What We've Been Up To...

It's been a week now since we brought Lily home and it's funny how I can feel like we've been very busy and very not busy at the same time. Busy about the house, not busy out and about.

Lily's week can pretty much be summed up like this...






She's just been chillin' and sleeping and being cute. But not for very long. She likes SHORT sleep periods. I just love that too in the middle of the night. With intermittent bouts of fussing over her belly. But she's very cute...

Weston is perhaps starting to feel like Lily is wearing out her welcome in our household. She was cool and new and exciting on Monday, but by Thursday she was taking up a bit too much time and attention. However, for a not quite 2 year old, he is doing the best he can and I am really proud of him. He is a sweet big brother and loves to hug (lay on) Lily and give her kisses and bring her the paci.

Besides the big outing to the grocery store Thursday and a photo session on Friday, we've been laying low at home. Lots of books, lots of playing with Farmer Joe's tractor and more t.v. than he's probably watched in the last 6 months combined. One afternoon Weston did not take a good nap. We had five hours before Daddy was home and a napping newborn. Luckily I stumbled upon this recipe and we had a grand time painting in the bathtub. I highly recommend this as it also doubles as a "bath" since you use soap!

He was a little tentative at first ("Mommy do it"), but he progressed very nicely...

Day 3 of Two Children

So this is the third day I've been home with our two kiddos since Kurt went back to work on Monday. So far, so good. It probably helps that I'm so glad to have Lily at home that it redeems the amount of sleep deprivation that's occurring. Luckily, I'm also so glad to spend time with Weston that it makes up for the fact that he was in time out at 6:30 a.m. this morning.

So far Lily is notorious for three things: being very cuddly sweet, liking to eat, and explosive gas that puts us on a 4 outfit average per day.

It hasn't really crossed my mind to get the camera out the last few days, so I'll just leave you with this one of Weston on his tricycle he got for Christmas. It got over 30 degrees so we headed out last week while Lily was still at the hospital.

Homecoming

Lily came home yesterday. She had been in the hospital on antibiotics for 10 days. Shortly after her birth, they found Group B Strep infection in her blood culture. I've provided this link because it is a really nasty infection that pregnant women need to take seriously (I didn't really until now). I was unable to be treated before delivery because I had her 25-30 minutes after arriving at the hospital (a total of 70 minutes in labor).

This past week and half has been an emotional roller coaster. It is so unnatural to leave the hospital without your baby. Combine this with postpartum hormones and trying to balance time with sick baby at hospital and well toddler at home and you get one messy mama.

But here's the good news. Because God does work for the good of those who love Him...

We have AMAZING family and friends. So many people helped out and for every person that helped, there were twice as many that we didn't even get to take up on their offers. THANK YOU to everyone who not only lended a hand, but left us encouraging texts, e-mails and facebook messages and, most importantly, prayed for Lily and our family.

The special care nursery staff at St. Luke's were awesome. They loved and cared for our little Lily so well. Not that they read this blog, but I want to especially remember Mary (our admitting nurse and the one who prayed with us after we found out about the infection) and Renee, our favorite nursery nurse that brought such light to the day when we visited.

I was reminded (again) what a wonderful husband I have. He was so loving and patient when I was melting down and gently reminded me of the goodness of the Lord and the people in our lives when I was irrationally throwing myself in a pit of despair.

Weston has been such a trooper. What can I say...he's a great kid. He's just rolled with the punches for the most part.

And, most obviously, we brought home a healthy little girl yesterday. Praise God for His answer to prayer and healing to sweet Lily.

My Valentines

The Valentine's Day after we got married Kurt and I were on a really tight budget (wait a second...that never ended). We were both working, but had just committed at the "New Year" to living off of mainly Kurt's income in order to pay off all my student loans and our cars. It ended up being a great idea for several reasons. One, it has allowed me to stay home with our kiddos four years later. And two, it created a great Valentine's Day tradition.

So that romantic evening in 2006, we popped into the local Mickey Doo's and got value meals, came home, laid a picnic blanket on our living room floor and lit the candles on this decorative thingy majig on our wall (we hadn't lit them yet and still only light them on Feb. 14th) and had ourselves a very inexpensive Valentine's Day.

And so it has been ever since. We upgraded to Panera this year because, well, I've been thinking McDonald's is gross lately. Here is our evening...I wish so much Lily could have joined us. But she's doing her thing getting all healthy. Next year we'll go all out for you Miss Thing...

Lily Louise Arrives

Lily Louise born February 9th, 2010. 8 pounds 2 ounces and 19 1/2 inches long. Precious, sweet gift that we cannot wait to bring home.

"The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness."

Happy Valentine's Day

Yesterday I got the brilliant idea that it would be fun to cut out hearts and let Weston color and put stickers on them. I pictured a fun time of making a handful of Valentines that we could send to family and friends. After all, he loves to color, he loves stickers (especially the Sesame Street ones we used) and, although my craftiness is very limited, I can cut and glue hearts (sort of).

Well, the "fun" lasted approximately 8 minutes and ended with both of us balling, ripped Valentines and Weston throwing himself on the floor in a fit. Ah well, Happy Valentine's Day anyway my little Westie. Maybe next year.

Here are three that actually made it through...

Coming Spring 2010...

...are these feet in flip flops. Get ready.

Bath Time

Ever since Weston has been old enough for a bedtime routine, Kurt has given him his nightly bath. It's the sweetest thing 1. because it's just sweet when daddies give babies baths and 2. because I know Kurt does it even when he doesn't feel like it just so I can have 20-30 minutes by myself to clean up dinner, take a shower or sit on my behind and read. I just needed to let it be known that I have a great husband.



Weston has a love/hate relationship with the bath. He cries when it's time to get IN the bath and then, once in there, cries when he has to get OUT. It makes no sense, but what does in the life of a near 2 year old? Also required at bath time is a post bath hug from mom and if I am not back in his room quickly enough for it, he has something to say. After a shivering, wiggly towel hug comes much Burt's Bees lotion, a big ol' extra lined bum genius diaper and "mi-mi's on". But sometimes we have some breaks in between...



Can you even resist these lumpy legs and cute cheeks? I can't.

Elmo Dance Inspiration

I don't know about you, but a little pick me up would be nice this Monday morning. I still have a baby in my belly and have already picked out a swimsuit for this summer to accommodate the large stretch mark growing on the left side of my belly. Awesome. But baby girl is healthy and, quite obviously, happy chillin' in the womb, which is all that matters. I keep reminding myself how blessed I am to have her and how cute she will be when she finally gets here.

Here's a little clip of Weston keeping it real with a medley of break dancing and yoga moves. And what better music medium than Elmo singing his version of YMCA? My favorite is his perfect Downward Dog pose at the end.




Let it be known that we have watched this video approximately 436 times in the last 4 days.

"A watch a Westie n' Eh-mo?"