Officially Potty-Training

Sophia is now on day 2 of her official potty-training adventure. We're kinda doing things a little different with child #5...seeing as how she's actually been using the toilet for caca since she was about 11 months old (by her own choice). It was too painful for her to go in her diaper; so luckily we've been enjoying the last year of her telling us when she needs to go caca so we could put her on the toilet. But, now it is time for actual potty to also go in the toilet...yay!

She did fantastic yesterday!  Not one single accident.  She did decide toward the end of the evening (and so far today) that she'd go quicker for her dad and when I took her, it became more of conversation time with mom instead of potty-time. Paul now thinks that this must mean she likes him better (which is probably true). I think it means he just found himself a project during his week-long vacation...congratulations, sir!

She woke up early today and then took a little nap late this morning and was still dry!  I'm so looking forward (once again) to the end of our diaper days!

Updates

So, it's been like 10 months since I've updated this blog...and with 5 kids, a LOT has happened in those 10 months.  So, get ready for quite a few pictures with some short stories.  :)

Over last summer, Benjamin celebrated his 9th birthday.  He had a party with friends over and I do believe after all was said and done and the running around they did, those boys slept well that night.

Ben and his friends celebrating

My baby had her 1st birthday!  We had a small family gathering and her Tia Sunshine (my sister) was able to make it up from Las Vegas with her family...Sophia loved it and I love that her birthday is in July so the kids were able to play in the water outside!

My July babies - Gavin and Sophia

Her new chair from Tia Sunshine...

she still just loves this thing!

Not quite sure what to think of cake yet...

...but ends up loving her new treat!

Gavin attended his first week-long church youth camp.  He had such a great time fellow-shipping with others his age and came back to us on his 13th birthday!  We officially have a teenager and are taking this new journey one day at a time.

His birthday banana cream pie...

(2 of my kids prefer something other than cake...)

Sophia and I were lucky to have met up with my aunt Pam, who was visiting from Los Angeles.  She doesn't come up to Idaho very often and it was also the first time my mom's family has met Sophia so this was a treat for us.

My cousin, Tessa and her little boy, Colton;

Aunt Pam, me and Sophia

Sophia with her great-aunt Kathy

Mingling with great-aunts Tina and Shelly

Wanting up with aunt Pam

Jacob had a blast at Boondocks for this 7th birthday.  I appreciated that he only wanted his cousins, Liberty and Emma to join us--cause that place can get a little crazy wild.

Getting a little lift from cousin, Liberty

Miley and cousin, Emma celebrating with Jacob

Jacob and Liberty taking a break from the fun for a quick bite

The boys are all in school for a full day now.  Paul took Gavin to his first-day breakfast and then off to his first day in Jr. High.  The girls and I took Benjamin and Jacob to IHOP and then I grudgingly took them to start 4th and 1st grades.

Gavin, Benjamin and Jacob

This past Halloween was the first one in which Gavin stayed home and passed out candy instead of going out in the cold to collect it.  We did all attend our church Trunk or Treat, so he was able to get some goodies there (as well as from his 4 siblings, of course).

Carving fun...

'Tangled' Miley, 'Dallas Cowboy' Jacob,

'Football Player' Gavin, 'Froggy' Sophia & 'Mobster' Benjamin

Miley turned 5 in December.  We were going to have a neat little shin-dig with friends, but things got pretty hectic for us this year...next year for sure she'll have friends over.  So, we had family: Nanna (my mom) and Kay-Cee and Ellie (who the kids think is their cousin) over to celebrate.

Miley growing up way too fast...

 Miley during a ballet rehearsal

Random Picture Time:

 A rare photo with all 7 of us actually

looking at the camera at the same time

 This girl just loves her NFL Sundays...

 Gavin and Jacob staining their new bookshelf

 2 of my favorite people with

my 2 favorite flags

 Playdate with Kiari

 Nobody makes her laugh quite like an older brother can...

Checking herself out before going out in public

I kept the kids home Thursday as it was basically a skating rink over the roads.  Gavin waited for his bus for 20 minutes and it never even showed.  I didn't completely trust my Texas-raised husband on the roads so I just said I was calling a 'snow-day' for my kids and Paul only had to drive 3 miles to work (still took him twice as long to get there).  With Gavin's help watching Sophia, I was actually able to get quite a bit of cleaning done.  We even had time for a little 'experiment': watching color 'explode'.  I wish I would have done a video instead...the still picture doesn't quite do it justice.

Pour a layer of milk, add some food coloring,

then drop in some dish soap to watch the colors 'explode'

Loss and Love

Note: The following post may be a bit TMI for some...I apologize in advance...

Just this past Thanksgiving, I was lucky enough to have Paul and all the kids home for the week.  It was filled with quite a bit family time and the kids enjoying some time with their friends.  I was feeling a bit strange during the week, but we still managed to get our enchiladas/rice/beans and ham/potatoes prepped and cooked for our Thanksgiving meal (we are not big turkey fans).

A few days later, I still could not shake off this feeling in my stomach and it was starting to become uncomfortable and causing fatigue.  Realizing this was the 2nd time in my life I had had these "pains", I had finally asked Paul if he wouldn't mind running out and getting me a pregnancy test.  The mere act of asking him for this almost brought me to tears and I could see on his face the overwhelming concern as well.  [To any of you youngin's out there, ie: my nieces;  birth control can fail and yes, condoms CAN break...]  Off he went and was back in minutes.  A few minutes later I was waiting for results.  Then the tears really came...the test came back positive.

So many things began running through my head.  I was possibly for the first time in my life happy, sad and mad all at the exact same time.  Happy because of the immediate love for another life growing within.  Sad because I wasn't sure I wanted to share this experience with anyone other than Sophia.  Mad because HOW could this happen?!?!  I felt so out of control--a feeling I do not deal with well.  We were being careful, we are not prepared for SIX kids; why was this happening now?  After about 15 minutes, Paul came looking for me.  We both sat on the bathroom floor while he let me cry on his shoulder.  Not really saying anything, but both just scared of how, in that moment, our lives just made yet another dramatic change.

It took me a few days to call and schedule an appointment with the doctor.  I was just in a complete state of disbelief.  We had decided not to tell the kids...just in case, plus we didn't know how far along we were just yet.  I was able to get into the doctor after about 5 days since the at-home test.  I went in for the ultra sound and that's when I started getting yet another uneasy feeling.  The technician was unable to see the baby on the ultra sound so they had me take some blood tests to confirm the pregnancy.

Three blood tests over the next 10 days.  The outcome:  I was pregnant (less than 5 weeks along when I first went in).  Then we learned that the hcg levels were going down with every blood test.  I started fearing the worst which was also confirmed a few days after the last blood test.  I had started spotting over Christmas.  My baby was miscarried and my body was dealing with the loss.  The doctor felt that as long as my body was going through a natural process, a DNC would not be necessary.  The feeling of anger once again.  I was mad at myself for being sad when we had the positive at-home test.  I couldn't help but feel if I was more joyful about the pregnancy, I wouldn't be going through a miscarriage.

I remember, years ago, when I was told I likely would never be able to conceive; I used to think to myself: 'I may never be able to get pregnant, but at least I've never had to go through a miscarriage.'  I know we weren't all that far along, but I have decided it doesn't matter...a miscarriage sucks.  Plain and simple.  I've always considered myself pretty emotionally strong--in that I don't show my emotions all that much.  I can usually handle life and it's twists and turns.  It's not like we were 'planning' on getting pregnant, but I'll always wonder what it would have been like to meet this new little baby.  At first, I kind of just tried to shrug it off...I didn't want pity (and still, that is not what I'm looking for).  The beginning of the new year, though, I had to have my break down.  I'm sure my recent stream of emotions are from not only the emotional but physical loss.  Our kids still don't know about the pregnancy or the miscarriage--although I'm sure one day when they read this, they might think back and say, "Oh, that's why mom was a basket-case during that time."

Paul and I are firm believers that God doesn't give us struggles without also giving us ways to learn and grow from them...even though we may not know the lesson at the time.  I know He has His reasons for everything and I know I may never fully understand why I've lost so many important people in my life over the last 4 years.  I also know that I loved that baby and am so blessed to have the 5 children we do have walking on this earth and a loving husband that, although just as equally scared as I am at times, has become my rock when I can't help but feel weak.

News

Every time I complete a post, I really do plan on a quick update (like within a week or two).  Well, once again, I waited a few (ok, 3 1/2) months.  Ah well...it's the thought that counts, right?

I have recently gone back to work.  At the beginning of March, I started part-time assisting a local Keller Williams real estate agent...and I LOVE it!  I remember leaving the kids the first day thinking "maybe I won't be able to do this...Sophia is only 7 months old...how can I leave her".  Well, after the first day, I realized how much I had missed being out and about among people who can get their own water.  The great thing about it is I'm only in the office for about 6 hours a day and I can do some stuff from home...it's like the best of both worlds for this momma.  Paul and I are lucky enough to have both of our mothers close by and wanting to watch our kiddos so we've got them splitting child-care duties with a sprinkle of cousin Lisa every now and again.

How we torment our baby when the big kids

go to bed...poor kid.

After about a week of working, I had to have surgery to remove my gallbladder.  For about 6+ months, I would have these episodes of just the most excruciating pain I've ever felt in my life (can't really compare it to labor, since I never really had labor...but I imagine it hurt just as bad...maybe).  I didn't want to go the doctor for the longest time because I really thought it was something brought on by having a c-section and I had to just learn to buck up and deal with the pain (plus I hate going to doctors).  About a month ago, Paul made me go...the episodes were becoming too frequent and the pain was getting worse.  That's when they found the gall stones and because I had let it go on too long, surgery was basically my only option...I'll never learn.  The surgery went great and other than not really being able to pick up Jake the first few days, I'm recovering fantastically.


We are currently in baseball mode as Ben has started his 2nd year and Jacob has started t-ball.  I am so excited for games, but truly wish this weather would warm up and cooperate.  It will sure be interesting as Paul and I will be having to split time between kids and teams and who's going where and with whom...as it goes with multiple kids in sports at the same time.

Jacob & Sophia enjoying the beautiful day

at Ben's baseball practice.

Sophia is just getting more and more personality every day--and she's 8 months old today...so big!  Paul says this is his favorite age.  She'll shriek just to be heard and will laugh at silly things (like daddy).  She does have an odd habit though: she growls at us (and we don't even have a dog).  She'll growl more if we growl back at her...something her brothers love to do.  I keep trying to get it on video; but, much like photos, she just turns serious and solemn when there is any kind of camera nearby.  Sophia has been trying so hard to crawl, but with little success on the hard-wood floors.  She was getting quite good at scooting herself backwards but only to get frustrated when she'd reach a wall.  We thought we'd help the situation by getting a rug, but now she can't scoot as well.  We're thinking she'll get the crawling thing down in the next couple of weeks...we'll see.

Random Pics:

 Sophia with her great-uncle Robert...

I'm sure she was a bit star struck with all the

Reyes' at this gathering.  :)

 Gavin & Ben climbing rocks

at the Boise Train Depot.

 So of course, Jake and Miley

had to see how high they could climb...

Miley preferred to stay closer to the ground.

Miley Turns 4!

Today our little girl turned 4!  We've been down this road before, but with boys...and she is all girl.  So, bring on the barbies, babies, strollers and princesses...all foreign to this mamma.  She's been thinking the last 3 weeks were her birthday since that was how long ago we put up our tree...as soon as the tree goes up, she knows her birthday is coming.  It finally came and when she woke up, I said "Happy Birthday, Miley" and her reply was "Happy Birthday, Mommy"...confused, but sweet girl.

We spent the day taking pictures of her and getting her dolled up in her favorite color of pink as well as painting her nails--a favorite thing for her to have done.  After daddy came home, we also welcomed Nanna, Granny and her cousins Liberty and Lisa and had a family party complete with cake and presents.

*Posing*



*Happy Birthday to Miley*

*Loves those stickers*

Miley is certainly coming into her own...not an easy task with 3 older brothers.  At this stage, she is starting to speak up more clearly about her wishes and goals.  She plays contently with her baby dolls and barbies, talking for them as if she's playing "house".  It's hilarious to listen from the other room and hear her repeat things like, "it's time to clean up the room" (if only the dolls could clean up after themselves) or "don't hit...it's not nice to hit"--I suppose some of what we say does get through.  She is not the most graceful 4-year-old and at least once a week will trip over her own feet...my clumsy girl.  :)  She is slowly discovering crafts (thanks to friends) and I think it's time to put some of my own OCD aside and allow her to involve herself more with the 'arts'.  She loves hugs and must have Daddy put her to bed every night.

Happy Birthday to our big girl...we love you!

November 20th

Dates.  I've always been pretty good at remembering dates.  I can remember the day I started my first job over 20 years ago, the day I passed my driver's test and received my license, and of course I remember special occasions like birthdays and such.  Most of these dates bring with them happy memories with only a few sad memory dates...November 20th will forever be a bittersweet memory date.  Only 4 years ago, I didn't think too much of November 20th...it was a pretty typical Tuesday.  Fast forward one year and November 20th became a very sad date for our family as we lost our sister, Penelope Josephine.  I began to hate this date and for 2 years didn't much care for the holiday season as they were too close to this date and memory for me.

Sisters

Pene acting like Pene...loved that girl's humor



Then came the fall of 2010.  For 2 months, I had been sick and we couldn't figure out why.  Nothing seemed to cure me and on November 20th, we found out why: I was expecting my greatest gift of my lifetime...after years of being told I may likely never be able to get pregnant, we learned that Sophia Josephine was on her way.  Although I still greatly missed my sister and will always remember the day she left us, I was so excited to hear this news that I decided November 20th will be remembered as a day of celebrating life.  Celebrating my sister's short life and how she impacted my life and also a celebration of my future baby's life.

November 20th of this year marks Sophia's 4-month birthday.  I know, not the great 1-year-milestone just yet; but a milestone all the same.  She has already blessed our lives more than I'm sure we even realize.  She is such a happy baby and is surely in love with her family (especially those big brothers).  Her whole face lights up when her brothers come home from school and then again as soon as Daddy walks through the door.  She has been a gift to me in more ways than one and has filled holes in my heart that I thought could never be filled...and for that I celebrate November 20th.

Family Pictures

So, I have a few minutes before the boys get home and Sophia wakes up.  A couple of weekends ago, we had some family pictures done.  Not an easy task with a 2-month old, but we were lucky that the photographer was so understanding (she herself had a 3-week old).  We didn't get as many as I would have liked but only because Sophia was pretty much done with the whole thing and both Gavin and the photographer were stung by some angry wasps.  Here are some of my favorites.

(my cranky baby)

(mean-mug packers fans with happy dallas fan...

probably because dallas has more superbowl rings)

(the binky she couldn't be without)

(after Gavin was stung...really forcing that smile)