What do the kids think?

The questions that come with a new baby can sometimes make me laugh.  They are crazy, too personal, silly, insulting, you name people ask it.  But the one I get the most is what do the BOYS think of the new baby? ironically I am usally asked this with Faith in my arms too.

But what about the kids?  Adding a new family member is a BIG change to us all.  She is not someone who I am baby sitting for a few hours, she is not a present for just mom and dad, she is forever their sister and here to stay.

Each of my kids handel a new sibling differnt.  They each react to it with their own unique personality.  Gregory is the worlds best big brother.  He has never been anything but.  He is helpful, loving and will to sacrifice for for the new one.  He should be praised and rewared much more than he is.  Sadly out of need for help and frustration he is demanded on more than praised.  I will make it a priorety everyday to tell him how wonderful he is and how much of a great helper he is.

He is the best big brother.



All his siblings look up to him.  What he does they want to do.  He sets the example and they follow.  I left him alone to play on the computer this moring and he made an awesome picture of him and his sister I just love!





Sure I have to work with him on spelling but I think he has photo editing down and he certainly has love. 





Smiley loves his new sister.  He is always saying Grace this or Grace that.  He likes to look after her.  But if you ask him do you love your sister he smiles so big jumps yes and then points to Faith.



He follows in Gregory's lead but Gregory is never to far behind making sure everything is okay.

Evan well Evan is more into animals than people.  He has shown some interest in her.  He thinks she is cute, he occasionally gives her kisses, I bet he is happy to have her but I have not yet seen a connection between them. And no that is not a concern, it will come with time.  He was happy to go out with just mommy alone the other day.  We got to spend some time together and that is what he likes, needs.



Faith she is to little.  I do not know what she thinks.  She pets her a lot.  But we are so careful with the two of them because she also like to climb and sit on her.

\

She like to bring her bottles but then forcefully shoves them in her mouth.



She tries to love on her but is not sure what to do and I believe what she is.  She treats her a lot llike our cat.



Faith is jealous but not in a bad way.  She just copies Grace in hopes for our attention.  But she has it.  We are still over the moon enamored by our little princess.  Look at the size difference can you believe they are a few days shy of 16 months apart.  Wow you grow so much in a year.

Things otherwise...



Smiley's attitude is improving back to the little  big boy we all love.

Gregory made his sister and me a sweet card when we were in the hospital.



It says:

To mom huse clifton (we will have to talk to his dad about that one.  Why does he have to differentiate which mom???)
Hi mom its greg
grace is very cute
and tell her I said
hi right back (responding to a text I sent him)

In the boat is the 3 of us.

It was nice having jay home for a week but now he is back at work.  Today is the first day I am home alone.  It is fine and we are doing well.  Although I would like a shower but that will have to wait until tonight.

We made it to 3 doctors appointments this week.  The 3 are doing fine and the other two are as well but we did not need pediatricians or therapist to tell us so.

It is again hot and humid in PA so we have retreated inside.  We could all use a break outside to a cool place with water.  A vacation would be nice.

I am still plugging away at school and the boys are counting down the weeks till they can return to school.

We are all doing well.  A little tired a little adjusting a lot of laundry but all is well.

Grace's first week

Having 5 is a little more challenging than I thought it would be.  Well having a newborn, 1, and 3 year old is challenging.  So our first week has been very uneventful.  For the most part we stayed home.  I have also had a harder time getting back into the swing of things so that has left me not wanting to do much.  It will come it is slowly.

On Saturday we got all the kids home.  Here there are with mema.  This is the only picture of all 5.  That will be my goal for next week to get a picture of all of them.



Notice Faith in the above picture clean, no scrapes, a pretty princess.  Now look at her by the end of the day.  Filthy thing with bumps and bruises.  A day in the life of Faith trying to be like her big brothers.



On Monday my brother came by.  I was hoping he would bring both his kids so I could try to get a picture of all 7 but just my sweet niece came with him today.



She has got so big.  I remember when she was the size of Grace and now she is missing her two front teeth.  We walked the kids around the corner to the park.  That was a lot for me.  It is so close and yet was not easy.  I guess I can't start exercising for a little bit yet.





But I got to use my new double stroller.  Thanks mom and dad, it is easy to push.  Gregory did it mostly.



Smiley has been a royal pain.  I guess it is a bit of jealously.  He has not been his most wonderful sweet happy self but a little handful.  It has not been fun.



And speaking of jealousy, Tuesday for the first time we all ventured out as a family of 7.  Little Grace did pretty good.





Smiley HORRIBLE, it will be a while before we all go out again.  And the jealously I think Faith has just a touch of it.  She is always stealing the babies binky and now her seat too.



Nothing made her grow up and seem so big like bringing a tiy baby into the house.  But She is now 16 months and still rightfully a baby too.

The only redeeming part about going out was the kids saw a cool motorcycle.



It was so odd.  A cross between a carriage, a tricycle and a motorcycle.  We have never seen anything like it.

I ventured out on my own taking Gregory to the doctors.  It was time for his 9 year old check up.  With 5 kids we are always at a doctors.  3 appointments this week alone.



Jay took off this week so I have had some extra help.  It has been nice having him around.  And things are starting to fall into place.  We will get it.

little Baby GRACE

We are in love love love!!  Our super sweet baby girl is here.  Not quite when I expected but are babies ever?  I guess at least it was not the middle of the night.  Due to all the events for the children and a difficult school week for me I was hoping to have her the 22nd.  So Thursday morning when I went into the doctors office for another check I was not expecting to be sent straight to the hospital.

The doctor said your baby is getting big.  I am afraid if we wait we will have to have a c-section.  I have had none so far and did not want to start now.  I was sitting there weighing the options have a baby today and screw up everyone's plans or wait.  Have the baby today and be able to move again, sleep again, be comfortable or wait till a better day.  In the end having the baby obviously won.  I was ready to be done being pregnant.  Plus my swelling had come back.  I had gained 4 pounds in that last week most of which was (hopefully) fluids. So there I was anxious, happy and on my way to the hospital, after I stopped at the conviently places Sonic right between the hospital and ob/gyn.  Yumm strawberry slushy.



Alone and waiting.  I was by myself for 7 hours in labor.  I was induced so I spent much of it watching 4 weddings and auction kings both on marathons, both the best choices.  There was nothing on and I was stuck there hooked up like a charging battery.  However if I would have know there horror of the breaking news, the batman shooting in Aurora that would take over ever tv channel later that night and for the next day I would not complain about watching a wedding.

Jay was not able to make it because of the other four kids he had to find places for them.  Unfortunately we had to split them up.  He was able to drop the babies off with a neighbor and my parents were coming for the older two.  Nothing was ready for them so he did the best he could packing. (insert head shaking, I will continue doing it from now on) They all got off and he was able to come over.

In time to have the baby too.  I was still in labor for another 3 hours once he got there.  My longest labor ever.  She did not want this day for her birthday either.

With the last half hour details being omitted out she came vaginally.  A beautiful 8.14 pound 22 inch baby girl!  Yes a big baby but not big like I thought they expecting.  Not that I would have wanted any bigger.





She was so perfect so beautiful.  She is the best thing!



Healthy. Wonderful.



We named her Grace.  I think naming a baby is hard.  The boys had a few ideas of what to name her.  Some of the leftover names they liked when Faith was born.  Evan comes up with real nice names.  But I had some ideas I had really wanted.  I wrote down a handful on a list and Grace was unanimously the one the whole family wanted.  I was not sure at first.  Not that I do not love the name but I did not want to repeat the G.  However now when we look at her and kiss her we could never imagine a better name.  I love her name Grace.





Daddy thinks she is perfect.  He is smitten.  She came into the world and he was all over her.  I love seeing him light up like that.





He did not stay at the hospital to much with us.  He left the first night to go back and take care of some issues with the babies.  It left me to try to figure out how to sleep with my new little girl.



Her sister Faith stayed in bed with me for over a year.  I loved that but was not sure I wanted to do it again. I certaintly did not want to do it that night.  I was exhausted, had lots of medicine in me, and was very worried about the baby falling out because of how small the bed was.



In the end none of that mattered she would only sleep on her mama.  It just was not a very sound sleep on my part.  She still has not moved to solo sleeping.  She can sleep in a baby chair during the day but at night she will only sleep on me.





Ready to go we left late the next night.  I missed all the kids so much.  It was to late to get any of them back that night.  The babies were all ready asleep.  The next day everyone came home.  The big kids even headed back up from there grandparents anxious to meet their new sister.





Maybe they missed there mom too?

They love their sister especially Gregory.  He is always the best big brother.  He cares so much for all his siblings and is always there in her face when she is making noise.





We are all so very much in love.  She fits our family perfect.  She is truly our gift from God and we are so thankful.

Yuck

It is not that the bathroom did not need cleaning.  It is not that she did not need a bath.  It is not that my day was not busy enough.  Oh my...



And her accomplice.  He had a hand in it too.



But at least not his whole body.

The bathroom was clean.  Luckily the older boys were away at camp or it could have been a different story. But she did splash water out and everywhere.  Straight to the tub for both after this.  Even clean it was still gross.

Still can't sleep

But for good reason!



It is not that I am not tired.  I just have better things to do.

GRACE!!!! 8.14 pounds ans 22 inches.  more to come soon.

Nap Time

My kids take naps everyday at the same time.  And boy can you tell when this is not routine.  If by chance it got missed, or was in a car, any circumstance that changes it, throws the rest of the day off attitude wise.  They are pretty good about just laying down and going to sleep.  But yesterday was another HOT hundred degree Pennsylvania day.  It was so hot the babies could not sleep at first.  They wrestled around and played a bit at first but eventually settled down.  It was quite so I asked their dad to go check on them.

I was busy writing a paper for school and my email alert came up, you got mail.  But it was from Jay and he was all ready back in the room what could it be.  I opened it with a big smile


Yet another camera phone pic in a dark room, his phone.

They fell asleep with each other.  Just so cute.  Awe thank heaven for little babies and nap time.

Help With Dinner

Faith loves to be with me, and be just like me.  Tonight my poor little darling helped me make dinner.  This was especially fun because she got into the flour.  We were making Pioneer Woman's Steak Fingers with Gravy.  It was good and good to eat before I have the baby because I can only guess the calorie count.

Faith had a great time taking the flour mixture out of the bowl and spreading it everywhere.



What fun!  Until she decided to try it.



And found out I was cooking with Cayenne Pepper.

She started screaming and trying to wipe it out of her mouth.  She can't hang with the heat yet.



After that she was done.  No more cooking.  She thought an ice pop and poppy cat sounded better.

Sorry all camera phone pictures.

Can't Sleep

I am having one of those nights, I have often lately, where I can't sleep.  My mind is racing I am terribly uncomfortable but mostly Faith is keeping me awake.  She is asleep but I am not.  It is almost 4 am my time, blah.  She is sick, sorta.  She tonight as well as for the last four nights has been coughing hard and loud all night long.  It keeps me up.  She coughs some during the day but not like at night.  She has been warm but no fever.  She has been extra grumpy but probably because she is tired, I wish I was.

I took her in to the doctors today.  Her and all her brothers.  Whew.  I hate dragging all the kids to any appointment.


camera phone

I have been at the doctors for hours this week.  I had an appointment to check on baby, no progress, no new news, not any closer.  I did not schedule an induction yet.  Just another appointment for next week.  But I was at this appointment for 2 hours.  Not being seen, all of it waiting but 15 mitutes.

Then earlier at Faith's appointment with my crew, during nap time for the little ones, we all waited in the tiny room with only 2 chairs for an hour before the doctor came in.  Just guess how hard that was.

The good news she is fine she has a... cold.  Yup I drug them all in and waited over an hour for a cold.  But you never know.  If I would not have took her and it continued or got worse I might be in a position where I could not take her so better safe than sorry.  And the good news is the doctor said it is contagious so look forward to this fun a few more times.  Yippee!  Oh yeah and he said I should not give her kisses till she better.  Sure when I am or her brother ever not kissing on her?

But she does not act sick most of the time.  We got the new baby a jumpy horse this week.  Really I should say Mom you got the new baby a jumpy horse, Thanks! It is so cute.  I am sure there will be many pictures of her in the future in it.  It is big though, and just sitting neighing at the children wanting to be played with.  Faith can't resist.  I put her in it for what I thought would be a moment but she loved it.


camera phone

Faith is sadly too big.  But by her expression I think the baby will enjoy it.

Speaking of the girls while not sleeping look what I saw on tosty tonight.





I thought they were great.

faith 2. A gift from God.  YUP!!
grace 1. A divine gift from God  YAY!!

Both have such sweet and great definitions.

Well my little girl is quite now so I better go check on her and tr to get back to sleep.  Goodnight, maybe.