A very special visitor... Auntie Chels!

On May 31st, Macy's 8th day of life, we had a VERY special visitor fly from Raleigh to come visit. Chelsea, my DEAR DEAR friend from high school came to provide an extra set of hands. She's got 3 girls of her own (7, almost 2, and 3)...so she knows all to well the trials of welcoming a new baby (and a 3rd baby to boot!).

 

She was full of special treats, home made meals, painting, play doh, & legos with the big kids, amazing girl talk, and a very special newborn photo session for Macy. Who knew that this PhD prepared chemical engineer/Professor at Duke could also take beautiful photographs. (On top of being a wonderful mother, wife, & friend!)

Turns out she is also a good snuggler!

...and rocker

...and baby whisperer. This was during the time that she was trying to

get Macy back to sleep for more pictures. 

 

This is a sushi selfie. I've been wanting to try Chef Uncle's Ryan's new sushi restaurant but had to be not-pregnant in order to do so. Chelsea and I wasted no time. At lunch I managed the big kids, and I'm pretty sure she ate sushi one handed with chopsticks while holding a newborn. Sounds complicated. Thanks, Chels!

 

She also prepared the first meal that we ate at our brand new kitchen table!

 

So on to Macy girl's photo shoot. This is a true, dear, special gift. Chelsea is so talented, and she's started a beautiful business. Please check out her photography blog!

http://www.rootsandwingsimages.com/blog/

 

Enjoy her wonderful work!

A true friend is really a gift to cherish. I feel so blessed to have a friend like you, Chelsea! Thank you for your time, energy, talents, and heart. Let's get that family trip to the beach planned stat! My big kids keep asking when they get to see you again!

Big Bro & Big Sis

Owen and Amelia came to meet their sweet baby sister on Sunday, May 24.

 

This one picture sums up the encounter perfectly. Amelia was overjoyed & zealous. She could not wait to get her hands on that baby! Owen was respectful and reverent. He didn't speak a word over a whisper the entire visit. In essence, their personalities flip flopped for an entire hour!

 

After Owen held Macy, it was Amelia's turn. It was as if she's been waiting all of her life for this new baby to arrive. It's so fun to watch her enthusiasm (also a little anxiety provoking!)

Owen was so gentle (and still is) with little Macy. 

I hope this is the beginning of a great sister relationship. It will be SO fun to have sisters!

(And when they are teenagers...maybe somewhat of a nightmare, too!)

 

Macy brought each of the kids a gift from her- what a thoughtful little sister! (Amelia received a Little Mermaid princess dress- not pictured. She was whizzing around the room too much to get a good shot!)

 

I thank God for allowing me to raise and cherish these 3 children, and I am thrilled to watch their relationships bloom!

 

"Sibling relationships outlast marriages, survive the death of parents, resurface after quarrels that would sink any friendship. They flourish in a thousand incarnations of closeness and distance, warmth, loyalty, and distrust." Erica E. Goode

Macy Evelyn Wade 5-23-15

If her temperament follows her birth story, our sweet Macy Evelyn will be quite cooperative. I went in to labor about 10:00 am on Saturday May 23rd. This was 3 days before my due date, my first day of maternity leave, a weekend (Mike didn't have to leave work), and the day time!

 

My contractions were pretty consistent throughout that day, getting closer together and more painful as time progressed. Mima Wade had the big kids, so I was able to wait it out on the couch and watch a Fixer Upper marathon. HGTV and I have become good friends since we moved! I was willing to wait at home longer but Mike encouraged me to call the nurse and explain 'where' I was in the labor process. She asked me why I was still sitting on my couch ;) I guess Mike made the right call! We arrived at the hospital at 4:00pm, and I was SUPER anxious that they were going to send me home. Alas they did not.. instead they offered an epidural which I gladly accepted! The epidural was placed and they broke my water about 30 minutes later (after a dramatic heart rate loss by the baby)... 3rd time in a row here. I think I see a pattern. I waited for the OB to get to the hospital. It wasn't my OB on call, but it was the same OB that delivered Amelia so I was grateful to see her face. She came in, gowned up, and 3 pushes later we had a GIRL!!! This was the first baby that I was able to do skin to skin with right after delivery, but first we had to look at that baby's bottom. I was surprise to see girl parts, I'll be honest. But I'm so thrilled our girls will have sisters!

 

Here are her stats:

5/23/15

6:55 pm

7lb 2.5 oz

20.5 inches

Hello sweet baby GIRL!

The nurse said, "Wow, this one's a kicker!". I felt the same way in utero!

I have many pictures of her with her hands in her mouth right after delivery.

Wonder if she'll be a thumb sucker?!

She may always feel this way about being weighed!

Give me that hand again!

Can I get my first meal yet!?!

Ruddy red baby girl.

Give me that hand again!

First bath! She still kind of feels this way about baths.

That's better.

Proud daddy. He'll now be wrapped around the fingers of 2 little girls!

Seeing her for the first time not IN or ON my belly. A gorgeous site!

Doll baby and her adoring parents.

10 little fingers, and 10 little toes!

Meeting Mima Wade. Love the look of pride!

What color hair does she have? (If she came out a red head, we were considering the name Lucy!)

Meeting Papa Wade! Macy Evelyn is named after Papa Wade's mother: Evelyn Byrd Wade. 

Meeting Papa Cooper!

 

Meeting Mima Cooper! Just love allllll of the joy on the grandparents' faces!

Welcome Macy Evelyn to your new family. We already adore you so!

Heading home on Memorial Day!

A tribute to my Macy:

 

Wherever you go, my love will find you.

 

I wanted you more than you ever will know, so I sent love to follow wherever you go.

It's as high as you wish it, It's quick like an elf. You'll never outgrow it...it stretches itself!

So climb any mountain, climb up to the sky! My love will find you, my love can fly!

Make a big splash! Go out on a limb! My love will find you, my love can swim!

It never gets lost, never fades, never ends.

If you're working, or playing, or sitting with friends.

You can dance till you're dizzy, paint 'til you're blue..

There's no place not one, that my love can't find you.

And if someday you're lonely or someday you're sad, or you strike out at baseball or think you've been bad...

just lift up your face, feel the wind in your hair.

That's me, my sweet baby. My love is right there.

 

~Nancy Tillman

Weeks 38 & 39

 

How far along? In this pic, 38 weeks 5 days. I'll be 39 weeks tomorrow.

Total weight gain: 30 pounds. My ankle bones are disappearing. More swelling in this pregnancy than either of the others. Maybe because it's warmer outside?

 Maternity clothes? Oh yes.
 Stretch marks? Nope. Hope I don't jinx myself! 

 Sleep: What is that? I've been watching a lot of Jimmy Fallon and 30 Rock at 1:00am, and pre-recorded Modern Family at 2:00 am...;)
Best moment this week: Brunch with just the 4 of us in the Central West End yesterday. Also, being well loved by Mike Wade. For a man who is always wonderful, he's really stepping up!

 Miss Anything? Sleep.
Movement: Yep yep! Babe is getting cramped.
Food cravings: No cravings really, but my dessert consumption is embarrassing.

 Anything making you queasy or sick: No!
Gender: I've had 2 dreams it was a boy, but I can honestly say I'll be delighted either way!
Labor Signs: No, but still lots of contractions. And they are getting more painful but not changing anything according to my exams at the OB. I know this can change in a matter of hours.
Symptoms: Heartburn, insomnia. I actually feel pretty good, all things considered. Mentally I start to get anxious around this time. Waiting for babies is.the.worst.
Belly Button in or out? Flat.
Wedding rings on or off? Off. Haven't attempted in a few weeks.

 Happy or Moody most of the time: I'm thrilled that we have a healthy baby that's 'cooked' well. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little extra emotional. There is a lot to anticipate when you're 39 weeks pregnant.

Looking forward to: Meeting this baby!!!!!! We are SO close!
 

I had an ultrasound on 4/28 and baby was approx. 5lb 15oz...

Here's my official guess:

Gender: Boy

Birthday: 5/27/15

Time: 9:00pm

Weight: 7lb 8oz

Length: 21 inches

 

Feel free to weigh in with your guesses!

 

Great Wolf Lodge

This Christmas Mike and I decided to spend the majority of our 'gift' money for the kids on a little get away. We figured this may be the last time we were able to get out of dodge- just the 4 of us. (Who knew we would also buy a house in the first quarter of the year as well?!) So we packed up and headed down I-70 to the Great Wolf Lodge in KC.

 

Amelia chose some light reading for the road.

O can entertain himself in the car for hours. He loves looking out the window and

is happy to color and create as well!

 

They wanted to swim immediately upon arrival, and they waited 'patiently' for us to get unpacked and ready to go. The beauty of this lodge is that there is a water park inside, so you don't have to load and unload your wet headed kids in to the car on a bitter January day!

 Amelia was a bit more brave, checking out the tall playground structure. (She's just like her daddy!)

 

 

Owen posed very well, but he stuck to the kiddie pool at first. (He's my son.) 

 

He did love jumping in over and over.

Amelia outlasted O in the water which earned her lots of one on one time with daddy who outlasted me in the water ;)

 

As the weekend progressed, O got the hang of the slide, too!

 

Post- swim snuggle & snack on the couch!

Because we were on vacation, I let the kids eat 'sugar' cereal for breakfast each day. I think they enjoyed that more than the swimming!

My little bear cubs being silly.

This is the fireplace at the lodge. A pretty grand entrance!

A little karaoke break!

Owen found the arcade...

This is one of my favorite shots of O just totally relaxing and enjoying himself!

 

My water baby!

 

We had breakfast and lunch in our hotel rooms, but we treated ourselves to dinner out with family and friends that live in KC. Saturday night we had dinner with our friends Laura & Wes & their (then) 2 month old baby Henry. Sunday we went out with Mike's cousin, Warren, who (as you can guess from the photo), is always a good time!

 

Then back to the hotel clock tower for bedtime stories read by the wolf characters.

We had a great time, and the kids keep asking when we get to go back to Kansas City!

 (The answer is probably around the time we've saved enough money for living room furniture... Nebraska Furniture Mart is just across the street from Great Wolf Lodge ;) !)