Fabulous Fathers

We are thankful for Daddies. And Grandpas. And Uncles. And all the other special not-related-but-might-as-well-be men in our lives. Thankful today, and everyday!

We celebrated Father's Day one day early, as we have the past three years. We spend Saturday with a late afternoon BBQ, hanging out in the yard, playing with our cousins, and getting wet in the front yard sprinkler (or backyard water slide). The dads and grandpas enjoy good beer, a nice view from the deck, and good food (that THEY prepare since none of us women know how to run the grill). The rest of us watch the kids run and play and just have simply a good time together, taking in a lazy afternoon.

5pm is when the action starts. Bob drives Alex to the marching band meeting spot, and gets Jonny and Crispy to their banner holding station. He then travels to our designated "saved" spot by the park along the parade route for Lake Waconia's Band Festival, which has harbored our chairs and blankets from the day before. This year, we were sickened to find that all five of our chairs had been stolen sometime overnight. Sad to think that this happens in our sweet little town. The rest of us arrive after walking 6 blocks from the nearest parking space to our blankets on the curb. At precisely 6pm, the show begins. And quite a show it has become!

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Once a small, charming little event in a small, charming little town, the festival has grown immensely in the 6 years we have been here. From our first summer where we just happened upon a prime spot on the sparsely populated curb in the parade, to now having to save spots the night before in a crowd that has become 6 layers deep from the curb in order to get a good view. While a bit frustrating that this is what it takes, it is all worth it in the end, as we watch 15 of the state's top marching bands perform right in front of us. Always a treat. This year, not only did we get to share it with Grandmas and Grandpas, but my brother and his family shared it with us too. I think they enjoyed it...even though Waconia's drumline parked their gong right in front of us which impeded the view and sound of their show. No matter...we got to focus on the award winning drumline instead! Waconia has been sweeping all contests we have been in this year....it has been so exciting. Since we were the hosts for this festival, we did not get to compete, but the kids performed to their very best level anyhow, because that's the way Waconia does it!

Today, Bob spent his Father's Day following Alex in the marching band through the streets of Hutchinson with Michael by his side. The rest of us did not attend the competition as it appeared certain that storms would be riddling our outing. Thankfully for the band, the storms never happened...not even rain. Meanwhile, we were rained out at home, and my tired children spent the afternoon bullying each other and being impossibly obnoxious. It was a fabulous day for me, I tell ya'. If it hadn't of been for making it to church this morning ( 15 minutes late, but I DID make it there!), this day would have been a total bust for the rest of us.

Daddy spending some sweet time with the baby, protecting her delicate ears at the parade.

After the parade, Bob and Michael took off for his Christian hockey camp in St. Cloud. They spent good use of their extra time by having dinner together and enjoying a quiet outing, just the two of them. Bob's dedication to Alex's marching band and Michael's hockey has been quite complete over the last three years. He does not miss a game or a parade unless entirely impossible to make it....and when that happens, he just feels terrible. So, it is actually quite fitting that those two things have filled up this father's day for him. I hope he realizes how much our kids appreciate his efforts and the time he bestows on them, when time is so precious and little for him most days. They are lucky to have such a dedicated dad.

My 5 men watching eagerly as the 6th(Alex) comes marching down the street

Upon his return this evening, he will get to enjoy relaxing at his computer, watching Chuck with Jonny from the DVD season 1 collection. He will probably spend time being silly with the little ones, causing Laura and Tubby to giggle, and Melissa and Crispy to scream. He will also probably spend some time holding his itty bitty baby daughter which is good for her and good for me, as I will get a break to change laundry loads or finish the growing pile of dishes in the sink. Yes, we are looking forward to Daddy coming home and restoring a sense of balance to this (irritating) day. Though it is just an ordinary day at our house for the kids, I think they do recognize the extraordinary Daddy they have....it is evident in the grand amount of excitement that is brewed while yelling, "Daddy's Home!" as soon as he walks through the front door.

Happy Father's Day!

Little Sister

What can we do with a little sister?

We can hold her and give her lots and lots of love.


We can strap her in the car seat and bring her places with us.

We can give her baby massages with oil and lotion after her bath.

We can hold her some more and enjoy her cute littleness.

We can push her in her swing or give her her nukki when she is sad.

We can share her with others, like Grandmas and Grandpas.

We can hold her some more and be proud to be helpful & loving big sisters and brothers.

We can play "dolls" with her...and she gets to wear the doll's dresses too!

...and she can wear the doll's pajamas! (American Girl Doll Julie's 1970's PJ's)

But mostly we love her & hold her and thank God for yet another glorious miracle.

One Month Old---Hooray!

Is it possible? Can it be? Our tiny little Baby Bethany is One Month Old already? Oh my....

So sweetly sleepy, softly slumbering.......

Swinging to the sound of birds chirping and waterfalls gently gurgling........

Growing and growing (to 6-1/2 pounds), along with the beautiful spring blossoms......

So blissfully happy in baby-doll looks......perhaps ready to soon smile!

Skinny little arms and legs and super sweet soft cheeks...highly kissable indeed!

The Long Post.....

Happy Four Week Old Birthday!!

OK, I'll be honest.......bringing a new baby home, who is a preemie at that, having some slight (but not horrible) post-surgical complications, and having the kids all get out of school for summer vacation all in the same week has been somewhat of a challenge, even for me. The baby is doing great, the kids have all been doing well and are having a great time, my recovery is finally going in the right direction, but by golly, we still are having to all learn how to get along with new dynamics......not to mention Mommy is finally back at home and we have to adjust the Daddy vs. Mommy in charge rules a bit. A little confusing to the kids, as well as to myself at times. I am NOT 100% yet, and anything less is a very hard place for me to settle for.

Grandma & Lyle visit every Sunday after taking the boys to church

BUT, it IS all good. Really. We are managing quite well. We made it through that first week of "summer" vacation as it rained and was only 50 degrees most days, keeping us captive inside our home. ALL TOGETHER in the same little room most of the time, ALL DAY, EVERYDAY.
What that HAS allowed is some really great time for the kids to get acquainted with their new baby sister. Believe me, she has no lack of attention around here. The kids have also spent enough time playing video games, that they now could really care less if they ever play again....they have had their fill. AND, the kids have enjoyed the variety of toys that have cycled up and down from the basement, aiding in creative play and entertainment for hours.

Bethany still sleeps A LOT. Even at night. This is good for me....one would think. However, she is so NOISY.....those cute little baby noises just do not stop with her. I think Laura and even Michael were the same way. So cute, but so constant are the noises she makes. And at night, it makes me nervous, always watching her wondering, "Is she puking? Is she having a hard time breathing? Does she need to burp? WHAT'S WRONG???" So, by about 3am, I just can't stay awake anymore, and I pass out from my vigilant post at her bedside (which is right next to my head as she is sleeping in a Snuggle Nest in between the pillows of our bed). At 5:30am, I awake with her resting on my arm, with no recollection of how she gets there. We've done this every night for the past two weeks. I think it is safe to say I may be slightly sleep deprived.

She continues to grow and eat like crazy during the day. Though she still looks tiny, she now is beginning to look more like a newborn, and to have a less fetal-not-quite-done-baking-yet look. Her hair remains so soft, as is her sweet skin on her skinny little arms and legs. These last two days have been the first times she has been in summer clothing....now that it is beginning to actually feel like summer.....so it has been the first time her naked limbs have been exposed. So cute!!!! Her butt is still so tiny, but it is beginning to react to disposable diapers, just as Tubby's had, so I have tried to move her to my favorite Seventh Generations....but even the newborn size is too large and wide for real comfort. I finally tried her soft, cloth Little g diapers today....so adorable, though large also.
Meant for a baby at 8 pounds, her little 6.5 pound body is slightly swimming in them. I am still hopeful that I can make these work for now.....otherwise, I just might be looking at cloth diapers, period!

Alex spent his first week of summer vacation at Marching Band Camp. Always a fun time for those kids. He had a nice surprise for us to remember this year's camp by:
Yeah, we knew that the kids were planning on cutting his hair at camp. We HAD been forewarned. We had NOT been prepared for HOW MUCH. Last night, he won the family's "Softest Hair" contest. He even beat his newborn sister!




After my routine blood draw at the lab in the cities on Thursday(checking my troublesome factor X which determines the amount of coumadin I need to take to avoid another PE), my mom and I stopped with the little ones at a park in Chaska for some lunch and playtime. The weather was so very lovely and perfect...just above 70 degrees...I wish it would stay this way all summer long. We must have spent an hour and a half just chilling at the park and enjoying the glorious day while Laura and Tubby happily played on a new-to-them play structure. We were treated to the band's first performance in the park on Thursday evening, which was also our first time out with all the kids as a family. Thank heavens that my mom was already there to help me, and Daddy met us at the park, as well as Grandma ?. It was kind of a more-than-one-person job. I packed a dinner for the kids which they ate while waiting for the performance to start, and finished later as they played at the adjoining playground after the band went by, and finally downed some drinks as they came with me to watch Jonny's baseball game. Jonny is really getting into it this year. He is swinging evenly, catching and throwing well, and genuinely enjoying the game. He has fit in well, though starting rather late as a newbie two years ago, at the elder age of 9. The kids were good sports through it all, and entertained themselves well between bouts of cheering for their older brothers that night......the entertainment usually involved dirt or sand of some sort....

On Friday evening, Bob and I actually went out to a restaurant with our friends to celebrate a birthday. We took the baby, had some good food, and laughed so hard I thought my belly would burst (really....I was holding it together with my hands...). Later in the evening, I met countless new friends in the restaurant bathroom as I was nursing my teeny four week old girl. I also enjoyed a variety of conversations about breastfeeding with sober and less than sober women who passed through. It was so great to be out of the house, and to see people again, both Thursday and Friday. We dare say we almost felt like NORMAL human beings. I know, that is hard to fathom.

But the real shocker came on Saturday as we ALL went to Alex's parade 90 minutes away in Owatonna. Being our first real summer day, it took preparation to pack the things required for an entire afternoon away, for the baby-especially the sling and pacifier-otherwise might as well call the whole project off, chairs for ourselves, hats(which got left in the truck), water (which also was left in the truck, big bummer), sunscreen, blankets to sit on, the camera, phones that were fully charged in case we had to separate(marching band viewing is a serious business), and bags to catch parade candy(um, left in the truck). But, we did it! And you know what? WE ALL, and I heavily stress the word ALL, had fun!!!! The kids had a blast, Tubby was in heaven watching the multiple firetrucks go by, the power of a little bit of candy is not to be dismissed, and we got a perfect viewing spot for the marching band show. With the temp a perfect 75 degrees, accompanied by a pleasant breeze, we could not have asked for a better day. Bob and I were shocked by how quickly time had passed......we were there for nearly 3 hours, but it hardly seemed like one. What a great day.

Today, I almost made it to church. I was nearly ready, but my baby was much too hungry to wait at the time required to leave. At least now it is more of a timing issue and needing to schedule a bit more to my getting ready routine, instead of a I'm-not-feeling-physically-able-to-make-it kind of issue. In fact, I have been doing much better with using the hot pads and walking regularly with the neighbor(we are now at about 45 minutes), creating some good movement plans that seem to be lessening the pain considerably. I am happy to report that I have been free of heavy pain meds since Thursday. It's wonderful!!

Bob took the big boys to church, while I stayed behind the the youngest 5. As I nursed the baby, we read Bible stories from four different children/family bibles (FYI, I am totally loving our new ESV Family Bible...the stories are written wonderfully and biblically, and the illustrations are beautiful), and did a few question and answer devotions. This seemed to lift their spirits a bit, as they were quite sad (some to the point of tears) about missing church. Oh! We even made up our own little tune to sing a song at the end of one of the books. It was kind of a special morning for us.

Bob and the same 3 big boys all headed more than 2 hours away to Benson, MN for a Marching Band competition today. Those are really the best, as 10-20 top rated bands compete for cash prizes and trophies. Each year, we are always impressed with the variety of shows, moves, music, and props that are used in these competitions. It's a whole other world....and a really good one! Neither the baby not I could comfortably handle so much driving in one day (more than 4 hours total), so I stayed behind with the little 5 again. We converted the basement rice table into the outdoor water table it was meant to be and I conveniently parked it right outside the family room window so that I could supervise my children from the comforts of my air conditioned home as I snuggled my baby all day. Because, come on.....80 degrees is MUCH too hot for me. We also set up a small sprinkler system in the yard. The kids were busy all afternoon in the yard, running after the neighbors, having water gun fights, then later verbal and physical fights with those same neighbors(which was not nearly as cute as the previous water fights), and finally ending the evening near 9 o'clock with a friendly visit from the local sheriff who drove through the neighborhood passing out gold star stickers and Minnesota Twins baseball cards. Tubby played at that table all day....I kid you not....a solid 5 hours. He took a 15 minute break to eat his dinner, at a picnic bench right next to the water table. If this keeps up all summer, I've really got it made!

And the Marching Band Competition results? Just in at 9:45pm: We won it all!!!!! Best drum line, best colorguard (cute girls dancing with the colorful flags), people's choice (the crowd favorite), and Grand Champion (judge's most highly rated). Hooray!!!!! This might be our year to take it all away from Park Center when we go to the biggest competition of all in Alexandria that last Sunday in June!!!(OK, Lisa, that is your head's up for this year's first summer visit!)

Oh, and I just changed Bethany's little g diaper for the first time (cloth diaper with a flushable insert). It was great! I kept it on her more than 5 hours, though the recommended is 2----but seriously, I do not have the money to afford changing her every two hours, these things are expensive! The insert was very wet, but her poo stayed inside, and only a tiny bit of the cloth edges PERHAPS were slightly damp. I really couldn't quite tell, but again, these diapers ARE a bit large on her teeny tiny tushie. The best part was ripping the insert apart as instructed (VERY easy), and flushing it down the toilet as it was literally disintegrating before my eyes. One less diaper in the landfill! This has been a great ending to a very good day!!!!

Yikes! Blogger is warning me about a scheduled outage in five minutes and Bob and the boys just got home (obviously by speeding????), so I am going to have to try to add pictures tomorrow. Be sure to check back, I've got quite a few!!! G'night!

SCHOOL'S OUT!

What a great day! Mary and her littlest 3 came to visit me and my littlest 3 as the rest of our kids finished off their last day of the school year. We had a great visit, she brought lots of yummy food from Trader Joe's, and the kids had a fabulous time playing together. It is amazing and wonderful that our kids are so well matched in age and gender.

The kids came bounding home at the usual time, with backpacks brimming and overflowing with STUFF. The STUFF is now spilling all over my kitchen, the table, the entryway, and the stairs. Yippee for STUFF. We all piled into the truck for our first real outing since Bethany came home one week ago. Where did we go?

Out for Summer Vacation Ice Cream, of course!

This was Tubby's first ever ice cream cone...he did pretty well!

We then dropped Melissa off at an all-classroom party that one of the kids was having at his home. Water slides, bounce house, hot dogs, chips, drinks, water guns, you name it, it was there. There were about 50 or more kids there, running around, having a blast. These parents must have been certifyably crazy to put something like this on fro three hours. Though she was a bit overwhelmed at first, Melissa had a great time, and was not ready to leave when we came to pick her up on the way to Uncle Billy's.

Yes....our first major outing as a family! We crammed into the truck with everyone (except Alex, as now one person will always have to volunteer to be left behind due to lack of space in our truck), and drove the hour up to Maple Grove for dinner and a friendly game of poker, including visitng with Grandpa from Duluth. We had a fun evening, and it was nice to show Bethany off to Bob's family who has not yet seen her. She got lots of good attention tonight! Carly entertained the little ones well, as she always does. Even Laura had some fun when she wasn't scared to death of the "attack dogs"(a mini-toy poodle that MAYBE weighs two pounds, and a furry little shi-tzu). The kids even got to jump on a trampoline...normally a forbidden pleasure in our family of medical personnel.

What a great way to end the school year. We are SO looking forward to this summer vacation....it is going to ROCK this year!

Happy 3 Week Birthday, Bethany!

Settling

Things are going pretty well. Bethany still sleeps A LOT, just like a little premie is expected to . But when she is awake, though for only a brief period of time, she is AWAKE. And so ALERT. It has been simply amazing to us how she tracks with her eyes, moves her head toward any sound, and really just seems to be figuring things out. Though age-wise still a premie little girl, her brain sure seems to be acting like a much older baby. We're not biased or anything, but we think she just may be a genius.



This is the last week of school for the kids, so it has been relatively quiet and calm during the daytime hours. Bob drives the kids to school before I even wake up in the morning, Laura and Tubby have been doing a nice job staying quiet as they watch the movie CARS until I get up, we have a little breakfast, make a little lunch, and then I fall asleep for a two hour nap every afternoon. It's crazy....I am NOT a napper! But I can't even try to stay awake anymore. This has been going on since recovery day #3. I am hoping for this napping phase to subside soon. I need to get back to normal! But for now, I will continue to take my mom up on offers to help, and I am gladly accepting the delicious meals my MOPS friends are bringing over every couple of days.

Perhaps Tubby isn't adjusting as well as we thought.......

Bethany had a weigh in and post Special Care Nursery Check -Up on Monday.....she has been growing! She wieghed a whole 5 pounds, 12 ounces! That is nearly half a pound gain since Thursday. Way to go, girl! It was my first time really out with the kids, and I found it about all we could do that day to make it to the clinic and back. The kids did great, Bethany does not seem to mind her carseat as long as she's got a pacifier, and it was fun to have strangers oogle over her a bit. But for me, it was starting to hurt quite a bit that day....

The abdominal skin reactions/infection/cellulitis that kept me in the hospital a day longer than expected had improved considerably after MUCH Benadryl and a long series of antibiotics. I saw my new allergy list at discharge, and it was hysterically long, as they had added to Aspirin, Sulfa, Ibuprofen, and Latex, a list including "metal, tape, adhesive", and a few other things I now don't even remember. They should have just written allergy to "HOSPITALS"...that would have covered it all. However, some intense burning pain in my belly along with new onset bleeding and back pain in my right kidney led to yet another ride into Abbott for assessment. I was happy/not happy to find out it was nothing seriously concerning, but that I am most likely experiencing the joys of abdominal adhesions due to surgery. Basically, my inside tissue layer has not healed back upon itself, but is instead attaching to other abdominal organs and walls causing pulling, stretching, and thus, the intractable buring pain. (This is a fairly common complication, so don't get the wrong idea that I am special or something!) I was sent back home (thankfully!) with instuctions to USE pain killers (I had managed to be off of percocet for over one week, thus being my concern when I found myself reaching for them again the past 3 days after crying for several hours each morning), and try heating pads . Perhaps this will resolve a bit, but I have been visiting chat rooms (where I was kind of able to slef diagnose before we went to the hospital, so I was not surprised at their answer), and many women have been suffering with this pain post c-section for months, even years, often leading to physical therapy. My plan is to use the heat A TON, and to start stretching and walking as soon as possible.... so that means that though I do not want to, I AM going to restart the percocet for pain control to accomplish the physical tasks and try to avoid the worsening of these nasty adhesions. HOWEVER, I will take these troubles any day over another PE.....so things really aren't that bad!

Our first walk....to the stop sign and back...round trip=1/2 mile

Another interesting thought in my head revolves around the comments I had to correct repeatedly to everyone new who came into my care......I do NOT HAVE Lupus.....I have the Lupus anticoagulant in my bloodstream at times. It is different. But at the same time, I do have so many similar issues as do people with Lupus that I HAVE been tested for it 4 times in the past 10 years, and it IS something that I would not be the least bit surprised to "contract" at some point. *sigh*

ANYHOW......we were finished up at rush hour, so Bethany and I got to hang out with my parents at their house until traffic subsided a bit. We enjoyed some peace and quiet, and another dinner of Indian food. It really does not get better than Indian food for me(can you tell???). Bethany got to be spoiled by her grandparents without any distractions....what a lucky girl.



The kids are all enjoying getting to know their little baby sister. Everyone wants to hold her....even Tubby now! The major points of interest seem to be Bethany's tiny feet and hands. So little and miniature and perfect. What a sweet little girl. Laura is great with her....she gives her the pacifier at just the right times, and keeps her happy long enough for me to take a shower in the morning. Tubby is the Keeper of Her Toes, and checks to see that he can find both feet at all times under her little pink nightgowns. He is fascinated by little "Nee-Nee".

Yes, we are settling in well, I'd say. Things are going OK!