Party Day for Jaden

Saturday we celebrated Jaden's 6th birthday (his actual birthday is the 16th). He kept changing his mind about what he wanted to do for a party - bowling, Playstation, etc. But one thing that didn't change is that he wanted a pinata! Ever since we had a pinata a couple years ago he seems to think you can't have a birthday without one. So I decided to just have a party at our house... surely it can't be too hard (after the first 2 birthdays we always go somewhere for parties). Then for the last 2 weeks I stressed about what exactly to do with the 2 hours of "birthday party" that I now had to fill. I even thought about scratching the idea a couple times but I had been too excited to fill out invitations and some of them were already handed out. I finally planned 5 or 6 carnival-type games (tons of fun rounding up the required items for that!) and of course a pinata. And some decorating (again, tons of fun putting up this morning!).

We ended up with 10 kids (plus my own 2 that participated and 3 that didn't). It was a madhouse at times with little people running throughout the house, screaming and laughing! They had a blast. In fact, they were having so much fun running around playing toys that I was worried they wouldn't even want to stop to play my games. But they did stop and, again, had a blast. Sometimes they would ask to do that game over and over (especially musical chairs!) - the prizes helped too :)

My friend helping while I fed the baby

Cotton ball race (Vaseline on the nose, no hands)

Lining up for pop toss

 

 Of course, the big hit of the day was the pinata! (yes, pun intended!) Everyone got to hit twice and Jaden finished it off.

I had taken Jaden to the store to pick out his cake - Spiderman was his choice. I should've gotten a bigger one, just didn't realize almost all of the invitees would actually come!

Happy, happy birthday to my sweet Jaden!

Today's Birthday Boy is JADEN! ~ Birth Story

It's been 5 years and I really can't say it's too hard to believe, as it seems Jaden has been around for even longer than that! haha

The morning of January 16th I had an appointment for my 4th non stress test within a week. He hadn't been doing as well as they would like during the tests so I had to keep going in every other day. I was now 38 weeks pregnant. I went to the hospital by myself as I assumed they would just do the test and send me home again like all the other times. But this time was different - the doctor came in after about 1/2 hour and said "That's it, I think it's time to take this baby". Before I knew it I was admitted and being moved to a labor/delivery room, during which time I was trying over and over again to get ahold of Rob. It was about 1:00 and he was apparently taking a nap at home and couldn't hear his phone! I got ahold of my mom and Rob's mom who in turn finally got ahold of him.

Once I was in the room I thought the doctor was just checking me but she actually broke my water! I was a little upset about this because I wasn't told what was going to happen and didn't realize she was going to start already (I was still alone and hadn't gotten ahold of daddy). But it didn't take long for him to get there with my mom following closely behind. As the day went on I remember my mom saying she hoped I was done by 7 because American Idol was on! HA Oh, Grandma :) While I was getting closer to delivery and in more and more pain, my "support team" did, in fact, watch American Idol. And just as that got over it was time to start pushing. My little Jader Buddy was born at 8:32 pm - 7 hours later, not too bad for an induction. We now had 3 little boys!

Jaden was such a good, sweet, quiet baby... if only we had known how different he'd be as a toddler! He's been a difficult child, to say the least; definitely giving me a run for my money, er, sanity! But he also is so fun and can be so sweet - very much a blessing to our family. He's very excited to be 5 years old and is looking forward to starting Kindergarten in the fall - now that does sound crazy! I hope the school is prepared for this little ball of energy!

Happy birthday, JJ! We love you soooo much!

My baby is 11! - A Birth Story

December 13th, 2000... 33 weeks pregnant with baby #2 - I woke up from an afternoon nap feeling that something wasn't right. So I called into work (I was suppose to go in at 4) and headed to the hospital to get checked out. Sure enough, the doctor told me that my water had started to leak. I was 19 years old and tired of being pregnant so was excited for a moment thinking that meant my baby would be born soon. Of course, it was too early to have him and I soon realized things were not going to be so simple afterall. The doctor said I would be admitted immediately to be on complete bedrest. Ugh!

I spent the next 21 days laying in a small hospital room (this was before all the fancy birth suites were built). I missed Christmas with my family, including my 22 month old son who was at home with Grandma and Poppy. I rang in the new year in that hospital bed as well. That was a difficult time, and quite boring I might add!

The doctors had decided to induce me at 36 weeks and end the torturous bedrest. Finally, the day came - January 3rd 2001. I woke up super early as I had been counting down the days and was so excited to meet my lil guy. However, the labor and delivery unit was extra busy that day so I had to wait, and wait... and wait. About 4:30 pm they said I could finally head down to the delivery room to get started. 12 hours later I gave birth to my second son, Jerell Solomon, on January 4th. Even though he was still almost a month early he was completely healthy and able to come home after the normal 2 days, and so was I after 24 days in the hospital!

Jerell was a very difficult newborn, crying most of the day and night for a couple months. I was so young and living on my own with 2 kids 2 and under. I believe it was the grace of God that got me through those times (along with lots of help from Grandma!). But after those rough few months Jerell became one of the sweetest babies ever! And he's continued to be that way over the last 11 years. He's compassionate, loving, smart (testing at the very top of his class year after year) and just such a blessing to us.

I'm so thankful for all my boys, but today I'm especially thankful for my sweet Jerell! Happy Birthday, Jelly :)

Jerell @ 9 years old

Dathan is 3 ~ Short walk down memory lane

3 years ago today I went in for an 8am induction to deliver what I thought was my last baby :) I told my nurse that I would be done by noon so I could eat lunch. They didn't start the process until 8:30 and  Dathan was born at 12:32, so I was absolutely correct in my prediction of a 4 hour labor and delivery! Of course, I didn't get to eat lunch since there were some complications with me afterwards - I was scared and thought that any second my doctor would say we're heading to the OR for a hysterectomy. I thank God that didn't happen and soon after I was holding my precious baby boy and getting to know this new part of our family.

Dathan has been such a blessing! His first few months of life were quite rough (for me), spending many hours of the day and night crying as I walked from one end of my house to the other trying to soothe him. But after that he was a good baby and has been a good toddler as well. He's so smart and says some of the funniest things (I only wish I had written down all the cute & funny things my kids have said over the years). In one sense it's weird that my baby is already 3, but in another it's like he's been here forever - and I can't imagine life without my Boo-Boo!

Happy Birthday baby boy, we love you so much! You are proof that even when we don't plan a pregnancy and other people think you're crazy for "having another baby"... God, the giver of life, knows what He's doing!