I guess the biggest news would be our newest (5 months ago) addition, Elle Marquis. I always love to hear about everyone's birth story but I would need a whole separate post for that.
In summary: Started feeling inconsistent contractions July 5th. Went out to dinner, put Merrick in bed and finished packing my bag, hopped in the shower anticipating what was to come. By 1:30am I was on all fours timing my contractions. 3:30am I woke up Adam and said it was time. He was still a little skeptical so I humored him with a couple more contractions and then told him that we really need to get this show on the road. By the time his dad came over to stay with Merrick it was 4:30am. We were at the hospital by 4:45 and Elle arrived at 6:11am.
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| I really don't know why I'm posting this, I guess I have no shame! This was me in full labor, annoyed that Adam even asked me to smile for the camera. |
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| 8 lb Elle and sweaty mama |
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| All clean and cozy |
Merrick's had a little adjusting to do, he and Elle seem to have a love/hate relationship. Merrick's nursery leader asked him if he had a new baby sister and his reply was "yes, trucks". I guess a new baby meant new trucks for him.
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| Our first day home from the hospital |
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| Merrick was already testing the limits |
The rest of July we had my mom and my mother in-law visiting. My mom stayed for 10 days and I needed her every second of those days.
Adam left for Hawaii for a week when Elle was less than 2 weeks old so my sister in-law Courtney drove up and stayed for a couple days to help out.
August:
The first week of August my dad, Lorie and sister Katie came to visit, so we blessed Elle the Sunday they were here as well.
A couple days after my family flew home, I left Adam with Merrick and me and Elle went with the Marquis girls over to Ojai Valley Inn and Spa for a girls weekend. Bringing Elle along was fine but next girls trip I plan to NOT have a baby in tow and truly enjoy a nice weekend without children.
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| Elle laying out poolside - 6 wks old |
September:
My sister Laura came to visit over Labor Day weekend
My dearest friend Lauren flew out the day after Laura left. Then Adam went out of town so I really appreciated all of Lauren's help, as well as our chance to catch up on each others lives.
The day after Lauren left, I drove down to Orange County with the kids and then my sister in-law Courtney and I took our children to Palm Springs for a few days. Merrick and Caden had fun running around together all day, wearing each other out. I realized how spoiled I've become with the cooler temperatures along the coast.
October:
Celebrated Adam's birthday with friends over Conference weekend
Drove down to OC again one weekend but this time to see a concert with family. My sister Adrienne flew out to babysit (call me crazy but I wasn't quite ready to leave both kids with a teenager that wasn't family)
My mom flew out to see the kids over her fall break from school. I just realized I have no pictures from either of my mom's visits...hopefully there are pictures on her camera.
Halloween!!
Merrick fully understood Halloween this year. So much so that when people would open the door Merrick would walk right into their home to get the candy.
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| Vampires and a bat |
November:
Walk for Autism to support our nephew Marcus
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| Merrick's cousins snapping a photo while he's dead asleep. Yes, he had his leg up like that and fell asleep. |
We drove down to Orange County for the holiday weekend. The actual day of Thanksgiving started off with the Dana Point Turkey Trot followed by a fabulous feast. The rest of the weekend was spent with family, shopping, and enjoying the beautiful weather.
The week after Thanksgiving my sister Adrienne and my sister Allison and her two sons came to visit. I was excited to show them around Santa Barbara but Merrick was not so excited about sharing his toys or the iPad. We still had some fun the best we could with 4 children. I know Elle liked the attention from the boys!
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| Sadly, this was our best attempt at a photo of all 4 kids. Even sadder, this was the best picture of Merrick. |
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| Elle was the princess of the week for sure |
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| The famous astro-turf hill at the zoo |
8 comments:
I loved seeing all of Elle's birth pictures. I'm so impressed with how beautiful you look sleeping together with your cute earrings right after she was born!
Yay! I've waited so patiently for this post. Busy busy people you are. I miss you, and I need to squish that little Elle asap. We have to get together in December, hopefully you'll have enough time.
Miss you!
good recap! geez, i hadn't even realized you'd had baby #2, haha! elle is adorable. congratulations! hope it's not 5 more months till the next post, i need to see more of what life is like with 2 kiddos. not that i'm making an announcement, i'm just curious for the (far distant) future :) yeah. anyway. congrats!
Wowzers! You must have had some serious alone-time to be able to get that post done. The kids are darling! Can't wait to see you in SLC!
Oh my goodness they're sooo adorable. Don't you just love those little smirks that kids make? You're lucky you seem to have pretty fast births.. what was Adam thinking by making you wait through more contractions?
I love seeing Elle in her super cute surfer girl shirt her favorite Auntie Laura gave her! She looks adorable. I love all of Merrick's faces in the pictures. The best is his smirk when he is attacking Elle's face. He is so funny. Can't wait to see you in person in a few weeks!
what a great update. i love hearing other people's birth stories as well, and can't believe i haven't met elle yet (hopefully soon!) and btw- am in love with that name! you have inspired me... i totally need to do a big update like this to post all the things i've missed!
Sounds like a wonderful year. Elle is so beautiful. And you look lovely, as always. Keep those pics coming. Babies change so fast. And Merrick is so BIG now. What a handsome little dude.
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