Looking back, WAYYYY back

Yesterday was Grayson's ninth birthday. Wow, nine years already?! For some reason I kept reflecting back to the day Grayson was born. I realized I never really wrote anything down when I scrapbooked his birth. So although it was quite a while ago I thought I would recap alittle, so then Grayson can know the story of his birth.

I was young when Jeremy and I got pregnant with Grayson. Since I was young, I didn't really know the first thing about being pregnant or what to expect. We only knew what we learned from watching the show "Birth Day" on Discovery Health. We were pretty poor and only got three channels, channel 4, channel 11, and Discovery Health. So we watched alot of Birth Day.....and season one of American Idol. We also attended a class at the hospital. I am thankful I never noticed looks from people, because I am sure we got them.

Grayson was an extremely inactive baby. I don't think he moved around like I have felt my others move around. So for this reason I had to go twice a week for non-stress tests. They always made me drink OJ or soda to get him to move. Finally they realized it was because I was not eating enough. Well in the beginning of my pregnancy I could not hardly eat, so the habit carried over to the rest of my pregnancy. So once they told me to eat more often....I got pretty carried away. In one month I gained thirty pounds. No one told me that my metabolism would change after a baby. That the weight doesn't come off automatically. So I gained close to eighty pounds with Grayson.

He still wasn't a big mover, but I guess that was just his personality. Towards the end of my pregnancy they realized I was getting bigger but Grayson wasn't. I was sent for ultrasounds. He wasn't growing anymore. They estimated him to be just over four pounds. So after a week of no growth, the sent me to the hospital to be induced. I was just over 37 weeks. Looking back now, I think I would of fought to stay pregnant longer. I was young and immature and just wanted to not be pregnant anymore. I was willing to go along with whatever they told me just to get him out.

So over to the hospital I went. This was the first grandchild on both sides, so everyone was excited. I got there about 11:00 in the morning. Some after most of our families followed. My room was pretty crowded. Things moved along slowly. They put a gel on my cervix to soften it. And then a few hours later started me on pitocin. At 7:00 that night everyone crowded into my room to watch the show "Friends". It was the season premiere, even the nurse watched it. After the show was over people FINALLY started to go home for the night. Thats when all the exciting stuff happened.

I was finally starting to really feel contractions, and make some progress. While I was waiting I had my sister french braid my hair....into pigtails. So I had pigtails and braces. I was just laying in bed waiting for my epidural when it felt like a ballon popped. Nope it was just my water. It flowed down the bed and onto the floor. And after that I was really feeling my contractions. The nurse got me all cleaned up, more comfortable, so Jeremy went downstairs to get something to eat before stuff closed. I don't know why he was hungry.....I was the one doing all the work. When he was gone the moniters started going crazy. I guess Grayson was not handling labor very well at all. They told me I needed a c-section right away. Someone ran downstairs to get Jeremy and he made it back just before they were ready to take me.

Once I got back to the OR I don't remember much. I only remember being in recovery. There once the anestesia wore off, I started throwing up. Really that has become my recovery tradition, I almost always throw up on someone. Sometimes the nurse, sometimes family, the only time I was not throwing up after a baby was Brinley. By the timeI got back into my room in was pretty much the middle of the night. Then I just slept. I don't remember getting to see Grayson again until early morning. He was five pounds eleven ounces, and born at 9:59pm.

By the time I saw Grayson again I think they had given him a bottle in the nursery. I had specified he was going to be breastfed but I do not think I was very convincing. When I tried to nurse him he would not have anything to do with it. Honestly, I think I could of tried harder. Only once did he nurse, he was about six weeks old. That was the only time. To feed him I pumped and we gave it to him in a bottle. That lasted for almost three months. While we were still in the hospital and I was pumping milk for him, I noticed it had a yellowish color to it. I thought it was that color because I had eaten a whole bag of candy corn.

In the hospital we had LOTS of visitors, mostly family. Some of Jeremy's friends came to visit. I think it was good birth control for them. Since it was my first c-section I did not know what to expect afterwards. I did not get out of my bed for atleast twenty-four hours. I should of been up awhile after the numbness wore off. I did not walk the halls until a whole day after my surgery. I did not know I was supposed to. This made the recovery time much longer I think.

Once we finally got home we were able to fall into more natural roles. We were young, but we knew what Grayson needed and how to care for him. He is a joy in our lives. He helped us learn to become parents.

First Day of School (like 2 months ago...)

I am not sure who was more excited for school to start, the kids or me. Its not that I don't enjoy having them at home and spending time together. I want them to go and make friends. To make their own choices. To become their own person.

Grayson is in 4th grade now. This year Mr. Crum is his teacher. It is the first time Grayson has had a male teacher. Grayson has to take his lunch everyday. He is WAY too picky to eat cafeteria food. Grayson is such a smart kid, he just needs to slow down when he does his work. This year he has actual books that he has to bring home to do homework. Sometimes his backpack weighs more then he does. He is getting to be so grown up. He already is asking for a cell phone. Thankfully he isn't too cool to pose for a first day of school photo.

Colby is in 2nd grade. His teacher is Michelle Judd. Colby loves school and was counting down until it started. He also has to take his lunch everyday, just because Grayson does. Colby never wears flip flops to school because he plays soccer everyday at recess. Although this past few weeks they switched over to baseball. He has a very tight group of friends. Its so cute to listen to them talk to one another, sometimes I can't understand any of them. Colby was definietly looking forward to 2nd grade because they are the "big kids" on the playground now.

Jayden started preschool again this year. (Thank goodness) But I was a bad mom and didn't take a picture. He is in Mrs. Jones class and goes two days a week. Everyday when he gets up he asks if he has school today. He is good at making friends st school and always wants to invite them over. I enjoy just those few hours alone with Brinley.

Another person starting school this year was me. Again no picture.....I was going to do one but I forgot. I am starting college. I go to Pima Community College. I suck at online classes, I have tried twice already with online and quickly gave up. So all my classes are in person. I drive to Tucson four nights a week. Yes it is alot of driving, but I enjoy the peace and quiet. We have a teenage girl that comes over to babysit during the gap that I am gone and Jeremy isn't home yet. So far Jeremy is doing pretty good. They aren't always in bed by 8:00 like they are supposed to be, but oh well. We are trying to adjust to having a not-always-clean-house. Not that it was perfect before, but now it takes me most of Friday to get it clean-ish. I am going to school right now just for my basic classes, then when I get all those done I will apply for the nursing program. It may of taken me close to ten years to go to college, but atleast I am trying!

All grown up....(tear)

 

I can't believe my baby girl is one! It seems like just last week we brought her home. Like just last week I cried in the baby section of Target because I finally had my girl. (That really happened...)

I guess I have to get used to having a one year old, but when I finally do she will probably turn two.

 

Jeremy and I always throw a big party for our kids when they turn one. Brinley was no exception. We had big ideas for what to eat, but ended up just having hot dogs, deviled eggs, chips and Eegee slushies.

 

Brinley got lots and lots of presents. She got clothes, a Leap Frog cake that sings, a few babies (some kinda creepy) a car we get to push her in and lots of clothes. She was even pretty willing to help open her presents.

 

Of course there was plenty of cousins and friends that were ready to jump in and help at any time.

 

 

 

Brinleys cake was made by one of Jeremy's best friends' mom. I loved it! She did such a good job. She made it exactly how I asked for it. But a cold cake in a really warm room in August = a sticky mess. You can see the cake was even sweating.

 

When I went to get decorations for her party I couldn't find anything that I just "loved". But I kept seeing these awesome zebra print napkins. They were so cool. The only thing I could find to go with them was zebra print paper. So I had to get creative and found some great ideas online. I am very happy with how all the decorations turned out.

 

Those hung from my ceiling for like two weeks. They matched my curtains....how could I take them down?

 

She didn't blow out her candle. Has any one year old ever done it by themselves? So I had to blow it out for her.

Brinley has been such a joy in our lives. Its amazing how you can miss someone when you have never even met them. She was exactly what our family needed. She has brought out the sweetness in her brothers, and has them wrapped around her finger. I love her to pieces. She amazes me everyday. She is my baby even though she is one now.

Mudda's Day

Well another mothers day came and went. We are gradually getting better....or maybe my hopes get smaller each year. This year Jeremy went to the store saturday night instead of the usual sunday morning. (Maybe because we go at 9am) He said it was packed with dads and kids. Apparently he isnt the only procrastinator.
The good thing about having kids in school is they make you presents at school. Yey! Last year I got a visor that said "Best mom" and a necklace that said " I love you". Nice. I dont think anyone got my picture but I did wear them proudly.
But really the holiday isn't about what they got me.....its about them showing their love and appreciation for all I do for them each day. The things that get done that they dont even know about. Like the nights I stay up so their baseball uniforms are clean (ahem.....like right now). They are my children and without them I wouldn't be a mother.

Spring Crafts

I LOVE spring colors. Not the usual pastels you see in spring, but the pretty bright colors.
I still get together once a week with my good friend Andi to craft. Although we did expand to 3 of us now. These are some of the crafts we have done lately.....

Family Photos

We went and took family pictures a while back. My sister Jennifer was our photographer, and also edited the pictures.

I love getting alot of pictures taken, but what am I supposed to do with them all? I can't possibly hang up every picture.....I have thought about it but decided not to. So I guess I can put them on here instead, that way they can be seem more often then when our screen-saver slide show puts them up.

Honestly I do watch my kids....

I really do watch my kids but I do get distracted sometimes. Brinley has started playing with that sroller lately. So of course the boys have been DYING to put her in it. I keep saying no....but they keep asking. So I guess Grayson decided to take advantage of my being distracted and was pushing Brinley all over the house in it yesterday. She thought it was the best thing ever! She was laughing and screaming. When he would stop she would yell at him to start again.


So what did I say when I realized what they were doing? "Grayson! Get her out of there! Wait! Let me take a picture first because its really cute!".....I think it may of sent him mixed signals.

Grayson is an awesome big brother. When he plays the XBOX he sits Brinley next to him and gives her a broken controller to play with. (Might I add the controller is broken because she spit up on it when her let her play with it) He will take her out of her carseat when she is crying because mommy left her in it too long. He gives her cookies and snacks. He loves to carry her around. What a lucky girl to have a big brother that loves her AND will play with her.