Mommy's day!

This is how it went down here...

(please excuse the fact that I had literally just opened my eyes before they stormed the room..yikes)

breakfast in bed and homemade cards...

some pics with the cutest kids ever...

a scavenger hunt with all my favorite treats...

an extraordinarily dirty oven:(

gum that is already mostly gone...thank you Brody.

and a little something from my sweetie.

It's a good feeling to know, that deep down, I already have everything I always wanted. It's great to be a mommy.

ps. to my own mother... thank you for teaching me pretty much everything.

I sure do love you.

2 months

it seems like a whirlwind since you were born Marley Grey. the days come and go, flying by like only days can. i hate it, and yet i don't. it's hard to explain. each night i examine you closely wondering how you could possibly look bigger than the day before, but it seems that you do? you're growing bigger and stronger, more beautiful and dear. i dream about what you will look like, what texture your hair will be, if you'll be sassy, or more subdued...if you'll always love me as much as i love you. i wonder who you'll marry and if you'll live near or far away. i wonder if someday you'll enjoy being a mommy as much as i do. when you sleep i kiss your lips and eyes and cheeks and ears and hands..and I pray that they will always work the way they're supposed to. your hair is strawberry blond now but you don't have much of it, and i think you look cutest in hats; sorry but it's true. you have my chin, and even though i never cared for it much on me, i adore it on you. your eyes are blue... like deep ocean water. i wanted you to have blue eyes, and now it just seems right. speaking of eyes, you have a piercing stare and seem to like to fix it on me the best; which of course makes my heart swell with satisfaction. you won't take a binky, which if i'm being honest...i sort of hate. when you eat and i sing to you, you stop and look for me now; i love this. oh, and you smile in the middle of the night when i finally notice you're awake to eat. i look forward to that smile all day; i wonder if it's because you've missed me as much as i've missed you? you're sort of a tough crowd when it comes to giving smiles, but i don't mind, I'll work harder.

Marley, i could truly go on and on, but will suffice to say i love you; it's been two months now little flower bud, and you're still the sweetest thing about my Spring.

B turns 3!

There was never any question it would be a "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" party. If there is one thing about Brody that is certain... it's that he is a man that knows EXACTLY what he wants.

So, we bounced around at his favorite inflatable playland and then had pizza; all in perfect Mickey Mouse fashion of course. And let me tell ya, it was one "Hot Dog" day.

Happy Birthday Brod-man!

B-man

I'm fairly certain that there isn't a sweeter, more loving child in the whole universe than my Brody. When the ultrasonographer told me this last pregnancy that I would be having a girl, I immediately felt a bit of relief flood my body. Not because I was having a girl... but because I was NOT having another boy. I didn't want anyone to have to compete with my love for this little guy.

Someone told me once that "a mother loves her girls, but gives her heart to her boy;" I believe it. The other day Brody ask me if "when he grows up he will marry me?" I wanted to tell the truth... but the truth is...I couldn't. "Yep, we'll get married and then you can live here with mommy forever and ever," I said. To which he responded, with a big grin, "that's GREAT mom!"

Oh B-man, I wish it could always be this simple. But even when it's not, and you finally give your heart away... please know, you'll still have mine.

one week

Things I had forgotten...but remembered in this one week:

the human body is amazing

the smell of baby breath is intoxicating

boobs are necessary and important

little parts are tougher than you think

baby= boss

sleep is overrated

everything else can wait

just like riding a bike; it all comes back

sometimes you do cry over "spilled milk"

the hearts capacity to love is endless

breastfeeding makes you feel like a hero

help is nice

small accomplishments are what it's all about

loving your baby is the easiest thing in the world to do

even ugly faces are cute

being pregnant for 9 months is a small price

belly fat is a weird thing

two-year olds are huge; five-year olds are adults

singing off key to your baby at 3am is better than not singing at all

a newborn in your home is special; more than special; divine

routines make a happy home

husbands do a lot; mine is the greatest

other people's cooking tastes better than my own

showering is a luxury

bald is beautiful

there is no skin softer

the show goes on

being a mother is the greatest blessing in the world

When everyone is asleep at night I lay there for hours with her in my arms soaking in every last feeling and smell and breath. I hate for the days to pass, because it saddens me to see her grow and change. Already I'm in love beyond what I even imagined possible.

Thank you for choosing me Miss Marley Grey...I love you.

-your momma

A baby story...

We got to the hopital bright and early at 6:15am

I got all comfy in my bed and was induced around 8:00am

one last shot in all my pregnant glory

Maddie's artwork for the delivery room

Things to do while in labor: read emails, eat popsicles, flash peace signs, talk to mom, kiss husband.

Speaking of husband... let me share a funny story.

I chose to be induced this pregnancy in order to insure that Brent would be there. Many of you know that his commute is a grueling 5 hour round trip daily, and the thought of him missing the birth of our last;) child, was hardly an option that I could imagine, and so we scheduled an induction. We even chose a day that would mesh well with his work schedule, allowing him to miss days that would be less important etc. Keeping that in mind...

I was induced around 8:00am. Historically my babies come fast. Maddie in 6 hours, Brody in 4. Expectations were high that things would go fast and smoothly. I got my epidural early this time, before I was even having contractions; I would say cramping is more the word. I didn't ask for it, but didn't turn it down either (obviously). After getting it, I stayed dilated to a 3... for 4 hours!! i was totally kicking myself, thinking that I slowed down the labor by getting it early. Everyone, was picking on me, that I was "taking forever." Talk about pressure... even my sister was calling from Las Vegas every 10 minutes telling my mom how depressing the number 3 was turning out to be. So (in their boredom apparently) around 12:45 everyone decided to go to lunch (Brent, my mom and Brent's mom) leaving me in the room alone to sleep.

At 1:10 I awoke to a sharp pain and felt as though I needed to push. Only problem was, I was just checked and was a 3..and there was no one there to tell! My legs of course were numb from the epidural, and I couldn't find my call button anywhere (which turned out to be on the floor)...and EVERYONE WAS AT LUNCH! So i started yelling for my nurse (literally) who didn't hear my until the third yell. Turns out.. it was showtime, and Brent wasn't there. I held off pushing and kept telling the nurse..my husband has to be here..."WE MADE SPECIAL ARRANGMENTS!!!" Luckily my mom left her cell number just in case...but didn't answer it because she didn't recoginize the number (and this was my support team?) lol.

The baby was born 10 minutes and 3 pushes later. He made it just in time.

Introducing... Marley Grey Fishel. Born at 1:29pm. Weighing in at 6.0 pounds, 18 1/4 inches long.

Isn't she beautiful? Being that she was only in the birth canal for about 10 minutes...everything looked just perfect when she came out.

we're so in love

I can't believe she's mine. There was a bit of a disconnect for me this pregnancy. I didn't really feel pregnant. Strange I know; but life was busy, and taking care of two other kids didn't leave alot of time to sit around and day dream or read baby books. Having her in my arms here, after the easiest labor on earth, just felt completely surreal. I just feel so blessed.

she looks a lot like Maddie in the nose and mouth don't you think?

long toes

her brother and sister seem to be just as in love with her as we are

special thanks to Amy for caring for my little monkey's while we were in the hospital. I'm so thankful for you.

me and my girls

How (perfect) funny is this picture?

proud daddy

Going home

Marley is so TINY. She was 5 10 when we left the hospital. her head is the size of a large orange.

She and her Grandpa Fishel share the same birth date! Hopefully she counts as his birthday present this year (oops).

Yep...we're all this excited.

I always worry about bringing home a new baby. What will things be like. How will the dynamic change. What will happen to the routine, the workload. What will emotions be like?

I'm proud to say...so far so good. I feel really great (for just having a baby), and things are pretty much running smoothly round these parts. We'll see what the coming days and weeks bring but for now...life is just sweet.

Thank you to everyone for everything; We feel really blessed and loved.