Toilet issues

Go ahead. Judge us.

Label us as "bad parents."

But the fact is, we're at a loss....

After scolding, begging, pleading, talking, and every other "ing" we could think of, we've given up.

We're locking both the bathrooms now because our 2 year old keeps doing stuff like this:

Oh, yes, she thinks it's hilarious.

We don't.

We're going to get even with her though.

This photo will be blown up and featured at her high school graduation. And her wedding.

Paybacks are fun, Lorelai!

Oh, and if you want to visit us, the bathroom key is hanging above the door where none of our kids can reach it.

Although it's getting old, unlocking that door EVERY time one of our 4 toilet trained children needs to go.

I know what I'm asking (and praying) for this Christmas.

O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

How Lovely are Thy Branches...

Our Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!

What are we thankful for today?

Jen: That Mystery Man made such a great turkey!

Mystery Man: I don't know. (said while holding stomach).

Azael: My Card-Jitsu Card for Club Penguin.

Ephraim: My Card-Jitsu Cards.

Silas: Nothing.

Lorelai: blank stare.

While our meal was delicious and pleasant and I love spending time with our family, I'm embarassed to admit that our kids clearly need to begin weekly manners training. Yikes! I left the table feeling a little horrified to see bones, peas, and other random foods strewn around each child's plate. Two kids used their shirts as napkins multiple times. Ephraim dropped the same bite of potatoes onto his lap 4 times, reloading that same bite onto his spoon with his fingers each time. Lorelai made some type of sculpture with her yams. In the photo below, Ephraim is playing us a rhythmic pattern with his knife and spoon. Notice the bones around his plate and covering his napkin? Can't blame him for needing to use his shirt, right? Any advice from the trenches?

How do you help kids learn manners without making the meal a negative experience?

In any case, now we'll settle in for some R&R - my favorite part of Thanksgiving! :) Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Candy Cane Jane

Candy Cane Jane

(outfit courtesy of MM's mom)

Jane and I went to see "New Moon" on Friday with about 30 of my friends. It was fun. Jane slept the whole time, even at the restaurant afterwards! :) Here's a photo before the outing. My shirt says "Well, the wolf's out of the bag now," which is a quote from the movie. Several of us sported these super awesome shirts... It was fun to feel like a teenager again, at least for a night!
I also thought I'd share this photo of my Mom holding Jane. It was sad when my mom had to leave... we loved her help and miss her!

Lying In

For the past 2 weeks, since Jane's birth, I have tried to adhere to the classic "lying-in" period. Lying-in is an old childbirth practice involving a woman resting in bed for a period of time after giving birth, usually between 2 weeks and 2 months.

My midwife recommended a two week lying-in period divided as follows: 5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed, 5 days around the bed. This practice makes sense because it allows your body to use all available energy to heal, to focus on the mother-child bond and on breastfeeding, and it contributes to the mother's overall emotional and physical health for several months following the birth of the child.

How did I like it? Need you ask? :)

This is what I wrote in my journal last week, after week 1 of the lying-in period.

"I've tried hard to rest a lot this past week. Officially it's called the 'lying in' with the baby. While I'm not done yet, I can sense a big difference in myself from doing this:

-I'm healing. I feel such a peace, physically and emotionally.
-The typical frenetic energy of life isn't there when I calmly relax and rest adequately.
-Jane is calm. I love being with her. I feel I can 'read' her more easily.
-I'm just so happy and feeling so blessed.

I'm going to focus on resting frequently in the next few months, especially in the next 6 weeks. I don't need a rushed, frenetic lifestyle anymore. It's time to stay grounded and find that healthy peace every day." (Jen's journal, Nov 8, 2009)

Now that week 2 is over, I want to say a bit more. All that rest and relaxation was somewhat life-changing for me. I realized I don't have to achieve, achieve, achieve, do, do, do, accomplish, accomplish, accomplish.... It's time for me to abandon some elements of my former "Type A/Pull Yourself Up By Your Bootstraps" personality and just RELAX, even if it means the house is messy or I'm not getting anything done. Balance and tranquility must come first. Everything else comes second. Will this be easy? No. It's contrary to what I learned growing up. But I'm excited to change and continue to experience increased calm and peace. When Mom's happy...

What are your thoughts? Is this hedonistic? Is this contrary to the popular idea that we must "lengthen our stride" and do just a little bit better and just a little bit more every day? Comments welcome!

Meet Jane

Meet Jane.

We've known her a week now.

She is calm, peaceful, and sweet.

She has stolen our hearts.

The Story of Jane's Birth

My pregnancy with Jane was by far, hands down, my most difficult pregnancy. On October 29th, at my 38 week appointment with the midwife, my blood pressure, which had been creeping up throughout the last trimester, was getting too high. Additionally, the midwife thought the baby was already over 9 ½ pounds. She suggested we might want to think about getting labor going. I agreed to begin taking an herbal blend which helps prepare the body for labor. The herbs in this blend were commonly used by Native Americans to help prepare for labor and to bring about an easier birth. The herbs began to work immediately; I noticed a big increase in cramping over the next few days.

By Halloween I had not gone into labor yet; I went to bed relieved that we didn’t have a Halloween baby. However, at 1 a.m. that night (Nov. 1) I awoke with real contractions. Ouch. I always forget how much they hurt! They seemed to be 15 minutes apart for about an hour. I woke Mystery Man up and told him. We both went back to sleep. It seemed throughout the next several hours I only woke up a few times, so perhaps I had one contraction per hour or so.

In the morning, I called my friends Stacy and Tabitha to ask if they could each watch 2 of the kids if I actually began real labor. I couldn’t tell if labor was starting or not, which was confusing for me because for all my past births I always started and ended labor in a period of about 2 or 3 hours. This was already over the time limit! I decided since I wasn’t in labor, we could probably still go to church (it was Stake Conference). However during the last hour of church I again had contractions every 15 minutes. We sent Azael and Ephraim home with Stacy; Mystery Man and I took Silas and Lorelai home for a nap. MM and I both took a nap as well. During the nap I had no more contractions.

After our nap I called Stacy and apologized for no “results” and thanked her for watching Azael and Ephraim. Mystery Man went to get them. While he was gone, I called the midwife and told her what was happening. She suggested I come to the clinic and get checked to see if I had dilated further. I called Stacy again and Mystery Man was still at their house. I told him we needed to go to the birth center; Stacy graciously agreed to watch our boys again (in addition to her own 4 kids!). MM and Lorelai came back home and picked me up. At the birth center, the midwife checked me and I was dilated 5 centimeters. She said, “You’re going to have a baby tonight” with a smile. I said warily, “Oh boy. Am I ready for the pain?”

We drove home and found a TV show to keep Lorelai entertained while Mystery Man began filling the birth tub with water. I called Stacy and asked if she’d please keep the boys a bit longer, as it appeared I really was in labor. She graciously agreed. She even decided she would come get Lorelai, and she was at our house in 5 minutes and took Lorelai with her.

The midwife arrived at our home and I settled into bed for some contractions. I had a heating pad on my belly, which was very soothing. After the birth tub was finished filling, I got into the water. The water was very soothing. I stayed in the tub for the rest of the birth. The pain was manageable until it was time to push. Pushing was very painful because it was SO FAST. Jane’s head and body came shooting out in one push at 6:32 p.m. The midwife lifted her out of the water into my arms and I just sat there in shock and pain. I asked, “What is it?” The midwife said, “Take a look, mom.” I couldn’t. I hurt too much to move. So the midwife looked under the umbilical cord and said, “It’s a girl!” I was happy it was a girl and happy birth was over.

I sat in the water holding Jane for a while. We took some pictures and Mystery Man cut the umbilical cord. The midwife commented that the umbilical cord was one of the fattest she had ever seen and the placenta was huge. Jane was very pink and chubby. Mystery Man and I both thought she looked a little like Ephraim and Silas. To our amazement, she weighed 9 lbs and 10 oz, and was 20.5 inches long with a 14” head. How big would she have been if she hadn’t been born 10 days early? We were blessed she came when she did! Thank goodness for a gentle intervention that helped induce labor in a safe way. Midwives are fantastic at what they do!

Today is day 5 since Jane was born. I have thoroughly enjoyed cuddling with her these past few days. I love her chubby pink cheeks and her cute mouth. She is very calm and sweet. I think of her as “Baby Jane, our Sweetheart.” Mystery Man often has a soft smile on his face and a coo on his lips when Jane is near. Life is good. We are so happy she’s here!

Note: this is the short version of Jane's birth story. If you have interest, you can request the more detailed version.