Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday Carolyn!!!
Have fun being 5!!!!

Love,
Jacob, Emily, Meri &
(Uncle Joe & Aunt Heather too =)

We love our baby brother!!

It's a boy!!!

Our baby boy is here =) He is super sweet, adorable and cute, we are totally in love with him =)

Labor was pretty fast! I had a few strong contractions around supper time Monday evening. Nothing consistent. Went to bed and woke up a few hours later, about 11:30 with some strong contractions. I kept waiting for them to get closer together, but they were about 5-7 + minutes apart, but VERY strong. Finally I decided I better just call (I was hoping it wasn't false labor AGAIN.) The midwife said I better get to the hospital. This was around 2:00 a.m. So, we high tailed it out of here, and were met with heavy fog all the way to Eau Claire. I was hoping we'd make it to the hospital in time (it's about 30-40 minutes from here in good weather) and I was having strong contractions and pressure...but the contractions weren't real close together.

We made it there around 3:00 a.m., and I had to stop on the walk in and made it up to the labor & delivery. They checked me and I was between 7-8 cm dilated already! They called the midwife and told her to hurry on over. She got there and checked me, said I was almost ready to push. Then my water broke and I pushed a few times, and our big boy was born at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, January 19. Only 1 1/2 hours after we got there. 9 pounds 3 ounces and 22" long! I had asked the midwife on my last appt. if she thought the baby would be big. "No, I'd say normal size 7 to 7 1/2 pounds." 'Only' 2 POUNDS bigger!

So we're just thrilled to be home with our baby and together as a family. My mom is here helping out for a while, so everybody is having fun (and I'm trying to rest =)

I'll post more pictures another time.

Still here

Just checking in.
Still here...
I can't believe we've made it this far, this is the closest to my due date I've ever carried a baby before!!
All I know is it's one day closer, thankfully!
We'll hope to be sharing exciting news SOON!!

Winter fun

Ready to sled! Meri decided to help drive

The kids love being pulled on this sled, they laughed the whole time, even if they rolled off =)

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday Seth!!
Have a fun being 10!!!

Love,
Jacob, Emily & Meri
(Uncle Joe & Aunt Heather too =)

What else...

I don't really have any pictures to post because I've packed away my camera in the hospital bag =) I'm too lazy to dig it out, download the pictures and remember to repack it!

• Nothing really going on here, just counting down the days and wondering if each day will be "the one". It doesn't help when all my babies were born before their due date! Maybe not this one tho...
• We got MORE snow today, it was supposed to be only 1-2" but I'm thinking it was more like 4+"...haven't heard for sure.
• I've been nesting, and reorganizing, and cleaning out nooks and crannies in the house that have been neglected for too long!
• The midwife today offered to strip my membranes. I'm a chicken so I said no. The thing is it will only work if I'm ready to go into labor anyhow, in which case it's gonna happen soon anyhow! If I'm not ready to go into labor, it will just make me more uncomfortable for a few days. I guess I'll just go on being a time bomb and waiting =)
• Anything else I write will probably also be pregnancy related, so I'll stop now =)

Sisters

Sisters, friends. It's so fun to see these two growing closer. Meri loves to get into Emily's clothes already =) Most days when I let her pick out her clothes she'll come out of their bedroom in one of Emily's skirts and sometimes a much-too-long shirt. Poor Emily tries to do the same with Meri's clothes, but she's a little too tall, everything looks like mini-skirts on her =)

Here's just a touch of the fun they get into =) Annie (Grandpa Ben & Grandma Linda's dog) is staying with us while they are taking a little trip....At least she stayed plenty warm during the cold spell!! She's a very good dog, and as you can see tolerant of their attentions =)

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday Tanya!!!
Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Joe Heather & family

Hope 2010 brings all the best for you!!!