Introducing Miss Zora Lyn!

This is our 4th baby, so I figured given the amount of data from the first three, I could make some generalizations about this kid.  First, this baby would be within two days of her due date (January 11, give or take).  Second, that I would go into labor in the morning.  Not early morning, but morning.  Third, that this baby would be as big if not bigger than the previous kids given how each baby is supposed to weigh more than the last one.  Well, given those assumptions, I made a plan for cleaning and packing and getting "ready for baby."  Friday the 28th of December, Todd's last "Friday off of work," I had him help me take down all the Christmas decorations (which normally stay up until Epiphany) because I wanted to get my house back in order, wanted to vacuum up the fake pine needles, and wanted my coffee table back so I could fold laundry again (it was holding the tree out of Harper's reach during the month of December).  Then, on Saturday, I got all the big kid's things ready- washed all the clothes so that the kids would have clean underpants (it had become a serious issue in our house), got all the new Christmas toys sorted and organized, fresh sheets on beds, etc.  Then, I finally remembered that when you're getting ready for a baby, you have to actually get things for THE BABY.  At that point, I sent Todd out for a small package of disposable diapers/nappies and had him get the crib/cot out of the garage.  I was so proud of myself by the time dinner rolled around.  I had the house sorted and that meant I had two weeks to get mentally ready and get all the "stuff" for baby ready and two whole weeks to pack a bag for when it was "time."  I should have known better than to rely on any of my children doing what the others have done.  They are, after all, MY children and thus, by sheer definition, want to forge their own path, every time.  Each one.

That night, the whole family ate dinner outside.  I was too tired and too hot to cook, so we had peanut butter sandwiches for dinner and called it finished.  By the end of the meal, I felt odd.  Not in pain per say, but like I'd been doing too much all day and needed a long shower.  By the end of the shower, I thought it might be more, but as history has proved, my girls don't really give me 'labor' so much as odd twinges that just feel different.  By 8pm, our midwife told us to just come on in since the last two were fairly quick and the last thing we wanted to do would be driving like maniacs in the middle of the night.  So we called some neighbors to sleep with the older kids and I jokingly said, "We'll be back in a bit, no worries, this is probably just gas."  This was the third time I was in active labor and didn't think it was anything.  The movies really don't depict an accurate picture, do they?  I should know better, but I didn't.  I was trusting the "system" and going into labor at night wasn't the routine.  We showed up at the clinic and I fully expected to be sent home.  Those of you who live in the US, this won't make much sense because you show up and the hospital has everything for you.  Here, your bring the things you need.  So here we are showing up at 9:30pm with no paper work, no baby blanket, none of the things on the list of "what to bring to hospital to have baby."  I felt like an idiot when the admitting gal would ask, "Do you have..."  The answer was always no.  This was my FOURTH baby, I should have had these things!  I should have been prepared!!  Long story short, and a rather long night of being bored (really, not joking) come 8:07am local time, little Miss Zora Lyn made her way into the world, all 3.44kg/7lbs. 6oz.  Longest labor but easiest, most uneventful one and she didn't even seem to mind that Mommy forgot her diapers and had to borrow. :)

I knew all along that this was a girl, not because of any sonogram but because I just knew.  We chose her name based on one of my favorite books, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston.  I went to two high schools and ended up reading this book twice, sophomore and junior years.  I loved how it's written in the same style as Mark Twain's novels, with the local vernacular.  One of my favorite quotes:  “Two things everybody's got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves.” Em was named after Todd's side of the family (his grandfather) and then Cooper and Harper were after mine, so it was back to the Leslie side for a middle name.  We actually used a shortened version of Todd's mom's (Marilyn) and aunt's name (Lynnette).  Hence, the odd spelling.  

We waited around the clinic until Zora was cleared by the pediatrician (around 1pm) and then headed home.  Now most people think this is the most insane move but the point of staying in a hospital or clinic longer periods is for rest, right?  Well, neither Todd nor I sleep well in those settings, thus "rest" would not be had until we got home.  So why not just leave and go get some much needed rest and enjoyment of our family?  And that's exactly what we did.  We were home in the afternoon and the kids, fresh from the pool, posed for our first family photo.  

We loved the experience of taking newborn pictures of Harper, so we did that same thing again with Zora.  These are two of our favorites.

 Girlfriend is as sweet as they come and has just sort of blended into the family rather seamlessly.

 Our first "family outing" was to church, or rather our district Nazarene Missions International convention.  Dr. Nina Gunter was the speaker and even though Zora was only one week, we didn't want to miss her preaching.  That, and we really had no reason to not go.  Zora eats famously.  She sleeps too much at night (I know that doesn't seem like a problem, right?) and the older kids have taken right to her.  No sibling rivalry, no issues.  In fact, my two biggest fears were Harper rebelling (didn't happen) and Cooper's toilet training derailing (if anything, he's done an even better job with her around).  I know there are many, many people out there praying for our family, and I'm telling you, I have felt every prayer.  There is no other explanation for how easy the last two weeks have been.