They certainly pick up quick.

We're not doing anything, Mom.

But we sure are cute.

"Hey Norah, do 'dis......"

What?! I have one, too?!....  

THERE IT IS!!

I could eat her.

**Sophie is our funny giraffe friend.....

Do you have a hard time....

..... tossing stuff like this, too?

Leah's writing. The day we brought Norah home. I asked her if she wanted to help me keep up with nursing and diaper change times on our new baby.

LOVE.

Counting. In a wife-beater.

Sweet little Norah Jane.

"You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need." -Rolling Stones.

I'm ONLY quoting this song because it was part of church sermon last weekend.... yes, church! And ALL I could think of was my sweet, perfect baby Norah.

I wanted another boy so bad. Oh..... SO BAD. And, I just knew she was one. My pregnancy with her was very similar to that of Mitchell's- way worse- but similar. I told the ultrasound tech to "find the parts, and let me tell her what I was having." I knew I could spot a kickstand. But, no kickstand. Then I saw the "cheeseburger" and I said "IS IT A GIRL?"

"Oh, it's definitely a girl," I was told.

HUH.

I was sad- heck, I was SO sure of a boy, I had purchased things (dumb, I know)- and then I was mad at myself for being so childish.

Leah, however, wanted a girl SO BAD, and she was SO THRILLED, I got over it. Yep- thanks to the 5 year old! And, of course, because I know how fragile life can be, and that it's a miracle anyone ever has a healthy baby. Here I was, being blessed with my FOURTH healthy baby. Yep, I got over it. And other than occasionally teasing Norah that she was supposed to be Nolan, I got over it, and became VERY thankful.

So, I dropped my Nolan Andrew thoughts, and traded them in for Norah Jane. I fought for Norah Beth, but I promised Jason we could use Jane if he'd only go for ONE MORE. Oh.... let's back up.

Jason wanted to schedule his big V after Mitchell. I talked him into waiting until Mitchell was 18 months old. During that time, I got my game face on.... and around Mitchell's first birthday, I convinced Jason that we would try for ONLY one month over the summer. "Let's leave it up to fate," I said. Plus, since I'm a repeat c-section, I offered to have a tubal, so he could skip the snip.

Summer came..... he thought I'd forget. And, he thought I was out of my mind. He quickly told me "Not one full month- just ONCE. ONE TIME." Ok. I can totally work with that.

BAM.... Meet Norah.

This child of mine.... oh my, she's precious. Possibly, the happiest baby we've EVER had. And, with the exception of Jenna (lol), they were all happy! She smiles first with her eyes, just one millisecond before she breaks into a full smile. I have to sneak into her room- to give her a ninny, cover her up, start her mobile- quiet as a mouse. Then, I have to literally hide and try to do my business. If she sees a face, it's over. HUGE grin, little giggles, then she forgets it's time to go to sleep! She's even gotten smart over the past couple of weeks.... and she'll follow my arm up to my hiding face!

I love this kid. It's no secret that my calling, and the happiest times of my life, lie in getting to know my kids as newborns and infants. My heaven? It smells like my sweet, angelic babies as newborns.

- She thrives on attention. If she has it, she's happier than happy.

- If she doesn't have attention, you will know about it.

- She cries louder than any baby I've EVER heard. Her first night in our hospital room, I thought someone was abducting her. With a fish hook. Turns out it's just her cry.

- She looked just like Leah her first few months, but now I'm seeing a little switch to Jenna.

- She has a tiny head.

- She more than likely has Jenna's metabolism. We spend a lot of time together at 5 am.

- She hates carrots so far. ((that's as far as we've gotten))

- She did awesome at nursing in the hospital, but once home, she got her latch all wrong. It took me nearly 3 weeks, and lots of pain, to get it right. More so than all the other babies combined.

- I was so sick with her while pregnant, and all the other kids did their fair share to expose her to lots of other stuff. She should be pretty much immune to EVERYTHING.

- I can't believe she's coming up on 5 months. REALLY?!

- I have her birth announcements, but haven't sent a ONE. Sorry, sweetie.... you're number 4. What more can I say?

- She's my only child with a birthmark.

- She has two favorite blankets- made by a friend- that are wool. She webs her fingers and toes through them, and sleeps so wonderfully. It's gotta be hot under there, especially THIS summer!

- She makes me want more. Surprised??

I thought I knew what I wanted-- another boy. But I wasn't meant to have two boys.... I got what I needed. What WE needed. Sweet Norah Jane. We love you, baby girl.

My Mitchell Wade....

After having two girls, I didn't know what I was getting into with a boy.

Mitchell was our little souvenir brought home from a fabulous trip to Hawaii. I knew that I was pregnant with him within HOURS. No joke. It took what seemed like forever for a test to prove it-- but I had serious heartburn and craved donuts the next day. NO LIE. Jason thought I was nuts, and was annoyed with the mini fortune I spent on pregnancy tests. Had I not told a couple of girlfriends from that moment, no one would ever believe that story.

My pregnancy was TOTALLY different than with the girls, but I still fully expected to have another girl. It was all I knew. I was even a little sad to find out I was having a boy, with all the hype (in my head) about having 3 girls. 'She' would have been Ella.

But I was finally going to get my Mitchell Wade. I cared for a Mitchell my first year at Kosair, in 2000, who I grew to love- and loved the name even more. Wade is a family name, and I've always wanted to use it.

He was my favorite pregnancy. Even at nearly 39 weeks at Christmastime- with (c)ankles in equal diameter to the skirt around my Christmas tree. As a matter of fact, after our Christmas Eve party (hosted at our home), Jason got a lovely stomach bug, so I had to play Santa all alone (which in this house, is no small feat). After our Christmas morning festivities, I dragged the kids, alone, to the family Christmas, then home to rest.

December 26th was a shopping day, of course. The 27th, we rested, and played with Christmas gifts. Until late that night, when labor began. I was a scheduled C-section, for December 30th, but as with Jenna, I didn't make it.

Mitchell was born around 9:30 am on December 28th. I still didn't really believe he was a boy, until I met him as one. My most fond memory of his delivery? The "OOHS!" and "AAHS!" and even one "You've got you a big one!" He weighed in at 9 pounds, 4 ounces, and was absolutely content from his first breath.

My hospital stay flew by. We left without Mitchell passing his hearing screening, and needing bili lights, but we headed home to practice as a family of 5 on New Years Eve. We were asleep by 9.

It was cold outside- but inside, I was the happiest I have *EVER* been. The first few weeks of Mitchell's life was a dream. He was an awesome baby- nursing well, sleeping well- and he had two big sisters who ADORED him. It was the most perfect ending to my favorite holiday season, at a time when Jason was home with work-- and we were together as a family. I'll never forget how elated and blessed I felt.

The transition from two to three was by far the easiest for this growing family.

It's true what they say: boys and girls are COMPLETELY different. 'A baby is a baby,' I thought. Not so much. Little boys have the innate ability to turn anything into a "vroom vroom." Or, rest their hand down their diaper while riding in their carseat. And steal their Momma's hearts, even differently than girls. OH MY.

I'm gonna jump ahead: I've always wanted three kids. Until I had a son. Then, I knew I needed another. So, I begged for #4.

Back to Mitchell. Basically, in this house, he is a superstar. The girls dote over him constantly. They clap at everything he does. He gets 3.3 billion kisses a day. Leah is his other mother. Jenna is his playmate. At the ripe old age of 2.5, he gets her down in a headlock, she screams "Mom, I can't breathe!!," I have to locate them and save her life, he says "Sowwy, Jenna," and they're back at it again. Not much longer and he'll rule the house.

He finally passed his hearing tests after ear tubes, and speech was delayed until about now, and listening to him talk is simply awesome. He's a funny, funny kid. Using words like "wackumbackle" for motorcycle, and "airplane port" for airplane. Cars, trucks, trains and airplanes. The kid is OBSESSED. He can be heard shouting "take me out to the ball game" from his crib during nap time.

- He's generally lazy. Didn't walk until 16 months.

- Will sleep upwards of 14 hours at night if I don't wake him to start our day. AND he naps.

- His Papa and Papa Boone are his FAVORITE people.

- He's a Momma's boy, but loves to "hit-fight" with Daddy.

- Loves "dot dogs," but rarely eats any other meat.

- He lines his cars and trucks up and calls it "choo choo train cars."

- Calls semi trucks "choo choo train trucks."

- He loves to wear Leah's shoes.

- He loves to learn Jenna's tap dances, and does them with her.

- He wears his shoes on the wrong feet most of the time.

- He loves, loves, loves his baby sister. He gets mad at me when I put her to bed.

- He calls Norah "Baby Sissy."

- I think he's going to be a lefty like Leah.

- He begged me for a bat and ball at Meijer, so I bought it. He uses it like a golf club, and won't have it any other way.

- Like the girls, he has a Teddy Bear, and boy is it loved.

- He has three sisters, and two girl cousins. It's a special treat for him to play with boys!

- He loves his sisters, and generally goes with the flow, but is still sometimes tortured.

I thank God for all of my kids, everyday, but I give special thanks for sons. I didn't know what I was missing, and I'm so extremely thankful that I didn't miss out on the Mother-Son relationship that little Mitchell has brought me. Man, is my heart full of love for that boy.

Wordless Wednesday!