Such a pretty little thing.

Hardin went for an unplanned spend the night with Gigi this afternoon, and I found myself alone with my camera and my girl.  PICTURE TIME.

She's wearing a sweet little Feltman Brother's dress that mom bought the day after I found out I was having a girl, and my Buster Brown crib shoes she's saved all these years.  It's worth noting this is her first time in anything smocked.

Hadley was being the biggest ham before we started taking pictures but got a little mad when I changed her clothes and tied on those shoes.  Still so adorable I could eat her up.

When I texted Mimi the picture above she replied that she is "such a pretty little thing," just like her mom used to say.  I couldn't agree more.

Snow Day 2014

The last time it snowed this much in Georgia I was on maternity leave with Hardin, and we took what have become some of our all time favorite pictures with him.  When the forecast showed snow in our future a few days ago I started dreaming of having the same photographs with Hadley.  Luckily my brother is here and was able to take some family shots as well.*

We rushed threw pictures because Hardin was anxious to get playing, but I love them all and know they will be cherished. 

After we took pictures I brought the baby inside and the boys took the golf cart down to the lake to go sledding with all of the neighborhood kids.  They had a blast and Hardin hung with the big kids.  Jason said he was fearless and my brother texted me these while they were down there. 

I am glued to the news and internet because friends all over town are still trying to get home.  My brother in law is a school bus driver and just made it home after an excruciating afternoon.  Many are sleeping in their cars, walking home with cars sliding all around them, and staying with friends (or long lost clients in Jason's brother's case) to avoid the roads.  We'll be praying tomorrow brings relief for all!

*My brother moved home a week ago and is staying with us until he gets his feet on the ground.  We are SO happy to have him home!  In keeping with his drop everything and move to Hawaii spirit he has decided to go out on his own with his landscape architecture career.  I know he'll do great and can't wait to see where this leap takes him.  I also hope that living in a house with a boy who is every bit as three as they come, and a 6 week old, doesn't scar him too bad for life.  Or make him lose any respect he had for us as parents.

 

She's so much better than my camera skills.

I know.  I KNOW.  Things don't always turn out like I envision in my head, but bless this sweet girl's heart, we just can't get on the same page with photographs.

Right before Hardin was a month I saw a friend post the "block" picture online, so naturally I copied them. I had an older camera and had no idea how to use it.  His photos were not great, but I didn't know it so I loved them all so much.  

With Hadley I spent weeks picking out her perfect blocks, picked out places in my home to photograph her, outfits, blankets, etc.  I tried 100 different camera settings.  Four different times, four different places, and three different outfits.  I used my fancy new camera, and because I know what it is capable of I know when it's off.  I just can't figure out a good baby angle where you can't read the other sides of the blocks [ie, years, other numbers, etc.].

I LOVE every single picture because they all show her sweet little face and personality, but I haven't taken "the one" yet.  Not even close.  This may be my one year photography challenge to get the perfect shot.  In the mean time, I'll love all the practice shots of my perfect little girl.  

She's just so good. She's soft and calm.  Cuddly and sweet.  Strong and focused.  Did I mention snugly?  Because oh my, I could hug sister all day every day.  And do most days.  

Sweet girl, when you wonder why I didn't write too often about you these early weeks, it was because I was holding you and couldn't.  

4 Week Old Hadley

These pictures were snapped after Hadley's bath when she was four weeks old.  She is SO sweet this one, and makes the cutest little faces.  She's also the snugglest baby I've ever held.  When you hold her she just melts into you.  Little Miss likes to lay and look out the windows and I love to watch her.

  

First Christmas Program

I have a lot of catching up to do, but I want to make sure to document Hardin's first Christmas program.  It was the day after Hadley was due and I was so thankful I was able to make it.  I wish I could articulate just how insanely sweet it was but that is just not possible.  I cried like a baby for at least half of it.  They all proudly wore their snowman sweatshirts that they made with their footprints, and carried little Baby Jesus' they made with socks.  They sang 8 songs in all and I'll never forget a second of it.

Hadley Scott McWhorter

Our sweet baby is one month old today, and we are all completely in love with her.  It took me three weeks and five days to write about Hardin's arrival, so I think I'm doing good at a month with two kids. 

Hadley arrived a little after 8am on Tuesday, December 17th, via a scheduled cesarean.  Her delivery was fortunately very uneventful.  She weighed 10 lbs. 1 oz., was 21.5 inches, and is healthy and happy as can be.  She has Jason's eyes, hands, feet and legs; and my mouth and nose.  She has a good bit of brown hair and dark blue eyes. 

Our first week home threw us for a loop.  Hadley lost a full pound in her first two days and was jaundiced.  We went home Thursday and had a weight/well check on Friday.  They sent us home with the blue lights for her to sleep on because her bilirubin was still too high.  We went back Saturday morning for more blood work and as soon as we pulled in the parking lot Hardin vomited all over the car.  Any other time we would have probably given it a day or two to pass, but since we were there we had the doc check him out.  You could have knocked Jason and I over with a feather when the pediatrician came in the room and announced that our little buddy had the FLU.  NO WAY!  Not Hardin, not my baby that doesn't get sick.  Of course it wasn't the end of the world, and we are SO thankful for our otherwise healthy babies, but it was a little more stress than we were expecting.

We were sent home with the blue lights again for Hadley, and Tamiflu for Hardin.  The next three days were spent trying to keep Hadley and my c-section recovering self from catching the flu.  She literally did not leave my room for 3 full days except to go to the doctor Monday where she was given a clean bill of health and we returned the blue lights.  Jason and Hardin watched every movie they could find, and slept in the guest room together.  I will never forget how hard it was to hear my sweet boy getting sick and not help him, or how impressed I was with Jason and how seamlessly he stepped into the caretaker and comfort giver role.  Our efforts paid off and everyone else stayed well.

Next up was Christmas.  Although it was small, it was perfect.  Hardin was so much fun this year and really got into all things Christmas.  He told everyone that baby Jesus didn't have a bed but his baby was going to.  Santa was a hit as well. 

Mimi drove up the day after Christmas, and spoiled us rotten with delicious home cooked meals.  The adults napped as much as the kids that week and it did us all good. 

So far Hadley has been pretty laid back as long as she's not hungry and you don't try to put her down too much.  Sister likes to be held, and we like to hold her.  She is doing very well nursing, but we are supplementing as well if she still is hungry after nursing.  She is 95% of the time. 

The one big difference we've noticed this time around is in her cries.  Hardin had a half a dozen different cries that took us months to learn and master.  Our girl has one.  She goes from zero to what Jason calls "why'd you steal my pony" in about 2 seconds.  It's a wide frowny mouth loud cry.  Fortunately she turns it off as easily as she starts once you get her what she needs. 

We are all over the moon for little Hadley, she's the perfect completion to our family.  These pictures were taken by my sweet friend Shauna when Hadley was 10 days old. 

This last one is the outfit I came home from the hospital in.

Early Santa Visit

I had no idea how I would be feeling when I scheduled our Santa appointment, so I booked it for November just in case.  It was early, but we had a blast.  Phipps has a new Santa this year, and although he's a little smaller and less grandiose than the last one, we liked him for the smiles he brought out of our boy.  We talked it up the last week and Hardin knew exactly what he was going to ask for.  A Jake and the Neverland Pirate Ship, A Scooter like Lillian's not like Cawley's (3 wheels, not 2), and a super cool flashlight.  We "wrote" his list and then I helped translate so Santa could read it.

This was by far the best year yet with Hardin.  He hesitated for about 1/2 a second and then hopped right in the ol' man's lap and smiled his best little smile.  He went over the list with Santa and gave some pretty specific instructions.  When he walked over to me after I told him to climb up in his stroller and he looked at me like I was nuts.  I looked back and he said "WHERE are my presents?"  

OH CRAP.  The entire week we talked about asking Santa for gifts and getting them if you are good, I never mentioned the delay in the action.  Sweet thing thought we'd go, ask for our gifts, and get them right away.  He gave me some very suspicious looks about my explanation, and then shot Santa a bad glare before finally leaving.  This kid keeps me on my toes!  

Also, if he continues to hone the negotiation skills he used this morning with me trying to get him in that outfit, we're all in trouble.