Birthday Boys

While we were on our vacation, this sweet boy turned 4!

 

 

And just a few days after returning home, this baby turned 1!!

Ha Ha!  I had to add this picture.

 Sometimes he walks around holding his belly. 

It cracks me up.

 

This last weekend, we invited family over to celebrate these two special boys.

 

 

 

 A sweet moment.

Logan wrote Kian a birthday card and was reading it to him.

 

Poor guy.  He didn't know why his new toy was taken away, until Daddy handed him another gift.

 

We all got our cameras ready for the 1st year smash cake.  I was excited to watch Arrow dig in because this boy loves food.  Well, he daintily picked off all the mini M&Ms and was good.  I still got loads of pictures though.  :)

 

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We are so blessed to call these little boys ours.



Not Ready

Well, quite honestly, I'm not ready to start blogging.  I haven't missed it too much because I have not had the time to do it or miss it.  However, I do miss the idea of having memories recorded for the kids.  That being said, we are about to leave on our first real family vacation.  A 3 week road trip up to the Tetons and back that we've been planning for a long time.  I don't know when, where, or how I'll find the time to record our adventures, but I REALLY want to.  So here goes nothing.

In the mean time, here's a few memories from our Summer;

We had a beautiful garden.  Simply beautiful plants.....that produced nothing.  ?!?!?!  SUCH a disappointment.  Actually, we have pumpkins coming out of my ears and its on my to do list to process them all this week and freeze pumpkin puree.  But the tomatoes we wait for all year?.....I have bushes that are as tall as me and twice as wide with beautiful leaves but absolutely NO fruit.  A few plants fruited slowly, so we have had just enough tomatoes to add to sandwiches and pizzas, but we have NEVER had extras.  :(  Also, I'm pretty sure a few have blight so in addition to no fruit, I will not compost the plant.  Any tips on how to clean up my soil after blight is appreciated.

 



Logan took break dancing, and Felicity took ballet this Summer.  They enjoyed their weekly classes a lot.  They also participated in our church's VBS and had a wonderful time.

 



We took a trip up North to visit WONDERFUL friends, and we took a trip down South to visit Zac's family.  The picture above is of Zac and his sister, and all the cousins.

 

Speaking of cousins, remember these twin cousin bellies?  Here are those twin cousins, now almost 1!  They were born just 5 days apart.

 

Arrow started walking!  Well, he will walk all over with this cute walker, but on his own will only cover about 4 feet.  But he's pretty excited about it and I expect him to be fully walking before his first birthday.

 

This beautiful girl turned 6!!!  She was SOOOOO ready to turn 6.  She had a wonderful birthday celebrating with friends and family multiple times.  I'm excited for this year ahead of her.  I have a feeling she will sprout big time this year.

Her 6th year is already meeting her expectations.  She told us she'd FINALLY lose a tooth when she was 6, which she has been waiting YEARS for.  And she was right.  Just days after her 6th birthday, her first one fell out.  And another will shortly.  She thinks 6 is pretty awesome.

 

Speaking of teeth, we have one kid loosing them, and one getting them!  4 to be exact.  The first 4 came in back to back at 9 1/2 months.  Now, at 11 months (!) he's working on another one.

 

And lastly, James joined our family.  A feral cat continues to get pregnant and have babies in my mother in law's garden.  4 days before we arrived for a visit, my mother in law noticed another litter.  Logan was attached to the kittens during our visit and spent every second he could with a special little orange one (the ginger bond is strong, I tell ya).  We decided to let him take this little guy home, thinking he was about 6 weeks old.  Well, we were wrong.  We're not sure how old he is but he couldn't lap up the kitty formula we got him.  We did some research and learned that tiny ones need to be kept super warm so that their energy isn't wasted on doing so themselves.  They also need to be taught how to clean themselves.  In addition, they need their little behinds wiped to help them "go".  Logan has stepped up to care for this little guy in an amazing way.  He feeds him by syringe every few hours, cleans him, wipes him, and carries him around (sometimes in my old sling) to make sure he's warm.  Its been a blessing to see Logan care for James.  And James sure does know who loves him.  He follows Logan everywhere and nestles into all his red hair to sleep at night.  I have a feeling these two will have a special bond that will last for years, and I'm excited to witness it.

 

 



Their Gift

Kian and Felicity made Logan a treasure map for his birthday!  I got the idea to help them make him a treasure map because the kids will often scribble something on scraps of paper and call it their "map."  These maps get carried around for quite a while.

 

First Felicity picked out a red fabric scrap, and I cut out an X.

Next, Kian and Felicity took turns sewing straight lines on top of the X to adhere it to a large fabric square.  This process goes a bit like this;

Me, "Ok, press the pedal....a little harder....GOOD!....keep going....keep going...keep, STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP!....GOOD JOB!"

Ok, so I need to read up on how to teach children how to sew.  But at least we're attempting it.  This was Kian's first time operating the pedal by himself and he was pretty excited.

 

After the X was on the map, we took turns sewing zig zagged stitches from a starting point, to the X.  We each chose a different color thread.  Next, I explained that treasure maps often times warned of dangerous places.  So, with a permanent marker, we drew some warnings on our map.

 

 Kian drew snakes and I labeled the area as "Snake Canyon".

 

 Felicity drew a monster in a cave and I labeled it "Monster Cave".

I drew trees and labeled it "Black Forest".

 

Lastly, Felicity sewed a back piece on, to cover up all our stitches.  We just left the edges raw and did not turn and top stitch.  This left it looking a bit ragged on the edges, which is what we were going for.

 

And there you have it.

 

Our kids love to gift to each other and we like to encourage them to make gifts when possible.  Sometimes I have lofty goals for them and we start projects that soon loose their interest.  This project was GREAT for Kian and Felicity.  It was fast, simple, and a quick result.  We had it done in a half hour tops.  They didn't really have time to loose interest, and they were very proud of their finished product.

Logan's Mama made gifts were a man apron (since all the others in the house, kid sized, are pink), a birthday crown, and a pair of hammer head shark sleep shorts.  You can see them in the last picture of his birthday post.

Eight

Arrow has been screaming a lot lately.  We discovered he had an ear infection, but not before weeks of screaming unless in arms.  On a particular Sunday morning, Zac and I were going about the normal chaotic routine that is getting four children ready and out the door to church.  Arrow screamed.  And screamed.  Zac and I tried hard to keep our patience despite doing everything with a screaming baby in tow, but by the time we got everyone in the car and started down the street, my head was pounding.  I sat looking out the window, zoning as trees passed by, completely overwhelmed.  Logan asked to listen to music.  I did not want to listen to music.  I wanted to bury my head in a pile of pillows and hear nothing for just a little bit.  But how could I say no to his sweet smile?  He was, apparently, completely unaffected by the morning scream fest.  I couldn't say no to his joyful, bouncing smile.  So I turned on my praise and worship playlist and sat back, closing my eyes.  In the back, Logan started to sing. 

 

"Sing with me, Mama!"

 

I did not want to sing.  I was so tired.  I still wanted a pile of pillows to bury my head in.  But I didn't need to look at his face to know there was joy plastered all over it.  I could sense his ear to ear smile, his bouncing legs, his bobbing head.  I'd be the biggest grump to tell my smile plastered on son I didn't want to sing worship songs on the way to church.

 

So I joined him and I sang. 

 "Oh draw me Lord.

Oh draw me Lord.

Oh draw me Lord,

and I'll run after you."

 

As those words exited my mouth, so did all the anxiety of the morning.  Slowly I could feel my blood pressure calm down and a peace fill me.  I was led to the cross by my son.  And let me tell you, its not the first time.

 

This boy of mine, he brings tears to my eyes.  He is the most tender hearted boy I've ever met.  He loves people with a passion.  He finds joy in nearly everything.  He has never woken up a day in his life in a bad mood.  NEVER!  He wakes ready for an adventure, talks too loud because he can't contain his excitement, has boundless energy because his joy constantly overflows, and is the most precious little encourager.  He has an awesome grin and a constant twinkle in his eye.  He sings his heart out even when he doesn't know the words, but will also tell me, "Mama, lets turn the music off while we drive and just talk a little bit."  He is every one's friend and he considers everyone his best friend.  He rarely sees flaws in people.

 

 

 

If I had to pick one word to describe Logan, it would be "Joy."  He smiled when he was a week old, and has never stopped.  He never slept as a baby, but he was never cranky.  Just always happy, smiling, and full of joy.  I pray I can learn to be more joyful, like Logan.

 

 

 

I thank God for this boy and the 8 amazing years I've been blessed to be his Mama.  I'm sure he'll never know how much I wish I could be like him, nor how much I pray he will never loose his joy for life.  Happy Birthday (on the 24th) sweet boy!

 





The Birth of Arrow Matthias



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Disclaimer - I'm a bit of a birth junkie.  I love the thought of women trusting their bodies, and being supported through birth.  With this post, I'm putting myself out there, specifically in sharing some very intimate photos that were captured by our wonderful doula, during my labor and delivery of Arrow.  I figure I can't be a true "birth junkie" unless I am open to sharing my experience, through words and pictures, with other women.  All the photos are modest, but very "honest", for lack of better words.  If you think you may not deal well with birth photos, you've officially been warned that there are MANY in this post.  :)

 

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When I think back on Arrow's birth, it feels like a dream....like I can float through the memory.  It begins with a small contraction that woke me at 6 a.m.  Zac was just about to walk out the door for work and I didn't mention the contraction because I wasn't sure it had even been one myself.  I figured I'd just see what happened.  As I heard his truck drive off, I had a second contraction.  Still not wanting to call attention to anything too soon, I waited a bit more.  A few contractions later I called him home.  He had made it to town before turning around.  At that point, I knew Arrow was on his way, even though the contractions were very small.  But with how fast I labor and deliver, I also knew I needed to act.  While I waited for Zac to get home, I gathered up a few last minute things, woke the kids up, and brushed their hair.  By the time Zac got back home, I was just starting to need to breath with the contractions.  I popped my ear buds in, put on my labor and delivery play list, and we left the house about 7 a.m.  It was then that I'd say actual labor began.  The hour drive to the hospital was beautiful.  The sun was just up, making for a pink lined sky against our dry yellow hills.  I kept my ear buds in and worked with the still easy but picking up contractions.  By the time we closed in on the hospital, I was wanting to get out of the car and work with the contractions more physically.  Good timing.

As I walked into the hospital, I noticed my whole support group had made it there just as we did.  My mom and sister took the kids to the cafeteria for a quick bite while Zac, our doula Amy, and I went to get settled.  A wonderful nurse came in and asked if I'd like to labor in what I was wearing.  I'd planned on it and was happy to just nod my head instead of asking permission to please not wear a gown.  I was 4 cm upon arrival and tried not to let that get me down since that's what I had been for two weeks.  We got settled in our room and labor picked up.  I had been taking my ear buds out here and there in between contractions, but once settled in our room, I shoved them in and didn't remove them until Arrow was born.  Instinctively I asked Zac to hold me up through contractions.  He'd stand behind me and let me hang from his arms.  My doula got me a ball to sit on in between contractions.  That is how we spent the next hour and a half....sweating all over each other, working together, me focusing on the baby, and Zac focusing on holding me up through it all.

I kept my voice low by matching the bass tones in the music that was flooding my head.  Not many songs stood out.  I can't tell you specifically which songs played during that hour and a half, save a few....but I can tell you they were my saving grace.  When I felt transition coming on and wanted to "give up and take a nap,"  a song came on about Christ's sacrifice for us and I told myself that if Christ could die for me, surely I could get through this pain for my son. 

Transition came and I started pushing involuntarily at the end of my contractions.  I tried to hide what I was doing at first because I know my body does this, and during Kian's birth, the nurse told me not to do it.  But my doula and my midwife encouraged me to give over to my body and do what it was asking of me.  And so I did, and I literally felt Arrow's head lower into my pelvic....a miraculous feeling I hope I never forget.  A bit later my midwife said, "Jenny, why don't you get up onto the bed and push him out?"  She had not checked me for progress so I asked her how she knew it was time.  I was so nervous about getting out of the good groove that Zac and I had going.  My midwife said she knew because she was listening to me and could hear that it was just time.  How amazing to feel so focused on and listened to during that time!

Sure enough, she was right, it was time.  But I wasn't fully dilated.  She told me to push anyways, if that's what my body was doing.  My bag of water was about to burst and she knew how I labored....knew that once my bag broke I'd be complete.  So she encouraged me to push against the bag if  that's what I wanted to do.  A few contractions later, though, she asked to break it and I was happy to let her!  Once broken, I was complete and Arrow was on his way into the world.  I geared myself up for the horrible "ring of fire" that I remembered from Kian's birth, my only other med free delivery.  But amazingly, Arrow didn't hurt that bad.  I can only assume its because I was in more control, and was in "the zone" way more this time around.  I was even able to know what was going on around me.  Poor Logan was having a hard time watching the pushing stage, and I remember having enough control to try and console him, while pushing.  Once Arrow's head was out, our midwife told Zac to help with the rest.  At 9:49 a.m., not even 3 hours after early labor started, our son was born into his Daddy's hands, and placed into my arms.

Arrow's cord was alowed to stop pulsing before being cut by his Daddy.  And Arrow was left in my arms for a good long while.  No one picked him up to try to make him cry.  No one was in a rush to get stats.  No one was in a rush to clean him up.  And so we laid there together, just soaking each other up.  Eventually the nurse did ask to weigh him as they told me he looked rather large and if he was over a certain weight, they would want to make sure his blood sugars were OK. 

Zac picked him up and took him to the scale.  I couldn't see the scale but heard a gasp from everyone in the room at once.  Zac turned around and told me he was 10 pounds.  I told him to "shut up" (aren't I nice....all in play) and tell me what he really was. Again, Zac exclaimed "10 pounds"!  I didn't believe him until everyone stepped aside and let me see the scale for myself.

After his quick weight check, Arrow was given back to me.  We spent time together, skin to skin.  And as he nursed for the first time, he reached up and took hold of my necklace...a gift Zac got me last year to represent our two lost babes. 

After family went home, we were left alone to just bond with our sweet boy.  Again, no one pushed us to get the rest of his stats, or to bathe him.  The next evening, we were home, all together, a family of 6!

 

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Arrow's birth, for me, was so empowering and amazing.  I have always wanted a birth like this.  After three kids, I was starting to think that I was possibly envisioning an impractical outcome.  Maybe a med free, fast birth was never going to feel controlled.  I thank God for Arrow's beautiful entrance into this world and I feel lucky to be able to say med free, fast labors CAN be controlled, beautiful, and rewarding.

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All these beautiful birth pictures were taken by our wonderful doula and friend, Amy Boggs of Inktree photography.  Please visit her sites here and here.  Obviously I had a hard time keeping the photos in this post to a minimum.  Heck, I'm surprised I didn't post all 121 of them!  :)