First Month

Someone is one month old today!!  And I feel like letting out a big sigh.  Lets all do it together...sigh...That is a sigh of relief, a sigh of 'we are gonna make it!' and a sigh of 'please let me always remember how this feels.'  I can't believe how fast time flies after your little bundle arrives, definitely not so much in the months before!  I never want to forget how peaceful and heavenly it is to hold a little snugly newborn.  The last 31 days have been filled with firsts:  Harrison's first bath:

He was pretty indifferent.  I take that as a good sign.  We had a our first squirt across the room during diaper change, which happened to be aimed right at Brenna.  She freaked, we laughed.  Harrison has his first little smiles, and they melt my heart! 

 Alright, that is a faux smile.  The beard is deceiving.  Shannon made this for Harry and he doesn't appreciate facial hair at this time.  We thought we were giving him a head start on the other fellas.  He wants to hold off on his first shave, though.  So funny!  I had my first hormonal cry and there may have been more following!  I had my first outing without the baby.  He had his first bottle, and we both survived.  We are all trying to figure out where we fit in with this new family of 6 we have.  It is taking some transition time and we are working on finding our groove.  It has definitely  hit each member of the crew in a different way.  Other fun firsts:  Brenna's first day of preschool!


She has loved every minute of it...once I get her out the door.  I don't get much of a report from her, but I do know she enjoys walking up the stairs like an airplane when it is time to go home.  So, I guess things are going well on the academic side for her.  She also started her first dance class.  Katelee started dance as well and the other night apparently decided to try her first night sleeping in a giant tupperware container.  That's normal, right?  Well, it is for her.  I found her head hanging upside down off the bed the night before. 

Grant also had his first season of baseball, which he loved.  Harrison and I caught the last game and could tell he was enjoying it.  Life and activities didn't stop or wait for us to get our bearings when we brought home another little person.  I surely don't get a lot of 'things' done right now, and I am totally cool with that!  I just want to soak up every minute.  The things that have to happen, do and somehow we all manage.  I just know that if I blink this time will be over and I will miss it.  That is, if I dare blink.  Right now, I think closing my eyes may be dangerous.  My sleep deprived body may not get my eyes back open again!  So, for now, we snuggle and play!!! 

Meet Harrison Carl...

 

 

 This little guy arrived on August 23.  We are so happy he is here!!  Because of how quick my labor went with Brenna, and hoping to avoid a vehicular delivery by Daddy Dave, we opted for an induction.  The problem was, the night before we were scheduled, a crazy storm blew in.  We had lightning, thunder, power outages...which resulted in freaked out kids sleeping in the same room with flashlights.  I have heard storms bring on labor (the whole change in pressure effect), so I was hoping that may work for me-not so.  However, it did work for lots of other ladies and we were unable to even get ahold of anyone to give me the ok to come in.  Dave did some sweet talking and we were getting the ball going around noon.  I received my first dose of pitocin, antibiotics and had a visit from my doc an hour later to break my water.  Three and half hours later, I was feeling spent.  Those pitocin contractions are no bueno and I had been having intense contractions every 2 min for an hour and a half.  I was certain I was close to pushing, so I had my nurse check me and she smiled and said I was a good 5!  That was unacceptable to me for the pain level.  So, I told the dear nurses to summon the anesthesiologist.  I was told he would be there in 5-7 min, but those minutes came and went and I told Dave to go find him because it was hurtful!  In walks the drug doc, ready to pump me with numbing meds, but I look at him and tell him that I am going to push.  The nurse in training, Dave and anesthesiologist look at each other, all bewildered.  The doctor asks the nurse when I was checked last and she told him it had been 15 min and I was at a 5, but sure enough, he parted my legs open and there was a head crowning.  The orienting nurse called her trainer in, told her I was pushing and it was deja vu of Brenna's birth.  I wasn't waiting for anyone...when you gotta push, the people asking you to hold on are certifiably insane.  So, with one glove on, and nurses scrambling in the background, my ansesthesiologist pretty much delivered the baby.  My ob walked in later with his hands in the air and said he was just told that he owed the drug doc big time!  Here is a pic of our new guy...weighing in as our smallest babe at 7lbs 11oz, 20 inches.  (Two weeks later, he is already 9lbs).

 Because the baby was shot through my pelvic region like a rocket, he did some bouncing around against bone and he looked like he had been in a pretty bad brawl.  We took some pics to document how bruised he was. Poor little red head,

 all sorts of blood vessels broken in skin and eyes.  He looked battered.  Katelee had told me before I went in that she wanted me to get medicine because she 'didn't want me to scream when the baby came out.'  I was confused and asked her why she thought I would scream and she reported to me that she saw a movie where a baby was coming and the mom was yelling so loud.  Fortunately, there was no screaming involved!  The absolute best part of the hospital was seeing the kids meet their new brother.  My adorable pic of that won't load, but each of them fell immediately in love with Harrison, just like Dave and I did. 

We came home two days later, to anxious siblings waiting to shower baby Harry with attention and love. 

 

We noticed Harrison was jaundiced and his bilirubin levels were high, so we tried to just put him in the window to catch some sun, but he just got worse and worse.  He ended up getting his own tanning bed:

which he initially hated and cried and cried...which made me cry and cry.  Even though it is a minor complication to your newborn's first few days of life, it is tough to not get to hold them when all you want to do is cuddle.  After two days under the lights, the yellow hue was dimming and he was released from his ultraviolet prison. 

 He went from purple to yellow and now he is just slightly pink.  Little Harrison is a busy boy.  He is always eating or working on filling his diapers or hanging out with his sisters and brother. 

 It is so enriching and humbling to have a new baby.  While exhausting, there is nothing more rewarding to have such overwhelming love for a new person.  He is just two weeks old, but I can't imagine our family with out Harrison.  I feel like it must be because we knew him before and he was just biding his time to get to us (and make sure the coast was clear and somewhat safe after Brenna). 

He couldn't be more loved.

Sidenote...yes, you can call him Harry, Prince Harry, Harrison Potter, but not Indiana Jones!

Here We Go...

First day of school today!!  Hooray!  Grant told me that this summer was WAY too short!  I think it was plenty long! 

 

Here he is prior to starting the big 3rd grade.  And Katelee is below, ready to start 1st grade.  Dave offered to take them to school, but I wanted to show Katelee where to line up and make sure she was comfortable. 

 We parked the car, I walked as quickly as I could, but honestly, that is as slow as tar.  In my mind, my body is speed walking Olympic style, but my swollen legs and belly waddle at the speed of a stuffed snail.  Grant raced ahead of me, didn't even say goodbye, but luckily all the kids line up in the gym, so he couldn't ditch me so fast.  I walked Katelee to her line and in an effort to avoid the tears, I kept my mouth closed.  That, however, resulted in a horrible snort/choke sound.  So, I just did a quick dab/wipe when I started leaking.  There were another couple people teary...okay, one was a first grader, but why compare ages?  Katelee walked off, with me waving and she didn't even see it.  I am so glad she was excited.  I walked by Grant's line and at least got a wave out of him. 

 

I'm definitely going to miss them during the day.  We have had lots of fun this summer.  As soon as they got home, the teasing ensued and it was reassuring that there will be 8 hours a day less of that! 

 My goal was to make it through the first day of school, and we did!  So, bring on baby #4!  This picture, for posterity sake was taken a little over a week ago.  I'm fairly certain I am a good 20 lbs bigger than this!  Okay, not so, but it feels like it.  Dave took one look at my cankled feet last night and said he felt like taking a pin and popping them-they look like they are just filled with water...which they probably are.  I am looking forward to being able to bend my toes, roll over, cease vomiting and mostly hold my baby!!! 

 

Just July

 July is the only month in the whole year without one day of school for us.  So, we have found plenty of other things to fill our time  For instance,a Demolitian Derby.  We LOVE this new tradition.  We have gone the last three years here and this time Paige and Jason, as well as Brandon and Malia accompanied us.  It rained, but that couldn't stop the car carnage.  Everyone loves these events, while it does tire us out.  Brenna, at bedtime the other day told me, "oh what a fun day!  You are my best friend!"  Then, her voice changed to a resemble a gremlin as she growled, "Now GET OUT!"  The girls needs more rest!

 Fireworks-of course!  I didn't take one picture of any firework occasion, but we did see them.  We have the best firework show in our little city on the 4th of July.  My family comes and we play games and wait for hours. It is well worth it.  Our neighbors joined up with us this year too.  It was a fun night of oohs and aaahs...okay, we squeal with excitement a bit, but it is genuine.

 Grant had cub camp and I got to go up with him for one of the days.  Nothing like boys shooting guns and tying knots...or eating cheetos out of a trash can.  That wasn't Grant but it was a boy in my car, who also nearly made me loose my lunch when I opened the door and saw him covered in melted chocolate.  Chocolate, I know in itself is not gross, but it appeared nasty when I opened the door.  Boys will be boys!

Here are some of the boys who went up from our troop...

 It has been a record breaking summer in the heat department, a serious scorcher.  I take responsibility for this because I vowed I never would have an August baby, one of the reasons being huge and heat don't mix.  But, here I am due end of August and being taught that I am not in control of pretty much anything!  To beat the heat, we have spent time at the waterslides and my kids have really loved that!

 We usually go to a parade or two, but that wasn't happening with the temps, so we just checked out the floats and the kiddos got their faces painted. Seriously don't mess with Grant here... I think he has to try and be tough because Brenna was just singing the 'You Are So Beautiful' song to him and petting his face.  She did change up the words to, "You are so beautiful, like a dress!"  That girl loves dresses and figures her brother must too. 

 We have frequented treat shops that sell ice cream, slurpees or snow cones.  Next time, Dave and I decided the kids get no say in the ice cream flavors.  The play doh ice cream was nasty and tainted the rest of our delightful sundae. 

 Because we are not at a year round school and most of the kids' friends are, we have spent a lot of time chillin together.  Somedays this goes well, sometimes it results in fighting and extra chores and a very frazzled mother.  I have tried to be creative and change up the consequences of the sibling battles.  One of them is they get to spend lots of time together in a room playing. 

 Of course saying sorry is always a requirement, but I am having a hard time getting those words out of this girl:

She will say 'sorry' as close to a ventriloquist as she can.  I make her say it over and over until it resembles someone not in the field of puppetry.  But, she insists on apologizing without moving her mouth.  I guess it is somewhat of a compromise! 

Trippin in June

Besides finishing up with the school year and jumping into summer...we went on a couple of trips in June.  Well, I went on one with my dear sister Shannon-NYC!  Dave arranged a fabulous vacation for us where we stayed right in the heart of Times Square.  I was a little excited....

 We went to the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) and saw the one and only 'Starry Night.'  It was awesome!  We may have also seen sculptures out of  rabbit poop and some prints squashed with stinky moldy cheese.  There is a whole variety of art there!

We visited the 9/11 Memorial.  It is a really moving place.  The feeling is somber and the architecture is great.  There are two squares with water running down the sides into the pool and a square hole in the bottom of each.  Along the perimeter of each square the names of every person who lost their lives due to the terrorist attacks are listed.  You can walk around them and read them all, touch them and reflect on those events and our country.  The museum and towers are coming along nicely there as well.

 

 We walked through central park and went to church at the Manhattan temple on the Sunday we were there, where I happened to run into my BFF from 6th grade...whom I haven't seen since 6th grade.  I tapped her on the shoulder and she cried, "Kara Petrick!!!"  It was so fun!  She recognized me in all  my pregnancy glory. 

 Of course, the main events of our little trip were our Broadway shows.  We saw Spiderman-it was totally weird and creepy and odd and slightly awesome at the same time.  But, the musical of musicals that had us jumping out of our seats was: NEWSIES!!!

 Loved every single minute of it.  Dave is an awesome hubby for planning this whole thing and taking care of the kids while I went.  He and Grant and Katelee got to go to Lake Powell two weeks later (on his birthday!), so really Brenna is the only one who has missed out on a trip...but shush, don't tell her!

I heard their boating trip was fabulous and I stole this pic of Uncle Brian's facebook...look how awesome Katelee is!  Grant also got up for the first time this year on the surf board.  Brenna and I stayed back and cleaned our newly finished basement!  She did tell me she wants to be bigger and I need to cut her in half.  I'm not quite following her logic on that, maybe if I stack the two Brennas, she could be taller-but the idea of two Brennas is exhausting enough!