what we've been up to.

there's really so much I've neglected to document in the last six-seven months but I plan to post the highlights soon. as for now... a few of the things we've done with Baby Gizmo:

One

Two

and

Three

t turns three!

Turner is three months old already (April 18). Time must slow down! I am not okay with how big he is getting. He does not have a well visit/check up this month but I know his weight is quickly climbing. He weighed 11 lbs 15 oz at his 2 month check up which lands him at about the 34%. His height (22in) however is only 6% and his head is 29% (much smaller than all of his siblings). He sleeps an impressive 9-12 hours a night now which blows my mind when I think about just a short month ago waking up to feed him every two hours! He smiles the sweetest toothless smiles and he is still absolutely adored by big brother and big sisters. He went to the nursery at church for the first time this past weekend. He did great of course but I just hated to leave that sweet chunk of a boy. I have not spent much time away from him... I want to savor every moment. He is nursing every three to four hours and takes a lot of cat naps through the day. He wears size 3 mo in clothes and still rocking the size 1 diapers though I don't think that will last much longer!

I've been a mom for seven years.

I cannot believe it no matter how much I say it (or type it!) Bella turned 7 on the 14th. We celebrated by going to dinner at Mario's (her request) and going to her first grade performance at school. It was super cute. We came home and decorated cupcakes that night and then she had a party at a little girls' spa on Saturday. This year it felt like we really did things right some how. We did a lot of small things that seemed to be meaningful and she seemed to be really happy with it all. The spa (Cutie Patootie's) in Matthews has little parties complete with two spa treatments for each of the girls plus cupcakes, drinks, goodie bags and a little private room with bean bags, karaoke and dress up. I only had to show up which made it so enjoyable! I did not have any stress and we were even able to attend our church's service event that morning right up until 12 when it ended. I was in awe. Bella received a loft bed as one of her gifts from GaYa which doubles the space in her room. It is so nice to see her have a place to play in her own room and free desk space for her to do homework and put together Legos (her newest obsession). She is still a sweetie and helps a lot with her little brothers but I know that as she comes to closer to the pre-teen and teenage years, I. am. in. trouble. and Randy will officially be parenting her full time. I can already tell we will be butting heads. Yikes.


Bella boo made us parents... and now she is seven and a big sister to three siblings. She has lost six teeth already and is still a tiny little thing compared to her friends.

Happy Easter!

And Last But Not Least...

Turner King Eich. So much to say!

I had a lot of anxiety about when Turner would come. With the last three labors the way they were, I knew what to expect. I spent lot of time praying, once again, that the Lord would give me a sign, some type of warning before it was too late. I honestly thought he would come on January 29th, the eve of 39 weeks, just like his big brother. I had some signs that he may come earlier but I didn't buy into it. I had played that game before. The only thing I knew was that I had some similar pain just minutes before my water broke with Porter. I had some painful contractions on Monday January 18th about 1 am and they lasted until about 4 am. At that point I got that pain and couldn't fall back asleep. Rather than waiting to see, I started to get up and get dressed. Randy asked me what I was doing and I said I thought this was it and that I was going to let my mom know. I wanted her to be here this time and that meant asking her even if I wasn't 100% sure- which I was not. We gathered our things and once she got here we went ahead and started heading to the hospital. I didn't have the guts to call the doctor's office yet so I just asked Randy to drive slow and take his time. Once we arrived, we parked right outside the ER and I had to talk myself into calling. This is what I had been praying for and if I wanted any chance of getting an epidural, I needed to see if I was truly in labor. I called and explained that I was not 100% sure but wanted to be checked and gave her my history. She was really nice and seemed to understand so she told me to head inside to get checked in. The lady that wheeled me from the ER to the Maternity wing was one of the nurse's aids we had the last time. She is an interesting one but very very nice. We got upstairs and I explained yet again my situation. I gave them my ID and insurance card and starting signing papers- these were all things I have never gotten to do before! It was weird and I was scared I was wrong and that I was going to be very embarrassed when they sent me home! They showed me my room and had me change into the gown all while I was thinking, "Lord, let this be it! I feel so stupid." I could not believe they were letting me have this huge "luxurious" labor/delivery room without even knowing for sure and I told everyone that. They don't have a triage room though so this was standard procedure. I told the doctor and a few of the nurses that I hoped I was not crying wolf. The doctor checked me and I was one cm, exactly what I was a few days before at my appointment but he said I should stay for a little bit and just see for sure before going back home. I was starting to feel stupid and just started praying. My contractions started back up and got a little more intense but compared to what I knew true labor to feel like, this was very benign. The shift changed and a new round of people came in and I felt the need to keep explaining myself. The nurse asked me a ton of questions and said she was just going to take her time allowing me to hang out as long as possible just in case. The new doctor came in and checked me and said I was now 3 cm and said, "I think we have our answer!" I cried and thanked the Lord! I really was in labor and I had made it and I was going to get an epidural! She explained that she would be back at 9 to break my water and then again at lunch to check my progress. I was not sure I wanted her to do that but just trusted it was the right thing. She did indeed break my water and after about an hour and a half I decided to go ahead with the epidural to be sure that he got there in time- it could have taken him a while to get there they said- and the pain was getting more intense quickly. The anesthesiologist was just precious, like a dad seeing his daughter in pain, he was so concerned with my pain and with getting me "comfortable" fast. It was interesting and though I am thankful I got it, I can now see both sides. The nurse checked me a couple times and I was progressing very slowly so she gave me a tiny bit of pitocin- she didn't feel I needed much. I have heard horror stories about this part but I already had my epidural so I didn't care, ha! The nurse checked one more time and said she needed a second opinion because she couldn't tell if I was complete for if she just wasn't at the right place. Before a second nurse could come, the doctor arrived and checked. She said I was indeed complete and that it was time to go. It took about three pushes and our little guy was there laying on top of me. Nothing compares. It is indescribable.

When we got there earlier that morning we had no clue as to what his middle name would be but before we delivered him we told the nurse and the doctor, both who had been in on the conversations, that we had decided on King. We wanted something that reflected the Lord's character and even though 'King' is different and was never on our radar, we both agreed and it fit. He happened to be born on Martin Luther King, Jr Day as well, which we thought was cool.

Turner came at 2:08 pm and weighed 6 pounds, 12 ounces.

I was in shock that we had such a little baby as all the others were so much bigger... Bella (7.4), Ava (8.3) and Porter (8.12). We also have a number 4 thing and Turner did not come on a date with a 4 or a time with a 4 and this had my mind turning and my heart unsure about everything. I went through a spiral of guilt, wondering if I was responsible for him coming into the world too early. Should I have waited until my water broke on its own? Had I been so selfish to get an epidural that I interrupted the story? Turner is our number four baby but that is the only four. I have had more peace about the way it all happened as the weeks have passed but I will probably always wonder what would have happened if I hadn't been so anxious to go to the hospital that morning.

For the most part, everything went well in the hospital. He was circumcised and that went considerably better than it did with Porter. Porter cried a lot afterwards and it felt like he didn't stop for two months! Turner did not seem phased and we never even heard him cry once until he was about a week old. Having three other children that needed to be cared for was the most stressful part. I wanted to be in more than one place at a time and sent Randy to be with them when I would have loved to have him there with me. It was tough. I was more exhausted this time around than I ever have been. It took a few days of being at home to get some rest and start being more emotionally on point. Randy was able to be home with us for about two weeks which was life-saving. I was a nervous wreck to start staying home with them all by myself but it has gotten better each day and I can say now that I am pretty comfortable.

When Turner was about 24 days old, I took him into the pediatrician after a few nights of congestion and labored breathing. He had scared me that morning when I buckled him in his car seat and I needed to have him checked! The doctor warned me that if his oxypulse was low, he would have to admitted but I was sure it would be fine and we would head home soon; however, this was not the case. To make a long and scary story short, we headed to Jeff Gordon's Children's Hospital in Concord via ambulance. He received albuterol and oxygen, was checked in the ER and then moved to his room upstairs. Not long after being there he was able to breath well without oxygen and was monitored closely for 24 hours and we were luckily discharged the next afternoon. It was a whirlwind of ups and downs, fears and blessings. I am so very thankful to be on the other side! He is now 8 weeks old, currently weighing in at 11lbs 5oz and healthy! He does have an umbilical hernia but it is not causing pain and there is no indication there will have be anything done other than keeping an eye on it. It will likely heal all on its own by the time he is a toddler.

He is a great baby and eats well. (He is gassy as he never perfected his latch while feeding and so we will be working on this in the near future.) He started a terrible habit of eating every two hours, day and night, so sleep has been lacking but in the last few days I have been able to stretch him to three hours and last night, after a long day, he gave me a glorious five hours at night. Lets hope this is going to be a regular occurrence. The kids love him so much and are so concerned with every detail of his day- this is especially true for Ava and Porter. Bella is a great help. I can count on her to snuggle him and hold him for me or to keep an ear out while we get yard work done and the like. I am looking forward to Easter and other Spring activities with this little guy!

Porter-Man

Porter is brave, daring and man enough for pink. (see picture)

He is currently 21 months old and about 31 pounds- thick and stout!

He is ALL boy but with two older sisters he has been known to trot down the hall in princess heels and the like. He also plays with his fair share of pink toys that have been passed down. He eats so much better than the girls and makes a big enough mess for two.

Porter surprised us with his nurturing reaction to his baby brother. He is always kissing him and rubbing his head. He has also already figured out how to play big brother with him: when Turner's arms are flailing and they bump him he falls back as if he was hit, you know what I mean? Like an actor does in a scene where he is punched. I don't know how a toddler knows how to do that but it is precious. He hasn't seemed to be jealous other than maybe twice when I was nursing and he wanted me to get him a snack instead. Twice in almost six weeks is not bad at all though!

Porter loves cars, trucks and especially buses, no surprise there. He and Ava get into it sometimes but for the most part play throughout the day and have fun. He likes Bella and has nothing for her but love. He loves to be outside, ride all the bikes and tricycles and scooters we have (which is way to many). He likes to use tools and follow his Daddy around. I don't know which is his favorite- it is probably a tie between tools, buses, and dogs! He has to pay a visit to our neighbor's house everyday to see Sadie the dog. We help take care of her when they are gone so he gets to give the dog treats a lot. Recently he has been climbing on the toy box in the den to see Sadie from across the street and it is no secret when he spots her. He yells and points over and over. This is also how reacts if he hears the tiniest peep from his baby brother. He looks for me and yells, "Bebe, bebe, bebe!" And begins running to find him. Speaking of running, he is too cute the way he swings his arms and tries to go fast.

Right now Porter and Ava share a room. We transitioned him to a big boy bed about a month before the baby came. He does pretty good. My only complaint is that he wakes Ava up each morning so she will open the door for him to get out, otherwise she would sleep much later. The two of them are up by 6:30 each day and they used to sleep until 8:30! That is a big change for me but I am up getting Bella on the bus anyway so I have just moved my own bedtime back to 8 or 9 on most nights. He still naps everyday around 1, sometimes earlier, sometimes later, depending on the day's events but it usually lasts about 3 hours.

Porter has such a sweet side. He loves to snuggle and be held. His vocabulary continues to increase... I will end with a list of his most frequently used words: mommy, daddy, "Aba," bebe, Nanny (for Nana), G'ma, dog, no, yeah, snack, wa wa (for any drink), mil (milk), cookie (but I can't even spell the way he says that), pee pee, diater (diaper) and ba (bath).

Our Ava

Ava Jane, I like to call her but Randy is always very quick to correct me... She also is fondly called Ava Stinky Hope and Ava Dirty Hope. I try not to partake in this or encourage it but the child is always dirty! It is almost impossible to keep her clean- whether it is food or markers or the Lord only knows.

Ava is Miss At.ti.tude. She isn't really grumpy per say but just quick to put you in your place. I wish I could just list all of the things she says to us on a given day. She can stare you down and be downright stubborn too. She is also the sweetest, most helpful and cuddly child. She is the first one to offer to run for a diaper if I need one. She loves to have books read to her and she loves to experiment with writing all the letters and trying to spell words. Anytime she is away from Bella she says she misses her but on most days she decides she has had enough and no longer wants to play princesses with her.

Ava talks a lot and has a lot of questions. She in preschool two days a week and loves learning. I would love to see her interact with her friends... she seems to be quiet with them but holds her own, in other words, she gets mean when she is not okay with something. She is a sugar-holic and we have to hide it all, even the stinkin vitamins! She loves her milk too. We do lactose free milk with her and avoid dairy as much as possible- nothing dramatic but helps keep things solid if you know what I mean.

Ava loves her little brothers and the way she says their names melts our hearts... "Powta" (said like a Georgia woman) and Turner the same way.

Her eyes are more green these days but still show stoppers. She is starting her next gymnastics class this week and then trying out soccer for the first time in a few weeks. Like her sister, she started swimming last summer. Just today she started riding Bella's bike with training wheels as opposed to a tricycle or big wheel. At her four year checkup this past week our new doctor referred to her as a tank... no comment. Everything went well and we plan to look into her new stuttering pattern sometime soon (it seemed to come out of nowhere this past fall).

so. much. to. say.

I have so much to say, not enough time to do it or write it! Quick posts about each of my children right now. I want to remember it the way it is today. Time just flies way too quickly.



Bella. She is a snaggle tooth right now; she's lost three teeth with two more quickly on their way. She is sweet and helpful, but moody and argumentative on any given day. She is 6 and a half right now, 7 in April. She is still doing the Spanish immersion program at Antioch and I just love speaking Spanish with her. Unfortunately we lost her wonderful teacher about half way through the year this year and the adjustment has been tough on me. The students seem fine :)

Bella got her own room this year when we added a room/put up walls around the old playroom. It is still in the works but she has been able to live in it since before Christmas. Her favorite color is purple and she loves to play with Ava. They fight a lot, at least lately, but still keep going back for more. She is really good with Porter and loves to hold Turner.

She eats like a bird and asks to go to the movie theatre on a daily basis. She has been a little boy crazy this year and we have had to reign her in, reminding her she is Daddy's girl for about twelve more years and he is the only one she will be dating until then! There is a great book we got from our neighbor that helps teach our view- The Princess and the Kiss. Bella and Randy participate in Y-Guides through the YMCA. The tribe they are in is called the Arendale Arrows and they go on a short trips, outings around town and have regular tribal meetings- just daddies and their daughters. They have a daddy/daughter princess date coming up soon.

For now she is reading well, writing and drawing all the time. She still prefers training wheels but we are hoping this summer will be the breakthrough for that. She is going to start a golf class next week that meets at her school so we are looking forward to how this game unfolds in her life.

Most importantly, Bella accepted Christ this past year. She has lots of questions but mostly answers for her little sister, ha. She is in a phase right now where she wants to go to big church and we are letting her for now.

Much like the title, she has so much to say (read argue) these days...

My favorite thing about her is her style- she wears anything well. Some days she has on very preppy outfits, other days they are cutesy but most days it is a variety of all kinds of wild with a sweater, always a sweater and frilly socks sticking out of her boots or her gold strappy shoes. I. love. it.

Reflections at 36 Weeks

As I approach the last few weeks of pregnancy with this little guy inside me, I have so much flowing through my mind and heart. I have an influx of feelings- joy, anxiety, excitement, fear, even some dread. This has been the most painful pregnancy I have had but I expected that. I knew with each pregnancy, the pain gets more intense as we carry differently and our bodies respond differently. I have been really encouraged by women at my church, mothers of three, four and five children. They remind me they survived and what a blessing it is to have four children.

Randy and I laughed a lot at the beginning of this surprise pregnancy but now we find ourselves talking at night, a little sad we didn't have as much time with Porter as the baby. We are really enjoying him right now at this stage. He is so funny and just all boy! Before having him, we thought it would be nice to have all girls but now with him in our lives we cannot imagine it any other way! He climbs, flirts, shouts about football, makes us laugh and eats like a man. I am happy to be bringing a little brother into the mix for him but could have used a little more time before doing so!

I don't want to forget pregnancy but in so many ways I cannot wait for it to be over. I want to have relief from all the bathroom trips, the contractions, the odd shape and obstacle my growing stomach provides but at the same time I know the miracle of it all and the days of feeling a rambunctious little boy bounce around in there and kick are numbered. I cannot say for sure if we are done. I would like to be but I cannot imagine making such a permanent decision as surgery. Birth control pills and other methods have obviously not been very successful for us but of course we would not change that in a million years. Each baby has been an amazing experience and blessing and over the years I have learned more about birth control and the way many of them work which has led me and Randy both to avoid most methods, namely medications and devices. I would love to explain this further so if interested, just ask me!

Overall, I am curious about how this baby will present himself. Each labor has proved to be quicker than the last and they have all come before 39 weeks but every one is different, right? Should I expect the same with Turner or will he throw us for a loop? I have been afraid to pray for an epidural but oh Lord, what I would not give for a little more warning with this labor, and a little more time and a little more peace in the delivery room. I know His timing is perfect and I trust Him.

I probably won't post again until he arrives but I hope to document a lot more of our lives in 2016. 2015 flew by and very little got written while a great amount got done!