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. :)

Madelynne is proof to me that we should keep having babies. I love all my girls so much, but each one opens up something inside me that I hadn't yet experienced. Each one has taught me something about myself, creation, humanity and God's wonderous love that without these little beings, I wouldn't otherwise know. I praise God for seeing me fit to hold even one of these most marvelous of creations.

Madelynne is Here

After cooking for nine months and ten hours of labor, Madelynne Olivia made her grand entrance on May 31, 2009 at 7:05pm. She weighed 7lbs, 7oz and was 20.5 inches long. She is absolutely beautiful, and most defintely has her own look. I can see bits of all the other girls in her, but she is so different and special.

We thank God for her and His grace in bringing her to us safely. Aaron will be home with us the rest of this week to help out as the mama heals up a bit and we adjust to this new member of our family.

Full Term and Off to the Hospital

Here I am 39 weeks pregnant. Sorry to those of you who were hoping for more, but this is as good as it gets. I am leaning against the wall because that is the only way I could get comfortable enough for Aaron to take a picture of me standing. I have been having contractions on and off for the last three weeks, and making progress as I was dialated to a 3 at my last appointment. We now also have a labor-day. Because I have not gained any weight in my final month, my OB wanted to do an ultrasound. The ultrasound showed that there was a very minimal amount of amniotic fluid. That coupled with a recent jump in my blood pressure has set us for a delivery date of May 31st. We'll be going in at 7am to be induced. Wish us luck!

All Grown Up

I will be 27 years old this year. I am soon to be the mother of 4 (!!!) children. Sometimes when I pause long enough(or am allowed to pause long enough) to really think about how much my life has changed in the last five years, it is absolutely mind-boggling. Recently, I've been reconnecting with my cousin's lovely family. (My mother's brother's son) I can hardly believe the transition that he has made from the young man he used to be. He is now the married father of three boys running his own real-estate business. Seriously, that blows my mind, because when I think of him, or any of my other cousins, I still feel like I'm eight years old playing hide-and-seek in my grandma and grandpa Jackson's backyard.

We've recently done a couple of playdates and here are some highlights from our trip to the park. John (my cousin) is a true Jackson in his face and has transferred that on to his sons. I wonder if there is any of the Jackson features in my girls. I see it every now and then; more in a particular face or pose they make rather than a physical resemblance.


Beautiful Charlotte just chillin' out at the park, enjoying some water and fishie crachers. :)

This is the middle boy of the three, Enoch, with our oldest, Anna.


This is their youngest, Ezekial.

Their oldest, Elijah. (Notice a letter theme? :) )