10 days now...

Our sleep schedule is official! 10-2 and 2:30-6:30....sweet! I got a good little sleeper:) She's a good little eater, too. Maevy nurses about every 2 hours and is already up over 9 lbs at 10 days old. She's a sweet little cuddle muffin and I love her SO much. Everyone else loves her, too...even Ailey...who I was quite concerned about having jealousy issues...but the main issue she has is a curiosity issue:) I am nervous and trying to figure out things like what life will be like when Trey returns to to work next week....how I will buy groceries for a family of 7 with 3 babies in tow...how I will get the big kids to their soccer practices at all different times and locations...how I will have patience...and inner calm...LOL! Truly the sentence, "It isn't always easy, but somehow we make it work" (I know you can name that reality TV show) comes to mind several times a day. That being said, this is our final BABY. And, even though i know that is what's best for everyone, man is it hard to accept! Maevy's first night with us I got zip sleep...I just watched her sweet face and kept her right up against me....taking it all in. Maevy's a sweetheart...thank you God for putting such a perfect finishing touch on our already blessed family!

Maevy Faith's Birth Story

Monday I was hanging out at Mom and Dad's. After lunch I decided I needed to bake banana bread and clean their kitchen! That evening while watching, "The Bachelor", I realized I was having some painful contractions 10-12 minutes a part. I pretty much ignored them and went to bed. Through the night they woke me up a few times. I would make some quiet noises to cope through and then fall back asleep. The next morning they were still 10 minutes a part. I refused to believe that this wasn't false labor and told Mom to come over and play. She showed up with stuff to make a yummy soup, a cake, and even brought her pajamas! When she saw me have a contraction she insisted on driving me to my prenatal check up. At my appointment my midwife, Damaris, noted my pain and said it seemed like a real labor contraction to her. I had her check me...4 centimeters! Wow....MAYBE this was it? I asked her to sweep my membranes and she sent me home saying, "see you tonight!" I told her not to tease me...I wasnt ready to get excited. Mom and I came home and we got the little kids fed and ready for quiet time for Joey and nap time for Ailey. Mom started writing down my contractions and I decided to go for a walk. I went down the big hill in Neptune's Landing. I walked around on the docks and enjoyed the sunshine and water. My contractions were definitely getting stronger...especially by the time I got back up that hill! Once back inside I busied myself cleaning the bathroom and vaccuming the bedroom. Every time I would contract I would pound on the floor so Mom (baking away in the kitchen) could write down the time. As I cleaned I chanted to myself, "I am strong. I am strong in labor." When we realized my contractions were only 3 minutes a part we called Trey. When Trey got home we decided it was time to call Damaris. She came right over. Then we called the Clarks for re-inforcements! Billy was wonderful and took the boys and Megan stayed to keep me company while I labored. I had Damaris and Trey as well as the love and support of Mom, Meg, and even Carly and Ailey....all my girls. With each contraction I found myself on all fours, making the noises I needed to make to get through. I used a LOT of breathing, a lot of visualization, and a lot of prayer. Between contractions I was smiling and making jokes. I was confident and happy.....I had a good bit of anxiety about transition, though. I was in and out of the bath tub....water was SO great!

I was off and on the bed. I got checked and was at 7 centimeters. I knew my fear could actually prevent me from transitioning. Finally I got tired. I got REALLY REALLY tired. I layed down for a bit and then sat down on the potty for a few contractions. It was then and there that I started willing my body to transition. "Just do it. Just get it over with." Suddenly I got bits of the pushing urge! It wasnt overwhelming, but it was increasing. Damaris said I could check myself. I told her I could feel what I THOUGHT was a little bit of swollen cervix and HEAD! She advised me to breath through my next urge to push to help get rid of that anterior lip. I did it and then asked if I could just get in the tub and start pushing. She said yes! Into the tub I went and 2 or 3 contractions later my water burst with my efforts. I was praying my waters would stay in tact until pushing time...I could remember that once broken labor was a whole new ball game! Sure enough after the broken waters the pain maginified! But not for more than a couple seconds because I was crowning. I started screaming...really really screaming for the first time...and she was coming! She had a tight cord, though. I pushed for about 2 or 3 contractions and Damaris helped try to get her position right and supported my perineum....but finally told me I was going to have to STAND UP! What??!! Was she kidding me?! I don't know who all helped, but in a group effort I was on my feet and right out she came! Relief! My BABY! Damaris collected the cord blood, I delivered the placenta and nursed, and then it was birthday party time in my room! Again it was so perfect just being at home, in my bed, surrounded by family, eating my mom's homemade food, and having my daughter in my arms and never leaving them. We named her Maevy and she weighed in at 8lbs 10ounces JUST like her big sister, Ailey...who was also born on the 8th day of the month. After all the measurements were taken and all the celebrating came to a close, Trey and I fell asleep in our bed with our sweet new addition....our family complete:)

The final preparation....

I have been procrastinating on getting everything ready for baby for quite some time now. I've been busy with the babies, busy with the big kids, busy with the holidays, and most of all, TIRED.

Today I am 36 weeks along...in what is my 3rd and final pregnancy. I decided it was time to get down to business. There is a lot more preparing that goes along with a home birth than what needs to be done for a hospital birth.

All morning long I moaned and groaned as I got the babies ready to go the store to buy the supplies on my birth supply list. I complained about spending money and about walking around the great, big, Super Wal-Mart as I got twinges of pains and discomforts. I dreaded coming home and washing everything and bagging it up and labeling it how the midwife would like.

So I am sitting here with the last bit of baby clothes, receiving blankets, and towels in the dryer. Suddenly, I feel guilty for complaining. Suddenly, I feel really really sad. This is it. I will never do this again. This is my final baby. My final labor and delivery. Mostly I love my babies, but pregnancy is a part of the experience as a whole...and this is it for me.

I know I have been blessed beyond words and I have our entire lives together to look forward to, but knowing I will never give birth again...never have any more babies....brings some strange feelings...

So long 2010

Here we are...our first day back to routine after the winter break and our first "Manic Monday" of the new year.

The holidays were a sweet time with family and I am thankful for the blessings that we shared in our celebrations, but I am a big fan of routine and happy to have things back on schedule.

Reflecting back on 2010....

It was a big year! We put our house on the market and by some sort of real estate miracle, were able to sell in just 3 months! We sold just in time to move to the neighborhood of our dreams and catch the cut off date to get the kids into the schools we wanted. (Best schools in the state:)

Two weeks after moving in we discovered that we were expecting another baby! Woo-hoo! This is always the happiest of news for our family:) Also on the growing family front, we found out that we were going to be getting 2 more nephews around the same time our baby was going to be due! Let's hear it for nephews!!!

So....
Very quickly our 2010 calendar began filling up:
Playdates
Sports Camp
Horseback Riding Camp
Doctor's appointments
Pre-natal visits
Volunteer work at the schools
More playdates
Football practice
Parent-teacher conferences
Horeseback riding lessons
School Projects
Birthday party after birthday party after another birthday party:)

It's been such a busy and life-changing year! Carly turned 13. Ailey took her first steps. Conner lost his first tooth. Trey has been working harder than even. Joey was potty-trained. We found out we were going to blessed with another daughter/sister. Whew!

So now it's 2011....

Already my calendar is full of appointments, birthdays, deadlines, responsibilities, and many other exciting events. In a month Conner will turn 8. A week after that baby #5 will be due! I am so excited for everything that God has in store for us this year.

Some personal resolutions I have.....
#1 on my list is to, after birthing a healthy baby girl, of course, LOSE THE BABY WEIGHT FOREVER! I want to be healthy and feel good. I want to have a high energy level and just be able to have fun and be active with my kids. Feeling confident and maybe even a little sexy wouldn't hurt, either;)

#2 is a very important goal: Fix the debt. We don't have a lot of it, but the bit that we have creates so much stress. I want it gone. Forever. Debt gets in the way of us being able to do other things and that is SAD. After we get out, I don't want to ever be in it again. I think the only debt that we cannot help are our mortgage payments and vehicle payments, other than that...I don't want to owe anyone anything!

#3 and I think that this will be my final resolution...because too many could be overwhelming.... DATE NIGHT. Trey and I have got to start dating again. We need to be hubby and wife more often and take a break from being Mommy and Daddy. This year we are going to find a way to make it happen. I would love to say that once a month is our goal, but to start off with we will say at least one date every other month. Man I would love to see that work:)

Cheers to 2011!!!!!

You might have had your kids close together....

When you discover that you've had the same large bottle of Johnson & Johnson's baby lotion for 4 years and used it for 3 babies!



When there are 3 carseats in your car.



When the baby clothes aren't ever boxed up and put away.



You've forgotten what a full night's sleep is either because someone is not yet sleeping through the night or you are waking every hour to pee because someone is laying on your bladder.



When you look at your budget and realize that for 2 years straight you've had money allocated to pay the midwife.



When every time you walk past your tub you think of either bathing a baby or birthing one...but never having a peaceful moment to yourself surrounded by bubbles, candles, and a glass of wine.



When you've been taking pre-natal vitamins instead of regular vitamins for 4 years.



When you go to your place of former employment and hear the constant whisper of clients saying, "She still hasn't had that baby yet?!"



When your husband's co-workers are planning another baby shower for him and someone says, "Oh no, he's already had his baby" and someone else says, "Oh no, this is ANOTHER one."



When you can't even find the non-maternity clothes in the bottom of your closet anymore.



When you haven't bought tampons in 4 years!



And when you can't remember the last time your boobs were a sex object instead of someone's lunch.

more on the sad part of step-parenting

Part of the reason I blog about biomom is to keep record of things that we might need to recall on exact times and dates.

So let's just say we need some prayers right now...and here's why...

Today Trey called Conner's doctor because we tried out a new medication for his ADD. After deciding, along with biomom, that we didn't like the new meds, she started him back on a few remaining pills of the old. Only, instead of giving him the prescribed amount, she was giving him half of that. She said she needed to "ramp him back up". Trey told the doctor this and the doctor basically reamed Trey out because CONNER SHOULD ONLY BE GIVEN THE MEDS THE WAY THE DOCTOR PRESCRIBED THEM! Well, we couldn't agree more, but biomom just keeps skipping doses and switching things up with some of her own crazy reasoning....and she's definitely NO DOCTOR. This is so frustrating. Why won't she stop doing this? In the divorce agreement it states, "if the parents cannot agree, they default to the doctor's orders." If we had all the money saved up that we would need to do it, we could have her hiney in court right now.

Additionally to be noted (and prayer requested), is that Trey picked the kids up for school today and noticed that Conner was wearing the same shirt for the 4th day in a row! He asked Carly when the last day was that she showered and she said, "Sunday"...today is Thursday. Now, Carly is partly to blame for this because she is old enough to know better....still, her Mother should be reminding her to clean herself if she isn't remembering on her own. Her hair and skin were so greasy that instead of taking Carly to the bus stop, Trey brought her home, she showered, and I took her to school.

I don't even know how things like this hold up in court. I am grateful that the kids aren't coming over bruised or in rags, but just the same, they deserve better than to have to put up with this sort of neglect. I know if they were home with us more frequently, BETTER is what they would get. As a Mommy I have to ask, "how hard is it to provide a clean outfit and more than 1 shower a week for your 2 children?" Since I know that they have more clothing over there and since I know how much money biomom is making, I cannot make any excuses for her. (I also know that biomom's mother stocks the kid's closets.)

That's all for now...and hopefully for forever. I hate this part of stepmommying.

Tough questions...

Patience or persistence?

Ignore or address?

To spank or not to spank?

Insert opinion or bite tongue?

Do I dislike dirty baseboards more or dislike cleaning dirty baseboards more?

Add on or move out?

Flexible or firm?

Vesectomy or no vesectomy?

Save up or finance?

Take their word for it or investigate further?

Public education or home education?

Our lives are always in transition, aren't they?