Life here at home...

...is very, very busy!

I cannot believe we have baby to wear this outfit again this year!!!  My heart is bursting with thanksgiving!

GIANNA is an angel baby!  I hesitate to write that- as I know we are still in that newborn stage where they sleep all the time, but she is so precious!  She had her two week well-visit today and is past her birth weight and looks great!  She's much more "regular" than Abigail was at that age.  Abigail had no routine.  We never knew whether to make one or four ounces.  Gianna wants to eat four ounces (as of a few days ago) every three hours.  It certainly makes life more predictable!  Thank you, Gianna!!!

Yep.  There's a baby under there.  We're working on it.  (But so cute!)

ABIGAIL adores her baby sister.  She calls her "Gigi" and cannot give her enough kisses.  In fact, we're working on not stopping the swing to give her sister kisses!  She woke her up today JUST as we were sitting down to eat dinner tonight which did not made me happy!  Abigail is having a hard time adjusting over-all.  Not only has life forever changed, but the actual transition was quite stressful for her.  She's only been away from me a few times and never more than three hours (roughly).  But when Gianna was born, Abigail had a babysitter for several hours each day.  Then my Mom and brother came from across the country to visit for a couple of days (yea!!!).  Abigail really attached to them, and then they had to leave.  So poor girl doesn't know who's coming or going.  The UPS man came to the door last week and she burst into tears!  She's definitely testing boundaries.  J goes back to work tomorrow and I think I'll have to pull the pack'n'play next to the couch for when I nurse Gianna.  Abigail's just into everything!  (She will NOT like that one bit!!!)  It doesn't help that she has a cold AND is cutting all four molars.  Poor baby!!!

Seriously.  Be still my heart!

J has been home on adoption leave and it has been such a blessing!  He's been a huge help around the house and let me boss him around- (ok, now can you do this?  and this?  And can you get me some water?  and a sandwich?  Oh and can you do this?  He's so patient!)  The best part has been watching his relationship with Abigail grow.  She's pretty much been a Mommy's girl who lights up for Daddy, but now she runs to the door when he says "outside" or "park" and waves bye to me!  She adores him!  He was supposed to go back to work yesterday, but after three hours sleep, I begged him to stay home for two more days!  He goes back tomorrow.  :( :( :( :( :(

NURSING. is.  amazing.  MY MILK CAME IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am so shocked!  Let me back up a bit.  I've been taking progesterone once daily for thirty days.  I also take domperidone four times a day indefinitely.  I use a Medela SNS which is essentially a bottle that hangs from my neck with a little tube that attaches to my nipple.  Gianna then can breastfeed while receiving formula.  She works as a little pump, which is perfect b/c I absolutely refuse to pump!  (Too much!)  I'm using my homemade formula, too!  I have a love/hate relationship with the SNS.  I love it for what it allows me to do- nurse my baby!!!  When it works, it works GREAT.  But when it doesn't work- there are about a million things to trouble-shoot and it's time-consuming and frustrating- especially in the middle of the night or in public or with a very hungry baby!!!  I'm not good at using a nursing cover yet; it's too hard to see what I'm doing- and there's a lot to see!  At my first attempt to nurse her, were both getting frustrated- trying to figure "it" out.  Suddenly, she latched on!  I just stared at her in disbelief!  My baby was breastfeeding!!!  It's so incredible!  My milk came in on Saturday and I am in awe.  I cannot believe my body is working when it comes to babies!!!!

KEEPING IT SIMPLE:  I've been doing good!  We've been SO blessed  to have several meals provided to us.   Not having too cook or do much grocery shopping is HUGE.  Praise God for that!  I had several comments on my laundry plan- so wanted to update that.  I am doing one load a day, BUT- instead of throwing EVERYTHING in, I just throw one load in!  I have a laundry system with three bags (whites, colors, delicates), so I just grab one bag and wash it that day.  So simple and so much easier to manage.  (Thanks, MB!)

Oh, and we were planning on getting a new fancy camera for Christmas, but Christmas came early this year!  I literally read the manual on the way to the hospital to meet Gianna!  I finally have SHUTTER SPEED!!!  WHOOP!!!!

I'm dying to know what she's "saying" to herself here!

because it sure was funny!