Christmas

Christmas time was a little crazy!  We had our Sellers Party a week before Calvin was born.  The kids acted out the Nativity.  We did White Elephants for kids and adults.  Had a little talent show.  Great Grandma read the Night Before Christmas.  We ate Chinese food.  Basically like most other years...it was nice :)

After Calvin was born, we decided to have Christmas day at our house with Nic's family.  It was probably a bad idea in hind site.  I'm one of those dummies that has to have the house clean, so knowing people were coming over, I probably over-did it getting everything ready....considering I'd had a baby 4 days earlier.  It was still fun (and crowded) though!  The highlight was Nixon and Hudson getting their little electric ride-on motorcycles.  They rode them all over the basement all night.  So awesome.  We had a wonderful meal, broke a pinata, did a white elephant and opened lots of presents.  I'd be lying if I didn't say it made me a little emotional to have a brand new baby boy at Christmas time.  Kind of made the whole meaning of Christmas and the birth of our Savior a little more magical for me.

I shouldn't forget to mention our own little family Christmas!  We woke up early and brought the kiddos downstairs to check out what Santa brought!  Brooklyn got a Furreal dog.  Cam got some Magic Treehouse books.  Kendyl got an Olivia doll.  Nixon got a Nemo squishy and other tub toys.  That Santa is a good man!  And guess what....they got a lot more stuff from their parents :)  It's so fun to have little kids at Christmas time.  And thank goodness we had Spanky the Elf around the house ALL MONTH to make sure the kids were well behaved (they usually are).  It was usually Spanky who was misbehaving... Cookout with the barbies and stuffed animals in the living room.  Swim party on the counter in a snowcone cup and much more :)

Merry Christmas!

Baby Calvin

I started going in to get my membranes stripped at 38 weeks.  Dr. Kasteler was just as determined as I was to get baby Calvin out!  Monday, got stripped, progressed to a 4 by Wednesday.  Stripped again on Wednesday, Dr. Kasteler was CONFIDENT I'd go into labor that night.  Well as luck would have it, I didn't.  In fact, I vacuumed the house and helped push someone's car out of the snow and STILL nothing.  My bags were packed and Mom was planning on staying with the kids so I could go to the hospital after the girls' dance performance that night.  I was having some contractions, but I knew it wasn't labor.  I decided to wait.  Well on Friday I went back AGAIN!  I was still at a 4 and Dr. Kasteler stripped my membranes and told me to just GO to the hospital that evening if I was feeling any contractions.  He promised me they wouldn't send me home.  Well I was having contractions, but they didn't feel like labor.  I didn't care.  We had dinner as a family and called Tammy to come watch the kids (Mom and Dad were at a Christmas party).  We got to the hospital, told the nurses I was in labor (HAHA, they probably couldn't figure out why I was so calm and clearly not in much pain), and got checked in to a room.  I was still at a 4 so I was told to walk around for an hour.  Oh man, did I ever walk....and jumped and did squats and did hip circles and ran and basically whatever I could come up with!  She checked me an hour later....still a 4.  She was threatening to send me home and I was NOT happy about that.  Dr. Kasteler had promised me!!!  She called Dr. Kasteler and told him the situation and he told her to have me walk for another hour.  I repeated my earlier routine :)  By this time, Mom and Dad had come to the hospital from their party expecting to meet their new grandson.  Instead, they got to watch me dance around the room in a hospital gown....almost as exciting as a baby :)  The nurse checked me an hour later and concluded that MAYBE I was at a 4+.  She called Dr. Kasteler and he told her, "Good enough for me!  Hook her up!".  Best news I've ever received.  I got hooked up to my drip, got my epidural (which made me light headed and sick until they could get my heart rate back up with some more drugs), and Dr. Kasteler arrived to break my water.  After getting a little shut eye (Nic slept on the couch bed), I could tell my contractions were getting harder and it was time to push!  Calvin was out after 2 pushes :)  He was kicking and screaming and just perfect.


Calvin Sellers Clark
12/21/2013 2:24am
7 lbs. 20 1/2"
Perfect

There is no better feeling than having a new baby placed on your chest.  It's completely surreal.  Calvin had the highest pitched, squeaky little yelp.  Melted my heart instantly.  I was able to nurse him right off the bat and just like my other babies, he did great.  We were quickly  moved into a different room and decided to get a little sleep :)

The visitors came the next day.  It was so fun to have my kids come meet their new brother.  Nixon was hesitant, and I think it was mostly because I was in a giant bed with a hospital gown on.  The kids went with Nic to give Calvin a bath (they watched from the window), and while they were gone I decided to get dressed and out of bed.  Nixon did MUCH better after that.  So interesting.  He didn't care for Calvin though.  After everyone got a chance to hold him, hang out, eat snacks and watch some TV on my bed, they went home.  We had a few other family members come over that day to swoon over the new babe.  Nic and I decided that night that we were bored of the hospital and planned to go home the next day... And we did!  We brought our baby home on Dec. 22 and the craziness began :)

38 Weeks

Feeling miserable and excited.  Baby boy needs to come this week!!

Christmas Dance Performance

So proud of how much these girls have improved in just a few months of dance.  They absolutely love it and I love to watch them.  These little dancers aren't perfect, but they try so hard and they're so dang cute.  There was a "Daddy Drill Down" at the their performance at Flips and Grandpa and Nic both gave it a try.  Grandpa made it a little further than Nic, but neither of them won :)  Fun night.

Belly shots 31 & 35 weeks

31 weeks

35 weeks

Salt Dough Ornaments and Kendyl's "fancy" word

So what do you do when the kids have an entire week off from school?  Well we made salt dough ornaments.  The kids actually did alot of the work themselves, but I definitely had my fair share of work too.  Here's my favorite story about this event.  When we were FINALLY done and I was cleaning up, I tipped over the cup of  yucky paint brush water onto the floor.  Kendyl was standing close by, came running over and exclaimed, "OH SH#*", she knew it was a bad thing to say and immediately tried to cover by saying, " I mean shoot....shut up...".  She was clearly shocked with herself and unsure of what she should do.  Oh man, by then, Nic, the twins, Grandma (who was here giving B a piano lesson) and I were all standing there trying not to laugh!  Grandma could hardly contain herself.  We said to Kendyl, "where did you learn that word!", and Camryn answered, "Dad says it all the time!".  Well if Grandma wasn't laughing hard before, she was now.  We got the mess cleaned up and had a great story to share at Thanksgiving dinner :)

Nappity Naps

So Nixon has reached that point where he climbs out of his crib and there is no way he can be put down for naps.  He usually makes it until about 3:00, when I'm picking up the twins from school, then he falls asleep in the car.  Luckily, he transports easily. So what is the problem with this??  He stays up FOREVER at night and usually ends up in the girls' room driving them crazy (or making them laugh).  I must admit though, I kind of enjoy holding my sleeping baby boy in my arms.  My heart melts a little bit every time.

Santa

Family Picture

And...the 9th ward Santa

They knew it wasn't the real Santa, but they wanted to make sure that the helper that came to our ward breakfast knew what they wanted for Christmas.  The helper always gets that information back to Santa!  Kendyl panicked and told Santa the wrong thing and went back through the line to clear things up :)

The Recital

Camryn & Brooklyn learned a duet to "Away in a Manger".  Grandma wrote Brooklyn's part for the piano and Camryn figured out the melody on her own.  They were perfect!  They practiced so hard and had the chance to play it at Camryn's violin recital, music class at school, Sacrament meeting, and Sacrament meeting at my parent's ward.  We are so proud of these beautiful little girls and their musical talents.  Can't wait for Kendyl to begin flute!

Kendyl Babe is 5!

This pretty girl is already 5!  How did that happen?  I still remember when she was born like it was yesterday.  I was so in love with that little face and have been ever since.  We're absolutely in love with our Kendyl Babe.  She had her first friend party this year and wanted to invite her church friends, school friends, neighborhood friends, random friends, preschool friends, dance friends, cousins..... I just figured that since it was around the holidays on a week night, lots of people wouldn't show up.  I was wrong.  All but two came.  There were LOTS of little girls at Kendyl's stuffed animal party.  Their animals got collars, then went to the Doc McSteffens and got a bandaid and a blanket.  Kendyl got to open lots of presents then we had cake and icecream. She was so great at opening her presents and thanking each person and giving them a hug.  Made my heart happy.  Hopefully she remembers this party well because this probably won't be happening too often. She got to buy her own present with Nana and Papa's money and got a Stretchkin she names Cutie.  She was doing back walk-overs with it attached to her hands and feet.  It was actually pretty cool.  Love you Kendyl Babe!!!

Oh and we mustn't forget that it's also Great Grandma's birthday the same day as Kendyl's (Dec. 5th).  Just 80 years older :)  We visited her to take her a gift and tell her happy birthday and she was having her hair done at the Barton Creek Salon : )

                           

                                           

November

Luckily, the last couple months of my pregnancy have been full of holidays and busyness.  Makes the time go a lot quicker.  Here are some things I want to remember about this month.
*Camryn has started making breakfast for everyone.  She woke up every morning during Thanksgiving break and made ego waffles with whipped cream for everybody.  She was SO proud.  She also started making sandwiches for lunch and was thrilled when she even got to make lunch for me :)  cute girl.  Kendyl has started making her own sandwiches too.  It's fun to see her trying to act so big :)
*There were a few Thanksgiving events at the schools.  I went to C & B's school and helped with their harvest.  Kendyl and Nixon came with me and sat by the twins.  The fit in perfectly :)
*Kendyl always has the best art projects she makes in school.  Check out that giant turkey!
*Check out Nixon's reaction to the car wash :)  After I took his picture, I pulled him out of his seat and set him on my lap.  He did better.
*Nixon has been potty training for a couple months now.  He's doing pretty well- accidents here and there, but he was thrilled to find this mini toilet at Walmart :)
*Check out the dark picture of Nic and me.  We actually got babysitters and went to the movies, "Catching Fire".
*Those 2 cuties in the sink are OBSESSED with water.  If they're not asking to sit in the sink, they're in the tub.

Family Pictures

Thanksgiving

PATHETIC!  These are the only 2 pictures I got!  Oh well :)  Thanksgiving was at Mom & Dad's house this year.  The kids were crazy, the kitchen was crazy, the food was delicious.  I was in charge of Jell-o, a pie and sweet potatoes.  I wish I could have eaten more, but seeing as my stomach is totally squished, my small plate of food was enough to make me sick and unable to move until the next day.  After dinner, we all went to the theater and saw, "FROZEN".  The kids loved it.  Mom and Dad came over to our house afterwards for pie :)

In the spirit of THANKSGIVING, I'm reminded of all that I have to be grateful for.  It's easy to look at all the problems we have and get discouraged.  Work, family, house problems, etc.  But when I look at my life overall, I can't figure out what I did to deserve such a beautiful life.  My marriage is so good and I'm so in love with my husband.  My kids are respectful, kind, helpful, talented, happy, smart, beautiful and fun.  We have a great home and 2 good cars.  We're all in good health.  We're about to have another sweet baby in our house.  Our families love us and would do anything for us.  We have the Gospel in our lives.  We live in a free country.  My kids go to a great school.  I could go on and on, but those are the big ones.

SNOW!

With only a few weeks left until baby Calvin arrived, I went outside with Kendyl and Nixon (poor twinners missed out because they were at school) and we played and played in the snow.  They had the BEST time.  Sometimes, snow is ok :)

30 weeks preg

3rd trimester....is not my favorite.  I had to stop teaching Zumba last month because I was having so many contractions when I danced.  Now I seem to get contractions just by getting off the couch or taking a step.  My back hurts, I feel a little bit sick again, I'm tired....you know, all that good stuff :)  I'm extremely relieved to be coming up on the home stretch!

Halloween 2013

Halloween is no longer a one-day event....it's the entire month of October!!  Between the Fall Festival at C & B's school, Trick-or-Treating at Great Grandma's place (Barton Creek), Trunk-or-Treat at Grandma/pa Sellers, our own Trunk-orTreat, cousin party at Grandma Sellers',  dressing up for dance and  preschool....it just felt like a lot.  By the time Halloween actually rolled around- I was SPENT!!  The pictures give just a glimpse into our Halloween activities this year.  The creepy cupcake was made especially for me by Camryn :)  I think the girls' favorite part this year was spray painting their hair.  Cam even wore fake eyelashes.  The bottom right picture is just a few of the Schenk ladies that spent the weekend following Halloween in St. George!  We went to Thriller (pic), swam, shopped, stayed up way too late and ate lots of good food :)  It was a blast and I'm always grateful to my mom and dad for allowing me to use their awesome home down there.

                          

Field Trips and Pumpkin Patches

Camryn & Brooklyn's 2nd grade field trip was to the zoo!  We were freezing, but the kids still had a blast.  They loved the reptiles, seals, polar bears, bats, and the disgusting gorilla that was eating his own poop.  yuck.

We headed to Black Island Farms for our annual pumpkin patch fun :)  This time, Ashley, Hudson and Nana joined us.  Nixon wanted a green pumpkin :)   We played on the slides afterwards before sending the girls off the Ashley's for a sleepover!

Kendyl also had a field trip and it was at Black Island Farms (again).  Kendyl and Nixon had SO much fun.  I thought I was going to go into labor on the little bumpy train ride- but Nixon refused to go without me.  We stayed till the bitter end.  No more pumpkin patch'n for me this year!!