is it getting better...

or are we just getting used to the crying & wakeful nights? hhhmm, that's a tough one. this week i've really noticed how out of touch with everything i am. the election, world news, u.s. news, lives of friends, what's going on at church & in the women's group i go to, etc etc. so i've been trying to read newsweek instead of parenting magazine, trying to look up cnn.com instead of babycenter.com...it's just not working. my brain doesn't have the capacity right now to remember things that don't revolve around these two munchkins. well, i'm sure it would if i really really tried. but i'm too tired to try that hard.

so instead, i will discuss the debate that goes off in my head right now: cloth vs. disposable. oh yes, i did bring it up. we have cloth diapers, they're ready & folded & laundered. (thankfully we bought them at garage sales, so we didn't spend gobs of money on something we might not use). we are already using cloth wipes for amelia & sometimes for addy still (but her poo gets a bit too 'ewww' anymore for me to pick them out of the sink after soaking them, ya know?! she lets off serious floaters)... our pediatrician has recommended not doing cloth b/c of amelia's skin...the same thing that was recommended of addy b/c of her skin & continuous diaper rashes. did i say continuous? i meant...constant! always there, always fighting it off. spending probably hundreds of dollars on desitin, prescription vusion, & aquaphor. anyway, we have all these cloth diapers ready to go. and they are better for the environment, which is really important to me for us to at least try to do whatever is possible to make our footprint a bit smaller. (and buying those uber-expensive biodegradable diapers are out of the question).

so my question to myself is: is this possible? or will i just be creating more problems, more diaper rashes? amelia's already had a very stubborn rash that lasted over a week & was difficult to get rid of, but since then she's been doing pretty good. i think i'm just going to give it a try this week, see what happens. i did that with addy for a month & her bottom was just one big blister after that attempt. but since amelia is on formula, she is pooing less often than addy was (she actually now poos less often than addy does!).

also of worthy news: amelia is 2 months old! (9 weeks on tuesday) this time has gone by pretty fast, although i feel like she's always been a part of our family now. it's hard to imagine how it was before her little grumpy but curiously adorable spirit joined the gerbick ranks.

this is my favorite amelia outfit! i am squeezing her into it one more time at least, but she has really outgrown it already. it's not a 'footed' outfit, so i'm not really hurting her by forcing her to wear it. although, she does look funny with her legs sticking out...yep, she's ready for a flood.

addy in one of her seasonal outfits. she loves to show everyone the black cats on the shirt. this was taken right before a nap, hence the tired, faraway look.

amelia & daddy. i'm pretty sure they're watching addy do something

addy comforting amelia (for no apparent reason b/c millie was actually sleeping at this point). addy loves to play with her. it's very endearing, but a bit frustrating b/c adeline is always waking millie up! i guess it's partly my fault for not putting millie in her crib! and yes, she is sleeping on her belly. but HEY, whatever works! if we can get a reflux baby to sleep, we'll put her in whatever position possible.

and for all those idahoans out there: i am really missing idaho this week. i have found myself wishing more than once that we still lived in boise. it was just so BEAUTIFUL. i know, i know, we didn't have our family & long time friends there...but we had great times & breathtaking places to visit & lots of things to do outdoors. and wes was always very happy there, of course. if we did still live there, i'm sure i would be pining for my family & friends from ohio (but i never pined for ohio the state). i think maybe this is the time i loved boise the best b/c all the snakes were back in their little earth holes & we were able to hike more often & enjoy the mountains. where are we going to hike this new years? when in boise, we always hiked to table rock & around table rock. hhhmmm, i will stop now before i tell wes to ask for another transfer...

vote gerbick style

okay, time to vote. which gerbick girl do you think each picture is? i have them numbered! and the people who took some of the pics aren't allowed to say that they took it! (a-hem, judy). i just can't believe how much they look alike!
#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

extra tidbits

on the way back from avon lake on sunday, we stopped at my parent's to see how the 'history patient' is doing (my dad). he meets with a surgeon today, so we will find out when he has his surgery & what it all entails & when it will happen (hopefully within the next few weeks).

of course, we had to see chloe & zoe while in cinnamon lake! so addy, my mom, & i walked to their house (all of 1 mile away maybe), let the kiddoes play, then we all walked back to my parents. (wait, now that i think about it, scotty went so he could have dinner & he never ate! hhmmmm). we had to give addy & amelia baths before we left (they didn't have them all weekend, well, millie did friday night, but it was a quickie) & once chloe & zoe saw what was going on, they wanted in on the bath action. so gramum went against their daddy's wishes & helped them into the tub. but it made them all very very happy! it was addy's first shared bath (she better get used to it b/c amelia will be joining her nightly bath in a few months).

here are the bathing beauties

addy getting ready for the avon lake football game

just a funny picture of amelia

PAR-tAy

we did it! we travelled with two little ones. i have to admit, while driving to avon lake, i was thinking 'what are we doing?! we're crazy' especially when all of this happened at once: addy loudly crying in the car, being completely stopped on 71 in a construction-caused traffic jam, amelia loudly crying b/c the car stopped & then crying to be fed, & wes trying to climb from front seat to back seat & then squeeze himself in between the car seats to ease the crying. instead of panicking, we problem solved (what else does a social worker & an engineer do when stuck in traffic? we probably could have solved global warming at that point). we took amelia out of her car seat so wes could feed her--no worries folks, we were completely STOPPED in miles & miles of traffic--& then we gave addy a snack! (as a side note: we gerbicks do believe that car seat regulations are a bit overdone & are mostly fueled by car seat companies doing some great PAC'ing with politicians, etc etc which then make all families buy 2 or more car seats for their kids & then freak out over car seat regulations, which then forces parents to listen to babies & toddlers cry in their uncomfortable car seats! but that's just our opinion...). back to the story: within 15 minutes, we were rolling at a speedy 80 mph (okay, maybe 85...heidi was driving! we made excellent time.) we arrived in avon lake after being stuck behind every slow driver in central & northern ohio & were sent to wes' grandma's for a chicken paprikash dinner with the rest of the out of town family(& some in-towners, i guess). then addy, wes, grandpa, & (aunt) bri & (uncle) cliff & even aunt peg & uncle dan went to the avon lake football game! boo-hoo, i stayed at the grandparent's house to put amelia down...which wasn't such a bad deal b/c it was very cold & i didn't bring a warm jacket or coat for myself (just addy & amelia...). apparently, addy loved the game & clapped & cheered, although maybe not at the right times in the game, just whenever she felt a good clap was needed.

saturday we were off to the wedding. UGH, this was the drive from hell for the weekend. one hour straight of addy crying. & at that point, i think wes & i were entertaining the idea of leaving addy on the side of road for another family member to pick up (we passed several aunts & uncles who would recognize her & take pity :o). the wedding was in a beautiful, old catholic church & was gorgeous! i heard the wedding ceremony was also nice, but i wouldn't know b/c addy & i were outside most of the time b/c addy couldn't be quiet once the ceremony started, so i left with her. then she decided to take a big ole crap in her diaper. of course, i didn't have the diaper bag wtih me...so she just cried & was grumpy b/c she has a diaper rash & was uncomfortable with the pooiness. but i couldn't leave her in the foyer to grab the diaper bag in the sanctuary b/c there were lit candles all around. so we just froze outside! (i didn't think ahead & grab anything except the babbling toddler when jogging out of the sanctuary). addy was able to smell all the beautiful flowers outside, though!

onto the reception: addy loved the reception; ms. socialite was meeting everyone & showing off all her talents. amelia did pretty good as well, she slept through most of it b/c of the noise (she also slept through the ceremony!)...except of course when the speeches were going on! then she belted out a few good cries, so i also didn't get to hear those b/c i was jetting out of the room. sigh. both ceremony & reception were beautiful...the bride is an event planner, so this is her element.

we didn't get a good picture of this, but wes' cousin, the groom, re-painted wes' grandpa's 1951 john deere tractor & then built a wood platform for behind the tractor...so the bride & groom made their entrance on the tractor! it was very unique & mid-western-esque & very entertaining (in a good way!). here are some pics from the evening...

addy & her cousin, sierra, on the dance floor

mama with amelia

uncle cliff with addy...they spent lots of time together that night. cliff even danced part of the 'father/daughter dance' with addy (wes was in the restroom).

addy & grandma sue waiting for the bride & groom at the reception

just another day

today is just another day, yes. we have sick kids & a sick mama (just a cold) & a tired daddy here at this house! amelia seemed to be the virus conductor, giving it to me & then from me to addy. we are all battling it pretty well; mostly, it just seems to make us uncomfortable, cranky, & tired. which is why wes is tired... b/c he has to deal with all 3 of us! he has been kind enough to pump me full of tylenol p.m. so i can sleep all night & be rested enough to at least make it through the next day. he's been waking up w/ millie for the past 2 nights for all 2 or 3 feedings & tending to any other squawking that she feels the need to share with the world. what a man.

this weekend we are going to be very brave -or stupid, we'll let you know on monday- & attempt a little out of town trip! wes' cousin is getting married & we have decided to give it a whirl, mostly b/c we know adeline will just LOVE to be there for all the dancing & flurry of people. grandma sue bought the girl's beautiful outfits to wear, so we will have some fancy pictures to show off!

until then, here are some pictures & a few addy stories to share...she is so good recently with creating interesting things to tell others about.

amelia doing some great belly time. it seems she is thinking 'i really do look good in blue, just like mama said'... or it could be 'will i have to get a shot like addy did at the pediatrician's? ooohhh...'

this shot shows off her wonderfully spikey hair. it still stands straight up in the back of her head (on the top, her sleeping position seems to make the back lay flat). & yes, her hair does have a bit of a red tint to it...hhmm, addy's did also, for awhile. only time will tell what hair will do in this family.

i was getting the camera out to put pictures onto the computer for this post & addy immediately became the camera ham, smiling & posing on the slide. i didn't add any of the slide pictures b/c mostly they are sort of action-esque. (she recently likes to 'rock' the slide from side to side...she will topple it soon, it's only a matter of if griswold happens to be in the way to catch the fall, or if addy will be crumpled in a heap under it all alone.

& this, my friends, is a day old apple core that addy found SOMEWHERE & started to wander around the house with, nibbling on it. i have no idea where it came from. she seems to enjoy digging around in our trash sometimes, so it may just have come from there. it's like she doesn't believe we are going to feed her again, so she has to resort to trash diving.

adeline also had her 2 year well child check up. she is the image of health, aside from the weekly diarrhea flair ups & diaper rashes. she's 30 pounds of lovin' & i forget how tall (just be happy i remembered at least one of the numbers!)...she was only in the 25th percentile for height. the ped thought this upcoming year is probably her year to not gain weight & just grow. who knows, addy seems to beat her own drum when it comes to meeting milestones. although she's still not saying a lot of words clearly, the ped said that it'd be a waste of time, money, resources, etc to put her in speech therapy b/c addy obviously has no problem interacting & babbling (this is a sign that she is for sure not autistic, which is really the only concern with the not talking yet stuff), so it's only a matter of time before the verbal switch is turned on. then she'll never stop, that i do believe. so...how does the ped know that addy interacts well & feeds off of others?? well, addy likes to do a little song & dance routine for her. it never fails. she will dance & babble & laugh & jump & run & twirl & show off every possible thing she has learned since she last saw the ped. this time the new thing was prancing, yes prancing like a horse. it's hysterical! addy gets the ped rolling every time we have a well baby appointment (the sick visits, addy is not so interactive). usually, the ped laughs, saying "she really loves attention" & eggs addy on, asking what else she can do, etc. & we just sit back thinking what an extrovert we have.

well, i had other stories, but they must wait b/c i am way too tired to type anymore! ugh, when did 10 o'clock become too late?!

damage control

the past few weeks have been a bit ...oh...crazy during the day. insert any word, really, such as 'disorganized, life-threatening, messy, etc etc. addy is into everything. not sure if it's a stage, just the 'terrible two's', an increase in height means more things to investigate, or regressing b/c of the new little millie. who knows. she has to touch it all, taste it all, & then give it a good throw to see how it lands or whatever.

up until this point, damage control has been "shut the door!" that stops today. addy has figured out how to open our doors... now insert cuss word! do we baby proof all doors now? we had just put the baby proof knobs on doors going outside or on stairs...

i discovered this as i was soothing millie back to sleep (for the 5th time this morning; she hates taking naps in her crib! how can a baby who sleeps at night in the crib not sleep in the crib during the day?! i just don't understand). anyway, i was soothing millie back to sleep, patting her bottom & i realize that i forgot to shut the gate going downstairs. so i quickly run to the gate, close it & then realize that it's very quiet in the house & that my bedroom door is open. all signs of addy destruction looms: open door, lights on, previously folded clothes on the floor, several random items strewn about...addy has hit! then i hear subtle movements coming from her bedroom & she emerges with white stuff caked on her face. i look closer to wipe it off & find out what it is...& i smell wes, or is that wes' deodorant? it's deodorant! i ask her where did daddy's deodorant go & she pointed to her belly. LOVELY! i go into her bedroom to find wes' deodorant with two big lines down the center, either finger or teeth marks, that i can't figure out, but it's true. she ate deodorant. how gross! so then we go into a brief discussion of what not to eat, etc etc. just a morning in the life of a toddler, that's all.

Sold!

As many of you know my little part of Weyerhaeuser has been for sale for about 6 months now and today they announced that Atlas Holdings is the buyer. While that means nothing the great part is that they have brought in three former Trus Joist people to serve on the board. These are the people that turned TJ and my little group into a great place to work. So while a change like this is never good this is about as good as it gets. If you want to read more see this press release.