My how the time flies....

At just two weeks old, we have already seen some pretty impressive changes in out little girl. She is already so much more alert and awake on a daily basis and because of this, we get the pleasure of simply staring at each other more often. I know it seems silly, but it really is hard to take your eyes of this little one (I am sure all of you parents out there can relate to this feeling). Even though she is pretty much a little lump most of the time, she is truly the most entertaining lump of all!!!

We consider ourselves lucky that she is still being a pretty good sleeper at night, waking up almost exactly every 3 hours or so to feed (she has the same keen sense of time as her mama) and then going promptly back to sleep with a full belly. I know I have read that this can change pretty dramatically in these first few weeks, but I am keeping my fingers crossed that she keeps up this awesome behavior.

We have been pretty busy this week with Nanny (Grandma Miller) still in town and have gotten out and about a considerable amount for these early weeks. This past week we strolled the Portland Rose Gardens, hung out at lunch and dinner (without crying!), spent time with our friends Leslie and Dave, and taken many a walks around the neighborhood and to the park just down the street. Her belly button has healed (thank goodness....that is a little bit gross) and we are getting good practice on the fine art of baby baths, which are not her favorite activity. She LOVES being in the car and in her stroller and seems to be a pretty big fan on the "sling thing" too....just like a little kangaroo!

All went well at her first pediatrician appointment (I will admit, I have accidentally referred to her doctor as "the vet" a few times...oops....darn learning curve) and is coming right back up to her birth weight as expected. She goes back again tomorrow, so I am hoping she is back up to at least that magic number, if not more! That will make mom feel much better!!

Anyway, all is well and we a still just in awe of this little creature. I am sure that will continue for many, many years to come! Reese says hello to everyone and she cannot wait to meet each and every one of you sometime soon!!

Of course, here are some new pictures!

Welcome Miss Reese Avery Spencer

Just one week ago, our lives changed completely....and it couldn't be a more beautiful thing! At 10:37am on Tuesday May 12th, 2009, little miss Reese Avery Spencer entered this world and even though she had been a part of our lives for the past 9 months, there are no words that can describe the feeling of complete and utter bliss that overcomes you the first time you hold that little creature in your arms. I will be completely honest in saying that I was scared to death of how I would be able to care for such a delicate little life....but you know what? Something in us knows exactly what needs to be done and you simply do it.....and love every awkward minute of it!!!

Labor and Delivery was about as uneventful as my pregnancy, which is a fantastic thing. I will save you all the details, but I am of course happy to share if you would like me to....all in all, I can say that it was not nearly as scary as I thought it would be. And as everyone tells you the entire time you are pregnant, you forget all about the pain and discomfort immediately once she arrives. That may be the single piece of pregnancy advice that is 110% true! She was born on Tuesday and we were able to bring her home on Thursday. She met her 4-legged siblings and all went well. The pups are simply very curious about what this little being is all about and they are quite protective....following us from room to room and laying by our feet as we hold little Reese!

My mom came in on Saturday and will be here for a total of 2 weeks! It is truly a wonderful thing to have an extra set of hand around the house in these early days. I have a hard time asking for any sort of help, but having mom here is a blessing for certain. For these past few days, we have been laying pretty low....we had a few days of unseasonably warm weather this past weekend so we did venture out for a walk in the park and ran a few light errands today. Other than that, we are simply savoring every quiet moment (and even the not-so-quiet ones) with our daughter. I am sure there is some truth to the fact that they grow up too fast so we will take every one of these moments that we can get.

I am taking 16 weeks off from work, so I am looking forward to spending these early days with Reese and I hope to capture some of the best moments to share with you all as our family and friends. So many of you are so far away and this is just one way that we can share these days with you all! Stay tuned for more moments with Miss Reese and our adventures along the way as the fumbling new parents....we have so much to teach each other! We are so excited for the journey that lies ahead!!

Welcome Miss Reese!!