Sweet Irish

Irish is now 5 weeks old and I am just now sitting down to write her birth story.  It's been a bit busy with Olive and Irish both doing their own thing and that own thing never seems to be the same thing unless its what time to eat.  Convenient.

As some of  you may know, the Baby Place is now New Beginnings Baby Place.  With the changes and a few other turn-offs, the closer it got to my due date the more nervous I was to have the baby.  Tren and I discussed it and we were going to have my mom there for the birth, to be the alert and sane person in the room.  I had no idea what Tren was going to do this time around, and I was going to be the one having the baby and who knows what could happen there!  So, she was on call and excited to see a water birth.

At one of my appointments, I was told I had to make it to 37 weeks in order to have Irish at the birth center.  I guess if I was in labor before 37 weeks, I went to the hospital?  I don't even know, actually.  37 weeks for me was Friday, August 10th.  I would have one week of work left after my 37 week mark.  That gave me 2 weeks to relax before the baby got here or to have the baby and not go into labor at work.  I was scared that was going to happen since I now work in Caldwell and not 30 seconds away in Meridian.  I was supposed to have an appointment on Tuesday the 7th, but it was cancelled because a mother was in labor and they cancelled all appointments for the rest of the day.  So I rescheduled for the next Monday.

Thursday, the 9th of August, I took Olive in for her 1 year check-up and shots.  That evening Olive broke out in a fever and this fever continued on through the night and actually on to Sunday night.  I decided to stay home from work on Friday to be with her.  We didn't do anything but sit around and snuggle and take doses of Tylenol to try and keep the fever down.  She was miserable.  I felt so bad for her.  Friday night, Tren was giving Olive her bath and I went to take a shower.  It was then that I discovered something.  My belly button was now poking in instead of out.  After the major signs I had and ignored when I was pregnant with Olive, I swore I wasn't going to miss one with Irish.  I went to Tren and asked if he thought it looked different and he confirmed it was now in.  Thank goodness I took a shower, because I probably wouldn't have noticed this otherwise.  I called my mom and told her the news ...  "my belly button looks different, you're on call!"  I'm sure she just brushed this off as sillyness.  After that, I told Belle to get herself an overnight bag ready to go and I got Olive's ready too.  I had already packed for myself and Irish earlier in the week.  I almost texted Becky Brown to tell her to be on call too, but I decided not to.

We got the girls tucked in bed and around 10:30, I went to bed.  Tren stayed up watching TV until about midnight.  Around 12:40am, I felt a little wetness in my drawers and laid stiff as a board thinking "ohhhh crap! please no!"  After a few seconds, I slowly got out of bed and went to the bathroom.  I sat on the toilet trying not to cry and or panic.  I peed.  Nothing else kept on coming out, like it had when my water broke with Olive.  So, I stood up and still, nothing.  So I stood there for a minute.  Looked at my pregnant self in the mirror for a minute thinking how it couldn't be happening already.  Lordy.  Then after no more fluids came out, I went back to bed.  I laid there for a minute waiting for the contractions and nothing.  But I just knew this was it. So, I announced to Tren that I "thought" my water had just broke.  It wasnt the "pop!" like last time, so I wasn't positive. We talked about if we should call someone because I wasn't totally sure and then in the heat of the moment I decided I didn't want mom there for the birth I wanted her to stay home with sick Olive and take care of her.  We kept talking and I just laid there and then the flood gates were lifted and I said "oh crappp!  It really did!!" Tren popped right up and called the Baby Place, excuse me, New Beginnings Baby Place, and I called my mom.  Dad answered and I said "my water just broke" and he said "your water just broke?" and I said yes and then he said to Mom "Emmy's water just broke" and handed her the phone.  I told her we had decided we would go alone and that I'd rather she stayed at the house with the girls since Olive wasnt feeling good.  So, they said they'd be on the way.  Then I started crying.  I was feeling so sad for my baby Olive and was feeling bad leaving her in the middle of the night when she was so miserable.  After this panic, Tren decided to call Becky and see if she could come over and she was right over.  I was under control and ready to go when my parents arrived.  By then, Tren had convinced me that he wanted my mom to go with us still and Becky could just stay at the house until the girls woke up and then take them to her house.  So, Dad and Mom hopped in their car and Tren and I hopped in ours and we were off.  We didnt quite make it in 12 minutes like last time, which was fine.  I was feeling anxious and didnt want to get there and face what was to come. 

The doors to the birth center were locked when we got there.  After knocking and a contraction or two, Rachel answered and we went in.  Dad stayed in the waiting area and Tren, Mom and I went to the back bedroom.  Rachel was the only one there.  I stood at the bed and Rachel said I could lay down if I wanted to.  I wanted that tub filling.  I told her I wasnt going to do it in the bed and I wanted the tub to fill up.  She turned the water on and started bringing over the birth stool and the birth ball (or whatever it is called) and I just stood there leaking all over the floor not wanting anything to do with those things and wanting the tub to fill quick.  Mom told me to tell her I didnt want any of the things she was bringing out so I did and she put them away.  I asked Rachel to check me to see how close I was to go time and she did and said I was ready to push whenever I wanted to.  "whenever" I wanted to... which was not any time soon!  I laid on the bed and breathed through the contractions because I was not having Irish on that bed,... all exposed and out there and uncomfortable.  Finally the tub was filled enough so I could get in.  I got in and she said again I could push if I wanted to.  Well, I didnt want to, so I didnt. Tren took his spot behind me outside the tub.  The tub was completely filled so again I could push if I 'wanted' to.  No thanks.  I did give a few pushes and all the pain and memories came flying back from just a year ago and I really didn't want to push.  At all.  I shook my head...  I said "I don't want to do this"... "I can't do this"...  over and over.  Soon Sarah arrived and I asked if they needed to check Irish's heartbeat.  Sarah did this and Irish was calm and peaceful.  I gave a few good pushes, but I was getting cramps in my hips during my contractions and pushing and that made me stop pushing early and waste the contractions.  After what seemed like forever to me, probably because half the time I was just sitting there soaking and saying "I dont want to do this", Mom told me, in only the way your mother can, to Push.  I didn't want to because it hurt so bad, but because she told me to I did. (how weird is it that my mother can still have this control over me?)  She helped me push and breathe and then push and breathe.  Rachel and Sarah both told me good good good.  Tren was there pushing with me. :)  Irish was getting close and Rachel told me to give a really big push and then breathe and then she would coax me how to keep pushing with my next contraction.  So, I gave a really big push and holy mother! I think I pushed harder than she'd expected because Irish's head popped out and it hurt so bad and I reacted to the pain and tried to get away from it and without thinking started standing up or backing away.  That was the worst feeling.ever.  I sat back down in shock and she said to push again and get her out all the way.  My body was confused, and I couldnt focus to push.  Rachel pretty much twisted Irish and pulled her out.  I swear I felt every little bone in her body as it came out.  But there was my little sweet, big lipped baby.  Irish had humongous lips!  They were bright red too.  This was funny.  She seemed so little and had long arms and huge hands and even bigger feet.  But those lips!  They were killing me.

Irish Walker Sundquist
August 11, 2012 2:26am
6lbs 8oz 20inches

Something funny...  When Sarah was measuring and weighing Irish... the first time she measured her, she got 20 inches.  Irish looked longer than that.  So she decided to do it again and asked Tren for his help.  She had Tren hold the measuring tape and the top of Irish's head.  She held the end where the measurement was read.  She got 20.5 inches this time.  After she left, Tren admitted that he was afraid he was going to push too hard on Irish's head, so the tape slipped a little.  At the pediatrician's office, 2 days after Irish was born, their measurement was 19 and 3/8" long.  She shrunk. So, her real length is unknown.

Blogspot has changed things since I blogged last and I don't know how to add pictures.  Annoying.  So, I'll try and figure this out and attach some when I get the chance.

Irish Twins

Irish Twins:  The term is used to describe two children born to the same mother in the same calendar year or within twelve months of each other.

Yes, Tren and I are about to have us a set of Irish Twins.

When Tren was home over the Spring Break week, which was close to 3 weeks ago, I was minding my business at work and suddenly felt sick.  Like, get the heck home before you throw up, sick.  So I hauled home and Tren greets me with "did  you take a test?"  And I asked, "What test?" and he said "a pregnancy test?" and I said "No!" and I wasn't taking one because there was NO way I was pregnant.  I slept the entire afternoon.  A couple days later as I was baking in the tanning bed, I was thinking about the comment from Tren and decided it sort of bothered me.  I laid there cooking and rubbed my hands over my stomach and then what the heck is this?!  I feel a little ball in my stomach and think there is no way that is what I think it is. So, I decided to take a bloody test and prove Tren wrong.  Friday morning I got up and peed on my stick and tucked it back in the wrapper.  Tren got up to go pee and I told him I took his stupid test and hadn't looked at it yet.  He pulled it out of the wrapper and said "uhhhhhh, .... what does this mean?" and I looked and there on that little white stick were 2 pink lines. Seriously?  I couldn't believe it.  Tons of things raced through my head.  Olive is too little to be a BIG SISTER!  Olive is too little to have another baby already.  When am I due? I have had no signs or "symptoms" of being pregnant.  Where are the sore boobs and the complete exhaustion?  I do not want to do this with Tren working away from home! I cannot be pregnant. No way!!

I took another test a couple days later to confirm and it was an even brighter 2 pink lines.  I called The Baby Place and scheduled my first appointment for when Tren would be back in town again.  I told them I had no idea when I conceived and that if what I had when I quit nursing was even a period, it was over the Thanksgiving week, which was a LONG time ago.

I went the next 2 weeks thinking over things and finally started seeing the signs.  I had had heart burn.  My jumblees had gotten bigger, not sore, but bigger.  I was getting fat and regardless of what I ate, I kept getting bigger.  I could no longer suck in the pooch I swore was from not eating right and no exercise.  I had been getting the sharp pains that happen when your uterus stretches and chalked them up to being a side ache or something.  One morning on my way to work I swear I felt a baby flutter, but there was just NO WAY I was that far along to be feeling a baby move.  Just tonight I thought of another one:  a couple months ago, Olive started burying her face in my boobs and inhaling them.  The signs were there, but I still  had no idea when this could have happened.  And I knew there was no way I was as far along as November would put me.

I started feeling like people were noticing and wondering.  And now around work when I tell them the truth they also tell the truth that they were wondering because of my weight gain.

Monday before we flew out to Las Vegas, we had our first midwife appointment.  They drew blood and asked questions and told me if they based my due date off my last period (November) that would put me at 21 weeks and a couple days.  I said there was no way.  They asked if I wanted an ultrasound to confirm due date and I said "absolutely!".  So I got up on the bed and pulled my shirt up and Rachel said "oh wow!  look at that belly". WTH does that mean?!  Jerusha came in and as soon as she put the ultrasound stick on my stomach, instantly there are legs and arms and ribs and a big old pot belly baby on the screen.  Where in the heck is the kidney bean?!  They were both saying how that was a nice baby and then Jerusha announced "based off the measurements you are 20 weeks, 3 days.  Due August 31st".  Then I started the "oh my gosh.... shut up.... oh my heck...." over and over.  I believe I cried a little.  This is too soon.  Olive will barely be 1 freaking year old!  Then she asks if we want to know the sex.  Of course we do!  Right!?  It's a GIRL!!! This is seriously sending me over the edge and I am definitely crying now.  Tren has backed away from the bed and is rubbing his head and in just as much shock as I am.  I have an anterior placenta which means the placenta is on the front of the uterus, so it is kind of muffling the feeling of the baby moving - thus making her movements a little harder to detect. They told me she was a nice healthy little baby girl.  They listened to her heart and everything was measuring up nicely.  A 20 week - 3 day baby.   That has been quietly keeping to her sweet little self all this time.

I sort of feel bad that I didn't see the signs and haven't been thinking about her constantly like you do when find out your pregnant.  Then all the waiting to find out if it is a girl or boy and then all the waiting to finally have the baby.  I am over half way.  I have skipped all the anticipation and wondering and now I wait for her sweet little arrival.  Someone told me this little miss is coming to me now for a reason and I firmly believe that.  I am not sure of her reason, but I know this was supposed to happen.  There was a reason she was supposed to simply grow and not make me sick or tired or uncomfortable or crazy.  I cannot wait for her to get here and for my Irish Twins to grow up and be the best of friends and probably worst enemies at times too.

3 blonde haired - blue eyed girls.  How lucky can Tren and I possibly get?!

Spelling Test

Something that happens regularly at our house is a little "playing school". Belle is usually Miss Bare (the teacher) and Tren and I and whoever else might be over visiting, become the students.

Tonight after Belle got into her pajamas, she came out of her room and handed Tren a little notepad and pencil and said "I have a test for you." He didn't really want to play, but like a good Dad, he stopped the TV and took her test.

"# 1 . chores"
Tren proudly writes the word.
"#2. betrayed"
Tren writes it with some hesitation because he is so deaf he can barely hear these words he is supposed to be spelling and is also questioning himself. (I'm laughing quietly inside).
"#3. brachiosaurus"
--What the heck!? bahahahahahaha! And I laugh out loud.--
"#4. peter piper" and some giggling from Miss Bare
"#5. elimination"
Tren chimes in "where did you come up with this list?"
"from my dictionary.... #6! chocolate"
"#7. cookies"
Tren -"cooking?"
Belle -"cookies"
Tren -"cookie?"
Belle -"cookieS!!"
--At this point I am laughing quite hard.--
"#8. I saw black crows"
Tren - "I'm not writing all that"
"black crows"
"#9. sea shore" -and some giggling
"#10. sea shells"
"#11. micro raptor"
--HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA--
"#12. disintegrate"
Tren -"use it in a sentence"
Belle -"I saw the water disintegrate".
--BHAAHAHAHAHAHA--

Seriously. She is crazy. I wouldn't want her for a teacher!

The best part was seeing this list she was reading off of. The one she had wrote. My scanner would not do this justice and the pencil is too light on the blue paper she wrote it on.

1. chors
2. betred
3. brackyasoris
4. peter piper
5. elemanashoin
6. chocklet
7. ckookis
8. black crow
9. seashor
10. seashells
11. mickrorapter
12. diceagate

Ever since she started school, playing school has been one of the things she does the most. Just a few weeks ago, Tren, Lewis and I were in her room playing school. The boys both got detention. I got my work put on the "Quality Work" board.

Such a girl.

Halloween 2011

This year for Halloween, Belle decided she would be a "zombie bride". I was so happy she didn't want to be a princess or fairy. Whew!!

I had big plans to make Olive a stuffed olive costume. Notice I said "had"? Yeah, that went right down the shute. I don't have time for much anymore and crafting a costume, wasn't in the cards. SO on Monday the 31st of October I was on a hunt for a costume for her. I had no idea what I wanted her to be. Until I saw the sweetest little ladybug costume.

The tights were the best part!! I have to find a way to keep these in rotation for regular use because they are so stinking cute!

When I was taking a picture of Tren and Olive, I wanted to get a good close up of her sweet little face. So, I stood about 2 feet from them and twisted my lens out to zoom in on her cuteness and the closer I got, the bigger her eyes got. It was hilarious!

Proud Pappy

And me and my girls. girlS - plural . . . still can't believe it!

I hope everyone had a great Halloween this year!

Catch-Up

I have been slacking on the blogging and need to catch-up.

Olive's cord fell off on the 8th day of life. Baba gave her her first real bath, because I was nervous. There were parts Olive enjoyed and parts she hated. Tren and I gave her another bath a few days later and she was in heaven. It was spa day for her. A nice soak and soap, and then a rub down with lotion and lastly snuggles.

This picture was taken when Olive was 11 days old. She was enjoying watching Baby Mozart and left her legs up off the ground like this a majority of the time. This picture is a killer, I know.

Olive loves watching the Baby Einstein movies. She really watches the tv and you can tell when she is bored (when there is no music and just the puppets or something) because she looks away. But as soon as the music kicks back up and there is action on the screen, she is watching intently. I wish I could be in her little brain and see exactly what is going on in there. Lots, I'm sure. Too much for my brain to handle, I'm sure.

On Wed the 7th of September, Olive had her first "doctor" appointment. We went to Dr Mumford in Emmett. Olive had not been weighed since she was 2 days old at the Baby Place. At that time, she was down to 5lbs and 15oz. Miss Piggy herself, now 1 day away from being 1 month old, was 8lbs 11oz. And she had grown 1/2 an inch. Oh, my sweet!!

She is getting so big and she looks at me and sometimes gets a WTH? look on her face, and usually it is when that sort of look is approriate. I love her to pieces.

I cant wait for footed pajamas to be necessary.

Olive Delphine Sundquist

Yes, I know. It is high-time I write about Olive’s birth and post some delicious pictures of my sweet little morsel of love.

Now, the more I think about it, the more amazed I am that I didn’t see her coming from a mile out and NOT go to Lake Fork for the annual camping trip!!

I had my 37 week appointment on Wed, the 3rd. I was GBS positive when I had Belle, so I knew I needed to be tested for sure, with Olive. My test results wouldn’t be in until Saturday, so I wouldn’t know if I was positive or negative until my 38 week appointment. I asked when they start “checking” to see if things are starting to move along. They don’t check unless you want to be. Well, I didn’t want to be… For 2 reasons. #1 I just knew nothing was going on and I didn’t want to be let down with a professional “no” and #2, gross… I didn’t want to be ‘checked’. I told Tren I would submit myself to it at my next appointment, just to get an idea of where things were at, if they were even anywhere at all. –and I bet they wouldn’t have been anywhere near me going to Lake Fork-

So, I had to look it up, and I found it. A chat where I told Tren I thought Olive had dropped.
Friday, August 5th
-Me: I think she dropped, by the way. Olive. I don’t feel like she’s all up in my business as much. -Tren: is that normal?
-Me: yep, one step closer to birth.
-Tren: well do we need to take the car seat to lake fork?
-Me: no goof. I don’t think so, anyways. She isn’t coming this weekend. She’s going to make me go to the 25th, I know it.

Well, well, well! She had dropped. I should have known. I could see my belly-button from an entirely different angle. There was a sign, straight from my belly-button, I shouldn’t be going to Lake Fork!

While we were at Lake Fork, Tren was the wise one and said I couldn’t go on the oh-so-easy hike to Duck Lake with everyone. Good job, Pappy. I surely would have hiked myself right into labor at Duck Lake.

And another sign = Sunday morning, at Lake Fork, I woke up and my hips hurt. I blamed this on the crappy mattress pad in the trailer. I slept like absolute crap Saturday night and woke up aching. Or in the early stages of labor?

Thankfully, my parents said Belle could stay with them at Lake Fork Sunday night. Without Belle, Tren and I headed home. We got home around 3pm or so and took showers and unloaded things from the trailer. These things stayed in the kitchen right where they were left by Tren. We then took about a 3 hour nap. I slept very well. Then Tren woke up and went badger hunting. I chose to stay in bed and do nothing. (good thinking!) I shut the tv off for bed at 9:30. Around 10:30 or so, I don’t really remember because I wasn’t watching the clock, but I kept feeling like I needed to poop. I would get up and go to the bathroom and not even a stinkin’ fart would slip out. I went back to bed and kept getting up and trying to poop, but didn’t have any success. Then around 1:45am I was laying in bed and kept feeling this “poop” wanting to come out and then POP!, my water broke! I shot out of bed and cupped my hand under my(self) and hauled to the bathroom. I sat on the toilet and said out loud to myself “shut up… this is not happening right now…. Oh my gosh….” I sat there for a few minutes and then would stand up to see if I kept leaking or if I just accidently peed the bed. Nope. I would dribble a little more and sit down, denying I was in labor the whole time. “I still have 2 weeks! This can’t be happening right now.” Then I had a mild contraction and felt it in my back. “I better tell Tren.” So I went and woke him up and told him my water had broke. He too, shot out of bed “Are you serious? How do you know? What happened? Do we need to call the place?” and then he started pacing and rubbing his head. So, I told him I was going to go and take a shower and see what happened. What the heck was I thinking? Ohhhh! I know!… I was denying I was in labor… “I’ll just shower this off and get back in bed.” Nope, the contractions in my back were starting to really hurt, so I knew we had to get moving. Dang it! I called The Baby Place and we estimated we’d be there around 2:30. Tren in his pacing frenzy, decided he’d better call Russ to give us a ride. I went into the closet to see what I needed to get for the delivery. I packed my bag and Olive’s bag a few weeks ago, but now, in the heat of the moment (that I am trying to pretend isn’t happening) I don’t think I have everything ready. Tren comes in and asks what he needs to get. I tell him the car seat out of Olive’s room. The car seat that we haven’t even put in the truck to see how it fits. Yep. He gets the car seat and I dilly-dally around trying to delay things. I really wasn’t mentally ready for this one bit. I still had 2 weeks!! Russ arrives and is surprisingly calm. Tren is wild-haired and pacing. I am farting around. Finally we get in the truck and I look at the clock thinking the midwives would ask how my contractions were. 2:10am. Russ is flooring it every chance he gets.. At one point, I told him we didn’t really need to go as fast (110mph) as he was. He would slow down in the construction zones to about 87 and then keep on going. My contractions are now coming every 3 minutes. Good heavens. A coyote crossed the road in front of us at Firebird. Was this a good sign? As we would approach an intersection and I would be looking both ways for other cars and then give Russ the okay to blow through the light. And he would. Tren was sitting in the back seat, rubbing my shoulders and trying to keep me (himself) calm. We arrived at The Baby Place at 2:24am. That’s 14 minutes!! Tren and I are shown back to our room and Russ stays out in the waiting area. I set my bag down and they ask if I need to use the bathroom. “Sure”, I think. “I can waste a little time in there.” I came out and sat on the bed. They checked me and I was dialated to 8 centimeters. Crap. 2 more and it’s time to push. Then Tren asks Samantha (one of the midwives) “Is this going to happen?” because he still isn’t sure if I really am in labor or if it was just a false alarm. “Yep, this is going to happen.” Is what she said. –Tren is deaf. The midwives all were speaking very quietly and calmly and Tren couldn’t hear anything they were saying. Ever. - Luckily, my GBS test came back negative and i didn't need to be treated for it before the birth. Samantha told us there was another mother and new baby there. When Tren went out to the waiting room to tell Russ he could head home and we’d see if his cousin or grandma could take us home tomorrow, Russ had heard this new baby crying and thought it was Olive. “That was quick!!” is what Russ said. And Tren told him I was still pregnant and that that was another mother. Ha! Russ insisted on staying and waiting it out. Tren came back to our room and I just sat there on the bed, trying to prepare for what was to come. Here I am, 38 weeks pregnant and having a contraction (thus the pleased and comfortable look on my face.)

Around 3:00am-ish, I decided I would get in the tub. I was wanting to do a water birth. I had heard it was less painful and that was what I was after. I climbed in and immediately start sweating. The water has to be 98° or hotter because if it is anything less, the baby would be born in cooler water and take a breath before reaching the surface. I sit there for a few minutes and soon the contractions are really starting to get stronger. Tren offered several times to get in the water with me. I was so hot and starting to get to the irritable point, so I nicely told him there was no need for him to get in. I know he was just feeling useless standing there. And I appreciate his offers. Tren asked Samantha when I would start pushing and she said “whenever she wants to. I’ll check her and make sure it’s safe for her to push and then she can start pushing.” A few minutes later, after ignoring a couple of those contractions that give you the urge to push, I confessed I should start pushing. She checked me and said “You can push. This isn’t going to take long at all. Baby is very low.” Whew!, I thought…This isn’t going to take long at all. Thank goodness! So, with my next contraction, I push. And it wasn’t bad. Soon Jerusha and Rachel are in the room, perched on the edge of the tub next to Samantha. Tren is crouched behind me, outside the tub, and rubbing my shoulders. I have a few contractions and push with all my might and Jerusha, Samantha and Rachel all nod their heads and say “good good good good good”. This makes me feel very good. I ask between contractions “how much of her head can you see?!” think that with all this positive feedback she’s about out. Jerusha holds up her hand and shows me something resembling a quarter and says ‘about this much’. What the heck?! A freakin quarter?! Crap. So, I start pushing even harder and trying to keep pushing as long as I can. But oh no!,… It’s really starting to burn. There is that dreadful ring of fire. I didn’t remember that from when I’d had Belle!! So, I push again hard and long and holy nurse, it’s getting worse. Then I really waited for the contractions that had the urge to push with them, because I so badly didn't want to push and feel that fire. I screamed and cried and yelled and told them it hurt and would stop mid push because it hurt. I did not like it. Also, in the mix of things, my right leg was getting a cramp. This would cause me to stop my pushing so I could straighten it out and get rid of the cramp. What a show I was putting on. Note- Through all of this chaos, they would randomly check the baby’s heart rate. Through it all, she was a mellow happy little heart beat. Such a good girl.- I remember at one point pushing and being hunched forward so much, I could see her little head and she even had hair floating in the water. Oh my word! I wanted to see her and for it to be done. Tren said while I was pushing, he was behind me pushing and taking breaths right along with me. Finally, I gave one last really big painful push and her head was out! Hallelujah!! Then in the same contraction at 3:45am, I pushed her sweet little body out and instantly, the pain was gone. Just like that. Oh my girl. She was screaming and flailing her skinny arms around. I could have squeezed her guts out! I turned to Tren and said “do you see her?” and he was teary eyed and smiling. A proud Pappy. Tren noticed her little mouth was just like his and that she had big hands like his. I was able to hold Olive there in the tub for several minutes. Then Tren cut the cord and they took Olive and wrapped her up in a nice warm blanket and Tren held her for a while. I climbed out of the tub and into the bed and then I fed her. She latched on very well. A few minutes later, I asked if we could have Russ come back to the room and see her. Rachel (I think) went and got him and in the mean time, Jerusha and Samantha cleaned up the crime scene so Russ wouldn’t be scarred for life. (haha!). He came back and if I remember right, he held her for a few minutes. Then he ran to the store for a few items and came back. We had to stay at least 4 hours and Russ again insisted on staying. Russ slept on a couch in the waiting area until about 6 or 7am when another mother was on her way in to have a baby. Then he came back to our room and slept in the recliner. Tren fell asleep immediately. He was exhausted. I think it was more work for him than it was for me. I on the other hand, did not sleep. I was too busy watching and looking at my little lady. I still couldn’t believe she was here already. 2 weeks early! 6 lbs, 3 oz and 20” long. She was perfect. Around 11:30am, Olive’s vitals were taken one last time and we were able to head home. (Something I want to say, so I won’t forget it, but probably never will anyways. When we were ready to leave and Jerusha was done checking out Olive, she gave me a hug. Jerusha did. And it was a real hug. Not just an arms around you buddy-pat-on-the-back hug. It was a hug. A sincere hug. To this day, and even as I type this, thinking about that hug, I tear up. It was just what I needed, though. From someone who knew what I had just been through. If that makes any sense to anyone. Anywho.)

Look how tiny she is in her big car seat.

We headed home and at regular speed. When we got home, Russ headed to work, and Tren, Olive and I took naps. Well, Tren and Olive did. I just couldn’t sleep. I didn’t sleep until 3:30am. The first night was rough. Olive was talking all night long. Just making noises and coo-ing. All night long. And that was just fine. She is here, 2 weeks early and sweet and perfect and healthy.
And I’m in love.

Olive's Room

I think for the most part, I am done with Olive's room. I had a few projects I wanted to do, but decided they would be too much over my head, so they are on the back burner for a while. I knew I wanted to do black furniture with black white and olive green colors. I painted the window wall and the little short entry wall black. Tren found the perfect black crib and changing table set off craigslist. One day we were driving down Main Street in Emmett, by the old Farm Store or whatever it used to be called, and I saw this mirror and had to have it. Tren went back and traded and also gave a little cash to get it for Olive (me). Tren's Aunt painted the "Olive" board above it and it is olive green and matches everything perfectly.

A few weeks ago, I made the curtains. I love the curtains. They are probably my most favorite thing in the room. They aren't too girly, but just girly enough.

I have been searching craigslist for a glider or rocking chair and was having no luck. Everyone wanted way too much for them. We were out yard sale-ing this weekend and came across a glider for $10. After leaving the yard sale without it, getting to a different street, deciding I DO want it, going back and realizing we didn't have cash and deciding nevermind again, and then driving away and deciding I DO want it lets go get cash from that gas station, discovering that gas station doesn't give cash-back, and then going back to the yard sale to see if they'd take a check, we ended up taking the beauty home. Tren spray painted it black and I made some slick little pillow covers for the pads. Love it!

We also got a little storage box/table thing from Wally's, to set next to it. I will put extra blankets and burp rags in it until it's time for toys to go inside.

The super soft-backed blanket I made.



Her name above her crib.

And part of the diaper/wipe stash under her crib.

And her dresser in her closet, also painted black. And the wonderful little artwork from her big sister, Belle.

I made this "messenger" diaper bag. I was in Joann's for seriously 2 hours trying to decide what to use. Then I came across the camo and thought "duh!" Tren will feel so proud carrying this baby around! It was by far the toughest sewing project I have ever done, and surprisingly it turned out perfect and in the end, wasn't really that hard. I got the instructions/idea from Make It Love It. And I bought some fabric to make Belle a messenger bag for school.

The only things left I would like to do is switch out the ceiling light in the room. It is a big ugly fluorescent light and it needs to go. I also need something to go above the changing table. I was thinking a black shelf with pegs to hang her bath towel and wash cloth or something from? I don't know. Any suggestions?

4 more weeks and she should be making her grand appearance!! Oh my!!

Happy Birthday, Belley Bea!

Today is Miss Belle's 7th birthday. Good jerky, that's getting OLD!

We celebrated her birthday on Sunday. Belle is all about Katy Perry right now and had requested a "Katy Perry bikini". I did some google-ing and this was not a good thing for a 7 year old to be wearing. Belle likes the Candyland thing Katy Perry has going so I decided I would do a candyland cake and then make her a little outfit that was candy-ish. I started my crafting on Sunday a week ago, and with an un-expected event, I had Belle most the week and it's hard to work on her birthday present with her there. Luckily, I finished the pieces of candy that just needed sewn onto a shirt. Then on Sunday (2 days ago) we went and got some tulle for her skirt. We got home and after making the cake, I was finally going to put the pieces of candy on her outfit. But! We had an issue with a dog thinking she's a wolf and trying to attack another dog through the wood fence, thus causing her to lose a big tooth. Boston's should not be over excited or worked up... they can have heartattacks and die. Not a good situation for my getting older Roosty. So, I had to contain her in the kitchen and make sure she relaxed and cooled down. This meant only the peppermint swirl was sewn on to the top of the outfit. This was all okay with Belle.

We ate dinner and then realized what time it was and showed up late to her party.

I did not do a big bbq dinner or anything this year. But I did have a cooler with some ice-cold brews in it. It was nice to sit back and chat and have a cold root beer.

Belle enjoyed her present opening and inspected each one.

After presents we had cake and ice cream.

Then, as my tradition goes, the balloon release. Such a sassy little girl, she is. (note the one peppermint swirl on her shirt)

And away they go!

Belle was nice enough to let Uncle Russ hold out a balloon to shoot at with the bb gun after she let it go. Then Granny got involved and Russ didn't think she could hit the grain bin with the bb gun, so she took it and proved him wrong. Then she was challenged to shoot the mailbox. I love this picture!!

It was a great day for Belle and she had a wonderful party.

7. Years. Old. old. old. old. old.

YOUNGSTERS !!!

As some of you may know already, Tren has been madly working on opening a new business in Emmett. (Thank You, Russ, for all your help!)

YOUNGSTERS is a New and Pre-Owned Children's Apparel Store. When Tren first told me his idea for the store, I was very confused because Tren knows nothing about kids clothes and the value of them and the sizes... pretty much nothing. But, he went with it, and I really think it is going to turn out to be a huge success. They will purchase your clothes for cash or in-store credit, too. Something that is a big deal these days. Especially on kids clothes that are grown out of in mere months.

I took a few pictures of the coming together of the store. Instead of forwarding those from my phone, I'm just going to post the final product. Rochelle designed the tags and logo and they are amazing. I am so proud of Tren and his accomplishment. I am inviting everyone to stop in and take a look, give us your honest opinion and also make purchases :)

The view from standing in the doorway.

The check-out counter. Using a dresser was my idea. hehehee!

These 2 bees are supposed to be me and Belle. They crack me up.

A look at the boys' side.

And the wonderful tags... on some clothing.

Hope you all come down and check it out and make some purchases!

Serious Catch-Up

I'm lazy. Okay. I get it. But who cares. I don't. Work has been incredibly busy the last month and a half, so I prefer to come home and sit and do nothing that really requires much brain power.

Dream #2 (had a couple weeks ago)

I walked into my and Tren's apartment and went to the closet. I open it up and there he is taking a nap on the shelf. The inside of the closet is the EXACT shelf that was in my bedroom I shared upstairs with Annie. (We used to sleep on the shelves in the closet because they were so huge and wide we could lay on them. Now that I think about it, I don't know if we actually slept in there, but anyways.) Tren was sleeping in the closet and I crawled in and said "I need you to go and lock the windows... This guy is after me and I am afraid he'll come in through the window." We get off the shelf and open the door out to the main room and there is this kid standing there. It wasn't the guy who was after me, but I felt a little uneasy with him there. I asked what he needed and he didn't answer so I knew he was working for the guy. So I act like I'm walking away from him and snatch a vase with flowers off a nearby desk and turn and smash him over the head with it. The vase does NOT break and simply bounces off his head. I then feel bad and apologized. Then I look towards the living room and there is the guy I was worried about. He'd come in the window. We argued about something and he wouldn't let me and Tren leave the apt. The next thing I know, we are down in the lobby of the apartments and it looks strangely like the waiting area of a hospital. I look around for Tren and realize I am now carrying him trapped in a laptop. This was what I was afraid of (apparently) because I start crying and yelling at the guy who was after me, because he put Tren in my laptop. I could just see Tren's face on the screen. I was in serious freak-out mode. I wanted back in my apartment. I wanted Tren out of the laptop. There were people walking around us and I couldn't tell anyone what was going on. The guy was just standing there 'what are you going to do? You cant go back to your apartment.." and he was creepy. I start crying harder. Then I just get pissed off and I yell at him "You know what! bleep you!! I don't want my stupid apartment!" and I start to leave the waiting area. Now I'm really crying because this means Tren is forever stuck in my laptop. I am walking down the hall of the lobby and a sweet little hand grabs mine and I look down and the little GIRL says to me "Come on, Mom". It was a little fat Tren girl. I stopped crying, squeezed my laptop tightly to me and me and my little girl walked away.

Ever since this dream, I think I'm having a girl.

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Shoshone Falls

Two weekends ago we took a little over-nighter trip to Shoshone Falls and to see the gators. We were eating brunch at Denny's in Meridian and decided we'd see if Tren's grandma would want to go. Short notice, but she was ready when we got to her house 45 mins later.

We drove to Twin Falls and checked in to the hoe-tail and then headed to Shoshone Falls. It was just a bit rainy while we were there, but it was still pretty.

At first, we told Belle this was the waterfall we had done all the driving for.

Belle and Grandma Bernice

After the falls, we went to dinner and then back to the hotel for swimming. Belle and Tren swam. I took my suit. I put it on. I put my clothes over top of it. I did not swim. I couldn't bear to bare it.

Sunday we woke up to sort of sunshine and headed to Hagerman to see if we could find the gator farm Krista shared. Success!! It was windy and cold so the gators were just floating with their eyes above water. We will try this again in warmer weather.

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Saturday morning I made this sweet combine cake for a little farmer's birthday. Ty was turning 3 and wanted a combine cake. I think it turned out pretty dang cute!

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Today, I am 20 weeks along. That is half way! Woohoo!!! We have an ultrasound scheduled for Wednesday morning and will hopefully be finding out if it's a boy or a girl. Tren wants a boy, Belle wants a girl, and I really don't have a preference. A boy would be fun, and girls are just cute and fun. I am excited to be able to refer to it by name and start shopping for fun things and decorate a baby room. Still can't believe it's happening. But so happy it is!!