Lucky Me

4 am Thanksgiving morning - woke up because my right hip hurt
5 am Thanksgiving morning - started throwing up and my lower back hurt so bad I couldn't walk
6 am Thanksgiving morning - woke Tyler up because I needed to go to the hospital
7 am Thanksgiving morning - checked into the hospital with a kidney stone that hurt so bad I wanted to pass out to get relief from the pain
11 am Thanksgiving morning - returned from the hospital all drugged up and with a confirmation from the Dr. that I did indeed have a 3mm stone in my right ureter tube that was stuck.

After that I went to bed and passed the stone sometime later that evening. Not a Thanksgiving I want to remember or one that I ever want to repeat. Hope you all enjoyed your turkey feast...just be Thankful YOU didn't have a kidney stone.

Time

Yikes! It's been about two months since my last blog. It seems like it was just last week! I swear school just started and it should still be September.

Nope.

I looked at the calendar yesterday and about had a heart attack as I realized how close Christmas is, AND I HAVEN"T EVEN STARTED CHRISTMAS SHOPPING YET!
I'm sitting here one the verge of a panic attack because suddenly I'm very behind. I always had grand ideas of being done with shopping by Thanksgiving but somehow it's just not happening. Probably it has something to do with the fact that I have a six month old baby and I'm still trying to catch up from having a newborn.
Halloween was great fun- maybe I'll get around to posting pictures sometime in February then Christmas pictures will come in June. Or maybe I'll just forget the pictures tell y'all that we're still here and doing fine once in awhile and just enjoy reading everyone else's blogs. (Is else's a word?)
Hope you are all doing well...I'm drowning. :)

Band-aids and Bicycles

I never thought I would be the type of mom to want arm pads, knee pads, shoulder pads, gloves, helmets, and boots for their child. I've always felt that it's good to let your kids get roughed up now and then...it's good for them. However, yesterday when Tyler announced that it was time for Cambria to take the training wheels off her bike and learn how to ride with the "big" kids, impulsively I started thinking about how much of her body I could cover so when she crashed she wouldn't get hurt. I was having visions of blood running down her legs with deep, horrible gashes and elbows dripping with blood. Then I realized that Tyler would be right beside her to keep her from falling and that he was just as concerned as I was. So I took a deep breath, smiled at her and told her that she could do it while I was having an anxiety attack. I realized that this was just the beginning of my wanting to protect her from getting hurt, but that I have to let go so she can try and experience new things (even if it does mean a few scraps and bruises along the way). She did great and after a few times up and down the street she was on her way. Interestingly enough, I think Tyler was more worried about her than I was because he watched her like a hawk the whole night to make sure she was okay. There were a few crashes but nothing that a band-aid and a hug couldn't fix. The thing that amazed me is that after we got the small amount of blood cleaned up and bandaged, she went out and got right back on her bike. She's awesome and I'm so proud of her for having the courage to do something hard. Incidentally, Ethan got his bike with training wheels yesterday and wouldn't get off the bike until he crashed, or I made him get off. It's crazy though, with all the tears and blood (and Ethan had A LOT of blood), a band-aid always made the owie feel better. I wish sometimes I could just put a a band-aid on my hurt and it would be all better. Being a kid isn't so bad I guess...and I had better get more band-aids because I think I used up an entire box yesterday.

I love the tongue sticking out as she concentrating...something her dad does as well.

"I'm okay mom, I'm okay." (After the first crash)

Braden outside watching the bike riding fun and wishing he could join them. He's 4 months and this picture gave me visions of him having a football mugshot taken when he's older.

Ethan is so excited to have a bike and he's getting braver because he's starting to go much faster...I hope we don't end up in the hospital.

Needing advice

Over the last couple of months Trevor is going through a phase that is driving both Tyler and I insane. He is never happy. It doesn't matter what we do for him, what we buy for him, or what fun activities we plan just for him, he complains and whines about everything. Tyler took the kids camping last night and I guess all he did was yell at Trevor and tell him to quit complaining. They came home this morning and Tyler vented to me for an hour on how awful Trevor was to everyone. I take the kids swimming at the pool and Trevor whines that it's too cold or too hot or there's too much sun or that he might get water up his nose. We go play at Grandmas house and Trevor lets everyone know how bored he is there. (Mind you he's always excited to go do something fun, but when we actually get to what we're doing, something is always wrong.)
He's been lectured so many times on what it means to be grateful and to just be happy in the moment, that I don't know what else to say, but it does no good. Has anyone else had this problem with their children, or have any ideas on how to teach a child to be happy with life? I'm open to any and all suggestions, as I'm already losing most my hair from pregnancy hormones. (Seriously, I'm afraid if I pull on it at all, it's all going to come out). Have I mentioned before that raising kids is tough, and not for the faint of heart?!

Kids

I know it's been forever since I've written a new post but I still feel like I'm drowning. Just very recently I've felt like MAYBE I can handle four children, but the feeling comes and goes. This week feels like it's been insane but the only thing we've added to our schedule is 30 minute swimming lessons for Cambria and Trevor! Braden is doing better with crying but it's very slow progress. I think he's a very intense child and many things upset him. I have taken pictures of him but haven't edited them or fixed them in anyway, so these are kind of a rough version. It's all I can do right now.

Braden at two months - and yes he turns 3 months on Saturday so you'll be seeing more pictures of him again soon.


His hair is out of control and I refuse to put any product in it

Ethan really likes being big brother (most of the time)

I can't remember if I've posted this picture before but I love it! My mom and I did a photo shoot with her back in the fall of last year. This is one of our favorites!

Yep, he's getting older and the attitude is starting to show...


I think being a parent is the most difficult job there is, so it's a dang good thing that little kids are so cute. Perhaps sometime soon the sleep deprivation will go away and I will be able to enjoy them instead of survive them. (I'm tired; can you tell?)

Pictures and an update

It has been quite the 6 weeks. Last time I wrote how calm and easy Braden was...well, that was a honeymoon. Over the last month and a half I have learned quite a bit about our fourth child and easy and content are NOT words I would use to describe him anymore; it's more like high-maintenance and crabby. He has a very sensitive stomach ( I think ) which translates into he cries a lot. He does love to eat and for the first three weeks I was feeding him every hour on both sides (I'm not exaggerating). I don't think I got out of the rocking chair much at all during that time. He has at least 10 dirty diapers a day and he doesn't like it in his diaper (I don't blame him) so I'm changing him all the time too. He likes to be around people and he likes to be held. So we've all adjusted somewhat to the fact that Braden is rarely happy and that he cries all the time. The one positive I can say about him is that he sleeps good at night. I get at least a 5 hour stretch from 11/12pm to 5/6 am...that is the one thing that is keeping me from losing my mind. He is a cute boy though and the first time he smiled, I cried. Here are some pictures from those rare happy moments so you can all be jealous that my baby is so dang cute. (And no, these are not pictures of Ethan, though the two could be mistaken for twins at this age).

Braden at one month

Notice the chubby cheeks (proof that he's getting plenty to eat)

Blessing day, June 5th

The new normal at our house

He's HERE!

I'm so excited to announce that I am no longer pregnant!!!! After 19 hours (yes, everyone, 19 HOURS) of labor, Braden Kent joined our family and not a moment too soon. He weighed (drum-roll please) 9 lbs. 9 oz. and was 21 inches long! My doctor, who did not deliver me, laughed when I told him how big Braden was because he was so astonished. No wonder my body was done being pregnant, that I couldn't sleep, eat or bend over to pick up stuff off the floor and that my feet were so swollen I couldn't get my tennis shoes on. Did I mention that I'm SO GLAD to not be pregnant anymore? To make a long story short, labor started on Friday morning at about 11 am. I had contractions all day about every 15 minutes. Then Friday night they started coming closer together and with more force so we went to the hospital. They admitted me because I was at a 4 and had to have antibiotics for GBS so I stayed and labored until 3 am. Then the doctor broke my water because baby's head would not engage to dilate past a 7. Then at 4am-ish contractions came hard and fast and by 6 am I was pushing (and wanting to die). Somehow, I was able to deliver without any pain meds, so yes by the end I was ready to jump out the window. However, I couldn't move because of my IV. Braden arrived at 6:27 am on April 23rd and is the sweetest, most content baby I've had. He's adorable with lots of black hair--looks like a mix of all three kids. I feel incredibly blessed that Braden has joined our family and that he slept through most of the night last night.:) I don't have pictures uploaded yet, but will soon.