Finally, here they are!

In no particular order, here are some pics of Embree Beverlee Bird. The above is her just chillin' on the couch. She is NEVER awake. I can't get her to nurse longer than five minutes at a time. She just sleeps and sleeps and sleep! I have even tried getting her naked and a wet rag and she is just dead to the world...Definitely picked this up from Jeff.

Jeff's classmates often make fun of him for assuming the following position in class that Embree so gracefully imitates.
Maddox sharing his toys with Embree. This is the first morning after we brought her home. He even tried to get her to hold one of the ornaments in her hand.
Hanging out on the couch!

This is the first time he saw her. He wanted to share his blocks with her right away.
He was very distraught that she was upset in this picture.
Here are some hospital pics.

Right after delivery. The delivery went really smoothly. She was born on Black Friday, November 27th at 10:45 p.m. I had my first contraction while I was taking a nap that afternoon. By 6:00 p.m. we were on our way to the hospital. When we arrived I was dilated 6 cm, 100% effaced and at a 0 station. I was in pain! The contractions were about every 3-4 minutes. The doctor who checked me had the nerve to say, "Just let me check you and we will see if you have progressed enough to stay here." Hello!?!?!? I can't even move or breathe and you are telling me you might send me home? Seriously, can't you tell the difference between people in real pain and labor and those who aren't? I wanted to give him a piece of my mind. Good thing I couldn't talk very well.

I kept asking for an epidural but they kept saying they had to draw my blood first and put in an IV and do some tests and paperwork. I kept telling Jeff to go find them and get me something. My the time they finally decided to admit me I was dilated to an 8 and she was at a -1 station with contractions every 2 minutes apart. Still in pain and still no one even concerned about that!

They finally did the epidural after I told them I thought I had to push and checked me to find that I was ready to go! Thanks a lot! Anyway, I am still glad I got the epidural cuz she was face up and so we sat and waited a couple hours for her and me to rest up and then she was born after about 20 minutes of pushing. WAY easier than Maddox's delivery, even though it was more painful.
Right before Embree was born. It being the holidays, I am so grateful to whoever invented epidurals. Amazing!

Maddox's Baby Preparation Training

In order to prepare Maddox for a baby sister, we used some unique and really everyday experiences. Most of the time I didn't even realize we were teaching him until I looked back at the pics and decided they were just as good as buying a doll for him to beat up and probably throw in the trash...he is really into throwing things away right now, even his candy! The first is just a cute pic of him showing his sister how to watch TV. Forget the rule that you aren't even supposed to let your kids watch TV until they are two (which he will be on Sunday) and forget the rule that you are supposed to sit at least six feet back from the TV, he is all over going blind and breaking the rules. He was actually pointing to the letter "o" on the TV and got really excited. Usually he is pretty good about at least staying behind the piano bench.

This next pic series is of Maddox wrestling with Matthew. This first move is the steamroller. He has tried this on Embree, but luckily I was holding her in my lap and was able to deflect most of the blows.
Even though it looks like Matthew is crying, it is really not due to anything Maddox did to him, at least I can't remember that being the case.
Tickle torture?
My final pic before giving birth...nine months pregnant!
This is one of my favorite things that Maddox does. Here he is learning to be soft. He loves to get the eggs out and line them up on the counter (yes, it is not clean). Then he will count them and put them back in. When he first started this I didn't like it, but he actually does very well now and doesn't break very many. The ones he does break we use to surprise Jeff with cookies so everyone benefits!

His tower. Just because he is so cute. Nothing really here that relates to babies, although he does build lots of towers now a days while I sit on the couch and nurse.
Here he is learning to be very careful (and also learning how to drink from a glass).
He was pouring water back and forth between glasses. He did very well at first until he tried to dump all the water into one cup and it overflowed. Oh well, he helped me clean up the mess.