Kellen & Vivian

Well I know you are not supposed to compare your kids. Why is that does anyone know? I am sure it has to do with their self esteem and being an individual blah blah blah. I think it is only natural to compare/contrast your kids. Not in a "I wish you were more like your brother" way, but more in a we are family, you are a lot like your brother in this way but you also are unique b/c of this and that way. I think it also helps as a parent to see that Nolan is like Kellen in this way so this parenting technique that worked with Kellen might work with Nolan. Anyway. . .

Vivian is now 7 weeks old. It is amazing how quickly it has gone. I can't get over how similar her and Kellen are so far. They look alike. We found a picture of Kellen in a swing about the same age as Vivian is now. She looks just like him. Head full of black hair,(of course they all had that!) big eyes and long and skinny. It seems weird to describe a baby as long and skinny, but Kellen was and Vivian is. I remember when Kellen was in the car seat or other seat bunched up so you really couldn't see his whole body, people asked me if he was a premie. Not only was he full term, he weighed 9lbs. 9 oz! We did have some trouble starting nursing (lots of reasons, long story) so he did lose a little more weight than your normal newborn, but certainly never to premie size! I haven't had anyone think Vivian was a premie, but many have been shocked when they find out she weighed 8lbs 10oz. They always think she was a tiny baby. Kellen started to plump around 2 1/2 - 3 mos old. (Vivian is starting to a bit now) but compared to other babies the same age he was always long and skinny. He still is!

They act like each other too. The best way to describe them(as babies) is high maintence! Vivian is a bit easier to console, but I think had she been born under the same circumstances as Kellen (first child, difficult birth, time in nicu, moving ect) she would be just as difficult as he was. They both would nurse forever, have very loud cries that they use frequently, want to be held constantly, often not content to just be held, but want to be moving also (you'd think I would losing weight like crazy for all the walking!), take cat naps, love to sleep with mom & dad and, love to ride in the car. It makes it hard to get anything done! Luckily Vivian likes the sling. I didn't try it much with Kellen, but have used it more and more with each child. Vivian spends almost all of her non eating, awake time in the sling. It is also the best way I have found to get her to go to sleep during the day. I don't know how anyone with multiple children survives with out a sling!

So those are by observations of Vivian's first seven weeks. She may turn out to be nothing like Kellen as she gets older or maybe they will stay a lot alike. Kellen is funny. He is so proud that Vivian is a lot like him. She was crying loudly one day and he asked me why she cried so much and of course I explained that is how babies tell us they need/want something. Then I told him he was a lot like that at the same age. He has heard me make other comparisons too. He gets this proud look on his face. He loves to be the big brother!