The worst part about this labor was that I wasn't able to eat more than broth and jello all day, so by 11 when things started going, I was weak and exhausted. As usual for my labors, I got nauseous soon after the contractions started getting harder. During Austin's birth the Zofran helped and I could concentrate on getting through the contractions, but not this time! The Zofran didn't work very well, so I got to deal with all the vomiting as well. After a couple hours I started shaking like crazy, which I don't usually do until after the baby is born. It made for another interesting detail in the whole L&D. Looking back, the actual active labor part was only about 5 hours, which technically would be my shortest labor, but it was definitely the hardest! Things felt like they were moving slow in this process and I almost couldn't do it without the epidural, but I knew I was getting somewhere and that if I got the epidural, it would only make it longer. Eventually, I got to push, which was also the hardest ever. I had a "lip" at a 9, so the doctors had to push that aside for a couple of pushes. At this time I was on oxygen because the baby's heart rate was going down. I only had to push 5 or 6 times, which is more than I usually do, but still not very much, though it felt like the hardest thing in the world! I was so tired and I wasn't sitting up enough. Then they freaked me out by saying I had to push him out now or they would have to get the vacuum because he wasn't coming fast enough. That must have done it for me. I used every last bit of strength I had to push that 8 pound 4 oz. baby out who was 22 inches long! No wonder he was so hard to get out! I honestly don't know where he went in my belly. He didn't seem much bigger than Austin and he moved around so much like he had all the space in the world! We are so grateful to have him here and part of our family. It made for a very special Thanksgiving.
He doesn't look like Austin at all. He looks the most like Victoria when she was a baby.
I love this turkey bum!
Victoria wants to hold him every second she can. Who can blame her?
Karissa wanted to share her bears with him.
We were so lucky to have Gramms and Abuelo here to help with the kids. Abuelo had to go back already, but we're glad he was here and are grateful for all the work he did. Gramms gets to stay another week, which will save me. She has done a ton so far. Thanks Gramms!
Unfortunately, my batteries ran out, so we missed the cute outfit and didn't get to take a picture of the group. Thanks to Cindy, Cathy, Cathy, Dianna, Leah, and of course Rachel and Teresa for the good time! Others who didn't make it, but contributed, thank you too!
green
brown
This is me at 37 1/2 weeks along.
Even though I was thinking ahead to the baby and the holidays immediately following his birth, Halloween still happened here. I let Jason carve the pumpkin with the kids this year.
Karissa really wanted to be a unicorn this year, luckily I found a costume for her at the thrift store.
She enjoyed her Halloween fiesta and learned how to say, "Dulces, por favor!"
Victoria wanted to be a skeleton. I found this shirt at the thrift store, the pants as well, but I had to paint on the rest of the bones from the pelvic down. It turned out pretty good. This was at the church party.
For the trunk-or-treat at the church party, Austin was in awe at all the kids in their costumes and getting handed candy at every car.
Here's at Victoria's school parade.
right before trick-or-treating with Bethany- Austin finally let me put whiskers and a nose on him!
He was a trooper. He walked the whole way, even though Jason said he was acting tired. He wanted to earn his candy! He couldn't even look at me long enough to take his picture when he got back. He just had to have that sucker. Happy Halloween!
Karissa's preschool went on a field trip to an apple orchard and she got to pick an apple.
Here is Karissa with her favorite friend and classmate, Sophie, waiting to learn about the orchard.
The wagon ride through the orchard was Austin's favorite.
They also got to pick a pumpkin.
"Driving" a tractor was another highlight for Austin.
On another day, we went to a cider mill so Jason and Victoria could go. You can't go to these places without getting a doughnut and cider. Austin likes the cider better than the doughnuts.
I think it was also inspired by the fact that her two best friends from last year, both boys from her class at school and church, didn't come to her party because she had a Girl's Rock party. Well, they have both since moved (boo!) so they couldn't come, but luckily we have a new good friend, who is also a neighbor, that could be invited to this gender-neutral party. She did invite another boy from class, but he couldn't come. So it was just Jaden and the girls, and Austin of course!
We played pin the patch on the pirate.
We walked the "plank".
Played hot potato with pirate music, decorated our treasure hunt bags, and had a treasure hunt, which was the highlight of the party, I think. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the hunt as I was so involved in reading the clues to them and chasing after them all over the house and yard as they frantically searched for the clues. The treasure was hidden in a hole in the ground under some ground cover in the backyard. I had a giant spray-painted X over the area. Here's the treasure box after we had emptied most of it. That was all there was, though, just chocolate coins, necklaces, and some gems. The kids loved the chocolate coins! They also got them as prizes for the games.
Here's all of our pirates!
One of Victoria's favorite gifts was this Build-a-Bear cat that we sewed and stuffed today. She enjoyed her pirate party and the nice gifts she got from her friends.
