Baby Emmett!

I have some great news to share! If you haven't already heard, our second son and fourth child,

Emmett Justin Corrigan 

was born on May 28th, 2014. He was 8lbs 8ounces and 21.5 inches long.

I will go into the details of the labor in a birth story post soon, but for now, I just wanted to share a few pictures and let you know that life after my fourth pregnancy has commenced.

I will let you know that the birth story might take me a little while to write because honestly; it was a little traumatic. It was hands down the hardest both mentally and physically. I basically gave birth to him without pain medication, but not on purpose. It's not what I was expecting to do and I wasn't prepared for what I did end up going through. Thankfully, he was still born vaginally, and he is perfectly healthy! But I'm still, three days later, a little shaken up by the whole thing so it might be some time before I'm ready to sit down and write it all out.

Anyway, we are here now. That part is done with and now we can focus on the newest addition to our family; our sweetest boy Emmett.

We love you baby, and we're so glad you're here! God sure is good to give you to us. Our family is so blessed! We are looking forward to teaching you about the world and loving you more and more each day.

xoxoxoxo

Prayer for Children

Holy Father, Eternal God, from whom all goodness and blessing flow: I humbly pray to You for the children You have graciously given me. You have given them existence, and have renewed them in the waters of rebirth by virtue of which they are able to obey your commandments and attain the kingdom of heaven. Preserve them in your grace to the end of their life, and sanctify them that your Name be hallowed in them. Aid me also by your grace that I may bring them up for the glory of your holy Name and for the benefit of all mankind. Grant me the necessary means to this end, together with patience and fortitude. O Lord, enlighten them by the light of your wisdom that they may love You with all their heart and soul. Instill in their hearts a fear of evil so that their way may be without sin. Adorn their soul with your virtues that they may prosper in holiness and grow in your favor And, if at any time they should sin against You, do not turn away from them the spirit of contrition. Give them the goodness of the earth and everything necessary for eternal salvation. Protect them from misfortune, anger, privation, and from the snares of the devil all the days of their life. o Lord, grant me joy and happiness in my children. Enable me to appear with them at your awesome judgment and there, without fear, to say : "Here I am, Lord, with the children You have given me." That, together with them, praising your great goodness and eternal love, I may glorify your most holy Name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever, Amen.

prayer taken from my Byzantine Prayer book; published by Byzantine Seminary Press

Answer me this III

(original photo from here)

1. What's the scariest thing that's been in your yard? 
A bear! When we first moved into our house, the neighbor behind us told us that the damaged fence was because of a mama bear who has been coming into our neighborhood for years. We didn't see her until last winter (after two years of living here) though we'd seen plenty of evidence. She loves to go through the garbage cans in winter time. Anyway, we finally saw her and she wasn't too intimidating...I mean, for a bear. Since she is a black bear she's not totally huge...but still, wouldn't want to run into her by surprise, of course!

I actually have this thing with bears. They actually terrify me. Ever since I watched the documentary Grizzly Man, about Timothy Treadwell, I've had all sorts of scary dreams about bears. Still, mama bear from our neighborhood doesn't scare me as much because she only comes out when it's dark.

2. Beards, thumbs up or thumbs down?
Mostly thumbs down. There are exceptions, but my husband is always clean shaven and I like him that way. As a history major, I've always found it interesting to see how men's facial hair has gone in and out of style, though.

3. If stuff breaks, can you fix it?
Generally, no. Well, I will sometimes try but I'm a very scrappy kind of girl. Meaning, I tend to do things the easy way instead of the right way. So, if it's an important fix, I usually step out of the way and let Mike do it, or his dad, or my dad. Because I know if I do it, it might be fixed temporarily but in the end be worse than it was in the first place! What can I say? I'm kind of impatient. *innocent look*

4. What was your first car?
A fast one. 1990 Acura Integra. It was even a manual. I recently posted on facebook that I missed driving a stick shift. So fun. But that car leaked/burned oil like no other and I remember spending almost as much money on oil as I did on gas. It made my mom incredibly nervous that I drove that thing around but I only had it for a couple years before going to college.

5. How often do you eat out?
Do I have to answer this one? :)
Umm....more than some, less often than others.

6. Why is your hair like that?
I curl my hair almost every day. I have since high school because I really hate my ridiculously straight/fine hair. It doesn't take me take me very long because like I said, it's pretty fine and curls easily.

As far as the color, my hair is naturally a light brown but I started getting highlights at some point in college. If you look at college pictures I feel like it's really light, but that's probably because I was doing it every few months. Once I got married and started having babies, I have only "treated" myself to highlights maybe once a year. I also only get my hair cut about once a year. That's just how it is right now. It sometimes gets really dark in between haircuts/highlights.

Dark from last Easter:

And this is what it looks like now:

my Mother's Day gift this year.

Head on over to Carrots for Michaelmas for more links this week :)

The week in quick takes

I don't much feel like writing a blog post right now. I probably shouldn't be. I should take a shower and engage my kids in some beneficial activity. I should work on adjusting my attitude. Put some deodorant on, at least. But no, I think it would be good for me to blog, and the kids are doing fine playing together in the girl's room with the door shut. I'm sure someone will come out with some need or some problem at some point. I will engage them then :)

But it's been a tricky week and writing about it might ease some of the internal angst. If nothing else, it feels good to talk about my feelings. Even if it's just on the internet. Because honestly, I've been feeling quite anti-social lately so this is much easier.

1

So basically.....I'm miserable. I'm trying my darnedest not to be. I'd say I'm even making a heroic effort to keep my complaints to myself.

I'm pretty sure Mike would disagree with that. He's had to put up with a lot of whining lately. 

It's not even the physical discomfort. So much of it is psychological and emotional. As any largely pregnant woman will tell you, it's just hard. There is a baby the size of...well, a baby! inside me right now and you don't know when he's going to come. I hate the waiting game of labor starting. I really do. I feel I do pretty good with the other stages of pregnancy. But the waiting the last few weeks brings does a number on me.

My friend Bethany, who is also gearing up to have her fourth, has the right idea. Why can't I learn from her? : )

2

I have more phone drama to speak of. It was only about four weeks ago that I shattered my Galaxy III. It was a bummer, but at least insurance covered it (with a 150.00 deductible, of course) Well, after getting it replaced, I felt like it was a bit off. It really didn't seem like this phone worked very well, even though it was the same model and everything. I think it was a refurbished phone, but I don't really know how that works. Anyway, two days ago suddenly it stopped working. It kept turning off, and then it wouldn't turn back on. So I was pretty mad. My mom happened to be watching the kids that day so Mike and I went over to the Tmobile store after dinner. He said fortunately my phone was still under warranty since I'd only had it for a month, but unfortunately they happened to be back ordered, so my replacement phone wouldn't get here until May 23rd! Just in time for me to have a baby...right?! 

So currently I am using my old phone. Which really isn't that bad, or that old. But for some reason it's extremely hard to text with and Instagram doesn't work because the new updates aren't compatible with the older model (?) 

If I'm not able to text you back or my texts are short and weird, that's why! Also, I miss my instagram. :(

3

This is so random but I've been making a list of things/people/shows I do not like but EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER seem to love. I don't know why. I know it doesn't really set me a part because obviously not everyone watches/loves these things, but sometimes it feels that way. Because of the internet, it feels like I am the only person insane enough not to love:

Macklemore (why is he everywhere??)

Jon Stewart

Late Night T.V. in general (gag)

*Breaking Bad

*Game of Thrones

The Walking Dead

Twitter
Kombucha
Organic produce

The freaking-Huffington Post

(feel free to make your defenses of anything on this list, if you feel like arguing with a pregnant lady :)

4

Well. Now that I've got that all written down (for what purpose? I couldn't tell you) I can move on. To my carpets! Kids, this is how you know if your husband REALLY loves you:

So we've been reading Little House on the Prairie to the girls. Louisa is pretty impressed that pa built them their new house with his bare hands (and a little help from their closest neighbor who lives two miles away) I say, yes, that is pretty impressive. But so is cleaning these d*** carpets all the freaking time. Mike spent quite a long time on them this time around and did it all for me. The carpets don't bother him like they bother me, he just loves me.

Thank you honey. Pa Wilder has nothing on you.

-5-

Guess who choose this week to learn to climb out of his crib? (and no, he doesn't need that rocking horse there to help him)

Perfect timing, right?! :( :( :(

Looking to help himself to some breakfast.

This is going to be SO FUN when I'm trying to nurse the new baby in the other room and hearing Michael out there doing as he pleases. Did I say ":(" already??

6

before:

after:

I am still organizing. Sometimes I feel like getting stuff done is what saves my sanity. I am astute enough to realize that once baby is here, it will probably be a while before I can get much done. It may hurt my back and my whole body, but I'm still going around cleaning and organizing. I know I should take it easy but it's very hard.

7

Are you feeling sorry for me yet?

Blurry, grumpy, chubby... this picture just about sums me up right now. aaannnddd....now I need to go hunt down some coffee. Because my Keurig decided to break this week too. Of course.

Just check back in 1-2 weeks and maybe you'll see the incredible blessing to come out of all of this. Baby, hurry, I need you here!!!

*I need to admit: I have not actually watched an entire episode of Breaking Bad, so it's probably not fair for me to write it off without seeing it. However, I have read SO much about it. I know the premise and many of the main details. The same goes for Game of Thrones, I haven't watched an entire episode. I can't handle violent sexual scenes OR too much sex in general. And maybe this sounds judgmental, but I don't think it's good for other people to watch either. Closing your eyes during those scenes is not good enough.

Hey Mr. Baby

"when you comin' out?"

Josie actually did ask me if Emmett could come out "real fast for a minute" to give her a hug.

I explained that once he's out, he's not goin' back in! :)

Pregnancy update for baby E

I am now 37 weeks and feeling ready ready ready to have a baby.

Of course, I know he's going to come early. He's just gonna. Like Michael Anton came early...yeah, no. He didn't. I was reading over my posts from the MONTH before he was born and I was sooooo sure he was going to come early. I mean, I wrote a post from the FOURTH OF JULY, stating there was no way he was going to make it to his due date which was August 4th. Walking down to the fourth of July parade I was sure I was going to go into labor soon.

He was born August 7th.

So yeah....clearly I do not always know what I'm talking about. But there is definitely something that happens to me after I reach about 36-37 weeks where I am ready to go. More than ready. Overly ready. But, so far 2 out of 3 have taught me to chill out until 40 weeks. (Louisa came right on time, Josie and Michael were both a few days late)

Still - Emmett could be a game-changer right? He could surprise us with an early birthday...couldn't he??

So how am I feeling? Miserable? Tired? Ready to try the castor oil already? Na, like I said, I really am technically 37 weeks so I have no justification for trying anything dramatic yet. Although all along I've thought the due date was off. I think I'm more like 38 and a half weeks, maybe even 39, but I can't count on that when going in to the hospital. At this point they wouldn't stop labor or anything, but you always want the baby to be fully ready to come out with no lung issues or whatever. All my babies have been pretty plump, too, so I'm not sure what I would do with a smaller babe. Michael was 9 and a half pounds. He was basically a toddler when he came out! (And yes, I suspect he was two weeks late, too)

So how's this pregnant girl really feeling?
-Still having sleep issues. Sorry, I know I sound like a broken record :/ I do have nights where I sleep fine. I slept fine last night, even though Louisa woke me up with an upset stomach. Hopefully she is fine and all the kids are fine. Michael was pretty fussy at bedtime last night though so I'm wondering if he's not feeling too well either.

-Lots of contractions. Lots. This is another reason I'm hoping he might surprise us and come early, even though I should know from Michael's pregnancy that being dilated (which I am) early doesn't necessarily = imminent labor. But still, my doctor and I are aware that my body is at least gearing up for the big day, whenever it comes!

-As I said in my last post, my hospital bag is packed. My "to do" list is short. So as far as practical preparations, I'm ready. This helps mentally. Though probably what I should do is start a big project because I heard that babies who come early usually come when you're not ready and babies who come late come when you've been "ready" for weeks....

Ok. I'm painting the bedroom. And the deck.

-As it happens, Mike is pretty busy at work. Things are just vamped up right now so it would actually make more sense for Emmett to wait until closer to his due date. As part of his job, Mike has military soldiers (Marines) coming in to test some of their software. Last week Mike mentioned that his wife was almost ready to have a baby, and they were all saying "Congratulations! Are you ready to become a dad?" Mike had to clarify saying it was going to he his fourth child and they were all pretty stunned, apparently. :)

-Along with the contractions, baby is very low. He dropped a while ago, but it's crazy how low I can feel him now. I am down to weekly OB appointments so they are keeping an eye on things.

-My blood pressure and everything is fine so there's no reason to have any concerns. Lots of movement, too.

-Am I worried about giving birth? Yes and no. There are always fears a mother faces, whether it's her first baby or her 4th or 7th or 9th. I am not worried about most of it, but of course I want him to be healthy and the birth to go smoothly. Mostly I can't wait to see what he looks like and to introduce him to his siblings! But so far I've had three incredibly smooth, wonderful birthing experiences so I don't have a lot of fear or anxiety beyond the normal motherly worries.

-I just had a (painful) contraction sitting here typing.

-Looks like I am Strep B positive for this baby (which just means you need antibiotics 4 hours before giving birth) First time out of all my babies.

-I am a little worried about little Michael adjusting to the new baby. I hope he surprises me and does well with the transition. Josie did super well with Michael and she was about the same age when Michael was born (21 months) I'm sure I don't have to worry too much. I've noticed a bit of a maturity spike with him over the last couple of weeks, for sure. He still doesn't have the biggest vocabulary, but everyone assures me it's because he's a boy. He understands everything though, and we love how he answers most questions with a nod Yes or No. He's such a sweetheart.

-I have had this weird thought that maybe I won't make it into the hospital with this baby. Not sure where this is coming from. Even though all my labors have been pretty short, they've all still been at least 4 hours. So I'm not sure why I think I'm going to wake up ready to push or anything. And as I always say to people; I love going into the hospital! I would actually be kind of disappointed if I didn't have to go in at all. I should put that thought out of my mind - it's not going to happen. We only live about 4 minutes away from the hospital. And we don't have any good scissors to cut the cord with.... :) haha.

-Okay that was a strange one. Here's something even more strange; I have had this weird feeling that they could have gotten the gender wrong. What if it's a girl? I don't know, I'm just saying, it has happened before to people! 99.9% of me is sure Emmett is Emmett, it's just one of those funny thoughts that pops into my mind from time to time.


-Wow, this is getting long. I guess I love to talk about how I'm feeling on the verge of giving birth. It is a pretty special thing, after all. Even though I've been on this earth for 28, almost 29 years - I have only had three of those days where I brought a baby into the world. So yeah, another one coming up is kind of a big deal.

***

Well, I should be getting going. Louisa woke up in the course of writing this and she's still not feeling great, she says. She is laying down on a towel watching a show. Please Lord, don't allow her to be really sick! I don't want her to suffer and I really don't want to complicate the picture in case Emmett decides to be really awesome and be born this week!!

"I can hear you in there laughing at mama......."

pretty, happy, funny, real

pretty and happy

(He is in love with the water and the outdoors)

It's been nice and warm around here this week. Apparently, we have a couple more nice days then it's back to rain. Don't tell my kids that. They've just been having the grandest time playing outside like summer was here. 

Funny

Just bein' a silly 5 year old.

Real

Hospital bag is pretty much packed now because....it's May - it's the month we should be having a baby!

UNreal! But I can't wait. Bring it on!

More cute babies at Like Mother Like Daughter!