Coming home.

After one night hospital stay we drove home and snuck in the front door and I could hear the last words of my dad reading Chloe a bedtime story.  I walked upstairs and peeked my head in to see Chloe sleeping soundly.  I'm pretty certain our heads hit the pillow within minutes of arriving home.  A few hours later Remy woke in a loud cry and I heard Chloe's feet hit the floor running.  Upon entering our room she squealed, "Mommy, there is a baby in here!"  Kevin and I couldn't stop giggling about her reaction.  I think we were pretty delirious too.  We spent the next 3 hours huddled together. Chloe checking out her tiny fingers, her teeny toes and talking a mile a minute about her baby sister.

In the days that followed she would proudly announce to each visitor who came, "Here is our baby!".  And inside my heart swelled to ridiculous proportions.

And they became sisters.

Everything people say is true, seeing my girls meet for the first time was a new kind of joy.  Chloe's quiet, calm entrance to our birth room made me realize she knew what a big moment this was.  And then she climbed into my lap and I felt at home again.  Us four all together.

Welcome, Remy Mae.

On Monday, August 12 at 4:04am our littlest daughter was born.  With a squeal she was placed on my chest and took her first breaths while I held her in my arms.  It was just as I had dreamed it would happen.  Weighing 7lb. 6oz. and stretching out at 19 1/12 inches, her tiny body was pink, healthy and strong.

After a couple days of prodromal labor and 22 hours of "real" labor, her arrival, as I announced was "sweet relief" and so much more, that I don't even have words for.  She was born with a full head of dark hair, just as I did had when I was born.

We named her Remy Mae.  Remy- French (like Chloe) and Mae, with the relation to spring and all things growing.  And now, we have two little french flowers.  TWO as in-we. have. kids.  Every time I say, "the girls", it blows my mind.

Three months (gulp) have now passed.  I better get back to blogging so we can document such sweet time.  We've been savoring it and surviving it, day-by-day, often hour-by-hour. Postpartum recovery, around the clock nursing and a very active toddler.  Oh boy, sometimes I (we) really feel in over our heads.  But really, no one prepares you for the amount of love you feel for your babies.  It's extraordinary.  I can't keep myself from snuggling her, closing my eyes tight and wishing I could make time stand still.

So with a long overdue post, welcome to the beautiful world my dear Remy.  You've already have captured our hearts.

(For those who were following my birthing journey, yes, I was able to VBAC.  With the help of supportive doctors, the encouragement of my sweet doula and the dearest husband who coached me through labor.  I was so encouraged and best of all, I got to hold her within seconds of being born.  The best reward ever.)

She's here. (and nearly a month old)

Well, I'll spare you the whiney details of late pregnancy aches, pains, sleepless nights and the anticipation of labor...lucky for you, we can skip all that, because our sweet baby girl is here!
Now, let me find the proper photos and words to appropriately welcome our tiniest love.  I will tell you this much, love is in the air.  

Baking away.

It's been a busy 7 weeks since we moved to California.  We've been catching up with family and friends, on our in between time unpacking and nesting our hearts out.  With a new (first) home and Kevin's handsome office to settle into we've been busy.  And I've been really putting Kevin to work with all the things I can't lift, hang or move.  He is such a sport and things are coming together pretty fast.  Which is great since I'm at week 38 of pregnancy.  And naturally I want everything in place "yesterday" in case baby sister decides to make her appearance early.  Let's hope it's a little sooner than her big sister who arrived at 41weeks and 5days.  Especially since I already feel like a mad woman, between hormones and uncomfortable.  But I remind myself daily that this baby girl is the VERY best reason to feel uncomfortable, moody and just plain antsy.

This pregnancy has flown by and I feel like I'm pinching myself daily that we will have a baby in the house again in a matter of days/weeks.  And I'll be the mama of two girls.  I keep hearing myself say,"the girls" and it is so surreal.  It's gonna be a whole lot of excitement around the Locklin house very soon.  I can't wait to see how the weeks unfold and watch our family grow into four.  

I have a feeling it's gonna be all kinds of magic seeing my girls together for the first time.

P.S. I have a plan to give this here blog lots more love in the future.  Stay tuned and thanks for reading.

Last week.  37 weeks along.  Yep, full term, baby.

   

"Chloe, me!"

And in what seems like minutes our baby has become a little girl.  It is so much fun to be her mama.  Just a little video before her nap the other day.

Sprinkle.

It was a truly beautiful, heart-filling kind of morning.  Chatting, laughing, delicious food, ogling over the sweetness of baby items and some really great friends.  My sweet friend Lisa, hosted a special party for me and baby girl on the way.  Everything was so beautiful, special and yummy.  Let me just say, homemade quiche.  (How she pulled it off while tending to a toddler, newborn and photography business is beyond me.) And the cake was over-the-top darling, Lana.

I felt so blessed to have this special morning with my Arizona friends and Kevin's Aunt Sheryl before our little lady is born.  I'm already missing these ladies and this room of laughter.  Dear Friends, Thank you for sprinkling me with your love.  Honestly, I felt so honored to be celebrated in such a loving way.

Our littlest lady will be so lucky to be born already surrounded by so much love.  August is just around the corner.