My Great Privilege

Well we have an almost 19 month old and a 3 1/2 month old in the house now. Things are slowly but surely getting easier.. I think. I'm starting to get into a zone while I'm taking care of them especially during busy times like meals and bedtime. The other day I cut my toe pretty bad and didn't even realize it until about a half and hour later when I saw it was bleeding because I was so focused on making dinner, getting Olivia fed and keeping Owen happy in the process. Now that is concentration because once I realized I had cut my toe and it was bleeding.. DANG did it hurt.
I have started back at work part time again. Right now I am working 2 to 2 1/2 days a week. It has been a little easier going back to work with Owen than it was with Olivia I think for a couple of reasons. #1 He was 4 weeks older than Olivia was when I had to go back #2 He is an easier baby for the most part, so I don't feel like I'm leaving someone else to watch over my screaming, not sleeping child (Love you Olivia but you were a hand full in those early months for sure!) #3 Sam has moved to a four 10 hour shift so he is home all day with them on Mondays. Don't get me wrong.. it was still hard and I miss both of them like crazy when I'm gone, but luckily or unluckily work has been so crazy busy I really haven't had time to think about much except how am I going to squeeze in a chance to pump today.
So Sam is home with them all day on Monday. This is going well I think. He really has some special bond with both the kids and I contribute his Mr. Mom duties to some of that. (Not that he wouldn't if he didn't stay home with them, but I think it has been great for them, him and for me.) Olivia really only wants Daddy in the mornings because they have their little routine (juice and cartoons on the couch) and Sam is the best at getting Owen to smile.
Here is a little bit about each kiddo in the past month or so:
Olivia (1 week shy of 19 months) Olivia is doing well. She has started a PDO program once a week. My hope for this was to get her out of the house and exposed to some more kids, music, games and help with the separation anxiety that we encountered weekly at church in the nursery. She better than I thought she would on her first day. I did get a phone call about her being upset around lunch time, but they were able to pull her through with a paci, blanket and some adult attention. I am MOST impressed that she napped unrestrained though! Getting her to sleep out of her crib or car seat is quite an impressive victory. I think this will be really good for her. I sat around for a couple hours just waiting and wanting to go pick her up until I finally decided to go walk around Wal-mart with Owen just to keep myself from going crazy. This was a big letting go moment for me as much as it was for her. I prayed and prayed and talked and talked about if this was the right decision for her (to go or not to go), but I think it will be good. It is just weird for her to be with people I don't know and not really know what she is doing all day. Some other funnys about Olivia recently. She is referring to herself and "you." I'm guessing because we are always saying "It's you" or "I love YOU". If she sees a picture of herself and you ask her who it is she says "you." I think this is too funny and cute but to avoid years of speech therapy I have started correcting her. (But this is a really hard concept for kids I think). Also one thing that has just blossomed over the past couple months is her pretend play. She is always taking care of her babies. One really funny story is one day I was rocking Owen in the rocking chair in her room and she was in there playing with her babies and not really paying attention to me at all. She had recently fallen and busted up her chin so I had some of this Burts Bees stuff out I put on her scraps to help them heal. She had found the stick of ointment and was saying "boo boo.. boo boo" and rubbing it on her babies head. I though.. ohhh how sweet is THAT! Then... she took her baby by the foot and beat the baby doll against the wall a couple times then said "boo boo... boo boo" and proceeded to rub the ointment on the dolls head again. I about fell out of the chair silently laughing because I didn't want her to know I was watching her. Oh Olivia.. you my child are something else! Olivia in nutshell: Olivia likes... music (singing EIEIO a hundred times a day along with Laurie Berkner) dolls, playing outside, bubbles, cookies, Nick Jr (especially the Moose), Elmo, fruit (especially blueberries and bananas), cheese, chasing the cats, being naked, neigh neigh rides on daddy's back and jumping. Olivia dislikes... coming inside from playing outside, time out, things ending, being left somewhere (aka nursery), getting her diaper changed and pickles.
Owen (3 1/2 months) Owen is doing great. He is sweet happy little boy. He really isn't at the stage where you have funny stories yet, but he loves to watch Olivia and be in the action. My day with him usually involves a lot of feeding, snuggling, tummy time, and naps. (If I'm REALLY lucky they nap at the same time or at least overlap for a hour or so.) He is getting use to being watched by other people. Since I was home with him all summer this is been a bit challenging. I think he gave my grandma a run for her money the other day. Day times are the best for him and after 6 don't plan on putting him down and after 8 be prepared for lots of rocking. This can vary depending on how he has slept that day. One day he takes great naps and then next he struggles with it. He is generally taking a morning and afternoon nap and then a quick evening one. When he wakes up after the evening on he is generally pretty demanding until bed time. He hasn't been weighed recently so I'm looking forward to his four month appointment to see exactly how much he weighs. Owen in a nutshell: Owen likes... to be held facing out so he can see the world, tummy time with his toys (this is the best way to put him down), boobs and bottles (he likes to eat!), peek-a-boo, black and white pictures (or other highly contrasting images), Olivia (he loves to watch her), sitting up, bumbo seat, being carried in the Moby Wrap. Owen dislikes... the car seat (he HATES it.. this makes for some long car rides), pacifiers (despite my best efforts and purchasing of every different kind I could find), napping sometimes, being left alone in a room, anything that semi reclines him.. he really wants to sit up all the time, milk in mommy's diet (still), and loud noises.
Well, this is the latest update from our household. At church on Sunday the preacher said something that I have heard before in different forms, but really always sticks with me and I like to be reminded... "Great privilege has great responsibility" and I truly believe that it is a great privilege to be given these children and I am embracing this GREAT responsibility of raising them.