Some randoms

I know I owe a much bigger update than this, but life in the King home has been crazy, to say the least.

1. We are busy moving. We will be official residents of Versailles as of Saturday. Finally. Hooray!
2. We LOVE our church. It is SO different than any other church we have ever attended. And yes, that’s a good thing. We are so excited to see how God will use us as we serve alongside fellow friends and believers at The Point.
3. David has a wonderful job. God has SO answered our prayers in providing a fabulous job with fabulous hours. Where? In the sewers. I’m serious. And he loves it. Makes him feel like a man, he says =)
4. I bought a Sham-Wow. So random, I know. But I’m super excited. I can’t wait to use it. My midwife made a prediction that within a few years, cloth diapers will be made exclusively out of Sham-Wow materials.
5. I saw my doctor today. I have been feeling very out of sorts since I had Kaedmon. He did a load of blood work, but suspects hypothyroidism. I’ll write more when I get the results.
6. This move is very tough on the boys. The other day Simon said “I want…home.” Poor guy. We all want to be home.
7. Speaking of home, God continues to amaze me with what He is teaching me about my real home in heaven. So many times in the recent months I have found myself thinking: “When we get into our house, I’ll do this…” or “When we finally have our own place, I’ll be happy.” God has really been teaching me that no house in this life will ever give me the kind of peace or satisfaction that I find myself desiring. Truth is, I have no home here of any type of value. That home is to come. This whole process has made me ache for my eternal home.
8. Kaedmon is growing so fast. He is almost 5 months old. He started cereal tonight. It went…okay. Pics to come.
9. Also regarding Kaedmon, I am finally at peace with the fact that he may one day sleep through the night, even if it’s not any time soon.
10. I was very disappointed by the season finale of 24.
11. Speaking of season finales, The Biggest Loser freaked me out. Helen looked WEIRD. And not very healthy. And does it not frustrate anyone else that they go leaps and bounds to get these contestants to a healthy weight and eating right but seem to have no problem with the hours in a tanning salon that they must have spent to get that tan for the finale. I’m just sayin. Maybe it takes someone who has a Mom with melanoma to notice that?
12. I am officially the coupon-ing queen. Last Saturday, I shopped at Target, Meijer, and Walgreens. My total before coupons came to $180. What did I spend out of pocket? $70! At one point, I had a group of ladies at Meijer surrounding me to learn my tricks. HA!
13. We have spent the last few weeks at the home of Jason and Marri Hampton. Can I just say that in my entire life I have never, and I mean NEVER, seen such an example of selfless, Christlike love between a husband and a wife than I did between Jason and Marri. They are a beautiful family and I learned so much from their example while we were in their home. They have a 3 month old son, Calvin, and it is so obvious how much they love that baby. They fight over who gets to hold him. I am so blessed to have been able to stay with them the last few weekends.
14. Our new home has new appliances. Can I get a WOOT WOOT?!
15. It also has wood paneling on the walls. Can I get an “oh NO!” He he. It’s just in one room. I can live with that.

So this was an absolute mind dump. I hope you made it through. I will try to do a better job at updating as we get moved.

“Que esta pasando” with The Kings? (I hope my espanol was right)

I honestly think it has been months since I have posted anything other than a picture or a link. Mr. Kaedmon has a lot to do with that.

I really don’t have much to report.

1. We have all been sick. It goes from one person to the next in a rotation. Mommy is winning, having had it 3 times now. Can we tell who the sleep-deprived one in the family is? I have no immunity!
2. David is still working hard at Cracker Barrel. He is the best darn grill cook they have and I am very proud of him. He is constantly sacrificing and doing everything he can for our family. And he never (well, almost never) complains about it =)
3. Kaedmon will be 12 weeks old tomorrow! How can it be? I swear I was just birthing the kid live on facebook =) He is a sweet boy. He dislikes the car seat quite a bit and naps are difficult sometimes, especially in the evening. I am sure he’ll get things down pat soon enough. I have to remind myself he is still very little. Not in size, however. He is over 14 pounds!
4. We would love your prayers for direction and timing. There are some possibilities for us right now and we are just asking God to give us a clear direction. We think he has. And now we are waiting on something definitive.
5. Our house in NM has yet to sell. We would love prayers for that as well.
6. Noah is growing up. He is so big. We are seeing so many strengths in him. He is kind, very loving, and honest. At the same time, he is whiny, struggles with tattling, and is a major suck up. He is totally the kid who will get beat up on the playground.
7. Sammy is Sammy. I love him. He is very comedic. He is very loud. He is also a challenge, as if you didn’t know that. Sammy has very little self-control and he loves to cross the line regarding anything we say. David and I both need prayers to be the kind of parent that Sam needs. We really struggle with him.
8. Simon is 2, what can I say? He is still having trouble with Kaedmon coming along. Lately, he wants his paci and blankie constantly. He wants to be held and he cries- a lot. He wants attention so he hits and steals toys and talks back. He is a work in progress, that’s for sure. He is also very VERY cute (his eyes are piercing) and knows how to sucker his Momma.

That’s what’s going on with us, in a nutshell. I’ll try to write more.

God has been revealing so much to me lately. I want to share it all, but it’s overwhelming and I forget to share when it’s fresh on my mind. I have been noticing lately all the suffering around me. Maybe it comes with getting older? I ache constantly. We have all been sick. I have seen child after child with life-threatening diseases and conditions. It’s very overwhelming. We struggle with finances. We struggle in our relationships. As a result, heaven has been on my mind a lot. It is difficult to imagine a place where none of these things exist. It’s pretty exciting. Noah helps me keep things in perspective. He’s so honest. And his faith is so childlike, as it should be. He constantly reminds me to anticipate Jesus’ return. I am learning from his example. I know Noah isn’t a Christian, but God is really using him to show me that I have loved the world too much in the past. I am thankful for this area of growth and for the reminder that (at the risk of sounding corny) my citizenship is in heaven.

Reading with Uncle Jon

Uncle Jon came to visit for a night earlier this week. He was quite the storyteller and the boys enjoyed him being here so much!

Kaedmon at 2 weeks (and the park…)

Kaed’s first bath:

Sleeping (and wishing to be left alone):

Again:

At the park:

4 brothers:

Noah loves soccer:

Sammy loves to go “so high!”

the arrival of Kaedmon

Kaedmon was born January 8, Elvis’ birthday, at 2:35 p.m., weighing 7 lbs. 15 oz. He was 19 3/4 inches long. He was born at the end of my 38th week of pregnancy.

On Wednesday evening I began having some contractions at church. They weren’t anything remarkable but they were there and fairly noticeable. After Bible study,  I went to pick up the boys from AWANA. Before we left the church, I had a “moment” with Sammy and he bolted down a hallway- out of my sight. For fear of losing him, I chased him (quickly) down the hallway. The rest of the night I suffered for it. I tossed and turned all night. I had a few contractions in the night but mostly I was miserable in my lower abdomen and thought I might have pulled a muscle.

On Thursday morning I woke up nearly unable to walk. I waddled around the first part of the morning when David and I ultimately made the decision that I should call my midwife. I called and told them what was going on and they told me to immediately come in. “Yes, it could be a muscle”, the receptionist told me, “but it could also be the baby.” I was also group B strep positive and, being 30 minutes from the hospital, it was something to be mindful of.

I got in at 9:30 and she was in to check me around 10. I told her what had happened and she said that she was pretty sure I had pulled a muscle, but we would make sure. When she checked me, however, I was 75% effaced, almost 5 cm, and the baby’s head was in a zero position. Her response: “You just won yourself a trip to the birthing center. I’m pretty sure you’re in labor. We’ll break your water and you’ll have a baby around dinner.” She was so calm and matter-of-fact about it- and I wasn’t. I walked out, went to my car, and cried. I did not feel mentally ready. I waited about 15 minutes, called Kacie and my doula (and David- duh!), and headed into the birthing center.

Nancy arrived first, then David, then my midwife. At noon, she broke my water. I was petrified. I was already having contractions, but after breaking my water, they changed. They were bearable, but much more intense. Once they came on, they began close and stayed close. They didn’t last long, however. I spent the entire labor either over a birthing ball or on a birthing ball (my favorite). I was surprised by how I breathed through contractions. I hadn’t been taught how but my body naturally did it. Nancy was wonderful. She said and did all the right things. Hers was the only voice that didn’t annoy me to some degree.

About an hour passed, quickly, and my I knew something had changed because my hands became numb and started trembling. I still maintained control over my body, however, and that made all the difference in the world. It would have been so easy to lose control during that time. At one point I told my midwife that I thought I needed to push. She got me in the bed, checked me, and said I was 9 and a half cm dilated. She asked me to push, however, to see if the head would descend. I don’t think it did. She then asked me if it felt better to push. I said “no”- and she said “then don’t.” For some reason, this really discouraged me. I didn’t know how much more I could handle and I was wanting to lose it. I maintained again, however, but by a thread. About 5 minutes later, I swore I had to push. I basically leapt into the bed, without being told to, and found what worked for me. They worked well with what I wanted and that was great.

The next 5 to 10 minutes or so are a blur. I was told that pushing would make me feel better- and it so did not! I cannot even go into vast detail about what it was like to deliver a baby in this way- even if I tried. It has to be experienced. I never thought it would be over and yet David told me that the actual pushing the baby out took about 2 to 3 minutes. Up until this point, I was quiet. I quickly became a screamer. I later apologized, but my midwife told me that the only sounds I made were the sounds that it takes to push a baby out. After my brief trip to a darker place (LOL) I returned to be told to reach down and grab my son. Kaedmon was here! I just remember thinking “he looks different…” and then wanting to hand him back to the nurses. I was hurting- and I needed a moment to regather myself. About 3 minutes later, I laid back on the bed and held my son- for probably about an hour or two! I was very impressed with how they handled post partum care- of me and baby. I thought it was interesting that they didn’t weigh him until he was about 2 hours old.

Last night was rough. The baby was fine. I was very uncomfortable, however, and nothing seemed to help my discomfort. Kaedmon had his “procedure” (poor boy) this morning and, after he had been monitored, we were free to go home. He has a bili check and his PKU tomorrow and I had to receive an MMR and TDaP vaccine today as my rubella immunity was low and  the CDC is now wanting post partum moms to get protected from pertussis, as it is on the rise again.

We are doing okay. Just your normal newborn stuff. I am already really missing sleep and feeling sorry for myself to some degree. I am trying to remind myself, however, that this time is short-lived and I always forget it. I wish I could say that Kaedmon is eating well, but he’s not. I wish I could say he’s sleeping well, but he’s not. But these things have their way of working themselves out. It just takes time. And I have to remind myself of that.

I am so happy that his delivery went as well as I had hoped- and then some. I wish I could fully explain the night and day difference between what I had experienced in my previous deliveries versus this one. It was so worth it and, might I add, I think my husband is a bigger fan of natural childbirth now than I am. He just kept saying “you were so…calm…not like what you see on TV.” It is funny to hear him talk about it. Ask Kacie. He’s quite the expert. Or at least he tries.

Kaedmon’s brothers love him- and that is an understatement.

Thank you for all your prayers. They were truly felt and I am so grateful! I am so glad our fourth son is here with us. We are such a blessed family!

1/8/09

A few photos, birth story to come soon:

My focal point:

In between contractions:

I will get through this=):

The next 1/2 hour or so does not include photos as you don’t want to see them…trust me!

Kaedmon, about 5 minutes old:

Hanging out with Mama:

With Mommy and Daddy:

Noah meeting his brother:

Brothers:

The little man:

our new son

Never in a million years did I think I would make this announcement today, but it is our pleasure to introduce our newest son, Kaedmon Gatliff King, to each of you. He entered the world as feisty as his big brother Sammy at 2:35 p.m., weighing 7 lbs. 15 oz and with a length of 19 3/4 inches. He is by far our shortest baby!!! He is getting his first bath as we speak and his brothers are on their way to visit. They spent the afternoon making cupcakes for their little brother to celebrate his birthday. I can’t wait to introduce them. 

More to come…

the lake

It was beautiful yesterday and David was off work (YAY!) so we took the boys to the lake. Just wanted to share some photos.

The boys on their “pirate ship”. It was really just a hill:

Daddy was in a very goofy picture mood:

See what I mean?:

Simon (striking a pose evidently):

Belly shot (because there’s always time for a belly shot!):

It was so windy!:

Simon loved the big boy swing:

Noah, in his fighting stance:

Sammy

And, today:

My boy is so big- 4 years old! I honestly cannot believe it. I really do feel like he was just born. Sammy came into the world unlike his other two brothers- early! This should have been clear indication that all other moments from that point on would take place in the same way- on his schedule!

Sammy has always been a challenge for us. He is spunky, loud, and a little wild. He tends to be our screamer and he resists our authority more so than his brothers ever have. I am convinced he is hard-of-hearing (even though his audiologist has repeatedly told us that isn’t the case) and he can’t sit still more than a few seconds.

But he is so precious to me. Sammy has a charm about him and a smile that his Mama has never been good at resisting (maybe that’s the problem?) When he decides to chill out, he can most often be found singing by himself in the most beautiful little voice you have ever heard or sitting on Mommy’s lap sucking his thumb (we’re working on it).

I just love this little boy beyond words. I know many parents cannot see what I see because all they see is his wrecking ball mentality, but this precious little man really has a heart of gold.

Sammy also holds a special place in our hearts as he often reminds us of God’s sovereign work in our lives- as we would have never chosen to conceive a second child only 3 months following the birth of Noah. I am often brought to tears by God’s goodness and what a blessing Sammy has been to our family. It truly would not be the same without him!

I interviewed him today, for his baby book. It was hard to keep him still and he didn’t want to answer many of my questions, but here is what I got:

1. What is your favorite color? Red.
2. Favorite movie? Thomas and VeggieTales.
3. Who is your favorite superhero? Bouncing Boy. (Actually, he calls him Jumping Boy and he probably isn’t his favorite. Bouncing Boy is actually the Happy Meal toy he got last night at McDonalds and he is obsessed at the moment.
4. Favorite Book? Little Quack’s Bedtime.
5. Favorite Cake? We never got an answer. He was far too overwhelmed as there were far too many choices!
6. Favorite toy? LarryBoy.
7. Favorite part of being 4 so far? Eating cake.
8. Favorite thing to do outside? Play on the tire swings in New Mexico. Poor guy. That won’t be happening again any time soon.
9. Favorite Song? Larryboy Theme Song.
10. Favorite Sport? Baseball. What? I don’t think he’s ever even playing baseball.
11. Favorite food? Cucumbers and Candy.

Some pics from our day:

Happy Birthday Sammy! We love you so so so much! You are just one of the many undeserved blessings God has given to us and I am so thankful.

advent, night 1

We started the boy’s first Advent celebration this evening. We are doing a Jesse Tree, which was recommended by Kacie.

I certainly learned how to plan better for tomorrow (i.e. not letting them color until we have done our reading) but they seemed to really understand the point that we were trying to draw out from Isaiah. I can’t wait until tomorrow, which will have to be done early because David is working evenings now.

Some photos: