Three Weeks!

Charlotte is three weeks old today. It feels like the past three weeks have just flown by, and I can't believe that she is almost a month old already. I also can't believe that at this point with Abby, we were on our way to Arlington, Va, for Andy's brain surgery. I look at Charlotte now and can not imagine how we did it with such a small baby. I am so thankful that this go around is much more low-key! Although, having a 2-year-old at the same time has had its share of craziness, stress, and moments of desperation, too. (Side-note: do all moms compare each new pregnancy/newborn to the last, or is it just me??).


Here are some shots of what we have been up to the past three weeks:


Lots and lots of family snuggles!!




Charlotte's first sponge bath at home. How she hated it, until we gave her a paci, of course!!





Charlotte loves to sit in her bouncy chair and look out the window. And, she is trying desperately to find her hands, as you can see in these photos. I fear we might have a thumb sucker when she finally does!!




There is something absolutely IRRESISTABLE about a sleeping baby...


My Mom stayed with us for a week after Charlotte was born. I really have nothing more to say abut this except THANK YOU GOD.

My Mom is the most calming presence. We are so different- I am incredibly task-oriented while she is totally relationally-oriented, I am organized while she can be a little scatter-brained (it's the musician in her!), I am often rushed while she is unhurried, I am very opinionated and can be judgemental, she is one of the most open-minded and loving people I know. She is a constant reminder to me of the things that are truly important- people, not tasks; resting, not rushing; listening, not talking to be heard. I still have so much to learn from her! I am so thankful for where the Lord has brought our relationship over the years, and I am so thankful for her! We all went through Bubba withdrawal when she left.





Although we slowed down a bit when Charlotte was born, Abby seems to have missed that memo.
But I wouldn't have it any other way...

Alexe Weymouth and her girls came to visit when Charlotte was just a week old! How fun to get all of our girls together.


Our two #2's... Charlotte and Madeleine

Lallie is Abby's bestie, and future JMU roomie (we have informed her that she can go to any school in Virginia, but if she goes to JMU we will pay for it... and if she goes to Tech then her GRANDFATHER with pay for it!!)






And few more of Charlotte that I just though were too cute NOT to post.. but then, I am pretty biased...





The last three weeks have been such a blur- it seems that life hasn't slowed down as much as I thought it would (probably due to the 2-y-o!!). We are exhausted and sleep-deprived, but we are enjoying Charlotte so much and are loving our new family of four. She is such a sweet baby, she loves to be held, more so than Abby did, and really only fusses when she is hungry or tired (or wants to be held...). She reminds me so much of Abby but I am already seeing so many differences, both in her appearance and demeanor. We love her so much!
And Abby is doing great! She surprises me every day with how capable she is of being a good helper and a good comforter and companion for Charlotte. A few days ago I noticed that it would bother her when CHarlotte would cry a lot (she would say "NO baby, STOP!!" until I got Charlotte calmed down). So, we have been working on how we care for our sister when she is sad and ways we can help her feel better. Yesterday Charlotte started to fuss in her bouncy chair, and Abby walked up to her, started patting her belly, and said "shh, it's okay baby sister, it's okay, I love you baby sister." I about died on the spot- it melted my heart to see her loving her sister so well, and it was such an encouragement to me to see her respond to what has felt like DAYS of instruction on being kind.
And how my heart needed this encouragement! Because it has been HARD caring for a newborn (who nurses every two hours!!!), and shepherding, instructing and disciplining a toddler at the same time. MAN, no one told me it would be this hard! Okay that's a lie, many people told me it would be hard, but somehow it didn't register until now. This is the hardest thing I have ever done, EVER. I am having to let go of my natural desire to be "in control" like never before. I am having to trust God and depend on Him in a totally new way. I am learning more and more that my deepest need right now is not more sleep, or a girl's night out, or a pedicure (although I would about DIE to have any one of those right now!!). My deepest need right now is to learn how to die to myself. How thankful I am that I know the One who did this perfectly, for my sake, and that His Spirit lives in me and is working in me!