I’ve started a new blog!

www.ourdalyplate.wordpress.com

 

WordPress is not allowing me to post any more photos without paying to upgrade my space.  And that just won’t do.  So I thought with this new chapter in our lives beginning, it would be a good time to go ahead and start a new blog. 

Head on over to http://urbanadveturertales.blogspot.com  This sleep-deprived mom spelled it wrong and I’ll fix it eventually.  For now the link will take you the site though…

I just need to push the pause button for awhile and hold onto this time of life.  I will update with all the fun and exciting stuff about the baby soon… but just had to write this little story about the twins before it gets lost in the sleep-deprived recesses of my brain!

Tonight I was playing with the boys before their bedtime and Malachi started throwing toy cars under their bed.  Lincoln all of the sudden said, “I will rescue them with my super powers!”  He crawls under the bed and emerges with the car and gives it Malachi.  Malachi says thank you and Lincoln says, “You my best friend Kai Kai.”  Melt. my. heart.

Is there such a thing as over-loving a baby brother?  Because these two definitely fit the description!  And what’s not to love!?  As of his one-week check-up he’s almost up to his birth weight, weighing in at 8 lbs. 13 oz.  More to come of this sweeties first week soon.  He has charmed us all for sure!  We could not be more in love 🙂

Born 2.22.11 at 9:10 a.m., weighing a healthy 9 lbs. and 21 inches! 

Kingston was born via c-section after trying every safe method to induce labor with no luck.  At the time of delivery, I was still only 1 cm dilated and his head was still high.  We were all a bit surprised just how big he ended up being!!

Kingston was brought to my recovery room within 2 hours of delivery and I was able to nurse him.  He’s taken to it very well and is quite a healthy baby thus far!  He got to meet his older brothers later in the afternoon.  It was no surprise that Lincoln took a little longer to warm up to him than Malachi, but once he did, he did not want to put the baby down!  He kept exploring everything about him.  And Kingston was so laid back!  Allowing them to poke and prod him without making a sound!

We are so thankful to the Lord for providing a beautiful, healthy baby boy to add to our family!

We look forward to our new adventures as a family of five!

Througout this pregnancy, the plan has been to try for a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After C-section).  I was an ideal candidate for it since the previos c-section was mainly a result of twins, not because of other reasons. 

As the pregnancy progressed, I was hopeful, yet doubtful this plan would come to fruition.  I have done everything safely possible this past week to speed up the process and envoke labor.  From getting a prenatal massage that used accupressure points (amazing gift from my dear friend!!!) to getting my membranes stripped (not so amazing gift from my doctor- OUCH!) to walking to eating Mexican and pinapple… I’ve tried pretty much everything to no avail.  I had a hunch, due to the fact that I carried 11.3 lbs. of baby (with the twins) and never went into labor or dilated at all…that my body would hold steady for along time with this one also. 

So we’re going in for a c-section tomorrow.  I pray my recovery is as easy with this one as it was with the twins.  Stay tuned for pictures of our newest little guy in the days to come!

I have to put on record for my childrens’ sake the fact that although their mother is terribly inept in the craft department, we do bake and cook a fair amount (this at least makes me feel better about the hours of tv they watch during the winter season…)  Today we made some Valentine cupcakes. 

And this is what was needed for our recipe:

1.  Cupcakes and icing

2.  Valentine hearts (we had some interesting ones this year…

3.  A chicken costume

4.  Some fabulous hair

5.  And of course some willing taste-testers!

They were both human and chicken approved…

Happy Valentines to the loves of my life!

And can’t leave out this wonderful guy!  My best friend who makes me laugh everyday and still romances me 🙂  I do fall more in love with him watching him as a father.  Can’t wait to experience it all again (hopefully soon!)  My newest little Valentine did not make his debut on Valentines Day, but we’re hoping it will be soon.  If not, he will be evicted against his will early next week.

On Monday I woke up feeling very tired and crampy.  I decided to go to work (since I work on the floor I am delivering on).  I started getting Braxton Hicks contractions about 10 minutes apart.  As I continued to work they got to be about 5 minutes apart.  I was scheduled to see my OB at 1:00 that day, so I talked to the nurses and they said to just stay on the floor and get checked instead of going to the doctor.  I called Ethan and he brought all our things up.  They checked me and I was not dilated.  They thought I might be dehydrated, so gave me an IV bag of fluid and hooked me up to monitor the contractions.  Surprisingly, the more fluid I got, the closer together the contractions got.  They got to be somewhat painful, but not enough to need an epidural.  They sent me down for an ultrasound to check the baby.  Everything looked good from the ultrasound.  They noted an arrythmia in his heartbeat so he will be monitored after birth (apparently it’s common and most babies correct within 24 hours).  Please pray, though. 

At about 8 p.m. they checked me again and I was still barely dilated, even though the contractions were coming every 3-4 minutes.  They decided to send me home b/c they could not induce labor any more with pitocin due to my previous c-section.  Baby’s head is very low, but we just have to hope I start dilating.  I did experience some pain and pressure on my c-section scar during contractions which makes me a little nervous to do a vaginal delivery.  I’m going to talk to my doctor next week and decide if we’ll just opt for a repeat c-section. 

I’m continuing to have contractions, though not nearly as regularly. 

After a record-breaking 20 inch blizzard came to our part of the country, we ventured out to explore.  The street had not been plowed and cars were nearly covered.  The boys were up to their waists in snow.  They really had a blast! 

While it’s been wonderful being snowed in as a family, I must admit I’m a little nervous that I’m pushing my luck as far as the baby is concerned.  I’m only 11 days from my due date (thankfully no real labor symptoms), but as of this morning, our streets are still not plowed.  Hopefully by tomorrow we’ll be able to get out.  The night of the blizzard, I woke up in a panic that I was going into labor.  And last night, the Chef woke up several times worried that I was going into labor (I was sound asleep!)

We are officially snowed in today.  But this morning is fairly typical for us during winter-time anyways.  I’m a firm believer that unless we have to get bundled up to go outside, we don’t need to.

Currently, the boys favorite breakfasts are “freat cereal” (aka treat cereal- or any cereal really) for Lincoln:

And “wassles” (aka waffles) for Malachi.  Both boys have to pull their chairs up to the kitchen counter every morning to help me make their breakfasts. 

If we are going to work/daycare, then usually we will put clothes on after breakfast and get ready to go.  But during home-days, we get to watch cartoons and lounge around for awhile.  This morning, they watched a favorite- Dora the Explorer with dad.

The good thing about dad is he’s a great mix of snuggling and affection mixed with running and wrestling.  Mom is just good for snuggles. 

(side note* I’m so glad the boys inherited his profile instead of mine!)

One of my favorite things about this age is that they boys are becoming very imaginative in their play.  Today, the newest game they came up with went something like this:

Linc- “Oh no!  I’m stuck in the cave.  Save me, Kai Kai!”

Malachi- “I need to go jump off the table before I save you.”

Malachi- “Come on Yincolns, get down.  Hurry!”

Lincoln- “Oh thank you!  You saved me!”

Then they would switch places and Lincoln would save Malachi.  They are really into being chased/stuck/hidden and needing to be rescued these days.

They then turned their attention to hiding in their “cave” (tent) with all their buddies (stuffed animals) to hide from the dinosaurs.  Malachi bribed the dinosaurs with icecream (pretend food from their kitchen) to keep them at bay.

And in general they’re just being cute together.  🙂

What a blessing to have a built-in best friend, huh?  Makes me wish I had a twin growing up!  And makes me feel a little sad for baby #3 that he will not have that.  I hope they boys will allow him to play with them as he gets older. 

One of their favorite toys these days is these plastic animals.  They want to take them in their coat pockets whenever we leave the house.  They love toting them around to different places in the house.  Who knew a $7 container of cheap plastic animals would bring such entertainment!?  I think we’ll have to invest in the farm animal set next. 

Malachi insists that this moose is really a reindeer.  He also insisted that Santa was coming this morning when he saw all the snow outside.

Speaking of snow, it’s finally stopped pouring down.  After they boys get up from their naps we’ll finally change into real clothes and venture out in the winterwonderland.  Stay tuned for Winter Afternoon pictures 🙂

I’m 37 weeks today with this little one!  This is a milestone.  I delivered the twins at 37 weeks!  As of my appt. last Thurs, everything is looking great.  I’ve gained exactly as much weight as I did with the twins (boo!), but my blood pressure and baby’s heartrate all look great.  Baby is definitely head-down, my cervix is not dilating yet and I’m about 20% effaced.  Hopefully in another week or so, things will start progressing.  I’ve had some stronger contractions randomly the past few days.

Here’s a belly pic of baby boy #3 taken this morning:

And this was 37 weeks with the twins (taken in April of 2008)

Not much difference from the side-angle…I’m either small for twins, or big for a singleton.  I’m thinking the latter… 😦

But the front shot shows a pretty significant difference!

And 37 weeks with the twins:

I remember with the twins (at that stage) Lincoln was so far up in my ribs, they were literally bruised and I couldn’t breath!  It was so hard to sleep because of heartburn, not breathing, kicks to the bladder, hips throbbing… with this baby boy, I’m experiencing all of that, except not the ribs being bruised (thank you little guy!)  He’s getting pretty strong with his movements though! 

This weekend we’ll finish setting up his room and get all the clothes and baby items organized.  Next week I’ll work on getting bags packed for the hospital and then the waiting game begins 🙂