Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas this year.  We spent in at home with just the four of us, but it was perfect.  It was Veronica's first Christmas and she was starting to feel better - which for mommy and daddy was the greatest Christmas gift ever.  We spent the day at home, honoring Jesus's birthday and eating yummy food I had prepared.  Oh yeah... and Bianca got to play with all her new toys.  She was so spoiled that morning.  Christmas this year was a blast for her (and for Derek and me - we loved seeing her so excited).


Bianca's line, "OH My!  Oh My Gosh!"  Here's clip of it:

1 month

Veronica Sue is now 1 month old.  My... how time passes.  It wasn't the smoothest first month.  She battled a cold, has had terrible colic/reflux, clogged milk ducts and infections- but I think we are finally on the mend!

Despite all the physical issues poor little "Vivi" has had, she certainly has been the sweetest little baby you could imagine.  She really does go with the flow of things.  She has the sweetest little face.  Even when I shove that suction bulb down her nose time and time again, she never cries.  Just looks at me so sweetly and afterwards I swear she thinks, 'Thank you, Momma.'  Now she is hanging in her Baby Bjorn (thank you, Dr. Rigby) just staring at me with the cutest little face.

Bianca has realized Vivi is staying.  We've had some challenging days.  A little throwing of objects, a little yelling of frustrations.... but she loves her little sissy.  When Veronica cries she says, "Where's the paci?" and tries to shove it in her mouth.  So funny.  She also asks if sissy is coming anytime we say we are going somewhere.  "Yes, Bianca, sissy is coming."  She always tells her good night and gives her kisses.

Here's our baby at 1 month:

It's hard to tell in these pics, but her hair is growing in wild like Bianca's.  It sticks up all over in the back.

As for the 1-month stats:
Weight 10 pounds, 6 ounces
Head 37cm
Height 21 1/4 inches

Veronica Sue was named after her Nana, Susan.  So far her height/length is like her Nana's - shorty!  Many people ask us why we chose Veronica.  Truth is, Derek picked the name.  He loved the sound of it.  Veronica is also the patron saint of photographers because Veronica is the name of the woman who had the courage to step out of the crowd and wipe Jesus's face when he was forced to carry his cross.  We hope our little one has the bravery and pride to stand up for what she believes in.

Bianca & Family of 3 Pics

Before Veronica was born and before Bianca turned 2, we had pictures taken.  I was impressed by Katie Bower Photography  and booked her way back in September.  Here's a few photos to show you what came of it:

Have a great week!!!

December Happenings

Been behind in my blogging lately.  Not because I have 2 kids... well, kinda... but mostly because my little baby has been sick.  Yes, Miss Veronica has spent 2 outta 3 weeks of her little life under the weather.  Trips to the doctor, threats of hospital admission, round the clock suctioning... the list goes on and on.  But fear not - she is on the mend!  Our lives of waking up every 20 minutes to suction her little nose is stretching to hours between suctions.  She is doing better and taking her medicine twice a day to get better.  And all this illness has had NO effect on her weight gain - she's almost 10 pounds already!

Bianca is really doing great with her Big Sister duties.  She loves her little sissy and gives her kisses all the time (insert reason why Baby #2 is sick).  Miss B has also shown us her musical side lately.  When I picked her up from the Mommy's Morning Out program the other day, I heard her singing the most beautiful song I've ever heard: Happy Birthday Jesus.  My eyes welled up with tears as she sang.  What a wonderful song to hear your child belting out loud.  She is also a Jingle Bell fan.  Turn your volume up, folks..... Introducing Miss Bianca Dee:

We've been taking advantage of the 75 degree weather all week, too.  You can't catch us inside too much.

And we've been enjoying holiday sweets:

Then there was Santa.  I took Bianca to my work last week to see Santa.  She didn't want to go near him.  So, we sat and ate breakfast and watched the other kids go sit on Santa's lap.  I told Bianca, "If you want to get presents, you have to tell Santa what you want for Christmas."  She yelled, "BICYCLE!"  I said, "No, Bianca, you have to sit on his LAP and tell him."  She climbed off my lap, took my hand and pulled me over to Santa.  I put her up on his lap.  She totally avoided eye contact.  Santa asked her what she wanted for Christmas and she whispered, "Bicycle."  Then she got right off.  It was hilarious.  That bicycle better be there Christmas morning.

We have a daddy that has fallen in love all over again. 

Watching Derek with his girls makes me love him more and more.  He is an absolute perfect "Girls' Dad" and I fall for him all over again when I see him with Bianca and Veronica.

Stay tuned... I'm on a roll with blogging.  Gonna get you up to speed by the end of the weekend!

1st week

It's crazy how time goes so fast when your babies are little.  To just take 10 minutes to sit down and blog feels like spending eternity away from my girls.  But... I certainly want to keep family up to date on things going on in our crazy, hectic, but wonderful lives.

Veronica came home from the hospital the day before Thanksgiving.  And what a day to give thanks!  We were fortunate enough to have neighbors (thanks Katie and Erik!) share with us some turkey.  Derek was ever-so-grateful.  We went on our first family walk that day.

I never could have went for a walk on the third day after having Bianca.... but #2 seems to have a much shorter recovery time.  Maybe it's cause you are forced to start moving.  The first one looks at you and you just feel the urge to get going...

For those of you who didn't know... Thanksgiving was also the end of an era.... my 20s.  I turned 30 on this day.  Derek surprised me with a cake that had two big candles - "30" on it.  Perfect.  At least I now can say I had all my babies before I was 30! (that's right, I'm done.  I am also 2 weeks post-partum as I write this.)

We had Veronica's first doctor check up on Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.  She got a "perfect" grade and the doctor was amazed at the fact she was PASSED her original birth weight.  She left the hospital weighing 7lbs even on Wednesday and by Friday my super-milk had her weighing 7lbs, 7oz.

Poor Bianca thought she was going to get to go see sissy be poked and prodded by the doctor and she would escape it all.... but Bianca had an ear infection that needed to be assessed after her 10 days of antibiotics.  She was healthy as a horse, too!

 Bianca is doing pretty good with "sissy".  She calls her Sissy cause Veronica is just a mouthful for a two-year-old.  I've found myself calling V a list of things: Snicklefritz, Vera, Roxie, and others.  We'll see with time what sticks.  For now, she's just precious and we love her as "Veronica."

 Oh... the dreaded first bath.....

WHICH ONE IS V AND WHICH ONE IS B???