The Dream Has Died

So I really wanted to do a home birth with this babe.  Really, really wanted to do a home birth.  I haven't had horrible hospital experiences, I just know that I can do it all on my own and after the baby is born there is nowhere I would rather be than in my home with that sweet little person fresh from heaven. I want the spirit and beauty that accompanies a birth to be here, in the place where my family is. Plus I live two minutes from the hospital and I felt confident that we would be able to get to it in time if something were to go wrong.  Midwives, after all, are not crazy people who never monitor and will keep you at your home whatever the cost.  I did research and I was confident, peaceful, and excited about it.

However, just before Everett was born, Ty's company changed insurance.  Aetna, apparently, is one of the few insurance companies who will not cover a home birth.  Not any part of it.  They want nothing to do with it.  So we explored other options.  One fell through completely.  Then we thought about just paying for it out-of-pocket.  Tyler was totally willing, but it was going to be a difference of $1000 + and I just can't bring myself to do it.  We have insurance, I don't hate the hospital or doctors, maybe this is for a reason....so we're going the Dr./hospital route again.

I think that I needed time to mourn the loss of the home birth experience because I've know for almost a month (more than a month?) that it's not going to happen, but I was not getting on the stick to get a Dr.  Insurance changed, as I mentioned, and so this babe was going to have someone new no matter what.  Well, you'll be happy to know that even though I'm about done with my first trimester, I finally got a doctor. Dr. Christen to be exact.  He's a minimalist when it comes to intervention and likes to let women do their thing in giving birth; just what I am looking for.  The scheduler thought there was no way it was going to work out because I was calling so late in the pregnancy and he was scheduled out really far, but lo and behold, there was a cancellation for next Tuesday.  And she was able to schedule an ultrasound (measuring and date purposes) for this Friday. I'm really excited about the ultrasound.  My stomach has popped (at 12 weeks!?) but I don't get to feel the babe moving yet, so this will make it more real to me.  And I am sure that I will really like Dr. Christen and all will be well.

Like anyone really cares about all of this, but I felt like sharing. :)

Les Miserables

On the ferry to Seattle

Tyler and I went and saw the magical Les Mis at the 5th Ave Theater in Seattle.  Beforehand we bought a new purse for me - my strap just happened to break while walking from the ferry to the restaurant.  Darn. :)  Then we went to the Cheesecake Factory where we both had scrumptious meals.  Afterward we made our way over to the theater for the show which, of course, did NOT disappoint.  Oh my, those voices.  Incredible.  I can't count the number of times I had goosebumps and tears in my eyes.  We saw Les Mis in Las Vegas the weekend before we got engaged...about 7 years ago.  I'd bought tickets 6 months or so before and thought, "I'm SURE I'll be dating someone worth taking."  I guess I would have taken my sister or mom or someone if it hadn't worked out, but work out it did.  I got myself an engagement ring just a few days later.  I was thinking this time, though, how nice it is that we were going home together at the end of the night.  Being engaged was fun and all, but being married is so rad.  It helps to be married to such a great man.

We were chastised for taking a picture in the theater just moments later

We were in a busy spot, the guy took the picture, we didn't feel like making people wait while we tried again.  Now I wish we would have.  Oh well.

I loved the whole night - walking together, the ferry rides, the food, the show, kissing on a bench because we were so early for the ferry going back.  It was all pretty darn perfect.  Our pictures of the night are mostly terrible, but here they are anyway.

Ballet & Preschool for Kelly Anne

The new YMCA here in Silverdale has been pretty fun for our little family.  We've done swimming lessons and several other classes.  With Max starting Kindergarten and doing soccer I thought that it would be important for Kelly to have something of her own to do.  I heard that they were starting a Pre Ballet class at the Y for girls Kelly's age, so we signed her up.  The class itself hasn't been really awesome (I think the teacher needs help corralling and teaching the kids), but it has been SO worth it to watch Kelly in her cute little ballet outfit.  Plus Kelly loves, loves, loves it.  So I guess that's what matters most.  We'll start with soccer in the next year or two if she wants to do it, but I really like having her in dance too.

 We're doing the same preschool thing we did with Max last year.  It's a co-op with some other ladies in my ward.  She is the only girl and she kind of hung by herself a lot the first day.  But she loved it.  Sister wants to wear a dress every.single.day and this was a new favorite of hers.  I love, love, love this first picture of Kelly and her brothers.

Max was so excited for Kelly.  While she was gone he said, "I'm so glad that Kelly goes to preschool now."  I asked him, "Why's that?"  And he responded, "Because when I was in preschool I loved it beyond the far!"  :)  


I'm a big fan of this little lady!

Soccer!

I called to sign Maxwell T up for his first season of soccer in late June.  Apparently that is LATE registration. All of the Boys U6 teams were full AND they were already short coaches for two of the teams.  "Well..." I replied, "what if my husband and I were to coach?"  "Then he could definitely play!" was the answer.  It seemed like such a good idea at the time. :)

 "I want to be stylish"

 Another stylish pose

 I played a lot of soccer and watched a lot of soccer growing up.  Ty played for a while when he was younger too.  But neither of us had a clue when it came to coaching.  We spent a lot of time looking stuff up online and then went for it.  We have the CUTEST little team - the Swift Ninjas.  I really love each of the boys.  We're not great, but we've got heart and the boys are already improving.  Today was our second game and our boys totally thought the score was tied 6-6 at the end...I have no idea what the score was, but pretty sure the other team scored 5+ points more than that.  They finally took the two boys on their team who actually know what they are doing out of the game and then we had a serious succession of goals. :)

 My son, the ham, who was not really laughing, but doing a fake laugh pose

Max LOVES to play.  Today I was watching him at the game and I realized that he has a huge smile on his face the ENTIRE time he is out there playing.  Brother is so cute to watch!  He's a really great teammate and sport too.  He's always telling the other boys how great they're doing and gets so excited when they make good plays.  As we were walking to our car today some of the players from the other team were walking behind us and Max turned around and said, "That was a really good game.  You guys are really good players!  You had some great plays!"  They just kind of stared at him, but I told him how happy it made me to hear him say those things.  He makes my mother heart so happy.

"Now take a picture where I pretend someone is tickling me."  After a few pictures, "That kind of hurt my arm, BUT....I had to do it."

Kindergarten, meet Maxwell T!

There was no avoiding it.  Kindergarten was going to come whether this momma was ready or not.  So I decided to embrace it for the boy's sake.  He's pretty sensitive/empathetic and I knew that if he caught on that I wasn't totally down with it then he would have had a hard time, so I couldn't be anything but excited in front of him.  We made a 10-day countdown, had a mom & son school clothes shopping date, and talked about Kindergarten constantly. 

Finally the day came and Silver Ridge Elementary did a good job of breaking me in.  The first day of school (9/7) was an Orientation.  I got to go to class with Max, get him all situated, drop off his school supplies, sit him at his desk, go to a short orientation in the library, and then take my boy home with me.  I liked it lots!  Oh, but when I told Max that I was leaving the classroom for the orientation, his eyes got really big and concerned looking and he asked where I was going.  Don't worry, I didn't rush over and hug and cry with him and tell him that I would never leave him like I wanted to.  I told him I'd be back in just a bit and he seemed fine.  That didn't stop me from walking away with tears in my eyes, though.  That night Tyler gave him a father's blessing for the school year and as we were laying out what he would wear the next day, he laid on the ground and thought it would be funny for me to lay the clothes on top of him. :)

 Making the clouds on his first assignment black - for rain clouds, of course.  We do live in the Pacific NW.

 My handsome boy at his desk!

 Maxwell T and Mrs. Warrington - she's wonderful!

The next day was the real deal.  I was putting my handsome little man on a bus - a BIG bus - with other Kindergartners and sending him off for his first full day of school. Ack!  The really awesome part of this story is that Max's two best friends - Adam and Reyes - live on our street and all of them are in the same class.  So we took down the last link on his countdown, had lunch, took pictures, met Reyes as she was walking to the bus, took a few more pictures, watched as all three kids walked up the street holding hands, waited at the bus stop, took more pictures, giggled when they squealed because they saw the school bus, said a hurried goodbye, gave him a kiss, took one more picture, and stood with tears in my eyes as I watched my little man drive away.  Man, it's hard.  But  I knew that he would love it.

I'm so lucky these little people belong to me!  I love them so much.

The Kindergartner!

 He wanted to be sure the K was still visible in this backpack shot :)

 He asked Reyes if she would marry him the other day...she said yes :)

Kelly and I came home and finished his First Day Hooray banner. (I got this really great idea from my dear friend, Carrie, to do a First Day Hooray party...thanks for yet another fabulous mom idea, Carrie!) Then Bo-Bell and I made some cookies.  Before I knew it, we were headed out to pick him up.  He just takes the Kindergarten bus TO school, but we pick him up AFTER school.  I was super excited to see him and hear all about his day, so that's just what we did when we got home.  We had milk and cookies while he told us about the kids he met and what they did all day and how much of his snack he ate before recess (not much because he was REALLY excited to play) and what he did at recess...it was so fun.  He loves school, which is no surprise.  That night we had soccer practice, then I ran off to do the spiritual thought at our Relief Society meeting, and then we met as a family to have dinner and celebrate the big day!

I really can't believe I have a son in school.  What the heck am I going to do next year when he goes ALL day?!  Nevermind, I won't think about it.  For now we'll just jump in and enjoy all things Kindergarten!

Surprise... ! ... ? Probably not.

We've done the wait a while to say anything bit...and nobody was the least bit surprised.  So I've decided that this time I'll (possibly) preempt your speculations.

Babe Foster #4 is on the way!

We are thrilled!  I am nauseated, but more mildly so than my pregnancy with Everett. I have to eat all day long or the nausea becomes unbearable. The kids are SUPER excited.  Max and Kelly think it will be a girl because, as Max says, "Mom, Kelly NEEEEDS a sister!"  And Kelly nods her head in agreement then tells me, "It HAS to be a girl, Mom, because I need a SISTER!"  We're trying to get them excited about the possibility of another boy because Tyler and I are both feeling boy this time.  I never have a feeling about these things...so maybe I'm wrong, but Tyler is usually right.  Time will tell.  We're very excited either way!

I am not showing yet (though I expect to very soon...I always show early AND it's my fourth), but the kids are very excited about that part of it and anxious to see my belly pop.  So much so that last week I sat on the floor reading to them and they were both exclaiming over my belly looking bigger (stomach rolls).  I kept telling them that wasn't because of the baby, but they were pretty insistent and began poking at my belly and trying to get me to look at the "growth".  It was awesome.  Kids are NOT great for your self-esteem all of the time.

Oh, and I'm just over 9 weeks.  Due on 4/1/2012.  (No this is not an early April Fool's Joke...but that would be funny!) Ev and Babe #4 will be 2 years and 2 months apart - our biggest gap so far! :)

Supplied!

Even though I am in denial about my boy starting Kindergarten, I have been plowing ahead with the preparations. While my in-laws were here we decided to check off the school supply list. My mother-in-law was a Kindergarten teacher AND had 7 children for whom she has bought many-a-school-supply AND she really likes shopping for them...so we thought it would be fun to go with Max and get 'er done. Then Kelly wanted to go. Then Max didn't want to leave the house without his dad. So the whole lot of us (me, Max, Tyler, Kelly, Everett, Margaret & Mickey) trekked out to Target, school supply list in hand.

We followed the large Back To School signs (with arrows!) hanging from the ceiling until they led us to the school supply mecca. Sadly, that 'mecca' let us down on a few counts and it would take two more stores to supply the 16-count crayons and pencil box. BUT it was still really fun and memorable! I wish I would have taken pictures with all of the people involved in this outing, but I did get a few of the future Kindergartner, list in hand (which had been in his pocket for the ride to Target; which I will be placing in his treasure box because it's one of those things that will bring sweet memories to this momma in future years).

And after the first three pictures were taken, Max to the Max says, "Mom! Now take a picture of me pretending to buy my school supplies." And then he posed. And I chuckled. And obliged. I adore this little dude. Doesn't he look seriously contemplative about what he should buy even though at this point we were done shopping? Ha.

*sigh* How did he get so big so fast?

The Ev Man is Growing Up

Everett D is getting so big!

And I'm not just talking cheeks here.The boy is starting to parrot everything we say. He's had several words he's said for a while now, but now he's entered the parrot stage. Full-on talking isn't far behind. Some of his favorite words to say end in -k or -ck and he says that sound with such emphasis; it's super cute. Milk, snake (nake), snack (nack), truck (tuck), book, backpack (said VERY clearly...Ty said the word backpack on our last road trip when he was talking to Max, and Ev exclaimed "backpack!" It was so clear that I thought it was Max or Kelly, but it was the Ev Man.) I can't list all of the words he says because he's talking a ton and my brain doesn't work well enough to remember them all, but those are some of my favorite because of his emphasis.Brother has a green blanket with a satin edge that he sleeps with. About a month ago I was putting him down and while I was singing to him in his crib (per his request...he loves his bed and doesn't want to be sung to while I rock him anymore; he reaches for his crib when I start singing) he took the blanket and ran his hands along the edges until he got to the corner of the blanket and pulled it up to his face. Now I just make sure that he has the corner when I lay him down. I love little preferences like that.Everett is a prolific dancer. I thought Kelly loved to dance when she was younger, but I think Everett likes it a little more. His body just can't be helped; he HAS to move when he hears music. A few months ago we were at the YMCA pool and there is a slide that he goes on by himself (it lands in really shallow water) and he indicated that he wanted to go one more time before we left. I told him, "Okay, ONE more time." As he was walking over to the slide he suddenly became aware of the music that was being played for the Aqua Zumba class and he started to get his groove on. It was super cute so I just let him dance for a bit before I said, "Okay, Ev, go on the slide." He remembered that's what he was doing and took a few more steps toward the slide before the music overcame him again. We did that a few more times before I had to put him on the slide so that he would go down and we could leave. Brother just HAD to dance. He has a really good STOMP move and his BACKING UP moves are pretty sweet too.
Ev has all of his molars and his front middle teeth, but is missing several in between. Actually, I think the top teeth have all broken through now. But we're still waiting on 4 bottom teeth.

He's had a rough summer as far as facial wounds/bruises go. We just had to go ahead with family pictures in July because I figured that we weren't going to have a week without something on his face. So now he'll be sporting a nice bruise right between his eyes in this family picture forever. A true snapshot of his childhood thus far.
He loves to be outside and runs the toy lawnmower up and down the grass over and over again. He thinks that he is one of the big kids and can hold his own among them most of the time. He loves to laugh and will laugh whenever he hears someone else laughing. When he's excited he tenses his whole body, with his arms at a 90-degree angle, and gets a huge smile on his face. Sometimes I laugh or get excited about things just to hear/see him copy me.

Ev is now in nursery! He has loved it every single week. It might help to have a big sister in there, but he has not had a moment of sadness. It's great!

Oh, that little boy is delightful. I love him to pieces. And I totally get the kid cheek squishing thing now. With my other kids I've thought it was a little weird when people felt the need to squish their cheeks. But with Everett, it makes perfect sense. I love to squish/kiss them all the time. Love this little man.