It's August

Boy time is flying by. I have 3 kids in school and 2 at home with me for part of the day. I love to have these sweet children all around me and see them grow. Lily is in 4th grade and that's making me feel old!! It's hard for me too see her as that old. She's still a good 2-3 inches shorter than Emma. She wishes that she was taller but at least her feet are finally growing. Peter is in kindergarten again and he's so glad. I talked to his teacher and told her where he was education wise so that she would challenge him more. I really don't want him to get bored. Emma is in 3rd grade and finally gets to join choir. She's been waiting so patiently. She loves to sing and I'm excited to see her improve.
Benjamin is the sweetest little big guy. He always says please and thank you. He says sorry even when it's not his fault. He loves his hugs, and Peter. Oh how he loves his older brother. He's missing him while peters at school. Those two boys get along so incredibly well. It makes this mommy super happy. Miriam is a super happy sweet baby. She's almost 2!!! Why does she have to get older?!?!?! Sigh, this is the first time that I've had a 2 year old without having an infant or ready to pop. It's so different for me. One thing is, I have energy to keep up with her and just maybe I'll get her potty trained faster. Before it was just too much to do that with a new baby. I just might have an advantage it haven't in the past. Whoo hoo! Just imagine no diapers. Ohhh but I'll miss all that is baby. Life is great and we are so happy.



Posted by carrie

Bad Parenting?

If you've ever seen Toy Story 3? Part of the theme is that the toys are in danger of going to the dump. At the end of the movie there is a very dramatic part when the toys are about to be burned up in the incinerator. This part has been VERY helpful to me in my quest to teach my kids. We have been struggling with keeping the house clean. So in attempt to "teach" my kids to value their stuff enough to put it away I've resorted to carrying a bag around. Why a bag????? Cause if they don't put their stuff away I'm "might" throw it away and all their little toys will take that dramatic trip to the incinerator. Is that bad??? HEY! It's getting the job done right. In all reality I LOVE it. It shows me that 1. my kids can clean in a hurry. 2. They really do like what we get them. Also if they take forever to clean I can remind them how fast they clean when I have a bag in hand. So if you are ok with some tough love just have them watch Toy Story 3 and make a big point of the dump part. Carry around a black garbage bag and watch magic happen.

I wouldn't really throw the toys away. I think they know that too. So I don't know why it works but it does.

Miriams reaction to Barney

Oh tooooooo funny.

Posted by carrie

Miriams favorite video

Played on a loop of course

Posted by carrie

Wait a Second!!!

Miriam just decided that she no longer needs milk or bottles. The bottle thing is great but no milk what so ever. We went to az a couple of weeks ago and while we were there she just rejected them. We try to put it in her sippy and she throws it across the room. She wants it for comfort but them she doesn't take it. So she's been kinda cranky. It's nice to not go through so much milk (1 1/2 to 2 gallons a day) but she needs the calcium. Ohhhh dear I have a stubborn one (or maybe 5) on my hands. We just got rid of the crib, highchair, and a bunch of clothes. It's just another thing we are letting go of. I just can't wait to get rid of the diapers. I've been changing those things for 9 1/2 years. Awe babies growing up is so bitter sweet.

My garden is growing

Check it out. Yeah there are lots of weeds but we had lots of rain. I've been working everyday to get a hold of the weeds. But I'm so excited to see all that I'll get from it. See that tree? It's a peach tree and there are tons of tiny peaches growing. I'm starting to get strawberries as well. I love having a garden.


Posted by carrie

Callanetics

I've known about this form of exercise for quite some time. I've done it consistently only total of 8 times in a row. I saw amazing results. So why did I stop??? I don't really like to exercise but I liked this better. Oh and the VHS yes I said VHS was tooooo outdated for me. Some like it, but they updated it and I like it much better. It's so much easier to follow (for me). Anyway, I started doing it again last thursday. I've gotten 4 hours in. They count it as hours cause it takes an hour. So I feel sooooo much better and I can't wait to do my next hour. It's amazing what just 10 hours of this workout will do to your body. You work deep in your muscles and it just pulls everything in. You won't get all bulky and it's a great slimming exercise. Just google the results and you'll be amazed by the pictures. I'm just really excited that I'm excited about exercise (which is so NOT me).

Jonathan

I like him!

He's nice!

He works super hard!

Easy on the eyes!

Great Daddy!

Really SMART!

Loves ME!

I'm a lucky girl.

Gymnastics video

Emma flipping around the bar.

Posted by carrie

Gymnastics

The girls started gymnastics today. They had lots of fun and is really excited to learn. Jonathan did gymnastics for a short time as a kid and this was fun for him to see his girls do it too. They are both doing great. I can't wait to see them progress.

So cute

Posted by carrie

Superdog

By Peter

Posted by carrie

Peter just informed me.

That his chin is happy! Haha



Posted by carrie

Who got into the Chocolet

Caught red handed!!

Um quick cover the camera lens. She'll never know.

Sorry toooo much evidence on this one.

Why Do I Bother Cleaning

See these 3??? Yeah they are my demolition team. I clean constantly and they are great at undoing it. Good thing they are cute

This is just very MILD. Their Masterpieces are just tooooo much to show on-line. I think it would majorly scare some.

Glasses break!!

Lilys glasses have broken 3 times. Wire glasses and kids don't mix. So we went and changed them out for some plastic ones. Hopefully these last a lot longer. We will have to get a backup pair as well. Doesn't she look sooooo old. Sigh!!


Posted by carrie

Being a Mother

As mothers day is tomorrow I think about the precious gift I have. I love being a mother to my beautiful children. I wouldn't want anything else. I dont want some glamourous career, or free time to do whatever I want. I love that my days are full of messes, sticky hands, tantrums, laundry, cleaning the same things over and over. I'll take the sleepless nights and crazy days over being without my kids. I've been entrusted with these little angels and it's expected of me to do my very best. I try so very hard to be the best mom I can. There are days where I'm so close to checking my self into the funny farm. Then I get sweet hugs from my babies. My older kids come up with the silliest stuff. I laugh I cry I wonder and I'm in awe in my experiences as a mother. I wouldnt have it another way. I love being a mother.

Posted by carrie

Twins and D&C

I went into the dr and got a follow up ultrasound just to make sure everything stayed the same or by a miracle things got better. As we looked around and saw 2 little yolk sacks which is the start of a baby. I couldn't believe it. I thought for sure I would NEVER get pregnant with twins. Jonathan saw the 2 "babies" and got really disappointed he really wanted twins. He had a goal of 7 kids. Poor guy. But I got my answer as to why I lost them. First of all my progesterone wasn't nearly high enough to support two pregnancies. If you remember my last pregnancy..... That was hard, and can you imagine doubling it. I really don't think my body could of handled it and I would be in serious trouble. Heavenly Father really spared me. I needed to be able to take care of my 5 blessings I have now. So after the ultrasound Jonathan and I went to check in for surgery. We waited a bit and went back. After a while they starred the process and put some sleepy drugs into my IV. I'm really sensitive to any type of drugs so I was out fast. It was so weird cause it was like I blinked and I was awake. I asked if it was over and they told me I was all done. I was so groggy and my throat hurt because I had to have a breathing tube in. I was in a ton of pain due to a lot of gas build up. I had to get the max amount of pain relievers and it still didn't help. I have a low pain tolerance and to think I had natural child birth. Well anyway Jonathan waited through the whole thing and was so helpful to me. I really have the best husband ever. He is so strong through all of this. He really did lose a lot. He really really wanted twins. Not like I didn't but he's dreamed of them for along time. After I got home I got to recover a little more as margaret and Jonathan took care of the kids. But I couldn't resist and I had Jonathan bring Miriam in to me so I could hold her and slowly get her to sleep. I'm so grateful for my babies. Just to think I could have lost anyone of them. Heavenly Father knew my desires to be a mother and truly blessed me with 5 miracles. I was reminded of that from the nurse at the hospital. She was amazed I had what I have. PCOS makes it hard to even have 1. My testimony has grown leaps and bounds after this experience. Im grateful for trials as I have a chance to count my many blessing and realize the many mercies of God. We are not going to try again. After losing 8 babies we see that as too much. I'm happy and I'm at peace. I truly have so much to be grateful for.






See the two circles those are the yolk sacks. When we looked closer we could se the fetal poles. I know one had shrunk but I don't know how much the other did as we didn't even know it was there. One was measuring 7 weeks the other was measuring 6 weeks.

Waiting

Here I am still waiting on my miscarriage. I wish I just had some sort of closure. Everyday I wonder if today is the day it will start. My body doesn't seem to want to let go. I don't blame it cause in a way I don't want this to be over. I want it to be a huge ultrasound error and I'll get unexpected news that my baby is still alive. I got some blood work done yesterday and hopefully I'll find out more about this whole mess. Through this whole thing I've learned a lot and I'm grateful for those lessons. I just wish learning wasn't so hard sometimes.


Posted by carrie

Dr. Appt NOT so good.

Wow what a day. I woke up this morning feeling leery and just not right. I got the girls to school and off I went to the dr. We talked about my history and made some plans as to prevent pre term labor and what tests we would do and such. We went to do the ultrasound and it didn't look right. 2 weeks ago I got one done at a private ultrasound place and the baby looked great and we heard the heartbeat. But this time I could barely see a thing and there was no little flicker. All was still and my heart sank. I knew what this was. My body still thinks I'm pregnant but the baby stopped growing. If I don't pass the baby naturally I'll have to get a D&C. Ugh. I don't want to do either. This really does stink majorly. So as of now we are testing the hormones in my blood to see if they are rising or falling. But I don't see any hope. There was a heartbeat and now there isn't. It's just over or almost over. I'm becoming more at peace with all of this. I have 5 beautiful children that love me so much. I've been blessed in so many ways. This just happens and with my problems it's more likely. I have a fertility disease called PCOS and with that I have a miscarriage rate of 64%. Well 5 children 7 miscarriages it sounds about right. I really think the baby making factory is officially closed. I'm alright really. I've gotten tons of support and I really appreciate that. I'm just so glad I have the babies I have now. I just could use some prayers that this is resolved quickly.