Out of the mouths of babes

I was talking with the kids about school, etc. and they asked me if I went to the grade school they go to. I said "No, I went to Hometown Elementary, in the town Grandma and Grandpa live". They then asked me if I had music class like they do, and I said "yes, I had music class and even sang in the chorus in H.S.". To which they replied "Wow, Mommy, how can you remember something that happened soooo long ago?!?!?

Husband overheard it and started cackling in the background, until I reminded him that he is the same age.

Baby Wearing

When I was pregnant with Caleb, I knew I was going to have to do something to help keep my hands free so I could chase after the other kids. I had been interested in baby slings/carriers/wraps when I was pregnant with Isaiah, but they scared me. Plus they aren't exactly cheap and I was afraid to spend the money and either hate it or not be able to figure it out. So it wasn't until a coworker gave me her Moby wrap that I tried them out. I loved the Moby! It was a little overwhelming at first when I unfolded the thing and the fabric just kept coming. I'm not exactly sure what I thought it was going to be, but it surprised me. I used it on a pretty regular basis and a month or so ago, I decided I needed something that wasn't so stretchy and had a bit more support. I thought I knew what I wanted, but I hadn't ever tried out any other carriers. I found that a lady in town sells baby carriers that I decided to try them out. She holds these babywearing demos and has people try out all the different types of carriers to see what you are the most comfortable with, and which works with your baby. I ended up with a long fabric wrap, a bali breeze. That's the pattern I got, too. It's very pretty I think. It's a big long piece of fabric, like the Moby, but there's no stretch. You can do all sorts of carries with it - it even comes with a cd to show you the different types and how to do it. I even got Isaiah up in it comfortably! I'm still learning but I love it! I actually figured out how to carry him on my back and he just loves it. I have to have Husband "spot" me to make sure I have the fabric stretched out nicely and that it's up high enough, but I'm getting better at it on my own. Tonight I got him in it on my back and he fell asleep. I know these things have been out there for a very long time, but I wish I would have discovered them when Jacob was little. I get all sorts of looks from people in town when I "wear" Caleb, because you really don't see too many people out with their baby in a wrap, especially on their back. Most people have their baby in a stroller, like what I always did, but it's really hard to push a stroller in the grass. Well, it's just easier to carry him then to push the stroller, I guess. I told Husband that with the way people look at me, like I'm some big hippie or very, very pale tribal woman, I think I might get me some birkenstocks, a long tied dyed dress and grow my hair out long and then go wearing Caleb around. Hey, I have to entertain myself somehow!

On the road towards that half marathon

I signed up for a half-marathon about a month or so ago, to be run in August. Now, when I signed up, I was (and I'm still not) any where near half-marathon ready. Not even 5K race ready. But it's been a goal of mine for a long time and I figured I better get on with actually doing it instead of just talking about it like I have been doing for years. I have been getting out to run when I can, but with just life in general, it's pretty tough some times to make the time...and to not make excuses as to why I can't get out and run. This past weekend, the town I live in had a 5K for the town festival. A couple friends of mine were planning on running and I agreed that if it wasn't raining, I would run. Even though I didn't think I was ready. I'll admit, I really, really hoped it would rain. And yes, I realized that not wanting to get out and run doesn't seem like the attitude a woman wanting to run 13 miles in August should have. But I just don't want to make an idiot of myself. Anyway, I wake up and the sun is shining. Rats. Have to run. Plus my mom was coming up to watch the kids so I could run, and since she has to drive an hour, I figured I better make it worth her trip. So I got dressed, my mom came and I took myself down to sign up. And I ran it. And most importantly, I finished it!! Not a great time, 31:55, but considering I wasn't quite ready to run 5K, I'm very happy with my time. Plus I finished and have gotten that addiction to road races back....which means I'm now actually excited (and a bit nervous still) about the half-marathon. The adrenaline that kicks in and the feel of competition really works wonders for my persistence to keep running when I want to stop. And as for my time, a cousin of mine who runs marathons and helps people train said that my 5K times would slow down when I started training for a half because the pace is different. So I feel good. I ran that first race post-baby #4. My plan is to run a 5K in June, this 5 mile race on July 4th, even though I work a 12 hour shift the night before, and a 10K the weekend before the half. My official training starts Monday. On the schedule, the weekend before the half I'm supposed to run 6 miles so a 10K is perfect. I'll maybe fit in a 5K race sometime in June, but I'm even more motivated now. It's time to hit the road!

Just Made Me Smile

On a fairly regular basis in L&D, we get patients that hit the door in the transition phase of labor, ready to birth their baby. No time to do much, other than get her pants off, make sure the baby isn't hanging out and get the doctor/midwife there for delivery if possible. Sometimes, labor just moves so quickly at that point, and there's no way for the doctor to get to the hospital in time and it ends up being an RN attended delivery. This was the case with this one momma, 3rd baby, who hit the door sitting in that tell-all position in the wheelchair: sitting off to the side, gripping the siderail as her body pushed her baby toward the outside world. We managed to help her get her pants off, got her onto the bed and I was able to get a pair of gloves on right before as she pushed her baby into the world. It was that fast! Mom was glowing and very proud that she had given birth the way she had always wanted to: no IV access, no monitors, no pain meds, just good old fashioned, medication free labor and delivery. The best part for her? Her first two children were born by c-section. The first was for failure to progress after an elective induction, the other was a scheduled repeat c-section. Made us all smile.

What I've learned (so far) as a Mom O'Four

I know I have just started up the mountain of learning that lies ahead of me as a Mom of 4 kids. I can't even fathom what the next years will bring: 4 teenagers, 4 kids in activities, 3 boys to eat me out of house and home, 1 daughter's hormones to drive us all crazy, etc. I'm sure some of you experience moms of 4 (or more) will laugh at my naivete. But so far, here is what I learned about being a Mom of 4 kids, 7 years old and younger:

The house will never be clean so long as the kids are living at home. Unless we win the lottery and I can afford to hire a nanny, a few maids, a cook, landscaper and even then, it probably still wont be clean.

The dirty laundry is like a rabbit - it reproduces all the time and produces too many offspring to control.

As soon as I fold the last load of laundry, everyone will go to bed and you are left with the towels and dirty clothes for 6 people...that alone makes up a load of laundry.

Until the kids are older, I will have either drool, spit-up, snot or dried boogers on my clothes (this WILL end when they're older, right? right??)

A baby carrier is a must, and I'm not talking a carseat or stroller, I mean a baby-wearing carrier, sling or wrap. You need your hands free to chase after the older kids, and hold onto the 3 year old who wants to climb the paper towel display at Wal-mart.

Hide the markers. Otherwise you'll find a mural on the wall...or when you leave the room to go to the bathroom, when you return, the baby will have a green mustache.

If 2 kids are playing baseball/softball, there will be a night when they each have a game...at the same time...in two different towns. And that will be the night that Husband works too late to make it home.

Don't leave shaving cream out. Or glue. Or baby powder.

No matter how stressful the day is, nothing can beat these things: a tickle match in the living room with the kids. Watching them sing at the school spring concert. Getting beautiful works of art made with crayons(on paper). A big hug from each kid. Snuggling with a sleeping baby with the 3 big kids up close to you. A big opened-mouth baby grin and giggle. Hearing "I missed you so much" after a long night at work or "I love you" as they run off to play.