Back to School for CJ and Emma Jane

So school has started and mornings just got a little crazier. The kids school is about 2 minutes away which is great. CJ is in kindergarten and Emma Jane is in first grade.  CJ has Emma Jane's teacher that she had last year which is nice for him. Emma Jane's teacher looks like a model, and everything in her room looks like it came off pinterest (according to Courtney). 

Gracie's Original Due Date

So yesterday, Aug 26th, was Gracie's original due date.  Here are some of her latest pics -

Doesn't Courtney look fabulous? It looks like Gracie is looking at her in this pic.

Gracie's First Bath

We are really having fun holding & cuddling Gracie.  She really is a good baby, although she has started staying up a bit in the middle of the night. Here are some pictures from this past week -

Last days of Summer

At the mall near Courtney and Carl, they have a huge aquarium and Legoland.  I had never been to one and Courtney had free tickets for the kids soooo- away we went! It also had a 4D movie. You are probably wondering what 4D is - so were we until we got sprayed with water from a lego fire engine hose!

Here we are at the 4D movie!

Carl added some excitement to their pool and threw in the climbing dome

Here is June helping Courtney frost a cake

These pics were taken at the local playground

Gracie one week old

So here are some of the latest pictures of Gracie -

Everyone wants to help hold Gracie

This is what she looks like most of the time

We are trying to wake her and she isn't happy about it

A rare moment with her eyes open

Lots of Hot Air

So about ten minutes away from Courtney's house, they had a hot air balloon race - amazing to watch! CJ found a grasshopper and trained it to stay on his arm.

They filled them with a blower first, and then added the hot air with fire

There were about a dozen balloons on a football field

It was amazing how fast they took off once they were in the air.

Everyone wants to hold Gracie

So here are a few pictures from today.  Gracie is one popular girl around here -

Here is June playing pattycake with Gracie : )

All the Haynie girls!

Here is a half a smile.  It is rare her eyes are open.

Here Gracie is saying hi. Maybe tomorrow she will open her eyes...

One picture from today that I wished I would have gotten is Courtney breast feeding Gracie and she had her 'hooter hider' on.  Next thing you know both June and CJ had their heads under it trying to see what was going on :-)

I AM NOT GOING TO WAKE UP

Gracie has yet to wake up on her own for a feeding. Courtney has done a fabulous job feeding her every 2-3 hours!

YEEHAH! I am in TEXAS!

So I am here at Courtney's house, helping an extra hand, with the arrival of cute, little Gracie Lou!
I came a couple of days early so I could get to know the routine, etc.  We hung out at their pool and went to an awesome aquarium hooked to a mall near them (it also has a Legoland- that we haven't gone to yet).

Doesn't Courtney look amazing!

 This pool and yard is the bomb!
The swingset is to the left of the trampoline.

Priceless picture!

Gracie Lou started off with a bang! She weighed 6lb3oz, 18 1/2in, and had a bunch of fluid in her lungs she couldn't get rid of so it make her breathing very rapid. She stayed in the NICU for 3 days, to get it under control.

Kids came to visit!

Courtney was such a trouper walking post c/section to the nicu every 3 hours to feed Gracie - it is impressive she can smile!

IV still in hand and a little tape irritation from the feeding tube & CPAP to help her breath.

I got to visit Gracie in the NICU.

June, the big sister, helping to feed Gracie.

CJ and Emma Jane are so happy to have Gracie home and healthy!