Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Seize the Day



We had two clocks break on us within a couple weeks, and I finally got around to replacing them.  In one case I decided to just get a digital clock, and ended up doing some bedroom clock rotating.  Since Brian and I never use the CD player in the clock in our room, I donated it to the boys' room.  They (particularly Brennan) were quite ecstatic.  Brennan wanted something to play right away, so I browsed our stash and saw Newsies as an option.  Brennan has always liked the music, even though he doesn't appreciate the movie itself so much.  Anyway, this was like a week ago.  I now hear Newsies blaring through my house any time Brennan is home - including as they fall asleep.  Thankfully I love the movie (it's my favorite, actually) and the music enough to be enjoying this.  And Brennan is spending so much more time playing in his room all of a sudden. :-)

♪♫ O-ho the Wells Fargo Wagon is a-comin' down the street, Oh please let it be for me! ♫♪


I'm not totally sure what was going down here.  I noticed the UPS truck on the right - I assumed - dropping off a package at the neighbors.  It stayed for a bit long I realized in hindsight, but I was making dinner and not paying much attention.  Then I looked up and saw this.  There was some package-moving from one truck to the other, though I only saw like one or two boxes actually being moved.  (Again, making dinner, Hollyn "helping" me sitting on the counter...) But whenever I glanced up, I didn't see anyone or anything happening.  I guessed that perhaps the right-sided truck was experiencing problems.  But then, they both just drove away.  Oooooo.k.  At least I didn't need to rush out during this interesting exchange.

Monday, May 27, 2013

C'est La Vie

Nearing the finish line over here.  It's pretty crazy.  This has been the easiest and hardest pregnancy yet.  It's been totally unlike the other three.  I thought I knew what to expect based on past experience, but boy was I wrong!  In the past, I was sick, sick, sick until about 20 weeks, at which point I'd start to suffer from backaches.  The lower back hurt when I'd get up from sitting, the upper back would often start to hurt while laying down.  The latter was weird because it wasn't so much painful - it was like if you could feel "nails on a chalkboard" as a sensation in your muscles.  I'd be twitching and almost pulling my hair out with the awkward feeling.  With Brennan I felt no braxton hicks contractions, with Asher I started to feel some near the end, but they didn't hurt.  With Hollyn I started to feel them earlier and more distinguishable, but they were just mildly uncomfortable until I was in full labor.

But this time... man!  I was still sick in the beginning, but I was given prescription nausea medication.  I wouldn't say it was a miracle drug, and I know I still felt sick... but honestly I can hardly remember it.now.  I still vividly remember the horrible morning sickness with the first three, but almost forget that I even experienced it this time.  It seemed more like a non-deal.  When that subsided though I was prepared for the backaches, although I picked up as soon as I could on the gym attendance.  Possibly because of that I've experienced almost no backaches.  I've had maybe 1 or 2 experiences of the "chalkboard upper back"  episodes.  In it's place though, I've suffered pretty much everything else.  I started feeling painful contractions pretty much around 20 weeks or so.  They were infrequent at first, but now I feel pain frequently, all day.  I also started having horrible hip and groin pain while sleeping.  It seemed rediculous, but one morning after a terrible, no-sleep, excruciatingly painful, night, I googled "hip pain while sleeping."  Apparently I am FAR from alone there.  A small percentage of women seemed to get *some* relief by buying a special mattress pad, sleeping with a maternity pillow, and a couple other suggestions.  I tried my sister's pillow and it didn't really seem to help me much.  The result of all this pain all night though led me to start skipping the gym in the mornings.  And guess what?  The hip pain totally disappeared within about a week or two of stopping.  Plus things as home (schedule-wise) had also settled down after about 2 months of crazy-busyness!  Once I started taking things a little easier, the pain was gone.  At least that specific pain.  Let that be a lesson to you... exercise is BAD! ;-)

Anyway, that didn't help me feel like this pregnancy was easier.  At this point, my day is still pretty much about pain endurance though.  Contractions start if I walk across the street.  I feel horribly sore in the groin like I pulled a muscle - and it's been months!  My goal at the start of this pregnancy was to appreciate as much as I could every little thing as my last time experiencing it.  I wanted to make this my "complaint-free pregnancy."  In the end, I think I've complained WAY more this time than all the other times - possibly combined.  It has not been easy to deal with 3 busy children during all of this.  Especially Hollyn.  Her entire day consists of whining and crying for direct attention, or making a huge mess if I turn my back for even a second.  She moves any and all furniture to get into stuff on the counter, in the cupboards, etc.  She tries to escape outside frequently, unless you need to go somewhere then she'll make a huge fight about getting into her carseat. *sigh*.  Anyway, I'll be SO glad for this all to be over.  I've always been pretty o.k. feeling by the end of the pregnancy in the past, but this time I'm miserable.  I'm so tired of hurting. So. very. tired. 

Oh yeah, and all this pain makes me remember labor pain a little too well.  I used to brush it off easily, but that was because I wasn't actually feeling any.  Now that I feel labor-like pain so much, it's a reminder of what's really coming.  So I'm really, really scared.  I'm starting to dream about labor whenever I sleep.  It's not fun.  I wish I could just get the epidural right now and just hang out watching soaps until the little guy pops out.  Too bad it doesn't work that way.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Lucky number 7

Almost 3cm down, only 7 to go! :-)  This was at a 36.5week check yesterday.  Soooo, today I put some time into baby prep.  I know that I always dilate a little around this time, then it stays the same for the remaining weeks until labor actually starts.  But this time I feel frequent contractions and other pre-labor symptoms.  And the dilation is a little more than the others were at this point.  I started feeling uncomfortable contractions around 20 weeks it seems, which has really thrown me. I dunno, but this pregnancy seems to have progressed more and earlier than the other ones.  So I'm not expecting to go late.  In fact, my Dr. mentioned the possibility of being able to induce once I hit 39 weeks.  There are advantages to that, including the easier arrangement of childcare for the other kids, and the increased likelihood of getting an epidural.  I didn't get one with Asher because the labor was only 2 hours total.  It was time to push literally as soon as I checked in to the hospital.  But yeah, just a few weeks left.  I have a LOT of girls camp planning to squeeze in now!

Monday, May 13, 2013

Busy Weekend

Such a fun and busy weekend!  Brennan was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on March 11th in Corvallis, OR.  It was a “Stake baptism” day, but as it turns out Brennan was the only 8 year old in the Stake being baptized that day.  So it was perfect!  It got to be all about him, with his relatives giving the talks and prayers, but I didn’t have to do the planning.
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His Great Grandfather Bud Lavell Stevenson gave a great talk on baptism.  He talked about making covenants and exhorted Brennan to listen to the sacrament ordinance.

His Grandmother Laura Templeman gave a beautiful talk on the gift of the Holy Ghost.  She explained to him how the spirit can be felt by anyone – and told the story of feeling the spirit at her friend’s baptism when she was 15 and knew right then that she wanted to be baptized too – and what it means to have the gift of constant companionship.

Brennan was then baptized by his father, Brian Lavell Stevenson, as well as being confirmed a member by him.  The blessing he received during the confirmation was very nice.  He was told how much his Heavenly Father loves him and that Brennan has a wonderful sensitive personality and an inquisitive mind.  Heavenly Father is pleased with his curiosity, inquisitiveness, and ability to really ponder and think about things.  He was blessed to use these qualities to be in the service of others throughout his life.

In attendance was: Myrna and Bud Stevenson, Judi and Barry Stevenson, Laura and Gary Templeman, Shannon Robison, Devon and Ben Parmenter as family.  Also Brennan’s primary teacher and his wife (Rust), primary leaders (Velarde, Russell, Smith),the Bishopric representative (Russell), Stake representative (Elton), and the stake baptism coordinators (Anderson).

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I teased on facebook that “you know this was heaven-approved because of the white halo above his head.”  Lol
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These little Velarde boys were very jealous about not being in our family pictures, so we did some friend pictures too.
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The four Lavells.  Sounds like a singing group, right?
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I had to post all the shots here.  Because of Asher.  That kid is such a weirdo.
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After the baptism, we headed over to my parents house for a pleasant dinner.  It was fun to get together as Stevensons and Templemans.

The following day was Mother’s Day, so that was fun to have to have two additional mothers in town!  And, even better, Brian was a speaker in Sacrament Meeting.  Very cool for his parents and grandparents to be here for that.  He spoke about the influences of the mothers in his life and was very flattering towards me.  Grossly exaggerated, although he says he meant every word.


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Later that evening, Elder Greg Stevenson made his Mother’s Day “call”.  We video chatted with Greg, us here in Oregon, Adam, and Peter and Jill.  Brian had set up the webcam on our TV, so we were all able to be on it together.  The boys were thrilled and said all sorts of silly things.  It was VERY cool to be able to do that these days.

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Lots of just hangin’ around at our house

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Brennan read Lego Ninjago to Grana…

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While Asher read to Grandma Myrna and Grandpa Bud.

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Saturday before the baptism, we were able to watch Brennan at his soccer game.  Tide won again.  They’re undefeated. Smile  It was pretty hot outside though, and that showed with several of the kids, including Brenny.  He’s number 4.

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Asher caught a nice shot of his chubby Mama

Finally, backing up… Friday morning held a Mother’s Day Tea at Asher’s preschool.  It was super cute.  I only got this one picture, plus video of the songs.  I’ll see about posting those later.  Such a busy weekend though!

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Thursday, May 9, 2013

Niceties

Cousin lovin’

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Brennan’s left some messages around the house.  He left one in the shower using Hollyn’s tub crayons.  Another day he wrote a quick message on a paper for me. ♥
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“Have fun – do not erase”
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“Love is with you”

The pregnancy is going well.  I have officially less than a month until my due date – the latest estimated due date!  Wow.  So much to do.  Still no name decided.  Haven’t made any arrangements for childcare when I go into labor.  I DO have a carseat, but no stroller that will work for a newborn, nor does my baby carrier work without an insert.  I have some clothes, but they’ve been stashed and aren’t organized.  I don’t even know how many and what type of outfits are here for him.  I have his little bed, but need to rearrange my room to make the space for it.  Pump has been hidden away who knows where.  I may need a new one anyway.  Either way, ALL my kids had nursing problems and received supplements in the first few days of life.  I really need to be prepared for that occurrence.  *sigh*  Poor kid is already being totally neglected by the needs of the other kids – kindergarten registration, Brennan’s baptism, I’m supposed to be planning Girls Camp (it’s kinda my calling, after all), and falling behind on that because there is just too much going on!  Things will work out…. right?
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