Ikea Coming!

Cecily over at Dandelion Jelly made me aware that Ikea is coming to the Cincinnatti area in March, making it the closest Ikea to me by a long shot (only 98 miles away!). I love Ikea, but have never been in a store and have previously been reduced to ordering from the catalog. This limits the selection pretty severely. I've been thinking alot lately about decorating the nursery for Riley, and I love some of the new fabrics and designs I see on Ikea's website, but frustratingly enough you can't order any of the things I like online - they're only available in the store. Christa, looks like we may have to plan to meet there sometime in the near future (opens Mar 12).

On a Sling and a Prayer

A few weeks before Riley was born I made a fabric sling to carry the new baby around in. I experimented with the sling when Connor was a newborn, but the one I made then was poorly constructed and too small, so he only fit in it for a little window of time. However, I liked the hands-free carrying option, and my babies are always too small to fit in the Baby Bjorn right away.
You can tell from the fabric I chose (an Amy Butler pattern - in flannel!) that I was hoping "girl" when thinking about the new baby. Baby Shiny snuggled right in her pouch and napped while I was able to play with the boys and get a thawed casserole in the oven for dinner. I highly recommend the sling for anyone with a new baby who has to simultaneously chase other small children. There are all kinds of articles out on the web about the benefits of "baby wearing", but all I care about is having a fighting chance at keeping everyone reasonably happy around here, and the sling (and some prayers!) definately help that cause.

Shiny = Happy People

Happy happy

Put it in your heart

Where tomorrow shines

Gold and silver shine

Shiny happy people holding hands

Shiny happy people laughing

-Shiny Happy People

R.E.M.

Riley Louise was born last week, and her arrival has certainly turned us all into shiny, happy people. Especially Casey, who continues to insist that her real name is Baby Shiny and her nickname is Riley. Aside from being irritated that we all keep getting her name wrong, Big Brother #1 is smitten with his baby sister, and loves to give her kisses and pat her belly when she cries. Big Brother #2, however, has taken every opportunity he's had to get close to her to try and whack her on the head. He doesn't know what she is, or why she's here, and he wants to know when she's leaving. I'm hoping with time he warms up to her. I hate the thought of them passing each other in the halls in high school and him giving her a good whack on the head.

We had a long and rather unpleasant delivery (as if any delivery can be described as "pleasant") but we were so relieved when she arrived healthy, and certainly surprised she was a girl. Already I have noticed that there is just something different about a baby girl as opposed to the two boys. There is already something softer and sweeter about her that I can't really describe, and like Casey her father & I are smitten with her as well. She's been battling some jaundice and currently resembles a large squash, but she is sweet all the same.

A new baby in the house, and a little girl to boot. We're all just so happy, happy.

Birth Day

So, tommorow is "B Day", the day we're going to the hospital to have Baby Shiny. I still haven't completely wrapped my brain around the idea that by this time tommorow we may know whether Shiny is a boy or girl, and as a result I don't feel particularly anxious or excited. Maybe I'm too focused on the fact that Connor has chosen this week to decide to stage an all out strike against his crib and climb out 50 times a night before finally conking out. He really has impeccable timing, truly.
Anyway, I made these shirts for all the kids - the fronts of the boys' shirts say "Big Brother" with their respective numbers, and the backs obviously have their nicknames - Slugger for Casey & Humpty for Connor.
My bag is all packed and ready for our 6:30am trip to the hospital, and I'm hoping for a good night's sleep for us all.