Weekend Visitors

With Andi traveling for work this week and my post-pregnancy hormones raging like a wild bronco, I've been feeling a little lonely this week. Thankfully, I lined up lots of help to get me through the long days and nights of being home alone with a newborn.

On Friday, my sister Ashley drove up from Nebraska to stay with me for the weekend. I am SO EXCITED to have her here for a few days! There's no one in this world quite like her and I welcome the pleasant distraction of her larger-than-life personality and mother hen qualities. She promised home-cooked meals, lots of baby snuggling and even volunteered to massage my head to help me sleep. I could get used to this ...

Ashley's boyfriend and my niece Brooke are here for the weekend too. Brookie is getting to be such a big girl and loves to help with the baby. She's the third and fourth hands I've been wishing for - she brings me Diet Cokes, my cell phone and anything else the baby needs from the nursery.

Brookie's first time holding Tory 

Brooke was a little perplexed when she asked if she could feed Tory a bottle. I explained Tory doesn't drink from a bottle, she nurses just like a baby cow drinks milk from her mama. (Yes, I did compare myself to a cow - I couldn't think how else to relate it to a four-year-old)! "From your boob?" she asked. "Er, yeah," I said. (I really dislike that word). A few minutes later she walked over to me, placed her hand on my chest and said "here, I'll help you." It took all I had to hold back the laughter. It was so honest and sweet ... and a little awkward. Good thing we're not a shy family.

Brooke also found a doll given to me at one of my baby showers and she's played with it ALL WEEKEND LONG. She dresses it up in Tory's newborn clothes, swaddles her baby in receiving blankets and has tried out all the baby gadgets a dozen times. Brookie even drug out a child-size wooden rocking chair from the nursery, placed it next to my glider and rocked her baby doll for hours alongside me. Too cute!

Mama Brookie

Brookie being silly with the Boppy pillow

I'm forever grateful for my sister's help this weekend. She's got the magic baby touch - just like my mom and I - and I'll miss her company during late night feedings and marathon walking sessions around the living room, dining room and kitchen with Tory. Thanks Sister!