And Finally....Pictures

Of course we will start out with the newest addition since she is changing a lot already. She hit two weeks old today and we are noticing her cheeks are starting to fill out quite nicely. She seems somewhat opposed to sleep which I am confident will change. She loves to eat often and prefers sleeping on me instead of in her crib. I think the main reason is she lays on her stomach on me and I put her on her side or back in her cradle. I am always hesitant to put my babies on their stomachs in the cradle/crib because of the whole "back to sleep" campaign to lower the chance of SIDS. Eventually I put them on their stomachs when I realize this is what they prefer and they sleep much better this way. I am still enjoying her immensely! I think she is so sweet and I already find myself looking forward to seeing her smile and finding out what her little personality will be like.

Her cousin Riley getting her hands on her. I love watching little girls with babies - so natural for them to hold and nurture. We have enjoyed having family and friends stopping by to visit and spend time with us.

My friend Lara came and spent a few hours on Friday hanging out with us and letting our kids play. Her little girls wanted to know where Heidi was as soon as they arrived and gave her lots of love and kisses.

I just wish you could have seen her little smile. It was priceless!!

After being in the house for a while all the kids went out and we found them in the little creek in various forms of undress, wetness and muddiness. Keaton wanted to give me a smile but the sun was just too bright to make eye contact with me. She is such a sweet little thing!

It doesn't get much better than ice cream cones and playing with friends on one of the first warm days of the year. Summer cannot come fast enough for this group of kids.

Judah being a super hero on the trampoline. I love the expression on his face! I have loved watching my kids lately. Just the innocence, the carefree attitude and zeal for life! It is a good reminder for me to take one day at a time, enjoy all the little things, laugh with my kids, play alongside of them and to not miss the simplicity of life.

Another action shot of the boys jumping/flying through the air.

Eden in her typical state of continual drama. Wow!! Has she been challenging. I'm sure it hasn't helped that Heidi arrived around the same time Eden has decided to challenge every boundary. I have some good stories but they will need to wait since it will take a while and I am feeling very tired. I mean...my goodness...it is 11:00, Heidi just fell asleep and I should be in bed. Who really wants to hear about Eden drama at 11:00 at night? Not me.....soon though because it is kind of funny.

Tristan playing by the little creek. He likes to throw rocks in the creek and congratulate himself on how good he is doing.

The boys playing in the water over the last few days. It was actually hot hear and they played in the water a lot. You don't need deep water to cool off.

They even got their boogy boards out to float around. Pretty cute.

And here is the creek meandering along. Oh how I love having this little creek for them to play in and the woods for them to explore. I need to get my butt outside more and take pictures of them taking flight on their new zip line.

I am starting to settle into a new routine and continuing to not push myself too much. My bursitis seems to be on its way out. I was able to lift my arm again yesterday which is great! It isn't 100% yet but getting better. I am now on antibiotics for mastitis! I am trading one itis for another! The whole word mastitis is just gross to me. I recall our cows getting mastitis when I was growing up. At least I am pretty sure I am not making that up. Being equated with a cow is not something a woman really wants to experience. Judah randomly asked me the other night while we were watching a movie, "So, how do you produce milk anyway?" My reponse, "Good question." And that was all I said. I was not in the mood to go into deep explanations. Like I said, I am tired and was tired then as well.

Now it is off to bed for me so that I can get some rest and answer any and all questions that may be thrown my way tomorrow. And here's to hoping Tristan sleeps past 6:00 and that he doesn't wake up Eden at 6:30!

A Short Blirp

I know I haven't kept on top of things this week but I somehow developed a raging case of bursitis in my left shoulder. The most excruciating pain I have ever experienced. And I am saying that with labor still fresh in my mind. It has been horrible!! My left arm has been pretty useless since Thursday but today I think we have rounded a corner. It is feeling less painful and starting to respond to the commands from my brain. Still painful but getting better. It has made typing pretty much impossible and altogether ouchy. So....maybe by tomorrow I will be ready to give you the scoop from the last week including some sweet pictures. We had some very welcome company from family and friends, had wonderful summer weather, the kids have gotten thoroughly dirty everyday and Mark built a very fun zip line for the boys. Pictures to follow. And Heidi is doing great! She is starting to sleep a little better at night so I am hopeful. I was able to sleep in our bed the past two nights for most of the night instead of the couch. We love her dearly and rarely does an hour go by that someone doesn't stop to kiss her. I think she gets the most affection from her brother Shane. Many kisses a day!

Continuing On......

I have had numerous people comment on how they found it hard to believe that I felt good enough to blog about our newest addition so soon. Just for the record I was all alone in my hospital room with Heidi by my side, a laptop in my lap (hehe), nurses coming in and out and this beautiful world of wireless connection. It made it possible for me to post before coming home since I didn't know how soon I would have time upon my arrival home. Turns out I am feeling inspired though - it must be new life and the miracle of a baby. Today was our roughest day so far. Ms. Heidi just didn't want to sleep most of the day as well as last night. On top of that my hormones are on the fritz (as my husband put it). I had a moment today where tears were shed and it just felt very good and cleansing. After my little crying spell I have felt much, much better. Just look at her sweet little face!! I still can't get over how tiny she is. I love that new baby smell, the funny faces and noises she makes, her violent reflexes.....I could go on and on. I am still very much captivated by her.

Here we found Tristan sharing his trains with Heidi while she was sleeping. Out of all the kids I was the most concerned about Tristan. For some reason I just envisioned him having a hard time with the transition. So far he has been marvelous! He loves her so much and is so gentle with her. He hasn't seemed jealous once. I am hoping this means he feels very secure in my love and knows nothing can replace him.

Our first evening home Mark's sister Hannah came over and just kind of helped to corral the kids. It really helped us to be able to settle in and get situated. Here she was meeting and holding Heidi for the first time.

So for a brief rundown of the day on Wednesday. I woke up at 4:15 to Tristan crying for me and just couldn't get comfortable after returning to bed. I tossed and turned and dozed on and off. Around 5:30 I realized I was having some contractions but nothing too major. I called the doctor a little before 6:30 and they said to go ahead and come in since I had gone so quickly with Tristan. We got to the hospital around 7:30, I was checked sometime shortly after 8:00 and found out that I was only 2-3 centimeters with a very posterior cervix. Didn't sound too promising. So....I got up, paced in my room, sat on the big exercise ball, paced some more ......an hour later not much change. By 10:00 I was just getting to be 4 centimeters and I was impatient. This was not going the way my other labors had gone. I figured I would be holding a baby by 10:00. The doctor on call was amazing!!!! She had this nifty little gadget (I won't go into detail) that enabled her to break my water even though my cervix was very difficult to reach. I thought for sure I would fly after my water was broken. I always do. Usually after my water is broken I am ready to push 15 minutes later. Not this time. Still kind of taking my time and not progressing too fast which looking back was an answer to many prayers. I had almost resorted to begging God (attractive I know) to somehow allow me to have pain medication this time. Just as my contractions started to intensify the anesthesiologist showed up and administered my spinal block. I can't say enough good things about this man! Except that I love him! No....I didn't say I am in love with him - just that I love him. Although for a few minutes I thought he had made my labor come to a screeching halt. Until Mark informed me that my contractions had in fact intensified on the monitor. I just couldn't feel anything. Long story short....Heidi entered the world at 1:32 about an hour after the pain medication was administered. Oh how I love drugs!!! Can't say enough good things about drugs!! I am convinced that the reason I have felt so good physically is because I wasn't worn out from the intensity of the labor. I breezed right through it all completely oblivious to the pain. And now I really should stop typing and get myself off to bed since Heidi is sleeping. Let's just pray for a better night tonight then last night. ANd for those of you reading this on Monday feel free to pray for me since it will be my first day flying solo since arriving home. My desire is to have low expectations for what I get done and to be exceedingly loving, understanding and patient with my children. Hmmm.....those things sound contradictory already to the beginning of the sentence....maybe just being loving with my children is enough for tomorrow. Then on Tuesday I can tack on understanding. You know what I mean. Prayer would be welcome and much appreciated.

Clarification

Just to clarify one thing. After arriving home and Mark was checking out my blog entry we realized the picture of me and Eden could be a bit deceiving. There is some skin showing but it is not what it appears to be. It is a bit of my stomach! In my over exhausted and overly excited brain I failed to even notice the bare skin! Slightly embarassing and needing some clarity.

We are settling in and doing well. I will update you in the next few days.

Introducing........

Miss Heidi Grace Eveleth...born on Wednesday April 15, 2009 weighing in at 6 lbs 12 1/2 ozs and measuring 21 1/2 inches long. To say she is perfect and beautiful is basically an understatement. To say I am captured and in love is not an understatement. Her daddy is a goner and is mesmerized! Last evening when it was just me, him and Heidi he said, "It gets better every time!" And I agree! I think you begin to realize just how fast time goes by and how precious these moments are when they are little.

Here we are checking her out. She is so tiny!! My smallest baby up to this point had been 7 lbs 9 ozs so this is a treat having a little peanut!

Mark brought the kiddos in last evening to meet their new little sister. It was a chaotic mess and didn't last too long. Tristan had gotten up too early yesterday, didn't have a nap, promptly cried hysterically upon entering the room, settled down for a few minutes and then started crying again.

Little Miss Eden has claimed Heidi as her baby and was being pretty bossy about who was holding her. She told Judah to hold her and got down off the bed to monitor him. I was pretty sure before Heidi's arrival but I am positive now that I will really have to watch Eden. She was very cute but not gentle. She sat next to me on the bed, reached over and informed me that she would hold Heidi. SO.......here she is giving it a try.

Judah and Shane were attentive and sweet to me and Heidi both. I am anxious to get home to them and assure them of my love. They did so well in here holding her and touching her. They thought she looked a little bit like an old man. Which technically with her scrunched up face I can see their point. Just the cutest old man ever!!

I will give more details over the next little while. Everything went beautifully, I had time for pain medication this time (heavenly!) and other than feeling tired I feel great! So....while I have a quiet moment I am going to catch some sleep and snuggle my little girl.

Oh..and I have decided pretty quickly that God new exactly what He was doing when He surprised us with this little life! She is precious and a welcome addition to the sweet children we already have.

Random Photos

It is high time I post some new pictures of the kids, their activities, antics and mischief. We are continuing to settle in nicely and thoroughly enjoy our new place. We feel so blessed to have found this place. We settled on our last home on Thursday. We signed the agreement with the buyers the first day of March and closed the second day of April. Not too shabby in this slow real estate market. Again....we feel incredibly blessed!! We know it was basically a miracle that everything worked so smoothly. We are working on the kitchen right now - painting, replacing counter tops, etc. You know how a hormonal, nesting pregnant woman suddenly decides to delve into projects. The kitchen became my priority. The painting is almost finished and then the counter tops will be next. I am loving how it is coming along.
Here are the kiddos watching the train out of the living room window first thing in the morning.

Tristan "helping" unpack. Apparently shredding the Styrofoam is fun....until it gets into your mouth and you try to remove it with your Styrofoam covered hands. I have a great video - pretty funny hearing the distress in his voice.

I'm not exactly sure what Judah was doing here but he was having a lot of fun.

Tristan, Eden and their friend Clair walking back towards the mountain. They were having such a good time exploring and wandering around.

Playing in the dirt on the mountain.

My friend Sara taking all the kids for a 4-wheeler ride on Mark's 4-wheeler. Don't worry folks - I don't think they broke 10 miles an hour. Very slow, safe and steady. My kids thought Sara was awesome!!!

Eden sleeping in her new "big girl bed". She thinks it is great and hasn't gotten out of it one time in over a week. She waits for me to come get her at nap time and first thing in the morning. I don't know how long that will last but she seems to think she is big stuff now!

Judah helping his dad do some spring clean-up. He loves running the blowers even though they are almost as big as him.

The three musketeers watching Judah work.

Eden playing in her room with her baby. She had just gotten dressed and wanted the hood up on her shirt.

The big cheese!!

The kids laying on one of our little plank bridges looking at the little stream. This is their favorite spot I think. We seem to always end up at this bridge throwing little rocks into the water.

Same place, same fun.

The boys informed me it was sooooo hot that they needed to go swimming. I at first resisted the idea since it was only in the mid-sixties but then decided to just let them be boys. They went and got swimming trunks, towels - the whole nine yards.

Judah working at making a better swimming hole. Basically this means digging out the bottom of the little creek, walking down stream and creating a dam so that the water becomes deeper in the swimming hole. He did a pretty good job so far although there is more to be done.

Judah seems to think he has arrived in paradise. Living next to a wetland preserve means there is a tremendous amount of wildlife. He loves walking out by the ponds on the preserve and seeing the geese, muskrats, ducks and any number of other fun animals. There is a bald eagle that lives on the preserve and he has spotted that as well.

I have a very whiny child pleading with me for some milk. I guess that is my cue to sign off.