Baths and Body Parts

Reagan's first two bathsin the hospital, moments after being born

at homeGetting her hair brushed. Reagan has lots of very dark hair that curls when wet,
but then sticks straight up when dry.

Do you think this one was overcooked?
A week overdue and her fingernails were in need of cutting!

Her toes are hilarious - they are long and she spreads them out like fingers.
And I love those skinny little legs!

What was I thinking???

The other day (Wed) was a big "first" for Reagan and I just had to document it.

Reagan's "FIRST" trip to Target.

Dressed and ready to go!

I needed some baby essentials and was in need of just getting out of the house as well, but I had no idea what a bad idea this was. I called Amy and we met for lunch at Target (weird, I know, but the kids love it). Eating took too long and Reagan got fussy and then the little people got wild and London started crying and then Savy. Amy and I decided to part ways and do our own shopping with our own children. So in the baby section the girls are totally wild and then Savy starts crying hysterically because she wants to see/play with Aidan.

Oh my.

Amy met up with us again and we went to check out. By the time we were walking out the door, I had three crying girls on my hands. I must have looked insane, but I felt relatively calm.

If you don't believe me, check out this picture from the ride home:

Reagan was actually the first to stop crying once the car started going. London then stopped and Savy held out the longest. I told her when we got home, she was going to nap. When we got home, I was changing Reagan and realized London was with me but Savy was not. A quick search of the house and I found her sound asleep on my bed. Go figure.

It'll be a long, long time before I ever take all three out again. That's what preschool is for -- so I can get out without at least one of my children!

I'm still alive. . .

I haven't been taking as many pictures as I should, but things have been a little crazy. Here are a few that I've taken the past two weeks (and there aren't too many, but I'll get better).

London and Reagan. This was probably the day after or the day she came home from the hospital - her eyes are still a little swollen.

Nate's the pro at setting up comfy sleeping arrangements for babies. I think we should have named her Maggie because she sucks that binky like mad and it sounds just like Maggie from the Simpsons. It's hilarious.

I figure I need at least one picture of me and Reagan and in this one, I don't look too terribly trashed. . .

Sisters. They love to hold Reagan and are very calm with her although the constant "petting" of her head does bother me - you don't ask if you can pet someone! This was one morning where Savy was telling Reagan a story and London was there lending binky support apparently.


Grumblings:

Nursing

I always plan that nursing will be fabulous and great and it NEVER is for me. It actually brings more stress than anything. Without fail, my babies don't gain weight and the pediatrician tells me to supplement. And that, my friends, is the beginning of the end of breastfeeding for me.

Reagan had her two week appointment yesterday and she's not up to her birth weight. She's only 8 pounds 2 ounces -- 7 ounces short. And on the 7th, she was 7 pounds 15 ounces so she'd only gained 3 ounces in 2 1/2 weeks. I have done everything I can to keep my supply up - pumping, herbs, constant nursing (well, not quite constant). So I have decided that not all women are made the same and my body is only destined to make skim milk while others make creamy whole milk. My poor babies (and budget which will soon expand to buying "gold dust" as my sister-in-law, Jill, calls it). I'm not giving up, but just a little frustrated and disappointed at something I have no control over.

Another thing that frustrates me is that doctors always tell me to wake up my babies to feed them -- Reagan will sleep 5-7 hours in the night (obviously not every night). But I'm thinking why stop a good habit? But then when they don't gain weight I feel bad like I'm starving them by not waking them and then that's why my milk goes away, etc. It's a constant worry - what is the right thing to do? I don't know the answer and it's frustrating. Sounds silly, but I have to think that other people go through this. Jill, Nate's sister, has been a great help and support, but it's still frustrating.

Anyone have advice?

I'd love to chat, but. . .

I'm too busy falling in love. . . and sleeping whenever I can!

Saturday, when she came home. If you want to see something funny, compare this to Megan's Caleb coming home in the carseat picture. Yes, she is a lot bigger than her new cousin - about two pounds bigger! She doesn't quite look like a newbie - I guess overcooking her a week did her some good.

home

These two have had some interesting reactions, but I'll post about that later, for now, I'm going to go lay down.

Reagan Waller

This is Amy, posting for Mandi.

who delivered a beautiful baby girl at 11:21 this morning. I walked in minutes before the doctor (who was greeted by laboring mother with a loud "I Love You")...and felt blessed to witness the birth. Mandi was amazing in managing the pain without an epidural. She is my hero. And she made me cry.

This morning "Baby Girl Waller" did not have a name.
But I just got off the phone (4:56 pm) and they decided on Reagan.

She is a big girl at 21 inches long , 8 pounds 9 ounces

She has gorgeous skin and is extremely alert...already looking around to see what everyone is doing. And Reagan is already joining the ranks of Dad-loving girlies. Her eyes first opened when Nate came over to the scale and spoke to her. She truly recognized his voice.

The Proud Big Sisters

who were equally delighted with the Birth Day mini cupcakes (London insisted that their baby would need some cake to celebrate being born).

Welcome to the family, Reagan.
You are a definite Beauty.
Congratulations Mandi (you rock!) & Nate! I love you guys!

Finally!

I'm off to the hospital (hopefully) at 5 am tomorrow.

Yippee!!!!!

52 Blessings: Weeks 12 & 13

Week 12: My new camera

For months, I have complained (maybe not on my blog) about my camera situation. Nate always needs my camera to take pictures at work - of houses, cars, land, diamond rings - you know, the things people insure. Plus, our camera was outdated. So, with the new baby arriving any day, I have finally gotten a new camera just for me. I wanted a small one that I could just keep in my purse and capture little moments anytime. I figure I have Amy taking really nice pics with her awesome camera at most events of my kids' lives so I'll depend on her for that and then I can take the snapshots. So the blessing is that I finally have my own camera. It may sound silly, but I am loving it and so enjoying just photographing the everyday things so that my blog book (which I've already started) will document our daily lives just like a journal and I am so excited.

Oh, and I can finally get pictures of my girls with their eyes open! I don't know what the deal was with our other camera, but I always had a hard time catching them with their eyes open. Who would have thought I'd get so excited over something so dumb?

Week 13: Sunday afternoon with my family and Nate making dinner.

Sundays just zap me. It could be that church is now from 2-5. Or it could be the ten four-year olds Nate and I wrestle every week. Or it could just be that I'm overdue and ready to have this baby out of my body! Whatever the reason, I was dead this Sunday after church. I think Nate knew dinner was not coming so he decided to whip up some spaghetti (his specialty). I think he's so cute when he cooks because, as you can see, every spice in the cupboard comes out and gets put into the sauce. A little scary and I had to stop him at the Marsala wine I use for chicken marsala, but in the end, it was amazing sauce (yes, without the marsala). I told him I'm never making spaghetti again. Even the girls loved it. The chef. Wanna-be chef, Savannah, had to help her daddy cook. While they cooked, London and I sat at the table and messed around with the camera. I got a funny video of her and we'll see if we can get it onto my blog.

The Tenth Month

Technically, I'm at the beginning of my tenth month of pregnancy, so I thought I'd post one last picture of me pregnant because in four days I plan to not be pregnant anymore! Oh, and I knew that Megan would want to see my new hair-do. It's shorter in the back -- stacked and then a-lined to be longer in the front. I love it because it's easy and I'll avoid the trashy new-mom look (hopefully) with a cute hair-do.

Yesterday I went in for a non-stress test since I'm overdue and was told that baby girl passed it. Yeah. Once again, I am still at a three, but very very soft. And once again, I was told to go to the hospital quickly if contractions start because I'm so soft and he thinks it'll be a quick delivery. That's what I'm planning - a quickie.

Nate took London to work with him for an hour or so while I was at the doctor and she LOVED it. The secretary in the front had a Cinderella sticker on her shirt so I knew London had made the rounds.

Hanging out at daddy's office.

This is London's webkin, Sara, that Nate's parents got her for Christmas. She absolutely loves the dog and I do too since it's better than a real one at this point in my life.