ast month was quite possibly the longest month of my life. Waiting for baby Casen to arrive. Well guess what…he was two weeks old on Saturday! And Jaxon was 28 months! Boys.
Jax is our little wild man. So dramatic, I think he will be on Broadway by the time he’s five. He has the funniest facial expressions. Reminds me of myself when I was little…always acting silly to get attention. His new thing is putting his hands on his hips. Go. go. go. A hundred miles an hour all the time. Says ‘hi’ to everyone, even strangers at the grocery store. He is also into saying ‘bye’ too…his toys, our house, even his little brother, ‘Bye baybee Tasen’. So sweet. He is learning how to count (he thinks he’s blowing out candles). Loves to jump. Draw. ‘Sit porch’. Basically be outside 24/7. Amazed by bubbles and glow sticks. Hates naps. Not a fan of eating…although he loves melon and berries. He could live on just milk or juice. Actually, he says it so much, it’s becoming a double word at our home. ‘Milkjuice’.
Case is such a good baby! Every now an then we get a poop explosion that breaks up the routine, but other than that, he just has his daily dose of the hiccups. He looks like a tiny angel when he sleeps. Speaking of sleeping, this little guy only wakes up once in the middle of the night. I think I’m getting more rest now than when I was pregnant. I have a feeling that he is going to be the complete opposite of Jaxon. They will become the best of pals.
It’s been a week since we brought our little Casen home from the hospital. He is so soft and sweet. It’s crazy to think that I am a mother of two…boys! I was a little worried before, how I was suppose to share my love with both of them, but now I know. It’s one of those things that you don’t have to worry about. Plenty of love to go around!
We have had lots of visitors and help from family. (Thank you all!) Today is the first day at home on my own. So far everything is going well. Jax prefers to lounge in his diaper watching toons all day. Every once in a while he will ask. ‘I hode baybee?!…I hode it?’ He is such a good big brother! It took him a few days to figure out what was going on, but I think he’s lovin’ it. The baby (right now) is easy. eat. sleep. poop. He had his days and nights mixed up, but I think we are back on track. Trying to keep him awake is a bit challenging. You would think with all the noise Jax makes, he would have no trouble staying awake…ha! On several occasions I’ve had both boys down for a nap at the same time! Makes me think (just for a minute) two will be a breeze. Breastfeeding is going well. Much different than when I nursed Jax. I’ve been using this app called…iBaby Feed. It helps me stay on top of feedings. Case has been a nursing champ since day one.
Casen’s birth story and first photoshoot to come!
Just wanted to share the wonderful news! Our little one arrived on Saturday at 11:42am…Casen Blake Coggins. He weighed 8 pounds 7 ounces and was 21 inches long. Happy to be home from the hospital today!
I just launched a website for a client this week for her new business, Sweet Roots NYC…a customized menu planning and grocery delivery service, offering the highest quality produce and goods, incredible recipes and portioned ingredients. It’s an empowering resource for people who are in key transition moments…newly married, pregnant or returning to work with young children at home. If you live in New York and want to live healthier and make delicious home-cooked meals, visit the site to learn more!
See this project and more of my design work here.
just a little 6 am conversation
- Jax: (standing next to our bed) mommy. mommy up?!
- Me: okay, get up here.
- Jax: banket? (on the floor)
- Me: okay.
- George: (pacing the kitchen)
- Me: I'm gonna have to let Georgie out.
- Jax: (as I'm scooting out of bed, he leans up and whispers) mommy. dit milk.
- Me: okay, I will.
- Jax: tank you, mom.
few days late…my little man is 26 months old now! When do you stop counting in months? That always bothered me before I became a mom. So…Jaxon is 2 years and 2 months, ha!
I feel like ever since Jax turned two, I am just so amazed by how smart he is. How much he concentrates and thinks and even what he remembers. His favorite book is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? by Bill Martin Jr. and illustrator, Eric Carle. It is perfect because we are learning colors now. He has been a pro at blue for a while. He loves to draw. Gotta get him some sidewalk chalk for sure! He’s definitely going to be an artist. Although he really digs music…caught him dancing nude in the living room to Dance-a-Lot Robot. Hilarious!
He is currently obsessing over going outside and riding his little bike…pedaling all by himself. I think we’ve been stuck in our home for too long. The weather has been so gorgeous. It’s pretty funny, he still thinks that he needs a hat and coat to go outside. ;) We are all ready for summer! (We booked our ‘kid-free’ vacation! Hoping to take Jax to the beach for a weekend though.) My work has really been picking up lately and he is now going to the sitter a few days a week. Which is awesome because he gets to play and run around all day with his best friend, Carter. (They were born a month apart.) They wear each other out, so much that he will fall asleep eating at dinner.
Potty training is going well…it is not quite an everyday thing, but he understands what he is suppose to do. We even got him a new seat for the ‘big potty’. Hoping that he can catch on before the baby arrives. Eating is going even better. Should have switched to 2% milk a while ago. He is eating so many more fruits and meats. Still trying to sneak in the veggies. We went to the doctor and he weighed 30 lbs and was 35 inches tall…happy to see him in the 60ish percentiles!
A trip to the ER late last night. Jax was having trouble breathing and started to cough…sounded awful, so we took him in to get checked out. The doc said he has croup. He should be much better in a few days. Thank you everyone for the get wells, prayers and hugs! xo
oxoxo…I’m pretty sure we have one of the most lovable kids around. Jax gives hugs and ‘tisses’ and ‘I yous’ all the time! So we are sending everyone lots of love this week! Yesterday he turned 25 months. Hard to believe his second birthday was already a month ago. Where does the time go?
Jaxon is growing up so much…doing lots of new things. I have really noticed that he is concentrating much more when he plays. Daddy is teaching him how to play hockey…so fun to watch them. He is obsessed with the yard stick, the plunger, Daddy’s leaf blower and my typewriter. Always wants to go outside…even brings me his shoes to speed up the process. Ha! Loves to climb in and out and on top of anything…our little dare devil. He is also in to running fast.
He is so determined. Has to brush his teeth everyday. Likes to pick out what color shirt he wears. Loves to take baths…umm, probably two times a day. His vocabulary has tripled…says two and three words all the time. The other day he burped at lunch and said ‘scuse you’. Using those manners…even when I don’t remind him! It’s funny he says ‘No please’. See what else he is saying here.
He lets me know when he poops…hopefully we are one step closer to being diaperless. Eating habits are not so great though. He would much rather drink milk for every meal…but we are trying to work in some new foods. I am so glad that he is sleeping in his big boy bed all the time now. No crying either, well except he always wants me to go to sleep too. FYI…toddler beds are super uncomfortable.
Teaching Children How to Be Still
Interesting article, even more insightful is the automatic choosing which side of the fence you are on when it comes to parenting…
Dear Jax…
I can’t believe you are TWO! That was such a fun year. Watching you learn how to walk and talk and jump. So many fun memories we have had…you sure are growing into a handsome little boy. We have loved every minute. Excited for you will meet your new little brother in a few months too! I am sure you will love him and teach him how to give your sweet hugs. We are so proud of you. (tear…oh my) Love you!
So excited to celebrate tonite. Mimi and Papa are taking you to Chuck-E-Cheese and on Sunday you are having a MONSTER birthday party with friends and family.
Happy Birthday Jaxon!
xo Mom + Dad
OH MY. I need this sign hanging in my home today. Just when I thought my luck was getting a little better…this morning happened.
I woke up at six o’clock. My husband left for work. Let the dog out. Browsed a few of my daily reads online. Made a cup of hot chocolate. My sister-in-law arrived with Jaxon around seven-thirty (she watches him on Thursday nights). Got him settled in with a movie and some cheerios.
Then, I began to open my file that I had been working on for about a week now for an animated presentation at one o’clock with a client. WOULD NOT OPEN. OMG. Freaking out at this point. Called my mom…called Thomas, of course they said opposite things to do. Grrr! Finally got a hold of my ‘boss’ to break the news that I was having technical difficulties. Pacing the living room. He said so calmly, ‘Oh just send me the file and I’ll see if I can open it.’
Jaxon, practically climbing on top of my pregnant belly, while I am waiting on the couch for him to call back. Thinking to myself…patience, Laura.
He calls back. IT OPENED! Unfortunately some of the work was missing. So, I frantically started to rebuild the missing parts. Then Jaxon says, ‘Mommy, dump…button. dump down there! (Geez, really right now?!…he has a bounce house in the basement) ‘Okay, let’s go.’
Meanwhile my portable hard drive cable completely ripped out of its plug. Fixing that later because I have a proposal to send out! (AGH…Just my entire life’s work, nbd.)
About to cry. Still working as fast as possible. It’s about eleven o’clock. Thinking…soon Jaxon will go his nap, praying it would be nothing like yesterday where he screamed for two hours on an off, resulting in no nap at all.
Almost done. Put Jaxon down around noon, five minutes of crying…then out like a light. Sweet, finishing up a few details…and before I knew it time was up.
…Well, the presentation went better than I ever expected. And as soon as the call was over my little peanut woke up from his nap.
Somedays working from home is a breeze, somedays it is hectic. I know to some of you it may seem like no big deal, but I’m still learning to juggle the day to day tasks and trying to find ways to handle situations like this one. And I’m sure its only going to get harder when I have two little ones. But when the client claps after you present and says, ‘Laura, you killed it!’ It makes the worst day ever, become so much better.
photo from Megan Galante’s Mundane Day Sign Project
Yes…it’s a BOY! We are so excited, Jaxon is going to have a little brother! Thomas and I went to the doctor yesterday afternoon to get an ultrasound. It brought back so many memories, almost seemed like déjà vu. If I could only capture his face when he was looking at our baby on the monitor. I had hopes of having a girl, but I am so happy that we are going to have a healthy baby boy! Now that we know…the fun begins! Can’t wait to start planning and decorating the nursery after the holidays!
oah, guess who is 23 months already? Oh my…that means little man will be two next month. I haven’t even started planning his birthday party. As soon as our christmas cards go out (posting them next week), I will have to start designing his invitations…so much to do!
Jaxon is still a little peanut…he hasn’t had a huge growth spurt in a while. Although he does have a head full of hair and sixteen teeth! He’s not the best eater, but he has his favorites that never seem to get old. We rarely ever give him anything with sugar…he is just a little wild man, full of energy, all on his own. He will jump or ‘hop’ as he says it, all day if he could. I can’t wait for him to see his christmas present. Hint: It’s like a trampoline. Hopefully his new bed can catch a break…ha!
Just like his momma, Jax does have a sweet side. Lately he is into hugging. ‘Hug me.’ ‘Hold it.’ (himself) So randomly…just melts your heart. He is so independent. Gets really excited when he does something or if there is a chance to help with something. ‘I did it!’ ‘I help.’ ‘I’ll do it!’ It is hard to imagine our little baby is now old enough to have a conversation with. I am excited to see what he will do this month.
ister Jaxon turned 22 months this past Movember 12th. Even though we couldn’t get him to wear a mustache for Halloween this year, he still made a sharp little Monopoly Guy. Trick or treating wasn’t really for him…it was a bit dark and he was cutting a new tooth. Hopefully next year he will be as excited as me.
If you haven’t heard, Jax has a big boy bed now. He enjoys jumping on it nearly everyday. The switch is actually going much better than we ever expected.
It’s just amazing what he picks up. He is now learning his colors…he knows orange, blue and purple. He can point out most animals and what sounds they make. His favorite is the moo cow, of course. And, he can count to ten (with a little help)…at the end he goes ‘…ninne, tennn!’. It’s so cute when he stares at me in the eyes and tries so hard to say whats on his mind. Sometimes he’s a mumbler and other times his words are super clear! Daddy sneezed the other day and Jaxon said, ‘Bless you’. He yelled, ‘Laura, Laura…did you hear him?!’. He had never heard him say it before. It made me smile.
Jaxon can pretty much entertain himself. You can just look at him with a funny face and he will start giggling. A few weeks ago, I caught him pouring out his juice on his high chair tray to blow bubbles…ha! He gets excited over the simplest things, which I am so happy to see everyday. He is such a good kid.
(btw…I am not a fan of mustaches, but my husband has decided to not only grow one, he has a beard too.)
I chuckled this morning when my husband found Mr. Potato Head parts hidden in his work boots. I think it secretly made his day. #parenting
Just had to share my tweet from this morning…thought you might get a little laugh too. If you don’t already, follow me on twitter…@_lauracoggins and Jax too (he’s talking up a storm now) @littlemanjax.
