Tender Mercy

I think the Lord knew I needed a tender mercy to help encourage me during these past couple difficult months. So He had Ruby potty train herself. Seriously.

I had been wondering when I would do it and when I would have time to dedicate to it with a new baby who was still nursing. One day a few weeks ago, I put Ruby in underwear and thought I'd give it a shot. She didn't go at all (in the toilet or in her underwear) for most of the day. But I had a babysitter come while I took Ellie, Hattie and Libby to gymnastics, and she had an accident. I decided I would just put her back in diapers and try again when I could be home solid for a few days straight. Well the next day she was in diapers just like before but that night Brian was at my parents' with her while I attended a New Beginnings for another ward. I got a text saying that Ruby had asked to go to the bathroom and that she did. I thought that was kind of weird, but okay, good! The next day I had her in a diaper (I didn't anticipate that she would keep it up), but I did tell her to let me know if she needed to go. Well, she did each time and we haven't looked back since. It has been a tender mercy to say the least in that I really had nothing to do with it. Yay, Ruby!!!!

Moving, Not Moving

The past couple of months have been the most trying, difficult, discouraging, tearful I think I've ever had. We had been looking for a house since about July/August. We found one we really liked and that would really fit our family, so we put an offer on it back in August. We went back and forth and back and forth with the bank on it (it was a short sale) until December! We were told that the bank accepted our offer on December 12--two days before Ezra was born--but that we'd have to close by the 28th. It was a crazy time in that we were going to have a baby and that it was Christmastime, but we decided we would go through with it. So thinking that we were moving, Brian was released from his calling from the bishopric. That was emotional for me since it happened while I was in the hospital--not the greatest timing in my opinion--but it is what it is. He was actually released that next Sunday, but since I had just had Ezra, I couldn't be there. I think I cried the whole time they were gone at church that day. I tell ya--these past couple months have been doozies! It gets better though. Ha! That next Monday, we were told that our offer had only been "verbally" approved and that the bank really was wanting more money from us to close the deal. At that point, we were done. We felt like we had gone up and up in price and for them to want more money was ridiculous. So we backed out of the house. We decided not to do it. It wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't set the ball rolling for so many other changes that took place rather quickly when people heard we were moving. You can only hear comments like, "Well, that is one way to get out of your calling" so many times before you want to pop the next person who says it. We had even started packing.

I guess things happen for a reason, but we are still trying to find that reason. We are still looking for a house with another bedroom or two but nothing has worked out yet. We've had a couple of possibilities, but nothing yet. We'll keep looking. Hopefully I can look back on this experience as a trial that helped us grow. Until then, I'll try not to be reminded of it as I look around and see packed boxes and empty shelves.

Ezra's Baby Blessing

January 15th was Ezra's baby blessing. It was so nice and meant a lot to have most of our family there with us that day. I went back and forth on what to have Ezra wear, but in the end I settled on just regular church clothes. We think he looked so darling--like a little man! Brian gave him such a nice, meaningful blessing. What a happy day!

Laundry

One sign of a big family. Just a normal laundry day here!

10!

Eliza's birthday snuck up on us again this year. It comes so quickly after Christmas! I took ice cream sandwiches in to her classroom and they sang to her--the "tall" version (why she is up on the chair). For her birthday dinner we went to Grimaldi's. We were having our family pictures taken and that restaurant was right there, so she opted for that. The pizza was great! I felt like we were kind of a spectacle as they aren't really equipped for bigger families to eat there. They accommodated us though and were great with the kids--they had the person making the dough throw it up really high for them and they gave Ezra a onesie from the restaurant.

For her birthday, Eliza wanted a "day out with Mom." So that is what we did. She and I (and Ezra) went shopping and to Olive Garden for dinner. She got a pair of pajama bottoms, then opted to get the cash for the rest to put towards a Kindle Fire which she really wants. Now it might be an iPod Touch. :0 We had a fun time together.

At age 10, Eliza:
--still loves art and is so good at it. She can draw anything.
--loves sports
--is doing track for the third year
--is good at doing hair--hers and others
--loves putting fun outfits together
--loves making lists and schedules
--has some less endearing qualities, but we'll save those for another day!

Happy 10th birthday, Eliza!

Random Pictures

Here's a quick update since I am so behind again...

One day when I was feeding Ezra, Hattie and Ruby thought it would be fun to throw all the ponytails (the tiny ones, too) into the air. Ugh!
Just one of the many things Ezra will have to endure with having sisters. (American Girl glasses)
We had our family pictures taken last week and then finished the evening off at dinner.
Ezra in the outfit Libby picked out for him.

Brian thought it would be fun to pay money to be tortured in the Tough Mudder. It was hard, but he said he had a good time.

Sweet Ezra

Just a few of his cute baby pictures!

Christmas

It didn't feel like Christmas this year to me. We were so busy having a baby and moving and then not moving. But Christmas came and went. We had a nice time though. My parents came over on Christmas Eve and we had Christmas with them. Then on Christmas, the girls were up around 6:30, but we made them wait until 7 to go in and see what Santa left. Then we got ready for church and enjoyed music and narration during Sacrament meeting. After church we went over to Brian's parents to wrap up the day.

Gingerbread House

Our girls were very creative with their annual gingerbread house creation. There was also a lot of candy-eating in the process!

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!