Luke's Birth

Tomorrow, Luke will turn 5 months old.  To be honest, I hope that I can remember all the specifics about his birth- it's a little fuzzy right now. 

My due date was April 8th.  My firstborn was 4 days late (I was induced) and my second was NINE days late.  By the way, 9 days feels like an eternity!  So I tried to prepare myself for a late baby.  I went to the doctor and he kept telling me I was a 1.  I went the last time on the 7th and he said I was a "one....maybe a two" (I think he was trying to encourage me.)  So the next morning when I had some "signs" of labor...I thought of excuses for them.  ONE of those signs was this incredible urgency to nest.  I didn't have that with Ryan since I was induced, but I remember scrubbing the floor with Aaron.  Same thing.  I figured it was because I had been sick and useless for a couple days and since I was feeling better- I was just wanting to clean.  I had some contractions, but I had been having those for a couple weeks!  While eating dinner, the contractions got much harder.  I told Josh that this really might be the real deal.  (I was still wasn't convinced that I would actually got into labor on my due date). 

Labor progressed and by 9pm I was in a lot of pain.  Josh went to bed to try to get rested up.  The contractions were probably about 10 minutes a part at this point but they were hard.  I was getting frustrated because the contractions weren't being consistent.  When I was standing up, they would be closer together.  When I would lay down, they'd be further apart.  I endured all I could and about 4am, I got Josh up.  He put pressure on my back during the contractions and that made a huge difference. We kept trying to decide if we should go to the hospital.  The contractions wouldn't get any closer than 5-8 minutes apart.  My plan was to wait until they were 3-4 minutes apart.  Finally, my hubby talked me into going.  At 6am, my mother in law came over to stay with the boys while we went to the hospital.

 Luke scratched his face right after he was born.

Ryan, Aaron, & Luke

 I wanted a drug free birth with Aaron and that didn't go as planned.  (I wrote about his birth in a previous post).  I wanted to try again this time, but didn't feel like it would actually happen.  With all the pain I was having, I told Josh there was no way... I got myself okay with getting an epidural. 

When I got to the hospital, they checked me and said I was at a 6.  They offered an epidural then.  I told them I wasn't sure.  I had read that after 6, things went quickly.  If I had already gone that long, then surely I could keep it going.  I got to a 9, and just like with Aaron-- it seemed like I was getting stuck.  Up to this point, the contractions were still about 5 minutes apart.  The contractions were extremely hard, but I was actually sleeping between them.  I kept thinking how weird that was.  Dr. Jay told me that I could wait, but he wanted to break my water.  I was scared at how this would change labor.  With Aaron, when they broke my water--- my contractions were right on top of another and without an epidural it was more than I could handle. Things were going smoothly til now, I didn't want to ruin it.  But I was thinking about everyone in that waiting room....waiting.  (Silly me, shouldn't have worried about that).  So I told them they could break my water.  The contractions got harder and closer together.  It came time to push.

Up until now, I was a champ.  The nurse kept telling me I needed to come to her childbirth classes to teach them pain management techniques.  This made me feel good.  Well, pushing time came, and all that went out the window.  Remember, I've had NOTHING.  I started pushing and told them "Nope, I can't do this"  They kept putting my legs in the stirrups (TMI?) and I kept throwing them down.  Josh told me at one point he was afraid I was going to kick the doctor.  They finally talked me into pushing---and he was born after a few pushes. 

Aaron had fun playing with my ipod or what he calls "po pod"

One of the things that I desperately wanted, and didn't have with my first two is to get to hold the baby immediately after they were born.  I planned to ask him if I could.  After Luke was born, my body was convulsing.  The doctor actually asked me if I wanted to hold him and I told him no.  I was so afraid I'd drop him!  I asked the doctor, "Why am I doing this??" And he told me it was from all of the adrenaline pumping through my body.  Finally they cleaned up Luke and my body calmed down.  So I got to hold him.  He was 9lbs. 6oz!!!!!  No wonder pushing made me lose my mind! Ha! 

I'm so thankful that I was able to have a drug free birth, like I had wanted.  I'm very thankful for this new handsome little man in my life.  My three sons.  I wouldn't have it any other way!  I'm so blessed!

Luke is 4 months old!

Yesterday Luke was 4 months old.  He's getting so big, I can't stand it!  (I know, a typical parent thing to say... but it's true!)

He is...
-wearing some 3-6 month clothes, but yesterday I had to pull out our 6-9 month onesies.
-sleeping through the night (has been since 8 weeks old!  I LOVE Babywise!)
-in a transition for daytime naps right now- but he mostly has 3 short naps in the day.
-ticklish right under his neck and will cackle so loudly!
-wanting to be held all the time!  I have to tell him "You're #3, I can't hold you all day long!" lol  But then I do...housework will wait, I've gotten use to mess in the last couple months anyway.
-gets in the entertainer some, with a pillow at his tummy holding him up.  He likes it okay, but rather be on my hip!
-I can't eat dairy still, I tried drinking a small cup of milk with oreos while on vacation last week and his tummy hurt so badly the next day.

I have a new plan for writing down memories.  I had been keeping a journal for each of them...well, except for Luke.  I hadn't even bought his yet!  And the other night my hubby and I pulled down my memory box from our dating days and I found a spiral bound planner.  I had written tidbits about the beginnings of our relationship.. and it was fun to look through and see the date of our first date, etc.  So I decided to buy a big planner and just write family things in it.  I won't have a whole page that I feel like I have to fill up, just a sentence or two about the day.  It's working so far.  Then again...it's only been about a week.

Life Lately

It's been months since I blogged.  So much has happened since February it's hard to know where to begin.  February 1st we put our house on the market.  I was very pregnant at the time.  We bought our place out in the country and closed on it the first week of March and moved out here-- only about 3/4 of the way.  Our house in town had still not closed and we kept a lot of non-essentials there along with some furniture to try to "stage" it. 

When our newest addition, Luke, decided to make his appearance we still weren't completely settled from the partial move.  He was born April 9.  I'll post a completely different post on his birth story, because that's something I like to look back on--- and I haven't written it down yet and I'm afraid I'll forget all the specifics. 

We finally got an acceptable offer early May on our house in town and all the paperwork for that started.  At Luke's 2 week check up, the doctor pointed out his misshapen head and told me that we were going to watch it.  At his 2 month check up it seemed worse, so the doctor decided to do an Cat Scan.  The results of the cat scan showed that on part of his head the sutures had closed prematurely.  The doctor sent us to see a neurologist.  While we waited to see him (about 2 weeks), we did some research and found out that the only way to fix this was surgery.  I was terrified.  I kept praying that when we went to see the neurologist that the sutures would open on their own.  I felt silly praying this prayer.  I felt like I should be praying for a more realistic prayer-- like he would make it out of surgery.  Then it was finally time for our appointment.  The neurologist felt around on his head and said he did not think the sutures were closed, but he would do an X-Ray to make sure.  (They were not able to open the cat scan we had previously done because software issues)   We had to wait until the next day to find out the results.  When they called the next day, they told us that the sutures were NOT closed.  I sat in shock. God had answered my prayer.  We were told the first time that the sutures were for sure closed.  Had they misread the cat scan?  Or had a miracle happened?  I don't know all the answers, I just know that my baby does not need surgery!  Such a relief!!  If his head doesn't on it's own shape up the way it should- we may have to put him in a helmet for a little while-- but that is just fine with me!

We were supposed to close on our house in town on the day of Luke's appointment, but then we were told that before closing could happen- we would have to replace the roof.  Josh hired a man to help him and they did it themselves.  It was a hassle, but closing finally happened and we got the rest of our stuff moved.  Now I'm still trying to find a place to put it all!  Trying to organize with a baby, 2 year old, and 4 year old is hectic!

One of my sister's is moving back here.  Her husband is finishing up his notice at his job, so she's been here with her two girls by herself.  She has been staying here for the past month and I've been having to keep her girls while she works.  Five kids total: 6, 4, 2, 2, 3 months.  I'm tired!  Her girls are starting at a daycare today so I think that phase for me is over.

Life lately has been crazy.  I don't see it settling down anytime soon.  I guess I'm just going to have to embrace the crazy!

Here are some fairly recent family pictures.  Luke was 6 weeks old.  (Yes, I think I'm just going to start using their names!)

Peanut Butter Smoothie

I went to my OB appointment about 2 weeks ago and in the last month I had a big weight jump.  I talked with him about my concern over this and he said not to be too concerned.  It happens.  But he did ask me if I was a milk drinker.  I said yes, knowing what was coming.  He told this to me when I was pregnant with my first--- he told me to STOP DRINKING MILK!!  I know, crazy right!  HaHa!  He said that it goes against what you normally think, but you get plenty of calcium from your daily vitamin and milk packs in so many calories (and I drink skim!) So I came home concerned with how to do this.  I love milk.  I ignored this advice with my first, but now I'm pregnant with my 3rd and I know that multiple pregnancies makes it even harder to lose the weight.  Especially since this is so close to my 2nd pregnancy. 

I did some research on milk and found some yucky facts about it.  Apparently it's over processed, etc.  I couldn't quite tell if this was just a bandwagon some people were on or if it were true.  I did find something that I felt would help get me off milk---Almond milk.  It's lactoce free, cholesterol free (a problem in my family), and fewer calories than my fat free milk.   I found a coupon after the fact to use--- I'll use it next trip to the store.

The almond milk doesn't taste like regular milk, but I still thought it tasted pretty good.  I decided to make a peanut butter smoothie with it to see how it was.  Oooh, it was so good!  Thought I'd share the recipe:

Peanut Butter Smoothie

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 T Cocoa/Carob powder
• 1 1/2 to 2 T honey
• 2 frozen bananas

Combine in the order listed and blend until smooth.  (Recipe makes TWO smoothies!)

*This was my first time to peel frozen bananas and I did not like it!  My fingers were frozen afterward!  If you know a better way to do this PLEASE SHARE!!

This tasted so good, and something happend for the first time this pregnancy----- I felt satisfied and had lots of energy for hours!  Usually I have to make myself stop eating and watch the clock until I feel it's okay to eat again.  I love this.  It may be my daily breakfast!  I really need to get some more real honey!

I looked up the calorie information after I ate it and at first I thought it was a high calorie meal but it has a lot of protein, which I need being pregnant and high in fiber.  Here is the calorie/ protein/ fiber information:

1 cup almond milk: 60 calories ; 1g protein ; 1 g fiber

1/4 cup peanut butter: 380 calories; 14 g protein; 4 g fiber

1 T Cocoa powder: 15 calories; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber

2 T Honey: 128 calories; 0.1 g protein

2 frozen small/med bananas: 200 calories; 2 g protein

All that equals to 783 calories; 18 g protein; 12 g fiber

391.5 calories; 9 g protein; 6 g fiber per smoothie.

Yes it seems high in calorie, but let's compare that to my normal breakfast which does not leave me satisfied and full of energy:

1 waffle (store bought): 90 calories; 2g protein; 1g fiber

2 T Peanut butter: 190 calories; 7g protein; 2g fiber

2 T Syrup (store bought): 105 calories; 0g protein; 0g fiber  **The number 1 ingredient is high fructoce corn syrup

1 cup milk (which is really like 1 1/2 c milk-- but I'll go low end to be safe): 86 calories; 8g protein; 0g fiber

All that equals to 471 calories; 17g protein; and 3g fiber

Let's compare the numbers side by side:

Calories: 471 vs. 391.5 (save 79.5 calories)

Protein: 9g vs. 17g (does have less protein)

Fiber: 6g vs. 3 g (Double fiber!)

And all the ingredients are natural!

According to my babyfit.com profile, my goal should be 1920-2220 calories per day.  If I do 500 calories per meal with two snacks at 210 calories I'll be getting my needed nutrition.  So I think this smoothie isn't as high calorie as I was thinking.

Whatever You Do

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.  1 Corinthians 10:31

This verse has resounded in my head all day today. 
Is everything I do for the glory of God? 
Does my food glorify him?
My drink?
Time-management?
How about my parenting?
And this blog- does it glorify HIM or me & my family? 

Tough questions to deal with today.  God really does care about the small stuff in our lives. 

I'm praying God will guide me in all my actions, so that I will glorify him in all I do.

Homemade Waffles

Whole Wheat Waffles

• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 T sugar
• 1 T baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup apple sauce
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Mix together dry ingredients.  In another bowl, lightly beat the other ingredients.  Add the egg mixture to dry bowl and stir until moistened.  Pour into lightly oiled waffle maker. *The first time I made these, I kept pouring in way too much batter and it was spilling out the sides and making a HUGE mess.  Less is more.

This recipe made 18 waffles.  After the waffles cooled, I put them in a Ziploc freezer bag with wax paper between them and froze them!

Bubba is 18 months old!

Yesterday our little Bubba turned 18 months old.

 (Taken today.  Not the best picture of them, but it shows their personalities!)

Since I'm horrible at updating his journal or baby book I figured I would do a blog post. 
Here are some of the things he's doing these days:

• Practically running all over the place!
• Is still all about his Daddy.
• Just recently started saying "hi" to people.  He wakes up every morning and looks at Little Man and says "Hi Bubby".
• Still loves everything to do with balls
• Just had his 2nd huge snow!  (So abnormal for this area!)
• Is NOT a morning person---just like his Daddy!
• Eats everything in sight.  He's a chunky monkey.
• Words he says all the time: Mommy, Daddy, Bubby or Bubba, woo woo (waffles), dink (drink), pappy (paci), ball, night-night, luh u (love you), bite bite.
• Signs: more, hungry, cup, sorry, thank you
• Hits in the air at people when you tell him no. 
• Goes into time out all by himself when told to do so (and sometimes he puts himself in there!!)
• Loves to play with my phone, putting it to his ear and saying "Hello"
• Wants to help Little Man put away his dishes (and then proceeds to make a mess in the kids dish drawer!!)
• Favorite game with me is for me to pick him up in the air, I say "One, two" and he says "THREE!!" as I throw him onto the couch.
• "Bounces" on the couch just like big brother.

He is so funny and will do anything to get someone to laugh!  He's going to be the one we'll have to watch so carefully!  He's such a mess.