The Fourth Addition

I'd like to introduce the newest member of our family, Mister M.

Weighing in at 7lbs. 5oz. with a length of 19 inches.  He was the fourth addition to our family and brought tears to our eyes when he arrived.  Daddy cut the cord and he was quickly placed in my arms.  Ten fingers and ten toes, fearfully and wonderfully made by our Lord.

Mister M was a surprise from the beginning.  I had just sorted through and given away all our baby clothes.  I cried a few tears over the fact that I wouldn't have another baby in the house when donating our high chair and storing the cradle made by Grandpa Jerry.  Life was moving forward and now it was time to transition from caring for babies to raising children and training them in the way they should go.

That is not the plan God had for us.  Unbeknownst to me, while I was giving all our baby clothes away and crying those tears, God was forming Mister M inside me.  The first clue was the fatigue.  Usually a night owl, I couldn't stay awake past 9pm.  Then I couldn't remember the last time "dottie" came to visit.  Without saying anything to Patrick, I took a home pregnancy test and when it turned out to be positive, I almost fell over!  What a shock.  My mind was reeling with all the real world thoughts.  How did this happen? (duh)  What is Patrick going to think? (he was cautiously thrilled)  This isn't a good time. (Patrick had been un-employed until about two weeks before I took the pregnancy test)  How will we parent four children? (same way we parented three)  Wow, I'm really pregnant. (Wow, I'm really pregnant!!)  I could go on with all the things that popped into my head, but you get the picture.

We told the family and all were surprised and thrilled.  Grandma Betty even wrote this little poem to welcome our little one,

To the Little One:

We can't touch your little fingers

We can't whisper in your ear

But we're practicing a lullabye

We hope your heart will hear

We can't wait until your BIRTH day

When you join our family

We'll be reaching out to get you

Snuggled in our Family Tree

PROUD GRANDMA AND GRAMPA

The pregnancy went fine.  No major issues or complications, thankfully.  The day of delivery I was induced.  First induction.  I knew I wouldn't like it, and I didn't.  I enjoy laboring at home until the very last minute and was unhappy to have to be induced.  Even put it off a week hoping the little guy would arrive on his own.  The only good thing about the induction was the epidural.  First epidural.  After Mister M arrived, Doctor asked, "After having three naturally and one with an epidural, what would you choose next time?"  Of coarse I said natural.  Just kidding.  I said epidural all the way!!

It's been five months now and Mister M will be 6 months old this month.  He is like no other baby we've had.  He doesn't nap during the day, and spits up alot.  He first rolled over from back to front and not the other way around.  He wants to be in the action at all times and has a voice and likes to use it.  He loves to sit with mom or dad.  He absolutely adores his older siblings.  We have recently discovered he has stranger anxiety and does not like to be held by others.  (This isn't going to go over well with the grandparents!)  He is quite the handful and we love him dearly.