New Years Again?!!

I will admit I am not one to make New Years Resolutions...but sometimes it can be a good time to reflect on and perhaps offer a jumping off point for something new. And this year I so happen to be in the mood. So, borrowing from Lindsey's sentiments from last year, I'm going to pick a word!

REFRESH
1) to restore strength and animation to
2) to freshen up
3)to restore or maintain by renewing supply

My days can be hectic and overwhelming sometimes and I often wonder if I did anything right at all. However, one of my goals for motherhood is that I don't merely "Survive" these years of diapers and temper tantrums and messes...but that I can walk (or run-when needed : ) through them with joy and thankfulness and perhaps even a flare for adventure!!!

So in order to do that I feel the need to step back and re-evaluate my inventory....anything that is not used, needed or loved-HAS TO GO! Items as well as activities. However, the items are bit easier for me, so I am going to start there. Over the next month I am going to scour my house, rooms, cupboards, drawers, closets, storage...anything extra is gonna go right into a big tote that will be dropped off at Goodwill. Never to be missed again!!!

I function better in a clean house and I spend way too much time keeping it clean...so I'm hoping to eliminate the extra items that never seem to have a place or just add to the clutter.

And lastly I'm going to REFRESH my motives for motherhood. What do I really want my children to learn and am I doing what God designed me to do??? These I'll have to ponder for a while...but as far as the decluttering, I'm off!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

A Family Photo

What's That???

We were chatting after church on Sunday before our Bible study and Gabriel (our explorer), valiantly made his way up to our church's baptismal and while standing on the edge yells,
"Daddy, is that a swimmin' pool?"
(Kiely) Uhhh, Gabe, no! Wait! (It was full from that morning)
After Kiely gets to Gabriel and directs him back away from the tub, Gabriel asks again, "Daddy, is that swimmin' pool?"
(Kiely) "No, it's a baptismal!"
(Gabe) "It's a bathtub?!"
(Kiely) "Well, it's for when people get baptized!"
(Gabe) "Ohhhh! For bath-tizing!"
(Kiely-giving in) "Uhh, sure" : )

I'm Thankful for Brooms And Brushes

I heard my Mom say as she scrubbed today,

"I'm thankful for brushes and brooms,

I'm glad to clean my cozy house

That's filled with cheerful rooms."

I heard my Mom say at the washing machine,

"I'm thankful for dirty clothes.

I'm glad that I have a healthy child

Who can play each day he grows."

I heard my Mom say at the sink tonight,

"I'm thankful for dirty dishes.

I'm glad we filled our plates with food

Instead of empty wishes.:

I heard Mom say in her prayers tonight,

"I'm thankful for problems today.

If life never got a little bit rough,

I might forget to pray."

~V. Gilbert Beers

"Precious Moments"

Aaahhh. Brothers

A Few of My Favorite Things....

These are a few of my favorite things...not necessarily anything that holds super significance, just simple pleasures that make me smile : )

honey-nut cheerios as a finger food (crunchy and yummy!!!)
mud puddles and rubber boots
the sound of a fog horn...even in the middle of the night
pumpkin smelling candles (mmm-ahhh)
homemade chai tea...with honey and cream
big fuzzy slippers
new earings
chubby babies
paper muffin cups and parchment paper (no sticking...and less cleaning-Perfect!)
scarfs
ballroom dancing (Kiely and I have been taking classes....soooo fun)
naked baby bottoms
porch swings
pregnant mommies
baking pies or other goodies...and the way my house smells (so delicious)
really stormy, rainy days
rollerblades
super hero capes (dun-da-duuuuunnnn)
long, dark, eyelashes
my kids playing pretend....

Sooo, what are some of your daily "SIMPLE PLEASURES"??? Do share!!!

Simply Simplify

"Hi, my name is Melody...and I'm a multi-taskaholic". Sadly, I am drawn more toward accomplishing "tasks" than investing in people...and with a husband and three little men-to-be, that certainly isn't the way to go. So, I have been doing a lot of thinking and re-directing of my daily habits and priorities. I seemed to find myself always in a rush, constantly trying to tackle 6 tasks at one time and laying in bed at night feeling like I made very little progress...only to repeat the same routine the next day.

Sooo, I've been simplyfying life... One step at a time. I started by nixing my multitasking. BIG DEAL. One thing at a time...until it's done! Phew! It sounds easy, but what a test of my will. I'm always so tempted to go throw that last load of laundry in the washer, or make the bed real quick while I run to the bathroom and read the mail while I'm at it so I'm not wasting time...and then only to come full circle realizing an hour later I was in the middle of doing dishes that are still sitting on the counter...and by the way, why are the boys being so quiet?? : ) Oy! This last week has been my first test run and what a difference it has made!!! Sure I don't get to all my "extra" projects like sewing and crafting, but "OH" the extra time I've had to sit and read books or play with the blocks on the floor (with my kids of course : ). Just yesterday I had our bed sheets in the wash so our matress was bare and for about 45 minutes we all congregated on the bed and the boys jumped, tumbled and played airplane on my feet(A tradition we just might start for whenever the sheets get washed : ). It seems now, I get into bed and so much more has been accomplished and I was even able to enjoy it along the way!

I have many weak points, many that are so much more evident now that I have children. Being able to build strong relationships is one of them...but certainly not something I want to drown out the time I have been entrusted for raising my boys. What a challenge and wonderful way for my Creator to capture my heart and refine some of the deepest parts of me. Oh, that I would be humble enough to allow Him to search me and give me strength to change...one day, one kiss, one story book at a time.

Well, this ended up being a little more serious than I expected...just to finish it, I wanted to share a quote from an article I recently read. It has challenged me as well as given me determination to make the choices that count. I hope it blesses and encourages.

“Parenting is the most accurate test of one’s true character. It reveals all the secrets and uncovers all that is hidden. Children reflect the soul of their parents; they manifest the heart that may have been formally concealed behind sophisticated screens and carefully crafted public perceptions. We parents can manipulate the public perceptions, leading others to believe we are something quite different from reality. But, it is our children who become windows to our true selves, often opening the windows wider than we want them to go. They find and expose the real you and tap into and follow that reality as their guide…. It is not about doing; it is about being. Get real. Love God until the joy of the Lord fills your cup to overflowing. …Let the Holy Spirit create discipline in you so that you use your time wisely and have more time to be with your children. It is a matter of perspective—of where your heart is actually fixed.
Your children are your legacy, the only one that will endure in future generations. Thankfully, we don’t have to be perfect people, or even especially wise. We don’t have to be thoroughly informed as to all the ins and outs of parenting. We don’t need schooling. We need to be real—consistently real and caring. We need to be there. Everything else will somehow fall into place when our hearts are right. A right heart can make up for a lot of wrong headedness, but great knowledge and understanding can never make up for indifference.”

Yippee for Harvest Time

This is the first year we have played dress up for Harvest...and it was absolutely worth it! I was still contemplating whether or not to have costumes for the boys and waited until about 1 o'clock on Friday to finally decide! Gabriel was easy because we already had the props that we needed, but Justus was totally excited about being SUPER WHY (from PBS kids) and I figured it only required a small amount of fabric and iron-on paper we already had to do the trick. Before I began sewing I printed out the "Super why" logo to iron on to his shirt (juck like the character) and just that alone thrilled him. After seeing it and looking at pictures of Super Why to see that he had the same thing Justus came to me and very thoughtfully said. "Mom....I think that is soo cool you made this for me!" Now THAT made me feel pretty cool....then a minute later he said, a little hesitantly, "But mom, I don't want to wear this paper on my shirt. " (lol) No problem, after it was ironed on he totally got it and had to wear it immediately, and was quite concerned when I asked him to take it off to sew the cape on....to make a long story shorter, he has worn his costume every day since!!! It's great!

Gabriel was my little builder. He wore overalls, a hardhat, and carried around a construction pencil, tape measure and a screw driver. We had a blast!

For my own little Fall treat I indulged myself in some artistic pumpkin carving...when everyone was asleep of course. Sadly, they rotted away quite quickly, but I took some pictures before they were completely gone. I had a blast! Who knew?!

The days of...cold!

Yes, the weather is getting colder, but tis the season for other sorts of colds and "bugs" in general! With three small children, I should be dreading it, but I have been expanding my knowledge on herbal remedies and feel fairly confident in tackling what comes our way! Apothecary here I come!!!

Just tonight I made my very first Glycerite. If you've ever bought a little dark bottle of "Echinacea" or "Immune Support" that has a little dropper and is a little syrupy, THAT is a glycerite. It's where you use glycerine to extract the healing properties out of herbs. It's highly concentrated so you only need a little, but it's also sweet, so it's pleasant for children. My very first recipe is a great multifunction formula that can be used for just about any minor illness. It contains, Elderflower, Yarrow and Peppermint! I was a little intimidated in trying it out, but after extensive reading and finally making it to our herb store I jumped right in...and now I think I'm hooked! It was far easier than I'd imagined and the savings is pretty substantial. (less than $1/oz compared to $5/oz)

I'm already planning my next formula...I really do believe in being my families primary health provider and now I'm beginning to feel like I actually have the adequate tools to do it with confidence!!!

If you're interested in the recipe's let me know...or check out "The ABC Herbal". It is a VERY simple but sufficient guide to taking care of childhood illnesses. I even gave Benjamin an enema (per instruction from the book-I had to read ALOT about it before I was brave enough) the other night due to a fever and he immediately broke a sweat and cooled down. We may even get a chance to treat chickenpox sometime soon...and "Yes, I'm excited!!!"

Mexico Wedding/Vacation

We went on our very first official family vacation and it was a great success! However, I'll say so right now I totally failed in the picture department. I've decided it must just be one more thing to carry around...and possibly lose, so thus we can back from our wonderful vacation with a grand total of about 10 pictures. Yikes. (We do have one video of our hike through the redwoods though-that's something!)

So, one week before leaving Kiely was sent off to Kentucky for work...scheduled to return the day of our departure. I was able to get everything packed up and ready to go so we just picked him up from the airport on our way down. A few of our major stops along the way...

Aunt Eowyn's in Eugene-we stayed the night and had a blast visiting with her, Korinne and Kaj (Eowyn's man : ) Kiely's sister runs a daycare so her house was a huge playhouse for the boys..plus, she has a culinary degree so eating is always super yummy!

Next stop-Eureka, California. We camped at the local KOA, took until about 12 to eat breakfast and clean up both days. However, Eureka had a great little zoo we took the kids to and then a great redwood park. Then...

San Fransisco- Kiely and I have a friend from highschool and his wife that live there (Nick and Megan). They let us stay the night and we went out to Chevy's Fresh Mex with the kids and then ice-cream. Yum-yum.

We then drove from San Fransisco straight to San Diego- We met up with the rest of the wedding party and so it began. Picking up tuxes, getting nails painted etc. The guys went into Mexico that night (Wednesday) for bachelor festivities, and we ladies followed the next morning. We spent the most of Thursday lounging by the pools and enjoying the gorgeous resort...then Friday-Wedding day!!!

Lot's of decorating, running around, fussing and getting ready. It was great. The wedding was absolutely gorgeous and we had a blast. Lots of fun and dancing! I'll get a hold of pics and share them....when I get a chance : )

Saturday morning-we went out to breakfast with 5 of my siblings in Rosorito (Peter, Daniel, Maria, Leah and Micah) After breakfast we headed back for the border and safely got back to the states. From there we headed North and really only stopped for food/potty breaks. One or two park stops and lots of driving. We got home around 6am on Monday. We all went straight to bed and amazingly the kids even slept until 9am. We still had a lot of sleep catch up over the next few days...but it was all worth it! We had a great vacation!!!!

Birthday Boy!!!

My handsome little Gabriel turned two on the 31st!!!
He is such a sweetheart, and we celebrated his birthday last Thursday at Grandpa and Grandma Bondurants! Gabriel was my easiest birth and made adding the second addition a pretty easy transition. (Thank you Gabe) He's always been a little on the chubbier side (which I love) and all around sweet. He started talking around 16months...sentence talking, and he is absolutely adorable to listen to these days. He is a big fan of his brother Justus and is constantly mimicking him and trying to keep up. However, he also has his own little niche's. First, he is left handed, even with things we didn't show him how to do, like swinging a golf club. He is definitely my biggest eater and very interested in helping me cook. He likes to stand with me and will repeat what I say, "Oh, we put onions in the pan now!" "Okay mom, I cut up this apple" It's great! Even though he has an agreeable disposition, he is Mr. Curios, but on the clumsy side, so we've sacrificed a lot of dishes and other breakable objects to his curiosity and adventure seeking (ahhh, what's a few broken plates and glasses). He has the most similarities to my baby pictures, except that he has stiff straight hair (Kiely and I are both curly-go figure) So, Happy Birthday to my chubby boy!

Yippee for birthdays...and family...and fun!
Gabriel got his very own apple red tricycle and after trying it out for a few minutes asked Justus to take a ride on the back (Sooo sweet!) He's still practicing riding it...he's not quite as suave as Justus with the pedaling, but he's picking it up. There are also some pics of grandma Shary and Peggy...grandpa Larry with Benjamin...and my oh-so-handsome man!

Also, we went to our first soccer game of the season today. Kiely is helping coach the highschool boys team, so we came out to show our love! Here are the boys playin'! I love it!

p.s. I have been pondering the subject of "simplifying" lately, so stay tuned for my next post and my newest thoughts on managing a busy household... : ) Much love

Heaven Help!!!

We had quite an adventure this last Sunday morning...
It all started Saturday evening when we drank the last of the milk! Honestly, somewhat of a crisis in the Bondurant family. However, we were either too tired to go to the store, forgot, or just didn't hardly think about it, so when we awoke Sunday morning, there was no milk!

Now, I'm okay to go a meal or two without milk, but Justus is not quite so content under such circumstances, so about every 10 or so minutes he would ask, "Mawwwwwwm, Will you go to the store and buy milk?" After about the 30th time, while sitting on the couch nursing Benjamin, I jokingly ask him why he didn't want to go to the store and buy milk? He thought about it, and then told me that he couldn't get the keys, put them in the car and drive to the store without me. "Bummer" I said and thought maybe that was that! Unfortunately not!

A few minutes later he heads out the front door with Gabriel faithfully in toe. Assuming they were just going out to play or perhaps get in the car, I didn't bother to ask what they were up to...but with the thought in the back of my mind that maybe he would try to go to the store (Which is within walking distance of our house). So, after not hearing them for a minute or two I finished feeding Benjamin and headed out the front door. I ran down our driveway and to the next block so I could see all the way down the hill and there was no sight of them. Hoping that they had gone the other way (Up the hill to our neighbors house), I ran back up to see if Kiely had found them. When I found out he didn't, I jumped into our car and headed farther down the hill, praying and getting more frantic as I thought about them getting down to the highway...where we had walked just the night before (With no lights or crosswalks....just fast cars).

As I turned down the last block before the highway, I heard Justus yell, "Hey Daddy! (I was driving Kiely's car). Not seeing him right away I thought maybe I was hearing things until I spotted him in my rear view. Just as I wanted to turn around another car came up the road and was heading for the intersection Justus was running across. Knowing the other car had a "Right Turn Permitted Without Stopping" sign, my heart just about froze in the split second I had to turn the car around and find my horn, so hopefully the other driver would slow down or know something was up. And sure enough. Justus was already standing in the road about 10 feet from my car, and Gabriel was in the middle of the crosswalk, carrying a ball and headed towards me. The other car stopped!

I didn't even know where to begin and was thoroughly shook up from every other thought that crossed my mind in those few minutes. After hugging them and puting the boys in the car...Justus, sadly says, "I just wanted to go to the store to buy milk!"

Ahhhhhh! And, Lord, I just want my boys to be safe. I know I can't protect or shelter them from everything, but how my heart aches to think of something happening to one of my precious little men.

Catch up Pics

I don't post pictures nearly as much as I'd like, so I thought, while I have the chance, here are some pics from our everyday life...which, in my opinion, is best!

Our Cute little house

Mommy and Gabriel sharing a PB&J

(p.s. I completely whacked off my hair...and I love it!)

My two men "laughing" and "playing" on the top bunk
Gabriel just being Gabriel---Too Cute
Benjamin's very first High Chair experience...along with

some elephant chowing (p.s. he is now 27.5" and 17lbs)

Growing so Big!!!

Parties, Diapers, Laughs...and more

Oy! It really has been a whole month since I posted last...how the time flies, and how little seems to get "done". Aaahhh, but I'm learning to enjoy it and not fret so much about dirty floors, un-made beds and misplaced couch pillows (honestly-big pet peeve for me...but I'm letting go).

However, we have truly been having quite a bit of fun lately. To start if off, we had a Wonderful 4th of July Weekend. Two Couples from Portland and their kiddos came for the weekend. Kiely golfed, we barbequed, sat around the fire, rode the trolley, went to the Jetty and Battery Russel, roasted marshmallows and did a whole lot of laughing! Oh, and we watched the fire works from our front lawn! Glorious! Unfortunately, I was so busy having fun that I didn't take any pictures to post on my blog : ( Maybe next time

Also, the last few weeks we were blessed to have my niece some stay with us and help out while earning money for her Mexico trip. She did everything from cleaning up dinner dishes, to gettting the kids dressed and taking them to the park to the all-time favorite babysitting so Kiely and I could have a night out! Then, when my sister came to pick her up we happened upon a local rummage sale where I bought a whole bag of 100% wool sweaters and skirts for a grand total of $2. Now, why would I want a bunch of wool you ask???

Cloth Diapers! That's right, I am completely old school. Right now though, I supplement with disposibles because the covers I use are slightly less than ideal, especially for overnight or longer outings! However, I'm hoping the wool will help me go completely cloth! So, why wool! It so happens that wool is a natural insulator- i.e. It keeps you warm when it's cold, but also keeps you cool when it is warm! Fantastik! The other great thing is that wool is waterproof when lanolized! That just means that it has the natural oils (lanolin) that are found in wool. Viola! A perfect candidate for a diaper cover. Waterproof. Breathable. Cheap. Natural! I love it! However, I am in the process of felting (or rather shrinking) my wool and still have to sew the covers up. I'll probably post all about it once I have another grand spare moment!

Last, but not least, some of my favorite moments from the last few days!

Justus is laying on the floor head tilted, looking at Benjamin (also on the floor), when he says, "Benjamin-You daddy! Yeah-You daddy! Why you look like daddy Benjamin! (more a statement than a question: )

Also, while standing in his chair at the breakfast table and quite noticeably grunting and working to fill his diaper. Red face and all, Gabriel pauses looks up at me and completely innocently says, "I not pooping!" Yeah-right!!!!

Lastly-which was very near a disaster, but was a laughable moment instead. The other night after finishing a gallon of milk at the dinner table we decided to show the boys how to lightly twist the cap on and then smash the jug so the cap went flying! Perfect entertainment for boys. Kiely, then kept blowing if back up so the fun continued....Well, fast-forward to the next day. I run down to the basement to switch a load of laundry and when I come back up, they boys have a gallon of milk sitting on the floor, taking turns jumping on it! However, it was not empty, but 3/4 of the way full. Luckily the cap was on tight enough and we didn't have a milk flood all over the dining room, Phew!

Where we've been

We have had a busy last few months...moving, setting up our house, re-arranging, re-arranging some more, trips to Portland and Corvallis, and most recently, Justus' third Birthday!!! At one end I can't believe he's 3, and on the other side, I am amazed at how much has changed since then. So, here's to hoping for a little "down time" the next few years (i.e. no major life events such as new jobs or new towns or new babies : )

In the mean time, here our a few pics of our most recent days... Bejamin...growing like crazy, Justus being a good big brother and showing off his new Radio Flyer trike ($25 at a resale shop), Gabriel charming his way through life...and the view from our house. AAaaaaah Astoria!!!

Home Remedy

So, I was finally going to post some recent pics and lo and behold I can't find our camera. There are a lot of people around here, so hopefully someone will know where it is. Until then, I've decided to post little home remedies, in lieu of "mothering naturally". Most of them will probably be as I use them, so I'll let you know how they work! The first remedy is inspired by the "creative nature" of my two older boys. They found permanent markers the other day and thought it would be a great idea to color all over my mothers antique trunk in the family room...luckily, a few days previous, my mother was telling a story of when I got a hold of a permanent marker and colored all over a wall right before we were moving...and so I simply used the same remover she said worked when I was 2...

Remedy #1:
Hair Spray! Spray the hair spray(any brand should work) on the marker and rub off with a slightly damp cloth. You may still have to do some rubbing, but I was able to get it all off. Pfew!
Be aware that if you are cleaning it off a wall, it will start running, so you'll want something to protect the floor, especially if there is carpet!

A Done Deal!

Well, It happened!!!
All the documents are signed and we will have officially sold our house!
Now, to be totally honest, there are a number of mixed feelings involved here.
Excitement-because our house sold and we can move forward!
Thankfulness-that in the current housing market our house sold at all!
Nostalgia-it was our very first home and it was so nice taking ownership in it and truly making it our own. We really loved that house!
Jealousy-that the new owners get to live in OUR house and enjoy our yard and patio that Kiely spent hours working on along with all the other little improvements...built-in microwave, custom closets, pull down ladder and light in attic, fence in the front yard....and many other things. Aahhhh!
However, on the brighter side we will have absolutely NO Debt whatsoever. So, in Kiely's words "Our entire economy could come crashing down, and it wouldn't effect us a bit!" Yes, a bit melodramatic, I know! : ) We are pretty excited about it though! We've taken and are now facilitating a Financial series called Financial Peace University. It's completely altered our views on managing our money and have given us a few new goals...and some adequate motivation for doing so. "Live like no-one else, so LATER, you can live like no-one else."
To be honest, it's a bit challenging to choose to "live like no-one else" (i.e. no car payments, no credit cards, no debt) Which usually means living in a smaller house than most people our age, driving older cars than our friends and having to explain to people "Why?" on this great green earth we don't borrow money?" What a concept!

All in all though, we are excited to be moving on and may have found the perfect little rental for our "live like no-one else." motto. I'll keep you updated once we know for sure. And hopefully get organized enough that I can post some pictures of our life these days (i.e. our three adorable boys). Until then, many blessings.

A Blessing Indeed

Well, we are absolutely loving our new little addition. He has been completely wonderful, and I am totally spoiled. He is still sleeping great at night. He only wakes up once to eat and then goes right back to sleep. He isn't the least bit fussy, unless he's hungry, and that has a very easy solution. His older brothers love him and Justus is always relaying what Benjamin "needs".
"Ben-a-min wants more milk mom." is the most prevalant one, and on occasion he'll tell me "He needs a clean diaper, he has poops!" Oh, I love it!

The other wonderful news is that our house is set to close on the 28th this month! Hallelujah! We are looking at a few different housing options here, but the important part is that we are actually going to have our own place...with our own furniture and dishes and groceries and all those little things that set our home apart from any other place. Tomorrow we're heading to Portland to pack up our furniture and bring it here. It will be sad to say goodbye to our first house. All sorts of good memories happened there and after all the hours and countless weekends Kiely spent on our backyard and patio...we didn't get to use it even once!!! Ahhh, well, life goes on.

So, with all that said, I should probably get some sleep so I have brain power to get stuff done tomorrow! : ) Ta-ta.

The Story!

Benjamin Lawrence

This labor was, once again, totally different than both my previous ones. I started having contractions on Saturday. They were consistent and strong, but very spaced out...which is somewhat similar to how Gabriel's labor progressed. Except that my bag of waters broke first with Gabriel. So, I just went about a pretty normal day...all the while thinking it was possible we could be having our baby that evening. However, once evening came, they had spaced out more and by the time I went to bed they had faded off. I woke up maybe 3 times with a strong contraction, thinking maybe they would keep going, but eventually I woke up around 7...still pregnant!!!

Shortly after I woke up on Sunday, I noticed they had picked up again at 10 minutes a part and still fairly strong. I still didn't want to get too excited, but new at least SOMETHING was happening : )

So, our little family stayed home and relaxed. It was a beautiful day so we took the boys for a walk, as well as hoping to help my labor progress.

After our walk, we had Grandma Bondurant come pick up the boys to go play and keep them occupied for the rest of the day so Kiely and I could run some errands and get ready for the birth. Not knowing what my body would do we rented a few movies to help pass time and bought an exercise ball for me to sit on during contractions.

Then, once again, my contractions let up a bit, so I took a midday nap. Not wanting to just sit around, we went for another walk while my contractions picked up again and then opted to go have dinner at his parents house where the boys were.

In the mean time, we had received an offer on our house and were negotiating a counter offer-They wanted our washer and dryer...and I'll admit, I'm a little attached to them : )

So, while we were at Kiely's parents, trying to print and fax and email all the offer papers, I started feeling more and more like settling into my own space and focusing on what my body was doing. We waited for our offer to be sent and headed back home around 7:30. Expecting a somewhat quiet atmosphere upon returning home, I was a little shocked to find a completely full house and plenty of activity going on (We are still living with my parents) Not necessarily my ideal for having a baby...but the house is big enough so I opted to spend some alone time in my parents jacuzzi while Kiely caught up with my dad on the soccer game he missed and my brothers and nephews ran through the house... : ) Never a dull moment.

After getting into the jacuzzi I timed my contractions between 7-8 minutes apart, but to my dismay they seemed to be getting weaker. At this point I really had no idea what was going on and if I might be in labor again the next day.

However, my brothers fiance', who was planning on being at the birth was getting back from a trip that evening, so I figured maybe that's what we were waiting for...and evidently we were!

Probably only 45 minutes after she got to our house the gears changed. We were talking casually and watching a movie, while my contractions were getting closer, but still quite a bit weaker than most of the day and all of a sudden a felt a "pop" and my water broke. Only my forewaters leaked, so it wasn't a giant gush, but enough for me to know what happend. So, I went to the bathroom to rinse off and instantly felt a need to go lay down and start focusing. Feeling like I was getting a bit panicky I asked Kiely to pray...and was able to calm down and focus for maybe the next two contractions...then, I had probably the biggest "transition" contraction I've ever had. It peaked and stayed for what seemed like a number of minutes. By this time, I had already asked them to go get my mom, and even though she had been in the room for probably 5 minutes, she knew exactly what was going on.

So, in a need to do SOMETHING I got off the bed to try a different position, hoping I would be more comfortable, and with the next contraction, felt the baby moving down the birth canal. Now my mom prefers to deliver babies on the bed, so her and Kiely were trying to set it up for me to get back there once I told them the baby was coming. But realizing I wasn't going anywhere, I decided to feel for the babies head since I KNEW it was too late to move. And sure enough it was right there and just about fully crowned! SWEET RELIEF!

Evidently, I was keeping this information to myself since they were still trying to set up the bed for me and when I announced "There it is!" my mom asked, "Uh! There WHAT is?!"

"The head!-Of course" (lol) So, with the next contraction, the rest of his head came out and with one more-he was completely born!!! Our third boy!

The rest was completely wonderful and a great relief to have accomplished the task! He nursed great. Is still nursing great. Breathed fine...and so far, has slept wonderfully at night. I just keep smiling everytime I think about our three little men. Such an adventure we are on...and I have a feeling it's going to be one of the greatest adventures of our lives!!!

Right after our "20 minute delivery"

I'll admit, the best feeling is when it's over and you have a beautiful and healthy baby.

I love natural childbirth!!!

Aunti Anya holding little Benjamin

(this was her first birth experience-and she loved it!)

My little men singing "Happy Birthday" to there little brother,

While anxiously awaiting the Red Raspberry Ice-cream Cake

with Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust and

Whipped Cream Topping

(We like to treat ourselves after giving birth : )

And it was a wonderful treat!

Sunny days!

Yes, I'm still pregnant!!!
However, we have been immensely blessed this last week with some wonderfully sunny days...and in Astoria, that means we take full advantage of it!

So, we took a family trip to the river walk in downtown, captured an amazing sunrise, and just had some plain old fashioned fun. All good activities to get my mind off our "delayed" arrival : )

These other pictures are of Justus "helping" cut his hair...with my permission.



Yes, the buzzers are on, but no worries with the guard on?! Except that when I came back from getting the camera, he didn't have the buzzers anymore, he had these!!!

Thank goodness they didn't actually make it to his hair...not that there was evidence of anyway. Pfew!
We also had a good visit from my sister Maria and her two kids. James is 7mths older than Justus and Abigail is 5wks younger than Gabriel so they are a good match for play! Once again, another good activity to help pass the time! Now I'm thinking I might get out our stockings I didn't finish for Christmas and try to get those done....Just about anything to keep me busy! : )
Honestly!

Just a few Thoughts

So, considering the fact that I am expecting a baby any day and since I just received my registration for my Childbirth Educator Certification. I've been thinking about labor quite a bit lately and thought I would throw out a few questions just to keep us all entertained in the mean time. : ) I hope you're game?
p.s. Most of the questions are pertaining to your first labor if you've had more than one.

Question 1:
How was labor different than what you expected?

Question 2:
Is there something you weren't taught in your childbirth classes that later you wish you had known.

Question 3:
Did you feel like your classes adequately prepared you for birth? How so or not?

Question 4:
How much would you be willing to pay for Natural Childbirth Classes?

Question 5:
Would you say that overall your birth was an enjoyable experience or something that you'd really rather not go through again?

Be honest! There certainly isn't a right answer. After Justus was born I was a little shocked that many women gave birth more than once, and even though we had a great birth with little to no complications, it was different than how I'd envisioned and I was a little discouraged. Then Gabriel came along and it was a different story altogether. He came quickly and smoothly and by the time it was over I felt like we'd barely gotten started. I remember thinking, "Now, THAT, I can do again!" Very different!

So please share your experiences and your thoughts. I am totally excited to finally be able to teach childbirth classes and I want to make sure they are relevant and practical to all different couples. Can't wait for your responses!

All in Time...

So, I know everyone is curious to see if the baby is here or not.
But not quite yet!
This is the first time I have passed my due-date (though, it was a guess anyway)!
It hasn't been nearly as traumatic as I expected. And to be totally honest, according to my intuition, I wouldn't be suprised if we have another week or so.
Besides my enormous, and somewhat comical belly, I feel great and have been sleeping quite well...so we'll see what happens.
I will certainly post once the baby arrives! No worries, I won't leave any of you out of the loop!

But in the mean time, it is sunny and beautiful here and we are going to get out and enjoy some fresh air!

Blessings

Pregnancy Pics

So, I have always been in love with natural style pictures of pregnant women, but have yet to justify the cost of getting professional portraits done. However, about a week ago I decided I really wanted some and asked around about some "amateur" photographers that might be up for it! Another mom from our local La Leche League does photos on the side and was really excited for the opportunity. So we gave it a whirl! She did a great job and we were totally pleased. Here are just a few of my favorites!

Favorites!

Here's to being tagged! Hope you enjoy and may feel inspired to continue the game...

MY FAVORITES!
Book: "Created to Be His HelpMeet" (it has truly made my marriage a different story...for the better of course), "The Zion Covenant" series by Bodie Thoene (They are about WWII Germany. I love history when it's put into a personal story)

Movie: "Lord of the Rings" and "Gladiator". The portrayal of masculinity...with character and integrity is truly enjoyable for me to watch! Then, there are "Return to Me" and "Ever After"! These are 100% chic flick and I love them!

Color: pear green

TV Shows: I once was committed to "Alias" and then "24", but I'll admit Kiely and I are in fact "American Idol" watchers

Guilty Pleasures: Ice Cream! Ice cream, and Ice Cream!

Outfit: Can I say my wedding dress! I would so have a wedding every year if I could. I love feeling like a princess!

Body Part: My feet

Kitchen Tip: If you have small children or like to relax on Sundays when you come home from church....Use a Crockpot! Prepare the meal while they are napping, stick a salad or veggie in the fridge and viola! When it is dinner time, there is no hurry or fuss...just "Dinner Ready"!

Life Lesson: "Everything can be taken from a man or a woman but one thing: the last of human freedoms to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances." Viktor Frankl -Holocaust survivor. My life lesson-Choose Joy and Thankfulness!

Activity: Sewing, crafting/creating, baking and playing with my husband and kids

Food: Creamy Pasta

Child raising Tip: It's a work in progress...be diligent, express love often, smile and enjoy the process!

Pet Peeve: I don't mean this harshly... Unprepared Childbirth! Mostly because these women are totally missing out on how our bodies are designed and the enjoyment (yes, enjoyment) that comes from giving birth!!!

Game: Pictionary. Speed Scrabble

Tatoo: No, but it's not entirely off my list!

Element: Hmm....can't say that I do! However, I do remeber thinking Aluminum is pretty cool because it doesn't burn, but that's as far as that thoughts ever gone.

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Baby Update!

We finally got a new camera to call our own!

So here is my most recent (feb 4th) picture of the baby.

I have 10 days until my due date, am having contractions
just about every evening, but don't have "the feeling"

just yet!

I feel pretty steady, am getting good sleep at night,
and am patiently waiting to meet our new little one!!!

Everything is all set and ready

from the bassinet and newborn clothes

to the babies Birthday Cake!

Yep! My mom would make a cake when she had us and

we would all celebrate the new babies "Birth Day!"

We had lemon chiffon with Justus,

brownies and ice-cream for Gabriel,

and just the other night I made a Raspberry Ice-cream

Cake for this one, so it will be ready when

"baby" arrives!

Soon enough I'm sure~Soon enough!