Zack bio - part 2

What were your childhood home and neighborhood like?

I don’t remember anything about my first home because I moved before I turned one.  We lived in a town-house in Las Vegas until I was almost 3.  The only thing I really remember about that house is that we made Transformer cars out of big boxes and we played in them a lot.  My parents bought their first house on Torino Ave when I was three and I still live there now.  I really like this house because there is lots and lots of dirt across the street from our house and we can go exploring everyday if we want to.  Once we built a life-size maze and it took us a long time but it was awesome to take friends into our maze.  It was really fun until a tractor came and destroy half of it.  And now we build forts by collecting carpet and boxes and rock walls.  I like our house because my brothers and I sleep on two sets of bunk beds in the same room!  I always like having the top bunk.  And I really just like living anywhere with my family. 

Did you have any pets as a child?  What kind?

Sunny is my first real awesome pet I ever got.  We opened her on Christmas morning when I was 5 years old.  She’s a Golden Retriever.  My mom also let me get two rats that I shared with my little sister and brother.  But one rat died so now I only have one.  Her name is Star.  Roma screams to hold her every single morning and she will freak out if we ever take her away.  My brothers have snakes and we also have a tarantula and we used to have birds and fish too. 

What kinds of things did you like to do with your siblings?   What are some of your special memories of growing up together?

One of the things we do every day together is DRAW and color!  We also like to take our bean bags on the trampoline and wrestle.  We play hide and go seek.  And card games like Rook and War and Uno.  But we spend most of our time playing with Legos.  We gave most of all of our other toys away and kept all of our Legos because that’s our favorite thing.  I really like sleeping in the same room as my brothers because we stay up laughing and we play truth or dare.  Simon usually keeps us awake for a long time because he talks so much.

What were your parents like? Did you have a special relationship with either of them?

First, my Dad.  He is funny and really fun.  He’s tall and has brown hair and brown eyes.  He talks in funny accents sometimes when we’re eating dinner.  Whenever my Dad goes somewhere, I like to go with him.  He’s always nice to me.

My Mom has red hair and it’s kinda short and kinda long.  She has blue eyes and lots of freckles like me!  She always takes us lots of fun places.  Sometimes we plan it out and sometimes we just go somewhere without even knowing where!  I like to wake up early with my mom and see the sunrise.  It’s really cool and I like to wake up early. 

Luke bio - part 2

What were your childhood home and neighborhood like?

I lived in Provo, UT, Gilbert, AZ, and two different houses in Spokane, WA.  But the first house I can remember is in Las Vegas.  We moved here when I was 4 years old.  I remember that we went swimming a lot when we first moved here.  And we used to slide down the stairs in sleeping bags.  The house I live in now is cool because we have a trampoline and a cement patio in our backyard.  I like to play four square and wrestle with my brothers on the trampoline, but not as much as they do.  Sometimes I would rather read inside or play with Legos.  We have miles of dirt in front of our house and I like to built forts with rock walls.  I made a bowling alley and carpet.  We go exploring and sometimes will invite friends over to hang out with us in our forts. 

Did you have any pets as a child?  What kind?

I have a snake named Pepper and a dog named Sunny and Zack and Simon have a rat named Star.  We have a tarantula too.  We used to have some fish and three birds but they died.  My favorite pet of all is Sunny because you can play with her and run around with her and she’s pretty easy to take care of.  Me and my brothers have to clean up her poop and that’s probably the only thing I don’t like about having a pet.

What kinds of things did you like to do with your siblings?   What are some of your special memories of growing up together?

I like to play games and Legos with them.  I like to play pranks on them a lot.  When we go to the park we always play freeze tag and virus.  We play dodge ball at our church with our friends.  I really like going camping with them and one time we went to Legoland together and that was awesome. 

What were your parents like? Did you have a special relationship with either of them?

My Dad is funny and nice and good at sports.  Right now he’s wearing a red shirt and pants and glasses.  I have a great relationship with him because sometimes we’ll go get a redbox or a smoothie or just stay home and play a game or something. 

My Mom is nice and awesome.  She has blue eyes and brown hair and she’s pregnant right now.  We have a good relationship because we always play Mastermind together or sometimes we cuddle up and watch a movie together.  She will take just me to get a shake at Sonic sometimes.

Ben bio - part 2

What were your childhood home and neighborhood like?

The earliest house I remember was when Luke and I were little.  It was in Provo Utah.  It had wooden closet doors.  I remember we had a basement in Spokane and my mom made an animal colored train in our toy room.  And we could go out on the back deck and watch the trains go by.  When we moved to Las Vegas (when I was 5) our townhouse had three bedrooms upstairs and for a little while, my mom and dad let all the boys sleep in the master bedroom.  We had a rectangle trampoline and a white fence.  And the springs were so old that the springs would fly off and over the fence and it could hit a car because it was a pretty busy street. 

The house we live in now is cool because it’s the biggest house we’ve ever had.  I slept upstairs for a while and then moved downstairs to our guestroom with Luke for a while.  Now I share bedrooms with Zack and Simon and Luke and Roma share.  It has a pretty big kitchen.  And it’s a special house because Roma and Simon were born here, in my mom’s bedroom.  I really, really, really like the desert across the street from our house.  The street isn’t very busy so not many cars drive on it.  I like going across the street and making gigantic forts.  And my mom lets us wander around and find cool junk out there and bring it to our fort.  One time I found a dog cage.  The desert is about the only thing I like about the neighborhood.  There aren’t any trees or anything.  My mom takes us to a cool place to ride our bikes.  It’s like a deserted oval parking lot.  My mom will let us drive the car (but she helps us) and we can ride bikes as fast as we want and draw with sidewalk chalk and stuff.  We go there about once a week.

Did you have any pets as a child?  What kind?

Well I have had about two or three fish growing up.  I got my first fish when I was two years old. Then when I was nine we got a dog for Christmas. We named her Sunny! When I was eleven we got two snakes. This past year we have gotten birds, rats, and a tarantula. Sunny is definitely my favorite pet because she’s always there for us to play with. 

What kinds of things did you like to do with your siblings?   What are some of your special memories of growing up together?

I love to jump on the tramp with them and play Legos.  We have a lot of fun when my mom and dad go out on a date and I get to babysit everyone.  We call it “babysitting ourselves” and we like to make movie theatres and read and eat ice cream and make popcorn and play games.  We always ask my parents when they can go out on a date because we like to play together.  We like to play tag at the park or at Café Rio in the play area.  We have this cool thing called the “human slingshot” and we will bring it to the park and go crazy.  But some people have gotten hurt in it, like Vaughn and Skyler. We just got a new camping trailer and it is SO cool to go camping in it.  I also love going to the beach and playing with my brothers and building sand castles. 

What were your parents like? Did you have a special relationship with either of them?

My Dad is a hard worker.  He takes us fun places like Sams Club for ice cream or to the park to play soccer.  He will play sports with us like kickball at the church.  He’s really funny when he does weird dances and acts crazy in family home evening. I have a good relationship with him because we always want to hang out with him on Saturday, even more than we want to hang out with our friends. 

My Mom is fun and always takes us fun places, like my dad.  During the day we will go to Pump it Up or Sonic or the Children’s Museum. She takes us hiking every Friday and I love that.  She helps me work on my scouts.  I think I have a great relationship with my mom.  We read books together and we can talk about stuff and if I needed to talk to someone if something was wrong, I could talk to her about it.  

preggo update

taken 10 days ago.  31 weeks along.

I've been trying to take it easy these last few weeks of pregnancy.  Technically I have 7 more weeks (due march 18) but who knows when she will actually arrive.  I've never made it to my due date. My earliest baby was born at 34 weeks. I really WANT to deliver in March (because everyone in our family has their own birthday month so far:  Anniversary in June.  Ben=July, Mom=September, Roma=October, Simon=November, Dad=December, Zack=January, Luke=February.)  How perfect would a March baby be?  So I really am trying to take it easy and keep my feet up.

On Sunday my contractions were extremely intense after a long day at church.  I knew I needed to take it easy.  That night I was up all night timing and breathing and trying to relax, but not getting any rest.  On Monday morning I lost my cervical plug because the contractions were so strong (TMI, sorry...) but I tried not to freak out, this has happened with my other pregnancies.  I had the same kind of scare with Simon and Roma's pregnancies and everything turned out okay.  I am praying the same for this baby.

I will be delivering at a nearby hospital.  I need to drop by and register soon.  My doctor visits have been okay, but I truly miss the care I received with my two previous midwives.  There is really no comparison.  I don't look forward to my long office waits and feel like the appointments are completely pointless.  But oh well.  It's almost over.

About a month ago, my doctor told me they are putting me on a high risk list because I'm "almost 35."  Then the next visit she said it looks like after looking at past ultrasounds, I might need a C-section.  I asked her why but she couldn't really give me a solid answer, just that she would pass my test results to another doctor and see what he said.  The following appointment Aaron happened to surprise me at the office (such a fun surprise!) he waited for an hour in the waiting room with me and then listened to the nonsense the second doctor gave us, which was that they wanted to schedule my C-section because I was on the high risk list.  He said it wasn't really about my age, just that this is my 6th baby and my placenta didn't look healthy.  I asked him if it was placenta previa and he said no, not really.. just that it seemed safer to schedule a c-section.  I was totally annoyed.  I don't mind having a c-section if it's necessary, but I felt like they were just giving me the run around.  At the end of the appointment, I told him I was going to get a second opinion and he seemed surprised saying, "I thought I was the second opinion." No, not when you're in the same practice as the first doctor. I was so grateful Aaron came to that particular appointment so he could see my frustration with this doctor's office.  (so many in Vegas are the same.  the really good ones are farther from my house and longer wait for each appt, so I just suck it up.) I still end up waiting about an hour for such a short, impersonal opinion.  I often go and feel like I am wasting my time, but I know it's necessary and so I do it. It's really not worth complaining about, but I miss having a midwife!  I'm just really glad this isn't my first doctor's experience.  I've really enjoyed each and every one of my doctors and deliveries (and disliked them too) for different reasons.  I feel like it should get easier to better to handle, but I think being "almost 35" has had a negative effect on me..
.

our sweet little baby GIRL.  She was moving all over the place during the ultrasound.
Zack came to the appointment with me and was ALL smiles watching her on the screen.

So... Last week I went to a "high risk" ultrasound tech for a third (second) opinion.  She confirmed what I knew, that I am perfectly capable of delivering without surgery and that my placenta is healthy and there is zero sign of placenta previa or any complications.  She sent all of the info to my doctor and they are taking me off the high risk list and I hope to have a non-medicated delivery.  Although I am completely 100% willing to do whatever it takes to get a healthy baby here!  In fact, after all the doctor visits, I told Aaron that I really wouldn't even mind having a c-section... I might even like it because I haven't experienced it yet and down the road, I might want to relate to others and know what it feels like to recover from a cesarian.  Aaron laughed and said, "That doesn't surprise me one bit."

I am hoping and planning on this pregnancy being my last.  I would love a houseful of kids and might think about adopting someday, but I really don't like being pregnant.  I honestly don't like anything about it.  I am exhausted and brainless and uncomfortable and I feel so big.  Yes, it's amazing to have a living human being inside of me.  I love her already and can't wait for her to arrive, but I don't want to do this again.  Ever.  I knew right away, the first few weeks of this pregnancy that I wanted it to be my last and I desperately wanted a girl because I didn't see how I could possibly go through another 16+ weeks of nausea plus the last 10+ weeks of being terribly uncomfortable.  Usually there is a sweet spot in the middle of my pregnancies where I feel energetic and haven't gotten too big, yet.  But I don't remember any time during this pregnancy when I felt good.  I've basically been a big fat boob for the last 7.5 months.  My poor family.

taken today.  32 weeks, 4 days.
I look much bigger when forward facing.
Basically I am a big box.  Chubby all around.

  We have a short list of names for her but it's been decided that Aaron will have the final say and I have no problems with this.  Honestly, I really don't care what he chooses to name her.  I will just be so happy not to be pregnant anymore!  (am I complaining too much?)

MoMo's girl

This conversation happened a few days ago.
Roma: I yuv you so much.
Me: oh sweetheart. I love you too. You're my girl.
Roma: no. I not.
Me: You're not mommy's girl?
Roma: No.
Me: Are you Daddy's girl?
Roma: No.
Me: Are you Benny's girl?
Roma: (laughing) NO!
Me: Are you Luke's girl?
Roma: No!
Me: Zack's girl?
Ro: No!
Me: I know you're not Simon's girl...
Ro: No!
Me: Who's girl are you?
Ro: I MoMo's girl.
Me: That makes perfect sense.

(she calls herself MoMo but is getting better at saying Roma everyday.  When you ask her what her name is, she will say two while holding up 5 fingers.)

This girl doesn't answer to anybody.  She never really has.  I think I've always known this about her.  She was a very difficult baby because she demanded to be in the center of the action, but she couldn't get there without being held.  She lived on my hip for a year and I couldn't put her down, ever.  I also couldn't write much about her life these first two years because we've been too busy living it.  People thought she was attached to me, but she would go to anyone who would put her in the center of the action.  Not to get attention, just to observe what was going on and be a part of it.  She is a feisty little thing and I've always loved (and hated) that about her.

She KNOWS what she wants and she knows how to get it.  She's independent and when she can't reach what she wants, she'll pull up a chair, or drag Luke over to it until he understands.  I've overheard him say several times, "Roma, I don't have to go everywhere you want me to go." but then I laugh because he KINDA does have to go everywhere she wants him to go.  She will pull at his shirt or grab his face and explain over and over until he helps her get what she wants.  Luke is Roma's boy.  They are super cute together and just started sharing a bedroom (Luke's choice.) Roma is excited that Luke's snake, Pepper, sleeps only a few inches away from the crib.

She's still in her crib (for the most part, every once in a while Luke can read her to sleep on his bed.)  She's always done really well when I put her in her crib and leave her alone.  She will sing and read herself to sleep.  And when she wakes up, she'll stay there for some time until we hear her talking.  We've tried to put her in a real bed, but it never works.  She will stay up and talk to whoever is around.  She is a social thing and she gets super chatty when she's tired.  I've tried to nap with her so many times in my bed (something I've always done with my boys) but she will NOT cuddle up and go to sleep until she's isolated and there is no one else to talk to.  Luke's only been in her bedroom for a few weeks and several times, I've heard her still up late at night talking, when I knew Luke had already fallen asleep.  Oh, and did I mention that this summer on our 33 hour drive (each way) to Georgia, Roma slept about an hour... total?  She would not sleep in the car if someone else was talking.  She wanted to listen and be apart of the conversation.  Yes, I know she gets this from me.

She's silly and makes us laugh all of the time.  But she doesn't perform for others.  She will only do it under her terms.  Often when she wants something she can't have, we will try to distract her by being silly or dancing or trying to pull out her favorite baby doll.  But she will NOT fall for it.  It actually makes her angry when we try to get her off course.  She's a smart girl and she's got some major sass.  And as long as I respect this about her, we seem to get along pretty well.  She throws tantrums here and there, but she does better if you explain things out.  Why she can't have something or what she needs to do before she can get it...  She will sit in time-out for some time and calm down and then apologize quickly without any tears.  She's not as emotional or dramatic as some of her brothers (Simon).  She's her own girl and we are all crazy about her.