updates

Her cheeks look huge in this picture!

Audrey's tube surgery this morning went fine.  Whew!  It wasn't the most fun.  We had to be there at 6:30 am so no extra sleep for us.  Tim dropped Barrett off at daycare and met me at the hospital.  It was a quick procedure, only about 10 minutes, and she handled it like a champ.  Everyone was gushing about how cute she was and how great she was doing.  No crying!  It helped that Tim got up to feed her at 3am, the latest she could eat, and she is not a voracious eater, so wasn't bothered in the least by the lack of food. 

I know tubes aren't that big a deal and kids get them all the time.  But to anesthetize a 3 month old is a little scary for her mom and I was nervous!

It also brought home the fact of how scary her palate surgery is going to be.  From my understanding, it's about a 2-3 hour surgery, with 2 nights in the hospital, and a terrible recovery.  I know I'll be a mess for that one! 

For today, we're taking it easy.  We're enjoying having the 2 year old in daycare and all enjoyed nice naps this afternoon.  Thanks for your thoughts and prayers for our little girl!

Tubes tomorrow

Just a quick post to ask all of you to pray for our family as Audrey goes in for her tubes tomorrow.  She seems so little to be put under anesthesia so I'm scared!  Please pray that her surgery goes well and that this will help clear her ears and that she'll be able to hear completely.

Barrett has it all figured out

Barrett is big on identifying what belongs to whom these days.  He's always pointing out what's his, what's mommy's and what's daddy's.

So the vacuum cleaner was sitting out and he points to it and says "that's Mommy's."

And when we're walking through the garage and he sees a beer bottle in the recycling bin he says "that's Daddy's."

Smart kid, apparently he has figured out how it works in our house!

Wild mane

Audrey has a full head of hair.  I'm sure you've noticed from the pictures!

At my 32 week ultrasound, the tech told us that he could already see a ton of hair on her head.  When she was born, one of the first things the doctors and nurses commented on was her hair and the beautiful blond highlights she had.  I keep waiting for it to fall out, like most kids do, but so far it hasn't!  It just keeps getting longer and prettier.

Here's the current length:

I am trying to get her used to bows and headbands so she won't hate them later.

 I am loving having a girl!

My funny valentines

Yes, I realize we don't have any smiles or happy expressions, but after about 15 failed attempts, this was the best I could get!

Happy love day to everyone!  After waking up to a very sweet surprise of roses, chocolates and heart candies from my dearest husband, I am enjoying spending the day with my babies on this cold, wintry day. 

I hope all of you are feeling just as loved today! 

Thank God for Answered Prayers

It hit me this morning that one year ago I was praying for God to send us another sweet little baby.  And I look down today and am blessed to be holding my sweet little daughter in my arms.  I thank God for sending us this healthy and beautiful baby.  What a gift we've been entrusted with and what a difference a year can make!

Barrett lately

Now that I've been home on maternity leave with Barrett these last two months, I am really spending quality time with him in a way that I haven't been able to before.  He is a little tornado of energy and I just try to keep up!

He is adjusting well to having a little sister.  He does steal her toys - who knew that newborn toys were so interesting?  Apparently they are very interesting when little sister is looking at them.  He has had just a few little jealous moments, when I'm busy feeding her or holding her and he wants attention.  But most of the time I try to balance attention between the two so it hasn't been too bad yet.  I sometimes channel this jealousy for my own benefit: any time we change her diaper, he lays down and wants his changed instead of her.  So if I need to change his and he won't come to me, I pretend I'm about to change her and he comes running over and lays down.  Win!  I don't know how long he'll be fooled by this but it's working so far!

Barrett competing for diaper-changing time.  Notice the blue in his hair - he decided to give himself a dye job with fingerpaint

Expecting me to be as amazed by his tummy time as I am for Audrey

He is obsessed with trains and carries them all around the house with him.  He sleeps with them in his bed.  I was singing goodnight to him the other night, put my arms around him, and felt a half dozen little trains under him.  I don't know how that's comfortable!  When we go downstairs in the morning, he insists on us carrying them all down, so our arms are overflowing, and then it's the same story at night bringing them back up.  Tim keeps wanting to buy him more and sets up elaborate tracks, so I think these trains are really toys for both my boys!

A sample of some of the trains in Barrett's bed.  Including an empty toothpaste box that has trains on it.

He is still my baby in a lot of ways.  He likes to be picked up and carried.  This was tough while I was recovering from my c-section and he didn't understand why he was holding up his arms to me and I wasn't picking him up.  Now though, I can't resist picking him up and cuddling him whenever he'll let me.  Who knows how much longer I'll be able to do it, so I want to take advantage of it whenever possible.

watching the Superbowl together in our Bears gear

He is still very good at going to bed.  He loves when we lay down in his bed next to him and sing him songs.  At the end, he'll clap and say "yay!  more!"  It's very encouraging.  He goes to be between 8-8:30 these days (depending on when his Daddy gets home from work) and wakes between 7:30-8:30 usually.  He still hasn't figured out doorknobs but gets our attention by kicking the door.  Loudly.

He still loves the Wiggles and Elmo and can name other Sesame Street characters too.  He knows his colors, some shapes, can identify the letter B and likes to sing some of the alphabet song.  He knows a zillion words and loves books.  His current favorites are the lift-the-flap Noah's ark book, a lift-the-flap Little people farm book and he's still loving the read-along books my parents gave him.

always the attention-stealer!

Barrett isn't always a day at the park though.  He's definitely a two year old boy and into testing limits these days.  He takes advantage of time I'm incapacitated with Audrey or pumping and will act out.  When he gets sent to time-out, I'll hear him inching out and seeing how far he can sneak out of time out before I catch him.  He runs away from me sometimes in parking lots, which makes me crazy from the danger so that definitely gets him in trouble.  And the food throwing at meals is still going on and driving me crazy!  I really struggle with discipline with my high-spirited two year old and we haven't found what exactly works yet.  Time-outs do work, but are hard to do 100% of the time since I can't always force him there and to stay in it when I'm preoccupied with other things.

He is silly and crazy, boisterous and loud, naughty and sweet and all kinds of fun!  I love my little two year old tornado!

Audrey - two months

Dearest Audrey

Happy two month birthday, little girl!  I can't believe you're already two months old, it has gone soo fast.  I still smile looking at you, so happy to have a daughter and so happy to have YOU as a daughter.  I feel incredibly lucky.

You continue to be such an amazing little baby.  I keep waiting for the day it all turns around, but you continue to amaze me.  You still are sleeping a consistent 9 straight hours at night.  Oftentimes too, I have to wake you up in the morning to feed you, so who knows how long you'd sleep if I let you!  You are still next to me in the pack & play bassinet, swaddled.  We moved Barrett to the crib when he was just a few weeks older than you are now, but I'm not anxious to move you at all.  I like having you next to me.

You are so observant and really like staring at your toys.  You like the peacock and this little light-up toy that plays music especially.  No matter which toy we're playing with, your older brother decides that's the one he wants of course.  You also really like to watch the tv when it's on. 

You're very content just chilling in your swing and that's where you take almost all of your naps.  It's so convenient to have you in the family room with us.  You like to just sit in it too and watch all the action.  You also are doing really well at your tummy time.  I have to be really careful when to put you on your tummy, so you won't spit up.

You are a pretty unenthusiastic eater.  I wish you ate a little better, I'm not sure why it seems like you don't have much of an appetite and aren't interested in eating much.  You are eating about 20-25oz per day. You eat best in the morning (5oz bottles) but then in the afternoon and evening, you seem to lose interest and I really have to encourage you to eat.  The morning feedings take about 20 minutes and the later ones take about double that.  You just want to quit and look around.  I'm trying to get you to eat more and fatten you up, kiddo!  You chew on your fist both when you're hungry and when you're tired. 

I have started putting you in real clothes the last two weeks, rather than just sleepers.  It is so cute to put you in little dresses and outfits with little ruffly bottoms.  I have a lot of fun looking at the little girl clothes and planning your outfits.  I will admit that I have already bought a closetful of dresses and outfits for summer and beyond.  I hope I'm buying ahead in the right size.  I'm assuming you'll be growing on par with Barrett, but maybe you'll surprise me and be bigger.

I took you for your two month doctor visit and was thrilled to see that you were 10lbs, 4oz and 22".   The cleft team was very concerned with your slow weight gain two weeks ago, so I'm very happy that you gained a good amount of weight since then and that you were following your growth curve.  You are right around the 35th percentile for height and weight with 50th percentile for head.  You are 8 oz smaller than Barrett at this age, despite being a pound heavier at birth, but I'll take it.

The doctor's visit was great for another reason - you decided to roll over for the first time on the table!  I laid you on your belly to snap the back of your outfit and you decided it was time to show off a little.  Dr Jao and I were impressed.  I commented on how little but strong my kids are and she said "tiny but mighty."  I like that!  You are a strong little girl with the way you hold your body up so well when you're on your tummy and your amazing head control.  Unfortunately the day went downhill after that with lots of fussiness and needing to be held following your shots.  Darn shots!

showing off your sitting skills

I am still getting to know you, little girl, and very glad that you are in our family.  It seems so much more complete now that you're here!

Love
Mommy