Quinn- 9 months

I remember Conrad, Riley & Amelia teething, but I don't remember them gnawing on the furniture. Quinn is the puppy Conrad can't have. Quinn crawls, slobbers, eats anything and everything, loves to play and bites on furniture. What more could a kid want?

Quinn loves Conrad, Riley & Amelia

Quinn is almost 8 mths. and he is on the move. For the past couple of weeks he's been doing the inch worm around the house. Meaning he gets up on all fours, looks like he's going to craw and then slides his arms forward as his knees buckle. This new movement has enabled him to pick up everything from Legos, pennies, Magnetixs, doll shoes, M&Ms, paper, beads, and electrical cords. (I guess it's time to "baby proof" our home. Yikes!)

The other night he was surrounded by Conrad, Riley & Amelia. They were tickling, poking, hugging, kissing and slobber kissing him and he LOVED every second. It was late and soon they stopped all the doting and went up stairs to get ready for bed. Quinn looked at me and then inched his way to the stairs. He looked at the stairs, looked at me and then looked up the stairs again and yelled. It was sort of in the tone of, "Hey, I'm still down here! Wait for me." (It was so cute.)
I picked him up and walked him up the stairs and set him down. He was so excited as he inched his way to Conrad & Riley's room. They kissed and loved on him some more. It was priceless.

He loves them so much and they love him just as dearly and I love it. Love love love it! (Can you tell I'm revving up for Valentine's Day?)

Amelia put these bunny ears of Quinn and he was happy to oblige.

Trick or Treat

My kids totally crack me up! They were crazy this Halloween or should I say fierce?

Conrad originally wanted to be a mad scientist again, but then he remembered that he had an authentic Arab head dress, from Saudi Arabia, (a friend of ours went to Saudi Arabia for Hajj.) so with a little shoe polish and sunglasses he became a Saudi. (I think he looks like my brother Mason.)


No Arab would be complete without a white sheet and camouflage Birkenstocks.

My friend Stacy Miller (Noah's mom) painted all four of the army guys faces. She said while she was painting each of their faces, they had their game faces on. (see above) When she finished, they ran to the mirror, admired their reflections with an "Awesome!" and told her that she was their official camouflage expert. (now that's awesome.)

Riley originally wanted to be Concussion on the movie Zoom, but we couldn't find red, burgundy or maroon sweats anywhere. (go figure we live in maroon and gold U of M country.)
He remembered that some of his friends were going as army guys and since he had every piece of clothing in camouflage, he decided to work it. (even his Converse and socks are camouflage.)

These are the very serious army guys with their camo and Nerf guns:
Riley, Noah, Marvin, & Emil.

Amelia was going to be a butterfly and I had visions of her being a magnificent monarch with huge hand painted wings. I almost had her convinced until she wanted to be Fancy Nancy to go along with her birthday party. For a split second she wanted to be a princess, but Fancy Nancy was going strong and then on Halloween day she wanted to be a butterfly again. I had no amazing wings or black and orange tutu, but she knew what she wanted and what a butterfly ought to look like. She found her pink butterfly headband, (no she didn't want antennas), pink fuzzy wings, pink tutu, pink galoshes and some pink hair spray. Of course no butterfly would be complete without tons of glitter and a black velvet unitard. It was a little chilly that night, so of course she donned her denim jacket and toted her gold trim purple leopard print treat bag. (She rocked it like the fashionista I knew she could be.)

Quinn has admirer of all ages. A friend from church gave him this oh-so-adorable pumpkin sleeper complete with beanie.

He stayed home with me and slept all of Halloween, while I passed out candy.

The Mighty Quinn

The Mighty Quinn is growing like a weed. He smiles all the time, (except for pictures) he giggles when tickled and has a whole new batch of nick names. Amelia calls him "Little Quinners" and tells me that "Baby Cakes is cryin'!" Riley calls him "Jiggly Puff" & "Magmortar" after 2 of his prized Pokemon cards. And Hans (in a high pitched voice) calls him "Quinny Quinny!"

I must admit I was worried that the Conrad & Riley would be ambivalent about Quinn's arrival and that Amelia would be jealous, but they are all madly in love with their littlest brother. So much so that when they come home with their friends they say to them, "Come look at Quinn. Isn't he so cute? Do you want to hold him. You can kiss him if you like." It warms my heart that they adore him as much as Hans & I do.

Quinn at 3 months giving peace a chance

Conrad wearing Quinn (3 1/2 months) in our zebra sling

Conrad [fake sleeping (his idea) for the picture] and Quinn (4 months and real sleeping)

What the....?

How did it happen? Somehow Quinn is over a month now. My sweet little honey is weighing in at nearly 12 lbs and has traded his spindly arms and legs for chubby rolls, has filled out his cheeks to make them more kissable and now has a double chin with a little neck fat to pooch it out. It's all adorable, naturally. His eyes still cross at times and he spits up on all my clean shirts, but he's sweet and has started smiling now and again when I talk to him. Conrad says I "baby him, but that's okay." an interesting choice of words, don't you think? Some things I've noticed about him are that he has Conrad's cowlick and Riley's dimple on his chin and his right cheek. And I'm afraid my baby is part werewolf because he has this extra long hair on the tips of his ears. I'm trying to capture it on film, but this werewolf trait has been most illusive due to the blondness of his ear hair and can only be seen by the naked eye.

I know I have quite the obsession with his hands, it goes back to day 1.

I have decided not to buy Quinn shoes or sock until it gets cold because I think his little feet are so just delicious.

12 days

Quinn is doing well. He's a good sleeper, which means I'm a good sleeper (& Hans too) and he's a good eater, which means I'm preoccupied, but not engorged and not as sore when he latches on. (too much information?)

The name Quinn is sticking and Hans & I are quite happy with our choice. (The boys wanted to vote on the name, but I reminded them that this family was not a democracy. What then does that make our family?) His name has already being morphed into nick names like "Quinners" and "Quinny" and my brother is excited to call him "Q".

I find myself wondering if his features have changed since birth. I look at him all the time, but when I remember, I try to look closer.
When the midwife put Quinn my chest, the first thing I noticed about him were his long fingernails. They were jagged, long and healthy. (It's funny what one remembers and consequently I didn't trim them for a long time so I could keep that first look and feeling in my mind.)


Conrad likes to snuggle and he has found out that Quinn likes to snuggle too.



Quinn is covered in soft downy hair and he has these long paper thin eye lashes that I have to look at every time I hold him.


I starting to wonder if Amelia thinks Quinn is actually a moving doll. If you notice in the picture the quilt covering him is Amelia's doll quilt.

7 days

Today was the due date I was telling everyone for 9 months. The official due date was June 23rd, but I knew I'd go early, obviously my math is slightly flawed.

Going for 3 to 4 children has been much less of an adjustment then going from 2 to 3. Quinn has been nicely assimilated into our family and my recovery has been amazing. I feel great, well except for looking like Wonder Woman and not feeling much like wearing the armored bustier. (milk production is in full force.)

The kids cannot handle Quinn's cuteness. They pretty much have to be within 5 inches of his face and either touching his hands and feet or kissing his head every second they are home.

It takes me time to process an experience as intense as childbirth, so I will add my thoughts as they come. Moments of insight into my own experience come to me when I'm in the shower, nursing Quinn, talking with Hans and friends, emailing. At times they come as flashes, and sometimes the memory lingers. Today I told Hans, "I don't think I was in my right mind when I asked for an epidural." I'd gone drug free with the last 3 children and I remember each time wanting to give up and go to the hospital and make the pain go away. But I've pulled or should I say pushed through.

This process of remembering in small bursts is similar to my actual labor process. During labor I kept my eyes closed tightly, waiting for the next contraction, recovering from it, focusing on how I'd handle and position myself for the next one, resting. When I'd open my eyes, there was Hans, well-kept and smiling with calm and encouraging words, while I was sweaty, tired, and bedraggled. It was comforting to just have him close. In a way, he looked like he was glowing, in contrast to the darkness of my tightly closed eyes. Having Hans there helped to provide brief periods of clarity as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. And an understanding of the full journey has been unwrapped in my mind, through small memories.