Surprising My Hubby about Baby #7

 Almost a year after his arrival, I have the bandwidth to write down the birth story of our "third last child" - Malachi Jarrott.

Malachi was conceived on my birthday - days past my ovulation date, when all the symptoms said we were clear.  (We knowingly didn't use protection, but there are secondary reasons for that, which is another story and testimony.)  I should have started my period when I was at Women's Encounter with my sisters and niece.... But it didn't show up. (Glad they didn't notice!) After a week, I took a test.

For all of our 6 previous children, Paul has either known because we were planning, or has been suspicious, so I have never surprised him with pregnancy news.  I sat on this surprise for days, and finally my chance came.  Paul's work had done a big remodel and had added a new cafeteria.  He had been asking for me to come visit, so I took the two little girls and went up to eat lunch with him for his birthday.  (It was actually the day before his birthday.)  I told him I would text him from the parking lot to let him know we had arrived.  So I texted, "We're here." and then "PS. I'm pregnant."

He was already waiting at the door for us and saw me pull in, so he didn't check his messages.  We sat at the cafeteria and he ordered some food for the girls and we sat down to chat.  It was pretty obvious he hadn't read my text, so I said, "You need to check your messages."  He's like "okaaaay...." and picked up his phone.  He looked at the message, and then looked up at me and asked, "Is this a joke?" 

It wasn't, but at the same time, it was.  I knew he wouldn't react in front of the coworkers in the cafeteria (they already tease him about his big family), and we couldn't talk about it in front of the girls unless we wanted the whole world to know, which I definitely wasn't ready for.  I could tell he was surprised and confused and happy, but he just said, "I have so many questions."

There was definitely a lot of texting (and deleting texts from my phone because of snooping children!).  So Malachi was part of both of our birthdays in the summer of 2024.

We finally started telling people in September, when I couldn't hide it any longer.  We told the kids first.  Opal just said, "Nope!" and walked away.  Jacob declared he was moving out.  And guess who the two that are the most doting on this new little one?  Yep.  Those are the two!

A Pea Gravel Patio!

When we tore off the decks to add the basement, I told Paul that rather than build the huge wraparound deck that we had previously, I wanted to replace the deck outside each door, but build a patio between them.
I'm not sure he quite agreed with me, but he designed and built two beautiful decks.

We laid gravel with plans to pour concrete within a year.
Well..... 3 years later.....  It still looked the same.  Part was due to finances - concrete is a lot more expensive than it was 10 years ago when we installed our sidewalk!  But a lot was due to indecisiveness.....  Neither of us wanted a square chunk of gray concrete.  But flagstones, staining, texturing - all added to the cost!
And then I read an article online that said you can use pea gravel as an affordable alternative to concrete.  Just that; no pictures, links, or anything.
So I tore the internet apart trying to find inspiration.  I did find a couple of blogs that made very basic, very tiny patios using pea gravel.  But I couldn't find any ideas that we could use on our space.  So I imagined, talked to Paul, did some price checking, and then.... We started work.

We leveled the area and used 5x5 timbers to frame it, secured to the ground with re-bar pounded through drilled holes.

We laid down landscape fabric (on the windiest week in April, I think!) to keep the weeds from sprouting through the gravel.

Slave labor.  11 tons moved in 3 hours.

View from the corner by the house and back deck.  I'm standing in the flowerbed we designed to edge it on 2 sides (against the house).

I decided I wanted a solid transition from the stairs to the patio (not to mention it was a giant step down!)  I had slightly under-estimated the amount of gravel needed, also, so we laid rocks at the base of both sets of stairs that served both purposes - solid landing, plus several square yards worth of filler!

 

I love how the "transition area" turned out.

Paul used leftover rock to outline our tiny bit of grass in the front, making it look very nice an tidy.

I priced patio furniture, and decided we couldn't afford it - at least not the style I wanted.  Paul took some measurements and built us some!  Here we have the first couch he built and the 2 cushions that actually did arrive with the "free 2 day shipping."

And this is the finished project!  We had to wait to stain it because the lumber was still very wet. 
(And it's a good thing we did, or the hail would have destroyed it!)

Add some flowers for perfection!

The purple cow is an ongoing family joke.  We confused the heck out of one of my dad's milk route drivers when we were young, by leaving a note for him on the fuel tank (just for randomness sake):
I never saw a purple cow.
I never hope to see one.
But I can tell you, anyhow:
I'd rather see than be one!

I don't have a completed completion photo of all the deck furniture Paul built, with the flowers growing in the beds (actually, cabbage and kale, as the flowers were destroyed by hail).  Paul built us two full-length couches, a loveseat, chair, and footrest table for our outdoor oasis - all matching, and sized for standard "deep seating" patio cushions.
Despite not having a photo inspiration, the whole area turned out exactly how I had imagined.  It is the perfect place to relax in the evening, and has plenty of seating for all of our large family, plus guests.

The only drawback is that we got cats about the same time as we made the patio.  And they like to dig and....you know.  So there is that consideration if you are interested in tackling a gravel patio as your own project.

Hip - Hippie - Hooray: Essential Oils (My New Love)

Two years ago, when I was early in my pregnancy with Elsa, I caught a horrible cold that would not go away.  Even after I felt better, the hacking cough lingered.  I was having multiple coughing attacks a day which I coughed so hard tears would stream down my face, I would pee my pants, and would end up with a splitting headache because I could not catch my breath.
Desperate for relief (you are advised to take nothing over the counter during the first trimester), I asked my friend Sabrina if she had wisdom for me to shake the persistent cough.  I knew she had been researching and trying many remedies to help her asthma and allergies.  She suggested some breathing exercises and gave me 2 small bottles - peppermint and lavender essential oils.  They were nearly empty, but she said to try them and see if they helped.
And they did!  I could feel the peppermint open my airways with a cool sensation.  I had a coughing fit at an Awana conference - I was embarraseed, so I was trying to stifle my coughs, which led to more coughing....  I put lavender on my temples, and could feel myself relaxing even though I was still coughing.  It was the weirdest thing.
It was enough to convince me there might be something to this hippie essential oil fad.
I also had horrible varicose veins, which pregnancy definitely made much worse.  The throbbing pain was so bad when I didn't wear compression tights that I would almost be limping.  I researched what oils might help, and kept coming up with one called "helichrysum."  It was expensive, but finally I bit the bullet and ordered some.
The relief was unbelieveable.  Even for me, still somewhat of a skeptic.  I put a couple drops on my hand, added about a teaspoon of sunflower oil and rubbed it on my aching leg, and by the time I put my leg down to the ground, the pain was gone.  (That is not an exaggeration - it was the weirdest thing!  And it still works like that on days I have vein pain!)
And that... Has led to this:

Paul built me this beautiful cabinet when my collection outgrew the drawer.

We may have a problem.....

Paul is still skeptical on all of it, but did give me one concession - the blend I have that claims to help with digestion definitely worked on him when he caught a stomach bug.  It was one and done, which has NEVER happened when he starts throwing up!
However, Paul has gotten into diffusing oils.  Not for therapeutic purposes, but just because they smell good!  He can blend a bit of this and that, and if it doesn't smell good, the commitment is only a few hours (unlike a candle).  And if it smells horrible, you can dump it out and start over!  (Lime and cinnamon being one of the few that I vetoed.)  For Christmas, he even got me a pretty diffuser for our bedroom!
I have also switched most of my skin care to oils.  I even use oil to wash my face - for real!  And my skin is much healthier than it was 18 months ago when I started.  I use essential oils with coconut oil instead of body lotion or perfume.  (Since having children, I have developed allergies to scents in some perfumes, soaps, and household cleaners and air fresheners.)  I make beeswax lip balm (just like the stuff you can buy!) for both Paul and I, and make a dry skin salve that really works!  (Maybe I will post the recipes another time.)
I don't sell oils, and I never will - I refuse to buy from or be a part of multi-level marketing.  But I will talk about them - a lot!  My research has slowed down (no time!), but I am always interested to read about new uses.  Who knew that just breathing in certain scents can help with sleep, concentration, and motivation?  If you're dubious that a smell can effect our brain like that, the best explanation I've read compared it to the smell of vomit making you want to vomit, the smell of fresh-baked bread making your mouth water - there's a smell/brain/body connection, even if I can't explain it!
So to wrap it up - here are a couple of our favorite diffuser "recipes" that make our house smell yummy:

Chocolate Mint Diffuser Blend
2 drops peppermint
1 drop vanilla
Smells just like chocolate mint candy!

Holiday Cookie Diffuser Blend (courtesy Edens Garden)
3 drops wild orange
2 drops cinnamon bark
2 drops vanilla
Zadie walked in when I had this going and exclaimed, "It smells like Christmas!"

Bedroom Makeover, Continued

Do you remember when we moved the bed into the closet?

  Well, that was three years ago. Basically, nothing in our room has changed.

We filled the shelves with junk. (All of the "grown up" - can't say "adult" - DVDs, CDs, and Xbox games got moved in and away from children.) I got a new bed spread a year ago. I added a few second-hand pillows that I was tired of the kids taking outside.
Let's see...... What did I say I was going to do "soon" in that post? Hmmm...... Refinish a dresser. (It's still sitting in the shop.) And add some art over the bed.
Well, after 3 years, I can finally say that I've gotten the art for over the bed. And I love it!

I was in Hobby Lobby last weekend picking up some stuff for our Awana Grand Prix. I walked by the wall plaque and it caught my eye. It is the verse we put on our wedding invitations and programs. (So true for our feelings for each other - then and now!) I made a note to mention it to Paul, but didn't get it.
I looked it up online a few days later, and saw it was on sale for half price. So it was only $15! I wanted to pick up a shelf, to give the wall the feel of a headboard, since we don't have one. This one was 40% off, so I paid $30 for it. (Which some would say was too much given the level of distressing it's received.) But the colors matched our quilt, and I loved the rustic look.
The items on the shelf are all from "shopping the house." I'm constantly moving things around.
I've found out takes me quite some time to get used to the feel and function of a room before I know how I want to decorate it. (It's taken me 10 years to figure out "my" decor style.) Then it comes down to time and money, both of which I'm usually short of.
But sometimes, it's worth the wait. I am so pleased with how this project turned out! (Even if trying to level that shelf had me wanting to scream!)

Zadie Marie: A Salvation Story

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."
-III John 1:4


Both of our older boys prayed to accept Jesus as their Savior when they were quite young. They were 4 and 3 1/2 years old. But that has been 4 years ago, since Jacob made the decision! So it seems like this announcement is a long time coming.
Last Sunday, Zadie made the decision to trust Christ as her Savior!
This event has brought me so much joy and relief. Even though we read the Bible with our kids nightly, Zadie has shown very little interest in spiritual matters. Even over the last year, since she's been in Cubbies at Awana, we have tried to have intentional conversations with her about sin and why Jesus had to die, and she would usually change the subject. If I could engage her into conversation, the conversation would end in her refusing to admit she had ever sinned. The few times she would admit sin (usually after being caught in a lie), when we would go over the conversation about sin and Christ, she would say she didn't want to pray for forgiveness. It was becoming obvious that she knew all the pieces, but it was willful refusal to open up to God. Others would encourage me that she was still young (she's almost 5), but the hardening of her little heart was still concerning. And i was questioning myself whether we were being diligent enough in discipleship and training. Obviously I don't have as much time now to talk and teach one on one like I did with Nathan and Jacob, now that we have 5 kids.
Last Sunday, our Bible study met and since it was our first meeting since the holidays, we didn't have a study set. Someone asked, "What should we read?" And Paul jokingly said, "Jonah!" This is the answer our children always choose when given a choice of what Bible study to read in the children's Bible, so we had a good laugh. But we did study Jonah, and had good conversations about it.
When we came home and were putting the children to bed, Paul took Zadie upstairs to read the Bible in her bed. (On late nights, we'll read the children's story Bible to Zadie and Gideon alone, rather than reading as a family in the living room.) Paul asked Zadie what she wanted to read, and of course the answer was, "Jonah!"
In light of the good conversations we'd had at Bible study, Paul talked to her about why the people of Ninevah were in trouble with God, and that led to a conversation about sin, and on to talking about the fact that Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins so we can go to Heaven.
I wasn't upstairs, but I could hear that they were having a conversation. After a while, Paul came to the to of the stairs, and said, "Rachel, could you come up here?" My heart filled with hope.
I went to her room, and Paul filled me in on what they'd talked about. He asked Zadie if she wanted to pray with Mommy about Jesus talking her sins away. She said yes!
I could sense a different spirit about her. Usually she had a kind of flippant attitude when you try to be serious with her. But she was very quiet and contrite as she lay there on her bed. I knelt by her bedside and asked her some more questions. She answered all of them with assurance. Then I asked her if she wanted to pray. She nodded.
I guided her in a simple prayer to confess that she had sinned, and asking Jesus to forgive her and thanking Him for dying to pay for the bad things she'd done. When we were finished, she had a big smile on her face, and i felt like my heart was about to burst with happiness!
The next morning I asked her what she had done, and she quickly and confidently answered, "I asked Jesus to take all my bad sins away so I can go to Heaven!" I feel certain she understood and fully accepted what had happened the night before.
Paul and I noticed an almost immediate change in her, which I believe I'd evidence of the Holy Spirit now living within her. She accidentally hurt Gideon. I had her apologize, which she did, but then several minutes later, she came to him and asked him if he would forgive her. She told me when she was outside, she was singing "new songs" about Jesus dying on the cross. Instead of playing with dolls or other toys, she say quietly and listened attentively when we read the Bible the next night (and every night since). She has told most of her friends about what she did.
It is such a joy to know that one more of our children will be joining us in eternity! And the fact that i got to be with her when she made that decision makes my joy complete!

Now That's a Pie!

This was our selection of Thanksgiving pies this year. No, it's not two mini pumpkin pies.... Those are two regular size (9") pumpkin pies. They look mini because that's a huge apple pie! It measures a full 13" across and has 6 pounds of apples in it! It takes a double double-crust recipe.

Now that's a pie!

We bought this pie dish 3 years ago. It's not actually a pie dish, but was marketed as a pasta bowl. Paul and I both love pie, and went on a search for such a thing after having several children and never having leftover pie to enjoy after family dinners. Larger pie = more slices = more to eat the next day.

We finally found it at the pottery shop at Silver Dollar City. I love it, and never have regretted the $30 purchase.

We shared this pie at family Thanksgiving with Paul's family. He took a piece of the leftovers in his lunchbox, and i had a piece for breakfast, and we still have a couple to enjoy for supper.

And THAT is why we wanted that pie plate!

High School Memories

I'm in the midst of another clean and purge....  I do declare, how is it I get rid of so much stuff and our house is still so cluttered??
This round brought me across a box of my old journals.  I've kept a journal since childhood.  Sporadically, for the most part, except in the midst of my teenage years.  I was pretty faithful to journal about all of the teenage angst and ecstasies I was experiencing.
So I have wasted a lot of time over the last two days, reading those old notebooks.  Some were fun, like the journal I kept when Paul and I started our relationship.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading my thoughts and emotions, and I was so happy to see that none of it has changed.  I still love him, and admire him, and am excited to be around him.  Who says those feelings don't last?  They have for us.  All I can say that God has blessed us.
But reading the journals from my teenage years were not so pleasant, because they brought back all of those emotions.  I'm sure all teenagers feel them.  The feelings of suffocating uncertainty, unrequited love, and the need to feel special to someone, but having no one interested.  And I do mean no one.
I was a confusing teenager, I'm sure.  On one hand, incredibly brash and outgoing, but when it came to other things, painfully shy and introverted.  Walking controversies.  Even within my journal entries - "He likes me!.... He can shove it."  Adding to the loud, feminist exterior, was the fact I was a good couple inches taller than most guys I knew, which made me a formidable female to approach, I'm sure.
Yet I had a deep desire to be special to someone.  And the fact that no one was interested, despite all my silly crushes, made me very familiar with the feelings of rejection and loneliness.
As I read through my journals, I could see God's hand guiding me toward the future He had prepared for me, even though I was totally unaware that my future was right by my side as I was living all of this.  (Paul has been in my life for nearly 30 years!)
The only boyfriend I had, I loved as much as a 17-year-old could.  But after 10 months together, I got the undeniable realization that God wanted me to break up with him.  I undoubtedly heard the silent yet audible voice of God in that matter, speaking right into my mind and heart.  I'm glad I was a sensitive teen when it came to spiritual matters, and I listened to Him.  There was no reason not to marry my high school boyfriend.  He was a really good guy from a nice family.  But that wasn't God's plan for me.
And it shattered my heart and confused me.  Why would God have me break up with him, only to face complete singleness (for 3 years)?  I know my self-worth is found in Christ, but I think women need to know that they are special and beautiful to a man. I had a need to be loved by a boy, but again, this  personality God gave me protected me.  I was too shy to go looking for love.
Even after I fell in love with Paul, he didn't return my emotions for almost two years.  And that was probably the deepest hurt I ever received.  I know now that God put that deep love in my heart for Paul, but during the time he didn't care the same way for me, and I couldn't make myself stop loving him, I was miserable.  I still get choked up remembering how I felt.  Even some movies that are supposed to be lighthearted teen movies remind me of that rejection, and the emotion I can still feel surprises me.
But I know the road God leads us down is for a reason.  I see that now.  And it makes me wonder how to protect our daughters from the same emotions.  I think it is somehow built into women to need to be someone's special person - Zadie already asks who she will marry - but heartbreak doesn't have to be part of the road to happily ever after.
Part of how I want to protect them - all of my kids, but especially my daughters - is from the boyfriend/girlfriend pressures that surround them, even as young as preschool.  (!)  I absolutely refuse to tease Zadie or let her be teased about the boys she plays with.  The result of having two older brothers means she is around a lot of boys.  And she is really good buddies with one of them, but it is so sweet and innocent.  They are both clueless.  And I want it to stay that way.  I don't want him to get teased about "his little girlfriend" and start being a jerk to her.  So I jump all over any of the kids that even hint at anything "lovey" between them.
So we start the journey with a new generation, and teach them from our failures and successes.

Faux Antique Bread Box

(This post is over a year old.  I have no idea why I didn't post it when I typed it up.)
For several months, I've been contemplating the purchase of a bread box.  I trolled Amazon for a style that would fit two loaves of bread.  (We have to buy loaves two by two, as one round of PB&J's will wipe out a half a loaf.)  I found one that kind of sounded like it would fit the bill, and was in my price range ($20), but wasn't convinced enough to order it right away.
After buying bread yet again, and having the mess of new loaves, a partial leftover loaf, plus various homemade items laying in the "bread area" (invariably, one of the children lays something heavy on the loaves of bread, or decides to climb on the counter and puts a knee into it.), I decided.... It was time.
Time to build one.

I had seen these on Amazon, but besides the $100 price, the reviews on how big they were dissuaded me.  It didn't seem like we needed all that space.  But looking at the mess on the counter, I thought.  Yep.  We'll use it.
Call in the talent.  (I could do a lot of these things myself, it's just faster to let him. ;) )
I gave Paul the picture I printed off.  He made some notes and went to work.  And this is how it turned out:

Hand-punched tin (made out of salvaged tin from our old return-air vent). 

I did a punched-tin project once in high school and figured I'd try it again.  I googled patterns, printed it out, and taped it on.  This one was supposed to be the practice run, but I was quite happy with how it turned out!  It took maybe 2-3 hours after all the mommy interruptions.

It really does fit a lot of bread!  In this pic, there is two brand-new loaves of sandwich bread (longer loaves), another half loaf, a couple hamburger buns, and some leftover biscuits.  Fits perfectly!  And looks so pretty and neat all closed up.

Total Cost:  $6

Wood:  scraps laying around

Nails:  on hand

Tin:  scrap

Stain:  on hand

Knob:  $1 (for 2-pack)

Hinges:  $5

Much better than the $100 price tag for the one on Amazon.  And we [could have] got it done faster than waiting for shipping.

Where Has Summer Gone?!

Isn't summer supposed to be slow and lazy? Ha! Despite having no plans at the beginning of summer, we have rushed through like a freight train!
What all have we done? Let's see, just off the top of my head.....

• Two garage sales in under two weeks. Not a complete bust, as I made about $60 between the two, but hotter than Hades and disappointing traffic. I'm convinced the weekend before Mother's Day is the best and only weekend to do garage sales.
• My sister moved. Not that I was able to help nearly as much as I should have and wanted to, but it still took a bunch of time from my abundance of free time. Keith and Lurenda and girls are settling into their new home in the country that's in the perfect location for them!
• I turned 34. I'm actually feeling less old than I was a few months ago. Sleep does wonders!
• Nathan and Jacob took a vacation with my parents to Colorado. Mom's aunt and uncle were celebrating their 50th anniversary. There was no way Paul and i could get out there, so they invited the boys. They had a blast, having a "solo" adventure, and my parents said they would have made us proud with their behavior.
• Doctors's appointments! With having a baby, we knew we would meet our deductible for the year. So we decided I would do something about these horrible varicose veins! (We started the process 4 years and 3 babies ago.) So I've had 3 appointments with the vein doctor, and one with a gynocologist to address some dermoid cysts they found on my right ovary. So I'm having surgery July 27 to remove that. 3 of the last 5 years are July/nursing baby/surgery. We'll start the process with the veins in August.
• Emergency room. I can't believe we made it to child #4 without going to the emergency room. But it doesn't surprise me that Gideon was the first..... It does surprise me that it took this long for him to land there! Gideon fell getting out of the van and cut his forehead on the bottom of the seat frame. He got 3 stitches, making for an exciting Father's Day evening. (Unfortunately, our "smart" phones gave us wrong information, and told us urgent care was closed, so we'll pay double what was needed.) He's supposed to keep the scar covered for the rest of the summer to keep it from turning purple from sun exposure, so we've been having fun with the "pirate hat."
  • Swimming lessons! This is the first year we've done this. (And if public school running, running, running is like this, COUNT ME OUT!) I've been meaning to look into it for several years, but it has ranked pretty low on my priority list, sadly. Mom encouraged me to enroll them, after watching them in the hotel pool on their trip. So they're learning, and loving it...... And we get daily sobbing from the other two who want to go, too.

That's a brief rundown. From my smart phone, so I apologize for grammatical and proofing errors. It is randomly underlining, etc, as I type. Not to mention the blasted auto-correction! But nursing + computer aren't compatible, so we'll see how I do from my phone.


I'll see if I can attach a few pictures...... I won't even attempt to order or caption them from a phone!

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It's a GIRL! Elsa Anne Rhodes

Our 5th baby arrived at 8:00 AM, on March 15.  (Yes, I realize that was over a month ago.  Do you realize how hard it is to find time to blog when you nurse 8 hours a day and have four other kids?? :) )

This baby took her time in getting here.  My charts said I was due March 7.  I thought it should have been March 14.  (I was right, obviously.)  But starting about the first of March, the baby started shoving and making things very uncomfortable.  But at each appointment, after examination, the doctor said I wasn't even close.  She even did an x-ray to make sure the baby was head-down. 
Wednesday, March 9, I was sure was going to be "the day."  I woke up about 3, having light contractions.  They were uncomfortable, but not intense, but very regular, about 10 minutes apart.  I laid in bed, timing them for two hours, and then when Paul's alarm went off at 5 (for him to go to work), I got up and ate breakfast with him, wanting some nourishment before going in to the hospital.  Paul called in to his supervisor and told him he wouldn't be coming in.
And then the contractions stopped.  Completely.  Not a single one the rest of the day, although the baby was still giving me the "pushing down" feeling.  But even that lessened as the day went on, and at my regular appoinment that afternoon, the doctor examined me and said I was barely even dialated and the head wasn't any further down.
What???
So move forward to the weekend.  I hadn't had any more contractions, but the baby continued to make me very uncomfortable.  But I was okay with no contractions!  My doctor had left Thursday night to go on vacation, and she wouldn't be back until Monday afternoon.  Although I was sure I could give birth with a stranger delivering, I would be very uncomfortable.  My doctor is the only female that delivers babies in our town, and any of the other doctors I don't know AT ALL.
Monday came and still nothing, but I laid down that afternoon, and then had a few contractions.  They again were about 10 minutes apart for about two hours.  Paul again called into work (he was going to nights this time).  My sister came and got the other kids to stay the night with her.  The contractions continued, steady but not intense, but then stopped at 7 PM.  Then about 9 they started up again, this time irregular but stronger, 10 minutes, then 6, then 20, then 3, then 10.....  I'd never had this happen before - all 4 other babies, once contractions started, they were steady and grew stronger and we had a baby within a few hours.  I called the hospital and asked their opinion.  They could look at my charts and know my history.  But the nurse said it was up to me.  If I was worried about delivering at home, to come on in, but otherwise, I'd be more comfortable having my early labor at home.  (I later found out that I called just as they were delivering another baby.)
Then at midnight, my contractions stopped.  Again.  At 1, I gave up and went to bed, figuring I needed whatever sleep I could get.  I finally fell asleep about 2.  Paul came to bed at 3 (he was well-rested from sleeping all day to go to work nights), and then I woke up at 4 with a "real" contraction.  When the second one was 6 minutes later, I got out of bed.  Another came 5 minutes later, and so I woke up Paul.  "I think this is the real thing."
Everything was ready to go to the hospital, and the kids were already gone, so we just left.  Once we got to the hospital, the contractions kept growing in intensity, but still weren't really regular.  They'd come steady, then would be a longer break, then two or three close together.  Any way, I could tell this was "the real deal" and knew we'd be having a baby that morning.  My guess was by 6 AM.
Six o'clock came and went.  The nurses called the doctor before shift change at 7, and she came immeditately and did paperwork while waiting.  Seven o'clock passed.  Then finally, IT WAS TIME.
Gideon had been such an easy delivery, two half-hearted pushes, that I assumed this labor would be easy.  Everyone got in position and I pushed, and.... Nothing.  The nurses encouraged me, "Push as hard as you can," so I gathered my strength for the next contraction and gave it my all and..... Nothing.  What the deuce?  How much of a wimp am I?  Several pushes later, I finally felt the head starting to crown, and then another push and the head was out.  I heard both nurses and the doctor exclaim, "Sunny side up!"  My contraction and strength ran out, but then the next push, she was out. 
Paul kissed me and said, "You've got another girl!"
What??  I was so sure this was going to be a boy.  Not that I was disappointed, but so much for mother's intuition!
So.  A "sunny side up" baby is born differently than a "normal" delivery.  I researched this, because I've never watched my babies come out. I didn't know what was normal or not, and why the doctor would be surprised.  Normally, babies are born face down, and then turn to the side as their shoulders come out.  A "sunny side up" baby is born face-up.  Instead of the crown of the head (the back top part) being the first part out, the whole top of the head presents, so it's a bigger part you're trying to push out.  (Which accounts for my inadequate pushing.)  Also, since the round crown isn't pressing against your round cervix, it applies pressure unevenly, which can cause irregular contractions.  Often there are other complications, which thankfully we didn't have to deal with, but my lower back was a wreck afterwards, and I've had bowel issues ever since.  I think the back of her head pressing into my spine all the way out caused some of the issues.
But she's here!  And she's perfect.  And that's all that matters.

Brand new!

I love this man!

Family of SEVEN!

 

Bright eyes.

 



Back asleep.



She was our heaviest baby, weithing in at 8 lb 5 oz, but our shortest at only 18 inches.  In features, we noticed immediately that she has the same hair that Nathan did in infancy.  She also has a very strong neck like he did, lifting her head off my chest and looking around.  Her cheeks and chin look just like Zadie's did in her baby pictures.  And her nose looks like Gideon's.  It's going to be a while before we can tell whose eyes she's got - the Rhodes eyes with the killer lashes, or the Eichenberger puppy eyes.

The first few weeks were rough on sleeping - or NOT sleeping, to be more accurate.  Miss Elsa wanted to be held all the time.  The only time she would cry is if you put her down in her crib.  So I spent a lot of time on the couch.  A LOT.  Which made my back hurt even more.  Finally, after about 5 days, I couldn't do it anymore, and she moved to our bed.  Bad sleep with a baby next to you is better than zero sleep on the couch.

The sleep issue has worked out since we re-tried swaddling.  We did it the first week, but she'd kick out of the blanket, even the swaddler wrap with velcro, so we stopped doing it.  Last week, I decided to try swaddling using some larger cotton muslin blankets a friend sent over.  BINGO!  Elsa thinks she's still being held when she's wrapped up, and I can usually guarantee a minimum of 3 hours, but last night got six amazing hours alone. (But of course we wasted the first two watching Downton Abbey on DVD......)

Really, she's a pretty happy baby, only crying when she wants to be held.  She's only had one night of inconsolable mystery crying.  (All 3 boys regularly had several-hours-long screaming bouts, most nights.  I don't remember it as much with Zadie.  I know she slept through the night early on.)

Elsa had the hardest time of any of our kids at gaining back the weight she lost after birth.  It took a full four weeks.  Part of the problem was she was tongue-tied and couldn't get a good latch.  (Which she could have done had she not been too sleepy/lazy to open her mouth wide.)  The doctor clipped her frenulum at her one-week checkup, and that immediately fixed the latch issue.  The other part was I am  having milk production issues, despite previously nursing four babies with zero problems.  One side is barely producing, so since I was only nursing on one side at a time, she was essentially only getting fed half of what I thought she was.  But once I discovered this, I started nursing both sides every time and she has steadily gained about an ounce a day.  (Everyone asked how I figured out the production issue.  It was after she went four hours without nursing for the first time since birth.  One side got very full, and the other didn't.  At all.  Too much information??)

As to the name....  She is NOT named after Disney's Frozen character.  However.... Zadie did suggest the name.  Because she loves Frozen.  At first, I said ABSOLUTELY NOT.  But after spending hours and hours on name web sites, and nothing really grabbing me, I came back to Elsa.  (I had liked the name Ilsa, but Paul wasn't on board.)  I looked up it's meaning - "dedicated to God."  Fitting.  I looked up it's popularity (my main reason for rejecting it - I figured it would be wildly popular because of the movie) - it was ranked in the 200s.  Looking better.  "Elsa" sounded good with the middle name we'd picked out long ago - "Anne," a middle name also shared by Paul's mom and sister.  I ran it by Paul, and it was settled.  Elsa Anne.  (And because the boys were sure that Zadie had gotten to pick the girl's name, they decided that if it was a boy, his name would be Luke Skywalker.)

So that's the birth story of our 5th precious baby.  We're settling into the new normal, and trying to get back to doing the necessary things like housecleaning and outdoor work.  And physical activity in general.  We'll get it figured out soon.

Those CHEEKS!

Education about babies and belly buttons.