Nora's Birth Story

Introducing . . . Nora Allison. This sweet bundle joined our family on October 4th. She couldn't possibly be more adored by her brothers, sisters, and parents. 

    As her mother, I particularly feel that Nora is a blessing from heaven. You see, we were feeling pretty content (and at times, overwhelmed) with our family of seven. Five kids kept us busy as can be, and with three boys and two girls, I thought we really had the perfect family. Then, one day just over a year ago, when I was praying about something completely unrelated, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the feeling that there was one more baby waiting to join our family.

    Although I immediately knew that we would do what Heavenly Father wanted, I will admit that I spent a few weeks asking Him if He was sure, if I had heard correctly, if there wasn't some mistake. I felt inadequate. I was scared. I wondered how we could make room in our lives for a baby. But there was no mistake. Time after time when I asked, I felt a warmth and a peace that only comes from the Lord. I knew we needed to take a leap of faith and have another baby. I knew that we would be blessed by this child and would always be grateful that we had listened to the promptings of the Holy Ghost to expand our family. But I still didn't know HOW it was going to work.

    Throughout my pregnancy, I will admit that I mostly tried to not think of what life would be like when she was born. Not because I didn't want her, but because I still wasn't sure about the how. But I knew that it would be okay.

    Towards the end, I needed lots of help. My blood pressure started rising and my doctor told me to cut back my activities. Each week when I saw him, he told me to cut back some more. Thankfully, unlike two previous pregnancies when high blood pressure had been an issue, this time the baby seemed unaffected by it. Friends and family reached out to me and insisted they help. At first it was hard to accept, but I knew I needed to do what was best for the baby and my own health, and had to humble myself.

    Then, three weeks and two days before she was due, I had a miserable night. My blood pressure had been harder to control, even with rest, for the past three days, and on this night, I could barely sleep because I kept having contractions. I knew I needed to get checked out at the hospital-- they aren't really keen on having a woman with 5 previous C-sections labor because of the risk of uterine rupture-- but I had also been through this kind of thing before. I knew that I would get to the hospital and my contractions would stop, my blood pressure would drop, and after several hours they would send me home. So I waited for morning. After I dropped my kids off at school and preschool, I headed in to get checked out. Things felt different and I fully expected to deliver our baby sooner than her scheduled delivery date which was still over two weeks away.

    Sure enough, my contractions stopped cold as soon as they began monitoring me and my blood pressure dropped after about half an hour of resting. The nurses assured me that I'd be going home soon, but that my doctor had ordered some labs just to be sure. I am sure they get plenty of women coming in with a few weeks to go in their pregnancy, desperate to find a reason to deliver early and have pregnancy over with, but  I am not one of those women. I knew that Nora was going to make her entrance sooner rather than later.

    The labs came back with results that landed me an overnight in the hospital while they ran more tests. It seemed that my kidneys were struggling and that the PIH was affecting me, even though the baby appeared to be fine. They gave me one of those nifty steroid shots that help the baby's lungs just in case, and I spent the next several hours figuring out the logistics of my family's needs with mommy in the hospital. Even though they were saying I would be in for 24 hours, I went ahead and made arrangements for help with kids, meals, etc, through the end of the week, feeling like it would be easy to cancel if needed. (Wouldn't you know it, my mom was out of town, visiting my brother and his wife and newest baby.) Thankfully, I had many people offer to help and had it all figured out by dinner time.

    The next day, after more labs, my amazing Dr. S. and I agreed that we were not going to wait for Nora's scheduled c-section, still two weeks away. We decided to wait one more day to give the steroids the best effect, and scheduled the c-section for 5pm the following day.

     The next evening we welcomed our sweet baby into the world. It took the doctors quite a while to work through all my scar tissue after so many surgeries; we were all bantering about needing a saw and talking in a relaxed way. When they got to my uterus, I heard the tone of my doctor's voice change. 

"Have you been having contractions, Michal?" 

"I had them the day and night before I checked into the hospital, but they have mostly gone away since I've been in bed here," I replied.

"I think we are delivering this baby on the right day," he said, sounding somewhat solemn.

    Apparently, my uterus was so thin that he proceeded to open it with his finger, not even needing a tool. When he did so, it sort of fell apart. My friend, Kristen, who was there and who is a L&D nurse, said after one look at it, she was sure that I would need a hysterectomy on the spot, because they would never get that fragile, spent organ sewn together again. Miraculously, they were able to stitch up the silvery tissue just as it needed to be. We all felt that it was God's hand that prevented my uterus from rupturing earlier, during my contractions (which would have been extremely serious and life threatening to both Nora and me), and that allowed me to avoid hemorrhaging or a hysterectomy.

    I am so grateful for this sweet little girl in my life. I am grateful for the Lord's tender mercies in sparing her life and mine, as well as for the many, many people He has prompted to bless us with help over the past months. 

    

    Our life is crazy with six kids, to be sure, but blessed and wonderful. I love being a mother, even though it pushes me to my very limits sometimes; even though I make mistakes and have to apologize to my children; even though it wreaks havoc on my sleep, my body, and my patience. It is the best choice that I have ever made and I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to be a mother to these six wonderful kids. 

Good Things in the Mail

While I was in the hospital a couple of weeks ago (yes, I am behind on my blogging. Averaging 3 1/2 hours of sleep at night really motivates you to nap instead of blog during the day), I got a few things in the mail that I am very excited about.


The first is a baby carrying-pouch sling from Dittany Baby. Even though this is my 5th baby, I've never had a pouch or wrap before. I have used a Baby Bjorn from time to time, but it is really a pain to take on and off and your baby needs to hold their head up before you can use it. Not so with this goodie. I've already used it a few times in the past week to hold Margaret when I needed to multi-task. I plan on writing a review in the next week or so after I've used it more, and when I do there will be a giveaway of some of DB's products, so be sure to check back in. And go check out Dittany Baby's other great items, including some GORGEOUS tights, skid pants (leg warmers), and car seat blankets, and more.


I also received a letter in the mail from Dreyers, informing me that I won an essay contest that I entered to have a block ice-cream party (a Neighborhood Salute, they're calling it) for 100 people in my neighborhood this summer! They are sending out a big box full of party supplies including decorations, invitations, yard signs, etc, and enough Dreyer's Slow Churned ice cream to feed 100 people! I squealed with delight. I'll blog about it later--our party is scheduled for Labor Day weekend-- but this is a contest that has been going on for years, so you should be sure to enter next year and win won for your own neighborhood.

Last but not least, my birthday present arrived.


You may already know what a fan I am of the Bosch mixers. Last fall, my mini Bosch bit the dust and I replaced it with a 20 year old Craigslist model. Then, a few months ago, that mixer, too, gave up the ghost. When my birthday rolled around, we decided it was time for us to take the plunge and actually buy the machine we really wanted and would happily use for the next 20-40 years. Hooray!

Unfortunately, since I had major surgery on my birthday and brought a new baby home shortly thereafter, I have not had the opportunity to use this already beloved and much anticipated machine. But I am going to bake bread again this week if that's the only thing my family eats one day for dinner. I'm sick and tired of Orowheat!

Have you gotten anything good in the mail lately?

Introducing . . .

Margaret Kaylyn

born: June 22, 2009 1:44 pm

weight: 4 lbs 5 oz

length: 18 inches

answers to Margaret, Meg, Meggie, Megs, Baby Meg, and "My Mawrgwet"

I told Jared that we could go low-key this year on my birthday, especially since it was the day after Fathers' Day and a week before our daughter was scheduled to arrive. However, our day was anything but low-key, and culminated in the birth of Margaret. I'll post the birth story soon, but wanted to make sure that those of you who don't follow me on facebook or twitter heard our good news.

By the way, Margaret was my maternal grandmother's name, and Kaylyn is taken from my mom's and my MIL's middle names to honor both of them. Thus, this precious little daughter of ours (and I do mean little-yowsahs!) has some wonderful namesakes to emulate.

Three Favorite Cupcakes

You know me and food! Here are a few things I'm nibbling on lately:

1. My newest nephew, Colin Joseph F.
This sweet little cupcake was born early in the AM of June 16th. He is just perfect and beautiful and tiny and so fresh from heaven.Don't you just want to eat him up? His mom, dad, and big brother are so happy to have him here and his aunt is also quite pleased. The only thing that matches the birth of your own babies is the birth of your SISTER'S babies. My only regret is that I can't be there at the house with them 24/7, but both grandmas are staying there and my kids and I would probably not be the best addition to that tiny house. Sigh.

2. Icing on the Cupcake
This little cupcake bakery nearby-ish is irresistible. I'm just grateful that they aren't around the corner or the temptation would be greater. Here's their menu--each day they have some featured flavors as well as their daily goodness. I've already fallen head over heels for their Chocolate Peanut Butter and Chocolate Macaroon. I think when I head back in this week, I'll ask them if they will offer a discount, promotion, or giveaway for my local readers. Anyone interested? Yummy yum yummy!

3. Conversations with a Cupcake
I discovered this blog via Nienie's. She created a special chocolate cake in honor of Nienie (which will be my birthday cake next week, I promise you.) Her blog is both beautiful and choc full of delicious-looking recipes. I'll admit that I haven't made any of them yet, but just reading this blog makes me happy. So go check it out!

What makes you happy today?

30 Days

Today is June 1st. On the last day of this month (unless she is a plan-spoiler like her older sister,) our new daughter will be born. Of course we look forward to that day with excitement and joy, but I will confess that I always also dread labor day--or at least the six weeks that follow. The last 30 days sends me into a frenzy of to do lists and anxiety.

You see, as much as I adore having a new baby, as much as I weep at the miracle of each new birth, as much as I treasure holding that special little child in my arms, I am a wreck after I have a baby. I am not one of those girls who bounces back, showing up at parties in cute clothes when the baby is a week old. Oh, no. When I have a baby, I lock myself in the house, avoiding contact with everyone except my mother, whom I cling to pathetically, and anyone who brings by a meal. I don't get any projects done for a LONG, LONG time, and don't want my picture taken for a year.

So, knowing that I'll accomplish absolutely nothing except for keeping my children alive in the weeks following her birth, my last 30 days are for scurrying around, trying to cram in everything that I won't get to later. Here's my list:

• Get the girls' closet organized, with a wire organizer and cubbies added for new baby's clothes, blankets, burpcloths, etc.
• Buy the fabric for the new bedskirt and cribskirt (anyone have a Joann's coupon sitting around?)
  
• Dig out the newborn baby clothes from the garage (which are hiding behind a barricade of my mom's stuff); determine which, if any, can be used for a summer baby. Wash them.
• Take a weekend getaway with my husband. Sleep in. Read a lot. Pay attention to him. Eat out. (scheduled)
• Look for acts of service to perform every or most days for other people.
• Go to the temple two more times. (scheduled)
  
• Take the kids swimming as much as possible.
• Win free ice cream for a year.
• Have at least two playdates for my kids every week in June at my house.
• Get my ironing pile down to nothing or at least down to the week's Sunday clothes.
• Take my boys to art camp, twilight camp, and swim lessons (scheduled).
• Help my sister with her new baby, coming soon . . .
  
• Help my mom get settled into her new house, coming soon . . .
  
• Read the new writing curriculum I bought for next year.
• Research and order a science and Latin curriculum for next year.
• Visit the new homeopathic/holistic pediatrician and make sure he's the right fit for us.
• Post on my blog more often.
• Plan and execute Sharing Time every Sunday in June.
• Stop eating so many sweets--getting down to one a day would be a good start!
• Drop off some stuff at D.I. and the recycling center.
• Finish ancient India and China chapters in history.
• Finish up math curriculum for the year (Henry has one more lesson, Kimball has five.)
• Mail off a package to Scrappy that was mis-addressed at Christmas time and still sits in my bedroom.
• Make more pickles (love this recipe from Prudence Pennywise).
• Get a pedicure.
  

This list is sure to grow as quickly as I check things off, but I have learned (with one preemie and one baby who decided to be born 8 days before her scheduled c-section, baby shower, and my hair cut-and-color) that we will all survive if the list doesn't get completed. Still, I will be plugging away at it, come what may, for the NEXT 30 DAYS. And hopefully, when labor day comes, I'll be able to relax and enjoy it as much as my hormones will let me!



What are you doing in June?

A New Addition

We added to our household today. Henry's birthday was three weeks ago, and his present was a bearded dragon (lizardy reptile--see what a good mom I am?), which he did not receive on his birthday. You see, we had the best of intentions, but when we figured out how much the habitats for those darn things cost, with UV lights, warming lamps, heated rocks, special sand, etc, etc -- we decided to wait and get the iguana habitat that Nana had brilliantly stored after my brother, Stu's, iguana found a new home years ago. Luckily, Alli and Flint had a trip planned to visit Nana the weekend after Henry's birthday. We convinced him that it was worth the wait--only a couple of days, really.

When they got back from Southern Cal, it took us a few days to get the habitat from them. Then we waited until Jared's day off when he could take Henry over to pick up his new pet. But when we called Friday morning, the pet store had sold our bearded dragon to another family! Like any good parents would do, we put off telling Henry until he asked about it, then broke the news for him that the pet shop was looking for another lizard for him.

Well, another week went by and the pet shop owner didn't come up with anything. We checked the local PetSmart, but they had nothing. We started checking craigslist, but everyone wanted more than we wanted to pay because they wanted to sell their bearded dragons WITH a habitat.

Finally, today, one showed up on craigslist that was in our price range. We called and asked all the important questions, then drove about 45 minutes away to pick it up. The owner was very sweet and spent about 15 minutes with Henry, helping him to get comfortable with the little guy and teaching us about feeding him and caring for him.

We brought the poor, dazed guy home. He is mostly hanging out in the corner of his habitat, wondering about the change of scenery and all the noise in this new house! Henry named him Drazil, Lizard of all Dragons, but will call him Drazil for short. (The previous owners named him Stuie, but as we have an uncle with that name, it wouldn't do.) The above photo is taken from the internet--I didn't want to traumatize Drazil anymore today.

Oh, and the other addition to our family? We did have an ultrasound this afternoon after picking up Drazil. The baby cooperated this time and . . . .


it's a girl! We are so happy for Bronwen to get a sister. And I'm thrilled to use my girl clothes again! Now to work on the name . . .

What's in a Name?

Ever since we told the kids on Christmas Eve that there was a new baby coming to our family this summer, they have been on a naming frenzy. Along with all their excitement about leaving out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, they were busy thinking up monikers like, "Obi Wan Kenobi (last name)" and "Buttercup (last name)".

Fifty percent of this fun will come to an end on Tuesday when we have our 2nd ultrasound (at which this child WILL cooperate) and find out whether we need to focus on the Obi Wan or the Buttercup list from here on out.

If we were the type of parents (whom I've never understood, being a control freak,) who let their children choose the baby's name, these are the names that would be under serious consideration at this point:

For a boy

• Obi Wan Kenobi
• Westley (as in the Dread Pirate Roberts)
  
• Jaylen
• George Lucas
• Luke
• Fezzik
• Inigo Montoya
  
• Darth Vader
• Peter
• Lando
• Julius (as in Caesar)
• Augustus
• Sargon
• Odysseus
• Socrates

For a girl

• Buttercup
• Eerin
• Ruby (especially if she has a twin brother named Max)
• July
• Leia
• Persephone
  
• Princess
• Susan
• Lucy
• Beezus
• Ramona
• Asouka
  

There is at least one name on each list that Jared & I would consider, but I'm not sure if I want to share our list here. I don't know yet if I want your feedback or not because I would feel sad if everyone hated my favorite names, and if everyone loved them, I'd be afraid that they were too popular. I'm crazy like that. But I will take any suggestions you might have!

Ian is hoping for a baby brother, Henry wants another sister. Kimball says that he's torn because he'd love having another sister but he likes the boy names better. Bronwen doesn't get it and just loves shoving her baby doll under my shirt or her shirt, depending on the moment. But regardless of who wants what, this baby is coming in four more months and changing everything again for us!

(And by the way, it looks like most of you voted for me to stick with the photo of me kissing Bronwen for my header. I'm not ready to commit yet--maybe there's another photo somewhere in my files that's better. You'll know when I decide because the new layout will appear.)

If you were naming a baby this summer, what would its name be? Don't share if you don't want us to steal it, though.

Doctors and Parasites

So, I finally saw the doctor today about this parasite that's been taking all the joy out of eating and sucking my energy dry for the past few months. Apparently, there's something in the water around here, because I know lots of other people with similar symptoms right now. He said that there is nothing to worry about, that this will run it's course. The lack of appetite will wear off (frankly, it did about two weeks ago, just in time for New Year's Resolutions) and the fatigue may or may not linger. I can expect to carry this parasite around with me for another 5 or 6 months. Jared & I have decided if it's going to hang around so long, we might as well name it and make it a part of our family.

Yes, it's true. We have entered unchartered territory. The territory where people look at you like you are a freak when they find out that you are going to have 5 kids. I'm pretty sure that qualifies us for the circus, the nuthouse, or at least a reality show on TLC. A family with 4 kids around here is uncommon but not unheard of--plus, the last time I was pregnant, most people assumed that we were just "trying one last time for a girl"--their words, not mine. Now I can be that crazy Mormon-homeschooling-mom-with-all-those-kids. (Who am I kidding--that was probably me long ago anyway.)

All kidding aside, we feel so blessed and grateful that the Lord is sending another one of his children to join our family, probably in the first few days of July. (I have scheduled c-sections, but sometimes they decide to come before their scheduled and approved date.) Our children could not be more excited, and I'm sure you'll hear in future posts about their fabulous naming ideas. To make things even better, my sister is expecting and due 3 weeks before me, so we'll have close cousins!

Are we crazy? Sometimes. (And more often when I'm pregnant.) But I have a conviction that the Lord wants me to be a mother to these children and that He is making me into the woman that He knows I can be. I'm far from perfect, but with His help, I can do anything He asks.

The picture is me with Kimball in the NICU, a few days after he was born. He probably weighed 3 lbs and a couple of ounces here. We don't want to do it that way again if we have our choice (which we don't).

Birthday Girl

Warning: This is going to be one of THOSE posts that is all about one of my kids. It will probably not interest 80% of my readers, but I'm posting it anyway because it's my blog and I want to! So if you're not into these posts, come back again soon for something more profound and thought provoking (I hope!)
One year ago, I got up in the morning feeling like something was different. Although this was my fourth full pregnancy, I had never gone into labor spontaneously. I had a repeat c-section scheduled for the 8th and lots to do in the next week before the baby came. But that morning, something had changed and I knew it. As I took a shower, I thought to myself, "Maybe you'd better pack your hospital bag, just in case." I told Jared that there was a possibility that we'd be having the baby earlier than we'd planned, but he assured me that it was probably a false alarm. After all, my due date was still 15 days away, and as I said before, I had never gone into labor without medical assistance.
I spent the morning running errands, buying a few things that I absolutely needed if I was having a baby right away. I had a baby shower scheduled for the next night, but I decided that I shouldn't wait any longer to buy diapers, onesies, and a few binkis, and to get more food in the house. Just in case.
By noon, I had called my friend Kristen, a labor and delivery nurse. I should have called the doctor, but I knew that they'd just tell me to come in and get checked out, and I didn't want to if it was a false alarm. I had a cut and color scheduled with my hairstylist at 4:00. And how could I have a baby with gray showing? I couldn't. But when I told Kristen that I'd been contracting all morning pretty regularly, she said she would feel better if we went into LDRP. I dropped off my kids at Christine's, and Kristen and I headed to the hospital. Jared was closing for lunch at 12:30 and could meet us over there.
To make a long story short, I did not get my hair done that day. Nor did I have a baby shower the next day. They determined that I was in labor, and even though it wasn't hard labor yet, since I had already had 3 previous c-sections, they didn't really want me laboring (the risk of uterine rupture is high after so many.) So at 4:59 pm, Bronwen was born. So much for all the convenience of having a scheduled c-section! From the beginning, she let us know that she was going to do things on her terms.
Here is her "stink eye" face that she makes when she's frustrated or when encouraged to do so by those of us who think it is hysterical!

I went around today, asking my family what they loved most about Bronwen. Here are there responses (Warning, these are not very exciting, but I am striving for authentic journalism here, so I couldn't doctor them up):
Kimball: My favorite thing? She's cute.
Henry: I love everything about Bronwen (very true--he adores her.)
Ian: Um, playing with her!
Jared: (suspiciously) What's this for? (He doesn't like being quoted on THE BLOG.) (Then, under pressure,) I like that she smiles at me when she sees me.
As for me, I love the spirit that she has brought into our home. I feel like we were missing something without her--even though we didn't know it. She brings a softness to everyone. Looking at her reminds me to stop yelling and be the softer, gentler mommy that I want to be. And she seems to have the same effect on her brothers. Their fighting stops when they catch sight of her or when I ask them to help me with her. When they hear Bronwen wake up in the morning or after a nap, they all drop everything and run in to see her. And I love to see that.

Here are a few shots of our little family birthday celebration at Nana's.

I was pleased with the way the ladybug cake turned out. Kimball made a birthday banner for the occasion.
Checking out the gift wrap.
The doll is a hit!It's really too bad that she didn't wear a bib at dinner, because this photo would be perfect without the drippings from orange wedges all over her dress. Bummer.I took some video of her eating the cake, but she was so delicate and unhurried about it that it would have bored anyone who is not her grandma. So I'll spare you. Her favorite part was definitely the Junior Mints. She picked off and ate every one.Everybody else got ladybug cupcakes and ice cream.Kimball helped Bronwen eat the black bug head. Check out his tongue. Yech!In the end, she decided that she wanted clean hands and a sippy cup of milk. We were all a little disappointed that she didn't demolish the cake (as her brothers have all done.) But perhaps she will not have the kind of food issues that her mother has when she grows up. Wouldn't that be a gift?
Happy Birthday, little girl. We love you!

Life is Full of Irony

The other night, as we said our prayers and climbed into bed, I snuggled up to my husband and sighed with contentment. In spite of the trials we have, I felt nearly overwhelmed with how blessed we are and how many things are going right in our life.
"You know, we have a good life." I said to Jared.
"Mmm-huh" he murmured, already half asleep.
Anticipating a good night's sleep before my alarm went off at 4:45 for spin class, and proud of us for making it to bed by 10:00, I closed my eyes.
"Waaaaaaaaa," cried Bronwen, who has been fast asleep for two hours. "Waaaaaaaa."
Trying not to lose the happy feelings I had just expressed, I wearily got out of bed and went to go comfort the baby.
Oh well. We still have a good life. It's just easier to feel that way when you're tucked into bed with everyone asleep!

The baby who slept

Three years ago this week, we welcomed our third baby into the family. I had a great deal of trepidation in the weeks before Ian's birth, and none of my anxiety was about childbirth (after all, it was a scheduled c-section. What's scary about that?) My transition to two children, two and a half years previously, had been difficult for a number of reasons. But that post about Henry's first months is for another day. The point is, I was scared to death that I would have another baby who cried a lot, required me to change my diet dramatically, never slept, and that I would spend six months struggling with post-partum depression. Could I dare hope that this baby would be an "easy" baby, like those I'd heard about before?
Some of you will say that there are no easy babies, but I beg to differ. If you start off with a preemie who doesn't know how to eat and is easily overstimulated (and turns out to be on the autistic spectrum a few years later,) and then follow that up with a baby who has colic and wants to be held at all times, awake or asleep, then a third baby who sleeps a lot, eats quickly and greedily, and has an even temper is easy as can be. And Ian turned out to be such a child. Thank goodness that he was, because I still had my hands full with his older brothers.
Ian has continued to be a complete delight to his parents. We fiercely love all of our children, but it has been easy to enjoy Ian because he is almost always light hearted, rambunctious, hysterical, and the boy can sleep! By the time he was seven weeks old, he was sleeping 12 hours straight at night--that's without waking up to eat-- and taking two naps a day. He has also been so flexible in his schedule. Of course, you will say, the third child has to be flexible. You are always having to wake them up to pick up someone from school or go on a playdate. That is true, but not all children who have their sleep disrupted regularly do so without being miserable to live with.
Ian also seems to be about as typical as a little boy can be. He is into pirates and cowboys and trains and dinosaurs. He takes imaginative play to a level that I haven't witnessed with our other children. He demands that we sing to him before bed. His favorites: Sweet Baby James and Ragtime Cowboy Joe, although he does also request the "Dog Bites" song (My Favorite Things). And he makes us laugh every day.
So, as we celebrate his third birthday (with everything cowboy) this week, both Jared & I feel so grateful to have this little guy in our lives. Each of our children teaches us different things and in different ways. I think that Ian has helped us to relax and to relish.
Happy Birthday, little cowboy. We love you.

There Were Never Such Devoted Sisters

At 17 months old, I was blessed with a baby sister, a sidekick, a friend for life. Alli and I shared a bedroom until I went to college 17 years later, and when she 
came to BYU the next year,
my friends and I opted to spend another year in on-campus housing at Heritage Halls and she lived in the apartment downstairs. The next year we were back to sharing a room and then we traveled together for a study abroad one summer in Jerusalem (one of the highlights of my life so far.) I left on my mission to Russia in the fall of 1994 and by the time I got home, Alli had already left for her 18 month mission in Honduras. She arrived home shortly before my wedding. Since then, although we have not been roommates, we have remained close friends, talking nearly every day. She insists that she spent the first half of her mission praying that I wouldn't get married while she was gone and the second half praying that I'd find the love of my life and get married when she got home, so she is one of a few people who take the credit for Jared & me falling in love.
Alli has always valued, prized, and looked forward to the divinity of motherhood. I think that perhaps the hardest part for her of being single long past when she expected to be was that she couldn't be a mother. When Kimball was born she was living in Salt Lake City and I in Southern California, but within a year she had relocated, partly because she couldn't stand to be away from him for very long. She was invaluable to me when Henry, our colicky second, was born, especially when I struggled with post partum depression and really felt like I needed support on a daily basis.
When we moved north four and a half years ago, it was a blow to her to realize that she had little control over where our children lived, etc. She had always treated them as if they were her own and I think she really felt that way and was crushed when we felt inspired to move away. I missed her terribly, but you should have seen how my kids missed her--it was as if they had lost one of their two mommies! My heart has ached for her over the years since I became a mother, knowing how much she wanted the life I was living.
Then, a couple of years ago, along came Flint. He treats her with so much love and respect and is most definitely the man she had been waiting for all those years. They married and decided that they wouldn't wait too long to start a family. A miscarriage slowed them down and worried them that their plans might not come to fruition. But happy news! This morning at 3:15 am, their baby Isaac Flint was born!
Yesterday morning I got a call from Allison on her way to her last day of teaching, saying that she was pretty sure that she was in labor. Flint was working up here, so a few minutes later he called me for a ride to the airport. I fell to my knees and asked the Lord to please let him be there with her for the labor and birth of their first baby. Then throughout the day I frequently prayed for them. I know that I can be a worrywart, but when someone I love is in labor I always feel like I need to plead with Our Father for their life and the life of the baby. I guess it's because to deliver a baby we go into the valley of the shadow of death. And I can't imagine anything more awful at a time of joy and hope like the birth of a baby than the loss of the baby or the mother or both of them. I was so relieved and grateful when I got a text message at 3:30 am, telling me that all was well and that Isaac had come.
Allison will finally get to be the mother that she has prepared all her life to be. She has been so wonderful to my children and to her other nieces and nephews. I am so filled with joy and gratitude for this long awaited blessing in her life, and pray that she will find joy and fulfillment as she relishes motherhood.
P.S. (I hate using this blasted laptop. It regularly messes up the formatting and won't let me move pictures around or use multiple photos. Thank goodness our new PC is on its way.)

Update on Baby Scotty

Some of you knew that my nephew, Scotty, was spending extra time in the NICU. Thank you for your prayers on his behalf. Just wanted to let you know that Tyler has posted an update on his blog. Check it out.
More from me later on our trip to San Francisco.

A Child is Born

When I was six years old, my mother had her fifth baby (I was the eldest)--a boy named Tyler. He was MY baby as far as I was concerned. I helped feed him, change him, hold him, and mothered him as only a big sister can. He was the cutest thing I'd ever seen.
Well, that little baby has grown up and today, he became a daddy. He and his wife, Erika, welcomed their first son into the world in the wee small hours of the morning. I had taken my cell phone to bed with me, hoping I'd get a text message when the little one had arrived. All day Monday I prayed for Erika, that the baby would be well, that she would be well, that we would have good news soon. So I was relieved to finally get the text message at 4:00 am that he had arrived safe and sound.
I don't mean to be stealing Tyler's thunder by posting about this. I know that he has uploaded pictures to his blog but hasn't had time to post yet. I will leave him to fill you in on all of the details, just give him a day or so more to soak in his new baby and to bring Erika and Scottie home from the hospital. I am just so filled with gratitude that baby Scottie is here and has joined our family. A new baby is such a miracle, and especially through those harrowing hours of labor you imagine all the things that could go dreadfully wrong and pray that none of them will.
Now Tyler and Erika have so many wonderful things to look forward to. I'm not talking about the sleepless nights and the two-year-old tantrums and the teenage rebellions. I'm talking about the tightening in your chest when you think of anything being less than perfect in this child's life. I'm talking about the lightness in your heart when you hear your baby laugh, or when you see his eyes light up at the sight of your face. I'm talking about the sweetness of seeing your child gently kiss a new baby brother or sister, sensing that even as toddlers, they feel the miracle of a new baby. I'm talking about watching your child accomplish something that was hard for them and seeing the pride on their faces as they look to you to celebrate with them.
Welcome to parenthood, Erika and Tyler. Enjoy the journey. It may be the hardest thing you ever attempt, but it will also be more rewarding than any job, any educational achievement, any thing you can create. It will make you hurt like nothing has hurt before and love like you've never loved before. It is a blessing from God to be a parent, and it is His plan for us. And welcome to the world, baby Scottie!

Obsessive With a Capital O

Yes, that's me. Not be confused with Obsessive Compulsive, which would be my husband and at least one of my kids. Ok, so no one has been diagnosed and we're all still functioning, but I think that you can safely say that there is some of that floating around in the genes at our house.
I think that I have always been this way. In my childhood, it mostly manifested by my obsession with books. Most of the photos taken of my during my grade school years involve a book in my hands. Kimball is like me in that way. He brings along a book to read in the car if we are going to be gone for 5 minutes.
In college, I began to jump from obsession to obsession (as I continue to do)--often there was a boy involved, sometimes one who didn't know I existed! (Those of you who knew me in college may remember Mr. Density--not a typo, a reference from Back To the Future--and other Library Lovers who kept me headed to the great and spacious building to study and hope they'd show up!) I also went on stints of food obsessions. I remember one time that Erin, Heidi, and I went to Tony Roma's in Provo for their Chicken Caesar Salad ten times in two weeks. It was ridiculous considering my college spending money budget (and I obviously had no idea how laden with fat Caesar salad is,) but it was a need that had to be filled if we wanted to sleep at night! Another time McArthur and I beat a regular path to Pizza Pipeline for their Cinnamon Twists. Yum (I think I need to plan a trip to Provo!)
Which brings me to my current obsession: Halloween costumes. My kids have been discussing Halloween costumes randomly since November 2nd of last year and I have been telling them that we don't get to really plan Halloween until school starts. Well wouldn't you know that over after-school snack on the first day of school, Kimball piped up to remind us all that Halloween is around the corner (I know, it's scary how much my kids are like me.) And now,for some reason, I am spending a ridiculous amount of time searching for the perfect Halloween costume for the baby. I'm not sure why the others' are not occupying so much of my brain as hers is. I promise it's not because she's my favorite. I don't even think it's because it can be something girl-y (trying to fool my filter with strange spellings). But for some reason, I want it to be perfect--perfectly adorable, perfectly reasonable for her to crawl and move around in, and perfectly priced. This is the one time of year when I really kick myself for not learning any of my mother's amazing sewing skills. I guess it is also the one time of year when I shop obsessively and then beg my mom to sew costumes for the kids.
Anyway, I thought I had found a costume that fit the bill. Here it is:
Now, this may not look that different from all of the other ladybug costumes out there to you, but it is by far the cutest one I've found. I was so excited to see that babystyle (where it is listed) was offering $2 shipping on costumes ordered in August, and I had every intention of buying the costume. But I am a procrastinator as well as an obsessor, so rather than buy it immediately, I chose to look at it again every day until August 31st, just to make sure it was still THE ONE. Who expects there to be any danger of a Halloween costume selling out in August, for goodness sake!?
Well, you guessed it, this one is gone. And babystyle has posted this comment:"We're sorry, but this cute costume is permanently sold out. We will not be receiving more before Halloween."
How could they?
When I discovered this I was horrified and began perusing costume websites all over the place to find another perfect costume. And nothing that is remotely in my price range is good enough. I have run across a designer of children's costumes that is amazing (but well outside of my price range.) Here are a few of my favorites (I'm including boy favorites too, since Bronwen's not getting a $60 costume no matter how cute she is):There are loads more. So cute. There are some on ebay, so I might be able to pick one up at a more reasonable price. But which one, and how much is reasonable? The scary thing is that I am thinking about this more that I am about what I'm going to make for dinner tonight (maybe Chicken Caesar Salad?) or world peace or family history or anything much more worthwhile. Oh well. Check out my poll in the sidebar--I think I'll poll my readers to find out which one is your favorite. Provided I like your answer and it's available on ebay, I can get it. Then maybe I'll be able to move on to a new obsession--how about laundry?

Bring up Baby--on Solid Food

It has officially arrived. The messy, sticky, and time consuming process of feeding the baby solid foods. I have always waited until my kids were six months old to start them on solids of any kind, and this time around I was tempted to wait longer. I just don't enjoy the initial process of spoon feeding a baby; they have no idea what to do, push half of the food out with their tongue and get the other half on their thumbs, fingers, and cheeks, toes, hair, eyelashes, --you get the picture. Perhaps your children are neater than mine (and I will admit that so far, Bronwen is not as messy as her brothers all were,) but it is still not pretty. And then there is the area under the high chair, littered with raisins, Cheerios, and green peas--I swear, they multiply down there because I only ever give her a couple of things to chase around her tray and she ends up with 1/2 cup of finger foods on the floor.
Anyhow, as I said, I was tempted to wait longer. I asked Jared how long I would have to wait until she went straight to eating quickly and neatly on her own--maybe I could just nurse her until then? Jared predicted that 21 was the magic age for that, which is a wee bit longer than I'm interested in having my child suckle. A friend of mine said that her fifth child went from breast to pizza, which was intriguing but probably hyperbole. I finally decided about a week before she hit six months that I'd wait until it was obvious that she needed solid foods and that breastmilk was no longer cutting it.
Well, we made it exactly one day after she turned six months before she started acting ravenous all the time. She also began watching us intently when we ate, sometimes yelling out as if to say, "Where's mine?" This was a couple of days before our Monterey Trip, so I decided to put it off a little longer--taking solid foods out with me and feeding them to our sweet little darling in public is even less appealing than making the mess at home.
We survived the trip to Monterey without the solid food, but I knew I couldn't put it off any longer. So, we got down to business. It turns out, this little girl takes to food pretty well. She knew exactly what to do the first time I mixed up some baby oatmeal and offered her some on a spoon. She gets visibly excited as soon as she can tell that I am preparing food for her and if you pause between bites or get up to do something else for a split second, she squawks as if to say, "Where do you think you are going? I'm eating here!" She can really pack away the oatmeal, sweet potatoes, squash, applesauce, pears, peaches, cheerios, raisins, and green peas. (I know that you're supposed to give lots of green veggies at first, but I can't handle the smell and would never feed my kids green veggies from a can anyway, so she just gets whole frozen green peas for now.) I think she takes after her mom, because anytime she's awake she seems to think that it would be a good time to eat. It's a passion with her! I feel a foodie coming on.
The fun thing about all this is to watch her little personality unfolding as she develops preferences and learns how to communicate them. At the moment, her biggest preference is to have food in her mouth! Of almost any kind. So she doesn't have a very sophisticated palette yet, I'll admit. But she'll get there one day. Maybe she'll even be able to eat without making a tremendous mess of herself one day, too. I hope it comes long before she's 21.