Meredith getting into August and into a groove

Meredith's 2 week check was done Monday at 2.5 weeks because our doctor wasn't available last week.  But she weighs 8 pounds, 4.5 ounces (that's 1 lb, 10 ounces gained from her smallest weight) and has grown at least an inch in 2 weeks.  Dr. S is completely thrilled with her.  Meredith was not happy to have someone look in her ears but otherwise was ok with everything being done to her.
Sadly, she's out of all the newborn size stuff - sniff, sniff.  I love those teeny-tiny baby clothes.  Not that the 0-3 month clothes aren't tiny anyway.  But those are all big right now!

So we made it through our first Early Release day and a whole week of track out without any major incidents, largely thanks to my grandmother, my Aunt Dawn, and my mother who cleaned my house, did all my laundry, and kept Meredith and Beca busy for several days!!  Then we had several days at home with Daddy, who needed to use paternity days up.  Lots of time in the pool on days we could!  We also had afew visits with some friends but nothing overwhelming.  Beca spent a day with her friend Kate and her little sister, Melissa Rose after they came to meet Beca.

We've figured out a schedule pretty well (except I'm breaking the rules tonight by typing this because my mind isn't winding down as quickly as usual, although my body is done and wants sleep).  Hopefully we'll be able to do it when Steve has to go back to work next week!  Of course, Beca only has a few days of visit from my Aunt Lynn and cousin Kathryn and then she goes to Tennessee on vacation with Oma and Pop-pop, with my Grandma and Grandpop coming too!!  Sooo exciting!

walking "baby sissy" home from the bus stop after early release

Ready for the pool!

Playing with Daddy in the pool!

Learning to play Old Maid with Grandma and Aunt Dawn

the Cottle Princesses!

 Meredith's fun hair after a bath - it did this without help!

Sleepy Saturday tent/movie time

the rest of the crew on sleepy Saturday

Stephanie made this onesie - glad its a little bigger than the newborn stuff so Meredith can wear it for a while!

"I'm so full..."  the little monkey flops on Oma

Beca feeding Meredith for the first time! (August 4)

Sister time on the floor!

Meredith has Beca's hair, which Beca thinks is hysetrical

I had gotten a haircut and wanted pictures - all the good ones of me and the girls don't show the haircut but I love them!

Cottle family

too much excitement in the bouncer

Somehow, I was totally on with my camera Friday morning (8/6) and got these two shots of the adorable Sullivan Princesses who really wanted to hold Meredith!!

Melissa Rose holds Meredith - she was beyond excited to meet "Merdiss Grace"

Kate and Meredith - she looks like such a natural!

Meredith's first week

Meredith slept off the tiny newborn pretty quickly and already has some good lengths of awake time (up to 2-1/2 hours).  She really opens her eyes and watches things and continues the same stretching she did in utero but with the ability to actually make it.  She likes to watch Beca for the fleeting moment that Beca will sit still by her.  The dog intrigues her but luckily the barking doesn't wake her up during naps.  Afternoon is her favorite napping time.  And she doesn't cry about much so far - mostly for being hungry or needing to burp.

Steve and I have actually figured out a decent schedule so there's some longer stretches of sleeping for both of us - he feeds Meredith after I've gone to bed and then puts her down and we all get some sleep until I get back up to feed her again.  We're getting that "4am is not awake time" thing worked out but she's pretty content after a little rocking.  I had forgotten how quickly the day goes by with feeding, changing, pumping, sleeping, feeding, changing, etc.  Worked on this posting for 2 days off and on.
Anyway, what everyone's asking for - more pictures:

Sweet big sister trying to calm the hungry baby

Beca tries talking sweetly

A new day and a sleeping baby

Beca checking Meredith's heartbeat while Meredith gets fitted in her seat for the first time (she was not impressed initially)

Family loaded and ready to go home!

Made it in the house!

Meredith's room

More of her room (with the stash of size 1 diapers - there are more in the closet)

Zoe desperately wants at her puppy - we have almost the same picture from bringing Beca home.

First bath - only liked getting her hair washed, didn't like being cold after

Daddy gets to feed his baby girl!!

All 3 girls!!

An outfit Beca picked out

Another outfit that Beca and I found shopping - and she decided to open her eyes!

Talking with the girlie while she's awake!

Meredith Grace Cottle arrives!

After a long day (because I wanted a smoothie for breakfast), Meredith Grace Cottle was born at 10:46 pm on July 22, 2010.  She weighed 7 lbs, 7 ounces, 19-3/4 inches and had a massive head of dark brown hair.

We were so excited to welcome her into the world (and out of my belly) on the 22nd because my birthday, my father's birthday, his father's birthday, and his father's birthday are all on the 22nd of a month.  Plus it is also Cynthia's birthday (one of my very bestest friends)!  And funnier - my birth year is 77 - her weight!

Here's some pictures of her first day - a very long and busy day!

Kindergarten early days and 1 week left

Beca hasn't had much information when she comes home from Kindergarten.  Tonight though, she remembered one of her new friends is Emma and she sits next to her.  She also remembered she had music today and was telling us what she did in music!  She told us that it was 100 degrees.  We had a really fun evening of Taco night and playing UNO, which she won.  We may have found a better routine for the night time routine.  But I'm sure it will be all different soon.  I can't believe she only has a week and a half to vacation!

Zoe is not happy with all the changes in the house - the sofa got moved, the big chair went to Oma's and a smaller recliner came in, new organization units came in, lots of baby stuff keeps coming in and being moved about, and her worst enemy - the pack'n'play - was set up in the living room.  She follows me all the time until she gets exhausted enough to pass out on the floor once Beca has gone to sleep.  She has figured out that the recliner is the same chair she always sat in at Oma's house but now it has a slipcover.  So she spends more time in it than anyone else.  She's also not thrilled that there's a baby sleeper/rocker in our room on my side of the bed.  Tonight she gave us the saddest look from the back door when thunder rolled overhead and she was outside.  the poodle is getting panicking in her adult age.

Since Saturday night, baby girl has moved much lower and has stayed there.  It's not comfortable.  And everything is swelling a little more.  And I sleep a lot less, spending several hours throughout the night trying to go back to sleep.  Tomorrow is 38 weeks so she'll be out in 1 week!

Baby Clue #4 and Beca's first full day of Kindergarten

Baby Clue #4 - it is an actual name and not a number, animal, vegetable or mineral. A friend asked the question if the baby's name was 20 since I had a Facebook posting describing the crazy numerical connection for Beca between her preschool (where her daycare pickup number was 20) and her Kindergarten (where she is #20 out of 22 kids when their first names are arranged alphabetically). It was pretty neat that there was such a connection. Ok, well neat to some dorky engineers.

Yesterday, Beca had "graduation" from her class. She got a cap that was made for her and a diploma. The kids were so sweet as a bunch said they would really miss Rebecca. Her teachers made her a wonderful Memory Book and she got a frame with a picture of all the graduates, which they all signed. She's the only graduate leaving for year round school so the rest don't leave until August or September. She kept saying she was really going to miss her friends. Then, she also got to meet her new teacher who I had the best feeling about at Orientation. Her teacher is going to miss the next 2 weeks of school though because she was on track 4 last year and planned her wedding for track 4. So there will be a substitute for 2 weeks but Beca seems excited about school still. Good thing - as my grandmother said - she's got plenty more years to go.
Beca made it off the bus but almost forgot her backpack until I asked her where it was. Thank goodness - the packet of papers was huge! But its all good information, except the "pay us for school pictures without ever seeing them". Hmmm... I'll have to think about that. She wasn't overly chatty but was willing to help just for a little bit on some things at the house and then she needed a break. Which gave me time to set up Baby sister's pack and play in the living room. We've got everything we have to have at this point. And I'm just ready to meet her (and stop having her try to push on my ribs and pelvis at the same time). Less than 11 days now...

Baby Name - clue #3 and our garden harvest

Baby Clue #3 - everyone has heard this name but it is not a popular one.  Yeah, I know they are still a bit vague but I really would like Steve and I to be the first people to talk to her about her name. I think we went through enough to get her here and deserve at least that.

GARDEN HARVEST STARTED!
On July 5th, we picked the first beans - and not the ones that grew in the sun but the ones that grew in the corner under some other flowers and stuff.  Beca went right to trying them but we convinced her they might be better cold.

And out of 4 tomato plants, we have 1 - that's right ONE - tomato.  It's a little smaller than a golf ball.  And as of this morning, it is almost ripe and ready to pick.  I am going to try to get Beca to take a bite and then the rest is mine.

I have a good idea for next year what we need to do differently in our little mess of a garden but as of right now, we are still waiting on the big harvest of watermelons.  we have at least 3 that are larger than a softball right now.  I'm guessing since they are sugar baby watermelons that we probably shouldn't leave them too much longer.  Then there should be pumpkins, we hope.  So far, only flowers and no actual starts of the orange gourd.  these pictures are taken from about 6 feet above the garden and the watermelons are kind of hidden.