We are home and in the process of learning our new normal. I have not yet figured out how to have 4 children. My biggest accomplishment of the day was walking to school. Wyatt walked, Callie and Sadie rode in the wagon and Watson was in the sling attached to me. It worked nicely. It probably will continue to work nicely until there is ice on the ground. Then I will have to rethink my plan.

I have come to realize I am intimidated by having four kids. I don't know when I will get the nerve to go anywhere (besides walking to school) with all of them. Me versus 4 children. Oh my, I would be incredibly outnumbered. Miss Sadiebug is my wild card right now. She is learning that she now has to walk more because I can't carry her as much. That is giving her more freedom to explore her surroundings and ignore her mother. She is fiesty and I am trying to figure out how to reign that in while also understanding she has had to give up her "baby" status to become a "big sister." Most of the time she loves doting on Watson but if I think she is being a little too helpful, an earsplitting tantrum is soon to follow, thus my fears about taking her out in public.

We have been back in Fargo for a week now and are working on new routines. Jason was off all last week so it was incredibly convenient to have an extra set of hands. Now that I am solo during the day, I am finding it little more difficult. To help with bonding, we try to hold Watson as much as possible. I haven't quite figured out how to multitask while doing that. I am also a little under the weather so that is not helping my ability to be topnotch. Hopefully with each passing day I will start to feel better and I will learn how to be a more proficient mother of four.

We think Watson is adjusting to our family wonderfully. I had expected a fussy, unsettled baby but he is neither of those. He loves to snuggle and be held and sleeps wonderfully well during daylight hours or when he is sleeping right next to us. We are still working on the sleeping at night part, though. He also likes to eat. Every three hours. Around the clock. No matter how much we try to feed the little guy, it will only tide him over for three hours.

Watson had his first pediatrician visit here in Fargo and it went wonderfully. She thought he looked and sounded great and he is growing nicely. Must be the 3 hour feedings. He is fighting a cold right now thanks to the helpfulness of his younger sisters. We all got sick on our way back and Callie and Sadie just can't stay away from him so they passed their cold on to him. I will be glad when we are all healthy again.

Bathtime.

Hanging out in Mommy's lap.

Welcome to Our Family

On Tuesday we were able to welcome the newest member of our family, Watson Howard Medders. He is a beautiful baby and we are loving every minute with him. Wyatt, Callie and Sadie are doing amazingly well. We have not been cleared to come home with him yet(waiting on paperwork to clear) but hopefully that will happen soon. We are excited to get back to Fargo to our new normal.

Adoption Day

Tuesday, October 11 at 9 AM is the big day when we will be meeting our new little guy and filling out the necessary papers to bring him home with us. Please pray it will be a wonderful, joyful day as we meet our new guy we will continue to have a peace that he is to be the newest member of our family.

The kids are very excited about the new brother they get to meet tomorrow, and Jason's parents have joined us for support and to help with the three oldest children.

My nerves and emotions are all over the place but I do feel a peace and believe this decision for us to be the parents was reached with a lot of thought and prayer.

Thank you for your continued love, support, encouragement and prayers.

Adoption Update

We have a boy!!!!!! It has been a whirlwind few days, since receiving the call late Wednesday afternoon. Now it is Saturday afternoon and we are getting ready to drive across the country to pick up Baby Boy Medders. It has been amazing how God has worked out the smallest of details for this trip.

The entire family is thrilled. Wyatt is so used to having sisters, he keeps referring to the baby as a "her." Callie doesn't see any sense in packing and getting everything ready - she thinks we should have left yesterday! Sadie, of course, isn't old enough to know what's going on. It'll probably be a bit of a shock to her when a new baby is part of the family, but we think she will come around though.

Please pray for safe travels and for everything to go smoothly. We are planning to meet our new fella Tuesday morning.