Night Crawler Hunt!

Summer Fun!  What could be better after a big thunderstorm, but to go dig in the mud for night crawlers!

Tie Dyed Kids

We went back to our old neighborhood in July to be part of the annual block party.  The amazing Romain family always sets up a tie dye station.  We even did a little onesie for the baby.  Here are the kids sporting their tie dyed shirts.  It takes a lot of work to get everyone to look at the camera - and not be poking at each other!

Solar Eclipse

It was a big day!  Some of our friends actually traveled out of town to experience a "total eclipse."  As for us, with a baby just a few days old, we experienced the eclipse from our front yard - and borrowed glasses from our neighbors.  I remember a solar eclipse happening when I was in 1st grade.  Our teacher, Miss Merise, closed all the drapes so we couldn't see anything.  This was much cooler!  Maybe we'll get to glimpse another one in 2024 or something.

Learning About Monarch Butterflies

One of the best things about moving to our new place was our kind neighbor, Ms. Susie.  She has taken our family under her wing and been so wonderful with our kids!  No sooner we moved in, but she taught us all about Monarch butterflies.  She taught us how to look under the milkweed plant leaves in her back yard.  Once you find a leaf with a little white egg, you pluck it off and put it in a clear lidded cup with a damp paper towel, a stick and a few additional milkweed leaves.  In a few days, the egg hatches and you see a tiny caterpillar emerge.  Every day you need to put a fresh milkweed leaf in the cup, but if all goes well, the caterpillar will grow and grow - eventually attaching itself to the lid of the cup or the stick to form a shimmering light green chrysalis.  After a week or two the chrysalis turns black and then emerges a beautiful monarch butterfly!  We had the privilege of experiencing this at least 1/2 a dozen times last summer.  It was magical and such a cool learning experience!  Here are a few shots of Amelie releasing one of of Monarchs.

Handy Kids

So our new house is old.  It has required a lot of "love" to make it feel like home.  We taught Elijah and Julia how to put on new outlet and switch plate covers.  It was actually a really great rainy day project. 

Beautiful Nadia

Is it possible that Nadia is almost 18 months old...and I have had every intention of keeping up with the blog all that time...but am only getting around to updating it now.  Yes, it is.  Welcome to my world.  It has been an amazing but CRUSHING 18 months.  Starting to come up for air (on some days) but other days, well....  Someone once said "having four kids is like you're drowning and then someone hands you a baby."  Agreed.  But we are surviving.  Not sure if we're thriving, but somehow we're all still alive, fed and clothed.

But anyhow, we had a baby.  And we love her.  And her dimples.  But first a few photos from our dear friend Liz Hansen that were taken just a few days after her birth.  Such a precious time to remember. 

She's Here!

Our sweet baby arrived...a little girl...and we are so in love!

My good mom drove out from Philly to help us.  She arrived on Sunday evening - 9 days before my due date.  The next morning, we were up and at-um --- no time to waste and onto a day of shopping at the outlets in Aurora.  Had to check off back-to-school clothing for Elijah and Julia.  I was definitely feeling pregnant as we walked around that day, but no more uncomfortable than usual.  

In addition to juggling responsibilities for his new job, Mike was 10 days into the longest and perhaps most stressful module of his Guanghua-Kellogg EMBA.  4 grad school classes in 2 weeks, plus study groups and numerous social activities.  He was running on 3-4 hours sleep a night, tops.  I kept praying "please stay in there baby - at least until the 12th when Daddy is done."  My due date was the 15th, and that would've been ideal; Mike would have been done with his big module and then had a few days to catch up.  This baby, however, had different plans.

On Monday night, instead of Mike taking an Uber home at midnight when he was done for the day, I drove to Evanston to pick him up.  My mom was here and I was happy to get out of the house!  At this point, I knew how long it would be before Mike and I had any time just the two of us again.  We ended up hanging out at Kellogg's Allen Center until after 1:30 a.m. - talking to his classmates.  It was a really fun time!  It was only once we stood up, and started walking back to the car, that I felt my "fake" (Braxton Hicks) contractions take a turn.  Hmmm.  I didn't give it much thought though, even as I felt a few strong pangs on the drive home.  I had probably pushed myself too hard.  All that walking around at the outlets - and then staying out late. I was probably just fatigued.  Everything would slow down once I got into bed.

It did not slow down once I got into bed.  

So, I got up and thought it best to finish packing the hospital bag. I showered and tried to pay attention to how consistently my contractions were coming on. By 3:30, I was feeling stir-crazy.  I went downstairs and started to fold a pile of laundry that was in the living room.  My mom came out of the office/guest room, "Jessica, what are you doing???"  I laugh now to remember my response, "Well, I can't sleep, and I have this big pile of laundry...and I think I might be in labor."  My mom (who used to be a labor and delivery nurse) felt my belly for a few contractions - which were coming on less than 5 minutes apart now.  She told me several times that I needed to wake up Mike, but I felt so, so sad to do this.  Poor guy was exhausted and had only slept 2 hours at this point.  But, around 4:00, there was no getting around it.  I roused him and we were out the door in a few minutes.  When my midwife, Katie, checked me once we got settled at the hospital (around 5:00 a.m.) I was already dilated to a 6-7.  This was really happening! My blood pressure was a little high, so Katie kept me in bed for monitoring.  It wasn't a walk in the park, but it was a very peaceful labor.  We were all joking around.  After a bit, Katie said, "Well, shall we just break your water so you can have a baby?" She took care of that around 6:00.  A few minutes later, at 6:16 as the sun was rising, after what seemed to be one long push, our baby girl arrived!  There is nothing in the world like meeting your baby for the first time.  And our biggest so far!  7 lbs, 14.5 oz.  She very well could have been a 9-pounder had she come on her due date. So grateful for another beautiful birth!  

All checked in and ready to go!

Beautiful flowers and balloons from dear friends, Jeff and Raenell

Just hours old.  Oh, you beautiful baby!

Baby Nadia's first visitor, Khania.  

Just a little smile

Midwife Katie checking in the next day.  I am so grateful for her help!  Katie (and midwife Linda) also helped deliver Amelie.   I have been so happy using midwives for my pre-natal care and delivery.  They are extremely knowledgeable and supportive. 

Baby girl getting all ready to go home!

What a beauty.  We love you, Nadia.

Sibling gifts

Meeting the family!

Love from Grand Debbi

I have another sister!!

Amelie holding Nadia for the first time.  

A kiss from big brother, who has been so loving.

Amelie so excited to open her gift!

Everybody loves presents :)

One of our first mornings all together at home.  Elijah and Julia didn't start school for two weeks, so we had a little time to all spend together.  

Guanghua-Kellogg classmates visit us at home to meet the baby!  

Can you tell Archer has two little girls of his own?  He was totally smitten with Nadia.  Adorable!

Thank you, Guanghua-Kellogg friends for coming to visit!

Snuggles with Mommy.  I remember this moment so clearly and wanted to stop time forever.

Itty-bitty smile from this sweet girl of ours.  We love you, Nadia!  How blessed we are for your beautiful and safe arrival. 

Happy Birthday, Amelie!

I was enormously pregnant at the time, and Mike was in China, so we doubled up with good friend Zoe (who shares the same birthday as Amelie).  Sweet friends.  And nothing better than flamingos on your birthday cake!

Happy 7th Birthday, Julia!

This year, for Julia's 7th birthday, she decided to do something really meaningful.  We went with a few of her friends to Feed My Starving Children in Libertyville, IL to help assemble food packets.  We had gone a few months earlier with Elijah's Cub Scout troop and she loved it so much she wanted to do it with her friends.  Even Amelie and little friend, Zoe, put stickers on the packages since they were too young to enter the warehouse.  It was such a special way to celebrate - doing good for others.  Happy birthday, beautiful Julia!  We love you!