Azelene's visit

Things have been pretty busy lately. Azelene was able to come visit when Eli was 6 weeks. My Mom was still here because my Dad was able to finish his radiation a week and a half earlier than he originally planned (since he didn't have a prostate), so he told her to stay, and he'd come here as soon as he was done. It was so nice having so much help. Azelene and I were actually able to organize quite a few things because of the extra help with the children. Azelene cooked, Darlene cleaned, and I got to sort through what to donate, discard, etc... The bandage above Ryder's eye was another fun ER trip. He was jumping in the bathtub and split his head open. It was too close to his eye for Azelene to feel comfortable glueing, so she butterflied it and stayed here with Skyler and Aspen while my mom and I went to the ER with Ryder and Eli. Luckily it was bed time, and both boys slept the entire time, especially since hospitals send me in panic mode with newborns, all the germs, scary! Azelene had approximated it perfectly, then the ER doc reopened it, didn't close it nearly as well, and just glued it anyway. Better safe than sorry.

Since I said "another ER trip" I better write the story down before I forget... Last year, in April, Ryder shoved a teeny button battery from a finger flashlight up his nose, and the doctor was about to give up thinking he really didn't have anything up his nose. I wondered why he would have been screaming for so long, like was in extreme pain, if that were the case, when the Dr asked "Did he stick a candle or something up his nose to burn it?" Strange question, and I have no idea how the thought came to me that it could have been a battery, but luckily we figured it out, and were able to srface it with a magnet and then pull it out with the alligator. Then , not even a week later, Aspen fell off the ripstick and broke her ulna and radius, just above the wrist, almost snapping them in two. Shane had been in Arizona, for a golf trip with his Dad, and I had to call him to come get Ryder and Skyler from the ER on the way home from the airport. I didn't even know where the hospital was before Ryder's incident, now I am only too familiar. Aspen actually broke her arm about two weeks before our family trip to Disneyworld. So she had to have a cast on for the parks and the cruise; not good timing. I actually broke my toe, by dropping the handle of a moving dolley on it, the day before we flew out. Luckily Allen's friend Dr. Dayton, came on the trip as well, 2 days behind us, and was able to bring a drill to relieve the pressure. I need to make friends with a lot more doctors, you should never leave home without one!

Back to the present, Eli at 6 weeks. I need my computer wiz to come flip this right side up, but for now, oh well.

Eli 5 Weeks

Eli is 5 weeks already, but seems older. He is losing the newborn look already. They get too big too fast. Here's your pic Shane.

Easter

With 8:00 church it is not very easy to get out the door on time for church, sadly this is the bestquick pic we could get. I am in the others and not at all photogenic.

(Aspen, Ryder, Skyler, and Eli)

Skyler and Aspen searching for Easter eggs

Ryder's collected quite a few

I almost forgot Eli

Trying to gather the kids at the annual Easter picnic at the park

Water Slide

6 neighbor families went in on a waterslide together, and we were able to use it at the park for the 1st time at Olivia and Sophia's birthday party on Saturday

(Skyler and Aspen enjoying the slide)

Ryder decided he was done with the slide (we were out there from 12 to 7:30 though)

Eli's 1st Bath

On April 1st Eli's umbilical cord finally fell off (just 2 days before he turned 4 weeks). He really enjoyed his 1st real bath, and Ryder and Aspen loved to help. Funny to think he rolled over before he lost his umbilical cord. He had his first "tummy time" when he was 2 weeks, after the home health nurse said we are supposed to start it since day one now, and he rolled over almost immediately, and has done so several times since.

Pinewood Derby

On March 31, Skyler participated in his 1st Pinewood Derby. I thought the track was pretty impressive. They had a good time, and we were able to learn tricks for next year, like GRAPHITE, GRAPHITE, GRAPHITE, as well as sand all pieces to the wheels really well.

Eli's Blessing

Saturday, March 14, Bishop Bradshaw called, concerned that Eli would not be able to be blessed for so long, and asked if we would like him to run over so we could give him a name and a blessing. Shane ran upstairs to change, and I grabbed the change of clothes I had bought for when Ryder was blessed, and threw them on Eli. I was still in jeans, but it was more important that he have the ordinance performed. My, how much more relaxed things are by the time you get to your fourth child. Skyler's blessing was such a big to do, and Eli didn't even get his own blessing outfit. At least no one has to feel bad for not being able to make it.

I told Shane I would take a picture of Eli once a week so he could see his growth. (Eli 1 week)

Eli (2 weeks)

Eli (3 weeks, and yes, he still has his umbilical cord)

Shane's Week Home

Shane may have just flown in the night before, but even after 16 hours of straight travel, there's no rest for a parent. Saturday morning they came to the hospital for a few minutes, but they had to run off for Skyler's basketball game. We are loving basketball, and hope Skyler continues to want to play. He is doing great at it.

Aspen decided she wanted to stay with me at the hospital during the game. She's so well behaved we knew she would never be noticed. Good thing she is such a good listener.

Sunday, March 8, Eli wearing real clothes and ready to come home from the hospital. Not only did they not wheel us out, they didn't even help carry anything to the door. Glad they briefed us the night before on how we are not to lift more than 20 lbs, because our duffle bag, camera, diaper bag, baby, etc... combined can't possibly weigh more. Although, there was a kid slowly walking to the car with his mother, being released after a hospitalization for an asthma attack that I cringed for. That's military medicine for ya.

The plan is to take a naked picture of Eli once a week, so Shane and family can see how he's growing. Here's 2 days old.

Eli's first bath (at home anyway, I had to do quick one at the hospital because he had soaked through a diaper, everywhere!)

Shane and Ryder at Ko Olina. My mom went as well, Skyler and Aspen were at school. We did let them miss school a day to go ice skating though.

Shane and Aspen box car racing, Skyler could drive alone. Ryder went as well, but no one took his picture.

Shane finally made it, Eli's 1st day

Ryder, Skyler (holding Eli), and Aspen

Elder Steven Dahl and myself. We were so grateful to have our personal OB

Eli and Nannies

If you can convert grams to pounds, this is a more modest picture (7 lbs 8.9 oz)

More on Eli's Birth

Eli, before I could see him I finally got to hold him, what a cutie

Eli's Birth

So I don't have to retell the story of Eli's birth numerous times, I thought no time better than the present to start a blog, I bought a camera 2 days before he was born, but my mother and I had no idea how to use it, luckily Steve Dahl was able to attend the birth, and knew how to work a camera, so he became our camera man. Too bad I didn't have enough forthought for him to use the video camera so Shane could have felt more a part, I guess I better back track.


Thursday Shane called saying"Hurry up and have that baby, I need out of here and this would be a good week to miss." (He is at SOAC in Connecticut) I reminded him that if I went into labor on my own he would probably not make it to the delivery room, but he assured me he was okay with that, just get him home. My mom loves an opportunity to make me excercise so she said lets walk. I need incentive, so I made her promise me 31 Flavors. Aspen was home from school with strep throat, and Ryder wanted his treat for being fully potty trained, so we let him ride his bike and we walked there and back, about 2 miles. We didn't realize that was enough to set it in motion until later that night. Unfortunately, my mom thinks this did the trick and will walk me to death with however many more children I will have. I have to keep reminding her I even tried to run a mile with Ryder and it didn't nothing but make me nearly crippled.


Anyways, I started having rather painful contractions about every 10 minutes at 10:15 at night, and was debating whether or not I should try to go to sleep. I called Shane and told him I thought I was pretty sure I would have him this weekend, to buy a plane ticket and come as soon as possible. I woke my mom up at 11:15 and told her I thought I might be in labor and we should go to the hospital. I then called Veda Church, to watch the kids, and asked her to wait about 10 minutes to come over so we could have enough time to shower. We made it to the hospital at about midnight, and I was at a 4 and 90% effaced, and they got me into a room and started the antibiotic at 1:10am. I was still having contractions about every 5 minutes and at 2:10 they broke my water. At that time I was at a 5 and there was meconium in the fluid so they paiged the peds team to be ready for baby. I was still only contracting every five minutes, but at 2:30 the baby had a decel during the contraction (babies heart rate dropped and wasn't coming back up immediately after contraction.) 2 doctors and the nurse came running in, threw the bed down, flipped me to my side and threw an oxygen mask on me, while another doctor went to check progression real quick and found that I was at a 9, and they called in about 6 more people and I had Eli at 2:40am. So everything went pretty quick. Needless to say, Shane didn't even make it to the airport in Providence by the time he was born.







Me and my massive belly! I thought for sure he would be a 10 pounder, didn't I feel like a fool when he only weighed 7 lbs 8.9 oz. Your belly just gets a lot bigger by your 4th I guess.










Picture of the decels, Steve knew they would be running in any second.










This all seemed very familiar, just like Skyler's birth, but he didn't have meconium.



I was still waiting to see him. What a cut little guy. We were very glad to have Steve there, and we were even more blessed to have a doctor that was also a member of the church who was able to help him give me blessing. Everything worked out perfectly, and Shane was able to make it to Hawaii that night. Not bad for being on the other side of the country.

My Sweet Kids and my 1st attempt at blogging.