It's a....

GIRL!!
Olivia Rose Carpenter was born at 4:34 a.m. on Monday June 7th. She was exactly 8 lbs. even and was 18 1/2 inches long. I woke up around 1:30 a.m. with very, very intense pressure and knew it was time to go to the hospital. When we got there at 2:30 a.m. I was 6 cm dilated, and by the time I got to my room I was 8 cm. I just barely got my epidural in before it was time to push. There were no epidural difficulties like in the past, and no complications afterwords like with Emma. It was a very wonderful delivery experience.

Proud Papa feeding baby.

I've never seen Aidan so excited about ANYTHING, as he was about meeting and holding his new baby sister. Ever since she's been home, all he's wanted to do is hold her.

Even Parker was excited, and did really well with her. He was gentle, and gave lots and lots of kisses.

Emma's turn! She was so thrilled at the idea of a sister that was going to get to sleep in her room. Then, the first night when Olivia woke up at midnight screaming, Emma told me I didn't have to bring her back in, that she could sleep in our room. Too funny.

So, we are home now, adjusting to our new little addition. Aidan and Emma are spending the next few days with Matthew's mother, while Parker stays with us. So far, it's been relatively quiet and calm. Matthew is home from work until Monday, to help me, thank goodness. I am sure next week, when I am on my own with the kids, things won't be so blissful, but for now we are enjoying the peace.

Still waiting!

We are still anxiously awaiting the arrival of Baby Carpenter! No signs yet of his/her grand entrance. This is actually the longest I have gone without going into labor on my own, or being induced. I still have three days until my due date, and am hoping this weekend brings us a happy surprise. I'll keep you all posted!

Ready to pop...

...literally!

What is growing in your garden?

Emma and Aidan after we picked potatoes out of our garden!

Third AND final ultrasound

This past Wednesday I had my third ultrasound. And the GREAT news is...I don't have to have a C-section!!! Well, not for my low lying placenta anyway. Barring any "normal" complications, I have been cleared for a vaginal delivery. YEAH! My placenta is now 4 1/2 centimeters away from the cervix and the baby is head down. I can't tell you how happy I am about that :)

Now, if we can just get the baby to make it's grand entrance into the world, everything would be perfect!

Useless...

...that would be me the last month of pregnancy...completely and totally useless. I lay around, much like a beached wale, sweating, trying to parent from the couch and typically just saying "stop that" about a thousand times a day. I shower at night, in a hurry, throw my hair in a bun, and proceed to put on ANOTHER pair of sweat pants and my husband's T-shirts, which I will spend the whole rest of the next day in. That's about all that fits me these days. I don't cook anymore, I don't do laundry, I haven't vacuumed in a while and have no plans to any time soon. And yet, my kids get fed, the laundry gets done, and the carpets are vacuumed. How? This guy:

The guy in the goofy shirt who works hard all day, comes home to a very pregnant, very cranky wife, and takes over. He cooks without complaining, throws laundry in the machine without having to be asked, bathes the kids, plays with the kids, gets them down for bed, and then asks me if there is anything I want--pregnancy cravings, other housework to be done? And after my nightly lists, he sits down at his computer and goes to work for his web clients. He doesn't murmur. He doesn't yell at me, he doesn't even act like it bothers him that I am basically just taking up space growing this baby. He tells me I am pretty, (even when I have been in the same clothes for days) that he loves me, and that I am a good mom (even though that is debatable at the present moment.) He is the best husband in the world, and I am so glad that even though I am currently useless, he is anything but!

How do you sleep?

I wish I could say this is a rare occurrence, but more often than not, Emma falls asleep at night in the strangest places and in the strangest positions. She has a bit of insomnia, and even though we've put her down for the night, she frequently gets up, hangs out in the hallway or goes and falls asleep in the living room or family room. Sometimes we don't find her until the next morning...
This is one of my favorite "sleeping" shots we have of her. We went to Fudruckers for dinner one night, and the kids had balloons done for them and Emma wore hers to bed until it deflated, almost a week later. We'd take if off of her, she'd get up, put it back on, and go back to sleep.

Our crazy girl! Oh how we love her!!