F is for failing (at blogging)

I may have successfully disappointed my 3 blog followers by failing to post in the last... holy crap, I'm not sure what day today is... checking phone... Wednesday, December 29... soooo failing to post for eight days... my bad. This morning I sat down to work on a blog entry but I've been interrupted a couple times - one Nerf bullet to the eye of a 5 year old, one stinky 1 year old, and a few squawks from a 2 week old. So now I'll try again...

The last 8 days have been beyond busy here at the Smith house. I'm not even sure where to begin... Christmas concerts, basketball games, sleeping, Christmas, presents, more sleeping, illness, more presents... and all of this ends with an incredibly messy house ;)

Let's start with the Christmas concerts.

Peyton and Lia attend the Catholic school here in town so their concerts are in our Church and significantly smaller than the public schools.

Austyn love, love, LOVES to sing so it was no surprise that she was beyondddd excited about her concert. I think the public kindergarten class probably has more kids than Peyton and Lia's entire school. :)

part 3 - Drew Elise

Just when we weren't sure how we could have enough love for another child, God blessed us with another miracle. Welcome to the Smith's, Drew Elise. You are more loved than you will ever know!

part 2 - visitors!

I most look forward to those moments immediately following delivery with new baby, but after that my most favorite thing is seeing all the rest of my babies in the hospital. Sharing their new brother or sister is always so much fun. Although it is usually a short-lived visit because I am sooo tired and they are sooo excited, it is sooo worth it. ;)

Peyton (10-1/2)

Lia (8)

Austyn (5-1/2)

Tayt (almost 4!)

Nash (1-1/2)

the girls :)

Good friends of ours were due around the same time and her and I ended up in the hospital on the same day. Our babies were born almost exactly 12 hours apart. Drew and I got to visit with Archer in the hospital. She's a tiny, petite girl compared to this tank. I look forward to watching them grow up and comparing. :)

part 1 - labor and delivery... sorta

This post is long over due but... we've been busy ;)

Let me begin this post with a confession... I wasssss going to get an epidural. I was. The thing is... maybe I'm stubborn or maybe I'm a little crazy but it didn't happen. Again.

Rewinding a bit... Friday, December 10 started out as an ordinary day. Morning potty break was a little early at 1:30 a.m. (ish) but nothing too alarming. A little out of the ordinary were the Braxton Hicks that were a little more painful and I couldn't sleep through them. Now... keep in mind my water broke 6 days early with Tayt and Nash was an induction 6 days late where the doc broke my water to start labor so it had been over 5 years since my labor started "normally" with contractions first. Unable to sleep I got dressed, woke Dave up to join the fun, and did as much cleaning and folding of laundry around the house as I could to keep me busy and my mind off the inevitable to come.

Fast forward through the morning... after about the billionth potty break for the morning, I sat down at the computer, had another contraction, and wet my pants... a lot. Nice. Having known from Tayt's labor, I knew this was just a "slow leaker." After making arrangements for the sitter to come (Mallory), calling Dave who came home immediately, and going through a run around with the clinic, we were on our way to have a baby by 11:15 a.m. I'll have to admit, I was a little nervous because usually water breaking means baby is coming. Fast. I told Dave I did NOT want to be the woman delivering a baby on the side of the road so we hurried.

After confirmation of water breaking and a nice wheelchair ride, there I was... laying in a bed in Labor & Delivery Suite #1. No turning back now. A visit from Dave's mom and a family friend, introduction by the physician, and FOUR IV pokes later, I was uncomfortable enough to tell Dave... "maybe we can try this epidural thing." I'm calling it a moment of weakness. After being at the hospital for only a total of 1 to 1-1/2 hours, the cut off number in my head was 5... so when the doc came in and told me "you're a 7 to 8," I literally told her to SHUT UP! Pppsssttttt.... this is going to be a breeeeeze. Bring it on. Let's do this!

Another fast forward through the next TWOOOOO hours full of manipulating, pushing, tears, and comments such as "I can't do this!" and "It's never coming out!" Turns out baby's head was turned ever so slightly thus not dilating my cervix fully on one side and creating a rim, a.k.a. pain before death, so I really worked for this one. I now know how a "normal" delivery goes. Lucky me!

After baby decided to turn it's head, we went back to MY "normal" 10-minute delivery. Thank God!

Start to finish... approximately 14-1/2 hours... almost 6 hours longer than my last labor, but I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat!

introducing...
Drew Elise - December 10, 2010 - 3:51 p.m. - 7 lbs 0.6 oz - 21 inches

Nothing in the world beats those first minutes. Melts my heart every time. :)

39-week craziness

I'm hoping the craziness at the end of this pregnancy will spare us from any craziness following this baby's arrival. Nash was born April 10, 2009 and we celebrated both his 1-week AND 2-week "birthdays" in the hospital. First, Austyn was dehydrated with possible bronchitis and Peyton followed that up a week later with a full blown pneumonia and was also dehydrated.

Now... while this present craziness is not as dramatic as that, it still throws everything out of whack around here... as if it already wasn't!

... As I was writing the above to post earlier this week, all craziness did in fact break loose and Tayt began a vicious cycle that has not ended quickly enough for me! Peyton and Lia had been sick over the weekend and starting to recover and I was hoping the illness had ended with the 2 of them. No such luck. Monday evening and all of Monday night included multiple trips to the bathroom, Austyn and Tayt sick, and Dave and I sick. It was a rough night! We've neverrrr all been sick at the same time, and it was simply unbelievable... to say the least.

Yesterday we ALL stayed home and rested. Lots of Sprite, 7-Up, Gatorade, saltines, chicken noodle soup, Lysol, and napping for everyone. I was SO happy this morning to send Dave off to work and the oldest 3 to school. Although it was a relatively quick illness for all of us, it felt like forever and sure has drained me. Fortunately, a baby is in the works in the next week for sure so I shouldn't feel quite so exhausted ... but then again... that's a lie.

Here I am before all the craziness began after my 39-week weigh in. Currently 2 cm dilated but no additional progress towards baby that I can attest to. Most likely my last appointment will be early next week. Keep checking in for more details! ;)

the impossible

This child begs me every day to take his photo. It's difficult to refuse. Seriously...difffffficult.

toys galore

I decided to share some before and after photos of the old new house just to prove we're actually making some progress between the 2 houses... granted, it's not much progress... slow and steady, right!? Some how this room was the first room to be completed. Imagine that!

A HUGE thanks to my mother-in-law and Dave's aunt and her partner in crime for the painting they completed in the new place. I know we couldn't have finished in half the time that they did or done half as good of a job. Thank you again!

 

fist excitement

The kids taught Nash to throw his fists up in the air when he's excited or happy about something. Of course when I tried to catch him on video, he was boycotting the idea.
(You can catch it at about 0:05 and then again at 0:43.)

gobble gobble gobble

Let's just dive right in... Peyton had my camera during part of our Thanksgiving celebration and this is what I got. Pure amazingness!

There was lots of great food and even more laughs as usual. Good times were had by all! Being pregnant makes indulgence even better :) we'll see how the weigh-in goes tomorrow. I might think differently then.

Since timing hasn't worked very well in the past few years to attend THREE Thanksgiving meals, we've cut it down to 2 and that has been plenty! Here we are at Dave's side of the family... they're practicing their marshmallow catching skills ;)

none of the kids made the almost 45 minute ride back

 

relaying of messages

I can only imagine the actual excitement of anyone working down at Smith Brothers Meats when they check the caller ID only to see it is Dave's wife, yet again... with this in mind, I still continue to call there regularly. I had forgotten Dave wasn't out butchering this week due to deer hunting and Thanksgiving so the second time I called there before 10:00 a.m., I hoped he would be able to come home on his lunch break to fix whatever was making the dishwasher lose all its contents on the kitchen floor. He was carrying out some meat so I told them he could call me back.

After an hour and a half of no returned phone call, I called again and left a message with Mallory (who has been working there for a couple weeks now during the low workload period of our transcription). They're crazy busy so it's no surprise he doesn't call me back. Immediately! I commented to Mallory WHAT IF I WAS IN LABOR!? I'm not. Less than 3 weeks though. She took my message. Dave should be getting something along the lines of... Go home at noon. Dishwasher needs fixin'. Water all over the kitchen floor. Not from your wife's vagina.

We shall see how this plays out... and thank you Mallory for relaying the importance of this message!

Update: Message was relayed. Dishwasher is still on the cahoots. Water is still intact. ;)

Leaning Tower of Pisa

One of the last loads out of the kitchen at the other house was the canned goods. Nash was 'helping' me put everything away. He got the biggest kick out of stacking them. Don't mind my manly laugh in the video. ;)

36 weeks

This week marks the 36th week of this pregnancy. I've been told they consider this point full term and a baby could make an appearance at any time. That said...I am no where near ready and very willing to wait another 4 weeks!

Nash and I ventured to the clinic yesterday for one of my now weekly weigh-ins wherein I treat myself afterwards to a grande caramel frappuccino. (Yes, I will tempt you again with this link.) I'm starting to like this routine, although I don't so much like the routine where I go to bed after 11pm. And no, the bedtime routine has nothing to do with the frappuccino :)

Our clinic outing yesterday yet again proved that life is always a learning experience. Nash and I learned some very important things in our time together...

* The phlebotomist will make you spell your last name for verification...regardless of the simplicity. S.M.I.T.H.

* Random women in restrooms feel it necessary to advise you that your toddler will grow up too fast. I appreciate the sincerity, but I also completely understand and pray daily that time will slow down a smidge so my 10 year old doesn't become a teenager so fast!

* The scale always lies. LIAR.

* Nash scowls at everyone. No matter what. Always. He's cute. But folks, he bites.

* Group B strep testing is super fun. (insert sarcasm)

* I am thoroughly convinced my doc would rather talk with Dave about his venison.

* Nash cannot hold an open bag of Skittles alone. No matter how much he protests. I saw this coming and still gave him the bag.

* The Starbucks gentleman thinks a scattered bag of Skittles is no big deal. Thank you friendly Starbucks gentleman!

* Bags of surprise gifts for kids should not be left on the front seat with trust that they won't peak. They peak.

I guess next week's appointment will include another trip to Starbucks and Target. (again, insert sarcasm)

I know you're all just waiting for this photo of the belly. Courtesy of Mom. Enjoy!



Nash playing with the covers for the stirrups ;)



an Army man, a crayon, a princess, Spiderman, a penguin, a Packer player, and a dragon - oh my!

Now that it's snowing, I thought I would make myself more miserable and post these from Halloween as a reminder of how incredibly beautiful it was for trick-or-treating that afternoon. The kids had a great time. They're starting to get the point of running door to door... mom wants candy, so run. ;) Our candy drawer is finally dwindling down and mom is tired of candy now. And probably 5 pounds heavier... we'll blame it on the candy.

here is where it started to get out of hand...

 

 

Tayt refused to cross the road with the other kids



Jax the dragon



giving Luke the run down

 

special Braylon - he was only mildly confused

I think he missed this house

Tayt had enough