Sunday, November 27, 2011

Baby Sarah: One Month-Old

We had a lot going on in October! Of course, Baby Sarah was the star of the show, with all her new tricks:

like smiling . . .

. . . sitting (and snoozing) in the Bumbo seat
. . . and just plain being cute!










Baby Sarah with our neighbor named Sarah






















This is one VERY loved baby!!

More from September . . .


One week after Sarah was born, Luke took the three older kids to the annual family picnic with his residency program at Hulett Farm. I was sorry to miss the outing, since we have loved it the past three times we have gone. But I was also glad to have a quiet afternoon with Baby Sarah. They had a great time, and riding horses was a highlight, as always!













Of course, Baby Sarah continued to grow . . .

. . . and she got to meet Grandpa and Grandma Linscott when they came to visit for a few days!

 

September Catch-Up

Now that life is starting to settle down a bit, it's time to catch up on the blog! I hardly know where to start, but here's my attempt . . . beginning with a few pictures from early September.
We were incredibly grateful to finally bring Abby home from the hospital after nine days. Her surgery went smoothly, and she was on the road to recovery when she was inadvertently administered a large dose of a medication that was intended for another patient. This led to some internal bleeding and set her back a few days, but thankfully, she recovered fully. We know that she was watched over by our Heavenly Father and are so grateful that the many prayers in her behalf were answered in this way.
She brought home quite a stash from the hospital . . . balloons, dolls, toys, books, etc. So many thoughtful relatives and friends reached out to her and to our family to lend support.
 After reading every American Girl book that we could find in our library system over the summer (about 100 chapter books), Abby was thrilled to receive an American Girl doll from each of her sets of grandparents at the time of her surgery. Here she is with Kit and Kaya.
And of course, the whole ordeal was more bearable with her best friend, Roo the Dog, at her side (as well as her loveys--two blankets from when she was a baby).
Abby is full of energy and is continually bursting with a million ideas and questions. I feel so blessed each time I see her dance through the house or climb a tree--she is truly a miracle.
Somewhere in the middle of all the chaos, Katie started preschool . . . and has loved it! She carpools with her friend Lynette and attends three mornings a week, at the same school where she was last year. She likes learning her letters and numbers and is beginning to read. She also enjoys the singing class, gym class, and art projects at preschool.

Katie also enjoyed some great bike rides with Daddy and has become quite a strong biker, even on rough trails!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Sarah Marie Linscott

We welcomed little Sarah Marie into our family on Friday, September 16, at 12:12 p.m. She weighed 6 lbs. 15 oz. and was 19.5 inches long . . . what a cutie! We are just loving this precious baby girl.




Baby Sarah with Big-Sister Abby




































with Big-Sister Katie (and her fancy face paint!)





































getting a kiss from Big-Brother Alex



















right after delivery with Mommy . . .

. . . and Daddy
ready for her first outing to the park yesterday (such a tiny bundle in that big carseat!)


















It's hard to believe we're a family of 6 now!!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Our Brave Girl

After a fun summer, Abby started second grade last week. It's hard to believe our little girl is that old! She'll be taking a little break from school now though, as she faces her fourth heart surgery next week. We're all pretty nervous about it, but she has been very brave over these past weeks as we've anticipated the surgery and her hospital stay. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. Thank goodness for supportive grandparents, who will coming to help out . . . then coming back two weeks later for our baby's arrival! We're keeping them busy this month.

Her first day back on the bus . . .
Last week I spruced up our front garden with several of these red vinca plants, as a cheery pick-me-up during a difficult time. (Who can look at these and NOT feel a little better about things?) I've always believed that God created flowers for the sole purpose of lifting our spirits and making us smile, and I'm so grateful that He did.