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Last night we were driving home at bedtime and Isabell starts complaining about her eyes hurting. Nashon and I figured it was just bedtime and she was tired, and told her to close her eyes. When we got home, her eye is red and puffy, and she’s still rubbing it and complaining. So like a good mommy I take her to the couch to see if she got something in her eyes. Turns out she did…what was it you may ask? It was her own freakishly long spider leg-like eye lashes! About half of her lashes from her top lid had gotten stuck inside of her lower lid, and no matter how far she opened her eyes, the wouldn’t come out. She felt much better after we held her down and pried them out.

Poor thing. At least she’s persistent when she’s actually hurt!

Here are the newest pictures. Someone mentioned that they hadn’t seen enough photos of Mia. Turns out we don’t take less than we did of Isabell, there is just less time to post them onto the website!!! I hope you can see them all, because I am trying to upload from work, and I can’t resize the photos.

Jamie was telling Isabell that after we take pictures tomorrow we can get Isabell a treat. Anything Isabell wants. She immediately asks for a kitten. Hmmm…..

What a great way to start a Thanksgiving day! The snow is falling and covering the ground, the turkey is in the oven, the pies are made and done.

And Amelia is rolling over!! Three times in a row she rolled from her back to her front on her left side. For a child that hates being on her back (and her stomach for that matter), and has limited floor time (due to an over excited two year old sister), we weren’t expecting her to roll over today, so it was very exciting!!! I tried to get it on video, but you know she stopped as soon as I pulled out the camera. 🙂

Way to go Mia!

Things here seem to be settling into more of a routine. Amelia is still sleeping most of the day, but she’s starting to figure out a night time routine. Most nights she’ll go down about 11, and will get up once in the night; she is averaging 5-6 hours of sleep in a single stretch. Too bad she hasn’t figured out how to do that during the day, where she just wants to be held ALL the time. She has started smiling now, and will take turns cooing with me when we have some time together. Sadly, I don’t think I’m giving her enough floor time because the older sister loves her so much that she tends to over share her toys (yesterday we got a see n say to the head). But she seems to really like Isabell, and will watch her longer than she’ll watch anyone else. If she can hear Isabell, Amelia will crane her head around to find her. I have hopes that Isabell will help entertain her when she gets a bit bigger. 🙂

Isabell is just growing like a weed!! We’re still working on potty training, and most nights she’ll tinkle in the potty before bed. Morning is still another story. She wakes up like her mother (cranky) and does best if left in her bed to read for a few minutes before she gets out of bed. The result, however, is that she wets her diaper before she gets out of bed, and then cries when asked if she wants to sit on the potty. Isabell is perfecting her jumping, and is now practicing jumping forward while walking/running. She has turned into quite the little helper, and will take dirty diapers to the trash can (both hers and Mia’s). One of her favorite things right now is to help me with the laundry. She likes to sit on the bed and hand me hangers one at a time; and it actually IS helpful. 🙂

Nashon and I are still figuring out how to be parents to two kids. It’s hard to make enough time for Isabell when Amelia wants to be held all the time, and Isabell has attached herself to Nashon whenever he’s home. She doesn’t kick Mia out of his lap, but does insist on being in it with her when she MUST be there. We find we don’t have a lot (or any) time for “us” these days; we used to have after Isabell went to bed, but Amelia hasn’t figured out how to go to sleep that early yet. So if you have any suggestions on how to find the adults in parenting, please feel free to share!!!

I started back to work this past week; just on Fridays for now, but it’s enough. I brought my paperwork home with me, but it’s rather difficult to find time during the day to complete it before Nashon comes home, because the small people sure want a lot of my time! I have another month or so before I go back full time, and want to try and enjoy it. Nashon has also increased work back to 4 days a week, which came just in time for us. I think he’s missing being at home though. He rather enjoyed spending time with Isabell and playing with her. They have been enjoying swimming in the heated pool; he may enjoy it more than Isabell does.

All in all, we’re figuring it out. We aren’t drowning in newborn anymore, though I can’t believe Mia’s already seven weeks old. Isabell is adjusting to her new roll as big sister nicely with little set backs (except for her new found love for the binky she wouldn’t take as a baby). And Nashon and I will keep looking for time for the two of us.

Ways you know your little baby is growing up into a little girl:

10. She starts telling the baby to be “all done crying Mia” while rocking her car seat carrier to help her settle down
9. She helps set the table for dinner
8. She has opinions about what to eat for breakfast
7. She starts picking up her toys without being asked when it’s time to leave
6. She gets herself up into her car seat and most of the buckles done up on her own
5. She tells you when you skip a page in her favorite book
4. She puts her foot up on the shelf in the shower to wash her legs
3. She becomes a back seat driver (“eyes on the road!” “seat belts on, safe!”)
2. She picks out her own clothes, and gets herself dressed (with matching socks)
1. She locks herself in her parent’s bedroom and thinks it’s funny when mommy tries to get her to unlock the door from the inside

It’s entertaining, funny, and so frustrating at times. 🙂 We love every minute of it, and yet she drives us crazy sometimes.

As some people may know, we’ve been expecting our second daughter for some time now (about 9 months). Today she decided to show up. Last week we scheduled Jamie to be induced today at 5am, so 5am rolled around and we showed up. During check in we asked about the same nurse that delivered Isabell and poof, the magical pixies of perfect land had already assigned her to delivery. She didnt remember us but had requested us the night before because she had a feeling that we would be an easy birth. Today was her last of six 12-hour days in a row. The previous 5 deliveries had complications and she was hoping for an easier time today. After being giddy with our luck (We REALLY like Jennifer McKinley), we got started with Jamies IV’s and before too long we were zipping along.

Amelia was born at 12:09 PM.  She was out after just 10 minutes of labor, all 6 lbs 7 oz of her.  At 20 inches long, she’s an inch taller than Isabell and half a pound lighter.  Shes definitely got some skinny legs and LONG feet.  Jamie was perfect and nothing went awry.  A bit of cleanup and Amelia was wrapped and in my arms in no time.  After some resting and tidying up, Shelly was our first guest.  Amelia was a gem and got her first bath then as well.  A line of family and friends came through, including Isabell.  Isabell was very sweet and gentle and this may have been helped by a doll sized stroller that Amelia brought Isabell as a ‘condolences’ present.

There we have it! The first few hours of Amelias life was not hard.  Here is our WONDERFUL nurse with Isabell 2 years ago, and today with Amelia:

Jen and Isabell 2008