My mom took Ainsley to go see her parents (my grandparents, Ainsley's great grandparents) up in Winnetka this morning. She called when they got there and they're having a blast playing and should be back by lunchtime. I've spent the morning continuing to work on some knitting and reminiscing.

As the birth of this baby grows closer and closer I am getting very nostalgic for the early days/weeks/months with Ainsley. I am conveniently overlooking all of the spit up, blown out diapers, sore nipples, long/late nights, and crying spells to focus on all of the wonderful sweet moments.

Part of my anxiety about the possible early delivery of baby #2 has been missing out on those first critical moments that I had with Ainsley. Being able to hold her on my bare chest just after she was born and then feed her for the first time, wrap her in a snug blanket and sleep with her all night, staring into her eyes, holding her tiny hands, playing with her feet and kissing her sweet cheeks. I feel now like I took it all for granted the first time around.

Ian finally put all of the photos he's taken from his iPhone onto my computer and I have had such a blast looking through them. He got his iPhone for his birthday last year which means there are a ton of photos that I've never seen all the way back from when Ainsley was 6 months old. I've already forgotten how little she was, how sweet and pudgy her arms looked, how big and brown her eyes looked with NO hair on her head. Every time I look at her now I am struck by how big she is getting. It is truly amazing how quickly she is growing up.

I wonder what this baby will look like. Ainsley seems to be a pretty good mix of both Ian and I. Will she get Ian's eyes and my darker coloring? Will she be a bit more "substantial" (like her mom :o) or slight like Ainsley? Ian and I would like to think that she is going to be a tank and in a few years will overtake Ainsley, although with her temperament I don't know that size would phase her much anyways.

I think Ainsley is going to be a great big sister. She is so nurturing with other babies and LOVES to be a big girl helper with me, and now Grammy. She has regressed a little bit just in the past few days to wanting, no NEEDING her nana (blankie) and pacifier a lot and has been a lot more fussy and cuddly. Again, she knows that something is different and truthfully I'm glad for the heads up for her. I can't imagine how this all would have worked had we just disappeared in the middle of the night and shown up the next day with a brand new baby. It's a blessing that she doesn't really understand, and a burden all at the same time.

My sister asked me to post some videos of Ainsley and while I don't have any REALLY recent ones, here are a few that Ian put on my computer this morning.

I don't think it worked. I'll trouble shoot with Ian when he gets home.