Outnumbered

Confession.

Nikki — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:40:06 +0000

While I was pregnant, I often worried about managing with four kids. Four small kids. I knew it was going to be a bit crazy.
But I have a confession.
I know it’s only been a week, but it’s been awesome. It’s been so nice having Ivy at home with us. The boys have welcomed her and loved her and been their normal little selves, which is all I could ask for. Ivy herself has been nothing but lovely. She sleeps well and eats well. We’ve barely heard a peep out of her since she’s been born. She’s making life with four kids very easy so far.
I really feel like I’ve just floated happily through the last week. We’re in a nice little babymoon, and I love it.
And I don’t want you to think I’m bragging or that I’m super mom, I’m just saying that maybe I psyched myself up a bit for what I thought could be pure craziness, when it’s really been nothing like that. Or maybe we’re just used to the craziness, and it works well for us now. We’re in crazy mode and we know how to deal with it.
I will say that I’ve been working extra hard to be extra organized. I think that’s just the way it has to be if I don’t want to lose my mind. I will also say that I’ve been so blessed by family and friends bringing meals and snacks- I haven’t really had to cook at all in the last week, and shouldn’t have to for awhile by the looks of it.
I will also say that I’m not naive, and I know the crazy days will come. Probably sooner than later. But I think we can deal with it. We’re a happy, happy family.
And happy one week Ivy!
I’m sure there’s never been a sweeter daughter.

Love.

Nikki — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:09:54 +0000

Labor is a terribly hard thing. It hurts a lot. It makes you crazy. It’s scary. Sometimes you think you just can’t do it, even though you know you will.
When I went into labor with Ivy, it started off with a bang. It freaked me out a little bit- all of a sudden it was happening. Or was it? Those contractions had me feeling stressed out and excited and worried and all kinds of things. I knew things were going to get a lot worse before they got better.
Labor is sort of a pain and nitrous oxide-induced blur to me.
One constant, one thing, that I can remember clearly from that very first contraction until that very first baby’s cry, is Neil. He was always there. Right there. Never more than a step away. I bossed him around, and held onto him, and maybe yelled at him, I don’t even know what I said to him. I don’t even think I said much. He didn’t say much either, but he didn’t have to. He was just there.
And even though I was in so much pain, and I was so scared, I can really remember thinking that I really love Neil. I love him so much.
I love him for making all these babies with me, and for being the most brilliant father to them. I love him for supporting me through four labors and four deliveries. I love his excitement at every birth, and his immediate love for each of our newborn babies. I love that I can see how much he loves me, and how proud he is of me.
Even through the craziness that is labor, I remember thinking all of those things.
Because they’re really so true.

I love you, Neil. So much.

p.s. Did I tell you we hired a photographer to document our labor and delivery? No, I didn’t, because I thought you would probably think I was weird. But now that you’ve seen that picture, I bet you don’t. We’ve only seen a few sneak peeks so far, and it’s enough for us to know it was some of the best money we ever spent.

New family.

Nikki — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:18:04 +0000

We’ve been settling in over the last couple days. There have been some crazy moments (including the dog eating/ruining an expensive couch). But mostly our days were full of happy moments. We are all loving having our little peach at home, and there may not be much that is cuter than hearing Oliver say “Ivy”. I’m sure a lot of people thought we were crazy to be having a fourth child, ourselves included. But now we hold her in our arms and wonder how we ever thought our life was complete without her. We can’t stop staring at her and gushing over her and loving on her. She’s just the perfect addition to our family.
Wow, that is a lot of kids though, right? And is it me or did Oliver just double in size since Ivy was born?
The kids have all taken turns holding their little sister. Seth is always happy to hold her. Ben has needed a bit more coaxing, like he’s a bit afraid of her. But today he was asking to hold her and then proceeded to have a happy little cuddle with her.
Oliver watched his brothers and then quickly settled himself in to a comfy spot and reached out to hold her. At which point I died over the cuteness that is my children.
Feeling so blessed.

Bedtime stories.

Nikki — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:19:39 +0000

Born.

Nikki — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:35:01 +0000

January 18, 2012.
1:43 am.
7 lb 7 ounces.
19 3/4 inches.

Welcome, Ivy James.

Ankies.

Nikki — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:32:17 +0000

Before Christmas, Oliver was a bit sick. He spent a lot of time resting on the couch. He really liked laying with a pillow and being covered up with a blankie. Soon enough he started asking for a “ankie” every time we were on the couch.
And so we’d cover him up with a blankie and he’d lay there all cozy. Gosh I wish I was 20 months old. It seems like a really good time in life. Too bad we don’t even remember being that age, because I really think it must be one of the best ages to be.
Anyway, I think Oliver and his “ankie” are pretty darn cute. That’s all. But you know what’s not that cute? A baby that doesn’t nap. Because he slept for 2.3 minutes in the van on the way home and is now completely refreshed. Oliver has always been an absolute champ when it came to transferring from a vehicle to a bed. Until this last week or so. Now teeny-tiny-naps are just the perfect amount for him, apparently. So when I try to get him in his crib, he’ll sleep through me taking his boots off, zipping him out of his coat, and taking off his hat and mitts, but as soon as I lay him down, he’s wide awake. WHY!? I’ve just been leaving him in there playing or talking so I can at least rest a bit, but still, what the heck? And then usually what happens is I have a very tired little toddler who later falls asleep on the couch watching Sesame Street.
Good thing he’s cute because this is pretty much the worst timing in the world for him to give me trouble with his naps (and going to bed at night too- but that’s another whiny story I’ll spare you this time). Oh well!
And yes, I’m still pregnant. If I make it to tomorrow, which is looking pretty darn likely, this pregnancy will be a record-breaker for me. Patience, patience, patience.

38 weeks.

Nikki — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:04:21 +0000

Here we are at 38 weeks.
Seth was born at 38 weeks on the nose.
Benjamin was born at 38 weeks plus one day.
Oliver was born at 38 weeks plus two days.
So obviously the only logical thing to assume is that this baby will be born in three days.
Because babies always come exactly when they are expected, right?
Okay, obviously they don’t. They come whenever the heck they want to.
Hopefully that’s in 3 days, but at the most she’ll be here in 3 1/2 weeks or so, right?
I’m trying to be patient about this baby’s imminent arrival. I’ve had some rough evenings and sleepless nights, but mostly I feel pretty good and I’ve had some good sleeps too. I can’t really complain.
So I’ll keep waiting and hoping.
And either way, it won’t be long.

Big news!

Nikki — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:32:02 +0000

Since he was little little, Ben’s had a “gigi”. It’s a little lovey blankie that he hasn’t been able to sleep without since he was 4 or 5 months old. He started calling it his gigi before he was a year old. He would jam a quarter of that blankie way into his mouth and suck on it all night long. In the morning it would be all damp and gross and smelly and I had to wash it almost every day. Of course we had a back-up so he had a clean one at nap time, or if in case, God forbid, one got lost. Of course we HAVE lost gigis, and had to replace the back-up gigis. Which was difficult and expensive because gigi was actually a gift for Seth before Seth was even born. So the $10 gigi from Target was of course no longer available anywhere except at exorbitant prices on eBay. Where we ended up having to purchase two over the years, spending about $40 each time. Sheesh.

Anyway, the big news is…

no more gigi!

A couple weeks ago Neil and I went on a date, and I had taken gigi out of Ben’s bed and put him in the wash. Spare gigi was in Ben’s pajama drawer, and Ben always knew where “clean gigi” was, and often went looking for clean gigi at bedtime if he thought the other gigi was “too stinky”. Anyway, gigi was not in Ben’s bed. When we came home that night and I checked in on all my sleeping kids I noticed that Ben was sleeping without his gigi. I took the spare one out of his drawer and put it in Neil and my room so that when Ben started crying in the middle of the night for his gigi, we would have it handy and could bring it to him quickly without disturbing our sleep too much. But then, Ben never woke up crying for it. He slept all night without it. So in the morning I rewarded him with Skittles of course. Ben told me very bravely that he had wanted to cry for his gigi when he went to bed, but that he didn’t. I asked him if he could be brave again that night, and he said he could. And sure enough, he went straight to sleep without his gigi and woke up to Skittles for the next couple mornings.

Now it’s been a couple weeks and he sometimes still tries to get a treat out of us, but treats no more. He’s a big kid now, with no gigi. It makes me happy, because gigi was kind of gross and a bit of a pain, always trying to remember it if we went anywhere overnight. But it also makes me a bit sad, because it means Ben’s growing up. He was always so cute with his gigi.

Not to worry though, we’ve still got gigi in the family…

Now tell me, how many of you saw the title of this post and thought I was going to tell you my water broke or we had the baby or something? Gotcha!

Healthy hearts.

Nikki — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:02:41 +0000

Yesterday Benjamin and Oliver had appointments for echocardiograms, which is basically an ultrasound of their hearts.
Benjamin’s was a follow-up to an echo he had done before he was a year old. At that time it showed a small hole in his heart that usually would have been closed up by then, but was not. It was not worrisome but he needed a follow-up three years later to see that it had closed up.
Oliver was having an echocardiogram because his doctor heard a heart murmur at his last regular check-up.
Considering it takes a couple months to get an appointment, it was a real blessing that Ben’s three year follow-up fell right at the time Oliver’s was scheduled, so everyone could just go together.
Neil came with us, because three kids is a lot to handle in that sort of situation. Mostly just the parking, walking in the freezing cold, managing all those coats/boots/mitts, and that sort of thing. The kids were totally fine with all the medical stuff.
They got their blood pressures taken. They’ve never had this done before. Oliver went first. You would have thought we checked his blood pressure every day. He didn’t mind at all. Ben was the same.
Then it was time for their echos. Oliver went first again.
Honestly, you’d have thought we’d taken him to the spa or something. He lay there on the table so relaxed and quiet, watching his heart pumping away on the screen. He didn’t move a muscle.
Ben was very actually really excited for his turn. He was sure his heart was going to be “really big”. I know that it is.
After their echos we waited awhile for the cardiologist to review the results. Then she came and checked the kids over. The kids are so good with doctors; I’m always so proud of them.
Anyway, Oliver and Ben are healthy children with perfectly normal hearts. Just as I expected. Oliver’s heart murmur is a benign vibration-y thing that may come and go until he’s about 8 or 10 years old. By then it should be gone for good.
Healthy hearts, just as I suspected.

It’s ready.

Nikki — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:06:37 +0000

The room is ready. Ready enough anyway. It’s got new paint, new lighting, new curtains, and a sort-of-new lamp. It needs a shelf, but I’m callin’ it ready.
And I love it. Want a tour? Before we started, the room was just a plain box painted greige, the same color as the rest of our house. I liked the color, but it wasn’t doing it for me for a babies’ room. So now…

It might look a little boring to you. No, there’s no pink. Not really anyway. There’s not really any fancy schmancy. But we’re not that fancy schmancy so it works I think. Besides, Oliver and the new baby will be sharing, and I don’t think he’d want it too frou frou.
On to the tour.
Curtains! I bought this fabric online- it’s Echo by Lotta Jansdotter. I love it. I wish I’d got more, because I barely had a scrap worth saving after making the curtains. See that pretty pleat? I made back tabs! (google it). These were so easy to make and I love the way they hang. And don’t you love the new curtain rod? I think it goes really nicely with our new light fixture…. Don’t you love it? Oh, what’s that? Oh, that’s a purple ceiling! Isn’t it awesome?! I was always planning on painting the room white, but a brilliant friend of ours suggested painting the ceiling a nice color, and we love it. It’s one of our favorite parts of the room.
I had a cheap little Ikea lamp that we’ve had hanging around for basically forever. I found a pretty idea for a lampshade DIY on Pinterest. So an evening of hot glue and strips of fabric, plus a little white spray paint, and voila…It’s probably the prettiest thing in the room. And it was basically free!
By the way, why had no one ever told me how fun spray paint was before? Check out these awesome frames: Believe me, they were not so awesome before. They were various shades of yucky gold or silver or something. I picked them up cheap at HomeSense, Neil added some spray paint, and now they’re beautiful! I’m lovin’ the white frames on the white wall. Once the baby comes, I’d like to swap out a photo with a lovely little set of pink baby footprints. For now we’ve got a print I bought from a shop on Etsy, a couple photos of newborn Oliver, an original painting (by Oliver), and a swatch of fabric. I think it’s a nice mix.
Hmmm, what else? Oh yeah, I made my own chalkboard paint! Then painted a sweet chalkboard on the wall by the closet. It’s pretty fun.
What else? Oh, a pile of pretty flannel swaddling blankets. Oh I hope I get to swaddle this baby in one them soon. Like, very soon. Please.
So that’s about it. Oh but Oliver needed something new too, right? He loves pillows, and he’s big enough for one of his own now. I sewed up a nice new pillowcase for him. He loved it. So that’s it. Do you like it as much as I do? If you’re wondering where the baby will sleep in this new room of hers, she probably won’t for awhile. She’ll have to make do in a pack’n'play in her parents bedroom for awhile. If she’s a good lil sleeper (which is unlikely given this family’s track record) she can move into the nice new room pretty soon. I’m hoping to have Oliver in a bed in 6 months or so, and then the baby can have the crib. And everyone will sleep soundly all night in their pretty new room, right?
Right?