She's Here!!! Ashley Nicole Williams!

Please welcome Ashley Nicole Williams! :D Yes, we know some of you know her by Sarah Ashley....but on the way home, we thought of Ashley Nicole... and it felt much better. She's been a tough one to name.So, I'll leave the details to Momma. I'll only say this, Momma had an epidural and nearly slept till the time the nurse came in and checked her only to exclaim: "oh, you're there! If you feel like pushing don't push ok?". Doctor came in, we were all in place...and baby was here in 5 minutes or less...2 pushes I think. Daddy was in shock. The good kind, but what a surprise! Oh, and she was born 2 days before Daddy's birthday, so they will have to share. ;)

why?!

Another false alarm, we think. We'll see how the rest of the day goes.

So frustrating. It's like when we take the cars to dad to have him look at them cause there's a problem, they work just fine. He can't find a problem with them.
We get up to the hospital, and things either slow down, or they stop altogether.

drama

I just told shannon that she couldn't climb up on my lap. She started crying, ran down the hall, and threw herself on her bed.
Funny girl!

saturday is a special day . . .

Have started having the kids clean saturday morning. That way the house is clean and ready for sunday. After the kids are done cleaning, shaun usually vacuums. Today, when taylor told him his room was ready to vacuum, shaun told him to go do it. My kids vacuumed their own bedrooms today! And they thought it was cool!

baby update

Had my appointment on thursday. Still haven't done much. I was a 5-6, and 90% effaced. So frustrated and confused.

dentist

Taylor and elizabeth had dental appointments today. They went well. Taylors was actually to fill a cavity. He had a filling that partially broke off, and that's where the cavity was. Elizabeths was her routine check-up. Both kids did well. Taylor had a slight issue with the needle, but the dr didn't warn him first. Elizabeth took a lot of coaxing. At her last appointment in november, she wouldn't let them take x-rays, or let the dr in her mouth. This time, she still wouldn't let them take x-rays. It did take a lot of coaxing and convincing to let the nurse brush her teeth. But, she let the dr do his looking. That was a step. We'll work on the x-rays. As they aren't essential, it hasn't been a huge concern.

whoa, pay attention!

I had an interesting morning. Wish it had been less interesting. Much less.
I'm on my way home from taking elizabeth to school. Driving down highway 33. I'm going 55, which is the speed limit. I'm less than 500 ft away from an intersection, and a car pulls out in front of me onto the highway. I went from 55 to 0 in less than 300 ft. I didn't even have time to lay on the horn. Wish i had.
I don't think the driver even saw me until i was suddenly parked next to them on the side of the road. They paused for a minute and then drove off.
I was so shaken up that all i could do was sit there and cry. It scared the crap out of me.
As i think about it now, i should have gotten their license plate number. I considered that maybe i should have just hit them, but, the car would have been totaled, and it certainly would have put me into labor, & broken a few ribs. None of those was i interested in having happen. (labor, yes. But not under those circumstances)

more frustration!

So, we were told about 4 months ago, that shaun would be getting on board with a local company on salary pay. Not the most desirable compensation plan, but it's better than nothing and would mean benefits as well.
We knew it wasn't going to be immediately, that it would take a little time. However, now it looks like it's not going to happen.
Our lease runs out the end of june. And we're not sure if the landlords are going to extend it or not. If they don't, we have no ideas what to do. We were hoping to be able to tell them that we had an income, & would not have any problems making rent. That doesn't seem to be an option now.

growing up

The other day, i realized that within 6 months, we were going to need the crib for the baby, Shannon is still using it. So, whether i was ready or not, it was time to transition to a toddler bed. We took the bars off the crib, and put up the toddler bed rails. In about 3 to 5 months, we'll trade it for the toddler bed, or put the bunk bed together for the girls, and put the baby in the crib.

oh, the wait!

At my doctors appointment on thursday, i was dilated to a 5, 50% effaced and baby was sitting at -2. I was sure i would be going into labor anytime soon. Her it is sunday, 3 days later, and we're still waiting for something to happen.
 I've gone into false labor at least twice this last week, maybe more. I called everyone and let them know we were close. A friend came from boise for the sole purpose of being here when the baby was born. And yet, i sit here with occasional contractions, but no progress.
Friday night, i thought it was time. The contractions went from 12 minutes apart to 2 minutes apart almost instantly. Got up to the hospital, and everything stopped. I hadn't progressed any further.
The anticipation is killing me!

knock, knock!

When i put shannon down for her naps, i have to close the door tightly. If i only pull it shut and not latch it, it swings open. I put her down this morning, and got the laundry started. While i was working i heard this knocking. I thought it was elizabeth, until i found her quietly playing in the toy room. I then realized that the knocking was coming from the girls bedroom. Shannon decided she wasn't going to take a nap, & was knocking on the door cause she wanted out.

updates

The girls had their well-checks yesterday. Both are doing well.
Elizabeth weighs almost 50 pounds. Shes in the 90th percentile for weight and height. Shes not fat by any means, just solid.
Shannon weighs about 24 pounds. Shes in about the 25th percentile for height and weight.

baby, get ready

Had my dr appointment today. The test that tracks your average blood sugars over the last 3 months came back normal. He looked at my log of numbers for the last 2 weeks and had to give me a hug. When he checked me, i was at a 5!  He was a little surprised, but i'd already told them a couple of times that his baby wasn't waiting until 37 weeks like the others had. She was coming sooner than that.

Based on a 5, i'd say in the next 24 to 48 hours.

whoops!

Was sitting her playing solitaire after the kids went to grandmas for their play day, and realized that it's laundry day for the kids. It was 3:30!  I hope it gets done, cause i'm not sure i'll be able to do it tomorrow.

is it time yet?

So, i recently remembered that the day before i had shannon, i didn't feel well. As the other 2 were awhile ago, i can't remember that well. Now, every time i have a day when i don't feel well, i wonder if the next day i'm going to go into labor and have this baby.

little mommy

Shannon had a little doll she was playing with. She went into her bedroom and got a diaper. She then tried to put the diaper on the doll. When she "accomplished" that, she hugged it tight, and went on playing.

ouch!

Today, i got the lawn mowed. It took me 2 hours. It's a big yard, but i also took a couple of breaks. One for lunch, and one for hydration. Now i'm extremely sore, & tired.

dinner?

The other day when i asked shaun what he wanted for dinner, he answered steak. It was too cold outside to grill, & they just don't taste the same when braised. I also don't have a broiler pan. But, i figured out how to "fake" one.
I have a half size cookie sheet, and my cooling racks fit inside it. I lined the pan with tin foil, put a cooling rack in it, and had a makeshift broiling pan. It worked like a charm! And the steaks tasted GREAT!

biting

Shannon has become quite the little girl. Lately, she has started biting. Ok, this is phase 2. Now when she gets upset, she bites. Last night she bit both of the kids. So, to try and teach her, i bit her back. (she didn't like that much) today, instead of biting the kids, i watched her bite herself. Then, i think she realized how much that really hurts, she started biting toy food.
What a character!

more computer

I took an old external hard drive in and i'm having the shop transfer my files from my computer onto it. Then we're selling it for parts. I don't have $400 to fix it, and i'm not sure it's worth it. It's $40 to transfer the files. When shaun heard that, he wasn't happy. Since he works for the shop, as a contractor, that's something he could do. He told me it was like charging the owners wife for a job that she should get for free. I'm not as important as the owners wife, and not as visible. I'm willing to pay the money. Especially since he is so busy right now.

busy, busy, busy

Oh the month of may! Why are you always so busy!
This week alone, elizabeth goes to see the new counselor, we've got a male involvement night with head start, and all of shauns late or unfinished assignments are due this week
Next week, taylor has a dentist appointment, i have a doctors appointment, a head start home visit, elizabeth will have another visit with the counselor, and the ward is doing a day of service.
The following week, elizabeh has a dentist appointment, another visit with the counselor, and i'll have another dr appointment. And this is the week that i'm expecting this baby girl to show up.

Even when we aren't having a baby, may is busy!

solution . . . won't work

We told the kids earlier this year that we would try to get them into an activity. Elizabeth, of course, chose dance. Taylor chose karate. So far, we haven't been able to find the funds to do it.
Yesterday, i figured out a way! Unfortunately, it's not going to happen. (What?! You know how to make it happen and you're not going to?) don't get me wrong, i WANT to put them in these lessons. But my solution won't work.
IF i could donate plasma, i could pay for the kids lessons and more.  But, they won't let me donate. Even if i wanted to.