we aren't a fan of the bath...

Micah had his first bath last night...



Remember the "angry" Bear... well um...
this holds true with the bathing...

Mark and Matthew wanted to watch,
which I found really stinkin cute.
Mark was very concerned about what we were doing to his baby.

But this is pretty much what Micah thought of his bath.

Drying him off after the bath, he actually turned purple,
he got to crying so hard. Not cool Cranky Bear, not cool.

And I can't help it,
so here's a toes picture for the toes lovers out there.

quote of the day

My friend Jess sent me a message telling me how awesome I am and how I was made to be a mom of three boys... I really appreciated and needed her message. Here's the quote I'm going to leave you with today... I think for ALL moms, this is an awesome thing to think about when adding another child to the mix...



"You are a professional, think of this as a promotion.....without the pay, but definitely benefits!"

The ANGRY bear

Seriously... Micah is an interesting little character. My mom is holding him currently, across the room and he just "dropped"/lost his paci... oh. mercy. sakes. He started WAILING. Mom put it back in and he made little happy noises and is sucking nicely now.

Earlier he was in the swing for the first time tonight... swinging and fine, swinging and fine, swinging and fine, swinging and GET ME OUT NOW SCREAMING!

Earlier than that, Daddy was changing his diaper. Changing and fine, changing and fine, changing and SCREAMING HIS HEAD OFF PUT THE DANG DIAPER ON FASTER AND GIVE ME TO MY MOM WHERE THE FOOD IS NOW!

In the bassinet he'll be sleeping and making sweet sleeping baby cooing noises and then GOOD GRACIOUS COME PICK ME UP WAILING...

Oh and yawning... after every single time the child yawns, he cries about it. Every time. Yawning is bad.

There is no build up with this kid. He's either totally content and fine or he is FED UP WITH EVERYONE AND SOMEONE BETTER FIX IT NOW!

Have I mentioned that he's also very red colored? Besides being blonde and blue eyed, he's also very red skinned. (I've taken to calling him "The recessive gene kid") None of my olive tones, none of Jamie's tanned skin... Micah is fair, very fair and reddish colored. And when he's crying. He's RED. Beet Red. So red that the creases in his forehead turn white. I have a nice little cuddly teddy bear and then a grizzly bear and it goes from one to the other almost comically in zero seconds it seems. We've all been a little giggly when he gets angry. It's kind of funny. But not... but kind of.

I need to take a picture of my cranky bear the next time he loses it.

fun list

My friend Tracey had this list on her blog and I thought I'd put on mine too... It's amazing how many of her answers I though "eh, me too!" so I left some of them as she had them. It's just a little something to do in my sleep deprived state.

A. Age: 28

B. Bed size: Queen--with a very new mattress

C. Chore you dislike: dusting

D. Dogs: nope. Cats rule. though we are a no pet house currently.

E. Essential start to your day: Kissing Jamie goodbye when he goes to work.

F. Favorite color: purple

G. Gold or silver: White gold.

H. Height: 5'3

I. Instruments you play(ed): piano and guitar

J. Job title: MOM

K. Kids: Matthew, Mark and Micah --my three musketeers.

L. Live: Georgia

M. Mom’s name: Nancy

N. Nicknames: Kate, Katrina, K-Mae, Katers, Kater-Mae, Miss Mae

O. Overnight hospital stays: there have been several.

P. Pet peeves: ... I'm drawing a blank currently. but God knows I have some.

Q. Quote from a movie: "YOU could never be Jello"

R. Righty or lefty: Right

S. Siblings: Kris, my blood sister. Nic, my adopted sister.

T. Time you wake up: Usually between 6-6:30 when Matthew wakes up. However, now with Micah...I wake up at 1:30 and 3:14 and 4:48 and 5:15 and 6:32...

U. Underwear: yes, yes.

V. Vegetables you don’t like: green beans. I'll eat them but I don't like them. There is a long list of veggies I don't and wont eat...

W. What makes you run late: I hate being late! If I am it is because of traffic (or getting lost), or failing to get the children (now three of them!!!!) packed and in the car on time.

X. X-rays you’ve had: teeth, broken finger, plenty of ultrasounds (is that considered an x-ray?)

Y. Yummy food you make: I love to cook. J says my steak is better than getting steak out. That pretty much rocks. Yummy food I make that *I* like to eat--- any pasta, I make a mean potato salad, a really good chicken salad, I LOVE baking... I can't get enough cake balls!

Z. Zoo animal favorites: the sea lions. I LOVE them. I make a point to catch a feeding each zoo trip.

Pics of our Baby Bear

A friend of a friend came out today and took some amazing pictures of our Baby Bear. She allowed me to snap a few behind her while she worked. I can't WAIT to see what all else she took. She did some really neat things with Micah Bear and the big boys too. Thank you Melody for sharing Jennifer with us!

My Men

And this is life right now.... Me on my throne.... aka the loveseat, Micah sleeping either on me or on the boppy. Matthew playing his new game with Mark's supervision and Daddy's help. God is good.

Micah's pictures-- birth to home

Welcome Baby Micah

We arrived home today ... I'd been working on Micah's birth story and wanted to share it. Enjoy!

Micah's birth story--

Jamie and I got to the hospital at 7am. Blah blah'd through registration and all that. I got my IV put in by a very nice competent nurse who'd been paged to do it be/c the nurse to attend me remembered me from one of my false labor sagas (she was the nice kind one who only tried one time before Attila the Hun came in if you'd followed the previous story). At 8:15 my water was broke. Not nearly as bad as I remembered Mark's was. At 9:15 the pitocin was started and five minutes later I started having hard contractions. The next couple hours blurred but Jamie some how managed to keep the times written down for me. I tried to handle the contractions on my own. But I wasn't doing well. They were intense and coming strongly and coming quickly all too soon. I couldn't get relaxed or calm enough between them to handle the next ones. I begged for pain meds. I kept saying how sorry I was and how strong I didn't feel and how I wasn't doing a good job. My nurse-- AMAZING NURSE-- kept telling me I was doing good, it was fine, all this... she was so nice. At some point the anesthesiologist came in to do the epidural and he was very patient even though I was really struggling. We finally got that in at 11:00 and my heart rate droppppppped. He was standing by with meds though and gave me a shot of something in the IV to bring it back up right away. This was scary. I could see it written on my mom's face that she was scared. However the meds worked and all seemed well. At this point though I think we thought "okay, we can relax now" but we quickly found out that the baby didn't like the contractions anymore. I was doing so much better. The epidural worked fast and my contractions were happening without me realizing them. However, the baby was not doing well. And the nurse started with the "try this side" and we'd roll me to one side thing. She came back. "The baby isn't liking the contractions, try this side" we rolled to another side. she came back "I need you on oxygen. The baby needs more oxygen." I felt it. Bad things were happening. The baby's heart rate got slower and slower. The beeping got slower. The nurse action got more intense. The look on my mom's face got darker and darker.

Jamie was in the lobby sitting with his dad for a minute and my mom called him and told him to come back that things weren't looking good. I knew that with Mark I needed to be on oxygen but it was LATER in the laboring process. Much later. Something felt wrong. The baby's heart rate beeping got slower and slower... The nurse came in again. "Kate, Kendra's on the way, she's going to talk to you. We're going to have to do a c-section." I cried. I knew it was okay, I knew that the most important thing was this baby's safety. but I cried. I knew that could only mean that it was really bad. I was explained that (as with Matthew) each time I was having a contraction, after the contraction, the baby's heart beat was dropping. and it was dropping low. It got as low as 90 or lower at some points. Kendra came in. she took one look at the monitor and her face fell and I knew that there was no more "trying" that we were going to surgery. She rubbed me and told me I was so strong and doing fine but that the baby was just not having it and we needed a healthy baby. And I knew she was right. All that mattered really was that at the end of the day, we had a healthy baby. In a matter of minutes (an hour after getting the epidural) Jamie was handed his blue garb to put on and we were wheeled down the hall at noon. Instead of like with Matthew's traumatic OR experience, this was much better. They said for Jamie to wait on a bench while they got me set up in the OR and I didn't need to scream for him. I knew what was happening.

Kendra never left my side. I was shaved and prepped and she held my hand through it all. A blue screen was placed in front of me. Jamie was allowed back in. I started feeling some tugging at my tummy and then I heard it. The most perfect sound. Life. A baby crying. I remember my eyes flied wide open. I'd already asked the doctor to please not announce if it was a boy or girl... and Jamie who'd known all along was able to again tell me who was born. I made eye contact with him after hearing that sweet cry and he said "It's Micah." I remember I said "Micah? a boy? Micah?" and he said "Yes. It's a boy. It's Micah." with a big smile. Micah Henry was born at 12:48pm. Thank you God for allowing such a sweet moment to pass between me and Jamie that I can treasure and remember. A few seconds of a crying baby passed and they told Jamie to stand up, he took Micah's first picture in this world from across the blue curtain. Jamie sat back down and the anesthesiologist said to pass him the camera. He disappeared beyond the blue wall and was able to capture some really neat first pictures that we'd have never gotten otherwise. What a kind and caring man he was! I kept searching the blue wall side to side wondering where my baby was. Kendra let go of my hand at some point to go see him. Someone finally brought him to Jamie and held him close to me. The kind anesthesiologist took a picture of me seeing Micah for the first time and kissing him. Jamie got to hold him a few minutes before Micah was taken away and Jamie was issued out of the OR. Kendra continued to hold my hand while I was put back together. I don't remember going to the recovery room but I remember waking up there around 1:45. I asked how long we'd have to be in that room. That room was horrible. I couldn't see anyone I wanted to see. I couldn't see my baby, I didn't see my husband, I didn't see my mom. Just my nurse. My nice nurse trying to be supportive. She said "about an hour, hun." I watched the clock. I'd close my eyes and two minutes would pass. I'd close my eyes again and ten would. I'd close my eyes again and only five... oh the longest forty five minutes I ever spent! Finally though, she said, "let me call up there and we'll see what room they want you in." At 2:30pm I being checked over and we were starting to wheel out of the horrible waiting room. At 2:45 I was in my recovery room upstairs. My mom and Jamie's dad were both there to welcome me. Jamie and Micah came in a few minutes later. At 3:30 we were successfully nursing for the first time. Micah was an eating champ.

As far as Micah is concerned, he did well from this point on. My left leg was pretty much numb though for the next 24+ hours. I think it was a combination of the nerve/hip issues I was having before delivery and the epidural. This made me getting out of the bed more difficult than the standard ABC check list of what to do after a c-section. And I annoyed a few nurses be/c of the delay but... eventually, we got moving slowly. I finally got my shower 48 hours after having Micah and things looked much better at that point. Micah had his circumcision Saturday in the pm and we were discharged Sunday morning. Back at home around 11am Sunday. Mark welcomed us clapping and cheering us "Yay Mommy! and Daddy! and MICAH!!! YAY!!!!" Matthew and Mark both were excited about seeing Micah again and getting to "keep" him. God is so good. I'm so thankful we made it through--- all safely and healthy. I have a lit longer recovery to go through than I wanted but all in all, I'm really pleased. My boys are just perfect.

Pictures will follow later.

Thank yous

Thank you Nic for updating my blog for me.

Thank you God for allowing us to have another sweet precious baby boy.


I'll post more from home. For now we're still at the hospital.

It's a Third Musketeer!!!!!

Micah has arrived!!!!! He was 8 lbs 3 oz and is doing great. Jamie said he has strawberry blonde hair -- awwww. Kate's still in recovery, but she was alert throughout the c-section and was all smiles when she met Micah. CONGRATULATIONS to them!!!!!!!!! Aunt Nic loves Micah already!

Labor update

Jamie called again. He called an hour or so ago to say that she was really worn and struggling with contractions coming non-stop, so they were going to do an epidural. Then just now he called again and said the baby's heart rate is not responding well to labor, so they are going to do a c-section. I will post again when I get another update. Pray for our Kate and Baby Bear!

Induction has started

I called on my way in to work and Jamie said they started the Pitocin around 9:00 am EST. (Which was about 15 minutes before I called.) He didn't indicate that she was contracting or anything, so this is a non-update update. I'll try and post again when there is news. :-) ~Nic

poll results

At last count, the guesses were 26 -- girl to 11 -- boy. We'll see which is which tomorrow!!!! If Nic can, she'll update this for us at some point. If not, it might be until we're out of the hospital. Not sure if we have internet or not there.

I'd be so grateful for any and all prayers that we can have this baby without surgery and that our sweet bear is healthy!!! THANK YOU!

10 on Tuesday

1. Waiting stinks. I'd so love to be in labor right now. Which is just a sad sick thought be/c who WANTS to be in labor, let alone love it? I'm sure I'll be begging for it to stop once it starts but for now... I'd really like to be done. I'm cranky and miserable and my fuse with my family is thislong. But. Every day this baby cooks in here is a day he or she doesn't have to cook under a light. By Thursday or (God willing before) Friday we will be blessed with this new baby to come. 7am Thursday morning induction. Let's go!

2. I love the boys talking to the belly. I will miss that part.

3. Not sure I'll miss any other part of being pg though.

4. I love my mom being here. Oh what in the world would I be doing without her here. I'm so so blessed that her job is this flexible enough where she can stop and come. She's still working. There is work to be done, but she's here. And I'm so grateful.

5. My dad will be here soon. I miss him. I love him. I can't wait to see him this weekend.

6. Is it sad that the sales change at Publix on Thursday and I'm considering giving SOMEONE, anyone a list for me? LOL Publix rocked the BOGO deals last week. We stocked up the freezer meals and instant oatmeal last week.

7. Matthew's eating has been steadily going well. Well, at least as well as can be expected. We're making slooooooooooow progress. Pray with me please that as we add this new life into our house, Matthew will not be derailed from the progress we have made. I'm so proud of him lately for his new foods he's been trying. We have a really good system right now. Hopefully those coming in and out of the house helping will help him stay on course too.

8. Mark needs some attitude adjustments! He KNOWS something is happening. Good grief. He's TWO and PROUD OF IT right now. Little ornery snot. He's fussy and stubborn and so stinkin cute it's hard to be cross with him. His little world is about to be rocked.

9. Have I mentioned my mom is here? I'd be sunk without her here. Sunk.

10.... HAPPY (early) BIRTHDAY TO THE BEST BEST FRIEND EVER.... I love you NIC!

Come out!

Jamie keeps saying "Come Out!" in the Ducky voice from the Land Before Time movie. Do you remember? At the beginning when Ducky finds Littlefoot's egg he says "Come Out! You should not be here, you are all alone!" We have started begging the baby to come out. We're so sad. I wake up every half hour at night praying to be in labor but just being completely uncomfortable. Yesterday I cleaned a little and got all the clothes dealt with. I'm sore today probably from too much on my knees. My back hurts. My hands hurt. My head hurts. I'm so tired. I just wish all this was be/c there was a baby on THIS side of the tummy and not with s/he still trapped in there. I KNOW that the best place for a baby is IN the womb. That right now s/he is growing and thriving and getting the nutrients needed and and and... I'm just so done. I really had thought we'd have gone into (real) labor by now given all the pains and grossness leading up to this point. The (TMI!) mucus plug is a nasty nasty little fun thing that NEVER happened with either Matthew or Mark. This stuff is for the BIRDS. I'm not sure there is much more on the whole planet nastier than that. The constant back pain is just sad indication of what will probably be another fun filled day of extreme back labor once we get started. The stupidity of my shaking hands frustrates me beyond words. I can't grab anything with the braces on (ie: finding my phone in my purse is a joke) and I can't hold on to anything with them off (ie: dropping spoons, dropping pens...) BUT. I do know that GOD IS GOOD. And that in HIS timing this baby will arrive. And THIS TOO SHALL PASS. I wont be pregnant forever. My hands wont continue shaking. My back will eventually regain strength and composer as I lose the added weight. The mucus plug nastiness will be replaced with other fun things that happen to girls. And really---what else matters at all if at the end of the day (or week) we have a healthy beautiful thriving baby to show for all this? Not much.

Matthew is very excited about this baby coming. Mark, I think, gets that there is one IN there, but not sure how he is going to react when it comes OUT to stay. Matthew's vote is for a girl. It has been since day ONE. He says he already has a brother so he needs a sister. We'll see if his logic is agreeable to the One who got any vote at all. I'm still on the fence. Everyone asks if I feel like it's a boy or girl. I don't know. I know that my first trimester was WAY different than the boys and that leans me sometimes to a girl. Otherwise though how I'm carrying or how the baby is moving or how I'm feeling since then I couldn't say if it was any different or not. I see myself with three boys. So we'll see. OH... And Matthew says it's coming Wed. We'll see Aunt Nic, if he declared your birthday baby-having-day a prophesy or not. Otherwise, we're still set to induce on Thursday the 10th. Not too much longer. I'm feeling a little "Engine that could" right now. I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.

I KNOW I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME!

I have my focus verses printed and packed and I'm ready. Whenever this baby wants to... Thursday morning eviction or willing removal before then.

the boy who cried wolf

I'm beginning to feel a little like this boy. Last night we went to the hospital for the second false alarm. I'm wondering if I really do have REAL contractions, will they let me in? Or will they say "no, not her again." ... Yesterday I was really crampy and my stomach was tight most of the afternoon. I was in pain. Not horrible back pain like before but tummy pain, tight and lots of pressure. I'd also (GROSS!) lost my mucus plug--- or as I've (GROSS!) come to learn (GROSS!) part of it. So I started wondering should we go? should we not go? I called the nurse and she told me to rest for an hour if conditions didn't change to call back. I called back. She told me to go to triage. We did. I was hooked up to monitors (NO IV!!!) and checked-- at a 3.5--- okay, doing something. I was monitored for an hour. Checked. No change. Some contractions but none 5 minutes apart.... more like 8-10 apart. Sooo, I was told I could go home or I could walk for an hour and be rechecked. I chose walking. It didn't matter. After an hour of circling the lobby and wandering the halls I was the same. So we were kicked out again. A little disappointed but okay. No real contractions today of any consistent theme. Some now and again but nothing enough to merit monitoring.

In other news though, my mom flew down. So Grammy is here. Ready to camp and be on call until this baby comes. She said her anxiety can't take any more false alarms. And I don't blame her. Neither can mine. I'm glad she's here. The boys are in hog heaven with her attention. And we'll just continue to wait and see what comes.

If I had to vote today... I'd say I had a drama filled queen in there tooting her horn, sitting on her high horse, enjoying being center stage. But.... what do I know. Time will tell.