Simple Treasures

Here are a few pictures. We are enjoying simple, steady days fill of small treasures... Raina is napping well, now, and the bigger girls are benefiting from a bit more mommy time. We created a school room in our office and that has made preschool a little more exciting as opposed to just doing it at the kitchen table. Wet, dreary days have finally given way to sunshine and there a few shoots coming up from the perennial beds. We planted our greenhouse (thanks again for watering it daily, Sera!). Erik and I figured out a workable schedule for both of us to run and have devotions on alternating mornings. It feels quiet and routine and joy-filled. We are blessed.




Raina - I love the time at night when I wake her to nurse her just before I go to sleep. She is so sleepy and sweet and soft. I finally had Erik capture it on camera.

Three sweet daughters

Daddy and his little munchkin

School Days

Our cozy little studying nook

In the Milieu

During these last seven weeks of transition and sweet frenzy, I have found myself often sorting scattered thoughts into mental paragraphs - writing stories in my head that capture these moments and all the Lord is teaching me through them. I have done this my whole life... spun my life and thoughts into story even in the milieu. Unfortunately, those carefully laid-out thoughts never make it to paper these days. :) In my head, I have made lists like, "Things I Have Done One-Handed," and "Things My Children Have Destroyed," and "Problems and Solutions..." and I have written essays about parenting and my own sometimes embarrassing failures. Maybe someday they will get written! :)

I have not been faithful in taking pictures. As Erik reminded me, I have one more child now than I have hands - and that presents a challenge! However, I dearly want these days captured on film, so I am determined to be "better."

I love being a mommy. Every day, the Lord challenges me in new ways as I seek to faithfully do the work He has set before me. Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I cry, sometimes I yell (and then ask my kids forgiveness for sinning against them -- oops!). I am so thankful for my three small daughters. They absolutely amaze me.

Elisa is a fantastic little girl. She is full of fire and sometimes she struggles to control her zeal, but she is bright and insightful and funny. Everyday, while I cook dinner, I give the kids a sheet of paper to draw pictures of something they are thankful for in that day. Without fail, Elisa's first response is "Raina." She is such a helper.She loves learning her letters and has a phenomenal memory. She can memorize a stack of library books in a week.

Sadie has a quirky sense of humor and continues to be (mostly) sweet-natured. She is definitely the younger sibling, and often gives in to Elisa, simply handing over toys or (the other night) giving away the last of her shrimp because Elisa wanted more. She has faltered with potty training somewhat after being accident-free for about four months. While I get frustrated with this, we are trying to keep positive attitudes and employ creative reward tactics. We have a fun potty song that she loves (she is really very musical) and a sticker chart to help her earn a tricycle. She, too, loves baby sister.

The two of them were struggling with being destructive while Mama was busy with baby Raina, and I was struggling to come up with creative, constructive ways to fill their days while still meeting the needs of my newborn. I was helped greatly by a little book called "Steady Days" by Jamie C. Martin. Now - we have a "steady routine" that guides each day. The girls love following our schedule flexibly through activities. Being on a structured routine helps us get outside more (so grateful for warm weather!), ensures we get to our preschool time each day, and prevents the destructive behavior. Raina is small and usually in my arms, and we are able to just tuck her into the girls' routine.

Little Raina continues to be a light daytime sleeper, and, as I mentioned, is often in my arms or my Moby wrap. She sleeps deeply at night and is now waking just once to feed between 9:30 and 6:30 - I am thankful to be getting plenty of rest. She is generally content; sometimes she has a little fussy time in the evenings. She has a smile that just makes me laugh with delight. It is so sweet and wide and happy. She is beautiful.


Dyeing Easter eggs a couple of weeks ago. Can you see the snow out the window? We went to the town egg hunt in a blizzard. Luckily, those bright plastic eggs showed up against the whitewash!

Bathtime!

Loving her tummy-time

Elisa's big hair - after two days of Daddy's tight braids

Cousins

We are so excited that Raina has a cousin born just two weeks (to the day) after her. Little Selah Ruth is my sister Amy's daughter, and we can't wait to meet her! In the meantime, I had Amy take a "diaper-only" photo to put side-by side with a similar one of Raina. Do you think there's a family resemblance? :) I think there might be.


Selah Ruth, born March 16

Raina Abigail, born March 2

Growing!

Four weeks has flown by! We are blessed by our sweet, snuggly, relatively complacent baby girl... life has its challenges, Mommy has her moments of utter failure in maintaining a gracious spirit, the big girls have times of wanton destructiveness, and Raina sometimes cries :)... but we are thankful for each busy moment.

Raina is growing quickly... like my other girls, she takes advantage of Mom's thick, creamy milk and gains nearly two ounces a day, meaning she is over nine pounds now! I am thankful to have had no problems feeding my little ones. She sleeps well at night, and tends to take one good, long nap in her cradle during the day. The rest of the day, she wants to be snuggled, and will nap just half an hour or so in her bed, then finish her sleep in mama's arms. As long as the big girls are content with quiet projects, that works fine! I have been praying for wisdom in helping her sleep better in her cradle, but also know she is still fresh from my womb and there is so such thing as spoiling a baby with too many snuggles! :)

She is so sweet and content during her awake periods after eating, and she loves tummy time. What a joy our little girl is. Elisa and Sadie love their baby sister, and, for the most part are adjusting with aplomb. A few potty training setbacks, some wreaking havoc just for the fun of it... but I am thankful for our big helpers!


Bright eyes


At one week.


Sleeping sweetly



Snuggled with Daddy - taken last night



Four weeks old




Proud big sister

Raina's Story

I have been wanting to write out the story of Raina's birth while the details are fresh in my mind... so this post is mostly for me. If you like those details, read on. If you are content to know that the Lord has lovingly granted us another healthy little girl, you can skip this entry. :)

I feel blessed to have had three uncomplicated, smooth, and unmedicated pregnancies and deliveries. Elisa came after about 12 hours of Lamaze-style labor, and Sadie arrived in a fast and furious two-hour birth. We had planned to try the Bradley method of natural labor, but her delivery was so intense and emotional coming on the heels of my daddy's death that we were unprepared and thankful God allowed her to come so quickly. This time around, I felt God nudging me to rely solely on His grace and not on a secular method of childbirth. So instead of preparing with exercises or breathing regiments, we prepared with prayer and Scripture. We prayed for specifics, like for our baby's neck to be free from the cord, and his or heart to be strong and steady. And I prayed that God's grace and power would be showcased in my body as I labored, that His strength would be reveled in my weakness, that His peace would fill my heart and mind, and that I would handle each contraction with grace and valor. I don't know about the grace and valor part, but I do know that God's grace filled the hours of laboring with Raina and that it was His strength that sustained us.

(In the moments before my membranes were ruptured.)

On Monday, I had visited the doctor and was dilated enough to be considered in active labor, despite having only irregular and mild contractions. That afternoon and night, my contractions became more persistent and consistent, but I was still not in the hard work of labor. I alternated between sleeping through them, and laying awake feeling the contractions strengthen slightly.
In the morning, Erik and I decided to head to the hospital. We knew I was not in hard labor, but given my advanced dilation and history of precipitous labor, we decided to head in at a safe, early time, knowing they would break my water to put me in labor. (Our doctor had given us the option of coming in at any time for that purpose.) Our doctor ruptured my water at about 8:00 Tuesday morning and within minutes, the contractions picked up strength and speed. We were able to walk around the hospital for about two hours before strong back labor led me to ask our nurse to fill the hydrotherapy tub. Walking was a blessing; Erik and I talked and held hands and prayed as contractions grew stronger and more frequent. Once in the tub, my backache subsided and contractions continued to intensify. I had printed a list of precious Bible verses to meditate on, and Erik read them to me several times in his strong, soothing voice as I closed my eyes and breathed deeply through each contraction. It was amazing just to lean back, breathe, and concentrate on the Lord's sweet promises.

After an hour or so in the tub, I could feel I was in transition. My body was trembling and I was intently focused on maintaining deep breathing. We moved to the room, where I nested myself in a bed of pillows and tried to relax my body. I began to just pray with each contraction - "God, I know your grace is sufficient for me." I started feeling pressure, and the nurse checked me. I was 8-9 cm, and she phoned our doctor to hurry. He arrived about fifteen minutes later, and there was now just an anterior lip of cervix. He told me to push with the next contraction, and I did, with all my might! After two contractions, a beautiful baby girl was placed on my abdomen. I saw Erik's shining eyes and tender smile, and I cried. I remember just saying, "Thank you, Jesus," over and over. Every prayer had been answered. We are so grateful for this sweet gift!

Raina has several meanings depending on origin and spelling. The meaning we chose is Hebrew - "song of the Lord." Her middle name, Abigail, means, "her father's joy." We pray Raina's life will be a song of praise that will delight her Heavenly Father!


In the quiet bliss after she arrived

Raina Abigail

Our third beautiful daughter has arrived! Yesterday at 11:42, Erik and I welcomed Raina Abigail into our family. She weighed 7 lb, 2 oz, and is 19 1/2 inches long. We are thrilled and thankful. I will post a few pictures, and I promise to write more soon to share the story of her birth and more details about our precious baby girl. For now, though, three Wachob daughters are napping, and a sleepy mama needs rest, too.


Fresh from the womb

Big girl!

Cute as a bug

Proud papa

Happy mommy

Introductions

Loving little sister





Yeah! She's home!

Guessing Game

Amy did this yesterday, and I am copying. Guess our baby stats here!