Walgreens is doing their annual Week of Photo Deals.  For today, Sunday, August 15, they are offering a free 8×10 photo.

Enter FREE_8X10_DEAL code, and be sure to “update total”

If you choose in store pick up, you won’t have to pay for s&h, and your total will be $0.00!  YEA!  Normally, they’re ready in one hour for pick up.

People often look as me with concern and say, “So, how is Abigail doing with the new baby?”  It’s like they’re expecting me to tell woes about how Abi has mistreated Lydia (and just so we’re clear, she has not), just like when they cock their heads to the side and say, “So, you getting any sleep at all?”  (And I happily say, “Yep, a normal 8 hours, and it could’ve been 10, if I went to bed when Lydia did.”)  I’m not trying to be cocky; I’m just trying to say that some people have misconceptions about how ALL babies and toddler will behave, and I want to clear up one of those today.

Thanks to my super cousin Katie, I got some great advice about how to transition the former only child to becoming a big sibling.  She even sent me this book: Welcoming Your Second Baby, by Vicki Lansky.  So giving and thoughtful!  I love her!

Anyway, here are a few tips I learned . . .

1. Take your child to your OB appointments.  Abi went to all of my OB visits, and when we listened to baby’s heartbeat, we told her that Baby was “calling her”.  Abi would say, “What’s she sayin’?  How you doing Baby?”
2. Read books about what it is like to be a big sister/brother.  Here’s one I love, and here’s another one that’s good, too.
3. Get a baby doll.  We got Abigail this baby doll 3 months before Lydia was born, so Abigail could learn how to hold a baby and be gentle.  This baby doll, who she named Rachel, even cries, so Abi learned that babies cry a lot.  Also there are times when Abi wants me to do something with her, but I’m nursing Lydia, and I say, “Go get Baby Rachel, so you can take care of your baby, too.”
4. Get a doll house. We bought this doll house, so we could “roll play” what it would be like to have a new baby and to be a big sister.
5. Buy or make some Big Sister/Brother shirts.  Abigail loved (and still does) wearing her shirts.
6. Put a picture of yourself and hubby in your child’s room, so they know you’re still thinking of them when you’re gone at the hospital.
7. Hide a few small gifts around the house.  When you call from the hospital, you can tell your child where to look for them.  We hid a toy camera for Abigail in the laundry room, and when I called, I told her to go to the place where she helps me put the clothes in the washer.  This was helpful, too, because everyone wants to take picture of the new baby, so she could join in with her new toy camera.  Also, make sure to take plenty of pictures of your older child.
8. Have a present at the hospital for your child to open; tell the child it is from the new baby.  We had 3 gifts at the hospital– one Abigail could open each day we were there.  The first day, she got a barn with animals.  Day 2, she got two dolls.  Day 3, she got a foam puzzle.  This also keeps them entertained while there.
9. Make sure Mom is not holding Baby when the older sibling comes to visit the baby for the first time.  Your child needs time to warm up to Baby on his own time.  When Abi came into the room, my arms were empty, so I could love on her.  I told her after a few seconds of hugs that the baby came out of my belly and wanted to give Abi a present.  Then, she opened the present.  We didn’t show her Lydia for awhile.  Eventually we said, “Hey, Abi, would you like to tell your new baby sister thank you for the gift?”  And that’s when she met Lydia.  It was presh!
10. We try to refer to Lydia as “OUR baby”, so Abigail doesn’t feel left out.

Abi adores Lydia.  Abi always wants to hold Lydia, touch her, kiss her, hug her, and help her.  Abi has never once tried to hurt Lydia emotionally or physically.  Abi has never acted hurt or unloved by us or Lydia.  We’re so fortunate.  I hope these tips can help you, too!

Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted freebies.  Well, here you go . . .

• 21 Children Songs- download these for free
• Photo book from Pixable- FREE 8 x 5.5 photo book when you use coupon code: PIXBOOK
• Amazon Video on Demand- Get a $3 credit when you use code: HDNATION or code: FILMRIOT (expired)
• Pampers Potty Training Kit
• Pet n’ Shape Dog Treats
• 90 Points for Pampers Gifts to Grow- when you type these codes: ENJOYYOURSUMMER (10 pts, expires July 6, 2010) and GTGLEARNMORE089 (10 pts) and 15GTGSUMMERFUN (15 pts) and 25GTGSUMMER2010 (25 pts), GTGPLAY3USA2010 (30 pts)
• Print and Color Greeting Cards
• 1 Free Audiobook (expires July 2)

• This might be one of your longest sentences: “I wish the Uncle Daniel and the Uncle Josh were here.”
• You have started saying things that we have said (only days after we first said it) like: When you were feeding Sabra her dog food, you said, “It’s good to share, Momma.”  And when you were playing with something I told you days before that you shouldn’t play with, you said, “It’s dangerous for little girls.”
• Lately, you’ve been taking 1+ hour(s) to fall asleep some nights.  You just lie in bed talking and talking and talking.  Here’s one thing you said that made us laugh, “Abby is trying to get out of the crib.”  Also, after GramB’s birthday party, you yelled in a demonic voice, “Happy Birthday GramB . . .” about 100 times.
• Can count to 10 every time perfectly (which is in the video).  We’re working on 20 now.
• You’re getting so much better with your colors.  You always know orange, yellow, red, and green.  You normally call blue “black.”
• You have conversations with yourself.  You’ll says things like, “I’m going to the living room.  Wanna come?  Oooooookay.” or “This polar bear is white.  That’s right, Sissah (what she calls Sabra).”  or “Abi wants to get the box; I can’t a reach it.  Oh, Abi help.”
• We still love to hear you pray every night.  Here’s part of your prayer from last night, “Dear God, Thank you for the two doors over there.  One, two, three . . . Yeah.  That’s right!”
• You’ve memorized several of your books, like “The Monster at the End of the Book”, “Brown Bear” “Jamberry”, and “Safari Animals.”

Here’s her video below (If you’re reading in RSS, you’ll probably have to go to the site to see the video.  If you don’t have facebook, and you want to see the video, let me know.).

Go here to take the “Is it a Boy or a Girl?” poll.

So yesterday, Jonathan and I went to see our fetus again.  Here are some things we learned from the appointment:

1. Baby weighs about 15 oz.  The Perinatologist (sp?) predicted that Baby’s final weight could be 8 lb, 8 oz.                                                                                        
2. Baby has my toes (the second toes are longer than the firsts)
3. My placenta is low lying.  This isn’t a bad thing now, but it could be of a concern if it doesn’t move up later on.
4. Baby is breech now, which isn’t a bad thing now.
5. They didn’t see anything wrong with the kidneys, at this point.
6. I have another Sonogram scheduled for February, and I’ll probably get another one after that!

Here are some other pictures: Arm, Leg, Head & Chest

Last night, Jonathan felt Baby move several times for the first time!  Yea!

And, we’ve decided to refer to Baby as JoJo, as suggested by Jonathan’s sister.  I’m not sure of her reasoning, but here’s our reason: if Baby is a boy, his middle name will be Jonathan, and if Baby is a girl, her middle name will be Joy.  Hence Jo for Jonathan and Jo for Joy, so JoJo.

Here’s what I looked like last week:

SeeHere’s Deals:

• 50 Free 4×8 photo cards.  It comes with free envelopes and FREE shipping, too!  You pay nothing!  Use code: freebies4mom-1109.  Expires Monday, November 30.
• ANOTHER 50 Free 4×8 photo cards when you used the code: newbaby. You need to order these separately from the others.
  
• If you’re new to SeeHere, you can also get 100 free photo prints using code: prints.  You do have to pay for s&h.  You have to order these separately from the others.

CVS:

• 10 free greeting cards with code 10FREE. I think you can get free shipping to a CVS pharmacy nearby.
  

We had two Halloween parties: one the night before and one on Halloween.  We took Abigail to the first one but decided to let her stay the night with GramB and PapaBon for the second one.  I forgot to take many pictures of the first one.

I’ve got a Bun in the Oven, and Jonathan’s the Bun Maker

You can click on the pictures to see the details of my costume.  It was simple to make, and it was super cheap!  We only had to buy the apron ($3), chef hat ($3), spray paint, and a hot glue gun.  We had all the other stuff on hand.  The oven box is made from Abi’s Huggies diaper box.

As you read here, she was a little lamb.

Halloween night we went to a party thrown by our besties, Tiffany and Justin (Tinkerbell & Peter Pan).

Nancy & Jacob came as a UPS worker and his package

The Bookers were the Swine Flu

Our team won in charades

And our pumpkin tied for first in the Pumpkin Contest

So, at the end of the night, we went home as winners of the “Date Night Package” (a Chili’s gift card, wine glasses, and roses, in a cute basket.

Better late than never, right? Here’s my post Halloween post (well, one of them; I’ll post another one of Jonathan and my costumes) . . .

Abi was too young to participate in carving a pumpkin last year, but we decided she could help this year.  We tried looking for a cookie monster design but couldn’t find one, so Abi decided she wanted to make a pumpkin face of her favorite shapes.

She liked watching Daddy drill the holes.  And she loved playing with the pumpkin seeds and helping Momma separate the seeds from the gooey stuff.

When she’d wake up in the morning and after nap time, she’d say “go see pumpkins.”

This is her cute costume that her Daddy picked out: She’s a little lamb.

We did Trunk or Treat at our church, and Abi learned at the first car that saying, “Trick or Treat” would get her a prize/candy.  So cute!

When people would ask her what she was, she’d say, “Baaaaaaaa.”

She also would tell the candy givers, “Thank you” and “Happy Halloween”

What a joy she is to us!

What were your kid(s) for Halloween this year?  Or previous years?  I’m already thinking about what she should be for next year.

Today’s deal from Walgreens is 20 FREE 4×6 Photo Prints.  Remember, this expires by the end of the day today.  You need to use the code 20FREE4ME when you’re checking out.  Be sure to choose in store pick up so you can avoid shippping costs!