Today we celebrated Rob's 29th birthday. Elaine helped by opening what she thought were her presents. I realized two thing:
The other day I made Elaine take a nap. I could hear her playing in her room and after things quieted down I went and checked on her. She had put shoes on. Apparently, she needed to complete her outfit before she could fall asleep. At 2 she is learning the importance of accessories.
In the mail I received some free formula. At first Elaine thought the box was her present. When I opened it she was sure it was a present, drums. She yelled "drums" and carried the 2 containers all over hitting them very enthusiastically. What can I say, the girl's got rhythm.
With today's perfect weather Elaine opted to eat her grilled cheese sandwich outside. She was very thoughtful about where she would sit to eat. First, she tried all four chairs at the table. Next she moved to her little bench poolside. Next, she tried the big bench she sits on with Rob. For some reason this is where she decided to sit and eat:
This is the upside down lid to her frog sandbox. She has never sat in it before but today it seemed like a good idea. She sat in it until the sandwich was gone.
This is a picture of Elaine trying to act like the camera is not on her. I mostly put it up to show her cute face.
Who knew a kitchen cupboard could be so fun? She empties it and climbs right in shutting the door behind her. She sits very quietly so if I don't see her climb in I am searching the house for her. If I start calling for her her giggle gives her away. She thinks she is hilarious. I didn't get a picture but the other day she took her Teddy Bear in with her and used him as a pillow.
The other day as we drove to the pediatrician we were listening to Christmas music. As I was singing along to Martina McBride singing Let it Snow I heard a little voice in the backseat join in. Elaine knew we were singing about snow but couldn't quite get the "let it" part so she improvised with the word she knew, snowman. She was rocking side to side singing snowman, snowman, snowman. It was so cute and funny. She keeps me very well entertained.
We went to the pediatrician on Monday for Charlotte's 4 week check up. I can't believe it has been that long! She tipped the scales at 8lbs 15.5 ounces and 21.5 inches long. What a big girl. This makes her pretty average. She is in the 45% for weight and 55% for length. I think she has a huge head so I was surprised when her head measurement put her in the 15%. Charlotte is very alert and when she is awake she just takes the in the world around her. Her head is very strong. You have to hold on tight when you hold her on your shoulder because she likes to push backwards.
Elaine thinks Elmo is her baby. As you can see she even makes sure he has on a diaper. She loads up her stroller with supplies and takes him all over the house and the backyard. She even has a purse hanging off the back of the stroller. What a girl.
This is a picture of the girls in their festive outfits. We had a very hard time getting a picture. We ran out of time before church and after church our sleep deprived 2 year old was not really cooperating. In person they were both quite adorable.
Elaine has a weird obsession with cake. I think it is weird because we never eat it. She has started making "cakes" in her sand box. This means she shovels as much dirt onto a plate as possible and brings to the table with a fork and says "it's a cake, eat it". She has not yet tried to force me to take a bite or taken one herself but I am sure that day is coming. The other day I was busy with something (probably attending to my other child) when I noticed that she had brought the cake inside to the kitchen table for me. She was so cute. She said "here mommy, sit". It was a pain to get the sand off the floor but funny anyway. One of her favorite shows right now is Max and Ruby. This is something Max would do for sure.
This morning Elaine insisted on holding or "hugging"Charlotte as she says. This has become very normal but today she seriously would not give her back to me. I always run the risk of Elaine deciding she is done and then literally pushing Charlotte away. It happens fast so when Elaine seemed finished I scooped Charlotte away. This led to a few tears and whining to hug Charlotte again. Charlotte also gets tons of kisses. Elaine always puckers, kisses and says kiss. I guess she wants Charlotte to know exactly what is happening. I am amazed at how much Elaine loves her sister. I thought she would like her but she gets less jealous and more loving everyday. I am hoping a baby sister is what Elaine needed to calm down a little. Well....maybe calm isn't the word.
You may also notice there seem to be lots of pictures with Elaine wearing these pajamas. This is because she LOVES them. I have to wash them frequently and be sure they are always ready for wear. The other day Elaine took off her cute outfit after she found these pj's and wore them all day. I guess this is what happens when kids can dress and undress themselves.
For a girl who HATES naps herself Elaine sure likes to play nap with every person or toy she can get her hands on. The only rule of play nap time is recognizing the bed and blanket are hers. She announces "it's my bed" and "it's my blanket" to all occupants. She did not say this prior to the arrival of her new sister. It is amazing how quickly she has become territorial.
Charlotte does not love the bath like Elaine does. The only time she cries is when she is in the bath. This means I have to crying children at the same time. Charlotte's crying upsets Elaine to the point of near hysteria. Needless to say Charlotte's baths last a minute. Elaine on the other hand would stay in the bath all day. She likes to practice her "swimming" as she says. She has been working especially hard on her kicking so nothing stays dry anywhere close to the bathtub. 
This is a picture after both girls just got out of the bath. Elaine loves to hug Charlotte. Actually, seeing this picture of herself hugging her sister has her demanding to do it again.
Yesterday Elaine found a tablecloth as she cleaned out the linen closet for me. (I mean the kind of cleaning that left me a big mess.) Anyhow, the tablecloth became a costume for a while. At first she held it up to her stomach and told me it was pajamas. A minute later it was a towel. Then she drapes it over her head and says "I'm a princess". I thought this was really funny because we have not gotten into the whole princess thing since Elaine is just barely 2. She knows Fiona from Shrek and she has an Aurora piggy bank that she plays with in the bath and that is it. I think the princess thing must be a nature rather than nurture thing for her. Maybe that explains her personality.
Elaine thinks Charlotte is really funny. The smallest sneeze, yawn anything sends Elaine into hysterics. Yesterday I was trying to take some festive photos and I had the girls laying on the floor together. Elaine couldn't stop laughing. The pictures are not the best but they will make you smile anyway. 
Another post Thanksgiving shopping trip brought about a killer deal and fun present for Elaine. My sister Megan and I found this pig costume on clearance at the Gap and we knew we had to have it. When Elaine saw it she wanted to put on right away. She ran all over the house with it saying oink, oink which came out more like poink, poink. She also kept trying to snort but hasn't yet mastered that.
She also got some new pajamas. She loves the new pajamas so much she took off her outfit yesterday afternoon and wore these pajamas all day. She loves to run from room to room yelling "pajamas". It really is the simple things in life that can bring the greatest happiness.
Elaine still mostly loves her new sister. She does, however, go from hugs to hitting in the blink of an eye.
One of my purchases from braving the stores the day after Thanksgiving was a pair of tennis shoes for Elaine. She thinks they are great but she would only let me put one on. The other one she held by one lace and yelled "it's a bunny, bounce, bounce" and then shook it up and down to make it bounce. She did this for at least half and hour before she would let me put it on her foot. I don't know where she comes up with this stuff.
Charlotte is growing and changing. It is amazing to see the difference 2 weeks makes in the life of a newborn. She is awake for about 4-5 hours during the late morning/early afternoon but sleeps most of the time outside of that. When she is awake she just seems to take in the world around her. She very rarely cries which makes my life less stressful. Her body is getting very strong. She pulls herself onto her side and can lift her head and look from side to side. She is changing so much faster than Elaine ever did and it is fun to see. We all just love our new addition.
Today Elaine helped empty this laundry basket so she could play with it. For some reason she thought she it belonged on her head. She thought she was hilarious. She was entertained for a whole 5 minutes, which in her limited attention span is long. Megan reminded me I took pictures of her with the same basket when she was little. Back then she was cute. Now she is cute and crazy.
Elaine decided to take her toy kitty out to play today. After much fun in the sun (yes, it is still sunny and warm here). They went to her shady bench and she said"come on kitty, it's nap" and they laid there until she got bored.
This is just because I think she is so pretty. How can you say no to those eyes?
We have now made it to day 11 with 2 children. Thank goodness for all the help I have received. I am a little nervous for the time when I am all alone. To get ready to leave and get out the door takes twice as long as before. (If anyone needs me to be somewhere at a certain time you better tell me to arrive half and hour early so I will be on time.)
We went to the pediatrician this morning and Charlotte now weighs 6lbs 11oz. She is getting stronger everyday and is finally waking up for a few hours so we can see her little eyes. I am grateful to report that she is still a VERY good baby. She barely cries and sleeps pretty well at night. I would have loved another spirited child such as Elaine but am relieved Charlotte is calm. We are having a great time with our little girls and absolutely love them!
As you can see Elaine still loves her sister. She can't leave her alone. Since I let her hold Charlotte she thinks she should be able to all the time. She has not tried to pick her up on her own yet but since I just typed that it will probably happen later today.
This morning when Elaine got up she went right to Charlotte's bed as usual and said "it's a sister". This is cute because she has never used the word sister before and she not only now knows the word but what it means. Elaine is growing up so fast. I remember when she was Charlotte's size and can't believe she is now a little person.
I can't get a picture of Elaine looking at the camera. She can't take her eyes away from her baby sister
I have had several inquiries about how it is going with two small children. The answer so far is fine but mostly because I have not really had to be alone with them for very long. Elaine has been spending a few hours a day with various people from church and then coming home and taking a nap. And Charlotte, that girl can sleep. She spends 23 hours a day unconscious still. My sister Emily spent all day Monday with us and my sister Megan gets here tomorrow for 10 days. So, ask me how it is going November 27 and the answer may be different. We did go to the grocery store with Emily on Monday and I know that is a place that I can't take both girls for a while. I would probably have a nervous breakdown in the middle of the produce department.
This is the first time Elaine held Charlotte. Elaine thought it was so fun she wouldn't give her back. In this picture she is giving her a hug. I know this because she told me that is what she is doing. I have been told when you bring home a new baby your other children suddenly grow up and it is so true. Suddenly Elaine is very verbal and more independent. She does, however, still want us to hug her all the time. I think this is also an attention getting ploy. Who can resist the beautiful blue eyes of this two year old? Of course we stop whatever we are doing to give her a love.
This is a rare look at Charlotte with her eyes open. With the pacifier stuck to her face she looks like Elaine did. She is pretty fun and cute for a week old.
Elaine has refused to sit down in the bathtub for months. Then, suddenly today she lays down on her belly and announces she is swimming. She was moving her arms and legs and everything. It was really funny to watch and made her much easier to clean.
She has been a very good helper with Charlotte. She keeps bringing wipes and diapers without being asked which is so nice. We have little piles of diapers all over the house thanks to her. She is too cute!
Charlotte has looked almost identical to this the entire time she has been home. I think she is probably only awake an hour a day. She has mastered the art of eating while she sleeps. The good thing is she sleeps pretty well at night.
We went to the pediatrician this morning and she weighs in just a little over 6lbs. I had put away all my up to 7lbs clothes not thinking I would need. Good thing they were accessible in the garage. Like her sister she is quite petite.
I am trying to get a picture of her father's nose. Her profile is identical to Rob's. I hope she grows into it.
After one of the craziest weeks we have had in a while we are so grateful or little family expanded by one. Charlotte Elizabeth was born November 8, 2007 by c-section a little after 2PM. She weighed 6lbs 8 oz and was a little over 19 inches long (What a big girl for being born a month early!) I was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday morning after going to the doctor. That horrible preeclampsia stuff had returned so I needed to be in the hospital for monitoring. The doctor came to my room at 10Pm that night and told me she thought she would wait a few days to deliver. I was a little nervous about being in the hospital for very long because of Elaine but luckily by 630AM the doctor had changed her mind and scheduled the delivery for the afternoon. They did an ultrasound in the morning and confirmed that the baby looked good and that my placenta was in fact diseased and no longer working properly. The delivery went smoothly. Rob got the whole thing on video for those who like blood and gooey babies. The first thing we said was "she is so big". We love her chubby cheeks. She has done little but sleep and eat. She is opinionated. If she does not like something she lets you know with a very high pitched scream. Now Rob has three females to let him know when he is wrong.
Elaine LOVES being a big sister. She keeps a running dialog of everything Charlotte does. She also says "she's cute" and "she's pretty". It is cute to see how much she loves and wants to be around her baby sister. We'll see how long it lasts. Elaine has been asleep since we got home from the hospital and she hasn't had to compete for attention yet.
Elaine has a pillow fetish to go along with her love of playing nap time. She pretends the pillows are blankets and covers herself up. She has also found that she is just the right size to hide under them. It is a good thing she likes to play on my bed since I am on bed rest until this baby is born.
Elaine loves to play nap time. She gives me very specific directions for how the lights should be, what music should be playing, and what cup and blanket will be needed. She then climbs into her bed and says "night night". After a few seconds she hops up and play nap time is over. We do this probably 10 times a day besides real nap time. She is not nearly as fun or cute when I choose when she really has to go down. This morning while the fridge was open she started playing with the various items in the door. Organizing them is another favorite pass time of hers. After a minute I realized she kept saying goodnight and disappearing around the corner with different types of food to her room. Sure enough, the food needed to take a nap. She put everything on her pillow, climbed up and pulled the blanket on them. She even gave the salsa a kiss. She will be a good helper when the new baby comes.
