The newest princess in our family....

...is Miss Alexa Grace!! I still can't believe she is here already! My supposed firecracker baby who was due July 10 has a mind of her own and showed up on JUNE 15! I was only 36 weeks pregnant, and thinking I still had a couple weeks to prepare for her arrival. I had been having some symptoms of labor on and off for a few weeks and these symptoms were definitely getting stronger as time went on. Emma was a couple weeks early, so I thought at the most Lexi would be as well.
On Monday night the 14th, at around 10 or 10:30, I laid down on the couch with Mikey to put my feet up and watch a movie. This was one of the 'signs' that labor was approaching. I didn't have too much of a swelling problem this time around, and all of a sudden, Sunday and Monday, my ankles blew up. Anyway, I'd no sooner laid down with my ice water, than my entire stomach contracted. It didn't hurt at all, but neither did my labor with Emma, so I started wondering. I kept laying there and the contractions kept randomly coming. After the movie I went to bed thinking that in the morning it would all be gone. WRONG! I couldn't fall asleep! Although they still didn't hurt and didn't regulate, the contractions wouldn't go away. So Mikey took me to labor & delivery just to 'check things out'. The nurse couldn't believe it when she checked and I was already 5-6 centimeters dilated. I was admitted and pretty much spent the next few hours waiting for the labor to get going...it didn't. Just like with Emma, no pain, no regular contractions till the dr. broke my water. I got my epidural and just waited until Lexi was born at 12:19 pm. I am very blessed with early, small babies and short, easy labors!
Alexa Grace was 6 lbs., 1 oz. and 19" long. She was perfectly healthy despite being premature, and is doing well. We are having some problems with jaundice right now, but it seems to be under control. She is an EXCELLENT baby...never cries and sleeps literally around the clock. I just have to make sure I wake her up to feed her during the night!
Emma loves Lexi, asks for her, gives her kisses, etc. The best part though is that Emma is pretty much content to go about her usual business. The baby hasn't seemed to phase her at all.
So now we are four =) And I love it! God has blessed us beyond my wildest dreams. These two little girls and their daddy are my world, and I couldn't ask for more!

I ♥ sUmMeR!!

We officially kicked of summer 2010 with our fifth anniversary trip on Memorial Day weekend. Mikey and I took off right after a half day of school and headed south to a resort on the beach. Although we were only gone one night, it was a very relaxing way to end the school year and celebrate my retirement (I'm now back to full time stay at home mom-this time for a looong time!)




The very next weekend we spent celebrating Emma's second birthday. We had a pool party at Nana and Grandpa's house, and she really seemed to have a good time with her little friends. I still can't believe that my baby is two years old!!





In other news, we've been busily preparing for Baby Lexi. I'm 4 weeks from my due date, however, Emma was two weeks early, so I want to be ready ASAP! Her room is pretty much done. I still just need to have Mikey put the infant seat in the car, paint her letters, and wash a few more clothes and blankets. Slowly but surely, we are getting there! I'm still feeling pretty well considering the fact that I'm 36 weeks pregnant and it's 90 something degrees outside! I'm much preferring this pregnancy to the first one. I do have the usual pressure and aches, and some swelling, but being home instead of on my feet teaching makes all the difference in the world!

Emma is TWO!!

Happy Birthday to our sweet little Emma girl! I can hardly believe it has already been two years. What an absolute joy she has been! I'm so thankful for the gift of motherhood.