Clara's Blessing Day!

Last Sunday we were able to bless Clara in Sacrament Meeting.  It was certainly a special day for us and we were so thankful that lots of family were able to participate with us.  Clara was blessed by her daddy and he was joined by Grampa Edwards, Uncle Jon, and Uncle Silila.  Of course the cousins were all happy to see each other again.  This picture shows Miss Lillian who is almost two and gets cuter and cuter each day.  Emma adores her little cousin so much!

 Here is Clara with her Uncle Jonathan.  This was his first time meeting her!

Aunt Natalie wanted a turn holding her and Eliza was very intrigued by the new baby.

Jon and Natalie welcomed their special little guy - Hinkley back in June.  He is so big!  We decided to match up Hinkley and Clara to compare their sizes.  You can't really tell from the picture, but Clara was so teeny in comparison. :)

Aunt Stephanie spent lots of time holding her and Clara was very content with her.  Aunt Steph has the magic touch - maybe it's because she has five kids of her own!

Here she is in her blessing dress and pretty bow.  She sure didn't want to cooperate with the camera very well - at least she cooperated during her blessing and slept right through.

Emma and Sam were super excited for their sister!

We missed having Luke and Kate here with us but we are excited to see them next month when they come for a visit!  Karlie and Lillie had to leave for home before we took the cousin picture but they were there with us, too.

We had a really wonderful day with everyone and had so much fun visiting with friends and family!  We were sad to see them all leave and look forward to when we can all be together again!

First Day of School!

This week marked the beginning of the new school year!  Hooray!  I have really enjoyed having my girls home with me this summer and we had lots of fun......but it was definitely time to go back to school and get in a good routine again.  This year Emma is in third grade!  I can't believe how the time has flown by with her.  She is more grown up each day.  Her teacher is Mrs. Boyd and Emma was anxious to be in her class.

Samantha is in first grade now!  I don't know how I feel about having her in school all day - it is going to be very strange for me to not have her here during the day.  But she has been so excited!  It's all we heard about all summer.  First graders in our district begin on a staggard start.  They only go once the first week and for just two and a half hours so they can get used to the classroom and the rules of the school, as well as go through some testing to see what levels the children are at.  Samantha started on Wednesday afternoon and her teacher is Mrs. Cadwell.

Both girls have enjoyed their first week and really like their teachers!  We're keeping our fingers crossed that the excitement continues throughout the next nine months - Hopefully this will be another successful year

Happy Anniversary!

Today Mark and I are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary!  I love this man so much and lately I have been looking back over the past ten years and feeling amazed at how our lives have changed.  Back when we were dating I had a hard time picturing myself even being married.  And the thought of having children was terrifying!  We used to have discussions before our wedding about what kind of family we wanted and what our goals were.  How blessed we have been to have three beautiful daughters to add to the mix!  Having a new baby is always a bit challenging - both of us are sleep deprived and maybe not as patient as we could be.  We haven't had very much time lately to visit with each other because we're too tired to have a conversation. :) We have had some good times and some not-so-good times over the years and things haven't quite turned out the way we had planned, but overall......I couldn't imagine spending my life and eternity with anybody else! 

Home at Last!

We were so excited to come home from Boise with Clara......and also to see Emma and Samantha!  We hadn't seen them for twelve days and we were missing them desperately!  They had a wonderful time being with Gramma and Grampa as well as aunts, uncles, and cousins - but not being together as a family was hard on us!  Not to mention that Emma and Sam were so anxious to meet their new little sister!

We are adjusting to life and having a newborn in the house again.  It has been a long time since we have had a new baby and although we are exhausted from many sleepless nights, it is a blessing to have a new addition.  Emma and Sam absolutely adore Clara.  They constantly ask if they can hold her, they make sure that mom feeds and changes her on time, and they are full of "Smotherly" love.  Samantha is especially happy to finally be a BIG sister!

Of course the camera is always ready to pick up any sweet shot of the baby.  Emma and I thought that this particular pose from Clara was a definite camera-ready opportunity.

All of these moments are too precious and I don't want to miss any of them!  Being a mommy is the joy of my life and I am so blessed to have these beautiful children!

Welcome Clara Elizabeth!

She has FINALLY arrived to our family!  On August 3rd Clara was delivered by emergency C-Section here in La Grande.  Unfortunately, it was a rocky time and a rocky delivery.  After being in the hospital the week before and having the horrible allergic reaction, I came back the next day for labwork and then on Monday for an ultrasound on my liver.  My Doctor had taken a look at my lab results and my liver enzymes were pretty high.  So I went in for an extensive ultrasound and though that all was well.  On Tuesday morning I had an appointment with my doctor and she was concerned because my liver and spleen were quite enlarged.  She decided to send me back up to labor and delivery to get on the baby monitor and have a TON more labs done.  I figured that I would be able to go home that afternoon but the afternoon turned into evening and the evening turned into overnight.  I was getting pretty frustrated at this point because I was uncomfortable and missing my family and tired of being there.  My doctor told me on Wednesday morning that she figured I would be able to go home around lunch time.  About 2:00 she came into my room and said, "Bad news.  Your labs aren't good and we need to deliver this baby."  I was shocked and very unprepared for all of this to be happening but I called Mark who came straight to the hospital.  The doctors thought that I had something called HELLP Syndrome which was making me pretty sick.  We had the option of being flown to Boise to be delivered there or stay in La Grande and hope that Clara was well enough to stay there with us.  We decided to stay here in town - I was familiar and comfortable with my doctor and my family and support system were all here.  So...... all of the arrangements were made and at 5:18pm Clara was here!

I was so nervous laying there on the operating table.  All I wanted to hear was a good healthy cry.  It seemed to take forever but eventually there was a sweet little baby crying.  The only problem was that it wasn't very strong and deep down I knew that this wasn't a good sign.  The pediatrician on call determined that her lungs weren't healthy enough and made the call to have Clara flown to Boise to St. Alphonsus Medical Center where there is a NICU.  The lungs were missing a natural lubricant that enables them to expand and contract.

The Life Flight crew arrived about 8pm and gave Clara the necessary medicine (Surfactant).  They brought her in the incubator to my room so I could say good-bye and then they were off.  Mark immediately drove to Boise and I was left here in town in recovery.  Fortunately, my parents came and picked up Emma and Samantha and took them back to their home.

When Clara received her medicine she started perking up right away and breathing became much easier for her.  This was our first miracle!

Mark stayed at the NICU in Boise for the next few days and he would call me with regular updates.  She seemed to be doing really well except that she started having trouble eating and required a feeding tube.  She also struggled keeping her temperature up.

On Saturday afternoon I was finally released from the hospital.  Mark drove back from Boise and we spent the next day making arrangements to be back in Boise on Monday.  I was so anxious to see my sweet girl - I couldn't wait to get there and to finally hold her!

Clara was in a heated incubator but we could take her out every few hours to help change her diaper and give her a bottle.  Gradually the doctors were able to increase her formula intake because she was digesting well.  She had initially lost about a pound and was slowly gaining her weight back - one ounce at a time.

By Friday (August 12th) Clara was able to "graduate" to her own crib at room temperature.  Each feeding we would check her temperature to make sure she staying warm.  Luckily, she was doing wonderfully and had a consistent 98 degree temperature.  Now it was just a matter of having her be without her feeding tube for at least 24 hours.

Aunt Tracie made the trip up from Salt Lake City to be with us and meet her niece.  It was great having her with us and she provided a good shoulder to cry on. :) 

On Saturday morning the doctors told us that she was doing well enough to be discharged!  We couldn't believe it!  In a matter of just a couple of days she had completely changed course and we knew she was ready to come home with us.

We said a grateful goodbye to the Ronald McDonald House.  They took great care of us and we feel so blessed to have been able to stay there in our time of need.

Clara passed her car seat test - they monitored her breathing in her car seat for a couple of hours to make sure that the air was circulating as it should in her lungs while sitting up.  She passed her hearing test as well.  This was all great news!  We changed her clothes, said good-bye to the doctors and nurses, and we were headed home!

This was the most stressful time for our little family but we constantly felt the love of our Heavenly Father and we knew that we all were in good hands.  We were blessed so much with great friends and family who really came to our rescue and offered so much help.  We are so grateful to be home with our sweet girl!

Pregnancy Update

I haven't made many pregnancy updates on my blog but figured I would give everyone the rundown of the latest happenings with this baby girl.  Up until this weekend everything has been pretty smooth - my doctor has been pleased with her growth and my health and we have our C-Section scheduled for August 23rd which we are greatly looking forward to.  My tummy is so big at this point that I can barely move and sleeping is quite difficult.  This makes for very tired days and lots of aches and pains.

Last night I started having contractions.  Now because I have delivered my other children by C-Section my body has never been in labor before so I wasn't quite sure what I was experiencing.  I knew I was having very regular contractions, although they were not painful.  Eventually we called up to the Labor and Delivery Department at the hospital and they told us to come up for some monitoring.  So, we got the girls out of bed and hopped in the van around midnight.

Well, the nurse determined that I was not having labor contractions (meaning my contractions weren't strong enough to put me into labor) but that I was definitely contracting and they needed to be stopped.  The doctor wanted the drug Terbutaline adminstered to me which would relax the muscles and keep them from contracting.  The nurse warned me that it would elevate my heartbeat a bit and I might feel a little anxiety with it but everything is normal and it would go away.  Well, after a couple of minutes I was feeling VERY strange and knew that something was wrong.  My pulse was extremely quick and I couldn't get air.  The nurse quickly laid me back in bed and gave me oxygen but by then my blood pressure had dropped to about 60/30 which is not good at all.  They called for more nurses who got me going with IV's and Mark did his best to help me relax and breathe in the oxygen deeply.  Everything started to go black but I wanted to stay aware and make sure that everything was OK with the baby.  Eventually I began coming out of it and my blood pressure raised and the heartbeat slowed down.  However, a second wave of sickness soon hit and everything started all over again - this time with extreme heat.  The blood pressure dropped suddenly and the nurses and Mark once again did their best to keep me calm and comfortable, bringing in ice packs and upping the oxygen.  Thankfully after some time this wave passed, too and the doctor came in to check on me.  She determined that I needed to stay longer through the night and get some much needed sleep since it was almost 3am by this time.  So Mark took the girls home (who were so well behaved out in the waiting room) and I did my best to sleep.  Unfortunately hospital beds are not the most comfortable and I only managed about an hour and a half.  It was a miserable night but I was able to come home about 10:00 this morning to my own bed and my sweet husband to care for me.  I have to go back tomorrow morning for more labwork and another stress test but I am so grateful for the care I received and the technology available today that allows for a speedy recovery.  We aren't sure how much longer baby girl will stay with me - we might need to deliver early, but I am confidant that all will be well - especially now that I know I am allergic to that medicine and they will never give it to me again! :)

Wallowa Lake Adventure

Last weekend we decided to take a drive and head up farther into the mountains to visit Wallowa Lake.  We love it there but hadn't been for quite a while.  It was a beautiful drive and a cool day to be on the lake. 

We didn't do any of the really fun activities that you can do on the lake like boating or swimming (due to my pregnancy) but the girls played in the sand and Mark tried to teach them how to skip rocks on the water.  Emma and Samantha love being with their daddy so much - I love this picture!

 They didn't quite get the skipping technique down but they sure gave it a good try.

Baby Shower for Shellie!

Back in February we learned the wonderful news that my sister Shellie who lives in Wyoming was expecting her first child!  What a blessing!  I have loved being pregnant along with her and we have made it a priority to talk weekly with each other over the phone to discuss our pregnancy woes and latest accomlishments.  Fortunately she and Joshua were able to come to visit the family for a week and since she was in town, we had a baby shower for her.  We had a wonderful time eating, playing games, looking at the sweet baby items, and catching up with old friends.  It was a girls day out for all the sisters and granddaughters!  Here is a picture of Shellie with all of her nieces who were available to come.  (Unfortunately Eliza was too shy for the camera and little Katie is in Arizona).

And here are all the sisters and mom, too.  Aunt Tracie was able to make the trip from Utah so we were happy to have a visit with her, too!

I miss Shellie and I am sad that I won't be close by when she welcomes her first son in November.  I wish she would be close when I deliver in the new few weeks but hopefully we'll see each other soon!

STAYcation Day #4

Today was a great day!  Mark had the day off so we headed down to Pendleton to spend some time together as a family at the Eastern Oregon Children's Museum and then the Family Aquatic Center.  Having been given a lead by a friend, I found out that the public library here in La Grande has free passes to museums in our area that you can check out.  How great is that?  Earlier this week when we hit the library, the pass to the Children's Museum was available and we checked it out!  The girls absolutely loved it there!  Here they are in the construction house.

This was the Lewis and Clark area.  There was a covered wagon that the girls could try out.

Emma found a rainmaker which was something that was in her classroom this past school year.

Here they are at the pretend firehouse......

.....where Emma attempted to slide down the fire pole!

Emma loves science and experiments so she really enjoyed the science lab.

Unfortunately there was only room for one in this teepee.

Samantha loves crafts and was able to draw a pretty picture in the craft room.

There was lots to do at the museum and we would have stayed longer but the water and warm weather were calling our name!  We grabbed a quick bite to eat at "The Cookie Tree" and headed to the Aquatic Center.  The first thing they wanted to do was go down the water slides!  Emma had a great run!

Samantha was extremely proud of herself and she was especially giddy that Daddy was there waiting for her when she flew out!

 Both girls couldn't get enough of the water and they played very well together.  It was a busy day so they stuck together and made sure that we could see them so they could pose for the camera.

After a few hours, we knew it was time to head on home.  The only negative about the day are my poor sunburned feet.  Of all the sunblock we used, I didn't think to put any on my feet and now I am suffering the consequences!

It was wonderful to conclude our STAYcation week together as a family.  I love watching how happy my children are and it is a true testament to me of the importance of family relationships and the joy that comes from spending time together.  There really is nothing better!

STAYcation Day #3

Today was our Spa Day!  We stayed at home and "glammed" ourselves up.  We started out by straightening the girls' hair and then giving Samantha a much needed trim.  We cut off quite a bit of hair and she was very happy.  Then we moved on to our nails.  Earlier we went to the store and both girls were able to pick out a color of nail polish since they loving wearing nail polish.  Then Mommy put pretty smelling lotion on their hands and painted their nails for them.

Of course, in the summer time you have to have pretty toenails, too!  Mom did their toenails with an extra added design that they can show off when they wear their sandles.  The toes turned out pretty good in my opinion!

At lunch time we spoiled ourselves with a treat of homemade chocolate milkshakes!  Who doesn't love milkshakes?

Later on we worked on putting some jewelry together.  Emma made a beautiful necklace but Samantha got a little tuckered out of trying to put the string through the beads and eventually gave up altogether.  I think I have a budding jewelry maker on my hands!  Unfortunately, our camera gave out and I was unable to get a picture of the finished product.  So tonight we broke down and made a trip to Walmart to purchase a new camera!  We don't want to miss out on any more fun pictures!  Even though it was a lazy day at home, I am still grateful to be spending this time with my daughters.  We are surely looking forward to our day at the waterpark tomorrow!