March 8 - 2 months

Anna turned 2 months on March 8.  We went in for her two month check-up and they confirmed that I have big babies! She is in the 90% for height and weight. Big girl loves to eat.

Speaking of eating, we introduced the bottle to her during March to prepare for me going back to work in April.  She took it like a champ. I continued to pump up to three times a day while nursing her on a regular schedule.  It seemed all I did during the month of March was nurse and pump!

Her personality really started to show itself during this month...and I pray that personality remains! She is so happy, so easy and so laid back. She rarely cries at all, and when she does she can easily be calmed down.  She continued her role as the peaceful, joyful baby!

A visit from Hope, Hayes and Emma Kate

At the end of February, we had a fun play date!

When we lived on the coast, I was so very thankful for my friend Hope! She moved there soon after we did and we were introduced by a mutual friend that lives in Jackson.  She instantly became one of my dearest friends.  Our boys are just a few months apart and we both stayed home with them so we spent hours each day together.  Some of my very best memories of the coast include Hope and Hayes!

They moved from the coast a few months after we did when her husband took a new job in Jackson.  Hope and I both had baby girls over the past year, and we had yet to introduce them.  So while I was still on maternity leave, she drove down from Madison with the kids to play. It was so much fun and I was reminded how much I miss them!

It was so cute seeing Hayes and Jones together.  I am not sure if they remembered each other or not even though they played together almost everyday for a year! If they didn't recognize each other, they sure acted like they did.  It was precious. And I loved meeting precious Emma Kate.  Why can't I just gather all of my friends from across the world and move them to Columbus?!

Sip and See

In February, some sweet ladies at church hosted a Sip and See for Anna Joy.  Trey and I are so blessed to have such a precious group of youth moms! It was beautiful and little miss priss was an angel the whole time.  This group of ladies had originally planned on throwing a shower before she born, but bed rest came and it never happened.  So this was a combination shower and Sip and See.  Anna got some precious things and everyone gushed over my sweet baby - lovely! :)

Catching up... February

Wow. It's been since mid-February since I last posted. Lots of stuff to post about during the lost time! I am going to try to catch up month by month until I am caught up - hopefully I won't get this behind again.  It stresses me out knowing I am not documenting sweet Anna's life like I did Jones!
So let's start where we left off... February.

Valentine's Day:
Anna Joy was thrilled with her first Valentine's Day, of course.  We gave Jones big boy underwear, a small stuffed alligator (which Sophie destroyed like the next day) and a balloon.  I don't know why I just don't get him balloons.  It's all he wants! The underwear was a bribe to get him fully potty trained (which I am happy to report we now are! More on that later...) Anyway, I didn't want little princess to not get a thing, so she also got a balloon, that big brother proudly took over, and a squeeze toy, that she has no interest in.  We are not a big Valentine celebrating family, though Jones and I did make cookies for Trey one night while he was at work. 

We laughed - Trey and I had planned on taking out after the kids were in bed. Well, when he got home from work, he was starving so decided to pick up food on the way home.  So we had our Valentine's meal with Jones mad about something silly and me holding a crying baby.  Happy Valentine's, Love!  Thankfully, my parents came that weekend to give us our first date night since before bed rest...it was much needed and much appreciated! We stuffed our faces with sushi.

Rodeo Time

The annual rodeo was Friday night! The boys always love going - and I think Grandaddy has the most fun of all.  He is still talking about the cowboys.  The girls enjoyed a quiet night at home!Special memories!

Potty training bootcamp

Potty training Jones may get the best of me.  We have had such little luck that we finally just put him in big boy underwear on Saturday and told him that if he did not tee tee on the potty he would be wet and it would not be fun. 

That sounds crazy and cruel, but he has to be potty trained by May in order to move up in school.  He is already the oldest in his class, so we can't risk it!

We had no plans on Saturday so we decided to take the plunge.  It was a long day, but he did great! He had an accident about 10 minutes after we first put him in the underwear and he hated being wet.  Success! Proves my theory that Pull-ups are a waste of money! 

He went to the potty (only #1) several times throughout the day.  We were so proud! Lots of laundry, lots of water, and lots of treats later, I think we are on our way to being potty trained.

We put him in Pull-ups for church and he kept them dry the whole time and he told his Sunday School teachers when he needed to potty.  I am so proud. 

#2 may be a while, though.   He held it all day Saturday, then last night he wanted to put on a diaper when he felt like he needed to go. 

He is so proud of himself.  He couldn't wait to tell his teacher, Ms. Linda, this morning.  I can't wait to hear how he did.

I can't wait to only have one child in diapers!

One Month

Sweet baby Anna turned one month old on February 8.  In some ways I can't believe it has only been a month but at the same time I can't believe it is already a month.  She has already filled our lives with so much joy and love!

We have been working on getting our nights and days worked out.  I am happy to report that she is doing great. Sleep is a beautiful thing.  She slept in her crib last night from 10 pm to 8 am, waking to eat at 1, 4 and 6:30.  This is amazing. 

Speaking of eating, we gave Anna Joy her first bottle yesterday.  She took it like a champ, unlike her brother who refused it his whole life.  But my goodness, I hate pumping.  I am trying to pump in anticipation of getting back to work.  It's awful.  I hope my body gets used to it and my attitude about it changes soon.  I plan on nursing for a year like I did with Jones, but this time I am counting on me pumping during the day at the office.  And that just sounds awful.

Anna Joy is starting to stay awake more and more during the day.  She still prefers to be held when awake, but is slowly enjoying her play mat and swing.

We are all just so in love!
Now, slow down time!

Big boy in the tub!

Brother and Sister

Jones loves Anna Joy so much, which fills me with overflowing joy.  My cup runneth over!

However, when I say he loves her...I mean he LOVES her.  It is a miracle she can even breathe around him! He constantly wants to kiss her, touch her, hold her, etc.  We have to remind him often that she is tiny and he must be gentle.  She is going to be a tough little girl.

Here he is seeing her for the first time in the hospital.  He was instantly proud.

But then became distracted by the hospital phone and buttons on my bed!

I am having to intentionally focus on spending time with him one-on-one.  It is hard when you are nursing a newborn to make the other child feel just as important.  So far he is not showing any sign of jealousy, though we are having to work on obedience with him.  It is like he back-tracked when we brought her home.

I love these two!

Snow Day 2013

It snowed on Anna Joy's 1 week birthday! Jones loved it and Anna Joy and I enjoyed staying warm and cozy by the fire.

We had her 1 week check-up on the snow day. She already gained back to her birth weight, plus some! Big girl was 7 lbs. 3 oz. at one week. She was 6 lbs. 2 oz when we left the hospital. Her mama's feeding her something good!

We are so in love and getting more and more into a rhythm of living as a family of 4. We are blessed!