Monday, May 30, 2011
Fancy Wettin' Clothes
Here a few pics of the kids in their fancy wettin' clothes. I was super paranoid about getting something on them so they did a costume change before they got to roll down the hill at the reception. They were not too interested in posing for pictures either as you can see.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Goin' to the Chapel of Love
On Friday the 13th (ooooo spooky) we hit the road bound for T-town. We had a very important date to keep and we didn't want to be late. The kids travelled really well and most importantly, no one threw up. As soon as we arrived at the hotel, we ran into E squared and my Uncle Jon. From that point forward, the cousin love fest was on! There was bed testing,
hugging,
more bed testing,
holding "leeetle baybeez",
more hugging,
cheese faces,
and tv watching. This was a rare moment of stillness from these four.
Late on Friday night, after Finn and Chloe had tormented Molly the babysitter for a while, we let the kids in on a hotel secret. You can eat ice cream out of the carton if you want. They do not need to know that you can also do this at home.
I think they really liked it!
Saturday morning we ditched three of the kids with Aunt Sam and went to Target. To get there we had to drive past 15th Street and the tornado damage. More than two weeks had passed but it still took my breath away. Words are pretty inadequate since that town will never be the same. According to a sign in front of the rubble pile that was Krispy Kreme, they will be back. So will I and I can't wait to see that Hot Now sign flashing again.
After lunch, a short siesta, and a frenzied trip to the church I saw most of the wedding. I had to take Hutch out for a few minutes because he kept shoving his cup towards me saying "cheers!" loudly. Not exactly what you want the people around you to hear. The reception was a lot of fun and for a long time, the short cousins took over the dance floor.
There was also rolling down the hill (after a clothing change) and lots of yummy food. The kids even got to sit in the "limbo" and Chloe has requested one for her future wettin'.
Sunday morning we ate a late breakfast at IHOP and then went back to the hotel to pack up and take a few more pictures. For the record, there is one person we know that has less hair than Hutch.
A little more love for the "leeetle baybeez".
hugging,
more bed testing,
holding "leeetle baybeez",
more hugging,
cheese faces,
and tv watching. This was a rare moment of stillness from these four.
Late on Friday night, after Finn and Chloe had tormented Molly the babysitter for a while, we let the kids in on a hotel secret. You can eat ice cream out of the carton if you want. They do not need to know that you can also do this at home.
I think they really liked it!
Saturday morning we ditched three of the kids with Aunt Sam and went to Target. To get there we had to drive past 15th Street and the tornado damage. More than two weeks had passed but it still took my breath away. Words are pretty inadequate since that town will never be the same. According to a sign in front of the rubble pile that was Krispy Kreme, they will be back. So will I and I can't wait to see that Hot Now sign flashing again.
After lunch, a short siesta, and a frenzied trip to the church I saw most of the wedding. I had to take Hutch out for a few minutes because he kept shoving his cup towards me saying "cheers!" loudly. Not exactly what you want the people around you to hear. The reception was a lot of fun and for a long time, the short cousins took over the dance floor.
There was also rolling down the hill (after a clothing change) and lots of yummy food. The kids even got to sit in the "limbo" and Chloe has requested one for her future wettin'.
Sunday morning we ate a late breakfast at IHOP and then went back to the hotel to pack up and take a few more pictures. For the record, there is one person we know that has less hair than Hutch.
A little more love for the "leeetle baybeez".
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Other Stuff
This is a catch up on a LOT of other stuff post. I missed a few events before and after the birth of the tiny boy so here you go. I know you don't want to miss a thing.
The tee ball season ended with a bang. Or was it a whimper? The days had gotten progressively hotter so I know at least two of the Diamond Dolls who wilted in their positions. After receiving her trophy, Finley said they had it all wrong. "I'm not gray and I don't have hair like that."
Outdoor Playdoh Playtime
For three Fridays in a row Finn had a special school event requiring her to wear her beautiful orange shirt. First up, was a field trip to a petting zoo. I was not allowed to go (no parents were) because only school personnel chaperoned. Dumb if you ask me but nobody did. This was Finn on her way to school.
The next week was Field Day. She had lots of fun in the organized chaos. She received two ribbons for her efforts in the sack race and baton relay.
The final Friday of Fun was the kindergarten program. I have never laughed so hard or been so close to crying as I was that day. I blame the post partum hormones and the fact that during the last song I kept seeing Finn in a cap and gown. Sniff sniff, it goes too fast.
Doesn't she make a wonderful hammer?
Hutch, dear sweet Hutch, has had a hard adjustment to the role of big brother. He is getting better but there aretimes days he just doesn't like the tiny crying thing. He has dumped sand and potting soil on him along with a lot of other stuff. He has also taken over the bouncy seat.
J.B. on Mother's Day
Chloe holding the tiny one
Hutch demonstrating the "dentle" (gentle) one finger touch technique.
Looking all cute and matchy!
A rare moment of brotherly love
Coming next---The Wild Wettin' Weekend in Tuscaloosa
The tee ball season ended with a bang. Or was it a whimper? The days had gotten progressively hotter so I know at least two of the Diamond Dolls who wilted in their positions. After receiving her trophy, Finley said they had it all wrong. "I'm not gray and I don't have hair like that."
Outdoor Playdoh Playtime
For three Fridays in a row Finn had a special school event requiring her to wear her beautiful orange shirt. First up, was a field trip to a petting zoo. I was not allowed to go (no parents were) because only school personnel chaperoned. Dumb if you ask me but nobody did. This was Finn on her way to school.
The next week was Field Day. She had lots of fun in the organized chaos. She received two ribbons for her efforts in the sack race and baton relay.
The final Friday of Fun was the kindergarten program. I have never laughed so hard or been so close to crying as I was that day. I blame the post partum hormones and the fact that during the last song I kept seeing Finn in a cap and gown. Sniff sniff, it goes too fast.
Doesn't she make a wonderful hammer?
Hutch, dear sweet Hutch, has had a hard adjustment to the role of big brother. He is getting better but there are
J.B. on Mother's Day
Chloe holding the tiny one
Hutch demonstrating the "dentle" (gentle) one finger touch technique.
Looking all cute and matchy!
A rare moment of brotherly love
Coming next---The Wild Wettin' Weekend in Tuscaloosa
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Random Finnie Funnies
Finn to Chloe: At your school you learn about Jesus, at my school we learn about insects.
****************************
While playing with Hutch's little people toys:
"Noah, get to the back of the line, you cannot cut. Robin Hood was behind the farmer."
****************************
"I didn't get any autographs at school today. I asked John to meet me at the park but he said his Mom wanted to go to the water park and since I didn't know where it was he wouldn't give me his autograph. (that last sentence was said just like that, with hardly a pause between the words)
****************************
While playing with Hutch's little people toys:
"Noah, get to the back of the line, you cannot cut. Robin Hood was behind the farmer."
****************************
"I didn't get any autographs at school today. I asked John to meet me at the park but he said his Mom wanted to go to the water park and since I didn't know where it was he wouldn't give me his autograph. (that last sentence was said just like that, with hardly a pause between the words)
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Worth the Wait
Early early on the morning of May 2, Jeremy and I got up and headed to Enterprise. I was a little afraid of how the day would go but was so ready to get it started. We checked in to the hospital a few minutes before 5 and made it to our room. A lot of yucky medical stuff happened and then around 7:30 the doctor showed up and broke my water. OUCH! Jeremy told a lot of bad jokes and I managed to laugh some of the time. Around 9 or 9:30, I got an epidural. I have had two before but this one hurt the most going in. The doctor touched a nerve on her first attempt and I almost cancelled the whole thing. Double OUCH! Then she got it in and I was able to relax for a little while. During this time my nurse for the day unexpectedly got sick and was taken downstairs to the ER. I had a back-up nurse come in and was just hanging out. J.B. was being a difficult patient and hiding from the monitors. I had several people come in to adjust the straps but he was not cooperating. I felt like we were in for a long haul because the contraction monitor strip was looking pretty pathetic so I didn't think I was getting anywhere. The doctor came back in around 11:30 and checked to see how things were going. Much to the surprise of everyone, I was ready to push. He told me not to though so that the room could get set-up and he could eat his lunch. There was a flurry of activity and J.B. was on his way out. I did not push at all and the poor doctor had to drop his burger to come catch. J.B. arrived at 11:43 on the nose and I couldn't have been happier. He took quite a while to fully pink up as he had a lot of junk in his lungs. I finally got to hold him and then was able to eat some lunch. I moved to my regular room just after the girls and Hutch arrived to visit. It was a little nerve-wracking because Hutch is in the "bull in china shop" phase and he wanted to climb on the bed and touch the baby. The girls were good though, until they had to leave. Then the waterworks started, them not me. After they left, Jeremy and I sat around and looked at the walls. Then the other grandparents and uncle arrived for a short visit just as visiting hours were ending. We settled in later for our first night, which wasn't great but wasn't terrible either.
Most of the first day pictures were shared on Facebook, what you will see soon are day 2 and beyond.
The next morning I got an early start thanks to a 5:20 am blood draw. Blech! I got up and dressed and then Jeremy left. He had a funeral to attend in the afternoon and wanted to spend time with the other kids. I took the next three pictures while he was gone.
At the hospital they provide both parents a steak dinner to celebrate the new arrival. Jeremy brought Finley and Chloe back to the hospital to see the baby again and share dinner with us.
Finley was really enjoying her sonic slush.
Getting ready to head home on Wednesday morning.
He really did not like the hat.
Since we have been home, we have good and bad times but that is all part of the adjustment phase. Hutch is finally figuring out that I mean it when I say "use 1 finger to touch his toes". He is quite fascinated by the baby and the baby gear as you will find out in an upcoming post.
Most of the first day pictures were shared on Facebook, what you will see soon are day 2 and beyond.
The next morning I got an early start thanks to a 5:20 am blood draw. Blech! I got up and dressed and then Jeremy left. He had a funeral to attend in the afternoon and wanted to spend time with the other kids. I took the next three pictures while he was gone.
At the hospital they provide both parents a steak dinner to celebrate the new arrival. Jeremy brought Finley and Chloe back to the hospital to see the baby again and share dinner with us.
Finley was really enjoying her sonic slush.
Getting ready to head home on Wednesday morning.
He really did not like the hat.
Since we have been home, we have good and bad times but that is all part of the adjustment phase. Hutch is finally figuring out that I mean it when I say "use 1 finger to touch his toes". He is quite fascinated by the baby and the baby gear as you will find out in an upcoming post.
Life in the ER
Early Wednesday morning Jeremy and I dropped Hutch and Chloe at the gray house. I had a doctor's appointment and wanted company on the drive over. About fifteen minutes into the trip, Jeremy's cell phone started ringing. These are the snippets of conversation I heard (may or may not factually accurate due to the panic I was feeling):
"Woah! What happened? Is she okay? Have you stopped the bleeding? How big is it?"
After a little bit more talking and questions, it was determined that Chloe needed medical attention and quickly. I thought, from the description of the wound that a few minutes and a tube of derma-bond, would be enough for her. So we went on to the doctor's office. I had a huge amount of mommy guilt for not turning around and heading back to Opp when we found out what really happened to Chloe.
And here, in an eyewitness account written up by TeeTee, is what went on in the ER.
I was on babywatch at work so would check my phone every hour or so to see if J.B. was coming early. I just happened to check my phone and I did indeed have a missed call from Jeremy. Was this it? Had labor started? Was I going to get the rest of the week off from work? I called the house phone and there was no answer so I immediately called the gray house.
Granna answered the phone with a shaky voice and when I asked her what was going on she said she was getting dressed to bring Chloe to the hospital because she fell of the back steps and cut her head and it needed to be looked at. So, I anxiously waited the few minutes it took them to arrive. Granna brought Chloe in and thank goodness the cut was not on her face but as soon as she turned her head I saw that blood had run all the way down to the very tips of her head and I am not a nurse but have seen enough lacerations that I knew just by looking that she would need at least a stitch or two.
So, it was going to be up to Granna and myself to see Chloe through her first, and hopefully last, stitch up. I sat on the gurney by Chloe as we answered questions about her medical history to the best of our knowledge and Granna explained the details of the accident. Up to this point Chloe had not spoken and I could tell by the way she was holding her hands so still on her legs that she was tense. She just took in her surroundings and listened. Then it came time for the pulse ox to be placed on her finger. She didn't willingly hold up her finger so I put it on mine to show her that it didn't hurt. Then the nurse tried to put it on Chloe and see went to Def-Con 4 in an instant.
She balled her fists up to hide her fingers and started screaming "Never! Never!" at the top of her lungs. She screamed and begged to go home and the real work of the visit hadn't even begun. Once they realized the pulse ox was a no go, they just decided to go straight to sewing her up. First, they tried to put her on a miniature back board to restrain her but because of the location of the boo-boo, they had to take her off the board and roll her in a sheet. Newborns may like to be swaddled but a scared 4 year old will protest that type of confinement. Once she was adequately rolled and positioned on the gurney, she received three shots around the edges of the boo-boo and the doctor put in 2 stitches. As soon as the shots went in Chloe quieted and didn't make another sound. Once it was all done and the drape was removed from her head we realized she was asleep. This almost scared me more than the laceration. Did she have a concussion? Was she so traumatized by what just happened that she had gone into some kind of trance? I was able to wake her up after a couple of minutes and I think that she was so stressed after fighting so hard that she just crashed. Granna and I took her to the vending machine for Cheetos and she started talking a little bit. After work I went by to check on her and she acted as if nothing had happened and she was no worse for the wear.
It was a very difficult position to be in because I never want the now 4 kiddos to associate me with negative experiences or for one of them to think that I would stand by and let someone hurt them. But, there is no way that I could have let Chloe go back there without me and I hope that if she hasn't forgotten, she has forgiven.
-TeeTee
I was on babywatch at work so would check my phone every hour or so to see if J.B. was coming early. I just happened to check my phone and I did indeed have a missed call from Jeremy. Was this it? Had labor started? Was I going to get the rest of the week off from work? I called the house phone and there was no answer so I immediately called the gray house.
Granna answered the phone with a shaky voice and when I asked her what was going on she said she was getting dressed to bring Chloe to the hospital because she fell of the back steps and cut her head and it needed to be looked at. So, I anxiously waited the few minutes it took them to arrive. Granna brought Chloe in and thank goodness the cut was not on her face but as soon as she turned her head I saw that blood had run all the way down to the very tips of her head and I am not a nurse but have seen enough lacerations that I knew just by looking that she would need at least a stitch or two.
So, it was going to be up to Granna and myself to see Chloe through her first, and hopefully last, stitch up. I sat on the gurney by Chloe as we answered questions about her medical history to the best of our knowledge and Granna explained the details of the accident. Up to this point Chloe had not spoken and I could tell by the way she was holding her hands so still on her legs that she was tense. She just took in her surroundings and listened. Then it came time for the pulse ox to be placed on her finger. She didn't willingly hold up her finger so I put it on mine to show her that it didn't hurt. Then the nurse tried to put it on Chloe and see went to Def-Con 4 in an instant.
She balled her fists up to hide her fingers and started screaming "Never! Never!" at the top of her lungs. She screamed and begged to go home and the real work of the visit hadn't even begun. Once they realized the pulse ox was a no go, they just decided to go straight to sewing her up. First, they tried to put her on a miniature back board to restrain her but because of the location of the boo-boo, they had to take her off the board and roll her in a sheet. Newborns may like to be swaddled but a scared 4 year old will protest that type of confinement. Once she was adequately rolled and positioned on the gurney, she received three shots around the edges of the boo-boo and the doctor put in 2 stitches. As soon as the shots went in Chloe quieted and didn't make another sound. Once it was all done and the drape was removed from her head we realized she was asleep. This almost scared me more than the laceration. Did she have a concussion? Was she so traumatized by what just happened that she had gone into some kind of trance? I was able to wake her up after a couple of minutes and I think that she was so stressed after fighting so hard that she just crashed. Granna and I took her to the vending machine for Cheetos and she started talking a little bit. After work I went by to check on her and she acted as if nothing had happened and she was no worse for the wear.
It was a very difficult position to be in because I never want the now 4 kiddos to associate me with negative experiences or for one of them to think that I would stand by and let someone hurt them. But, there is no way that I could have let Chloe go back there without me and I hope that if she hasn't forgotten, she has forgiven.
-TeeTee
the stitches
I took this picture because Chloe wanted to see what her stitches looked like and this was the easiest way. After so much time has passed, she seems to be okay about the whole thing. I still feel guilty about not being there for her. I did take her to get her stitches out and was able to hold her head while they did it. She did well with no screaming or crying and even brought her stitches home taped to a small piece of paper. It is hanging on the fridge right next to their latest artwork.
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