So, there have been some MAJOR changes around my house. I'm not exactly sure that they're for the better either. Suddenly I am expected to share Mom and Dad's time; my house, one of my rooms... MY BLOG... all sorts of things... with my new baby sister. Since I must share blog time with Hayley now - I wouldn't want you to get confused... so I will write in pink, and Hayley will write in purple. We steal this idea from my friend Caroline, who was also forced to share her blog with the addition of her little brother James. I now feel your pain, Caroline. Why parents attempt to duplicate perfection is BEYOND me!!
So let me start from the beginning: from back in the olden days when it was just me. This was my mom at 39 weeks. She and Anna Lyn went to college together. For years now they've been teased about doing everything together. They're both first grade teachers, we live 1/2 a mile apart, they got married the same year, etc., etc. It's a standing joke that if one of them does something; the other must immediately follow suit. So you can imagine their SHOCK when Anna Lyn, Mike and Tucker came over for dinner one night and Tucker was wearing a "Big Brother" shirt... my mom and dad new my new baby was on the way and due April 12th - but they hadn't said anything to anyone yet... so when Anna Lyn told them she was pregnant and due April 14th my parents about fell over.
Well, unlike me, Hayley was perfectly content to remain in Mom's tummy. Even at 39 weeks, 6 days she was seemingly still quite content. Unfortunately, Mom's doctor had predicted an early delivery (and my sister had BONY little legs, so mom was in favor of that prediction - which didn't come to pass), I got sick (making leaving me with others while Mom and Dad went to the hospital pretty tough), my dad had started a new job (he's an assistant golf pro at Chevy Chase Country Club now!!) and the whole waiting game was getting REALLY old to my poor parents... so when the doctor told mom that the baby looked really happy and he could either induce her tomorrow or they could wait another week and a half for the next available induction date - Mom jumped on "tomorrow" so fast the doctor laughed at her. And that is how Hayley came to be a due date arrival baby.
So here's my big arrival! (Luckily, I have gotten MUCH more good looking as the weeks have gone by. This picture just doesn't do me justice.) Hayley Elizabeth Nathlich was born at 5:51 PM on April 12th, 2011. I was 20.5 inches and 8 pounds, 1 oz. Next to my sister's 6 pounds, 14 oz and 18 inches I was one big baby... who still looked really small to mom and dad. Mom and Dad were kind of stunned about the whole delivery process this time. Everything happened so quickly and was so CALM. Mom kept looking around the room waiting for more people to come in... but even when the doctor said it was "time" and called in the "team" there were only 5 people in the room: Mom, Dad, the doctor, the nurse and a doctor for me. No alarms, no surprising news... it was just... calm.
(I don't know what she was expecting - I'm the original princess - of COURSE my arrival required a HUGE audience of people and lots of trumpets (alarms) and fanfare.)
So the first person I got to meet was Mom.
Then I met Dad.
Then I showed off my blue eyes.
And then I passed out. Seriously, it had been a LONG day!
Check out her chunky cheeks and long fingers... and long, bony legs! AND - dark hair!!! But don't be deceived, because I had really dark hair when I first came into the world too - and now it's light blond. Since Mom and Dad were both blond too - we're expecting Hayley to follow in my footsteps.
The next day, fans started to arrive to meet the newest Nathlich. First Nana came to check me out.
I tried to wake up for the big occasion - but it didn't really work out for me.
When I came to visit I strutted down the hallway getting ALL kinds of attention. Standard welcome for a princess. I'm used to it at this point.
Here I am meeting Grandma and Grandpa and my big sister.
Grandpa couldn't get over how tiny I am.
I did the good big sister thing and gave her "soft pats" and kisses. But I really wasn't all that interested in her. I'd been wondering where Mom and Dad had disappeared to.
I really love to tickle people - so I tried tickling Hayley's toes. She didn't really respond... so I got bored. I'm almost two-and-a-half now, I don't have much of an attention span these days!
My sister is such a rookie. She doesn't have enough hair for hairbows! You can't be a Nathlich girl and NOT wear a hairbow. Luckily one of mom's friends had found this hat and - naturally - thought of mom. It was the perfect solution to Hayley not having enough hair for a bow yet.
Here I am all ready to head home!
Our grandpa was here to take fancy pictures of us. Here's a great one he got of Hayley when she was 5 days old - just after she ate so she was all wide awake and happy.
So just after I arrived on my due date - Anna Lyn had her baby on her due date! It was a boy - so obviously Hayley and Evan are engaged. We slept through our first date - while our parents worked out the details of our betrothal.
For Easter, the Easter Bunny came to visit me and he hid eggs for me on the playground behind my house.
Where the heck did he put those things??
Oh, NICE! TWO!!!!
I was very particular about how they were arranged in my basket. As you can see I am not at all particular about getting my clothes filthy dirty by sitting in the dirt.
Darn it all, these taste terrible. I must have a dud of an Easter bunny. Or is this the Easter Bunny's version of putting coal in your stocking? Uh-oh...
We spent Easter evening having dinner with my dad's family. This was the first chance I'd had to meet my Auntie Em; since I arrived days before the end of tax season (and she's an accountant).
For Easter we were given matching pajamas... our parents wanted to get a cute picture of us together in our matching PJ's... you can see that I REALLY didn't agree that putting Abby in charge of me was the best plan ever thought up.
Abby looked almost happy about it... but I still had my doubts.
Does this reflect her true feelings on the situation or what?! See, I knew it was a mistake to put her in charge... thank goodness mom had a hand in the situation too. Maybe we could try this whole sibling picture again sometime... like when I can hold my own head up and I stand a chance in this situation.
So for now we're all just getting used to life as a family of four. Well - four plus Crazy Callie. Wish us luck!
