Christmas happenings

Here's a collection of December pictures of the kids and what we've been doing.

There's cutting down our Christmas tree. All four of us did that together.

Rosie Riding piggyback on Squeakums. I still don't have a final screenname for her. I like Rose in it, perhaps RosieCheeks or Rosebud (Grammy's suggestion).

Making Squeakums gingerbread house with his neighbor friends. They enjoyed that very much. Now there's just a few graham cracker walls still standing. Most all the candy has been torn off and eaten, stale or not.

We've lost our camera sadly this week. So no Christmas pictures will be taken unless we find the camera tonight.

I do have pictures from last Sunday's Christmas play though. He was a shephard. Almost didn't get up on the stage, he was too shy during rehearsal that morning. And had missed the last two rehearsals on Sunday mornings. But when it cmae time, he was in a good mood and did great. He swayed to the songs while the other kids stood still and sang. (He wasn't singing however). And he was left looking at baby Jesus after the other shephard had exited the stage - they forgot him. As the youngest kid up there, the older ones were looking out for him and making sure he faced forward, etc. It was cute and he seemed to enjoy it.

Merry Christmas everyone. Thank you God for the gift of Jesus to us.

Harvest Carnival

Squeakums was so excited to go fishing for the first time at the harvest carnival. And he caught something (a toy, a candy, and a paper pad), he still talks about it. In his little mind he actually went fishing.

But every day a few times he'll tell us he went on an airplane. Not sure why that thought it constantly on his mind. Maybe he dreams about it. Maybe God is trying to tell us something.

His simple costume was a football player, football is one of his favorite everythings.

More grandparent visitors for baby girl

Had more family visitors last month. Here's some of those activites...swimming with Uncle B, both kids hearing about Petee landing on pouter's lips from Aunt Rackle. Grandparents sleeping with baby girl. And our family hike on the Homestead trail on a recent SUnday afternoon.

Squeakums new toddler bed was an exciting transition for him. He was ready to take his nap an hour early that first day. And he loves to have most if not all his stuffed animals around him when he sleeps. And don't forget all his blankets and a few books, maybe even a box of legos as well.

Pregnant Brain

Where did I put my pregnant brain? I thought it would be left at the hospital where I gave birth. But I keep finding it again and losing it. I go outside in my slippers and around the house in my shoes...even after I've told myself "I am putting on my shoes to go outside." Six weeks now and I think the pregnant brain is on it's way out. At least I've put it somewhere and hoping I don't find it again.

Our little girl continues to be an easy one. She's hit her next growth spurt and kept me up all night trying to nurse. In a couple of days that should be clear and then we'll let her sleep all night long if she wants...and I'm sure she'll want to! She doesn't seem to like taking baths yet, but immediately has taken to getting massages from mommy. We started cloth diapers and elimination communication again, with great results already. She doesn't usually poop during the night anyway, which is lovely for us.

Gma-inlaw in here this week and the rest of BearHunters family arrive on Monday for a week and a half more. Unfortunately we had our first freeze and suddenly summer is gone. Heater is running more now and I've closed the french doors to our entryway to keep the heat in.

YWAM dug potatoes yesterday for the base and we received a few large bags of lettuce donated. I'm still eating raspberries off our little bushes here but most friends in town had a really bad year for red raspberries.

Back to life.

Baby Girl Born

Today she was born. What a different experience than with Squeakums. All of the difficulties and complications at his birth were not there for hers. We are so thankful for God's blessing in this. She was born 5 days "late" but came naturally.
I labored from 8pm til just after 2am. And was in the warm tub for the end of the labor. Usually this hospital has moms get out of the tub once the pushing stage arrives. Somehow I transitioned to pushing and crowning and birth within 15 minutes, and was still in the tub. So we had an underwater birth to our own surprise. Getting out of the tub was only a little bit of work, but the water had been so comfortably warm and let me lay and float holding onto my husband during contractions and pushing, which was wonderful. He wasn't able to catch her as she was born, due to holding me, but was able to at least feel her head as she crowned. She was born at 2:47am, what a relief. I was tired and still am 13 hours later. Trying to get some naps in while still at the hospital. Delivering the placenta was real work, too, but it finally came out all in one piece (a drastic improvement from last time as well).

She is a beautiful 19 inches long, 7 pounds and 7.7 ounces (777, eh?), latched on great and nursing well already. Also taking some good 2 hour naps. Passed the hearing test and got her vitamin K. Down to changing diapers and nursing now.

We'll have to think of another screen name for her, as we did for Squeakums. Open to suggestions...