Long Overdue Post

Poor Campbell! I feel so sorry for the kid...he's been an official part of our family now for 8+ weeks and I've only posted ONCE about him! I guess that goes to show what life is REALLY like when adjusting to two kids! It's not that I haven't thought about blogging a new post, it's just every time I sit down to turn on the computer someone needs me! (I've literally gotten up from the computer TWICE since starting this entry!) Ahhh....life with a toddler and newborn...it's NO joke! (PS....it is now day 5 of me trying to get this blog post accomplished...I REALLY hope I can finish it this time!)

Now that we have excuses out of the way, let’s talk about the Batia Crew! We've had a full plate since Campbell's birth especially because of the holidays and with me starting back teaching at UCF. We had a wonderful Christmas with lots of family coming to visit US this year. All of Mark's family came to Florida and my dad was even able to come down to spend Christmas day with us. Brooks had an awesome time with all the family and he of course really was in to Christmas this year...so much fun! New Years was great too...our special friends Mike, Caroline and Cooper Smith came to stay for a couple of days and we did a big family friendly style New Years Eve partying too! I guess the more kids we have the more this will become the new normal!

 Brooks has been doing great over the past few weeks. Like I mentioned, he had a wonderful Christmas where he was totally spoiled by everyone! He loved spending time with Mark's brother and sister while they were in town. He doesn't get to seem them very often because they live so far away but now that he's getting older and has a longer memory its fun because he knows who they are and is very excited to see them! Speaking of memory, the child has the memory of an elephant! I swear you can mention something to him once and he will bring it up weeks later and have a whole conversation about it. In fact the kid is rarely quiet...he talks ALL the time!!! He is constantly asking questions (most of which he already knows the answers to) and chit chatting or singing something or the other. It's scary how much he knows and how much he is absorbing every day. Today he told me that Mickey Mouse was his "favorite" and then proceeded to tell me that Handy Manny, Elmo and Bob the Builder were also his favorites! I didn't even know he knew what "favorite" meant! He thinks he can read which is hilarious because half the time he is just looking at the pictures and making things up...and they actually make sense and are pretty close to what he's "trying" to read! He can spot a Starbucks or Target sign a mile away and he also knows the logos for Publix, Einstein Bagels, Chick-fil-a, and Bank of America! He thinks he's so smart! He can tell you all his colors and can correctly count up to 20. If he wants more than one of something like mini marshmallows he will say "I would like 1-2-3-4-5 of those please!" He can also name every sort of tractor/truck/machine there is...and if you call it something wrong he will correct you! We are talking advanced names too...it's not just a truck or big rig; it's an "articulated truck"! He always looks for the tractors and trucks when we are driving on the interstate and he keeps telling me that we wants to see a snowplow. I have to try and explain to him that we don't have snow plows here in Florida but he still wants to see one! He is constantly making me laugh at the things he says like the other afternoon I asked him if he would like some popcorn. He very sweetly told me "No thank you, I already had breakfast!"


Check out the nice boo-boo on his chin...he face planted into the side of bed and his tooth actually came through his chin! Poor little lamb!

Brooks is still growing like a weed too. He now weighs 33 pounds and is in a size 9 shoe! He wears 3T clothes and is getting a lot thinner...his legs are actually skinny! He's also starting to loose that baby look...there are some days that I look at him and think he looks like a little boy and not the two year old he is. Ahhh...they grow up so fast!

Let's talk about the little guy now. Campbell continues to be a good baby...for the most part! He has his days but I would say for the majority of the time he is a sweet and very scheduled baby. It surprises me when I think about how regulated he is...and I SWEAR I've didn't even have to try to schedule this one...he did it all himself! He continues to nurse every three hours during the day and has done a couple of nice 4-5 hour stretches at night. I am anxiously awaiting the time when I wake up and it's morning and Campbell is still sleeping! It will come soon enough...I hope! He naps really well too...he's still small enough that he is very portable and goes with the flow and that's nice when it comes to running errands and chasing a two year old! As I type this post Campbell is asleep in the car seat next to me...he's not peeped since we got home from running errands about 30 minutes ago! He does have his fussy time too. When Campbell is not happy we all know about it! He is a feisty little fella and he has quite a temper! He also LOVES to be held...if he is fussy you can always calm him down by just holding him. So needless to say my house is not as clean as it used to be but that’s because I'm holding Campbell!


I've really tried hard to not compare the boys. They are both very different, even in looks and coloring. Campbell is definitely not as fair as Brooks and his hair (the little that he has!) is darker. His eyes are just as blue though! They do favor a little, especially when they smile! Campbell is built differently than Brooks too...he's a little longer and leaner than Brooks was as a baby. He is starting to fill out but I still call him my little peanut!

Other than the holidays and visiting with family, we've just been busy adjusting to our new normal. Brooks and I are now back in the swing of social life and have been entertaining a lot of friends at home. Ella and Tiago are frequent visitors as well as Andrew, Brady and Katelyn. Here are a few pictures of Campbell hanging out with all of his new friends...especially his best bud Tiago!

They are too big now to share the pack-n-play!



Campbell is in blue and look how big Tiago is!

 

Swinging and bouncing together!

Here are all the kids hanging out at the Batia home...sharing a big bowl of popcorn!

Like I mentioned earlier, we've had a lot of company over the past few weeks. We were fortunate enough to have our sweet friends bring us meals for 3 weeks after Campbell came home! It was such a blessing not to have to cook every night! We also had both sides of our family in town for the holidays. Mark's family was here from the west coast and my family came over Christmas day to help us celebrate with Campbell and Brooks! It was so nice not to have to pack up and travel all over the Southeast this year, especially with two kids and the one being so new! Thank you family for coming to US this year! You all rock!

Brian and Kristen brought us an amazing porkchop casserol...and of course stayed a little while to visit with Campbell!

Mark and his brother Rick hanging out with Campbell

Brooks and Uncle Rick has a blast playing with all the toys in the backyard! They were two peas in a pod!

Brooks was showing Uncle Rick how the "digger" works

Mark, Brooks, Lyn and Rick on Christmas Eve

Brooks, Campbell, GJ and PG

Brooks on Christmas morning...who came to my house and delievered presents last night???

Oh it was Santa!!! I like that guy when you don't make me sit on his lap!!!

Showing Pop Pop all of his cool new toys! Uncle Troy was getting some quality time with Campbell

It doesn't get much better than this! Look at how little C looks!

Aunt Becca getting her sunggle time in!

Pop Pop and Brooks on a logging mission!

Christmas was wonderful...it was so special having both our boys this year!

Brooks and Campbell have been taking the last few weeks to get to know each other. Brooks is very sweet with C and so far is happy to be a big brother. He enjoys helping me change Campbell's diapers and is my right hand man when it comes to putting his paci back in when it falls out. It's so sweet to hear him talk to Campbell...it's always in a voice that is at least three octaves higher! Here are a few of the sweeter moments that I've been able to catch on film. I wasn't able to catch B poking C in the eye or throwing the football right at his head! :)

Staring at the ceiling fan!

Campbell LOVES his bath...this was the first time that both boys took a bath together!

Here is B sharing is tractor with C...so sweet!

All clean and ready for bed...

I caught B snugging on the chair with C...he wanted to show him the itsy bitsy spider on Mama's phone.

I caught him sharing his milk with Campbell too...we had a long talk about what C can and CANNOT have!

This is the first real smile/laugh that I was able to catch on camera! Love our happy baby!

One of the highlights of January was getting to see our great friends the Upps. They are now stationed in DC but Justin was in Florida for the month working at the Mayo Clinic. It was so awesome to catch up with these dear friends and their three super sweet kidos. Maddy is almost 3 and the twins had just turned one. Oh how we wish J and Susan lived closer so we could hang out all the time! Love you guys!

Now what does this piggie do???

Susan, Jameson, and me...and a bottle of Jameson!

Maddy and Brooks getting just ONE more bedtime story out of Justin!

Another highlight of the month was Campbell finally got to meet his Uncle Chad, Aunt Dana and cousins. They were able to come down and see us and they had such a great time visiting and loving on Campbell. Their visit was WAY too short but hopefully they will be able to see him again soon.

Sharing some smiles with Uncle Chad



ALL the boys couldn't get enough play time in together.

Over the past two weeks our boys have been pretty under the weather. It is that time of year when it seems that everyone you are around is sick or is getting over being sick. Needless to say Brooks has been the sicker of the two...he's had two double ear infections since Christmas! Poor guy can't seem to kick the nasty crud. He also has a respiratory infection that he passed on to Campbell. We have literally been to see the doctor 4 out of the last 7 days! Ugh!!! It's really scary when a little one like Campbell gets a bad virus. Their breathing has to be monitored so closely because it can go south quick. Lucky for us his lungs are still clear and we are praying to get through the next 48 hours without having to go back to the doctor or the ER! Brooks has an appointment this week to go back to the ENT to check to see if he needs another set of tubes in his ears. The other set fell out sometime between early December and Christmas and since then he's had two new infections. Fingers crossed we can figure this out and get the poor guy some relief.


In other health news, Campbell went to his 2 month well visit this past Friday and got a clean bill of health (this was before the upper respiratory infection!). He is growing and gaining weight...he now weighs 11.5 pounds and is 23 3/4 inches long. He is in the 50% for his age. He is right on track and developing perfectly!

Here is our happy boy...such an adorable smile!

We are looking forward to watching both our boys grow and get to know each other. It's exciting to seem them interact with one another already...Campbell will turn his head towards B when he is talking and has even given him a smile or two! I love my boys and look forward to posting more pictures of them soon...hopefully sooner than later! Promise!