Dingity-Dang

I heard the Prince stirring during the wee hours and squinted at the clock, on which I swear I saw the hour as 4, like in 4 am, as in the Prince slept for 7 hours! He has been doing so great at night, that this was really a possibility in my mind. So I jump out of bed, feeling so rested, after all, it was 4 am, snatch up my babe only to realize that he was just grunting and wasn't fully awake. So I carefully wrap him up and tuck him back into bed, and then check the clock again, thinking how can he not be hungry?!

IT WAS 12:32 am!! Swear word, I think to myself as I hear the Prince decide that if Mama was willing, he was able. We haven't had a midnight feeding in a couple of weeks dang-nabit.

Note to self: Always double check the time with your glasses on, before checking on his royal self!!!

Lunchtime Chatter

Princess #2: "So how many calories does our tartar sauce have in it?"

Queen: "45 per serving"

Princess #2: "How many calories are in your tartar sauce Mama?"

Queen: "95 per serving"

Princess #2: "So that's why your Mii is so fat on Wii Fit!"

I love how one serving of tartar sauce explains Mama's shape, rather than the four servings of royalty she's brought into this world!!

Happiness Is . . .

. . . a baby day! I just had to brag that I am an Auntie again!! My sister had her second daughter this evening. Baby and mama are doing just fine, praise God! And I just got an email that a sweet friend is in labor with her baby #2 surprise. I can't wait to hear her good news!

What a great first day of Spring!!!

Overheard on St. Patty's Day . . .

". . . let's have Mama drink lots of green milk today, so that the Prince can drink green milk too!!"

"Yah, and let's have her eat lots of chocolate, so he can have chocolate too if he wants!"

They are such thoughtful gals . . .

One Week

It's amazing to me the difference just a few days can make. A week ago found me so frustrated, so tired, so anxious about everything. And now a week later, life has found it's rhythm again. I'm not saying it's perfect and going like clockwork, because we are living according to "Prince Time" right now, and babies are anything but clockwork. They somehow sense that you are content with the routine and that's when they like to drop a nap or add a feeding or sprout a tooth, you know.

I decided to brave going to Bunco last week knowing full well my hands would most likely not touch the dice, but I needed the fellowship. I'm so glad I did. I had the chance to reconnect with my friends and laugh about things that were and still are really bugging me, and got to eat a delicious dinner that I didn't make. It was just what I needed!

And now this week, I have taken up two offers of help with cleaning the house before our company arrives. Something that I normally would never do, but once I agreed, what a weight lifted off my shoulders! Anyway, before I blither on much more I better end this post. I'll go into more details later of "stuff" that has been going on, but for now be assured that things here at the castle are going as well as can be expected and I'm hanging in here, but by my hands now, instead of my fingernails!!

Showing off their knitted head gear!

Prince Pictures

A nasty cold-bug has descended over the castle in the past week which is slowly making it's way through our family. So far, just the Prince and I have yet to get it to the fullest. I am hoping it stays that way. So not much for posting fodder, I apologize. But here is some Prince eye-candy for the meantime.

What do I do with this thing??

Look at that cute chin and the visible lower lip!

Wearing his duck soup sweater!

Drat!

But it works so well for Mommies . . .



(I hope you all know I'm totally kidding with this post . . . kinda.)

My Surefire Method

So this week I discovered a new, improved, surefire method for getting the Prince to wake up when he needs to . . . I pick up my knitting!! No sooner to I get into the rhythm and remember where I am in my pattern, do I hear a little voice calling my name, usually insistently. It's great! (Ahem, except for the times you immediately pick up your knitting after putting the little one down, and he decides that he doesn't want to sleep. Then my friend you've got trouble.) But for now, I can take it, and for his sake it beats a cool washcloth on a sleepy face!

You Know You're Beyond Tired When. . .

. . .you let your kids start their day off in front of PBS Kids.

. . .it takes your 4 year old commenting on your smell before you realize that your p.j.'s have baby spit-up all over the front.

. . .and then you notice that your baby's hair is slick with spit-up.

. . .you slice your leg shaving, in an accident that rivals the first time you snuck your Mom's razor into the shower to try it out.

. . .you see that your kids have made breakfast for themselves-all over the counter, and it doesn't even raise your blood pressure, just makes you want to curl up in the corner, and concede their victory.

. . .you consider how to make and hook up an I.V. to your husband's coffee, so you get the benefit of the caffeine without having to taste the stuff.

. . .instead you pile all the kids into the van and head for the nearest Conoco to buy the largest diet pepsi they sell, despite the wind, despite your smell, and are slowly feeling more alert!

Happiness Is . . .

. . . casting on for a new knitting project! It feels like forever (2 1/2 whole weeks!!) since I've knit anything. Of course, casting on is as far as I got-at this rate, I may be done by Christmas with this one! :)

For Jordan, Jamie, and Nora

"Froggy Bottom"

"Moo Cow"

"Sunday Best"

For sweet friends who gave the Prince these sweet outfits!

We're enjoying them!

Week 2

The Prince & Toofers--week 2

Princess #3 is 4!!

Well, she's been 4 for about a week now. And now thanks to the latest addition to the family, she looks huge, like a kid instead of a toddler.

This year has been a challenging one for the King and I as we learned how to parent her. I have come full circle on several beliefs I had about raising children that I never thought I would budge on thanks to her personality. One being, that outfits must match in order to be out in public, two being that panties must fit, three being that some children (Princess #3) have a real need for personal space (beyond the norm), and if it's not respected have real anxiety. So many more, but sleep deprivation takes hold. She has stretched my patience beyond what I thought I could bear and has stretched my heart with compassion for her real fears and panics.

She is such a sweet girl. We are so blessed to be her parents. I can't wait to see how she will grow and change this year, she has so much this past year. Right now, she wants to be a Mommy and feed her babies like Mama does (awwww).

We love you Princess!

Happiness Is . . .

. . . waking up and seeing your ankle bones again. Even if it was just a temporary sighting, I am happy to know that they still exist!

Sister LOVE

Princess #3 has taken to rubbing her cheeks on the Prince's soft head ever so gently. Can't say as I blame her, there really is nothing softer or sweeter on earth. She also has taken to kissing him (on his clothes, Mama), which I think is so precious. Of all the girls she was the one I was most concerned with adjusting to this new family member, but she has really taken his presence in stride, even better than her older sibs. It's special to see how much she loves him already.

We Are In LOVE

One week has passed already since our little man entered the world. Sigh.

Here we are one week ago, just before leaving for the hospital. . .



And here we are now. . .

Recovery Road

So, now that I've done babies both traditional ways (the king says I've done it more than two ways-sunny side up, face down, c/s, premature), I have to say it's a toss up as to which I'd recommend. The end result stays the same, which makes us forget the recovery road that we have to journey on after said result.

Yesterday I wrote that recovery was hellish with this one, but after thinking about it, it is not really any more or less than it was with each of the girls. It's just different, and I can do different. Today is totally better. Way less pain, way more mobility than yesterday. It's amazing the difference 24 hours can make.

The Prince continues to do well. He's figuring out the nursing thing, much to my happiness. He's very "chill" to quote Gwen Stefani, hopefully that personality trait will continue throughout his life. He's going to need it to balance out the estrogen in his family. I can hear the king talking to him about checking accounts, trips out to Daddy's shop, and bike rides in the summer and all kinds of things that the Prince has to look forward to. I love to hear those happy conversations.

My heart is so full it could burst!

Happy Birthday!

I'm going to break from protocol just this once to introduce my son!!

Cade Judah was born at 1:26 pm, Wednesday, February 11th. He weighed in at 9 lbs. 1 oz. and was 20 inches long!! A nice big boy! The c-section went better than I could have imagined, recovery is hellish (sorry there is just no nice word for it), my baby boy is amazing and so beautiful. God has blessed the castle once again!!

Turns out that it was God's hand in keeping him breech. Not only for his size, but also because his cord was wrapped around his torso several times, making a traditional birth very dangerous!

Our computer died, so posting may be sporadic here for a while.

Here are a couple photos of Prince Stubborn. . .thank you for coming along this journey with me!!

Shock and Awe

So, great news! Baby's birthday will most likely be tomorrow! And I didn't have to be bossy to get what I wanted-it was just handed to me on a silver platter. It was amazing how quickly everything fell into place, almost like Someone had this in mind all along. Hmmm.

My appointment started much like last week's, office running late, me not making eye contact with the number on the scale, nurse concerned, midwife hurried through exam, and then she said well, this baby doesn't want to turn, so what doctor do you want for a c-section. I said whoever can do it the soonest, as in this week. Next thing you know, I'm ushered into Dr's office, he looks at my chart, does a double take and says, your 9 lb baby was how early, we need to get this baby out this week, how does Wednesday work? Wednesday is fine I managed to choke out over the pounding of my heart.

I'm incredulous. I am so blessed. I am giddy. I told the king that it feels like the giddiness you have once you realize the stick has two lines-partly out of fear and partly of pure joy. Granted, this whole end of the pregnancy thing has not gone according to my plan, but I plan to learn from this experience. God doesn't have to answer my every prayer my way. He's not a vending machine, I am relearning.

The princess' to say the very least, are to the moon about meeting their brother. It's been great to talk about stuff that I've put off talking about, since everything has been so unknown. Today, we swaddled Princess #3's panda and talked about how babies like to be held and touched. We talked about why mama has to have surgery and how babies have soft heads. We looked at his tiny clothes and all got excited that we get to dress him in his little button-downs very soon!

Thank you for your kind comments and encouragement throughout this journey. Lord willing, the next post will introduce our son!

Still Hoping

So despite my week-ago meltdown, last week went surprisingly well. We kept up with our little routine, as I tried not to get my hopes up with every contraction, and I just held on to really the only hope that I have at this point: he has to come out eventually!

Last night, however, I felt my faith falter. It had been a good weekend (hey, any weekend where your husband does all the nesting that you want done is good, right?), and I was in good spirits, then I started thinking. Dangerous. Deep down in my heart of hearts I wanted this baby to come before today, and I really thought that God would honor that wish.

My Dad is headed back to Canada for another few weeks tomorrow early, and I really wanted him to meet his first grand-SON (the first boy born into our family) freshly hatched. I didn't realize how much until last night when I realized that the contractions that had been coming so consistently had decided to take a break. And I got frustrated. And felt out of control.

It's back to my same old problem: I am the oldest. I am the boss. I know what's best for me and all of you. That's right-I said all of you, and it really would be in your best interest to just accept that fact!! And somehow I have to relinquish that part of who I am in order to be right with God (pretty much hourly), because He really is the oldest and the boss and knows what's best for me and all of you.

I hate not being the boss.

On the positive side (I hope), I have an appointment with my midwife this afternoon. I am praying for the boldness to tell her what I want and what I feel would be best for my family. Here I go again being the boss. . .