Cutie-Pie

Man oh man. These were just too cute to pass up posting. Dani in her fishy outfit, and her froggy outfit.

Visitors

So, here's some shots of all the visitors Dani has had over the past couple weeks...Grampa BuchananGramma BuchananGramma Yvonne and Auntie Kait Uncle Jeff
Auntie Allison
Uncle Scott, Auntie Tammy and cousin Daxton
Cousin Colson

Dr. Appointments & Visits

Well, I've been rather busy the past week or so. Been down with the flu, unfourtunately. Hit us pretty hard, Zac first, then me and Amy. Luckily Chris didn't get it, or we would've been really in trouble!

Anyway, we had some company, starting with Chris's Mom and sister Kaitlyn, who got here from Edmonton on the Saturday we got home from the hospital. They were able to stay just for a short visit, till Sunday night, but hopefully will be back in a week or so with Great-Gramma from Ontario, and Auntie Cara and kiddies as well. And they were lucky, they got out before the sickness hit. Which was Sunday night for Zac.

Chris had most of last week off, which was nice, then my Mom and Dad flew in from Ft. Chipewyan and arrived last Saturday, the 21st. Since Ft. Chip is so remote, with no Doctors etc. they have a lot of appointments and stuff to do while they are here, but they are getting in lotsa quality grandkid time. Zac of course is on cloud nine with them here, Gramma for probably another week. I've been up there with him, since I have been so out of it with the flu that I have barely been able to hold my hair up out of the toilet water, let alone take care of an 8 year old and a newborn. They both (and Mom especially, with night time shift) have been just an absolute treasure to have around this last week.

My brother Jeff and one of his boys Colson came by for a visit from the north end of Calgary, which seems like another province. It was such a nice day we bundled up Dani and took the doggies to the park for a little run. I didn't last too long, but neither did Dani, so it worked out ok. And it was good to get some fresh air.

My other brother Scott and his wife Tammy and their 2 boys are coming from Viking for the weekend, so that will be nice. Haven't seen them since the Sept long weekend reunion, and its always nice to have all the kids together.

So anyway, back to the Dr. appts... Dani had her checkup from the health nurse there a while back, I guess it was the 16th, and she was 8 pds 2.5 ozs. Then at the Drs appt on the 18th, she was only up to 8 pds 3 ozs. So the Dr. had us waking her sleepy-butt up every 3 hours to feed, to make sure she was getting enough to eat, as she needed to be back up to her birth weight for her next Dr. appt which was on the 24th. So that was a bit rough, as I seem to think that you should let sleeping babies lie. Especially when you are on your death bed yourself. But she did really good with it, getting up herself every 3 hours after the 1st day of us waking her up. She downs 4-6 ozs each feed, which seemed like a lot. And when we took her to get weighed on the 24th appointment, she was a whopping ... (drumroll please...) 8 pds 15 ozs. Very well done Dani girl! Just shy of 9 pounds at 11 days old. Nice! I love my chubby babies. Makes me feel like they are healthy. Which they are.

So that's what's been going on here in a nutshell. I will dump my camera onto the computer here as soon as I can, and get some pics up asap!

Zacs clip

OK, so I feel a bit bad that I have 2 video clips of Dani up here, and none of Zac, so here is a little one of him riding his bike in the park next door this fall...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV5FOt_3yHg

Hiccups!

Here's another video clip of Dani.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW6XakkDoa0

A Few Good Shots

First time in her swing! Dani likes it a lot, just staring up at the fishies.
Someone's maybe not feeling so well. So much attention getting shifted from Maggie to Dani. We try to give Mags lots of love, but I think she knows she isn't the baby of the family anymore!

Snuggle time with Daddy. I'm not sure who enjoys it more... :o)

What a lot of baby! She likes to stetch straight out, and if anyone saw me near the end of the pregnancy, you could tell why. She musta been so squished!

Life's so rough... sleeping, eating, pooping... then doin' it all over again!

Video Clip

Here is the link to a little video clip of Dani. 3 days old! Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8_yUzaHqJw

Flower Power

I hate it when flowers die, so here's permanant memories of all the nice bouqets I have recieved over the past few days...

Above is from Daddy (AKA Chris) Pink Gerbers and White Roses from Gramma and Grampa Buchanan

Purple bouquet from Big Brother Zac

One of 3 vases full of daisies from Auntie Amy

Big bouquet of pink and yellow roses from Auntie Kait. There is also a littler vase of the same for Dani, this big one is for Mama Phillips :o)

Proud Big Brother

Here's Zac feeding Dani for the first time. Did a VERY good job of it... now if we can just get him burping her and changing dirty diapers.... Just joshin'!

More Dani pics

Wow - I can't get over how nice this baby is! She is so good, rarely cries unless she's getting the dreaded diaper change, or when she's hungry. She's very alert when she is awake, and just looks around, checking out everything around her.

The health nurse came over yesterday and checked us out. We are both doing really well, Dani lost a bit of weight (normal) and was 8 pounds 2.5 ozs. So we have a Dr. appointment tomorrow morning and will see if she gains it back. By the amount this child can eat, I bet she's even more than her birth weight!

Last night was a bit rough - only got 3 hours sleep between 10pm and 4am, and had to wake Chris up to help as I was getting delirious (sp?). He's really good about taking care of her, but I feel bad about him not getting sleep when he has to work the next day. But he's trying to take some time off, if only work would realize that! He's out training a new guy right now, and Dani is in her crib taking a little nap. By the sounds on the moniter though, I think she may be up soon.

Zac was pretty stoked about telling everyone at school that his new baby sister is finally here. He wasn't feeling all that well Sunday night and Monday morning, but we got him to school. He skipped out on his Cubs meeting last night though, as he just wasn't himself still. Seems like he's almost 100% better today though. I think this is one of the 1st times that kid has EVER been sick, so I'm having a harder time with it, as I never have had to deal with him being under the weather.

Everyone here is adjusting nicely to the new member of the household. Auntie Amy would probably prefer it if she didn't have to go to work, so she could hang out holding her neice all day. Zac of course is totally in love with her. And actually last night, he wanted to know what it was like to feed her, so he got to give her her bottle before he went to bed. He was like, "That was cool! I want to do that tomorrow!" Very cute. And at one point yesterday or Sunday, Zac went to check on Dani who was napping in her room. He comes out and tells me, "I just checked the baby sister. I felt to see that she was still breathing, and to make sure her heart was still beating. It is."

The doggies and cat are doing really well with her. The 1st day she was home, the dogs wouldn't let her out of their sight. No matter who was holding her, wherever Dani was, Okee and Maggie were. Leave the room, 2 dogs follow. Abby Fat Cat actually noticed her for the 1st time yesterday, when I had Dani laying on the footstool. Abby put her paws up beside Dani and sniffed her head for a good minute or so. I was a little nervous, but she just sniffed, then waddled off.

Maggie is probably the most out of sorts with the baby in the house. She seems to be almost protective of her already. She doesn't lick her (miracle of all miracles!) but likes to be close by her, sniffing, trying to figure out what the heck she is or something. It's pretty cute. I actually just heard Maggies toenails clicking across the wood flooring in Dani's room. Just checking up on her.

Which I had better do...

Dani Eve-Marie Phillips

Welcome the newest member of our family! Born at 6:51 am October 13th, she is absolutely perfect! Dani was 8 lbs 6 ozs and 19 3/4 inches long at birth. By the way she's eating, she is trying to make up the difference between her and her big brother who was over 10 pounds when he was born! Amy was at Dani's birth, and was a super photographer, taking over 150 pics (I think she was excited!), so beware that there will most likely be TONS of pictures added to my blog. :o)

Man, I love this poem...

I Carry Your Heart with Me
~
e.e. cummings















I carry your heart with me
(I carry it in my heart)

I am never without it
(anywhere I go you go, my dear;
and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

I fear no fate
(for you are my fate, my sweet)
I want no world
(for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;
which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
I carry your heart
(I carry it in my heart)

New Family Additions...

It is with great pride and joy that we announce the additions of "Barkley" and "Cuddles" into our family. ;o)
Today we headed into the city to do a little special thing before the real addition joins the family. We went to the Build a Bear store and Zac picked out his puppy Barkley, and the baby sisters puppy Cuddles. He chose a woofing/sniffing dog sound to put into Barkleys paw, and Cuddles got a Brahms (?) lullaby in her paw.
Once the stuffing got in them, Zac got to pick out a heart for each. He rubbed them (cuz you can't have a puppy with a cold heart) and made a wish for them (which he later told me was that they were "happy and healthy and nice") and tucked them inside.Cuddles' birth certificate - if you can't see it, it says she was "Stuffed with love by Big Brother Z".