Is This For Real?

While browsing the news today, I came across a story about a new "ninja-themed" restaurant in Taiwan. (I believe they serve Japanese food.) Ethan and I got a kick out of it; waitresses weilding swords and such. :) Sounds like my kind of place. So Ethan suggests an idea for a restaurant: Ninja Burger! We laughed about it and he suggested I google it to see if anyone else ever thought of the same name. Well, lo and behold . . . I give you THIS!

Seriously? Is this place for real? I have a hard time believing it is. I haven't explored the website very much but it says there are 6 Ninja Burger locations near us. Yeah . . . riiiight. Sure there are. Have any of you ever heard of this place? It's too funny.

Photo Shoot and Open House

What a week! Thursday brought us an opportunity for a free photo shoot with an amazing photographer. She is a friend of a friend, and was looking for a newborn to photograph. (She mentors other photographers and had a woman coming in for the day from Seattle). I think in exchange we will get an 8 x 10. It was interesting to see how she kept the area around Samantha nice and warm. She was able to pose her almost any way she wanted. Here is her website if you want to take a peek!

Saturday we had an open house to thank everyone who prayed for us, brought meals, watched our kids, visited me in the hospital . . . you name it. We had 82 people say they would be here and it ended up being more like 60 that came. I think 60 was plenty! It was great to see and even meet some of the people who helped our family during the last few months. The day was long but it was so worth it. One woman I had only briefly met before at our homeschool co-op (who picked up our groceries each week) came and brought her husband and kids. It was so neat to get to know them better.

We sadly missed church yesterday because we had sick kiddos. Luckily Samantha hasn't caught the bug yet . . . we'll pray she stays in good health! I can't wait to get out of the house and go somewhere. :)

Last night I heard the little baby squeaks that always precede a full-fledged hunger cry. Wanting to slip out of bed and get to her before Ethan woke up, I made it one step before the whole room started spinning and went black. While falling down I managed to hit the windowsill with my face and split my lip. Exciting! That, unfortunately, woke the hubby. I'm not sure what it was all about . . . maybe low blood pressure or something? At any rate, Ethan wouldn't let me carry Samantha the rest of the night. (Probably a good move!)

Of course the dr. wants to know about anything like this, so I called in just to let them know. I didn't expect that they would be so alarmed about it. They are trying to talk me into coming in to be checked out tomorrow. I really don't want to go in and can't drive yet anyway (c-section requirement). I especiallydon't want to go in if they are just going to tell me to take more iron. Silly. The nurse said the dr. may also want me to get another transfusion, but at least it can be an outpatient procedure. Aaahh, decisions.

Second and Third Day at Home

Yesterday I watched a Superbowl ad from Google that totally made me cry. Anyone see it? It tells a story of a guy meeting a girl, getting married, and having a baby. Anyway, the baby part got me. I don't know if it's just hormones or what, but sometimes you just feel better after a good cry. And as unbelievable overjoyed as I am with our little Sami, I've had some moments of mourning for Isaac again. It's been about 18 months and I still don't think a day goes by that he doesn't come to mind, even if it's just a passing thought about him. Ethan told me last night he's been a little bit bothered by using Isaac's diapers. That thought hadn't occured to me but I understand his feelings.

Bit by bit the house is starting to come together. I worked on our entry today and was thrilled to find a cd case of a cd that needs to go back to the library. I've sweated over the library fines that I'm sure we have, but am hoping that with an explanation they will dismiss any fines that came in the last three months.

This morning the sweet babe was ready to eat a few minutes after 6:00. I brought her into the bonus room to feed her and within a few minutes heard Ryan rustling around. He was SO excited when he discovered us! After putting Samantha back down in her crib the two of us went downstairs and made special pancakes together. He got on the bus for preschool and the girls read aloud from their reading books to me. They were proud to show off their progress. :)

Experienced mamas with big families have shared that after you have three kids you don't even notice the workload changing. Really? Maybe when you don't have an infant. Getting used to four kids has been challenging and I'm not even doing most of the work yet! Big thanks to my friend Traci for coming over and holding down the fort today like you have done the past several Mondays -- I appreciated the help very much.

Home Sweet Home

The first full day at home has consisted of . . .

Taking Samantha BACK to the hospital for a biliruben blood draw

Getting to show her off to the nurses who took care of me for so many weeks :)

Being asked more than once -- Since you already had the baby, why is your stomach still big? (thanks girls ! mommy feels really confident now!)

Folding kid laundry for one hour -- and only getting half-way through

Watching Ryan, Allie, and Emmie fuss over their new sister

Taking a good 2 hour nap

Searching through baby clothes to find preemie sizes

Eating dinner at the table with the family!

And Then There Were Six

Where do I begin? Most of you already know that our sweet little girl is here! She was born Monday morning at 11:29, weighing 5 lbs. 10 oz. and measuring 18 inches long. Her gestational age was 34 weeks and 5 days.

Sunday night we were supposed to have a "Girls Night" at the hospital. Allie and Emmie were coming out and a girlfriend was coming to be the required adult chaperone. We were so looking forward to our evening of fun, but little miss Samantha had plans of her own. Ethan was luckily still at the hospital when the bleeding began. There was so much they called for an emergency transport to the downtown hospital.

I imagined we'd have a nice, calm drive through the city, but we had lights and sirens and high speeds. Ethan got to ride up front. One of the most interesting things he told me afterwards was how many people didn't yield to the ambulance. Seriously? I never imagined.

At the downtown hospital they prepared for an emergency c-section while I layed on a super-stiff bed. And then the most surprising thing happened; the bleeding stopped! Ethan and I were both relieved on one hand, but on the other hand we were disappointed again. I just knew they were going to move me back to the antipartum unit to wait.

In the morning, the dr. who was finishing up his week-long shift was very vague as to what the course of action would be. He said I couldn't eat or drink anything but it was likely I'd be going back to waiting. I was about to go crazy from the non-committal answers when the new dr. on shift came on. He was funny and very direct and said, "What do you think about having a c-section today?" And he meant it!

I just have to share that my hubby watched the entire c-section. It cracks me up; he can't stand the sight of throw-up, but has no problem watching a major surgery from a foot away.

By the time the surgery was over they had whisked Samantha off to the NICU because she was having trouble breathing on her own. I went to a recovery room and it seemed like hours before I saw her for the first time. Of course I think she's the most beautiful little baby girl and all that, but the overwhelming emotion for me was one of restoration. It feels like we've come full circle. The nightmare that started all the way back in August of 2008 has finally come to a close. This baby that I was too scared to fully love until now is safely here! Our family is complete. :)