Ezekiel Paul Arrives

Wednesday, October 2nd. Mommy wakes up, walks her two miles to help those swollen feet, gets a shower like every morning while mentally reviewing all that needs to be done on this day. She and Simon need to get to the grocery one more time before this Baby decides to come. Suddenly, she thinks, "Wow...I have clearly lost all bladder control at this point." But moments later it becomes very clear this is more than a baby sitting on her bladder, her water broke. This was the first time this happened before labor started! The problem was no contractions. Nothing. The morning changed immediately. Tim called Sarah's mom to let her know that her day was about to take a turn. The girls were informed that today was the day that Baby would arrive. It killed them a little to have to go to school! But on the other hand...then they could share their news with their friends!

Tim asked for the grocery list...he wasn't interested in finding out what happens when you send your in labor-ish wife to Kroger. He took the girls to school and then went to the store. Sarah and Simon wandered around the house, tidying. Waiting for some contractions. Tim texted the doctor. She was happy to let us labor (or not) at home. It didn't seem like this baby was particularly interested in coming out, broken water or not.

Simon and Mommy collected 4 o'clock seeds and swept the front porch.

Sarah's mom came to get Simon. Which only made her cry. This was really happening. Simon wouldn't be our baby anymore. We've done this enough times to know new babies shake up the family enough to make toddlers crazy and older kids feeling left out.

So Sarah labored alone. A little. On the front porch, in the kitchen, wandering around the neighborhood. Walking made the contractions stop. Sitting on the porch, they might be every five minutes. It was the most relaxing labor imaginable. Tim worked from home in the office, checking in occasionally with the doctor to make sure we were okay to continue on this path of slow and steady. Eventually the girls came home from school. Tim was ready to call it - time for the hospital. No contractions on that drive.

The nurses were very nice, as usual, when we arrived. They were sure that this baby would be maybe an hour. But they were wrong. We hung around, now truly in labor. The nurses changed duty. Our original nurse checked in to see what we had...but we still hadn't met anyone. Bets were being made about baby's arrival time. Mommy knew it was going to be a while. Would Baby even arrive the today? Weren't labors supposed to get faster with each child? Does this baby not realize this is the 5th? But, like all babies, the time did come. And we know that you're not supposed to want a boy or a girl, just a healthy baby. But we wanted a boy for Simon. And God must have thought Simon needed a brother, too. Ezekiel Paul was born at  11:13 PM, 7 lb 14 oz, 21oz. He was very quiet until he was alone and cold for weight and vitals. Holding Dad's hand helped. And he figured out nursing very quickly.

We managed to calm down enough to get a little sleep. And then we woke up to take all the pictures of a new, sweet baby and introduce him to his siblings. They were a bit tardy for school, but some things are worth it.

Miriam almost dropped her baby brother on the floor when he spit up on her. Luckily, Tim was sitting close enough to catch him.

Our hospital was recently acquired by a larger nearby hospital. So recently that Ezekiel was the first baby born under the new name!

Which was a marketing opportunity...our baby was Facebook Famous for a day.

Grandma and Grandpa came to visit. Grandma was staying with the kids while we were in the hospital. Tim's mom normally covers this duty, but she and Papa were in Miami so Grandma was called in. The kids loved having her with them.

Tim had to leave the hospital for a first grade field trip to the apple orchard with Felicity. She was so excited he was still able to be there!

Mommy was excited to have baby Ezekiel all to herself for a bit.

Soon enough it was time to go!

We got home right before bedtime. The neighbor girl was excited to meet the new baby, too.

And within a day, the adjustment period began. Notice Felicity's tears? She wasn't the only one crying or pouting over the next two weeks. But none of them were ever mad at the baby, just Mommy for not being able to manage all the things exactly as they were pre-Ezekiel.

And doesn't he already look like them, a part of their team, one of the set? And very loved.

The Last Day before Baby #5

Simon and Mommy, not knowing it was our last day before the next baby entered our family, spent our last day just the two of us very wisely.

We made sugar cookies. And when the girls came home from school, we did all the after-school things: homework, chores, dinner, playtime. Until bedtime, when we read a story.

And it was very good.

September - last minutes before Baby #5

September...still fat feet, still waiting for the surprise of Baby #5 to be revealed. A greater urgency to enjoy all the things before the season of "Newborn" begins again. We spend our Labor Day weekends in Canada celebrating the birthday buddies - Uncle Joe and Catherine.

On the way home, we stopped at the lake house for one more dip in the water before the warmth of summer is gone. We went extra crazy and grabbed some ice cream Drumsticks at Mejier for a treat!

Mommy finished the Advent calendar for the Bols. This seems to be how she "nests" before a baby arrives.

It was an extra pretty September. All the best sunrises and sunsets, the sun hit the front door window just right so that we ate breakfast covered in rainbows, park-time after school, zoo-time whenever we could, and Simon had plenty of lovely mornings to wear out the battery of his little lawn mower.

We supported the dental industry. Simon had his first teeth cleaning. And Vivian got her facemask. She has to wear it 10-13 hours a day; while sleeping, but not while at school which was a huge relief for her! She managed the whole thing really well! It was a tough orthodontic road for this girl with the underbite. But she braved all the expander turning (out and in for 6 weeks!) and the facemask wearing really well. Within a week, she was able to maneuver the rubberbands and facemask on her own!

 We took the kids to a kids' flight festival at the county airport near our house. Simon and Felicity got to play in bounce houses, see inside the hospital's helicopter, and sit in an airplane.

Miriam and Vivian took an actual flight!

And as the clock wound down on this pregnancy, we celebrated Tim's birthday, 

 snuck in a few more Waffle Cone Wednesdays at TCBY,

 and enjoyed our parish's picnic.

Tim got to take Vivian on a field trip, one of his favorite parenting duties.

We wrapped up the month with the county fair! Each girl got to show off their hard work on 4-H projects. Miriam sent her Beekeeping and Foods (peanut butter cookies!) projects to the State Fair, so this was a big year for her!

 Felicity sewed a pillow for Mini 4-H.

 And after weeks of "practice", Vivian submitted her yummy No Bake Cookies.

And it wouldn't be Fair Week without donuts and a few rides!

Baby's due date, September 29th, Tim's birthday, came and went. And we continued to wait patiently.

August

August began with a Bridal Shower for Aunt Nichole. Tim took the toddlers to the "train park" in Waterloo. Almost 9 months later (yes, that's how backlogged the blog is), Simon still talks about the train park. Unfortunately, with coronavirus in the air, it doesn't look like it will be open for play again too soon.

What could be better than watching trains pass as you play?

The pretty girls cousins were all together at the shower.

Our summer days were winding down - school was starting back up again soon. It was crunch time for fun. First, off to the lake to catch baby fish and bob around in the water.

A trip to our favorite splash pad with Aunt Bridget and the kids.

Walks, picnics, popsicles...keep the summer days coming.  (See those underwear? No, potty training wasn't/isn't going well.)

Aunt B and Uncle E invited us to spend an afternoon at the lake with them. We don't have a boat, jet ski, or kid kayaks at our lake place so it was a real treat to play with all these toys! Felicity took a bit to get used to maneuvering through the water with a paddle but once she figured it out it was hard to get her back on land.

We celebrated a 50th anniversary at the "pool park" in Coldwater, Ohio and got to swim again. 

The last night of summer break was family date night. We took the kids to the restaurant where we had our first date and told them the story of how we met. We even ordered the famous bread pudding we ate on that date! Still so delicious.

Then it was back to school...and the rush of the mornings, busy-ness of the afternoons, and earlier bedtimes. 

First Day of School 2019-20

Simon misses his sisters so much when they're gone all day. Mommy, in her third trimester, became his playmate. "Push me in the laundry basket!" "Play trains with me." "Push me on the swings!" "Let me spray you."

Mommy missed those girls more than ever! Playing at the zoo with Aunt Bridget, Elijah, and Veronica helped Simon pass the hours.

And when Mommy tried to rest, he often found her and stayed close.

Daddy found a fun app to entertain the girls...

Check out that bump!

Miriam's 4-H club worked the cruise-in and parade for the ACD Festival. Tim was pretty thrilled to work the event with her and check out all the classic cars up close.

We closed out August by adding a bit of beauty to the home. We brought in a few a Felicity's beautiful sunflowers.

Mommy finished Simon's quilt for his big boy bed...the night he decided he was done with the crib!

One step closer to being ready for baby #5 to arrive.