Bluebonnets 2015

We spent Easter in Austin this year, which we haven't in many years, so I was determined to get Bluebonnet pictures.  I love my childhood memories of these, and we don't have have them in East Texas, so I love getting my girls' in them.  Somehow (as always!) Friday & Saturday got busy and we ended up not getting them done.  Then Sunday it RAINED all morning.  Ha!

Our plans for lunch changed & we ended up at Chuy's where we had to wait on a table, so while David & my dad waited mom and I hightailed it down the highway to search for a patch. We found one, drug the kids out one by one (because, come on.  getting all 4 was not even a hope I had!) and by the end, my pants were soaked, the baby was crying and David was texting to hurry back 'cause our table was ready, but I am so pleased with what we came up with!

Crazy girl.  I told her she wasn't giving a real smile, so she practiced laughing to get a good one :-)

This little sheepish grin is so her

Poor V.  She was so tired at this point, but at least we got it! 

Happy Two Months, Vivian!

This month, Vivian:

--rolled over

--is so smiley.  She reminds us of Kate in this way.  Also reminds us of her because she is busy, busy.

--is inconsistent with her sleep.  She has slept through the night a couple times, but her day time is not as consistent as I would like.  She still eats, then goes down about an hour or so after being awake, but at least twice a day wakes up an hour into her nap.  I'm sure it has a lot to do with us being out a lot and her schedule changing a lot.  Sigh.  Hopefully we'll get a hang on it this month.

--becoming more and more vocal.  lots of cooing and even little shrieks.  So cute.

--found her tongue - sticks it out all the time :-)

--found her hands.  seriously.  I think I am going to have another thumb sucker.  Ugh.  Since Hannah still sucks her thumb I realize how hard the other end of this is.  Thankfully for now she still takes her  paci.  Maybe I can convert her ;-)

--likes to be held sitting or standing in your lap

--had her first bottles on our road trip to Angel Fire.  She took them like a CHAMP.  I was nervous since Natalie was a little bit of a princess about her bottles.  Vivian did great though!  She took about 3.5 ounces.  Sometimes 4.

--got her first shots at 7 weeks.  Was scheduled for 6, but we had ice & snow!

--size 1 diapers and 0-3 month clothing

--hard to tell who she looks like, but I have this comparison for you.  I'll let you decide.  My vote is Hannah.

--not so content being laid down for long periods of time, but getting better!


I'll be back to add more pictures & maybe a video soon!

Happy One Month, Vivian!

Man.  I'm already late posting her one month post.  This is not a good sign.  But I will persevere!  Baby #4 WILL have monthly posts!!!  I have so enjoyed reading the other girls so I want to be sure to have them

 We are loving having a baby in the house again.  With a good possibility that this will be our last baby, I am trying to soak it up as much as possible.  We are tired and sometimes feel a little crazy for having 4 kids under 6, but then they say something funny and we are reminded of what a delight they can be :-).

We have had to work hard for it, but this girl started smiling right before turning one month old!

 Not a lot of cooing, but we can tell we are right on the cusp & it is coming!

Sleep is pretty good.  Her general schedule (while it obviously varies) - Eats at 7,10,1,4,7 & 10.  She then sleeps at least till 4, but sometimes she throws a random 3 or 5 in there.  Maybe aren't that far from sleeping all the way till 7??  Between feedings she is up for about an hour/hour and a half (including eating) then sleeps till her next feeding.  She seems to cycle through keeping this schedule very well for a few days, throws a rough day in there where she wakes up all day long in the middle of naps. She slept in her cradle the first week, the rock and play for a week and back to the cradle.

Sister LOVES to be held.  And I don't mind doing it one bit.

She takes a paci well & is well soothed by it.  But I did catch her sucking a finger the other day.  And I died a little. Hannah still sucks her thumb and it is impossible.  I hate the breaking process so I'd rather not have to do it again!

When she is bothered she is MAD.  She rarely fusses.  She is either screaming & ANGRY or pleasant.  No middle ground for this girl.

Size 1 diapers & mostly newborn clothes

--a lot of crying in the car.  not her favorite place to be.  she doesn't mind her seat (like in the stroller or whatever).  just not a fan of the car.  again seems to cycle.  hated it for a couple weeks, seemed to be fine for a week, hates it again.

--the big girls just act like she's always been around.  been an easy transition, but we do stay home a lot.  haven't ventured out by myself with all 4 yet!  

Overall, I'd just say she's a "typical" baby.  Kate was my hardest newborn (but probably cause I didn't know what I was doing!), Hannah was SO EASY and she's just a good middle ground.  We have hard days when she is fussy, and times where she won't sleep but overall she's pretty content & easy.

2 Weeks

The best news at a two week well-check for me is always that my babies have reached their birth weight.  This means they can sleep longer & that all things are going as they should!  Vivian passed with flying colors!

Birth

Weight: 8lb 9oz

Length: 21.5 in

Leaving Hospital

Weight: 7lb 14oz

2 Weeks

Weight: 9lb 6oz

Length 22 in

Dr. McCrory was very pleased with how well she's doing and even pleasantly surprised she settles a little easier than she did in the hospital.  Apparently during her initial evaluation she had made Vivian mad & couldn't get her settled for 20 minutes.  Guess we'll see if a fiery personality develops!

All ready to go

Add caption

How we spent the rest of the 40 degree rainy day!

Time to Go Home

We love our hospital time with just a sweet baby, but we were definitely ready to get home this time!  

Sweet gifts from Nana, Poppa & the big sisters

Vivian wore the same outfit to come home from the hospital as all her big sisters & me!  This outfit is 33 years old!

The girls were so excited to have us home.  They had decorated the house with balloons.  I am so sad I didn't get a picture - it was raining and in the 30s and I never made it out there! We had picked out "big sister" gifts to give the girls at the hospital, but since we didn't get a chance to give them there we brought them home to do when we got there. 

 They were all ready for their turn to get to hold their new sister again!  Such sweet sisters!

Meeting Their Sister

These three were SO EXCITED to have a new sister!  After picking Kate up from school Nana & Poppa brought them to meet "baby Vivian"!

 They were all super sweet with her & considering we had 4 kids in a hospital room, it wasn't as crazy as it could have been!  I loved having all my babies in one place & was even thankful to have one who really just wanted to hang with me instead of the baby ;-)

Vivian's Birth

This was my first time to deliver at Longview Regional. I had heard great things, but was still a little nervous about doing something "new".  My delivery was set for "somewhere around 8:30". My dr had to do a tubal before me & wasn't sure when the other surgeon would be there. We arrived at the hospital around 6:45.

Last few hours of being PREGNANT

We decided to let Kate skip a little school and be at the hospital for the birth.  I hope it's something she remembers!!  Around 8:30, they gave us the 30 minute warning!  We were getting close!

 My mom got to come in the OR for Natalie's birth & we were hoping it would work out for Vivian's. My Dr. had warned that Regional was a little more strict, but thanks to my wonder Anesthesiologist she got to come in!

 I really was thankful for my experience in the OR this time.  My CRNA was AMAZING.  I had told him that I usually spent most of the surgery nauseated and struggling because my blood pressure crashes with the spinal block. He was super aggressive & it was so much better!  There was some medicine he gave me to help stabilize my blood pressure.  He said the average person needs about half-3/4 of a bottle.  I took in between FOUR AND FIVE!  No wonder I've felt so bad the other times.

 We couldn't believe it when they called out that she was so little! 8lb 9oz!  Kate was 8.12, Hannah was 9.10, and Natalie 10.7.  So we fully expected a huge baby!  She was still one of the bigger babies in the nursery, but for us, it's tiny!!

this was one of the only times I was feeling nauseated the whole time.  I really did want to look at her!

One of my new favorite pictures ever!  So glad she was there!

Excuse my puffy face ;-)

And then it was off to school for this big girl!  It was spirit week at school for Throwback Thursday, Kate dressed for the 50s!