Adjusting to Three under Three...

Well, Canaan is two and a half weeks now. Nate went back to work last Thursday and Nate's mom ("Abuela" as she is affectionately called by my boys) left last Saturday. And as life would have it, Corban's Mother's Day Out program ended last week as well for the summer. So, I've been on my own during the dayshift all of this week with the children (read: monsters).

Abuela and the boys

Three under three is a breeze. I don't know what people were worried about... HA! Just kidding!! Three has been an adjustment for sure. Nate and I had to go to Dallas over the weekend to get Canaan circumcized by a Rabbi (no offense to my medical friends...we just prefer the 10 second procedure over the 30 minute one...) and that was the first time we ventured out with all three of them by ourselves. We took up two carts at Toys R Us. TWO CARTS! Let me just remind you I can't push two carts by myself, so the chances of me leaving the house with all three of them by myself will be minimal for awhile.

The boys are all adjusting well for the most part. Canaan is settling in for the long haul in the Tolle house. All of our boys have had colic to a degree, and he carries on that tradition. Caleb and Corban love kissing him and Caleb does get jealous of him and we are trying to teach him to be gentle.

I am healing up slowly but surely. I'm sooooo tired all the time and am getting tired of feeling homebound, but all in all things are going well. Thankfully, the weather has been beautiful and we have spent a lot of time in the backyard. And we are not living in complete filth yet, which is always a bonus. :)

Corban has such an imagination and pretends to be a different cartoon character every day. Mostly he says that he is "Boots", Caleb is "Dora", Daddy is "Diego", Canaan is "Benny the Bull" and guess who Mommy gets to be?...the "Grumpy old Troll." Nice. Nate told him that he and Caleb are "two peas in a pod" and Corban said, "Yeah, we are two pees in the potty."

I love my boys!! Well, that's the update for now...I need to get some rest.

In Case You Haven't Heard...

Canaan Tripp Tolle was born on Monday, May 4th at 12:56 p.m. He weighed 8 lbs, 7 oz., and was 20 inches long.

I had a Muppet Head for an anesthesiologist. First he tried a spinal block which only served to shoot stinging sharp pains down my left leg, to which I screamed and cried (bawled, actually) until they decided that it wasn't working and they decided to do an epidural (which I was much more comfortable with, since I've had three in my past). But the Muppet only was able to numb my right side this time. The doctor started to cut into me and I said "I can feel that!" and they told me that they were only through the second layer and so they would have to knock me completely out. They next thing I said was "can someone let my husband know..." and then I blacked out completely.

The next thing I remember is waking up (barely) and there is stone silence as I'm being rolled down the hall. I asked through my grogginess, "Do I have a baby?" but was so scared that something went wrong during the delivery. The nurse replied, "Yes, he's with his daddy" and I was so relieved that I blacked out again.

When I woke up in the recovery room, I was so loopy and out of it that I don't remember much, but I met my beautiful baby boy who sported a full head of brown hair, and resembled his brothers in many ways.

I must say that this has been my hardest recovery yet. Note: 3 cesarean sections in two and a half years is NOT recommended. I'm just now starting to be able to get out of bed without excruciating pain. But of course it's all worth it...

In case you are wondering about Canaan's name... "Canaan" was the Promised Land in the Bible, and literally means "Humble". "Tripp" means "the third" and is also the namesake of one of our favorite authors...we thought it appropriate since he is our third son.

Both boys are adjusting well to their new baby brother. Caleb is so curious about his baby and Corban is eager to try and help.

Nate's mom is here to help with the transition, which has been a blessing. I'm dreading next Monday when I am all on my own with this three active boys.

We've been sooooo blessed by our military family here and our church family in Lawton. My friends here threw me a shower where they showered us with tons of diapers and frozen meals (which was a GREAT idea!) and our church gave us a shower with sweet handmade gifts and a generous cash gift that helped us get some much needed outdoor toys that all the boys will enjoy. We were again humbled by how God has greatly provided us all of our needs and even some of our wants!

Thank you all for sharing in our joy. I am so blessed to be the mother of these sweet boys. I'm just sad it all goes so fast. Here is a little part of one of Nate and I's favorite poems:

"Settle down cobwebs, dust go to sleep,

I'm rocking my baby, 'cause babies don't keep"

Nate and I often remind each other that "Babies don't keep" as we truely try to enjoy each moment with our boys. I know that the next few years are going to be crazy, busy, and chaotic with three under three, but I don't want to wish this season away, I want to cherish each moment, because it goes too fast.

Well, I have a newborn who's crying, so I guess I better sign off...

Twas the Night Before Canaan...

So in about twelve hours from when I write this, I will be heading out to meet my third baby boy...I am so excited!

Corban was 9 lbs. 4 oz.s two weeks early, Caleb was 7 lbs. 2 oz. two weeks early, so my guess is that Canaan will fall right in the middle at 8 lbs. 3 oz. I have a red head, a blondie, and would LOVE it if the dominant Hispanic genes on both Nate and I's side will step up to the plate and give us a dark haired baby. Both of my boys so far have been born bald and have stayed bald their entire first year, so if Canaan is born with a head full of hair, that would make my day.

But of course we will love him no matter what he looks like...

Well, we will try to update you all and post pictures as soon as reasonably possible. We are so excited to meet our newest little blessing. If you think about it, please pray for us in the upcoming days...we're gonna need it!