Parenting insight from Beyonce.

All the women, independent, throw your hands up at me. And that's what she does. Usually accompanied by-"no". So, lately-Ava wants a fork. Not a spoon, a fork. To stab her prey. This is annoying at home, but quite embarassing when you are at other people's house. (sorry, Lesley) She is learning some lessons-like you can't pick up a Ritz cracker with a fork. Although she did a nice job on the goldfish below.

Some pictures Mark took outside today after he was gone ALL WEEK. Really nice to have another set of hands around tonight! I went crazy and took a shower AND checked my email. Sad what becomes luxury.

The coat she was wearing was mine when I was little. It's all that's really still around from my childhood! Fourth child..few memories. :)

Eastside to the Westside...

Our good friends from Detroit came to spend the weekend with us to help celebrate Mark's birthday and help entertain our children. (Ok, they didn't come for that, but got roped into it as evidenced by photos below.) We had so much fun having a grown up slumber party. :)

Everybody getting a little Kaiya action...

And Ava...we had Michigan and State fans, so she was very confused about the cheering and just ended up yelling go go go during most of the game.

Ok, cutest matching pajamas that Ava absolutely refused to pose in. Maybe another time.

Birthday boy with his girls......(except me :))

Pray

Even on my worst days, I can't fathom the situation of the McNeil's. Please check out this website and consider...and even if it's not something you feel like God wants you to do right now, keep this sweet family in your prayers.

http://www.ahundredforahome.com/

Birthday and a half!

Fun DeKorne family trivia: Mark and Ava share birthdays/half birthdays. (Kaiya, sorry babe, we missed it by 7 days!)
Happy Birthday to my sweet husband. Mark just exemplifies fun. Everywhere he is is more fun. I think most people who know him can attest to a game Mark made up, a snow fort he built, a motor he added to something, or something more fun because he was there.

He is such a generous, funny, wonderful, loving husband and provider. And-there is nobody I would rather have as the Dad of my babies. Happy Birthday babe! We love you! (and miss you...come home so we can make you a cake :))

Ava just a few days old...only a year and a half ago!

Obviously Ava inherited some of her father's personality...

And his love of talking on the phone. :)

4,480 Minutes

Today is Kaiya's 2 week birthday. The math: I have fed her no less than 8 times a day every day for 2 weeks. At 40 minutes a pop, that's 4,480 minutes I have spent feeding her. (Roughly 74 1/2 hours) That's a lot of time folks. No wonder I am totally into her. :) At the risk of being too deep-I think it's neat how God does that, to help you get to spend time with your baby, and force you to sit and rest so your body can recover. Although I am anxious to get to sleep again. :)

She has had a good two weeks, including an introduction to steak.

We have been able to keep Kaiya alive despite the forceful loving from her big (well, sorta big) sister.

Ava carefully pointing out her eyes. (or, not so carefully)

Chatting with Grandma and Aunt Lolly....such a sweet baby!

weird!

The strangest thing happened...since last Tuesday Ava gained 5 pounds and grew 4 inches. Ok, not really. But it sure seems like it!

Our little peanut in a box of peanuts. (Oma is way nicer than I am!!)

I love when the 5-8 pound clothes are still too big! I LOVE BABIES!

Just can't get enough of this stage....such a sweet baby! :)

postpartum regression

Can't think of a title. The brain is just not what it once was.

The girls are doing great. I am doing great, too! I am always happier after a baby as opposed to dealing with too much sadness. But my brain, as stated above, does not work so well.

For example. Today-I needed diapers. That is all I needed. Both girls are sleeping. (Recite hallelujah chorus in head ) Go to store. Get there and realize I have no money because Ava dumped out my wallet in Mark's car. Go home. Go back to store. Buy Diet Coke, craisins, butter, and various other things. Go to car. Realize I forgot diapers. Go back in store. Wish I had a sign that said: "I have a baby who is not even a week old so please don't look at me like that."

Ava is adjusting well....(mostly)

Pretty Kaiya...love that little smirk on her face in the first one! (Yes, she is yellow. I have yellow babies. It will go away.)

Mark out finding some solitude amongst all the females now surrounding him. I LOVE FALL!

Sister, sister...

No photographic works of art here...but just some documentation of the girls first day encounters. So far, so good. (besides one minor incident of Ava brushing Kaiya's hair with a round, metal brush.)

So thankful that God gave me two beautiful little girls, and that I know what an amazing gift it is to have a sister.

Just turned 36......hours.......

To my faithful readers of 2 days: this is sadly my second and last post. Here are some pictures from the last 24.



Some family visitors yesterday.....

Kaiya with the pediatrician. Everything looks good!

Heidi and Kaiya have not gotten in one single argument yet, and are getting along just fine.....

(insert some sort of baby caption here)

I did not include the stats in yesterday's post, so here they are:
Kaiya Lane DeKorne
October 7th, 2008
11:45pm
6lbs, 8 oz
20.5 inches

We will be going home today at 11:00am. Kaiya and Ava will meet for the first time, and we will be sure to document with pictures and let you know how it goes!

Thank you to everyone for the phonecalls, emails, cards, flowers etc!

(And, thank you for all the comments on my first post ever yesterday!)

Mark

Mark's post.....THE LONGEST DAY EVER

***DISCLAIMER*** This is not Heidi, it is her husband Mark. Heidi gave me the username and password, and I hope she approves of the content/pictures I will be posting. If this post is gone later on today, I am probably in trouble for posting inappropriate material.

Since I have titled the post "The Longest Day Ever", I feel that a timeline in the 3rd person would be the best way to walk you through what happened yesterday to get a full feel for the day.

Our last family pic before Kaiya

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2:00 am: Heidi starts having contractions.

4:15 am: Heidi wakes up Mark, and requests that he starts counting minutes. Mark realizes he will not get to go back to sleep since Heidi is tapping him on the shoulder every 8-10 minutes. Heidi calls Dr., and Dr. says to come to the hospital. Mark is excited at this point that he now has a legit excuse to drive at excessively high speeds in order to get to the hospital, and takes full advantage of the opportunity. Unfortunately, they did not get pulled over and get to use the "get out of jail free" card.

5:30 am: Arrival at hospital. Dilated to 4, contractions every 7-10. Dr. and Nurse say there is no "progress" after 4 hours, and send home. See pic #3 below of Heidi's dissapointment.

Pic from visit #1. No significance whatsoever, besides that I think it is funny.

Heidi freaking out about the potential of going home without labor/pushing/baby


10:00am: Change back into regular clothes, go home. Contractions continue, but fade slightly.

11:00 am: Shopping with Mom Anderson and Sister Melinda. Heidi hopes walking around will help the process....

12:00 pm-8:00 pm: Nothing.

8:00 pm: Heidi and Mark walk around the block together 3 times on the recommendation from our neighbor. Figure it can't hurt anything!

9:30 pm: Heidi takes Ambien to sleep through contractions, goes to bed.

10:40 pm: Water broke at our house. Enough said.

11:00 pm: The ride to the hospital was complete with speeding, running red lights & stop signs, and a screaming woman.

11:15 pm: Get into the hospital room. No time for IV or epidural. Dilated to 10, the fun begins! I think there were roughly 8 pushing sessions.....

11:45 pm: Kaiya Lane born!!

The result of a long day!!
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Thankful to God for a healthy baby!

-MD

Mom who?

Ava loves Mark. This is fine with me. I step in for dirty diapers.

Saturday night we went out for Mexican. Because when you are 40 weeks pregnant you start to do whatever people say worked for them. (I am not going to over comment about how much I miss Mexican food in Houston, or how much I miss having friends to go EAT mexican food with: Liardons, and Andersons, we longed for you). Anyway-it didn't work. I am still pregnant. Don't even tell me to drink castor oil. Not doing it.

When we got there, they said-instead of a high chair, what about a booth with a booster seat. Um, hmmmm. She is 1. She won't sit down in a grocery cart, she won't sit anywhere for more than 93 seconds. But-I weighed the benefits of a booth seat vs. chair on my tailbone and we went with it. Mark was a real dear and took the job of sitting by her. It actually worked surprisingly well. She even fed herself with a fork.

He is smirking because he is pretending to read but really watching football. Whatever works.

Sheriff hasn't gotten much screen time lately. He is still pretty much the most perfect canine in my opinion. Saturday night he cuddled with me while Mark was kind enough to let me watch The Notebook. (crying the baby out doesn't work either.)

just hanging around...

This picture just makes me laugh. Like-uhhhh...what mom?

Playing with Daddy before bed.

Remember the aforementioned obsession with water? It carries over into all aspects of life. Including bathing all the objects in my bathroom drawer.

That's right folks-I expire before the milk. A whole week before the milk. Hope the baby chooses to abide by her date! Goodness knows the milk always does!