My Favorite

Today is the last day of NaBloPoMo. I feel like I have been extremely boring and said the same things over and over. Although November is now well-documented, it did not help me catch up on the past 14 months of posts.

I am extremely sick today. I slept in and canceled a play date after school and took a nap instead. I am getting dehydrated though and it is complicating nursing so I need to fight through the pain to drink more water. I was in charge of mutual and it was at my house so I had to at least organize the activity and clean the house. Part of cleaning the house was getting the sewing machine off of my dining room table. Shelbey fixed all but one of the things that needed sewn so I buckled down and tried to figure out how to add sleeves to a shirt so they would not be see-through. I knew it would not be perfect but it turned out even better than I imagined! I wore it tonight and it felt fabulous. Finishing projects is my favorite thing. Now I can pack away the sewing machine for another six months.

You

Today was a doozy. I was gone from home 8:30am-7:45pm. It involved teaching PiYo, a total of three hours at the pediatrician during three separate trips because of Mei's clogged tear duct and Declan's infected bug bite on his toe, two visiting teaching appointments, a park play date, and then out to dinner to Adam's favorite restaurant because I never made it to the grocery store and I cannot force people to eat straight turkey again. At some point during the day, I noticed it hurt to swallow. Sam was sick on Thanksgiving with a sore throat/body aches/fever. As soon as we got home, I got in the shower and then into the tub. I haven't taken a bath in more than a year. I am not a bath person. I got back into the shower again at the end. It feels like someone is stabbing me in the throat every time I swallow and I can hardly talk now. This is the worst sore throat I can remember ever having.

It is so easy for me to think if I were more like "you" then this wouldn't be happening. Maybe Mei's tear duct looks like this because I didn't clean it well enough. So-and-so wouldn't let their kid play outside without shoes and then get bug bites that turn into giant messes. Declan has had this happen before when he was 14 months old. It feels very true that when it rains it pours. A few weeks ago I was feeling on top of the world. Then I started getting sleep deprived. I did not have my usual down time at any point during the day. I pushed myself when I should have rested. I know I have a weaker immune system while I am breastfeeding and Sam was sick so I should have expected this. I am so worried Mei will get it but I cannot really keep my distance from her. I know this will not last forever but wow, today was rough.

The only picture I took the entire day. Lame.

Shadow

I love these profiles. I just want to kiss all of their little noses! Alex was totally into this and I love his hair poking out in the front. I know which face Edison is making from the look of his chin. Declan has so much hair that it makes it look like he has a giant brain. Mei has such big cheeks that they were concealing her chin! It took three grown-ups and a toy with flashing lights to get this shot. It is crazy how much I love these four heads.

New

It has been really fun having Adam stay with us for the past 12 days. The boys especially love having new blood around. Adam is still naive to their sneaky Monopoly ways. Although he caught on quickly and was not afraid to call them out on it. It is a lot of work maintaining control of life around here with so many little tyrants. Along with it being wonderful visiting with Adam, I am also glad to have him around for the extra set of eyes and hands.

On the Road

A few weeks ago, a member of the stake presidency came up to us after sacrament meeting and asked if Mei was available to be in the Nativity that several families from his ward put together for the community. We went to the performance last year and it was great so I was honored to have Mei in the show. I was nervous about how she would do, especially if it were cold since the performance is outside. I dressed her in a white onesie, white pants, white socks, and swaddled her in a white blanket. It was 70 degrees during the first show and 60 degrees by the end of the third show. It was beautiful! There was supposed to be another baby taking turns with Mei but the other baby had been throwing up all day so Mei was used for every performance. She was a wonderful Baby Jesus. She was calm but moved enough that people could tell it was a real baby. She pooped right before being taken out during the first and second shows. Sam said, "She was so scared she crapped her pants." This was the eighth year this family has put on this show and it was "a record breaker in attendance" tonight. Mei is on the road to stardom! We were also told Mei was the best baby they have ever had play baby Jesus. It is amazing how proud I can be of someone who doesn't even know she has hands.

A Number

I hate to write this because I really do not have a favorite child. I love all of them, equally and differently. I may just not remember how infatuated I was with Alex, Edison, or Declan. I remember being protective of them but I seem extra protective of Mei. I have wondered if it is because she is a baby and needs extra attention from me. A reason I like a little less is that I feel this way because she is a girl. I like to think it is because we are both child number four in our families. We have a special connection and I am pretty sure she feels it too. Every day is Mei Day around here.

Grateful

We had a really nice Thanksgiving today with family. Adam, Flannel, Shelbey, Marius, Seth, and Brittany were all able to make it to Houston to celebrate the holiday with us. The men and kids had a turkey bowl and we all had a turkey trot (stroll). We spent hours cooking and an hour eating. My feet ache and Sam is more sick than I have seen him in years. But it was a fun day with great conversations. I have so much to be grateful for. I am especially grateful for these five people that make my life more wonderful than I could ever dream.

Sam is grateful for: Emily, Alex, Edison, Declan, Mei, my job, giving service, water, candy, meat, my siblings, my parents, having all of my hair, friends, bicycling, games, the gospel, sleep, my education, basketball, my faith, my health.

Emily is grateful for: the ability to serve, my BOB, pomegranates, the Atonement, an empty sink and dishwasher, the Odyssey, blue, baby smiles, music that changes my mood, a devoted husband, a strong body, friends with time, planning, bedtime, clean feet, outgoing personalities, forgiveness, cold rooms and warm blankets, vacuums, following through, vegetables cut by someone else.

Alex is grateful for: friends, staying up late, the community, sleep, fruit, apples, weekends, family, shelter, food, drinks, Dad's job, my teachers, my blankets and pillow, my uncles, my aunts, school, the church, Grandma and Grandpa, the prophets, MOMS Club, holidays, our house.

Edison is grateful for: having a dad, birthdays, my friends, the house, the Earth, having money, my uncles, a backyard to swing in, trees, going to the park, brothers and sister, having fun on Halloween, Mei, kindergarten, going to Grandma and Grandpa's house, food, going to the beach, our communication, TV, having a mom, our neighbors.

Declan is grateful for: Mommy being alive, all of the fruits, stuffed animals, clean clothes in my closet, my bed, Daddy, Alex, taking care of Mommy, kissing Mei, sleep, my toys, my bros, Edison, helping Mei, clothes, Heavenly Father, pizza, a clean house, being obedient, trees, hugging people, water and some soda.

Mei is grateful for: soft blankets, blankets near my face, days at home, clean diapers, gunk-free eyes, ceiling fans, milkies, a full belly, things to grab and pull up to my face, stroller rides, my buddy Declan, my fingers in my mouth, having a family, warm baths, nighttime snuggles with Mommy, pacifiers, stretches, bows that stay off of my eyes, bright colors, an unstuffed nose, naps in Mommy and Daddy's bed, non-squeezy snuggles, smiles, pink toenails.

A Chore

The entire day was full of chores. It included a two hour trip to the grocery store with four kids in tow, cleaning the entire house, setting up beds for the guests who arrived this evening, and prepping some food for tomorrow. It did not include baking an apple pie. I made a special trip to Costco for an apple pie today and I don't even feel bad. I am making stuffing from scratch so I decided that cancels out the store-bought pie. It is a decision I feel great about.

Sadness

I tried thinking of something I am sad about all day. I am many other things, mostly overwhelmed and tired, but not sad. Probably the saddest part of my day was when I looked at the fruit basket and remembered I had eaten the last pomegranate. I feel like a spoiled brat even writing these words because it is utterly ridiculous. So many people are dealing with pains and losses and I am wondering how much pomegranates will cost when I go to the store tomorrow.

I sometimes cry for no reason though. Hormones, man. A few days ago, I thought I heard Mei waking up. I walked into the room to see her sleeping peacefully. I kissed her smooshy cheek and then cried because it was just so soft.

Extreme Close-up

We went to see the Zoo Lights tonight and the boys were wondering where all of the "creatures" were hiding. (Asleep, boys. That's what normal creatures do when it gets dark.) They crawled through the tunnel to get up close and personal with the piranhas. I think Mei has found a replacement for the top item on her Favorites list. Step aside, ceiling fans. Christmas lights are in town!

Today went nothing like I imagined it would and the thought of hosting Thanksgiving dinner is starting to weigh on me. Sam and I are both exhausted beyond functioning ability thanks to late nights and days without breaks. I don't think I have taken a shower in five days. I am honestly not sure because all of the days are blurring together. I sat in bed for an hour tonight almost paralyzed because I did not know where to start on my to do list. The kitchen had some sort of bomb dropped on it and it seems irrecoverable. I better learn how to cook a turkey in the next two days! And I should probably take a shower.

Stranger

Taking pictures of strangers is kind of frowned upon so I asked Alex to take a picture of us instead. We live on a corner so there are not many houses right next to us. We had met three of our closest neighbors but were missing one house. I rarely saw anyone around that house though. We probably freaked them out one day because we camped out in our front yard for about an hour as we watched some workers trim their huge trees.

Today was our Stake Conference. Today, and last night during the adult session, there was a lot of talk about reaching out to friends or strangers and sharing the light of Christ. Last night I made 10 dozen cookies for tonight's fireside so I put a few of them on a plate and we walked across to meet our neighbors. I think we scared them. She peeked through the window and BAM! Six people standing on her doorstep. She opened the door and we talked for a few minutes. She has a six-and-a-half year old son! We have lived in this house for six months and I have never seen him. He goes to a private school nearby but hopefully we will see each other more often now that the first contact has been made. I wonder who else is hiding out around here.

Front Door

I have written about life on the front porch before. Our family has grown so much since then. Sometimes I see pictures of families and think, "That is a ton of kids!" Then I count them up and it is three or four. We are now that family! It is hard to believe we are a family of six. Six! I may not be much of a gardener but I grew their bodies inside my body and that makes me feel like a total rockstar. 

Color

I think I own one pink shirt. Sam and Edison also each have a pink shirt. Mei has an ocean of pink clothing. I like all colors and harbor no special feelings of any kind for the color pink. But Mei makes everything look good. I don't know how I ended up with four dimple-cheeked kids but I love it, and I love them. This baby is living up to her name.

Tiny

Declan started biting his nails at some point recently. It was not too bad at first and I did not realize what was going on until it was too late. He has developed a full-blown bad habit. He chews every angle of every finger and he is left with tiny nubs. All I have to say is "Fingers" and he immediately pulls them out. But then he tries to hide from me so he can continue gnawing on them. I could not handle it anymore and he started to get little breakouts on his face which gave me a HFMD scare and so I decided we are done with the nail biting, nose picking. Done done done.

The bitter-tasting nail polish did not stop him so I had to escalate my attack. This morning I put band-aids on his ten tiny fingers. Then I put a pile of quarters on the kitchen table (this idea was courtesy of madre) and told him I would take one away every time I saw his fingers in his mouth. I only took away four quarters today which is some small miracle because it used to be four times in a minute he would have his fingers in his mouth. I think the band-aids helped a lot. Tomorrow I will use tape. I am already going broke from the quarters, I don't need to spend all the rest of my money on band-aids. This little tyrant is going to send me to the psych ward with his shenanigans.

Drip

I had planned all day to use a picture of the Young Women making chocolate covered strawberries at mutual tonight. It seemed like it would be super drippy but it was not! It was really clean and they made the strawberries look way better than I ever do.

As they were enjoying their strawberries they talked about school and it worried me. It sounded nothing like back in the day when I was in high school. A few days ago, while we were staying after school to play, Alex came up to me and said, "[Other little boy] just said to girl, 'I am going to hump you and then did this (hip thrust).' What is humping?" I died a little, or at least some of my hair did. I talked to Alex about it, then talked to the other kid, then I walked over and talked to his dad about it. The boy's dad was also mortified but it made me realize how little control I have over what my kids hear and see when they are at school. I feel like I am out of time and I failed and it is too late now to teach them. There is so much bad and their curiosity is greater than their knowledge. I hope they can learn to recognize the Spirit and stand up for what they believe.

Quiet

The boys had their teeth cleaned at the dentist's office this morning. It was nice to sit back and not be the one asking them again and again to open their mouths for the floss while they are zoned way out.

The only way to get some peace and quiet around here.

I know they are not perfect but these are three good boys. They want to chat constantly and sometimes I have noticed myself being a little abrupt after hearing "Mom" on repeat all day. I hope they always want to tell my about what is on their minds. They are the best three musketeers and I love watching them grow and learn.

Sharp

Edison is sharp in looks and brains. I was admiring him on Friday because he had his sleeves rolled up and it looked so natural on him. He really has grown out of his ugly duckling stage. Last week, I drove by his school and saw him out for recess. He was standing around with his friends like a real person. Sometimes I forget he is a real person and not just my little Nug.

Edison is so kind, hardworking, and smart. If he doesn't know or understand something he tries to figure it out. That being said, he is still five years old. Edison has his little speech impediment or "accent." People ask if he is from Boston. We often play a game while we are driving called The Animal Guessing Game. Alex made it up. One person comes up with an animal and says, "I'm thinking of an animal that starts with the letter..." Then everyone else guesses or asks questions for clues. Last month, Edison thought of an animal that started with a Q. We guessed the usual suspects and then moved on to asking for clues (does it swim, walk, or fly? what does it eat? what eats it? what color is it? where does it live?). One hint he gave us was that it looks like a lobster. Eventually we gave up and he said, "Should I tell you? A quayfish!" I was laughing so hard I cried. Crayfish. Poor Edison.

Next turn, Edison says, "I'm thinking of an animal that has one leg and starts with a T." We guess for a while and then he adds that it has tons of arms. We couldn't come up with any animals that fit the description and then he informs us, "It's not a creature." It was a tree.

Obsession

Mei is still awake and wiggling all around. She is usually sound asleep by this time of night but she took an hour and a half long nap on Sam's chest tonight.

Sam is an incredible dad. I learned he was exceptionally good with kids while we were dating and it is so special seeing the relationships he is developing with our kids. I love seeing him snuggling Mei. He said to her tonight, with pure joy and love dripping on every word, "I got to hold you so much today!" Miss Mei is a lucky girl. I am too.

Old

My Papa and Gramma celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary tonight. I was unable to be there but my Aunt Alexis sent me a picture of the cute couple. Below is the letter I wrote them for the occasion.

Dearest Papa and Gramma,

I have so many memories of you both and I am incredibly grateful we lived near you. I did not realize at the time how lucky I was to have you there. And you were always there! If you weren't, we knew where the key was and we were expected to walk in. I remember when I learned you had a front door; I was probably a teenager by then and was stunned that not everyone came up through the carport and waved to you through the kitchen window before strolling in.

Gramma, thank you for taking me to the salon so I could watch you get your hair and nails done. Thank you for letting me make lists and go Christmas shopping for the whole family and meticulously keep track of how much you had spent on someone so we would know who else needed another gift so it would all be fair. Then thank you for teaching me how to wrap those gifts. Thank you for letting me have sleepovers at your house. Thank you for always having ginger ale in the fridge and cookies in a tin under the cabinet. Thank you for having a pantry with such a distinct smell that, when I smell it now, I am immediately taken back to reaching way up to the top for the cups that had all of our names written on them in permanent marker. Thank you for being a food pusher, because now I can claim it is genetic! Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for letting me be your favorite grandchild, although that can be our little secret. Thank you for your regular check-ins now that I am far away. Thank you for rearing my Dad into a great man. Thank you for spoiling me in a perfect Gramma way.

Papa, thank you for taking me to Scotland. Thank you for introducing me to morning rolls and those early morning walks in Scotland as I adjusted to the jet lag. No thank you for telling me my dad was "Made in Scotland"; I'm still scarred. Thanks for having an awesome water bed and cable TV. I watched so many movies on the Disney Channel in that room. Thank you for kissing me on the cheek, and sometimes the lips if I wasn't quick enough. I think you were inadvertently my first kiss and I loved that simple gesture of grandfatherly love. Thank you for teaching me how to make scrambled eggs in a microwave. Who needs to get a pan dirty?! Thank you for taking such amazing care of your pool so I could spend hours pretending to be a mermaid and frantically racing away from that creepy vacuum. Thank you for the delicious barbecue every family party. I still haven't had chicken as good as you made it! Thank you for measuring me against your brick wall; I always stand a little taller for you. Thank you for helping me exercise my vocal cords by yelling "just a little louder" so you can hear me. Thanks for singing Christmas songs and making everything else into a song. Thanks for being Papa.

I love you both, forever and always.

Sincerely,

Emily Neil Merkley

Upside Down

We stay after school multiple times a week so the boys can play. It seems to be the highlight of their whole day and there is an uproar if I tell them we are unable to stay that day. There are friends everywhere and moms for me to talk to as well. It really eats into my dinner prep time though. Some days we stay for two hours after school! I am glad they get a lot of outside play time. It makes me feel better about them being cooped up at school all day.

Alex said, "It looks like I'm frowning!"

Broken

It's a common saying in the fitness world: "It doesn't get easier, you get stronger." Well, my baby was born 10 weeks ago so that means I stopped teaching group exercise classes 12 weeks ago. Almost three full months off and I feel like all I worked so hard for was lost. I taught a class for the first time today and felt broken. My body got along well enough but it kind of felt like it was not my body. I am not used to doing these moves in this condition.

I know this is not a permanent kind of broken and I am also very unbroken in many ways. I intentionally postponed my return to serious exercise in order to maintain my milk supply and I have exceeded my own expectations.  I thought my recovery would be swift because I had been so active throughout the pregnancy. It has been exactly on track with my recoveries from the boys' births, which I think is pretty darn good considering I have now carried and delivered four children. My body just kind of does its own thing, at least until I stop breastfeeding. My body is strong but a different kind of strength than I had before. I am so grateful for my body, even if it is a little broken today.

Lines

My friend Chantelle and I took turns watching the kids while the other went into the temple this morning. On my last loop around the temple with the kids, Declan started collecting leaves. It was then my turn to go in and, when I came out, I had forgotten about the leaves under the stroller. He had added quite a few while I was inside. I folded up the stroller and realized when we got home that the leaves had made the trip as well. I threw them in the backyard and he went out and began organizing them.

This afternoon, Declan ran to the toilet and did not make it all the way there in time, but for some reason his pants were already off. He pooped a little on the floor. Then tried to pick it up. That was not a problem to him at all. But the leaves being blown out of line? Unacceptable.

Textured

The word "texture" makes me think of hair so here are my blondies. I am so curious what kind of hair Mei will have. Alex has poofy, fine hair. Edison's is thick and smooth with a crazy cowlick. Declan has a glorious wave. But they are all very close to the same color, Edison a touch lighter and Declan slightly darker. None of the boys had blond hair as young as Mei so I wonder if she will be super blond. Only time will tell. They sure have cute noggins!

Family

We have started having the lesson portion of our Family Home Evening on Sundays so Monday can be dedicated to the activity portion. It is nice to not be so rushed and have more time to enjoy one another's company. I love spending time with these cuties. I am not feeling well today so I am going to sleep now with my fingers crossed that this is a cold and not mastitis. And a sidenote: this picture was taken by placing Sam's phone on the blade of the fan.

Ground Level

I Skyped with my family last week and my older — and very tall — brother gave us a tour of his new house. I kept wondering why he was holding up the computer so high because I felt like I was about to hit the tops of door frames. Then I realized he wasn't holding it up at all; that's how he sees the world! It made me wonder about my little people. They cannot reach a cup without climbing on the counter. It is amazing how our perspective totally frame our lives. Sometimes it helps to see things from another person's perspective to realize how little we can see from down here.

Out My Window

This one is a stretch for the prompt of "Out my window" but there is a window in the picture so I am going to pretend it works because it's my blog and I do what I want.

Alex had his first piano recital tonight. He has had the piece memorized for a couple of weeks and got in some last minute rehearsals today. He confidently put on his "Super Suit" and we headed to the church building for the recital. As we were walking in he said, "Mom! Did you bring my piano book?" I told him I did not bring it because he has the song memorized and doesn't need the book. He went on about how he might forget how to play it and then he wouldn't have the book to know what to do. I reassured him and in we went. Then I saw the program: Alex was performing first. Meaning he would not have anyone to show him how it is supposed to be done. He doesn't even know about adjusting a piano bench! I was worried but acted excited that he got to go first! So awesome!

His piano teacher asked Alex to start us off and he popped out of his chair and walked onto the stand. He played his piece nearly perfectly. He messed up once and it made the performance even better because I was able to see him fumble and recover with hardly a glimmer of fluster on his face. He gave the best bow too. I cried a few tears from sheer pride.

Dance

Four of our eight trek kids came over tonight for a family reunion. We ate way too much and played games. I am impressed by how much they can talk. I am a talker, but these teenagers can talk. They are incredibly good kids and I love being around them. They were all obsessed with Mei. She was there on the Trek with us as well, but in an "I need an ice pack or I will never sleep again" capacity. They consider her their honorary trek sister.

Kristin, Bethany, Ma, Pa, Ammon, and Kendra

I spent the whole day cleaning the house. There were frequent breaks to compare the height of Declan's Duplo tower to every person and object he could think of, and also to feed the bottomless pit that is my daughter. She was extra hungry today. I felt like a lunatic trying to get things done. I was going in multiple directions at one time.

I wish I could say it was graceful like a dance. It was more like juggling, but I dropped everything and also seem to have lost my marbles.

Energy

I was tired today. For no particular reason and definitely not Mei's fault (she slept eight and a half hours straight last night and 10 hours the night before). This afternoon, Declan was off doing whatever that kid does during Quiet Time and Mei was asleep. I realized I had not done a single thing on my calendar for the day except going to Story Time at the library. However, motivation was low and it was not looking like I would do anything the rest of the day either. I looked at my To Do list and thought, "All of these things can wait until tomorrow." I keep doing that and the list keeps not going away; it is irritating! So I buckled down, summoned energy that I did not have, and wrote each item on my list onto a piece of paper. I blindly plucked out a piece of paper and had to accomplish that item even if I didn't want to do it (which happened every time I pulled out a paper). But it's true what those smart people say, an object — or person? — in motion stays in motion. I feel so much calmer as I settle into bed for the night because I did not squander my time, at least this once.

Strong

Adam is home! I wanted to be at the airport to greet him so badly. My parents are still serving in Barbados so Elder Adam was met by Papa, Gramma, Uncle Scott, and Aunt Alexis. Luckily, Adam does not start school at BYU until January so he gets to come visit us in Houston for a few weeks! I said it right after he left but it is still true, Vancouver was lucky to have him.

I have an amazing family. I have loved watching my brothers grow during their missions. I have loved receiving emails and getting a peek into their minds as they turn over their lives to Christ. This is the end of an era, as Adam is the littlest (read: youngest) Neil. It seems like we have been praying for one or another of my missionary brothers for my kids' entire lives.

I feel such a strong connection to my family. I can feel how family is central to Heavenly Father's Plan when I think about my family. My siblings are full of quirks but I still love them; it's inexplicable! It reminds me of the chorus of my favorite Primary Song:

God gave us families

to help us become what he wants us to be—

This is how he shares His love,

for the family is of God.

Mei's Moments (2 Months)

Weight: 11 pounds, 13 ounces

Length: 22.5 inches

I got a late start on this post tonight because I was snuggling a little lady. She doesn't need to be held but I want to hold her. I do not want to do anything unless I can do it while holding her. Oh Mei Mei Mei. Two months old and living the glamorous life of sleeping, eating, and staring at ceiling fans. I have loved getting to know her better this month. I feel like I bonded with her in the womb more than I did my other kids so it's like we have been together longer than two months. I don't like to be away from her. It seems so easy to have her along with me throughout all of my activities. She is not a burden in any way and I love her company. Declan, Mei, and I spend most of every day together. He is equally infatuated with her. One day she gave a little cry and Declan ran over and said, "It seems like she needs a kiss... from her big brother." He has filled the role beautifully.

Ceiling fans #1 fan // Such a beauty!

Eyelids. So. Heavy.

Time for a prayer

Snuggling with Mei makes Mommy smile too.

Her face can show so many emotions. I want to hear her thoughts.

She knows how to work a microphone, errr, hand.

She puts up with kisses from her brother. Then she tries to suck on his nose.

She is still a solid sleeper. Very little wakes her up until she is ready.

She did not like being propped up at the beginning of the month but does not seem to mind anymore.

Bed head!

It looks like she is about to fly away.

I am still not really into bows. If she has a bow on though, 95% of the time it is this white one.

I love her little hands. Sometimes they quiver for no apparent reason and it is adorable.

Grocery store with all of the kids. No room for food!

Baby stretches are the best invention ever.

"I want to suck your blood!"

"Save me! He's so squeezy!"

She looks so soft and relaxed. I want to stroke her cheek!

She grabbed her pacifier out of her mouth and held it. When did she grow up and start to learn she has hands?!

"The flash is too bright, Mommy!"

Random spit up four hours after she last ate. Chunky.

Speaking of chunks...

Kiss?

"More pictures? It's endless with you!"

Chilling in the stroller with the mail.

The two pictures before this were of a sad Mei and then BAM! Plugged.

Hanging out at her brothers' baseball game.

I was sewing and the machine kept startling her. I turned on white noise on the phone and her entire body sank into the chair so relaxed. It was my first time turning on synthetic white noise for her and she was very soothed by it.

She was looking at the TV. I would turn her head toward me and she would turn it right back. Fine, baby. I didn't want to watch TV anyway. Hmph.

"Why can I see the top of this giant's head?"

Smiles and pedaling feet

Photobombed by Declan's fingers

Want more Mei? She...

...still sleeps in a Pack-N-Play in our room. I keep thinking about moving her into her room but she does not really interfere with our lives and it is nice to have her so close. She has been sleeping completely through the night for about three weeks so it would not be too difficult to have her in her own room.

...usually sleeps nine hours straight at night. If she goes to bed at 9pm then she wakes up at 6am. 10pm bedtime means 7am wakeup. It's phenomenal. She alternates eating and sleeping all day long. Around dinner time she wakes up and is awake for a couple of hours, she cluster feeds, and then she is out for the night.

...started social smiling at six weeks. She gives great smiles. I also love seeing Sam's face when he sees her smile. I feel like a photographer who turns to see the groom when he first sees his bride. Most people are looking at the bride, and she is beautiful, but I love the adoration on the groom's face.

...lifts her head during tummy time but then faceplants and gets very angry.

...must have her diaper changed immediately after she poops or everyone will hear about it.

...nursed 240 times this month for a total of 3,222 minutes. She eats approximately every 2-4 hours until right before bed and then she usually nurses twice within an hour. It is hard for me to keep myself from laughing out loud when I start nursing Mei. Hormones are crazy.

...still loves her hands. At one point I was having to pin down her bottom arm while she was nursing otherwise she would pull off the breast and try to sneak her thumb in.