Meet Austin and his 3 Other Moms!

We named our baby Austin Robert Fales!

Our Baby Boy is Here!

Last night my water broke around 1:45 am (ish . . . and can I just say I am so glad that happened at home and not somewhere else!). Our baby was born at 3:50 am. Talk about FAST! I have never had my water break on its own, so I didn't know if I was suppose to wait for contractions to start or just go to the hospital right away. Ben called the hospital and they said to come in right away . . . and the contractions started pretty quickly after that.


Rebekah and Doug came over in record time and by the time I got to the hospital, I was already dilated to a SIX and contractions were becoming more and more unbearable. I am a firm believer in epidurals so this wasn't the best situation for me . . . as it was looking more and more unlikely that I would be able to get one working in time. I have really little veins and the nurses were having the hardest time hooking me up to an IV . . . but luckily, the anathesiologist came in, got the IV in, and them miraculously got an epidural in me that started working fairly immediately! Soon after I was at a TEN and the baby was ready to be born, but my doctor wasn't there yet . . . so we had to just hang out. All I can say is bless that epidural!


Our baby was 6 lbs. 13 oz. and 19 inches long. This is our biggest baby yet!




He was breathing a little fast and grunting soon after he was born, which means he had fluid in his lungs. He was taken to the NICU for a few hours to have oxygen pumped into his lungs. Now he is breathing just fine.



The name is still yet to be determined!

And What is Wrong with the $3 Valentines?

Absolutely nothing!  I love those Valentines . . . especially now.  Last year during February, I was looking through a magazine which described how to make the Valentines pictured above. They're cute, right?  So cute.  I thought to myself . . . what a fun tradition to have!  Mother and daughters making homemade Valentines every year . . . and they are so much cuter than the boxed ones the girls always want.  

So I set out to buy all the supplies and  candy to make these Valentines with my kids . . . thinking it would be so memorable and fun.  WHATEVER!  

The way it really went?  I spent HOURS cutting out hearts of paper AND vinyl.   I cut ribbon the right lengths so that when we were ready to make these things . . . the kids could just put them together.  The kids were happy to put maybe 3 of them together . . . and then they wanted to go and play.  I ended up making the rest . . . meaning enough for Abby's class + extras and enough for Halle's playgroup.  It took forever and they cost around $30.  Was it worth it?  Absolutely not.  They were VERY cute . . . but . . . come on.

So this year I decided I would not make any Valentines . . . and figured the kids would be just fine picking out their favorite box of Valentines.   I have to say I was very surprised at the beginning of the month, because Abby asked me when we would make Valentines.  When I told her my answer she retorted back that she WANTED to MAKE her Valentines.  I told her she could use the construction paper we already had and cut hearts out on her own if she wanted to.

  
She did make a few of her own . . . but then after a few days decided she wanted to buy Valentines.  Homemade ones are definitely more cute . . . but I don't think the kids really notice or care . . . Abby and Halle were still so excited about these Barbie Valentines.  Happy Valentine's Day!

28 Weeks

So . . . I guess I feel like a have grown a ton this last month.  My belly is huge!   Time is ticking and I am starting to get nervous!  I really like to sleep ALL night WITHOUT interruptions . . . so I am starting to fear the exhaustion.   Can I really go back to phase 1?  Last week we put the crib away and put Gwen in a toddler bed.  I don't want Gwen to feel like the baby took her bed. She is doing okay in it, but it is different.  We will probably move Gwen out of her room next month to make room for the baby . . . which means Abby and Halle will have different sleeping arrangements also.  I really don't do to well with change . . . sometimes I am amazed I am still alive and have not died of a heart attack . . . or an anxiety attack!

New Year's Day

New Year's Day we went sledding . . . again.  It was so fun . . . but it so weird to me to think that my kids have been sledding more during this Christmas break than I have in my whole life! That's growing up in Washington I guess.

I went down the hill once . . . only because Abby begged and begged me to do it.   My big belly makes me nervous!

Christmas 2008

Christmas morning.   

Christmas Eve . . . our activities included acting out the nativity and opening presents with pajamas in them!

The eve of Christmas Eve dinner at Grandma's!

Christmas . . . To Give or to Give More?

I think my girls had a great christmas!  They loved the lights, the tree and of course all the food! They loved getting presents . . . and were so excited for everyone to open presents that they picked out.

Apparently though, my plan with distracting Abby from the American Girl doll with other gifts from her list did not work.  At the end of the day . . . she was still wondering why Santa didn't bring her the gift she had specifically asked him for . . . the thing that she wanted the most.
Abby still really believes in Santa . . . and doesn't understand why he didn't just make the doll in his workshop and give it to her.  He gave it to other girls.   She told me that she knew that "I" couldn't buy it for her because it was $105.  I asked her how she knew how much it was . . . she told me that she saw it in the catalog.  I told her that maybe Santa just knew that she didn't play with dolls all that much and must have figured she would use her other gifts more often.

I have to say . . . I feel terrible.  I feel like we are in a version of the Christmas Story movie, and Abby is a nice little girl that asks Santa for something . . . only the movie doesn't end right!  She didn't get her doll!  Ben feels like she will be fine, and that disappointment is healthy . . . especially where she did get other things she asked for.  I agree that it is fine for kids to not get EVERYTHING they ask for.   But since she didn't get MOST of the things on her list . . . and since the American Girl doll apparently was the most wanted gift . . . I feel like this is a terrible situation!  20 years from now . . . she will remember this Christmas because of the disappointment!  What have I done?
I am tempted to find a doll now . . . and then put it under the tree . . . hidden away in the back corner.  And then, when we take the Christmas tree down, Abby will find it . . . and maybe think it was there all along?????  HELP?????  Do I let this go or fix it?????