This is what makes us happy.

Things are going well at the Kramer house.

You'd never know that Katie has been here for less than a month. How on earth did we manage without her? We love her to pieces.

Jamie has never needed to be told to be gentle around her. He's always spoken in whispers to her and softly pats her on the back and gives her kisses on the cheek. He always asks if he can hold her, sitting perfectly still when he does.

If Jamie's in the room, Katie often looks up at him. She knows who he is. In the car..."Mommy, baby sister is looking at me!" "That's because you're her big brother. She likes you."

At dinner time, Katie sits in her bouncy chair in the kitchen with us. She hates to be left alone in the next room. At bedtime, she gets to snuggle with Jamie during the story and prayers. She's included in whatever we're doing.

I resumed preschool drop off and pick up today. I was wondering how I could manage going somewhere with 2 kids by myself. It was okay. I wore Katie in a wrap and she was easy. Then, I simply walked Jamie to his classroom and got him settled.

It takes a little longer to do things...we do have 2 kids in diapers, after all, and Katie eats all day long. There's more laundry. Not as much sleep, especially with this weekend's time change. Still, the rewards are nice.

Family.

Here are some recent pictures, with recent visitors. More to come!

All dressed up!

For her first public outing. It's a trip to the pediatrician.

Bath time.

Washed her at the kitchen sink yesterday. First bath at home. She loves getting her hair washed.

Happy Valentine's Day.

I asked Scott to pass me a package of saltines. Instead, he set down a little present. I have a new mother necklace. What a sweet surprise!

Pictures to come.

Katie!

We have our girl, all 8 lbs and 8 oz of her!

Everything has been great thus far. The repeat c-section went fine, I had a great team working on Katie and myself, and I even got to walk a little bit by nighttime. Now I'm starting day 3 in the hospital and am feeling good. I'm on pain medication, but I don't feel as limited as I thought I would. Recovery was fairly easy with Jamie, but I think there's something to be said for having already experienced this kind of thing. I have an idea of what to expect!

We're in love with Miss Katie. She's a petite little thing compared to Jamie as a newborn. She's wearing newborn diapers! Those tiny hats fit her head! It's funny, though, because the nurses are claiming that she's the biggest baby in the nursery. Oh, well.

Nursing is easier this time. So much easier. She's a great eater. A nurse commented last night that I was the only mom who wasn't having issues with nursing, but I remember how it was 3 years ago. I'm grateful that I'm not frustrated - I realize I got lucky this time!

I haven't changed a diaper yet. The nurses are quick on that, or Scott takes care of it while he's here. I'm in a room with 2 beds, so as it turns out, Scott is my roommate at night. It's nice. He gets a chance to be more hands-on, but he can still head into work during the day.

Jamie is officially a big brother. He came to visit, and while he was shy, I know that he understood what was going on. He's giving himself time to adjust. No kisses or hugs for Katie yet. Oh, and I miss him while I'm here. Luckily, my mom is staying at the house this week and I know he's well taken care of.

Well, today's Valentine's Day. What a day to be in the hospital! I packed red booties and a red hat for Katie. She'll be dressed up enough for the both of us!

Baby's coming today!

Well, it's 4:30 AM and I'm wide awake. With Jamie, I was awake by 3 AM the night before, so this is progress!

Luckily, my appetite is gone, so fasting doesn't bother me. On the other hand, I couldn't eat much yesterday, so I missed out on any delicious "last meal" Scott was offering up. Dinner was a tiny bowl of rice in the hospital cafeteria (while Scott grabbed a burger) and then some soup at home later on. I couldn't even eat an entire bowl of ice cream for dessert! Katie must be lying on my stomach.

I'm mentally thinking of the morning ahead. I'll go through my packing list again, set my pile of stuff aside, take a strict shower with hospital soap, lounge around with Jamie and my mom (and Scott!), and then it's off to labor and delivery! Gosh, I'm ready to go now...and Katie is kicking up a storm. Wonder if she's excited, too?

Yes, this is much more exciting than Christmas morning!

Stay tuned!!