How to occupy your kids during the winter...

Fall pictures of the three oldest.

Abby singing

When she melts down cause she doesn't like something, I have her sing this song. " I don't like it. I don't like it. It's okay. Its okay. I can handle it anyway. I can handle it anyway. Its okay. Its okay."

3 months and family pictures.

 Our sweet little blessing at 3 months old is able to roll up onto her side, pivot in a complete circle with her head being at the center, and push up her upper body a bit. Her smiles and giggles are priceless.

All my little blessings from God.

I'm in the picture!

Up high in the tree...

Just because.

Abrianna, " I am a true princess of God, mommy. That's why I'm wearing this crown!"

Abigayle substitutes "t'" in place of "c".
Tractors= crackers
Tovers= covers
Tandy- candy

First giggles

The "secret"

 Lucas ( 6) to Abrianna (4)who was in a time out and wanted him to tell her a naughty secret, " Do what mommy says! Otherwise you are gonna have to sit in time out for 42 min like I did today. And be quiet! The screaming and crying doesn't work!"

10 Weeks

She's 10 weeks old! Such a happy social little girl. Especially first thing in the morning and when I want to go to sleep at night.

Her hands have become a great pacifier recently.

Trumpets.

Daddy with his oldest girl.

Loving his baby.

The oldest three.

See my frog?

Jumping into the mucky mud.

Watching the older two.

What trip to the lake wouldn't be complete without throwing rocks?

Just The Girls At The Park.

What????

Couldn't stop grinning.

Watching big sister.

Even upside down...

Blow sister! Blow!

All blown out.

The "men" went on an overnight backpacking trip this weekend, leaving just the girls at home. Oh it was so quiet! We had our own adventures here. While at the park, Abigayle walked over to a tree and began pointing, exclaiming "Baby! Baby!"  "Sure. " I thought. I walked over and low and behold there were two babies... squirrels. Both looked dead. But upon closer examination I discovered one was still alive. We brought it home and attempted to care for it. It died that evening.
We also were invited to tacos at a friends house. Very good and much appreciated. Sabbath was quiet as well. Everybody behaved well in church. We walked to the park again that afternoon.
Guys arrived home safe, sound, and sore after a 5 mile uphill hike in and 5 miles down hill out. But they were grinning from ear to ear. 

2 months old.

Serious.

Full body wiggling smile.

Still smiling.

2 Months old. Such a smiley little girl. She's learning to shut down and sleep a bit better at night. I'm finally getting to the bottom of her tummy problems and she's much happier. She loves to visit ( coo) with mommy. Her head control is good as is her ability to sit up while supported.  She loves to stand on her little legs. Abigayle LOVES her and is learning to not pick her up without permission and to take turns with mommy. ( Abigayle was holding on for dear life to baby when it was time to give her back.)

Packing with small helpers...

My children were excited! Tomorrow we were gonna go and see Grandpa Richard, Grandma Melody, Uncles Reggie and Chris and Auntie Jen!
I was tired and was trying to nap. Their nap time was complete and into my room they charged. What could they do to help? Well, I told Lucas how many pairs of clothing he needed and off they older two trotted to "pack". A little while later, back came Lucas, bag in tow and packed. I lay Emberley on the bed next to me ( where she began to grunt) while I sorted through to see how he had done.  I was pleasantly surprised that I only had to add a couple items of clothing and take out the toys. "Grandma has lots of toys. All you need to bring is something to play with in the van."
Emberley began to fuss. I scooped her up.Yellow oozed through her clothing and onto my bed spread. Oh boy. Bath time for baby. Laundry time for the bedspread.
Walking into the bathroom I happened to glance into the kids' room. What a sight met my eyes. Abrianna had packed 12 bags and 1 box  full of toys, clothes, and books. Couldn't deal with that quite yet.
Bath over and laundry started, I walked into the living room carrying my clean baby on my shoulder burp rag in hand. She unhappily urped up all over my shoulder. I shook my head. Laugh or cry? I'm chose to laugh. That's what I got for not having the burp rag in position instead of in my hand.
Settling into my rocking chair I began to feed my baby. My older two girls launched a  brawl  in my bedroom. My dutiful 4 year old was trying to pack Emberley's essentials. Abigayle was eating the essentials- colic tablets. A fight errupted. Abrianna came out on the short end of the stick with bite marks on her shoulder and cheek. Sigh...
I disciplined Abigayle and finished feeding Emberley.The milk didn't agree with Emberley. She began fussing and burping up. I worked  packing Abrianna and Abigayle's clothes. Nestled among the clothes were toys packed by a "helpful" 4 year old. Removing the items, zipping shut the bag, I ushered all the girls into the back yard to play while I read. Lucas hauled the bag out to the van to prevent any additional unneeded items from sneaking in. 
The rest of the afternoon I tried to unpack the 12 bags and 1 box zealously packed by my 4 year old Abrianna and placate a colicky baby.
 Rick arrived home. He sat down and began to eat. Mostly done, I asked him to hold Emberley. "But I'm eating!" he said. "Well the kids and I haven't eaten yet.I replied." Why not?" he inquired. " Cause I haven't had the chance to feed them!" I finally did finish packing. What should have taken an hour job took 5 hours.
 Whew! Is it just me or does that sound crazy?

6 weeks old.

"Mommy, when I grow up I'm gonna be a baby holder," she said.

Finally a smile caught on camera. She's been smiling since she was 1 month old.

Just because she's my beautiful baby.

1 month and counting....

1 Month old, already. She's begun smiling and making contact this week. She's beginning to hold her head a little bit.

Is it worth the pictures for an m & m?

A crinkle nosed grin. Just like her momma when I was a little girl.

25 days

God's name is....

Listening to christian radio. A song came on, "God's name is Holy." My 4 year old Abrianna pipes up, "No it isn't! God's name is Jesus!"

3 weeks old.

3 Weeks old today.

Her expressive little face. 

10 1/2 lbs.

This is what she thought of the photo shoot by the end. Such a short attention span.

16 days old ( a little late posting this)

A little late posting this. She's 16 days old and it's the first time I caught her with her eyes open on with my camera. Her eyes are a deep gray/blue. Be interesting to see if they go brown or blue....

10 Days Old.

Abigayle loves Emberley. She's very liberal in trying to hug, kiss, pat, and hold her.  She's still adjusting to not being the baby anymore. She's taking on the role of big sister. She has decided that its time to potty train. Who'd have thought that would be her motivation?

She has more hair than any or my babies thus far with reddish tints around the temples.

Picking up her head.

7 lbs 15 oz 10 days old. She had her PKU heel prick today. Marcile ( midwife) said this is the first baby she's ever done that too that hasn't really cried. She did squeak just a bit.

Emberley May Drake

July 16th started with a possible leaking water bag. My midwife was in town having assisted in delivering a baby, so she stopped by to check at about 11. No it wasn't leaking. I was crushed. So ready to be done.
She left me a homeopathic to try to start labor. This only would work if my body was ready. I was to try a dose every half an hour for a total of 4 doses. 3 Doses later nothing had happened. Taking the 4th dose I started making my kids lunch. Whamoo! Contractions started about 3 min apart. Quite interesting to try to breathe through them while fixing lunch.. I started timing them at 12:52.

About 1:00 I called my friend Amber to come over. She occupied my kids cleaning the house while I dealt with contractions. I messaged Rick. He arrivied by about 2:30ish. Just in time for transition and needed counter-pressure on my back. It was wonderful to finally have him involved.

Lucas helping to fill the birth pool.

When Shannon arrived, I was in transition and about 6 cm dilated. Oddly enough, about 2 contractions later, while in the pool I felt my cervix expand. I asked her to check. Yes, I was at an 8. She called her assistant in Tri-cities. Then decided there was no way Marcile would make it. So Amber stepped in as birth assistant, photographer, and kid occupier.

At 9 cm I asked Shannon to break my water. 20 min later ( 3:53PM) she told me to pick up my baby. What a sticky little baby she was. "Go get the kids! I exclaimed ( I was told I only pushed for 10 min. My hat is off to you ladies who do it for several hours. OUCH!)

She's of minutes old here. 

Check out that vernix!

Abigayle is absolutely in love with her baby.

Daddy's first chance at holding his 3rd daughter ( 4th child).

Amber got a chance too.

All my children together.

Daddy cut the cord long in the tub. Lucas got to cut the cord to shorten it.

 My heaviest baby, 7 lbs 10 oz.

 19 1/2 inches long.

What every baby loves to do. Nurse!

I took a little bit of time the next morning to get a couple of cute cleaned up shots of her.

Baby princess.