Baby Update and Pictures...

So life adjusting to having 2 kids has been a bit of a rollercoaster with many more hills to climb.  But every day it gets better.  So many of you have asked for more pictures.  So I am posting more pics of Eli.  He is doing geat.  Feeding every 3 hours during the day and going every 4 hours at night.  Except we did have a WONDERFUL night Wednesday night.  He only woke up once.  Yup...one time.  Ate at 8:30 pm and wokr up at 3am and then woke up at 7am.  I thought we may have been on our way to sleeping through the night...but last night he woke up every 4 hours again and had a stuffy nose that made it hard for him to sleep.  But we will keep working on it. 

We have had a busy week....

Monday-Stayed home and adjusted to life without dad
Tuesday- Dr's appointment and quick trip to Hallmark for Thank You cards (that was all I could handle first day out with 2 kids)
Wednesday- a visit to Preschool for Carter to check out the class for the fall
Thursday- Storytime at the local library
Friday- Eli had a checkup with the cardiologist at St. Joseph's for a echo just to finally rule out a bicuspid aortic valve--HE HAS A PERFECT HEART!!!  Grandma and grandpa stayed with Carter so I only had one today...it was peaceful!

We are all doing very well and Eli is is such a joy to have around.  Carter just adores him and thinks and worries about him all of the time.  I am recovering well and am so greatful for all the help we have received with meals from the ward at church.  The food has been wonderful and Chris appreciates it!  We are so blessed!  Two healthy boys and a wonderful husband that I get to have for eternity whether they want me or not!!!  I feel blessed!

Eli Coming home form the hospital

Eli is sleeping in the same cradle that I slept in when I was a baby, made by my father.

He loves to be swaddled of course!

Carter lov when we do "tummy time!"

Today's picture- 2 weeks tomorrow. 

Weighed in at 9lbs 2 oz at the Dr. this morning!  gotta love the breast milk!

"Potty Like a Rockstar"

The title of this post was printed on a T-shirt that my mother got for Carter about 3 weeks ago.  3 weeks ago Carter was still wearing his diapers proudly, but things have recently CHANGED.   2 weeks ago Carter ditched the diapers and is now in underwear.  Yes you read that right, no diapers in 2 weeks yesterday.  So here is the story...

It all started with a fancy potty.  I had been seaching for the perfect potty that was comfortable and colorful and most importantly would catch all the pee-pee.  So I looked and looked for the perfect potty and it arrived in the mail.  He was so excited to open the box and that got the ball rolling.  I ordered the Prince Lionheart Potty Pod.  This is a new potty I found and it has a soft cushy seat that Carter loves and blocks the pee-pee just great.

Then mom (Nana) got a great idea called the "Potty Prize Jar"  so we headed to the store to buy little dollar prizes that he gets to pick once he makes pee-pee in the potty.  He was very excited to give it a try.  Once he got a prize he started to understand the game.  Now poo was a bit more difficult.  So we upped the anty a bit, 2 prizes from the jar if he went poo.  That one is still slow going but he has had some success with it. 

Nana has worked very hard with him while I was in the hospital with Eli.  She sang a lot of songs, read a lot of books and helped him get his aim down.  We owe her a BIG thanks!  Now this boy can hold his pee and has such control.  I even think he can make pee any time he wants a treat/prize from the jar.  It is amazing.  He gets so excited when he uses his potty and wants to show everyone the results in the potty.  Then he asks, "You so proud of me mom!?"  Then we respond, "We are so proud of you Carter!"  Then he responds, "Thank you Mom!"

The prize jar was getting low so we headed to the store again, and Carter leaned over to me in the Car and said, "Mom we need to get more fruit snacks and chocolate for potty prizes."  I then suggested to him we buy some more healthy snacks like dried fruits like boxes of raisins.  He quickly replied, "MOM RAISINS AREN'T POTTY PRIZES, FRUIT SNACKS AND CHOCOLATE ARE POTTY PRIZES!"

Congrats to my "Big Boy" and being out of diapers and into underwear.  He is growing up so fast!  I am so proud of you Carter!!!!

Eli Douglas has ARRIVED!

So Eli was not coming on his own, so I was induced on Saturday March 13th at 11:30am.  Things went pretty well.  I was having fairly regular contractions and managing the pain until the Dr broke my water.  He broke my water at 2:30pm and then the real pain began.  I progressed to 4 cm and I was ready for the epidural.  I received the epidural at 5:30 pm and went from 4 cm to 10 cm in 2 hours and Eli was born at 7:29pm.  They had to use the vacuum on his poor little head and he was out.

He weighed 8lbs 8 oz at 21.5 inches in length, exact length as Carter just 2 lbs and an ounce heavier.  It is no wonder I was so uncomfortable when he was on the inside.  Things are going great.  Today he is 10 days old and after his checkup at the Dr's office he now weighs 8 lbs 14 oz.  Carter loves having his baby brother here and tells him he loves him all of the time.  Yesterday he even said "You're my best friend".  Sure his hugs and squeezes are a little rough, but he means well.

 Chris went back to work yesterday and I am on my own.  So far so good, but many more days to come.  Eli is just so precious.  Though he looks very much like his older brother, he has a personality all of his own.  He is very calm and layed back and just a joy to have around in our home.  We feel so blessed that he was sent to be a part of our family and I am so excited to be with him forever along with my other 2 boys-Chris and Carter.  I am one lucky girl.