One Week Home

We have officially been home a week, and I have a few quiet minutes to write while one child sleeps and another one builds stacking cup towers on the keyboard of my laptop. I have to head out for school pick-up in a few minutes, so here's a super fast recap of our week at home.

Our bigs kids are over-the-moon in love with their little sister. They were so, so, so excited to finally meet her. My sister was visiting when we arrived home, and she has the cutest video of them watching for our car out the front window and then running screaming out to the front yard to greet us. Li'l Bean is not quite so sure about her siblings (you mean, I have to share Mom and Dad with those kids?), but they are growing on her.

Li'l Miss pretty much thinks Bean is a living doll. She wants to feed her and carry her around everywhere. When I come in the room, she scolds me for taking Bean's attention. I think she'd happily skip the rest of school (just four more days!) and do this all day long.

Bean is warming up to Li'l Miss pretty quickly. How can you not love someone who is ever-so eager to meet your every need, wish, or whim? It's so fun to imagine the special memories they'll make and the relationship they'll have as sisters.

The boys are pretty excited about Bean, too. (Although one of Li'l Dude's first comments was, "I thought we were buying a girl and a boy!" LOL!) Li'l Man has been very helpful. He's my routine guy who always makes sure things get done correctly, and the past week has been no different.

I was most worried about Li'l Dude's adjustment. He's used to being the tiny one around here and getting ridiculously spoiled a little extra attention. So far, he has been a real trooper. Even though Li'l Bean isn't so sure about him yet, he keeps trying to win her affection. He brings her toys and treats her very gently. 

Before naptime time today, I was helping him in the bathroom. Bean was sitting on the carpet just outside the doorway. She was mad about the situation because I was giving Li'l Dude more attention than she was getting, so she started crying. Li'l Dude turned to me and said, "Mom, I can wash my hands by myself; you can pick her up." So stinkin' sweet.

I'm sure there will be bumps as the big three adjust to Li'l Bean, especially when things get busy with her surgery. So far I'm super proud of all three of them, and I'm loving watching them adjust and bond. How awesome to think that the sweet girl they've been praying about for months is really home - playing with their toys, sleeping in her crib, and giving them High Fives!

Yesterday was Bean's second birthday. It was one of our wishes to have her home with us for her birthday, and we were really excited to celebrate with her. We had a very low-key "party". Li'l Dude picked a cake at Walmart, and we ate one of our favorite summer dinners (burgers, brats, watermelon, and sweet corn - yum, yum!). 

Li'l Bean wasn't too sure about the whole cake thing...

...until she tried it...

...and decided she's a big chocolate fan after all. 

She was into the presents.

As far as the big people over here, we are doing well. After the shock of going from one child to three in eight days last time around, this three-to-four thing can't be all that crazy, right? There have been some rough moments...like when Bean decided after nine hours that she was absolutely done with the plane ride or when jet lag totally caught up with me and I crashed for 18 hours straight, but we're hanging in there.

I do have some updates on Bean's heart, but I'll save those for a separate post (which I promise to write by the end of the week). Now I'm off to enjoy a few more moments of quiet. Thanks so much for being a part of this journey!