Cleod

I've been thinking for a while about posting something about each of my kids...but when they drive you crazy it's a little hard. Tonight I was thinking about how I focus on the negative a lot and I need to look at the good in my kids. So...here goes.

Cleod is smart. That's the truth. He's a crazy, good reader. We've known this for a while, but now that he's starting to do more math at school, we've realized that he's good at math too and already can do much more than his age/grade level. I have been printing out first grade math worksheets for him because he likes doing homework and doesn't get much from school. I like this because I want to be in control of his education and not leave it all up to the school. I am a little worried that he's going to be just as bored next year as he has been this year, but that's another story.

Cleod's favorite song from church is "I Lived in Heaven."

He loves his sister and helps me out a lot. He's always willing to get diapers or blankets, or hold her for a bit while I do something (like clean toilets).

He loves watching movies, TV and playing computer. We do not have a video gaming system for many reasons, but one of them is that Cleod would want to be on it all day. He is really good at getting his "jobs" done before computer or TV time though, so it's not really a big deal.

He's a "gleaner" as my mom would say and he has an excellent memory. He learns from everything and remembers everything. He'll tell me random facts he's read in books or tell me about something he watched a year ago.

Cleod loves pizza, crepes, and hamburgers.

He's sensitive and cries more than your average 6 year old boy, but that's ok.

He loves playing with friends. I haven't figured out if he's a leader or a follower because really, he's both. He's the oldest so he leaders a lot, but I think he wants to be accepted at school and church so he follows the stronger personalities (not always a good thing, but ya know).

I'm not sure why we've been butting heads so much lately, but I sure don't know what I would do without my Cleod.

Why me?

OK, so I am not normally one to ask, "Why me?" when I am in the middle of a trial or whatever. We are on the earth to be tested and we are going to have trials. I know this and I try not to complain. No, that's not true. I complain, but I don't ask, "Why me?"

The last few days...weeks actually...I have been starting to wonder why. WHY? Why do I have 4 kids under 6 years old?

Well, I know why. I felt strongly about getting pregnant with each of my kids. I begged for Cora.

So WHY was I supposed to have 4 kids so quickly? Why were the first 3 boys? And why do I feel like we aren't done? I am grateful for what I have, I am, but I am NOT patient with my kids and I don't understand why this is my life.

Why do sweet boys turn into monsters some days? Today Ryan hit or kicked or scratched Cleod or Grant over and over without even being provoked. I DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!

Cleod has to be entertained EVERY minute or he is bothering one of his brothers.

Grant has finally found out that he's an individual and apparently that means he doesn't have to do what his mom asks him to.

Cora's perfect, but she won't take a bottle, so I am a cow and my boys are often causing problems while I am taking care of her.

Tonight I put the kids to bed without Silas and I failed. Big time. I am just so tired of repeating myself and not being heard. Grr.

Cora smiles

 

8 weeks and she's perfect!

Life

Once upon a time, I had my fourth child and although it isn't as hard as I thought it would be, I feel like I am still on survival mode a little.

Due to this, I haven't been blogging much. Not a big deal, just how it is.

Also, every time I think of blogging I want to use it as a journal and i have realized that I complain a lot in my journal, so I don't think I should put anyone through that...until I'm dead and my grandkids find out how crazy I secretly was.

Anyway, this is the summary of my life right now:

Sick of winter.
Love my baby.
Need to lose weight.
Feels so blessed when I really sit and think but there is so much craziness to with finances that it's hard.
Can't believe we'll be registering #2 for Kindergarten next month.
Needs Spring to come.
Loves her husband and how he is "smitten" with Cora. (Those were his words.)
Is kinda tired of cleaning the house over and over, everyday and yet I love when it's clean.
Has basically accepted the fact that we will only have one car for a while longer and that one car is not a van. :(
Loves her crazy, loud, rough, loving boys.

Did I mention that winter needs to be over?

That is all.

Answers

So, I really haven't thought that my kids looked that much alike. I mean, I saw some similarities, but not much. Well, after looking at all of their baby photos and finding the bath photos from the previous post I realize that they are definitely related.

So here are the answers:
A: Cora
B: Cleod
C: Ryan
D: Grant

Kizzie, my mom (over the phone) and Deruchette got them all right. Good work! Thanks to everyone for humoring me. This was fun.

Who's who?

Best labor ever...

So here it is...

As posted previously, we decided to induce a few days before my due date, and although it was weird to not go into labor and I may not do it again on purpose, IT WAS THE BEST LABOR EVER (for me)!!!

First of all, there was a lot of complications with getting someone to stay with my kids while we were at the hospital. Usually, my friend Deruchette watches my kids, but because of the holidays that didn't work out. So my mom was going to come up from Vegas but on Christmas day, my grandpa passed away so she was in St. George helping with funeral arrangements. (FYI: He was 91 and sick, so it was a good thing.) My awesome brother RJ and his family are in Vegas for Christmas break, so they ended up coming to Cedar and staying with the boys. This was great because they have 6 kids and although it was crazy for the adults, the kids had a ball!

Secondly, I have LONG labors.
Cleod = 24 hours with 12 hours of hard labor and no meds.
Ryan = 20 hours with about 10 hours of hard labor and no meds.
Grant = 18 hours with 5 or 6 of hard labor and 1 1/2 with epirdual.

Silas and I went into the hospital around 4am (Dec. 27th) and after monitoring me and the baby, they started me on the cytotec. I was hoping to only have to have one dose, but ended up with two. After 6 hours I had only progressed from 1+ cm to 3cm. I was really discouraged, but looking back I realize that I basically slept through most of it and I wasn't in pain at all. So compared to my other labors, it was a breeze even getting to 3cm.

By 11am, Laurie (Certified Nurse Midwife) broke my water and told me to walk around for a few minutes. After about 30 minutes the contractions were picking up and then they started the pitocin. I wanted to labor for at least an hour before getting my epidural so that I would be in active labor and would keep progressing. Just before 1pm, my nurse came and checked me and I had was only dilated to 3+cm. I was a little frustrated even though the last two hours the contractions were only mildly painful. SHe asked if I wanted my epidural and I a little part of me was thinking, "Already? That makes me feel like a wimp," but most of me was like, "Yes, please!" With Grant's labor I went from a 4 to a 10 in less than 2 hours because of the epidural, something that took 8 or 10 hours to do on my own with my other labors, so I was hoping the same thing would happen this time.

Well, it wasn't less than 2 hours, but 3 hours after my epidural, I was complete! Yea! I was so relieved. The last hour before, Cora's heart rate was going down a little with contractions, something that has always happened with my babies, but I was way more worried this time. Also, my blood pressure kept dropping and I felt dizzy on and off, so I was happy that it was going to be over soon and I could finally have my baby!

At 4:20pm, Cora Lily Aitchison was born. I got to pull her out and hold her right away. I was way more emotional that I have ever been right after. I just kept thinking that she was mine and thanking Heavenly Father that she was really here and she was fine. She was purple which worried me, the the respitory guy was right there watching her and assuring me that she was fine. After a few minutes, he took her to the heat lamp to make her cry because she really hadn't yet but after probably 20 mintues or so, I had her again and she started nursing.

So Cora's labor was 11 hours long, with only 2 hours of mild contractions. PLUS, I didn't tear at all and hardly even bled. After delivering the after-birth, Laurie didn't have anything to do and just hung out for a minute to see how much she weighed. It was the best labor!

Recovery has been good too. I am tired and all that, but it feels like we're getting back to normal, sort of. Silas has been off of work all week which has been awesome, so next week when he's gone and Cleod's in school we will see how well we do.

Cora is an awesome baby. She has slept great at night, only waking up once to eat. Last night she ate at 9pm and didn't wake up until 4am to eat and then went back to sleep until 8am. She also hardly cries. Thursday she had gas so she was really sad, but once we got some gas drops, she's been fine. (That and I am burping her longer after she eats.)

I really am SO thankful that she's her. For months I have been worried and have shed a lot of tears worrying about her. I'm not positive why, but I think that I just couldn't imagine being so blessed to have 4 beautiful kids (and a girl!!!) when it seems like so many people around me having problems with pregnancies and things.

Anyway, there it is, for those of you who braved the long post. ;) I am sure that there will be some interesting days ahead...

(Oh, and her brothers ADORE her. Even Grant who I was worried about, shares his cars and airplanes with her. It's adorable!)