Baby Update

I left you hanging in my 2nd trimester - all that whining and then no baby pics. Sorry. At least I didn't post the last month of whining. It was bad - partial bed rest for 3 weeks, lots of tylenol. On the bright side, I knitted... alot.

The highlights:
August - September - blah. You didn't miss much - lots of monitoring Baby A for possible complications that never materialized (Hallelujah!).

The three of us in the hospital parking lot - thought this might be our last 3 member family photo, but A fooled us

October - We moved! And our house in Knoxville sold! We've had a very eventful Fall. In regards to our new house, let me quote P.D. Eastman: 

"I love my house. 

 I love my nest.

In all the world, my nest is best!"

I sobbed with relief when I found out we were finally going to be settled in Virginia with our own furniture in a long term rental. To top it off, this house is perfect for us. Because we moved shortly before A was born, I unpacked the necessities and threw the rest in storage without any organization at all. This week, I started digging through boxes, throwing out more stuff thanks to a kick in the pants from Real Simple.

October 31st - G celebrated her 1st birthday with her adopted gp's, a big piece of chocolate cake and a line of trick or treaters singing "Happy Birthday" (her name was butchered all night long).

November 25th - awesome Thanksgiving. We watched the Macy's Parade and the Dog Show with G, my family drove all morning to have dinner with us, and we spent the evening with our best friends. I loved it! Did I mention no cooking or cleaning?!

November 26th - Tim navigated Black Friday traffic on our way to the hospital at 7. Afton Grey Ellis was born at 9:26 am, weighing 7 lbs. 10 oz and stretching 19 1/2". I liked this birth - so much calmer. Baby did great; I felt good; we went home a day early. The experience fits Afton. She's a relaxed baby. Gwennan didn't fuss much, but she was intense from the start, just ask anyone she's stared down in the grocery store.

The following 5 weeks, various parts of our families stayed with us to care for G while I recovered from surgery (A big shout out to Mom and Mom - you were life savers!).

We spent 6 days as a 4 member family, then a trip to K'town for a belated Christmas.

Nieces with their Aunties!! 

Now, we're back to normal, well "new normal." Everyone warned me that two babies was going to be more than twice as much work, and it is. But I don't feel particularly hectic or worn out. In other words, God is being incredibly gracious to us, and I'm enjoying our Irish twins. Just don't call during arsenic hour.

Playing in the backyard with Sissy. 

I remember visiting a friend with four little ones whose house felt remarkably peaceful. Her kids had an established routine, and she was quiet, even when they were not. I pray that our house feels like that.