Bennett's 6th Birthday!

This post is a little late, but so is everything else these days! Bennett's birthday was on April 18th, so now I have a 6 year old. I can't believe it, but on the other hand, he very often seems like a 16 year old, not a 6 year old. We had a "camouflage party" for him at my parent's house. His dinner request was beans, rice, and tacos, and in lieu of a cake this year, he requested banana splits. He saw them on TV and thought they looked pretty great. They were a big hit and definitely easier on me! Bennett was blessed with all kinds of fun gifts this year. We got him a skateboard and a knight in shining armor costume. His grandparents got him a "school" table. A really high quality table like they have in classrooms for him to do his work and play on. He has really been enjoying it and uses it every day. Some family friends got him a 5 foot lion that we named "Judah." They don't know how small our house is, and he takes up a VERY large space. Bennett also got alot of various paper and drawing items, and he has really been into tracing paper and art lately. It was a wonderful celebration, and we are so blessed to have Bennett as our son. He keeps us on our toes and challenges us everyday to be more like Christ. He informed Jeromy and I the other day that we are only doing a pretty good job at being parents, not great. Apparently we have some things to work on. The kid is right!

Easter

This last picture doesn't have anything to do with Easter, but it is pretty funny. Ellie calls these eyeballs that have a little post on the back her binky. She put Rachel's pillow on the floor and her blanket and sucked on her "binky."

Emma is Growing!

Good news from the Dr. today. Emma is now 6 pounds 15 ounces. I guess that an ounce a day weight gain is what "they" like to see, and she is over that, so YAY! I am going to bring her back in at 3 weeks just to make sure she is still doing well, but I think that we are in the clear. I am able to nurse her twice as long as I could before. It is still pretty painful, but nothing like it was before. I can't wait for it to be easy, but I am just taking it one day at a time. She is such a good baby and sleeping really well. She is still sleeping with me, but I will start moving her to her own bed once this nursing gets a little easier. I can't wait to be able to nurse her in bed too. Sitting up in the middle of the night for extended periods of time is a bummer!

Our Dr. also wrote Bennett, Rachel and I orders to have a Celiac Disease Panel done. Rachel will also get food allergy tested. I have been suspecting that she might have an allergy that I don't know about. I am just praying it isn't corn. The doc doesn't really think that the Celiac test is necessary once you test intolerant to gluten, but I want a little more confirmation. I think it will help Jeromy and maybe others to be more careful with the kids and what they eat. Bennett especially is pretty miserable if he eats wheat.

I have Easter pictures that need to be downloaded, but Emma is awake and squawking, so you'll have to wait!

Pray

Emma had her 1 week check up today. It was the second time I have gotten out of the house in the last week and I am pretty tired! I assumed that when Emma was weighed I would hear that she was 8 1/2 pounds already. She is such a good eater. I was very surprised to hear that she has dropped down to 6 pounds 9 ounces. I wasn't just surprised but pretty upset. I have been having so much pain with nursing her that I felt like it was all my fault that she isn't getting the nutrition she needs and losing weight because of it. I broke down during the appointment and my midwife spent the next half hour working with me on getting her latched on right. Man, after 4 kids, you would think I knew what I was doing, but I forget that you can't nurse a newborn the same way you do a one year old. You can't just plop them on and let them do the work. She helped me alot and even nursing with the damage I already have isn't as painful anymore when I do it the right way. Please pray that we are now on the right foot and that she starts gaining right away. We go in for another weigh in on Monday to make sure. I am looking forward to the day when there isn't anymore drama. I am ready for a little boring!

Introducing...............

EMMA GRACE MARKWORT


We are doing well and slowly getting back to what feels like normal life (a new normal!) Jeromy goes back to work tomorrow and my mom will stay with us in the mornings Thursday and Friday. Emma is sleeping really well (as long as I am holding her or she is cuddled in next to me.) We are all enjoying our new sweet little baby. She is really mellow and only cries if she is being changed or is hungry. Otherwise she sleeps or just looks around. The kids are doing great with her and Ellie loves her to pieces and is being very gentle. I think we are going to make it! Here are some new pictures!






These are for you Rohnda, a couple of days before Emma was born. You love to see me big as a house!

She's Here!

3 1/2 Days of labor, a new midwife, a very long and hard road, and we have a new little one that we did end up having at home! She has yet to be named, but in a moment of weakness Jeromy told me that after all I went through, I get to name her. For now, baby girl Markwort was born on April 2nd at 4:40 pm, weighed 7lb 7 oz (my smallest so far!), and was 20 inches long. She is perfect, nurses like a champ and has VERY excited siblings! I will post a birth story for those interested sometime soon. For now, I am concentrating on making up some sleep after 3 nights of not getting any. Feel free to call, we'd love to talk to all of you who have kept us so covered in prayer. Thank you so much! Enjoy the pictures

41 Weeks + 4 Days

Yes, I am still pregnant. No, I don't intend to be much longer. I was up all night for the third night in a row with really strong contractions, the strongest so far. When daybreak hits, they seem to get scared away. I have many fears at this point (baby isn't in the right position, something's wrong, etc.) so I would covet your prayers. My midwife happens to be attending a birth 1 1/2 hours away right now, so the backup midwife is on her way over. I want her to check and see if I am dilated and talk about breaking my water if I am. I can't take another sleepless night and hours of pain. I think that being in labor for 3 days is enough, so I am really planning on having to go to the hospital today. I have reached my threshold of pain and don't feel like I can physically or mentally handle anymore. I admit to being critical of women who in my mind have "taken the easy way out," ie. pain meds, but I think this might be a lesson in humility for me as all I can think about is wanting an epidural RIGHT NOW! God seems to like to chip away at any judgmental attitudes I might have, which is a good thing, and maybe this can be laid to rest too. I will update when and if there is any news.

41 Weeks + 3 Days

Well, I officially feel for you, Mystie. This was night number two of strong contractions. We took a walk at 6:30 and by 7, I was having consistent contractions. So much so that I nearly called my midwife and mom to come over at about 4 am because the contractions were so strong, long and frequent. I was having a hard time relaxing through them and was in alot of pain. Then at 4:30 in the morning, I got up to get Jeromy, I was on the couch, to come out and time them and just the getting up and using the bathroom and sitting up made everything stop.

I talked to my midwife this morning, and she said that she has had women who contract lying down but not standing up. It is more rare, because it usually is the other way around, but happens. She said the way to tell if the contractions are active labor or not is to do something different. "Real" labor won't stop no matter if you are up, down, taking a shower, walking etc.

I am feeling pretty discouraged this morning. Contractions all night long didn't give me very much sleep and my stomach is pretty sore from all the contractions. Just the knowledge that I have to go through this again before it's all over is making me pretty down. (And thinking a hospital and epidural might not be so bad!)