Little Sisters

 Sisters, at just about 1 month old.

Reilly, June 2010

 

 Reagan, April 2012

(Reilly's mouth still looks like that every night. I sneak in and look at her because her little sleeping face makes me melt.)

 Reilly with Mama's favorite paintbrush, 2010

 Reagan with (still) Mama's favorite paintbrush, 2012

I knew that I wanted to take the paintbrush picture with Reagan, as I did with Reilly.  But what I didn't know, is that they were exactly the same age in the picture.  And what I also didn't know, is that I also took identical pictures of their smushy sleeping cheeks during the same photo session.  My little beauties. <3

One Month Baby!

 Our sweet little baby Reagan is one month old!  She is just the sweetest little angel bean to have around.  She brings our family so much joy - especially Reilly.  She can never go to bed without her kiss and huggie from Reagan.  Their friendship is already so adorable.  From how Reilly shares with her, sings "Rock-a-Baby" when she cries, and wants to "show" her everything she does.

 Girlfriend has growing so much!  We are so proud of what a little champ eater she is.  She is quite the little breastfeeder, which I am so thankful for.  Coming soon (most likely next week) will be her first bottle of breastmilk!  So excited to see how she does, and for Daddy to be able to have special feeding time. Preferably at 2:30 am.  ;)

Speaking of 2:30am, that was the only feeding that babygirl got up for last night!!  She woke up at aroun 2:00, and then not again until 5:30!  Mama was so proud, and HAPPY, and RESTED!  Let's keep it up girlfriend!  We have had some tough nights this week, but I am now fully convinced that it's because her favorite sleeping blanket was in the wash.  As a last-ditch effort for sleep, I had hubby run down to the dryer to get the "magic blanket" before we went to sleep.  Low and behold...sleep has come!

Magic blanket fun fact: it was the only blanket that Reilly slept with at night too.  Sweet sissy twins!

Babygirl is so easygoing.  I'm not sure if it's her disposition, or if she just has no choice but to go with our flow as Reilly and I go spinning and dancing and running around her.  She just watches and goes along with us, and growls every so often.  She rarely cries, mostly grunts like her big sister did.  But she certainly knows how to let us know when she is not happy, which is pretty much anytime she is on her belly.  She cries, and lifts her whole body up off the floor!  It's hysterical, she lifts her whole head and neck up, as well as her legs, balancing on only her torso as she tries to flip on her back.  Tummy time is often sneaked in while she's sleeping now. :)

She has such dark features, and looks like such the opposite of Reilly!  Dark eyes, dark hair, dark skin.  My little brown eyed beauty!

She is started to focus so well!  She can follow your finger or a toy going back and forth, and is opening her beautiful eyes more often.

She loves to be held and snuggled, and will calm down instantly when she is picked up.  I love that even if she is hungry, she is still calmed just by being near my body before she is even eating.

She has the softest little cheekies!  They are so smooth and chunky, you just want to squeeze em!

(Getting tired of my photo shoot!)

She LOVES getting her hair shampooed!  Which is great, since she has so much of it.  My little Princess Jasmine with her shiny black hair!

 

She is a hiccup-er! Just like her Mama.  She never got hiccups in the womb, but pretty much hiccups after every single feeding!  At night, Daddy gets up with her and rocks/burps her after every feeding because he doesn't like her suffering with her little hiccups.  And plus, we can't sleep through them. So someone might as well be cuddling the little peanut.

 

You are such a beautiful little muffin, Reagan Kate.  You are so easygoing, and such wonderful and tolerant sister to all of Reilly's silly (and loud) shenanigans.  You never mind her smothering "huggies", just as she never minds your crying.  As soon as you start to cry, Reilly says "Mommy, pick up Reagan?".  She is so protective and loving, which I hope continues forever.  Just wait till you start opening those pretty eyes more, you will start laughing so hard at your funny sister.  You are such a blessing, sweet baby Rae. You are teaching us all about gentleness and patience as we watch your sweet disposition, and thank God for you.

Our Eventful Day With Elmo!

 One month ago today, was a very eventful day.  We had been looking forward to it for quite some time!  We were going to see Elmo at Sesame Street Live.  And Reilly had no idea what fun was in store for her!!

We got her decked out in her Elmo gear, and brought her to a huge arena, the likes of which she had never seen before.  It was all very exciting! 

 I was 9 months pregnant and feeling ready to pop.  I was DYING to go see Elmo with her, and was very happy when I made it, and didn't go into labor before the big day.  It was 4 weeks before my due date, but I still had a fear that I would miss it, since I felt so very pregnant.

 Daddy was decked out in his Elmo shirt - he was adorable.

 When it started, Reilly just stared in complete awe and wonder.  She didn't speak for at least the first 10 minutes.  She covered her little eyes when they told her to, and counted to three to "imagine".  It was so so precious.

 I have to admit, maybe it was the pregnancy hormones, but I got teary when they counted down and all the characters came out.  I was so so excited for our baby girl to experience such fun!  I couldn't wait to see her reaction.

 Mima and Poppy treated us to such a fun day.  She lasted the whole time, and didn't get fussy or whiny at all.  Even by the end, when the whole place was practically buzzing with toddler tears and breakdowns, she was having a great time sitting in our laps and dancing around.

 Oh, and eating her goldfish crackers of course!  As we left Elmo, I commented in passing on what a gorgeous day it was.  And what a beautiful day it would be to go into labor.  We all chuckled, as I make these comments often in my ninth month.

When we got home, the strangest thing happened.  Every one of us fell asleep. 
Every. Single. One of us.  Reilly went down for a deliberate nap, as did Poppy.  And it's never abnormal for Daddy to doze on weekend.  However, my mom and I rarely nap (my mom much more rarely than I).  And we ESPECIALLY don't nap when we are with each other - wasting our time together with sleeping!  But we, as if against our will, both fell asleep while relaxing in in the living room.  And what a blessing this was.  Because in my camera, the very next picture after this one...

...is this one.

We had no idea what a very eventful day it would turn out to be.  One that we all would certainly always remember. :)

Snore. Snooze. Zzzz.

We are all pretty tired around here.  I have been getting up with baby for every feeding since she is exclusively breastfed, and has not had a bottle yet.  Hubby keeps encouraging me to pump so he can help me out, but I have issues.  I'll admit it.  I need to wait until she's a little older before she has a bottle of my milk.  There, I said it.

Hubby is imitating Rea's little hilarious pose in the photo above.  She's funny with the positions she sleeps in sometimes.  Arm over her eyes - just like in the womb!  But we really are all tired.  Well, except Reilly.  She sleeps 12 hours and gets a nap.  Lucky chick.

But Hubby has been getting up every so often to either change her, or rock her after I've fed her and changed her and burped her and she is still noisy because she has hiccups.  That seemingly specific situation happens more than you would think.  So he gets up because there is an unspoken conversation that occurs that goes something like this:
"Why is she still making noise?  Didn't you just feed her?"
to which my silence and inability to move an inch under the covers answers:
"Yes, for an hour. Then I got pooped on. Then I burped her which playing Draw Something. Just like I did 2 hours ago."
"Oh, okay.  Well maybe she'll stop?"
"Maybe. Let's see."

(Still makes noise - not crying, mind you - just newborn grunty noises)

"Okay, she's not stopping. I'll get up and rock her since you have only slept in 120 minutes increments for the majority of the past 3 weeks."
"Okay, thanks honey.  My sanity thanks you as well."

And there is a snippet of our unspoken conversation that occurs in my brain at least once an evening.  I wonder if it happens in Hubby's brain as well?  Most likely not.  He most likely will think I'm crazy.

Crazy? Maybe.
Sleep deprived?  Definitely.

But this time is precious, I stand firmly by that.  The first weeks.  You don't get them back.  Ask someone who's children are grown.  They would return to the sleep deprivation in exchange for having these days back, I know this.  I don't forget this.  I complain in jest, because mostly, these days that are separated by sleepless nights..are sweet and fleeting. 

And powered by multiple cups of coffee.

ZZZzzzzz........

My Little Wallflower

 Here is our Reilly, our little wallflower.

 I just wish she would let her personality shine through more.

 I mean, she is just so shy.  She just keeps it all inside!

Or, you know, she's the hammiest of all the hams that ever existed.  :)

She was literally testing out her "funny faces" for the camera during lunchtime.  I am so excited to see how her

Hi, Reagan!

You are so so pretty!
And adorable.
And beautiful.
And according to your sister, you are "sho chute!"

The best part about this picture, beside the fact that Rae Rae looks edible, is that five second after I took it, she turned to the bunny and started trying to latch on the his ear.  Then we breastfed, because that's her favorite thing to do.  Then I ate her little nose. :)

Reilly's Favorite Toys

Reilly is loving lots of things lately.  She loves reading "But Mama" (aka "I Love You Stinky Face"), Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Suppertime, and anything having to do with Elmo.  She loves to "do markers" or "color paper" with crayons.  She loves her chalkboard, and loves to wipe it clean with her sponge, paper towels, napkins, or anything with water on it.  She loves bubbles in the bathtub, and watercolor paints.  She loves Play Doh, and puzzles, and Magna Doodle.  She loves watching "Sillyville", and chasing Daddy around when he gets home.  She is BEYOND obsessed with going outside and exploring with Daddy.

But, these are by far her favorite toys right now.  In no particular order.

Here we have Elmo on the far left, who teaches her colors and shapes when you press his belly.  Then we have Abby on the far right, Elmo's partner in crime.  They sit with Reilly on her big girl chair.

The little baldy is Baby RJ (for Reilly Junior), which was a special Big Sister gift from Mima and Poppy.  She came with a diaper bag, bottle, bib, and changes of clothes.  Reilly changes her when I change Reagan - it's precious.

But personally, I think the little brunette in the middle is the cutest.  And Reilly's favorite as well.  She always wants to change Baby Reagan, or "hold it" (I keep trying to tell her that Reagan is a "her" and not an "it"), and every morning she loves to say hi to her, and will only go to sleep after she kisses her goodnight.  When we went to the doctor for Reagan's rash, the doctor started looking her over on the table and Reilly started trying to climb up to see Reagan and said "Mommyyy what happened!!"  She did NOT want this strange lady bothering our Reagan!  She poops a little more than Baby RJ, but she's way cuter.  We'll keep her. :)