Mercedes - 34 Months Old

Dear Mercedes,

For the past nearly YEAR, you've had some issues sleeping. At first, it was just bedtime (and naptime). Out of nowhere, you didn't want us leaving you alone. Prior to that, you always went to sleep by yourself, in your room alone. Then out of nowhere, you wanted back rubs. And us to sit on your floor until you were asleep. The sneaking out of your room got more and more difficult, but we put up with it, because frankly, the idea of letting you cry made us both heartsick. THEN, when your sister was a couple of months old, you started waking up each and every night. And wanted to sleep with Daddy. He was sleeping on the couch with you and the dog, and I was sleeping in bed with your baby sister and really, none of us were getting any sort of quality sleep!

A week or so ago, we decided enough was enough and you had to start sleeping in your own bed for the whole night and going to sleep on your own without a witness sitting on the floor. You cried that first night. And woke up a LOT. But we reassured you constantly that we are ALWAYS here for you, but you needed to be a big girl and stay in your own bed. And you did it!

Now you go to sleep with no complaints, and stay in your own bed for the whole night. We are so proud. And happy that we are all getting better sleep. Your mood changed instantly. Of course, you still have tantrums and demanding, defiant moments - but of course, you ARE nearly three. I don't see that changing any time soon ;) But you wake up happy and cheerful and remain that way for much more of the day, thankfully. It makes that difficult night of crying all worth it.

Now, we just need to fix your sister!

Love,

Momma

Alexis - 6 Months Old

Dear Alexis,

You are officially more than halfway to your first birthday! It's been the most amazing six months - watching you develop your little personality (so unique, and quite different from that of your big sister) and become a real part of our family has been amazing. You are sweet and cuddly and smiley and happy and very, very vocal. I love hearing everything that comes out of your mouth - fake coughs, growls, squeals and all. You've been sitting up unassisted for a while now, and just recently have discovered you can worm your way around on your belly (mostly backward!). You will get up on all fours and rock back and forth, but you haven't exactly figured out the crawling thing yet. It won't be long!

No teeth yet, but you did achieve another first this past week. Your first trip to the ER. Fun. You had croup, and it's sticking around as a lovely cold, which has made you fairly miserable sleep-wise. You are still lovely and smiley when you can be, but all you want to do is sleep on me, sleep with me, sleep sitting up in my arms. Poor muffin. I do love the cuddles though - I'll take 'em when I can get 'em!

Thanks for making the last six months such an adventure in our little family of four. You've completed us all in ways we never thought possible.

Love always,

Momma

Mercedes - 33 Months Old

Dear Mercedes,

I always said that I would let you toilet-train yourself. Or rather, instead of toilet training, we'd think of it more as toilet learning. I didn't want to go through months of pressure and accidents and rushing to the bathroom every hour to catch all of your bodily fluids. We've had potties around the house forever, and you have certainly understood the basic concept for months. You've even had a few random pees and a poop on the potty, but they were basically flukes. As time passed, and all of your little friends became diaper-free, I started wondering when it would actually really click for you, and if I should push it more.

And then... two weeks ago, in the midst of us all battling a nasty gastro bug, you decided that you were done with diapers and wanted to wear underwear from now on! You were pee-trained instantly, and haven't had an accident since. Poop took a little longer, in large part because of the aforementioned gastro bug (ew). But it's safe to say, you are now completely diaper-free! (Well, except naps and nighttime - although you are holding your pee for remarkably long periods of time and waking up dry more often). We are so proud of you. You are so proud of yourself, as you should be! And I am immensely pleased that I followed my gut and let you figure it out on your own. I knew you would :)

Love,

Mommy

Mercedes - 33 Months Old

Dear Mercedes,

Just wanted to share some more gems from recent conversations:

Me: Mercedes, I love our conversations.
Mercedes: Mommy, I love your conversations too!

Mercedes: Daddy, do you have a tail?
Andrew: Uhhh, no.
Mercedes: Oh. Just a front tail.

Mercedes: Daddy, you look like a very nice girl-lady with your hair.

Yesterday we were at the park, and you were fascinated by all the dogs that wanted to come say hello to Duke. After one of them walked away you said "Mommy, what was that doggie's name?" I said I wasn't sure and you responded with "Ummm, I think his name is Frixie!" Sure sweetheart, sounds perfect.

Halloween was a week ago, and you totally rocked it. You LOVED dressing up as Princess Leia (again) and although most other kids had no clue who you were, the parents did and they LOVED you. You did such a good job walking around our entire street with Daddy, saying trick or treat and thank you at each house, and admiring all of your loot when you got home. It's so much fun sharing holiday traditions with you - picking and carving pumpkins, dressing up, decorating. We can't wait to do it again next year!

Love,

Your ever-amused Mama

Alexis - 5 Months Old

Dear Alexis,

You officially sit! And are very very proud of yourself for it :) As are we!

Love,

Mommy

Alexis - 5 Months Old

Dear Alexis,

It's hard to believe that you are already five months old. You are such a character, it's so much fun to watch you develop into your own little personality, entirely separate (and different!) from your big sister. You are MUCH louder - screeching, yelling, growling, fake coughing - and also very, very easy-going. Happy and content and vocal, you are a delight to be around. We all love you so much, probably Mercedes most of all. She loves to sit with you, and bring you toys, and help change your diaper and entertain you. She'll dance and sing for you and you will giggle hysterically, which brings me to tears it's so darn cute. You are rolling and squirming up a storm, and just yesterday, you decided you wanted to try sitting on your own! You end up leaning forward a lot, and you most definitely aren't steady, but you are getting there! It's 'almost' completely unassisted, and that's pretty darn amazing.

Love,

Momma

Mercedes - 32 Months Old

Dear Ceecee,

Sometimes, you say the most hilarious things to us, and we can't even attempt to control our laughter. Sometimes it's not a nice thing you say, and I have NO idea where you'd EVER learn language like that (oops), sometimes it's something innocently funny, sometimes it's something so sweet and complex that it just blows my mind and makes me laugh. Having you fully verbal is truly amazing. Here are some of your recent gems:

Mommy: yawning really loudly
Mercedes: Mommy don't 'rawr'! There is no dinosaur here!

Duke: (rolling around on his back)
Mercedes: Duke! Go back to puppy school! I don't want to see your penis!

You also love to tell Duke to "kick rocks!" and you frequently say "oh my GODDDDDD" or "Jeeeeee-sus" when you are exasperated (I'll blame those on your father).

We have a broken kitchen chair that yes, I broke one day while I was pregnant with your sister. The other day you asked Daddy about the broken chair and he said "Why is it broken?" and you said "Because of Mommy's fat bum" (not nice, but hilariously true unfortunately!)

I never want to forget how sweet and funny and hilarious you are at this age. It's something new and awesome each and every day.

Mercedes - 32 Months Old

Dear Mercedes,

Every day you make me proud. You amaze me in so many ways - watching you navigate through the world and seeing the little personality you are rapidly developing is truly astonishing. This weekend we finally took the plunge and converted your crib into a toddler bed! This means you are FREE, although so far you haven't attempted to actually get out of bed when you are supposed to be sleeping (thankfully!). You are having some sleep issues currently (wanting us to sit on the floor until you are asleep, waking in the middle of the night to sleep with Daddy, etc), so we had hoped that a change and some encouragement on being a 'big girl' might help, but so far, no dice. It hasn't gotten any better, but at least it hasn't gotten any worse!


Today, you brought literal tears to my eyes at the park. There was a group of about four 5-6 year old kids (3 girls, 1 boy) all playing in the sand at the playground. You, ever cautious and shy, but curious, clearly wanted to play with them. You approached them, ever so slowly, and stood there, quietly waiting for some sort of invitation to play. One of the little girls asked if you wanted to play with them, and you kinda just stood there, not saying anything. I felt a bit mama-bear-ish when one of the little girls said "why is she just standing there like that?!" but the 'leader' said "she looks like she's only 2" and then asked you again if you wanted to help them build in the sand and tried to give you sand. It truly warmed my heart to see you playing with other kids (much older kids!) at the park... it gave me visions of my future - standing back, resisting the temptation to referee your interactions with other kids, despite the fact that some of them may be slightly negative. I can't believe I already have a child old enough to play independently, of her own volition, with neighbourhood children! It's really amazing that just a few short years ago, you were nothing but a fetus, and now, you are this tiny bundle of personality.

Love always,

Momma

Alexis - 4 Months Old

Dear Alexis,

Today was your four month appointment, and as usual, you made me smile and laugh at just how cute and sweet you are. Your official stats are 25.5 inches long (90th percentile for height! You probably get that from your father ;) ) and 14.5 lbs (60th percentile for weight). You are growing big and strong, and the doctor was amazed at your muscle tone and how strong you are (yes, did we mention you've been rolling for nearly two months already?!). You took your needles like a champ, but wasn't so fond of the rotoavirus vaccine. It's an oral vaccine, and nurses prefer that parents put it in bottles to disguise the taste. But of course, you don't drink bottles! She tried to squirt some in your mouth and the face you made was epic. As was the vomit that you spewed all over me a couple of seconds later. We managed to get the rest of it into you - slowly but surely - but not without much complaining, squirming and face-making from you. It was hilarious, if time-consuming!

It's amazing to me to see the differences in you and your sister - you are SO smiley and happy and easy-going... willing to let just about anyone look at you, talk to you, or even hold you. At this age, your sister would scream bloody-murder if anyone else but me even got too close to her. I am thankful that you seem a little more laidback in that regard. You two also look very different - I think you have more of your father's facial features, while Mercedes looks more like my family. Time may change all that, but all I know is that, different or not, you are both extremely beautiful!

Mercedes - 31 Months Old

Dear Mercedes,

Today marked a number of 'firsts' for you, and a very, very proud day for Mommy and Daddy. While you think you are adventurous, you don't usually tend to be - you are wonderfully inquisitive and observant, but a little tentative in new situations, particularly physical ones. You love going on slides, but small ones you can tackle yourself - you won't go on the swings, or walk in the sand at the playground, or climb too far or run too fast. Yep, you're my kid all right!

But today you challenged yourself and made us all proud! This morning we went to your first Kindergym class - it consists of a lot of free play on 'kiddie' gymnastics equipment, and some circle time (including with a parachute!) You had an absolute blast. And by the end of the hour, you were already miles ahead of where you were when it started! For example, there was a plastic slide with five ladder-type steps. The first few times, you would only go up one or two steps and then needed my assistance for the rest. By the middle of the class, you were climbing up and going down all by yourself! The look of pride on your face made my heart swell.

But the best part of the day was later this afternoon. I took you and your sister to the park, and my shy, tentative girl decided once and for all to conquer that pesky sand!! You actually walked around in the sand, climbed on the animal rockers by yourself, went on the swings (briefly, but it still counts) and best of all, CLIMBED a big flight of stairs on the playground equipment and went down a BIG metal slide, all by yourself!! You were thrilled with your bravery, and so was I. You always amaze me and make me proud - today was no exception.

Love,

Mommy

Alexis - 4 Months Old

Dear Alexis,

4 months have come and gone, and we love you more and more each day. This has been a big week for you - 4 months old, laughing for the first time, sleeping for more than 8 hours, and discovering your inner 'squeal'. It's a super-cute noise, although you do it over and over and over and over again ;) It's so funny watching you react to your own voice, but you don't necessarily have to screech SO loud.

The laughing you can feel welcome to try over and over again! The first time you laughed, it was at Duke, being the silly puppy he is. You are also ticklish, as we've discovered, and today you laughed because I said your name? It's okay, I'll take the baby giggles however I can get them! (Oh, and I'll also take more of those 8+ hour sleeps please!)

We love you oh-so-much, it's impossible to put into words. You are such a sweet, happy, easy-going baby. Smiley and lovely, you have brought nothing but absolute joy to our lives.

Love,

Mommy

Duke - 6 Months Old

Everyone knows that having children and having pets requires a certain level of un-squeamishness. You have to change diapers, scoop kitty litter, pick up dog poop, deal with vomit, wash bums, etc, etc. You have to be an adult and just 'deal' with the disgusting bodily functions of people other than yourself, and really, it's not SO bad. You just get used to it, right?

But Duke... ah, Duke. He brings grossness to a whole other level. And each time I think he's maxed out his grossness, he manages to one-up himself yet again!

So Duke has a little problem with separation anxiety. He doesn't like being left alone, and he most certainly does not like being left alone in the crate. He poops. And then steps in it, rolls around in it, flings it out of the cage... makes a big ol' giant mess that requires much cleaning, swearing, and a bath for the puppy. So we abandoned crate training and decided to use baby gates to keep him confined to only part of the house.

Which worked great until he HOPPED the gate and pooped in all the bedrooms upstairs. Lovely.

So pooping. Fine. He's basically paper-trained, so now we close all the bedroom doors and as his anxiety lessens as he gets older, he's either not pooping, or poops on the paper. Awesome.

Except... except for the fact that sometimes he EATS his poop. It's a nervous, puppy reaction, and it sucks. No one wants a shit-eater to kiss their human-babies, right?

But fine... eating poop is a fairly common thing among dogs, particularly puppies, and we are hoping he grows out of it as he gets older and less anxious and the separation anxiety wanes. We are working on a number of strategies, both behavioural and physiological to get him to stop.

BUT... to top the grossness pyramid... not only does he EAT the poop, he then THROWS UP the poop. Because like, poop doesn't agree with his stomach I guess? Yes, I told you that parenthood is gross!

But wait. There's more. How can there be more you ask? Well. How about you take a recently neutered dog who is forced to wear a cone for a week (and incidentally can't be bathed!), add in a poo-eating incident, and then a poo-vomiting incident... add that altogether and you have poo-vomit running down his neck, pooling in his cone around his face, dribbling out on his dogbed... and a tired mom who breaks down into tears and forces her husband to come home from work to help clean up.

I told you. Having children, whether furry or not, is just plain gross. It's a damn good thing he's cute.

Duke - 6 Months Old

I knew we were having a second baby. While she was somewhat of a surprise to us, we had 9 months to prepare for her arrival, and we always knew that eventually we'd have two children anyway. They say going from 1-2 children is far easier than the initial shock of adding that first child to your family - and so far, I think that's true. There is less downtime for sure, since any alone time requires one parent to be in charge of two little lives. There is more clutter, more expense, less sleep. But overall, adding our second baby was fairly uneventful, and clearly, much welcomed.

Adding a third baby? Now THAT is stressful. After the unexpected loss of our wonderful French Bulldog Bruiser, at only 4 years of age, in March of 2010, we immediately adopted an older, wiser Frenchie, Peanut. We lost her this June - when our newborn was only 6 weeks old.

So to add to the craziness of having a two and a half year old toddler, AND a newborn - we brought home a new puppy. A full-of-energy, un-housebroken, slightly anxious, loveable and clumsy PUPPY. What were we thinking?!?!

If you've seen the movie Marley and Me, then you know what I mean, when I say that this dog, this ball of love and energy, is THE WORST DOG IN THE WORLD.

Thankfully, with some patience, love, reassurance and hard work, he is slowly getting better. And now I can't believe I ever resented my husband for forcing me into him ;)

Alexis - 4 Months Old

Dear Alexis,

Today, for the first time, we got an honest-to-goodness laugh out of you! It was fleeting, and hasn't been repeated (yet) but it was darn cute! Duke was chasing Rusty around and you were watching, and apparently amused! I can't wait to hear it again.

Every day with you gets more and more fun. You are such a sweet, easy-going baby. Full of tons of smiles, and calm and happy - easy to put to sleep too! I seriously couldn't ask for a more lovely girl. We are truly blessed.

Love,

Momma

Mercedes - 31 Months Old

Dear Princess,

Last week you started a class called 'Time for Twos' - it's a parent-assisted circle time/activity at the Early Years Centre and you had a blast! You haven't done anything like this at all yet, and I was so proud to see you do things all on your own (even though I was sitting there too). You are such a shy, tentative child in many ways - you are friendly and sweet with people, but definitely aren't one to run off and try new things without Mommy or Daddy. You also like to have both feet planted firmly on the ground, much like how I was at that age (and mostly still am!). For example, you always want to go to the park, but don't like walking in sand at the playground so we just run around the field instead! Ah well, all in good time. We'll continue to encourage you without forcing, and love you no matter how you play!

Love,

Mommy

Alexis - 3 Months Old

Dear Alexis,

You are already out of the so-called 4th trimester - it's hard to believe you are over three months old already! You are cooing and smiling and rolling up a storm but still NO giggles! I try SO hard to get them out of you and you appear to be ticklish so I think you are very close but nope, still nothing! Soon enough I hope - baby laughs are the best sound in the world!

Love,

Mommy

Alexis - 2.5 Months Old

Dear Alexis,

I am SO sorry that I haven't written in over a month. Oops! Rest assured, second children are loved JUST as much as first, there is just so much less time in a day! Between you, your big sister, and our new puppy Duke, I certainly have my hands full during the day and then I'm too tired at night to do anything but sleep (if you'll let me!). But being a mom of two is absolutely fantastic. You are such a wonderful baby - easy-going, smiley, happy. However, you are TERRIFYING, because a week ago, at only 9.5 weeks, you rolled over for the first time - which is very, very early!! I always knew you were going to be a trouble-maker! Good thing you are cute!

Love,

Mommy

Mercedes - 2.5 Years Old!

Dear Ceecee,

In 3 days you officially become two and a half years old. Hard to believe that a whole six months has passed since your birthday! You are growing and changing right before our eyes and while some of the progress is torture (teething those final molars, tantrums, Dora obsession), all in all, it's pretty amazing to watch. You talk in complex sentences, love to sing and dance, know all your colours, and can count to 15. I love having real conversations with you, especially since so much of what you say these days is absolutely hilarious! Like spouting off the word dammit today in frustration. Oops. I'll blame that one on your father!

Love,

Mommy

Alexis - 1 Month Old

Dear Alexis,

You are already one month old! It's hard to believe on one hand - time is flying by quickly. But on the other hand, it feels like I've known you forever - it's hard to imagine a time when you weren't a part of our family. You are a wonderful baby - you even smiled at us for the first time a few days ago! Unfortunately - just like your big sister (who is amazing with you and so in love with her 'baby sisser'), you seem to have your days and nights confused. You love to sleep during the day and then are WIDE awake at night. Hopefully you figure things out soon, but until then, at least we have some good quality snuggles in the middle of the night!

Love,

Mommy

Mercedes - 28 Months Old

Dear Mercedes,

Things have been a bit hectic around here the past month, because of course, your sister arrived! We are busy and sleep-deprived but absolutely love seeing you interact with your sister. You have adjusted remarkably well (so far anyway!) and LOVE 'helping' me - change her diaper, feed her, etc. You give her a kiss every morning and before bed and when you leave the house and it melts my heart each time.

You are so patient and gentle (well okay, not always, but you are only two!) - it's clear that you really love your sister already. Daddy and I can't wait to watch you two grow up together - I hope you'll be best friends like your Auntie Kimmy and I am!

Love,

Mommy of two

Alexis - Birth Story

Short Version:
Born May 22nd at 5:22 am (5:22 on 5/22!) via un-medicated VBAC, weighing in at 6 lbs 6 ounces, and measuring 19.25 inches long (38w5d gestational age).

Long Version:

Dear Alexis,

From the moment you were conceived you have surprised us. We got pregnant with you earlier than we planned, but never regretted it for a moment. From the time we first found out about you, your Daddy and I felt that you were obviously meant to be part of our special family. Your father ‘knew’ all along that you would be another girl, and we were both thrilled that ultrasounds confirmed his hunch. We were super-excited to have two special girls – “Daddy’s Princesses” – and can’t wait to watch sisters growing up together.

I had a fairly uneventful pregnancy with you, much like your big sister – in fact, it went even smoother really than when I was pregnant with Mercedes. I had a feeling from the beginning that you might arrive a little bit early, so I was trying hard to prepare everything for your homecoming, which of course, is much more difficult with a two year old running around. We also tried to prep Mercedes as much as possible for what was coming – knowing that her life was changing in a big, irrevocable way.

On Thursday May 19th I had a midwife appointment, where she did an internal and determined I was 1-2 cms dilated and 50% effaced – good signs, but doesn’t really mean anything in the long run. She did a stretch and sweep to try to ‘get things going’ – above all else, we really wanted to avoid going overdue with you, since doctors would try to force an induction or a scheduled repeat c-section given your sister’s birth and my blood clotting disorder. I took a long walk that evening with Mercedes, bounced on my exercise ball and thought positive thoughts of you coming sooner rather than later.

On Saturday May 21st, at about 7 am, I lost a piece of my mucous plug, which was tinged with a little bit of blood (as I wrote in your sister’s birth story – it sounds SO gross, but when you are pregnant someday hopefully, you’ll recognize the excitement this mucous incites!) Nothing else was happening, but I warned your father and your grandparents that this could be it. When the same thing happened before Mercedes’ birth, I ended up having her the next day. Apparently, you followed suit!

When we put Mercedes down for her afternoon nap, your father insisted that we lie down also to try to ‘rest up’ in case I did end up going into labour that weekend. I slept for an hour but then felt restless and got up around 2 pm and left your father and sister to continue sleeping. Around 2:30 I felt my first real contraction. Keeping an eye on the clock, I realized they were coming around every 8-10 minutes – fairly mild, but strong enough that I knew they were the real thing. I called your Bubie and Zaidie and warned them, and they agreed to come to pick up your big sister for a ‘sleepover’ so that we wouldn’t have to worry about her later on.

The contractions continued on sporadically for the rest of the afternoon – coming anywhere from 8 to 15 minutes apart. When they slowed down to more consistently 10-15 minutes apart, your father and I decided to go for a long, somewhat painful, walk to try to get things to pick up. I lost a LOT more mucous and shortly after the contractions did become more intense, and closer together again at 7-10 minutes apart. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing, watching tv, and keeping an eye on the clock. I tried to stay hydrated and rested to gear up for the big event!



Around midnight, things REALLY picked up. I got into a bath and all of a sudden the contractions were much stronger and I really needed to focus to get through them – they were now coming every 5 minutes apart and lasting closer to a minute, so I knew it was the ‘real deal’ and that things were picking up! The midwife arrived at our house around 12:45 and I promptly started throwing up... ahhh, memories... just like your big sister! Apparently all of the eating and drinking I’d been doing to stay hydrated and energized was all now down the toilet, literally!

The midwife, Carolyn, checked me at 12:45 and said I was 3-4 cms dilated. She was very encouraging, but to be honest, I was QUITE disappointed. The contractions already felt as strong and intense as they felt with your sister when I was admitted to the hospital at 6 cms dilated, so to hear that I wasn’t even at that point yet was discouraging. We decided to wait another hour or so until my stomach settled a bit and then head to the hospital. The contractions started getting closer together and even more intense, so we headed out shortly after 2 am and arrived at the hospital around 2:30. I had two contractions in the short car ride over, and had to pause on the way up to labour and delivery 4 or 5 times for strong contractions. Things were definitely picking up and I felt confident that I MUST be dilating.

Around 4:40 am – after very intense, close-together contractions for a few hours – the midwife checked me again. I was feeling tons of pressure and felt SURE that I was getting very close to being fully dilated. She said only 5-6 cms dilated. At this point, I very seriously wavered in my determination to have a medication-free vaginal birth after caesarian (VBAC). How could I have laboured for this long, this strongly, feel this much pressure/desire to push and still be LESS dilated than I was with your sister when her labour stalled? It was disappointing and scary. I vividly recall screaming for drugs and/or a c-section, but your father and the midwife talked me down and said I was doing great and I just needed to breathe through one contraction at a time.

Almost immediately, all hell broke loose. Your heart rate (I was hooked up to the monitors because of the previous c-section) began fluctuating wildly and the midwife called in an OB and nurses to help. They asked me to get back into the bed and lie on my side – which is VERY difficult to do during strong contractions! My water broke and lots of blood came out, and I immediately felt the urge to push. There were medical people everywhere and they were shouting at me NOT TO PUSH, and were checking me every couple of minutes while keeping an eye on your heart rate. They called in an anaesthesiologist to do an emergency epidural because they assumed we’d need forceps or a c-section to get you out asap as your heart rate was dramatically falling with each contraction. They kept checking me internally while I shouted that I needed to push and every time they checked me I could hear them murmuring that I was further dilated.

At 5 am – only 20 minutes after being told I was 5-6 cms, I was now fully dilated, membranes ruptured, and told to push and push fast to get you out or I was being taken to the OR. They threatened me with forceps regardless, and I was terrified. I could see the fear in your father’s eyes also – things were chaotic and loud and scary.

At 5:22 am – only 20 minutes of pushing (and a block freezing – those needles HURT!) and an episiotomy because you were coming fast and furious, out you came!! I felt so relieved to have you out, so proud that I DID IT, so happy to have you here and so overwhelmed at how everything had played out in the last hour.

But the drama wasn’t over yet – I got to hold you for all of three seconds, then you were whisked away to the NICU because you were having some trouble breathing. The disappointment and fear was very intense – after everything I’d been through, I STILL didn’t get to hold my girl right away.

You stayed in the NICU for a few hours for observation, but everything was absolutely fine. By 10 am, you were in our room and breathing fine. You breastfed like a champ – latching perfectly right away – and my milk came in on Tuesday, only two days after you were born! We did have to stay in the hospital an extra night, because, always the drama queen, you had a heart murmur that the paediatrician wanted to run some tests on – being a holiday Monday, we had to wait until Tuesday morning for the tests... which came back all clear – you are perfect and healthy. A beautiful miniature version of your big sister, you are keeping us on our toes, that’s for sure. We’ve been calling you Squeaky or Pipsqueak because of how small and squeaky you are – I just have a feeling you are going to be trouble – our little spitfire.

So despite all of the surprises surrounding you, you are amazing – perfect for our little family and we couldn’t love you any more. Welcome to the world Alexis Scarlett!

Alexis Scarlett is Born!

Happy Birthday!

Welcome to the world Alexis Scarlett! Born Sunday May 22nd at 5:22 am - 6 pounds, 6 ounces, 19.25 inches long.



Your whole family is in love with you already.

Love,

Mommy

Alexis - 38 Weeks Pregnant

Dear Baby Girl,

We are definitely in the home stretch now! Only two weeks to go until your due date, but I am thinking (and hoping!) that you'll make your big appearance before then. And we are all ready for you! Bassinet is set up, nursery is complete, carseat is installed, baby swing set up, your sister is all prepared and ready - now all we need is YOU. We are so excited to meet you - Bubie and Zaidie are 'on call' to take care of your sister, Auntie Kimmy and Thea Melissa are ready to take care of the animals - and they are all SO anxious to meet you. So whenever you are ready, we are waiting to meet you and welcome you to our special family!

Love,

Momma

Alexis - 35 Weeks 4 Days Pregnant

Dear Baby Girl,

I am officially on maternity leave! Yesterday was my last day of work and I couldn't be happier to be off and focusing all of my energy on YOU (okay, and your sister also!). It's so much harder to prepare stuff the second time around, since I have decidedly less personal/free time - but your nursery furniture/bedding is all set up at the very least. We have everything of course, it's just a matter of digging it all out, making sure we have batteries, washing baby clothes, etc. I can't wait to get most of it done this week - then your father and I can just relax and wait for your much anticipated arrival!

Love,

Momma

Mercedes - 26 Months Old

Dear Ceecee,

Well we did it - we survived your very first trip to the ER! In fact - it was your very first unscheduled (i.e. anything other than a well-baby/immunization check-up) visit to the doctor EVER, and your very first prescription medicine also! Diagnosis = strep throat, and because of it you got a very high fever that had us very worried. We ended up taking you to the ER last Friday night, on a holiday of all days (Good Friday!) but luckily we were in and out within 1.5 hours. And you were an absolute trooper, thankfully. The antibiotics worked magic and within a few days you were back to your normal happy self. Which is a pleasure, because you are just SO much fun to be around these days!

Love,

Mommy

Alexis - 32 Weeks 2 Days Pregnant

Dear Baby Girl,

Things here are very busy - work, your sister, trying to get stuff all ready for your arrival. I can't believe that you are due to arrive NEXT month! This pregnancy has flown by - I am super-excite to meet you, but I will definitely miss this special time with you. There is nothing quite like feeling your baby move inside you. And seeing that you are our last baby, it's bittersweet to have time marching by so quickly. I want to savor and enjoy every moment. But goodness, you are strong! Right now you are kicking me so hard I'm flinching! Good thing I love you already.

Love,

Mommy

Alexis - 29 Weeks 3 Days Pregnant

Dear Baby Girl,

Sorry I haven't written lately - your big sister has been keeping us so busy and with work and being pregnant... I'm TIRED. Sorry, second kid syndrome already, oops! I got to see you on screen again on Tuesday, and yep, you are definitely still a girl! I had lots more ultrasounds with Mercedes, so it's very exciting to see you at least once again. You have chubby cheeks and long legs (at least according to the ultrasound!) which made me smile, because that's what your big sister had! I can't wait to see if you guys look alike, act alike, develop similarly. 10ish weeks to go! And you are definitely making your presence known - it's amazing how much stronger and more pronounced your movements feel, compared to your sister's.

Love,

Mommy

Mercedes - 25 Months Old

Dear Princess,

You have been in your 'big-girl room' (but still in your crib) for a couple of weeks now - and you love it! There were a couple of nights where you woke up a little confused/scared and some VERY early mornings, but with the help of Daylight Savings Time you seem to be all fixed! I love seeing you run around in there, and to talk so clearly about your surroundings. Having conversations with you is the best thing ever! Not only are you very verbal, you are very, very observant and in tune with emotions and feelings. Such a smart kid - it's truly amazing to see!

Love,

Mommy

Mercedes - Happy 2nd Birthday!

Dear Birthday Girl,

Happy Birthday! I can't believe you are two whole years old. Two years ago I was just settling into my hospital room with you, trying to figure out breastfeeding and this whole 'mom' thing - I loved you already of course, but I didn't KNOW you. And now, you feel as important, close, special to me as the air that I breathe. Your father and I love you SO much - it actually physically hurts sometimes!

Anyway - you had a great birthday - lots of presents and a little family party at Bubie and Zaidie's house, complete with a Backyardigans cake and decorations. You are a very happy girl - we are all truly blessed to know you.

Love,

Momma

Alexis - 23 Weeks 1 Day Pregnant

Dear Baby Girl,

Your father and I just got back on the weekend from a week-long trip to Jamaica - WITHOUT your big sister, so you can use that as bragging rights when you are older! You came on vacation with us and we left Mercedes with Bubie and Zaidie! The we landed (so I was 21 weeks and 4 days) we actually felt you on the outside for the first real, noticeable time! Daddy felt you also and we were both so excited. It seemed like the perfect way to start off our trip. And I have not stopped feeling you since. You are one busy (and strong!) little girl. If you are this busy on the outside, we are in BIG trouble!

Love,

Momma

Mercedes - 23.5 Months Old

Dear Ceecee,

It's so hard to believe your 2nd birthday is just around the corner. I remember you in my belly, you being born, you turning one... like it was yesterday! I am so excited to watch you continue to grow and learn. It's so much fun being witness to all of your wonderfulness! Last week, Daddy and I went on our first real vacation since before you were born - to Jamaica - for a week while you stayed with Bubie and Zaidie. We were nervous about leaving you for so long and of course, we missed you terribly (I recall watching videos of you Auntie Kimmy had saved on her phone and crying) but it was a fun vacation and you had a blast with your grandparents! Apparently you were a 'delight' and they started missing you the second we picked you up. You are a lucky little girl to have so many people in your life who love you so much!

Love,

Mommy

Alexis - 21 Weeks 3 Days Pregnant

Dear Bean,

It's hard to believe that this pregnancy is already more than halfway over! Time seems to be flying by - probably in part because your big sister does such a good job of keeping us on our toes! Every time I sit down though, I get a very clear reminder of just how present you really are. Some days it seems like you are on the go NON-STOP. As soon as I open my eyes in the morning, there you are, kicking away! I love feeling that special connection, that only you and I will ever have. What a truly awesome thing.

Love,

Mommy

Mercedes - 23 Months Old

Dear Mercedes,

Tomorrow your Daddy and I are going on vacation for a week (to Jamaica). You will be staying with Bubie and Zaidie and its the very first time you'll have been there for longer than a day or two, and the very first time we'll be SO far away from you. We are very much looking forward to our trip and we know that you will be in wonderful hands (spoiled rotten no doubt!!) but I still feel a little panicky at the thought of what lies ahead. Not least of all because we are going to miss you so very much! It's hard being away from you for one night - it's difficult to picture 7! I am already anticipating our reunion and we haven't even left yet! Here's hoping you don't punish us too much upon our return!

Love you always,

Momma

Mercedes - 23 Months Old

Dear Mercedes,

Guess what?!? You are going to have a SISTER! You may not realize now how exciting this is, but your father and I are thrilled! We not-so-secretly hoped for another girl - we love you so much that we relished the idea of another princess to spoil. Plus, my sister is so wonderful and I have such a special bond with her - I really wanted to be able to give you the same gift. I hope that you grow up to be the best of friends! You have no idea what's really about to happen to you, but you love talking about your "baby sisser" that lives in "mommy's tummy" and giving her kisses through my belly button. I can't wait to see you two in action together!

Love,

Mommy

Alexis - 19 Weeks Pregnant

Dear Bean,

I had an ultrasound this morning, and aside from telling me that you are completely healthy and absolutely perfect, they also told us that you are a GIRL!
We are so thrilled! Not that we wouldn't have been happy either way of course, but your father and I were both not-so-secretly hoping for another girl! Mercedes is just so much fun, that we both loved the idea of another beautiful princess to spoil. And of course, I have a truly wonderful sister, and a very special relationship with her, and I'd love for you and your sister to experience the same thing. Plus, we have a LOT of pink clothes already!

Love,

Momma