Lucas and Emmeline

Here are a few picture updates of our last month. Today is my birthday and it has been one of the best ones yet. I think having a newborn around makes everything that much better. Also, I got so many birthday messages from friends and family that made me smile in between naps and changing diapers :). Jon and Emmeline made it the best day too. Emmy sang me happy birthday at least 10 times and Jon brought me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers and my favorite dinner. He has been the biggest help the past month. I couldn't have asked for a better husband. I don't have the pictures from my birthday yet but here is a peek into our lives since Luke was born. . .

Emmy and Luke on a blankie ride






















I love newborn bodies.....so little! I love how they scrunch all their limbs together. He has already grown so much since I took this picture.





















A full belly makes a very content baby!


























A pic of the umbilical cord....Emmy was fascinated by his black belly button. Now it's not so cool anymore!























Charley and Brittana are so cute with him.





















My brother Scot didn't make it to the hospital to meet Luke but he came later and probably scared Emmy because he was wearing a Santa hat! We've had so many friends and family come and visit and also babysit Emmy. We are so blessed to have all of you! Thank you.





















Jon and Em have become the best of buds. Between buying and decorating the Christmas tree. . .

























And going to nursery together. . .
























Emmy has, more than ever, become her daddy's little girl
























We love this little guy so much! He's our little monkey...referring to the jammies he's wearing and not the big hands (althouth he did inherit my big hands and long fingers)!


























These two have already become the best of buds. "I like Lukie Ben"...a comment Em made earlier today. Here she wanted me to wrap her in a baby burrito just like her "sister Luke..." She hasn't quite matched the brother/sister titles with the right gender! I love it.

Our Christmas Baby

It is so fun to have a newborn around for Christmas time! Today Lucas Ben is one week old. It is amazing how he has only been in our home for a short week, and yet we really can't picture our lives without him!
























What a sweetie!




















The reunion (I believe they may have met before this life :o)
Emmy was so sweet when she first saw Luke. We didn't say anything and she simply held him, nuzzled her cheek into his head and gave him a kiss. She is going to be a great big sister.


























A very sincere, happy smile.
























Interested in the binky, of course.
















































Our first family pic with baby Luke










































First trip to the doctor's (yes, I hated taking a three day old baby to the doctor's office on a bitter cold December day but we had to check for his bilrubin levels and they were fine...we have much to be grateful for with this healthy little guy)





















All bundled up!

























Somehow sleep is always the bonding moment between daddy and his kids.





















This guy is such a snuggler that I have found myself sleeping next to him a couple of times too!

























Our little fireball Em has been into everything this week. I loved finding her in Luke's carseat eating fruit snacks---finally an activity that wasn't harmful, poisonous or disastrous!




















We play "duck duck goose" with the dinosaur and the teddy bear. Em was excited about being able to pick up Luke's chair, put it on daddy's chair, and crawl under it to end up where she is in this picture. The Talented Twos.....just trying to focus on the positive of this week with Em because it was a rough one :)

























I still swaddle the little guy real tight just like I did with Em. I'm hoping the colic doesn't start up again in a couple of weeks.




















For now he is a pretty content little guy.




















He does like the binky though.....round two with the green bink.



























Lukie loved his first bath. They call this the "baby hot tub" in the hospital's nursery. Check out the umblicial cord. That thing is crazy! What a cool process. Ask Jon about the placenta though--that is a bit much for him to handle :) I thought it was fascinating but maybe that is because it was part of my body.






















Jon earns the Best Dad award this week. He is so sweet with Luke and loves him so much. But not only that, he has been such a huge help here around this house while I recover and nurse Luke around the clock. Emmy is running circles around him and driving him up the wall but he is still our constant around here and does whatever he can for all three of us. We are a lucky crew to have him.











































Jon experienced the first "whiz" from Luke at the hospital. It caught him off guard and he almost swore but caught himself to protect the newborn's innocent ears! I was laughing so hard :)




















Such a sweetie




















Jon can't complain about being daddy to #2






















Family pic with Great Grandparents "Gug and Bumps" who couldn't be more sweet with these kids.






















And we can't forget the family pic with baby Nakomi! Shelbs is taking a Child Care class and had to take care of a newborn doll for the weekend. The doll is programmed to wake up in the middle of the night for feedings and diaper changes. If you are too rough with the baby, it cries and you can get docked on your grade. Yes, Em did tilt the head in the wrong way and it started wailing. We thought maybe she had triggered the "Shaken Baby Syndrome" in the doll's program. This would be terrible for Shelby's grade. I felt bad but I couldn't help but laugh. Em was so concerned about the doll. She keeps asking about her a day later. I just thought this pic was hilarious too with the newborn Luke so peaceful and real looking and then Nakomi who looks real for a split second and then with a second glance your brain tells you something is not quite right. Classic.




















Emmy loves holding Luke "by myself!"





















Our sweet Emmy. This is going to be rough time for her but she is doing her best and so are we!





















I just love a newborn's little body. So precious.
























We just love our little Emmy Doo. It is amazing how my heart has just been so full of love for both Emmy and Luke this week. I kind of worried about how I would love Luke and Emmy the same. But it is amazing how a mother's heart works. I don't really feel like I have to share my love between Emmy and Luke. I actually feel like my love has increased for both of them. It is a really cool feeling.
























My two darling kids. I can't believe we are a family of four. We are so blessed.

























And here is the most recent shot of little Lukie that Jon took tonight while I put Emmy to bed.






















He was wide awake and Jon got a good video clip of him.

Lukie Ben

Lucas Ben Featherstone is here!
2009.11.29 @ 9:00 am
7 lb. 5 oz.
19 in.



Sunday morning at about 1:30 am, Shae started having some pretty gnarly contractions. We threw together some quick things, called Shae's mom to come watch Emmy (thanks Jyl!), and off we went to the hospital. I don't want to say that we exceeded the speed limit, but lets just say that I was not about to let my second child to be born in the car.



I am glad that we lead-footed our way to the hospital, because Shae was already at 5+, so we got the go ahead to stay and have the baby. As soon as we signed some paper-work, the nurse asked if Shae wanted an epidural, to which she answered "yes please!" After waking up the anesthesiologist (yes, he was a bit groggy, and yes, that did make me nervous), he did his deal with the needles and it was smooth sailin' after that. This is what hard labor looks like with the marvels of modern medicine.



I will be happy to go the whole natural route again if that is what my sweet-heart wants, but lets just say that I was able to fall asleep at one point for about 20 min. I think that you know what my preference is. At about 8:40, she was ready to go an the Doctor showed up. After about 20 min of pushing, Lukie Ben made his entrance into the world.



The proud parents. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect labor and delivery. We have much to be thankful for. Thanks for all of the prayers from family and friends.



Jono, Luker, and Luker. Those of you who grew up with us know that Luke and I are best friends. We were so close in age that we had the same group of friends that we would hang out with. We got along really well (except for when I punched him in the face, but that's a different story) which I think is rare for brothers so close in age. When Shae and I found out that we were going to have another baby,we both talked about how fun it would be to name a boy after Luker. I am glad that we had our boy.



His middle name is after his great grandpa Ben Fowler. I thought that it was only appropriate that the last meal that Shae and I ate that night before we went into the hospital was a "Big Ben" from "Big Ben's Burger Bar". Shae had the great experience of working on his personal history and has felt a great bond with him since.



Here's a little video of him while he was awake and alert. Handsome little guy isn't he?

Still Here!

Yes, I'm still pregnant and surprisingly feeling quite comfortable! My guess was that I would have the baby on November 24th. It is now the 27th so my intuition was off on that one. But I'm glad I was wrong because we've had so much fun this week and I didn't have to eat Thanksgiving dinner in the hospital! I think this picture is great because it shows how I have to rock Emmy now with the big belly in the way! I didn't realize how funny it looked until Jon took this picture. She just lays on the bump :)






















The last belly shot? (I keep thinking that)
























Thanksgiving dinner with the Featherstones. I didn't get many pictures, but we went to Jon's grandparents on the Featherstone side. His grandma did such an amazing job with the decorations and table setting. It felt so cozy and nice to me. Also, Em's aunts and uncles were so great to take her the entire evening so I could eat a ton and just relax for the evening.



















Uncle Luke!


























Even though it was FREEZING, Em had to take advantage of the trampoline after Thanksgiving dinner (her dinner consisted of 3 bites of mashed potatoes, a piece of roll, a few pieces of broccoli, a cupcake, a creamy popsicle, and some banana cream pie......the joys of aunts and uncles!! The sugar rush sure gave her energy to jump hard!)





















Swinging with daddy





















Here are some pictures of Em as of late. . .
Trying on Mom's boots and wearing a bandaid on her forehead (everything is a "boo boo" and needs a bandaid)




















She loves bringing water balloons into the bathtub.






















Jon bought a new computer (yeah!) We found Em here the next morning.





















Em and Charley hiding in Granny's closet. Charley says this is where she hibernates. I'm surprised Emmy went in there as you can see the stuffed Santa Claus peeking out from behind the mattress. Lately, Em has developed a fear of Santa Claus. Bad timing.
























Sweet baby B! I love that I caught her smiling with her new teeth.




















And here is our little love bug. Notice her red puffy eyes and nose. She has been struggling with sleep this week to say the least. This picture was taken after hours of fighting sleep and finally crashing for a half hour. She is now crying again in her crib and it's 10 pm. It all started last week when she bit through her last two binkies. She said they were "bad" and wanted to throw them in the garbage. So that was it. No more binkies. No more instant comfort and instant "night night." I am so glad she chose to get rid of them but man it's been rough. Any suggestions??




















Sledding for the first time at Granny's








The latest adventure.....sledding down the stairs in a sleeping bag with Aunt Shelbs!