New Year's Eve

Everyone is starting to get a cold in the household, even Caleb! His first one! :( What a way to ring in the New Year, right!? Grammy and Papa took Noah to L.A. during the day today, and they went to the Brea Tar Pitts, to a car museum, and out to lunch! Noah LOVES going with them to do fun things! I wish it could be us going to, but right now it is a little too hard with the 3 littlest ones, but all in good time!

In the evening, Mom, Dad, Nat, and Noah all came to our house to eat and play games. We played Loaded Questions, and Curses! We had a good time. We ate carne asada tacos! Yum! Micah actually woke up around 10pm, and so did Noah.

Caleb is ONE month old!

Both Levi and Micah got the rest of their eye teeth the week that Caleb was born. Also, they have both taken off with their vocabulary since he was born! It was just all at once, it has been amazing to hear them! Starting with the day he was born they couldn't stop saying "baby", and now they are saying sooo much! They say "hold you", which is so sweet and one of my favorite things for them to say...Noah used to say that ALL the time! They will also pretty much try and say anything you ask them to. Shoe, bye-bye, go, outside, drink, milk, even an attempt at love you! They are too cute with baby Caleb as well...they want to hold him all the time, and give him kisses constantly on his head. Noah jusy adores him as well, wants to hold him every chance he gets, and coos at him and tells him how cute he is! I love having 4 boys, and just woudn't have it any other way. Noah is quite the thinker and talker. He has an incredible memory, he is sensitve and very perceptive, and he isn't a fan of his twin brothers trying to wrestle him at the same time! Levi has been a toy and blanket theif lately, running off with Micah's blanket or toy and Noah's things as well. I think he likes the reactions he get (screaming!), and he also likes it when the other two chase him done to get back their posessions. Ah! Sibling rivalry! Since Daddy has been doing so much taking care of the biggest 3 kids( HA as if any of then are very big at all!) Micah has become quite the Daddy's boy, and will run to him when he gets hurt. It's pretty cute, even if it does make me a little sad...but just a little!
Caleb has definately come alive and awake by now! He still falls asleep a few times a day while nursing, but he also wakes p all the way a lot and looks around. He has just started following objects with his eyes, and will move his head back and forth too if you move something in front of him. He also will make little cooing sounds sometimes instead of just being able to cry. He also has cracked a little bit of a smile at me, althouh I can't sya really if I count it as his first real smile quite yet! As far as sleeping and eating go, he has been eating about every 2-3 hours during the day..usually closer to 2, and sometimes 2.5 to 3.5 hours at night, with the occasional 4 hour stretch just these last few days. So needless to say I am pretty wiped out! But he is so worth every second of missed sleep, and I am enjoying him tremendously. I am enjoying rocking him to sleep, and having him sweet little head nuzzled on my chest as he falls asleep after nursing! I have only let him cry a few times when he was crying in my arms anyway. I really haven't started trying to do babywise or anything, I am just trying to be more relaxed about things so I can fully enjoy him. He is definately not an easy baby or anything though. If he does not fall asleep nursing he has a pretty hard time falling asleep even while I hold and rock him, and he usually cries quite a bit even in my arms as I try to soothe him to sleep, which is pretty hard on me when I can't comfort him. Tonight I rocked him for about 15 minutes trying to get him to sleep and he was crying nearly the whole time...finally I nursed him to get him to calm down even though he had only nursed 1 hour prior. I took him to the Dr. this past week because I am almost certain he has reflux and he was prescribed medicine for it. I am not really sure if I see any difference of not yet. He spits up a ton, cries sometimes during and right after feedings, wakes up in a hard cry, and even though he is gaining weight great (already 12.5 pounds and almost 23 inches), I think it is bothering him. I have been trying to sleep him tilted upright, and he still ends of puking all over sometimes and wetting his clothes and blankets! Well, hopefully it gets better for him...I hate to think of him having heartburn when I know how awful it is!
On another note Caleb loves his baths, and if he is fussing it always calms him beautifully. He isn't a huge fan of diaper changes when I try and do them before feedings (since laying him down after a feeding to do it makes him puke) but if he isn't waiting for food he really doesn't mind them. He really isn't a huge fan of the swing, and prefers a seat instead, and he likes being in a sling sometimes and will sleep in it, yet other times he protests it in a LOUD way and just won't allow for it, so it can't be counted on to calm his crying. When he is awake he probably fusses about 60% of the time, and is calm awake the other 40%. So overall probably pretty typical fussing I'd say. He definately does not drift into a peaceful sleep on his own! If those babies exist, I don't think I will ever own one! haha...I've had 0-4 do that except in the first few days or maybe a week! Anyway, love my boys, and love being their mommy! Glad I got this update in writing before I forget! Oh yeah, apparently I was so tired a few nights ago I accidentally put left Caleb's dirty diapers on along with a clean one! It was pretty funny when I discoverd it in the morning...I have no recollection of how I did it! Guess I need some sleep!

Baby BOY Caleb is here!

Caleb Samuel Swavely was born at home on November 18, 2010 at 7:33 am. He was 8 lbs 10 oz, and 21 inches long! Our biggest baby yet! He is so very sweet, and he smells sooo good! :) So far he is a very mellow baby. The only time he has really cried is when he has had a little gas. He is an awesome nurser, and helped make my milk come in within less than 36 hours. He was born right on our bed, and spent his first night last night cuddled with his momma right in our bed. I am loving having a newborn again, and loving watching our 3 older boys coo and cuddle Caleb. The babies can't stop saying "baybee" or "beebee" and giving him lots of kisses and trying to poke every little part of his face. Noah loves holding Caleb and talks baby talk to him, and tells him how adorable he is. He keeps saying, "Now you're not in mommy's belly anymore." They are all 4 so precious. WE HAVE 4 BOYS! I can't believe it, and I am head over heels for them all! :) I am meant to be the mother of all boys I think! ;) Caleb did GREAT last night, going about 3.5 hours between feedings. He went right back to sleep @ his 12:30am feeding, and then woke @ 4am to eat, but then didn't go back to sleep until almost 6am, but wasn't crying just quietly and alertly looking around. They say hypnobabies are more mellow, and quiet alert, and he definitely is. He will just open his little eyes and look around without a peep, just taking everything in.

The birth was amazing! Here is the story of Caleb's birth:

On the 15th, 16th and 17th of November I felt a lot of really low pressure, and I felt like the baby was just so low down in my pelvis...just really uncomfortable sensations on my bladder and cervix. I was also having a lot of Braxton Hicks, but they just never materialized into anything productive. I was starting to feel a little impatient, although I was trying my best to be patient, but I talked to the midwife about natural "induction" methods. She suggested a foot massage, and possible acupuncture. I asked her about Castor oil, and she said only to use it if I talked to her first, and she was prepared to come to our house right away because sometimes it works very quick. It also gives you diarrhea, so I didn't want to use that method anyway! And since I wasn't too keen on having needles stuck into me, I told Nick he needed to give me that foot massage!

So, on the 17th at about 9:30pm Nick gave me a foot and leg massage, and pressed on all the pressure points that he knew of. It actually hurt more than it felt good! After the foot massage we then decided to use the tried and true natural method of natural induction...the one all the husbands love to try, if you know what I mean! And wouldn't you know...the pressure waves began RIGHT after our natural "induction"! I told Nick that I thought we may actually have started my birthing time! I was fully convinced when I went to the bathroom a little while later and noticed a little bit of blood on the toilet paper! I said, "Oh my! It's really happening!"

By this time it was about 10:30pm on Wed. the 17th, but Nick wasn't all that convinced that it was really happening. He really didn't want to go to work though, so he was hoping! Anyway, he went to bed, and I tried to go to sleep as well. The pressure waves were coming about every 7 minutes, and I got my iPod and headphones and started to listen to some of the hypnobabies tracks. By about 11:30 pm I knew their was no way I could sleep through the pressure waves. Every time I had one, it commanded my attention, and then just as I would start to drift to sleep another one would come.

At this point I went to call Coley, to let her know what was going on. I wanted her to be able to prepare with her baby and all. When I talked to her she said to go back to bed and try to sleep again, and to call her in another hour if I still couldn't sleep through the pressure waves, or if they got more intense. I then called my mom to let her know when was happening. Of course she then was unable to sleep anymore because she was too excited. I told her to wait a little while more before coming over since I was going to go back to bed again. Well, by 1:30am I had still never gotten back to sleep as the pressure waves were definately getting more intense, so I called Coley. I was 99.9% sure this was the real deal. She asked if I were going to go to a hospital if I would be heading there by now, and I said yes! I told her that by this time at the hospital I probably would have been ready for an epidural, had I not been using hypnobabies, so she said she would get ready and come!

Hypnobabies worked great, and I used it every time to get through each wave. I just turned my lightswitch off, and listened to the Easy First Stage birthing guide. I then called my mom and told her to come down, and that Coley was on her way. It was around 2am when I felt the urge to get into the shower, as I knew the hot water would make me feel even better, and make the waves even more manageable. So I got into the shower before my mom arrived, and it made me feel so good! I just sat on my birth ball in the shower and let the hot water stream right onto my belly.

It was then in the shower at about 2:15am when my water broke! How convenient to be in the shower, right!? It was a pretty big gush too, so it could have done some damage to carpet or bedding! Anyhow, I stayed in the shower until Coley got there at around 3:15am, and then I got out so she could check me. I knew it wasn't really necessary to be checked, but I just mentally wanted to know I was making progress, as the pressure waves were building in intensity. She found me to be about 4cm, and she stretched me to about 5cm. I didn't know you could do that, but she did! It didn't feel too pleasant, but again I just used hypnobabies. It really just gave me something to focus on, a goal, which was to go loose and limp, so that is what I did. At this point I had been able to be totally loose and limp through each and every pressure wave. They were now about 4 minutes apart.

After Coley checked me I stayed in bed for a while to give the hot water a chance to build back up. I was worried it was going ot run out. It made me feel so much better laboring in the shower than in bed, and I would have stayed in there the whole time if it wasn't for the water getting cold on me! The worst part was worrying about the water running out!

Once she arrived, Coley began checking Caleb's heart rate every 20-30 minutes with the Doppler.  If I was in the shower when she needed to check on baby, I would just open the door and stick my belly out!  It was so nice to be free of any cords or contraptions, and just do what felt best to me, while at the same time allowing my midwife to make sure everything was going well for the baby.

Between 4 and 5:45 am, I continued going back and forth between the bed and the shower, which gave me a good chance to change positions and allow gravity to help bring the baby down.  During the times I was in the bed, I craved the warmth of the shower on my belly.  The heat just really soothed me.  So, luckily my mom found our old hot water bottle and filled it up for me with super hot water!  I put it straight on my belly, and even though it burned, it felt good at the same time!

I started feeling nauseous around 5:20 am, and the pressure waves were getting noticeably stronger.  At the time I was kind of annoyed that while I was focused on getting through each pressure wave, I now had to deal with nausea as well!  Even though mentally I knew feeling sick is a sign that the end is near, I wasn't in the right frame of mind to remind myself of that fact! I also had been nearly silent during every contraction up to this point.  Now I made a little bit of noise!  No screaming though, just "ahhhh" and "oohhh" sounds.  You know what they say?!  A good birth includes some of the same noises you'd hear at a good conception! ;)

Anyway, the hot water finally ran out for good around 6 am.  I wasn't happy about that at all!  No more hot water meant nothing to fill the birth pool with...or so I thought!  Coley, Nick and my Mom has started boiling water and carrying it by the pot full to try and fill the pool in time!  Rockstars! 

By this time the pressure waves were coming every 3 minutes, and lasted for about 60 seconds.  So, for anyone who doesn't know about the timing of contractions, that means there is a 2 minute break in between each set, followed by a minute long pressure wave.  That isn't a very long break, and a pretty long contraction!  I no longer opened my eyes or talked at all between contractions.  I was too focused, and exerting so much energy that I didn't want to waste any.  I never made a conscious decision not to open my eyes or talk anymore, it just naturally happened once I got to a certain point.

After feeling nauseous for about an hour, I finally threw up at 6:20am.  It was instant relief of the nausea, and I never felt sick again.  The pressure waves were getting even stronger now, and I did get to a place for just a moment, where I thought I would rather not have a baby today after all!  Nick was right there next to me though, and he told me I was doing amazing, and that I could do it!  The reassurance was just what I needed, and I pulled it together. Using hypnobabies truly allowed me to maintain control of myself, and allow my body to relax and do its work of bringing my baby out of my body, and into my arms!  I also told Coley right around this time that I didn't know how much longer I could keep doing "this", and she said she didn't think it would be too much longer until the baby was born.  This was JUST what I needed to hear!

At 6:38 I asked to be checked again.  Since this was my first time birthing and actually feeling what was happening to my body, I was unsure of myself.  Being in a hospital with an epidural leaves you dependent on nurses and doctors to tell you what is happening to you, and I just didn't trust fully that the intesity of my feelings did indeed mean I was coming so close to meet my sweet baby!  Next time I will remember to trust myself!  Coley found me to be 8cm.  Of course!  I had just thrown up, and that is a classic sign that you are in transition, or transformation, as we call it in Hypnobabies!

Right after she checked me, Coley suggested I get up and sit on the toilet for a few contractions.  The gravity of being in a squatting type position would probably dilate me the rest of the way, she said.  I really, really didn't want to get up.  I felt more comfortable being in a postion where I could relax every muscle of my body during a pressure wave.  But I wanted my baby at this point!  I had been awake for over 24 hours, I was tired, and I was willing to do this if it meant meeting my baby sooner!

So as soon as a contraction ended, Nick walked with me to the toilet.  I sat down, and leaned against him, as another pressure wave descended upon me!  I will say that this was the most uncomfortable part of the whole birth.  I was NOT comfortable sitting in that position at all!  So, I managed to hold onto Nick's neck and ride out a few pressure waves sitting there, and then I was done doing that.

It was now 7am, I went back to the bed, and for some reason I just wanted to me on my hands and knees, so that's just what I did!  It was funny, because in the months leading up to the birth, I always felt a little embarrassed when I watched birth videos of women on all fours.  It looked like it was such a vulnerable position, and I guess it is.  But, as much as I didn't picture myself doing this before that day, before that very moment, when my body told me what to do, I listened!

I will also note that I never pictured myself birthing my baby while wearing MY birthday suit.  I will definitely wear a sports bra, and maybe even a long shirt of something to cover myself, I thought.  Haha.  I was totally naked.  When you're in that moment you just don't care.  My midwife actually told me that most women shed an article of clothing with every centimeter they dilate.  I was no exception!  It really makes sense when you think about it.  It is so important for a baby to have immediate access to his mother's body to breastfeed and stay warm on her skin.  Being able to have the immediate and unrestricted ability to do these things were two factors that played into my decision to have a homebirth in the first place, so I say bring on the nudity!  I wasn't able to breastfeed or even TOUCH any of the other boys for at least 20-40 minutes after they were born, and I was covered with a nursing bra and a hospital gown anyway!

Then suddenly, at 7:13am, I felt the urge to push!  At first I was unsure if what I was feeling was really the need to push.  Again, having never felt any of these sensations, it was all new to me!  I will never forget the way it felt to feel the very moment where my baby started descending down!  I could feel the baby moving down through my body.  After just a moment I knew my body was ready to push, and was really pushing without my permission.  I couldn't have done anything to stop it, even if I tried.  After feeling this urge to push, I cannot imagine a doctor telling a women not to push, or to wait to push.  I would have slapped anyone who tried to make me stop!  It is such an instinct, and unstoppable!

Nick had been so good at pushing on my shoulder and telling me to relax, which is a sign used in hypnobabies to remind me to stay loose, that as soon as he felt me tensing up to push, he pushed on my should and told me to relax!  I said, "I'm pushing!"  I think he was surprised and he called for Coley.  She then called for mew mom.  It happened so quick!

Up until this point I had been planning to try and give birth in the water.  Since the water had run out the boiling of water had partially filled the pool, but not enough for me to get in....but it was fine because I had NO desire whatsoever to try and move to a pool once I felt the urge to push!  There was no way!  I was actually right on the edge of the bed, and I didn't even more over!  I was focused, and didn't care where I gave birth anymore...I was just read to push that baby out!

So, I was fully pushing at about 7:20am.  It was so crazy because from the moment I felt the urge to push, the feeling of the pressure waves totally changed.  They were not as intense any more, and pushing was such a relief, and actually felt good.  I think it was the fact that I could finally work with my body, exert my energy and push!  I knew I was almost done, and I wasn't going to stop pushing till I had my baby out!  I didn't even really wait for anymore contractions, I just kept pushing regardless.

I remember asking Coley if I needed to slow down with the pushing.  She said I could do whatever my body felt like doing.  I wish I would have just trusted my body more, and not felt the need to ask if I was pushing OK!  No woman should have to ask permission how or where to push, and next time I will follow my own instincts more without asking questions!

I was feeling a burning and stretching sensation at this point, and I remember being a little worried that I would tear at the site of my previous two "necessary" episiotomies (thanks Dr. Rodrigues, you suck, even if you are pretty).  Coley was using olive oil and warm compresses on me the whole time though.  It's amazing the difference it makes when you have someone catching your baby who knows what a natural birth can and should be!  I shouldn't have been worrying, because I never tore AT ALL!  This was huge to me, and was another reason I wanted a midwife at home, not a scissor/surgery happy doctor in a hospital!

I remember not long after this point that I heard Coley say the head was almost out, and then suddenly, it was!  It was the BIGGEST feeling of relief when the pressure of a whole head was reduced to the pressure caused by a little neck!  It was almost done now!  I rested for just a few seconds, and then pushed again.  The shoulders came out, quickly followed by the rest of a slippery little body at 7:33 am!  AH!  I had my hands right down there as he slipped out, and Coley had her hands under his armpits, and lifted him straight into my arms, and onto my chest!  BLISS!  The whirl of emotions and thoughts at that moment are hard to describe!  Such a flood, so much joy! 

Right after birth Caleb wasn't crying and was breathing, but needed a little help perking up, so we were stimulating him by rubbing him a bit with a towel.  It was pretty dark in the room still, so the midwife couldn't see his color very well.  We hurried and switched on the light, and then she could see right away that he was already nice and pink!  He wasn't crying because he was just way too comfy, and peaceful after such an easy birth! 

About this moment Nick said "it" looked like a boy!  He couldn't actually see the important part, but he thought the face looked like a boy!  My hand however had felt something that seemed suspiciously boy-like as I helped to pull the baby up onto myself!  A quick check confirmed that our sweet baby was indeed a boy!  My reaction: I knew it!  I just knew we'd have another boy!

The boys all came in right away to see their new baby brother!  They were all so excited, although Noah was actually a minute or two behind the twins because apparently he wanted to finish the end of Backyardigans! Ha!

So then I just held and loved on Caleb for about 30 minutes while we waited for the placenta to come out, and Caleb's cord stayed attached that whole time.  Then, after the placenta was out, and the cord had obviously stopped pulsing, I cut the cord myself!  Nick never wants to because he is a bit squeamish!  I was still on the very edge of the bed too!  We tried breastfeeding during this time as well, but Caleb wasn't quite read to nurse.

So about an hour post-birth I hopped up off my own bed and took a shower.  After my shower Caleb was ready to nurse, and he nursed like a champ right off the bat! 

     Caleb's birth went just as I had hoped, prayed, and imagined, and I will definitely choose a homebirth again next time! :) I loved that the boys were able to bond with their new brother right away, and we got to stay cozy at home all together from the get go.  This day is priceless!

Baby teeth, and a baby (still in the oven!)

Levi got his top right eye tooth on October 21, and Micah got his top right eye tooth on October 23. Then Levi's top left eye tooth came in on October 27, followed by Micah's top left eye tooth coming in on October 29. They must be identical I tell ya! Now Levi's bottom right eye tooth just popped out today, and Micah's is just bursting to come through also, so probably any day now. They are too funny with their similarities! Yet they have their own little quirks and differences, and they are very easy for mommy to tell apart. Both babies will shake their heads emphatically up and down to tell you yes right now. It is adorable...and helpful! :)
Noah is still in his stage of wanting me to tell stories to him instead of reading, and he is developing quite the imagination! He will tell me exactly what kind of story he wants me to tell him, in great detail, and once he tells me, I tell him...but now you just told ME the story! But he will insist, No, tell it to me now, so I repeat what he has just told me to tell him. He is so funny! He also just mimicks and repeats ways that Nick and I talk, or expressions we use. He definately notices everything, and is always listening. Like talking about our budget to me. I certainly wasn't talking to him about our budget, but he was listening when Nick and I were discussing it, and he was paying attention! NOah is still getting up kind of often during the night, and saying he is scared, or wants to cuddle, or has to pee. I haven't dealt with it very consistently because I don't want to be harsh, and I am hoping it is a phase and will end on its own. This makes me a bit nervous with the baby coming soon, but we will see how it goes. Hopefully we don't have to try anything drastic to get him to sleep all night.
Speaking of the baby...my "due" date was 2 days ago, and I am still holding out strong. Baby just isn't ready to make his/her appearance yet, and the anticipation is killing me! (and all my friends on facebook aparently, haha) We want to know if you are a boy or a girl, little one! :) Anyway, I am getting pretty uncomfortable and feeling lots of low movements/pressure, but still nothing! We thought it was time on the evening of the 11th, but what I though was increasing intensity pressure waves, fizzeled out to nothing after about 3 hours of increasing steadily! ANd since then almosy nothing has been going on! So who knows. Just using these last days (weeks!?) to snuggle the other three, and ponder how our lives will all change again with the addition of a new little person to our family. I don't relish the adjustment period of post-partum emotions, but I am hoping this time with a natural delivery things will be different. Either way, I know those crazy emptions onyl last for a bit, and then things feel normal again, so I will remember that! Anyway, any day now, we will be a family of 6! :)

Rainy Day

It has been rainy for the past three days..which doesn't completely stop the boys from playing outside. They all 3 love it even when they are getting soaked! Noah was at my mom's today for half the day hanging out with her, but I let the babies outside after dinner because they had been cooped up inside all day, and the had a blast! They are so cute running around together, falling down and laughing in the grass, and kicking and throwing balls around. Hard to imagine they couldn't even walk just 5 months ago! Time goes so fast, and babies grow so darn fast! Anyway, Nick was home from work today, he wasn't feeling too great, and all three boys have gotten colds also. I don't have one yet...keeping my fingers crossed!
I just finished folding and putting away some teeny, tiny neutral colored baby clothes. That kind of laundry didn't even feel like work! I enjoyed myself while doing it! :) Only 3 weeks till my "due date"...so I am trying to be prepared early...but allowing for the possibility of going over too! Don't want to set myself up for dissapointment. I am trying to relish the last little bit of being pregnant, and the last little bit of the babies being the babies, ya know. I hate for them to seem grown up overnight, which I realize they will probably seem to have once this baby is born. I just hate that period right after a baby (or two!) is born where everything feel so upside down and things feel like they won't ever seem "normal" again! I am hoping maybe I won't feel like that this time...I know it is hormones and maybe it will just be different this time!
We had our hypnobabies class last night, and I need to go practice it now. I know it will work if I practice and stick to it, so I have to practice while I have time left to do it! Night!

Pumpkin Patch

We went to the Cal Poly Pumpkin Festival today. It was raining at our house and I was almost not sure if we should go, but I am so glad we did! It didn't rain there until right as we got back to the car, so it was perfect! The kids loved running through all the pumpkins, and I got some really cute pictures of them all. It was also Amanda's 22nd bday celebration tonight, so we went to my parents and the whole family was there. The kids had fun playing with James and Lincoln. James is so cute with his little fangs! hehe. Anyway, this past week Micah learned how to open the round knob on our bedroom door! No! And both babies learned to climb up the slide into the playhouse, so I gave in and just put the stair back on so they can go up that way. All three of them kept going around and around, up the stairs and back down the slide. They love that they can get up there! Now hopefully no one falls out and breaks something...knock on wood!
The baby is really getting cramped in my belly, and squirming around. Am feeling lots of pressure and having to go to the potty soo often. Am curious how long I will stay pregnant...still have 3 weeks and 5 days to go till the "due" date, which is really just a guess. Am hoping it's not much longer than that! Can't believe we are adding another sweet baby to our family. Can't wait to find out if it's a bot or a girl! Enjoying being prgnant though still...just love feeling a baby move in my belly! The greatest thing about being pregnant! Can't wait to meet you little one. I have an apt. with the midwife this thursday...I'll be 37 weeks on Friday! The I will have made it to full term. I am so blessed to have no complications so far, and am blessed to have always avoided prematurity, and any NICU stays, even with the twins! Thank you Jesus for my healthy children.

18 months and 3.5 years!

Micah and Levi are 18 months old today! How can this be?! Noah-b-boa is 3 and a half too! I cannot believe it has been 6 months since their birthday, and will only be 6 more months until they are 2 and 4. It rained and thundered and lightninged(sp?) tonight, all while being over 80 degrees! It was some weird weather. There was also a double rainbow at around 6:30-7pm. Nick had to work lat enad just got home @ 10:30.

It's HOT! and a homebirth!

It has been so hot the last few days! No matter that summer is officially over, it really isn't. The next 10 days on weather.com showed the lowest temp @ 86. I just can't bring myself to pull out any fall decorations until it starts feeling a little more like fall! I am definately over this heat, even though we really haven't had a very hot summer overall. Micah started shaking his head up and down for "yes". They both emphatically will shake their heads "no", but yes is a new thing for Micah. I don't think I have seen Levi do it yet. Levi makes the funniest throaty noise though. I really can't write anything down that would remotely translate what it sounds like though. It is cute though! Noah also will revert to making baby sounds to get what he wants, but I just correct him to use words. He has a HUGE vocabulary, and is really advanced in terms of language. I think it has really helped how much reading he has heard. Lately he is being too funny. He doesn't want me to read him books, but to TELL him stories. "Tell me a mommy story", "Tell me a Noah story", and tonight, "Tell me a mommy and Noah story when mommy was big and when Noah was little." I told him about going to library story time when he was about as old as the babies are now. He loves it! It's harder to think up stories, than to just read one, but he is just so into right now, and it's really cute!
I am battling the babies climbing onto everything right now. It's really bad...they climb on top of the changing table together, and today freaked me out big time when they were up on the TV stand. Levi was actually behind the TV. Don't even want to think of what could have happened. They understand no now, but you have to just keep repeating and swatting, and removing them. It is sooooo tiring with two of them! It is crazy how many times a day I have to correct and say no! I now hate the word no! Sheesh! :/ I love my babies though. I ccan't believe they are going to be big brothers is about 6 short weeks. Ready or not baby #4 is on his/her way VERY soon! Hypnobabies is going good, really helping me to relax and I am really excited about the upcoming birth, and feeling mroe and mroe confident daily. I am reading a really good research book about homebirth midwives, and I am so glad and thankful I discovered all of the information now, and am able to be having a homebirth. Still unsure if the insurance will pay (probably not) but either way we are paying for it and it is happening! SO excited!

Costco and Park

Took all the kids to Costco today...heard the usual, "You've got your hands full", with the looks of pity! haha I have pity on people who don't get to do what I do with the kids I have! :) Anyway, as soon as we got home from Costco, Nick pulled up and Noah really wanted to go to the park. It was only 3:30, so we just unloaded the car really quick and went to Red Hill park for about an hour. It was fun! The babies just climb right up the stairs and go down the slides all by themselves! It is so cute! Noah is getting better and better and climbing and jumping and all that stuff. They are all growing so fast. I remind myself that I am going to miss their ages all the time, so that I don't take it for granted or let myself get too frustrated. I don't want to look back on these fleeting years with any regrets of not appreciating them while they are still here, while they are still my little boys. I have three little boys, and I love it so much! :) Anyway, we had ravioli for dinner, and Nick and I watched Mr. Mom after we got the kids in bed...all of them were sleeping by 7pm. It was cheesy but funny. It's as close as I will probably ever get to having Nick see what it would really be like if he stayed at home with the kids full time! Haha He will never really know...but I wish he could see that's it's a lot harder then he thinks...even though it is absolutely the best job in the entire world! Love being a stay at home mommy!

Felt like fall today...

I took this picture today because Noah said, "Mommy, you better go get your camera and take a picture!" Smart boy...knows a good photo op when he sees one! :) All three of my boys cuddling in bed...doesn't get any cuter than that! The temp never reached 80 today, and was under 70 for at least half the day! Here comes fall! Went to Aaron and Ashley's for dinner tonight since Nick didn't get home from work till almost 10 o'clock. James is totally crawling and they were trying to figure out how to put a baby gate on their stairs. I had to chase the babies off the stairs like crazy while we were there! They were so cute thought laughing and thinking I was playing with them, when really I wanted them off the stairs! Such a cute age, and I love their personalities. Aaron told Micah "No!" a little loud because he was trying to touch the hot oven, and Micah folded his hands and closed his eyes and put his head down with hurt feelings, and then puckered his little lips and started to cry! It was sad, but also cute...he really has to learn to stop touching the oven though. He keeps doing it at our house when it is off, and he is not understanding sometimes it gets hot!

Whoa, Belly!

Measured my belly today and it is 41.5 inches around the biggest part! Our babe is getting big and wiggling around a lot! Only 10 more weeks till we meet the little one! :) Today was Al's birthday and the whole family went to Vince's for dinner. Today is also Labor Day and it was actually pretty cool today. Hopefully the heat wave is over now...we are ready for fall to begin! Noah and I made a craft today and he really enjoyed it. It was a hat with printed leaves on it for fall. He doesn't like it when I try and teach him letters, but he does like doing different crafts. He isn't really a big fan of coloring either. He gets bored if coloring pretty quick! Oh, and as you can see in the picture, Noah can quite often be found in only his underwear! ;)

What your baby looks like -- 29 weeks | BabyCenter

What your baby looks like -- 29 weeks | BabyCenter

Rehersal dinner

Brianna and Ricky's rehersal dinner was tonight. I took Noah and Micah, but had to leave Levi with my parents since Nick is still out town in Blythe for work until tommorow. They had a pool and Noah and Micah both got to go in, which was great considering it was 103 degrees today! And the air barely works on teh van...it is completely miserable to drive in let me tell ya! Anyway, there was no way I could chase both babies around the pool, it just wouldn't be safe, so that's why Levi stayed home. My parents think Levi tolerates me leaving better, and that's why he satyed with them and not Micah. I think they both have their moments of being mroe clingy personally. Anyway, Micah got his diaper soaked in the pool and then peed in his shorts so he was running around the rehersal naked with just shoes on for a little bit. His little booty was so darn cute. The house where they are getting married has an awesome backyard, and I think it is going to go off really well. Only two more days. Noah is actually really excited and he wants to walk down the aisle now too! I am glad because he is going to be in Mike and Jessica's wedding in April, and I think he might actually do it! He is so darn cute, adn gets so excited about weddings...He got to go to Gale and Lee's too, so now he knows what they are all about. We didn't bring floaties to the rehersal, because I didn't know they were going to be swimming, and I really wished I had brought them. Noah LOVES going in big pools, and he told me tonight, "We should get a big pool at out house." I love his innocence and honesty, and I will protect it for as long as I can. It is gone too soon these days in kids, and I want to protect it in mine as long as I can. Today was a long day, but I wouldn't trade being a stay-at-home-mom for ANYTHING, and I know I will look back at these days and miss them when they are over!
Here are some pictures of Noah from yesterday. He painted a little, and then painted himself. Duh, right!? He has been making a lot of messes lately, so I thought I would give him more outlet for his creativity and maybe he won't mess as much. Either way he likes it and it is good for him. Oh, my sweet boy! He also made a little kitchen concotion with ingredients I let him use. Look yummy, huh?! He had a lot of un doing it...until he put some of it into the toaster, and then his fun was done! :/

Oh yes, Levi got avacado ALL over his face yesterday night at dinner, and had quite a fun time doing it. He is such a little character.

August and everything after...

My mom's birthday was yesterday, and we also celebrated Chris's birthday so we hung out at my mom's and at Nick's parents the whole afternoon and evening. It was a nice family day. It has finally been hotter these last few days...not that I want it to be! We have had a mild summer so far thankfully! It has been such a blessing for it to not be so hot while I am pregnant and taking kids places in a van with crappy air-conditioning! Anyway, today we stayed home and I cleaned the house, and it was mostly too hot to even go outside, even with the kiddie pool! The babies are definately taking off with their language development. Levi seems to say a few more words than Micah, but they are pretty neck and neck. In just this past week they have both said "outside" and "poop". Haha. Micah actually said it right when I went into his room to get him from his nap, and sure enough he had gone! It is so neat to see them start to communicate with words and not just crying, whining, etc. My little babies are getting big right before my eyes!
In other news, Noah has been continuing to wake up every single night and come into out room saying he is scared/needs to potty/water, etc. I need to do something about it since it has been about 7 weeks now that he has been doing it. It isn't good for his sleep or mine to be fragmented every night! I think it is making us both cranky during the day. I have been reading like crazy this summer, including "Healthy Sleep Habits" so I have it fresh in my mind how important unbroken sleep it. I know I have enough of that coming my way in 3 months, so I'd like to at least be rested up before that starts! :) Anyway, I have also been reading every midwife/homebirth book I can get my hands on. I offically hired our midwife, Coley Douglass at the end of July, so I am doing a homebirth officially! I am very excited, and am going to be starting "hypnobabies" childbirth education next month. Such an experience it has been becoming educated about this the last 2 months. I am currently still fighting the insurance company to pay the $3,800 it will cost, though they will gladly pay over 10K at the hospital. So stupid. Anyway, I am currently appealing their decision not to pay, so I will just have to keep at it till they give in!
Noah is getting so big and is a pro at riding his big boy bike with training wheels. It is so darn cute, and he really is very good at it, making all these quick little circles, and using the backpedal brake and everything. It is so fun watching him grow. He is really a sweet boy most of the time, and will just randomly say, "I love you Mommy" all the time. He is also really excited about the new baby, and remembers in prayer to pray for the "one on the way" he says! :) He also will say, "Mommy, your belly is getting bigger, bigger." The other day he asked me if I wanted to watch a cartoon, or go outside, or just sit down and be pregnant! Hehe too funny, out of the mouths of children! I love my kiddos.

Nick and I are always fighting now about WOW, and we don't really do anything together. I am trying to figure out some marriage counseling for us, though he acts like he will be unwilling to go. I am feeling at my wits end, and am pretty unhappy as far as marriage goes right now. I am totally commited, and I love him, I am just not happy in my marriage right now, and I would like to be. I know he is not happy either, and I would really liek to get some encouragment and try to fix things. I know it will only get harder when this baby is born, so fixing it now would be better than later.

You would think nothing happened in July...

But we had tons of fun! So much so that I didn't get around to posting very many times...how sad! But here is a bunch of pictures to prove we were alive and kicking, and loving summer in the month of July! It has been an unusally cool summer so far, so we have def :) The best place to drink milk on a summer night!
Look ma! I can turn on the light!
Noah graciously shared his chocolate ice cream with Micah, and nobody even asked him too!
Even the baby in my belly made it into this picture :) Levi's boots were made for walking... Just wanna pinch that cutie bootie!

More Molars and Grandma Judy's 51st Bday

Levi's top two molars brok through...the top left on July 21st, adn the top right on July 22. Micah's top two are going to break through any day now...they are just bulging through the skin poor baby. They both got both sets of molars at the same time, so we had 2 babies trying to cut 4 teeth all at once! They have been very fussy and clingy, adn I can't wait to get my happy boys back! Yesterday was Judy's birthday and Nick's whole side of the family came over. We made yummy carne asada from El Tarasco. Noah was waiting absolutely all day for his cousins to come over he was so excited! It is cute how much h likes playing with othr kids his age. My parent's called from vacation yesteray night to say mom hurt he knee white water rafting and they had to take her to the emergency room. She might have some sort of fracture, so they are coming home today instead of next wednesday.

July already!

I have taken forever to post...so dumb of me. I guess I will never learn...I really want to make it a habit, which is supposed to take 30 days right?! Anyway, stayed home all day long today with my three sweets. Micah got a black eye a few days ago by falling in the bathtub and hitting his eye on the faucet. So, so sad! he also got his top right molar on July 9th. Now Levi and Micah both have two top molars broken through. I am feeling the baby move all over by now. Natalie felt it first about 4 or 5 days ago, and Nick fel it moving on Sunday during church this week. It moved pretty hard and his eyes got all wide! It was funny! We had out ultrsound on Thursday last, and you checked out good baby! They moved the due date back to November 13, from the 21, which is what I had calculated in the first place, so we will see when you really decide to make you appearance. Noah has started saying, "Mooom" all the time, like I will say it's time to come inside, and he says, Moooommm, all exagerated. It's kinda funny, but mostly I say, Hey call me Mommy! Kiddos all ate a bunch of mango today, and they all love it of course. Yesterday we went to church and then had a picnic at the park. It was a good time by all. We brought frisbees. I then went to Brianna salon and she did a Brazilian Blowout, which makes m hair straigher and less frizzy. It's pretty stinking cool. Then we BBQ at my parents house, and Grandpa Art stopped by in one of his old cars. The boys got a ride, and we took some super cute pictures. It was a pretty perfect summer day I have to say. :)
Oh yes, on the fourth we went to Claremont to see part of the parade and they had a bunch of free stuff for the kids to do. They all had fun. Then we ate at my parents, and then went to Aaron and Ashley's for fireworks, since they are still legal in Fontana. The babies didn't cry at them or anything, but just stared wide-eyed and didn't try to get down and run away for once! The cuddle time was nice! Noah really liked them, but then after a while he got tired and was like, I am done with this, let's go home. Levi fell asleep on the way home in the car.

Molars!

Levi has two molars broken through and Micah has one! Levi's top right molar poked through on June 25th, and the top left came through on June 28th, and Micah's top left came through on June 26th! Both of them are working on getting all four of them at once...poor babies! They have been drooling a lot, and I suspected molars soon, but not all of them at once! Ouch! The are pretty good sports though, and have only been a little fussy, really not even noticable. Such big boys to be getting molars...makes them seem a little less like babies! It will be nice for them to have some molars to chew with, so that part will definately be nice! :) Well, we are off to the park, and the animal shelter, and GolfSmith. Oh yes, I got a referral today for a midwife from Dr. Kim, so let's see if the insurance sompany approves it! Doubt it, I will probably have to appeal it..Boo for HMO's!

$25 Grocery Challenge Day 1

So, prompted by a thread I saw on Dave Ramsey's website www.mytotalmoneymakeover.com, I am going to attempt to spend only $25 a week on groceries for about a month, or until I am very close to running out of food in the cupboards! :) So this week will be easy...I have tons of food stocked, and it really feels almost like cheating this week since I just went shopping on Saturday. Anyway, I can definately spend less than $25 the rest of this week, so I will just have to forward any remaining money I don't spend this week to next week. I am going to start the week over each Monday. I should also mention that I am reverting back to using all CASH for grocery shopping, and most all other purchases I make. Using cash makes it hurt, and I am a lot less willing to buy frivolous items when I have to hand over the green stuff! :)
Dinner # 1
Campbells Lemon Broccoli Chicken http://www.campbellskitchen.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?recipeId=24391&ref=%2fSearchRecipesResult.aspx%3fSearchType%3d1%26q%3dlemon%2bbroccoli%2bchicken
Betty Crocker instant loaded mashed potatoes (bought as earthquake food, but I realized if an earthquake was that bad, we probably wouldn't have any boiling water anyway!), and
Costco's organic corn/pea/green bean/carrot mix steamed.

I had everything I needed on hand. The chicken has been in the freezer for a while, the cream of broccoli has been sitting in my pantry forever, and I bought the veggies from Costco about 10 days ago. Day one completed without spending a dime! :)

Love my boys..

Just finished looking in on Noah in his bed without the rail. He looks so peaceful and I couldn't resist giving him a little kiss on the cheek. What a sweet, big, growing-up boy. My heart is overwhelmed with the joy that he brings into my life, and I couldn't help think how much I am going to miss this when it's all over. I love raising my sons, and I treasure everyday I get to be here at home with them. I truly feel that a big part of my purpose is fulfilled through being their mommy, and I wouldn't trade getting to be home with them for anything in the whole world. We went to Chick-fil-a today, and of course I went up in the tubes to take the kiddos. That can't continue once the belly gets too big, so we might as well do it while I stil can. Mom and Nat came with us...one thing about so many small children all at once is it is hard to go too many places alone if the kids aren't going to be locked in strollers or carts. It is just too scary to keep an eye on all three of them in public places by myself! Don't want to lose one! ;) Anyway, I made cheeseburgers tonight, which Noah won't eat! Silly kid! Then Briana, Ricky and Chey Chey came over and we swung the kids in the swings for a while, and Nick and Ricky hit whiffle balls. The babies were already in bed. Speaking of babies, now that they both drink milk (I weened Micah of off rice milk within a week, and now he drnks regular milk...yeah!) they are quite the addicts, and I feel like they are not eating as much. They are only drinking 18 ounces a day, which they say they shoudl have 18-24 ounces a day at this age, so I think it is fine. I guess a lot of babies have a decreased appetite around this age, so I am sure it is nothing to worry over. I think Levi weighs around 23 and Micah just a little less. They are both a little chubby and healthy! Micah is catching back up now that he is drinkign milk again! He started to feel fownright tiny compared to Levi for a couple of weeks there. You can still tell a little difference, but not so much anymore.

Noah boy and VG fountain

Noah is sleeping for his first night tonight in his twin bed without a rail! Why does this make me sad!? My baby is growing up too fast! Nick and I just finished watching Shakespear in Love. Good movie!
Today, Nat and I took the kiddos to VG and they played in the fountain! Boy did they love it! All three were soaked, but we brought extra clothes, and forgot a towel! They air-dried though, and everybody had fun. The twins get a lot of compliments and questions whenever we are out, which is kind of fun. :) I sure do love having twins, and feel sorry for people without a pair! ;) Having one at a time is obviously a huge blessing as well, and I wouldn't change anything abotu each of our children for the world! :) The kids also got some sunglasses from Children's Place today whiel at the mall...they were only $2.50, and Noah also got to ride the train. I made chicken asada tonight for dinner from costco and it sure was yummy in burritos. We also ate peaches from costco, which are soooo delicious. Nick, Noah and I ate some of them in Noah's bed together. It was sucha cute moment when Noah pulled Nick and my heads together between his and gave us a group hug. It really made me think how much kids need and want their parents to love each other and love them , even when they are not old enough to express that desire in words, there it is. Glad we can give that to our kids with God's help. Thank you Jesus.

Another house

Put in an offer today on a perfect house for us! It was way under-priced for some reason, and we offered our best offer on it....$250,000. It will be a miracle if we get it...it is a short sale off of haven and the 210. Please Lord. Babies have been getting hurt a lot the last few days. Micah bit his tounge really hard and it bled all over, then he pulled a big jar of applesauce right onto his forehead and got a bruise. Levi got stung by a bee yesterday on his middle finger, and then got knocked between the eyes with a swing that Noah swung without anybody in it. Ouch! My poor babies! Noah is being super cute with the names he is calling Nick and I lately. He is calling me Mommy, Mama, and Mom, all interchangabley, and he calls Nick Daddy, Dada, and Dad. It is too funny and cute. I gave Noah a hair cut a few days ago also, and it made him look way too grown up! I love my little boy.

Haha...oh man!

So, as I was just changing diapers this morning, the thought to write this post came to me. I like to write down the differences between Micah and Levi when I think about them and remember them so I won't forget later on. So, this one is funny/gross! If I am changing diapers and deceide to let the boys run free for a little bit to air out, Levi will usually pee, and Micah will poo as fast as he can! I just don't get it! It is like they just wait for me to take off their diapers, and then do their business before I can get it back on! I think they are doing it on purpose! So, just this morning as I was thinking about this I once again left the diapers off, and within 2 minutes! Levi had peed and Micah pood right on the carpet! Oh geez! Maybe I will learn my lesson this time! It's just so cute to watch two cutie little naked booties run around for a minute. Love those babies! :)

Teeth, funeral, and swimmming...

Levi got his 7th tooth, the bottom left on May 28th. Micah got his 8th tooth, the bottom left, on June 2. The babies do not yet fight me on tooth brushing, and they actually seem to kind of like it. They are starting to want to hold it though and do it themselves, so probably in the near future there might be a fight about brushing teeth! Noah sure hated it at their age and would cry a lot! Hopefully they don't do that!
Today was the first day I didn't nurse my sweet babies in the morning! I just got them botha bottle really quick-Levi milk, Micah rice milk-and they were fine! Micah still pulled on my shirt at least twice yesterday to nurse, but he didn't pretty well now that he will drink some rice milk! So I am a little sad, but we had a good long run nursing, plus I din't have very much left anymore and Micah especially was really hurting me trying tog et it out! Ouch! So we made it 1 year, 2 month and 1 week, and now we are done! I loved almost every minute of it, and am so blessed to have been able to do it! :)
Today was also Bill's (Nick's uncle) funeral. Nick went, but I couldn't go because my parents already had plans to go to Kristi and Randi's so I had no one to watch the babies. I feel bad I couldn't go because everyone was there, and Nick said after he go home he realy wished I was there, and that everyone else's wives were there!
Anyway, the boys and I went to Kristi's with my parent's instead, and I just left early so the babeis could nap in the car, and Noah stayed with my parents for a little longer. He was soooooo cute swimming ALL over teh pool with his frog suit! He has never been so brave to swim like that before, and now all the sudden it just clicked with him, and he was a little swimming machine! He LOVED the waterfall, adn kept talking about it even once he was home! He even let Aaron jump off the top of it while holding him! What a brave boy! I was so proud of him, and he really mad me smile. My little boy is getting bigger everyday! So bittersweet, but so fun to watch him learning and growing! Love my boy!
The babies dug the water too! They are all water babies! :)

Today...and Yesterday

Yesterday the kiddos and I took an afternoon walk to the park, and then to Stater Bros. for some more water and snacks. It was a little too far and I was a little too tired after we got home. So not quite so far next time. Especially since I had to drag the stroller down and back up the stairs to get home! Not fun! Luckily my Mom and Nat came by and picked up all the kids right before I had to drag it up the stairs, so their were no kids in it on the way up! Thank goodness because I don't think I could have done it! Anyway, everybody really likes going on walks, I just wish we could go more easily, as in no hill! Well, I need to walk it anyway...I am already gaining too much weight! 10 pounds already, and I can really tell on my sides! Yuck! Anyway, need to exercise more and just get over the hill!
Today, we just stayed at home and I got cleaning and some laundry done! Not that you can tell very much it is such a never-ending task! Well, I feel like I am keeping the kitchen clean a little better at least, and I got the masterbath cleaned today. I also made the salmon chipotle tacos tonight for dinner that Nick likes so much. Speaking of Nick, I got him to cancel WOW as of June 1st, and we agreed for it to be canceled for at least a week and then we will see what happens. It's a start! He has been working on the cars a lot since then. We are trying to get the 4Runner fixed so we can sell it, and that is almost accomplished now! Yeah! The babies have just started wanting to use spoons AND get the food out of the bowl with them. Up until a few days ago I would scoop the applesauce or yogurt on the spoon, hand it to them and they would eat it and hand me back the spoon. Now they are no longer satisfied with that! They want a bowl to scoop on their own! So cute, but oh so messy! It's fun watching them learn how to feed themselves though! They watched each other and do what the other one does also. So cute! Noah actaully ate some salmon tonight when it was inside a quesadilla. A little progress! He also helped me sort laundry today ("put all of mommies clothes into the basket...or now all daddies!"), and washed dishes! He loves being my little helper! :)

Memorial weekend kick-off!

Today was a fun, fun day! I started off the day by making pancakes for the kiddos for breakfast. After morning nap we ate lunch and then went to Toyota to pick up new parts to make the sliding door in the van work right again...now it works amazingly!!! For $150 it is perfect again and worth every penny! It was soooo hard to shut, it would get stuck and have to be slammed 5 times to get it shut, and I am sooo thankful it is fixed! Anyway, afetr that we went up to Ashley's Aunt and Uncles house to go swimming and BBQ since it was about 90 degrees today! The babies went into a pool for the first time! They weren't too big of fans of the cold water, but when the spa got turned on they liked it. Levi wanted to just walk around on the steps all by himself, but of course he couldn't! Both Micah and Levi got into the baby float thingsy and they liked it OK. A lot better then Noah did at their age...he hated it and would just scream! Noah was getting brave and going in the water wth his frog suit. He really liked it. We left at 3 to take the babies home for their nap, but Noah stayed with my mom. She said he was getting even braver while we were gone, and was "swimming" back and forth to Nat and Ashley in the spa! Cute! I really want to get him swimming lessons this summer, so we will see if I can work that out! Anywa, the babies napped from 3:30-6...I guess they were tired from all the swimming and fun. Wehn they woke up I loaded them into the car, picked up Chinese food and went to play at Grammy's and get Noah. The babies love playing outside int he yard, and it is nice to have extra people around to play with them and help me wrangle them! :) They had a blast playing on the trampoline and eating berries! They were covered with berry stains! We took some cute pictures that I need to get off my mom's camera! Micah as the messiest of all three of them. He was grabbing handfuls and just shoving them into his mouth as if he were starving! hehe Levi was standing up on the trampoline and just running all over it with the hugest, cutest smile on his face, and giggling soo cute! He was purposly running away from whoever was trying to make sure he didn't fall off, and he almost suceeded in falling off while Dad was chasing him! Sheesh...so then we starting haveing mroe than one person chase him around! He was being so very funny and I will always remember the way he was being! It was priceless! It was pretty much the perfect end to an (almost) summer day! So fun! Then they all got bathed and put into bed and they were all zonked in about 5 minutes! So fun and so memorable!

House

Okay I never mentioned that we are not getting that house as of now since they let the house go into forclosure! We were a little bummed and I don't know what we are going to do about a house anymore, but we did pray for the door to be closed if it wasn't the one for us and as of now it appears that way! We will see...we are submit another offer once the house is relisted and a forclosure. Anyway, it is back to the drawing board...and there is the consideration of the new baby as well, as we don't want to be right in the middle of buying a hosue of moving right when it is going to be born. That only gives us a few months, so if it doesn't happen by then, who knows what we will do. Nick only has about a month and a half left of school also, we expense checks will be gone, and he will be six months closer to becoming a journeyman. 2.5 more years!

Hello walkers...Goodbye nursers!

So ridiculous that I ahven't written on here in 2 weeks! I sit at this computer at least a few times a day adn I can't just write something! Sheesh! Both Micah and Levi are WALKERS! Lots and lots or steps, and lots of falls too! No tears though! I don't think either one of them has creid once about falling! They really fall ratehr gracefully, and they alwasy seem to catch themeselves to keep from really getting hurt! It is so preciosu to watch them learn to walk, and I am also watching their crawling as I know it will all but disapear so soon! They are so proud and happy when they walk, and I just love it! Levi is still a little steadier and walks a little more often, but Micah is right behind him! It really has just been in this last week that they both have really blossomed in the walking department...it happened really over justa few short days, and suddenly they are just walking all the time! In other new, I have finally gotten Levi to drink milk from a bottle as of about a week ana a half ago. Micah still refuses mostly, but will take a few sips. I am still nursing them both ocne a day in the morning, but the milk is drying up quickly with that little of stimulation. I am a little sad about it, but it is time. I will miss having four little hands grab at each other, and grab at me, and be so sweet while nursing. I will miss seeing two little heads, and two pairs of eyes looking up at me while they are getting both nourishment and comfort! I will just miss the baby days always, and stopping nursing is definately a marker of the end of babyhood and the beginning of toddlerhood and growing up. It is so bittersweet. I know I will most likely never again nurse twins, and once they are all done I will definately never nurse Micah and Levi again, and that takes some getting used to. I love them with all my heart, and it has been and honor, a pleasure, and a major accomplishment to have been able to nurse them for 14 months! I am proud of myself, and glad for the sweet bonding I didn't have to miss out on just because they are twins. Some said I couldn't or wouldn't nurse twins for very long, but I did and I am so glad! :) Such a rewarding job!
On a Noah note...he is my sunshine! The way he talks and the things he says never cease to make me smile! He is smart, funny, and goofy! He is sensitive and wants his momma! Lately he wants to drink milk out of a bottle like babies do, and I have caved and let him finish what they don't, but I know it is starting a bad habit and it has to be nipped! He is just so funny and still prefers "squishy" cups as he says! I guess it is a throwback to nursing, which he also did for 14 months. Oh my boys! Anyway, Noah is very sweet and likes to thank God for specific things during prayers, like for getting to go to Chuck E. Cheese, and for Amanda's friend Lauren. I love when he adds in his own two-cents when I am praing with him. It is so amazing to see him understanding that we should be thankful to God and tell him about the things we love that he has created! Such a beautiful thing to see unfold in a little boy! Love it! :) Tonight before I went out of his rrom he was asking me fi I was going to stay at home while he goes to sleep, and that I have to protect him while he sleeps! How sweet is he!? Anyway, was going to buy Noah a school desk, but am going to hold off until next payday. I want him to have his own little space for doing "school" as I am hoping it will encourage him in that area. He isn't very into doing crafts or school really right now. I don't know if it is me needing to be more creative, or just his personality or what but it scares me about homeschooling. I am doing it all the way, but I just have so much to learn and feel so incompetent! It does seem overwhelming to be doing school with one kiddo while three other younger ones run crazy! Anyway, one day at a time! School desk to come! :)

New keyboard

I bought a new keyboard since Levi spilled juice on the old one! Not that it was his fault...I really shouldn't have left juice next to the computer! Thanks goodness it only spilled on the keyboard and not the actual computer! Hopefully I can learn my lesson!

Differences...

Micah loves to suck his left thumb while cuddling his silky blue blanket close to his face, while Levi loves to suck his right first and middle fingers. He has a brown silky blanket that he is starting to like more and more, and he does hold it close to his face when he is going to bed sometimes,but he definately doesn't like itas much as Micah does. Levi has now got this walking thing down! He does it all the time,and for long distances, like over 20 steps at a time! Sooo cute! Micah takes a few steps still, but boy does he have climbing down! Up onto the dining room chairs, and onto the table, scaling the side of Noah's bed, and actually almost making it up! He is nuts! I have to watch them both constantly! I also have to make sure the bathroom and my bedroom doors are always shut, because those are the first two places they always try to get into! If I notice they are missing all the sudden I run to my room, and if the door is open they are undoubtedly going straight into our bathroom to climb into the bathtub or the shower! They know they aren't supposed to go in there, so that's exatly where they go! Oh yes, differences,not simliarities! It's not this way now, but I think I forgot to every write it down, so for the record, Micah used to like to bed rocked in the rocking chair, and Levi much prefered me standing and bouncing him up and down a bit, or just standing up and rocking rather than me sitting. Also,Levi was first afraid of the vacuum, and Micah wasn't. Then Levi wasn't scared of it anymore, but then I accidentally ripped Micah sock off of him with the vacuum when I got to close to his foot,so then he was terrifed! That was several months ago though, so luckily I cannow vacuum with either of them around with no problem! :)
Thought I should add while I am remembering it, that Noah says "esteryday" for yesterday, and "earf" instead of earth. Love it! :)

Approval on house

We got the approval on the house yesterday.

Memorial Park

Took the kids to Memorial Park today in Upland for the first time. Just me and them. Babies tried to eat lots of wood chips. Noah was digging watching rollerbladers at the skate park. Noah didn't want to go down any slides there by himself because they were really steep! Love this park because it is so shaded, with trees right inside the playground part, not just on the sides of it. Will definetly be utiliizing this park again during the summer. We saw a little boy today who was almost three years old and he couldn't speak any words. Just a bunch of jibberish. He was very friendly and outgoing, so I don't think he could be autistic, and he didn't seem to be retarded or anything like that either. He just talked like a baby of maybe 12-18 months. It was sad, and I don't think his parent's thought their was anything wierd about it. His dad just said that he was big for his age and was almost three, and that's why he talked like that. I felt bad for him, and a little funny when he kept coming up to me and having a full on conversation with me in jibberish. Anyhow, the babies both took a 2 hour morning nap, but then Micah completely rejected the afternoon nap, even though he had been up for 4 hours, and Levi fell asleep a the last minute, after an hour of being in there awake. So, Micah went to bed at 6:45, and Levi went down at 8:05, since he didn't wake up from the nap till 5:30. It is definately a sign that the morning nap is on it's way out, even though it will be a long road till it's gone all the way. Noah was done with it by 14 months, but he was very hard to keep awake for a few months trying to get him to push the one nap later into the afternoon. We will see how it all pans out! I am always a little sad to see the morning nap go, but then it is also freeing to only have one nap a day...which we better enjoy for at lwast a little bit before a million naps a day starts back over with the new little one. It's quite OK though, I love me my babies! :)

Cinco de Mayo

Had a riveting discussion on facebook this morning likening the new illegal citizen law in Arizona to questioning could-be prostitutes. Awesome. So fitting for today!Made some yummy carne asada tonight! It was sooo good...next time I am gonna marinate it even longer, since I only did for an hour today. Anyway, my parents and Nat came over for dinner, and mom made her fabulous salsa and spanish rice. YUM! Amanda also stopped by for like 3 minutes to eat...whatever! ;) Earlier in the afternoon Mom came by and watched the boys while I went to the grocwey store. It is amazing how an hour of grocery shopping alone actually qualifies as a break! haha! She let the boys all play outside the whole time I was gone, and they loved it! It was warm enough that she puty a little water in the blow up pool, and they all wen to town! Micah wouldn't stop trying to drink it, of course! That kid always try to drink bath water, and other inappropriate water, even when he has a cup full sitting right by him! Silly! He hasn't quite figured out that he shouldn't breathe while his face is in it either, so he will start choking after he breathes water in! It scares me! Anyway, all three of those boys love being outside, and I love it too! I am just waiting for the babies to walk now though, so they will stop eating rocks and dirt as much when we are out there! :) They are both walking a little, Levi a little more so, and they are really making progress. It is so cute watching them learn, and even cuter that they are still so wobly! Love this time in their lives!

Blood work...

Finally got my bloodwork done fot this pregnancy that I have been putting off for 2 months. Noah went with me, and my Mom watched the babies. She said they were into everything, and a handful! A good handful though! :) Noah did NOT want them to hurt me, and I had to convince him I would be fine, and it wouldn't hurt. He was so cute being protective of me! A woman sitting in the waiting room heard him talking and said, "That's a smart little boy...you're gonna be sorry!" Well, I agree whole-heartedly that he is a smarty pants, but won't ever be sorry he is mine!

Trail and Trampoline...aka Jumpoline

Went on a walk today on the new trail with the kiddos and Gale. It was pretty prefect weather, and the trail was nice, with pretty views! It makes me more sad to be leaving this house...I wish we could just buy it. Don't think it will happen though...I feel like it is my house though. I get really attached to houses...especially ones we bring babies home to. :( Well, I just have to get past it and realize the memories are mine no matter what! :) We also went to my Mom's for a little bit. She has had strep throat, sow e haven't seen her since Monday. She is on anti-biotics now, so we ventured over for a little bit, and the boys played outside. I had them all on the trampoline, and they were cracking me up! Micah and Levi kept crawling to the edge, and I would pull them back by the leg at the same time, and they thought it was funny! Then I started bouncing them a little, and they would just laugh and laugh! Too funny! Noah climbed up into the fort today all by himself! He said, "See, I can do it!" Yes, you can Noah! He gets so proud of himself. He just recently started climbing in and out of his twins bed with the rails, and he is just so happy to do it! Luckily, he is a good boy and doesn't get out without permission. He just calls, "Mommy, I'm awake!" Such a sweetie! The babies are officially 13 months old today! Why does it go so fast!?! Noah is 37 months also...but I sort of stop counting the months at this point! I still just say, "he just turned 3". :) Love my boys.

Levi standing up by himself!

Brianna and Chey Chey came over today to play for a while. This always makes Noah's day! :) Also, Levi started standing up without holding on to anything the 27th, and today he tried about 15 times in a row! He would stand for a second and try to walk, but usually wouldn't get his balance very good, so he would fall down! He just kept trying and trying though! I admired his persistence, and I couldn't help but think it must have been tiring! He didn't seem to mind one bit though!

Grandpa's Bday

Today is Grandpa Art's 66th birthday, and we all went over to his house for dinner and cake. It was a good time! The babies ate about a million strawberries, and were sweet boys to everyone. Noah refused to eat any dinner while we were there, but then finally ate a whoel bowl of spaghetti once we got home...of course he wanted some brownie, which I am sure was his main motivation. He got a little piece after he ate!
Levi is taking more and more steps now, and he stood up today without holding onto anything else! Just stood up! He also sits on the ends of the tile step, and then stands up and walks a few steps. Micah is starting to let go and take a few steps too, though he is slightly more timid at this point then Levi. He is getting there though! I LOVE that my babies have never been 9 month walkers! That would just about break my heart...I love that I have gotten to watch them crawl for almost 5 months now. It's so sweet to see, and once it's gone it's gone, so I am happy to have them hold out on completely walking for as long as possible! ;) Noah is currently the cutest darn thing when it comes to singing songs and reading books. Tonight while I was in the bathroom right befroe putting him into bed I could hear him reading "Guess how much I Love You" to himself in his room! It was sooo cute! SO also catches onto songs so easily. I was singing the big bad wolf song to him, and he only herad it once and repeated it a while later, words, tune and all. So adorable! He also says the funniest things...He told me tonight that he doesn't like going on the freeway because, "My voice doesn't let you heard me"...as in it gets too loud inside the car when we drive on the freeway, so I can't hear what he is trying to tell me. Hehe. He just says things in too cute a way. I love him.
In pregnancy news, my morning sickness is subsiding! Woohoo! 10 weeks is the magic number. Yesterday was the first time I was able to make dinner, and then actually eat what I had made. That was gorssing me out just last week. I am so thankful it is ending, and I am so thankful that I never actually throw up while I have morning sickness. My sickness is always worse at night also, which makes it nice because I can just go to bed to end it! Anyway, I am getting a little baby bump now, tough it reallt could be just a poochy tummy at this point. It's definately a little more out there than normal. I ordered a little heartbeat doppler today, which should come in the mail on Friday, so I can hear baby's heartbeat...I have never had anything like this before to hear it at home, so I am excited to try it. It may still be too early to hear it though, so we may have to wait a while. Anyway, I am going to start enjoying this pregnancy again now since I am feeling less and less sick by the day.
4/26 Yesterday, got subway sandwhiches and took the kids to the park with Brianna and Chey Chey. Mom met us there. She ended up getting sick, and has a fever. Might be strep. Mom, Dad and Nat came over for dinner that night, which I made. Chicken tacos...they were good. Kids were sweet, and babies were showing off their walking skills. Love them.

Walkers!

I am being so bad with posting! I am making a mid-april resolution to post more! Really it's not that hard...I am on here multiple times a day! I guess I always think I'll wait until the end of the day to post so everything has already happened for the day, but then I get too tired and naseous to do it! I have been going to bed around 9:30 usually because my sickness is the worst at night. Anyway....SO much has happened recently that I have not written about, which is really just silly! Levi is walking! Not all the time, and not a lot yet, but he can do it! I can just stand there and balance for a while, and then he will take 4 or so steps! He will walk to Noah, which is sooooo cute! He usually ends up taking them both down at the end, but it is so cute, and Noah loves that his brother will walk to him. Now, I can't forget to mention Micah. He will also stand for a minute and balance himself, and he will take 1-2 steps! I cannot believe both my babies are figuring it out! Such big boys, but yet still my babies! I have the dates that they first did it, I need to find them off my camera and add it here. Will do.
This past week, I also got to take Noah to Disneyland just him and I twice! Nick was sick and stayed home from work, but said he could manage Micah and Levi, so I could take Noah for a special Mommy-Noah day! Noah loved it to say the least! He wanted me to hold him all the time in the lines, and of course I obliged him, especially since I usually can't hold him all the time! I really enjoyed the time with just him, adn we both had so much fun. Noah loved driving the autopia cars! He actually got to sit in the drivers seat, and he was all about it! It was so much fun, and we made so many memories that I will always hold dear! It is important to me to get to spend time individually with my kids, and it is something I want to work at through the years to come with them. I love my boys.
We went to church today. Noah cried when we dropped him off in the 3 years olds like usual, but did calm down and had fun after all. He does that every week, so I am not sure what to do! We just took the babeis in the nursing mother's room, because they just get so upset in the nursery. When they can walk they can go into the ones class, and I think the toys and activity in that room will be more their style. The nursery has moslty all babies a lot younger than them, and they have only really young baby toys in there. Anyway, I am hping they will gain a little independence with walking, and maybe it will get better! It is hard on Sundays, but I am glad my babies are attached to me, and not used to being shifted to different caregivers. That's why they hate it so much, because they are always with Momma, and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Cravings....

Not sure why little one, but you are making me crave salt and spice! As I write, I am eating a spicy jalepeno bean and cheese burrito! I bought some frozen ones, and as naseous as I was feeling about 10 minutes ago, they sounded good, and now that I ate TWO, I feel sooo much better! I can almost absoluetly not drink water either, which is a bad combo! I got some crystal light yesterday though, and am able to drink that pretty easily. It has artificial sugar in it, but a little doesn't hurt anything. Anyway, just thought I'd write about my cravings right now, and say I love you little one.