We forgot all about one of Camille's christmas presents (I had put it out behind the shed) until the snow melted off of it the other day (the bike). She was so excited to learn to ride that she kept Brent Huffing and Puffing up and down our street for an hour.

With other kids we have had constant screaming during the lessons. Camille couldn't stop laughing even when she went down and was constantly begging to let go of her.

Later that night she continued her display of bravery when she insisted on having a tooth pulled out by her Dad. She has been trying on her own with floss for a couple of weeks now. Judging by all the blood that came with it, it could have stayed in her mouth a couple more.

Scabface

Caroline was out enjoying the 60 degree weather the other day. She forgot how to run on the pavement over the long winter and paid the price for her absentmindedness.








(I am plugging this stuff in here just to put it somewhere. It used to be in the side of the blog but I can't keep up with it and it's getting to long SO here's. . .

SOMETHING TO BRAG ABOUT)

WEEK of MARCH 23, 2008Brent knocks out the 70 year old wall upstairs and gets a little closer to finishing his 2007 christmas present for his wife. Kashann cleans it up. We are ONE big step closer to having a 4 bedroom house.

WEEK of FEB 24, 2008 On Sunday, Camille, gave the 20th primary talk for our family since moving into the ward last year. That might be a slight exaggeration, but not much. It's a small primary, my kids are always present, and always choose talk instead of scripture when their name is pulled from the mailbox.(They actually let them choose!) Glad that they like the spotlight, but more glad that Kennon and Savannah finally started writing their own. And now Caroline is a sunbeam, we really are going to dominate opening exercizes.

WEEK of FEB 3, 2008 Sat the 9th, the big kids are all sick in bed -Kennon, Brent, and even Mom (you know the one who never catches anything.) So Savannah stepped up to babysit and wash dishes all day. Hooray for our 8 year old!
We now have ten year old! Hard to believe. Kennon's birthday present this year was a music stand so she can officially put on violin concerts for her family. She was so excited! We are very proud of her dedication to her music. It is such a great avenue to curb her boredness, which can result in household mischief. If only she could play the piano/violin all the time, we would have such peace in our home.

WEEK of JAN 13, 2008 Kennon, our new violist, just made it into the school orchestra. She was the only one admitted to the orchestra in her whole class. Way to go! All that practicing has paid off!And Caroline wins the Bravery Challenge. On Saturday sledding at Chestnut Ridge Park -In the FREEEEZING cold blowing snow. We had just arrived when suddenly I saw Caroline jump in her sled and off down the hill, gaining speed. I was scared to death for my usually very cautious little baby. She obviously didn't notice the large hill in front of her and thought she could sled down anything, since she often "sleds" in our backyard on piles of snow. Amazingly she hung on all the way to the bottom, and pulled her sled back up to the top with all the other bigger kids, beaming with pride.

If Only.....

The day before the birth, at Children's Hospital, they sent me home because I wasn't in enough pain yet. When "it" really happened the next day there was no time or patience for posed shots like these. If only they had kept me then and saved me a heck of a lot of pain and anguish.

9 months

I realized that I had neglected to post a full body prego shot. Here I am 4 days before Marcus was born. Brent and I were heading out for our last date.

Today at church

I know I have mentioned this before but here is just another example of how valuable our children are to our ward's primary.

March 16th Primary Opening Exercizes
Opening Prayer: Savannah C
Scripture: Camille C
Talk: Kennon C

These are the actual minutes from their meeting this morning. Brent was there and witnessed it. He said there were at least 30 other kids there today, but I guess we are just really special.

Brent is now ready to "look"

Brent began his spring break picking up Savannah and Kennon's friends for a sleepover Friday night. We hate sleepovers but had put them off for so long we finally agreed. It wasn't the greatest way to start springbreak but we figured we would get it over with and then could do some relaxing ourselves. We made them homemade pizza and then took Camille, Caroline, and Marcus upstairs to our room for bed and let the 4 girls have the rest of the house for their sleepover party. We turned a fan on in our room and hardly heard a thing the rest of the night.

Marcus woke up our whole bedroom about 4:30 a.m. and our day had begun. We were all stuck in our room though since the partiers had taken over the rest of our tiny house. There was nothing to watch on TV that early for kids so we just kind of hung out for another hour or so till the first cartoon of the morning, "Power Rangers" came on. Not very entertaining for any of us.

Brent finally got out the mac and started looking up motorcycles, again. Eventually I saw him move to the auto site. (One of the top items on my agenda for his springbreak is to find us a car) By three in the afternoon he had a few he was "ready" to go look at. He didn't want to take me because the last time he took me car shopping at a dealership we left his prize Toyota Supra behind and came home with a $18 thousand car I spotted in the lot. Even though that Mazda has been a great car, he has complained about giving up the Supra and that he got "took" ever since". So, I said, "Fine, I won't come" . . . "But who's gonna drive home the Buick?"

That's exactly why he didn't want me to come but I assured him that I was just kidding. He finally agreed to take me along if I promised to not say a word to the salesman.

Caroline and Marcus came along on our car shopping date. We couldn't fit the rest of them. Plus the last time we looked at a van, the girls cried and complained most of the way home at us even though it had been a rusty p.o.j minivan. They are as bad as me I guess.

The first stop was a dealership in Williamsville where Brent had seen a 2001 Odysee advertized. As we began the tour Brent mentioned to the dealer that we were just in the "looking phase" and were in "NO URGENCY" to get anything right now. ?? I had the hardest time keeping still. Had I been allowed I would've said the exact opposite.

"We aren't leaving here with out a minivan . We are here to BUY and there is a very URGENT need!"
(Currently I am sitting home from church for several reasons -Avoiding assuming my responsibilities again, Still recovering, Caroline's fever, BUT not the least of excuses is that my family is too large for our car.)

When we were shown a 2007 Seinna I let Caroline climb in. She got herself buckled and thought the deal was settled. That was about when we left and headed back to our Buick. As soon as we opened her door for her Caroline was confused and upset, protesting, "No, I don't want this car!'

We stopped at a couple other places, but I just mainly stayed in the car after that. I am not really into the "looking phase" only into the "Buying!"

Church meetings were canceled Sunday March 9th due to the snow. Kennon set up, presided, gave the talks, conducted the music, and insisted on all of us dressing up. Brent didn't comply. He just has a hard time taking those scrubs off since they are so dual purpose for schooling/sleeping. Once in a while we coax him out of them and into the shower.

Marcus got to wear his Sunday best. Dad protested that "He isn't your doll" but then enjoyed seeing him out of his sleeper and in a little man outfit for the first time.

Adjusting to one more

When I had my fourth child, it was an adjustment. Everywhere we went we stuck out as a big family. And it definitely seemed like my life had just gotten crazier.

Now suddenly with 5, I can't even tell the difference. You get to a point when you have a lot of children where you just can't get any crazier/louder or more of a novelty to the NY public than you already are.

Mornings and afternoons this week have been bliss with Caroline my PBS Kids addict, and Marcus and I. Then at 3 p.m. the bus pulls onto our street and the craziness begins. We usually have piano/violin, homework, jump roping(the new craze around my house ever since I rented, "Jump in", a movie with a star from HS Musical in it), and story reading all going on at once for the next couple hours. I just want to plug the little guys ears. But maybe he got used to it slowly over the last 9 months because he doesn't seem to mind.

But the thing is my mom is gone and I am on my own with five kids for the first time. Brent has gotten home late every night and I have been coping fine. No nervous breakdowns anyway. My one complaint has to do with something my mom referred to as nursing endorphins. She says while nursing you release endorphins to help you relax and enjoy your baby. The problem is that the endorphin effect makes it almost impossible to put down that sweet sleeping babe on your shoulder and get up off the couch. Every couple hours I am wanting to crawl back into bed. I thought I remember in past years sitting on the couch feeding the baby, going insane as I looked at the chaos around me. I would notice a crooked picture frame on the wall, dust on the piano, a cheerio under the table, and I was dying to be done with the kid so I could get up and remedy these situations. I was too nervous to let the endorphins take over, I suppose.

Maybe it's because #5 is really it and I am just happy to sit here and savor. So I am chillin'. And it makes me feel like way better mom. Instead of scurrying around all afternoon being busy, I am on the couch right in the middle of all the action. We have gotten a lot of chatting in . Problem is, I'm concerned how this whole new chatting and chilling mom thing is going to help me loose the couple or so more pounds that I need to.

I am kidding!! , not bragging, btw. Two daughter comments to demonstrate the state of my figure:

Kennon (the day I came home) "You still look pregnant!"
Camille (last night started drumming on my flabby tummy, then in all sincerity and hopefullness) "Mom are you pregnant again?"

And it doesn't help that Steph Cundick dropped by yesterday, obviously unaware that I am a sugar addict, and brought me a large loaf of coconut bread that is to die for, and a whole pan of the yummiest chocolate carmel bars I have ever tasted. I CAN'T STOP!

Hello and Goodbye Grandma

My mother was here Sunday afternoon thru early Wednesday morning . It was a quick trip, but she was kept busy making me Tai food, telling them tons of bedtime stories, hosting a pink tea party, making sugar cookies, doing our laundry and dishes, and rotating bedrooms every night so every girl had a chance to sleep with Grandma. When it came time for goodbye Tuesday night Camille especially was upset.

Meet our Son Marcus William 8lbs. 14 oz Born March 4, 2008

This is what we were doing 5 hours after the previous post.
1:00 p.m Kashann notifies Brent that this is probably the real thing but "Stay in class until you let out at 5 because I am going to be doing early labor at home, and you will make me nervous" (even though I was currently having hard contractions 2 - 5 min apart and keep in mind Marcus would have been born by then).
2:00 Brent calls me and says "I am coming home early" Kashann- "Okay, that's probably a good idea."
2:30 Kashann has left 3 crying messages on Brent's cell phone. "Where are you? Get home Now!"
2:50 Brent comes home with burgers for him but wonders what the kids are going to eat. He leaves for Chinese takeout for them.
3:05 Brent and all the kids come home on the bus. They are mauling me, and luckily Brent runs in and gets them to back off their mother almost crying on the couch.
3:10 Kashann makes a mad dash to the car. IT'S LOCKED! I lean against the car with a contraction until my safety conscious husband gets out there and lets me in.
3:15 My seat is stuck and won't recline, so I am stuck straight up the whole way. Brent cracks a joke during a serious contraction, "Do you want me to turn on some rock'n'roll to contract to?" I could have murdered him but have to wait thirty more seconds to tell him to shut up.
3:35 We arrive at Buffalo Women's and Children's Labor and Delivery on the 3rd floor after a crowded elevator ride. I lean against the wall while Brent kindly tells them his wife needs to get in NOW! They tell him to "wait his turn, we are third in line for check in, and fill out this paperwork."
3:40 Kashannn starts to lay down on the filthy waiting room floor. They suddenly have a free bed.

3:45 Lying on a stretcher I am examined by a family resident Dr. in a black turban doing a rotation this week in labor and delivery. He thinks I am in "early labor." You are suppossed to be having this pain in your stomach during contractions" and I am screaming about my rear end. He told us more than once that this was probably false labor because the pain wasn't in the stomach. Brent assured him this was the real thing. I am demanding pain med and a Dr to break my water now!

This goes on until 4:30 with papers being shoved in my face, an endless stream of questions I am physically unable to answer, and no real Dr. coming in and checking me.

4:30 I am in the middle of the most horrible contraction ever and Brent and I hear a huge explosion. I scream- "Brent I just wet the bed" "No, Kashann, that was your water". NOW the Dr's and nurses coming running in and declare me fully dialated. I am wheeled into the OR immediately, where I am asked to move myself to a new bed where I will deliver. HA! Like I could possibly do that. I muster everything I can and move beds. Then demand that they do an episitomy. Do they listen? No. Less than 5 min later, after a tear, at 4:37 p.m. our 8 lb. 14 oz Marcus William is born after the worst experience of my life. I can't believe that I am not dead and am still alive to see my son.
Now they come in with the pain med in an IV. Where was it a half hour ago? I don't want it now! They insist and within an hour of hooking up I am throwing up like I always do from IV pain medication. Finally at 10 pm. I convinced them to unhook it and I am almost instantly better.
Brent meanwhile is long gone, home with the kids studying for a big exam the next day.

By 3 a.m. Marcus is in the NICU. They did two blood tests and found that he had increasingly elevated white cell count 3 times. By noon the next day he has another bad looking blood test so they are treating him for a possible infection and even talk of a spinal tap to see if there is infection in his brain. I hate seeing him with an IV in his head. Everytime I pick him up I have to bring about 4 cords along with me to hold him. My mom calls for a multi-family prayer and I really feel peaceful that he is going to be just fine.

I go home on Thursday without my baby! It is so sad. The next morning I am back at NICU to be with him. By 10 a.m the results for the cultures are back and he is cleared of any concerns for his health. I collect all my stuff and baby and head out by myself in a huge snowstorm to bring him home. The kids have just gotten off the bus when I walk in. They haven't seen their brother yet and have been crying about it since Tuesday night. These pictures are of them seeing their brother for the first time. At the same time I got there a girl from the ward (Stephanie Tranquil) has shown up with tons of food from ward members. She snapped these happy shots.

This other picture is Caroline and Camille displaying Marcus's new blanket I sewed for him.

We have had a great time the last couple days. Everyone wants to hold Marcus and everytime he cries Kennon, Savannah, and Camille stop whatever they are doing and race off to take care of him. I hope it lasts. It is awesome.

I am so glad it is over. I really don't think I could go through this again. I would not recommend laboring at home to anyone. A mad dash is horrible. I have to say it didn't take more than a minute of holding him to make it all worth it though. I love having Brent's son.

No baby. . . But I am being a baby

We had a wonderful time with my dad last weekend. The girls were all asleep by the time we brought him home at 9:30 Friday night so we leaned over them one by one and had them wake up to a Grandpa smiling at them. Dad said the first thing they would say though is, "Where's Grandma?" That's exactly what happened.

Dad was really shocked about the cold Friday night. He was wearing a very thin coat. He didn't complain about the 60 degree temp in our house, but he never took his coat off once indoors so I know that he was going through culture shock. At their bed and breakfast they have to keep it nice and toasty. Mom's cooking all the time and there is a fireplace in every single room!

We went to N. Tonawanda on Saturday to visit the Riviera Theatre (built in 1927) to see, "Enchanted". We all loved it. On saturdays they show kids movies for $2. Afterwards, my dad, who is known for making quick friends, stopped to chat to the popcorn man. He invited us for a personal tour upstairs in the balcony. It is a beautiful old theatre and I would recommend anyone in the area to visit it with their children. Get there a half hour early and listen to an old guy play showtunes on the organ until showtime.

The rest of the time we just hung out. Mainly because I was having contractions and kept thinking we would be going to the hospital at anytime. YOU CAN SKIP THE NEXT PART IF YOU DON"T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THINGS LIKE DIALATING AND EFFACING AND CRYING.

In past pregnancies I have never had any contractions until 24 hours before the baby comes out and they just keep increasing until they are close and painful. Then I go to the hospital, I am always dialated to a 4, they break my water, I start hurting, and we have a baby in a few hours. So that was the plan.

But then Sunday afternoon they just stopped. By 9:30 p.m they started up again, though fast and furious. I packed, showered, fixed my hair to look great for the labor shots, got all organized then went to bed hoping to sleep a few hours. I could not till about 2 a.m. because I was having contraction on top of contraction. I wanted Brent to get some rest before we left so I just laying there not in too much pain, but going crazy.

Finally I guess I fell asleep because I woke up at 6 a.m. and was surprised they had stopped. At this point I am just beginning to feel strung around with this impending delivery. But by 7 they had started again. I wanted to wait for a while and see what happened. But Brent was anxious to get it overwith. It was Monday and all weekend long he said that he absolutely couldn't miss tues, wed, or thursday. So we had to do this now!

We dropped off Caroline at a friends, Dad at the airport and then got to the hospital by 9:30 a.m. When they checked me I was a little discouraged because I was only a 4 like usual and 60 % effaced. But I was having contractions still and told them, "Just break my water and we'll have the baby soon."
Don't you think I should be calling some of the shots since I am a pro at this going on my fifth labor?

Unfortantely that was not going to happen. My OB office is the University GYN practice. I had residents there training on me and they were determined to do everything by the book. (It was just like getting a cavity filled at the dental school) You lay there forever while someone who doesn't know what he is doing learns on you then has to keep having the Dr. come check everything they did. They said that they would break my water but not till a week after my due date. I was so mad and frusterated I just started bawling right there in the hospital and the whole way out to the car. And that's pretty much what I did all the rest of the day. I just couldn't believe it last night that I was home doing laundry, mopping floors, cooking dinner. I was suppossed to be holding my baby by now! But maybe they were right because the contractions completely stopped by night time and I slept wonderfully all night.

This morning I am currently having painful very far apart contractions and just wondering how long this is going to go on. They are really starting to hurt, but I am afraid that doesn't mean I am dialating. Are they seriously going to make me go on like this for another week and a half before they help me get it overwith?

The phone kept ringing yesterday, and I never got it. All very cheery people leaving messages, wondering if I now had 5 children instead of 4 and I just couldn't talk to anyone.

To top off my day, My mother in law called during dinner and the kids got it and handed it to me. She said, "Guess what I have great news, Brianne and Derek just had their baby." She is my niece due three weeks AFTER me! I told her that was the last thing that I wanted to hear right now.

I know that I am just being a baby. Everything is fine, and I should just be grateful that the baby and I are healthy and it will all be over soon, but all I am is depressed and so frusterated. It is really hard to be stuck with an associated practice with lots of Dr's I have never even met, no one even knows me and I am sure that they could care less if I am home stressing, in pain, or if I won't ever go into labor until they break my water. I wish I was still in Washington with my old doctor. Yesterday he would have smiled at me, rubbed my back, told me how great I was doing, and assured me that they were going to do everything they could so I could have my baby that night.

My dad is flying into Buffalo tonight to surprise his grandkids. They are gonna love it. Hopefully we can have the baby while he is here and won't even have to get a babysitter. He leaves on Monday and then I need to hold off until next weekend when Mom comes to spend 4 days with us. They aren't separated or anything just busy people running a farm and bed and breakfast.

Does anyone know anything that really does work to put you into labor? Last time I was having a hard time maintaining consistent 4 min apart contractions and decided to go do a temple session. It worked. We went straight from the temple to the hospital. Our temple is a little too far away this time.

We made a deal

Starting early last spring, I began in earnest to convince Brent that it was time for a new baby. It was a losing battle. So many ridiculous objections were brought up. Too small house, Too small car, Too much time at dental school, Too many kids already driving us crazy. He had always caved to my wishes before but this time he was pretty determined to not go along.

Finally late spring, out of the blue, he mentions, after a couple hours shopping on Craigslist, that he is okay with a new baby, . . .If I am okay with a new motorcycle. I personally thought that it was a really strange deal to make. But who cares, I had convinced him.

Another deciding factor was that I brought up that I had been researching how to have a boy and had a pretty good plan. Well everything has worked out exactly as planned so far, . . .Except for Brent keeps bringing up that he hasn't got his motorcyle yet!( I guess a Puch just isn't big and fast enough for the former big time motorcyclist who once took his road bike all the way to Mexico City. Just a side note: Along with the new york moped, we have 3 more of Brent's motorcyles sitting in our Washington garage.)

Well I am not one to go back on the deals I make, and I haven't, but don't you think at 39 weeks pregnant the new car takes priority over a new bike?

Lately every time I see him taking a studying break he is drooling over motorcycles online. And then we have to hear about all the great $$$ deals he is finding and how cool he is going to look riding on one of these. That is the last thing Kennon wants to hear about is how cool her Dad is going to look riding around while her coolness suffers tremendously each time she is seen in her family car.

When our fourth child was about to be born everyone kept quizzing us as to where we would fit the 6th person in our Buick. Well, we showed them all and put one child in the front between us. I actually thought is was very drastic at first, but we have all got used to the arrangement. (except Kennon) Now Brent is faced with one more child and he is still contemplating getting us all in the Buick. He just hates to give it up and keeps remarking how well it is running, which is very debatable. And we only have one parking space in our lot so we really do have to make a trade.

I don't even want to tell you his latest plan to get us all in there (you wouldn't believe it anyway) because it is too funny and I only pray that he isn't seriously considering it. Let me just say it involves a homemade car seat built for two. You know, the size of one car seat. He could whip up one of those for Camille and Caroline and then we are set. You have to remember that this is coming from a man who once built a double decker buick to accomodate his family so don't put it past him.

So he keeps sharing his crazy schemes at the dinner table, we keep groaning about them, and he keeps shopping on the internet for a new motorcycle. Maybe he will just get the fancy motorcycle and then his family can all ride along beside him in our buick.

Anyways, I am not worried about it. Why hassel him? I think it is all about upholding his reputation as the cheapest or craziest man alive. I am not the one who says this by the way. It always comes from his friends and associates.

He has always taken care of us in the past and I am sure he will come to his senses and continue to do so.

A man has to give up a lot when he starts a family doesn't he?

Kids back in school

The sun isn't shining like it has been the last 2 days, but There is Sunshine in my Soul Today. Early Spring Break is over and school is back in session! This means that my living room is getting a much needed 7 hour break from tennis matches, jump rope contests, game shows, yoga classes, plays, primaries, baseball games, and even a few wrestiling matches.

My own little world
I realized while reading another dental student family blog that my husband is now in the midst of midterms. Huh? I feel so self absorbed. I knew he was studying a lot but all I've been thinking about everyday is " how can I go into labor TODAY?" and I never stopped to consider the timing was terrible for Brent.

I guess he is in midterms till March 14th, so I am suppossed to hold off till then. We'll see. That seems like an eternity right now. I also don't have any labor signs yet so I could easily go a week over I suppose.

My Birthday
Turned 32 on Saturday. Savannah wins the prize for best daughter. She served me breakfast in bed, fed the other girls, and even cleaned up all the dishes. Then I went on a treasure hunt she planned that ended up with a homemade necklace she made for me.

Brent piled up 4 presents on the table. I don't think he has ever gotten me so many. I have never given him so many obvious choices. I had a pretty good idea what the theme for this birthday was. Caroline kept bringing them over for me to open, and eventually dropped one. I scolded her that she could have broken it. Brent overheard and said, "No big deal, since your momma is going to break it soon anyway!"

So. . . I got a brand new bosch bowl, which looks pretty funny sitting on the ancient yellowed, melted base. It works awesome though and I guess I have to make homemade bread today to show my appreciation. Also I got not 1, but 2 lids for my wheat grinder. It's plastic and I guess Brent just figured to be safe and buy me a spare. The last gift was the best one because it was the only one that wasn't actually just a replacement for something I broke. It was cookie dough hooks for the bosch. So overall an expensive birthday, but how I wish I could've been a better girl this year and got a real present!

We gave into taking the whole family along on my birthday dinner. I had been looking forward to a date with just the two of us.

Kennon thought it was great to visit Applebee's and order mac and cheese until they put the Bourbon Street steak in front of her father. She couldn't understand why steaks aren't on the kids menu. We kept reminding her to be grateful she was brought along at all, but she kept reminding us that she paid for her own meal with her readers coupon. But we still had to tip for her and put up with all her envy.

Sunday Dinner
Yesterday we had the elders over after church. With 4 girls you can imagine how crazy that can be with all their secret crushes, showing off, and fights over who sits between them. Caroline is the worst. During dinner, she kept going under the table to tickle their feet. We sent her to her room and after a few minutes but noticed that it she was real quiet. I called her out. Her eyes were all red, and she looked very nervous. The first thing she said was, "There is a bead in my nose".

Now this had never happened to one of my kids before and I have heard horrible stories about such situations so I wasn't laughing like everyone else at the table. Brent, the self proclaimed Dr, volunteered to do the extraction if I would just get him a pair of tweezers. She has a cold so I was nervous she was going to suck it up more and just wanted everyone to be quiet so she could remain calm. Brent instructed her to sit still and breathe in and out through her mouth only. She took it very seriously while everyone but me was laughing their heads off. Sure enough Brent pulled out a red bead, the remains of the necklace craft Savannah had worked on the day before. She was so relieved. She hardly breathed the whole time he was working on her.

What do they do all day in Kindergarten?

She hasn't learned to read or write yet. It seems they are far too busy brainwashing. First the Martin Luther King speech, now this comes out of her mouth, without a breath during the breakfast prayer this morning:

Camille
"that all the people in our neighborhood will be nice to each other and resolve conflicts peacefully".

"Wow! . . .But what does that mean, Camille?" (After the prayer I question her.)

Camille
"I don't know."