the swing situation

i just couldn't help but post these photos. big brother and sister LOVE miss frances, BUT...

sometimes love is a funny thing! clif and i both have threatened repeatedly to NOT touch the swing (trust us, it WILL fall over if messed with by little hands!). so how do my wise and wonderful older children circumvent this rule?!

they get as close as possible...."but we aren't touching, mommy!!"
:)

the doc report

tuesday morning (the 13th) frances had her first doctor's appointment.

the big kids went to school....

but not before they got a little baby loving!

next it was off to the doc....this pic is extra special since we have the EXACT same one of miss v! same age, outfit, and reason to see doc...oompa loompa jaundice! ;)

proud daddy...

and sweet miss f....she got a good report, nearly back to her birth weight in only five days, and jaundice has peaked! woohooo....

frances' firsts

because this isn't our first...we recognize the sometimes forgotten window of "new baby". this is when your new bundle of joy sleeps...incessantly. if you are a new parent, you worry, wake the baby up, call the physician, etc. if you are a third time parent...you take advantage of this small window and escape the house!!

this is why on monday afternoon (when frances was a mere four days old) she had her first trip to the park. she thoroughly enjoyed it! ;)

she also has experienced what clif refers to as "daddy's little newspaper". of course, this is just the outcome of my amazing swaddling technique!!

we also took the whole family out to eat. the first time we have heard the words "day party of five"!

and i'm not sure if this is frances' first, but it is definitely part of her everyday life...a little cuddle time with big sister, vivian.

first night home

miss frances' first night home went off without a hitch. she enjoyed her bath time about as much as her older sister (read: screamed the WHOLE time!)

but luckily someone was there to help her through it all!! (i must admit this has become one of my favorite times of day...vivian LOVES helping give her a bath!! and is actually quite handy to have around.)

the after bath crew.

and the TRUTH of the after bath crew. "baby sissy smells."

"and she is loud, too!"

luckily, i think he really does like her...

and lucky for clif and i, she seems to really like us. thus far, things have been great. she is a good baby that wakes up to eat and goes right back to sleep...if only the first two had been this easy!! :)

this ain't our first rodeo....

heading home from the hospital*, we felt like old pros...it was funny to watch this other couple with their first baby...teehee...the car seat situation, mother in the backseat, dad driving 5 mph...we LOVED it!!

miss frances looked awfully tiny in her car seat (thanks to auntie steph for the new cover!).

and thanks to miss laura for stellar care during our stay...what would we have done without you?! :)
*yes, that is me...not the aforementioned marlon brando....sheeesh!

photo shoot

now i must admit....whitney loibner i am not, BUT when you have a subject as cute as miss frances...how can you not attempt a little photo session?! since we were required to stay in the hospital an extra 24hours due to jaundice, i decided to make the best of it. we had a room with wonderful sunlight (great for reducing her bili level) and great for picture taking. here our little one is enjoying a little sunbathing....

wearing the same jammies her mommy, and both big brother and sister wore.

probably my favorite picture....she just looks so sweet!

a little awake time.

and in the dress aunt susan wore as a baby. i had intended for her to wear this home, but we got the news that her bilirubin was only a fifteen, so they had decided to discharge us. we were so excited, that i didn't think to change her clothes as we hit the door running, afraid they would change their minds!! ;)

hospital days

it was pretty easy to update from the hospital...not so much with three little ones around! ;)

so here is the final "hospital wrap-up". frances and mommy right after delivery. ugh, the nose!! WHY do they insist on filling you with SOOO much fluid?! this time i even developed these weird chipmunk cheeks....not too cute, especially since i looked more like marlon brando than myself!

i love this picture of my daddy....he just looks SOOO proud.

one of our many well wishers (btw, somehow i didn't remember to take pics...send me one if you did)...miss lauren, who incidentally is expecting her second this september.

first family shot (taken by miss joanie, of course).

miss frances debut. one of the many things i remember my mother saying about all three of her girls was how each of us were completely covered in vernix...she would further claim that is why we have beautiful skin as adults. it makes me giggle to think how pleased she would be to see her cheesy covered granddaughter! ;)

three

time for a bit of honesty...i took these pictures yesterday, but couldn't find the "right" captions. but after looking at these sweet faces i decided words aren't really necessary....

our three.

mommy's crew.

"i hold her...give her here. i want her...gimme!" big bro bauer says repeatedly with both hands palm up outstretched. :)

a VERY proud godmother. (who incidentally couldn't make it a day without seeing her...so she came BOTH!)

the peanut. thought to be a ten pound punisher....really a tiny little runt, that couldn't have been a more perfect fit to our little family.

an unexpected lovely gift.

over the last few years i have developed a friendship with a woman who i truly admire. she is a godly woman, an inspiring mother, and truly a generous soul. in reality we don't have much in common on the surface....her quiet and calm demeanor are in great contrast to my outspoken ways...but our friendship has grown into something i cherish...an unexpected gift. and wouldn't you know, just when i least expected it....she gives of herself yet again. yesterday, in her signature sweet voice, she asked "would it be too much if i brought my camera?" well....







no. what an amazing gift to be able to capture all the wonderful blessings god has bestowed upon us in the last twenty four hours. many thanks to the lovely miss w.

miss frances katherine day

on april the 8th at 10:18am, we were blessed with the third (and final) addition to our family. miss frances katherine day, arrived weighing 6 lbs. 9 oz. (much smaller than predicted), and measuring 19 1/2 inches. she has a bit of light brown hair that seems curly, and dark blue eyes. as of this morning we (mommy and baby) are doing great! my epidural has been pulled, as have the iv's and caths....and we have even been for a walk down the hall! and since things are running so smoothly, i felt it was time to introduce miss frances properly to her blogging world. :)

our traditional "last shot" before we leave for the hospital.

try not to stare at my strangely enormous nose....instead check out those excited big kids awaiting sissy's arrival.

mommy tucked in and ready to go...

daddy in his gear, ready for #3!!

first family shot.

big sister's big love.

just a teeny bit proud...

just a teeny bit overwhelmed! ;)

proud aunt su and uncle seth.

popa and dotdot.

mother and daughter.

proud grandday's: gege and pawpaw.

dr. deed carries on our family tradition of the older siblings being presented babies just like mommy and daddy.

vivian with her new little girl.

and baby bauer with his.

proud big brother checking out miss frances.

auntie stephanie

auntie addie. what a blessed day!! we were surrounded by family, friends, great medical staff (yep, kick booty anesthetist joanie was there again!), and of course our amazing miracle...miss frances.
:)