Baby Sister Stella - 2 weeks old

Addilyn & Stella (2 weeks old)

Stella is 2 weeks old, and we have all settled down amazingly well. Stella is sleeping 3-4 hours at a time at night! Mommy only has to get up once at night for a midnight-1:00 feeding. Addilyn is very gentle with her little sister, and she is beginning to understand the new dynamics at home. Even though Addilyn and Stella look very similar at the same age (2 weeks), they have very different personalities. Stella is much more content and happy to be sleeping in her pack and play -- something Addilyn was never happy doing. Stella also prefers mommy right now, and Addilyn is daddy's buddy. It is an exciting time to watch the girls grow up. They both change so much every day! It's so much fun being a parent... especially when the girls get along so well. Ask me again when the girls are teenagers, but for now, we are enjoying every minute!

Baby Sister Stella - 2 weeks old

Pumpkin Patch

This was our first family outing (apart from doctor visits). It was a great success! We picked pumpkins, apples, and gourds at Honey Creek Acres in Swisher, Iowa. What a beautiful day! 59 degrees and sunny. Everyone cooperated and had a great time. We are starting to get used to a family of 4!

Pumpkin Patch

Life with 2 Kids

Let me begin by saying what a blessing little Stella is in our lives. She is beautiful, healthy, and she is a wonderful addition to our growing family. Addilyn adores her! She keeps reminding us that one day she will walk, and they will sled together and make snowmen! I hope that their sisterly friendship lasts forever. We have certainly lost some sleep over the past week, and it hasn't been easy... on they day we brought Stella home, daddy's car died at Walgreens with Addilyn in the backseat. It was just a dead battery, but it seemed like the world was ending when a toddler is sitting in the back seat, in the rain, saying, "Daddy, is your car broke? Why? Let me fix it! Come on! Let's go!" Two days later, Stella had some feeding issues, mommy had some blood pressure issues, and daddy had some illness issues - but we made it through! I wish someone would have warned me, and maybe they did, but no one can prepare you for how different life can be with 2 children under the age of 3. Life is sure different, in a good way. God has blessed us with 2 beautiful children, and we will continue to document the bond between Addilyn and Stella here. Stay tuned!

1 Day Old

Bringing home baby

2 Days Old

First bath! 3 Days Old

Jaundice - 3 Days Old

Sleeping - 1 Week Old

Sisters kissing

Sisters forever

Life with 2 Kids

Addilyn's a BIG SISTER!

Introducing our healthy and beautiful daughter Stella Juliet Gall. She was born 9/16/10 at 1:32pm, weighed a very healthy 8 lbs. 6.5 oz., and was 20 1/2 inches long. She has beautiful blue eyes, brown hair with hints of blonde and red, and is a very content baby. She is very alert and curious about the world, just like her big sister! Words cannot explain the joy we feel in bringing another new life into the world. Addilyn loves her so much already. Addilyn's first words to her big sister were, "She's SO CUTE!" Addilyn then proceeded to look out the window of the hospital and exclaim, "There's the Hawkeye Game!" (see the video below). She's a big sister and a Herky girl at heart. We can't wait to begin our lives as a family of 4.

Addilyn's a BIG SISTER!

Apple Orchard 2010

Since mommy is 3 days past her due date with baby #2, we decided to go to the apple orchard in hopes that the bumpy hayrack ride would get things started. Only time will tell. At least we got apples to make apple crisp, we ate apple turnovers, and drank apple cider. Such a fun and beautiful fall day!

Apple Orchard 2010