Kathryn Ella is Here! Yay!‏

Our sweetie arrived on 2/17/09 at 2:42 PM She was 9 lbs. 6 oz and 20 inches long.

Labor and delivery went great. Nursing is going wonderfully. So far she is my easiest yet.

She has lost some weight and is an 8 pounder now- the size of a normal baby- but now that my milk is in I plan on fattening her up pretty quickly. We are dealing with jaundice yet again, but we were prepared and her levels are dropping already.

Sister and Brother are thrilled to have her. Mom and Dad and releived she is here.

We love you little Kathryn

The Night Before Baby....

Its the night before Baby. I am excited and anxious and I know I won't sleep much despite how drained I feel right now. I get to meet my little girl tomorrow- I get to meet my tiny creation- how thrilling is that?


I will admit I am disappointed I didn't go into labor on my own. I know I will get over it- the important thing is that my baby is born healthy and happy and I can enjoy the process. I know I will enjoy this experience as I enjoyed the others. Jeremy and I have been reflecting on the very special times we had together as a couple bringing new babies into this world. It feels like he and I are the only ones at that moment and we can enjoy our new little spirit together. Only Jeremy and I could make the babies we have made. We made them with love in our hearts and a desire to take our relationship to another level. In doing this, we have been challenged and tried, but also we have experienced our love grow deeper and have felt the blessings of "family". I know we will always remember these special experiences and remember them with the utmost sacredness that family deserves.


Today I had a few things on my list to do: a load of laundry, clean and vacuum the downstairs, take a shower, go to Target & The Dollar Tree to get last minute items, and take it easy. I am proud to say I did all these things, except not enough take it easy. I am very tired. I could have slept all day, maybe I should have. I have had a lot of well wishes and feel so very supported and can feel the friendship and love extended to me.


Today Leila has been talking non-stop about Kathryn. She LOVES her so much and is so excited to meet her. We planned a Birthday Party for her and will have it tomorrow in the hospital. Leila helped me put all of her little clothes away and was so sweet with her "Awwww, this one is so cute Mommy!" or "This one has a little yellow on it, maybe we shouldn't let her use it." She wants everything to be perfect for our little one. Its hard to believe 5 1/2 years ago she was the tiny one.


Nathan on the other hand has had just about enough of all this baby talk. I know he knows the tides are changing, but I also know he has no idea what this entails. Today we bought a puzzle at the dollar tree for the hospital. He wanted to work it once we got home and I told him we bought it for the hospital for when baby Kathryn joins us. He went off on me: "I hate the hospital. I hate tomorrow. I hate the baby. I don't want to wait." So he has had enough of the talking. Tomorrow he will realize the talk has ended and now he has to deal with reality. I couldn't help chuckling inside to his reaction, but on the outside I reminded him "hate" is a bad word in our house, and we are a family and he does not hate his baby sister.



I am nervous. I know everything will happen the way it is supposed to. I feel confident in my doctor, the nurses and the hospital. But childbirth is still a risky process. I am nervous because I have a family depending on me as Mom. What would happen to them if something happened to me? I received a fathers blessing and was promised this experience would be a good one, but deep inside is a primal fear of the "what if something goes wrong". I know it won't, but its a feeling I have to fight down as I watch and listen to my children play together(they played so well today!). I have to put it out of my mind when I see my husband caring for my children and I realize how much of a partnership we really have, especially raising these children. These sweet children need both of us to survive and thrive and learn and grow. I love them so much, I don't know what I would do if life as I know it changed.




All will be well. I am so grateful for the little family I have and the opportunity I have to be with them, grow with them, and experience this new life with them. What a lucky little girl to be accepted into a houseful of those that love her. That doesn't count all the extended family or friends that are all anticipating this sweet little girl.












Tomorrow! My Baby will finally be here TOMORROW! Yippee!

Dr. Appt Update

OK- So I am scheduled for a quick and easy induction next Tuesday(it will be quick and easy because my others were and I have no reason to think this would go any different). The hospital has a new rule for no elective inductions before week 39-- dang! I didn't have to deal with this rule for Nathan and had him almost 2 weeks early.

I have not lost hope I might go in on my own- You just never know with babies.

EITHER WAY I GET TO MEET MY BABY IN ONE WEEK! YIIIIPPPPPPEEEEE!

38 Weeks

This will not be a post of complaint--although I am miserable and completely ready to get rid of the free-rider. I am trying my best to keep a good attitude and enjoy my last few days with only two children. Please don't ask me how I am- I will lie and tell you fine(The girls noticed a slight growl the other night under my breath when I answered that way!). I had a fun evening of bunco with some of my girlfriends Friday night and enjoyed my last "girls night out" before becoming a mother of three.

(yes, that is my tummy)

A mother of three? What did you say? Everyone tells me its the third that puts you over the edge. Its the third that is the hardest adjustment. Its best to stop at two. I, being a #3 child, resent these statements. But hearing them so often scares me just a bit! EEEEeeeek! So, if you agree with aforementioned statements, please don't tell them to me. Let me live in the wonderful land of ignorance is bliss thinking life will be simply perfect with my three little angels perfectly behaving all the time.

We had a fun day Saturday. Jeremy was able to purchase a discount ticket to the auto show, the kids were free, so I decided to join them as this was possibly our last outing as a family of 4. (I can't help thinking everything is the last time all the time...) We took the max, stopped for a bite of lunch, and journeyed into the city. We had to take a shuttle because they were working on the max lines in downtown, so it made for a bit less than comfortable travel. I was hurting before we even arrived. We saw some really cool cars- they had a special exhibit of 100 years of cars- we saw cars older than my Grandpa(He is 94)! They also had the exotics, and all the new models. We sat in several cars/vans/crossovers, the kids sat in more. It would be fun to get a tricked out car or mini-van(our van has only auto locks since we are so cheap), but just looking was fine. I was hoping to walk the baby out, but no, I woke up this morning feeling like a normally pregnant woman. Bummer- maybe cars isn't her thing? I have had suggestions of taking her to a scrapbooking convention or a purse and show convention, maybe she would have joined us that afternoon?

We got home and I took a nap. We went to church today and I keep hoping is my last trip to church for a while, I might not show up next week even if I am still pregnant. I can't take the questions or comments anymore. I should have been wise like some of my friends and told everyone she is due in March or April. When we got hom I took a nap. My slight complaint is whatever side I am sleeping on, the baby will curl up under my rib and apply some constant pressure resulting in my waking up in extreme pain. Owchy... come baby, come out please! Soon---but don't ask me how I am or when she will be born. ;o>

My parents brought over some dinner for us to enjoy- I sure love eating food that I don't cook. :o) Thanks Mom and Dad. Jeremy cut Gabe's hair because he was looking like a Beetle. Nathan got in trouble for hitting the camera down and making the screen go red(he was in time out during this photo). I was really mad- we do not need our camera broken right before the baby. Obviously I was able to take a few more pictures and everything downloaded OK. Phew!

My husband is such a tree-hugger

Many of you know Jeremy works for a company that make machines and tools to fix bigger machines and tools. He has been there about a year and considering they have been working and making wind-turbine stuff we have felt pretty safe in this industry. Of course, they are seeing a slow down as is every company these days and let a few people go to stay competitive in pricing and all that, but, assuming companies decide to start spending again, he should be OK.

Jeremy sent me an article on one of their products they are working on. They are making the machine that will aid in building these massive wind turbines, called the Enercon E-126.

Here is the link to the article:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/enercon_e126_largest_wind_turbine.php

Here are some pics:

The E-126 should produce about 20,000,000 kwh per annum, enough to power about 5,000 European homes (less in North-America, of course).

The tower is 138 meters high (453 feet) and its walls are 45 centimeters (18 inches) thick, the diameter of the rotor is 126 meters (413 feet) and the blades feature an improved trailing edge that boosts production. Rated at 6 megawatts, it will probably produce more than 7, and despite its huuuuge size, the turbine is easier to install than its predecessors because the blades are made of two components that can be transported separately.

Polly Pocket and Cars?

What do you get when you combine Polly Pockets and Cars? A thing of beauty. (Click on picture for a close up).

Feels like Spring to Me!

According to the official national groundhog: Punxsutawney Phil, we are in for another 6 weeks of winter. Today did not feel like winter- it was a beautiful, sunny, warmish day. A trip to the library/park, and then lots of play out front was perfect for all of us to get our fresh air quota and dose of sunshine.

Leila made a little friend.

The kids had a snack(Leila was vegetarian- no rocks on her plate).

Here are some fun pictures of my Aunts in town last week. We Love you guys!