'Twas a Dark and Stormy Week

1 week old

Declan picked quite a weather week to come home. In addition to the weather on Saturday, it's been a week of fairly intense storms. Or hot. Or both. Yesterday, it rained overnight like crazy and then we had another couple storm waves in the morning. I ended up needing to go to day care to get a sick Quinn and had to re-route because the road to A's was flooded. Yikes! But today, the sun is out! Hooray! We all headed to the beach this morning and enjoyed the sand and water. And our Q seems on the mend!

Declan's first week is in the books. We are getting a little more awake time - and more happy awake time. He loves tummy time and looking at himself in the mirror. He's smiling a little (yes - we know it's probably just gas, but it's still cute). He times his evening awake time for just after his sisters go to bed. It's probably self-preservation. They are VERY loving!

He poops ALL.THE.TIME. Like seriously, a poop machine. It must be a boy thing! He has had his first doctor appointment, first "minor" surgery (boy part - he and daddy aren't sure it was minor), first bath, first trip to the mall, first trip to a restaurant, and first trip to the beach this week. We are a busy gang!

Little Dude

Declan George

I made it in under a week - so I'm counting it. The final Vanneste has arrived and we are proud to introduce our SON to the family blog!

On Thursday, June 12 at 8:31 am, Declan George arrived. He was by far our smallest baby at 7 lbs 13 oz and tied sister Quinn for length - 20.5 inches. Since Fiona is clearly destined to be the smallest of the three children, she at least has the record for birth size!

Declan looks a lot like biggest sister did at birth and entered the world in a similar way - MAD!! The doctors were laughing at him as he exercised his lungs for quite a while. Daddy had a good time walking around the OR with the little dude while they finished stitching me up. My OB was pleased with his weight, as I had jokingly told her that if baby was under 7 lbs, to shove it back in to grow a little longer.

Biggest sister

We spent a couple days in the hospital and were sprung on Saturday. Both Declan and Mom were very happy to go home. And the big sisters and Daddy were happy to have us there. We came home on quite the dark and stormy day. There were straight-line winds that had Mom and Dad a little on the tense side. And the power went out for the whole afternoon. Since we were uber prepared for a baby ... Mike had to make a diaper run and was dodging fallen trees. We were happy when the power came back on and the storms passed!

Middle sister

It's a little wild and woolly here, but we are settling in nicely and the girls are doing well. We just try to make sure that everyone knows they are loved and important.

Fiona summed it up correctly a couple of nights ago when she told me "Mama, I like the new baby. But it wears me out." We hear you, Buggy. We hear you! But the new normal has arrived and pretty soon, we'll be used to it. Just in time for it to change, like it always does.

The whole family

Our Big Girl

Quinn has grown up so much in the last week. I'd say I don't know how we feel about it ... but I do know. Slow down, baby girl!

She's apparently taking this "big" sister thing very much to heart. In the last week or so, here are some of the things she's been doing:

• Drinking from a regular cup during meals (she reminds herself to use "two hands")
• Taking a bath without a "pull up" (you may remember the fear of bath post from earlier. Our solution was to put her in a swim diaper. I've slowly been taking it off earlier and earlier in the tub. The last three baths have been pull up free!)
• Sleeping in her big girl bed. Since Saturday night. Yay to Gma Nash who got her to do it while we were out of town. She's asked a couple times for the crib, but we've convinced her to hang tough in the big bed. She's enjoying the extra freedom - and access to the bookcase.
• Tonight, as the girls and I were getting ready after their bath, we were talking about tomorrow and the baby coming. Q asked if they would see me. I assured her that Daddy would bring them to visit. She walked over, gave me a hug, and said "I miss you, mama." And I melted!
• She's really embracing having jobs and responsibilities. The girls were going to a birthday party tonight and I needed to cath Buggy first. I asked Q to go pick up the blocks while I did that. And there was not a block on the floor when I came out. Everything was put away! 

It's awesome to see her gaining and embracing her independence. And a little bittersweet to see how quickly she is growing up. We love this big girl!

You Know You're a Parent When ...

• You are shocked that people leave the house after 8:00 pm
• You want to disable your doorbell because you swear it only rings when short people are [or should be] sleeping
• You are packing your lunch for work, step over a Minnie Mouse purse on the floor, and think “oh, that’s where the Minnie Mouse purse is” – but have no intention of picking it up
• You see a bottle of pee sitting by the sink and think “I hope Mike remembers to deal with the cath stuff before he goes to work” [that one could be just us!]
• Organization in your house is dictated by diaper storage needs [x3. Dear heavens!]
• You spend most of your existence with a stubbed toe from tiny shoes, rogue legos, and baby dolls [that may just be Mike. I have no idea where Fiona’s inability to watch her own feet comes from]
• Morning and bedtime snuggles are the greatest part of every day – regardless of what happens in between them

Mosquito Farm?

Driving the tractor

We did it! We let Fiona watch “The Frozen.” We took a six hour road trip on Sunday to head up north for a mini family reunion and belatedly celebrate Grandma’s 98^th birthday! You only turn 98 once. It was well worth the long day in the car!

Plus, we went to THE FARM! Uncle Mike’s farm. What fun … although we are pretty sure all he is growing are mosquitoes. My complaint this week is that I have two enormous bites on the underside of my [not small] belly. Not nice, universe! The girls had a blast. There were big cousins to play with and a brand new baby cousin to love on. There was a battery-powered tractor (!) that Fiona delighted in driving toward trees and ditches so Daddy and Grampy would have to sprint after her. She had quite the concentration face and belly giggles!

Harvesting the neighbor's rhubarb

Fiona couldn't wait to see her Great Grandma. It's been the hot topic for over a week. She [mostly] patiently waited until Great Grandma got settled into a chair and then rushed at her for a bear hug. It was very sweet and she's already asking to go see Great Grandma again. Grandmas are the best - so Great Grandmas are clearly the best thing ever. I mean, it even says "great" in the name!

We've been quiet on the blog front – but busy at home. Doing summer stuff like playing outside and weeding the garden. Fiona starts swimming lessons again on Monday and cannot wait! The lessons that Q would take are at the most inconvenient times ever, so we’re not quite sure how to work that yet. And next Friday, our mornings at the community pool start. I'm planning to keep the girls home with me on Fridays throughout the summer. Should be a fun, water-filled few weeks.

Oh yeah, and the baby comes soon too!

Hugging Great Grandma