Morning!

Lot's of blogging to catch up on, but in the mean time, here are a few photos I took of Miss. Avery WIDE awake the other day :)

Happy 3 Weeks!

Today you turn 3 weeks old, and to welcome this wonderful week, you let momma sleep! You really let momma sleep! Thank you so much! We are doing this new bottle thing with you and daddy and last night was the first night for it. You had a bottle available for your lovely cluster feeding at 7:30 p.m., ate maybe 1/2 an ounce, then had another 1.5 ounces around 8:30 p.m., and nursed a bit at 9:30 p.m. and then you slept...you slept for 4 hours!!!! You've done this before, but you never went back down after eating for another 4.5 hours after that!!! Momma and you only had a date once last night. WOW! I think it's safe to say we both feel amazing. I'm sure this trend won't continue, but I'll think positively. Happy three weeks baby girl, we love you!

Sleepy girl in the bjorn while momma cleans :)

First bottle

The other night Daddy got to help feed Avery her first bottle. I am happy to report that it went over with flying colors! I think Daddy and Avery will have a nightly date with a bottle before bed, to help signal to Miss. Avery that it's night time...We'll see how that goes. Looks a lot like when Daddy got to feed Madeline for the first time.

First Bath for Avery

On Sunday night Avery got her first real bath! Though her chord fell off over a week ago, I've still been doing the sponge baths with her, which she hated. I can't say she loved her bath, but she certainly didn't scream near as much as with the sponge baths. Most of the time she focused on trying to find her fingers to suck on. Madeline was a big helper too, she gave you lots of toys to help make her happy. She really loves helping with Avery, several times I've caught her going into Avery's room and covering her up. And not just with anything, but with Madeline's beloved taggies! Gasp! I see a great friendship in the works.

Avery 2 Week Check up

This past Thursday, yes I know I am way behind, you had your 2 week check-up with Dr. McCormick. You came through with flying colors, though you still managed to pee all over the table :/ We'll keep working on that one. You weighed in at a health 7lb 12 oz and measured in at 20.75 inches! A pound gained in just a little over two weeks, way to go!

Dr. McCormick also said to give a special shout out to our Uncle Chet all the way down in Hershey. He also said he's thinking of retiring in 2013 :( I think he might beat you Uncle Chet! We told him it doesn't look like you will ever retire, you are too good at what you do.

We head back to the doctor's for Avery's 2 month appointment when she gets shots. Boo. In the mean time here are some photos of her enjoying her play mat and some tummy time, which she does not hate any where near as much as her sister did!

Sisters

Almost the exact same photo of my two lovely babies at just about the same age. They really do look a lot a like don't they?

That's Miss. Johnson to you!

Hard at work...please do not disturb.

Happy Two-Weeks Avery!

Yesterday was your due-date! And today you are two-weeks old, crazy! The last two weeks with you have been amazing, yes tireless and sleepless, especially with your three-year-old sister, but we could not be more thrilled to have you as part of our lives. So, to celebrate, we had a photoshoot with you today at Heidi Lynn photography. You were amazing during the shoot, Madeline on the other hand could not have been less interested. I think we might have gotten a total of 10 pictures with her in them :/ But what could we really ask for? She's having a tough time adjusting to life with a new sister. Madeline shows us daily how much she loves you, but she's acting out... A LOT. And spending lots of time in her time-out chair. I feel awful or her, but I know that in time you two will be the best of friends and chatting at 4:30 a.m. just like my sisters and I. (Yes, Sarah and I really were up texting at 4:30, I love having a lawyer as a sister-she never sleeps. ha).

Anyway I can't wait to see how your photos turned out. Thank you for gracing our lives and making them much more full of love than we could have ever imagined.

Me and my sleepy newborn Avery.

Bad photo, yes, but me and my girls :)

Madeline and Avery in Momma and Daddy's bed in the morning...just watchin' some Little Bear. 

Sleepy new born pose...and this fisher price rock n' play sleeper is the only thing you will sleep in at night. Thank you grandma Ayres! Did I mention that you don't like pacifiers? What will be do? Ha.

Peanut

Little peanut! I think she's taking after Aunt Sarah's nick-name :)

Gorgeous Weather

We've been blessed with some gorgeous weather these past few days, I figure these will probably be the last of the days we will see like this until spring...soooo we got out yesterday and enjoyed the afternoon at the park! I think we'll be going back today too!

Pirate Madeline!

We were making soup and cookies with this batch of mulch. :)

Checking out the horses near the park.

How Miss. Avery spent most of her trip at the park...completely covered and cozy :)

Check up!

Madeline, Grammy Ayres and myself headed to the doctor's office yesterday to get Avery checked out and make sure all systems were working properly. We got there got her weighed in at a healthy 6 lbs. 12 oz., but not before peeing all over the scale, it must have been cold! Avery is almost back up to her birth weight, which means her all-night nursing sessions, and I'm not kidding, I'm talking 10 p.m.-5 a.m., are working to pack on the pounds. At least she is benefiting from our moon lighting. No check on the length of our little lady, but Dr. Chase assured us that she looks great and we were good to go until our next appointment in two weeks. Whew!

Cozy

Avery is loving the cozy new baby blanket from Grandma Ayres. We love it too!

Loving her sister

Madeline loves Avery, though she likes to call her "baby sister," and couldn't wait to hold her.

Headed home with Avery

On Friday, November 4, we got to bring Avery home with us! She left the hospital down a few ounces at 6lbs 8.5 ounces, but other than that completely healthy and no concerns from the doctors.

Dressed and ready to go!

Ready to go!

Had to do the stop at the Lion Shrine, just like we did for Madeline!

So happy to have her sister home!

Avery Quinn is Here!

Sorry, for the late post, but as you can guess, things have been a bit busy the past five days. And for good reason...Avery Quinn arrived this past Wednesday afternoon November 2, 2011 (11-2-2011, pretty cool birthday if you ask me). Avery arrived at 4:17 p.m., 12 days early, just like her big sister, weighing in at 6lbs 13.5 oz, 20 inches long, and 100% happy and healthy. I still can't get over her weight, since Madeline was 7lbs 5.5 oz born exactly 12 days early as well. Second babies are supposed to be bigger! 

Now that Avery is here, I suppose I can update you all on how she entered this world. On Tuesday, I went to the doctors to get the usual check up. I got to see our friend Dr. Liz Raquet and asked her to "work her magic," most women will get my drift as to what I am talking about here. Hoping that labor would start shortly after. I left the office feeling good, went to the grocery store, got home, made biscotti, home made meatballs, and cleaned the house. As the night went on, I started having more intense contractions, but nothing timeable. So we went to bed and they died down. Boo. I woke up the next morning around 5 a.m. and got a shower. As the morning went on the contractions definitely intensified, but weren't anything timeable again. However, our friend Dr. Raquet was on duty and so I called and she said to come in to the hospital for a labor check just in case.

I dropped Madeline off at daycare and let them know that she might be there the whole day instead of her half a day. Brad and I headed into the hospital around 10 a.m. and Dr. Raquet confirmed that I was indeed having contractions that were doing some work, I was dilated up to a 4 from a 3 the day before. She said we could go home and see what happens, and possibly stay like this for a few days, come back later, or she could break my water and get things going. This is exactly how Madeline's delivery started, so we decided to get the show on the road!

Dr. Raquet broke my water at 11:30 a.m., we walked the halls for an hour and I dilated to a 5. Once back in bed to get hooked back up to the monitors I knew I wasn't getting back up and I was ready for my epidural. Got my epidural around 1:30 p.m., and by 3 p.m. I was feeling a lot of pressure. I had to wait though since Dr. Raquet was delivering another baby. She was back in our room around 4 p.m. and at 4:17 Avery was born. Whew, another quick delivery and another happy and healthy baby girl. Life doesn't get any better than this.

Happy to finally be holding my baby girl in my arms!

Madeline checking out her new sister!

Making sure she has all 10 fingers and toes.

Madeline opening all of the gifts from Avery! "Best Friends Forever," Strawberry Shortcake book was one of the gifts.

Me and my girls!

Miss. Avery Quinn, and yes, that is the hat the hospital gave her! So cute.