Summer DayZ

We are having an absolute blast this summer! Now that I am able to move around and bend over, we have been out and about as much as possible. Granted, being out and about is cutting in to other things that have become much less important- like bath time. Who needs a bath when you've got a swimming pool and a hose? The kids don't seem to mind and it gives them more play time. Once they start finding snacks crusted on thier bodies I'll know it's time for a scrub down. Until then, it's summer and we are going to enjoy every bit of it!

Maria's "official" online announcement

Make a Smilebox postcard

The first days

It's been 4 days of being a mother of three small children. So far so good. Well, that's mainly because Shawn has been home and in charge of the two older kids the whole time. Thursday will be my first day home alone and in charge. EEEKKKK!

Evie and Jude have done really well with Maria. They will help out and take interest in what she is doing, but most of the time they are too busy playing to get jealous of her. Evie wants to hold Maria all of the time and Jude gets so excited when she makes any kind of noise.

Maria has been my sleepiest baby yet. I'm not used to the "typical" baby that eats, sleeps, and goes to the bathroom. I guess I should consider myself lucky! She is sleeping very well at night, unfortunatly I am not. After almost 9 months of waking up a million times a night to use the bathroom I have not been able to break that routine yet.
It's off to sleep until the next feeding...

INTRODUCING...MARIA JUNE ANN TYLER

She's here!!! Maria came to us on July 11 at 10:53am at a whopping 8lbs 5oz and 21.5" long. And that was a week early!
If you would like details, keep reading, otherwise, enjoy the pictures!
I went to the hospital at 8:30am on Thursday, July 10. After being admitted, I was put on a high does of pitocin at 10:30a. I started out 90% effaced, dilated to 1 1/2cm, and -2 station. By 7:00p I had only moved to 2cm and no labor what-so-ever. It was on to Plan B- cervadil. I had to leave that in for 12 hours and that was supposed to hopefully prepare my body better to accept the pitocin. Once I got that I went to sleep. At 7:30a on the 11th I was 4cm and -1 station!! Woo Hoo! Progress, but still no labor. I couldn't wait for the excrutiating pain to begin! It had been almost 24 hours and I still felt fine- what was the deal?! (It's funny how this is the only time in a woman's life that such terrible pain is so exciting!) I was started on a low dose of pitocin and waited, and waited, and waited for labor to begin. Still nothing. At 10:00a the nurse broke my water. BAM! There it was- the pain I had been longing for! It was offical, labor had begun. The next 53 minutes felt like decades and I couldn't believe the contractions! I went from 4cm-10cm in a short matter of time. With 5 pushes Maria was born at 10:53am.
She has a mop top of dark brown hair and a cute round head, just like Jude. She is a good mix of Evie and Jude.
I enjoyed my "vacation" and decided to come home today. After seeing how nice it was outside, I couldn't stay couped up anymore.
Check in later for more pictures!!

Light At The End Of The Tunnel!

I am set to go in to the hospital on Thursday to entice Maria to come into the world!!!! First I'll have to call and make sure they have room for me- ooohhhhhh I hope they do!!! Not only am I looking forward to giving birth, but I am also anticipating a mini-vacation while in the hospital. Waking up to only one child and not all three- that's going to be a vacation! I'm thinking I might keep it low key with visitors this time and have people come over when we get home from the hospital.
Evie is so excited to go to the hospital to hold her baby sister. She tells Maria everyday to, "Come out sweetie. I want to play with you cutie pie."
We will share the news and pictures when Maria is born.