Another Dirty Dash came and went

"Woah, Mom, did you see all the mud on those runners?"

"I'm totally jealous."

 

There we were, on the mountain side, watching mud monsters walk/jog/run/hobble past. It was the annual Dirty Dash Mud Run last weekend, and Caleb and his Dad dove in once again. Somewhat literally. 

"Mom, these guys are crazy."

Emmy, Jonah, Amelia and I hiked up the mountainside to a shady spot to wait for our runners to show up. Upon our arrival I handed the camera to Emmy and she started snapping pics.

Emmy: "Jonah, stand in front of the Hot Air Balloon, I'll take your picture!"

"That's it, work it baby, work it!"

"Let yourself go, you're gorgeous!"

Thankfully, our muddy men eventually appeared. We walked down the hill with them to the finish line/mud wallow.

They're convinced I'm going to join them next year. I would, I really would! It's not the mud that gets me.
It's that whole 10k thing that goes along with the mud.

I can get that muddy in my garden. Don't ask me how I know.

Daddy and Papa just became the ultimate heroes of these little kiddos. Again.

I should start a mud race of my own, doncha think? Out in the garden? I could get a lot of help with harvesting.

I'd call it The Piggy Peach Plunge. Or The Blackberry Bog Race. How about Tomato Torture Challenge!

Or maybe not. We'll leave these things to the professionals.

Only one of us was less than impressed, and she was downright disgusted. Just about broke Caleb's heart! He hosed off the best he could and then she was willing to look at him, but he needed an hour of scrubbing in the warm shower to get back to himself - then she was his little girl again.

You didn't want that shirt, did you honey? Because I don't own that much oxyclean.

Alright already

I was told yesterday that her name's not really official until it's on the blog. So let's make this thing official!

We named her Amelia Kate. 

Here's my ever growing flock! This is the morning after she was born. 

Notice we all have our forms of entertainment going on. I have my baby, Claire has someone's phone and her baby by her feet, Emmy's playing Draw Something, and Jonah's rubbing his cheek. We're set for the day! 

Mmm... I can smell her milky sweetness. Probably because she's on my lap and I just finished nursing her. My babies' warm breath right after they nurse, it's the one smell in this world that I love more than Lilacs. 

Life with four is great. What else could it be?
My kitchen floor is sticky. My violin is dusty. My washer and drier will never forgive me.
But ultimately and eternally; great.

It's not a whole lot different than when I first had three, except for this time I also have a six year old - and that's awesome. Emmy held Millie while I took a shower. That equals bliss.
I love the way Millie (that's what we call her) looks at Emmy. It's almost a look of recognition, especially when Emmy's talking.

 I know I said that my babymoon was over and that I had to get back to work and life, but I'm still feeling a little... floaty. I'd much rather sit here in my room and stare at her.

Hence the sticky floor.

The baby done got married (not my baby)

Well, on second thought, she is kinda my baby too. 

I changed her diapers and sang her to sleep and read to her and taught her how to ski. 

But none of that prevented her from growing up and meeting a funny redheaded man and falling in love with him and saying "YES!" when he asked.

This is possibly my favorite photo of the event. Something about being worth a thousand words.

Caleb in the background with the baby sling on only adds to the charm, don't you think? 

And let's be honest. Weddings are all about the outfits, yes? 

This one is wearing a matching frilly pink skirt too... you just can't tell. I'm sure a photo will surface eventually. I did bring my camera to the event, I just didn't use it. 

All of these photos are courtesy of facebook. Thank You Bridesmaids!

Claire wore a bow in her hair for much longer than 10 seconds, which was the previous record. I'm telling you, this was a day to remember!

Emmy and Hanna are almost the same distance apart in age as Hanna and I, isn't that interesting? I looked up to my Aunts a lot, being an oldest girl, and Emmy does the same thing. Let's hope she turns out as great as Hanna!

 There you go, Daddy, she still loves you too.
And she's only moving one hour away, that's not too bad! *sniffle* It's ok Dad, we'll still see her all the time! *sigh* I'm sure she'll be at your house every weekend. *sob* Leave me alone! It's allergies!

 The wedding was totally gorgeous, she (and JoJo) did such a great job planning. And that cake? It's a citrus-y chocolate-y thang. It was delicious. I know because I tried some after they honeymooned away.

I had permission!

 This photo is by Tess. Can you tell? They're all smiling! That's one way you can tell.

Congrats, Little Hanna B! I love you. Your babies are going to have red hair and I'm trying (and failing) to not be jealous.

Back to work

Alright, babymoon's over, get back to work!

Shoo whee too, it was getting way too lazy around here. The garden was needing us. 

That giant bush behind the kids is actually tomato plants. They went a little bazerk this year. 

Our landlord's had been out picking the last few days and had already taken more than they could use, so they set us loose. 

Someday I'm going to figure out how to grow tomatoes. I really am. But until then, I'll keep killing mine as they fail to grow right next to Pete's flourishing ones. 

A few handfuls of cilantro, and we're ready!

Watch out, here comes a lot of salsa. 

Claire's excited!

Cracks me up how much these kids love the garden, and everything that has to do with it. They don't even like salsa! But they were so stoked to make some! 

 They're strange.

I wonder where they get it. 

They get their cuteness from him too, so it all works out.

This was a first for us. We usually only make fresh Salsa, but who can eat gallons of fresh salsa before it goes bad? Not the two of us. So we canned it. 

The next day we picked Tomatillos, and Trena came over to teach us how to make and can Salsa Verde. Like my kitchen? It's seen better days.
I take that back. This was an awesome day in the kitchen!

Have you ever tried Salsa Verde? I'm hooked.
Trena picked 15 gallons of tomatillos. We picked another 10. There's at least that many more still out there. But the carrots never grew! Who can explain these things?!

 By this time Jonah and Claire were off doing... something else.

This incredibly sweet little thing did this most of the time, which meant I actually got to help in the kitchen a little! I love the first few weeks of babyness, for so many reasons. 

Why am I blogging about Salsa?! Look at what I could be writing about!

 The first-time-for-us salsa canning was a success, thanks to friendly neighbors who are willing to share their garden. And their recipes. And their hugungeous stock pot. And come over and help do all the work.

 Self-reliant. Neighbor-reliant. It all works out:)

Babymoon

I'm not admitting an end to my babymoon, I just figured that she's been here for a week - it's probably time to share her a little bit. Here comes the birth story, and I promise to avoid using words like 'Placenta' and 'Blood' and 'Afterbirth.'

But be warned, this is a birth story.

Emmy came four days early, and Jonah and Claire were both seven days early, so at ten days early I was ready! When that didn't happen I whined. When seven days early came and went I took a deep breath. When four days early came and went, I was feeling much better. I finally got over my selfishness and realized that this little one wasn't ready and didn't need to be. I settled down and readied myself for anything.

For the two weeks before she was born, I had random but strong contractions. It really surprised me how "real" they were, since her due date was still so far away.

Chris the Midwife from Heaven reassured me that it was somewhat normal, and that the real labor would probably be easier because of the time my body was taking to prepare.

 So last wednesday morning, when my tummy was contracting away, I didn't fall for it.

Caleb's Mom had driven up the day before and had been scrubbing every inch of my house. Caleb, on Monday, had said "Jayne, you know why you haven't had this baby yet? It's because the house isn't as clean as you want it, and you're not feeling well enough to clean it yourself. Your nesting is incomplete, and I don't have the insticts to nest like you women do. Call your Mom." to which I replied "Call your Mom."

It's not that my Mom doesn't clean; she does. Now that the six little mud balls have moved out of her home and have their own homes, her home is finally the sparkling bundle of cleanliness she always wanted! Until we visit, of course.
But Caleb's Mom? She takes cleaning to a whole new level. It's more than a talent, it's an art. So we called her, and she came right up.

 On Wednesday morning, I sat on my couch and didn't lift a finger, except to flip the pages on Black Beauty which I was reading to my Emmy who sat beside me.
The contractions by then were strong enough that I couldn't stand up through one, but they were still irregular. Three minutes apart, twenty five minutes apart, forty minutes apart, then another one four minutes later.

 By 11:30am I wanted Caleb, so Karla called him and he headed home. I started timing the contractions because they were feeling more regular... and they were way more regular than I had realized! Every five minutes.

Jonah and Claire were playing together, the sounds of scrubbing and water running were coming from wherever Karla was, Emmy was content listening to a now very broken story. The day was gorgeous, every window was open.

Caleb got home, and Pete came over and they gave me a Priesthood Blessing. As for that blessing, some things are too sacred to share on a blog. But know that I know; I had help that day.

After Pete left I called my Mom and Chris and they both headed our way. Then I timed contractions again... every four minutes.

Caleb started setting up the pool and I kept relaxing. It's really amazing how you can relax and work so hard at the same time. The working part isn't up to me though, it's going to happen no matter how I respond to it. Responding by relaxing every other muscle in my body and letting all of the energy go to the working ones felt good, so I gave them all I could.

 When Chris arrived at 1:30, the pool was set up and filling and everything was ready. I had texted Katie at work and told her that I would let her know if she needed to leave work early.

Chris checked me, and said in her peaceful way "Call in the troops, this girl is at an eight. You better get Katie here."
Karla called her and she headed home from Park City. Katie said she didn't realize how excited she was until she glanced at her speedometer on the freeway onramp and she was already going 85mph.

 The warm water of the pool felt so good!  Karla took Jonah and Claire downstairs, and Emmy was in and out of my room, doing her thing. I had a few good contractions, but was still able to breathe and relax through them. Caleb was incredible - nothing was scaring him this time, and I'm sure that the easiness of the birth had a lot to do with him and the calm support he gave me.

I've never cried during childbirth before, but I found myself fighting back tears this time. I didn't fight very hard though, and a few trickled down my cheeks. The tears were not for the pain though, because crying could never satisfy that, and I realized that I was crying out of gratitude! I do not, ever, like to be the center of attention. Ever. Looking around me at these people I loved so much, all there because they loved me and were singularly set on keeping me and my baby comfortable and safe, was more than my emotions could handle.

Katie arrived around 2:15, and she and Emmy sat quietly and watched as the baby began her descent. Chris knew, just by watching my face, exactly what was happening, and when the big contraction hit she was explaining exactly what was happening to Kate and Emmy. This was the big contraction - the one that makes you forget everything you've practiced and prepared for and makes you yell out and want to run away. But right in the middle of it my water broke, and then I heard Chris say "there's the head" and out she was coming! I couldn't believe it! One pushing contraction?

 Chris helped Caleb slowly ease her out and there she was, in my arms. 2:35pm. Purple and fresh and smooth and buttery and mine. I was laughing and Katie was crying/laughing and Emmy couldn't stop grinning and the baby was here. And she was a girl!

Caleb called downstairs to his Mom and she brought Jonah and Claire up to see. She said they had been totally oblivious to what was happening upstairs, which is awesome. They were both excited to see the baby, but I think it took a few minutes for it to really sink in for them.

I know water birth sounds weird and kinda gross and totally messy - but after having three the "normal" way, and this one in water, I would never go back! It was so much easier, way less weird, and so clean! Childbirth is weird. Really weird. Water birth negated so much of the weird! Loved it.

 There's nothing like laying on your back right after having a baby. Not being able to during pregnancy drives me crazy, and it feels so good to sink into the pillows of my own bed and relax after all that work! Which is exactly what I did.

Chris did all the little things that have to be done to make sure the little gal was healthy and perfect. She weighed in at 7lbs, 11oz. Same as Jonah, they're tied for the biggest. Let's hope we don't ever feel the need to break that record. I'm totally fine to not have a 10lb baby story to tell.

 So that was that. I felt great, considering. The recovery was as easy as the delivery. A week has passed now, and I have no pain at all! I honestly feel like I could have ten more babies like that.
Pregnancy was not so awesome, but the birth? Yes so awesome.

 There is one record that she has beaten Jonah in though, and that is that he had a name after just six days. Pray for us.