One month old

I can hardly believe this little girl has been in our arms for a whole month. What a blessing she is!

She is growing so quickly (she's already 11 lbs. 13 oz.) that she's almost outgrown all of Hadleigh's "newborn" clothes. I'm going to have to go shopping for warm onesies and pajamas :) But I won't complain about that! She is already starting to smile...little moments that I just treasure!

Last night was just the two of us...Brent took Hadleigh and Nathanael camping with some friends. It was nice to get to sleep in while Madeleine did...and spend time just cuddling her and focusing on her...time alone with Madeleine is definitely harder to come by than it was when Hadleigh and Nathanael were infants...so I actually don't mind when she wakes up at night to eat. That said, I will definitely enjoy a full night's sleep when she decides she's ready for it!

Three Days

I've been on my own during the day with three children for three days now. My Mom was here with us for two weeks, which was such a blessing to me. I am so thankful that she is so willing to spend her time here (and that my Dad is so willing to share her!) I got lots of extra morning sleep when she would get up with the older munchkins...and keep them quiet...I seriously never even knew they were awake! She tried to get us out of the house almost every day so that it wouldn't be as overwhelming when I was on my own (the onslaught of doctor visits made that easier...seriously, we have been to the doctor at least 7 times in the past 5 weeks.) We have a freezer full of meals to make my first few weeks a bit easier because she has such a giving and helpful spirit. She gave Brent and I an evening out by watching Hadleigh and Nathanael...so nice to just be together! She truly has the heart of a servant.

And I just love the way she is loved by her grandchildren...I'm sure Madeleine will adore her Mimi just like her big sister and brother do! We are so thankful for you Mom!

It was so fun to spend time together...so fun to have Dad in town for a few days at the end...so special to be able to have family come to share these early moments together. (We're looking forward to Brent's parents visiting in a few weeks!) Thank you, Mom and Dad for your time with us...we really treasure every moment!

So, three days on my own. Thankfully, Brent has been able to be home early each day. The mornings are the toughest part...but on the whole, it has been easier than I anticipated. Except that it's a little tough venturing out of the house on my own with three in tow...but we're figuring it out. I'm sure there will be moments where it's all very overwhelming, but for now, we are taking things slowly, staying home as much as possible, enjoying some new and some forgotten toys to play with while Mommy feeds "Baby Madeleine", treasuring the fleeting moments of Madeleine's newborn stage, and trying to keep the house as clean as possible for the realtors who tend to only like to call 30 minutes before wanting to show our house. (Sorry for that last bit, just had to vent.)

The time does pass quickly...maybe that's due to needing to feed Madeleine every three hours...but I can hardly believe that she will be four weeks old on Friday. Speaking of feeding Madeleine, it's that time again!