30 At Last!

Well, I have entered that phase in my life referred to as the thirties. Am I okay with it?? Absolutely! I can't imagine not being thirty when I think of all that I have done and all the places I have gone. I have a wonderful husband who is my bestest friend in the whole world. I have four, yes four, beautiful healthy children who keep me going every day. I have traveled to Europe, the Bahamas, and all over the United States. I have graduated from college and am a homeowner. Sometimes I am amazed at all that I have done, but am grateful for all the opportunities I have had to become who I am today. I look forward to this next decade and all of the excitement and craziness that it will bring-heck I will have a teenager before I am out of my thirties.

Did I have a good birthday you may wonder? Yes! I had a fabulous birthday. Greg took the day off of work and rode bikes with the boys to and from their last day of school. Us girls went and tried the french toast at Kneaders and it was fabulous! When we got home the boys were already home and had cleaned the house, even the dreaded bathrooms, for me. Then a family from the ward stopped by, without knowing it was my bday, and took the boys for a few hours. Greg took Annie grocery shopping and I got some quiet time. Around 5:30 Greg's mom showed up to watch the kids (Greg had asked her to watch them all on his own) and we headed out to dinner. We went to Paradise Bakery after we decided Olive Garden would be too crowded, and loved our lighter entrees of a sandwich and salad. I fed Callie in the car-she is such a good baby-and then we headed over to the bowling alley. I thought it was cute and thoughtful that Greg wanted to go bowling rather than the normal movie thing. We'd be able to talk and not have to worry about keeping Callie quiet. Well, we walk in and...SURPRISE!

Greg had invited a few friends and planned a little party for me. For the record Greg is not the type of person to do something like this so I was pretty surprised and impressed. He said he had been planning it all month. He had to call my friends and set up the VIP room at the bowling alley. He even bought prizes for the people who did the best and worst at bowling. Oh, and he even got a yummy raspberry ice cream cake and balloons. I think the sweetest thing he said to me about the whole experience was that while preparing everything and trying to put something together to make me happy, it made him love me so much more. He related that to how the scriptures and prophets teach us that when we serve people we love them even more. I couldn't stop smiling all night. I just felt so special.

Not to mention I had lots of phone calls and visitors all day reminding me what wonderful family and friends I have. Plus I came home from the party to find beautiful birthday signs on my garage-the kids have such an awesome grandma! I truly am blessed and am so thankful for these last thirty years of growth. I think these next thirty years will be even more wonderful and amazing and I look forward to it all!

Crafts and Changes

I had a lot of fun making things for Callie. I had a lot of fabric left over from a quilt I made my sister and so I used that to make something completely different. It was a lot of fun to take what I had and try to make it work. I didn't have to buy any extra fabric so I felt proud that I saved some money (fabric is EXPENSIVE!). If you click on the picture you can see the hearts I quilted onto the blanket.

I tried a new pattern for crocheting, but used really thick and soft yarn so you can't tell really that the pattern is a bunch of flowers. It is super soft and cuddly-with the cold spring we have been having I have actually been able to use it.

I have been admiring every one's car seat canopy/tents for a long time and so I did a little research and made my own. I love the red in the fabric-had I not had so much extra fabric I would have made the quilt out of this palette. The kids don't like when I cover Callie up, but I think it will come in handy all summer as we go to parks, swim practice, and whatever else gets us out of the house.

What did I do to my hair?! That is what I was saying to myself yesterday when I got it done. I tried to get it back to my natural color, which I don't mind. It is the shortness of the cut that is killing me. It was a rough day yesterday as I would look into the mirror and see myself and be sad. My kids weren't the nicest either. Annabelle went as far as to call it ugly. Oh well. Thankfully my nice neighbor came over and brought us cookies and when she saw me she exclaimed that she really liked the cut and color and that it even made me look younger. She got double points in my book. There is nothing I can really do and so I just will endure the length and try my best to make it look presentable.

Annabelle's Recital

This time around Annabelle was a fairy and danced to the song "Fly to Your Heart" by Selena Gomez (great song). She did a great job and maybe Greg will put the video on here as well. It requires some planning and preparation for our whole family of six to go somewhere, but it was fun to get out of the house. Grandpa Ray also came to watch and while the kids maybe don't realize it, I appreciate his support for all of our extra-curricular activities. We have one more ballet class left and then we are done. Annie has LOVED ballet and it is sad to see it end. Maybe when she is a little older we will do it again. I keep thinking I should by a full length mirror so Annabelle can dance in front of it-her favorite part. We went out for ice cream after and Callie kept being a good and content little girl. I hope she stays as easy-going as she is now.

Random Thoughts

Why does four kids look and sound so much bigger than three? I don't feel nearly as overwhelmed as I did with 2 or even three, but it just feels like our family got a lot bigger. Six people, doesn't hat seem SO much bigger than five?

Mt family is starting to eat more. Either I need to have more sides at our meals or I need to just make more. The kids can no longer share kids meals at restaurants. One large pizza is not enough (last night the boys got more than I did). A dozen of muffins, plus fruit, doesn't fill tummies in the morning. A pound of meat doesn't go as far if I make meat loaf or meatballs or shepherds pie. My mom cooked for eight and Greg's mom for 13--how in the world did they do it. If I make sandwiches for everyone in our family the loaf is almost gone. From all that I know my boys will only start eating more and more. Our food bill will only increase.

Yesterday was Annie's last field trip with the preschool I started. I really wanted to go. I sent Annie with her friend and then I got Callie and I ready. When we got to the farm it was packed, and a lot windier than it looked at home. I sat in the car for a bit, thinking about what I should do. Finally I started getting Callie in our little snugli carrier. She wasn't loving it and I wasn't feeling very optimistic. So I left. I scratched her arm trying to put her back in the car seat and she cried nearly the whole way home. I felt so bad that I had dragged my baby out, thinking I could do something that was obviously a little premature for us to handle. So this morning I stayed home while Greg and Annabelle went to the boys' dance festival. I can't wait to watch them tonight.

2 Weeks

Callie is doing great!!
She weighed in at 8 lbs 13oz and has even grown an inch. The doctor said she looks great and that always makes me feel good. She is starting to look at us and respond to sounds. She is a great sleeper and only wakes up 2 times. We all just love our little Callie girl.

Loving Their Little Sister

Nathan, Ryan and Annabelle love their new sister Callie. She is the first person they look and ask for when they get home from school. Each of them wanted a picture with Callie yesterday and they were so happy to smile for their turn.

I made the mistake of trying to give Callie her second bath right after the kids were in bed but still awake. The all ended up in the bathroom and I think they were a little disappointed. Callie didn't love it and it was over pretty quick. Oh well, they just wanted to be a part of her life and I was happy to let them.

Mother's Day

How appropriate for Callie to be born right before Mother's Day. It has given me a lot to think about this past week. Being a mother is one of the greatest blessings I have. It is something that I maybe sometimes take for granted. Greg and I have never had trouble having a baby. They come whether we plan for them or not. So many people struggle for this blessing and I hope that the Lord knows how grateful we are that we have 4 beautiful and healthy kids. They are each so special and different and while I have no idea how to raise them some days, it is fun to try to figure them out. I remember growing up and imagining my life in the future. I knew I wanted to be married and have kids. Back then I thought I could handle five or six-I am pretty sure that four is our lucky number now. I love being a mom. I love that I get to use my degree to be as creative as possible in teaching and having fun with my kids. I love that I don't have to work and so I can have some days where I can relax and play with my kids (the other days I am running all over the place, which has its own degree of fun). I love that I get hugs and kisses, pictures and more pictures, all of the time. I love helping with homework and watching my kids progress in school and social situations. I love that I had a 3.5 year break to enjoy my older three, but I am very excited to do the baby thing one more time. I already love watching her grown and change every day. I love that right now I am going to watch an old movie with the kids, and they want to chill and do that with me. I hope and pray that my kids will always remember the good times we have together. And I pray that they will always know that I love them.

We tried to take some family pictures today. It was a little tricky. As you can see, Annabelle didn't want to join in the Mother's Day picture for me. That is another thing about being a mom, rolling with the punches.

Surviving the First Week

What can I say. I have four children and am going through the normal recovery of giving birth. This week has definitely had its ups and downs. Luckily Callie is a wonderful baby and I am loving the times she is asleep and probably more the times when she is awake and trying to figure out her surroundings. She has some good stretches of awake time, sometimes in the wee morning hours, and I love her big eyes staring around. She also takes a binkie so far, something my other kids did not do, so we have something to keep her from wanting to eat/suck all day long.

My little sister Kayley suddenly was going to be in Utah this last week due to a death in her in-laws family. While that is sad, it was great that I was able to see her and her family. Plus, Kayley was SO excited to be able to cook and clean for me and my family (even though she is 7+ months pregnant herself and has a toddler). It was fun to have someone to chat with and help out, even if she had us eating gluten free.

Greg was also home this whole week and did a great job with the kids, making me cookies and getting things done around the house. I think he lucked out having Kayley here, but it was nice to have 2 helpers. Here he is changing his first diaper in over a year and a half.

Annabelle has loved her little sister. Yesterday she was being so sweet, amazed at the little things Callie was doing: "Look mom, she is opening her fingers!" "Look mom she is making a fist!" "Look mom, she is spreading out her toes!" This is our Callie girl chilling in the bouncer we got way back when Nate was a baby. We all love to see her funny faces she is constantly making.

While Callie sleeps we have had lots of family time. It was cute to watch/listen to Nathan try to sing a song on Guitar Hero. He pretty much just talked. Last night as we said family prayers I looked around and was amazed at seeing the four kids. The three older ones seemed so big and then there was Callie. Six people in our family looked really big all of a sudden.

We have these cards that give an instruction using a funny puffy picture. Things like hop, run, dance, freeze. The kids thought it was great that Callie joined in on the fun, especially when she "flew."
So there is a summary of our first week. We have gone through about 80 diapers or more. I have had less sleep than when I was pregnant, but definitely more comfy sleep. Next week I will have no helpers, adult helpers, but I am confident that I can do it. As long as I stay positive and am okay with simple dinners, or take-out, and a messy house, we will survive.

Callie Terese is Here!!

After Thursday night's let down I promised myself I wouldn't go again and be turned away. But, Friday night I was having contractions stronger and closer together. I wasn't ready to go but Greg was worried so he convinced me to go, and then we were sent home again. Sigh. I got a fairly good night of sleep but woke Saturday morning with really BAD contractions, but they were 10-15 minutes apart. They got a little closer but not 3-5 minutes. Still I was in a LOT of pain, so much that it was scaring the kids with my moaning and crying, that I finally said we could go. This time when I walked in, with tears streaming down my face, I was offered a wheelchair (which I declined since I wanted to keep the contractions coming so they wouldn't send me home again), and as soon as I walked into Labor and Delivery they could tell it was the real deal and whisked me away to a delivery room. I was at a 7 and the nurses raced around me getting everything ready for the baby. Luckily my doctor was already there, although the anesthesiologist took a bit of time. I didn't have time for an epidural so they gave me a spinal block which was quick and nice, but kind of eerie. My legs went completely numb. The nurses would pick them up to move them but it would still feel like my legs were lying straight-very weird! We got to the hospital about 9:30 and Callie was born at 11:38. She weighed 8 lbs even and was 19.5 inches long-my smallest baby. They gave her to me right away, a first, and I couldn't believe how little she was.


The rest of the morning Callie got cleaned up while I moved downstairs. Greg went and got the kids who were SO excited to meet their new sister. They were all smiles as they got to hold her and see me again (and watch Cartoon Network on the hospital TV). So many neighbors helped us on Saturday (and before) and it is so nice to know that while I don't have my own family nearby I do have some great friends. Greg went home to sleep with the kids and I had a great night of sleep at the hospital-sleeping on my tummy never felt so nice! Sunday was a very relaxing day. I was able to take the Sacrament from the LDS branch in the hospital and then my family and Kayley's family and Grandma Pam came to visit. Pam took the kids to her house for the day and so Greg and I got to relax together. Grandpa Raymond came to visit and even though Callie slept that whole time it was nice to chat. Greg went to Pam's for dinner and to pick up the kids. They came to say goodnight with some other cousins and then I was left alone again. I didn't mind. I got another good night of sleep and got lots of mom and Callie time.

Monday morning I was more than ready to go home. It felt great to get dressed and then I struggled through getting Callie dressed-she is just so teeny and I don't want to hurt her. After all the paperwork we made it downstairs and in the car. Callie fell asleep in the car (I hope she always does this) and we had about an hour at home before the kids started coming home. Later Greg took Annabelle to Costco for a much needed trip. Ryan wanted to stay home and help with Callie. He was reading that book to her. Nathan loves his new sister and I even let him hold her on the couch while I went to the bathroom. I think I would only trust him with that though. Annabelle is a bit emotional. She likes to hold her, but only for a few seconds. She likes to look at her fingers and toes but if Callie starts crying she gets a scared look on her face. Annabelle has had quite a few breakdowns and I just need to make sure that I give her lots of love.
Last night was my first night without the nursery and I won't lie, I missed it. It probably didn't help that my milk came in and I was uncomfortable while Callie struggled to eat. Oh well. We will figure it out eventually.
I am so happy that the pregnancy part is over and we have our little girl. I am so grateful that she is healthy and relatively happy. I love that Greg has the whole week off and is able to help me so much. I also lucked out and my little sister came out (sad that it was for a funeral) and so she is ready to help me as well. A big thank you to all those that have helped us out this last week. I can't promise much from myself. I want to take it as easy as possible and make the transition for our family as calm and happy as can be expected now that we have a "party of six".