Happy 7th Birthday, Olivia!

Dear Olivia,

I don't know how it's possible that you are seven years old. My last baby, my wee 3 - you're, like, BIG now! I am grateful that even though you're big, you still love to snuggle your mama. You also love to take over the couch or bed that we're snuggling on and leave me just a tiny sliver, while laying half of your body on me, but that's not the point here.

Your seventh year was a good one. You joined our school ski program this year and really picked it up quickly. You ski SO well and have surpassed my skills (which, to be honest, doesn't take much, but I thought I'd have one season on you).

You learned to read, and you are such a little bookworm. I often find you in your bed like this.

You're in first grade and you love school; you get upset when you have to miss it, especially math.

You conquered the monkey bars, and that is now how you rate every park or playground: whether or not they have monkey bars and how cool they are.

We went on a few trips this year. For spring break, we went to Shenandoah National Park and New River Gorge National Park, where we hiked mountains, explored waterfalls, and went horseback riding for the first time.

Highest point in Shenandoah

You played T-ball.

This was the year that you learned how to swim on your own. It started during spring break at a hotel, and then at the beginning of the summer, you spent some time at Uncle Jon's and got pretty independent with swimming in their pool.

Over the summer, we visited Mackinac Island for a wedding and the UP for more waterfall chasing.

And we went camping with the Grays.

We loved the beach - during the day and for sunsets. We even went a few times this fall when we had some extra warm days.

For Thanksgiving, we went to South Carolina. We had a blast spending time with Dad's cousins and checking out a new (to us) state. 

Future cadet?

For your birthday this year, you wanted to get your ears pierced. You were brave and handled it amazing, but you did say it hurt and you never want to do it again.

You are just as fun and feisty, sweet and sassy as always. You love to be creative and silly, and you still love to snuggle your mama. 

You had a lot of fun and adventures this year, learned a lot, and grown so much. I'm so proud of you and the young lady you're becoming. I love you so much, Livvy Jo.

Olivia Turns Four

 Dear Olivia,

You are four years old! Age three was full of all kinds of sass, mixed in with a bunch of sweetness. The last couple of months, I've noticed you inching toward more sweet and slightly less sass, which is a welcome change.

You started preschool this year. You're in Miss Victoria's class at my school and you absolutely love it. Though you don't like me to know that you have fun or that you have any friends. It's a secret, apparently. Sometimes your teacher sends me photos of you playing with your friends or I might catch a peek during the day. But when I ask you about it, you tell me you don't have friends and they were just playing next to you. It's really pretty hilarious.

Walking with your friend in the hallway

Your classmates and teachers love you. Miss Victoria told me one day that one of your friends said your name is Sunshine. When Miss Victoria asked why she thought your name was Sunshine, the girl said because you're so happy. A few teachers and classmates call you Chicken Wing. There's a story about that, but I don't remember it. You have this whole different life in preschool that I only catch little glimpses of, but I am thankful for the small glimpses I get because you won't tell me anything about it.

Playing in my classroom

Last spring, schools closed due to Covid-19, and so you stayed home with me and the boys while we finished up our school year. And then, obviously, you were home with me all summer. During that time, when so many things were closed, we all discovered new interests that we might not have found otherwise. One interest you discovered is puzzles. You LOVE to do puzzles, and you're really good at them! You have a basket with several puzzles (24-50 pieces) and you do a few of them every day. When we went on our trip to the U.P., you did them in the car a lot.

Puzzles in the car

During our time at home, you also discovered Paw Patrol. You had never really seen it before because we weren't home during the day when it was on TV. But while we were home for a few months, you had more opportunities for TV (plenty of screen time for you while mom and boys were doing school). Chase is your favorite and you dressed up as him for Halloween. When someone told you that you should be a girl character, you scoffed because that makes no sense. I love that about you - you know what you like and you don't care what other people think. But you're still shy around new people and quiet in new situations.

Chase is the on the case!

With your Paw Patrol birthday cake

One more discovery during our time at home: you don't care to wear clothes. In March/April, you started just wearing underwear to bed. And that sometimes continues after you wake up. You like to just walk around in your underwear. It's hilarious and strange - I don't get it, but it makes you YOU!

Hiking is another thing we did a lot of during the spring and summer.

As I said earlier, we took a trip to the U.P. this summer. Nature is about the only thing that wasn't cancelled. We spent one night on Mackinac Island, which I think was your favorite part. We biked around the island; you rode in a Wee-Hoo that was attached to my bike and everyone we passed, you said, "Hi! I'm pedaling!" You had the time of your life! The rest of our trip, we did some hiking and saw lots of waterfalls.

Biking around the island

Hiking to a waterfall

Standing underneath Tanner Falls

This past summer, you learned to ride a bike without training wheels. You can go around the whole neighborhood, but you don't feel super confident, so you like when I walk next to you. Which is totally you. You learn to do things fairly early compared to other kids your age, but you want me there with you. You may remember that you potty trained yourself at 23 months, but you wanted (still want) me to hold your hand when you poop.

I love your enthusiasm for just about everything. You often say "That's the best ________ ever!" Your costume, a dessert we made, your new bed (Leland's old one), your Grinch sweater, our Christmas tree - they're all the "best ever." You tell me every day that I'm the best mom ever, and I really appreciate it, especially when it's moments after you tell me that you don't like me.

Your pumpkin character. You wanted to make the pig that went home (from This Little Piggy), and you said it was the best pumpkin ever!

These days, you love potty talk and experimenting with language in general. You recently started calling people "Hippo." First, it was Big Hippo, then Baby Hippo, and now it seems to be Hippo Head. Chicken Head is also a favorite. You also refer to yourself in the third person a lot! You'll say "Olivia wants to go outside." Or when I ask a question, like if anyone wants more food, you'll say, "I do! Olivia does." Yesterday, you said, "Dad, your daughter is playing with her new toys."

You love to color and you're beginning to write your name. Usually, if you're writing it by yourself, you get all the letters, but they're not always in order. You do pretty well writing it if you can see your name though. You also really enjoy helping in the kitchen. With our small space, it's kind of hard to have a helper, but we make it work.

Helping make meatloaf

Livvy Jo, you bring us all so much joy. Also, not gonna lie, a lot of frustration, but mostly joy. We are so thankful for you. I can't wait to see what the next year has in store you, my fierce, sweet, sassy, and unstoppable girl. Happy #4!

Love, Mom

Olivia Turns Three

Livvy Jo, you are THREE!

You have been so excited about your birthday, pretty much since Alden's birthday two months ago. You can't wait to have cake and have a party, though you keep talking about your friends coming over, and it's only our little family and grandparents attending. It's fun to see you understand the whole birthday thing and get so into it.

You still love Minnie Mouse, but you have also developed a big interest in Iron Man over the last year. You were Iron Man for Halloween and you requested an Iron Man birthday cake. As toys go, you really enjoy duplo blocks and magnatiles, and you're starting to get into babies. You've had three baby dolls for quite some time (I think since your first birthday?) and you've never really cared much for them until the last few months. For your birthday, you asked for a baby stroller, a new blanket for your bed, and a purple toy. Although when you met Santa last weekend, you asked for Goldfish crackers.

Sleeping with your babies

You LOVE books! Any and all books. You have several in your rotation of favorites - all of the Llama Llama books, a book of nursery rhymes, and Opposites. We choose three books at bed time each night (it's really hard for you to narrow it down to just three) and one of those books is always chosen, but really, you love them all. You take a few to bed at night as well.

Music is a favorite for you as well. You love to dance. In the car, you often ask me to turn the music up loud so we can dance. You are the cutest little dancer. Of course, since you love to talk a lot as well (oh my goodness, you seriously talk nonstop), you often ask me to turn it back down so I can hear you.

You are always hungry! You eat so much. Your favorite foods are macaroni and cheese, tacos, most fruits, snack foods (especially Goldfish crackers, and especially the Mickey shaped ones), and sugary treats. You also like hot sauce. Daddy puts hot sauce on everything and you always ask him for some at dinner, which makes you tougher than me!

First real hair cut

In some situations, you are really shy. You are slow to warm-up to new people and feel shy doing new things in front of people. This time last year, you were still quiet and not really yourself at daycare. You did come around and start to show them your spunky personality, but you still sometimes have shy moments when you don't like everyone to watch you. When you're feeling shy, you bring your arm up to cover your eyes. But then there are other times when you are super outgoing. So many times, when we walk through the grocery store, you say hi to everyone as we walk by. Well, not everyone. You say hi to all the men, and ignore all the women. I find this hilarious.

Girlfriend, you are incredibly sweet and loving, and also the sassiest kid I've ever met! You tell me every single day, "I love you, doody Mom," or "I love you, caca." And you call everyone punk. One minute, you're hugging me, the next minute, you're telling me you don't like me anymore. I love your strong, stubborn personality, though I do hope you tone it down a little.

Your adore your brothers. Before bed every night, you have to say goodnight to "my boys" as you call them. You love to play with them, and they are quite smitten with you as well, even during those times that you drive them bonkers.

See? Llama Llama and Opposites

Sis, you crack us all up every single day. You are the funniest kid. You are so much fun, and also so frustrating. But no matter how frustrating you may be at times, you are loved beyond measure. We love watching you grow and seeing your personality develop. We can't wait to see what the next year brings.

Olivia's Birth Story

Our Wee 3 made her grand appearance on December 22. As with the boys, I wanted to document her birth story for my own memory. So...here goes...

For weeks, I prepared myself for our baby girl to join us *that* day. I always had Leland's lunch packed the night before in case someone else had to take him to school. I had the boys' clothes/pajamas laid out. I left school each Friday with lesson plans fully prepped for the next week. I left each day prepared for someone else to take over the next day. I was absolutely certain, based on previous pregnancies and the way I was feeling, that I wouldn't make it to Christmas break. 

Then, December 22 came. The last day of school before break. I worked all day - kindergarten pajama day and classroom Christmas party. At the end of the day I thought "Holy cow! I made it! And now I'm officially on Christmas break/maternity leave."

That night after dinner, Dave and I drove the boys around downtown to look at Christmas lights. We got home after bed time. The boys had fallen asleep in the truck and went straight to bed when we got home. Dave and I had a conversation in the truck about our "ideal" birth. I told him I would prefer for my water to break first, because in my experience, that meant a little longer labor than if contractions started first (I was worried about making it to the hospital in time). And I was hoping it would happen the next day (Friday).

I went to bed between 9:00 and 9:30 and was just falling asleep when I felt that telltale warm trickle. My water broke. With Leland and this pregnancy, my water breaking wasn't a huge gush of fluid - just a trickle every few minutes. 

I got up and said to Dave, "Guess who's water broke? Call your mom."

I wasn't having contractions at that point so we decided to have his mom come to our house rather than wake the boys and have her meet us at the hospital. Dave also decided to hop in the shower. He was in and out in less than five minutes and by then, my contractions had started and were only 2 minutes apart. His mom was almost to our house, but I knew we needed to leave (because triage takes forever...or it seems that way when you're in labor). 

We waited as long as we could, but then my contractions were even closer together - a minute and a half apart - and we had to go. We both felt uneasy, but our kids were sleeping, our doors were locked, and Dave's mom would be there any second. We left and passed his mom in the neighborhood. 

We got to the hospital ER and they wheeled me to triage while Dave parked. On my way through the ER waiting room, I saw three people I knew...weird. 

In triage, the nurse told me they needed to check with the doctor to see if I was really in labor and if they would admit me yet. I don't think I said anything out loud, but in my head, I said "I'm not going home, crazy lady."

The doctor came in and before checking me said, "Oh, she's not going home." I mean, for real. Fluid ruptured, contractions close together, 39.5 weeks along, third baby...the baby's coming. 

She checked me and I was dilated to 6.5. Then Dave came in and I was moved to my room. When we first got to my room, I told Dave I wanted a few pictures of me laboring. He snapped a couple and then they checked me again and I was 8.5cm dilated. And that's when things got REAL, so no more pictures until after she was born. 

I wanted an epidural so bad, but I knew there wouldn't be time. It takes like 45 minutes to get fluid first and then they give you the meds. The nurses told me we could try it anyway, so I agreed. It didn't work. I don't think I got all (or much at all) of the fluid so maybe that's why it didn't work, but I felt zero relief. Which ended up ok because then it was time to push which is pretty much the best ever when you're in labor. You finally have somewhere to focus that pain and energy, and you know your baby is coming SOON. For me, pushing is a huge relief. 

I knew this baby was going to be bigger than my boys, but once pushing started, I REALLY knew. With both boys, I pushed their heads out in 1-2 contractions. Olivia took a few more and I remember crying in between contractions because her head was only halfway out and I thought I would die waiting for the next contraction. 

But I didn't die. Her head finally came out and the rest was easy. She was born at 11:32, just two hours after my water broke. So much for my theory about a longer labor. 

Olivia was my biggest baby by far. At 8 lbs 15 oz, she was 2.5 lbs bigger than Alden was at birth and 3.5 lbs bigger than Leland. Despite the size difference, I didn't tear this time. Crazy. 

They laid her on me immediately. She was still a little blue (they are when they first come out) and she wasn't crying. I asked if she was okay. Dr. Novak said yes, and then Olivia let out a cry. And she didn't stop crying for, like, ever. 

Nursing comforted her and then we snuggled skin to skin for quite a while. The nurses said I needed to eat and they got me a PBJ. I ate while Olivia was weighed and measured, and then I got up to shower, which is when Dave finally got to hold her. 

After my shower, I wanted to brush my teeth. While I was doing so, I suddenly felt nauseous and threw up. I'm still not sure why, but I felt better immediately after and didn't any more issues with nausea afterward. 

After that, we just snuggled for hours. Let me tell you, after having a baby that you don't get to snuggle right away (Leland was whisked off to the NICU pretty shortly after he was born), those moments of holding your newborn without any schedule, without anyone else around are pure bliss. Eventually, we gave Olivia her first bath and tried to get some rest. 

Friday, we spent most of the day snuggling our littlest love and Dave went home to relieve his mom of babysitting duties so she could go to work. Olivia had an echo cardiogram (ultrasound of her heart) to check on some concerns from her prenatal ultrasounds. The results were back after a couple of hours and all looked good. Praise God!

Dave brought the boys up to the hospital to visit after naps and they were absolutely smitten with her. 

Olivia had to have her blood sugar checked after each feeding because of her size. She had to have three readings in a row above 45. It took a long time to get three in a row - she kept getting two, but then the third would be low - but she finally got three in a row and we were cleared to go home Saturday morning (Christmas Eve).

So far, the transition from two kids to three has been pretty easy. Olivia is an easy-going baby and a great sleeper so far. We've had our stressful moments, but I think that's mostly from two boys who desperately need to get OUT of the house, which is hard to do with a newborn in the winter. But overall, things are going well. 

The boys are in love with her. Leland loves to hold her for long periods of time and will sit and just look at her. Alden likes to hold her too, but not for quite as long. They both come running anytime she cries and Alden is very concerned/freaked out about her cord. 

Olivia is the perfect addition to our family and has already brought our hearts so much joy.