First Friends

It's a small world afterall.

Here's Connor (in the jeans) with Brendan (second from left), one of his very first friends from Tokyo. We took Connor to his first party at Brendan's parents' house on New Year's Day (where this photo was taken). Connor was just a week old, Brendan was three weeks old. Connor wasn't even the youngest baby there, the baby girl on the far right (Hope) had only come home from the hospital the night before. That's Carter on the far left by the way! This picture always makes me laugh because Andrew got Connor dressed and ready for this party. Being that it was his first "party"- he wanted to make sure he looked cool so he put him in a Beatles onesie and cargo jeans (that were for like a 3-6 month old, mind you- Connor weighed just over 6 lbs at this point!) I was too tired to care though ;) Poor kid.

Connor and Brendan a couple months later.

Fast forward to our move to New Canaan. I knew Brendan and his parents lived in CT now but I wasn't sure where. And wouldn't you know- they live in New Canaan too! How fun it was to already have friends in a new town where we didn't know anyone. We see them on a pretty regular basis and Connor and Brendan are the best of buds! Here they were at the park this past spring.


And this summer at the pool.

With Kate Jensen (another friend from Tokyo!) during the Jensens visit this summer.

And wouldn't you know, Brendan's Mom Christine and I were both pregnant with our second babies, due just 2 weeks apart! Her's came a little early, mine came a little late so they ended up a month apart. Here they were chilling together on Tuesday afternoon, while their older bros played together on the playground. Leyla and Brian, first friends!

I definitely have Tokyo to thank for some wonderful friends. Thinking of and missing Carter, Sloan, KJ and their Mommies right now!

1 Month Stats

Had Leyla's 1 month check up this morning, here's her current stats:

Weight: 8 lbs, 3 oz (25th percentile). Height: 20 3/4 inches (50th percentile). Her head circumference was 37 (50th percentile). I was concerned that she dropped from the 50th to the 25th percentile in weight but apparently they gave me the wrong percentages at her 2 week check up and she was actually in the 25th percentile then too. I updated those stats. She's just a little peanut! I've only been breastfeeding so I'm just not sure how many ounces she takes in a feeding but I'm going to try and introduce the bottle in the next couple days so hopefully I can get an idea then.

Can you tell who is who? This is one of my fave NB outfits.

4 Weeks!

Leyla is 4 weeks old today! She continues to be the sweetest little angel. Just over the last week or so she's started to "coo" and smile when smiled at (not all the time and yet to be caught on camera) and both make my heart melt. She coos the most during bath time and diaper changes. She seems excited to have found her voice! Bath time is my favorite time with her. Perhaps because I give her her bath after Connor has gone to bed and its "our" time together (she's also just a huge fan of bath time in general which makes it extra fun). I love the way she stretches out her arms and legs in the water and smiles when I spray her off. I got this (pink) soft bristled hairbrush and she really loves it when I comb her hair (even though its mostly just fuzz and Andrew laughs at me). She's just a joy. She still loves loves loves to snuggle and basically just melts into you when you pick her up. She's still a champ at night (and with no pacifier!) Most nights I put her to bed around 9:30pm and she wakes to eat at 4:00am and 7am (at which point I'm up for the day) so I'm really only waking once in the night. A very sweet deal!! If I could use one word to describe her it would be delicious. That's just what she is- the way she looks at me, the way she feels in my arms, the way she smells (a mix of new baby and soap and puke)- I love it :)

I am really appreciating getting to be a parent the second time around. Not just because we're more laid back and everything just feels easier this time but because I'm so sure not to rush things. When Connor was a newborn I was in such a hurry for him to get bigger- so he wouldn't feel so fragile, so his head would be stronger, so he'd be stronger, so he'd start eating more and sleeping better, etc. I spent his first couple months so nervous and worried about everything. This time around I'm enjoying every last second of this snuggly little baby. We are in NO HURRY, quite the opposite- I wish time would just sloooooooow down. There is laundry to be done and dishes to be put away and emails to be returned, yada yada- but whenever possible you'll find me on the couch with a little baby asleep in my arms or fast asleep on my chest (its tough to find the time to do that with a toddler running around but I'm doing my best!) We took both kids to a dinner party on Saturday night. While I was cradling a sleepy Leyla in my arms one of the women there told me that she'd give all the money in the world to have just one more day of holding her kids when they were that little (both of her sons are in their late 30's now) and it made me tear up! Hormones maybe, but she's so right and I dread the day when my babies will be all grown up. I feel like I get to re-live Connor's newborn stage again through Leyla right now- since she looks so much like him and makes so many of the same expressions that he did at her age. This time I know to cherish every second because it goes by oh so fast...

We have Leyla's 1 month check up tomorrow so I'll have her stats then. Hopefully she's still gaining weight as consistently as she was at her last two appointments. Her NB sized closed are pretty much too small for her now so I thinking she's just about 8lbs now if not more!

Some pictures from the last two weeks.

Her first bath!


Her first jacket, a gift from Andrew's Aunt Nancy! Melanie- it really is like having a "doll" to dress right now!!


Proud Mommy ;)

A little smile in her sleep.


My current view. Picture taken a few minutes ago on my phone. The majority of this entry was typed with one hand :)

And I can't forget my boo! Here he is (duh) leaping off of something!

Visit from Nana and Grandad

This past weekend Andrew's parents came out for a visit. It was so nice to have an extra set of hands and I think they really enjoyed spending time with Connor and meeting sweet Leyla. On Thursday morning I left Leyla at home with Nana so that Connor and I could have a few hours of "us time"- I think we had really been missing each other ;) We went to Connor's favorite indoor climbing gym where we ran into a friend of Connor's from school and his Mom. We all had a pizza party lunch together- very fun. The Eichs treated us to more babysitting on Friday night- this time for both kids so that Andrew and I could go out to dinner. We had 8:00 dinner reservations but due to some feeding/pumping timing issues we didn't make it there until almost 8:45- eek! As we were leaving the house I declared that this was too tough and that we couldn't do this again for a while but once we got to the restaurant I changed my tune! Of course we love spending time with our kids but it sure is fun to be out for a night without them! I love how easily we can revert back to our non-parental selves ;) We shared an amazing bottle of wine (toasting our fantastic kids) and decided we needed to do this on a very regular basis.

Some pics from the weekend:

Meeting Nana for the first time! Nana was a big fan.

Nana and Connor constructed this super cool haunted house for Halloween!

My sweetpea with her Nana.

On Saturday morning we all visited a pumpkin patch in Westchester, NY called Outhouse Orchards. There was a hayride, apple picking, pony rides, a climbing gym and freshly made apple cider donuts... a perfect way to spend the morning on a gorgeous fall day!

Leyla was really into it.

Connor and Nana on the hayride.

Connor riding a pony named Megan. Just like in Hilton Head, he was so so so excited!

In the car I sat between Connor and Leyla. I thought it was so cute the way Leyla was staring out the window, just watching her new world go by!


Leyla really loved to cuddle with Nana.

And where was Andrew's Dad during our day at the orchard? He was tacking a major weeding project we had going on in the front yard. We are so appreciative! Here's Andrew laying down fresh mulch the next day. As usual, Connor loves to help his Dad with whatever he's doing!

Thank you to the Eichs for a wonderful visit and for all the help!

Another fun-filled weekend ahead- several of Andrew's best friends from college are coming to stay with us for the weekend. His friend Geoff (currently an expat in South Africa) is going to be in town for the weekend so they're having a reunion of sorts. I can't wait to see everyone. Then Leyla and I will be going to Ashley's baby shower on Sunday!

Leyla Update and New Pics!

Our little lady will be 3 weeks old tomorrow, I can hardly believe it! I overloaded my computer's memory with all the pictures I've been taking recently so it crashed. Andrew finally took it to the Apple store over the weekend and thankfully we're up and running again. Hence the delay in updates.

Week 1: At Leyla's 1 week check up she weighed 6 lbs, 14 oz, back up to her birth weight! They like to see babies reach their birth weight by their two week check up so her doc said we were doing really great. At that point I was mostly setting my alarm at night to wake and feed her every 3 hours so her doctor said I could start letting her go 4 hours between feedings if she was still sleeping- yay! We didn't get to this point with Connor until the 4 month mark- until then he was still waking every 1.5-2 hours. So needless to say this was totally unexpected and we were beyond thrilled!

Week 2: Leyla weighed 7 lbs, 7 oz (25th percentile). She was 20 inches (50th percentile). Her head circumference was 35 (50th percentile). The doctor again said we're doing great and could start letting her feed "on demand" at night. She typically does a 5 (once it was 6!!) hour stretch when we first put her down and then another 3. So I'm only waking to feed her twice in the night, so nice. She'll then keep sleeping in the morning, giving me a chance to get Connor up and his breakfast made, ready for school if its a school day, etc. Then I'll wake Leyla to feed her and get her ready. It's been a good routine for us so far!

She's just the absolute sweetest thing. Needless to say, WE ADORE HER!!! When she's awake she's so alert, and loves to watch what Connor is doing. She loves to be held and is a major snuggle-bunny but she's also fine to just watch what's going on from her swing or playmat. She hasn't really started with the evening cranky time yet although she's still pretty young so I know we aren't out of the woods yet. When she does get upset its always because she needs something- to be fed, diaper changed, etc.

Like Connor, she has the most beautiful blue eyes. I'll be surprised if they don't stay blue. I think their shape is different though, I think they'll be more like mine (Connor has Andrew's huge blue eyes). Her hair is a real light brown but her eyelashes and eyebrows are very light blond. Maybe she'll be a blond? She's also got the cutest button nose and most perfect heart shaped mouth (not sure who she gets that from). We've also determined that her ears are mine and her long fingers are Andrew's. And of course Andrew's chin! Can you tell we're a little obsessed?

Connor's been doing pretty well too. For the most part he doesn't really make a big deal of the baby. I've seen him going over to rock her in her swing or give her a kiss on her head but for the most part he doesn't really pay her much attention. The toughest part has been when I'm nursing Leyla (and it feels like I'm always nursing Leyla right now) and he wants me to do something with him and I literally can't get up. Occasionally he'll tell me that he's "really sad right now" and it just breaks my heart! But for the most part I think he's come to terms with the whole sharing of Mommy thing. I've been trying to do some extra snuggling with him lately too, I really miss the one on one time with my favorite little boy! I make sure he knows he's still my boo ;)

Here's some pictures from weeks 1 and 2.



Her big bro is way more interesting than her playmat toys.

First video chat with Nana and Grandad in Michigan.

First trip to the playground (don't worry, it was a really warm day).

Snoozin'

At her 2 week doc appt.

Leaving her 2 Week doctor appt.

We just love this sweet face!

These kids are my dream come true!

1 Week Old!

Our little Leyla is proving to be the sweetest thing in the world and Connor has been such a great big bro! We are feeling so blessed right now.
A few pictures from the last couple days.

Contemplating her next move (which would be eat, sleep or poop)

Check out that butt chin just like her Daddy! Andrew is so proud ;)

First trip out on the town! (Just to the hospital for a post partum check up)

Couldn't resist the headband at the hospital gift shop, ha. Too bad it makes her ears stick out.

Getting ready for bedtime.

I was taking a few pictures of Leyla and Connor said "ok take a picture of me now Mommy! Cheeeeeeeessssssssee"

Few Quick Pics

Connor adores his little sis. He wants to hold her all the time, lay next to her, kiss her, etc. It's the sweetest thing. Of course sometimes Leyla is less than thrilled.

Again, always wanting to be involved he wanted to help Andrew with the post feed burp.

Mom left today. SO SAD. There is a definite void felt around the house right now, we miss her so much already! Gotta love Connor's current "cheese" face by the way.

Love this one.

Napping in the swing this morning. I cannot believe how in love I am with this little girl!!

Andrew asked Connor to go pick out his outfit this morning and we laughed when he chose exactly what Andrew had on ;) Have I mentioned how much he idolizes Andrew?? Here they are running sports drills in the back yard.

Since he's been home the last couple days Andrew has been back in action in the kitchen making mass meals for us- YAY! I love that he always lets Connor help him cook.