It sounds fake, but it's true

In December I didn't do much. I just flew across the country alone with three small children. I know. I can't believe I lived to tell the tale either. Especially the part about where our plane was late and we missed our layover. I stepped off the plane in Salt Lake City with Claire in my front pack, Collin clinging to my pants and Grant running away from me when I heard someone yell "Amber". There at my gate with a wheelchair to collect my boys was my super aunt to save the day. I would have been confused about how she got past security and how she found my exact gate, but I was too tired to ask questions.

The day after we got to my parents, we drove ten hours to see my little sister graduate. Way to go Em! She is the sister I am not allowed to mention on this blog. But I'm going to post a picture of her anyway.

Emily and Claire are such great friends. On the way home from Emily's graduation, we drove by a cool looking train, which I pointed out to my train obsessed boys. Then my dad pulled over to get a closer look and then we got out of the car and my Mom said, hey, can we get on the train? And they said, sure, just give us your credit card. Then as the train took off we were thinking "What the heck are we doing on this train anyway?" Things started to click a little when Santa came to say hello to all the children.

Grant sat stupefied when Santa sat down across from him and asked what he wanted for Christmas. Collin did his best to appear he didn't notice - but we know he did. Grant just said "uhhhh uhhh" until Santa had to move on. When Santa got up, Grant finally collected himself and yelled "Santa! I want a gun!" Then Santa turned around and yelled "You'll shoot your eye out kid" No joke! Except the part about what Santa said. That didn't really happen. But all the rest of it did.

 Then Christmas came and guess what Grant got?

You betcha! One for each hand.

Other notable and difficult to believe events: 

My Dad taught Claire some important life skills: circus tricks.

The boys inspected Grandpa's airplane

 Zach says all Leavitt family pictures have a dead fish in them. This fish happens to still be alive.

And most impressive: walking on water.

Turkey Day

I hope you are having a happy Thanksgiving. When Grant was three days old, we had to take him to the emergency room for a fever. It was his first Thanksgiving.  They did a spinal tap and gave him an IV and drew his blood and hooked him up to monitors. I couldn't hold him. I was filthy because I hadn't even showered since we left the last hospital. Zach resorted to swearing at the doctors a few times. I just sat on the window seat crying most of the day. For dinner we ate hospital food. It was sad. Every year I think about that Thanksgiving and I feel thankful that time always passes and I know on my worst days things will get better.

I am thankful for Collin's quiet determination and Grant's loud enthusiasm. I am thankful for Zach's patience and Claire's smiles and coos. I am thankful for the humility and compassion I have learned from being a mother. I hope I don't have to learn much more of it.

I am thankful for my mom who taught me how to bake bread and my dad who introduced me to squash and sweet potatoes and all sorts of things I used to think were gross. I am grateful for my siblings and my in-laws and loyal friends.

I am thankful for my college education - especially my stats class that taught me to always ask questions and my humanities professor who always found comedy in art and literature. I am thankful for my boys' teachers who teach because they love it.

I am thankful for Target and Costco and my minivan and indoor plumbing. I am thankful the garbage truck collects my trash every week. I am thankful for computers and cameras and the Internet and modern transportation.

And... I am thankful for friends who like me enough to read a long rambling list of things I'm thankful for. Thanks everyone! Happy Turkey Day.

Zach couldn't stop laughing ...

When he saw this hat on Claire. 

I have never gotten more satisfaction out of playing dress up. He is still getting used to seeing a baby in girl clothes. Speaking of babies, my baby boys turn four this week and they are getting bikes. Oh they are going to die when they see them! Also, Zach has a birthday this week and has requested a day to play airsoft. For guys, there is no better way to make fast friends than to take them out in the woods and shoot them. I guess.

Let the kids dress themselves

Remember last year when I spent about 60 hours making costumes that my boys refused to wear? I learned my lesson. This year we just took the boys to Target and let them pick out some of those high quality pajama costumes. Best 40 bucks I spent all month.

This month were using all our spare dough to get the goods in that bag scraped off their teeth.

Birth Day

The day after my due date I had an appointment with the midwife. The baby showed no indication she was on her way, so my midwife, recognizing that my help would only be here for a limited amount of time, mercifully scheduled an appointment to induce me. I had four more days and I hoped that I would actually go into labor on my own. No such luck.

 We had to force the baby out. The fantastic thing about being induced though is that you get to do your hair and makeup before you go into labor. Of course you still have to wear the hospital issued uniform.

The final stats:
11 hours of labor
6 Popsicles
2 Wonderful supports (my mom & Zach) to help me overcome my fear of needles
1 awesome epidural that made me extremely itchy. Do they all do that? Zach says I itched with the boys, but I don't remember.
1 push. One push? That's crazy!
1 incredible baby

Claire Marie Webb 

Born Friday, September 23rd at exactly 9 pm

8 lbs 4 oz.

20 1/4 inches long

 I love that Claire was born on the first official day of fall and exactly two weeks before my birthday (Yup, it's today). She was born with beautiful rosy skin and the doctors and nurses told me she had the lowest biliruben count they had ever seen 0.0. I'm pretty proud. She has really long fingers and feet and even though she is my biggest baby, she is slender like the boys were. Of course I think she is the most beautiful creature on the planet.

 
And so does her Dad.

And her brothers. She got to come home at just two days old, and it was good to get away from all those nurses with needles and just relax at home. Welcome home baby Claire. We are so lucky to have you.

Thanks to my personal photographer. Hi mom.

Can't blog ...

Too busy admiring the baby!

The final countdown

There are just five days until my due date and I really would like to know how I got here. Seriously, I do not believe that nine months have already passed.

I don't feel uncomfortable enough to want to have this baby out of me yet, I suppose that is a major advantage of having twins, because by the time I had the boys at 38 weeks, I would have done anything to be done with it. Still, I must look pretty awkward because Grant walked in on me as I was about to get in the shower the other day and the sight made him forget what he was doing. He just stood and stared at me with a confused look on his face (or was that horror) while I informed him I needed some privacy. He later asked if there was too much food in my belly. Well, that and a baby, Grant.

Here are some highlights I don't want to forget about this pregnancy:
-My morning sickness was so much less intense than last time, but it lasted longer. And I threw up more.
-I can lift my hands over my head without getting woozy.
-I can stand up long enough to cook dinner. Mac and cheese counts.
-I can look at, smell and think about food without gagging.
-I managed to carry this baby with no new stretch marks. Boy, you one-at-a-timers have it good.
-I can walk up the stairs without my legs aching.
-I chose the boys' names before I even thought about getting pregnant, but I have changed my mind about what I want to name this baby about 50 times. Zach has not changed once.
-I felt the baby move super early and she is active. This girl is going to be an olympian.
-I was able to stay awake past 9 pm and didn't have to fight off unintentional naps all day.
-I did not get monthly ultrasounds at my checkups. I felt so neglected.
-I craved chili, Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers, mayonnaise (that's so gross), and ice cream.
-I don't care if I never eat chili, Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers, or mayonnaise again. I don't think ice cream and I will ever part ways permanently.
-My nesting instincts are going crazy on me. My greatest joy in life is scrubbing toilets. Someone please explain how my house can still look a mess.
-I am so nervous to bring this new baby home.
-I am so excited to bring this new baby home.