Born on the 4th of July!!!!!

All I can say is HALLELUJAH!!!!!  SHE'S HERE!!!!!!  I am no longer pregnant and uncomfortable, ok I'm not completely comfortable yet, but so much better and worth every second of it.  I'm not one of those women who enjoy being pregnant and so that moment that my baby enters this world is the most relief I feel.  

*WARNING*

If you do not want to read my boring labor story just scroll to the pictures now.  This part is so I when I have labor amnesia, I can go back and say "oh that's right, it did hurt like a motha." 

My last post says it all.  I did go into labor that night and little Masie was born the next morning.  The Castor oil helped, woot woot.  Contractions started at 11 PM and then took a break at 12 and then 1 AM started up again with a vengeance. So Randy and started to get ready for the fun awaiting us.  I took a shower, finished packing my bag (luckily when I got home from my Dr. appt. I decided I probably should start getting a little ready for what might come), and ate a small bowl of cereal knowing that I wouldn't be eating for a while.  We got to the hospital around 3-3:30 AM and went to triage to get monitored to make sure I was in labor and sat in there for 2 hours because I was progressing really slowly.  I was at a 3 when I got there and after walking and sitting on the ball only got to a 4 in those 2 hours.  But the nurse could definitely tell I was in labor and wasn't about to send me home so she set us up in a room and I immediately went into the tub for some relief.  I was in there for about 30-45 minutes and the doctor wanted to check me so I got out and was still a four and completely thinned.  So the doctor gave me the option of breaking my water cuz her head was so high and he knew that once it was broken it would go fast or to keep going on the track I was on. I was nervous cuz my contractions were already really painful and I knew once that cushion was gone they would be pretty much unbearable.  I was going to try and go drug-less with this one cuz I really think that why Malia's was sooo long, but once he broke my water I couldn't do it anymore.  Part of me wishes I would've stuck it out because I went from a 4 to a 7 in 15 min and probably would've be fully dilated within another 30 but I'm a wimp and just couldn't do it anymore.  And just as I suspected the epidural slowed my labor down considerably and took another 3 hours to finish dilating.  But I was able to relax and breath till she was ready to come.  So it was fine.  I pushed for about 15 minutes and she arrived at 10:20.  The doctor was funny, there was another mom who was almost ready to push as well at another hospital, but since it was her 1st and my 5th, he stayed with me knowing that I would go much faster, which I did.  The only complication we had was Masie had pooped sometime during labor so we had to have the respiratory team in there when I delivered.  She was fine though, just swallowed a lot of amniotic fluid and burst a couple of blood vessels in her eye (I've never experienced that before, poor girl)  She struggled with coughing up the fluid though and had to have her stomach sucked out once to get it out. Since then she's been fine.

Here's Masie getting checked by her team.

 Getting weighed.  They said 8 lb 3 oz my guess is because she dookied and that must have been at least another ounce, lol.

 Not the most flattering shot of me but I figured what the heck, no one can say anything, I just gave birth for crying out loud, lol.

 Happy and very excited siblings.  Gma and Gpa had taken them to see the hot air balloons go up and then our ward breakfast and then were at the parade when they got the call.  They quickly packed up and headed to the hospital as fast as they could.  The kids had no desire to watch the rest of the parade.

 Masie really likes her binky and was not about let anyone get that from her.

 Proud Grandparents.

 While I was cleaning up, Randy went to the nursery to watch her first bath.  The kids and Gma and Gpa had to stay outside, but they took some shots through the glass.  She wasn't too happy about any of it.

 After bath and her cute bows. 

 Can ya tell they're excited?

 And a little nuts.

Pretty flowers that the kids and G-parents brought.    

 Her patriotic bows that the nurses gave her.  Oh and I'm not going to tell the entire story about naming this child, but let's say that having her born on the 4th threw us for a loop.  We thought it would be cool to try and make her middle name patriotic, but we couldn't make anything work that we liked.  So this poor girl wasn't named till the morning we left the hospital.

 I had some fun with my camera in there.  She is just soo stinkin cute I couldn't help it.

 I just pulled her binky from her mouth, gotta love that shot.

 All of the kids have been so good with her.  They just can't get enough of her.  Malia just looked so natural holding her.

 Just chillin

 The kids made a poster for when we walked in the door.  It was soo sweet to see them so excited for us (meaning the baby) to finally be home.

Welcome to the family Masie Kay!!!!!  Hopefully you will survive with all of the love that your siblings want to give you.

38+ Weeks and who knows!!!!

So I'm right on schedule, 38+ weeks, and 2 cm 80% effaced.  Every single one of my pregnancies seems to be the same at this time.  The last 4 weeks I start dilating and thinning and at my 39 appt. I get to a 3 and then go into labor shortly after that.  Today at my appt. I asked my Doctor to strip my membranes and he looked a little shocked and said are your sure (my guess is because tomorrow is the 4th and who wants to miss all of the fun activities going on.  I'm thinking, heck ya, I don't expect anything to happen right away, it usually never does.  Sometimes I've had to get stripped twice before I go into labor.  Anyway, he appeased my request and stripped me and then said, we'll probably see ya tonight.  I chuckled knowing that wouldn't happen.  Well as soon as I got into the car I was uncomfortable and have been ever since.  I don't think this has ever happened. I haven't had real contractions yet, but I definitely feel different/in more pain.  I'm trying to stay upright to let gravity help and I just took 1 TB of Castor oil to see if that does something, otherwise it will just clean me out, which is not a bad thing at this point, lol.  I've never really thought about having a baby on a holiday, but tonight would be a really convenient night since Randy's parents are coming over for some fun tomorrow.  Plus being pregnant in this Utah heat has been pretty miserable.  I wouldn't mind laying in an A/C hospital being waited on hand and foot.  So here's to hoping that something good happens tonight and that I'm not just miserable sitting on the pot.

Swimming Lessons 2012

We made it through another session of swim lessons (with minimal complaining even).  Mak passed level 6 and is officially ready for swim team.  I was going to put her in this year but with the unknown if we were going to be here all summer and having to shuttle her back and forth after the baby comes I decided to hold off another year.  At the beginning she didn't want to do swim team, but now she does, of course. 

 Morg passed level 4 (which shocked me a little)  She did really good and I see a lot of improvement from last year. 

 I put Micah in a level 4 as well because. . . well I'm a bad mom.  I was having a hard time scheduling all of them at the same time and he was so far ahead of everyone last year I fiugred he could skip a level.  In the past (at least for us) they've held level 4 in the shallower part of the pool and I thought he'd be fine.  Well, not so much.  They did it in the 13 foot dive well and it wasn't so fine.  He struggled keeping up with everyone and so they had him swim next to the wall so he could stop when he needed.  I felt bad for the teachers cuz I knew how much I hated teaching kids who were not placed correctly.  You'd think I'd know better, lol.  Oh well, he managed and although he didn't pass (surprise surprise) he improved and loves it.

 This was his favorite part.

 I didn't get a good close up of Eah cuz by the time I got over to her class they were playing a game of Alligator Alligator, what time is it?  She's the one the front with the goggles on.  She passed level 2 as well and actually kind of surprised me on how well she did.    She's become a little fish.

 Mak's group and few others played sharks and minnows and she along with the teachers were the last one's standing, so the teachers huddled around her and carried her across the pool so she wouldn't get tagged.  It was pretty hilarious.

 Here are my swimmers.  So proud of them.  Glad they love the water as much as I do.  I think with a little encouragement, they will all do swim team next year.  Ok let's be realistic, they are doing swim team weather they like it or not, lol.  

Baby Bump and James is Gone :(

So I've always been really bad at photo documenting anything to do with me, but I really wanted to have a few pics of my bump this time.  I've only gotten 3 shots in the last 36 weeks, but hey it's better than nothing, right?  This one is at 20 weeks shortly after finding out what we were having.

 This one is 30 weeks. 

 And only 6 weeks later. . .I'm huge and still have 4 weeks to go.  I stayed pretty small for a long time and then bam, here is my belly.  I am sooo uncomfortable all of the time and my legs feel like they are going to detach from my hip sockets, my ankles are swollen every night, Randy laughs at me every time I try to get off of the couch and my AC is driving me nuts and we can't figure out what's wrong.  Oh well, I just need to make it through the next 4 weeks and then I can JUST be sleep deprived not uncomfortable, right?  Here's to hoping I go early (not that I will cuz I never do).

 On another note, Uncle James finished his Freshman year of college and celebrated his bday with us before leaving to go home before his mission.  We went to 7 Peaks yesterday with Alina and kids then came home, used the rest of his money from his meal plan at Jamba Juice (which BTW James know all of the secret flavors and has shared them with us and "Screaming O," (I know, awful name right?) is the best), made dinner and made my mom's infamous bday cake.  James wanted to learn how to make it, so he helped and even chose pink flowers to put on it, silly boy.

 I'm going to miss Zoolander face.

 He was really excited to light his own candles, can ya tell?  He's concentrating so hard. . .love it.

We are going to miss having you around James.  There is never a dull moment when you are here.  

She's a Big Girl Now!!!

She Did It!!!!!!!  She's been asking for a couple of weeks to learn to ride a 2-wheeler, but with how busy we've been, it just hasn't happened. . .till this weekend.

On Friday Randy got out the "small" bike and within a half an hour had her up and going!!!!  We practiced on the sidewalk yesterday and actually used the brakes instead of her feet to stop.  She'll be keeping up with the big kids now.  I can't believe how "big" she's gotten.  Where has my baby gone.  I guess I get to enjoy it all over again. . . soon.

Last Day of School 2012

The inevitable day has come and gone.  Yeah for the kids, sad for me.  I wouldn't mind just a couple of more weeks kid less.  Regardless, the kids had a fun last week.  There was the awards assembly and the dance festival and of course the joyous last day of 1 1/2 hours (don't even ask).    Here are the kids after the dance festival.  I'll post their videos at the end.

Walking to school the last day.  I thought it was a cute shot.

Morg and her besties commiserating on how the last day will go.

One last shot of the kids with their teachers.  Mak had such a great year with this man.  He had nothing but the nicest things to say about her.  She's sad to move on because she says "I want Mr. C to be my teacher forever."  He really is awesome.

2 of my kids have had Mrs. G.  She is just hands down awesome.

Also 2 of my kids have had Mrs. W.  These teachers just know how to reach my kids on a level I can't.  I miss them already.

Then there's Eah.  Miss Lynn has had the youngest 3 kids and all of my them have done amazing with her.  They all grow so much during preschool.  On the last day, they did a little program for the parents, it's always cute to watch them sing and dance.

This is the first year we've had Miss Nicole (or "Miss Cole" as Eah says it) as the preschool aid.  Can I just tell you how much I love this woman.

I was a able to get a cute shot of Morg and her friend McKenna coming out to say bye to Mrs. G.

HUGS!!!!

Oh and Malia loves all of her siblings teachers and hugs them each time she sees them.

The usual girl shot with one extra, Savannah.  She moved in close by and plays with the girls a lot.

Mak and Lauren.  At this point it is useless to ever think my children will ever be tall.  These 2 are only 6 months apart in age.

Mak and her bestie Emme.  These 2 are inseparable.  When/if we move, this will probably be the hardest goodbye.

McKenzie's dance.  She's the one in the back with the blue sweatshirt and red hat, all gansta and all.

Morgan's dance.  She's wearing a pink shirt and plaid shorts, third row back.

Micah's dance.  He's kinda hard to see, but he's wearing gray and black pants with a green shirt holding a panda pillow pet, 3 rows back behind the girls with the red pants.

Malia's dance, she's pretty easy to spot.

Now it's over and I can't believe I have a 6th grader, where has the time gone.  The kids learned so much this year and I loved all of their teachers.  Hopefully this next year will bring on some new adventures for our family.  Here's to a fun, hot, exciting summer.   Next on the agenda, getting this baby out.  Only 5 weeks to go WOOT!!!!

3rd Grade Program and Solar Eclipse

I love the end of the school year, there is never a dull moment.  Last week Morgan had her third grade program where she sang songs and recited a part about what they have learned this year.  Grandma and Grandpa Tucker were able to come down for it which was really nice considering it was on a Wednesday and Randy can't do anything Wed. nights because of school (I think there are only 3 Wednesday's left till he's done HALLELUJAH!!!!)  Anyway,  Morg did great.

 Here she is beforehand with one of her friends, hammin' it up like always.

 Sunday was a cool day.  It was the 1st Solar Eclipse my kids have been able to take part in.  I remember when I was in elementary school living in Virginia and how big of a deal it was that there we were able to witness one.  We all got special glasses and the entire school went outside to see this phenomenon.  Well, we tried to make it cool for the kids.  My neighbor Trisha found a cheap way of watching it happen but poking a small  hole through a piece of cardboard and then holding that up to the sun, then holding a second piece of cardboard away from it (demonstrated below by James). . .

 Isn't that cool.  It's really light but you can see the crescent shape on the cardboard of the moon going in front of the sun.

 I don't have any special photography skills or cool lenses, so this was the best we got.  This was just before it was completely covered by the moon, not that you can tell.

While we were using our primitive cardboard methods, another friend in my ward called and said she had some glasses if we were interested in letting the kids actually see it.  I was elated by this and she quickly ran over just in time to see it completely covered.  It was pretty amazing.