Thanksgiving celebration

Ally, the eldest granddaughter, and Charlotte, the youngest granddaughter (for a few more days)

Both sets of the "three amigos"

Most of the Taylor grandkids with Chrismom and Poppy (who are 90 and 91 respectively) and Nana and Papa.  This picture will be a treasure, I'm sure!

We enjoyed our Thanksgiving dinner and vacation with the Taylor family this year.  It was filled with fun, great food, and family together time.  I am so lucky to have in-laws that I love so much (and who are amazing cooks!)

We had sleepovers, dinners together out and in, hunting outings, Black Friday shopping outings, attempted movie outings, and gingerbread house making.

Service Stockings

Each year my parents ask us to do service instead of buying gifts for them.  Although I think we would try to do service anyway, it helps to have a little extra money to put towards helping someone who really needs it.

This year we decided to fill and send stockings to the U.S. troops.  My SIL Kelly was doing it in her ward and had extras that needed to be filled.  Although the trip to Walmart with 4 kids is always an adventure, we had a good time choosing personal hygiene items, treats, games and a few toys.  We brought it all home, separated it, gave the kids each a stocking, and I watched as they excitedly filled and stuffed the stockings to overflowing.

I didn't think about it, but my boys had no idea that we, the United States, were fighting a war right now.  Since they have been learning about the Civil War, the War of 1812, the Revolutionary War and more in school, their ideas about war were very different.  They made some funny comments about cannons and hand-to-hand combat.  Thankfully, war is nothing like it was two centuries ago.  I know I and my kids are extremely grateful for the brave men and women who are fighting to defend our freedoms and the freedoms of the human race.

For your enjoyment, just a birthday photo and one of the hottest man on the planet.  I love this guy!  He's been working very hard and very long lately.  I know we all can't wait until he gets some time to slow down and enjoy the Christmas season with us!

La Di Da

So, I've been a very bad blogger lately, and I do feel a little guilty about it.  I've been having so much fun laughing at Charlotte's facial expressions and kissing her adorable cheeks!  Blogging had to take a backseat to that. 
She is almost three months old--I really can't believe how quickly time flies.  It makes me sad to see her already growing up.  Her brothers and sister can't get enough of her.  She smiles EVERY TIME she sees her dad.  It is the sweetest thing.  She can be crying and fussing and all he has to do is start talking to her.  She and the rest of my kids are lucky to have a wonderful father.
I'm sure it won't be long until she is laughing out loud and rolling over.  

Blessing Day

Baby Charlotte was blessed on Sunday, November 1, by her dad. It was a beautiful blessing, and thanks to Uncle Zak, I have a copy of what was said. Charlotte was surrounded by worthy men in the circle including daddy, Grandpa, Papa, Great Grandpa Burr, Great Grandpa DeWolf, Great Grandpa Taylor (Poppy), Ben, Cameron, Matt, Cory, Zak, Judd, and Bishop Nielsen. All those men--and we limited it to just grandpas and our brothers!

I love baby blessings. It was a special day as a mother, and a day for me to reflect and appreciate my healthy, wonderful babies--all four of them!

Halloween Fun

Camden, Kohler, and Cooper are inseparable at school. Their teacher calls them the "three musketeers."

Our little Tinkerbell. She was a ladybug for a few parties too, but she grew out of that outfit in a hurry!

Jedi robes handmade by moi. And, yes, it was a headache!

Nana had wonderful Halloween surprises for all the kids!

We had a wonderful Halloween. It was especially nice that the actual holiday was on a Saturday, so class parties and ward parties were all on separate evenings. My kids had fun at each event and came home with so much candy! It's a good thing it's already almost gone--less temptation.

We visited Nana and Papa before Shea took the oldest kids trick or treating. Then, after Lucy's legs couldn't walk anymore, we headed to Grandma and Grandpa's for our traditional soup, rolls, and too many yummy treats!

Baby Charlotte's first professional photos

These were taken by my wonderful sister-in-law, Candace. She is so talented and sweet to take these. We wanted Charlotte to be asleep, but now I'm glad she was awake!

Check out her blog www.mysnapdragonphotos.blogspot.com to see more of her great work!

Flashback to summer

I love the top of the Chrysler Building prop!

Frozen custard at Nielsen's. Delicious! Grandpa told us we had to enjoy some and call and tell him all about it.

My kids love the movie "Annie". They know every song and every dance. I can't tell you how many times I've had to be Miss Hannigan to Lucy's Annie. Shea has to always be Punjab and save Lucy from extreme peril as she falls off the couch or the bed. Every time I have the kids help me mop the floor, they accompany me with their version of "It's a Hard Knock Life" as they throw their rags around and roll on the floor. I love it. I have always loved musical theater, and I am thrilled that my kids, for now, share this love.

Annie was playing at Tuacahn this summer, so we had to go to St. George to stay in my parents' condo. We left on a Sunday evening and had tickets for the Monday show. Well, it hadn't happened in two years, but the show that night was rained out. The next night was "Footloose," and we had to wait until Wednesday night for Annie again. We changed our tickets and stayed in St. George--in JULY and 8 months pregnant--for a mini vacation. We swam, spent time at the new Pirate Island, ate out, shopped, watched movies, enjoyed "Footloose" with my mom while Shea stayed with the kids, and had a great time.

"Annie" was darling! Lucy and the boys loved it as much or more than I thought they would. Before the show started, Lucy told me that she wanted to sing with Annie. I told her she could stand in front of her seat and sing all she wanted. She looked at me with disgust and said, "No, mom! I want to sing down there!" as she pointed to the stage. I might have an aspiring actress in my house. She enjoyed the show from Shea's lap and sang EVERY word. The stage production has a few songs that the movie doesn't, so during those Lucy just sang the songs from the show that she loves most. Seriously, she stayed up singing and dancing until midnight! After the show the actors were all out meeting the people. Of course we waited in line to see all of them. They were very sweet with my kids. I wish I would have captured in a photo how fun that was. Lucy even consented to hugging Rooster and Miss Hannigan, who she decided might be kind of nice. Meeting Annie at the end of the line was a highlight! We had to even go back after we had walked all the way to the car because Cooper was moving inthe picture we took on my mom's phone and it was blurry of him. He was devastated, so I ran with the three of them back up the stairs to get another photo. Luckily, the crowd was gone and Annie hadn't left her spot quite yet. We grabbed another quick photo just before she left with her real family. Yep, she found them, and they were there to watch her! Good thing my kids didn't pick up on who they were.

I just got the pictures from my mom's camera of the trip, so enjoy!

Has it really been this long?

iphone camera--sorry for the quality!

the only one month birthday picture I could manage

I've had a few requests to update my blog, and quite honestly, I've had a hard time prioritizing. Also, I've been waiting on some cute photos of my kids by my amazingly talented sister-in-law, Candace. I've been justifying my lack of posting on lots of things.

Our family has been busy. We've finished another soccer season, been to see the witches at Gardner Village, picked out pumpkins at a fun party hosted by neighbors, enjoyed General Conference, tried to get back into the primary mode with the program this Sunday, worked on sewing Halloween costumes, put together the newly redecorated girls' room, folded laundry--sometimes, made dinner, got Lucy's first hair cut, started Shea on the P90X program (which he is loving), nursing, changing diapers, and running carpool.

...why do I wait to update this until all my kids are home and I am going crazy?!

That's my life lately. And I hope I get more competent soon.

First week and first bath

follow up

Thursday was the day we were supposed to get out of the hospital and begin our new life with four kids at home. I had noticed most of the day Wednesday that Charlotte was looking more and more yellow. I knew her bilirubin count was going up, but I wasn't prepared for how high it was. My nurse came in at 3 a.m. on Thursday morning to do everything they need to do at that crazy hour. She told me about the results of the test, and she mentioned words like "brain damage" and "stay longer in the hospital." I was tired, and now I was stressed. I guess I never paid attention to the fact that babies sometimes stay an extra day or so to be under the lights. Now, after talking to people, I realize how common it actually is. I really learned a lesson in perspective, gratitude, patience, and unconditional mother's love.

Charlotte spent all day, except for feedings and a blessing from her dad, in the nursery under the lights. We spent a lot of time at the nursery window watching her. I was discharged at about 4 from the hospital and we went to pick up the other kids.

Dinners from the most wonderful friends, neighbors and family members started showing up that night and continued until the next Friday night.

After eating quickly and kissing the older kids, I went back to the hospital at 7 to be with Charlotte for her feeding then and at 10 p.m. I was willing to sit there all night, but with the nurse's reassurance, I decided to go home, sleep, pump, and come back at 7 a.m. It was a hard thing to leave my baby that night, but as I sat in the nursery I thought of all the people I know who have had to leave their very sick babies for weeks or months and made countless trips to NICU. I cried as I realized how blessed I am, and how healthy Charlotte is. She did so wonderfully on the lights at the hospital that I brought her home at 9 a.m. Friday morning, and she only had to be on the bili blanket for one day. We were all so glad to have her home. Having our whole family together has been so wonderful!

The miraculous arrival of Charlotte Rose

We are so happy to announce the safe, healthy arrival of our sweet Charlotte Rose. Our family is so blessed to have these four strong, precious children in it. I couldn't ask for more as a wife and a mother than this wonderful family of mine.

I got the call at 6:40 a.m. on Tuesday, September 15th. The hospital was ready for us to come in and be induced. I was so excited that I didn't sleep at all the night before. The boys and Lucy had spent the night at my parents' house, so they could get off to school and have a normal day.

I was hooked up to my IV and then to pitocin by around 8:30. Dr. Watabe came in and immediately broke my water. Contractions were strong and very consistent from the beginning, so I had my epidural by about 10. I have to say that this epidural was perfect. It did everything exactly the way the anesthesiologist said it should. I wasn't in pain, but I was still aware of what my body was doing. My nurses in labor and delivery and in mother/baby were all fantastic. I had some of the most wonderful care.

My nurse kept expecting my body to dialate more quickly, but as long as it didn't take as long as it did with Lucy, I was happy. I kept progressing, so Shea and I were happy and relaxed. In case you didn't know, there isn't much on t.v. during the day. We enjoyed "How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days" and Shea enjoyed lunch from the cafeteria downstairs. We spent most of the morning and early afternoon as just the two of us and the nurse sometimes. We had a lot of good conversation about our sweet family and our many blessings. I have been filled with so much love and gratitude to my Heavenly Father these last 5 days.

Candy arrived at 2 ish to chat and see how things were going. My mom and dad came with the kids at about 4. The nurse checked me at 4:15 and said I was completely effaced and a 9. Not 10 minutes later the doctor checked again and said I was ready to push. We were surprised, but excited. Everyone left the room and started walking down the hall to start their wait. I started pushing at 4:42, and sweet Miss Charlotte Rose was born at 4:44! It was the quickest, easiest delivery ever! She was healthy and beautiful and here! Her heart rate was unstable and she had a slight temperature, so the nurse placed her on my chest and I loved having her warm little body right next to mine. Amazingly, her heart rate normalized and her temp disappeared with a little mommy time.

The kids and the grandparents got to come in soon after Charlotte was born and meet her. There was such a special spirit in the room as my amazing husband and four sweet children were all there together. We enjoyed our time with the baby for quite a while. I got to eat dinner, which was a surprise. I have never felt good after delivering my babies. I always get sick for a few hours and am miserable while Shea is in the nursery with the new arrival(s). This time I felt great!

more to come...baby girl needs to eat in order to keep her sweet cheeks the right size!