More pics of our little girl

We love this girl and I love taking pictures of her! 

This is probably the last time she'll be in the zebra outfit- she is getting too big!

Her kissing brother, Kenan, can't go long without holding her or just walking by to gives kisses (thus his new name). He loves, loves, loves his sister.

I am pretty in love with my little girl as well and give my good share of kisses as well. :)

                                      

This is a new ring I got to symbolize our family. It is all of our birthstones. I love it!

Haven's first trip to the beach

We took a quick little trip to the beach to visit a few friends. It was supposed to just be Brett going but since it was spring break and my mom was off, we decided to all go. Haven slept the whole way there- a wonderful start for her traveling life...hopefully that will continue. :)

Haven called the first nap on the hotel bed.

It was cold but beautiful at the beach. The boys loved feeding seagulls.

Havey just kept sleeping. :) Hopefully she'll be more awake for her next visit to the beach. :)

Dawson's 9th birthday

Ten short days after we welcomed Haven we got to celebrate our wonderful first born Dawson. He has grown up so much in this last year. I am so proud of him and the young man he is becoming. He loves his siblings so well and watches out for them all. (He even said before Haven was born that he was ok with one more younger sibling but he didn't want to be an older brother to 15...good thing we are in agreement to that!) He is a critical thinker and always enjoys learning. He loves Jesus and wants please him. He cares for people and is generous. He is a lover of animals. He has matured so much as of late but I am so thankful that he still loves and wants hugs and kisses from his momma. I hope he keeps that for a long time.

He likes to have fun and be silly. :)

He was supposed to have an outside party at a park but rain took us inside. We ended up doing Minute-to-Win-It games which were a lot of fun. My mom is great at planning parties!

This is moving marshmallows from plate to plate with your nose which has vaseline on it.

Stacking dominoes on popsicle sticks.

Kenan got to five

Brett could get seven.

Brett and Dawson have been climbing at an indoor climbing place for the last couple months. Dawson has always loved to climb so Brett thought he would enjoy this. He started out timid but has really gained a ton of confidence and done an amazing job. This weekend he and Brett went to Pilot Mountain to climb with the club. He was the youngest person in the group. The instructors even said he was a natural at climbing, which is not surprising as he is a gross motor kid who loves to solve problems and plan ahead.

What I have loved about the climbing is that it has given him incredible confidence. He once was a fearful, more hesitant child who took after his mom. :) I always hated that I passed on fears to him and really wanted him to grow beyond me and he has. He has conquered his fears and it is amazing to see. This has given him more confidence in life in general and I see him willing to try more and more things.

I am thankful for this new hobby as it has given Brett and D lots of time together. I know that he will look back on this later in life and realize how special the time has been with his dad.

As I looked at these pictures from their day I was filled with pride. I love this boy so much and am so incredibly thankful for him and all that he is doing and accomplishing, in climbing but in life in general. So blessed to have him as a son!

Introducing Haven Elizabeth Sama MacLean

Welcome to the world Haven! 

She made her appearance on March 17th after a long day of induction. Since her brother was big and had a little trouble exiting during birth, I was able to be induced a few days early to make sure she was smaller. We had actually thought it was going to be on the actual due date (the 20th) but at my last appointment my doctor asked if the coming Monday would work and of course I said yes! :) It was only as we were leaving that we realized Monday was St. Patrick's day. We laughed as this would give us another holiday baby. (Dawson was born on Easter; Kenan on New Year's day; Silas on International Literacy day (we had to find something for him)).

Induction started at 8:30am or so and progressed much like with Silas: S.L.O.W.L.Y. I was hopeful it would be quicker this time around but to no avail so the morning and afternoon were spent watching tv as I laid in bed, sat on a birthing ball, ate some italian ice, and prayed that the process would move forward. It's not fun having your doctor come in and each time say, "You look too good to be here" to which I would reply, "Well, please increase the pitocin. I'd like to be in pain." They said they didn't often have women asking to make the pain worse. :)

Finally when my Dr. checked me at 6:30 pm and I was still only 5cm, she ordered my meds to be bumped up once again, even though I had already hit the normal max dose. Thankfully, that was enough to finally get things really going. Though it was painful it was also special. During many of the contractions I would hold onto Brett and we swayed together like a slow dance. Brett was very present with me this time and not that he wasn't with the others, but somehow it was different. The room was quiet, it was just he and I, and we were getting through the end together. A moment in time I never want to forget. And as always, he was my strength during the transition stage when I ask for an epidural. I say I want to give up, he tells me I'm almost done, I say I don't care, and he doesn't let me ask for medicine (which I have told him in advance to do. He isn't a crazy husband who won't let me use medicine, he just knows that no meds is really what I want). Right after this conversation comes the time to push. Literally I think we had the discussion, the next contraction I felt the urge to push but the nurse said I was only 7cm, and then the following contraction I called her back into the room because I said it was time, and two pushes later Haven had entered the world at 8:16 pm weighing 8 lbs 1oz. 

Here she is right after birth. I show this because I was actually present and willing to take pictures. Silas was a hard delivery for me, probably harder than I even realized until Haven, so when he was finally born I was really out of it and not able to focus on him right after the birth. Haven popped out so easily that I was really able to enjoy her just after delivery for which I was really thankful.

Again, what a contrast: with Silas I didn't Brett to even take pictures, here I could even smile!

This is slightly blurry but I love their faces so I had to include it. The boys were able to come up within minutes of her delivery. It was so fun to see their reactions. It was love at first sight for all of them.

These two had already decided that they would be the first to hold her after me and Brett. Even poor grandma had to wait in line. :) They were so excited before the birth but I wondered, especially with Silas, if they would be as excited when she was actually here. If it was possible, they were even more excited. They couldn't get enough of her.

I loved their comments about Haven. "I love her so much!" "She is so beautiful!" and my favorite by Kenan, "I love her on so many levels!...What does levels mean?"

Silas and Kenan let Haven be held by others, but they weren't far away from her ever.

Big brother also got his turn in with his little sister. This picture reminded me so much of one that was taken when Silas was born, even though D was quite younger that time around. (below)

Dawson with Silas when he was born

I couldn't believe how much Silas resembled D in this one

My mom said that on the way home they talked about Haven and how they were so excited she was here, that they were sad that they had had to leave her and how they couldn't wait to see her the next day. They are smitten. Head over heals in love with their sister.

And here is little Miss in the room later that night, which made me think of the picture below.

Dawson as a newborn

The next day they came to visit and love more on Havey, as they often call her. I think she loves them just as much as often she would be crying until they arrived and once her brothers were there, she was content.

On the way home. I hate Dawson's face is a bit covered up but this was the only shot we got as we left. Haven had cried the whole night prior as she was hungry and my milk had yet to come in (this girl wants milk like none of my other three. She is always ravenous and attacks the breast like a beast) so I was quite tired that morning and wanted to get home so there was no time for picture taking. Again that morning she was fussy until her brothers walked into the room and then she was silent and content. I told them I wish they had been there all night! :)

At home with her twin. This was not to be her coming home outfit but what I had for her was too big and thankfully I had thrown this in the bag as well so this was it which worked out just fine because she looks pretty cute if I say so myself. :)

           She even got her first book read to her on her first night home by her brother Dawson.

She has been a great baby thus far, especially with knowing her days and nights for which I am thankful. The boys continue to be in love. They all respond when she cries, trying to soothe her and make her stop. Kenan kisses her all the time. They all want to know where she is and make sure she is well and happy.

I've thought a lot about the song by Caedmon's Call, "Love grows more love" during these first couple of weeks. Not only is my heart full of love for this sweet little girl, but I have grown more and more in love with my boys (all of them, including Brett) as I have seen them interact with her. She will be three weeks tomorrow and I cannot even seem to remember life without her. She is a gift and we are so thankful for the Lord blessing us with her.