Change

Nothing is as constant as change. I've realized this more this week as we have moved things around in the house. After months of Alex sleeping on the Erin's floor instead of the crib in his room, we finally got him a toddler bed and they officially share a room. I ended up going through all of the kids' clothes which was a huge job! Erin and Alex's clothes are all in their room and they all fit them (this is a note to Jared since he usually just pulls out whatever is on top not caring that the shirt is a 2T when the child is a 4T-I've had some good laughs at some of the outfits he's assembled).

I was sad to put away all of Marissa's 0-3 month clothes, but when I pulled out all of the new stuff (and Erin's old stuff) I was excited again. I'm pretty sure she has the most clothes of anyone in the house, but nobody gets spit-up, drool, and poop on their clothes as much as her either (except maybe me-usually I don't realize it till I'm in public either). Anyway, since Alex is way too mature for a crib, Marissa gets a great big bed to roll around in and a room all to herself. We're putting away her swing and mini co-sleeper and getting out the high chair and walker. Will the day ever come when I will have to put all the baby gear away for good? How bitter-sweet.

A couple of days ago Alex was eating a bagel with strawberry jam on it, so he had it all over his fingers. My back was to him when I heard him say "Marissa's sucking on mine finger." I turned around to see her sucking away at it. A while later he was eating some ham when I heard him say it again. Once again she was loving that hammy finger. A minute later Alex said "Marissa's sucking on mine ham." Sure enough, she was just going at that piece of lunch meat. Do I turn my back on my kids too much?

It was after this that I figured I could probably try some rice cereal. The other kids spit most of it out the first few times and even after that they never loved rice cereal. Marissa however has scarfed every bit down every time I've given it to her. I've never seen a baby eat it like that, especially one that still hates the bottle (maybe we should spoon feed her milk instead).


Unrelated...
One weird quirk I have as a mother is that I sing everything. It usually happens unconsciously and I only realize it when my kids start singing everything too, which is really funny. So I will sing things like "We're going to make grilled cheese for dinner, for dinner, for dinner..." or "We are marching to the bathroom, we are going to brush our teeth" or "Let's go find your shoes, find your shoes, find your shoes..." (It's much better with the music.) I find myself putting almost any phrase to different tunes like "Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush" or "If You're Happy and You Know It" or "I Love to See the Temple" to name a few. I have a song for getting dressed, getting in the car and a song I sing for each one of their names. I have no idea why I do this, but it just dawned on me today how much of my life is put to music (maybe I secretly wish I could live in a musical). I have no idea what my kids might think of this later in life, but at least right now they think it's perfectly normal. I don't seem to be singing any less so they're going to have to endure it!