Jacob is making spaghetti and fooling around with Ethan in the kitchen.

Rich is on his way home from a busy day at work.

David and Caleb are playing outside.

Seth is playing with toys.

The sun is starting to shine after several days of rain and clouds and chill.

I’m tired but content….tomorrow is Friday, we made it through the week, always only by the grace of God.

It’s been a wonderful week with our precious new baby, with ups and downs, smiles and tears, sleep and no sleep, hugs and kisses, and the first diaper blow-out.    All good!

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

Hello friends!  Thank you all so much for the warm congratulations, welcoming newborn Sarah into the world!  I’m so thankful for each one of you, for kindly praying for us during this exciting time.

I thought I would sit and type a little while, as Sarah naps peacefully by me in her playpen, and Rich has all the children outside with him, working and playing together in the garage.

Sarah was born on Sunday morning, after an easy labor.  I went into the hospital at about 1:30, after waking up at home feeling sick and starting to have contractions. 

I requested an epidural as soon as the doctor would let me have one, and it was put in place and working before the labor pains had gotten too intense.  Actually, the roughest part of the whole labor was when the first epidural was placed wrong and my pulse rate increased so much that it made me feel faint and scared.  The second one went in just fine, to my relief.

Rich was his typical quiet, supportive self during everything.  He does such a good job at keeping me calm, just by staying by my side and being there.  I’m so thankful for my husband.

We were both so excited when, in time, the nurses said we were ready to deliver, and the doctor came in.  All the baby-delivery things were brought out, the doctor put his scrubs on, the nurses were buzzing about getting the bed adjusted, all of which are such exciting moments, when you realize you are about to see your new baby.  The moment had finally arrived!

What a thrill it was to see Sarah’s little face as she was being born.  When I first saw her, I could not believe how much she looked like her brother Seth, and I wondered, just for a moment, if she was a boy!  The doctor delivered her so gently and as soon as she was born I looked and saw that she was for sure a girl.  Rich and I were so full of joy, I looked at him often, to see his smile and happy eyes.  After three(of the most wonderful) boys in a row, the joy was even greater, to have a daughter.

My sister and her husband watched the children for us on Sunday (and part of Monday, too), and they brought the kids all over to the hospital so they could meet their new sister.  Of course it was a very happy moment, when Grace met Sarah for the first time……….

Now we are nine…………

(the day she was born)

The hospital stay went well.  The nurses were so nice and thoughtful.  Rich went home to the children, to sleep at night, and during both of those nights, I had the nurses care for Sarah in the nursery so I could have a sleeping pill and try to sleep for a few hours at least.  As it was, I was very restless and didn’t get much sleep.  Sarah had to have one bottle, but it all worked out so that we only missed that one feeding together, during the night.

During the days, she was with me every moment, and I held her as much as I could. 

On Monday morning, when Rich came back to the hospital to us, he brought one of Sarah’s special blankets.  I didn’t tell him to do it, and I thought it was especially sweet that he thought of her.  This blanket was made by one of my friends that I met here on xanga, my dear friend Angie.

Rich left the hospital on Monday afternoon to go home to the children.  He ended up taking them out to dinner that night and I called him, lonely and crying a little, to ask him to please please stop by to see me.  I’ll tell you, it only took about 20 minutes of having all those busy children of mine around me before I was feeling back to normal again, and ready for them to leave.  Seth was running amuck, opening and shutting things, David was getting his sneakers all over my bed, etc, etc….it was so funny to send them away again, with a cheerful “Good luck!” to my slightly frazzled husband.

I did get this cute picture of Sethie, though.  He was impressed with his sister:

So, I got home Tuesday morning.  Today is Friday.  It’s been a pretty good couple of days.  Sarah’s first night was rough, I was up every hour of the night with her, she wasn’t crying a lot, but the two of us just couldn’t settle down.  I am having trouble sleeping, but I’m always like this with a new-newborn, the first weeks/month are somewhat nervewracking, especially the night hours.

Rich took this next picture.  I love how he adores her.

He also took this one:

I took this one Tuesday afternoon, right before I snipped off her arm band:

Did you notice the picture in the beginning of this post?  I love peonies, and that picture was the last one I took before having Sarah.  I had wondered this springtime, as I watched the flowers growing, if the peonies would be in bloom when she was born, and they were.  They are such big, feminine pink blooms and will always always remind me of the time she was born to us.

Yesterday afternoon (Thursday), Rich and I took Sarah to her first check up at the pediatrician’s office.  Everyone there was so encouraging and happy to see our new baby.  Doc said Rich and I were a winning combination of genetics, to have yet another healthy baby.  God gets the glory for all good things and I can’t express how humbled I feel, when I think of how GREAT God has been, so merciful and gentle with me, His daughter, and how He has blessed our family.

Sarah is 6 lbs, 9 oz, and she is actually measuring 19 1/2 inches, rather than the 21 inches.  I thought that was pretty interesting.  Apparently the hospital uses a tape measure and runs it down the back of the baby, curling it along…..the office uses a straight ruler type.

After the appointment, we came home just in time for an edible bouquet delivery, from Rich’s workplace.  We took this picture, to send along in a thank you email.

It sure hit the spot!

Rich has been home this whole week and it has been such a relief to let him take care of everything while I rest and concentrate on the baby.  Sarah has been eating and sleeping wonderfully, and the times we share, snuggled together, are precious and never to be forgotten.  There is something so tender and sweet about caring for a newborn.  I look at her….her tiny hands, ears, feet, and marvel.  I kiss her and feel her softness.  I smile at her little noises and savor the times when she is alert and trying to make her blinky little eyes work.

The rest of the children have been a delight.  They make me laugh; the laughter is healing, and feels so good.  Jacob, Ethan, and Grace get to go to a friend’s house today and I’m so happy for them.  It’s been such an exciting week for us all, and the older children have been especially helpful.  It will be fun for them to get out of the house for a while.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope each one of you has a wonderful day, and a happy weekend. 

Much much love~  Shanda

Our new baby has arrived, safe and sound!

Sarah Joy  was born on Sunday, May 30, 2010 at 9:46 am.

She weighed 7 lbs, 1 oz and was 21 inches long and is perfectly healthy.

The birth went well and we are so thankful for the prayers and love of our family and friends.

I’ll share more details eventually, once I am able.  For now, we rest and get to know our precious daughter.

It’s been in the high 90’s for two days in a row, we don’t have a/c so it’s been rough by the end of the day!  I’m so thankful for my big bathtub, the cool water baths at night have been great.

We had a big thunderstorm in the night last night.  The nice rain broke the heat and this morning was nice and cool again, I drank my coffee on the porch with a book and my cat, listening to the birds.

My pink peonies have opened.  I picked some and put them on the table this morning. 

I stood in the quiet dark kitchen, with only Ethan and Caleb awake and eating their cereal, and cut up fresh strawberries, pineapple, and cantaloupe.  Caleb found an ant on the table from the flowers (why do ants crawl all over peonies?)

I had a doctors appointment yesterday and I am 3cms dilated and the baby is head down and low. 

I went out to the vehicle afterwards and called Rich to tell him (he is so excited) but I was weepy, thinking about my baby Seth and how things will be so different in a matter of a week, or even just a day or two.  Hubby was so understanding and said he had just been thinking the same thing that morning.  It was sweet.

The other day I sat on the porch and listened to some of my favorite songs on my ipod, and looked through magazines.  Of course I couldn’t keep my little buddy away.  He would curl up on my lap for a moment, then get down, go around to the side of the chair, climb up & on mama again, and flop himself down…over and over.  (it was not relaxing but I love this picture of my two babies)……….

We have a water table for Seth and I filled it up for him and as I was going in and out of the house with water pitchers, I found Seth IN his water table so I took off his diaper and let him play.  It was so hot outside and he loved being in the cool water.

We bought 2 hanging baskets for the front porch, I love them, they are huge and beautiful.

Seth’s favorite water toy is a plastic cup, to fill and dump.  He has a scrape on the bottom of his chin, from falling on a rock this weekend.

20 more little preparations, ’cause don’t ya know, these sorts of things do help the mindset!

Rich and the children treated me to a french manicure and pedicure, for mother’s day ~ and I went and got my nails done over the weekend.  It felt so nice to be pampered.  My poor feet ache a lot, and I am mostly wearing socks and sneakers during the day now.  I’m happy to have pretty toes for the delivery room, lol.

Seth has his favorite book that we read…..

Today I really must be thinking about packing my hospital bag.  The hospital is only five minutes away from our house, so I have been very laid back about being away.  It will be fun to get my things together, though.  Rich is at work, Davy is at school, Grace is playing the piano, we’ve all had breakfast and I think it’s gonna be a good day!

I hope yours is, too~

Love, Shanda

What would you do if you caught a turtle?  Would you run to the house to get a permanent marker so you could write it’s name on the bottom of it’s shell?

That’s what my boys do!  This particular turtle was caught by Davy.  It’s name is “Having a Good New Life” and he is an old friend.

Davy caught two other turtles recently.  He named them David (after himself) and Sharpie (after the permanent marker).

Someone please please freeze these days for me so they never end!

So I have my typical gazzilion photos to share after a weekend of family memories…but alas, after years of xanga blogging it seems I have reached the limit to my storage space which I think means I have to buy lifetime or start using photobucket.  At this moment I can’t be bothered to do either so I’ll just have to satisfy myself with the meager handful of photos that did load up this morning…………

Like little Sethers, wearing a lifejacket for the first time.  He went in the pond to “swim”, choked on some water, and then willingly stayed out for the rest of the day.  Seems like just yesterday I was posting little Caleb’s first pictures in the pond! 

This was a fun, rare treat:  we filled a cooler on the porch with usually forbidden sugar-laden beverages and let the kids have free reign.  Yes, the drinks are all gone today.  The diet Pepsi is Rich’s; the rest of us like sugar.

So we had little boys running around with stained mouths all weekend…stained red from the fruit punch.  Surprisingly, Caleb could still nap with all the sugar coursing through his veins.

Grace picked out flowers from Agway and planted them herself. 

And a milestone happened.  Our two older boys became Mowers.  People, useful people, who mow lawns.  Rich taught them how to use a push-mower and they worked hard mowing up the trim work and areas that Rich can’t mow himself with the big mower.  I am so proud of Jacob and Ethan. 

Ethan:

And here is Jacob, using a weed-eater type of machine.  I can’t remember what they were calling it.  Grass and bits fly everywhere so he has to wear safety glasses. 

The lawns look SO nice now!  It makes me happy to be outside and see everything trimmed so neatly and nicely.  I feel like a lady who employs landscapers, and the best thing is the boys acted like it was as fun as going to Chuck E Cheeses.  They loved it!

And this is one of my favorite pictures from the weekend, Davy-do reading a good book.

I’ll have to save the pictures of Ethan’s guitar recital, the beautiful moth, and the miscellaneous pictures of turtles, jam, and hair cuts for another time.  Bother!  Besides…..I cannot keep Seth off me as I type, he’s like a climbing monkey and will not sit still on my lap (what little lap I have left, he literally slides right off under the desk) for anything.  He wants badly to be a typer, like mama.

The pregnancy continues, and I am running on little sleep and raging hormones but we are all alive and well here at our home sweet home. 

Blessings to each one of you on this fine day!

~Shanda

PS, Happy Birthday to my wonderful brother David!  I love you, Dave!

I don’t want to ever forget that it was my Mom who taught me to read to my own children, by her example.  She was such a sweet young thing when my brother David and I were preschoolers….let’s see….yes, she was in her early twenties, and I remember her reading us all sorts of books, my favorite by far was Little House on the Prairie. What a safe and secure spot, to curl up by Mom, listening to her voice and soaking in the pictures of the books.  She read books out loud to all five of her children and put the love of books and stories in our hearts.

I read and read and read and read to my own youngsters, now.  I forget to soak in the pictures because I’m too busy being dramatic and theatrical as I read the stories.  But the children cuddle up to me so very close and they sit still and listen and look at every page, every detail.

I started collecting Little Golden Books a few years ago because they are so easy to find, identifiable by their golden binding, and there are lots of them.  The first 12 were originally published (in 1942) as a less expensive way to get children’s books into every household; they only cost 25 cents.  Because they were affordable, these books were meant to be loved and handled by the children themselves.

They were known from the beginning for their wonderful illustrations and simple stories but were not without controversy.  I was intrigued to learn that librarians were concerned about the books at first, believing that just because a book was inexpensive didn’t mean it was worth reading to children. 

There are serious collectors out there, but I am not a serious collector.  I get most of my books from library book sales for about 10 cents a piece.  I don’t care about condition, I buy them when I find a title I don’t have, and if it looks like a book I’ll actually read to the kids.

This is the latest find, and it’s so sweet! 

Here is a peek inside:

It was written and illustrated by Sharon Kane.

Another favorite writer and illustrator of mine is Eloise Wilkin. 

The Little Red Caboose is a practically perfect story to read out loud, it reads well and the story is wonderful.  The pictures are bright and detailed, there is lots to see as we turn the pages.  We also sing “Little Red Caboose” when we read this book, too.  “Tooot Toooooot!”

 This is my Davy’s favorite Little Golden Book:

When You Were a Baby (1949) is so sweet and quaint, it makes me laugh and get the urge to put on a dress, heels, and a frilly apron.

This is most of my collection, I’ve been gathering them up from all around the house, when I first had the idea last week to do this blog entry. 

Caleb went through a passionate BAMBI stage, and there is one Little Golden Book that had the cover loved off it, and we had to tape it back together with blue duct tape. 

These collector’s guides are fun to look through, especially the one listing all the titles.  It pictures all the covers of most of the books printed.

Caleb’s happy because there are even Little Golden books about Thomas!

Even 15 month old Sethie has some favorites, we have a few of the smaller, square Golden books and he loves the ones that are about animals and the sounds they make.  If you were to eavesdrop on us reading together, you would hear the most frightful sounds as he enthusiastically tries to imitate my best goat sounds, the piggy, the horse, the rooster, etc.  He loves his little books and throws them at us, to get his point across (“READ TO ME NOW!”)

It’s been a fun hobby for us to collect the Little Golden books, and we enjoy them so much as a family. 

Happy Reading!  (Thanks Mom!)