This is what happens when Natalie is your big sister...

Happy one month birthday, Nick!

Night Time Ritual

Every night after bath and stories Natalie and I say her prayers together, it's really sweet. I'll start and say one sentence at a time and she repeats after me. The other night her prayers went a little differently, here's how:

Me: "Now I lay me..."

Silence.

Me: "Now I lay me..."

Nothing.

Me: "Now I lay me..."

Crickets.

Me: "Natalie, say your prayers."

Natalie: "Prayers"

Two

Do you remember your favorite childhood treat? My Mother used to make me this heavenly sweet treat that I would just devour. It was basically homemade Fun-Dip but so much better. Who knew that mixing a packet of Kool Aid and some sugar together would create such intensely happy childhood memories? Anyway, one day I had a friend over and Mom made that treat for us. I don't remember who the friend was but whoever they were didn't want their sugary treat (idiot). I was over the moon, this meant I got TWO! I grabbed both bowls and began to plan how to savor them. I could not get over having TWO! Mom rarely made this treat for me and when she did I only was ever allowed one. Well, unfortunately Mom got wise to my plan and informed me that I was not allowed to have two of them. Drat.

OK, hold that thought....

All my life I wanted two children. Growing up I said I wanted a boy and a girl. I had a specific birth order, too. I wanted my girl to be born first, I knew I was going to name my first born after my Uncle Al and since I was his niece I thought it would be best to name a daughter after him. I wanted my boy second, just 'cause. This was still my plan when I was pregnant with Natalie... even though my pregnancy was less than glamorous I was still open to having that boy I had planned on. After Natalie was born I fell so madly in love with her that I couldn't imagine ever in a million years loving another individual as much as I love/d her. People told me "your heart grows another chamber", "you'll be sorry", "you HAVE to have another one" "Natalie NEEDS a sibling". Every one of these comments irritated me to no end. I just didn't feel capable of sharing and dividing my love and never wanted Natalie or number two to suffer for my inability to compensate. When I got pregnant with Nick we were of course surprised but also grateful, I knew that God was one of those people telling me "you have to have another one" and I decided that He knew best and accepted, loved and yearned for Nick. I cherished every moment with Natalie and wanted to spend as much time with her as possible, knowing our special time together was coming to an end. I felt sad for her, not knowing what it would be like to bring another child into our hearts and home and I cried a little just thinking about how her little world was about to be turned upside down.

Then Nick was born. And now I have TWO of them. I realize now that it's not a matter of sharing or dividing my love, it's not even that my heart grew a whole new chamber or that I love them any differently... I am rich. I get the opportunity to love Natalie as intensely as I always have AND love another individual with that very same fire. Having two babies brings back that nostalgic childhood memory of having two homemade Fun-Dips. Thinking back to having only one child makes me feel vaguely similar to when Mom confiscated my second treat... but I know the excitement of having Natalie and Nick will never be taken away and will never ever fade.

I love you...

Chase has been really great about entertaining Natalie while I'm nursing/sleeping/diapering or whatever. The other day he was taking her to the park and as they were leaving, she gave Nick a kiss. I said "Can you tell him you love him?" She did. "I wuv you baby brother Nick." Then Chase asked her to tell me she loved me. She stopped, thought a moment and said "I wuv you Santa Clause." Now, either I am seriously the low man on the totem pole or she's wise WAY beyond her years.

I want to hold him!

Natalie holding her baby brother for the first time!

How They Met

Natalie came to the hospital to meet Nick the day after he was born. I was very anxious and almost a little sad that unbeknownst to her, she would be walking into a room that held a whole new life, and that she would never again return to the old one. I knew what time she was supposed to arrive and watched the clock constantly. Right on time I heard her little voice chattering from down the hallway and immediately began to cry (so please excuse the extreme roughness of my appearance in the pictures). Nick wasn't in the room at the time, I can't remember if he was having a heel stick, hearing test, weight check, etc. but I I thought that was good. She crawled in bed with me and I got to cuddle her for a little bit just the two of us. When Nick came back Natalie was very interested, when they handed him to me and Natalie she instantly went to pick him up and hug him. Her excitement over "her"baby was electrifying. She accepted him with such grace and beauty that all my fears and worries for her instantly melted away. She even asked for Mommy to kiss baby brother Nick. That night when we brought him home Natalie was beside herself and kept exclaiming "LOOK and that BABY!"
Natalie has done a remarkable job at being a big sister over the past week. She hasn't shown any signs of wanting Nick to leave, in fact she asks for him when he's napping and is always concerned that he have everything he needs. She brings me his pacis and blankets even if I haven't asked for them. She loves to snuggle with him and cuddle on my lap while we nurse (which is a bit awkward to maneuver but God gave me two arms for a reason) and rocks him gently when he's in his swing. She's showing more interest in her baby dolls and bounces, swings and feeds them like I do for Nick. I am so proud of my little girl, through all of this she's asked a few times if she's mommy's baby to which I reply "always". Every so often you will hear her saying "Nanawee ALWAYS mommy's baby" which is heartbreaking and precious at the same time.







Poor Chase spent most of his time behind the camera during Nick's delivery, I am so grateful Mom snapped a picture of their first meeting!

Thank you Mom for sending on these pictures! You're off the hook now ;)

He's here!

Nicholas Chase Blanton was born November 24, 2011, Thanksgiving Day, at 4:40 p.m. He weighed 8 pounds 11.6 ounces and was 21 inches long. His delivery was fantastic and immediately after he was born I already couldn't remember life before him. We're completely in love with our little boy, he's been an absolute joy. Even Natalie has really taken to him and is being a very good big sister. I'm really enjoying my time with Nick, being a second time mommy is really much different than the first time around. I'm more confident and relaxed, as a result so is Nick, I think. He's been fairly easy going (we've only had two really bad nights) and doesn't fuss much. Of course, colic usually hits within the first three weeks so I've still got my fingers crossed that I never again have to endure what Natalie and I went through. Now if we can only get his days and nights regulated we'll be all set!

Nick is one week old today and it feels like he was born an hour ago and yet I swear I've known him all my life.






Here is the excited big sister anxiously awaiting the arrival of her baby brother:


The other big sister:

Random cuteness:



Can you tell them apart?


I have several more fantastic pictures to share. As soon as they're sent to me (Mom and Aunt Chelsea) I'll post them! :)