10 things that being a wife and mommy has taught me

1. Being a lone person made me weak. If I was tired or hurting, I just didn’t do it.

2. I have many faces. Wife, mommy, cook, taxi, doctor, councilor, judge, jury, maid, referee, supporter, advocate, help meet, best friend…

3. I don’t enjoy the things I love. I love the things I don’t enjoy. If I can’t share it with my family, I don’t want anything to do with it.

4. I’m much stronger than I think I am. I must be. My kids think I’m Super Woman

5. There is always something to cook. Kids let you know that because there’s no food doesn’t mean you can’t come up with something.

6. My husband’s voice can calm me better than any drug or alcohol.

7. A shower alone is a treasured moment, even if only long enough to get soap in your eyes

8. A lost blanket can cause your ears to bleed

9. Being my husband’s help meet has filled my life more than I could have ever imagined

10. Each moment passed is a moment gone. Can’t get that moment back. Better pay attention and cherish it, even the bad, cause now it’s a memory

Life goes on…

Tomorrow baby boy will be two weeks old. I can’t believe how fast time flies. He has his own little personality already. He loves sleep (who don’t). He loves to eat. He is such a little vampire. I’m just starting to heal from his ferocious latch that he has. He is so cute though, when really hungry, he snorts like a little piggy. Can’t help but giggle a little through the pain. He has his Daddy wrapped completely. None of our children has ever been allowed to sleep with us, ever. Not even when they were sick. Little man does though. Girls do now too but daddy won’t admit that he wants them in bed. Baby boy is a really good baby. Perfect in every way. I am proud to have him in my life.

Girls are adjusting, not as well as we would like, but adjusting. The baby girl is having the hardest time. She is all out brat mode. She wants it all. If she doesn’t get it, in the floor temper tantrum. I feel she is angry with me and I understand that. She just don’t know how to deal with mommy being so occupied with baby. On a positive note, she is potty training herself and doing such a great job. Less diapers is always good.

Wordless Wednesday: Baby Boy

Gary Roger Creasman III “Trei” was born at 1:31 pm 7Lbs 1oz 19 1/4 long

Playing catch-up

These last two weeks has been a roller coaster of ups and downs. I’m beyond tired and stressed. We started this coaster ride on March 26th. We had our OB/GYN appointment, which we saw the midwife. She assured me that we can get baby boy turned correctly, gave me some exercises to do and told me about a procedure they can do in office. I felt so much better after that appointment. Then we were off to the dentist so my husband could get his temporary crown from his root canal. There ended up being more work involved in that than they expected, so that took an hour longer. Then we picked up our oldest, loaded our van and set out to my parents house, 5 hours away.
Our trip was a very good, uneventful trip. Which with 3 kids and a very preggers mommy is always good. At my parents house, I had a birthday that I tried to let slip by. We celebrated Monkey’s 4th birthday since we were with family. I helped my Mom fill out pre-op papers for her surgery that was scheduled for later this month. Me and my husband looked into their medicare benefits and did all the insurance inquires. I was able to see my best friend that I haven’t seen in a very long time. I was so excited about our “date”. Hubs took me to downtown Greenville to Mast General Store where they sell old fashion candy and I was able to get a Cherry Mash. We went to a baby store and test drove strollers and car seats. It was just a very busy week.
When I had left my “date” with my best friend, I called my Mom to see if she needed anything. She was very horse. (My Mom has emphysema, COPD, scar tissue on her lungs and is on oxygen) I hung up with her because her neighbors had walked up (remember this). I called her new doctor and scheduled an emergency appointment. This was Thursday evening and they worked her in on Monday.
We had Monkey’s birthday party on Friday and prepared to leave the following day. We went by my mother-in-law’s house on the way out of time. Spent some time with hub’s mom and sister.
Fast forward to Monday. My Mom goes to her doctor’s appointment. She has an upper respiratory infection. Something we expected. What we didn’t expect was her neighbor (the one from earlier, that had stopped out at her house on Thursday before) was dead. When she had stopped at my Mom’s house that evening, she had thought she had stepped in a fire ant bed. She didn’t know til she was in the hospital later that she was bit by a snake. By Saturday night, she was dead.
Well, my parents are dealing with the death, plus knowing there is a live snake in their yard that could do that, then my Mom had an appointment with her lung doctor. That’s when we found out about the pneumonia and a spot that was found on her lung.
Time for panic to start setting in on me. We are now waiting on all the meds to work so we can find out about this spot. But there is a huge BUT. Her lung doctor will not allow her to be put to sleep at all. Even with everything cleared up. Her lungs are just too weak. So whether her spot is good or bad, they can’t do anything about it if it involves sedation.
Now comes to the sickness in my house. Punkydoodles started a fever this past Saturday. Meds will bring them down temporarily but not for long. In my experiences with fevers in the past, I knew she was at risk for seizures so I have kept her right by my side. She has even been sleeping in baby boy’s crib. Her fevers are very high when they peak. Usually around 104-105. When she isn’t burning up, she’s around 100. We had her in the peds office first thing yesterday and the doctor said she had a very bad sinus infection. He was able to tell me that she has a really bad sore throat and her ears hurt too. He gave her amoxicillin and instructed me to add more ibuprofen to what I was giving her. As of last night, we still are dealing with 104 temp.

I am going to finish this very long post on a somewhat good note. After my OB appointment yesterday, the doctor thinks Trei has finally turned head down. Not 100% sure but she thinks so. I start stress test every week in 2 weeks and she will take a quick ultrasound to make sure. That is a huge weight lifted if he has turned with only 6 weeks left or less.

Emergency Room Nightmare

First, let me say, my intention was not to take my 3-year-old to the emergency room. I went to her doctor’s office and he was closed. I then drove to doctor’s/urgent care and they were closed. The trip from my home to urgent care should have taken only 20-25 minutes. With spring and the great weather, it took an hour with beach traffic. This leads me to the emergency room. The last place I ever want my children when I don’t think it’s a full-blown emergency.
My 3-year-old (Monkey) woke up from her nap yesterday, like normal. We walked to the mailbox and back. I sat down on the couch to read the mail when I noticed her scratching a lot. I asked her why she was scratching and she said that something was making her itch really bad. I got her on the couch with me and took a look. She had this huge red, swollen welt on her thigh. I was quite startled when I saw it. I took a picture of it to send to my husband at work.

About that time, he called. I told him what I had found and was going to send him a picture. Then Monkey started whining that she was itching more. I pulled her dress up and it had spread up her side and onto her back in that short time.

I told my husband to come get us. We had to go to the doctor right away.
For most people, they would had watched her and give her some allergy medicine. For our family, we have to seek professional help because our children are not vaccinated. A simple something may or may not be so simple for them. This is another reason we want to keep our kids out of the emergency room.
Let the nightmare begin. We get to the ER a little after 5:30. Not very many people waiting, about 3. Good sign so far. I sign her in, we sit in triage waiting for about 20 minutes. The triage nurse asked all the normal questions and could actually see the spots appears on her while we are with her. I was very clear that Monkey did not have vaccines. That this was the huge concern with it spreading so fast.
We were sent to wait in another waiting room. People that had come in after us was going back to the ER. Then those people were being checked out and we were still waiting. An hour passed, I was getting upset. I understood there was somethings more important but was also very concerned about the “what if” that could come with the rash and no vaccine. I went to the desk and the nurse said we were next.
Sure enough, they called us next. We went to a room and hospital register came by for me to sign papers. Then we waited again. When the doctor came in, he looked at a small spot on her leg (he looked nowhere else) asked Monkey to open her mouth, then left to get his stethoscope. He listened to 3 places on her back and 2 on her front. He said, “oh, she’s just had an allergic reaction to something, we will give her a steroid and Benadryl and you can go home. If she can’t breathe later, call an ambulance. I have to set another patient’s broken wrist right now but I will sign your discharge papers after I’m done with her.” And off he went. We waited again. The longer we waited, the madder I was getting. The nurse came in with the steroid and Benadryl. I told her that I had Benadryl at home and could give it to her. I asked why we were waiting again and she said the doctor had to set a bone and when he was done with that person, he would discharge us. She could see I was very angry at this point. She got the doctor to sign the discharge papers and we were finally leaving.
We were there for more than 3.5 hours, spent less than 5 minutes with the doctor and nursing staff combined. The triage nurse was more professional and caring. By the time we left, my girls were stir crazy and I was beyond the point of caring anymore. I had done everything I could possibly do to entertain a 2-year-old, 3-year-old and a 7-year-old while waiting. It wasn’t a pretty sight when we left.
All together, we spent more than 3 hours waiting and roughly 20 minutes with hospital staff combined. If we were not that important, why have us sit around taking up space and resources. The doctor was very clear about who was important and who was not.
I am still very angry and I do plan on making a complaint with the hospital. My oldest was even asking why other people was more important than her sister. I apologize for the long rant and I thank you for bearing with me on this.

Sleep Please?

I am now almost 30 weeks pregnant and almost completely quit sleeping at night. I fall into a deep sleep an hour or two before I get Random Girl up for school. That leaves me feeling sick, drunk and very ill. My husband has been really great at letting me go back to sleep and he takes care of the girls. He has been working night shift too so I know he is very tired but he doesn’t complain or says anything at all.
I need to figure out how to change my sleep habits or maybe baby boy is telling me he will be a night owl party boy. Monkey and Punkydoodles are both very early risers. Random Girl sleeps til 7 or 8 so I’m in trouble if Trei is a night baby. You could write a book about the non-infected ZOMBIE MOMMY.
Good morning/good night, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite….zzzzzzzz

Wordless Wednesday Baby Face

Although its Wordless Wednesday, I know ultasounds can be hard to figure out. This is baby boy’s chubby little face.

Trei

All about the number

As you all know, I am pregnant with our fourth child and have roughly 12 weeks left. With our first, we had everything completely done by this point in our pregnancy. The crib, bedding, car seat, stroller, diapers, wipes, clothes, everything you could think of that a baby *might* need. The diaper bag was stuffed to the rim with as much stuf that would fit into it. I even had baby wash for that ‘just in case’ moment. My hospital bag was sitting by the door with the diaper bag. I had shampoo/conditioner, makeup, nursing gowns that was so pretty and frilly, lotion, nursing supplies, socks, robes, blah blah blah. I was super prepared.
What I wasn’t prepared for was the super unpreparedness. I did shower after I had our first and put on my pretty, frilly nursing gown, only to have nurses come in and mash around on me making me need many more showers. Then, once I got settled, I didn’t care about my makeup or my lotion. I wanted sleep. I had some demerol during labor but that was it. I was exhausted from the delivery. I did really good to get my hair brushed.
As for the baby, she cried all the time. I didn’t know how to dress a newborn or change that ewey diaper. After a few weeks though, her diaper bag all but disappeared. I threw a few diapers in my purse, I had travel sized diaper ointment and kept a change of clothes on the console of the car.
With baby number two, we were living with my mother-in-law. We borrowed a portacrib from a friend, had diapers, hand-me-down clothes from child 1 and I was going to nurse. Everything was good til we discovered that child 2 had protein intolerance. I did the best I could to change my diet but it wasn’t enough. We had to put her on a very expensive formula. We spent more money on her formula in a month than the food bill for the entire family of 6 living there. That’s when we began cloth diapers. I found an organization that would give you cloth if your exspenses were more than your bring home. I also found some old, used ones that needed some stitches here and there. Eventually she outgrew the intolerance but we kept the diapers, I had fell in love with them.
When number 3 came along, we didn’t have a bed, no disposable diapers, no winter clothes (the other 2 were spring babies) no wipes, car seat was in the storage building, so on and so forth. We were still two weeks from our due date. I had nothing but my nightshirt on when I went to the hospital. Child 3 was born within 2 hours after getting there at 2am. I was put in a room, I cleaned up, got a nap and they brought baby to me. Hubs went home to tell the family that we had the baby in the night and to bring me some clothes. By the time he was back at the hospital, the nurses had got baby some clothes to wear, an extra pack of diapers and wipes, four extra blankets and were trying to find me some scrubs to put on. I was discharged. From midnight to 9am, everything was good, I was a previous parent, my labor and delivery was textbook easy, I had breezed through the night with no problems so they let me go. On the way home, hubs bought me a jacket and the baby some clothes.
I think we have went from being over prepared to not at all prepared and I have to say, my last birth was the best. I guess it’s all in the numbers. I am more prepared with this one than last but I’m not worried about what I do and don’t have. We have a wonderful family that is and will be taken care of. As far as diapers, we can stop at the store on the way home ;o)~

 

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Need a break

Ever think well, it’s time to take a break. We all do. But what do you do when you need a mental break? Most people go to work to get a break from home and go home to get a break from work. I don’t have that option as much as I like sometimes. By choice, we are a one car family and I’m a stay at home mom. I don’t have playdates because I’m not the most reliable person with only one car. My husband works 50-60 hours a week so there isn’t much time there. My oldest has to be on the bus by 6:30am and the other two usually get up as soon as they hear the door close.
My day has started. The girls are ready to eat in their sleep and with a family of 5, there is always laundry and dishes. (I don’t even pretend to get all that done) The majority of the day all I hear is “MOMMY SHE TOUCHED ME! MOMMY SHE’S SINGING! MOMMY SHE TOOK MY…” the list can keep going but I’m sure you get the idea.
Here lately, my youngest has got very clingy. All that she ever says is “mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy.” She repeats this a million times over and over. If I answer, she continues to say it. If I don’t answer, she continues to say it. My mind has become mush with the pregnancy and I don’t have the patience to find this cute in any way. She has also started copying everything her sisters say or do. So I still get everything repeated. I feel like I’m snowballing downhill fast.
My resolution for now is putting them in their room or outside, only to come in to eat and drink. (They keep water in a cup outside at all times.) We try to stay strict to bathtime and bedtime. We still do night love. Other than that, they are somewhere playing together. I make them solve their own fights and disagreements.
Am I the only one that feels buried under everything? Am I selfish to need time to myself to think (or not think at all)? Am I doing this all wrong? What do think?

Mommy’s Kissies

I’ve noticed lately, just how much I kiss. Not in the romantic way but in the Mommy way. I give good morning kisses, good night kisses, just because kisses, bribery kisses, just about any kinda reason kisses. But the best kisses are the boo boo kisses. The smallest of our three right now just turned two. She is still learning steps, running, jumping and all kinds of fun new things. With that being said, we get lots of boo boo’s. I can always tell by the scream or cry if it’s a boo boo. I’ve kissed fingers, toes, ears, elbows, knees, ankles, noses, you name it, I’ve just about kissed it. This is the best part. The conversation that happens. “What’s wrong my baby? Did you get hurt?” “Mommy, I gut boo boo, right here, my finger, it hurt mommy, kiss it pease!” (Tears rolling down her dirty face) I kiss it and it’s like this miracle. There are no tears, no more crying, nothing but this amazing smile. I ask her if mommy made the boo boo go away with her kiss and she always says, “boo boo all better, thank you mommy! Gonna go play!” With that she is off to play and get another boo boo. I love being a Mommy.