Happy Birthday Jesus!

Merry Christmas

From our Family,

To Yours!

I've been robbed.

My absolute favorite thing about having a baby is the newness of it all. I love the way they smell before their first baths, I love snuggling them up before they've "unfolded". I love that they know who I am. I love sitting around and letting them dictate what I do when. I just love my new babies. But this week, I've been robbed. This is the long horrible story. When we left the hospital last Tuesday with baby Jack, his bilirubin was 14. They like it to be below 12. So, we did what you do, and stripped him down and put him in the sunniest window we had.

Mind you, this is December, and we live in the mid-west. The sun was not really exactly "shinning".

But we did our best, and took him back to the lab on Wednesday. Three different lab techs had poked him at least twice, and took the 4 vials of blood while he screamed his little heart out, and his Mommy cried. The Dr. called, his count had jumped to 21. The Dr. ordered a "bili-blanket" for him, and they brought it out on Wednesday night.

Not a terrible horrible thing, but totally inconvenient. It's hard to snuggle with cord attached to your baby. We had to go back to the lab on Thursday, it dropped to 19.6, Friday we had a terrible ice storm and our power was out all day, so Jack and I had to spend the day at T.'s. ( We love T's, but we really just wanted to be home.) Saturday back to the lab, count was 18. Monday, back at the lab. The tech poked him twice, and could not get a sample, so the second tech tried, and did not get a full sample. I had enough. He was screaming...I was crying...

When we returned home we realized that the techs had bruised his calf, and two places on his foot squeezing so hard. I told the Dr. that called to let us know that his count had dropped to 16, that I was NOT taking him back. Tuesday, our MD called. She had called the lab and let them know that I had a horrible experience, and I would not be bringing my baby back. She does want one more draw, and we agreed that I would go on Friday to the hospital. Hopefully they will have more experience with bitty babies... until then, he is our little glow bug.

On a better note, at his one week check - up, he weighed 9 pounds, 4 ounces. He's Growing!! He has been such a good baby. Eating well, sleeping well. No fussy times, when his is awake, he is very alert, looks around like a big boy. Let's hope it stays this way. We are on our own now, Mom had to leave yesterday....

Boy, oh Boy, oh BOY!

"Jack"

December 14th, 7:16 am

9 pounds, 1 ounce. 20 inches

I'll love you forever, I'll love you for always...

More Good News!

Mom and Dad are coming TUESDAY!!

My Mom and Dad (who live in Arkansas) have came to help Ryan and I at the birth of our 3 other children. Mom has been in the delivery room with the last two while Dad stays at the house with our other people.

Mom cleans, cooks, does laundry, gets me drinks, gets up in the night with the baby, makes Ryan lunch, IRONS. Dad reads stories, takes the "big kids" on walks, runs errands, rocks the baby...

We were not sure when they would be able to come this time, and it was looking like it was going to be a short trip, until Mom called tonight and said that they would be here Tuesday night, and could stay at least until Christmas, and maybe longer!

I am NOT spoiled. Well taken care of yes, but not spoiled! I plan to do the same for my children, and Brooke...I'm not sure who'll be first!

baby update

Just to keep you all "posted". Last night I had my regular MD appointment. Elle wanted to come along to hear the baby, and the good Doc even let her feel the head. I am very swollen, I am to drink lots of water and keep my feet up. mmhh. And I am dilated 1 little centimeter. Now, some of you may think "1 centimeter??" who cares. BUT, when I showed up at the hospital after 10 hours of labor with Elle herself, I was you guessed it, dilated 1 little centimeter... I am optimistic! Next Monday we are going to the hospital for a 'Non Stress Test" to make sure the baby is fine....

I Love My Job!

At Thanksgiving everyone was listing all the things they were thankful for. I never really got around to that.

I AM a thankful person.

And today, I am especially thankful for my job. I'll tell you why. Several months ago when I spoke with my director, she apologized, and said that because I only worked 20 hours a week, there were no maternity leave benefits through the University, AND, I was not eligible for FMLA. I was to save up all my vacation, sick and personal days, and take them 1st, and then she would approve a 4-6 week un-paid leave. I would be responsible to reimburse the University for my FABULOUS benefits during that time. I was ok with that. I have a job. Not everyone does. I am having a healthy baby. Not everyone does. My husband works. Not every ones does. We would be fine financially. Not everyone would. etc.

But TODAY, I found out that since we have a new President, she has changed the "Parental Leave" policy, and I get 6 weeks of PAID leave!! WOO HOO!!

Christmas Parties

I love them.




Tonight was my office Christmas Celebration. It started last week with a "Secret Santa". We all had fun sneaking things around the office for our person. And tonight, after our office director treated us to a little pampering, (my pedicure is perfect purple!) we revealed our "Santa" with a white elephant gift.

Diane, our office manager was my secret Santa, and not only did she give me a "white elephant" gift of coffee, (she had gotten it as a gift herself...and she does not like coffee) with "reduce", "reuse", "regift" socks,







She also found these at the Hallmark Store and knew I would LOVE them.

The cutest ornaments I have seen in years!

They also surprised me with gifts for the baby...(5 days left...probably 10).

A really great Vera Bradley diaper bag....

And some incredibly sweet baby clothes... I wish you could feel how soft they are! Come over in two weeks and you can feel a baby in them!
Thank You SO Much! I love working with you all!

Getting Ready

Tuesday night after our kids went to bed,

Bea and I got the baby's bassinet ready.

My Mom brought the bumper pad last weekend along with a new sheet. We wove the ribbon in, and tied up the bumper. Bea was LOTS of "help".

After telling Bea countless times that she needed to "Stay Out" it was for the baby, we need to keep it clean, She's been in it no less than 3 times.

And this is what I found this afternoon.

Her baby. All cozied up.

Hair "Doo"

Bea does not like to have her hair combed. Unless, "Sissy" promises her that she will be "beautiful".

This is the latest "doo".

Plenty of hairspray later.... we have a "pitty, pitty, pincess"

With a dirty face.

One More Photo...

Not only is our "extended" family going to have 5 babies within in 3 months,

2 years ago, we had 5 babies within 5 months.

And here they are. In all their two-ness.

Lydia, Bea, Pearl, Joel and Dawson.

I cannot wait 'til they grow up and we can show them this....

Long Holiday Weekend...

Here is a recap of our weekend...

Wednesday evening we went to dinner with our group of friends to celebrate November birthdays, three of them, including Ryan's. A perfect way to kick off a Holiday weekend. Good friends, Great food. We also checked out the new establishment in town, "The Brewhouse". It's more of a bar than a brewhouse. We did not stay long, can you imagine the looks that an overly pregnant woman gets in a bar??

Thursday we headed to Ohio to spend the weekend with my family. We had a great dinner Thursday evening with the family that had arrived, and my grandparents. Good job on the turkey Rueben!

Friday was our bi-annual "Angle Family Fun Day" We spent the day in Cincinnati at the Creation Museum . It was very interesting, but more fun to spend time with my brothers, their wives, and my FABULOUS nieces and nephews.

This is Bea, and her cousin Lena. Bea is 10 months older. She thinks Lena is a baby that she needs to take care of. They were "helping" make dinner.

Lena likes belly buttons. Even mine. But I'm not showing you.

Bea again, with her other cousin Lydia. They are only 4 months apart. It is fun to have cousins the same age.

Saturday was the Angle Family Christmas. We are 63 strong.

This photo is only missing 2, we love you Brook & Uncle Jim!

The pinata is a big attraction for the kids...ok. The adults too. Grandma had 17 pounds of candy in this clown head!

Elle having her turn .....

Will was the final contestant...smashing all the candy out.

This is the mass chaos that ensues. Do you see any kids??

The title for this photo is SHAMELESS. Because if I had shame, I would not have posted it. But look how cute Uncle Reyn is! Not only are their 63 current members of our family, by the end of March, there will be 5 more! Left to Right:

Mindy (sister-in-law) due 6 weeks.

Me. due 2 weeks.

Mindy (cousin) due 5 weeks.

Amy (cousin) due 13 weeks.

Annie (cousin and sister to Amy) due 20 weeks.

Uncle Reyn. Well. we have lots of expectations....and he's yet to deliver.

Sunday after a big breakfast with the family, we headed home. Love to get away. Love our family. Love to get home....

Thanks to Uncle Kenny and Aunt Sherry for a FABULOUS Saturday, Lee and Josie for the comfy bed and DELICIOUS cinnamon rolls. ( you are making that boy a FABULOUS wife!) And to Rueben...we love you.

New Babies

I have a busy weekend and fun photos to share with you today, but look what happened!

Elle's goat had babies. Today. Three of them.

And new babies TRUMP weekend news.

Too cute.

Until he starts eating my garden and pooping everywhere....

As I was snapping photos, I couldn't help but be a bit jealous. I have 13-18 days left, and I am READY. Check out the momma goats tummy in the first photo~ I doubt I'll be concave after delivery....but one could hope.

clarification

I am NOT in labor.

So sorry for the confusion Celestie Pie!

Yesterday was Ryan's birthday.

The poor guy. His wife really is not functioning very well these days.

I'll have to make it up to him later....

Happy Birthday Baby!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Baby...

Maybe in a couple of months I can try to re-create the "Marilyn Monroe" birthday song for him, right now I am having a hard time walking and breathing at the same time.....

The Day The Cowboys Came To Town...

A couple of weeks ago, "The Cowboys Came to Town" and what better clean family fun than to see young men risk their lives all for fun? so off we went! And what a great time we had!



There was fire,


Stretching,




Praying.. for what I'm not sure. (to hang on for 8 seconds or to avoid a concussion...)

Some of the fine specimens

The kids loved the clowns..

Rebel child. She just about got kicked out for standing on the fence. I have no idea who her parents were. They sure weren't watching her. Cute kid though.

And spurs. Lots of spurs. And chaps! Oh yeah. There were chaps. My only regret is not getting a pic of the zebra chaps....

Eat Your Heart Out Vera Bradley!

Do you remember when I won that great bag from Lisa over at "A Happy Little Family"?

It totally motivated me to do some sewing on my own.


We have a great little quilt shop here in our little town, so I decided to drop in and see what they had going on. They had several classes offered this fall, and I thought taking a class would be a good idea for me. I already have a box full of unfinished projects...why add one more??

And this is the class I chose:

An Amy Butler "Birdie Swing Bag"

I roped my friend T. into taking the class with me, and we had so much fun!! We unfortunately did not get the bag finished that evening. (probably due to the talking) But we were determined not to shove it in the "unfinished project box". So, last Friday, the boys took the kids to a movie, and T. and I finished our bags!


I was so excited about the finished project, I immediately cut out another one, and made it up the next day!

And this is it!

I totally loved the blue in the store, and thought that my mom would like the black and red one, but now, I think I like the black better.... maybe I'll keep them both...

Amy Butler has some really great patterns at her site, "Amy Butler Designs" I've already bought another pattern book....

My Birfday Too

Ok, it may seem that we only have one child as many photos as I post of her. But she been just sooo cute lately!

She did not like the fact that it was Will's birthday only. She wanted to share. She also wanted to share his cake. And touch it. And lick her fingers. And touch it again.

We took this photo after she put both hands palms up and said: "I dis wanna sit by it". ok.

Socially Acceptable Cosmetic Surgery

Today Ryan had LASIK surgery.

You cannot see the bug shields over his eyes very well. SHOOT!

He's probably going to kill me when he finds out A: I took a pic while he was sleeping, and B: I posted it on the blog.

He was nervous this morning when I took him, but after the Valium and massage, he felt better.

The laser part only took 15 minutes, and he was only at the office for about 2 hours. (the massage...)These things make him kind of queasy... really queasy. So he is glad it is over.

He slept all day and is up and about now feeling fine. And very excited about not wearing glasses tomorrow!

Happy Birthday Will!!

How could of we ever guessed that this chubby little baby would bring such adventure to our lives?

How quickly I've forgotten his sweet little innocence. Oh. That is because it left quickly.

But I have hope for the future.

Happy Birthday Young Man!

disclaimer: He does not have a dirt spot on his head. His hair is black in that one little spot...

Coffee Buddy

On Tuesday Mornings I meet with Beth and Tracy for "Monday Morning Mommies at Modocs". We have coffee, talk about our kids, our husbands, the (not so) importance of comfortable shoes, current events. Sometimes we cry. Sometimes we laugh through our tears, but mostly we just laugh.

Last week on my day off, Bea and I had coffee.

It was a bit different. I had to blow her coffee.

She wasn't near as interested in my stories.

Best of all, we both had our jammies on.

It's Snowing! It's Snowing!

It is coming down slowly, in big pretty flakes...makes one want to cuddle up with a cozy blanket in front of a crackling fire with the one you love...


The kids think that it is going to look like this in the morning...

Will, Josi & Elle, January 2008

But, sadly the ground is not cold enough for it to stay....

A Girl After My Own Heart

The other day as Elle, Will and I were madly scrubbing the toilets, gathering the trash, and folding the laundry, I realized I had not seen Bea for awhile. And this is where I found her.

Giving herself a pedicure.

While the rest of us were slaving away....

Playing Baby

Now that the bassinet is in the living room, the kids have taken to playing "baby". Bea is usually the baby, and she likes the bigger kids to wrap her up and rock her in the bassinet.

Here she is all wrapped up.

I guess she wanted a snuggle buddy this time....

I hope they get done playing with it by the time the 'REAL' baby needs it.