Newborn Shoot by Shuffield Photography!

I mailed Rose's announcements on her four week birthday (Monday), so I can finally blog the beautiful photos Tisha took of our loves:

Grey 22 Months and Rose 1 Month!!

Time refuses to slow down, so here I am, amazed that our littlest is ONE MONTH and our big girl is 22 months!

I am blogging this on SATURDAY morning, before Rose's "Sip n See".  Yikes.  Life with two has me really behind.

Grey's hit some amazing milestones this month!!:

• She finally left size 4 diapers for good.  She was in them for most of her life it seems. ;)  Size 5 are so much cooler these days.  So is our big girl potty that once in a while we use.  Eek…official potty training is right around the corner.
• She only has a pacifier for bedtime and nap time.  This was a TRIAL, but she is finally okay with it.  Well, more okay with it.  We are weaning entirely by 2 years.  I don't even want to say the words "2 years".  Sigh.  :(
• She is saying a TON of words.  I know she is still behind her peer level, but she is catching up much quicker than any other time.  
•  drummmmm roll…… She is sleeping the entire night in her big girl bed, from 8pm-7am.  Who knew this was even possible.  Secretly I think her Daddy is missing her baby snuggles from 3am on. ;)  I know I am missing them!  That's no secret.  But it's so good to know she is getting good "normal" sleep.  

Grey's favorite hobbies (we've spent a lot of time indoors - boo!) lately are:

• Watching videos of herself on the iPhone
• Coloring
• Color sorting
• Playing with her babies and stuffed animals
• Reading books
• HELPING ROSE! :)
  
  
  
  

To type that Rose is one month makes me a mess.  I honestly cannot get over how quick this second time around is going.  Grey's milestones seemed to zoom by, but these ones are going by in a blink.  My heart is not handling it well.

Realizing Rose wasn't even a thought in our minds until less than five months ago, and wasn't a part of our family until 4 months ago, is truly unbelievable.  She is the most perfect addition and completes our family in the sweetest way.  She is a JOY, a BLESSING and simply PERFECT.  When people say, "How is Rose as a baby?" I never reply with much other than perfect.  Because really there is no other word to adequately describe her.  She is heaven.

Rose has hit some big milestones too, at one month old:

• She has held her bottle and paci a few times.  What.
• She rolled over on her 1 month birthday morning (Thursday) on the bed, but I refuse to believe that is anything more than a fluke. ;)
• She is growing like CRAZY and eats a good 3 oz. every 2-3 hours.
• She weighs 8 lbs.
• She is smiling every day!
• She is now in size 0-3 months and can only wear one or two newborn outfits.
• She is sleeping for up to four hours at a time during the night.  She hasn't once mixed days and nights yet (unless her tummy has been upset).

Holding G&R together never ceases to remind me of God's goodness.  What a blessed home we have.

Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! Psalm 31:19

Rose at 4 weeks…and big sister Grey

Getting long!

I have accepted the fact that I will likely be blogging Rose's weekly updates on Tuesdays during Grey's nap time.  At least the photos are taken on the correct day (Mondays). ;)

Rose is:

• Growing like a weed!  We are really inching ourselves out of newborn.  I can only put her in maybe two newborn outfits now.  She is so long and getting chunkier by the day.
• Over 8lbs on our bathroom scale!
• Holding her paci in with both hands.  She has always reached for it, but now she is actually holding it.
• Trying to roll over already.  I guess we will have two early rollers in the house!  I think big sister is plotting against me and teaching little sister all her tricks.  ;)
• Wanting to be held most of the day.  She is no longer satisfied with a bouncer or swing.  The snuggles are such a sweet reminder of how quick time flies by.
• Such an incredibly good and amazing baby.  She is what any book and anyone would call the "perfect baby".  Truly.  I am not even being biased.  She sleeps well, eats well, is happy and calm, and loves to snuggle.  I can't get enough of her.  I stare at her and get baby fever all day long.  The only cure is more snuggles. 

I am learning how to manage life with two, which also includes getting out of the house.  Eek.  We enjoyed a beautiful day at the park with friends and then lunch out yesterday, and I am pretty sure it was a comedy to watch me.  I know it'll get easier, but wowza.  I need more practice…which thankfully I will get.  Even with a Boba wrap and help from my friend, I looked like a mom who had quads to juggle.  ;)  

Grey is almost 22 months (tomorrow) and Rose is 1 month Thursday.  I will blog both their milestones on Thursday or Friday!  I am trying to soak up each moment of them little together.  I know they'll be sharing teenage closets in just a blink.  Grey is becoming quite the helper and is genuinely helpful!  I am way amazed and impressed at how each day is slowly getting more normal and easier.  Her attention-seeking [negative] behaviors are diminishing too, which is such a blessing.  I love my sweet big girl back!  And the way she adores Rose is hands down the sweetest thing to watch.

To celebrate being "big", we had cupcakes yesterday.  Rose watched, Grey and I enjoyed. :)  

such a character!

 I have been a little concerned that I am not doing enough "educational" things with Grey, so I am really trying to incorporate some education into each morning and afternoon.  I am a firm believer that kids learn as they play, but I also want her to be challenged as well.  She is loving sorting colors these days.  The only four color names she can say right now are blue - "boo", yellow - "yayo", pink "peek" and purple, which surprisingly sounds exactly like "purple" (how she chose the hardest one to say, and says it correctly we will never know).  She CAN sort all the colors though! :)

So blessed.  

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive on another if any of you has a grievance against someone.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.  

Colossians 3:12-15

Rose at 3 weeks

Our littlest is finally getting out of that "womb stage" and becoming VERY alert and active during the day.  We are so blessed she still knows her days from her nights.  I don't think there could be an easier baby, ever.  She is on my lap as I type and just staring at me and flashing me a smile here and there.  I live in a constant state of surreal dreams.  (Well, until that rare moment that both are screaming and then I kind of get jolted in the realities of motherhood!)  ;)

At 3 Weeks, Rose is:

• Still in size newborn diapers and clothes
• Past her birth weight by now, and I bet over 7 lbs! (At her two week well-check last Tuesday, she was 6 lbs 15oz)
• In the 75% for height.  Some of her newborn clothes are too short already!
• Loving to stay awake for several hours, watching us go about our day.  She loves watching Grey.
• Adored by Grey.  Although we have had our few incidents here and there (mostly when Grey is upset with me, and not Rose), Grey has mostly been obsessively in love with her sister.  She helps feed, change, bathe little sister, as well as talks to and kisses her ALL day long.  Her version of "hi baby" makes my heart skip a beat over and over.  
• She is eating about 2.5 ounces now, and even wakes up crying to eat.  I was worried we would always have to set alarms.  
• Only fussy when she is cold (undressed) or hungry.
• The cutest little bather.  She enters a trance-like state and just LOVES her baths.  If the weather wasn't so cold and dry, I would give her multiple baths a day. 

Auntie Charys came to visit us from Saturday night through Sunday.  Even though it was a short stay, we absolutely LOVED having her here.  Grey has such a strong love for Charys, not even her parents can attempt prying her from Charys' arms.  Charys agrees with our verdict: Rose is simply the most amazing baby on earth.

Yesterday was my first Monday all alone with both girls (Tisha was here last Monday).  Not only did we survive, we thrived.  I was SO grateful for the Lord giving us a beautiful and wonderful day!  I also moved the changing table and a few things into the nursery, and started a playroom in Grey's room with the extra space.  We plan to paint the nursery next week.  I am bothered by it not being done yet, but financially the adoption had us a little behind, making our nursery a "work in progress".

I hope to get her weekly pictures taken on the changing table each week.  I think it's a fun idea that will allow us to see growth changes.  I am sad I haven't done a great job of blogging a TON of photos, but to be honest I feel like my hands are pretty full with two kiddos and a home business!

Here are a few from the week:

Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established.  Proverbs 16:3

Rose 2 weeks

From the back of Tisha's camera!

Our precious blessing is already two weeks.  It has been a true WHIRLWIND around here, but oh such a blessing.
Tisha drove in yesterday evening, so we had a FUN photoshoot today on Rose's two week birthday.

At two weeks old, Rose:

• Is in newborn diapers and clothing.
• Eats about 2 oz. per bottle, every 3 hours, and is an excellent eater.
• Is still an amazing sleeper, and sleeps for 4 hour periods at night before we wake her up to eat.  Yes, I just said "wake her up".  (Her parents are not accustomed to this kind of a sleeper!)
• Is alert for up to a couple hours at a time now!
• Tries to suck her thumb.  We are shoving her paci in her mouth to stop this (which is just plain nuts since we are having a tough time weaning Grey of her paci currently).  Pacis are better than thumbs though in this tough parenting choice.
• Turns her head back and forth.
• Loves being swaddled.

We go to her 2 week well-check tomorrow, so I am anxious to see if she is back up to birth weight.  I feel like she is!

Her little umbilical cord stump fell off today (sorry tmi), so we will have her first "real" bath tomorrow. I can't wait! :)

We are SO grateful Tisha is here to help out.  I have a dentist appointment in the morning, then her doctor appointment, and Chet is back at work.  She has saved us this week for sure.  We are taking a few family photos tomorrow evening, if Chet gets off work in time.  EEK!!

Grey is absolutely in love with Rose.  She says, "Hi Baby" in the cutest.voice.ever. a hundred times a day to Rose.  There's nothing like sister love.  Nothing.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.  And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.  
Romans 8:14-17