Little Man

Here are some pictures from the last couple days. Ben is doing great! He is an unbelieveably easy baby. At night, I pretty much have to wake him up to feed him, and during the day sometimes too! He loves to sleep, and is a very soud sleeper.

Madelyn is doing well with him, but we can see adjustments are difficult for her, and she shows signs of jealousy at times. In the evenings, she wants to be right on top of me when I am feeding Ben. She also has been having a hard time at bedtime, and puts up quite a fuss. We are hoping to break her of that real soon. Right now she is napping, and it was a piece of cake to get her down. She needs lots of positive reinforcement. She is still my girl, and I want her to know she is special, and very loved, and the fact that we have a baby boy now doesn't change that. She is such a good big sister! Please continue to pray for her and the rest of us as she is adjusting!

This pic was taken the day he came home, and I think it's the sweetest!

I had to get a picture of him watching the NFL draft with Daddy! :)

Happy Happy Joy Joy Lisa has a baby boy!

Madi hanging out while Ben got a bath. She is such an awesome big sister!

Both kiddos are sound asleep, so I wanted to post some new pics from today and yesterday. See the picture of him in the swing?? My mom and I-- well, mostly my mom-- made a new seat cover for the swing when I first found out I was pregnant. Isn't it cute? Ben loved getting his hair washed. The first picture is right when I got online, but he didn't last long in the bouncy chair. He really just wants to be swaddled and put in the bassinet and allowed to sleep. He likes peace and quiet. And this picture below is him coming home. I can't argue...I think he is the cutest baby in the world!

Updates from our family of four

This post will be in lower case-- i am typing with one hand and nursing ben with the other. we are all doing great! ben has been sleeping and eating incredibly well. unfortunately we were not able to avoid the bililight, because of him being so early... so he has been on it since yesterday. it's a pain in the neck, but this too shall pass! thank you all for your sweet comments. i have not really had much time to get online, and can't post pictures right now, but i hope to soon. madelyn absolutely loves her baby brother, "bum". she seems to be adjusting well, but has also decided that she is not going to take naps anymore, and also makes bedtime at night difficult. please pray that we can get her back on track.

God has blessed our family once again, and we couldn't be more grateful! Gregg goes back to work tomorrow, so we could really use your prayers for a smooth transition! my mom has been an awesome help, willing to be here whenever we need her, so that's been great. I will try my best to post more pictures tomorrow, but can't promise anything.

Love to you all!
Lisa

Baby Ben is home!

Hi!!! I just got a quick opportunity to jump online, and I know you all have been waiting! Baby Ben and I came home on Friday. He is eating and sleeping far better than I could have ever hoped or imagined, and believe it or not, I actually feel rested! Gregg and I covet your prayers that we all stay healthy and that Benjamin continues to do as well as he is! He has been getting his blood tested for jaundice, and we are hoping and praying that the levels stay low enough that he doesn't need the bililight that Madelyn needed. Here are a couple quick pictures to tie you over! I will try to get some more up as soon as I can.

Ben is here!!!!!!!

Hi everyone!! I am posting this from my hospital room 28 hours after the birth of our son. Gregg and I are so blessed!!! Benjamin Isaac Rader was born on April 16, 2008 at 12:41pm. He weighed 6 lbs 5 oz and is 18 1/2 long! He is ADORABLE! And healthy, and the sweetest thing we have experienced since Madelyn's birth! I will post more either tomorrow or sometime on the weekend. I will at least post pictures tomorrow, and his birth story in the next few days. Just know that Ben is healthy, and we are all happy and doing great! Thanks so much for all your thoughts and prayers! I look forward to you all getting to meet the new addition to our family!

Nothing passes the time like chocolate chip cookies!

Last night, Gregg and I made chocolate chip cookies-- not like we need them in the house! It was really fun though, and now we have a big bowl of them just waiting to be eaten. :)

He made me take off my socks and slippers so I could be "barefoot and pregnant" in the kitchen. :)

36 weeks

Here I am at 36 weeks. I had another appointment yesterday and I am 2 cm! The doctor thinks he will probably come in the next two weeks. I am getting pretty stir crazy. I have cleaned everything I can think to clean. Madi and I went to the park 3 times this week. We also walked to the store. I hope he comes sooner than later, or I think I will go nuts. Tonight the three of us are going to an Iron Pigs baseball game. We decided we better do something fun that we can't do with a newborn. My best guess is that Benjamin will be here sometime in the next 5-12 days. I want to do lots of fun things this week that I won't be able to do when he is here. It's been beautiful out the last few days. I have had all the windows open, and today it was all the way up to 73! I love spring!!!