The Way Moms Think

For some reason when you become a mom bodily functions become a daily topic of conversation. This is today's main topic of conversation so if you're not a mom I'm warning you. First though I'll share a quick picture that anyone, mom and non-mom alike, can appreciate.

Jubilee has been growing up so quickly since Asaph arrived. Overnight it seems. Here she is today hard at work doing her "school."

Now onto the bodily functions...This morning while preparing for Providence's school Jubilee came up to me pointing to her diaper saying "poop" I was excited (a very motherly thing to be) that she was beginning to understand this and asked her if she went poop. She nodded vigorously, but when I checked there was none. I asked her if she needed to go poop and she again nodded. So onto the toilet she went where she lost no time doing her business all the while turning around to check her stuff out. She was very proud, proud of filling the toilet and proud of emptying it with a flush. Not sure if this is a one time thing here or the beginnings of something beautiful, but it's made me think about poo all day.

As the Dust Settles

We're all getting settled in, the past week has gone famously not just getting through the day but with school and laundry accomplished as well! The meals we were receiving from church are over now so this week I need to figure preparing dinner into the new life with three in addition. Trying to get out of the house still poses major planning but it will be second nature soon, I hope.

Jubilee loves her baby. But she likes to love him with smothers and eye poking so we have to monitor closely. Providence, of course is the most incredible helper. Her cheerful "yes mama" and mad dash to do whatever was requested makes life wonderful. She is a huge blessing to our family, I don't think I can quite articulate how much, but boy do I love her.

As for Isaiah and myself we're getting used to being kept up nights by the little man grunting. He sleeps great, just grunts all night long. However I got a pretty good stretch of sleep last night.

As for new arrival himself- my 3 week old son is just about grown out of 3 month stuff, good thing newborns legs are happy to stay pretty squished up.

My Sardines

When we found out baby #3 was on it's way I figured that a bigger car was in order. Alas I was mistaken, Isaiah discovered that we could just barely fit carseat, carseat, booster across and the hunt was quickly shut down. So now the kids are wedged in so tight they probably don't need to be belted in, but don't worry they are.

Oh the places we'll go

Well I did it. First outing with three chitlins all by myself. It went down pretty darn well too, despite the scattered showers.

Providence has soccer practice from 5:30-6:30, it's at a park less then 10 minutes away so I figured I would plan to leave at 5 (knowing that there would be some kind disaster like a diaper blowout causing me to leave about 15 minutes behind schedule). It worked like a charm and I was pulling out of the driveway at 5:10 (anyone else trick themselves like that?), as excited as I was to be running ahead of my real schedule (but behind my fake one) I was bummed to arrive at the park well over 10 minutes early and before anyone else...finding the middle ground of right on time is hard to do.

We sat in the car till the coach showed up and then I unloaded: first Providence she's easy and really she unloaded herself, then I put on my wrap and slipped Asaph inside. Last was Jubilee, who walked happily holding my hand, and boy did she seem big.

We played on the park structure while Providence ran around chasing soccer balls till it got too cold and rainy, for the last half hour the two littles and myself sat in the car while I nursed the boy and the girl pressed every button our pathfinder boasts. I had parked just so to be able to keep an eye on the 6 year old as well. Well done mama, well done.

I know am ridiculously proud of our hour long outing, and my meticulously executed plan, but I can't help it.

International my dear, because we're just that classy!

We have our first international giveaway over at She {Hearts} It. A Sunshine Kids booster seat, so hop on over there and sign up. You'll be glad you did because you can check out the other awesome giveaways on the right hand side while you're there.

The Down and Dirty

Both of my girls arrived fast and furious, labors from start to finish in under 4 hours.

Boys are different, so I've been told, and oh boy this one started mucho different.

I won't start with the distinct differences during pregnancy, or the months of cramping and contractions (you call them "practice" all you want, this time around they hurt). Nor will I go into the false labor I experienced for the first time. I will begin this story with Labor...kinda.

I have a wonderful midwife. I met her in 2007 at one of my SIL births and I said then "If I ever get remarried and have more children I want her." No one else would do. And so when I got re-married and found out I was having another child I called her right up. She was unable to attend Jubilee's birth due to a series of unfortunate events, including but not limited to: I went into

labor early, I was at my SIL's house which is an additional 30 min from mine (she already lives close to 2 hours away) and she had never been there, it was snowing heavily, and she wasn't called till about an hour before Jubilee came.

6 months later I am calling her again, I told you no one else will do. Truly, I'd rather have her there after the birth then a different midwife during.

Now we'll get to the labor...Sunday night I was once again experiencing cramping, I was tired and so finished. Frustrated with all the pain and discomfort with seemingly nothing to show for it. Everyone kept saying "It's doing something." but I couldn't see what it was doing and had no idea how long my body would just keep doing something. I figured I should call my midwife, before it got too late that night and let her know what was going on. She assured me she was staying in town, which means less the 30 mins away, and to not hesitate to call her.

Isaiah stayed home from work the next morning and our big hic-up was Jubilee happily bathing my phone in the toilet, the result was a completely dead phone and all contacts lost. Meanwhile my concerned midwife was trying to reach my now trashed phone and just getting voice mail. Around 1 or 2 that afternoon as I was trying to get some rest she stopped by and asked if I wanted her to check me. When she did she exclaimed I was at a 4-5! Boy did that put a smile on my face and filled me with renewed energy, nearly halfway there, the easy half granted, but on my way. I jumped up ready to walk the baby out.

We walked and I got tired, came home and rested, walked some more, rested. Slowly others

began showing up. Besides my midwife, her assistant, and an extra midwife that was getting certified and needed another birth, I had invited 3 of my SILs, 6 neices, and my mom who was staying with us.

Throughout the day I was having contractions, but it didn't seem to be really moving. I walked, rested, rolled around on a yoga ball, and did it all over again. Finally around 10pm I was ready to try to get some sleep, midwife checked me again, easily stretched to a 7. Yes. Really. And I was ready to go to sleep! So I did, for about 5 hours. As for the full house, some went home and some settled down to sleep.

On Tuesday morning I woke up around 3am with cramping again, the morning was more of the

same, moving and resting. Around 10-10:30 the 3 midwife ladies said they would leave to give some space but not be too far. I asked if I could take some castor oil at this point, my midwife didn't have a problem with it. She even had a recipe to make a milkshake, saying that it binds with the dairy, with less cramping. The recipe called for 4oz, we did half that. The shake wasn't bad tasting, just a little funky aftertaste. Thankfully, I didn't get any crazy cramping, about two hours later I went to the bathroom once. I came out and told Isaiah to call the midwife back.

I quickly moved into some real and HARD contractions, as I quietly worked through them, tears fell off my face. "I did NOT want to do this", I said over and over, even though I knew it was a little late, I just wanted it to be done. When I began involuntarily pushing everyone quietly arranged themselves in my bedroom (16 bodies, not counting my own) and I sat on a birth stool in the corner with Isaiah behind me. As I sat on the stool I remember saying "Get this baby OUT!" It

seemed mere moments before my body began convulsively pushing again. Providence who had wanted to catch baby was pushed up to the front as my water bags emerged, slight pause and it broke as head came, another slight pause and body came out. As baby was handed to me I announced "It's a boy."

My reward: Asaph - 11lbs - 23 3/4in - born March 15th

The Babe Arrives

And guess what, it's a BOY!!!

Asaph Leighton