PaR-TaY

I wasn't sure if I would be up for throwing a party for Hannah this year. I really wanted to since this is a big birthday, but I knew I'd have a newborn baby and wasn't sure if I'd be up for it. So when I decided I could have a party for her, Hannah was thrilled!!! Then, the anxiety began. I asked Hannah to make a list of friends she wanted to invite. I saw her write down a couple of names. Then my heart just broke. She was struggling to think of "friends". This little girl had so many cute little friends in the first grade, with no problem whatsoever. Now that we home school, she no longer keeps in touch with those girls and there aren't too many girls in the neighborhood her age either. We decided to ask some of the girls at the school we go to on Mondays, Family Leadership Academy. Her list of 8 or 9 quickly turned into 19 or 20. She even found the house of one of her friends from 1st grade and was able to invite her. It was the cutest little reunion of all. So, in the middle of the week I called Aaron at work crying pretty good telling him that Hannah's party just went from 9 girls (manageable for me) to 19 (totally and completely insane for me). Aaron assured me he could help me and quickly I felt a lot better. Then a couple of moms offered to stay and help as well. It was going to be okay. In the end, only 14 girls came and Hannah was in complete and total heaven! It was all worth it.

The girls making fancy dresses out of toilet paper.

Aaron blowing up a balloon until it pops. 14 screaming girls is very loud!

Balloon game on the trampoline

All the girls

Hannah and Grace

Hannah got hurt on the trampoline. Daddy to the rescue!

Hannah and Alaya, her friend from first grade.

I'm so glad Hannah got a party. I'm SOOO glad Aaron was here. He made the party fun. I'm so glad the party is over! :o)

The Day I Became a Mom

8 years ago today I became a mom. It kind of scares me to think how fast these past 8 years have flown by. Maybe sad is a better word. In 10 more years Hannah could leave our home and that is truly something to make me sad if I think about it. But she will someday leave our home and make this world a better place. As parents, we are all biased. We think our kid is the very best! I am no exception. Hannah is exceptional. I marvel at the young lady she is turning into. She is choice! I remember my mom telling me long before I was married or had my first baby, that I would never be able to understand just how much she and my dad love me until I have a child of my own. I understand that perfectly now.

8 is a pretty important age in our faith. Hannah gets to be baptized a member of our church at the end of the month. She's been talking about it for months. She's attended several of her friends baptisms. It's finally her turn and she is so excited! She's prepared. She loves the Lord. She truly does always aim to choose the right. She's quick to forgive and quick to say "I'm sorry". She loves me and her daddy fiercely. If she disappoints me, the tears are quick to follow; she feels so bad. She is well loved by her many friends. She is bright and determined to learn. She's somewhat of a perfectionist, which I hope will bless her all of her life. She is a phenomenal older sister. She has incredible faith and knows God hears and answers her prayers. She is obedient. She is super fun! She has a contagious laugh. She is her Grandma Lombardo's sweet pea, and her daddy's little sweetheart. She is all girl. She is beautiful inside and out. She is a blessing in our lives. She is deeply loved!

 Hannah with her namesake

Happy Birthday sweet Hannah! At 8 years old you wanted to go shopping for new clothes and have some "alone time" with just me. Dad surprised you with a date when he got home from work. You got all dressed up and asked me to curl your hair and put lipstick on you...all for ice cream with your daddy. Too cute!

Hollands 1st week

A week old. A WEEK OLD! I can't stand that it's been a week already. She is sweet, as all newborn babies are. She is calm, which my other newborns were not. She is alert. She is a good pooper and burper. (That's probably why she's usually pretty happy). She sleeps pretty decent at night. She is tiny. Her little hands and feet just kill me! She's as sweet as they come.

 

Holland - Our Miracle Breech Baby

With our fifth baby, we sure had a lot of firsts. First time our baby was breech. First time my water broke on it's own. First time to not deliver in a hospital. First time to deliver a breech baby. First time to come home the same day I had my baby. First time to snuggle for an hour or longer before they even cleaned her up. First time my throat hurt so bad from screaming for so long and for so loud. First baby to sleep really well during the night. (Knock on wood). First time to have midwives deliver and not a doctor.

Every birth is a miracle. I mean, truly a miracle. I don't care how these little ones get here, it is down right miraculous what a female body can endure to get them here...safely. When we found out a little over two weeks ago that Holland was breech, we went right to work on how to safely help her to turn. My options with my doctor were, get her to flip, or prepare for a c-section. I had true anxiety at the prospect that I may have to have a c-section. Sure, maybe I'd be one of those very very few lucky ones that have an amazingly quick recovery and I'm up on my feet in no time, but the chance was WAY too high! How could I care for my other children and allow the recovery time to heal from a c-section? True anxiety people! So, when I was talking to a friend who has home births, she told me I needed to talk to her midwife about my options. It was my first glimpse of hope that things would still be ok. Talking with her midwife, led me to talk with several other midwives as well. They all said I could deliver her breech, especially because this was my fifth baby. Huzzah! I was not doomed for a c-section after all. Aaron and I made the necessary changes with my doctors office, canceled my version/induction date at the hospital, and went to work on trying to help Holland flip on her own. The midwives tried to flip her with a version, but Holland flipped right back upright. I laid down on an ironing board upside down each night for days. We hung pictures all over the house of head down babies in the womb, and even tried an ancient Chinese medicine called Moxibustion that has a 98% success rate of flipping the baby. Nope! Holland wanted to stay put, so we prepared to have her breech.

When my water broke Monday morning at 5:30, I was surprisingly calm. This was it! I felt like we were having our first baby all over again because I did not know what to expect, but I was calm. And so was Aaron.
On our way to the Birthing Center

In between contractions...until they became unbelievably unbearable.

Born at 9:56 am, October 28th, weighing 6lbs. 9oz.

Meeting her new family.

No pictures of Joe yet with her. He just likes to point and grunt at her right now. Hannah is making up for the lack of attention Joe is not giving her.

Traditional first bath given by Dad.

Two days old and simply perfect!

A Test

We had a Relief Society/Priesthood meeting a couple of weeks ago on Reverence and what we can do as parents to invite more reverence into all of our meetings, especially Sacrament meeting. Lets face it, if you're going to be in a meeting with more than 100 children and infants, there is next to no chance of complete reverence and quietness. That said, there are things we can do to improve the tone of this important meeting each week. So..., we put some things to the test. We have a "Sunday" bag that has coloring books and crayons, a few match cars, some crackers for Joe and a bottle. The deal with the kids is if they are quiet until after we partake of the sacrament they can have something from the bag for the rest of the meeting. Pretty good incentive right? WRONG! For some families this might work. For mine, not so much. The kids bicker and whine over what toy they get to play with or ask a million times if it's time to get their stuff out.

So today we took nothing. Not a crayon, paper, toy car, snacks, nada! And they were a million times better! Go figure. So much more reverent. So apparently, they don't need a bunch of "stuff" to keep them busy. They will listen or at least sit more quietly if they don't have all the distractions. I'm amazed.

Breech

I found out at my last doctor appointment that little Holland is breech. Awesome! Actually, not awesome even in the slightest. I have less than 3 weeks to try to get her to flip, and believe me, I'm doing anything I can to make it happen. Including, laying upside down on an ironing board.

Aaron game me a blessing and the kids are praying too that she will flip. Here's to patience yet again!

General Conference

Every six months we hear from the leaders of our church. It is FABULOUS!!! Their message is broadcast on TV on both Saturday and Sunday. We snuggle in our homes, stay in our pj's, and eat yummy food, all while being spiritually fed by them. Truly, it's the best! General Conference is something we look forward to every year. We are reminded of what matters most. That keeping the commandments of God is what brings true joy. Oh there is so much we learn each time! We've established some family traditions at this time to help the kids enjoy it too. Scones and canned peaches has become our food of choice during conference.

Hannah drew a picture of President Monson. Man that girl is good I think!

And Joe had a love affair with his teddy bear. He LOVES this thing!

I encourage everyone to hear what a true prophet of God has to say. It will uplift, strengthen, encourage, and bring peace to all who will have an open heart. Conference