June 30

During Audrey's first year, it drove me crazy that her birthday was on the 31st. How do you know when she officially turned the next month old if there was not a 31st in every month? It wasn't a big deal obviously, but still it drove me crazy.

The morning of Isla's birth, I thought, "I hope they don't induce me today because I don't want to have another baby on the 31st. It's too annoying to not know when their monthly birthdays are." So, of course, it is fitting that baby Isla was also born on the 31st...what are the chances!

Despite this minor annoyance, it is still kind of fun to have two girls with 31st birthdays!

On to Isla's one month pictures. First, because I love to compare things on this blog, here is Audrey's one month picture. I clearly remember the day we took Audrey's first picture with Raggedy Anne. How quickly the past 2 1/2 years have flown by...can't believe we are already taking monthly pictures again!

This crazy little girl is 32 months old today! Notice the blue marker on her legs. Audrey has recently been very interested in drawing. I have been letting her use pens and markers without much supervision, because in the past she has done such a good job of coloring only on her paper or coloring books. That has changed this week! Earlier in the week, she colored in a piano book with pens. And today, she colored all over her legs with a marker. Fortunately, she hasn't discovered a Sharpie yet!

June 29

My grandparents stopped by today for a quick visit to say hi and meet baby Isla!

June 28

Watch this video. It's a good summary of our day today!


Audrey actually was pretty happy today. And she normally doesn't act like this when Isla cries. I just happened to catch this on camera and thought it was pretty cute. If she acted like this all the time, then I probably wouldn't think it was cute.

Isla was the one who was not happy today. She just had a rough time eating and sleeping and everything else, especially this afternoon and evening. I don't know what's wrong with her, if anything is wrong with her. Maybe her tummy hurts. Maybe she is growing and she is extra hungry. Maybe she is just being a baby and communicating the only way she knows how. That is what frustrates me about babies...you just don't know what is going on with them!!

I did catch Isla in a brief moment of contentment tonight. Audrey got in the picture too and wanted to hold baby Isla's hand...so sweet!
Finally, to follow up with our exciting news from yesterday:

1. We are officially going to buy a mini van. It is in Iowa, and we will be going to get it this weekend. More details to come!

2. Things are looking good for Maggie's new home. The visit tonight went well. They are going to dog sit for us this weekend while we are in Iowa as a "trial" to see how things go. Hopefully, Maggie will be on her best behavior!

June 27

My two little girls are keeping me busy and wearing me out! I didn't take any pictures today. But we did find out a few bits of potentially exciting news:

1. We may be getting a minivan in the near future. This would not have been considered exciting news to me a couple of years ago, but having two kids has changed my attitude about driving a minivan.

2. We may have found a home for Maggie. Maggie (our dog) was once the baby of our family, but with two kids now, Maggie is not really our favorite anymore. Honestly, she just drives me crazy, all of the time, even when she is just sitting there and doing nothing! It is time to find a new, more loving home for her. So keep your fingers crossed that the family who is coming over to see her tomorrow night will love her and want to take her home and keep her forever!!

June 26

Tonight we got to go to another birthday party. Happy 3rd birthday, Wesley! Audrey enjoyed helping Wesley celebrate his day by eating a cupcake with bright blue icing. Even after washing her hands several times, they are still blue!

June 25

Today, Scheels opened just down the road from our house. We have been waiting for months and months for this store to open, so we braved the opening morning crowds to check it out. Scheels is a sporting goods store, and we really have very little interest in buying sporting goods. We wanted to go to see all the attractions that the store claimed to offer.

We were not disappointed! It was a very impressive place, with lots of fun things to do with kids. They have a really cool aquarium that is shaped like an arc, so it goes up over your head. Audrey thought the aquarium was really cool, until she noticed this: "Wow, look at that!" she said. "It's a RIDE!" They have a pretty good sized Ferris Wheel in the middle of the store, and Audrey was super excited about it. Unfortunately, you have to be 36 inches tall to ride it. Audrey is only 31-32 inches, so she is going to have to wait a while before she will get the chance to ride it. Today, she was content enough to just look at it though!

On the second level, they have this huge mountain with lots of (fake) animals. Audrey liked that a lot too. She was very excited to spot a herd of deer, which she named Bambi, Bambi's Mommy and Bambi's Daddy.They also had areas within the store designated for photo opportunities with various animals like this giant bear. Audrey wasn't quite sure about the big bear at first, but she got over her fear and was eager to pose for a picture.

They also had a playland for little kids, that we will definitely be checking out when it is not so crazy busy. For older kids/adults, there was a shooting gallery, Nascar and golf simulators, and a Dance, Dance revolution game. I'm sure there was probably more that we didn't even see! The place was pretty full while we were there.

Before we left, we also had to check out their restaurant/cafe. They have a full menu with sandwiches and stuff, as well as a fudge and ice cream shop. The ice cream was only $1, and it was pretty yummy!We will definitely be adding Scheels to our list of places to go for free entertainment. Especially once the crowds die down, I can see myself taking the girls there regularly to visit all the (fake) animals, see the fish, play in the playland and get some ice cream!

We are most excited about the potential for new businesses to open up next to Scheels. A whole retail center is planned to be built there. I am hoping for some fun new stores and restaurants to come to town...all conveniently located right by our house!

June 24

Today Isla had a 3 week checkup with the doctor. She weighed in at 6 lbs, 15.8 oz, though I think we can just round that up to an even 7 pounds! She is still just in the 4th percentile for weight, but she gained one pound in two weeks, which is exactly what she should be doing. She was 20.5 inches long (28%). She is growing well and appears to be healthy. Good news...especially considering everyone was worried that something was wrong with her before she was born!

On a sidenote: Audrey did not cry or fuss at all today for naptime, and she didn't wet the bed. That is also good news!!

June 23

Audrey made this card for me (with Daddy's help) while I was fixing dinner tonight. The sweetest thing about the card is that Daniel did not coach her at all on what it said. He just asked her what she thought the card should say and she said, "Dear God, Thank you for Mommy." So sweet!!

She needed to have a sweet moment tonight, because this afternoon I was at my wit's end with her. She threw a huge temper tantrum (30 minutes of blood curdling screaming and kicking in her room) at naptime. She finally gave up and fell asleep, but only for about 40 minutes or so. When she woke up, she had wet the bed. (Only the 2nd time for her to do that while wearing her big girl panties!) I don't know if the bedwetting was an accident while she was sleeping or if it was part of her temper tantrum. Regardless, it was a very frustrating afternoon.

Audrey has always been so good about sleeping. She takes regular naps and she goes to bed without a fuss...always. Now is not a good time for her to start fighting with me about sleep! Fortunately, Isla napped through the whole afternoon, so at least I didn't have two screaming girls on my hands!

June 21

Isla is three weeks old today. Today is also my due date! Crazy to think that we could still be waiting to meet her.

I can't really put it into words, but I'm feeling very sentimental about little baby Isla. Partly because I am pretty sure that she will be the last baby in our family. And partly because I sat for 5 days on bedrest, waiting and wondering what would happen and what she would be like and how our lives would change. And then, all of a sudden...she was here. Ever since then time has been flying so fast!!

I know how quickly these days will pass. I know that she won't be my tiny little newborn for much longer. Soon she will be a big, chubby baby who will learn how to roll over and crawl and move around. And before we know it, she will be walking and talking and using the toilet and acting like a big girl.
I've said before that the newborn stage is not my favorite stage. Yet even as I look forward to the upcoming days when she gets bigger and can smile and interact with us more, I am definitely going to miss the sweet, snuggly moments of these newborn days.

With Audrey, that first month or so was such a crazy blur. I don't remember much of it at all. With Isla, I am trying to take the time to savor every moment. I know the moments will soon be gone and only the memories (and all my blog posts!) will remain.

Sorry for the big, long sappy post. I told you I was feeling sentimental tonight. =)

June 20

One of the ways that Audrey wants to "help" with baby Isla is by putting her pacifier back in her mouth. In order to put the pacifier back in her mouth though, the pacifier first has to come out of her mouth. Several times over the past few days I have caught Audrey pulling out Isla's pacifier, just so she could put it back in again.
Today, I left Isla on the couch and Audrey playing in the living room while I went to let Maggie in from outside. I was gone for about 5 seconds. When I walked back into the room, Audrey was standing very, very close to Isla by the couch. Before I even said a word, Audrey said, "I not doing anything, Mommy. I just saying hi. I not bothering her."

June 19

Happy Father's Day! Here is a picture of Daniel with his two girls!Audrey and Isla wore matching (well, more like coordinating) outfits and bows today. It's really hard to get a picture of a 2 year old and a 2 week old together!

June 18

Wow, what a busy day!I started the day at Garage-a-palooza. It's an activities camp for kids that our church puts on each year. I have been a part of the planning team for the past few years, though this year I've been a bit of a slacker since Isla was born! I did show up for a couple of hours this morning to help out and take pictures. From what I saw while I was there, I'd say it was another successful year of Garage-a-palooza...everyone seemed to be having a great time!

It was the first time that I had left Isla for more than a few minutes. I remember the first time I left Audrey. She was like 6 weeks old, and I went to go see Twilight. It seemed like such a big deal when I left her then. Today, I left the house without a second thought about leaving Isla. I suppose that's the difference between the first and the second child!

About the time I got home from church, Daniel's parents arrived. They were vacationing in Myrtle Beach for the past two weeks, so this was their first time to meet baby Isla. As always, Audrey was excited to see them. She had fun walking around in Papaw's shoes!
After Daniel's parents went home, my mom and I left Daniel with two sleeping little girls and headed to the mall. We found some really good deals too! Gap was having a major sale. I spent $40 and got 4 shirts for me, one pair of shorts for me, two shirts for Audrey, and one shirt for Isla. I'm excited to have some new clothes, as I refuse to put on maternity clothes again and my non-maternity clothes just aren't fitting quite right yet.

And finally, we got a picture of mom with the girls right before she left this evening!
So, now our company has all gone home, and it's just the four of us again. Time to get back to normal life...if there is such a thing as normal with a two year old and two week old in the picture.

June 17

People ask all the time whether the girls look alike. I'm not very good at determining who looks like who. I think they resemble each other, but then they also look different from each other. I can't decide. So, I put together a little side by side comparison...you can decide for yourself!

June 16

I promise my mom is here with us, though I don't have a picture yet to prove it. I keep telling her that I want a picture of her with the girls, but she keeps insisting that her hair doesn't look good enough when I want to take the picture. Tomorrow, she promises me, we will get a nice picture of all of them together.

Nana did buy Audrey this watering can tonight while they were out shopping, so Audrey came home and wanted to water the flowers.
And just so Isla doesn't feel left out...here is a picture of her from tonight. We are hoping for a better night with Isla tonight, as she did not want to sleep much last night. She seemed to have a better day today though, with a good rhythm of eating, being awake and sleeping. We'll see what happens tonight...for now, she is asleep...which means it is time for us to go to sleep too!

June 14

I forgot to take a picture today. But we are very excited, because Nana is here! My mom was finally able to make it over to meet little Isla. She had been sick for the past couple of weeks and wasn't able to come until now.

Audrey is very, very excited for Nana to be here. I have a feeling that she is going to completely wear my mom out with her nonstop talking and constant desire for Nana to play with her!

June 13

Most summers, we would be at church camp this week. Our friend Amy is the dean of a 3rd-4th grade week of camp, and Daniel and I usually go and help out during her week. But due to Isla's birth, we were not able to help this year.

We did go out for a visit this afternoon though. Camp is always a fun place, especially for a 2 year old. Audrey was very excited to be there. She went swimming with Daniel, Cael and Amy (and all the campers), while Isla and I hung out and watched and took pictures.

Audrey got to try wearing arm floaties for the first time, and she did so good! She was brave enough to swim back and forth between Daniel and Amy all by herself! She did end up under the water a few times and swallowed some water, both of which were a little upsetting to her. But then she would bounce back with a laugh or a squeal of excitement. We need to find a friend with a swimming pool this summer, so she can keep practicing her new swimming skills!

June 12

Today was Isla's first Sunday at church. So lots of people got to see her and meet her for the first time. And that meant that I was repeatedly asked one of my least favorite questions, "Is she a good baby?"

I'm always tempted to answer: "Of course she's a good baby! Would you really call a baby bad?"

But I know that's not what they are really asking. They are really asking two things: "Does she cry a lot?" and "Does she sleep well at night?"

If I were to answer those questions truthfully, then I guess she is not a good baby. She does cry. And she does not sleep well at night (though she is a champ at sleeping through the day!).

But I don't expect her to sleep through the night (though it would be nice). I expect her to wake up frequently. And I expect her to cry. Because she is a baby. And that is what babies do. It is not a matter of being good or bad..she's just a baby!

Thanks for letting me get that rant out of my system...sorry if you have heard this from me before. I'm pretty sure I wrote a very similar post when Audrey was a newborn! =)

I tried to take a picture of Isla dressed up for church this morning, but she wasn't too happy about being my model today!
Later tonight, she was sleeping in her bouncy seat with her legs curled up and her feet crossed...so sweet!

Audrey and Isla

We were very anxious about how Audrey would react to her new baby sister. At times in the past, she has not been too happy about Mommy or Daddy even touching a baby. I was prepared for the worst...with lots of screaming and tantrums from Audrey as we adjusted to life with a baby at home.

However, so far it seems that our worries have been for nothing. Audrey is doing great with baby Isla. She is such a good big sister! She doesn't fuss or cry when we are taking care of Isla. She really hasn't been any more clingy or needy with me or Daniel. She likes to help sometimes, but sometimes she will just do her own thing too. Audrey loves to pat baby Isla's head and hands. She talks to her and shows her things. Last night, she was watching Mickey Mouse and she said, "Look baby Isla. It's Mickey Mouse. That a good show. Wanna watch?" Audrey's interactions with Isla are very cute and make me so happy.

Here is a video of their first meeting at the hospital, and one of Audrey singing Happy Birthday to her baby sister.




So...I was typing the above while Audrey was napping. Then Audrey woke up from her nap and was extremely grumpy. She was crying and clingy and did not want me to hold baby Isla. Maybe I spoke a little too soon about her being okay with all of this?!

June 10

Isla had her official one week checkup today. She weighed in at 6 lbs, 1 oz (4%). That means she is back to her birth weight, which is a good thing. She gained about 5 oz. since Monday. She was 19 3/4 inches long (33%).

The doctor gave us the okay to stop waking her up to eat every 2 hours at night (though she still has to eat every 3 hours at night and every 2 hours during the day). I'm curious to see what she will do tonight. She is still not eating very much at a time (about 1.5 oz.), so I know she will still wake up to eat frequently. And while we can barely keep her awake during the day, it seems like she is more alert in the middle of the night. I'm hoping that she will sleep at least one 3 hour stretch tonight...because her mommy and daddy are kind of tired!

She was awake for about a half hour this afternoon, so I took advantage and took some pictures of her with her eyes open. Here she is showing you how she is getting "so big." Okay, well she is not really so big yet, but I know that she will be far too soon!
And here she's showing off her skinny legs and huge feet! (Audrey was the same...skinny legs and long feet. I was worried that Audrey would have giant, disproportionate feet as she grew up, but so far her feet have actually been a little on the small side.)

June 9

I meant to post this last night but I was too tired!

Today, the girls and I ventured out on our first outing together. We went to one of Audrey and I's favorite places to visit--Target. I got some popcorn for Audrey and I to share, and we browsed the store, played with a few toys in the toy aisle, and picked up a few things we needed. Then, as we were checking out, one of my former students spotted us. He works at the Target Starbucks and brought us a coconut creme drink sample. Audrey was very excited about getting popcorn first and then getting her own drink with a straw and ice cream in it!

Isla wasn't quite as enthusiastic about our little outing. She spent the entire time asleep in her seat.