for pictures is next weekend. His rash was looked at and since taking out acidic foods like tomatoes it has cleared up. However, she said the remaining spots are probably scaring which makes me sad that he is scared from his rash. Hopefully it fades in time.

Maggie was a big trooper she is 10lbs 6.5 oz and 23" long. To compare Max was 10lbs 5oz and 24" long at his 4month well baby. Maggie had 3 shots and an oral vaccine. She was a trooper for all of this. She even had to get reweighed after we went to pharmacy because when the Pediatrician was looking over her chart again something seemed off. However, when she was reweighed and remeasured it turned out everything was fine. Developmentally she is doing great and should start solids at 6months. Though she has a flat spot on the left side of her head which is weird because she sleeps on her right side so I can't explain that one.

We had a great day with Daddy yesterday and will miss him dearly. We love him and are proud of him.

Halloween and general updates

Sorry no pictures of Halloween. I do have them they are just still on the camera. Maggie was a ladybug though she actually slept through trick or treating so she only wore her costume for the Scarecrow Stroll and her 3month pictures. Maxim was a shark. He thought it was fun to play with the candy. When he would see someone coming he would put his hand out with candy in it but by the time they got to the door he had put the candy back in the bucket.
So I don't know if this was discussed in my last blog post but we are keeping a food/poop diary for Max. Basically we are sick and tired of this constant diaper rash. Sometimes he poops and instant open sores. Makes no sense to us except for some kind of mild food allergy and maybe once he is potty trained we can add the food back in the diet. We have tried disposables with prescription creams and that doesn't help it is still a battle. So though we love our cloth diapers we would have stopped on him if that meant he had no more diaper rash. So far we have cut out yogurt and that does seem to help. Matthew and I can't see a pattern from the log but maybe his dr will. It would be nice if the poop came labeled.
Speaking of doctors I get to bring both kids for well baby visits in about a week. I've been lucky so far that Matthew has been able to be there for every dr's appointment since moving to GA but this time he won't be able to join but it's Maxim's 18month well baby and Maggie's 4month well baby. I will post weight and length updates when that happens.
Our calendar we use is a custom one from Shutterfly and so November has pictures of Max leaving the hospital and his Thanksgiving meal. So it is a constant reminder of  those scary 4days where we were told our happy little boy was starving and people threatened CPS on us. I am constantly worried about Maggie's weight and will until we make it to the 6month well baby without any ordeal. Though unlike Maxim, Maggie knows what she wants and isn't happy until she gets it. So I think Maggie would let us know if she wasn't satisfied whereas Maxim was more go with the flow and never really complained or cried.

421

Some Updates

Thought it was time for some updates

Maxim: 17months in about a week.
He is running around constantly. He also has figured out how to climb on the ottoman and the couch if pillows are on the floor. We are still battling diaper rash since he was 12months. He likes to hug his sister and will often hold her hand and say go. We take this to mean he wants to play with her. He is now fully off bottles since the other day. It's nice to be able to put away all the bottles and the bottle drying rack (more counter space!). He likes to throw his tools and other objects from his tool bench into his laundry hamper and throwing Maggie's socks into her diaper pail. So those things along with his diaper pail are in closets now. The other day he took out her skirt(his newest clothing of choice) to throw in her diaper pail and after walking around her room and not finding the pail put it back in the drawer. He is constantly putting things back. He'll spill his cheerios and will pick up the cheerios and put them back in the bowl. Things don't always end up where we think they should go but we figure he's trying. He loves to grill with Dad and frankly do anything with Dad. He hates it when he leaves for work and gets so excited when he comes home. Matthew loves his little me. Even when Max is kinda in the way, which is usually the case. We have started going to Tumble Tots at the rec center which he loves. He can just run and get lots of her energy out. Maybe in another 18months we'll start him in gymnastics lessons to help with all his energy.

Maggie: 3months in a few days
 At her 2month well baby she was 8lbs 15oz and 22.5" long. That is about 3lbs and 2" since leaving the hospital. We think that's pretty good. She is in 0-3month clothes and is still tiny. She smiles and coos alot. She definitely has her hold me moments which is very different than Maxim. Since we want to protect her from Max she doesn't get a whole lot of floor or tummy time. Her ears are now pierced. She has really good head control. She sleeps about 8-9hours at night and she has since about 6weeks. Going to bed around 11-midnight. We figure its because she is so awake during the day. She loves to be swaddled to sleep. Without being swaddled you can't put her down she'll just wake up. Maggie likes to join me for demo night at the fabric shop every week and soon Max will get to join us too.

November 15 they have their 4month and 18month well baby visits so I'll hopefully have another update around then if not before.

Maggie Is Born

On Monday afternoon Maggie Suzanne Lippert was born. That morning Alexandra had an appointment and an ultrasound. They were pretty sure she was having the baby SOON! They estimated he weight at 7lbs 8 oz. She actually weighed 6 lbs 8 oz. Monday was supposed to be my first day back to work and I was working nights. So I was worried that Alexandra would go into labor shortly after I arrived at work, where it is harder to get a hold of me and I can't have my cell phone. She had been having contractions since the middle of the night. They were getting worse and worse through the morning. Then at lunch time Alexandra was ready to goto the hospital. She called her doctors office and they asked her to come there first so they could check her. When we parked at the hospital her contractions were bad enough she couldn't walk during them. They had us wait a few minutes in the waiting room. When one of the receptionists noticed how much pain Alex was in she ran and got the midwife and was like you need to get her checked and over to the hospital I do not want a baby born in the waiting room! It was pretty funny. So we checked into the Hospital at 2:30 and Maggie was born just over an hour later. Everything happened so fast. It is a good thing I wasn't at work. We might have had a baby in the truck or just without me. Also because this all happened so fast there wasn't enough time for an epidural so Alexandra delivered Maggie completely natural without any pain medication. I am very proud of her, she is a strong woman! Now we are happy and settling in at home. Danielle was here to take care of Maxim while we were at the hospital which was a big help. While in the hospital Maggie wouldn't sleep in the bassinet, only in our arms. So we both got very little sleep. We took turns sleeping and holding her. Now that we are home she sleeps pretty well in her bassinet. Its a little cozier! Except last night, we don't know why but Maggie wouldn't sleep for more than an hour. She wanted to eat eat eat. On Friday we had her newborn photos taken. They turned out great. We had round 2 of newborn photos today because on Friday Maggie wouldn't sleep and cooperate that well, but both days we got amazing photos and are very happy. I feel very blessed to have the family that I do. I do my best to never take them for granted.

Maternity Photos

So on June 3rd at 8am we went to the beach and took some maternity photos. I am 34 weeks in the pictures. Thanks to pinterest, I made my dress. If I had my sewing machine I would have altered it since I made it months ago I guessed on sizing. The following is the link to the whole shoot.
maternity photos

the password is lippert

I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Matthew is currently underway so we are praying Miss Maggie stays put until at July if not July 3rd. But if not we have a sitter in place to watch Maxim. Since I'm currently 37weeks pregnant I probably should get that hospital bag packed.

421