Life with Little Miss Scarlett

I love my little 2 year old. They call them the "terrible twos" but I'd much rather have a 2 year old than a 1 year old. Scarlett is so much work yet so much fun to talk to, to play with, to be around.

 

Scarlett loves her sisters. I thought she'd be jealous of Hadley but she's the opposite. She loves her and always wants to hold her. When I need to change Hadley it is always Scarlett who will hunt everywhere to bring me a diaper and wipes, while the other two just sit on their rumps.

 

Scarlett is fast. She runs fast, she rides her scooter very fast (prompting a lot of comments at the parks), and whenever its bedtime or bathtime, Scarlett HAS to be the first one up the stairs or down the stairs or to the bathroom. Her life is a big race and she's always winning.

 

Scarlett is almost always happy... if she gets what she wants. I guess that's why she tires me out - she always demands that I go outside with her, or go to the park with her, or fix her a snack, or turn on Peppa Pig. And I have to meet these demands asap or else she's screaming and clawing at me. But when she gets what she wants...she's golden.

 

Sometimes both of us are knackered at the end of the day. I'm starting to wean her off of her afternoon naps because she's been jabbering with Claire every night and keeping her up past bedtime. As a result I often find she gives herself a late nap. Always with her Dora blankie cuddled beneath her. She even sleeps like this in her bed.

Scarlett is a mess. She makes messes when she eats, and she makes messes getting dressed. She insists on dressing herself, which usually involves emptying the contents of her drawers and sprawling them across her bedroom floor before she picks out an outfit that doesn't match and/or isn't even suitable to wear out.

Scarlett is already an iPhone expert. I always find pictures and videos of her on my phone that make me laugh. It was fun until she figured out how to purchase apps, and post results of her games (Temple Run) to my facebook account. Now I have to keep a close eye on her!

She is so much fun to talk to and brings me so much joy. Worth all the work!

Mother's Day

Ahh yes..those would be the best gifts, but with a newborn, 3 other little girls, and a sick husband it just didn't happen. It was still a wonderful mother's day being showered with gifts and made to feel like a better mom than I really am. My favorite gifts are always the cards that the girls make at school, with questions they answered about their mom.

 

from Claire:

1. If I could give my mom anything in the world I would give her: new shoes

2. How do I show my mom I love her? I kiss her

3. My favorite thing to do with my mom is: go for a walk

4. Her favorite color is: red

5. Her favorite food is: salad

6. When my mom grows up she wants to: play with me

7. If she had extra time, she likes to: take a nap with Hadley

8. My mom and dad first met: in Texas

9. My mom laughs when: I do silly things or a funny laugh

10. My mom is 32 years old

11. What my mom loves the most is: flowers

 

from Lydia

My mom is as pretty as a butterfly

She is as sweet as a puppy

She is as smart as a scientist

She is as special as ME

My mom is 32 years old

She likes to: give me hug and kiss

The best thing she cooks is: pizza and ranch

Her favorite food is: vechtpels

Her favorite thing to do to relax is: Going to sleep with me

We like to: hugs and kissis together

She is really good as: helping Hadley

My mom is special because: she is realy nice to me

 

 

I hope that they always think my favorite thing to do is spend time with them. Those answers are the only completely true ones!

Introducing Hadley

 Hadley Sue Viets

Born April 6, 2013 at 6:18pm

Weight 7lbs, 7.7oz

Length 19.5"

My labor story:
Well here's my courageous story...though honestly this was by far the easiest birth of the four girls. I decided to be induced because if I didn't,  I knew I would go into labor in the middle of night like I always do, and not have anyone to help with the other kids. Hadley was due April 10th, but we scheduled the induction for April 6th. The week before the induction, I was already dilated to a 4 and was expecting her to come any time..but she didn't. So we made it to our appointment.
We checked in to the hospital at 7:30am, got my IV and my antibiotics, and my first dose of pitocin. Then we waited. And waited. The pitocin wasn't doing anything for me. I'd have regular contractions, but nothing painful. We increased the dosage every half hour. Nothing. I was ready for the doc to just come break my waters and get things going, but then something scary happened. An alarm went off in the hospital and our nurse abruptly left. The woman in the room next to me had just delivered and was having postpartum hemorrhaging, so everyone went to help. She ended up needing subsequent surgeries that took up the Dr's time for most of the day. Then on top of that, a woman came in with twins and ended up needing an emergency Caesarean. SO I didn't see my doctor all day. I just sat there on my drip. A little scared by all of this. Still no progress through the day and I was getting impatient, and ready to meet my baby!
So every time my nurse came in I asked her when the Dr. would finally be available to break my waters. When I heard she'd be available in about an hour, I called for the anesthesiologist to give me my epidural. That part was scary. I'd never been administered an epidural while I'm not in pain, so I was fully aware of it all...I felt the needle in my spine, the stinging medicine, the electric jolt down my leg...it was all creepy. But once the medicine took effect I was in heaven.
Then things happened fast. Just as the anesthesiologist packed up, my Dr. was in there ready to break my waters. It was already 5:45pm. She broke my waters, and then I waited and rested, happily drugged. Then about 15 minutes later I felt PAIN. What the heck!? I was feeling my contractions. I complained to my nurse that I needed another dose of medicine in my epidural, so she checked my cervix and said "Uh...there's no cervix...the baby's head is right there". So she went to retrieve my doctor, who came in and said "Let's have a baby." Those words got me really excited. Three big pushes later, she was here, at 6:18.

She looked pretty big when we first saw her, we were guessing she was at 8 lbs, but she weighed in at 7lbs 7.7oz.. how lucky! She was perfect. We held her the rest of the evening, imagining what her name should be. Our favorites were Hadley, Alaina, Rachelle, and Isla.

My mom had been looking after the girls, and at 6:30 that night we called her with the good news, and told her to bring them up to the hospital. They came up and took turns saying hi to their new sister. We decided on the name Hadley, which wasn't Josh's favorite until we agreed that her middle name would be Sue, just like his Mom.

  

We are in love with our little newborn. There are so many things I love about the newborn stage, that I had already forgotten since Scarlett's birth.

 

I love the new baby smell. So innocent and pure.

I love the way she arches her back to stretch...almost completely in a "C"...when I pick her up from a nap.

I love her quick little breaths through her nose when she's excited

I love the way she observes her world, wide-eyed and in slow-motion, like she is always in complete awe

I love her rooting reflex. It's so instinctive it's comical.

I love that when she's spooked, her arms and legs sprawl out, and I see how teeny tiny they really are.

 

She is one month old now, and so far she's a perfect baby. She sleeps well through the night, waking up just once for a feeding. I can take her anywhere and she will almost always just nap. She is only fussy when she's hungry, and she is so easy to please.

We love you Hadley!

My last pregnancy

We took this picture on the eve of our 4th daughter's birth. I think I only have one other picture of me pregnant with her, and I wanted to remember how our family was at this moment. The last day I will ever be pregnant.

 

Our family is comfortable with the decision to stop at 4 girls. There are definitely some things I will miss about being pregnant, but I am still ready to move on to the next stage in my life. The stage that doesn't involve so many diaper changes.

It may sound odd, but I for one really enjoyed being pregnant...and I want to remember that. Of course there was plenty to complain about - the backaches, the small bladder, the exhaustion,...and don't get me started on the postpartum problems - but it was all worth it. I felt beautiful. I think all pregnant women are beautiful. You can put on any old shabby sweater, and look adorable because you have a big round belly. When you're pregnant nobody sees your frizzy hair or your baggy maternity jeans, they just see the belly. And the belly makes you beautiful. At least that's what I see. I see a woman fulfilling her divine role.
I also love that being pregnant gave me a "free pass" to do things I wouldn't normally do, like eat donuts while I'm grocery shopping and take 2 hour naps on Sunday. I love that people are so accomodating to pregnant women - I get to cut in line, I get escorted to the "soft seats" in church, I get special parking at the grocery store, and wherever I go someone will offer me a seat if I am standing. And I especially love that when people ask "Is this your first?".. I get to smile and say "Nope this is my fourth!"

But what I loved most about being pregnant was feeling so very close to my Heavenly Father as I brought a new life into this world. I was part of a true miracle. A big part. I felt the weight of the responsibility to nourish and care for this little child that God has blessed me with, that I alone could care for. What an awesome responsibility.
It was such a blessed experience to bring my four beautiful daughters into this world, and now I'm looking forward to bringing them up to be strong, beautiful, women.