New Pictures

He is thinking really hard. He is so cute.



Helping mommy make cookies. I have such big helpers.



Kaitlyn is expressing how much she loves to slide and how nice it is to get out of the house.



My little monkey. He is always climbing onto everything. I am surprised we don't go to the ER more often.




Two weeks old and still super cute.

Nursing thoughts

I am reaching out to others mothers to find help. I have been nursing for two weeks and would like to know does it get easier after time. It has been so long since I last nursed that I don't remember feeling so emotional or stressed out. How do you juggle three kids when one is attached at all times and how to you make time for the other two and find time for yourself? He is a good nurser but I feel like all I do is nurse all day. That I have no time for anything else. It really has me in tears. Should I invest in a good pump or is that just a waste of time? I want to nurse but can't handle it if I am going to be doing this all day long for a year. I have to have time for my other children, my spouse and myself. When does it get better?

If I stop nursing are there mothers out there who have done the same thing and didn't feel guilty for too long. I fear it is too soon to stop but I have never made it a full year nursing ever. I am looking for answers and would like all the thoughts of other mothers to help me in this struggling time. To give me comfort in what ever I might chose and now I am not the only one who is struggling with this.

I Am Just Rambling

Wow! My baby is already a week old and weighs more then he did when we left the hospital. We weighed him this morning and he weighs 9 pounds and about 3 ounces. We did this on our home scale but I am pretty sure that it is accurate. Most of the time babies weigh their birth weight at two weeks but with the way he eats I am sure he will weigh ten pounds before his next doctor's appointment.

What a week it has been. If it weren't for all the walks around the block and all the family stopping by I believe that I would be more hormonal then I have been. This baby all in all is a blessing. He nurses so much better then the other two did and so far (knock on wood), he sleeps better at night. We have finally worked out the kinks in his tummy so he doesn't smell so bad but now he likes to mess his outfit two or three times a day. He is such a well mannered kid. His siblings look to drop things on him and get right up in his face and talk loud and he takes it. That is a blessing. I am glad that the first week is over and now I can start putting my family back into a routine. My children have really been shakin up with the new baby because Aaron takes up so much of mommy's time that they don't know how to take it. I try to explain to them that it is only a matter of time that things will get better and mommy will find a balance. But how much does a three year old and two year old understand. All they know is another person has come into our life and mommy is a little more tired and stressed then she was before. Now that we are on a better time line things can start to slowly be readjusted and mommy can find a balance that will help remind my children that I do love them.

I am so glad that the weather has been great because I have been able to take all my children outside and go walking. How I have missed warm weather and being able to walk around our beautiful neighborhood. I love Overlake. I think all the myths on mother's staying down after their baby is born to recover is a load of bull. I think the only way to keep baby blues down and the postpartum out is by getting up and start doing a little each day. Of course you should rest but too much laying around can take toll. You have too much time to dwell on unhappy thoughts and Satan thrives on us being unhappy. Walking is the best way to help clear your head and keep the thoughts happy. I am all for keep out the dark unwanted feelings. Being a mother is hard but it is such a joy when our hearts and heads are clear of unhappy feelings and when we take care of ourselves. I love being a mom.

Baby Aaron

This is Dan reporting that our third baby, Aaron, was born today! To sum things up quickly, this was our smallest baby yet, weighing only 8 lbs. 9 oz. We're not used to such tiny babies. He is 21 inches long. He was born at 10:14 this morning.

Ok, with all the usually published details out of the way, here are a few mug shots.

This kid was in a hurry to come out. Debbie was induced starting at 6:00 this morning and didn't have much time for anything really. Right after her epidural around 9:30, she started feeling lots of pressure. She went from a 5 to a 10 in no time flat. The doctor just barely made it, otherwise it would have been the nurse (or worse yet, me!) catching the baby. Debbie's body was in shock for a little while after that, because everything happened so quickly, but she is doing better now. She'll tell you she prefers labors that last a little longer.

Aaron is a very mellow kid, and a very good eater. After having his first meal, he kept rooting around like he was still hungry, but he never complained very loudly about it. Even in the nursery, he took all of the poking, prodding, and washing without too much of a fuss. After getting a little more to eat and getting wrapped up, burrito style, he fell right to sleep and hardly made a sound for a few hours. Later, when his siblings showed up, he took all of the noise and attention very well.

Kaitlyn is a very good big sister, and always wants to hold and take care of the baby. Skyler's reaction was fairly predictable as well. He liked the baby, but soon lost interest and went begging for food and climbing on all the furniture.

We are all excited for this new addition to our family. Aaron is definitely a keeper!