Joanna Lyn

Welcome...

Joanna Lyn

Born Friday, July 20th at 6:14pm

8lb 2oz, 20 inches long

We are so thankful for another safe and healthy arrival of a very sweet little girl! 

Our family of five! 

The boys were SO thrilled to meet their new baby sister after waiting so long! 

So...the end-of-pregnancy story: She was nine days overdue. I was perfectly content with the wait up through the due date, but after that each day started getting longer and longer. I didn't want to get started and was trying to put that option off as long as possible. But, doctors will only let you wait so long. I was scheduled to get started Thursday morning, but the labor and delivery unit ended up being swamped up until Friday afternoon (they were still swamped, but didn't want me going any farther overdue). We arrived at 10am and got put on the monitor for a bit until a room opened up so we could get started. Dr. Heckart broke my water at 12:15, at which point I was dilated to a 5 (at my appointment on Tuesday I was almost a 4). When I got off the monitors, we power-walked the halls and stairs of the hospital for a couple hours until contractions started getting regular and stronger. Around 3pm, I was at a 6 and spent the next couple hours on the birthing ball. At 5:15, I was at 7.5 and then got in the bathtub for a half hour (something I hadn't tried in previous labors but it felt SO good). A few contractions after getting back in bed, I was ready to push. And the doctor barely got her gloves on before our little girl arrived! We didn't need any pitocin or help with pain relief, and even the pain was tolerable up until the last couple minutes. Everything went SO well, and we were very thankful for all of the answered prayers for a smooth labor and delivery and a healthy baby. God has been so good to us!

The name Joanna means "God is gracious" and this has been a wonderful reminder to me as we've made our way through the past few weeks. He answered our prayers for a good pregnancy, a smooth labor, a good baby (so far), and a smooth transition to a family of five. He answers my nightly pleas for a good night's rest. He gives us grace to overcome every new day.

Joanna is named after Matt's Grandma Joan Lanz, and the middle name is mine and my mom's.

Grandpa and Grandma Massner - the first newborn girl they've held in 24 years! To save you the guesswork-that baby was me. They are so excited to add another girl to the family! 

Twelve hours old!

Great Grandma Lanz

Uncle Zach (the Schulz uncles got to see Joanna before G&G who were on vacation!)

Ready to bring my little girl home! This pink stuff is going to take some getting used to! ;) 

Daddy is so in love with his beautiful daughter! 

Ready to go!

The grand arrival...the boys were very anxious to hold the baby again! 

Micah was OVERJOYED! 

The Schulz family finally returned home a few days later and came over right away to meet Joanna!

We enjoyed a visit from Great-Grandpa and Great-Grandma Schulz.

Joanna has been a good baby so far and is sleeping pretty good stretches at night, though sometimes it takes awhile for her to go back to sleep after nursing. Throughout the day she has been pretty content, but will get a little fussy in the evening before bed. Of course, I am afraid to say too much since this is only week three!

By 11 days old she weighed 8lb 11oz!

Ready for our first Sunday in church!

The boys LOVE their little baby sister. Levi likes to be involved- holding, burping, rocking, squeezing, poking, and repeating her name: "Jo-a-nna...Joanna...Joanna..." Micah's admiration goes as far as pointing at her with a big grin on his face and saying, "BAY-BEE!!" Awww...they are all so precious. :)

"I will hold Joanna on my lap right here and you can give her kisses..."

Life unedited... :)

The adjustment to three children (ages 2 1/2 and under)? Not too bad. The first two weeks went really well and I was beginning to think it didn't seem much different than having just the two boys to chase around when nine months pregnant. I had plenty of energy and my emotions were staying in check. Then Joanna started getting more awake during the day and now I am starting to feel very busy. Getting started in the morning can be very crazy, and evenings when Matt works late...ok, so I've only let myself do one of those by myself and it was a mess. I'm still doing well overall, but just had a rough start to the week!

We're on double diaper duty again! Well, sort of triple because the oldest one is still having some accidents. But we'll pretend I don't have more than two in diapers...

BUT I have had SOOO much help and am so grateful for the family and friends who have given their time and energy (and meals) to help out! Matt took the whole first week off work to help out. When he returned to work I had plenty of help lined up in the mornings and the first week I only had to spend two whole days by myself at home with the three littles. I've had good help again this week and I feel very blessed to be surrounded by such a good support system!

So precious!!

"Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you." This verse has been a good reminder to me that God is here and wants me to come to Him with all of my cares. I am learning to rely on His power and grace for every moment. I can't do it alone -  and most certainly not without help from above!

We're all in love...:)

Non-cellphone photography courtesy of Hannah S.