Striped Candy

Well isn't it obvious--she's so sweet we could snack on her! Olivia Pearl in all her cuteness before bedtime. Incidentally, she is cutting her first two teeth. They started poking through on Thursday (3/6). We couldn't figure out why she was such a cranky-pants. She doesn't really gnaw on anything, but she does suck her thumb more (great!) and her nose is drippy (charming).

Little Mama

Natalie loves to mother Olivia right alongside me. This scenario doesn't quite qualify as mothering I guess. Right now I'm working on highchair manners with Olivia. Olivia frequently becomes a grumpy-pants during meals and so she hears "no fuss" a lot while I'm feeding her. From across the house this morning I heard Natalie saying "no fuss Oleva, no fuss!" She said it a couple more times before I got around the corner to see what was going on. Natalie had a big plastic toy and was working on wedging it in Olivia's mouth and saying "no fuss" all the while. Olivia complied better with that than she does with her bananas.

Sharing

Today, while I was vacuuming, the girls were in their room. Olivia was in her crib with one stuffed animal to amuse her. Natalie was playing with something else I thought. Then I heard squeals of delight coming from the monitor. Natalie had graciously "shared" many more toys with Olivia. The crib was full. The most amusing, however, was Olivia's new cowboy hat. I think that was the source of squealing--Olivia turning her head back and forth with a giant cowboy hat on was too much to behold with a straight face.

Grandma Jean

This is an old "little people" person I used to have. It has been floating around in my desk drawers and junk drawers and sock drawers since I was little. It's the only one I have left. I used to have weebles too, but alas, they have all vanished. I used to have a school bus full of little people, and doubtless, this one kept them all in check. I gave her to Natalie to play with several months ago. She's been swimming around in the toy box with sunglasses, pinwheels, Mr. Potato Head, blocks, dolls, and who knows what else. I looked over today and Natalie was holding her. Giving her a big kiss she loudly exclaimed, "goodnight Grandma Jean, have sweet dreams and good nap!" and tossed her into the toy box.

Old Pics

Christmas Day. Natalie is 2 1/2, Olivia is 5 mo. old.

Olivia at 4 months--little baby happy pants.

Natalie, Olivia, and Mommy at the end of a parade of little people and toys. It was a grand parade!

Olivia at 6 months.

Old Pics

Natalie and Daddy at the fair

Natalie and Charlotte at the fair

Natalie trying to hold Olivia for a Christmas pic. That didn't really work out so well...


mmm..making a gingerbread house with mommy for Christmas.

Smiley Face

Sweet little sleepyhead ( :

At 5 weeks, Olivia started cheesing for us! Great big gummy smiles--gee we're just silly over her she's such a charmer...

Olivia at 3 weeks

Still, so far, so good--we keep waiting for her to wake up and cry all night and day, but it hasn't happened yet! I'm having to wake her up every 4 hours for feedings at night--she'd sleep her way to starvation if we let her...

Natalie is a great big sister: she loves to throw away diapers and fetch the passy. We have to keep an eye on those little hands fiddling around in the crib. The baby is irresistable to her!

How Great is Our Joy!

Olivia Pearl McLawhorn was born at 7:23PM on July 17! She was 7lbs, 2oz. and 19 1/2" long. Delivery was quick and could not have gone any better. John came home from work early on Tuesday, but I wasn't sure I was really in labor. I wasn't having strong contractions--I was able to do light activity throughout the afternoon, and the contractions felt more like cramps. But I was already 4 1/2 cm dilated when I went for a regular check up that morning, so I didn't want to take anything too lightly. We worked around the house a little picking up clutter and washing dishes to get everything straight and headed over to the hospital around 5PM. All my contractions stopped on the way there, so I was nervous that they'd send me home. In fact, I was in triage for 45 minutes after checking in. I kept pacing, and John kept making me laugh, so the nurses thought I wasn't far along in labor and kept placing other patients in rooms. My doctor walked out into the waiting area and told me to sit down and look uncomfortable so that they would put me in a room. Not long after, they put me in the delivery room and I was 8cm!!! They broke my water after about 30 minutes so my contractions would pick up. It only took a few minutes for that to happen--she was born after only five or ten minutes of pushing. After delivering with no pain medicine, I'll never blame anyone for opting for it. I was glad after it was over that I hadn't had an epidural, though. Olivia nursed right away, was alert and has been a happy baby so far! What a sweet pea--we're all smitten over her. We can't wait for everyone to meet her! Thank you Lord for your indescribable love and grace!

Olivia Pearl Arrives!

Olivia, Olivia, say have you met Olivia? Olivia, the sweet little baby...


Natalie is barely able to contain herself--"gentle" and "quiet" may take some time to get the hang of! Happily, she is enamored with her baby sister.

Our House

6pm-ish, most days. Natalie eats, ladybug lurks around the table, mommy and daddy sit down... Click on the link for the video:

http://www.youtube.com/v/91kKLk_VPUY

Beach Baby

The pier was fun--it evoked panicky feelings in mommy and daddy--being so near the edge of 100 foot drop with swirling waves beneath, with a fearless two year old. Not to mention the fishing poles flying around us. Truly, it's a wonder any of us ever make it to adulthood...

In this rare photo, Natalie is seen near but not in water: an incredible phenonmenon.


They're tight: Nat and Ladybug take a break from the waves for an afternoon snooze.

Summer Fun!!

Daddy and Natalie on a little cruise through the sound.





Poppy Bob looks on as Figgy, Nat, and Levi wade around.

Nat was fearless at the ocean. It was quite a task to keep her from diving straight into the waves! The sound side offered a tamer way for her to explore in the water. She took great naps every day after wearing herself out all morning splashing around somewhere!