Jules

Jules is getting more alert everyday! Here is our typical day - I wake up around 6:45 and get showered, then Wills gets up and we try to get him dressed and eating breakfast. Tim leaves for work, then Wills gets to watch a show while I feed Jules, then we get packed up in the car to take Wills to Primrose by 8:30. Jules and I come back to the house and I do laundry, some computer stuff, etc. She eats about every 2 hours during the day (we try to both sleep around lunch time), then we walk the dog. We pick Wills up about 4:30 and come home. Then we play with Wills, feed Jules (ALOT - like every hour between 5 and 8), try to eat dinner as a family, give Wills his bath, then put him to bed. Jules goes down between 8 and 9, then gets up around midnight and around 4am to eat. She is doing very well at night (knock on wood!). She is just pretty darn unhappy between 5 and 8 if she is not eating!

She is very strong - holding her head up, doing tummy time, etc. She is starting to smile when you tickle her chin, and I often find her just staring up at me when she is in the baby bjorn. I just got a "hotsling", which is another type of baby carrier...so far, she doesn't seem to like it much, but I am going to keep trying so that I can be hands free!

I swear she was happy here, I just couldn't catch it on camera :)

Happy 8th Anniversary, Tim!

Yesterday was our 8th wedding anniversary! We celebrated with a late night dinner from Soba (sushi and chinese) after both kids went to bed. It was wonderful! And Tim brought me these gorgeous flowers!!! I got him the newest kindle (he's been jealous of mine since he gave it to me for my birthday in June).

Batman and Robin

I'm not really sure how Wills came to know about Batman, but he talks about him all the time (i.e., Batman and Superman can fly, but Spiderman doesn't fly; Batman has wings; Batman eats bats (not sure about that one)). My latest favorite saying happened today on the way to school, when Wills told me that "Robin is Batman's kickside" (I am pretty sure he meant "sidekick"). Ha!

Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

On Saturday we took Wills and Jules to the Mt. Zion Pumpkin Patch. They had a wagon for Wills to pull around and find the perfect pumpkin for carving (or as Wills calls it, "seeding").

Once we got home, Wills and his daddy got it all carved up. Of course, neither of them would actually help scoop out the seeds - Wills said it was too yucky, so I got that lucky job. Here is my favorite part - Tim and Wills looked online to find the perfect design for the jackolantern. When they showed it to me, I couldn't believe it - Wills picked out the exact same design that he picked out with me last year!

This year's pumpkin (you can't really see the design, but I'll post more pictures later)

Last year's pumpkin:

Our decorations (courtesy of all the grandparents) - big brother and baby sister pumpkins and ghosts (or ghosties, as Wills calls them)

Photo Shoot

I did a little photo shoot with Jules to see if I could get a good picture for her birth announcement. I finally decided on one, but here are some of the outtakes :)

And my favorite...

Sleeping Beauty...

Jules' Nursery

I have yet to add the finishing touches (I am determined to do some paintings for her room and add some photographs to the empty frames!), but here are some pictures of Jules' nursery. All we really had to buy was the bedding, curtains, and decal for her name (only $27 for the decal!). Oh, and I couldn't resist the flower chandelier from PB Kids (it was on sale!). We reused the furniture (crib, glider, dresser/changing table, bookcase and nightstand) from Wills' room, updated an old mirror from our 1/2 bath and some baskets with some fresh paint, and inherited a great rug from my sister. My mom had the idea to paint the fan blades a celery green color, so I may do that too, if I find myself with the time for a little art project.

At the park

When Tim's mom was here, we took Wills and Jules to the park, where there is a creek. Wills got a little adventurous and got in the water with his dad! He had a great time.

Home Sweet Home

Well, we've been home with Jules now for just over a week, and so far, so good! She is such a sweet, peaceful baby (let's hope that continues!). Jules eats every 1 to 3 hours, and sleeps for about 3 hours at a time during the night. Wills has been just awesome with her. The first thing he does when he gets home is ask about his baby sister, then he comes to her and kisses her forehead. He tries to get her to grab his fingers and his nose (I think he got that from a Little Critter book that he has about a new baby). Wills has definitely been a little whiny, but I guess that is to be expected. Overall, he is doing great with this change in our family.

Jules had her 1 week appointment last Friday and was almost back up to her birth weight - 8 lbs, 8 oz! Her jaundice is improving and she doesn't have to do phototherapy. Overall, she got a great report - she is in the 75th percentile for weight.

We had several outings over the week - Target, the park, and Whole Foods.

Today is my first day on my own, after 2 wonderful weeks with my mom and Tim's mom - thanks so much to both of you for helping us!! I got cleared from the doctor yesterday to drive and carry the baby up and down the stairs and stuff. I feel pretty great - today after I took Wills to preschool, I came home with Jules, took a nap, fed her, ate lunch, and then we went for a walk with Fletch.

Here are some pics from the past week:

1st bath at home

1st doctor's appointment - 1 week old

already holding her head up!

Wills dancing with a box on his head

proud big brother