Harvest Festival

Matthew and Elyn (this is how she spent the entire night)
Me and Nora...her favorite thing was collecting candy in her pail and she didn't want to let go of it for a second.

There are a ton more pictures on Flickr, but here we are Sunday night. Got to go and get ready for my class tonight. Everyone enjoy Trick or Treating tomorrow night!

Catching up

Finding time to catch up with blogging is certainly not as easy as it used to be. Now, when Nora gets in bed, this is usually what is going on (see picture below): I guess it is Elyn's "fussy" time. The crying lasts for about an hour and then we are back to normal. Matthew says that he hasn't seen her awake and not crying very often. I promise she does have awake times where she is not crying...he doesn't believe me. Nora was the exact same way...he doesn't remember that. Oh how quickly we forget the bad times and hold on to the good ones.

Elyn really is a good baby! I think she chooses to "let loose" after Nora goes to bed because that is the only time when all the attention is on her. It's her way of getting back at us for being the second child. Poor neglected baby!

Last weekend Matthew's sisters and brother-in-law came to visit. We had a nice time, although they were here for less than 24 hours. We drug them to the Pumpkin Patch because we had not been as a family of four yet. The day was beautiful and we came home with some nice pumpkins.

Nora and her "picks'

I'm pretty sure Elyn did not suffer any permanent neck damage after this photo session

Nora and Elyn with Aunt Beth and Aunt Julia (isn't Elyn's hat hilarious!)

(Blogger is being difficult and not letting me put the pictures where I want them to go...I'm sure you can figure out the captions that go with the pictures)

Matthew and Nora carved one of the pumpkins yesterday afternoon. Nora really paid attention and tried to help for about 20 minutes-which I think is fabulous considering her age. She was very hesitant about helping clean the inside of the pumpkin out though. She does enjoy seeing the pumpkin all lit up outside.

Helping her daddy get out the guts
Impressed with Matthew's face drawing skills

She's bored with pumpkin carving and wants to do something else
The finished product!

Today was a big day for Nora. She took a nap in her toddler bed and is currently sleeping in her bed for the evening (fingers crossed that she stays that way all night). Matthew only had to go in her room twice at nap time to tell her to lay down. She kept wanting to get up and get some books off of her bookshelf. After the second time, she laid down and didn't utter a peep for 2 hours! When she did wake up, she stayed in her bed until we came and got her. We'll see if this keeps up. She has had a cold this weekend and that may be helping the cause some...she's so tired that she will sleep just about anywhere. I want to sneak in there right now and take a picture of her, but I am restraining just in case I rock the boat. Maybe I'll get a picture in a few days, after she is adjusted to her new bed.

Tomorrow night is our "Harvest Festival" at church. Both of the girls are going to be ladybugs. I got Nora's costume for $5.00 on Ebay a few weeks ago and we found Elyn a ladybug costume at a consignment store today for $3.50. Here is Nora in her costume at our Mommy and Me party last week. I'll get a picture of both girls tomorrow night and post it later.

Things are going well at home during the day. I haven't wanted to pull my hair out too many times. Last week was a bit of a beating. Matthew had class Monday (until 6:30pm) and Wednesday (until 9:15pm) and conferences Tuesday and Thursday (until 7:30pm), so it was a very long week for the Henderson girls. Wednesday was the worst. On the way home from church, Elyn screamed the entire way (15 minutes). Once we got home, she was still upset. I had to give Nora a bath and get through her bedtime "routine". Right before I was going to put Nora in the bathtub, she got mad at me about something (I have NO IDEA what it was about) and decided to throw a HUGE fit in the bathtub. I decided that if I tried to discipline her at that point, chances were pretty good that I would have hurt her, so I ignored her and let it go. I think I deserved a reward for that decision. Long story short, I ended up with both girls in my lap while I was reading books and finally got Elyn to sleep after she had been crying (screaming) for an hour. I was basically passed out on the couch when Matthew finally got home.

Nora has also been doing better about throwing fits. She is realizing that Elyn is not going anywhere and when Mommy says "no" she means it. (Just like I meant it before Elyn was born...I guess she thought that since I brought a new kid home all the rules were thrown out the window...think again sister). She is still so sweet with Elyn and wants to see her immediately when she gets up in the morning. Whenever Elyn cries, Nora stops what she is doing and runs to Elyn and gets close in her face and says "Shhhhhh". And when Elyn's pacifier falls out of her mouth, Nora says, "uh oh" and tries to shove it back in. Usually this results in Elyn crying because she has just been jabbed in the eyeball.

Okay, super long update...those of you that are still reading, thanks for sticking with me. To reward you, I will close with some pictures.

Nora wanted her picture taken with Elyn, in the first picture I took, Nora is sitting on top of Elyn...a little too much loving.

Everyone is ready for bed...pacifiers-check!

Comparison

Most people have commented on how dark Elyn's hair is and say they don't remember Nora's being as dark. Here is a comparison of the two:





Nora is on the left and Elyn is on the right. I think they look like sisters, what do you think? I do wonder if Elyn's hair is going to be as blonde as Nora's when she is her age.

First haircut!

Today has been a fantastic day so far!

Matthew had a day off of school and we have enjoyed being all together today. We started our day off right with a breakfast at Chick-fil-A. Our Chick-fil-A has been have "Free Breakfast Fridays" during the month of October and we took advantage of the offer today. The place was packed because all the schools were out today, but we enjoyed our time.


Immediately after breakfast, we headed over to "Great Clips" for Nora to get her first haircut! She is just 4 days shy of being 20-months-old and I finally decided I was ready to cut her "baby" hair. She has needed a haircut for quite a while, but I wasn't ready to take that step. Here are some before and after pictures:

Before

After

She did a great job! She sat completely still and didn't say a word until the very end, when she looked down at her cape and said "Fish!".

After we left the haircut place, we headed to Lowe's to purchase some wood that is in the process of becoming a bookshelf for Nora's new room. This stop took quite a bit longer than expected, but both girls were great.

After Lowe's we headed to Wal-Mart for an oil change (where they proceeded to put the wrong oil in the van...Matthew has to go back later and get a refund. Annoying!), a new tire, and groceries. Since it was so late (11:30), we decided to just have lunch at the McDonald's in Wal-Mart. That was such a genius idea! Kudos to whoever thought of it.

We FINALLY left Wal-Mart around 1:30 and headed home, but not before Matthew had to stop at his barber shop and get his haircut...sorry, no before and after pictures of him.

Elyn slept all morning (with the exception of me having to wake her up at 10:00 to feed her) and didn't start crying until we were almost home. She is such a good baby!

It has been a great Friday! I am so thankful for my family and for the time we are able to spend together!

Here are two cute pictures to end the post: Nora wearing Matthew's shoes (she loves her daddy) and my two girls one morning last week (in both pictures Nora is wearing some type of "necklace". I know, in the second picture they are not actually necklaces, but hair things. She doesn't care, if it can go around her neck, it's jewelry). Elyn is without clothes because sometimes that is the only way I can wake her to feed her. As soon as I got done nursing her, Nora wanted to hold her. Nora is being a great big sister!

Starting all over

****UPDATE****I just woke up from an hour long nap! Thank you God!!!! Both of my girls are still asleep too! I got a shower about 10:30am and since then, my hair has dried into a crazy "do"...I don't care. A friend is bringing us dinner tonight, yea! I have done 4 loads of laundry, but have not folded a single thing, it's all sitting in a living room chair. So, all in all, today has been pretty good. Matthew gets home in 2.5 hours. OH, I am wearing to class what I wore to church, it will just have to work.
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Well, next week, it all begins again...my "new" life. I am officially going to be "going it alone". Yep, I am a little anxious about that.

I got a taste of the aloneness this evening. Matthew had to go to Fayetteville (not the best timing because of the football game going on) to finish an assignment. While he was gone, I fed both Nora and Elyn (btw, it is pronounced "Ellen"...I have had a bunch of people asking me about that), quieted a SCREAMING baby, played tea party with Nora and took all three of us on a walk. It was a very small taste of what my Monday is going to be like. Hopefully, I will be able to squeeze a nap in on Monday.

Tuesday evening I return to teaching. Guess what I am most nervous about? No, not leaving both of my girls. No, not that Elyn is going to starve to death while I am gone (although, that is what Matthew is most scared of). No, not that I won't be prepared for my class. What I am most worried about is what I am going to wear.

Right after I had Nora I was appalled to find out that none of my pre-pregnancy clothes fit me immediately. I mean, come on, I had the baby, wasn't I supposed to be able to wear my old clothes? I went through a little bit of denial for a while. This time around, I knew what to expect-don't pack up those maternity clothes yet! It's so sad to go to the "maternity clothes" section of my closet each time I want to wear something clean. I realize that Elyn is less than two weeks old, but come on body, SHRINK!

So, Tuesday night, what will I shove my body into? None of my shirts fit because I am nursing Elyn and even though I am light years away from looking like Pamela Anderson, I am rather "filled out" and would be indecent in my regular shirts. Amazingly, my stomach is not the only thing that got bigger with my pregnancy, my bottom and thighs also expanded. Nice. Surely, I am not the only pregnant person this has happened to. Most of Tuesday might be dedicated to trying everything on in my closet...maybe Nora and Elyn will have a fashion show with me.

We went to the Pumpkin Patch last week. Here are some pictures from that and some other random ones. Think of me on Monday and pray that I manage to get a shower before Matthew gets home at 6:30.

Gram (Matthew's mom) came to stay with us last week. Nora loved having a playmate!

Just chillin' out

Sweet baby!

One of Nora's new favorite things to do. Notice how all of the colors are mixed...this bothers me a little bit, but I am letting it go. When I was teaching, I had a strict rule about not mixing the Play-doh..apparently Nora has not heard about that rule.

Birthdays, church, and beads

We are doing well in the Henderson house. Matthew went back to work today (after taking 8 days off!!!!!! There are many, many perks to being a teacher and one of them is accumulating sick days). His mom is here until tomorrow and then we will have the weekend as a family. I am "cleared" as of Monday to pick up Nora and drive, so on Monday, we will officially be alone! Just us girls. Hopefully I will still be smiling at the end of the day.


Nora has been testing us lately. She is very sweet with Elyn, but if she does not get what she wants, she will throw herself down and scream. I don't know if it is her age (almost 20 months) or if it is jealousy over Elyn, or both. Either way, it is wearing me out. Any suggestions from you moms of more than one...especially those of you who have kids close together. I think she is ready for a normal schedule again...I know I am too!


Elyn is a great baby! She is sleeping really good and only has 1-2 fussy times during the day. She is a SLOW eater though. Completely different from Nora! Nora would eat so fast and Elyn takes about 30-45 minutes. I guess she will be my slow kid :).


Matthew's birthday was Sunday and it was also our first Sunday to church. We didn't make it to class but made it to worship. Here are some pictures:

The birthday boy and his girls

This is a picture of Nora playing with Elyn. Nora loves to wear these beads and shared them with Elyn this day. She also thought that her baby doll needed to be laying down beside Elyn...you know, they ARE both babies!

I am enjoying my girls and my emotions are getting under control. I still cry, but I don't look at the task ahead of me as impossible anymore. God is really helping me out!

A few days at home

We have been home for a few days and I am starting to imagine life with two little girls. I am overwhelmed, emotionally, though. I remember crying like crazy after Nora was born...crying for no reason at all, over nothing at all. It has started again. I guess when you deliver a baby, your tear ducts open wide and there is no stopping them. My sweet, sweet husband is wonderful through all of my craziness. I definitely couldn't make it without him! For those of you worried about my state of sanity-don't. I'm sure I'll be fine in a few more days (or weeks) and I am not too scared to tell my doctor that I need some medicinal help (come on Tom Cruise, what do you have to say about that?). But, mostly I think right now, I am just having a surge of hormones.

Elyn is sleeping better. Of course, I type this and who knows what tonight could bring. She seems to have a crying time of about an hour and a half at nights, but that is so much better than it was our first night home when it felt like it was ALL NIGHT LONG. I can handle an hour and a half. She sleeps all day long, but shows us her pretty eyes occasionally.

Nora is doing a great job at being a big sister! She love the "baby" (we are working on her getting to say Elyn) and wants to kiss her all the time. It's sweet! She is also doing a great job of staying asleep at night while Elyn is crying. That has been helpful for mommy and daddy! I miss picking her up!!!!! That is a major downfall of a c-section-no "heavy" lifting, and my 24 pound kid is considered heavy. We do a lot of hugging with me getting down on the floor, on her level.

Tomorrow is Matthew's birthday! Happy birthday honey, you are the most amazing man! God has blessed me beyond measure with you!

Here are some pictures to end this post:

My sister and mom with Nora and Elyn...they were a huge help while they were here!

Nora really wanted Elyn to be on the ottoman and then insisted on laying down right beside her. Sweet sister time.

Elyn after her first bath at home, not too happy about it!

Elyn and Uncle Aaron (Matthew's brother)

Elyn and Gram (Matthew's mom)

Elyn and her great-grandmother (Matthew's grandmother). This the lady that Nora was named after.

Nora kissing Elyn...she is such a wonderful big sister!

Elyn Ann Henderson (I don't think I ever posted her middle name)

pictures and a QUICK update

We're home and doing as well as can be expected. Nora is adjusting very well and seems to love her baby sister. She wants to "help" all the time...it is sweet and scary all at the same time.

Elyn has decided that she likes to "party" at night but sleep during the day. Her tummy seems to be giving her all sorts of problems even though I am sticking to a super bland diet. Last night was much better than our first night home, so we are hoping to stick with that trend.

When I can type with two hands, I will update more! Thank you all for your prayers for my little family.

A Few Pics of Baby Elyn

This is Marshall reporting for the Hendersons again. My wife, Kristy, took a few pics of the newest addition to the Henderson clan tonight. I'll get more from Dallas and her family and get them posted...or...Dallas may do that herself.

Anyway, here you go:

SHE's here!!!

That's right - it's a GIRL!!!!

Elyn Henderson (no middle name yet!) was born today at 12:27 p.m. She weighed 8 pounds even, and she was 20 inches long.

Dallas, Matthew, big sister Nora, and Elyn are all doing great!

When I (Marshall) left the hospital a few minutes ago, I didn't have any pictures to post, but as soon as I get some, I'll get them on here for the Hendersons.

On behalf of the Henderson Four, thank you for all your love, prayers, and support. I know they'll look forward to hearing from all of you!