Everybody's Growing

Everyone is growing and changing right before our eyes...

Who's Who

Do you remember Sweet Pea Liam?

Now introducing, Sweet Pea Ruby.

Can you tell who's who?

We tried to replicate the best we could, 

but sometimes 2 week-old babies just don't pose the way you want them to.  

Here you go...

Who's Who #1?

Who's Who #2?

A few more of Ruby...

Hope you are all having a great weekend!

5 1/2 Weeks In

Not too much new and exciting is going on here.

We are now 5 1/2 weeks into life with multiple children.

Somedays I am confident feeling as if I could conquer the world...

Other days I just try to get out of my pajamas and into "real clothes," (aka... yoga pants) by the time my hubbers gets home.

Liam is doing great and getting so big.

I am realizing before Ruby he still seemed like such a baby to me, 

but now that my attention is divided I am finding he is capable of SO much more!

I'm guessing he has been this capable for a while now...I just didn't give him the opportunity all of the time.

Liam has taken on the role of "big brother" with grace and tenacity.

I couldn't be a more proud mama.

Mr. Shaggy Pants...

Big boy hair cut for a big boy!

(How did I do in the bangs department, Dad?)

5 weeks old!

"I'm so big.

It makes mommy and daddy a little sad, but I think it's down right hilarious!"

Story time.

Liam loves to share story time with Ruby in HIS bed.

We always sing a few songs afterwards, and today Liam did most of the singing.

You can't tell by the serious look on her face, but Roo-berry was ALL smiles when brother did the singing.

It seriously melted me...

I love these kids!

I am so grateful God has entrusted me with with the job of being their mommy!

It rocks my face off that they think I'm pretty cool too :)

It made me smile

This morning I was thinking about yesterday...

and it made me smile.

Let me fill you in.

Ruby was asleep in her swing.

Liam was contently building lego towers and knocking them over with a King-Kong like vigor, 

so I decided to take advantage of the situation and brave the shower.

Not even two minutes into my steamy haven Liam came barreling into the bathroom...

Mommy, Ruby's awake!!"

"Okay.  Is she crying?"

"Yeah, she crying!"

"It's okay, Liam.  Babys cry sometimes.  I'll be out in a minute.  

Do not try to pick her up, okay?"

"OKAY?!"

"Okay, Mommy."

A quick hair rinse later, and I was out of the shower.

 It was quiet...

too quiet...

I walked over to Ruby's swing, and there was Liam.

He had gone to her room, grabbed a sweet toy, and laid it next to her.

When I saw him, he was standing over the swing gently stroking her face saying in a sing-songy voice, 

"It's okay, Ruby.  It's okay."

She was not crying...not even fussing.

In fact, She was looking up at him happy as a clam.

It was one of those sweet moments every mom wants to remember perfectly in her mind forever.

It got me thinking...

Brother Sister relationships are pretty awesome!

The Lord blessed me with three amazing guys I get to call my brothers.

Jason, Brock, and Jordan...

Growing up we had times of arguing, fighting, annoying one another unintentionally and INtentionally. 

BUT...

We had beautiful times too.

Times where Jason patiently helped me with my math homework while I was in tears of frustration.

Times when Brock let me hang out with his friends when I was a nervous High School Freshman and he was a Senior. 

Times when Jordan and I got to team up and play worship together for youth group.

We laughed...

sometimes a little too hard...

 some of us may or may not have peed our pants.

(I won't embarrass anyone here, but we all know who it was ;)

We played games, rough-housed, and so many more things. 

I ALWAYS knew you were in my corner,

and that I could count on you to help and protect me whenever I needed it.

And, no matter how old we get, I know it's still true.

SO...

Today I was thinking...

I'm SUPER pumped that Ruby will get to share this special bond with Liam.

 ...and it made me smile.

P.S.  I've been blessed with some pretty SA-wEEt sisters too!

I'll save doting on you for another day. 

Much love to all my crazy siblings, and their beautiful families!

I wish were were closer in distance.

Ruby May Finlayson is Born

As most of you know, Ruby May was born 

May 20, 2013, at 5:37 p.m.

She weighed 8lbs. and 7 oz. 

and was 21.25 inches in length.

We did end up having to be induced, which was not "the plan".

Clint and I arrived at the hospital at 6:30 a.m. and the process officially began at about 7:30 a.m.

I was given my allotted amounts of pletocin (who know how to spell that?) and was "contracting regularly throughout the day.

The contractions were close together and HUGE on the monitor.

The only problem...

I wasn't feeling them AT ALL...

Clint and I spent the entire day playing games and taking naps...

Labor-Shmabor...WEIRD!

My doctor came in at 5 p.m. after seeing his last patient with high hopes for my progression 

(he had been monitoring my contractions all day on his computer).

I was only a 5 (3 when I came in that morning).

In fact, I was mid-nap when he arrived.

He broke my water and INSTANTLY the game changed.  

I'll spare you of the details, but not even 10 minutes passed and we were ready to go.

Add another 15-20 minutes and she was HERE!

Yipes!  That's what I call quick!

No time for pain meds...

Ruby gave this wimpy Mama a crack at a natural birth.

(also saved us $1000, I guess we have a jumpstart to her college fund :)  

Thank goodness when she finally started to move she came fast :)

It's a GOOD thing we went in to be induced.  

Had my water broke at home we would have had our little miss at home or on the side of the road near Big Fork!  

(depending where Clint was)

MY WORST NIGHTMARE!  

The umbilical cord was also wrapped around her neck twice, so our story could have ended different.

Thank you Jesus and modern medicine!  

It was a perfect scenario!

2 days later she had a name.

Ruby...because we love that name.

May...after her Great Grandma Esther whose middle name is May.

Lots of special people in our lives have May b-days, so we thought that was perfect!

I have already taken a GAZILLION pictures, but you'll just have to wait a little bit, because I haven't even downloaded them to my computer.

Liam?

He's doing GREAT, and LOVES being a big brother!

He walked right into the hospital room, hopped up on the bed, caressed her face and gave her a BIG kiss!

(insert me choking up here).

We'll keep you updated!

First time I got to hold her!

After a little goop was cleaned off ;)

First family picture...Liam wasn't there yet...

Pics of him and her to come!

*Cheers*

Birthdays, Parks, and Bellies

 Okie, Doke...so I have one more post left in me before this wee babe arrives.

This past weekend was Clint's Birthday.  

31 and oh, so handsome...

Don't 'cha think?!

He (we) seriously celebrated by staying home and working on the "Honey Do List!"

Not sure if this makes me a terrible wife,

 or if it means I just have an amazing, loving, ROCKSTAR of Husband!!

(I choose to believe the latter ;)

Liam was so excited to give Daddy his present.

A picture of himself for Daddy's new work space.

(Clint...notice I chose not to use the word cubicle :)

Then, Liam helped carry over Daddy's other present...

Me:  "Clint, close your eyes, it was too big to wrap."

Liam:  "Okay, Mommy..."

HAHA!

Liam and Clint BOTH had fun jamming on the new cajon.

MUCH less space required than for the trap set, 

and now we are totally set for family acoustic jam sessions :)

(wow, that was a TERRIBLE sentence...oh well...good thing this is just me ranting about our little lives)

We DID go to one of our favorite restaurants after the birthday chores were finished.

*sheesh*

One of our chores was getting the rest of "Liam's Park" setup.

A few weeks ago, we bought a swing set off of Craig's List, and it has taken FOREVER to assemble.

Some MAJOR TLC was/is needed...

The Swings and Slide are now in working order which is all Liam really cares about at this point anyway.

Liam refers to his swing set as "Liam's Park."

He LOVES having a swing at home.

So do we...

No more driving 20 minutes to the nearest swing.

YAY!

"AHHHHHHH!  I will conquer this swing!!"

I had my 40 week appointment today (Tuesday).

If there's no baby before Monday, my Dr. recommended induction...

Why?

#1 we live far away.

#2 Liam was pretty big.

#3 Some other high tech Dr. reasons I don't need to blab about.

(nothing scary, don't worry your little heads)

I'm not super pumped about being induced, but agreed that it may be for the best best.

COME ON BABY!!

We are all doing well.

We are anticipatory!

(LOL, CLINT! )

(sorry everyone else...inside marriage joke)

Have a great week!

Hope to be posting pictures of little Hagitha soon!

(still working on a name...thought I'd give that a test run)

Cheers!

We are still alive and baby is still in the womb...

Life has been a bit crazy around here!

I know I've been doing a terrible job keeping you all updated, so here's a bit of our random-ness.

On Monday, I thought for sure we were going to be headed to the hospital to have a baby.

Clint stayed home from work.

Things seemed to be moving along.

False Alarm.

No Hospital.

No Baby.

Since I had been awake since 2 a.m.

Shannalee took Liam for a few hours to play.

What a good sister-in-law/auntie.

They had fun with sidewalk chalk.

Planting strawberries.

Going for rides.

And OF COURSE throwing rocks down at the beach!

Monday marked 39 weeks.

Some of Liam's other favorite things...

Frisbee Golf.

He's pretty good too :)

Feeding Don Jose...

Shannalee's fish.

Clint and I spent a lifetime 6 1/2 weeks working on reupholstering a chair.

WAY TOO LONG.

MANY mishaps!

But we're pretty stoked about the finished product :)

We finished it 2 days before the chair's 43rd birthday (May 8, 1970).

The receipt was tucked away inside one of the cushions :)

New Rocking Recliner for baby's room: $600-$700.

This Rocking Recliner: 

Chair: Free

New Gauze, Cardboard, and Paint: Free

  Fabric: $50

 Staple Gun: $30

Staples:$5

TOTAL: $85 with a story.

WORTH IT!

A couple weeks ago Clint's parents came for a visit.

Liam was ONE HAPPY BOY!

Liam and Lindi fighting over the biggest stick on the beach.

STILL wearing the infamous frog boots.

They are slowly deteriorating into nothing-ness.

MOPS 80's bunko night...

I'm thinking of just making this my permanent hair style.

Still an Elmo fan...

Even though we never watch it :)

Who needs pants when your legs are this cute?

Next post will probably have a new face in it.

Hopefully by then we'll have a name :)

Liam no longer wants to name his baby sister Big Bird...

Now he thinks Angus would be more suitable.

Not a bad fall back :)