two weeks old today!!! oct 13 2008

here are some highlights from audrey's second week with us:

diedre cuddling with her special kitty hattie

oct 7 (8 days old) we went to a baby well appointment. audrey was 8lbs 2oz. the doctor was very pleased with her weight gain. he said another week and my body should be very healed "like nothing ever happened" ha ha, he's such an optimist :D

diedre looking lovingly at baby audrey

the big kids give their presents to audrey. they picked these out awhile ago, but we hadnt taken the time for them to give them to her. rattles, teething toys.

oct 8, 9 days old. first time in the co-sleeper. it didnt last long, but this is my sleeping arrangement for me and baby audrey.

Thanksgiving at the Gagne grandparents' on Oct 11

the big table and feast

auntie heather has a cuddle with baby audrey

the walk in the dark after dinner

me and my sleepy babe


sunday morning, oct 12, 13 days old. i was very energetic, gave both the big kids baths and got all three kids and myself ready for church (while derek was at work) and i was only 13 minutes late! i figure, diedre expects to go to sunday school and i want her to go, plus ezekiel gets some one on one time with some great ladies in the nursery and a familiar place to play. i'm so glad i went as it was a communion service (which only happen 4 times a year--so different from my church growing up where it was weekly! i totally miss that) and also a bit of a "thanksgiving" report by various people in the church. it was a blessing to be there. and my mom met us there and took us out to lunch, played with diedre while me and the younger two napped.

audrey making some cute faces for daddy last night

baby audrey is 2 weeks old today! oct 13 2008.
this was her first time in the swing. i assembled it last friday (my first day alone), during some down time. i havent had the heart to put her in it, although the kids have been asking for her to try it, because i would rather hold her :D

silly smiley ezekiel! he is such a big boy! i need to measure his height :P

so as for me, i am feeling alot better physically, 2 weeks into this. i have had a few days where i was really doubting my personal ability to be strong in caring for 3 kids while being tired. i definitely need coffee to get myself in a positive frame of mind in the morning and i hope to take time to pray and trust God for strength each day, as i honestly dont think i can do it without Him. this week coming i begin MOPS again and then next week i'm back at the bible study i attending, so i'm sure that support will help.

audrey's second week sleep pattern started out as what i would have expected from a newborn with feedings ever 2 hours (for 2 nights). then she went back to going to sleep sometimes as early as 7.30pm and waking for a feed by 11/11.30pm then sleeping right until 4am!!! wow! she has done this more than not in her 14 nights so far. if she continues this pattern, i will be a well-rested mama. i'm not totally counting on it, but it sure would be nice.

she had 2 very fussy nights on thursday and friday last week, but i think its because i ate alot of grapes one night, and also from not enough hindmilk. so on saturday and sunday i made sure to nurse on one side, let her have a break and a burp, then nurse her again on that side to get the hindmilk. she has been sleeping better and having a pretty minimal fussy time since (as in still the regular dinner time session, that is pretty short so far).

sadly, she does have a bit of a cold/sniffle/congestion right now. she slept tonnes yesterday but still had a really good night. right now she is into her third hour of a nap, but i guess for newborns, thats not very long.

i hope to do her photo shoot for her baby announcement today. i was feeling guilty, thinking i had done the other two kids' shoots earlier, but it was 12 days for diedre and 15 for ezekiel, so i'm pretty much right on track.

many more pics of audrey's second week with us