Smiley Girl

Anna Mitchell is growing and changing so fast! As much as I long for a full nights sleep and a baby who doesn't require so much attention, it really does make me sort of sad at how fast it all goes by. 

She's just the most squeezable, kissable, huggable thing to us!  She doesn't lack for any attention that's for sure.  I caught a progression of pictures on my phone the other day that ended in some great smiles.  It was her first real smile and it just melts my heart.  I'm pretty sure she has dimples like Ellie Kate too:) even though you can't really see them in these pictures.

First I set her in the chair and she looked at me like this...

Then I moved her to the boppy pillow and that's when I got the huge smiles...

And I just want to say that after my last post, I hope you guys don't think I'm just begging or asking for sympathy or whatever.  I am SOOOO incredibly grateful for the life and the kids and everything that the Lord has given me.  I just want to be real and sometimes this life is hard and tiring.  This is also just a really crazy phase for us.  But I've been dwelling on the promises that the Lord's mercies are new every morning...and that His Grace is sufficient for me in my weakness.  Proof of that is I am getting this post up and I got my birth announcements sealed and ready to mail today! Yay!

God's love, strength, grace and the promise of His word are so comforting! First sweet smiles from my squishy little baby also help:)!

Just Some Thoughts & Sentences...

because I have NO time for anything else:

we had a cute and fun party for ellie kate this past weekend, but i can't get the energy or time to finish up going through the pictures and put them together for a post.  some of that is because my photoshop elements program is running so slow and it makes me want to scream (or smash my computer into a million pieces).  i know that's extreme, but it really is frustrating. 

along the same lines, my birth announcements are stamped and addressed, but i can't find the time or energy to seal them so i can stick them in the mail.  i didn't even have to address them (a sweet student did most of them for me). 

i am so behind on the few shows i do watch that i don't think i'll catch up. 

have i mentioned that having four kids is sort of hard?  i'm so tired and need to take naps, but there is always something to do or someone who needs something.  but we are beginning to fall into a good routine and i know it's only going to get better from here on out (and one day i will get some sleep). 

anna mitchell smiled for real yesterday for the first time. it melted my heart.  pictures to follow whenever i get the time or energy (do you sense a theme?)

ellie kate had her 5 year old check up yesterday.  she had to get 4 shots. she didn't cry ONE SINGLE TEAR.  she's a rock star and one tough little girl. 

we finally have the ball rolling with getting an IEP (individualized education plan) for samuel...but it probably won't be in place until next year. 

our house if for sale.  yes...you read that right.  we're crazy, but we would like to move and switch schools for samuel.  his current school is supposed to be the best and we have loved our teachers there, but after 3 1/2 years we truly feel like it's not the right fit for him.  it's hard to keep a house clean and get out for showings with a newborn and 3 other children.  i'm hoping and praying it sells real soon! 

anna mitchell is consistently sleeping 5 hours straight at night and doing so much better during the day too! so thankful that she is figuring things out.   she wore her first cloth diapers this week and is finally moving out of her newborn clothes. 

samuel has a crazy amount of homework for 2nd grade.  he even has it on the weekends.  makes me sort of mad that he can't just enjoy a few days off.  this past weekend he had 2 math worksheets, 2 books to read, and a report to finish up that included a written page and a poster.  it's really crazy what his school expects of the kiddos at such a young age. 

so overall, we are good...always busy and its always a little chaotic at our house!  i wouldn't have made it through the last 5 weeks without amazing college students and staff friends who have come over and helped out.  and a pretty amazing husband/daddy! also, i have pretty amazing friends who stop by randomly with goodies (food, coffee, dessert, etc).  i am one blessed girl.  

FIVE!!!

Ellie Kate, today you are FIVE years old! 

I have been telling you lately that I wasn't going to let it happen, but you assured me that it would and here we are. I can't believe it's been five years since I first held you in my arms.  What a miracle it was to meet you on February 23, 2007.  Five years later, you are still such a miracle to me.  

I love the little girl you have become this last year.  You have grown so much and I love seeing how God is molding you and helping you become more obedient and able to reign in that strong will.  Oh, but it's still there, rest assured!  You are still full of life, sparkle, sass, and personality.  I love talking with you and watching you process life.  

You are a great big sister (most of the time) and take the role very seriously.  You love to teach Abigail things and instruct her.  You LOVE your baby sister Anna Mitchell and have told me multiple times in the last month that you were so glad we got a baby:).  I love hearing you talk to her like I do...in that mama voice.  You also say all the time, "Let me see my baby, let me hold my baby."

You are very social and very into your friends.  School is one of your favorite things and I think that you are very smart.  You also love to color and are very talented at that too:)!  We also think you are pretty athletic and coordinated.  It always amazes us that you can keep up with your 9 year old brother!  You are a very tough girl and a DIVA all at the same time:). 

Your daddy and I are so grateful that God gave us you and created you so wonderfully.  You're pretty special and we are so excited you are finally FIVE years old!!! 

A Quiet Weekend

 

Since it was a holiday weekend, my parents offered to take the 3 big kids and give us a little break to just have Anna Mitchell.  It was a great quiet weekend around here...well besides when the baby would cry (which is actually still quite a lot).  I never got the chance to be a momma to just a newborn...we were introduced to parenthood with a hyper 3 year old who didn't speak English:).  Ha!  So anyway, it is always nice for me to just have several days with one itty bitty baby.   In many ways, it seemed so easy besides the fact that I was still tired, still had to feed her every 2-3 hours, etc.  Anna Mitchell was a pretty good baby over the weekend, and actually gave us 4-5 hours straight the last three nights. 

We even watched a movie in the middle of the day on Sunday! When has that EVER happened since we brought Samuel home?:)!

Today, however she has been awful.  I guess I need to just resign myself that she is a fussy, colicky baby, who is very high maintenance, and we will just have to deal with it and survive the best we know how.  

I won't lie, this parenting 4 kids thing is HARD, so it was nice to have a little break. 

One Month Old!

Anna Mitchell, today you are ONE MONTH OLD

 It's hard to believe how fast the days are going by.

You are still wearing newborn clothes but have moved up to size 1 diapers (we will start cloth in a few weeks hopefully).  I think you probably weigh between 9 and 10 lbs and we will find out tomorrow at your one month doctors appointment.

Sweet baby girl, you are not being very good to your mama.  It seems like your temperament and personality are quite high maintenance and spirited these days.  Actually, I think you are just like your biggest sister Ellie Kate (who was also a very difficult baby and toddler).  You like to be held and most of the time scream bloody murder when we put you down.  Thankfully, the last few days, you have gotten better about putting yourself to sleep for naps.  However, you do have to nap swaddled in your bouncy seat because of your acid reflux.  You now take prilosec two times a day and it has helped your reflux pain a lot.  You like to nurse every 2-3 hours (usually closer to 2) and that still holds true all through the night.  I got my hopes up last week when you slept 5 hours straight a couple of times but this week you have had some rough nights which make mama (and daddy) very tired.  At night, we have even put you to sleep on your tummy (with the angel care monitor on) in hopes of getting you to sleep longer.  The last few nights you have had your witching hour at 2 am:(.

Despite the difficult days of being a newborn, you are so kissable sweet.  In my crazed sleepy and hormonal state, I think and even sometimes say some things I don't mean, but I love you so much and am so thankful that the Lord gave you to us...our little surprise.  Our family is now complete and it gives me so much joy to have the privilege of raising you!

My Fav...

A sweet friend from church gave Anna Mitchell this little gown and I had to get a pic of her in it.  This was taken on my phone and it came out pretty darn good:).  It's one of my favorite pics so far of her (besides her birth announcement pic which I will share as soon as I send them out - which may be never at this point. Ha!). 

Isn't she just delicious?  Even though this newborn stage can drive me insane some days (and let's face it most nights), I just eat her up all day.  She's so kissable:).

Also, I know I'm biased because it's my baby picture, but I'm pretty sure Anna Mitchell looks the most like me than any of my girls.  What do you think?  This was me just a few days old in the hospital...

Insta - Friday {Recent Phone Pics} and a poem:)

I found this printable on pinterest and meant to use it in the nursery.  I haven't done that yet, but may just add it somewhere.  I love it!  It's been my mantra these last 3 weeks.  The days are long with a fussy newborn and 3 other active children, but I long to treasure the moments...cause as we all know babies don't keep...they grow up way too fast!

So, here are my recent phone pics...(lots and lots of baby because that is what fills my day right now)...

 

1. sweet Samuel is a great big brother! 

2. the girls made cupcakes with Paige, one of our awesome college students who came to help one afternoon!

1.  sweet baby sleeping and one of her awake:)

2.  Ellie Kate feeding her baby playing on her phone:) ...she was being a mini-me!!

we've had a lot of crying and fussing but the meds do seem to be helping her reflux for the most part

I got our valentines ready the other day while the girls colored and baby slept.  it was fun to do something sort of crafty!

1. Abigail reading to Anna Mitchell who was very fussy

2.  I love modern technology! Video monitors are awesome!

1. Love how AM's hair sticks up after her bath

2.  girls playing n their room pretending to watch "The Lion King" (love their imaginations)

Samuel Update

I figured I would take a break from baby talk and update on our sweet Samuel since I posted about his struggles awhile back.  

We were referred to a wonderful Christian psychologist in Birmingham and he has been great!  We have had 3 sessions with him and gotten some good answers and ways to move forward.  This is such an answer to prayer and I am so glad we went ahead with this.  The first thing we are going to do is move forward with medication for his ADHD.  We are hoping and praying that we can find the right one the first time around and that it doesn't have too many side effects!  I'm definitely very nervous about this step but hopeful that it will really help Samuel focus and be able to follow directions.

Also, the testing did show that Samuel has some real struggles with auditory and verbal processing (which is why he is slower to learn because almost everything at school is done verbally with the teacher in front off classroom talking and he doesn't hear or process half of what she says).  The psychologist has written a letter for us to take to the school in hopes that we can move forward with getting Samuel an IEP (Individual Education Plan).  This is something he desperately needs and has needed for awhile now.  Even after repeating first grade, Samuel is still performing at below grade level on most things now in Second grade.  Please be praying that his school will cooperate and be willing to do what we ask (it is the law:)! 

Overall, we are hopeful that these next steps will get us and get Samuel where he needs to be so that he can succeed at school and at home!

Life With A Newborn

It's been two weeks since Anna Mitchell was born.  Thought I would add one more pic to my little pregnancy belly growth...

So crazy to think that yesterday was my due date and that she's been here for 2 weeks already.  This past week has been a bit more difficult for us.  My mom and Jeff's mom both helped the first week (a BIG thanks to them for all they did) and then the last 5 days or so we were on our own.  THANK goodness Jeff was able to stay home a good bit this past week as I'm still recovering from the csection and really have to rest a lot or I start hurting.  We've also had several college students come over and help and meals have been delivered by friends from church.  What a blessing to see the body of Christ at work as we make this transition. 



This precious girl has also become quite fussy and dealing with reflux just like her sisters did.  She is spitting up a lot (wouldn't know what to do if i had a baby without reflux and spitting) and is apparently in a lot of pain from it already.  Thankfully, this time around I know what to do and what to expect.  There have been moments of frustration for sure, but I think I have been so much more laid back this time around.  So what if she wants to eat every 2 hours?  So what if I have to hold her to go to sleep right now?  The only thing I hate right now is that I can't give the other kids as much attention as I would like.  They seem to be handling it all okay though:).  It's just hard for this momma!  So anyway, we started on some medication yesterday and I hope it helps, but I'm thinking we will have to move to the stronger stuff soon just like with did with EK.  Anna Mitchell reminds me a lot of EK...more high maintenance and not quite as easy as Abigail was as a newborn.

We continue to have lots of visitors too!  Aunt Jenny, Uncle Buddy, and Davis came to visit last week.  They had been sick for awhile and kept having to put off meeting Anna Mitchell.  It was fun to have them and Jennifer was so sweet to also bring a meal to freeze!  Our freezer is overflowing with meals and that is AWESOME!  I don't know how or when I'll ever have the energy to cook again:).   

We also gave AM her first bath since her cord fell off.   Like most newborns, she wasn't a big fan.

One morning while everyone was at school and Jeff was at work, I motivated myself to take Anna Mitchell's newborn pics for her announcement.  I got some good ones...but this one cracks me up.  She gives me this face a lot...like "what in the world are you doing or saying to me momma?"

I'm so tired most of the time,  and so not ready to be on my own for real next week...but I'm so thankful for my precious baby girl.  I am seriously soaking up all her newborn goodness...the crying, the not sleeping, reflux and all:)!