Happy Birthday Ashlynn!!

Our baby girl turns 8 today! I can't believe it. Before she went to bed last night she came in to talk with us and we both told her that we were going to wake her up at 1:30a.m and then keep her up from then on out sense that is what she did to us this day 8 yrs ago. I'll never forget her birth story, of course I dont think a mom ever forgets ANY of her childrens birth stories. We, as mother's remember every detail, every moment, but one thing we do forget about is the pain! (least I think we do forget cuz we just keep doing it, lol) Ashlynn was by far my easiest baby to have, although the day was full of labor pains and being uncomfortable she was the easiest when it came right down to the big event, and recovery was simple and fast!

She weighed in at 6lbs even, I remember looking at her face and she was so small and petite with these big brown eyes. She was so little, and such a small package of joy! I still can't believe that my mom's biggest fear that day was that I would go into labor sense it was my brother Chads mission farewell in church and we were all due to talk as a family. When I called her at 1:30 telling her we were heading to the hospital she just sighed..... I remember the nurse coming in with my dr and asking me if I wanted to stay at 6:30am or if I wanted to go home and labor and then just come back. I looked at the time, and said.... I'm going home, and going to church to talk for my brother's farewell. Aaron was like...UMMMM NO! but I came home, showered, got my girls ready and we made it, we were late, but we made it. I talked, and went thru all of church as well as the family dinner we did afterwards with contractions 5min or less apart.

I tease Ashlynn to this day that she just wanted to make sure that I got in all of my brother's farewell, and wasn't going to get me out of talking in church. I remember doing the talk for my brother & having pains all thru it, but we got thru it, and right after the dinner when Aaron took me back home I lied down for a few minutes, and stood up and my water broke right there on the living room floor. IT freaked Aaron out a little. .... & then HOLY CRAP I was in major pain. Daddy carried me out to the car...w/me screaming and moaning the whole way to Gunnison saying HURRY I'm going to die!!! It hurt so bad! It wasn't to much longer that she was placed in our arms, a perfect little brown eyed baby girl that we loved and still do forever and always. She's so special to us. She was such a good baby, and just so petite and little with her itty bitty pie face. She still has those petite features she just got older is all.

Things we love about our Ashlynn bug......

* Her big brown eyes!

* Even when she's angry she's so cute, especially when she grits her teeth and clinches her fists....

* She speaks her mind even if you dont like what she says

* She loves her little sisters, and is always so good to play with them when she gets home from school. She gets so happy to see A'jaye come running after her saying...."SISSY SISSY"

* She loves everyone, and is so tender hearted

* She loves to help mom in the kitchen, doing dishes, wiping down counters, and cooking

* She also loves to spend time with her dad doing "daddy guy" stuff. She loves to get dirty, and do yard work with him, she loves to help him fix things, and greasy hands, and worms on hooks, and cleaning the fish..... she is fascinated with motors, fancy tires, and old time classic vehicles. Aaron loves that!

* Even though she loves to get greasy, and loves doing the boy stuff with dad she also is very much a dress and skirt fancy shoes girl. She loves to have the girly things to wear and fingernails painted, and toes to match.....

Ashlynn is a joy to have in our home. She keeps life interesting, and she makes me a better mom and Aaron a better dad just cause she's honest and tells us what we are doing wrong, and tells us what she needs from us. She doesn't hold back her emotions, and that is something that I do appreciate about her. She does express herself very well, lol. Aaron says he is glad for that, she wont b afraid to put the boys in their places!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASHLYNN! You'll always be our brown eyed baby girl forever! Your turning into a beautiful young lady and we love the person you are becoming each year. You make us so proud. You know sweetie, your almost at your age cap.... daddy has put an age cap on all of you girls and that age is 10 so you only get 2 more birthdays and thats it, lol..... Daddy says NO girls past 10. haha. Love ya baby girl!

FOR AUNT AMANDA............WE LOVE YOU!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Well sense its Amanda's birthday and she's always doing nice blogs up for everyone else I thought the girls and I would take a moment and do the same thing (only not as cute as her's I'm sure) for her..... She deserves it! We love her.....

We love (Auntee) Amanda bcuz..........

* She's super fun when we stay at her house, & plays with us for a long time......

* She's super cool, & knows how to rock out to the hippest songs that we like.....

* She's always so loving to us when she see's us, we always get a BIG HELLO, and hug from her!

* She gave us our bestest sweetest cutest baby cousin, Paislee that we love so much!!!

K...now a grown up version of the best things about Amanda.....

* She is very loving to all the family and you can tell that she cares deeply for everyone.......

* She's an awesome wife to our brother Chad, whom I am sure takes a lot of patience to live with (smile).... jk, Chad, but Amanda is a great, loving, best friend to you and we love her for that cuz we know she makes your world complete and happy!

* She really is a great mom to Paislee, and when I say REALLY a great mom, I really mean it! She should have lots of kids!!!

* She loves to help out anyone she can, especially family, and I have felt her love many times in her giving ways, and you really feel that she wants to help and be there for you!

* She's so easy to talk to, and hang out with

* The girl knows how to have a good time! She's funny, and social, and smiles alot, and I love that she loves to be involved with things, and help out, and be a part of any thing we do......

* She loves family things, and wants to bring the family together, which I think is very awesome of her!!!

* Most of all, I just love the person she is inside and out. I think she is a beautiful person, that has the most genuine spirit a person could have. Her love for her family radiants from her, and that makes her even more beautiful!

WE LOVE YOU AMANDA!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

We hope you have a special day!

30 wks.... & problems!

Goodness me..... here we are at 30wks and counting. I have 10-11wks left at least thats what we hope for!
Its been an eventful week that has brought worry, stress & action. Monday I started having what I thought were just braxton hicks contractions. They progressed thru the evening and got to be somewhat uncomfortable and a bit stronger and frequent then I felt comfortable with. They continued thru the night and into Tuesday a little. I decided to put a call into the Dr, which I hate doing because you just feel like your jumping the gun & freaking out over nothing but I just had a feeling that calling the dr was the right thing to do.
He told me to continue thru the night, but to go into the ER if I was having them like the night before, and if not he'd see me this morning. Well, we made it thru the night, and I took my appointment this morning as planned. I had just a few contractions this morning, but nothing like I was experiencing the night and day before. He checked me out and unfortunately, I wasn't just having braxton hicks contractions but the real thing & it had progressed me to a 1 cm. Now, I realize that its just a one, and there's several more cm to go before you give birth, but I'm only 30wks so that isn't exactly what my dr would like to see. we also got an ultrasound just to check the position of the baby, the size and the placenta to make sure the baby was getting sufficient blood, nutrients & oxgyn which baby looked great. The heartbeat was strong, and normal and activity was still really good. We did discover that the baby is now head down which is a good thing, but at 30 wks that could change again too.
Dr. Dewey sent me home with instructions to take it easy as possible & to keep track of my contractions. If we go over 5 in a hours time, no matter how consistent they are I have to go into the ER, however if we don't exceed 5 in a hours time but are still having them he wants to see me in a couple days to be checked again to make sure its not progressing me any further. If it does progress me past the 1 cm then I will start medication and full bed rest to get it all to stop. If we get to a 2 cm & its looken like we're going further he will start giving the baby steroid shots to help with baby's lung development in case the baby does come earlier then 39wks.
He'd like to see me get at least to 35wks, which is 5 more weeks.
I am relatively calm about this although I do realize the seriousness of it all. I guess I am trying not to freak out over it because stress and anxiety will NOT help my cause. I figure all I can do is do my part to take it easy and follow the direction of the Dr & put it in Gods hands that everything will be ok either way. As long as my baby is ok in there, and its not effecting my little peanut then I can do whatever I'm asked to do on my end to keep the baby in good condition as well as myself. I also believe that the mind is a powerful thing, and I have to stay positive one way or the other. Thinking negative thoughts about it all the time isn't going to help, but only hurt so I'm trying to just keep upbeat and focused.
Aaron is being wonderful and doing his part to help out and take over, my older two girls came home from school today & took over all the house duties as well as helping me out with the younger two. My mom is on stand by to come at a moments notice if I need her, which is a HUGE comfort to me.....its all a comfort to me. The support of family is always so appreciated!
Of course I am worried about it all, however, I really do have a calm approach to this, and I feel good that everything will be ok in the end. In fact, it will just be my luck that we will struggle with stopping delivery to 35 wks, and then when the dr gives the lift on stopping it, my body will put a stop to it & I'll go over again like I always do, lol. NAH, I dont think so this time..... I think we'll b blessed to get another month out of this pregnancy....so we'll hope for that, and strive for that! Dr. Dewey couldn't pinpoint any one reason as to why this is happening other then just the effects on a body after having 5 kids, 3 of which are all very close..... apparently it's not very good to the bod!
This picture is Kymbree giving the baby a love when I got back this morning....she said to me " momma, baby wants out, & I want baby out" I told her that baby had to stay in there for at least another month...and she gave me the ole sigh........ She's overly excited to see baby, and help me with baby, which I think is so cute!

Our puppy, is now a Lady dog..... lol

WELL WELL WELL.... our little girl, has now become a young lady dog! Zoey's in HEAT! HOW FUN for me...... & what awesome timing! Right at the start of spring, and warm weather, and when the kids want to b outside, and so does she!!!! We new it was going to happen soon, but I guess I was secretly hoping it wouldn't happen till after baby came, or something. I know we have that choice to NOT let her come in contact w/another male dog & we dont plan to this time around, but its such a pain in teh butt! My life is already full of things to watch, and look after, and keep out of trouble so this is just another MAJOR thing to deal with. We DO NOT want her becoming mommy zoey with another male boxer, let alone another male neighborhood dog. Thank goodness for us their isn't a whole lotta "in tack" male dogs around but like Aaron said, let her out & just see how many dogs come around.....apparantly dogs have a "scent" for another female in heat...O JOY! We defiantly want her to have puppies & are excited for that time to come but NOT NOW! not anytime in the next yr! We figure we'll let her next spring....can we hold her back, I SURE HOPE SO! lol
She really is a great dog, & she loves us so much. Its so funny that she thinks she's really one of the kids. This picture is her looking out the window down at the kids playen on the trampoline. She was sooo hurt that she wasn't invited. Her most favorite thing is when the girls get home from school because she knows they'll be going outside to jump & YES she does jump with them! Its hilarious! I dont think any of us realize just how BIG she is really. When she stood up to look out the window this day, I really realized just how HUGE she is...... There's only a couple things we need to work on for her to be the perfect pet dog......
* CHEWING up everything! (I have to remember she's just a puppy still....)
* Getting to excited when new ppl come to the house, & she wants to jump on them, or run out the door to say hello to them....
* being polite when ppl are here.....
* & getting anxiety when we leash her up. SHe can't stand not being apart of our family, so chaining her up outside hurts her feelings I guess, lol....makes me nuts!

OVerall....we love her, & these are minor things that she will get better with time on. She's a yr old this month, I can't believe that we've had her for almost a yr in June. She really has become apart of our family, and we just adore her. COngrats Zoey, your a big girl now! haha...(u just can't act on your nature just yet, sorry)

SPRING HAS COME & I LOVE IT!

Another wk has past, so I decided to do a blog entry. I dont really have alot of pics to share, or even huge family events so I included this pic I took a couple wks ago at our first trip to the park. One good thing, there's NO MORE snow visible in the vally's due to the recent warm up! I LOVE SPRING! Its by far my most favorite season. Here's why....
* the sound of the birds chirping...
*the smell of rain, fresh flowers, & fresh cut grass I LOVE
* butterflies & hummingbirds make themselves present
* Fresh air, and walks outside!
* THE KIDS CAN PLAY OUTSIDE! no more cooped up kiddo's!
* & last but not least...there's something about spring that makes me wanna open up the windows, turn on the radio, & clean out everything! SPRING CLEANING!

I took the two babies on our first picnic at the park yesterday. It was so fun for the kids to go play, and b outside in the warm, fresh air. It makes a huge difference in their attitudes. I think having some sun out, and some warm weather uplifts everyone's mood. Its not so cold, dark and dreary! I know it helps my mood too. I invited one of my friends & her 2 1/2 yr old son to go too, it was so cute to see Kymbree & him run towards each other & say HI... and give each other a huge hug and kiss, lol. SO FUNNY! We were there for 2.5hrs it just felt so nice to be out! Later that night, however I noticed that even a "not so" bright sun can give you your first sunburn. Myself & A'jaye caught some sun on our arms and face, but it was sooo worth it! I LOVE SPRING!
I guess I'll update you all on my pregnancy while I'm at it.... we're now nearing 30wks. I can't believe it, that leaves me about 10-11wks left! I already posted the picture of our ultrasound. I catch myself looking at it almost everyday.... Its really wierd for me to look at my girls all together, or see them all in a picture because I do feel like their is a baby missing & I catch myself trying to search down this missing baby so its validation, I suppose that this baby is defiantly apart of our family, and was always meant to be apart of our clan. Why he/she would want to be, is beyond me because we're sorta crazy, and not the most together group, but we do love each other all very much, and we do try to have a great family.....its a work in progress though. Aaron and I love our children so much, and each of them bring such a different presents to our family, its like they all hold a piece to the puzzle, called "our family" & w/out each piece it just can't be complete. They all have strong spirits that we, as their parents, need in our lives. These girls help us & teach us to be better, stronger people when I thought it was always supposed to be the opposite in that we teach them to be stronger and better people, little people that is.... but it is clearly the other way. I guess in some way, we all help each other be better people and that is what a family is about!