2

Everett,

Happy 2nd Birthday, sweet baby of mine. 

You are a pure delight;

you bring such charm and joy to this family! 








One

My sweet, sweet baby boy....

It's March 24th ~ Happy Birthday! 
Today, we are so blessed to be able to celebrate a whole year of YOU!  What an honor.

Everett, there are no words to describe the ways my heart has grown since we learned of you back in the summer of 2010.  You are my fourth 'quarter' baby, my youngest, my cuddle bug, my mama's boy.  You are a pure delight, and you have definitely lived up to being worth the wait. 

There are so many ways I want to remember today, to capture these feelings I have, and engrave them in my memory.  To remember you now.

Here are a few:

-It's my baby's first birthday!  (and I'm NOT pregnant!  This is a FIRST for this Mama)
-At this time last year....I was doing_____....oh, am I the Queen of Nostalgia!
-I want to keep you this size forever!
-Your sweet, chubby hands
-Your dimples
-Your Baby Blues with The Longest Lashes Ever
-Your belly laugh -- best with big brothers, next to tickling your collarbones
-Your love of being worn - in the Boba and the Gemini
-Your love of graham crackers and french fries
-Your dislike of bananas (seriously?)
-the way you nurse so willingly still, 3 times a day
-the fact that you sleep in a pack 'n play, in the basement (don't judge)
-the way you scooch over to something, get up to your knees and stick your butt straight into the air with your hands flat on the floor (yoga, much?)
-your army crawl: one-armed (left), with your right hand holding an object, or straight up in the air
-the way you give "fives" and giggle afterward
-Your love for the pacifier -- sleeping with one in your mouth, and one in each hand (reminds me of Nate!)
-your SIZE!  You wear size 12-18 months, some 18+ month clothes, you're simply huge :)  You are approximately 23 lbs. 
-how you take one nap a day.  and it's a struggle to get there sometimes, and you're often SO tired.  and you could probably sleep 3+ hours at the nap, if our schedule allowed...but school pick-ups often get in the way.  grrr...
-the way you LOVE your blanket - it is with you, and when you are so tired, you look for it, reach for it, and cuddle up with it.  Melts my heart!
-You are SUPER YUMMY!
-"E-V-E, it's as easy as....1...2.....3"
-"Avocado...."
-the way you wave hiiiiiiiii
-when your Daddy comes home and you say, "Hiiiii, Daaaa!"
-the way you pull up to standing at the bay window, and start pulling the cars off of it that Nate has so carefully lined up.  Nate is not a big fan of your antics, and often yells at you, "Bayyyybeeee, noooooo!"
-the way you put/carry everything in your mouth as you crawl from place to place
-the way you cuddle up on my shoulder if it's been a few hours since you've seen me.  you sometimes will pat my shoulder, sometimes will sigh, and always will hang out there for a few minutes or more
-the way you love a bat and a ball
-how you like to say "Deeeeee!"  - not sure what you're referring to, but it's cute because you are so passionate about it!

Oh Everett, I know there is so much fun and love ahead of us, but I wish there was a way that I could bottle up time.  I love this age!  It is so neat to be able to watch you learn, grow, and discover. 
I am blessed to be able to hug and kiss you (nearly) whenever I want and be with you for all of your firsts.  It doesn't necessarily make me sad for what I missed with your big brothers, just happy that I get to experience them this time with you. 
I am so grateful for this day.  It is the day you came to us, and that I became your Mama!

Happy Birthday, baby boy!

What a difference a year makes

3/16/11



3/16/12



I love this sweet baby!





41.2

He's officially been here with us as long on the outside as he was on the in.

Happy 9 months, Everett Joshua! 

Happy Half...

...dearest Everett. 

Every moment of the day it is an honor to be your Mama,

my sweet, smiley, happy boy! 

You are much, much more than I deserve....

Brothers, Friends

It's amazing to watch them grow...

from babies into toddlers,

and toddlers into preschoolers and Kindergartners,

and all the while,

from brothers into best friends. 


It makes me excited to see what's up and coming for these guys!

S-L-E-E-P (or lack thereof) - Everett Edition

I'm so tired I could cry.

How can my baby's sleep be getting worse instead of better?  He slept better at night when he was a newborn than he does now!  As a newborn he woke 1-2 times to eat, and go right back to sleep.  Now?  He wakes 4-5-6 (more? it's hard to keep count when I'm so delerious/half awake) times a night, and it's hardly to just eat and go back to sleep.  It's to fuss, arch his back, scream.....and I know I'm making it worse by letting him sleep in our bed, mostly in the crook of my arm.  Mostly I don't care how he sleeps - just if he does.  I am a much better mother if I can get some decent shut-eye.  And this?  feels like it's never going to end!

Ugh.  I know it's just a season, that this won't last forever, that I'll look back at this time and laugh......but now....

I am so tired, I could cry. 

Ironically, on this day a year ago, I found out I was pregnant with him.....and while I want to be all happy and nostalgic and everything-is-all-happy-and-rose-colored....today, I am not.  I love my baby, I am thrilled he has joined our family, but today (more importanly tonight) - I just want him to sleep!

3 months

Everett, at 3 months you are:

-wearing size 2 diapers (but only at night, as you are cloth diapered during the day)
-wearing size 6 month clothing (some 3/6 mo, some 6/9, depends on brand)
-smiling, cooing, laughing
-ticklish - especially your collarbones!
-eating every 2-3 hours during the day, about 4-5 at night
-nap 3-5 times a day, and you have set your own schedule
-going to bed for the night by 8 PM, but definitely not STTN - you wake every 3-4 hours still.  Yawn.  But...you can mostly put yourself to sleep.  That counts for something, right?  even if it's in my bed?  :)
-rolling to your sides
-kicking like crazy
-holding things in your hands
-blowing unformed bubbles (not formal "raspberries", but it sure seems like it!)
-almost holding your head up
-loving, loving, LOVING your big brothers!

I can't believe it's only been 3 months with you here with us, Everett.  And yet, I can't believe it's already been 3 months with you here too!  Time is escaping me, and I am trying to memorize every moment of your infancy, but it is moving at lightening speed!  I want to remember your baby faux-hawk, the rolls on your forearms, the dimples in your hands and elbows.  I want to remember your gummy toothless grins, the sweet way you snuggle in my arms back to sleep at night. 
I love you Everett, and though I'm exhausted and busier than I ever imagined, I would not change a thing.  You are such a blessing to my life, and I thank God for every moment you are here with me, and that I get to be your Mama!

I melt...

Have I mentioned just how much I love this boy? 
To the moon and back...

It's the Little Things

There is so much I want to write, to capture the moments of my life as it is right now.  How there is so much craziness, but also?  So much love!  So much life!  And oooohh, so much laundry.  Which I should currently be folding....I digress.

Jacob - is learning to spell words, can sound some out on his own.  It is neat to see how the wheels in his head are turning, and the "ah-ha!" moment when he gets it right.  We have been watching a small fair being built at the church down our street.  Yesterday was the first day it was open.  We stood in a parking lot across the street, and he just soaked it all in.  He was enamored by the lights, sounds, and how each ride worked.  He LOVES to play with Wyatt, and they giggle so much together ~ especially at rest/quiet/bed time.  Ha.  They have bunk beds and goof around for a good half an hour before....silence. 

Wyatt - potty trained in a few days about a month ago.  The first two days, he had a few accidents.  Then, he flat out refused to have anything to do with the potty, and held his pee for more than 6 hours from waking up in the morning until I put a diaper on at his nap time.  I was getting frustrated with the process, and said to him, "You're totally gonna pee in this diaper as soon as I put it on, aren't you?".  His response?  "No...I'm gonna wait until you leave (the room), then I'm gonna pee".  I walked away ready to explode, but then after I closed the door, I busted out laughing.  S.T.U.B.B.O.R.N boy, my Wyatt.  After that first week, he has totally ROCKED potty training.  Now he wakes, pulls off his own diaper, and uses the toilet right at the beginning of the morning.  He is also diaper-free at nap, as of about 10 days ago.  All in his own timing!  And someday....he'll wear underwear, instead of just going commando.  Again...all in his own timing :)
I also love the way Wyatt says banana.  He calls it a "ba-man-a". 

Nate - his language has just exploded!  He talks all the time, in mostly complete sentences, and has been pretty adamant about expressing what he wants/how he feels.  He is our "spit-fire" ~ going from 0 to 100 mph in seconds flat.  He wakes up jabbering, and goes to sleep much of the same way.  He is always on the move.  Might explain why he is still so little for his age.  At 20 months, he weighed in at 21 lbs and was 33 inches long.  He is falling off of the growth chart.  I've heard two different peds toss around "failure to thrive" a few times, if he continues to stay at the same weight, or loses anything.  So for a few days following his most recent dr. visit, I made myself crazy with trying to force him to eat (high calorie stuff with additives: smoothies made with whole milk and whole yogurt, with all kinds of stuff in it - fruits, wheat germ, flaxseed, butter, in addition to avocado.  I've also given him a supplement drink for kids right before bed, added butter to everything, etc...) and eat more times during the day.  But I was starting to get stressed about all of it, so I had to let some of it go.  He eats, and eats a LOT all.day.long.  He eats fruits and veggies, he eats proteins, and fats, and whole grains.  He drinks milk and water, and asks for more when he wants it (likewise throws everything when he is all done....how do you break that habit in a toddler?!)  We don't have a lot of junk foods in our house, so he doesn't get much of it.  What more can I do? 
Nate is wearing 18-24 month clothes, some 2T stuff, size 5 shoe, and size 3 diaper.  He still takes a pacifier for sleeping (loving called his "Nigh-Night") - and at nap he takes three Nigh-Nights (one for his mouth, and one for each hand!), and loves to play ball.  He throws overhand, and can catch too - most of our friends/family agree that he is "abnormally good" at ball for his age.  I'm all for that ~ scholarships, anyone?  :)  He is so.darn.cute, and we say that often.  He says things like, "Oh, Papa" and gives a hug when he does.  He gives kisses and hugs freely.  Most of his words start with G's.  Guck (truck - sometimes it comes out like he's got a hairball, it's hilarious!  Guuuccccck), Goggy (doggy), and Gub (bug) are a few of our favorites.  He also says "bussssssss" whenever he sees one.  He narrates life as he sees it too, which is both amazing and so funny all at once!

Everett - is 7 weeks and growing like a weed!  He is around 14 lbs, and reminds us so much of Jacob as a baby: rolls in the middle of his forearms, a hot & sweaty-boy, receeding hairline, not to mention his looks!  I'd better caption/label my pictures of my guys!  Everett has the most intense, dark blue eyes.  He just stares into mine, and I often wonder what he is thinking about, or learning.  I remember looking into those same, intense eyes the moment he was born.  He loves to be held, and loves nurse side-laying.  He just started smiling and cooing regularly.  He is wearing mostly 3-6 month clothes, but can make do with a onesie extender for some smaller things.  He is wearing a size 2 diaper (catching up to Nate! ha!) but when I'm home or out at the grandparents, I cloth diaper the younger two - prefolds and covers for E and BG 3.0s for N).  He has a fussy period in the evenings, usually between 7-8 PM, right when we are trying to get the Big 3 in baths and down for bed.  Recently, his screaming can be curbed with nursing and sleeping.  He is pretty "scheduled" ~ but all in his own doing.  He sleeps at night from about 8 or 9 PM until 1 or 2 AM, then wakes every 2 hours or so to eat after that.  I'm hoping I can push back this time to get more of our sleep lined up together...might be wishful thinking ;)  He is taking naps in our bed now ~ he much prefers being swaddled loosely with his arms out, rather than being rocked in his swing (again - so much like Jacob!).  He is by far our most "pukey" baby.  Yesterday was a first for me in motherhood: I got baby puke in my hair (and pretty much all down my shirt and his - we were a mess).  I guess that's not too bad for our fourth, huh?

::

We have some exciting things happening in our lives, and coming up this summer.  I can't wait to post more about it, soon! 

The Story of Everett...

Thursday, March 24, 2011

At 8 days overdue, I had my second appointment of the week for monitoring.  At 11:00 AM, I had an in-office ultrasound.  Everything with Baby looked great, (he) was measuring 41 weeks and 2 days, estimated weight of 9 lbs and 8 oz.  Holy moley, that was not what I was expecting to hear...and ouch.

Tim and I went downstairs to a little cafe that is in the Medical Building where my OB's office is.  We ate lunch, chatted, sent a few texts....and I was wound up so tight with anxiety wondering just what the OB would say at my appointment.  I was scared about talk of induction, about the risks to me & the baby, about being overdue....

12:15 PM ~ hooked up to the NST.  Baby is relatively quiet.  I contract a few times, but nothing more than usual.  Continue monitoring...Dr. H wants us to get a more reactive strip, so he gives us another 15 minutes on the monitor.  Finally Baby is a bit more reactive, but there are a few minor decels that Dr. H doesn't love.  A few more minutes of monitoring, and Baby looks better.

We discuss the next steps with Dr. H.  He says the closer we get to 42 weeks, the more risks there are to the baby - including fetal distress (how we met Dr. H, who delivered Jacob - via emergency c-section), meconium, not tolerating labor as well, etc.  The risks were very real, and very scary to hear.  However, Dr. H was not forceful in presenting the facts.  He informed us that if the NST had not been as good as it was, we would not be given options at this point, rather just a direction to head to L&D.  He said the NST bought us another 24-48 hours of knowing the Baby was "doing okay".  (yes, I am freaking out internally at this point...oiy!)
Dr. H checked me.  I was expecting him to say I was still 1 cm.  Instead, he said I was "a solid 4cm" dialated.  He sweeps my membranes.  Ouch.
As soon as Dr. H leaves the room and I am dressing, I can literally feel the anxiety leaving my entire body.  Whew...it won't be long now.  This thought will be a reccurent thought for me over the next few hours.

1:30 PM -ish:  we leave the appointment and head to Bor.ders.  My husband is in heaven - he loves books!  I am too tired to do much thinking or engaging, but I walk around.  I am a bit uncomfortable with some contractions.  We finally sit and drink frozen coffee shakes, send a few e-mail updates, check FB, and read a magazine.  I am not loving how I'm feeling, and am contemplating whether we should just head back to the hospital (across the street) or go home and get our acts together.  But I don't want to be crying wolf, if this is just how I'm feeling after a membrane strip.  I could feel like this for the next day or two....?
 It won't be long now.

3:15 PM or so: we arrive home, and relieve our sitter.  I've called my mom at this point to inform her of the appointments, and how I'm feeling.  I spend a few moments with the big boys, but am so exhausted, all I want to do is lay down.  Tim is wrapping up a few work emails, playing with the boys, and some other things.  I go and lay in our bed.  Jacob comes in a few times to ask me random questions.  I'm sure he can sense something is different.  Kids know those things, don't they?  I try hard to nap, to no avail.  Tim has come in at one point, monitoring me and asking questions.  He desparately wants to avoid the mad rush of a trip to the hospital that was Nate ~ the one where he drove 80 + mph and baby was born 35 minutes after arriving.....yikes.
Contractions?  Yes.  "Here is the phone - TIME THEM".  Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think.  I just want to nap!  Contractions = 3-8 minutes apart.  Difficult to talk through, definitely not napping through them. 
I get up.  It won't be long now.  I tell Tim that we should get our things together, call his parents, this is it.  I'm officially in labor.  It was a relief to finally admit that out loud, and to myself for once....the fourth time over :)
Meanwhile, I check my voicemail.  My mom sounds a bit panicky on the phone ~ "I don't think you should wait too long, and I am having this feeling that things are going to go fast from here...call me back". 
Tim's parents come.  My mom is not far behind them.  We get the big boys loaded up in their cars.  The moms talk and agree to ride together to the hospital (Tim's mom had originally thought she would go home and help get the big boys settled, and then come up to the hospital a little later).

5:30 PM-ish: Tim and I leave the grandparents and boys in the driveway.  We are talking and laughing at our "dog-and-pony show" as we drive away.  I am contracting, they are closer together, and I have to stop/concentrate through them.  In between them, I am sending mass texts to my girlfriends and family, and I am coherent, laughing, talking with my husband, and enjoying the spring sunshine on my face.  It's a beautiful day!  Let's have a baby!  Meanwhile, I talk to on-call OB who says, "you sound like you're doing well, and talking through them....ooooh, this is your fourth baby?  And you're 4 cm?  Yes, you should get to the hospital!"  We hit some rushour traffic, Tim does a few erratic lane changes, but nothing crazy and we thankfully don't hit a gridlock...

6:00 PM-ish:  we arrive at the hospital.  Tim contemplates dropping me off and parking the car.  I insist that I will walk in.  I am drinking water, carrying my purse and a bag.  Tim and I walk together into the hospital ~ how surreal is that?!  I speak to the information lady where we first walk in.  "You're in labor?  Do you want a wheelchair?"  She looks a bit strained as I pause for a contraction.  Yes, labor.  No, no wheelchair, please!  We enter the elevator.  As we are entering it, another family is going up to L&D too, and are all excited to see one of the nurses - Bunny.  BUNNY?!  Except I'm saying this out loud, much to Tim's embarrassment.  Nurse Bunny is exiting the elevator, on her way to grab some dinner.  Bunny was with us when we delivered Wyatt via VBAC on Christmas Eve 3 years ago.  She was (IS!) an amazing nurse!  I'm saying all of this to her....and am asking if she's working tonight.  She is, indeed.  She calls up to L&D and requests that she gets assigned to me. 

6:30-ish: we get settled into our room: 327.  The sun is shining brightly into it, it is warm in there!  Thermostat check = 80 degrees.  EWW!  Turned down...
I get changed, answer some questions, get on a monitor.  Baby looks great.  Admitting comes up to ask me a million more questions.  I am officially admitted at 6:52 PM.  I request a heplock (granted!), and to get up and move as soon as possible (granted!  after a few more minutes of monitoring).  I stand and sway in the room ~ my mom and MIL are there, and Tim of course.  They are chatting (sometimes I chime in, othertimes, I am lost in my own head) and the TV is on.  I remember getting annoyed with having the TV (or maybe it was the news?) on. 

I am checked: 5 cm.  I am thinking I have another 3-4 hours, at least.  Ughhhh...that feels like eternity! 

We spend a few minutes chatting with Bunny, our nurse.  It finally clicks with her who we are: she remembers a Wyatt (she loved his name), and she remembers my mom (they worked together in L&D yeeeeears ago).
There is a student nurse there too, Sam.  She has beautiful long red hair.  It is her last shift on the L&D unit, and I am her last patient!  There were a few other staff who were in and out too ~ their names escape me now, but they were all lovely.

Time?  No idea: I am suddenly too exhausted to stand up.  I climb into bed and turn over to my left side - I am gripping bedrails in a familiar way (did this with Nate too).  They are wanting to get me back on the monitor....I am starting to get terribly uncomfortable, and the feeling of wanting to die is starting to overtake me.  Ahhh...Transition.  It won't be long now.  We are alone - the moms, Tim, and me.  My mom looks at my face and asks, "Beth, are you feeling pushy?".  Yessssss....
My mom calls Bunny.  Dr. L (my primary OB! Yippeeee!) is on-call, and she is paged several times.  She is finishing up charting at the office, and is now driving over to the hospital (across a few parking lots).  The nurses are moving at rapid speed. 

Dr. L arrives.  She wonders if she has a few moments to change?  She throws on a glove, checks me, and says, "Nope, we're going to have a baby instead!".  She stashes her things in a corner of the room.  Tim tells me later that she delievered our baby in heels. 
I love Dr. L ~ she is just what I need at the moment.  She is so patient, and kind.  She is so reassuring and not rushing me at all.  I start pushing.....gaaaaaahhhh.....oooouuuuch....and I am.so.tired.  The baby's head is partially out (lots of hair!) and I pretty much want to call it quits.  I am so tired, and hurting, and feeling like I absolutely cannot do this for one more moment.  Dr. L lets me rest...God Bless her!
Okay, get this kid out, I think...and I give it my all.  I don't know how long I pushed, or how many pushes it took, but finally.....done! 

7:56 PM ~ IT'S A BOY! (I knew it!)

He is brought right up to me.  I don't cry, but I feel....relief.  True and utter relief.  I am now more tired than ever, and I am shaking something fierce.  I deliver the placenta (Tim said that was a cool part) and get a few 2nd degree tears stitched up.  No episiotomy needed, whew!  I am holding our newest son - and he is gripping my finger with the strongest grip ever.  I didn't know newborns could grasp so hard!  He is crying, but he is beautiful and easily calmed by my voice. 

Everything with the two of us looks great.  He is weighed and measured: 9 lbs 2 oz (same as my dream!) and 22 inches of gorgeous boy.

I am able to get up on my own, I get a shower (Tim is able to assist me), while Baby gets a bath with the Grandmas.   I finally get to get the darn heplock out of the side of my wrist: yeowch.  That thing hurts like hell - isn't that a funny thing to think after just delivering a 9 + lb baby?!

The medical staff leave us alone ~ we take pictures and snuggle, and Baby nurses perfectly for nearly an hour.  I look him over: he has such long finger and toenails!  He'll need a mani and pedi soon.  He is alert, and the perfect color, and has lots of dark hair ~ the most of any of the boys.  His ears were pinned to the side of his head when he was first born, but slowly, they are starting to "curling up" (for lack of a better term?) - they are Tim's and Nate's ears.  I love them! 

We make phone calls, send texts, take more pictures.  Bunny wants to know his name, but we are still undecided and need the night to sleep on it.  We agree to leave his name in a note for Bunny. 
My Dad arrives sometime after 9:30 PM with Sub.way.  I eat a footlong sub, chips, and have some coke (with no heartburn!  Yippee!) and am still famished....ha!  We visit with my dad, mom, MIL, and we are all enjoying this new baby ~ the eighth grandchild for both sets of grandparents. 

Around 11 PM, everyone leaves.  It is just me, Tim, and our newest boy.  Bliss!  We enjoy him as his parents by ourselves for a while....an hour or more? 

We then settle in to get some rest.  Tim is snoring within minutes.  Me?  Not so much.  I sleep for a while, but then toss and turn ~ I am too keyed up to sleep.  I get up to get ice water, see Dr. L in the halls.  She is now wearing scrubs and a lab coat.  It is around 4:30 AM.  Poor Dr. L.  On-call hours must be rough.

Friday, March 25.  We eat.  We shower.  We snuggle our newest boy.  We snooze.  We send emails, texts, and make phone calls ~ he has a name!  Everett Joshua.

:::

More about Everett, meeting his big brothers, and what life has been like over the last 2 weeks to come.  For now?  Snuggling babies, changing diapers, feeding hungry mouths and cleaning dirty feet.....it's busy and crazy and I'm honestly loving every minute of it!

Worth the wait...

Yesterday, I became a Mama to four...BOYS...and my heart grew in ways I can't even comprehend.  I am blessed, and oh-so-complete.

Everett Joshua

March 24

7:56 PM

9 lbs, 2 oz

22 inches long

He is perfect and healthy and beautiful.

And oh-so-worth the wait!