A few Christmas pictures

Elizabeth



The girls got to go sledding at Eric's sister's house! So fun!!!

Christmas eve at our house.

Christmas at my grandma's.

Amelia's Christmas program for preschool.

December update

Life is pretty good, except that I have very little time to do the things I need to do, much less the things I want to do. Elizabeth is needy, and I don’t feel bad asking Eric to hold her while I try to catch up a bit, or get a nap in, but somehow I don’t feel right asking him to hold her so I can play on the computer or sew or something. She will occasionally just hang out in her bouncy seat, but not too long. She is in it now, and has been in it for about 10 minutes, and it starting to fuss. I am writing this in word, so I can come back to it if I need to. If she is in a content mood, she will hang out in her swing for a while too, but seems to prefer the bouncy seat. She isn’t as hard as I remember Gwendolyn being. Most of the time she is content when she is being held. Gwen was more fussy I think even while being held. Once in a while Lizzy will get cranky while being held, but it isn’t so bad. She is smiling quite a bit now, so that makes up for the harder times. Every day I will say how much I like babies (or this baby). She is just so sweet and snuggly! She is huge, just like the other two were. I am sure she is 15 lbs (her 2 month checkup is on Thursday, so I will find out for sure then.) She fits into 3-6 months and 6 month clothes though. 0-3 month stuff is a distant memory. LoL

The other girls are good.
Gwendolyn is at such a super cute stage! She is talking in phrases now, and can count to 10 and knows a few shapes, and a whole lot of sign language signs. She calls Amelia CC (sissy) and usually just calls Elizabeth “baby”. It is just so fun to watch her learn and do so much new stuff all the time. She makes me smile and laugh all the time, even when she is being a stinker she is cute (which is most of the time)! She is always into something. No, I don’t always think it is cute. I get pretty upset sometimes, but most of the time I just have to laugh at her because she is so darn cute!

Amelia is enjoying preschool a lot! She was so upset to learn that there wouldn’t be any school over Christmas vacation! She just didn’t understand and I really had to explain to her. She had been back talking quite a bit, because we had been slacking on her discipline. We got lazy and just sent her to her room when it got really bad, and that just doesn’t work well with her. It works much better to take away privileges, but that requires mommy and daddy to have to think. I had a good talk with her about a week ago, which seemed to help a lot, and we have been better at taking stuff away right away when she talks back, so that has improved a lot. It isn’t all bad though. She is learning to be thoughtful and helpful, and best of all learning to love Jesus. The last couple weeks she has started to pray for stuff out of the blue. I will hear her saying “dear Jesus, please help my sister to feel better” or whatever. It is so sweet!

Elizabeth's first weeks.

With Grandma and PaPa

Grandpa Dan and Kathy

Elizabeth Valery

Intorducing Elizabeth Valery. (She shares her middle name with my Grandma Wanda.) Yes, I know I am slow, but it is hard to get much done with a newborn in the house. :) She was 9lbs 2 oz and 21.5" long.

Elizabeth's birth story.

Some of it might be off a bit off, but this is my memory of it.

Elizabeth Valery Schaefer 10-16-09

October 15th at about 9:30 pm I started having contractions. I had been having them on and off for about a week, but they never lasted long. This time they stayed pretty regular (every 10 minutes or so) and weren’t going away. My grandma was staying with us so she could watch the girls if I went into labor,. Good thing she was there, even though I wasn’t due for another week. We weren’t sure what to do, because it was obviously very early labor. Gwendolyn came so fast, that we were worried about this one being as fast, or faster, and the hospital is 45 minutes away. I should have just gone to bed, but we didn’t know what was ahead, so we headed for the hospital around 11pm. We got there and went to triage and the midwife checked me and I was only dilated to 3 cm. She suggested that I walk around for an hour, and then check my progress. When she checked me an hour later, I was dilated to a 4, so we decided to stay, since I had made a bit of progress. I called my mom and told her to head down, and kept our doula updated. I tried to sleep, and was able to get a few winks in between contractions, but that only lasted an hour or so. We ended up staying in triage until 7am, because they were short nurses for the delivery rooms. At 7am I got a L&D room, and a new midwife. By then my mom and doula were both there, and I continued to labor, and it seemed like it was slowly but surely progressing. I got into the tub for about 45 minutes, just to get some relief, but didn’t want to stay in any longer, as it might have been slowing my labor down. Walked the halls a few times, otherwise nothing exciting happened. Around noon the midwife decided to check and see how far I had progressed. I was still only 4cm dialated! I couldn’t believe that after 11 hours of laboring I hadn’t progressed at all! I was so exhausted by this point. I felt like crying when she told me that. When she asked if I wanted to have her break my water, I quickly said yes, hoping it would speed things up. It worked, too well! The first contraction I had after she broke my water was 2 times as strong as the one before, and the next was 2 times stronger than that. Within 15 minutes it was almost unbearable! My back hurt so badly with each contraction, and I was so tired. I must have labored like this about an hour, than I decided I needed to sleep, and wanted the pain to be gone, so I asked for an epidural. By that point my contractions were longer than the breaks in between, and I didn’t think I could last hours that way anymore. I was just so tired! If I had realized how fast I was progressing, I don’t think I would have asked for the epidural, but who knows. So they said before they could give me an epidural, they had to fill me with liquid through the IV. I still don’t understand why, but whatever. Once I realized that it would take over 45 minutes to pump me full, I wanted to cry. Maybe I did, I don’t remember. I remember saying over and over how tired I was, and how much it hurt, and please hurry (either looking at the IV or the door, lol.) Somewhere between 2:00pm and 2:30pm I felt the need to get on the bed. I felt too tired to do anymore. I got on the bed on my side, and about 5-10 minutes later I felt her coming, and I said so. “HERE SHE COMES!” They believed me… lol The midwife and nurses came running, got my “undies” off and I think that is about all they had time for before I pushed. They had my leg pushed up (I was on my side) and I pushed 2 times I think, and her head was there. I felt like resting a minute, but they all yelled to push, so I pushed again, and her head was out. One more push, and out she came! Ah, what a relief that was! I said so too! LoL I was just so happy it was done, I almost forgot about the baby. They laid her on my chest and I thought to myself, “oh yeah, there is a baby from all of that”. The labor was the hardest by far that I have had. I might have been in as much pain with Gwendolyn, but I knew that I was about to give birth with Gwen, so it was ok in my head. With Elizabeth, I thought I would have to go on like that all day and all night, and I was too exhausted that I couldn’t even think halfway straight. The delivery and recovery made up for the labor. She came out super quick, and that didn’t hurt nearly as bad as it had with Gwendolyn. Recovery was also a breeze. I remember sitting gingerly with my first two girls after their births, but never had that problem after Elizabeth. Even my hemorrhoids (which were massive according to the midwife) were almost gone the next day, and never really hurt. Elizabeth was perfect and beautiful, and I am glad that in the end I didn’t end up with an epidural. Elizabeth didn’t need formula supplements like the other girls did, but did have a bit of bilirubin, so needed to be checked the day after we were discharged. We only stayed at the hospital one night after she was born.Her bili was fine when checked, and she never needed any treatment.

Not much new. I am enjoying the cool (cold) weather, and just waiting for this baby to be born. I am due on the 23rd, but if she doesn't come before then, I might go in on the 21st to have my water broke and get the show on the road. My midwives are not usually too quick to jump the gun, but since I have such big babies, and my last baby had shoulder dystocia (she got a little stuck on her way out, but the midwife flipped me onto my back, and she came right out) and since I am so very uncomfortable, my midwife is more than willing to go a little early.

The girls hanging out on the deck...




Yeah, not sure why I can't keep up in here. Maybe it is the same reason I can't even keep up with my house.



I am so very tired and huge and have so much back and hip pain, that I can barely function many days. It has seemed to improve lately, so maybe these last two months won't be so bad.


Other than that, we are all doing great. Gwendolyn is 18 months old now! Where does the time go? She is starting to say more words now, and signs quite a bit too. If she doesn't know how to say something, she is usually pretty good at letting you know what she wants, or at least getting your attention! lol Lately she has really turned into a little "Daddy's girl". :) More often than not, if he is home, she wants him over me. It is ok by me, because that should help her transition when the baby comes.

Amelia is wonderful too. She is learning how to read, and can sound out easy words very well. I just need to work on phonics with her, but she really catches on fast! She read a simple reader last night with very little help. Amelia will be starting preschool in a couple weeks. She is very nervous about it. She is excited, but at the same time scared about being by herself. That is the biggest reason we decided to send her to preschool, because she is quite shy and can be very overwhelmed by a group. Preschool should be a good way to introduce her to school without such a big class like kindergarten. (Preschool has a max of 16 kids, with two teachers, vs however many there are in a K. class.) It is also only 2 days a week, 3 hours per day. Anyway, hoping that will help.


Eric and I are doing great. I am so very blessed to have such a great husband. He is so patient and good to me, and such a great dad! He is doing fine at work. He still has a job, and isn't too worried about losing it, so we are ahead there. It would be nice if his commute wasn't so long (traffic really sucks on this side of the city) but it could be worse.


Eric and I about two weeks ago.

Some pictures

I know I don't update like I should, but here are some pictures for now anyway. :)


Just some of Gwendolyn's many expressions... :)







This is her "really really happy face"! LOL

Amelia and I spent a day at the Horse Expo with my mom. Amelia of course had to ride the horses and ponies, a few times. ;)

Aren't I huge? The sad part is this picture is now a month old, so I was only 16 weeks in this picture. I suppose I should take a 20 week one.

Got to meet our newest family member on Memorial weekend. Such a cutie! Amelia is sitting with her cousins and holding baby Drake. Eric's brother Dave and his wife Jill are the proud parents.

Amelia with my grandma on Memorial weekend.


Our little family

Snow in April

It is April 2nd, and there is still snow on the ground from the snow that fell on Monday. It just isn't right having snow in April. :P It should be gone by this weekend though, and hopfully stays away so spring can come for good!

Gwendolyn really likes Baby Einstein.

Me and my girls!

The snowflakes we had coming down yesterday were the biggest I think I have ever seen. Some were like golf ball size. (Yes, I know they weren't single flakes, but bunches together, but still way cool!)

I can't leave Gwendolyn alone in the livingroom/kitchen area anymore, because this is what I find when I come back.

She is constantly climbing up on the table. Even when I am right there, she does it, then gets all excited like it is a game when I come to get her.

She also knows how to push Amelia's step stool to the part of the counter she wants so she can play with stuff. Today I had put Amelia's leftover lunch on the counter so Gwendolyn wouldn't get it if she climbed on the table. I waited about 2 minutes before following her into the kitchen (thinking she would be on the table) and instead I find her up at the counter eating covered in ketchup and eating chips, and a hotdog on the floor.

She definitely keeps me busy! lol

I am so tired of being tired.

I have been exhausted lately. So much so that I am constantly "out of it". It is the reason I haven't updated in so long.
Part of the problem is that I am pregnant. Yes, for anyone who didn't know, we are expecting #3! I am excited about it, it is a very good and blessed thing, but I am still tired. Mostly though, I am tired because my hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue have hit me hard. I can tell the difference from just being tired, pregnancy tired, and hypo/AF tired. This is hypo/AF tired. I am sure the pregnancy had something to do with my hypo/AF getting worse, but I am so sick of being tired it isn't funny. In the last two years I have felt human for about a month. I took some of my hydorcortisone for a few weeks in January, and it is amazing how normal I felt. I actually was able to get through the day with out napping, and without even feeling the need to nap. I had the ambition to clean my house, and KEEP it clean. I wanted to play with my kids, and see my friends. It wasn't like I was full of crazy energy, I was just normal, or almost normal anyway.
I always feel like I am lazy. I should just "buck up" and make myself do the things a normal person would do. If I just do it, I will get the energy. It is so not true. In fact, I just plain old don't have the stamina to do more than survive most days.


Copied from my hypothyroidism blog...
I read something in the book "Adrenal Fatigue" that really hit home for me. ....
"These people may appear to friends and family to be lazy and unmotivated, or to have lost their ambition, when in reality quite the opposite is true; they are forced to drive themselves much harder than people with healthy adrenal function merely to accomplish life's everyday tasks."

That is exactly how it is for me. I really struggle with making it from one day to another much of the time.
I am very blessed to have a husband who understands (or at least tries to) and helps me when I need it.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel though. I didn't take the medication when I was pregant and breastfeeding Gwendolyn because the doctor said it was a "C" drug and I shouldn't. I did some shallow reasearch that scared be into agreeing with him, so instead, I just felt like crap for two years.
Now that I am pregnant, and looking forward to another two years of this, I did much deeper research, and found that at the low doses that I would be taking, and the reason I am taking it, there is actually very little risk to the baby. I am still going to wait until my second trimester, to be extra catious, but the doctor has pretty much agreed to let me go on it next month!
I am so, so, so looking forward to being able to function normally (or at least almost normally) again!

Feb 2008

I haven't been updating like I should. I feel like I have been super busy doing nothing. It is all good though. I have had a bit more energy lately, and am really enjoying my girls. :) (And my hubby too, of course!)

Just thought I would share a few pics...

Amelia played dress up with Gwendolyn last week.






We made a snow man when we had a warm spell. Amelia named him Frosty, the same name she picked for my mom's new colt.

I made Amelia a couple Barbie dresses a couple weeks ago. She like them. She has really gotten into barbies lately.

This is what my cats do most of the day. What a life I tell you. Heh, heh.

Gwendolyn "playing barbies" with Amelia. Gwendolyn was sitting in the barbie box. She really likes going over things, or inside things, climbing, ect.

God has blessed us with a New Year! Welcome 2009

2008 was a year to remember. Gwendolyn was born in Feb, and Grandpa went to Heaven in November. Eric was switched to a new area of the company after some worry that he might lose his job. The Lord has blessed us a lot with Eric's job. So many people have been laid off, and he has kept his job, and his new job seems to be nicer so far then the last.
Amelia turned four, and continues to wow us with how smart she is.
Besides birthing a baby, I have grown closer to God the last few months, and it has improved my outlook a lot! Life is so much better when you put your life in God's hands, instead of your own!


I look forward to 2009, and what God has in store for us next! :)

Christmas 2008

Christmas was nice. We got to spend Christmas Eve with my family, and Christmas Day with Eric's family.

It did seem that too much time was spent on gifts both days, and not enough time just being together. It wasn't bad, just something we might need to think about next year.
We did talk to Amelia a lot about what Christmas really means, and why we celebrate it, and what is important. She "gets" it. :)

We got Amelia just one gift, but it was a "big" one. She got a VTech Motion video game console. We aren't really impressed with it, as it is not always easy to make work right, and the graphics are not very good, but Amelia likes playing it, so that is good.


Just a few pictures from Christmas.