Dino Day!

We went to the Heard museum today with Meganne, Reaganne, Taylor and James. The Dinosaur exhibit was outside and was done really well with realistic looking dinos of all shapes and sizes. They moved and made noises, and one even sprayed water. We four wheel drove our strollers on a rocky pathway for about 1/2 mile and chanted, "Going on a Dinosaur hunt, rawrrrr!". The kids got into it and we had loads of fun. Here we are in front of the museum.

Before we even got into the museum, Hannah fell in the parking lot on an unpainted road bump. I thought she took a face dive, but luckily she only scratched up her knee and hand. A bandaid from my purse made it all better. Lindsey fell next along the dinosaur path going down hill. She landed on her face - scratching up her cheek. She is really tough and just cried a little. Baby Tanner was great and took a pacifier the whole time we were there! So, no broken bones, and no one got eaten by the T-REX! We were pretty tired when we got home. After putting Lindsey down for her nap, I laid Tanner down on a pillow on the couch after he fell asleep, and Hannah cuddled up next to him. Good Day!

Clear baby skin

You wouldn't guess that this little guy had a really bad rash two weeks ago. It was so bad that it covered his face and head. We didn't know what it was, we thought it was just really bad baby acne. Then it started to turn a crusty yellow on his ears and forehead and head. My husband looked online and diagnosed him with a severe case of cradle cap. Turns out that the solution, given by our new Pediatrician, is a few washings with dandruff shampoo, and a consistant covering of the scalp with olive oil. A few hours after the first treatment, his skin was remarkebly improved.

These first few pitures are from today, and as you can see, he has beautifully clear skin. I had before pictures on my camera, but it seems that I lost them in the process of trying to download them. You can't see how bad it was, so it is sort of hard to appreciate my joy over his clear skin. Here I am applying some organic cradle cap oil my friend Heather gave me after his bath.

The girls take turns getting in the bath with the baby, and helping me bathe him. They love to help with Tanner and giving them jobs helps them to feel involved. Lindsey got the towel today.

Below is Hannah and Tanner, when he used to sleep half the day. The other day, I was letting Hannah hold Tanner and she said, "ok mom, you can leave now - I am going to babysit Tanner by myself!" She is just 4, but tells me she is 13 almost every day!

Lindsey holding Tanner and loving every minute of it.

Tanner and Us

Time really flies by - I struggle to get things done - and find posting in addition to everything else I want to do, a challenge. I have however, been able to take a few pictures of our family, each of us loving on little Tanner.

Hannah and Lindsey have really enjoyed baby Tanner - the hard part for me is lovingly teaching them boundaries about how to be gentle and treat a new little baby.

They say sleep when your baby sleeps - this is good for a first, and sometimes even second child, but by the third, I have found that when the baby sleeps, I have better give some loving and time to my older kids and let them know they are still so special and precious to me. Or else, they act out in rebelious and sometimes agressive ways.

I told my midwife about this adjustment period and how it causes me a bit of guilt, and she said, sometimes, you just have to ignore your kids. I am not good at doing that! Though, I have let little Tanner cry himself to sleep already - it only takes him 3 or 4 minutes when he is tired! I can't stand to listen for longer than that! It is hard to take in three little kids - I feel that even though I am a stay at home mom, I am missing things - my kids growing up - it seems to happen overnight. I wish I could just savor them in the moment more.