Brothers❤️

(In their sisters room.) Most of the time, Desmond kind of drives Quincey a bit crazy because he gets into his stuff, and will randomly come up and smack him. But Quincey is quite proud of the fact that they look alike. He will say, "He's my younger twin."

🎶Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam!🎶

Aftyn has struggled going to Sunbeams since the beginning of the year. I was sitting with her yesterday during singing time. I had tried several times to get her to let me go. She was having fun with the songs and finally looked at me and said, "okay, Mom, you can go." And she stayed for the entire time! I love this story because it shows how important it is for her to make the first move, to be independent and to be her own authority. (Like her mama). It's one of those things that you think is simple and small, but is actually a big wonderful step! 

Phoenix Temple Open House

I am so glad we got to go to the Phoenix Temple Open House. The kids loved seeing inside the temple. It is a beautiful temple. I am really glad I got to go through with my mission companion, the lovely Katrina Horton. She was my MTC companion and she was also my last companion of my mission. We opened up and closed up our mission together. It was an amazing miracle for us both. I miss her a lot. What a wonderful blessing to see her. 

Everything went well except I left my diaper bag at the temple and didn't realize it until we got back to our car, and I had take the shuttle all the way back to get it. But thank goodness for honest people. My bag and wallet and all other contents were just how I left them. 

But, we ended up having more time together, which ended up to be perfect! 

Desmond is here!

Introducing:

Desmond Leon Tea

Born Oct.10, 2013 7:48pm

8lb. 10 oz. 21 inches

I still need to get a picture of him with Aftyn. At first she didn't like him at all and would smack him on the head every time she went near him. But she is warming up to him now. I've even caught her putting blankets on him gently. The first few days were a hard adjustment, but I can feel things getting back to normal now.  (It helps to get the kids back in school after the weekend.) 

I have been enjoying snuggling this baby more than I did my other babies.  It is quite emotionally rejuvenating to snuggle a newborn baby. So, if you need me, you will find me relaxing with baby in my arms, enjoying his newness.  

Desmond's Birth Story

Well, let me start off by saying that no matter what ones birthing plans are, labor is a very emotional process and hard work! And a healthy baby is ALWAYS such a miracle.
I feel very scattered in my thoughts after Desmond's birth and I hope writing it out will help me focus my thoughts and feelings better.

Part one: Velamentous Cord Insertion
So, I need to start this story back at my 20 week ultrasound when I was told that I had a velamentous cord insertion.  After doing A TON of research, I became so nervous of the high risk of having a still born.  I also became aware that vaginal births are very dangerous for a VCI because of the risk of the blood vessels rupturing during the contractions and the baby losing too much blood.
Needless to say, I was so completely relieved when I had an ultrasound at 26 weeks and they said that I did not have a velamentous cord insertion and everything was perfectly fine and normal.
Well fast forward to the actual delivery of Desmond and the midwife kept finding blood when she was checking me and some weird clotting. Come to find out I DID have a velamentous cord insertion after all! And it DID burst during delivery, but by some miracle it clotted quickly, and baby Desmond is perfectly fine and healthy.  As if that didn't make it miraculous enough, the cord was wrapped tightly around his neck 2 times.  

Part Two: The Induction
So, especially after knowing about the risks of the VCI, I definitely feel that our decision to be induced a week early was an inspired one.  I normally am all about letting nature take its course, so when my midwife offered the option of being induced a week early, my first thought was not to. But in the end we decided to because...... 1. In hopes of having a smaller baby (I am curious how much he would have weighed at 40 weeks though, but 8lb. 10 oz. is plenty big for me!) 2. Ease of scheduling someone to watch our kids 3. Being able to be sure that I could get an epidural.

Part Three: The Epidural
Getting an epidural was also a tough choice for me. I always felt like I would be in the low percentage that would have problems with it. All three of my older children I had without any pain relief.  The first two were relatively manageable which is why I was willing to go without one when I had Aftyn.  But her labor was the hardest out of the three, I think in part because I naively expected each birth to get easier and shorter than the prior. With Maiya I didn't have to push at all, and so when I had to push a couple of hours with Aftyn, I realized I was done with that.  I started to really envy all of the stories of pain free births that I hear. So, I prayed a lot about it and felt that i would be fine if I got one (no death or paralysis). 

Part Four: The Delivery 

But! That didn't mean that it was easy breezy like I hoped it would be..... I got to the hospital at 6 am. I got the epidural in the morning around 9 am before they started the pitocin because I was already at a 5 and 80 percent effaced and Maiya's entire delivery from first noticeable contraction to birth was less than 30 min. The machine said that I was having contractions every 3 min without any pitocin, and I could not feel these.

Let's just say, as he was putting the epidural needle in, I felt everything! So, he kept putting more numbing in ( probably about 5 pokes, but, it didn't help. So then he said it was because I have very little space in between my vertebrae, so he decided to try it higher up.  But it hurt just as bad, and I felt the needle going in.  My whole body was shaking because of the pain. Shortly after that I started feeling dizzy and nauseous and the nurses noticed my blood pressure had dropped significantly so they gave me oxygen and pumped me full of fluids, until my heartrate was up.  I started to feel the numbing of the epidural in my feet for maybe 10 min. And then I had complete feeling and movement in my legs. The monitor said I was having strong contractions every 1 1/2-2 min, and I didn't feel them so we assumed the epidural was working.  

Well, they checked me several hours later, I was still at a 5.... No change, and the baby's head was too high up so she didn't want to break the water for risk of getting the cord involved.  So I waited and waited again.... I was starving! And they wouldn't let me eat and Geren ate a twix bar in front of me.... Rude. 

Finally around 5:30pm they came and checked me again, still no change. Finally the doc decided she could push down on baby to get him engaged more and then felt comfortable breaking the water.  Well, while she was doing that I could feel everything she was doing, I asked if that was normal and they said no, and called for the anesthesiologist. When he checked the epidural, he found that it had completely fallen out and my back was soaked with the medicine.  At this point I started feeling the contractions and they were pretty strong, but I did not want to go through the pain of getting the epidural again, but also, didn't want to feel the contractions! So, I went through with feeling that gigantic needle getting shoved into my spine.  As I was writhing in pain, the anesthesiologist kept saying, "it's just presure." To which I responded, " well, pressure feels an awful lot like pain!!!" 

Well, this time I felt the epidural worked really well and really quickly, my blood pressure severely dropped again, even lower.  I felt dizzy and nauseous and I had to go through the same thing again,oxygen mask, fluids etc... I was freezing and shaking.  Fortunately, I was not feeling the contractions.  I did have to push for 30 min. And it was awesome to not have to be screaming while doing that.  

So, my guess is a total of about an hour and a half of labor. Not too shabby.  My doc asked if I was to do it again, if I would still do the epidural, and I am not sure. I sure wasn't expecting it to be so complicated, but it was awesome not feeling those contractions. And I definitely feel like I have a lot of knowledge and experience in all types of deliveries! 

Overall, I felt Divine influence throughout my entire pregnancy, and delivery.  And in the decisions that I needed to make. I know that my prayers for a safe delivery and a healthy baby were answered.  God knew that delivery would be safe, and blessed me to believe I didn't have a VCI so I wouldn't have to worry and so I wouldn't have all the extra appointments, and c-section delivery.  I marvel at it all.  And I am so greatful to welcome our beautiful baby boy.

 

Kitchen Remodel Updates!

Before:  

As you can see, my kitchen used to have 2 entrances, we closed off this one, to make for more counter space.

 After:

 

Wow! totally new kitchen, right!!!! I love it.  One of my favorite parts is that I don't have to set my oven 75 degrees lower than what the recipe calls for. I am seriously on cloud nine, and it's not even all the way done yet.  But we have come a long long way!  I have been so impressed with my husband, designing all of this and doing everything himself.  Like how when he needed a certain unattainable size of cabinets, he decided to get to work, and build his own.  It was amazing to me how he could just switch around gas lines and electrical like it was nobody's business.  I sure love him.... almost as much as I love my new kitchen. ;)

"And A Little Child Shall Lead Them"

I have a story of my children that makes me smile every time I think of it, so I though that I had better record it, so I don't forget it. 

Q and M have been getting an allowance every month.  Maiya has been saving up to buy a Monster High DVD, and Quincey has been saving up for a Luigi's Mansion game for his DS.  Video games cost a lot more than DVD's, of course, but also Maiya had some extra birthday money to spend as well.

So, last Friday Maiya came with me to the store to buy her DVD, but Quincey stayed behind because he still needed $20 for his game. When we came back Q was still sad that he couldn't have his game yet, so Maiya ran to her room, grabbed her extra money ($22.00) and gave it to Quincey.  She said, " Here Quince, I don't need it anymore because I have what I wanted, and I want you to be happy too!" Quincey got so happy, jumped up and down and said, "OH, THANK YOU, MAIYA!!! YOU ARE THE BEST SISTER EVER!!" And then they hugged and hugged. It was so sweet.  I just wish I could have gotten it on camera, but I was too busy choking up.

I learn so much from my kiddos about what is truly important.  It was amazing to me how a little act of service made BOTH of them so happy.  It reminds me of this quote by President Packer...

One of the great discoveries of parenthood is that we learn far more about what really matters from our children than we ever did from our parents. We come to recognize the truth in Isaiah’s prophecy that “a little child shall lead them.” (And a Little Child Shall Lead Them, April 2012 Conference)