Stephanie Shepherd

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Read Aloud Thursday ::: What We've Been Enjoying

A little more reading aloud is going on over here of late - now that I am not nearly so pregnant and am no longer gasping for air as I try to read to the girls or dozing off as I would read aloud. (Sad, but true). We're getting back in the swing of some daily reading and this is what has been in our rotation:

Sent to us from Amy at Hope is the Word! A touchy feel-y book that my 3yo is thoroughly enjoying, even though it really is baby Ethan's book. : )

Little Pea, Little Hoot and Little Oink - three sweet board books by Amy Krause Rosenthal. These three characters are different that others of their kind and these are short, sweet stories that impress that it's okay to be a bit different. I.e., Little Oink likes to be organized and neat - not messy like other pigs; Little Hoot likes to go to be early and not stay up late like the other owls; and Little Pea only wants to eat his vegetables not candy which his parents are insisting up on him eating! (Apparently candy is what makes little peas grow up big and strong ... who knew?)

And our current chapter read-aloud:

I will say no more othat than we are almost finished with the first story in this new collection and enjoying it every bit as much as the first book by Emily Bearn. What a wise Mama that decided to pre-order this for Noelle's birthday this fall! : )

For more suggestions and encouragement to read aloud, visit Amy at Hope is the Word.

A big sister helping with reading aloud while I put brother down for a nap.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Wordless Wednesday ::: 1st Photo Shoot with Grandpa

Thursday, October 21, 2010

2 Weeks

Two weeks already gone by.
Feedings are going GREAT. We have a 2 week weight check tomorrow and I'm fairly sure we'll get a good report.
He is eating about every three hours and while we're still up 2-3 times a night - depending when I actually move him to his bassinet and quit snuggling him - he's letting me get some good sleep between the feedings. I don't think I'm getting more than about 5 -6 hours a night, but the fact that I'm getting good sleep, ie. not really, really uncomfortable end of pregnancy sleep, is making ALL the difference and making Mama a happy camper. : )
We started some school back this week and managed to get a full day in on Tuesday (scattered sporadically throughout the day) and another full day today ... today we were better at our time management - and the baby ate at more convenient times - and we are mostly finished by lunch with the exception of our reading aloud. I realize all days won't go as smoothly so I'm very thankful for this!
I had an appointment yesterday for my gallbladder and my surgery is now scheduled. Thankful for a good appointment with the surgeon and his nurse who were hilarious during my appointment and completely set me at ease over this procedure with such a little guy at home. Also thankful for my friend Amy who talked me through some things before my appointment and gave me a list of questions to ask. She was fortunate to get to have her gallbladder taken out twice because her dr. didn't get it all the first time! Not cool!
That's about all I have today ... though it seemed like I had more when I sat down to post the pictures. Happy Thursday!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Mid-October Babymoon Daybook

Outside my Window ... a grey, cloudy fall day. Just about perfect for this day of Fall Break for us. (Now the sun is out, but it's still a little cool).

I am thinking ... that I am wondering how it is going to go today. First day home with all four kids by myself. (Ethan is a week and a half today). I'm sure it will be fine. Really. I'm sure. : ) Typically Noelle would have her tutorial today, but she is on fall break so I'm thinking we need to have a very simple day - time in the backyard, maybe a movie later, etc.

I am thankful for ... all the help I've had in the last week! My Mom came over for three days last week to hang out and help with the big girls and Travis had Monday and Friday off to be with us. He also got us out on the days that he was home for some long drives in the sunshine (which I swear by for mom's with tiny babies ... never underestimate the healing power of Vitamin D when you have been home for several days on end!) Plus, we have have several meals brought to us by church friends with a few more coming this week. Love, love, love baby meals. We have eaten really well!

In the learning room ... We've been off for about a week and half for obvious reasons. : ) I'm hoping to slowly start doing a few things with Noelle starting tomorrow. I'm itching to get back to it a bit more than she is I think! In the meantime, Noelle has had her regular 2-day per week tutorial and has done a few neat activities while I've been sidelined - her class went on a field trip to a local nature center and did leaf rubbings, talked about what it would have been like for settlers walking across Tennessee (she's studying a little Tennessee history right now), and had a picnic lunch. Needless to say my outdoor girl had a GREAT time. She also made a salt map of Tennessee this past Friday in class - one of those projects that has made me very thankful for her school this year as that's something I probably wouldn't have tried to tackle in this season.

From the kitchen ... no cooking on my part. : ) Again, so thankful for those baby meals that have come over the last week and am looking forward to a few more in the next few days. I guess I do need to start thinking about what we are going to do towards the end of this week...
I am creating ... milk. : ) That's about it. : ) Well, and also lists in my head and a few on paper. The next few months are staring at me begging for a little organization and forethought.

I am going ... well, I will be given the green light to drive by mid-week but I imagine I will be homebound for the most part. I really, really, REALLY love these first few weeks at home with a new baby (I have with each one) and how you are just cocooned up with your immediate people for the most part snuggling and hanging out. In general, our lives are pretty homebound but adding the new baby that I don't want to take out just intensifies that feeling. So, not much going of yet.

I am wearing ... Camo jammies. So comfy. And they are non-materity which makes me happy.

I am reading ... Ha.

I am hoping ... for a good day today and that Travis comes home from work a bit early. : )

I am hearing ... little girls watching PBS Kids on this Fall break day, a few baby squeaks from the bedroom.

Around the house ... a little this and that. Travis has been doing most of the house upkeep the last few weeks as I was either to unganly to maneuver or to tired/sore, but I'm hoping to step back into some of that by the end of this week and next. I have my Motivated Moms chore planner printed for the rest of 2010 and am ready! I've used this little planner off and on since Natalie was a baby and when I do it, it really does help me stay focused on house duties, which, honestly, is a huge weakness of mine.

One of my favorite things ... my munchkins and how much they are enjoying this baby boy!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ... not much in the expectation department this week, but I would like to get a few days of school in with Noelle this week (and truthfully will be happy with a couple half-days to start). I have an appointment for me on Wednesday to meet with a surgeon about my gall bladder and to get that scheduled before the end of the year. I'm ready to be done with that! Ethan has a two week weight check on Friday where he will hopefully be back up (or close to) his birth weight. We have a couple of event options for Saturday, one for Noelle's school and one with friends that are in town visiting, but I'm holding both of those very loosely until I see how the boy and I are doing at the end of the week as far as energy level. By the third baby I had learned not to commit to a whole lot and if we can make it to something, I can be pleasantly surprised and avoid the stress. : )

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you ...

Friday, October 15, 2010

One Week

How has it been one week already?

(You can barely see his little blue eyes in this picture ... blue is definitely his color!)

Lots of eating and sleeping and sleeping and eating going on around here ... some of us more than others. : )

(A little perspective in this shot so you can see how tiny he is in the chair).

We have gotten out for a couple of weight checks this week. Because my babies are so big, they always drop quite a bit of weight at birth. We went in Monday and he was down about a pound and a half, but by Wednesday his weight was back up by about 3 oz. due to finally getting some milk and we're now on an upward track!

The sisters love him so much! Sometimes it's a little hard to understand why we can't hold him RIGHT. NOW. when he is busy eating, but they all love snuggling him. He is going to be one very spoiled and loved little man!

PS. I had several ask if he was our biggest baby ... no, but he made 2nd place! Natalie was 11' 4.5'' when she was born and beat him out by just a few ounces. : ) (The other two were 9' 11'' (Noelle) and 10' 10'' (Betsy) at birth). We just like big babies in our house!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Wordless Wednesday

Big Mister & little Mister

(a new favorite photo ... I get a little teary whenever I look at it) : )

Saturday, October 09, 2010

Introducing...

Ethan Travis

11 lbs.

20 1/2 inches long

Born Thursday, October 7 @ 9 a.m.

We are already home and so thankful for how well this delivery went! God was very gracious - this was probably the best c-section of all 4 - no post surgery nausea at all and let me just say this boy is eating like a champ. : )