Shillig 4 Family

Halloween snuck up on me this year.  I know I have had plenty of time to plan for a baby to have their 1st Halloween and all, but the day of I realized I didn't have a costume for her.  My friend Katie asked what LJ was going to be and I said, "a baby" because while I knew it was Halloween, I had also completely spaced it.  When Jake got home from the office he asked if I was going to be Belle and once again I had not given that a thought.  My hair was in a bun and I didn't have a bit of makeup on.  In about five minutes I dug out Mali Su's turtle costume from 2008 and threw on my Belle costume and we were in the front yard taking pictures.  Leila Jin and I headed back home after a few houses while the rest of the crew made their way around our amazing neighborhood.  I am so grateful for cousins, candy, and costumes that work year after year.  I am even more grateful that our kids did not care one bit that they wore their last year costumes....

I got the kids matching shirts. We packed everyone's bags. We headed to the hospital on the morning of the 14th. The kids were so excited because 4+1=5 and Leila Jin is the 5th child in our family. They were also insistent that they come and wait for her to be born.  They were so good and patient in the waiting room.  Jake would bring them in a couple at a time during labor to visit.   They started the pitocin (it gets the contractions going since I was induced) around noon. I was a 1-2 all day.  Finally around 8 Jake asked Kaylene to come so the kids weren't in the waiting room all night long.  We assumed by the progress I had made that I was going to be awhile longer. Jake took the kids outside to Kaylene around 8:30 and they checked me and I was a 3 and thinner (cervix).  I sti...

 Tomorrow is the day.  Tomorrow is the day Leila Jin will join our family!  The whole house has been full of anticipation for weeks.  The kids have been antsy, Jake is in love, and I am trying to manage all the emotions that come with it.  I am excited, nervous, worried, scared, and most of all happy for the love we all feel for this little baby girl on the way.  Jake snapped some pics today (he's been asking me for weeks now to take some maternity pics) and I am adding them here.  We are about to be a family of 7 & it will be INCREDIBLE!  I enjoyed my "last meal" of gumbo and crawfish etouffee & it truly hit the spot! The kids were told how polite they were so that always makes for a smooth night. The contractions seemed to taper off after I finished eating, but I know they will be back soon!