Britton at 6 months

This sweet girl is blazing through her milestones. Crawling at 4 1/2 months, pulling herself to standing at 6. Not quite sleeping through the night, but eats like a champ. She's super happy, loves to play with toys and her siblings. She offers a smile to anyone who asks and is following the tradition of being a petite girl.

Big B comes to our family

Here's me at 35 weeks

And at 37 weeks. 

 I went to the doc's on Friday the 12th for a routine check up. I hadn't been feeling Brett move so they put me on the monitor. I started feeling some pinches & asked if the monitor recorded contractions. Yes it did, & I had 4 tiny ones. The nurse said they were probably just Braxton Hicks. I've never had those before, so I doubted. But too soon to get excited. 

I kept getting the little pinches & feeling a lot of pressure. We drove my dad's truck up to El Dorado Hills to get a rototiller for the garden. The truck was bouncy & the contractions got harder & more frequent. As we got home, they went away. But alas at 4 am they were waking me up!! When they were 4 minutes apart I got ready,  packed my bag,  called the hospital & my Momma and then  I woke up Jared with the good news. 

We made it there in record time. A 45 minute drive in 20 minutes. A few red lights may have been overlooked;) We arrived at 5:30 am. I pulled my "I have 4 kids already" shpiel & was admitted without the usual silly tests. Just say you feel like you have to push. They'll wheel you right up!

Great mid wife, awesome anesthesiologist. The epi only worked on the hard pain. I felt so much pressure that I had a tough time breathing through the contractions. When my water broke, the gushing sound was so loud, and A TON of gross amniotic fluid came out. First for that. Poor mid wife had to change scrubs. 8:20 came around, time to push. One big one & she was out! The mid wife grabbed her fast & held out a bag to catch the rest of the fluid. Again, it was so loud. I had no idea my body could make that kind of noise. 

Head full of dark black hair. Screaming her cute little lungs out.  

Britton Mae Hasleton

7 lbs 15 oz 20 something inches

April 13th 8:20 am

Mae is for Mary, my Grandmother on my Maternal side.

I don't remember how we came up with Britton. We had liked it for Elliott. Who still tries to poke B in the eyes. 

The kids with her as we brought her home on Sunday. Grant isn't very excited. He says it'll be more work for him. 

My sweet little darkie! She is so precious. 

Definitely worth the last 9 miserable months!

Confinement

           

          Although "confinement" is a term more used for labor, this word has been on my mind. I always wondered what was up with women who needed to be "confined" towards the end of their pregnancy. I mean really? Get over it. Sure it's uncomfortable & hard to move around. But get on with life. 

             Boy have I been bitterly eating those words. I'm not sure why this pregnancy has been so much more difficult than the rest. 

Maybe because I'm over 30 now? 
It's number 5 & my body is done with this process? 
Or is it the fact that I've had 5 kids in 8 years? 

Hmmmmmm. For whatever reason, I am frickin MISERABLE & long to be confined. Or maybe just be put out to pasture. 

             These last 8-9 weeks have been complete torture on my mind & body. Terrible aches, pains, spasms, mood swings, crying (more than usual), anger, depression.  I have been so tired that I can lay in bed all day & still feel exhausted. I avoid people so I don't get upset. It seems I've been sick every other week for 3 months. My ears have been clogged for over a month. No clothes fit because I have gained so much more weight than ever before. And I still have 5 more weeks to go. 5 weeks. 

           My poor Jared cringes at the thought. Doesn't like watching me be miserable. He has been my rock through all this. The only person I can stand to be around. I even get tired of my wonderful children. Just give me my Jared, who happens to never be home & have plenty of other responsibilities then take care of pitiful me.  Even though I am being this super crazy woman, Jared still loves & supports me. Even the crazy me. Which is a large part at the moment.  

       Many times I have to look at my belly & wonder who is in there. Remember why I am going through this hell. Remember how bad it was the other times I was expecting, but look to see who came to be in my family. I love my kids. I'd do anything for them. It makes me feel better for a moment. Till I think of how someone looked at me last week & I start crying or go into a heated rage. 

       The boys have asked why I'm so sick & when I'm going to get better. I told them I was this bad when they were in my belly. I tell them I'd do it again just so they can come into this world to be a part of my life. It makes them smile to think I did this for them too. 

        5 short weeks. Or will they be long? Can I make it to church each Sunday where I hear the word "pop" 20 times or see the pitiful looks given my way? Go to the store without wanting to yell at someone in my way. I mean really, you're going to make me move out of the way? I can barley walk & have 4 kids hanging off my cart. You move. How many more times will my middle finger make an appearance as I honk at the idiots driving around me? Will Jared's pajama pants still fit? Will my kids still like me by the end? How much more stretching can my skin tolerate?

        So please, c.o.n.f.i.n.e. me. 

Something Refreshing

Although we live in sunny Cali, winter can still be dreary & depressing.

I always feel it's important to "brighten" up with great colors.

Since I spend a ton of time time in the kitchen (not cause I'm a great cook)

But because it's always needing to be cleaned, homework is done in it, crafting, or chicken nuggets being "cooked" in the oven.

So I LOVE having bright colored towels, flowers, spatulas & such to see.

Aprons are my best friend since I'm clumsy & always dropping things on myself. 

I love this fabric!

It will definitely spruce up my day when I wear it with it's refreshing colors.

Charlotte is 4!

The following is my attempt to get a good birthday picture of my little missy on her birthday.

That's about as good as it gets.

Things Charly is into:

Anything pink, whining, dragging around a bag of toys or books, Barbie movies (oh yea), 

going to preschool, her 3 best friends McKenna - Juliette & Willa, coloring, dancing, 

making up songs off the top of her head.

We love you my girly girl!!!

28 weeks!

28 weeks!

Do you like how clean my mirror is? 

Just like Charly's pregnancy, I've been having some major sciatic problems. 

Walking, moving, sitting, laying down, etc., it all hurts.

But it is fun when people ask if I'm ok. I say my butt hurts & they give me great looks. 

I've already gained my allowed 30 pounds. Oops.

Maybe this one will be chunky, or have hair. 

Can't wait to see who she is!!

A finished product

Every year I end up making a quilt for someone in the family for Christmas. 

I like to start early as possible so I won't stress at the end. 

I had Kirsti this year. 

I picked out her fabric & pattern 2 years ago. 

I cut & started it February 2012. 

Life happens. 

Come November, I had gotten no farther. 

I had to stress. 

But I love it!

(pic isn't great)

I wish I would have taken a picture of the back. 

It's my all time favorite fabric. 

Charlotte goes to sunbeams

Charlotte was super excited to go to her new sunbeam class first Sunday in January. 

At our church, children 18 months -3 years go to nursery. 

The year that they turn 4, they get to go to "big" primary with the other big kids. 

She chose her own outfit, so did Elle. They look like an ad for Pepto Bismol. 

Great Nate turns 6!!

My Nate has turned 6 years old.

I don't know what else to say. 

I feel like my babies are getting too big. 

On the up side, they can do things like unload the dishwasher, pick up a room, do their own homework, wash my car, dust, fold/put away their laundry w/o help, wash windows, make popcorn & toast, sweep, etc.

When are they able to start mowing the lawn????

Some things Nate is about around this time:

Pokemon, Skylanders, drawing anything that has to do with airplanes-bombs-people dying, not staying still for a minute, eats more than I do, helps his classmates, and basically being such a sweetheart. 

Nativity play 2012

Every Christmas Eve we Hasletons (& whoever else is crazy enough) 

get together to act out the Nativity. 

Laurie has a wonderful collection of dress ups. Sometimes it's more fun to decide who wears what. 

Grant as Joseph. 

Charlotte was an angel.

Jared was a wise man, I always wear the fun jeweled crown thingy. 

I think it means I get to sit on the couch & do nothing;)

Nate was a wise man, Ellie a shepherd. 

My cute & adorable children. 

Sweet sisters. I wish they acted this nice to each other more often. 

Elliott surprised by keeping her outfit on the whole night. She loved it!

She also loved the baby Jesus doll. She kept giving him kisses in His "cradle."

Jared's traditional picture. I'm sure I have one of him like this every year. 

And Ellie playing with baby Jesus all night long.