Summer fun

My little Scarlett is now just over one month old and so sweet!! She had a cold over the weekend and fussed so much and I began to worry that maybe she was going to be a nightmare baby, but to my happy surprise she is much more content now. :) I am slowly adjusting to 6 kids too. It was very overwhelming at first and I was having some serious anxiety about taking them all out in public, but the last few weeks I have forced myself out of the house and the kids and I have gone to parks, hiking and on many picnics. I also have taken them to the beach the last few days due to this hot weather. It is my goal to go do things even though it is crazy chaotic! I don't want my kids growing up feeling that just because we have a large fam that we can't have fun! Chris has been wanting a boat for a very long time, and we found an amazing deal on one, and I have to say it is one purchase I will NEVER regret. We have had more fun as a family this Summer than ever. We love to take a Saturday and pack lots of unhealthy food and soda's and spend all day long on the lake swimming, tubing, and for Chris water skiing. It has truly been a blast creating awesome memories with my family!

So that is the update for now...my lack of blogging is a testament to how crazy busy my life has become with six kids, but I will work at it! :)

Welcome To A New World...

It all started Wednesday morning when I decided I just couldn't take being pregnant another minute (I know...I am a true wimp.) I called the Doctor and Chris and I went in and I proceeded to plead my case to the Doctor telling him I was just so tired and wanted this baby OUT. I was really afraid of what his reaction might be because I still had two days before I was even due, and it didn't help that I got stuck asking a Doctor I had not yet met before. My normal Doc was out for the day. For whatever reason he DID have sympathy for me and said he would arrange for me to be at the hospital that night.

We arrived around 7:30 p.m after leaving the kids with my oh so terrific friend Tammy, and they used the pills that ripen the cervix. They did this every 4 hours and Chris and I just slept in between. Unfortunately the pills only made a minor difference. So that morning around 7:45 they broke my water. We waited and I only had very minor contractions for a few hours. They said starting pitocin would be our best bet. I asked how fast I could get my epidural and they said "you say the word" so basically I got my epidural before I even felt hard labor. I had the BEST nurses anyone could ask for!!! I was also the only woman in labor at that time and so had more attention and care than I ever could have needed....and yet they were not overbearing. Honesty it was the best labor experience I have ever had. I pretty much just slept while we waited. A great ending to our family story I guess!! Scarlett Paige arrived just 3 1/2 hours after we started pitocin. I went from being dilated to a 6 to a 10 in only about 1/2 an hour. I pushed one time and she came right out! She was beautiful!!! I have to admit I swelled with tears of bittersweetness. Having babies thus far in my life has basically BEEN my life. Knowing this would be the last miracle was a bit sad, and yet I felt so much joy and gratitude for being called to be the mom to so many special spirits. It was instant love the minute we saw Scarlett. The kids came and so far love her to pieces...hopefully Grace will not have too many jealousy issues! None so far. :)

Scarlett weighed 7 lbs. 3 ounces and was 21 inches long...we love you Scarlett!!

Austin Turns Nine!

Yes, Austin is the big 9 today. B-days are happy and sad for me because it's fun and exciting, but then it also means they are getting older and I have less time with them. I know...empty nest syndrome already??? I am WEIRD. On the note of children growing older, I myself must be getting old. I remember the days I had huge crushes on the missionaries and they seemed so grown up and mature. You know...a REAL man, haha. Now I look at them and see my own boys through their eyes and how they will be there in 10 more short years. One thing I have learned from having children is that time is fleeting and it never stands still.

Happy birthday Austin...We love you!

Coming To The End...

I can hardly believe the time has come for this baby to arrive. In one way it seems the pregnancy has lasted forever, but in another it seems like I JUST conceived. I'm having mixed feelings due to the fact that it's my last. Part of me wants this baby out this very minute!! But then another part of me is sad to know I will never experience this miracle again. On to other seasons of life though...I have so much to be grateful for and so much to look forward to as I watch my children grow and have life experiences of their own. I wouldn't have it any other way.

The Doctor says I am dilated to one, 50 % effaced right now. Baby is VERYYYYY low. This has caused much discomfort in the last 3 or 4 days. I am not proud at all of my not so graceful waddling. (Especially with 5 kids in tow.) I have determined that people must think I am crazy. Luckily however, people are generally kind and considerate of the whole situation, and some even seem to admire me. (They must be the crazy ones!!, LOL!) So this is officially my LAST belly pic of this pregnancy. I made Chris take this today as I realized this baby could come at any time! I will update just as soon as the little one makes it's entrance!! :)

Happy Birthday Halee...

Halee turned the big 11 today!! Seriously I cannot believe I have a child who will be babysitting in one year...CRAZZZZYYY!!!!! I love this age because Halee is someone I can talk to on more of an adult level and that coupled with the fact that she's a girl is so much fun! Tonight her and I will be watching Twilight. She has never seen it, and has been literally BEGGING to watch it. Hopefully I'm making the right decision by letting her watch it. She is certainly excited!

Thank goodness Joe's Sporting Goods was having a going out of business sale, so we got her a GREAT deal on a motorized razor scooter. I can't get her off of it!!

We love you Halee so much!!!!! Our lives would be incomplete w/out you!!

Doing the countdown!

Okay, so a few of my friends gently reminded me that they are so sick of seeing the post "My Baby Is Two" lol, so I figured it was time to post something new. This is the only recent self pic I have had taken lately (I'm trying at all costs to avoid cameras :P ) Anyway, we went to the Oregon coast for Mothers day and Chris took this shot in a funny hat shop we visited. The only thing that stands out to me though is the big belly! haha. I have actually felt really great though. I have my poor husband doing all kinds of crazy projects around the house. He's already painted all of the bedrooms with a fresh coat of paint. He will be laying tile in the bathrooms this weekend (luckily with the help of a friend.) Next he has to build shelving in the garage.) I swear with each new baby the "nesting" gets more and MORE out of control...good thing this is my last! I am starting to get so excited about having another sweet baby. Only one more month to go!!! :)

My baby is two....

and I cannot believe it!!!! It seriously seems as though she was just born. Then again, Halee is almost eleven and that too seems just like yesterday. Our kids are grown before we know it and I see it happening before my very eyes. It's hard when you can do nothing about it. I am just trying to cherish all the good times, despite our hectic non stop lifestyle of having 5 (almost 6) children. I love Grace because she has the sweetest disposition. For no reason at all she will come up to us and give us a kiss, or put her arms around our necks and just start hugging us. She has been such a huge joy in our lives and I feel so privileged to be her mommy! Happy birthday Lulu!!!

My parents send our kids a card with money every b-day and this year they sent a Cinderella card...as you can see from the picture she was so excited. She carried it everywhere for at least a few hours. So sweet.