Cora says.

Cora is talking up a STORM right now. When we left Miami, she had just a few words in her vocabulary. Now, she is asking questions, speaking in full sentences, and telling stories that go on and on (and on and on and on and on...), sometimes making sense.

Some of her highlights lately (for Bethany and anyone else who reads this):

-James spit up on my arm the other day, so I got a wipe out to clean it off. Cora saw this and said, "You have poopies, Mom?" (I laughed until I had tears in my eyes at this one)

-She cried the other day because she thought it was time to get Brandon and it wasn't. I gave her a hug and told her I was sorry she was crying, so she stopped. Then a few minutes later she started again, so I asked her why she was crying. She said "Mom, I just need to cry."

-Watching the Lion King's "Can you Feel the Love Tonight?" scene, she leaned her head over and said "Aww, lions hugging. Give me a hug mom!"

-Whenever she hears James crying, she runs over and says, "Oh James, it's not so bad. Buddy boy, don't cry!" And all the other things she hears me say to him.

-Today in church, she was singing along her own songs to the hymns. I couldn't catch what a lot of it was, but I heard her sing, "Why are you so sad mom?" (I don't know why she is so obsessed with my being sad and tired... Oh wait, it's because I have a newborn and I'm a mess. Oh well.)

-The other day, she refused to nap again. She's in this really bad funk right now. She fought it and screamed and kicked the wall and whatever for 3 hours. I was practicing my "ignore the junk behavior" parenting technique, so I let her do that. As soon as I got the door open to get her, she said, "Hi mom, did you have a nice nap?" And I said, "Uh, no I didn't. Because you were kicking the wall." And she said, "Oh, I was kicking the wall."

-She fell asleep in the car (from not napping........) and woke up just before we got to a drive through car wash. As you can imagine, it did NOT go over well. I have a video to prove it. When we got out of the car wash, she immediately said, "Oh wow, car wash". And with tears still running down her face she said, "Sorry dad, I cry". It honestly almost brought tears to my eyes to think that she feels the need to apologize for crying, so we told her that it is ok to be scared and to be sad. She is learning a lot of how to express her emotions.

-She is kind of sassy. The other day she was really mad at me (and vice versa) and yelled at me from her high chair, "Camille! YOU NEED TO LISTEN!" I was blown away, to be honest.

-She is very sweet and thoughtful. She likes to say things like "I help James pacifier", or "Hi mom, did you sleep?"

She is SO funny. She has been testing my patience and parenting strategies like crazy right now, but I love her independent streak and personality. She is my favorite. Even if I feel like I need to sell her to the zoo sometimes.

1 Month of James Murphy.

I can't believe that it has been a whole month since our tiny James has joined our family.

It has been a loving and difficult month. We have been so exhausted trying to keep up with 2 kids. Everyone has had their rough moments. But more on that later.
James is so sweet. We have had a problem with reflux and projectile vomiting, and the medicine seems to be finally starting to work. James, you are such a tough guy. It is so hard to hold your newborn as he heaves and throws up at 3 AM, so I am grateful for a doctor who listened to me and got me in an hour after I called for medicine.
He even gave us a sweet smile the other day. I'm convinced it was real because it came with a coo.

I love how peaceful he is in the middle of the night (most nights). He will fuss in his bed, then when I get him up he will yawn and look around. We have the bathroom light on so I can see, and he likes to just look at the light. It's so sweet and just a cute moment for us.

James has a fan club. Every morning Cora runs in and says "Baby James I hold you?" And tries to pick him up out of his bed. Luckily we can usually divert her. As hard as it has been this month, she LOVES James and has never gotten angry with him.
James has the cutest squishy cheeks. He is gaining weight super well (10 pounds 2 ounces at his 3 week checkup), which is a relief with all his spit up.
(Beginning of the month vs end of the month below)

I love how he stretches every time you pick him up or lay him down.

I love how masculine he looks. Everyone says he looks like Cora (the pediatrician looked at me and Brandon and said "Looks like Dad's genes got steamrollered again!"), but a BOY version. They emphasize the boy. Even when he has flower swaddles on. Sorry kid.

I love how he looks in this swaddle. I need to order more because he loves this one more than the ones that keep his arms down!

 I love how his hair looks RED! What are the odds?

James Murphy Giullian we sure love you. Happy one month lovebug.

Cousin Megan comes to town.

We were lucky enough to have my cousin Megan Myres come stay with us for a week. When I was a teenager, I got to go stay with different aunts and uncles when they had babies. I know I went to stay with John and LaDawn, Robert and Jill, Wes and Annie, and Brian and Denice. Now looking back, I'm not sure how helpful I was (oops). But, as I learned, sometimes just having another person around who can carry a conversation with you was worth it.

 Cora took a minute to warm up, but then she let Megan play with her.

 

 So tiny and yet so big!

 The day after Megan got here we needed to run to the pediatrician to get James on some medicine for his reflux. Having Megan there to keep Cora distracted made the whole trip worth it!

 Cora is such a good helper.

 That Saturday we went to the farmer's market and got some delicious snacks, then we drove up to the Sequoias. Cora ate all the blackberries on the way up.

 It took us FOUR hours to get to General Sherman (as opposed to the usual 1.5). So when we saw the line to take pictures was super long, we decided to forgo it and just take our own.

 

 Next we drove over to Kings Canyon National Park, which makes #7 for us. I definitely prefer Kings Canyon, because it is so much less crowded. 

 Plus they have the General Grant tree, which is the second largest tree in the world AND the nation's Christmas tree.

 The General Grant tree has a giant fire scar on the back. It is pretty impressive.

 

 Cora is such a good big sister.

 Dancing to "We Are the Dinosaurs"

 James loves Megan.

 I love those sleepy smiles! Actually caught one.

 I'm learning how to wear a baby. It is not going as well as I thought.

 Cora loves the painting booth at the children's museum.

 Such a train hoarder. Major eye roll.

 Tried a walk with the babies. It went well for half the time!

 Moana needed the rock n play one day.

 We also went to the zoo one day!

 Oh brother.

 On the way home James had a major meltdown so we pulled over in a not so good part of Fresno in a gas station.

 Luckily we finally got Megan off after a mixup with the airlines. But we were sad to see her go! Thanks for coming Megan, come back any time!