the flammily: January 2007

We are still here, alive and well....after 5 straight weeks of snow on the ground. Several records have been set here in Paradise with this snow...and I must admit, I think it is our fault. My kids pray EVERYDAY that it will snow more....and snow more it does...every weekend for 5 straight weeks!!!!! So I guess I am going to have to have a talk with them...put my foot down...and get them praying for a new car and some extra cash...and world peace. :)

There has been SO much going on here in the past few weeks. LOTS of company and lots of drama (of course). Potty training. Sickness. A big move by my parents (who finally sold the house and have to be out by Feb 7th!). Skiing. :) School starting back. A sister-in-law about to have a baby. The list goes on. And on. I have a loooong list of pictures that I want to post from the past few weeks....and as soon as I get an extra nano-second I will do so.

So for now, I will leave you with the happy thought that my little Presley is almost completely potty trained. This was a concern, if you recall (as I do, with perfect clarity) the potty incident a few months back. As a parent, this is one the happiest things that can happen. Not only am I relieved of bottom wiping, I am also saving a fortune!!! :)

Presley Solomon 1-4-04

The journey began in April....in a little ski town called Breckenridge. (see why I love this place?!) A few weeks later we were so pleased to learn that the Lord had began another little blessing in me. The decision was made to MOVE! We lived in a tiny townhome and we needed a bigger house. Within the next few months we found the perfect house and moved. That perfect house is now for sale (by my parents) and you can see it here. I was quite happy to know that my baby would be born in that house. I LOVED it!!!
Fast forward a pretty uneventful pregnancy. Other than the typical debilitating all day sickness for 5 months...not much else happened. I did gain less weight this time around, only 43 lbs, and EVERYONE said I was having a girl! Even strangers would tell me I was carrying a girl. And since we do not find out the sex of the baby, I was just replying with a smile and a nod. I was 150% positive Tarin was a girl (#3) and was shocked at the birth....so I was not going that route again! I really was content with whatever the Lord had for us. I was just so thrilled to able to have another baby!!! What a blessing :)
The worst part of the entire pregnancy came at the very end. I was "due" on New Years Day. A week before Christmas, I got a horrible case of the flu. And a double ear infection. And so did my whole family. It was awful. I seriously thought I was going to die...and I was very scared for the baby! I prayed that I would be well before labor began. Thankfully I am ALWAYS late with my babies, so the Lord was merciful by allowing us all to get well before the birth.
Saturday morning, January 3rd, I started having some bloody show and mild contractions. I knew the birth would be soon! So what does a gal do when in early labor??? Get a pedicure, of course! I fully enjoyed it and I also enjoyed freaking out the ladies there by telling them when I was having contractions. Ha! Such fun :)
Josiah and I took the kids to that mall to walk around that evening...and then to my moms house for dinner. After dinner things began to get a bit stronger, although I knew we still had a while to go. We came home and put everyone to bed. I went to bed thinking I might be up later that night so I wanted to get some good rest. I slept fitfully in between contractions till the wee hours when I decided I HATED laying down and needed to get upright. Josiah got up with me and we flipped on a movie. I just hung out on the birth ball and attempted to watch. Unfortunately, his choice of movie was NOT conductive to a relaxing labor. "Lord of the Rings" Yeah. Needless to say at some point I yelled at him to turn it off. I called my cousin in Ohio and told her to head on down...and I called my mom and my friends to give them a head's up on things. I did NOT want anyone there yet, but I wanted them on alert.
I called my midwife around 6 or 7 am. to give her an update. Contractions were pretty strong, but not really progressing much. She decided she wanted to come on over and see how I was doing. She got there and I asked her to check my cervix and see what was going on. I was 4 cm. The contractions had actually slowed down at that point...Steph had come and gotten the kids...and my chiropractor was on her way over. I was having this odd, sharp pain and I needed to be adjusted. Oh, lands sake...that felt SO good! My chiro is a doll and she saved my life at that moment! No more pain!!! My midwife hung around for a little while till I convinced her that labor was taking it's time...so she left for a while. It was nice to be there with just Josiah. We walked, talked, laughed, danced, etc. He set up the birth pool at some point. The day was so relaxing and romantic. Letting labor take it's course was easy and refreshing. No hurry....just do what needs to be done. I think it was about 4 p.m. when Josiah asked if he could call people over. Things were much stronger and I was wanting to get in the pool soon. People started trickling in....the kids, mom-in-law, sister-in-law, my mom, my friends Kerri, Tracy, Noelle, my cousin Melissa and her son Deacon (the boys were stoked). I wandered in and out of the living room...walking through contractions that were beginning to take my breath away. I love labor. I love the party, the atmosphere, the excitement. Around 6 p.m. I jumped into the pool....aaahhhh. Total relief. No epidural needed here....just give me warm tub. I stayed in there for a while. Josiah was tickling my arms (i LOVE that), my midwife was using the hot water from the hose to relax my body...I loved it. The calm, the quiet, the candles. Norah Jones lulling me to sleep. The perfect labor.
I do not remember when, but at some point I decided to get out of the pool and try and get some good painful contractions coming. I wanted to see this baby!!! I shut myself in my room with Josiah and walked. A lot. I sucked my thumb (no, I am not a freak. the thumb pressure on the roof of the mouth releases oxytocin and strengthens contractions) and it worked. I was also checking my cervix every now and again to see how things were going. I could tell that the bag of water was bulging...and when it broke, my baby would come. I kept trying to break it...but I guess my stupid nutrition was just to good...it was strong!!! I called my midwife in and asked her to break it. She typically will NOT do such a thing, but I insisted. I let her feel my cervix and she agreed that the baby would come if the water was broken. So at 8:30 p.m. and 9 cm dilation, she broke my water. Ah, THERE are those painful contractions! Thankfully the hardest part of labor is also the shortest. I got back into my wonderful, warm birth pool for the last part of labor. I think I had 2 or 3 contractions before I felt like pushing. At first I just felt pushy at the peak of the contraction, so I just went with it. My lovely midwife was encouraging me to do what my body said to do...so I did. I wanted to catch the baby myself this time (I kinda did with Tarin as well) so I reached down to see where the baby was. I felt the baby still pretty high up in the birth canal, so I figured I would be pushing a while. I decided to try one good push and see what happened. I started the push and suddenly my fingers felt him move WAY down...almost to a crown! I said, "It's coming now..." as I breathed him down...my mom and mom-in-law ran to get the boys...and the baby crowned. Usually there is lull between the birth of the head and the birth of the body...not this time! He flew out on the next little push. Thankfully the boys made it in the room in time to see!!! I caught him in the water and lifted him onto my chest. 8:42 p.m. Oh!!! It's beautiful! I just kept saying, "Thank you Jesus for my baby!!!" over and over. Everyone was so respectful and quiet as Josiah and I met our new child. My midwife was right there, watching and laughing with us. Eventually I realized that I did not know what we had....so for the best surprise EVER, Josiah and I look....and there is the full package. :) "It's a BOY!!!" I exclaim, crying. I was SO SO SO SO SO happy to have another son. The thought of a girl never entered my brain. Ethan came around to see the baby and to feel the pulsing cord. Great anatomy lesson...school!!! I think we stayed in the water for about 45 minutes, bonding with Presley and taking pictures and video. When I felt the placenta detach I wanted to get out of the pool. I got out, gave the baby to my mom and the boys and delivered the placenta on the birth stool. I walked into my room and got straight in the shower. The BEST shower ever!!!! I hopped out and got into bed so I could really nurse. Presley was wide eyed and beautiful....I was smitten....totally in love. I nursed him and the midwifes did the baby exam right there next to me on the bed. We were all IN SHOCK when he weighed only 8.2 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!! My previous baby was 10 and a half lbs....so no wonder Pres came in one pushing contraction! We actually had to send a friend out to buy newborn diapers....he is my only baby to fit in them. :)
And oh....he was perfect.

And here he is. 3. Time goes SO fast.........he is running around the livingroom right now wrestling with his brothers. Being a cowboy. Playing Superman. We are SO thankful to the Lord for the blessings He has bestowed on us....so unworthy of these blessings...but loving them just the same.
"Children are the Lord's greatest blessing, and the fruit of the womb is His reward."
-Psalm 127:3-5