LAZY, HAZY, CRAZY NEWBORN DAYS...

it's hard to believe it's almost been two months since we became a family of five!

we are officially in the newborn daze.

the stage where it seems hard to remember your life
has ever been different than it is in this exact moment. 

but at the same time it seems your babies are growing
and changing quickly with each second that passes.

the phrase the days are long but the years are short has never been more true than now. 

the only thing constant around here is that everything is changing.

emotions run high. 

there are the moments where i can't believe i really get to
do my dream job with these people i love so much. 

moments where it seems that we are all adjusting really well. 

then in the next moment four out of five of us are simultaneously crying.

we have laid-low and tried to stay as germ-free in these newborn days.

the time has gone by in a flurry of feedings and laundry. 

(fellow moms of three have confirmed that the biggest change from

two to three kids is doing laundry daily is no longer optional.)

countless hours have been logged on the couch and in front of the tv.

the backyard and good winter weather have become two of my favorite things.

we rediscovered the greatness of a field trip to the pet store.

the same can be said for the zoo, park, and neighborhood walks.

these outings are good for us all.

and the perfect locations for baby carrier training.

"home is where the heart can laugh without shyness.

home is where the heart's tears can dry at their own pace." 
~vernon baker

i am thankful for these lazy, hazy, crazy newborn days.

and even more thankful for the people i spend them with.

FIRST IMPRESSION ...

MY FIRST IMPRESSION OF THE TIEBREAKER'S DELIVERY

i do not take for granted the gift of carrying three precious lives. i had plenty of fears, concerns and opportunities to grow throughout this pregnancy. i also had plenty of expectations.

when i was told the tiebreaker would be delivered by c-section at 40 weeks (or whenever i went into labor due to her projected large size and previous delivery complications) all of my delivery expectations went out the window. it seems ridiculous now how selfish and in denial i was. i'm embarrassed to say i threw more than one grownup tantrum over it. i reacted out of fear of the unknowns and was disappointed the delivery wouldn't happen the same way as the other two.

a few weeks before her birth i shared the lessons i have been learning about how no one else's story is my own. throughout pregnancy this applied to the moments i would begin to dwell on another's situation and worry about my own or i would catch myself beginning to seek comfort from the positives of others stories. of course, this wasn't a lesson i learned for an isolated time in life. i know this truth is constant.

shortly after mae's arrival, one of adelaide's friends asked me if mae was cut out of my tummy. i told her yes, and this four-year-old informed me proudly she was the only one of her brothers and sisters to be cut out of her mommy's tummy too! she told me it made her special. little moments like this made me smile as i processed how mae arrived. i knew the right words to say all along but it took awhile for my heart to catch up. it has taken time to learn to rest in the peace of the details of my story. the truth is i don't get to/need to/ have to know all the why's for how she arrived. but it is a part of my story just as it is a part of mae's! 

there is so much to celebrate in the details of her delivery:

*getting to experience going into labor for the first time ever.

*not waiting 12 more days of wondering what a c-section would be like.

*the incredible care we received by the nurses and doctors all along the way.
*peace for a dad that we wouldn't be repeating the scary moments of other deliveries.
*the way they explained each step of the process to me in terms i understood and with calmness.

*the delays since there wasn't a room available when i arrived at the hospital led to her delivery happening in the early morning instead of middle-of-the-night. -this meant i got to have my favorite nurse as soon as went to recovery room and again two other days. -this also meant jim brought the kids to the hospital waiting room and they got to announce if the baby was a brother or sister.

thank you God,

for never giving up on me. for refining me day-by-day. that the tiebreaker, mae, is safely here.

for caring about the details of our stories. for the gift of being this girl's mom.

OFFICIALLY INTRODUCING THE BABY KNOWN AS THE ROOSKIE...

MAE ALLENE

made HER debut sunday, DECEMBER 16TH at 6:09am,

weighing in at 8LB 8OZ and measuring 20 INCHES long.

she is HEALTHY, CUDDLY, PRECIOUS, and LOVED so much.

we are SO THANKFUL she is safely here!

MAE,

you made our HEARTS BURST

and made us a family of five.

you are so SPECIAL and celebrated!

we thank God for creating YOU.

XOXOXO

SHOWERED WITH LOVE...

little baby,

you have been loved thoroughly before anyone has even met you. 

at the end of october, the girls from our community group at church planned a dinner celebrating you and me at black walnut cafe. it was a great night of chatting, eating, laughing and praying. they showered us with such thoughtful gifts ranging from comfy loungewear for me, to gift cards, to babysitting while your dad and i went on a couple more dates before you arrive.

then in mid-november, more sweet friends hosted a cocoa and cookies shower in honor of us. the table was set with my favorite desserts and we drank my favorite beverage. i lost count how many cups of hot cocoa i had, so thanks for sharing with me. 

it was a fun-filled night soaking up lots of wonderful girl time and being outfitted with great supplies before your arrival. i am thankful and honored to share the excitement for your arrival with such thoughtful, encouraging, supportive friends through each season of life.

feel free to come on and meet each of our friends whenever you are ready.

i can assure you lots of love is in store for you!

love you the most,

your momma

EMBRACE THE WORDS I THOUGHT I'D NEVER SAY...

MY FIRST IMPRESSION of STAYCATION and BABYMOON 

were honestly not that great.

i love to abbreviate things, spell words out, and use only initials.

i am as cheesy as can be in most areas of life, including the statements i make,

but for some reason there have been two words that just seemed too cheesy even for me to utter.

STAYCATION

(a period in which an individual or family stays and relaxes without traveling, possibly taking day trips to area attractions)

and BABYMOON

(a vacation taken by a couple that is expecting a baby in order to allow the couple to enjoy

a final trip together before the many sleepless nights that usually accompany a newborn baby).

i swallowed my pride and said those words jokingly at first.

but now that i have discovered how great they can be,

i have a feeling they might come out of my mouth again and again as i recommend them to others.

we went on a STAYCATION BABYMOON.

there i said it wrote it, it's official. and i loved it.

it was 24 hours of bliss with my favorite person.

we ate dinner at a restaurant,
uninterrupted and with multiple courses,

checked into a hotel,

went to a concert,

slept in,
watched college football,

enjoyed breakfast in the lobby,

walked around city centre,

sipped coffee,

sat on a patio,

christmas and birthday shopped way past nap time,
then returned home ready to see our other favorite people.

we found out firsthand why people don't even care how cheesy it is to say

STAYCATION and/or BABYMOON.

i now say, go ahead and embrace it whenever possible.

(thank you to awesome grandparents that made ours possible)

(thank you to emily at andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com for hosting embrace the camera)

GROW BABY GROW (continued)...

28 WEEKS
the nurse weighed me this week and i had a feeling it might not be pretty. upon returning from eight days at antique show (partnered with daily doses of white chocolate cranberry cookies and frozen cappuccinos). when she got on the scale to weigh herself next i thought it a little odd that she was weighing herself with me in the room. then it hit me, she is checking to make sure the scale works. i assured her it was probably correct and asked how much i gained and she said i had nothing to worry about (to avoid answering). so again i asked, was it over ten pounds? no, no it wasn't she quickly responded. looking at my chart i realized she had been honest, since 9 1/2 pounds is technically under 10.

30 WEEKS
you and your cousin-to-be seem to really like matching already. mel and i keep showing up places coordinating, and halloween was no exception in our black and white stripes. good thing you are getting used to it already because i hope y'all continue matching for many years to come. you are moving more than ever and i love feeling each punch, kick and wiggle you send my way. your speciality is performing full-out gymnastics routines when i crawl in bed each night. i am thirstier than ever and your dad lost count of how many evening sonic runs he has gone on to deliver my favorite thing (route 44 ice water) our way.

32 WEEKS
after a couple attempts i successfully (and thankfully) passed my gestational diabetes test and celebrated with the beginning of peppermint chocolate chip milkshake season at chick-fil-a, perfect timing. we got to tour the brand new hospital where you will be born and the reality of you coming into the world sunk in more as we visited the delivery rooms, saw the recovery rooms, filled out paperwork and tried to imagine meeting you for the first time. i can't stop smiling each time i think about you.

34 WEEKS
this week we celebrated thanksgiving at our house. thank you for the great reason to wear stretchy pants. i am thankful for you for so very many reasons. you had grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins sitting around us enjoying time together and they prepared such yummy food for us all to enjoy. we loved hearing your heartbeat once again at this week's appointment and seeing you are growing well on another ultrasound. you appear to be a big baby like your brother and sister so my doctor has a close eye on you to make the best delivery plan. i continue to pray for: safety for you, wisdom for dr. p's decisions, and peace to trust God already knows how and when you will arrive.

OH HOW I LOVE YOU.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS ON THE FIRST...

more IMPRESSIONS of THE ROOSKIE

while you still have many appropriate nicknames the one that has stuck is THE ROOSKIE.

your brother and sister pray for you by this name daily.

more times than not i call you this name too.

rooskie, we had your 20 week ultrasound last month.

THE TIEBREAKER for our family is...

A HEALTHY LOOKING BABY!

when we went in for your ultrasound i was a mess.

the crazy dreams i'd been having were weighing heavily on my heart.

i started crying as soon as the doctor pulled on the ultrasound wand.

i asked him to please check everything thoroughly. he assured me he always does.

i reminded him to have us look away before we saw whether you were a boy or a girl.

he successfully kept the secret safe from us.

so your gender will be a delivery room surprise like your sister and brother were!

SEEing you look as healthy as can be flooded me with thanksgiving.

i love now FEELing your movements each day.

i still SMELL things stronger than ever.

every TASTE is associated with the heartburn that it will bring.
and yet i keep saying yes to anything being served, especially if it is sweet and carb loaded.

i HEAR everything you hear right now,
and it is another good reminder to guard the words i say and the tone i use.

i am beyond thankful for the gift of carrying you.

our family loves you dearly.

when you were 20 weeks you were along for the ride

as we soaked up the remaining trips to the pool and wearing goggles for this summer.

at 22 weeks we visited new classrooms

as your sister and brother started back-to-school.

at 24 weeks we were watching college and professional football

and you made the road trip to austin for your first UT game.

now you have been cooking for 26+ weeks and we are praying

you continue to stay put for many more weeks. 

grow sweet baby grow!

GROW BABY GROW...

it's time to embrace the camera with the tiebreaker in my belly.

i love you so much already little bit, grow baby grow.

your big sister joined me outside to embrace the camera

with you too, you are loved.

embrace the camera is happening today at andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com

FIRST IMPRESSIONS ON THE FIRST...

our FIRST IMPRESSIONS of YOU...

little baby, the rooster, the rooskie, the tiebreaker, MCIII

on the morning of april 22nd, evan woke up to get ready to go to church early and set up.

i couldn't go back to sleep, but was wide awake wondering if i was pregnant.

so while he was in the shower i quickly wrote a note saying i went to get more cereal,

then went to the store to buy two pregnancy test (and multi-grain cheerios).

i am not known for my patience or having a large bladder,
and both reasons would explain why i took the tests immediately in the store bathroom stall.
they both declared positive!
MY FIRST IMPRESSION:
i stared at the tests in my hand for a few minutes grinning from ear to ear,
then excitedly/prayerfully drove home with them in my purse.
still trying to let it soak in that you were really growing in me.

when i walked back in the house ev was in the kitchen making coffee
so i casually told him there was something beside cereal in the grocery bag.
EVAN'S FIRST IMPRESSION:
he opened the bag to find the box of tests and looked at me grinning.
once he opened them, he asked several times, "are you serious?!"
then hugged me, laughed, and prayed for you to grow strong and healthy.

it felt like christmas eve, knowing such a fun surprise but not telling anyone quite yet.
i called my doctor and made an appointment for almost a month later,
and we did our normally scheduled things the rest of the week.

thursday night, we had already planned to take your sister and brother to the zoo.
after we saw the special dinosaur exhibit and walked around a bit,
they asked for cotton candy and we said after dinner.

the only place in town we knew to get cotton candy (other than the zoo)
was amazon grille so we headed there.
we sat at a fun circle booth and as we were eating dinner we told them there was a surprise.
of course they thought we were just talking about cotton candy surprise,
but we told them the fun news of you too.

ADELAIDE'S FIRST IMPRESSION:
your sister was soo excited and wanted to know
if she was going to meet you right away or tomorrow.
she prayed for her baby sister before bed that night,
and we told her again you might be a brother.
i woke up the next morning to her checking to see if my belly grew.
every time she prays for you and talks about you, she refers to you as "our baby."
and she now clarifies that you might be a her or a he.

GRAHAM'S FIRST IMPRESSION:
your brother was initially more concerned about eating his chips and dip when we shared the news,
and we weren't sure he understood right away, although he declared you were a boy.
when his teacher at church told me, "graham said the funniest thing today!
he said you have a baby in your tummy. does he know what he's talking about?"
we then knew it sunk in.

 

adelaide took her job versy seriously of informing some people over the weekend.
she told some out-of-town family and friends over facetime, and in person at your dad's 29th birthday party.

she understood we weren't telling everyone until i went to the doctor a couple of times,
and in public she would squeeze my hand and whisper in my ear,
"i am so excited! but i remember, family secret!"

i have felt better and worse this go around then the other two.
less nauseous, more cranky.
less food aversions, more constant hunger.
less sane thoughts, more worries/nightmares.
less normal clothes that fit, more maternity wear already.
but without a doubt the same overwhelming thankfulness and joy that God created you.

dear sweet baby,

i am so thankful for your precious life.

i am thankful for each and every day of you.

xoxo,

your momma

A PHOTO A DAY (JUNE EDITION PART TWO)...

 DAY 16:  OUT AND ABOUT

in kansas city, little preshies at little freshies snow cones shop

DAY 17:  IN YOUR BAG
hidden in my suitcase was this father's day card the kids made for evan

DAY 18:  SOMETHING WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU
i don't care for hamburgers or hot dogs,

but i am always ready for a blt (sub mustard for mayo)

DAY 19:  IMPERFECT
an IMPERFECT way to drive

DAY 20:  FAVE PHOTO YOU'VE EVER TAKEN
a flashback to summer '11, my FAVE kids at our FAVE pool

DAY 21:  WHERE YOU SLEPT

our first home was this garage apartment in abilene

DAY 22:  FROM A HIGH ANGLE

my view looking down on our walk

accompanied by his signature, "hi there!" to each person we saw

DAY 23: MOVEMENT

the MOVEMENT of the porch swing as the nightly bedtime story is read

DAY 24:  ON YOUR MIND

getting to abilene as quick as i can to see this girl again

DAY 25:  SOMETHING CUTE
four-year-old buddies that walked hand in hand to swim lessons each day

DAY 26:  WHERE YOU SHOP
coastal cookies in the mall of abilene

DAY 27: BATHROOM

i spent a lot of time in here with g this week

he is 90% trained, and i'm working on my patience with the other 10%

DAY 28:  ON THE SHELF
of the pantry- my new cereal containers that make me giddy

complete with chalkboard contact paper labels, thank you kristin

DAY 29:  SOFT
i have a SOFT spot in my heart for the days spent at 802 washington
with wonderful roommates (abbe and i represented you well leah, maddie, and tiffany)

DAY 30:  FRIEND
a new FRIEND for adelaide and graham is due dec. 30th!