Hallie-1 month

I can hardly believe it has already been 1 month since we had Hallie.  It really has just flown by.  I had to double check the date when I realized she could already be 1 month!  We love little Hallie, and already can't imagine life without her.

Here is a bit of what she's been up to:

Hallie is a perfect second child.

She goes to sleep around 9 and I try and feed her once around 11 before I get into bed.  Other than that, she wakes up one time around 3-4am and then wakes up for the day around 8:00.  Some mornings I still feel exhausted, but hey, waking up once in the night is awesome!!

She is a very chill baby.  She enjoys just sitting and looking around.

Unlike Hudson, she is a pacifier lover.  I think I am finally adjusted to this phenomenon.  I was not used to being able to give a baby a pacifier and that solve so many problems, but now that I'm used to it, I love it.  We have about 4 pacifiers lying around the house at all times.  Unfortunately Hudson seems to find them and I am quite sure he has had more time with a pacifier in his mouth this past month than his whole life prior to it.  Whoops!

Hallie loves a good, tight, swaddle, often with two swaddle blankets wrapped around her.

She has perfect {read: awful} timing with filling her diapers, and usually does so right after I get her clothes all put back on from a change.  Oh, Hallie…

She attended church for her first time on Sunday and we stayed all three hours!  It was good to get back to church.

Hallie has had many visitors and is looking forward to more this month.  She had Kellen and Courtney visit her here the day she came home from the hospital, Grandma and Grandpa Jergensen stay here for a week after she was born, and Brad and Alissa visit for a long weekend when she was 3 weeks old.  This upcoming weekend is her blessing, and Grandma Heiner will be here the week leading up to that. Grandma and Grandpa Jergensen will come up for the weekend, along with Lindsey and Mitch and they will get to meet her for the first time too.  Kellen and Courtney will also come back over for the blessing.  It is great having so many family members who adore her.

Hallie nurses much quicker than hudson--thankfully, because it took him1-1.5 hours a feeding.  Hallie takes about 20-30 minutes to eat and has about 8 feedings each day (8am, 10:30, 1, 4, 6, 8, 11, 3:30am).

She still has her newborn sleepiness and is only awake for small portions at a time.  But when she is awake, she is very aware and observant.

she is still wearing newborn sized diapers and can barely fit into newborn sized clothing (but has grown out of newborn one-piece items like PJs) but is wearing a lot of 0-3 month items.  Some fit great while she still doesn't quite fill others out.

I love Hallie to pieces and absolutely adore dressing her each day.  Dressing a boy was fun as well, but with a girl I feel like I have a little doll to dress each day (ok, the days I have energy to change her out of her PJs! ha!)  Today I headed back to the fabric store to buy fabrics for more headbands.  I love this!

The second child is a much different experience than the first.  I felt like I spend 24 hours a day with Hudson, for better or worse, and was able to just soak it all in. With Hallie though, I feel as if I feed her and change her, than lay her down and go about my day.  In a way it breaks my heart that I can't just sit and cuddle her, but the reality is that I truly can't most of the time. I have a busy, rambunctious toddler that requires attention.  The quiet moments I have to just sit and stare at her are few and far between, but the most special moments to me.

Hudson love Hallie so much and sometimes doesn't quite understand the boundaries.  He loves to kiss her all over, especially on her little lips, which we try to avoid.  He constantly asks to hold her, often while covered with food in his highchair.  He now will say "hold her. no, hands dirty." Haha! He loves running in to see her in the morning and when she spits her pacifier out, he does his best to put it back in, regardless if she wants it or not.  I am sure she will adjust quickly to having an older brother. :)

Day 1 with two

It has been so great having help ever since Hallie's birth.  Colby has been home since her birth and both my parents were here for the first week.  My mom cooked for the first week, and the ward has been bringing wonderful meals since. I really have been able to take it easy and focus on taking care of Hallie and myself.  Well that all changes today.  Colby headed back to work and left me alone with the kids.  What?! KIDS? This is so weird to me.  But, I woke up today knowing I could do this.  To be honest, having 2 has actually been easier on me than I anticipated, and I think that is a combination of me having horribly low expectations, and having so much help.  So with the help gone, I knew things could change quick! That being said, I have to be able to do this, and I better start off with a good attitude.

I really felt that the best things for me to do today was get out of the house.  I figured it would seem like a long day for Hudson and I if we were here all day alone.  Hallie still sleeps a lot, so running an errand in the morning seemed like the perfect thing.  Colby helped get hudson breakfast and I took care of Hallie and getting things ready.  Colby left for work, and by 9:30 I was in the car ready to go with both kids.  We ran to a few stores at the Westfield mall, with the idea of finding a blessing dress for Hallie and new shoes for Hudson's growing feet.  I am happy to say we found both and both kids were angels the whole time.  Hallie slept and Hudson was such a joy.  It was my first time with both kids in the new double stroller and Hudson was quite satisfied to stay in it.  I think I had angels with me today! Hallie started crying on the drive home, which actually was perfect, because I could then nurse her once we got home while Hudson played, then get lunch for Hudson and me.  We ate lunch together and chatted about our day and sang fun little songs.  We sang "if you're happy and you know it…," "Ants go Marching" and "Old MacDonald."  Hudson thought I was a pretty cool Mom.  I must admit, now that I have Hallie, I find myself trying to make an extra effort to make life fun for Hudson.  It really has been a good thing.

I was nervous about Hudson's nap time because he hasn't been going down for me, but with a few extra songs, he settled down and is now asleep.  Hallelujah! I know the day isn't over and it's only day 1, but I am writing this down now because it has been good.  I may need to be able to read this in 2 hours, 2 weeks or 2 years to know I CAN DO THIS!

Well, at least one of them was happy. :)