Category Archives: Audrey

iAddicted

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This iPhone has been over-used since Ethan got it. We use it for movies on the airplane or restaurants, Alyssa practices math and other games and lately Megan has been enjoying it. She says, “I want play games.” Sometimes I feel that this little device is taking over our life, checking email just because you can, entertaining children and even acting as Ethan’s alarm clock. But it is a pretty awesome phone.

Here is Alyssa before school.

And here is smiley Audrey. She still has some feeding issues and constantly spits-up, but she is so darn cute. Were the others this cute??

All smiles at 2 months

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Audrey went for her 2 mo check today and is growing great. She is right between Alyssa’s weight and Megan’s at this age. Imagine how big she would be if she could hold down any of her food. She is 50% all around and doing good. She is smiling and generally happy. I haven’t heard much cooing yet, but those third born probably do everything slower. We are getting better at napping. I say “we” because it does take work on both our parts. She usually goes down quietly while watching her mobile and takes a good nap until the next feeding. At night she is sleeping between 5- 7 hours, so I feel a little better during the day with more sleep. I can’t believe how fast she has grown out of the newborn stage, but I am looking forward to the days to come!

Update: I didn’t do as well as I hoped for playtime with the girls. I was able to put work on hold to Ethan’s dismay, but I have a hard time letting the housework go. But I did get all five of my New Testament readings in this week. And I am proud at that.

Working our muscles

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Audrey is approaching 2 months. She is looking around and following what her crazy sisters are doing. She does a good job of holding her head up and is smiling. She may be reaching and grabbing for toys by now if someone would give her some. I look back at the time I used to lay around on the floor with Alyssa and read and play from the day she was born. It is no wonder that she is so bright. Well, I just hope Audrey has some divine intelligence. She seems content to just hang out on the floor (with a constant drip down her neck) or in the swing. She doesn’t even realize that she has other options. But I am re-dedicating myself to motherhood this week. I will be on the floor. I will tickle. I will sing. I will make goofy faces. I will ignore the mess. I will enjoy these moments because I know they will be gone all too soon.

Aren’t I cute?

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Usually from 2:00- 3:00 Audrey and I get to hang out together in peace. Alyssa is not home yet, Megan is napping and we can just pretend she is the only child. Except this only child must be making a huge mess of my house. She has her standard load of laundry each day, but I am pretty sure the rest of the junk on my floor belongs to some other kids. Today in her peacefulness, I decided to take a few pictures and I really liked this one. It doesn’t quite portray her since she has been extremely fussy today and is screaming even as I type. But for a few moments she was calm in the sunlight.

She has been on Zantac and now Reglan but I am really beginning to hate these drugs. Today she has cried most of the day, which is abnormal for her and I can’t see a signicant difference in her pain or spit up. I am really tempted to just quit it all and deal with it. No official word that she has reflux anyway – those tests are too expensive for us to take right now. She is sleeping okay at night going about 4 hour stretches, but is really having a hard time calming herself down after each feeding. Cute as a button, but this third girl is giving me a run for my money.

One month gone

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We are officially the parents of three kids. I guess technically we have been for the last month, but not until  you are on your own do you believe it. Trying to tote 2 young kids, making sure the third is not getting run over by cars in the parking lot, figuring out how to feed one kid when the other one needs to be up and eat for school, trying to carrying two kids down the stairs, and my favorite, chasing the oldest down with the wooden spoon while the youngest is in the sling. (Yes, we spank.) We have done well lately. Ethan and I have learned to depend on each other more…ok, maybe I am just depending on him more. He has been a great father and husband helping me in the middle of the night when Audrey is not going back to sleep, getting up when he hears the spit up shoot on the carpet, bathing and putting the older girls to bed, even going to the store for me yesterday before work. Thank you husband. One day, I promise, you will have my full attention again.

As for Audrey, she is growing. She weighed in at 9 lbs 3 oz today. That is 2 lb 3 oz in 4 weeks. Okay, I am a little proud of that seeing as how I am the one nourishing her. And taking into account how much she spits up, she must really be eating well. She is content most of the time, not too fussy, but something does not settle in her little tummy. I almost took a picture of my laundry basket yesterday, but just take my word for it, we go through an entire basket each day of bibs, diaper cloths, blankets, clothes… Audrey is currently on Zantac to see if it helps any, then we may move her to one of the stronger ones. However, I am hestitant because she is not in alot of pain and don’t really want her to take those meds if it isn’t going to change the spit up. She is beginning to stretch her nights a little going as much as 4-5 hours. I know I will look back at those middle of the night feedings and cherish that time with just me and her in the dark, but honestly, does any mom enjoy it at the time? I do love the times when she stays awake after eating and just lays on my lap and looks around and then fixes on me when she finds me. So cute and sweet. And then she spits up everywhere! Joy!

Our playtime during the day.

Winter activities

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Ethan’s mom, Oma, came to meet Audrey this week. She was able to stay through Saturday and help me with cooking, cleaning and entertaining which ever kid I needed her to entertain at that moment. I think she had some good quality time with Audrey and you can’t say you’ve had that unless you were spit up on at least half-dozen times.

It has been freezin’ here. Literally. I will admit I was the one complaining that it was way to warm into October, but this is ridiculous. Audrey is too little to be hanging out in this weather and all Megan wants to do is go to the playground or the pool. She doesn’t really understand seasons yet. So while we have not been out much in the last 3 weeks, we have done some fun stuff inside. Painted Christmas ornaments:

And painted nails:

And then just in general, we are being cute:

Someday

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My mom and I discussed several times before Audrey’s birth if we could all handle 3 weeks together. Because of the timing of Thanksgiving, it didn’t make sense for her to leave before that, so she was here for 3 complete weeks. She and my dad drove in the weekend before the birth, my dad left mid-week, and then drove back with my brothers for Thanksgiving. And now, it is Saturday 3 weeks later and she is gone. I have only cried a total of three times (that I remember) when it comes to my parents. 1: As they prepared to go home after dropping me at ACU. 2: Going home after they flew up to get us moved into our home in TN. 3: Yesterday. Hugging them good-bye after 3 good weeks.

My mom had been there every moment since Audrey’s birth. She watched her come into this world. Watched her meet her sisters. Watched her come home. Watched her eat, sleep, and begin to spit up. She held her even while her back was in severe pain. She comforted her when her little stomach got upset after each feeding. She learned her signs and could predict and prepare before the spit up went everywhere. She washed and folded. She cooked. She cleaned. She played with the big girls. She got Alyssa ready for school each day. She let me take naps. She went to the store. She planned for the cousins arrival. She planned Thanksgiving lunch. Could I possible remember everything she did for me? She did all of it without complaint, but with joy. And for once in my adult life, I let her help me. It was a blessing to have my mom here with me as I learned about life with another baby. Since we have always lived so close, she has not really spent this much time with me or a new baby. She would visit, then go home. But this time, she was able to be with us around the clock and we loved it. I think we could have gone longer, but it is time that I learn to do this on my own.

Today, was our first day as a family of five. We had both of my brothers and families here for Thanksgiving and really enjoyed spending time with everyone. But now they are gone. Mom and Dad are gone. And it is just us. And I think we did pretty good today. Here is to Monday when I am on my own all day. And thank goodness Oma arrives on Tuesday! Then I do it on my own, I promise.

One week

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I guess the most exciting thing, at least for Audrey, is that she got her paci this week. I like to hold off as long as possible, mainly because until they can keep it in their mouth, the paci is quite annoying for mommy. I have discovered that she really likes to suck on it during the day and I am trying not to use it at night. But while I was up last night from 11 pm – 2:30 am I was wishing she knew how to just hold it in herself. She picked that time to be awake instead any of the other 21 hours of that day. I sure hope she does not repeat that behavior tonight.

I think that my winter is going to be long and cold. The last few days it has been too cold for us to go anywhere and really too cold to let Megan play outside … ok, maybe just too cold for me to stand out there. I feel like I have been house-bound for too long and just need to run an errand to Hobby Lobby or go meet Daddy for lunch or something. But I feel that maybe we have gotten over the 1st week hump. No matter how many kids you have, the first week is always hard. Learning to cope without sleep, learning to manage other kids, learning to feed – it is always something. Audrey is finally over her jaudice and actually gained back up to her birth weight already. And I am already at my pre-pregnancy weight too…. hahaha!

New Things

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Bath Time:

Audrey

Megan

Maybe all kids scream like this in their first bath, but these two look suspiciously similar. (Thanks for the reminder Ali.)

The Swing: It goes a little slower with each kid, and makes this crank noise when it starts up, but 7 years and 4 girls later I guess it still works.

Today Audrey is hanging out in the swing in the in-direct sunlight. She of course has a little bit of jaundice, I think all of mine have. We are waiting for the results of her third bilirubin test, but I think she is getting better. She has gained back up to 6 lb 14 oz already and the goal for newborns is birth weight (7 lbs) in 2 weeks. She is still very sleepy and unaware of the chaos going on around her. I am not sure how I am going to manage these three girls by myself, but for now I am very thankful that mom is here to help. There are not any pics of her yet, but she is working behind the scenes.

Alyssa has enjoyed coming home to Audrey and kissing her goodnight, but still isn’t that interested in her. Megan has gotten excited to see her a time or two, but for the most part just plays around her. I guess we are adjusting. Daddy and Megan went to the Jump Zone today for some one on one time. Alyssa loves school, but I think Megan is getting the shaft just a bit…poor middle child!