November 2013 part 2 - Meeting Melody

Our only full day at the hospital we had a lot of visitors:

Big Sister Mara

Big Sister Jaina 

Aunt Gwen 

Grandpa Tolman 

Mara (again) 

Uncle Morri 

Mommy 

Big Brother Xander 

Aunt Lana 

Grandma Tolman and her reaction to finding out that we named Melody after her mother, Grandma Ethel. 

Aunt Liza and cousin Addi.

Cousin Carter 

Cousin Alex 

Cousin Noah 

Cousin Maddox 

Uncle JD

Uncle Chris 

November 2013 part 1 - Melody

Mara has been getting better with her reading, and I was able to catch her reading a book to Jaina. 

She is such a great big sister!

I can't remember why I took this picture, but I sure do have a handsome boy!

Our yard gets full of leaves every fall, and it's usually from the neighbors trees + the wind. Jaina was being such a good helper.

And what's a little clean up without a little fun!

The Big Day arrived!!

This is me: November 11th, 2013

39 weeks & 1 day with baby #4

I was scheduled to be induced after spending weeks with contractions and even a weekend where I was timing contractions during a movie (Thor 2). I really thought I was going into labor, but didn't.  So the day came to be induced. My doctor was going to be on call at the hospital on the 11th and 13th, but I really wanted her to be born on the 12th so she could have a cool birthday 11-12-13. Dr. Skinner was awesome and said I could come in the evening of the 11th so we could hopefully have her born after midnight.  

After a long day of waiting and trying to fill my time (I sewed her a blanket) we took the kids to Grandma & Grandpa Tolman's house for a sleepover, then headed to the hospital around 6 pm.  After checking in and getting hooked up they started my Pitocin at 7:20. It was going smooth for a bit and they bumped it up about every hour.  My mom and Karri came to be with us, like they have with all my other babies. The pitocin made everything more intense and I felt very overwhelmed. After being checked while sitting up (the bed wouldn't lay flat) which was the worse thing EVER, I was brought to tears.  This was not the way I wanted it to go, so we decided it was time for the epidural.  By this time I was only dilated to 4cm.  After the epidural Dr Skinner broke my water  about 11:55 pm (4+cm, 80%).  I was happy at this point because we had made it to the 12th, and she would have the birthday that I wanted.  

At 1:00 am I was 6cm and 90%, so finally making progress.  Over the next hour I tried to rest, but couldn't. I started to get the shakes, which I did with Jaina, so I knew that it was almost time.  My mom was so worried that I was cold, but I told her that it was because it was time. So we got the nurse in to check me at 1:55 am and I was complete!

Dr Skinner came in and got everything ready, then it was time to push and I only pushed for 2 contractions!! It was great!

MELODY SUCFRONIA TOLMAN

NOVEMBER 12, 2013

2:19 AM

8 POUNDS

19 INCHES

Mana and grandbaby #8

I love her crying face.

Proud Aunt Karri

In the nursery getting ready for her first bath and she found her thumb!

Welcome to the world little one. 

We are so happy to have you in our family.

October 2013

I bought this quilt kit before we moved into our house, so probably 2010, and I finally made it, just in time for October!  It turned out really cute!

Jaina likes to have picnics with her toys, and it usually happens on the stairs.

We closed the cabin and got to enjoy the nice fall weather.

Xander turned 10. He loves Skylanders and Minecraft.

Karri made this amazing Minecraft cake for him.

Gotta have my selfie with my birthday boy.

On October 21st, Mara and Xander were playing outside with a basketball. Mara went to grab it and stepped on it to make it stop, but slipped in the process. She fell, elbow first and hurt it enough that she had to get stitches.  It was quite an event, but she did amazing!

Because she was so brave, Dad took her to get a treat from the gas station. So she picked a giant cookie!

Being pregnant, was really exhausting for me, especially with Jaina at home.  There was one day when she wanted to go swimming so badly, so I just filled up the tub and let her wear her suit.  Needless to say, she was in heaven!!  I sure got some good mommy points that day.

Grandma Joan fell at the beginning of October, had surgery on her leg/hip and was in a rehab/care center for a few weeks.  We went to visit her on my dad's birthday.

My gorgeous kids ready for their Primary Program!

And what would October be without Halloween!!

Cinderella and the Doctor

Jaina was the perfect Doc McStuffins

Another visit to Grandma Joan for Halloween.

With some of the cousins on the Tolman side.

Dad was a zombie

Here we are in all of our Halloween glory!