Pepper milk....

Being that this is my 7th baby...you'd think that I would know all the things I should and shouldn't eat while breastfeeding. Well, I do know. I guess it just slipped my mind for the day....

We had a red and a green pepper cut up in the fridge, and I was looking for a healthy snack, so I started snacking on the pepper. By the end of the day, I had finished both of them...without even thinking about how it would affect my milk. (come on...how often do I eat two whole peppers!) That night, poor Ella couldn't stop burping! She was spitting up after every time she ate, and lets just say she had lots of gas... the next morning she was still "fussy." Fidgeting every time we put her down. Then it dawned on me.... "The peppers!!!" Yikes... I felt so bad for my poor little Ella. When I told Scott what I had done he said, "My poor Ella! Mommy's feeding you pepper milk!" ...

Not to worry...she's back to normal this morning. And no more peppers for me....

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

l Peter 2:2

Fearfully and wonderfully made...

All the kids love their new little sister, but Elijah seems particularly fascinated with her. How "tiny" everything is...the funny sounds she makes...her "bilical" cord...everything. He loves to hold her and is quite upset when she is hungry or grumpy and he doesn't get "his" turn! One morning he had been asking to hold her, so I gave her to him and said, "I'll be right back," as I quickly ran upstairs to get something. When I cam back, he wasn't holding her...she was just laying on his lap. "She's fine Mom. She's just laying here with me!" ...he must have seen the worried look on my face! It has become his favourite way to hold her though. So he has his hands free to play with her. :)

Scott and I were also talking about how relaxed she is. Even when she's awake she is quite often content to just lay there and stare at you. Which is funny...because this was my only pregnancy I worried about the baby being "ok." She didn't kick very hard at all, and would go an entire day without any big movements...just hiccups. She always had them in my belly...and still gets them all the time now! Amazing, how they have their own little personalities before they are even born...

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works;

Psalm 139:14

Steel & Stitches

A few months ago while at work, Scott had a piece of rubber hose covered in steel chips whip his knuckles. After puuling most of the steel slivers out he bandaged up his hand and figured it would heal. Well, it did heal... Unfortunately, it healed with a "c" shaped piece of steel up against his knuckle bone.

It stayed swollen for weeks, and hurt if he just rubbed it against something. Finally, he decided to go see a Dr. They took the x-ray, saw the steel....and said he needed.... plastic surgery! So off he went. Where they cut open his knuckle, dug out the steel, and stitched him back. Poor guy. He went to get his stitches out today and it is looking much better.

It's still swollen from the scar tissue, but the Dr. said it should go down over the next few months.

Ladies' Retreat

Every year I look forward to the Faithway Ladies' Retreat. The fellowship with other christian ladies, the advice of seasoned moms and wives, and of course...the food! :) This year I got to bring little Ella along. It was her first appearance at church, and she was an ANGEL. I sat in the back with all of the other nursing moms...it was nice. A blessing to get the chance to talk with some ladies that I otherwise wouldn't have.

I'm always surprised by the lessons God has for me at the ladies' retreat. It's never something that I "thought" I had to work on. He always shows me otherwise! Ways to improve on areas that I didn't know needed improving... :) Once again, it was a wonderful retreat that ended too soon!

Did I mention that my Mom and my Mom-in -law were both here this year?... So, I had lots of help with Ella! ;)

O taste and see that the LORD is good:

Psalm 34:8

A 'Prayer' Story...

All of our kids say and do funny things...but Prayer seems to more often than the rest of them for some reason! She is our "wacky" one, who will laugh at the drop of a hat and get everyone in the room laughing with her. (or at her...!) She seems to have no brain to mouth filter...and so often says things that the others would only think momentarily. lol. So, here is our first "Prayer Story."

Mrs. Michel makes very nice cakes...not only are they gorgeous but they taste really good too! She was kind enough to make us one when she brought our dinner. So, while we were all "ooooing and ahhhing" over this cake, Prayer announces, "We already have a WHOLE pie in the fridge!..." Thanks Prayer...lol Thankfully Mrs.Michel has kids and grand kids...when I explained to Prayer later on that she didn't need to say that, and that it would have been nice to just say 'thank you' she innocently replied, "I didn't know I was being rude!"

Also to do with food....Catherine was kind enough to come over one day last week and make lunch for us, and then bake a cake with the kids. I had a talk with them beforehand, not knowing what she would bring. I reminded them to be "polite," and eat whatever she had prepared for them. So she came in and said "I made broccoli soup! Do you guys like broccoli?"

To which Prayer replied, "No. I hate broccoli. But I'll eat it if you want me too!" and she said it with a smile. She honestly thought she was being "polite." lol

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Proverbs 17:22

Mother's Day!

I was so glad to be home in time to spend Mother's Day with my kids. :) Not the most attractive picture... but none-the-less a wonderful memory.

I was showered with homemade cards and pictures, hugs and kisses...and tons of LOVE!

I'm the one feeling blessed this Mother's Day.

Lo, children are a heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Psalm 127:3

Home Sweet Home...

To my surprise Dr Ruggles asked me if I'd like to go home early! Leading up to having Ella I was actually looking forward to the rest I'd get in the hospital. After having her... I couldn't wait to get home to my own bed! So we diecided I only had to stay 2 nights... perfect! Scott's parents brought the kids over right away so they'd all have a chance to see their little sister. I was pretty out of it, but they adored her. I kept hearing Jeddy say "Mumoo...babeeee..?" By the end of the visit he was saying "Baybeeee.....Ellllaaaaa!" It was cute.

The nurses didn't want to give me any pain meds until I was in my room so I was in quite a bit of pain by time I got moved over there. Everyone headed out and left Scott and I alone for the night. They gave me my Demerol, and I was out.... Scott was kind enough to take a picture.

Lovely....

My nurses were amazing and actually let us sleep through the night without being woken every hour to have our blood pressure and temperatures taken. Saturday morning we got everything ready to go and our nurse said she'd be back to sign us out. After putting Ella in her carseat and pulling the car into a no parking zone, that our nurse has gone for lunch! Gee...thanks for letting us know. And no one else can sign us out because she didn't do her paper work. So... a now screaming Ella comes back out of the car seat, and an annoyed Scott goes back out to the car. Our nurse comes wandering back in 20 mins later to ask me why we were still here....she really didn't want me to answer that. Anyhow, after arguing with her for 10mins about our carseat and the fact that it was safe, and no..it was not 7 years or older??? We were able to leave. :)

Mom brought the kids over that night and they were all very anxious to hold their little sis. The boys made me a little nervous! :S

The girls are old pros at it now though!

Ahh.... home sweet home. :)

The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

Psalm 126:3

Arabella Joy

On May 8, 2008 we headed to the hospital around lunch time for our c section which was scheduled for 3pm. We already knew it would be late, but the time kept getting pushed back farther and farther.... We were all pretty hyper and had some good laughs while we waited for everything to get going. Keona was extremely anxious. Though, not nearly as anxious as me! Here's a picture of Scott and I waiting.

Anyhow, finally around 4:45pm we were called in! Our turn! :) They gave me a spinal and then called in Scott (all decked out in his "doctor" gear) and we were ready to begin! Well, almost...they had to put in the catheter, and then fix the catheter, and then try and get it working...and fix it again...oh boy. Fun stuff... So finally! It's in and working and we're ready to go. After about 20 minutes of them working and me not being able to see anything I started to get a little worried. I must have asked Scott, "Is everything OK????" about a hundred times. He did his best to relax me, but I just wanted to see my baby! A few minutes later I heard the doctor say, "Here we go!"... "It's...a....girl!"
"Yay!!!! I get to use my name!" was the first thought to run through my head. lol She came out crying and to my surprise, she was tiny! I was kind of hoping for a big baby after putting on all this weight...atleast then I had an excuse. :P But no, my adorable little 6lb 3oz girl was here.

Arabella Joy Polhamus. Or as we had already decided, "Ella". Scott got to hold her for the rest of the time while they "put me back together". She was Daddy's "littlest" girl already.

Keona had made us promise to put "the baby" in a plain blanket so she could guess if it was a boy or girl. We warned all of the nurses not to say anything as they wheeled me back to recovery. "A boy!" guessed Keona and Robbie...lol But she was just as exciteed to find out she had another little sister.

And finally...though weak...tired....and in desperate need of some pain killers... I got to hold my little Ella. :)



Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.

ll Corinthians 9:15