One Week - Plus

Well, a little over one week in, and everybody still loves each other, so I'd say we're doing great!
WARNING: This post is long...more for the kids to look back, so you may want to scroll to the pictures at the bottom and spare yourself the details.
John and Eve still want to hold Ellie, and fight over her a little, but the newness has worn off a bit, so it isn't as hectic trying to watch them. John is so very proud of Ellie and tells everyone that he has a new baby sister (including Mom every time she comes over...I'm pretty sure she's figured it out, but gives an excited and surprised response every time). Eve is very intent on making sure Ellie has her pacifier and looks like she wants to give her lessons...she IS quite the expert.
I didn't write much about Ellie's birth (don't worry, no gory details). We went in to St. Francis early Sunday morning to be induced. They started the drips around 7:30, and she was born at 2:09. Same standard labor and deliver as with John and Eve. The funny part is that we didn't know if she was a boy or a girl, and the doctor didn't tell us. The cord was wrapped around her neck (we didn't know that until she was born...all vitals were great through labor and delivery, so no stress). The doctor immediately cut the cord and pulled her in tight to clear her airway and such. "Well, what is it???" We had to ask. Even then the doctor had to look. Oops! She said she wasn't used to looking and announcing since everybody knows ahead of time these days. It was kind of funny. Anyway, she was pretty purple, maybe from the cord, I don't know, but a few screams and her color was quite nice. Her head was a little purple and bruised from quick delivery, but it was hard to notice with newborn color anyway. She had newborn rash just like John and Eve, but that cleared up really fast...along with the bruising (which I don't think ever really even looked like a bruise). We decided on her name an hour or two after she was born, and didn't tell anybody until John woke up from his nap. Just like with Eve, he was the first to know. John and Eve came to meet her around 7 or so (looking back on that, I think it was a little crazy of me, but didn't feel crazy at the time. I was anxious to see them and have them meet Ellie). We checked out the next day. I think I already wrote about her biliruben. It was a little elevated on Tuesday (13). We went back in Wed and it was up to 14.9, but the doc said not to worry unless it wasn't better by Friday. She still looked yellow on Friday, so we took her in and it was 14.3. With that he said keep an eye on her, but don't worry about bringing her in before the standard 2 week well visit unless it gets bad. Her eyes and gums are still a little yellow, but it's certainly not getting worse. This morning I noticed her eye a little goopy. I think she's probably got a plugged tear duct (just like Eve). Funny how all three have had lots of the same little things when they were new. Exciting news...I think every now and then I see some tiny dimples. I LOVE dimples! John has one on his right cheek. I think Ellie's will be very subtle and only seen when she smiles, but still, I think they're there. Fun. She's still sleeping a lot. We have 2 or 3 awake periods during the day, but not for long. She's sleeping great at night. Wakes up every 2-4 hours to eat, but eats extremely quickly and is back asleep. I hope this lasts!
As for the others...
Eve has some funny new(ish) habits. She loves Iron Man and transformers. She has started to enjoy squinching her eyes shut and squealing/screaming at the top of her lungs (which is met by laughter-stifled discipline...it really is hilarious, but not OK inside). She also enjoys running around in circles and spinning...not new, but still a favorite past time. We're really enjoying her stringing words together. It's been quite entertaining. She's also started spending a large amount of time on the potty. I've never seen her actually do anything but sit there, but anything in that direction is in the right direction and is met with lots of praise. I'm in no hurry to potty train, but if she's interested in sitting on the throne, who am I to hold the princess back?
John just had his end-of-the-year performance for preschool. He did a great job singing and doing the motions...until the song where he turned his back to the audience in boredom, then kept tapping (or doing something behind his back) the kid next to him. Such an instigator. He counted flawlessly to 29 for me yesterday. I was so impressed! School really has been great for him in lots of ways, I think.
A few funny conversations he's had recently, which tell a lot about what he hears repeated frequently...
1) Role playing between 2 Iron Man action figures, one much larger than the other
"Why are you so much bigger than me?" "Because I eat lots and lots and it helps me grow bigger"
2) Tattling on a Shrek figure (can you tell we like fast food toys) "He said "Hey!" but really he should use his manners and say "Excuse me""
He was right on both accounts.
Today was a big day for us, well me. Buck started back at work yesterday after attending John's program. Today was the first day having them all home to myself all day. Thankfully Suzie called to meet us at the park with Maddie. We had lots of fun playing (thanks to an extra pair of eyes), then went to Target on our own (the kids were so well behaved!), then went to Moe's for lunch. I was a bit nervous, but I was carrying Ellie in the carseat. John wanted to hold my hand, and I told Eve to hold his hand. Everyone did just as they were supposed to and I thought it was so cute. Dora was on the TV at Moe's...a cookie to top it off...and we're home for a good long nap time. WE DID IT! I'm really so proud of the kids. They've been great.

First bath at home...not a fan.

Here are some black and whites I took...sort of stealing some ideas from a photographer friend of mine that came for a quick shoot for some material for her blog

30 TOES! Somehow that number seems more shocking than 3 kids.

And here's our campfire marshmallows. Forgot to rotate the pics before uploading to the blog, and don't know how to rotate here...sorry.