Late Update!

This past week was kind of crazy... and I am sure that this one will be even crazier!

Last week Jerry had the week off from work. So we adjusted as much as we could to being a family of 7 instead of 6. It went pretty well, I think. We had a lot of fun with the kids. We took them to the Boonshoft Museum and explored. We had soccer games and practices and daily playtime outside as the weather was beautiful last week!

Xavier and Sydney are two of the funniest kids right now. They either get along or they are at each other's throats! Sydney thinks she can discipline him and vice versa. The other day they were playing out on our swing set. Xavier fell off the lower swing backwards and is laying on the ground crying and Sydney runs over and hops her little fanny up on the swing and starts swinging over the top of him! She didn't see if he was all right because she wanted the swing to begin with and as it was vacant... well, she helped herself!

Jay and Anna are improving at soccer. Jay LOVES being goalie. He did really well at his game this past Saturday. He didn't let any goals in and his team had really improved on their team work. Anna made a goal in her last game and was slightly embarrassed by all the cheers! She is such a funny girl. Both are doing well with their school work. We have grumbles here and there but for the most part they are happy getting their school work done and learning!

Caleb is growing like a weed!! Already he is 9 lbs. 1 oz., well, by now he is more than that... That was his weight on Thursday, his two week well-baby check up. His head had also grown 2 cm. and his length is now 21.75 inches! He has gone up to Sz. 1 diapers and size 3 mos. in Carter's clothes! It is crazy how fast this kid is growing! He sleeps well and eats well too. He even has more awake moments now.

I am doing well with recovery and all that. I was back in my clothes 12 days after having him. People ask me HOW?! I don't know. It is just the way God made me. I am thankful for that! The kids think it is funny that I have a small tummy now. Sydney is the most confused. She still pulls my shirt up every once in awhile to see where the "baby went"!

This week could be a big week for us. We find out when Jerry has surgery on his shoulder and hopefully where our next assignment is. We are still holding out hope for Florida... but who knows! Hopefully, their decision will be made by the end of this week so that we can really start getting ready for our move. Or at least we will have a time line to work with!

Well, I think that is it. Jerry is back to work this week and I am home alone with the kids... so this will be an interesting week! I am sure many funny things will happen!

Love to all of you!

The wind storm of 2008...

We had hurricane force winds this past Sunday. We have had forceful winds before, but our gusts got up to 70 mph! It was CRAZY! You looked outside and the sky was just filled with leaves and twigs/branches flying around or across streets/cul-de-sacs. It was nuts. Jerry and his mom were standing in our kitchen and watched our last tree by our fence fall on it! That stunk because it broke the fence. Thankfully, it did not break any of the poles, just the fence and the top rail. We got it cut off on Tuesday and Jerry fixed it later that afternoon so that the kids could go out and play again. Jay had the funniest response to the tree falling! He said, "OH MAN!! Now we're never going to go outside and play because our babies will escape!!" It was so funny, but you know... at least his concern was placed on his siblings!

That has been our big excitement so far. We haven't really done much because of Caleb and trying to get back into a sense of normalcy in the house... Caleb is doing well. He has spurts of sleeping and spurts of being awake. The kids are fascinated with him. They want to kiss him all the time and pet his head or hold his hand. It is sweet and sometimes a little overwhelming!

Jerry's mom is still here and will be until next Thursday. So the following week will be my true trial run as a mother of 5 by myself! That should prove interesting. I forsee meltdowns and lots of tears, but am praying for it not to come to that! I will also have to start school with them either next week or the following week! It will be interesting.

Well, kids are being cranky and not cooperating for gma... so I better head.

Caleb Michael Ottinger's debut!

Our newest family member is here! And we are all relieved that he is whole and hale and very laid back!

After leaving the doctor's office on Monday we came home and went to soccer practice/game. It was all pretty uneventful. Around 1 a.m. a storm came through our area and Jerry and I laid in bed waiting for our munchkins to join us in bed as the thunder and lightening worsened. About 2 a.m. Sydney climbed in bed on my side and just barely bumped into my belly and the contractions began! I told Jerry if he was going to take a shower before going to the hospital he should get up and take it then because I didn't know how fast they were going to start coming and didn't really want to be sitting at home having a baby in the middle of a storm! In the ten minutes it took him to shower, I had 2 intense contractions and decided we should go!

We got to the hospital around 3 a.m. and the doctors monitored the contractions and Caleb for an hour. It took 3 different people to get my IV started. It was pretty funny actually. Usually I don't do needles very well and it makes me feel ill if they dig around in my vein to get it in, but this time I didn't really care. Probably because they would do their attempt during a contraction. The final guy to try was a big guy with tattoos all over his arms, kind of thug looking, but was AWESOME at getting the needle in my vein. I was relieved to say the least.

They stalled on breaking my water, which was fine. (I think it irritated Jerry but in the end it worked out better.) Around 6 a.m., I was 8 cms so they hooked up my fluids and gave me Nubain (sp?). That was WONDERFUL! I didn't care what was going on and got to sleep for a while. The doctor opted to wait until after the shift change to break my water and have the midwife deliver our baby. (I had been trying to get an appointment with this lady since Sydney's conception!) The mid wife came in at 9:15 and broke my water. I got up to go to the bathroom around 10:15 and got back to the edge of the bed and couldn't get back in it. They had the room set up and ready so we sat at the edge of the bed for a bit and in the end Jerry sat behind me holding me up and I had my legs over the mid wife's knees and pushed out our baby!

He came out pretty quickly, which was kind of scary but good because he had his cord wrapped around his neck. It took him a little bit to cry which was a very scary moment. When I was pushing I asked them to just tell me when his head was out because usually the pain decreases, I can take a breath and push the rest of him out... that was not the case with Caleb. Only later did I find out why! His head is 35 cms and his chest is 35.5 cms.... yeah... that was not too fun! Thankfully, there were no other complications. The mid wife laid him in our arms so we could hold him right after he came out. It was a great moment for both Jerry and I!

All in all the birth was completely diffferent from any of the other kids. Every kid is different! We are so blessed to have him here and can't imagine our family without him. We think, at least I do, at this point he is a great bookend to our kids. This was a pretty intense experience for us and we realize just how blessed we are.

We can't wait for you all to meet him! He is such a little cutie! He is a great mix of all the kids. The kids LOVE their new brother too. Jay is glad he is here and I can really hug him again. Anna is a little mommy and wants to help with EVERYTHING. Xavier is fascinated that his arms flail around and he coos. Sydney is still figuring out that he is real and not a baby doll and loves to give him kisses on his head.

I guess I didn't put in the particulars, so here they are:

Caleb Michael

born at 10:54 a.m.

September 9, 2008

8 lbs. 7.3 oz.

20.4" long.

Will update soon!

The end is near!!

Okay... so I really thought that we would have a baby by now and that my next post would be pictures of the baby and all that.... NOT SO!

The doctor today said, "Wow... you are at 6 cm and still walking around!" I almost cried... so she suggested that maybe they just keep me and we have a baby, but had to get it approved. One veto and we were sent home... BUT, I go back tomorrow at 7 am to Labor and Delivery and they are going to induce!!! HOORAY!! Tomorrow, Caleb will come!! Or at least the process will be started.

In the meantime, we have gone to Anna's soccer game and Jay's soccer practice and called in the family for help with the kids! Thankfully, Jerry's mom is here and my mom is going to head over tomorrow morning. I am so thankful that the end is near! I have my bag packed -it has been for 3 weeks- but added a book today that I am excited to read!!

The kids are glad that gmas are here/coming and can't wait to push me out the door! We got them something each to occupy their time -somewhat- to help alleviate the entertainment factor for the gmas!

Funny story from the weekend:
On Saturday evening when we sent my mom home the kids said to me, "NO! You are supposed to go to the doctor and have the baby and gma is supposed to stay here with us!! Why aren't you having the baby yet?!" That has been the topic of conversation since then....

Well, supper needs to get finished! Will post when I get home!

A walking time bomb!

Now I know how a time bomb must feel, if it were an animate object! The doctor said I was at a 4 and looking like anytime now. She said my body is probably just waiting for his head to turn a certain way so that things can really start moving! That is encouraging news, and yet kind of scary. Jerry is looking at taking some time off this week and when he gets home early today, I am going to go walk the mall a bit with my friend Sharra! So hopefully, in the next day or so we will have our new addition!

My mom is thinking she will come over tonight, which will be great if he decides to start coming in the middle of the night! I always hate to wake people up to come over to watch kids. We have only done it twice, and they didn't mind, but it still makes me feel bad. Maybe because I like my sleep A LOT! Next week Jerry's mom is coming over and we should definitely have a baby by then. We are as ready as ready can be... and now the waiting continues...

The kids are being really understanding and patient as well. Sydney keeps telling Caleb (the baby) to 'get ow', she also calls him 'mine'. She is going to be one protective big sister! The older kids just want to hug him and Xavier just wants to sit on my lap again! All in all, I still feel like it is a dream sometimes. It is going to be so wierd to have a new baby!

Hopefully, next posting will have a picture of Caleb! Or at least his birth information!!