A few technical difficulties...

Now that we're home we've run into a few setbacks in the technical world. Our internet connection, when working (which is sporadically), isn't sufficient to upload pictures to any internet site. So....that would explain the lack of pictures posted from Luke's first week. Then to top it off, I realize that I must rely on my computer at work to automatically fill in friends' email addresses when I send emails because the one at home doesn't have them in its memory so I'm having trouble sending emails to groups as well. So knowing that many of my friends check the blog I thought I would just post an old-fashioned written update of the past week!

Sitting here watching Luke in the swing (yes, we have another baby who seems to love his swing!) it's hard to believe that a week ago he was still in my belly. (Then again - maybe that wasn't hard to believe given how BIG and uncomfortable my belly was!). In any case - it was exactly one week ago that I got to hold my new little guy and feel the softest hair ever rub against my cheek. He's a perfect little guy with long legs, arms, fingers, and toes. He's tall and skinny - built like Steve thus far, though Mom says he's built a lot like I was when I was born. His eyes are steel gray, just like Grayson's were at first so I'm pretty sure he'll have Grayson's dark brown eyes. He still has wookie fur over parts of his body which I love. And he has one elf ear that has a very slight point. We momentarily considered naming him Frodo when we saw that ear. It will be a cute distinguishing feature later in life! We keep forgetting what we named him and have to stop for a moment and think sometimes before we refer to his name. Occasionally I resort to "squeaker" because of all his funny squeaking sounds he makes. Grayson sounded like a billy goat, Luke a mouse. We've been fortunate this past week in that, thus far, Luke is a very easy baby. All he wants is to eat and sleep. He doesn't cry unless he's hungry or has a wet diaper. Already different than Grayson who suffered with colic and cried for no reason but couldn't care less if his diaper was wet or dirty. This little guy loves to sleep - but only when being held or when in his swing. He won't have a thing to do with his bassinet in our bedroom or his crib. My Mom has been here the whole week which has been a real blessing. She has taken many late night shifts holding Luke while he sleeps or watching him snooze in his swing in the family room. Between Steve and Mom I've hardly lifted a finger and have been spoiled with all the extra help. I've actually gotten more sleep in the past week than I was getting before having Luke. But boy does he have an appetite! He likes to nurse every two hours and he he's such a slow eater that each meal takes about 30 minutes or so. We spend a lot of time cuddling on the sofa! Despite all of his eating, he hasn't gained any weight since leaving the hospital. He's weighing in at 7 pounds 8 ounces right now. The doctor gave us another week to try get him back to his birthweight before getting concerned. It's only 8 ounces so I have to believe that with all his eating he'll certainly be able to gain that much by next Wednesday. Luke also gives us a little break late at night. If he's well-fed he'll sleep from about 10:30 until 3:00 in one stretch! Other than that - mealtime every two hours. But we couldn't ask for a better-placed long stretch of sleep!

Grayson is enjoying all of the extra attention from his Nana (though he is insistent on calling her Nannie, which we don't understand since we've never called her than and his cousins all call her Nana, too.) He wasn't sure what to make of Luke at first, but is now obsessed with holding Luke. He loves to sit on the sofa and have us place Luke in his arms. Most kids would try to give a baby back when he cries, but Grayson likes to hold onto him and tries to keep putting his Nuk back in his mouth to settle him down. We're trying to teach Grayson to say "excuse me" when he "poots," and when Luke did the same when Grayson was holding him yesterday he looked up at me and pointed to Luke and said "baby" wanting to make sure that I knew he didn't need to excuse himself for that one! He's going to be a great big brother!

Unfortunately my Mom leaves tomorrow since she has to get back to work so Steve and I are on our own Thursday and Friday. Lucky for us, though, his parents arrive Saturday to yet again lend us extra hands! Grayson will love having his Grammy and Grandpa (which he also seems to want to call Mimi and Poppa for some reason) around for the extra attention, as well.

In the meantime, I'm going to try to do what I can to get some pictures posted, but I'm not sure at this point how I'm going to make that happen!

Happy Birth Day!

On Wednesday, July 23rd, we welcomed our second son into the world. Luke Chancellor arrived via scheduled c-section at 8:16AM weighing 8 lbs. even! I have tons more photos to publish later, but just wanted to get a couple out there while I had a few minutes in the hospital.
The delivery went extremely well. I debated whether the c-section or a VBAC was the right choice, but it turns out that Luke's cord was wrapped around his shoulders and my doc said there would have been no way to deliver him naturally. So ultimately I guess I made the right decision before I even knew it! The c-section was great - didn't even feel the spinal block being inserted. I had a wonderful anesthesiologist who even let me spend 15 minutes of bonding and nursing time with Luke before they took him out of the room. It couldn't have been more pleasant! Luke shares a few resemblances with Grayson, but is by no means a carbon copy of our first baby. Luke is certainly bigger and has less hair. His eyelashes aren't near as long as Grayson's, but his fingers are very long! I think, though, that I do spy a dimple on his right side. He is already much louder than Grayson was as a baby and certainly lets you know when he's unhappy. We've nicknamed him "squeaker" because of all the sounds he makes! Right now he's a happy nurser and loves to sleep while being held. We certainly feel blessed with this second little miracle!

We'll post more pictures when we get home!

Long days of summer.

I can't believe the longest day of the year has already passed. We love having sunshine and warm weather well into the evening hours. Once we get home in the afternoons we usually spend time with Grayson "owside" which is his favorite place to be.

Watching storms roll across the area from the deck...Drawing on the driveway. (OK, Daddy helps.)

Swinging in his swing under the back deck.

He has the most fun when he manages to kick his Daddy!

Happy 4th of July!

Being that I'm a little homebound now that I'm in the last couple of weeks of my pregnancy, we spent the 4th at our house enjoying company from Steve's parents. Both grandmothers have been helping Grayson learn to blow bubbles. We're seeing progress now. A few weekends ago at Grayson's Nana's house I think the biggest bubble Grayson blew was the one that came out of his mouth after he had swallowed half the bottle of bubbles. He was just catching onto the idea of holding the wand AWAY from his mouth. This past weekend he was actually able to make quite a few bubbles!

Grayson loves to help feed the cats. They're actually quite tolerant of sharing their dining spot with Grayson.

Fishing in his pool is a favorite evening activity.

Steve and his Mom getting ready to ring in the 4th hoping to see some fireworks from the deck.