It's most definitely spring/summer here! I feel like our spring is always mingled with quite a few hot summer-like days. We've been slowly trying to get out of the house as a family of four to enjoy it, but most of the time it's Addie and Kevin playing outside and Liam and I snuggled in on the couch. This weekend though, we all got out! We packed a lunch and had a picnic at a park in Napa. It was a perfect day!
Later that week,
Addie came running in to tell me she had broccoli and peas for me! She
was so excited! So I went out to the garden with her and took a
couple of pictures of what her and her daddy had picked from our garden.
I really should've had Kevin in the picture too. He does all of the hard work
on our garden and is currently expanding it! I'll have to post pictures
later.
We have a little park with a man-made pond, pretty willow trees and
waterfalls, down the street from our home. The waterfalls haven't been
working up until about the last couple of months, so the water in the pond was always really low
if not existent at all. Now we see fish and hear the frogs croaking
away on our evening walks, which got me thinking...there must be
tadpoles in the water! So one night we took a net down there and
collected ourselves four tadpoles and one tiny fish!
Had to catch a picture of baby brother snuggled in on our walk.
The first couple of nights Addie asked if they could sleep in her room and wanted to give them goodnight kisses.
The tadpoles are already growing legs and we've been telling her that we'll set them free once they become frogs!
Our little boy weighed 8 ounces over his
birth weight today, for a whopping 9 pounds 9 ounces! Mama's milk is in
full force and this boy is a good eater! They measured him at 23 1/2
inches long, which is 2 inches of growth. (But Kevin thinks the nurse
was a little over on his measurement.) This puts him in the 73rd
percentile for weight and 100th for height. Which is probably why all
his newborn clothing fits him everywhere but length-wise.
Our doctor thinks that
his clavicle is almost healed, due to the fact he's starting to use his
arm much more, including lifting it over his head. I agree and hardly
get any crying from him when I'm putting his clothes on. We are so
grateful for the good report on the health of our little guy!
It seems the big question lately is...how's Addie adjusting? So I thought I'd make a post about just that.
She is so sweet to Liam but has a little trouble organizing and processing how much time I spend with him. Often we have conversations about what it means to be a family and that we all love each other. She seems to want to compartmentalize Liam's arrival by saying things like, "I love Daddy and Liam loves you." This makes me so sad that she thinks I can only love Liam, but she actually seems to be okay with it because she absolutely loves her Daddy and as cliche as the term is, she's the true definition of a "daddy's girl." I'm grateful they have such a great relationship.
In fact, if there was ever a movie that I could watch more than once it's the Father of the Bride movies. They bring tears to my eyes EVERYTIME! I see Addie and Kevin with the same tender and sentimental relationship as Annie and George. And in many ways I have memories and moments with my own Dad that remind me of these movies.
Anyways, here's a little video of just how sweet Addie is while holding Liam for the first time in the hospital. As I say in the video, I love to hear her say his name and that was one of the reasons I was sold on the name Liam. (Just remember to hit pause on the music to the right.)
During the week after Liam was born it was one of our most rainy weeks here in California. So Addie did some entertaining by throwing us a hat party, made her own pizza one night for dinner (did you know Papa Murphy's has make-your-own pizza kits for kids?!), and when the sun came out she did some gardening with her Daddy and took a "bath" in the dog's water dish.
Another tricky part has been when Kevin holds Liam. The other day she woke up from her nap and found this...
She immediately came to get me and said, "You need to hold your baby Mama?" She was completely distraught. We explained to her that the baby is all of ours and we can all hold him. Quickly after, we took this picture...
Fortunately, I had prepared and shopped for Easter prior to going into labor. I even had Easter dinner bought. I think I was laboring through the aisles of Winco, but I got it done!
Addie woke up from her afternoon nap to find the Easter bunny had made a visit and left and Easter eggs scattered all over our backyard too!
Hunting for eggs with Daddy!
So glad we got to spend the holiday with Mom and Auntie Pam!
Going through all of her goodies with Daddy. She has been such a Daddy's girl, which I'll write about later.
Addie-girl thrilled with the balloon her and Grammy picked out to welcome baby Liam home. I was also greeted with the most beautiful tulips, but sadly we never took a picture of them.
He slept peacefully the entire way home from the hospital.
Happy to hold her new baby brother. Take note of his outfit though. Hee! Hee! I was so thrilled with his take-me-home outfit, but when I went to put it on him in the hospital I found it was a capri pant with 3/4 length sleeves. Hee! Hee! We've got a big boy on our hands!
Where to begin...our baby boy was born on April 5th at 5:14am. He was more beautiful and precious than I think I ever had the time to imagine. I can't believe he is here now, yet I already can't fathom life without him. He has completed our family in every way. As Addie says, "We love you soooo happy Liam!"
Yes, Kevin and I made ANOTHER red head!!!
Liam weighed 9 pounds 1 ounce and was 21 1/2 inches long. Much bigger than sister!
So thankful for this man, who is an amazing father to my babies.
Aside from Liam having a fractured clavicle, which absolutely breaks our hearts, labor went quick and well. I had actually seen my doctor, that morning and he happened to be working at the hospital later that night and was able to deliver Liam. I am so grateful for Dr. Le and have been in his care since before Addie.
Big sister coming to see her baby brother!
She was so incredibly sweet and kept saying, "he's a cute lil' baby!"
Dr. Le came back to visit and was there to hand Liam to Addie. When I would take her with me to prenatal appointments he would always involve her and have her squirt the gel on my tummy and find his heartbeat.
There are no words.
Liam came pretty fast, so unfortunately none of my family could make it, but my parents arrived early that morning and were there to share in the excitement, which meant they had to drive through icy passes in the middle of the night. I'm so thankful they were able to follow each other.
Auntie Pam was able to make it later in the afternoon. It was great to have their love and support, especially with taking care of Addelyn and the pets.
