Emery Catch Up

A few months ago we were trying to look at the old pictures that are saved on our portable hard drive but we had a really hard time getting them to open and some we still haven't been able to. While I used to print off more pictures when the kids were younger, I still don't want to lost these pictures. I started to blog because I liked the idea of adding pictures to the stories. I also really like to journal and it was getting hard to write 4 journals. For about a year I kept a journal for Camden, Beckham, Emersyn and me. The blog is our family journal and when I have extra money I get them printed out in a book. Jackson has his whole life in a blog, but Emery and the boys don't, so my goal is little by little to add that in. Emery is only missing a few months, so her catch up is easy.

Since I had a C-section with the boys, they schedule one for your next baby, which I came to find out is a blessing and curse. I know the latest day that we'll get to meet our baby, but I have gone into the hospital before the date with all of the kids and every time I've been sent home because my surgery was soon after. The boys it was ok, labor stopped, Emery's didn't. She was 'supposed' to be born September 24 but on September 22 labor started around 5 or 6 pm. I knew with the boys to wait till them are about 5 minutes apart before I went in, so when that had been going on for a few hours I went in and as you guessed sent home. The doctor said I wasn't progressing fast enough and my date is close. He told me to come in if they get closer, but they never did. They did however not stop and got stronger. I felt my stomach was huge but I mainly felt them in my back, it was miserable. I took 3 or 4 baths and moved from room to room. Brad kept following me to help me... not sure with what. I more just got annoyed that he wasn't sleeping. I knew doctor shift change was around 8, so I waited until then to call again to say the contractions aren't stopping. They checked me in the office, I was at I believe a 4 and they sent me to the floor. A different doctor came in and asked if I wanted to do a vbac (vaginal delivery after C-section). Brad said he was tired of waiting, you know because it's so hard on him. I chose not to and while I'm very glad I didn't try I semi regretted not trying for a few years after that. I do think I was meant for C-sections. When the contractions, that were concentrated in my back, came Brad thought I needed to know how high the line went and how strong it was, incase it couldn't feel them, then everyone around telling me to breath. When I'm in pain I have very low patients, so I'm sure I may have thrown a few potties out if I went full labor. I do remember it was just after my mom got a cell phone and she was on a bike ride and it took a bit to get ahold of her. I just kept thinking they cant take me back until I have my mom. She isn't in the room with me, but a daughter needs her mom around when she is giving birth. Birth went great. The doctor later told my dad the cord was around her neck a little so it was probably best she was delivered that way. She was 8lb 2 oz and perfect.

 Brad was instantly hook and she had him wrapped around her finger.

 She is so loved by everyone.

The boys were kind of excited  but not too sure. I had a reaction to the meds, notice the lovely post birth chubby face. Since I had been up since who knows what time the day before, I was tired. I remember Michelle coming to see Emery but I swore I kept falling asleep.

When she was a day old they told me she dropped 6 oz. I didn't believe it, my boys were 6 oz apart and it looks like a lot of weight on a tiny baby. They told me I wasn't feeding her enough and they needed her to have formula. Whenever I tried to give it to her she would pull back and hated it. The nurse said maybe her stomach hurts to they pumped to try and get meconium out, nothing was in there. Then the nurse used a syringe to feed her because I wouldn't do it. She went and weighed her again and realized they must have weighed her wrong because she only lost an ounce or two. I look back now and wished I spoke up, but I was tired and young and thought they knew best. Just after this they did a routine blood test. That evening I got a call from the doctor saying they're putting her in the NICU and that's all she told me. They came and took Emery and it was a while before I knew why. It wasn't a fun time after this birth. I don't remember what levels, but some levels were too high and they show inflammation in the body and she needed to be monitored. While we were 'lucky' because our baby was a chubby 8lb baby and they said it was just a precaution, nothing prepares you to see a baby hooked up to so many wires. She spent I think 48 hours there. Leaving without her was the hardest thing I had to do. I think I cried until I went back to feed her. I'm so glad I said I was nursing and only nursing because we came to later find out that she was allergic to milk. Until she was about 3 she had to have lactose free things. I'm not sure why it went away I just know if they fed her formula she would have been in there even longer.

When we got to take her home we were all so in love and over joyed. The fun continued but with me this time. I got strep and the flu shortly after we got home. I'd still take this sort of recovery over the spinal headache I got with Jacks.

 

 He's telling her here that she will always get whatever she wants and he's stuck to that.

She was a pretty easy baby. It took probably a month for her to finally take a binkey but then she didn't want to give it up. She didn't sleep much and still really doesn't. Her naps were always short but she was still happy.

 

 Her blessing dress is extra special. Great Grandma Arrington made it I don't know how long ago and I was excited to use it for Emery's dress. She also has my silver bracelet on. In Ireland you give a baby girl silver. Each of my parents Granddaughters have gotten a bracelet from Ireland and Emery gets mine. I love traditions like that.

They really did love their sister. Looking back at pictures, Camden had something with touching her head.

 She loves her daddy. He could get her to smile so easy.

 First Christmas

 More head touching.

 First Halloween. We later used the outfit for a Christmas card. Around this is when I started the original blog so the rest of her story is there. She is such a joy to have in our lives and I'm so glad we only had one girl, although she is like me and hates it now. Someday she'll get how awesome it really is to be the only girl.

Boys Party

Since I had a Friday off we decided to have the boys birthday party then. Not sure I thought it over very well because Brad was gone, but they are good kids so it worked out perfectly. They had 4 friends over and went to the new "Avengers" movie and played a few games. When they first got there I had a bag of chip mix out for them and they demolished it. My mom warned me that teen (or pre teen) boys can eat a lot.

 Their favorite game is the clear wrap prize ball. When you roll doubles you have the chance to unwrap the ball and try to get a prize. The kids get pretty tense playing it.

 They loved the movie and told me all the spoilers on the way home, thanks boys. After pizza we played minute to win it games. Like a doughnut eating contest. Reason 1 I shouldn't plan things alone. I used string to hold 6 glazed doughnuts up. Needless to say it was a little heavy so the boys had to sit on the ground.

 Next they did an M&M suck and move I guess you could call it. They used a straw to get M&Ms from the bowl to the plate and got light headed in the process.

 Then they had to move oranges from one line to the next without hands. This was harder than I thought it would be because I used Cuites and not full oranges.

 Then they had to stack 5 nuts. This was just 2 at a time. Beck didn't do so well at all with this.

 This friend got it right away and did the best. He put them all on the stick and stacked them really fast.

 Last was a Fruit Roll Up eating without hands. Beck rocked this one but the best thing to come from it was all of the weird faces that were made.

Since they say a Marvel movie and all their friends know they like Pops the boys got 3 Thanos Pops from 3 different friends. They all thought it was pretty funny.

FIRST Tooth

It finally happened yesterday, Jacks lost his first tooth. It took longer than I thought it would for it to happen but he was really excited it finally did. He said it feels weird now but was very happy the tooth fairy came last night.

The other day the boys and Emery were gone so it was just Jacks and me. We were watching a video on YouTube and when it was over he asked what my channel was when I was a kid. I told him YouTube wasn't around when I was younger. I said actually not even the internet was. We were leaving to get the boys and I picked up my phone and told him that we didn't even have cell phones. That blew his mind and he asked how we could ever call someone without them. He didn't understand when I told him it was a phone on the wall that was hooked into the wall. The things kids will never understand. He needs to talk to his grandparents and hear the things they didn't have when they were young.

Week of Fun

Last week Brad was at a work conference so I took the whole week off and had fun with the kids. While they were at school I did a lot of Spring cleaning and took a truckload to the DI at the end of the week. It was so nice to go through all the stuff we have. I like to de-clutter.... maybe a little too much.

One of the things I also did this week was take Emery's window in. Remember the incident with Cam, a window, water balloon and a summer of mowing the lawn without pay? Well we finally got it fixed. Its a week later and we still don't have the window back. Its been a fun game of moving Emery and Jacks around the house to sleep since they can't be in their room. While Brad is gone I usually just sleep on the couch. I'm a HUGE wuss and don't like being in a big room alone so the "smart" thing is to sleep in the biggest room in the house on the couch. Although this week it helped Emery and Jacks out and they thought it was cool to sleep in there.

 One of the things I've wanted to do for a while is clear some dirt we had at the side of the house, so I finally did that. The kids were a lot of help. When we were moving one part my legs kept itching, but I ignored it until Camden started to freak out. Apparently we angered some ants and we got bit a few times. Because we had Grandpa's truck I didn't have enough room to drive all the kids to get a drink so they all happily walked to the gas station to get a cold drink.

 The next day the boys were 'sick'. Ok I didn't think about getting the dirt out and as we were loading it I just kept thinking that I'd be at the dump for hours if I went alone. They didn't have any tests so they stayed to help me out and I'm glad they did, they both were a lot of help.

While I got a lot done not working, I'm glad Brad is home. 

Happenings

We had the Easter party last weekend which the kids look forward to every year. This is however the boys last year. When I went to the first one there was a lot of kids about 20+ if I'm remembering right, and once other kids were born there was even more. This year we had not even half that, everyone is growing up too fast. It was fun this year to have some great nieces join in the hunt.

 For almost 12 years we have spent $0 on boy hair cuts. Brad just cuts their hair and they are good. Now the boys want longer styles which Brad can't quite do, so our two 11 year olds got their first hair cut. Camden has been funny since because I told them to make sure they ask about styling it and make sure they understand how to do it. He has followed what she has said most days. We went to Boise the other day and I didn't pack their hair gel for the 1 night and he was quiet sad he didn't have it in the am.

 Cam sleeps in a hammock and the dogs love it just as much as he does. The boys start school later so they get to sleep in a little. After I let the dog out in the morning they both usually run to Camden's room to sleep a little bit with him. Looks comfy doesn't' it?

 As I mentioned we went to Boise this past weekend. Jacks got tired on the way up and apparently cold as well. He looks peaceful though.

Yard Work

 Last year we may or may not have started a yard project but soon after lost the drive to keep going. (I hate yard work) So we finally finished it, well we finished a part of it, but it does look really nice so far.

The yard last May-ish

 We cut out the sod which wasn't too hard, just time consuming. We laid the boarder rock down and matting last year but thanks to us being lazy and not finishing it the dogs had fun tearing almost all of it back up.

What we have done so far. We will do a path next to the house next weekend, but so far we really like it.

Another 'smart' idea we had was to re-do our deck. We got done Deck Over paint to do. Sounds like a weekend project right? After about 5 days we finally finished it. It does look a lot better, but it was a lot more work than the can made it sound like it would be.