Two Months

Our little Gracie turned two months old yesterday.  I can't believe how fast time is flying, but we are sure loving having her as a part of our family.  In the last month she has been to Idaho and New York, learned how to roll from her tummy to her back and started scooting a little bit.  The best part is that she has started to really smile and have little conversations with us which is just too much fun!

Today she had her two month well baby appointment and she is growing very well  She is now 12 lbs 1 oz and 23.5 inches long.  Her doctor says that everything looks great!

Game Day

So if you know me very well you will know that I am a huge college football fan . . . lucky for me I am also married to a huge college football fan.  This weekend has been eagerly anticipated in our household since it marked the beginning of another football season.  We caught part of the game Thursday night and watched more Friday night but Saturday was game day and not just cause ESPN said do.  

Nebraska, Boise State and BYU all had televised games scheduled and they were back to back.  Sportscenter got turned on around 9 am and I think turned off around 10:30 pm.  Happy to report that all three teams won their games so it was a great way to start off the season.  

Grace made sure to represent  for her dad's alma mater . . . Grandma Roundy made sure she was prepared with onesies and her big Nebraska football blanket.

Cletus opted to represent his mom's home town and wear the Boise State shirt Grandma Kesler got him.

As a side note we did manage to get a few things done besides just watch football . . . not quite that bad.

A Busy Week

Last week we took our first real trip as a family. We went to Idaho for my family reunion (side note: crazy that my whole immediate family getting together now constitutes a reunion but it does). This had been in the works long before Grace was born so we have been looking forward to it for a long time.

We weren't quite so sure about traveling with a 4 week old baby, we considered driving but decided that flying was the way to go. It was so much easier than I thought it would be! We decided on a flight that would have two two hour legs with a short layover in between. It was perfect! She never really fussed at all and the altitude change didn't seem to bother her a bit. Here she is on the plane getting ready to go.

My family rented a house up on Cascade Lake in Donnelly, Idaho. We had a boat, jet ski and lots of water toys to keep everyone busy. It was a lot of fun to see everyone (except my brother in law Eric who is still serving in Iraq but coming home very soon). I even met a new niece; my sister Jennifer's daughter Charlotte. Gracie is the 25th member of my family and there are 2 more on the way so our family gatherings are becoming quite the event to put together, but we always have a good time when we get to be together. I miss them lots so it is fun to see them!

After talking with both of our families we decided that we would bless Grace while we were in Idaho so that most of our families could be there. My Grandma and Grandpa Harper came over from Blackfoot, Idaho, Eric's parents came from Nebraska, and his sisters came up from Utah so we had most everyone there. It was fun for Gracie to meet her aunts on her Dad's side of the family . . . she got lots of attention.

Grace was blessed by her dad at my parents home. We had lot of Grandpa's and uncles there to stand in the circle and be a part of that wonderful experience. I am so grateful for family and for a wonderful husband who honors his priesthood.

We got to spend one more day in Idaho with Eric's family. We decided to go out and visit the Old Idaho Penitentiary. It was interesting, I can't remember if I have ever been there before. It was fun to go see and to spend some time with Eric's family.

It was a very full and very fun trip and quite the adventure!

One Month

Ok . . . so technically Gracie isn't one month old until tomorrow, but we are leaving for Idaho tonight and I didn't want to try to get this photo while we are on vacation.

My sister Jenn does this cute onesie thing with her kids and I decided to copy her idea. It is fun to watch the subtle changes from month to month.

The past month has been quite an adventure for all of us. Grace is growing up so fast! She is awake a lot more now and really starting to focus when she looks at you. It's so fun! She is finding her own little voice and cooing and constantly making noises. Her eyes are getting more blue and less gray (we'll see if that lasts) and her hair is filling in and getting longer and still quite red. I love it!

We love having her as a part of our family :)

This is how I sleep . . .

She keeps me entertained . . . even in her sleep.

Gracie and Cletus

Cletus has been my baby for almost four years now. Over the last couple years he has endured a lot of changes in his life. Having a new baby at home seemed like it would be the biggest change of all and I was not so sure how he would handle it.

We brought Gracie home from the hospital Tuesday afternoon and he overall seemed pretty disinterested in her. He was much more interested in following my mom around or seeing what Eric was doing. Mom went into Grace's room the following morning and this is what she found . . .

He looks like he is going to be a very protective big brother for our little girl.

At attention...

At ease....

Baby Grace is HERE!

Grace Anne Roundy was born on Monday, July 25th at 3:49 am. She weighed 7 lbs, 6 oz and was 19.5 inches long

Grace decided that her arrival should be dramatic. Everything was quite normal, so normal I started wondering if this baby would ever come. My mom was in town and there was no sign that her arrival was going to be anytime soon.

We went to bed like normal Sunday night and I woke up just before 1 am. I was having some short contractions and really just cramping bad. I woke Eric up around 1:30, by that point I couldn't stand to lay in bed anymore. By 2:30 things were so bad that Eric woke my mom up and started putting everything in the car to head to the hospital. Eric and mom were pretty sure I needed to go, I still wasn't quite sure what was going on. It just seemed nothing like what the classes and books had told me to expect.

We arrived at the hospital at 3:16 (or so I am told). They took me straight upstairs. My mom had to help me change into a gown, I could hardly stand by this point. The nurses were pulling things together and one of them checked me. All I remember her saying is "yup, she's complete." They called the doctor and he walked in just minutes later all suited up.

I'm really not sure I understood what was going on at this point. All I know is that they started taking the bed apart and telling me how they wanted me to push while getting Eric, mom and the nurses where they needed to be. I pushed through a total of four contractions and she was here at 3:49 am. I just remember thinking, "really? it's over?". Overall I was pretty confused about the whole thing.

Eric and mom went over with the baby to get pictures and watch while they cleaned her all up and checked her out. Meanwhile, the doctor spent some time stitching me up (fast labor = pretty good tear). I just remember looking around and the scene seemed so unreal to me. Just a few hours before I had been at home sleeping and then here we were with a brand new baby.

Really, it was nothing like what I had imagined it would be. I had done a lot of reading, talking to other moms and birthing classes and none if it quite prepared me how things worked out. I had assumed I would have a long labor and pain medication, instead it was so fast and intense I didn't have time for and IV let alone the epidural I was planning on asking for (in fact I was officially admitted to the hospital after the baby was born).

All in all it was a wonderful day and I wouldn't change it a bit. Now we have our perfect little girl here with us and we couldn't be more excited!

Here are a few pictures from our hospital visit . . .

She stretched herself out right away

She loves to tuck in her lower lip

Here she is with daddy :)

And now with mommy . . .

And now all together :)

Getting dressed to come home

In her car seat and ready to go :)