Hope Juliette

I took this picture when Hope was 5 weeks old:

intending to use it for a blog post about her being 6 weeks old....she's now almost 8 weeks haha.  So anyways.  She is an amazingly sweet, cuddly, chill, relaxed, perfect baby (if I do say so myself).  She rarely cries, unless she needs something.  She has been smiling since she was 3.5 weeks old, which is rare (as far as I know).  Here's her first smile (have I documented this already in a previous post?  Sorry if I have):

She looks really goofy in it, but she does smile with her whole face when she smiles big.  Sometimes all I have to do is smile at her and she immediately smiles back.  Sometimes it takes a bit of talking to get one, but she is almost always ready to smile.  She even smiles at the kids when they aren't looking at her!  This happens when I'm holding her at the table while they are eating dinner.
She is just a doll.  We are so blessed by her and think she is just the best addition to the fam!  I call her caboose (I know I've said this part before) because she is our last, unless God has other plans for us (by surprise).  I just love to sit and stare at her.
Hope does long stretches of sleep which is wonderful, otherwise I wouldn't be able to function, as I love to sleep!  I can consistently count on a 5 hour stretch, and then a 3 hour stretch after that.
She is in 3 month clothing, and size 1 diapers.
Hope loves to look around.  She is often content to sit in her rock n play (She also sleeps in it at night), and just be in the kitchen with me, or by the laundry room with me while I fold clothes.  She loves the bouncer a lot more than the other two did, and will just gaze back and forth at the animals that are hanging from it.
She is getting pretty good at tummy time, and loves when the big kids or anyone gets down on the floor with her.

More on Hannah's mask later!

She has had her first injury, thanks to her sister Hannah (and Mommy).  Hope, Hannah and I all cried after this incident.  My first mistake was trying to be productive when all 3 were awake and in the same room.  I had Hope laying on her play mat, next to my bedside table.  Asher decided to sing to Hope, squeezing into the space between the play mat and the table.  Hannah thought she belonged in the same tiny space, despite Mommy telling her 16 times not to go over there.  She was over top of the play mat, so I grabbed her arm so she wouldn't fall on top of Hope.  Well, this made her lose her balance and she stepped on Hope's head anyways.  Thank the Lord above it wasn't on her soft spot, and it wasn't her full weight, but Hope shrieked like she was very hurt (rightly so), sending me into a panic.  It took a few minutes to calm her down, and after nursing her I called Jayme, who confirmed with me that I needed to call the doctor and tell them exactly what I had told him.  The nurse called me back and after walking her through the incident I knew what I needed to look out for, and thankfully never saw any of those symptoms.  However, I now am on even more super alert when she's on the floor. :(  Thankfully she got away with "just" the red mark on the side/top of her head.

My most favorite thing to do with her, other than interact and make her smile is to have her sleep on my chest.  The time is going to fast, and she is growing rapidly.  I just love to feel the weight of her little body resting on my chest and hear her breathing and all the squeaky noises newborns make (she even cries and has an almost laugh she does in her sleep sometimes).  Time needs to slow down, though I know it doesn't wait for anyone.

I struggle with choosing to be productive during the day concerning household things, and just being in the moment with the kids, as I know these years are fleeting.  I go a bit crazy when things aren't in order, but also know I need to spend time with them now, before they are off to big kid school for forever!  Love love love getting to be the mommy of these 3 blessings.