Wonder no longer....

HE'S HERE!!!!

It's been a great day!

It "started" at 3:00 a.m. with a puddle on the floor next to my bed. 

It "ended" with a beautiful well nourished baby boy at 7:55 this morning when I received him into my arms. 

All 9 lbs and 4 wonderful ounces of him!

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect birth....

{Well, except for the stitches.}

We're pretty sure his name is Devon.

Now, let the real fun begin! 

Seriously?

On Saturday the 8th at 8 AM, the morning after writing my last post about wanting my water to break so I know it was time, it happened.... or so I thought.

I got up from sitting down and lo and behold, amniotic fluid!

It wasn't a ton, probably a 1/2 cup worth, but it was something to get excited about!

Oh the excitement!

I called the midwife and told her that there was clear amniotic fluid and some bloody show but that there was not real labor......yet.

It was just the sign that I had been waiting for so I would know when the time had arrived!

Yahooee!

I started calculating in my head what time the baby might be born.

If it went like Anna's birth the baby would be here around 3 o'clock that afternoon!

On Dallin's schedule, whom took 40 hours after my water broke, the baby would be here by Sunday night.

It was interesting how a friend Cassandra called at 9 a.m. and asked  how things were and to ask another question. I mentioned that my fluid was leaking and that I was anticipating the beginning of labor. It was nice at that time to hear of hear sister going to the mall and walking around while waiting for things to begin. She also mentioned that sometimes, the bag leaks then seals itself back up. That was something  I hadn't realized or remembered, but I was pretty sure that wouldn't be the case for me.

Luckily, I had work to do and a full day ahead to distract me from early labor!

Also, that strange nesting desire to have a clean house for a new baby whom could care less whether the floor had been mopped overcame me.

I busied myself once again!

First the kid's bathroom, then sweeping and picking up the house.

By 10:30 it came time for our families assignment to clean the church.

With a tiny bit of hesitance and a hand towel between my legs "just in case" there was a  loss of additional fluid, we proceeded to the church where I tidied the kitchen, scrubbed the door jams with vigor and methodically wiped chalk boards clean.

I even almost stuck to my plan not tell anyone there what I thought might be happening soon.

While working till 12:30 mild contractions continued and I kept wondering when it would be time for the "real" ones. Since nothing was happening and the "just in case towel" was completely dry (to my surprise), we proceeded with our plans for the day. To console myself I thought back to Dallin's birth and reminded myself that it might take a while for things to pick up.

Justin is on the far left....you know, the cute kid witht the confused look in his eyes?

We headed over to the rec. center where we got to watch Justin in his first ever basketball game.

It was comical to say they least. It will be even more interesting when he figures out that the goal is to stop the other team from making baskets and passes the ball to people on his own team!

He sure had fun though, and he and his team even started figuring some things out by the end of the game.

After the game and some fun at the nearby park and of course, some "last" pregnant pictures, we headed over to Trader Joe's to stock the cupboards one last time before the anticipated arrival.

I even got the usual stares and the, "looks like it could happen at any minute" stares.

Next we went to Cafe Rio for a filling meal to give me energy for the upcoming event.

{It was delicious of course.}

By 6:30 we were headed home where I could continue nesting and I could put the family to work with the anticipation of watching a movie together!

For the next 2 hours or more we did dishes, mopped the floor, scoured the sink with the beloved Mr. Clean sponge and cleaned out the fridge and the pantry so groceries could be put into an organized space, free of decomposing radishes that we hadn't consumed from out bountiful basket many weeks before.{These tasks were definitely something the baby would appreciate having done, right?} And boy were those contractions getting going from all of the work!

It was a lovely, productive evening, full of many wonderful yet inconsistent contractions, a sparkling kitchen and clean toilets.

Next, we sat down to watch a movie together.

It was very funny to me, but a documentary on "Absolute Zero" by Nova was the consensus. There I was, waiting for real labor to happen while watching some kooky scientist get REALLY excited about cold stuff. It was way over my head but I think the kids liked it though to my surprise. It was fine though. I just watched here and there, all the while imagining the upcoming birth and waiting for consistent contractions to begin. I'd even time them and try to discover a pattern, but a pattern never came. Pre-labor contractions during this pregnancy are not new to me, but I waited for the ones that I know are needed to move a baby out. 

By 11:00 we headed to bed when I thought for sure "it" would start sometime during the wee hours of the morning. We determined that since the baby wasn't born yet that Sunday would be the day.

When I woke up the next morning and nothing had happened it was obvious that Sunday wasn't the day.

Finally after reading "The Birth Book" I admitted to myself that my bag had not ruptured.....

For a few seconds I even wondered if maybe I had been hallucinating and had peed myself without realizing it. That's highly unlikely, but who said I am totally rational anyways!?

I'm pretty dang sure it was the sack leaking which had sealed itself up shortly after it had let out the fluid and that as long as fluid no longer leaked and the bag was sealed, I should just carry on as I have been. Fooey!

It was yet again, another something I hadn't experienced while pregnant that fooled me even more royally than the previous trick. 

AND I got to go to church, still pregnant, "expired" so to speak with a few folks having spread the news that i had "leaked" morphed into the fact that my water had "broken." Oh boy.

Not only did the contractions never progress, the midwife's assistant came to my home and confirmed with a test by Sunday afternoon that there was none of the aforementioned fluid leaking from my body like it had done briefly that Saturday morning.

I have been foiled...again!

In my womb I carry the ultimate prankster and I am the ultimate sucker. 

At least my kitchen is really organized and clean! And It was nice to hear that I'm almost completely effaced.

So here I am: still pregnant, still "patiently" waiting.

So is Anna as I was reminded with her comment this morning, "Mom, this baby sure is taking a long time!"

In case you were wondering......

40 weeks and counting.

And I'm not the only one counting.

It's not all my fault, but I convinced myself {and everyone else} that on Sunday, December 26th, I was in labor.

Starting during church at around 2:00 I began to have regular contractions while hoping that my bag of waters would stay intact.  It did of course.

Little by little I started realizing that they were pretty consistent, no matter my position.

Then by 8 or 9 they were about 5 minutes apart and getting stronger so I started getting excited!

Since I had made no accommodations previously I busied myself preparing my home.

Patrick pumped up the birth tub Angela lent me and got the hose connected.

I cracked open the birth kit, gathered old towels/ plastic cloths, pulled down the bins of newborn clothes, cleaned the toilets and scoured the stove top of course. ;)

I called my mum, Julie to tell her I would probably be calling her in the morning to come over to take care of the kids and I e-mailed my friend who is going to take pictures for me.

By 9:30 I called Sherry my midwife and her assistant Tiffany to let them know that I thought I was in early labor so they could be ready when the "real stuff" started during the wee hours of the morning.

I even had Patrick take one last not so flattering late-night picture of me pregnant....

Finally at midnight, everything was in order and I figured I should get some rest since I had probably had some work ahead of me in not to far from that time.

The contractions kept coming. Some quite strong but very manageable.

It was like going to sleep excited for Christmas as a kid......

Christmas never came.

Reluctantly, the next morning I sent Patrick off to work

But...
I kept thinking active labor would come at anytime because the pre-labor contractions kept coming just not as consistently.

It never came.

Since I have been pregnant 3 times prior to this, you'd think that I would know by now when labor was beginning, but apparently I have no clue.

This is the first time I've had consistent contractions before water breaking.

Talk about confusion!

I walked around for over a week thinking I was centimeters away.

And my family called every day, bless their hearts. Repeatedly they would inquire.....

Have you had the baby yet????

Eventually, I reminded, "Don't call us, we'll call you." 

When Sherry checked me this week the confusion ended.

The prognosis: Thinning and barely dilating.

It may sound depressing, but believe me, I have felt much calmer and less obsessed ever since.

Phew.

Now we just wait patiently for the REAL fun to begin.

I'll just wait for my water to break like it usually does. {Crossing fingers}

I'm not interested in being teased any more thank you!

Lady in waiting.

Let me rephrase that. 

LADIES 

in waiting!

I've realized that I'm not the only lady in waiting around here!

I think Anna might even be more excited for the baby to arrive than I am!

I'm due Jan. 7th but have gone a bit earlier in the past, so

to make it easier for my kids to understand when I was due, whenever they asked when the baby would come out I just told them, 

AFTER CHRISTMAS.....

Well, it's after Christmas and Anna is ready! 

I tried to explain to her that it would be born SOMETIME after, and we don't know exactly when, but it's no use. 

On Christmas Eve after she had a delivery of her own with daddy's help she announced,

"Tomorrow after we open our presents, the baby will come out!"

If only it were that simple Anna. 

She just keeps asking and I keep wondering as well.
When is the baby going to come out?

It's not that I'm in a hurry.

For me, it's WAY easier to have the baby inside than out.
From experience I've decided that waiting is way easier than the alternatives!

It does help that this pregnancy has been an absolute dream. 

When Anna stuffs her baby under her shirt, you can still hear it's recorded cry.

My baby is silent.

And content.
And fed automatically....
{with no effort on my part, except for the fact that I get to eat and I'm a pro at that already.}

I still even sleep through the night!

We also could use more time to decide on a boy name....if it is a boy that is.  We've chosen the name Ella if it is a girl. 

Plus, the longer it hangs out in it's cozy womb, the more time I  have to recover from:

the Night AFTER Christmas

{which isn't nearly as  lovely of a scene as the Night BEFORE Christmas.}
 

Soooo, until the awaited birth occurs, I'm sure she will continue to choose clothing that will accommodate her "baby to be" each day.

And she'll continue to ask Dallin to check the baby's heartbeat.

 

And I'll continue to wonder with excitement whether these contractions will be THE ONES! 

Us.

Our family of 5.95! Taken Dec. 14th. Justin-6 Anna-4 Dallin-2 Baby-37 weeks

On second thought......

I had no clue how much ENJOYMENT a few paper bags and some duct tape could bring!

Maybe I should just return their Christmas presents and save some money!?!?

am i the only one?

do you sometimes wonder, 

am i the only one?????

today i happened to look up at my ceiling and lo and behold, there it was.

a  blob of butter, about a tablespoon worth, on the CEILING.

SERIOUSLY!?!?

then i asked a question i never, EVER, imagined i would ask as a mother.

"uh....who on earth threw a blob of butter up on the ceiling???"

{i'm pretty sure i'm the only mother on the earth today that asked her dear children that question.}

i'm not sure WHY i bothered asking, especially since nobody ever fesses up, but i asked it nonetheless.

 and since i got no answer, the only thing i was left to do is wonder.

who done it!?! 

maybe it was dallin???

hmmm....

it couldn't have been dallin! 

 {this is him with the piece of bread he buttered all by himself just the other day....i'm pretty sure he loves butter way too much to be throwing it up on the ceiling.}

what about anna? 

i guess it could have been anna, but i'm pretty sure it wasn't because the only thing she is good at throwing is a tantrum.

that left me with one final suspect.

justin

this a picture his dad took of him weeks ago...

 

am i wrong to be instituting the guilty until proven innocent policy???

for some reason he tends to have guilty written all over his forehead more times than not. 

i've yet to get a confession. 

but believe me. 

i am NOT holding my breath!

Learning.....

Some highlights 
from the school of 
LIFE!

 LEARNING.......

At La Jolla Children's pool beach!

{Justin LOVED the mini tide pool and even nominated himself as the "tour guide." AND we learned that Chinese tourists are REALLY fond of white little children.}

At the Mormon Battalion 

Visitors Center.

At the beach!

{We learned the most from our new fisherman friend.

Dallin also learned that sand coated pears are not a delicacy!}

At the S.E.E.K. Co-op!

 At the Police Station.

 In the living room and outside.

 At the Goat Milk Guy's "homestead."

{We learned that fresh goat's milk tastes WAY better than the stuff in the store, but yes, it still has that "goaty" taste.}  

 Lessons the hard way!

{Anna found out about what happens when you twist a comb one too many times around in your hair (ouch) or put scissors to your hair!
My favorite quote as she was walking into great clips with her allowance to pay for a "real" haircut... 

"See this money I have??? I'm buying 100 toys with it! NOT a haircut!"}

How to smile "pretty!"

{Dallin has officially mastered his cheesy camera grin!} 

 

In the Pumpkin Patch at Gilcrease Orchard.
{Some things DO grow in our desert!}

A DAY

The last couple of months have been one busy blur. 

Blogging about it is way too much to comprehend. 

Instead, I'm just going to focus on 

ONE DAY...

This past Wednesday!

Outside my window: 

Bright, happy sunlight, my 5 ft. tall Cana Lilies in bloom, grass that is a foot high and toys strewn over every inch of our backyard.

Thankful: 

That Fall FINALLY decided to arrive yesterday!! I'm in heaven! I declare that it is officially Fall, now hat the high temp around here is no longer over 100* and is around 80* instead. (And you bet I'm crossing my fingers that is stays like this!)

Learning: 

How to be a Bear Cub Leader and  how teach Justin in a way that fosters a love of learning as opposed to whining and groaning. Justin is really enjoys his history lesson's about Egyptians and is becoming quite a good little reader. His favorite subject is Language Arts and hearing the wonderful stories in the K12 curriculum. He also REALLY enjoys the SEEK home school co-op.

Anna is learning to trace her name and always wants to "do" phonics right along with Justin.

Dallin's learning right now involves his repeating every single thing I say. It's adorable. Really.

I'm also learning how to edit pictures and working on the bridals I took of my sister, Amanda.

(These are not edited yet though...I'm still working on that part, remember? :))

(actually) Reading... 

A Thomas Jefferson Education with Patrick for a book club next month. (Anyone that knows me will be amazed by the fact that I'm reading a book club assignment IN ADVANCE. It's a miracle.

From the kitchen: 

For breakfast: Soaked Cracked Oats + Butter + Banana + Crispy Almonds. Then there are the dishes to wash, red + black beans soaking in a pot, newly discovered yummy raw goat gouda cheese from Trader Joe's, raw goat milk (that I actually enjoy drinking) and the baked pumpkin that is patiently waiting to be turned into a delicious pumpkin pie now that Fall has decided to show up. For lunch: Egg + Potato + Bacon + Avocado + Onion + Tomato hash. For Dinner: Fried Rice.

Wearing:
2:00-The same clothes I exercised in this morning including my visor and new comfy shoes I found at Ross yesterday.
5:45-Real clothes, just in time for Patrick to come home.

Hearing:

6:30- My alarm telling me it's time to go walking with Angela.

9:00 a school bus driving by that I'm glad my kid is not on.

10:00 Whining from Justin (who's not feeling all well)) as he does a worksheet on fact families.

1:00 Dallin coloring in a book. (I sighed a breath of relief when I looked over and realized it was only a journal he was writing in. That relief faded quickly when I noticed the brown scribbling all over his body which led my eyes to the pile of over a dozen books he'd added his own artistic flair to. I am just thankful he only colored on the laminated covers.)

2:30-Anna singing a clean up song as she helps Dallin mop up the bottle of water he dumped on the floor accompanied by Dallin's slurping as he sucks it up with his mouth while birds twitter outside my back open window.

3:30-Anna "reading" a book.

4:30- The sound of Justin turning the pages of the scout book I've been flipping through to decide what to do for scouts tonight. 

9:00- Quiet.

Hoping: 

I get to squeeze a nap in.

Thinking: 

About costumes. I'm trying to decide if it will be feasible to carry out Justin's Halloween Family Costume request...a family of skeletons. It's his year to pick after all, but I'm wondering if I could sway him towards he's earlier, much easier request: Builders. We'll see!

I'm also thinking I need to re-motivate myself to get a little fall garden planted since some rude caterpillars ate up the seedlings we started. Arg!

Around the house:  

Loads of folded laundry waiting to be put away before the kids turn them back into a pile, windows smudged with oodles of prints from my children's fingers, a soft breeze blowing through every window, piles of toys waiting to be picked up, the happy birthday sign still up from Anna's birthday 3 weeks ago, my new shelves that hold our home school supplies that have officiallye turned our living room into more of a learning room AND more signs than I can count that I am a mother of 3 young lovely children.

Creating: 

Anna's dress for my sister's wedding. I'm hoping it turns out o.k. Keep your fingers crossed for me...it's been 10 years since I've sewn a dress! It's like riding a bike, right!?

POST EDIT: MY SAINTLY MOTHER IN LAW "HELPED" ME MAKE THE DRESS. ;) THANK GOODNESS! :)

One of my favorite things: 

Seeing the Sunrise on my morning walks and feeling the crisp morning air...

(Not a great picture, but I just want to remember the moment.)

Plans for the rest of the week: 

Thursday:
A visit to Gillcrease Orchard in the morning and bow making with Nancy that night. 

Friday:
A visit to Sherry, my midwife, a park activity w/ the K12 kids and then SEEK park day.

Saturday:
My Bountiful Basket pick-up, some garage sales, sewing, a bit of  backyard upkeep and going to the temple with my sister for her first time before her wedding next week.

crunchy

i admit it. 

sometimes i just bite my tongue and don't always share things about myself on the internet.

you know, the different things. 

pathetic, i know.

it's sorta like hiding my light under a bushel i guess.
 

the crunchier(more natural) i get, the weirder and weirder i become. 

but whatever.

today, i decided to share something i learned when my dear friend angie asked on facebook,

"Ok granola girls out there...I have been reading Dr. Oz's books You the Owner's Manual and You on a diet and learned about how the ingredients in antiperspirant are not good for you. Links to hormone mess-ups, breast cancer, alzheimer's ...on and on. The problem is...I don't want to stink! I tried a tea tree oil typ...e-no luck. I can handle the soggy armpit feel, but not the b.o. factor. Any suggestions?"

here's my reply....

many, many moons ago i had heard enough junk about the junk (like aluminum, parabens and propylene glycol) in antiperspirant/deodorant that i began a quest.

the quest to find a natural deodorant that actually works. 

the quest was long....and stinky because, well, i realized that bottle after bottle, that i all i had acquired was a LOT of barely used bottles of deodorant stashed under my sink and flowery smelling b.o.

i'm here to report to you from my own experience that NONE of those natural deodorants worked very well...

for some unknown but dumb reason {probably because i intended to return them SOMEDAY} i have chosen not to part with a portion of my experimental purchases. here they are. several years later.

can you imagine the dismay i must have felt when time after time, my quest was thwarted?!? 

(o.k. i'm probably being a bit melodramatic about deodorant, but i spent a pretty penny on this little quest of mine over the years.)

i do know that what i decided to do back in 2008 has changed my life forever.

fed up, i began searching online for a recipe to make my own deodorant, when i found a good recipe, compliments of an angry chicken. 

only problem is that even with the best of intentions,i never got around to making it. 

too forgetful to run to the store and buy shea butter i suppose?

another good intention gone to waste, right?

oh contraire. 

when reading her recipe, i realized that the main deodorizing agent was something i had in my very own kitchen cabinet. 

yup, you guessed it.

good ol' baking soda.

the other ingredients seemed to simply be a catalyst for applying the stench fighting sludge. 

sooo i created my own "recipe" for homemade deodorant:
1-slightly wet the tips of your fingers
2-dip them into dry baking soda
3-smear it on your underarms.

fancy. i know.

 
i've been hooked ever since.

true story.

here is where i list some of the perks to using this pretty white power:

1-COST- a 99cent box will last for a full year {as long as you don't drip too much water in it and make it turn into a rock like i do periodically.}that's cheap!

2- AVAILABILITY- ever been to a grocery store or corner market that didn't carry baking soda? i think not! 

3- IT FIGHTS ODOR- even when i forget to wear it all day and i start to smell not so fresh, i can put it on and the not so fresh is gone in a matter of seconds.

4-IT IS NOT TOXIC- you can eat the stuff....and of course it's all natural. it's baking soda by golly! 

5- IT WILL NOT STAIN- my white textiles have been yellow and buildup free for years.

here are some of my experiences from over the years.

*it's weird, but my when i first switched from conventional d.o., my armpits turned black. it was a bit shocking, but i kept on using it and it shortly went away....which i imagine happened AFTER the toxins from the other junk were pulled out of my armpits. 

**baking soda is NOT an antiperspirant.you will sweat. it's something the body is SUPPOSED to do {even if it's not all that cute.}

*** the only time it fails to work for me is when i have failed to put it on....so, if you've smelled my b.o. before that's probably because i'm one of the most forgetful creatures on this planet.
**** when my diet is squeaky clean perfect i don't even have to use deodorant...but i'm not so good at that as a pregnant lady.

so that's my 2 cents worth (as opposed to my 5.99 cents worth which is a common cost for natural deodorant}... for angie and for anyone else out there ready to stop clogging your underarms with chemicals.

c'mon, all you've got to loose is a few pennies (and maybe a friend with a sensitive nose or two) if it happens not to work for you! :)

why not give it a try (or not,) and let me know what you think ?!

already!?

I know everyone says it. 

But it's true. 

I don't know where the time went! 

I just can't believe that

Dallin is 2!

----------------------------------------------

 It's seems like yesterday I was so excited for him to be here....especially since he waited 40 hours to come out after my water broke. 

Dallin, 30 minutes old, and some proud, exhausted parents.

 He was born at 11:07 p.m. on August 15th, 2008

15 hours old meeting the sibs. :)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

To celebrate his arrival, we started the day out with our traditional birthday breakfast:

cold cereal.

It's a bit unusual, but boxed cereal is a special treat here.
The kids spend months trying to decide which kind they want. 

He loved my cornflake choice...boogers and all. ;)

 Dallin didn't know any different so he just got what I was craving as I walked the cereal isle....cornflakes of all things. Dang they were yummy!

----------------------------------------------

It was Thursday and I figured I should do something for Dallin's birthday. My poor 3rd child.

I threw a last minute gathering together. We had some in town family there + good friends whom live close by, the Salazars, since I knew they'd be o.k. with a same day invite.

Dallin thoroughly enjoyed himself and was shocked to realize that he was finally allowed to eat the cake Patrick had made the day before.

I loved to see his excitement opening a few gifts. His favorite gift was a fake birthday cake set.

I am just glad Angela could help me take some lovely pics. :)

To make his big day even more special, he kept underwear dry all day for the first time ever.

That's a big to do around here because he has been potty trained for 2 months.....

{BUT}

Underwear usually only stays on for 20 minutes because he just treated it like a diaper.

Consequently, he's usually neeked OR wearing pants commando style.

Yeah, that gets awkward for folks.

I'm so pleased he's ***HOPEFULLY*** done being the underwear-less wonder! ;)

Happy Birthday

to my sweet little Dallin!