Ivy Jane Photo Shoot

Emily-the talented young lady that has been such a blessing to me-came over a couple weeks ago and took pictures of Ivy Jane (and a few of Georgia Claire, too!) She's the one that drew the "Big Sis" picture of Georgia. She has now taken up photography and is going places people! Here are a couple of the pics...

One Activity at a Time

While Georgia Claire & I ate supper tonight, Ivy Jane hung out in her bouncy seat and took a nap...

I'm in love with this little girl...
Georgia Claire really enjoyed her applesauce tonight. She's feeling better and is getting her appetite back. I gave her a spoon and she quickly threw it on the floor and stuck her hand in the applesauce instead.
She had it ALL OVER herself and thought it was so funny!
Needless to say she went straight to the bath. After she was done, Ivy Jane woke up and I gave her a bath. Georgia Claire watched and kept us company. Afterwards I took Ivy Jane to her room to get her diaper and pj's on and in about 3 minutes time, this is what I found in the bathroom!

I didn't mind...it kept her busy while I got Ivy Jane dressed...worth the little mess she made (and the few cents of toilet paper wasted)! It's all about making it through each part of the day! I've heard people say just to take it one day at a time...in my world right now it's more like I'm taking it one activity at a time, but I'm loving every minute of it!

Baby Sister

Today is actually Ivy Jane's due date...can't believe she is already 3 1/2 weeks old! She is a precious baby and I am just amazed at how well she is doing and Georgia Claire is doing with her. Judging by the way Georgia plays with her baby dolls I thought for sure we would have gone back to the hospital or doctor by now with an eye injury! BUT, she is doing very well with Ivy and is so careful!

She's getting fat...double chin & creases on her arms and legs! She still looks so tiny compared to her big sister though!

Georgia is trying to get a peek...
So she came around to the other side of the chair and watched her...
And touched her with her one finger that she always so carefully touches her with...
I THINK Georgia Claire is starting to like her baby sister! I can't wait to see them interact with each other, but I'm not in a rush. I'm going to enjoy this season of our life.

SPAGHETTI!

Spaghetti for supper...let's just say she thoroughly enjoyed it!

Georgia's Tricks and Being Sick

We took Georgia Claire to the doctor on Thursday and she has a virus...and is cutting jaw teeth...recipe for a cranky baby! Bless her heart-I wish I could take her pain away! She woke up this morning with a fever of only 99.1 so hopefully she is on the mend! I sure hope so...she has not been her normal self, poor baby.

Even though she's sick and not feeling well she is still smiling for the camera and doing some tricks! My mom used to tell me that she could tell when we weren't feeling well in our eyes. I always thought, "What? How can you tell?" But you moms (and probably dads and probably everyone else!) know exactly what she means. You can tell in some of the pictures that Georgia's eyes just don't look right these last few days. We didn't go to church this morning because she was still running fever and Shelby is on his way to Kansas. SO, we're having a lazy Sunday morning at home...just us girls!

While I washed some bottles this morning I let Georgia play in the tupperware & plastic bowls. She has started matching the lids with the bowls. When she was finished this morning she had 4 bowls with 4 matching lids! Smart girl...

Richard Scarry's Best First Book Ever! She LOVES it, as you can tell...
She has this play mat (actually it was a gift for Ivy, but Georgia's enjoying it right now) that has a teddy bear puppet on it. She gave it about 20 kisses this morning. I kept it on my hand and every time she saw it she would come over and kiss it...SO CUTE!

She's doing really well with her fine motor skills. She has started stacking the Duplo blocks...she will work and work to get them snapped correctly!
My sister Kathy had some hand-me-downs from Caroline and so Georgia helped me sort the clothes and then I pushed her around in the tub...she thought that was just the greatest thing ever!

Another new trick is climbing...she climbed up on the ottoman and then onto the chair before I even knew what happened. She did it 4 or 5 times before she got too tired...SO proud of herself!Looking at her daddy like, "Uh...am I going to get in trouble for this?"
"NO! I'm not going to get in trouble for this!"

Ivy Jane's Two Week Check-Up

Today we went to Ivy Jane's two week appointment and she is doing so well! When she was born she weighed 7 lbs 15 oz, when she was discharged she weighed 7 lbs 12 oz, and today she is 8 lbs 8 oz! I'm so happy that she is gaining weight! She loves to eat and I am so thankful. The whole pregnancy, delivery, postpartum, etc. thing is such an incredible miracle! Shelby & I are in awe all over again. Seeing what my body went through and how quickly I have recovered and how well Ivy Jane has done since the jaundice scare...wow! It truly is amazing! When the doctor came in today to examine her she looked at Ivy and then looked at Shelby and said, "WOW! Talk about a mini me! She is ALL YOU DAD!" I told her I thought so, too and she said, "Oh yeah, definitely looks like daddy!" To which Shelby replied, "Poor baby!" My mom's response? "Oh well one of the twins you're going to have next will look like you!" That's right, not only does my mom think I will get pregnant again, she thinks I am going to have TWINS! We'll see!

Ivy Jane sacked out in Daddy's arms waiting on the doctor...

SO glad Shelby was able to go to the doctor with us...

Shelby's arms got tired...I look so tired in this picture!

Georgia Claire went with us and she thoroughly enjoyed the toys...
She is so funny with the squinty eye thing...every time I bring out the camera this is the face I get!
Or this face...
Or this face! She's feeling better, we think, but she's still having her little fits...nothing Mama & Daddy can't handle!
Shelby was able to get a picture of her with her eyes open!
We love our baby girls and are SO thankful they are both healthy and happy. Ivy Jane is growing and developing exactly how she should and I am thrilled! Healthy children are a blessing...a blessing that I do not take for granted!

Two Weeks Old

Ivy Jane is TWO WEEKS OLD! She is a precious baby...getting into a little routine, has quite the appetite, and sleeps so soundly. I'm enjoying having her in the bassinet in our room, and sometimes she makes it into my side of the bed with me-I just LOVE the newborn days. All I want to do is cuddle with her! I look at her and cannot believe that I carried her...such a miracle. I think she's looking like Shelby...time will tell! She still looks like a newborn-hard to tell, but I'm thinking she's going to take after him!

My two girls...LOVE THEM with all my heart! Georgia has almost cut two jaw teeth on top and two jaw teeth on the bottom are starting to come in. Poor baby, all she wants is to be held and loved on. I'm trying my best to meet her needs, but it can be difficult, especially when Ivy Jane is crying to be fed. I'm ready for her to feel better...I wish I could make it better for her! Even not feeling well though she still has a smile for the camera!

14 Months Old

Where does the time go? Georgia Claire is 14 months old today. She is little miss personality...happy, loving, hilarious...we love her SO MUCH!

THANK YOU, Georgia Claire, for bringing complete joy to our life. Your Daddy & I are so thankful for you.

Transitioning

Transitioning is the name of the game around our house. Have I mentioned that I am totally and completely in love with my baby girls? The transition from a family of three to a family of four has been challenging at times but I'm very determined to make sure that both Ivy Jane & Georgia Claire are happy, healthy, and have their needs met. This is my job, one that God has trusted me with, and I am very thankful. I am also so incredibly thankful for my sweet husband Shelby, who wants nothing more than to provide for his three girls and make sure we are happy. I am so thankful for his successful career and his determination to grow and learn in his company. It is because of him that I can stay home with Ivy Jane & Georgia Claire...something I have dreamed of doing since I was a little girl.

I'm not going to lie, at first the transition with Georgia Claire was a bit rough. Several things were huge factors in the tough transition...1.) I couldn't pick her up (doctor's orders) and every time it seemed that she wanted me I was feeding her baby sister. Thank goodness Shelby was able to be off work for several days...they became best buddies! 2.) She is cutting two big jaw teeth and has been drooling and chewing on anything and everything. Those things have to hurt when they are coming in! 3.) The fact that she is a day shy of 14 months and doesn't quite understand what is going on has a lot to do with it the rough patches, too, I know.

I have been praying these last 12 days that Georgia Claire would feel loved and not replaced and that God would give me the patience and rest that I need to keep up with the demands of a 14 month old and a 12 day old. Time management is something I've always been pretty good at, but I'm learning a whole new meaning to the term. Just in the last couple of days I have seen a change in Georgia Claire. I think she now gets it that Ivy Jane is here to stay, and that I can't always come right to her. She has been so sweet to her little sister...always wanting to give her kisses and touches her with only one finger, as Shelby or I or both say "careful". I KNOW that giving her a sibling is the best thing we can do for her. It helps, too, that I can now pick her up and we are back in our routine. She's back to sleeping 11 or so hours each night plus a good nap in the afternoons. I know these little girls are going to be best friends! I think about my sisters and the bond that we have, and I look at my nieces Mary Katherine & Caroline and I cannot wait to watch Ivy Jane & Georgia Claire grow up together...precious memories are sure to be made!

Enjoy some pictures from the last few days at home. Ivy Jane is still getting "sponge baths"-waiting on the umbilical cord to fall off. She does really well and always likes to be wrapped in the towel & cuddled afterwards.

Miss Hollywood...Mary Katherine gave Georgia these glasses and Georgia LOVES them!
We like to play peek-a-boo. She will put a blanket or something over her head and pull it off when we say "Where's Georgia?" but now she has started covering her eyes (or her ears) to play peek-a-boo. Here she is trying to cover her eyes...it's hilarious!
Playing with the tractors...
Ivy Jane & Daddy cuddling...
Let's just say it was a GOOD nap! With hair like that, you KNOW it had to be good!
Yesterday was the first day that Georgia Claire's nap and Ivy Jane's sleep schedule lined up perfectly. We all three slept and it was GLORIOUS! Sleep deprivation can do a number on you if you let it! I'm learning to let the house go a little more and to rest when they are resting and play when they want to play. I love my life and this transitioning phase, as hard as it is at times!

Settling In

I said something about "the girls" this morning and Shelby said, "I like the way that sounds...the girls." We are now hopefully finished with hospital stays and blood work and settling in with our two baby girls. Ivy Jane had her bilirubin level checked this morning and it had decreased to 12.1! YEA! The doctor thought it might rebound and actually be a little higher, but once again, God protected her little body!

I look at Ivy Jane and at times I can't control the crying. Last night Georgia Claire had already gone to bed and Ivy Jane was awake. Shelby was enjoying some cuddle time with her and I sat there and just cried. He asked me (in a joking, but loving voice), "Are you going to be a blubbering idiot for the next few weeks?" To which I replied in a teary voice, "YES! I can't help it! I love our little girls!" God has answered our prayers and I am just so thankful! I know I am blessed and I am not taking a second of this time for granted. I know they will grow and in no time we will be out of the baby phase. I can't believe it has already been a week ago that Ivy Jane was born! Where did the week go?!

As you can see Ivy Jane is settling in quite nicely...

If Georgia Claire could say it I think she might tell me she missed me. I sure did miss her. The two nights away from her in the last week are the only two nights I've ever spent away from her. I'm ready for some more times like this...(please excuse the way I look-I got MAYBE two hours of sleep in the hospital the night before!)

I teach GA's (Girls in Action) at my church on Wednesday nights and the other teachers planned a surprise baby shower for me for this past Wednesday...needless to say I didn't make it! My sweet friend and fellow teacher Stephanie brought the gifts by after church last night and Georgia Claire enjoyed opening them with me. She still LOVES to sort things...she pulled all of the tissue paper out of the bags and enjoyed sorting them into piles by throwing the paper over her head. HILARIOUS!

Today was the first day we that was somewhat back to "normal". After Ivy Jane's test we came home about lunch time and Shelby went back to work. He was READY to go back to work and I was READY for him to go back to work. I love my husband but he's not cut out to stay home...and he will be the first to tell you that! We talked about how cool it was that God gave him the desire to work and provide for his family and me the desire to stay home ad take care of our girls and the house. I love this new life that God has blessed us with and I think we are settling in just fine!

There's No Place Like Home

From the moment I heard we were being admitted into the hospital and the nurse said, "Best case scenario is 24 hrs"...that was my constant prayer. Please Lord, let our stay be no more than 24 hours. The likelihood of that happening though was slim since her bilirubin level was so high. BUT, we know that God's ways our bigger and better than ours, or any medicine or therapy can be. Last night at 8:00 her level was a 17.1-down from 19.5 at the time we were admitted. That was a good sign...the therapy was working. SO, I continued to pray that the levels would take a dive and show even better results in the morning...I was praying for 15. This morning when the test was performed at 5:30 her level was 13.2!!!!! HUGE HUGE HUGE!!!! Even the nurse did a drumroll type thing (she had been my postpartum nurse last week) when she told we and said "YESSSS!!!!" after I hooped and hollered! When the doctor made her rounds about 8:00 she said she was SHOCKED by the results! She said she was HOPING for 15 but thought that was a stretch. She may have been shocked, but I know that it was all of the prayers that our sweet family and friends were lifting up on Ivy Jane's behalf. SO, at 12:00 today we were discharged! It's SO good to be home...just us four. I'm enjoying my sweet little family and crying tears of joy at the drop of a hat. I love my girls, and I love my husband. God is so good. I was made to be a momma and I am LOVING my new role as a mother of two precious baby girls. Here are some pictures of the last 24 hours. For those of you who don't know what phototherapy looks like...here you go!

Here's the little "sunbather" under the big blue fluorescent lights. This is where she stayed for the last 24 hours, other than feeding times every 3 hours for 30 minutes-hour.

She really relaxed a lot more than I thought she would...the band around her eyes worried me but she was warm and toasty under the lights and slept soundly for the most part.
A close-up of her little body...
Warm and a little sweaty...the last time I got her out to eat!
She fell asleep in the car on the way home and I came right in and put her in her bassinet. She was so peaceful...even smiled for Shelby & me as we were watching her.
Therapy at home continues...in the window, stripped down to her diaper. The sunlight helps break down the bilirubin that's still in her body.
My sister Kathy made homemade hotsauce, Mexican rice, chicken enchiladas, and THE BEST teacakes in the world for us for supper tonight...look at this plate of yummy heart teacakes!
Please pray for the bilirubin level to stay down. We go back to the hospital in the morning for one more test. We love you all and thank you for the prayers for our baby girl.