Sis is 3 months!

Yep, that's right...Eden is 3 months old today!!! Spring is here (except for a few cold waves here and there) and we are so excited for this new season of life! Here is what I want to remember about you right now...

-You have such a sweet smile. Your whole mouth opens wide and your tongue comes straight out. I love it!
-You 'talk' to us all the time, are starting to reach for toys now, sitting in the bumbo, and can roll onto your side really well.
-Bala says you look just like my baby pictures. I love it!
-You love to watch your brothers play....until they land on you...then it's not so fun.
-You take a pacifier pretty well and are still taking a bottle perfectly. You have officially impressed your mama in these areas. Neither of your brothers would take either. I give you a bottle every morning when you wake up. You take 4 ounces.
-You sleep very well at night. Bedtime starts at 8pm and you wake up about 3 or 4am, eat and then go back to sleep til about 7 or 8am. Right now, you still sleep in the pack-n-play next to our bed.
-Naps are still not on a set routine. You are starting to take a long nap in the mornings pretty regularly. Other than that, you can stay up about 2 hours before needing another nap. To go to sleep I give you your pacifier and nuzzy and lay you in the bed and cover you with a blanket. You usually just go right to sleep.
-You are wearing 3 month clothes.
-last month you weighed almost 11 pounds...we will go for your 2 month shots soon and have you weighed again.
-I put you in the ergo the other day while we played outside. You did great and I am hopeful I can use it more and more!
-both boys call you 'sister.' If we ask Corban to say your name he says 'Ed-nen.' It's too cute!

Eden we are so glad you are here and have completed our family perfectly! Most importantly you are HEALTHY and for our family that is a huge blessing! Keep on growing sis!

Just what I need...

I have been feeling a little down in the dumps recently. Between sick kids and lack of sleep I have been pretty much a homebody. Folks, I am NOT a homebody! I enjoy getting out and being social. When you have a new baby and sick kids all at the same time, that is pretty much not possible for a while and that time was extended for us. This week I have finally been able to get out and be social. So after taking Aaron to school yesterday, I was able to spend the morning studying the bible with a friend. Our time together was so much needed...for both of us. Whenever I am able to spend time with God by myself or with a friend, I feel a renewed sense of energy and passion for life. And let me tell you, I need that right now in my life. Revealing God's story to someone who has never really heard it before is absolutely amazing! There is no place I would have rather been yesterday than sitting at the table as my sweet friend's eyes fill with tears of joy as we read together about a God of redemption and love. I am so excited about where she is in her life. She has come so far from where she was last year at this time. Our conversation about light and darkness and God's presence led to her being able to tell me about her journey with the Lord. I think testimonies are so powerful and hearing her testimony was proof of that. She has had to overcome a lot of obstacles in her life that frankly I have never had to face. Hearing her excitement about what God has done in her life was truly moving. She and I definitely have different back grounds and came to know God much differently from one another. It is because of that difference that I am glad that God has put this sweet girl in my life. I see the Spirit working in her and pray that she chooses to continue on this path. Yesterday was just what I needed! Yay for good friends and a good day!

Yep...we're still sick.

So Eden you turned 2 months old and a few days later got RSV. We ended up taking you the ER at Harton to be evaluated and ended up at Vanderbilt being admitted for RSV/Bronchiolitis. Sweet girl...you sacared your mama to death! Seeing you so tiny in that great big old bed in the ER at Vanderbilt struggling to breath was about the worst thing I have had to watch as a Mama. Vandy docs and nurses were so great and took great care of you though. We stayed for 3 days and finally were able to take you home...just in time to find out that Corban had the nasty virus too. We are now at home with two sick kiddos...but so glad that you are doing better. It was so great to see your sweet smile back! Now we just have to get brother better! Everyone was so helpful while you were in the hospital! While this winter has been one wild ride, one thing I have learned is how much our family is loved! Our friends and family have been so wonderful to do whatever we need, even when we haven't asked for it yet. So...our update for this blog is that we are sick again. All this mama has to say is....COME ON SPRING!!!!!

8 weeks!

So this girl is 8 weeks old on Thursday! You are such a sweet girl, Eden. I will do a 3 month post next month with more updates. For now, I just want to make sure to that I remember you are sleeping AWESOME! You go to bed about 8:30pm and sleep til 3 or 4am. You eat and go back to sleep until about 8am. Still taking a bottle and pacifier perfectly!!!!! Keep on growing little girl!

Eden is 6 weeks!

So Eden, you are 6 weeks old tomorrow! I can't believe that 6 weeks has already gone by. Ever since you were born we have been either sick or celebrating holidays, so this week is the first normal week we have had at home. Your mama is still learning how to be a mama of 3! Things have been crazy around here! But we are so glad you are apart of our family. You are a very good baby. You just kinda go with the flow. You still do great taking a bottle (your mama LOVES this) and take a pacifier most of the time. You are sleeping much better now at night - this started last week. We usually go to bed between 9 and 10 and you wake up anywhere between 3 and 5am to eat and then go back to sleep until 8 or 9am. You love to be held but will play for short periods of time by yourself in your bouncy seat or on your play mat. You smiled for the first time a few days ago..it was so precious! You even smiled at your Aaron...he was so proud:) You are in 0-3 month clothes and starting to get chunkier. I love that you still have a little of that newborn look though. We are so thankful for you, Eden. The Lord has blessed us with a sweet, sweet baby girl!

The good, the bad, and the ugly...

I'm gonna make it, I'm gonna make it, I'm gonna make it....

This is the phrase I keep repeating to myself over and over. One word to describe my current state of mind is....EXHAUSTED! I am completely and utterly exhausted. I think the hardest part about having 3 kids (so far) is not getting any rest. Multitasking is actually not a big deal, it's the lack of sleep and trying to continue to function day and night is proving to be difficult. Eden isn't sleeping well at night and whens he finally decides to 'pass out,' it's about 5:30am and Corban starts his morning crying to get up about 6am. They don't all three nap at the same time either. Eden has had a few good nights, which gives me hope. For now, She is having a lot of gas and reflux right now so I can't just 'let her cry it out' yet. Corban is struggling with lack of attention and it feels like he is whining all the time. Sweet Aaron tries to help out, but I can tell he is getting his feelings hurt a lot because of my lack of patience. Since Mark is on bedrest I feel mostly like a single parent. So now that I have complained like crazy I will make sure to mention some happy thoughts....
-My boys are playing really well together. They have their moments of fighting, but for the most part they do great. Thought, as I am typing, they are not having one of those great moments.
-I am grateful for a husband who doesn't freak out if the house isn't clean, dinner isn't made, or laundry isn't caught up. That takes stress off of me, and right now that means everything!
-Eden is a good baby. Other than a little reflux, she is a joy to have in our house. She doesn't fuss or cry hardly at all:) She should start smiling soon!!
-I have some AWESOME friends and family. My sister, mom, and in-laws have sacrificed their time and energy so much to help out and I appreciate it more than they know. Seriously, I don't know if I can ever repay them for their help and support. I also have the bestest friends there is. I know that not everyone has that blessing and I am very grateful for it! We have had meals, phone calls, gifts, and much more.

As my mother says to me all the time, "This too shall pass." I know it will. And I am sure one day I will wish the days back when my kids are little. I am trying to keep that in mind. Until then, I'm gonna keep on keepin on...and try and keep my patience and have some fun in between. I just wanted to write down what is going on in our lives right now and hopefully will look back on this one day when we have new challenges and remind myself of these days:)

Turkish Delight

Mark and Aaron have been reading The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis together. Ever since they started reading it, Aaron has been asking to make Turkish Delight. Since mom and Rachel were here helping, they were gracious to make it with him. So here you are folks...Aaron and his Turkish Delight!