Jillian's First Month

I'm going to try to post monthly updates for Jill just like I did for Aaron -- but as a second child, Jill is unfortunately going to have to share these posts with her big brother.  It just doesn't make sense to post separate photo updates for each kid.  Ahh the curse of being the second child...

We are so blessed to have Jillian in our family, and we have had fun getting to know her better this past month.  We learned that she hardly ever cries.  When she's hungry, she just starts panting loudly and turning her head to the side to root.  She snorts a lot which is probably due to an early cold she picked up from her big brother.  It's pretty cute.  She also has some pretty significant reflux so we've had some projectile spit-up episodes that left Mommy and Daddy covered in yuck.  But Jill is otherwise eating well and growing fast.  Mom hopes she'll start sleeping for more than a couple hours at a time soon, but in the meantime, she's so cute (and her little head is so soft and fuzzy) that she can get away with just about anything.

As for Aaron, he is incredibly verbal, speaking in nearly full sentences.  He loves Elmo, bubbles, coloring, and dancing to music.  Somehow in the past 2-3 months he fully morphed from a toddler into a little boy.  And while he is definitely trying to assert his independence and push boundaries, he has such a sweet nature that we really haven't had to deal with any major discipline issues.  The naughtiest thing he does is play with his food during dinner, and even that is pretty cute!

5/26: Sweet Jillian is just a few hours old

5/26: Jill's not so sure about Kangaroo care

5/27: Our rosie girl

5/28: Proud big brother with his sweet little sister

5/28: West side!

5/29: Jill thinks Moe is funny

5/29: Me and my Jilly girl

5/29: Our first outing with both kids: Jill tries out the stroller and Aaron gets excited by the trains!

5/30: This girl smiles in her sleep ALL the time!  And we've even heard her laugh out loud during a dream.  It's adorable.

6/1: Uncle Ryan came to visit his new niece

6/1: Tummy time!

6/2: Hanging on Daddy's every word

6/4: Dora stopped by to meet Jill and see Aaron before she left for a trip to Romania

6/4: Sweet sleepy girl

6/4: Someone's excited to start potty training!

6/6: Long days and short nights make for a tired mommy

6/6: If you look closely, you can see the results of Aaron's faceplant into the corner of his toy bin

6/8: Love my babies

6/8: Jillian meets the Hjelmgrens!

6/9: Aaron's first Cubs game with Daddy

6/10: This is my attempt to capture Jill's "puff" -- her hair has a bit of body and curl to it, so it sticks up right after a bath...just like Daddy's!

6/12: Straight-up passed out

6/13: Baking fathers day cookies for daddy!

6/13: How can you not want to just kiss that little belly?

6/16: Sleepyhead

6/16: Sweet boy

6/17: Little boy right of passage = scrapes on both chubby knees

6/19: Quite concerned

6/22: Daddy is happy that Jill embraces his love of the water

6/23: Jill took a nap at the pool while Daddy and Aaron braved the unheated water

6/24: Beautiful girl

6/24: Playing in the sprinklers at the park!

6/24: Hanging out as a family of four

6/26: Smiles and scowls from our cute Jilly Bean.
Happy one-month birthday sweet girl!