God's Grace

It is by His grace that we were blessed with a new little one nearly 2 weeks ago. Enjoy the pix.

Cargo van here we come...

At least that's what people tell us now. I know they're just joking, but we couldn't be happier with the arrival of our little baby, born at 12:46 p.m., Monday, Jan. 18, 2010. She's perfect.

Finding out we were expecting her certainly caught us by surprise. It may have been a long 9 months, with 4+ months of morning sickness and another 2+ months of contractions, but the other four kids were troopers.

She arrived after a grueling c-section (for me) -- elbow first. The first few nights, I had to work extra hard to keep her awake long enough to eat. She occasionally reverts to that behavior nearly two weeks later. People ask how she slept through a basketball game at school. Seriously? She's used to the noise. The noisier, the better. Remember, she has four siblings she's heard for months.

We were worried how LaRue would react to the new addition, since she had been the queen for so long. But, surprisingly, she has been great. Her only demand is "Mine!" to let others know who the baby belongs to. She jumps with joy and claps when we ask if she wants to hold her. And she graciously offers the little one her babies.

Big brother is so caring and loving with her, cradling her and offering kisses. Big sister loves to dress her and Cookie Monster loves to help make bottles. They are all adjusting quite well.

Dad is busy with taxes and I think he finds it a little taxing when I ask him to take a night shift, but he's adjusting well. Maybe it's the thought of another tax deduction for the year that puts his mind at ease.

Actually, I think it's the words that he sent in an e-mail announcing her arrival, "the fifth and final" child of our family. Aren't you the one who (after four kids) said you were done at two??

Guess God thought different. And we love them all more than we could ever imagine.

Snow, snow, go away...baby needs to come this way!

We all have cabin fever here. Especially crabby mom. I'm trying to enjoy this pregnancy, especially since we -- I -- will be making sure this is the last munchkin that will protrude from my belly. But I'm getting very impatient. It's so bitter cold and with all of the snow and wind, it's really not safe to go anywhere. But the kids have been pretty good sports about it. They haven't been outside for a few days because it's so cold, but they've found plenty of ways to entertain themselves. Usually it involves LOTS of noise and laughter, but that's OK. The pix above show Cookie Monster being silly and LaRue having a tea party at grandma & grandpa's house.

I have gotten breakfast in bed three times this week. Today was my favorite. Cookie Monster proudly brought up the most nutritious breakfast ever:

-About 2 cups of mini-marshmallows

-2 chocolate chip Kudos granola bars

-4 caramels

-A can of diet Sunkist pop

At least the "diet" cancelled out all the other bad stuff, right? Actually, I got to thinking, is that really what he sees me eat for breakfast??? Daddy quickly snuck the marshmallows away and LaRue ate the caramels later today.

Cookie Monster is getting excited for the baby to be born, but did inform me he only wants a little one under one condition: "I only like boys, Mom." That's what he told me yesterday.

Well, at least that's better than the puppy he said I was carrying last week.