we LOVE life

This year since Halloween was on Sunday so I switched days working so I could have Saturday off and worked Sunday. Saturday was a big day for us as Ryan was able to go our friend's sealing. They were able to adopt a newborn, 6 months ago and now legally have adopted their daughter so we are so happy for them! Also then on Sunday they were able to bless her! It was so precious and what a great experience for us to be here with them at this time in our lives!!

(Very excited to wear his backpack)

The Friday before school started they had a little meet and greet your teacher for a couple hours. I took Cooper to meet his teacher as his school had just called me Thursday and changed it. They said class sizes were getting too big and they added a new teacher. Cooper still says he isn't going to school but then I tell him he can't ride on the bus and he changes his mind so I am thankful for school buses! It is kind of annoying taking all 4 kids around the corner where everyone drives too fast every morning but it gets Cooper to school....You may be asking why don't I call and get it changed and believe you me I am trying! Cooper is the only one to get on the bus in the morning and the two other boys that get off in the afternoon live farther down on our street so there is no reason to keep the stop the same!! But they have bigger issues and they have to change their insurance to be covered on our street so it will be another three weeks before it is changed she said! GRRRR! Only reason I hate it is because it is 90 degrees outside at 7:56am when he catches the bus and about 105 on average when he gets off the bus at 3:50 and those are the times the bus is supposed to arrive (so I drive in the afternoon how bad is that?!) ....Let's just say it comes about 5 minutes later than scheduled...But it's better than in the beginning where it was about 10-15 minutes late picking up and dropping off...

First day of school Ryan took Cooper and they both did great! I thought I would be an emotional wreck but I did pretty good! Not sure if it was the lack of sleep or how much I loved how quiet the house was ... and still is :) Ryan also picked him up from school that day and what do you know...He got into trouble!! So everyday we ask him how his day was and then if he got into trouble! It is a little frustrating since he has only had one good day since last Monday. But he missed last Thursday and Friday because of a stomach / fever bug he and Reese came down with. Yuck! He is learning a lot and is really good in a lot of areas but having never been to preschool he is testing his boundaries.

I find it interesting that they did not do assessments here. Cooper did not have one but his teacher does evaluate them three times a year. I just hope that he can learn what he needs to and we can work with his teacher in any way to help him! I love him being at school and how tired it makes him but he is experiencing a lot which I know will help him grow in so many different ways!

The story is on Saturday July 24th I was kind of feeling crampy off and on all day but nothing consistent or painful. That night Ryan's mom, Dawn, flew in to stay the week with us! We picked her up from the airport then headed to our church for the Pioneer Celebration. We had dinner there and mingled then came home as we were all tired!

Sunday morning I woke up at 3:30am due to contractions. They weren't consistent and about 5 minutes apart so I just laid there until 4:30 Ryan woke up and I told him so of course he couldn't go back to sleep. Finally around 6am they were getting closer and more painful so Ryan told his mom and I finished packing the hospital bag. We arrived at the hospital at 6:30am and checked in but the first nurse we spoke to almost made it seem like they weren't going to take us! Ryan asked if we should go to another hospital but she was just confused as my doctor rarely delivers there but I was on the schedule Monday morning for an induction but they didn't have any of my paperwork. Turns out it was just sent to the hospital up north (same hospital just a different location which apparently happens all the time) so it was faxed down and they let me stay! Ryan and I had been told this hospital is not that busy and we would love it but for some reason there were lots of babies born days before us so it was busy...

They checked me and I was dilated to a 4 which never happens on my own! Usually a bath or breaking my water gets me past a 3!! After that exciting news the contractions were getting more intense and they put us in a room to deliver!! I received my epidural and the doctor who did it was amazing! I think it was the least painful one I have had and it worked great until the end! Finally around 11:30 my doctor came in and checked me but I was still about a 4 or 5 so he broke my water. About 10 minutes later when he came back to put in an internal pressure monitor to really measure the contractions I was already a 6!! Another hour later I was telling Ryan the contractions were getting painful not just pressure but pain! I have never felt that and so I called my nurse and asked her what it was and she said oh just contractions and I could up my epidural medicine if I wanted but Ryan suggested we get checked and I am glad he did because the baby was ready to come out!

She called my doctor who only lives a few miles away and in the mean time the baby was moving down and I was actually feeling the pressure to push. I didn't but that is a first also! Ryan and I go to church with the doctor and he is really laid back. Ryan asked if he could help deliver so they got him all prepped and Ryan and Dr. Nelson sat at the end of the bed and he talked Ryan through everything. Ryan did about 90% of the delivery. The doctor of course took the cord off from around the neck and turned the head a little so it would be down. I pushed once and the head was out. I started on a second push but was told to stop and I think that is when they took the cord off but then the shoulders came out. I kind of coughed / laughed and the rest of his cute little body was out! Ryan held him up and I couldn't believe it was a boy! Ryan usually is crying at that point but he was so excited and in shock both from I think doing the delivery and that it was a boy we just kept smiling! Next Ryan and Dr. Nelson cut the cord and this might be too much information for some but Ryan even delivered the placenta.

Ryker came out with peelie skin and long fingernails and our doctor was showing us how the placenta was showing signs of aging because he was full term! Dr. Nelson then hung out with us and we talked about a pediatrician and he recommended one which we really like. She performed his circumcision which we opted for in her office not the hospital but Ryker is already so tough he didn't even cry!!! But then he got a diaper rash that is the worst I have ever seen on my kids! We are still treating it but it isn't going away quickly poor guy!

We stayed 24 hours in the hospital which I am glad we did as I had a rough Sunday afternoon with cramping and sweating. Ryker did great and even pooped about 10 times while we were there. I had GREAT nurses the entire time! They were very informative and extremely friendly! Of course the food was decent but I didn't have high expectations as I was not that hungry the entire time I was there! Monday afternoon we had to wait to be released as Ryker's bilirubin level was a little low but he was fine when we took him to the doctor Wednesday. When we came home Monday afternoon two of the women from church made a huge, DELICIOUS meal for us. It had everything! It was also Dawn's birthday so she was excited to have a nice meal and we were glad that she at least had that for her birthday! We have been receiving meals since then and it is so nice not to have to cook every night. I think I have cooked twice since we have been home and Ryan has been able to take lots of time off work as he has a ton saved up! He goes back this next week but can come home if I need him...

Cooper, Chloe, and Reese all LOVE their little brother. Cooper is so happy that Heavenly Father answered his question if he could have a little brother! Chloe LOVES to hold him and is very good at it! She is always kissing him and hugging him and just loves to be with him. Reese keeps calling him "baby". She is always saying "hi baby" and kissing him! Ryker is great and rarely cries unless he has a dirty diaper or is hungry! Which reminds me of when he was first born he was just looking around and the baby nurse kept trying to make him cry and he wouldn't. She was a little nervous at first but that is how all our babies are!

The nurse was able to get some pictures and overall we had a great experience. Dawn was able to come and stay with us until this last Friday and was a huge help not only with the baby but also the three oldest. She had them all day Sunday while we were at the hospital and off and on she would watch them for us so we could run an errand or Ryker to the doctor. Ryan and Dawn took them to IKEA and swimming also. It is a lot to take these kids anywhere but they needed to get out of the house a few times! Thanks Dawn for coming down to Arizona!

Now here are all the pictures!!!!!

Cooper taking Reese around to the other parts of the water park!

Cooper trying to convince Reese to put her face in!

Chloe pretending to take a shower :)

The kids are getting used to the heat as it is over 100 degrees almost everyday and just too hot unless you are in the water and now the pool water is too warm....Sounds weird I know and I just experienced it but you really can't cool off in the pools!

The kids did do swimming lessons back in June but I didn't get any pictures...I was in the pool with Reese while Cooper and Chloe were in their own swimming classes. The kids did great and learned a lot about putting their heads in the water, what could happen in the deep water and of course some cute games to play in the water!

Sunday is our due date for this "surprise" baby! We still do not know what we are having when it comes to the sex of this baby but everything looks healthy as our three ultrasounds have shown! I do not have that motherly intuition and this pregnancy has been a combination of how I felt with Cooper and with the girls so I am really torn! I have been busy sewing lots of stuff for the baby and of course one for a boy and one for a girl of everything. We were going to be induced yesterday but my doctor didn't call in time so there was no room at the hospital. So unless I go on my own I wont have this baby until Monday the 26th. Makes me a little nervous since I think this baby is going to be on the bigger side...I know 8 pounds doesn't sound like much but it does to me!

This is the rag quilt I made for a girl, I didn't get a picture of the boy one...It is the first one I have ever done and it was fun! A lot of work but really cute in the end!!

This was taken this last Sunday and will be my last picture until baby is here :)

Cooper starts school on August 9th and is not very excited about it. Sometimes he wants to go but mostly he doesn't want to go so we are praying that he will change his mind once he starts and is riding the bus! It is all day kindergarten here so he will be gone most of the day which I am sad about because he is such a big helper to me but on the other hand I wont have to be yelling at him and Chloe to stop fighting! They really are getting along better especially when they are playing on pbskids.org together! It is really cute!

Watching the fireworks together!

Reese wondering where the sound was coming from during the fireworks...I think she had just taken a drink of water! And she WANTED to wear the monkey backpack we didn't make her!!