Daddy's HOME!!!!

We were thrilled when the phone rang around 1:00pm Saturday afternoon. Russ had made it home safely...and EARLY from his trip! I rushed to pick him up from the base so he would be home in time to greet Lexie once she woke up from her nap!!! It is great to have him home!!!

"DAAAAADDDDDY!!!" Lexie squeals in elation to have her daddy home!!!

I don't know who was more excited to have Russ/Daddy home!!!

Olivia was excited too...she gave Russ the one handed fist pump--woo-hoo!

Stumped?!?

It has been almost three weeks since Olivia was born and the nurse at the hospital informed me before we left that the umbilical cord should fall off between 7-10 days. I couldn't remember how long it took for Lexie's to fall off and Russ wasn't sure either...so I made a call to the pediatrician's office to see what the deal was. I ended up taking her in for a closer look and the doctor said everything looked fine...in fact I was probably cleaning it too much, but there was certainly no infection and it just needed more time to "heal". She agreed that the 7-10 day time frame the nurse quoted was a bit hasty. In any event, we came home with yet another clean bill of health!

One shocker to me...Olivia has already put on another pound...since her last visit! I looked at Lexie's medical records out of curiosity to see how much weight she had put on within the first two weeks. It turns out Olivia is out pacing her big sister! When Lexie was born...she weighed 7lbs 15oz...and after two weeks was up to 8lbs 4oz. Olivia weighed in at only 7lbs 8oz...and is already up to 8lbs 11oz two weeks later!!! Needless to say, we have some big eaters!!!


Looking bright eyed here!!!

Those little cheeks are starting to fill out!!!

S T R E E E E E E T C H I N G......

Somebody's Watchin' Me...

To all of my friends currently expecting...here is a must have on your registry! Russ and I never used a monitor with Lexie...with 817sq ft in Hoboken, there really wasn't a need for one! I had researched a few different monitors (some without video capabilities) and decided to get the Summer Video Monitoring system! It is WONDERFUL!!! Just take a look at this picture...even when the room is dark, there is still a great picture! The picture and sound quality are great and it comes with a charger so you don't have to constantly change the batteries! I love it!!! (And did I mention that you can add another camera and monitor two children/rooms???)

Tender Heart

Lexie is really taking to the idea of being a big sister. Here she is stealing a kiss from Olivia. Too precious!

Happy...on Father's Day??

None of us were too happy to see Russ leave on Father's Day! He had to go to Michigan with the military for a week, so we made the most of it by sending him off with a Father's Day Breakfast!


Russ with his two little girls...
...kisses from Lexie...she will certainly miss her daddy!!!

Even More Visitors

Moments before I took Barbara to the airport, we welcomed yet another round of visitors. This time it was Granny and Aunt Allie. Aunt Allie only stayed for a few days, but we managed to talk Gran into staying with us for a week and a half to help out while Russ was gone with the military We all had a great time! Aunt Allie (once again) spoiled BOTH Lexie and Olivia with cute matching outfits and a special Dora book. (Thanks to Nini for throwing in a few outfits for the girls too...they are adorable!!!) Granny came bearing gifts too (besides the fact she was staying with us to help out that is)! These girls are so blessed to have such caring and generous family!!! I just hope they don't get too spoiled!

Granny meets her newest great-granddaughter.

I think she is enjoying her stay already...

Aunt Allie takes a closer look at her niece...

Lexie talks on the phone while Aunt Allie waits her turn.

Olivia is so excited to have visitors!!

Lexie sharing some goldfish with Granny


Granny gets some good snuggle time with Lexie...


...while Aunt Allie gets some good snuggle time with Olivia!

The girls "cuddling" on the couch...well not really, but close enough!

O..o..o..She's MAGIC!!!

Our little love bug sure is sweet!!! She is doing so well...eating like a champ, sleeping like a dream...it is almost like...magic! I don't want to jinx myself, but she really is just sooooo good! I was bracing for waking up every 2-3hrs for feedings like I did with Lexie, but this little one takes after her daddy! She is a SLEEPER!!! She is already sleeping 5-6hrs a clip during the night...I think she would go even longer if I didn't wake her up to feed and change her! Keep your fingers crossed for us!!!


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THE BEST BIG SISTER!!!

The first week home from the hospital has been an adjustment for all of us! It has been absolutely crazy around here with all the visitors, but we are trying to find a rhythm and get into a routine none the less! Lexie has been better than we expected through out it all! With all the company, stimulation, and new baby sister...we didn't know what to expect! At first she wasn't all too interested in Olivia. (Which was A-OKAY with Russ and I--we would rather have her a little uninterested than to be pawing at her baby sibling ever chance she got!!!) In the last couple of days she has taken a bit more of an interest...she will help me get diapers and wipes, she gives her kisses before she goes to sleep, and most recently has shown an interest in Olivia's "stump"...she's sees it, points to it and doesn't really know what to think about it!

Like I said before, Lexie has been handling the adjustment better than expected! I am sure it must be hard for her to have to share her mommy and daddy with visitors AND her new baby sister, but she is making the best of it. We really are BLESSED!


Trying to get some snuggle/one on one time with Lexie!!

Our "little" girl is getting SOOOOO BIG...and is soooooo Cute...if I do say so myself!

Daddy bought Lexie something extra special for being such a good girl....
...yes those are REAL golf clubs...not the cute Fisher Price wanna be golf clubs...REAL GOLF CLUBS! My walls and floors will never be the same again--outside with those clubs Daddy!!! :)

Another Round of Visitors

The visitors just keep on coming! After Becky and Molly left on Wednesday, Grandma Barbara came in Thursday to meet her newest granddaughter and to visit with Lexie. Eric and Tanya were in town for a concert and stopped by on Friday. Needless to say, it has been a busy week!!!

Grandma Barb and Olivia


Being this cute takes LOTS of hard work!!!

Eric and Olivia...Looks like a natural!!!
Hmmm....maybe Tanya and Eric will be next!!!

Bathing Beauty

In keeping with tradition yet again, Daddy got the pleasure of giving Olivia her first "bath". Even though she didn't get to splash with the other girls in the big tub just yet, she still enjoyed the attention from daddy!


Getting ready for her bath...
...ahhhhhh fresh and clean!!!!

More Visitors

Last Monday, after Olivia's first check up, we were greeted with yet more visitors. Molly and Aunt Becky made a road trip from Philly to check out the newest edition to the family. It was a quick visit, but we still managed to get a ton of pictures!!!


Taking advantage of the BEAUTIFUL weather...these two artists decorated the driveway with some toddler chalk art!

Posing on the steps of the deck....

...it is hard to get two tots to look and smile at the same time...but pretty close here!
Uncle Russ/Daddy takes the girls down stairs for some more fun.
Goofing around on the areo bed...looks like a good time but reminds me of a song I used to sing when I was a kid...(two little monkeys jumping on the bed....)
Kisses were in abundance this trip!!
No trip would be complete without the tots in the tub pics!


Too bad we didn't get any pics of the three little ones all together! Maybe next time!

Olivia's First Check-up

On Monday the 15th, we took Olivia on her first trip (besides the ride home from the hospital). She had her first doctor's appointment...and the whole family went!!! We are happy to report she received a clean bill of health and is back up to her birth weight!

Daddy's Little Girls

I think these little angels have daddy wrapped around their little fingers already!!!!


Russ back from a busy day in the ER...looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!!!!

Our two little cuties...
Snuggle time with daddy!!!

Twins????

Okay...so they obviously aren't twins...but Russ and I sure do think Olivia looks just like her big sister when she was first born. Minus the obvious difference in hair color and skin tone, these two cuties sure look alike...well, at least they do to us!!!!

See for yourself:











What do you think?????

Homeward Bound!!!

Thursday morning arrived and I was ITCHING to get home! I was anxious to get back to Lexie, (even though I knew she was in good hands with Nini, GG and Gpa) welcome Olivia home, and sleep in my own bed!! Discharge for patients wasn't until 11, but since we filled out all the necessary paperwork the day before...we were just waiting for the pediatrician to give his final consent and for Daddy and Gpa to finish up 9 holes of golf.

Olivia had dropped to 7 lbs 1 oz...was a bit jaundice (to be expected with breast fed babies) and was given the green light to go HOME!!! I was sooooo excited!


Keeping with tradition...Daddy gets to dress Olivia for the first time to go home!
So tiny...
and SOOOO cute!
FINALLY HOME and sleeping like a baby!!!
We hadn't been home very long before the doorbell rang with even more visitors to welcome us home! Our WONDERFUL neighbors brought over balloons to welcome home Olivia! Two big bouquets of balloons filled the family room! NOT TO MENTION...they brought a special treat for Lexie to make sure she didn't feel left out...LIFE SIZE DORA AND BOOTS BALLOONS!!! She nearly jumped out of her high chair when Cole and Al brought them in!!!

One of the two bouquets...

Soooo many balloons....so much fun!!!
Alan helps Lexie untangle the balloons!!!
Then it was on to the LIFE SIZE DORA AND BOOTS!!!
She was sooo soo so excited!!!


Olivia wakes up from all the excitement (not really...but it sounded good)


Just as cute as her big sister!!!


Olivia and Nini having a heart to heart...I think she was thanking her for taking such good care of her big sister!!!

Special thanks again to Nini, GG, and Gpa for all of your help with Lexie while we were in the hospital--we couldn't have done it without you! And thanks to the Egans for being such great friends and neighbors!!!

More pics to come!