catching some rays.....(in the shade)

The boys went swimming today while we sat in the shade......

Starting week 3......I'm getting a little more tired, but we're doing well. The last morning shift is the hardest- when I know sleep is coming to an end and I have to get myself ready, and 3 kids or wake them up while Jer is still home and lose some precious last few hours of sleep. But this too shall pass. :)

The boys continue to be enamored with her. It's the first thing Luke asks about when he wakes up. They have to know where she is at all times.

Only 4 more weeks until school starts and I have to leave her. I think it will be the hardest this time. I've just enjoyed being home with the boys this summer and having time to do things with them. Imagining the busy life of picking them up and immediately having to start on dinner- is a bit daunting. (sigh) Especially with the task of juggling pumping at school and having to feed her immediately when I get home. Somehow, we'll get through it. Maybe I'll go to the infamous freezer meal planning.

Last night the boys club got to go on a thrilling adventure - treasure hunting in the ocean. It started with a few pennies in the tub and evolved to a full-on- Attack on Autobot City. (Transformer play) If something ever happens to Jer- I will be doomed. It was so funny to listen to the dialogue. They enter a whole different world as boys and Jer is master of that world. Me? not.so.much.

Looking forward to a fun weekend and then Luke has his "last meal" on Sunday night. He has to eat jello on Monday and then Tuesday we check in at the hospital at 6 am for his procedures. We're not sure what to hope for. Answers- I guess.

blessed.....

So here am I sitting during naptime, yes....all 3 of them are napping. This is my first alone day with no help, no family. I can't drive yet so we were restricted to house activities. But it went great! I think because things are back to normal and we don't have people here and ongoing activities. They were ready to be home and play. And to have me. Libby continues to be amazing. She only woke up once last night. (I went to bed at 11, but still!) Then got up at 7:30. This just seems too good to be true.....

This morning I woke her up at 8:00 to feed her and then she went back to sleep and then I could focus on the boys. I colored with them and we built car tracks together and played up in their rooms while I circulated laundry. Then lunch time went great. They quietly ate lunch and watched Word World while I got her up, changed and fed her. Then they went down and I was able to clean the kitchen and get my house back to normal. I got thank you cards done, bills paid, and then I woke Libby up for "awake time" (to ensure our night's success) and just stared at her in awe. Now granted- this day was blessed with all 3 children behaving (which is a phenomena in itself) but it was a good day and it gives me hope that we can run this circus with controlled chaos and teamwork.

Last night we got home from Bible Study and the boys needed to be put to bed but Libby also needed to eat. Usually Jer and I put them to bed together and do a story time together. I'm sure I won't miss it frequently but at times I will have to be feeding or taking care of her and will miss some of it. Last night as I was nursing her downstairs, I could hear Jer reading a Dr. Seuss book to them, using crazy voices and the boys were just cracking up. He is such a good dad. I'm so blessed to have him. Then I got a long awaited back rub from him in exchange for me to cut his hair....It was worth it!

I know we have many long days ahead, but I feel blessed with such a great husband, great kids, great family and friends that have supported us in so many ways.

Getting adjusted....

Well I came home yesterday and the last 24 hours have been surprisingly......great. Libby is such a good baby! Bout' time I had one of those!!! My time in the hospital was very good. I think limiting visitors and not having Jer spend the night (which is nearly impossible with those jokes for beds...) I just had no stress, no one to entertain and nothing to do but heal, spend time with Libby, enjoy 3 days of cable, and get some well needed sleep. Jer brought a movie the last night and we watched it together and it was so nice. As for the bowel issue- it was completely cleared with the next X-ray and she is doing great, eating and pooping with no concerns. Praise God!

As you can see above, the boys are infatuated with her very existence. Jer brought them the second night and I will probably always remember the looks on their faces, when they saw me and their long awaited sister. Ian was just glowing.

The recovery from a C-section is pretty difficult having a 4.5 and 3 yr old at home. But we have some family help here this weekend and we're making it. It's so weird to think that we have a brand new baby at home- because it hasn't seemed like a hectic time at all. Last night she did great. She barely cried when I changed her diapers in between feedings and I don't think Jer barely heard us get up. I'm sure I'll get more tired as time goes by, but for now- I am so thankful that everything has been so smooth. The pain meds for my C have been making me a little sick- but other than that.....

She is precious. I am so thankful for this little life that we have been praying for for so long. It's a whole new experience sharing it with older siblings and a new gender. And she hasn't been spitting up!!!!

Libby!

Well..........................she's here!!!! My water broke last night around 10:30 as I was changing Luke's diarrhea pull-up 30 minutes after he went to bed. We waited awhile for contractions to start and then headed for the hospital at about 11:30pm. We arrived at 12:03 so all my preregistration for my induction planned today was still valid and it was a quick sign-in. I was dilated to a 6 and they thought it would go fast because Luke came in 4 hours. BUT.....I've never had a full term baby and after laboring for 7 hours (getting to a 10)and then pushing for 2 with no progress- my doc decided to do the C-section. Libby just wouldn't fit. She must be huge right? Nope- 42 minutes later they handed her to us and she weighed in at a grand total of 7 lbs, 8 oz. The C-section was a whole different experience for me. Especially after I had been up all night pushing and laboring. It was exhausting and I was getting emotional because I was so frustrated. All the meds- screwed me up and I was so out of it. But she is beautiful and I am so glad that she is here. They surprised me with, "We're going to take her down to NICU to run some tests just because of her prenatal history and the ultrasounds that were done. We'll bring her back in 4 hours...." lovely. So 4 hours later, they wheel me down to see here (not in a wheel chair, but on a stretcher....) and the doc tells me that they did find an obstruction in her bowel. He was hoping that she just needed to poop and maybe that would clear it up. They brought her back to me 6 hours later and she's been doing great. She nursed wonderfully. It's so weird to have a full term baby that already knows what to do and I don't have to spend frustrating time waiting for them to get it. She hasn't spit up any of my milk but the nurses reported her spitting up the formula they gave her during the tests.

They took her again tonight for another x-ray. I don't know the results yet. Hopefully everything is fine. Jer has done great. A great support and she seems to love him. We haven't gotten many pictures yet, but he captured a few right as she came out. Now I'm headed to rest- everyone went home and hopefully the boys are being good. I'll be hanging out here, longer than expected now that we had the C. She's worth it.

Visitors? Not a big visitor fan. I'd rather do my time and get home and then have people come over. So nobody sneak up here.......

Libby Jane Stockett

She has darker hair than the boys did and currently blue eyes.... She's a sweetie.

Nope. still waiting.

Well, I'm just trying to keep the days busy and the boys happy so that I in return have the most pleasant days a 9month pregnant gal can have. Plus- make the most of this summer before it changes drastically. Yesterday we went to another free movie- boys did great. It sure helps when it is a movie of interest. On Tuesday Luke accompanied me all day while bro went to daycare and we had a "special" day together. (which was code for - we both had doc appointments across the hall from one another 2 hours apart so we needed to be in Boise for awhile....)But other than asking where Ian was all day- Luke enjoyed getting the attention and being with mom. But most of all, he enjoyed his chicken nuggets at B.K. after his appointment because the GI specialist orders were to go back on gluten (wheat, flour) until his scheduled scope. (colonoscopy and EGD) Apparently he needs to be "sick" again so the procedure can accurately assess the problem and diagnose it. Part of me is happy that he can enjoy decent food again and that I don't have to invest serious money into Fred Meyer for the next 3 weeks for special food, and the other part is dreading the poop that will follow. (we were already visited this morning by a load.....) So his scope is scheduled at the beginning of August (yes, can you believe that is only 3 weeks away???) and that should determine if he has 1) Colitis- inflammation of the colon. 2)Disaccharide deficiency - which could be several different specific deficiencies that could only be determined by the biopsies. Diet would have to be altered and enzymes taken. 3) Celiac disease could be confirmed although he tested negative to it previously. 4) He is in the 1-5% that suffers from horrific Toddler's Diarrhea and doesn't grow out of it until closer to 5. All the other possible diagnosis she has ruled out from our previous blood work, tests, diets, and trials. That's my understanding from the doc. Don't quote me on any of this. There's a reason I didn't do well in science......

So the big boy got a new transformer in his kids' meal at B.K. and he was very excited. Then we wasted some time and got ready to head to my appointment where he patiently waited in his a chair in the corner of the room listening to his story reader, while the doc stripped my membranes, commenting that it very well may put me into labor in the next 24-48 hours, (it's almost been 48 hours and n.o.t.h.i.n.g.) I was dilated to a 3 and she said Libby was very low and my bag was bulging. But I'm not hoping anymore because I don't think she's coming out any earlier than our scheduled induction- Tuesday morning at 7. That's fine. It's easier to stop expecting it to happen and just plan for that date. I just have to make it a few more days.....
So today we had a fun morning by making very last minute plans to go to the zoo with friends. (Bridgette- I should have called you this morning!!) The boys haven't been since last summer and they had a great time. Plus- half off on Thursdays!!!

Love Sophia H.'s face. She really was having fun.....

Pray for us on Tuesday and for Luke during the next few weeks......Hopefully next blog, I'll be reporting on Libby. Unless I get painfully bored before then. ;)

Happy 4th

4th of July

Great night. Great memory. Great family......

Here are a few pics. Jer already narrated the evening.

The boys watching with Uncle Andrew.

On Friday, we were blessed to spend the day with Jer's brother and sister-in-law who are visiting from Vienna, Austria. It was great to be with them and we look forward to more time with them in the next few weeks. The boys are now in the stage where they are drawn to the male in most situations. They don't want to snuggle up and play with the moms or the women. They go straight for the men, and begin teasing/wrestling and simply idolize them. It's interesting to see it repeatedly happen, even when they don't know the male. They were drawn to Uncle Peff right away and began their usual shenanigans.

We went to a state park and had a picnic and spent the day at the beach..

Sorry, no baby yet.

Ian looks like he is twisting his arm- but I was trying to get them to sit close for a picture. Yeah right. They just kept giggling and splashing....

A nice summer day.....

We made cards this morning for a few friends. Ian spend so much time drawing "robots" on them that we only got 2 done in a whole hour. So if you don't receive one- you were probably on the list we didn't get very far down on. ;) Then we got the pool and slip'n'slide out. We had pizza for lunch outside (which is always a hit) and topped it off with Popsicles.

Siblings are a great things to have. A permanent playmate. I'm glad they have each other....

Luke also pooped in the potty 2 nights ago, and again this morning. It sounds much simpler than it actually is. I usually have to take him to the potty about 10 times prior (because he feels it coming and tells me and then panics and won't go). He has become the master of holding it because of the diarrhea problems he has struggled with since birth. So I keep taking him, trying everything I can think of to get him to feel comfortable going. Usually- it just eventually comes out if he ever does go on the potty. Today he was shaking with fear when it finally came out. I just held him and told him what a big boy he was and how much better he would feel. Next Tuesday we go to his GI specialist and she will do a physical on him and then we are going to schedule the Scope to do (since we are already meeting our family deductible this year!) . I hope to get it done before school starts. If I'm still pregnant- Luke will come with me to my doc appointment that day as well (since the offices are right across the hall from each other...) and my doc is going to strip my membranes and then will schedule an induction for the next week. So the end is in sight! I can't believe she hasn't come! The longest it will be now is 12 days. She's out done both the boys and will no doubt be much bigger. I was only dilated to a 1 on Tuesday. So we'll see......

Gotta go clean the house and prep some food for company tonight. Everybody think water breaking thoughts for me....;)