New Blog Site

http://and1moremakes6.blogspot.com/

Here is the new blog site, I will no longer post on this one so please check the other one for updates on our family.

Going to change Blog Names Soon

Well as you all know the Cole Family of 5 is now 6 so we will be changing our blog site soon and hopefully you will be able to find us with a link. I'm still working out the details.

Well it's been a rough week home, recovery from baby has been easy, but the other surgery has definitley been a challenge. I cannot do much with my left arm and I am not allowed to lift up anything more than 5lbs (Praise God Jaden is only 4 1/2 lbs), Madison has definitely been a little clingy to Michael because of it, she really wants Mommy to hold her so we are working around her climbing up on things to get to my lap. Every day I get better but it is a challenge to hold him on the left side to nurse him, I know God is answering my prayers every day by making me stronger and helping him with nursing so it is not too much work for both of us.

He continues to amaze the doctors we went on Monday for your 2-4 day follow up after you are discharged, interesting having all four kids in one small doctors office at one time, but since Jordan had her 7 year check up and Jaden his 3 day check up we all had to go. Jordan did GREAT better than I thought since she got two vaccines - she didn't even cry. We were so proud, of course her arm is still sore where she had one shot but I can't complain too much. As for Mr. Jaden, again he amazes the doctors for his size and ability. They all expect to see this little sickly baby at 4 lbs and quite frankly I was quite convinced he would have lost more weight with still learning to breast feed, but we are supplementing although he seems to not want much of it after breast feeding. I don't know if he's just worn out from nursing (it takes so long in the beginning) or he is just full. But he has gained back almost all of his weight, he is back to 4lbs 5.5oz in less than a week (not that he had much to lose - but you know they always lose a little before they check out), his coloring is perfect (his billirubin sp? stabalized so it never got higher than 8.7 - great for our kids they all top out around 11 or 12) he's alert, active and just so darn cute! OK I'm bragging. He is eating the typical 2-3 hours so there is definitely that adjustment again but hopefully he will gain weight quickly and can hold more food in his tummy and sleep longer because right now Michael is here to get up with the kids but in another week he is going back to work and then it's almost all me.

Hope you like some of the pictures.

The story of how God heard by Mike

As you are aware we have struggled with a name for our new son ever since we found out he was a boy. We have run the gamit of names from Riley to Parker to Conner we even narrowed it down to 2 by the day of his birth. Parker and Conner were the favorites. Of course for those of you who now us they where not going to be chosen as we can not do anything easy. When our little guy showed up Monday morning we where sure he was going to fit one of those two names. Not so, Parker was eliminated early which left us with Conner, a favorite of mine for multiple reasons. However Michelle thought it sounded to rough and tumble and at 4 lbs 6 oz he was not either of those. We then came across Aiden which sounded great and means, little fire. "Little Fire" very appropriate for how well he was doing and of course his size. But Michelle wanted to think about it, I went into the office for about an hour and came back to an undecided wife. We fired up the laptop once more, this time we came across Jaden. I liked the sound and thought it fit without knowing the meaning. Michelle liked how it sounded but was not fully decided and wanted to sleep on it, which meant look for more names while I was at home when she should of been resting. Now you have to understand the Birth Certificate lady was going to call the next morning at 9AM to get his name. At 8:30 I called Michelle and found a still undecided mom, I finally had to call in the Dad card and we decided on a name. The meaning which is also part of the title of this post is God has heard, as I have prayed for a son and God has provided as he always does, of course it took 4 children to get there, but all worth it. So if you haven't figured it our yet we named our son....

JADEN MICHAEL COLE.

NO longer Thor or FNU or any other concoction of names I can come up with our boy has a name. Thank God our boy has a name.

As a side note Michelle will get to see him today after her surgery is complete and she has rested for a couple hours. That is a huge answer to prayer as she thought she wouldn't see him again until tomorrow when everyone goes home. Thanks for all the support and prayers.

Baby's Here posted by Mike

As many of you have heard I was pushing for the name Thor...

However as he entered this world at a wopping 18 inches and 4lbs 6oz that name does not quite describe his massive pressence. So we have yet to determine a first name so First Name Unknown (FNU) Michael Cole has arrived as of 1:15 AM on July 1st. Here are some pictures and I am sure Michelle will return to posting once she is out of the hospital sometime later this week.

Seriously why do we take these pictures.
He looks like he went ten rounds with Rocky.
Mom and FNU at 1:45 AM. I was sleeping I think.

Ooops no I wasn't sleeping, see here's the proof. Michelle, Me, FNU and Dr. Hodges we all look pretty good for 1-2 AM, especially Michelle, she did all the work.

Yes the Girls love him.
We will have to protect him from all the love Madison wants to give him....

Baby Doll that moves and squeaks.

Just for a size comparison.

Scrambling to get things done

So I'm scrambling and in panic mode, don't know why, I know the doctor will tell me that I will be induced sometime in the next week. I'm hoping it's not Friday, I just want to make it to July 1st. Trying to get some things accomplished, like Madison's room finished, curtains, rug, bedding etc. Moved her bed and some clothes in, she really likes her room. We can't begin getting the nursery ready for our little boy (sorry no name yet), until I move her completely out. (I know there is time since he will be sleeping in a bassinet for at least 2 months but, honestly can't see it getting done once he's here. Packing a bag, his clothes are so little, it's hard to imagine he will fit into them, it's like he will be a little doll (a little panicked that they made a mistake and he is actually a girl) and I have no idea what to pack for myself. Wanting my house to be a little clean (it's falling apart and I can't keep up) and doing the usual worrying about EVERYTHING. The kids are in dance worship camp in the morning, thank goodness they are having fun and my wonderful friend Donna is bringing them home (so I can rest of course.....which I'm not doing). I'm spending some time with Madison while getting stuff done, I'm most worried about her since she has no idea what's happening (the girls think the baby's coming home this week - trying to explain that it's not) and Michael's got some really great stuff going on at work, but very busy, it's weighing on me. I know I just need to continue to give it God and let him take my load, not doing such a good job, hence why I am posting at 4:45am. I know I will sleep better once I have a date and hopefully stop contracting as much as I am, I don't know how people go into labor on their own, it's nerve racking.

Mural

Inspiration

Interpretation

So Michael found the first picture on the Internet when we were searching for some kind of decoration to do in Madison's room (we never do anything simple). We were originally going to just frame some posters of shoes (Madison LOVES shoes), and then hang some shoes up on the wall on some small shelves, but he decided to really take it to the next level (because we have so much free time on our hands). However, after working on it almost every night for a solid week (it has to be at least 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide) this is what we have come up and I think it turned out pretty well. With the exceptions of curtains we are ready to move her into this room, hopefully this week.

Happy Birthday Jordan

It's hard too believe my baby has turned 7. It's scary and funny and so sad for me. I can remember everything like it was yesterday, all the things she's done and all the things I know she will do. I pray for her daily, and for our relationship that it would be strong and she can always know that I love her no matter what. I hope that I can continue to foster her love for the Lord and grow it so that she knows she can trust in him to calm her fears. She's got such a heart on her and I can see where she has grown over the last year. She's so sweet, I want so much to protect her from so much but my prayer will always be for the Lord to take care of her when I can't be with her and that we show her unconditional love no matter what.