Campbell

My Campbell…where do I start.  I love that boy so much.  I think I have a special place in my heart for him.  Don’t get me wrong…I soooo love my other two children.  BUT, I’m a middle child so I have a special love for middle children.  I’m not sure why I thought we were finished having children (before Larkin…because we are finished now) because Campbell soooo fits the middle child mold.  Let’s see if I can explain a little about Campbell and what’s going on in his little life right now. 

He is a boy of MANY, MANY expressions…facial expressions.  This isn’t something that has changed.  He has been like this from a very early age.  You do NOT have to wonder how Campbell is feeling about something because you will read it all over his face! 

He is a clown and is constantly making funny faces.

He LOVES his “mo” which means milk.  It’s so funny because for the first year of his life, we worried so much about his growth and weight…NOW, well lets just say that the boy is not lacking in the fat rolls.  His little legs are so chunky.  In fact, Matt and I comment all the time about how chunky they are.  The other day when I was changing Campbell’s diaper, Trigger squeezed Campbell’s leg and said “campbell, buddy, you have chunky, chunky legs”.  Oops!  I guess we need to stop talking about it so much.  I honestly don’t really know why he has gotten so chunky.  He really doesn’t eat that much….in fact, he doesn’t eat well at all.   He LOVES fruit and cheese and that is pretty much what he eats.  UNLESS he has the choice of fries because the boy does love his french fries!  :)

Speech- he is just like Trigger…He is a little behind.  However, we have not started speech….the main reason being that I just can’t do two children in speech (plus T’s OT).  I’m going to give Campbell a little longer and see if his speech picks up.  If not, we will start speech.  He does spend a majority of the day pointing to things (toys, furniture, tools, etc.) and saying “daddy….daddy….daddy….daddy” and he will say it over and over again until you say “yes, that’s daddy’s” or “no, that’s…”   He has to know or identify the possession of every little thing!  It’s really cute but after hearing it all day, it gets a little old!  HA!  A few things that he says all the time: “Eeee” (eat), “Boooo” (boot), “me” (me- for Campbell), “mo” (milk), “side” (outside), “nooooah” (no), “tri-zher” (trigger), “La-lar” (larkin), “football” (football), “b” (B…that’s what we call our special blankets), “nack” (snack), “caar” (car), “Chee” (cheese), “ceewool” (cereal), “ree” (read), “bua” (book), “tee-tee”, “woo-wee” (woody)Sleep- He still takes a two (sometimes three) hour nap in the afternoon.  I put the boys down around 1-1:30 every afternoon.  I don’t know the last time that he has missed a nap.  He likes to sleep now and I just lay him down and he falls asleep…so nice!!!  At night, we put him down around 7:30 and he sleeps until 7ish in the morning.  He sleeps with his alligator and his two “b”s but he doesn’t require them…they are just there…he doesn’t hold them or snuggle with them.  He still LOVES his two fingers and his hair.  When we watch him on the video, he almost always has his left hand in his hair.  In fact, since we have gotten the video, we have realized just how much he plays with his hair…I think it’s more of a comfort to him than sucking on his fingers!  Oh and the best (and my favorite) thing is that he still loves to snuggle…and is slow to wake up.  He wants to be held for awhile after he wakes up.  I LOVE IT!!!!!!

Campbell LOVES bathtime!  After supper, he RUNS to the bathtub!  Before he takes a bath, he always tee-tees on the potty.  He has been doing this since he was about 15 months old…trigger did too!  Now, if Trigger tee-tees, Campbell comes running and pulls his shirt up and starts saying “tee-tee….tee-tee” and he usually gets mad if Trigger tee-tees before him!  Ha!There is already major sibling rivalry.  Campbell adores Trigger and copies everything he does.  BUT, they are constantly yelling at each other.  Campbell is a funny little character.  We have always said that he doesn’t forgive easily.   We could always win Trigger over if he was mad about something…and you could always get a smile out of Trigger…Campbell is soooo not like that.  If you make him mad, he will be mad at you for awhile and want nothing to do with you!  In fact, Campbell wanted nothing to do with me for a couple of weeks after Larkin was born.  We soooo called that one!  He also has a little anger issue.  If he doesn’t get his way, WATCH out because something will be flying across the room!!!  We have to work on that!  And, he also yells at you…it’s kind of a cross between a yell and a growl…also got to work on that! ;)  When he gets mad, he doesn’t make sense either.  Here’s an example.

C: Mo…mo…mo (milk)  Me: momma will get you some milk in just a minute  C: yell/growl…throw something  Me: (discipline him) C: Cries and wants to be held (always wants to be held after getting in trouble) Me: let’s go get some milk (hand him milk)  C: Nooooooah (no) and try to hit the milk out of your hand!

So, you see, if he doesn’t get his way just the way he wants it, it’s all over…he will want nothing to do with the situation.  Bless his heart…we have got to work on that! Ha!

We just thought that Trigger like shoes.  Oh my goodness…Campbell is obsessed!  and mainly with boots.  My parents got him the boots below and he doesn’t like to take them off.  One afternoon for nap, I just let him wear them…I didn’t feel like battling him about it!  Campbell especially loves his brother’s shoes.  He will go back to Trigger’s closet and get out one of his shoes and put it on.  Most of the time he is walking around with just ONE of Trigger’s shoes.  I don’t know why he doesn’t put them both on.The child LOVES to brush his teeth.  We often loose Campbell in the house.  About 99% of the time, he’s made his way to his bathroom, crawled up on the stool, gotten out his toothbrush and toothpaste, and is brushing his teeth.  The other day I found him in the pitch dark…like absolutely NO light anywhere on the boys end of the house…and he was brushing his teeth.   I guess it’s not the worst thing in the world!  At least he has clean teeth!

Below:  Campbell and Trigger got into Campbell’s backpack that was in his closet.  I keep yogurt melts and puffs in there for when we go out to eat.  Well, mr chunky found the yogurt melts and was just enjoying himself a “nack”.Excuse his closet…I still don’t really have it organized since we moved them about 2 weeks before I delivered Larkin!  Who knows when it will happen now!

Campbell LOVES, LOVES outside time…he would live outdoors.  It is a huge fight every time we get out of the car because he doesn’t want to go inside.  Campbell also loves to read.  He isn’t really interested in watching tv.  He pretty much loves to do whatever Trigger is doing!!

He is a champion at ignoring what you are saying…if you continue on and his ignoring isn’t working, he will try to change the subject by pointing somewhere else.

I can’t believe that this little boy will be two in 4 months.  It makes me sad.  He’s my baby boy…he can’t grow up this fast!  I just love him sooooooo much!!!  and I could just squeeze those legs all day long!

Mayday, mayday, mayday!!!!

Our ship is sinking!!!!
After we got home with Larkin, we had a rough first week stressing over trying to get Larkin to breastfeed...mainly stay awake enough to get what she needed. Weeks two and three, I felt as though we were getting in the grove of things. Then, week four entered the picture and the miss Larkin we knew went out the window and a fussy, inconsolable baby was left in her place. It had gotten so bad last weekend that she was only sleeping maybe 12 hours when she is suppose to be getting a minimum of 16. And, the kicker is that her awake time isn't happy...not just unhappy but wailing, screaming, never content. And my first thought was that she was spoiled...even though we had been doing a good job of putting her down and not just holding her. But, I quickly realized that she was not spoiled because she was wailing no matter who held her or what they were doing...even pacing the floor didn't help. She would just continue to cry!!! She's not even content after being fed. It's absolutely exhausting!!!!!!! An, on top of her screaming, we have two other children who are little and don't understand so they continue to fight and scream and cry as well. We did get some Zantac when we went for larkins 1 month. I can say that it has gotten a smidgen better. A teeny tiny bit. But, she's still not happy...pretty miserable actually! Honestly, I'm not happy about trying Zantac bc it never did a single thing to help our boys and they were nearly this bad! I've also cut out all dairy from my diet to see if maybe it's a milk allergy but I'm really thinking it's just acid reflux.
Pray for us. I'm tired. Matts working late from home and should really be at work. He's willing to help rock but I know he needs to work! So, i'll sit here and rock while Larkin screams and Matt works. And trigger plays in his bed. That child! I don't know what to do with him but that's a post for another day! Bless campbells little heart. He's the only one getting sleep around here!


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Location:The Woodard ship

Larkins first dr visit

We were discharged from the hospital on a Monday. The nurse practitioner wanted Larkin to be seen by dr Slusher as soon as possible to have her jaundice checked and for a weight check. So, we got an appt for the next day (Tuesday). Larkin weighed 4lbs 9oz that day. She also measured at 18 inches but I think they were off on their measuring bc Larkin wasn't really cooperating and I don't think she grew an inch in 4 days! Anyway, dr Slusher was pleased with her weight gain. She weighed 4lbs 8oz when we were discharged on Monday so she had gained an ounce like she was suppose to!


Dr Slusher said she wasn't concerned about her jaundice level bc her hands and body werent too orange. Just her face...which indicates that it's not horribly bad. So we didnt have to have blood drawn! Yay!!! Dr Slusher told us that she looked great...and that she looked like trigger! ;)
We were also told that trigger didn't really need to go to school until Larkin had her shots bc she couldn't afford to have any illnesses or germs brought home. Let me say that this breaks my heart bc he LOVES school but we have followed drs orders bc I'm super anal and a rule follower!


We had to go back on that Friday for another weight check...she was a week old at this time and weighed 4lbs 12oz. I asked the nurse to see if dr Slusher could come look at larkins belly button While we were there bc it was oozing green stuff. Well, dr Slusher said she had a umbilical granuloma...I think that's what it's called. She had to cauterize it. And she also told us that Larkin has an umbilical hernia which is pretty common...obviously!!!! Bc both of my boys have umbilical hernias...still have them! Sooo we are three for three. I keep waiting for the heart murmur to pop up too. I just kind of feel like why wouldn't all three be patients of dr king. But, so far they havent heard a hernia so she may get left out of those appts! :)
We went back for another weight check at 2 weeks and Larkin had gained almost 2 ounces a day...and she only has to gain one ounce a day!!!! She weighed 5lbs 7oz. Dr Slusher was Soooo impressed and said my milk must be really rich! :)
My girl is gaining weight fast!! We went to the dr today for her one month. I'll try to post that tomorrow! For now, I'm off to bed!

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Our breakfast date!

The week before Larkin was born (which we didn't know at the time that it was the week before), I decided to take trigger on a little date. Matts mom came to get campbell for the morning and I took trigger to daylight donuts before I took him to school. When I tell you that he was excited, I am not lying. That child ate up the one on one attention. He was literally grinning from ear to ear. He kept telling me "momma, youre the best momma!". Honestly, it made me kind of sad. I mean im glad that he was happy but good grief. He is obviously missing out on some valuable one on one time. As I sat there consuming my donuts, I made a mental note to make it a priority to spend more quality time with him. At the time, our life was so chaotic with the house remodel...and me being very pregnant and tired that most days we were just going thru the motions. So, we will definitely try harder to spend more time with each child individually!!!! Especially if it involves me getting to eat donuts...ha!






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Random information

I have several things that I keep thinking that I need to blog about so I'm doing a random post.

- Larkin lost weight while we were in the hospital which is completely normal. She weighed only 4lbs 8oz when we were discharged. She was our smallest baby to bring home. I think trigger was 4lbs 11oz when he was discharged. I think!!!



- Campbell calls larkin "la-lar" or "lar-lar". He's done that for the last couple of months and it's so sweet. Trigger did call her "warkin" but he can now say the "L". Trigger does still call Campbell, "camel"!



- I am nursing Larkin. It's so funny that I'm so anal about my children having to have breastmilk bc I always knew it was great and wanted to nurse but wasn't dead set on it...well now, it's a must! Funny how things change. While matt had Larkin in the recovery room, she kept trying to latch on to him. I had to nurse her immediately. She did good but that was the best that she did while we were in the hospital. She was pretty difficult to get her to wake up enough. We have now gotten the hang of it and she nurses great!!!




- I have a funny story about breastfeeding. Trigger had asked me several times while i was pregnant if Larkin was going to get mommys milk from my nipples...we call everything by the correct name. :) When I was about 5 months pregnant, matt came into our room after putting trigger to bed. He said that during their prayers, trigger had prayed for my milk and he prayed for "momma's nipples". Haha! I'm glad he was concerned about them! ;)



- Larkin was my first baby to get to hold so quickly. Besides a few seconds to take a picture right after delivery, I didn't get to hold trigger until he was a couple of hours (maybe three hours) old. I didn't get to even touch Campbell until he was 10 hours old. Both boys were in the NICU! Larkin was in the recovery room with us and it was so amazing to get to hold her so quickly!!!



- she was also our first baby to get to have in the room with us since the boys were in the nicu. That made this experience totally different! Don't get me wrong...we sent her back at night!!! I'm not stupid...it was my last couple of nights to get sleep between feedings! However, the nurses kept bringing her to us early...before the 3 hour mark...and telling me to feed her. They said and I quote "she's hard to console". Yay!!! Isnt that what you want to hear! Why not just tell us she's difficult...and you'll never be able to put her down! ;)



- we had to take Larkin back to the dr (which I will post about later) the day after we left the hospital (Tuesday) instead of waiting until she was a week. Her jaundice level was pretty high when we left the hospital so they felt it should be checked. And, they wanted her weight checked.
Below: I love this picture of the boys looking at Larkin! I just think it's precious!!!


- people keep asking me how the boys are doing with Larkin. They really are great. Trigger, like I've mentioned, is in love with her. Seriously! Campbell is really growing to love her. He is paying her alot more attention now!

Well! That's all for now!

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Home Sweet Home

The first couple of weeks with Larkin home have gone pretty good.  I’d be lying if I said it has been smooth sailing…and I’d also be lying if I said “no, I haven’t had a meltdown”.  My meltdown really was not from being overwhelmed…believe me, that will come.  This meltdown came on day or actually night #2.  I was so tired.  We had had an AWFUL first night with Larkin…like NO sleep.  More on that in a minute.  Anyway, I was just really sad because Campbell wouldn’t have anything to do with me.  I knew that would happen because that’s just his personality.  If he’s not completely getting his way, he wants nothing to do with the situation.  I couldn’t pick him up  (and I was holding this new baby) so he wanted NOTHING to do with me.  Campbell has always been my baby.  I don’t want anyone to think I don’t love Trigger because oh my word, I LOVE HIM SO MUCH.  However, Trigger has never been attached to me or Matt…he’s always been happy with whoever…I think mainly because I went back to work so quickly and grandparents kept him.  Campbell has always been attached to me….maybe because I breastfed him for a year?!?  I don’t know but I am the only one that put him down for bed…the one who got him up…who dealt with him during the middle of the night…the one who he ALWAYS wanted.  He was a momma’s boy.  Well, in a quick few minutes of a sweet baby  being born, he changed.  He is no longer attached!  It just breaks my heart.  So, that was my meltdown. 

These are some pictures of the first week or two of us being home. 

Trigger is soooo in love with Larkin.  How sweet are these pictures…pure joy on Trigger’s face!

He went to get his “B” and paci because “Larkin needs it”
Abby and Sydney (and Aunt Karen) came to visit!Larkin got her first bath.Look at those wrinkled legs…such a skinny little girl.  She’s starting to put on some weight and fill out!Trigger and Campbell have played a lot in their playroom.  I walked in their one day to find this…Baby Jim has made a reappearance.  AND, Trigger has done a good job taking care of Jim…and that includes checking his diaper.He apparently did NOT smell well.So he had to change it.The other night the boys were having so much fun taking a bath.  Larkin was asleep so I thought I would snap a few pictures.At one point I decided that I probably should go check on Larkin…poor third child…she was screaming…tears and all!!!!!!!  She survived!  Then I stuck her between her clean brothers to take some pictures.  Trigger and Larkin’s feet.  Larkin has very skinny and long feet.  Maybe she will actually be able to wear Keds.  Campbell’s feet have always been to chunky to fit into them! 

Painting for Larkin

The weekend before Larkin was born Matt had the idea to let the boys paint something for her.  We did this with Trigger when I was pregnant with Campbell.  The boys LOVE to paint so it was a fun activity.  Trigger decided to paint flowers for Larkin.  I think they turned out great!!!  Campbell got some paint on his hands…and he doesn’t like his hands to be dirty!Soooo, we decided to rinse off in the sink….and since Campbell was in the sink, Trigger had to join him.  Love Campbell in this picture!

I’m pretty sure that the boys liked playing in the sink better than they liked painting.  Maybe I should bathe them in the sink more often!