Our New Normal!

 Our family on day 2 of our new normal!

 Welcome August Richard Golackson!

Born on March 17, 2013 @ 5:15a.m.

8lbs.10oz. - 20.5 inches

 On the left is our Doula Lisa who helped deliver our baby (Josh actually got to catch him!)- We ended up calling the midwife too late and she arrived 5 minutes after August was born! 

 Happy Family!

 BOYS!!!

 Gus & Jason hanging out

 Oh the testosterone!

 Can I please order another sister?

 Babysitter Laura said she will come over anytime to hold the baby. I said that's fine as long as you can pry him out of 10 little hands!

 Olivet still thinks there is a baby in my belly :)

 Here's the dream team! Sarah (training to be a midwife), Willemien (wonderful midwife from Holland), August (the one sleeping :), me (happy & relieved mom) & Lisa (doula living in China)

 Another nephew!

 "oh, the possibilities!"

 Jason's wife Susan & daughter Ci ci enjoying holding a newborn.

In this culture, most new moms spend a month in bed and not many others get to see the baby.

 Sweet Danielle has had a crash corse in parenting this month! She has been caring for Xiao Luo's baby about 4 hours a day. Baby David (3 months old) definitely prefers Danielle over the rest of us!

 As I was visiting with friends in the bedroom after August was born, one by one, pictures appeared on the bedroom door! 

 August's most recent pic- 5 days old

Sleeping Handsome

 Cute David!

 Story time!

 Proud Uncle Phil

(with a Popeye smile :)

 Smiley David

 A couple nights ago we enjoyed a family fun night! Each person was in charge of sharing something funny with the rest of us and then we watched an episode of America's Funniest Videos. 

It's great to laugh.

 Smile if you love your new brother!

 the hesitant smile

 Actually I think this is the most recent picture- 6 days old August

 so sweet baby

 This is me in labor- about 2 hours before August was born! 

(Having a home birth was truly amazing)

 This is what the midwife arrived to see!

 Proud, Strong & Brave Daddy

 August getting weighed

 The Midwife doing a baby check up and the kids getting an education!

 This is how he was positioned in my womb only hours earlier!

 I love the smell of a newborn!

 Our doula called Danielle and was debating on when to have her come and get the kids. I was yelling in the background- have her come NOW! Danielle arrived first- to the news the baby was born! Surprised and excited Phil arrived a few minutes later.

 Proud sisters

 Now Cade won't have to lock himself in the closet for another year or so :)

 Hadassah could sit like this for hours. No smiles, no comments, no movement. Just contemplations.

 Obs could too if we kept giving her mangoes! 

 For my mom: (I meant to post this sooner- these are the owl curtains in August's room :)

We have been so blessed to receive meals everyday since August was born. Olivet is praising the Lord with me that I get a break in the kitchen! Thanks friends for all of your kind meals, and such sweet encouragement!

To conclude with some other works of art...

Vivi & her butterfly

Hadassah's orange elephant

Caedmon's speed racer car

And Lily's owl

-Life's a hoot-

Swinging Into March

 Olivet monkey and I swinging in the woods!

Our friends Jason & Susan invited our family and Phil & Danielle to their restaurant for a Chinese New Year Celebration. (I usually find it strange to celebrate the new year when it's almost March, but we had a great time!)

 We had fun touring their property- here is the well. As for the large water hole, they plan on using it for fishing one day.

 The Lord graciously blesses us with random trips outdoors. Living in a big city with lots of cement and not a lot of grass gives us all a reason to rejoice when we get to play outside!!!

 I prayed throughout the afternoon that Caedmon's allergies wouldn't be affected by the dust and pollen. He had so much fun I don't know if he would have noticed if it did affect him! 

 Ballerina Ci ci

 Olivet not sure what to do with all the space!

 Walkin and Singin Along

 Dass taking it all in

 Here is the other end of the property. There used to be a huge garden, but they dug it up for the new restaurant building and for car parking. (Can you spot four kids walking in a row???)

 An entire garden of lavender- probably to sell the scent.

 Phil getting a workout- Dass getting a spin!

 Best Buds

 Swingin' Lil

 Higher please!

 Cade's turn!

 Josh getting to know some of the regulars :)

 Hot Pot for Dinner! Yum!

The kids were happy to receive a gift from Auntie Danielle & Uncle Phil after their trip to Thailand- until Caedmon pulled on his too hard and it exploded!

( I told him to make a sad face before we (meaning Uncle Phil) cleaned it up :)

 

I love this shot. Unbelief. Surprise. What to do.

 Lily wearing the hat Auntie Danielle knit for her- her first knitting project ever! She did a great job, and even in this 80 degree weather, Lil wears it often.

 We had a nice visit with our friend Xiao Luo and her new baby David. Lily is a natural.

 Two days later Caedmon lost his other front tooth! 

 Jason & Josh

 Happy Birthday Caedmon! 

He turned 7 this month!!! His favorite thing these days is "Ninjago"- Ninja legos. Auntie Danielle made this sign for him with some of the characters on it.

(The guy on top is Sensei Wu, who Cade wants to name our baby after :)

 We gave him a book about the person Caedmon was named after! It's a pretty good read.

 A lego battleship from Uncle Phil & Auntie Danielle

 And a Ninjago Set from Josh & I

"Happy Birthday!"

 Yeay, a decorate it yourself cupcake!

 Another creative idea by the littles to entertain themselves while I taught Lil & Cade.

 What a great Valentine's Day treat!!!

Lil set the table without me even asking. Amazing.

 The joys of having a big table, a veggi market right down the street & some large appetites and good friends!

 "What, Mr. Lion was hungry."

 On the che again

 We enjoyed a fun morning on our day off at a local park. 

 Daddy loves Olivet

 Climbing Viv

Sneaky Dass

 All Smiles

 Fun Times

 Olivet's many faces

 "Hmmm..."

 This is "the look"! She loves showing us this one in her highchair over and over as we laugh and laugh.

 Here is "INTENSE!" except you don't get to see the fists in the picture. She really does get an intense look when we say that. Except she didn't give it to us the whole time we were in Thailand! I'm sure because she was just too relaxed :)

 Who's copying who?

 girls just want to have fun

 Good friends! Austin, Jenny, Eliot & It

Baby David laying on the couch in his beautful handmade carrier. 

(head on left, feet on right)

One more picture with baby David- he is growing so fast!