Up For Grabs . . .

Two adorable boys, ages 2 1/2 and 4 1/2. Yours to love and enjoy for six weeks!!!

Ha ha! Think anyone will take me up on my offer?

I love my little girl, and I love my boys dearly, but I'm thinking I'm going to need some help. Even with Hubby here to help, I'm having a hard time. The postpartum period is tough. My husband took the boys camping yesterday, so I had an entire twenty-four hours to just be with my baby. I rested when she rested and drooled over her cuteness when she was awake. If only I could do that for six weeks (the time it generally takes to recover from pregnancy, labor, and delivery), things would be great. But I know that in reality, I can't. I have two little boys who require almost constant attention, and I honestly don't know how I'll do it once my husband leaves. My dad and stepmom are so busy with work and thier church callings, I know they won't be able to help me out as much as I'm going to need it. I'm just feeling really anxious right now about how I'll survive the next couple of months. I've had problems with post-partum depression before, and I'm just scared that it's going to happen again.

Honestly, I wish I could ship my boys off for a few weeks. As much as I would miss them, it would allow me to take care of myself so that I can heal faster and be a better mom to all of them. I need time to rest and to get to know my baby. Maybe I can get some help from people around here. I think I'd even be willing to pay someone for child care if it would mean having a break from my boys for a couple hours a day. I'll have to look into that.

I know I'll survive somehow, but I just haven't figured out how yet . . .

My Baby Girl

Camping with Cousins

We had a fun time last week. My brother, his wife, and four kids came to visit, as well as my sister and her two kids. The boys loved having their cousins here. We went hiking, camping, and canoeing. Here are some photos from the week.
My dad grilled hamburgers and hot dogs over an open fire while we were camping. I had a hamdogger. Doesn't it make your mouth water?

This kid is working on his second hot dog, after having TWO hamburgers! I think he ate the most out of anyone there (which included both pregnant and nursing moms)!

Here's my two-year-old with his cousin who is the same age. Yummy dinner!

And here he is with another cousin, who is just six months older. Dessert!


Getting ready to go out on Grandpa's canoe.
Heading out onto the lake in hopes of catching a fish.
He was a little disapointed about not catching anything, but he had fun out on the canoe anyway.
And to top the week off, two of the kids went to the emergency room on Saturday. My brother's two-year-old daughter smashed her thumb in the sliding door of their mini-van, and within half an hour, my two-year-old had stuck a small, plastic ball (the size of a bee-bee) in his ear. It was pretty deep, and I knew if I tried to remove it, I would do more harm than good. The doctor sucked it out with a tiny vaccuum. Too bad we didn't get a picture of the two of them in the emergency room toghether!

"Just kidding, Mom!"

So I wake up at midnight to the familiar feeling of a contraction. But not too familiar , because unlike the Braxton Hicks or "practice" contractions I've been having lately, this one is long and strong. Feels like real labor. I use the bathroom and then try to go back to sleep. But the contractions keep coming, and I can't sleep.
I call my husband a little before two o'clock to tell him what's going on. After some discussion, we decide to wait another hour or two before he leaves to come down here (it's a six hour drive). We don't want him to come if this isn't the real thing. I try to sleep again, but can't, so I decide to pack a bag to take to the hospital. I'm feeling like this is the real thing and am getting excited about having the baby! I figure once I get my bag packed, I'll wake my dad and stepmom, call hubby and tell him to come on down, and head to the hospital.
The bag is packed and I'm ready to go, but then I realize I haven't had contactions during the half hour it took to pack it. Hmmm... I lay down in bed again and hope I feel more contractions soon. But they never come. I look at the clock. It's a little past four. Guess I'll try to sleep.
My kids wake me up at seven, and I'm disapointed to realize that my labor has stopped.
Not a very nice trick to play on me, was it? Oh well, guess she'll come when she's ready. In the meantime, I'm getting some practice at being utterly exhausted from lack of sleep. . .

Look at This!

Our house finally looks like a house! It's very exciting to see it taking shape!