Merry Christmas!

Hello and long time no blog! Below is our annual holiday letter. There are still 1/3 of our family & friends who have yet to receive this along with our card in the mail. Hoping to accomplish the rest of the Christmas cards in January!

More updates and pictures are coming to the blog soon - time to get back into the swing of things. When baby hits 6 months old, we usually feel like we're getting the swing of things. However, there are new challenges we face, such as attitudes of 9 year olds. We'll catch up soon enough with life in the Phelps household. We hope you had a wonderful Christmas!

“Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people” Luke 2:10

2010

H ello Friends and Family, we’ve got a rhyme for yous; it’s what happens when you read too much Dr. Seuss.
A bout time we did another letter, I know. Last year we were busy, this year too, watching our family grow!
P helps headquarters gained another little trooper; Joshua Thomas is really quite super!
P lenty of LOVE to go around, we extend some to you too when this letter you have found.
Y ou’ll find a tidbit of all in this letter and maybe you’ll get to know the Phelps’ a little better.

B iggest brother Nathan (9) just started Basketball and loves drawing, playing Legos and isn’t so small. (3rd grade!)
I n the first grade now, Hannah (6 ½) is learning so much, she’s caring, artistic and loves all with a “little mama’s” touch.
R eally testing Mom’s patience these days, Preston (4½) loves to play, do art and is loving his newest brother’s baby stage.
T his toddler, Spencer (2) is such a joy; full of energy, laughter, curiosity; he loves cars & trains and is such a big boy!
H appy is Joshua (5mos.) most would say, but teething & gas some of the day. Giggles & smiles; this age is perfect all the way.
D ad and mom love these blessings that keep them so busy, life isn’t perfect in fact at times makes us dizzy.
A t least we have each other and all of you in our life, but most importantly we are glad that we have Christ.
Y es we have our struggles like anybody does, but we have Hope within us and are joyful because.

J uly brought us a new baby, kids went back to school and in November Royce lost his job but it’s “cool”.
E verything is up in the air but we’re excited; our new mantra is: God’s in control & if He wills it so be it.
S o Courtney keeps busy with kiddos and MOPS, with homework and housework; the fun never stops.
U nabashed is our love for God and for life; who cares if there’s a little bit of strife.
S o If you told us 10 years ago, when we wed, that we’d have 5 kids, “You’re looney!” we would have said.
! Hopefully by now you’re not sawing a log, but if you want to hear more just check out our blog!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The Phelps Family
Royce, Courtney, Nathan, Hannah, Preston, Spencer & Joshua

Preparations for Christmas

Trimming the Christmas Tree is always festive around our house. Christmas music on, cookies & cocoa consumption, we're ready to go!






Each night in December, our family goes through the book "The Adventure of Christmas" and reads something about the history and traditions of Christmas, such as trimming the Christmas Tree, why we light up the tree, and our homes, Santa Claus, Holiday Letters and Christmas Greetings. Everyone always enjoys this book each year.

This is something we started this year, an Interactive Nativity set called "What God Wants for Christmas"

We have a 9 year old?!

December 5th marked the 9th anniversary of several hours of labor and the delivery of my first baby, Nathan Michael Phelps. Wow - in the 3rd grade and 9 years old. They say time will fly and they were right!

We had a quiet birthday party for him and big family shabang as well. There were a couple of friends that came over to do what Nathan likes to do, art

Aunt Gracie made him a spectacular Mario cake and Nathan had a wonderful day!

A continuation...

Hannah lost her first tooth. Funny thing is that her adult tooth was behind it, so even though you can see the gap where the baby tooth fell out, my strong flash on the camera picks up the tooth behind it and doesn't allow us to really photograph the lost tooth. Can you see it??

Apparently Spencer thought the race car was hungry for some Corn Flakes.

Here are some pictures from our walk/ride this morning.






What started out as a bike/scooter ride for them became a walk half-way arond the block. Would you believe that all 3 of them at one point asked if I'd carry their bike or scooter? So funny. Next time around, everyone's walking.


And here is just part of the beauty we see on our walks around the block.


Lastly, wanted to share some preciousness with you. Spencer had to ride in the front of the stroller. No bike or scooter or wagon ride for him today. The whole way around he kept reaching out to touch things. I thought it was so special that I took a couple of pictures of his hand reaching out.

Babies & Schedules

Should those two words even go together? I used to think so...

It has been at least a week since my last post here. While I have "facebooked" quite a bit, I haven't taken the time to formulate an update. It's been pretty rough getting my bearings with being home with all 5 little ones. The first week home with them was pretty easy, but Joshua was still in that newborn state of sleepyness. Suffice it to say, he has awakened!

He sure is cute and one of the most-loved babies in our home (only beause of how many more people we have in our family these days) but boy does he have a set of lungs & a voice. The other day I am not sure if it was the taco I ate or the mocha I drank, but it seemed that something didn't agree with his stomach at around 8pm. He screamed & contorted his body to the right, when holding him & looking at him straight on, he looked like the letter "C" backward, cocking his head to his right & twisting his torso that way, even stretching his leg out only on the right side. It was kind of scary and I even almost took him to the ER. I held him to sleep & then let him sleep on me while Royce & I attempted to watch a movie, during which we all fell asleep. So after midnight when we transfered him to his bed, he woke up, still in pain & crying, so I comforted him next to me in our bed and just let him go to sleep there. He was fine for the rest of the night. When he woke up for his next feeding it was several hours later and he was back to normal. The next day he was fine, didn't seem to be in pain, but he cried a lot. That evening, he cried hard again, but this time didn't seem to be in pain as the night before, just crying until he fell asleep - seemingly hungry and yet eating a lot. Quite different behavior than his first 2 weeks of life. He's happy when he's eating & sleeping, but in between is kind of rough. This makes for an even trickier day when you factor in the 4 other kids. Fortunately, we all get a reprieve this weekend with Royce taking the older 3 camping. I'll keep the younger 2 here & we'll clean & chill.

Besides all of that, I do have a few pictures to share. The kids & I went on our first outting this week. The day I had Starbucks, we had gone "out" just to get out & only place we stopped was the drive-thru. Both at Starbucks to get mommy a mocha because the coffee has been left on that morning (which means it smelled burned) and to also get Taco bell for lunch because we had run out of bread for lunches! : )

Then today the kids & I had our first mile-long walk around the block. Hannah & Nathan rode their bikes, Preston rode his scooter (half of the way) and I pushed Spencer & Joshua in the double stroller while Joshy took his nap. Partly, the walk helped soothe him to sleep and he's been sleeping ever since. (it is 1pm now, time to wake him & feed him - such a tough thing to do to wake a sleeping baby)

This posting comes at a difficult time for me, but I am still trying hard to remember every precious moment because I know that they are only in this stage of life so long. Not just for Joshua at 2 weeks old, but for Spencer at 20 months old, Preston at 4, Hannah at 6 & Nathan at 8 1/2. They grow so fast! I believe that hormones are making me extra sentimental these days too. : )

So while our schedule is out of whack, at least it is summertime. Pray for us as you think of us. God is so faithful to teach us & grow us & to give us peace & clarity when we most need it. Now for some pictures....

Here is a picture of Joshua from just this morning.

Aunt Gracie visited several days last week which was super helpful!

Here are some super cute baby feet!

Successful Frenulectomy

Just a quick update on Joshua's frenulectomy yesterday. I held him through it and the dr. snipped it. He screamed, which was hard to hear, but he quickly took to the breat and was then just fine. His latch is much better now and we are very glad we got it taken care of. Thanks for the prayers!

1 week later - Joshua updates

Joshua is 1 week old now. He is doing very well & so am I, though still quite sore and staying on top of pain meds. Trying to rest as much as posible.

Royce turns 33 years old today, our actual due date, and returned back to work today, leaving me with the 5 kiddos for the first time. Things have gone suprisingly well! I have 2 sleeping, but 2 are playing around during their naptime (which means they won't sleep, but bedtime will be early tonight!) and 1 playing Legos.

Tomorrow Joshua has an appt. with an ENT to clip a tight frenulum (tongue-tied). I noticed it the last night in the hospital while he was crying. The piece of tissue that is underneath the tongue actually starts at the tip of his tongue and it made perfect sense as to why he was having so much trouble latching on. Fortunately it isn't tight enough to completely hinder his nursing, but the pediatrician did mark his referal as urgent so that we could take care of it right away. Feedings should be much smoother after the procedure. So please pray for him, his appt. is 10:30am, Tuesday, July 20th.

Below are some pictures of these past several days and some visitors we've had over. Unfortunately we did not get pictures of EVERYONE - bummer!

Bringing Baby Home

Joshua & I came home today (Weds, 7/14) and are doing well. He is the first baby to not have gotten jaundice, must be from the easy-peasy delivery. He's now approx. 7 lbs. 6 oz. but he just seems so small! His first car ride went smoothly, but he wasn't thrilled about getting into his carseat. (pictured below) Here are a few pictures of his homecoming & 3rd day of his life.

Joshua, Day 2

Joshua had a wonderful 2nd day of life. He has had a little trouble with nursing, but with some "suckle training" I'm doing, he has definitely picked it up in the last 2 feedings. I have only 1 concern for the pediatrician in the morning and then I believe we'll be sent home! Enjoying the peace & rest while here, but also miss the family. More updates to follow....

Meeting the kids

Baby Joshua has arrived!

We are pleased to announce the birth of our little boy, Joshua Thomas Phelps. A quick blurb from my facebook account, and then some pictures:

Joshua Thomas Phelps arrived at 7:05am, July 12th, weighing 7 lbs. 14 oz. & measuring 20 inches. Will be posting some pics soon if I can get it to work on our netbook here, with very little sleep.

Labor began at approx. 9pm, where we were counting contractions getting stronger at home. We went in & I was dilated to a 5. An hour later, a 6. An hour after that a 7. Got an epidrual - twice (kind of a bummer, but worth it in th end, then we got an hour of sleep at 6am, were told my doc would be up at 8 to break my water to get things rolling. He surprised us at 7am, broke the water, asked me to push - I did and then he said, "this baby will be here in 5 minutes." Watched them break away the bed, get the crew in place & then I pushed 2 times on 1 contraction and little Joshua was here - amazingly beautiful & perfect in every way. Praise God. I'm up now on the hospital wi-fi, trying to stay awake because he's spitting up amniotic fluid a bit, thought I'd keep awake by uploading some pics....to be put up soon!