Sunday, August 17, 2014

Family of 5

We have spent the week soaking in our newest addition. We are all smitten with this little one! She has pretty much slept the whole week but we have seen her little eyeballs a little more each day. We have a few more pictures from the hospital and I am hoping to get back to regularly documenting our lives this week with some pictures around the house. My Mom was a HUGE help this week and I was able to soak in snuggles with our little Mia. Next week it is our new normal as Ben goes back to work and my Mom has gone back home. I will be on my own but I am ready to find our new routines and slow down and soak in this next year as it will be our last little one's first year and our last year with all the girls at home all day as Ellie will start kindergarten next August. This year will be an adventure and a year of lots of firsts and lasts but one we are excited to experience!


 Best picture we could get as a new family of 5. The girls were enjoying jellybeans, thus the funny faces.
 She LOVES being the biggest sister!
 This is Quinny's face every time she holds Mia! She is so in love with her! It is the sweetest thing to watch.
 The girls are already trying to get Mia to play dress up!
So sweet!

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

The Perfect Final Addition

We are so excited to announce the perfect final addition to our family, Mia Reece Holden. When Ben and I were married I wanted to have four children and he wanted to have two and we decided that three would be the perfect compromise. As we drove home with all our girls in the car he looked at me and said we have our family, the one we have been working for. There is a sweet feeling about being complete and Mia has made our family complete. We are immensely blessed with 3 beautiful and healthy girls and there is a sweet peace and joy in knowing that our children are healthy and that God has chosen us specifically to care for these three sweet girls.

And with our final addition comes the story of her entrance into this world and the story of her name. She entered the world at her own pace and yet the perfect one. I was moving along and at 37 weeks was told that I would most likely not make it until August 4th and then Mia put the brakes on. She was not feeling coming that early and decided to stay put. August 5th we made our scheduled induction for Monday morning on the 11th, but I was hoping to go into labor as I was trying to avoid having all the medications needed for induction. Ellie was induced and I was familiar with the process and knew it would go well, but wanted to go into labor on my own. We began the waiting. I walked and walked and walked each day and did my exercise video every day. The girls and I also went to the pool as much as we could. Every morning Ellie would ask when is the baby coming and I would say when God decides it is the perfect time. I went to bed Saturday night with some back aches but was able to sleep. I woke up around 4 or 4:30 in the morning with the same aches and they would not go away. I let Ben know that I thought it could be time. We were very diligent about not waiting around since Quinn came within two hours of my first contraction and ten minutes after getting to the hospital. I made the calls needed for the girls and we arrived at the hospital around 5:45 or so. I was 6 cm when we arrived and after checking in I was planning a wait and see process on an epidural. With Ellie I had one and with Quinn there was no time. I liked not having the drugs for the feeling afterwards as my body felt much better after Quinn. I decided that I would see how the process went and if I was moving slowly then I might get one and if things went faster I felt I could do without. Around 6:30 the contractions were intense and I let them know that I felt I would need an epidural. They put the order in but told me it would be a little bit as I had not been there long enough for my blood work to be complete. At the same time I felt it was time to push. The nurse checked and I was 10 cm and little Mia was coming. Ready or not the epidural was not happening. Three pushes later she was here at 6:47 am, about an hour after pulling into our parking space. She weighed 6lbs 8oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. She was completely healthy and we both passed all our blood sugar tests with no problems over the next 12 hours. I have struggled through all three of my pregnancies with obstacles but in the end the Lord has blessed me with labors and deliveries that go fairly quickly and have all been healthy. The gifts of our girls have far outweighed the struggles and though challenging have been manageable. I have delivered all my children in the same hospital with an incredible staff that have encouraged us and loved on us. God has always more than provided and with Quinn and Mia I have been able to get home a little over 24 hours later with the support of the medical staff. It is always challenging for me to wait and be patient as the Lord requires and especially in the final days of pregnancy when I just want to hold our sweet baby, but God has always provided immensely and has taken care of us in more ways than I can imagine and with a new little one in our home I am always reminded of His great love and care for us.

Mia is the perfect piece in our family puzzle. I had come up with lists upon lists of names, but with a third girl it was a challenge and Ben did not like any of my names. Around 32-34 weeks of pregnancy he came up with the name Mia and we pondered it for a while. I am a person that wants the name to mean something. Ellie means light and her personality represents that to me in our home and in my life. Quinn means wisdom and intelligence and as she grows I already see those traits in her naturally. When I found that Mia meant wished for child I knew her name would be Mia. She is our final child and I have dreamed and wished for all my children but from the beginning a third child for us has always been our dream and wished for result. Ben also brought Reece to the table in my 37th week as a middle name and I also really liked it. Reece means enthusiasm and in our home that is abundant especially over this little girl. I believe she will grow to embody that in our home and in our life.

She has already fit right in and Ellie and Quinn are absolutely smitten with her. They can not get enough of her and want to hold her all the time. They love on her and kiss her and she has rolled with it all. Their energetic attitudes have not phased her one bit when she eats or sleeps. We are all completely in love and completely overjoyed and thankful for this gift that God has chosen us to be the bearers of!

 Mia Reece Holden
 Mia and her Daddy
 Meeting Mia

 Nana and Mia
 Gran and Mia
 Mommy and Her Girls
 Geep, Gran and their Holden Girls
Quinny and her Mia at Home

Friday, August 8, 2014

33 Years Young

Monday was my birthday and I turned 33 years young. I had a great birthday. Ben and the girls treated me very good. Ben brought me home lunch and we went out to dinner, which is a huge gift for me as it gives me time off from cooking! I got beautiful flowers and perfect cards that they all picked out especially for me. Ben got a little cake just the perfect size as I could only have a little since it was a special occasion and he gave me a wonderful gift. A couple months ago I lost the back of one of my peridot earrings (which I had for 11 years) and the earring fell off. I was in the house but looked and could never find it. New earrings are not something that is on my list of needs so I have been wearing some I already had, but they were not studs and hung down a little. I am no fuss and usually sleep in my earrings but with dangling ones I had to take them out each day, which meant I barely wore them. Well, observant Ben decided to buy me new ones. He is not a fan of dangling earrings and so he took matters into his own hands and purchased some new BEAUTIFUL peridot studs for my birthday! I LOVE them! He always knows just what to give and is always the best gift giver. I always know his gifts are going to be thoughtful and totally unexpected. I felt very loved and am excited for what this next year is going to bring! I know this year is going to be one that stretches me and is filled with many joys and many times of growth and I am so thrilled to share them with 4 very special people that I could not imagine my life without!

 Birthday Love!
 The girls and my flowers! Quinn and her cheesy!

Love these earrings! 

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Last Seven Days

We have hit 38 weeks! We have seven days left maximum before we get to meet this little girl! It is our last days as a family of four and the last days that I will ever be pregnant as this last little girl will complete our family. We can not wait for her to arrive! Every night Ellie and I talk about how the baby could come and she may wake up and get to go meet her new sister. Every day she talks to my belly and tells her to hurry up and come out. We are all ready, even Ben is at the point of wanting this baby to come and usually he wants every last moment he can get to get things done and enjoy the last days. So far she is growing great, her heart rate is perfect and she is moving like they like. For my past two appointments I have had contractions, which I have felt for the past two weeks throughout my days, and the doctors have told me that I should be ready anytime. None of the doctors think I will make it until the 11th, which we are hoping is true, but baby's come when they want. I tell Ellie God already has this baby's birthday picked out and we have to be patient and wait until that day is here.

Last Belly Pic at 38 Weeks!

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Growing Memories

This week we have been finishing up some things before our new little one arrives.  

 We have cut some of our flowers from our garden. Our garden is coming to a close but we have enjoyed watching it grow and can't wait to plant even more next year.
 We also did a little dress up!
Last but not least we made pudding to celebrate Maggie being part of our family for 6 years. She turned 6 in June and on August 1st she was officially part of our family for 6 years. She lives a pretty good life! Ben is definitely her favorite as he has not had two almost three kids, which she has still not forgiven me for, but she LOVES sleeping with Ellie most nights and is very good at tolerating Quinny's love. Quinny is an animal lover and loves to smooch on her and give her hugs. She often loves to bring her cat toys and play with her, which Maggie sometimes enjoys. We are happy to have her as part of our family. She has endured two additions and has a third around the corner. By the way, don't tell her, but in the future a dog is on the list of family members we want to add, but she has 3 or so years before that rocks her world! :)