Dirty kid

Remember that time before we had four girls? This story takes place then.

One Saturday (September 29, to be exact), Rebekah and Analee were in Island Park with Grandma Susan and Grandpa Dennis. We had kept Miriam at home because she was still on antibiotics for her double ear infection. We were hoping the baby would be making her grand entrance any day, but because she was still safely tucked in my womb and I had a beautiful new bike to try out, we decided to hook the trailer to Seth's bike and go to the greenbelt.

We started in Freeman Park, admired the falling leaves as we went around the whole loop, and took the bridge that connects the park with the main part of the greenbelt. After going along Memorial Drive, we crossed Broadway and continued north on the trail. As we neared Pancheri, we could see that the paved path was overrun by water from the sprinklers.

Not wanting our lovely ride to end, we plowed through the water until the path was dry again. Then we heard a feeble, "I dirty!"

While following Seth through the water, I had noticed the muddy water splashing from his back tire up on the back of his shirt. I had not even stopped to think about what that tire and the runoff was doing to our 2-year-old.

We rode a little farther to the pier at Snake River Landing, and then I put the wipes in my bike basket to good use.

 Poor sodden Miri.

Getting cleaned up.

Seth and I awarded ourselves the Parents of the Year award, then took another route home to avoid the muddy path altogether.

Miri-ism #8

Rebekah and Analee arguing over whether or not Ana had agreed to give Bekah the book she was reading ...

Bekah: But you pinky promised!
Miri: (In a conversation with herself) Pinky promise! Pinky Dinky Doo! Pinkie Pie!

Winnie pics

The most recent of these pictures is more than a week old (which, for a baby, is a good fraction of your life), but I dug through some camera download folders and deemed these worthy of posting.

 

 At Winnie's 1-week photo shoot, Miriam had to get in on some of the action.

While napping, Winnie managed to get one arm out of her swaddle.

After her umbilical stump finally fell off, Winnie got her first bath. It was a hit.

I had lots of helpers.

Analee posing as a monster while holding her baby sister.

Winnie and her cousin, Emma. Emma was born nine weeks before Winnie.

All Hallow's Eve

In keeping with Grover family tradition, we carved pumpkins again this year. But instead of Seth and I going to town on our own pumpkins, we decided to let the girls choose the faces for their gourds, and Seth and I would help the girls carve them. The results:

We watched The Nightmare Before Christmas for the first time last week, so the girls are on a Jack Skellington kick. Hence Ana's choice of pumpkin. Bekah designed the face on her pumpkin by herself.

Our traditional family picture by the pumpkins. Aunt Cathy grew these herself and let the girls take them home.

To see our pumpkins from other years, click here. 

For costumes this year, the girls were heavily influenced by the novels I read them this summer. 

Miriam as Dobby, Gwendolen as the golden snitch, Rebekah as Harry Potter, Analee as Hermione Granger.

 A close-up of our snitch.

The big day of trick-or-treating, we started by visiting Grandpa Wirkus at his house.

Dobby eating treats while Grandpa rocks the snitch.

Then we ran home for dinner before going to Old Grandma's house.

Old Grandma holding Gwen while Analee pets Grandma's pet bird on her shoulder and Uncle Doug works on his laptop.

Trick-or-treating at the grandparents' houses is easy now that both sets live on the same road, one street over from our house.

The girls getting treats from Grandma Scott. Aunt Lenna made bead animals; the girls each got to pick one out.

The only picture (overexposed and out of focus) I managed to shoot at Grandpa Dennis and Grandma Susan's house. The girls were really quick to get in and out here, because they knew they were going door-to-door next.

Seth dropped Gwendolen and me off at our house so I could cater to the neighborhood trick-or-treaters while Seth took the girls around. Miriam reportedly threw her arms up in the air and shouted, "I love Happy Halloween!" between houses, so I guess you could say the girls had a successful holiday.

To read about past Halloweens, click here. To see more Halloween pictures, click here and scroll down.

Ana-ism #22

As Analee and I walked past other cars in the parking lot at her dance class ...

Ana: What is that smoke?
Andrea: That's exhaust from the cars.
Ana: What is exhaust?
Andrea: It's what comes out of the car after it uses the gas to make it run.
Ana: So ... are the cars exhausted?

Bekahism #48

Rebekah has been learning a lot of new vocabulary words in 2nd grade and tries to use them in her daily speech.

Bekah: Okay ... executing the baby ...
Andrea: What?!
Bekah: Executing the baby, I'm the only one in the family who has my own room.
Andrea: You mean "excluding."
Bekah: Whatever.

Miri-ism #7

Andrea, Gwendolen and Miriam were waiting in the van outside the school for Rebekah and Analee.

Andrea: Miri, can you count the buses?
Miri: One, three, six ... I can't count!

Little miracles

I should have included this in the previous post about Gwen's delivery, but somehow I forgot to mention it.

As the baby's head descended, the doctor saw that the umbilical cord was wrapped twice around her neck. She quickly cut it in two places, unwound it, and then coaxed the rest of the baby's body out. 

The doctor, the med student and the nurse were all surprised. The nurse asserted several times that she hadn't seen any signs of distress at all on the baby's monitor. Even the next day when the doctor came into my hospital room to check up on me, she again expressed surprise at the placement of the cord and the apparent lack of damage it caused. 

She said that because she hadn't broken my water until about two minutes before I started pushing, the sack was holding the baby up and alleviating any pressure the cord would have created around her neck.

I'm grateful my water didn't break on its own. I'm grateful the doctor finished her business at the office before coming into the hospital to tend to me. I'm grateful she didn't break my water until the last minute.

I'm grateful for little miracles.

Gwendolen Grover

She waited until after the Achievement Days activity. She waited until after the Primary program. She waited until after picture day at school. She waited until after the elementary school carnival. And she's here. At the perfect time. On the perfect day.

I woke up at 6 a.m. with a monster contraction. They continued pretty consistently throughout the morning, and I started writing down the times at 9:09. The confusing thing was the little contractions (or "aftershocks," as I was calling them) between the big ones. Did they all count? Or should I just count the big ones?

I tried calling my doctor's office to ask a nurse. When I couldn't get through to the front desk or the nurse's desk, I called the hospital instead. The labor and delivery nurse I spoke to said I ought to count the big ones. They were still 10 minutes apart, so I busied myself doing dishes, organizing the tupperware shelf in the cupboard, starting laundry, tidying up the baby's room (Miriam had pulled a bunch of books out of the bookshelf earlier), charging my cell phone and camera battery ... you know ... all the important things a mom needs to do while in labor.

At 10:30, I decided if I was, in fact, in the early stages of labor, we could all still visit Grandpa Wirkus. (There was no school today due to inservice.) So I got the girls in the van and drove to his house.

Rebekah found a praying mantis in his back yard. Analee ate five miniature candy bars. Miriam played with her hairless Belle doll and Terrence. My contractions got further apart, but consistently stronger.

Grandpa offered to treat us all to Arctic Circle, so we loaded back up in the van and enjoyed cheeseburgers, fries, chocolate milk and Halloween flashlights.

After dropping him back off at home, I took the girls to our house and attempted to put Miriam down for a nap. Analee and I read The Giving Tree and played Trivial Pursuit (which is interesting with a 5-year-old). By this time, my contractions were so painful I was wishing for an epidural. I've never had non-Pitocin contractions so blasted strong.

I called the doctor's office again and talked to a nurse, who said if the contractions were that strong and had been going on for so long (despite them lengthening out), I might want to go in. I called Seth and told him not to speed home. I called my mom and arranged to drop the big girls off at their soon-to-be home that was getting carpeted.

We got to the hospital around 3 p.m. I was in bed decked out in my hospital gown and hooked up to monitors by 3:30. By that time, I was a 6 or 7. The blessed anesthesiologist gave me my blessed epidural, and in a short while, I finished dilating, my doctor arrived, she broke my water, and I pushed.

Our beautiful dark-haired baby arrived at 5:41 p.m. She is 6 pounds, 5 ounces and 19 inches long. I pushed through one contraction and got a tiny first-degree laceration.

Gwendolen's happy, healthy and gorgeous. She's now sleeping in her plastic bed in our postpartum room while sporting a giant Halloween-colored bow on her head. Seth is back at home with the big girls. And I'm reveling in the post-delivery happy hormones as a mother of four.

30 and spoiled

So what's it like being 30? It feels about the same as being 29 years and 364 days old.

That's what I told Seth when he asked me Saturday. As if he needs to ask somebody; he's been 30 for 3.5 months (and I never let him forget that he's older than I).

Even though I don't think the world needs to revolve around me on my day of birth, my family sure helped me feel like it did.

My day started out with a luxurious extra half an hour of sleep, courtesy of Seth locking our bedroom door when he got up to run interference with the girls. He asked me what I wanted for breakfast (I deferred to the girls, who wanted eggs). We worked together to do the Saturday housework (chores wait for no man ... or woman turning 30). Then we went to my brother's place of employment to do my birthday shopping.

Seth had spilled the beans a few days before to let me know that he would be buying me a bike for my birthday. Now, most of the bikes I've had in my life have been hand-me-downs: the monster blue trike, the blue banana-seat I dubbed "Blue Velvet," the purple and green mountain bike my dad bought at a police auction. The one exception was the mountain bike I received for Christmas when I was 12. It was my first bike with multiple speeds, it was shiny blue, it was brand new, and it was mine. Unfortunately, the kick stand didn't support the bike in the snow, and the day after Christmas I found that the seat and grips had been chewed off/up by our miniature schnauzer.

I've loved all my bikes, but I was giddy with excitement as we drove to Bill's Bike Shop so I could look at/test drive bikes.

Honestly, I don't know a thing about bikes. Tyson and Seth patiently explained some bike tips to me. I got to heft my 38-week-pregnant-self up onto at least five bikes to peddle them around 8th Street all while having monster contractions. In the end, I chose the first one I had ridden: a lavender comfort bike with a step-through frame.

My parents gave Tyson some money so I could accessorize my bike. I rolled it out of the shop with a shiny new kick stand, a water bottle holder and a basket on the front. (It's stinkin' adorable!)

We took my bike out on an inaugural family bike ride yesterday evening. Seth was a little worried because he had taken me on quite a long bike ride (our apartment in Iona to Bonneville High School) when I was super-prego with Bekah, and it was torturous. The already-too-small-for-me frame on my old bike compounded the whole huge-belly thing, and I had to peddle with my knees sticking way out. My back hurt. I felt scrunched.

But with this new bike, I got to sit upright. My legs straightened out as I peddled. I wasn't hunched or scrunched. Our five-mile loop was a breeze. And the fanny pack Bekah had brought and then decided not to wear sat nicely in the silver basket.

In addition to my beautiful new ride, Seth took the girls out to pick out a few cute little gifts for me: two different shades of purple nail polish, an inexpensive watch to wear while we get my super nice one repaired (note to self: never leave your expensive watch on the bathroom counter, or your 5-year-old will snatch it and suck on the face while watching TV), and some headbands from the dollar store that Ana was sure I'd love. The big girls also gave me homemade cards with lots of hearts and smooches on them.

My cute little family sang "Happy Birthday" to me and helped blow out the candles on the caramel apple cheesecake Ana helped me make. (Miriam didn't wait until the count of three and had most of the candles out before the rest of us puffed.) My sister watched the girls while Seth and I went on a date. Seth treated me to a movie (The Bourne Legacy) and dinner (Carino's). The only one who didn't want to celebrate my birthday with me was Gwendolen, who has decided to wait until closer to my actual due date before being born.

I feel extremely blessed to have had such a wonderful 30 years already. I can only hope that the next 30 bring as much happiness and joy.

Another notebook scan

The other day, I was cleaning off the top of the deep freeze in the garage. I came across this notebook and almost threw it away. I have no idea how long it's been there, but judging by the difference in Rebekah's handwriting, it's been several months at least.

I thumbed through the pages, looking for any blank space that would deem the notebook worthy of keeping. Although it's pretty full, I couldn't bear to toss it out after I saw this page:

He loves you too, Bekah.

Rebekah's short story

For the past couple of weeks, Rebekah has been working on writing a short story in a notebook she bought from Barnes and Noble. Here's the finished result:

 

The illustration that precedes the story. Tim is a runty pig who gets left behind by his mother. The pigs are walking through the mud. Tim has to use a snorkel to breathe because the mud goes over his head.

Page 1 (text transcribed below)

 

Once upon a time, there was a family of pigs. The mother pig thought about one of her 4 babys. It's to small. she thought. So she was going to get rid of it. She told 3 of her babys her plan. That evning she named the small baby tim. That moring she took her babys for a walk in the wood. She gave the others a signal! they galliped away. Time was left alone in the woods! awoooo! sudenly he heard a wolf's howl! he was not alone! Wolfs were cosing in on him! there was a Bang! Tim was scard! then the wolfs ran away. a farmer apeared and picked Tim up. and the farmer's name was Mr. Zukermen Mr. Zukermen brought Tim to his farm. There were lots of aimals there. The Goose told Tim all about the farm.

Page 2

 

Tim grew and grew Time made lots of new freinds. The dog, the sheep, and even The barn yard cat. (wich relly didn't have eny freinds.) life was good. One day tim herd a buzzing nouse! It was a helicopter! A rope lowered down it had a bukek on the end. It skooped up tim!!! yikes! The he carid Tim to his old farm The animals welcomed Tim back. Tim cried "Mother! Moter! It's me tim!" Wen she saw he had grown she desided to keep tim. Tim had a family! The end

Ana-ism #21

While at the bank today, Analee was examining the large clock on the wall.

Ana: Mom, where is the hand that moves fast?
Andrea: There is no second hand on that clock.
Ana: (Thinks it over.) Oh. Only a first and third?

Miri-ism #6

Andrea and I were reading our scriptures together after putting the girls in bed. When we read together out loud, I read in Spanish and Andrea reads in English. As we were finishing the chapter, Miriam came down to tell us she needed a diaper change. We just had a few verses to finish up, so she waited and listened while we finished.

Seth: Y miré cuando él abrió el sexto sello, y he aquí hubo un gran terremoto; y el sol se puso negro como tela de cilicio, y la luna se volvió toda como sangre.
Miriam: Like Skippyjon Jones!

Miri-ism #5

Last night, Miriam graduated from her crib to her new big-girl bed (the bottom bunk in the room she now shares with Analee). As expected, she experienced a few set-backs.

Seth: Miriam, should you get out of bed?
Miri: Yep.
Seth: No, Miriam, we should stay in bed. Miriam, should you get out of bed?
Miri: Yep.
Seth. No, Miriam, we should stay in bed. Miriam, should you get out of bed?
Miri: (whispers) Yep.