One Month Come and Gone

We were sitting at dinner last night and I suddenly realized that Elsie's one month birthday came -- and we missed it!  I can't believe that it has been one month already.  On one hand -- one month has come (and gone) SO FAST!  Was it really just one month ago that we were in the hospital?  On the other hand -- it feels like she has been in our lives forever.  You know, I was thinking about that the other day.  It probably feels like she has been in our family forever ... because she HAS!  We knew each other before we were born -- and were obviously very close there -- it makes sense that bringing her home feels more like a reunion than a first meeting.

Elsie is a GEM!  We had a rocky start ... but after turning to formula ... she is thriving!  She has gone from sleeping all day (she wasn't eating) to having spurts of being awake.  She enjoys going on walks with the family -- as we try to get out daily.  It is fun to watch her with Jace -- when they cuddle together, she is obviously quite content and he loves it to!  She only wakes up once per night now (If you don't count the 11:00 feeding) and goes back to sleep right after.  She is days away from cooing and smiling at us isn't far behind that.  I love to watch the faces she makes when she sleeps ... and I LOVE to listen to her chuck in her sleep.  It instantly makes me laugh.  

Here are a few (a FEW?) moments of our last month

My belly the morning of her birth -- it looks like I'm carrying twins because she was 10.5 lbs!!

Just after she was born -- being cleaned up!

Elsie and Dad  (Less than 2 hrs old)

Elsie and Mom (Just out of the OR)

Siblings meeting each other for the first time

Mom and Elsie READY TO COME HOME

We're on our way home!

Elsie at the Easter Egg Hunt

Easter Morning

Snuggling in Mom and Dad's bed (they look like siblings!!)

1 month old

2 Baskets

Easter this year was fun! It was so strange to fill 2 baskets -- and it is hard to fill a basket for a 2 week old!! In the end, both of our kids were very spoiled. Each got a new church outfit (even though Elsie didn't go to church), a book, a toy, and a movie. Plus my favorite Easter candies!!

Jace was awesome to share the eggs he found with Elsie. There were 20 eggs hidden and he would give to himself and be sure not to forget one for "his baby". AND he loved eating the starburst jelly beans that were inside. (I did too!)

Beautiful Little Girl!

It amazes me how much a baby can change in the first few months of their life! Little Elsie looks so different than she did in the hospital! Here are a few pictures of my baby for all to gawk over :) LOVE HER!

Easter Tradition bRoKeN

Every Easter weekend for ... years ... we have ventured down to Elsinore to spend time with Joe's family, then headed over to the Christiansen party in Kanosh. With a 2 week old baby and everything we had gone through with regards to her eating and gaining weight, we just couldn't make the trip. Instead though, we decided to hit up a local FREE egg hunt!

Well that morning didn't start off to a smooth start ... to say the least. I mean, we are still trying to figure out how to be a parent of two with very very little sleep! When it became more than clear that we would not be making the 10 o'clock egg hunt in South Jordan, Joe found a hunt in West Valley at 11:00. PERFECT! We'll go there.

Right before we were headed out the door I asked if Joe knew where we were going. He ran downstairs and came back with a bit of a smirk as he replied "At a Baptist Church".

A slightly different experience than I was expecting -- We did have a chance to win a chocolate covered cross! There was a great turn out, and everyone was very kind ... and Jace had a blast, so I guess that's all that matters! I did, however, feel an urge to go home and find Baptists at the Barbecue! Do I feel a sequel coming? Mormons at the Egg Hunt?

Pretty Elsie at her first Baptist function. hehe.

There were a few flaws in how the event was organized -- but again, Jace had a great time "finding" the eggs (that a man was dropping out of that big garbage sack in the picture above). It actually was quite fun to watch all of the toddlers follow the man with the sack around like little chicks!

(I'm still in shock that I have two kids, and that I can love them BOTH so much!! I am one proud mama!!)

Fun ... MEMORABLE ... afternoon! hehe

Loves to Love Her

There came a time last week that Joe needed to do something that required two hands -- I was unavailable to hold Elsie -- so Joe asked Jace if she could lay on his bed (he was THRILLED!!) Joe peeked his head in the bedroom and he saw this:

Jace cuddled up to Elsie in his bed

Joe decided to grab the camera -- how sweet to have my little boy snuggled up next to his little sister! Joe continued doing what he was doing -- and shortly he saw ...

Jace getting a little closer

Then Jace decided to share his blanket with Elsie

He takes such good care of her! He always wants to be by his little sister and love her!

Before Joe knew it ... they were sharing that little blanket!! Elsie didn't mind one bit -- she was very content to be up close and personal with her big brother.

I never had a big brother ... but if I did, I would want him to be just like Jace!!

"No, I'm not handsome!"

The other night Joe and I were watching the biggest loser. It was make-over week and the contestants were

revealing themselves to their families at the White House. Everyone looked phenomenal (including the hot trainers .... )

and I told Jace to look at the handsome guys on TV. Aren't they handsome? Jace responded with a yes but soon replied that he was NOT handsome. Joe and I told him several times how handsome he is (I mean ... I'm pretty sure I've got the cutest kids on the planet!) Jace looked at us with one sincere pout and replied: I'm NOT handsome! I not have a tie! He was quite upset that he wasn't wearing a tie and for the next ten minutes or so kept telling us that he needed a tie to be handsome and he wanted one! Finally Joe went and got him his tie. And BOY is he HANDSOME!!

The Story of her Birth

Having a planned C-Section ended up being a much relaxing way to have a baby! We woke up in the morning of the 23rd, showered, and got ready. I put make up on and did my hair -- knowing that several photo opportunities were in my near future. After making a quick stop to the high school (oh a different story for a different day) we made our way to the hospital. From there, things went pretty quickly. I figured that we would have some time to kill, so we brought a variety of games to play, and to our surprise, we really didn't have time to play any of them.

They suited me up in my gear and started asking a bucket load of questions. The IV went in (The most painful part of the whole process ... honestly!) and before I knew it, we were in the OR getting ready for the baby to come! Let me say, also, that a spinal block is MUCH less painful than an epidural!! Perhaps it was because I wasn't in the middle of a massive contraction when they put it in that it hurt less though.

Within about 3o minutes, little Elsie Alice was born. As you know, her gender was a surprise. I've heard that having a surprise is such an emotional rush once the announcement is made. For me though, it was a moment of confusion. When it is time to pull Elsie out, Dr. Merrill says: Oh Jennifer, it's a good thing that we took him c-section! He's got a big head! I thought to myself: "Ok, we have a boy! We have two boys. Two boys will be fun. I have a boy. It's a boy" I really wanted a little girl, but I was ok with a boy too. Two brothers. Fun. But then, the doctor that was assisting Dr. Merrill pointed out ... "It's a girl!" WHAT? A GIRL? I have a girl? I'm SO confused! Well, indeed ... I did get my little girl!

With teary eyes I got to watch them clean her up. I didn't get to see that with Elsie. They even brought her over to show her to me before the process started, something that I was very grateful for!

Mama and Elsie

Daddy and Elsie

It's hard to imagine how your love can be split between two kids. I guess love isn't a 100% quantity though -- there is no maximum! I love Jace just as much as I ever have -- perhaps more and this little 10 lb 10 oz Elsie Alice has just as much hold on my heart as her big brother. Joe and I are very very blessed! And she is beautiful!!