Wednesday, February 18, 2015

First 10 days

Better than Christmas Morning…

I must say we were unprepared to bring Teague home.  Although we had 9 months to prepare, we did not.  We didn't have any bottles, we didn't have any formula, we didn't have any diapers.  Andy rushed out and bought all of the above but wow!  A lot of pressure, all at once.  We moved in slow motion and all of the children huddled close by watching.  Every single arm move, sneeze, and wiggle was exciting!  
Considering the kids said this past Christmas was the best day of their entire life we were surprised that they excitedly race to wake up early and get ready to be with their new baby brother.  More so than they did Christmas morning.  Who will hold him first?  Who will kiss him first?  Who will touch his arm first?  Who will look at him first?  The morning suspense is on going and hasn't let up!  The problem is that it is getting earlier and earlier….

The first week home was busy busy busy.  Doctor appointment after doctor appointment for jaundice.  My doctor appointment for blood pressure and anemia.  Too many things stacked up with Choir/Student Council/Gymnastics/Pre-school…here, there, everywhere.  We missed a couple of activities and just stayed home for a family movie night.
Tate was a champ and helped me give Teague his first bath.  He is a great helper.  Official "diaper runner", clothes "picker outer",  water measurer, blanket folder, and song singer.

 I hadn't notice that Tate was only picking out clothes with stripes for Teague.  He had handed me a plain shirt and quickly exchanged it saying, "No, no…here a stripe shirt so he can pretend to be in jail!"  Weird, but then I thought about it.  I had family game night with the kids a couple of days prior.  I taught them to play Monopoly.  During the game Tate drew a card that made him GO TO JAIL (do not pass go do not collect $200).  He flipped out!  He instantly paid $50 to get out of jail.  Maybe it is connected. 
On Thursday night while I took the 3 older kids to Parent Teacher Conference, sick hit home hard.  The worst stomach virus since 2008.  A full 24 hours.  
Ending the first full week with 5 kids could have gone smoother.  With 3 days of no school, Tate's stomach virus turn cough, a busy Valentine's Day Saturday with a friends baptism including a morning baking refreshments.  It was a special Valentine's Day with our new little Teague to make our house full of love!!
Week 2 with 5 kids I was determined to figure it all out correctly.  To not be exhausted at the end of the day when I have accomplished nothing, to try to establish a better routine, and to try to get meals on the table at a reasonable hour.  
This is much harder than my mom made it out to be!!!!
I am at the end of day 3, week 2….
Pictures to document.  Call it bad luck or good luck.  Either way.  Tate has bronchitis with developing pneumonia on the left side…he spent the last 24 hours spitting up his medicine.  Ainsley started with the stomach virus first, an hour later Aubrey, and then Caleb….all 4 kids so very sick.  All 3 older kids throwing up/diarrhea.  24 hours of unbelievable sickness.  
Bribe…I am going to be THAT mom.  Andy brought home the coolest super hero action figures.  Tomorrow if he swallows his medicine he gets to pick a super hero.  
Ainsley was so sad she missed class pictures.  Her fever broke first!  She was the first to eat apple sauce and keep it down!
Aubrey handled being sick the worst.  She was so sad.  
Everyone's temperatures are down except Caleb.  You know your kids are sick when they do not even want to play video games or watch tv.  After a day of non-stop laundry I was able to get beds re made in time for them to crawl back in and fall asleep.  After a long day I have decided I would rather have them all sick at one time then have a domino effect…
Teague missed everyone, all the attention.  Everyone missed him to but as soon as they feel better they can hang out with him!!!  I think next week might be a good week for me to figure out a routine??!

Things I have learned about having a baby again…
1. My fingers hurt from all the buttons on the baby clothes
                          2. It takes me a lot longer to get out the door with a baby, double prep time            (forget make-up, not worth it)
                                   3. There is no need to rush, if I get there I get there.  If I do it, I do it.
                                  4. Folding clothes at night when the baby is awake is awesome.  Why didn't I do this with the other children?  
                                   5. Car Seat covers are really a great invention.
                                   6.  Having a Caleb with a baby means undying honesty.  
Example:  I say we should go to the pool today so I can sit in the hot tub.  I feel like I have been hit by             a bus.
Caleb replays: Mom, "Being hit by a bus would hurt worst than having a baby"pause then cautiously and quietly says, "I do not think your upper body would fit into a bathing suit."

Example 2: I am trying on pre-baby dresses for a baptism exactly a week after I got home from the hospital.  Caleb looks at me and says in a kind and cautious voice, "Mom, maybe you should try on a different skirt."

The honesty of a 9 year old.  Just looking out for me:)


Thursday, February 12, 2015

Welcome Baby Teague

Welcome Baby

While we had 3 extra weeks to prepare, prepared we were not.  I had set a date to be induced because I had polyhydramnios.  Which explained why I was so sick, why I hadn't go into labor at 34 weeks, why I was measuring big, why I hadn't really felt baby, and a mixture of other complications.  I did make a list and planned on getting everything ready on the 7th..in time for the 10th induction date (which made me nervous because I had never had an induction before).  Unfortunately, sick escalated and when I went to the doctor on the 4th I wasn't able to go home (of course there was a sleet storm) and they scheduled for me to be induced first thing in the morning.  I must say I was relieved to see a future without throwing up but spending a night throwing up at the hospital wasn't fun.  I was lucky enough to be able to take a couple of showers and Andy hurried home for work to be with the kids.  I am so grateful for my carpool mom's who helped me out last minute!  

At 6:30am the nurses gave me petocin.  At 8:00am my epidural was given (I hadn't planned on it but because I was still throwing up, and they had planned on it being a long delivery it was recommended).    At 8:30am my water was broken and Andy arrived around 9:30.  He was able to get all the kids off to school, Tate dropped off at a friends, and Winston walked before heading up to the hospital.  It was a waiting game.  Would my body kick into labor?  Would I be having a c-section?  How was the baby?  How was my blood pressure?  With no contractions by 10:00am still we were still sitting and waiting (and throwing up).  At 10:30 I finally had a contraction!!!  Very exiting except we noticed the epidural wasn't working on my left side (the side the baby was on…of course).  The nurse checked me and I was a 6.  I had another contraction 4 minutes later…the nurse checked me and I was 10…go time!  With everything being rushed and doctors being called,  I was given oxygen.  When everything was set up and everyone was there, it was time.  After 11 minutes of pushing Teague Hyrum Griner arrived at 11:21am.  7 pounds 9.5 ounces, 19 1/2 inches long. 
 He only cried for a second and then they laid him on top of me for the longest time.  It was peaceful and perfect!
 Dad and Teague
 They took him for a bath, did some tests, and then he was ours for the day!  A special nurse from a neighboring hospital was over him because of the polyhedramnios and my blood pressure had to be taken every 20 minutes but Teague was perfect.  
It actually took all day to finalize a name (not unusual for us).  
 When the kids got home from school they were excited.  Andy brought them up to meet their brother!!
-The kids all noted that Teague had no teeth!
 Tate's first comment was "Oh mom, another kid to potty train!"-as if his life as been deeply inconvenienced due to potty training!!  
 They loved how soft and small he was!
 They loved his little fingers and his small lips!
 They loved his soft fuzzy head!
 We had to stay in the hospital an extra day.  I wasn't able to talk my way out of it but the quiet was nice.  The rest was nice.  Moments that had with other kids came back…they are so easily forgotten.  They are precious moments never to get back:)
 Andy's mom drove up and brought a Roast!  She picked up Tate for his much anticipated weekend with Grandma!  She said Teague looked like Ainsley:)
 We had another visitor Selena and her daughter Halley.  They brought a gift.  A cute outfit to wear home from the hospital.  My parents sent flowers/balloon!
Coming home from the hospital on a gorgeous warm winter Saturday (late) afternoon.  The kids were excited, I was ready to come home, and I think Andy was ready too.  We are so lucky to have this little guy (late to the game) in our family!  Such a precious addition.  

When we got home we were a little flustered.  Unprepared and beginning from scratch are the words I would use.  Moving in slow motion.  We stayed up and watched 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, toasted with glass bottle soda, and popcorn!

January

January
Kicking off 2015 was mellow!  We were invited to a couple of different New Year's parties but went with the one that ended the earliest!  They set their clocks forward (like we do) at at 9:00pm we banged pots, threw "dynamite", toasted sparkling cider, and kissed for good luck.  It was nice to be at someone else's house, relaxing!  The kids had a blast and we were all home and asleep by 11:00pm! (this might be the last year we can do that)

January came and went fast.  School started, temperatures dropped, new homework was added, and gymnastics 3 times a week.  Tate started swim lessons, Aubrey/Caleb and Tate got the stomach flu, and Andy was called to teach Ainsley's Sunday class.  

I continued to be extremely sick day and night, our van was broken into (purse/electronics stollen) window shattered, and the kids went to 2 birthday parties!

I turned 30!  I have waited my entire married life to be 30.  I love it and I am so excited!

This is the only January picture I can find.  It has been so cold and Winston doesn't like being outside.  HE ABSOLUTELY HATES HIS COAT!!!  Please also note he is not allowed on the couch but I find that Andy lets him on when I am not around…all my hard work training him gone to waste!