Monday, December 31, 2012

New Year's Promise

I hate the word resolution. I feel like it's just setting myself up for failure by making them year after year. 2013 will be different. No more resolutions. Just promises.

In 2013 I promise to:
Yell less
Clean more
Cuddle more
Spend time with my kids, one on one, more
Spend less time on the computer
Eat in more often and out way less
I want to work on eating more whole foods and teaching my children to eat and make healthy choices
I want to decorate my house on the cheap
Read more
Knit more
Craft more
Get better at the things I love
Shoot more (photography that is! I'm kinda anti guns myself but that's a whole 'nother post!)
Be a better friend
Love more
Smile more
Run more ( I have a goal to run a half marathon for my 30th birthday in November. Who's with me?)
I want to get fit and healthy
Support my husband, he works so hard and such long hours. I need to do a better job supporting him and encouraging him
Get out of my shell
Make friends
Get dressed and feel pretty more
Embrace my body, it's gone through a lot, 4 kids yo!
Love my children and encourage them to be just that. Children. Loud. Messy. Crazy. Children.

I'm sure I will think of many more. They're nothing specific, but more just general goals that in the end will make me a better person.

Here's to 2013. A new year full of endless possibilities! Are you a resolution maker? What are your for 2013?

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Hairs cut

As you know, I hope, my kids (excluding Emilia for now) have tons of hair. Gabe alone has more hair than the rest of his sunbeams class combined. Well it was time for the Palizzi boys' quarterly haircuts. Gabe asked for hair like Julian's. :( he looks sooooo old!!!

They were really good boys and didn't wiggle a bit. I think they look pretty dang dashing myself!!





Humbled

Today I was feeling pretty good about myself. Not only did I manage to get myself dressed and looking marginally passable, all four kiddos dressed and snacks packed, we left for 9 o'clock church ON TIME. Did I mention Barry was at the hospital so this was all done solo? No? Well he was. Also I didn't really yell this morning, things just went smoothly. I was blessed. We rolled into church at 8:58, early!! (ha!!). We sat down in the front row of the back part, and things were going ok. Emilia started fussing so I got her out of her carseat. I was thinking to myself, man I can do this. Four kids isn't that bad. I got this.
And then I saw it. That familiar yellow stain allllllll over Emilia's leggings and onesie. Blowout. Bummer dude. There's nothing like baby poop to put me back in my place.

Friday, December 28, 2012

Fashion Help Requested

So I need opinions on something super important.

Skinny jeans in color. I know this trend was very popular while I was pregnant and who buys new skinnies while pregnant? (ok I did buy that one pair but I wore them every day!!) is it still going strong? Have I missed the mark completely? ( please say no!).

Is this outfit still passable for mildly trendy? Help!!!!

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Merry Christmas

We hope your family is beyond blessed this Christmas season. May 2013 bring happiness and amazing things.

xoxo
C







Monday, December 17, 2012

Holidays

It's Christmas time. The boys are almost finished with school for the hear. 2013 is upon us. I have a hard time believing that 2012 is nearly complete. So many wonderful things have happened to us this year, and we continue to embark in new adventures daily.

Christmas time is a time for tradition. Since moving away four almost give Christmases ago Barry and I have been able to start our own family tradition. One of my favorite traditions, and it's one I'm solely in charge of is Christmas cards. I love writing the envelopes out, sealing them, putting on the stamp and finally mailing them out. I'm behind this year, but I've got a pretty adorable excuse.

Another tradition we do is probably not unique to our family. Every Christmas eve we open one gift. That gift so happens to always be Christmas pajamas. I love new pjs and the boys seem to enjoy this tradition as well. We also open up a new Christmas movie. This year I think it will be Brave. I know not Christmassy but we will watch it as a family nonetheless.

If you have been in our basement you know, without a doubt, that my boys have plenty of toys. Plenty. So we try really hard to limit what comes in at Christmas. We also should probably have the boys go through their toys and donate those they no longer play with, but that's another post. We do four gifts for each person
Want
Wear
Read
Need
We are also instituting a new one: Give. We let the boys pick an ornament off of a giving tree and they pick out the gift, help me wrap if required and we give it to someone that needs it.
None of my traditions are extremely unique, but they are ours and I wouldn't trade them for the world. Do you have Ang Christmas or holiday traditions? Share. I would love to hear what you do to celebrate this time of year.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Time...

It's a funny thing, time. Sometimes it's so slow that you feel as though each day lasts a week. Other times the day is over in the blink of an eye. For instance, the last three weeks of pregnancy took an eternity to pass by. The first three weeks of Emilia's life, however, sped by at lightening speed.

My precious baby girl is 6 weeks tomorrow. 6 weeks! She is no longer a newborn according to everything I have ever been told. Her feet are firmly planted in the infant stage. She is such a good girl. The sweetest baby ever. She loves to shop. I'm being serious. Any time we are out and about she is do wonderfully behaved. She loves to be in the beco. Loves it. Snuggled up all warm and cozy, how could she not? She has three, no four, favorite people. Julian, Gabriel, Owen and her cousin Carter.

We remain fully and utterly in love with this little girl. Completely smitten. We no longer remember life before her, and she has slipped in and fit in better than we could have ever imagined.



















Sunday, November 18, 2012

Emilia Eliza Jane's birth story

INote: the following post contains details of a vaginal delivery. Do not read if this is something that will upset you. You have been warned.

Tuesday, October 30, I had my final midwife appointment. Deb said there was no need to check me since the following day I would be checked for sure, so the appointment was short and sweet. Heartbeat was in the 140s and fundal height was measuring 41 cm. We went to lunch and then picked up my mom from the airport. I was glad to have a day with her before I headed to the hospital to meet Four.

On Halloween, my mom and Barry took Gabriel to school for his Halloween party, and Owen and I hung out, the last time we would do that just the two of us. It was so nice. We were to head to the hospital at 6 pm to get the induction started. We got the boys ready for trick or treating, and then headed to the hospital, just a few minutes late.

We got settled into room 28, and changed into my lovely gown. We got there right before shift change, so nothing really happened, but check in and endless questions before 7:15. Deb came in and checked me. I was 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced, same that I'd been a week prior, which was slightly disappointing, because I'd had some irregular contractions and been losing some plug. The plan was set. Oral cytotec, in accordance with a foley/easy cath to help dilate me. She came back a few minutes later with the ultrasound machine to verify baby's position. Baby was head down, but face first! o.0 She said, "We need to get ultrasound down here to confirm, because if this is the case there's no induction tonight. I don't do inductions that fail."

That was a tense 15 minutes, not knowing whether or not the baby was coming. I threatened Four to turn slightly, and there were some crazy accels during that time, along with some mild, yet regular contractions. When ultrasound came down, she said that the baby was in perfect position, and that I had a beautiful placenta. The plan would go on. Deb said that she believed in the power of prayer. I told her I did too but that I'd totally threatened the baby while they were gone.

My IV/hep lock was placed and the cytotec was administered, seriously the tiniest little pills I've ever seen. The foley catheter was in place, and that was definitely awkward. They started my antibiotics for the GBS+, and said that I could walk around. The foley felt so awkward that I opted to stay sitting upright The foley fell out within an hour, which meant I was dilated to 4! I decided to walk around since the awkwardness was over with, and was spotting quite a bit. We did laps and laps around the labor and delivery floor. Contractions were coming, slightly stronger, but not intense, and pretty regular. I was supposed to walk for 40 minutes and then be monitored for 20 to make sure baby was handling contractions well. I think we walked for an hour and a half before we decided to go back to the room. It was about midnight when we headed back, and the nurse called Deb to see if she wanted me to be checked or not. They decided to check me again, since I'd been having pretty consistent and regular contractions. Imagine my disappointment when I was still 4 cm. They decided to start pitocin.

The pitocin was doing its job, and contractions were far more regular and intense. I labored quietly to myself for the next few hours. My nurse, Cami was great, and quiet the whole time. Exactly what I needed. She wasn't terribly chatty, or loud. She did, however, keep asking if I wanted pain meds yet. She was surprised when I said I didn't plan on an epidural for labor. At about 4 in the morning, they checked me again, after 4 hours of contractions, I prayed that there was some change. Success I was 5-6, and 80% effaced. But I was tired, and discouraged. So I asked for the IV drugs. One shot of Nubain later, and I slept for a good hour and a half through many contractions and my next dose of IV antibiotics.

I've never had Nubain before. It was interesting to say the least. It made me feel hot, and sweaty, and I kept thinking about the baby that was coming. We had disagreed, mostly me, on girl names the entire pregnancy. Going into the hospital, our boy name was Samuel Arthur, as it had been throughout the entire pregnancy, well really before we were even expecting Four. Our girl name list consisted of many, many names. Our top three were Caroline, Violet and Scarlett. When I would sort of come to, from the nubane, I kept thinking "Emilia is coming." Then it kept coming, "Emilia Eliza Jane is coming". When the nubane had finally worn off, I told Barry that if it was a girl we'll have to name her Emilia, which is a name we've both loved for years. Barry served in a city in Itally named Reggio-Emilia while he was on his mission. I'd joked that we'd name our daughter that or Alessandria (both cities where he'd lived!) Eliza is after my best frind, Carly Elizabeth. And Jane is just one of my favorite, most underrated names. 

The Nubain had lasted an hour and a half, about, so it was about 6 when it had worn off. My other labors had all lasted less than 12 hours from the time we'd gotten to the hospital. The fact that I'd been at the hospital for 12 hours without a baby in sight made me emotional. It might have also had something to do with the hefty shot of narcotics I'd had, who knows, but I started bawling. I was having wretched back labor, (thank you posterior baby), and needed Barry to push on my lower back with every contraction. I kept saying "I'm a failure. I can't do this. I'm dying." Now I know that I was in transition, but at the time, I thought the answer was an epidural. I wanted to be sitting, putting more pressure on my cervix the whole night, but any time I would do that, the baby's heart rate monitor would stop registering Four's heartbeat. I had to lay back to get the heart on the monitor. When I felt as though I was dying, I simply couldn't sit back, I had to sit up. Walking around probably would have felt better.

When my nurse came in, again shift change, they were loud and obnoxious and WAY too cheery for me. They kept saying something about bumping up my pitocin because my contractions just weren't strong enough on the monitors. That did it. I asked for the epidural. The nurses decided to hold off on the pitocin, until after I got the epidural, whew!, and went to find the anesthesiologist. She was the nicest and kindest anesthesiologist I'd ever met. She explained the risk of epidural, explained the procedure, and then went to get the consent forms. I signed them, happily, and then she left again to get the meds ready. She came back in with her blue surgical cap on, and had me put one on. Then she asked me to stand up to move to the side of the bed. When I stood up, I immediately felt pushy. (If you have a baby, you know what that feels like.) I looked at the anesthesiologist, who was standing next to me, rubbing my shoulder/back, and said, "I....need...to push, I'm sorry!" She laughed and said it was ok. The nurse told me not to push while I was standing, and asked if I could sit down. At that moment, I simply could not have sat down if you'd offered me a zillion dollars. She decided to check me while standing and said, "Oh honey you're an 8 with your water bulging. I bet if your water broke, you'd have a baby. Page Deb." When that contraction was over, I sat gingerly on the side of the bed while the next contraction was there, and then laid down on the bed. Deb had come in, and they got the room delivery ready.

Deb said to push when I felt like it. She made sure that Barry got his gloves on to catch the baby. With the next contraction my water broke everywhere. (Basically all of my antibiotics were for nothing, since baby wasn't ever exposed to the GBS) and with the next push I felt the ring of fire. But listened to my body and didn't push hard, just waited. The next contraction the baby was born. We didn't know gender, so Barry was the first to know. Baby was born with a body cord, and he unwrapped it and looked to see if it was a boy or a girl and put the baby on my chest. I took a peek, and said, "IS it a GIRL?" and then started bawling. Barry was teary, and Deb pulled open the baby's legs and said, "I knew it was a girl!"

I needed only two stitches, which was a miracle. When Deb told me that I literally said, "Shut up." I was for sure expecting another 2nd-4th degree tear. It's what I'm used to. I felt amazing after SHE was born. Any time I thought about the fact that it was actually a girl I started to cry. It's not that I wouldn't have been happy if it was a boy, that's not it at all, but I was just so surprised and overwhelmed that it was a girl.

Emilia Eliza Jane was born November 1, 2012 at 8:15 am. She weighed 8 lbs 10 oz and was 20.1" long.




Friday, October 12, 2012

37 weeks

Tuesday I had my 37 week appointment!
Everything went well, baby's heartbeat was 164, and I'm still measuring a week ahead with the tape. No big, Deb said to expect a bigger baby, around 9 lbs, which is what I was expecting anyway! I'm also GBS +, which is a mandatory 48 hour stay after birth. I was pretty bummed about this, I hate hospitals and spending unnecessary time there isn't my favorite!
I'm not super thrilled with my weight gain, but know baby is getting all it needs from me right now!
It's hard to believe I'm 37 weeks and technically the baby can come at any time!! Holy!
Probably I should pack my bag or something, no? Procrastination at its finest!
Still unsettled on a girl name, at this point I'm giving up, and just waiting until we meet the baby.
We finish this long houred rotation on Tuesday, I say we because it effects me too. While I'm not putting in 12-18 hour shifts at the hospital, I am putting in 12-18 hour shifts at home. (I could never be a single mom, I have mad props to those of you that are or have been! <3) Barry will also turn the big 3-0 on Tuesday!! We've given Four strict instructions to stay put until at least 5 o'clock on the 16th, so Barry will be able to take some time off. Still gunning for the 30th! :)

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Surprise, Surprise!

This weekend was fullll of surprises!

Saturday, after work, Barry came home and slept. He was working night shift and slept from about naptime to 6. Then started cleaning like a maniac. I didn't think much of it, he gets in cleaning fits, and whatever maybe he was nesting, because I certainly am not!!
He worked night shift again on Sunday, 10 pm to noon. About 11 o'clock I hear my doorbell ring, and who do I see standing on my door step? Alisha!! And her family! Such a nice treat!! My boys were so excited to see the Hubbards and play with their friends!

Thennnnn! Yesterday, after dropping Gabe off at preschool, Barry and I ran to target and I wanted to go to goodwill! I'm on a hunt or a nightstand and a desk maybe. He got all huffy and said he didn't want to go. I was bummed but whatever.
We got home and I started doing laundry and normal chores for a Monday. I'd just gone to the bathroom when the doorbell rang. It was Ginnie and Lindsay (and cutie cute Hinckley) to take me to lunch!! I am so lucky and blessed to have such amazing friends! I hate hate hate living so far away from the people that mean the most to me, both Iowa and Washington! It was do fun, Ginnie loves food, good food and she brought us to a BBQ restaurant that is 1 of 13 places to eat before you die! Oklahoma Joes! The brisket wad amazeballs!! No other way to describe it! We waited in line for about 30 mins, and whoa boy was it worth it!! Then we walked around the plaza and it was just so fun!!
It was just what I needed to survive the last few weeks of pregnancy! Thank you to my amazing friends!! <3

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Uhm what?

Well baby is head down! Hooray! So happy about that, since I'm pretty sure it was breech before my drive to Des Moines last weekend!
I'm now measuring at 37 weeks instead of right on like I had been prior to this appointment. Baby has definitely had a growth spurt and my scale can definitely attest to that!
I'm now on weekly appointments! Uhm, what? I can't possibly be that far along, can I? Apparently so! I've had more strangers talk to me about the baby in the past week than my other three pregnancies combined! Most ask if this is my girl, and the reactions when I say I don't know the gender are priceless.
Owen turns 2 in one month!! I can't believe that!! My baby!!
We headed to the nature reserve which is realllly close to our house and Barry took a couple pictures of me and Four. 36 weeks. I can't wait to know who's hanging out in there!!

Monday, October 1, 2012

October

Holy cow! I cannot believe the (most likely) month of this baby's arrival is here!! It seems that it's taken forever to get here, yet on the other hand feels like we just found out we were expecting this little bundle!

The nursery is mostly complete, probably I should finish those t-shirt poms I've been dragging my feet to create! And probably I should wash the diapers so they are ready for Four. We need to figure out the carseat configuration for the boys, and eventually install the bucket. All things to do, but nothing terribly pressing.

I have my last appointment tomorrow before weekly appointments, and Barry has a day off mid week!!!!! so we will tour the hospital Wednesday, the day I turn 36 weeks!

It's becoming real, yo! And I'm kind of freaking out! I kind of can't wait to meet this kid and find out who it is that's been hanging out for the past while!

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Gabe's 1st Day of Pre-K

I've posted on facebook about how Gabe's having trouble lately. Very emotional. Sad when Barry leaves, fine when I do. Well today was the poor chap's first day of pre-k. The last year before kindergarten! SO crazy. He has been S.O. excited. Non stop talk of Miss Cindy, how Lily and London are in his class, how he gets to wear a backpack, and how Miss Cindy gets the biggest cubby, and he has a hooker for his backpack (yes hooker) you get the idea, I'm sure. Here he is before we left for school! Happy as can be!
He was excited even walking up to the school. He let me take pictures, which is hard for him.
Hanging up his backpack on his hooker
He was even all smiles as we walked into his classroom. Then when I picked up Owen to leave, who seriously wanted to stay at preschool, I saw it. The lip quiver. :/ Then he started getting emotional. And then Miss Cindy, who stands MAYBE 5'1" tried to pick up Gabe. For anyone that knows him, you know he's a SOLID kid. She had trouble. I hope she didn't pull something. He weighs 3 lbs less than Julian, and he's 2 years younger. He's also tall, less than 2" shorter than Julian. He's a BIG kid. Poor Miss Cindy, poor Gabriel, but seriously it was all I could do to not laugh at her trying to pick him up. I will report back with how his first day went, I haven't received any phone calls, so I'm guessing it is going ok.

Friday, August 31, 2012

Another day, another failure

I don't know about you, but for me, this is hard. Everything is.
I feel like every day I'm being shown just how much I'm failing. Everytime my kids do the exact opposite of what I've asked, checkmark in the fail column. Everytime Gabe slams Owen down or does something unkind to him another. Daily my fail column is full while my success column remains a blank slate. Every. Day.
I'm questioning my ability to mother. Julian's frequent outburst about whatever is bothering him, my inability to communicate with him, I'm stumbling and struggling. I'm not the mother that I want to be, not even close. Not even a fraction of the mom I want to be, strive to be, yet fail daily to be.
And then I think about this perfect, unscathed baby that we are so blessed to be expecting. Sometimes I hope I stay pregnant for ever, so I don't mess this one up too. I can carry a baby no problem, it's the parenting I fail at.
I will continue trying, it's all I can do. Maybe one day my success column won't be quite so empty and my fail column quite so full. Maybe.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Au Revoir Summer

It's been a good one. We did a lot of fun things, and had fun exploring our new city. The boys have made a bunch of good friends in our cul de sac, and are never lacking a playmate. Well, until today. Today all of those good friends got on the bus and headed to their first day of Kindergarten. (We have 10 kids at our bus stop, and 5 of them are kindergarteners!) Gabe is a little sad. He misses his brother, he misses his friends. He's stuck with Owen. I don't entirely blame him :) My 1st Grader :) Wearing NONE of his new school clothes! LOL
So handsome and big! How did he get so old?
Heart.Breakers.
The crew! (big bus stop, no?)
The bus!
Waiting for his turn
Bye Julian! Have a great first day of 1st grade <3
Ahhh! How do I have a 1st grader already? I'm pretty sure he was just born, like 2 minutes ago! Time flies. And to think in less than three months I'll have another, baby number four! This mama is overwhelmed :)

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Two hour glucose

Well it went ok. I didn't feel too barfy, which was a welcome relief. I had the orange drink, which was a little sad, fruit punch is actually good. I brought along a baby sweater to work on while I was waiting for two and a half hours. It's one of my favorite color ways, western sky knits Choco rainbow. It's called the sock yarn sweater and I'm loving it.

I was SO hungry after my appointment. I stopped at jack in the box, lol! Cheesy sourdough jack. Nom. I am feeling weak and dehydrated now and have had a couple contractions, so I'm trying to drink a ton of water.

There was a nice lady in the waiting room who swears I'm having a girl. She was really sweet and had her 8 year old daughter and niece there. Cutest little girls ever!

Glad I didn't get bruised from the blood draws! Woohoo!

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Bi weekly?!

Holy Moses y'all! I have reached a monument in pregnancy. The every two week appointment. Tomorrow I'm 28 weeks, officially the third trimester. I have to do the lovely glucose test this week, fun. Hopefully I get fruit punch, and not orange.

So far I've gained more than I'd like, but am trying to control the weight gain during the third trimester. I need to cut out my love for sweets I guess! This pregnancy has been different for sure, in that I only want sweet things. A few other notable differences, complexion, and hair. I usually love my skin during pregnancy, it's clearer than normal and my hair behaves wonderfully. This time is a totally different story. Thankfully my bangs cover my forehead, but nothing covers my chin! And I've contemplated getting my haircut more during this past 28 weeks than I ever have in my life. But seriously how cite is this cut?

Babies heartrate was 153 and everything looks wonderful! I get to drink the wonderful glucola tomorrow. I know you're jealous!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Emotions

Oh boy. Julian is six and a half, or pretty darn close. He is so emotional. SO!

Today was no exception. Barry is working today, something like 7 am until 8 pm or something crazy. Anyway my little sister is here visiting, and we attempted church this morning. Ha.

Considering the fact that I had all three boys, plus me dressed and ready to go by 8:45 I consider that a smashing success. Walking to the car however, all went downhill from there.
Julian lost it because he couldn't put on his shoes. Serious. Melt.down. I got pretty frustrated with him, because instead of asking for help, he flipped out crying. He then freaked out about his carseat, Gabe, and a million other things within the span of two minutes. I made everyone get out of the car so I could talk to Julian. After talking it out, I still couldn't find the root of his tantrum. Why he flipped out to begin with. I tried to explain to him that when Barry is at the hospital I need his help, he can't act like a baby when he is the biggest. Is that wrong?

I feel like most times I expect a lot out of him, he is reasonably mature for a 6 year old, most of the time. And I think I probably forget that he is only 6. How do you talk through emotional outbursts? Help me! Any advice for a short tempered preggo? I want to be a kind mom, who doesn't react, but I'm having trouble.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Pregnancy Dreams

Last night I had a dream. A crazy, super random dream.

I was a surgeon. Hahahahaha! That is funny enough right there. Me? A surgeon! Anyway I was doing a super important surgery and in the middle had to have the baby. I went up to labor and delivery, had the baby, didn't know gender and then walked back down to finish my super important surgery. When I was finished, I walked back up to labor and delivery and asked if I can know what I had a boy or girl. The nurses looked at me like I was totally crazy! Which, really, who would blame them. Who leaves a brand spanking new baby to finish a surgery? I did find out the gender of my surgery baby, though and oh man was that baby sweet!

My question for you is this. Have you had pregnancy gender dreams? Were they accurate? Is my subconscious trying to tell me what I'm having, who is currently living in my comfy uterus? Or is there no correlation at all? Help!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Nesting...so we meet again

So. Today marks 27 weeks, maybe. It could really only be 26 weeks 2 days. But whatever. I might be 27 weeks. Which means that there's only TEN weeks left until this baby could come. I mean, really, I've never gone into labor at 37 weeks, and the likelihood of doing so this time seems slim to none, BUT the mere fact that I could have a baby in 70 days is kinda freaking me out. Yesterday I went to Hobby Lobby and got the ruffle/lace/eyelet thing I wanted for the crib skirt. Then last night I dreamed and dreamed and dreamed of this dang thing. I woke up thinking about it. Apparently it's super important for my subconscious to finish this crib skirt. I'm really excited for the vision in my head, we'll see if I'm able to produce it. I also bought a set of grey organice cotton twin sheets. Julian and Gabe have a twin bunk bed, and I needed one more fabric for a crib sheet for Four. So I'm going to take the flat sheet, which they don't really use, it just ends up either balled at the end of their bed, or on the floor, depending on the boy, and make up the third crib sheet. I really wanted this Chevron Crib Sheet, but after making my own, $19 seems kinda steep. I tried to find a chevron sheet set, ha, but had trouble. Perhaps Target would have more variety, but alas we were at Walmart. Ew. Yesterday, my little sister Connie (who's here visiting for 2 weeks, yay!) and I went through my baby clothes. We separated the nb and 0-3 month clothes and I threw them into the wash. I have a few pieces of girl clothes that I've been hoarding for about 8 years now. HA. I bought some hangers at Walmart, I know, ew, and we'll get them hung up in the baby's closet since the dresser is reserved for cloth diapers. HA. We're going to take the boys swimming at the community pool today. They're excited, and I've forgotten how nice it is to be so light in the water. It's nice to have Connie here because she helps sooo much with the big boys in the water. I'm not sure I could take the three by myself. Anyway, before I go here's a quick comparison shot from yesterday. About the same time in pregnancy, between 26-27 weeks.
AND, in case you missed the earlier post. I have an ExpectNet poll. Winner will receive a fabulous prize. I'm thinking $25 gift card to Amazon or something! Guess Coconut

Monday, July 30, 2012

ExpectNet!

Here's a chance for you to win a fabulous prize! I'm thinking something knitted after Four/Coconut makes his/her debut. http://www.expectnet.com/games/CoconutNumberFour

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Holy Fast Pregnancy

So nobody told me that by the time you're having your fourth baby the pregnancy flies by in an instant. I'm already coming up on my THIRD trimester! This is freaking me out. We had our ultrasound last month, well almost TWO months ago now. And everything looked good. Baby was wiggly and jumpy, and we don't know what gender it is! However the ultrasound tech said that she knows. Sucker. She was really good though and kept the probe FAR far away from the nether regions. Here's a couple of sweet photos of the baby, whom I call Coconut due to my overwhelming and insane craving for all things coconut. Seriously, it's ridiculous.
I've been having a lot of fun sewing and crafting for this baby. We haven't really purchased much for it. Which is fine, and good. We don't need much, honestly. I have a small list of things that I'll need to get before Halloween. The boys are doing great, really. They have tons of friends in our neighborhood. There are literally 4 little boys in our cul de sac going to Kindergarten this year. Julian, who was reserved and cautious about riding the bus both to and from school, is now ridiculously excited because his little buddies will be riding with him. The boys love to go outside and seriously as soon as dinner is finished are asking to go play outside and ride bikes with their friends. On the 4th of July, Julian asked for his training wheels to come off. He hasn't mastered it yet, but he'll get it. He's kind of nervous to ride his bike now that he can fall :) And Gabe is rocking his 2 wheel (plus training wheels) bike that he got shortly after we moved here. Julian's action shot, riding his bike on the 4th
Gabe and his bike
My little boo. I seriously love this baby so much.
The happiest kid.
Two of my loves <3
We are getting ready for a surprise (for the boys) visit from one of my little sisters. They are going to be SO excited. Our plan is to just drive to the airport tomorrow and see what they say and do when she gets in the car. Should be fun!

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Team Green

By posting here, I'm making myself accountable.Tomorrow, you see, is my "big ultrasound" you know, the one where they tell you boy or girl? I mean they do lots of other important things, like measure baby's head (I'm betting 90th%), stomach, femur, and make sure baby has the right number of chambers in his/her heart, and hemispheres in his/her brain. This time though, we don't want to know boy or girl. So by posting here, I'm setting it in stone. We are not finding out the gender. We are NOT finding out the gender.This is a tricky thing for me, something I've never done in my 3 pregnancies before. I've always HAD TO KNOW. And this time, there's no urgency to know. I can be patient, and will be patient until about Halloween. Then I'll lose all patience.I've seriously considered having the ultrasound technician write it on a slip of paper and either giving the slip to my midwife, or even mailing it to a friend in Saint Louis, but I decided that leaves too much room for temptation. And who needs that? I have plenty of temptation all around me, for instance a delicious coconut poke cake is sitting my refrigerator right now. That's the kind of temptation I like.So I'm sitting here, team green, until October. And hopefully, if all goes well, Barry will be the first person, besides the ultrasound tech, to know if our baby is a boy or girl!Vote on the poll though! What do you think? Is #4 ANOTHER boy :) or is #4 something altogether new? A girl?

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Whoa Whoa Whoa

So much has happened.

1. We Matched! Hooray! We matched. We are moving to a suburb of Kansas City, MO in a little over a month. We are so excited and blessed. Things have been moving smoothly along, and now all that's left to do is pack. Which kinda makes me nauseous to think about.

2. We're having a baby! Baby #4 is coming around Halloween. You know those pesky due dates aren't an expiration date, except I kinda feel like they are. I feel like a ticking time bomb around 39 weeks, so eek. I am 99% sure we will not be finding out the gender, which will be exciting! And I really want Barry to catch the baby (sorry if that's TMI) and be the first person to know if we are having a son or (hahaha) daughter.

3. We're buying a house!
It's 4 bedrooms, a little over 2100 sq ft with a giant fenced back yard and swingset, that stays! It's a nice house in a nice neighborhood and I only have to paint ONE room, because the current owners rule. The room I have to paint is the baby's room. It's pink, and brown. Not colors I'd use for my baby, especially since my baby will more than likely lack a vagina.

Uhm, That's the big going on with us right now. We have several trips to KC/Lees Summit planned in the next little bit, tomorrow we're going to the temple open house. I'm excited to show the boys the LDS Temple, since the only temple they've ever seen is a Hindu temple. Not exactly the same thing.

If you want to get your family photos before we move (June 1) Let me know. I have some time this month since Barry's doing an awesome rotation.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Hi...

Remember me?
I'm a busy girl right now. We've added to our family! I have a 4th son Monday through Friday from about 7-4. He's adorable and fits in perfectly with my rough and tumble little boys. That also means that I have less time for the extras. Which is also why I've put off planning my big boys' 4th and 6th birthday party! They're having a combo party because they both want Phineas and Ferb, and also because Julian's asked for a big ticket birthday present, so his party is smaller.

I also have to fly to Washington ON his birthday, and also Match Day, so I won't be here to celebrate with him.

I designed their invitation, and it turned out pretty cute! It's for sale in my design Etsy shop here. What? You didn't know I HAD an Etsy design shop? Well I do. And it's awesome :) Look forward to pictures of some products in the shop at J&Gs party!



Photography is going well. I've been pretty busy this last month. I offered up two free newborn sessions on my facebook wall, and filled the slots quickly and had the most amazing sessions with the most precious babies of all time! I was also commissioned for a birth announcement design from one of the moms, and it was so fun and challenging and I'm so thrilled with the final product!

My boys are big and growing and so wonderful, most of the time. Owen is so one. He's fesity and attitudey and adorable. He's starting to get his own voice, or sense of style and it cracks me up. On more than one occasion he's brought one of my flowers for my hair and tried putting it in his hair himself. He leaves it in for hours. Yes, yes he has the same curls as Gabe. He's so blond, it's strange!

Gabe is still generous and kind. He's getting more emotional and very sure of his wants. LOL! He loves Perry The Platypus, and all things Phineas and Ferb. Here he is with his Valentine's Box!


Julian, my sweet Julian is nearly 6. He's finally wearing size 6 pants, his 5Ts are short. Woohoo for a growing boy! He's reading SO well. I'm so amazed every day at how clever and smart my little man is.

Here he is with the snowman we made when it snowed earlier this month

Life is good. Busy but good. We'll have a BIG huge announcement coming up in less than a month! Match Day! Hooray! I"m so nervous and excited to find out where we'll be for residency. While part of me hopes we stay in Des Moines for ease's sake, the other part hopes we move back to Washington, Spokane to be exact. We shall see!