Caroline's Sweet Noises

We discovered this week that Caroline has reflux.  She makes the loudest grunting noises after each feeding.  But when she's resting comfortably she makes the sweetest sounds I've ever heard!

Play Date and Due Date

On Friday the 13th, me and my girls got up, got dressed, and went to our first play date.  The fact that we were only 5 minutes late made me feel like superwoman!  The reality is that we had an unusally easy morning.  Elizabeth slept in long enough for me to get dressed and feed Caroline who instantly fell back to sleep giving me enough time to get E dressed and fed.  Then we were out the door and ready to play!  Nothing short of a mircacle!!

Little Bears was the perfect spot for our first play date.  Elizabeth had a blast playing with her friends from church, and Caroline was an absolute angel in my sling.

playing in the bubbles with her friend Cameron

On a different note, since Caroline was born I think about the fact that she was suppose to still be in my belly.  Well, tomorrow is her actual due date, but instead I've been holding her in my arms for the last three weeks.  I am so thankful for that!

She looks so much like her sister!

Big Girls

Caroline had some trouble gaining back her birth weight once we got home from the hospital.  So we revised our feeding plan to include nursing and pumping to supplement.  At 2 weeks and 2 days old, we took her back to the doctor for a weight check and she had gained almost 4 ounces in 4 days!  Success!  She now weighs 7 pounds 9 ounces. 

And this little girl finally went "pee pee in the potty"!  She's been sittting on the potty pretending to go since she was 18 months old.  This was the first time she actually used it.  I think it surprised her as much as it surprised me, but I was proud of her still.  Then I asked her to take a "big girl" picture and she struck this pose.  I couldn't stop laughing!!

My growing girls!

Since Caroline's belly button fell off sometime on Monday night, we were able to give her a bath for the first time.

She wasn't very happy about it.  I think the water was a little too cool so I'm hoping next time she'll like it better.

But once she was a snuggled in her pajamas, she instantly fell asleep!  I just love a sweet smelling baby in her pjs after a bath!!

First day on our own, plus some visitors

On Friday, May 6th when Bert's mom left, it was just me with my girls for the first time!  After two weeks of full time help, we were on our own.

But we weren't by ourselves for long!  Jessica and Kathryn brought lunch over for us and the girls played until both were completely exhausted.

When they left I was by myself to keep Caroline pacified while putting Elizabeth down for a nap.  Thankfully, it went quickly and smoothly.  I know it won't be like that every day, but it sure was encouraging for our first day. 

That night Mackenzie, Melissa, and Christy came over for some pizza, wine, and girl talk!  It was just what I needed!!  Bert took care of Elizabeth while we loved on Caroline and enjoyed each others' company.  I am so grateful for fantastic friends.

We also had our first challenge.  Elizabeth started running a fever on Friday night and didn't sleep at all.  We were so worried about her because of her febrile seizures, but now we also had to worry about her contact with her baby sister.  She always wants to love on her sister and since I can pick her up now, she is all about her mama.  It was so hard to keep them separated especially because it meant that I had to be separated too.

When her tylenol kicked in, Elizabeth enjoyed playing with Christy and picking out her own attire.  She insisted on wearing her chef's apron and rain coat, even though it was a beautiful day.

I was so glad Christy was here when all of this was going on.  At first I was a bit sad that she was here with the stress of Elizabeth being sick.  But it turned out to be a blessing.  Having her extra set of hands to hold Caroline or entertain Elizabeth was our life saver.  Plus, she let me talk and over analyze every decision we were making for our babies. 

Did I mention how much I love my friends?!

Getting to know Caroline

Caroline hates to be naked.  Changing her diaper or her clothes is a dramatic experience.  She just wants to be all bundled up all of the time. 

She also doesn't like transitions.  She's so content in anyone's arms or an any baby device we have, but she doesn't like the move from one to the other.  She just wants to sleep so these transitions really disturb our sleepy little girl.

We don't swaddle her with her arms inside.  She prefers them over her head and would struggle to get them out.  Our doctor says that she probably spent most of the time in my tummy like that so she's most comfortable that way.  It felt weird not to swaddle our newborn, but the newborn specialist at our pediatricians office is actually against swaddling.  She says that it's completely against what they're used to and pinning down their arms causes more stress.  I think most people do say their baby sleeps better when swaddled, but hearing our specialist say that made me feel okay about not swaddling her.

Caroline makes the sweetest cooing sounds ever.  She also makes a lot of grunting sounds too.  I think she may have some gas!

Our sweet girl also gets the hiccups after almost every feeding.  She got them all the time in my belly too.  They don't really seem to bother her, but I still feel so bad when she gets them.

Caroline started gaining back her birth weight before we left from the hospital.  But when we went for her first check up 2 days later, she had lost it all again.  I started pumping to supplement nursing her, and a week later she had gained 5 1/2 ounces!  We never had any weight issues with Elizabeth's weight, so even though this was very minor, it seemed like a big deal to us.  Thank goodness our little one is growing again!!

Even though Caroline sleeps about 22 of the 24 hours a day (normal for her gestational age), I still think she has her days and nights mixed up.  I have to wake her up after three hours during the day to feed her, but at night she wakes me up to eat every 2 to 2 1/2 hours.  I'm starting to wake her up more often during the day to hopefully get that extra hour at night!

She doesn't really cry when she's hungry though.  I just wake up to her sucking the heck out her little hand.  Thankfully her sucking sounds are really loud and I'm not sleeping so heavy these days or else I might not even know she was hungry!

The Loves of my life all ready for bed!

Caroline meets the Kellys

On Sunday, Bert's family came over to meet the newest member of the Kelly clan.  It was very laid back.  We just ate the left overs from my mom's cooking the week before and visited with one another.  Elizabeth had a blast with all the extra attention as well. 

Grandad with two of his grandaughters

Nannie with her grandbabies

Elizabeth wanted to help Nannie feed Caroline.

Look at those long skinny legs.  Caroline looks so much like Elizabeth minus her chunky rolls.  But we're working on those rolls!!

Elizabeth and Caroline

Because we were in the hospital on Easter Sunday, the Easter bunny visited our home a little late this year.  I don't think Elizabeth minded one bit.

I think she was excited by her Easter bucket

She especially likes her sunglasses

Checking out her new bathing suits.  Grandma got her a third one too.  I think she is set for the summer!

 So far Caroline is the sweetest, easiest baby I've ever met.  I realize I may have just jinxed myself, and her demeaner is most likely due to her true gestational age (she would just now be 38 weeks).  But I am just soaking in all the sweet newborness I can.  She doesn't even cry when she's hungry.  She just starts majorly sucking on her fists.

Elizabeth is becoming quite the helper with her "baby sissy".  She assists every diaper change by retrieving the diaper and throwing the dirty one away.  She is constantly covering her up with a "kiki" (blankie).  We do have to watch her closely though because she covers all of Caroline with the blanket (even her head).  She gives her tons of hugs and kisses.  But again, we have to make sure the hugs aren't too tight and her kisses are gentle enough.

 These pictures look like they're telling secrets to each other.  I think they are plotting against me already!!

She sometimes shows a little jealousy when I'm nursing Caroline because she feels left out.  So now Elizabeth sits beside me and reads Caroline a book during that time.  It was really that easy to solve.  Something tells me that sibling rivalry won't always be that simple!!

She likes to sit in all of Caroline's things: the car seat, the bouncy, even the boppy pillow.  

Elizabeth loves to hold her sister.  But their looks say it all here.  Elizabeth looks quite suspicious and Caroline looks scared out of her mind!