Detective Work at its Finest (if by finest you mean bleary-eyed and sleep-deprived)

Today, Emily was washing her feet off in the sink after playing outside in the newly rained-on grass. When she was done, she jumped down and said "My feet are golden soft!"

In other news, the hunt has begun. It turns out that Will has a very sensitive stomach. I think I have a few of the culprits isolated: garlic and onions. Non of my kids had a big problem with anything I ate, but each time I've had strong spices with Will, he has horrible tummy aches and can't go to sleep for hours. So, I think I'm going to have to adopt an English diet of spice-free cuisine for the near future. At first we thought chocolate might be a problem too (NO - PLEASE - NO) but I haven't done much investigation on that front yet. We'll see.

Other than that, he is a WONDERFUL baby! He is so alert already and sleeps really well (when he doesn't have stomach issues). This first week and two days we've already had one six hour stretch and several five hour stretches during the night, and every night but one has had at least 4 hours in there somewhere. Hallellujah! It helps that he's already so big. He was up to 9 lbs at 4 days old. Way to go, Pops!

Twins

Joe has been hoping for months that they would be "twins" and Will would look like him. Today, I asked Joe to go get a change of clothes for Will. He brought this outfit down and then ran upstairs to change. He proudly announced that they were now twins.

A few more birth thoughts

My miracle baby

For about the last month before Will was born, I was just worried. I prayed many times that everything would be okay with him and that the birth would go alright. When he was born, they found 1 1/2 complete (and tight) knots in his umbilical cord. Most likely they were loose until the actual birth and then they tied off completely. I know more dramatic things have happened to babies, but this was a miracle. I'm so grateful that everything was okay. And I'm grateful for answers to prayers.

During the same month, I thought about how often things go wrong during birth and I shouldn't just assume that everything would go perfect. I tried to keep those thoughts tempered and not be pessimistic. When Will was born I lost a lot of blood. Thankfully, it subsided fairly quickly, but since I wasn't on an IV, it took at least twelve hours to replace the fluids. I'm glad that I hadn't been expecting the same spring-back recovery that I had with Mary. I didn't feel great that first night, but it has been a trouble free recovery since - THANK YOU MOM AND MATT!!

When Emily first came to see me in the hospital (after the initial excitement of seeing the baby), I was coming back to bed and Emily stopped me. "Can I see you tummy little?"

She seemed a little scandalized that I still had a big belly. I tried to explain that it would take a little while for it to get little again. She didn't say much and then hopped back off to see Will. Apparently for the rest of the day, Emily was convinced that I had a girl baby in my tummy and that I would be having that one soon (she talked for the first half of my pregnancy about me having a boy baby AND a girl baby in my tummy - it took a lot of convincing for her to come to grips with the fact that it was just Will). I think she's finally starting to believe me, now that I'm getting back to normal.

Post-Baby Fathers' Day

I love you Matt!

Mary and Will

Emily and Will

The Boys

Pictures of William

Here is our little Papa Smurf! The face color is due to bruising.

The doctor and nurses made sure that William got plenty of Mom time after birth, which was really nice. With the others they took the baby away right after birth and then only gave them to Cathy for a minute or two before rushing them off for tests and shots.

This is from today. His face isn't quite as blue anymore.

You can kind of tell in this picture but Mary is being very protective of her new little brother. When they first came in we told them they couldn't touch Will until they had washed their hands. Mary took that to heart and anytime one of her older siblings got too close she would push them away and tell them not to touch.

3 Beautiful girls and little William.

The hospital let us leave and we are now home. This is Will's going home suit.

William is finally here!!!!!

William Gavin Hicken finally came yesterday afternoon at 2:59pm! William and Cathy are both doing great.

Cathy had a scheduled doctor's appointment yesterday at 9:ooam so we hoped that something would be happening by the time we went. At the doctor's we were in the waiting room for over an hour before seeing the doctor and during that time Cathy started having contractions every 10 min or less. When we finally saw the doctor at 11:15'ish Cathy was officially in labor. The doctor told us to go ahead and go home and do what we wanted until the contractions were coming more frequently and harder. We decided to just go ahead and grab something to eat and not go all of the way home, and it turned out to be a good decision. We went back to the hospital a little after 12.

They had a room waiting and so we went straight back. Cathy labored through it all with no pain medication and pushed him out at 2:59. She is the most amazing and wonderful woman I know. Because of how fast it went Will came out with a pretty blue face (a little bruising), but this morning it has already gone away a little and they say it should be gone in a few days. He was also the largest of our kids at 8lbs 14oz and 21 and a half inches long. Given his coloring at birth and size I've nicknamed him Papa Smurf.

I had a bunch of pictures and it was my intention to post them when I came home to be with the kids for a few minutes, but unfortunately I forgot the camera so those will have to come later this evening when Cathy and William come home.

Well done, and thank you for the wonderful little boy Cathy!

Welcome to the family William!

Just Kidding

So, I was totally kidding. I'm not really pregnant. It's just a joke that we took way too far. At least that's what I'm starting to think! Will is getting WAY too comfortable in there! Joe's prediction was that he would be born tomorrow. I never thought was a serious possibility. I suppose Joe may be the one saying "I told you so!" We're going to see our midwife tomorrow, and talk about induction options.

House Update

It looks like our house isn't going to be bought until January. I'm okay with that. Now that I just KNOW it will be a lot easier. Plus, they're giving us 90 days after purcharse to find a place and relocate, so there's not much we need to do until January. It's just good to know. Now I can focus on the new changes that Will is going to bring to our family.

Waiting for Grandma

Looks like cute Will is waiting for Grandma to arrive before he makes his appearance. She touches down in 5 1/2 hours, so even if I do start labor, chances are good that he won'tbe born untill after she gets here. It sure makes the childcare situation less complicated! I must say that I am surprised. Mt babies have always been pretty much on time, but it's looking like Will is going to come late. We are so excited for both Will and Grandma to arrive!

Getting rid of a friend

With each of our children they have pretty much directed us as to when they wanted to move past certain milestones. When Joe was done using a bottle and wanted to use a cup like us, he dropped the bottle and wouldn't use it after that day. When Emily wanted to quit using her binky she just wouldn't take it anymore.

Mary has seemed to follow the same pattern so far. She is stubborn and has her own ideas about things so we just have decided to not fight the changes and let her move past the milestones on her own like the other two. However, we are now thinking that a little intervention is going to be necessary (and it will likely cause some problems at the Hicken house).

Tonight we were getting ready for scriptures (which really means we spend 10 minutes trying to get the kids to sit down and sit still so that we can read a couple of verses, spend another 5 min trying to get them to sit down again and explain what we read, spend another 5 min getting them reverent for prayer and then praying). Mary happened to drop her pacifier/binky over the back of the couch before the prayer and started screaming for it. As soon as she could she ran around the couch and grabbed her binky and we heard her say - to the binky - "you okay?" She then set the binky on the edge of the couch and proceeded to talk to it in her usual gibberish type conversation.

We now realize that this binky relationship has moved beyond just being an object that she is used to, it has apparently become her friend. It is definitely time we step in to help her break the binky habit!

Those Were The Days

Do you know why I love old movies? You can have the most predictable storyline and climax, and no one rolls their eyes; it's accepted, it's expected. Sometimes it's just nice to have Bob and Betty make amends and finally have business-saving snow fall all come at the very climax of the finale.

The First Year Done

Joe's kindergarten graduation was today. He was so excited. Here is Joe with his teacher Ms. Holland

Joe with Ms T-W the teacher's assistant

The ceremony was really cute. Joe has been practicing the song for the program for the last week or so. I told him yesterday that if Will came before his graduation that I wouldn't be able to go. He was really sad. I prayed really hard that Will would wait at least until then. During the song, Joe could see Matt (any surprises there), but he hadn't seen me at all yet. Half way through, I moved to a place where I could see him better. He looked over and saw me and got a HUGE smile on his face. He kept looking over and smiling while he was singing. He was almost giggling. When they had a spot where they weren't singing, I saw him say "my mom!" All I could think was "Thank you, Heavenly Father!"

Here, Joe is using his diploma as a telescope. Boys are the coolest!

When Mom or Dad just won't do.

Whenever Emily gets reprimanded, she starts crying and calling for which ever parent isn't there doing the reprimanding. This morning, Matt and I were both downstairs and told Emily to stop playing with the jump rope (that was rapidly becoming a whip to be used not intentionally against her little sister). She ran down the hall, collapsed around the corner sobbing and yelling "Grandma! Grandma!"

Breakthrough!

Mary has two "no"s. Her "yes" no and her "no" no. She never nods and she never says yes. But, this morning, we had a breakthrough! I asked her if she wanted Golden Grahams for breakfast, and she nodded. She actually nodded! Later, I apparently didn't put enough milk in the bowl, so she said "milk!" I asked if she wanted more milk, and she nodded again, but apparently she was losing it, because halfway through, she shook her head furiously and yelled "no!". An hour later, she asked for a drink and I asked if she wanted milk and she actually SAID "yes". Yay for progress!

Last night, before FHE we were doing our weekly planning and coordinating and we went over the basic plan for when I go to the hospital. Emily talked non-stop for the rest of the night about Will and all of the things that she's going to do. She's going to feed him and bring him toys. We're going to change his diaper, and put him to sleep and feed him and put him to sleep and change his diaper and feed him and change his diaper. She went on like that for at least five minutes. Accurate description! This morning, she woke up and crawled into bed with me. The first things she said was "Are you and daddy going now to get Will?" I'm glad she's excited. I guess I kind of am too!

Mary has been saying "okay" lately when we ask her to do things. I love it!

I'm feeling pretty much ready. I have one more shopping excursion tomorrow, and I need to clean, clean and clean some more (isn't it amazing the havoc young hands can wreak on one little house). I can't believe we're down to the "any day now" stage! By the way, congratulations Spencer, Elyse and McKenna for the two cute new cousins!

Another Day

Well, another day has come and gone. The kids were so funny today. At least I thought so, but I do claim that right as their mother. We watched FernGully this evening (it's amazing how much better things seem in your memory - but that is another post altogether). I went to bake brownies about halfway through, and when I came back, Joe told me that flowers appeared in the path behind the fairy as she was moving along. "That was some crazy foot magic, or something." Joe said, shaking his head, completely befuddled.

Mary dropped a piece of brownie when she was eating it at the table, and said "darn it!" She only says about ten words clearly, so to hear that come out of her mouth just cracked me up (in a chagrined sort of a way).

Emily is just hilarious. she has been saying things a lot lately that I think I ought to be writing down, but now I can't remember! I just love her impish little smile when she "knows" she is being funny. For about four months or so, her prayers have consisted of the opening, "please bless the dayful" and then the closing. No deviations. Still not quite sure what it means. But, she has started expanding that the last two days. We have her amazingly wonderful sunbeam teachers to thank for that. She has been talking almost nonstop about being thankful for our ears and eyes and nose. Tonight when she said our evening family prayer, she was thankful for her nose and toes. In her personal prayer it was expanded to include the windows, the walls, the church, the dads and babies, pinkies, and a lengthy list of other things. I love it. I love hearing her mind work.

Kindergarten Field Day

Joe had his first field day yesterday.  He was SO excited.  I got to go watch for about an hour before the girls started asking to go home.  It was hot and humid, so I was okay with that.  The races that I normally think of when I think of field day were in the afternoon, but only the fastest boy and fastest girl from each class could participate.  Kind of sad.  In the morning they rotated around to different stations to play games.  I'm glad Joe had fun.

Emily had a good time picking the dandelions

Mary...was patient.

The Paradox of Perspective

Around the house, Joe is nearly grown up.  He has a lot of responsibilities, and he just seems so old and so mature (tantrums notwithstanding).  Why, then, when I drop him off in front of his school does he look so small?  Even with the backpack that he has finally grown into this year, and bigger clothes than he was wearing at the beginning of the year.  He seems so small and so very innocent.  Matt usually drops Joe off on his way to work, but he had to go early this morning so I did it.  When Joe got out of the car he just stood there waving at me with this huge cherubic smile, so excited about everything.  Life isn't perfect.  His school holds much to be desired.  I am far from a perfect parent.  But.  He is happy.  He is optimistic.  He is okay.  That was such a good thing for me to realize this morning.  All of the blunders aside, things are okay.  I just hope I remember forever the sight of my sweet six year old banging the side of the van and waving and smiling, just excited to share a moment with his mom.