One week in...

Cora and Violet are both sleeping, so I'm seizing the quiet to share the ups and downs of our first week as a family of four.

First of all, what great timing God had for Violet's arrival! I was feeling so very ready to have her, and though I had been hoping to avoid being induced, the induction worked just fine.

And, it was perfect for us to have had a full day at home on our own before Aunt Patty came to help out. On Friday, we took Violet to the doctor's, and she had already gained back several ounces, weighing in at 6 pounds 8 ounces, just two ounces less than her birth weight. The doctor said she looked to be in perfect health. Once we got home, my friend Jaimie came over to take some photos of Violet. She's a pro, and you can see the results here.

Friday night, Stace picked up Patty from the airport, and what a lifesaver she was.

With our first baby, Stace and I really didn't need a lot of assistance, and I think it was good that we had some time on our own to figure things out. But with another small person around the house, we really appreciated the help.

She did all the cooking and dishwashing, and helped entertain Cora (and keep her in line, more on that later!). And, of course, she also provided another pair of arms for holding Violet when she was fussy, so I could shower or whatnot.

On Saturday, during Cora's nap, Patty, Violet and I went to the grocery store to replenish our supplies and get what we needed for dinner – homemade pizza and salad! Cora got to help make the pizza, and I loved the salad, as that is one of the many things that made me feel yucky when I was pregnant.

On Sunday we introduced Violet to our family in England via Web cam, and then my friend Jen came to shoot some photos of Violet. (You can see a few of them here, they're the first several to come up.) I'm blessed with some talented friends!

In the afternoon, we grilled carne asada and had my family and Genia, John and the kids over for dinner. It was a really great evening, one of those times I'll always remember fondly.

On Monday, Patty planned to take Cora to lunch and to the store to get some nail polish; she had offered to paint Cora's nails, and Cora was very excited about this. Sadly, Cora refused to come away from the McDonald's play structure when Aunt Patty asked her to, and was rude.

Eventually Patty was forced to change plans, and head home for nap instead of to the store. Cora became unglued, and threw a tantrum that lasted most of their drive home. The lowlight? Cora demanding that Patty stop the car and let her out on the side of the road, and telling Patty that she should go home and not stay at our house anymore. (Spitfires – they're not just classic cars or fighter planes...) Thankfully, all was better after Cora's nap.

Tuesday was a big day for us – we went to our last MOPS meeting of the year, and then took Cora to Terrific Tots. MOPS was fun, and Violet got a lot of attention.

While Cora was in class, we went to Old Navy and I bought two flattering tops – dressing my 1-week postpartum body isn't the easiest!

We then got Cora's nail polish, and Cora was thrilled with her first home mani/pedi.

So, how is Cora handling the transition? So far, she adores her Duckie. She wants to hold her and touch her throughout the day, and if the baby fusses, she'll ask, “What's wrong with my new baby sister?” She likes to help me get things, and she'll put her stool next to the changing table to see better. When Violet's awake, Cora will practically squeal, “Look, Mummy, look! Her eyes are open!”

In other ways, especially for the first few days, Cora was extremely emotional and high-strung. She was either happy and normal, or melting down and defiant. We know it's to be expected, and the fact that she missed naps here and there and was going to bed too late didn't help. We're trying to balance being patient with her as she adjusts to these big changes, while not letting her get away with the disobedience. I have to hand it to Stace, he has been so very patient with her, even when she's been at her most difficult.

And, as for Violet herself? So far she's a beautiful, lovely baby, and we are crazy about her!

For her first week of life, she wanted to nurse pretty often during the day, and every couple of hours at night. Tuesday night, though, after her 11:30 feeding, she only woke up once, around 4! For that feeding, I brought her into bed to nurse, and we slept together. I don't know if she slept better with us, or if it was a fluke, but I woke up at 6:30 and tried to feed her, and she wouldn't wake up enough for it. So we slept on until 8! It was glorious to feel rested before driving Aunt Patty to the airport.

So, there's our week in a nutshell – OK, maybe not a nutshell; this is a really long post. But, until we settle into a new routine, my posts will likely be fewer and farther between.