Two Force Powder

Oliver recently discovered "Katy and the Big Snow" on his bookshelf. Since this discovery, we've read Katy over and over. Davis decided that Oliver needed a Katy of his own and so he made one for Oliver. Oliver looked at the first edition Katy and pointed out that there were no eyes and no crossbar. Davis went back to the basement and built a new Katy. Oliver carefully examined the new Katy and decided that Davis had gotten her right (he's one tough critic).


Katy is 55 a horse power bulldozer. Oliver has declared that he is "2 force powder." What does someone who is operating on 2 force powder do? (Besides "This.")

A 2 force powder Oliver flies planes,

And makes sure that his baby sister has a plane to fly.

A two force powder Oliver changes Bulldozer's diaper.


And a 2 force powder Oliver picks out incredible outfits and takes Bulldozer walking and biking with mommy and Henrietta.

Thanksgiving

Tim, Carolyn and Caitlin joined us for Thanksgiving. While Oliver loved visiting with Caitlin and Carolyn, Uncle Tim was most definitely the object of his affection. Oliver kept begging Tim to play tag, trains, trucks, planes...
While Oliver was not terribly interested in sitting at the table for Thanksgiving dinner, we did manage to get him to sit down for a few minutes - with the drumstick.
Henrietta spent much of the day sleeping and snuggling.

She did manage to gain over a pound over Thanksgiving week - I am going to pretend that her weight gain was due to all of the chocolate pie I ate. Yum.

One Week

Yesterday Henrietta celebrated her one week birthday. Despite all the waiting and anticipation, I am still wrapping my head around the fact that we have a new little baby and we are now a family of four - a family of four who needs a good 45 minutes (at least) to get organized and out of the house (seriously, we get Oliver all bundled up and ready to go and Henrietta decides it is time to eat. I feed her and then find that Oliver has taken off all his clothes. We get Oliver dressed again and find Henrietta needs her diaper changed. We change her diaper. Dress Oliver for a third time. Feed Henrietta again, dress Oliver again...)

Oliver continues to be infatuated with his sister. He is still sharing all of his special toys with her and giving her kisses and asking for her to snuggle with him at night. Last night he actually asked if we could move her bed into his room so they could share a room (I hope he still feels that way in another couple months when we plan on moving her in with him). So really, all is going well. Well, all except for bedtime. We'd gotten bedtime down to a science of sorts (at least for us and our continued struggle with sleep) - all told (books and snuggling) it would take me 30 minutes to get Oliver to sleep. Since we brought Henrietta home it has been taking me between an hour and an hour and a half. Of course, it is right at this time that Henrietta decides it is time to eat. Davis and I have been trying to coordinate, scheme, test out different interpretive dance moves - anything to try and make bedtime better, but no such luck yet (we keep reminding ourselves it has only been a week and we'll get it together at some point.

Henrietta is proving to be a very low key baby. Lots of eating and sleeping. The last couple days she's had her eyes open a bit more which has been fun. I've been trying to get in lots of snuggle time with her as I am reminded when I look at Oliver at how quickly they grow up.



I think the most difficult thing about this past week has been trying to figure out time with Oliver. I spent a good portion of all three trips to the hospital to have Henrietta crying about Oliver - that while I knew he'd be excited about a sister, he also hadn't been consulted in the decision to have a baby and that a new baby would profoundly change his life. Anyway, this past week, while I've spent time reading, playing trains and snuggling with Oliver, our routine is gone, and while I know we will fall into a new one, I am still sad about losing our old one (although at this point, I seem to be the only one - he is very happy).

(Wondering what is in the blue bag in his hand? Trains - surprise, surprise - this boy loves his trains!)

Another difficult thing - the night before last I turned to Davis and said - I could really use a good night sleep. He laughed and asked if I'd had a good night of sleep since Oliver arrived - nope. So really, that good night of sleep - probably another 3 years away (unless Henrietta proves a champion sleeper - please, please, please).

My baby

Oliver remains infatuated with Henrietta. He is constantly checking on her, bringing her toys, and this morning he informed Davis and me that he would make sure that he would make sure that no one and no monsters would take her.

Yesterday was Oliver's first gymnastics class. Davis had to work and, although I'm a gymnast at heart (right), I was a bit worried about getting out the door and getting trough class alone - thankfully Elizabeth offered to come and help.

Oliver loved the class - 45 minutes of being encouraged to go super fast, jump, tumble and, did I already say this? - go super fast.

Oliver showed everyone in class "my baby." And informed everyone that he was the big brother. Throughout class he kept going over to check on Henrietta; it was very sweet.

Although I keep trying to go back to our nighttime routine and have some mommy and Oliver time, Oliver refuses. He wants Henrietta involved in story time and wants to fall asleep with her in the bed too. We are going with it - ready, at any minute, for him to declare he's done with her.

Being two Oliver is not one for sharing. We've had some talks lately about which are toys we can share with friends and which are our "special" toys we'd prefer not to share. Oliver's trains, Thomas in particular, fall into the special category. It has therefore been telling that Oliver not only wants to be sure Henrietta has a train with her most of the time, but has even given her Thomas on occasion (note the blue train in the cradle).

Thomas has been a bit of a trouble maker though - oops - as Oliver says - "naughty Thomas."

This morning Oliver put on jammie pants, a striped shirt, an orange sock, a polka dot sock, a Puma, and a blue sneaker. While I'd love to show you the outfit, because it really is quite special, I can't because he decided it then needed to be hidden under his wonderful blue suit. To top it off - check out the hairdo. Ah yes, the little man is sporting a "pony."

And baby makes four

Henrietta joined our family at 4:21 in the afternoon on November 15, 2010; she weighed 8 pounds and was 21 inches long.

Thus far she seems to be pretty mellow - loving to eat, sleep and snuggle.

Oliver met Henrietta just about an hour after she was born and was smitten. He begged to hold her and to take her home with him. He also danced around the room and the maternity floor telling everyone he had a new baby sister and that he was now a big brother.

When he visited her today at the hospital he brought her balloons and, again begged to hold her and bring her home with him. He also desperately wanted to make her a cake for her birthday.

While a second night in the hospital sounded like it could be relaxing, Oliver's excitement (and promise of cake) was enticing so Henrietta and I headed home.

Oliver has read Henrietta his favorite books, shown her all of his toys, and even give her his special kitty to snuggle with. He's also peppered her with kisses and rocked her over and over again. And, just in case we may have forgotten, he keeps reminding us that she's his baby, her name is Henrietta, and that he is the big brother.

I attempted to give Oliver some mommy time tonight, but he would have none of it; he wanted Henrietta to be a part of our night time routine.
While I know that Oliver's excitement will likely soon give way to other emotions, Davis and I are glad that Oliver is, at least for now, a very happy big brother.