the first week

We went to the pediatrician on Monday, February 22, for Will's weight check. He weighed 7 lbs 8 oz at birth and was 7 lbs 3 oz when we were discharged from the hospital. On Monday, (after a few long nights) Will weighed in at 7 lbs 13 oz! With a 10 oz weight gain, we don't have to go back to the pediatrician until he is one month old! Yay! And those long nights were worth it and have since ceased. He is now waking and eating about every 2 hours or so.

Samantha climbing on Dave's back while the rest of us play a nightly game of Bingo!
Gramma Maggy is here! Her help is priceless - cooking, playing and occupying the girls, holding Will when he thinks he needs to eat and Mommy doesn't think so :) and everything else she is doing! Will is my parents' eighth grandchild and Dave's parents fifth!
These pictures are from our first few days home. . . . so cute!
Isn't this adorable?

William David Sheehan

William ("resolute protector;" both his grandfathers have the first name William) David ("beloved") Sheehan was born on Wednesday, February 17, at 5:22 a.m. He weighed 7 lbs 8oz and measured 20 inches long. Labor started on Tuesday; although, unlike our other births, I had been having irregular contractions for a few days. We went to the hospital about midnight. In our opinion, he looks very different from the girls. All of our girls have their own "looks" now that they are growing up, but they were very similar as babies. Not Will - he looks like a little boy - and he has dark hair, too!





We came home from the hospital late Thursday, about 6:30pm. The girls stayed with a friend while Dave came to pick us up. They were thrilled when they finally got to meet him (because of flu restrictions they were not allowed to visit us in the hospital).











I wish I could have recorded every moment and every comment because they were so sweet! Lucy said to me, "Mom, did you know he would be so cute? He is so cute." Samantha has been delighted with him (although she calls him Abby, something we are working on!) and was thrilled to hold him. At one point, Anna Kate said, "I wish there were three babies." Oh my! Can you imagine?!!
So, all in all, we are home and doing well. He is eating like a champion and very regularly on his own, which is great.

While moms at the hospital . . .

I had such great plans! My mom was coming in to town right before Will's due date, so we could have a day or two to get ready and then she'd be here when we went to the hospital. But, the best laid plans . . . . we did have a back-up plan or two. And so, on Tuesday night we called Ellen, our friend and fellow staff member, and she came over! The girls had quite a great time on Wednesday with Miss Ellen. Here is the proof:

She braided Lucy's hair - so cute!

They made signs to welcome us home and Anna Kate wrote a note to her baby brother.


Lucy was Sleeping Beauty, which she had been the day before with me, as well. She's a great princess!
They played beauty shop. Ellen even let them play with her hair! (She's so brave and much more fun than Mommy!)

She had to feed them breakfast and lunch!
And painted fingernails.


Whew! What a morning! Then, Ellen came and visited me and Will at the hospital . . .

and then brought us dinner for Friday night - the evening my mom arrived. Whew. Thanks, Ellen.

tubing

Some pictures from tubing this past weekend. (Nope, I didn't actually go down the hill this year, just snapped some pictures!)

The hill (though not very much of it)

Daddy with Samantha on his lap and pulling Anna Kate; Samantha laughed down the entire hill! I couldn't believe it!




















Getting everybody dressed is becoming a little bit of science:
long underwear X3 - check
socks X 3 with pants tucked in - check
snow pants x 3 - check
boots with pants tucked in X 3 - check
jackets X 3 - check
hats, mittens, scarves X3 - check
Then, there's Dave and I to get dressed! :)

Lucy's birthday date

Every now and then, and always on birthdays, David takes the girls out on dates. Here's how it went for Lucy's birthday date this year.
Lucy and David in the car.
David: "Lucy, I'd like to take you to a bakery."
Lucy: "Dad, you have two choices: you can take me to Build-A-Bear or McDonalds."
D: "OK, we'll go to McDonalds."
At McD, Lucy plays and they have a snack together. Then, Dave tells her it's almost time to go. Lucy: "No, now, Dad, you can take me to Build-A-Bear."
D: "Lucy, we went to McDonalds today."
L: "But I'm not ready to go home. I want it to be longer."
D: "OK. Why don't we stay longer?"
L: "And I need to get a snuggly."
D: "Well, let's go and walk around the mall. We can look for something there."

Lucy came home with an adorable Valentine's monkey and so happy for her time with Daddy. She might be a tough girl to take out on a date, though.

the girls meet Abby

Lucy modeling her necklace (one of many but purple is definitely her favorite) again and her new shirt from Grandma and Grandpa Sheehan.
Abby is Jen's and Joe's new daughter, born January 17. The girls love her. And I'm glad to see that Samantha seems taken by her, too. I hope she's half as smitten about her soon-to-be-home little brother!



In other unrelated news: Our sweet Lucy cried during The Fox and the Hound today. Oh, so sweet and tender . . .

little Lucy is four

The birthday girl - up early and dressed in a birthday dress! She was so excited to wear this on her birthday!
An early morning birthday breakfast . . .
Getting ready to blow out candles with Daddy's help.

Our friends and staff members, Joe and Jen, gave Lucy bracelets, necklaces and rings. She was so excited. She is trying to show us her ring here but never quite got the concept of turning her hand around for me.

Happy Birthday, Lucy Lu-Lu!