Introducing Josephine Lilly Clark...

I have done a poor job of blogging about anything in a long, long time, but especially about the new kid on the block!  I'd hate to look back at this blog with her years down the road and there be such little about my pregnancy.  Especially since I was such a detailed blogger for Preston and Callen's pregnancies and early years.  :( 

So, a super quick catch up...
We found out she was a girl, and could barely believe it!  Over the months leading up to her birth, we stocked up on all things purple (ok, and some pink), kicked Uncle Daniel out of her room and turned it into the sweetest little nursery for her, and eagerly awaited her arrival.  I had severe morning sickness until about half way into the second trimester.  Lost at least 20 pounds and had many days were I could barely function.  I had what seemed like a gallbladder attack a couple of times, and my iron count was very low - causing the midwives to ramp up my iron intake in hopes that it would allow me to have my planned home birth.  I took all kinds of supplements by the handful, drank chlorophyll and black strap molasses by the buckets.  Ugh.  Finally, right towards the end my level reached "fine, good enough!"  Woo hoo!  Now, if we could just settle on a name!  We went through every list possible, and just could not pick one together.  I came up with Josephine and instantly felt like that was it... Michael, not so much.  He still isn't completely thrilled with it, lol, but Josie it is!

Josie's ultra-abbreviated birth story...
She was due August 25th, but that date came and went with no hint of her arrival.  Finally, on Sunday, August 30th, I started having contractions that were about 30 minutes apart.  We decided to go to church anyway, because maybe staying active would get things going.  They stayed at 30  minutes apart until that evening, then moved closer and closer.  My parents came over and stayed for a while, then my dad took the boys home with him.  Things progressed slowly, and around 1am, I finally asked the midwives to come.  They showed up at our house around 2am, and by then contractions were 3-5 minutes and strong, getting stronger.  Apparently, her head was a little crooked and wasn't descending as it should, and that's what caused the hold up at the end.  It felt like she was ready to come, but she just wouldn't.  I know that if I was at a hospital I would have caved in easily to whatever they offered me, I was so tired and in so much pain.  But the midwives, Michael and my mom kept encouraging me and cheering for me, and after what seemed like forever of pushing and laboring, Josephine Lilly Clark arrived with a burst (lol, my water didn't break until right as she was coming out) at 7:17am on Monday, August 31st, 2015.  The cord was wrapped tightly around her neck, though I wouldn't know that till later, but she was great.  She was placed on me, let out a tiny cry, and was perfect.  I couldn't believe how beautiful and tiny she was, but turns out she was nearly 8 pounds (just as Amy, the midwife, had estimated she would be the week before).  7 lbs, 14 oz, 21.5 inches long. 

She is now 5 days old and doing wonderfully.  She wakes up a lot at night and sleeps most of the day, as most babies do.  She is nursing like a champ, which is good!  My tail bone is badly bruised from labor and changing positions is still excruciating at times.  The boys are adjusting to life with a baby in the house... trying to be quiet and calm (though I'm sure you know well that works).  They both enjoy gazing at her.  Unfortunately, they both came down with colds or something the day after she was born, including fever, cough, snot and all that fun stuff.  Michael was able to take Monday-Thursday off of his daytime job, but had to work Monday and Wednesday evening at his teaching job (yes, the night she was born!).  My mom and dad have been over several times, and Aunt Leah came to visit yesterday.  Jill will be coming on Wednesday and spending a week in town to see her grandkids.  We are settling into our new life as a family of FIVE!