Tuesday, February 21, 2017

It's a BOY!!!!

Mason James Craigmile joined the Craigmile Crew on Sunday, February 12, 2017 at 11:59. (yes, really 11:59, I couldn't believe it myself...thankfully Reid showed me his phone to prove it!!)

He was 8lbs 15oz, 21 inches long with a 14.5cm head.  He's perfectly perfect and we are so in love!

You guys, a BOY!!! Such a fun surprise, so glad we waited!  Reid has a pretty awesome video moments after his birth of me, just flipping out that it's a boy.

This week has FLOWN by!  Here are a few of our favorites in pics, and then I'm going to go back and snuggle/take a nap, soak up his newborness!!

 We had the absolute best nurses and docs and midwives!!


 Once we made it down to our recovery room and were left alone for a few minutes, I broke down.  Happy tears.  Relief.  I tend to get nervous at the end of pregnancies that everything will end up ok.  Labor will go well and the baby will be healthy.  Each time I get more and more nervous.  Can we really be so blessed to have FOUR perfectly healthy beautiful children.  Sometimes it's too much for me to comprehend.  And Reid.  What a rock! You guys, we were so in-sync during labor, we've got this down!  We just clicked and it was wonderful to be in it totally together.  It was a hard labor, maybe the hardest one of all 4??  I hope to share the story at some point, but we'll see...4 kids!

Remember, maternity leave isn't a breeze for me.  I still have all the others hanging with me.  When you're a SAHM you don't have an option to bring the siblings to daycare.  Yes, there are school days, but that adds a challenge with drop off and staying on top of homework and lunches.  Not complaining, just letting you know, it might be a while before I regularly blog again :)
 Mason's first bath!
 Thank you Thank you Thank you, to Grandma for holding down the fort! It's not an easy task, and she rocked it!! The sisters finding out they have a brother for the very first time! They didn't want to know gender over the phone, they wanted to see in person!
 They couldn't get enough.  Libby was the biggest surprise to us. She was so in love and so very sad to leave because she wanted to stay and hold him all day.  That love and interest hasn't stopped! The other two love him just as much, but we anticipated that ;)
 I think it's safe to say he's loved
 So proud
 Grandma meeting her 8th grandchild!
 Craigmile Crew, Party of 6!!
 Grandpa meeting his 7th Grandchild.  He wasn't too happy we made him wait until the hospital to find out gender, but he said it was worth it ;)
 Nana & Mason! She was fresh from being Libby's special person at pre-school that morning!
 He can't ever get enough of his kiddos! and I love witnessing it
 BIRTHDAY TWINS!!! That's right, Mason and Joe Joe have the same birthday!!  Grandpa Joe was also born on the 12th!  Mason and Joey, the youngest and only boys of their family.
 Godmother, Emily!
 Auntie Jenny--thank you for the bedding and the DQ!!!!
 So alert when he's awake.
 Bustin' out...Homeward bound!
 They cannot wait to take their brother home
 Emma leading the way!
 Thank you Katie, for snapping a pic of our Crazy Crew!
 Always needing to touch and snuggle and kiss and hug and bless
 Multi-tasking
 She was most looking forward to bedtime prayers and newborn snuggles
 as was she!
 Our first morning! So very grateful for Daddy's week off.  He went back today and it was a tough one for all of us! He. Is. AWESOME!!
 Martinson Ladies coming to sneak in some snuggles!
 "I hold Mason?"
 First outing to the doc for a weight check.  He was overdressed, what's up with the record setting temps?  He was up 2 ounces from his discharge weight!
 She thought it was so great that I let her stand and hold him!
 Fresh Air!
 Vintage Carters, Uncle Joey wore this 30 years ago!  My favorite is the "toe truck"
 Cousin William wore this! Thank you Nash fam for sharing all of your boy clothes!
 and he smiles, all of the time.  Not just from milk or gas, either!
Uncle Joey, Daddy and the Bigs went to a local hockey game.  Emily, Emma, Mason and I hung back for newborn snuggles
 We made it to 830am Mass on Sunday.  We were initiated in the first week with 4 kiddos.  Mason pooped out the side.  Emma insisted on coming along to change him.  While changing him, he peed all over (he also did this right after he was born, all over his Mama).  As soon as we got back to the pew he was ready to eat.  I guess if we survived that we can survive anything.  Glad to check all of the boxes in the first week!

More awesome weather.  The big played outside allllll day, it was glorious
 It was killing me not to go out and go for a walk, but I know I need to rest and heal and recover.  My body let me know that on Monday...slow down, Jackie, don't try and do it all, not quite yet

Mason, crushing his first selfie and smiling for the pic
 This is what big families are all about.  Siblings helping siblings survive.  No instruction, Libby just offered to help Emma finish the last bites of her yogurt.  Sally was prepped on changing Mason's diaper.  And Emma requested Libby to put her to bed and get her up in the morning.  It's quite a great sight to witness!
 Mason's first bottle, Sally's been waiting for this moment.  Even in matching shirts!
 60's in February! They were playing Adventure girls!
 Good morning, Handsome!
 A quick visit from the Joergers as they headed back to Kansas! Thank you for the absolute perfect gifts! So fun to see you for a quick minute
 Sally getting ready to read a prayer for safe travels before the Joergers departed.  I had to snap a pic, because these are all of his kids!
 Emma insisting on Libby's bedtime duties
 More smiles from the cutest little man in the house!  Welcome to the World Mason James, we're so very glad you're here!  So thankful for God's abundant blessings on our family!!

**I think a congratulations to my Aunt Nancy for winning the baby poll!!**

Friday, February 10, 2017

Still Cookin'

We're still leggo my preggo.  I love the line from my friend Alisha, "Your womb is comparable to the FOUR SEASONS.  No one ever wants to leave"

Apparently 4.0 wants to make a name for him/herself already....nobody puts baby in a corner.

You do you, 4.0, we're excited to meet you when you're ready.

I'm mostly pretty patient :)  My blood pressure is starting to creep up (which also happened at the end of my pregnancy with Emma).  They did find a trace of protein in my urine on Wednesday, so I had to go in this morning to check in on my blood pressure.  Luckily for me, they didn't tell me if the blood pressure was high again, or higher, they would likely have had to induce.  It was a little lower, phew!! Thank you to the Mister, for being in charge of school drop off today, and keeping 2Y in helping to keep my numbers low.

Sooooooo, we're currently 40 weeks and a day (we were a few days early with Sally, 1 day early with Libby and a day late with Emma).  Measuring 42 weeks (will I get my 10 pounder?!), 70% effaced and dilated to a 5.  Tonight there is a full moon, some sort of lunar eclipse and a comet spotting?  Maybe all of that will work it's magic :)  Or it wants to be born on Uncle Marc's birthday (tomorrow), or Uncle Joey's birthday (Sunday).

If nothing else, I get to take my mind off of it for a little bit and sneak away to a movie with my mom and sister.  The sister can relate, she was a week overdue with her 4th, even went INTO FULL LABOR, it stopped and they sent her home and she didn't have Mr. Bobby for 5 more days.

Prayers are appreciated that when labor starts, I will know for sure so that we can get to the hospital asap to avoid a delivery in the car :)

As always, we'll keep you posted!

This is how our Monday started...

 Don't you love those gratifying mom moments when the natural consequence proves you've been right all along?

Every morning I tell Sally to clear her things one at a time.  "It's fine mom, I've got it."

"Sally, it only takes once."

She found her once...

Emma and I had some time to kill after a chiropractor appointment and picking up Libby, so we surprised Sally and ate lunch with her!

They call this the cupcake...Emma's the sprinkles


 The other morning I opted for a low-key morning with 2 of my girls.

We went to Target where I let them walk and help with the self check out.
We baked homemade chocolate chip cookies
Danced to Princess Music on Pandora
Made their favorite "Big Noodles" for lunch
topped off with some fresh pineapple

Taking mental notes of these kind of days with LJ as the days are limited before Kindergarten in the Fall :(
 Libby's special note in Daddy's lunch
 The Eagle obsession is back.  The MN one has 3 eggs, this one is from Florida, and the egg already hatched.  Emma's pretty funny with how much she loves watching and pretending she's one of them :)

Tidal Wave [VIDEO]
Are you sleeping Are you Sleeping, Brother John...[VIDEO]

Enjoy the sunshine, heat wave and weekend!  Hopefully I'll be back with some baby news!

Toodles