Quynn 6 months old

BREAKING NEWS!

QUYNN JUST ROLLED OVER FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!
(Like 30 seconds ago)
From back to belly.

No more laying her on the couch I guess.

My baby is growing up!

WAAAAAHHHHH!

(She just did it again!)

thats all I got.

Boston had the best dream last night. He dreamed he was flipped up in the air by a whale tail. Isnt that funny. He is so happy this morning because he had so much fun in his dream last night.

So today is final rehearsal and I FORGOT THE AMP! It is going to be a crazy day for sure but hopefully it will run smoothly.

I am not passing out flyers this year but the recital is tomorrow (Sat. Dec 12th) at 5pm at the Spanish Oaks. (however if you have a dancer, they need to be there at 4)

Hope you all can make it. Its a wonderful Christmas event!

Since I only had about 10 seconds to spend on this post, I am way out of time. Sorry but as the heading says, thats all I got!

See you there!

5 minute Friday

I am starting five minute friday. This is where I take five minutes and post something. Only five minutes. If I run out of things to say, I'll stop early and if I run out of time I may stop mid sentence. But surely I can fit five minutes into this day to post something.

This week has been crazy (whats new?). Christian started out the week sick. Fever, cough. Not sick enough to keep him flat in bed, just sick enough he had to stay home and talk NON STOP with a froggy voice.

Oh! And just a quick story about how truly airheaded my THIRTEEN year old son is...Gary asked Christian to take the turkey out of the deepfreeze so it could thaw out a little (we brined it, posted earlier). So C comes up and says,"Dad, I couldn't get it out of the bucket, the water is like frozen around it."

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! He was going to place a RAW turkey on the CONCRETE FLOOR of my storage room. SERIOUSLY?!

Running out of time! Okay, baby has croup. Poor girl. Oh and with sick kids we couldnt go to Garys sisters for Thanksgiving so we threw it together here. then a christmas carol movie with Jim Carrey which i slept through because i have been up every night with a sick baby.

Still, its been a nice holiday and I have much to be thankful for. And no I didnt go Black Friday Shopping. Waiting for payday to go Christmas shopping :-/

Quynn's first words

Six months... SIX MONTHS I have been teaching her to say, "Ma ma ma ma ma".


Tonight she is laying on a blanket singing, "Da da da da da da!"

Turkey Time

My turkey is in the bucket. Is yours? It should be! :-D

Here's how to do it!

The busiest time of year

Feeling overwhelmed. This time of year is just a thrasher for me, and this year more than ever. Every year we set our Christmas trees (yes, three to be exact) up on November 1st. That's right NOVEMBER FIRST. Well, it takes about a week to get it all up but that is the day we generally start. In fact Gary has the boxes out on Halloween.

I love Christmas and especially the decorations. I love it when the lights are off in the house and only the warm glow of Christmas lights illuminate the room. I love seeing the ornaments that I bought, one for each year to express what we did that year as a family.

I love seeing my collection of snow globes, one for each year of marriage. Some that sing and others that light up. So beautiful.

I love to see the little Christmas village that I hand painted in years past when I had more time.



This year...NOTHING. I have set up NOTHING!!!

I told my kids that when they started keeping the house clean all week long that I would put up Christmas decorations. See, they are great about getting the house clean on Saturdays, but to think of three trees, or even one tree fitting in my house right now, between all the backpacks, baby toys, game controllers, shoes, etc. etc. etc.? I just can't do it.

And now here we are getting into real crunch time with the recital. We are so very unprepared at this point. I know you are all thinking, "dude, its a month away". (Okay, maybe you don't think the word "dude" as much as I do but whatever.) We have practice this week, followed by a two week break because of thanksgiving. Just enough time to forget everything they have learned. One more practice week, and then dress rehearsal. AGH!

We only started the opener last week. And a several classes have not finished learning their dance for the recital!

Not to mention (You know I hate it when people say that and then mention it anyway. Sort of an oxymoron don't you think?) all the stage notes and emails and schedules, programs and fliers I have to figure out, type up, and disperse, as well as decorate 15 or so tomato cages to look like trees, make 30 huge snow flakes, and wrap at least 3 more giant boxes.

All this and just the regular day to day life of raising 5 kids. Quynn is just amazing, I enjoy her so much, but the kid takes time, you know?

My play time with my friends is constant work. Our GNO has turned into sewing parties to finish our costumes for the recital. (Which, by the way, are going to be so fun!) And Lisa (my bff) is adding on to her home. So we are picking fireplaces, flooring, cabinets, fixtures, stonework, stucco, floor plans, window styles and sizes, and more. It is so fun, but just time consuming. You may be thinking, so split up and each do your own thing. Trust me, we both do better with help from the other and I honestly believe we accomplish more together. Plus, I need some fun in life.

Life is crazy right now to say the least. Deep breaths. DEEP BREATHS!

And It Came To Pass

I was just thinking about where I was on Halloween a year ago compared to this year.

One year ago I was sitting with my very sick son in the hospital. Christian had his appendix burst the week of Halloween and we spent six days in the hospital. I was sleeping on a cot in his hospital room with a bad case of Plantar Fasciitous. Christian was sad because he had his costume all planned to wear my black leather biker jacket and go as a biker for Halloween. Very tough and great way to impress the girls.

This year he didn't quite pull together his costume. He was going to go as a kissing booth closed due to the Swine Flu outbreak. But five minutes before the kids were leaving to trick or treat he still had nothing. A couple of years ago I went as a Gypsy and told him he could go as that (half joking of coarse). He thought it was a great idea and 5 minutes later he was in a skirt, make-up, jewelry, and had long gray hair.

I dressed up too. I was a pirate. So together we made a cute couple.

Last year I my heart was filled with prayer. Prayer that my son would get better and so much gratitude for good doctors and medical advancements. Prayer that I would be able to hold the barf bag for my son and not throw up myself. Prayer that the tiny baby growing inside of me would thrive and grow. Desperately praying that I would not have to go through another miscarriage. Prayer for my husband who was home with Strep throat and a high fever on Halloween. Prayer for my other three children who were shipped off with friends to trick-or-treat. Prayer that by some miracle I could pay all the medical bills that I had coming in my future. Little did I know they would only get bigger.

This year my heart is filled with prayer too. Gratitude for FIVE healthy kids. Grateful for a beautiful healthy baby who got to be a ladybug for Halloween. Grateful that I am healthy and feeling good. Grateful to have a wonderful husband who has held my hand the past almost 15 years and held me up the past year. Gratitude that my kids could go trick-or-treating with their dad this year and I could be home and answer the door for all my cute dancers and primary kids.

As for medical bills, they did indeed get bigger. Boston had a cyst in his neck removed last winter and this summer Christian had to have a hernia operation. Then there are of coarse the bills from having this beautiful baby. All I can say is thank goodness for payment plans. I just keep remembering, this too shall pass.

For sure, this year is much better than last year. Maybe the best Halloween I have ever had. And though I wouldn't want to do it again, I can see how much these trials have changed me. The time I spent in the hospital brought me so much closer to Christian. Obviously I am closer to my Heavenly Father for going through these trials. Am I more grateful for this baby than I was for my others? I dont think so but I have never taken having a baby for grantid. It is a miracle any time a baby makes it here. I am finding joy in the simple things. I recognize that I am truly blessed and that my Heavenly Father loves me.

Happy Haloween.

The Past 4 Months.

The past four months has been pretty crazy around here. Nothing too eventful but just the normal craziness that comes from having five kids, teaching dance, a husband who works a lot and commutes an insaine distance.

Quynn is just an amazing person. She loves to holler out like a damsel in distress. She is so happy and loves to laugh. She sleeps 10 to 12 hours a night although lately I am having to plug the binki back in a couple times a night. Ug.

Of coarse when speaking about a baby you can't leave out the diaper dilemas. Quynn waits, and waits, and then EXPLODES! She is the poop queen. The other day Gary (because I made him) changed her. All the kids were circled around to see how big the explosion would be this time. The diaper came off and all yelled,"RETREAT! RETREAT!" Christian had to hold Gary's shirt around his face as well as his own to finish the diaper change. By the end of it, she still stunk so bad, I had to giver her a bath.

Boston has entered kindergarten this year. I know for sure of 3 girls he has proposed to. He says he keeps asking because they all say no. He is a little Romeo for sure.

He is constantly saying the funniest things and I kick myslef for not recording more.

When he is told, "No" to something he wants his latest response is, "Butika...butika". And he looks you directly in the eye and shakes his head like he is absolutely amazed that someone told him, "No".

He loves to play with his friends. His favorite new adventure is playing night games in the cul-de-sac. He is sad that it is so cold and I wont let him anymore.

He is a good little reader and loves Kindergarten. His favorite food is still Mac-N-Cheese. Ick!

Scottlynn. What can I say about her? She is so enjoyable. Her new carreer she wants when she is grown up is a reporter. She loves to practice by asking a million questions on any given topic. On September 11th she asked me questions for 3 days about my memories of the Twin Towers being hit.

She is still the biggest dawdler of any of my kids and keeping her room clean is a constant battle. She lives in lala land a great deal of the time. Oh! And she is a great dancer! Dude, she has really got the groove. This year her class is doing contemporary and she just has so much style. I love to watch her dance.

Kennedy. Kennedy Kennedy Kennedy. Maybe today isnt the best day to ask me about her. I am still trying to figure this one out.

I can say this. She loves babies and little kids. She is the best babysitter. She tends Quynn and is so good with her. She loves to play with her and even loves to change her diapers, even the explosions. She loves to babysit for the neighbors and takes the time to think of what activities she could do with them before she goes.

She has such a fun personality. She is a jokester for sure. She loves to be the life of the party and is just fun to be around (when she's in a good mood which from time to time she is NOT).

Christian is growing up. He is finally arguing less and he works hard. He is still a HUGE airhead. I don't understand how a kid can get straight A's, be so smart, and yet so spacy.

He tests his limits like any 13 year old boy would do. I like the fact that I can talk to him like talking to a friend. He is just becoming whole person. In many ways he is so very responsible. He gets himself up for school, cooks breakfast for himself. Some days I think he is there... he gets it! And then the next I wonder if he is still FOUR.

As for me, I spend almost all day every weekday with my bff Lisa. We cook our meals together. We work on projects like designing her new addition, and cleaning out our fridges. Playing with Quynn is, of coarse, a favorite too. We laugh and laugh and sometimes cry. Occasionally we can't hang out becuase I have to work on dance and she has things that she has to do. Those are bummer days.

Weekends are fun with family and especially Gary. I LOVE to go on dates. As a family we have started hiking this summer and Gary and I have gone a couple times for a date. Love that!

Gary is a great husband. He works hard, then comes home and works hard. The kids do their own laundry and he pretty much does the rest. He loves golfing and hiking. He loves to rock Quynn during dance classes and at night.

Oh! And he is finally on Facebook. He is LOVING it. There are nights we are found sitting on our couch next to eachother, both with our laptops, on Facebook.

Yeah, soooo..... uh. Thats all for now. :0)

Thoughts

I have really been feeling bad about my poor poor blog. I do want to blog. But, life just gets in the way. I have so many things I NEED to be doing, as well as things I WANT to be doing, and I just don't have enough time in the day for everything.

I get held back in the blogging world becuase I feel like every post needs to be perfectly edited and proper, and I just don't have the time or energy for that. I have been loving Facebook. I can post one sentence to sum up how I am feeling, or post pictures with no exlanation at all. It just doesnt seem to demand as much.

However, I want to save some of these memories and I have no doubt that Facebook is not the best way to do that. So, I am going to treat my blog like a Facebook. Post whatever little I have time for. Maybe some days (like today) a bit more, but hopefully it will help me to document something.

Blessing Quynn

Yesterday we were able to bless our sweet Quynn. Her blessing was so special and I was grateful that Gary could give her the blessing. We have gone through so much to get her here but she is worth every bit of the struggle. After the blessing her aunt Brooke stayed and got some cute pictures of her.

Quynn's first photo shoot.

Getting a good shot of a two week old can be pretty difficult but I think these turned out cute.

Our little ballerina.

Sleeping beauty

Her blessing dress (We are planning on blessing her July 12th.)

Tiny Feet.

What an angel!

Thanks Kasa.

Its's a GIRL!

I am finally getting around to posting about our beautiful new baby girl. She has certainly turned my world upside down. It has not taken me so long to post for lack of motivation. I simply am trying to find the time to do anything outside of feeding her, changing diapers and getting a shower by 4pm.

I am getting better at multitasking. For example at this moment she is sleeping on me and making cooing noises while I type. A new baby and a computer... this is the life!

She was born June 1st 2009 at 2:53 pm. Technically her labor was sort of long but it was only because the hospital staff just dawdled the day away. I actually went into labor Monday morning at 2am even though I was scheduled to be induced at 6am that morning.

I went to the hospital at 4am. I knew it was important that I not get too close to having her because I was strep positive. This is something that is normal and many women have. It is no risk to the mother but can be to the baby. They simply give antibiotics intravenously before the delivery and then there is no risk to the baby. But it needs 4 hours to be completely effective.

When I got there they checked to make sure I wasn't close and I wasn't, so the nurse went to help deliver another baby. They didn't get the antibiotics going until after I had been there several hours, which frustrated me.

At that time they also broke my water, hoping that would speed things up. But it just made my contractions un-even and lighter. Basically, it had the opposite effect. But they wanted to wait to see what my body would do.

I got an epidural and they waited.

They FINALLY started the pitocin. But they just started it low because after all, I was already in labor on my own. My contractions went up to two minutes apart but still not doing much. I was feeling incredibly frustrated at this point. If I had come in at six, having no labor pains they would have just started everything then and I would have a baby by 10am. But because they wanted to see what my body would do on its own, they dawdled the day away.

A little past 1:30 the doctor and nurse made a bet as to when she would be born. The doctor guessed 4pm, and the nurse guessed one hour. I liked the nurses idea. The doctor said to leave the pit where it was to, of coarse, "see what her body will do". He left the room and the nurse came over and doubled the pit. :)

I went from a four to delivering in just over an hour.

Of coarse, when babies first come out, they are a bit scary looking. Lost of goop and a bit blue, but I could tell she was a cutie from the start. She was terribly MAD. No cute cries from this gal, she was ANGRY!

She weighed 8 pounds 2 ounces and was 21 inches long. I know that is a good size baby but she just looked tiny to me. She was so skinny. I don't think I could ever do the little 5 pounders that some people have. I feel like I am going to break her at 8 pounds.

At her arrival, I admit, I just bawled, and Gary of coarse cried too, which made me bawl harder. I still cry if I think about it too much. She is a miracle. I am so blessed to have her. I am so glad that this time the Lord wanted the same thing for us that we wanted.

This pregnancy has been filled with so much anticipation as well as so many worries. Feeling myself getting attached and hoping my heart would not be ripped out again. To have her here was just the biggest relief of my life. I could finally take a deep breath, in every way.

A few months ago we came up with the name Quynn. We had actually considered Quin for a boy and then realized we liked it for a girl. Coming up with a middle name was a bit trickier. All our kids have some sort of family name but we just didn't feel any of the family names were quite right. I loved the name Thea (pronounced Taya). I had a neighbor with that name growing up.

So the name Quynn Thea was considered but I still worried that she would feel like her name didn't have any special meaning. So I looked up what each name meant. I was thrilled to find out that Quynn means "fifth". She is the fifth so we could definitely use that name. Then I looked up Thea and found that it means "gift from God". She truly is a gift from God. What a perfect name for her. All Three of my girls have two N's and a Y so I thought the spelling was perfect.

Her initials are QT like "cutie". We had told the kids if we had a girl we were going to name her Cutie. They didn't believe us but they laughed when she was born to find out we were telling the truth all along.

The hardest part of this whole thing is that she is so loved, there is not enough of her to go around. This girl will never have to wonder if she was wanted. We all love her so much, words can not express. Now I have to find a way to convince myself to keep up on all of my other responsibilities. I just want to hold her all day.

I know there have been many prayers in our behalf over the past few years trying to get this baby here. I want to thank those of you who have kept us in your heart and in your prayers. I have some great friends who have been very supportive. Thank you for all you have done for me and my family. You helped to get my little angel here.

There are more pictures coming shortly. My neighbor took some beautiful pictures and as soon as I have them I will post them. Please be patient with my updates.

The newest addition to our home!

I realize I have been a crappy blogger. I guess I just needed something great enough to get me back into the blogging world.



Boston turned the big 5! We had a party and it was an event definitely worth marking...but it just didn't stir the blogging bug.



I held my spring dance recital, and although it was fabulous, still, no post.



So here I am with the biggest most exciting news since well, my last post. I am the proud new momma of......of......








Oh I cant say it.






I am just so happy!









And EXCITED!





I feel like I have been waiting my whole life.









Here is the newest little addition...

My new BARCALOUNGER!



Yes folks! I am the proud owner of a brand new barcalounger, complete with barcathrottle to catapult my feet into the air.


It rocks.


It reclines.

And it is soooo comfy.

Some of you may remember that "barcalounger" is a favorite word in my house. It's just so unreal to say that, "I am the proud owner of a barcalounger. ME!"

Perfect for laying back a bit to watch tv to get my ribs off this baby. Perfect for rocking new babies. And perfect for messing around on the computer. (Notice how I can just use my belly for a place to hold the mouse.)

I think I will never leave my house again...well actually, I think giving birth in the chair might not be the best idea so I guess I'll have to leave long enough to do that. BUT THEN I'M PLANTING MY FANNY RIGHT BACK HERE!

By the way, Gary wants everyone to know that this was an early Mothers Day present. He got it early because it was on sale and we got a sweet deal thanks to Fonzy.

Feel free to come by and see the new little cutie, but no you can't have a turn. Sorry, its MINE!

Recital Time

I know, I know, I know. I am a huge blogging SLACKER!!! I admit it. To be honest I have lost all ambition to do pretty much anything. No, I'm not depressed just very very pregnant.

I did want to remind anyone who actuallly still checks this thing that the dance recital is this weekend (Saturday April 25th at 5pm). This is the one area I have really tried not to slack in and have worked hard to make a good show. I just hope they don't all dance like a bunch of fat old pregnant ladies.

Our theme is "Change the World". The music is really fun this time and so are the costumes and decorations. I will NOT be dancing. I have had nightmares about my water breaking during the recital. And nightmares that the baby just decides to come right then and I have to deliver right there in front of 200 people.

As for future posts, I will not make any promises. I do plan to at least blog some pictures of this baby when it decides to make its appearance into the world. But other than that, we'll just have to wait and see.

Good luck to all you bloggers and if you are in the area and can make it I would love to see you at the recital.

Baby got Belly

Many people have told me that I should "relish" in the fact that I am as big as a turnip truck. Some day I'll look back on all this and smile that I couldn't fit into any of my clothes. (Ya, like the day I get back into my skinny jeans maybe). Anyway, so here are some pictures of my ever increasing mid section.


This is what I wore Sunday. My family thought I looked great from a frontal view. "Wow mom! You look so cute in that!"

Then, I made the mistake of turning sideways. It was so funny. They all jumped at the same time,"Whoa!" And then just loads of laughter. Thanks guys.

I don't know if it is because this is my fifth or if it is because I am five years older than the last one (almost13 years older than the first) but my body is not holding together as well as it used to. It just wants to EXPAND. Notice in the picture above, there is the belly out the front, as well as the big bump out the back. Ug that would be my ever increasing BUTT!

I supposed being a dance teacher and being expected to wear form fitting things during class doesnt' help the self image. I would post pictures of that but then none of you could ever eat again, which would cause you to loose weight, and just make me look all that larger in comparison. Maybe I should start posting some really great fattening recipe's so you all GAIN weight and once again I look thin. :)

So how far along am I you ask? Only 26 weeks. I HAVE 3 MONTHS LEFT!!! Dude! I will be the size of a five star restaurant...with a buffet!