updates

Maddie is so much fun! She loves to play dress up.




Today, I had to change Maddie, but Lydia was sleeping on my chest and I wanted her to stay asleep so I used Asher as a place holder. He was so proud. Sorry no long posts, I'm a bit sleep deprived and am having a hard time forming coherent sentences.

2 weeks!

I can't believe she's two weeks old! Where has the time gone?

Why do I buy stuff?

Thumbtacks meet the leather couch.

one week down...

Lydia and I have survived our first week together! She had her first Dr.'s appointment yesterday. Right before we left, she pooped all over herself and her car seat. I forgot that new babies do that. There is no diaper that can contain a newborn. She didn't have to have any shots, but they gave me a flu shot. I didn't think it was fair, haven't I suffered enough :)? She is nearly back up to her birth weight, which doesn't surprise me because it seems like all she wants to do is eat. I forgot that newborns take so long to eat. It takes her 45-60 minutes every two to three hours. I feel like all I do is sit on the couch while Asher and Madeleine go on a destructive rampage. Having a new baby is hard, but oh so worth it. I love how she just wants to be held all of the time. I love that Asher and Madeleine are so excited about her. Every morning they run out to see her with big smiles on their faces. Asher says "it's so good to have two sisters!" Madeleine says "baby Lydia is beautiful like me!" Maddie has such a healthy self-esteem.

Asher also had his first two days of preschool this week! His preschool teacher is my friend, Molly, who lives just the next street over. It's so nice not to have to deal with three car seats, it's so much easier to just walk there. He would not pose for any pictures, which was frustrating because Asher usually LOVES to pose for pictures. Paul was home and Asher was really excited to have Daddy take him. He also insisted that Maddie walk with them. He was sad that she couldn't stay with him.

Paul went and got Asher alone and Maddie and I sat in the front yard and waited for them to get home. As soon as Asher saw Madeleine he yelled her name and ran and gave her a giant hug. Asher was just beaming when he got home from preschool, so I know he had a good time, but when we would ask him what happened at preschool he said it was a secret and he wouldn't give us any details. Later, he did say playing outside was his favorite part.

Also, Asher can read and spell simple words with some toy letters we have, but I can never get him to try and write any letters. He always says "it's too hard" and he won't do it. The evening after preschool I found him coloring the letter A over and over again in a notebook. I was so excited.

Welcome Baby Lydia Judith Smith

Vanessa is out of commission at the hospital and so the baby announcement falls to me. Last night, September 3, at 7:51 Vanessa gave birth to Lydia Judith Smith. She weighed 7 pounds 8.5 ounces (our biggest yet) and was 20.5 inches long.
As you can see, Lydia didn't immediately take to her new existence, but she soon settled down.

She has a big, round head (I think they said 36 cm) and has a hard time fitting in the new born hats we bought her. Luckily Grandma Ashby made her some adorable hats that do fit her.

Today I brought the kids by and they just loved her. Madeleine kept saying "She's so cute," and Asher kept saying "Now I don't have to miss her any more." They were really sweet.
Mom and baby are both doing great.

Pictures

Just when I thought they were playing quietly in their room, I come in to check and discover this...


Luckily it was magic marker and not permanent marker this time.

Asher just looked so handsome this day that I had to take his picture.

Busy summer

First of all, I want to say Happy Birthday to my mother in law, Judy! I really lucked out to have such a wonderful mother in law. Some of Paul's best characteristics came directly from his mom. My favorites being their enthusiasm for life, boundless energy, and good work ethic. So, thanks Judy for being such a wonderful mom and grandma!

Speaking of work ethic, Paul has been nesting this weekend! He vacuumed out our van that was still sandy from our trip to the beach, he mowed the lawn, painted the baby's room, set up bunk beds for the kids, and brought all of the baby clothes down from the attic.
This is the baby's crib. Paul even set up all of the bedding as a surprise. It's hard to tell from this picture, but the walls are now light green.
These are Asher and Madeleine's new bunk beds! They are making pirate faces on the top picture, if you couldn't tell. My favorite feature is the removable ladder. We take it away during the day so the kids don't climb up and play on the top bunk. We've also been removing the ladder after we tuck the kids in bed so there is no unauthorized climbing of the ladder. We are able to put them to bed at the same time now because they can't bother each other as much. We replace the ladder as soon as they are asleep so that Asher can get down if he needs to. Asher complained this morning because Maddie climbed the ladder to come and snuggle him before he was ready to wake up, but that was a problem before anyway.
The rule is no playing on the top bunk, but the bottom bunk is fair game so the kids have deemed it their fort.

For the last week of July my family came from Arizona and California to visit! I had so much fun, I just wish they all lived here.

Asher and Madeleine had so much fun with their twin cousins Ben and Sam. Ben and Sam are right in between their ages so they played really well together. Sam was especially enthralled with Maddie. Before they left both Ben and Sam were calling her "Girly". As in, "Girly, come play with us!" I stole this picture from Zach and Katie's blog because it was the best one of the four kids together. They were setting off on an adventure to hunt for polly-wogs at my Grandparents' farm.We've had such a fun summer and I'm a bit sad about the summer winding down. Not too sad though as the end of summer means I get to have my baby!