In love

If you missed the delivery story, read the previous post.


Who knew I could love so many little girls so much. I am trying to soak up all the time with this little one I can while she is still this small, because I realized when I brought her home how big the twins really are now! I swear their heads grew overnight or something, because they are huge to me now! They will be 3 in May! That's just crazy. So I am now trying to not let a moment pass where I can pick her up and hold her as much as I can.

I can't tell you how much I love her. Just the perfect addition for our perfect little family. Ok not little but majority of the people in it are "little", so that counts right?

Laken 6 days old.

I'm trying to figure out who she looks like. I suck at these things though. For example, I don't think my sisters and I look anything alike... just sayin.

See. She's perfect.

Laken's arrival

First of all, thank you so much for all the congrats and help and kind things people have done for us over the last week. I am so happy and so blessed and things have been so perfect.

As dramatic as things have been the last 2 weeks of the pregnancy, the delivery went so smooth.

Here is Laken's birth story.

Friday morning I woke up with some contractions, again. I had been having them since the "false" labor the first few times but I wasn't sure so Dustin stayed home just in case. Then they stopped. Of course. I had a doctor's appointment that afternoon at 3:45 and he decided to strip my membranes, which killed by the way. So pretty much immediately after the appointment I started getting some contractions and they kept coming. I decided I was NOT going to the hospital until my water broke or the baby was crowning. Ok kidding about the crowning part...sort of, but I had to be in a lot of pain before I went in because I was not getting sent home again! I was so exhausted of constantly thinking I was going into labor over the last 2 weeks and then it would stop. Well the girls were already at Jill's house while we went to the appointment so we went there and she fed us all dinner. While I was eating the contractions got pretty painful and I knew it was really it, but I still wasn't going in!

We decided it was probably going to be tonight so we figured it would be best for the girls to stay at Jill's instead of bringing them in the middle of the night or later that evening after going to bed. Thank you Jill! We came home and got their stuff and went back to her house and hung out for a couple hours to wait until I was dying in pain. So they were pretty strong contractions, lasting about a minute and about 3 mins apart. Normally this is when they say you'd go in, but they started like this, and this is exactly how my other labors were from the very start. I don't get those small ones that gradually get worse and closer together. Mine start strong and close. So it was about 9pm and I was getting really exhausted so we went in. She checked me...I was 4cm. Which the doctor said I was only a 2 at the appt. But a couple weeks ago I was a 3-4cm? So really I had no idea what I really was at, but now we we're going by what the nurses said. So she wanted me to walk for an hour to see if I would still progress. I was so tired. So we walked, called people, and Dustin laughed at me and my determination to get this baby out. Then we went back, I was 5cm and my waters were bulging! So I was in! This was it! We were SO happy. I didn't care when I went in, I could have went to the end of the pregnancy, but man I was so tired of this false labor and being in pain that I was so ready to be done. It was wearing me out.

Dustin excited it's time!

a lovely contraction at 1am

So they moved me into a delivery room and I told them I didn't want an epidural so we just waited it out and they suggested to walk more and my water would probably break on its own which I really wanted this time. It was about midnight and Dustin pulled out the video camera to take some video, and the battery was DEAD! Are you kidding? It had 4 mins left on the battery. I charged it up to be right ready to go but totally forgot we used it at Kyla's bday party that weekend! I was sick. So I told Dustin to run home and get the charger. Ya we're crazy. So I just sat in the bed praying nothing would happen before he got back. He got back within a half hour and I was still good, in pain, and exhausted. So he gets back and holds up the cord to plug it in and realizes he only grabbed one part of the cord!! It was seriously the dumbest thing ever! So the camera had about 20 mins of battery time on it because it was so cold in the van so after it warmed up the battery time went up, thank goodness. So we figured it would be good enough. What a waste of time running home. So I was constantly having contractions but they don't check you unless there is a reason too. I was so tired and Dustin was tired, we were both sleeping in between contractions. I didn't feel like I was getting close. I had a feeling it was still going to be a while. So I decided to get the epidural so we both could get some rest before it was time. So they checked me, I was 7cm, and gave me the IV. The epidural guy came at around 3am.

Oh I can't leave the best part out.

So the epidural guy is getting me all ready and i'm leaning over onto Dustin having contractions and trying to hold still and the anesthesiologist says, "ok i'm just going to put the freezing in, you'll feel a poke, and some burning, it's just the medicine going in." All of the sudden Dustin is falling over! and says, "I need to sit down." I look up and he is WHITE, he looked brutal! So we only had the one nurse in there and she was helping the anesthesiologist so Dustin sits down and he starts falling over and then caught himself, and did this a couple of times while i'm trying to talk to him to see if he's ok (while having painful contractions and getting a tube shoved in my back) and I was kind of laughing. He was responding after a minute and was ok and sat up a little more, but he looked terrible. We were all laughing. It was so funny. So he got some juice and I got my epidural and we were both happy! ha. It was hilarious. It wasn't even the epidural part, it was just the freezing! and he was passing out! He is so random when it comes to that he said he was thinking about it when the anesthesiologist was saying it and all of the sudden he felt light headed. What a weirdo.

So anyways, we both fell asleep, well kind of. I was off and on with the stupid blood pressure thing on my arm going every 10 mins or something. A little later the doctor came in and decided to break my water to get me going, which I was totally fine with. He also wanted to give me a little Oxytocin because the contractions weren't quite up there. I didn't care at that point and I have had to do this every delivery before so I knew i'd have to get it again. Anyways around 5:00ish I think it was I started shaking and felt some pressure, so she checked me and I was 9cm. They were some intense contractions because my body was reacting with the shaking, I was so glad I didn't feel it. I'd been through enough I think. She said it would be within the next hour or so, so she started getting stuff ready. So I honestly don't know what time it was but I felt like I needed to push, so she checked me and I was 10cm! She said we could start pushing a little. So I pushed through one contraction and she could see the head! They were a little shocked at how fast I was pushing her out. So they quickly called the doctor and told me to do some slower pushes. The doctor came in and in 2 contractions, she was out. The nurse went to grab the mirror so I could see and she didn't even have time she came out so fast.

She came out at 6:34am, and I remember saying, "oh my gosh" and they put her right on me and I cried. It was perfect. Just seeing her really here after all this time of not feeling like it's real and she was right here on me and beautiful. They never took her off me and it was so awesome. I have never got to hold my babies after they were born, they always took them away because they were premature, so it was amazing. I loved her immediately.

Dustin was videoing and actually got the whole thing, but it's all PG, and you can't even tell i'm pushing, it's crazy. I must be a pro or something. ha. It's the perfect video and i'm so glad we got it. It was so easy and I loved every minute of it. I'm so glad I got the epidural but i'm so proud of myself for getting as far as I did without it.

She was 7lbs 11oz and 20in long , she is beautiful and has brown hair and there is quite a bit in the back. It'll probably lighten, it's the same color as Kyla's when she was born. I think she looks so much like Kyla too.

The other girls just love her. Kyla is OBSESSED with her. All she wants to do is hold her and I don't know how many hugs and kisses Laken has gotten from all 3 of them.

I only stayed over night one night and i'm glad I did. It was nice and the nurses were great. I've had an amazing recovery so far, I feel great! Although I think I do too much sometimes because I feel it after. But i'm not used to feeling like this. I feel so much better than I did fully pregnant and I don't have to heal from anything this time either! Thank goodness!

Going home. I don't look tired at all...

So Dustin has been home all week and it's been awesome. He is amazing and I love that we have 4 beautiful healthy little girls together. We are so blessed and have been trying to soak up every minute with her. Dustin chose her name and I love it. It was on our list and he loved it so much, so it was perfect.

By the way. We knew it was a girl.

Ha.

I had to know. There was no way, especially having so much girl stuff already that I didn't want to waste any money on boy things just in case, because I totally would have. No one else knew except Dustin and I and it was awesome. It was super hard to keep the secret, but we did it! I'm glad we knew because I increased my accessory stash for her! We might as well stick to what we're good at, right? Girls. And I love every single one of them so much.

She is in love with her and this picture is my favorite.

I also snapped a few of her the day we got home just talking to Laken, it was so cute.

Daddy and all his girls

I think this next picture is my favorite. They all were just sitting there staring at her, luckily I had my camera right there.

So that's how it went down. It was a really good delivery and things have been really great so far. Dustin goes back to work on Monday so we'll see how I really survive then! She is the best baby ever so far. All she does is sleep and eat. Every night so far she has slept 6-7 hours straight! Knock on wood. She is awesome and she is a pro at nursing and I am loving being able to do it again.

So things are great! We are so happy and I am doing good and recovering well, other than the random hormonal moments where I break down over the smallest things. Gotta love that part. I'm so excited for all the family to come next weekend for the blessing and it was kind of nice to have this first couple weeks to ourselves to adjust. We have so many people coming and I can't wait.

We love our little Laken.

She's Here!!!

LAKEN TALLEY

7lbs 11oz, 20in

April 8th at 6:34am

We are home and doing great and we are absolutely loving her!

I just want to sleep

Ok this is a huge let it out post. There, I warned you.

I'm exhausted. So done. No, beyond done. I'm over 38 weeks, which no one thought i'd make it too! I'm so glad and grateful but it's exhausting. I'm okay being pregnant to the end and was actually kind of expecting it all along, but it's being pregnant with the 3 girls that is so hard. They are so high maintenance lately and all I want to do is sleep or lay down. It's exhausting even making lunch for them, so I end up eating a sandwich with the kids because I don't have the energy to make anything else. Picking up toys or loading the dishwasher takes so much energy. I'm huge, nothing fits because i'm so low, even Dustin's shirts are too short! I'm having a lot of pelvic pain too, it's been a couple months of that so it's only getting worse as the baby gets bigger. My pelvis grinds when I lift legs separately, or when I have to move in bed. I'm not even sure that's normal? It probably is.

Kyla asked why I walk weird when I have a baby in my tummy, then she showed me how I walk, with her legs spread apart and waddled around. It was pretty freakin funny.

I'm so grateful this pregnancy has been so smooth and I don't think it could have gone any better. I'm really lucky especially having 3 little girls at home already. I just don't have the patience for them lately and I feel so bad, because i'm so worn out even BEFORE having to take care of them etc. I'm kind of an emotional person this week, I can feel i'm at the end and I know it's over soon. 13 days to be exact, maybe sooner, or later which would be weird. I just need to let it all out!

I'm actually getting nervous about life with 4. I never went out when the twins were little and now I have 4 kids 5 and under to take around with me. Will I ever have a life again? Will I ever get to shower again? I just picture my daily life right now, which is crazy in itself, and add a crying baby in the background. Who thought I could do this? It still doesn't seem real that i'm having another baby, maybe it'll seem real when I bring him/her home. I guess we are only given what we can handle so I know i'll be ok, and with such an amazing husband by my side I know it'll be great. I just hope we still have a marriage, because lately we don't even get to talk until the kids are in bed. Which isn't until after 9pm these days. Jayci and Presley are TERRIBLE at going to bed. They just stay up and play and talk forever! It's frustrating, and i'm guessing a twin thing. Kyla went through a stage at the same age but it wasn't as bad and didn't last long. She is awesome at going to bed now and doesn't make a peep, so we're hoping we can look forward to that.

I haven't even had a chance to watch conference yet which I so badly want too because I think I need some spiritual uplift right now to get me through this next stage of life. I love our life, I love our kids, and I feel so blessed to be able to have 4 children with an amazing husband. I love our friends, I seriously have the best friend who knows exactly when I need something. She even sent me over a little gift last night when she didn't even know how bad of a day I was having. I love her and the selfless person she is. I'm also so grateful I have amazing sisters I can talk to and vent to everyday and they tell me exactly what I need to hear. I love them so much. I wish we could all live by each other so bad and we always talk about how awesome it would be. I am glad my girls will get to have the opportunity to have that relationship with each other when they are older.

At the beginning of this post Jayci and Presley were whining and driving me crazy, and now they are passed out on the floor and couch. I feel bad for complaining because I am so blessed but I needed to get it all out, and then I can always look back at this time and remember what I was going through.

Well, here's to the final stretch!

She's 5!

Well technically tomorrow she is 5. But seriously, I can't believe it's been 5 years since we had our first baby, and now she is too smart for her own good and we love her!

She requested a Hannah Montana Party, which we had yesterday with a few of her friends. I thought it'd be easy to find decorations or anything Hannah Montana, but nope. Almost every place I found it was discontinued so there was nothing left or they didn't ship to Canada, luckily a friend suggested Zellers, which I never go to because ours is pretty sad sometimes. But I found everything! It was perfect, plates, cups, tablecloth, banner, balloons, streamers, bags, crowns, wrapping paper and of course the cake was all Hannah Montana. She was loving every minute of it.

We made the traditional breakfast (waffles and cool whip with strawberries on the side for Kyla and orange juice) and she wouldn't stop saying thank you, it was so cute. She kept saying, "I love my birthday!" She was really grateful for everything and was enjoying every second of the attention.

The party was crazy, but a success! I'm just happy I didn't go into labour before it. She invited 6 of her girl friends, plus Jayci and Presley, and Tobin. Poor Tobin was the only boy besides Dustin and at the beginning of the party jumped off the couch and sprained his ankle and could hardly walk. I don't know what's with toddlers and spraining their ankles but it seems like it's the thing to do lately.

The girls had a blast. Kyla planned her entire party, she wanted makeovers, pinata, and to watch the Hannah Montana concert video, which we didn't even have time for and games. I was worried 2 hours would be too much time but we actually ran out of time and didn't even get to play the games she wanted. Oh well. She had a blast being "in charge" of the makeovers and I bought a make up set for them to use, luckily most the colors were clear, or really pale, so all the moms didn't hate me after!

The pinata was hilarious. We couldn't find Kyla's sponge baseball bat so we had to use a real bat. Dustin pretty much held onto it the whole time while they swung, and the kids wanted to run and get every candy that fell so we had to make sure they didn't swing and hit them, it was funny and stressful at the same time!

So that was pretty much her party! I got a Dairy Queen cake this year because it was the easiest thing and all she requested was Hannah Montana was on it with her name. So luckily I found an image online, took it to Sobey's and they put it on a sheet of edible icing paper, and then took it to Dairy Queen and they put it on and decorated it. It turned out perfect and I was so happy how easy it was, you know being hugely pregnant and all.

Birthday Breakfast!


Check out how long her hair is. She wanted it done like Hannah Montana with a flower in it.


Jayci, playing with her belly button, as always! (Is that normal??)


Pres sayin cheese!

I wanted to get a picture with my 3 girls and this is what I got.

They were laughing so hard being crazy, and this was BEFORE the party.

ps: check out Jayci (left), AGAIN, playing with her belly button. She's a chronic.

The party girls eating some food. We just had fruit and veggies and cheese. Perfect and easy just my style this year and maybe all the rest to come!

The 3 hoodlums, they hardly made a peep the whole party. It was so weird.

Opening presents. She got spoiled!

Doing makeovers

Pinata!

Jill and Tobin

The Cake, she loved it.

All her gifts!

A couple things about Kyla lately.

She has decided what she wants to be when she grows up - an artist, a ballerina, a rock star, and a cowgirl. She's ambitious what can I say. She is seriously the best big sister, the other day she was sitting on the floor with the little girls and they had all their little figurine dolls and she was asking them, "who is taller, Dora or sleeping beauty?" They'd answer "Sleeping beauty!" she'd say, "Right!" and she did this for every one. It was so cute. She speaks to them exactly how I do and most the time they listen, she's like a mini me and copies what I say when i'm saying it to them. She's more like an echo, I guess, it's great. She is exactly like me when I was her age. At least I know she'll turn out perfect. ha

She is doing awesome in school, we had her parent teacher interview last week and they said she is the best student and great to have in class and she is excelling in everything they learn. She's always been my overly smart child.

So those are just a few things she's been up to lately. I'll have to do a huge update post on all the girls, because these little twins are getting so big and so smart. They are hilarious.

I'm thinking of letting Kyla plan Jayci and Presley's party. Jayci wants a Princess party, and Presley wants Dora. Nice. I knew this would happen one day. They definitely are set on it and don't forget it and are even panning the details such as Dora and Princess cakes. Separate of course. Oh well i'm all for making it their own.

So it was another successful party!

Happy Birthday Big girl, we love you!