Clara turns 2!

Clara has been two in spirit for quite a few months now, so we were happy to officially welcome age two on March 11 - although we didn't officially celebrate until later in the week.  Clara was completely spoiled with lots of thoughtful presents from relatives far and wide, and with the birthday dinner of her choice - toast and chocolate cake with strawberries.  (We did supplement the toast!)

First present from Grandpa and Nana

Five minute break to play with her first present

Grady gets impatient and wants to help

Cookies!

New baby doll from cousin Brando and company - BIG hit! 

Horse from Grandma and Grandpa - this goes with her everywhere.

The whole crew

Grady helps make the cake

The verdict: Yummy!

Thumbs up

After dessert, we went around the table and said things we loved about Clara.  Grady loves how she plays in the the big puddle in front of the house with him.  Matt and I love Clara's independence, strong will, humor, effervescence, style, love for her family, and ability to do anything she sets her mind to, among others.  She is a pretty amazing little girl.  We are lucky to have her.

We have been settling into having three little ones around the house.  Grady and Clara are pretty interested in Theo and like to hold him and help him out when he's feeling sad.  They also enjoyed giving him his first bath!

And check this out - Theo first, Grady second - resemblance you think?

We also went on our first real family excursion this past weekend, going to the opening day of the Portland Farmers Market.  Clara picked out a stunning outfit for the event.

Ready to fight bad guys

Not much was ready yet, and we didn't end up buying anything besides the essentials (coffee and cookies), but we got out of the house!

In general, Clara seems totally fine with/oblivious to the disruption in her life with the arrival of her little brother.  Grady, always a bit more sensitive, isn't quite as equanimous, but luckily he isn't taking it out on or associating it with his little brother.  Besa has adapted.

Theo has reached the two week mark, and knocking on wood, he seems to be colic free.  He is a pretty mellow baby, getting upset for the most part only when hungry or wet.  He is a frequent eater - going about every two hours, three if I'm lucky.  As of his two week appointment today, he was back above birth weight at 7 pounds 12 ounces - gaining 10 ounces in 11 days!  He is a total sweetheart and we are completely smitten with the little guy.

Matt is back to work as of Tuesday.  Tomorrow is my first day with all three of the kids on my own - so I should probably get to bed and get ready!

Welcome Theodore John Wilkinson!

On March 4, Matt, Grady, Clara and I welcomed Theodore ("Theo") John Wilkinson into our family.  

The birth story for those interested  - As with Grady and Clara, Theo was induced due to concerns over my tendency for fast labor.  I was put on a very low dose of pitocin around 9 am and allowed to labor slowly and steadily until about 1:30.  The contractions were noticeable but not at all unmangeable, and at that point I didn't need to breath through them to get through them.  

My water was broken around 1:45 and things progressed pretty quickly from there.  Around 2:45 the contractions started to feel pretty intense, but I was able to breath through them and felt pretty calm and connected.  Around 3:45 or so, I felt the need to push.  The nurses called my doctor, who luckily was already outside the door, because 4 pushes later, Theo was there!  He was 7 pounds 9 ounces, 21.75 inches, pink, screaming, and perfect.  

He was born early enough that Grandpa and Nana (who blessedly had been in town to help with the kids and with us) and Grady and Clara were able to come to the hospital for a visit.  Grady was cautious but excited to hold his little brother. 

"Why is he so small?"

First thing Clara did was stick her finger in his ear, followed by pressing with both hands on his tummy.  She is a bull in a china shop that one.  We were too busy intervening to take pictures of that tender moment.  

Grandpa cuddles

The kids wanted and were promised lemonade and chocolate when Theo arrived, which they got on their second visit the following day.  As with Grady's visit to Clara, day 2 was a disaster.  Matt accidentally got ginger lemonade, which was too spicy, so he got them some sprite instead.  That ended up on the floor in about 2 seconds.  At least Clara was kept occupied for a few minutes by the M&Ms! 

I have a baby what now?

Coming home outfit

Theo is, thankfully, a pretty mellow baby so far.  He has a sweet, squeaky cry that he breaks out during diaper changes and when hungry (which is about every two hours at the moment!) but has long periods of staring around peacefully and getting acquainted with our crazy family.  He lost about 10 ounces while at the hospital waiting for my milk to come in, but his weight was rising as of his first doctor's appointment on Saturday (back up to 7 pounds 2 ounces).  With the way this kid eats, I'm hoping he'll be back up to birth weight by his two week appointment. 

Checking out Daddy

Sleep smiles

The kids, especially Grady, continue to be interested in him.  

Bestowed with gifts from Grady and Clara

Besa is as well.  I'm not sure Fuzz has ventured out to see him yet! 

I'm feeling great.  The birth was fairly easy.  Theo was a full pound less than Clara, and it made a difference!  I've been walking and am looking forward to being able to run again in about a month. 

Grandpa and Nana left on Saturday, but not before cleaning the oven, our rugs, making dinner, watching the kids, cleaning up, and generally being incredibly helpful.  Approximately four minutes after they left, Grady broke out a variation of the "where do babies come from" question ("How did you make Theo?") which I expertly dodged.  ("He started out small and got bigger and bigger and then I pushed him out, is that what you mean?")  Thankfully, we have not been so tested again. Matt and I are managing with being outnumbered.  I'm most worried about school drop off when Matt goes back to work next week, but we will manage.  

There is, of course, also some adjustment.  Especially for Grady who tends to be sensitive.  We have been giving everyone lots of extra cuddles and love, and enjoying the extra time together as a family while Matt is on leave. 

Mommy-Grady chalking

Outside of baby Theo, the kids are doing well.  Grady is still really into superheroes and is finessing his supehero moves.  

He is teaching Clara all his super ways. 

Clara is finishing up age 1 today - 2nd birthday is tomorrow!   We will be celebrating Clara's birthday this weekend and I will try to post photos not too long after.  She continues to be a high-energy, motivated, assertive girl.  Grandpa and Nana got a kick out of her shenanigans and her outfit choices.

Wish us luck! 

Snow storm!

The most exciting news in the Wilkinson family this past month has been the arrival of the first Swap cousin/nephew.  Cliff and Susana welcomed their first baby, Brandon (Brando) Webster about a month before his due date.  He is doing great, and is so amazingly cute.  Here he is coming home from the hospital.

Cousin Brandon

You can see more photos of the little guy on Susana's blog, here.

We also welcomed another "cousin" with the arrival of Quinn Richard, my cousin Noel and Brad's littlest addition.  He just got here on Thursday, and he is a sweetheart as well.  Next up is Matt's sister Tara's baby, who is due any day now.

This weekend has been a snowy one in Portland.  We had more snow in the past few days here than in the entire 5 years Matt and I moved here - probably about 6-8 inches.   Today it was topped off with a solid 1/2 inch layer of ice.  Grady has been loving the snow.  He has been enjoying ice skating, throwing chunks of snow and ice, making tracks, building caves for animals, and even building his first snowman!  Clara on the other hand - not such a fan.

Snowball! 

Trekking home from the store.  They don't plow streets here!  

Yup, still not a fan

Ice skating on our little puddle pond

Grady built a (tiny) snowman!

Shot of our neighborhood.  Skiing appears to be the most efficient and safest mode of travel

Clara's - and my - preferred vantage point

Most of the rest of the past month has flown by as we finally began preparing for the arrival of "baby brother."  The biggest part of that is that Grady and Clara are fully moved into their new room.

It was a rocky few weeks, but things are starting to even out a bit.  In addition to sharing a room, Clara also transitioned to the bed from her crib, so transition was to be expected.

Passing out after multiple trips out of bed

After some experimentation, the current rule is they can talk as much as they want after lights out, but they can't get out of bed.  For the most part that's been successful, but there are occasional shouts from Grady that Clara has gotten out of bed.  Poor Grady is becoming somewhat chronically sleep deprived, as he stays up about an hour later laughing and singing with Clara, and then gets up about an hour early due to Clara's intense love of the 5 am hour.  He's being a good sport, and we are hoping it will all even out at some point.

The baby's room is about 80% set up.  We need the crib to be reassembled and pictures hung, but we've got some time.  Three weeks until due date, and he'll be in our room for a while after he's born.

I finish up work on Wednesday, and have been busy finalizing last projects at work before then.  I've also become a knitting fiend, knitting a blanket, two baby hats, pants, and a sweater in the past month.

For cousin Brandon

And a coordinating one for our guy

Baby blanket

Detail

Done enough

I've also been working on making a mobile for the baby with origami stars.  The kids really like picking out which paper to use.  I'm hoping it will come together in time!  It's a time consuming project.

The start of star madness

Other than crazy nesting, all is good.  Grady has learned to write his name well, and is making some really impressive pictures.  Some recent favorites are a person with a fridge that has carrots, milk, and a sugar monster inside; a snowman; and a complicated one involving the sun and rainbows and water.  Clara also loves to draw but her pictures are a bit more abstract.

Clara has decided to turn 2 a few months early, and we have been having some power struggles, to put it politely.  She is very independent, and although it can be frustrating, it is amazing how much she can do when she puts her mind to it.  She can put on her socks, pants, shirt, and shoes all by herself - even occasionally her jacket.  She is perseverant.  Her language is increasing daily.  She can mimic back long sentences, and can make her desires known quite well.  Her sentences are getting longer, and she can string together 4 or 5 word sentences if they involve the word "mine."

Grady and Clara are best friends.  They laugh together and already have inside jokes that no one understands.  Here are some examples.

Grady is trying to teach her everything he knows.  Right now he is teaching her colors.  Orange and green seem to be her favorites.  They also take good care of each other.  If Grady gets upset, Clara looks very concerned and asks "Grady? Crying?"  If Clara is upset, Grady will hold her hand and try to cheer her up.  Of course, as Grady says, "Sometimes she's mean to me and sometimes she isn't."  That cuts both ways.

That's all the big news around here.  Here are some pictures of the goofballs from the past month.

She may be a lego genius

Levitating superheros 

Grady doing his "bat hang"