First days at home with Mason

We brought Mason home last Wednesday. Here he is sleeping in Ashley's arms before we loaded him in the carseat. And settled into the carseat. Our trip home only took 5 minutes--a big change from the 1.5 hrs from Florence. Two years ago we were so sensitive to every bump in the road and drivers. This time it was just like we went out to Target and were heading home with a new baby (well, kind of!).
We've been spending a lot of time in the backyard. Here's Mason with his eyes open!
And Big Brother Levi playing in his sandbox. Levi really liked wearing this shirt (a hand-me-down from Weston) to school on Thursday--he pointed to big brother and said baby Mason.
Check out those feet!
And the grandparents. Our kids are so lucky to have two sets of wonderful grandparents- Da and Grandma
And Papa Charles and Granna (Gin Gin).
Another family portrait!
Overall we're adjusting to life at home with two kids. I'm really tired thanks to those late night feedings and Ashley has been working really hard for work. Levi is definitely warming up to Mason--more pictures of their interactions soon!

Mason Newkirk McLeod

The arrival of our #2!
Around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday I started feeling contractions. After Ashley went to bed, I timed them and started to notice they were increasing in intensity and were getting closer together. At 1 a.m., we called him mom to come to our house to watch Levi (thank goodness we had that plan established). We got to the hospital around 2 a.m. (another thanks--we live only 5 minutes away--did with Levi, too, but we were in Florence for his delivery). Here we are heading out the door!

After being checked by the nurse and finding out I was already 6 cm dilated, I requested my epidural. Once that was in place, Ashley and I napped/slept for an hour or so and then I started to feel pressure. Low and behold, the baby had crowned at 5:55 a.m. Our midwife made it into the room and Mason Newkirk McLeod was born at 6:12 a.m. with only 4 pushes on my part! So even though he was past his due date of Saturday, he made a speedy arrival! 8 lbs 1 oz, 20 inches long!
And now AM Squared = Ashley, Anna, Levi and Mason! Here we are Monday afternoon when Levi first got to meet Mason.
More pictures to come of what he really looks like!

"New Grass"!

Just as wives of painters probably expect that their house to have a fresh coat of paint or husbands of nurses regularly consult their spouse on health issues, I like to remind Ashley that our yard should look like a landscaper lives here. I try not to nag because I know the last thing he wants to do when he comes home is take care of our landscape. Luckily, he cares, too. So when the sod he installed 3 years ago started looking really bad this winter (lots of weeds, bald patches), I started asking if anything could be done. Yes, of course! New grass! Last weekend he and a few of his HLS guys took an hour or so and installed new sod.

Levi was excited because that meant the Bobcat was IN our backyard and he got to help. Now he says over and over when we're outside, "New grass!" pointing at our soon-to-be lush zoysia! Here is a before picture.
And the guys working...
Here's an after picture.
We also decided to build Levi a small sandbox and a small container garden for our tomatoes.
Check out the amazing color on these azaleas!
Levi is really pleased with the sandbox!
And I'm pleased with these Poppyseed Muffins I made on Wednesday! Check out this easy recipe from King Arthur Flour (if you don't use this flour, you should!): http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/carpenter-street-poppy-seed-cake-recipe
And I was also pleased with Levi's lunch eating yesterday. He has periods of pickiness but yesterday wasn't one of those. He ate a ton! Besides pickles, he had a slice of turkey, peas, toast, and carrot-raisin salad. Yum!

Happy Easter!

We had a lot of fun for Easter, starting with egg dying at Grandma and Da's on Friday. Weston and Ryan made some really great looking eggs (Levi dyed 2 eggs and then smashed them together).
Ryan had the great idea to tie-dye paper towels with the leftover dye. How cool these all turned out!
Showing off Incredible Hulk hands!
On Sunday, we had dinner at Carey and Kleck's (a combo of McLeods and Harmans). Levi drove Ryan's four wheeler for the first time.



Da helped Levi find some eggs.
Carey and I, showing off our lovely pollen-covered feet. Thanks, Southern Spring!
All the kids.
Last Wednesday we met Kristin and took her to see the USC campus for a lunch picnic. Levi spent most of the time running around the Horseshoe (and Kristin catching him). It was such a pretty day!
In other news, Baby #2 is hanging in there. He's doing well, according to my midwives, and should be arriving any day now (which is what they said 3 weeks ago :o)). I feel pretty good overall and ready to meet our next boy!