Posts in family

Hannah Leigh | 6 months

Past updates: 1 month | 2 months | 4 months | 5 months

// Here we are... a week late, but another update! Hope you guys liked those pics of Micah and Hannah above. Let's just say, you take what you can get at this point! ;) Micah just woke up from a nap... and I may have bribed him with fruit snacks. :) #reallife #theyarestillcute

Weight/Height

She is 16.2lbs (60th percentile) and 26.5in (75th percentile). So far she is ahead of where Micah was on the growth chart at this age! I keep saying this, but if she keeps it up they may start looking more like TWINS. ha!

Sleep

This month has been GLORIOUS as far as sleep goes. Hannah is taking two great (2+ hour) naps during the day and sleeping ALL NIGHT (insert praying hands emoji) - 8:30pm to around 8:00am the next morning. Sometimes I will answer a middle of the night cry, but I don't mind. I am always up for a little snuggle. ;)

Sizes

Size 3 diapers and 6-9 month clothing.

Eating

Still nursing. Although, it has decreased to about 5 times per day since we introduced solids. And boy, let me tell you, she LOVES her some baby food. I mean, she can't get enough. It's actually quite funny to watch her eat. She gets hysterical around dinner time if we are eating and she isn't. HAHA. I have to make sure I have her baby food already sitting beside us at the dinner table ready for her. I'm going to slowly start introducing a variety of foods and letting her eat alongside us, like I did with Micah, as she develops more motor skills in grasping and putting things in her mouth. But right now she is eating peaches, bananas, sweet potatoes, apples - all with a little rice cereal mixed in.

Milestones

This month was all about the TEETH. She got her two bottom teeth a few days after she turned 5 months! I felt like they came out of nowhere. One day, after much drooling and fussiness, I looked inside her mouth and saw two white spots under the skin. The next day, the first tooth broke through! The next one came within the week. She is also rolling everywhere lately and sitting up very sturdily by herself. She is also trying to scoot herself towards things by doing this back arch thing where she can, literally, arch her back and plop a few inches backwards. It's kinda scary when on the changing table. Besides all the moving around, she is grabbing, chewing and laughing at everything in sight. Also, she's starting to babble a lot more syllables. Josh is certain he heard, "dada." Of course. ;)

Likes

Being with people, listening to music, watching our dog, Heidi, and her very entertaining big brother. :)

Dislikes

She dislikes being the only one NOT EATING at dinner time. hahahaha

Things I Don’t Want to Forget

I don't want to forget how beautiful and sweet her personality is. She is absolutely adoring of everyone and everything. My heart is just overwhelmed sometimes at the amount of love I have for both of my little ones. I am honored that Jesus has chosen us to be their caretakers. She is growing so fast and I absolutely want to remember every detail. I said this on an Instagram post recently, but this month is one of my favorite milestones. I really feel like Hannah is starting to develop her personality and grow into herself a little more. She is an absolute joy for us!

family, mama stuffCassidy RobinsonSeptember 23, 2014baby, hannah, micah, monthly updates, motherhood, parenting, toddler Comment

My best advice for raising two under two.

Last week, a dear friend and her 9 month old little girl came to visit us. They stayed for five days and it was so good to spend time with them! It's always nice when you get to hang out with your "BC" friends (before children). They get you and know the real you - before you smelled like spit-up and used to shower and stuff.

While she was here we talked about raising our children and how life has changed for us since becoming parents. She told me she was going to be observing how I handled two under two. As soon as she said that, I freaked out a little bit in my mind and then warned her that I wasn't sure I was the best example.

I mean, my kids cry. A lot. The oldest probably watches too much TV. I sometimes forget to feed my five month old (ok, I only forgot once... but STILL). And I give my toddler gummy bears, popcorn and sometimes (gasp!) chocolate if it means he'll sit still for five minutes.

Yes, I bribe. Judge me.

I am definitely not the poster-parent that has it all together. So now that I've shared just a few reasons why I feel unqualified to write this post, let me tell you just why I decided to write this post.

Because if you are a parent, whether to 1, 2... or 10, I have a feeling you feel unqualified too.

And sometimes you just want to know that you are not alone, that you're doing okay and that it will get better. And so here I am to tell you, not only what you want to hear, but, my best advice on raising two children under two.

1) You are not alone.

Remember this, everyday. It will help you get up in the morning. You have people all around the world who are doing this same parenting thing. In fact, people have been doing it for decades and centuries! That's how you are alive today. Also, remember that you are not alone in your role as a parent. There are people all around you who want to help - whether friends, neighbors, or family (if you're blessed to live near them). If someone offers to come over and help you, please do not turn them down. You will need the help. We all need help every now and then. But especially when you have two under two. I cannot tell you how nice it is to have someone to just play with my toddler so I can do the dishes. Or even better, do the dishes so I can play with my toddler! (I seriously have friends who do this. And they are heaven-sent, I tell you). Don't try to be too good or above asking for help. Pride comes before the fall (Proverbs 16:18).

2. You're doing okay.

Do your kids eat breakfast, lunch and dinner? Are they wearing clothes when you go out in public? Do they take a bath at night? If you answered yes to (at least) one of the above, then you're doing okay. In fact, you are doing better than many parents across the world. Your children are blessed. And whether you feel like it or not, your little ones are growing up like princes and princesses compared to the majority of children. Which makes you the king or queen! Wear that crown proudly. Now that I've given you a little reality check, I want you to forget everything I just said and remember this one thing - DO NOT COMPARE. The minute you start comparing what your child is doing compared to your friend's child who is a month younger and already doing/eating/saying... blah blah blah. That's when you're not doing okay. That's when you are not doing tummy-time enough or teaching them enough or reading to them enough. I can tell you from personal experience, when my toddler out of the blue counted to ten (and I had only been counting to three with him up until that point), that they are learning faster than what we can teach them. So take the pressure off of yourself. It's not a race. And even if it was, I think I'd want my children to lose the "who-can-grow-up-the-fastest-and-not-need-me-and-move-out-of-the-house-and-get-a-job" race anyway.

3. It will get better.

There are seasons for everything. There will be hard times. It will get better. It will get worse. And then it will get better again. Try to remember that when your child is going through a growth spurt, teething, tantrums, potty training, illness, rebellion, and every single horrendous thing under the sun. It looks bad, because it is bad, and sometimes horrible, even, but it will get better. And they will make you smile again. Sometimes, just seconds after the said-horrible thing happened and sometimes it takes a little longer. But if you can remember that the sun will shine again (and they will nap again) then you can make it through whatever it is you are having to deal with right now. And sometimes you can even laugh through it. I like laughing through it, personally.

Next week, my oldest turns two. I know I am a young parent. I haven't been doing this very long, my resume in parenting is short and I am fairly inexperienced. But having two children so quickly has kept me on my toes. I have to be aware and my mom-radar is on from sun-up to sun-down and many nights in-between.

This may seem like unpractical advice. Like, gee thanks, but where is the step-by-step manual on how to handle two under two (or three under three or so on and so on). Well, I never got a manual and I have managed to survive. There is wisdom in reading books and learning from other parents about how to raise your children. But at the end of the day, when everything fails and nothing is going right, the most practical advice I've needed in those moments - is that I'm not alone, I'm doing okay and it will get better.

Parent on, my friend. We're all in this together.

family, mama stuffCassidy RobinsonAugust 26, 2014baby, hannah, life, marriage, micah, motherhood, parenting, toddler Comments

Hannah Leigh | 5 months

Past updates: 1 month | 2 months | 4 months

// SERIOUSLY. FIVE MONTHS. WHAT. I'm having a hard time processing that Hannah is already 5 months old! I mean, that is almost half a YEAR. I'm almost thinking about having another one... hahaha kidding. Kinda. No, really I am kidding. Let's move on...