Wednesday, March 28, 2012

and it has been 8 weeks!

No.. no.. no.. I won't even think about the fact that I will be working full time again in less than two weeks. It makes me too sad. With the first baby I was going stir-crazy in the house and was excited to work again (mainly so I could eat lunch and talk to some adults :) But nope... not this time. I don't wanna go!!! I am having fun at home with my babies and we are just getting into a routine. Besides, I am finally feeling a bit better and able to get out and about. Plus, the weather has been amazing .. and would you really want to leave these cute faces?

My girls

3 years old

7 weeks old

My mom deserves a special thank you too for getting me through these first two months.. The c-section recovery was much more painful and drawn out than I remembered the first time and she was on hand daily to help me with everything-- entertaining Isabel, making dinner, doing laundry, letting me run to the store etc. Not sure what I have done without her. Plus, it has been fun taking  Bel, Payton, and Lucy out and about..

Ya Ya loving her grandbabies
Payton and Bel-- cousins and besties

We have been keeping pretty busy here at home- having friends over, going to the library, visiting with family etc.. Jason and I have even been getting out together every Thursday night for a parenting class/ bible study we are taking through our church. It has been nice to have a little "us" time weekly-- even if I have almost fallen asleep with my eyes open a few times. (Hey! The class goes until 8:30 pm -- can you blame me?) Grandma and Grandpa Leppin come and watch the girls for us and we are lucky to have them nearby.

a special cupcake from my friend Courtney



Enjoying the warm weather with my baby girl


Lucy has decided to give me a bit longer of a stretch at night. She will sleep about five hours and then get up for a feeding (still tiring but better) She normally goes to bed around 10 and wakes up with us around 7 am with one feeding sometime in between. I don't mind so much now, but we'll see how  I feel when I am back to teaching every day. Other than that, not much is new. She is eating well... nursing every few hours... has reflux and is on meds which seems to help a little... is very smiley and happy (a little more so than her sister was).. and is pretty laid back. She is not a good napper--- or should I say she likes to nap "on the go". If I stick her in her car seat and take her somewhere she passes out. My "sleep book" does not advise this but hey-- with a second baby-- I am finding that you just have to be more flexible. Next week we go for the 2 month check-up and lots of shots! Wish us luck.


 Lucy visiting with her buddy Miles O'Malley. He was born just two weeks before her. Not sure he is very interested in her yet.

Isabel playing makeup with "Uncle" Katie. She loved having Uncle Katie take her to ballet class


Having the Wayne and Ignoffo family over to see our house and meet Lucy


Now that Spring is here we are noticing the MASSIVE amount of yard work that we need to do at our new house. This place is overgrown with weeds and the woman who lived here before me LOVED planting but wasn't that into keeping up with it. I am definitely not a green thumb, so we'll just have to do our best to clean up the yard-- and maybe enlist my sister for a little help. Jason and Isabel started in the front yard this past weekend. Jason was working hard-- and Isabel was looking for worms.

 



Less than two weeks and I am back to work. I know this time will go quickly-- especially with Easter right around the corner-- better enjoy it while I can :)

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Aunt Debby Meets Lucy!


A few weeks ago we got to spend  the whole weekend with Aunt Debby. She drove up from Arkansas to get some "lovin" from her girls. It was her first time meeting sweet little Lucy. Here are some of my fave pics from our visit.

So sweet
Bel loved seeing her

Lucy at 4.5 weeks--- sleeping all day :)

Just one of the many gifts she brought...... matching knit "owl slippers" for the girls! Are they not the cutest?

Bel is modeling her slippers

Isabel convinced Grandma and Aunt Debby to get tatoos :)


One night we went out to dinner and Isabel did something shocking. SHE ATE HER FIRST CHEESEBURGER! It took three years, but she tried and liked it. This little girl hardly east any meat-- and red meat not at all. Let's see if she keeps this up?
We were glad you could come Aunt Debby! oxoxox

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

I'm 6 Weeks Old!

The sun is shining, it is unseasonably warm for this time of year (almost 70 degrees!) and I am treating my mom to a big smile today-- life is good :)


Lucy is 6 weeks old today and she is such a sweet little baby. We took her for her one month appointment last week and she was 9 pounds 1 oz. (50th percentile for weight), she was 21.5 inches (50th percentile for height) and her head was also at the 50th percentile--- just a perfectly "normal" little baby.
Nursing is going well and she is also taking the bottle occasionally when necessary. She even tried some formula this week when I was at the hospital and it didn't seem to faze her--- she just likes to eat.

 Some days she sleeps a whole lot and other days she seems much more awake and alert. However, at nigh time we are still only going for about 3 - 4 hours between feedings (sometimes less). She "comes alive" at about 9pm - ready to party. I am getting pretty worn out and hope that she starts sleeping some longer stretches now that she is getting bigger.

During the last week we have been treated to a few smiles (HEART MELTING) and she has been more alert, active and staring at us a lot. We seem to have survived her first cold, but she does have some reflux issues not unlike Bel. Luckily, we are kind of experts when it comes to reflux, and we already have her on some meds and are working on some positioning techniques at bedtime etc. (Not sure any of it is helping-- but hopefully she will outgrow it faster than Bel did.)

Overall, Lucy is just a sweet, beautiful little baby girl. Jason, Bel and I are enjoying getting to know her and watching her little personality start to develop. I can't believe that I only have 4 more weeks left of my maternity leave. :'(

What a doll

Monday, March 12, 2012

Happy 3rd Birthday Isabel Grace!

Last Saturday, we had our family over to celebrate Isabel's 3rd birthday. We decided that it would be best to keep her party fairly small and we were very lucky to have Aunt Debby with us from Arkansas to help celebrate. Isabel chose "Princess" as her party theme (huge surprise) and she was spoiled rotten with lots of gifts from her family. Although Lucy slept for most of the party, we think she enjoyed it too. Here are some of our favorite pictures.
Birthday morning! Checking out her decorations...


 Princess Lucy... ready to party!

Sweet sisters

My beautiful daughters

Daddy's princess

With Grandpa and YaYa

Grandpa is loving this

Uncle Aaron and Sheila

Grandma Marsha and Aunt Debby

The princess is partying it up

Cousin Pay-- the bunny princess

I think Aunt Debby is happy :)

Uncle Terry and the Grandpas

Their favorite toy... the balloons!

Cocoa Bean cake-- family tradition :)

Happy Birthday to you...

Happy Birthday to you...

Cousins.. best friends... future trouble makers

So many gifts.. so little time

Uncle Terry- we love you

Uncle Zack and Aunt Mimi

Our precious family!

Happy Birthday Isabel-- and thanks for celebrating with us!

Friday, March 2, 2012

Daddy Daughter Dance- 2012

Our park district hosts a "Daddy Daughter Dance" every year at a local grade school and Isabel was finally old enough to attend this year. Last Saturday night she got all "dolled up" and had a date with her daddy. Ever since we brought Lucy home, Belly has been a bit needy for her parents attention so we thought this would be a special thing they could do together. (Plus it was a really stinkin cute photo opportunity)

Isabel was lucky enough to have her own personal hairstylist-- Aunt Mimi stopped by on her way home from work to work some "updo magic"

Thanks Aunt Mimi

Have you ever seen anything so precious?!

My girls!

Our first attempt at a whole family pic--- this is the best we could do.

Daddy's girl

Kissy loves!

How grown up!

Practicing her moves-- chicken dance

Stop in the name of love :)

Grandma and Grandpa Leppin got to see the cuties before they left