Family Christmas Dinner

Tonight was our family Christmas dinner at my parents' house. Ezra wore his festive outfit that my friend, Margie, from Utah sent us this past week. He looked so cute.

We met at my parents' around five for a yummy dinner. We had ham, rice pilaf, au gratin carrots and rolls. YUM! The carrots were especially tasty. My mom had set the table so nice and each person got his or her own place card and a little gift--the moms got a notepad, journal and some little things from Bath and Body. The dads got Gold Toe socks. The boys got a toy (Ezra got a little rattle thing to put on his car seat). The girls got a journal and Bath & Body goodies. Ruby got a toy car and Hattie got a little Lalaloopsy doll. So fun.




After dinner we sang Christmas carols and played a game where you draw a picture on a plate which is on top of your head. We all got a kick out of seeing our finished product.




We finished the night off with dessert and our annual caroling to my parents' across-the-street neighbor.

Big Sister

Eliza and Libby went to my niece's birthday party yesterday, so we let Ellie stay up a little later and hang out with us. She loved being able to have Ezra all to herself. She is such a great helper with him.

Sweet

Eliza took Ezra to bed with her tonight. We couldn't help but take a picture. So sweet. (Don't mind the artwork on the wall in the background. The day after we got home from the hospital, we were busy doing something in another room and Ruby found a sharpie marker and went to town. Her first time doing something like that. Ugh. Not good timing!)

Reindeer Run

Today was the reindeer run at school. My parents came over to stay with Hattie, Ruby and Ezra so I could go watch. It was cold! I think my car said it was 45 degrees. Brrr. Ellie got first for the girls in her class, Eliza got first in her class and Libby got second. Ellie only had to run one lap, but Eliza and Libby had to run 4 laps. It seemed like a lot for a fun reindeer run! They all did great though and had fun, I think.

First Few Days

Ezra is very well loved by his sisters. They can't get enough of him. He is very patient and does love to be held.
(not sure why his chin has a big red mark on it--he really didn't)

You can tell what he thought about his first bath at home. He loved being wrapped up after though.

I have actually felt great after having Ezra. Other than some doozie after-birth pains that lasted 4-5 days, I can't complain. Although sleep isn't something I am getting a whole lot of, I am really only tired first thing in the morning or later in the evening. If I push through it, I am okay and can get through. I have felt a bit spoiled this time. This week my parents have taken Ruby and Hattie all day so I could rest or do whatever with just me and Ezra. It has been a dream. My dad has come over in the morning and gotten Ruby (and Hattie too on her non-preschool day), then they pick up Hattie from school and keep them until time for the older three to get home. Then they have come over and helped with homework and the after school rush. I think I might have melted in a pool of overwhelmedness (I think I made up that word) if I hadn't had that help! Ruby and Hattie have loved going over to their house. I am not sure what Ruby is going to do next week when she gets to be home with me. I am not nearly as fun as her playdate this week. :) And Hattie has had fun helping my mom get ready for our Christmas dinner that we have tomorrow night. Today I did have a little taste of having a few more kids home. Eliza and Libby went to their cousin's birthday party. My parents took them and Abby out to Casa Grande, so I had a day with Ezra, Hattie, Ellie and Ruby. Ellie was a huge helper, but Hattie was not so easy. She kind of "eggs" everyone (read: Ruby) on and gets them riled up or causes mischief. I think the hardest part right now is feeding times. It's just hard to sit down to feed when I need to be watching what Hattie or Ruby are doing. Add that to Ruby not wanting to nap and it makes things a little tricky. I am not going to give up on her naps just yet though.

One thing I did this week was take Ezra to his first doctor's appointment. He weighed 7lbs. 3 oz, so he is doing well and everything looks great.

So at one week old, we already know that he:
loves to be held
doesn't like his bed
usually goes through two diapers per diaper change (we need to be faster)
likes to sleep on the couch
sleeps really well during the day
is very cute and sweet.

Ezra's Birth

On Tuesday night (the 13th), we took all the girls to Chrystalyn's to stay a couple of nights while we were in the hospital. The hospital called at 3:30 AM the next morning for us to be there at 4:30. We got up and ready and went to the hospital. After all the paperwork and prep, I got my IV with antibiotics started around 5:45. I wanted to have a certain anesthesiologist do the epidural and he was due to get off at 6:30, so I asked the nurse if I could get it before he left. Luckily it worked out and by a little after 6, I had my epidural. So from there on out, things were a dream! I did have to get a shot for low blood pressure after I got my epidural. It was like 71/46. That has happened before and after the shot, it went back up.

Soon after the epidural, they started the pitocin. Around 9:30, my doctor came in and broke my water. That got things moving along, so by 11:20, I was complete. They called my doctor back, I pushed through one contraction and Ezra was born at 11:26.




He looked a lot like Ruby and Eliza. He also did what Eliza did after he was born--when Dr. Austin put him on me, he was lifting his head up and checking things out! While I was getting taken care of, Brian went with Ezra as he was checked out, weighed, etc. When he was all cleaned off and wrapped up, we spent a while staring at him, trying to decide on a name. We went through our list, saying each name, trying to decide what would fit him best. We both loved Ezra and thought it suited him well. We both just really like the name and we found out after we named him that we both have an Ezra on each side of our families. His middle name, June, is after Brian's grandpa Cuthbert June (CJ) Trimble. Brian spent many summers working with him on his farm in Utah, so we thought it would be cool. We have definitely caught some flack on his middle name. Everyone says, "I knew it must be a family name." I think that is code for--why else would you ever name someone that! LOL. It made me second guess using that for his middle name, but we figure you don't use your middle name much and boys aren't usually the ones asking each other, "Hey, dude, what's your middle name?" Usually it's the girls who do that. So Ezra June Trimble it is! We also thought it was a nice book end with Eliza at the beginning, all the "y" or "ie" names in the middle, and another "a" ending name at the end.

The rest of the hospital stay was full of visitors and lots of interrupted sleep! I forget how much they come in and check your vitals! We ended up going home on Friday. Our pediatrician wanted to do the circumcision Friday morning to give him a full day to adjust being on the outside first. So that event was Friday morning. I sent Brian with him. Our doctor is our neighbor, so he was fine having Brian in there (not sure if Brian felt the same!), but he told him how he did it and had him put the little "sweetie" (the sweet sugar stuff) in his mouth. Brian said Ezra did well during and only cried a little bit.

Our girls came to visit him the afternoon on the day he was born. They were all in instant love!


We couldn't go home until Friday afternoon because we had to wait 6 hours after the circumcision. But when it was time, we were ready to head home!

Welcome Baby Ezra

Ezra June Trimble
December 14, 2011
11:26 AM
7 lb. 12 oz.
20 3/4"

Totally cute in every way!

Still Here!

I am still around! I had progressed a little more at my last doctor's appointment on Monday, but we are still keeping my induction date for next week. At this point I am hoping to make it through the weekend for Brian's work/client party, a friend Christmas party and our ward Christmas party. Then I'll be ready! We can't wait to see what this little guy will look like. It'll be so fun.

So Grateful

(the only picture I could find of them together recently--from my dad's retirement at the police department)

My parents are always so helpful and selfless in serving their kids. They have been especially helpful as I get ready to deliver. Take today for example--I volunteered in Eliza's classroom this morning, then around 10 my parents came over. My mom helped me make freezer meals to have on hand for after the baby comes. We made up three different recipes and through doubling them, we got 12 meals out of it. Yes!

While we were making the meals, my dad took care of Ruby--playing with her, taking her to the store to get one ingredient I needed--put laundry away, did some dishes, etc. When Hattie got home from preschool, he took her and Ruby to get lunch for all of us. Then after the meals were done, we ran some errands where they just dropped me off, so I could just run in and get out quicker than if I had to park, walk in, etc. It was very productive. I am so grateful for them and all they do to help.

Outfit

I am volunteering in Eliza's classroom tomorrow morning. I went into my room tonight and found this...


I am lucky she takes such good care of me!

Little Man Baby Shower

A couple of weeks ago, some dear friends threw me a "Little Man" baby shower. Everything from the invitations to the decorations to the food were all so cute and so thoughtful. I am so lucky to have such great friends. We had a fun time visiting and opening boy gifts! I was spoiled with lots of darling things, like this cute, cute hospital gown from Cherice. I'll be the fashion statement of the hospital!

Cute

As busy as she was on Sunday, she still is pretty cute. :)

Funny

This weekend, we were doing more cleaning in the garage and taking pictures of my trophies and ribbons from baton. I had to laugh when I saw many 1-4 place ribbons in baton, then I found some ribbons from "Math Day" at school. I proudly received a 5th, 6th, 9th and 10th place. Math was never my thing. But really? A ribbon for 10th place?!!

Progress

I am down to my every week doctor appointments. I went last Monday and my doctor said I'm thinning out and at a 2. I am curious to see where I will be tomorrow. I also tested positive for GBS, so I will have to make sure I get the antibiotics before I deliver.

In the meantime, we are trying to get our shopping and wrapping all done right away. The shopping is close. The wrapping is not but hopefully will be before little boy blue makes his appearance. I've decided this is a really hard time to be pregnant! I think it's a little harder anyway on my body being my 6th, then having 5 others to take care of and chase (some of them). And church is very hard. I've been teary the past two weeks trying to deal with Ruby in Sacrament meeting. She has decided to start being a little difficult and spicy the past couple of weeks. It's not the time for her to start this! I told her she can't start this two year old behavior right before I am supposed to have a baby! I don't think she has listened yet. LOL. But church has been hard trying to keep Ruby quiet and Hattie, too. They want to be doing the same activity and have the same crayons even though I bring some for both of them. Mix that with not being able to bend over too far in the pew and not wanting to let Ruby down if I have to take her out in the foyer. Joyous times! I finally asked one of the young women before church to sit with me, so that helped some, but when Ruby won't go sit by her, it makes it tricky! And did I mention it's tithing settlement time of year? I think tonight was the last of the appointments, so I am grateful for that.

All right, I will stop complaining. This too shall pass, right?!

Ellie's 6!

Ellie turned six this past Tuesday. She started the day with Lucky Charms and she got to buy hot lunch at school. She was pretty excited about that! Before school, she got to open some of her gifts--she got some "soft" pants, Phineas and Ferb Pez and a Loving Family Car.



In the morning, I went into her class to do a Thanksgiving craft. They turned out so cute and the students seemed to have a fun time.

After school, we went to Brian's parents for piano. Brian met us there and we went to the mall to get Ellie's ears pierced. She's been looking forward to it for a while! We borrowed some numbing cream from Terri and Ellie didn't even flinch when they pierced them. She picked some really cute white flower earrings. We snuck in a visit to Santa while we were right there. I thought Ruby would be scared, but she wasn't at all.


After the mall, we went to Elephant Bar for her birthday dinner. We decided we want to let the birthday person choose a place to eat on her (or his) birthday, to help them feel special and that we are grateful they are in our family. It was a good time!

VIP

This week, Ellie is VIP in her class. She got to bring home "Hermes," the class monkey. She had to write in his journal what he did and she filled out an "All About Me" poster. She has been very excited to have him over such a long weekend!

Thanksgiving

This year we spent Thanksgiving at my parents' house. Our festivities started the night before. Usually every year on the night before Thanksgiving we have a girls' night with dinner and some shopping. This year I took Eliza, Libby, Ellie, Hattie and my mom. We met up at Kierland with my Aunt Deb and my cousin Emali and two of my cousins' wives. We did a little shopping before, then went to dinner. It was the plan to go to Cheesecake Factory, but they weren't very accommodating with such a big party, so we went across the street to Coal Burger. My grandpa joined us all for dinner. He really wanted to get out of the house! He actually was very generous and treated us to dinner. We had a fun time visiting and catching up.

On Thanksgiving, I got up and made pumpkin cream cheese breakfast rolls and we watched the Macy's Parade. We got ready after a bit and then headed to my parent's house where we hung out until time to eat "dinner." Both of my brothers and their families came, so it was fun to have everyone there. My girls helped my mom set the table cute and she had made the cutest place cards for each of us, too. We had a yummy, yummy meal! Everything was delicious! After dinner, we did a little activity with the place cards--depending on the color of M&M you picked out of your box, you had to tell/share something with the group--like something that makes you happy or something you love about the person to your right, etc. Then it was time for the annual ornament exchange. It was so fun seeing what each person received. The funniest was Ruby--Libby had given Dallin a green car ornament. Ruby loved it! So she was excited for her turn to open her ornament. She kept saying, "Car, car!" She peeked in the bag and saw that it wasn't a car, and she pushed it away and said, "NO! No car." Chris had gotten her the cutest pink monkey ornament, but if you tried to give it to her, she would push it away and fuss that it wasn't a car. It was pretty funny. By the time we got home, she did end up liking her ornament and even wanted to take it to bed with her. My parents also had gotten each grandkid an ornament along with a pair of PJs. They were all very excited about that! After all fun, we all headed out to Mesa to see the temple lights. It was nice because it wasn't crowded at all. It didn't take us long to walk around and see everything, then we were back in the car headed home. Overall it was a great day!!

In no particular order, here are some pictures from the day...