Random

I know posts without pictures are kinda lame, but that is the way this one is going to go. Jolee met her Grandma and Grandpa P. this past weekend. The trip didn't exactly go as planned because of airport delays, but they were still able to spend 2 1/2 days with us. We stayed in Denver at a really nice motel...swimming pool, game room, breakfast... It was a bit tiring for me to be away from home, but was a nice vacation for the boys. I ended up pulling/popping something inside by my incision...lets just say that didn't feel good, and still doesn't. I go to the doctor on Friday for my 6 week check.

Brady has been invited to three birthday parties recently...I think we are beginning a new phase with his friends. He is already talking about his 5th birthday and making plans and requests. He sure is growing up! Last night this was part of his prayer..."thank you that we are almost teenagers. Please help me to grow so I can be a kindergartner." He is all about being bigger, faster, stronger. I'm playing some kids Christian music this morning and love that Brady is learning the songs and sings while he plays.

Luke has recently been reverting to his old mischievous ways...I mean really bad. I've found him eating Brady's scar cream, removing his diaper and applying Vaseline and powder himself...to himself and nearly everything around him, opening his closet, removing the clothes from the shelves and climbing up as high as he can get to try to reach the toys at the top (the ones that have been put away for a reason), pulling a stool up to the stove and microwave and pushing buttons, climbing on top of the counter to reach things on top of the fridge....I think I could go on and on. And all this is within the past week. I've got to find new locks and new hiding places. When he is quiet I'll call out, "Luke, what are you doing?" When his response is, "I don't know" then I know I'm in trouble.

Jolee is looking like a newborn now! :) The past few days I've given up pumping in the middle of the night and just nurse her. Its working pretty well. Maybe there will be a day when I can pack up the pump for good! She set a new record today (I guess she must know she is now 6 weeks old). She played on her blanket for nearly 45 minutes! She really loves being held and being on her tummy.

Chocolate Whipped Frosting!

Yesterday Jolee turned one month old! As you can see she still doesn't fit into 0-3 month clothes, and is not even close to the size 0 baby shoes Aunt Courtney sent! She was calling Leila to say she hopes her tummy feels better. :) I can't believe its been a month...where did the time go? I made a cake with chocolate whipped frosting yesterday to celebrate (something I craved ever since my diabetes diagnosis), but I was so exhausted that I fell asleep before I had a chance to enjoy any. :(

Lets see...changes over the past month:

Jolee is awake a bit more, although still sleeps most of the time.

She has gained weight...I couldn't accurately weigh her yesterday, but if she tracked the same as she did the previous week she would be 6 lbs 10 oz. or so.

Her little legs have filled out a bit...she used to have 4 skin folds (just skin), and now her leg has smoothed out!

There is the tiniest little pudge under her chin :)

She is transitioning slowly to nursing...about twice a day successfully now.

Her tiny little squeak has developed into a tiny little cry.

I'm discovering that she actually likes tummy time and it usually settles her down!

She is still not strong enough to sit in the bouncy seat and is still working on picking her head up.

She still has that soft baby fuzz that is supposed to fall off in the womb for full-term babies.

Her eyes are still that dark murky blue...wonder what they will change to?!

She has graduated from preemie diapers to newborns!

She is too long now for preemie clothes, but still swims in some newborns. Someone should tell clothing makers that not all babies are as wide as they are long! By the way, it is soooo strange to put 0-3 month clothes away to grow into...what??!!! At one month I was putting the boys 0-3 clothes away for good!

It was a little hard to measure, but I think she has sprouted to 20 1/2"!!! Tall and skinny!

Her head circ. started at 12 1/2" and is now just over 13".

Oh, and she can be crying and carrying on, but as soon as I pick her up she just about passes out. I love that she is that easy!

Tomorrow is her actual due date...and look at all that God has done! What a great God we serve!

3 weeks old

Time flies when you aren't doing much! At least that is how I feel about now...my life is currently sectioned into about 2 hour blocks of time. Jolee is now 3 weeks old. She still sleeps most of the day and night, although she is starting to show signs of being more alert. She is getting a bit more picky about being held too...she nearly immediately passes out when you pick her up, but set her down and she starts to squeak. She is still a tiny little peanut, but she gained an ounce a day over the past week and now tips the scales at 6 lbs. 3 oz! The doctor was thrilled with her weight gain and said she is right on target. She wakes up to eat about every 3-3 1/2 hours...mostly just by squeaking around. She really doesn't cry too much and is pretty easy to settle when she does. We have slowly transitioned to nursing twice a day and hope to continue building on that as she gains strength.

The boys still love to check her out. Luke will come up to her and say, "Awww, mom, she is so great!" Brady likes to be helpful and usually sits quietly watching her. At night when the boys pray, Brady always says, "Thank you for the baby out of mommy's tummy." It makes me tear up and chuckle at the same time...and realize how much he missed me and anticipated this little baby's arrival.

We loved all the meals brought to us over the past 2 weeks...what a blessing! Thank you to everyone for that huge help!

Thank you G & G!

We got a package this week from Brady, Luke, and Jolee's great grandma and grandpa. Here are some pics with their cute outfits on! Thanks!

Beautiful

Beautiful, beautiful,

Jesus makes beautiful,

The things in my life.