Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Then there were FIVE!

Five.
Yes, I have five children.
I woke up on Thursday morning with four children and went home on Friday evening and put five children to bed. Incredible. 

Our hospital stay was quick and uneventful. Perfect amount of visitors. Nice time with my husband. Good snuggling of our new baby and then back to reality. 

Jett is looking stoked about heading home to meet everyone. He has no idea what is about to happen.
  
There was a lot of excitement when we walked in the door. My parents had arrived earlier that evening so they were all in their pajamas and waiting for us to get home. 
 Titan was so excited about the baby.
As promised, our only girl was given the honor of the first hold.  I'm fairly certain she would hold him as much as possible if we would let her. She spent much of the time that my parents were here trying to bud in on their holding Jett time. We had to reassure her that there would be plenty of holding Jett time after Nana and Papa left. 

Crazy hair and all, she is just the sweetest.
 Titan checking him out.
Big brother Rex! He likes Jett, will gladly help with Jett, likes to keep an eye on him, but rarely wants to hold him. That's just Rex' style.
My oldest holding Jett. Makes me so amazed at all the blessings that the Lord has given us. Jett looks an awful lot like Quinton and Myla. He has Quinn's same small little nose and Myla's little mouth.
It's crazy looking at Jett wearing outfits that all three of my other boys wore, and not that long ago. And we wrap him in the same blankets that we wrapped Quinton in almost five years ago. I look at him and I see so much of Quinton and then I look at Quinn and he's almost five. It's a quick reminder to me to soak it all in and enjoy each little day.
And last but not least, Titan holding his little brother. These two will be 18 months apart and fingers crossed will adore each other the way that my older three (17 months apart) do.
The crazy hair is a result of wanting it to grow but that means that I constantly have to be wetting it down and scrunching her curls otherwise it is out of control!
 They are such great helpers.
 Rex getting another hold the next day.
 Dan and our two little studs.
 Titan likes to keep a close eye on Jett.
Nana and Papa were fabulous helpers (as always). They played so hard, cooked, played, cleaned, played, fixed things, played, read books, played and loved my kids like crazy. We were so blessed to have their help for a few days.

It was a strange feeling yesterday when they left and I was all alone with all five children. Give me a few days and it will feel like normal! 

We put a cheap little basketball hoop up in our living room. It's provided much entertainment and many many basketball games.
 My perfect baby boy.
Myla and Papa snuggling Jett.
 
Myla is over the moon for her, "new baby brother." If it were not for constant reminders not to pick him up, she would carry him around everywhere.
So just like that, I have five children. Ok, not really just like that. Actually 4 years and 10 months to the day from Quinton's birthday to Jett's birthday.
A friend had posted this on facebook the other day and I laughed out loud. 
I laughed because I often get asked if I do daycare and that was with only four. Now with five children I am bound to be asked if they are all mine.

Loving my big family, all my crazy kids, and absolutely adoring my newest little blessing, Jett Abell.

Friday, January 25, 2013

JETT ABELL

Our newest blessing has quickly stolen our hearts. He is just perfect!
Meet Jett Abell Rude. 
He was born yesterday, January 24th at 5:31pm.
Weighing 8lbs 1oz, 20 inches.
38 weeks and 4 days. 
Perfectly Precious.

I went from not knowing if I should go into the hospital at 2pm to holding my baby at 5:30pm and only having to push twice.... Yes, twice. After by far the most difficult pregnancy I have had he was ready to come out and meet us quite quickly! 
His first name was just because we love short, tough, names. His middle name is from my momma, Nana. Abell is my mom's maiden name. Each of our children's middle names have been family names. Quinton Daniel (Dan), Rex Michael (after my dad), Myla Jane (after Dan's moms middle name), Titan Timothy (after Dan's dad) so we were left with my mom to put into a middle name. We didn't think that Patricia or Ann fit with Jett very well so we went to her maiden name, Abell. It is a fun way to honor her in our naming. I love that it is clear where the name came from and we were able to get all the grandparents into our names. 
He came out wide awake and ready to party and spent the next couple of hours just staring at us and nursing, and staring and nursing. He's totally a Rude boy, ready to eat!
Because of the crazy influenza going around kids, yes even siblings, are not allowed into the hospital rooms. They can come up to the hospital and look at him through the glass in the nursery. A little heart breaking because we have talked daily through this pregnancy about how they would get to come up to the hospital and hold him and meet him. Myla has been given the honorary roll of the first sibling hold. We figured that being her forth brother she should get the first hold. So when we bring him home she will get to be the first to snuggle him up.
 My newest reason for my heart to beat. He is absolutely perfect in every way.
 
Dan and his almost birthday buddy (one day shy). Today is Dan's 29th birthday. We were joking that he can say that he had five kids while he was 28. I'm thankful that Jett arrived because I had nothing to give Dan for his birthday. I figured not much can top a new baby for a gift. 
 Our first shot with the three of us a few minutes after he was born!
 Checking out how perfect he is!
There is nothing quite like snuggling a new baby, and not just A new baby but MY new baby. My forever baby. Trying to soak every moment in so I don't forget it. It's funny how comfortable it is having it be our 5th child. The crying, nursing, diapers, bath, etc. that is so scary with your first is a piece of cake with this little man. It's funny how at ease Dan and I both are with him.
 Oh my, he is beautiful!
 He came out so fast he still has a perfectly round head. Oh he is wonderful.
I am off to see my big kids peak at him through the window and then we are taking the big kids to McDonalds in the hospital. They are excited. I'm excited for them to see him and get to hug them and even more excited for our family of 7.... 7.... 7.... 7.... WOW to be together.

Crazy in love with Jett Abell. We are beyond blessed and so thankful to the Lord