Keeping things real.

The many faces of motherhood... or at least the crazy faces I see on a daily basis.

 Eddie poses.

 Then passes her expertise on to her younger siblings.  We start them young around here.

 The king of silly faces.

Photo Shoot

My talented sister in law did an impromtu photoshoot of my kids the other day after she'd come to take pictures of my dad, his mom, and his siblings.  

(They're cute, huh!)

For NOT being ready for photos... she did a REAMARKABLE job getting them to look more orderly (and clean) than they really were! You can't tell they'd been playing in the backyard dirt mountains all morning...

Introducing... my cute kids.

 

Here's what they'd REALLY looked like for most of the photos.  Enjoy.

One Miller Up On Top

We have this book.

Good old Dr. Seuss.

It must be an inspirational book.  Miller has taken it to heart.

Ever since her arm incident, she's lost the ability to climb all the way out of her crib.

  (A feat she used to preform with ease.  Regularly.)  

She now climbs to the top and gets stuck.  Like so.  

She then sits there and hollers (and hollers, and hollers, and hollers...) until someone comes and rescues her and puts her back in her crib.

Seems uncomfortable to me.  Apparently not uncomfortable enough to stop. She does this once each night before she settles in to sleep.  Goose.

Happy Due Date to Me and the Kid.

It's here!  The Kid's due date!  And I am EVER so happy that he is already here and that I am not still pregnant.

Me at 37 weeks.  Ready to head to the hospital.  I can't believe I was holding him 12 hours later! 

Some people really enjoy being pregnant.  I enjoy some aspects of being pregnant:  how it feels to feel a tiny little life inside of you wiggling and kicking.  That is my favorite.  Baby hiccups.  Feeling slightly less guilty about wanting to eat everything you see. 
And I can't complain about how I felt this time around- really, pretty awesome.  Less being sick, less feeling huge, less constant kicks in the ribs.  Pretty awesome.
But towards the end of my pregnancy I get ansy.  Terribly, terribly, ancy-wanting-to-pace, and sick of waiting!!  I want this baby here!!  So three weeks early, healthy, and smaller was the pefect combination for me!   I think King is equally glad I am not still pregnant- and he doesn't have to hear from me about how I WISH THE BABY WERE HERE! 

Granted, we have no shortage of other baby-related issues going on 'round here.
The first being sleep.  Hello, newborn.  I was aware of this four-months-of-no-solid-sleep hiccup coming in to this.  It just knocks me off my feet.  Every time.
The amount of landry and septupled since the Kid arrived.  I forgot how much laundry newborns create.  This kid is our CHAMPION at wetting through diapers and soaking not only him, his clothes, and his blanket, but whoever is holding him as well.  

Millaker is OBSESSED with getting things for baby.  His blanket.  His binki.  The stuffed monkey.  Her toys.  Oddly, she seems to want to give him these things only when he's sleeping. Lucky him.  She really is quite loving and squeals in delight when she sees him.  Just a tad too helpful for a not yet two-year-old. Yesterday I had just put him in the bassinet, sound asleep mind you, and went to help another child when she decided he needed to pick him up.  Good thing it was only about eight inches to the floor.  As I said, lucky kid.

Eddie has a similiar obsession as Millaker, juts in a milder form.  She has to sit in time-out when she wakes him from a nap because she-could-not-wait! to touch him!  Oh dear...this child has sleep issues on his own.  (Newborn, remember?)  He may never, ever resolve them if his siblings keep waking him up once he IS asleep.
Maybe by Christmas...

The kids are adjusting fairly well. They are getting better at coming to me, not having me come running when they call.  They are "in-training" at solving things themselves because mom is nursing and can't come mediate.   I wonder how long training takes?
There are plenty of funny moments and we field a plethora of awkward yet hilarious questions as the kids relearn about their bodies and tiny babies. 
Eddie today tried to hide a baby blanket and the beloved stuffed monkey under her shirt as she attempted to sneak them outside.  I think she was baffled by how on earth I knew she was trying to sneak toys past me.  It hasn't caught on that just because my tummy was once huge and now is shrinking, hers isn't and won't be in that state and I notice such dramatic stomach changes and can accurately account for them.  (Did that sentence make sense?  It was a doozy.) 

Guy is anxious to start school in just over a week. 

We've been having school time every some days.  Here he got out his new Angry Birds PJ's from Grandma and drew the "Angry Birds Yoda."  Not bad, Picasso!  I can't wait to see how he does in school.  I think he'll love it!  He loves learning, and I think his mind will just SOAK it all in.  He's bound to be smarter than I am before he's seven. 
We find out TODAY whether he is in AM or PM kindergarten.  I'm not sure why we had to wait THIS long to find that out... but oh well.  We're dealing with it.  Once 3:30 hits and we have THAT knowledge, we can finally finalize Joy School plans, home routines, etc.  The OCD/planning side of me is going crazy in anticipation.  Really, could you not have told us this months ago?!

Our house is in a fairly constant state of disarray.  For those of you know me- it's driving me crazy.  I'm trying to heed King's wonderful advice and ignore it and just enjoy the state I'm in right now.  It's hard.  I didn't get to the vacuuming until 7:10 last night (after kiddos were in bed and King was holding the Kid).  King had a meeting here at 7:15... I wasn't quite done.  Oh, well.  It looks a bit better.  If I took a picture of my back patio right now you'd laugh.  Besides the numerous chalk drawings all over the cement, there's two bikes, a trike, two baby bikes, a scooter, a table, six chairs, two kids tables, two kids chairs, and sand... not to mention the weeds beyond that.  That is an area I'm just going to have to let go of right now.   King has been mowing fairly regularly, but he's also taken over the lions share of my responsibilities.  OH! He's been a help!  He helps with the kids, meals, holds the Kid, reads the kids stories and plays with them (since mom is REALLY, no fun right now), tries to get the Kid to sleep while I crash at night, changes diapers, goes into work late so I can get a few more minutes of sleep before starting the day, comes home early to rescue me (or the kids FROM me) ... he has been MARVELOUS!  Weeding just doesn't fit in our schedule at the moment.  Our Bishop and his kids came over and weeded our yard for several hours the day we were headed to the hospital.  Either our lack of yard work this summer is painfully obvious, or he's had enough kids to know that a pregnant woman cringes at the thought of bending over to weed during the hot summer.  Probably both.  The help was WONDERFUL! And I am trying to keep on top of it.  Unsuccessfully.  Besides sleep, its probably the most out-of-control aspect in my life right now.  I keep telling me that everything has a season... and this season is not titled, "yard-work."  Next summer.  Next summer. 

I could go on, but duty calls.  It's lunch time and I have yet to prepare our gormet raman! It's our celebratory lunch (remember- happy due date!) complete with chocolate chips for dessert.  It's special because it's not PB&J- which is our go-to meal right now. Really, the kids couldn't be happier.  Besides, the babe is stirring, and if I don't hurry, I'll be prepping lunch one handed. :D 
Over and out.  Till next time.

The "almost" first terrible injury.

I couldn't think of a better title.  Its the terrible first injury that ALMOST was.  Really.
You see, we've have this great record.  I think it's miraculous actually.  None of our kids have had a trip to the emergency room, none have broken a bone, and none have had stitches.  Its the "serious-injury-free" title and I love it.  And really, if you know our kids, that is REALLY a miraculous status to be maintaining.
Well...
Two- count 'em- TWO days after the Kid was born we got a call from my parents.  They were kindly watching our other three munchkins while we enjoyed the rest of our stay at the hospital and two quiet days at home.  They informed us that there was something wrong with Millaker's arm.  As in- she was howling and not using it... and it had been this way for several hours.  My dad and brother thought it was dislocated and tried to remedy that, all to no avail and a lot more howling.  They proceeded to call my uncle-  a fine doctor - and scheduled an appointment with him.
At this point all I could think was, "PLEASE, don't be broken!" Millaker has taken up a nasty hitting habit with her siblings that we're finding hard to break.  I could only imagine that coupled with an arm cast and the tears and mayhem that would result!
Several hours and phone calls later, we were informed that after a few x-rays and some arm tweaking of his own, my uncle declared the arm.... UNBROKEN!
He determined that the elbow HAD been dislocated but was now back in place. She still wasn't using her arm, not even to reach for treats, so my parents were instructed to immobilize the arm for the evening / overnight, and if she wasn't using it by morning to see a specialist.
Joy.
That is only half sarcastic.  I was REALLY glad the arm wasn't broken!  REALLY.
But I didn't relish in the fact that he was recommending a specialist come morning if things didn't look better. 
Come morning, things WEREN'T better.  But neither king nor I felt like a specialist was needed at this point.  Granted, neither of us had SEEN our daughter, but still.  Parental intuition?
My mom relayed slightly sad, slightly humorous stories of Millaker's adventures and mishaps during the day.   Like the time she tripped and couldn't figure out how to get UP.  Or the time she tripped again but didn't want to break her fall with her arm and so belly-flopped on the carpet.  Her stubborn determination often won out as she tried, and tried, and tried to do things on her own.  She finally managed to scale the piano bench as she loves to play the piano.  She then plunked tinkled the ivories with one hand and let her injured arm dangle to the side.

(Not the most exciting video.  I realize this.  The point is- she just dangles her right arm to her side.  She doesn't look like she's in pain when she's not using it... she just won't USE it.)

She was using her arm a bit more though, so we decided to wait it out another day.
The next morning brought more improvement, but still a definite reluctance to use her arm.  By this point it was Wednesday, the day the kids were supposed to return anyhow, and the Kid had a scheduled appointment with the pediatrician.  What's one more at the Dr.'s office? 
So we brought her along for the ride as well.  (We actually just brought ALL the kids along for the ride at this point.  There was no way I was taking Millaker and a four day old baby to the Dr. by myself.  King had to come, which meant EVERYONE had to come.  Party at the Dr.'s.)  We brought along the x-rays that had been taken two days before for our doc to look at.  That way hopefully no more x-rays would be needed. 
Our pediatrician came up with the exact diagnosis.  A former dislocated elbow.   Not terribly fun for a one-year-old, but she'd be fine.  He thought that the tendons/ligaments? (can't remember which one he said) were probably a bit swollen and tender inside from being out of place for a while, but that every thing looked ship-shape now.  He said she would use her arm more and more each day and it would be good as new within the week.  He was right.  By the next morning we saw marked improvement and within a few days we had our cheerful, spunky, two-armed Millaker back to normal. 
Now she puts that arm to good use- constantly asking (or not) to pick the Kid "UP!"  as she runs over and tries to lift him from his bassinet.  Or as she runs over to give him anything that she knows is his: his binki, his blanket, his other blanket, his toy, his diaper, his wipes, his other blanket, a washcloth she thinks should be his blanket, a toy she is sharing... you get the idea.
As you can see- she looks just fine.
And our "no serious injuries as of yet" record is still intact.  Hooray!

Meet the newest.

6 lbs. 7 oz. 19.5 inches long.

Best looking (and best all around) birthday present I've ever gotten.

It's hard to catch him with his eyes open, unless you're here between the hours of 1 and 4 am.

Named after the best person ever: his Dad.

Don't let King tell you that story.

I sound like a rotten negotiator.

 Here on the blog we'll just call him, "The Kid." 

Meeting his siblings.

 They're looking at his "tiny toes!"

And making sure he's thoroughly poked and prodded.

We are SO glad he's here.

The long and the short of everyday life

Summer is in full swing.
It's hot.  Too hot for my liking, but the kids don't seem to mind.  We've already gone camping twice, gone for a ride on the Heber Creeper, to a family reunion (sort of... guy was sick for the whole thing...), played and played and played with cousins, had several game nights with family and friends, gone hiking a few times, made bread, cookies, and eaten otter pops, kids have played in the sprinklers and danced in the rain (somewhat to my chagrin).  It's officially summer. 
It's getting harder to get our oldest to fall asleep at his regular bedtime (7pm) since its so light out.  Most days he's worn himself out and falls asleep quickly.  Other times I realize he's awake an hour or more after he was tucked in.  I, myself, find it hard to sleep the whole night between the heat, charlie horses, and a squirming baby inside.  Though he has truly been my calmest baby, we're hitting the point where 1) I can't wait to meet him and 2) to sleep when he does!  Speaking of baby, we've had some eventful dr. visits.  Moreso than any of our other children.  My OB did several extra ultrasounds over the course of various visits and was concerned about my fluid levels and that this baby looked small.  After sending us to a perinatologist (aka a really expensive ultrasound and a consultation with a specialized baby dr) they agreed that yes, my fluid was low, but the baby actually looks BIG.  Hmm.  We'll see who is right on their measuring when he comes.  We're now doing twice-weekly visits featuring ultrasounds and non-stress tests to watch fluid levels.  My prediction?  That he will be somewhat like my first two babies and that at one of these appointments they'll announce I'm out and I'm having the baby that day.  Since King is in love with surprises (sarcasm), I'm sure we'll love that surprise one of these visits.  Really, I wish I could/would just go into labor on my own, but that isn't looking probable at this rate.
Other highlights of the summer include weddings!  Lots and lots of weddings.  One close friend, one sibling, and one cousin are all set to be married (or recently have been) before this baby comes.  The summer also marks King's and my anniverserary!  Seven years folks!  Seven years!  Random studies say that those who make it through seven years have a significantly decreased chance of becoming divorced.  While that was never in the plans, I guess we can party even more now that the "hardest" part is over.  Really, it hasn't been that hard.  Adjustments? Sure.  Hard?  Hardly.
The oldest two keep coming up with witty and hilarious things to say, but my prego mind can't remember them, and I haven't clued in and started writing them down as they come.  One of these days...
Millaker's vocabulary is increasing by leaps and bounds.  That doesn't mean that her words sound very different or that we understand all she is saying, but she IS attempting words and jabbers like a bird at times.  She still thinks she rules the roost and lets ANYONE know when they are NOT doing what she would like.  We're working on that...
Other than that- life is ... well, life.  It is good.  We are doing great.  We've got a countdown chain (by number of weeks!) till this baby comes and its getting might short.  You'll most likely hear more from us then.
Over and out.

Time Capsule

A questionare came home from church so they could spotlight different children each week.  It was a HOOT to ask kids questions.  I tried to quote them as accurately as possible.  Then I quickly typed them up so I'd have SOME sort of record of their fun personalities at this age.  I added Millaker's favorites.
Here it goes.
As of June, 2013:

You know you're a parent when:

Sleeping in is anything past 7 am.
Nap time is nigh to sacred.
Drool ceases to bother you.
You celebrate normal poop.

Self confessions and a whole bunch of thoughts on improvement.

Watch out.  I'm feeling long-winded.

A few months ago I hit a giant, terrific rut.  Not just in blogging (though my obvious lack of posts and recording would be a great indicator of that!), but in life.  I felt like I hadn't just dropped one or two balls I was trying to keep in the air.  I had dropped them all.
It's wasn't life's fault.  Truly. 
Certainly, I was trying to be careful with this pregnancy so as not to lose the baby.  Sure, King had is yearly "busy season."   But I really, really dropped everything.  Exercise? Out the window.  Visiting Teaching (visiting a friend with a friend)? What's that?  Callings? At a bare minimum.  Talking to and caring about friends? I have friends?  See my point.  I wasn't at a good place.  Normally this is me post-baby.  But here I was 3-5 months pregnant (it felt like the rut lasted that long!) being all gloom and doom.  I could put on a happy face for most people, but my poor husband and kids were getting my worst side.
And yet I had so many good things in my life!  I just didn't see them!
For instance: I've got a five year old that spends nearly as much time moving, jumping, leaping, questioning, wondering, drawing, head-standing, cartwheeling, and bruising his poor shins as five other human beings. 
I've got a three year old with a DRIVE to be a helper.  She is always trying to help someone do a chore, or get something for Millaker, or help her babies, or get something for me, or force unwanted mothering on Millaker, or talk about the baby to come, all while on a very, very gut-lurching emotional rollercoaster. 
I've got a one and a half year old that has turned into the eighth world wonder and is a force to be reckoned with.  When she likes the food in front of her she can out-eat the average adult.  When she doesn't she is akin to the tornado that just passed through Oklahoma.  She has a personality full of spitfire and ONE DAY will learn to say yes instead of "NO!" to every offer of help.  She loves to pick a person for the day and that person, and that person ALONE can help her.  Don't even bother offering if it's not your day, minute, hour.  The people who sit on the pew behind us at church can attest to her very-healthy lungs if you don't comply.
So what was my problem?
I'm not sure.
But there's was/is light at the end of the tunnel.
We're moving forward.
We're doing.  We're changing. We're making goals. We're planning budgets, looking forward, raising expectations, setting better routines, filling down-time with positive things, tweaking eating habits, trying to give up so many of those gosh-darn-great chocolate chips that taunt me from the freezer.  We're making strides.  Baby strides.  But movement and improvement feel good.
Here's some things I have been thinking about, setting goals about, and learning about.  In no particular order.
1) I have a temper.  The world knows this.  I know this.  And unfortunately, my kids know this.  This is GOING to change.  It doesn't not matter who I inherited it from, who I learned it from, or what life instances bring this out- it doesn't change that I have a bad habit of losing my cool. 
I'm going to kick this bad habit. 
I've been reading lots and lots of things.  Some have been read over and over. One of my current favorite reads has turned into my personal challenge.  It's called the Orange Rhino challenge. In a nutshell: I can be upset about things, kids, whining, lack of follow-through, arguing, things out of my control, and messes can still frustrate me, but I CAN NOT RAISE MY VOICE!  At least not at my children.  They are my best, my most important audience and they deserve my best.  Not my left-overs.  This is going to be a form of my accountability.  Those I am foremost accountable (my children) already know about mom's goal and know they are allowed to nicely say to me, "Orange Rhino!" when I look like I am building up steam.  King can say whatever he wants as long as he reminds me I have a goal and it is bigger than myself. 
2)  People are more important than things. 
Duh.
But some of us are slower learners.  This is directly tied to my first point.  In the words of someone much more eloquent than I, "People are always the priority. I get bogged down in different things going on in my life, but at the end of the day, how i treat others is the most important."  Well said.
On that note- people, and friends, are one of my greatest blessings.  I need to stop forgetting that.
3) Work, hard work, productivity, and a sense of accomplishment mean a lot.  To me at least.  It genuinely makes me a happier person.  I am learning this more and more- every single day- and it becomes more obvious to me the older I get.  I don't think this is just a coincidence- or just me though.  I think this is an eternal principle.  I think God designed us this way- so we would work to improve ourselves and eventually become like Him.  It takes the shape of so many things: improvement in our homes, our talents, or desires, how we fill our time etc.
Take for example this morning.  Some days I feel like I've conquered the world by 10 am.  Today was one of those days.  We'd eaten a healthy breakfast, cleaned up, swept, started bread, made yogurt, gotten kids dressed and ready, gotten ME dressed and ready, said prayers, put the "baby" down for a nap, read the news, looked at the weather, checked what had to get done today, spray-painted yet ANOTHER coat of "frost" on the front window than an anonymous three year old destroyed, and had the oldest practice the piano.  Whala!  Mind you- that is not the norm.  Some days all I've done by 10 am is fed children and sent King rushing out the door.  But days where I WORK.  WORK HARD.  WORK on important, meaningful things, and work on my goals- make me feel WONDERFUL.  Tackling these new projects (cloth diapers, baking bread, making yogurt, home repairs, attitude improvement, better quality time with kids) seems like a mouthful, armful, and all-around too much when I SAY them.  But DOING them is proving to be far more possible than I would have ever imagined.   And they are proving therapeutic. 
4) Lots of time-fillers are a waste of time.
I love my computer.  And if I'm not careful I spend WAY too much time on it.  Sure, some things are productive: the budget, recording memories, working for Power of Moms.  And some things are not.  The more time I eliminate from in front of a screen (ANY screen) and spend reading, teaching, playing with my children comes back to me with HUGE dividends.  Books, too, are nice- but not at the expense of time with my kids.  I've made myself a chart/checklist full of things that HAVE to get done every day and things I need to do WITH my kids every day.  The list looks long (but I love lists).  But it is helping!  My list includes things I'd probably do anyway (get dressed, tidy main areas, water plants, read scriptures) and a few I'd rather not do (ahem: exercise).  My list to do with my kids makes me focus on ALL their needs: book time, jobs, play time, quiet time, one-on-one time, goal time, practicing etc. It's been a GREAT refocus-er for me and I love it.  There are so many "best" things to be filling my time with- not just "good things."  Exercise (though my measly one-mile-jog three times a week may or may not count), visiting with friends, time with my kids, focusing on goals, taking bites out of big projects, making good meals, helping others... THESE are good time fillers that leave me feeling fulfilled instead of leaving me feeling like I've wasted my time.
5) Music is great.  Great, great, great.  It has been a huge mood-setter for me and my kids in the morning.  I've complied a few cd's.  One lovingly called the morning cd with upbeat, great music to start us off on the right foot for the day.  We play this while we work on morning dishes together.  The other called my "Mom" music.  It's a little "pick-me-up" for when I'm starting to lose momentum or think challenges are overwhelming.
So that, my friends, is me.  I know and anticipate there will be other ruts in my life.  I am expecting some sort of a slump come mid-August when the baby arrives.  But having learned more about myself from my previous three babies, and having the knowledge that a slump is probably on its way- I feel better prepared.  I've got a separate list (really) to help me prep myself and my family for this- including things to get the oldest ready for Kindergarten and Chinese Immersion (more on that later), and for transitions to having another baby.  I feel like this learning period, as rough as it has felt, has helped me feel better prepared for future ruts by giving me insights into myself.  What makes me feel better, what helps my family, and what is most important. 
Wish me luck.  I'm on to tackle bigger and better things.
Happy un-rutting to any of you who may or may-not have felt the same way.