It was a good day after all...

Well, Saturday was my birthday. (Thanks to those of you who emailed, posted, and phoned your well wishes!) I must admit, turning 27 with out anyone around was unusual. Randall had to work 12 hour shifts all weekend, so I was worried it would be a dull, almost suckish, kind of day. But, it wasn't too bad. I got up and made my cake and in the few hours we had together before he left for the day, we had a small birthday party, just the 5 of us. Jenna colored a picture that she had Randall draw:It truly made me smile. The lamp is for my three wishes...she told me I could wish for anything I wanted:) Ashton told me I was the best mommy and that he would do anything for me the whole day. Randall actually gave me my present early. He bought me a rocker/recliner for feeding the baby. It's absolutely the most comfortable chair I've ever sat in, too! But, he did get a card just to remind me how much he loves me. I tell you, I married a real-life Romeo.

After Randall left I let the kids watch a movie while Shiloh and I took a nap. It was really nice to have such loving kids. I was Queen Mommy for a whole day; what more could I ask for? In the evening, I made some Pot Lasagna for dinner. That's something that my mom always made when I was younger. Debbie brought me a very yummy White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory and very sweet card. And then Becca came over after work and brought some nice tulips and a cute card and chocolates. It was nice to be remembered...But, I have to admit, what takes the cake is something else that happened this weekend:

1 six year old boy + 1 three year old girl =

Chaos. At least it seems that way lately. Since the baby and I have been home, it seems that the kids have found a new vigor in life.

Last night, we had the missionaries over for dinner. As we were socializing after, the kids were playing quietly in the living room. How quiet they were should have gotten my mommy senses tingling, but I guess I'm really just worn out these days. Any who. They were in the living room behind the giant blue recliner with....(wait for it)....a pair of scissors.

Ashton, very pleased with himself, came over to show off his new hair do. It looked like he got in a fight with a weed eater and it won. Huge chunks were whacked off into an oblivion. Upon seeing him, my gut reaction was to get out the straight razor, cuz that's how short it was. Bald came to mind, too. Jenna also had to show off her handy work. Luckily, she didn't get as crazy, but she shed six inches in random spots all over.

Now this was not the first time this happened. Ashton did this very same thing about two years ago. But, at the time he really butchered his sister's hair and it went super short. So, after a good scolding from Dad and lots of tears from Ashton- thinking that he'd be bald, we were able to creatively fix the duo and this is what we have:

I’m sooo over it!

I'm over living with a man who is losing his grip on reality! That's the only reason the man is still alive. If I have to hear about how fat I am one more time, I might not be able to hold back the surge of hormones! The man might just end up with a broken nose.

Okay, I couldn't really hit an 86 year old man, but ooooohh I hate being told that I'm fat. Mister, you have a baby and see if you don't get a tummy! What I really could use is my own house, which is one more reason why I love my hubby. He's working so hard studying for a new career, so that we can afford to work our dreams into reality. There are many times that he says he wishes that we could have started our "life" already. But, in my opinion, God has a plan for us here. We've been here helping for six years now, and in light of recent unforeseen events who knows when things will actually pan out. But, school will be done in a few short months and the Lord will place us where He needs us.

Wow. I think I'm hormonal. I'm all over the board today.

What a wonderful world....

Oh, yeeaahhh! Isn't it amazing how God created our bodies? The fact that I can create and grow this perfect little person who has this incredible body that can do some pretty interesting things, has me standing in awe. How awesome is it that He chose me to give that divine gift to and then to send to me three of the most terrific children that I have ever known. It's definitely a wonderful world!

Shiloh is now one whole day old. I've learned much about her in that time.

1. She is much different than the other two, not that they are much alike either.
2. She is very laid back, much like her daddy.
3. She needs to be swaddled to enjoy life. If she's not, life isn't enjoyable for you either.
4. She is a champion eater. A gold-medalist, I'd say.
5. She's not big on hats. She'll wear them, not that she's got much choice, but she's happier with a bare head.
6. She likes to have something in her mouth always. It's kind of a pain that the hospital only has one type of pacifier and it's a bit big for her and so she doesn't like it much.

When Ashton and Jenna say her yesterday, they fell in love with their little sister. I think it's going to be interesting when we go home tomorrow, to see just how we are going to handle mommy time boundaries though. Jenna wanted to be sitting on my lap holding the baby for most of the time. I just don't think that's going to work very well when it's time to nurse the baby. The first thing she said when she saw her was the she was sooo sooofftt. And Ashton, ever the boy, held her for a little while and gave her a kiss then he was on to figuring out how everything else in the room worked.

So, night one is down and we did good. We're both alive and rested and I've got a plan for tonight to make it even better.

And now, in the center ring, Shiloh Eden Curtis!

Last night, at 1:08 am, our lives were blessed by the arrival of our newborn baby girl, Shiloh Eden Curtis. We had arrived at the hospital only two hours and fifteen minutes earlier. Megan had some heavy bleeding around 9:30 so we bundled the kids off to Grammy's house and took to the road.

When Megan finally got hooked up to the machines she was already 6 cm dilated and having heavy contractions every minute. The doctor actually had to give her a shot to slow the contractions down! Did I ever mention my wife has the firmest handshake in the world when she's in labor?

Megan got an epidural but then had the baby almost immediately afterword. The anesthetic didn't work this time and only succeeded in numbing her legs not any areas that were in pain.

Our child is very beautiful now that she is all cleaned up. She is healthy and resting with mom now. She has a whole new wardrobe knitted for her by my wife and is the most stylish baby. We have been taking pictures and video of her, one of which I will post now.

Oi!

"Baby, when are you going to be born?" said the mama as she rubbed her gigantic belly as it rolled and bucked under her touch. "On her birthday!" matter-of-factly stated by the independent wild three year old sitting next to her.

I tell you what, I'm completely enamored by the things that constantly come out of her mouth…

Words: Take 2

"Mama,"

"Yes, Jenna,"

"I love you! You're as beautiful as a summer blossom!"

That's just what I needed to hear today. I think it's amazing how kids just seem to know just what to say to keep you going when you need it the most. After an evening of contractions that were five minutes apart, but not strong enough to keep labor progressing, I was sent home from the hospital to labor at home. I'm feeling worn out now. I continued to have contractions for awhile after I got home and some this morning, but they had stopped by this afternoon. Now they've started again, but there slow. So all this to say, I love my children. They have brought me so much joy, especially at moments when I thought I couldn't take even one more step forward. I know that I'll have even more with another little one here to share our hearts, home and love. (Shiloh, any time you're ready, we want you to come out and see us.)

To be or not to be?

I went to the doctor yesterday. If anything, I'm even more pregnant than I was at my last appointment. Shiloh does not want to come out. This could be a very interesting experience over the next few weeks. I'm hoping that she'll come before too much longer as we've already got plans to bless this child on the 29^th. (Yes, I realize that's my actual due date, thank you very much.) I'd feel bad if that couldn't happen because I'm still pregnant when family has already made arrangements to be here then. I did get the "you can have the baby any time now" clearance yesterday from my doctor. But, she said that if I want her to deliver the baby, then I have to wait until after the weekend since she'll be in Atlanta on fri, sat, and sun. One of these days, maybe Shiloh will decide it really is okay to come out and meet everyone…Oi!

53!?!

Today marks a lot of mile stones, in terms of pregnancy, for me. I am officially 53" from stem to stern and back again, Shiloh is about 7 lbs now, and I'm 27 days from my due date. She's my biggest and longest pregnancy yet. I hoping that she'll come this week. It's getting very difficult to move. I could hardly walk yesterday due to how low she was sitting. Oh, I forgot to tell you! The other day I actually had Braxton Hicks contractions. In the past, contractions were full blown labor but this time it's not, even though I wish it were.

My legs are beginning to show signs of my plumpiness. Big bruises from tripping over things or falling in the tub are frequently in fashion down there. I can't see things on the ground in front of me. I think that I'm walking around them when I'm walking right into them. The kids are the worst for blindsiding me! They like to be almost attached to me. Jenna is just barely tall enough that I can see her over the expanse of belly, but she likes to walk in front and quickly stop to turn a round and give me a hug, which as you might guess, poses some challenges when getting from point A to point B. Ashton is one slick cookie. He likes to cut right in front of me and nearly cause me to topple over him every time.

All topic of conversation has become all about everything that we're going to do when the baby "pops out of mommy's tummy". (They've got the belly button pagged as the point of exit.) They are especially looking forward to going to visit grandparents when the baby's out of mommy's tummy. I've resigned myself to the idea that I'm going to have to work for this one. The other two came out so easily that I enjoyed labor more than I did the pregnancy. But, with this one, I'm leary that she's going to take some pushing on my part to come out. (With the other two I pushed once and twice respectively.) But, maybe not since two weeks ago I had already started to dialate. I'm becoming awkwardly front heavy and I feel very much like a turtle that's been turned over on it's shell when ever I lie down. So, when thinking of me today, PRAY HARD that I have this baby...SOON (today would be a good day *wink*wink*).