1 month old

How can it be that 1 month has come and gone since we met our sweet baby girl? The days seems like a blur...Selah you bring mommy and daddy such joy. You are so very loved by your big brother and we cannot imagine our little family without you. You, my dear are a SWEETHEART! I will admit I am a bit smitten with you. You are waking up more and more and not sleeping as much during the day. You are sleeping great at night-you give mommy and daddy about 4-5 hours stretches of sleep at night. You love it when Owen talks to you, you now are moving your head toward his voice whenever you hear it. You are waking up very smiley the past few mornings. You LOVE to cuddle... oh you are SUCH a cuddle bug. You like to be held, and you let us know you do too. Your black hair is lightening up, and it looks as if you almost have some blonde highlights in it. You have bright blue eyes. Your eyebrows are growing in blonde, and so are your eyelashes. I wonder if they will be as dark as your brothers? You are lifting your head more and more each day, when you are on your tummy. You love your pacifier, and at times-like in the middle of the night-it can be annoying!  You grunt all the time. You grunt when you are sleeping, you grunt when you are just hanging out, you grunt when I feed you, and you grunt when you poop! YOU ARE LOUD! You are loved baby girl, and we are all loving getting to know you better each day and trying to figure out just who God made you to be.

 1 month stats: 9 lbs 6 oz, 22 inches long

You are growing good!

A few nicknames you have gathered: Baby girl, Sister, Sweet Selah, Lovie.

This guy...

Oh, Owen....he has been through a lot since Selah was born. Praise God, he has handled it with such sweetness toward her, and only has acted out on Joe and I.  The time that my parents were here (the first two weeks after she was born) was hard on O. He was sick. He was sharing his mom and dad for the first time in his short three years of life. I was nursing Selah at most hours he saw me, or needed me the most. Gramma and Papa's novelty wore off and I think it hit him that them being here was not normal as well...to say the least he had a rough time in the beginning.

In the last two weeks, Owen, Selah and I have tried to find what our new normal looks like. Getting up for school twice a week and all that goes along with school has happened, and it hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. The other days have been focused on trying to do something fun and something that allows Owen's energy to be burned. So, we will go to the park or to Kanagazoom, or for walks. I have been trying to keep things fun like making popsciles, or playing with chalk or bubbles outside-especially when Selah is sleeping and we can have sometime just he and I. There are times when he gets out of control and I feel he has become more demanding for what he wants. Both things are so difficult and are hard to deal with, especially since I feel like I sometimes do not have the energy to put up with it. We are working on it though, and I know it will get better with time and being consistent. I do love this kid, and I am so grateful that I get to be his mom. At the end of the day, no matter how hard our day has been, he is still my favorite little boy!

baby girl...

...you are LOVED!

Bath time!

Selah LOVES her baths...just like her mommy! She just sits there happy as can be, not one tear!

Selah's first day at church

We made it to church 12 days after Selah was born. I felt good enough to handle going, and she really just sleeps, so we did it! Thankfully my parents were still here and they were able to help me get both kids ready and it allowed me to get ready too. Sundays around our house are not the easiest. Joe goes in early and I usually have to get Owen and myself ready, but now I have to get the little lady ready too! YIKES! 

Here are me and the kids on Selah's first day at church!

Gettin' some D

Have I mentioned how much Owen loves playing baseball? The kid LOVES it and he's good-he can really whack the ball!! While my parents were out here we played lots of ball. Joe and Dad (and one day, Uncle James too) spent so much time outside with Owen teaching him how to hit the ball properly, how to run the bases and trying to work on taking turns...he kinda likes to be at bat all the time. I think Owen will be athletic? He seems interested in baseball and soccer. But, the other day he also showed some interest in basketball, something that will make his daddy very proud!

love this picture of Gramma and Selah snuggling!

one of my favorite pictures so far.

My handsome, with a new summer cut!

Sleeping Beauty....

Bringing the babe home

We were discharged from the hospital on April 21st, two days after Selah was born. Although, I enjoyed being taken care of by the sweet nurses, I was ready to be home and away from all things hospital. I wanted my bed and a good nights sleep-well a night of not being interrupted by anyone other than Selah. I actually let Selah sleep in the nursery at night, because I knew I needed my rest. But, the nurses constantly woke me by checking my vitals and such. I thought letting her sleep in the nursery would be hard, but after getting to know the night shift nurses I felt totally comfortable and had peace of mind. She was discharged at 6 lbs 10 oz (5 ounces less than her birth weight) we were instructed to see our pediatrician in 48 hours because Selah was slightly jaundice. So, we packed up and Joe and I brought our baby girl home!

More hospital pics

MY KIDS! Love them...

Owen meets Selah!

I loved that I gave birth to Selah mid afternoon. It gave Owen enough time to nap after school, and me to get to my recovery room for him to meet her that same day! Joe left the hospital once we got settled to go get Owen. When Owen came barreling into my hospital room he lit up after seeing me. He ran up to the bed, and everyone had to remind him to be very gentle because mommy had ouchies. I had him climb up in bed with me and gave him big hugs and kisses, he then wanted to see "Baby Selah" so we scooped her up from her little hospital bed and let him examine her. He was so sweet  and tender with her and gave her gentle hugs. Most of all he liked rubbing all her hair! We reminded him that she was very little and he needed to be super gentle with her. He seemed interested in her for all of 5 minutes. He then could not think about anything else other than the IV in my arm. He was very concerned for me and did not like that I had ouchies in my arm-such a sweet little guy. Joe reminded him of the guitar he picked out for Selah a couple months back. (it's a baby toy that plays the most annoying songs EVER!) He had been waiting all these months patiently to give her this toy and he was excited to play the music for her. After about 45 minutes Owen's attention span started fading and he was getting a little too hyper for that small room that had our family and my mom and dad in it. My parents thought it was time to leave and feed him dinner, and let Joe and I get some rest. Owen gave Selah some more sweet loves and again told me how much he did not like my ouchies in my arm. I gave my sweet boy some extra love (and maybe shed a tear or two) and sent him on his way with his gramma and papa. So much fun! I love how from the get go he loves his sister. I know Owen will be the best big brother ever!!

Owen checking his sister out for the first time.

Daddy loving on his girl

The Brauns! All four of us!!

Proud Papa and Gramma!