Some thoughts

A library and frozen yogurt date today with my girls. 

Today was totally one of those days.. In a good way! It's Saturday, and I'll admit, I was super bummed, and maybe even frustrated, when Scott said he had to go study the entire day. It's been a really hard semester- new baby plus long, LONG (12-15 hour) days for dad, just has been a lot to take on. If we are lucky, the girls get to spend a few minutes at breakfast with him. But other than that, we live for Sundays! 

I really can not complain. I expected our 4 years of dental school to be like this all of the time. I know there are medical programs, and jobs, and military, etc. That take dads away MUCH more than Scott's away from us. I can't complain at all, because I feel spoiled, actually. 

But after the longest week ever, I didn't know if I could do it alone one more day. I've got a terrible cold, I'm beyond exhausted trying to stay up late working on my etsy orders, the house is a disaster, and my patience is running low.. But today was such a good day. And it's one of those nights where I'm lying in bed, missing my babies. I love those days. 

My sweet (and spicey!) Hannah.. 

She melts me every. single. day. I'm so grateful she still lets me smother her in kisses and hugs, because I can not resist. Lately she's starting saying, "mommy play?" When she wants me to play with her. And I just can't turn down that invitation. She also requests, "get choo mommy?" When she wants me to chase her around the house. Which brings endless amounts of laughter, and she will most definitely throw up from the hiccups. Every time. She teaches me more patience and love than I knew was possible. 

And Shelby. Heavenly Father knew just what/who this family needed. She is such a sweet addition to our family. Hannah LOVES her. And I truly can't get enough of her. From her rolly legs, her soft skin, her enormous smiles, her giggles, her snuggles, her easy to please nature.. ugh!! She just gets me. I was slightly worried I couldn't love another baby as much as my first. But I have been so amazed at how much my heart has grown. It's impossible to explain the love you have for your children and family. 

Feeling so lucky today. 

Shelby- 2 months old

Oh this girl.. I am more and more in love with her every day. She is the sweetest baby!! I can't get enough!

Two months old

We started off the month with a bit of a rough start. Shelby was having a couple really fussy weeks, and had a diaper rash I couldn't seem to get rid of :( but once I got it in control, and learned that she needs cream on her bum always, it was smooth sailing! 

At 7 weeks old, Shelby is suddenly the happiest, most content little baby!! It melts my heart and shocks me constantly. (Hannah was so rarely content unless she was being carried, bounced, rocked, and entertained.. Until she was ONE and walking!)

Stats:  10 lb 13 oz, 50th % for weight and height. Wearing mostly 0-3 month clothes, with a couple 3-6 months. 

My Favorites: I absolutely love how much she smiles and talks to us. I'll never stop loving watching Hannah with her. 

Her favorites: Her swing! Being outside, music, bath, and when we smile and talk to her. She goes into full on coo and babble mode, and it is the cutest thing ever. 

Challenges: diaper rash. I finally realized the problem was that she was literally pooping every 5 minutes. Her poor bum! I kept her covered in ointment, and just changed her diaper constantly. She finally got her poops in order, and is doing much better :) Car. Oh, how Shelby hates the car.. 

Sleep: she's doing really well! Finally got her days and nights figured out. At 6 weeks old, she was sleeping 7pm-7am, waking 2-3 times to eat, and by 7.5 weeks old she was down to eating only once a night! At 8 weeks old she slept an 8 hr stretch! Naps are not consistent, and she still loves a daily 4-6 hour nap, but I try hard to avoid those. 

Milestones: cooing/babbling/talking at 5 weeks old. Definitely one of my most favorite baby stages. 

And lots of pictures, in no particular order...

Just barely over a month old here

 mornings are such a happy time with these two! 

We all wake up between 6:30 and 7, which works out really well for us. 

Hanging out with me while I ate lunch

 This is how i cook dinner everyday. 

One kid at my feet, and one kid strapped on me. 

It's the life- no sarcasm here!! 

Dad's had lots of late nights at school lately. 

He left early one day so he could tend the girls (in the waiting room) while I went to a doctors appointment. 

Love when he's around!

Just being adorable and happy.

Oh, and modeling a bow for my shop :)

Her sounds kill me!! So adorable

 All dressed up for church

 This is how dad babysits.. Elmo!

No, I did not approve of this!! But they were too cute not to snap a pic

 Sleeping babies are the cutest things ever. 

And yes, she lays on "silk" so she doesn't rub off a bald spot! ;)

 My parents stopped by for a day! 

modeling bows again, and feeling festive in her Halloween attire

Not to compare, but yes to compare..

Hannah at 2 months:

and Shelby at 2 months:

The short naps set in towards the end of her 2nd month. 

So while Hannah naps, Shelbs and I hang out

always have to go "see baby!" when Shelby wakes up

Shelby really cheers Hannah up when she's sad

I love the after nursing snuggles

We love you Shelby!!

Pump'

Holidays are WAY more fun with kids. And as Hannah gets older, I get giddy with excitement. This month has been fun to teach her the basics of Halloween. I got her a lift the flap book called "Where's baby's pumpkin" and it's been fun to teach her about pumpkins, bats, the witch hat, the ghost, costumes, and practice saying. "trick or treat!" We also have a cookie jar on our counter, that currently has a pumpkin lid. She is in love with it. She is always yelling up to it, "hi pump!" Or asking, "hold you pump?". 

So we went to the pupmkin patch. I knew she'd love it, but she LOVED it.  

Started off with some apple cider doughnuts 

Walked down the road, and stopped for a pic. I love this picture so much 

And finally, she spotted the pumpkins 

She could not stop running. Everywhere, and through all the pumpkins. Kissing each one, touching each one, yelling, "so many!", and counting them, "1, 2, 1, 2..." (On a side note, why won't she count beyond two!!) 

We picked out two pumpkins, and head home. I guess we wore her out, because she took an almost 4 hour nap!!! 

That night we got together with friends that go to school with Scott, for a Halloween party. I couldn't wait to get the girls all dressed up in their costumes- 

Minnie

And her cat Figaro

Next up- painting the Pumpkins, trunk or treating at church, and maybe even some real trick or treating this year! Can't wait! 

Shelby- 1 month old

September 6, 2014-
Shelby is already a month old, and it really has flown by!

Somehow I "planned" to have both Shelby and Hannah during finals week for Scott. As unfortunate as that sounds, it was also amazing, because he had a couple weeks off from school a few days later. So we have been completely spoiled having him home for a smooth adjustment to life as a family of 4. 

The last month we have had both our Lewis and O'Bryant grandparents come to visit, and we have also been able to go to California and Utah and visit them! 

Stats: 9lb 3 oz, 50th percentile for weight, 25 percentile for height. 

My Favorites: Watching Hannah with Shelby. Hannah is very aware of Shelby. She says, "oh no, baby!!" anytime Shelby cries. She also loves to "hold you, baby?". She always calls Shelby, "baby", even though she can say "Shelby"perfectly. But mostly it comes out as "shel-boo" 

Her favorites: Singing. For some reason I never sang much to Hannah, but my first night with Shelby in the hospital was long. She would not sleep until I sang her to sleep. She loves it.  Shelby prefers laying on the floor rather than her bouncer seat or swing- totally opposite of Hannah. She also loves to be outside. She also prefers to be carried in the football position, at least that's true when I'm holding her.

Challenges: Shelby hates the car... Somehow we got so lucky and she slept the whole time on both our road trips, but every other time, she screams the whole way :( She also doesn't want to be put down, ever. She really does not like having the hiccups, and gets them multiple times a day. Poor girl!

Sleep: she's just starting to figure out her days and nights, correctly. Most nights we spend 1-3 hours at a time bouncing her and pacing the house, usually around 2am. Besides that, she will sleep 2-3 hours before waking to nurse. 

Milestones: at 4 weeks she is smiling, on purpose! 

first bath.. which she did not like. 

 Just as we began a 3.5 hour road trip, I changed her diaper. She decided to go, twice, in the middle of it!! It was absolutely everywhere.. And I didn't have a change of clothes handy, sooo, yep! I just sat there in poo clothes :)

These next two photos melt my heart. Hannah was so interested in Shelby when we brought her home from the hospital. I watched Hannah, multiple times, just stand and watch her, contemplating what to do. Eventually she started to leave things for Shelby by the swing. She even left her beloved balloon.. my heart!!! 

Happy due date, Shelby!

While at my parent's house in California, my dad took some "newborns" for us! 

 Sleeping all day, partying all night..

First day of church! 

yes, I took her to church at only 2.5 weeks old. She stayed in her car seat, covered, pretty much the whole time. We'd been everywhere else with her, I figured I didn't have any excuse to not go to church! Plus, I really wanted to keep Hannah going to nursery, since we had finally been having tear-free success!

Hannah loves holding Shelby

 Real life is looking like this these days. 

And I love it.

While in Utah we stopped to visit my sister and her family. 

Quincee is always so smitten with babies!

Caught some of her first smiles!

My mom makes these incredibly beautiful and special quilts for each of her grandkids. They take over 50 hours to make! I couldn't love them more!! Each one is so unique.