Josie Update

I took Josie in for a weight check today, she has now passed her birth weight. She now weighs 5 lbs 12.8oz! We could not be happier she is doing so well! Wahooo for heavy cream.

Chain Gang!

To some the thought of sending their kids back to school can bring tears, to me it is an idea that brings excitement! Not just because I feel so overwhelmed by now having four children, but can't your remember the thrill of starting school, or the first day? Even buying cheap school supplies gets me pumped!

So today we made a back to school chain countdown. The kids had fun, and if I can keep them excited about going back to school(not afraid), I will be very happy!

(Luckily Deeken's is just for show. I get him for a few more years before I send him off to school:)

OUR KIDS!

One week old

ONE WEEK OLD!

We made it through our first week! 3oz from her birhtweight! WAHOOO!

Everyone is adjusting well. Josie is fitting in just fine. Already a TV head!

Things I didn't know this time last week...

• I didn't know that I wouldn't get to use my Gap Friends and Family pass.
• I didn't know how lucky I would be to have a friend's husband lose his job so she could come and watch my kids while I went to the hospital.
• I didn't know that I wouldn't have finished "Breaking Dawn" by now.
• I didn't know my mom(who irons everything before she packs), could get an airplane ticket, pack, leave my two visiting brothers and their families, and get to me in six hours.
• I didn't know how un-important it would be to pee in a bucket for twenty four hours.
• I didn't know how un-enjoyable it is to have your water break.
• I didn't know how lucky I was to have a friend willing to pick my mom up from the airport, and then watch my kids.
• I didn't know how sweet Deeken would be to his new baby sister.
• I didn't know I could dislike some NICU doctors, or delivery nurses so much.
• I didn't know that I would ever feel the full pain of being completely dialated (ouch!)
• I didn't know that my eyes could get so swollen that I could hardly see out of them.(Magnesium sucks)
• I didn't know how cute it would be to see Micah finally feed her little sister a bottle. (she has been wanting to for months)
• I didn't know that another woman(NICU Nurse) would get to see my baby girl more than I would in the first five days of her life.
• I didn't know that getting up to pee every three hours, is not as hard as setting an alarm to wake up ever three hours and feed for an hour.
• I didn't know how scary it is to decide to bring a baby home from the NICU.
• I didn't know how easy having three kids was.
• I didn't know how many blessings I would count today.
• I didn't know the meaning of completely exhausted....NOW I KNOW!

Our Little Angel

She has just a little bit of dark hair, and looks a lot like her older sister did when she was born.

Amy sees just a little bit of Deeken in her as well. She loves having her hands up by her face.

Teeny Tiny

Here is the sun-bathing picture under the lights to help her conjugate her bilirubin.

Noah and Micah have both been able to take turns going in to the NICU to meet their little sister. Deeken is too little, so he will have to wait. They all loved coming to see Mommy at the hospital. We are eagerly awaiting bringing Josie home! Amy is now officially home and doing well, though we will still be spending most of our time at the hospital! Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, overall we are very grateful and doing great!

This Time it's for REAL! Welcome Josie Mae!

Josie Mae Farr

Born July 31 at about 11:15 am

5 pounds 10 ounces

18.5 inches long

35 weeks gestation

She is really here! In the midst of being diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, Amy's water broke at about 5:15 am on Thursday morning. We took advantage of some great friends from church who watched our kids and Amy and I headed into the hospital. Amy's blood pressures were elevated and she had a lot of protein in her urine, nailing down the pre-eclampsia diagnosis. I gave Amy a blessing and we both felt very much at peace. Somebody must have told Josie that the treatment for pre-eclampsia is delivery, because she was quickly on her way. Amy had an epidural placed and dilated very quickly and Josie arrived! She did well, with APGAR's of 8 and 9, but was still taken to the newborn intensive care unit for close monitoring due to her prematurity. Amy was placed on magnesium for 24 hours after delivery, which makes you feel pretty crumby, but she was strong through it and started nursing Josie, who has done great at eating. She is a beautiful little girl and we already feel so close to her, and are so grateful for her safe arrival, straight from heaven. Amy is recovering very well, and will be able to come home from the hospital tomorrow. Josie has her IV out, is eating like a champ, and breathing perfectly, but she will be staying in the NICU for 2 more days or so (at least at this point) for some elevated bilirubin levels (jaundice).

Noah and Micah both adore their little sister and were so excited to get to hold her, and were fascinated by the NICU environment. Unfortunately, Deeken is too little to go inot the NICU, but we are hopeful he will be able to meet his sister very soon.

We have felt very blessed throughout this process! Amy's mom flew in from Utah and has been such a great help and support. Our friends from our ward and the hospital have also been wonderful. We wish more of our family could be here to see her, but we will try to get some pictures posted soon. (If I had been the one who delivered the baby and Amy was in my shoes, you all know there would already be 20 pictures posted!) Thank you for your love, support and prayers! She was unexpected this early, but we are so grateful she is here!