2 weeks

Our sweet little Erik reached 2 weeks old yesterday! I can't seem to capture a smile on camera, but Jake and I have seen him practicing.

Annelise and her very precious happy napper. Annelise is very good at playing dressup, she actually has on quite a bit more on her head than can be seen from this shot.

Carly, in her role as a pilgrim on board the Mayflower. The first graders did a great job in their musical performance of "Symbols of America" and Carly knew all of her part and all of the songs. We're so proud of her!

I LOVE having a trampoline. The kids go out and jump all the time, and they especially love to jump when they have a sibling out there jumping too. It's fun to watch one head out and then see them all start trickling out there. I took this picture today, Nick just got back from church that's why he is still in his suit. Isaac had stayed home with me and Erik.

Each January for the past few years Jake has grown a beard. Not my favorite, but it's not forever. At the end of the growing he likes to sculpt it into something nasty.

Carly lost a tooth. She tells everyone that Isaac got it out for her. She put a pillow over her face, Isaac stepped on her face, and out it came! Ta da!

It's been really fun having the kids home this week and also my mom helping me out this week since she had it off of school too. It has been a great blessing! We'll see if I can get kids to school on time tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Erik is 1 week!

Today Erik is 1 week old!

Another one from today of Erik and Daddy.

The day we came home from the hospital - Sunday, Feb 12.

When we came home from the hospital we found blue balloons tied to the lamppost and this sign next to the door that Nick had worked hard to make. I love it!

Uncle Donnie, Aunt Jennilee, and Asher came to see new baby Erik in the hospital.

Grandpa Tim & Grandma Lina came too. We feel so blessed that they were able to help out so much with the kids so Jake could spend time with me and Erik.

Isaac has not been very interested in baby Erik (although he does know the baby's name). For this picture we got him this close to the baby by bribing him with a pretzel if he smelled the baby's head.

Friday night around 7 my water broke, which has never happened to me outside of the hospital before. My parents came over to be with the kids so Jake and I could leave for the hospital. When we got there, the contractions were barely starting to come and after being checked out I was only dilated to a 4 (very disappointing since I was a 7 when I arrived before Isaac was born). They admitted me and contractions picked up pretty quick. I got an epidural, but the first one didn't work, the tube was kinked inside. The 2nd one worked really well, I couldn't feel a thing. I stayed at a 4 for a really long time, then at about 1:30am Saturday they checked me again and I had jumped to a 9 and after the next contraction a 10 and they started me pushing pretty quick after that. I pushed for about 20 minutes and we had a sweet little baby. It didn't occur to me that we didn't know a gender yet since the Dr. didn't announce it when he was born. So Jake asked and then they turned the baby and Jake told me it was a boy. Before we began pushing they had us each take some final guesses. Mine was a boy at 9lbs3 oz, and Jake said girl 8lbs 14oz. Earlier in the evening the midwife checked my belly and figured it would be about 9lbs. Everyone in the room was so surprised at the size of the baby and they started guessing around 10lbs. I couldn't believe it when they weighed him in at 10lbs 5 oz and measured him at 22.5 inches long. I didn't think I could birth a baby that big. We named him Erik William Voelckers. William is after Jake's grandpa and my grandpa. We love him! He is a really easy going baby. He really doesn't fuss much unless he needs something. Most of the time he is just content to look around. He has some very helpful siblings - excluding Isaac who still doesn't pay much attention to him. I think the girls would hold Erik all day if I'd let them.

Going to pop!

I don't think with any of the other pregnancies I've heard the phrase "looks like you're going to pop" quite as much as with this one. Here are some pictures of me in my current state. I've gained 41 pounds with this pregnancy. I had a dr. appt. yesterday and my Dr. said she estimates the baby is currently 8 and a half pounds. I'm due this Sunday. I convinced her to schedule an induction for me instead of waiting, having another appt. a week after my due date, and then scheduling. I'm scheduled for induction on Sunday, Feb 12th, at 5pm. Abraham Lincoln's birthday. Glen had a great idea - I need to make sure and bring a tiny stovepipe hat for this little buddy, and if it's a boy, he'll bring his own beard.

Jake's 34th birthday - January 30th

Isaac discovered that candles do not taste like cookies.

We had a great birthday party for Jake on Monday night. The kids each wrapped a couple of presents that they were very excited to give him. Jake also started a tradition where he gives the kids each a lego minifigure on his birthday. I think this is year 2 for that and I wish I got a picture. The kids were very excited about that too. My parents and Donnie, Jennilee, & Asher, and Aunt Amanda all came over for some angel food cake. Jake did have to go to work on his birthday, but he said it was a pretty easy day plus he only worked 8 hrs instead of his usual 10. Isaac, Annelise, and I all met him for lunch.