Our Forever Changing Life...: December 2013

Monday, December 23, 2013

Ginger Bread House Making: Year 2

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Visit from Grandma and Grandpa Sohre

Mid December was the Christmas program for the kiddos (Gracelyn and Zachy).

Grandma and Grandpa Sohre came to watch the program and to spend the day.

The kids were all dressed up in their Sunday Best. After the church program we had cookies and milk at church. The kiddos managed to cooperate for a quite family photo. Isaiah is one week old!

Jared showing Grandpa how to play the iPad!!!

Isaiah getting a little Grandma time.

And that family photo was so nice I thought I should put it up again for one more viewing.

Love my family of 4 kiddos!

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Coming Home

And home we are!!! The Malecek crew of 4.

Gracelyn 6 yrs old, Zachy 5 yrs old, Jared 2 yrs old, and baby Isaiah 4 days old.

Such a good-looking group.

Hanging out in the swing, taking a nap.

Eating about evey 2-3 hours (generally every 2). Walking up at night about 3 times.

Isaiah very much likes to sleep with Mommy on the chair in the living room. When he gets put back in his little white crib at night he starts to cry - so we sleep on the chair or he comes into bed and sleeps with Marty and I.

Ahhh, such a cutie!

And little Jared checking him out. Jared amazed me. I thought he would be showing signs of jealousy, but really he hasn't. He tries to be helpful, but sometimes to helpful. It brings back flashbacks of when Zach was born and how Gracelyn was trying to be so helpful (she was 1 1/2 yrs old). He can get me diapers and throw diapers away. He tries to shove the nuk in Isaiah's mouth with just a little to much force - so all good intentions on his part, just a little to much strength. He will tell us when Isaiah is crying "Zaya crying, pick up, pick up".

It is soo cute.

Gracelyn and Zach are both loving their brother very much. Both want to hold him all the time. Gracelyn is a good little mother. She is very helpful. Gracelyn wants to hold him and walk around with him. We have taught them about the weak head and how to support it - and they do really well. They both worry about Momma's milk - and know Isaiah nurses and "Can't have milk in a cup yet, right Mom?" They pick up on soo much.

Love them all!!

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Isaiah Joseph Elmer Malecek

5 days past the magical due date... induction is scheduled.

Baby #4, just like Baby #2 and #3 does not want to come out.

Maybe it has something to do with them all being BOYS!!! They just want to stay in where is it warm and snuggly. See Baby #1 was a girl, and she came all on her own!!

I am told I need to be at the hospital at 5am on Friday December 6, 2013. We live about an hour from the hospital and the driving conditions were not the greatest as winter had already begun. Temperatures were in the sub-zero's. Everyone teased as this is the reason the baby doesn't want to come out... it is just too cold!

So 4am Marty and I start this journey to having our 4th baby. We are old pros at this already. We know where to park, we know where to check in, Marty knows where the cafeteria is and the bathrooms (that's what the guys think about you know!), we know what to expect and we are just ready to get this show on the road.

Baby warmer and bassinet is all ready to go - just need a baby!

To my amazement I was starting a few contractions at home already Thursday night. Nothing to painful or regular, but when the nurses hooked me up to the monitors she confirmed it. I have never had contractions at home... so this was something new to me.

Dr. Antkowiak came in about 8am, and since I was already contracting a small amount, and I was dilated to a 3 - he broke my water. I was sure this would get everything rolling and baby would be here by noon!

To my disappointment that didn't happen. The magic medicine of Pitocin was started about 10:30am to get things moving. Marty and I walked the hallways and walked and walked and walked. Still nothing. We watched a movie in the morning (see we know how this goes, and the movie helps pass the time before things get to painful). I have this thing were I don't want an epidural - I am able to feel the contractions and by mid-afternoon they were started to come stronger and harder. Dr. comes and checks me about 3pm and still only a 6. So more walking we do and more and more. Then it starts to get 'really' bad. Things are progressing now. 4:30pm Dr. comes back and we are ready to roll.

4:57pm little Baby Boy Malecek is born.

He weighed 8 lbs 8 oz and was 22 in long.

He came out with a cry! We cuddled and loved him up

The nurses doing their thing.

Daddy's first hold.

Gosh you are beautiful baby boy. Now to get you a name.

Amazingly it is always hard. I always think we will know immediatly upon looking at the baby what the name should be. The options for first name were Grant or Isaiah. Middle name options were Joseph or Elmer.

We choose Isaiah Joseph... of the first 2 days. Then day 3 came and I just had an unsettled feeling that the name wasn't quite right, so we changed it. See my Grandpa Elmer Sohre (the best Grandpa EVER - see previous posts) had passed away just a month earlier. My heart was telling me I needed to include him. I needed to keep his presence alive in my new boy. So we made an announcement:

NAME CHANGE: Isaiah Joseph Elmer Malecek

Isaiah means Salvation.

Joseph is after Marty's middle name, Grandpa Joe's first name, and my middle name, which is Jo.

Elmer is after my Grandpa Elmer Sohre.

Lots of meaning flowing out of this name.

Now is sounded right. Everything was complete.

Visitors Saturday morning were Grandpa and Grandma Malecek. They brought the 'troops,' Gracelyn, Zachy, and Jared. Oh, they were so excited to meet and see the baby. They wanted to kiss him, hug him, and hold him. Even little Jared wanted to hold him. Our busy life was getting even busier!

Such a blessing to have such a beautiful and wonderful family.