Little Angel Baby

I am still in shock that this little girl is in our family!  I am so grateful for her!  Her first year has not been easy though.  I have been worn down by so much worry.  The time has flown too, it's bitter sweet.  I love her so much!  Worry is only good if it leads to positive action.  She developed a rash in her neck that became infected with strep and the infection began to spread as a rash down her arms, manifested by red spots, so after trying a handful of natural remedies, I had to introduce my pure baby to antibiotics.  I discovered a few products that are now part of her skin care regimen,  we use natural laundry detergents for the whole family, she doesn't take baths very often and she takes a variety of probiotics that keep her healthy most of the time.
Now at 4 years old her skin is close to perfect with no diet restrictions.  She is perfect.  I am grateful.

New hiking day

We are hiking Sunday mornings with daddy, the whole family now.
So our last destination....

Ramakrishna Monastery

Nix missed this one, and Sissy is strapped to mommy.

After a little meditation we headed to our place of worship.

After time spent at the beautiful Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
We headed to my sisters house to have some quality cousin time! 

Nix is back with us again :)

The last year, where have we been?

To say the least, a lot has happened since lil baby girl was born.  We are surviving and celebrating 11 months of being a family of 6 today.  Here is a recap with probably important things missing.  

 We went to Hoover Dam on our way to Valley of Fire, where we camped 3 nights.   It was SOOO hot!  I brought too many blankets and never needed a sweat shirt the whole time.  We saw all the petroglyphs your heart could want to see, and made fun memories with friends!

many beautiful views out of this tent over the last few months, (camping at all the race tracks).

children climbing rocks

Banana splits have become a family favorite!

Bicycle accident, over the handle bars.  Dr. Brett glued this one shut.

2014 became a year of motorcycle racing for our little Nix.  And this little motorcycle is a new addition to our garage.  Nix loves racing and is so comfortable out there.  He is fast and has won 1st place his last two races.  I'm happy he can do something he loves.  There is a wonderful support group out there at the track that he's a part of.  

A Porche became part of our family.

And this Kawasaki is in our garage too...

Oh, and look here, this is another little toy we've accumulated,  this has been an interesting year of adding to our family.  I'd like to point out that Sue has been the best addition by far!

I have a sweet new nephew. And a new little niece in Utah.

Funny Easter Eggs

May Faire 2014

Tino rode on a Private Jet, and went to Utah for his 6th birthday.

Corbs is on two wheels and cruising, he is awesome!  "ME AWESOME!"

Tino crossed the rainbow bridge and became a sun for his second year of Kindy.

Nix finished 2nd grade and was awarded his wolf badge last night.  Here is a picture of part of his class after the performance of "Jumping Mouse" 

Daddy races sometimes too.

And this little peanut...  She is climbing stairs, standing up on everything, eating a ton, and making us all smile as we squeeze her chubs!!  We are all in love...  8 toothed monster!  Happy 11 months little sister!

I'm doing the mom, house keeper thing.  There are moments where it's fun and others where it isn't so fun, but overall, I'm looking forward for days without newborns, days with happy little children for a while.  Hopefully I keep this blog updated for my children to know what happened all these blurry years.
~Briana

The birth of #4

Let's just say, the plan is that we are done, so don't go thinking there are anymore of these terrifying birth stories coming from me, cuz if I ever had to do it again, I will not be going natural again, unless they come too fast of course.  I'm not saying there is going to be a next time, cuz I really don't want to do this again.  They sure are worth it though... aren't they?

This time around I didn't want to go 10 days late again, not after last time, but it turns out they couldn't fit me into the hospital at 9 days late, so she was 10 days late like her brother.  Their birthdays are 6 days apart.  I think it's because they were due in July, the hottest month of the year.   I was told to put my feet in Ice water, and eat lots of Icy things.  I didn't do that soon enough, I ran out of time.  So after trying everything, I felt like my body had her trapped inside.  I knew she was ready, but there was nothing getting her out.  So inducing was my last resort, it took all day, and at the end it was no joke!

The wedding didn't put me in labor, the long walks...  they were long and beautiful but didn't do it.

 all the pineapple, and black licorice...

 ...delicious spicy food!

I tried a massage, and rubbed the hell out of my pressure points every day following.  I went to acupuncture 2 days in a row by a knowledgable doctor who believed that should do it.

 Petocin... HATED IT, but did it.  Everyone should try an epidural once I reasoned after being in hard labor for 2 hours and not progressing.  I was very happy that Brett gave in to my pleading.  I couldn't stand one more contraction, I was shaking uncontrollably and the back labor was something I never felt before, and never want to feel again!  I'm grateful for my natural labor experiences, but the inducing labor experience... I didn't get the epidural soon enough.  I am so happy that's over, and that our sweet, healthy, strong, alert little Sue is here!  I still felt my right side mildly, and I still shook at the end.  My body was in heavy labor for another 3 hours, I had to breathe through the contractions at the end even though it was half numb on the right... the left side was dead numb, I had a dead leg, that kept me bed ridden for 4 hours after.  I had everyone wait on me which wasn't so bad.  :)

Big Brothers

She's either real lucky or real unlucky...

 Nix picks out her clothes every day...  "I want to hold her so bad."   "I want to hold her when you are done feeding her."  Sits patiently with her blanket, waiting to hold her, then sits and holds her while I clean up the kitchen. 

 "Crying mom, Baba... baba....baba!"  "No me hold her"

"OK... I'm done... I'm done, I'm done"

I say LUCKY!!!

These brothers might have a lot of energy, but they are little sweethearts! 

And they LOVE their lil' sister Sue!

The year is half over and this is my second post...

 Tino did his first mountain bike race with his big brother Nix. Nix raced his 3rd mountain bike race 6-8 year olds. He came in 1st his last 2 races! and Tino finished strong!

 They love to climb and explore... I need to keep them hiking!

 Sunday family walk to the water tower on Father's Day!

 Nix graduated first grade and we all wore our tye dye shirts to celebrate.

 Nix was in a class play and against all odds, daddy was there to see it!  There were only a few chosen to play their flutes for all the songs of the play and Nix was chosen, I want to get him a flute to play at home because they are left at school and recycled after 2nd grade.

 Tino had a birthday! #5

Corbs thinks he can swim, Tino can swim now, and Nix doesn't remember not knowing how to swim! They love swimming with daddy, he is so fun, they can't understand how mommy is a faster swimmer than daddy.  He could probably kick my trash right now, but once this baby comes... I hope my body goes back into the correct places.  I am so achy and weak this time around, as long as she is healthy!  9 months pregnant and can't wait to see this little girl!  I've been doing what I need to every day hoping she comes sooner than later.  I'd like her to have her own month, but sharing with Corbs will be cool.  OH! and New news on the home front, Corbs is potty trained.  Nix's last day of school he pooped in his diaper and I said, "That is the last diaper you will poop in, we need to save the diapers for the baby."  And he said, "O Tay!"  He went 11 days without an accident.  He had his first accident today, but cousins were over and he was having too much fun playing so we won't count it.  :) 

They are all big sweet hearts!  I love my 4 boys so much!  And this little girl, she will probably love them all too!  Can't wait to meet her!