No more Grandmom

Mom left to go back to Washington on Tuesday morning. The night before Emily finished painting Mia's room. It is a lovely shade of purple and blue/green. Now all it needs is a chair railing thingy around the room in a dark mahogany to match her furniture. The table in the kitchen reminds me of the kitchen I grew up with, a table top over cabinets. Just smaller. It is awesome, if a bit high. We'll need to get bar stools. We had to tear dwon the paneling in the boys room and in doing so it revealed a bigger problem. We need to do some insulating (it is the COLDEST room in the house) and then we are going to reside the walls and paint. Hopefully that will get done before the boys graduate from college. Mia's room was a much simpler fix!!! The siding on the house has a start. Scott has about 100 days to get it finished. I hope he gets it done. Especially since he has volunteered our house for Christmas this year with his family. I look forward to showing it off, but only if the house is ready. I hope we haven't bitten off more than we can chew (yeah right, I know we did).

Gavin misses his Grandmom and Emma something fearce. He walks around asking for them. It's sad! Mia sleeps with me more nights than not. It is just easier to nurse her and fall asleep then get out of bed and blah blah blah. Donovan had his first report card. He is struggling and we are going to have him tested for adhd. Hopefully that helps.

Lots of fun

It has been a crazy couple of weeks. Mom made it into town last Tuesday and immediately came down with pneumonia. She spent 3 days in the hospital. We've dubbed the hospital "the sheritan". It was SWEET!!!! Mom got A+ care. She is out and if Scott can get organized enough to get things done we will have our kitchen cabnets started.

It has been lovely having my sister Emily in town. She calls Amelia Emma (which was to be her nickname until Gavin began calling her Mia). It is cute! Gavin loves his Grandmom and his Aunt Emma. Oh, and lets not forget the doggy zoe!

Mia's smile

First and for most, Mia is smiling. I gotta share. She started smiling about two weeks ago. She has this sweet little that just makes my heart grin. When she grins like this she often coo's. Gavin never coo'd so the first time she did it completely surprised me. Every once in a while when she is completley content and her big brothers are smiling at her she starts to REALLY smile. She als smiles like this when I tickle her chin or pat her tummy. Gavin also likes it when I pat her tummy because he just dies gigglinGavin absoluetly loves his little sister. He wants to hold her every chance he can get. Although he does love her he has his jealous moments. If Scott or I are holding Mia he also wants to be held. That is okay, I love holding both my babies.





School is going well. I am enjoying teaching this year. I have a great group of kids. We are settling into our new home. My in-laws are here helping fix the windows and roof. My mom and sister Emily will be here next week to help with painting and siding. Soon we will have a beautiful home.

Has it already been a month?

I look at my newborn daughter and I am in utter awe. I can't believe that Amelia is a month old. Amazement fills me when I realize that I have successfully nursed her and that she is growing. It is weird knowing that Gavin at this point was failure to thrive and I had to suppliment, yet here I am feeding on demand and not worrying about making a bottle at 3am. However, next week I go back to work. I need to rent a pump and I am terrified that my supply will go down! I know I'll be fine.

Okay, so her one month appointment was today. She weighed in at 8 pounds 12 ounces, 20 1/2 inches tall. She has gained a pound in the last 3 weeks, right on schedule! woohoo mommies milk!!!! Here are some pics of her and Gavin taken today. He sure does love his little sister!!!!

Cloth Diapers

A bit before Mia was born I remember reading my sister Stacie's blog about cloth diapers. It got me thinking about my childhood. I remember vividly the bucket of diapers in the bathroom. My mother washed the diapers and folded them. The nostalgia of those memories filled me with a desire to go back to my childhood when Gavin was born. I HATED the bucket of bleach water in the bathroom. I HATED folding the diapers because I couldn't figure out how to do them. The pins had me on pins and needles. I know I stuck him at least once.

Interestingly enough, things are different with Mia. Stacie's blog got me thinking once again about trying. After speaking with my mother I learned that you don't need a bucket of bleach water in the bathroom. At least not while you are breastfeeding. Apparently breastfed babies poop just washes out in the wash. No need for bleach, which is harsh on tender bums.

Each time I put a cloth diaper on Mia I smile. It feels good not to be filling up my trash can with dirty diapers. Besides that the dog doesn't get into the trash and spread it through the entire house. Folding the pre-folded diapers (a life saver, no longer do I need a masters degree in diaper folding) gives me a sense of peace and calm. These cool little snappies that kind of grasp the cloth instead of pinning the baby soothes my soul. I just love cloth diapers.

Now if I can just get Scott feeling comfortable in putting the diapers on Mia. We got a goodly amount of disposable diapers from my baby shower. I am sure until they have been used Scott will continue to avoid the cloth ones. It is truly funny that a man that can figure out the intricacies of mechanics and electrical gadgets can't figure out to put a diaper on an 8 pound little girl!

Cribs and cradles

I remember as a little little girl of about 3 looking at my new sister Joan in a cradle. The next thing I'm not sure if it is a memory of my mind or a memory learned from hearing it over and over. Stacie picked Joan up out of the crib by her neck and brought her to our mom.

Well, tonight I was cleaning a sippy cup for Gavin in preperation of our night time routine. I had put Mia in her crib to keep her safe from her older brother. He either sits on her, hits her, or wants to hold her. Because of this I try to keep her out of his reach. She had been quietly taking her binky, but she started to cry. I saw Gavin leave the kitchen. I finished getting his sippy cup ready. When I walked into the bedroom I gasped. Gavin had climbed into the crib (he had NEVER up until THIS moment done so before. I didn't know he could do it!!!!) and was holding his sister in his clumsy 2 year old way. It was adorable, but made my heart stop. I guess Gavin and Mia won't be sharing a room. He just won't leave her be. Now we have to figure out how to keep Gavin safe from climbing up Donovan's bed and falling and breaking his neck!

Announcing Amelia Larkann Elias

On Tuesday, just as scheduled, Grandpa Dick got a wonderful birthday gift at 8:10 am. Mia came in weighing a total of 8 pounds 3 ounces. She was 19 and 3/4 inches tall. Mia did wonderful, however momma struggled a bit. They game me the spinal tap and laid me down. The nurse immediately put me back up and said that I needed to be up because they gave me a "goodly amount for my weight". I could hear the anesthesiologist talking and apparently I didn't do very well. My blood pressure dropped low and my blood oxygen level was in the 80's. I had so hoped to breastfeed Mia immediately but it took over an hour to stabilize me. I finally was stable and began the process of bonding. I love my daughter! Donovan constantly wants to hold her, than again so does Gavin. The first time Gavin saw her he said "baby" and slapped her. Since then he has done very well and loves to give his sister kisses. He did freak out the first time he saw Mia breastfeed. He now comes up and says "boobies" each time with a bit of concern on his face. We are home and doing well, other than the bouts of tears. I get frustrated rather easily, but I know it is going to get better.

Well, here are some pictures that were proffessionally taken at the hospital hope you enjoy.