Husker Days

Husker Fan

Amazing...all three looking at the camera

It's quickly turned into fall here. I miss the warm days. I've been scrambling finding warmer clothes in bigger sizes for all three girls. Sorting clothes is such a mess maker and takes time. We've been blessed by many generous people, so I didn't have to go buy clothes.
Along with fall comes football season. A couple of weeks ago Analise announced she was ready to watch some football and wondered when it would be on. My dad would be so proud. :)
Sadie got this Husker shirt from a special aunt when she was born. I remember being in my bed in the CCU (I don't remember much from that day...) and seeing this cute Husker shirt. I thought it was huge and Sadie might be able to wear it next year. The other day I saw it in the closet and thought it didn't look as big as I remembered...perspective changed as she grew. Now she is wearing it! Wow!
Speaking of Sadie, we had two appointments yesterday; both were a couple of hours away. She is about nine pounds heavier than her birth weight, and she is about nine inches longer! The pulmunologist says she is looking great, but we will keep her on her O2 at night for awhile yet. However, I am getting an oxsemeter (sp?) to test her O2 levels at home. I will check her while she is in a deep sleep, and if her numbers are good, then we can be done with it.
We also saw an eye doctor. She did awesome there...no fussing with the drops or the bright lights. They couldn't believe it. Praise the Lord her retinas look complete! He does predict that by 2nd or 3rd grade she will be nearsighted and need glasses. Sounds familiar...just like her mother.
Sadie is very alert and loves it when people talk to her. We are hearing more laughs, so that is fun.

We had a good weekend. My nephews (and the girls' favorite cousins) came over Friday night for a movie night. I think I was more excited then they were. We watched "Little Rascals." It's one of my favs and been years since I've seen it. All the lines came back to me, and I loved hearing all the kids laugh.
Saturday we did some shopping for a new grill since ours is like cooking over a light bulb. In the evening we got together with friends.

Today started Bible study....yeah! I go to a Bible study full of wonderful women who are vulnerable with each other. It's going to be another great year. I had Sadie with me, so it was neat for women to meet her who had prayed so much for her last spring. I got all teary eyed.

Enough rambling. I should get something accomplished while it's quiet around here.

And She's Off!

Camping in the living room

Ready for school

Like many others, I find it hard to believe that Labor Day has come and gone. Where did the summer go? We had a nice weekend, and we enjoyed having daddy around an extra day. We spent one evening at a local park with family. Analise rode on the rowboat, Maisie went for a bike ride in the bike trailer, and Sadie went for a walk with me and her aunt. We also spent another evening with family. Analise "camped in the living room", and I got a girls' movie night. Monday we ran errands and tackled some projects at home. Last night Analise went fishing with her daddy, and she was so excited that she caught seven fish.
This morning was the first morning of preschool, and she was excited to go. I was excited for her, too. She has great teachers, it's at our church, and I love her fellow classmates (and their moms!). It was quiet at home without her. When I picked her up, she said, "Mama, I was great!" She told me about her morning, and I already have one little song in my head.
Last Friday I wanted to spend some 1-1 time with her before this transition. So we dropped off her sisters at grandma's, and we were off. I asked her what we should do first, and she responded "Let's go to Menard's!" Such a daddy's girl. We went for a donut date instead. We then got her hair trimmed and the grand finale was grocery shopping! Not exciting for her, but it was time together. That was the first time I had been grocery shopping during the day on a week day since Sadie has been home.
Sadie is doing well...growing! She is finally drinking 4 oz. of milk a feeding. Her naps seem to be a little off. Some days she will take 30-40 minute naps. I like the two hour naps better. :)
In fact, she is up now so I better go get her.

We're Singing Praises...

Analise shared some animals with Sadie

Unto J-E-S-U-S...
Sadie had a developmental check up on Monday. The state offers these free of charge for preemie babies. Since her adjusted age is 3 months, it was our first one. Though we drove two hours for a 20 minute appointment, I was glad we went. The doctor was pleased with Sadie's development, and she seems to be hitting the milestone she should be. She is babbling, cooing, "engaging in conversation", she follows objects with her eyes, can isolate muscle movement and is smiling and laughing. Her only shortcoming is really my shortcoming; I don't give her enough tummy time. So, I am trying to do better with that. It's just hard for me to leave her in a position she doesn't like.
While we were at the hospital, we went up to the NICU to see some nurses, and that was a lot of fun. Such dear people!

Brandon and I celebrated our 8th anniversary by not really celebrating. :) He and I got time in the car on Monday, did a little shopping...and all with one only daughter, so that kind of felt like our celebration. He brought home lunch for me on Tuesday, so that was a fun treat. We are thankful for eight great years of marriage, and honestly, not only am I thankful to be married to such a wonderful man, but I am thankful I was alive to celebrate with him. Looking forward to many more...

Maisie is 2

Such a sweet baby!
She's one!
Not so sure about the party hat

We had a birthday in our house this weekend. Maisie is officially 2. Wow! I think she enjoyed her day. She went on her first donut date with Grandma and Grandpa. Later in the morning we went to the Children's Museum. She loved to run place to place and just play. She didn't have a favorite area. That evening we had family over to celebrate. We enjoyed supper and also her Boz birthday cake. I counted the cake a success when she knew it was Boz. :)
It's hard to believe another year has passed, and I like to reflect over the last year. Maisie learned to walk, climb, she didn't have to have the tear duct surgery (thanks to answered prayer!), she feeds herself at all meals, and has grown in so many different ways. The biggest part of the year was when she spent two months growing up without me. Those once a week visits to the hospital with Maisie are something I'll never forget. It was a treat for me to simply put on her pj's before she headed home.
Maisie is such a fun girl...she loves to laugh and have fun. Though she has very few words, she can communicate well. Her little "eh-eh" work for her; I understand most of the time! She doesn't slow down for much, but she is beginning to sit longer for books. A year ago the only thing she did with books was chew on them. She keeps us laughing with the things she does, and she keeps are head shaking with the messes she makes. Most days she wants to be older than two; she wants to keep up with the big kids.
She has adjusted well to the role of big sister. She is kind and gentle with Sadie and loves to give her kisses. She is sleeping great in her new bed...better then we ever imagined! She is still my snuggler and loves to help around the house. Maisie is predictable, likes routine, and she is my "brave" daughter...not much fear! Our prayer for Maisie is that she will continue to grow in wisdom, stature and in favor with God and men. Maisie...we love you!

Having Fun

 

 

 

 

I've been playing around again with Picasa 2 with adding effects to different pictures. I'm sure there is something more important to be doing, but it feels good to use some of my little creativity.
We had a good weekend. I was able to go to some garage sales on Saturday...yeah! It was the first time I had gone all summer. I found a few good deals. Sunday we took Analise along with some friends to the lake to go boating. We had a lot of fun. Analise tubed on Big Mable and swam in the water with her life jacket on, and she even let go of her daddy to swim on her own. We were so proud of her.
Maisie got to spend a lot of time with her grandparents this weekend, and I think she kind of enjoyed the role of the oldest.
Sadie went to the doctor yesterday and got a great report. She now weighs 10 lb. 5 oz. Her oxygen stat was 93, and her respitory rate was great. Praise the Lord! She is such a happy baby; she loves to coo and talk, or as Analise says, "Make sounds." She has given me a couple of "almost" laughs, but she looks like she wants to laugh and just can't figure out how quite yet.
I'm off now to be more productive in my precious hour of no kids. :)

Beds, Balls and Bye Bye

The new bed is almost finished, and finished enough the girls slept in their new beds last night. Their talented dad designed the bed, built the bed, and he did awesome! We already had the bottom bed and headboard he had built for Analise a couple of years ago. Since the room isn't really big, we need to go up. He designed it to work with what we already had. Analise was so excited to sleep up high, and she did great. Maisie wasn't quite so sure of her new location, but she adjusted and stayed in bed...shocked us all! She even slept later this morning.
Sadie enjoyed sleeping in her crib - so much more space!
Remember those walks I mentioned the other day? A couple of days ago I got more than I bargained for. We got back from a nice walk, found daddy at home and in the midst of it all, Maisie didn't make it inside. I went out after a couple of minutes, and she was pointing down the street saying, "Ball...ball." Now, we live at the top of a hill...she and I went for a nice long walk down the hill to get the ball and then had to walk back UP the hill. I was so thankful she told me what she had done. Ball is one of her few words.
We can officially say "bye" to the apnea monitor! After three months it's a relief, but it will be strange not having it on her at bed time. Another milestone is coming to an end. Yeah!

Corn Girls

Tis the season for fresh corn on the cob, and we are loving it. We don't eat it every day, but we have it at least a couple of times a week. Analise can eat a couple of ears, and Maisie wants to be like her sister, so I no longer cut it off her her.
It's been a quiet few days around here. This past weekend we celebrated a cousin's birthday, but that was our only fun thing. We spent rest of the weekend at home. The daddy of the home is building a bunkbed for the girls. They are already in the same room, but Maisie is still in the crib. The bunkbed is coming together nicely, and we will be transitioning to that soon. So for the next few days, I will enjoy Maisie being confined at sleep times.
I have finally ventured out for walks with all three girls. It's been cooler in the afternoons, so last week I gave it a try. It worked well enough to try again, and the second time was better. Analise rides her bike and is doing great. She is getting a little more brave in where she goes. Not all driveway sidewalks are flat. It is good for all of us to get some fresh air while having our own personal space at the same time.
Sadie is growing...according to what others tell me. They say she looks bigger. I just don't know if she is getting enough to eat. She's drinking about 3 ounces a feeding. It's not much more than what she's been drinking for quite some time. This whole bottle thing is new to me. I miss the good ol' days of just nursing. Sadie is content, happy, has wet diapers and is sleeping well. I hope those are signs she is getting enough.
School doesn't start for us this week, but early September our lives will take on a different schedule. Until then, we will try and enjoy the lazy days of summer.