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8.28.2012

Kindergarten, Here we come!

In just a few short hours, my oldest "baby" will officially be a Kindergartner.

I am not going to lie, it has been a very emotional few days leading up to today, the first day of Kindergarten....for her and for me.
I have tried writing this post a few times, but it makes me cry, so I stop.
Being 18 days post partum does not help my cause.
Can you say hormones? Yikes. I can cry at the drop of a hat right now.
And, the sleep deprivation just adds fuel to the fire.

I can't believe the time has come to send Kate to Kinder.
It seems like just yesterday that she was a baby.
And now? Now she is a Kindergartner.
I took this picture early this morning as she was sleeping peacefully and I just prayed over my sweet Kate and her transition to Kindergarten. She doesn't like change and the past 18 days have been full of change...new baby brother and starting school. It has worn her out emotionally.
I am so nervous/scared/anxious/excited for Kate.
Her class list was posted yesterday and she got the teacher that she really wanted (yay!) but we don't know anyone in her class. There are 2 other Kinder classes and we know 3-4 kids in all the other ones, but none in hers.
She is a little nervous about that, but I told her she is so lucky she gets to meet new friends!
(I am not going to lie, I am super nervous she doesn't know anyone either. I was really hoping she would have a familiar face in her class with her.)

Her outfit is picked out and she is excited that today we get to go to Kindergarten with her.
I am so thankful our school has a short first day (2 hours) and that parents get to stay the whole time.
Today she will be walking into her Kindergarten classroom and into other classrooms for the next 13 years.....the majority of her days will be spent at school.
That thought alone puts a lump in my throat.
The time goes by so quickly and it makes me question everything.
Have I done enough for Kate in her first 5 years?
Have I done enough to prepare her for the world around her?
Is she confident enough? Smart enough?
Will she be a friend to those who don't have friends?
Will she stand up for herself and others?
Will be respectful to her teacher?
Kids at school can be mean....Does Kate know how much she is loved by God and her family?
I could go on and on about how scared/nervous/excited/anxious I am for her, but I will just end this with a prayer.
Dear God,
Please calm my heart and Kate's.
Please be with her today and the rest of her days at school and give her confidence in YOU. Help her stand against peer pressure. Empower her to make good decisions.
Surround her with good friends that are positive influences.
Protect her from bullies and those that mean them harm.
Help me as a parent to be even more supportive of her this year.
Give me the words to help build Kate up during her school years and give her the courage to talk to me if she is ever having a problem.
Strengthen my discernment.
You are in control and we need to trust you.
Amen.
Deep Breath.
Kindergarten, Here we come!

8.24.2012

10 years of Us.

10 years ago today Kevin and I said "I do"
We were so young! We had no idea what we were in for. Ha!
I can honestly say, it's been the best 10 years of my life.
Has it been easy? For the most part, Yes.
Have we had issues? Yes.
Has it taken work? Yes.
But is it worth it? Absolutely.
I feel so lucky to be married to my best friend and married to someone who loves me (and puts up with me) despite my shortcomings and flaws.
We originally planned to go to Hawaii for our 10 years anniversary, but then I got pregnant with Luke, so those plans have been postponed.
I feel so fortunate to do life together for the past DECADE!!
10 years, 3 houses, 1 dog, 2 beautiful girls and a new baby boy, here we are.
Happy 10th Anniversary!
Can't wait to see what the next 10 have in store!

And, a happy 38th Anniversary to my awesome parents!

8.23.2012

And so it begins.....



2 weeks old today & so it begins.....
His older sisters picking on him & dressing him up like a girl.
The look on his face says it all...
"Seriously? Is this what I have to deal with the rest of my life with 2 older sisters?"
It's rough being the outnumbered little brother.Gotta love the smirk in this one. I can only imagine what Luke is thinking....



"Give me a few years, Kate & Claire...Payback is a b*#$%!

8.21.2012

Luke's Birth Story

I love birth stories.
Each one is so different & unique.
My birth story with Luke actually begins on Monday, August 6th when I got a call from my doctor letting me know they just found out his daughter got into Texas Christian and therefore, he would be out of town from Friday the 10th until Monday the 13th.
*My due date was Tuesday August 14th*
He called to let me know this and to let me know that he tried to schedule an induction for me that week, but the hospital was full for inductions (they only allow a certain amount of inductions per day).

When he called me on Monday morning, he told me that he wanted to be able to deliver my baby and that we needed to discuss my options for what we wanted to do.

My options were:
1. Wait to be induced on my due date when he was back from Texas
OR
2. Come into his office that day (Monday) so he could strip my membranes in hopes of getting labor started before he went to Texas.
He induced me with both girls right around my due date because I have big babies & wanted to induce me for the 3rd time because this baby was also measuring big. He didn't think I would go into labor on my own (since I never had) but he didn't want me to go to my due date since this baby was also a big one.We both agreed that option #2 was the best.
I didn't want to wait to be induced because what if I went into labor when he was out of town?!?!
That thought alone freaked me out.
I LOVE my doctor. He goes to our church, lead a high school small group with Kevin a couple years ago, he saved my tube when I had an ectopic pregnancy and there is no other doctor I trust.
I never have a birth plan. My birth plan is whatever he says to do.

So, Monday afternoon, I head to his office to get my membranes stripped.
(which is trying to separate your bag of water from your cervix)
Ouch.
I was at 3 cm & he told me to walk a lot that evening in hopes that my body would go into labor, but if I didn't go into labor then to come in again on Tuesday morning & he would strip my membranes again.
I walked a little over a mile that evening.
I took a "final" belly picture just in case I went into labor that night.
Can't believe there was a 9 lb 6 oz baby in there!
I woke up Tuesday morning & was not in labor at all, so I went back to the Dr's.
He checked me and said I was about 3.5 cm and then he stripped my membranes again (Super Ouch) and he said to go walking again.
So, I walked 3.5 miles after my appointment while pushing the girls in my double jogger.
My Dr. said if I STILL didn't go into labor then to come into his office AGAIN on Wednesday afternoon. He would keep trying to squeeze me into the hospital for an induction.
He said to come to his office on Wednesday afternoon because hopefully all the Wednesday inductions would be over by then & the hospital might be able to get me in.
He said to pack my hospital bag...just in case.
I woke up Wednesday morning, not in labor.
This was the forecast for the week. Not the forecast you like to see at 39 weeks pregnant.
It was going to be a HOT week.
But, I was determined to get this party started, so in 95 degree weather on Wednesday morning, I walked another 4.5 miles with the girls. I was for sure having light contractions, so I was feeling hopeful that all this walking would be helping dilate me or something!
I went to my appointment late Wednesday afternoon & my doctor checked me....and I was STILL 3.5 cm. All that walking did nothing. Ugh. My doctor was shocked that stripping my membranes twice had done nothing. Right then, he called the hospital to see if they could get me an induction. They said if I could be there in an hour, I had a spot. So, I called Kevin and told him to meet me at the hospital, it was Induction time!
Here I am on Wednesday at 4:30 pm ready to check into the hospital.
5:o0 pm, getting situated. Let's meet this baby!
5:30 pm, pitocin has started...Let's get this party started!
6:00 pm. My doctor checks me, I am STILL at 3.5 cm, 60% effaced and - 3 station.
He breaks my water.
We turn on the TV and guess what is on? One of our favorite shows, FRIENDS!
And, it just so happens that it is the episode where Rachel is in labor!
Because this episode was on, I thought it was a "sign" that we were having a girl.
We had a girl name all picked out (Charlotte) until a few weeks ago, when Kevin decided that he didn't like that name & he wanted to go with our 2nd choice girl name, Emma.
Because I picked Claire's name, it was his turn to pick the name, so I said it could be Emma.
Since this episode was on while I was in labor, I thought it was a sign that we were having a girl & it was ironic since Rachel & Ross named their baby Emma.


7:30 pm I am STILL 3.5 cm (I was stuck at 3 cm with Claire for over 7 hours, so I was thinking this would be the same situation) I decided to walk around the hospital because, maybe that would help get things going.
We walked for 30 minutes & I was for sure feeling the contractions. They were getting stronger & closer together. I knew that the walking was going to help speed things up.
We started watching the Olympics & my nurse said she would check me at 9:30.
I had a popsicle for dinner & timed my contractions.
The nurse checked me at 9:45 pm.
I was STILL a 3.5 but contractions were coming full force, every 2 minutes and lasting between 30-45 seconds. I was feeling them FOR SURE.
When I was induced with the girls I got my epidural at 5 cm & really never felt the contractions, but this time...I was feeling them.
The nurse asked when I wanted my epidural & told me the anesthesiologist was giving them to 4 other patients, and asked if I wanted to be added to her list. I said, Yes!
So, we kept watching the Olympics and by the time it was my turn to get the epidural, it was 11:15 pm and I was dilated to 8 cm!!!!
After I got the epidural...Thank you sweet baby Jesus for epidurals.
We called our families around 11:30 to let them know I was at an 8, so they might want to come to the hospital.
My doctor came to the hospital a little after midnight & when he checked me at 12:15, I was at 10 cm and we could start pushing.
We were still waiting for our family to get there, so I asked if we could wait a few minutes until they arrived because I wanted to say hi to everyone first :)
Our families arrive at 12:30 and we chat for a little bit, but then I start feeling the urge to push, so we sent them to the waiting room.
At 12:48 I started pushing.
(Right before my last push)
4 pushes later, at 1:01 am Luke was born!
It's a BOY!!!!!!!!!!
This is why I love not finding out what we are having....This is the moment I look forward to for 9 months!
I was SHOCKED it was a BOY!
I kept saying over and over again, "This is crazy! I can't believe it's a Boy!"
Can't believe I have a son!
So happy he is here.
Our little, but big guy. Ummmm....his head was huge. 37 cm. Yowza.
Getting Luke weighed. I thought he would be high 8's.
Couldn't believe he was 9 lbs 6 oz (Claire was also 9 lb 6 oz)
Holding his son for the first time. Kevin was also in shock.
It was then time for our families to come in.
When we had the girls, Kevin went out to the waiting room & got to say "It's a Girl"
But, this time I said that I wanted to be the one to announce it.
So, we had everyone come into the room & I got to say, "It's Luke!"
The moment I said, "It's Luke!"
As you can see, our families were shocked also. They all thought it was going to be another girl!

With our doctor. Love that guy! So glad he was able to get me in. Can you imagine if I waited 6 more days until my due date? Luke would have been a 10 lb baby!!!
Still in shock :)
This was my easiest delivery yet. I was induced all 3 times, but this one was the quickest and I had the easiest recovery...only a small tear.
(Kate was a 3rd degree tear & Claire was a 2nd degree tear)
Then it was time to head over to post partum.

Luke getting ready for his footprints & hospital bath.

He does not like being nakey.
All bundled up & clean.
A few hours later, at 8 am, we face timed with the girls (who were at Grandma's) so we could tell them they had a brother.
They were so excited! A few hours later, they came to the hospital to meet Luke.
They were smitten.
First family photo:
I stayed at the hospital 2 nights.
I did not want to leave. The nurses were awesome & we were having a heat wave of 100+ weather, so I happily stayed in the air conditioned hospital room :)

On Saturday the 11th, we headed home.
All loaded up in his carseat.
Obligatory hospital picture:
We were welcomed home with signs on our garage, balloons and family & some neighbors waiting for us.
Home Sweet Home.
Larson, Party of 5.