And Now We are the Schlup Five!

What a joy to open this blog up and see all the photos of Ella.  A joy and a tug at the heart strings.  I see my last posting was shortly after she left us and we just reached the third anniversary of Ella getting her wings.  It is surreal to know that we have three children, but Lucy and Eva will not meet Ella here in this world.  I am comforted to think of the story my Mom tells; Ella met Lucy and Eva in heaven before they came into this world and picked Philip and me for them to be their parents.  I love that image.  We tell the girls stories of Ella and Lucy at her ripe old age of 22 months says that Ella is in heaven by the moon and the stars.  I'll never look at the night sky without feeling Ella all around me.  I love that the girls will know Ella in their own ways.

We welcomed Eva Violet on August 11 and have been over the moon in love since.  It is amazing how you can fall in love with someone so completely so quickly.  Eva was the biggest of our girls (nearly two pounds more than Lucy!) and looks very different from Ella and Lucy, although I can see some of Ella in Eva's eyes.  So far she is a good sleeper in the day and goes about three hours between feeds at night.  She goes down for naps and bedtime in her own crib, which the other girls turned their noses up in preference for a warm lap to sleep on.  It is hard to put Eva down.  I would cuddle her all day long if I could!  Lucy is a fantastic big sister and has taken to having another little person in the house with good humour.  She pats and shushes Eva to help settle her, checks on her, wants to hold Baby Eva, and gives her cuddles and kisses as often as she can.  She loves to cuddle with Eva on the floor in the baby jungle gym.  So far I have only had to lift Lucy off of Eva in a full body cuddle twice!  I am amazed how Lucy has dealt with it all so well so far.  Touch wood.  I hear the feeding of Cheerios and lifting her up "on her own" will come in time.  I am sure my heart will be in my throat!  I am so thrilled that they will have each other for sisters.  I know my life wouldn't be the same without mine and can't wait to watch them grow up together.

Mom has been with us for six weeks already and has to go home in one week and five days.  Unless I cancel her ticket, which I threaten to do every day.  It has been a blast to have her here.  A blast, a comfort, a huge help, a big laugh, great company, a hug when there are tears (from Lucy, Eva and me!), dancing jam sessions, and a total joy to watch her be Nana.  Wow, what an amazing Nana.  She has love for my girls that nearly rivals my own and she is just magic with them.  It is a joy to share my girls with her and watch her delight in her grandkids.  Nana can play, chase, giggle, and comfort the girls with boundless energy.  I hope I am half the mom that she is a Nana!

We haven't done a whole lot outside the house since Eva arrived.  Partly it is just enjoying baby and Lucy and learning how to juggle the needs of a newborn and toddler and partly because it is winter in Dunedin.  And what a winter it has been!  We are having another snow day today and we have had several this winter.  I am getting cabin fever and am itching to have warm days to get outside and take our new double stroller for a spin and to take the girls to the park.  Lucy and I were going at least twice a week all summer and autumn and am hoping we can get back to the swings and running around outside soon.  How I will manage without Mom, I have no idea!  I figure people all over the world do it and I will, too, but I am not thinking about that for another couple of weeks.  Until then, I am so thankful for the extra set of hands to get girls dressed, in the car, out of the car, across the street, get another drink for Lucy, cleaning Lucy up after lunch, holding Eva while I get dinner on...all the things that go on in a day.

I am going to try to post photos of the girls on this blog spot because my wonderful family and friends have asked for photos and this way I can put on all that I want and not overwhelm Facebook.  So, until I post again, enjoy!

Lots of love from the Schlup Five (and Nana)!