Sister Selfies

The trend of taking "selfies" right now has  almost become hilarious and seemingly trite, but as the case with anything, somehow when something is done by tiny humans, it's immediately cuter. Case in point: sister selfies by Sadie. LOVE these because clearly Hollyn is over it in about 3 seconds. ;)

Auntie Jordan & Uncle Ryan Meet Hollyn

I heard someone tell me long ago that when you meet someone you have only a  few seconds to make a first impression. Yet, I am still overjoyed by how incredibly sweet it is to watch an Aunt and Uncle meet their niece for the first time. Ryan and Jordan couldn't be at the hospital because they are in Ft. Worth, but they came down afterwards to meet little Hollyn. Sadie was so excited to play with them and show off her little sister and I think the first few seconds (captured thanks to iPhone) turned out to leave quite an impression. 

We all enjoyed visiting and even watching a movie together (Thor), as Uncle Ryan provided commentary and Susu sat next to Sadie as she enjoyed her own special movie.

We even went on a fabulous walk around the block with Hollyn. Although, not compeltely convinced by the power and magic possessed by the car seat, she promptly fussed all the way home.

Saying goodbye is always so hard. Long ago we thought maybe we could live close one day, but God has made such a beautiful life for them in Ft. Worth filled with more than just the amazing jobs they enjoy. They have friends and family and so we are just thrilled for them and so thankful for any time we get to spend together we we are blessed enough to do so.

Hollyn's First Shopping Trip

My mom and Grnany would swear that shopping is genetic or hereditary. So when we realized all of Hollyn's newborn onsies were entirely too small for her, we proclaimed it was time for her first shopping trip. We went to get coffee at Dunn Bros. first, giving her time to nap and nurse, then headed on to Carter's. 

Sadie enjoyed making art with the board games we brought, and Gammy enjoyed visiting with everyone, per her natural ability and affinity to do so.

I would say Hollyn made out like a tiny little fair-skinned bandit. Loaded down wih enough onsies to keep her going, we took a quick celebratory shot to commemorate the special day of Hollyn's first shipping trip.

So, how is Sadie adjusting?

Before Hollyn was born, I spend much time thinking about how Sadie would react. Without having Hollyn yet to worry over, I poured over how would these two get along. Would Sadie act out? Would she feel new feelings of jealousy or anger not known before? Even in the hospital we waited for her to come until the second day, just out of sheer exhaustion on our part and to make it as comfortable as possible for Sadie's introduction. Then, reality took over and Hollyn arrived and we were blown away by the amount of love Sadie had been holding inside, ready to give away to her new little sister. 

She has "adjusted" like a new mother "adjusts" the new joy of being a parent. Sadie is joyful, curious, excited, loving, protective, and so much more. She has "adjusted" better than I could have even imagined. Her sweet caring heart and tender nature makes her worried about Hollyn when she cries. She is tuned into her needs, sings to her when she cries, and wants to be by her and around her. When Sadie wakes, the first thing she wants to do is come see Hollyn and what many told me would wear off in a few weeks is still taking place 4 months later. The only manifestation of change we saw in her was that she woke more frequently at night after Hollyn's birth, wanting to come and join her sleeping family in Mommy and Daddy's room. :) 

So when someone asks James and I, "So, how is Sadie adjusting?" We just beam and are happy to share how incredibly sweet is the love Sadie has for little Hollyn.

Friends Easter Egg Hunt

Easter would not be complete without an egg hunt. While Sadie would indeed have fun hunting them in her own yard, the thrill of chasing them down with your friends is not quite there. Most adults present on Eastwr let Sadie do most of the hunting, unopposed. So we were very excited to accept the offer to come for a kiddie egg hunt at Collin Ernst's house. 

Katy let the decorate blown eggs and then hunt for the ones decorated. They all enjoyed filling their baskets and showing each other what treasures they had uncovered "in the wild." 

I especially LOVE the group photo of all the kids. The only thing more awkward and hilarious would have been a picture of all the moms snapping pictures on our iPhones. 

Before we left I managed to also snap a shot to prove Hollyn was indeed present. The smile (yes, I believe that's exactly what it was) made by those chubby little cheeks is pure squishy cuteness!

Hollyn goes to school

I have had the distinct and unusual privilege of two grandmas present during my second baby. One of the grandest perks has been the grandmas pitching in to take and pick Sadie up to and from school. However, school days are some of my favorite. I love dropping her off and seeing all the tiny snacks set out for the kids' arrival. I love helping her move her name from "home" to "school." And I love that she goes in effortlessly because she is genuinely thrilled to see what her teachers have in store for her. So you ca. Imagine how pleased I was when I got it together enough to take Sadie to school in the morning WITH little sister! AND we were on time! I felt like I could climb Everest after that accomplishment. :) 

My future's so bright...

...I gotta wear shades.

Hollyn @ Stevenson Park just under 2 months old

Waiting for Baby Sister

We did a whole lot of waiting for baby sister to arrive! Since Sadie was 2.5 weeks early we thought little sis might follow suit. Everything seemed headed that way after a visit to the midwife, but she just stayed put for a whole longer. In the meantime we had a lot of fun waiting...

Gammy was convinced you could "massage" the baby out by rubbing my ankles, so you better believe I had a ton of foot rubs. Gammy was hoping to have matching birthdays with out little one! Sadie joined in the fun for a pedicure and Katy Ernst came over and visited while I made my always-present Krusteaz banana chocolate chip muffins. :) Then I started to feel a bit impatient, after several foot rubs, and friends posting about their recent births, I started to wonder where my my baby was! Even the elephant at the zoo had her baby before me! Ha!

Probably one of the most enjoyable hobbies to pass the waiting time was Sadie's excavation kit. With the help of mommy and daddy she unearthed a mammoth! She even put the bones together with daddy and called him her "dinosaur." Close enough ;)

Aside from searching for dinosaur bones, I kept myself busy with daily activities for Sadie. I made cute food art for her lunch, we watched movies, and boy, did I sew! Sewing seemed almost calming for me. It kept my mind off the upcoming labor and delivery process and have me a sense of calmness in the midst of all that waiting. Since I didn't have any idea how big Hollyn would be, I sewed for Sadie. 

It was Valentine's Day and little but still hadn't arrived but James had an edible arrangement surprise for me for the special day. I had always wanted one. We feasted on fruit and settled in for some more wishing. Feb. 14 Mom watched Sadie so we could even go on a date to PF Changs. We had not even made a reservation, but God seemed to have prepared a spot for us. We had immediate seating at the bar and the bartender had a little one on the way as well. He have us free crab wonton appetizers and James a free beer. We had a wonderful dinner, then James helped me as I wobbled into Joanne's looking for some sewing scissors that has been ruined by Sadie on accident in an attempt to free a button from some packaging. :) I had what could only be described as a "hitch in my get-along" (as Granny would say) in the parking lot and should have known then that labor was probably on the way!

We counted Sadie's candy then woke the next morning to feelings if labor and the real fun has begun after all that waiting. Our next little princess was on her way...