My handsome boys!

 I can't believe how fast kids grow!  I love these boys, they sure make my life fun and interesting!! 

It's Official

I'm officially the worst blogger ever!  I was just going to ignore the fact that I haven't updated this in FOREVER but then my sister and mom both got on me about updating.  So, maybe I will make a renewed effort to do it.  It will be somewhat easier this week since I am in isolation at my house while my kids and hubby are at my in-law's house. Why you ask?  I was recently diagnosed with Grave's disease (an autoimmune disorder that attacks your thyroid- making it overactive-hyperthyroidism).  I was losing more weight than normal while breastfeeding, and I was hot all the time, my heart was always racing: a pulse of around 120, and I was having trouble walking up stairs and finishing my gym classes: fatigue.  So...this morning I took a pill that contained Radioactive Iodine.  Iodine is taken up by your thyroid, and since this iodine is radioactive it will kill my entire thyroid making me hypothyroid.  I will have to take medication for the rest of my life to replace the thyroid hormone, but after all the symptoms I was having, it will be worth it!  I think maybe the best thing about having my kids gone this week is that when I clean up it will stay clean!  So weird!  I am already missing them though and they quite possibly have hand foot mouth disease...so a fun week ahead for us all!

Photo Card

Retro Ornaments Red Christmas

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Owen Douglas

Nathan and Alex LOVE their new brother! They want to hold him and kiss him all the time. Hope that love lasts...

Owen was born Friday, September 23rd at 11:45 am. He weighed 8 lb. 8 oz., 21 1/2 in. long. Here is the story: We went into the hospital Friday morning at 6 am to be induced. I got admitted and the Dr. came to break my water. I was dilated to a 4-5. I was positive for group b strep, so after I got antibiotics I started walking around. I walked around for about an hour and a half until about 10 am. Walking, I would have contractions (decent ones) every 5 minutes or so. At around 10:15 or so, I decided to get a bit of pitocin to help things along. After being on pitocin for about 45 minutes, I was having great contractions and told them to stop the pit. I got another dose of penicillin for the GBS, after 35 minutes of hard contractions, I HAD to push, 8 minutes of pushing later, he was here! This is the most natural of all three of my labors. I had NO drugs at all, no epidural, no peri-cervical block like with Alex. It was intense, but fast and it turned out pretty good.

The pediatrician that was on-call had a little mix-up with my antibiotic times and said that Owen would need to stay until Sunday. That made me SUPER emotional and mad, but luckily, my OB doc came to the rescue and cleared things up. John was ready to plead my case after he did a couple hours of research on the whole group b strep issue. We think he's a pretty cute kid even though he got a bit bruised on the way out. So happy to have him in our little family!

39 Weeks

I feel like I'm really starting to look large!! If nothing happens by Friday morning, I will be induced (I was dilated to a 3 this past Friday and the dr. said he would basically just break my water and go from there). So, here's to a baby in 4 days!

Playing at the beach

Having some fun in the sun!

33 Weeks Prego (2 weeks ago)

So, this is me at 33 weeks...now I'm officially 35 weeks and it's starting to get uncomfortable, like peeing twice a night and having a hard time sleeping...you know the awfulness of that. Luckily only 5 more weeks to go (or a little less since I might have to take things into my own hands at some point...again...), and we have tons of stuff going on to make the time fly! Does anyone else hate going through all the clothes you have in storage for your kids? I kind of wish I could afford to buy all new clothes for each kid as they get to the next size...ha!