My littlest cutie. She unfortunately had full blown baby acne on her blessing day. Of course, now it's all cleared up. She has been sleeping pretty good at night. However, in the day she always wakes up when I try to put her down. I don't have much else to say about her becuase all she does is eat, sleep, poop and cry right now.
Preston took his test a few days ago to confirm the vasectomy worked and we didn't get a call back so ew assume there were no stragglers. However, I am terrified of getting pregnant again. I have heard so many stories of oops and we already had our oops. I need to get over it realize what will be, will be...

Baby Penny

So we had our baby, as I'm sure most of you know from Facebook. Here is our story....assuming the kids are kind enough to let me get through it. Sunday night I went to bed and woke up around Midnight and was having a few random strong contractions. So I wandered around the house for a couple of hours wondering what was happening. I finally woke Preston up around 2:30 and told him I thought I was in labour. Now, if this were my first baby, I probably would have waited. There was no rhythm to the contractions and there were strong ones and weak ones. But, since my last labour went fast, I was worried about it going too fast and I was having some really strong contractions that I had to breath through, but again they were very random. Finally I said lets go. I don't think Preston was thrilled becuase I forsaw a long wait at the hospital, but he knew he didn't have a choice. Anyways, we got there and I was 4-5cm so they put me in a room and put me on antibiotics becuase I was positive for strep B this time. It was good we went early becuase if you don't get the antibiotics atleast 4 hours before you deliver, they want to keep you and the baby for 48 hours! Anyways, the contractions slowed and seemed to have stopped for an hour. Frusterating, but good to let the antibiotics do their thing. After 4 hours, they broke my water. It didn't feel like things were progressing after that. I was still having the odd strong contraction every 15 minutes and some 'fake' contractions the nurse called it. I had her 1 1/2 hours after they broke my water. I never really had regular contractions. I had 2 contractions that were 6 minutes apart and then I felt with the next one like I could push. She said I was 10 cm so I started to push..and she came out. Pretty lame labour but I'm not complaining:) ANyways, when she was born, they put her on my and she wasn't crying. She was a good colour but she started to turn purple pretty quickly becuase she had a lot of fluid in her lungs and couldn't breathe so they took her over to the table and sucked out the fluid and put her on oxygen for a minute. Because of that, they had to do a few extra tests on her while we were in the hospital. They also had trouble controling my bleeding afterwards so they put me on oxytocin and then shoved some sort of medicine up my butt to help my uterus contract. They pushed on my stomach so hard to help get the clots out...it was worse than the labour. The rest of my hospital stay was pretty uneventful. I went home the next day to a brand new house with movers here and everything everywhere so I started bawling when I got here. Then an hour later, the RS showed up to help unpack stuff. it was pretty overwhelming. Anyways, we are 3 weeks old now and she slept 4 hours straight last night...so we are getting a little more sleep.

Here we are

So we are in Calgary and it has been a really interesting week. I have been sleeping worse than I have in a long time. I'm trying not to count the little hours I am sleeping every night anymore....it doesn't help things. I bought us a house. It is in Okotoks. Preston hasn't seen it yet. I am nervous for that incase he hates it. He has seen photos, but it is never the same. We have certainly learned that. I spend a lot of time on the phone between lawyers, agents, moving companies and utilities etc. I hate the phone. I also spend a lot fo time driving. The kids started school last week in Okotoks and we are living in North Calgary for the next few weeks. 3 hours of driving a day! I hate that too. Tomorrow we are going to hang out at Kamilles in Okotoks so then I will only have to drive 1.5 hours. The kids have been keeping me busy too. Even though we are at grandmas, I am trying to do most of the child tending myself and without Preston it is getting tiring. I need someone to complain too. And I am 37 weeks this week! I hope I go early this time. Like next week, when my mom is here (she is driving my van out here)and Preston gets here. Two grandmas and a daddy all in the same house....I'd get lots of rest:) Shows over...kids have to go to bed. More later.

This was Aug 23

o most of you have heard by now that we are moving back to Calgary...well, Okotoks. Close enough. We are leaving next week. Adleine is already there and I will have been an entire week without her by the time I get there with the other kids. We miss her so much, but at the same time it has been sooo relaxing. I didn't relize how much time I have to give her everyday and how hard she is on my 36 week pregnant body. Preston will be driving out with Jordan on Sept 5th to join us. Jordan will be joining us for a bit hoping to get a good job. He's been struggling here to find one. You may have heard rumors as to why we are leaving. The common one, that my parents are passing around, is taht I hate everyone here:) Let me clarify. If you ask Preston, he will say we aer moving back because of PST, preperty taxes, and his hourly wage. I will tell you, it is becuase he misses his family nad his best friend. It is probably a little bit of both. Preston didn't really make the decision for us to go at this time though. He kept talking about how he wanted to go back 'at some point' and I said 'lets go now' I don't want to keep uprooting the kids now that they are in school. I an very torn between my desire to stay here in a town I like, around my family, and being in Calgary with all the kids cousins and stuff. That is where my family gets confused that I hate everyone. I wont lie, that it is a perk, that in Calgary I have a mother-in-law who can babysit when I need her to, cousins for the kids to play with, and family gatherings are geared more towards the kids, not shutting up the kids:) My siblings just haven't reached that part of their lives yet....but it is not my reason for moving! Anyways, that's the story. My only fear is having this baby on the airplane:)

I wonder....

I've been thinking a lot lately about how I am going to manage 4 kids. I mean, I try not to think of it really, but when I do I just try and tell myself that lots of people do it and make it through. Then I wonder. Do they have help? What do they let go of? Do they neglect certain things? Are they really good at listening to their kids scram when they can't tend to them? I'm not good at any of those things. I try and stay relaxed and say the kids will be fine but I end up getting them or I sit there exhuasted stareing at the mess so frsuterated that it is there and not having the energy to clean it up. I can't mentally let it go it just sits there in my head bugging me until I do it...which may not be for a while so that is a long time to hold on to frusteration. Some people are just so relaxed...or smart enough not to have 4 kids in 6 years. I know I`ll get through it, but as I get more tired in this pregnacy, the 3 I have have really taken their toll on me. I hired someone last week to mow the lawn and a lady to clean the house. I mean, we are also showing the home right now which is a huge added pressure. I guess if i didn`t feel the need to keep the house clean, I would feel much more relaxed. I just need someone I can get to do silly little things that sit there in my head. Right now, I`m thinking I should go to the store tonight to get a few things. Do I need toÉ No. I can totally do without those items....but i want them. I`m such a head case.

June

Well, I love to post pics of Adeline becuase she is so darn cute, but I often forget the others are cute too...well, to me anyways:)
And they have had some milestones recently too. Kayla can pump herself on a swing. A big 'yay' for me because I don't like standing there pushing her. Adeline likes to play in the sand/gravel, so I need to be right beside her making sure she is not eating it. She can also swim very well and will do sommersaults under the water. Clayton is not as confident to do that yet, but he has other strengths. He's been playing t-ball and though he is not that good, he is always there to back his teammates up. He will be playing 3rd base and a ball will be hit down the 1st base line, and he'll run for it anyways. Sometimes the other kids aren;t paying attention and he will actually be the first one to it! I don't think we will do t-ball next summer though. A lot of down time and the kids get antsy. They need to keep running at this age. Maybe soccer next year.
I am so glad that my mom has a pool and we have a hottub. The kids and Preston have been able to spend a lot of time together since being in Ontario. It's sometimes hard to create daddy/child activites...that they both enjoy(Preston struggles with getting down and playing kids games and stuff) but they all enjoy swimming. The would hop through the snow to get to the hottub in the winter(I refused) But they ahve been able to play and spend time together a lot. I went in the hottub with them tonight with Adeline(who also love the water) but they were splashing and having fun and I was just getting grouchy, so I got out. So, I'm glad the kids and Preston have their 'bond' and I am happy to leave them alone with it.
I'm still pregnant and hating it:) Not the baby, just the pregnancy. However, I am not having any problems...just bigger, uglier veins in my legs than last time. People keep telling me I am not gaining as much with this one though and I'm beginning to wonder just how fat I looked with Adeline. 14 more weeks. Adeline went to sleep tonight without too much screaming so hopefully we are on our way to happier evenings. I need to do what I can to free my arms for this new baby, so going to bed on her own is becoming more important.
I got rid of my 3 callings at church...for a new one. I am the enrichement councellor! Yay fun! I love planning activites. I'm not always excellent with frilly details, but I'll have help. I'm just happy to be out of primary...sorry kids:)

Baby names

Preston read bits of my blog for the first time yesterday and he saw some of your ideas on "P" names. So, he wanted to post the ones he likes and get some comments. Not that he really cares what peoples opinions are, but he would have fun reading your HONEST opinions. We haven't names her yet, and we have 16 weeks to go, so please, be brutal

Petra - is his number one so far. I don't like it.

Pepper - we both thought it was 'cute' but would be an exellent name to make fun of...and reminds me of a little dog. Lori and Debbie hate it.

Piper - help me make Preston realize it is not a boys name.

Thanks!

Too much

I am taking a class right now with CLayton at the hospital to help me be a more organized mom and help him better relate socially in school. I guess he has the odd outburst. I've never thought of him as a trouble kid, and his teacher says she has no problem handling him, she is just worried he will have toruble making friends as the years go on. So, we are taking a class, which I am finding a tad frusterating...since Preston is not. SO I come home all 'enlightened' on how to have a successful home and well adjusted children, and Preston ruins it with his dominant "I'm the parent, your the child' attitude. So, I have to tell him everthing I learn, hoping he is listening, and then correct him when he starts barking at them or teasing them?? ANyways, so I just made routine charts. I have to admit I am a bit of a nag, no help from the kids, so this hopefully will eliminate me from the situation. Our first chart is BEDTIME. I laminated it and it has 4 velcro stickies for toilet, teeth, washing hands and face and pyjamas. They get to move them to the "Done" velcro strip which is followed by a little red arrow that shows them they are ready for snack. So far, they have done great. They like to be independant but they get distracted if I just leave it to them. Hopefully they will feel like they have a goal now...and I can stop yelling. I also have a 3 strike chart for Kayla because she is a really mouthy, disobedient pain in the butt these days. So, 3 strikes and it's early bed. She has 1 today...so far. I'd like to make a 'clean room' chart. Preston likes to ask them to clean their rooms and then leave but a messy room is hard for them to process. They need to do it one task at a time so I want to make a velcro strip with 'pick up garbage' 'dirty clothes in hamper' 'make bed' 'toys on shelf' 'clean clotehs in drawers' for them to work with. We'll see how this all turns out as the weeks go on. We're taking the kids swimming today at my moms and then heading to Lobsterfest for a buffet of lobster(roastbeef for me) A night out!!

ADDY

My baby girl is 9 months old now. SHe loves has jam toast and yogurt for breakfast every morning. She loves cheese and tolerates chunks of brocolli and cauliflour on her tray at supper. SHe pretty much eats whatever I feed her. She will always open hoer mouth, even if she is getting full, but she starts to gag on the food when she doesn't want it anymore. Why she doesn't just refuse it, I don't know. We are working on getting her to go to sleep on her own, but she keeps throwing up. So, I'm torn between making sure she is full before bed, or that she can cry it out without throwing up. She has also had a snotty nose for 3 weeks so she may have some congestion that is gaging her when she gets too mad. She is not crawling yet but lvoes to try to move. The slower the better, we are not ready for a moving baby. Her and Preston have a good time together. She is very easy to play with. She is a very happy baby, a little high maintenance, as in she likes to be with us a lot, but easy to soothe and make laugh. Thats my girl.
We've been coming up with names for the next girl. Preston really wants it to start with a 'P' so the kids first initials can make 'PACK' which was the name of our electrical company in Calgary. He likes Petra...I want to scream. So I came up with Pacey. WHat do you think?

Pictures

I think the backsplash is the worst, but not as easy to replace as the paint. There is still some work that needs to be done on the backsplash, and I guess I could stain the grout a different colour. Preston picked the backsplash, so happily, I don't have to blame myself:)

Kitchen

So, we have this brand, new kitchen. We put it together all ourselves. Cabinets, then floor, then paint, then backsplash, then appliances. However, I've never really been a fan. It took me till today to realize its the colours.....way too much brown. Beige walls, beigeish countertops, brown cabinets, brown flooring, brown/beige backspalsh. I should love the kitchen...but I don't. So, when Preston is at work next week I am going to have some people over to paint with me, possibly green. It is the cheapest thing that can be changed, so I'm doing it. I like it when I finally realize something and I can do something about it. I'm not telling Preston though becuase he will say no. Too much still to do and he wont want to think about it. I'm a little nervous. Let me get some pics.

New Things

-We just started t-ball season, which will take up 4 days a week. The kids each have 2 games a week. I am Kaylas coach and the other parents were quite content to sit back and watch which is not at all what I explained I wanted to happen when we started Saturday. I need help. Luckly though, Adeline was being a grump and some lady took her. However, I am very lucky I can trust Claytin becuase I couldn't keep track of him and run a team of 4 year olds at the same time. I told the parents I am only coaching because no one else offered and I would like an assistant. Maybe I'll get an offer to help Tuesday night. I can atleast leave the other 2 kid with Preston Tuesday. Claytons first game is tonight and I am not the coach. Yay.
-They are also in swim lessons. I make a point of only having them in one activity at a time, so I kinda screwed that one up. However, I do think that swimming is an important life skill, so I wouldn't have given it up...especially since summer is coming.
-Adeline is eating finger food now. She has done well so far with toast, cheerios and rice krispies, and cake:) Anything dry and bread like really. I gave her some banana and she had trouble picking it up and then choked on a couple of pieces. I guess we will still stick to the little hand held food bag when I give her fruit. WHat do you call those things anyways?
-we planted our vegetable garden yesterday. We have tomatos, onions, peas and carrots. And maybe cucumbers if I can stop killing them. We are not excellent gardeners so a small garden is good for now. My Aunt said she has planted a recession garden which takes up her whole backyard. I would love that but I just can't maintain it right now, and I don't think the kids would be too happy if we took away their play area.
-Preston keeps talking about moving back to Alberta next year and it kinda makes me frown. We have had a beautiful spring so far as I haev watch Alberta have some cold snaps..and snow. I never realized how important the weather is to my attitude and happiness. I love being able to be outside but I hate the cold. Picky, I know.
-I go for my 20 week apt. today and I hope he gives me my ultrasound req. so I can ook it asap. I want to know what I am having sooo bad. Preston wants to be there for the ultrasound but I kinda don't him there. He is sooo rooting for a boy, and I know he will be dissapointed if it is a girl, even if he tries to hide it. Hopefully, all the Fridays are booked up, then I can go alone. We are planning to have a garage sale and I want to know of there are some girl/boy things I can get rid of.
Adeline pooped, so that is my update!

Pretty me?

I woudln't post this on facebook becuase too many people read it. I just shaved my legs today for the first time in 8 months! Yup, the last time was before Adeline was born, and then I could never find a good reason to. Well, I got to a point where I was just curius to see how long it would grow. And I have sensitive skin and my legs are always itchy for days afterwards so I don't really like to shave anyways. Well, it's spring and it has been warm and I didn't want to wr nylons or boots to church so it had to be done.
In other news, it's been so warm so we have been outside this weekend getting sunburnt. I see myelf hanging out at my moms a lot when it is nice out. The kids loveb to ride their bikes and I hate our busy street. Also, garage sale season is here and I have a nice little list of things I want which means I have to get out there!
Adeline is over the chicken pox but now she is so clingy. I need to get her going to sleep on her own, I can't keep rocking her to sleep. SHe is really not all that co-operative when I do it anyways. I need to be tough.
I need to make a ceasar salad. We are having a birthday party for my nana and Preston today.
Bye

Random Stuff

-Kayla came into my room this morning and said "where's daddy" so I said 'he's at work. WHy?" She said "Because I dreamed he died. There was a volcano and he was working there with the other daddys." I told her that daddy was not working at a volcano.
-I never want to grout again...we are STILL fixing it. I do feel better though becasue I found out the guy sold me the wrong product(non-sanded grout) so it was a lot harder to work with. I could have handled it better, but I will still blame him for all the miersy I've been put through with scraping it all out and starting over. I'm not even a fan of the colour we have. It is showing up a lot lighter than the box says, I wanted a bigger contrast.
-I want to be more spontaneous. I drove past an African restaurant today. It qwas small but it looked nice inside. I kinda want to go there on our date night this weekend...we'll probably end up at Boston Pizza.
-Clayton got the chicken pox this week. I feel kinda dumb because I said I had always refused the vaccinations for my kids becuase it was a yearly thing...which it was not. So, I was feeling dumb putting us through this until Preston made me realize the vaccine is only 75% effective, which means that people can still get it if they are exposed enough(my logic, correct me if I'm wrong) Now, Clayton will be almost 100% immune for a few days of discomfort. I expect Kayla and Adeline will break out next week.
-Preston is working in Mississauga again. I liked him working intown. He got to get up an hour later and home an hour earlier and I didn't have to make his lunch if I didn't want to. However, he gets paid for his traveltime so our family income has gone up for the moment...definate bonus.
-It's really hard to make kids be grateful. I've taken my kids to funworks a few times now They get to run around and crawl and climb. But no matter how many times I tell them how lucky they are to be there they bug me to play those dumb token games that cost a fortune. I warned them last time "NO GAMES" and Clayton still got upset with me. How can I teach them.
- My MIL is visiting this week. Even though she says she is just here to spend time with us, I still feel like we should do something. Really, how much fun is sitting around the house. We have filled the first day though with videogames, battleship and books. The kids really enjoy her company...and I enjoy some freedom.
I like writing like this. I think I'll do it more.

SIck Sick Sick

February has been a horrible month for our family as far as health goes. CLayton got Strep throat. Even after a round of anitbiotics his throat started to hurt again so I ran him in for another round. Then I got the worst cold ever. I was so lucky that I got my cold on a Saturday so taht when I felt like the biggest bag of dirt ever on Sunday, my mom could take them to church. She even kept them for the whole day and I stayed in bed all day, which I NEVER do so I must have felt really bad. Of course, I found out a few days later that I was pregnant so I'm sure the icky feelings were doubled up ontop of eachother. Kayla last weekend had a fever for 5 days. I thought it would never end. The wierd thing is, is that was all she got. She didn't get sick or eat poorly, she was just tired and had a few naps here and there. SOme days she even had some energy. After that she developed a small cold and cough. Adeline has been the biggest pain though. She had a cold and fever for 3 days and now she refuses to take her bottle. She is only 6 months, she needs her formula but she flat out refuses..probably more so now that I have tried to force it on her so many times. So we are going to the doctor tomorrow to have her weighed, get his opinion, stuff like that. She eats very well though so I give her cereal everytime she refuses her bottle and I mix it with lots of formula. We're also thrying the sippy cup...kinda hard when she is not so co-ordinated. Preston has managed to maintain is good health through all of this, which is good becuase he is still keeping busy. He put the backsplash up this past weekend and is doing the flooring next weekend. I get a massage tomorrow which I am sooo looking forward too. Now, I am going to make Prestons lunch for tomorrow and try to sneak a bottle into my sleeping babys mouth(unfortunately she is too smart for that too most of the time...but I'm trying anyways)

Coming to terms

O.K., I have stopped whining. That last post was like 2 days after I found out, soI was still pretty surprised. I now realize I will be pretty happy to have another one. However, I still hate being pregnant! But I do count my blessings that I have healthy pregnancies so again, stopping whining. I feel pretty good. Just tired all the time and my appetite has changed, but nothing too much. Were trying to frantically finish this reno before Adeline starts crawling. We don't want too much sawdust and nails on the ground for her to eat:) I am very happy with the kitchen, much easier to cook in and more pleasant for sure. I'll take pics when it is all done. Today is family day, but Preston is working...he is getting paid double time so why not? I think we will go to my moms and hang. Good times.

Pregnant....again

No, I'm not excited. This was totally unplanned. I started the pill 3 weeks ago and I got a huge cold over this past weekend. At the end of it, I started to feel tired and nauseaus so I took a test. It was positive. The doctor confirmed it the next day. I have no idea how far along I am but I have an ultrasound tomorrow. Yes, we did think we were done. Preston has a vasectomy scheduled, so we had certainly planned to be done. Anyways, so here we are. I HATE being pregnant. I thought I didn't want to be pregnant with Adeline, I can't imagine how insane I am going to go being pregnant with this one. Anyways, yay.

who wants to blog?

I don't. I am trying to finish the Twilight series and Preston is ripping out the kitchen tomorrow. I have my hands full. I ordered the granite today, CLayton has strep throat, I'm cleaning up from Kaylas birthday party last night and y furnace broke down the AM.(the filter was soooooo dirty) Busy Busy