Random thoughts on my 3 week old!

In some ways, I definitely feel like it has been 3 weeks, but in other ways I can't believe it!

I feel like I missed my chance to get some good newborn pictures taken of her. I researched how to do it myself and looked at tons of other people's pictures, but I never really got around to it. I have a To Do list a mile long, that seems to grow every day, no matter how much I get to cross off that day. So, scheduling a photo shoot around her sleeping, eating, the weather, and the light is really difficult.
For over a week, she has been acting like she is really uncomfortable. She will be totally asleep and then crunch herself up groaning and crying. So, I have cut dairy out of my diet the past few days to see if it helps with her gas problems. She actually seems a little bit better to me already, which is awesome. When I was nursing Marley I had to lower my dairy intake a lot. Hopefully this keeps helping Vivi, but it's very hard to not eat dairy!It's funny how much I compare Marley and Vivienne. In some ways they are very similar, but in other ways they are totally different. For example, Marley literally spit up every time I feed her. It felt like an enormous amount of spit up at the time, but the doctor didn't seem concerned. Vivi has only spit up two times in all three weeks of life! Marley always slept best on her stomach. I did try to avoid letting her sleep on her stomach, but sometimes it was just so much easier to get her to stay asleep that way. And Marley always slept so much longer if someone was holding her. If I wanted her to take a good nap, I had to hold her. Vivi is the opposite. When someone is holding her, she is restless and moving a lot. But during the day, I lay her in the bed and she will sleep for a solid three hours. Vivi is also a lot stronger than I remember Marley being. Vivienne can hold her head up like a 2 month old and even kind of rolled over today. I didn't watch her do it, but I laid her down on her tummy and when I came back she was on her back!She has been staying a wake a little bit more lately. I actually had to look up what you are supposed to do with a newborn when they are awake. I just felt like I had no idea what to do with her! So, today we broke out the play mat we had with Marley and she loved it. She laid there wide-eyed watching all the toys as Marley pointed them out. We have also been enjoying taking family baths with all three of us. Marley loves to help in any way she can, and Vivi is totally relaxed in the warm water.
Marley has been playing the books that Asa recorded for Vivienne sometimes while I feed her. When I was pregnant, Vivi would always kick at night while we were playing those books. So, she recognized his voice now and always listens with her eyes wide open. Today, Asa finally got the videos and pictures from the birth (which I still need to write about, by the way) and he got to see everything happening. I am so happy he got them! He was on the phone through the entire birth, but I'm sure it was even better to be able to watch it! I cannot wait for him to meet her!

Band aids

Marley is obsessed with band aids. She spotted some Disney princess band aids one day at walmart that she just had to have! So my mom got them for her and ever since, she has been covered in them.

If she bumps her knee on the box to Candy Land, Little Mermaid to the rescue! If she finds a bruise from a few days ago that she had forgotten about, Cinderella is right there to cover it up! And that imaginary booboo on her finger? It's a good thing we have Snow White around to make it disappear!

Then at Target this weekend, she eyed a box of Dora band aids. So with Dora and all the Disney princesses making her booboos all better, there is absolutely no need for me to try to make her feel better. They stole my job!

I finally had to put the band aids on a higher shelf so that we didn't leave the house completely covered in band aids!

Vivi is 2 Weeks!

Vivi is two weeks old tomorrow! We went to the doctor yesterday and she weighed 8 pounds, 6 ounces. When I took her to the doctor when she was one week old, she weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces, so she is growing quickly! She has been holding her head up like a pro since she was born, but she gets a little bit stronger every day. She has been sleeping like crazy during the day, and staying up at night like most newborns. Every night, she has a two hour session of open eyes, hiccups, and nursing. It's really hard to wake up, but once I'm awake I try to enjoy my alone time with her. She also has a bit of a temper. When she's mad, she's really mad! And she makes me funniest faces when she is upset! She loves to be swaddled. I wrap her up as tight as I can while she's crying and she usually stops immediately. She also loves to talk. She can't coo yet, but she is constantly making little grunting noises like she wants to be a part of the conversation.Marley is doing such a great job with her. She tells me, "I washed my hands yesterday so I can be gentle to hold her!" She constantly wants to hold her, and I feel guilty when she it's not a good time. She loves her so much, and sometimes she gets a little close and upsets Vivi. Marley helps me with everything. She runs little errands for me and helps me entertain Vivi when she is awake. She has been calling herself Princess Marley lately, and talks about her sister, Princess Vivienne. They live in a castle with King Daddy and Queen Mommy and it has a big playground and pool. I am so excited to see them together having tea parties in their dress-up clothes one day!I am also doing great 2 weeks later. I definitely had very emotional days, and I know there will be more to come. But I am getting into the swing of things. I have taken the girls out several times by myself and everything went well. I have been eating well and exercising the past few days, which really helps my mood. We started cloth diapering this week and I am getting enough rest that I feel like doing more around the house. It's a good feeling to have things under control. Today I was nursing Vivi, doing flashcards with Marley, and talking to Asa on Yahoo Messenger. I felt like supermom! Even though this is only two weeks later, I feel like I am doing really well. It would be a whole lot better with Asa here, but he will be here soon for R&R to share the responsibility with me! I can't wait for him to see his girls!

Girls' Trip!

Today we took our first trip to Lufkin with two little girls. I have managed to stay home except for one doctor's appointment for Vivi and one gymnastics class for Marley, but I was dying to get out the house and do something! So, my mom, Emily, the girls, and I got in the truck and went shopping!This was Vivi's first car trip longer than across town and she did fabulously!
She also had her first trip to Target! A girl needs to remember that forever, so we took pictures! She snuggled in the Moby wrap with me and even my mom!
Meanwhile, Marley was fascinated by the fact that she could use her nose to click things on my iPhone!
Vivi also get to visit her first restaurant! I forgot to take the camera with me into Olive Garden with us, but trust me, she loved it! She slept the whole time!
The rest of the trip consisted of a free face painting at Old Navy and smoothies from Smoothie King! And that makes for a very happy Marley!

Lipstick

Guess who got in to Dede's lipstick?

Slip-n-Slide!

Last weekend, we picked up a slip-n-slide for Marley to play with! So, with Dede, Jack, and Alex here to play with her, she had a blast on it! I love watching her play like a big kid and wear herself out!

Vivi's First Week

Vivienne had an eventful first week of life! It started out with lots of bright lights and poking, but it quickly got better!She got to meet her Mommy.
She got to hear her Daddy's voice, telling her that he loved her through his tears.
Her Daddy got to see her for the first time on Skype.
And she got to meet her big sister, who couldn't have been more excited to meet her! Marley kissed her over and over again, and hasn't stopped a week later!
Like most newborns, she slept and cuddled most of the days away.
But occasionally, she looked around and soaked up the world.
We all admired her long fingers and toes and watched her wiggle them around.
She held hands with her sister.
She met her new family members.
She got to take her first car ride going home from the hospital, which she slept through.
She got some serious lovin' from her sister all day every day. Marley has been kissing her every chance she gets, singing her Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, holding her hands, and keeping her entertained while I get things together. She is a wonderful big sister, just as we expected her to be!
And she got to meet even more new family members! It was Mimi 2's birthday weekend, so we had planned for everyone to come visit to celebrate. Vivi got to meet Mimi 2, Pawpaw Gene, Aunt Julie, Uncle Andy, Jack, and Alex!
She also got her first bath at home. She wasn't a huge fan of it, but who wants to be cold and naked?
She smiled a lot in her sleep. Her little grins and smiles aren't the real thing, but that doesn't mean they aren't adorable! She smiles a lot right after she has nursed. She spends 15 minutes or so in a half awake/half asleep state where she grins and smiles enough to keep me staring at her the entire time.
She got to try out the Moby Wrap for the first time, and all I can say is that it is the best invention ever made! I got to go on a walk with Marley, make and eat breakfast, play on the playground with Marley, and build block towers. I seriously think I am going to use it every day!
She tried her swing for the first time. She will willingly sit in it for a little while if it isn't swinging, but if you turn it on, she's done!
And of course, she snuggled with her Mommy! I couldn't be happier to have my two girls with me! I feel like the luckiest Mommy in the world!