Little Brother

I have been asked several times over the last three weeks how Ashlyn and Trent are adjusting to having a new little brother. Truth be told, Trent was thrilled from the get-go. Since the first time he saw Luke, he has been more than happy with the new addition to the family and does not at all seem to care that he has had less cuddle time with mommy.

Ashlyn, on the other hand, took a little more convincing. Before Luke was born, Ashlyn made it quite clear to everyone that she wanted a little sister, that the baby in mommy's belly was indeed a girl, that she was going to be the best big sister a girl could ask for, and that her little sister's name was going to be "marshmallow heart" or "rainbow diamond". She even made it known that if the baby happened to be a boy, she would be quite mad at mommy and would not be a big helper with the baby. So, when we broke the news to her that the baby was a boy and not a girl, she was a little heart-broken. Upon hearing the news, she turned her pouting face and stared out the hospital room window.

Lucky for all of us, especially little Luke, her sadness was very short lived. Once I told her that she could still be the best big sister, that I still needed her to be a big helper, and that Luke loved her very much, she changed her tune and easily fell in love, right along with the rest of us.

Ashlyn and Trent have both proved to be very good helpers. Ashlyn loves to hold Luke and will do so for a half hour at a time, which allows me to do the dishes or the laundry or whatever needs to be done. And Trent has taken his role of 'diaper disposal' very seriously, leaving no soiled diapers behind after a changing.

Having three children has been a breeze so far, but I have not yet tried to grocery shop by myself with three in tow. We'll see how that one goes. I'm just glad Ashlyn and Trent love their little brother and have adjusted to the change.

I have not yet had to deal with any jealousy or resentment, for which I am very grateful. Both siblings are quite taken with our little guy.

Trent has nicknamed him "Lukey Lukey Pookie," which he says in a very high pitched voice. Both Ashlyn and Trent inform me when they think Luke needs to eat and will give him his binki when he is fussy. And lucky Luke has received a bazillion kisses in his short 23 days here on earth.

Luke is such a good, sweet baby that I already know I want another. Ashlyn might still get a little sister someday. But for now, another little brother isn't so bad.

Two Week Comparison

Ashlyn at two weeks:

Trent at two weeks:

Luke at two weeks:

I'm still not sure who he looks like more, but I am leaning toward Trent. I think he has Trent's nose and mouth and Ashlyn's chin, but it is hard for me to say at two weeks. We'll just have to wait and see as he grows. One thing is for sure, they are definitely all siblings! When Aaron and Monica came to see us in the hospital, one of the first things they said was, "He is definitely a Smiley!" After looking at these pictures, I can see what they meant!

One Week Pics, One Week Late

My little Luke is two weeks old today, but theses pics were taken a week ago. It is amazing how much joy this little guy has brought into our home in just 14 days. He is very much a part of the Smiley family and I couldn't imagine life without him in it. A mother's love knows no bounds and with each new addition to our family my heart has grown beyond what I thought possible. I feel truly blessed to have three adorable and healthy little ones to call my own.

Luke has proved to be a very good baby so far and has only made me wake up twice one night - all the other nights I have only had to get up for one feeding! How awesome is that?! He usually sleeps for a 5 hour stretch and then a 3-4 hour stretch. What a good little boy.

If he looks a little yellow in the pictures, it's because he is. He is my "yellow fellow" - he has breast-milk jaundice, which the pediatrician said should wear off by 4 weeks. I still think he is beautiful even with a yellow hue, but I still can't decide who he looks like. My mom claims that he looks like me as a baby. All I know is that I love this little guy so very, very much.

Family of Five

Newest addition: Luke Brian Smiley
Date: June 15, 2010
Time: 3:50 pm
Weight: 8 lbs. 5 oz.
Length: 19 1/2 inches

He is a miracle and I am in love. He is the sweetest little thing and has hardly made a peep in his 27 hours of life. The labor and delivery went remarkably well. We arrived at the hospital just before noon, my water broke at 1:30, I got an epidural at 2:45, I was dilated to a 10 by 3:15, the doctor arrived in the room at 3:40, I started pushing at 3:45, and Luke entered the world at 3:50 - it was a whirlwind! It is truly amazing how many emotions a mother can feel in such a short period of time. From extreme pain, anger, and frustration to sheer joy and love. I laughed, I cried, I swore a few times, I tried to rip off Brian's thumb nails, and I witnessed a miracle. It was amazing. He is amazing. And yes, it was all worth it.

No Birthday Baby

Today is my official due date, but no baby. I am just happy I didn't have the baby yesterday, my birthday. I had numerous people tell me, "Maybe you'll have the baby on your birthday!" - as if that would have been a good thing. No thank you! Besides the fact that I already share my birthday with my adorable niece Madison, who would really want to be in extreme pain and in the hospital on their birthday? Not me. So, we made it through the 12th of June without adding another birthday to the family and now I am welcoming any sign of full, active labor. But knowing my history, I am not expecting anything today, or even tomorrow. Trent was a week late and so I fully expect to go past my due date. But, hopefully I have this kid before the 23rd, since that is my adorable nephew Payson's birthday. June is a busy month!

Unfair Fight

Tonight I heard Ashlyn say to Trent, "Let's fight!" I looked up to see Ashlyn armed with a wooden stick...Trent had a dryer sheet.

A couple weeks ago after we had gotten home from church I asked Ashlyn what she had learned in primary. Her response was, "Someone threw rocks and made a boy fall down." "Oh. That was not a very nice thing to do. We don't throw rocks at people, do we?" Ashlyn gave me a peculiar look, but didn't say anything. "Nope," I said, "We don't throw rocks at people. That was not a good choice." Again, Ashlyn didn't say anything, she just looked perplexed. The very next day I was preparing our FHE lesson and had randomly chosen to talk about David and Goliath. As I was cutting out a picture of Goliath, Ashlyn came up to me and asked, "Who is that?" I told her that his name was Goliath. "Oh yeah, he fell over when the boy threw rocks at him." Ohhhhhhhh, okay. That makes sense. "You are right! And that was a good choice."

BBQ Season

Don't you just love Utah springs? One week you are watching a blizzard out your kitchen window and the next week you are BBQing up some delicious shishkabobs for an outdoor family dinner!

We had a great Memorial weekend complete with not one, but two BBQs and a family gathering in the mountains. We had the Hills over for a BBQ on Saturday. Spending time with the Hills guarantees a good time with lots of laughs. On Sunday we celebrated my Dad's 60th birthday with another BBQ. The food was amazing and a good time was had by all. So good in fact, that we sat around the fire pit and talked until midnight!

Yesterday we began our summer Lifferth FHEs at my aunt and uncles cabin by Sundance. It is such a peaceful setting and a great way for our large family to all be together. This tradition began years ago (maybe 10?) and generally runs from June to September on the first Monday of the month. I feel truly blessed to be apart of such a close and loving family and I love these gatherings.

We ended our weekend last night by cuddling up together on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn and a movie. Remember when I longed for that day? Pure bliss.

Hopefully we won't experience any more blizzards this year, at least until November! Let's keep the BBQs going!