*Stats for the week*
Approximate number of loads of laundry done this week *13
Approximate number of loads of dishes done this week *12
Approximate times I've swept the kitchen floor *21
Approximate diaper changes this week *70
Trips to the school this week *14
Approximate arguments I've had to break up between children *80
Amount of times I've had to clean up a child's vomit *4
Getting spit up on *6
Getting pooped on *1
Trips to the doctor *2
Time outs we've had to enforce *18
Meals cooked *7
Middle of the night feedings *16
Amount of times the living room has needed vacuuming *14
Actual amount of times I've vacuumed the living room *7
Calmed a crying child *too many
Late night "sanity" walks with the hubs *5
Hours dealing with homework *7
Backed into a kid's bike while pulling out of the garage *3
We are on our 3rd week of having 8 children and I'm getting a system down to tackle it all. I think it's a system I could get used to. Once our adorable sweet little Samuel is sleeping through the night, I think I will feel like a million bucks and be able to do all I've got with a little more vigor. But for now, I feel weary. WEARY! Exhausted, both emotionally and physically.
Don't get me wrong, I think this has sounded all too wimpy and whiny. Which it is. Let me say that I really do feel blessed. I love love love love my life! I wouldn't have it any other way. Cross my heart and hope to die! (Except for maybe a house with a 3 car garage and 3 full bathrooms. I know; I'm spoiled.)
My favorite part about my last week I would have to say is how many times I've heard someone tell me "I love you." I think my kids were sensing my fatigue and were doubling their efforts to give me a little boost. When you have 9 people that love you and 8 of them telling you so multiple times a day, you can't help but feel joy. And the hugs and kisses...I can never get enough of them. Especially from my sweetheart who has rocked it lately. I'm a lucky girl. But boy am I tired!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Baby Samuel's Newborn Shots (6 days old)
My very talented friend Jen Korth took these beautiful photos of baby Samuel. I love them! Check her out if you are looking for a great photographer.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Baby Samuel
All 8 Bishop kids together at last. (The kids meeting their brother for the first time in the hospital.)And this photo below is my favorite of the little guy. 4 days old.
1 day old.
I think he looks like my little brother Sam did when he was a baby.
Coming home from the hospital.
Samuel is doing great. He is such a good baby. He's caused us no worries or problems. Our only challenge now is getting use to round the clock feedings. The other kids all seem to be taking to him well. We worried about Charity being jealous since she's been so spoiled, but she has nothing but love for her baby brother.We are so grateful he made it here safely and we just adore him.
Becca's Birthday and Baptism
Becca had her birthday about a month ago now. She and I had a great date together to celebrate. She turned 8! As a result it was time to be baptized. Over Labor Day Weekend she had her special day. Here she is with her Daddy. Yesterday she said to me, "Mom, I know what makes me happy now." I said "Oh yeah, what?" She says, "Spending time with Dad." To which I reply, "That makes me happy too." 
She loved her baptism! She was so excited that she kept getting fits of the giggles. It's funny because I remember being the same exact way when I had my baptism. Becca is such a sweetheart. She wants to be good so badly that when she slips up, she can be crushed. She loves her family, and she loves Jesus and Heavenly Father. We are so proud of her.
Friday, September 9, 2011
My labor, delivery and something else, really gross, personal, and exciting
This is for those people out there that actually enjoy reading a birth story.
I'm gonna try and make this brief without too many details.
At 30 weeks into my pregnancy I was having high blood pressure. I spent one evening in Labor and Delivery that week while they tested me, the baby and monitored things. It got a little better at 31 weeks and stayed ok until week 35 when it went up again.
From 35 weeks to 37 weeks it was high, but not really dangerously, and it wasn't preeclampsia. (No protein in urine, organ damage, etc...) It was just Gestational Hypertension/High Blood Pressure. At 36 weeks, I spent a couple of days in Labor and Delivery for more monitoring of me and baby. Again, not an emergency situation, just watching things closely. They told me that at 37 weeks, if it was still this way, they would take the baby.
I hit 37 weeks this Wednesday. I went in to see the Doc and my blood pressures were pretty high. 160's/110's. They sent me down to labor and delivery to DELIVER! Woohoooo! I was feeling like real crud and was so anxious to get the little guy out of me!
They started me that night with pitocin. Unfortunately he kept flipping all over the place. He seemed to prefer being breech (feet first.) The doctors were telling me they would try and turn him, but if it wasn't successful, a C-section would be necessary. They tried to turn him, and no success. The turning procedure is NO FUN! They tried to turn him again a few hours later and it worked. Phew! But he fought to keep flipping around. They put a strap on me to try and hold him there and broke my water hoping that would make it much harder for him to move. Pitocin was still going strong in efforts to keep the little guy pushed down with the contractions too. I had an epidural thank goodness for those flipping sessions, the water breaking and all this pitocin I was getting. But unfortunately I spent almost 24 hours with very very little progress in the labor. This was another concern because once your water is broken, you must deliver within 24 hours or you have to have a C section. Finally I was dilated to 6. When I hit 6 cm, it seemed like about 15 minutes or so and I was suddenly dilated to a 10. Time to push! We were so glad I wouldn't need a C section! The doctors and nurses came in. I pushed for only about 10 minutes. He was out. He looked awesome! Steve and I were THRILLED! Immediately we were thanking God for this beautiful baby who we are still to this day wondering how I managed to conceive. He was not planned for and the fact that I got pregnant with him seemed like a miracle, or not possible. God definitely wanted this kid here. But having said that, I will say that I am determined to not go through another pregnancy again!!! About 30 minutes after delivery, I happily went to the operating room for a tubal ligation. Permanent sterilization. The procedure was no big deal. Quick and easy for the doctors. I was awake, with my epidural. Here's the parts I hated:
The room was FREEZING! Like see-your-breath freezing. I was shaking and shivering the entire time.
There were 2 or 3 doctors there. One doctor along with one resident and possibly a med student. I think this because the main doctor was giving a real play by play of the entire procedure. "You pull the tube out of her a lot more, an inch or so more...", "cut her like this..." , etc... It was totally totally grossing me out!
I could feel so much of what they were doing. I could feel the knife cutting me, I could feel the tubes being pulled up out of my belly and so on. It didn't hurt at all, I could just feel it and that totally totally grossed me out too.
Here's the part I loved:
When it was over I was inwardly jumping for joy that my childbirthing years were over!
So now Samuel is here safe and sound! We are beyond thrilled. This baby makes us intensely happy!
That's about it folks.
I'm gonna try and make this brief without too many details.
At 30 weeks into my pregnancy I was having high blood pressure. I spent one evening in Labor and Delivery that week while they tested me, the baby and monitored things. It got a little better at 31 weeks and stayed ok until week 35 when it went up again.
From 35 weeks to 37 weeks it was high, but not really dangerously, and it wasn't preeclampsia. (No protein in urine, organ damage, etc...) It was just Gestational Hypertension/High Blood Pressure. At 36 weeks, I spent a couple of days in Labor and Delivery for more monitoring of me and baby. Again, not an emergency situation, just watching things closely. They told me that at 37 weeks, if it was still this way, they would take the baby.
I hit 37 weeks this Wednesday. I went in to see the Doc and my blood pressures were pretty high. 160's/110's. They sent me down to labor and delivery to DELIVER! Woohoooo! I was feeling like real crud and was so anxious to get the little guy out of me!
They started me that night with pitocin. Unfortunately he kept flipping all over the place. He seemed to prefer being breech (feet first.) The doctors were telling me they would try and turn him, but if it wasn't successful, a C-section would be necessary. They tried to turn him, and no success. The turning procedure is NO FUN! They tried to turn him again a few hours later and it worked. Phew! But he fought to keep flipping around. They put a strap on me to try and hold him there and broke my water hoping that would make it much harder for him to move. Pitocin was still going strong in efforts to keep the little guy pushed down with the contractions too. I had an epidural thank goodness for those flipping sessions, the water breaking and all this pitocin I was getting. But unfortunately I spent almost 24 hours with very very little progress in the labor. This was another concern because once your water is broken, you must deliver within 24 hours or you have to have a C section. Finally I was dilated to 6. When I hit 6 cm, it seemed like about 15 minutes or so and I was suddenly dilated to a 10. Time to push! We were so glad I wouldn't need a C section! The doctors and nurses came in. I pushed for only about 10 minutes. He was out. He looked awesome! Steve and I were THRILLED! Immediately we were thanking God for this beautiful baby who we are still to this day wondering how I managed to conceive. He was not planned for and the fact that I got pregnant with him seemed like a miracle, or not possible. God definitely wanted this kid here. But having said that, I will say that I am determined to not go through another pregnancy again!!! About 30 minutes after delivery, I happily went to the operating room for a tubal ligation. Permanent sterilization. The procedure was no big deal. Quick and easy for the doctors. I was awake, with my epidural. Here's the parts I hated:
The room was FREEZING! Like see-your-breath freezing. I was shaking and shivering the entire time.
There were 2 or 3 doctors there. One doctor along with one resident and possibly a med student. I think this because the main doctor was giving a real play by play of the entire procedure. "You pull the tube out of her a lot more, an inch or so more...", "cut her like this..." , etc... It was totally totally grossing me out!
I could feel so much of what they were doing. I could feel the knife cutting me, I could feel the tubes being pulled up out of my belly and so on. It didn't hurt at all, I could just feel it and that totally totally grossed me out too.
Here's the part I loved:
When it was over I was inwardly jumping for joy that my childbirthing years were over!
So now Samuel is here safe and sound! We are beyond thrilled. This baby makes us intensely happy!
That's about it folks.
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