One Week!

Libby is one week old today.

It seems like it went by really fast.

Here she is waving :)
"Oh...I am so cute!"
Three!
Aren't they awesome?
I don't think I ever want to stop.
We could have our own reality show.
Nothing really goes with "Spaid" though.
(I'm kidding...kind of)

---

Notes about week one:

• Libby is an excellent burper.
• Her hair is awesome...but definitely looks dirty if not washed everyday.
• Her ears are a little bit pointed at the top. It's beyond cute.
• The nurse at the nursing clinic advised me to undress her before I feed her to help keep her awake. I have been, and it's really nice cuddle time.
• One of the hardest things to deal with is not being able to pick up Ben. We both hate it.
• He loves his baby sister and if anything is too enthusiastic about showing it. He loves to kiss her and hold her. We have to keep a close eye on him.
• He seems to have gone from listening somewhat to not listening at all. I don't know if it's for attention or not, but I could go for less shouting around here.
• He is HUGE. I can't believe how much he's changed in my eyes since I've had Libby. Where did my baby boy go?!
• I have definitely had a short temper with Charlotte. I can even see it in myself, but I'm struggling to find a balance. It's hard to not expect too much.
• She has watched entirely way too much tv this week.
• She also loves Libby and loves to hold her. She starts off great...but somehow Libby's feet always end up higher than her head. :)
• I am doing pretty well. Recovering fabulously. The dishes are done...the laundry is not. I take naps some days. I haven't sewn or knitted (?) anything since she's been born. I have taken a ridiculous amount of pictures and need to figure out some sort of system. I am really just enjoying this phase in our lives.

Tubs...

So...our basement leaked again.

Thankfully...only in the storage room (where we did not put carpet.)

It was just one window.

Will had to clean it all up.

It leaked on some boxes of clothes...which was frustrating.

Who needs more laundry?

Oh well...it could have been so much worse.

And hopefully we'll figure this window out too.

When I first started packing away Charlotte's baby clothes I decided I would always put them all in tubs.

And I did...for awhile.

But...boxes are free.

I am going back to my all-tub ways though.

Hooray for hard plastic that snaps together and is water-proof! (And spider-proof! right!?)

---

Another tub in my life.

Libby and I went on our first adventure alone...to the nursing clinic.

She's doing great :)

A Surprise Visit

Friday morning my mom texted me: "My mom is on her way here!"

She just hopped in the car and decided to make a one day (basically) trip out here.

She came straight here and had dinner with us.

Rotisserie chicken. Yum.

We went to Village Inn for dessert.

We were going to go to DQ for the $.25 blizzards...but it was packed.

Grandma with newest great-granddaughter.
We tried to take this picture. Ben and Libby were not having it.

She sat with Charlie and told her like 3 or 4 stories, and then read to her. Charlie was in heaven. Side note: Grandma is the only person who calls her "Sharlie."

And, of course, the obligatory four generation picture. They look pretty good for being a grandma and a great-grandma don't they?

---

A few fun facts:

• We went to see The Last Song today.
• I liked it. I missed some because I was in the restroom feeding Libby.
• Libby's been out quite a bit for being four days old...my mom's...the Dr.'s office...Village Inn...a birthday party...and Metrolux.
• I can't believe how great I feel.
• Libby has (just today) really taken to nursing. I am so thankful.

Baby Burrito

Things are going well at home.

These are days I want to be blogging about...

...but we haven't been doing anything.

Somehow, it feels like doing 'nothing' is a lot.

Charlotte is wonderful.

Benjamin is wonderful.

Elizabeth is wonderful.

Even with some frustrations, life is wonderful.

And then there were five...

Elizabeth Sue

April 20th, 2010

4:25 am

7 lbs. 13.5 oz.

19.5 in.

Perfection.

Charlotte

(15 min. bandanna dress)

(Pardon the red eyes)

We surprised her (miraculously) and got her a trampoline for her birthday.

She loves it.

She was jumping on it before breakfast this morning.

She loves these.

---

Charlie ~

I know I've said it a million times, but I really can't believe you are four. It seems like we were just waiting for you to arrive...and now it's been four years. You are a beautiful, smart, funny girl who is full of energy, opinions, and optimism. I love listening to the things you come up with and your sweet spirit. You are an amazing big sister; you are so gentle and generous with Ben and it warms my heart. I can't wait to experience life with you as a four year old. I love you more than words can say. xoxo

Four

I have a lot to say...but for now...

Happy Birthday Charlotte!

You're incredible.

Paint, birthdays and general craziness

Pardon the mess.

I honestly don't know what came over me.

We just got the purple furniture...remember?

And we still had a "red" wall. (I'm not sure it was red, Will says it couldn't be any other color.)

It looked awful together.

I found a gallon of charcoal paint on clearance at Wal-mart for $4.82.

I bought another gallon...it's supposed to be a light gray.

It has a blue-ish tinge.

I'm not happy about that.

Hopefully once everything gets put back in place it won't look that way.

My mom came over last night and we did one coat on everything (two on the red wall).

She's the bomb.

I don't think people say that anymore, but it's true.

Then today...all day it seemed...I put on a second coat.

So now it's done.

Charlie's party is tomorrow and we don't have a wall that clashes violently with our furniture.

Hooray.

I'll post better pictures someday (next year) when it's decorated.

---

Speaking of birthday parties. I didn't want to have one for Ben when he turned one. It seemed like so much work and I was still throwing up multiple times a day. I went ahead and planned one because...I knew I would feel like a horrible mom if I didn't. I didn't feel like having one for Charlotte this year. "The new baby" literally could be born at any time. I even asked her if it was okay if we just had cake/presents with our family. She said no. I don't know if it's just being pregnant...or if I'll always feel this way. Maybe it will be easier when they are older. I don't know. Charlie is ecstatic. Her birthday party has been all she's talked about for days. She doesn't even know what we're getting her...she's just excited to have friends over and plan the menu and plan what she's going to wear and what they are going to play...

I love her.

---

Another Dr. appointment today!

Are you shocked?

Charlie wanted to go with me.

We had to wait forever.

Which was really frustrating, because they had already had me reschedule to a more convenient time for them.

Anyway, everything is going great.

I would definitely say things are progressing much more than they did with the other two.

So that's exciting.

I'm starting to walk again on Friday.

I've had a few days off...due to painting/not wanting to go into labor on/near Charlie's birthday.

To Do:

Sigh.

Think it can all get done?

Well Received

I made "the new baby" some receiving blankets. Twelve to be exact.
I love them.
I wish I was a better photographer...or I felt like loading twelve separate pictures...you can't really appreciate them from these...but oh well...you get the idea.
They require pretty much no skill at all.
I think ironing the hems and sewing them took almost the same amount of time.
I did figure out how to make corners.
The first two I did I just made square corners (cutting out no fabric).
I thought I was going to break my machine.
So then I figured out how to make them diagonal...cutting out a few layers.
Duh.
Even after I figured it out...probably 1/3 of them have one corner messed up.
My brain is not all there.
I blame the pregnancy.
These were cheap too.
Cheaper than you can buy them, I think.
They are all one yard.
Some were $1...none were as much as $2.50.
And I think the prints are so much better than the ones at the store.
I can't wait to wrap her up in them!

---

*You might be wondering if I'm always going to post pictures of everything I make. Probably.

I wish everyone else would too.

I love looking at stuff people have made.

Dear Friday...

In all honesty, I try not to complain too much about being pregnant.

Maybe it doesn't seem like it here, but it's true.

Will gets the most for sure.

Then my mom and a few friends.

I have been blessed with three uneventful, uncomplicated pregnancies.

I am the one who wanted another baby, after all!

However, I'm done this time.

Let me tell you my sleep schedule last night.

10:30-1:30 = asleep

1:30-4:30 = awake and going insane

4:30-6:00 = asleep

6:00 = Ben wakes up

6:30-8:00 = the most asleep you can be while being nearly 38 weeks and cuddling an 18 month old

That being said, I'd like to go into labor on a Friday. So today would be nice. Next Friday...okay. I can't really think past that. ;)

At my last check-up the Dr. estimated that she's approximately 7lbs. 4oz.

Charlotte and Benjamin were both 7lbs. 15oz. at birth.

I think it would be cool if she was too.

Using that logic...she should be about done, right?

---

On happier notes:

Ben adds words to his vocabulary everyday.

I want to get some video of him saying a few, they are so cute.

His most recent favorites; "yash" (yes), "shishsie" (sissy - for Charlie), "Lella" (Bella) and "squirrel," which remarkably sounds like squirrel.

He is becoming more attached to the pacifier. My fault 110%. I had a chance to take it away and I didn't.

He can jump with both feet off the ground. I'm not sure at what age they're "supposed" to, but it's pretty neat to watch.

---

Charlie is quite the entertainer these days.

She's been complaining that my lap is too small.

She's very excited for her sister to be here. "I just love babies," she says.

An exchange in the Wal-mart parking lot today:

C: Mom! Do you see that person in that silver van, I mean, car?

Me: Yeah

C: They just! They just rolled down their window and threw something out, NO!, threw out a smoker. That's disgusting.

-

Clearly we're doing something right, she doesn't like smoking or littering...and I thought it was hilarious she called it a "smoker."

All is well

We're together again.

:)

Food & Thoughts

I'm not sure what you're supposed to do with the eggs you dye for Easter.

Maybe just eat them.

Anyway, I made some egg salad. I chopped up the eggs in my food processor.

Best.idea.ever.

Maybe everyone already did it that way, but it was my first time.

I felt like a genius.
Or something.

Delicious.

I can't describe it.

People who eat healthy are probably cringing.

---

I had another appointment today.

Everything is going great.

Austin watched the kids for me.

Normally, Will would have been home...but he's in Pueblo for two days...shooting "big guns." Whatever that means. :)

I ran around to the different Targets checking out their Easter clearance for Charlie's party.

Got some things for the goodie bags...so I can check that off my list.

I may or may not have let Ben eat half a bag of Life Savers Gummies while shopping...just so he would be quiet.

I may or may not have had six Snickers mini's...just because they tasted so good.

The little squares, not the rectangles.

Not that I couldn't eat six rectangle ones. Or six full size ones.

I just try not to do stuff like that. :)

If you want to look like Taylor Swift...

Step 1: Take a shower

Step 2: Have your mom french braid your hair. Two braids work, we opted for four this time.
Step 3: (optional) Take creepy pictures that kind of look like rat tails...
Step 4: Go to bed
Step 5: Wake up & take braids out
Step 6: Be gorgeous!

*I know this is not how Taylor Swift does her hair...
Charlie's hair won't really hold curl from heat though, so braids and foam rollers are pretty much our options. I know there are other ways to go from wet to curly...I just don't know them. Do you?

Happy Easter

Crown him with many crowns,

the Lamb upon his throne,

Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns

all music but its own.

Awake, my soul, and sing

of him who died for thee,

and hail him as thy matchless King

through all eternity.

April

We went to Easter Marketplace this morning.

Will joined us, even though he got home at 6:00 this morning. Charlie asked him to come. :)

Because who doesn't need a matching hat to go with their sweater?
I love this picture. It's exactly her, with the bracelet.

I think Ben was tired or thought it was too crowded, he didn't really get into anything. He just traded back and forth being held by mom and dad and watched his sister do everything.

---

My April resolutions:

1. Finish the February/March ones I haven't finished.

(Get the kids' rooms done (we've been doing a lot of 'home improving' everywhere) and get Ben to give up the paci (I've reached the point where I don't really care if he has it, I just don't want him to put the baby's in his mouth...and he will...))

2. Have a baby. Uneventfully.

Technically...they will let you go to 41 weeks if you don't want to be induced...which is May 2nd...but I just can't fathom that...so I'm planning on having her this month. :)