Everybody ought to have a Moom

I'm thinking I might make all my post titles references to musicals. Props to whoever gets this one, unless you're in my immediate family. Of course you get it.

So my mom was here for 10 glorious days. In that time, she did the grocery shopping, went to Target and Costco a couple of times, cooked dinner, made me take lots of naps, took Annabelle all night every night (except for nursing, but Annabelle is a much faster eater than Mabes, so I wasn't up much at night), cleaned, played with Mabes, and held Annabelle a lot (she's a very cuddly baby). And though she brought a book and her laptop to work on her Orlando scrapbook when she had downtime, apparently it wasn't enough, so she bought curtains and rods and replaced the lovely 80s-style curtains that came with the house. (I was going to, but since I was 35 weeks pregnant when we moved, I hadn't had a chance yet.) Dave laughed when I told him her plans and didn't want her to feel like she had too much to do. I just said, "yeah, but I talked her out of repainting--she was planning accent walls!" My mom loves projects.


My mom, pushing Mabes in the laundry basket. After a while, she got tired and Mabes didn't understand...
...so my mom hopped in and had Mabes pushed her.

Reading with Grandma

When it was time to take my mom to the airport, of course I cried. I couldn't blame it on being tired, but post-partum hormones certainly don't help when you just want your mom around and you have to send her home. Thankfully, Mabes put her arm around me and said, "I know you love your mom and you will miss her. It's okay..." Thanks, Mabes.

And the next day, Laura flew in. Sarah had warned her of of hormonal craziness, so Laura was prepared to cook, play with Mabes, and let me do my thing. Since I was now doing the night shift (come back, Moom!), Laura would get up with Mabes so I could sleep in. Very nice.

Playing Mario Cart (it's spelled with a K, right? Stupid intentional misspelling...) with Auntie Bora. Mabes was always Princess Peach, Laura was always Toadstool. Mabes now calls Toadstool "Aunt Laura."

Reading with Aunt Laura

Laura even let Mabes play with her camera. This opened a whole new world for Mabes. She took pictures of everything, exclaiming that it was the most beautiful picture ever (Laura! The TV! Her bike! The chair!). I'm waiting for Laura to post Mabes' photos...

Mabes taking pictures wearing the hat Aunt Laura brought her

Between Christmas, Annabelle's birth, and visitors, it's been a busy few weeks. But we're slowly settling into our new routine. Mabes continues to be a great big sister and is very helpful--she gets really happy when there's a diaper for her to throw away. Annabelle is a fantastic baby (keep it up, little girl!). A few times, Mabes has said, "our little girl cries a lot!" Um, no, kid. She barely cries at all. I realize this will probably change, so for now, I'm just enjoying it!

Oh, and I told a few people that when Annabelle was born, a couple of nurses commented that she might have some strawberry blonde or red in her hair. I looked over and just thought, "No, ladies, she doesn't have red hair. I know redheads, and that most certainly isn't a redhead." Kind of like when people tell my sisters that they (the random brunette my sister may be talking to) are redheads, too. Really? Because if you have to tell someone you're looking at that you have red hair, you don't actually have red hair. So I wasn't going to be that mom--"Well, it looks blondish brown, but in the right light, it's sort of red. Can you see it? Really, it's there!" I've just been telling people it's light brown, but since mine and Mabes' hair was brownish, fell out, and came in light blond, we'll just have to wait and see what Annabelle's hair does. So we will. But in the meantime...
This is totally unretouched. In certain lights, there seems to be some red there. Can you see it? Zoom in. Call me crazy--I'm already laughing at myself.

Oh, hello there...

I haven't posted in a while. But it's been a little busy. And by busy, I mean I've spent any free time gazing at this gorgeous (or stunned, in this picture) little girl. I consider it time well spent.

I am my own worst enemy

And my mom is a dangerous accomplice. Last week, she bought me this. With the accompanying cake mix. And I had to make it the next day, I mean, it would be rude not to, right?
It was delicious, but I've got ideas on ways to make it better. Oh, and if you do get the pans, don't follow Williams-Sonoma's instructions of buttering the pans and lightly flouring them. They probably say that because it sounds fancier than "douse the pan with Pam." But Pam works way better. The buttered/floured side is face down on the plate because it fell apart.

And then after enjoying the cake, I just happened to see my Facebook profile picture that hasn't changed in nearly 2 years (yeah, I'm on Facebook a lot). Oh, flat stomach--how I miss you. Someday we'll be reunited. I hope. For now, I have cake to eat.

Laura gets here tonight. There's a lot of great TV to watch (24! Golden Globes! Other stuff I'm forgetting!) and food to eat, so we've really got our work cut out for us. So the diet will have to wait. Besides, you're not supposed to limit calories when you start breastfeeding because you don't want it to lower supply, right? So no dieting for what, a year? I think the same goes for exercising...

And a picture of Annabelle, just because:
She's totally worth not being able to fit in any pants.

One more thing...

Annabelle has a dimple. It's pretty much the cutest thing ever. My mom will be posting more pictures later.
And I've decided that the best words in the English language are "You should go take a nap now." Okay, maybe it would be tied with "You need to eat ice cream now," but I haven't heard that one. Yet. I love having my mom here.

Sorry, that was two things.

Sisters, sisters...

(It's important to note that the title of this post is a reference to White Christmas, NOT the mid-90s TV show. Just wanted to clarify.)

We brought Annabelle home on Saturday and Mabes loved her. (Please excuse the tired-looking woman in the green shirt. I was hormonal, emotional, and hadn't seen Mabes in days.) After the introductions and pictures, I took her to my room to change her and Mabes came to help. She'd been saying for months that she would get the diapers and wipes and wasn't going to miss the first opportunity.

She loves holding her baby sister and just watching her sleep. She was so excited to go to church on Sunday and tell everyone about her baby.
Mabes with her welcome home gift to Annabelle: her very own stuffed lamb. We're not sure if we'll call her Ricecake Jr., Nickanoo, or let Annabelle come up with her own name. But we're home and adjusting to life with a newborn again. I'm tired and looking forward to my mom's arrival tomorrow.

Introducing...

Annabelle Hope Whitley

So it took us a while to decide on a name. But remember who you're dealing with here...

Annabelle is a name Dave suggested 3 years ago after my Grandpa Thurston's funeral, after noting that Grandpa was born in a small town named Annabella. It's been in the back of our minds for years, and was on our list, but didn't really jump up until right before she was born. And then when she was born, none of the other names seemed to fit her as well.

As we've been thinking about the end of the year and decade, Dave and I have talked about the (many) things that haven't gone as we'd like them to. And with the coming new year, I know there will be more of that. But despite challenges, we've been blessed in innumerable ways, and the recognition of those blessings and hope for the future continues to motivate us. Two of the best things in the last ten years are Emaline and Annabelle. With Mabes, the bonding/attachment was a little slow because I was just in shock that this little baby was mine, and uncertain about the future with her. But thanks to Mabes, I can look at this little girl and know that there will be some rough times in the weeks, months, and years ahead. But countless great times. New Year's always seems like a time of great hope. So as we start 2010, I'm hopeful. For our family, and particularly for this little girl who has already brought us so much joy. In the immortal words of Red, I hope.