Papaw and the kids

This is at the hospital and I just love this picture. Papaw, and all of the grandparents for that matter, are just enamored with the little girl. But don't the three of them just look so cute. I vaguely remember the moment, as I had just gotten back to the room after surgery and I may have requested one too many doses of darvoset after 20 of morphine.

Daddy's Helper

Tucker is doing so good with Kora. He hauls his little stool from room to room to be sure he is in the middle of everything. He is good about fetching things and throwing things in the trash for us. He likes to help. He is struggling with not having all of my attention. His routine has definately been altered. He still wants me to tuck him in at night and change his pants. I am not supposed to be lifting him though for another week so TJ has been doing most of the work with him. It is good for the two of them. And Tuck and I have just altered our routine and we are doing more diaper changes and snuggle time on the floor. He also has figured out to just climb up on the recliner so I have Kora on one arm and him on the other. It's cozy and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Kora Jane

Kora Jane has arrived. She was born on Dec 5 at 930 pm. She weighed 7 lbs 8 oz and was 19 inches long. We got to come home on Mon. They released us at 930 pm after she had another blood test done. We got home about midnight by the time the test was done, we signed all the paperwork and got everyone dressed and packed up. This is the first day home. Tuck is very helpful. Sometimes too much so. He is wanting to help with things that Mommy thinks are a bit too much (like wiping dirty bottoms at changing time). Luckily he is content with wiping "dirty" feet instead. According to him she is "my baby" so we are thinking he is going to be ok with keeping her around.

She is sleeping like a dream and only cries when she's hungry. This is good except sometimes she is sleeping for 3-5 hours and Mommy is in pain by then. And of course this is only the case during the day; at night she is up more often and stays awake longer. Last night I think I only got about 3.5 hours of sleep and some of that was in 30 minute increments. UGH!

But overall we are adjusting into our new routine. I have to admit I am pretty partial to her and can't imagine being without her now.

Flashlight Hide and Seek

Tuck discovered a new game this weekend. Flashlight Hide and Seek. After dark we turn off all the lights and we all get our assigned flashlights and the fun begins. Tuck only has about 3 hiding places but oh boy does he have fun. He and TJ lie on the couch waiting for me to come looking for them. Tuck can't stop giggling though but it doesn't matter. Then he and I hide under the covers on our bed and again he giggles until TJ pulls the covers back. Or he hides in Kora's room with his nose in the corner and again giggles until we find him. He and Mama even hid in his fort (a big cardboard box) once. Needless to say I almost peed my pants from laughing because I got in there but couldn't get back out. Most of the time he runs through the house with out a light on at all, just jabbering away. No fear in this boy. I think we played for nearly an hour on Sat night. We laughed ourselves silly. We were afraid the neighbors would be calling the police on us since I'm sure it looked suspicious from the outside.

Has she dropped?

38.5 weeks and counting. This was actually last week. She has dropped more now.

I am more than ready to have Kora join us for the holidays. I tried to gorge myself into labor on Thanksgiving. My mother in law made it easy enough with all the great food she had for all of us. But alas, no baby yet.

I have been having a streak of energy though and they say that is the last great effort to prepare for arrival. All of the clothes are washed. The bags are packed. The car seat is washed and ready and the pack and play is in our room awaiting someone to sleep in it. And Mama is ready to be done incubating.

Papaw did it

Tuck went to visit Papaw and Grandma Deb last week. Tuck was playing on the pool table and having a ball rolling all the balls into the pockets. You can see what happened when Papaw told him to sniff the blue chalk. He will fit into the Hole family yet.

Fall Leaves

It's that time of year when the leaves are falling and the air smells of their eradication. The kids got to play in the leaf pile last week at daycare and they just sent me this picture of my little star.