Hello-

It's a good thing a went to Yoga this morning, or I might have blown a fuse.  I hadn't been able to find my phone all morning.  I remembered having it last night when I went to drop Ryan's invitations off to his friends' house.  Didn't see it this morning before yoga (not terribly unusual) and didn't see it after.  Cleaned the car, (that's a good thing, I guess), searched high and low.  Figured I was a bit delirious and just misplaced it.  I'm not usually a "phone loser" like some of my other friends who can't keep track of theirs.  But, I was quite distracted last night, staying up until 1 a.m. to finish my (I'm sorry), I mean Nathan's homework.  So maybe I just wasn't thinking clearly, my mind on plant systems, and war planes and 70's Music and Hunger Games and all.  So, Mike and I started trying to piece together the evening last night:  did my phone fall out of the car when we dropped off the invitations?  Did one of the kids grab it to listen to music?  But that is what they have THIER iPods, iTouches and Fischer Price Kid Tough Music players for, RIGHT?  

Even more concerning--my phone was not ringing...answering machine picking up on the first ring.

Mike:  Oh, the kids did go outside (Nathan's World Civ buddy included) to have their ice cream and jump on the tramp.  (While I tirelessly was trying to help implement their Vietnam War Video requests on the computer).  

Me:  Hmmm.  Well, maybe I can ask the older boys when they get home.  Maybe Danny used it to check the weather, or something.  I do remember needing my phone around 10:30 last night to record some voice memos to add to Nathan's Video Hunger Games News Report (yes, this is a SEPARATE video from the Vietnam war one...you are counting right...TWO videos due today).

Mike:  (to Lydia)  Do you remember having mom's phone last night?

Lydia:  Oh yah!  We all wanted to listen to "Angry Birds Music" while we jumped on the tramp and had our ice cream.  The phone was full battery, so it was perfect.

Insert here-----me trying to do my square/yoga breathing while I walk down the stairs.

Lydia ran back in from the tramp and proudly handed me my dripping phone...yes, dripping.  

Lydia:  It had batteries last night, Mom, I promise!  Even if it doesn't have batteries now. 

Well, my dear, this is a problem that a quick charge at the computer is NOT going to fix.  

(freaking automatic sprinklers)

So, long story short...if you need to get a hold of me, I guess you'll have to use

THE LAND LINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

or call Mike.

(square breathing, square breathing, square breathing, while my phone sits in a bag of rice)

Namaste,

Jennie

Halloween 2011

We had a festive Halloween that began when the kids got home from school.  Once everyone was decked out, we headed over to Grandma Dildine's to show off costumes 

and go Trick-or-Treating.

Nathan came up with this last minute costume after rummaging through his dad's closet! :)

Wow!  He is getting so big!  P.S.- I adored this spot in Grandma Ruby's backyard.  With all of the Fall leaves, it was a perfect place to take these photos.  (note to self--remember that for next year!)

Danny made a PERFECT Harry Potter!

I tried to get him to shout "Stupefy!" when I snapped this picture, but this was the extent of his enthusiasm.

Ryan was really excited to be a vampire, but not as excited about wearing the vampire teeth.

I guess I can't blame him.  Those plastic pearly whites really do hamper candy consumption.

Lydia was over the moon that I let her wear make-up.  She wanted to wear it to bed.

Lydia decided that she wanted to be a Mermaid this year, the generic variety.  This was not to be confused with The Little Mermaid, Ariel.  That would have required red hair. :)

And here is Ruby, our Little Pumpkin Fairy.

Thank you to her cousin, Paige, for supplying some of the important elements of her costume!

Though I can't say that Halloween is my favorite holiday, I can say that I love seeing my kids all dressed up and having fun.  What a great group!

Expectations

I went to the hospital early on September 21st, thinking that I would have a smooth delivery...after all, it was my fifth, right?  I had it all planned out, every detail.  I had done this before:  everything in order at home, my mom flying in the night before, pantry and fridge stocked, house clean, toe nails painted, People magazine stashed in my suitcase, tiny pre-made bows ready, make up bag handy for a stellar "after" picture with the baby.  :)  Well, about 10:30 a.m. I signed a bunch of paperwork releasing the hospital from any liability regarding my epidural.  Soon after, everything went crazy.  I warned the nurse anesthetist that my epidural might be tricky.  Both with Ryan and Lydia, they had to try twice to get the epidural in.  Nothing could be as bad as that, right?...wrong.  The procedure that should have taken five minutes, took an hour.  They tried to seat the epidural four times until finally, when I felt to sharp shooting pains down my legs, I knew something was wrong.  It didn't help that the guy supposed to be in control seemed frantic and started saying, "oh, no.  I'm so sorry.  I'm so sorry."  Mike was terrified and I was in immediate pain in my head, neck and shoulders.  He had punctured the dura (where the spinal fluid is) and actually zinged me in the spinal chord.  That is when he called for help.  Enter real anesthesiologist...epidural seated...and done, but it was too late for what my recovery would look like.  (And should I mention here that the epidural never quite worked all of the way?).  Thanks to the pain meds they pumped into my IV, I labored the rest of the time in and out of sleep, laying flat.  That is, until they set me up to push.  (That is when the spinal headaches are unbearable because the spinal fluid leaks out of the puncture).  I've never felt pain like that.  I hope I never have to feel pain like that again.  

And then she was here.

Ruby Lyn Dildine was born at 2:36 p.m. and was 7 lbs. 6 oz.

She came out crying, but soon after was calm, just taking in her surroundings.

This was after they moved me to the recovery room, on a gurney, laying flat.  I could not walk yet, nor could I sit up.  Don't I look like I have been through a war?  Yah, at that point I didn't care so much about my glamourous "after" picture.  The doctors explained that I was not a good candidate for the miracle Blood Patch that could take away all of my pain almost immediately.  So, weighing our options Mike and I decided that we would wait out the spinal headache and deal with a tough recovery...anywhere from five days to five weeks.

My mom brought the kids down to see me and Ruby.  After such an emotional and traumatizing day, I was so glad to see them and get hugs from each of them.  I was worried for them to see me in such bad shape but I think my mom prepped them pretty well.

These older two boys have been so great with the baby.  It is so nice to have an extra couple pair of hands.

Ryan loves Ruby.  He likes to go up to her and say, "a-booga-booga-booga!"

The proud big sister.  Lydia has some trouble saying her R's, so when she talks about baby Ruby it sounds like:  baby woovey.  :)  Everywhere we go Lydia refers to Ruby as "MY baby."  

Normally, I would have gotten a picture with all of the kids and me.  I soon learned that this time around I would have to let go of my expectations.  I never did read that People Magazine, we didn't get a "first bath picture" of Ruby in the hospital, nor did she get to use any of those pre-made bows.  I even planned on having all of these pictures Blogged and Facebooked that very evening.  But the truth is, I couldn't feed myself, walk or barely hold my own baby.  We definitely had other things to worry about, and I wasn't expecting that.  I had to start focusing on what was REALLY important.  What was important was that I get feeling better and that Ruby made it here safe and sound.   

Celebrate

It worked well to have Nathan's birthday fall on a Friday.  We got to enjoy "date night" as an entire family.  Nathan's Uncle Jim and his new wife, Valerie tagged along, too.

Nathan didn't get a friend party this year.  On our kids' "family party" years we usually take them out to dinner.  Nathan chose Tucanos.  We would have had the waiters sing to him, but Lydia was terrified at the prospect.  That was okay.  He still got the complimentary ice cream sundae.

Thirteen Candles.  You're all grown up.

Nathan opened a few presents.  This was one of his favorites...Jimmer Fredette's Sacramento Kings Jersey. Mike ordered it special with "Jimmer" on the back.

Valerie made the comment that this was probably one of the last pictures of our FOUR children.  She was right!  Just a couple days later a new little bundle would arrive.  Pictures to come...