lots o' pictures

I feel so incredibly lucky to have such wonderful grandmas and grandpas for my children. We were so lucky to have Dustin's mom here this past week. I am just kicking myself though because I realized as I was downloading these pictures that I didn't get ONE picture of grandma with ANY of my children while she was here. Colleen I am so sorry! I did keep misplacing my camera this week but it is NO excuse. Hopefully you will be able to come back out for Ivy's blessing and then we can get a picture of you and grandpa with her. If not then we will just have to wait I guess!

Anyway, I have been so spoiled since she was born. I first had Dustin home all week the first week and had so many wonderful friends drop of meals and gifts I was seriously in shock! And it really made those first few days before my mom showed up so much easier on all of us. Then I had my mom here for a whole week to myself. We had so much fun and it was so nice to have someone here to hang out with and talk to and help me with Ivy and the older girls. And then a day later Dustin's mom flew in for almost a whole week. She was so good to just sit with Ivy if needed be or play with Lilly or just let me run to the store or the doctor or whatever and not have to worry about everyone. And the foot rubs by both mothers were so wonderful I really think that it helped my foot and ankle swelling tremendously!

So this week I am officially on my own. No more mothers around to help and no more husband home during the day. I will admit that I am a little nervous. Now to those that have 4+ children I am sure that you are rolling your eyes or chuckling to yourself, but this is new to me! And so afr Ivy isn't exactlyproven herself to be my most easy going baby I have ever had. In fact I would say that she is getting to the point of rivaling Maddy as a baby. I always thought that Maddy was so difficult because she was my first and I was probably just really nervous and up tight. Now I am wondering if she really was just plain difficult. Because I don't feel nervous to take care of Ivy or up tight about having another baby and she likes to cry.....and eat......and cry unless she is eating etc. WHERE IS THE SLEEPING PART? We love you anyway. I am glad that I will have a few extra hands to hold her in the afternoon at least after school if I need to pass her off. I just wish that someone else could feed her as well sometimes!

Here she is giving daddy a talking to.

And here she is with her little pig nose.....doesn't it kinda look like that in this picture?

Falling asleep.....and with all those competing patterns everywhere who wouldn't want to close their eyes!

I probably made her blind with this shot.

Gotta love those baby faces. I think she is just practicing her kissy faces.

Maddy LOVES to hold Ivy and does a really good job. I keep forgetting sometimes how old and ACUTALLLY helpful she is becoming.

Now don't let these next few shots fool you......she isn't always this serene.

Check out the eyelashes on this girl. I hope she gets to keep these long beauties.

funny faces prompted by funny baby faces

We had a moment the other night. Ivy was in between that sleep and awake state when little babies make the most fun faces. She was showing us her smile every now and then and everyone was just captivated with her.

You can see in the background of this next picture the beautiful quilt that Colleen made for Ivy and the gorgeous blanket that Grandma Baum crocheted for Ivy as well. She will love them!

Literally her favorite sleeping position. Hanging off my arm as I walk around the house. And as you can see....not a lot of dishes able to be getting done in the mean time.

Just cracks me up.

Here I almost caught one of her little cute faces.....but not quite.

So wish me luck and I will let you know if we all survive this next week. I can't believe that she is almost 3 weeks old. Time has just flown by. And although I would like her to get a little older so that some of the crying lessens it really makes me almost cry to think that she is getting bigger. I don't want her to grow up too fast!