Three Weeks

My little guy is three weeks today! He is awake much more often--so much so that he "tells" us when he's hungry now. He is also more alert in between feedings and naps. He's also been going through a growth spurt, we think, because he's been eating as often as every 1 1/2 to 2 hours! He did, however, let us sleep again last night. He also seems to have "mellowed" out somewhat. DH was able to bathe him and even change his diaper without him wailing at the top of his lungs. He is holding his head up more and for longer periods. His hand movements seem a little bit more controlled. He clasped his hands together last night and we wanted to take a picture so we could tell our pastor that he was already praying--but he stopped doing that before we could grab the camera. I finally got a photo showing his little dimples on both sides. Isn't he the most beautiful baby? I'm not biased at all, of course. ;-)

One final note about nursing--the lactation consultant told us yesterday that he is having trouble sucking correctly, even using the bottle nipple. She said that this usually works itself out by about eight weeks and that I shouldn't try too hard to get him to latch on until then. I have mixed feelings about this. I still feel like I need to do something more pro-active about this, but at the same time, I'm relieved that she told me to just relax and not worry about it for a while. I don't want to bore all of you, so I won't be mentioning it again until something changes--except for maybe complaining that pumping sucks!

Jalapeno Cheesecake

I know that sounds like a bizarre combination, but Jalapeno Cheesecake is one of my very favorite desserts! A good friend of mine found the recipe in a magazine. She made her own modifications, but basically it's a cheesecake mixture with a subtle "kick" to it, wrapped up in an egg roll wrapper, fried, and then covered in cinnamon sugar. We were over at her house tonight and she made these and served them with Dulce de Leche ice cream. They were to die for! I figured that I don't have these every day, so I had two helpings. Of course, I couldn't refuse when she sent some home with me, too.

Slower Pace

The kids were off from school today for the Battle of Flowers. DH and I had planned on going to IHOP this morning, but those plans were thrown for a loop when DS#3 stayed awake again at 2AM last night. DH had let me sleep, so he was exhausted this morning and really needed to "sleep in". By 8:30AM, the kids and I were so hungry that I couldn't wait any longer.

The service at IHOP was horrible. It took us about 45 minutes to get our food, and two parties that sat down half an hour after we did got their food about five minutes after we did. Since DH used to work at a restaurant in high school and his sister used to be a waitress, he usually empathasizes with the wait staff, but today, he was so mad that he left less than 10% for a tip. Still, I got my favorite blueberry pancakes and my tummy was happy. Of course, it was so late by the time we ate that none of us ate any official lunch today.

It was such a nice day, despite being overcast that we all took a walk in the neighborhood when we got home. The boys wanted to go exploring in one of the greenbelts near our house, so DH went with them and Grandma, DD, DS#3 and I took a shorter route. Despite the cooler temperature, DD started complaining about being hot after about two blocks, so we didn't go very far. DS#3 got to try out the stroller and was asleep the whole time. I got very sleepy after our walk so DS#3 and I took a little nap when we got home while DD and Grandma played outside. That nap did wonders for me.

This evening, I took DD to a birthday party with her PreK friends. I got to hang out with adults, which was great. I chatted with one lady whose baby boy is now six weeks old, and another lady who is due tomorrow. I also got to chat with some good friends of mine that took care of my kids when I was in the hospital. I haven't felt too social lately, but I had fun tonight.

We only have two games this weekend, one on Saturday and one on Sunday plus we're going to hang out at our friends' house (and pool) tomorrow for a barbecue. This weekend is at a much slower pace than last weekend. Thank goodness!

This and That

We went to see the lactation consultant again today. This time, it was the same lady who I saw while in the hospital. I really like her. She is supportive and really seems to know what she's doing. Of course, DS latched on without any trouble with her help, but in the end, he didn't take in very much. He's taking the easy way out with the bottle, just like DS#1. *SIGH* I can't help but keep trying, though, so I made another appointment for Monday.

After the appointment, DH and I had a nice lunch at a Chinese restaurant where we used to go when I went to school her in town a number of years ago. I had the Triple Delight which was spicy and very tasty. This dish has beef, chicken, and shrimp in it and I've always felt that it symbolizes what I like--variety. I get bored with the same old thing over and over. Maybe that's why I keep having children--heehee. ;-)

After lunch, we stopped off at home and then rushed off to school. Today was the PreK Float Parade. I don't know why I bothered to put a ribbon on DD's float so she could pull it behind her. She was carrying the float the whole time. Boy, there were certainly some floats that were much fancier. I thought about putting fringe on the outside, but I still think it turned out okay for the rush job, plus DD was happy with it. That's what counts, right?

Tonight, DH's mom came into town to visit. I think she's been anxious to see the baby. Unfortunately, for her anyway, I was able to feed the baby and change his diaper twice and he was still sleeping when she got here. I'm crossing my fingers for a good night. I didn't have time for a nap again today! DH's mom has been reading my blog lately. Even MY mom is reading my blog now. How cool is that? I knew that if I told them I was posting about their grandkids WITH photos, that would entice them to explore the World Wide Web. Welcome to the computer age! :)

Places to Go

Isn't maternity leave supposed to be when you stay home with a new baby and bond with each other? I feel like we have so many appointments that I'm rarely at home. On Tuesday, we had an appointment with the pediatrician. Today we had an appointment with the pediatric urologist. Tomorrow we have an appointment with the lactation consultant. I just want to stay home and rest! Today got to be so unbearable. I got to the doctor's office at 1130AM and we were there until about 3PM. I brought some milk for DS to drink and some snacks for me, but that wasn't the same as lunch. I was SO hungry! I was starting to get grouchy there at the end. DH was at DS#2's field trip all day. He had asked me if I wanted to be the one to go on the field trip, but we thought it would be too long for me to go without pumping. I guess we were wrong. DH got back from the field trip, had time to go home, then meet me at the doctor's office. He took DS#3 with him to pick up the kids from school just so I would have time to eat and pump before everyone got home.

DS#3 seemed to do fine with his little procedure today. The nurse asked for a pacifier when she was taking him away. He doesn't really take a pacifier as she found out. He was sobbing when she brought him back. :( I spent most of the time holding him--before and after the procedure. Poor little guy was so fussy. He's been sleeping pretty much since then, only awakening to eat around 8:30PM. He also spent a few hours sleeping on my chest last night, so I've been holding him quite a bit. Here's here laying on me again. DH just made a comment about how I'm so much better at being able to type as I'm holding the baby. It'll be harder when he gets longer, because his little butt is up to my right hand right now as I'm typing on my laptop.

I've got to mention my other kids here, too. Tonight, DS#2 had baseball practice. We went to Chick-Fil-A for dinner so the kids could use the gift cards they got from my sister for Easter. DD got SO excited paying for her own dinner that she was dancing at the counter. She even did her own ordering and everything--she was so cute! The kids enjoyed the fact that they got to order shakes (for the boys) and ice cream cone (for DD) too. I went to baseball practice and chatted with a few of the moms for a bit. It was warm and sunny, but with a nice breeze, so it was a nice time. DH is trying to get me out more because he thinks I need it. I think I need to stay home some more...

Two Weeks and Other Things

We went to DS#3's 2 week appointment today. He now weighs 8 lb. 7 oz. and is 21 1/4 inches. He's growing! Of course, we knew that already, but it's nice to get confirmation. Luckily, our pediatrician is practical and decided not to give him his first HepB shot today and instead he plans to lump it with other shots at the two-month mark. DS#3 is healthy--music to DH and my ears.

I'm trying not to neglect my other children, but I can only do so much. Tonight, DS#1 had a Spring Music Concert at school. We didn't want to expose DS#3 to all of those people and germs yet, so I stayed home with the other kids. My oldest son doesn't ever seem to mind, but I still told him that I would have loved to be able to go. The photo at the top is DS#1 feeding his baby brother for the first time. He looks a little awkward, but he is such a good kid and always wants to help in any way. :)

I'm sure we're not the only parents that this happens to, but DD brought home a shoebox from school yesterday with the instructions that the box was to be decorated like a "float" and returned to school tomorrow. Well, DD had Tball practice yesterday and didn't get home until after 7PM, so no time to decorate anything then. That meant that I had to do this with her tonight. Luckily, DS#3 slept and I was able to put him down. I decorated the box with DD and DS#2. I let DD choose what paper and colors she wanted. All she really cared about was the bling--more specifically, she wanted "diamonds". She also requested "Dora", I think because she knew I had some Dora stickers that she's coveted for forever. I've never seen one of these "floats" before, but I think it turned out okay (see below). They're having a "float parade" on Thursday. I'll be sure to take photos.

Tomorrow, DS#3 gets circumcised...

Never Enough Time

DH knows that it makes me crazy when I can't get on the internet. That's the way it's been lately--just really busy. We can really feel my parents' absence since they went home on Saturday morning. I haven't even been able to take any nap longer than about 30 minutes since they left. DS#3 still likes to sleep, but his hours just need a bit of adjusting. The last couple of nights he can still sleep for 6 hours, but on Saturday night, for example, that six hours started at 2AM. During the day he sleeps when we're out and about, like at church or at the restaurant that DH and I went to for lunch today. At home he fusses constantly during the day and at night before he finally goes down for the count. Tonight, I barely had time to eat dinner, what with picking him up and calming him down. Part of me thinks that I'm "spoiling" him by picking him up constantly, but he really cries like he is distressed, and I can't just leave him there. DH is gone for most of the day doing errands or taking the kids to various activities, so it's just me and DS.

I really don't know how parents with kids closer together in age can do this and do this well. I've been feeling like I've been missing out on the other kids' lives. The boys are already so talkative about themselves--not! With the way the weekend schedules were, DS#2 was asking why I didn't go to his baseball game. Luckily, DD's Tball game was cancelled yesterday, so I was able to go to DS#2's game. DS#1 understands better because he's older, but I still feel guilty. Even if it's hectic, DH and I really try to go to all the kids' functions. We just think it's important to do things together as a family, even if it's more convenient not to.

One other thing made me realize the quick passage of time, especially lately. I was looking at DD's face the other day. I suddenly realized that she doesn't look like a toddler, or even a little girl anymore. Well, okay, so she's still a "little girl", but she looked more like a "big girl" to me. Her face suddenly looks bigger and more "grown up" just in the last few weeks!

One last item that I want to post about and then I really have to go to sleep. I've had some unexpected gifts lately, and I really appreciate all the thought and trouble that everyone went to in order to send me these things. I might try to post some photos tomorrow--if I get some time. One of the gifts is a mini-album from some of the Design Team members from Scrapaddict.com. These ladies are all so talented, and it makes me proud to be a part of the Design Team with them. :)

Exhausting Day

I didn't get to update yesterday because the internet was down and DH wasn't here to reset the modem for me. I really need to learn how to do that. Anyway, DH was at an overnight Zoo trip with DS#2 and his Cub Scout Den. That was just the beginning of our hectic weekend.

First of all, some big news--DS#3 slept through the night the past two nights!!! We couldn't believe it! I had to wake him up after over 6 hours of sleep in order to feed him. Here is a photo of him just after a diaper change tonight. That boy is always asleep. This isn't great for the nursing challenges, but at least I'm getting more rest and able to cope with it better.

Now, to continue with our busy weekend, DS#1 had an 8:30A soccer game this morning. Keep in mind for the rest of this narrative that it takes at least 20-30 minutes to get to each "event" and for the games, the kids need to get there at least 30 minutes ahead of game time to warm up. So, DS#1 and I got up at 6AM today--ugh! Luckily, my mom and dad were still here helping me. Still, it took us an hour and a half to get DS#1, DS#3, and I ready and out of the house. It didn't help that DS#3 had a couple of poopy diapers that my mom thankfully changed for me.

DH got home with DS#2 just as we were leaving. We left DD at home. In the middle of DS#1's game, DH showed up with the other two kids. My mom and dad were on their way home. They stayed for probably a half hour or so, then DH left with DS#2 and DD to take DS#2 to a birthday party at 10AM. DH was going to leave him there while he took DD to her Tball game at 10:30AM (we already warned the coach that she wouldn't be there for warm-up). When the soccer game finished, I took DS#1 and DS#3 home so we could all eat. DH got home around 12:30PM to drop off DS#2 and to eat lunch. He then left to take DD to a birthday party that started at 12:30PM. They left that early so DH could get home and take DS#2 to his 4:15PM baseball game. We had to forgo going to church today because there was no time. Whew! Did everyone keep up with that? ;-)

Tomorrow, we have games at 9AM, 2PM, and 3:30P. At least the 2PM is only about 5 minutes away. I'll probably try to go to that one. I don't want to push it, but one game per day for me seems reasonable. The only time we can go to church is that Latin Mass at 6PM. I think that's a little late for a school night, but what else can we do? The 9AM game is smack dab in the middle of the morning masses. We strongly prefer going to church as a family, so we don't want to go to separate masses.

I think this post is long enough. If you're still reading--thanks! :) Now, for another photo--this one is DS#2 getting close to his baby brother. Boy, look at the size difference between their heads!!! I always joke about how big DS#2's head is--LOL!

Highs and Lows

I hope y'all don't get tired of me talking about my nursing problems. Today was our scheduled appointment with a lactation consultant. DH and I knew that the lactation consultant we saw last week wasn't going to be there today when we made the appointment, so seeing one new lactation consultant wasn't a surprise, but instead we saw two of them at the same time. We wondered if this was because they wanted someone else's input--maybe we were a tough case?

Anyway, I told them both our story thus far. They usually weigh the baby first and then weigh them after, just to see if they were able to take in any breast milk. Well, one of them proceeded to get DS to latch on and without too much trouble, he did! I think she was as surprised as I was, because she made a comment about how she didn't even weigh him because she didn't think he would latch on. We eventually switched sides and lo and behold, he latched on again! I told her, "Where were you last week?" Oh, and we did weigh him afterwards just to see how he compared with last week. He was back up to his birth weight of 7 lbs. 14 oz, an increase of 6 oz. since last week. "They" expected 1/2 oz. weight gain per day, and he gained closer to 1 oz. per day. They said that meant I was making good milk for him. :)

We got home after taking DS to get his blood drawn for his second PKU test (required in Texas). He must have been exhausted from all of that. We had to wake him up again to feed him four hours after the last feeding. He had a little trouble latching on again and I was worried, but then I changed one thing and he got right on. I was SO happy, especially when he latched on the second side, too. I thought my problems were over.

Then, the next time, he just screamed and screamed in between episodes of falling asleep. He also had some episodes when he would we wide-eyed and peaceful--and not acting hungry at all. I finally gave him a bottle, and he sucked that down in no time. I was crushed! :( What made it worse was that DH was gone at DS#1's soccer practice, so I felt so alone. I tried again at the next feeding, with DH present for moral support, but DS#3 wouldn't latch on again. I literally had a constant drip from one side and he still wouldn't latch on. Finally, he got a bottle and I pumped; in six minutes I got almost three ounces from each side--ouch!

So, in short, I was on an emotional rollercoaster today. *SIGH* We'll see what the rest of the week and the weekend bring...

9 days old

Today was our appointment with the pediatric urologist. The short story is that we've scheduled the procedure for next Wednesday. One thing, though, I noticed that neither the urology resident nor his attending washed their hands after examining my son. Icky!!

I realized that I hadn't taken the obligatory photo of my new baby with a tired-looking Papa. It all started with a photo of DS#1 with DH in the hospital where DH was mid-blink. DH did it again with DS#2. The others were more posed, but here is a photo of DS#3 with DH getting a little rest while waiting for the doctor. Unfortunately, DS#3 was sleeping a lot today. He actually slept for five hours straight last night. We'll see what happens tonight...

The other photo is one I took of him during his only real awake period today. Lola (what the kids call her--sort of a Filipino name for "grandmother") was talking to him to try to keep him awake for me. He really looked like he was listening and taking in every word. My mom and dad are leaving for home on Saturday or Sunday. I think they'll miss DS#3. :)

8 days old

Ack! I don't have much time to post this, but I want to go ahead and get this done. DS#3 has a pediatric urologist appointment and I have to feed him in order to be ready to go to his appointment. It's nothing serious, but my OB could have circumcised him at the hospital but instead elected to have this specialist see him instead. We'd like to go ahead and get this done ASAP.

Here are two photos I took yesterday. DS urinated on himself during a diaper change yesterday, so DH gave him another (notice the word "another") impromptu bath. He was pretty calm this time, but as you can see from his expression, he doesn't seem to sure about how he feels about this wet stuff.

The other photo is of DD "feeding" her baby brother. She really wants to be a little helper and we've tried to encourage that. That would be one plus, I guess, if he doesn't learn how to nurse--she could "help" feed him. She was so excited to be able to do this one thing. :)

One Week Old

I haven't been online much lately. I feel like I need to update this blog often, however, since I just gave this blog address to my SILs and I'm sure Grandma will want an update as well. :)

DS#3 has been more "awake" since yesterday. What I mean by "awake" is that he is awake but not crying or eating. He's actually a good baby. He looks pretty satisfied, most of the time. He just gets a little upset when you change his diaper or change his clothes, or just "mess with" him. He also actually went six hours between feedings this morning. Of course, it takes him a whole hour to finish eating, so that means he slept for five hours straight. That also means that I got to sleep for five hours straight--woohoo! I'm still tired, but I'll take what I can get. I just haven't had time to take any naps. Part of the reason is that I like to eat meals at a casual pace. I like to read the paper and maybe do a Sudoku puzzle while I eat. I like to talk to my mom. I'm trying to feel "normal". That's all I did today, actually. Since DS#3 was more awake, he actually fussed when he was hungry instead of me having to wake him up every three hours. Today that meant eating as frequently as every two hours.

DH was gone all day on my DD's school Field Trip to Sea World. It was rainy and miserable weather, but she still said that she had fun. He actually missed DS#3. Of course, at this moment DH has been trying to get 3 oz. into DS and he's only managed to get half of that in an hour because DS would rather sleep. DS is such a heavy sleeper. I can have the hair dryer on when he's sleeping and he doesn't even move.

I'm sure there's more to say, but I'm brain-dead right now and DH needs rescuing. I took some photos of DS#3 today. I'll post them tomorrow.

Adjusting

Feeding the baby takes quite a bit of time. We've been trying a few things, one of which is having me bottle-feed the baby then when he isn't quite so hungry, trying to nurse him. It hasn't really worked, but at least I get to "bond" with him even if my milk is being put into a bottle first.

DS#3 was actually awake quite a bit today DURING THE DAY. That's important because he's been wiping us out at night not by the feedings, but with him being awake after the feeding. He isn't fussy as long as we're moving, but as soon as we're still (like lying in bed, for example) or when we try to lay him down in the bassinet, he fusses--loudly. We've had to awaken him for the every three hour feedings during the day. He's still very sleepy and if we don't wake him up, he'll awaken and be very frantic about being hungry.

He had his first real "outing" yesterday when we went to Saturday evening mass. He was quiet the whole time until his Papa tried to put him back into his carseat. We actually took him out for a short walk in our neighborhood last Thursday, but that was a very brief outing. Today, DH decided that I needed to get out of the house, and since this was also the kids' last day of their Easter Break, we went to our favorite ice cream shop. DS#3 stayed home with my mom and dad.

Since I didn't really take any new photos this weekend, I wanted to post these two photos I took last week of the boys holding their baby brother while playing on their Gamecube. As you can see, they were not in the least perturbed by their mother setting down the baby in their laps. I just wanted them to "interact". You can't blame a mother for trying! :)

Nothing is better...

Nothing is better than snuggling with a quiet, sleeping baby. :) We visited the lactation consultant today. She recommended some things that I haven't tried before, and some that I have. I don't know how helpful she was. I don't really need to hear that DS is only four days old and I shouldn't expect him to be able to nurse perfectly. *SIGH* My biggest problem is that what I know to be true deep down inside, is not how I feel emotionally. I think everyone knows about postpregnancy hormones and emotions, so needless to say, I've had some tearful times lately. Still, DH and I will keep trying to get DS#3 to learn how to nurse properly. In the meantime, I'm going to make myself feel better by holding him as much as possible, especially when he's not crying. Nothing makes a "new" mother feel better than holding her angelic, cuddly baby. :)

He doesn't look like anybody.

I won't go into my nursing woes right now, but this baby is so much like my traumatic experience with DS#1 that I've had a lot of emotional issues lately. DH and I are trying desperately to still enjoy ourselves right now. Tonight, we caught DS#3 in this pose. He was producing quite a noisy surprise in his diaper at the same time. We just had to laugh.

Earlier, my mom was asking DD who she thought DS#3 looked like. Without hesitation, DD said, "He doesn't look like anybody. He looks like ____ (insert baby's name)." We had to laugh. We had asked DS#2 4 1/2 years ago who he thought DD looked like. He had the exact same reply. :)

New Baby Pictures

This isn't the best photo of our new arrival because of the hand in his mouth, but I like it because you can see his little face really well. It's too early to know who he looks like yet, I think.
This is a photo of Big Sister. She's been very attentive and wants to hug and hold him constantly. My mom is here with us and she told me that when MY baby sister was born, I never wanted to go play. I wanted to stay right by my mom and my new baby sister. I guess my DD is going to be the same way. :)
This is a photo of both Big Brothers. DH told them that now they would all have two brothers each except for DD, of course. ;) DS#2 was excited enough that we found him waiting outside on our street corner when we came home from the hospital today. Both boys are such sweeties! :)
This is a photo of me and my new son this morning. On my next post I will probably reveal more than anyone else wants to know about my nursing woes. Right now, I feel happiest when I'm holding my dear son and he is content, just like in this photo.

Birth Story

I can't post pictures from this computer, but I'm writing this post from the hospital right now. How cool is it that they have wireless internet here? The big news, of course, is that DS#3 was born yesterday, April 9, 2007, at 6:04PM. He weighed in at 7 lbs. 14 oz. and was measured out at 20 1/4 inches long. I was actually surprised at how "small" he was. He and I are both doing great, except that he's having a little trouble learning how to nurse. All of my children have had "issues" with that, except for DS#2. If he can learn some of that by this evening, we might actually get to go home today. Right now I'm not counting on it. I just think I'll be able to sleep better at home in my own bed with my mom's cooking instead of this awful hospital food. Now on to my birth story... WARNING--this is long, but I plan on printing this out later for my journaling on a future scrapbook page. :)

I'd been having contractions off and on for the last few months. I did notice a slight increase in frequency and strength lately. At around 6AM yesterday, when I was on my way to work, I noticed that I was having contractions that I felt in my back more than in my abdomen, and I was having them every 5 -10 minutes. I thought to myself, "Uh-oh! I hope I'm not in labor!" I went about my work and did notice that the contractions seemed to "stop". What probably happened was I got busy and didn't notice them so much, but when I did notice, they were as frequent as every 5-10 minutes.

Then around 11AM, I got a really strong one, painful enough that I had to sit down. Then I got another strong one five minutes later and then five minutes after that. I thought at this point that I should at least go home. I still wasn't sure if the contractions would continue (maybe I was in denial or maybe it was just being naive since the other deliveries were inductions). I called my DH to let him know that I was coming home and I made arrangements at work for someone to take over. I had also called my doctor's office, but I hadn't yet received a call back when I decided to go home.

On the way home, the contractions were definitely regular, and every 3-5 minutes. They were painful but nothing I couldn't handle. When I got home, I started packing my bag "just in case" I would have to go to the hospital as I awaited my doctor's call back. The contractions were getting stronger, though, to the point where I would have to stop what I was doing while I was having the contraction. I decided then that I should just go to the hospital, without my doctor calling back, but I did call her office to let them know.

It was 12:30 PM by the time we got to the hospital. We had the kids with us since they are on Easter Break this week. They were concerned but excited about the impending birth of their baby brother. We had called a friend who was out and about with his three kids (also on Easter Break this week) and he was going to pick up our kids at the hospital and take them overnight. I was already 5 cm at that time, and completely effaced. Luckily, they really jumped on getting my epidural started ASAP because I was really uncomfortable by then.

Most of the time was spent waiting for my doctor. She finally arrived some time after 3PM to break my bag of water. I was 8 cm by then. They didn't use any pitocin at all so this labor was my longest. I didn't feel much because of my epidural so my nurse went ahead and checked me at 5:30PM and I was completely dilated. Luckily, I didn't have the urge to push yet because my doctor was finishing up with another patient. It didn't take me long to push Eric out when she arrived. They had this mirror that allowed me to see him coming out. I'd never had that before, but it was actually helpful, because I was getting feedback when I pushed.

DH didn't stay the night with me last night like he has done with the previous deliveries. There wasn't an extra bed in my room, only an uncomfortable looking fold-out chair. He wanted to be able to do some laundry at home and also fetch some things that I would be needing (like this laptop). I also wanted him to be able to get some sleep, so I told him to go home. It was a long lonely night for me, but Eric did keep me company. We'll see what happens tonight. wish me luck!

Happy Easter!

I had to upload these photos for the grandparents. The top left photo is of the grandkids on my side of the family. DS#1, the tall one, was so quick to change clothes after church that he is dressed a bit more casually then his cousins. He was actually paying attention when we told everyone we had to hurry if we wanted to get to The Cheesecake Factory while there was still no waiting. I love this photo because all of the kids are actually smiling, although the direction of their eyes reflect the multiple photographers.

The right photo is of the girl cousins in their Easter dresses. They were all were wearing big jackets just a few minutes before because of the cold weather today. At least the rain stopped and later, my kids got to play for a bit outside.

The bottom photo is DD after the Easter Egg Hunt after we returned from lunch. She looks excited because most of the eggs had money in them. The girls got to look for eggs in the dining room. The boys looked for eggs in the kitchen/breakfast area/living room. We tried to steer away from candy and more toward small toys. They each also got Easter baskets that we left by their bedroom doors last night. Make no mistake, there is still plenty of candy in the house. At least now that Lent is over, I can now eat some of the candy, too. :)

Egg Decorating

I couldn't post yesterday because our Internet was down. Imagine five adults in the house, all wanting to get on the Internet. The weather was cold, wet, and dreary--very unseasonably cold for this area, so the kids couldn't even go outside. We compensated by taking them to Chick-Fil-A for lunch and letting them play in the play area. After that everyone (except me) went to see The Last Mimzy. I stayed home to take a nap. Then, after dinner, we decorated Easter Eggs.

DD and I had gotten this glitter egg decorating kit at Target last week. She was drawn to the glitter, of course, as were her cousins when they saw the box. They had so much fun. Imagine 2 five-year-olds and a four-year-old shaking eggs. It was inevitable that one of them got dropped--by DD. Luckily, it was hard-boiled. Of course, now I have a dozen hard-boiled eggs to eat this week. I guess I know what I'm having for breakfast tomorrow. :)

They're here!

My two sisters and their families came into town for a visit today. I was working, so I didn't get to see them until dinner time. They spent most of the afternoon at Sea World with DH and the kids. DD has been looking forward to spending time with her girl cousins all week. Here they are intently studying the map--too cute! DD was toast when DH brought her home. DH plopped her on the couch and she didn't even move for over an hour. They came home earlier than everyone else, which was a good thing because DD had time to take about a two-hour nap before she dinner time. The kids all had some more time to play before going to bed.

I love it when my family gets together. My parents didn't come with them, but that's only because they are coming in next Thursday in anticipation of the new baby arriving. The weather is supposed to turn cold and wetter tomorrow, but this weekend should still be fun with everyone here. :)

That Look In Their Eyes

I just love that look of excitement that the kids get on their faces and in their eyes when they are really enjoying themselves. DS#2 has always had this passion for building, whether it's using Legos or blocks or something else. I don't even know what these pieces are called, but he got this for Christmas last year. He spent so much time making it and we just don't have room to store it indefinitely, so I took some detail photos so he would always remember it. This photo is just the overall one and I just love that big smile on his face. I think it'll break my heart when we have to tell him to put it away.

Any Day Now

I had my OB appointment today at almost 39 weeks. My exam changed slightly. I'm almost 3 cm dilated now, still about 80% effaced and at a -1 station for anyone out there that knows what that means (that's probably you, Michele). My doctor says it can be any time now. Of course, I knew that already. My pelvic bones were all achy today, and I imagined it was the baby putting pressure on them. My contractions have been more frequent and stronger, but still not regular or persistent. DH is convinced that I'll go into labor this weekend. I'm still not so sure. I still think I'm going to deliver right around my due date, which is next Friday. Either way, it could be any day now...

My Shower

Last week, my good friend Kathy, who I work with, asked me if I wanted a shower before or after the baby is born. Of course I said before, so I wouldn't yet have to worry about feeding the baby. We decided on tonight, since the rest of the week would be filled with sports practices. I wanted to go somewhere where I could have my favorite dessert--creme brulee. When I'm pregnant, it's all about dessert for me--food just doesn't taste as good, and can actually be quite disappointing. I didn't really want a "shower" since this is my fourth child and I really don't need anything, but I thought it would be fun to get together with a few friends.

The day or so after we had this conversation, I noticed some signs up at work announcing this get-together. I have to admit that I felt a little embarrassed. Anyone that knows Kathy knows that she knows how to throw a good party, so I had visions of a huge gathering. Coworkers were talking about getting babysitters so they could come. I guess I'm not comfortable being the center of attention like that. Luckily, I had already mentioned to Kathy about telling people not to get me anything. She did mention always needing diapers, so I was fine with that.

In the end, I shouldn't have been so worried. Only a few people came. A few people weren't able to come because of work. It was also probably a little short notice for some to get babysitters. Whatever the reason, I was happy with the handful of friends that were there. It was a lot of fun. I even stayed longer than I had planned. Tomorrow I'll have to upload the photo of the huge vase/flower arrangement that Kathy got me. We strapped it into Natalie's carseat in my backseat. It worked to keep it from tipping over! I guess you can say that it's safe enough for my child, too! :)

From Five down to Two

This was supposed to be our first full weekend of games. Originally, DD had a Tball game on Sunday at 1PM, DS#2 had baseball games at 8:30PM on Friday night and 4:45PM on Sunday afternoon, and DS#1 had soccer games at 11AM on Saturday and 5PM on Sunday. Because of the heavy rain we received on Friday, we were down to DD's game on Sunday (which moved up to 12:15PM) and DS#2's game at 4:45PM on Sunday. So, the weekend was still busy, but a bit more manageable.

I had to chuckle at the difference a few hours made. DD was all excited to be wearing her new butterfly dress and pink sparkle shoes to church this morning. Then, this afternoon, she got dressed in her Tball uniform on the right. Of course, what you can't see is that she's still wearing her pink butterfly ponytail holder underneath that batting helmet. She's also wearing pants that are way too big--her big brother's pants from when he was in Tball in Kindergarten.

I also took some video, but I don't know how to post those here. DH and I had to laugh because we've never seen DD run as slow as she did today when she was running the bases. She seemed much more tentative. She usually runs full on/no-holds barred, and usually that's because she's trying to keep up with her big brothers. Here's another hilarious photo of her warming up and showing how she fields a ground ball.

It wasn't all about DD, however, DS#2 did much better today with his batting compared to last year. It was nice to see his teammates all do better, even with fielding. We were a little worried because of the more competitive league that they had to go to, and hopefully they will all still have more improvement as the season goes on.

DS#1 was very disappointed about not having any games this week. DH and I weren't too disappointed. That's less driving for us plus he hurt his toe in karate on Friday and this break has given his toe a chance to heal. We don't have any games next weekend because of Easter. It'll get busy again--soon enough!