Catching up

4/3/13

I don't know why, but getting things done around the house lately has been challenging!!!

I have good intentions of sitting down at the computer and doing 2 separate posts to give details on our hospital stay and Erica's birth and to tell of our first journey home and our first day home. Until that time magically appears, I hope you don't mind a few small posts here and there to fill in the missing pieces with some random thoughts.

Currently, as you can see in the picture, my little Erica is sleeping on me in the sun room. The Wild game is on in the background, and my other two girls are curled up together in bed. Today was filled with lots of hustle-bustle, and in 20 minutes (or so it felt that way) the day was over...and I don't even know what I got accomplished today. It took me all day to write a one-line post on Facebook due to the interruptions and more important job of taking care of all of my girls!!! Our neighbors, Deanna and Jorj stopped by for a short visit today...and they can bearing gifts for Laura and I...a bottle of champagne and a 6 pack sampler of some nice beer, including my favorite, Kona Brown, from Kona Brewery in Hawaii!!! I must say, this first beer from that pack tonight was my first as a dad, and...it was the best beer of my life!!!

Our first, full day home was very pleasant. I was able to fill out corrected tax forms and get in the mail, start some laundry and get some other things done around the house that have been neglected. Grandpa and grandma Christiansen came over around noon and left a little after 9 tonight. They brought muffins and Caribou when they arrived, picked up subs from Jimmy Johns for lunch, grilled dinner and did a great job of being in-home babysitters in between all of that...they even allowed Laura and me to sneak in a 2hr nap before dinner!!! It's been great having them around while they are in town, and it's so comforting to know that my parents are close by too to come over and help with our needs...my 3 girls and I are lucky to have such great parents to help us out as much as they have. So, to my mom and dad, and Russ and Cheryl, thanks for all you've done for us so far!!! It's appreciated much more than word can do to show it!!

Erica had had some stomach discomfort today. She's been gassy (no worries, my little angel, I DO plan to print this post and display it at your graduation party for all to see some day!) and hiccupping all day, but hasn't left us much in her diaper to show for it. This is just one of the many ways she has shown us that she is our daughter...though everyone know she gets this extremely smelly gas from her mother, and not her good-smelling dad!!! ;) although, I do get this way once in a while!!!

Erica got a bath tonight, and now we have a great smelling baby!!! Laura fed her shortly after, we read her a bed time story and then snuck out of the room while she was snoozing. 30 minutes later, Princess Erica declared dad was needed for the first shift of the night, and so here we sit.

I hope you don't mind me getting mushy for a bit here, but this dad stuff has been the most rewarding thing on Earth. And I'm so glad I get to enjoy it for the rest of my life!!! I've found myself tearing up at the smallest little things (I'll just credit them to my pregnancy hormones changing!)...Laura and Erica cuddling after a feeding, and Laura doing a masterful job of being a great job as a mom in many ways since. The most recent example was her great job of reading to Erica and I before bed tonight. I don't know what the title is, nor who got it for us, but I love this little giraffe book, complete with a little puppy giraffe that comes out from the pages...it was so adorable how Erica focused in on the pages and giraffe, especially when mom used the puppet to give Erica some kisses....so darn cute!!! We've now read to her every night before bed...and it's my new favorite tradition!!!

And with that, I'll wrap up this post of randomness. Again, sometime soon, I will post the full story of Erica's arrival and of our arrival at home and Erica's first encounter with her big sister Lexi. Thank you all so much for reading my Daddy Diary. We greatly appreciate your kind words, best wishes and/or prayers you've sent along the way.

Sending you all of our love, Lemkes, party of 3!!!