Caroline Lee Shaw

Born July 25, 2012

6 pounds, 10 oz

20 inches

 Alli woke up on Wednesday & called to tell me she wasn't feeling well (which is no surprise seeing how every day there at the end is...well...miserable!!! So anyways, after talking for a while I informed her that it sounded like labor to me...She called the doc who told her to come in. After checking her out the on call doctor sent her home telling her he didn't thing she was in labor. Well about 5 min after she got home she called me back unable to speak. I told her to get her but to the hospital immediately! Glad she did because after they hooked her up the informed her that she was in fact, in labor! Her contractions were only 2 min apart & she was dilated over 2 cm.

  After giving birth!

 First bath

 Here's where more prayers are needed...Poor Caroline is currently in the NICU being treated with a small infection. Alli currently cannot even see her because she has an infection herself. Elle got diagnosed with strep throat two days ago and cannot see anyone either...Elle hasn't even been able to see her new sister at all. My heart hurts so much for her BUT everything is going to be perfect in about one week when she gets to take her home & start her new normal with a family of 4!

4 Months Old!

4 Months...whew that month was a fast one! You are such a wonderful baby now Parker! I mean who would have known just over a month ago I was pulling my hair out over you =). These days you are smiling about the same amount you used to cry (all day every day) & I for one LOVE IT! I'm so happy that you feel better and are loving life now! 

We are going to see the doc in 2 weeks for your check up so I'm not sure about your exact weight but I'll get that soon enough. I know one thing-you are growing like a weed!!!

**update: you weigh 19 pounds & 6 oz. You are 27.2" long! The doc says you are 'right on track' (right on track for a giant) =) Just Kidding!

You love your play mat & will reach up and play with the toys that dangle down. You are using your hands to grab toys & using your feet to kick all the time! You will play for around 30 minutes and then crash. Most of the time when you fall asleep on your mat you curl up on your side and suck your thumb.

You no longer take pacis. Like I said you suck your thumb...I figure I'll deal with that later! Pick your battles right?!?

You are wearing size 3 diapers still and seem to fit well.

You are eating 30 oz a day-6 oz bottles 5 times a day (6am, 9am, 1pm, 5pm & 9pm). You sleep at night amazing-which is so wonderful I cannot even tell you! Your sister is actually the one waking me up every day...

You still aren't much of a napper, however you take many more than you did last month. I can tell you are improving in the area! Probably total about 2 naps a day for around an hour each.

This was an especially special month for you as you got to greet your baby cousin Caroline into the world. Almost 4 months younger to the day! Here we are waiting on Alli to get her epidural.

...and then you decided you would take a nap.

Uncle Gray-Gray multi-tasking: feeding you while holding elle.

Clint snuck up on us the other day taking a short nap while sister was asleep!

Morning walks always end up looking like this!

Happy happy boy!

I love you so much sweet boy! You are such a perfect baby & we are so blessed to have you! You bring so much joy to your dad and me (and Blakely & Zizi). I think my favorite thing in the world is hearing you laugh and seeing your sweet, innocent smile. I LOVE IT! You are so handsome & I hear it on a daily basis from strangers. I also hear 'how old is he' when I reply with your age i hear the same thing every time: 'woooah really, he is HUUUUUGE' yes people I know, you can quit stating the obvious! You are perfect though, in every way!

Big Week!

It was this guy's birthday! 

Nikky came down with this awesome shirt...can we say perfect?!?

This girl thoroughly enjoyed her 'fog' Edgar's cupcake.

Little Elle came over for a visit while her Momma went in for one of her weekly checkups with the doc for Caroline. Elle L-O-V-E-S Parker. She begged and begged to feed him.

This boy continued being chill-He is so good these days it's hard to even remember a month ago when he never stopped crying!

We went out to eat like all weekend:  Newks, Momma G's, Pizza, and Zoe's...
-note to self-get back into my routine of cooking and QUIT BEING LAZY!

She cooperated pretty well considering the heat.

FINALLY got our popsicles from Steel City Pops in Homewood-DELICIOUS!!! When Mimi asked which flavor Blakely wanted she answered 'red', so red she got & she ate the entire thing!

Chillin' some more!

and smiling...

and loving life...

and last but not least-my aunt FINALLY got to see Parker! yay!

oh yeah and btw: got a new car on Monday!!! She's a highlander with TONS of room for the clan! 

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

Oh Happy Day!

Friday Clint got off work around 2 and Kaki took the kids-we were free! (for a couple of hours at least) Since I don't leave the house much these days...(Seriously I hadn't gone anywhere since I ran to Publix last Sunday-sad; I know right?) I had a list two pages long of things I needed to buy & places to go. Lofty dreams...

We started out by joining the 21st century by finally getting smart phones-iphones to be exact! Yay us! I am so excited about this I can't even tell you! There have been so many times Clint and I would spot a 12 year old supporting their iphone while we whipped out our A-mazing wal-mart ones...

Then we made our way to do a little shopping for furniture, no such luck on that quest. 

THEEEN we went off to car shop! Since Clint is moving positions, he will be turning in his company car-& with much debating Clint decided that we were going to find me a good safe reliable car and he would take his 4-runner back.

After that we went on to Cheesecake Factory to celebrate the news of Clint's new awesome job! YUMMY!

& then ran to target to snag this life saver since my 3 & 1/2 month old has outgrown the bouncer...I mean look at him-he is literally the size B was at 10 months...10 months! The bouncer was the only thing that would calm him and without it I was losing it!  Luckily my sis was in Target and saw this & it makes him pretty happy, which makes Momma really happy!

 And guess what else we got?!?

Eeekkk! I am so excited about this I can't even start to put it into words! Looks like Blakely and Raffe are loving it already! (took these pics on my new iphone btw) =)

I'm hoping to post back soon on the car decision....CAN'T WAIT!!!

Things are turning around...finally!

when I saw this quote by C.S. Lewis the other day I really took it to heart & thought ok, things WILL get better for us!

'When things go wrong, you'll find they usually go on getting worse for some time; but when things once start going right they often go on getting better and better."

with that said.....
CLINT GOT A NEW JOB! I think saying I'm excited is totally an understatement. This is such an amazing opportunity and we are ecstatic! He will continue to work for Travelers but as an Underwriter and the best part...it's in BIRMINGHAM! No need to move-thank you God!

Also something good (for Clint at least)

 His new Yeti bike came in!!! (A Father's day gift from Zizi to go with his new shirt from Blakely & socks from Parker) =)

 Yay for Clint!!!

So yeah, keep the blessings flowing!

Weekend Fun

I'm sad to announce that we never made it over to the popsicle place. Oh well, there's always next weekend right? We went over to Mimi's for the day Saturday and got to see Nikky! Oh how my kids love her! Please excuse my daughter's hair; she just woke up from her nap in this picture!

 Love me some Nikky!

 On Sunday we made our way to church only to see that Blakely's Sunday school room had been combined with a bunch of older kids. When I opened the door to that classroom I saw a roomful of well-behavied, silent children all watching a movie. Quick thinking convinced me to get out of there before she had a royal meltdown in front of these 30+ silent children. Leaving Blakely on Sundays has been a horrible experience for us, thus why she is starting 'school' in a month. She usually drops on all fours and head-butts the floor while screaming at the top of her lungs 'mommy, don't leave me'. It is devastating! SO, we went along to church and took her in the sanctuary with us-I know right? WHAT WERE WE THINKING?!? Yea, it took a grand total of 2 minutes before I was headed out the doors only to hear B scream 'BYE PEOPLES' at the end of Danny's prayer over the missionaries. Makes for a good story at least!

We sat out in the hall for the sermon and let her run around. We did leave a little early and let her play around on the playground before picking up our little man.

 I truly cannot believe she is big enough for this!!!!

 Parker has been having the time of his life lately. We left the bouncer at Mimi's house & had to come up with a plan for entertaining him. I didn't think he would be ready for this but boy was I wrong. He loves playing with all these toys. Blakely never showed any real interest in any of these things but this boy was in heaven.

 Look at him grab those toys!

 such a big boy!

 Kinda sad about this one-he has found his thumb and refuses his paci-all I keep thinking is how I can never take his thumb away when it comes time...oh well, at least it makes him happy right?

 Oh that smile, I love that smile!

Couldn't leave this one out =)