Evelyn 3 weeks old

Just a few pictures of the kids from the past week. Alex started going to school on Wednesday and Thursday and also started attending Gymboree class on Fridays. Evelyn is waking up more and more to enjoy tummy time, playmat time, her bouncy seat, and some time outdoors while Alex plays. She is finally filling out her newborn sized clothes and diapers better, outgrowing the preemie sizes she was wearing until this week.

Family Photos Online Album

This is the slideshow of the rest of the images from the professional photos we had taken on January 10th. This gallery is only online for 2 weeks (until February 7th)!!

The kiddos pictures: mid-January 2010

Pictures of the kiddos mid-January

Evelyn 2 weeks old

Alex likes to throw his whole self into bowling...First walk with the "Boat"
Enjoying a Gymboree birthday party for Alex's friend Jacob

Tummy time cuddles

Took both kids to the doctor on Thursday, January 14th (Evelyn's due date by the way). It was Evelyn's 2 week checkup (at 12 days) and Alex's follow up for ear infections in December. Alex's ears were clear and he weighed in at 27 lbs 15 oz. Evelyn looked great and weighed in at an impressive 5 lbs 13 oz--up from the 1% to the 6% for weight!

Alex has been a great big brother, helping to get out diapers, carry Evey, and likes to put lots and lots of blankets (as well as any other fabric he can find--nursing covers, burp clothes, towels, etc.) on the sleeping baby and says "hush, hush, baby, sleep". He loves to kiss and cuddle her especially during tummy time...you can see that he loves to put his arm around her. If he is feeling any sadness about having a baby sister, he is consoling himself by over-indulging in watching Thomas the Train, which he begs for many times during the day (especially when daddy is home).

Evelyn's been eating great and sleeping fairly well, even at night. She is starting to wake up more, especially during the evening into the early part of the night, when she wants to eat often, but she seldom cries right now. She is very alert when awake, with her eyes open and looking all around, and she even does well with tummy time--lifting and turning her head from side to side.

We've been blessed to have wonderful friends bringing us dinner every other day. So we are eating well and enjoying this time while Evey is still sleepy often. Andy had a long weekend with Monday off for MLK day, so we did some shopping and went out to dinner and today we went to the zoo to enjoy the beautiful weather (that wasn't here the rest of the weekend). Alex walked almost the entire time and that plus playing at the playground there really tuckered him out for a good nap this afternoon. That time allowed mom and dad to both get in a good workout--mom's first run since the baby! The summers might be too hot here, but you can't complain about such wonderful weather in the middle of "winter"!

We had some professional pictures taken last weekend at our house by Lori Mercer. She sent us a preview of just a few of the great pictures. Hopefully we will get to see the rest soon, but these are too wonderful not to share!!

Evelyn's First Week

Here's some pictures from this past week.

Evelyn and Alex enjoyed the company of 2 sets of grandparents this week. Alex really will miss them...especially Monday when daddy is at work and it's just mom with the kids!Evelyn had a sponge bath on Thursday, Jan 7th that Alex helped with. Besides her first venture out to the doctor on Wednesday, she went to her first restaurant with the rest of the family on Friday night...sleeping peacefully all through dinner and most of the ride home. Her umbilical cord stump fell off Saturday, so the next bath can be a real one in water...not that she will like that very much! Mom and dad even got a nice breakfast out together (without the kiddos) before the grandparents left Saturday morning.

Evelyn's Nursery

Welcome Evelyn!

Our family happily welcomed Evelyn Paige on January 2, 2010 at 1:33 pm. She weighed 5 pounds, 3 ounces and was 19 inches long.
Here she was in mom's belly the day before...

We went to the hospital at 5 am to be induced due to baby's small size (ultrasound on the previous Wednesday estimated her in the 2nd percentile with a weight of 5 lb 2 oz at 37 weeks, 6 days). Besides the Pitocin to induce the labor, mom survived without any other meds. Labor progressed throughout the morning into the afternoon, and yet the doctor almost did not make it in time to catch Evelyn's speedy arrival. Mom and baby were declared healthy and besides some extra sugar tests and warming sessions, Evelyn had no special care needed. She had good Apgar test scores, got her vaccinations and genetic disease tests, and passed her hearing screening. She left the hospital 2 days later (Mon, Jan 4) weighing 4 lb, 15 oz, and at her weight check with the base pediatrician on Wed, Jan 6 she was 4 lb, 14 oz with reasonable bilirubin levels (9, tests for jaundice) not requiring further checks unless she changes color or stops eating and making diapers. Her next checkup is a 2 week well baby check on Jan 14th.

Evelyn's first visitors at the hospital were Alex and Grandma and Grandpa Brooke. Alex did great with her at the hospital and still is doing great at home. He likes to say "hush, baby" to keep everyone quiet and let her sleep, and he likes to give her kisses too. He has shown mom that he still wants her attention, but has been spoiled with grandparents to play with all week. Evelyn was also visited at the hospital by Mandy and Chris C. and Dan and Kerry G. and Beverly K.

Grandma and Grandpa were here to take care of Alex while we were in the hospital and the first few days at home, then Gram and Pop McElvaine arrived to help out and meet the new baby. Andy had to go back to work after the holiday break starting Tue, Jan 4, so thank God for grandparents!!

Evelyn's got skinny little legs and a narrow body with long feet, toes, hands, and fingers. She's tiny but bright-eyed and active when she is awake. Her hair, which is mostly on the back of her head, is dark blonde and her eyes are a dark steely blue, like Alex's at birth (his have changed to brown). She goes through diapers like crazy and is getting better at eating each day. She is very peaceful most of the time and we normally have to wake her up to feed her still so she is getting to eat often enough, so there is plenty of time to just stare at her sweet little expressions. We are enjoying this as we bet it won't last too much longer! All in all, it was a good pregnancy, good delivery, and a great first week for this new family of four.

Here are a more pictures of Evelyn still in mommy's belly, a few of Alex before Evelyn came, and lots of Evelyn's first few days with us.

There are several videos too of Alex and Evelyn, so here they are!

Alex at the Park from Andrea McElvaine on Vimeo.

Alex vacuuming with Mom from Andrea McElvaine on Vimeo.

Evelyn Paige's First Day from Andrea McElvaine on Vimeo.

Alex meets Evelyn from Andrea McElvaine on Vimeo.

Alex kisses for baby Evelyn from Andrea McElvaine on Vimeo.