Owen and Grandpa had a lot of fun playing with stickers the other day!!
August 31, 2011
August 30, 2011
PB's Baby Shower!!
This past Saturday we had a big ol' celebration! What was the occasion??? Well it just so happen to be Miss Peyton Cincoski's (also known by Mommy and Daddy as Peyter Bug, Peyters and PB) first party. We helped her Mommy and Daddy celebrate her pending arrival :)
I had the honor of helping plan the details of the shower...and helping shower them with love and warmth on this special day!! I enjoyed every minute of it!
One of my favorite tasks was ordering, picking up and arranging Gerber daisies for the centerpieces :) Here are some pics of the flowers before the shower. Simply beautiful!!
I had the honor of helping plan the details of the shower...and helping shower them with love and warmth on this special day!! I enjoyed every minute of it!
One of my favorite tasks was ordering, picking up and arranging Gerber daisies for the centerpieces :) Here are some pics of the flowers before the shower. Simply beautiful!!
The shower itself was a great success! We played trivia, ate delicious food and enjoyed the company of wonderful people :) I believe Baby Peyton is going to be well dressed and surrounded with mountains of love!!
A table full of memories...along with a canvas signed by shower guests...and a GIANT mason jar that had Steff written all over it! I had so much fun filling it with daisies!
The centerpieces came together just like I'd hoped they would!
Delicious cupcakes!
This little turkey belongs to my brother-in-law and sister-in-law...and us too ;) Can't pass up cute pictures of your niece right?? Love you and those cheeks Miss Isabel :)
Peyter's Mommy and Daddy opening all the amazing gifts!!
This dress was so sweet and perfect!
Happy Baby Shower Lil' Peyter Bug!! We can't wait to meet you!
August 25, 2011
Family Photos
This past weekend, we took ourselves to do a family photo shoot. I thought it would be nice timing to have some pictures of us as our family structure changes and grows. I'm so glad we scheduled the time and went and did this. This time is so precious!
I was very excited to have Steph from Steph's Photography do our photo shoot. She did our maternity photos when I was pregnant with Owen and we LOVED the pictures! This session was no different! You can check out the photos she posted to her blog here.
I'm really excited to use these as a springboard for our family photo wall. The one of the four of us from her blog is going to be smack in the middle!!
If you are in the IL Metro and need some good photos taken, I would highly recommend checking her out :)
I was very excited to have Steph from Steph's Photography do our photo shoot. She did our maternity photos when I was pregnant with Owen and we LOVED the pictures! This session was no different! You can check out the photos she posted to her blog here.
I'm really excited to use these as a springboard for our family photo wall. The one of the four of us from her blog is going to be smack in the middle!!
If you are in the IL Metro and need some good photos taken, I would highly recommend checking her out :)
August 24, 2011
Music Lovin' bunch!!
Lately the Linley's have done lots of listening to music. Maybe it's because we have allowed ourselves to embrace the beauty of iTunes and Pandora Radio. But regardless...if you stop by our house right now...it's highly likely you will hear some great new tunes floating around! I have included some links to many of the great new songs we're listening to right now.
Admittedly, I have once again had my heart stollen...and it's not by one of the boys living here. Shame on me I know! Jer and I have been anxiously awaiting another album from this guy. It also looks like he has a recently released single...which is exciting! So needless to say, I was excited when some of his newer music popped up on Pandora. All I can say is LOVE it!!
We also recently downloaded music from a guy named Eric Hutchinson. Thanks Jer!! He was a great find! Check him out here.
AND...I'm currently loving nearly everything Adele. Especially this song...oh and this one is one of my favorites!!
Not to be forgotten, the littlest Linleys aren't subjected only to Jer and I's favorites. The boys have been enjoying this lady and her band...I frequently sing this song to Owen. He pretty much heard it every day for the first 12 months of his life. Also, the Disney station on Pandora is saved to our radio stations. If you have kids...you gotta check it out!
I hope you enjoy some of the musical snacks that have been filling the air at the Linley household :)
Admittedly, I have once again had my heart stollen...and it's not by one of the boys living here. Shame on me I know! Jer and I have been anxiously awaiting another album from this guy. It also looks like he has a recently released single...which is exciting! So needless to say, I was excited when some of his newer music popped up on Pandora. All I can say is LOVE it!!
We also recently downloaded music from a guy named Eric Hutchinson. Thanks Jer!! He was a great find! Check him out here.
AND...I'm currently loving nearly everything Adele. Especially this song...oh and this one is one of my favorites!!
Not to be forgotten, the littlest Linleys aren't subjected only to Jer and I's favorites. The boys have been enjoying this lady and her band...I frequently sing this song to Owen. He pretty much heard it every day for the first 12 months of his life. Also, the Disney station on Pandora is saved to our radio stations. If you have kids...you gotta check it out!
I hope you enjoy some of the musical snacks that have been filling the air at the Linley household :)
August 20, 2011
Owen's Therapy...an update!
So in the midst of all the craziness that has been having and bringing Cooper home, we have also began a few sessions of therapy with Owen. I mentioned this here.
All I can say is that Owen is doing tremendously!! Before the therapy even began, we were given some basic homework. We began signing just a few things with him and it has opened a gateway of communication from him. He is imitating sounds and gestures. He is Dadda's little copy cat and wants to do everything that Jeremy is doing. From putting on shoes to turning a screwdriver. If Jer is doing it...Owen wants to be doing it too. So I am happy to report that prior to the beginning of any of his therapy...his communication stepped up by several levels!!
His first session with speech left us with many great new tips and things to try. Despite having a newborn in the middle of the first couple sessions, we have tried really hard to work on the things recommended. Owen can now say and sign for More, Eat, Drink, All Done. He can also say a huge list of words and has also began putting together full sentences such as What did he do? And There he is. He says Deci's name, calls for my parents dog Maggie, says Thank You, Love You, Outside, Bye Bye, The End. It's truly been an explosion of language. It is so exciting!!
Here is a chart of some of the signs he is using on a regular basis!
This week he had his 3rd and 4th session with Speech and his second with Developmental. He will also begin Occupational in just a short week or two. It is a lot of appointments to juggle, but I'm hoping once we get a few set on the calendar, it will be a little bit smoother in terms of scheduling!
I'm hoping to get better about posting a weekly progress report on some things we did in each session and what we learned from them. Not just for my own record keeping, but also to help me reflect back on things as we build from week to week! Stay tuned for more on Owen and everything he is doing :) I'll be back next week with an update on this!!
All I can say is that Owen is doing tremendously!! Before the therapy even began, we were given some basic homework. We began signing just a few things with him and it has opened a gateway of communication from him. He is imitating sounds and gestures. He is Dadda's little copy cat and wants to do everything that Jeremy is doing. From putting on shoes to turning a screwdriver. If Jer is doing it...Owen wants to be doing it too. So I am happy to report that prior to the beginning of any of his therapy...his communication stepped up by several levels!!
His first session with speech left us with many great new tips and things to try. Despite having a newborn in the middle of the first couple sessions, we have tried really hard to work on the things recommended. Owen can now say and sign for More, Eat, Drink, All Done. He can also say a huge list of words and has also began putting together full sentences such as What did he do? And There he is. He says Deci's name, calls for my parents dog Maggie, says Thank You, Love You, Outside, Bye Bye, The End. It's truly been an explosion of language. It is so exciting!!
Here is a chart of some of the signs he is using on a regular basis!
I'm hoping to get better about posting a weekly progress report on some things we did in each session and what we learned from them. Not just for my own record keeping, but also to help me reflect back on things as we build from week to week! Stay tuned for more on Owen and everything he is doing :) I'll be back next week with an update on this!!
August 18, 2011
August 16, 2011
Cooper's First Bath
Since we are still waiting for Coop's belly button to take leave, we can't submerge his little body into a nice warm bath just yet. We are still doing baths with him though...just the kind that make him scream!
Here's some photos of our first go round. And we recently received the neatest little bath essential!! It's a duck shaped cloth that you get nice and warm with water and then lay over them as you bath! It's been a great way to keep Cooper from screaming his little tushy off because he's freezing!!
Here's some photos of our first go round. And we recently received the neatest little bath essential!! It's a duck shaped cloth that you get nice and warm with water and then lay over them as you bath! It's been a great way to keep Cooper from screaming his little tushy off because he's freezing!!
And the awesome ducky!
August 15, 2011
Owen holds Cooper for the first time!!!
I'm so proud of Owen and how well he has taken to being a big brother. He's put his amazingly sweet little heart to work already showing Cooper lots of affection and love. It warms my heart and gives me wonderful excitement to see him grow up into a gentle boy with a great big heart!
Owen calls Cooper "Baby" for now. Though he's beginning to work on the name Cooper. Sometimes we get Ooper...and sometimes we hear him whisper Coopa. He has taken to whispering when he isn't fully confident in the words he's saying. I love this!! He also will help us pat Cooper's back when its time for a burp. He kisses him on the forehead first thing in the morning and just about anytime he thinks it's been awhile and Cooper needs a good kiss! When Cooper cries he says, "Uh-Oh." He will also take his bink and bring it over to us if he thinks Cooper needs it. There are more than these things...but in his short two weeks with Cooper, Owen's been a big helper and our big boy who just loves his little brother.
We can't wait to see these two grow up and enjoy sibling-hood together!
Owen calls Cooper "Baby" for now. Though he's beginning to work on the name Cooper. Sometimes we get Ooper...and sometimes we hear him whisper Coopa. He has taken to whispering when he isn't fully confident in the words he's saying. I love this!! He also will help us pat Cooper's back when its time for a burp. He kisses him on the forehead first thing in the morning and just about anytime he thinks it's been awhile and Cooper needs a good kiss! When Cooper cries he says, "Uh-Oh." He will also take his bink and bring it over to us if he thinks Cooper needs it. There are more than these things...but in his short two weeks with Cooper, Owen's been a big helper and our big boy who just loves his little brother.
We can't wait to see these two grow up and enjoy sibling-hood together!
August 14, 2011
Cooper's Two Week Checkup
This past Thursday was Cooper's first appointment with our pediatrician! Here were his first appointment stats:
Weight: 7lbs/14oz
Height/Length: 20 3/4 inches
He is 25 - 50th percentile in weight.
50th in length
25 - 50 for head circumference!
Basically at this appointment we heard he is growing by leaps and bounds. Perfectly pink. Perfectly proportioned and perfectly healthy!! It was such a relief to hear that all is well and he's doing wonderfully!
Some other Cooper tidbits and reflections on the past week or so:
He is currently eating 2 to 2 1/2 ounces of formula every 4 hours. He loves to be awake from the hours of 2am to 6am...and naps pretty hard in the morning afterwards. Hopefully once he is awake a bit more during the day he'll start sleeping through that early morning stretch a little bit for his Momma and Dadda! But for now there is no complaining. Both Jer and I have gotten 4 or 5 hours of sleep most nights since he's come home! That is NOT too shabby at all :) Thanks Coop for taking it easy on us!!
He is wearing newborn diapers. We are trying to figure out why he keeps wetting through every other one. With Owen a simple switch to Huggies did the trick. But I'm wondering if we need to just get him into size one diapers to help keep him drier during the day.
As of right now his belly button has not fallen off. But we are anxiously awaiting the day we can give him his first real bath! We have been doing nightly baths in his bath sling, but since we can't submerge his little belly button...he doesn't enjoy them as much!! He does however, LOVE having water ran over his little head and us scrubbing it with shampoo and the brush they sent home from the hospital. We do this over the sink each night. I think it might be his favorite part of the day!!
Cooper's outfits consist of every newborn onesie we can dig up out of Owen's drawers and any of the small 0 to 3 month clothes that have shrunk up! Since he has gotten a bit longer in length though...some things are beginning to fit a bit better. He cracks me up. Most of our sleep n plays are nice and small...but his little feet never seem to stay put inside the footies!
I love that both of his little feet fit into my hand. That's something I'll never forget...especially when he's a big, stinky, 17 year old coming off the football field in his size 12 shoes. I'll never forget that one day, oh so many years ago...his little feet fit right into the palm of my hand!
He has a perfect swirl of baby hair on the crown of his head. It reminds me so much of Owen. I can't wait to see if it falls out and comes back in like Owen's did...or if he won't loose it all and it'll be darker like mine!
Baby laundry is tremendous. Top it off with Owen's 2 to 3 clothes changes plus ours...whoa Momma. It's tough because I'm not a lot of help on the laundry front right now. God bless my husband. And also God bless mothers of triplets and quads and multiples in general. I have no idea how they do it!
Two children in one house is totally different...but we seem to be balancing everything pretty well for now. There are many new routines. My day begins and ends with a sink full of bottles and cups. They never seem to stay clean! The house needs picked up 2 and 3 times a day. The animals have to remind us they need water and food because we have absentmindedly forgotten...and I'm sure that's just the beginning of many new things to come!
Jer goes back to work on Monday. **TEARS and when I say tears I mean um...big fat cry like a baby tears!!*** I'm already weepy at the idea of it. This time together has been so wonderful. We are so blessed! Luckily he will hopefully be going back to working 10's and having Friday's off for awhile until summer comes to a close. But boy am I going to be a lost lady without my hubby around next week!
We took the boys to the park twice this week to enjoy the weather and for me to stretch my legs! Wow what beautiful weather we've had!! I am hoping we can fit these trips in the evening once Jer settles back into a work routine. Last night we also took a stroll around the yard. I put Cooper in our baby carrier and Owen, Jer and Deci burned off some energy chasing around a ball. Our poor yard is scorched and neglected from the heat and the arrival of Cooper. I'm hoping a little water and TLC will help bring some of it back to life!
September is shaping up to be a very busy month for us. Beginning August 27th, we will celebrate Baby Cincoski's arrival with a shower. Yay!! The following weekend we have a large Linley family gathering to prep for...there will be a bounce house in our backyard. Holy moly!! Then September 6th we return to the doctor for Cooper's one month check up...one month! Already!! September 26th our big man has his 2 and a half year check up. And the 28th we return to Children's for Owen's follow-up eye exam at the Eye Center. Then dun dun dun...I return to work October 10. Life sure does move fast doesn't it???
For now I'm going to take it one day at a time. Each day is a chance to hold, hug, love on, sing to, play with and enjoy the mess out of my kids and my time at home!
Okay...I think that's a good run down of Linley's going-ons! I better get back to whatever I was doing before I selfishly slipped in front of the computer to blog!!!
Weight: 7lbs/14oz
Height/Length: 20 3/4 inches
He is 25 - 50th percentile in weight.
50th in length
25 - 50 for head circumference!
Basically at this appointment we heard he is growing by leaps and bounds. Perfectly pink. Perfectly proportioned and perfectly healthy!! It was such a relief to hear that all is well and he's doing wonderfully!
Some other Cooper tidbits and reflections on the past week or so:
He is currently eating 2 to 2 1/2 ounces of formula every 4 hours. He loves to be awake from the hours of 2am to 6am...and naps pretty hard in the morning afterwards. Hopefully once he is awake a bit more during the day he'll start sleeping through that early morning stretch a little bit for his Momma and Dadda! But for now there is no complaining. Both Jer and I have gotten 4 or 5 hours of sleep most nights since he's come home! That is NOT too shabby at all :) Thanks Coop for taking it easy on us!!
He is wearing newborn diapers. We are trying to figure out why he keeps wetting through every other one. With Owen a simple switch to Huggies did the trick. But I'm wondering if we need to just get him into size one diapers to help keep him drier during the day.
As of right now his belly button has not fallen off. But we are anxiously awaiting the day we can give him his first real bath! We have been doing nightly baths in his bath sling, but since we can't submerge his little belly button...he doesn't enjoy them as much!! He does however, LOVE having water ran over his little head and us scrubbing it with shampoo and the brush they sent home from the hospital. We do this over the sink each night. I think it might be his favorite part of the day!!
Cooper's outfits consist of every newborn onesie we can dig up out of Owen's drawers and any of the small 0 to 3 month clothes that have shrunk up! Since he has gotten a bit longer in length though...some things are beginning to fit a bit better. He cracks me up. Most of our sleep n plays are nice and small...but his little feet never seem to stay put inside the footies!
I love that both of his little feet fit into my hand. That's something I'll never forget...especially when he's a big, stinky, 17 year old coming off the football field in his size 12 shoes. I'll never forget that one day, oh so many years ago...his little feet fit right into the palm of my hand!
He has a perfect swirl of baby hair on the crown of his head. It reminds me so much of Owen. I can't wait to see if it falls out and comes back in like Owen's did...or if he won't loose it all and it'll be darker like mine!
Baby laundry is tremendous. Top it off with Owen's 2 to 3 clothes changes plus ours...whoa Momma. It's tough because I'm not a lot of help on the laundry front right now. God bless my husband. And also God bless mothers of triplets and quads and multiples in general. I have no idea how they do it!
Two children in one house is totally different...but we seem to be balancing everything pretty well for now. There are many new routines. My day begins and ends with a sink full of bottles and cups. They never seem to stay clean! The house needs picked up 2 and 3 times a day. The animals have to remind us they need water and food because we have absentmindedly forgotten...and I'm sure that's just the beginning of many new things to come!
Jer goes back to work on Monday. **TEARS and when I say tears I mean um...big fat cry like a baby tears!!*** I'm already weepy at the idea of it. This time together has been so wonderful. We are so blessed! Luckily he will hopefully be going back to working 10's and having Friday's off for awhile until summer comes to a close. But boy am I going to be a lost lady without my hubby around next week!
We took the boys to the park twice this week to enjoy the weather and for me to stretch my legs! Wow what beautiful weather we've had!! I am hoping we can fit these trips in the evening once Jer settles back into a work routine. Last night we also took a stroll around the yard. I put Cooper in our baby carrier and Owen, Jer and Deci burned off some energy chasing around a ball. Our poor yard is scorched and neglected from the heat and the arrival of Cooper. I'm hoping a little water and TLC will help bring some of it back to life!
September is shaping up to be a very busy month for us. Beginning August 27th, we will celebrate Baby Cincoski's arrival with a shower. Yay!! The following weekend we have a large Linley family gathering to prep for...there will be a bounce house in our backyard. Holy moly!! Then September 6th we return to the doctor for Cooper's one month check up...one month! Already!! September 26th our big man has his 2 and a half year check up. And the 28th we return to Children's for Owen's follow-up eye exam at the Eye Center. Then dun dun dun...I return to work October 10. Life sure does move fast doesn't it???
For now I'm going to take it one day at a time. Each day is a chance to hold, hug, love on, sing to, play with and enjoy the mess out of my kids and my time at home!
Okay...I think that's a good run down of Linley's going-ons! I better get back to whatever I was doing before I selfishly slipped in front of the computer to blog!!!
August 13, 2011
Cooper Ayden...in photos
His little head doesn't fit into any of our hats!! He's just gonna have to grow a little bit :)
I'm pretty sure if he could voice an opinion...he would say Now seriously momma? This can't be the best way to get a burp out of me!!
Heading home from Saint Anthony's. Such a tiny little guy in his big giant seat!
I love little sock covered feet!!
**Disclaimer...no this pillow does not stay in the crib when Cooper is in it...he was just posed with the pillow that has his name on it ;)
And this is one of my personal favorites so far! Precious baby!
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