Siblings!

Kendall Leigh is here!

Here she is...with me smelling that wonderful newborn smell!

I went to my 41 week OB appointment this past Monday and had a sonogram and non-stress test done. Dr. P discovered my fluid levels were quite low, so she called my regular doctor and he said to be at the hospital at 6 AM Tuesday morning to be induced!! I wasn't looking forward to having Pitocin, but I was ready to have my little girl!!

Monday night was a flurry of activity as I finished packing my bags and getting things in order at home. I ended up having almost 2 hours of good contractions after midnight and then they went away...of course. Between that, being excited and being nervous, I got very little sleep!

Sean and I woke at 4 AM to shower and get ready for our big day...left the house with Pam(my best friend who lives next door) by 5 AM. We stopped at Wegmans for breakfast..then made our way to Crouse Hospital.

My nurses and my dr, as well as all the other doctors that happened to be there were all great! This was a wonderful experience, well, except for the pain! My main nurse during the induction was awesome...she chose the right profession!!

The Pitocin was started by 7:30 AM and contractions started VERY soon after! I was 2 cm when I went in and it didn't take long unti I was 5 cm. By then, the pain was actually becoming too much for me...I was surprised because my other three labors were medication free. That Pitocin is something else! I decided to ask for Demerol and it did take the edge off most contractions. Unfortunately the contractions after 7 cm were horrible and the Demerol just wasn't helping!! Things moved quickly and it wasn't long before I felt the urge to push. I could feel that urge just slightly, then all of a sudden...there it was! TWO pushes and she was OUT!!!

Kendall weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces and is 21" long! A half pound smaller than Caitlin was, thank goodness!

Kendall looks a lot like Cara and Caitlin did. They all had that little button nose which I adore. The darker complexion that Caitlin had and that little chin that Cara had.

Kendall's awesome hair after her first bath!! Caitlin had dark hair too.

Her foot...wrinkly and cute from being overdue.

I love her fingers...so long and pretty. AND those fingernails!!!

Proud Sean and a very tired me...just after Kendall was born. Sean is an amazing labor coach...don't know what I would have done without him. He always thinks he feels useless while I'm in labor, but he's always there for me to squeeze his hand during a contraction and to offer encouragement when they're almost too unbearable. I love this man SO much.

RIGHT after being born!

Ready to go home!!

Hmmmm....I don't know about this new world out here!

Being checked out by Dr. Trust, my kid's awesome new pediatrician!

Sean loving his little girl.

Being checked out right after being born...receiving and 8 and 9 Apgar score.

Sleepy baby!

Funny face....home now!

Sleeping soundly on mommy...

Something startled her....

We're home now and have been since Wednesday night. Dr M let us go a day early! A perk of having the same OB for 4 great pregnancies!! ;)
I'm SO glad to be home where I'm most comfortable. The kids are adjusting to their new sister in their own ways...it's interesting how our family dynamic is changing. Sean and I are closer than ever and we're seeing our children with new eyes.
I love the life God has blessed us with and I would not change anything.

41 weeks....

My last pregnancy photo...at 41 weeks. I was induced the next day....but that story is for the next post!

37 weeks and counting!

Could I get any bigger??? My belly is stretched so tight, I just feel like I could pop with a pin prick! And when Kendall stretches or kicks...OWWWWWW!!! I may have a few bruises inside from her.

This past Monday was 37 weeks. The end is approaching quickly, not quickly enough for me, but too quickly for Sean. He still has work to do on the bedrooms...and is running out of time!

My doctor's appointment went well. He checked me for any progress and I'm a fingertip dilated! It's something. He could also feel Kendall's head...she's REALLY low! Boy, do I know that...the pressure some days is almost unbearable. And I can breathe easier since she dropped!! :)

Next appointment is on Tuesday afternoon...I'll update again that day, unless Kendall decides to come before then!!

Girl's Room Photos!

The new Pergo flooring...found at Ollie's Outlet for $37.99 a case. This color was discontinued...a savings of over $20 a box!

The back corner of the girl's room...Sean did a great job on those drywall seams! He wouldn't say so though!! The ceiling is white, the walls are a very light butter yellow and the doors are beige gray.

The new closets...a small linen closet where the bookshelf used to be and the girl's closet, where wasted space used to be. The closet is not done yet though...the small window that's in there has to be taken out, but from the outside..and the kitchen porch roof is quite steep! Sean is NOT looking forward to that project!

The bathroom door with trim. Trim has to be painted white, then it's time to move the girls in!

The back corner again with the new window. This one is taller and slightly wider than the original window. We don't have to bend over to look out the window anymore!! :)

33 week Appointment!

How can it be that I'm at 33 weeks already??? This pregnancy has FLOWN by, maybe because the last trimester is during the summer, instead of winter like with my other 3?
I just know that Kendall could arrive in a month safely...but if she follows suit with her siblings, she'll be born 10 days after her due date, which is September 21st!!! I'm praying not...only because I remember all too well how terribly uncomfortable I was carrying Caitlin those last two weeks.

OB appointments are down to every 2 weeks now...yesterday was 33 weeks. My children all had to come with me to the appointment...that's always fun...so impatient they are! :) They did get to hear Kendall's heartbeat again though and watch her move around while I was laying on the table. My doctor is so good with the kids too...yet another reason I've stayed with him and his practice for all 4 pregnancies!

The heartburn is hitting hard now with the top of my uterus being so high. Tums have been my friend, mostly in the evenings. I'm also VERY short on breath most of the time, unless Kendall happens to be laying low, which is NOT often.

Today I'm sending in the hospital registration forms...it won't be long before Sean and I are headed there. We'll be delivering at Crouse in Syracuse. It's about a 30 minute drive from home...and I'm so very thankful that I'm not having another winter baby. Winters here in this part of CNY are very unpredictable. The winter before we moved here, one snowstorm dropped 5 FEET OF SNOW!!! Praying that doesn't happen again!

My next appointment is on the 17th in the afternoon. I'll post more that day!

Baby Shower!!

My baby shower was held on July 25th at our church, in the sanctuary. Pam, her girls and Cara did a wonderful job of putting everything together! The fresh flowers on the tables are all from my yard! I used daisies, strawflowers, cosmos, glads and coreopsis.

These flowers were store-bought, but beautiful none-the-less! This table held a basket of favors which were fall seeds to be planted on the day Kendall is born! And on the other side is Kendall's scrapbook which I've started. Guests were asked to write a little note to Kendall, which she can read when she's old enough.

My best friend Pam...such a wonderful hostess and awesome party planner!!! Thank you Pam, for a wonderful day!

My oldest, Cara, helping set up. She is 10 1/2 now...doesn't seem possible!

And me...almost 32 weeks pregnant...can't tell though with that dress on! I LOVE this dress. I found it on clearance for about $9 at New York & Company a couple months back...plenty of room for my growing belly! :)


I was so blessed by the wonderful generosity of my friends and family...thank you everyone!!

From my sister Sam, her husband(who is in Iraq) and her son, Jaydon.
3 pk burp cloths
2 pk thermal blankets
3M onesie
safety Q-tips
2 pk pacifiers
Target wipes
basket for the changing table

The 2 pk of sleepers are from our pastor's wife and daughter..I just love them! A gift card for Walmart from Judy...which will be used for a laundry basket, trash can and more hangers for Kendall's room and nursing pads. Nichole, a friend from church gave hangers, an aspirator, 6 pk of cute washcloths and a container for the changing table.

Mary Anne, another friend from church gave this great humidifier and a cute 3 pk of socks.

Lacy, my cousin's girlfriend, gave this adorable elephant and very, very soft, plush blanket, as well as a package of diapers.

Klara and Lynnet, both friends from church, gave 3 packages of wipes, a 30 pk of scrapbooking cardstock and the Creative Memories scallop cutter! Can't wait to use that!!

Nancy, another friend from church, hand crocheted this beautiful baby blanket! Kendall will be very warm this winter!

My grandma on my dad's side gave this beautiful blanket with butterflies as well as cash which I used to purchase some of the items below.

My other grandmother, who is in a nursing home and was able to come to the shower, gave cash. I used that as well towards the purchase of the items above.
-chime rattle dragonfly
-6 pk white socks
-crib sheet to match the bumper
-striped legwarmers
-3 pk 3-6M onesies
-3 pk bibs

Dottie and Jessie, MIL and SIL of Pam, gave these gifts:
-pink bathtub that can be used til Kendall's a toddler
-Aveeno bath and lotion products, sunblock and diaper rash cream
-adorable giraffe bathrobe(the hood has horns and ears)
-2 12M longsleeve/pants outfits that say 'my daddy loves me' & 'mommy loves me'

Pam's Aunt Dee, neice Ariana and Gma gave these:
-rattle
-polar bear socks
-doorknob pillow w/ marker to write Kendall's info on
-beautiful pink gingham dress w/ sweater
-pink onesie
-Aloe wipes

Audrey, another friend from church gave these...which I really wanted!!
-crib bumper
-crib comforter


I forgot to take a photo of the following....they were given by Pam's mom...
-monitor
-cute yellow outfit with white knit sweater
-flower garden onesie with pink jacket
-'I Love Grandpa' bib
-Classis Pooh Baby's First Security blanket
-pink and white striped crib sheet

My Aunt Bonnie in Florida gave cash a while back and I used that to purchase 2 nursing aprons/covers...one to keep home and one for on the go. Now I won't feel so strange about nursing in public! I've always hated going into another room away from everyone to nurse!
(these are one of Target's lines that I just love!)
-Luvs diapers

My other sister, Jackie, has purchased a white crib w/ mattress and matching changing table...found for a great deal at a yard sale! She will also be giving us a glider rocker w/ footstool that is white with pink cushions...I've wanted one of these with my other children. I'm really looking forward to using it at night for rocking and for nursing sessions!

Sean's mom will be blessing us with a gift card for Target as well as a high chair.

And a special thank you for those of you who have passed on numerous baby clothes for Kendall!! I love going through them all...and because I have so many, I will be able to bless others as well!