Gage Alexander Pool

Gage Alexander:  May 5, 2013

8 lbs, 20 inches long

Born at 9:41 PM

 Gage:  Measurer,  Alexander:  Defender of the people 
 We have joked and said, "So, he's going to measure and defend people.  "Yes...You are 5 foot, 3 inches, I will defend you.  You, Sir, are 6 foot, 6 inches.....you may have to defend me!"   When we found out I was pregnant we started playing the "silly naming game"with the kids.  On a road trip one day, we were picking out signs along the road and saying, "What about Dry Creek Pool?  How about Miracle Whip Pool?"  and so on.... There was something on the back of the truck in front of us that said something about "gauge".  Ryan said what about "Twelve- Gauge Pool"?  "Gage?"  I asked.  "I actually like that!"  And that is what we called this baby-- even before we found out we were having a boy.  The kids began calling the baby, "Gage" instead of "the baby" almost from the beginning.  And since we were praying about it every night and nothing else ever crossed our minds.  Gage it is!  But I do believe God has reminded us through this baby, through this election year, through this season of our life that HE IS THE MEASURER.  HE is the measurer of men's hearts.  HE is the measurer of times and seasons.  HE is the measurer of nations.  HE is the measurer of all things and we can trust HIM to measure out precisely and accurately.  And of course HE is also the great defender of His people.  So, all to the glory of God-- our measurer and defender!

 This is the first baby we have not had a camera in the delivery room with.  I have finally decided with #6 that second day pictures are SO MUCH BETTER than delivery pictures!!! 

 We waited to announce the name of the baby until all the kids were there.  Of course, they already knew his name but it was fun to wait to let everyone else know until they were there to announce it with us.  The birth certificate lady was about to have a fit telling us, "You know your baby can't leave the hospital without a name."  Hmmmmm.....anyway........One funny thing that happened, Ryan told Benjamin to announce to his grandparents what the baby's name was.  He looked unsure for a moment then whispered in my ear, "Is is Bobby?"  "What?"  I asked, extremely confused.
"Bobby?"  He repeated.  "No, It's Gage Alexander.....Like we talked about.  Why would you think it's Bobby?"  A huge smile of relief crossed his face.  "Oh good!  Of all the names in the world, I really hate the name Bobby."  Then he showed me on Gage's little bed carrier where the nurse had sloppily printed "Baby Boy Pool"  only it looked like "Boby Boy Pool."  Poor kid, thought we had gone ahead and renamed his brother the one name in the world he can't stand!

Boden Matthew (3 1/2) with Gage.

Benjamin Ryan (9 1/2) with Gage.

Sarah D'Anne (12 1/2) and Natalie Adele (1 1/2) with Gage.

Maya Leeanne (11) with Gage.

Daddy smooching on Gage in the hospital!  What a proud Daddy and so relieved this part is over!

May 12, 2013

I am planning on posting the amazing birth story of Gage.
I am planning on posting pictures and stats of our newest little miracle.
But....I don't have an hour (or more) to upload the pictures, edit, then post what I want in order to "do them justice" and I don't have the time right now to post the amazing birth story of Gage and "do it justice" so here are some random things I don't want to forget that I can put down quickly.....

Coming home from Fredericksburg was great but not at all easy.  Ryan decided to come down with the "gunk" we have all had (sore throat, cough, fever, etc.) the day we came home.  Poor guy has been trying to help me out and I've been trying to help him out and we are both exhausted, sore, & irritable.  (By the way, we have had this "gunk" since April 2 when Ben first got sick.  I still have a sore throat and ear-ache, goop in my eyes every morning, etc.  Everyone has had a case of it.  Ryan's turn I guess??)  The children have been amazing to help out.  The girls have gone the extra mile in caring for their baby sister & helping out in the kitchen.  Benjamin has picked up the slack in other ways, Boden has been exceptionally happy to play with Natalie & to help out where he can.  They are all joyful most of the time and do what we ask without complaining.  They are also great at helping each other and finding things to do to keep themselves and their "Littles" occupied quietly.  Thankfully the weather has co-operated and they have also been able to be outside a lot!  The people from our church have been great to serve us also.  They have brought several meals and one lady even went to the grocery store for us!  Just my little list of things I am thankful for!

Anyway, continuing on....when we got home the kids were THRILLED to find their gardens thriving!  Sarah's dill is ready to pick, Maya is about to get a yellow squash, and Benjamin found quite a treasure in his!  He came in yesterday yelling, "I got dinner!"  Ryan and I both thought, "Oh no, what has he killed now?"  But it was just a GIANT zucchini he picked out of his garden!  He ate that (along with the rabbit legs he had killed and skinned the day before) for dinner.  I don't think he was impressed with the rabbit-- that's one way to get a kid to eat his veggies!

Boden's comments when two different friends commented on how pretty his new brother is:
"You sure have a pretty new brother."
"He's NOT pretty.  Boys are handsome."
"Oh you are right.  Boys ARE handsome."
"But Na-Na (Natalie) IS pretty."

And......
"You sure have a pretty new brother."
"But sometimes he scrunches up his eyes like this..." (Bo procedes to make a really scary face, scrunching up his eyebrows).
"Oh!  What do you think he is thinking when he does that?"
"Well Mama says (uh oh, what DOES Mama say??)  he's probaly thinking, 'what's all these hands on my head?' "
(laughter, sigh of relief from "Mama"  :) )

Sometimes hard times truly are the sweetest.