Brennen Michael is 1 month

My last baby (maybe) is already a month old! HOLY COW, where did that month go? It seems like I just had him and technically I guess I did since I haven't slept since he came out!

 

 

Don't you love this picture!?! HA. It's the best I could get with Teagan trying to "help", Emmersyn screaming because she's sick, and him closing his eyes every time I snapped the shot. 

Brennen, at one month you:
weigh 9lb2oz with a full diaper and clothes on so probably close to 8lbs
sleep most of the day and are up every 3 hours for a bottle
just switched to formula and are eating about 3 oz (2oz of formula and 1oz of breastmilk) every 3 hrs, except at night you go for a 3.5-4hr stretch for one of the feedings.
like to be held or upright in a bouncer or boppy
pretty mellow, which is nice since your sisters like to climb on you
get kissed a LOT during the day

SNOW!!!

We FINALLY got the snow they've been predicting. Teagan was SO excited. I had a few errands to do and went out and got Teagan a snowsuit and some boots and we went and played! The snow was PERFECT for builing a snowman. That's exactly what we did and Teagan LOVED it and helped a ton. 

 

Here's the finished project. I was quite proud of the snowman and we even found some sticks for the arms. *We don't have trees in our yard but somehow had a huge limb by our fence. Not sure how that works

It's her birthday and....

She can cry if she wants to....obviously she can based on this picture

 

 

My poor baby girl spent her birthday VERY sick. The night before she started running a fever and it got to 102 degrees. She was eating and drinking though so the on call doctor said it was probably just a virus that would have to run it's course. (It's been 2.5 days and she is STILL running the fever)

 

BUT....even though she was sick, she still went to town on her birthday cupcake.  She ate about 97% of it and was so excited about it too. I think she gets that from her mommy! HA

We were planning her party for tomorrow (Sunday), but since the birthday girl is miserable, we canceled. She's just a baby so it probably won't traumatize her too much.

Emmersyn is ONE!!!

It is so hard to believe that Emmersyn is already ONE! Where did the past year go? I can't even remember how little she was and now she's walking, talking, and eating real food. 



 

 Look how tiny my little girl was. 6lb5oz and the size of daddy's hand! A newborn diaper barely fit.

3monthes and sitting (kinda) pretty in her Easter dress.

6monthes and ready for some fun in the sun

 9monthes and all smiles. Always such a happy, easy baby and mommy and daddy LOVE that about you!

Happy FIRST birthday baby girl! You are such a joy and are definately meant for our family!

At one year, you:
Weigh 22lb7oz (75th percentile) and are 30.5inches tall. (80th percentile)
Sleep from 8:30pm-7am with one wake up around 4 for a bottle, but never get out of bed
you take 2 naps still, but only one of them will be longer than a half hour
wear a size 12 month in clothes although some are too short if they're one piece outfits
LOVE food and eat anything. We haven't found a food you won't eat, but your favorites are bananas, fruits, spaghetti, breads, and well, basically anything we are eating. Teagan loves to "share" her food with you
love kissing your brother. You walk over and go "awwww" and bend down and kiss him
are a full fledge walker (for about a month now) and can bend down and pick things up without falling
wear a size 4 diaper
say "dadda", "momma/mommy", "ba-ba" (bottle), and sometimes "bye bye"
you hold up one finger when we ask how old you are, but I have to prompt you by saying "one"
love to play peek a boo with daddy
adore your big sister and little brother, I am so happy you are not too jealous of Brennen. Although if I'm holding him, you want to be held too
don't like riding in the car much, especially at night/dark.
LOVE being rocked to sleep at night by mommy and mommy secretly loves it
Love to climb and have absolutely no fear at all of anything.

We Love you Emmersyn Shea!

Christmas Cards

I absolutely LOVE getting Christmas cards with family pictures on them! I secretly wish there was a holiday or a kids birthday in June so I could get some made every 6 monthes, but my cheapness keeps me from doing that.  I am truely blessed to have such a happy, healthy family and after the year I've had with medical issues I do not take any of it for granted!

 

This is the Murray family last Dec. I was about 34 weeks preggo with Emmersyn (I delivered at 38wks) and cannot believe how young/little Teagan looks.

And this is our 2012 Christmas card. It was a hassle to say the least to get it made, but I do believe the picture is well worth the wait! Of course, it's the only one we ordered, but at least I got the picture! I think it's one of my favorite pictures ever! Amazing how much my family has grown in just one short year!

Merry Christmas from the Murray family!

Preschool Christmas Program~2012

Teagan had a VERY special day planned for Sunday.  She had her very first Christmas Program for school. She has been singing for weeks, but every time I asked what she was going to sing I got the same response "it's a secret".  The only song I was able to guess was "we wish you a merry Christmas" and then she'd start singing songs that I had no idea what they were! Of course, her tone wasn't perfect, but she's 3!



 

The kids were suppose to dress in their "sunday best" which for all first time performers means "dress the kids up".  We had several Christmas dresses for dance, Santa pictures, parties, etc, but I decided to go with purple instead. My mother in law got Teagan this dress and I don't honestly know where she'd wear it other than the program and I knew most of the kids would be in red or green and didn't want to conform! HA...actually, it was the only thing that all the parts were clean and readily available for...yes, mom of the year nominee again please!

 

 She looks so grown up. She had to wear my sunglasses on the way so she could "be mommy". It's hard to believe she's this big already!

Here she is lining up with some of the class. Since she's so tall, she got the back row.  There's still another row of kids that line up after this photo.

Teagan did very well singing and doing all the hand motions. She is really into singing and dancing in front of people so maybe she'll be some sort of performer when she grows up, but who knows.  She is definately a something else and I love her to pieces! And....I'm very thankful all the performing is over for the season!

Christmas Fun

Friday during Emmersyn's nap, Teagan and I made some cutout cookies. I had made the dough in the morning and had it in the fridge chilling until naptime.  Teagan helped cut out all the cookies and even helped roll out the dough first!  She was all about it!  As I was making the dough, I thought it seemed like a lot of the ingredients, but since I was trying out a new recipe I just went with it.  It made a TON of cookies so I decided to text some friends to see if they wanted to come over Sat to decorate!

 

Teagan's buddy Lucas was the only one who was able to make it, but we had fun. The kids played, ate, and decorated cookies while the adults had a little adult talk time...as much as we could with 5 kids ages 3 and under running around! I'm glad the Hamm's live so close and that our kids get along so well, especially since they are in the same class! LOL

 

And that evening we took the kids to the Mega Caverns to look at teh lights. Really Teagan is the only one old enough to really enjoy and remember the lights, but based on the picture you can see Emmersyn was mesmorized by the lights too!

This time of year is incredibly busy with school performances, dance performances, shopping, wrapping, family, doctors, etc, but I want to make sure my kids have memories of just us 5 doing fun family things at Christmas time! 

santa 2012

Teagan had her very first dance performance Friday night at Bass Pro Shop. Since her outfit was sort of Christmas-y I got Emmersyn a dress that matched and dressed the kids up in cute clothes for pictures with Santa. Teagan had been SO excited all day, and a bit of a handful, but I'm so glad for the memories!

 

This is actually after we got home for the night! We needed a good picture of all 3 kids for something we are doing for our parents for Christmas and I think this is a really good shot! I wish Brennen would have been awake, but really with 3 kids under the age of 4, it is fantastic!

 

And our Santa picture of 2012! This is a picture of a picture so it's a bit blurry, but it's still cute! Poor Santa didn't know what he was in for with the Murray zoo of kids!

Just a normal day

I'm gonna fill you in on a "normal" day at the Murray house for me now that Brennen is here and Matt is back to work...
It can be summarized into no sleep, lots of diaper changes, feedings, and butt wiping. But if you want a clearer picture here goes:
Brennen usually gets up between midnight and 1 for a bottle. I feed him and then hook myself up to a pump for the next 15-20 minutes of torture fun.  I then wash the parts and try to fall back to sleep.  Matt will give Brennen another bottle around 3 before he gets ready for work. He leaves at 4.  Emmersyn usually is up then for her bottle so I get up, make her a bottle, give it to her, and then go pump again.  Then, I get about 1.5-2hours of sleep until Brennen or Emmersyn get up for the day. (usually around 7:00-7:30) I take the babies down and change their diapers and clothes (if they're lucky) and then feed Brennen his bottle and put in the bouncer while I feed Emmersyn her breakfast. By that point, Teagan is usually up. I get her dressed, teeth brushed, medicine taken, and breakfast made.  Usually it is then time to pump again...oh goody!  All this before 8am!
At 10, I make Teagan a snack (usually something she can eat in the living room), make Emmersyn a bottle and take her up for a half hour-45min nap, and then feed Brennen a bottle and put him in the play pen for his nap. Teagan will usually then paint or want to cuddle and watch a movie with me. This is what I fondly refer to as "me time".  Granted, usually I have Teagan next to or on top of me, but it's the quietest time of my day!
Next, babies are up! Time to, you guessed it, change more butts!!!  LOL. Then, play a while, and get lunch ready. Emmersyn is easy. She'll eat ANYTHING! Teagan, on the other hand, is picky as hell. I can usually reheat something for her liking, but since Matt's been the one going to the store, it's slim pickings here. Your options are ketchup or pizza in my fridge! Welcome back college days!
After lunch it's survival play time til Matt gets home.  Also, by this point, I've usually managed to do the dishes somewhere in there.  Once Matt gets home, I can cook dinner without holding a baby. It's actually fun to cook when you can use 2 hands! He will usually play a fun game with Teagan while Emmersyn is down for her afternoon nap or hold Brennen so I can play with Teagan. 
A few thousand diapers later, it's time for dinner, followed by playtime and bath time.  The babies get a bath every other or every third day since it's so cold. One, they don't do much to get dirty, and two, I don't want to get them extra cold with being in and out of water.  Teagan gets a bath most nights now...unless of course I'm just utterly (get it, because I'm a pumping cow now) exhausted.
And then, the countdown to 8pm...BEDTIME for the older 2! After they are down, I feed Brennen again, hook up to the machine and veg in front of the tv for a few hours!
10pm and I top Brennen off and do a final pump before heading to bed to start over a few hours later!
Whew...tired just typing this!

weekend recap

We had a fairly busy weekend planned (for us anyways). Saturday Matt had to work in the morning and then we had Christmas pictures scheduled at 3:40. We had gotten Brennen's newborn pictures done already so I was only wanting a few family shots and a few with just the kids for our cards, but the kids would not cooperate for their picture so we just ended up with a family picture. Olan Mills was horrible this time too so that probably didn't add to their uncooperative mood.  We waited over 3 HOURS to get into the studio and we had an appointment! Crazy!

 

 It still is crazy to think that last year at the very same time I only had Teagan. I was huge and pregnant with Emmersyn, but Teagan was still an only child. Less than a year later and she has TWO younger siblings! WOW!!! I took this picture of the babies to compare and Emmersyn looks HUGE next to Brennen! It is so hard to believe she's still a baby herself.

Sunday, we decorated our Christmas tree! Teagan was SO excited. We put it up while Emmersyn was down for her morning nap because well, Emmersyn is a fiesty girl and we knew she'd be a handful to contain around all the ornaments! Surprisingly, she doesn't like the texture of the tree and has left it alone...for now!

After decorating the tree, we got Teagan ready for her pictures for dance class! If you're keeping track, that's 3 days of picture taking this week and we were done! She smiled pretty for the group shot, but was over it by the time they got her individual picture. Which was fine because we had no desire to buy more pictures anyways!

Doctor visit

I went to the doctor yesterday to get all my staples out.  FUN FUN! HA.  I had wanted to go see Dr. Norfleet, but she's still out of town until Friday and of course Matt goes back to work so I couldn't get in! BOO!
Dr. Stephens did a FANTASTIC job though of removing the staples she helped put in. Just a sting or two, but nothing bad!  I had lost 18 pounds in 9 days! WOW, if only I could have a new baby every week I may reach my ideal weight. Oh well, nothing worth worrying too much about.
She did ask if we were done having kids now. I am very content with my 3, but don't want to say never...especially after the last year I've had!  She then informed me that it would probably not be in my best interest to get pregnant again as my body would not tolerate another c-section well (it didn't do too well this time really).  If I did have another c-section, she said there would be a great chance of losing more of my bowel and intestines....Greeeeeaaaaat is what I thought in my hormonal state. And although I say I am good with my 3 now, I don't like to think of it never happening again. I hate closing the door on something completely!
Oh well, that's all. Now I have to think of options for not getting pregnant. Which is quite funny considering just 3 years ago I was classified as infertile! Funny how God works. Just wish he would point me in the right direction.

Newborn Photos

Matt and I took Brennen to get his newborn pictures done on Wednesday (8 days old).  I absolutely LOVE the photographer and her skills at taking newborn pics! If you are having a baby and live in So Indiana, go see Jennifer Lea in Corydon! She is well worth the money spent!

 

Some might like this hat for the Christmas season, but of course matt picked it for IU

 

 

Just chilling! 

 

Such a sweet boy! I LOVE sleeping babies!

 

 

I can't wait to see all of the shots! These were just the sneak peaks she posts 24hrs after the session! LOVE THEM!!!

Party of 5

We have been home since Friday afternoon and are trying to adjust to being a family of 5.  I really didn't think going from 1 to 2 was that bad so I was unsure what to think about going from 2 to 3. I will say it is a lot harder than I had really thought, but it could be because Emmersyn is still a baby herself instead of Teagan being 2.5 when Emmersyn was born. 

We left the house yesterday for the first time since we came home from the hospital, and Emmersyn probably left for the first time in a week since I don't allow others to drive her yet! HA. 

 

*Not sure why that indented, but can't figure out how to fix it*

We had Brennen's first doctor appointment yesterday at 1:30 so I thought it would be nice if we all went to lunch and then the doctor...you know, if you're gonna do it, do it right! The girls were great at lunch. I had managed to cram  put their carseats all in Matt's car the night before. Talk about tight fit! I do believe I will be getting a van sooner rather than later. We were probably a sight for everyone trying to get all the kids loaded and unloaded.
Brennen checked out great at the doctor! He is 7lb2oz now (7lb 8.8oz at birth) which is great.  They didn't measure him but I'm sure he didn't grow too much in a few days! Everything is looking good. He is thriving and happy so that means I am too!
I tried to find some Christmas outfits at Target for all of the kids since we are getting pictures done on Wed, but I couldn't find anything I liked.  I guess I will just be getting newborn pics for now and wait til a little later til I can go out and find something.  By the time we got out of the doctor, I was beat.  It was hot in the office plus Emmersyn doesn't like to be confined AT ALL so while we let her down to walk the office, we also held her more than she wanted.  And, well, Teagan is 3...enough said. She is awesome, but when she's done, she's done and by then end of the appointment, she was DONE! LOL
I see a lot of home time for me once Matt goes back to work Friday!

Welcome Brennen Michael!

We welcomed our newest baby, Brennen Michael Murray, into the family on Nov. 27, 2012. He arrived after a VERY long c-section (2.5 hours) that also included an unplanned surgery during it at 8:51am.  He weighed 7lbs 8.8oz and was 21 inches long.

 

Not too long after birth. I was unable to see him until about 2 hours after he came out due to complications, but Matt took this picture.

Sleeping like a baby! HA

 All ready to go home! He's even fist bumping...or is it pumping???

 Teagan met her little brother! She is in LOVE with him. She kept asking to kiss him and hold him. She's much more loving with him that she was or is with Emmersyn.

 

And finally, my other baby gets to meet her little brother. She really isn't too interested in him, but is a bit jealous at times when she sees me holding him.  I think they'll end up being good friends though.

Emmersyn at 11 monthes (almost)

Since I'm giving birth tomorrow on the actual date of Emmersyn's 11 month birthday, I thought I should update today! I can't believe you are already ELEVEN monthes! You are definately different than your sister was. You are a fiesty girl and LOVE to explore.  You love to put everything in your mouth and can find the smallest pieces of things on the floors...definately keeps mommy vacuuming and mopping alot more.

 

 

As you can see from the shirt, you are a teething fool right now! You have 5 teeth and about to get another I'd say.  You also LOVE to stand up and have taken many steps now, but know you can get there quicker by crawling. 

You are a happy baby most of the time. The last few weeks have been a little more trying with surgery and teething, but you are still the happiest baby.  You are content as long as you can see your mommy or Teagan. You absolutely LOVE Teagan and she's really not that nice to you. LOL. 
You have bright blue eyes still and dark hair, although it has lightened up some. It is a chestnut brown color and is such a contrast with your eyes. Beautiful!

You are FEARLESS! You love to bounce and go up the steps. You LOVE anything Teagan has or plays with.  You were all about playing in the bounce house at a party yesterday. I think it took your sister 3 years to get in one and here you are at 10 monthes!

You are about 22lbs. Not sure how tall you are right now, but wear a size 9mn or 12 mn clothes. Most of the sleepers you have are 12 month now for length.  You are in a size 4 diaper. You LOVE every kind of food and are a great eater. I don't think there's anything you won't eat or even turn down!  You take a morning nap for about a half hr and then an afternoon nap for around 1.5-2hrs which daddy loves because he can take a small nap too! You started walking a few weeks ago, although you know you can get there faster by crawling.  I was surprised you walked so early, but you have to be just like your sister!

Emmersyn Shea, we are so blessed to have you in our family! You were definately meant to be our daughter/sister and we can't imagine life without your fiestiness!

36 hours!!!

I'm about 22 hours away from meeting my son so I thought I'd do a little comparasion from last year's pregnancy with Emmersyn and this one! In both pictures I'm about 36 hrs away from giving birth. I feel so much bigger this time around, but really it seems like I'm about the same size! Amazing how different you feel with just 1 kid vs 2.

 

Christmas 2011. About 2 days before I got induced with Emmersyn.

Nov. 25, 2012. About 36 hours before my scheduled c-section.  Can't believe it's not even been 11 monthes yet and I'm having another babY! My family has grown by 4 feet this year! HA!

nesting????

I may have reached the nesting phase of this pregnancy. Good thing since I have about 2 days before #3 comes out. And no, he STILL doesn't have a set name. We have narrowed it down to 2 though...or maybe 3. LOL
This past week I've tried to get all the laundry finished up (although it is not going to be put away) and got the bathrooms mostly cleaned.  I've got the girls clothes, jammies, and undies laid out for the moms for when I'm at the hospital. I went grocery shopping and lined out enough food and formula for Emmersyn and some "special" treats for Teagan too.  I still need to pack my bags and make sure I have his clothes laid out too, but that is last minute things really. 
We decided to wait to move the girls in together too so #3 will be sleeping in our room when he comes home. At least until Emmersyn is finished teething and waking up at night. I don't want all 3 of the kids up all night. 2 will be bad enough!
I think it is finally hitting me that we are really having another baby! I also decided to NOT put up our tree on Friday this year. We will wait until we are home from the hospital and settled first. I didn't want to deal with the mess or stress of having Em pull it down every few seconds (she isn't the best at not touching things) and it just seemed easier. 
Anyways, only 2 days left! Can't believe it's finally here. I feel like I've been pregnant forever....oh wait, I probably have spent the last 2 years being pregnant! LOL

conflicted feelings

The end of the month marks my dad's death day. I thought it would be nice if the baby were born on that date, but it didn't work out for the dr. Matt also thought it may be a bit morbid, but I thought it would be a completion to the circle of life. Instead of mourning on that day, we could once again celebrate! Oh well, he is coming on the the 27th instead.
Today, I got word that my grandma (my dad's mom) passed away yesterday morning.  I'm a little conflicted because we were never really close. I think in my whole life she came to Indiana (lived in FL) twice and we went down there a few times as well. Not to say I didn't get the Christmas cards/gifts, birthday card, etc, but I think there's more to family than just mailing a gift on holidays.  After my dad died, I have not had any contact with them (the whole side of the family) except once again the occasional card and I do send birth announcements, etc as well. The fact is they didn't even come to my wedding so it's not like we're BFF's, but she was still family. My heart doesn't know what to feel.

what else to do at 2:30 in the morning

So, what else can I do at 2:30 in the morning with a house full of sleeping people than blog!?!  That's right, I've been up since 2:30AM and I didn't even have to be up til 5...pure craziness! 
Actually, I went to bed at 9:30 so at 11:30 when Emmersyn woke up with one of her usual night terrors, I assumed it was already 3 and time for a feeding. Me, being the excellent wife I am, kicked Matt and made him get up with her since I do it most every other night. Then, I looked at the clock and wanted to kick myself for not just doing the early round.  Oh well, back to sleep I fell. Around 2 I hear a little voice say "mommy".  Teagan was up! Oh goody! She of course had to potty and then needed more milk and wanted to cuddle. How can you say no to a 2am cuddle? Well, into bed with us she came and about 5 minutes later she was out and I lay WIDE AWAKE! Finally, after tossing and turning for what seemed like hours, I decided to just bite the bullet and take my shower for work. Now, here I sit with not enough time to go back to bed, but too much time to do anything else! And, like clockwork, Emmersyn and my alarm are both going off! Wish me luck at work today with very limited sleep!

fun times

*-Nothing too exciting going on really. We are awaiting #3 and I'm ready to NOT be pregnant for the first time in what seems like 2 years! We celebrated my birthday on Wednesday. I had to return a few things at target and then I bought a few santa gifts that I knew the girls would like. (Matt kept them in the car while I ran in)  Then we went to dinner at Chili's and I bribed Teagan with a trip to Chuck E Cheese if she was good so we ended the night there! HA.

 

Last week, we went shopping to get Teagan new booster seats for our cars so Emmersyn could have hers and the baby could get the carrier. While we bought 2 new seats I also got a front carrier for me to carry one of the babies when I drop Teagan off at school...this is a cause of anxiety for me. As you can see from the picture up top, I'm not so sure how this will work everyday, but I'm hoping to just survive pick up and drop off! What a sight!

And this is a very common sight at the Murray house.  Emmersyn LOVES to walk and push things so Teagan has decided she could be the engine to the car and catch a ride. Poor Emmersyn doesn't know she's getting suckered...yet, but I'm sure paybacks are coming!

#3 update

Little Boy Murray will be arriving on November 27, 2012.  I am scheduled for a repeat c-secton that morning at 7:30am. I am MORE than ready to not be pregnant and to be able to walk without waddling and sneeze without peeing my pants.  He still is without a name though so hoping that comes to us in the next 2 weeks!

sweet memory

Just want to remember how sweet Teagan can be sometimes! Her favorite thing to tell me lately is "mommy, you make the best ____ in the entire world". So cute.
Today I gave her pretzel sticks at snack and she told me I made the best pretzels! HA

Emmersyn's surgery

Emmersyn had her surgery yesterday morning and to say I was a nervous wreck was an understatement.  I barely slept the night before. I was up and down more than I actually slept. The surgery itself wasn't suppose to take too long, but the unknown of what they may find was making my mind work overtime.

 

This is Emmersyn before the surgery.  If you look at her left eye (right side for us) you can see a bump right along the eye crease.  That is the cyst they were removing. The doctor thought he would have to go along the crease, but was actually able to go on the brow line for minimal scarring and less irriation from rubbing.

This is on the car ride home. I sat in back with her and she was fussy as all get out! Of course, it was nearly noon and she wasn't able to eat after midnight the night before. So, I broke the rules and gave her a bottle of formula in the car. She ate it up and went right to sleep!
You can see the incision and stitch line with her 5 stitches and the bruise that is already starting to form.  The purple line over her eye is what the surgeon marks to make sure they opperate on the right body part. 

And this was last night at bed time. You can see it is already starting to bruise more and get more swollen, but she slept great last night. Only got up around 5am for her bottle and fell back to sleep.  This morning her eye is almost swollen shut, but she's still in good spirits and playing like normal.  She has been down for a nap for almost 2 hours though, but I'll still take it.

Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts!  They were able to remove the cyst/tumor all in one ball and it was contained on the surface so no roots into the brain. YAY! I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. The stitches will dissolve in a few weeks (slower for less scarring) and the swelling and bruise should go away in a week or so. I'm so happy I got this done now and didn't wait til she was older and knew what happened.  She was great throughout the whole day, although she was fussy on the way from being hungry, but who can blame her there!

Here's the thing about having a great mom. You know, the kind who volunteers to be room mother, kisses boo boos, makes dinner every night, takes 3 kids to every kid of extra curricular thing offered, car pools, tells you that you can be whatever you want when you grow up so you believe her, and then is just as proud when all you choose to do is "just be a mom".  They set you up for self failure because there is no way you can ever measure up to what they have been in your memories. 
I am there now. Yes, my mom lost her cool some, but I don't remember why. Yes, I'm sure I got in trouble, but I don't remember when.  Yes, I'm sure I got disciplined, but I don't remember how.  I just know I always knew I was loved and safe with my mom.  And I hope one day my girls feel the same way and I hope my son feels it too once he arrives.  I have so much guilt lately about being stressed and unable to do much "fun" things with them because I'm exhausted all the time, but I hope they know how much I love them!

more Halloween pics

As you have read (maybe) my father in law lost his son on Monday morning. He had two sons and both are now deceased. I didn't know if he'd be up to coming down to party on Wednesday, but him and my mother in law came down. I think having the girls around is what they need to feel happy again. Kids have a way of making things seem better if only for a little whie. They don't care what is going on, they just love and play.

 

 Emmersyn is definately Pop's girl. She loves to be held by him and he eats it up as much as she does!

And not to be outdone, Teagan had to join in the fun too!  I LOVE this picture of them!  They all look happy, although Emmersyn looks a little confused, but it is is hard with 3 people to have them all looking right at the camera!

Halloween 2012

Happy halloween from the Murray's! We celebrated Halloween pretty much the way we have since Teagan was born. We had our families over for some food and drinks and let the kids go trick or treating.  This year was a bit more mellow in that I didn't go all out like normal. We just had pizza, coke, and cookies. I also used a hodge podge of plates, napkins, etc.  It was still a fun night.

We even had our friends come go trick or treating with us. The Graham-Hamm's came over and Teagan and Lucas had fun (I think). It was way too cold though and I was afraid Teagan would get sick so I kept messing with her hat/earmuffs. They ended up with a bucket full of candy each so I think they made out ok.

 

 

This is the best picture I could get of the girls before the grandma's arrived.  Yes, it was taken outside in the cold and yes, my girls had no shoes on, but I thought it would be a quick process. HA! Not a chance! Oh well, you can see they are still adorable!

And Teagan got her wish of being a lion for Halloween. I don't know why I bother trying to get her to change her mind. She has the will of an ox and once her mind is made up, there's no changing it. I think this will be a good trait to have later in life or when I'm not the one she's trying to outrule! HA
*This was my costume many many years ago. My mom is a saver of everything and had it in a dress up box for Teagan so that's why she knew Nini would bring it! My mom even dressed like her in a leopard shirt. Teagan kept saying "come on Nala, I am Simba and you are trick or treating with me". And of course, my mom did.

RIP

Just an update on my brother in law, Steve.  While we were in the ER Sat night and getting ready to get loaded up for the trip to Kosair, my mother in law called Matt. Steve had flat lined at the rehab hospital. Since it was a rehab hospital, they were not able to declare him dead and called an ambulence.  The EMTs were able to bring him back, but broke his ribs in the process. He was put on life support with no brain activity, but had a heart rhythm. 
Sunday, the family was called in to St. Louis to say their final good byes.  He was taken off the life support Sunday evening (late) and passed away at 5:54am Monday, October 29.  Please keep my in laws in your prayers!  My father in law now has no living children (Matt's step dad) as his other son passed away from cancer about 10 yrs ago.

Teagan's First ER Visit

It's funny that Emmersyn is almost 3 years younger than Teagan and has already been to the ER. Well, Teagan made her debut trip on Sat. She had started getting a little cold (really just a runny nose) on Friday. No big deal.  Saturday I went to work and she was fine. Sat at dinner she said her throat hurt, but it didn't look red or anything to me and then she said it felt better. We put her to bed at 8 and she was fine. Around 9 she woke up screaming and then threw up. I put her in my bed for a bit and noticed she was struggling to breathe.  Anytime she gets sick it goes to her lungs, but this time was different. Call it mother's intuition or just being a control freak, but I knew it was serious.

My mom came over to watch Emmersyn (who was already in bed) and we took Teagan to Clark Memorial (it was closest). 



 

This is her at Clark.  Doesn't she look helpless?  When we got there, her O2 level was 90. They did several breathing treatments, gave her steroids, etc and it kept getting lower.  They knew we were going to be staying somewhere, but after talking to the peditrician, they decided to transport her to Kosair.  It was about 4am before the ambulence came and we got settled at Kosair, but Teagan didn't care. She was wired from the steroids.  The O2 level was up to 93 there and the nurse questioned why we were sent. Overnight, the levels dropped in the 80s and I thought "that's why".  The doctors there were great. It is a teaching hospital so we had several doctors coming in and out most of the day instead of just one time for rounds in the morning. We ended up staying 2 nights. (they will not release if any oxygen is used during the night) We came home with a diagnois of asthma and a TON of new information on medicine she will be taking daily to control as well as what to do for future flare ups. I'm just glad we finally know why she gets sick so much in her lungs.

Part 2

I had a record number of blog hits last night...a whooping 13!!! I'm getting more popular by the day! HAHA. And apparently more annoyed. I came up with even more things that annoy the piss out of me. (However, this could be because I have to pee ALL THE TIME anymore)

Here's a new list. Not to replace yesterdays, but in addition to:

1. when my baby wakes up at 1:30 and STAYS awake.
2. when my baby wakes up at 1:30 and falls back to sleep right away but I stay away for hours
3. Lion King 2 being sung all day by Teagan
4. dishes that multiply
5. people who keep score of the things they do for you
6. hearing about IU every. single. day...(that's for you Matt)
7. a 9 month old and a 3 year old that sleep less than a speed addict
8. toys that make noise and have no off switch

And that's all I've got because I have to go cook dinner....oh yeah, #9, cooking dinner when I never get to eat it!

Just Because...

I often stalk read other people's blogs and a fun topic that has been coming up more and more is W.I.L.W (What I love Wednesdays). Cute right? Well, since I'm totallly not that cute, I thought I would do a What annoys the piss out of me Thursday post! HA. So, here goes:

1. Facebook annoys me today.  I often wonder why one persons status of "what's for dinner" gets a million comments, but my funny one liners get none! HA
2. Spongebobs laugh...enough said
3. The fact my 3 year old can reach EVERYthing no matter how high I put it
4. Swollen feet, sore backs, and constant peeing associated with being preggo
5. People who mispronounce names, especially one of my kids
6. Politics and everything politically motivated
7. People who say they have to go get their hair did....really? Does that even sound right coming out of your own mouth???
8. Peeing my pants every time I sneeze
9. Matt's inability to scrap the plates before putting them in the sink!

I am sure I could go on and on and on, but I'll save it for another fun Thursday (or any other day) when I have nothing else in my life exciting to blog about!  What annoys you???

Teething Hell

I'm in the middle of teething hell right now! I don't know if it's because it's been so long or if Teagan really wasn't this bad, but man...Emmersyn is FUSSY, needy, and not sleeping. My favorite 3 qualities in a baby! NOT!!!  She had one tooth on the bottom already and it wasn't so bad, but right now she has 2 on top and 1 on bottom coming in at the same time and I know she's miserable. But, so am I. I don't know what else to do to try to make it better and that frustrates me. We have tried tylenol, ibuprofen, origel, teething tabs, frozen binkies, etc. Nothing soothes her.
Please pray we make it through this phase in one piece! I know we will, but sometimes when you're going through it you can't see the end.

class pictures

I dropped Teagan off at school today and got her class pictures! Her individual ones were too cute! She had a real smile and was just cute as could be. The class picture made me laugh. The kids look almost drugged and over the whole picture taking experience. Most of them are looking somewhere other than the camera and Teagan has her "hurry and take a picture" smile on. 

 

I'm not sure why it rotated when I posted, but you get the idea. It is also a picture of a picture so I'm sure I'm breaking a million copyright laws, but I'm pretty sure both of my readers will let it slide! HA!

I just wanted to document the very FIRST school picture for Teagan! I can't believe she is old enough for preschool. I still think of her as my baby which is funny considering I have Emmersyn and another on the way!

31 weeks

I'm 31 weeks pregnant today (based on their ultrasound due date) and I can definately tell. I am MISERABLE! I have constant back pain, tons of stomach cramping/pains, and can't sleep.  I am trying my best to embrace this experience as it may very well be my last, but it is hard.
I think I've gained about 5lbs so far. I need to go back and see what my starting weight was, but I'm almost sure it isn't more than that.  I don't really have any cravings as I did with Emmersyn. I just crave my usual foods and it depends on the day.  I usually have food cravings when I'm not pregnant so this isn't anything unusual.  HA.
I think the worst thing is just being tired all the time. I know it comes with the territory, but man does it suck! I also know that it is partly due to having a preschooler and newborn at home this time as well. Wish me luck to make it to 37! That's the goal for now!

Overwhelming

I'm sure I've already done this post before. Probably right before Emmersyn was born as that's when I start to get overwhelmed...when my life is about to change. I'm a bit of a planner and right now I feel like things are not going to be done, ever. 
My body is failing me and I'm hoping to keep this baby boy in for at least 6 more weeks til I can get to the 37wk mark, but I'm not sure that's possible.  Somehow, he still doesn't have a name. I need to get bunk beds picked out and put Teagan's bed back into a crib. I need to get the nursery repainted. I need to get all the clothes I have for him and my mom/mother in law have for him and decide wht else we may need. 
Whew, in addition to the new things to do for #3, I still have the daily mondane tasks of cooking, cleaning, laundry, dishes, and just everything that comes with taking care of 2 kids and a house.  Matt and I literally see each other and talk face to face about 8 hours a WEEK so trying to go pick things out is almost laughable.  And then, I get the whole "you need to rest and take it easy or I'm putting you on bedrest" talk from my doctor. HA, take it easy? With 2 kids? And working? HA. And yes, I do have to work as long as I can because I was already off 10 weeks this year (2012) and will be off at least 8 weeks after #3 so unless I can sell a kidney on the blackmarket, I'm gonna need the money.
Alright, enough complaining (for now). Time to put on my big girl undies and just get it done.  Life is funny like that. It doesn't stop so you can have a pity party, but that doesn't mean I can't be overwhelmed.

Boo at the Zoo-2012

Thursday at preschool pickup, Erin and I decided we would join up and take the kids to the zoo for trick or treating.  It was a chilly night, but we thought it would be less crowded than waiting til the weekend when it would be a little warmer. 

 

It was a nice night and they had expanded the trick or treating to the WHOLE zoo instead of just half like in years past. I'm not gonna lie, I was not prepared for the hill walking while pushing Emmersyn in her stroller, and of course being 30 weeks preggo!  

 

 

Teagan was Tinkerbell. She was going to be a lion because she's OBSESSED, but at the last minute decided she wanted to be Tink. Poor Emmersyn was a duck. She has a princess outfit too, but it's a short dress with short sleeves and it was way too cool for that!  Both girls had a blast, but we were ready to go by the end. We skipped the hay maze and I felt bad, but that's the sacrifice we made to make it home without screaming. 

I told Matt if I was more than 2 weeks preggo next year and decided to take the kids to the zoo he was to shoot me.  (This is the second year in the row I've done the walk over 26wks preggo)  He informed me if I got pregnant again he was going to shoot me regardless! HA. Such a funny man I married! LOL

vacation 2012

Every October I take a week off work for a much needed vacation. The past 7 years since we've been married, we have actually went somewhere fun. A few years we went to Mexico, we've been to Florida a few times, and even took a mini trip to Michigan for our first anniversary! SO MUCH FUN! This year, we decided to stay home and Matt actually ended up working so he could save more time for after #3 gets here. I thought for sure I'd get the nursery painted (my little boy can't sleep in a pink room), get bunk beds for Teagan's room (which she'll end up sharing with Emmersyn eventually), and convert her bed back into a crib to finish out plans on what I'm going to do with the nursery and TWO cribs!
However, so far, I haven't done much.  Monday (our anniversary) I took Teagan to dance class, Tuesday, Matt went to get his new phone and that took FORever. Wednesday we did go pick out some pumpkins for our front porch and we went to the Zoo last night for their trick or treating, but other than that, we've done NOTHING on my to do list. I'm starting to get very anxious about not having anything done for #3. I know things will get done in time, but I keep feeling like he's going to be out sooner than we think.
I'm hoping to get the bed situation done this weekend before I go back to work Monday.  I have a few more weeks left to get things done and right now even doing a load of laundry is a chore! It literally takes me 3 steps to even get the laundry from the hamper to the washer. HA

The mom who stalked her kid!

Teagan had her very first field trip today! And in true stalker fashion, I followed to make sure she didn't get lost, kidnapped, killed, etc. LOL. I would have went with them, but parents were not allowed to go. Something about kids wouldn't pay attention to the teacher if parents were there...Not exactly sure why that's a problem, but they frown on it. HA HA! (JOKE)

 

 

 

Teagan did pretty good with staying in line with the other kids and listening to the teachers.  They walked to the fire station from their school which is about .30 miles (yes, I did clock it). I wasn't worried about her ability to walk that far, but they had to cross a few busy intersections and I was a little worried about her ability to stay on task! I stayed far enough away for her not to see me and to still get some good pictures...just like my stalker book said to do! LOL

And this little lady was my partner in crime!  She was content most of the time. A few times I could tell she was getting restless and that's when I would switch locations! I also had to drive to my doctor and give them my weekly blood so that helped kill some time as well.  Emmersyn fell asleep on the way back to town so I was able to better spy...I mean watch Teagan!

Pumpkin picking 2012

We decided to do some fun things while I was off work this week! We decided to go get our pumpkins last night and Teagan was super excited. She asked if we were going to make pumpkin pie! HA. She is determined we are going to make one so we probably will do that tomorrow! Funny thing is that she has never had a pumpkin pie before.

 

Teagan was OBSESSED with this concrete cow. As soon as we pulled in, she was all about showing her daddy the "cow who's head didn't move" LOL.  Of course, Matt took her to pet him and have a picture taken! SO cute what they find fun at 3. 

After about 20 minutes, we found some pumpkins for our porch! Of course, in true Katie fashion, I didn't actually take any pictures of the pumpkins! Oh well, I will when they are carved or painted!

First Word

I'm happy to announce that Emmersyn said her first word today! What makes me sad is it was NOT "momma". BOO! LOL.
She was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looked up, and hollered "DADA!" as if she was thinking matt was upstairs. So cute. Kind of wish she would have followed in Teagan's first word footsteps, but hey, it's a word so I'm excited!

Happy Anniversary to us!

Happy Anniversary to me and Matt!! I can't believe we've been married for SEVEN years!!! That seems like forever, but in reality, we've been together a lot longer (almost 12yrs).

 

Instead of a lot of words, I'm gracing you with some pictures of our wedding day! I absolutely LOVE cake so of course the first pic is our wedding cake! It was so good and looked a ton better in person too, but we got married before the digital age so I took pics of pics to post (not that great, but you get the idea).

 

 

 

And what Shickert-Murray wedding would be complete without a few football pictures! I actually have a ton of Matt and the groomsmen playing football in the church yard before we got married. Too fun, but I didn't want to bombard you with a ton of bad pictures!

And my all time favorite wedding picture! We both look so young, but this WAS 7 years and 2.5kids ago. It was before we had house payments, car payments, work (for actual survival), housework, yardwork, etc. It was a great day with friends, family, and most of all celebrating our love!