Falling In Love

We are all falling in love with this tiny little person

Taycie Grace Lamoreaux

I love:

 the smell of her breath, having her cuddle up next to me, the little sounds she makes, looking at her tiny feet, feeding her, spending time just looking at her.  I love how newborns stretch, with their little legs curled up, and their back arched.  I love the quiet time that I have had to rest and ponder how to be a good mother to all these sweet children.  I love the feeling that a new baby brings into our home - everyone wants to be kinder, more gentle, & loving.

The joys of family life just in this week have been worth the backaches and uncomfortableness of pregnancy, the strain on my body, the pain of labor, the noise and daily stresses of raising a large family. 

Wow, I don't have a picture of Bob holding Taycie. I'll have to get one soon! Bob is the most amazing husband and father in the world. He's just so understanding, kind, and loving. He handles the stress of school and running his IBC business along with having a new baby, helping out at home, doing his church calling, etc. He just takes it all in stride, and (unlike myself) doesn't seem stressed or have any nervous breakdowns. He handles my emotions, and gives me words of wisdom. He loves me. I mean really, truly loves me and accepts me no matter how undeserving I might be at the moment. He is everything a real man should be.

 

Abby is now a big sister!  I love hearing her say to Taycie:  "You are so beautiful, you are so beautiful!"

Andrew is fascinated by this little baby.  He's had the hardest time adjusting because he's so attached to me, but luckily it is summer, and he's also in love with the outdoors.

Zach loves to hold Taycie, and rub her soft little fuzzy head.  He did not like her dried umbillical cord, and he was SO relieved when it fell off.  Yesterday, he asked me while holding Taycie: "Mom, can big brothers kiss their baby sisters on the lips sometimes?"  So cute. 

Of course, Mallory is in heaven with yet another sibling to help out with.  She is now the middle child in our family.

Spencer has a calming influence on Taycie and can usually get her to fall asleep for me.  He'll sit quietly for as long as I will let him hold her.  What a lucky girl Taycie is to have four older brothers to watch over her, who love her so much!

 

Courtney is a very loving big sister.  She helped wash all the girl clothes when Bob called from the hospital (I had only washed the little boy clothes!) Courtney has been an amazing help by keeping the little ones in the family entertained, cared for, loved, and happy this week.  She is such a gentle, loving, and sweet influence in our family.

Jace has always loved babies so much.  He'll hold Taycie for a long time, and he always comments about how precious she is.  He adores her.  I know he'll be a wonderful father someday.

Here is the star that has kept our home and family together this week.  Really, there aren't words to express how proud and happy I am with how willing she is to help, and how talented and able she is.  Every day she leads the children in a "clean-up crew", she makes meals, and just happily helps out.  Bob has made me stay in bed, take lots of naps, and focus on recovering.  But then he has to go to school, and Aliysa gets to take up the slack.  She's amazing. 

It's crazy to me to look at her holding Taycie.  It really hasn't been that long since she was Taycie's size.  I always used to think it was funny how often adults would say that "time flies by so fast", but it really is true.

"They are idols of hearts and of household!

They are angels of God in disguise;

The sunlight still sleeps in their tresses,

His glory still gleams in their eyes;

These truants from home and from Heaven,

They have made me more gentle and mild;

And I know now how Jesus could liken

The kingdom of God to a child."

-Charles M. Dickinson

She's here!

We have a beautiful baby girl!  No name yet, because we all guessed this would be a boy. She was 8 lbs 13 oz, 21 3/4 inches long, chubby and adorable. Soft fuzzy hair, looks light brown but will probably be blonde hair.

It's been 2 hrs since her birth and she still hasn't closed her eyes, she just keeps looking around.  She is very alert.  She latched on immediately and nursed really well.  

Everything went so well with this birth.  I am just in awe of the whole process.  Once the pitocin got going, everything went pretty quickly & smoothly.  I was feeling quite a bit of pain at the end, I was surprised that it felt so uncomfortable.  The nurse checked me and said "oh, the baby is crowning!"  The doctor got here just in time to catch her.  I didn't even push!  Wow, what an amazing experience.

Well, we're going to look for baby names online.

At the hospital!

Well, we are here at Mtn. View Hospital.  We'll have a baby here soon!  After two nights of being awakened all night with contractions, and having painful contractions off and on all day, I finally went into labor last night (Saturday).  I knew in the evening that this was real labor, so we got the house straightened up, and laundry done, and got everyone to bed.  As soon as I settled down into bed, I started having long and hard contractions, although they never got close together.  I know I should be used to this routine by now, but I always keep thinking that someday I'll have a labor that progresses.

In the morning, things started slowing down, and we decided it was time to head to the hospital to get things going before I get too exhausted.

I have the most wonderful hubby who always seems to know what I need in labor, and we both decided that some pitocin and an epidural were in order this time.  I was only dilated to a 4 when we got here.

If this seems oddly written, well, hello, it's because I'm in labor.  :)

I'm going to take a nap.
We'll update soon with pictures of the new little one!

Overdue

The kitchen cupboards have been taken off, washed, painted, hinges and new handles replaced.

We're done with the taping, scraping, painting!

Barstools are painted.

Kitchen walls and trim are painted.

Everything taken out of kitchen cupboards and drawers, cupboards and drawers washed out.

Everything put back in the cupboards and drawers.

New valance, rug, & some decorations purchased (after searching millions of stores) and put up.

Disastrous attic cleaned & re-organized.

Downstairs laundry room (that had become a storage dumping ground) cleaned.

Each room in the house (that had fallen apart while working on the kitchen) cleaned up.

All bathrooms deep cleaned.

Everything vacuumed.

Van cleaned out & vacuumed.

Garage cleaned out.

Laundry all caught up.

Jacuzzi tub bleached, cleaned, and jets cleaned out.

Baby bassinet put up.

All baby clothes & carseat washed, dried, & ready to go.

The first round of Ultimate Idol was held last night...it was a success, although Bob thinks there was much room for improvement.

So, we're ready to have a baby!  C'mon contractions!

I have to say that I am in awe of all we have been blessed to accomplish this week.  It really is just a blessing, no other way to describe it.  Earlier this week I was in tears, just feeling like I had been crazy to attempt painting the kitchen.  I looked at all we had to do, and knew I just couldn't do it.  But I have been really trying to put my scripture study, prayer, & journal first thing in the morning, and I know that I've been blessed because of it.  Sometimes when life seems like it is just too much, prayer can really help us increase our capabilities.
 
We have been able to accomplish all of the above while Bob has been gone or busy every waking moment, plus well into the night on most nights.  Just this week we've had a Young Women's activity (which Aliysa had to bring cookies to), a Young Men's activity, Jace making tickets and flyers with two of his other quorum members at our home, Jace selling tickets for a scout camp fundraiser, cub scouts for Spencer, activity days for Courtney, piano lessons, voice lessons, my doctor appointment, two chiropractic appointments, a doctor appointment for Jace for a physical he needed for scout camp, Jace starting a summer job doing yard work for our neighbor, etc. etc. 

I want to apologize to all family and friends who I have neglected lately.  I'm really not trying to ignore anyone, but I have ignored the phone, e-mail, blogs, etc.  Our phone really rings almost every 15 minutes throughout the day, and I often don't even look at who is calling or listen to the message unless it is convenient.  I have decided I need to be better at answering it, and start being a part of everyone else's lives. 

I've wanted lately to just become a hermit, and live in the middle of some remote place with just my hubby and children.  As I've pondered why I feel this way, I realize that it is because I am just craving more family time.  I've been so busy and had so many places to run around, that I haven't had much time at all with my little ones.  I don't want to neglect them.  I want to spend more time reading and playing with them, doing fun preschool activities and enjoying life.  I want to spend time cooking yummy meals instead of having everyone grab something quick as they run out the door. I'm looking forward to holding this new little baby and having a few weeks where we have a great excuse to just not go anywhere. 

Now, in writing this, I certainly don't want this to sound like we don't absolutely love all of our friends and family.  We are so grateful for all of you, and we love spending time with you.  I don't know what we would do without the support of friends and family.  For instance, this week my sister-in-law Kristi watched all of my kids except Aliysa so that Aliysa and I could clean the house.  That's when we finally got the attic put back in order.  We wish we had more time to spend with you all, and we are excited for all of you to meet our new baby.  I am just tired of the telemarketers, doctor appointments, and running around.  I need to make it a matter of prayer about how to find balance even with a busy life.  I have not been so great at it yet.

Well, enough rambling.  I need to go.  Hopefully our next post will be with pictures of a new baby!

Life

We are so very busy.  We just got back from a week at Green Canyon Hot Springs.  Camping when you are two weeks away from your due date is not the best idea, especially in the rain and wind, and when you are going to get sick.  My kids had a lot of fun, and my friends saved the day by making us dinner each night while we were there.  I don't know what I would have done without them.  I am so glad to be home!

Spent the next few days with everyone getting sick to some degree, and me wanting to go into labor and have this baby. 

This week, I have been praying not to go into labor.  I think I am insane.  I impulsively decided that I could not stand my old peach kitchen cupboards that were peeling, chipped, and falling apart.  So, I went and bought paint and the kids and I dove into a project of repainting the cupboards.  At first it was so much fun.  Now it is anything but fun.    Kitchen is a wreck, everything out of cupboards.  I have become a hermit.  I have not answered the phone or listened to messages or answered many e-mails in days.  Sorry everyone who may have been expecting calls.  I will return calls tomorrow if I finish then.  I have been painting, and painting, and painting.  Body is sore and tired, but I must finish before the baby comes!  What was I thinking?   More on this later...must keep painting.

Bob is busy every waking moment, and most of the night working on his homework, and his business.  The "Ultimate Idol" is going well.  They have finished auditions, and will have the first round/show on my due date next week.

Family Update

Life is busy and happy for us.

Bob is enjoying school.  This semester is a busy one for him, he is involved with the "IBC" program (Integrated Business Core) It is a unique program at BYU-Idaho where the students start a business and run it during the semester.  All four of their classes during the semester tie in to the business they are running:  finance, marketing, operations management, and organizational behavior. Bob's group's business is "Ultimate Idol", a Rexburg version of American Idol.  They will be having auditions soon.  It should be a fun event for the BYU-I community.  He will be right in the middle of the whole production just about when I have the baby. 

Last semester Bob did well, he earned a 3.94 GPA, but was put on academic probation because he withdrew from his Anatomy & Physiology class.  He dropped it when he changed his minor to business, and he withdrew just how he should.  Next thing he knew, he received an e-mail informing him that he was now on academic probation.  Of course he felt like that was ridiculous, so he went in to the counseling office, expecting that they wouldn't want him to really be on probation, since he had a 3.94.  No, he was told that if he has a "W" on his record, he will be on probation for the next semester.

Not only that, but he soon received the first in a series of weekly e-mails reminding him that he was on academic probation.  He fired off a quick "venting" e-mail expecting that the e-mail was probably sent from an account that wouldn't accept return e-mails.  Nope, he received a lengthy reply from one of the deans of students.  They corresponded back and forth a bit, and Bob was able to be removed from the e-mail list so that he doesn't have to be reminded every week of his status at BYU-I.  Pretty funny. 

Bob's favorite class last semester was a business class where they had to do business simulations, where they make decisions just as if they were running a business.  Then they see the results of their decisions in stock value, income, etc.  Bob's group did amazingly well.  Bob loved the experience, he was always so excited to see how they did each round.  Their group had top scores, even among groups from all over the nation.  The "final" in that class was another simulation, done individually.  Bob did really, really well on it. 

He finished teaching seminary this week.  Recently he has commented a lot on how much he has learned from this experience.  He has become a really great teacher, especially this semester. He was told that if he ever feels that he should become a seminary teacher, to come back and they would love to hire him.  But, after lots of prayer, we've felt that being a seminary teacher is not the direction God wants Bob to go. 

I am feeling very, well, pregnant.  I have been in a lot of pain in my back, hips, etc.  I looked it up and found that I had a condition called "pelvic girdle pain".  No fun.  I went to a chiropractor, and he found that my right hip was higher than my left hip.  He gave me two adjustments, and it has helped immensely.  I am still not exactly comfortable, but at least now I can go back to walking, and my back and neck pain are gone.  Yeay.  This past week I was quite sick with a bad cold, etc.  It made me so thankful for my usual good health. 

This coming week we'll be going up to Green Canyon for a week of swim lessons and camping.  My kids have been so helpful in getting ready.  I hope I survive the trip, and don't go into labor while we're up there. Well, actually going in to labor might not be so bad...

I've been working hard on my YW personal progress program.  All women in the church are invited now to earn their Young Womanhood Recognition award.  I received mine when I was a young woman, but I am enjoying the experience of going through the new book.  It has enriched my scripture study, journal writing, and goal-setting in such a wonderful way!  I recommend it to any woman or young woman.  It is a fabulous program. 

The children finished up their gymnastics classes this week.  They had such a fun year this year at gym.  Our kids seem to spend as much time upside down as they do right side up now.  Aliysa, Jace, and Courtney are taking piano lessons through the summer, and the 5 oldest children are taking voice lessons from an extremely talented world-class voice teacher.  She is the wife of another seminary student teacher, and we attended her senior voice concert she gave when she graduated from BYU-I this last semester.  Both Bob and I were simply amazed.  I never knew someone could such incredible things with their voice!  We feel very blessed to have her teaching our very "untrained musically" family. 

Aliysa was recently called to be the first counselor in the Mia Maid presidency.  She still misses our old ward terribly, but she is having a good attitude and enjoying our new ward, too.  She is so, so excited to go to Green Canyon.  Some of her best friends will be there, and it should be a fun week for her and all our kids.

Jace is enjoying life.  In our ward there are 13 deacons, and he enjoys all his time with them.  It is a fun group of boys.  He is serving as the first counselor in the quorum presidency.  Jace has recently decided that he wants to own a machete.  For the past couple of weeks, he has been extremely helpful, obedient, and always saying things like "yes, mother dear, what else would you like me to do?"  All this in an effort to show he is responsible enough for a machete.  He still has not convinced me as to why a 13-year old should own a machete, but we'll see if he succeeds. 

Courtney was able to attend a young woman activity last Tuesday.  The Beehive class was welcoming in all the girls who will be coming into YW this year.  They had a "crazy hair" activity where they did the new girls hair, then the new girls were blindfolded and fed ice cream to the Beehives.  They had so much fun, and Courtney is now even more excited for October when she'll be joining them. 

Spencer is loving life, doing things with his friends, roller-blading (Jace, Courtney, and Spencer wear roller blades almost all day long lately), biking, and cub scouts. 

Mallory is so excited for the new baby to come.  She is such a little helper as usual.  She keeps us laughing with her funny little sense of humor.

Zach and Andrew are loving the weather when it is warm.  They love being outside, riding bikes, and having all sorts of adventures.  Abby loves to boss them around and tackle them.  They are so cute with her, they love being big brothers to her.  She keeps us laughing constantly.  We have no idea where most of the things she says come from.  Here's some favorites lately:

She sings the ABC song, putting letters in whatever order she desires.  She ends the song lately with "Now I know my ABQ's...next time won't you sing with me?"

The other day Andrew was pouting about something, and Abby went right up to his face, pushed him in the chest, and ordered: "Don't talk like a baby!" He furrowed his brow, stuck his lip out and looked at me.  She shoved him again and repeated the command.  Nothing like being encouraged to be macho by your little sister.

She just has to know the names of everyone she meets.  It amazes us how she remembers the names of all of our children's friends.  When she sees pictures of people in magazines, she always asks "what is her name, Mom?"  She isn't satisfied if I say that I don't know, so I've started asking her what she thinks her name is.  She comes up with some great names.

Well, that's our update...Life is good.

Local News 8

Our friend Kami Harris arranged for a field trip to the local news station, specifically to learn about the weather from the head meterologist.

Part of the tour

This is the high-tech way that rainfall is measured.  There are little stations like this in different locations.  Twice each day they are measured, then the data is sent in to the national weather service, and they average it for each area. 

The news van

This is where the weatherman stands.

And he appears on camera like this, with a map behind him.

This was a fun and informative day!

Hale Center Theater

My four oldest children and I got to attend "The Three Musketeers" play at Hale Center Theater in Utah, and tour the theater afterwards.  This fun field trip was arranged by my friend Tracy.

The play definitely had praiseworthy acting, amazing sets, and costumes, but I must say the script did not fall under the "virtuous" category. Darn.

But we enjoyed most of the experience.  The kids thought the sword fighting was amazing.  Jace has been making all sorts of homemade swords and daggers ever since we got home.

Spencer and his friends Logan and Dallin, relaxing while waiting for our tour to begin.

Aliysa and some of her friends

Jace and some of his friends looking around the theater.  

It is such a beautiful theater.

The girls acting out different things that the tour guide directed them to do.

The boys doing the same.

On stage, making up their own advertisement slogans

The whole group.  What a fun day!

Aunt Lisa's Barn

Well, I can say that my little sister got married and her first apartment is over 50,000 square feet.  OR, I can say that she got married and now lives in a barn.  For those of you who know Lisa and Preston, I'm sure you wouldn't be too surprised about them living in a barn... But actually, they live in a cute studio apartment above the gigantic barn at Heritage Ranch where Preston works.  Lisa is also training some foxtrotter horses that are boarded there. 

So, we went to Utah last month and stopped at the Kent's on our way down.  Lisa gave us the grand tour, and we got to see Preston working with one of his horses.

Aliysa was in heaven.  She would love to live in a barn.

Jace and Abby in the tack room. 

Can I say how nice it is to have older children to pack the two-year old around when I am pregnant?

There were lots of new foals to see...so fun.

There were puppies, too.

We all enjoyed getting to see Lisa again.  The barn is a fun place to be.  And Lisa even filled our van up with oil for us before we left.   Thanks for the fun day, Lisa!

When I grow up, I want to be just like Dad...

I love these kind of moments.  Seeing my kids working with their Dad.  He is everything a husband and father should be, including an amazingly hard worker. 

(Don't you love Andrew's snow boots? Of course, it's not too funny to think that he's wearing them in May, considering we had snow, sleet, and hail just three days ago)