Sam (or Sami as most people are calling her now) was born on Saturday, August 19th at 9:09 p.m. She was 7 lbs. 5 oz. That morning Kenny and I decided to do a few sealings at the temple. After that we grabbed the kids and went to baseball practice. I walked around the grocery store with Trey and got groceries for the week just in case Sam decided to come soon. That’s probably what put me into labor! I went and picked them all up from baseball and said hi to my friends and we talked about how hopefully they didn’t see me at Monday’s practice because that would mean I had a baby! An hour and a half later I decided to take a nap because we were supposed to go off-roading that night for Madden’s birthday. I started having contractions but I didn’t think too much of it because I’d been having them for weeks. They started becoming more regular and got a little more uncomfortable and so I wasn’t ever able to fall asleep. After more painful contractions we knew it was the real thing-it just wasn’t time to go to the hospital. We didn’t really know what to do with the kids because both sets of parents wanted to be at the hospital with us-I’m just glad it wasn’t happening while they were at school. So many friends and family had offered to help out with kids but we ended up having Holli come over (and she missed the family party because of it). She even stayed the night with the kids and got to our house so fast. She’s always so willing to help out and so selfless! We left for the hospital at 5:00 but then I was nervous that my contractions had slowed down and the hospital would turn me away. Haha. We decided to stop and get Kenny some food because it was going to be a long night! But while I waited for him to run in and get Frijoles, my contractions got really bad. We headed to the hospital and checked in at 6:15 p.m. I was dilated to a 5 and since it was my fourth kid they said I’d go fast. They wheeled me up to the delivery room and said that the anesthesiologist would be there in 15 minutes for my epidural. I was shocked! I was totally feeling like I was actually being strong and had handled the contractions well, and in just minutes I wouldn’t even feel them any more. After 15 minutes the nurses told me that he got called to an Emergency C-Section and that I’d have to wait another hour. AH! That was so discouraging. Right then I thought that I couldn’t do it for another hour. And I was sure he’d take even longer than an hour anyway. And I was progressing quickly so I was scared I wouldn’t get an epidural at all! By then our parents were there and Kenny and mom kept telling me that I could do it…that I’d been doing it. I just kept saying, “I can’t do this for an hour”. Haha I’m a baby! I was having really bad back labor and I was so nervous that my tailbone was going to get hurt again. I was freaking myself out that for sure the back labor meant that again since I’d only had that with Trey and that was when my tailbone got so injured. Right at the hour mark, the anesthesiologist came in and I got the epidural. They broke my water and I was already dilated to a 9. Dr. Paul was on his way and she was going to be born soon. And then the epidural didn’t work on my left side. I could feel so much pain and my back was still hurting so bad and I was scared because I didn’t know how bad it would hurt to push out a baby and feel it! I know, so many people have and do do that! But I don’t like pain! He said he could give me more of the epidural but the nurses said I just needed to push the baby out and it would be done. I was so worried so he did give me more but right then when Dr. Paul showed up it was time to push her out. One push was all it took and the epidural didn’t kick in so I felt her come out and the instant relief. And it didn’t hurt any more than what I was already experiencing! And then the epidural kicked in on both sides and REAL good because I had been given more so for the next 6 hours or so I was completely numb and couldn’t walk. They had to wheel me into the bathroom and help me stand in the bathroom. Sam was healthy and everything went well. We left the hospital as soon as the 24 hour test was given and got home Sunday night at 10:30 p.m. I felt so good! The next day I didn’t even feel like I had just pushed out a baby. I don’t know if it’s because I exercised up until the day before she was born or if it’s because of the epidural not working completely or what-but I am so grateful since my last three recoveries were so awful for different reasons. And the best part was that my tailbone didn’t hurt! I am so grateful that I’ve been able to feel as good as I have-especially with three other kids. Mom had the next week off of work so she came over every day to mostly watch Trey and to help with Kayli and Beau after school. We also had so many visitors the next two weeks! I loved it! I felt so good talking and visiting with people. We had dinners brought to us for 2 weeks by people who offered and wanted to help out. I’ve had so many friends come drop by treats, Splash drinks, text me to see how I’m doing, offer to help with kids with school, watch Trey, bring presents and bring frozen meals. I have felt so loved and thought about and it has made me feel so much better. I love you all! And I’m still getting checked in on. I’m so surrounded by good people! The next week, Kenny had to go back to work. I was nervous about doing everything on my own especially because we were just still so tired. Kenny has been so helpful though and gets the kids up and ready for school, makes their lunches and gets them to school by 7:45 a.m. when I’m usually going back to sleep because I’m exhausted. He took Trey over to his mom’s house most of that week so I could nap so that was so helpful too! Trey loved all the attention he got from grandparents those two weeks and I’m glad that he was so well-loved and taken care of because I wasn’t able to give him the attention I wanted to. He played at lots of friends’ houses too. I picked kids up from school that week too and it was fun getting out and feeling a little more normal and like we had a little routine back in our life. Last week we started carpool and Trey was shipped off a few days again and now this week I have been feeling so much like we’re getting the hang of things and getting into a good groove. I’ve been busy this week and I love it. I’ve given up on sleep-Sam hasn’t been doing too good at night, but I’ve also just gotten up in the mornings and not even tried to get a nap in. I’m just living on Splash drive-thru drinks! So… Sam is 3 1/2 weeks old and we’re surviving! Everyone has loved her. The kids adjusted so well to life with a new baby and they love holding her and checking on her. They’ve been helpful and I’m so grateful for them. I sure love my 4 kids and always wonder how I got so lucky to have them all. And Kenny too- he’s so patient with me and has taken such good care of me, the kids, and the house, not too mention that he’s super busy trying to run a business, Elder’s Quorum, and everything else he tries to do. But he makes it all work out and he does it so willingly and keeps it all together. He never shows that he’s stressed out! I don’t get it! Anyway, this has been my best recovery by far… physically, emotionally, and mentally. I’m very grateful.
10 days old…
First bath… she loved it!
More of Sami…
The kids had their first baseball game on Monday and I loved every minute of it! Kayli surprised us a few months ago when she said she’d play on Beau’s team. He played with all of his friends last year and they were getting a team together again. She’s never wanted to do sports, or take lessons of any kind and that’s fine but I was shocked when she said she’d do baseball. I wanted to let her if she really wanted to but I didn’t want to pay and then she never play-which is what I was afraid would happen. She’s done good at practice but sometimes gets grumpy about everything and I just wasn’t confident she’d end up liking it. Kenny has been assistant coaching and so he’s at all of the practices with them but then go figure, he got called for jury duty, ended up on the jury and ended up late to the game Monday. I was sure she wouldn’t play when he couldn’t be there. But then she did it! She struck out her first time at bat (lots of kids did) but then the next time she got right back up again and on her last ball she hit it far! She ran fast around the bases and when she came home and headed to the dug out she had the biggest smile on her face! I was so happy! She’s so shy sometimes and playing baseball when all eyes are on you at bat is hard! But she did it! I could tell she was proud of herself and that she was having fun. Kenny even made it right in time to see her hit! Beau hit too and ran the bases so fast of course! They both also did good in the outfield. Their team looked really good for being so young and all the dads that are helping coach had done an awesome job teaching them! Both sets of grandparents came to the game and they passed Sam around and took turns entertaining Trey. I love this time of year! It’s fun to see all of them so much, see all of our friends there, watch baseball, and see the kids having so much fun! I’m looking forward to the rest of the season!
Kayli is doing better about going to school but she still sometimes doesn’t want to go. What she does love though is Art. I am so grateful for an Art teacher who I don’t even know right now who has helped Kayli LOVE art. She actually gets to go two days in a row to Art and she comes home and has memorized what they did that day (and I mean every single little detail in the drawings they learned that day). She also likes Music because they are playing instruments now. She hates P.E. and Computers. She comes home and plays school for hours. Our loft has been transformed into her classroom but she keeps it so clean and organized. She loves to organize and if I want to win her over for some reason I just ask her to go organize a drawer or something. Haha! She told me the other day that she’s getting older so she doesn’t really like cartoon toys anymore and we could pack them away for Sami. So sad.
Beau loves it all. He is so easy to please and has loved every minute of school. Kenny pretty much walks him to the Kindergarten gate and sets him free because he has to go help Kayli go to class ok. Beau is always greeted by his friends and they all run off and play tag in the grass. He’s doing so good in school and loves everyone. He comes home and does homework right away. He can now land a backflip on the trampoline. Kenny and Grandpa Eliason were pretty excited about that!
Trey is so much fun but so curious and into everything and thinks he’s Mr. Independent. A few things he’s done recently: Kenny was on the phone in the kitchen and I was on the couch with Sam. Trey was in the backyard playing. Kenny noticed it was too quiet out there so he checked on Trey and didn’t see him. Then he noticed the gate was open somehow. He ran to the front expecting to see Trey on the driveway or close to the house but he wasn’t there. He checked in the street and there was Trey halfway down the street with his basketball-walking to the park. Kenny yelled for him and Trey turned around and waved and yelled, “park!” and kept on walking. By then I was out there and was worried he’d make it to the end of the street soon so I started running down after him. He had been walking down with mom every day while she was here helping out so I guess he figured he knew where he was going and what he was doing! Now we have to make sure the gate is always shut because he’ll leave! He also unlocked our front door and ran out one day but luckily mom saw him and chased after him. We had to put another lock on the door so that he can’t do that. Yesterday I stopped and got a drink and brought it home. I had it hidden on the counter on the side of the fridge so Trey wouldn’t see it but he did, pulled a barstool over and just as I saw him reaching for it and yelled for him not to touch, he knocked it over. 44 ounces spilled all over the counter and onto the floor of my kitchen. Sam was screaming and was hungry but I had to clean up the mess and it took me forever to get it all cleaned up good enough. One day there was a box of frozen corn dogs on the counter and he opened it up, took out a corndog and bit right into one. He wasn’t phased at all that they were frozen. So gross. He also wanted bread cut up the other day for some reason but I was feeding Sam and couldn’t do it for him so he got his own really sharp knife out and came over and started trying to cut up his bread! He thinks he just knows how to do everything nowadays! We love him though and he keeps us on our toes. If we ever realize that Trey is somewhere in the house alone, someone has to chase him down right away because he’s definitely into something! He is obsessed with “Elephants Have Wrinkles” and sings and dances to it.
Trey has had lots of fun play dates lately and Mindy sent me pictures from a play date at her house…
He is getting better at his Strider bike (ever since he watched Madden ride his). We have a picture just like this of Beau, Benny, and Charlie from a few years ago…
He’s also in Totnastics with Elise and Madden! He loves running warm-up and hanging on the bar like a monkey but he really does like all of it and has obeyed really well! It’s fun doing this class again-we did it with Beau, Benny, and Collyns 3 years ago!
Last night we had an awesome rainstorm. We were headed down to the grassy area in our neighborhood to meet friends when it started pouring. We stayed in the garage and watched the rain come down and then the kids got on rainboots and ended up out in the rain. It didn’t rain too long and then everyone ended up at our house. The kids jumped in puddles and some even laid down in the puddles and kissed the water! They were all soaked but having a blast and it was so nice out at that point that we rode bikes and played catch. Sami likes sitting outside with me while we watch the kids play. That night when the kids were trying to go to sleep there was crazy loud thunder and tons of lightning that lit up the whole sky. They couldn’t sleep and it was so loud and kind of scary so we let them sleep in the loft with a movie on (their Friday night tradition) so they could all be together and not focus on the the thunder.
Some cool off-roading pictures…
The kids are obsessed with the new song “I Will Be What I Believe” that’s on youtube. They have all memorized the words and the actions and they sing it so pretty and reverently. They take it really seriously! Even Trey! Beau hasn’t been super into singing and doesn’t really sing much in primary but since this song he has wanted to learn the words and has! And now he even sings the songs in primary. I love when they sing it!
More pictures…
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