Harper's first week

Harper had her first doctor's appointment yesterday since being discharged from the hospital, so we had our first outing as a family of four. It definitely took us a little longer to get out of the house, making sure that both kids had been fed, diapered, and dressed, but we made it to the doctor's office on time! Harper has already started gaining back some of the weight she lost since birth, weighing exactly 9 pounds. (She was 8lbs. 13 oz. when we left the hospital on Friday). The doctor said she looks great and that we should basically just keep doing what we're doing. We go back in ten days for another "weigh-in" to make sure she's still gaining weight.

While at the doctor's office, we decided to get Ryder's flu shot since his next scheduled well-visit isn't until February. He sat so nice and still while Harper was the patient that he looked like a deer in headlights when we told him it was his turn to hop up on the table. He looked frantically at both of us as he started crying "No!", and Andrew had to pin him down so the nurse could quickly administer the shot.  Between the band-aid the nurse gave him and the lollipop I had thrown into my purse for this exact reason, Ryder's screams quickly disappeared. Within minutes he was grinning and licking his lollipop as we walked hand in hand out to the car. We grabbed some lunch, headed to Target to do a little shopping, and made it back home without any meltdowns (from the kids or us!)

Ryder: 23 months

Ryder's biggest development this month has of course been his transition from an only child to a big brother. I swear Ryder has gone from a toddler to a little boy overnight. I feel like he looks like a giant next to Harper, and what's so strange is that it wasn't that long ago when he was the one swaddled in the little green fleece blanket that Harper now wears. So far Ryder loves baby Harper; he likes to point out "my baby sister" (with emphasis on the "my") multiple times a day. He gives her kisses and wants to hold her, and he loves to help out with anything related to baby. Today she made a few "unladylike" noises in her diaper, and Ryder turned and looked at me and said, "Baby sister, diaper!" He then took off running down the hallway and reappeared with one of her clean diapers in his hand and gave it to me. I'm going to encourage this kind of helping as much as possible!

"Mmmuuuaaa!"

watching Mickey Mouse with baby sister

Daddy cuddling with his two babies

"I hold her!"

Thanksgiving with Pops and Grann

I wasn't the only one who thought Harper would arrive early. When purchasing airline tickets, Andrew's parents decided to fly up on the 15th and head back home on the 24th. That way we would be able to celebrate Thanksgiving and a new baby. As the 24th quickly approached and there was still no sign of me going into labor, they changed their plane tickets to stay for an additional week. We knew Harper would come on the 27th at the latest, and they wanted to be here to help us out with Ryder. We enjoyed having two full weeks with them, and by the second week they knew Ryder's daily routine so well that it made an easy transition for him when I was in the hospital and Andrew was splitting his time between the hospital and home. Telling them goodbye yesterday wasn't easy, but Christmas will be here before we know it, and Ryder will have both sets of grandparents here to spoil him. :)

a wooden tool set from Pops and Grann (a.k.a. "Ban")

baking some brownies with Grann

Has someone been licking the spoon???

Grann brought a Thanksgiving craft project to do with Ryder.

Each feather had a different family member's name on it, and the body said, "I'm thankful for..."

The only glue we had in the house was super glue. Based on the look on Grann's face, it was a sticky situation!

Ryder's fingers got a little sticky too!

 "Umm, Grann? We might have a problem here."

sampling his baking when the brownies came out of the oven

wiping his face clean after inhaling his brownie

like grandfather, like grandson

golf lessons from Grann

"The ball goes much farther if I just throw it!"

a windy day at the park

Ryder's last morning as the "baby" in the house; he climbed into the rock 'n play and wanted to be covered with a blanket.

a toy van from Pops (the doors really open and close!)

an early Christmas present from Ali and Steve

Ryder was just one of the guys as he used his tools to help "fix" the wagon.

supervising Daddy and Steve

No trick photography used here! Ryder is a blur most of the time! :)

Ryder, Grann, and Ali made and decorated cupcakes to look like turkeys. The cupcakes were dessert for Ryder and Kendall after our big Thanksgiving dinner.

"Does Kendall have more candy decorations on her cupcake?"

"Excuse me! More candy corns, please!"