EPIC Post

When I say epic, I mean EPIC!!!

Our lives have all changed quite a bit in the last 2 months, let me share!

Since about early September I set my sewing machine up in the toy room.  I had alot of sewing projects to get done!  Maycee was always wanting to be right there helping.  I was working on a variety of things, Christmas gifts and baby stuff mostly.  

 Everytime I sat down to sew she would ask for some scrap fabric to "make Tezza a blanket"...  she really wanted to use the machine, pins, scissors, cutting mat, and iron just like me... I tried my best to be patient with her and let her try everything... with modifications of course... like.....

taking out the needle on my machine... or unplugging the iron....

Kim Keith Ashley Brody Koby Brandon Allee and Kimee Tink all cam for conference weekend!  It was so much fun!  We had alot of yummy food to eat and we got a few projects done. That was so nice to check those off my "Get done before Tezza comes" list.  The girls helped me finish sewing a huge Christmas gift (Thank you so much, you have no idea the help that was) and the boys finished our golf cart!!!  And they did a fantastic job!

Finished painting it orange :) and recovered all the seats with black vinyl.  (this picture was taken after our ride (seen down below) so its a little dusty... not as nice as it was right after they finished it.

The next weekend we took it out for a ride on the desert! So fun!

(here we are pulling it with our jeep on a little trailer.  We have a pretty sweet set up!)

Oct. 26th came to quickly for me.... Lydia's eye surgery :(

She was born with a sist above her left eye (seen below) that was getting bigger all the time.  We had seen two specialist about it and they both recommended removal after 12 months old...  so we decided soon better than later...

(look directly above her left eye between the top of her nose and eye brow)

this was taken just a few days before the surgery

This required us to go to Albuquerque for the weekend (because or little town of Farmington does not have a pediatric eye specialist) Post-Op Thursday. Surgery Friday. Stayed Saturday just incase we had to take her back to the hospital due to complications...

After post-op on Thursday we visited the Alb. Temple. Very Beautiful!

Girls loved the fountain!

Friday Morning. Surgery scheduled for 10:30 am.  She was aloud to eat after midnight and no fluids after 7:30am.  I had to starve my child (well at least keep her from eating breakfast)!!!  It was so hard for me.  She didnt mention food one time but I knew she was hungry...  got to the hospital plenty early which was nice.  The pediactric surgery and recovery ward had lots of toys to entertain both girls.  I was a big bucket of tears the entire time!  They gave us all bands when we got there. Lydia thought that was cool!

Here is one more shot of her "bump" we all call it...

The Dr. was running late with his surgery's so Lydia actually ended up missing lunch too.  (that only added to my tears)  They took us back to a waiting area to change her and ask final questions and get  everything ready. 

I Originally wanted to be with her until she was completely "under" but with all the crying I was doing I couldn't even get up the courage to ask, as this was not protocol for the hospital.  It ended up all working out.  With met with all the nurses and dr.s before they took her.  Everyone was very nice and did there best to make everyone comfortable.  They gave Lydia a drug about 20 min before they took her that made her very loopy.  So when I finally had to hand her over she didn't mind the transition.  Went in at noon and the dr. was out an hour later to tell us everything went well.  he was able to get the 7mm mass out without any complications. It was a huge relief.  They left us back to see her shortly there after.  

She did not like coming out of the anesthesia, she was very whinny and sleepy.  She mostly didn't the little red light they put on your finger (or toe in her case) that measures oxygen levels i believe... she kept pointing to it and saying "ouch" even though it wasn't hurting her.  Once they got that off she realized she had a huge patch on her eye!!!

Oce the IV and few other annoyances where removed they were quick to discharge us.  Keeping her there was causing more stress than the monitoring was doing good. She fussed until she was in the car, patch removed and sandwhich in hand.  She ate a 6in BLT sub and fell back to sleep... 

When she woke a few ours later she was back to her normal self!!!  We didn't give her anymore pain relievers or anything.  It was a very successful operation.

Well aside from the huge scar across her eyebrow.  I really hope with time that fades, ALOT!

Since we decided to stay that extra day we thought the museum of natural history would be fun!

It kinda backfired on us.  The girls were pretty freaking out by all the dinosaurs... even if it was just thier skeletons.  Blake and I did enjoy ourselves, especially Blake.  He kinda turned into a little boy.  It was fun to see that side of him for a bit.  This was Blake's favorite dinosaur.  Don't remember its name but it was HUGE. Only half of it is pictured here.  The other half was its tail! It continued to snake around the entire room. Very cool! If your ever in Alb. check it out for sure!

We stopped for lunch before we headed back home.  We finally left Maycee eat at McDonalds (she had been asking all weekend) and guess who we ran into!!!!

RONALD MCDONALD!!!!

He was great to watch and interact with!

He was so sweet to my girls and was very patient and got down at their level when he was talking to them.  He had a sticker and a small toy for them.  For all the kids there!  He took orders for a while, went into the "gym" area for a while to play with kids there, even taught one little girl to juggle!  He was awesome.  He stayed for about 30 min and then was off to another golden arches!

and of course we had to pick up some donuts before we left...

The next day was Sunday, we carved our pumpkins that evening.

(Normally I wouldn't do this on a Sunday but with Blake not getting home until 8:30 on mondays, this was our only time to do it before the 31st)

 The girls designed their own pumpkin and we did the carving...

 They both LOVE Mickey and Minnie, so that's what Blake and I carved...

Our ward trunk or treat was on Halloween.  The girls were pumkins.  We even dressed up the golf cart as a pumpkin!  I looked like a pumpkin myself with my belly and Blake wore a striped shirt. 

(he doesn't enjoy dressing up, but we still love him)

The girls were adorable though!  They loved getting candy and posing for the camera!

 (Her eye looked like this for almost 3 weeks before it started "looking" better. The dr. applied some glue over the stitches which I think made it "look" bad for so long because the glue didn't sluff off for a long time)

That weekend we enjoyed some good ol' "leaf takin' care of"

another sewing project on worked on while the machine was out...

This was mine and Blake's last date before Tezza was born.  We went to several stores to work on our Christmas Shopping.  Also tried a nice new Italian place to eat. very good. Oh and we early voted. Hence the sticker. I wore it proudly.

Love this picture!  Last Sunday with just 2 girls to get ready for church!

AND THEN.... 4 days later I went into Labor......

I will just give a brief rundown of what all happened with the labor and delivery here. I will do a more detail post of just the labor later...

So Thursday at 2 started having contractions... I text Blake and told him to be ready to leave work at a moments notice... (With Lydia it was 4 hours start to finish so I was expecting another quick labor..... THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN)

 He came home when his shift was over at 3:30... I was still contracting about 5 min apart but nothing that made me feel like I needed to leave for the hospital...

7:00 we finally decided we should go.... but we where in no rush.... Hence the stop at Sonic in our way into town to go to the hospital...

See how un-cute I am?!?  I was not ready for this baby to come.  I didn't have a hospital bag ready or anything. Instead of taking sometime to get myself ready i was doing laundry and getting my kids to the neighbors to spend the night, and finishing making head bands, and washing her clothes.... I was just a mess! Nothing was ready!!! I was still 9 days pre due date!  I thought I had time!  Tezza thought otherwise!

It was still a while before we would meet her....  Got to the hospital, checked me, I was only at a 3!!!  AFTER 5 HOURS OF CONTRACTIONS EVERY 5 MINUTES YOU WOULD EXPECT A LITTLE MORE THAN THAT!!!!  (I was at a 3 the day before at my Dr.s appt.) 

Had me walk around for an hour. Checked me again. Still nothing!!!!  Whats the deal girlfriend!  I was in tears!!!!!  (as most of you know I really REAlly REALLY wanted to do this all naturally but at this point (7 hours into it, contractions every 5 min... 9 ocolock at night, MY BED TIME) I was starting to realize my dream to have a natural birth was turning into an epidural nightmare...

Finally I progressed to a 4 and they admitted me into the hospital.

long story short, I got the epidural.  Good thing to cause it was still another 7 hours before she was here.  I wouldn't have been able to handle those contractions that much longer and through the middle of the night mid you. 

TEZZA MARIE BRIMHALL

graced us with her presence at

3:28 am

weighing 7lbs 4oz (a little peanut)

20 inches long

AND RED HAIR!!!

SO HAPPY TO HAVE HER!!!

Blake looks good for no sleep at 4 oclock in the morning!

A few hours later my sweet friend (Blakes 2nd cousin, more or less) Jamie, brought the girls to come see us.  She was due just a week after me with her third as well....

Maycee and Lydia were IN LOVE when they met Tezza!  They were all smiles the whole time!

Jamie was so sweet to take my girls for a couple more hours until my mom could come and get them.  And they must have been pretty rough on her because she ended up having her baby THE SAME DAY!!!  We had joked that this would happen but I didn't think it really would!  Briggs was about 3 weeks early.  Jamie had a fabulous labor and delivery.  We walked down the hall to visit them a couple of times.  That was so fun!

 Tezza was born in the morning and Briggs the evening.  Tezza was a pound and a half bigger and an inch longer (cant tell in this photo cause she is all scrunched up)

So fun to share such a special day with such a good friend!

After visiting Jamie we were discharged! Woot Woot! And tiny Tezza looked so good in the oufit Daddy got for her!

 (skinny little legs)

 We got home and of cousre the girls where all smile again to hold their little sis!

Lydia was sure to point out Tezza's bracelet... I kinda wonder if she was remembering hers that she wore just 2 weeks before....

Daddy and his 4 girls!

 Tezza brought her sisters a gift.  A mickey for Maycee and a Minnie for Lydia!

When Jamie brought my girls in on Friday Maycee was holding these flowers. Jamie had taken them to the store to pick some out. Maycee insisted that they get these ones because they match Tezza's hair!!!

Daddy is running out of room!  Maycee always said that when Tezza was born she would ride on his shoulders so that Lydia and Tezza could each have an arm....

Before my mom left to go back home I told her she had to help me make this dress because I had no idea how to read a pattern.  It took us 2 days but it turned out great!  Hope it fits!!!

Here is a good look at that red hair!

Sisters... Sisters, there were never such devoted sisters!

Here are all 3 in order? notice any resemblance?  I WOULD SAY SO!!! 

They are going to be the best of friends!!!

The few days between Grandma leaving and Thanksgiving, Maycee gave me a good scare...

 She was standing on my new rocking ottoman and fell and hit the back of her head on the small table next to it... it bled pretty good (thats what scared me!  Scared maycee too!) but was a very small gash.  A pillow of frozen peas with Daddy's bandage skills and some cartoons made it all better!

Right before my family got here on wednesday (day before Thanksgiving) Blake had our nice neighbor put the last part of the golf cart together!  Back seat!

I put Tezza in her special outfit before her Aunts got here!

"Auntie says im super cute!"

 She was not put down once the whole weekend!

 Here she is with Aunt Rachel

Aunt Ruth has made all of my girls a special bracelet that they wear for the baby blessing.  Here is Tezza's.  It has turquoise stones, totally fitting for my New Mexico baby :)  Thank you Ruth!

Only 2 people went Black Friday Shopping... Blake and MY DAD (a very unlikely contender, we were all amazed he was willing to go)  They said they "OWNED" Walmart and Target.  They were in and out of both stores within 20 minutes and Blake scored us a sweet TV!!!

Before my parents left, we gave them their Christmas gift. HAND BELLS!  If you know my family, you know that this is totally fitting!  There may even be plans to include the bells in the christmas caroling this year!  I hope so :)

Sunday after everyone left we put up our tree!

This little girl is so sweet and we love having her here!

 At her 2 week appt. she had already gained 2lbs! She didn't stay little for long :(

Here are some other sewing things I was working on prior to Tezza.  This is in our room.

This is her quit...

baby bassinet

there is supposed to be a really cute, hand cut, wooden "t" in their but Tezza was 8 days early!

3 WEEKS!

Yesterday, the 1st of December we decided we would take the girls to see Santa.  Maycee has been talking about it for a while... how she is good friends with him and that she knows just what she is going to tell him she wants... got them all dressed up to go making outfits and all!!!  FAIL!  They were both scared and wouldn't hardly look at him!!!  But I did take pics before we left which was good.  I need something to go on our christmas card... If i ever get around to them!

(Maycee's hands are waiting for me to put Tezza in them...)

 Daddy treated us to Panda Express after the Santa Fail (It just opened up in town and it was very busy) These girls were hamming it up for the camera!

 I made this pic big so you could see the progress on Lydia's scar...

Just in case the christmas cards don't make it out this year, we sure love you all!!!!!