puppy love

I just read this blog post and was reminded of how Penny is such a big part of our family. Lately, I've been quick to snap at her because she's decided it's okay to jump up on the kitchen table to eat Kyle's leftovers, and she can't help but bark when she hears Brian's car pull up in the driveway. She freaks out when I leave the house, and has to find juuuuust the right spot of grass to pee on, even when I'm in a hurry.

I've been letting these little things get to me because they seem to make my life harder. But I need to let them go, and start to appreciate more the joy that she brings to our family! Especially to Kyle. He adores his doggy and she's taught him so much. Because of her, he has understood how to be "gentle" and "nice" since he was just a little baby. I'm pretty sure it's because of Penny that he started to crawl when he did (to get her ball, of course), and he is a pro at throwing the ball because they've been playing together since before he could walk. I also love that Kyle isn't even the tiniest bit afraid of dogs or animals because he's been around them since the day he was born.

It helps that we are pretty much the luckiest yorkie owners on the planet. Penny is remarkably patient and loving with him, and I'm not sure you'd believe me when I tell you that from the second I put Kyle down for his nap until he gets up, that she lays on her bed and doesn't make a peep - even when I open the front door. She knows that's our quiet time.

Thanks Evie's Lifestyle for reminding me of what's important! And for the bonus knowledge that children with pets are more mature, have higher self-esteem, better social skills, and have virtually no trouble forming and maintaining peer connections. We love our Penny Pens.

PS - Penny has her own Instagram! @penny_the_yorkie_

park days (every day)

Most days, I feel extremely lucky that we have a huge park right in our back yard. Our actual back yard doesn't have grass, so we just walk right behind our house and - voila! Lately we've been practicing our "races" when dad gets home from work. I say "on your mark... get set... GO!" and then we all run as fast slow as we can, wait for Kyle to catch up and start all over again. It's my favorite.

The downside to all of this is that Kyle knows there's a huge park right in his back yard, and must go out there all the time - even when mom wants to stay on the front yard and have a snack, or enjoy some coffee in the actual back yard, or do dishes, or use the restroom, or do work. The park is always more fun!

#kyleandpenny

About 2 months ago I had a terrible day with this wagon. Kyle refused to sit down in it, my back was hurting and I couldn't lift/carry him, so we spent 20 minutes fighting each other and both crying as we tried to make the 10 foot walk home. After that day I put the wagon away and knew we needed some space.

Now that Kyle has grown up a bit and (kind of) understands the rules that he needs to SIT at all times, the wagon is fun again! The past couple of days we've taken it to the park and ran around on the grass. We took it to a birthday party, the corner market and we also ride in style to gym class. This wagon was the present Brian & I gave Kyle on his 1st birthday in the hopes that we'd make many memories with it over the years, and we're already well on our way to doing that.

Also, I love looking back at old photos of Kyle & Penny together to see how much they've grown and to think of how much all of our lives have changed. Just 15 months ago our days were filled with snuggles, long nursing sessions, naps and... not much else. Penny thought she had a new buddy to sleep next to all day long, but she was in for a surprise! Now we are go, go, go all day long. Penny joins us in the back yard for water play, she goes on wagon rides, watches us at the playground, sits in the basket for family bike rides and has to always be on her guard for tiny hands grabbing her ears/legs/tail without warning. We're very lucky that Kyle learned early on to be "gentle" with his sister and other animals, but he's still a toddler and loves to play rough. Penny has been a trouper and is very patient with him, and also with me when I sometimes lose my cool with her after a stressful day. She's such an important part of our family!

hey, it's Christmas Eve!

I hope everyone is enjoying their Christmas Eve! I spent my morning making this amazing candy cane fudge while Kyle took a glorious 2-hour Christmas nap. Brian only had to work half-day, so he's home now putting the finishing touches on Kyle's Christmas present (he's in the garage making a custom seat for his new red wagon!). Penny is in her xmas jammies and we are all enjoying the beautiful sunny day. So far, Kyle's first Christmas is filled with chocolate and family, what could be better?

crawlin' and throwin'. nbd.

Kyle is officially a crawler! He woke up from his nap yesterday and decided it was time. Of course his motivation was Penny - he's been trying to crawl to her since the first time he laid eyes on her. Now he is constantly crawling to her, or her ball. Oh, and his other new trick is throwing! He actually picks up balls and throws them across the room. Yup, I seriously play catch with my 8 month old. How is this happening?

So far life is actually a little bit easier now that he can get around, because he's not so frustrated all the time that he can't go anywhere, and isn't constantly looking for my hands to pull himself up. But I think we're still in the honeymoon crawling 101 phase, because he'll still sit still and play for a good chunk of time before he takes off.

PS - Day 1 of crawling he found the remote control and got the battery out, and day 2 of crawling he tried to stick his finger right in the socket and then pull off the protective cover. Fun times ahead!

snuggle buddies

This may be my favorite photo yet. My 2 little loves snuggling on my lap in bed this morning. Melts my heart!

I'll just pretend he didn't grab her ear and pull 3 seconds later ;)

we still love our dog.

When I was pregnant with Kyle, one of my biggest worries was that our beloved yorkie, Penny, would become a neglected step-child. I had heard from many people that once I had the baby my love for Penny would decrease dramatically and she would no longer be a priority to us. This made me incredibly sad, as Penny was such a huge part of our family. I was very concerned that all of these people were right: once you have a baby, the dog gets pushed to the side - or sometimes out the door.

Six months later, I'm happy to report that our sweet girl is very much still in the picture! Although she is understandably the 2nd priority (I mean, Kyle should be #1, right?), I feel confident that she still feels loved and part of the fam. And Kyle LOVES her! He's kind of obsessed, actually. Up until he was about 4-5 months old, he acted like he couldn't even see her. But now that he's growing up and more aware of his surroundings, Penny is like his little buddy. And she is so protective and patient with him.

I wanted to make a list of memories with Penny for us to remember, so here it is:

• Penny is a snuggle bug. Wherever we are, she is right there next to us. It's been hard for her to learn that she needs to keep a little distance from Kyle, because if she gets too close he will grab her legs, face, ear and start cracking up. Poor Penny.
• When Kyle wakes up from his nap and is making noise in his crib, Penny will push his door open and go check on him, then wait outside his door for me to go get him. So sweet!
• The first time we gave Kyle rice cereal, Penny jumped up on my chair to watch him eat.
• Penny will probably be the reason that Kyle starts to crawl. When they're on the floor together, he will do whatever it takes to get closer to her! (see video below for proof!)

• Thanks to Penny, Kyle gets to take so many walks in his stroller. We usually take between 3-6 walks in the park a day and Penny acts like she owns the place. The kids in the park love to pet her, and the old ladies love to go gaga over the baby.
• Penny still barks at the front door (her most annoying feature by far), but she seems to understand that his nap time is quiet time. Of course if a cat jumps into our back yard or a dog barks outside she'll make some noise, but for the most part she takes the opportunity to nap herself. And her barking has yet to wake the baby - we use white noise in his room when he sleeps, and he's probably used to the sound from hearing it so much when he was in my tummy.
• When Kyle cries, sometimes Penny is noticeably uncomfortable. She will lay in a corner and look very sad.
• If Kyle and I are playing on the floor and he starts to get bored, when Penny comes around with one of her toys it's endless entertainment for him. Speaking of toys - Penny hasn't tried to put ANY of Kyle's toys in her mouth! They are all over the floor but she knows which ones are hers and stays away from Kyle's. It's amazing how dogs just "get it" sometimes.
• I still make Penny do silly poses like this one to post on Instagram (check out #petselfiez - hilarious!). She is such a good sport.

• Since we brought Kyle home, Penny has become so much more protective of me. If Brian wants to take her for a walk without me & Kyle, she'll pretty much stay by our side until we coax her into going without us.
• Kyle loves to sit in his bumbo in the bathtub while I give Penny a bath. It's hilarious.
• We actually make decisions about where to put furniture based on Penny's bed and toys. Seems crazy, but we didn't want to move her bed from the place it's been since we brought her home to accommodate Kyle's high chair or pack-n-play. (Quote from Brian: "Hasn't she been through enough in the past 6 months?!") 
• Since we're on a tighter budget now that I'm not working full-time, I haven't been able to take Penny to the groomer as often for her deep conditioning oatmeal treatment (haha). Poor thing looks so shaggy since her haircuts are few and far between and I have been doing some (half-assed) home grooming. Check out Kyle's 1 month and 6 month outtakes below as evidence. (While she doesn't look as groomed, I think Penny would actually consider this a bonus since she absolutely HATES getting groomed.)

it's obvious dog grooming is not my calling.

Of course Penny is not the center of our world anymore and sometimes when I have the baby she gets in the way, but she's still a huge part of the Coriaty fam. We're lucky that these 2 are getting along so well, and that we have a dog that's so easy-going and patient. I feel so relieved that I can be a mommy to our sweet boy and still have room in my heart and home for my first "child" :)

5 months

Kyle, you are 5 months old today! Here are a few things about you at 5 months that I want to remember forever:

• You are getting really good at sitting up. You still crash & burn sometimes, but you can hold yourself up and play with toys for at least a few minutes!
• Some days you'll roll over from tummy to back over and over like it's no big deal, and other days you just lay there like you have no idea what you're supposed to do and fuss until I roll you over myself :)
• In the morning, you love to sit in your Baby Einstein saucer and watch a Baby Einstein video, or sit in your bouncy seat and watch me clean the kitchen.
• You're all over the board with sleep. You're still in our room and usually wake up 1-2 times in 10-12 hours. Some nights you'll wake up at 2:30 and then 6:30, and other nights you sleep until 5 am and then don't wake up till 8. Those are my favorite nights :) We'll probably have to move you to your crib for good soon, so I'm savoring these last weeks with you sleeping so near to me. It's comforting to be able to peek over and see you sleeping soundly, and fall asleep to the sound of your breath (or snores!).
• You grab onto EVERYTHING! Your favorite things to grab are my hair (& pull), our lips, the remote control, Penny, your burp cloths and #1: my iPhone.
• It is so easy for me to make you laugh. All I have to do is open my eyes or mouth wide or say "boo!" and you start to giggle. Pretty much every time I look in your direction you smile at me, and it makes my heart explode every single time.
• This month we've gone on lots of adventures - to the OC Fair, playdates at the park, your first Angel game, your first time in the pool... it's so fun to show you the world!
• You're wearing size 3 diapers and size 6 months clothes.
• You don't need a paci to go to sleep at night, but you like to have one for naptime, in the car or when you're being mellow.
• You stay with dad 2 times a week while I go to work, and with grandma Suzie once a week. Grandma Suzie took you to music class the last 3 weeks and you absolutely loved it!

Cannot believe next month you will be 6 months old! How in the world did that happen?! I can't express how much we love you. Every day when I see your sweet smile I feel so grateful that you're my son and I get to be your mommy. It's been so much fun becoming a family together. I'm so happy!

man's best friend in the making

Kyle has started showing interest in Penny. Up until this week, he just pretended she didn't exist. But lately we've been catching him following her with his eyes and reaching out for her when she's around.

Poor girl has no idea what she's in for!

4 months

Kyle, you are 4 months old! 

You are my little sidekick. I love spending every day with you and seeing your sweet smile! Here is an update on what 4 months has brought us:

• We went to your 4 month check up yesterday. You weigh 16 lbs, 8 oz! We talked to the doc about your sensitive skin and he recommended we change detergent and use a good lotion. So yesterday mommy re-washed all of your clothes and put away all your NB - 3 mo outfits. We were so lucky to have so many hand-me-downs from your cousin Jacob and friend Logan that some of the stuff you only wore once or twice! All these cute clothes and jammies are going into storage for now...

• You are grabbing everything in sight, including mommy's necklace and hair at all times. You love to hold onto your links or toys, especially in the car. Some favorites are your monkey, Sophie the Giraffe and your crinkly books. But your favorite thing to grab seems to be your pacifier strap!
• You don't have your paci in your mouth all the time, but when you do want it you like to take it out and try and put it back in. You've been successful a handful of times!
• Last night, we stopped swaddling your arms to sleep at night. I think you were waking up in the middle of the night because you were PO'd that you couldn't move your arms! Night 1 of no swaddle was a success: you slept 9-3, nursed and went right back to sleep until 8. Yay!
• It's pretty easy for mommy to make you laugh. You laugh at me when I talk or sing to you, or make funny sounds. You even laugh at me when I say "shhhhh" when I'm trying to put you to sleep! What's up with that?
• We started music class last week through the city recreation program and you LOVED IT! We sat in a circle with 7 other moms/babies and you were just staring at the other babies and smiling. We learned a couple new songs and did some sign language, and you got to hold onto the bells and drums and shake away! We can't wait for next week's class.
• You still love to be outside, so we go for lots of walks in the stroller or Bjorn or take a blanket and lay in the park so you can stare at the trees.
• You still hate tummy time and have shown no interest in rolling from your tummy to your back since your miraculous roll-overs at only 3 weeks old. You almost roll from your back to your tummy, though. We'll keep working at it!
• You can *almost* sit up by yourself. You love to sit up with my help, and sit up in your bouncy seat and Bumbo almost all day.
• You're still not the best napper, but you're getting better. You'll nap for about 1-2 hours in the swing in the morning, 2 hours after you wake up. Then you'll nap again in the afternoon but give mommy a hard time about it. Of course you love to fall asleep while nursing or in the car, but always wake up as soon as we get in the house.
• You are LOUD! You love to scream/squeal like a dolphin and make funny sounds. They crack us up!
• You had your first cold, but it was very minor. Just a runny nose for a day or so and a little congestion, but you're better now. We are dreading you getting any sicker than that! Let's stay healthy all year, ok?

my angel boy!

3 months, con't

When Kyle smiles, his whole face lights up from an adorable toothless grin. I can make him smile all day long just by looking him in the eye and smiling at him, or even just by talking to him. But when there's a camera around (even my iPhone), getting a smile out of this boy is a very different story: he gets a concerned look on his face and just stares at the camera, wondering why it's in his face.

Ugh! I want nothing more than to capture the sweet smile I see every day, but so far I've been pretty unsuccessful. This is the best Brian & I could do for his 3 month picture with Penny:

a little smile peeking out!

what's going on, mom?

Hopefully I can capture his huge toothless grin that I love so much sooner than later!

all you need is love...

...and a dog.

my Penny

Our sweet girl is a trooper. She's graciously stepped aside as the center of our household the day we brought Kyle home, with minimal complaints. She gave up her favorite spot on my lap. She has accepted that she now goes for 2-3 walks a day instead of 4-5. She gets pet less, and scolded more (for barking when the baby is asleep).

She knows her life is different now; she can sense it. She knows that Kyle is here to stay and that he's someone we love. Before he was born, Penny would follow me around the house all day long. This morning, I got out of bed and went to the kitchen for a few minutes. When I came back to the bedroom, Penny was still in bed and had moved closer to Kyle's bed, where he was fast asleep. She keeps an eye on her brother, always hanging out wherever he is.

We're lucky Penny is such a good girl. Lots of dogs act out when a baby comes home, but Penny is still our little sweetheart and is great with the baby. I hope she knows she's still our sweet girl. I wish there was a way to tell a dog that they are still loved just as much, even though their life is different and it might seem like they aren't as important anymore. It's kind of like when you accidentally step on their paw - you can say "sorry," but they don't understand. They just know that you hurt them and wonder if they did something wrong.

I think Penny is getting used to the new addition to our family and her new life, I just hope she likes it and is bracing herself for lots of adventures ahead with a growing boy!

laying low

Kyle and I are enjoying a mellow week at home. Here are a couple of pictures of him "laying low."

happy boy at 9 weeks

hanging out with his sister

6 weeks

Kyle, you are 6 weeks old!

You had an exciting day today - you went to your first party for Emily's 4th birthday, where you slept in the Baby Bjorn the whole time and wore your first party hat (and made dad wear one too). Later, your cousins, auntie KK and Mammie came over to visit and give you lots of lovin.

party hats!

Every day is a new adventure with you since you're still learning what you like and what you don't. One day you love taking walks in the park, and the next day you cry the entire time! You are starting to like baths, but don't like the lotion part; you seem to like your diaper changed and love to lay on your changing table, where you stare at the picture of the Ferrari on the wall; you sometimes like tummy time and sometimes fight me the whole time; you like it when I sing you songs at night and usually love to take drives. You're starting to notice toys but aren't quite following them with your eyes yet. You still like your big swing, where you'll sleep for a couple hours in the afternoon. We're figuring it out together!

I'm so amazed by how strong you are. It seems like you were born holding your head up, and I can't believe some of the things you try and do. When I'm burping you on my shoulder it's almost like you're standing up on my tummy! You like to push off with your legs and hold up your body and look around. Strong boy! And your eyelashes seem to grow by the day - long and curly. I'm pretty jealous of them, actually.

This week we made a trip to Target and I don't think we'll be doing that again for a little while. Turns out you're not quite ready for shopping trips yet. Or maybe mommy isn't ready :)

Also this week we saw your first tear! You were crying in the car on our way home and a teardrop came out of your eye. Oh so sad.

Penny loves hanging out with her brother. When you're in the swing, she'll lay on the couch near you the entire time. And she loves laying on the blanket/mat with you - wherever you are, she's there keeping her eye on you!

buddies

1 month

Kyle, you are 1 month old! 

How did that happen already?! You've already grown and changed so much since the day we met you. I can only imagine how fast the rest of your first year will fly by.

You love to eat. All the time. In any capacity.

You were born at 9 lbs., 2 oz. You went down to 8 lbs., 8 oz. the week after and now you weigh 9 lbs., 15 oz.! Wow! After a rough start, you've turned into a really good eater.

Surprisingly, you're still wearing size NB and just a couple of things size 0-3 mos. fit you. Even though you're almost 10 lbs. now, you're pretty slender. I was expecting you to be out of size NB in the first week! You don't have very many size NB clothes, so you'll be dressing much cuter in a few weeks.

You are happiest in the morning. Since we're not getting tons of sleep at night (2-4 hour stretches with an hour or more of awake time in between), mommy likes to stay in bed with you for a while in the morning and you usually like the snuggle time :)

You kind of like the moby wrap but only for a little bit. We've gotten pretty good at getting you in there, and we've done some laundry and chores with you in it before you fall cry or fall asleep. We haven't tried the Baby Bjorn yet, but that's next!

You like to lay on your colorful mat for about 20 minutes a day, on your back and then your tummy. And you've already rolled over from your tummy to your back! Strong boy.

You also like to go on walks in the park with Penny. We usually go out 2-3 times a day and is our time to get some fresh air.

Your eyes are more brown than blue now, and your hair is still pretty red! I think you're looking more like mommy, but some people have said you look like daddy.

You were having fun at the beginning of our little 1 month photo shoot...

Kyle & Penny
Thanks to our friends Jill & Justin for the cute month-by-month stickers!

...but then you got a little upset that I kept making you sit in the corner. Sorry about that!

more pictures here!

32 weeks

Brian took this pic of me right before I left for work on Jan. 2.

It was a rough morning trying to get out the door in the 7:00 hour after a New Year's 4-day weekend that involved sleeping until 10 or 11 every day.

But I thought I was having a good hair day, so I let him snap away :)

32 weeks!

Of course Penny had to sneak in, too. Not many photos exist in our fam without her somewhere in the shot!

our first born

It's no secret that our Penny girl has been our baby for the past 3 years... we're kind of obsessed.

I understand that when baby arrives, everything changes - but I never want to lose the love I have for this little bundle of energy. Many people have told me that when baby arrives, dog goes. But she's brought us so much joy since we brought her home in May 2009 - I can't imagine our little family without her. 

I know she'll be an amazing big sister and can't wait for baby boy to love her as much as we do.

Is that a smile?