A Little Christmas

Pics from the phone...

Cracker paper crowns...

Funny Celia...

Annual Nutcracker...

1 Month

Celia is closer to 2 months than one month now but I did take her bear picture on the day. She is too good to be true. To describe her in one word: contentment. She lets us know if she is hungry or wants a cuddle but otherwise is a content little baby.

She likes to eat (what feels like) non-stop in the evenings and be held until her midnight bedtime. She sleeps a solid 6 hour stretch then goes straight back to sleep for another 3-4 hours. She still does not burp and rarely spits up. She is swaddled for night and most naps.

At her 6 week check, she weighed 9 lbs and 8 ozs and is 24 inches long. She is 25th for weight, 75th for length and 50th for head. Those genetics run strong. The smallest clothes are too small. She only wore long gowns for day and night for the first 5 weeks. Now she gets "dressed" in footed sleepers for day.

Last week she hit a less than desirable "milestone": a cold. The Nap Nanny has really came in handy. She is a choker so I worry a little less with her in a reclined position. One choking episode as she was turning red and purple I considered calling 999. But she quickly recovered. She is now good as new.

She is giving us lots of smiles and holding our gaze. She is starting to coo. She is a sweet angel.

Rosemary Beach Whites

I have over 20 drafts in Blogger to finish and post. Brent is home for two weeks and we are in organization/purge mode.  So I'll start with this one...

A trip to the Florida Panhandle is only complete with beach pictures. Surprisingly, whites for everybody were easy to find and since I waited until July to start looking meant everything was on sale.  Double like.

Merry Christmas

Tree

We finished decorating the tree...

Oh What Fun It Is To...Decorate!

I am "linking up" for the first time with Blue-eyed Bride to share Christmas decorating ideas. Click through to find loads of inspiration.

Today was the last day of school for nearly 4 weeks. Now it really feels like Christmas to me.

I love the Christmas season.  I enjoy the way it is done in England.  In the year of the (6 week old) babe...and 2 year old...(and the 8 & 9 year olds) with only 9 days to go...here is our simplified Christmas decor. Luckily, we extend Christmas until the Epiphany so we get an extra week.  I have intentionally stayed off Pintrest.  Hopefully, I will have many more Christmases to come to use all the greatness that is Pintrest. 

Front door swag from the grocery delivery man...I added the star for a little something extra...

After being married for 12 Christmases I finally pulled the trigger and ordered a nativity...(Fontanini is a little cheaper in the UK than US)...another blogger adds to her scene each year...we will do the same...

Dining room dresser...there was a bell jar full of red & green M&Ms my dad brought over...I like to think I had help devouring them...

I managed to have the Advent wreath ready in the nick of time for the first Sunday...

Mommy's helper stringing bells...

For a not yet decorated tree...

Will post a picture later in the weekend when we finish the tree...

One More Today

Blogger app is amazing. Basic but useful.

Celia has the night owl gene...

From the Phone

Testing the Blogger app...

Sleepy smiles...

Sleeping more...

Sweet curled legs and big yawn...

For Celia's Fan Club

A big thank you to Celia's fan club!  Ask and you shall receive...

When we arrived at dinner for Caroline's birthday and removed the blanket covering the carseat we found this...
luckily no accident on the 5 minute drive...

 Kicking and growing...

Sleeping and growing...

She is doing wonderfully...eating, sleeping and growing...more words to follow...

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is business as usual here in the UK.  But thanks to technology I am aware of what I am missing.  We are celebrating on Saturday so just a two day delay.  I am roasting a whole turkey on my own for the first time.  Hope it is a success.

It is fitting to list the things for which I am thankful today.  I struggle with the fine line of blessings versus boasting.  But today is about Thanksgiving and I am writing this as quickly as possible so I will save that debate for another day.

I am thankful for my little family:

      Brent - who I still really like, makes me laugh (or roll my eyes), who works very hard to provide for his  family, is remarkably hands-on with the children and never leaves his socks on the floor.  

     Mary Kate, Caroline, George and Celia - bright and lively children who fill my heart and home.  They make each day anything but boring.  I am especially thankful for the gift of Celia this year.  With age I see the miracle in healthy, full-term, screaming newborns.  I am so thankful I get to have her.  

I am thankful for my big family:

      Your family is your family like it or not.  I appreciate mine.  They are usually happy to see me.  The girls think they are great.  I think it is wonderful my children get to have relationships with teenagers and young adults.  We get each others sense of humor. 

 I am thankful to be American:

      Even though I choose to live in another country, I am thankful for the opportunities provided to me simply because of the country in which I was born.  Oprah once said something about being born a girl in America already makes one very lucky.   I agree.    

I am thankful for my work:

     Staying at home with the children and getting to geek out with taxes - it does not get much better in my book.  I thoroughly enjoy caring, feeding, cleaning and helping the children, homemaking and I will admit:  lunches and coffees.  I also enjoy spreadsheets, problem solving and pleasing clients.  Not always easy to balance it all but a nice mix for me. 

I am thankful for random things:

      Coffee, wine, croissants, children singing together, iTunes, walking OR driving to the high street, Skype (when it works), Christmas cards, fall color, getting to pat a baby bottom again, hairspray, girl clothes, boy energy....

I am thankful I posted this post on Thanksgiving Day.  It may not be coherent and it is certainly not complete - I have my littlest turkey to thank for my state of blissful sleep deprivation. 

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Good Thing #6

Nap Nanny Chill

A couple of weeks before Celia was born I decided I had to have one of these for her.  However, they are not available in the UK.  They believe babies should lie flat as much as possible for spine development and comfort.  So I doubt the Nap Nanny will catch on here.  I gave up on it because shipping would cost more than the recliner and I did not know of anybody coming over until December.  But my sister came for a surprise visit and brought Celia one.  

According to my niece you lay the baby in it and they go so sleep.  It is not quite so fool proof but Celia does nap well in it.  She can be a little chokey so I like to have her upright after she eats.  I highly recommend it. 

Good Thing #5

Kuhn Rikon Paring Knife 

I picked one of these up for picnics and checked baggage when we travel.  Now I use for all cutting and chopping.  They come in a rainbow of colors and are one of my favorite things. 

Celia Pictures

Baby Burrito...

One arm break out...

Hands up and ankles crossed...

My what big eyes you have...

Born in Britain but still a southern girl dressed for game day...

One Week

Celia's one week birthday was full of excitement. 

Her cord fell off. 

Then she had her first photo shoot...

Then her Aunt Kim made a surprise special delivery to meet her and bring her a nap nanny...

A nice end to a good first week on earth!

Day 5 Report

Yesterday a midwife came by the house to check on Celia.  At first she was concerned about her weight loss in the hospital.  But  after finding she weighs 7 lbs and 3 ozs - gaining nearly three ounces and well on her way back to her birth weight - the midwife was satisfied.  

Celia had perfect timing :  she waited until after her weight check but while the midwife was here to have her first blow out.  Good girl for impressing the midwife with color, force and volume.  

She is slightly jaundiced.  But day 5 is peak day so the midwife was not the least bit concerned.  Yeah!  We did it!  I have extra milk so we will continue topping up for the next week just to make sure she is on an upward trend. 

Celia's pet name is Kitty.  She cries like a kitten, makes purring noises like a kitten and even before she was born she gently stretched like a kitten.  

She will sleep endlessly if being held.  Last night we took turns holding her while watching TV.  Big mistake - her awake time was from 12-2 am.  She was happy but awake.  Thankfully Brent is home so Kitty and I can stay up all night and sleep all day - for now. 

Celia is my first baby to nurse well from the start.  She immediately opened wide and latched perfectly.  I almost skipped trying in the delivery room because the others did not take to it.  But to be fair, I offered it to her and she knew exactly how to do it.  Nursing has never came easily to me in the early days.  Caroline and George had big challenges we overcame.  Celia has nursed roughly 50 times and every time I can not believe she is doing it with ease. 

The girl refuses to burb.  

What do the other children think about her?  George is not bothered one way or the other.  He kisses her and shares his onk (blanket scraps) with her.  He likes to heist her paci.  Brent is home so he has loads of undivided attention.  He is 2 so no noticeable increase in the number of hissy fits.  The girls like to hold her as much as possible.  We all stare at her in amazement. 

I am feeling well.  I have been well looked after.  Brent is home for two weeks.  So I have been able to rest and focus on Miss Celia and her feedings.  In the evenings, I cover homework and he handles dinner.  A wonderful friend came to the house when I was in the hospital and cooked a week of meals.  This is the best gift ever. The late night last night has been tough today though.  When I finally went downstairs at noon today, Brent gave me a funny look.  I looked as if I had been to war - still in my pajamas, hair a mess, shirt covered in milk.  A coffee and shower made it all better.  

We are savoring our babymoon...