So yesterday was Rich’s first day back to work and my first day of being a mama to seven. It went really well, actually. I spent time all day with the children, and also managed (with lots of help from the kids) to do five loads of laundry. What else? Oh yes, I made meals. Not too rough of a day.
Sarah is turning out to be quite an amazingly content baby (so far?)….I really feel grateful to the Lord for gracing my life with such a blessing. She sleeps good at night, and wakes up a couple times to nurse herself peacefully back to sleep. Before I go to bed at night I get the couch all ready for the first feeding and set out a big glass of water, and diapers and wipes. I still wake up all sweaty and I go shiver on the couch with her until the warm blanket warms us back up. Sometimes I watch TV while I nurse. I actually don’t mind the middle of the night feedings, and lately I have been calm enough to get back to sleep when I am done taking care of her. (thanks for praying!)
Today is the first day that Sarah is more wakeful during the day. It’s surprising to see her sit and look around, after her first week was spent almost continually sleeping.
I took all the pictures in this post this morning.
Are these two cute or what?!
My sister Amanda came over this morning for a couple of hours. She watched the baby (and the rest of the children) while I took a shower and got dressed. Then, we sat and visited in the house, and then outside for a while.
This is my sweet nephew, Westin:
And, my niece Naomi:
Jacob caught a chicken (this one is Margaret) and showed it to Sethers:
I sat in my pink chair and watched all the action at the playset. Yes, Jake and E have a chicken on the swinging bar.
Amanda, with Sarah:
Me with Sarah:
After lunch today, I got to take a little nap with Sarah in my bed. It was so cozy I never wanted to get up. She’s still sleeping and I just got Seth up from his nap. I thought I would hop online and do a quick post with some pictures. It’s been difficult to think about blogging but at the same time, I would like to keep up with these memories we are making here in our little house in Connecticut….sleepy hazy days with a newborn and her six older siblings. Rich and I are both so happy. It’s overwhelming at times but totally worth it!
How about all my friends here on xanga land? What are you up to today?
~Shan
Good to be Home 
So precious! Thanks for sharing. We are having the inside of the house painted next week and I am in the middle of packing up one closet into boxes that needs to be painted, weeding out clothes, etc.! Plus I have to take some books out of bookcases that need to be moved.. if I come by your site later and stay awhile it’s cause I’m listening to your lovely music.. hope that is okay?
I had a great time holding her today and enjoying all the children together playing happily….cant wait to bring abbie over to see her, she is just going to melt like Aunt Amanda did! You look great~ just take it slow breath and sit back and enjoy her. love ya sis
How refreshing to read an update from you today!!!
awww! she is so beautiful! just as her picture popped up, Ava said ‘aww, look at that sweet baby!’ she is just precious, and you look so, so beautiful!do take care of yourself, especially with your husband off to work again…blessings to you!
You are my inspiration lol… what a beautiful family, and to still have time to be online!! Amazing. Sarah is a doll xoxo
It was nice hearing from you again.Glad things are going well! I just came back from running errands with my husband.I’m enjoying the down time from his job.Blessings to you and your sweet family!
Shanda~Sarah is absolutely BEAUTIFUL and she has such amazing color to her precious cheeks! :o) I’m grateful to the Lord that things are going so well for all of you and that you are settling into a comfortable routine!Here in our neck of the woods we are enjoying a warm rainy day doing school and loving life! Things are finally settling down and we are easing into a relaxed summer schedule!Blessings to you~Mendi
You look great and the kids look so happy!Is Sarah going to have red hair?
Shanda! I thought you had disappeared and I was worried – but it turns out that the only problem is that I’m not getting my email digests. Congratulations! What a precious girl. She makes Seth look so old! Enjoy this time and I’m glad all is well. I will pray for you as well.
She is just precious and you look amazing too! I don’t know how you do it all!!!
She is so beautiful !
So darling! Sarah really is such a gift! Isn’t it nice to have a sister? I was happy to see the post and am so thankful that you are still putting these pictures up so that we can all see how life is going on your end!lots of love,JO
She looks so snuggly warm.I am eating cookies and talking on the phone while the children play to their hearts content. And I don’t feel guilty about it! 🙂
Shanda,Sarah is beautiful! Congratulations to you all!!! I love your posts..you continue to be an inspiration to Xangaland!! Praying for you as you settle into your family of 7 children. My husband is from the same size family and also 5 boys and 2 girls. We have such a good time when they all get together!! Blessings my friend =)
I am so happy to see that all is well in your home! Sarah is so beautiful. Great that your sister was able to visit you. I remember how good it felt to get a shower and get freshened up, makes a world of difference. Hubby is home for a week, so we are hanging out with the kiddos. Had volleyball this morning, then we went and ate tacos for lunch, and then went to see the new shrek movie. Been a great day. It’s naptime now and then we will got o swim lessons. it’s a very busy week!! 🙂
I am glad that things are going well over there. It is great that you are able to get outside with Sarah. Here? I took my pregnant self and the three kids grocery shopping. I just think that much fun should be illegal….
You look great. Sarah looks great. Your children look great. Your chickens look great. Your niece and nephew look great. Amanda looks great. I’m just GREAT-FULL that you are getting some sleep this time! I think of you often and pray for you and Rich, as you transition into this expansion of your family!
She is just as cute as can be!!!
You are a beautiful amazing momma Shanda. Your children are beautiful people as well. I’m glad to know you and call you “friend”.P.S. Seth looks gigantic next to Sarah!!
I am breathing a sigh of happiness in seeing all these pictures of you (looking so great!) and precious Sarah and all the kids. You look and sound (through this post) really wonderful! Oh, and it makes me feel so good to see the blankets being used. Keep taking care of yourself. Praise God for the peaceful nights and good sleep, and I (and others, I’m sure) pray it will continue. ❤
Shanda,So good to hear that you and Sarah are doing well. I love that little outfit you have her in in the first picture. is that one of the sweet ones that you made while you were awaiting her arrival? It sounds like the Lord has blessed you wiht a little lady that is a good little baby…so fun to see the picture of Seth and her and realize that he used to be that small not that long ago. my how the time flies.i laughed out loud when i saw the picture with the boys having the chicken at the swingset. man those chickens must have quite the experience with all the inquisitive kids around 😉 i still remember when i think Jacob brought the one into the house and you turned around and didn’t know he had it and freaked out 😉 love you. so glad to hear that you and your hubby are in such a great place loving each other and your beautiful children.be blessed, janel
hi shanda…….so glad things are starting out well for you and sarah. i think she has that cute newborn smile on her face again in that picture with aunt amanda! so sweet. keep resting and soaking in the love and fun of your precious family.
Beautiful, Beautiful Baby!!I’ve been kept busy running errands the last two days! Now it’s time to get books ready to sell at the Homeschool Book Sale this weekend at a local town. Right now am listening to my daughter laugh, giggle and sing along with her tape player and am going to go read my son his bedtime story! Blessings to you and pray all continues to go well!
She is so precious ~ just got back from getting a few groceries ~ ready to head for bed ~
She’s super cute, so glad you got a chance to relax today with Amanda there. Love the pictures of all the kids, it was such an awesome day today, wasn’t it? The air was so cool. By the way, I am supposed to bring you guys a meal on Saturday, so if you could, maybe send me a quick message to let me know if there’s something special you guys would like, or anything you guys might be tired of eating, etc. Just let me know. 🙂 ❤
she’s such a pretty baby~ and i can’t get over how much her and seth look alike. those two are going to have a blast being raised close in age together – your Irish twins! so fun. :)you look really good. and yes.. i can see the happiness and contentment you’re talking about in your face.
She is so precious. This post made me happy.It’s also very strange for me to see people in sweaters. I’m in Texas. Yeah…it’s been over 90 for 2 weeks straight now.
looking great!
Oh my word!!!! Xanga email updates has failed me!! I totally missed the birth of your little baby girl! (granted my life has been insane the last two weeks, but still! 🙂 I am mostly a “lurker” commenting very little, but this deserves a shout from the rooftops! Congratulations to all of you! Sarah is beautiful! it’s so nice to see your pictures and to hear that things are going well. I will pray for you today!My game plan today is to do laundry, make some meals and enjoy my four little ones!! (I don’t know how you do it!)
it 60 degrees here and looks like rain, i hope so my veg garden needs it.missen you much and you need to include arah with all the kids shot to make your family of 7 children i dont know how you do it. sarah is beautiful
Precious. I’m so glad you share your little homes memories and daily doings with all of us here in Xanga land. 😉
sweet beautiful Sarah…and her family.swinging chickens. lol. scrambling the eggs before they are laid???r.e.s.t. to you.
Glad to hear everything is going so well with you and the baby:) She is beautiful!
Congratulations on a sweet little bundle! She is just precious!
Enjoying your post and slowly recovering from surgery and dreaming of working in my garden.Excited for your peaceful new bundle of pink joy!Blessings,Angie
Praising the Lord for the good report!!! It is amazing how much Sarah looks like Seth. She is beautiful like the rest of your children. It has been a busy week here. All kinds of end of year parties, field trips, etc… My oldest had his step-up ceremony this morning. He is officially a middle schooler. Where does time go? Thankfully, the Lord has open the door for my four oldest children to all be at the Christian school where the older two go this next year. So thankful for that answered prayer. Please know I am here praying for you all. May the Lord continue to bless you and your home with His peace. ~ Deborah
There was something about night time feedings that I cherished….as long as there weren’t too many! Something about the quiet, and it’s just you and the precious little person…no one to interrupt! So glad she’s a content little bundle!
I am up to my eyeballs organizing my greeting cards. Made my own file and hopefully it will turn out good. I love cards!!! In this day and age of email it is always a treat to get a homeade card, don’t you think? Love the photos!!! Sarah is so sweet and so loved. The kids look so happy and the chickens are even having fun. Enjoy your day today.
Hi Shan! I love all these great pictures! Love you, praying for you! Lish
such a cute picture of Seth and Sarah…today, I am making my mommy’s mac and cheese for a potluck at work…macaroni noodles, cream of mushroom soup, and cheddar cheese…very simple, but also very yummy!!!
What a precious bunch of pictures and thoughts. So happy to see you looking wonderful! Sarah is gorgeous and so pink and cute! Love to see her with Seth! Yes, they are too cute! I remember the first weeks being a warm, hazy, blissful time. I will continue to keep you in prayer, what a blessing to hear you are sleeping in between all and everyone is thriving! We are vacationing…after several days of go go, I stayed here at my sons to rest up, reading, a bit of laundry, out to the pool to sun and swim. They all went off to play more disc golf at a dry, hot course, so Mama Jenny is resting up. I may put up a little post if I can figure out Dan’s pics love to you! Jenny
You and amanda have the same smile!
LOL…is it only boys that would think to put a chicken on a swing? Your life is like a beloved storybook!
Congratulations to Sarah for getting such a great family! I’ve enjoyed watching Seth grow, & I’m looking forward to watching Sarah grow, too. I just need to remember to visit Xanga more often. I don’t get notifications anymore, & they don’t know why.