He Did It!!!

Sam has been trying for a couple of weeks to see what the big deal is about the train table and why his brother would spend so much time playing around it. So, last week he finally did it!!! He pulled himself up there and figured out that it was pretty fun. Now, if I can't find Sam he is in the playroom playing at the train table. He hasn't quite mastered the skill of cruising around it yet, but I figure I'll post some video of that sometime in the very near future.

HELP!!!

My last post with this title was about laundry, and now I really wish that was all I needed help with!!!

I know that probably only a handful of people read my blog, but my hope in writing this entry is that among that handful there are a few mommies that have that typical first born female living under their roof, because I need some serious HELP!!!

Most people don't believe me when they say that I struggle at home with our oldest little lady. Now, she is a sweetheart, and I do love her very much (this goes without saying); however, lately we have really been struggling with who calls the shots around here. I feel as if I am in a power struggle all day long with her. We are so much alike, and our sin unfortunately is also very much the same.

I am having one of those weeks where I feel like a failure as a mother, and it is as if all of my apologies to her and my "please forgive mommy" pleas don't even matter. Maybe it's because I will be asking for forgiveness one minute and then in the next breathe I am barking an order or speaking harshly to get my point across. I know my own selfish pride is really clouding my thoughts right now. So, if anyone has any insight on the subject or wisdom to share... please let me in on it!

Meanwhile, please pray that there will be peace in our home in the midst of frustration!

Nikki Kay

That's what Ben has been calling me for the past week; ever since I began my new career as an Independent Consultant for Mary Kay!!! Now, you might be thinking to yourself what in the world would Nikki Parmer be doing in the Mary Kay industry. That's a great question! It all started when I went to a party a couple of months ago, and decided to help my friend out by ordering their basic skin care system. Most of you probably know that I typically have horrible skin unless I'm pregnant. Well, since I'm not pregnant my skin has been acting up lately. So, I agreed to try the product, but I had no intentions of reordering because I knew my skin would probably completely flip out. When my skin not only looked better and healthier after just a few weeks I started to become more interested in this product, because believe me I have tried everything that is out there.

I was blown away by the way my skin felt and looked, it's not perfect, but it's better than it ever has been post pregnancy. I was intrigued, so I hosted a party for my friend, and decided that I would try their powder. This was a huge risk for me, because I have used the same brand since I was 15, but I liked their skin care so much that I thought I would try something else. (Plus, this powder is cheaper than what I was using) Anyway, I also really liked the powder. It's funny, because I told Ben that I feel like a grown up. Using a skin care product that works and not Purpose soap from Wal-Mart. Using powder that makes me feel all pretty because it shimmers:) It's been funny, and so unlike me!

However, I am not writing this for a sales pitch. I am writing this, because after 3 babies and millions of loads of laundry I think somewhere along the way I stopped feeling pretty. I stopped caring what I looked like because I was just going to smell like spit up by the end of the day anyway so why shower??? That was my mentality. Now, don't hear me say that being at home with my kids has not been a joy, and don't hear me say that beauty is what you see on the outside, because I know what God's Word says and I know that beauty truly comes from the inside out and not a product. However, it has been nice to treat myself, to make myself feel like a woman again. My husband hasn't minded it so much either:) It's also been great for my kids to see mommy get excited about something!

So, I begin my journey this week with orientation, and I got my starter kit last week. I am really looking forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for me and the women that I will meet. It should be fun, and in the words of my sweet and supportive husband... "Pink Caddy Here We Come!!!"

Laughter!!!

This video of Sam and Lydi is actually about 3 months old, but Ben sat down and figured out how to upload the video. It was too good not to post, and below is my text from the original post that we couldn't get to work...

I realized this week that I really do love having my children so close in age. This realization has brought great freedom to my life, because I no longer feel the need to explain to others that none of our children were "planned" that way we look a little less insane. The Truth is that Ben and I had no intentions of having 3 children within 4 1/2 years of marriage, but now with a 3 1/2 year old, 2 year old, and almost six month old we are loving life!

It's not always perfect (especially between the hours of 5 - 7 p.m.), and I am never a perfect mom, but I am learning so much about how to genuinely love and serve and I am always thankful that the Lord has blessed us with these sweet babies! This video is just one of the million reasons why!

Lydi & Sam

Fall... Finally!!!

Our big boy in his Johnny Jump up. He loves this thing, and the other two love to bounce right along with him!
The fam at the pumpkin patch just after we picked out our "punkins."
Proof that I had just as much fun as the kiddos did.
This might be one of the funniest pictures I have ever seen!!! That's Sam in case you couldn't tell! Hilarious!
This is our Ni Hao, Kai Lan ballerina. Our little girl is really enjoying her dress up closet, and let me tell you she comes up with some pretty creative combos!


I am so thankful that Fall is finally here!!! I am LOVING the cool mornings and nights. The somewhat cool breeze during the day isn't half bad either. Not only do I love the weather that comes with the fall season, but I also really enjoy all of the activities! My parents came to visit this week, and we spent the day at the Dreamfield Farms Pumpkin Patch. I think I may have had just as much fun or more than the kids did! The weather was perfect, and we had a great time!!!

This fall has also brought some changes in our home with Sam becoming mobile. He literally learned to crawl in just a few days. I knew he was close, and then one day I was in the kitchen unloading the dishwasher, and in he comes... crawling!!! I'm not sure I'm ready for this; it really has changed our world. In some ways there's a lot more freedom, and he is much more content. I remember the first time that Lydi got upset with TW and it happened when he was able to crawl in her room and get into her stuff. Well, imagine that now with two older ones! On top of that Sam is our feistiest yet. He has already made both TW and Lydi cry. Oh my!!! I can't imagine what life will be like this time next year.

Our little guy will be 8 months old this next week, and I am so sad that our baby is not going to be a baby much longer. I am beyond thankful for these little blessings, and I continue to ask the Lord to give me much wisdom and grace as I seek to shepherd their little hearts! Enjoy the pictures...

Friends

This isn't the best picture, but if you look closely you can tell that Lydi is dressed up having a tea party with her fellow royalty.

Those of you that read this blog probably know me and my family and that's why you might care about life from our perspective. You might not know much about each of us and our individual personalities. I'll give you a little insight on Lydi and me, and for those of you that already know this well I hope you will rejoice with me as you read this post!!!

We have been in Montgomery since last September. This past week marked one year of us leaving Puerto Rico. Our first year here has been pretty tough. I remember when Lydi turned 3 last year I was so sad because we really didn't have any "friends" to invite to her party other than her cousins. At the time I was afraid it might always be that way. That might sound a little extreme, but Lydi is our little social bug, and well let me just say that our little girl is a whole lot like her momma!

I'm not exactly sure why the first few months were so tough for us as we transitioned to life back in the deep south, but now I am really starting to feel encouraged about life here. I think one of the main reasons is that we are now engaging in the lives of others. Even though we have three little ones I feel like we are at a place to be able to engage in life again across the board.

We were able to have a spontaneous hang out time with some friends tonight, and when we got home I told Lydi that I was so happy that she had friends to play with. This was her response... "mommy, I'm glad you have friends to play with too." It was so sweet and so true! I am thankful that God has brought us to a place to be able to reengage. Life has been so crazy, and I have been so overwhelmed that I haven't felt like myself in a long time. I am seeing glimpses of being able to enjoy life here, and it's nice.

It feels more and more like home and not because we bought a house, and we're "settling in." I think it's more because finally we have friends. I am also thankful that these friends don't look exactly like us, and they are not from the same places that we are from, we are different, and that's what I love about it. We are able to build relationships with people that are from the other side of the world or the country and it's nice.

It is amazing the difference it makes when you just put yourself out there in hopes that God will be able to use us in some small way to love on others and hopefully give glory to Him along the way. It's exciting, and I feel hopeful for the first time in a while:)

A Million Reasons

TW absolutely loves to have his picture made. Anytime he sees a camera this is the face he makes as he says "CHEESE!"
This is not the best picture, but it was taken right before Lydi went to her first ballet, tap, and tumbling class. She is loving it!!!
Here is our big six month old boy! He is sitting up, laughing all the time, and bringing so much joy to us all!

There are a million reasons why... I have really been enjoying the fact that we have 3 little ones lately! It's actually tough on me to see our babies growing like crazy! For so long I felt the need to justify to people that we didn't "plan" to have 3 children in three years the first four years of marriage, because I didn't want people to think that we were that crazy, but now I realize that I would not want it any other way.

Just tonight Lydi and TW were playing and I thought to myself what a great thing for them to grow up together. It's like built in best friends... I know she's a girl and he's a boy, but I still think they will be the best of friends. Now, here's where Sam comes into the equation. Our dear sweet Samuel!!!

He is growing so quickly, and I get emotional almost every time I look at him; literally. I think it's because I know that he was our least planned of the three and to think that there was a moment when I found out I was pregnant when I thought he would not be the best thing for our family. How wrong I was!!! He has been such a joy and such a gift not only for Ben and me but for our other kiddos. They love, love, love this little guy and rightfully so; he's too cute not to:)

I say all of this to say that I am very grateful that the Lord knows what we need better than we do, and I am so happy that he chose to bless us with our three lively little lovies!

forgot the picture... sorry!

Thanks Amy for bringing the Bumbo!!! We are loving it!

Community, Conviction, Challenges

I just want to prepare you if you are reading this that it's not a family update and there probably won't be any cute pictures of the kids at the end. Well, actually there will be because I have a new one of Sam that I've been meaning to post, but my point is that I don't usually use my blog to "journal" or write out what I would usually write only for myself and my Lord to read. However, I have really had a day where my heart is heavy and I feel very burdened, and wanted to share some of my thoughts. I don't know if my hope is that I will feel better, or I might get some comments that make me feel normal when right now I feel like I might be completely alone in some of these things...

Most of my heavy heartedness comes from still adjusting to life here in the deep south. Don't get me wrong I really do love it here and I'm glad to be back "home," but Ben and I have really struggled since we've been back with the whole idea of southern hospitality, and how from our experience coming back here it seems like just words that are said, but not meant.

It seems like it's the expected thing to offer help or to smile when you pass someone in the grocery store, or to ask how someone is doing with no intention whatsoever of listening to their response. We're so busy, and so consumed that we don't even notice other people. I am not saying this about others, I am saying this about myself. I confess to love Christ with all that I am, but I fail to love those that He has created for His glory.

So, we have struggled with being preoccupied ourselves, and we have felt so much like outsiders coming back into this culture. We have been surprised by so many things, and recently we were able to hang out with a couple of families that are from the other side of the world and being with them we felt more comfortable and more welcomed than we have with those that speak and look just like us.

Maybe we're just weird, but the truth is that we came here to really try and love those that are far away from home, or even to just simply make people feel at home in our own home. I think that I will learn to do that by being around those that I am trying to be hospitable to. We have longed for community, and we want it to be one that is diverse, but real and genuine. Heaven, that's where I think that it actually exists. There it will not be tainted with our desire to please men or to not be uncomfortable, but only to be near Jesus and to worship Him!

The sermon this morning has really spurred on these thoughts, and it has truly caused me to search my heart in how I view others. It starts in my home. I get frustrated with my little girl, because she wants me to watch her do everything as I am trying to accomplish my agenda and to-do list for the day. She's not going to be 3 forever, and I need to realize that loving her and loving others is much more important than loving myself!!!

So, if you have read this and you understood any of it please pray for me that I would really let these thoughts sink deeply into my heart. That I would not be critical of others or of different cultures even if it's my own.

bean bags, birthdays, and more

We are enjoying these bean bags, so thank you G-daddy and G-mommy!
Lydi with Tinkerbell (or Pinkerbell as TW says) at the street festival downtown.
Another blessing has been meeting this sweet Chinese family!
Lydi with Princess Tiana. She was so excited to walk up and see the princesses! We recently got two frogs (African dwarf frogs which are really fun) and Lydia named them Naveen and Tiana!

We have had so much to report, and so little time to do it.

I'll share a few highlights as well as lowlights from the past few weeks.
Highlights First...
- TW turned 2 on June 30th, and we had a very fun time celebrating with a Thomas the Train party!
- TW and Lydi were given bean bags for his birthday and they LOVE them. This has been an item on the Christmas and birthday list for quite a while.
- Play group on Tues. has been a ton of fun for not only the kiddos, but for mommy as well:)
- Settling into our new home, painting, unpacking, working in the yard, unpacking, hanging pictures, etc.
- Meeting a precious Kazakh family that we will be hosting for the next year while they are here in officer training school.
- Staycation (Montgomery's word for a festival downtown during the 4th of July) so much fun!
- first trip to the dentist and it was successful.
- meeting neighbors and enjoying the convenience of our new neighborhood
- 10:30 showing of Eclipse (first date with Ben since Sam was born!)

Now for a few lowlights (all are pertaining to the brutal heat and mosquitos)
- A.C. broke at the beginning of the summer
- It was over 100 degrees here today; therefore, we could not swim in our little pool outside because the water was almost boiling. (OK, maybe not boiling, but it did feel like really warm bath water)
- Ben accidentally killed our fish in our pond outside spraying for mosquitos
- TW has had a horrible time with his skin this summer (we'll be taking a trip to the allergy dr. in the morning)

All things considered we are doing well. I can't believe how big our children are getting. Lydi now without her pacy seems like she's all grown up, TW just turning TWO and talking so much, little Sambo is about to be five months old and is ready to start trying some cereal. Time flies by, and I have been reminded this summer that life goes by so quickly. I want to capture every memory and moment with them while they need me for everything. Even though it is exhausting most days, it is such a blessing to have these little ones!

"It's Lost!"

These were the words of our sweet Lydia as she got ready to go to bed on Sunday night. We have been out of town for the past two weeks and during the trip home Lydia lost her pacy. Yes, I realize that she is 3 1/2 years old and most people would say "wow, that's old to still have a pacy!" But, most of those people have not had the same past four years that we have.

This poor girl has moved six times and has had two baby brothers enter her life while she herself was still a baby. Ben and I talked about taking it away several times, but there was always another transition right around the corner.

When Sam was born Lydi had decided that she would give it to him, but it just so happens that she had a back up saved for herself. Well, that back up pacey was lost when we got home Sunday night. Legitimately lost... (we weren't tricking her) "It must have fallen out when I got out to go tee tee!" she said that night through her sobs. It was awful, and I really was sad for her. As silly as it seems this pacey has been the only constant in her little life. Now, I know that God's plans for her are perfect and that all of the transition has not been bad for her if anything it has helped her to adapt to new things and to be more well-rounded. So, I am thankful for the experiences she has had, but this pacey has been with her through it all.

Ben went and looked in the car a few times, so did I. It was nowhere to be found. She was so tired from the weeks away, that she fell asleep fairly easily after some time in prayer asking for strength to let go of her pacey and sleep without it. She also looked up at me with her tear-stained face and big brown eyes and said "Mommy, why did God let my pacey get lost?" I wasn't sure what to say except that He knows what is best for us, so I guess it's the best thing that pacey got lost. Otherwise, I'm not sure that we would have ever gotten rid of it.

We've had a few rough nights, but hopefully it will get easier and easier. If any of you have any tips for survival after pacey please pass them on. Last night was night number 3, and since she has done so well we went on a special outing today to get her a treat for being such a big girl.

We are so proud of her, and we are amazed at how quickly she is growing up. As I am typing now she is sitting on the couch looking at books for her rest time, because we are starting to skip our nap now and then.

I absolutely love to watch her play, and her little imagination comes up with all sorts of fun things! I love her so much and I am more than grateful for the gift that she is to our family!!!


I had to take a picture of this... Lydia was playing rescue heroes... quite a bit different than when Thomas plays with them. She was putting them down for their nap!

(Oh yeah, so Ben found the pacey yesterday behind one of the car seats... is it dishonest to not tell her we found it????) We're not planning on doing so unless one of us starts to feel really bad!

My Boys!

Well, Ben is now home from his trip "across the pond." I am so GLAD he is back with us, but currently as I am updating our blog he is sleeping or also known as recovering from a 13 hour time difference! Sam is bouncing his way into a frenzy in the bouncy seat, and Lydia wants me to wake up TW, so she can have a snack. I thought I'd take a few moments to share our latest news about Sam and TW.

This past week I went in to get Sam up one morning to start our day and he was sleeping on his tummy! I knew it would only be a matter of time before he rolled over, and later that day he rolled over while lying on Lydi's bed. She was so cute, just like a little cheerleader cheering her brother on as he rolled over. It was so cute!!!

TW will turn two in a matter of weeks. CRAZY! I still treat him like my baby sometimes, because it's so hard for me to believe that he's a toddler now. We will be celebrating with his cousin, Luke with a Thomas the Train party which should be tons of fun. He is also cutting six teeth at the same time. This could explain the sudden outbursts of tears and sobbing about 20 times a day.

Please continue to pray with me that I would have patience with our children and that I would love them in a way that truly brings glory to our Heavenly Father. What a daily struggle this has been for me lately. I am a very, very selfish woman it seems...

I have a pic of Sam the morning that I found him on his tummy, but TW is too ill to let me get pics of him. So, sorry this is the only one I have to post right now. There will be more to come soon...

Across the Pond

Ben is currently on his way to East Asia. He will be there for 12 days. I am so excited about his trip, but of course it's bittersweet because we can't be with him. I am looking forward to what the Lord will do with his time there.

If you think about our family over the next 12 days please pray for Ben's trip and those that he will meet. Also, please pray for me to have patience with our kiddos and for God to give me much grace while Ben is away. Thanks!!!We have been at the lakehouse for the past few days. The kiddos were playing in a little blow-up pool out on the deck. Lydi does actually have swim shorts on, but TW... well, that's why I took the pic from the waist up:) He insists on being completely naked when he's playing in the pool. Life with boys is so much fun!!!

Our little Sam Sam is getting so big! He was 3 months old this past week. Time is flying by, and he is doing really well!

He Thinks It's Funny...

We enjoyed a visit from some dear friends, and Sam obviously enjoyed it as well. He was laughing so much, and I was fortunate enough to catch this episode on camera! Enjoy...

Other Than Laundry

I have some recent pics of the kiddos that I've been meaning to post, but haven't had a chance to do it. I had a few minutes, so I thought I'd post a few... This is what we are doing when I'm not catching up on laundry:)

This past Sat. we went to a picnic for the Central Alabama Chinese Association. Although, we are not Chinese, we were thrilled to be invited to attend. Ben has met a professor at AUM, and we were able to hang out with his family! The kids had a blast, and so did we. We were all so tired, and this picture was taken on the way home.

Our Little Sambo: He is smiling so much lately, and I can even get a laugh out of him every now and then. We are still having some issues with his reflux and possibly some food allergies, but I am trying some different things with my diet hoping that will help.


And Yes, once again our child looks just like their daddy! I think that Sam looks more like Ben than the other two do. You can't really tell in this picture, but when Ben holds him up and they are face to face the resemblance is almost comical!
Our newest family pic taken on a whim one afternoon... turned out pretty well I think.
Poor Thomas was bitten by a mosquito in his eye lid! This kid is highly allergic to them, don't you think? We didn't know what it was at first, but I remember Lydia doing this in Puerto Rico when they would bite her. She would swell and blister where the mosquito bit her. So, TW is no different apparently. Thankfully, she grew out of it!

HELP!!!

OK, friends and whomever else may read this from time to time. I am in desperate need of your help! Ever since we had Sam I cannot seem to get a handle on the laundry situation in our home. Before Sam was born I had a great plan and was only doing laundry two days a week. Now, I NEVER have it caught up. Currently there are 3 loads unfolded, one load folded, but not put away, and a partly folded load on our dining room table. So, what's a lady to do???? I can't get a good plan in place, it's hard to believe that one little person could throw off an entire routine! Any suggestions of how to tackle this mountain of laundry?

It's Quiet

Ok, so after my last post one might guess that "quiet" time rarely ever happens in our home, but right now in this moment I am sitting in absolute silence. Well, relatively the dryer and washing machine is making noise, but all three of the babies are sleeping. It's glorious, but the truth is that I don't know what to do with myself, so I thought I'd catch up on my blog reading (instead of folding the massive pile of clothes in the chair next to me:) Enjoy the pics!

I realize that all of the pics above are of TW, it's just that being the middle child I do feel like he already gets a little bit less attention than he deserves. So, lately he has really started to become a funny little guy, and I had to share a few stories about him.
In the first picture he is proudly displaying his first big "boo boo". He fell off a bridge on the playground during an Easter Picnic we went to last weekend.
Secondly, he LOVES to drink coffee (now, please don't think that we just sit him down a the table with his own cup of joe), but he will often when we are not looking get our cups of coffee and down them as fast as possible. He was walking around in the living room the other day with Ben's cup just sipping on it as if it were made for him... oh my!
Thirdly, he tried on his cousin's Easter hat, and thought that he was really something, so he went around the house telling everyone to "Look!" He's a mess and we Love him so very much!!!

Be Encouraged... I know I am!!!

I have struggled a lot lately with the reaction that I get from people because we have 3 little ones so close together. I know I've read other blog posts about this same frustration. I have very few people say things like "Wow, what a blessing!", "You guys must be so thankful", etc...
I do hear this a lot "Don't you guys know what causes this?", "Another one already, how long have you guys been married?" "What are you going to do with three babies?", etc...

I have been encouraged by so many of my friends whether it's a phone call or a message left on our blog, and I am so thankful for those that constantly remind me of truth! Meaning that our children are a HUGE blessing, and we are very THANKFUL that the Lord has allowed us to have these three miracles in such a short time. Our lives are so enriched by them, and I would not trade them for anything in this world!!!

Having said all of that, and I really could say so much more, but it's late and I want to keep my blood pressure down. But, the real purpose of this blog post is to say that we had our first outing today just me and the kids. Not exactly sure why I chose a grocery shopping trip as our first, but I did. (Please keep in mind that I have not been to the grocery store since before we had Sam). We have been so blessed with so many families bringing us food, that I haven't really needed to. My husband has also been very gracious by letting us eat out more than we normally do.

Anyway, I put the kids in the car after I had a pep talk with Lydia, (things always go better for us if I prep her for what we're about to do). And of we went to Publix. I already love shopping at this store, but I just signed up for this really cool thing called EMealz, and I signed up for the Publix meal plan. That's not the point, but one of the main reasons I love this grocery store is the really fun "car" carts they have. Lydia and Thomas love them!

So, we got out of the car without anyone getting ran over and Thomas actually held my hand without throwing himself on the ground in protest. I think he knew I was a bit anxious. We got inside, got the big kids in the cart and off we went. Sam was in the sling, which is the best thing ever!!! I had a friend recently describe them as "baby Dramamine (sp?)" Sam loves it and just snoozes away while I am hands free and able to manage two kids as well as shop for groceries!

We went by the bakery and got the kids a cookie (yet another reason to love Publix). And, off we went. We were in the store for about an hour, and we only had one minor issue with biting, but other than that it was GREAT!!!

I left so encouraged! Other than the fact that people were looking at me like I was crazy, and one lady even sort of had an attitude apparently because I was moving more slowly than she would have liked, but the bottom line is that we are going to make it.

I LOVE my children, and I LOVE being their mommy. No , I am not perfect, and no I am not super mom, but I try my best to be real with my kids, and with those around me. I also try to let them know that I am desperately in need of a Savior, and Jesus is my only hope. I get frustrated and flustered, and having three kids under three has brought even more of my sin to the surface. Even though it is tough, I am thankful. Thankful for my family, thankful for my salvation, and today simply thankful for a successful trip to the grocery store!

Goodbye Ponytail

"The Ponytail"

Thanks for all the input. I had a great time today getting my haircut and actually having a conversation with an adult for longer than five seconds and with no interruptions!!! I LOVE my little guys, but it's nice to know that you can still carry on a normal conversation. So, here's the result! It also helps that I really do like the hair cut! Thanks to my sweet hubby for taking the time to hang out with the boys!

BEFORE AFTER

Time for a Change...

OK, so those of you that have seen me since our time in Puerto Rico you know that my hair has gotten pretty long. Well, in PR it was easier to have it that way because I just wore it up all the time. I literally think I actually dried my hair maybe 3 times the whole time we lived there. Anyway, I thought that when I got back here in the cooler climate that I would wear it down more. But, of course the daily look is a ponytail. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I feel the need for a new look. So, I need your help and input.

My sweet husband is going to let me go to a salon on my birthday while he watches the kiddos. I have not gone to a salon to have a hair cut since I lived in KZ. (I have had my hair cut since then, but my sister is a hair dresser, so she always cuts it whenever we're in town). I am really excited about being pampered and changing things up a bit. Here are some pics that I've picked out... which look should I go with???
(I realize that I look nothing like these celebrities, but hair is hair right, it would at least have to come out looking somewhat similar)

(#1)

(#2) (#3)
(#4 ) This is my favorite, but I am a afraid it might be a bit too drastic.

I'll post later with the result!

Welcome to our World, Samuel!

This one is a bit long, but I gave sub-titles, so you can only read the parts that interest you the most:) ENJOY!!!





Sam's Arrival

What a different experience this was from TW's birth in Puerto Rico! I literally felt like I was on vacation. (I realize that is pretty sad that having a major surgery would be like a vacation) I am so grateful for God's grace during Sam's arrival. He was born promptly at 7:21 a.m. weighing in at 8 lbs. 11 oz. and 21 1/2 inches long. What a gift and a blessing it was to hear that little guy cry for the very first time! I hope I never forget it!

Everything went exceptionally well, other than the fact that I passed out while I was getting my i.v. put in. What a whimp! I was so embarrassed, but it really was such a stress free and enjoyable delivery. We were able to have about an hour or so with Sam before we were moved into our room to let the family come in and celebrate with us.

Even though I learned a ton by having Thomas in PR, I was very thankful that we were going to be able to communicate in English and that we would be very much aware of what was going to happen. Knowing what to expect was nice! The days following in the hospital were equally wonderful with nurses checking on me, sweet ladies bringing me my food (another plus, was being able to order whatever I wanted). The truth is that when Thurs. rolled around I didn't want to go home! But, I did miss my other babies, so that helped to know that I would be able to see them and have them love on their baby brother.

The Past Three Weeks...
have been somewhat of a blur. Ben and I have now experienced what it means to have a baby with acid reflux, not fun by the way, and if anyone has any tips please pass them on! We were able to put him on some medicine that has helped tremendously. The first week was not so bad, but the second week Sam hardly slept at all, which means neither did we. Now, week three there has been much improvement. Things are looking up... Sam slept last night after his 1:00 feeding until 5:15. Not sure if Daylight Savings has anything to do with that, but I'll take an extra hour of sleep any day!

Thomas and Lydia

Well, when we arrived home with Sam I was pretty sure after about a day that we were not all going to survive living in the same house. TW took it really hard. It seemed like his little heart was broken that his mommy had another baby now. He would walk around with his hands up in the air asking me to "Hold YOU!" But, I couldn't because of my c-section, but then he would see me walking around holding Sam and that really made him mad! I feel like we did everything wrong before we figured out what we should do, and we came to the conclusion that we ALL need tons of grace right now as we transition to having a new little addition!

Lydia was the most precious big sister ever... the first 3 days, and then reality set in for her. She really was smitten with him at first, but the more he cried the more frustrated she became. Now, she has come full circle and just today she was lying down beside Sam and when he would fuss she would start to sing so softly "Jesus, loves you this I know..." So SWEET!!!

They are both learning to love him and our biggest challenge is learning to be gentle and not so much in his face! Sam seems to be very unaffected by all of the commotion and chaos that comes with having a big sister and a big brother. We are thankful for that!

Recovery...
As for me and recovering from c-section #3 I am feeling pretty good for having only been 3 weeks out of surgery. I sometimes forget that I did have surgery and that it will take me a while to feel 100%. I get frustrated when I can't function like I want to physically, but Ben has really helped me out a ton and has encouraged me to take it easy and take my time!

So far, transitioning to 3 has proven to be a bit more challenging than having two. But, we will learn how to thrive in this new "normal." I'm still not exactly sure how I will get out of the house with all three, but that will come with time. I have been a bit overwhelmed this week because it has been my first week without any help and with Ben being back to work full-time. So, it's just me and the kiddos, and I'm convinced that they can smell the fear!

Well, I know this was a longer update, but hopefully that catches you up on news with the Parmers. There will be more to come, but for now I need to go serve up some snacks!