August 2019- Becoming a Family of 5

Brent and the kids had a few days in Utah at the beginning of August. They packed in lots of fun and Brent went to BYU a couple more times. Here they are at Leatherby's. Coen says "I love ice cream, so much fun. I really like-ed it."

Playing at Boston's house:

Getting so excited to meet the little baby in my tummy! 

I worked through Saturday the 3rd, and then I started my maternity leave. Brent's mom drove with him and they stopped in Boise overnight. They arrived here on Sunday evening and I was so excited to see them! It was a couple days short of 3 weeks that we hadn't seen each other.

We met the Wilsons at the park, and the kids were so excited to reunite.

Donald Duck made an appearance again.

We got out the baby swing and bassinet, etc. 

We went on a drive around the vineyards. Here I am 3 days away from delivering our Oregon baby!

I took the kids to a birthday party at a splash pad:

I tried to spend time with the kids these couple days since their world was about to be rocked!

Luckily Grandma was here to give them attention and watch them!

August 8, our precious baby was born at 7:50am. She had the sweetest personality right away! I wrote a post all about her birth, check that out!

We were surprised by how much hair she had!

Ava immediately loved her baby sister!

It's so interesting how newborns look so different in just about every picture!

Day 2, I got to practice walking. We walked the halls of the hospital with the baby. It was unusually quiet and slow when I was there- only about 3 other women on the whole floor. The previous week they said all of the hospital rooms were full, maybe 25 people?

We got Audrey dressed for the first time on the second night when the kids were there. My mom gave her this Toy Story outfit that the kids were excited about.

The hospital encouraged us to not give the baby a pacifier for 4 weeks! We made it one week. So during the hospital stay Audrey sucked our fingers quite a lot for comfort. 

A family of 5- still crazy for me to believe! I love these people so much.

We went home on Sunday after lunch. The hospital was awesome and had good gluten free options for me!
Here's our little sweetie, so tiny in her car seat, which she loved.

Arriving home, the kids came out to greet us:

At home, I promptly went upstairs and slept for 2 hours. I was SO exhausted since I hadn't slept so well in the hospital bed. Brent's parents were here taking care of the kids, making dinner, etc. I'm so grateful we had help! I don't know how anyone does it without help.

The kids had a rough transition with the new baby, to say the least. We experienced a lot of tantrums, crying, and sleep regression (especially from Coen on that last one).
This cracked me up- Coen wanted to be the baby so he went and found a bib and put it on, then asked Brent to read him a book!

Chubby little Audrey, this doesn't even look like her anymore!

Everyone went to a farm to pick peaches (except for me of course!)

Snuggles with Grandpa:

Grandpa brought their car race track:

Brent and I took Audrey to the doctor for a weight check- she was gaining on track with me mostly breastfeeding and only supplementing small amounts some times.

Walking around the arboretum:

Lots and lots of tantrums. I think the hardest part of having a newborn is not the baby but the sleep exhaustion and the older kids losing it for a couple months.

This is where I spent a lot of time in the first week- my bed! Those first days where the days and nights all seem to blend into one. Can you see tiny Audrey on the bed?

Audrey was up a lot during those first few weeks, sometimes I would only sleep 15 or 30 minutes at a time in the night. If I got lucky, she'd go 2 hours. Thank goodness I had help so I could take naps! And this pretty girl made it all worth it.

Brent's parents stayed in a hotel and Brent and the kids were excited to go swim there!

When Audrey was a week old, Grandma and Grandpa had to go. 

We thought Audrey looked like Coen in the beginning.

Coen drew this picture of Mickey Mouse, which I thought was so cute!

My THREE children!

My love for this baby girl grew each day, despite thinking I couldn't possibly love her any more than I already did.

The Wilsons came to visit and meet the baby.

My friend took the kids to the park for lunch and playing every day the second week we were home, which was a life saver for me! Brent had started teaching and I was home alone with all 3 kids.

Ava really wanted to do a science experiment. Diana sent me a simple one that I could manage, with food coloring and milk.

My other friend Karen heard that Ava really wanted to do science experiments so she brought over a dry ice and bubbles experiment for the kids which was super fun.

Ava wanted to be near Audrey a lot.

I laid Audrey by Ava's doll for a size comparison hehe.

We all went to my two week check up at the doctor. My c-section scar healed nicely (although at 10 weeks out the staples still haven't dissolved!) I thought Brent was cute entertaining the kids in the waiting room with his Disney games.

We went to Costco after my doctor appointment and it felt nice to get out of the house.

Brent introducing Audrey to Duck Tales.

I spent a lot of time snuggling Audrey, who LOVES to be held. I know how fast the newborn phase goes so I was trying to soak in the good parts.

We went to a friend's birthday party, but Brent and Coen had to come late since right before this Coen colored on our carpet with marker. Time out.

More snuggles and feeling so lucky.

My mom came into town on Saturday night when Audrey was a little over two weeks.

Can you see the bruise under Coen's eye? This is from one of the fights between Coen and Ava. Luckily my mom came to help give them attention!

My mom quickly joined the tired club:

My mom and I went to the farm to buy veggies and a box of tomatoes to make spaghetti sauce.

Ava got some excess energy out by jumping on the trampoline while watching TV. This girl jumped and jumped and jumped.

Diana watched the kids one morning so my mom and I could make the spaghetti sauce. My mom did most of the work while I fed the baby really :) When I went to pick up the kids, they were playing dress up:

W went to Ava's back to school night and found out which teacher she'll have. Her teacher was a student teacher last year and so she's young and new. So far Ava loves her.

Our first grader and 3 week old!

So big.

Reading books while nursing - a common thing in our house right now.

Beautiful doll face.

Ava also is a beauty. Here she is with Beauty herself :) 

My dad came into town when Audrey was 3 weeks old. He was so excited to hold her!

And then he also joined the sleep club:

My dad and Brent spent all day putting together this new bunk bed for the kids that we bought at Costco. We rearranged the room and took Coen out of the toddler bed so that we can convert it back into a crib for Audrey in a few months. The kids were beyond excited for their bunk bed!