OUR LADY

Welcome to the world miss PENELOPE RAE! We got our beautiful baby girl Friday night. She came in weighing a dainty 9lbs 5 oz and 20 inches long. We're all doing great...busy, but great :) Here are just a couple photos of our sweet pea. I'm sure I'll be posting more later :) x x

INTRODUCING...

THE NURSERY! (Come on, did you really think I'd actually have her early? BUT, she is still scheduled to come this Friday though! Wahoo!) So I don't know if you remember me posting about my plans for our baby girl's nursery, but just in the nick of time I did it! I finished. Phew. Of course, what I had hoped to do in one month took me three...which in all honesty, there was a few times I didn't think I'd get it done that fast. Look, I made that! My first quilt along with the bed skirt. I think I was more nervous about the bed skirt, though especially since I just did a rag, block quilt. The mobile became a modge-podge of a few different ideas thrown into one. And I decided to go with the the bird silhouette instead of owls because it was simpler. Here is where I plan on spending a lot of time :) And finally, the changing station. Another place I will be spending a lot of time. There is a possibility I overdid it with the ol' message boards. Oh well, go big or go home. But now there is a place to put photos of all the people that love her.

SUMMER INTERNSHIP

So I don't know if any of you remember any of my mentionings (complainings) of Phil interviewing for summer internships the last few months...but I'm happy and grateful to say the three month process of applications, interviews, fly-backs and everything that entails is over and that we received and accepted an offer to: in: NEW YORK! NEEEW YOOOORK! I know, I know. Fits me and my big city ways perfectly, but we all know it was only a matter of time before I ended up in the Big Apple. Or more so, the reality being that is the last place I ever thought I'd live...even if it's just for 12 weeks :) In the very least it should make for some great blog-fodder. Now if any of you have any tips on how to get my big city girl on, let me know. (I'm already doing pretty well with the "big" part, but the "city" part needs some serious help.

LEARNING TO PRAY

So Ryder is at the stage where he can say prayers himself with some help (one of us telling him what to say). Well, it's been a delightful surprise these last couple of weeks to see him start chiming in a few things on his own. I don't think Phil has had a prouder moment as a father than when the other night Ryder told Heavenly Father thank you for boogers and football games.

ADVICE PLEASE

Two is the magic number! It's the number of weeks exactly before my induction date and it's the number of centimeters I am dilated! TMI? (I'm just so excited about that because the farthest I ever got with Ryder, on my own, 10 days past my due date, was a 1..."maybe a 1.5", said my dr.) Anyhow, with time running out, I'm still feeling so unprepared in so many ways, so I was hoping to pick your brains for some advice. Specifically, in regards to bringing a second child home. Ryder knows about her as much as he can understand. We plan on having a low-key, play-it-by-ear holiday, and as a special bonus, since I'll mostly likely be having her 2 days after Phil's finals I will have his help for two weeks. So, do any of you have ideas about how to help Ryder with the adjustment and different ways to include him? And advice in how to manage two at a time? Any tips on getting a good routine going? I love a good routine. Please share your wisdoms!