The many faces of my children...

Many of you have been asking about more pictures...so here they are. My kids at their daily activities. Priscila sleeping and sleeping some more.

Hanging out...she can't do much but she looks cute doing it. :)

Trying to survive her brothers kisses and attacks.

Here's Jude eating (and wearing) his daily oatmeal.

Looking at books in his rocking chair which is a new activity that he likes doing. It looks fake I know, but he really does that.

Sleeping...which Mommy loves!

And being cool, it's a hard job but somebody has got to do it around here!

Here are just a few good ones...

We are doing well and enjoying family life in a more full sense. Two kids definitely feels different. We aren't just a couple with a child but we are a family. Hard to explain but we love it!!

Hope all is well!

Much love,

Mackenzi (and family)

Nonna was here...

Mom came to Memphis to meet Priscila for the first time. Priscila was 1 1/2 weeks old when she first met her Nonna.

Jude and Nonna love to do all sorts of activities. This is them looking out our front door as I went and got the mail. It was great to have Mom here to help care for Jude so that I could focus on recovering and also adjusting to Priscila. As you can see, Mom was pretty busy while she was here...

Making meatloaf...adding a little drool.

Trying Lauchlin's pickled jalepanos from his garden.

Reading tons of books and learning animal noises.

Giving bathes...

Daddy is also enjoying his 2 kids. Priscila's arrival has increased Daddy and Jude time incredibly due to Mommy being busy. They seem to be enjoying it and definitely getting closer as a result. Jude loves watching his Daddy and laughing at him.

Priscila is still sleepy alot. She is getting on a better schedule at night which I am definitely wanting and needing. Due to how uncomfortable and tired I was at the end of my pregnancy, having to get up at night with Priscila and then going all day with the 2 kids is actually easier. I am enjoying not being pregnant...I can bend over easily and carry Jude on my hip etc. etc. :)

Well, that is the update for now.

In His Grip,

Mackenzi

30 minutes of sweet little boy snuggle...

Jude, Priscila and I are completing our first full week by ourselves except for Monday morning when my Mom was still here (pics to come from that visit). It has been a really good week even though I have not been getting much sleep. Coffee is wonderful!

I have been struggling a bit with trying to spend quality time with both of my children during the day. Time with an infant is always a bit challenging. What do you do with them except hold them and look back at them. But, I have been trying to be intentional about that because it is easy to just focus on Jude as long as she isn't crying.

Jude has seemed to be especially needy and attention seeking. Which makes sense with a new sister in the picture. I just read yesterday that developmentally this month toddlers naturally are striving for more attention anyway. Great timing to also add a sibling....well, God was in control of that one!

Yesterday though, Jude woke up from his nap fussy and just seemed to want to be held. Priscila was sleeping so I just held and snuggled with Jude for a 1/2 hour. It was so wonderful. I love my little boy and felt so grateful to be home with him and to be able to give him that gift. After that, it seemed like his love tank was full and he was content the rest of the afternoon. Mothering in those moments is incredibly gratifying!!

Just thought I would share this little joy! Like I said, pictures from Nonna's visit will soon follow!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Mackenzi :)

A great week at home...

We had a wonderful week together as a family this past week! Lauchlin was able to have off all week to help with the adjustment to 2 kids. We kept saying to each other 'wierd, we are a family of four'. It was neat to see he and Jude do some more bonding and Jude really started going to Lauchlin for hugs and help more than me. That was neat to see.Priscila didn't like her first bath very much but does look alot more fresh. She goes back to the doctor tomorrow.

Here she is sunbathing to get rid of any jaundice she has. She is a 'big' baby but still so small!

What a little princess! I really am enjoying having a girl and having so much pink around!

Thought you might like to see some more pictures of her, we love her!!

Affectionately,

Mackenzi
(for the family)

Priscila is here...

Priscila Mae Groff

January 23, 2009

9 lbs. 7 oz.

21 1/2 inches

We arrived at the hospital at 5am for the induction. Priscila's due date was January 22nd but she seemed to be content to stay where she was, Momma was not! So, I got all settled in and started receiving the pitocin and began having contractions. I was able to get an epidural but they had to put it in twice because it hit a vein the first time. That was not fun! However, it did work eventually and very well. I wasn't even able to feel my contractions at all. At 8 am the doctor came in and broke my water and I was 2cm dialated. By 10am I was 6cm dialated and we started playing a game of cards. The doctor came in at 10:45am and said that I was 9 1/2 cm dialated and it was time to start pushing. We were caught off guard because we thought it would be a while. But, the nurse got me started pushing once and saw the head. So, she had me stop and got the doctor right away. Priscila literally arrived like 5 minutes later. Unfortunately, the doctor saw that the cord was wrapped around her neck and had to quickly cut the cord and get her to the baby nurse to get her breathing. She was fine but this meant Lauchlin couldn't cut the cord. We are grateful though for a smooth and easy delivery!I feel pretty good and Priscila is thriving. She is eating well and seems to just be very content.

We waited to have Jude come in to see his sister until the next morning and he was enthralled by her. I had thought that he would just pick at her and get really excited around her. But, he was very quiet and gentle with her. It seemed to some degree that he recognized that this was the baby Momma was talking about for months.It is really hard to believe that we are now a family of four. We just got home and are settling in.

Here we are for the first time. The Groffs.

Priscila's Daddy is pretty into her as well! She seems to really like when he sings to her.

Here she is for one last time before we go. Like the bow? We thought she looked pretty girly with it!!

Well, better go rest! Again, we are grateful to God for our 2 children and the wonderful gifts they are to us!!

Much love and affection,

Mackenzi (Lauchlin, Jude and Priscila)

Still waiting...

Okay, so I have definitely been slacking on my blogging because my goal is 1-2 blogs a week. You can see that isn't happening. I think it is recently because I have been trying to get EVERYTHING ready for Priscila to come. Seriously, I have been obsessive about thinking up things that I don't want to have to do in the next 6 months. Now, I am so big and uncomfortable that I can't/won't do much. (Now you think I will put a picture of myself following this paragraph. Ha! I probably wouldn't fit on your computer screen! So, you will just have to use your imagination.)

I have made all the bedding for Prisca's room, cleaned things that I haven't normally, gotten birth anouncements as ready as possible, washed floors, organized closets etc. Definitely been doing the nesting thing. Right now I am shouting 'MY NEST IS READY! Come on already!' Truthfully, I have really dug my own hole in this situation. With my pregnancy with Jude, I set in my mind that I wouldn't go early and I should just be peaceful until my due date. Going a week early then was a treat. This time however, I somehow convinced myself that I would definitely go early and probably weeks early. Not so much...thus my tremendous impatience. The other issue though is that my back is in pain along with pretty much the rest of my body. Hmmm, carrying around a 30 lb. one year old probably has not helped that. Honestly, I can't really do it anymore and I make him crawl to where we are going in the house. Frankly he needs to have to get places himself because as of now he is still not walking. Luckily over the weekend and today he has begun starting to take a few steps in a row. I probably would too if I had to get everywhere on my hands and knees.
Well, if I don't go by Thursday my due date, I am scheduled for an induction at 5am on Friday. So, next time this week, Priscila will be out in the world. Hopefully, my next post will include delivery info and pictures!!

Tata for now,
Mackenzi :)

Happy New Year with new things to come...

Merry Christmas as well! Sorry for my lapse in blogging. Things got a little busy upon our return from PA after my Dad's death. Just now feeling like I am catching up on the things that I want to have done before Priscila is born. Alot of these pictures are from Christmas...

Nonna and Uncle Graham came for 5 days over Christmas and Nonna got lots of play and snuggling done with Jude. Jude slept really well while they were here!

Uncle Graham said that he was still 'thinking about' the idea of having children and I think spending time with Jude helped him see the amount of work involved in parenting. He pointed out too that this is just the beginning! Needless to say, Jude loved spending time with him and his computer buttons! :)

Jude has gotten how to open gifts and certianly how to play with them once they are open. So, even this Christmas was fun for him.

Lauchlin made his mom's yummy spaghetti for our nontraditional Christmas dinner.

Lauchlin celebrated his 35th birthday on December 26th. Happy Birthday Lauchlin!!

Lastly, we are looking at 16 days until Priscila is due. Mommy is ready to get this baby born!! We have had a few scares and yesterday motivated us to actually pack our hospital bags!!

We will keep you updated on her birth...hope you had a great Christmas and New Years!!

Affectionately,

Mackenzi (and family)