My Girl

February 8th 2014, I finally took Adalyn to get her very first trim.

 

I was a bit worried as to how it would all play out. She's not the kind of kiddo that can sit down and sit still for any length of time, and because it was a 'first' I didn't know what she was going to think about the whole thing.

 

---Side not; we had lots of fun experiences with Hyrum getting his hair cut as a young child. One time he kicked the guy between the legs that was cutting his hair and a lady had to come over to finish. It wasn't until he was 3.5yrs old (when Adalyn was born) that he would happily sit like a 'big boy' and enjoy getting his hair cut.

 

Because of time constraints and it being a last minute decision, we just ran to super cuts.

 

She surprised me and did extremely well. She sat there with a blank look on her face watching the girl in the next seat over have her afro brushed out. I also think she was just trying to figure out what was really going on and didn't know what to think.

 

 

She's so cute!

 

And, just because I think this is too cute and funny, I decided to post it.

 

When Ezra was first born I spent a lot of time in the bedroom nursing him and pumping. It was usually just Ezra and I in the room for probably a good month. When I wasn't nursing or pumping Ezra and I would be napping or Id shower and such.

 

On occasion Adalyn, Hyrum and Ricky would pass through the room to get things or check on us. If they happened to come in while I was pumping....

 

this is the look I'd get from Adalyn.

 

 

Adalyn got really curious about all of it. Once I was comfortable and settled with things I would take her into the room and let her sit on the bed next to me while I pumped. (just one more way I can find time to be with her)

 

She likes to sit and try and figure out the pump and insists on "pumping" first.

 

Now days I try to sneak off to pump without her noticing, otherwise I have to let her take a turn first to play with the pumping accessories before I get to sit down and have my turn.

 

Love her! 

Things about Ezra

Ezra is 14wks old already! Sometimes I feel like he should still be younger and other times I feel like he should be a bit older than he is.

 

One thing for sure, he's a big boy!

 

So, I'm not great at keeping up with the month to month pictures to share and show his growth but here are some pictures and happenings from Ezra's first 14wks of life.

 

When he was a month and a half old, he got sick. I've never had a child get sick at such a young age before and Hyrum had just had a severe case of the flu just two weeks prior so I was a little worried for our little man.

 

We had to give him breathing treatments every few hours for a few days and take him back to the doctor to have his lungs checked two additional times until he was all clear. (bronchitis.. had to make sure it didn't turn into pneumonia)

 

 

Ezra has been quite the trooper when it comes to his big sister Adalyn. Adalyn is still on the fence about everything and not sure what to do with Ezra and is trying to find her boundaries with him and see what she can do and get away with. Basically, Ezra can't be left alone any where, at any time, for any amount of time as long as Adalyn is up and about. (swing, glider, bouncer) She's learning though and is starting to become a big helper. If he cries she will give him his paci on occasion and try to share her teddy bear and ask to hold him and will bring him a blanket while I'm rocking or feeding him.

 

 

 

These pictures below are of both Hyrum and Ezra at 2 1/2 weeks old. I think they share the same sentiments of being stuck in a car seat while mom trys to snap the hundredth picture of them.

 

 

These 8pictues below were all taken in a 20sec time frame. He has so many facial expressions that he makes on a day to day basis. I don't think we will ever be able to capture them all. :)

 

 

He has quite the personality! He is such a flirt sometimes too. He loves to smile and 'talk.' Definitely loves attention.

 

(here Hyrum and Adalyn were playing peek a boo with him)

 

Can't get enough of this little boys smiles! He's such a happy baby as long as he has someone to look at and talk to or will hold him. He also love to be up. He will play on the floor and enjoy it laying down but he absolutely loves to be sitting up strait in a high chair or someone's lap so he can look around and see everything going on.

 

(three months old in this pic)

 

I LOVE his little lips and face in this pic below. Ezra man in his valentines Charlie Banana cloth diaper.

 

(14wks old)

 

and of course---had to take a toes-foot picture for all the baby feet fanatics.

 





 

 



Ezra Richard- A Birth Story.

(Just for your information- this IS a birth story.. so if that's not your favorite kind of reading material, you may want to skip this one.) 













Ok. So, it's only been almost four months since this sweet baby boy entered our lives. I suppose now is as good a time as ever to blog about my pregnancy and birth experience with this little one.

Where to start!? First off- he was a big surprise. I wasn't even entertaining the idea of becoming pregnant any time in the near future at this particular time. When I found out I was pregnant I may have panicked... just a little.

The beginning of the pregnancy was fairly smooth. I only had some very mild morning sickness in the beginning of the pregnancy. Everything went as well as could be expected for a pregnancy.

 I think around 17 weeks I started getting short of breath a lot and would just feel like I couldn't breath. My OBGYN said it was because I was short and all of my organs were being pushed up and everything was running out of space... I didn't have this issue with my previous pregnancies so I was slightly concerned when the symptoms first came along.

When I was 32wks pregnant we packed up all of our belongings and made a huge move from Federal Way Washington to Houston Texas. I don't recommend making that big of a move while that far along if you plan on riding in the car instead of flying... Three days of sitting made my legs/feet/ankles swell up like hot air balloons. I was so happy to arrive at our destination and be able to stretch out and get the swelling down.

Once arriving to the Houston area, I had to start the search for a new OBGYN. I will spare you all the details of that long, stressful, frustrating process and just say that-- four OBGYNs later, I was finally settled and set to continue my prenatal care with Dr. Gregory Shelton with the Women's Hospital of Texas.

After my first appointment here in Texas I was scheduled to have an ultrasound to check on baby boys growth. He was suddenly measuring four weeks ahead. Everything turned out to be perfectly fine. They just said he was a big boy.

I'm positive that I'm not the only woman who feels this way, but the end of pregnancy can get so stressful. I was large, couldn't breathe for the life of me, was helping my little ones get situated in our new life here in Texas, and trying to play the guessing game as to when this little guy would arrive.

Each week the doctor would make comments that would lead me to believe that baby boy was going to be showing up any minute. My body started dilating and effacing a little early and my Doc said "There is no way you will be making it to your due date." Of course after hearing that I went crazy wondering when that arrival date would be. (if we decide to have any more children- I think I'm going to ask my OBGYN not to tell me about any progress my body is making unless it's an urgent matter.) Oh, and if you didn't know-- I'm not a fan of surprises.. I like to know what's going on. :)

Any way, I came down with some kind of cold/cough thing and was sick for a few weeks. I had lost my voice once already during this time and had an annoying itchy cough. Saturday November 2nd (1am November 3rd) I stayed up late reading a book. When I was ready to go to bed, I got up and went to the restroom, came back to the room and got all comfy under the covers and I started coughing...

I coughed so hard that I thought my water broke because I felt a big gush of warm fluids. I quickly jumped out of the bed and turned the light on to inspect... definitely had something going on but my water had not broken. I was gushing blood. I quickly hopped into the hallway and opened the kids bedroom door and called Ricky to come into the room. I was having mixed emotions of "yeah finally!" and "Oh my gosh what the heck is happening?!"

Ricky inspected and went to my parents room to get my mom so we could get ready to leave. I called the number provided by my OBGYN and let them know what was going on, ran to the bathroom to clean up some of the blood, put some clothes on, grabbed our things and hit the road.

On the way to the hospital I was having contractions every three minutes for about a full minute each. When we got to the hospital I walked my butt up to the third floor, told them what was going on, then was taken to a room to pull my pants down and show them what was happening. They had me hop on the bed, hooked me up to check the contractions, and checked dilation and to see if my water had broken.

My water had not broken but I was 5cm and contracting regularly. It was go time.

My contractions were painful from the start and I had never taken any breathing or relaxation classes before, plus I had the supper annoying awful cough, so I could not relax and breathe through contractions the way everybody was asking me to. (soo annoying!) I wanted to breathe and relax the way I was being coached to BUT, IF I were to take a deep breath- it would tickle my throat and cause a cough attack... It got very frustrating and overwhelming.. I will admit--- I started crying.

My sister Adrienne arrived and everything was progressing rather quickly. I just wanted an epidural... I was 7cm dilated, having contractions every other minute for a full minute or so each, and they were still doing blood work and exams to make sure my blood count was well enough for me to get the epidural.

If I wouldn't have had the annoying cough and been sick and was able to breathe- its likely I would have been able to just breathe through it all and just deliver naturally. But that wasn't the case. Things were finally a go for me to get the epidural between 7-8cm. Instant relief... It was nice to be able to relax but like they say, things slowed down a bit after the epidural was in.

I was still contracting regularly but not progressing as fast as I had been. Had I not gotten the epidural I would have had a 5hr labor as apposed to the 8hr labor that I did have.

Regardless, things still went smoothly and this was one of my fastest deliveries yet. Once I was completely dilated and ready to go, my OBGYN broke the water and left the room for 5min to give baby a moment to work himself down a bit more.

At this time the nurse usually starts breaking down the bed, setting up the tray, and has you do a few "practice pushes" to get baby down and good and ready for delivery... Well I got ready to do my first "practice" push and was quickly told "ok, ok, ok stop!" had I not stopped, baby would have been born right then but this nurse seemed terrified for that to happen. She told me to just relax, don't push, wait for doc.

While I was laying there, legs spread wide, Ricky and my mom on either side of me, Adrienne waiting for the show to get started so she could take pics, I felt something odd... I said "umm, something doesn't feel right... I think he's sliding out!" Ricky and my mom look down and there he was, sliding right out. The nurse yelled at me and told me not to push and close my legs tight together. (I wasn't pushing! the contractions and my body was working and doing its thing and pushing him out in its own natural way.)

Any way... She finally got the doc. to come in, I pushed once for about 5 seconds and there he was at

8:19am weighing 7lbs 13oz.

Ezra Richard Leiser

He is so darn cute and sweet and spoiled! This little guy really has me wrapped around his fingers.

 He is the perfect addition to this crazy little family and I am beyond ecstatic that he's all ours!

Christmas 2013

 For the last three Christmas's I've been pregnant or have had a child in the home where it was their 'First Christmas.'
This year Adalyn was able to have a good, fun time and open gifts and run around playing with her new dolls. She was beyond cute to watch. She would look at us and hold her hands out and shrug her shoulders and smile as if she were telling us "I don't know what this is or what's going on but it sure is fun!" I wish I could have captured it. I will have to see if my dad was able to. It was seriously too cute!
Hyrum had a blast as usual. He got a dune racer (that sissy also loves), a razor scooter, cow boy hat and some other little things. So far (at 5yrs old) Hyrum is extremely easy to please. He's just excited and thankful to be receiving what he's given that is new (or new to him). You can give him a box of shoes/clothes/new socks, and he'd smile from ear to ear and jump with excitement. Love my Big Boy!
Ezra.. This Christmas he is only 7wks old so he wont ever know what he got or that today was any different than any other day. A friend asked me on Christmas Eve if I was excited for Ezra's first Christmas. I responded with "umm, well.. this is my third child to have a first "baby" Christmas. I'm sure he will just sleep and eat and poop as usual and nothing will be any different." Next year will be more exciting for us with him. Although this year is exciting because we now have him as part of our family. Any way-- we gave him some paci's, paci clips, board books, and a blanket.

I'd say we had a nice Christmas. We were able to celebrate with family this year that we haven't celebrated with in five years. Plus MawMaw and PawPaw were able to get up and see little ones reactions to Christmas morning. (I KNOW they miss it after all the years of doing it with us kiddos.)  :)
Just about all of us were together this year (plus some) except for one brother (Tim) who was on a hunting trip.

p.s. the holiday food was awesome and yummy as usual!
 

 8:30am--going to see if Santa came during the night.



 

yep! he made it! dumped a dune racer full of gifts on the living room floor.

 

Ezra was smiling up at and talking to cousin Kelli. Was super cute!

 

Cute little miss Kelli Jane

 

Aeden getting up close and personal while PawPaw snaps shots of baby sis Kelli.

Mom got a quilting machine from us kiddos and dad.
..can't wait to put her to work :)

 

The Grandkids gave PawPaw a pair of boots he really wanted.  

 

Ricky-my husband, Mikey-Adrienne's Husband

You have to watch out for these two- always planning some trouble :)

 

Very first family photos our new family of FIVE!

Adalyn was just too cute in her new jammies and house shoes.. She was having fun wearing brothers vTech backpack case around. I just couldn't get over how cute she looked!

 

I hope you all had an amazing Christmas!!

Ch-Ch-Ch Changes!

 

I have been wanting to blog for weeks/months now. Lots has happened and changed with life since the last blog was posted. It's just super hard finding time (and energy) to do it. Night time when all of the children are sleeping is the most ideal blog time but each time I've sat down with the computer I've decided against it and went to bed instead.

If a mom wants sleep-she should sleep when her children sleep...Right?

Since I last blogged our family made a huge move. We packed up our little apartment into a moving truck and hit the road on Hyrum's 5th Birthday, September 6th. Our final destination--South East Houston Texas. HOME

 

I didn't take pictures of the actual move but I will tell you that the drive was long. It especially felt extra long for this extra pregnant girl here. The long periods of sitting made my legs and ankles swell like crazy. It was nice to finally be off the road and somewhere that I could stretch out for a couple of days to make the swelling go away.

 

Upon arrival to our new home we found out that Hyrum has a severe allergy to ants. Fire ants to be exact... It was almost a month before his foot looked completely normal again. Even after the blisters were gone the top of his foot continued to have a bruised look for a little while longer.

 

 

 

After recovering from the ant bites and Hyrum decided he could finally put shoes on his feet pain free-- He wasted no time jumping into the Texas culture. He wanted a pair of cowboy boots so one night he and I went out on a mommy son date to dinner then out to purchase his first pair of cowboy boots. (He's worn them every single day since unless we've asked him to put on his regular shoes- he even wears his boots to church.)

 

 

This whole move and mommy being pregnant with a new baby and having a new baby has been a huge change for Adalyn. It's been hard on her and it breaks my heart because I know she needs more attention from me but it's sometimes hard to find the time or to know what to do with her one on one to help her adjust. Apart from that--there were lots of new and exciting things here at mawmaw and pawpaw's house that we had to teach her about.

 

I think this picture below will give you a good idea as to the types of things we were/are dealing with. :)

(swimming in the dog water bowl?)

 

She's growing up too fast. Here she is being little miss independent and actually blow drying and brushing her hair. One of her favorite things to play with when she is allowed.

She is also starting to act out motherly rolls with here 'baby'. (she has a teddy bear I got her for valentines day and she hasn't let go of it since.. it's her "chew toy" and comforter.)

 

(she's changing her bears diaper)

 

...and I'm posting this pic just because it's cute!



 

Other things on the list of new happenings---

Hyrum started preK in Texas (that was a huge pain in the *** to get set up!)

I was given a pirate themed baby shower for our new (then soon to be) baby boy.

Halloween happened. Hyrum was a pirate and Adalyn was a lady bug.

Ricky finished up his jobs in WA and joined us in Texas for good.

We welcomed our third child into the world which I will dedicate a separate blog post to next. :)