boulder ridge

Yesterday after we picked up Elise from preschool we headed to Boulder Ridge Zoo!  It's this cutest little zoo with a bunch of awesome african animals.  And they're all close together so you don't have to walk ten miles to see them all. 

Lauren met us there and brought us lunch. 

Elise wasn't too sure about all these birds landing on her.  

So Lauren took one for the team. 

Bunnies!

You can feed almost all the animals here.  They have a stand where you can buy bird seed, carrots, alligator biscuits (yep), and crackers.  

Baby bunny!

Charlotte came too.   Except she mostly slept in the stroller and I didn't take a picture.  Poor second child.  

it's that time again...

It's FALL.  It's beautiful here this week. 

On Saturday G&G Goote took Elise to Post Family Farms.

It will definitely not be the last visit this fall.  

While they were at the farm, Nick stayed with Charlotte and I went to visit baby Brian.   They were changing his bedding right when I got there - Lauren is holding him and the nurse is switching out the blanket.  He's so little! 

Nothing better than freshly bathed girlies. 

This one was having a hard time staying awake.  

She looks so comfy...

big hands - little hands

My girls.  Elise set up this chair with pillows and asked to hold her baby sister.  

Of course, sweetheart.  

Tiny Charlotte makes Elise look so big.  

I think it's true what they say about pictures of the second child - I have hardly gotten my camera out.  Good thing my phone takes pretty good ones.  A few from instagram this past week.  

At Charlotte's two week check-up she weighed in at a hefty 7lbs, 5oz.  

Oh my sweetness. 

first day of preschool - an elise update

A little update on Elise:

Elise had her first day of preschool!  When I asked her if she was happy she said "I'm so happy I have tears!".  Little sweetheart.  She loves it. 

These days Elise can be found playing "little legos", watching one too many Strawberry Shortcakes (mom's with new babies need to keep 4-year olds occupied somehow), and dancing to the beat of the breastpump.  Yes - that really happened.    She's doing so good with baby Charlotte, she asks to hold her multiple times daily, and is constantly kissing her little head.  This is one proud big sister.  

baby charlotte's here!

I figured y'all would probably want to see some pictures of baby Charlotte's birthday.  

I went into labor early Tuesday morning - I felt what I thought was a contraction at 5am, very shortly followed by another one...and we were on the road to the hospital within 20 minutes.  Nick's dad got here so fast after we called him - it was amazing.   Of course it was Judy's first day of school so she had to stay home.  

Long story short - actually this isn't a long story.  When they checked me at the hospital I was already at an 8, and by the time they were wheeling me into the delivery room she was ready to go.  The epidural man was called but sadly did not arrive in time.  I have now earned my mom's respect in the "childbirth without drugs" department.  Charlotte was born at 6:51 am.   

Here she is - Miss Charlotte Grace:

Elise spent the morning in kindergarten at West Side Christian and came to see her sister after lunch.  Also - giving birth is not glamorous. 

She was so excited to meet her sister.  

I cried. 

"looks she's grabbing my finger!"