WE'VE MOVED!! You can now find us at Sunshine and Spoons!

Thursday, March 27, 2014

It Takes a Village

In case I haven't mentioned this before, I'm on my own a lot.  Hubby works full-time and farms with his dad so he's pretty much home to eat (occasionally) and sleep (sometimes).  He tries to help me out when he's able to, but the poor guy works so hard that he spends his small amount of time at home either relaxing on the couch or playing with the kids to try to make up for the fact that he hasn't seen them in two days.  So for the most part, I'm doing this whole parenting thing on my own. 



You can read an updated version of this post here on my new blog, Sunshine and Spoons! I hope to see you there!

Monday, March 24, 2014

Random Monday - March 24, 2014

Princess upon seeing me for the first time after I came home from the hospital: "Mommy, you're not fat anymore!  Now you're just half fat."
Ummmm, thanks?

I mentioned in Little Dude's birth story that my recovery from childbirth this time isn't going great.  That hasn't changed.  Last week, I started hemorrhaging and had to call my mom to come over and take care of the kids for me.  Thankfully, it stopped before it became a big issue, but it was still kind of scary to bleed that much so fast.

Here's the best part about my recovery being so slow this time around...we're moving!!  We currently live right outside of town in the small 2 bedroom basement apartment of a friend from church.  We outgrew this place quite a while ago, but it took us some time to find a house to buy in town.  We found one about a month and a half ago and are hoping to move either this weekend or next week sometime.  Ever tried packing for a move while recovering from childbirth, taking care of a fussy newborn, a rambunctious, mischievous toddler, a 3 year old and a 6 year old?  Yeah, it's not as easy as it sounds.  But, I am extremely thankful that we finally will be living in a place with enough space and enough rooms for all the kids to nap on the days when Hubby is at home sleeping to prepare for working a night shift.

On that note, I should probably close because I need to go pack a few more boxes while the baby's not crying!     




Friday, March 21, 2014

Little Dude's Birth Story

During my last trimester of my pregnancy with Little Dude, my hips and back gave me a lot of problems.  By the time I hit 40 weeks, I was a lot of pain, barely able to walk, and ready to have the baby NOW.  However, since my other three pregnancies went to 42, 41, and 42 weeks respectively, I figured I still had some time to go, especially since both of the 42 week pregnancies had to be induced.

One day before my due date, I felt an urgency to finish up all the last minute things I had on my to-do list such as packing the suitcases for the kids, packing the hospital bag, getting the baby stuff out, etc.  I spent Monday and Tuesday working on things from my to-do list in between resting because of the pain in my hips and back.  On Wednesday, March 5th (one day after my due date), I woke up not feeling well.  My lower back ached, and I was having a lot of cramping and contractions.  I spent most of the day on the couch with a heating pad on my back.  Things got progressively worse as the day wore on and I couldn't help wondering if it was the beginning of something, but I didn't let myself get my hopes up.  Around 4 in the afternoon, I went to the bathroom and realized that I'd lost my mucous plug so I knew that things were going somewhere, but since that had happened 2 days before going into labor with Little Man, I didn't read into it too much other than to be happy that it probably meant I wouldn't have to be induced again.

Home from the hospital at 1 day old

Hubby took the kids to church that evening while I stayed home because I was in no shape to go out.  Right after they left, the contractions started becoming stronger and more frequent.  By the time they arrived home an hour and a half later, the contractions were becoming pretty regular.  However, I was still in denial since I didn't believe that I could go into labor that "early."  I started timing the contractions and by 10:00, they were about 6 minutes apart and strong enough that I finally felt certain that this was it.  I called the birthcenter and let them know we were on our way and then called Hubby's mom to come stay with the kids.  By 10:30 pm, we were on the road.  In the 40 minutes it took to get there, the contractions became much worse and were less than 4 minutes apart when we arrived at the birthcenter.    

The nurse checked me at midnight and I was dilated to 4 centimeters.  I was a little disappointed because the contractions were pretty strong and painful by that point so I had been hoping to be a little bit further along.  The doctor wanted to be sure that I was progressing before formally admitting me so we settled in to wait until 2 am when I would be checked again.  By 2 am, I was in a lot of pain with terrible back labor and ready to get an epidural.  The nurse checked me and I was dilated to 6 centimeters so I was admitted and the anesthesiologist was called.  He arrived a little before 2:30 to start the epidural and it didn't take him long to get it in.

Sleeping in the pack n' play

The relief I was expecting from the epidural never came though.  It did absolutely nothing for the pain even though the anesthesiologist kept increasing the dose to try to make me more comfortable.  The contractions were incredibly intense and getting closer together.     

I should have seen the signs that I was in the transition stage of labor-I was shaking, throwing up, having hot flashes, feeling a lot of pressure, etc.  I didn't think I could go from 6 cm to 10 cm in an hour though!  A few minutes after 3 am, I started to throw up again and as I did, I felt an incredible pain and pressure in my pelvis that didn't let up.  I yelled for the nurse and when I told her what was happening, she ran to hit the call button for the doctor and the next thing I knew, the room was full of nurses and the doctor was throwing her gown on as fast as she could.  Two quick pushes and the baby was out.

Random fun fact: The doctor who delivered Little Dude was the same one who delivered Little Man.

Little Man shared his special John Deere blanket with his little brother

The doctor laid him on my chest as soon as he was born and the first thing I noticed was that he was completely green, like a little alien.  It turns out that he had had a bowel movement before birth, but because my water didn't break until after he was delivered, nobody realized it.  He was born still in his amniotic sac which broke on its own after delivery.  This is pretty rare and only happens in about 1 in 800,000 births  Thankfully, he was born so quickly that he didn't get a chance to inhale any of the meconium so he was fine.  He was observed for a while that night and periodically throughout the next day just to be safe though.

We could have stayed in the hospital until Saturday, but opted to leave on Friday instead.  I wanted to rest at home instead of in an uncomfortable hospital bed and Little Dude was doing great so we didn't see the point in staying an extra day.

Little Man shared his special John Deere blanket with his little brother

My recoveries after having Little Man and Star were fairly easy (aside from the cellulitis I got after having Star), so I was expecting this one to go smoothly too.  Unfortunately, this pregnancy messed up my back and hips pretty badly so it's been rough, plus I'm just not springing back from giving birth the way I had hoped.  Thankfully, Hubby's mom kept the three older kids for a full week giving me time to rest at home, and Hubby has been absolutely wonderful helping out around the house and with the kids.  My parents and my younger sister have also set aside their own plans to come over and help me out.   



Monday, March 17, 2014

Introducing Little Dude!

I had a hard time coming up with a blog name for Baby #4.  I finally decided on Little Dude though because it seems to fit him, and the name goes with Little Man.

So without further ado, here he is...Little Dude!


I'm working on his birth story and it should be up within the next few days  :)



Friday, March 14, 2014

Today

The three older kids came home last night from spending the week with my in-laws.  It's nice to have them back, but also just a little bit really exhausting.  And just for fun, Little Man and Star came home with colds which makes this Mama-of-a-newborn just a little nervous about germ-sharing.

This is how my day has gone so far...

"Don't pick up the baby!"

"Stop poking his eyes." 

"Stop playing in the toilet!"

"Don't sit on the baby!"

"Stop pushing the swing! The baby does NOT want to go faster."

"Who threw all the fridge magnets all over the kitchen floor?!?"

"Don't wipe your nose on the baby's blanket, please."

"Stop touching his face."

"Stay out of the baby's bassinet."

"Don't climb on Mommy when she's holding the baby.  Actually, just don't climb on Mommy at all right now."

"Give me back the baby's bottle...wait...no, don't put it in your mouth!"

"Leave the baby alone for 2 minutes, please!"

"Yes, Mommy's tummy is still big.  No, there are no more babies in it."

"Put that dishsoap back under the sink NOW."

 
And my personal favorite...

"Yes, we are ALL taking naps after lunch today."




Saturday, March 8, 2014

Welcome Baby #4!

Baby #4 arrived at 3:14 am on Thursday morning at only 2 days past my due date!  He weighed 7 pounds and was 20 inches long. 


All three of his big siblings are absolutely in love with him already.


Anyone have name suggestions for what to call him on my blog?

I'll write his birth story soon, but I'm not up to a long post quite yet :)  Until then, I'll leave you with some more newborn cuteness.




Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Princess - 6 Years Old

Age: 6 years


Weight and height: 44 1/2" inches tall and I'm not sure how much she weighs, but she's a skinny minnie for sure!  I made the mistake of buying her some jeans without adjustable waists last year and ended up getting rid of them right away because they fell off of her.  Because she still struggles with regular belts, I ended up getting her a belt from Little Tadpole Designs on Etsy.

Wearing: Size 6 clothes and size 7 dresses because she has such long legs.

Likes: Playing horses and dolls, dressing up in dress-up clothes, wearing twirly dresses, coloring, dancing, singing, shopping, playing with her brother and sister. 


Dislikes: Getting her hair brushed, getting up for school in the morning.


Sleeping habits: She takes an afternoon nap a few times a month.  Bedtime is between 6 and 7 pm because she has to be up by 7 the next morning for school. 
  
Milestones/Accomplishments:
Princess started Kindergarten this year and has been learning how to read.  She's come a long way academically since the beginning of the school year.

We let Princess get her ears pierced for her 6th birthday.  She did great and smiled the whole time she was getting it done which surprised me since this is the child who screams like she's being skinned alive every time she gets a shot at the doctor's office.  


I interviewed Princess for her 6th birthday.  My commentary is in italics.

Q: How old are you?
A: 6

Q: What is your favorite color?
A: Every color, but my favoritest colors are purple, pink, and white.  I like white because it's like a wedding dress.

Q: What is your favorite toy to play with?
A: My new horsie! (She got a horse from her grandparents to go with her Our Generation doll she got for Christmas last year)

Q: What's your favorite fruit?
A: Apples

Q: What's your favorite vegetable?
A: *long pause* I don't know.  Maybe soft carrots. (That would be canned carrots.  She's not a fan of raw ones.)

Q: What's your favorite tv show?
A: Peg + Cat (Mommy does NOT like this show and I don't usually let her watch it.  Peg "totally freaks out" constantly throughout the show and what's with the teenager worshipping?)

Q: What's your favorite thing to eat for lunch?
A: My favoritest one is tacos!

Q: What is your favorite thing to wear?
A: Dresses.

Q: What's your favorite game?
A: I don't know.  The dog one at Grandma's house. (Huh?)

Q: What's your favorite snack?
A: Animal crackers and my favoritest one is goldfish.  I like goldfish.

Q: What's your favorite animal?
A: Giraffes and horses.

Q: What's your favorite song to sing?
A: Jesus Loves Me

Q: What's your favorite book?
A: Pinkalicious

Q: Who's your best friend?
A: C*****n  (Name changed to protect the innocent, lol.  This would be her cousin)

Q: What's your favorite thing to do when you play outside?
A: Make a snowman.

Q: What's your favorite thing to drink?
A: Juice and milk and water.  (In other words, she's not picky?)

Q: What do you like to sleep with at night?
A: My sheep.

Q: What's your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?
A: Toast with butter.

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: A mom.

Q: What's your favorite food to eat for supper?
A: Pizza.

Q: I'm all done.  Do you have anything else you want to say?
A: Thank you! (Awwww, what manners!)



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Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Baby #4 - 40 Weeks

How Far along: 40 weeks and full term!

Bad picture, but you get the idea of the size of my stomach!


Baby's Size:  Full size and ready to be born!  The last two appointments I've had, I've been measuring big.

Sleep: I've given up sleeping in my bed and sleep on the recliner now.  It's so much more comfortable, and I'm able to sleep through most of the night there.


Movement?: Yes, but not so much anymore because baby is running out of room!  I love feeling a little foot or elbow pushing against my stomach and being able to push back.  I'm probably annoying this kid like crazy...

Food Cravings: Nothing too serious right now. 



Gender: It's more than likely a boy.  But until I see the proof myself after the baby's born, I'm not going to say that with 100% confidence. 

Labor Signs: In the last few days, the frequent contractions I've been having for the last few weeks have gotten much stronger and more frequent.

Symptoms: My hips and my back...I seriously can't walk or carry anything (or anyone!) without being in a lot of pain right now.  I'm definitely not going to hold out for 42 weeks before being induced this time because the pain is awful.  My doctor told me to take it easy and not move around too much which is great advice except that I have three young kids including a 17 month old who still needs to be carried a lot.        

Mood Most Of The Time: It changes from minute to minute.  At this point I'm sick of all the questions and I'm in so much pain from my hips and back that I'm pretty irritable.  Right now, the thought of living like this for another week or two is an unbearable thought so I'm just focusing on getting through one day at a time.   

Looking Forward To: Going into labor!!!  I'm reallllllllly hoping I go into labor naturally like I did with Little Man instead of having to be induced again.  In my experience, inductions are much harder labors. 

Miscellaneous: I have the hospital bag packed except for the last minute stuff (medicine, pillow for Hubby, etc) which is written down on a list sitting on top of the bag so I remember to throw it in before we leave.  I also packed most of the kids' stuff for when they stay at my in-laws.  Because they don't have enough clothes in their closets to pack for 3-5 days while still having enough left to wear until then, I wasn't able to finish completely, but at least I have some of it done.  


  

Monday, March 3, 2014

Random Monday - March 3, 2014

Princess has had her orthodontic appliance to correct her cross bite for 5 days now and is doing great with it!  No soreness except for the first day (and I think that was just because it was such a weird feeling for her to have something in her mouth), and she's been very good about leaving it in all day and all night.  She is a little hard to understand right now, but I'm thinking I should teach her some of Sid the Sloth's lines from Ice Age and have some fun with this.  You know, because I'm such an awesome mom :)

 
Our taxes are done!  We signed them today and are done until next year.  Yay!  I always dread it so much, but this year I didn't forget to bring anything important with to the CPA's office so it made things a little smoother.  Usually we wait until late March to do our taxes, but with Baby #4 arriving anyday now (take the hint, kid!) we figured we'd better get them done sooner rather than later.

Star hasn't been napping very well in the afternoon lately which I assumed meant that she was ready to give up her morning nap.  But on more than one occasion in the morning, she has come over to me crying and when I ask her if she wants to go night-night, she nods her head enthusiastically, her eyes light up, and she takes off towards her pack n' play, chattering happily all the way.  When I lay her down, she lays down, grabs her special blanket, kisses it, and smiles happily at me before falling asleep.  And then, of course, she refuses to take an afternoon nap and is super tired and cranky by suppertime.  But how do I say no to a toddler begging for a nap? 


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