Rub A Dub Dub

Can I just say that I love having a newborn in the house again?

Here are a couple pictures of bath time- Maverick is just like Adelaide was and loves the calming water of a bath :)

Maverick's honorary aunt Naomi sent him this funny onesie... love it!

Inspirational to Me

&

"MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone."

- Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude"

Loves Being a Big Sister

Adelaide is adjusting well to having a new sibling. When Maverick sneezes she exclaims "bless you baby Maverick!" and she kisses and holds him all the time. Sometimes she doesn't like him using "her" blankets (even though usually they aren't hers) and she can get a little jealous of him nursing... I nursed Adelaide for a long time and I explained to her that once the baby came she couldn't nurse anymore. She understands it pretty well now but one day she saw me nursing and wanted to nurse too. I said "no, nursing is for babies and you are a big girl." She thought she could outsmart me and pointed to the side Maverick was on and said "Maverick's milk," and pointed to the other side and said, "my milk." I explained all the milk is for the baby and we've been pretty good ever since. That funny girl makes me laugh.

Here are a few pictures from the day after Maverick was born:

Silly Grandpas

Adelaide just loves her Grandpas! Recently she was lucky enough to have some special visits with them:)

Grandpa lets Adelaide wear anything she wants!

Grandpa brought Adelaide some girly accessories and modeled how they are worn.

Adelaide loved building towers with her Grandpa.

Come visit us again soon!

Happy Halloween

Adelaide was a hot air balloon for Halloween and really got into the trick-or-treating spirit. We started out at a work trick-or-treat party where she got down the basics. Then Rick and Adelaide went out together for more while Maverick and I came home and waited for trick-or-treaters that never came.

Our little hot air balloon.

Rick was a cloud (although was often mistaken for cotton candy).

One of Maverick's first outings in his sling.

Maverick in his Halloween outfit.

Jessica was Miss Judy Little Hands from the SNL Lawrence Welks Show skits. If you aren't familiar please google a couple of them... hilarious.

Maverick's Visitors

This little guy is very loved and has had plenty of family visitors since his long anticipated birth.

Mimi.

Grandpa.

Grandpa and Mimi.

Aunt Jess... technically she lives here and is not a visitor but cute picture, right?

Uncle Eric.

Grandpa.

Mimi.

Grandpa and Mimi.

Grandma.

Uncle Nathan.

Aunt Lanie.

Thanks for all the love!

The Birth of Maverick Wesley

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting I finally seemed to be in real labor. Around noon On Wednesday October 26th after meeting with our midwife Becky and having my membranes swept, taking 1/4 cup of castor oil, and then rotating between black and blue cohosh tincture I was having pretty strong contractions. They weren't really painful but they were crampy... I knew that I was 7cm dilated but that my cervix was still a little thick so with each contraction I told myself to open up and thin out and tried to visualize it.

Once the contractions started getting a little more painful (around 2:30 p.m.) I asked my mom to sit in bed with me and play with my hair while I did deep breathing. I called Rick and he came home just in case this was the real thing. At 3:00 I called Becky and told her they were pretty consistent but not too painful and she said to call her back by 4:00 or sooner if I wanted her to come over. Right around 4:00 they started getting more intense and so I called Becky and we decided she should come over. After I hung up they quickly became even stronger and close together. Becky arrived around 4:20 and she could tell that I was having serious contractions so she worked fast to get everything set up. Another midwife named Dina came over as well. It wasn't long after she got there that I had the sudden urge to push. I pushed about five pushes total while my mom and Jessica massaged my shoulders and gave me support. At 4:51 our baby was born right into Rick's arms: 9lbs 9oz, 22 inches long and a boy! We named him Maverick Wesley Rampton and we are totally in love.

The birth itself seemed like it was never going to happen, but once labor finally hit everything happened really fast. With Adelaide we took lots of pictures and even videotaped the birth; with Maverick we didn't have time for any of that, we didn't even have time to drop off Adelaide at a friend's house (don't worry she didn't watch it or anything, she miraculously slept through it all). I am so grateful that everything went so smoothly and for all the love and support... I am so excited to have this sweet, healthy, strong, perfect baby boy as a part of our family :)

Our first moments with Maverick.

So in love.

Maverick always has his little hands by his face. So cute.

Mimi getting Maverick dressed for the first time.

Proud Daddy.

Adelaide awoke from her nap to a new addition to the family.

Our family of four.

Me and my two babies.

Our midwife Becky with Maverick.

So happy to have this little man in my arms :)

P.S. We had Maverick's check up today with our midwife and after one week he now weighs 10 lbs 3oz... Becky said my milk must be pure cream. We have one big boy on our hands :)