She Knows

Tonight I realized that Aulora most definitely knows that I am very outnumbered. Julia has been sick all week so I've been playing nurse to her. I was studying with John David and I was nursing Joshua. I thought Aulora was playing with her dolls right there in the bedroom. When I peeked in she was not there. I looked down the stairs. No there either. I went in my bedroom and saw the bathroom door was open. Uh-oh. Then I saw the potty lid was open. Double uh-oh. And then I saw her. Wet sleeves, water dripping from her fingers, a delighted smile on her face. I'm pretty sure Julia's doll was about to get a bath. Mommy came just in time.

The Angry Mob

A couple of days ago John David was on the phone with Daddy and was asked how Julia was doing. She's been sick a lot lately so her mood hasn't always been the greatest. Well, he looked over at her and then told Daddy, "Julia's an angry mob!" He just rolled on the floor laughing at his joke, all the while Julia had her hands on her hips and was stomping her foot saying, "I am NOT an angry mob!" It was just too funny.....

Brothers

I'm telling you - John David LOVES his brother. He told me yesterday that he just wanted to squeeze him so tight because he loves him so much. I told him that's the way that I've always felt about all my babies. I hugged him really big and said I was glad he was finally big enough for me to squeeze tight! He was smiling big.

A Book, A Bobo, and a Beautiful Boy

John David read Joshua his very first story yesterday - "Green Eggs and Ham". Joshua thought his big brother's rendition of this Dr. Suess classic was just fabulous. He hardly moved an inch, he was so captivated.

This is what we found Monday morning when we woke up. Apparently, Joshua's bobo has some growing to do before his diaper will stay put.

Daddy took this picture of his little man to show some people. I think we're going to keep him.

A Little Sad

I cried on Tuesday as I put Aulora's pajamas on. It's hard to know that she is not my baby anymore. All the sudden she's so big in every way. Since I can't lift her or carry her yet, she has been going to mother's day out on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Sandy. So she leaves in the morning, then has a nap and isn't up until about 3 or 4. I miss her! I'm used to her being my little buddy and now things are just different. I ache to pick her up and squeeze her. John David puts her in her crib at night and gets her out in the morning for me. Things will settle down and I'll get to do those things again, but right now it really makes me sad.

I know I have enough love for each of them, but sometimes I worry that there's just not enough me for all of them...sigh.......

Since this post is about sad stuff, I'll stick this in there too - I cried on the way home from the hospital. I also cried before we left as we were waiting to get discharged. It was over. I know that sounds so silly. Here I had a baby boy that was only 2 days old and I was crying because it was over. But it was all of the pregnancy that was over. My big belly. All of the anticipation of delivering a new baby and meeting him for the first time. Over. And if all goes as planned, it's over for good. So it was a sad thing.

I think I'm ok now though. I'm busy enjoying the things that aren't over. Like tiny baby feet and sweet baby breath. Teeny diapers that don't stink even though they're dirty. Cuddling 2 little babies in my arms at the same time in the rocking chair. Taking naps with 3 babies at the same time in my bed. Wonderful, precious times......

The Pot

Before Joshua was born, we decided to have a contest to see who could guess his weight the closest without going over. Everyone had their guesses and put money in "the pot". John, however, did not merely guess. He mathematically calculated the weight based on previous babies and how long I carried them versus how long I carried Joshua. Do you know that he was exactly right? 7 pounds and 12 ounces. So it seems that if I had carried each of my kids full term, they would have all been the same as John David - 8 lb 9.5 oz. Interesting.....

How things are.....

After so much has happened, it's hard to know where to start with this post. I guess I'll start at the beginning and go with the flow.....

Last Friday morning we had to be at the hospital at 10:30 so they could prep me for the c-section. All the night before I was so sick and coughing violently. I REALLY did not want to reschedule anything though. From the time I got up until the time I was in the prep room at the hospital, my body felt soooo much better. I have no doubt that prayers were being said and I'm so thankful for every one of them!

The c-section this time around took longer, due to all the scar tissue they had to cut through and also because Joshua was bigger than Aulora was. He was 7 pounds and 12 ounces and Aulora was only 5 pounds and 4 ounces. Even with a spinal, I felt like a whole football team was running and jumping on my stomach and punching me. It did NOT feel good!

When they showed me Joshua for the first time it was really strange because he looked so different from all our other babies. And his hair was red! He was and is perfectly healthy and scored a 9 out of 10 on his apgar test. There weren't any complications on his part or mine. My doctor did say that we had made a very good decision to get a c-section because my uterus was in no shape to have gone through labor.

We got to come home on Sunday afternoon. I was glad to get home, especially since the a/c didn't work in our room at the hospital! I was so hot most of the time. Plus the constant in and out of all the nurses doesn't allow for much sleep.

The first night was rough since my milk hadn't come in yet. I think it was almost 5:00 before I get any sleep at all. I was crying right along with Joshua! We finally made a small bottle since we knew he was hungry. He drank just a tiny bit and then fell asleep. By the time he woke up again my milk was in! Thank you, Jesus! The last two nights have been great.

John David has been absolutely thrilled to have a baby brother and he wants to hold him every chance he gets. He's really doing a good job. Julia has been sick so she still hasn't been able to hold him. In fact, she was so sick I wasn't even allowed to be around her and that was really breaking my heart. She's well enough now that although she can't be around Joshua much, at least I can be with her now.

Aulora has taken everything incredibly well. She points at Joshua and says baby and then she likes to poke him. She hasn't been jealous at all and her behavior has been wonderful. I couldn't ask for more!

More later.......

Joshua's Birth

Joshua Clay Sullivan

We are home now and doing great. Everything went perfectly!

Thank you to everyone who prayed for us! I'll post more later.......

Just an Update

We're still going in tomorrow morning to meet Baby Joshua. Although I'm feeling better than I did yesterday, I still feel pretty crummy. Mostly a very sore throat and coughing, which I'm sure will feel fabulous after a c-section. I'm also incredibly emotional today. It's amazing that I have any makeup still on my face! Overwhelmed (in a good way and a bad way) is probably the best way to describe how I feel. I could really use everyone's prayers. Thanks!

A - sorry I didn't get your call. We were in the middle of a belated birthday dinner for Steve. He just turned 21! I'll either call you myself or have John call you tomorrow to let you know that everything went ok. Love ya!

Sick

He's still in there. I haven't posted today yet because I woke up feeling horrible. I hurt everywhere and have a fever - it feels like the flu. Yuck. If I don't get better quick, we may have to postpone the c-section. Uhhhh, my parents are coming all the way from Colorado to be here. This is not good......

Big Mouth Kids

Something funny happened last week that I had forgotten about until I just told John a little while ago. One of Sandy's piano students has 2 brothers that are John David's friends. They were playing together during lesson time and since I was at the desk I could hear their conversation. I should mention at this point that they are black.

John David: Hey, why is your hair so different than mine?

Them: Huh?

John David: Why does your hair feel like that? And why does it look so different than mine?

Them: (amid much laughter) Because we're black! We have afroes! (No, I do not know how to spell that word and neither does spell checker.)

All three of them thought that was so funny and they had a good laugh all together. It was so cute and innocent.

At least that moment of absolute honesty wasn't embarrassing. On Sunday, John David asked a young, first time mom why her baby's head was so huge. Granted, he does have a very big head, but it was still such a horrible moment! I quickly tried to recover by saying that it must be because his brain was so big and that John David should only hope to have such a big brain. The mom laughed and seemed fine. She's pretty easy going so I don't think she was offended.

Then there was Sunday afternoon in the car when Sandy was dropping kids off at their homes. One little girl had come to church for the very first time and apparently comes from a rather poor family. When they pulled in front of her house Julia wanted to know why her house was so ugly. I wasn't there to enjoy that little gem of a moment. Sandy got to have that one all to herself.

How in the world do you teach your kids to keep their BIG MOUTHS shut???

A Good Day to Make Up For A Bad Night

School started at 10:00 today and the roads were too bad for John to travel. What a great day! The fireplace is going, laundry is being done, Aulora is content, Joshua is still in there, I have a good book to read, the beds are already made, and the dogs are at the groomers. =) No worries today!

On a different note, I had a horrible dream most of last night. We were at church and I lost Aulora. I searched and searched and could never find her. Most people were too busy talking or doing other things to help me look and I just kept crying and running inside and outside trying desperately to find her. It was awful. I know that I had that dream because I really am concerned about how I'm going to keep up with 4 kids when we go somewhere. Obviously, at this point, Aulora would be the one most likely to get away. I bought a puppy dog backpack/leash at Walmart yesterday. It's super cute and hopefully it will work. We tried it out last night though and she lost her balance and knocked her head on the door frame. Poor baby. I guess we need some practice.

Ok, Maybe Not

They sent me home. Hmmmm.....I have to say, I'm not convinced they are right about me not being in labor. This isn't my first child. I'm having contractions and I think I know the difference between wetting my pants and my water leaking. Either way, that's ok. I still have stuff to do. =) I've already been grocery shopping and now I'm starting a birthday dinner for John's mom (much against her wishes). That's all I know for now......

Joshua Today???

I'm not sure, but I think my water has been slowly breaking starting during the night. I'm supposed to go to labor and delivery to get checked now. If it turns out to be nothing then I guess I'll post again this afternoon to say so. Otherwise, if I'm missing in action in blog world, you know where I am. =)

Cheeto Girl

Aulora loves her Cheetos. I wasn't too smart for giving them to her after washing her carseat cover though.

Cheetos + Aulora =
MESSY
(but happy)

Very False Labor

I thought I was going into labor much of last night while I was trying to sleep. Trying would be the key word in that sentence. My stomach kept hurting and I couldn't get comfortable. It turned out that I just really had to go potty. Apparently, a very full bladder makes for a very uncomfortable pregnant girl. That's all.

Stinkin' Parking Place

I am soooo NOT good at parking. I've never been good at it and I'm not holding out much hope for the future. I am especially horrible at pulling into the first space of a row right after you turn the corner. I can't go down the neighboring row because someone else might get to the good space before I do. So I have to go for it. No matter how much I back up and straighten (or try to) it's just hard. Last week I absolutely could not get off the curb next to this space at Target. I think I spent a good 5 minutes trying to park better, but it was no use. I'm sure everyone in the lot was staring and no doubt laughing at me too. When it was all said and done, both my passenger side tires were on that stupid curb. You would think I could have fixed it, but you would be wrong. It's just my lot in life - I can't park.

The First Daddy Daughter Dance

This is probably a video that only grandparents will appreciate, so unless you are pretty bored, you might want to skip it. It's really not that exciting. John dances. Later, Aulora comes and joins him. That's all. I just wanted to have it in the future. =)

Celebration of Nine in a Row

Last night we celebrated John David's 9 happy faces in a row. (His streak did finally end at 12, I believe. He's back on another good streak though.) We had lots of fun playing games and winning tickets. It was too cold to go outside for go-karts or bumper boats but the boys did play lazer tag. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of that because I was busy chasing the girls. =)