Potty training

Last Tuesday, Sienna told me that she didn't want to wear diapers anymore. She wanted to wear panties like her friend. Then she went on to list all her friends and cousins who wear big girl or big boy underwear. Garth and I have been trying to get her interested in the potty for some time now and sometimes she seemed excited about it, but for the most part, she wasn't interested at all. So I figured I'd really work on it this summer, when she could run around naked in the house. But Tuesday, she took me by surprise! I wanted to believe her, but deep inside I thought it wouldn't last. Much to my surprise, she totally stuck with it and hasn't gone back to diapers (except for nap and bedtime)!!!!! And she hasn't had an accident since last Wednesday!! Amazing! She loves her panties and she loves to pick out a pair each morning.

Several people told me to wait until she was ready, and even though we never pushed her, we really tried to encourage her. But, like my friends and family said, she had to be ready and want to do it on her own. It made it WAY easier when it was her decision. She now tells me when she needs to go and can do it all by herself!! Woo-hoo!! It is soooo much nicer changing only one set of diapers.

I am SO proud of my big girl! Love her so much!

2 months and Easter

Harper is 2 months old and has captivated our hearts even more. She recently started smiling and I am obsessed with her little gummy grin.

We just moved Harper into her crib last week and just like her big sister did, she started sleeping even longer! Woo-hoo! She sleeps anywhere from 5-6 hours at night (7 hrs a few times) and then after a feeding, goes back down for about 3 hrs. We followed the book Baby Wise with Sienna and she slept through the night at 8 weeks and we're doing it again with Harper, so hopefully this little love will sleep through the night soon. She is much smaller than Sienna was, but I am SO proud of her and will gladly take 5-6 hours right now :). She is amazing.

Our blue eyed girl

One day Sienna was calling me to come look at Harper. She had put these glasses on her (upside down of course) :)

Sienna continues to be obsessed with "her baby," as she calls her. She constantly wants to hug and kiss her. Often when Harper is sleeping, we tell her not to touch Harper. She looks at me and says, "Mommy, I NEED to touch her. I NEED to touch my Harper. Pleeeassse??" How can I resist that? So, I let her gently touch her feet or her back. When Harper is awake, I often find Sienna laying next to her on the ground, or sitting next to her, holding her hand or kissing her head. It is precious! 

 I had to add this picture because I think it's just so sweet. She is such a beautiful girl and this picture reminds me how she's growing up. Sad.

She is sitting on a chair having her cereal with milk, her favorite breakfast item.

EASTER

This year we hosted Easter at our home. It was great! Garth's family made the drive up here from southern California and we had a wonderful time (although we really missed Kimu and Klaire). My parents also joined us.

Sienna opening her Easter basket

Harper and some of her goodies--modeling Sienna's glow-in-the-dark glasses. 

I don't have any pictures of the Easter egg hunt because I video taped it. But it was a lot of fun watching these three trying to find the eggs. Sienna LOVED it!

after the Easter egg hunt

checking out her loot

Sweetie Pie looking way too cute in her  Easter dress

our family

love her!!

Harper wasn't into taking a picture with sister.

1 month old

On January 28th, our lives changed and our hearts grew bigger than we thought possible, once again. Our second daughter, Harper was born. I remember crying the night before. I was nervous for the c-section, worried about how Sienna would be (now that she didn't get our undivided attention), and I wondered how I could possibly love another child like I loved Sienna. But, like every mom told me over and over, your heart grows and love happens instantly, with each and every child. I can't describe it, but it happened. The moment I heard and then saw Harper, I cried and my heart was overwhelmed with love for that tiny little baby. It was an amazing moment.

Here is Harper's birth story:

We knew I was going to have a c-section a few weeks before Harper was born. She was in a breech position and even though I hoped and prayed she would turn around, she didn't. So we set a date and anxiously waited for it to roll around. On the morning of the 28th, we woke up bright and early because we had to be at the hospital at 6:00am.  It was dark and cold outside and I was very nervous about the c-section I would be having in a couple hours. We got to the hospital and were admitted right away. The nurses started all the prep work and like my friend Heidi told me, the IV was probably the worst part. We had a nursing student putting in my IV and after a horrible first attempt, she got it in the second time around. Nurses, our doctor, and the anesthesiologist all came in to check up on us and get things ready. 

Around 7:30ish, they loaded me on a gurney, and with Garth following, they started the path down the hallway to the operating room. Garth had to wait outside while they gave me the spinal anesthesia and got everything ready. I remember laying in the tiny room that was filled with medical equipment and music was playing in the background. It put my nerves to rest a little bit. It was so different that Sienna's birth. There were so many people in that tiny room. There were 8-9 people in there prepping me and getting ready for the birth of our daughter. There was a NICU team (which is always there for c-sections), nurses, nursing students, the doctor, and the anesthesiologist. They were calming and comforting and it was a very odd feeling being completely numb from the chest down, but being completely awake and aware of my surroundings. 

I couldn't see what was happening because of the drape, but I could feel them tugging at my belly and I was wondering where Garth was. I was shaking like crazy (anesthesiologist said from the spinal...plus nerves, I'm sure!), and Garth finally came in, which eased my mind a bit. It was so weird feeling them tug at my belly and feeling pressure, without any pain. I layed there listening to the crew of people talk about everyday life. The nurse was asking about our doctor's chickens and she was telling them about the different animals they have on their property. It was pretty surreal. Then, 3 minutes after she cut into me, as Journey played in the background (awesome), Harper Celeste Gipson was born. I was overwhelmed with emotion as I heard her cry and the doctor lifted her up over the drape so we could see our little love bug. I cried and instantly wanted to hold and kiss her. The nurses quickly checked her, then wrapped her up and brought her over so I could see her. They held her next to my face (my arms were strapped down), and I was dying to hold her. We took a few pictures and then they whisked her away so quickly. I watched as Garth walked away to be with her in the recovery room while they took all her measurements and took her footprint. I desperately wanted to be with them, but obviously, I couldn't. The doctor and nurses were so kind and reassuring during the whole process and with the music and their talking, it wasn't nearly as bad as I had worked it up in my head.

Once the doctor was done finishing the surgery, I was wheeled into the recovery room, where I got to hold our precious girl for the first time. It was amazing. She was so tiny- 6 lbs. 2 oz., 19 inches long. The three of us, Garth, Harper, and myself, enjoyed this time together as a family. We kissed her and talked about her features, and just fell deeper and deeper in love. After about an hour, we were wheeled over to our room and soon family and friends came to visit.

 After spending 2 days in the hospital, we were more than ready to go home! Sienna couldn't visit at the hospital (kids are not allowed at the hospital during flu season), so we couldn't wait for them to meet. It was absolutely precious. Sienna brought Harper a balloon and was so excited to see her baby sister. She wanted to hold her immediately and it seemed as though she fell in love as quickly as we did.

Sienna is obsessed with her sister and constantly wants to hold her and kiss her. She loves sitting next to her and holding her hand, and she always wants to know where Harper is and what she is doing. It is so sweet. When Harper starts crying, Sienna always tells me, "I get sister for you mom. I get her" (thankfully she has not picked her up, even though she desperately wants to!). She also has tried to feed Harper. I was in the kitchen and Harper was laying on the couch. I looked over and Sienna had her shirt lifted up and was saying, "Drink milk please. Please have milk." So precious. Sorry Sienna, you can't help her out in that area. But Sienna has been my helper in many ways. Bringing me a burp cloth, a diaper, or her blanket. She tries to shush Harper gently when she's crying. She will hold Harper's hand and say, "It's ok sister. It's ok. No crying." Several times, Sienna will be sitting next to Harper and will look at me and say, "She so cute, mom." It truly melts my heart watching their relationship start. I can't wait to watch them grow up together.

Now, Harper is one month old. My, how time flies by!

This month:

*We've been tired- (nothing prepares you for sleepless nights-thank goodness for my mom and mother-in-law. Because of those two amazing women, I got to take a nap almost every day for the first few weeks)

*We've learned it takes a little more time and preparation to get out the door 

*Feeding was difficult for the first few weeks (but now she's doing great!)

*We've been blessed with delicious meals from family and friends

*We've watched Sienna fall in love with her baby sister

*We've realized how much better life is right now than it was a month ago

4 days

In 4 days, we will be meeting our new little girl. 4 days! Technically, I'm not due until Feb. 3, but we found out a few weeks ago that this little love is breech. I've tried doing some exercises and at each apt, the Dr. has done an ultrasound to check her positioning and she is still in the same position. Technically, she's laying in a diagonal position across my belly, and boy is it uncomfortable! Her head sits right under my right lung and her booty is down on the lower left side of my body. From the last ultrasound done with the high-tech machine, her feet were right up in-front of her head. We couldn't get a shot of her sweet face. 

I've had a feeling for a long time that she was in an awkward position, because I have just been incredible uncomfortable for the last couple months. WAY more than Sienna. With Sienna, I felt great up until the end (besides the nausea). This time, I've been nauseous probably 80% of this pregnancy. I was sick for 6 months, stopped for a little while, and then around Christmas it all came back. Then came the sciatic nerve pain and the restless leg syndrome at night. I felt like a mess this time, lol. I know it will all be worth it though, when we get to snuggle with that sweet little girl on Monday. Annndd, I'll probably forget about it in a few months and say it wasn't that bad at all!

As for the c-section, I'm quite disappointed about having to have one. My labor and delivery went so well with Sienna (with the help of an epidural!), so the thought of having surgery has been very emotional to me. Some days I feel totally content and at ease with the idea and other days, I am a mess. Everyone I've talked to who has had a c-section gives me a lot of positive reassurance and said it's not too big of a deal, that it's not as bad as they thought, and hearing their experiences make me feel better. Honestly, the only thing that I'm afraid of is not being able to pick up Sienna for a long time (Dr. told me almost 6 weeks). That is what breaks my heart. Yes, she can climb up and sit with me, but she's still my little girl, not even 2 and a half and the thought of not being able to pick her up makes me cry! But, I want to do whatever I need to do to deliver our baby in the healthiest and safest way, so if I need to have a c-section, then that's what I need to do. (Even though I have a lot of chats with her about turning...she has 4 days! Flip, baby, flip!).

Because I'm HORRIBLE at updating the blog, here are some recent happenings at the Gipson home!

Sienna playing outside. She likes to wear mommy's sunglasses. This day she wore them non-stop...even while we were out running errands. People in Hobby Lobby were cracking up!

One of the few pictures I have from Thanksgiving...I wasn't good about taking pictures this year! But I love this picture because our little girl LOVES to dance and here she was dancing away at Nana's house. 

Here Sienna is with her 3 adorable cousins...Karson, Klaire, and Kimu on Thanksgiving. Boy does Sienna love them!!

At the end of November, Garth and I had the opportunity to go to New York for a long weekend. We had a blast. It was very cold, but it was so fun to see New York decorated for Christmas. Seriously gorgeous!

Here we are in front of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. We got there 1 day after the tree lighting! Bummer. But, it was still beautiful to see.

While we were there, we went to see the Broadway show The Mystery of Edwin Drood, where a great friend of mine had a leading role. She was AMAZING! It was so much fun to watch her show, hang out in her dressing room, and spend time with her. 

Here we are with Betsy.

While we were in New York, Sienna helped grandma decorate their Christmas tree.  She even got to pick out her own ornament at the store and she chose that fairy on the right. She quickly became obsessed with it and needed it in her sweet hands every time she was at grandma and grandpa's house. 

Here we are at a friend's Christmas party. We had a great night!

Our cutie-patootie

Funny story with this Santa. (First off, Sienna made daddy hold Santa's hand for this picture...see her watching him to make sure he does it?). Ok, back to the funny story. So, everyone at the party gathered in the entryway to say a prayer before dinner. We happened to be standing next to that Santa. I look down during the prayer and Sienna is holding Santa's hand with her head bowed and her eyes closed. People were giggling because they saw the same thing, it was just so precious. I wish I had had my camera (although I shouldn't be taking pictures during prayer, right?), it was just too sweet. 

Happy New Year!! We had a great time celebrating an "East Coast New Year" in Exeter. We hung out with friends and the kids loved dancing in the street to music before the fireworks went off. Plus, we got to bed at a decent hour! Yay! 

Sienna loves her babies. I always go in to check on her right before I go to bed and this is how I found her one night-holding 3 of her babies. She is obsessed with her baby dolls lately...getting some practice before her little sister arrives!

 I got a little crafty with the nursery this time around. I did not make a bumper, but I did have someone I found on Etsy make it for me. I did, however, make a ruffled crib skirt. I had done A LOT of research on sewing ruffles (I'm definitely a beginner at sewing), and I had tried several methods. As my due date came closer and closer, I decided I needed to figure out what to do. Then I remembered my friend showing me an amazing tutorial online about hot glue gunning ruffles. I know it sounds completely ghetto, but it was SO easy and I think it looks great. You can't even tell it's hot glued together.

First I measured out Sienna's old bedskirt to make an exact copy of it.  I bought a $4 twin sized flat sheet from Walmart to use as my base. 

I sewed (there was a little sewing involved) the three sides to the part that the mattress lays on. 

Then I started hot glue gunning. I used a yard of each fabric for the total bed skirt. I did do a lot of measuring, to make sure I had even ruffles. I would fold the fabric in 1/2,  then 1/4's,  and then 1/8's and pin them down...that way i didn't have a lot of tight ruffles on one side and run out of fabric by the end. It ended up working out so well and it was SO easy!! I totally recommend this project. 

Here is one side complete. I didn't get a picture of all three sides complete because I was so excited,  I wanted to put it on the crib right away.

 And here is the rest of baby girl's nursery. With the huge help of my friend Heidi (who made the bunting and tissue paper pom-poms, and helped me make the picture board and the fabric hoops), the nursery is finally done!! I love all the colors. When we first had our home painted, I knew I wanted this room a green color...but I handed the painter the WRONG can and didn't even look inside the paint can to see the actual color...BIG mistake. I came home from work to a dark green room. And although it was pretty, it wasn't what I had expected. We knew it was going to be the future nursery and I didn't know what I would do with it, so after looking at a lot of different fabrics, I found one called Kumari Garden that was beautiful and that is where my inspiration came from.

Here is Sienna's old crib with the new bumper and the crib skirt ( a little bummed you can't see the blue ruffles on the bottom. But you will once we eventually lower the mattress down).

The huge white paper is where her name will be. We ordered a white vinyl decal with her name. Those are cheap $1.50 embroidery hoops with fabric in them. 

Here is the other side of the room. It is so much prettier in person! 

Ok, I'm going to end this long drawn out post with one of my favorite iphone apps. It is called iSwap Faces. It is $1 or $2, but it is totally worth it! It cracks me up!! You basically take any picture on your phone and then you swap the faces of two people. I was first introduced to it by my friend Jenny. She took this picture:

and made this:

Seriously, even though it's a bit creepy, I still look back on this over a year later and laugh so hard. I think it's HILARIOUS.

Then the other night, I was sitting on my couch with the hubby and my cousin Christy sent me a swapped face picture. Last time we saw Christy, she took this adorable picture of Sienna and her daddy:

Sienna and her daddy

 Enter iSwap Faces.... and BAM!

It seriously cracks me up!! Look at the little stubble on Sienna's face...and Garth with pigtails!! I know it totally creeps a lot of people out, but I find it simply hilarious. 

So, go spend a buck or two and laugh away!!

(and please say some prayers for us on Monday, January 28th, as we get ready to meet our new little girl!...4 days!!!)