August and a little bit after

We celebrated Makenna's birthday in a quiet fashion this year. We had family over on the 21st because my mom, Uncle Jonathan, Tante Mel and Grandma were here. Tante Mel helped me make the mermaid cake. It was fun, and I think it turned out alright, if a little messy. Makenna like it, and that is really all that mattered to me. She had a good birthday, I just can't believe how fast the time flies.


Grandma went back to Kipp's after the party and it wasn't long before the kids were all saying how they wished she didn't have to go back, they really missed her. Ashley especially would go in to Grandma's room multiple times a day and visit. They would talk about dolls, and because of cousin Mitchell's wedding, they talked about honeymoons, they would read stories and Grandma would comb Ashley's hair, and Ashley would help Grandma with her buttons (whether she needed the help or not was really never mentioned!) It was a great experience to have her here and to let the kids get to know a little more about Grandma. At dinner we would often hear stories from Grandma about Rob, or her childhood. I am so grateful we were able to have her stay for so long. I hope we can do it again sometime!
After Grandma went home, Rob and I went into vacation prep time. We had decided to take the kids camping without telling them too far ahead of time, so we were preparing the trailer in secret until a couple days before departure. We went to Priest Lake, and the weather was a little bit chilly while we were there, but still worth every minute. I got to sleep a lot, which was great for me! Rob and the kids often went on bike rides, and hikes (I joined on occasion, but this pregnancy has really taken it's toll on my body. I didn't ride a bike, but I did go on walks, and we all went on a nice hike on our last day. The kids spent a lot of time building a fort and gathering pine cones for Mr. Squinchy (squirrels to the general public.) They wanted to see if he would come close enough to gather them, or wait until we departed.

Happy 80th Birthday Roma!

Rob and I had a good time celebrating his mom's birthday with the family.  We went to dinner at Dockside with everyone and enjoyed good food and good company.
Our niece, Julianna, made a beautiful cake out of all the things Roma loves.

Preston's blessing

The Pass finally cleared and the family could come over for Preston's baby blessing.  It was fun to have everyone here, even for such a short visit.  My mom, Jonathan, Melanie, Siena, Blair, Holly and Charlotte all got here on Friday evening.  It was supposed to be Friday afternoon, but thanks to construction on I-90 it added to their drive time.
They had some more friends come over on Saturday to hang out and play games.  Rob and I went to an 80th Birthday Dinner for his mom, and when we came home our house was full of laughter and food, and one cranky baby who was hungry!  Other than the baby, it was just like when they were young and still in high school.  The conversations were a bit different though.  Two pregnant women will definitely change things! 
My dad was supposed to have the weekend off, but due to a new project he ended up working on Saturday.  So, he drove over after work, got here around midnight.  Slept. Went to church for 1 hour, and drove home.  Crazy right?!  I am so grateful he was willing and able to do that.  It really meant a lot to have him give my son a blessing.  The priesthood is a marvelous power, and I am so grateful for it.

It was also nice to have Rob's side here for his mom's 80th birthday that weekend, so we could have his brother-in-law, uncle, and cousin-in-law join us.  What a great family we have! 

It's finally spring in the panhandle!!

Makenna's Wax Museum

The 4th grade had a project on Tuesday to participate in a wax museum.  It started out as a simple book report, then grew to a book report poster and then into the museum.  Each of the students read a biography, of their choice, and as a class they worked to help each other find the parts of the costumes they needed.

Makenna chose Nelli Bly, the first female journalist.  Here is what Wikipedia has to say (Makenna wrote these facts on her poster, as well.)
      She (Nellie Bly) remains notable for two feats: a record-breaking trip around the world in emulation of Jules Verne's character Phileas Fogg, and an exposé in which she faked insanity to study a mental institution from within. In addition to her writing, she was also an industrialist and charity worker.

Makenna did a great job of standing perfectly still while all the classes took a turn to tour the museum.  Even when some of the kids tried to get her to talk to them she stood still (although occasionally they could get a smile!)  In the background you can see the poster she made as well as the book she read.
I am very proud of her, she received compliments on her poses, her costume, and her choice of character.
We had more parents show up to tour than any other daytime activity, plus the newspaper did an article yesterday.  The entire 4th grade did a great job.  The teachers did a wonderful job setting it up.  The lights in the gym were off with lamp stands scattered around the room, and music playing in the background.  It really was great!

Two things in common

Makenna and Preston now share two things in common.  Both were delivered by the same doctor.  And, as of last night, we know both could do this . . .

Very impressive!  Quite the balancing act.  I wonder how long he'll allow his dad to hold him like that?  Makenna was pretty old, and I think it was more a function of her weight instead of fear, that made her stop.
I had the thought that fear is a learned emotion.  Babies don't come with fear.  They don't know they should be afraid of something, or someone.  They don't know that there is bad.  So, does that mean fear is a tool of the adversary?  I believe it is as we get older, and we lose our faith and trust in God.  Do we teach our children to be afraid?  If we lived in a Utopian world with no hate, no crime, basically nothing bad, would they ever learn fear?  I don't know the answers to these, but it makes me wonder.

Hey, shouldn't you be sleeping?

Yesterday morning when I came to the living room after waking the kids for school, this is what I saw.

I immediately thought of my Aunt Joan.  I remember when I was a child she used to love owls, maybe she still does!  I was just surprised to see this one out and awake so early, I had the kids running to the living room also.  I didn't realize he would sit there for a good half hour before swooping to the hillside and then flying off to the trees.  We are guessing he was watching some mice or other small creatures.  In my opinion, he's welcome to them!

Trevor had a birthday, shout hurray!

Trevor has turned 7!  I wish there was a way to capitalize numbers, because I want to shout it out!  I can't believe he is getting so old.  He had a great birthday.  His friend, Kanyon, was able to ride the bus home from school with him and they had a great time playing until Dad came home with pizza. 
At school he got a cupcake from the cafeteria.  I love that they celebrate the kids birthdays.  He was very excited about that.

My task this year was to make a volcano cake.  I'm not sure what I started when I made that dragon last year, but my kids keep giving me challenges.  So, here is the latest attempt at impressing the kids with my culinary skills.  (It's a good thing they are kids, they are easily impressed.)

I didn't realize how easy it would be to make the candy lava, it was simple and yummy. 

After dinner, Kanyon's family came for cake and ice cream.  Here are the kids all lined up.  We are grateful to have such good friends.  Everyone had a great time!

Welcoming Preston

The kids can't get enough of their little brother.  Everyday they come home from school and go straight to him.  Trevor especially seeks him out.  He walks in and says "Brother's home!"  It's very cute.  I hope they keep that attitude when Preston is destroying their things!
This morning Ashley came in and said "Preston you're delightful" then turns to me and says "what's delightful?"  Once I defined it for her she got a big smile and repeated it a few more times.  So sweet.
Only one of them can sit by Preston in the car, so they have come up with a rotation to be fair.    If he makes the littlest squeak they all come running.    What devotion!

Announcing the Arrival of Preston Ryan Robert

How sweet is that face?

Preston made his appearance at 3:11pm on Tuesday, December 28, 2010.  He was our biggest baby yet, weighing in at 8 pounds, 3 ounces and 21 inches long!  As a point of reference, Ashley had been the biggest at 7 pounds even.  I have to admit that it's been so long since we've had a newborn in the house, he seems pretty tiny to me.

We decided to induce for a few reasons.  First, we wanted the tax deductible, of course!!  Second, we wanted to take advantage of the kids being out on Christmas break without having him on Christmas day.  He was officially due on December 30th, so we couldn't induce too much earlier, not to mention the hassle of trying to get ready for Christmas and company while being in the hospital.  Third, he needed to have an even numbered birthday, just like the rest of us.  Now we have an 18, 2x22's, 24, 28 & a 30!  Pretty good planning, for not planning at all (except for Preston.)

Since we decided to induce it was either go in Monday evening or Tuesday morning.  Because I had already progressed to 3cm, Monday night was out.  So, bright and early Tuesday morning (5am) Rob and I woke up to get to the hospital by 6.  We called in our request for room number 5, this is by far the best birth room in the hospital, not to mention all 3 kids were previously brought into the world in that room.  Luckily the hospital staff is very sweet and thought it was great that we wanted all the kids born in the same room, so they put my name on it before we got there.  Which is a good thing, because apparently we were not the only ones wanting to induce before the end of the year.

By 8:30 I was put on pitocin (a medication that helps bring on consistent and increasing contractions.)  By 10:30am, the doctor came to check on me and said he would break my water to get things going.  I very nicely (I hope) said I would like the epidural before he came near me with that knitting needle, I experienced that once before and wasn't falling for it this time.  He said that was no problem and called in the epidural to be done.  The anesthesiologist came in around 11 to start it and get off to a c-section.  I had him up the dosage when he came back at 1:30, it wasn't very strong I still had too much control, and if you know me, I fight (not on purpose) the lack of control, so if it's even a little noticeable I won't progress.   The doctor broke my water around 12:30 and between that and the epidural things just flew by.  I was at a 4 when the epidural was administered, then skipped 5 & 6, was at a 7 when the doctor broke my water and jumped ahead to a 10.

Shortly after making his arrival

When the nurse came in to check me again around 2:45 the baby was knocking on the door.  The doctor came in shortly there after and said he just wanted me to do a tiny little push.  So, I did and out came the baby.  As with the other 3, once the head and shoulders were out, Rob was able to bring the baby up to my stomach and then when the time was right, cut the cord.

One thing I noticed about this baby that I didn't with the others was how purple he started out.  His little toes were especially blue.  The nurse had Rob hold an oxygen mask in front of his face to help him turn pink, and he had the lungs of an opera singer, so I guess no one was concerned with his color at that point.  As he got pinker and pinker I realized how much of a  Lopez he is, just like his brother.  He gets that same red skin when he's mad, that I do!  What a telltale sign to read him by as he gets older!

Just as the doctor was getting ready to catch him, Rob and I called my parents who were patiently (or not so much) waiting at home with the kids.  We didn't know how long it would take and didn't want everyone bored in the waiting room.  So, they were ready to jump in the car, pretty much all day.  Once we made the call they were in the room minutes after the baby was born.  (I am purposely referring to him as the baby because he didn't have a name at this point.)  The kids were so excited to meet their brother, the consensus went back and forth between "he's so small" or "he's so cute."  Ashley referred to him as Tummy Dude, and when she started talking he looked around for her little voice.  She was by far the one who spoke to my belly the most over the last nine months, so it's no surprise that he would recognize her voice.  It was countless times that she would just come up and say "I love you Tummy Dude."  It was a great reward for her to see him looking for her, I think.

Cutest little Flintstones Pigs.

So we spent that first hour of his life just getting to know him while he looked all around at each of us.  Then he did his little rooting around and what an eater.  Needless to say, the nurses didn't take him away from us for almost 2 hours, they are so sweet to let us have all that time.  Once he was eating (and therefore not so much fun to watch) the kids and my parents went to the waiting room until I was ready to go to postpartum.  Once settled they all came into the small part of my double room and took turns holding him.  They had to draw numbers to see who went first because they all wanted to be the first, the kids anyway.  Mamie and Papa were content to let the kids go first.

As they were getting ready to leave, I noticed Trevor didn't look so good.  So, I asked my mom to take his temperature when they got back to the house.  He came to the hospital with 102° fever.  Luckily our exposure to others was pretty minimal and Preston seems to have a pretty good immune system, so far.

Rob went home around 11pm.  I should have tried to sleep, but it was a lot more fun to watch the baby.  Around 2am the nurse came in to say I would be getting a roommate, unless I was up to moving to the peds department one floor up.  Since I felt GREAT, considering I had just had a baby less than 12 hours earlier, I got up and packed up my stuff and was wheeled up to a private room in a back corner of the peds department.  The nurses there were also awesome.  One of them said to me, "since this is your fourth time through this, we'll leave you alone.  If you need something just buzz us."  It was like being on vacation.  Room service, no one bothering me, quiet, peaceful.  It was great, my grandma would be jealous!  (Ask her about when she had her last baby!)  I hadn't needed any pain medication since the previous evening, so I was doing fabulous.

A friend, Gina Worst, came to visit me at 9:30 Wednesday morning.  She was my first and only non-related visitor.  She brought me the most beautiful flowers, I wish I would have been smart enough to take a picture of them.  They were amazing.  She stayed for a little over an hour and we had a great visit.  She was there when the photographer came to take pictures.  They came out really great, but to purchase them was ridiculously expensive.  More than school picture packages, if that tells you anything!  Here is the link if you want to see them:  http://spectacularportraits.zenfolio.com/p568100697 

Good dreams, good memories.

By noon I was ready to go home.  The hospital was quiet and peaceful, but boring.  A sleeping baby (it's hard work to be born, and I were all alone after Gina left.)  So, the nurse and I went over all the release info fairly quickly so that when the baby (yep, still no name) was 24 hours old I would be able to leave.  Rob's mom, sister and two nieces came to visit at 2:30 and showed up at the same time as Rob.  So, once everyone had a chance to hold him and discuss the options of his name Rob and I were left alone to figure it out.  I didn't want to leave the hospital without a name.  First of all the kids were expecting to hear it when we got home, secondly, if we didn't do it before we left I could see him at 2 months old still being called Tummy Dude, because we couldn't decide.  It was after 5pm when we finally settled on the name and left the hospital.  2 hours after my 24 hour deadline, but it was still nice to go home!  Unfortunately the camera card was full, and at home so we have no pictures of us leaving, other than what I could get on my phone.  Poor kid.

So, Preston it is.  The kids adore him.  Trevor is infatuated with everything he does and doesn't like to be out of the room, except for school.  He sits right next to me and talks Preston through the eating process, it's pretty funny (he'll be embarrassed later in life, I'm sure.)  Makenna really wants to carry him around, but until Preston has a little more control of his muscles I've said, no!  Ashley just likes to look at him, talk to him and comment about how he can't stop staring at her.  They all come running at his first little squeak.  It's very fun to watch all of them make comments about what they think he's thinking or feeling.  How much he loves Mr. Monk, or them, or watching the tv, etc.  They are so young, and yet in comparison, so old that they feel some ownership over him, and I hope that protectiveness continues as he grows.

So we welcome our little Perfect Preston to the Carpenter family.  Our miracle baby, or 4th miracle baby.

Leaving the hospital

We love you, Preston!!