5 weeks

today sweet buttercup is 5 weeks old.  she's also a month and 4 days old.  she's also very cute and sweet. 
[insert 5 week pic here]
but she's not the only one in my life!

wolfie started martial arts at the beginning of this month.  she has karate on monday and wednesday from 7-8.  she's doing extreme martial arts (xma) on tuesday and thursday, which is like a jackie chan type of gymnastic/martial arts form from 5-6.  on friday she's learning some other gymnastic type of funness and a weapon's class (2.5 hours of 3 classes: 4:30-7).  on saturday she has a class of self defense called krav maga from 10-11.  all these are helping her get into shape, but also teaching her some good self discipline and respect.  next month (i think) she's going to narrow down her classes to one or two of the arts to pursue. 

binkins lost another tooth.  she's reading like a pro and is super excited to dig into chapter books finally.  she LOVES to hold her sister and help out in any other way, especially if it means not doing what she's supposed to be doing. 

jones was the little red hen in his kindergarten visual arts performance.  it was really cute.  unfortunately i didn't get any good pictures, but i was there, so i'll just testify to its cuteness!  he's reading early reader books and unlike his two big sisters, doesn't get frustrated with it.  he's great!!!  also jones started t-ball the week before buttercup was born.  it's a hoot to watch 4-6 year-olds learn the sport.  they all clock out almost simultaneously after about 30 or 45 minutes.  but he's learning and they're improving. 

boo has cut naps out of her day now for sure.  she needs quiet time but doesn't do very well at it either.  she has started sleeping in 'till about 8:30ish, but she doesn't go to bed early either... i don't think it's really that healthy, but i can't force the girl to sleep!

starboy loves being a big brother.  he likes to boss his baby around, but he also absolutely LOVES to kiss and pet her.  all the kids really like to hold buttercup.  starboy is going through a rough phase and we're adjusting our training methods with him.  he's a good, sweet boy, but he's learned quite a bit of stubborn naughtiness somewhere (i can't imagine where though!)
[insert pop and i pic here]
otter pop and i have little bit been looking for a home to buy.  it may be 6 months up to 18 month until we get one, but it doesn't hurt to look around and see what's out there. 

i'm still really juggling around the mom duties and staying sane, but it's getting better each week.  all the running around is new and crazy and i certainly don't love it, but i do it and then we scrounge for dinner each night because that's what i SHOULD be doing... 
[insert dinner pic here]
so, on to that... dinner... because that is what i should be doing right now!

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

4 weeks post partum and 4 weeks old

Total weight gain: i  weighed myself at my mother-in-law’s house last week and I was down to my approximate pre-pregnancy weight.  that would be about 20-30 lbs over what i should be as a normal healthy 30-y-o woman .

Maternity clothes:  currently I’m finding myself in between maternity clothes and regular garb.  I haven’t changed out my wardrobe yet, so I’m still sporting around my summer maternity ware happily because I don’t get to wear it much and it doesn’t look that bad on me right now.  I think this next week I’ll do a switcheroo of my closet though because my summer maternity ware isn’t very voluptuous.   

Stretch marks:  they sure look funny now that they’re not all stretched out.  My belly is at a very jiggly stage.   I am planning on loosing approximately 20-30 pounds and wonder what it’ll look like then!!!    

Sleep:  i sure love to sleep on my back and all stretched out again!  Oh… it feels glorious!  I can sleep however I want and it is so comfortable!  I sleep from about 10pm until about 3-4-5am each night interrupted.  At about 3-4-5am I have a little whimper wake me and I gladly wake right up and feed the whimperer.      
Best moment this week:  I got my birth pictures back (via a slide show).  It was so amazing to watch the show and reminisce the birth of sweet princess buttercup.  Otter pop and I have watched it several times almost every night since we got it.  Wow.  What a great way to preserve such a miracle memory!!!!

Miss anything:  I miss my moving belly.  I love having the baby on the outside of me, but I love being pregnant and I already miss that big kicking squirming belly to rest my bowl on.  J
Movement:  the only movements I get nowadays are bowel movements.  And they’re rather regular. 
Food craving:  wow.  YES!  Peanut butter!  Peanut butter and graham crackers to be specific, but peanut butter on waffles will work, as will peanut butter and jelly sandwiches…  It’s really rather weird.  I’ve never liked peanut butter.  But I do now, and I think I might have to give it up!

Anything making you queasy or sick:  nothing abnormal.
Gender: female.
Labor Signs:  nothing.  Well, I am bleeding a little still.  But just barely and I don’t think that’s a labor sign anyway. 

Symptoms:  no more heartburn, no contractions every day (or any day), no large and heavy pregnant belly, no sore back from the large and heavy belly, no cervix pain with (or without) the contractions, no energy loss, no butt-hook, no shortness of breath, and no complete lack of motivation almost all of the time (or any of the time), no swollen ankles and feet...  nothin' worth complaining about.  In fact, nothin’ at all!!!
Belly Button in or out?  in
Wedding rings on or off? on.  Happy or Moody most of the time:  happy, but with twinges of unexpected and unpredictable grumps throughout each day.  This is one thing that HASN’T changed in the past two months.  L 
Looking forward to:  the journey of mothering 6 fine children!  So far it’s been great!

My biggest adjustment has been managing my time.  Since I was diagnosed with major butt-hook for the last 2 (at least) months of my pregnancy –getting worse and worse as the days went by--- I’m not having a hard time sitting down to nurse my babe every 4 hours.  In fact that’s been the easiest thing to do.  The thing I’ve had a hard time doing is anything else.  I just have still been in the butt-hook groove of sitting and cuddling and hanging out with my wee ones on the couch.  That is, until about a week and a half ago when I realized what kind of slump I was in and started working on it.  Now I’m trying to find the happy medium where I’m productive with the time that I’m not boob-hooked and where I don’t get so wrapped up in getting all this stuff done that I haven’t been able to do for months and realize I have several little ones around me needing guidance, training, and lovins.  And then to beat that over the head for me, the weather has also warmed up (greatly… as in the 80s) and the outside work is now calling my name too… and the outside play.  So, I’m trying to write up a list of things to-do each day and get them done AND get some play time in as well.  It just doesn’t seem like there are enough hours in my day…  crazy how things can turn around in just a month’s time.

So now onto the 4-week-old part of this post:

Buttercup lost the top part of her hair this past week.  It, literally, came out in the wash.  I was giving her a bath and swiped the washcloth over her head to wash her hair and off swiped the hair instead of whatever it was I could clean out of it (as if it even NEEDED cleaning!!!!)  I was so sad –and shocked!  I just wanted to un-swipe it back on.  Seriously.  L

Buttercup has really started sleeping even better at night and then waking up with some major happy face.  It’s so adorable.  We all love to gawk at her smilin’ face and smile back and giggle at her.  She’s a doll!  The past few nights she’s stretched her 6 hours out to 8 and even 9…  it’s nice of her and I appreciate it. 

We had  a baby shower this past week.  It was given to me by a dear friend who I love so much.  It was the most fun party I’ve ever gone to and it was great that I knew everyone there!!!  I love parties like that… they’re never like that though.  But this one was.  It was great also because we didn’t sit around pretending like we’re ladies and such… we all got to make sweet buttercup some onesies.  You heard me right.  We made onesies at a baby shower!  I tell you, this party-throwin’ lady is AWESOME!  Anyway I left feeling totally blessed and loved… and then the next morning it hadn’t warn off.  I just had a great big smile and a happy warm and fuzzy feeling inside of me.  It was great.

buttercup is nice and alert.  she likes to have her "awake" time although she's still sleeping for the majority of the day.  she has beautiful big, alert eyes that are starting to focus in on objects.  it's cute.  she knows who i am and finds me when i'm close enough for her to see.  i like that. 

i have had to start using two wipes on a few of buttercup's diapers... so that says a little something about her growth.  right?

And then last, but certainly not least, as buttercup hit her 4^th week birthiversary she (and we) welcomed a new member into our family: Buttercup’s little cousin was born!!!!  Yeah for cousins being born!!!  It was a special delivery 4 weeks after buttercup and nearly identical ---well, very similar I guess--- birth stats.  It’s great to see pictures of a ‘nother newborn weighing almost the same and measuring out almost the same as my not-so-newborn (comparatively at least).  We’ve seen pictures, but even better, we (buttercup, otter pop, and i) get to meet her in person in a few days.  ---I know this because I’m writing this post as we drive to see her… I just am going to post it when I should have -2 days ago.  So, I’ll make sure and get pictures galore of the two sweet cousins together.  How exciting!!!

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

gratituesday : music

i love music.  of all sorts.  it's so uplifting.  i'm thankful that it's important to God.  He made us musical.  He created us to enjoy and participate in music, i'm sure of it.  i even picture Him creating us to music... way back when. 
i love to watch little ones around music.  my little ones can't control their hips around music, and if they recognize the tune or lyrics they can't control their lips either. 
thank you, Lord for MUSIC!


Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

3 weeks

it's been 3 little weeks since buttercup has joined us, her family, on the outside of my body.  here's what we think of her:
starboy:  she's really aweeesa.  i lub her.  she's my favorite.
boo:  i really love she and she so cute.  i hope she don't cries.  she's just my little sister and my sweetie.  shes eyes are so cute. 
jones:  she's so cute.  her feet are soooo tiny.  i wish she could grow up to play the wii.  i like to hold her because her face is so cute. 
binkins:  fine.  good.  she's so sweet.  she's an angel.
wolfie:  she's small and fragile.  she's quiet. 
me:  she's awfully sweet. 
otter pop:  i love her, she's the sweetest thing God put a nose on. 

i had to take the sweet cute little one to the dr today.  she started complaining yesterday and wanting to be held in a specific way.  she's had a little nagging pathetic baby-cough for the past week... i kinda thought she might have an ear ache...  she did and she does.  and she now weighs a whopping 9lb.7oz.  ---she's really packing on the weight!!!  (sarcasm)

her belly button still kinda looks weird, but it's an innie now, so that's nice.

her hair is growing nicely.  she's a definite fuzz head now.

she poops and pees regularly.  is healthily hydrated.  and she needs a bath...

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

gratituesday : sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows

i love the sunshine.  i love the way it warms the air.  i love the way it makes your skin feel.  i love the way it makes my heart happy.  i am so thankful to have it's appearance every few days especially lately as it's really been warming up the season.  thank you, God for making such a bright and warm star just close enough to do a perfect job at what the sun does, but just far enough away to still do a perfect job at what it does. 
i love my kids and boy do they ever love lollipops!  so i'm thankful for such an easy sweet treat to give my kiddos to perk them up and let them know i love them.  of course they know that if i never gave them another lollipop that i'd still love them too... 
and rainbows... how could someone NOT love rainbows.  they are one of God's prettiest creations and then above that, they remind us of His promise... all of his promises, and his faithfulness.  because he is, in fact faithful!
so, thank you Lord, for: sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows!!!!  i am so grateful.

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

E.A.S.T.E.R.

some people ditch the traditional "easter" and replace it with "resurrection day".  i don't.  but it's not because i don't believe that Jesus was resurrected.  i do!  i'm just a little more traditional, i guess. 

E is for EVERYONE.  Jesus died for everyone.  every single last one of us...
A is for ATONEMENT.  atonement means the satisfaction for a wrong.  it's like a bail out.  Jesus' death on the cross is our atonement for our sins.  He died to FORGIVE every single sin we confess and ask forgiveness for!
S is for SALVATION.  Jesus died for everyone, to forgive our sins.  we all are sinners.  not a single one of us has lived a blameless life...  through his forgiveness, we can have salvation!
T is for THANKSGIVING.  the thanks we should have for His gift of salvation is immeasurable.  He died to save us from hell.  hell is the eternal separation from God after our earthly body dies...
E is for ETERNAL LIFE.  the gift is this:  through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are allowed eternal life...  by eternal life, i mean that after our earthly body dies, our souls can be united with God in heaven, spending the rest of eternity worshipping and praising Him, the ONE TRUE GOD. 
R is for RECEIVE.  only those who accept the gift by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ shall be given the gift.  i hope that YOU will accept HIS gift, through faith, and RECEIVE eternal life in Heaven!

do you want scriptural verses to back this poem up?  email me and i would be glad to lead your through His plan of salvation through His word, THE HOLY BIBLE. 

HAPPY EASTER! 

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

2 weeks

well, last week's "update" idea sucked.  and i didn't get any better ideas from my trusty readers... maybe i don't have any trusty readers...  :(
ok, so what is it that I WANT TO REMEMBER about the first two weeks?

hm...

well, after we got home from the hospital we realized that we really had created a sweet bundle of cuddle.  she LOVES to snuggle and it's so apparent -even in these first 2 weeks- that she loves to be touched, held, skin-to-skin.  we've had to wean her away from us, so that she'll sleep in her own bed at night.  i'm too paranoid to co-sleep, so when she demanded to be sleeping with us, it pretty much meant that she'd sleep and i'd just snooze a little off and on (in a sitting up position). 
buttercup came out of the womb ready to poop... in fact, she slipped a little out even while she was IN the womb.  but we went through a 20-pack of diapers in two days at the hospital.  they were poopy almost every single time!  just so you know, that is a lot of poopy diapers for a newborn!  since i breastfeed, i knew she wasn't really eating anything...  she was shrinking dramatically with the output and no intake!  at discharge i think they said she weighed 8lb. 10oz.
she was also very very gassy.  she'd let out these farts that could honestly clear the room if it weren't for her sweet cute face needing kissed 24/7.  when we got home, the second night she was in such pain from that rank smell eating her insides she cried for 3 hours straight.  that would have been rough even during the day, but it just so happened it was from 2 to 5 in the morning... on the night before otter pop's return to work!  it was heartbreaking.  and there wasn't anything i could do to help her...
my wonderful, awesome, sweet sister came up to help with the kiddos on the monday and tuesday after her birth.  -we were in the hospital until sunday evening.-  however, my mother-in-law decided that she wanted to keep the kiddos, so my sister came up anyway and brought all her cleaning supplies.  we got to hang out and then as i rested and recouped, she cleaned our house!  hot diggity dog i hit the jackpot when she was born!!!!!  (my sister, i'm referring to... but buttercup too.)
[insert aunT pictures here]
on wednesday, my mommy came to help, however my mother-in-law still had the kiddos... so once again, i was blessed with some great company!  we made a jont to the store and bought some items and played some games and had a gay old time... 
[insert mammy pictures here]
the kids got dropped off wednesday night and it was great to see them and for them to see us and really meet their baby sister.  they still, even now, are having a hard time calling her by her name.  they refer and introduce her as our new baby, buttercup!  it's kinda cute and i remember the same thing happening with starboy. 
boo and starboy were a bit under the weather with some nasty coughs.  boo was almost over it, but man that little starboy sounded like death had hit him as he'd get his cough attacks!  as the week progressed and the weekend drew nearer, jones and binkins also started the coughing.  my mom left on friday night and we entered the weekend ready for some fun. 
school resumed on monday and the kids were excited and ready to go back and tell everyone about their new baby sister. 
this past week has been a great one of adjusting and getting back into our routine.  the kids all have adjusted really really well to having a baby in the family again.  even little buttercup is adjusting great!  she is on a good routine with her napping and eating. 
she eats every 4 hours during the day and goes for 6 hours once during the night.  she poops and pees very very very very frequently.  she sleeps pretty much every 4 hours too.  it goes like this: eat, poop, eat, pee, look around... sleep. repeat. 
my milk came in and passed me right through engorgement very quickly.  by very quickly, i mean that i was swollen for about 24-48 hours tops.  i was given some supplements, by a friend, to help with with my supply as i have struggled to make enough milk with the others.  they definitely helped!!!  in the past few days i think i might be making a little too much as i'm feeling VERY full between feedings, or close to feeding time... 
sweet buttercup is so easy going.  she's a sweet sweet blessing to be around.  she had her blood test today where they prick her foot and fill up four circles with her blood... pku or something...  and she slept right through it!  i'm not kidding.  she didn't wake up at all.  she doesn't spit up ---first out of all of mine that hasn't.  she doesn't fuss much and when she does, it's not very loud.  she's tolerant of anyone holding her.  she's just fantastic.  she doesn't even ask for the pacifier! 

i've changed approximately 100 diapers as of tuesday...  thank the lord for saving money through cloth ones!!! 

anything else?  just ask!!!

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

gratituesday : raging hormones

this would be a "praising God through the storm" kind of gratituesday post.  i had forgotten what it's like to have a hormone-coaster ride.  when i was pregnant i felt like i couldn't contain my emotions... but post pregnancy. . . holy samoley! 
an example:  here's my laid back personality going for a stress attack...  just because the baby's crying and i'm trying to load the kids up in the car...  and no one has their shoes and socks on...  and we might be a little late...  and that baby's SAD!  (that's the trigger.)
i AM thankful that my body works properly and that after i have a baby everything races around trying to find normalcy.  God designed me just the way He wanted and it was right.  and it was good.  it IS good.  God is good.
i'm grateful to have grace given to me (from my husband.  and my kids.)  i am asking forgiveness a lot these days. 

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

random favorites

so, when she came out bald, it really threw me off.  she looked a lot different than i pictured her.  i called it a "weird look", but it has grown on me.  she's ADORABLE!  really...  so, to prove it, here are some favorite pictures from the past weekish:

i'll add some more -maybe tomorrow- because i think this has plenty!!!!

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 

homecoming!

when we brought buttercup home from the hospital, there was a big pink surprise waiting for us...



this card was adorable, it read: [anwat] hav a grat baby.

friday's to-do read: Mom - Have a Baby!!  :) 

 and then Finnagen got to meet our sweet new little addition.

 and later that night i ate my bouquet...  it was delicious!  (in case you can't see, it was a perfect arrangement of pineapple, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapes, and honey dew...  mmmmmmmmmmmmm!)

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

downloaded pix

welcome to our family sweet buttercup!
i've finally downloaded our pix off our camera.  so here's a recap:

FINALLY!

right after her first little bath

some sugar-sweet visitors

she hearts her auntie

SOME THINGS WE ADORE ABOUT HER:

 

 

 

 

more visitors

 GOING HOME!

...

more to come!

Try to remember, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."