Time flies...Declan's 2 month check up and more

We have had a busy month or so.  Declan is 10 weeks this week and doing really well.  I am slowly getting use to four kids, although this has been the toughest transition yet.  I feel like I get up and hit the ground running without a moment of downtime until after they all go to sleep.  It is fun and such a precious time.  I am soooooooo lucky to have four beautiful children but I gotta admit there are many bumps and hills along the way.  I often reflect on my choices and wish I could have handled situations better, had more patience, or given more attention and love to everyone. 

Anyway, Declan's two month check up went well.  He is growing and laughing and smiling and cooing!  It is amazing and makes my heart melt every time he does it!  He had a rough patch where I was wondering about reflux and it seems to have settled (for now).  His typical pattern is to go down around 8 pm and sleep until 2-4 am.  He LOVES his pacifier and I may have to get up to pop it back in before that time but I am grateful that he is sleeping longer (now I just need to go to sleep before 10 pm!).  After about 4 am he's a little fussy, burpy and gassy and by 6:30 am he is ready to get up.  During the day he gets dragged around a lot but seems to sleep the best when he is on the move.  He sleeps great in the ergo and in the car.  He seems more unsettled when he is sleeping during the day at home (too quiet and to still!?).  He also sleeps MUCH better when swaddled in this sleeper.  Forget swaddling him in blanket.  He is so strong he breaks right out of it.  The sack with Velcro is the way to go!!!  He also seems interested in his feet.  He was studying them today and seemed to be reaching for them.  He has a special bond with Kaka, in that he always has a smile for her. 



His weight at 2 months 14.2 lbs.  (95%ile) and length was 80%ile,  He is ready to move into size 2 diapers (so serious blowouts!) and easily in 3-6 month clothes.



As for the girls.....

Teagan has had a rough month.  We traveled to Wisconsin for spring break to visit Lolo and Papa.  She got sick....3 days of throwing up, including the ride home, 3 days of diarrhea and then a massive cold with double ear infections (our family's first official use of antibiotics, which I think is pretty good!).  Then a week later she threw up again a couple of times during the night.  Yuk!  Throughout it all she continues to amaze me and make me laugh.  Her personality is sooooo big.  She is taking in 3 word sentences (not really understandable all the time...I know as a SLP the pacifier is really not helping.  She doesn't produce m, b, p at the beginning of words and typically backs them (g,k) ie, goat/boat, ouse/mouse, gilk/milk).  She has such a temper but also has the best smile ever.  She also uses her hands and body to animate what she is saying, which is adorable.  (probably b/c her speech is slow).  The other night at 2 am she came in and threw her arms up and said "yuvie????" (lovie).  Hard to describe but tooo cute!



Kaka is my little people pleaser and academic.  She is sweet on Dex, helps out a ton with her sisters and loves her ballet.  She doesn't really have a clue with the moves but has a big smile the whole time she is there.  That's how soccer is for her too.  She is just smiling and running up and down the field, not even close to the ball!  She had a rough patch with spring break too.  Vomiting and diarrhea in Wisconsin.  Poor thing!  She slept sooooo much, her way of getting better.  I also think there is a little of her that liked being pampered!  She still is whining a lot but seems to slowly be moving out of it.

Maeve is my independent, strong willed leader!  She is so helpful with her brother and sisters.  She had a great month.  Her reading and writing is coming along and she really enjoys it.  She is liking soccer with her friends, doing swimming (with a boy teacher, O my!), and Daisies.  She didn't get sick (luckily).  She had a fun spa birthday party for Stella in which she truly discovered make up. 

Declan's one month

His one month appointment went really well.  He shared it with Maeve"s 6 yo check up.  Dr. Libby is great.  She said he looked good and didn't have any concerns.  He is eating better although still latches funny on my left and it still hurts but its much better.  We talked about getting an ultrasound for his kidney but she said to wait until the winter cold and flu season ended.  He is looking around a lot more, staying awake for longer and I swear he has smiled intentionally (socially) twice for me.  He has had a couple of nights were he did 4 hours stretches twice (fed at 1030, 230, 7 am)......how I wish that was every night.  Generally he is 3 hours, which I cant complain about.  He took his first bottle with ease and even got 24 hrs of bottles when my back started spasming.  I had to take Oxycontin and a muscle relaxer.  I was in soooo much pain.  (I got the spasms after running for the first time.  It felt fine and great to be out at the time but obviously, I am really out of shape!).  He calms the best for me and will stare forever at my face when he is awake.  He has started getting cradle cap.  He is liking his baths better but only gets one about once a week.  (things are hectic!!!).  I think I finally perfected changing his diaper and getting diaper cream on without him peeing.  (a old washcloth over his goods....good advice from Lisa, my cleaning lady).  He doesn't mind tummy time but seems to fall asleep every time, which probably isn't a good habit.  His eyes still seem to be dark blue and I hope he has blue eyes like his daddy! 

One month check up:
weight 11.2 lbs. (80% ile)
height 22 1/2 in. (80 %ile)

Maeve and her 6 yo check up

Maeve is thriving and becoming a string bean.  She got a shot which made her a little nervous but she was very brave. 
weight 55 lb (55%ile)
height 49 1/2 in. (95%ile)
BIP=100/54

She had an extended birthday.  After her friend pool party, grandma took her to Target to pick out her birthday present on her actual birthday (she got 2 barbies and clothes).  Then Gma and Gpa and the family, minus daddy (he was in Erie Pa for work) went to her choice of restaurants...China Dynasty, a buffet in Graceland.  She ate 4 plates of food!!!  The waiters were extra friendly even thought hey couldn't speak English and gave her a piece of cake with a candle (see pic below).  Finally when daddy got home on Friday, we had a "family party" to open the remainder of her gifts and have more cake.  She must have gotten at least 10 barbies and some fun horses too.  (all her favorite currently!)

Happy 6th birthday Maeve!!!

How are you six?  I still remember you as my tiny baby who went with me everywhere.  I see you loving your friends and growing more and more independent.  I am so happy that you are confident and feel comfortable enough to be your own self but how my heart hurts that you will one day want little to do with me.  Anyway, you loved your birthday weekend.  While I had to do a little convincing that this weekend was better than what Kaleigh was doing (Kaleigh decided to spend the weekend with your cousins in Michigan since gma and gpa were going up to babysit).  We started the weekend with a pancake feast at the highschool for a fundraiser.  You practiced stuffing your face after watching a pancake eating contest and played on some super fun bouncy slides.  You had a great birthday party at the community pool with all the girls from your class and

Welcome Declan Owen!!

Our baby boy was born on February 5, 2013 at 8:05 pm.  It was an eventful and crazy day but most importantly, he came out healthy and we are soooooo happy.

He weighed 9 lbs. 5 oz. and was 21 1/4 in. long.  His apgar scores were 8 and 9.  Here are the details....

I started having contractions around 12 but figured they were braxton hicks since I had been having them frequently and they had been feeling "crampy".  I did all the textbook suggestions to get them to stop, laying down, drinking water, walking....nothing really helped but they weren't getting worse and weren't regular.  Finally at 3 pm after picking Maeve up from school, I called the doctor.  When I talked to them at 4 pm, they asked the regular questions, were they getting worse (no), how far apart (irregular from 3-10 minutes) etc.  They said since it was my fourth child I should probably go to the hospital to get checked out.  Jon and I arrived at 4:45 and they hooked me up.  After about 15 minutes the nurse came in and said they were real contractions, about 3 minutes apart and that I was 4-5 cm.  She said we needed to wait and see what the MD would want to do (have us walk around to see if I dilated more or go ahead and get admitted).  Just then Dex's heart rate dropped.  About 5 more nurses came in and made me get on my hands and knees since his heart rate wasn't going up.  They started talking about an emergency c-section and I was in tears.  Finally it went back up and the nurse declared " you just bought yourself an admission".  They set me up in a room and talked about breaking my water but then decided not to so that I could wait for my blood work to come back (so I could op in to an epidural if my platelets were above 100).  Jon and I made ourselves comfortable and around 7 pm I started feeling more uncomfortable and talked to the nurse about an epidural.  Then around 7:30 your heart rate dropped really low again.  Back on my hands and knees, the MD decided to go ahead and break my water.  She stated things would probably move quickly and to get the epidural.  They checked me and I was 6-7 cm at 7:45 pm when the anesthesiologistcame in to put the epidural in.  Jon and everyone but the nurse left.  I had to sit up to wait for the anesthesiologist to prepare my back and put the needle in.  It felt like forever and I was starting to curse with each contraction and was begging for him to hurry up.  The nurse told me to stay still and hang in there.  Just as he was finally putting the needle in I told the nurse I had to push and could feel him coming.  She had me lay down and there he was!  I was crowning.  The nurse was telling me to stop pushing, calling for help (there was MD to deliver him) and I felt his head come out.  Then the nurse was telling me to push again to get his shoulders out and I was like "hell no!  that hurt!!!"  She yelled at me to push and I pushed again and out you came.  =)  By then, the MD was coming in and went to cut the cord.  The nurse said to stop, could she wait while we got Jon.  So they rushed out and got daddy in time for him to cut the cord.  Jon walked in and was amazed.  He didn't believe he had actually been born.  So to sum it up.  From 7:45 to 8 pm, I dilated 4 cm and had a 9.5 lb baby, without pain meds!!  It was something I had wanted to experience and am so glad I did, but I gotta say, it really does hurt and I can't imagine how women do it when it takes longer than 15 minutes!!!

 

He is beautiful and we are so blessed.

Kaleigh at almost 4 1/2 years old!

Kaleigh during her first playdate.  She was so excited!  She woke up talking about Charlotte from preschool coming over.  She and Charlotte had a great time and played forever in the sink with the farm animals.  Kaleigh told Charlotte she was the "bestest friend ever" and "this was the bestest playdate" and "it was her first ever playdate and she was so happy".

 My fun Kaka!  One thing I try to do to break up the day and bad moods is have dance parties.  Kaleigh is taking ballet which she loves and seems to have some good moves with hip hop too!
Kaleigh at almost 4 1/2 yo.
-loves school: she always says her high of the day is going to school and her low of the day is not going to school on the days she is didn't go.
-is my peace maker and people pleaser :  she want so much for everyone to get along and be happy.  She is flexible and almost always willing to give up a toy to make the peace.  Unfortunately, she gets upset and cries from things both Maeve and Teagan do to her. 
-she's going through the whiny stage.  Wow, it is hard to hear and I must say "I can't understand you unless you talk like a big girl" about 100 times a day.  I hope she grows out of it soon.
-she is into saying "I love you mom" about 10 times a day, makes my day every time!!!!!!!!!!
-Our big dilemma is whether or not to send her to kindergarten next year.  I can't really get anyone to say definitely send her (except grandpa).  Everyone around Worthington holds their kids back so she would be by far the youngest but she loves school and really seems ready academically.  I do think she will be emotionally exhausted at a full day school and socially shy (but not sure if that will ever change).  Plus, I really want Kaleigh and Maeve to remain close and if they are separated by two years in school, I don't think that will happen (while one year might still encourage it).  I am going through the motions to do both, enrolling in Worthington Presbyterian Preschool and Kindergarten.  I am getting her tested and waiting to see those results.  What to do!!!!

Happy 2013!

So I pretty much decided to take 2012 off.  I feel guilty about all the milestones I missed out on reporting, and we have had so much that happened during 2012. I have to say, all of it has been a true blessing and I hope to stop more frequently in 2013 and remember to be grateful for all I have. The best two highlights of 2012 included our move in July to Ohio. We have a great home and the girls have transitioned easily to worthington.  I probably miss deepwood and Virginia the most. It's hard not to be sentimental for the home where our family began. I miss my friends there too, but have enjoyed being closer to family and my childhood friends. I also feel like I haven't settled into what life will really be like yet because in May, I found out I was pregnant. Moving and settling in during the first trimester was tough and a 4th pregnany in less than 6 years has been hard on my body. (it is very mad at me!). I can't wait to meet this boy ( what a surprise!) and move forward with our complete family. Just 4 more weeks ( or maybe a little earlier!). I am lucky that besides the "typical" (amplified)  aches and pains, things have gone well. I don't remember being so anxious for this part to be done but I am sure I always get that way.

We will see when this boy decides to come out and meet us. He has a valentine due date and I go in two days for my 36 week check up. I keep crossing my fingers things are progressing.

I hope to get some good blogs in about each of the girls. They are all amazing, so different and so much fun!!!