What Happens When the Baby Won't Let You Put Him Down at 2AM?

I couldn't sleep one night because Weston wouldn't let me put him down so I made these collages of the kids at around the same points of their lives - lol 

Each in their coming home outfits:

 Each going to their 1st DR visits, all for weight checks, all 1 week after they came home from the hospital:

 Each in their car seats for the 1st time:

 Aylin holding each of her brothers when we first arrived home:

 Our family in baby pictures:

Kids' Stats and Check Ups

Hilton is 2 and still at the top of the charts :)  He is my only one who was born in the top percent of his height, weight, and head circumference and has stayed there.  He weighed in at 35 lbs!  My big boy is talking more and more but still prefers to just point and grunt; he is a man of few words.  He loves all things with wheels and adores his Pup Pup and Paci, unfortunately since I have been on bed rest for so long he has become even more attached to those 2 latter items and it is going to be hard on him when I make him start going without them again.  He also loves guns, throwing things, and princesses (thanks Aylin)

Weston weighed in at 6 lbs at his 2 week check up and is doing well.  He nurses pretty good, is sleeping okay, and as Aylin says, "all he does is eat, poop, and sleep!"  He is on the preemie charts and probably will be for a while.

Although Aylin had her 5 year check up in May, I forgot to post her stats on here.  She was in the 98% across the board and weighed in at 50 lbs.  She has come a long way since she spent her whole 1st year on the preemie charts :)  She had a great check up, passed all her tests, and thought it was the coolest thing ever to pee in a cup!

Weston's Birth Story and First 2 Weeks

At 35 weeks and 3 days, my doctors decided it was time to meet our Weston Julian.  He weighed in at 5 lbs and 13 oz, one ounce smaller than Aylin whom was also born at 35 weeks.

I had my 3rd c-section and I think this one was the most fun - lol.  I did not throw up after the spinal, and I didn't have to fight off falling asleep despite the severe headache I had.  My anesthesiologist, the doctor doing the c-section, and the nurses were all a hoot (at least that is the way i remember it) - they were kind and talkative and everyone just seemed like they were in a great mood.  Plus I had visitors in the operating room, 2 friends and also NICU nurses at that hospital, who were able to help reassure me that he was okay and give me a different view of things.  You see, the hubby is just as emotional as I am when we have our babies, but they were able to describe him to me as soon as he came out and during his initial check-up before they let me take a look at him and it was just a great experience :)

This pregnancy, on the other hand, was the most difficult of my 3.  Despite not trying to balance being a school teacher and a mom, and being at my lowest pre-pregnancy weight of the 3, this pregnancy consisted of:

*high blood pressure appearing during the 1st trimester 

*severe stomach pains beginning at 24 weeks and ending at 28 weeks with an emergency umbilical hernia surgery

*fulltime bed rest after the surgery because we couldn't control my BP without keeping me on my back and lots of blood pressure medicine (6 pills a day)

*at 32 weeks I started having DAILY headaches and at least 2 migraines every week

*at 33 weeks my fluid started dropping and we realized his measurements had stopped progressing at their normal rate, my BP also started to climb unless I was lying on my left side

*5 total hospital visits, including the final one

*at my 35 week and 3 day visit my protein levels had increased and my DR decided that we could't risk the headaches anymore and she sent me over to the hospital to have the baby

They kept Weston and myself in the hospital for a total of 5 days because of my blood pressure and continued headaches and he was having some trouble regulating his blood sugar which caused to have to supplement his feedings.  Bobby's parents came down and stayed with the Aylin and Hilton while we stayed in the hospital with Weston.  Since being home, my blood pressure has been okay and I have only had 4 headaches over the 9 days that we have been back at home.  Weston has been doing well, he did have to a small cut made to his tongue from being "tongue tied," which I had no idea was a real thing.  He cried a little but never really even woke up from his nap, and the bleeding was less than I thought it would be.

His big sister (5) and big brother (2) LOVE him and are constantly bugging me to hold him!  So far the only seemingly jealous member of the family is the boxer, Louie, who wants nothing to do with Weston.  Our boxer girls that were around when the other 2 were born were all over them with kisses and constantly checking on them and were super protective over them, Louie, on the other hand, has barely even sniffed him!

My mom stayed with us for a week after I came home and my sister came over with her 3 kids one day.  The girls played outside most of the day but we got some pictures of the boys :) Like Payton and Aylin, Ryder and Weston are close in age.

He had his 2 week check up today and weighed in at 6 lbs!  I also had a good check up today so we celebrated by going out to dinner with some friends and it felt amazing to get out, be around people, and to drive!  Not sure we will make it the norm just yet, but hopefully soon :) and don't worry he wasn't passed around and stayed in his car seat the whole time ;)

Trying to Love Summer

 Normally, the kids and I love our summer, but it has been hard so far.  Positive thing: I am 35 weeks today :) Unfortunately, I am still on bed rest and the hardest part of that is that I am not out doing things with these two.  We haven't even been swimming yet this summer, not even in their kiddie pool - LOL - We did finally get the sprinkler out so they could cool off and make more muddy puddles :)  Louie was not a fan!  I don't have much longer, 5 weeks at the most, but more than likely just a week or 2, and hopefully I will be able to recover at a decent rate and be able to enjoy the rest of the summer with ALL 3 of my babies!!!!  :)

The pictures below are from a play date with their friends James and Isaiah, Mrs. Edy has been helping us out during my doctor's appointments.  The kids have also got to attend a few devotionals and one of daddy's softball games, but I don't have any pics from those events.

Aylin got to go to VBS at the Forest Hill church of Christ, or daddy's preaching college as she called it once.  Our friend, Rachael, took her along with some other friends.  She had a great time and I am so thankful she got to get out of the house for a little while :)  Truth be told, this whole bed rest thing is pretty rough on her too ;)

 I caught this the other day and it was just cute :) Daddy is having to work at home a lot these days and I came into the kitchen to refill my water and peeked around the corner into the living room and found Hilton "working" right along with his daddy :)

Aylin's T-ball season is pretty much over, they still have a few make-up games but I am not entirely sure we will get to make it to all of them because of some other events going on this week.  Another friend, Rachel, took the team and individual pics the other night.  AJ got to play with her friends Melanie and Titus again this year; her friend Landrey also played and Landrey's daddy Mr. Jack was her coach :)  Aylin will have to move up divisions next year and we won't get to pick our teams anymore, I know I will miss her getting to play with our Christian family.

SO my cravings have all of a sudden become pretty bad :)  Well I guess the grilled chicken and veggies aren't bad, but I know all the chocolate is not so good.  I made my mom go get me a bag of dark chocolate just the other day and I have been fighting the urge to make someone buy me those bags of mini reese cups and kit kats :)

 Louie has been the BEST bed rest buddy!  I have a feeling he may not like it when Little Mr. Weston gets here, sorry big boy!  I promise I will still love you even though we are not just lying around in the bed all day, every day.

AJ's 1st Triathlon :)

This morning, after a healthy chocolate doughnut with sprinkles, my big girl participated in her very 1st triathlon, the Mighty Guy Little Tri, here in Hernando.  She left the house pretty nervous and wasn't really sure what to expect, but her daddy said she seemed to have a great time, except that it was HOT, she did complain that it was too hot until she got to play in the water. I think I noticed on the group's website that they had around 300 kids participate in the race this morning!  It was set up by ages and Bobby said the ages had multiple groups in them.  Aylin was in the 5 yr old, blue group ("that is not her favorite color," but she survived it).  I don't know the actual distances, but they had to run a sprint, then ride their bike or scooter, and finally, "the fun part," they got to run through the fire trucks spraying their water hoses!  I need to send this link to your old physical therapist and your pediatric orthopedic :) I can't help but remember him, the PO, telling us that "you would never be a track star without having hip surgery," (we did not have the extensive surgery) but daddy said you did great today, that you ran hard, and gave it your all!  We are so proud of you!  Baby girl, I am so sorry I am having to miss so much with you right now, but I am so glad you decided to do this and that you came home SOOO excited about it!

AJ's PreK Graduation and When I Grow Up Video

Unfortunately this once in a lifetime event was something else I had to miss, but Bobby was able to video some of it so Aylin and I watched it together yesterday :)  There is a slideshow I still have not seen, but her teacher, Mrs. Ellen, is working on getting me a copy of it :) Bobby admitted that he teared up watching the program there, and the other mommas I have talked to said it was a tear jerker, so I know I will cry when I get to watch it :)

 Top left: Aylin and Laney Claire, Bottom left: Aylin and Reed, and Right: Aylin with her friend Claire 

Aylin's preK class :)

A part of the video, they came down and got their "diplomas" and then told what they wanted to be when they grew up.  Ever since our trip to Chicago last year and her last adjustment by Aunt Colleen she has said she wants to be a chiropractor when she grows up :)

*NOTE: The videos previewed after my feature video are not under my control*

Bed Rest Is Boring

If you have ever been on bed rest, you know that it is terribly boring.  I was on limited bed rest for 4 weeks then was put on full bed rest at home and have been for the last 5 weeks.  I have to say we are super thankful for our church family and all their prayers, cards, phone calls, and food!  The food and the prayers have been amazing!  We are also very thankful for our friends who have helped out with the kids at different times during the day and my mom who has come over after work to help get the kids places at night when Bobby has had different obligations.  They have been good about sending me pics of the different things I am missing, too.  Bobby has been wonderful, I know he is pretty stressed out having to do everything around here and still trying to keep up with his work for Southaven.  Our Elders have been very understanding and are allowing him to work from home when he can, so that has helped out tremendously :)  Tonight he and I discussed how great it would be to take a vacation after little Weston is born and healthy enough to travel somewhere, unfortunately we had not planned on one this year so that probably will not get to happen, but that will just make the next one that much better :)  Here are some of the pics people have been sending me of the kids out doing things over the last 5 weeks: