November Phone Favorites

November is usually a pretty quiet month here but this year it was anything but! Brace yourself for a ridiculous amount of Redd Pictures. I'm not even sorry. Here are a round up of this months phone Favorites.

I made the elf a new Knights Jersey and I {love} it!!

Loving this fall weather!

Mama may have gained a bit of weight... 43lbs to be exact.

And a couple of inches around.

Daddy taking a pre-baby nap. 

All drugged up and ready to go.

 First time holding Redd.

One tired Mama. Pushing is hard.

Fresh from heaven.

 Oh that newborn face. Be still my heart!

Duke being goofy :)

Home time snuggles.

Duke holding him for the first time.

One week old.

duke has been so beyond excited for Reddrick to arrive. Sprout is essentially E's baby. She helps him do everything and they are really close. Duke has felt a bit out of the loop and so Redd is Duke's baby. One night after Gramma had left Mama needed to shower. Daddy's still couldn't hold Redd so Duke did. I told him to just hug him and keep him cozy and Redd fell asleep in Duke's arms. He was so excited to have helped me and to hold "his" baby. 

Always making this little round "o" face.

After milk face.

So tiny. Redd has been one of my smallest babies. E was smaller but I just feel he's so dainty. 

Baby snuggles and Christmas lights = bliss!

One of his first smiles.

The kids needed to get out of the house so we went to the library. E {loves} to read and I love to watch her. She was reading "The Day the Crayons Quit" by Drew Daywalt and she could not stop laughing.

It was adorable.

These two spend a lot of time together and if Redd cries, Sprout is right there to rock a cradle, give a hug, or help with a sue.

So cozy. November was over in a blink. I'm actually really sad to see this month go and wish I could just hit pause for awhile before we head into December.

Thanksgiving

 

 We don't have many Thanksgiving traditions other than eating yummy food and I suppose I should fix that. One of my favorite traditions though, is our gratitude tree. I love seeing what the kids write down. Some of my favorites this year Hotdog (Sprout), toilet paper (Duke), arts and crafts (E), and  Daddy's job (Mama).

 But my favorite leaf this year was Daddy's. He put it on the tree and promptly took Redd from me and I cried as I read it. Jakob couldn't hold Redd for 17 days. I know it was hard for me being a semi-solo parent to a newborn. I had Mom for quiet awhile, but there are some times when you just need a second set of hands and it was hard. But then I put myself in Jakob's shoes and I was heart broken. Here is this man, who really doesn't bond with the baby while you're pregnant, it's obviously not the same as it is for the mother, who has a baby. while in the hospital, things are busy. Mama is always holding him or feeding him or nurses take him and it's hard to bond there too. Redd was home all of three days before Jakob got sick and then he only got to look at him. It broke my heart and I couldn't help but cry when I read what a simple thing Jakob was thankful for. things that I take for granted. 

It was this sweet babes first Thanksgiving.

 Family selfie. :)

 We went over to the Raber's house fro dinner and it was AMAZING! So delicious and we had a wonderful time visiting with friends. My heart was so full! the Raber's had just found out that their embryo for IVF didn't make it and it was devastating. Lloyd asked to hold Redd and discreetly wiped tears from his eyes and I just didn't have any words. they have an 11 year old daughter, but they have wanted another baby for 9 years now. I was so sad to hear about their sweet little boy.

So this year I am thankful. I am thankful for all of the simple things I take for granted. I am thankful for this sweet family of mine and I will cherish them forever.

Mom Tobler

 I am getting teary eyed just writing this post. Mom Tobler, words cannot do my gratitude justice but I'll try. Mom arrived 6 days before Redd was born. We hadn't planned on having the extra time to prepare but she was always so encouraging, never saying anything negative or complaining about the change in plans. She knew my needs before even I did and I felt so much peace as we left to deliver Redd. 

 I came home from the hospital on Thursday and Mom was right there, house flowing smoothly, dropping kids off at school, cooking meals, trying to stay on top of laundry, and loving my children as if they were her own. I essentially slept in, and nursed a baby from my chair and Mom handled everything else and I was so greatful.

Sunday evening Jakob got sick, no big deal we thought, just a head cold... until it wasn't. Jakob had some sort of upper respitory virus and he was sick... really sick. I'm sure you can only imagine our feelings as we looked at our 5 day old baby and decided that Jakob just had to stay away from him. Jakob moved out of our room that night to contain his germs and was no longer able to hold Redd. Jakob spent the next few days not moving from the couch for more than a few minutes at a time, coughing like crazy, nursing a headache and trying to battle a fever. Mom was there to give him all of the medicine, make him get well food and take over all of the things that Jakob was supposed to help with. 

The night before Mom was supposed to leave Jakob spiked a fever of 102.6 and I went into full blow anxiety mode. How was I supposed to do this? I had a brand new baby, who Jakob couldn't touch, and three children who needed so many things. My hormones we at a high and I just sat in the bathroom and bawled. And then I Googled flights. I came out of the bathroom and slowly started voicing my concerns. Being honest is a hard thing for me sometimes, especially when it comes to me not being enough. I was feeling pretty good mental health wise but the thought of being alone terrified me and I hated feeling that way. I should be enough, I should be able to handle these sorts of situations without any issues. If I wanted four kids I had better be able to take care of them on my own. But I knew I couldn't, not yet. Not without risking going to the dark and twisty part of my emotional mind and I wasn't sure if I'd be able to fight my way back out of depression if I was sucked in. So I asked Mom to stay and without hesitation she simply said "ask Dad." I called and he didn't even hesitate to say yes. And my heart broke in gratitude. Mom and Dad both sacrifice so much for us and I am just so thankful for the way they serve without ever hesitating.

 Mom stayed for an extra three days and it made all of the difference. I felt in control and she left me feeling confident and ready despite Jakob still being sick. I am so so thankful for Mom and I pray that I may become more and more like her. Thank you for coming and staying Mom, I don't think you realize how much it meant to both of us. We sure do love you ad Pa.

Jakob was sick for 17 days. 17 days of not holding your newborn was hard for him. We are thankful for Daddy's who are healthy.