Elissa's Birth Story

Happy 8th Birthday Baby Girl!

It really is amazing how the time does fly by. When you are in the midst of babies and toddlers it seems like you will never get out of that mode.

Eight years ago today, just after midnight my water broke. For being a person who makes plans for her plans, I was totally unprepared. Elissa decided to come 6 weeks early. I feel like God said, "Heather, I love that you are making all these plans. Deciding to get off work 6 weeks early and have all this time to finish projects and have some "me" time before the baby. Oh how much I have to teach you." :-) My best friend had her 3rd baby, Payton, on Wednesday the 26th. I had my last day of work on Thursday. Friday I went in for a baby check up and was SO looking forward to all the time I was going to have. Saturday I was calling Kirstin and telling her I was in the hospital having a baby. Our babies were 3 days apart. We couldn't have planned that any better. :-)

I had already had my baby showers. Amy Jo was leaving for a mission trip to Africa, so I wanted to have my shower before she left. She also got to see Elissa before she left. What a blessing!

I called and woke my Mom up and told her I was heading to the hospital. She took that literally and hung up the phone without taking a shower or brushing her teeth and sped toward Good Samaritan Hospital. It turned out that my Dad and Brother were on a fishing trip. This is very ironic because my Dad was also fishing when my Mom went into labor with me. When my Mom finally got a hold of him, they were on the lake fishing and Chad heard "water broke" and he started reeling in the lines. In both cases he made it to the hospital before the births.

My Mom made it the hospital before we did, which she was none too happy about. I took a shower and packed a bag and then we were a ways down the road and remembered that we forgot a bag and had to go back. We were taking our time. :-)

I was never really "in labor" as far as having contractions. They started the drip and I had an epidural. I labored all day and ended up pushing for 2 hours. Nana, Grandma and Auntie Holly were in the room with Darin & I. [Grandma Myrna was out of town because no one expected me to go into labor. Papa, Grandpa Frink, Papa Carl, Chad & baby Cole were in the waiting room.] I don't think they thought they would get jobs during my labor. It was an odd situation and I know the nurse was the reason that it took 2 hours for Elissa to come out. Grandma almost passed out as she was seeming to breath with me and for me. Papa had to be called in to help in the final amount of time. Elissa Ann came at 11:57pm, May 29th on Memorial Weekend. She was 5lbs 7oz and 19.5 in long. She was big for her age. She was healthy for her age.

Elissa stayed in the hospital for 2.5 weeks. When your child comes early, you realize that each of the weeks of your pregnancy are vital in your child's development. Elissa needed to wait to develop the ability to suck and regulate her body temperature. She also had a bout of jaundice, but nothing serious. Darin learned how to use all the machines; as if you wouldn't expect that of him. :-) When Elissa came home he really wanted to buy/rent several of the machines so we felt more at ease.

Elissa came home on Thursday, June 17th. Just in time for Father's Day!

Cole and Elissa are 5 months apart. Cole couldn't keep his hands off Elissa. Such a sweet boy!

Elissa we love you so much!

You are still running your own show. :-) You definitely know what you want and won't settle for less. You love music, dancing, telling jokes, gymnastics and roller blading. You also love all things about art and writing, though reading not so much. You have such a heart for anyone in need. We know that you will use your very independent streak and caring heart to glorify God!

Memorial Weekend

What a wonderful Memorial Weekend!

Kirstin and her family were able to come stay for the weekend.

It was supposed to be 70 degrees on Friday and Saturday, so we were looking forward to the warm weather. It was a great day for Elissa's school BBQ. Last year we had to sit undercover because it was cold, windy and rainy. Today we were able to sit on the grass and enjoy the sun. That afternoon was the opening of our community pool. The kids were really looking forward to it.

We got to the pool around 4pm

It was perfect! The sun was out and hot. The kids were having fun. Then we hear this strange sound. Was that really thunder?? Then it comes again. Yep, that was thunder. After a few minutes, we start feeling drops of rain. The thunder doesn't stop, so the pool is closed in case lightning decides to follow. Wow, that was crazy! So we headed home to wait for Kirstin and her family to get there.

We had a great evening catching up. I think we all went to bed just before midnight. As I was tucking Zachary in, I told him when he woke up to just quietly climb down and go downstairs. Don't wake Payton or girls up, since they were also sleeping in his room. I had him repeat this back to me. Funny that at 5:45am there were 4 kids tromping down the stairs, waking up baby Braxton. So Kirstin talked to them first. She asked why they were up and Payton said, "Zach wouldn't stop talking to me." Then Zach said that he didn't want to go downstairs without his friends. Oh my sweet, early riser boy.

Zach, Jaice & Braxton

Payton

Payton with Elissa dunking!

Elissa was on fire! :-)

Darin and Brax hangin out.

Looks like it is going to be a beautiful day!

It was a perfect day! The sun was out and it stayed hot out all day. The kids had so much fun playing at the beach and then we played at the pool for just a short time.

We had a fun, fun day!

Fly Away!

Our babies birds are gone.

We took pictures of them yesterday morning for Zach's sharing day and then that afternoon they were gone. They looked like they were too big for their nest. Oh and the 3rd baby was just fine!

What a fun experience that was!

Have a happy life!!

The Robin's Nest

Babies!!

I think there are 3, but one may have passed....

See the far left beak laying on the nest??

Then Mommy Robin came back and was yelling at me to get away from her babies!

Then she flew away and came back with some more food. What a good Mommy!

Then in the afternoon I went and checked on them again.

The kids think it is so cool to have their own baby birds. :-)

Mother's Day Weekend

Saturday, May 12th

We started the morning off with T-ball (one more week)!

Elissa w/her signature glitter hat!

Yep, he's doing cartwheels.

That afternoon our family came over for a BBQ. The girls immediately left for a little Mother's Day outing. I took the Moms and Holly down to a little store in Sumner called A Picket Fence. If you haven't been to Sumner lately, there are really a lot of cute little shops on Main ST. It is worth the drive. I took the Moms here to get them each a pair of TOMS. And I may have gotten a pair for myself too. :-) We had a fun time.

Happy Mother's Day Moms!!

While we were shopping the guys were hanging out, the kids were loving playing together and the dogs were constantly following each other. Cringle sniffing around Newman and Newman herding Cringle around the yard.

It was a really fun day!

On Sunday we had a nice relaxing day in the sun. I wanted to go to The Buttered Biscuit for breakfast. We thought we could go there and get to church, but the wait was long. I can honestly say that we all thought the food was worth the wait. Then we headed home and spent the rest of the day at the beach in the glorious weather we had. It was a perfect Mother's Day!

I will not do pictures directly in the sun again. :(