So that was a really long, unintentional blogging break. 6 months. So much has happened. So I am just gonnna give it to you highlight reel style.
My husband left for a month ish. We missed him a lot.
He came home. Tyler played baseball. Jack played t ball. Both boys did awesome and I loved watching them grow and learn. And Jack got what he so desperately needed- his own thing to be the star of. Awesome.
I started going into labor. But not really because my cervix is lazy. So one month of daily, uncomfortable contractions, but our little guy wasn't budging.
Until May 6th. The day he was evicted. It was so amazing. We had to be transferred to a different hospital because the one I was at was not equipped to help the baby if need be. (The medication I was on to manage the tumor was intense and there was a good chance of some residual effects on the baby.)
Anyways. I was sent to a different hospital with a great NICU. And when he was born, he didn't spend much time there at all. We named our sweet little boy Declan Andrew. He weighed 7 lbs 6 oz, and measured in 19.5 inches. He was born at 8:40 a.m. and I have to say, he was amazing from the very start.
I will share his birth experience later. I don't have pictures of he and I together because my body didn't handle the c-section very well. In short, I barfed. The entire time. They kept trying to put Declan near me but the barfing. It was out of control. And not how I wanted my first picture with my son to be. Blech. So this is how I saw my son- with my husband holding his phone in my face.
Here he is later that day, after mama got her hands on him. And stopped puking.
My husband and his baby boy.
Just he and I in the early morning. So in love. I wonder what he was thinking about. I'm going to guess donuts.
So that was our amazing start to May. Shortly after I had Declan, I went back to the hospital to have the tumor from my leg removed. I was anxious and excited to be done, but the morning of surgery was awful. Having to leave your nursing newborn and worry whether you pumped enough or if he'd even take a pumped bottle.....sitting in a hospital bed as you soak the gown you are wearing for all to see.....being alone in that hospital room because Jeremiah had to take care of all of the kids.....it was a crappy experience. But I had the most amazing doctor. And he got that nasty thing out.
The day after surgery- tumor free!!!
So Declan has been the star of the show recently, the way new babies tend to be, but my other littles have been incredible these past few months of many changes.
She stole my chocolate. I love her, anyway.
Those freckles. That mischievous smile. If you sleep on the job, this boy will TAKE. YOU. DOWN.
This girl of mine. Her heart is the most beautiful.
This boy who made me a mama. I am so proud of him. He never gives up. And his smile lights me up.
In awe of how we have been blessed.
Hubba. Hubba.
Oh baby boy. We just dig you.
For serious. I cannot handle it.
They really are.
sigh. He is just soooooo good.
So after the surgery, we finished school for the year, said goodbye to some amazing Navy friends, MOVED AGAIN!!!., Jeremiah went for some desert training, and while he was there we found out he made CHIEF! If you're Navy, you get how awesome this is and how proud we are. And you also know that with initiation in full swing, we DON'T SEE HIM. EVER. EVER EVER. That's where we are now. Super proud. But really wanting this process over because I miss my man.
We are still getting settled in our new home. We love our new area-- which is about 2 tenths of a mile from the North Carolina border. It is so country, so quiet, and so peaceful out here. It's been like a nice warm blanket to my soul.
From my front porch.
I will share more about our crazy life in a bit. But I have 5 children who are waiting for lunch and arguing over who gets the last 6 drops of lemonade. Toodalooo.
This is my "5 kids & a husband who is gone can be hard" face.
