First week home

We've had a great first week home from the hospital!  My recovery has been a breeze this time, so I have been able to get back into the swing of life very quickly, which is a huge blessing.  We were even able to make it to church - all 4 of us - the day after we got home.

This was my first solo outing with both kids... to Target, when Lindley was 6 days old.  I had to get newborn diapers & pacifiers that Lindley likes.  Hillary & the girls met me there for moral support :).  It went well though, other than the fact that there is literally no room in the cart with Caden in the front seat part & L's car seat taking up the entire basket.

Caden having a snack one day...  he's so BIG now, it seems!

A rare moment with eyes open.  Girl still sleeps 98% of the time :).

Can't believe I have TWO kids!

I can already tell these days are going to go by too fast.  I remember Caden's first couple months seeming like an eternity, and I'd have to say I didn't completely enjoy them, largely because of how much of a struggle nursing was.  That part is going so much better this time, and with practically zero recovery needed from labor/birth, and already being in the swing of the pace of life as a mother, things just seem so much more manageable this time.  I know this is only the first week and things will get hectic when Lindley actually wakes up, for instance, but I'm definitely enjoying it so far!

And here's my sweet boy in the laundry basket.  He has seemed to adjust very well so far (again, I realize Lindley hasn't "woken up" yet!).  Only a normal amount of tantrums, and I haven't noticed any jealousy.  He has a very passing interest in the baby... he'll say "baby" from time to time, and look at her & touch her feet, but really doesn't care too much beyond that.

All in all, we are very blessed with these two kiddos and can't wait to watch them grow up together & see them start to interact and (hopefully) become best buds!

Lindley is here!

On Thursday, August 2, 2012, at 12:50 p.m., Lindley Caroline Tapp made her grand entrance into the world!  She was 6 pounds, 14 ounces, and 20 inches long.

We are in love with this little girl already!

I was induced 2 days shy of my due date, and labor only took 4.5 hours from start to finish.  It was not painless by any means, but SO much better than labor & delivery with Caden.  It certainly helped that she was so small & my second baby :).

A few hours after she was born...  3 generations!  Her name, Lindley, comes from Linda, my mom's name.  And her middle name, Caroline, comes from my maternal grandmother, Carolyn, and Wade's maternal grandmother, Carol.

We came home from the hospital today (Saturday), and we're doing great so far!  More to come I'm sure.

Caden's ring bearer debut

This weekend, my cousin got married - congratulations David & Rebeca!

Caden was the ring bearer.  

This was the only non-blurry picture I got of him, but isn't he cute?!  

He and my two nieces (the flower girls - Madelyn, 3.5, and Riley, 1) made it all the way down the aisle eventually (thankfully!).  Hillary and I were kneeling at the front of the church, looking like idiots, trying to get them to come to us.  Madelyn did fine, of course, and Riley pretty much followed her big sister.  It was a long aisle, and Caden didn't see me until the last third of it, so he got a little distracted several times during the first part.  Once he saw me, he grinned and ran toward me - it was so cute.  All the guests clapped when they finally made it to the end of the aisle :).

It was a fun & busy weekend with all the family in town.  I'm pretty much exhausted now, and also pretty much over being a 9-month-pregnant single parent of a toddler.  Wade gets home this weekend.  I can't believe we're going to actually have another baby in the next month.

Remembering mom

4th of July tradition of visiting the cemetery

I can't believe it's been 4 years since we said goodbye to mom.  My sweet baby boy twirled and trotted and giggled around the cemetery today, full of life that I know mom would have loved to see.  I hate that I can't "remember" her as a grandmother, since she never got to be one - I just have to picture what it would have been like.

Even though he can be a frustrating toddler many a time, Caden has been showing more and more sweetness lately, which is so fun.  He'll wrap his arms around my neck and hug me tight, or just giggle and grin when I go in to get him in the morning or after a nap.  He'll crack himself up doing random stuff, or come and lay his head against my belly for a minute or two randomly.  I hope he stays that way when baby sister comes!

So proud

I just wanted to post to say I am SO PROUD of my hubby, who, at the ripe old age of 27, is going to be the Assistant Principal of the CDS High School next year, as well as the Varsity Men's Basketball Head Coach (and, not to mention, a father of two!).  It is going to be a tough & busy year with all of that - in addition to finishing his master's degree - but I know he will be great at each of those roles.

Congratulations Wade!  I love you!

30 (and 33 weeks)

Well, I turned the big 3-0 yesterday!  It was a pretty regular day, but I did enjoy a wonderful dinner at P.F. Chang's with much of the family.  The food was delicious, it was great to have everyone together, and Caden behaved like an angel from heaven for all 3 hours!  That might have been the best birthday present of all :).  It's crazy to think that I'm now the age my dad was when I was born, and I'm having my second child too...  In 30 more years, I could be going on 4 grandchildren like he is!

Today is back to reality, as Wade left for team camp in Myrtle Beach for the weekend, and Caden is behaving like a toddler again.  He's not a bad kid by ANY means, but man, is it tiring to parent and correct and remind and praise and clean up and fix food and change diapers and be patient and gentle day in and day out with a toddler.  Since he is unable to communicate most of what he wants or needs, he has started this whole screaming/hitting/tantrum thing.  If something frustrates him, or a toy isn't doing what he wants, or he's tired or hungry, or I am not picking him up or getting his food ready fast enough, he just lets out a super loud, ear-piercing scream and/or hits me and/or throws the toy and has a fit.

I say "no screaming" or "no hitting" or "be gentle" about 200 times a day, but it is so frustrating to me because it just never seems to make a difference.  He still screams or hits in that moment when he is frustrated.  I have to constantly remind myself that all these things are phases, and although it seems like my instruction and patient reminders are doing NOTHING and he will NEVER learn, he really will, eventually.  Eventually, he will be able to say words to express himself, and eventually he will understand the concept of obedience and be able to respond to me.

Meanwhile, I am now 33 weeks pregnant...  7 more to go!  It's starting to feel like it is dragging at this point, but I think part of that is due to the long, tiring days of dealing with the aforementioned toddler :).  I have plenty to do, between Caden & housework & errands & working from home, so I'm sure when August comes, I'll look back & wonder how it is already my due date.  But baby girl still seems perfectly healthy & everything is going smoothly, so I'll just keep dealing with my one child until I have to figure out how to manage two!

Ring bearer ready!

Caden is all set to be the ring bearer in my cousin David's wedding in July!  We tried on his new suit and shoes the other day and they fit perfectly.  I just hope he can take directions and walk down the aisle when the time comes!  Somehow, he - at 17.5 months - and his cousins, Madelyn (3.5) and Riley (just over a year) - the flower girls - need to all make it down the aisle on July 7th.  It promises to be a little crazy, but hopefully pretty cute too!