Welcome, Eleanor Brooks

My sweet sweet baby girl..

Welcome to our home, welcome to our family. We adore you already! You've captured our hearts and rocked our world. We love you so much!



Born Tuesday morning, July 24th...4:52 am
Weighing in at 6 lbs, 12 oz and 19 3/4 inches long...
She is a bundle of preciousness.



I will write and post the ENTIRE story from the hospital in the next day or so...but for now, we are LOVING being at home with her...and for now, pictures in the fruit bowl are fun...



I am having so much fun with her full head of hair!!

Almost here!

My due date for baby Eleanor is August 8th. Because I am delivering her after having a c-section with C4 (I delivered Z, too) they want to induce me around 10 days early...that will be this Thursday. BUT, the dr wants to "strip my membranes" on Monday...so that if she is ready, she will come on her own...If not, it should make Thursday that much easier...hopefully. I am a little nervous because Chuck is working until Thursday...unless she is on her way, but it is up to me to determine if she is...scary!

I am SO much bigger than I was with both boys---it seems my belly sticks out all the way to Egypt! I feel ready...so ready. Yet, I keep having the feeling of "jsut one more day." I have completely cleaned out my closet, the office, pantry, utility closet and under the kitchen sink...since yesterday. I have inputed over 200 addresses in a new address book on my apple AND printed envelopes for announcements...that was a few days ago. This was in addtition to being at VBS 3 hours a day, helping throw a surprise party for over 100, driving to LR on Monday, having meetings and Chuck work the busiest week ever.
I have sewn around 15 burpclothes and a couple blankets, last weekend. I have cooked 13 meals and 2 loaves of banana bread that are organized and frozen...that took only 2 hours (with Chuck's help)...I guess I can't count all the sewing and repainting of rooms that was done back at 20 weeks. I lay down in bed to rest because I am exhausted...but my mind won't stop. My bags have been packed for 3 weeks, in the car since last Sunday. Yet tomorrow, I must get them out, recheck, repack, and reload...just to make sure. I also must clean and make sure everything is spotless...

I feel crazy...do I sound it? So yes, I guess I am ready.

The boys are so ready...but nervous. C asked me if he would still be able to cuddle. Z told me that, "Mom, you are my favorite place to be..." Z also toldme he was praying for pink eyes, since she was a girl...blue OR green would be nice. C wants her to have one of each. Yikes!

I will miss it being just the 2 boys, I will miss chasing her feet around my belly at night or in church, I will miss 6 am zerberts given by the boys while I am still asleep. I can NOT wait to see my feet again...OR touch my feet...or sleep on my belly...or have some resemblance of a lap in which to hold boys on ...but she is the last and I am a bit sad.

So crazy?? yes.

Wish us luck!

In Passing...

Pun intended. We were passing a church marquee late last night. I have always thought they were a little redneck, but can't help but reading them and even enjoy them sometimes.

This one took the cake:

Rest in Peace
Sister Ida

We loved you.

Early Morning News

Chuck came out from the bedroom the other morning before 7:00--he was getting ready for work. This is what he found at the table...Zach, reading the newspaper aloud (funnies section, of course). He was engrossed in his story. He looks up and asks his dad, "Can I have a cup of cappucino?"
Chuck melted. Of COURSE he can have a cappucino. It goes perfectly with Beetle Bailey.

Contentment

Today during naptime, Zach and I were cuddled up. He suddenly got choked up and asked, "Mom, can I keep on having birthdays and adding numbers, but never grow up? I want to be a kid forever." I couldn't believe he was emotional about it, I think I said, "But Zach, by the time you are a grown up, I think you will be ready to be one." He starts to cry and he says, "But I don't ever want to grow up." When I probed deeper, this is what he said: "I really like me just the way I am and I don't want to change. I don't want to get older or bigger, I want to be just like I am forever."

THAT is true contentment.

I remember always wanting to be older than I was--or bigger--or something...until I was a certain age, then I wanted to be younger. (I think it might have been 25??) We still strive to be better than we are, in a different place in life, or just different somehow.

THIS boy is content. He loves his little simple 4 year old life life so much, he does not want to ever change. Why can't we all have the presence of mind to be like that? Today, he is my hero. He taught me more in one sentence than I have learned for quite a long time.