Ella is 3 Weeks Old Already

     I can't believe it has already been 3 weeks since our precious baby girl entered this world. The time has gone by so fast keeping busy with 3 kids. Thankfully we have had a lot of help from both sets of grandparents. And we have been so blessed to have meals brought to us almost every night since we've been home from the hospital by friends and neighbors which has been a gigantic help. 

     Eleanor went into the pediatrician today and is weighing in at 7 lbs 13 oz. She is a great baby, rarely fussy and a super nurser (as you can tell by her large weight gain).  Carter and Adeline continue to be such loving big siblings, the only scolding that occurs over the baby is when they hug too tight or kiss too much, usually with snot dripping from their noses. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful family.

The Girls with Grandpa

Carter at tee ball practice!

Setting A Good Example For Our Children

I found the following article on the "Girl Talk" blog and found it very thought provoking. I know I struggle to lead by example at times and I found this article a helpful reminder of how God calls us to lead our children by our actions not only our words. 

“The example of parents, for good or ill, is an influence more profound than can be measured,” observes author Elisabeth Elliot.

Your children “will seldom learn habits which they see you despise, or walk in paths in which you do not walk yourself,” warns J.C. Ryle. “[She] that preaches to [her] children what [she] does not practice, is working a work that never goes forward.”

Paul Tripp agrees that if we talk about Christ’s love and the Bible but live selfish, angry, materialistic lives, then we are saying with our example that God’s truth is only a façade. “Our children will tend to dismiss or despise the very Gospel we say is of paramount importance,” he writes. “They will tend to reject the God we have so poorly represented, and they too, will end up serving the idols of the surrounding culture.”

Everything we teach our children will stand or fall by our example. Therefore our example must precede our instruction, less our instruction be in vain.

So ask yourself: What does my example say to my children about the truth of God’s Word?  Am I walking in paths where I want my children to follow?

While a poor example will dishonor the gospel, the godly example of a mother is among the most profound forces in human history.

Home from the Hospital Again...

     After another sleepless night with no relief from the new antibiotics or pain meds I was readmitted to the hospital early Friday morning for IV antibiotics, IV pain meds and a foley catheter. Within 24 hours my lower abdomen was feeling significantly better but I was suffering with a severe headache that started the afternoon before. I had migraines in college but haven't had one since before my pregnancy with Carter. 

     The MD ordered a Head CT which came back normal and an anesthesia consult to see if it could be the remnants of a spinal headache from the my c-section. The anesthesiologist ordered a bunch of medications and caffeine and within an hour of swallowing a cupful of pills (ibuprofen, dilaudid, imitrex) and a large cup of coffee the headache was gone (the miracle of modern medicine- when in doubt medicate).

    Thankfully Eleanor was able to stay with me in the hospital as long as there was another adult staying with us to care for her so Brandon has been on permanent diaper duty for the past few days. And the OB said it was fine for me to continue breast feeding even with all the medications I was on. 

      I am in the process of finishing my last dose of IV antibiotics and should be home early this afternoon on just one oral antibiotic. The OB wants me to take it easy for the next few days and Brandon kindly clarified with the OB to exactly what that entails as he knows that I would be home scrubbing toilets if she didn't tell me not to in the discharge instructions. Brandon was supposed to go back to work tomorrow but I think I have talked him into taking one more day off to help the kids and I get settled after being gone all weekend. 

     The older children have begun referring to their grandparents as "mom" and "dad" after spending so much time with them the past week. After the massive spoiling they have both received it's a wonder why they don't want to come home. I am feeling much better than I did two days ago and I am sure the visit from Kevin & Mae last night had a huge impact on that. I am so lucky to have a such a loving set of surrogate parents even though Kevin borrowed $20 from me during his visit. Next update will be from the comfort of home sweet home!