3 months ago...

3 months ago, I was just leaving my doctor's appointment. It hadn't gone well at all. In fact, we had decided that Noah would be arriving that night.

I had just got into my car when my cell phone rang. It was the nurse. My doctor, after taking a 2nd look at my charts and the NST results decided that waiting any longer would have most definate disasterous results. He ordered me to be at the hospital within a half hour for a noon surgery.

I remember driving home, tears in my eyes, calling my brother..."Can you be here like now?" He made it. Calling my husband..."Get the kids ready...now." They weren't. Calling my dad and mom, repeating the same thing over and over. "Noah is coming now" He was 36 weeks.

It has been 3 months since a team of nurses wheeled me down the sterile hall towards the omnious operating room. 3 months since I cried as they put the spinal in my back (even though it didn't hurt). 3 months since I told the nurse "I think I am going to throw up" I didn't. 3 months since I heard the most wonderful sound to a mother's ears...Noah's loud cry. 3 months since the doctor closed up my baby making factory.

3 months.

It seems like a long period of time when you say it. But to live it...it seems so short.

It has been 3 months of sleepless nights, endless feedings, multiple runs to Wal-mart, never ending laundry.

3 months of having a baby permantely attached to my arms.

3 months.

3 months ago our lives changed with Noah's dramatic arrival. Morgan was no longer the baby. She was now the only, forever the only, girl in our family.

I went from having 2 toddlers to chase to having 2 toddlers a newborn and a 7 year old with a really bad attitude to chase.

I had to learn how to haul the toddlers and the newborn out...alone. I am still not comfortable doing it.

Over the last 3 months I learned alot about myself. I learned that while four kids may seem like alot (and some days it is) that I wouldn't trade my life in for anything. The seemingly endless days of rocking, washing and feeding. The never ending fighting, crying, needing...

None of that.

With the birth of Noah, I was taught to appreciate life more. He almost wasn't here. To slow down, as much as one can with 2 toddlers and a 7 year old with a bad attitude can.

I can't believe its been 3 months. Noah went from being this tiny 5pd 15oz baby to this, I don't know how much he weighs, laughing, rolling, spitting person. I can see his personality. He's going to have his mom's stubborn streak.

3 months....

It goes by so fast.

Rainy Days and Toddlers

So, it is of course another rainy day. It seems like lately our weather here is all out of whack. Maybe Mother Nature is P.M.Sing, maybe she is menopausal, who knows.

Anyhow, if you have read any of my blogs you know that I have 4 kids. 2 of them toddlers. Rainy days are NOT fun for them. It was during on especially rainy stretch that the walls in my ENTIRE house seemed to get colored on, (that was last summer, and I STILL haven't repainted)

During the summer, D was home from school. So he kept the little ones occupied, or atleast notified me when the colored on the wall.

Now, D is back in school. So that leaves me, all alone, to deal with the 3 little ones...I am seriously outnumbered.

I knew that I needed to find a way to keep them occupied AND keep my sanity at the same time. Because mopping up toilet water...NOT my idea of fun.

So, I decided that while D was in school, school would be in "session" here so to speak.

I put together all sorts of learning games and activites, printed off coloring sheets (which work great...I got to enjoy TWO hot cups of coffee this morning)

Today we are making "No cook Play-dough" Tomorrow, Kid friendly (and mom friendly) fingerpaint...Outside.

Hopefully this will keep the natives occupied for a while, because as we speak, A is, again, hurling himself off of the couch...

While watching The Labryinth

While wishing The Goblin King would come and take N away...

RIGHT NOW

One Month ago...

I can't believe that it has been a month already!! You can read about baby Noah's dramatic arrival into the world here

Over the past 4 weeks I learned a few things about myself....and about babies.

1.)Having a newborn means all sense of style and fashion go out the window. Do you know how many times I left the house only to discover that I reeked of formula and still had the same pants on from the day before?

2.)Watching the sun rise can be a beautiful thing...if only I hadn't seen it every day for the last 3 weeks

3.)Taking all 4 kids to the grocery store is easy. It is tactfully telling complete strangers to back off that is the hard part

4.)I have become jealous of my husband. He gets to go to work and act like an adult everyday. I sing the Spongbob song and play monsters all day

5.)If I make myself something to eat, it better not be a hot meal. As soon as I pick up the fork, baby will need a change and a bottle, the other kids will need something and as soon as my back is turned one of them will eat my meal.

6.)It doesn't matter how crappy a day I am having or how down I am. Holding Noah, having him snuggle his little head up to my neck and just sitting with him puts it all in perspective

7.)I am stronger then I think. And I can still be a good mom even with one hour of sleep

I still cannot believe that a month has gone by since Noah arrived. I was sitting down folding laundry this afternoon when I looked at the clock 12:45pm...the exact time of Noah's arrival. As I looked down at him he grinned up at me (ok maybe it was gas...but I am not admiting that). I thought back to what was going on one month ago at that time. I thought back to all the complications of my pregnancy. I thought back to holding my son for the first time in recovery.

It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day drama of running a household with 4 children. But since having Noah I have learned that dirty dishes and clothes can wait. It is the little things that stick with you the most.

10 years from now the kids are not going to remember if the house was clean or laundry done, but they will remember the time we spent together as a family.

One month ago, our family became complete.

Happy one month birthday lil dude!!!