We made it through the first week! Everyone is doing great and our new larger family has settled in nicely. Bringing Hayden home the first night was rough as she did not go to sleep until 5:30 in the morning! Good thing we had family around to take care of Kendal for us! All the Grandparents, Aunt Maggie, Mandy, and Uncle Timmy made the trip up to see everyone. It sure was a big help. Kendal and Hayden got lots of presents too! Thanks everyone! The 2nd night was better, and by the 3rd she was sleeping great between feedings!

Hayden became a little jaundice when she got home and we had to go get her blood drawn every few days so the doctors could keep an eye on it. It got better every day and she is well on her way back to normal now. It's no fun watching her get woken up by getting pricked in the heel to draw blood! Marnie does fine with that stuff but I'm a wimp.

Other than that, Hayden's first week has gone well; she is gaining some weight back and is just a few ounces shy of her birth weight. The kid eats great but she sure spits up a lot more than Kendal ever did! We still can't get over how she has almost no hair when Kendal came out with more hair than I have now! What Hayden does have is as blonde as can be. She has a birth mark under her nose and on the back of her neck. The doctor said they are the kind that should fade in a year or so. She also has the "angel kiss" spot of her forehead like Kendal only fainter. A perfectly healthy little girl! All we could ask for!

All the neighbors stopped by the hospital to meet baby Hayden and have been a huge help over the last week by cooking for us and taking Kendal off our hands to go to the park, bike rides, etc. Thanks everyone! Plenty of gifts as well, much appreciated!

Kendal is doing great too... she has adapted quite well to being a big sister. We have been doing our best to pay equal attention to her as well and it seems to be working. Our first walk around the block was interesting as Kendal had to be pushed in a stroller like her little sister! She is a little rough holding Hayden at times but is getting better! She did great today when we got their pictures taken! She has not woken up once at night even if Hayden is screaming at the top of her lungs. Overall, I don't think it could be going much better. I plan to go back to work next week. Good luck hunny! At least Kendal will go to daycare 3 days a week still. On to a ton more pictures below!

Everything is a-okey mom (look at my left hand)

Hayden's first visitor... Jaclynn

Aunt Mandy and Hayden

Grandma Schmidt and Hayden

Big Yawn...

Aunt Maggie and Hayden

Mandy, Marnie, and Hayden

Kendal meets her little sister!

Let it out Blondie!

Daddy and Hayden

Grandpa Schmidt and Hayden

Greg and Hayden

Aunt Maggie and Hayden again

Sarah and Hayden

Kendal!

Kendal holding Hayden...

Time to go home!

Look at my new trucker hat!

Grandpa Taz and Hayden

Uncle Timmy and Hayden

Uncle Timmy and Kendal

Grandpa Taz and Hayden again

Kendal and Cheeto torturing Lois's dog

Kendal, mommy, and Hayden

Look at me...

Check out my shades!

Kendal riding her bike outside!

Now the pictures we got taken today...





Classic! Look at my face.

Hayden Nicole Schmidt
Born 12:26 PM 4/10/08
6lbs 14oz. 20" long

We're home! All is well and we are going to get some rest. Some pictures are below until we have time to write and post more.

A night out with no kids! We got some babysitters and went to a concert last night. We all had a lot of fun... honk (horn) :) Picture below. Doesn't Marnie look great for 9 months pregnant! (Sorry Jaclynn... 8 months and 2 weeks pregnant)

If the videos are not playing back smoothly for anyone you can always download a copy of the original in the bottom right hand corner of the video's website under the "downloads" section. You can save it anywhere on your computer to play on your own media player. It gets choppy unless your internet connection is really fast as it is a lot of data to stream. Other times it is because there are just too many people using the service. Some of you will not be able to play the file you download due to not having the correct codec. We used an xvid codec to do the encoding. Just click the link below to download and install the latest version so your media player of choice can do the decoding. Let me know if you have any problems.

http://www.xvidmovies.com/codec/

Ok, I know it has been a really long time since I actually have posted something. I don't have a good excuse, I have just been lazy. Plus Mike has been trying out new software for the videos, so he has been doing the updates.

Kendal has been enjoying the weather we have had lately, cold one day nice the next. Kendal loves the snow, especially as a snack. We will probably have to get a snow cone machine this summer so she can have her snow cups she enjoys. We have been going on a lot of walks in our new wagon. Maddy and Ben usually come along, but we don't make it very far before the girls are fighting over who gets to pull Ben in the wagon. So much for exercise, since we usually only make it around the block one time.

The kids enjoyed a night out on Sat at Castaway Cafe and got to hang out with Shrek and Puss-n-Boots. I had to work so Mike and his parents took Kendal. Maddy, Jaclynn, Ben, Greg and Sarah also were there. From what I heard the kids had fun running around. Maddy and Kendal made it to the top of the play structure and rode down the big slide with Mike. When they got home, Kendal was telling me all about the kitty and Shrek while I was getting her ready for bed. It is amazing what can come out of this kids mouth.

We have been getting ready for Baby #2. Kendal has her own baby swing, stroller, and pack-n-play that she can put her babies in. We have been working on holding the baby dolls with Kendal. Sometimes she is good other times not so much. I was down in the basement and Kendal was up stairs, I heard a thump thump down the steps. Kendal was standing at the top of the steps and her baby was down stairs. She told me, "Baby downstairs now." I tried to tell her that we don't throw babies down the steps, and she just laughed at me. We are all set for the new baby now we just have to wait. We think that Kendal will be good once we are home with the baby.

Sorry no belly pics, I don't let people take pictures of me. We will keep you updated as our waiting continues. We should start a poll on when Baby #2 is going to arrive and how much she will weigh. I will have Mike start that. Lots of recent pictures and videos below:

Kendal and Maddy Dancing

Kendal and Maddy going down the slide!

Ben's Turn

Greg takes Ben!

Dorks

Maddy's turn with some slow motion replay...

Jaclynn takes Kendal and Maddy

Kendal and Maddy one more time...!

Kendal's mullet

Kendal and Maddy sharing... Very rare!

All the kids eating at the Kreider's

Maddy giving Kendal a hug goodbye

Kendal's Pretty's...

Ben at Castaway Cafe a few weeks ago with Kendal

Ben and Kendal sharing the baby pack-n-play

Kendal watching TV in the baby stroller

Kendal borrowed Ben's bandana

Jaclynn with all the kids

You think Maddy will be a cheerleader?

Kendal and Maddy sharing again...

All grown up heading into Shrek Night at Castaway Cafe

Kendal and Grandma Schmidt

Weeee!

Kendal and Grandpa Schmidt

The kids posing for a picture...

Maddy sneaks a kiss... oh no!

Ben showing off his guns!

Jaclynn taking Maddy and Kendal down a slide

Kendal, Mike, and Maddy up top!

Grandpa Schmidt showing Kendal Shrek... all the kids were afraid of him!

Kendal and Daddy getting a picture with Shrek!

Kendal and Mike ready to go home!

Kendal gives Ben a hug goodbye!

I walked in the door from work yesterday to find Maddy and Kendal both sitting in the toy Pack 'n Play for Kendal's dolls. I have no idea how they got in there together but when Kendal had enough, Maddy gave her one more squish! They truely are just like sisters. The video and some funny pictures are below:

Kendal and Maddy in the Pack-n-Play

Kendal and Maddy in the toy Pack 'n Play

Ranch Mustache for Maddy!

My parents came to visit this weekend and we took Kendal to Castaway Cafe this morning. It's the biggest indoor playground in Michigan and only 5 minutes down the road. We got there at 11am when it opened; by 11:15 the place was packed. Kendal had a great time interacting with all the other kids. After watching some of the older kids take on some of the smaller slides, she finally took the plunge all by herself! A video is below... I even put a little slow mo in there for ya. She was a little scared going down the first time but after that she was hooked. She was worn out in no time. Other pictures from this weekend below as well...

Kendal at Castaway Cafe!

Kendal and grandpa having a tea party! ha,ha Paps

Kendal reading a book

First one through the door!

Kendal at Castaway Cafe

Peak-a-Boo!

Kendal built her first snowman this weekend (with daddy's help)! She saw Ben's snowman next door and had to have one for herself. Pictures below. There is a funny video as well of Kendal sliding down a snow pile we made. This kid can't get enough of the snow. I'm trying a new video hosting site that claims 1280x720 playback in full screen mode (click the "full" button on the bottom right of the video). I have my doubt's so bare with me and give me some feedback on how it plays. Enjoy!

Kendal Snow Slide!

Kendal helping daddy shovel the driveway.

Kendal making her first snowman!

Weeee...