oh time has just slipped away

I had a post started when Meredith turned one month (August 22).  Actually, I had started a post a week before that when Beca left with my parents for Tennessee (8/14).  On the Friday before she left, we were being loud at dinner and laughing with her and her response was "You people are freaking me out" with a mad giggle.  moments later, she burst into tears over how much she would miss us and her baby sister while she was gone all week.  The tears would come again many times until she left and even in the car just after.  Her adventures of miniature golf ("It's not just golf in miniature, it's miniature golf"), driving on the go-kart track, pool time, hiking in caverns, and riding rides at Dollywood soon melted that away and before we knew it, the week was over and she was back and visiting with Ema and Aunt Jenny.  That night was one of the most fun dinners I've had in a long time.  Ema, Jen, Oma, Pop-pop, Grandma, Grandpop, Mommy (uh, me), Daddy, Beca and Meredith all crammed around the table with lots of food.  It was great!  We did have visitors throughout August but not so many that we were overwhelmed.  It worked out well for us.
Anyway, the next day Meredith turned one month old and I started trying to write something about how she was starting to find and use her voice to really cry when she was hungry or tired or needed to burp.  She and Zoe had started an interesting little game when Meredith cried for certain things (I'm really not tired even though I'm exhausted and I really have to burp) - Meredith cries and Zoe starts to howl.  Then Meredith stops because something is making noise and Zoe stops because Meredith isn't crying.  Then Meredith cries again because the noise stopped and we start the cycle over!!  We've let it go on sometimes because all you can do is laugh!
Since starting that post though, I never found time to finish it.  My biggest problem is a case of tendinitis that makes it hard to type, write, carry Meredith and a whole host of other things without being in pain.  Granted, I sucked it up when I had to but I stopped all activities that weren't necessary. I could easily sit with Meredith in my lap and click a mouse but trying to type was a different story.  Continues today but I have figured out a way to prop Meredith up and my computer both in my lap and then type.  I'm really hoping daycare helps break her of the "I have to sleep on people" thing.  Beca never did that - she just wanted to be put down.  Of course, there weren't all the crazy distractions then either.  Meredith's not a huge fan of the swing but loves to watch mobiles and things that move so she likes the characters on her bouncy seat a lot as well as the bunny on her baby papzan chair.  It's amazing how much stuff we have right now.
Fast forward to yesterday when Meredith hit the 2 month mark.  She had a check-up in which she was declared perfect at 50% for everything (weight 11 lbs, 4 oz, length 22.5 inches, head measures at 15 in) .  She hated the stethoscope being pushed on her, crying even more for that than she did the 3 shots!!  She's also not going to be in the 0-3 month clothes that much longer.  Anything with feet on it is really getting too short for her.
And yesterday was also Pop-pop's 54th birthday and our 9th anniversary.  I got a locket from Steve to put pictures of the girls in. We had dinner at home but got some great pictures of Meredith laughing for us.  She started with small smiles just after Labor Day and is already scaring herself when she tries to giggle. She's also getting her fingers in her mouth and sucking on them loudly.  I don't think it will take long for the exodus of the paci to occur.  Or at least we are hoping it won't.
Rebecca (that's how she rolls at school) is doing fantastic in kindergarten.  She loves it and is very passionate about her schedule and her day and her special class of the day.  It's been really fun to watch her transition.  She had to be moved to a different table but it was because one of the few boys in the class kept tormenting her that her work wasn't good enough and that would put her into a very emotional state.  She rides the bus and is in class with a little girl named Natcha whose parents are from Thailand.  Track 3 kindergarten at her school is mostly girls.  I think out of 23, only 7 or 8 are boys.  Beca loves her teacher, Mrs. Card, and the assistant, Mrs. Walling.
Today, we went to daycare to introduce Meredith to her teachers (who she loves) and get our stash of required paperwork and rules.  And they picked her color in the class to be purple!!  How perfect?  She's only going to be the 4th kid in the class and one of those moves up soon!  She's going to be exhausted after trying to watch that all day.  just one more week.
Our first baby is ready for bed but needs to go out first.  And I'm up way later than I should be.  Not ready for the less sleep I get by going back to work... Glad to get this all out finally.  It may not be interesting to any of you but I know my girls will get to read it one day.

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.