Baby Oak Ray Miller is Here!

Oak is here!!! We are so thankful and blessed to welcome him into our family. Oak was born on March 22, 2011, at 10:59 pm. I was thankful that I was able to have him naturally with the help of Brian, who was by my side encouraging me the whole time, and also my midwife, Beth, and kind friend Stephanie was also there for support - she also took lots of pictures which was pretty amazing for us to have. The labor was about 8 hours in length if I just count the harder part. I did have contractions all day, but it wasn't strong until the last few hours.

Here are a couple pictures from the birthday as well as the day after when family and friends came to visit.

Our family of 5!

In the hospital - I am in pretty hard labor here, but it is the beginning stages where the goal is to relax and let the uterus do the work. I kind of go inside so I don't get overwhelmed and Brian is there for support to help me relax and help me with whatever I need. We had about 6 hours in the hospital to labor so we used all of the great birth aids they have there - I labored in the tub for a couple hours, on a birth ball (which really wasn't comfortable to me at all) and we used various other helps they had. It was kind of nice to be able to try all of these birthing things out. I didn't have that option with Eli's birth and Otto's went so fast I wasn't able to really use any.

This is my "Thank You God!" moment. Soooo relieved it is over and our little baby is in my arms!

8 pounds 11 ounces

First Bath

Mom arrives!!!

Grandma Debby and baby Oak.

Pastor Todd and his wife Kim visit

Eli and Otto meet Oak!

Otto is in love from the start!

Tim and Stephanie

William visits

Danielle and Eric visit

Anne visits

At home - as soon as we came in the door the boys wanted to hold their baby brother. They have received him sooo well and are so sweet with him.

Spring!

Our saucer magnolia in bloom!

A natural tree hugger.

I am actually in labor here - the first stages because I am still smiling between contractions. I really wanted to enjoy the tree as much as I could because I knew the flowers would all be gone once we came home from the hospital. The smell of this tree is amazing while in bloom! I love to open the doors and let the air fill the house. So wonderful.

Iroquois Park

Anne and I meet up with all of our boys a couple times a week. They all play together so well. Here are some pictures from our last visit to Iroquois park. Eli and Abel are climbing on what Eli calls the "rocket ship".

The Red Rider....

Ready...

aim.... FIRE!

Baby Shower

With this being our third boy I really didn't have very many baby needs but my incredibly sweet and loving friends Danielle and Anne really wanted to throw a shower for me. I am so thankful for them and their thoughtfulness! I felt very blessed by this time with all these great ladies.

Anne and Danielle - two jewels in my life!

The Last Baby Belly Pics...

Here are a couple pictures we took of the belly before Oak's birthday. These were taken at 37 weeks. We did get a some professional pictures done and I will share some of those soon too.

sweet Otto...

Even my pregnancy shirts were barely fitting toward the end this time. I was down to two or three that still covered me.

Eli and Otto Snap a Few

Yes, my camera has more battle wounds than any other digital device I own, but I like the kids having the freedom to take pictures now and then.... and sometimes it helps me to see what is happening when I am out of the room.

Okay, Brian just read this and he pointed out that most of the battle wounds have come from me dropping the camera and I am pretty sure he is right... BUT it sure does prove that this camera can handle a lot! - from very full Mama hands to sometimes steady challenged and easily distracted small kid hands.

Otto took this picture of Eli talking to Grandma Kay on the phone.

Uh-oh. They will have to learn not to take pictures of the naughty things they do.

I think Eli took about 15 pictures of this spider. I saved one.

I love this one. Somehow Eli got it to the color accent mode and it captures both of their "longies" and Otto with his baggie of snacks. He is almost always carrying around a baggie with cereal and he somehow never crumbs or drops them. He gets that from Brian (the neatness part - not the need for a baggie of snacks).

Syrup Festival

Candle making

Otto is tapping the tree :)

The finished product!

Maple Syrup Cotton Candy

Okay this was amazing - they give you a cup full of sweet sap with a tea bag - the best sweet tea ever!

Otto making friends

A candle light dinner

Otto shares this thoughts about the festival while eating some maple syrup cotton candy after dinner....

The Festibul from capture box on Vimeo.