Saturday work

Yesterday was such a fun and busy day. We got out all the Christmas decorations and had Grandma hold the baby while I decorated and Doug cleaned the basement.
Abi enjoyed playing with 3 of our snowmen making them a little Snowman family..

The stockings were hung.... the nativity put out...

It looks so festive and cozy around here now. I got the tree put together and then realized the lights were dead so we have to finish that on Monday night but we did get Abi's put up and decorated in her room after her bath. She let Maddy have her old smaller tree this year and I found this little 3 foot one at Hobby Lobby on sale for $10. Every year we get a new ornament for our tree usually relating to something that happened that year and the kids get a new ornament for theirs as well so she got to hang up her four special ornaments plus a few extra she has got from others and a few of mine that I have given to her because they are plush or more for kids.

So fun! I can't wait to get our tree done tomorrow!!

Thanksgiving

It was so great to have my mom here for Thanksgiving although we all felt bad that she was away from my dad and missed having him here as well..
We started out the day eating sausage muffins I made and fruit and watching the Macy's parade. Then my mom and I packed up the baby and left Doug and Abi to have some special time while we went to get a newspaper and a wreath for the door ( a tradition to do both on Thanksgiving).
When we got home I got the girls dressed in some matching dresses and had a little photo shoot in the front room..

Abi just adores her baby sister..

I had to get a picture of our Thanksgiving day activitites mess. Doug worked on his book on the computer, Maddy slept, Abi played Cootie, and my mom and I perused the ads for the next day's shopping.

In between all that mom prepared a Thanksgiving feast

and set the table with Abi

they had made little cornucopias and place cards

Ready to eat

Doug got the carving job

giving thanks!

After dinner we cleaned up and rested and then wrote our letters to Santa Claus

which then got put in our Magic Mailbox which has a direct link to the North Pole when we are all asleep

then we enjoyed some apple pie and ice cream

the next morning my mom and I headed out bright and early to do some shopping. It was her first (and probably last) time doing it but we had so much fun together. When Abi got up she checked the mailbox to see if the letters were gone which of course they were and replaced by a little gift from Santa. I talked to her on the phone and told her she needed to wait until we got home to open it so as soon as we came home to pick up her and Doug to go to IHOP for brunch she got to open up her gift. It's another tradition. He always leaves a little Christmas prize.

It was such a fun Thanksgiving and Black Friday. We have so much to be thankful for!!!!

Week in pictures...again

We have discovered the best invention ever.... we needed a new monitor so I got what I always wanted with Abi which is a monitor that has a camera. I love this thing. Now we can see her at all times...

the other day we were playing games on the floor and I had Maddy propped up on the boppy. I was feeding her a bottle and she grabbed it. We thought this was hilarious that at 1.5 weeks old she could grab and hold this thing.

Abi being cheesy with baby sister

Our little munchkin dancing around on her toes.. she does this all the time. I really should think ballet class..

just hanging out with Grandma

getting ready to go on an outing...

Doug's mom and dad sent us this awesome sling and Doug had put Maddy in it and then laid her down when she fell asleep. I wanted a picture and just as I was taking it she made this hilarious face...

Usually she loves tummy time..

A new fairy was born

I know there are many theories about babies smiling so young but I don't care what causes it...Madeline smiles ALL the time and last night when I was feeding her around midnight she totally laughed. I then giggled and she smiled even bigger.

(did you get the title?)

One Week Old

I can't believe that yesterday Madeline hit the one week point already! She had her follow up appointment with the doctor and she said everything looks good, she was back up to only an ounce away from her birth weight, and her heart murmur is gone! YAY!
She is overall a really happy baby!

Our week in pictures.. Madeline's first week

We broke out the old green bouncer seat. We haven't put new batteries in it yet so it's just a chair to sit in right now. She seems to like it .. sometimes.

We got a really amazing bouquet from Edible Arrangements full of some of the yummiest fruit ever from Discover Card. Abi just had to be in this picture.

There's been a lot of drooling and spit up and cuddling..

She doesn't cry very much but she lets loose when it's diaper changing time.

Trying out the swing that our friend Heather brought over.  It's so weird to get used to a binky. Abi wouldn't take them but Maddy loves it- I'm sure because it was the comfort factor while in the nursery when I couldn't be with or nurse her.

I love little feet that look like hands.

We've enjoyed some fun tummy time.. well not me but she seems to like it.

lots of sleeping

abi has been a little over hyper and sometimes I've wondered if she developed ADD while I was in the hospital but she has been so sweet with the new baby. Here she is trying on Daddy's jacket.

My mom brought a bunch of workbooks with her and has been doing pre school with her which has been great.

they play games

say the pledge

do stretches

and excercises

and get their wiggles out

along with the work

and fun crafts

Abi was so proud of her pilgrim boy and girl. The boy's face is hard to see but it is there.

and our friend Julie brought over a Big sister survival kit for Abi as well as a gift for baby Madeline. Abi was so thrilled and it made her feel so happy.  Abi has done the new puzzle so many times now. She said, " I NEEDED a new puzzle. Yay!"

some incredibly cute clothes for little Maddy.

We're just taking it all in- trying to get used to life the way it is now and enjoy the moments.