Merry Christmas

Four Months Old and First Haircut

Time is zipping by so fast. Henry is such a good baby. He sleeps 12 hours at night and still naps several times a day. He never fusses unless he needs something. He is becoming so alert and loves to watch his sisters. He has found his hands and they are constantly in his mouth. He reaches out and can grasp toys now. He has rolled several times from his tummy to his back and is trying to roll from his back to his belly. His is very quick to smile and laugh and we love it when he does.














Over the weekend Henry got his first haircut. He got about and inch taken off. It makes him look so grown up.

The Key

On Friday Nana and Poppy came over for lunch. While we were visiting Gwyneth came in crying and she had a key stuck on her finger. I took her in the kitchen and put oil on it and soaked her hand in ice water. How she got that key on her finger I'll never know. It was stuck and her finger was only getting bigger. Fortunately poppy was here and he knew exactly what to do. SUPER POPPY TO THE RESCUE! He ran out to his work truck and brought back the right tool. Very carefully he cut the key and worked it back and forth until it came off. I don't know what I would have done if poppy had not been here. There is no way I could have cut that. Gwyneth assures me she will never do that again. I don't think she ever will.

Early Christmas present

Check out http://chrisandnancybane.blogspot.com/ for a chance to win a really cool toy for your little ones. I hope I win. I will put it under the tree for Christmas.

3 months old

Henry has changed so much in the last month. He has become so alert. He loves to watch and "talk" to his sisters. He laughs now and is quick to smile. He stopped taking his pacifer and is now a thumb sucker. He sleeps like a champ. We love him so much. Time is going by too quickly.

Happy Fall

Pumpkin Fun

2 Months

Look who is two months old and so happy about it.

All because I didn't want to clean the bathroom...

I played with this little boy.

Then I decided to cook a big casserole and left this behind

Then I made home made french bread. It was awesome. But did you see the mess in the kitchen? I should have just cleaned the bathroom and played with Henry.

Talking funny

I love the way the kids talk sometimes. This morning Gwyneth wanted me to zip her jacket. "Mom, can you zipper this because your hands are strong because you a mom."
Mom strong hands is going to go start the day. Have a good one.

Just because

Gwyneth can finally wear piggy tails and she asks for them everyday.

Surfer dude

Play time

Flower Girls

Gwyneth and Taya were asked to be flower girls in a friends wedding in August. They did a great job and looked so cute together. Alex was also a groomsman in the wedding. Hopefully somebody else got better pictures than I did. It was hard keeping up will all three kids at the same time. I didn't take as many pictures as I would have liked. Still, here are the ones I have. Gwyneth still keeps asking to go to the wedding. I guess she doesn't get that she has been there and done that.

One month ago

my water broke right about now. Hard to believe so much time has gone by. Isn't he handsome?

So handsome

Henry's Birth Story

What a sweet and precious addition Henry has been to our family. Here is the story of the day he arrived.

Wednesday morning I woke up feeling slightly better than the day before. Four days over due and I was feeling it. My feet in particular. I believe Heidi and the cousins came over for water day and lunch. We took naps and Alex got home early from work. I had already decided I was not going to church that night. My feet were so swollen I didn't want to deal with shoes. Then I realized if everyone went to church I would be stuck at home watching bad television thinking about still being pregnant. So shoes went on and I waddled myself to church. Roger made chili dogs for dinner. (Probably what sent me into labor. Never again Roger. Never again.)

After church we came home and got the girls ready for bed. Once they were down Alex did acupuncture on me in hopes of starting labor. We had done this twice the day before but it obviously had not worked. Alex finished the acupuncture and stood up to put everything away and my water broke. It was 9:30 pm. Taya was not yet asleep and she came running into the living room so excited. It was so precious see her so excited. Alex called my family and we got the girls ready to go to my parents where my sister Heidi watched them. Over the next little bit we made phone calls and my family started to arrive. My contractions didn't start right away. I called my mid-wife, Janessa, and she said she would load everything in the car and get everything ready. Once I had a couple of contractions I was to call her and she would head over. I decided to go walk the street in the front of our house to see if I could get something going. Alex and I took one trip up and back and the contractions started. They were strong but not consistent for the first 45 minutes. Janessa arrived around 10:30 and by now I had made my way to the bedroom and was feeling more uncomfortable. Alex and I got to spend some time together working through the beginning contractions before Janessa arrived. It was a special time. We knew things were going to get intense soon so it was nice to take a few minutes before it got crazy. Not that the contractions I was having during this time didn't hurt, they just hadn't reached crazy yet. Janessa's assistant, Misty, arrived by 11:00. What a great team they were. So attentive and caring. They put hot compresses on my back and stomach during contractions. Kind words of encouragement, a gentle touch during intense contractions.They really helped to make labor as "easy" as possible. This labor was different than the previous two. I felt like the contractions were inconsistent, but so painful. I struggled staying focused and on top of them. The pain was intense. Alex is such a great birthing partner and he stayed right with me the whole time. Everyone stayed out of my room until it came time to push. Things went fast. By 12:50am I was pushing and Henry joined us at 1:06am. He weighed 8lb 4oz and was 21 inches long. I would like to say that I was strong and natural labor was amazing, but this one took everything I had. I cried while I pushed, I cried when he came out. It was intense and it hurt bad. It didn't stop hurting for quite some time. The uterine contractions continued for hours consistently. Then they lasted for several days off and on. I lost a lot of blood and had to be oxygen with my feet up in the air for quite awhile. I didn't get to sit up and get out of bed until 6:00am. Then the first time I did I passed out. I got to hold Henry right after he was born, but unfortunately I didn't get to spend much time with him until around 7:00am. I was so week and I don't really remember that time. It is the only thing I wish could have been different. However, when I did wake up with more strength it was special because it was just Alex and I together with Henry. I woke up and really felt like I was seeing him for the first time. There is nothing like the feeling of looking at your newborn and realizing you have never seen him but yet he is so familiar to you. After 7:00am things started to turn around and I gained more strength throughout the day. Janessa stayed until 12:00pm the next day. She did a great job. Though it was rough and painful, I am so grateful for the experience. Henry was welcomed into the world surrounded by friends and family, in our home, filled with love. My husband, mother, little sister, best friend, friend/photographer, even my father standing outside the door, all got to be a part of his arrival.

I am so grateful for the experience of birthing at home. I had my first two in the hospital and was nervous about making the change to our home. We didn't make that decision until late in our pregnancy. Let me tell you, it was the right one. The care we received throughout the pregnancy was amazing. The bond I share with Janessa will stay with me forever. I am so grateful to her for all she has done. It was so special. If the Lord chooses to bless us with another, I will embrace the home birth process whole heartedly.

I want to extend a special thanks to Heidi for taking such great care of Taya and Gwyneth. It was great to rest, recover and bond with Henry and know the girls were having such a great time.

Also, thank you Lacey for the pictures. I will treasure them forever.

Cari, I missed you. I hope this is enough detail. There are some missing but this is most of it. I loved it. Just like you said I would.

I can't imagine life before our son joined us. I love being a family of 5.

Welcome Brother!

Henry Alexander was born 8/06/09 1:06am weighing 8lbs 4oz 21 inches long. WE LOVE HIM!

You know it is going to be a long night when...

you have only been in bed two hours and your husband has already pretended to be a strawberry bush and hollered, "what are your hours?" at you. This is only after you found him with his arm sticking straight up in the air. I guess he is just preparing me for no sleep after the baby comes. It is a good thing he is so darn funny or I would be really mad right now. Here's to you Alex, at least one of us is sleeping. Sweet dreams.

UPDATE - Alex rounded out the night with an inspirational speech in gibberish followed by a really loud and motivational "let's go." I finally went to bed at 2:00am. I have no problems making adrenaline, I had several rushes of it last night with all the surprise speeches. Everyone, please encourage Alex to show you what acting like a strawberry bush looks like.

Happy Due Date

There is a first time for everything and this is definitly a first for me. Here I am still pregnant on my due date. It is a nice cool, drizzly August day. A perfect day to have a baby, so little one, get with the picture. Let's get going.

NEVER!

Taya woke me up in the middle of nap today (she was suppose to be asleep) just to ask me when Christmas is coming. My answer to that today is NEVER! How dare she.

Appointment Update

Well there has been no progress and I am still very pregnant. My midwife did an exam and I am still 1 cm and the baby is still high. In fact, she could hardly find my cervix. At one point I asked her how you can loose a cervix. Surely I didn't just misplace it before coming to the appointment. The end of the pregnancy has been so different than my previous two. I am so ready to give birth. I am hurting and have had trouble sleeping and my feet are swollen. I did sleep a ton better last night. I got around 6 hours which is by far the most I have had since last Thursday. I did meet the new assistant who should be at my birth. She seems fine. With that being said, Carie, she was fine, not amazing. There was no instant connection. So what I am really saying is get back here. I was talking to God and I think he has changed his mind about the whole calling you to Mexico thing and that you should just come back. Just kidding. I hope your travels are going well and I miss you greatly at every appointment.

39 weeks and 2 days

Well, I am still pregnant. Cari- if you start now, I am sure you can still make the birth. I am trying to stay positive, but really, I am exhuasted and really ready to have this baby. I have stopped sleeping and my body hurts so bad. I never reached this point with my previous two pregnancies. When is this baby going to come? I need this baby to come. I know you can't be pregnant forever, but this feels like forever. Baby, please come out.

You know you have daughters only when....

The other day Gwyneth found a toy car and was playing with it. She was making "car noises." As she was pushing the car along the floor she was saying real long and slow, "driiivvee, driiivvee." Alex got cracked up at this and decided to teach her the proper car noise to make, vrooom, vrooom. So a couple of days later Gwyneth is playing with the car again, pushing it along saying, "there's room, there's room." What can I say, she can properly diaper her baby doll though.

Heavy Breathing

So I went to the grocery store today and did a full shopping trip. Now being 9 months pregnant this chore has become a challenge. I struggle breathing during pregnancy anyway, but shopping is work. So I was in the check out line today and apparently thoroughly disturbed the customer behind me. She was so concerned she went up to my mother, who was shopping with me, and informed her that I was having a hard time breathing. Now it was very sweet that she was concerned and trying to help, but my answer was, "lady, I am 9 months pregnant, I quit breathing a long time ago." Moms answer was, "I guess we don't notice anymore, she has been like this for so long." Maybe I shouldn't go out in public anymore. Apparently I am causing a scene.

Oh Baby

For all the drama of being concerned about going early, no worries now. Finally get to the place where I can have the baby any time and the little one has climbed into my rib cage and firmly planted themselves there. My midwife graciously declared me 1cm dilated. The baby is still very high and there has been no other progress. I have become very familiar with braxton hicks contractions. They don't freak me out any more. I never had those with my previous two pregnancies. I would think if I had to walk around contracting all day the the least I could get is 3cm dilated. I guess I should settle in for a little while longer.

Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock

Being 9 months pregnant is much like being a time bomb. I am just waiting to go boom. It is always in the back of your mind that today might be the day you give birth. Will it be now? How about now? Tomorrow I am 38 weeks and that is when I went into labor with Gwyneth. Will this be the same as with my last? With Taya I gave birth at 39 weeks. So, do I have another full week. What are the chances that this will be the same as the previous two and I could go anywhere from now to another two weeks. (Let's not think beyond my due date) I go to bed every night wondering if I will wake up in labor. Will my water break like with Taya. I hope I am not out if that happens. Waiting, waiting, waiting, tick, tock, tick, tock. When will I go BOOM?

I can birth now.

I just got my risk assesment and all my final tests and it is official, I can birth any old time I want to now. I am now 36 weeks 2 days along. I am sure I still have a couple of weeks left, but let me tell you, I am ready. I feel like this baby is going to split my belly button open and climb out any day.

Happy 4th of July

In the words of Gwyneth, "Happy Birthday Crunchy!" We will continue to work on teaching her about our country. Hopefully next year we will be a little closer. But it was pretty cute.

Gwyneth

It is time to figure out why Gwyneth is getting so many nose bleeds. It has reached the point of concern and major annoyance. She is so good about sitting still and holding the tissue. It is sad and I have reached the point where we need to figure something out. She has had 2 or 3 this week alone.

It is getting hot in here...

so I came home and took off all my clothes, laid under the ceiling fan and prayed for snow. Okay, so I didn't do any of that, but seriously, it is hot. I had to run to a few stores today and I thought I was going to have a heat stroke. My worst nightmare is being out and having no water. I always take a bottle of water where ever I go, but 12 ounces does not cut it anymore. So today I knew we had a few places to go, so I loaded the kids and I up with 72 ounces of cold water. We drank most of it before we got home. We were only gone for 3 hours.

I am very happy to be off of bed rest, but there is something to say for bed rest at almost 9 months of pregnancy. It was Alex's birthday yesterday, shout out to Alex's last year in the 20s, and we made him his favorite lemon cookies. Robyn, they did not turn out like yours. So sad. I also made him a roast, potatoes, carrots, gravy and homemade biscuits. It was all so delicious and the most exhausting thing ever. I was on my feet in the kitchen for hours. Poor Alex, by the time dinner was over, I waddled my tired, sore body to the bedroom and laid down. He cleaned most of his birthday dinner up by himself. He has been such a trooper. Then to top it off he vacuumed the house since I am not suppose to be doing too much physical work. My body felt great on bed rest, but it was hard on the kids. They knew something was up and they went a little crazy. Even though I am not doing much more now, just the fact that I get to go with them places has changed them drastically. It upset Gwyneth big time to go run an errand with daddy and to leave me behind. She would come home after a short time away and hug me 3 or 4 times and say "mommy, you love me?" They just know when things are a little different.

So here is to the next 5 weeks of pregnancy. May a cold front come through the area.

Betsy

p.s. The picture was taken once again by my friend, www.laceykohlphotography.blogspot.com. I will post more soon. They turned out great!

Father's Day

As far as dads go, Alex rocks. He is so attentive to our daughters. He loves to play with them, do projects, eat tons of plastic food. You name it, he has done it. I love to watch him interact with them and they just adore him. I am so blessed to have a dad to our children where nothing is off limits. He can feed them, change diapers, play, discipline, take them shopping, anything. I do question his ability to do their hair. Seriously, he is an amazing father and we are so blessed to have him in our lives.

Bored

I am bored, would everyone please update their blogs so I will have something to read. I need long, detailed blogs please. Pictures would be great too.

Not leaving

I am not leaving the house for the next six weeks because I officially have no clothes and because my lips are swollen and I look ridiculous. I am a cranky pregnant lady with a lot more pregnancy to go.

AWE!!

"New House December 1,2007
We closed on our new house Thursday. We are very excited to get a few renovations and painting done so that we can move in, hopefully before Christmas. On Thursday I was talking to Taya about our new home while she was going to the restroom. She was sitting on the potty looking very serious when she declared we could move only if we took all our potatoes with us. So Nana and Poppy, we appreciate the use of your home for the last year, but we will not be leaving you any potatoes. Those must come to our new home."


I was reading through some old posts and found this. How cute was she. I guess she was happy with the amount of potatoes we brought to our new house because she seems to like it here.

On a different note entirely, I am sick, it is official. I have been going like crazy and had warning signs all along to slow down, but did I listen, NO. Now I have to because I can no longer swallow and my ears hurt. I had a very long day yesterday including 3 stores, a midwife check up, gymnastics, a quick dinner made and then a trip to a bakery to pick out a cake. The day started at 7:00am and ended at 7:00pm. By the time I got home I realized that I was REALLY tired. Then a little later I noticed my throat was a little tender. Not much later I felt like I couldn't get off the couch. Went to bed and at about 2:00am I woke up to only realize I could no longer swallow and my ears were hurting. Didn't get much sleep after that. I have cancelled all my plans for the next 2 days and hopefully will recover quickly. I have a lot to do this weekend.

Also, I would like to post that Alex and I celebrated 8 years of blissful marriage yesterday. (It doesn't sound like we celebrated much yesterday does it) We are getting up there. Soon we will be in the double digits. He is an amazing husband and 8 years has gone quickly. I wonder what the next 8 will hold?

32 Weeks and the zoo

Well I start my 8th month this week. It has gone slow and fast at the same time. I am just about done though, my belly button has popped so it must be true. This is my first pregnancy where that has happened.

We went to the Tulsa Zoo yesterday as our last big family day before the baby gets here. I have something every weekend for the rest of June. After that I won't be traveling much. It was fun but it sure took it out of me. It was hot and there was so much walking. By the time I finished my feet were twice their normal size and I could hardly get my shoes off. The kids had a blast though. They got to see every animal they wanted except for the polar bear, he died, and a kangaroo, they didn't have any. So it was declared a success overall.