Two Weeks

We are now two weeks into this life as parents of two!  While it has been a change, it has been wonderful.  I think everyone I know said that two was going to be a HUGE jump from one.  And while, it is different, I think I envisioned something even more chaotic!  I agree, it's difficult to be in two places at once; those times when both girls are in need of something at the same time it's tricky...but I think it will be a great lesson in patience for both of the girls. 

The whole newborn stuff is much calmer this time around.  I feel like we kind of know what we are doing.  Claire has been easy on us thus far.  She only cries when she's hungry, and once fed usually goes right to sleep!  Nights have not been as difficult as I remembered them last time--but we're still running on baby bliss--it could change at any moment! 

I think the trickiest thing is keeping both girls happy and keeping the dishes/laundry/etc kept up.  It's finding a time when they are both sleeping or content to do a few dishes or change the laundry that is difficult.  I don't want to do those things, I would rather snuggle the tiny one or do puzzles with the big one.  So, sometimes I don't do those things and we just play or snuggle or both! 

The other tricky thing is getting out of the house. We had it pretty easy this past year with Anna--no diaper bag since she's been potty trained.  We just hop in the car and go.  Now I'm having to remember to restock the diaper bag and make sure we have a Nuk and a spare outfit and back up bottles.  That part we'll get back into eventually...

All in all, we are doing very well and loving life with our two girls.  Anna loves Claire and helping with anything related to Claire.  Claire is getting more alert and loves to watch Anna and have her talk to her; she's going to want to do everything Anna does in the next few months.  It's going to be awesome to watch these sisters grow up together. 

With that, I'll put up some pictures from our last couple of weeks.  We've had lots of fun!!

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These first few are actually pre-Claire.  Anna got a new pool the weekend before Claire was born and since it was so hot out, we set it up and enjoyed! 

 Our Little Mermaid!

 Throwing the water bombs around the yard with Aunt Kate and Daddy!

Anna was really excited to get her new pool so she can practice blowing bubbles and her other swimming techniques she's been learning at swimming lessons.  Every Saturday she has lessons with Daddy and Claire and I have really loved going and watching!  Anna's teachers are former students of mine, so it's fun to see them being great teachers!  It's also entertaining to watch Daddy sing songs and help Anna learn to swim!

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Ok, now back to our first two weeks with Miss Claire-Bear home!  (Yes, we call her Claire-Bear a lot--poor girl, she's already got a rhyming nickname.) 

Resting with Daddy the second day home. 

 All swaddled up and ready for bed.  I LOVE SWADDLES!  We didn't use these velcro swaddles with Anna until about 2 weeks--we learned our lesson and got right to swaddling with Claire.  Perhaps this is why she is such an outstanding sleeper! 

 Snuggles in the morning.  One of my favorite times of day...Anna comes in our room every morning and snuggles in.  Claire often joins us after her morning feeding and we all snuggle for a while with some PBS Kids.

Being a big sister is hard work....she crashed while playing with the iPad!

 Helping Daddy give Claire her first bottle.  She loves to hold the bottle!

Our little Bear was a touch jaundice, but not quite enough to need the photo therapy--thank goodness.  But they did suggest some sun bathing.  So, here she is taking in some rays.   

I love taking pictures of her funny facial expressions she practices while she sleeps. 

And now she's awake!  Crazy Hair!! 

Cute pose :) 

Stop taking pictures and laughing at my hair!

First bath--and she was crying before we even got started!

Getting clean hair.

 Rinsed.  Love those cheeky cheeks!

 Anna helped too!

 All snuggled in and happy again. 

Anna helped comb Claire's hair.  She has a lot of hair...

The baby swing gets used daily by both girls.  Anna loves to swing it in when Claire isn't!

Here are some more alert Claire pictures....one week, one day old. 

Big sister, next to our Big F. 

Sad face.

Anna got some fingernail polish as a "big sister" present this week, so she's been painting fingers and toes for everyone...including Daddy.  What a good sport!  He wouldn't let her do his fingers though...

 She really concentrated on what she was doing. 

Swinging!   One week, 3 days.

Again, it's tough work being a big sister.  Big Sister fell asleep at the dinner table on Thursday.  First time that has happened in a long while!

Little Sister sleepin' on the couch. 

She often sleeps with this furrowed brow look. 

Big feet!

Our tall Little Sister.

Sisters.  We got their pictures taken last weekend at Target and had done some bribing by telling Anna if she smiled nicely and listened to directions she could look at and maybe even get a toy at Target.  So yesterday as I was taking these, she was smiling really nice and when I commented on that her response was, "If I smile nice I can get a toy!"  Sorry Big Sis, not every time!

Love.

These two girls just melt my heart.  Love to snuggle them both!  Anna has really grown up even more in the past two weeks and so has Claire.  Anna's very responsible and helpful and Claire is becoming more alert and gaining more neck control.  While they are both at very different life stages, they are both growing and learning daily and it's awesome to watch!