Odds & Gwens

It's been a busy couple of weeks here at the Saucier household. So much so, in fact, that we haven't had a chance to post any pictures of Gwen since she came home from the hospital. (No, this isn't a case of "2nd child gets ignored". If you want proof, just look at how many photos there are below... there's almost a dozen. See? We're really busy.)

Hectic schedules aside, the first few weeks as a family of four have been great. At night, Gwen is sleeping 2-3 hours at a time, so Ariella and Andy have both been able to get some rest.

Gwen guzzles formula like it's her job. At her 1-week pediatrician appointment, she weighed 8 lbs, 10 oz -- up 6 ounces in her first week. By now, we figure she's close to 9 pounds.

Here's a rundown and photos of what's been going on...

First Bath:

Meeting the Family:

Nanna (Sheila) and P-Pa (Joe) visited for the first 2 weeks of Gwen's post-partum existence. And Aunt Aimee, Uncle Russ also made a hop down the Jersey Turnpike to meet their new little niece. Throw in a couple visits with the Fricke clan, and Gwen already has a whole bunch of potential friends for whenever she decides to sign up for Facebook.

Tummy Time:

Just like her big sister, Gwen is taking to tummy time like a fish takes to water. She's starting to get the hang of picking her head up, and seems to like seeing things from a vertical point of view. (Of course, she can still only see about 18 inches. But that's beside the point.)

Learning the Ropes from Big Sister:

Morgan has been a huge help with Gwen. She shows Gwen her toys and sings songs for her. She likes to give Gwen hugs, or pat her on the head. And she's always there with a soothing binky whenever Gwen needs to "take the edge off".

Take a little off the back, please

Morgan finally went for her first haircut this morning. After carefully weighing her options, she ultimately decided the giant green frog was the best seat in the house.

While Gwen watched from her car seat on the floor (okay, technically she slept through this whole event), the hair stylist wet Morgan's hair. (Before the stylist had even made the first clip, Morgan declared "I want a lollipop".) Five minutes later, Morgan's hair was 2-3 inches shorter. It's not a huge difference -- but, for the first time since she was bald, it's all the same length.

After a couple of quick photos with Mom, Morgan got her First Haircut Certificate and checked out her new look in the mirror. (And, yes, she finally got her lollipop.)

5 Years Ago

With all the baby business we've been up to lately, we almost forgot that Friday marked our 5th anniversary. So we now interrupt this baby blog with a quick flashback to July 30, 2005.

For our wedding, Syracuse graced our guests with great weather and scenery --along with a heavy dose of college nostalgia, a mountain of Dinosaur BBQ, and a beautiful reception at Belhurst Castle on Seneca Lake.

More important, our wedding set in motion a chain of events that, over the last five years, has brought us new jobs, a new city, a new home and -- best of all -- two new little people to share our lives with. (Not a bad start for 5 years, eh?)

Home Sweet Home

Ariella and Gwen made it home for Ariella's birthday on Wednesday. Morgan and Andy went to the hospital to help Mom and Gwen gather up their things, and pose for a few pictures.

We've been telling Morgan for weeks that the baby was going to ride in the car seat next to her. Can you tell Morgan's excited to have a travel buddy?

When we got home, Morgan treated Gwen to her first official tea party (with special guests Daddy, Nanna and Aunt Lindsay).

After Ariella's birthday dinner, Morgan helped Mom open her birthday presents: a new coffee maker and two bottles of wine. Just what a new mom needs to get back on... err... off the wagon.

Baby Baby (The Gwen Song)

Day two of the Gwen Era went very smoothly. She's getting the hang of drinking from a bottle. She's filling her diapers like a champ. And she got to enjoy some quality time with Aunt Lindsay, Nanna (Sheila) and P-Pa (Joe).

But, best of all, big sister Morgan serenaded her with this little bit of video goodness. The melody is pretty solid, but the lyrics are... umm... a bit limited.

Here are a few more photos from today...

Ariella and Gwen will be coming home from the hospital Wednesday -- which just so happens to be Ariella's birthday. So if you're one of the 7-8 people who read this blog who aren't already staying at our house, don't forget to say "Happy Birthday, Ariella".

Say Hello to Gwen

Gwendolyn Riley Saucier (a.k.a. "Gwen") joined the family at 2:46 this afternoon. Gwen weighed in a 8lbs 4oz, and was an even 20 inches long.

Mom and baby are both doing great. And, as you'll see below, Morgan is thrilled to finally be a big sister.

It's been a long day for all of us (especially Mom and Gwen). We'll post more photos later. Stay tuned.

"Daddy, I wrote my name!"

With nothing new to report on the baby front, we figured we should post something on our blog so that the demonic Cabbage Patch Kid image isn't the last thing you see before our birth announcement.

The other day, Morgan was drawing with her markers. All of the sudden, she proudly declared "Daddy, I wrote my name!" When Andy looked at the page, this is what he saw:

There's clearly an "M" there, followed by what looks like an "o" and a "g". After that, it kind of goes down hill. But, hey, she's 2. Cut her some slack.

Is it just coincidence? Or is Morgan a writing prodigy? You be the judge.