Family of Four

Not much going on in this house except cooking and keeping mama and baby fed & happy! Oh, and the toddler too!  A few pictures from our first couple days.

 Opa and Oma made the train trip over to visit their newest grandaughter on Friday.  That afternoon baby, mama & daddy  made a trip to visit the Dr. to have Kenzi's tongue & lip ties taken care of.  She's been nursing much better since then.

 We also measured baby, she was 19.5 inches long, the same as Maylia

 Midwife and Grammie photo with Kenzi

 The birth team!

Happy family of four!

Celebrating a BIRTH DAY!

Woo-Hoo! Our waiting on baby days are finally over. Kenzie Lianna (Leon-a - For Papa)  arrived Thursday morning November 9 at 8:26 a.m.

 Waiting for baby......

 baby was 3.5 which translates out to about 7 3/4 lbs.

  Quite the birth story--about a 16 hour labor and since labor started in the late afternoon on the 8th, it was many hours without sleep!
After finally giving up in  total exhaustion and stalled progress, Laura finally decided to go to the hospital & "get it over with". F. and the midwife proceeded to gather their things, the Midwife gave the hospital a call and heads up that they were coming in.  I gave Laura her Juice Plus supplements, chased down by a protein shake. I told Laura that at home or hospital regardless, she was still going to have to have some energy to get the baby here, although at that point she probably would have agreed to a C-S on the spot!  (and since I needed to stay home with big sis, I wasn't going to be able to help her at the hospital like last time!)

About 10-15 minutes later we were loading bags in the car, Laura made it down the steps, out the door & half way to the car before she stopped and said "I can't do this. I'm having a baby". I said what? you're not going? "No.  This baby is coming."  She headed back in the house, I followed, but I'm pretty sure it's been a long time since I saw her move so fast.  She was in the house, up the stairs  you remember the picture of that steep winding staircase right?!) and back in the birth pool before I could close the door behind us. By the time I reached the room, this was a different girl. She was awake, happy, energized, and although I didn't check the time (no time!) I'm pretty sure it wasn't more than an 1/2 hour later, she birthed baby girl into her daddy's hands.

2 hours later both the midwife and I were still trying to catch our breath and stop laughing over the incredible turn of events.

Now you can make your own deductions, but having been thru an almost exact scenario with Laura's first birth which ended up in the hospital, and knowing what the results of taking Juice Plus supplements and the protein shakes have done for many, I believe without a doubt that it's what made the difference and gave her energy and got labor moving again. In my opinion it changed everything and made all the difference! I totally believe that this was the result of #onesimplechange

 And so, tonight we had a celebration supper, served upstairs in Laura's room. Steak, sweet potatoes, creamed corn, beets, mozerella cheese rools & gooey cinnamon rolls for dessert. Nothing like a good meal after a great day's work! (or a birth!!)

 Maylia said it was platter licking good!

And now it's been a very long day and we'll hope for a good night for all of us!

Fall looks like this here!

While some back home in my state are having snow, I'm enjoying the beautiful colors here.  When the sun is out and the sky is blue, it's easy to imagine that it's at the very least 65-70 *.  It's not-- it's only in the 40's and I have to say it feels very chilly to me. Regardless, I'm still loving the look even if I'm not the feel! Really, I suppose I can't have it all!

 Isn't this beautiful!

Our destination for today--is that lame or what? haha!   The building might look different but the chicken tasted the same!

We're all tired of waiting--can we just have this baby come now?!

Company, shopping & windmills

Just a few pictures from last week.  We had visitors here for lunch on Wednesday. 

 Laura's had a cold the rest of the week so we didn't go out until  Saturday.  Frederik took us out in the afternoon, we did some shopping, a few errands and went to several second-hand stores which of course I'm always interested in!

 I would spend a whole lot more money if I didn't have to keep to my suitcase limit, but I have found a few things that will come home with me.

Today was this cute vintage child's tea set.

We also visited a Windmill

 Not sure why I didn't get a picture of the (very steep) ladder like stairs that we climbed up - 2 levels inside.

The first level--

 This is a windmill for grains.  There was a little gift shop on the first floor when we went in, they sold all kinds of fresh milled grain.  It would have been interesting to get some, but a little too heavy & bulky to transport home!

 And then up to the second level

 And looking on up to another level where the top gears are

We could go outside to the platform on the 2nd level, this is where they can turn the top of the windmill - the blades, according to the direction of the wind.

 This is the wheel that is used to turn the blades to a different side according to the wind.  The whole top of the windmill roof turns.

 I found the roof material very interesting! and look how thick it is!

 And a cute weathervane up there too!

 Looking down on the town roofs

It's pretty amazing to me to think of how many years ago these were constructed and all the mechanics to make them work!