So I am pretty sure the weather did NOT get my memo – you know the one: “Stay at home mom staying home with SIX kids all amped up because one of those 6 is a not so often seen cousin… please send plenty of sunshine without heavy heat to allow for outside play.” Apparently what it REALLY meant to the weather was… RAIN oh and invite some brand new mosquitoes to join in on the fun… BAH.

Instead the morning was spent in a play-doh frenzy. I have been told that MOST of what they were making was off the game Minecraft but what I did notice was a lot mixing of colours of play-doh to see what happens which is just fine with me. Emanuel was especially proud of his bird with her eggs in a nest. 

Busy Play Doh artists

Not the best picture but there is a birdy with eggs in there

In the mail today I got a lovely package!! A very sweet lady who was in the hospital today having her 5th little girl sent our Echo some of her handmade hair barrettes. She figured that they would stay nicely in her hair… she was right! And the colours are so lovely. Below is a picture of all the bows – there were 4, AND below that her business card. I am going to link her on the side of this blog under her Facebook company title: Hairbows For Princesses. I am already enamored with her quality, wisdom in her colour choices (I just said Echo is our purple girl), the speed of shipping AND the simple fact that she is a lovely lady! Be sure to click the link and check her out… or contact her with the information on the below business card!!! 

Lovely lovely well made bows

Business card

The larger of the purple bows

There is not much to see on the stocking by the way of progress as I have been working on white bits on white aida cloth so far. BUT I am making progress… Tonight I plan on stitching some of the BLACK so at least there will be something instantly and immediately visible. 

After a lengthy quiet time in the rooms (sadly NO ONE napped)… it was back to go go go here… I found one of the neglected toy buckets with something called Trios in it and set the kids to work. Not to say that is was a harmonious play, because it really wasn’t! But they all seemed to have a pretty good time!

Jimmie and the Trios

Supper was a family favourite… for Ken and the kids anyway. They got to teach Jimmie how to make his very own pita pizza… and as a super special treat – the cheese on top was mozzarella! Usually we just use cheddar or marble but it was on sale! Apparently it went over well, though Jimmie wasn’t overly interested in trying the other family (except Trinity) favourite – baked beans.

Putting the ham on his pizza

Last minute change of plans and my dear, sweet Cousin Elizabeth came over to watch the 5 bigguns and let me, Karyn and Echo fly out on our own. This meant Ken could stay in the basement and work to meet his deadline and EVERYONE was happy. (sorry no pictures of the ensuing fun, but I am told Legos were involved as were Safety City things – where she works etc etc) She is moving to a new place this upcoming weekend and took a break in her packing to spend some time with the kids and get some baby cuddle time. This freed me and Karyn up to do some scouting out of ribbons for the August wedding (I found some white in the bargain box for 1.00 a skein… 2 skeins!). And lunch at the bigger mall… EDO JAPAN!

SUPPER

The amazing Cousin Elizabeth

Safe mess

Since we were there anyway Karyn convinced me to stop in at H&M where she caved and got Trinity a shirt (on sale of course)… and I got Echo part of her birthday present… BOTH on sale in the end and BOTH Hello Kitty themed!

The yellow is brighter than the picture

We both had pictures to pick up – Kodak Gallery of course… hers at Best Buy and mine at FutureShop. I really need to sit down and work on those scrapbooking pages now that I have so many pictures sitting here in the ready. Just not tonight. Tonight I have to go back to the bows and get done at least the cutting of ribbon lengths!

Tomorrow is another 6 child day, but not for the whole day. Jimmie is onto his next adventure – going to Grandma’s house for the rest of the week. I think she will be visiting for a while here as well. We started making Creepy Crawlers today to be finished tomorrow anyway… and there is of course, the need to tidy up post 6 kids adventure. There is so much to do to get ready for our next gathering – this weekend’s LAN party to thank the guys for helping us move! Yikes! OH and be sure to check out Petite Sheepette’s version of our hospital adventure on Fat Sheep’s site.

Echo and her smaller bow

I have the right to make the choices I want to in regards to my family just as you have the right to do the same for yours. What I do NOT have the right to do is to expect or pressure YOU to make the SAME decisions or choices. And in turn I expect the same from you. What I am trying to say is friend or family, close or far, it is up to ME and KEN to make the best choices for the family we have created based on what we know about ourselves, our children and our situation. I think it is KEY to remember that we are all on the outside looking in when looking at other’s choices. There is NO WAY to know all the ins and outs of someone’s daily life when we are not there living it with them. Instead we need to have FAITH that they are doing the best according to that life to create a positive and prosperous environment. In fact, I believe I am! What I cannot prove to the world outside of our home and our support system is that it works. I am slowly coming to grips with the fact that there could potentially ALWAYS be someone friend or family as dear as they are to me that refuse to back us in this choice to homeschool, to have a large family, to live where we are and not here or there. I have had to face facts that perhaps I need to be less someone’s daughter, grand-daughter, niece, friend and more the mother of 5 and the wife of Ken… We have not jumped into the decision to homeschool blindly, in fact friends AND family should remember that I have been talking about homeschooling since I was pregnant with the twins in 2003. I honestly think people were assuming I would just give up on that “nonsense”… instead I spent months and years researching, collecting information, learning the legalities, talking to homeschoolers and the homeschooled alike. I was raised well (in my opinion), and have learned to ask questions, try and see things from all the angles, be adventurous AND not walk into anything blind. 

For all that negativity I have to draw attention to a bright light among the family (merely one of many if I am honest) in the form of my sister in law. She (and her mother actually) is very supportive of MY decision to homeschool our 5 (eventually) and in turn I am very supportive of HER decision to put her son into the public system. Our children have different needs. Hers is a VERY only child. He really needs and enjoys the socialization public school offers as well as the fact that he pushes all her buttons when they tried schooling BEFORE he was of age to enroll. My 5 are very social kids, able to welcome in another kid easily or join a group. What my twins require is one on one time to do their work. This is something those larger classes simply can’t offer them. I know my personalities here – Gavin is VERY sensitive to criticism… something I work on daily… and Zander is easily into being the more aggressive, assertive bullying type. This is another thing we struggle with but are making headway. I CAN put Zander into time out and take away things to deal immediately with the behaviour and with Gavin I can sit down and explain how being wrong is ok and correctable… after all there is NO red pens or permanent ink here!

I have reached out to the online homeschooling community and have found amazing support. It is crucial to realize that I am NOT alone in the issues with support with our family… that sometimes you simply have to go beyond being someone’s daughter, grand-daughter, niece, sibling and be the mom… the teacher… the adult. I need to realize that I am not going to get everyone’s support and adulation… it simply isn’t possible to appease everyone NOR is it really reasonable nor important to do so. Instead I have begun to rebuild our social and support system here in our new place as well as continue doing things that work and altering those that don’t… I have the freedom to do so here and am really enjoying the evolution of our schooling day by day. 

But enough about that! Now onto what I am SURE everyone has been waiting for – the past two days in the Reinsch-Johnson clan. Sunday was a HUGE excitement for all involved… first we bought some minutes for the pay for cell phone and activated it (thanks so much Adam!!!) and then took a portion of the pay for minutes and got me TEXTING! Woot! That covered us for our drive an hour and a half south to go pick up my nephew Jimmie for the first half of the week. We lucked out and Lauralee was free to spend a nice chunk of the day at our house watching the 4 bigger kids so that I could go with Ken (and Echo too). We only wanted to take as many people as could fit in any of our emergency contacts’ vehicles so that no one was stranded. We trust the van repair but we dislike going so far out of the city less than a week after a repair. This all had us out after noon. (thank you to everyone who said they would watch their phones)

We got TO my brother’s before 3 (remember we had to go to Tim Hortons to get a snack… of course!) and Ken had a nap while Echo got some one on one time with her Aunty Holly and Jimmie unpacked a few things to show me. We packed him all up and got out the door in pretty good time with a quick stop off at 7-11 for drinks and a big bag of pretzels and then home it was. We actually made it home right around 5 pm to be regaled in all that happened while we were gone. Apparently Lauralee is an AWESOME babysitter who played with them, fed them AND took them to the convenience store for treats (I made sure to leave some cash in case she wanted to). She has already been requested for a repeat performance by the masses!

Aunty Holly and Echo

This left us with dinner, play time, tv time and then BED TIME! Can you believe it Emanuel and Jimmie were up until midnight!! I stayed upstairs way longer than I usually do – until Karyn came over to share her folk fest adventures actually! And the little buggers waited until I went downstairs and then TURNED ON THE LIGHT! When Ken and I went up for our super late super he went in, had them clean turned off the light and BANG asleep in minutes!!

Supper!

Post midnight crash

Even so they were up decently early this morning! Ken fed them breakfast and then woke me up to send them outside to play in the backyard… was that ever a great idea – burn off that energy… which apparently they have an unlimited supply of today!!

Mini trampoline!

 Just as quickly it felt like, they were back inside to play play play… over the span of the morning we went through crafts, play doh AND trains… 

Fun at the craft box

Gavin's play doh creations

And then in the afternoon trainsets, colouring, marbles and kitchen set… bang bang bang… I finally  gave up at Echo’s short and late nap time and turned on the cartoons so I could escape upstairs to eat something and regroup! 

Extensive train set work going on here

You add in one more high energy kid and it is like EVERYONE’S energy triples!! CRAZY. But even crazier was Echo in there on her own following along and plowing in. She had a blast until she got worn out or hungry. 

Future soccer player??

My one quiet child today was Gavin who has come up with a new project… He is working on individual illustrations, whatever he wants, on lined paper… and then we are picking out some words  that are in the picture, sounding them out and writing them in. These are all going to go into a binder. He does so much art this gives him the chance to really keep it all together instead of papers strewn everywhere!

Not one of the book illustrations but a definite on the fridge masterpiece

There has been some requests to see work by the younger two of our very mobile 4… so here goes! First is a fridge favourite – Trinity’s colouring (in marker) of Lightning McQueen off of Cars… I am so proud of how hard she worked to stay in the lines.

Trinity's finished colouring... note the random o's...

And here is Emanuel (and Jimmie) with some of TODAY’S art! He is getting much more into scenes and such for his pictures and less random shapes!

Both proud to show off

So I DID sneak off, once Echo was down for her lunch time nap and the kids busy where Ken could watch and work, I snuck off to the convenience store and picked up milk (expensive) and a slurpee (to make me feel better about the above first few paragraphs). The walk is brief but it was blessedly quiet! Tonight the plan is to work on as many unfinished projects as possible… stocking, tutu dress, tidying, hunting down the still missing box of photos in frames… Tomorrow it is our busy day all over again (did I mention the boys let the neighbour boy in the yard without asking and then proceeded to fight… well Emanuel and Zander so we had an early back into the house after supper… not sure if it is the kid or the reaction to the kid that is the problem but with Jimmie here too I wasn’t about to test it). So today was a wild and crazy at home day… I think tomorrow we may do the same… the baby is a napper and going solo with 6 anywhere is daunting when she is so tiny. I may just have to pull out more boardgames and maybe a bucket of long lost toys… be a good reason to actually face the ever daunting tv room closet with its unknown contents! Stay tuned to find out! 

Oh, I also managed to finally paste down the pieces for a scrapbook page… Echo and Anna’s last visit before we moved. It feels good to get some crafting in!

The ones on either side are just paper and pics waiting to be played with!

But here’s hoping the kids are all asleep BEFORE midnight… hmm maybe?

Cute as a button in the middle of chaos

Three days in one once again… the day just zipped away Tuesday and Ken got in a long day with work so we didn’t have supper until past 9 and the kids almost 8. I spent a nice chunk of my time fiddling with the new camera and comparing it to the limping predecessors… final reaction – I have a ways to go when it comes to settings but I am already enjoying it.

Sunny room with active kids

Not so good of me but the baby is cute

Each of the twins chose either math (Gavin) or sight words (Zander) and did a days’ worth of work before being cut free. I am hoping to start up with more activities shortly. 

Math time

The weather certainly helped along the wish to do some school stuff – pouring rain. So either hot or rain… which means MORE mosquitoes… ugh.

Sudden downpour that actually flooded one of the malls and their parking lot!

I have started work back up on the stocking for our god-daughter Anna. The hope is to complete it before August, the cross stitch portion at least. I still need to hunt down fabric for backing (carefully checking for colour fastness!). It is fun to do something so completely different in a stocking from the norm. I have to say I do harbour a wish that maybe someone will commission another for a little girl somewhere else… it could be a fun repeat! 

Not the best picture... this fabric IS white

It is a good feeling – stitching again. I have missed it. I have a few other ideas if we can find the time to design… IF. But enough about that… now onto what I am SURE everyone is wondering about – Echo’s cardiologist and specialist paediatrician…

Well we got out the door HERE at 6:30 am or so with 4 cranky and tired big kids… we made it to the city and then the hospital with little or no fuss after a brief stop to get gas and breaky at McD’s… that got us to the first appointment right on time. That was her specialist paediatrician Dr Lee… we didn’t have to wait too long (and with a 9am appointment not a huge surprise) but that was made very simple with the children’s computer available for play… though LEAVING the computer was a bit of an issue. 

Rather a cool set up! There were a few options to play.

The actual patient

Of course I had crayons and paper (remember over thinking mommy)… which helped with the wait in the actual examining room.

Trinity most likely drawing more o's

There was a student doctor at our appointment, a nice man who examined Echo first. Our doctor was very happy with everything… but her weight of course. Again the in proportion but not the right size issue reappears. She gave us a requisition for some more bloodwork that will be done when we go in in August for her genetic testing, absolutely no rush just wanting to get rid of any and all possibilities. This was along with a needed urine sample where Miss Echo was MOST accommodating. As the nurse was showing me how to put the bag on to catch the pee (not easy with a girl I tell you!) she peed and the nurse caught enough for the test (thank goodness I did NOT want to be responsible for that little job later). They are planning on testing for potassium as she still had a smidge bit high on the retake and then testing regarding kidney if necessary… but the doctor was happy and felt we shouldn’t worry… but find ourselves a local paediatrician and go from there. YAY. 

They directed us to the cardiologist and off we went. We got there right at 10 (our appointment time) and here is where the massive wait started. Honestly if I had thought it really WAS going to take 4 hours I would have brought in snacks… BUT they did have tv (YTV station) for the kids which helped… and a bathroom we could use. 

Waiting waiting waiting

First was ANOTHER ECG test. That wasn’t too bad, but when they tried to take her blood pressure she FREAKED so they just wrote that she was upset. Thankfully her SAT was great – 100 so she is getting plenty of oxygen. Then after that test we went BACK to the waiting room to… well… wait. Next came the Echocardiogram… (ok I DID giggle that Echo was getting an ECHO… so did the nurse actually). They had a video player (that played VHS of all things!) there so the kids picked out a Diego movie to watch while they did the process. She did pretty well for most of it, we bribed her with binky, cookie AND Petite Sheepette (who was along for the ride). She did play around with the wand they use to do the scan and at times tried to get it to a different location but the staff at the hospital is amazing and calm so it is always easier to do stuff there. I absolutely ADORE the people at the Stollery… we donate there when we can… and would love it if other people did too! 

Where was I… ok after her Echo Echo and family headed BACK to the waiting room and by then the kids wanted to GO HOME. Of course the plan was to head to H&W AFTER to get fruits and veg so no food still. Then they put us into the examination room saying the doctor would be there shortly… apparently SHORTLY is like 45 min! Which left Ken and myself one step closer to madness after that stint in the small toyless (except for what we brought) room. I swear both of us were exhausted to the point of curling up on the floor almost to nap! 

Checking out all the stuff that never touched her!

Eventually the doctor came in… he was a rather good looking Asian man with an AUSTRALIAN accent… he had forgotten his stethoscope and when he left to get it Ken and I had to giggle. Anyway he came in and was very happy with how Echo looked (again beyond the weight), checked her out (with fore mentioned stethoscope) and then got down to the nitty gritty where he drew us this little picture below…

So the extra ventricle is top centre, the two options are on the left and lots of other fun stuff...

and then walked us through what she has – Patent Ductus Arteriosus or PDA of all things. Basically her extra ventricle STARTED to close up (the one that bypasses blood when you are in the womb and not using your lungs) and then didn’t so her left side of her heart is working harder and slightly swollen… not life threatening but not something you want to leave. There are TWO options to deal with it – an incision in the side (scar ick) where they tie off the extra ventricle and not the one the doctor wants done, or through a vein in the leg with a catheter thing that is the better option (like no scarring and not overly invasive). They leave a piece of metal in there that either is like a spring with prickly things that makes the blood clot there and close it off OR a metal piece with a shape memory that when released would go back into shape and close it off (the little drawing on the right UNDER the spring on the above picture). Either way she will have to go back to the cardiologist once a year or so for the rest of her life as they would want to check up on it (no biggy) and best of all – only in the hospital 24 hours! So relatively easy on baby AND easy on mom… as I get to stay there with her (not during surgery of course). 

So while it is not what we hoped for best case (same thing as Emanuel VSD and not requiring surgery) it is far from the worst (open heart OMG dying). I feel oddly ok about it… it is not rush rush and actually they may want to wait just for her to grow some (she is a whopping 12lbs 9.5 oz or so… good for her not great for most anyone else)… so when we asked if it was awful to NOT have it done in August (wedding, birthday party – hers AND in-law visit – first in almost a year due to Baba’s medical concerns)  the doctor was just fine about it. In fact, now we wait on their call and he left a note for NOT August. We go back to see HIM in 6 months regardless, and do the whole series again, this time WITH snacks! 

So we made it through in one piece and on the way out the door were complimented on our children’s behaviour (WOW) and each of the kids was offered a sweet. In fact they also got a lollipop after the Echocardiograph, which is funny because all those 4 did was sit there and watch tv.

Petite Sheepette with the lollipop... not sure if they were sharing with her or not

So we packed everyone up, paid our parking and headed over to the old place to collect mail (still not sure why the forwarding is screwed up) and then to the bank (government cheques to cash), H&M (nummy food for GREAT price) and then drive through (late lunch) and then… and then… well Ken had some nasty swear words to say and the van smoked in reply and OVERHEATED! Thus the beginning of the next great Reinsch-Johnson vehicle related adventure (though not the words KEN would have used).

Soooo we get onto the bridge that has been under construction for like TWO years to get to the south end of the city and smoke starts to come from the hood… Ken turns on the heater to try and cool down the engine and smoke comes in the van! ACK! We couldn’t just pull off on the bridge so had to CAREFULLY drive to the nature centre/fort parking lots… while being behind almost every slow and crazy drive in the city I swear! Thankfully we got to the parking lot and pulled the kids out of the van… Ken then opened the hood to peek in and see coolant coming from a DIFFERENT place this time… so we took the kids on a walk on the side walk (so many mosquitoes so no grass and lots of our bug repellent lotion that seems to be working), fed the baby her cereal (yay for buying that BEFORE hitting the hospital) and generally sat for a bit while the van with hood up cooled as much as we could in the warmth of the day.

Looking for sticks, bugs, leaves, you name it in the sun

After that adventure we got back in the van to return to the middle of the city to try and gingerly get to the Canadian Tire that did the previous coolant repair and possibly did mess up (we didn’t know at that point)… we made it… well MOST of the way before and awful sound and smoke so we pulled into a residential area and turned everything off… now comes the AMAZING part of the adventure…

We stopped right across from a house that had a FOUNTAIN Tire truck in front of it AND a man wearing a workshirt from there coming out of it. When he noticed us stopping and sitting there he came over to help. His mother-in-law lent us a phone to call AMA (again no cell phone yet…) and then he had to leave but said he would be back in 15 min to lend us a phone again and help out.

So Ken took a little walk while waiting for the tow (projected to be an hour) to try and get internet on the netbook and get ahold of someone on the online chat (IRC) that the guys use daily with no luck. That is when the wife of the OWNER of the Fountain Tire (the man previous) came across the street to offer further assistance. And this is where it gets amazing!

She came over with their house phone and an offer to let our kids play in their backyard, to have snacks and simply wait for our ride. Talk about life saver… so we unpacked everyone and cleared out the van onto their front porch and went into the backyard where their 2 days away from 7yrs old son Christopher was bored and wishing for playmates. And thank goodness she did!

Our ride to a place to crash overnight was Alan (of the den Otters) who BUSED to work and was currently on the bus AWAY from us to home. He actually works about 3 blocks from where we were stranded. He and Xinny are the ONLY people we know who have a big enough vehicle for all of our family and one of them to drive (they have an Odessy). AND to top it off she had wireless internet Ken could use as I only had two numbers with me – the new home number for Chris and Chris (the wrong direction from where we needed to be) and Xinny’s cell phone. So Ken was able to get onto IRC and chat with the guys, call Xinny and then Alan and call Canadian Tire to make sure we got everything sorted.

It took hours to sort everything out and get Alan turned around. The kids had fun, had a washroom to use, a new playmate and later SNACKS and we had a lovely visit with the wife and a chance to let Echo out to stretch and be cooed over. On top of that THEIR son also has a weight issue that is unresolved but not hurting him so we could commiserate together. It was so wonderful to have to have that news in the morning and then talk to someone who is dealing with a similar situation and able to share and understand.

We had a bloody nose (Gavin spontaneous) and a poopy diaper (Trinity) and tired kids but they had FUN, in fact they didn’t want to go. So it was like an adventure for them. Something positive and exciting.

Playing with their new friend

Alan got to the house with little or no trouble only to realize he had not added his 8th seat so we called SEAN who has a truck. Even before Alan got there the husband returned and in celebration of a friend’s deal had some wine with Ken and more chatting and sharing of funny stories. While waiting for Sean Alan was offered a drink (non alcoholic as he hadn’t eaten in AGES and had to drive) and was brought in on the fun. Really this was the most amazing and positive way to be stranded WITHOUT a phone we have EVER had!

With Sean getting there and saying good bye to the most wonderful strangers we have EVER met we were on our way to the NEXT adventure – a night at the den Otter house. The kids were sad to leave the new friend but excited to see Isabella and Alexander. It was already pushing 8pm when we got there so not much play time before bed (the boys and Trinity in Alex’s room, Ken and myself with Echo in Isabella’s with the two in the basement cooler room with their grandma). BUT Sean stayed to hang out (been ages) and I had a lovely visit with Xinny and Izaac who is one of the cutest not so little babies EVER.

Meeting of the minds?

I crashed early (for me) at around 11pm as the night before I had gotten only around 4 hours of sleep. Ken stayed up to work (thank goodness he can work from anywhere with an internet connection). He had already called Canadian Tire to ensure they had the van and push them to look at it ASAP. It was nice to hang out with the guys again for Ken. We have missed them here over an hour away.

In the morning it was play play play and PANCAKES for breaky. We had until 11 am with all the kids running around, babies included. Then Xinny had to take Isabella with Izaac in tow to piano lessons. So the boys, Trinity and I kept Alex company while Echo had a nap. And then Xinny took Isabella for skating while Ken called Canadian Tire, confirmed its repair and left with her to get our van. In the meantime Xinny’s VERY sweet dad made the kids noodles (they were AMAZED by his chopsticks) and Ken and myself absolutely yummy sandwiches that Trinity and Echo stole pieces of. I love Xinny’s parents. They do not speak  the best English but they are the absolute nicest people and totally kid people.

Playing in the sunshine... indoors

We left their place around 2 or 3 I think and headed home with a van that was driving rather well and managed to drive rather well all the way home. Canadian Tire was very kind with the bill ending up charging us only 120.00 (we figure that is cuz they cannot be sure if it was a missed issue or their error as all they charged us for labour wise was diagnostic). Small price to pay compared to any time the previous and way newer van was repaired!

Come on tell me this isn't one of the CUTEST baby pics !!!

... and another

We got home worn out but victorious… we met kind people (Ken and I are brainstorming a cross stitch to mail to them), learned about our Echo and that even with this issue she is still basically a medical mystery, brought home yummy fruit and veg AND had a whole series of major and minor adventures. As it is for the next two days I am not going far from home… I simply DON’T want to!

Tonight Ken has Jeff over – he has moved to California years ago and is back up visiting family! So he has spent his evening with a beer, online gaming and a good friend. Perfect way to wind down after a VERY stressful two days. We want to drive the van some more before we finalize plans to pick up my nephew for a few days, I have to  get to Michaels with a coupon for Echo AND for the August wedding decorations… Ken has work to catch up on, I have housework to catch up on and the boys have to get back to their schooling… it never stops but we do make it fun, er, interesting. So for the rest of tonight I am going to curl up and play with my camera or sew or something but one thing I am NOT going to do is worry about Echo’s unscheduled as of yet surgery… and you know what? For once the worrying Lisa Mommy may just do that. The Stollery is the BEST hospital in at least Western Canada and I have faith in the people there. If they say it will go well IT WILL! There I think I have spilled it all… hopefully everyone has not walked away half way through bored to tears!!!!

Our medical mystery... or is it miracle? She has absolutely none of the negative symptoms of anything, nothing slows her down and she is perfect for our family. I couldn't ask for a more amazing baby to finish our family with!