Forgotten pictures & Anna's 3rd week

While looking through pictures, I noticed that I somehow skipped a whole download of pictures from Anna's 1st into 2nd weeks. Some are too cute not to post, so these first pictures are about 2 weeks old now...amazing!!

When Aunt Sarah & Aunt Stephanie came down to meet Anna & visit Eli, they gave him a remote control monster truck!! Needless to say he LOVES it!!:

Introducing Anna to our sweet neighbors Peggy & Ed:

Eli is a super fast runner....see?:

Eric's work threw us a shower for Miss Anna which was scheduled for a few days after she was born. It was rescheduled to her 2nd week, which was very nice of them! Here's some pictures from the afternoon:

Eli in front of the wonderful gifts we received:

Our family of 4:

On the way home:

Anna hanging outside I believe after a bath....I don't remember why she has no clothes on, really, oh well:

Big brother & little sis:

Me & my 2 kiddos....

Our perfect little gift:

Eli & daddy coloring in Eli's color magic book...awesome for when I need him to be preoccupied but know he can't mark on anything :):

Some Eli & mommy time...hard to come by these days...I'm trying to do better by incorporating more one-on-one time with Eli. We do several activities a day together now while Anna is in her carrier/wrap or laying in her crib snoozing. It's been SO hot here that in the afternoons it is hard to go outside without it involving some sort of water activity. Then I worry about it being too hot for Anna (100 + heat index...yikes!) so usually our afternoons are inside. Without this one-on-one time, our afternoons become very long & Eli acts out more from boredom & also from feeling left out. Who can blame him?:

Now on to this last week. Anna is growing & growing & is really quite long!! Last Monday she weighed 9 lbs. 8 oz. so she's gained a pound since birth & 1 1/2 lbs. since discharge! We'll see what she weighs on Monday at group! Anna is smiling randomly & almost always rolls from her back to her side when laid down. She prefers side sleeping anyway, so that's just how she ends up whether I put her that way or not!! She sleeps a lot still, but is awake more & more every day. I was looking back at Eli's posts around this age & Anna does like he did & will sleep a long stretch in the evening & then begin 2-3 hour stretches, & then another longer one in the morning. But, I wrote for Eli that he just cat napped & seemed tired a lot during the day. Anna does the same, but the difference is I try harder to help her go back to sleep instead of just trying to entertain her & keep her happy. I can tell if she is wanting to sleep & she'll fuss to nurse & if it is overstimulating to her, it takes her longer to get back to sleep after a feeding. But, she eventually does, & therefore sleeps more, & is less fussy. I also am wearing her in wraps/carriers which I didn't do much with Eli, so that helps. Overall I am just more relaxed with her, so I'm not worried about nursing her too much or holding her too much as I know these are key to attachment parenting. With Eli I was still investigating my parenting style & was so unsure about a lot of things. Now we co-sleep with no issue, I stopped keeping track of her feedings (not looking at the clock, in other words) at around 2 1/2 weeks, & just am overall better at following her cues. What a difference!

I'm still on a quest to find the "perfect" carrier/sling/wrap for Anna & I. It seems that each one I've tried has some sort of downfall. So, I guess just rotating the use of the ones I have will work. So far, though, the Baby Bjorn is winning due to it's structure & the ability to have her legs out. It's also super easy to use. The wrap is fine but it loses it's structure due to gravity quickly & she doesn't love her legs being bunched up for too long. But, I still put her in it about once a day and she lasts anywhere from 20-30 minutes in it before she wakes up & she starts screaming. She does the same in Baby Bjorn so I know the screaming is more due to waking up in a "confined" position or space & voicing her opinion of it :) I also have a sling which I'm having a hard time figuring out how to get her in it & not having her scrunched up so tight that she is uncomfortable....& so am I! She just may be a Baby Bjorn baby from the beginning, which is fine with me!!

Anna in the Baby Bjorn:

Sweet Anna wearing a cute tank onesie her Aunt Sarah & Aunt Stephanie got her:

Cuddles with Grandma Bidney. Grandma has helped out numerous evenings over the last weeks by holding Anna while I put Eli to bed. It's a hard job for a grandma!! :):

Anna in one of the wraps. Normally she is more upright against my chest but in this hold she is more at an angle. Don't worry, I am constantly looking at her & can feel her breathing on my chest:

Actually enjoying her swing for a good 10 minutes!:

We've ventured out a little more this last week, too! I braved going to CVS with both kiddos with success!! Now granted Anna slept the whole time, but Eli did awesome & loves the double stroller...that makes it worth the money for sure!! We also went to a park, attended a water park (with daddy's help :), & attended a birthday at a splash park all on my own!! I'm sure each week will get better & better as far as how brave I am :) I still fear going out in public & Anna being fussy, wanting to nurse, exploding in her diaper all while Eli is wanting to run around & refusing to listen to me. That, my friends, is my worse nightmare. I want to avoid that scenario like the plague, so wish me luck!!

Tomorrow is Father's Day & I wanted to say what an awesome daddy Eric is to his children. It's so great to know he is a co-parent, and not just a daddy who brings home the money & has little interaction with his children. Eric does more than the average daddy & has had little reservation about trying out the parenting techniques I have asked him to take part in. Doing so makes my life easier & allows us to truly have equal parenting roles. Of course we both have complaints about each other & how we do things, but everyday I am so thankful that Eric is my hubby & the father of my children. What a gift for our children to grow up with a father who is so present in their lives. Family comes first for both of us & we can only pray what we are doing now & in the future encourages Eli & Anna to be happy, healthy, honest, loving, empathetic, open-minded people. Happy Father's Day, Eric!!