Busy, busy, busy

I was just updating my preparedness blog for Relief society..(last post 2011:) and thought I would drop by here too to update.

In a nutshell...5 kids is busy. Seems lately that it is all I can do to keep up with the kids needs and the house. Fall gets super busy with 3 of the kids bdays, Halloween and the other major holidays. AJ wanted a Indiana Jones/Star wars party and it was stressing me out more than it usually does. I just couldn't get into it. My cake made me want to scream, and I just gave up on all of it's flaws. Too much work and no one really cared. Maybe I couldn't get into it because it was boy stuff and Star wars really doesn't excite me. The girls party is already on my mind. Hey, I am a girl. I like girl stuff:) Plus AJ was pretty particular about everything for the cake, food and games it got annoying that he was as OCD as me, and I wanted it my way:)

 

 

 

He wanted a serious Indian Jones picture:)


I have taken about a million pictures in the last 5 mths or so since being on here, and since I doubt anybody even looks at this blog anymore I don't feel like wasting my time updating it:) Just some top favs:

Family pictures at fotofly was fun for the family. Kids begged to go there every time. They all smiled and I was pretty excited about them. Although the couple picture and one of the family pictures showed way too much of my baby weight so I don't post those ones:)

My baby girl is 6 months old tomorrow and it makes me sooo sad that she is growing up so fast. She is just so perfect and I enjoy every minute of her cuteness . Part of me wishes to sleep more and have more time to myself but at the same time I wish she was a baby forever. It seems like within a couple weeks she started rolling, sitting, growing 2 adorable teeth, eating solids and saying ma ma ma. The kids and her daddy can't get enough of her either.
 

Surviving so far:)

My sister in law came over to visit and took some great pics of my baby girl.

 

 

 

She just seems so alert for a  newborn. She is always wide eyed and interested in everything. She is 2 wks and already seems pleased with this toy

Carson and the kids now have a new pediatrician and they have the coolest rooms, each decorated differently. Carson's 3 yr check he was 40 lbs and 40 inches. He is a BIG boy:) Especially since I have been around this new tiny one lately.It is great to have him potty trained. He will be starting preschool in the fall and right now counts to 20 although he gets a couple teens mixed up:) and recognizes letters and sounds, and colors and shapes. He is a smart "little" guy.

Chey and me went on a date to the hair salon and she donated that long hair of hers. It fits her personality well. She loves to hold and help with the baby and is always baby talking her "darling" and "her little lemon squeeze"

 

 First bath was a success:) Usually my kids cry, but she really seemed to enjoy it. Chey was pretty excited to bathe with her

Garden has been started for the spring planting! Baby kept crying inside so I didn't stay out long. I told Rob that a garden was great but I didn't really have the time or energy this year to do it on my own. It has to be watered each morning and it is enough to get all of the kids and myself going these days. So Rob is in charge of the garden.

ROb is back to work after 2 weeks and I am grateful to be back to my routine and feeling productive. Rob isn't much of a stay at home mom so I am glad to have my house back to normal:) 5 really hasn't been that big of a adjustment.Sure I am tired all of the time and have to adjust to feedings but I feel pretty sane, and she is so sweet. I just enjoy holding her.

It's HER...

 

 

The big day! We went in at 6:30 and waited for doctor to come break my water and see where that went....and we waited some more....

 

We watched some Tangled, and some random tv...then the doc came to break my water and I tried my best to go into labor on my own.

I walked the hallways...the back of the gown was a bit too revealing so I went with the robe:)

And I did some bouncing on my birthing ball...Still no action. So I got some pitocin and within 30 minutes got my first contraction...and another 2 minutes late and so forth. That stuff works fast! In the past I have had 2 epidural deliveries-one negative and one positive, and also 2 natural births- one amazing and one horribly tiring and painful one...so I was kind of winging it as I went with this one. When I was dilated to a 5 I was having contractions 2 minutes apart but they were manageable. When they got pretty awful asked the nurse to check and was still at a 5, so I ordered the epidural imagining my horrible natural birth of course. Within minutes I am sitting getting a needle in my back and as he is doing so I am getting contractions every 30 seconds and needing to push. My doctor was called quickly and he ran across the parking lot from his office and was there in a few minutes. Epidural guy was rushed and they checked me and discovered I was at a 10 in that short time and ready to push...same thing happened with my last baby. Kind of feel jipped to go through the pain of the labor, still get the giant needle for  nothing. 

Within minutes and a few pushes my baby girl was born. I can't explain the amazing feeling of seeing her for the first time. Granted she was one of the most beautiful newborns I have had, but it wasn't just that. Being my fifth I have had the same bonding moment with each birth and been amazed, but it was something more with this baby. As I thought about it the next few days I realized why it was so much more with Kennedy.

 

 

 

 

 

There was always this little baby girl in my mind before I even had kids. When Maddie was born she was everything to me, but she didn't look like that baby I had pictured previously. I think that image kept coming to me throughout the years because in a "Saturdays Warrior" type of way she didn't want to be forgotten. She almost was in fact. 2 years ago me and Rob made the choice to be complete with 4 kids. I gave away all of my baby and maternity clothes and decided that I will always cherish this time of my life but I also needed to move on and enjoy the new stages of raising our family. I told everyone I was 80% done, but Rob was more 110% he said:) 

 

 

 

Then exactly a year ago in April 2012 I got sick...morning sickness sick. My family doctor and OB could find no reason for these pregnancy symptoms. I even had some abnormal bleeding and went into the ER to check for a tubal pregnancy. No one could help me physically but it got me and Rob really thinking...When I got sick that first week and mentioned to Rob I may be pregnant we weren't sad or scared, we were excited. When Rob looked at baby names that same day he read the name Kennedy and I knew that was her. Which logically it didn't make sense because all of our kids are named after capital cities. Logically a lot of things didn't fit. Odd number of kids bothered me. Having 5 kids and 4 rooms...having no baby or maternity clothes...but they were really stupid reasons to not have a baby. I also felt so strongly that it wasn't just any baby. It was that little girl from my dream and her name was Kennedy. So for the first time I really wanted a specific gender in that ultrasound to show up! So much that I prayed, not for the girl, but that if it was a boy that I would be just as accepting...I didn't want to be ungrateful for a boy, but I NEEDED that little girl to come to me and didn't want to have  3 boys to get her here:)

 

After the initial excitement of thinking of a new baby, I started to cry...something I did in this pregnancy a lot more than any other. In my life were great women, very close to me, trying to conceive and I dreaded hurting them with the news that I was pregnant again. I was anxious over that for months until I got pregnant and into the pregnancy for a long time until miracles occurred and 4 out of these 5 women were blessed with pregnancies and babies of their own.

 

I was also very anxious during the pregnancy and emotional debating whether or not I could really handle a 5th child. If I would be able to give them all what they needed. The pregnancy in general was one of my most difficult emotionally and physically. I should be experienced as I approached the birth of our 5th but I was more afraid than ever.

But in that moment that they put her on my chest, an amazing feeling rushed through me. In my head I knew IT WAS HER! This baby girl was the girl I had been waiting for to complete my family. To think we were "done" and if I hadn't gotten mysteriously sick and started to contemplate otherwise, and if I hadn't listened to this personal inspiration I was given, then she wouldn't be in our family. Even in just the days she has been with us, I can't imagine life without her.

 

I have been dreading the sleepness nights I remember with newborns, but as I spend that time with her at night I am just so in love with her and really cherish that quiet time with her. In the day time she is overwhelmed with her daddy and siblings wanting to hold her that I don't get much time with her. Or when I do they are hanging closely nearby to snatch her up, pet her head, kiss her cheeks..:)

 

She had her first Easter just a few days later. This Easter basket has a funny connection to our "destiny" to have a 5th child as well:) Rob came home a few years ago after I told him to get some cute animal baskets that were on clearance for the kids. We were just planning on 4 kids but he came home with a 5th basket as well. So I joked that we would just have to have a 5th then. Every year since we would run into that 5th basket and I would remind him we still had that extra basket...

 

 

Getting the group shot is always hard but this time they were arguing over who got to hold the new baby:)

 

 

Although the delivery got a little intense for a bit there, the recovery has been outstanding. I usually am a torn, swollen mess, but only got 1 stitch this time. In the hospital I asked for an ibruprofen  a few hours later because the place in my back where the epidural needle had been was hurting. I was home in 24 hours and took baby to doctor for a pku poke the next day and dropped by Smiths for a gift card for my mom for watching the kids on my delivery day. The next day I took the kids to the annual family easter party. Sure I am tired, but I was exhausted being pregnant and now I don't have to carry the big belly around! Carson asked for the first couple days where my big belly went, not making the connection:) I even went on a date yesterday with Rob...I usually hesitate even months after baby is born to leave. Maybe I am finally chilling out with the 5th:) I felt good, baby had pumped milk to hold her for a couple hours and a mother in law I figured would love some baby snuggle time. We went out to lunch and got haircuts together. All was well when I returned. I knew when it was time to go home when my milk surged painfully through my chest:)

Easter egg hunt

                                         The girls are great at diaper changing

Easter morning

                                                         Lining up for Easter baskets

We have had fun dressing her up

 

April Fools day. It has been a busy month for holidays and such but I got the last minute idea to draw mustaches on the kids while the slept. I told Rob and he went in to add a goatee to AJ and angry eyebrows to Maddie:)

 

 Washable marker really doesn't wash off that well....

Getting it all in before baby!

Here is the 9 mth pic. Measuring small like my 4th baby, but he was born 8 lbs 12 oz a week early so I am not deceived:) Although I may look smaller than my first 3 pregnancies this is a 46 lb gain my friends:) I let my body do what it needs to during pregnancy and apparently it needed 46 lbs for baby.

 

 

I am being induced on Wednesday (it is late Monday night right now) and baby Kennedy will finally be here. I have had some good and bad moments as the date gets closer. The kids are all off track for weeks now and on the days where they are at each others throats I get discouraged thinking, how will I handle 1 more if I can't get them to listen. Then the next moment they are just enjoying each others company and I think how much this new baby will be loved.

 The kids regularly kiss "Kennedy" and try to feel her. Carson touches all over and says "heres a butt, here's a foot...) I even got to relax and get my belly decorated with awesome stickers:)

Chey took this picture of Kennedy at the park last week. I have been trying to find fun things for kids to do to enjoy the off track time and spend time with me before baby consumes me, but also activities that weren't too hard on a 9 mth pregnant body:)

 

We went to the park with a couple of cousins

Maddie steals her baby cousin any chance she can get:) We are hoping and praying that she will be officially adopted into our family this year!

 Baby is coming a few days before Easter so I rallied up all of the cousins to a couple weeks in advance to color eggs and make bunny racers. Carson was green for a while after...

The bunny racers were a new idea this year and they all turned out cute

bunny racers

Maddie needed a picture of all dozen of her beautiful eggs:)

 

 

kids helping with freezer meals

 

 

When I get stressed about big changes like baby I prepare like crazy so I don't have to worry later. I made a menu to cover meals 3 wks after baby and made a grocery list of everything needed. Then I made the freezer meals. All other fresh items are on the list for tomorrows shopping day. Rob will be in charge and off work for 2 wks so this should simplify things then and also when he goes back to work and I am on my own.

St. Patricks day was Sunday so it was all green. I bought and prepared everything weeks before along with Easter so I just needed to put it all out the night before.



Aj and his cool tie:)

Miser Carson counting his gold

Saw this on Pinterest for this year

They leave their shoes out the night before:)

These drinks were green and cute and all, but noticed later they had about 40 grams of sugar:( As if they didn't eat enough sugar from their gold hunt and treats

 Some fun green food all day. Went with Lucky charms for breakfast:)

Bouncing his jello:)

 After the green dinner was cleaned up we made sure everything was set for Carson's 3 yr old party in an hour. I cleaned and decorated the night before so it was just last minute stuff. I totally remember saying his cake was going to be super simple...but I really can't control the OCD sometimes. It always seems simpler in my head:) But I did bake the cakes in advance and freeze, Then the next week I made the fondant and décor. So on the day before party I put it all together...in about 4 hours because I had to make a bunch of frosting first.

 I used dowels to stabilize it but it had started to lean by the party:) Like he cared though:) He kept looking around at all of the décor and asking what it was all doing there. He didn't understand when I used his trucks for décor though around the room and kept taking them back to play with:) He had a great time and got some super fun gifts.

 I have been gradually getting things off of my to-do list so I can feel more relaxed when baby time arrives. Having Carson's party was the main thing. I didn't want to mess up his big day. I registered Chey for kindergarten a few days ago as well and feel comfortable that she will do great.

 Today was a warmer day and I wanted to get the weeds trimmed from last fall and get it looking nice. It wasn't essential but I enjoy yard work and the kids enjoy playing outside. I tried to relax most of the morning so I would have the energy. I will tell you that my body wasn't really sore before, although it was pretty awkward out there moving the giant body around, but it is hurting now after 3 hours of yard work. The kids did great in helping carry all of the weeds, etc away but it was a lot more than I planned on but I got carried away. We came in and watched a movie and I totally fell asleep during the last half of it. I wanted to crawl into bed, but it was dinner and FHE time after that... then kids to bed and the last loads of laundry to get caught up before I go to hospital.

 Baby better stay in just one more day...although I was afraid after the yard work that I would start early. I need to get one last grocery shopping day in tomorrow and then I will feel ready:) In my head I know it would be fine if there was laundry dirty or grocery shopping to be done, but with the next couple of days of being in hospital and coming home with new baby, it calms me to know it doesn't need to be done. 

Trying to focus on a good labor and delivery! I am hoping on another natural labor and fast recovery but I will take it as it comes and trust my instincts. Until I get home and take about 100 baby pictures to post, good night!