Still Pregnant...

Due date here and still no baby. Little Emily is taking her time. I know that she's already bigger than the other girls were because I have all these lovely new stretch marks. Yeah for badges of honor. Pffftt! I've been having pretty regular contractions about 5 to 10 minutes apart for the last day or so, but no sense that this is it. I'm just exhausted and ready for this all to be over.

Baby Number 5!!!

Joining us late March or Early April 2011!

Five Years Together and Best Christmas Present Evah!!!

This year marks Aaron and my fifth anniversary. So much has changed in five years, I cannot even remember how my life really was before. I remember it was a lot less full though. Now, four children later and hopes for more down the line; I can't imagine life without him. Sometimes I think it's not possible to love him more than I do, but everyday I fall a little more for him.

The above drawing is a portrait that Aaron's sister did for us for Christmas this year. I adore it and it will always be one of my most treasured gifts. :)

Four Babies

Less than 24 hours after giving birth to my fourth child a doctor from my OB's practice came in to check on me. She told me that she didn't see how it was possible to fully love and adequately nurture four children. I told her we would be just fine and made a mental note never to let this woman near me again and that if she was on call when I went into labor with my next child, I would, by sheer will power, hold him/her in until the shift change. :)

It certainly is difficult taking care of and having time to connect with each of these children; especially right now, when I'm so "connected" to the smallest one. But, it is certainly not difficult to love them and to make room in my heart for each new blessing. When I walk into Madelynne's room to get her in the morning and she's cooing and waving her arms and legs, my heart swells and I am filled with an overwhelming love for that child. This seems to happen with each new baby. My depth of love is stretched to a new level. My heart gets bigger.

As to my ability to nurture each one, I have learned what each one of my children responds to. Anna and Charlotte are both very much the same. They are fiercely independent (I DO IT!), but they also want you along for the ride...to be there to share the experience (I DID IT, MAMA!). Abby and Maddie have a need to be with people. Little Maddie is already quite the talker and those of you who have spent any small amount of time with Abby will marvel at her communication skills. My extroverts, they need their energy to be filled up by other people.

I love all my girls so much and love being their mama. I hope to have many more children and know that they'll each be different in their own ways. I can hardly wait to meet them. :)

My Sister and Crowd Come for a Visit

Madelynne is just over a week old and my sister, Amy and her family, came for a visit. It has been a lot of fun seeing all the girls. They have five girls: Alexis, Raegan, Ashleigh, Ryley and Sydney. So, yes, the girl thing is apparently contagious in my family. :) As are twins, notice Ryley and Sydney. :) This is the earliest my sister has every seen one of my girls which was a lot of fun. That is one of the hardest things for me having her so far away right now, is that we're not more able to share those special times in our lives; pregnancies and births. I am just thankful that I live now and not 100 years ago. Then, maybe, I would have been able to see her every 10 years. I just can't imagine.

As I'm sure you can imagine, our house was incredibly crazy. At one point, my cousin's wife, Holly, came over with their three children and it literally felt like a swarming tornado of children! :)

Amy's twin babies are getting so big! They seem to be developing at exactly the same rate. I still can't tell them apart. Maybe someday?

Everyone was playing so hard and I think Miss Ashleigh just needed a little down time.

Raegan trying her hand at the piano.

The oldest grandchild, Alexis is becoming such a big girl and I'm sure a real blessing to her mama.

Amy holding little Madelynne at only a week old. Unbeknownst to us at this visit, she is also pregnant with their sixth little blessing in February 2010!

Sharing Our Space

After Madelynne's birth, because the older girls are still so small, we wanted her to have her own space. That meant moving Charlotte into Anna and Abby's rooms. It seems to be going well so far. The only thing that seems to be a problem is Charlotte staying in her own bed. She is showing herself to be a little climber...even at 15 months old. She's also learned a new sound. She's mimicking my sharp intake of breath when I come into their room and find her perched in the top bunk. :)

The Girls

Anna and Abby are very interested in the new baby. They want to see her and are concerned about her. They always want to know where she is and what she needs. Charlotte could care less about her and doesn't really acknowledge her existence yet. Maybe this is a good thing. We were concerned about Charlotte showing jealousy towards the baby. Maybe she does realize the baby is there and just knows that that small "thing" needs Mommy an awful lot right now. She is becoming waaaaaaay more independent, which is also a good thing right now. Now, if we can just keep her out of the toilet. :)