Marie D's Bows

A friend of mine makes and sells the most adorable bows. If you have girls you should definitely check out her site. http://marieds.blogspot.com/

Here are two of my (many) favorites.

The "Shabby Chic" Clip

(For moms!)

The "Rufflie" Bow

My Digital Studio

Just wanted to share Stampin' Up!'s new digital paper-crafting solution. We call it that because it's more than just scrapbooking. You can make cards, calendars and more on this! I'm really enjoying using the software. It's fairly easy to learn so far anyway. You can print to Stampin' Up's professional printing co and the colors will match Stampin' Up's exclusive color families.

Here is a card I made using My Digital Studio. The stamp set used for this card is one that is available for purchase. It's called "Friends 24-7". It's definitely on my wish list. Especially after playing with it on MDS!

Front

Inside left
Inside right

Time flies. . .

My little baby girl is ONE MONTH OLD!! Wow. Time flies. : )

We were in Phoenix this last week for my Grandpa Knochel's funeral. Thank you to everyone for your expressions of sympathy and your prayers-We felt them! Grandpa passed peacefully and it is our belief that he is with his (and our) Savior. He is finally HOME! I was able to fly out with my friend Alyse and be there before he passed away. I was so thankful for the opportunity! Cosette did great on the flight and Portia did ok- very busy! We were out there for a week.

I'm so glad to be home and starting real life for the FIRST TIME in FOUR WEEKS! Things are going great! Cosette sleeps 5-7 hours at a time at night and is nursing very well. Portia is becoming more and more independent. Nathan was disappointed to find that she won't even let him read books to her anymore! She wants to do it herself. She loves her baby sister and LOVES holding her. This morning I walked into the room and Portia said "Mom! My bear eating!" She was sitting in Cosette's swing "nursing" her bear from her belly button! Sadly I was not able to snap a picture.

A Birth Story

Well as many of you know, I thought I was going in to labor all week last week. I wasn't. Thursday around 5 pm we checked into the hospital as my water had broken. I was only dilated to a two and not very effaced. I tried to get labor going on my own (and with the help of my doula), hoping to not need the help of pitocin, but to no avail. At 11 PM Thursday they put me on slow pitocin for the night. I had some decent contractions but nothing serious or very labor like! It was a long night. The next morning they started to up the pitocin, and labor kicked in around 12 pm. This labor was very different from Portia! It was much harder and more painful, I assume because of the pitocin. The next five hours were hard but I was so thankful to have things moving! They were able to take the pitocin off at about 4 pm so I could get in the tub for another water birth. Cosette was born at 5:34 after about an hour of pushing. It was one of the most rewarding, emotional experiences Nathan and I have ever had together. I felt like I had really worked for that baby!

When they moved me to the mother/baby room, I started to notice that I was bleeding more than I remembered with Portia. I lost a lot of blood and nearly passed out! They put me back on pitocin. I was expecting the contractions to feel like full labor, but thankfully it was only strong cramping! Nathan and Cosette and I stayed in the hospital until Sunday afternoon.

Bethany and Beth and Ruth were here when we got home.

Portia got back on Tuesday last week and has been adjusting fine. Poor girl has to get used to not being at Grandma's AND a new baby sister. She loves Cosette, and doesn't seem to notice when she fusses. We'll see how she does when it's just Mama, Portia and Cosette though. Note to Amber: Portia just started calling the baby "Baby Cosette" instead of "Baby Liam" : )

My mom is here until July 2nd to help, I don't know what I would do without her! I'm doing ok as far as baby blues go. It seems to be just as bad as last time, but I have gotten some help to deal with it. I'm sleeping pretty well, in between late night feedings.

Introducing. . .

Cosette Marie Virkler

Born Friday June 19th, 5:34 PM

6 Lbs 11 oz, 19 1/4 inches long

The Waiting Game

Over the last couple weeks I have had many people ask me if I am ready for the new baby. Well with the trip to Gatlinburg and Morgan's wedding being so close to my due date, I have not really had time to think about the baby coming! I needed to get through those first! Thankfully I made it through nine hours to Gatlinburg and back without any hitches. I will admit to being fairly grumpy (or gumpy as Portia says) during the last three hours or so back. Morgan's wedding was a different story. Saturday was the most uncomfortable day I have had pregnant so far. My mom and Bethany, Amber, Anneliese and I got to go shopping together. The rehearsal dinner was really nice. I enjoyed the getting to know the Phoenix couples, Todd and Heather Hinrichsen and Brandon and Jodi LaBudde and Joel and Amber. During the supper I started to have my first real contractions. I really did enjoy the day otherwise! They went away when I went to bed (many hours later) but I woke at 3 with more, stronger contractions. I spent that time trying to relax and come to grips with the fact that they baby could very well be born in Peoria. I was ok with that, so long as it waited until after Nathan was done with his duties as a groomsman. I went back to sleep around 5 and didn't have any more contractions to speak of. That morning in church, I lost my mucous plug. Now apparently, this doesn't really mean anything as far as how soon labor will start. Last time, however, losing my mucous plug marked the start of labor and Portia was born 19 hrs later! Thankfully, on Saturday we had thought to send Portia home with my parents, since she's still a lap child and they were coming back out in 8 days. It helped me to relax somewhat to have had that taken care of!

Well, I made it through church and the wedding. I'm sorry to all who had to endure the drama, I seriously thought it would be any minute!

Now I am just playing the waiting game. Nathan and I went to our favorite restaurant for a last chance date last night. Sadly, I barely made it through my soup and didn't even touch my salad due to contractions. What a date right?! I had a fair amount of contractions the rest of the evening until we went to bed and woke with more around 1. Oh, I hope I don't have much more of this! I'm so thankful Portia's not here, I have gotten so much work done, and it's very comforting knowing we don't have to figure out what to do with her when I go into labor! Thanks Mom for taking her!

I will keep you all posted on my status. I'm still hoping to hold out for my midwife to return from out of town on Thursday. We'll see what happens.

Gatlinburg, TN

This year is Stan and Beth's 30 wedding anniversary. To celebrate this milestone in their lives, they took the family to Gatlinburg for five days. We had a wonderful time, even with all 18 of us in one cabin. The cabin was huge! Four stories & it could easily have slept 22+. At the beginning of the week, we all went around the room telling what our expectations were. Being 37 weeks pregnant I said "To do everything possible to NOT go into labor". I had been having enough braxton hicks contractions to make that seem like a serious possibility. Needless to say, I was unable to participate in most of the activities, which included some hiking, white water rafting and bike riding. I was able to visit the aquarium and spend some precious time with my mother & sisters in law including a shopping trip! All in all, I really enjoyed the trip. It was a blessing to be together!

We walked downtown Gatlinburg one night. That was quite an experience! (The girl with the pink jacket is not one of ours)

Rafting

The cousins get along so well! Here Ali is pushing Portia on our way to the aquarium.

Poor Ali couldn't figure out why Portia called her "Owie". : )

Portia loved the aquarium!

Portia also loved her newest cousin "Baby Liam" (Everybody did! What's not to love about this kid? If my baby is half as good as Liam I'll be a happy momma!). I was so thankful to see how she would possibly react to having a newborn around and she did great! She was very gentle and sweet to Baby Liam. When we got home she started calling her doll (which is a girl) Baby Liam.