Adjusting

Sorry for the lack of updates and pictures. We are taking them, I just don't often get on this computer (the desktop with all the good software, and where we keep our pics) between nursing constantly and trying to rest in between.

We are a week into this new baby thing, and it is hard! And that's with my parents here... they leave tomorrow, and I am just so grateful that Jeremy doesn't have any classes right now, though he does have to go into the Clinic fairly often. I am feeling a little better, but recovery seems a little slow this time around. Nursing seems to be going well, but I think we're going to have the same trouble with weight gain as we did with the other two. And being a "new mommy" once again, there are a hundred other little worries. Mostly they've just been about Katy and getting better and getting some sleep, but once we're on our own again, I'll also have to start thinking more about Reilly and Jaina again. That will be both nice and also a little difficult. It's good to remember that this phase passes, and to try to enjoy the precious newness of our little sweetheart while it's here. 

My parents and brother, Spencer, have taken Reilly and Jaina to the Niabi Zoo, to the John Deere Pavilion, and I think Toys R Us is on the docket for this afternoon, to pick out a Schleich animal. They are having a blast, and will really miss their Grandma and Grandpa! Reilly has even prayed once or twice for "Grandma and Grandpa and Spencer to stay in our home..." Poor kiddos. We'll have to try extra hard to give them attention the next few weeks.

Here are some pictures from the last week. There are more on the camera, but at this point, I'm just happy to get any up!

Kathryn, after just arriving home Saturday afternoon:

We had a birthday party to celebrate her "first" birthday! Birthdays are pretty much Reilly and Jaina's favorite thing...

Jaina's hair missed her mommy a little more than Jaina did, I think...

Reilly has been a little more interested in "our baby" and loves to come touch her and tell us she's cute.

Daddy and Mommy are hanging in there. :)

And this crazy little girl is just trying to make sure she's eating at least 85% of the time, and being held the rest...

And a Happy Belated Father's Day to Jeremy! We appreciate him so much and these three kiddos are lucky to have such a caring, capable, wonderful Daddy!

Kathryn Emily

There are some other things to get caught up on, but I thought I'd better put this on our blog before she gets any older...

My blood pressure was up and down during the last week, and at my Wednesday appointment they stripped my membranes and sent me home on bedrest. That lasted about a day and a half, and I don't know how people that are on it for weeks and months do it... The next day (Thursday)  my BP was a little higher, so they sent me to triage for monitoring, and after about an hour decided the best thing was to go ahead with an induction. I was almost at a 4 already and 80% effaced.

They broke my water at 3:30 pm, and before long I was breathing pretty hard through the contractions. (I hadn't really been having many in the last few days up tp this point)  I did avoid any pitocin (or any other drugs) but it was hardly the controlled, rewarding natural birth we had hoped for. Because my blood pressure was only decent when lying on my side, I wasn't allowed to get up much or try many different positions. My labor went even faster than my previous one (5 hours) but it was super intense and I am still trying not to think about it in detail.  I am still a little traumatized, and if it was the only way babies could get here, I don't know if I could contemplate having another one...
Everything went well though, and our little Kathryn Emily (we've been calling her Katy a lot) was born at 7:01 PM, weighing 8 lbs 7 oz, 19 1/2 inches long. That's over a pound and a half bigger than her older sister, and a lot faster, which probably explains why I'm feeling recovery so much more this time. I had a second-degree tear, and just much more sore in general this time. My blood pressure has stayed up where it was, but thankfully they let me go home today anyway, with a prescription. With the last two I've ended up on medication for about 6 weeks before it stabilized. We really like the hospital we delivered at, and had an even calmer, positive experience this time around than we did there with Jaina. This little girl came out wanting to eat, and I think we scored about 2-3 hours of sleep the first night. Thankfully she allowed us to send her to the nursery between feedings the second night, and we both did a little better. Not really looking forward to the next 6 weeks sleep-wise, but hopefully she'll be a little easier than our other two were... Jaina and Reilly love their little sister. Hopefully we'll get more/better pictures up soon.
We are excited and hoping we can transition smoothly from being in the preschool/toddler stage back to the newborn one!

Memorial Day and then some

We really enjoyed Memorial Day weekend. Mostly because Jeremy got to be home most of it! We barbecued and shopped and mostly just hung out as a family. Jaina and Reilly go their first watermelon of the season, and I confirmed that watermelon makes me sick when I'm pregnant. Not fair, in my book... At least I won't be pregnant all summer, and I'll still get to enjoy it some later!

Our ward had a barbecue ON Memorial Day, and it was supposed to be at Scott County Park, next to the awesome pool they have out there. I was pretty excited, and hoping to get to swim, but of course it was stormy that morning, and the barbecue ended up at the church. :(  It was still a lot of fun though, and we were all worn out by the time we got home even without swimming...

We went to the Southpark Mall that evening (for a change of scenery and to get some exercise for me - it was, of course, warm and humid again at that point) and then ate some really yummy dinner at Fazoli's. A very nice weekend in all!

The kids have been keeping us busy. The other day Jeremy let me sleep in and was (I think) cleaning the kitchen while the kids played downstairs.  This is why I HAVE to make sure I always lock/tie closed the toy cabinet:

They usually do pretty well at not making a big mess, but they can only take so much temptation...

Our irises had a short, sweet debut, but our day lilies are blooming now, and looking very pretty! Here is a picture Jeremy took of them. Just because it looks cool, and so my mom can see them, since she told me what they were...

Here is Reilly dressed up for church last week. Yes, his tie is too long, but it was still cute. It has been nice to have Jaina well again (or not have her allergies making her SEEM sick) so we can all go as a family again. Though at this point, I can't say I'll be sad to have a few weeks break from doing the music in primary. It just seems to wear me out these days! Reilly is doing a little better in sunbeams lately and even sitting in his own chair some and singing the songs. (Usually he's so DONE at that point he just wants to sit on his teacher's lap and never sings, though I know he knows most of the words...)

Jaina still loves nursery. The other day she had hurt her leg somehow and refused to walk on it for about 18 hours. Jeremy even had to carry her into church. But when sacrament was over I asked if she was ready to go to nursery, and set her carefully on the ground, and she took off running towards her classroom... sounds pretty miraculous to me... or maybe we just have a very dramatic little girl.

These two keep us on my toes. Posting this picture is actually a little ironic, since when I was editing it earlier I was interrupted to go conduct a dual-time-out because the little darlings absolutely could NOT share their Candyland game. The green gingerbread man is now missing, and that game is being held hostage until one of them figures out where he got hidden...

I'm still pregnant, and fairly excited about it. At this point (almost 38 weeks) with the last two my blood pressure was already climbing and I ended up induced within a day or two of now. So far, this time, it is staying nice and low, and we have high hopes for a much calmer birth, as intervention-free as possible! I am feeling pretty well most of the time and since Jeremy is really busy with the end of the trimester and finals, we're happy to wait a little longer. Still, I wouldn't mind if the next post that makes it on here is introducing the newest member of our family. We can't wait to meet him/her!