Father's Day

I sure do miss blogging but it is taking a backseat to everything these days. I'm trying to get away with the bare minimum so I don't miss out recording this part of Gus's life. (side note: Am I using the apostrophe correctly there or is it Gus' ? I should know that.) Anyway, we had a great Father's Day celebrating the wonderfully amazing main man in all of our lives. I am so thankful for Rhett and the amazing father he is to all of our children. He just has such a wonderful grasp on all of the "big" things and how we handle them now and in the future with our children. I'm excited about seeing how he guides their hearts, leads and teaches them in the years to come. I couldn't have hand picked a more wonderful Dad for my kids. He is dearly loved by these little ones.

Here are a few recent pictures of our new little man Gus:

He is starting to look like himself as he looses that "old man" - newborn look. I think he is pretty handsome!

I snapped this one as he was hanging out in our yard all day on Saturday for our yard sale. He was quite a trooper and apparently was having some pretty great dreams. He was probably dreaming of running around a sweaty barefoot mess chasing a ball all day like his brother did - one day soon little man.

Look at those cheeks!!! Don't you just want to kiss and nuzzle them? You better believe I do all the time. I love this little guy so much. He is my little buddy (or "appendage" as Rhett likes to call him which is quite true as well) and we spend most hours of the day and night together which is exactly the way I want it. We are having some wonderfully busy days here at the Shirley house. I'll be back to blogging ASAP.

I wonder what it will be like?

My mind wonders often to our "new" life in Kenya. I have a million questions and no one to really ask. Just simple little questions about daily life that I keep thinking about as I try to wrap my mind around a completely different life there with our kids. Even though I visited Kenya several years ago and know what it is like on the surface I still have a lot to learn about what it is like to live there. When we tell people about our plans they often have some of the same questions: Where will you live? What is the hospital like? What are the people like? Where will you shop? Where will your kids go to school? I think the thought of Africa causes imaginations to take over and visions of mud huts and lions prowling through the yard prevail. So I'd like to take this opportunity to put all of the mud hut and lion thoughts to rest. A little background to explain this pictures first . . .

About a year ago not long after we joined our small group at The Church at Brook Hills another family joined and immediately we had so much in common with them. He is a pediatric surgery fellow and she is a mom to their 4 children. We learned of their desire to go overseas in missions and we were instant friends. It has been so nice to have someone to really talk about this with instead of just surfacy small talk to people about what our plans. We were in the process of applying to World Medical Mission and then later choosing a hospital in which to work. We knew they were interested in Kijabe Hospital and it was also on our short list. So we ended up choosing to serve at Kijabe and they are still in the decision making process since they are a year behind us in terms of finishing training. They had an opportunity to travel to Kenya and Botswana very recently to visit Kijabe and another hospital. They were able to spend time in each place and seek clarity on where they were going to move. So I sent my friend with strict orders to take pictures of every single thing and, well, she did! So I have some great photos of their visit to Kijabe that helps me have a mental picture of our new home.

The photo at the top of the page is of the "sitaplex" (which means six-plex in Kiswahili) which is a new building with six apartments in it to house visiting doctors at the hospital. This is where our friends stayed during the week they were there. It is possibly where we might live but we don't know for sure. There are also other freestanding houses on the station that are a possiblity. So even though we don't know if we will call this particular place home I thought it is a good representation of where we might live.


Here is the inside. I don't know yet if ours will come furnished or if we will be furnishing it ourselves.

Before you pass judgement based on the window treatments please check out the view from that big ole window . . .

That is the Rift Valley you see there in the distance. I hear the sunsets are to die for.


Kitchen is next on the tour. It is way bigger and has tons more storage than what we are currently working with so I am excited!



This is the 2nd bedroom. Claire and I veto the John Deere curtains and Rhett and I veto our kids sleeping on a rail-less top bunk but both of those problems are easily solved.


The master . . .


This is our heater for those chilly and windy Kijabe nights . . .



This is the playground at the school (Rift Valley Academy). Claire is pumped about those swings!


Here is a shot of the grocery store in Nairobi where I will be doing most of my big shopping. My local shopping will be done at the "Super Duka" - how fun is that name? HA!



Here is the hospital . . .



And here is another one of Rhett's new place of employment.


So there you go - a quick tour of Kijabe.

He's growing up . . .

From Ford 18 months

I while ago I promised some of Ford's 18 month pictures that my friend, Stephanie, took of him. They are just beautiful and truly capture who Ford is these days. We had a great time chasing him around the gardens - very literally. His bare feet got muddy but we did prevent him from going into the lake (barely). Enjoy some of these favorite shots of him. Thank you Stephanie for this gift.

From Ford 18 months

From Ford 18 months

From Ford 18 months

From Ford 18 months

From Ford 18 months

How to make an easy transition from 2 kids to 3

HA! I wish I could write a post about the easy transition from 2 to 3 kids! In my last post I unfairly placed the blame on the newest member of our family. I have to correct myself by saying that he is by far the "easiest" of the three kids right now. If it were just him I would sit around all day nursing him (as opposed to walking around all day nursing him as it seems I do now) and just watch him gain weight and grow eyelashes. But, alas, my cup is quite literally running over and my days are busy busy with these three little ones! I have had the most difficult time with just the logistics of getting around with them all. The first two didn't slow me down a bit but it seems as though the addition of a third person to be responsible for has made it much harder (nearly impossible) to run a quick errand or go on an outing. By the way, as I type this Claire has just taught Ford to open the refrigerator and they are rearranging all of the food. This can not be good. Anyway, it is the price I will have to pay for blogging today.

So where was I . . . oh yes - trying to get everyone in/out of the car without someone being killed in the parking lot and not making a scene every where we go. Those are my challenges. Hopefully in a few weeks I will have a better handle on everything and be able to run into the post office without some one looking at me in pity and saying "Oh dear, you have your hands full don't you?" To which I usually respond "yes and it is wonderful" and try to look like I really do mean it (which I do).

We are loving every minute of this wonderful summertime! Nothing like summer in the south. I realize it is insanely hot to a lot of people but I truly do love it. The longs hours of daylight, bowls full of juicy sweet peaches, flipflops, popsicles, sprinklers, lemonade, blooming hydrangeas and magnolias - sigh. It is good for my soul.

Here is the growing Mr. Gus. His cheeks have come in and we are watching in anticipation for the first sign of those delicious little baby rolls. He is just a doll and I am loving every moment of snuggling and getting to know him. He has a very calm temperment (well, most of the time) and as long as his needs are met he is a happy camper. I can't believe he is already 4 weeks old! We were anxiously awaiting the arrival of his birth certificate and his social security card so we can get his passport application in ASAP. Ever try getting a passport picture of a two week old? Keep in mind they have to be looking straight at the camera, eyes open, both ears visible, blah blah blah. Well our first attempt at 2 weeks was a lost cause. His eyes were closed but the lady at Walgreens tried to convince us it didn't matter. We sent one of those in with our Visa application but decided to try again for the passport. So yesterday I noticed he was awake with eyes wide open in the car after I got my haircut. So I put "drugstore" in my GPS and got to the nearest place to take passport photos. We had somewhat success - his eyes were open but only one ear was visible and you can kind of see one of my hands holding him up. We hope Uncle Sam will be gracious and accept it. We will see tomorrow . . .

Claire started gymnastics yesterday and LOVED it. She did great and can't wait to go back. She like the beam the best. She may go slowly but she is NOT going to fall off if she can help it. Now if we can just overcome her flexibility (which she inherited from her father) we may be in business. Can you say Team USA???

My reason for not blogging . . .

Cousins

We had all the cousins together last weekend for the first time - Ford 19 months, Claire 3 years, Gus 10 days, Mac 2 1/2 years and Graham 9 months. Claire is the little princess of the group and will certainly have her hands full with all of these little boys running around! What fun they are sure to have together in the years to come.

This is Claire on the first day of preschool in September . . .

This is her on the last day this week! It is amazing how fast they grow before your eyes. Sometimes you have step back so you can see it!
Whew - this is going way to fast. Didn't I just bring her home from the hospital??

This is what I saw when I looked in the baby mirror on the way to school on Friday. Brothers and Sister holding hands the whole way. I didn't know if I should cry or take a picture. I decided to take a picture :) Don't worry - I was in carpool line not driving (I've already been asked twice already).

My cup runeth over . . . this is what I see in my very full back seat. Thank you, God, for these children. I love them so much and I am so proud of them that I feel like my heart might burst through my chest sometimes.

How I almost had a baby in a Mexican restaurant . . .

OK, so maybe "almost" is a bit of an overstatement but I thought it sounded like a good title for a blog post and there is some truth to it. Here is how little Gus came into the world: It was Cinco de Mayo and I had been having random contractions all day but didn't put too much thought into them. When I went into labor with Claire my water broke first and I was induced with Ford by having my water broken so I naturally assumed that this labor would start with my water breaking first too. Rhett got home and I suggested we go out for Mexican mainly because I really didn't want to clean up the kitchen. So off we went to Sol Azteca to join in the celebration - ole! When we got there they told us it would be a 15 minute wait which seemed kind of unlikely considering the police in the parking lot directing traffic but we found a spot and listened to the live band and watched Ford dance. Maybe it was the loud music that got things moving but as I stood there outside the restaurant I started having much more uncomfortable contractions. Once again I blew them off and looked forward to some chips and salsa. Almost an hour into our wait we finally got a table.

This is when I made a pretty important decision. I decided to go off the combo list. I've never gone off the combo list at a Mexican restaurant. I've interestingly found that #18 is usually a burrito and a taco with rice and beans no matter what resturant it is and that is my standard. But this night I decided to get some fancy shrimp dish in an area of the menu I've never even read before (it was actually really good!). Anyway, as we are sitting there waiting a little longer than usual due to the crowds and my entree choice Rhett asked me "what's going on over there?" and I told him I was having some contractions. I assured him they were nothing but he looked slightly concerned (remember I was already 4cm dilated and my last labor lasted less than 2 hours). I told him I'd let him know when I had another one . . . and three minutes later I did. He got much more concerned at that point and started eating really fast (anyone who knows Rhett can understand the seriousness of that statement). I was still in denial and told him that even though they hurt they weren't that regular. He kindly laid out he situation for me: 4 cm dilated, 3rd child, contractions every 3-5 minutes = labor. Then came one of my favorite quotes of the evening "Megan, this will not go down in a Mexican restaurant!". He started telling the kids we were having a baby that night and I thought he was getting a little ahead of himself. Turns out he was right.

We got home and I called a friend and told here I was bringing the kids over. I had time to take a shower and get everyone ready and then I realized that I really was having the baby that night! I was starting to really hurt and Claire asked me what was wrong. I told her Little Baby was making my tummy hurt. She said "It's OK Mommy. You're just going to go to the hospital and push it out then you will feel better". Turns out she was right too. We arrived at the "MEU" (Maternal Evaluation Unit) where they check you out and decide whether or not you are in labor before sending you home or to L&D. I looked like a classic movie scene as I pulled up to the entrance having contractions and hurting . . . a lot. This is when I entered the Twilight Zone. I thought I was a woman about to give birth and everyone else there seemed to think I was there to get my teeth cleaned or some other non-emergent situation. I was calmly told to sign in and have a seat. WHAT?? I'm having a baby! I stood there and swayed and cried my way through several contractions while Rhett was told to park the car. Then a lady came out and called my name and led me back. She asked me in a cheerful voice to "hop up on the scale" and I thought I might be on Candid Camera. The same cheerful (oblivious) girl told me to sit down on the bed and I told her that there was no way I was sitting down anywhere. Then the questions started. I understand they have admission paperwork to fill out - I've been there - but when they asked me what kind of birth control I was planning on using after the baby was born that is where I drew the line and refused to answer any more questions. They found out in short order that I was 6 cm and that, yes, I was indeed in labor so they sent me upstairs to L&D.

So this is where things get a little fuzzy. I have had this desire for years to have natural childbirth for many different reasons. I almost did it with Ford (I feel pretty confident in calling it natural but since I technically had the epidural in my back with one dose of lidocaine I came up short). So, thinking this may be my last chance I was going for it. Can I pause here to tell everyone how you might think you can imagine how bad it must hurt but I assure you - you can't. It's off the charts. Just thinking about it makes me tear up. So I refused the epidural and just kept on trying to manage each contraction I was 8 cm at this point and having a tough time. Rhett was being so encouraging, thinking of every possible thing he could say to push me to the finish line. Now for my favorite quote of mine for the evening - Rhett said "You can do this" and I replied "Oh, I know I can do it. I just don't want to. I'm over it". Not long after that the anesthesiologist arrived with his wonderful cart of drugs and started getting set up.

This is where I took over. Let me explain . . . I am a nurse, in labor, with my third child and no pain medication on board. I know exactly what is going on with everyone in the room so I proclaimed myself in charge and started ordering everyone around. I asked the anesthesia guy - Paul - if he was set up yet and told him we were going to go for it after my next contraction. He was very kind and patient with Little Miss Bossy and did an excellent job. Sweet little Gus got his directions confused and thought he was supposed to come out face up (wrong!). So during my OBs effort to turn him while I was pushing I was very thankful I had the epidural because it was extremely painful WITH the epidural. So I am fine with the fact that I folded like a deck of cards because it got rough at the end trying to get him to turn (which he did finally). His forehead was a little bruised when he first arrived from his attempted upsidedown entrance into this world but other than that he was perfect.

Rhett announced that he was indeed a boy (we had a strong feeling he was a boy but didn't know for sure until we saw his plumbing!) and I had that amazing moment of looking at my sweet baby for the first time and falling in love with him. He is the smallest of our three kids at 7lbs 8oz. He's really the first one that has actually looked like a newborn. We are working hard to chunk him up and he's doing great. He read the breastfeeding manual before he was born and is a superstar. He was born at 10:42 and was nursing for the first time at about 10:44!

We are thankful for Gus and so thrilled to welcome him into our family. He is just a reminder of how precious life is and how perfectly we are knit together by our Creator.

Gus Harden Shirley

This is Gus Harden Shirley! We are so excited to announce that our beautiful son was born on May 5, 2009. He weighed 7lbs 8oz and was 20 inches long. More details of the dramatic birth story will follow soon. For now here are some pictures of our first day with our sweet Baby Gus.
Mommy with all her babies!
Claire holding Gus for the first time - SO excited!

Mommy, Daddy and Gus in the delivery room. Welcome to the world little man!!

Last week

Less than a week ago my precious friend Stephanie spent a morning with me and Ford taking some pictures. I had mentioned the possibility to her a while ago but as time got closer for the baby's arrival and I felt more pressed for time I was tempted to just let it go. Then I had a conversation with my other precious friend, Shanan, and we talked about how child #2 seemed to get the squeeze at times and miss out on some of the things that #1 and #3 tend to have prioritized. One of those is pictures. Although I did make sure I had fantastic photos of Ford for his whole first year I was tempted to drop the ball on 18 months due to this busy season. After Shanan and I talked I decided that I had to make it happen for Ford and I am so glad. He is such a precious little thing at this age and I am so thankful for having wonderful pictures of him to remember this age. Anyway, I've only seen a sneak peak of those pictures of him but I'll share them when I get them because what I've seen is adorable!

The main reason for this post is that I asked Stephanie to take a few shots of my enormously pregnant belly. I felt really weird asking and even more so actually taking the pictures but I can not tell you how thankful I am to have these pictures. I'm not a pretty pregnant person. I am relatively short and even more short waisted which makes for a rather large tummy but I guess even more than that I just don't feel pretty when I'm pregnant like some women do so I'm just tempted to not document it. It is now several days later and I'm not pregnant anymore. I am already looking at these pictures with warm nostalgic feelings and I'm so thankful to have them as a way to remember a very special time in my life.

Our little ballerina

One of the hardest things about moving overseas for me is thinking about my kids missing traditional American "rite of passage" events, milestones and activites. I'm pretty sure that once we are there and living a different life those things will not seem as important and there will be other aspects of our new life will replace those things in a very big way but for now I get a little sad thinking about missing out on some of these fun things. One of those things being the precious moments of dance and athletics for little kids. I've always dreamed of the little ballerina, gymnast and t-ball player that I might have. So I have a very special appreciation for these special little activities that most parents take for granted. I'm thankful that I'm able to share some of these moments with Claire. Here's our ballerina at her first performance- yay!

Obviously she looked beautiful but she was also very confident and did an amazing job dancing up there in front of so many people. We were so very proud of her!

Here she is with Daddy right after the performance - can you see how excited she was? You can imagine how entertaining a ballet recital with about 35 3 year old little girls was!

And the #1 fan of the evening is little brother, Ford. He just clapped and clapped and was so excited for her. He just adores her and is so supportive of his big sister. I love seeing them encourage and love each other in that way. What special friends they have in each other. I guess Claire may be cheering for him on the football (aka soccer) or rugby field instead of the t-ball field as I once thought. (notice the for sale sign - sad :(