Another update

Look at that gorgeous smile!! Oh Sheralyn you have enriched our lives in ways we could never have imagined! Most of the time you are such a great baby- you love standing on our laps and talking to us, most of the time you are a very loud baby. I still can't believe that four months has gone by since the day you entered this world. You started sleeping through the night at about six weeks but recently have been getting up once a night and yelling at mama. :o) I think it was b/c you were congested and couldn't breathe. I think you are going to get teeth soon much to my dismay and that may be one of the reasons that you are getting up at night as well. You love being talked to and it is easy to tell that you are the center of attention at our house b/c anytime anyone around you is talking you always smile and think they are talking to you! We weren't expecting you but God knew what He was doing when He decided we needed to add another member to our family! I love you dearly!!

Elizabeth oh Elizabeth you add spark to our family! We never know what you are going to come up with next or when the next time is that your little attitude is going to make an apperance! We are working on your ABC's and shapes. It is fun seeing you learn! You are getting attached to your purple blanket, for awhile there you were bringing it down with you every day when you come downstairs. When you get to the bottom of the stairs you announce "I awake!" Your favorite things to do right now is play with Lego's (you say it wegoats), play with play-dough and you love to watch movies. Some of your favorite characters right now are Princesses, Toy Story, Strawberry Shortcake, Bob the Builder and Thomas. I am really excited for Christmas this year for you- I think you will really be into all the lights and songs that go along with the season. I love you much as you would say!!

Garrett my boy you are one of a kind! The #1 son as you remind me from time to time. This week was the first time that you started picking out your own clothes and we tried to let you wake yourself up with the alarm but you slept right through it! You have started to read a book every day for school and most days you pick one of the "Help me be good" books that you won from Our Father's Library over the summer. You can read very well! The thing you love to do right now is get on Star Wars.com and play the games on there. There are lots of things to do and you can entertain yourself for hours! Your top teeth are finally starting to come in- it's cute to see the little sliver of a tooth, reminds me of when you first got your teeth as a baby. You are in quite a few things this year- you joined Cub Scouts this year, you go to Rolling Chapel on Friday at school and you are in your third year of Sparks. You are always wanting to hold your baby sister and fighting with the other one. That is what siblings do though so we will get through it somehow! :o) You are a great helper and can do lots of things to help me around the house, some of which include put the dishes away, clean off the table, take out the thrash and putting your clothes away. You are a sweet boy and I look forward to what God has in store for you in the years to come! I love you more each day!!

update

First of all we went to Ohio last weekend (Aug 8 and 9) and it was a fun time. We went to the zoo on Sunday, we actually should have went to the aquarium b/c it was so hot out. Garrett ended up getting sick, Josh got mad about it for some reason and I ended up crying in McDonald's while nursing Sheralyn. I had to deal w/ a sick kid, a hungry baby and a mad dh. It was all just to much and I started crying. I got over it and was actually better after i cried- lol!! It was actually a nice weekend despite that ordeal.

Garrett started school on Friday. He got the teacher I requested. I had his teacher's daughter when I worked at the daycare so I knew she was a really nice lady and seeing her around school last year and how laid back she is (not that she can't keep her kids under control, she is just not high strung) I knew she would be a good fit for Garrett. I took Garrett to school today and his teacher was greeting every student at the door, saying their name and shaking their hand. I thought that was a really neat way to get to know the students.

Elizabeth is talking sooo much! I am still amazed at all she says b/c Garrett didn't really start talking until he was about 3. Her hair is getting so long and it is still curly. I wondered if it would get less and less curly the longer it got but it seems to be staying the same. She loves drawing, playing with play dough and going outside. She is hilarious when we go over the rail road tracks, she always looks for a choo choo and when she hears the train whistle she'll come running and say 'you hear that"

Sheralyn is now 7 wks old! I can't believe how fast it has gone- I feel like I just had her. She is starting to coo and smile when you talk to her. It is so cute when she recognizes the kids and smiles at them, they love it so much! She is pretty much sleeping through the night. She normally falls asleep right around 10 and will stir around 4 but if I put the paci in her mouth she will normally go back to sleep until 5:30.

Life is pretty good, can't really complain!

One month old

How can Sheralyn be a month old already? She does not officially turn a month old until Thursday but if we go by the fact that I had her on a Tuesday then it was 4 weeks ago today that I had my precious baby girl! It has gone by so fast! Sheralyn was getting up twice a night in the beginning, she would nurse and then go right back to sleep. Josh had been putting her on her tummy during the daytime so I put her on her belly when I put her in her bassinet the night before she turned 3 weeks and she slept through the night! She slept from 11pm to 6am!! She has had a few nights since then that she has gotten up twice but most of the days in the last week she has slept through the night. She has really taken to a paci too, most times when she is fussy she will take a paci and be content for awhile. We had our first well baby visit yesterday and she officially weighs 10lbs 10oz!! She has her first cold and she has been sleeping a lot the past two days.

Garrett is at his dad's house for the next two weeks and man is it quiet w/o him here! I miss him so much and can't wait until he comes back! We are going to Ohio for a wedding and we are going to take the kids to the zoo. I am so excited, we have been to the Fort Wayne zoo and the Indy zoo but never been to any other zoo.

Induction Day

On Tuesday morning we got up bright and early around 4am to be at the hospital at 5. We get there right as their shift changes and basically wait around until 6 to get the pitocin started. She tried to get the IV started in my right hand since I am left handed. The veins in that hand were basically non-exsistant so she put in my left forearm. She started the pit nice and slow to see how the baby would re-act. When my OB came in around 9 to break my water he said I was 4cm and 75% effaced. I got a shot of nubain around 5 and then decided I wanted to try the epidural and that was around noon. I was so cold after getting the epi that I asked for an extra blanket and she put two flannel blankets and I was still shaking. I got to rest until about three which seems so strange to be resting while you are having contractions. When I was all set up to have the epidural I thought it would hurt and was really preparing myself for this torture and to be totally honest the nurse trying to get the IV in my hand was worse than the epidural going into my spine. I actually started feeling the contractions again in my groin area around 3 and the nurse pushed a button to "top me off" and I really couldn't tell that she had done anything. So around 4:00 the contractions were full blown and I was feeling everything- espically in my tailbone. It was not the horrid back labor that I had w/ Garrett but it was a lot worse that it was with Elizabeth. I am guessing it was the size of the baby coming through the birth canal. I turned onto my left side and was having contractions practically on top of one another and then started having the urge to push. This is when I really started freaking out about pushing, I just kept thinking I wasn't going to be able to push this baby out and that I would have to have a c-section. I almost was crying and Josh was so amazing- he made me look him in the eye and he said 'you can do this" and was so serious about it. He did so great, I really could not have gotten through this w/o his great help. He made sure to breath loud enoughto let me focus on that while trying to relax and let the contractions do their thing. OK so I am off track now but wanted to say what a great job Josh did! :o) I could feel the baby starting to come into the birth canal and just let a few contractions pass before I actually really wanted to start pushing.

I started to push through a few contractions just to get the pain to get away b/c it actually felt better while I was pushing. I was actually really grateful for this b/c w/ Elizabeth the pain never went away even w/ pushing. My OB got everything set up and lowered the table and I stared pushing. I got to this one place where I was pushing and I could feel that I was actually making progress. My OB told me after I was done pushing w/ that contraction that whatever that spot was that was where I needed to get to b/c I was making great progress. The nurse would tell me "get mad and push" and that made me really want to push. I also could tell a huge difference when I would pull my legs back and tuck my chin as to when I would forget b/c the pushing wasn't as effective when I didn't do that. I could actually feel her head crowning this time and also felt the cut that he made for the incision. He thought i would be numb down there b/c of the epi and when I yelled he said 'you could feel that?" I guess the nurse forgot to mention to him that my epi wore off. He said he only did a superfical cut so that if I did tear it would be where he wanted me to and not into my vericose veins which could have been very dangerous. So I did great pushing and from start of pushing until Sheralyn Faith Marie was born was only 9 minutes!!

I can tell I was in labor a lot longer w/ Sheralyn than with Elizabeth b/c I am so much more tired. My uterus would not stay hard b/c my bladder was so full, I bled a lot more with Sheralyn too but not nearly the amount that I did with Garrett, Isn't it amazing how you can go from being so scared thinking "I can't do this" to holding your beautiful baby girl and thinking how it was all so worth it?!

Garrett's 4-H project

Garrett had his 4-H meeting last week and they painted the bleachers as a service project and I think more of the paint ended up on Garrett than on the bleachers! He had fun doing it and we had a cook-out afterwards. Garrett was going to be in mini 4-H flowers 1 but his flowers have not come up thus far and I doubt they will this week or next. He also is in mini 4-H woodcraft and he decided to make a bird house. He told me he wanted to make a bird hotel but I told him I didn't think there were any of those available. LOL!! The fair this year is June 22-26 so a few other people might have to take him since hopefully I will be having a baby sometime this weekend!

new pictures

our little cheerleader

I love doing Lizzy's hair- this was the first time I put all her hair up in pig tails

always a battle going on somewhere

and sometimes they are nice to each other :o)

Baby, baby, baby!!

Can you guess what has been on my mind lately? I can't wait to meet this baby!! We had an ultra-sound yesterday and got to see the baby's chubby cheeks. I didn't realize that the baby even had hair until my mother-in law pointed it out and then I could see this little mohawk and it was so cute!! The baby is weighing in around 7lbs 10oz and having three weeks left the baby could be 9lbs before he/she arrives. I am ok w/ that as long as he/she isn't another 10lber like Garrett!

Today Elizabeth and I were cleaning up the mess she made w/ the books beside the chair and I got on a cleaning kick. I ended up cleaning beside the chair and sweeping that really good and then moving a lot of furniture (not to worry the furniture was light or had wheels) and got the rest of the family room cleaned up and swept. I started a load of laundry and ran the dishwasher while running a few errands. We are going to a Euchre party tonight at the church and will have Josh help me take the thrash out when we leave. When I rounded up all the thrash I swept by the thrash can and decided the rest of the kitchen needed sweeping too. The front room really needs swept but I can't do that until Elizabeth wakes up from her nap. I am also going to sweep under the table in the breakfast nook and then call it a day. The word that comes to mind when I read this last paragraph is nesting!! I really want to have the house cleaned by the time the baby comes so I can relax that first week and not worry about having a messy house when people come by to see the baby.

Pics

Lizzy w/ her beloved "piggie"
so of course Garrett has to play w/ it too! :o)

Garrett Elizabeth and a girl from Garrett's class
Lizzy hanging out at the Mini Relay for Life

Garrett and Lizzy

Summer begins

they are the best of friends at times

Yesterday was Garrett's last day of school so summer has officially begun for us. Josh and I had a few things to do this weekend so the kids are staying w/ grandpa and grandma until Sunday. On Monday Garrett starts his part of the summer w/ his dad, I just hope the time between then and now goes fast and that he is safe over there. A mama never stops worrying about her kids does she? Garrett has circus practice two times a week and June 9th we have a cook-out for mini 4-H so I will get to see him a lot but it won't be the same as actually having him here with me. I have lots of stuff to do around the house to keep me busy and OB appointments every week now so I think the time will go fast. This year Elizabeth will actually notice more that her bubby is gone and will be asking for him so that will also add to all those feelings. Last year she was just a baby and had no clue. The week that Garrett gets back is the week that the fair starts and is also the week that I am supposedly having this beautiful baby! I think I will be having the baby sometime while he is gone b/c I am already 2cm dilated. I already talked to Garrett's dad about getting Garrett on the day I have the baby b/c he is the one that is going to announce if we had a boy or a girl.

Ready for baby?!

I just got my exercise for the day! I brought up the bassinet, the two bases to the carseat and the baby bathtub from the basement. I also found my pump and the outfit we will be using to bring the baby home in. It is perfect b/c it is a white Winnie the Pooh outfit which will be great for a girl or a boy!! I had an OB appointment today and got to hear the heartbeat again, it doesn't matter how many times I hear it it always is a beautiful sound! I am really getting anxious for the baby to get here, I can't wait to find out what we are having and to just hold him/her and see who he/she looks like. I am kinda hoping that this baby will have hair b/c Garrett and Elizabeth were both bald babies. I will be 34 weeks tomorrow so if I have this baby at the same time I did Elizabeth I only have 5 weeks left! I am going to be praying really hard and doing everything w/in my power to have a natural labor this time b/c I was induced w/ both Garrett and Elizabeth. I have heard that natural contractions are so much more managable and seeing as how this is our last baby this is my last chance to go on my own!! I am going to post a picture of Elizabeth and I mopping the floor to let you all see how big I am.

Garrett is turning 7!!

My baby boy is going to be seven years old tomorrow! It just does not seem possible! I feel like he should be about 5 but definitly not 7!! I am taking a cookie cake to school tomorrow that has Star Wars the Clone Wars design on it. We sorta celebrated his b-day at my dad's surprise birthday party but everyone was so busy keeping it a secret from dad that they forgot about Garrett's side of the b-day party so we were the only ones who brought him a present. He was pretty bummed but I think the fact that his cousin Christian and he got to hang out all weekend made up for it. My brother Denny and his family and my brother David flew in this weekend for my dad's 60th surprise party. My brother Denny has always loved Star Wars so naturally Christian would loves it too which is right up Garrett's alley! We celebrated with Josh's parents on Sunday and gave him the rest of our presents except one, I mean what is a b-day w/o at least one present?! We got him the Star Wars Clone Wars Jedi reading game for his Leapster 2. Lizzy and I are going to have lunch with Garrett tomorrow. I hope he enjoys his b-day!

Mama

Elizabeth has started to call me "mama" and I am loving it!! I don't know why it is any different from mommy but I just love when she says "all done mama" We went to our playdate today and actually got to play outside!! It was a gorgeous day and the kids loved getting to play on the playground.

driving straight through

getting some rest

Garrett and his leapster

having fun


We decided that since they were having some storms in Nashville/Murfreesboro that we would just drive straight through. Of course I couldn't sleep at all in the car so I was up from 8am Friday until 5am Saturday morning! Josh didn't really know the exact time we were getting home and I know he was surprised to see us at home around 10am on Saturday! :o)

vacation report

Garrett found a big shell

loving the sand

eating supper on the beach

gorgeous sunset on the beach

I know it has been about two weeks since we got back from Florida, better late than never right?! We had a great time and the kids were really great. We actually took two different DVD players but only ended up needing one. The kids were so great on the trip down and back, my mom or dad sat back w/ them most of the time and I sat in the passenger seat. We went to the beach in my grandma's town the day we got there and the kids loved it. Garrett liked splashing around in the water but Elizabeth hated it!! She loved playing in the sand though- she was crawling around in it and demolishing all the sand castles that grandpa and Garrett made. :o) On Tuesday my mom and I went shopping and the kids stayed home w/ great grandma K and grandpa Dennis. We went to the Ringling Brothers Museum which we thought Garrett would be more excited about b/c he is in the circus here but he could have cared less! It was getting kinda cloudy but we were only half an hour away from Siesta Key and I really wanted to see that gorgeous white sand. I am so glad we went that day b/c the waves were huge!! My mom, Garrett, grandma K and I were getting tossed around in the waves and it was so much fun!! Mom, the kids and I went to Fort Myers beach on Wednesday evening to watch the sunset from the beach. We even ate right there on the beach. The sunset was really pretty!! It did get kinda chilly when the sun was starting to set so we put jackets on the kids. We went to a water park on Thursday and that was Garrett's favorite part! He went on the big green slide with grandpa a few times, went on the lazy river a dozen times and overall was so good that day! Lizzy actually fell asleep on grandma K while we were there. I actually got to lay on my stomach on the innertube and the baby kicked the innertube a few times which felt really weird! I think this is enough of a post for now. I will post in a minute about our trip home.

comments

I am honestly getting tired of all these comments I keep getting about how "big I am" or "are you sure you are due in June?!" I was ok w/ these comments when they first started coming at me b/c they were only from one or two people. Now I almost cringe when someone asks me when I am due b/c I know that I am going to hear something to the effect of how big I am. Let's see my mil said something on Tuesday, about an hour later I saw another pregnant mama who is due in May and is SOO much smaller than me. She thankfully didn't say anything about my size but I went ahead and said it for her. I really did feel huge at that time compared to her. Then yesterday after my small group at church someone in my class asked when I was due and then said "wow I thought you only had a few weeks to go" Yeah only 10 weeks, thanks! I am not normally a person who gives a crap about what others think of me but when it seems I am getting it from all angles it does get a little tiresome and it has made me want to cry/scream at times ( I will blame this on pregnancy hormones!!) I want to tell these people "what like I can't see my swelling abdomen, thanks for letting me know!!" I am all belly too so naturally I am going to get bigger than someone who is spreading out other places than just their stomach! I could use a little on the hips or butt so that my freakin pants would stay up but no it all goes to my stomach so that people will comment on how big I am!!! Ok I feel better for having that off my chest, hey I could even use some more there too. :o)

Lack of motivation!!

I have been back from vacation for almost a week now and I have zero motivation to do anything! I got the things from Easter put away on Monday or Tuesday but other than that I haven't really done much this week. I am trying to get caught up on laundry.... I think I can, I think I can. Elizabeth and I did the dishes which didn't take too long. I have started leaving the dishes that can be put into the dishwasher for Garrett to do. He wants to get some money for a few Star Wars figures and has asked for more chores. Hey I am ok with that- one less thing for me to do!! If only I could get him to fold laundry then I would have it made!! I just hate folding laundry. I actually went ahead and made supper while I was doing dishes b/c if I know me, when Elizabeth goes down for her nap that is exactly what I will be doing too. The second trimester really was pretty great as far as energy but WOW is the third trimester good for draining it in a hurry! So from now on I am going to try and get all the stuff I need to do done in the morning so I don't feel quilty for taking a nap w/ Lizzy. I work better if I have a deadline, like the hour I have between Garrett getting home and Josh getting off work. So I am going to try and give myself a deadline of say, having all I want done, done by noon each day. That way I can get lunch for Lizzy and I and then lay down for our nap. Sound good to you?! :o)

Vacation!!

We are leaving today after Garrett gets out of school for vacation! We are going to Florida to see my grandma and go to the beach! I am so excited because the last time I was in Florida was when I was 19, so it has been almost 10 years. I am also very excited to take the kids to the beach for the first time. I know they are going to love it!! We have two different DVD players that my bro and sis have so graciously let us borrow so each kid will be able to watch their own DVD's. I got both of the kids a new DVD to watch for the journey, got Garrett the new Star Wars Clone Wars and I got Elizabeth a Elmo potty DVD. My plan is to not give Elizabeth a nap and let her sleep in the van, lets see if that actually happens! I am going to check the weather and get the rest of the stuff packed. See ya when we get back!!

nothing like a ride at the end of a long week!

This is the most recent picture I have of Josh on the bike, come to think of it I don't know if I have any other pictures of him on the bike. After Garrett and Elizabeth left with my mom, Josh and I hopped on the bike for a nice ride. This was my first ride of the season and it was really fun! I have to admit that when he suggested going for a ride I was a little leary, what with me being 7 months pregnant but it went smoothly w/ only a few bumps. :o) I had forgotten how the wind makes your eyes water, other than that I loved it!

27 weeks

I had my 27 week OB appointment today. I think the scale said I gained 5lbs this month so I am up to 11lbs total. My OB told me that I am measuring big and that we would keep an eye on that which probably means two things 1) he will most likely try and get things started at 39 weeks and 2) we will be having another u/s near the end to track the baby's weight. I took the glucose test today and it wasnt' that bad. I am REALLY hoping I passed b/c I hated having to prick my finger 3-4 times a day with Elizabeth. They also tested my thyroid again b/c it hadn't been done since December. All in all it was a good appointment and I go back in two weeks, well actually 3 b/c both my OB and I will be on vacation. I'll post more about my vacation plans later! :o)

Little Lizzy

Or should I say not so little anymore? Isn't it amazing how our kids can change right before our eyes? Our little Elizabeth or "Lizzy" as we call her is becoming quite the little lady. We went on a walk the other day, just her and I, she saw another person on the street and said "Hi, how you?" and I honestly wanted to cry. It was just one of those moments where you realize your little girl is growing up. She is full of smiles and giggles and plenty of temper! She loves Elmo, choo choo's and Bob the Tomato. She is picking up words everyday which surprised me at first because Garrett was such a late talker that I thought she would be the same. They may look alike but I think that is where it stops!! I can't wait to see what this summer holds for this little blonde haired blue eyed beauty!!

Star Wars

Garrett got his hair cut last week and looks so handsome now! He is in love w/ anything and all things Star Wars! He made a friend across the street that he plays w/ everyday. I am glad to see him get to talk Star Wars and have light saber wars w/ someone who isn't going to get bored w/ it two seconds after it is started (me!!) I have to admit though it has taken some getting used to with how loud little boys can be and how rowdy they are at times. I am so glad that it has been nice out this week b/c I told the kids that they had to play outside and they can be as loud as they want outside!!

Getting Started

Well I have been thinking about getting a blog for awhile now b/c I do spend quite a bit of time on the computer and decided why not? This is just as good as writing your thoughts down on paper. There are just some times where you need to get something off your chest. This will also be a good place to tell everyone about something important or a funny that you want to remember.