JULY CATCH UP

OK, so I majorly neglected my blog over the past year and now I'm going to give you a little over view of what went on around here- starting with the month we brought Lane home.

Lane and I spent 4 wonderful days in the hospital, just cuddling and sleeping and eating and sleeping and cuddling some more.  He woke up screaming pretty much every time I put him down, but loved to sleep right on my belly, so this was my view for those 4 days.

Then we came home and there was a lot of love waiting for him here!

That whole "waking up screaming every time I tried to put him down" thing pretty much lasted the whole first month, so he spent a lot of time just like this...so content...with his little tiny baby fingers clutching me.  Oh he was so yummy!

 We had spent all of June completely home bound, so it was a relief to get out of the house and have some fun after Lane was born.  Our wonderful neighbor let us come over and swim a couple of times a week.

I don't know how we could have done it with out my mom's help.  She came for over two weeks.  She is so amazing.  It was so hard to see her go when she left.

 

                               At the park...this is one of my all time  favorite pictures of Heather

After being home for a couple of weeks, Lane discovered his thumb.  Oh isn't that the cutest thing ever?  Now he sucks his pointer finger and I think it's adorable.  

Kathryn Anne pretending to be pregnant.

 

So to be perfectly honest, the main reason it has taken me so long to blog about Lane's birth is because every time I looked at the pictures I felt so sad.  I know that sounds crazy, but I LOVE being a mother and bringing a new baby into the world and into our family is one of the most joyous and sacred experiences I will ever have. I would do it again in a heart beat, but my body just can't.  I have definitely grieved the fact that I will not have these sweet first weeks at home with a new baby ever again.  I learned in our years of infertility that God has a plan for our family.  I learned when my 2nd pregnancy ended and we lost Connor that God has a plan for our family.  I am learning to trust in that plan again and to treasure each precious moment with these five little souls God has entrusted Evan and I with.

LET ME INTRODUCE...Lane Lawrence McAllister

Eight months and 8 days ago, our lives were blessed with the safe arrival of our little boy.  Lane Lawrence was named for his two grandfathers.

My pregnancy was awful.  My pelvic bones spread too much- to the point that walking was difficult for the last 4 months.  Then I developed gestational diabetes.  Then I developed inflammation in the nerve of my inner ear and suffered from vertigo, involuntary eye movement and speech issues (they thought I might be having mini strokes)...I was pretty much a mess.  At week 36, when Lane's projected weight was 10 lbs, we began talking C-section.  At 38 weeks, he was delivered safely by cesarean...a healthy 9lbs 4 oz with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck twice and tied in a knot. 

Even recovering from a C-section was considerably less painful than what I had been deeling with for the previous 4 months.  It was such a relief to have him in my arms...for many reasons.

Evan brought each of the children to the hospital on their own to meet little Lane for the first time.

We made the difficult decision that Lane would be my last pregnancy.  Every inch of my body was telling me that this pregnancy needed to be the last.  This knowledge has made every coo, every cuddle, every laugh and smile all the more precious.  He is a joy to all of us.  I am so grateful that we have been so richly blessed to have him join our family.

THE BEAUTY OF EACH PRECIOUS MOMENT

Some times in a week like this has been, it's hard to be positive.  My kids fight, I loose my temper, no one listens, my house is never clean, my "to do" list gets longer instead of shorter...you get the idea.  Life is a messy and complicated business.  People are flawed and week.  Tragedy happens.   Lately it seems to be happening a lot.
In the past month: a little boy from church fell from a second story window and landed on his forehead.  He narrowly survived.  My brother's family barely escaped their burning home and stood in the snow watching everything they owned destroyed.  This morning, funeral services are being held for my sister in law's brother and his precious two year old son- a wonderful woman lost her husband and only child on her birthday of all days.

 Yes, it's hard to be positive until you read what I read.  Once in a while you hear something or read something that changes who you are.  You know you will never forget how you feel in that moment.  You pray that it will give you the wisdom and strength to be better, to do better with each blessed day you are given.  That is how I felt when I read this.  

Life is miraculous and short and precious and our challenge is to see the beauty of each precious moment. 

SO, I GUESS I LIED...

 There is something so magical about having a baby when you have older kids.  Unlike our first or second baby, when it was all about Evan and I anxiously anticipating the arrival, this baby belongs to all of us.  We have four little people talking about, thinking about and preparing for the little bundle of joy right along side us! So at the last min. I decided that I wanted all four kids at the ultrasound (this would be the ultrasound that ended up taking an hour and 20 minutes!)  -we had an ultrasound tech in training and a very uncooperative baby.  At one point they had the bed relined at an angle with my head down low and my feet up in the air trying to get the pictures they needed- quite the adventure.  Meen while, Evan was working so hard to keep the kids quiet with crayons and paper and cuddles.  He was amazing.  Both the ultrasound techs mentioned how great the kids behaved...THANK GOODNESS :) 
Anyway.  Earlier that day, at the very last min, on our way to the hospital, the kids took a vote and decided they wanted to find out the sex of the baby.  I don't know how to explain how I felt about the whole thing other than to say that it just felt so right to all be together crammed around the screen waiting to hear the words...It's a boy!  I still cry when I think about it.  I feel so, so blessed to have the family that I have.  I am learning so much this year about the power of family unity.  

Hear are some of my favorite quotes from the experience:
Ewan (to the Ultrasound Tech): "Do you know what I am most excited about when the baby's born? Seeing the little tiny bellybutton!  And if it's a boy, the little tiny...you know, down there!"
Cameron: "IT'S A BOY!!!!!!"
Heather: "I am going to be like the baby's other Mommy and I will hold him and sing to him like this...Lullaby, Lullaby!"
Kathryn Anne" (on our way down hall to the ultrasound room) "This is going to be incredible!"

WHAT'S MORE FUN THAN A BARREL OF MONKEYS?

At the zoo yesterday I decided to recreate one of my favorite pictures from a zoo trip a few years ago...SNIFF, SNIFF, my babies are growing up!

A little ANNOUNCEMENT

Have you noticed the new "ticker" on the side of my blog?  Once again we are awaiting the arrival of a tiny little McAllister.  After seeing the little munchkin kicking and squirming and hiccuping this week, I am finally starting to believe it might work this time and there may be a baby at the end of all this.  We plan on NOT learning the gender.  Our little tie breaker will announce his/her identity upon arrival.

OUR OWN WINTER WONDERLAND

You may have heard about the winter snow storm that has hit the Northwest...

 Well around here it has translated into three days of no school, appointments,lessons or running around.

 It means a good hour of properly outfitting four kids with boots, socks, sweats, snow pants, sweatshirts, scarves, gloves and coats.  And then putting all said outerwear in the dryer when they come back in.

 It means exploring on all kinds of levels...

 And a LOT of fun for almost 10 year old boys!

And seven year old ones too!

 I means the crunch crunch crunch of boots on snow and a steady pot of hot chocolate on the stove top...





 It means seeing our new yard with all it's trees in a whole new light.

 It means snow ninjas are out in full force in our neighborhood.

 So watch out!  Here they come.

 It means afternoon snack may be something cold and wet.

 Can you catch it with your tongue?

 It means magical walks in the forest in our own back yard!

It means a whole new way of seeing the world with it's beautiful white blanket. 

And we love it!