Charlie is turning 5

WHAT?! When did my little baby boy turn into a kid!

A kid who runs around the neighborhood playing with friends.

A kid who gives us suggestions how to handle situations.

A kid who prays and really speaks his heart.

A kid who is constantly building forts.

A kid who loves being a big brother. 

A kid who loves learning and creating. 

Charlie's favorites:

 color: blue and red.

food: papusas

sport: soccer

books: any dinosaur book

scripture hero: Nephi

friends: Gwenyth, Clark, Mitch, Jethro, Henry, Leif

what he does well: runs fast, front flips, and having good idea's

Charlie is a great big brother!

He loves climbing trees and riding his bike.

He can be the sweetest thing and biggest helper!

One day he unloaded a trunk full of groceries (and it was raining!) while i nursed Grant.

Charlie is still my refiners fire. 

Each new attitude or "stage" has my head spinning with what to do. 

He has locked us out of the house and out of the bathroom.

He use to sneak food (Popsicles, chocolate, crackers, string cheese) into his bedroom early in the morning and gobble it up before anyone was awake. 

He pushes my buttons, ones i didn't even knew existed.

He is silly and loves to laugh. 

He is officially 5 years old! 

He is also a champion of the swings! 

Grants Birth Story

The birth of Grant was so completely different from Charlie and Olive. I guess they like having their own stories. So here is Grants story. 

I'll start with his due date of April 11. As the day approached I hadn't felt like my body had done much preparation although I was hoping he would get here some time before that date. My mom arrived on the 10th. She was such a huge help with meals, the kids, and keeping our home in order. I'm grateful for the part she played in keeping me busy despite my disappointment of waiting for Grants arrival. 

I'll never trust a due date again. A week past and as we approached the 2 week past I was ok but feeling ready. I had a couple different days I thought labor was starting but they never lasted more than 2 hours. The contractions would disappear and I would feel normal again. 

My midwife Rebecca gave  me options for inducing, an herbal drink, stripping the membranes, or breaking the water. I was hesitant and anxious about forcing it to happened. So I decided to wait. I enjoyed the wait with a few extra visits to the new Provo City Temple. Each visit gave me such a sense of peace and excitement. I found much to be grateful for in this wait. Then I had a night of false labor and I decided maybe we would need to push this thing a long with some help. 

We planned on Saturday morning the 23rd to get it going but I received a message from Rebecca that said she was with another mom birthing so we would have to start later in the day. I was a bit relieved hoping my body would turn the switch and start labor on its own. My mom and I cleaned the house all morning. I was excited and grateful knowing the wait would soon be over. 

Rebecca called once she finished her birth. She needed a shower and then would head over to us. She told me my options again and told us to prepare the tub. After that phone call I started feeling anxious. I was about to jump off a cliff and put myself through something very difficult. I loved the process of going about labor on my own, i didn't want to force it but that's what we were planning to do.  

My mom thankfully left with the kids so I get pull myself together and start to focus. Andy and I were able to connect and discuss what we would do. We prayed and he gave me a blessing. I started to feel relaxed and giggly and excited. We walked up and down the sidewalk under the grey looming skies until Rebecca arrived at 3:45pm. 

By that point I started feeling very light contractions, i figured because of the walking, Rebecca gave me an herbal drink mixed with OJ to heat things up. The contractions started increasing within 30 minutes and were still very manageable. I enjoyed the conversation between my cousin Meghan, Rebecca, and Andy. It was a nice distraction and relaxed me.

I told Rebecca it would be nice to have the baby by the kids bedtime at 8. She suggested breaking the water. I agreed and we were surprised what we found. My bag of water was extremely thick! It sounded like an inter tube and took Rebecca several tries to break it. A small amount of water poured out and we headed to the tub which is always a treat to get into. 

It was now after 6 and I was feeling much discomfort in my legs. The contractions were so brief that I felt like things were manageable. I'd have 10 seconds of craziness and then it would calm down enough where I reminded myself: this is good pain, I'm going to see that baby soon! I also visualized my cervix thinning and stretching while reciting "up and over the baby". Andy's hands clung to my shoulders and his physical touch gave me so much strength. My cousin Meghan poured water repeatedly over my belly and back. Rebecca's words reassured me that things were progressing and we would be done soon. I felt so much gratitude for the support of all these strong people around me. 

This period was a short 40 minutes. Grants head came out and  while we waited for the body Rebecca carefully took the cord from around his neck, then after another contraction his body also emerged. I held him tightly in my arms adoring his beautiful face. I looked to confirm my whole pregnancy feelings, that yes, he was a boy. 

I'm love giving birth. Its not easy but its worth it. The joy and excitement that comes after labor is worth that short period of agony. Babies and giving life are a complete miracle. I feel such gratitude to be blessed with a body that creates physical bodies for God's spirit children. 

A day never to be forgotten!

Today is a day never to be forgotten. As a mother of two little ones, i feel like i don't really get time to really think or take care of myself. I do love being a mother! I love taking care of my kids needs. But it is also a job that sucks the life out of me. This morning Andy took the kids to his parents house for the day and night. So from 9am thru tomorrow around 11am I have and will be kid-less. This break has saved my soul. This break has strengthened me. I now feel ready to be a better mom and bring in another baby to our family. The highlights of my day:

-Temple Visit (new Provo City Temple!)

-Pedicure

-Eating Sushi

-Thinking 

(yes just having time and quiet to really think)

This baby is going to be joining us soon. Really any day now but could be as much as another 2 weeks, which isn't ideal but...you never know. I am really trying to make the arrival an exciting thing for the kids, a real birthday celebration! I got balloons today. I have stuff ready to make a cake. This little babe will either be (i am 99% sure) Eden Inez Lousie Watanabe or Grant Noboru Watanabe.

The reveal will be awesome!  

The Terrible 3's?

Charlie is sweet. Genuine. Funny. He has a contagious laugh. He's thoughtful and likable. 

Everyone talks about terrible two's. 

Charlie had his moments. 

But he was his lovable self most of the time. 

A week or two before his third birthday a monster has emerged! 

A day doesn't go by where he doesn't throw at least one major tantrum. 

And now the tantrums are happening in public! 

I'm embarrassed. I look like a deer in the headlights every time they erupt.

I'm not sure what to do with this screaming, hitting, kicking child.

At home its easy to lock him in a room until he sweetly says, "All better mom!" 

And it is very sweet, but with the tantrums, i feel like the life has been sucked out of me. 

And i'm not ready to pretend like it never happened.

In public, its much harder to know what to do so i just try to hide. 

I have to pray so hard to have the strength to love him despite these bursts of outrage.

I do receive help. 

And when i do my heart just aches to see him in so much distress with nothing to do to solve it. 

He just has to go through it and then he's back to normal.

I hope this stage passes quickly.

We had a great birthday. 

I was disappointed that he had tantrums even on his birthday when everything was planned to make him a happy boy. We still had a great day! Played with cousins at our house and then met up with other cousins for a train ride on the Heber Creeper. 

I love Charlie!

He can say the sweetest things.

Like tonight, he actually ate the dinner i prepared. Big SHOCKER!

He kept giving me hugs and saying thank you and saying "I like it Mom!"

He would like most things i fixed but he never bothers trying it.

Tonight was a big deal. 

He also said to me, "Does that make you happy mom?" 

Yes, it does Charlie. 

Thank you my Son, Happy Birthday! 

Happy Birthday Olive

Olive turned one year old. 

I can't believe how fast my little girl has grown. 

She is active! She is crawling and climbing and walking with a push toy.

She has a big appetite and loves food, any food any time of the day.

She loves her mom and dad and clings tightly to us!

She will venture off on her own and when she does i see her watching us out of the corner of her eye. 

Charlie can make her giggle. 

When Andy walks in the door she goes wild kicking and screaming for him.

She is the sweetest and I absolutely adore her.

I enjoyed planning and hosting a party in her behalf along with 5 other friends. 

Olive was born the first week of school. 

Andy had 5 other classmates who also had babies born that same week.

So they are all days a part and i thought it would be fun to celebrate the first year all together, and to also get some priceless photos taken of the six of them.

 We had the party in our backyard. 

Its a beautiful backyard and this is the first time we have used it.

Left to right: Peter, Olive, Sadie, Ava, Jack, and Miriam

It was almost impossible to make this picture happen. 

But i think they turned out perfect!

I love seeing the different pictures and reactions of the babies.

Olive was just busy eating her cupcake the whole time. 

We had a game for the dads. Eating the doughnut off the string.

I have tons of pictures of this as well and they are hilarious, i am sure as you can imagine! 

The kids had a bubble blowing contest.

Except only one of the kids really knew how to blow a bubble.

Ava's oldest sister Isabelle was the winner! 

The others all got points for giving such a good effort. 

Then for the moms, we played Dizzy Mummy.

We had to see who could be the first to wrap a whole roll of toilet paper around them-self.

I took it seriously and spun so fast i couldn't stop when i was done. 

It was a weird feeling! 

I tied with Alicia, Sadie's mom. 

A few pictures from the last year...

Celebrate 27

I turned 27. We had a small celebration. Both Charlie a and Olive were sick.  I was happy to be their mother and take care of them. I made a yummy chocolate cake, my aunt Colleen's recipe. It wasn't as good as hers, of coarse! We enjoyed. 

 

Andy wrote me this Haiku. 

Dreamt of better days
One thing led to another
Living in the dream

Love you,
Andy