Vivian's Birth

This was my first time to deliver at Longview Regional. I had heard great things, but was still a little nervous about doing something "new".  My delivery was set for "somewhere around 8:30". My dr had to do a tubal before me & wasn't sure when the other surgeon would be there. We arrived at the hospital around 6:45.

Last few hours of being PREGNANT

We decided to let Kate skip a little school and be at the hospital for the birth.  I hope it's something she remembers!!  Around 8:30, they gave us the 30 minute warning!  We were getting close!

 My mom got to come in the OR for Natalie's birth & we were hoping it would work out for Vivian's. My Dr. had warned that Regional was a little more strict, but thanks to my wonder Anesthesiologist she got to come in!

 I really was thankful for my experience in the OR this time.  My CRNA was AMAZING.  I had told him that I usually spent most of the surgery nauseated and struggling because my blood pressure crashes with the spinal block. He was super aggressive & it was so much better!  There was some medicine he gave me to help stabilize my blood pressure.  He said the average person needs about half-3/4 of a bottle.  I took in between FOUR AND FIVE!  No wonder I've felt so bad the other times.

 We couldn't believe it when they called out that she was so little! 8lb 9oz!  Kate was 8.12, Hannah was 9.10, and Natalie 10.7.  So we fully expected a huge baby!  She was still one of the bigger babies in the nursery, but for us, it's tiny!!

this was one of the only times I was feeling nauseated the whole time.  I really did want to look at her!

One of my new favorite pictures ever!  So glad she was there!

Excuse my puffy face ;-)

And then it was off to school for this big girl!  It was spirit week at school for Throwback Thursday, Kate dressed for the 50s!

First Day of School for the Littles

My littles missed the actual first day of school while they were at my moms last week.  She was rescuing them from a very tired mommy!  So, their first day wasn't til Monday.  

Hard to believe Hannah is in the class Kate started in there.  We've been a little nervous this summer because it would be Hannah's first year at school without her beloved "Miss Brooke" as her teacher.  Anytime we brought it up this summer she would just say, "No, I'm going to go with Brooke".  Ha!  We prayed lots & talked lots and it was answered!  On the first day, we took Natalie to her class (she DOES have Ms. Brooke) where Brooke asked her for a hug.  Hannah's response... "I need to go to my class now".  Ha!  She did great & is loving Ms. Becky.

Natalie has been THRILLED with getting to have Ms. Brooke as her teacher, so much to my surprise she cried when I left!  Such a bummer!  Not very long later though I got a text of a happy girl who loved school.  She just loves her Momma.  :-)

So thankful for a place where my children are loved.

19 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 19 Weeks

Size of baby: 6 1/2 inches
Maternity Clothes: a lot of maternity except dresses

Gender: Next Week!

Movement: Little bumps :)

Food Cravings: Nothing out of the ordinary
What I miss: having energy

Sleep: sleeping better with a new foam topper on our bed!

Symptoms: not much

Best Moment this week: Kate started Kindergarten!What I am looking forward to: feeling more movement

17 & 18 Weeks

I got behind when we went to camp & started Kindergarten the last 2 weeks!!  Lots of exciting around here!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 17 Weeks

Size of baby: 5 inches
Maternity Clothes: Yes for shorts & some shirts.  Lots of dresses still normal

Gender: Who knows??

Movement: maybe some small flutters?

Food Cravings: none this weekWhat I miss:

Sleep: 

Symptoms: round ligament pain

Best Moment this week: maybe feeling movement?What I am looking forward to: really feeling the baby kick 

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 18 Weeks

Size of baby: 5 1/2 inches
Maternity Clothes: still a mix

Gender: I think we are just resolved to the fact that we all know it's going to be a girl.  Right?

Movement: Yes! Still just small, but finally!

Food Cravings: not food, but the ice craving has come back!
What I miss: not much this week - really love being pregnant!

Sleep: TERRIBLE!  Camp beds are not comfy & being pregnant made it much worse.  

Symptoms: just more easily worn out

Best Moment this week: definitely feeling the baby move!What I am looking forward to: Kate starting Kindergarten tomorrow!

First Day of Kindergarten

This blog began because this little girl was changing our lives by being born.  And here we are.  In Kindergarten!  Everyone asks, "Are you sad?" And I really wasn't.  For one, she was READY.  Bored with me & so excited about the new opportunities and experiences that school had to offer.  We counted down all summer.  I think if she'd be nervous or didn't want to go, that would have been hard for me.  Also, with her I've never struggled with her growing up.  It's always felt natural & like where we should be.  I think some of it is she has had sisters come quickly behind her, so it seemed right for her to be "bigger".   Going into this day, we had no mention of nerves or any hint of being scared.  We were ready!!

oops.  such bad lighting!

Kate's cousin, Adrianna, is in first grade at her school!!  They love seeing each other, and Angela and I are only a little nervous about the trouble they'll get into for not containing their excitement ;-).

We made our way to her class, where she started filling out her info sheet.  Was so cute to watch her get excited & ask me how to spell things!

 As part of the first day of Kinder, Mrs. Parker reads the book The Kissing Hand. If you haven't read it, it's a story of a boy (raccoon) going to school for the first time & he is very nervous.  His mom gives him a kiss on his hand so that throughout the day when he feels sad he can hold it to his face & know his mommy loves him (that's the short version!).    Well at some point during this story, Kate decided she wasn't great with me leaving & started to cry!  We were SO SHOCKED.  Like I said, no nerves or sadness before today, so I was so surprised when it came out!  She just hugged me and cried with tears slowly streaming the whole story.  We made a special I love you kissing hand for her to wear throughout the day.  I kissed her hand, we prayed and it was time to go.

After praying, Mrs. Parker told the class they were going to read the book Kate had brought for Mrs. Parker's library Z is for Moose.  Kate absolutely loves this book so she quickly perked up & we were out the door.

At the end of the day I got a picture of Kate with Mrs. Parker & she said she never acted sad again and had a great day!

Another special treat we had on the first day was to have Nana with us!  With all the chaos of the first week & David being out of town at the end of the week, she came to give us an extra hand and celebrate Kate's first week!

Whew!!! We made it!

16 Weeks

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 16 Weeks

Size of baby: 3 inches
Maternity Clothes: It's my plan today to switch out my closet.  More and more of my regular clothes aren't fitting :-(

Gender: I think my hope of a boy comes & I try to shut it down, because...come on.

Movement: I'm ready for the big stuff!  I love feeling a baby move!

Food Cravings: none this week.  What I miss: sleeping like a normal person

Sleep: I wouldn't say it's horrible or anything, but I have to change positions a lot, potty a lot, etc.  I am used to just sleeping through the night, so this is not as fun for me.

Symptoms: round ligament pain

Best Moment this week: getting a little break while my mom was here this weekend!  She did 2 nights in a row of bedtime!What I am looking forward to: Dr's appointment on tomorrow - love hearing the heartbeat.

15 Weeks

This blog may have all but died, but since I love looking back at the memories of my past pregnancies, AND since I can barely keep up with what week I am or what even happened last week anymore.  So, if I don't write anything else, I WILL update with pregnancy details!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 15 Weeks

Size of baby: 3 inches
Maternity Clothes: yes for shorts.  Still haven't gotten out the shirts yet.  They're a little too balloon-y.

Gender: I am pretty resolved to the idea that surely it's another girl.  But that doesn't mean that boy hopes don't sneak in. Kate gives us new names each week.  Recently it was Dexter, which has stuck with some people and what the baby is generally referred to as.  No.  We will not be naming the baby Dexter.

Movement: Some little flutters that I would only recognize from being pregnant before.  Nothing major.

Food Cravings: not really this week.  Previously in this pregnancy I wanted red meat a lot.  Mainly cheeseburgers.What I miss: having energy

Sleep: I have been sleeping not great.  Weird dreams, hard to find comfortable positions, going potty :-P

Symptoms: round ligament pain

Best Moment this week: feeling like "myself" again.  The first trimester exhaustion just about did me in this time.What I am looking forward to: family here for the weekend!