My Main Man

Jaron will KILL me when he sees this post. But I want everyone to know how AWESOME he is so I'm posting it anyway.

(Sorry the pictures are sideways - I swear I turned them...)

REASONS MY HUSBAND IS AWESOME:

1. He took me to the temple and maintains that temple-worthy relationship with me.

2. He is my perfect match. He helps me understand myself and things in my life better. He helps me to remember to have fun along the way.

3. He is an awesome provider. He has been a slave of the books ever since we were married (6 years ago!), all in the name of providing a good life for his family. Right now he is studying his heart out in medical school. I am so thankful he is such a hard worker!

4. He is the best Daddy ever. His children ADORE him. And so does his wife.

We sure love you, Jaron! We can't wait to see you in 2 WEEKS!!

Selfish...

To me, the hardest thing about having a new baby is the lack of sleep. The second hardest thing is the lack of SELFISH time. At this point, I go to bed as soon as my kids do at night because the first few hours seem to be the best sleep I get. This habit, however, is seriously curbing my ME time. Well, right this moment I have found a rare moment of SELFISH time and am LOVING it! Alden is out with Grandma and Grandpa at cousin Jenna's birthday bash. I stayed home with Eli because he's got goopy green stuff flowing from his nose. Well, Eli fell asleep on the couch in front of a Baby Einsteins movie at 6:00! That leaves me and baby girl Gracen here who has been awake for a shockingly long time but seems to be just chillin' with me while I spend (waste?!) time on the computer blogging and Facebooking.

And while I am sitting here, thinking of myself, I am thinking of things I want to work on in the coming year:

• Me. I have loads of baby weight that need shedding from 3 babies in 3 years (Okay, that's my excuse but really it's from my awful chocolate/ice cream habit.). This is the year to shed it, baby! I also want to work on discovering THE haircut and obtaining it. (You know - the one that is easy to "do" and can be pulled up and back from the face but still makes my awfully thick, frizzy hair look GREAT.)
  
• A hobby. When people ask me what my hobbies are, I sit there with my mouth slightly open and then mutter, "Um, my children?" This year I want to work on a hobby that I love.
  

Okay, that's all I can think of at the moment. Throw in some goals in the spirituality and motherhood areas and I think that's enough to work on for now.

Oh What a Month!

Getting kids to smile for a picture is no small feat! I failed at this one...maybe the next one will go better...

Alden and Eli have big shoes to fill! They love to clodhop around in everyone's shoes these days!

Gracen's first day to church - 3 weeks old.

"They" say babies can't smile at this age - I SO beg to differ! This is not just gassiness!!

Snug as a bug at only 1 week old.

Eli practicing his big brother skillz. Yes, my boys play with dolls and I'm proud of it!

This is Eli playing "with" Gracen. She's clearly digging the attention.

Alden is really tender towards Gracen. He's momma's little helper.

Gracen at 2 weeks old.

It's crazy that Gracen has been with us a month already. Life is CRAZY with three age 3 and under but I think I am enjoying Gracen as a newborn more than I did the other two. I feel so much more confident as a mom this time. It helps that I question myself less but it also helps that Gracen is my "best" baby yet - meaning she has been easy to put on a loose schedule and is a pretty predictable baby. She eats roughly every three hours then spends an hour to two hours awake and then naps. She's generally easy to put down for a nap unless I miss the "window" and she becomes overtired. That is pretty much the only time she cries. When she is awake, her eyes are so big and bright! She looks around like she can't wait to take it all in. I can't wait for her personality to develop more so that I can get to know her. I am so excited to have a daughter!

Alden and Eli are awesome kids. I am so thankful my kids have the personalities that they do - I could not have had three so close together if they didn't! We have our challenges, of course, but I really couldn't ask them to be better little boys. They are so helpful and they both have adjusted to baby Gracen so well. I was surprised at how well Eli adjusted since he's such a Momma's boy. Both boys love to talk to her and love to rub her head like it's Budda's belly; hence Gracen's cute little hair is always full of stickies and crumbs. Alden loves to hold her but doesn't last long - she is probably about 11 lbs now, afterall!

We all miss Daddy and can't wait until he gets here in 2 weeks. Jaron is studying his heart out in what is supposed to be his hardest semester of med school. Although it's been hard to be apart throughout all this in a lot of ways, in some ways it's worked out for the best. I can't imagine adding sleepless nights to Jaron's plate and having him still survive his classes. It's true what they say - absence makes the heart grow fonder. Being away from each other has made Jaron and I appreciate each other more. As we've been apart, it's also struck me again and again how grateful I am that Jaron and I have been married in the temple and that our family will be together even after this life. There is nothing more important!

My only complaint right now is sleep. Oh how I miss sleep! Me and my three kiddos are all sleeping in the same room and somehow they can never coordinate to wake me up at the same time. In fact, it seems they get together and decide to gang up on me. As soon as one goes down, another is up crying. I am up MANY times a night but hardly ever with more than one child at once - sometimes for hours at a time. But, it's only sleep, right?!?

Welcome baby Gracen!

This is a funny picture of Alden - oh well! I am SO BLESSED to have 3 beautiful, healthy children! Who could ask for more?!?
Alden ADORES Gracen. He is such a great big brother.

She's all cheeks!!

A healthy baby girl!

Last belly pic. Can you believe there's almost 10 lbs of baby in there?!? YIKES!

Our family welcomed baby Gracen Ivie on Thursday afternoon! It was a long, tough labor but it successfully ended in a VBAC and a healthy baby girl, which is all we wanted! Thank goodness for Grandma Brunson. She did everything for me during the long 18 hours of labor and then went home and took good care of my boys. Given the circumstances of the labor and Gracen's size, I am so grateful that I was in the U.S. to have this baby! I think I had to have just the right doctor with just the right attitude in order for this to have been a successful VBAC birth! I am so grateful to Heavenly Father that everything has worked out so well.

At my appointment on Wednesday, the doctor said he was uncomfortable with the baby's size (estimated to be about 10 lbs!) and said he wanted to do a c-section the next morning. I told him how badly I wanted to do a VBAC and after consulting with another doctor, Dr Evans said he would give me until Monday to go into labor on my own. He sent me home after an "aggressive" physical exam that revealed I was 4 cm and 50% effaced.

I was totally upset at the prospect of such a large baby and having to have a c-section again so that night my father-in-law gave me a blessing. It wasn't an hour later that I realized the contractions I'd been having since my appointment were coming about 5 minutes apart. After 6 hours of contractions 3-5 minutes apart, we headed to the hospital at about 3 in the morning. I was devastated when we got to the hospital and I found out that I was still only 4 cm dilated! All that pain for nothing! But Dr. Evans admitted me anyway and was great about allowing me to do things I wasn't allowed to in a VBAC labor last time - like walk the halls and bounce on a birthing ball. I did that until 10 AM the next morning, with contractions still 3-5 minutes apart. I was still only 6 cm dilated but the anesthesiologist was coming and they recommended that if I was going to get an epidural, that I get it then. Oh blessed epidural! I was born in this generation for a reason. ;-D It wasn't 10 minutes after the epidural that my water "popped." But the epidural was only taking on one side so it had to be redone. After that one, I slept the afternoon away until I was fully dilated at about 2:30. I was nervous about whether or not I'd be able to push out such a big baby but half an hour later, the nurse was crossing my legs while we waited for the doctor! A few short pushes later, and she was here! And she was BIG!!! 9 lbs, 8 oz of cheeks and flubbers. She has plenty of black hair (just as we ordered ;-D). She is pretty lethargic, as they say the bigger babies often are. We're enjoying her immensely. The boys are just tickled that they have a new baby around. Hopefully it stays that way for momma's boy Eli!

Thanks for sharing in our joy!!

Why I Love Being a Mom

I don't know why, but I was thinking about this hard last night so I guess I'd better get it written down.

On our eventful cross-country trip last week, I heard many comments from people expressing their opinions on the level of my sanity/insanity as I lugged two toddlers and a ginormous belly around airport after airport. Most sounded something like, "WOW." "Look at that lady!" "Boy, you've sure got your hands full." "You're crazy!" "I would never do what you're doing." Etc, etc, etc.

Then, as we prepared to board our 4th flight in two days, I was folding up the stroller for the gate check man and he said, "You sure like being a mom, huh?"

It totally stopped me in my tracks.

I looked up at his sincere smiling face. My answer was, "You know what? I sure do."

And it's had me thinking ever since. Here's why I love being a mom:

• Because I come upstairs after running down to grab something and Eli greets me at the top of the stairs saying, "Mom!! My Mom! My Mom!" like it's just AWESOME that I'm back. Makes me feel like I'm #1!
  
• Because I get to sneak in and watch my kids sleep at night. If you don't do this often, do it more. It's so easy to see them as God sees them while they're still and sleeping.
• Because I've grown more in the 3 1/2 years I've been a mom than my kids have.
• Because I get to overhear my kids teaching others things I've taught them.
• Because my life has more meaning and true joy than ever before.
  

I think I needed this post more than anyone who may read it. It's a nice reminder as I start another challenging round of moming a newborn!

Blog Tutorial: How to go into Labor

WARNING: Side effects include exhaustion and swelling of the feet into flippers. However, you will also learn to recognize the phrase "Look at that lady!" in several languages.

Step 1: Move to a Caribbean island while pregnant. Visit island doctor starting at 15 weeks, discussing VBAC history, etc. Make sure said island doctor waits until 34 weeks in pregnancy to decide you cannot deliver on the island.
Step 2: Obtain last minute tickets to Idaho to deliver at the in-laws place. Be incredibly grateful they're willing to welcome you and two crazy toddlers with open arms.
Step 3: Leave home in Caribbean at 10 AM on Thursday. Take off on world's smallest runway to stopover on the island of statia. Tiny aircraft will be very turbulent but will make the flight safely.
Step 4: Take off for St. Maarten.
Step 5: Once landed in St. Maarten, enlist the help of two manly-men to pull your luggage off the baggage racks and to the ticket counter for you.
Step 6: Wait patiently while ticket agent does your tickets twice, getting the names in the computer correctly the second time. Wait further while he consults with fellow employees whether you are competent to make the trip with two toddlers while pregnant without assistance.
Step 7: Thank manager who asked said ticket agent why on earth you wouldn't be able to make the trip and gives the OK.
Step 8: Take off for Miami at 3:15 pm Thursday afternoon.
Step 9: Arrive in Miami, one of the busiest airports you'll ever see, at 6:30 pm. Again, enlist manly-men to pull luggage from baggage claim.
Step 10: Wait in line for passport clearance and customs. Realize at customs counter you've forgotten to get written permission from your husband to travel internationally with his kids. Fear not, however, customs agent probably figures no one would possibly want to travel as you are unless these kids are yours. Agent will not ask for permission from other parent.
Step 11: Wait in wrong place for hotel shuttle for 30 minutes. Thank your lucky stars an airport worker takes pity on you and personally escorts you, stroller, and luggage train to the correct place.
Step 12: Teach older toddler who has been off American soil far too long what a stop light is on the way to hotel.
Step 13: Arrive at hotel at 8:00. Walk one block to diner for dinner.
Step 14: Take LONG (10 minute!!), hot shower and be grateful you're back on U.S. soil.
Step 15: Retire to bed at 9:00.
Step 16: Have fitful nights sleep in which you will awake at 2:00 to realize you haven't checked the morning flight's status. Call agent.
Step 17: Wake at 3:30AM Friday. Get you, your luggage, and your kiddos onto airport shuttle at 4:00.
Step 18: Wait in line at airport for 10 minutes, wonder why everyone's luggage in line is wrapped in plastic wrap. Finally ask someone who tells you in broken English you're in the line for people going to Cuba. Find correct desk and check-in at airport again.
Step 19: A saving grace! 7:00 morning flight will not be full. Spread each child across 2 seats to sleep most of the flight away.
Step 20: Arrive in Dallas, TX at 9:30 in the morning. Play on McDonald's mini-Playplace and eat breakfast. Avoid the eggs as they look and smell questionable.
Step 21: Take shuttle to different concourse. Find an awesome play area for kids there. Obtain lunch for kiddos and board plane at 12:20. Thank the heavens for new Happy Meal toys for the airplane.
Step 22: Arrive in Salt Lake City at 2:30. Meet father-in-law who has taken entire day off work to come and meet you and take shuttle to parking lot.
Step 23: Load kids who don't remember car seats into car seats despite protests.
Step 24: Drive 3 1/2 hours to Idaho Falls, ID where oldest child will be ecstatic he's finally at Grandma's house. Arrive at 7:00 Mountain Standard time, roughly 34 hours after leaving home in Caribbean.

DISCLAIMER: The preceding process will result in strong Braxton-Hicks but is NOT guaranteed to put you into labor, as it didn't work for me!

So I'm headed to Idaho...

I haven't posted in a long time. It's because I've been taking pictures of Saba that I want to post but I know that it'll take forever to post them on our slow internet so I keep putting it off. Lame-o? Yep, sorry.

But I have something to blog about that doesn't require a picture! On Monday the doctor here decided that I am too risky to deliver here since I have had a c-section (with Alden). Why he had to decide that when I was 34 weeks along and not 20 weeks ago when I started seeing him, I don't know. After getting that news, I spent a couple of days weighing the pros and cons between delivering on the next island over, St. Maarten, or going back to the U.S. After Jaron and I talked about it, we decided it'd be best if the boys and I head back to the good ole' US of A. We leave on Thursday and we'll be staying with Jaron's parents in Idaho. Bless their hearts for welcoming a very pregnant woman and her two crazy toddlers into their home with open arms! We'll be in Idaho until all of little bebe's paperwork can be completed - her birth certificate and passport. I hate that Jaron will miss her birth and the first few weeks of her life but it's just the way things have to be!

So the past few days have been spent scrambling to figure out last minute flights and to tie up loose ends here. Mostly I've been trying to figure out where we'll be moving to in January because Jaron may possibly have to make the move himself! But we've found a cheaper place to move to and we're getting things done. Alden is excited to see Grandma and Grandpa and his cousin Katelyn but he's even more excited to see their pets. (EVERYDAY he comes up to me and says, "But I just want a pet, mommy!") Oddly enough, Alden is also very excited to see snow. I'm not sure why, but he asks every so often when it's going to snow. Since the weather forecast is calling for snow late next week in the Rocky Mountains, Alden just might get his wish sooner than later!

P.S. Genny had her baby early this morning! The Superwoman and McKay welcomed a second baby girl after a relatively short labor and just one single push! She's 6 lbs, with no name yet as far as I know. Apparently she's got some reddish brown hair that I can't wait to see in a picture. Congratulations Genny and McKay!!!