Snow day!

Hi, from Hannah!

Mom and I had our first girls' day together on Tuesday when Dad went back to work. We had a lot of fun and Mom even held a photo shoot with her favorite model ... me! I was being a little turkey and shutting my eyes every time the camera flash came on, but Mom was lucky to get the pictures below.

There's a smile! 

Mom, photo shoots bore me. 

So happy! 

Today was my first snow day! Dad did not have school so we got to hang out as a family ... these are my favorite days for sure! 

I was supposed to go to the doctor this morning, but Dad decided the weather was too dicey to go out, so we stayed home snug as a bug. Mom will take me to the doctor by herself tomorrow ... please wish her luck! 

A couple days ago, Dad went to change my diaper and saw something was different ... my belly button scab fell off! It was a bit earlier than doctors predicted ... guess I'm already an overachiever! We celebrated by having my first real bath. It felt so good! 

Thanks Miss Kelly and Miss Riley for the hooded bath robe ... It keeps me nice and warm! 

Have you ever seen prettier eyes?

After my bath, Mom dressed me in this adorable gingerbread outfit that her coworkers gave me. It is so cute and ruffly and just perfect for a snow day. 

This is my serious model pose.

Look! They forgot to put on my mitties! I love to suck on my two middle fingers.
My birth mom said I did that just as soon as I was born, too! 

How many pictures do we need to take, Mom?

Other than that, I've just been hanging out and catching some zzzzzz's. Do you want to see my new favorite sleeping spot?

I've got this guy wrapped around my little finger!

Hope you're having a happy day!
Love, Hannah

So many visitors!

Hi, from Hannah!

I have been meeting so many new people over the past few days!

Just a reminder ... if you come to see me, please make sure you are 100% healthy as my doctor is very concerned I am going to get the flu or RSV or that yucky norovirus that is going around. My little lungs can't fight off that stuff quite yet. Thanks for understanding!

On Thursday, my uncle Tony had a meeting in town and he snuck over afterward to say hello.

Aunt LeAnn, cousin Carver and cousin Liam were jealous, so they made Uncle Tony bring them down to meet me on Friday night!

 Cousin Carver sure gives me good snuggles!

 Cousin Liam got jealous that there is another baby in the house.

Aunt LeAnn said Carver and Liam were never this little!

On Saturday, mom's BFF came all the way from Omaha to see me and brought me a bunch of cute new outfits to wear! She also gave mom a lot of advice about how to take care of little girls ... thanks for all the tips! =)

See my polka dot mittens up there? I like to scratch my face a lot, so Mom and Dad put my hands in these mittens all the time. I HATE IT! I spend a lot of time pulling those mittens off and they spend a lot of time putting them back on. (It's my favorite game!) I really like having my hands by my face all the time, so the mittens help prevent me from hurting my eyes. All the scratches I got in the hospital are gone now, so I guess the mittens must be helping. 

This week, Dad goes back to work tomorrow and I go to the doctor on Wednesday to see how I'm doing. I can't wait to see how much I've grown this time! 

Love, Hannah 

A little about me!

Hi, from Hannah!

Many of you have asked how I got my name ... and it's such a cool story!

Mom and Dad got an email from my birth mom and dad wondering if they had thought of names for their little girl yet. That's when they found out I was a little girl ... and they were so excited!

My birth mom and dad asked Mom and Dad to consider Lee or Lea as my middle name. Lee is my birth dad's middle name and Lea is my birth mom's grandma's middle name. Mom and Dad thought that was an awesome idea, so that's why my middle name is Lee ... after Very Important People in my birth family!

Mom and Dad wanted a classic, easy-to-spell, Biblical name for my first name. Mom took a class this fall at church about women in the Bible and really felt a connection to the Biblical story of Hannah. (Check it out here http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Samuel%201-3&version=NIV&interface=print)

Mom and Dad emailed Hannah and one other name they liked to my birth parents ... they also really liked the name Hannah, and that's how I got my name!

I think it's really neat that both sets of my parents started working together to help me before I was even born. I am really, really lucky to be so loved!

Here's what I've looked like most of the weekend ... snoozy! I must be growing because I've been sleeping and eating a LOT!

Love, Hannah

1 week old!

Hi, from Hannah!

Yesterday was my one-week birthday! I was so excited, I stayed awake most of the day. (Jaimie and Rodney LOVED this as I slept for a quite a while last night. YAY!)













<<<<< Me with my eyes open! I'm in a daze because I'm just about to fall asleep again.






We hung out at home yesterday because it was so cold out. Dr. Hermann said to keep me at home for a couple months and to limit contact with crowds for a few months because we're at the height of the flu season and it is just so easy for little girls like me to catch RSV this time of year. So, if you come to visit me, please make sure you are 100% healthy!

Jaimie and Rodney were chatting about me last night and I heard them say they are noticing some changes in me already! I was born with dark hair (like my birth dad), but now they're seeing some strands of light hair peeking through (like my birth mom). Also, my eyes keep changing colors ... one minute they look blue (like my birth mom), but Jaimie's pretty sure they are going to be brown or hazel (like my birth dad).

Speaking of my birth parents, could you please say a prayer for my birth mom? She's having some complications from having me and had to go back to the hospital. Sending you a big hug, Mom!!!

Also, could you say a prayer for my Nana Hesterberg? She went to the hospital with chest pains the same day. Big hugs to you, too, Nana!

Sending you smiles today!

Love, Hannah

My first few days!

Hi, from Hannah!

I've had a big few days and wanted to share with you all the fun I've been having!

Our first night home, I was so excited to see my new digs that I stayed up all night long just looking around and around. Surprise, I'm a night owl! Jaimie took the majority of the night shift, but Rodney learned how to make my bottles, feed me and change my diaper (he even put my diaper on backward the first time ... rookie!) I straightened him out right away and it's been smooth sailing from there. 

After my night of fun, all I wanted to do was sleep the day away. But that didn't work because I had my first doctor's appointment. I charmed all the ladies in the waiting room with my good looks and was a really good girl while Jaimie and Rodney filled out a bunch of paperwork. 

Just waving hi! I'm all bundled up to go to the doctor. It was only 10 degrees today! 

Then, the doctor wanted to get my height and weight, so I had to get out of my warm jammies and onto a cold table. I WAS NOT HAPPY! But, the doctor was because I was 7 lbs, 3.5 oz (with a diaper on), 20.75 inches long and my head is still small at 14.5 inches around. The doctor was really happy to see I am back up to birth weight. YES! 

I had to go to another doctor's office to get my bilirubin level checked. I was looking a little jaundice, so the doctor just wanted to make sure that I didn't need to get wrapped up in a special blanket for a while.  The doctor predicted my level would be at a 10 or 11 (15 is a cause for concern). But I'm full of surprises ... my level came back at 3.2. No special treatment needed! Just keep eating my formula and pooing to get all that yucky bilirubin out. 

Rodney couldn't watch when the lab worker poked my foot with a sharp tool to get my blood drawn. But, I surprised everyone again when I didn't scream at all! I must take after my birth mom, who didn't even get an epidural during my delivery. Strong women rule! 

Here's a picture of my feet ... I have super-long toes and fingers! I also like to kick my feet out of my jammies so everyone can see my pretty tootsies. 

I had my first visitors today ... Grandma and Grandpa Ede came down from northeast Iowa to meet me! They didn't stay long, but Grandma is coming down to snuggle with me a little more this weekend. 

Hanging out with Grandpa Don and Grandma Joanne. Thanks for coming to visit me! 

Our first family photo! Jaimie and Rodney look a little tired. I wonder why? Hahahahaha!

Love, Hannah