Late winter happenings

As we hang around waiting for some warmer weather...

 

It was paci time, I was tired of arguing about it (even though it was only in her crib) and she got a big bubble in her mouth that wouldn't go away so we had to do it.  I always say my most favorite milestone of infants/babies is when they can put the paci in themselves (and mom doesn't have to get up all night to do it for them) and one of the hardest is getting rid of it.  Max was sad but I think more for me.  He was totally into getting his basket of toys the next morning and never looked back.  Aliyah had a hard night.  Her cry was pure heart brokenness as her paci truly was her absolute favorite thing ever.  She'd have spent all day in her crib some days just to have it (when she was younger I had to gate her downstairs so she wouldn't try to go up and sneak one).  We kept several in her crib so she always had one but she ended up chewing them all up and last resort stole my mom's!  But she did good, took her a long time to get to sleep and had a few break my heart cries in there but we made it.  Two weeks later she's great at night but it's still taking her a while to settle for naps without it.  Some days are better than others.  She doesn't ask for it, but was so used to have it to sooth her right to sleep.  The nice this is that she is still fine when she wakes up just laying in her crib for a while.  From the day we took Max's paci away, to this day, he screams for us as soon as he awakes and won't just chill for a little in his bed.  (No, he still won't really get out of his bed either till we get him!)  I think the paci thing is hard for me too cause it feels like she's not a baby anymore.  As much as I loathe them, mostly just in walking/talking kids who aren't sleeping, I don't regret using them.  They've saved plenty of long car trips, plane rides, teething nights and turned my kids into excellent sleepers.  But alas the day of the paci is over for us!

 

Her last sleep in it.

 

Her first sleep without it.

 

 

A few weeks ago we split up the family and headed in multiple directions.  Nate and Max hung in Harrisburg for the monster truck show with friends (then headed to Grandpa's for the rest of the weekend.)

Max's 3 best buds, so glad all the boys got to hang out!

Aliyah, my mom and I headed to northern VA Friday night to Ellie's.  Saturday morning my mom and I headed further south to Richmond for Tracey's wedding shower Michele was throwing.  It was a beautiful shower and a beautiful day, great to hang out with the VA Mogels!  But I missed all my babies so we snagged up Aliyah on our way back north (who had an awesome time with Aunt Ellie and even got to go to a super fun gym party for the cousin's on the Brown side) and met Max and Nate at home.  It was the only warm weekend/day we've had all year yet and the kids enjoyed playing outside for a while.