Sweet Relief

For 4 nights in a row Cole has slept from 10 or 11 pm to 5 am. He then eats and goes back to sleep until about 8 or 8:30. It has been GREAT!! I hope he keeps it up. He is now in size 2 diapers. He will only be 7 weeks tomorrow but the time sure has flown by. He's such a sweet baby. I think he is learning to like the car a little more. That makes me happy considering we are headed out of town in a few weeks and will be driving for about 6 hours one way. It should be fun!

Catching up with some photos

Time is Not on my side these days.

Well, if you have a new baby and other kids to keep up with you know why I am behind in posting. I have wanted to blog for about a week now with a good update but between the kids I don't get a chance and Cole currently is trying to get worked up. He is a bit fussy and likes to be held A LOT! Colin has been home a lot these past two weeks and so he has been able to help out in that department. The past two days Cole has been satisfied with some time, I mean more than 3 minutes, in the bouncy seat. There is so much to do though that I am not sure where to start. I do feel like I can keep only the dishes done, with help from Colin, and the laundry. I am not complaining, I really love the newborn stage and I just can't believe that Cole will be 6 weeks old on Thursday. He's putting on some weight and trying to smile a bit. It really is exciting. It is so great to just snuggle with him and watch his facial expressions. He is just so sweet.

Colin blessed Cole last Sunday, the 7th. He gave Cole a beautiful blessing. I had a hard time concentrating because Mia was trying to lick me at the time. I could have just... I don't know. I was so frustrated with her though. Our good friends from Dayton, Ted, Kashia and kids, drove up to be a part. We also had J.T. Nelson and Travis Yonker stand in. It is sure nice to have such close friends. Some of the things from the blessing were he was blessed to be born into a home where the gospel is taught; to know who he was as a child of God; to be influential to friends and neighbors in sharing the gospel; desire to serve a mission and love those who he serves; marry in the temple and have a family; health and strength throughout his life; gain an education.

Mia started school the week before last. The first day after school she had a melt down and I figured we were in for a big adjustment but by this last week she was in good form every morning and happy every afternoon. We seem to be in agreement more often as of late. It has been nice. She loves school and is already asking to go to kindergarten. She is trying to grow up so fast.

Jack doesn't seem to care too much about Cole. He has become a bit clingy and wants to be held a lot by me. I kind of like the attention from him. He is such a sweet boy and all boy! He just won't stop climbing and he loves to do his own thing. We have had a good time togther in the mornings after Mia leaves for school.

I just wish I could sleep more. I am so bad about going to bed early and Jack and Mia have been getting up early. I usually am wiped out by 2pm. If I don't get a nap then and I sit for more than 10 minutes I fall asleep. That certainly comes with the territory doesn't it? I am still working on trying to figure out Cole. He is a bit of a mystery after 9pm. I can't figure out what it is he wants besides eating. He will only sleep if he is being held or is on his tummy. He also likes the vibration setting on the bouncy seat and the bassinett. He sleeps at night but wakes up often to eat. He is just a cool kid! I am eager for his 2 month appointment to see how much he has grown. I think he is up to maybe 9 pounds now.

Well, that is us in a nut shell.

Cole Pictures

Here are the first of the Cole pictures. We just had a friend of ours take some pictures and she posted some of them on her blog

http://sarahpalfreyman.blogspot.com/

I have some cute kids!

Mia tells me that Cole loves her more than he loves me.

He just loves me for the milk.

What a sweet baby boy!

Thank you!!

I can't believe it has been 3 1/2 weeks since Cole was born. We have been so busy it has seemed like months. The summer, especially the last month, has really flown by for obvious reasons. I have been thinking so much about my blessings and those that have blessed my life so much through kind acts of service. I would try to name them here but I know my mind is not that sharp, lack of sleep, and I would forget a name or three. So, for those that have served me and my family, thank you so very much!!! We had family and friends help us move 6 days before Cole was born. We had meals for a week from friends at church, that saved my life, or kept us alive. The meals were all so great! Friends also watched Mia and Jack while I was in the hospital and Colin was at work. Then my mother-in-law, Debby, came for 10 days, fixed meals, cleaned, held kids, entertained us, and made me realize that even when your kids are grown you still have many opportunities to serve them and mother them. Once a parent, always a parent. We are so blessed! Thank you to all of you for the help and love given to us!! I know the Lord will bless you for your service.

Lori Pix for her B-day

Happy B-day Lori. Here's a little look back for those of us who didn't know you back then.

Happy Birthday Lori

Happy 23rd birthday to Lori! I wish I had some pictures to post, but that will have to come later. I feel like the worst husband in the world today. I actually am on call and have to be at the hospital all day and all night until tomorrow morning. This is probably the birthday year that I should be home and give her a little break from the wonderful kids who usually need something at all times. This has been a hard month for her with the move, immediately followed by the baby, all while I have had to take call this month. She has done very well when she has had to take on the single mom role. She has not complained when I have had to be gone and she has had to do it herself. She deserves a day off as much as anyone.
I can't say enough how much I love her and need her every day of my life. She means more to me than anything else in this world, and I know I don't tell her that enough. Lori, I hope you have a great day filled with kids who do just what they say right when they are told. I will make it up to you.

Love, Colin

updates

Cole is great!! He is a hungry guy and eats every 2-3 hours. I haven't minded feeding him so often just because he is a pro at nursing. I was very worried about how long it would take for him to catch on but he knows just what to do. He will even nurse in bed. Thank you Cole!! I can sleep and nurse and that makes me happy. He is just too sweet and of course loves to be held but also will lay in the bassinett or crib or swing and just be content. I love to just hold him. Mia loves to hold him and tries to get away as much as she can with walking around with him. He is little enough, she is big enough just not as careful as I would like. Today she was holding him then laid him in a laundry basket with a pillow for him to lay on then put him on the baby bean bag bed then held him again. She is so eager to "play house" with him. It really is quiet cute but I have to keep on top of her playing. I love to listen to her talk to him. She currently likes the little bit of extra responsibility. I am sure it will get old but until then I am going to take advantage of her willingness to help. I try and give lots of praise to both kids when they help out.Jack likes Cole more and more and even wanted to hold him today. It was very cute. He likes to kiss Cole on the head. He is adjusting, as we all are, but if he takes even a 5 minute nap he is up until 9 or 10 and I am so done by then. Yesterday we ran to Walmart and in he fell asleep in the 10 minutes it takes to drive home. Colin got him out of the car and wanted him to wake up, got him out of the car, stood him up and then laid down in the driveway and fell back to sleep. How I wanted a picture but we didn't get one. If he would just stay in his room and even play I would be fine but he is out of his room and bugging Mia and into things. Today he fell asleep on the way to church, lucky Colin, and we ended up just closing his door. He cried for a while but eventually fell asleep. It would be great if he wouldn't wake up at 6:30am. I hate getting up before 7am.Colin has been busy, busy, busy helping me out. I think he may be a little happy to go to work tomorrow. Unfortunatly he will be on call so wish me luck. Last night he hung the curtains in the living room and the big picture frame I wrote about on my blog. Our pictures are not in it but it still looks nice above the mantle.Me, well, I am tired but am doing pretty well. I do have a headache that seems to be hanging around a bit too long and sometimes I just have to lay down. I think it is a combination of fatigue and hormones. I do get some relief with lots of water so I have been trying that. I was worried that it was a spinal headache from the GREAT epidural I had but it is a bit inconsistent with those symptoms. The Motrin combined with Tylenol seem to help. I do feel a bit overwhelmed but that comes with the territory. The swelling in my hands and feet are going down and I can now bend. That makes me very happy!! I am feeling pretty good overall. We have lots of help with meals from church. Thank you everyone! While Colin went to church I gave Cole a little bath. It was nice to have the time with just him. I fed him and we watched to olympics, well, we actually slept through them. I got to sleep for about 2 hours and even though that headache was still there I felt a bit better.Cole has a weight check on Tuesday and we will see what they say about his peeps. The OB, not my own, was nervous about doing the circumcision becasue his is pretty small. We might wait a few weeks and just take him to the pediatric urologist. I love our insurance! I can take him and not worry. Thank you Colin!Well, Cole wants to eat, again and it is almost 11pm. Here are a few pictures. More will be coming.

Baby Cole is Here

Cole Wright Croshaw is finally here. We managed to get completely moved out of our rental and into the house about 2 hours before we went to the hospital. They started the Pitocin at about 12:00, and by 5:30 or 6:00 there had been no progress. So the doctor broke Lori's water and by about 7:40 she was a 10. She pushed through 3 contractions and at 7:50 he was born. These are the first of the pictures. I'm sure many more are to come. Hopefully we can add some video tomorrow too. Lori will come home tomorrow. Thanks for everyone who helped us out with the move and while we were at the hospital.