Home Sweet Home

We have made it home! Violette is a little jaundice and we have to make our first family trip of 5 to get her blood drawn tomorrow morning, but other than that we are great! Noelle is in love with her little sister, constantly wanting to be right next to her, holding her, and involved in every aspect of her being. Max has showed some interest as well, giving Violette stuffed animals and even sharing his night-night with her.

Here are some very artistic and wonderful pictures taken by Karen Mitzel (I need to take some lessons from her!):

Here are some more pictures that we have taken, not nearly as artistic, but oh well!

Violette Adelle

Our little peanut has arrived. She and I are doing great! Here are some pictures to enjoy.

More will follow in the coming days. Thanks again for all of your prayers!

The Roehrigs

The Big Day Is Tomorrow!

Little baby girl Roehrig arrives tomorrow. My emotions run the gauntlet from joy to panic and everything in between. I can't wait to meet her, but am a little nervous about the whole c-section thing. It's not new to me, but I think anyone that undergoes surgery of any type is a little nervous before hand. I am certain she will be fine but there is a little part of me that is slightly worried because she is three weeks early. I guess these are all normal concerns and fears of any mother!

This weekend there was a lot of cleaning, shopping, and spending time with Noelle and Max. Noelle is very happy about the baby, but is even more excited that Granma will here to play with her and take her shopping!

Here are some pictures from the last week. Noelle and Max received another wonderful package from Great Granma and Granpa. Noelle had to try on her outfit and pose with her new Kitty, Max loved the beads even though they are a bit girly!

The only way Tom can get anything done without Max trying to menace:

We bought Noelle a bike helmet because she insists on riding her big wheel as fast as she can down a big hill in our yard. It was time to protect her head!

My next post will contain pictures of the baby! I will be updating in the hospital. It will be a relaxing time and I find going on the computer relaxing to me. When we come home things might be a little hectic the first few days and I don't know if I have the energy to update.

St. Patty's Day Baby!

My new official delivery date for Baby Roehrig 3 is now set for March 17th, at 1:00pm. That's about 8 days from now and I'm pretty confident I can make it to that date. The baby will be at the gestational age of 37 weeks, that is considered full term! I think a St. Patrick's Day Baby fits right in with our New Year's Eve Maximilian and our almost Christmas Noelle. If we have another we'll have to shoot for a different holiday, maybe Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July!

Max has been ridiculously challenging these days. I'm pretty sure he has a few teeth working their way through and that may be part of his problem. Also, I believe he gets frustrated with communication. He tries to talk and uses some baby sign but grunting and pointing is his primary form of communication. Some days his whining combined with my emotions and Noelle's stubborn personality has all three of us in tears! What am I going to do with a newborn around...ahhhhh!!!

Here are some pictures from the last week.

More Of Nothing

I don't have much to report on. I'm still pregnant (thankfully) and still visiting the doctor numerous times a week. Each visit yields some sort of minimal concern that will eventually become a reason to deliver early, but for now she and I are hanging in there.

This weekend we pulled out all the newborn and 0-3m baby girl clothing, retrieved the bassinet, and car seat, and laundered all. We are somewhat ready whenever she does decide to make her appearance.

Noelle and Max have been a bit irritable lately. I'm not sure if it is the fact that we don't really do much lately, or maybe they are sick of being inside all the time. Whatever the reason, combined with me trying to be stationary, has made for some very long days.

Here are some kid stories to enjoy:

While explaining to Noelle that when the new baby comes she will require a lot of attention. "It's okay Mommy, I will go play in my bedroom by myself."

"This is completely ridiculous!" Noelle shouts at the infant car seat that is not cooperating with what she wants to do.

Max's new favorite thing to do is pull the kitchen table chairs over to the counter and try to play in the sink or anything else that is off limits to a little menacing boy. When you take the chair away from him he throws an all out tantrum. Fun times.

I said sh*t quietly under my breathe, after a very painful contraction. Noelle is very far away from me, but says, "Mommy, don't you say sh*t. Sh*t is a very bad word."

The strangest question from Noelle yet, "If someone has a penis and a vagina is it called a vaginis?"

Both children love to play in the sink. I turn the water on and they have a ball. The water gets everywhere and both end up soaking wet, but they are do not fight and are content for large amounts of time. I pick my battles.

This week I need to focus on taking more pictures because I have been seriously slacking.

And Her Name Is....

After much deliberation and discussion and countless veto's, we have decided on a name for the newest member of our family. She will be named....should I spill? Maybe we'll just wait until she is born. What? Me keep a secret, that is going to be SO hard! I doubt I'll make it, but Tom wants to. So I'm going to give it a try! It's a name we have thought about before but not one I've mentioned much.

Here's to me keeping a secret...I'm betting I'll spill!

P.S. The middle name is still up for debate

Couch Days

I hope all had a wonderful Valentine's Day with the ones that they love. Noelle really got into it this year and woke us up bright and early Saturday morning shouting, "Happy Valentine's Day!". Despite the early time we couldn't ask for a more sensational way to wake up.

I received a gorgeous bouquet of red roses from Tom. Of course, they were a gift for Noelle and I. She loved them and kept pointing out that her middle name and mine is Rose just like the flowers.

While Max was taking his morning nap Noelle and Tom took advantage of two heart shaped cake pans, buried way in the back of the cupboard. Chocolate Chip pan cookies are something Tom is very good at baking and we didn't want to risk him screwing any other recipe up.

Because Noelle has a inherited sweet tooth we frosted one of the heart cookies and let her go to town with red sprinkles.

We (really just me) have been very lazy lately. At a doctor's appointment last week I was put on "bed rest". The doctor told me that I should be on full bed rest but understands that I need to take care of Noelle and Max so it's really not an option for me. I have been on the couch as much as possible during the day and then when Tom gets home he forces me on it for the remainder of the evening. He has been wonderful about picking up my slack. Dishes, laundry, even basic clean up of toys are all things I'm not supposed to partake in. That leaves him a very long list of things to do after returning from a long day at work.

As I watch him rush around in the evenings tending to the children and doing all the housework, I have a heavy guilty feeling inside. I instinctively rise to get the children their needed paraphernalia and Tom gives me an annoyed look while I turn around to head back to the couch. I know that the baby needs me to rest. She needs at least two more weeks (that would put me at 35 weeks) inside me so that steroids will not have to be used to help lung development. It's tough. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers.