Sweet Noelle

Noelle Christine is here!

She was born two weeks early, on December 4th at 2:06 pm. She weighed in at a whopping 4 lbs, 11 oz and 17.5 inches.

Here's the story of that Friday; it's still a little surreal to me.

I had a doctor's appointment at 10 am. My mom had gotten into town on Thursday, so she stayed at my house to watch Riley. The doctor had informed me on Tuesday that if my non-stress test wasn't absolutely perfect, they'd induce me. He also added that if it looked good, they'd give me the weekend to try to go naturally and then induce on Monday. Since I had been taking countless NST's, and they all had been perfectly normal, I was pretty much banking on Monday. I did, however, have my hospital bag with me... just in case.

At the doctor's, they hooked me up to the NST, and I just hung out, as you do with those things. I glanced over at the report from time to time and, although I have no idea how to read those things, it did look a little different. Sure enough, when the doc came in, he looked at it a little more closely before saying, "We have a dip in the heart rate here, and I think it's real, so I'm going to send you over."

As a little back story, I had been having contractions the previous night, but they were pretty sporadic and not horrifically painful. They had minimized by the morning, so I chalked them up to Braxton-Hicks. I did have one during the NST, however, and I think that's what caused the drop. More on that later...

Dr. Bowles told me, very strongly and twice, that I was to head immediately to the hospital. I wasn't to go home or stop anywhere (what? like Wendy's?). I jumped in the car, immediately called Michael (who was in a meeting and couldn't pick up! Ahhh!) and my mom.

When I got to the hospital, they put me in a room right away, hooked me up to an IV, and Dr. Hay came in. She found that I was dilated 4 cm, one more than I had been at the office, just a little while before. I have to say that this news was a huge answer to prayer. I was really hoping that my body would show some sign that it was ready to go on its own and that they wouldn't have to just fling it into childbirth. I hadn't been hoping for much, however, as the due date was two weeks away. But Noelle, it seems, was ready to make her entrance. Praise the Lord.

Pretty soon after, they broke my water and hooked me up to Pitocin. Within a couple minutes, my contractions were 2-3 minutes apart, and they hurt like the dickens. I mean, seriously, these things were horrific. For those of you who are moms, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. They come so strong and fast that you can barely catch your breath in between.

45 minutes later, thanks to my phenomenal nurse, Michele, the anesthesiologist came to give me the epidural. The Labor and Delivery anesthesiologist was apparently busy with a c-section, so Michele went out of her way to bring in someone from another floor. I feel like a total wuss, but I could have kissed her feet. :)

After the epidural, I was dilated 7 cm. Since my pain was minimized and everything looked good, Mike asked, "So, now we wait?" Michele confirmed that now it was time to sit and hang out, so Mike, who hadn't really eaten all day (and it was now 1:45), decided to run to the cafeteria to grab a sandwich.

I kid you not; he was out of the room for less than 2 minutes when Dr. Bowles and 5 nurses entered the room, and Dr. B announced, "Alright, let's have a baby!" At first, I thought he must be kidding. I mean, after my epidural with Riley, I got to sleep for a few hours. Now, just minutes later, I was going to have a baby? And Mike was gone?!

Michele threw me the phone, and I called Mike's cell. Thinking it was a work call, he didn't pick up. I left a message that I believe said something to the effect of "YOU MUST GET BACK HERE NOW!" Fortunately, he listened to it and booked it upstairs.

After pushing twice (TWICE!!), Noelle was here-- all 4 lbs, 11 oz of her.

Since I've been rambling way too long, here's the good stuff... Pictures.

It has been very long since I posted something new. Sorry, folks (if there are any folks out there who do indeed read this!). I'll start with the updates I've sent out regarding Baby Girl's progress...

From November 19th:

I had an ultrasound to check on Baby Girl's growth, this morning, and I thought it would be more efficient and concise to send out an email, updating all of you on the progress. Here's your warning: it's a little crazy. In case you didn't know, three weeks ago, I had an ultrasound, indicating that Baby was in the 20th percentile. Since this was a little low, they wanted to check her growth again in three weeks (today). She's in the 18th percentile now, roughly the same, and they're happy with that. It actually looks like it's just her abdomen that's a little smaller, and the doctor said she just might be long and lean. In short, they weren't concerned. I've also been going in weekly to get my amniotic fluid level checked. This has been on the low end of normal, so they just want to make sure that Baby has enough fluid to stay nourished and what-not. Last week, the level had jumped up a couple of points (yay!), but today, I was down to 7.8, and they really want you in the 8-28 range. So... What this means is that I have to go in for twice weekly non-stress tests. Plus, I have to keep getting my fluid level checked, every week. Lots of doctor appointments. Yikes. What it also means is that, in the words of the doctor, if the non-stress tests aren't perfect or if my fluid level goes down, it's time. He also said that we want to make it 7-10 more days (I'll be at 37 weeks on the day after Thanksgiving), or longer, if possible. So I'm now adjusting from being a month from a new baby to, possibly, ONE WEEK. Uh... whoa. Fortunately, they haven't made me feel like Baby Girl is in danger. The doc did say that we run a slight risk of premature issues, but that, at this point, she would be late-term premature, which isn't as bad. I feel pretty fine about the whole situation. Actually, I think I'm handling it quite well, if I do say so myself. :) I just have to wrap my mind around the new timetable. We do ask for your prayers-- that Baby would be safe and healthy, that we'll make it past next week, that logistical stuff (who's watching Riley, etc) would fall into place, that we'll stay sane around here! :)

From November 25:

Yesterday, I had two doctor's appointments-- a routine check-up in the morning and a fluid check and non-stress test in the afternoon. At the morning appointment, I was measuring slightly smaller than I had previously. My doc said that that could be completely normal, but that, nonetheless, he was glad that I had an ultrasound already scheduled because he would have ordered one anyway. He ended the appointment by reminding me to do kick counts and call in if ANYTHING seems abnormal. Then he said, "Well, I'm on-call today, so maybe we'll see you later!" Ha! At the afternoon appointment, everything-- praise the Lord!-- was about the same. My fluid level was at 8.03 (and remember, they're looking for 8 or higher), and the non-stress test was totally normal. However, the doctor there, once again, reminded me that if ANYTHING changed, I'd be induced. He also said that as I got further along, they'd be more and more willing to go that route. This Friday, I have my next appointment. I'll be 37 weeks on that day-- full-term-- so that's wonderful. I'm hoping we can make it till at least 38 weeks. Obviously, the longer, the better! Thank you all for your prayers! I'm sure you'll be hearing from me again soon! :)

So that's, really, the most current scoop. I have another ultrasound this Tuesday, so we'll see what happens then!

Meanwhile, Thanksgiving was really great. We headed over to the Greens' for a delicious meal and fun time with family. The only sad parts about the day were that every married cousin (minus our family) was off with the other side of the family; and, of course, it's always sad, celebrating a holiday without my family. But Moom, Dad and even B-man will be out here-- enduring the cold-- very shortly! I'm really looking forward to it!!

I figure I should also post some more recent Riley pics. That's always a highlight of the blog, I know. So here you go!

Riley found a fake flower which she wielded like a sword for a few days. Kona was a huge fan. :)

Riley and Daddy take a stroll through Brookfield Zoo.

Sooooo big!

Riley and Mommy take in the goats. :)

Carried Along

I've often thought about 1 Corinthians 10:13, in which we're reminded that God will not tempt us beyond what we can bear. It's pretty encouraging, although I often don't feel as though I have MAJOR temptations to overcome-- though the little things like impatience and frustration are just as bad. This morning, as I was doing Bible study, I started thinking of this verse in a different (but I still think theologically grounded?) way. Just as God gives us the strength to stand up under temptation, he also allows us to stand firm in trials, giving us strength so that-- no matter how bad things get-- we won't crumble.

I've been particularly troubled by Mike's job as of late. Sales is stressful; that's just a fact. But when it seems like he has to keep bringing home news of more work troubles and stressors that aren't necessarily inherent in that line of work, I just don't know what to do. ADT is a great company-- don't get me wrong-- but with some of the changes they're trying to implement and the unethical behavior of other sales reps, it doesn't do much for my man's confidence. Honestly, the worst part about the job is that I want Michael to do something that he just LOVES-- that he feels called to. I want him to feel the same way about his work that I did about teaching and now mothering-- that no matter how crappy and stressful it is, there is what God has created me for. I don't know if Mike has found that yet. In fact, it really seems like he hasn't. Not that God hasn't called him to this job for a time, but it seems to me that it's just for a time-- no more. It's a hard thing NOT to be able to provide joy for one you love. I want to know the exact job that Mike should be in-- the one that perfectly fits his gifts and that God has been creating for him. But I have to wait for that.

I guess the long and the short of it is this: there has been mucho frustration around the Green household.

But.

Yesterday I was reminded that God doesn't give us more than we can bear. Even as Mike was struggling with some of the difficulties of work, God brought an unexpected and wonderful encounter. Mike's boss, seemingly out of the blue, approached Mike and asked if he would ever be interested in management. Caught off-guard, Mike replied that, yeah, he thinks he could see himself in that kind of position. Apparently, his boss has a review with his boss today, and he said he would make sure to mention Mike. Now, what that means isn't entirely clear to us, but here's what it means to me: Michael, as I fully know, is an amazing bright, hard-working, trustworthy man. What I didn't know was if his coworkers and employers saw that. But even as Mike sometimes feels downtrodden by some of the happenings around him, things are being noticed.

God brings us the boosts we need, when we need them. Plus, he doesn't let it go unnoticed when we allow him to work through us. I am so grateful for the hope we are able to find in him, that he will never fail to carry us through.

Sonny Acres

I would love to be in bed right now, but my mind-- as it has a tendency to do-- is racing a mile a minute. I keep thinking about stuff I have to get done. However, instead of getting it done, I'm going to sit at the computer and type. Take that, Stuff!

We've had some pretty nasty days around here, as of late, but we've also had a few jewels. On one of the nice days, Riley and I hopped in the car and headed to Sonny Acres to meet the Livingston clan. What follows is a series of pictures that, I personally think, are ridiculously adorable.

This is the best I got of Riley and Robbie together (with one major exception, soon to follow). They were quickly off and exploring.

"Hey, Mom. What's up?"

Riley just LOVES Baby Ellie. I'm hoping this is a good sign. :)

I'm not entirely certain what they're watching. Could be the windmill, an airplane, another kid... the list could go on and on and on...

We finished off the day with a special treat-- a whole apple, skin and all. Riley, not the fastest eater, spent most of the time at Sonny Acres skinning the peel off with her teeth and spitting it out. Once she got down to that white flesh, though-- oh, glory! Our car ride home was the quietest ride we've ever had; she was that enraptured with her treat.

The photo highlight of the day, I've saved for last. After a couple friendly entreaties from the moms, Ashley and I both caught pictures that will, most likely, horrify both Riley and Robbie when they reach those junior high years (though I hope not). :)

Two cute babies and a first kiss? You just can't beat that.

To the Doctor... Oops!

This morning started off so beautifully. Riley slept in until past seven; Mike didn't have to go in to work until a little later; I got to sit on the couch and sip tea while Mike played with Riley and Kona outside. Lovely.

Then, around 8:30, my phone rang. I thought I had a doctor's appointment scheduled for 10 am. However, on the other end of the line, the nurse informed me that my appointment had been a 8. Hehe... This was the appointment at which I had to drink that nasty glucose stuff, so I quickly told the nurse that, yes, I could come over right now. Then I grabbed the orange concoction, picked Riley up (who was, fortunately, actually dressed), and headed to the car. As I backed out of the driveway, I chugged the glucose. If you haven't been pregnant (or done some related test), you don't know what I'm talking about, but that stuff is just plain disgusting. I mean, really, I have a sweet tooth; I order white chocolate caramel drinks at Starbucks! But this is a whole other level of disgustingly sweet. And I really don't know how much the orange flavor helps. But it had to be done, so I downed it.

We made it to the doctor, no problem, and Riley did me the favor of being happy-- not only in the car-- but the whole time at the doctor's office, as well. This is a rare occurrence as there aren't too many exciting things to play with. However, this morning, we found the doctor's spinny chair. Goodness, there's not much better in life than a spinny chair. Riley didn't even have to sit in it; she was content with simply whirling it around. Whoever designed that seat-- Thank you!

Yes, our relaxing morning was jarred to full-alert, but when we got home, Riley went right down for a nap, and she's still hanging out in her crib as I type. Not a bad day, overall. :)

Delicious

Alright... I feel convicted to share some of the yummy recipes I've been utilizing, this Fall season. First up-- baked potato soup. Let me say this: I'm addicted to potatoes, all shapes and sizes. I've tried quite a few recipes for soup, and this one takes the cake. It's Mary Lou Hess's, from the good ol' AHEFC cookbook. I love the mix of textures with the potato meat and peels, the sauteed onions and the crisper green onions. That's good eating.

The Best Baked Potato Soup in the World

6-8 slices bacon, fried crisp (reserve drippings and 2 crumbled slices for topping)
1 C. yellow onion, diced
4 lg. baked potatoes (DO NOT microwave)
2/3 C. flour
6 C. hot chicken broth or hot milk
2 C. heavy cream or 1 (8 oz) ctn sour cream
¼ C. parsley
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 ½ tsp. dried basil (opt)
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. course, black pepper
1 C. cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ C. green onions, white part, chopped
¼ C. green part of green onions for topping, chopped

Cook and crumble bacon; reserve drippings in pan.
Cut baked potatoes in half and scoop out the meat. Chop half the peels; discard the rest.
Cook yellow onions in bacon drippings until transparent.
Add flour, stir to prevent lumps; cook 3-5 minutes until mixture just begins to turn golden.
Gradually add 2 C. hot chicken broth or milk, whisking to prevent lumps, until mixture thickens.
Pour into a saucepan and add remaining hot milk or broth; reduce heat to simmer.
Whisk in potatoes, peels, cream, chopped bacon, parsley, garlic powder, basil, salt and pepper.
Add cheddar cheese and onions; heat until cheese melts thoroughly.
Top with reserved, chopped bacon, green onions and cheddar cheese.

Makes about 8 servings.

Welcome, Fall!

Fall is here! So, to usher it in, we went to Kuipers Family Farm this past weekend, and, even though it wasn't the prettiest day, and we didn't actually go pick apples, we had a jolly good time. Here's the evidence:

Riley poses in front of the big ol' sign. She's so little!

This is, quite possibly, one of my favorites. Our little sweetheart loves giving hugs!

I think Riley is imagining the delicious roasted pumpkin seeds that are soon to come...

Riley and her Riley-sized pumpkin

A rare Mommy and Riley shot :)

We got the shot off, but this did not last long. :)

"Do you guys see how BIG this one is? Whoa."

"I heart the Fall!"

Blessing and a Curse

Oooo boy... We put Riley down at 5:30 last night because she was a sleepy disaster. She hardly even touched her dinner and could hardly keep those pretty blue eyes open. Much to our surprise and joy, she slept till 7. Wow.

However, after making a Friday trip to Grandma's house, the news doesn't get much better in the sleep category. Riley NEVER sleeps at Grandma's. I mean, seriously, in all the times we've been there, I think we may have a little over one hour, TOTAL nap time. Not cool. So today, as always, she didn't take a nap. She did fall asleep in the car on the way home. (She couldn't have done that when we drove home from the lake house last weekend?) Thus, she has slept 20 minutes today, as she woke up as I turned on to our street. Blah. She's crying in her crib, currently. I tried to make a nice, easy transfer-- something I've only succeeded at once.

Oh well... it can't all be good news, I suppose.

Yikes

Okay... I deserve a major blogging slap on the wrist. I mean, seriously, how long as it been? It's almost October?!

Speaking of October (and fall-type things), I decided, this morning, upon waking, that I would welcome Autumn in with a pumpkin muffin craving. Therefore, as I type this blog, the muffins are upstairs, baking in the oven. Judging from the batter (and the butterscotch chips I threw in), they stand a chance of being super-delicious. I'll post the recipe if they're a success. Our successes around here, however, are kind of on a different scale. I modified this recipe to be gluten-free and egg-free, so both Riley and I can partake. I figure, if it works like that, it's got to be amazing when you use the real stuff! :)

In other news, we wished summer well with a pretty fun weekend. It started with Becky's baby shower. I love getting to see my Wheaton girls again, and-- as always-- the time together did not disappoint. Here's the happy crew, with that studly man, Eli Cook:


On Saturday morning, we packed up our stuff and headed to Snow Lake, where Ashley's family has a lovely lake house. I was stricken with a crazy allergy attack, but we managed to have a blast, nonetheless. After all, when you're with the Livingstons, how could it be all that bad?

Swinging with Grandma Pat

Riley drives the boat with Robbie's Grandpa Jack.


Robbie shows us all the fascinating things there are to see on the lake.


Then he poses in Megan's sweet shades.

Daddy and Riley pose, pre-life vest.

Riley found it somewhat difficult to maneuver in the life vest...

... but she didn't allow it to cramp her style.

Muffins are done. Jackpot. :)

Target Fun

I really have been blessed with such good friends over the years. This morning was just another reminder of that fact.

After Riley, Kona and I had completed our standard morning walk, I decided that I needed to get out, so Riley and I jumped in the car to head to the grocery store. Right as I was strapping Riley in, Ashley called in answer to a text I had sent her earlier. See, Ashley, in all honesty, is one of the most giving and generous people I've had the privilege to call "friend." Already, my summer wardrobe was greatly improved by her maternity attire, and today, she allowed me to rifle through all her warmer gear. I mean, seriously, after I got home and loaded up my closet with all "my new clothes," I felt like I had won the lottery-- not just because I'm going to look pretty darn cute this fall, but because how many people have friends like this?

The fun, however, didn't end with Boutique Livingston shopping. Riley, Ashley, Ellie and I hung out at their place for quite some time until Robbie, that crazy-good sleeper, woke up around 10 or so! I mean, wow. Ashley quickly whipped him out of bed, and we drove ourselves over to Target for a little Starbucks and fun. We both had a few things to grab, but sometimes, it's also nice just to get out (and, I'm not going to lie, get caffeine). Riley and Robbie laughed at each other as we perused aisle after aisle, looking at everything from baby gear to fun fall decor. It really is the simple things in life. I'm glad I have people to share those simple things with.

Oh, and when I got home from Target, I realized JUST how good of a friend Ashley is when I looked in the mirror at my hair falling haphazardly out of my ponytail, my baggy shorts and t-shirt and my un-make-upped face. Walking around the store with me, she didn't once look embarrassed. :)

Thirty minutes

Today, at about quarter after five, my heart broke a little inside of me. Riley woke up from a short nap in absolute hysterics. When I pulled her out of her crib, she nestled her head deep into my shoulder but kept crying. I tried to glance at her face and especially her eyes. This past Sunday, she got a mosquito bite right between the eyes. This morning, when she woke up, both eyelids were swollen, plus the bite. I'm not sure if the two things are connected, but I do know that the sweet face looking back at me resembled something more like a creature from Star Trek than my little girl.

Anyway, I stole a glance at her face and saw that her lids were still swollen, and she was rubbing them with her little balled-up fist. I can only imagine that they irritated her. I quickly gave her some Benadryl, which I had to coerce down her throat in between screams. I placed her on the living room rug and quickly ran to the freezer. I pulled out a frozen Yoplait Whip that I had deposited there, earlier in the week. I figured that we might have some allergy issue but maybe a teething issue as well. I drew Riley's head onto my lap, as she needed to lie down in order to kick and flail. Since her eyes were shut tight with tears, I tapped a frozen yogurt-laden spoon to her lips. She opened and quieted for a moment. Every time she'd finish a bite, I'd spoon her another. She eventually calmed a little, but at that point, I think, is when my heart broke. She looked at me with her tear-filled eyes, saying, I'm pretty certain, "Mommy, please make the pain stop."

I actually thought back only four years or so, to when I spent five days in the hospital, eventually being diagnosed with celiac disease. I know that I've never felt that kind of pain before or since, not in childbirth even. Now, I can only imagine what it felt like for my mom. I'm pretty sure I would have asked her to make it stop. I know I asked her if she thought I was going to die.

Fortunately, about thirty minutes later, my heart was softly put back together, as Riley stood up, walked around the couch, and smiled her gorgeous smile at me.

My goodness, though, motherhood is hard.

Photos...

You'll have to excuse the graininess and general sub-parness of these pics. I guess that's what happens when you forget your real camera and only have a disposable at your, well, disposal. Bummer.

Looking at the fish in the pond-- a favorite pasttime.

Taking a little stroll

Wherever we go, there's always time for a little lounging. Riley orchestrated this all by herself.

I love the fact that Riley was originally standing, but then she saw Mommy and decided that this was a better pose.

At the Dole Plantation with Granddad and Nana

Riley initially loved her little boat, but she soon remembered that she's a big girl and could do things like...

...play in the sand.

All in all, an awesome trip. :)

Back Home

What a wonderful place to be, home. It's just our second day back from our trip to Hawaii, but it's been great so far.

Here's the brief Hawaii run-down...

The first few days, I was a little anxious that it was going to be the most exhausting "vacation" I had ever taken. After all, Hawaii is five hours off Chicago time, and babies, I've found, don't really like adjusting their schedules to anyone or anything. However, we eventually settled into a rhythm, and things were fantastic. Our normal routine went something like this: wake up pretty early (5-6 am), hang out in the room, watch a little Cash Cab, go down to the pool to swim, come back and take a nap. In the afternoon, we'd walk the lagoons, go out to see turtles, venture to eat some shave ice or do one of many other things. Somewhere between 3-4:30, we'd head down to the beach. Oh, how Riley loved the beach. She often got herself nice and worn out, simply walking up and down the beach (or crawling, if she felt the sand was too uneven, and she didn't want to rely on Mommy's hand for help). She also loved watching other kids. She waved to nearly all of them. Sadly, for some reason, few waved back, but oh well...

We both came back, still pasty white, but not sunburned! :) I got to play tennis a few times with my parents. It's funny and sad-- the only times I really play tennis now are when I visit them. Someday, I'll get back into it.

The biggest news, I think, is Riley's list of new "tricks." :) Seriously, she came back a different girl. While in Hawaii, she started walking, talking, and making a host of new animal sounds. She's now very adept at "up" (a deep-throated "uuuuuuuuup-uh" that cracks me up every time). She's also mastered "please" (although it started as "pease" then turned to "ease" and has now come to a halt at "ssss"). She tweets like a bird, hisses like a snake, baas like a sheep, buzzes like a bee, and (my personal fave) roars like a lion.

I wish I had pictures to post, but as I mentioned before, I had a camera fiasco. I did finish up my disposable camera (which I bit the bullet and bought for our last few days there). I'm going to drop it off today at Target, and we'll see what comes of it!

Hawaii

I'm taking this opportunity to compose a blog from our room, which looks out on-- naturally-- gorgeous landscaping and a pool. We can also see the ocean, just as a matter of honesty. This isn't going to be all that exciting, but I'm hoping that it will at least include a few pictures. Here's the only issue: I forgot the camera at my parents' place in Pasadena. This is just about as horrible and annoying as it gets, for me. I mean, really, I discovered the forgotten camera about a week ago, and I'm still reeling. Not cool.

We went out to Target, and I tried to find a cheap camera that would do the trick. I was just going for the disposable, but I realized that-- dang it-- they're not digital, and I may end up paying just as much to get the pictures developed. I'm realizing, right now, that maybe now they put pictures on CDs for you? If they do, I don't want to know. Let me live in blessed ignorance. Here's what I came up with. They had this twenty-something dollar camera that takes digital pictures. I'm not sure how well it works, or if I have upload all the pics in one fell-swoop or if I can do it over and over. Either way, I'm trying it now, with only about 15 pictures on the camera. The reason for this is that the camera is an absolutely horrible design. Although it has no viewer screen, it has a delete button. And it really has no on/off button, so when in a pocket or bag, it can turn itself "on" and delete pictures. It also easily snaps pictures of random blankness. I had 17 pics on the camera at about 2 this afternnon, and when I took the camera out of the stroller after our trip, I had five. The only consolation is that I haven't even viewed the pictures, and I have little clue what was lost.

I'm downloading the software as I type, so we'll see what turns out. Everybody clap your hands and believe really hard. I think that saves pictures... or maybe it's Tinkerbelle.

Hannah Grace

We have a new addition to our extended family!

We happily welcome Hannah Grace Walton! We love her already.

Best. Baby Gift. Ever.

This morning, we got to have a fun breakfast playdate with Ashley, Robbie and Ellie. More specifically, it was a waffle (and Starbucks for moms) playdate. Mmmm-mmmm good! During said playdate, Ashley showered us with gifts, and I couldn't help but post the picture of these onesies (for Baby Girl #2!) at first chance. I mean, seriously, how great are these? Love 'em. Just love 'em.

More Pics!

Here's Riley's dresser for her new room, come December. We've already changed the hardware to a simple brushed silver. And we may give it a little fresh paint.

This was not an intended garage sale purchase, but after Riley was cradling the baby and hugging her, I just couldn't say no. She's going to be a good big sister.

This one was for Granddad... though Riley didn't quite give me the facial expression we were hoping for. I think it's pretty hilarious.

While Daddy was fixing the bathroom sink, Riley found a new fun toy, transplanted from its normal hiding spot, under said sink. If there are any boys who read this blog, don't look too close, fellas. :)