Memorial Day Parade

Happy Memorial Day!

It's a little bit different with two children.  It takes a lot longer to get out the door or to do anything really.  Today it seemed the morning was going to go smoothly, I skipped taking a shower so we would make it to the Memorial Day parade in it.  Of course something had to give, and that was it.  Then right before we were going to leave Mary wanted to eat.  So I nursed her, and we rushed out the door to the Dexter Memorial Day parade.  We got there a few minutes before 10am and we had a plan with the help of my cousin, a saved parking spot right next to where we would be sitting.  Then the road was shut down and the cop wouldn't let us turn right to drive 10 yards and pull into our spot.  Darn!  So Jim dropped off Mary and I and we only had a short walk.  Jim and Emily on the other hand parked far away and Jim pulled Emily in her new wagon to the parade.  

Once I hopped out of the car at the parade I realized Mary had spit up on her outfit so I had to change her and the parade just wasn't as relaxing as I had hoped.  But it was a beautiful day, I had a nice chair to sit in thanks to my cousin Diane and Emily had a blast.  Claire was so nice at sharing all the candy and making sure Emily got more than her share.  Mary was wonderful and didn't make a peep even being awake for the entire parade.  

Emily & Mary in their wagon & Claire

Claire & Emily

Emily & Claire picking up candy

Mary sucking her thumb (looks like she takes after her big sister)

Mary with Aunt Joyce

Mary & Emily in their Sunday Best!

It was so fun picking out dresses for the girls today for church.  It's going to be so fun dressing them in matching outfits and dresses.  Mary's outfit had a matching hat, but it was too big so she didn't wear it at church.  

During church we have a time when you greet everyone around you and shake hands.  Mary was getting so much attention that Pastor asked us to bring her up front so everyone could see her.  He said he couldn't compete with a new baby.  So I introduced her to the church and everyone clapped and then I introduced big sister Emily who came up there with me and everyone clapped again.  It was really nice.  Mary was an angel in church, I took her out to nurse but then she feel asleep and slept most of the service.

The dress Mary is wearing was a dress I got from my co-workers when they threw we a surprise baby shower when I was pregnant with Emily.

Family visitors - 2nd Cousins & Aunt Joyce

Saturday morning my cousin Diane, her daughter Claire, and son Kevin came over with their Grandma (my Aunt Joyce - my mom's older sister).  We are lucky because we live close to them and they go to our church and are in our bible study group.  So we are not only cousins but close friends too.

Here is a picture of Claire, Kevin, Emily and Mary.  Emily has her new big sister shirt on from the DeVoogd family.  She loves it, of course it's blue her favorite color too!

Kevin holding Mary.

Claire holding Mary

Aunt Joyce with Mary

Diane, Claire, Mary and Emily

Last Minute Play Date

Friday we decided to run some errands, we went to the Dexter Mill to get a few things for our garden and then to the grocery store.  We were so close to our friends house we stopped in for a surprise visit.  The kids had a great time playing super hero with the caps, and veils.  

Slip n Slide

This winter I bought a slip and slide on clearance at TJ Max.  I knew it would come in handy this summer.  Jim said first thing this morning that he wanted to get the slip n slide out, unfortunately he said it in front of Emily so what do you think we heard about all day today?  This afternoon about 3 o'clock they finally went out to the play on the slip and slide, and boy did they have fun!

These pictures tell the story ...

Sisterly Love

Emily has been really good with Mary.  She loves to hold her, talk and sing to her and she already is trying to teach her things.  Luckily we haven't had any trouble with jealousy, but I think that may change when Jim goes back to work.

The Cabble's Came to Meet Mary

The first visitors that came to see Mary outside of family were our friends from church the Cabble's.  It was nice to see friends and spend some time together even if it was a short visit.

Here is Blake and Erik holding little Mary

Julie is holding Mary with Megan looking on. 

Emily got some "Big Sis" pj's and some Diego color wonders.  Mary got a cozy soft blanket with her name and birth date on it.   They are the perfect presents.

At the park

Mary has been jaundice so we have gone to the doctor several times this week and we went to the lab twice to get her blood drawn.  Emily has been quite the trooper and is very good sitting at the doctor's office.

In between the lab and doctor's office we had about an hour on Wednesday, and Jim recommended going to the park.  What a great idea, the weather was perfect and Emily was in heaven.

Here is Emily and Jim on the slide, she wore a hat because Jim was wearing one.  She is so much like her daddy!

Jim and Emily having fun!

Mary and I walked around the park a little bit, she needed some sun for the jaundice and then we went to the car so she could eat.

Mary's jaundice numbers went down slightly on Wednesday, hopefully she continues to get better.  She has been very sleepy and I wake her every couple of hours to nurse, but she is not a very good eater and gets tired and falls asleep nursing.  Tomorrow we got to check her weight, I hope she is getting closer to her birth weight, on Wednesday she was 7 pounds 15 ounces.

Back at Home

It was so nice to get back home and relax.  Linda, Steve and the boys stayed at our house over the weekend and watched Emily for us.  They washed all of the bedding and had the house and food in the fridge when we came home on Sunday.  It was really nice.

Sunday afternoon Jim's mom came to help out and spent the night.  It was great having her here help with the girls and she helped plant in our garden on Monday too!  She is a master gardener, so she made a much better teammate than I would have on Monday.

Here is a picture of Mary relaxing at home.

Emily enjoyed having mommy back, and I read her books before bed downstairs.

Emily posing in her pj's, so he so cute.

Grandma Jane enjoying her two grand daughters.

Mary Louise at the hospital

We were anxious to leave the hospital, it was so boring sitting around the hospital room with nothing to do, so we left as soon as we could on Sunday.  We were discharged Sunday morning but had to wait for the birth certificate and and paperwork and finally left around 1:30pm.  

Here is a picture of Mary in her going home outfit.  It's a hand me down from Sarah, and both Emily and Mary wore this coming home as well as Susanna-Jane and Katherine.

On Saturday my family came to visit for the second time, Linda, Steve, Caleb, Joshua, Mom, Dad and Emily.  They also came on Friday too.  

Here is a picture of Emily holding Mary on Saturday.

I had to include this picture of Jim holding his little girl, both sleeping on Saturday.

Mary Louise Arrives Friday May 21st 2010

Mary Louise Heiss arrived on Friday May 21st at 10:51am via c-section.  Mary weighed 8 pounds 7.5 ounces and was 19 inches long (although a few days later she measured 20 inches at the Doctor's office).

Mary Louise is named after her Great Aunt Mary Louise Marion who is remembered fondly for her spunky character and many jokes.  Aunt Mary Lou passed away 5 years ago and her birthday was May 26th, very close to our Mary's birthday.  Mary's middle name Louise is also my middle name (Beth Louise) and my grandma Weidmayer's middle name (Irma Louise Weidmayer).  

Here is our first family picture on Friday afternoon.  Emily was very excited to be a big sister and hold Mary.

This picture was right the birth of Mary, as you can see she was a big baby!  Mary was born at 39 weeks.

Jim was pretty excited to find out what we were going to have, here he is right before the c-section.

Jim announced "It's a girl!"

Grandma was Mary's first visitor.

Mary got Emily a "big sister" present.

Looking at Mary for the first time ...

Volunteers at the hospital made this blanket and hat

Aunt Linda with Mary

Caleb & Joshua with their new cousin

More Birthday Celebration

After church today we decided to give Emily the presents we got her for her Birthday.  Emily's Birthday is Thursday, but who knows if the baby will arrive before then.  Hopefully it doesn't come until the planned c-section on Friday morning at 10am.  

Emily wore her Birthday dress to church today, you don't get to wear it but once a year, so she has worn it several times this week.  I actually bought the dress last year, and it fits again this year, what a bonus!

Opening her first present ...

Yeah, a Dora Wii game!

Trying on her new hat, darn too small (and it's a 3-4 from Gymboree)!

Opening up the clothes

I like it!

Emily got a few new outfits from Gymboree which I bought on clearance after Christmas.  She also got the Dora Wii game and a Leapster.   I bought the Leapster on Black Friday at Kohl's on clearance and the Dora Wii game I found on clearance at TJ Max.  Good thing I shopped for about 6 months for her Birthday, I saved a bundle.