Charlotte Grace Boylan

Charlotte was born this morning at 7:47 am. She weighed in at 7 lbs 4 oz and is 19 inches long. Mom and baby are doing well. Claire is already a terrific big sister.

One Last Belly Post

All Grown Up

After looking through the pictures I took over the weekend, I have come to the realization that my baby is all grown up. She has become such a little girl (and no longer a baby) over the last few months. She can basically communicate all of her needs/wants to us, has a definite opinion about everything, and runs around like she has been doing it for years. To top all of that off, all of her hair officially fits in pigtails! Amazing since I couldn't get a tiny barrette in it 6 months ago!

First Born

Today was Claire and my last Friday together, just the two of us. Come next Friday, Claire will have to share her Friday's with Mommy with her new baby sister. While I am super excited to be adding another member to our family, there is also a part of me that is a little sad. We have had some great times together over the last year and a half. There have been many walks, trips to the park, field trips around town, and lots of playtime at home. While we have shared a few rough days together, we have had many more happy days. She has taught me how to be patient and to see things from a new perspective. She has made me realize how lucky I am to have one extra day a week to spend with her...and I look forward to it every week.

I know that part will not change. I will continue to cherish the Friday's that we have together. I'm just not sure how the new baby will change our routine or exactly how Claire will react to sharing her Mommy with her sister. Like anything, I am sure it will be an adjustment. Claire will probably have her share of not so great moments as a result, but I am hoping they will not last long. I hope that I will be able to continue to make her feel special and loved because even though she will no longer be my only child, she will always be my first born. The one that made me realize how much I love being a mom.

Lions, Tigers, and Bears! Oh My!

After some very chilly temps on Friday and Saturday, we enjoyed a beautiful Sunday morning at Como Zoo. Claire was mildly interested in the monkeys, fish and butterflies, and completely unimpressed with all of the other animals. She was much too busy running around and people watching. The highlight for Art & I was definitely the butterfly exhibit. There were hundreds of exotic butterflies swarming about an enclosed space full of beautiful flowers. Definitely check it out if you happen to make it to the zoo in the next month or so!

Babies

Over the past month, Claire has become increasingly interested in her baby dolls. She loves to push them around in her stroller, feed them bottles, and give them lots of kisses. It is so adorable to watch. My parents brought over a new baby and bassinet for her on Saturday and Claire has since been obsessed with putting her new baby down for naps and bed before she goes to sleep. We are hoping that some of this gentleness toward her babies is shared with her new baby sister in a few weeks!

Sleepy Head

36 Weeks

I hit the 36 week mark last Wednesday and have less than 3 weeks to go until baby #2 arrives. It is crazy how fast this pregnancy has gone by. Aside from a few minor preparations, we are pretty much ready for the baby. I think knowing what to expect has made things a lot less stressful this time around. Plus it helps that we aren't making any major changes to the nursery. I am still feeling great, just a little more tired than usual. Thankfully the summer heat hasn't been too bad so far. I have managed to avoid any major swelling so far, but I have a feeling that is about to change. My feet and ankles have been more sore the last few days, so I imagine that swelling isn't too far off. Here is a picture of my growing belly...I am definitely carrying this baby straight out..much more so than with Claire.

Holiday Weekend

While we stayed in town for the Holiday weekend, we still managed to keep plenty busy. Art's parents and Kristine and Meghan came over Friday afternoon for a BBQ. There were plenty of burgers and beer to celebrate the 4th. Meghan and Claire entertained themselves in the backyard for much of the day. Claire loved following Meghan around, squealing with delight on several occasions. She really enjoys spending time with her cousin, that is for sure. I think Meghan must have worn Claire out because she slept in until 7am on Saturday (a rare occurance for her these days)!

We spent Sunday morning around the house and then headed to my grandparents for a visit. Claire warmed right up to her great grandma, climbing up on her lap and following her around her garden. After our visit we dropped Claire off at my parents for an overnight, so we could get some things done around the house. We worked hard all afternoon and then enjoyed a relaxing dinner out and a movie at home. We figured we should take advantage of the opportunity now since it will be much harder to get out 4 weeks from now!!