We have added another girl!

I think with the last post I was still maybe 50% in denial that I was actually in labor. HA! February 20th, at 7:47am our little girl, Elisa Rose (eh-LY-suh) entered the world, in our first ever home birth, peacefully and speedily! God is so good, and he did grant this baby some quick speed when she did decide to make her emergence. She weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces and was 21" long. I am calling her my string bean, because she is my longest, but lightest baby. I have an amazing birth story, but for now, here are the photos that we keep reminding ourselves to take:

She's here! Complete elation from Mama.

Big brother Iain: "Ah, she's cute!" He was awake, but occupied by his shows. Confused when he needed to use the bathroom that morning.

A midwife for each of us: Cosette helped me and Kari (holding Elisa) was in charge of baby

Still too early for photos...a grimace quicker than any flash!Snuggled on Mama's chest with the Miss Dashwood hat.
Auntie Trisha stopped by to meet her after work.

Uncle Josh and Julietta also dropped in that night (Josh is a ginormous hit with I & F, flying them around the house, but he didn't want to hold Elisa...not until she is a bit bigger: "I don't hold my nieces at this age.")

Bright and early the next morning, Kari came back for assessment and the weigh in: 8 pounds! She must be eating well!

The 24 hour checkpoint, and still the grimace from that horrid flash!
By Sunday, Fiona was not as crabby about her new sister's invasion on her baby status.
The amazing Husband taking a rest with baby Elisa. He has been cooking, cleaning, getting laundry, oh and don't forget being the labor coach and switchboard operator during that last hour of crucial instructions from our good friend Deborah (oh and she is also a Dr. and prophetess) in IL.
Day two, and still comfortable in my recovery room: my bedroom!
Such a good baby!
Our 3rd morning. Maintenance man fulfilled our order for a bedroom TV so we could all be in bed together, while Mama still recovers. No age requirement for this ward.Nani Joseph came this morning to meet Elisa. She had been at the Vancouver Olympics.

In her own time, Fiona became ready, and excited, to be a big sister. She asked to "hold Baby Elisa, now my turn. Shhhh! Baby Elisa sleeping. Wow. Wow."

Planet inhabitants to increase

Things are moving over here at Planet Little Joseph. The laundry is getting done, the counters are getting cleared off, and we are getting ready for a party! A new baby party! I am almost positive about this new Joseph sailing in sometime over the weekend, and the weekend starts tonight, right?

Yesterday I went for a wonderful acupuncture treatment to relieve some stress from the recent drama of my kidney health and to help with all of this back pain. I love the woman who treats me, and she is always so complimentary of me during pregnancy. "Oh you just look great! You are radiating these beautiful Mama glow everywhere! Are we kick starting things today?" WHA? Ummm I don't think so. Oh wait, we are getting close, I guess it wouldn't matter. So she went after all of those labor inducing points, and dang! Those spots really did sting. Last night, I noticed a little bit of cramping action, but what can I say? I am just trying not to think about it.

HA! This morning, we are greeted with another snow storm approaching the DSMetro, and I am reminded that Iain and Fiona were both born during snow storms. Yes, both. Husband gets out of the door, and I was feeding I & F during departure, and they are just in love with these little Stonefield Yo Baby! yogurts. They have bi-passed the eggs two days in a row, and have decided that they like to dip their sausage links in the yogurt....Fiona then declares, "Mama a mess! Help me! Wash hands. Yogurt ewweywhere." This morning she had yogurt everywhere TWICE: once going down and a second time coming back up. I was folding CLEAN clothes, and I was caught in that freeze moment, trying to decide is it better to move a puking child to the bathroom and risk cleaning up a trail of puke? or do we let it just all come out in a puddle, splashing mom's feet and kid's feet, and then have puking kid walk away saying "All done" as she makes another puke puddle by my knitting corner? Both are bad ideas. So this brings me to scrubbing my floors on my hands and knees. I don't know if it is an old wives tale, or what, but I have heard it suggested if you are past due, to get on your knees and scrub the kitchen floor. I got to scrub my living room floor, and I only realized after I was half way through that I was again priming myself for labor.

So here we are tonight, and after some nice little texting and phone conferences with my birth confident Deborah, we are getting close! I am trying to be excited. No, wait, I AM EXCITED! I had some little errands to run today like dropping off some serious correspondence at the post office, dumping off a bag of books at Goodwill, and swinging through Little Padded Seats to pick up a Moby wrap. There were very few people on the road, and I realized I was crazy when they lady at Goodwill said, "What possessed you to come out in this kind of weather today?" Oh, well, you know. Just trying to tie up my loose ends around the house since I will be heading for a new level of being home bound with my little flock of chicks.

Just to throw in another element, I continue to be glued to the TV each night, watching the Olympics. Last night I was up much later than Husband, watching the Men's Figure Skating Final, and tonight I am just soaking up this pairs ice dancing. How could it get any better than figure skating with ballroom twisted together. Granted, I am not catching my breathe as much since there are no jumps, throws, lifts, etc. but the Men's Super G is giving me the gasps and adrenaline sufficient for Olympic watching and could that also be potential labor starter?

Godspeed to my little one.

My little man is 3!

I was trying to get this blog posted on the day! But I had my little 3 year old telling me to "get ready for my party! my friends coming soon!"

After I took the cake out of the oven, and let it cool before dumping it out of the cake pan, I got into bed along side Husband and said, "Three years ago, where was I at?" Pretty groggy he said, "I don't know..." I kicked him. "Was I pushing at this point? or was I just turned up as high as possible on the contraction inducing drugs? Oh nevermind...I guess the better question would be, where were you? Making jokes in front of me, or visiting with my brother in the waiting room?"Every long minute and every crazy machine that was hooked on me or inside of me was worth it. After 40 testing weeks of pregnancy, I found every ounce of discomfort or pain to melt away when I held my 9 pound 3 ounce baby boy to my chest for the very first time. To look at his face and watch him take his first air born breathes, complete elation washed over me.We didn't know what to call him. Every name that we liked just didn't fit. After half of a night's rest, and so many important people to have their first hold of the first of a new generation on both sides, we decided on Iain Fitzwilliam. Still riding the high of our Scottish themed wedding, we were browsing through Celtic names and as Husband read down a list, my ears perked up with Iain. "What does it mean?" God is gracious. "Perfect! We'll take it! Iain Fitzwilliam..." The Fitzwilliam was the only thing I had planned and it was for a middle name, and it is from Austen's Pride and Prejudice. (I like it, so there. I have had quite a bit of grief over the length and sound of Fitzwilliam, but does it sound any worse than someone naming their son OR daughter Peyton, after Peyton Manning? Hardly!) I still struggle with Will's "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" since I can never get Anne Shirley out of my head saying, "A rose couldn't smell as sweet if it was named a skunk cabbage..."Such a good baby, and such an active little boy. He is always moving around, creating, pretending things with his massive imagination, and loves discovering the backyard. 100% boy by having collections of rocks in the garden, trying to escape the fence and chasing the dog with a stick, laughing all of the way. His spirit is quiet and sweet during prayer with Jesus and always tells Husband to "drive safe!" on his way to work. He takes such good care of "Foner Lynn" by sharing his food and drink with her, and listening for her to wake up each morning. He is starting to be a bit bossy with his Mama telling me "don't touch it Mama, remember" when I try to help him on the potty or by getting him into bed. He knows that his independence still has limits and pretty soon changes his tone to "Help me Mama." I was glowing when he told everyone that I had made his birthday cake and he had to show it off to each person that came for his dinner. After singing "Happy Birthday" along with everyone, he looked straight at me and said, "Thank you Mama. I love you too," and gave me the best bear hug from my little man.Iain, my hope for you is that you continue to explore this world that God has created for our enjoyment. I pray that you will come to an understanding and knowledge of a Savior who loves and died for you, and that you seek His kingdom first. I pray for a godly wife for you, and that her parents are striving to raise her to love the Lord. I hope that you will never see limits in life only challenges that you wish to conquer and that you don't ever take life too seriously, because your laugh melts my heart and your smile lights up a room. God has blessed me with you, and I am so thankful that your Papa told me to "jump in" with him. You are my life's example of allowing God to be in control and I see the wonderful blessings he had in store.

Monday Dialogue

There is more snow today. What was predicted as 1-2" dusting is now in the 5-10" range. How does that happen?

Iain: Mom, nice eyes, nice nose, nice glasses, nice hair.
Mama: Thank you, you are sweet.
Iain: I love you too, Mom.
Mama: I love you too, Iain.

Mornings in my 9th month of pregnancy

Iain: Sniffs the air. Mama, smell something.
Mama: Fiona? Did you make a kaka in your pants? I smell something.
Fiona: No, a FART! I cleeeeen!

Husband leaving for work...
Husband: Kisses wife I love you, honey. Have a good day.
Iain: Bye bye Poppa! A hug too?
Husband: Bye Iain. Hugs.
Fiona: A hug toooooo!
Husband: Laughing Bye Fiona. Hugs.
Fiona: Kiss toooooo!
Husband: Laughs, kisses Fiona.
Iain: A forget your lunch bag!
Husband: Thank you Iain, I have it.
Iain: Taking a bite of toast. Drive safe Papa!
Husband: I will drive safe!

Helping clean the kitchen-this is pre-Christmas, hence the tree still up