Baby Lamey

I have so many things I need to say about my beautiful new baby Laney that I figured I would post them here, just so they get written down. I love her so much. The bonding has been easy and instantaneous. It is like she knows how much I love her and am ready to take care of her every need. She is a joy. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to grow her, bear her, and feed her. These are responsibilities I do not take lightly. What a wonderful blessing Heavenly Father has given me to be a mother.

Natalie calls her Baby Lamey--never baby or Laney, always baby Lamey. And she can say N's, but I think the N and the L together are too hard. Natalie is so cute with Laney. We were worried that she would struggle with less attention, but she has been the cutest big sister. She loves to hold the baby and help me get diapers, wipes, and desitin. She stands next to me on a stool watching Laney's bath so intently. With Hailey now in kindergarten, it is a new dynamic during the day, but I love being with these two sweet girls so much. Natalie has decided now, at 2 1/2 that a binkie might not be such a bad thing after all. Laney loves hers, but only the avent brand.

Hailey is a fabulous big sister and a wonderful daughter, as always. She has had some big changes in the last few weeks, with no home, no toys, a new school, a new schedule, a new house, and a new sister. I think she is doing good. She loves school and wakes up with her new princess alarm clock at 7 every morning by herself. She then proceeds to get her uniform on and brush her hair and make her bed before she comes to get me. We have struggled getting her to eat her whole breakfast cause she keeps getting "distracted", as she puts it. I am so grateful for Hailey at this time, especially cause she is such a good big sister to Natalie. I also love her enthusiasm for life. She reminds me of a younger me.

My mom was able to come for two whole weeks when Laney was born, which was such a blessing, especially because it was only two weeks before that that she came down for two weeks to help me take care of the kids in the wake of the house disaster. Both Brent and I are so grateful for her sacrifice of time and money and also for my dad's sacrifice of staying home alone for our benefit. Natalie and Nana really bonded because they spent so much time alone together while Hailey was at school and we were still at the hospital. She took Nattie to get a new haircut (so cute!) and kept my house clean and as organized as it was going to get seeing as how nothing is put away. She also helped me choose paint colors, carpet, and tile for the new house and took me shopping for some new clothes. I am so grateful she is my best friend and that my girls get to spend time with her and get to love her as I do.

Today while I was bathing Laney, I had this very strong impression that the house disaster was really one of God's tender mercies for our family. I don't know how or why now, but I am sure in time I will. I am so grateful for the immense outpouring of love and support that so many family members and friends have shown us. I am really trying to learn how to be more generous and how to ease other's burdens as mine have been so many times recently.

So today Laney is 2 weeks and 2 days old. Heaven forbid this post get done on her actual 2 week birthday. I am so grateful for her and for my other girls. Most people shake their head at the thought of three girls in five years, but I am so excited. I have my dream husband and my dream family.

--Laney had her first bath when her cord fell off, at one week and three days. She loves the bath, but not the getting out.

--She lost more than 10% of her birth weight in the hospital, but was back to 7 lbs. 5 ozs. at her one week checkup.

--She just woke up last Monday. She slept straight for almost two weeks. Except waking up every three hours on the dot to eat.

--She is a good eater. Much better than Hailey or Natalie ever were. Or maybe I'm just a better nurser. Somehow I don't think so.

--She looks like me. My nose and mouth. My other girls looked so much like Brent. It is easy to tell when looking at baby pictures who she is.

--I love the name Laney. We didn't decide until a few hours after she was born. Brent started calling people telling them that was probably the name. Well, we stuck with it and I love it more each day. It just fits her.

--She is screaming right now as I try to record all these precious memories, so I am done. Off to lunch with Nattie and Laney. Nattie has been begging to "go to lunch." So, off to find a drive thru!

me.