Our New Seven-Man Crew

 

And suddenly, we are a family of 7!!!  People may say we're a little nuts, and at times, I think we are too, but we're also crazy happy.  It's been a busy, challenging, and joyful experience adding a new little member to our family.  Bringing home a newborn is always an adjustment, no matter how many times you've done it before.  Craig and I are totally exhausted.  But we are also totally in love with our little Baby Finn.  The kids absolutely adore him.  If I've learned anything this time around, it is this:  BABIES DON'T KEEP! They will always grow up way too fast.  So you have to treasure every minute.  Sometimes I feel like my house has never been messier, the laundry seems endless, and I feel like I will never get caught up.  But in those moments when I feel totally overwhelmed, I just have to look at my sweet baby boy and all of my worries and frustrations melt away.  His smiles make it so, so worth it!  Nothing is as precious, nothing brings more joy, and nothing makes my heart swell more than a newborn babe!

 

This is Finn's birth story in pictures: 

I got huge, as usual.

 

My water broke at 6:00 AM on Monday, June 30th, exactly one week before his due date.  We got to the hospital around 7:30 AM.  We waited, and waited, but he decided to take his sweet time.  I thought I'd have a baby by lunchtime, but he had a different idea.  He just wouldn't drop, so I wasn't progressing.

 

I was planning on a natural birth again like I had with Sawyer.  But things were going so slowly that the nurses finally convinced me to start Pitocin.  Once those Pitocin induced contractions started, I was in so much pain, I finally caved and asked for an epidural.  I got the epidural at 3:30 PM, and ohhhh, how I loved that epidural!  It was the best decision ever!  (I also got about a million stitches when it was over, so I was super grateful I didn't have to feel any of that!) 

 

Finn finally came at 5:40 PM.  He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long.

 

He was absolutely perfect in every way!

My mom and Craig were the only ones there for the birth.  I love that you can see tears of joy in my mom's face in the picture above, and Craig is just beaming in the picture below.

I fell head over heels in love with him immediately. 

The kids came the next day to meet their new baby brother.  They were so excited!

 My sweet angel mother-in-law watched all of our other kids during the hospital stay.  She stayed with us for two weeks, and I don't know what I would have done without her help.  She is heaven sent.

 

Even Sawyer loves his baby brother to pieces.  I worried he'd be resentful about losing his spot as the baby of the family, but nothing could have been further from the truth.  He kept smiling and giggling every time he got to hold him.  He even sang him lullabies.  It was the sweetest thing to watch.

 

Baby Finn has already brought so much happiness to our home.  I can't imagine life without him.

 

I am amazed at how much love one heart can contain.  I look at each one of my children and feel as if my heart will explode because of the amount of love I feel for them.  The greatest gift I have given them is each other.  They will be life-long friends just as my siblings are to me and Craig's siblings are to him.  I am so grateful for the blessing it is to be a mother.  It is far from easy, but there is nothing I would rather be doing with my life.  I am grateful for my health that allows me to create and carry these babies.  Each one is a miracle.  On top of that, they are all healthy and happy and beautiful.  I don't know what I did to deserve them, but I will strive every day to be worthy of them for eternity.  I love knowing that families can be together forever.  Truly, these precious ones are mine forever!  I simply cannot think of a happier thought!