Coming Home

 After being away from home for 23 days, there was nothing like driving first across the border into our state and then into our neighborhood, and then to pull up into our home. The boys shouted for joy when we crossed the border. For the next few days, whenever we drove up to our house, Gavin would shout, "Yay we're home!"

 Gavin working hard to clean the car.

 This smile was because he had just soaked his dad with water!

Gavin loves holding his little brother.

This little girl roamed the house by herself when we got home checking out all her toys and then she found her bed. She was so excited to sleep in her bed!

Bringing Talmage home was an adventure. Now it was time to start the next adventure, being parents to four kids and the adjustments that happen when there is a baby in the home.

Enjoying Pensacola Beach

 Thursday we had a full schedule of swimming in the pool (Dallin had to get ready for swim team tryouts) and then heading to the beach. Without a backyard to send the boys out to, they were probably driving the whole hotel nuts with their jumping and sneaking out into the hallway to race. My goal was to keep them out of the hotel as much as possible. Zane's goal was to get some work done while talking care of Lili (who stayed behind from the beach to nap) and Talmage.

Talmage spending time with his Bro.

The reason Lili didn't come to the beach...the poor girl just couldn't get enough sleep. Lili doesn't sleep in the car at all which makes driving long distances hard with her. There were times when we just had to listen to her cry until she finally fell asleep. It wasn't pretty. Of course when she finally fell asleep, something always woke her up a short while later. She got plenty of sleep at the hotel!

The boys and I spent an afternoon at the beach. The sand was beautiful which of course is Gavin's favorite part.

Dallin and I split our time between jumping waves and playing in the sand.

Before we left for the beach, we got a surprise call from our caseworker telling us the state had cleared us and we were free to leave! We were so excited and shocked. We had expected a lot longer stay. That night we packed up and were ready to drive out early the next morning. Our adoption trip was finally coming to an end and we were able to take Talmage home!

Navel Aviation Museum and the Blue Angels

After the Alligator Farm, we made a very slow trek to Pensacola, Florida where we planned on living until the state of Florida cleared us to leave. The arrival to this hotel was much easier than when we stopped the night before in St. Augustine. We arrived at our hotel at midnight our old time (we gained an hour). The kids were all asleep so while I stayed in the car feeding Talmage, Zane unpacked the car and got everything set up in the hotel room (pack n plays, pajamas and tooth brushes out etc). Instead of carrying in all our luggage and tired kids, we only had to carry in tired kids. Unlike the night before, Talmage was fed and ready for bed, so Zane and I could both get exhausted kids to bed much quicker and with a lot less noise than the night before. I'm sure all our neighbors appreciated it (until morning that is when the raucous started up again.) For our sanity, we splurged on this hotel and got a two bedroom with a kitchen. Zane had warned me ahead of time that if we had to stay longer than the weekend, we would have to go find a cheaper hotel. We all prayed earnestly that we would be out before that happened!

The next morning (Wednesday, Day 3 with Talmage), it became apparent really fast I needed to get the boys out of the hotel and doing something active. The lady at the front desk informed me of the Navel Aviation Museum and Blue Angels practice show that was going to start in 45 minutes. I ran upstairs, grabbed the boys and headed out. Lili was exhausted and needed a nap so the hope was she and Talmage would nap so Zane could work. That didn't happened liked I hoped. When I got home, Zane was on a conference call, walking with a crying baby and feeding Lili lunch. Talk about multitasking!

We made it in time to see the Blue Angels. I thought it was awesome! The boys liked it but it was really loud and I should have grabbed ear plugs for them.

Displays of Navel Aviation over the years

After the show, we headed inside to check out the museum. We could have waited to meet the Blue Angel pilots, but waiting isn't really my boys' thing.

Shooting down the bad guys.

Do you really want to ride one of these?

Model of a ship with all the planes on it. I'm glad the boys have seen the movie Planes so that they understood a little how a plane lands and takes off on a ship.

Piloting his own Blue Angel!

This museum was so large with so much of it over my kids' head. We saw all the exhibits a little too quickly for me. I could have spent a lot longer reading through everything. I would love to go back in a few years when Dallin starts studying history more and the different wars. It would also be fun to go back with some of my history loving family.

There was a great kid section where we ended our tour. Dallin immediately made friends and was off with some boys pretending to fly planes and shooting down the bad guys. Gavin was content exploring by himself.

This was a great museum and definitely something I would do again!

Alligator Farm

We stopped for the night in St. Augistine because a friend recommended a visit to the Alligator Farm. It was the perfect place to break up a road trip and provide some entertainment to my kids. During this trip we tried hard to balance taking care of Talmage, providing a vacation for the kids, and Zane working. It was a tough balance and we didn't always succeed at it but this alligator place was a winner.

Talmage joined us. The day before he was in the hospital and the next, visiting alligators. He did awesome in the wrap though until it was time to feed. Talmage cries a lot during feedings, so after trying to feed him on a bench, I eventually went to the car and Zane took the kids around the park.

The alligator farm has alligators and crocodiles from all over the world (I think they had every species represented including the Salt Water Crocidile from Australia, Dallin's favorite) plus a few other reptiles.

Such a character!

My dangerous animals

 They can be pretty scary at times!

 Dallin was more than willing to jump into the mouth of an alligator.

Lili, not so much. 

I couldn't believe how many alligators/crocodiles this farm had. 500 maybe? There were tons! 

I don't remember the story about this beast but he was huge!

Goodbye Miami and Hello to Talmage!

 We are leaving!

Monday April 21st

 After two and a half weeks, we were excited to leave. In fact, when we left the city of Miami, the boys started cheering. It was time to start a new adventure.

The nurse getting Talmage ready for his big day...meeting his siblings!

Going home outfit. Everything is big on him.

Looking pretty tiny in the car seat (bigger than Lili though.) Talmage left the hospital weighing 6 lbs 4 ounces (Lili was 4 pounds).

The nurse wheeled Talmage down with the car seat in the crib to our van. We left the sterile hospital where everyone washes their hands constantly and uses gloves to this...

 They were so excited to meet Talmage finally! Dallin at first tried to pull him out of the car seat so that he could give him to Lili. We suggested (and by suggested I mean yelled, Nooo!) that he pull Lili out instead and let Talmage stay safe in the car seat. 

Phase one of our trip was down. Talmage was discharged. Now we had to wait until the state reviewed our paperwork and let us leave. Our plan was to slowly drive to the border of Florida (10 hour drive) and then wait out our time in Pensecola. 

Talmage was discharged and immediately went on a long drive! Feeding quickly became a problem with Talmage. Over the last few days at the hospital, it was taking longer and longer to feed him. His reflux made it painful to eat. We would stop in locations where the kids had a place to get out and run around while one of us tried to feed Talmage. In the end, we would stop for 1 1/2 then drive an 1 1/2. In other words, we made very slow time!!!

 Our first stop

 Gavin was so excited to finally be able to hold Talmage. He was so mad that Dallin got to go inside the hospital room. He would tell us constantly that he was big enough.

When Talmage wasn't eating, then he was a sleepy little boy as long as he was swaddled up.

We drove to St. Augustine and stayed the night. It is five hours from Miami but it probably took us 9.  Staying in a hotel with a newborn is so hard. There is so much to hull up and then you worry all the time about the crying especially during the night. I wish we could have stayed in St. Augustine longer or made more stops along our route to Pensacola, but in the end, it was just easier on all of us to stay in one place. 

Tuesday Morning

The boys woke up ready to hold Talmage. This is my favorite part about bringing a baby home. I love watching the siblings start bonding and the instant love.

Dallin especially loves babies. A sweet and tender side comes out when he is around a baby. He loves sleeping with babies. When Gavin was born, Dallin would only take a nap if Gavin was next to him. That first morning with all of us together, Dallin took care of Talmage taking a "nap" while I got the other kids ready and packed up. Zane had been up late the night before working and then was on the phone all morning. I'm so glad Dallin is such a great helper.

Lili is 15 months older than Talmage. We were worried about her adjusting the most, but she has done really well. That Monday night, we got into St. Augistine around 10 p.m. and Zane and I were trying to rush around getting everyone to bed. It was really hard because Talmage was very fussy since he needed to eat but it hurt too bad and Lili was pretty jealous and wanted to be held constantly. For the most part, that was the worse night. She has been very kind to Talmage and has grown up quickly. She shocked us by starting to speak. She says baby and gentle. Lili likes to rub Talmage's head and say gentle over and over (Talmage doesn't love it.) She is very aware of the baby and likes to look in on him in his bed while saying shhh but for the most part, doesn't seem concerned about him. If I'm holding Talmage, Lili just finds room on my lap for her too. Both of them are so tiny for their age, that there is plenty of room. I'm really grateful Lili is only 17 pounds right now because it makes carrying both of them not as hard!

Welcome to this crazy family Talmage!

Easter Celebrations

We didn't bring any of our Easter stuff with us as we drove to Florida in a very packed mini van. We were so grateful for the Family Center at the hospital that had a few Easter activities. The kids (mostly Gavin) enjoyed doing an Easter craft, played Easter games (Dallin won a huge remote control hummer that provided a lot of entertainment and kept him busy), an Easter Egg Hunt, and then on Sunday, Easter baskets.

After the egg hunt

 Lili with an egg. She loved opening up the eggs and finding candy inside!

Visiting Talmage and showing him their goodies.

Dallin and the toy that saved me some headaches. This kept him busy while we packed and throughout the weekend as Zane and I spent more and more time in the hospital with Talmage.

Easter Sunday morning

My mom made this dress.

Easter baskets after church

Miss Lili with an egg, candy dripping from her mouth, and an Easter hat from her Easter basket.

We were so grateful to the hospital for the help they give families to make a hard time easier! Although we missed our usual celebrations with our family and friends, it was nice to keep things simple and to teach our children about our Savior and what Easter is really about.