Little Anna...

Anna Caroline Lee

God brought Anna into this world on December 8th at 2:29am. She was 6 lbs. 1 oz. and 18 1/4 in. long. Labor and delivery went smoothly with no complications and she is strong and "looking and acting like a 37 1/2 weeker, not a 35 1/2 weeker." according to the nurses and Doctors. We are so thankful. Tests after her birth showed that her right kidney is still very large and they have confirmed that it is ureteropelvic junction obstruction. We have another test on the 29th to see if she has the additional problem of kidney reflux (which is appparently common in people that have the her diagnosis.) Surgery to remove the obstruction is scheduled for January 2nd. We stayed in the hospital a day or two longer than usual this time due to elevated bilirubin levels for her and elevated blood pressure for me, but after several days under the bili lights in the hospital and at home it looks like she is starting to level out. I'm finding myself feeling a bit like a first time mom this time around... The week since her birth has gone so differently than the other 4 births... And even though she's already back up to 5lb. 10oz. feeding a "preemie" has proved to be more difficult than it ever has been for me. We have been at the lab and hospital or clinic every day since our discharge testing levels and weighing in. And having to keep her in a diaper and under the lights 24/7 is a whole new postpartum experience! But other than the few bumps along the way so far and trying to keep her awake long enough to get her to eat things are going really well. The kids are in love (again) with the new addition to the family. It is so fun to see how they interact with her, singing and talking so sweetly. So many have been praying for us through this whole deal. We are overwhelmed by the love and care that God has placed around us... It's truly overwhelming. Saying that we are thankful just seems like such an understatement. But we are... We are so thankful for the gift of another child. We are so thankful for her health and strength.. We are so thankful to have such wonderful family and friends that know and love God and that care for us in such Christlike ways. We are so thankful that we can rest in the assurance that God is in control and that even if things don't go the way we think best that He loves us and cares for us in ways that we can't comprehend. That His plan is far greater and more wonderful than anything we could come up with. We are thankful that we don't have to be in control because He- who is infinitely wise and infinitely loving is. And that He works all things for the good of those who love Him. Things with Anna have gone so wonderfully in our eyes so far, and we are so thankful for that, but we pray that we can be thankful and hopeful in EVERY circumstance, not just when things go the way WE would like them to.

Yea for Snow!!!

Christmas Tree Hunting...

The hunt.....

Isaiah's first year "cutting down" the tree...

And of course... Decorating...

So, another year at Talbott's. It was a beautiful day. The kids were troopers as we searched for the "perfect" tree... Isaiah was excited about the responsibility of sawing down the tree once we found it... He worked so hard and was ready to perservere to the end, but after about 15 minutes we gave him permission to give up the fight and Scott assisted in the last two thirds of cutting through the trunk. :)

More Hiking...

I love keeping up with the boys...

Climbing mud walls...

Identifying tracks!!

Forging streams...

Gramma loves to go with us..

Follow the (2 y.o.) leader.... :)

Who says you can't trudge through muddy streams in tights and a skirt??

The crew.

I'm thinking we're done for a while with hiking.. It's too stinking cold and I'm too stinking big! Last time we went out I was huffing and puffing at the top of a ravine wall we had decided to climb for fun. :) And though we've gone for hikes in winters past, I'm not so sure taking a newborn out would be too wise. So... as we look forward to more hikes this spring here are some pics of another hiking day this fall. We have so much fun out there.

October in Champaign

Hiking at Black Partridge

Sweet Baby..

Harvest

The kids have been looking forward to this day all year... It is quite the event at our house. So all day as the combine goes around and around the field the kids scream and run outside to see it pass by. They run around the front yard jumping up and down like a bunch of monkeys... It's a sight. At least Micah was dressed this year... I think last year he was in a diaper and nothing else. :)

"Hap Birfday Zekie..."

Zeke turned one on October 9th. The kids insisted on some sort of celebration.... So bone-shaped pancakes it was. :) (And yes, he got to eat one.) We got out to his faorite park a couple of times that week and the kids made beautiful pictures... (Zeke at the dog bone factory, Zeke sitting on a pile of a million bones, Zeke on the swing under a tree...) Micah walked around singing and telling him "Hap birfday Zekie" for a few days.

Baby Lee

Family Day at Daddy's Work..

So much fun! Saturday the Proving Grounds had their annual "Family Day." The weather was perfect and we were very excited because Grandma Brown came with us! CAT had so many things for the kids to do.... BIG tractors, semis, Fire Engines, ambulances, race cars, ice cream, balloon animals, face painting, bounce houses, train rides, puppet shows... Even a "Safety House" that the kids got to learn all about how to escape if there was a fire. It filled with smoke and the alarms went off and the door felt hot and they had to climb out a window and down a ladder! Pretty intense! It was very cool to see where Daddy works and the fun things that he gets to do all day.... A great day. :)