I Will Survive....

grandaddy...

we had 20 pics of Garrett's first bath...this is the only (bad) one of hers
Lilah kind of looks resigned to her fate as little sister, doesn't she??  i do think this was a kiss--at least there were no teeth marks.

I keep singing that song in my head:) Really, life with 2 is going much better than I anticipated. Still--this has been the longest week of my life. Nothing bad, I think it's just learning to get into some sort of routine.  So we haven't figured that out, but I have learned a lot of things this week....about me, my kids, parenting two children, etc.  Here are a few from the top....

1.  having 1 baby is easy- why did i not realize this at the time??? (it's like how everyone tells you you have so much free time and freedom in college and to enjoy it, but you think you are SO busy)

2.  babies are easy, 2 year olds are hard    

3.  there are not enough hours in the day- i suspected this to be true before, but i am sure now

4.  it's always something --the few brain cells i have left are always devoted to the current mini crisis....like whose butt has a nasty rash, why will garrett only eat cheese circles,  will he bite/hit/throw cars at Lilah???

5.  having children is the ultimate gift --at the end of the long day, i am so thankful that God has given me these beautiful babies.  they are all things precious and innocent and good....and i can't wait for another day with them:)

Family of Five

The 5th being my mom, who has been here helping us for 2 weeks...bless her!!!  So far we are doing great. I dare say that Lilah is fairly laid back and we are hoping it continues:) Garrett is adjusting well and we are sleeping a decent amount.  The big news around here (besides baby sister) is that GARRETT got a HAIRCUT!! The pictures of the experience are on my mom's camera, so I'll post them later, but here is the final product...

And here is pretty much what Lilah has been up to (besides eating)....

Finally!!

She has arrived:) Lilah Marie Burch was forced from the womb with the help of a heavy Pitocin drip Wednesday July 16 at 8:18pm.  It was a long day, but very, very worth it in the end.  Our sweet baby girl entered the world weighing a shockingly little (for me) 6lbs. 8oz and 19 inches long.  (Garrett was 8.0lbs and 23 inches)  She is  tiny and so precious.  We are thankful beyond words and in awe of God's goodness!!  More to follow soon...

Princess and the Plastic

i'm getting into this blogging...nothing else to do when you are big as a whale, can't sleep, and have run out of tasks! just a funny story to share-so, i'm getting into bed last night, smoothing out the fitted sheet and i hear this very odd noise.  kind of crackly, kind of popping, hard to describe noise??!!  i run my hand over the sheet again (we have a thick memory foam topper on our mattress) and could still hear the noise, but also see there was nothing under the sheet between the pad.  i thought maybe (spontaneously) the foam topper had dried up and was making weird sounds?? i said "what in the world is that noise??".  paul turned over from watching tv and  said 

"oh, i meant to tell you-when you were in the bathroom, i put plastic under your side of the bed."  maybe i need more things to laugh at, but that struck me as the funniest thing i had ever heard.  i laughed for 20 minutes thinking about the details and then was reminded of it all night hearing "snap, crackle, pop" every time i rolled over. i'm just hopping my water will break tonight and that plastic will be useful!

Waiting...

i knew it was coming, but i am officially past my due date.  yesterday came and went and.....nothing.  i have officially accomplished all of my tasks and am feeling a bit "adrift"--searching for activities.  here is what i've been up to:

-taking Garrett to various indoor places across town.  hits include The Cupcakery, the mall (as long as he gets to push the stroller and we do not go in any stores), and the carwash.  busts include the library ("all done, all done, all done") and anything resembling shopping (he has started to say "no" as we pull in the Target parking lot:)

-tv including The Bachelorette, Jon & Kate Plus Eight, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

(travel/food) and my latest late night obsession: Chelsey Lately.  I can't believe I'm admitting it, but I love that show.  It's terribly crass and hysterically funny (to me).  

-browsing other blogs.  i've decided i really only like to read ones of people that i know, so i'm tagging a few of you to start your own.  consider it community service:)

1.  Meghan M (yours would be like a Martha Stewart blog)

2.  Stef (baby updates--it's so easy)

3.  Emily H  (even though i know you won't even read this and therefore won't know you are tagged:)

4.  Jessica (you are hilarious and a writer--come on! this is perfect for you)

Ready for Baby...

here are a few pictures of her room (and my assistant) and my belly.....

2 days until the big due date!!!! i can't believe it, but then i remind myself that i was 2 weeks late with garrett, so baby sister isn't likely to make an appearance in the next 2 days:) still, she will be here very soon and we are ready! nesting has been in full force and if she doesn't come soon, i will have to start over.  paul is definitely not sharing my urges to get everything done now (for some reason he does not consider polishing all the silver a necessary task before welcoming a new baby???), and will be glad to see an end to the "hormone soup" of the end of pregnancy.  fyi, "hormone soup" is what my doula called it last time--let me tell you all.....i am swimming:)!!

Happy 4th of July

Our neighborhood really celebrates the 4th of July in a big way! It's always been fun, but this year was definitely the best yet.  It's a weekend full of festivities that ended with a high note for us with the pony rides at the picnic.  We were kind of surprised, but Garrett loved the pony!  He was bouncing up and down like a cowboy, shaking his head like a horse, and saying "neigh"--so sweet:)

Yippee!

At his national sales meeting, Paul was awarded this beautiful trophy....and a medal-which I tried to get him to pose with.....he declined!  He made it in the President's Club, which is an honor they award the top 3 performers in his company.  (I am sure I butchering all the "lingo", but since I am covertly posting this, I cannot ask for clarification.  Paul is very humble and would quickly veto this broadcast).  

We are so proud of him!!! It's a huge recognition (he made a speech in front of 2500 people!) and came with lots of perks---my favorite being a trip to Hawaii in Feb:)  He absolutely deserves it because he is so great at what he does!

on another note, we are quickly approaching baby sister's arrival....belly and nursery pictures coming soon...