Life with three...

Christine is growing like crazy. At three weeks old she was already 10lbs 9oz! That is about two pounds gained already! So, clearly she is eating well. I have been calling her my "chunky monkey" but I think I'm going to try to switch to "chubby bunny" because it sounds slightly more feminine. ;-) She is still sleeping great at night but the days are hit or miss. Some days she'll nap well and others she wants to be held all day. She was a tag-along on her first girls night out over the weekend, which included her first chick flick! ;-)

Joe is making good progress. Before school let out for the summer this past week, his teacher and PT have reported him doing some good walking in the gait trainer (a therapeutic walker)at school. He is moving around alot on the floor at home doing a "bunny hop". Joe is very verbal at times and is even using a couple of signs unprompted. I have mixed feelings about him not having developmental preschool over the summer. Its going to be nice to have a break from all the dropping off and picking up... but I certainly do not want him to miss out on all the stimulation he gets at school. We will be meeting with his physical therapist a few times and doing therapy on our own to keep him working on his walking and encourage him to continue the progress that he has been making. I will say that his mood has improved since school let out and he is back to napping consistently. Praise God! ;-)

Nate is full of energy. He is a busy body and is constantly active physically and mentally. He is so smart. We have been working on reading here and there. Nate has an incredible memory and often spouts random things that he has read or heard on tv. The other day he told me I needed to go to "w-w-w-dot-discovery-dot-com-slash-mythbusters". He inquires about little things and big things to the point that I sometimes run out of answers for him! Or maybe I just run out of patience. I'm not sure. ;-) Nate still dotes on Christine like no other. He keeps reminding her that he is here to protect her. He's such a sweet big brother.

It has been a little overwhelming at times - trying to juggle all three kids on my own. The housework has fallen behind... but I've been able to catch up on the laundry. Thankfully we're not overly scheduled right now so we have the freedom to take our time and not have to worry about getting the hang of this new balancing act right away. I have a growing to-do-list looming over me, but I'm trying to be comfortable taking it a bit at a time and not kicking myself because its not getting done as fast as I'd like.

All that being said... I think I need a nap!! ;-)

Hubby's B-day

Since things are still settling down around here Isaac's birthday was spent a little low key this year. We are not yet able to get away for a "normal" date since I'm nursing. But we did manage to get some special time together. And Isaac is saving up to get a custom guitar (it might be awhile ;-), so I didn't really get him a gift either. However, I did make him the breakfast of his choice, we spent the whole day together and then went out to dinner as a family.
We keep things simple for the most part. We do not often get each other fancy gifts or take expensive trips. But I am confident that we share a love that very few people experience. There is no doubt that God brought us together and He has His hand over us and our life that we share. What a blessing to have a partner who is a wonderful husband and father as he strives daily to lead our family in a godly manner. I am especially thankful for my husband on this day - his birthday. I love you, honey.

My lover is mine and I am his... Song of Solomon 2:16

Adjusting...

We have been so incredibly blessed through our friends and family since Christine's birth. Two friends in particular were on hand basically 24/7 the last couple of weeks to help around the house and with the boys and their help has been invaluable! While my recovery is going very well it is still a recovery and I am infinitely thankful for their loving acts of service for me and my growing family. And of course our church family and friends are wonderful about bringing meals to help us ease the transition after a new baby. What a blessing!

Nate continues to dote on Christine constantly. He showers her with kisses and frequently reminds us how beautiful she is. He is already playing the role of her protector. I think Gramma Deb had a talk with him about his role as "big brother" to a sister and he is taking it very seriously. I do think having extra "mothers" around has taken its toll on Nate and it has shown a bit in his behavior. I think he'll mellow out a bit as we gradually get back to "normal".

Joe has been a combination of fun and frustrating lately. He has been very vocal in a constructive and communicative way and also in a whiny and complaining way. He has been signing well (most of the time) even using signs unprompted which is great. Joe has been doing well at school but I think the school schedule is catching up to him and he's been tired alot. He had pink eye and a cold back to back so its taken its toll and its been reflected in his mood. Sometimes there is literally nothing we can do to make him feel better and we just have to do our best to meet his basic needs and hope that is enough until he gets rested and gets back to his normal happy self.

Christine is such a good baby. She eats and sleeps well. She is almost too good. ;-) I keep waiting for her to become colicky or something, but for now I am just thankful that she is so sweet. We're enjoying having more awake time with her in the last few days. She makes so many faces already, we could just watch her for hours, everything she does is totally precious. And of course after having two boys I am really enjoying having all the pink!

I am still a little intimidated to be on my own with all three kiddos... but I know it will just take some getting used to and then we will all find our new "normal" and it will all become no big deal eventually. But until then I think I might have a few freak outs and melt downs. ;-) But God knows what I can handle better than I do and I trust that He will provide me with the strength and patience to handle whatever comes up in the coming months.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NAS - No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man ; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

A Happy Mother's Day

This was my first Mother's Day with three children. Wow! Its still hard to believe sometimes. I am more and more appreciative of my mom as I continue on my own journey as a mother. She is a wonderful, amazing woman and while I'm aware that she has flaws, I'm also aware of how much she has been able to accomplish and grow through her journey through motherhood. She has made sacrifices of all kinds, she has driven us around while we simply drove her crazy ;-), she put our needs above her own, she taught me everything from reading and writing to cooking and serving, she has been a positive example to me in so many ways. I am so very thankful for her and all she means in my life. Here is a pix from last summer of my sibs and parents. Now that we're "all grown up" pictures of all of us together are few and far between!

Bible verses about mothers/women:
2 Timothy 1:5
I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

Proverbs 14:1
The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

Proverbs 31:10-12 and 25-31
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

"Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

A Very Special Cinco De Mayo!!

And then there were THREE!! FINALLY!! We are happy to announce the arrival of our new baby! Part of me wondered if I was ever going to give birth or if I was going to be pregnant forever! ;-) We are thankful and excited to welcome our third child into our family.
Last night (Tues) around 8pm I started having contractions every 8-10 minutes apart. I was afraid to get too excited in case it wasn't really "it". The girls and I took a walk around the neighborhood around 11pm as things continued to progress the contractions had gotten 5-6min apart and a little more intense. I spent time on the labor ball and we contacted our birth support team to give them a heads up. Isaac and I took a walk at 1am and I was a little teary imagining 10+ hours left in the labor (given that Nate's labor was 26hrs and Joe's was 19hrs). The contractions were getting stronger still when we got back to the house and we called my doula and my mom to come over.
Around 2am-ish I migrated upstairs and got in the labor tub. Isaac joined me and was a wonderful support during the difficult contractions that followed. My mom and Julie (the doula) were both great at helping to provide counter pressure the ease the back labor I was experiencing. My sister and two friends who were there were all awesome as helping with whatever we needed, drinks, supplies, taking pix, etc. We were expecting the labor to take awhile but when it became clear that things were moving quicker than we anticipated we called the midwife to come over (just before 3am). I continued to labor in the tub and began to feel the urge to push but tried as best I could to breathe through the contractions rather than push too soon. I felt the water break a little after 3am and things moved quickly after that. I was able to feel the baby move down much more clearly than I did with Joe (pushing was a slow process with him - inch by inch for about 2hrs). It was really only a few contractions/pushes that moved this baby down the canal and out into the water. The midwife walked up the stairs just in time to "catch" the baby as she floated up to meet us. I was in such a state of relief and everyone was checking the baby to see if they were doing well it was a moment or two before I noticed the sex. I gushed "its a girl!!".
Our beautiful Christine Anne joined us via a gentle water birth at 3:34am on Wednesday, May 5th!! She was 8lbs 6oz and 21 3/4in long. She has alot of black hair and is quite possibly the most perfect looking baby I have ever seen! Not that I'm bias or anything! ;-) The boys slept through everything. Nate woke up around 6am as things were settling down and was very excited to meet his new sister. He said "She's just what we wanted"! He is a doting big brother to her already, constantly saying "Isn't she beautiful?". Its clear that he is completely taken with her. Joe is intrigued by her as well, though not so clearly as Nate. I'm sure she'll have all the men and boys in our family wrapped around her finger in no time.

Side note: With Nate I was in labor all day on Thurs and had him around 3:50am on Friday morning. With Joe I was in labor most of Wed and had him around 3:40am on Thurs. With Christine I was in labor Tues evening and had her just after 3:30am Wed morning. All three of my kiddos have been born in the 3 o'clock hour of the morning! How weird is that? ;-)

Is it time yet?!?

There seems to be something of a baby boom going on. Over the last little while I have been watching a few friends post about their baby's delivery on facebook. I've had about a hundred comments from people reminding me that my due date has come and gone... again. Nate was a couple weeks early but Joe was almost two weeks late - awhile back I predicted that this baby would arrive closer to his/her due date than either of the big brothers but we're getting close here! I really hope this baby does not take much longer to make his/her arrival!!
We are about as ready as we can be. All the birth supplies are in order, we have the labor tub set up in our room, we even have a few meals in the freezer... what else is there? For a long time I just wanted to be done being pregnant. But now more than anything I am anxious to meet this little person who has been growing inside of me all these months. I know that there is a reason that he/she has not decided to make their appearance just yet. And even though I've been asked about a dozen times if we have an induction date yet we have had a healthy pregnancy and have no reason to be concerned that this baby is taking their time in coming. While I'm ready and would be happy to have today be the day, we want to welcome this baby into the world as naturally as possible and that includes waiting on the right timing instead of imposing our own time line on this pregnancy and labor.
Sure, I have had days when part of me wishes we could skip this whole labor/birth part and just have the baby appear. But then my wonderful husband reminds me that I've worked and prepared myself for this and have done it before and will do it again and it will all be worth it. And he is right. Birth is seriously hard work to say the least but it has such a huge reward! I can still remember the relief and sense of accomplishment and awe and overwhelming love when Joe was slipped up into my arms. What a blessing to be able to bring my baby into the world in our own home, in a natural and loving environment surrounded only by people who love and support us. I can hardly wait to give this baby the same welcome into this world and our lives.
Here are a couple of bible verses on patience to help me wait on His timing!

Isaiah 40:31 - But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Romans 5:3-5 - More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 8:24-25 - We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

Romans 12:12 - Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Hebrews 6:12 - We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.