It's a....

We had an ultrasound and Jason, Beth and Adam are getting a baby sister! We are all very excited to bring another girl into our family. Beth gets the sister she's wanted and Jason's happy that we're all balanced equal boys and girls. He also pointed out to Adam that now he gets to have a little sister just like Jason (I thought this was particularly sweet considering how close Jason and Beth are).

I'm posting some ultrasound pictures. There isn't one of the girl parts. I'm not sure why they didn't give us one since we were making such a big deal about it making them point out that it was for sure girl (I even asked if I could give away my tubs of boy clothes.) And as much as everyone has a story of surprises at birth, this was the high risk obstetric office and the super nice equipment and the doctor as well as the tech so I'm giving away our baby boy clothes :) Anyway, I'm realizing now that I should be glad they didn't give me a picture of the girl parts so I can protect her modesty :) So rather than that, here's a top view (see the alien face and the fists and leg bones at the bottom crossed) and her arm waving "Hi!" And the one above is a full body side profile. She's healthy, everything looks perfect, praise God! Now we just have to wait 22 weeks (give or take) to see her in color!

PS We have a name and will share soon but we want to take a day or two to absorb the reality that she really is a girl and this will be her name and is that really what she's supposed to be called, etc...

Don't worry...

A few weeks back we posted how Adam is sleeping in a big boy bed but keeps falling out of it. Well, for those that may have been concerned, I wanted to post that we did get the bed rail out of the garage, we did put it on the bed, and he is now sleeping beautifully. You can see in this picture just how helpful it is at keeping him safe and sound...

Happy Mother's Day

For Mother's Day my husband pampered me with a pedicure given by him! And even more sweet was that he modeled all of this for Jason who helped to pamper both Beth and I. It was adorable and so meaningful as he talked to Jason about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples and how we all need to love and serve each other. A truly beautiful family moment.

We then went to dinner at my favorite restaurant - BJ's Pizza (chicago style, yum!) - and then enjoyed our pizzookie dessert on the beach. The kids had so much fun at the beach. We weren't dressed for sand and water at all but they were just so excited to be there. They were seriously running and laughing nonstop and just as carefree as you would hope children would be! We just laughed the entire time (and I attempted to take pictures even though they just seemed unable to stop moving!)Jason stopped long enough for Daddy to roll up his jeans and so I could catch his beautiful face!

I resisted the desire to cringe at the thought of Beth playing in the sand and water in her dress. She so enjoyed twirling in the wind and rolling in the sand and running from the waves...I couldn't stop her and really didn't want to...Could Adam be any happier? He was a little shocked when a wave finally hit him and he got wet. He then started to yell at the waves to stay back! He recently learned in Sunday School that Jesus can stop the stormy waters and maybe he thinks he has similar abilities?

In the end everyone was wet and sandy...and we loved it!

PS I'm four months now and although I can still wear most of my regular clothes, I promise, a belly is emerging and will pop any day!

More of Adam's Birthday

The day after Adam's birthday dinner out, our family came to celebrate. With all those cousins it turned into quite a party. We even put up the bounce house. This house has served us well (especially when you consider the clearance price we paid for it) but this was it's last party :( It just has too many teeny leaks and can no longer support an adult at all! But it was a lot of fun while it lasted...just watch Adam:

We also made Adam a Mickey Mouse cake to go with his Mickey Mouse balloon. He loved it! (Thanks Caleb for helping Adam blow out the candles :)

He got lots of fun gifts, too. Some favorites are his piano, Nemo ball, Mickey Mouse books and this special plate made just for him (thanks, Longs!) He wouldn't even take his eyes off the plate long enough to take a picture!

And we finished the day with Adam vacuuming, another favorite gift, and it truly picks stuff up (not super efficient but not meaningless either!)

Will's Train Party

Our friend had a party at Fairview Park. This park has a track and model trains that you can ride courtesy of the Orange County Model Engineers. It's a very long intricate track with switches and bridges. The kids all had a great time! Thanks for the party and Happy Birthday, Will! Beth held on tight to Jason for the whole ride. It's nice to have a big brother. And then Andrew saved me from the bridge by helping me duck. Ha, ha...very funny, honey. I can't believe Krista caught this picture but then she got yelled at for turning around on the train, tsk, tsk!

We even had yummy birthday cake! What a great day!

Birthday Dinner at Rainforest Cafe

On Adam's birthday, we took the family to Rainforest Cafe. We wanted a place that would sing to him and offer some fun atmosphere. Adam had a great time and all three kids enjoyed ice cream sundae's for dessert. (Yes, we let dairy sensitive Adam have ice cream and he did fine so maybe he really has outgrown it like the doc said he would, yea!!!) I took lots of video because Adam was being so entertaining and although it's a bit dark with a lot of background noise, I still think they're fun to watch :)

You'll notice he only holds one finger up when he says, "I two." We're working on that. And instead of saying, "my birthday," like he had been doing all day, he said, "my cake." We know where his priorities are (and it was only ice cream but that's ok). We were just glad to get his loud spontaneous laugh on video. It's such a fake sounding laugh with such a sudden start and stop but it's his laugh these days and it makes us all laugh when he does it.

This next video is just him dancing (and an attempt to get him talking about his dinner). The dancing is all on his own. He picks up on background music and beats and starts rocking out all the time! We've been in restaurants or stores where I don't even notice there's music and he'll start his head bobbing. I'm thinking with the hidden beat in his soul he'll be a drummer, maybe? Time will tell...

Now as fun as the Rainforest animals and decor were, the occasional storm was a little too much for Adam but with Daddy's help he was still able to eat his ice cream (thanks, Daddy!) And where did he learn to cover his ears and be afraid of some thunder and other noises? His big brother...thanks, Jason.

2 years ago today...

2 years ago today + 2 days...I severely broke my pinkie when I slipped on a pool step, grabbed the hand rail and missed.

2 years ago today + 1 day...I was told I needed surgery and asked how soon could we induce labor (I was 38 weeks).

2 years ago today... I called 911 for the first time in my life at 3:30am and rode to the hospital in an ambulance for excessive bleeding .

2 years ago today...my best friend came to the house to watch my kids as I was wheeled away, and then went through the grueling task of cleaning up the, uh...evidence, before anyone else had to see.

2 years ago today...I had been told the placenta previa had resolved itself, the ultrasound that morning said the placenta was fine, my body said different and a c-section became the only option (I tried to stall, will it to change but they just kept moving forward shaving my belly, putting scrubs on Andrew, making me sign my life away...)

2 years ago today...I was terrified, panicked and so sad that this was all happening and that no one knew why!

2 years ago today...my pastor was called out of sleep to pray, and with his wife, he did (thanks to all who prayed during that week, I know there were many others!)

2 years ago today...Adam Johannes Skelly was born and he was healthy. It was probably the first time that day that I stopped thinking and worrying about me and instead felt complete joy because he was alive and well and here! We did it!

2 years ago today...a thoughtful nurse asked for a camera and took pictures for us (me, the one always with the camera hadn't even thought for a second, I hope there's a camera, so I am so thankful she spoke up and that my amazing husband thought to grab the camera while the paramedics were wheeling me away!)

2 years ago today...I rejoiced that Adam was an amazing nurser (very critical when you only have one working arm!)

2 years ago today...they gave me a big corner room with a view of the ocean (they knew I was going to be there for awhile :)

2 years ago today...friends and family visited and I even got to talk to Casey in Bosnia. It started to feel like a normal delivery with happy people all around, pictures, nursing, cranberry spritzers to drink :)

2 years ago today...Jason and Beth met their brother and investigated him thoroughly!

2 years ago today...I wondered why anyone would like morphine because although it was the first time in days that my finger didn't ache, I itched all over and demanded to be on nothing stronger than motrin (I'm glad they listened to me cuz that was all I ever needed, praise God!)

2 years ago minus 1 day...I had to accept that I couldn't pick up my baby, that I couldn't change or dress him, that I really couldn't be left alone with him for any length of time (hoorah for the nurse call button but what about when they make me go home!!!)

2 years ago today minus 3 days...I had finger surgery and cried the whole way there because my baby was going to spend 3 hours in the nursery and fed a bottle of formula because I couldn't care for him (while this may seem minimal to most, especially those that have had to endure much worse and longer separations, for a post-partum mom it was the cruelest thing anyone could ask me to do and fortunately the nurses and even the doctors were all very understanding and kind).

2 years ago minus 5 or was it 6 days...I finally went home and was blessed and humbled at the help of family and friends (people came over just to sit and be available to change a diaper or to make lunch for all of us, thank you!)

2 years ago minus 3 weeks...I was finally able to care for him by myself...and then I broke my foot :)

Just when I thought I couldn't handle anymore, I learned that I could handle more and it was going to be ok! I had Andrew take this picture before my arm cast was removed so I could remember, not the horrible circumstances of that time but that I survived, I laughed, I took care of three young kids with two limbs broken! With God's grace we can do it. It may not be ideal or even easy but we're not alone and He will carry us.

Today we have a happy 2 year old boy who is full of life and love and laughter. I don't remember life without him, and am so grateful that no matter how I wanted him to come into this world, God brought him to our family safely against the odds!

Happy Birthday, Adam!!!