Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pregnancy. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Monday, June 27, 2011
Out of the Past : 40 weeks
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| So for the record. I did get induced on that Monday, even though I thought I wouldn't. And once I held my 6lb 2oz baby in my arms, I never regretted it for one second! | ||||||
Sunday, September 12, 2010
7 blogs in 7 days - Day 7 -Lily's 5th Bday Party - Carnival Style
Okay, so in my 7 blogs for 7 days, I haven't cleared off so much back log that I'd hoped. I guess that's because this was a crazy week of firsts and I wanted to document it all as we went. If I had to write a blog each day, I didn't really feel like going back and digging up old drafts and old pictures to dust off, when I had new stuff I couldn't wait to write about and record.
The good news is that I shared some pretty important stuff in a timely matter which almost never happens, and I feel freed to keep blogging as life comes rather than feeling like "how could I blog about that when I haven't even written about the first days of school, and buses, and soccer YET." So YAY. So - This wasn't exactly what I wanted, and it's also not exactly what I'd planned on. But still fun and productive just the same. And it's also what I had time for.
Pretty weak on the comment love though, guys. Pretty weak. Ah, well, it's so much more for me, this blog. I mean I know some of you love it. But really. I love to look back at stories I wrote about long ago, things I never would have remembered, things that make me laugh and cry. And sometimes, when "long ago" is really a week ago, and I'd totally forgotten something important that I already blogged about, I am so glad. And sad. About all the unblogged amazing happenings in our life.
For day 7 I decided to go back to the oldest draft . It was from almost a year ago. Lily's 5th birthday party. She turns 6 next month, and I just HAD to post this before she actually turned 6!
At least one draft is done, and that might be IT for 2009. Hurray, just as we are about to conclude 2010. That's about where I am with my scrapbooking too, one year behind.
******************************************************
Started on 11/10/09. Really? My birthday, odd.
******************************************************
For Lily's 5th Bday, Lawrence and her decided to do a Carnival Themed Bday party. To me this sounded kind of nuts and a lot of work, but it all came together very nicely.
We had a duck pond, a fishing pond, cake walk, pinata, and pin the tail on the donkey.
There were 17 kids and 7 families, counting ours. Rather than goodie bags we had a prize box and the kids goodies were the prizes they collected at the games above. Lawrence had some grand ideas that really stressed me out but with the help of my mom and Sabine, we were able to pull it off nicely.
It was the first time Lily invited her own friends, ones that I didn't know their moms. Two girls from her class. It will be interesting for me as the years go on, and less of my friends come to her parties and more of her friends. Luckily, from each of these 7 families, there is at least one close friend her age, who I'm sure will continue to get invited year after year. I'm worried that we are getting to the age where kids just get dropped off parentless for birthdays and it becomes child care for 17 of her nearest and dearest friends who have consumed an insane amount of SUGAR. :)
The good news is that I shared some pretty important stuff in a timely matter which almost never happens, and I feel freed to keep blogging as life comes rather than feeling like "how could I blog about that when I haven't even written about the first days of school, and buses, and soccer YET." So YAY. So - This wasn't exactly what I wanted, and it's also not exactly what I'd planned on. But still fun and productive just the same. And it's also what I had time for.
Pretty weak on the comment love though, guys. Pretty weak. Ah, well, it's so much more for me, this blog. I mean I know some of you love it. But really. I love to look back at stories I wrote about long ago, things I never would have remembered, things that make me laugh and cry. And sometimes, when "long ago" is really a week ago, and I'd totally forgotten something important that I already blogged about, I am so glad. And sad. About all the unblogged amazing happenings in our life.
For day 7 I decided to go back to the oldest draft . It was from almost a year ago. Lily's 5th birthday party. She turns 6 next month, and I just HAD to post this before she actually turned 6!
At least one draft is done, and that might be IT for 2009. Hurray, just as we are about to conclude 2010. That's about where I am with my scrapbooking too, one year behind.
******************************************************
Started on 11/10/09. Really? My birthday, odd.
******************************************************
For Lily's 5th Bday, Lawrence and her decided to do a Carnival Themed Bday party. To me this sounded kind of nuts and a lot of work, but it all came together very nicely.
We had a duck pond, a fishing pond, cake walk, pinata, and pin the tail on the donkey.
There were 17 kids and 7 families, counting ours. Rather than goodie bags we had a prize box and the kids goodies were the prizes they collected at the games above. Lawrence had some grand ideas that really stressed me out but with the help of my mom and Sabine, we were able to pull it off nicely.
It was the first time Lily invited her own friends, ones that I didn't know their moms. Two girls from her class. It will be interesting for me as the years go on, and less of my friends come to her parties and more of her friends. Luckily, from each of these 7 families, there is at least one close friend her age, who I'm sure will continue to get invited year after year. I'm worried that we are getting to the age where kids just get dropped off parentless for birthdays and it becomes child care for 17 of her nearest and dearest friends who have consumed an insane amount of SUGAR. :)
LILY's FIFTH BIRTHDAY DAY, it was a Wednesday or something.
This is the morning of Lily's real birthday. I'd forgotten about this picture, but simply LOVE it because of how HAPPY Addie is that it is Lily's birthday. I remember that morning so clearly!
Lily got a home made ice cream cake with just the fam on her big day
What's for dinner? PANCAKES. And she helped make them too!
Making cupcakes before her party.
Making cupcakes with mama and Bryson
PARTY TIME! I do cake first as to not send kids home with a sugar high right before dinner. No one repays that favor, so I may switch it up this year... :)
For some reason Lily was on top of her cupcake and her eyes were burning so she did this. Luckily, nothing singed!
The perfect candle blowing out shot
Cake walk!
Fish Pond + Q
Pin the tail...
2 of her Besties, and daughters of mine, Alex & Rachel
Duck Pond
This is the morning of Lily's real birthday. I'd forgotten about this picture, but simply LOVE it because of how HAPPY Addie is that it is Lily's birthday. I remember that morning so clearly!
Lily got a home made ice cream cake with just the fam on her big day
What's for dinner? PANCAKES. And she helped make them too!
Making cupcakes before her party. 
Making cupcakes with mama and BrysonPARTY TIME! I do cake first as to not send kids home with a sugar high right before dinner. No one repays that favor, so I may switch it up this year... :)
For some reason Lily was on top of her cupcake and her eyes were burning so she did this. Luckily, nothing singed! 
The perfect candle blowing out shot
Cake walk!
Fish Pond + Q 
Pin the tail...
2 of her Besties, and daughters of mine, Alex & Rachel 
Duck Pond
Waiting for the head butt mania. Oh, I mean pinata.
Alex pulling the winning string from the pinata and the candy mid-air. Oh wait, we didn't do much candy, mostly Oriental Trading Company crap! :)Monday, February 8, 2010
Moving through sizes and time
The new smile
There is no such thing
As a perfect picture
Of all three kidsThe 30 day shred is going good. I'm on day 8. Lawrence is on day 8 of running and doing 50 pushups. Man that guys chest muscles pop back into gear with only a week of no effort. I know Lily got his genes and I hope the other two follow suit. I'm always impressed by how fast he gets back into great physical shape in such a short period of time. He took Saturday running off, and that was partially my fault. I sent him to a 5 year old bday party with the girls so I could get my work out in and get Bryson his nap.
There is the song, "Remember When...", by a country singer (just looked it up for the link, Alan Jackson). Anyway, one time, my friend Jeanine told me that her husband, Otto, told her they were half way through that song. Since we keep having babies, we've stayed halfway through that song for several years.
Right now we are:
Remember when the sound of little feet
was the music
We danced to week to week
Brought back the love, we found trust
Vowed we'd never give it up
Remember when
Remember when thirty seemed so old
Ever since Jeanine told me about Otto saying it to me, it pops into my head as I hear the sound of little feet. They are the music of our lives right now. And they will be for a while. I can't even imagine a day when they won't be, but I can imagine myself longing for that sound again. Even as I tell Lily, 'Walk quieter, don't stomp so hard". I know I'll miss the sound of that stomping someday when she starts tiptoeing to sneak in or out! :) I'll wish for the days when I knew every thought and worry in her little head. I'll miss the days that big tantrums got of all the bad stuff out. When falling to the floor in a weeping heap was all you had to do to rid your little body of disappointment. When hugs from mommy or a tic tac could take it all away.
As we discuss and contemplate whether Bryson will be our last baby or not, this hits me harder.
He's almost out of 0-3 mth clothes, a little over 13 lbs, and in size 2 diapers. And as I pack up the things that don't fit any more, I'm not sure whether I will use it again, and it's weird. As I put away maternity clothes that are too big, and squeeze back into my size 14 jeans (and I do mean squeeze), I wonder what will become of my beloved sweatsuits and soft bellied jeans. As I loan out clothes, both baby and maternity, making it fully clear that I don't know what I'm doing so I want every peice back, my heart jumps inside thinking that I might not really need anything back, anything at all. Oh, the closet space I will have. And the storage bins!
I really haven't had to buy one thing for little Addie, I saved each and every little thing from Lily, and as for Bryson, between generous gifting and lots of hand me downs from friends, he won't need much new either. So that leaves only Lily to shop for and she is growing like a week. I couldn't carry her to the potty the other night when Lawrence was out. (sometimes we do that before we go to bed on nights that we forgot to have her go before bedtime to ensure no extra middle of the night wake ups). She's not too big for me to carry when she jumps up and holds on tight, but dead weight, no chance I could do it. My baby is almost too big for my arms. So far only physically but only a matter of years before emotionally she will be too. Especially if I don't remember to nurture that relationship.
Honestly the relationship with her is the hardest to nurture when I'm short on time and energy, because she is so grown up and self sufficient. It's easy to lose my cool with her, because she knows better. It's easy to keep her as a right hand man, taking care of the little two, because she loves it and she is good at it. To some extent, all of this stuff comes with being the oldest child. But I also want to be mindful each day of her childness. She is just a little girl who would love nothing more than to play and snuggle day in and day out with her mama. And it's not going to last. So I'm trying to recommit and appreciate each moment, each and every one, with all three of them, so I don't look back, remembering when, with any regrets, or with any more sadness other than just missing it, missing them at these sizes.
FOR sure, I won't be missing me at this size. I'll have NO problem discarding the size 14 jeans when I'm back in a size 8. (AND I WILL GET THERE!) But I already miss the feeling of a baby kicking in my belly and I miss the knowing/gentle looks from strangers that something really special is about to happen to you. And this is only 8 weeks later. Bryson is 8 weeks today. So in two years, when we'd normally be ready to start trying to have another baby, I can't imagine what it will be like and how much I will miss it.
My friend, Kirstin (my water fitness partner), wrote an beautiful blog about how one thing has to come to an end before something else can become. In her case, her family of three comes to an end to make way for a family of four. I can really relate to that. If we "decide" (I use that term lightly as I realize it is never really up to us and it is by the grace of God we are given the gift of children in any situation) to stop having babies, there is another wonderful life outside of infancy of things to experience with our children and as a family, so if more babies comes to an end, I have no doubt that it will be replaced by equally as wonderful things, watching all our children grow.
My friend Kim, lost her daughter on Friday. I've mentioned Kim before, she is a friend of a friend, and Julia was diagnosed with many health complications at her 20 week ultrasound. Their family had 8 months on earth with Julia, and they did not take one day for granted as they knew her days were numbered and that it was entirely out of their control. I only got to meet beautiful little Julia once when she was a few months old, back in July, but I kept up on Kim's CaringBridge site and was encouraged by Kim's peace and faith and living joy in the moment with her little Julia and Julia's two big brothers. Please keep them in your prayers, especially the brothers (ages 2 & 4), as they all try to comprehend this loss that they knew was probable from day one and find peace and comfort in the 8 months they had with their little angel. I'm so thankful that Kim shared Julia's story with the world because her attitude was so inspiring to me. And she also reminded me each time she referred to Julia as perfect, that each child is perfect, just as they are, just as God made them.
It's been a few days since I blogged, and it is because I'm trying to make more time for non computer related things, I'm doing my 30 shred, and keeping up with a message board with my 4 friends virtually doing it with me. I know this is a bit of a hodge podge of topics, but as the kids grow, and I shrink (hopefully) and am surrounded by good friends and support, both in real life and on the computer, I keep being conked over the head with the blessings in my life. I'm trying hard to live in today, be present in the moment, work hard for the future, knowing that things don't come easy, but they will come and they are worth working for.
And for today, that is more than enough.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking...take six weeks
I started this post 2 weeks ago! I'm sitting here trying to make a to do list to feel a little less overwhelmed and a little more organized, but somehow getting a blog out makes me feel both of those things. For some reason it won't let me take this post off italics, so italics you get!
Bryson is six weeks today. It's a little hard to believe that somehow six weeks has passed. A few weeks ago I was thinking about the passing of time. It just keeps marching on. And while I was struggling with him through "colic" and being sick and all the reassurance I received from people were things like "this too shall pass" or "it'll be over by 3-4 months", I couldn't help but feel somewhat cheated. I'll be going back to work the week of March 22, and THIS is the time I have with him now. THIS is when I want to enjoy the time. I don't care so much about it getting "easier", because, HA, that's sort of a joke, considering there are days with Lily and Addie that I think, I can't believe they are still this much work.
I guess that's why I'm so shocked and grateful of the huge impact of the chiropractic treatment. And I'm so pleased/blessed/thankful. Because it really gave me back time with my baby and I feel like I was able to do something other than just wait it out. It isn't about me, HE is so much less miserable. And what mommy doesn't relish in seeing that!?
I'm still in somewhat of survival mode, and it seems like I should be operating at a higher level by now. I'm not napping every day (not by choice) but I'm not showering every day either, and often find myself still in my spit up covered pjs at lunch time with my teeth unbrushed. Last night Bryson had a really hard night, I'm not sure what that was about, but he couldn't get back to sleep after eating at 11pm, and was up and down until 4:30am when I put him in his own room, in his own crib. And then he slept for 2 hrs. He's in there now, and is taking his first real nap in his own bed. I need to get a child proof door knob for his room to keep Addie from marching and to wake him up and see what he is up to. She's a little stinker too, yelling, "WAY UP Bwyson!"
Physically, I feel pretty good, I'm still wearing mostly maternity sweats, umm, clothes for the most part because it's whats quick and comfy and in my drawers, but I did squeeze into a pair of non elastic waist jeans the other night for an outing. I'm planning to try to lose the weight using the 30 day shred. I've heard that this is GREAT for postpartum moms. But so far, I'm actually pretty pleased with my postpartum stomach. I remember feeling shocked by it's largeness after my last two pregnancies, so either I'm just more realistic this time about what to expect, or it is in fact a bit smaller, likely some combination of the 2. My goal is always to lose the weight by time the baby is nine months, but in reality I usually lose it closer to 2 years...who's counting. We have a family vacation planned in August and since that is close to 9 months and as good of time as any, I might shoot for that as my goal. I know that getting back in shape will give me more energy and strength and I care about that more than what size of jeans I'm fitting into. Wait, could that be age and maturity talking? naaaaaaahh.....
When I was on maternity leave with Addie I was so FUNCTIONAL by this point. I was joining mommy meet up groups, going for long walks in the park, enjoying days with Lily and Addie, and don't mind if I admit having days of feeling pretty supermomish. I'm pretty sure she was doing six or more stretches at night, so I was relatively rested. It was August, and in Portland that is just a FABULOUS time of year, spirits are high, and mine definitely were. I don't mind the gray skies or the rain, I still think it is really beautiful here year round, but it's certainly more work to get out to get fresh air because, frankly, it just doesn't feel that good. So fresh air and exercise is sometimes limited to the mad dash to the car as to not get wet.
All that being said, with Addie, I started having anxiety attacks around 8 weeks. I didn't recognize the cause at the time but it was my thinking (dreading) of going back to work. I even had my heart checked out, because it was pounding in my chest and I couldn't see that I was feeling anxious. I got to stay home for 16 weeks with Addie and this time I'll be going back with Bryson is three months old. More of my anxiety right now stems from the logistics of managing all the things and people in my life that I will need to manage. Right now things are pretty simple during my days. They are very tiring sleep deprived days, but they are simple. My full time job is feeding and caring for Bryson. Sabine takes care of the girls, and while I play with them and give them some love throughout the day, she keeps them fed and on their schedule and takes them on outings, does crafts, chauffeurs Lily to school 3 afternoons a week. I've got it pretty good. Bryson is my only job, and they idea of that changing hurts my brain. And my heart.
But I don't like to complain, I do not believe there is a full time working mom out there who has it as good as I do. I work at home 2 days a week, and have all the flexibility in the world from my childless, single, male boss to take care of things at home when needed. I sometimes wonder what he thinks about the quantities of illness and accidents and ear infections that two (soon to be three) children can acquire. Still, he always lets me do what I need to do as long as the work gets done, which it always does. He knows that I will always do what needs to be done to meet deadlines, etc. I do keep up my end of the bargain, and work many late nights after the family is in bed doing so. I'm in a position lots of working moms would love to be, and I always want to keep that in perspective.
I'm just saying, life IS simpler when I don't have to worry about accounting software, or balance sheets, or sales numbers, or tax deadlines, or vacation days, or account balances. So for now I'm going to relish in the fact that I have six more weeks just to be mom. And for the record, I really do like just being mom. And since I see both sides of the world, being "just" mom, is much much harder than having "time off" to go to the office and be with grown ups 3 days a week. Notice above I said simpler, not easier. Going to work is working, yes, but also peeing and lunching when you like. Having a few minutes of quiet to think when you like. Enjoying a hot cup of coffee without the worry of it scalding a something-month-old when you like. These are things you don't have but often desperately need when you are "just" mom. So I get those things a few days a week, and then I get to be mom more days a week and I get to contribute to supporting the family as we need. And it's crazy and hard, but so is any path you choose and once the boat settles this job and this company do give me some semblance of balance that we all are looking for.
PLEASE Just remind me of all that when I'm clinging to my door knob watching 3 crying faces out the window with my breast pump loaded on my back and tri-met tickets in my pocket and I'm screaming, "NO I DON'T WANT TO GO!!"
Bryson is six weeks today. It's a little hard to believe that somehow six weeks has passed. A few weeks ago I was thinking about the passing of time. It just keeps marching on. And while I was struggling with him through "colic" and being sick and all the reassurance I received from people were things like "this too shall pass" or "it'll be over by 3-4 months", I couldn't help but feel somewhat cheated. I'll be going back to work the week of March 22, and THIS is the time I have with him now. THIS is when I want to enjoy the time. I don't care so much about it getting "easier", because, HA, that's sort of a joke, considering there are days with Lily and Addie that I think, I can't believe they are still this much work.
I guess that's why I'm so shocked and grateful of the huge impact of the chiropractic treatment. And I'm so pleased/blessed/thankful. Because it really gave me back time with my baby and I feel like I was able to do something other than just wait it out. It isn't about me, HE is so much less miserable. And what mommy doesn't relish in seeing that!?
I'm still in somewhat of survival mode, and it seems like I should be operating at a higher level by now. I'm not napping every day (not by choice) but I'm not showering every day either, and often find myself still in my spit up covered pjs at lunch time with my teeth unbrushed. Last night Bryson had a really hard night, I'm not sure what that was about, but he couldn't get back to sleep after eating at 11pm, and was up and down until 4:30am when I put him in his own room, in his own crib. And then he slept for 2 hrs. He's in there now, and is taking his first real nap in his own bed. I need to get a child proof door knob for his room to keep Addie from marching and to wake him up and see what he is up to. She's a little stinker too, yelling, "WAY UP Bwyson!"
Physically, I feel pretty good, I'm still wearing mostly maternity sweats, umm, clothes for the most part because it's whats quick and comfy and in my drawers, but I did squeeze into a pair of non elastic waist jeans the other night for an outing. I'm planning to try to lose the weight using the 30 day shred. I've heard that this is GREAT for postpartum moms. But so far, I'm actually pretty pleased with my postpartum stomach. I remember feeling shocked by it's largeness after my last two pregnancies, so either I'm just more realistic this time about what to expect, or it is in fact a bit smaller, likely some combination of the 2. My goal is always to lose the weight by time the baby is nine months, but in reality I usually lose it closer to 2 years...who's counting. We have a family vacation planned in August and since that is close to 9 months and as good of time as any, I might shoot for that as my goal. I know that getting back in shape will give me more energy and strength and I care about that more than what size of jeans I'm fitting into. Wait, could that be age and maturity talking? naaaaaaahh.....
When I was on maternity leave with Addie I was so FUNCTIONAL by this point. I was joining mommy meet up groups, going for long walks in the park, enjoying days with Lily and Addie, and don't mind if I admit having days of feeling pretty supermomish. I'm pretty sure she was doing six or more stretches at night, so I was relatively rested. It was August, and in Portland that is just a FABULOUS time of year, spirits are high, and mine definitely were. I don't mind the gray skies or the rain, I still think it is really beautiful here year round, but it's certainly more work to get out to get fresh air because, frankly, it just doesn't feel that good. So fresh air and exercise is sometimes limited to the mad dash to the car as to not get wet.
All that being said, with Addie, I started having anxiety attacks around 8 weeks. I didn't recognize the cause at the time but it was my thinking (dreading) of going back to work. I even had my heart checked out, because it was pounding in my chest and I couldn't see that I was feeling anxious. I got to stay home for 16 weeks with Addie and this time I'll be going back with Bryson is three months old. More of my anxiety right now stems from the logistics of managing all the things and people in my life that I will need to manage. Right now things are pretty simple during my days. They are very tiring sleep deprived days, but they are simple. My full time job is feeding and caring for Bryson. Sabine takes care of the girls, and while I play with them and give them some love throughout the day, she keeps them fed and on their schedule and takes them on outings, does crafts, chauffeurs Lily to school 3 afternoons a week. I've got it pretty good. Bryson is my only job, and they idea of that changing hurts my brain. And my heart.
But I don't like to complain, I do not believe there is a full time working mom out there who has it as good as I do. I work at home 2 days a week, and have all the flexibility in the world from my childless, single, male boss to take care of things at home when needed. I sometimes wonder what he thinks about the quantities of illness and accidents and ear infections that two (soon to be three) children can acquire. Still, he always lets me do what I need to do as long as the work gets done, which it always does. He knows that I will always do what needs to be done to meet deadlines, etc. I do keep up my end of the bargain, and work many late nights after the family is in bed doing so. I'm in a position lots of working moms would love to be, and I always want to keep that in perspective.
I'm just saying, life IS simpler when I don't have to worry about accounting software, or balance sheets, or sales numbers, or tax deadlines, or vacation days, or account balances. So for now I'm going to relish in the fact that I have six more weeks just to be mom. And for the record, I really do like just being mom. And since I see both sides of the world, being "just" mom, is much much harder than having "time off" to go to the office and be with grown ups 3 days a week. Notice above I said simpler, not easier. Going to work is working, yes, but also peeing and lunching when you like. Having a few minutes of quiet to think when you like. Enjoying a hot cup of coffee without the worry of it scalding a something-month-old when you like. These are things you don't have but often desperately need when you are "just" mom. So I get those things a few days a week, and then I get to be mom more days a week and I get to contribute to supporting the family as we need. And it's crazy and hard, but so is any path you choose and once the boat settles this job and this company do give me some semblance of balance that we all are looking for.
PLEASE Just remind me of all that when I'm clinging to my door knob watching 3 crying faces out the window with my breast pump loaded on my back and tri-met tickets in my pocket and I'm screaming, "NO I DON'T WANT TO GO!!"
Lily and B having tummy time
Daddy with his 3 kids, early am style. I love how he doesn't look tired AT ALL!
B falling asleep in Jeanine's arms
More tummy time
Falling asleep during tummy time!Monday, December 14, 2009
Today is the day
I'm at the hospital. My water is broken. Today is the day Bryson is coming.
I just had to call my office and get help setting up wireless internet at the hospital.
That was nice. We skyped to make sure we could skype with the kids. Thankfully Sean (my work IT guy) could help me, I told him I wasn't hooking up video, but Lawrence told him that I looked beautiful. I love Lawrence. He was so cute writing "Bryson Nathaniel 12/14/09" on the white board in his terrible handwriting. Cutely erasing every "mistake".
Okay, contractions are getting strong and I need to go. No epidural yet, they said it would take about 20 minutes after I asked to get that.
Pray for Bryson's safe delivery and my strength. His heartbeat is strong and he is very active. Lawrence and Robin Rose are both here and ready to give me support.
I just had to call my office and get help setting up wireless internet at the hospital.
That was nice. We skyped to make sure we could skype with the kids. Thankfully Sean (my work IT guy) could help me, I told him I wasn't hooking up video, but Lawrence told him that I looked beautiful. I love Lawrence. He was so cute writing "Bryson Nathaniel 12/14/09" on the white board in his terrible handwriting. Cutely erasing every "mistake".
Okay, contractions are getting strong and I need to go. No epidural yet, they said it would take about 20 minutes after I asked to get that.
Pray for Bryson's safe delivery and my strength. His heartbeat is strong and he is very active. Lawrence and Robin Rose are both here and ready to give me support.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Progress
Today I had an ultrasound. It was awesome, amidst an otherwise crappy day of worrying about sick kiddos, riding the max and bus and walking 2 miles in the freezing cold. It was 27 here feeling like 13 with the wind blowing so hard. The sun was shining though!
It was so wonderful to see little Bryson sucking on his hands and to see that he is in fact a BOY!
The ultrasound estimates him at 7lbs 7oz give or take a pound. So if he were one pound less he would still be almost as big as Lily. For those of you who noticed how high I'm carrying, I know! I carry really high. It doesn't FEEL high, but when I look at a picture, I think about how high he looks. The girls both looked that way all the way until the end. Maybe because I have a tilted uterus. Who knows.
I'm 3cm dilated and 80% effaced and she thinks she'll see me this weekend. I'm not getting my hopes up, and still have lots to do...but of I won't be disappointed if he comes early, OF COURSE. I'm getting tired of holding him inside of my belly. I'm ready to hold him in my arms!
Thanks for all the love you are sending. I need it!
It was so wonderful to see little Bryson sucking on his hands and to see that he is in fact a BOY!
The ultrasound estimates him at 7lbs 7oz give or take a pound. So if he were one pound less he would still be almost as big as Lily. For those of you who noticed how high I'm carrying, I know! I carry really high. It doesn't FEEL high, but when I look at a picture, I think about how high he looks. The girls both looked that way all the way until the end. Maybe because I have a tilted uterus. Who knows.
I'm 3cm dilated and 80% effaced and she thinks she'll see me this weekend. I'm not getting my hopes up, and still have lots to do...but of I won't be disappointed if he comes early, OF COURSE. I'm getting tired of holding him inside of my belly. I'm ready to hold him in my arms!
Thanks for all the love you are sending. I need it!
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Ears and Migrains and Coughing, oh my
For the past several nights, Addie has been up many times each night. Monday and Tuesday I worked WAY too late, trying to finish deadlines that have passed, Addie stayed in bed. Wednesday and Thursday I didn't put her to bed due to "me time" outside of the house...and those nights, she'd come into my bed 3 times or so, then finally stay in her own around 3am. I felt guilty about not putting her to bed and for taking some time to myself (because that's what working moms do, or at least this one) so I snuggled with her for a while before sending her back to her own room. My kids aren't good sleepers in our bed, so we've never really let this become a habit, since it doesn't help anyone get more rest.
Thursday she developed a bad cough and I was up the whole night with her, I slept 3-6am. I was really dragging and had decided to take a nap during my "lunch hour" working from home. But my great napper didn't nap either, she was coughing and not feeling good, so I laid her in my bed while I laid down, but I'm not very comfortable right now, so having to lay absolutely still to help her sleep, isn't a great way for me to get rest. By the time Lawrence got home on Friday, I went to bed at 5:30 and skipped dinner. Guiltily, I got up at 7 for bed time. Lawr got up with her that night and let me sleep in until 9. Yesterday, I was a new woman!
Last (Saturday) night we stayed up late talking and hanging out and Addie was up every 30 minutes the whole night. Lawr got up until about 2am and then she said her ear hurt and I started going to her, until 4ish when she finally slept on Lawrence restlessly until 6.
She slept with us a bunch of the night, and today called the weekend hrs office of the ped to get her in at once. I can't believe it didn't occur to me that she had an ear infection, she's had a fever and a cold/cough for 4 days! What am I new at this? With Lily that was my first assumption, but Addie has only had a few ear infections, and with the fever/cough, I feared swine flu and ear infection never even crossed my mind. Even when we went out for a walk in the neighborhood last night to look at lights, and I told them not to take their hats off or they could get an ear infection (lie lie). Didn't occur to me that Addie already had one.
This morning Lily and I went to church and Lawr and Addie went to the ped and to pick up her new toddler bed from my friend Sharon. Addie napped about 4 hrs today total.
As soon as I got her down for her nap I felt a migraine coming on. First one in six years. Six years to the DAY actually. I remember, because it is my friend Dawn's 6 year wedding anniversary! Migraines and me are a whole other story, but I used to get them a lot and they are bad and I'm not functional for a few days.
Anyway, just like a miracle 6 years ago, this one went away before it got unbearable. I laid down and took Tylenol immediately. I had plans, big plans for the day, but my migraine didn't care about my wanting to nest or finish a work project.
I had a whole blog written in my mind about today's message at church. It was about Mary, and about God changing our plans, about how we just have to go with it, and it was a good one. God sure changed Mary's plans alright. So I had to laugh, a little, about the migraine (God) changing my plans - including not being able to write that blog, haha. I wonder if He thought THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO DO TO GET YOU TO LAY DOWN IN THE PITCH BLACK AND REST, then SO BE IT! Hopefully I'll get to the blog one day.
Then when I woke up from my 3 hr nap, we went to Ceramic Cafe and made some holiday gifts. And Sabine came home from the beach after having a BLAST with 5 other au pair friends. We are always so happy when she has a good time.
Happy Anniversary, Dawn and Lucas.
Thank you, Nancy, for the new blog header.
Sharon, thank you so much for giving us the toddler bed you no longer needed, it looks AWESOME in their room, and saved us big time. What a beautiful little big girl (boy) bed! :) Crib is now up in Bryson's room and the nursery looks like a nursery again!
I got HOLIDAY CARDS MAILED!!!!! On Dec 5!!! They won't go out til tomorrow, because it was after 3pm, but still! :) Lily labeled and addressed them ALL, she's a massive helper during "quiet time"!
Oh, I have some good blogs brewing...but for now I had to write about the woes of little sleep and sick kids. Lily sounded croupey tonight before bedtime, Addie is on antibiotics and Tylenol, and my head hurts a little but I didn't throw up.
Wishing for more than 30 minutes of consecutive sleep tonight...sweet dreams...
(PS this was going to be a one paragraph blog...short and sweet + Jenny = nonexistent!)
Thursday she developed a bad cough and I was up the whole night with her, I slept 3-6am. I was really dragging and had decided to take a nap during my "lunch hour" working from home. But my great napper didn't nap either, she was coughing and not feeling good, so I laid her in my bed while I laid down, but I'm not very comfortable right now, so having to lay absolutely still to help her sleep, isn't a great way for me to get rest. By the time Lawrence got home on Friday, I went to bed at 5:30 and skipped dinner. Guiltily, I got up at 7 for bed time. Lawr got up with her that night and let me sleep in until 9. Yesterday, I was a new woman!
Last (Saturday) night we stayed up late talking and hanging out and Addie was up every 30 minutes the whole night. Lawr got up until about 2am and then she said her ear hurt and I started going to her, until 4ish when she finally slept on Lawrence restlessly until 6.
She slept with us a bunch of the night, and today called the weekend hrs office of the ped to get her in at once. I can't believe it didn't occur to me that she had an ear infection, she's had a fever and a cold/cough for 4 days! What am I new at this? With Lily that was my first assumption, but Addie has only had a few ear infections, and with the fever/cough, I feared swine flu and ear infection never even crossed my mind. Even when we went out for a walk in the neighborhood last night to look at lights, and I told them not to take their hats off or they could get an ear infection (lie lie). Didn't occur to me that Addie already had one.
This morning Lily and I went to church and Lawr and Addie went to the ped and to pick up her new toddler bed from my friend Sharon. Addie napped about 4 hrs today total.
As soon as I got her down for her nap I felt a migraine coming on. First one in six years. Six years to the DAY actually. I remember, because it is my friend Dawn's 6 year wedding anniversary! Migraines and me are a whole other story, but I used to get them a lot and they are bad and I'm not functional for a few days.
Anyway, just like a miracle 6 years ago, this one went away before it got unbearable. I laid down and took Tylenol immediately. I had plans, big plans for the day, but my migraine didn't care about my wanting to nest or finish a work project.
I had a whole blog written in my mind about today's message at church. It was about Mary, and about God changing our plans, about how we just have to go with it, and it was a good one. God sure changed Mary's plans alright. So I had to laugh, a little, about the migraine (God) changing my plans - including not being able to write that blog, haha. I wonder if He thought THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO DO TO GET YOU TO LAY DOWN IN THE PITCH BLACK AND REST, then SO BE IT! Hopefully I'll get to the blog one day.
Then when I woke up from my 3 hr nap, we went to Ceramic Cafe and made some holiday gifts. And Sabine came home from the beach after having a BLAST with 5 other au pair friends. We are always so happy when she has a good time.
Happy Anniversary, Dawn and Lucas.
Thank you, Nancy, for the new blog header.
Sharon, thank you so much for giving us the toddler bed you no longer needed, it looks AWESOME in their room, and saved us big time. What a beautiful little big girl (boy) bed! :) Crib is now up in Bryson's room and the nursery looks like a nursery again!
I got HOLIDAY CARDS MAILED!!!!! On Dec 5!!! They won't go out til tomorrow, because it was after 3pm, but still! :) Lily labeled and addressed them ALL, she's a massive helper during "quiet time"!
Oh, I have some good blogs brewing...but for now I had to write about the woes of little sleep and sick kids. Lily sounded croupey tonight before bedtime, Addie is on antibiotics and Tylenol, and my head hurts a little but I didn't throw up.
Wishing for more than 30 minutes of consecutive sleep tonight...sweet dreams...
(PS this was going to be a one paragraph blog...short and sweet + Jenny = nonexistent!)
Monday, October 12, 2009
Mom's shouldn't be allowed to get sick
Or maybe I should title this...Don't Cry Over No Milk.
I felt it coming on for a few days, the sore throat and runny nose. But I ignored it, took my vitamins vigilantly and attempted to get enough rest. Both girls were sick all last week with a cough and a cold - so sleeping through the night was nonexistent. Thursday morning there was no denying it was here, and by Thursday afternoon I could barely make it to the evening. Friday I felt terrible. I HATE being sick.
So while working from home Friday, when I went downstairs during lunch time to find out what all the hub bub was about between Lily and Sabine, I found out that we were out of milk. And butter. And bread. Sabine didn't realize this before she made Lily her wish of Mac n Chz. So Addie was sitting there happily with her milk-free mac noodles and ketchup (gross I know but she LOVES it), and Lily was crying on the stairs being mean to Sabine that there was no milk. FINALLY after I reasoned with her (and figured out that the milk problem was about actual lunch and not just her wantign a glass of it to drink), she decided she would accept a PB&J instead...oh but there was no bread either. Crap. Crap. Crap Crap.
This should not have been a big deal. Lawrence was running to the store that afternoon to get some staples and dinner supplies for the week. My brother left that morning after staying for a night passing through to see the girls, so Lily was particularly sensitive, and really, to her, it was the end of the world that there was no milk. And every time she pulled it together, she would look at my with her big brown eyes welling with tears. "But Mama, why don't we have any milk? I really need some milk" voice cracking and falling apart.
If I were a rational person, I probably would have just run out (in my pjs with no bra and unbrushed teeth or hair nose dripping-hugely pregnant state) and got the milk, so life could have gone on. But instead, I sympathized with Lily, comforted her, and finally sent her to her room until she could pull it together because she could not stop whining about the milk situation - and I couldn't help her. As I dug in the fridge, I coulnd't find anything else for her to have for lunch either, and she needed to leave for school in a half hour. Sabine finally remembered that we had some of Addie's milk free bread, which at $4/loaf is normally off limits to the rest of the family, we made Lily a PB&J using that, and then I gave her my water bottle with Lemon Sustain powder in it as her special drink. All was okay.
I apologized to Sabine that there was no food in the house and went back upstairs to work.
But instead of working...I. Fell. Apart.
I cried and cried at what a failure of a mom I was that we didn't have enough food. I cried because the State of Oregon Unemployment department are assholes. I cried because hormones are raging through my body and even though it wasn't rational, I couldn't stop crying for hours. Was there enough money in the account for milk and bread and butter? Of course there was. Did that matter? Not to me. For some reason, not having enough food equaled complete failure and demise of the family. So not rational, but unless you have been broke and pregnant at the same time - you may not judge. Even after Lawrence got back from the store and the fridge was full again, I would start to cry again each time I thought of our state of milklessness that morning. I felt sorry for Sabine for getting such a terrible family to live with. One that would allow all the milk to be drank. I cried again. And again. Every time I thought about it. More tears.
My friend Carrie suggested maybe I skip Women of Faith, which I had a free ticket to that night. She thought I needed rest, and I didn't consider it because I knew I needed the "me" time to be uplifted and encouraged and drug out of my deep dark hole of not having milk in the house.
For the rest of the weekend my voice and head was so stuffed up, mostly because of the cold but the 4 straight hours of crying couldn't have helped. I went to WOF that night, but looked like I had been beaten up from all the tears and nose blowing. I went in a brown velour jogging suit/hoodie outfit, so I really dressed up for the occasion. It said to wear comfortable clothes on the website, and I was so numb from all the crying, I couldn't bare to put on a piece of clothing that restricted me in any way. Unfortunately there was a bomb threat and the Rose Garden was evacuated and shut down - before I even got in the door. I didn't really even mind, just a little disappointed and I was happy to get home early and up bright and early and go again on Saturday morning. The day was amazing. I was uplifted and encouraged. My mom was at our house with Lawrence, he and the girls had a WONDERFUL day everyone with great behavior. And while I drove home Saturday evening and I thought about "that time that I had fallen apart over milk" it seemed like a million years ago, not yesterday. I even smiled about it - back when I was so crazy and hormonal that I even cried about not having bread and butter! HA! That girl...(insert head shake and eye roll).
I have to be thankful for two of my friends who "got" me, Jeanine and Carrie. I know they both felt helpless and a little worried but they got me. And to my husband and my mother in law, who did not really get me, I'm thankful that they both helped me too. They were there for me, and they comforted me as best as they could, Lawrence - not sure why it even bothered me because he was going to the store in a minute? and my MIL not sure if we were really THAT broke - and could she send me money to buy milk? or what? How could I be helped?
Sometimes when the damn breaks and the flood gate of emotions come...you just have to go with it. You have to allow yourself to feel that something is the end of the world, even though it isn't. You have to look deep within yourself and understand why a silly little thing equals failure to you. And then you have to look back and smile and love yourself that you care so much about a silly little thing. And if you are really really lucky, you will smile and look back only a few days later. If the perfect storm is brewing in your emotional life, a good cry is the only thing that helps.
This weekend God reminded me that he doesn't love me because I'm perfect, he loves me because I'm me. He wants me to let go of these problems to show that He is bigger than anything I could ever worry about. He has plans for me that I can't begin to imagine, and He will not allow me to starve! In being reminded (again!) of His love, I looked at my life around me and saw how many other people love me with the same kind of love that God has for us. People who love me not in spite of my weaknesses - but because of them. Those are the people who model God's love for us here on earth. The people that are your safe place, who will not judge for your failings, no matter how silly or large they may be.
To the people who love me because I cry over no milk, I am thankful.
I felt it coming on for a few days, the sore throat and runny nose. But I ignored it, took my vitamins vigilantly and attempted to get enough rest. Both girls were sick all last week with a cough and a cold - so sleeping through the night was nonexistent. Thursday morning there was no denying it was here, and by Thursday afternoon I could barely make it to the evening. Friday I felt terrible. I HATE being sick.
So while working from home Friday, when I went downstairs during lunch time to find out what all the hub bub was about between Lily and Sabine, I found out that we were out of milk. And butter. And bread. Sabine didn't realize this before she made Lily her wish of Mac n Chz. So Addie was sitting there happily with her milk-free mac noodles and ketchup (gross I know but she LOVES it), and Lily was crying on the stairs being mean to Sabine that there was no milk. FINALLY after I reasoned with her (and figured out that the milk problem was about actual lunch and not just her wantign a glass of it to drink), she decided she would accept a PB&J instead...oh but there was no bread either. Crap. Crap. Crap Crap.
This should not have been a big deal. Lawrence was running to the store that afternoon to get some staples and dinner supplies for the week. My brother left that morning after staying for a night passing through to see the girls, so Lily was particularly sensitive, and really, to her, it was the end of the world that there was no milk. And every time she pulled it together, she would look at my with her big brown eyes welling with tears. "But Mama, why don't we have any milk? I really need some milk" voice cracking and falling apart.
If I were a rational person, I probably would have just run out (in my pjs with no bra and unbrushed teeth or hair nose dripping-hugely pregnant state) and got the milk, so life could have gone on. But instead, I sympathized with Lily, comforted her, and finally sent her to her room until she could pull it together because she could not stop whining about the milk situation - and I couldn't help her. As I dug in the fridge, I coulnd't find anything else for her to have for lunch either, and she needed to leave for school in a half hour. Sabine finally remembered that we had some of Addie's milk free bread, which at $4/loaf is normally off limits to the rest of the family, we made Lily a PB&J using that, and then I gave her my water bottle with Lemon Sustain powder in it as her special drink. All was okay.
I apologized to Sabine that there was no food in the house and went back upstairs to work.
But instead of working...I. Fell. Apart.
I cried and cried at what a failure of a mom I was that we didn't have enough food. I cried because the State of Oregon Unemployment department are assholes. I cried because hormones are raging through my body and even though it wasn't rational, I couldn't stop crying for hours. Was there enough money in the account for milk and bread and butter? Of course there was. Did that matter? Not to me. For some reason, not having enough food equaled complete failure and demise of the family. So not rational, but unless you have been broke and pregnant at the same time - you may not judge. Even after Lawrence got back from the store and the fridge was full again, I would start to cry again each time I thought of our state of milklessness that morning. I felt sorry for Sabine for getting such a terrible family to live with. One that would allow all the milk to be drank. I cried again. And again. Every time I thought about it. More tears.
My friend Carrie suggested maybe I skip Women of Faith, which I had a free ticket to that night. She thought I needed rest, and I didn't consider it because I knew I needed the "me" time to be uplifted and encouraged and drug out of my deep dark hole of not having milk in the house.
For the rest of the weekend my voice and head was so stuffed up, mostly because of the cold but the 4 straight hours of crying couldn't have helped. I went to WOF that night, but looked like I had been beaten up from all the tears and nose blowing. I went in a brown velour jogging suit/hoodie outfit, so I really dressed up for the occasion. It said to wear comfortable clothes on the website, and I was so numb from all the crying, I couldn't bare to put on a piece of clothing that restricted me in any way. Unfortunately there was a bomb threat and the Rose Garden was evacuated and shut down - before I even got in the door. I didn't really even mind, just a little disappointed and I was happy to get home early and up bright and early and go again on Saturday morning. The day was amazing. I was uplifted and encouraged. My mom was at our house with Lawrence, he and the girls had a WONDERFUL day everyone with great behavior. And while I drove home Saturday evening and I thought about "that time that I had fallen apart over milk" it seemed like a million years ago, not yesterday. I even smiled about it - back when I was so crazy and hormonal that I even cried about not having bread and butter! HA! That girl...(insert head shake and eye roll).
I have to be thankful for two of my friends who "got" me, Jeanine and Carrie. I know they both felt helpless and a little worried but they got me. And to my husband and my mother in law, who did not really get me, I'm thankful that they both helped me too. They were there for me, and they comforted me as best as they could, Lawrence - not sure why it even bothered me because he was going to the store in a minute? and my MIL not sure if we were really THAT broke - and could she send me money to buy milk? or what? How could I be helped?
Sometimes when the damn breaks and the flood gate of emotions come...you just have to go with it. You have to allow yourself to feel that something is the end of the world, even though it isn't. You have to look deep within yourself and understand why a silly little thing equals failure to you. And then you have to look back and smile and love yourself that you care so much about a silly little thing. And if you are really really lucky, you will smile and look back only a few days later. If the perfect storm is brewing in your emotional life, a good cry is the only thing that helps.
This weekend God reminded me that he doesn't love me because I'm perfect, he loves me because I'm me. He wants me to let go of these problems to show that He is bigger than anything I could ever worry about. He has plans for me that I can't begin to imagine, and He will not allow me to starve! In being reminded (again!) of His love, I looked at my life around me and saw how many other people love me with the same kind of love that God has for us. People who love me not in spite of my weaknesses - but because of them. Those are the people who model God's love for us here on earth. The people that are your safe place, who will not judge for your failings, no matter how silly or large they may be.
To the people who love me because I cry over no milk, I am thankful.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
God filling me with Hope
On Sunday night our family said our nightly prayer. We thanked God for all of the things that he provides for us, we thanked Him for giving us each other, we thanked Him for our baby brother. We thanked him for the sunshine and the park and for Sabine. We meant it. In the peace of the moment, we knew that everything we needed was in that room, where we put our daughters to sleep together. No matter what happens with jobs, or money, or houses, or unemployment-we have it all in this family. I wasn't just saying the words of thanks, I was feeling them, and I know Lawrence was too.
It is so easy to worry about "the plan" to focus on the "how" and to fret about the future. We do need the love and support of our friends and family to remind us that it is going to be okay. I realized that a few weeks ago. I've been spending so much time and energy telling my husband and my mom and my mother in law and Sabine and even our friends that it is going to be okay, that it is going to work out. And I realized, I need someone to tell ME it is going to be okay. And in 5 weeks, no one had said that to me. While I don't always share how much, I get so much of my strength from my faith. When you all ask me, how I do it? It is because I believe that God is working in our lives and has a plan for us and that is how I know we'll be okay.
Yesterday I felt very scared because Lawrence's unemployment benefits got denied - so no more unemployment coming in. And things don't work on paper. I sent an email to a few other faithful friends who I knew would pray for us, and who would understand the kind of support and understanding I would need. Those that would help to encourage my faith and my soul. And the response I got was overwhelming. I'm so blessed by ALL the relationships in our life. By the ones we have right here in this house, by the ones with our parents, and our siblings...our family. By the ones with our friends. Even by strangers who read this blog.
So today, I opened my daily devotional, which is emailed to me each morning. It felt like this was written to me and for me. I couldn't better describe how and why God is helping me through this, and so I decided to post it. To help explain me, but also to have it somewhere to reread so that when I feel like I need someone to encourage me, I can remember that God is always there, and that my trust in Him will always strengthen me.
*******************************************
by Gail Rodgers
God tells us that our joy will increase as our trust in Him increases. This is something beyond the happiness and delight or pleasure found in a particular circumstance.
True joy is a deep and abiding assurance rooted in hope. If worry, fear, nagging, or feeling overwhelmed is what characterizes you on a daily basis, you know your trust in God has probably faded and your hope begins to feel slim.
Listen to God’s promise to you…
“May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” ( Romans 15:13, NIV).
When hope has disappeared off your horizon, check honestly to see where your trust in God is at. Ask Him to increase your faith. Ask Him to grow your faith to believe that…
• He will act on your behalf.
• He will give you strength and wisdom where you are weak and confused.
• He will supernaturally fill you with the power of His Holy Spirit.
• He will increase your hope in Him in every circumstance of your life.
The hope you have in God increases as your trust deepens. This hope becomes an anchor for your soul. It will bring with it a deep source of victory and joy as God works in you and through you to bring His hope to you in your day-to-day world. Depend on His Holy Spirit to fill you with increased faith today.
Father God, I ask today that You will increase my faith in You. I want to trust You with every aspect of my life. I need the power of Your Holy Spirit to work in me to trust You fully for the hope of my future. Help me to move from worry and fret to hope and joy. Fill me today so that I can actually overflow with hope by the power of Your Spirit. Thank you for Your amazing grace in my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Blanchet Family Reunion Pics - August 8th
I wrote a little about the family reunion at Red Bridge State Park August 7-9 here. But I didn't post any pictures, like I thought I did. This is the LAST of my catching up. Hooray, I am caught up with something. What a great feeling! After this camping trip we were going to plan one more (and it was going to be this weekend) but I felt so run down and exhausted that we didn't and can I tell you how GLAD I am that we are not camping this weekend. Oh so so so glad. We have a busy enough weekend ahead, but no packing, no crouching, no decampfiring, and not crawling out of a tent in the freezing cold at 4am to go PEE!
Lily and daddy making dinner over the campfire
Addie and Marley (my cousin Amy's son) - Addie is almost a year older but you'd never know it!
Addie and Rosy - my best cousin friend! :)
Addie having "dinner" on the first night. What, they are whole wheat and we are camping, who cares if she was eating them straight out of the pan?
Lily and Addie so happy after getting Grandma Lanie's tent set up for her. They were big helpers and made the process SO much quicker.
COOOOOOOOOLD. Getting Addie bundled for the night. With a lot of laughing.
Play Doh table. Yeah, I'll admit it, we are always the cool and prepared parents at these things. Maybe it is my obsessiveness in not wanting to be the one with bored kids, or maybe it is needing validation from older family members of how well behaved my children are, or maybe it is shear laziness that if I bring enough for them to do, I don't have to entertain them myself. In any case, the kids are always excited to see what Lawrence and I have in our trunk of fun (aka the Trailblazer) and this year we picked up a brand new pack of Play Doh for the occassion. Allowing ME to sit for almost an hour in one shot. Heh!
The camping spot of the reunion this year was perfect for bike riding. There was a large parking lot without much traffic right next to our tent, so the girls rode bikes a lot. Addie doesn't ride as much as she waits to be pushed, but she is getting the art of pedaling down slightly. Even if she refuses to actually do it as a method to make herself go.
Brushing your teeth outside. AWE-some!
Me and Kristen (my cousin John's wife) comparing bellies! We are both having boys, Kristen and John are expecting their first child, John Hunter Blanchet on Oct 28. We are excited for next year to see our two little guys playing together at the family reunion.
My brother was in LaGrande for his National Guard drill, so he got to come for a few hours one night. Of course this made the 3 ladies of my family (mom, Lily, & Addie) MORE than thrilled. I thought this was a very good picture of he and mom.
Riding your bike in your PJs...priceless.
Susannah and Lily
Lily on her favorite seat - Uncle Matt's shoulder
Me and Addie with my cousins Petra and Clemy - The last day I was trying to get things ready to go and Addie just wanted to be held. My back was killing me after 3 days of holding Addie and crawling in and out of the tent. So I said "mommy can't hold you, who can't hold you?" She said "Pet-Pet". So sweet, then Petra did hold her for the whole morning. We love you Petra! :) We were so happy to see Petra, who is back in Mexico working at the mission-based deaf school. We always miss her so much, what a wonderful young lady.
Grandma Lanie and Addie having "MILK TIME" and snuggles with bear-bear by the breakfast campfire.
Uncle Matt doin' what Uncle Matt does best...I think their faces pretty much say it all.
Aunt Caroline holding the Birthday gift that Addie and Lily made for Grandma Lanie
21 weeks pregnant! Posted only 5 weeks late! :)
Great Aunt Cressie (one of two of my Grandpa's sisters we have left) and me and Addie being shy.
Cousin Amy and her new baby Shelby Rayne.
The girls and Uncle Matt. Neither will leave his side.
CUUUTE!
Our family playing in the river. It was SO cold but we had a great time.
What a wonderful family reunion. I'm so glad that my family does this every year. Lily now remembers and looks forward to it. When I was a kid our family had a campground near Ukiah that my Grandpa's family (and his cousin, I think, owned). Anyway, I remember the reunions with such fun and fondness. I can remember the exactly places I slept, and the swing, and the little swimming hole in the nearby creek. My mom did a great job of keeping me in touch with so much of the extended family over the years. Her cousins, her aunts and uncles, their kids and (now) grandkids. I'm so close to so many of them, and I realize that some of my other cousins are just now meeting them for the first time that they would remember. It feels so special to have a deep relationship with the older generation.
It's really awesome. One other special person that I don't have a picture of here (though I'm sure my mom will dig one up and email it to me pronto after reading this) is Opal. She is my mom's cousin's (Herb) wife. Before my mom had kids, she didn't think she really wanted kids. Opal DESPERATELY wanted kids but was never able to conceive. My mom told Opal if she ever had kids she would give them to Opal. So when I was born and Opal met me for the first time, she said, "Thanks, hand her over...". By that point my mom had already grown very attached to me and decided she'd go ahead and keep me. Over the years it has always been a joke that Opal was "almost" my mommy. I even told Lily that if Grandma Lanie wouldn't have been my mommy, Opal would be my first pick. I don't know if it is because of this, but Opal and I have always had a strong connection. Herb and Opal tried several times to adopt a baby, ending in heartbreaking story after story (many of which I'm sure I don't know). They were foster parents to 100s of kids. At some points I remember their modest home being filled with over 10 foster kids. Opal's loving heart and need to parent was almost filled by helping these kids. There was one boy who she tried to adopt for his full 18 years, David. He was Native American, and there were issues related to that that made it impossible for the adoption to go through. When I think of Opal's story, I think it is an example of lives being touched because things don't go our way. God has plans for us in this life that are so much bigger than our own. Hundred's of kids (including the awful ones, like small boys with sexual abuse issues) were taken in and cared for and shown love (some for the first time) by Herb and Opal. They made a difference in more lives in more ways that is even fathomable. The made more of an impact that some of us will ever make during their fostering years. All because their hopes and dreams and prayers were not answered. They are a reminder that we have a choice of what to do with our dissapointments and life long pains of wishing and wondering what if.
My family is a little bit redneck, a little bit country folk, and a lot of bit wonderful people with really big hearts that I am so proud to call MY family.
Lily and daddy making dinner over the campfire
Addie and Marley (my cousin Amy's son) - Addie is almost a year older but you'd never know it!
Addie and Rosy - my best cousin friend! :)
Addie having "dinner" on the first night. What, they are whole wheat and we are camping, who cares if she was eating them straight out of the pan?
Lily and Addie so happy after getting Grandma Lanie's tent set up for her. They were big helpers and made the process SO much quicker.
COOOOOOOOOLD. Getting Addie bundled for the night. With a lot of laughing.
Play Doh table. Yeah, I'll admit it, we are always the cool and prepared parents at these things. Maybe it is my obsessiveness in not wanting to be the one with bored kids, or maybe it is needing validation from older family members of how well behaved my children are, or maybe it is shear laziness that if I bring enough for them to do, I don't have to entertain them myself. In any case, the kids are always excited to see what Lawrence and I have in our trunk of fun (aka the Trailblazer) and this year we picked up a brand new pack of Play Doh for the occassion. Allowing ME to sit for almost an hour in one shot. Heh!
The camping spot of the reunion this year was perfect for bike riding. There was a large parking lot without much traffic right next to our tent, so the girls rode bikes a lot. Addie doesn't ride as much as she waits to be pushed, but she is getting the art of pedaling down slightly. Even if she refuses to actually do it as a method to make herself go.
Brushing your teeth outside. AWE-some!
Me and Kristen (my cousin John's wife) comparing bellies! We are both having boys, Kristen and John are expecting their first child, John Hunter Blanchet on Oct 28. We are excited for next year to see our two little guys playing together at the family reunion.
My brother was in LaGrande for his National Guard drill, so he got to come for a few hours one night. Of course this made the 3 ladies of my family (mom, Lily, & Addie) MORE than thrilled. I thought this was a very good picture of he and mom. 
Riding your bike in your PJs...priceless.
Susannah and Lily
Lily on her favorite seat - Uncle Matt's shoulder
Me and Addie with my cousins Petra and Clemy - The last day I was trying to get things ready to go and Addie just wanted to be held. My back was killing me after 3 days of holding Addie and crawling in and out of the tent. So I said "mommy can't hold you, who can't hold you?" She said "Pet-Pet". So sweet, then Petra did hold her for the whole morning. We love you Petra! :) We were so happy to see Petra, who is back in Mexico working at the mission-based deaf school. We always miss her so much, what a wonderful young lady.
Grandma Lanie and Addie having "MILK TIME" and snuggles with bear-bear by the breakfast campfire.
Uncle Matt doin' what Uncle Matt does best...I think their faces pretty much say it all.
Aunt Caroline holding the Birthday gift that Addie and Lily made for Grandma Lanie
21 weeks pregnant! Posted only 5 weeks late! :)
Great Aunt Cressie (one of two of my Grandpa's sisters we have left) and me and Addie being shy.
Cousin Amy and her new baby Shelby Rayne. 
The girls and Uncle Matt. Neither will leave his side. 
CUUUTE!
Our family playing in the river. It was SO cold but we had a great time. What a wonderful family reunion. I'm so glad that my family does this every year. Lily now remembers and looks forward to it. When I was a kid our family had a campground near Ukiah that my Grandpa's family (and his cousin, I think, owned). Anyway, I remember the reunions with such fun and fondness. I can remember the exactly places I slept, and the swing, and the little swimming hole in the nearby creek. My mom did a great job of keeping me in touch with so much of the extended family over the years. Her cousins, her aunts and uncles, their kids and (now) grandkids. I'm so close to so many of them, and I realize that some of my other cousins are just now meeting them for the first time that they would remember. It feels so special to have a deep relationship with the older generation.
It's really awesome. One other special person that I don't have a picture of here (though I'm sure my mom will dig one up and email it to me pronto after reading this) is Opal. She is my mom's cousin's (Herb) wife. Before my mom had kids, she didn't think she really wanted kids. Opal DESPERATELY wanted kids but was never able to conceive. My mom told Opal if she ever had kids she would give them to Opal. So when I was born and Opal met me for the first time, she said, "Thanks, hand her over...". By that point my mom had already grown very attached to me and decided she'd go ahead and keep me. Over the years it has always been a joke that Opal was "almost" my mommy. I even told Lily that if Grandma Lanie wouldn't have been my mommy, Opal would be my first pick. I don't know if it is because of this, but Opal and I have always had a strong connection. Herb and Opal tried several times to adopt a baby, ending in heartbreaking story after story (many of which I'm sure I don't know). They were foster parents to 100s of kids. At some points I remember their modest home being filled with over 10 foster kids. Opal's loving heart and need to parent was almost filled by helping these kids. There was one boy who she tried to adopt for his full 18 years, David. He was Native American, and there were issues related to that that made it impossible for the adoption to go through. When I think of Opal's story, I think it is an example of lives being touched because things don't go our way. God has plans for us in this life that are so much bigger than our own. Hundred's of kids (including the awful ones, like small boys with sexual abuse issues) were taken in and cared for and shown love (some for the first time) by Herb and Opal. They made a difference in more lives in more ways that is even fathomable. The made more of an impact that some of us will ever make during their fostering years. All because their hopes and dreams and prayers were not answered. They are a reminder that we have a choice of what to do with our dissapointments and life long pains of wishing and wondering what if.
My family is a little bit redneck, a little bit country folk, and a lot of bit wonderful people with really big hearts that I am so proud to call MY family.
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