Catch up and Joy.

This is a really, really, ridiculously long and non-edited post.
Just thought I should warn you.

I knew I'd end up playing catch-up after Christmas and New Years, I just didn't know I'd be THIS far behind.  It's been quite the ride.  Let me explain.

 Note: if you don't want all the details here's the nutshell:  all fun, all sick, all better.

A few days before Christmas I called my mom at my wits end.  Motherhood was out to destroy me- that or my emotions, or sleepness nights, or my children were.  Since she's part Saint (you'll believe my by the end of this story) she came up that day, helped with the children, let me nap, let King and I go on a date, and then took the oldest two home with her the next morning for a few days.  Somewhere in that mix- after she'd been watching the baby- she suggested we have her checked for reflux and was certain she had colic.  It turns out she was right on both accounts.  So now baby has some medicine- and that is helping!
Then came Christmas Eve.  It was a blast!  My younger brother and parents were kind enough to come here for the festivities.  We -of course- reinacted the nativity and a said uncle played part of Ceasar, Shepherd, Angel, Star, Donkey... he might have had a few other costume changes.  It was a good night together and I liked how quiet and simple it was.
Christmas morning we headed out to church first (as it started at 9 am and I was playing the organ that day too!).  There was lots of music and I loved it!  I wish Christmas fell on a Sunday every year! 
After church we opened presents with my parents and King's mom.  Then we had a fantastic Christmas brunch! Except for the fact that my children were SPOILED- I loved it. 
The next day my family helped us clean up and then headed home.  We did a few more odd jobs and then headed south as well.  The next week is a blur of parties to me: high-school friend party for me, one for King, a family party, and another family party!   It was great to see family and friends and soak in all the time off of work King had!  We headed home New Years eve morning to party (My mom's birthday is on New Years) and get ready to bless baby the next day.  Mom and Dad headed back up with us to play and to help. Amidst the games that evening, I started to feel sick.  Ug.  That's where this all started.  I skipped out and went to bed early hoping to feel better for the big day in the morning.
The next morning we got ready for church and headed out.  We'd only invited King and I's brothers and sisters, parents, and grandparents.  Even with JUST those people- we had over 50 people come and were missing several!   The circle to bless A. had JUST my brothers, King's brothers, our dad's, and grandpas... I think we had 18 people in the circle including the Bishop! Everyone headed to our house after church for dinner and good company! 
The next morning- all three girls in our family had pink eye.  Joy. 
The NEXT morning, brother got a cold and baby got croup.
The NEXT morning, King was sick too.
The NEXT morning, I was better, but everyone else was sick. (King only made it to one day of work this week...)
Just as we think everyone is on the mend, I start to feel like I'm getting a nursing infection.  Sunday I go to church with Hyrum and the baby because now KING has pink eye and Sister has a cold. 
I got home from church and slept the next four hours till dinner.... and went down hill from there.
King went to work the next morning.  My dad called to check on how we were feeling, and after talking to me, headed up to help.  He ended up staying and taking care of the kids until Wednesday- I stayed in bed.  Wednesday I gave up and headed to the dr.  WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME?  Hot, cold, shivering, roasting, aching, back hurst.... what is it?!  Kidney infection.  Lovely.  They put me on antibiotics that took 3 days to take effect.  King ended up taking the rest of the week to take care of the kids and myself.  I wonder if his boss thinks he's moved to part time....
SO....
Now we're on the mend.  Two weeks later there is light at the end of the tunnel!  "A" has medicine for reflux, colds are disappering, pink eye is gone, A has started sleeping better since we put her on her stomach (like our other two before her.... its the only thing that works...), King is back at work, and I am out of bed and on antibiotics!!  Whew!  Its been quite the ride. 
NOW- let me say a few things about all this.  I had LOTS and LOTS of time to think over the last few weeks.  Something about staying in bed for hours and days on end....
and I think I've come to a few conclusions.
1) Mom jobs are important.  I watched my dad, my mom, and my husband run around taking care of the thinks I normally do.  My kids, the house, the laundry, the shopping, etc.  I had virtually no part of it.  Everything was falling apart until they stepped in to help! And all of a sudden I could SEE what impact all those jobs combined had.  Sure, I know- just as every mom knows- that mom jobs "count".  That laundry, cooking, cleaning etc are important- but it is hard to see that every day.  It is easy to write those off as something not important.  BUT THEY ARE. When they slide- my house is in ruins, and we feel the difference in our evironment, in our kids, in how we respond to them and difficulties around us etc.  Wow, I am so grateful for the help I recieved!!!  My dad mentioned as he left, "I'm glad I'm not the mom...."  Some days I feel that way- but I recieved a huge BOOST of affirmation that what I do day in and day out counts.  It matters.  Its hard.  And it counts.  More on this later I am sure.
2) I admire those you know, read about, hear about that are cheerful through their sicknesses- especially the long ones.  I won't ever be the one you hear about.  I have a hard time when I'm fully healthy and strong, but I know people who despite what ailments they have (my mother and a good friend) still are positive and happy- still find good things in life.  Those people know about Joy and I admire them for it! I've been working with Brother to memorize a few scriptures- he knows the easy ones/ the short ones.  One is 2 Ne 2:25  Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have JOY.  I thought a lot about that as I was sick in bed.  What have those people figured out that I haven't?  I found NO joy in my situation.  As much as I'd like to sleep in every morning and have people bring me food all the time, I HATE to be sick.  I HATE to be STUCK in bed.  I didn't have joy.  I was in pain, and my body was doing crazy things.  I was crying, not smiling.  But what about my friend Amy?  She's been sick for over a decade.  Sure- some years have been much better than others, but she hasn't given up yet!  Mom: she's been sick since I was four- and probably longer than that!  She didn't turn over her responsibilities to everyone else and glower.  She is a happy, kind, and serving person- I dare to say she has JOY!   So I've got things to work on.  I'm supposed to have joy.  Not just because I feel good or because people are helping me.  But because I'm alive, and I have a home, and I have the scriptures in my language, and King has a job, and I have friends, and beautiful children, and I know about my Savior!  As I've been setting goals this New Years a lot of old ones have come up: my scripture reading needs some more attention, my exercising (and lack there of) needs a boost, but the most important one to me is how I interact with my children.  I want them to see that I have joy.  That I am happy to be with them!  That I see the importance in the mom jobs and in the things I do with them and that despite my hard days- I can have JOY!  I am such a blessed person! 

So, as I blog and write down happenings this year- please don't let me forget!  Being thankful is a big part of seeing that Joy every day!  I'm going to give it my best!  I'm going to look for the positive and act accordingly- not letting other things dictate my mood and disposition!  Here's to a healthier year than its been thus far, and for having more joy in the journey!

Best Christmas Quote:

During our Christmas Eve Nativity Play, we asked Brother what gifts the wiseman brought baby Jesus.
Brother:  Muir... Gold... and...

... COAL!

Har. Har. Har.

Chocolate Chips

Things God knew about me and consequently prepared/compensated for:
1.  In my world, children have mood swings as crazy as mine.  They are prone to shift and flip on a dime... or a pinhead.
Problem: At any given moment 3 out of the 4 of us at home may be crying, whining, yelling, etc and the next moment we might all be smiling. 
Solution:  The Lord let me find an even-killed, emotionally stable husband.  Solution #2: He helped cell phones be invented during my lifetime so I could call mothers, sisters, husbands, and friends.  And call, and call, and call...
2.  In my world, chocolate chips make some things better.  When it can't do that, at least you had chocolate.

Problem: When too many things crash around you in a day, you eat WAY too many chocolate chips.

Solution:  I have a fast metabolism.  It's a good thing too or I might have hit 300 lbs.

Dear guests,

In case you are wondering why the fitted sheet on our guest bed (ahem... futon) is so wrinkled, its not because we don't like you.  Its because A) I don't iron sheets (or much else for that matter) and B) I CAN'T FOLD THE STINKIN FITTED SHEETS!!!  There.  That's off my chest. 
Some days I meticulously lay the whole sheet out and try to get those darn corners to cooperate.  It doesn't help.  Twelve minutes later, the finished product is still a lumpy pile of fabric.  Today when one came out of the dryer I grabbed it, folded it in sloppy fourths or eights or whatever (which is what it looks like usually anyhow) and was done in 10 seconds.  I hope you enjoy the stay at our house anyhow- despite your wrinkled sheets.
Love, the non-ironing-sheet-folder... Me.

Around town...

Apparently, within a 15 mile radius of us, all of this is going down:

• Around 50,000 homes without power.  They're hoping to have it back by later tonight but it may be 48 hours.
• Northbound freeway is supposedly closed from __ to__  until around 6 PM.  Alternate route is open but be on the lookout for flying debris.
• C mayor declared local state of emergency.
• Even taking surface streets is dangerous because of flying debris.  They're asking people to stay in their homes.
• They showed video of guys who were on the freeway and got hit with pieces of the McDonalds and In-n-Out Burger signs.  They were buying first aid supplies for their faces.
• All schools in ___ are closed.
• Some major colleges closed, some high schools closed.
• The winds are expected to continue until around 6 PM tonight.
• Weather is reporting wind gusts of 78 mph in __, 83 mph in __, 53 mph in __ and 102 mph in __
• Outbound air flights are postponed until further notice.

The local news has photos of downed trees, fences, powerlines etc ALL AROUND US.  In town, the neighboring cities etc.  CLOSE! 
Closer: across the street, the power has been out all day and might be out for as much as 48 hours.  A neighbor who moved slightly farther away brought over her cell to charge at our house because theirs is also out (1 mileish away).  Neighbors are spending the day at families/friends who have power.
Here?  Nothing.  Nada.  Heater on, making fudge, no limbs in the yard, thinking it will be nice to use the stove for dinner etc.  Hmm...

The Newest One

A doesn't have a pseudo name yet- we could be like sister and just call her "Beebee!" or "It". She follows brother's pattern of asking to "hold it?!" As seen below- I can't resist letting her try (with help). Lady loves being a big sister!Despite the innocent looking face. This little one has spent the last two nights repeatedly waking up as soon as you set her down. Our routine has been something like this: feed her, she falls asleep, hold her till she's out-out, put her in her bed, she wakes up, try to coax her back to sleep with the binky, wailing ensues, back to holding.
It's called: up-all-nightus.
Bummer.
Hopefully she'll go back to her wonderful habit of sleeping five hour stretches at night. I'm crossing my fingers!

Three.

7 lbs. 2 oz. 19 1/2 inches.
11/1/11

Decision

Not today. Dr's terms.
Not Monday. My terms.
Tuesday.

She'll get here!

After a teary-eyed, not feeling good appointment yesterday the OB asked me if I wanted to talk about a day to be induced. UM, YES!!! (Really, what kind of question is that at this point?)
OB: "How about Monday?"
Me: "How about FRIDAY!?
He's thinking about it. Not very seriously. He'd rather Monday- it's closer to my "official" 39 week mark (the one he changed from tomorrow folks). He's having me come in for my appointment first thing in the morning (instead of late afternoon) to check me. I think I'm going to bring in a list of reasons he should induce me tomorrow.
1) Monday is Halloween. She doesn't (and her mother doesn't) want to have a holiday birthday!!
2) I'm not sleeping. I say this and people think, "Well you won't sleep once she's here..." but they don't realize that when she's here- YES, she'll get up a lot at night, but then she'll GO BACK TO SLEEP- and I can sleep too- instead of toss and turn, or since rolling over seems impossible right now, wiggle and groan. I'm looking forward to SOME decent sleep- even if in short intervals.
3) It's a weekend. What better time for King? True, he can take time off any time- but weekends are such perfect timing. Belive me, I'd know. The last two have both been induced on Fridays or Saturdays. I think its becoming a tradition.
4) Should I mention its a tradition now?
5) WE'RE PAST 38 (and if you ask me- past 39) WEEKS! I'M READY! SHE'S READY!! WE'RE ALL READY!
6) All these contractions I've been having (one night: 2 hours: 5 min apart... then they stopped... arg...) are doing NOTHING. Dialated to a ..... zero. Still. Darn.
7) This should have been listed first: I want to meet and hold this little girl!!!

I guess I'll know by 10 am tomorrow what will be happening. Meanwhile, today we're cleaning, shopping, and working up a storm just in case I win this little debate. If not- the end is still in sight. Monday isn't THAT far away... I guess.

And here we are. Somewhere between the Dr's version of 38 weeks and my version of 39. In all its... roundness...

And....

HE'S DONE!
Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe, Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe, Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe, Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe, Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe, Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe, Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe, Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe, Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe, Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe, Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe, Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe, Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe, Done, done, DONE, dOnE, DoNe, dOne, donE, doNe...
D. O. N. E.
Special session over. Normal hours restored. Family parties celebrated. Play time with the kids in full swing. Ahhh- normal life is so nice.
Yes, I'm a tad excited. NOW can I have this baby?