The baby is growing up!

Well, Avery is just shy of 3 months old, and as predicted by all baby advice columns and baby info books, she is now coming out of her shell and showing us her personality. We are so happy that this day has come! She still fusses now and then, but not NEARLY as much as she did. She is MUCH more fun to be around now and gives us lots of smiles and gurgles every day. She had her 2 month well child visit recently and was 8 pounds, 12 ounces - so exactly 2 pounds up from birth weight. This puts her in the 15th percentile for weight. Its funny, cuz Dylan was 2 pounds heavier at 2 months too. She was 21 1/4 inches long according to their measurements. I don't buy it. According to our measurements (she doesn't straighten her legs for just any old nurse!) she is 23 inches. And she looks it for sure! Her 3 month clothes fit her length perfectly. Actually, the jammies she is wearing right now are 3 month size and her little toes are poking through! Uh oh! 6 month size will be waaaay too big at this point! She might just have to wear pants to bed! She still sleeps only in the wrap or in bed with us. We're working on it though. I refuse to just give up! This morning she slept for a whole 10 minutes alone before waking up! Woohoo! Last week though, she slept for close to an hour by herself in the swing. It. Was. Awesome. I had no idea what to do with myself and honestly kept thinking, "is she breathing??" We'll get there. I hope.

The garage is coming along nicely. The garage doors went up this past weekend, so its really starting to feel like its getting closer to completion. Insulation, siding and sheet rock remain. Oh and the roof is still leaking, so that must be re-shingled too. Other than that, its about done! And its pretty sweeeeet! Big thanks to Gpa Danny for all his help with it!

Well, I better get off my bouncy ball and start walking before Miss Sleeps in Wrap wakes up. She's stirring, so I better get moving if I want this nap to continue! Ahhh the things we do for our children! To see some recent pics, visit our shuttercal site!

More Avery pics

Thought I'd post some more pics of Avery while I have a chance! Eric is taking half days this week, so I have a little time to get stuff like this done. Next week, not a chance!

Here's Avery with her mommy before her first sponge bath at home! Her umbilical stump fell off a few days ago, so she'll be having a real bath one of these days.
Clearly, she was not a fan. Then again, she's not a fan of being naked either. Or having her diaper changed. Or being held by someone other than her mother. She is, however, a fan of lazy sucklings and being held all day by her mom. Thats pretty much it so far. I think her dad and brother are looking forward to her becoming more "fun."
Here she is sleeping after her bath. She immediately rolls onto her side when you lay her on her back. She actually rolled over onto her tummy earlier this week. Shes a spunky little thing!

Here's a glimpse at my mornings with my two kids!

Avery sleeping. Duh.

1 week old!

Sleeping again!

Dylan and his baby sister, "Squares." He gave her that nickname and we have no idea where it came from or what it means. Its starting to catch on though!

The proud Daddy with his two babies!

And finally, sweet little Avery sleeping.

We take Avery back to the doctor on Wednesday to find out if shes gained any weight yet. On Friday she was still at 5 pounds, 11 ounces (her weight when we left the hospital the first time AND the second time). The doctor thinks that she probably sweated out a few ounces while under the bili lights and thats why she hadn't gained anything back yet. I sure hope so! Supplementing is not something I want to do, but I guess I'll have to if she hasn't gained anything by her weight check on Wednesday. She eats constantly (which I have read is totally normal) so I am really hoping that she has gained. Fingers crossed people!!

Well, thats about it for now! Thanks for stopping by!

1 week old!

Miss A is one week old today!  So I thought that an update was in order!  Here are some pics documenting her first week.  Check out our shuttercal later on for her weekly pic.  I'd take it right now and update, but the slug is sleeping (still on China time, not Central time) so it will have to wait until later.  Enjoy!

Clearly she has her father's feet - long and skinny!

In the hospital with her mommy.

Our yellow girl and her big brother.

Time to go home!

Avery going into her house for the first time.  Also, take note of the new cement!  

Taking a little snooze.

She looks just like her big brother did when he first came home from the hospital.

I think we have an identical picture of Dylan.  Same chair and what looks like the same person!

Dylan holding his baby sister.

The proud big brother.

Avery and her two favorite guys!

She really didn't look this yellow in person, I swear!

Dylan being silly with his sister!

He was busy checking our her clodhoppers!

Geez thats a big foot! 

I'll kiss it!

Thats it for pictures for now.  Avery had to go back to the hospital on Monday evening for jaundice.  Her billirubin levels were too high and she needed photo light therapy. It was way more traumatic for me than it was for her.  However, she did NOT enjoy the numerous heel pricks that were required to test her levels many times.  She got her first tanning sessions in tho!  Complete with eye patches to protect her eyes.   Her levels went down enough to go home on Tuesday morning, so that was a relief.  I wasn't too happy to be back staying in the hospital.  This time it wasn't as "vacation" like.  We were in the same room, so it felt like it should have been the same.  This time they didn't bring me food and ask me over and over again if I needed anything.  Jerks!  I did get some sleep though, so I guess I can't complain too much.  6 hours is an AMAZING amount of sleep, I tell you!  Last night, I accidently slept through Avery's night time feeding meaning we both got a full 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep.  Whoops!  She didn't seem to mind though.  I had assumed that she would wake up and ask to eat, but she didn't so its her own fault!  Guess I better set an alarm from now on.  Anyway, we are enjoying her immensely and happy to have our family complete.  Dylan loves his sister a lot and keeps tabs on her every move.  "Where'd Avery go?"  "What's Avery doin?"  Its cute to see them together.  Well, its about time for the next feeding, so I better go wake up my little China doll!

She's here!!!

Well, while Miss Avery is sleeping in her bassinet next to me, I figured I'd upload some pics and please the masses! I finally figured out why she always seemed to be moving around in me - she moves while sleeping too! : ) Anyway, please enjoy the pics! I'll narrate as we go!

Our final family of 3 photo last night

Dylan giving his baby sister one last kiss in the belly

Waiting for the surgery to begin. Don't let the smile fool you, I was scared shitless!

The surgery has begun!

Avery Erica Wikoff making her debut into the world at 8:13am. She weighs in at 6 pounds, 12 ounces and is 18.5 inches long.

Avery's pretty profile - looks very similar to how Dylan looked when he was born.

Avery's first picture with her parents

Avery's first bath (I was still in recovery, so Eric documented it)

Out of recovery and holding Avery for the first time!

Dylan arrives to see his new baby sister. He walked into the room with the biggest smile on his face! He's been waiting for this day for so long and we can tell he's already quite smitten with his sister. He had to check out all of her parts - hands, feet, nose, forehead, etc. Hopefully she gets used to him doing that b/c I really don't see him stopping doing that!

Avery on "autopilot." Thats what we call the first couple weeks - cuz this is all babies really do at first - sleep. Therefore, allowing me time to post this lovely blog post! Look for the amount of posts to decline as Avery gets older.

The proud big brother holding his sister for the first time!

Our little lady, relaxin' in her hospital crib.

Well, thats it for pictures right now. Clearly there are more (over 150 so far!) but I don't have the patience for blogger's madness. That and my stadol is making me kinda loopy (was given it to stop the itching that happens after having a spinal). Thanks for stopping by to see our gal! We love her so much already and can't wait to get to know her more and more each day! As of now, it looks like I'll be here until Friday or Saturday. Eric is hoping for Saturday so that I don't have to be bothered by the concrete pour, but we'll see. Right now, I am kinda enjoying my alone time! I wasn't expecting that! So we'll see what the doc says and go from there. So far, I've been feeling really great, so I'm pleased. Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight b/c I didn't sleep a wink last night due to nerves. Well, again, thanks for stopping by to check out Avery!

Our last weekend...

...as a threesome has just come and gone!  We took lots of pics and here are a few of them.

D playing on his swingset

He's been pretty photogenic these days.  The sunshine always makes for great photos tho.

I was peeking thru the railing and he thought that was hilarious!  I know, I try.

On Saturday we went to Brainerd to pick up a few supplies for the garage and for the yard.  Dylan's reward for putting up with all the errands was a stop at his favorite park in Brainerd.

Now that he has his own swingset and slide at home, he's been a lot more brave and willing to go down on his own.  Finally!

A lovely dragonfly.  They must have just hatched cuz they were ALL OVER THE PLACE on Saturday.  Mux was enjoying trying to murder them and I think Eric was wanting to murder her.  He loves them, you see.

And on Sunday morning, we woke up to find in the Sunday paper that we had been ripped off royally by Menards and Cub Foods (items bought on Saturday were on sale on Sunday), so we decided to go back to Brainerd and collect our money.  Cub Foods sucks, they wouldnt give me the difference so screw them!  And Menards tried to give us the runaround, but in the end we got it straightened out.  But then we ended up spending that saved money on a lovely new paver border for by our front patio!  Eric keeps saying that this is my 1st anniversary present b/c it was "my" idea to do this.  However, I only came up with the wood chip idea.  The pavers were his idea.  So does this mean that this is my gift to him as well!?  I think so!  HA!  Take that Eric! The progress he made on them is down lower....  

And here's D in the tub.  He likes to lay down in there now and listen to the water running and then after the water is off he likes to pretend he can't hear us.  "What'd you say Mommy?  WHAT?!"  

This side got completed.  

This side, not so much.  It started raining and also, as usual, we didn't have enough pavers, wood chips, etc.  And, as you can see, we need more perennials Gma Puppy, so don't forget to bring them!!!  Its coming along nicely tho.  I like it.  Good work landscaper Eric!  A+!

Well, I suppose our next blog will be about Miss Avery's arrival.  She will be arriving on Wednesday, June 3rd.  Time is TBA.  They won't let us know until Tuesday sometime.  So I guess you'll all just have to check back for updates on her.  I don't know how well the internet connection will be at the hospital, but since they seem to think that I have to stay there for days upon days due to my c-section - HOPEFULLY the internet will cooperate enough so I can update during my copious amounts of free time in my cell.  We shall see.  Anywho, wish me luck!  Am getting nervous about the surgery, but am ready to be done with pregnancy.  For good.  : )  

Thats all for now!  Later!