Flashback: First Birthday Party

I must send my sincerest apologies for so sorely neglecting my blog. Now that I am feeling better about being caught up on things, like cleaning, I realizing all the other things I used to do. I am going to try to do a better job of updating the blog, but first I need to backtrack a bit to fill in the several month gap, starting with Elzi and Lillian's first birthday party.

On Saturday, December 19th, 2009, we celebrated Elzi and Lillian's first birthday with family and friends at our house. The night before, we got the first of many significant snow falls. It was enough snow to trap Nana and Papa Buchanan in Morganton, and the only reason Grandma and Grandpa Harris made it was that an ambulance got stuck in their neighborhood, so their road had to be plowed. All of the girls' aunts, uncles, and cousins were there, as well as their Great Grandma, Doris.

Mommy made a fly boat cake, just like the one on the "Wonder Pets," for all the guests. For their first taste of cake, Elzi had a Ming Ming (the duckling) cupcake and Lillian had a Linny (the guinea pig) cupcake. Lillian was unsure at first. She stuck her finger in the icing, slowly tasting it, and eventually breaking the cupcake apart and eating it. Elzi, on the other hand, after getting upset about her party hat, stuffed the entire cupcake into her mouth. In true, one-year-old form, the girls got cake and icing all over their faces, and had a blast!

Lillian with Aunt Leslie

Elzi with Aunt Amy

Fly Boat cake and Ming Ming and Linny Cupcakes

Lilly's cheese face

Elzi's not happy about the party hat

much better now

Lilly's still a little hesitant

Happy Birthday, Elzi!

Happy Birthday, Lillian!

Happy Homecoming Day, Elzi!

On this day, one year ago, we completed our family by bringing home our first-born, Elzi. When the nurses let us know that Lillian was ready to go home the previous day, we were given the choice of leaving her in the hospital with Elzi, who would likely be ready to go home the following day. We decided that it was probably better to take home one baby at a time to ease into things, even if just for one night. I remember feeling guilty taking away Elzi's bedmate. She had woken up as though she knew what was happening.

Around mid-day on January 22, 2009, a nurse called me and said that Elzi was ready to go home. I told her that we would come get her when Ben got off work. He told me that I could go without him, but I wanted us both to pick her up. Not to mention, we had to take Lillian with us, and I was really not ready to deal with traveling with both by myself yet. Ben ended up getting home really late that night. So late that the nurse called to ask if we were still planning to pick her up that night.

When we got to the hospital our favorite nurse, who was taking care of Elzi earlier that day, was gone. We brought in Lillian in her car seat and began to get Elzi dressed. Another nurse came over and said that siblings who had been released were not allowed to come back and visit. When we explained that we were just there to pick Elzi up, she said if was fine, but Lillian needed to be moved into the hall. We had planned to take pictures of Elzi like we did of Lillian, but since Ben and Lillian were waiting in the hall, I just got Elzi dressed and ready to go, and we left. We took pictures of both of our girls at home.

Again, I put my daughters in the bassinet by our bed while we slept. When I woke up, this is what I saw.

Our whole family was finally together and all was right with the world. Happy Homecoming Day, Elzi! Mommy and Daddy love you more than words can express.

Happy Homecoming Day, Lillian!

It was one year ago today that we brought home our youngest daughter, Lillian, after five weeks in the hospital. I wanted to finally get to dress her in her "coming home outfit," so I did. I woke her up, took her out of the perfectly fitting preemie clothes she was wearing, and dressed her in her "up to 7 lbs" monkey outfit with the pink and brown striped pants. Of course, it was too big for her, especially her socks, but did she ever look cute!

We brought her home, and didn't quite know what to do. We held her, heated bottles in the bottle warmer for the first time, and fed her. When it was time for us to go to bed, I put her in the bassinet of the pack-n-play right beside the bed. I remember thinking, how am I going to know if she will be okay while I'm asleep. There are no monitors to go off if she forgets to breath or her heart rate changes. My solution was to keep my hand on her all night, and I did. I would wake up anytime she moved or made any noise. Needless to say, it was a very restless night, but I had waited so long for that night to happen, it was all worth it. Every day since has been worth it, too.

Mommy and Daddy love you more than you will ever know, Lillian. Happy Homecoming Day!