HAPPY BIRTHDAY Olivia Rose

Olivia nearly didn't happen. We had wondered if we should stop at 2, because Madie and Noah got along so well and were such good friends that we weren't sure if adding a 3rd to the mix was a good idea. We talked about wanting a third sometime that spring and I told Pete we should pray about it and see where God led us. Within a matter of a couple days, I knew we were meant to have a 3rd child. Pete didn't get that message for another couple of weeks, but he too came around and before we could even start trying, I found out we were pregnant on Mother's Day 2006. I was thrilled to pieces!!! I didn't want to say it out loud, but I wanted a girl so badly. I am so close with my own sister, that I wanted Madie to have a sister. I would've been happy either way, but I was hoping for a girl. When we first saw that ultrasound and found out that there was a pretty good chance she was a girl, I was over the moon! This pregnancy, first of all, was much more similiar to my pregnancy with Madie. I actually had no morning sickness at all with Olivia and just a bit with Madie. With Noah I had been miserable the entire first trimester with nausea and tiredness and all that. So, I had thought it might be a girl, but hearing the tech say she was 90% sure was exciting. :-) This pregnancy I was sailing through until the fall. It was the day after Halloween that I found out I had gestational diabetes. I didn't know if that was going to be harmful to my baby, so I was very diligent about eating those 2-3 hours, no sweets, nothing that wasn't on my pre-approved list. I still wasn't getting good enough numbers, so I went on insulin each night. That wasn't fun, but I managed. We moms do anything for our kids, because we went them to be healthy and strong. Well, on December 28th I found out that I HAD done a good job, because she was born 8:22am, a very healthy 6lbs. 12oz, 19 1/2" long. And, she was BEAUTIFUL! Looked so much like Madie and Noah both did when they were born, but kind of right in the middle of them, ya know? This picture was taken later that day. I had gotten that hat when I had Madie, but she didn't really wear it, so I had brought it to the hospital for my new little girl to wear. :-)

Madie, Noah, Pete, and Em all came to the hospital that day, but I wasn't feeling good, so they didn't stay long. Morphine and I don't mix, plus after having 3 c-sections and getting my tubes tied, I was very sore. My recovery was a long one, but I was so blessed to have her. She was a sweet, wonderful little girl. :-) When we came home from the hospital, she definitely didn't like it when you put her down. She loved being held and with 2 other ones to look after, that wasn't easy, but after a couple weeks of realizing she had to wait her turn, she was a lot better. And, you could tell immediantly that she loved her brother and sister. Madie was very excited to have a baby sister, as was Noah. Madie wasn't even 2 when I had Noah, so she didn't really understand what was going on back then. This time she was 4 and she was excited from the moment we told her we were pregnant.

She grew and grew and developed quite a personality. Always full of smiles and a funny sense of humor. And, she LOVED her daddy! She's still a daddy's girl. She loves nothing more than snuggling with her daddy and playing with her brother and sister. She wants to do everything they do. Then, the curls started coming. Curly, curly hair. Curlier than Madie's had been. We had to deal with quite a fro there for a while, so hats became her friend as her hair was growing out. :-)

So, I look back on the past 3 years and still can't believe where the time has gone. My youngest, my baby, is 3. I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday and am SOOOO thankful that Pete and I decided to go for one more child. She has brought endless joy to us and has finished our family perfectly. She's the blend of both Madie and Noah and has made our family complete. We love her more than life and we want to wish her a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!