She works hard for *no* money!

Can you believe it's almost been 5 weeks since this little one came into the world?!

I would love to say that it's been a walk in the park and for the most part I've been pretty lucky but being a mom is truly the most exhausting and also the most rewarding thing! She has been a fairly consistent sleeper (about 3 to 4 hour stretches), she even teased me and slept through the night ONCE...just to show me she could do it I guess!
I feel like I'm taking things okay, it's been quite the roller coaster ride emotionally and physically but usually I only feel like screaming at 3:00am, and lets just be honest I give into those feelings more than not. I do have to say I have the most wonderful family and friends who are there for me to encourage me when I feel like I'm failing (which is a lot). This little thing didn't come with instructions so I'm going with the trial and error tactic with a little advice thrown in...

It is amazing how much she has changed just in 5 weeks. When she was just a week old my good friend Jamie who has a photography business on the side (I'm praying that she will be able to do it full time very soon!) took her newborn photos. She really has a great talent for photography and it's so fun to see her take photos because you can tell she truly loves doing it. Here are a few of the pictures from that day...

Don't you just want to kiss those lips?! I do a lot...

Laying on her beautiful quilt her Great Aunt Andrea made on top of the suitcase from Grandma Schmeck

I love this picture. Greg absolutely loves her, and I know the feeling is mutual!

Yes, she does cry...a lot...mostly right when we want to go to sleep! :)

This picture is probably my favorite because of the meaning behind it. This bear she is laying and next to is very special. My brother bought this bear and the smaller one next to her before his accident. The bear doesn't fit in the picture because it's about 5 feet tall! Anyone who knew my brother knows how funny this is, it's absolutely something he would do! Give me a life-size bear that I have no place to keep... it makes me smile every time I go into Everlee's nursery. I know he is laughing it up! The bear next to her is a sweet story too. When I was born I was given a koala bear from my uncle and I carried that guy (Ted- creative I know) around with me everywhere and I still have it. My brother had been searching the internet for a koala bear that looked just like the one I got when I was born so he could give it to Everlee when she was born. Well, he did find one and it looks EXACTLY like the one I have, it was delivered the week after his accident. To make this picture even better is the sweet onsie that Aunt Andrea and my good friend Kelly gave her, it's just too cute!!

How could you not love her right?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introducing...

Miss Everlee Lynn Taddicken

Born August 26, 2011

11:17am

7lbs 10oz

21 1/4 inches

And pretty amazing!

It all started on Thursday evening, I was having contractions between 10:00pm Thursday night into Friday morning, they were finally about 4-5 minutes apart and we finally decided to go to the hospital. When we got their at about 4:45am they were about 3-4 minutes apart and I was already at a 7! Hello?! Pretty sure we could have gone in a lot sooner, but I was terrified of being sent back home, good thing because one more centimeter and I wouldn't have been able to have the epidural. I think I could have done it but really, I had had enough!
Without going into much more detail, I was at a 10 before I knew it and was ready to deliver our baby girl, she was coming so fast that we had to stop and wait for the doctor! After only 25 minutes she was here and couldn't be more perfect!

For those of you who are curious, we didn't name Everlee after the Everly Brothers, I honestly couldn't even sing you one of their songs. About 2 years ago I was reading a book and there was a town in it called "Everly" in France. I thought it was such a pretty name, and it was in the back of my mind since. We decided to mix it up by using my mom's middle name "Lee" instead of "ly" we also wanted to use Greg's mom's middle name too, which is where "Lynn" comes in.
I just pray that Everlee grows up to have a lot of the same qualities these two women have!

God is so good, He has really been working in our lives lately. Within the last month He has used tragedy, joy and hope to show us how much He loves us. He has brought our family together through the loss of my brother and I have never seen our family closer than it has been in the last month. He has filled sorrow with joy in giving us this little girl and with those goofy faces she makes we now smile in a way we haven't in awhile. God has also taught us, overwhelmingly, how to TRUST in Him. Since Greg graduated in May we haven't had much luck in the job department. We prayed that God would give him something that would allow me to stay home as much as I can. Greg was even going to work another full time job on top of his other 2! We knew that if we just continued to pray and trust in God's timing He would give us something, maybe not exactly what we want but something...and OH WHAT TIMING does He have! The same morning I went into the hospital, Greg got a phone call with a job offer!! Seriously, could the timing be more perfect and yet not at the same time!
Whew! Talk about a month that I will never forget. Loss, life and opportunity all within 30 days! To say that I've have shed a few tears is an understatement! God is amazing, why do we ever doubt what He can do, even in the face of sorrow and sadness.

My heart is full of love and thankfulness! I think someone else has a heart that is beaming as well...I couldn't have asked for a better partner in all of this! He is pretty smitten with her and the feeling is mutual!