point and shoot and kiss

I just wanted to share some pictures from our point and shoot photo session. I am in love (so is Sarah, she picked him up off the floor today - Mommy panic moment!) I just have to remind myself that babies are made of rubber and we haven't killed one yet.

cool braid and popsicles

We discovered this cool braid here I just didn't loosen it up. I've always wondered how to get a ribbon into a braid without losing it in all the hair! Yipee!

We were sooooo spoiled last week with meals and treats a nice things. Kelli introduced us to a new favorite - Mexican Popsicles (poletas, I think) Anyhow, they were scrumptious and I wanted to be selfish and not share with the kids. I repented though.

men

My life all of a sudden feels more full of men and the men in my life couldn't be more tickled with the addition.

I think Isaac is getting tired of people asking him about it though. The last time someone asked him if he was excited about new baby brother they got a rather huffy answer, like DUH! Of course I'm excited - huff huff.

I for one think this guy is especially handsome AND he has been sleeping between night feedings - ah! What more could a mommy ask? Oh yea, and he lost his umbilical stump yesterday, so he gets a real bath tonight!!!

a wee bit chaotic

So here we are doing Nelson's first diaper change at home! No more privacy than a goldfish - poor kid.

By the way, I was informed the girls did their own hair while I was gone, not Ryan. I guess they ALL need to learn how to do hair. I'll add it to the list.

We are surviving OK. Nelson is not a great sleeper. His night is a tad messed up (he and I are usually up for one long 2 hour stretch - ikk), but all in all I'm not dying from lack of sleep. He is super sweet when he isn't fussy and I'm enjoying his baby smell and littleness (such as it is).

The ward and family have been incredible with meals and help and kindness and general concern for our well-being and sanity. I feel so well cared for and very loved. People are so good.

I had a humbling experience on Tuesday. Tuesday is park day for our ward and even though we are still "recovering" I felt like we should go and let Nora, Isaac and Sarah have a break from the house. When we got to the appointed park no one from the ward was there, but a nice mom with two little girls let me share her bench. She was wearing a hat and had some kind of medical "thing" on her arm and as we talked I learned she has stage 4 lymphoma (cancer) and so for the next EIGHT months she gets bi-monthly chemo treatments. Did I mention she has 4 kids ages 9-2? On top of that. she has two sisters with cancer (different kinds) and one just passed away. There is nothing like learning about someone else's challenge to make me feel so grateful for the smallness of my own. I was really glad I got to meet her and that she shared her experience with me.

the story - as i recall it anyway

Reading birth stories on blogs has made me self conscious about my own. Others stories are always touching, exciting, full of suspense and drama, or just plain cool. Mine seem so very boring in comparison. Oh well.

I was due on Sunday, the 9th - nothing. Monday - nothing. Tuesday - full moon - nothing. So I said, to myself, nothing is going to happen between now and your appointment on Thursday so get ready for your appointment and an induction probably Thursday night or Friday.

Thankfully, I didn't have to wait the extra days. Contractions started around dinnertime on Wednesday and kept a pretty steady pace through baths, a walk, a movie, and a shower. They weren't really hospital ready, but I did not want to have to call Aunt Elizabeth at 1 in the morning, so at 10 she came over and we headed out hoping they would just let me in since I was over-due and likely to be induced the next day anyway.

Once in triage I was at a 4 and contractions had spread WAY out, like 20 minutes apart. The nurse said I had to progress a centimeter in an hour to be admitted and left us to wait (and pray). About 5 minutes later she came back and said she had called Dr. Layton, the OB on duty, for something else and asked about me and he said, "It's her 6th, just admit her." He gets a gold star for that one!

Once we were in, I tried to rest between painful, but way spread out contractions and it was not working and I felt very silly asking for an epidural until they were regular and harder, so we grabbed my IV pole and walked the halls for 40 minutes. That did it - contractions hit hard and regular. I always forget how painful real contractions are. Gold stars for all my natural friends out there too.  Our friendly neighborhood epidural guy showed up between 12 and 1 and did a great job - ahh. I was especially grateful that this epidural was totally automatic. With Sarah they gave me the "happy button" to administer my own and I really didn't like having to administer my own meds - don't know why, but I do know I was glad when he was doing cords and tubes and such and discovered the button was missing. He was all ready to hunt one up but I was happy to tell him to forget it.

Once my body calmed down I was able to sleep from about 2 until 5. When I woke up at 5 I asked Ryan to help me switch from my left to my right side while I rearranged pillows. Ryan thought he heard my water break, but I thought it was plastic pillows rustling (I forgot to bring my own pillow), but lo and behold, when I called our nurse 15 minutes later to tell her the pressure had changed, my water had broken and I was at a 10. Dr Beck arrived around 5:35, we started pushing as soon as he was gowned and 3 sets later Nelson was on my chest with a sweet little cry and ready to nurse! He did a fantastic first feeding, which turned out to be really good since he didn't eat again for 12 hours - too sleepy. Thankfully his blood sugar was just fine so we didn't have to worry about it.

The other big blessing of the delivery was, for the first time EVER I didn't need to be cut and I didn't tear! What a difference that has made for recovery. I had NO idea how much nicer it is to not have that to deal with that aspect of healing. So blessings blessing everywhere from Dr. Layton letting us in, to a great L&D nurse, to a body that finally got the hint that real and regular contractions were required, to a great, button free epidural, to 3 hours of sleep, to an easier to heal from delivery, and most of all to a very sweet, very handsome, very wonderful baby boy. I am blessed!

As for the name. For those interested; Nelson comes from both sides of the family. My dad is named Nelson and my mother in law's maiden name is Nelson. Ryan is obviously from Daddy.

Below you will find the great invasion of the siblings. More on that later, hospital pictures always make me cringe a little. Not only do I feel soooooo beautiful, but, let's face it: Ryan can't do hair - end of story. Of well; they were thrilled to meet Nelson and I was happy to see my little gang.

Diana spends all her spare time wanting to hold this guy! He is spoiled!

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Sarah loves the baby and I think she will do well, especially when the kids go back to school this week. Her life has been a bit off while they have been on October break, plus a new baby in the house.

Isaac, thus far, is enamored! We have found if we want him to do something, we just have to put it in the context of being a good example for baby brother. I'm going to have to work on not abusing or overusing that phrase. I think he's just happy there is another boy around.

Nora is very sweet, but as with Sarah's birth, Nora struggles with changes so she is going to be on the TLC list for Mom this week until she feels safe and loved and normal again. She is funny in that she insists we call him Nelson or Nelson Ryan NOT baby brother.

Emily has also been a little emotional lately. Who knows what this kid is thinking, so I've just upped the random times I kiss her daily and hope it pulls her through. I think she will be happier back in the school routine so she can put her energy somewhere besides the little family room here at home.

So there you have it friends - Nelson Ryan joins the Chases and we are GLAD and GRATEFUL!

Nelson Ryan Chase

Nelson Ryan Chase was born this morning at 5:41am.  He is 8lbs.12oz. and 22.5" long. Both Mom and Nelson are happy, healthy....and tired.

wednesday

Good morning Wednesday! I am pleased and really grateful to report October Break is going pretty darn OK considering everything.

We have done a craft every day (today is pipe cleaner spiders with googly eyes). I'll share our other projects when I actually take some pictures. Rest assured we are WELL decorated for Halloween.

We hit the park yesterday for the ward play group. My friend Kori who is due tomorrow is still hanging in there too (post edit - it's 11:30 am and I had to call Kori about a primary thing and she is in labor in the hospital - WHOOOHOOOO!). We are doing Sprouts (the fruit store) and the library today.

My little brain is in "scenario overdrive" slightly annoying, but not unbearable. I was all happy there were not any travels to plan around this time, but there is still a husband and 5 kids to coordinate and account for in the whole Mom is going to be in the hospital for at least 36 hours reality. Of course, I do realize, if I don't have every detail taken care of it will all be OK, but I do like to have my bases covered. I just wish I didn't have to think about it at 4 in the morning.

I hope you are also having a fine Wednesday. I go to Herr Doctor tomorrow, so hopefully we will have a plan in place soon!

sunday shots

We had some time before church, so I let the kids take pictures of me and bee-you-tee-ful hair (I know, it's getting old, but there isn't anything else to report here).

Here I am on my due date. Yes, I carry low and huge. I have the shortest waist of anyone I know, so I go straight out! Our Guatemalan neighbor said it as only a Latino can - "That is a Big Belly!" Thanks Jose! Sarah loves this dress covered with "bubbles".

I love how Emily's flower is bigger than her mop of curls!

We did Diana's hair in 4 horizontal french brains with curlers at the bottom and ended up with this loveliness. It reminds me of the required hair-do to be a "STAR" a drill team/dance group that used to perform in parades here in Mesa when I was a kid. And yes, that is one of our Rapunzel flower clips.

Riding bikes and scooters is GREAT, especially when it's 80 degrees or less - ah heaven! Yes those are curlers in the girls hair - Saturday is a special day becuase we get our hair ready for Sunday (if Mom wants to).

Now, if I could only teach Diana to pay attention to her surroundings. She had two major wipe outs in two days from just blatant spaciness! Heaven help us when that kid begins to drive!

nesting

Wash cars - check
Clean bathrooms - check
Dust - check
Clean fans - check
Change sheets - check
Vacuum (including couch) - check
Scrub floors Cinderella style (the girls LOVE helping with this one) - check
Organize bathroom drawers - check
Roll girls hair in curlers for Sunday hair - check

I thanked Ryan at some point today for indulging in all this and he expressed a concern that I would run out of chores to do before baby shows up! I just laughed because ANYONE related to my dad or Grandma Clara Boren knows we can always think of something else to clean, organize, move or re-do - we are expert chore maker-uppers!

Besides, I LOVE having a clean house and car; lovelovelove it and Ryan knows it, so is a great helper.

time marches on

Here is our week in photos. The kids got out of school early today and Fall break has begun. We are going to celebrate by decorating for Halloween when Isaac wakes up from his nap. Silly side story. Matt from down the street knocked on the door a while ago to play with Isaac. I told him Isaac was having a nap and good-bye. He knocked 30 seconds later and asked, most innocently, "Why don't you wake him up??" (like duh, you crazy lady!).

We are all set for whatever this week. I have a full fridge and we stocked up on some fun craft supplies. I went to the library yesterday and got some books, some movies, and some audio books. The car seat is installed and the bags packed. We had our last choir rehearsal last night (next week is off) and time stretches before us. I have an appointment with Dr. B next Thursday if baby decides to be late and then we will take medical measures to get him out. So all is well and set and I'm feeling good with whatever happens. If you are in a praying mood, Wednesday or Thursday would be great timing, but anytime is a good time to have a baby - no?

Dad and Diana and a serious game of chess. It was time to set the table so they tried to hurry, but Diana tricked Dad with a good move and the game went on. . . . soggy broccoli was the result - oh well.

Sarah found an old bink in her dresser and spent two days in regression - again, oh well!

Isaac and Nora. . .

I don't know why this picture is distorted, but these are some of the flower clips we made during general conference for Rapunzel's hair - very beautiful!

ROAR!

more sarah

No baby, despite a grand storm last night - it was heavenly and the temperature is fab this morning (the kids were "so cold" at the bus)! Man, we have got to get out of AZ if that was cold!

The kids have to have a picnic on the floor on laundry days, because the table is covered with clothes. It motivates me to get it all folded and put away in one day so we can eat dinner!

It's impossible to get a normal picture of this kid!

needs to be shared

Sometimes a picture just needs to be shared. So consider it done.

let down your hair

Diana and Sarah are being Rapunzel for Halloween and in true Marian, can't just get the Wal-Mart dress intensity we made 2 pretty fab dresses (actually skirts and a bodice). Next was the HAIR! Every tutorial online was a single long braid or Wal-mart has a nice 2 foot long wig, no braid. I wanted the big thick BRAID that has flowers, so we bought 3 skiens of thick yellow yarn and stewed about it. There are things I would do differently next time and I need to get some more yarn to finish up, but here is what we have so far. I didn't do a full wig, just an extention to hook onto the back of Diana's hair (Sarah will get a way more simple version depending on life in general - she doesn't care, but LOVES her pretty dress). Here is what we have so far.

Isaac, Sarah and Nora helped me make long sections of hair from each skein.

I tied each 11 strand section to the front doorknob and braided.

We doubled the braids and made a 6 strand braid of braids that hook onto Diana's real hair (too bad she's not blond, oh well, maybe I can find some yellow hair paint - aughhhh!)

We bought silk flowers and I spent the Saturday afternoon session of conference making up bunches to decorate Diana's real hair and the braid.

So, there is to so far (and a peek at the dress). I hope it all comes together and is magical for her. Regardless, it has been a mentally stimulating project trying to figure it all out.

Oh yea, no baby yet, but that's OK, we have plenty to do.