Settling in to our new "normal"

We got Lauren home from the hospital on Sunday and started our new "normal" lives with the six of us (yes the two dogs count). Lauren was cranky for the first couple of days and basically couldn't be put down without crying, but since we've gotten her home she has settled in to a ridiculously easy kid. She is either a) asleep b) eating c) just hanging out looking around.

Her first night at home, after feeding around 2am she wasn't happy being put down in the crib. I picked her up, swaddled her up and was walking around the room. She started to get sleepy, but so was I. I laid down in bed with her on my chest. 4.5 hours later I woke up with her still sleeping peacefully. She has continued to just be an awesome baby since, usually only crying when she is hungry.

While Jill has been busy with keeping baby Lauren fed and happy, Cooper and I have been doing lots and lots of playing. We've spent several afternoons at the parks and playgrounds around, gone on walks and bike rides and even bought a new video game (Wii Sports Resort) to play together.

 Cooper wanted to take his new caterpillar (from the Eric Carle book "The Hungry Caterpillar") along to the playground 

Then the whole family made our first public outing together, to pick up some stuff at Target. Cooper and I then went to the toys / sporting goods where Cooper got himself outfitted with some baseball gear.

Cooper has been an incredible big brother so far, always wanting to help out. We put Lauren in the swing, and Cooper decided to go get her bouncer chair and sit with her. Cooper seems little to us until you see him next to tiny little Lauren.

The dogs were much more agreeable to Lauren arriving than they were Cooper. Baloo didn't ignore me for a week like he did when I brought Cooper home. Baloo has really grown to like Cooper, probably because Cooper supplements Baloo's diet with a variety of food items every day.

All in all our family has settled in really well. We're a complete unit now and are just enjoying our new baby girl. Jill can revel in the fact that she'll never have to be pregnant again too, and can enjoy some of Colorado's finest microbrews again....