10 Months

Natalie is now 10 months old and changing daily, as all babies do. She has been so much fun recently as she is becoming more and more interactive with us. She loves to point at things, and expects you to walk her around and show her everything. She especially likes to look at pictures of our family that are hanging around the house. Natalie has the best giggle when you tickle her. She loves to press her forehead against mine and grin. She enjoys watching her sisters play. And, as you can see in the photo, she loves to play the piano. I love how she can just barely reach the keys with her tiny fingers! Yes, she can get around the house quickly now. She walks while holding on to things, and has learned to climb the stairs too!

The Curious Cat

Keira is very creative and is always drawing, cutting, and pasting things t0 create something new.  One day she brought this creation to me and said it was a "Curious Cat!"  It is one of my favorites, coming right below the little notes that say, "I love Mommy."

9 Months

Here is a picture of Natalie at nine months old.  She now weighs 15 pounds, 12 ounces and is growing fast.  She got her first two teeth this week, which is funny because Cayleigh lost two teeth this week.  Natalie has been pulling herself up to standing, and can pretty much get anywhere she wants to.   She likes to give high fives, wave, clap, and can stick her tongue out when asked.  She always has a smile for you, and is so much fun to cuddle!

For Jennifer

My sister said that she likes to see my photos, so I thought that I would post this one especially for her! Little Natalie is almost nine months old, and is such an easy baby. She gave me a birthday present of cutting her first two teeth today. Except for being a little clingy, you would hardly know that she had cut teeth.

I took this photo today for Natalie's passport application. We had to apply for passports for our trip to Calgary this Christmas to visit with Drew's family.

Crinkled Noses

I love how the girls crinkle their noses just like I do when laughing or smiling big!

7 years old

Cayleigh is now seven years old and is enjoying 2nd grade. She likes playing on the playground, skiing in the mountains, and playing soccer. She enjoys crafting, reading and doing workbook pages for school. She likes to eat donuts and pizza. She loves her baby sister Natalie and has lots of fun playing with Keira.

Helper

Now that she is a big sister, Keira loves to be a helper.  We went on a hike recently with some friends, and Keira took this little boy's hand to help him along the path.  So cute!

Updates

Some long overdue updates are coming soon...I now have some photos on my computer to work with.  Here is a photo of Natalie at soccer practice...she had to get up early from her nap, and she was sleepy.  She is definitely a girl, she loves babies, and her sisters!

Umm-ee-umm

We are grateful that Keira's finger is healing so well.  We are still waiting on the fingernail to reappear, but otherwise it is looking great!  Thanks to all who said prayers on her behalf.  Drew was able to wrap Keira's finger so that she could enjoy the pool and the beach while we were on vacation.  I am working on downloading and organizing photos so that I can post some soon.

I wanted to post about Keira's new habit so that I do not forget it.  She has started saying, "Umm-ee-umm" when she needs a second to figure out what she is trying to say.  Keira's mind is always running at the speed of light and it is amusing to hear her talk..."Mommy can I have some umm-ee-umm cheese?"  I absolutely must get this habit on video because she says it so fast and it makes me smile.

Ouch!

Keira had a rough day on Monday. While at the mall, she got her finger pinched in a heavy self-closing door, and it was nearly amputated. We were able to get to the hospital quickly where they reattached her fingertip. She was a very brave little girl, and we are thankful that she is doing so well. It was difficult to get a good photo because she wouldn't sit very still. It looks so much better in this photo with the stitches than it did when I first saw her injury. Thankfully, Drew was able to leave work and meet us at the hospital because I was quite distraught over the situation. Although she will have some scarring, the doctors think that her nail will grow back. Please pray that her finger heals quickly and without complications.

My Collection

A few months ago, I saw this on my headboard and I had to laugh. Every night I empty my pockets before undressing, and this is the collection of things that had accumulated. It was February, but I still can't believe that there were six chap sticks!

Four Months

Natalie is now four months old and doing very well.  I snapped this photo a month ago when she was just beginning to discover that she has hands.  It was so cute how she would stare at them in wonder.  Now that she knows how to control those hands, she keeps them constantly in her mouth!  She loves to suck on her hands and blow spit bubbles.  She is nearly always wet with drool, but it is adorable.  She likes to hold our hands, and play with toys.  Natalie is still sleeping well and is such a happy baby!

This Cracks Me Up!

The girls love to take pictures almost as much as I do. On occasion, I will let them use my camera. I often get distracted while they are using it, and as a result, I get fun surprises when I download my photos. This is one of my favorites...a self-portrait by Pixie. Just ignore the messy floors, but please note that the bed is actually made!

Life is Good

Natalie is now three months old, and she is such a blessing. She is very sweet, easy-going, and a great sleeper. She is already over 11 pounds and growing fast. She loves to blow spit bubbles and is starting to grab at things. She is smiling often and giggling. So CUTE! I would do anything to hear her giggle.

I especially love my time with the girls in the mornings. I will usually bring Natalie into my bed to nurse her, and then the two older girls join us in snuggle time. What a joy!

Skiing

I'm sorry that I don't have any new photos of Natalie to share...you'll just have to come visit her! Actually, I have been taking a lot of pictures. The problem is that I have been taking too many pictures in the last few years, and my computer is overloaded. I need to delete and do a full backup before I can download any more new photos onto my computer. I promise to post some soon.

For now, I wanted to post this photo of my two older girls skiing with their Daddy. (I have not been able to ski with them this year because we were expecting Natalie.) They really enjoy skiing and are doing well on the slopes. Hubby started a tradition of getting donuts whenever we take a trip skiing, we really wanted them to enjoy skiing so we have tried to make it fun for them. We never push them to stay on the slopes longer than they want to. It has been a fun family activity for us so far. I love how they completely wear themselves out on the slopes! See photos for evidence of what happens on the trip home!

Natalie is doing very well and growing fast. She is very sweet. I think I am enjoying her the most out of all my babies. I think it is because she is a content baby, I have older girls to help me, and I am more confident in my abilities as a mother. It is so fun to have three girls!

One Month Old

Sweet baby is now one month old.  She went eight hours between feedings last night, so I think she knows her momma needs her sleep!  I took her to the doctor today and found out that she weighs 8 pounds, 13 ounces.  I can't believe how fast she is growing!  She has gained back her birth weight plus more than an extra pound.  It is good to know that she is doing so well despite having RSV at 11 days old.  She also smiled and laughed at me today.  I know it's a bit early for this behavior...but I want to believe it happened anyway!

Back to the Routine...

Little Natalie is doing very well. She seems to be recovered from RSV. I have not heard her cough in the last two days, and she is breathing very well. We are still waiting for her oxygen levels to be tested to see if we can take her off the oxygen. I think there has been a miscommunication between the doctor's office and the oxygen company, so we wait.

We have tried to get back into a routine this week. We have resumed schooling and daily chores as best we can. It has been a bit difficult as it takes some adjustment to our schedule. I used to be able to finish school with Cayleigh before lunch, but that has not happened this week. I know that it will take some time to rework our schedule and create a new routine, but I am impatient! Thankfully, Natalie has been sleeping well. She usually has a long stretch of four to six hours between feedings at night which has allowed me to get some good sleep. She doesn't cry much and she seems to be a very content baby...so far. She might start crying more when we move her into her crib at night. I was not comfortable with her sleeping by herself in another room when she was sick, so she has been sleeping in our room.

We are all already completely in love with little Natalie. We are enjoying her so much, and are very thankful that God has sent her into our family. We are also grateful for our friends and church family. So many have gone out of their way to help us in the last few weeks. Thank you to all who have helped us with meals, cleaning, watching the girls, and most of all, thank you for your prayers.

Going Home

They are sending Natalie home today!  She will still need to be on a small amount of oxygen, but otherwise she is doing very well.  Thank you for all your prayers!

Another Day

We have spent another day at the hospital.  Natalie had a bit of a rough night with very fast breathing.  She is doing better today after some albuterol treatments.  She is currently on just 80 mL of oxygen, and the goal is to get her down to 50 mL.  We are grateful that the Lord continues to bless her with healing.  We're hoping that we will be able to all go home tomorrow and be together as a family again.

Update

The doctor came to see Natalie this morning and is glad to see that her condition is stable.  Natalie is still eating well, breathing well, and only has an occasional coughing spell.  However, she is still needing a little extra oxygen to keep her blood/oxygen levels up where they need to be.  Currently she is receiving 200 mL per hour, and the doctor said that she could go home with a portable oxygen tank once she is weaned down to 50 mL per hour.  (When we first brought her in to the hospital she was on a full liter per hour.)  So, we will be here at the hospital for at least another night.

Hubby was teasing me yesterday that I like this hospital a little too much.  I must admit, it isn't so bad.  I'm getting plenty of rest, I have lots of time to snuggle my sweet baby, I have a nice view, and everything is new and clean since the hospital just opened in October.  The best part is picking up the phone to order a meal and having it delivered to my room shortly after.  I would still rather be home though...maybe tomorrow.  Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers!

Sick Baby

We are back in the hospital with little Natalie.  She is doing fine, but she was diagnosed with RSV which can be dangerous for newborns.  She caught what I thought was just a cold from her sister and had a snotty nose on Wednesday.  By Friday, she had developed a nasty cough, so I decided to take her to the doctor just to get her checked.  She tested positive for RSV, and her oxygen levels were very low, particularly while sleeping.  The doctor hooked Natalie up to oxygen right away and asked us to drive her directly to the hospital.  Thankfully, Hubby had just gotten off from work and was able to meet me at the doctor's office.  Since we know Natalie's doctor personally, as well as professionally, she offered to drive our older two girls to be with some friends.

Natalie has a mild case of RSV.  Her lungs are mostly clear, and she has been able to nurse normally.  Hopefully her oxygen levels will come up soon so that we can take her home.  The nurses and doctors have said that day five of the virus is generally the worst, and that is today.  Please pray for Natalie, that God would give her little body the strength to fight this!

We are all doing fine.  We are thankful for the many friends that God has blessed us with here in Colorado.  We have had many offer their help to us as Natalie and I are confined to the hospital.  Hubby has been a big help as well.  He has been going back and forth between the house and the hopspital, taking good care of all his girls.

I will post updates on Natalie's condition.  We would like to take her home, but need to wait on a release from her doctor.    Trusting in Him...

She's Here!

We are so excited to welcome a new member into our family!  Our little "peanut" was born on Monday evening, February 9, 2009, at 10:39 p.m.  She was only three days past her due date, so it almost feels as if she arrived early.  I really thought that she might be two weeks late like her sisters.  Her name is Natalie Jeannine, she weighed 7 pounds, 10.5 ounces, and measured 21 inches long.  Her sisters absolutely adore her!

We are so thankful for this little blessing that God has given into our lives.  We are grateful for the timing of her arrival and the smoothness of the delivery.  The Lord's blessing on her was evident to us.  When we first greeted Natalie, the doctor's jaw nearly hit the floor when she saw that the cord was wrapped around Natalie's neck three times!  The doctor quickly clamped the cord, cut it, and then removed it from her neck.  She later told us that she had never seen a baby delivered with the cord around its neck without heart rate troubles during the delivery.  She also told us that it was very rare to have the cord wrapped around three times.  Thankfully, Natalie is as healthy as can be!

I plan to post a more detailed story of her birth and other details of her as I start to feel better.  Thankfully, she has been sleeping very well so far which is a tremendous blessing to my recovery!

Double Take

Even though I am fully aware that we are still waiting on baby to come, I had to do a double take when I walked into her room and saw this!  The girls are so excited about meeting their sister that they have been playing in her room constantly.  They have had fun helping me set up the room, and pretending to be little mommies.  Pixie asks me nearly every day when sister will be here.  Rosebud has asked me not to have the baby while she is sleeping because she doesn't want to miss it.  They are so sweet!

1 Day(s) to Go!

My Pregnancy ticker says that I am "39 weeks, 6 days pregnant, only 1 days to go!"  While it is exciting to reach my due date, I have a feeling that baby girl will not be complying with her expected arrival.  I had a visit with the doctor today, and it seems that not much is happening.  Hubby has a ticket to the Avalanche game tonight in Denver, so I guess he will probably be able to enjoy the whole game.  *Sigh*  Now I have the privilege of visiting the doctor's office twice a week for non-stress tests until the baby arrives.  Thankfully baby seems to be growing and devloping well, and we are so blessed to welcome her into our family.  More news to come....

A Juicy Repair?

While having an afternoon snack together the other day with our 4-year-old, Pixie, she said to me, "Mommy, you picked a nice juicy re-pear!"  I grinned and asked her a question about her pear to see if I had heard her correctly.  Sure enough, she called her pear a "re-pear."  Hee Hee.  I would have thought that by four years old, she would know what a pear is.  After all, we eat them frequently.

Our 6-year-old daughter, Rosebud, has been writing more and more.  I love getting little notes from her, or finding her stories around the house.  Her inventive spelling is adorable.  Recently, I went up to her room and found a note on the door that read, "do not inter."  (How cute is that?!)  Thankfully, when I asked her about the sign, she told me that she didn't mean me, or Daddy, it was for the boys who were visiting our house the other day.

Catching Up

I'm trying to get caught up before the baby arrives!  She is due to arrive in just 15 days, but I am expecting that she will be late just like her sisters.  I have been very busy "nesting" and trying to catch up with everything after a very busy holiday season.  I hope to post some more photos soon, but some things have to be taken care of first.

I was not able to visit with my family this Christmas because my doctor did not want me to travel so far this late in my pregnancy.  Many of Hubby's family did come out to visit us.  We also had a nice visit with my cousin whom I haven't seen in over eight years.  She was coming out to Colorado to visit other family members and was able to make a special visit down to visit with us as well.  We did have a nice visit with Hubby's family and even managed to make it up to the mountains for a few days.  We enjoyed some sledding, skiing and snowboarding.  Well, some of us were not allowed to participate in the snow sports, but we had a nice time anyway.

I was not able to get any Christmas cards out in the mail this year.  I had plans, I even made some lovely cards.  However, between pregnancy symptoms, sicknesses, homeschooling, preparing for guests, and life...I never got anything mailed out.  I'm sorry.  Please know that we thought about our many family members and friends, we prayed for you, and missed you.  We hope that you all had a blessed Christmas and we pray for God's blessing in your lives for the new year.  (I'm starting the envelopes for next year's Christmas cards right now just to be sure they will get done.  Although, maybe I should first make sure that I have diapers and wipes for the baby.)