Update, only 1 week after the last update!!

It has been a good week around the Costephens' house. We are all pretty healthy, minus the runny noses. Thankfully Annabelle has "chilled" out in her reaction to the "snot sucker" bulb and tissues so she has actually welcomed our help in ridding her of her runny nose.

Jayce is really enjoying bath time each night as he smiles when the warm water is poured over him. I think it must feel calming to his poor little tummy. He is smiling a lot more and has quite a cute little laugh and coo. He is quite amused by the ceiling fan and the hair dryer. He will be two months old this Thursday!

Annabelle is getting to be quite the big girl. We have had a few break throughs in regrads to nap time and bed time. She has always fallen asleep well...as long as we lay near her and sing until she gets very drowsy. Needless to say, the ritual was becoming quite time consuming, so she now is falling asleep by herself with music playing and tears on her part, but she has transitioned very well. Nap time has not equalled sleep per say, but she is at least resting in her room by herself giving mommy a little break. She has had lots of fun opening and closing plastic Easter eggs, screwing and unscrewing things with the screw driver and playing golf with Daddy outside. Since the soy fields are cut down behind our backyard Joe is having fun hitting golf balls 150 yards or so and then he and Annabelle go find them in the field!

Joe and I have been working on our Easter pagent for church. It's quite a production...and for some odd reason I am having a bit of a hard time memorizing the songs... maybe sleep deprivation ?! Joe is John the disciple, I am Mary and Jayce is baby Jesus. It's only fair, since Annabelle was baby Jesus just after she was born! We are praying for no "explosive" loud diapers from him at any poignant, serious moments, but there are no guarantees.

Annabelle always wants to make sure we each have a treat after dinner, and she picked out a sucker for Jayce to have after his nap!

Jayce is listening intently as Annabelle talks to him about his thumb. He as a "chocolate" thumb! He has a drak brown birthmark on his left thumb nuckle.

Annabelle smiling from ear to ear, because brother was just smiling and laughing at her!

The family getting ready for bed.

March Madness

Wow! Another month has gone by! The past month has been quite an adventure around our house. We are grateful that God is the great physician and sustains us even when we are at our weakest. We were visited by the stomach flu for two weeks and have spent the last 2 weeks building up strength again. (Needless to say, somehow I didn't take any pictures for about 2 weeks!) Poor Annabelle had it the worst, then it was passed to Jayce, then mommy, then Nana and then daddy. We had many firsts the past few weeks... Annabelle's first trip to the ER, four days later Jayce's first trip to the ER, "Glow in the dark" lime green "yucky diapers" from Jayce, and a week long Cinderella marathon (the only movie Annabelle wanted to watch while she "throwed up" ). It was such a hard thing to see Annabelle so "out of it" and weak for a good week and a half, but she has now regained all of her "energies" and she is "all better now." The only "scar" that remains is the tape residue from where she had blood drawn. She thinks the left over tape goo is her "bloods" and if we try to wash it she gets quite hysterical and proclaims that "I need my bloods, don't wash it off." Her prayers are now laden with pleas to God that no one will "throwed up" any more. And she is specific "Dear God help us not to throw up in the bucket, or the toilet or the bed or the floor!" One of Annabelle's favorite things to play with now is all of my old Barbies! She plays and plays and plays, dressing, undressing and making them talk. It's so much fun to watch!

Little Jayce man is still working out all of his tummy issues. Due to his, what seems to be, constantly upset stomach each time he eats, he doesn't sleep very well. So we have needless to say tried everything in the book, but probably only time will straighten out his little belly. Last night somehow he finally decided to sleep and went from 9:30 pm to 4:20 am...almost 7 hours! This was a huge shock and a blessing, since he has been consitently waking up 2-3 times a night! We are praying that it wasn't just a one time deal. I feel like a new woman today! Even with all of the vomiting and diahrea Jayce was 12 lbs. 6 oz. at 6 weeks!! And 23 and 1/4 in. long. He is our moose man and is thriving in regards to growth. Hopefully he will slow down at some point! We have had a few "real" smiles each day the past week so that has helped counteract the painful grunting times! Jayce really enjoys tummy time!

We are greatly enjoying the warm weather the past few days with wagon rides, playing ball outside, taking walks and having the windows open. Annabelle didn't seem to notice bugs last year, but it looks like this summer we are going to have to calm her down in regards to bugs "touching her!"

Annabelle"isms" the past few weeks:

Can I help you load the disher machine mom?
My panties just look glamorous don't they?
I am going to go down the slide on my esophogus!
Momma I'm wearing my dancin' dress!
May I hold you momma? It's fabulous to hold you!
Can you get married to daddy again and wear your Cinderella dress?

Enjoy a few pictures...mainly of Jayce, because he is a stationary target!