Round 2 for Weekend Getaway

Call us crazy, but we went back over to my parent's house again! After Lindsey's appointment on Wednesday (she weighed 9 lbs 14 oz so that was good weight gain, she probably weighs more now since that was a week ago), Kyle was going to leave to go to the demolition derby in Moses Lake with my Dad. Well, I decided to go with him instead of staying behind with Lindsey and Preston. So I hurried and packed up again and we left! My family was excited to have us back. Or at least that is what they said. ha ha. We were going to come home Thursday night, but kept getting talked into staying so we ended up staying until Sunday! I went to Tri-Cities on Friday with my Mom and all the kids. I picked out material for my Mom to make Lindsey's blessing dress. Then on Saturday, we went to the Moses Lake Aquatic Park and then on Sunday we had a family dinner where Jeni and her family came out and we played games and my Mom made spudnut donuts. What a fun weekend!

Jared with all the kids in the pool attacking him. He's such a good uncle to all of them!

Grandma Helen Gene with Lindsey.

I thought this was funny of Lindsey sleeping.

My Mom sitting between the kids in the back. She was a big help in giving out snacks to the kids and feeding Lindsey. I need her with me all the time! Carter (Jeni's kid) came to stay at grandma's house on Friday so this was all of us on the way to the water park.

Kate loves to feed Lindsey and always wants us to talk to Lindsey. Anytime we are holding Lindsey, Kate will say, "talk to her Mom". I'm glad that she loves her new sister.

Weekend Getaway

My Dad and Mom were going to Rexburg to visit Jeff and Sadie and their new baby, Reagan, who was born a week before Lindsey. So my Dad needed someone to watch over the farm and turn on circles (the irrigation circles that water the field). Kyle said it was up to me and I thought why not. We needed to get Dee Ann back over to Melanie's house anyway so it worked out. Plus, we'd have my parent's house to ourselves and that would be nice. We left with a week old baby for the weekend! I thought we were part crazy, but the kids traveled fine in the car.

Preston kept asking for a ride in the tractor so Kyle took both kids on a ride.

On Saturday, Melanie and Milo and their kids came out in the afternoon to swim and we BBQ'd for dinner that night. They took Dee Ann back with them to Tri-Cities.

Melanie with Preston on the trampoline. I took a picture of this because Preston doesn't like the trampoline, but somehow Melanie got him on there. I told Melanie she was a baby whisperer because she could calm Lindsey down and put her to sleep fast. Well, now she is a Preston whisperer too! Last time I jumped on the trampoline with Preston he wanted me to hold him so this was a breakthrough. :)

Dee Ann with baby Lindsey. She usually sees our kids a few weeks or even months after they are born so she was excited to see Lindsey when she was only 4 days old.

Kyle's grandma, Arlene, with Lindsey. We went into Tri-Cities on Sunday so she could see her. We also stopped to visit Jeni and Kevin. Jeni made us dinner and we got to see their new lot for the house they are building. Exciting!

Marci ended up coming over to my parent's house on Sunday night for a few days. Jeni brought the kids out on Monday around lunch time after her kids' swim lessons and surprised us all. Sara came out in the afternoon too. So we were all home when my Mom, Dad and Jared got home late Monday afternoon. My Mom didn't know Jeni and her kids were there and so we surprised her when we all came running out of the house to greet her. She loved it. The kids went swimming, we had dinner and then we left. Kate stayed at my parent's to spend alone time at grandma's house (and boy did she have fun! She cried when we came back over there to get her because she didn't want to leave!). We had to get back home because Preston had his yearly eye check-up the next morning (at 8am!) at Children's Hospital and Lindsey had an appointment on Wednesday.

Grandma Dee Ann's Visit

I haven't had a full sense of what it's like having 3 kids yet because I have had my Mom here helping, Kyle home helping and now Dee Ann is here. One good thing about Kyle being unemployed still is his help! He's been so helpful with the other kids and with doing laundry and with cleaning the house. I don't know what I would do without his help! I don't know how other Mom's do it! I know it's only be 3 weeks since I had a baby, but still. It's been really nice having the extra help. But now we are getting antsy and we really want Kyle to get a job. That's another stresser weighing on us all the time. There are days where I'm more emotional (I blame it on just having a baby), but I wonder what will our future be. Anyway...

Dee Ann had a grand mal seizure in Vegas before boarding her plane to come up to Washington so she isn't feeling herself yet and is taking it easy. She was here with us for a week and the kids had fun with her. She bought Kate this Fancy Nancy Beauty Spa book so Kate, of course, wanted to do everything in the book right away.

Kate getting a facial with the honey scrub and cucumber treatment. ha ha! Kate loved it. Then Dee Ann gave Kate a pedicure and manicure and painted her nails.

Dee Ann even put mascara and lipstick on Kate. Her eyelashes are so long! It was funny though because Kate was throwing a fit and crying and her mascara ran down her cheeks. Dee Ann said she looks like Tammy Faye! ha ha ha!

One day, we went to a park where you can feed the ducks. Preston and Kate love to do this. It's hilarious to see all the ducks flock to you when you start feeding them.

Lindsey sleeping away in her stroller. She has been a good baby so far. We are lucky to have her in our family. Kate loves her and wants to show her to everyone and asks to hold her a lot. Preston asks to hold her too and speaks in a high pitch voice whenever talking to her. It's funny.

Visitors

Where has the time gone? I feel like I'm playing catch up with everything in my life and/or trying to keep up. We were gone for a week and a half after having Lindsey (more on that later) so maybe that has something to do with it. Lots of mail to go through, school shopping to do (Kate starts kindergarten next week), organizing stuff, laundry, etc.. oh, and a ward picnic to plan. eeks!

We got home from the hospital on Thursday the 5th and my Mom made a delicious dinner for us that night. One of my favorites- pot roast, potatoes with gravy, carrots and homemade buttermilk biscuits.

Lindsey with a cute and much bigger hair bow than I ever had with Kate! I realized after the first few days that Lindsey wears lots of pink, which I'm okay with, but I also realized that I like how the pink makes her cheeks look so rosy and kissable.

My Mom's parents, Grandpa and Grandma Wright, came over to see Lindsey on Friday afternoon. We made dinner and had a good visit with them.

Kyle, Preston (with his favorite book right now- Miss Mary Mack) and Grandpa Wright.

Sara, Derek and Marci came over on Saturday afternoon to visit. We had dinner with them as well. We did lots of entertaining those first few days! Derek had never been to our house yet so it was fun to have him come over and to show him our little house. :)

Marci with Lindsey- Marci you are lookin' good! ;)

On Sunday, my Dad, Jared, Jeni and her baby Hailey came over to pick up my Mom. Melanie and Milo and their kids also came over to bring Dee Ann to our house so it was a family get together and we had a late lunch with everyone before they all left.

My Dad with Lindsey. I love his big hand on her back. He's such a good grandpa.

Melanie took pictures of Lindsey and made the baby announcement and this is a behind the scenes look at how to keep a baby content for a photo shoot! ha ha!

I was sad to see my Mom go. Kate was too. She was here for over a week which is a long time for my Mom. She is usually so busy and is only gone for a few days at a time. I was so grateful for all her help and thankful she was there taking care of the kids when we went to the hospital. Thanks Mom!

Here She Is...

My talented and amazing sister-in-law Melanie took this picture and made the announcement! Thanks!

Baby Lindsey is Here!!!

Lindsey Joy Lublin

Born on August 4th, 2010 at 3:48 am

9 lbs 11 oz, 20 in long

I went in on Tuesday night to get induced. I was supposed to go in on Monday, but the hospital was very busy (it was very annoying having to wait around for the call and also the false hope that I would get in and then not) so I got pushed back to Tuesday and then almost was pushed back until Wednesday, but my Doctor was on-call at the hospital on Tuesday so he asked that they have me come in at night and then I could have the baby before he got off the next morning at 7 am. My doctor told me I wouldn't be in the hospital if he wasn't working because it was so busy. He already delivered 7 babies before mine! So I told him how thankful I was for having me come in anyway. They tried 5 times to get my IV in (it was SO painful, my right hand ended up with 2 blown-out veins so I couldn't really make a fist- Sadie, you would have died! I needed you as a nurse!)

I love this picture of her on her stomach with her chubby bum and rolls on her back showing. So cute.

I was surprised at how fast the induction went. By the time they got my IV working it was 9:30pm. I was having some contractions by 11pm and the worse one's were around 1:30am. I asked for an epidural around 2am and I was dilated to a 5. Then after I got my epidural around 2:30 the doctor came in to check me and break my water. I was a 7 at that time. Then 45 minutes later I was a 10 and almost ready to push! It went fast- I was glad about that. I could still feel the contractions through the epidural, but it took the edge off and so pushing went well and fast. They had to have me slow down with pushing her out and she was born after a few pushes.

New Daddy!

My Mom came over last Saturday to stay with us because all my stand-by people were leaving this weekend and I wouldn't have anyone to help watch the kids. It was nice to have her come a couple days before the baby came because she could see our routine and Preston could get used to having her around (he's in the stage of where he only wants Mommy or Daddy to give him something, but he bonded with my Mom when she got here- phew!).

Kate was so happy and excited to see Lindsey. She will be a good big sister and helper. She is in love with babies.

Preston was content eating his Cars fruit snacks and watching from a distance. He wasn't too interested in holding her.

My Mom with her 8th grandchild. :) It has been so nice to have her here knowing the kids are in good hands. They are having fun with her.

I tried doing a quick photo shoot before leaving the hospital. She's been a good baby so far- let's hope it lasts. :)

Kate made the little baby on this welcome home sign. So cute.

Home sweet home! Being greeted by everyone. She has some marks on her nose and they are bruises from being so squished in me. Poor girl. Look at that double chin! We think she looks like me when I was a baby.

Already having a nap in her crib.