Girls Giving Love to Their Lil' Sis

Just a day of hugs and kisses!!

Watch Out Mary Mary - Here Comes Hope & Faith!!!

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Caitlin's 1st Outing

Today was our first real outing with Caitlin.  As you can see, she is bundled up!!  It is the first day for this past week that we have not had rain so we needed to get all of us out of the house.  Although, it was quite chilly.  

We headed out to a home and garden show just to walk around. Really didn't see anything - which is good till we hit the lottery to do anything else around here.  :-)  Caitlin slept the entire time in her car seat/stroller.  Mikayla and Delilah loved going because usually 1 out of 10 vendors had candy - so it was like trick-or-treating all over for them.  

A Rainy Day = A Bath Day!!

Today was a yucky rainy day so none of us got out of our pajamas all day long!!

Mikayla eating some snacks...

Delilah looking cute as ever!!

Until bath time...

Caitlin - that is mommy's thumb not a chicken wing!! 

Ice Skating Queens

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So the girls were invited to their friend, Jasmyn's, birthday party at the ice skating rink.  We were a little concerned since I just had my c-section and Michael said there is no way he was getting on skates.  However, come to find out - they have 2 really cool things.  1) Parents can wear these little studded slip on things that go over your shoes so you can walk on the ice, and 2) they have walkers for beginner skaters to push around on. 

So here is a pic of the girls putting on their ice skates.  They had a complete blast and were skating around, with the walkers help, like pros.  They enjoyed themselves so much!  Now they keep asking to go to the snow to make snowmen, snow angels, and have snow ball fights - be patient my children... that day will come!

While we were at the ice skating rink, Nana stayed home with Caitlin and Caitlin did what she does best, sleep!!  

Peaceful sleeping Caitlin

Oh - Not so peaceful now!!!

Relaxing Around The House

Today, we just relaxed around the house.... All of us!!  :-)

Caitlin relaxing in the swing

Mikayla and Delilah relaxing on the couch

Well... relaxing ended and Delilah is trying to get Mikayla off the couch now!!

The King and his Princesses

Today was a lazy day after running a couple of errands in the morning. The girls enjoy watching Cinderella on their princess chairs they got for their birthday...

And daddy enjoys a few zzz's with his little princess.

Birthday Princesses

Mikayla and Delilah's birthday was a little overwhelming for them.  We headed out for their birthday lunch, and in the middle of it... they started getting VERY tired.  Guess running around for hours with their balloons exhausted them.  Due to their crankiness, we skipped the Toys R Us trip and they ended up falling asleep in the car.  Once they woke up from their nap, they played for a little, had dinner, opened presents, had Baskin Robbins ice cream cake, and then they went to bed.

Their little sister slept through the festivities after being awake for awhile before all the excitement started.

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY TO OUR 2 PRECIOUS MIRACLES!

We can't believe it! 4 years ago, I was shortly ending my 3 -week hospital stay by having a c-section to bring our lil' girls into the world - 14 weeks early. Through all the surgeries, ventilators, blood transfusions, medicines, treatments, and therapies.... and thanks to all the prayers and blessings from the Lord... Mikayla and Delilah are two happy and healthy 4 year old sweethearts!! Even with the chaos of a newborn baby in their house, they are still loving and caring as ever, except for the occasional fights with one another.

For their 4th Birthday, Daddy and Mommy loaded their bedroom with balloons as soon as they fell asleep last night. They woke up so excited, carrying their balloons around everywhere they went.

No big plans for their birthday today... going to a birthday lunch, taking them to Toys R Us so they can buy a gift for themselves and then back home for dinner, opening presents, and cake and ice cream. Their big birthday party is on February 9th. We weren't sure what was going to be going on with the birth of the baby so planned it for a few weeks out to be safe.

Our Newest Angel

So the past week has had its ups and downs... but as of right now we are all doing wonderfully! It started off on Monday, the day after we came home from the hospital. Caitlin and I were having some issues with the feeding so after hours of severe pain, Daddy went and got me a pump from the hospital. Caitlin took to that bottle like Daddy to fried chicken (or Mommy to Starbucks)!! and downed the milk in no time. On Wednesday, we took Caitlin to her first doctor's appointment. It turned into a very long morning.. after her doctor's appointment, we took her to the lab to get her billirubin test. Later that day, we received a call from her doc with the news that her billirubin went up from 8.5 (on Sunday at the hospital) to 16. He didn't want to admit her yet because he knew about her feeding issues. He said that with her taking the bottle now and not being exhausted from breastfeeding, it might get better. So we had to take her back on Thursday. Thursday's morning test came back and went to 17. He still wasn't wanting to send her to the hospital and said if Friday's comes back going up... he will have the home therapy set up at our house.

Friday's results came back and it was 14! It was going down!!! The bottle feeding is working and although Mommy is a little sad to have to pump all the time, she is happy it is doing good for Caitlin!!

Caitlin trying to sleep with a flash going off in her face.

Caitlin resting on Nana.

Caitlin sleeping on Daddy.

Caitlin's Coming Home

This morning, both Caitlin and I got the go ahead to go home if we want. Seeing that the hospital beds are so short and I wasn't able to stretch out my legs the whole two days I was there... I was excited to be able to go home!!!

As soon as Caitlin came home, the girls asked if we could let her down so she could crawl around. They thought 9 months was long to see the baby come out... now they will have to wait even longer to teach her how to run and "pump her arms" (as Mikayla says she will teach her).

Arrival of Caitlin Jurlean Grace

On Friday, January 4, 2008 at 10:03 am, we were truly blessed with the arrival of our newest daughter, Caitlin. It was so amazing to see such a large baby (compared to Mikayla and Delilah) being pulled out of my stomach. In our eyes, she is perfect - well almost - she could be a little softer on the breastfeeding side. :)Caitlin weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz and was 20" long.



Friday was a horrible day as far as weather goes too. There were power outages, flooding, and lots of trees fallen in the streets and on houses. After Caitlin and I got situated after the surgery, Daddy went to go back to the house to pick up Nana, Papa, Mikayla, and Delilah to come see their new sister and granddaughter. The girls were truly ecstatic when they walked in and saw their new little sister.

So you are probably wondering where we got the name Caitlin Jurlean Grace? The meaning of Caitlin is pure. Jurlean is her great-grandmother's name... and Grace goes along with her older sisters' middle names... Hope and Faith.

Getting the Baby's Room Ready

Well, guess its time!!  Finished up the baby's room yesterday and the girls helped test out the toys!  Obviously, we stuck with neutral colors since we don't know if it is a boy or girl.  But within 16 hours, we will soon know. We are all definitely excited and I am packed and ready to get in and out of the hospital as soon as possible. We are still scheduled for 9:30 surgery so hopefully nothing changes (except if it goes earlier!!) Thank you to all who have continued to pray for us through this pregnancy. I still can't believe I am 38 weeks!!!!

1st Visit of 2008 to Nuttree

Before the big storms hit, Daddy and Papa had a day out with their girls.  The girls were so excited to go and even more excited when they came home to tell us about their first ride on the rickety roller coaster that they are finally tall enough to ride!!

Mikayla as a lion

Papa as a giraffe

Delilah as a rabbit

Mikayla excited to go on the roller coaster

Papa and Delilah ready for Daddy to sit down so they can go!! :-)