Friends and family...

Wow! When I created this blog I thought I would have all kinds of time to post and relay thoughts and happenings...that was SO last week...hee hee!!! I'm finally getting a chance to sit down and write about the past several days and all of our wonderful family and friends who have stopped by to meet Kate!

We left the hospital around noon on Saturday and Kate seemed to really enjoy (sleep through) her first ride home in her carseat. I think she liked how snuggly she fit into it. When we got home Grandma DeDe (my mom) and Grandpa Frank (Brad's dad who had flown in from Atlanta earlier in day) were waiting for us. Shortly after, Kate's Uncle Damian, Aunt Sherry and Cousin Vivi came over from Fayetteville. Kate and Vivi are only 5 1/2 months apart...they are going to have so much fun growing up together! Thanks so much to Frank for making the trip (I know he was already exhausted from a busy week of business travel) and to the Lux family for coming and for the delicious bar-b-que from Whole Hog in Fayetteville...Brad is already analyzing every bite to try and recreate the pulled pork at home on his smoker. Here are some pics from the day...

Our first night home was great, but exhausting...for all of us. Kate seems to have a bit of an urge to exercise her lungs from about 10 pm until 4am. The only time she isn't crying is when she's eating. We are hanging in there though...her lung exercises seem to get shorter and shorter with each night. Grandma DeDe has been a huge help during those times giving me and Brad a break when things seem overwhelming. I don't know what we would have done without her!!!

When we woke up Sunday, it was really neat to tell Brad "Happy Father's Day"! As part of his present, my mom and I shut the bedroom door and let him sleep in until 10 or so. He was very appreciative, but very ready to snuggle with Kate when he got up. He's so sweet with her. He loves Daddy and Kate time.

Later in the day Sunday, Kate's Uncle Ron, Aunt Abby and cousins Emma and Sam came to visit. Sam sang a lullaby he titled "I Love You" to Kate and Emma did a wonderful job of making Kate feel nice and safe when she held her. It was really neat for me to see them hold my baby when it seems like just yesterday when they were born and I was holding them....goodness, how time flies. Thanks for coming guys, we know Abby and Ron were tired too as they had just returned from a trip overseas the evening before.

We also had two more special visitors Sunday evening. Even after 6 hours of delayed and diverted flights, Melissa and Michael Fretheim stopped by to say hello and see Kate before heading back to Fort Smith (they had flown into Tulsa from a trip to San Diego). It was so nice to see them and I know "Baby Kake" loved meeting you both. (Michael calls the baby Kake instead of Kate!!...cute, cute)

Sunday night was another long night that we survived thanks to my mom (Grandma DeDe). However, Kate's fussy time was less than the night before and we worked out a few kinks to make her and us more comfortable and less stressed. It is definitely a game of trial and error, but I know we'll make it. Even though it gets really tiring and overwhelming at times, we are so much enjoying getting to know Kate. She is the love of our lives! We thank God for her every day...