This post is pretty much just because I'm tired of looking at the last one.

I think this may be the first time in a few days that I have not been holding one of my children. I hate one-handed typing, so I avoid it when at all possible. It's just so frustrating to have to type so slowly when your brain is moving faster. I'm sure I've got some pics on my camera that are post-worthy, but I don't feel like working that hard right now! I am finding that I'm not taking as many pics of Natalie as I thought I would/wish I was. I find it all-consuming to just take care of my girls' basic needs right now. Yikes! Especially because Joanna is very needy right now. How, you ask? Well, let me share with you a little. I'm not talking emotionally needy; I'm talking physically needy. We have a doctor's appointment Monday afternoon due to her EXTREME MONSTER DIAPER RASH and related problems. Here is my current theory on how this condition came about:

Around the middle of December, Joanna started having some issues with constipation. (Oh, FYI I'm going to talk a lot about poop in the next paragraph.) This was literally her very first bout with that, so we weren't even sure what to do. She drinks a fair amount of milk, and quite a lot of cheese, so we cut back on these things. I started pushing juice on her where she almost never got it before. I made sure she was getting plenty of fresh fruit, and tried to get more veggies in her. Now keep in mind that during this I was very pregnant followed by a new mom of two, so I may have stopped paying close attention at some point. Anyway, this past week it got really bad. Here's what I think happened. I think we over-corrected her diet, and caused her to have a little tummy trouble. She never seemed like she was having that kind of problem, but all of the sudden she started having these very frequent, very tiny bowel movements. These horrible things often do not smell or cause her to tell us about them, so they sit there for a little while, causing terrible horrible diaper rash. I think that now, instead of having constipation, she's actually trying to hold it in since it hurts so much on her bottom. I can't be sure about this, but it's my current theory. She can't completely hold it in, so out comes these teeny tiny things that are toxic on her bottom. Of course it got really bad right before a weekend, but I made an appt. for Monday! Hopefully her doc. will have some wisdom and/or magical powers. I'm pretty sure she won't be going to school on Tuesday, but I have my fingers crossed for Thursday! Her little bottom is literally raw and the skin is broken. It makes me cry to look at it; it makes her cry, too. Yesterday after nap, I let her run around without the diaper on. It was stressful and messy and a lot of work, but it did help the rash. She actually went on the potty a couple of times. (She also went on the floor a few times, too.) Thank goodness for mostly laminate floors!

Ew, yuck, and blech

This morning my older daughter Joanna woke up a little after 7:00 crying. Usually the first thing I hear from her is noises, so crying is a little unusual, at least for lately. I was feeding Natalie, so I made Joanna wait for a little while. When I went in at about 7:30, I smelled a definite dirty diaper, which probably explained the crying. Well, it was dim in there, but I noticed Joanna was rolling something around in her hand. I may not have to spell it out for you, but that something was POOP! Ew, yuck, and blech!!! She was still fully dressed; she had just reached down the back of her diaper for a little poop. Recently she has started reaching down the back of her diaper, which I holler at her for. I know what you may be thinking -- Maybe she IS ready to potty train. Who knows. So I pulled her up to the changing table, admonishing her all the time for playing with her poop. Then I had to give her a bath, cause, well, ewwwww!

The poor child had to go to school today without her blanket (which really is her lovey). I hope she didn't miss it! That reminds me, I need to put the clothes in the dryer.

Goodness gracious

Take a look at the daily report from Mother's Day Out for Joanna from yesterday:It may be too small to read, but beside the big blue sticker, it says, "Joanna pooped in the potty -- Yea!!! We are so proud!"

Nuh unh. Apparantly Joanna was kind of holding her bottom and her teacher asked if she wanted to go potty. Well, of course she did, going potty is fun! Miss Joan said it wasn't the whole job, but she went in the potty. Oh my goodness. The particularly funny thing is that on Monday when Aunt Gail and Jade were over, Aunt Gail kept taking Joanna to the potty. She keeps asking me to go, but I'm pretty sure she's really NOT ready, it's just fun. And I'm not ready! Hello, 10 day old baby in the house!

Speaking of Natalie, her cord thingy fell off yesterday! I think it was a little early, but I remember Joanna's coming off early, too. I'd have to look up exactly when. I kept snagging poor Natalie's on her clothes, and even though I folded down the diaper, it kinda rubbed on it. Oh, well. I think she'll live. :)

Both of my children are asleep right now, for the first time, well... maybe ever, so I'm going to go take advantage of that.

Bathing, Playing, Sleeping, Raking

Before our last bath -- Super Baby! Being naked and cold is hard work!
What was that, Daddy?

Joanna and I took a self portrait this morning. We were both wearing pink shirts with jeans.

Joanna and Natalie had a play date today with their cousin, Jade. She just turned one, and Joanna thought her carseat was fabulous. Here she is taking a call in it.

Maybe she was calling Jade? I mentioned that my Aunt Gail was in town this weekend. That's how we got to spend some time with Jade today. Aunt Gail was babysitting her granddaughter who lives across town. The big girls played very sweetly, not exactly together, but sweetly. Joanna kept taking stuff from Jade, and since she's not as fast, Joanna got away with it most of the time.

Joanna did not go down for a nap AGAIN today. Yesterday she flat out wouldn't/couldn't take one at all. At least today, she settled in for a Daddy snap after fussing for FOREVER in her room. Poor sad big sister. This adjustment is hard! Some changing table shots of Natalie. The changing table is a great place to take pictures. It's nice and high and flat. Joanna had many a picture taken on this changing table.

Her shirt says, "I love my big sister." I think she means it, too.

We went out front for a little while this afternoon. It was chillier than I thought! Natalie got to wear her new hat that Christiana brought over. Christiana's mom made it -- we love it!

Joanna had a FABULOUS time helping Daddy bag leaves. She was a very big helper!

Natalie and I just watched all the raking and bagging. See her little hat poking out of the sling!

We had a fun day, today! Joanna has school tomorrow, which will be fun for her. Natalie and I will hopefully be able to get some things done around the house while Joanna plays. The only thing I'm a little worried about is after school. Joanna comes home from MDO just sooooo tired (it's hard to be so good all day!), and we often have rough afternoons. We'll see -- maybe tomorrow will be better than last week. She's more adjusted to her new little life now. She's definitely almost two -- what a sense of independence we're seeing!

Drawing

First of all, let me explain that Joanna calls her crayons and the act of coloring "drawing." That's just the word she's decided to use. So this morning I was sitting on the couch feeding Natalie and Joanna was beside me. She leaned over and pointed to my stretch marks and said, "drawing."

Yup.

Asleep

Last night was just one of those co-sleeping kinds of nights. Miss Natalie wanted to snuggle up to me and that's all there is to it! She just wouldn't settle in her bed. So when I fed her this morning at about 7:00, then layed her down to go take care of Joanna, I was fully expecting that to last about 5 seconds before she needed me. Um, nope. She's still asleep. Wonder-child. What a way to ease a girl into the mommy-of-two thing!

More cutie girls!

Yesterday, Joanna had this blanket and her little baby, and was saying, "help, help!" She had Daddy help her swaddle her baby so she could hold her and take care of her. What a sweet little Mommy!
This morning Joanna was a little Daddy-needy. She layed outside the bathroom door crying for him while he was in the shower. Poor girl!

Miss Natalie is 1 week old today! Here she is laying in her crib in the girls' room.

She doesn't sleep there yet, but it's a good place to lay her down when I need my hands for Joanna in there.

I realized I hadn't posted a picture of Natalie's crib bedding. I just love it! I am very into the purple for baby girls that is so popular right now. This bedding also has a little of that bright green that is other places in Joanna's room.

I think this is cute -- she fell asleep and ditched the pacifier.

My Aunt Gail and my Grandma came over after church and brought fried chicken for lunch! Look closely and you can see that Natalie found her thumb.

Awwwwww...

This afternoon we decided to take advantage of the beautiful day and spend a few minutes outside. Joanna did not want me to help hold her baby; she wanted to do it all herself. What a serious look she has here!

What a sweet sister!

Mommy and her girls in front of our sign again.

Tomorrow Matt is headed back to work, but we've decided he'll work a short day to ease me into this taking care of 2 kiddos thing. Yikes!

Joanna did not take a nap this afternoon. We tried of course, but she first of all didn't want to and then she needed a diaper change, and by that point she was pretty much too worked up to sleep. So about 5:00 she was an emotional wreck. Picture me in the kitchen, nursing a baby using one arm, fixing dinner with the other, with a toddler clinging to my legs. I'm sure that's not my last time to be there! Fortunately Matt was home and helping me with dinner. We put Joanna to bed a little early (as soon as we could after dinner and bath!) and she went right out. She was sooooo tired!

Part of me is looking forward to getting into a routine with the girls, but I am really going to miss this past week of the 1:1 parent child ratio. I'm still physically recovering from the pregnancy and delivery, and I'm looking forward to getting back into toddler chasing shape. I say "back into shape" but actually I never had to chase a toddler until I was pregnant. Joanna didn't start walking (much less running) until I was already pregnant with Natalie. So theoretically, this should be easier now, right? I guess the lack of sleep and lingering back pain don't really aid with the toddler chasing. Eh, oh well.

I can't believe that Matt's been home for a whole week. It went really really quickly! I think what I'm going to miss most is sleeping in. The past couple of days Natalie and I have slept in until about 8 and Matt and Joanna have gotten up and ready. I really like sleeping in. I am a sleep junkie for sure! I am really glad that I'm able to sleep flat on my belly again! Whoo hoo!

Oh I'm such a rambler, and now I'm feeding a baby so typing isn't as much fun. More cutie pie girl updates later!