Joshua 2 months old

Joshua Ezekiel is 2 months old now. He weighs 12 pounds, 8 ounces (75%) and is 24.5 inches long (85%). He is quite a big boy! Our Ped said that he acts like an older baby. He is a very sweet, good-natured little boy. He smiles a lot, coos, and is even laughing a little now. We are so happy he is part of our family.

My 40th Birthday Beach Trip

Mima shades Joshua

Josh poolside
Max shows off his shell
My Dad (Pipa) and Eden at Siesta Key Beach

Jamie and Mom
Buffet says "hi" to the kids
The fam at the beach
Eden hangs out with Celeste in the pool
Jamie 14, Jamie 37, Nancy 40!!

I had a wonderful 40th birthday. I will post a link to more pictures soon! My kids gave me an iPod Shuffle. It is SO much fun! I'm listening now! (I should be sleeping...) I went shopping with my Mom and had a GREAT birthday dinner with my family and birthday buddy, my brother, Jamie. It's hard work, but I am enjoying my 7 week old birthday present, too. God is good!

Jamie turns 14

Clifford James "Jamie"

June 2nd, 1994

9 pounds, 2 ounces

Interests: guitar, skateboarding, paintball...14 yo boy stuff!

They had fun out to dinner at Macaroni Grill. We got a sitter for Tommy & Eden. Jamie has really grown since the new year and is now taller than Celeste and I. It will be interesting to see how much he changes while he's gone for summer. He leaves in a week. I will miss you SO much~I love you, Jamie!

Cindy Lou Who says "CHEESE" for the camera!

Momma wears Joshua in her new sling...shhh...

A little something new

This is my new hair cut. I always do something different after having a baby. I'm excited about my new doo. Hope ya like it!

Today...

~The power went off for an hour this morning. It was very quiet... Tommy kept saying things were broken. It was cute!

~We all had cereal for breakfast.

~I am thankful for a surprise dinner last night with Stu. My friend, LaDawn, kept ALL the kids.

~I'm still in my pajamas. (Which happen to include the skirt I wore yesterday...)

~I am hoping to start Joshua's scrapbook soon...and work more on Eden's.

~I hope to get a nap today. I had 4 hours sleep last night in 2 installments.

~June is...Jamie's 14th birthday on the 2nd and my 40th on the 10th!!!

~I am getting a hair cut tomorrow and can't wait.

~Currently I'm home with 5 children ages 9, 7, 3.75, 20 months, and 5 weeks...eek!

Joshua's 1 month

Joshua in his swing--1 month old

Eden has little piggies. Notice the booboo on her head.

She fell off the couch and crashed into the baseboard.

Eden, Karyn, Celeste, & Allie at AGCC Homeschool Grad Ceremony

Joshua had his 1 month check up (a week ago!). He weighed 10 pounds (50%) and was 22 inches long (60%) and his head was 37cm (50%). We are very busy at home with kids in school and lots of other activities. We are going to the beach in Sarasota in early June--all the kids are very excited about that. If I could be rested, I would be, too!

BPA Free bottles

With all of the concern about chemicals in bottles and other infant feeding things I thought I would post a link to a site that has a nice set of lists and information on BPA free feeding products. We're switching because every small step for our child's health is important. Go here to see this list.

Also, I found The Soft Landing to have a large selection of healthy products, feeding included, for baby.

Joshua slept 5 hours last night (from 2-7 a.m.)...in his swing. I haven't had that much sleep in 4 weeks. He's 4 weeks today! Unfortunately, I awoke with a terrible migraine. It hung on all day, but has now subsided. Joshua is now napping and if there's one thing I've learned, it's go catch one myself. Sorry I haven't been on much, but I'm certainly overwhelmed right now (just being honest). Hopefully, I will see you in dreamland...zzzzzzz. (Also, still nursing, but he gets about half from me and half from formula.)

More pictures

Joshie is sleeping...zzzzz...

Eden loves to touch and kiss his toes.

Joshua is gaining, although it's probably from his bottles, not nursing. We went to see the lactation consultant today and he weighed 8 pounds, 6.8 ounces. Really close to his birth weight, yay! After nursing for 35 minutes he had gained 1 ounce. Not the best, but better than last time. I'm going to keep trying for another week or so and see what happens.

Celeste starts summer A next week and is taking 2 classes. Celeste rec'd an A in ENC1101, YAY!We're trying to finish up the school year with the other kids. The baby is crying...time to feed him again!

Baby Update

Here is Joshua 2 weeks old with the sweet blanket made by Mom's friend, Teri.

A little update on things here: I got an infection of some sort around my incision site, so I'm on antibiotics. This started last Sunday evening. We started out taking meds and had to double them on Wednesday because things weren't getting better. So recovery is slow going here. 2000 mg of Keflex is kicking my butt right now. Joshua is still very slow to gain weight and nursing isn't going the best. I am taking fenugreek--3 capsules, 3 times per day and that boosted my supply a little. Joshua is still sleepy and doesn't remove milk very well. He looks good and weighs 8 pounds today. All the other children are doing quite well with the new baby. Eden likes to poke him... Dan and Max are at their last baseball game right now (most likely). They have had a winning season this year 6-4. In playoffs they lost the 1st game, won the 2nd, and if they lose tonight then they're out of the tournament. We'll see! God is good! I'm still praying I don't get too discouraged about nursing. I'm seeing my lactation consultant on Monday again. Just keep praying for success and healing for the momma. Thanks!

Joshua

Baby Joshua 5 days old

Hi all! I know I have been absent this week! It's been a busy week and I'm doing rather well, but still having pain and I am tired. I have a prayer request for Joshua. He is a very lazy nurser and, subsequently, he isn't gaining weight. Yesterday (Friday) I went to see the lactation specialist and he was at his discharge weight of 7 lbs., 10 oz. A pound down (still) from birth weight. Please pray that he would wake up and nurse better. Also, that I don't lose my supply. I am pumping some and we are supplementing him after nursing, but all we can do is our best! I am trying not to be discouraged.

He's Here!

Joshua Ezekiel

April 17th, 2008 via C-Section

12:39 p.m.

8 pounds, 10.4 ounces

20 1/4 inches long

Momma and baby are doing quite well.

(Dad expected to recover, too!)

Tomorrow...

Well, tomorrow is the big day! I will be having a C Section at noon. Please pray for me as I am quite nervous and scared about it. The pain afterwards was horrific last time. I can't wait to meet this little guy. Also, please pray that nursing would be successful for me. Celeste will be posting a picture at one point, I'm sure, so look for that.

Also, Dan's 9th birthday was last week and I wanted to post a picture of him. He was hoping the baby would be born on his birthday. At least, they get to share the same month!

A link...

to some recent photos around here!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=33877&l=86668&id=637396851

Baby Watch

I am now 38+ weeks pregnant. I went in yesterday and had an ultrasound. The weight was estimated at 8 pounds, 8 ounces. They've been a pound low and a pound high before with me, so I don't know what to think! I haven't changed any...still 2 cm, etc. AND baby is floating with his head in my right hip/groin area. This doesn't bode well for a VBAC. I am scheduled for a C Section next Thursday. I am praying he moves and I go into labor or something before then. I have a check up the day before. Plus, my sugars have been high, so pray for me that whatever happens I can handle it. I'm very stressed about providing people to care for my family while I'm in the hospital. It's not all covered...

In Memory of Trigger...

Today my brother, Jamie, lost his best friend, Trigger. He was affectionately known as the "Trig Man." Trigger was hit by a car near his home. Trigger was the best Jack Russell Terrier that ever lived. We will all miss him. We loved him so much. Please pray for Jamie as he will really miss his buddy. Our hearts go out to you, Jamie! Remember, Jesus is right there for you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13)

A few of my favorite things:

~seeing Max get his first hit at baseball and running his big brother in

~a hot bath for an achy 9+ month pregnant momma

~Reese's peanut butter cups (thanks, Stu!)

~very cute questions and chatter from my 3 1/2 year old

~a good nap on the green couch in my room

~when the babe in my womb gets the hiccups

A busy day

I haven't posted much because I've been so busy. I went to pick up Celeste today at college and it turned out there had been a bomb threat, so her friend brought her to meet me. She was a little unsettled by it, but is okay. Jamie helped me set up some books for a used curriculum fair at our church. After that, I took him to guitar. He has a recital this Monday. (We look forward to that...) Then I dropped him off for an overnight, ran to the grocery for more insulin syringes (I'll be glad when I don't have to take that anymore!), and home. An hour later I went to a baseball game starring Dan and Max. They won 10-3! Max got his first hit during a game and Dan ran home from 2ND when Max hit that ball. It was cool! Did I mention I took Tommy and Eden to the game without any teen help?!? Stu got pizza from a really yummy local place. There are only 5 eating establishments here, so we're limited. Well, I'm about ready to pass out now. We're getting everyone bathed and uniforms washed because they have another game at 9 AM. I have to be at the curriculum sale by 9, too! Being this busy should make the time go quickly before I have my baby--I can't wait!