McKale's Birth Story

I can't believe I'm writing another birth story.  We are SO blessed!

My due date wasn't until 11/1/11, so I was quite surprised when I started having some contractions early in the morning on October 22.  This was an exceptionally special day, not only because we were adding a beautiful addition to our family, but also because it was the birthday of Jalon's mom, Louanne.  Louanne died of breast cancer December 18, 1998 - before knowing any of her precious grand-babies.  She was an AMAZING woman, to say the least.  She was loving, inspiring, and CRAZY about her family.

My first contraction was around 3:30 am, and was quite strong.  The contractions were not very regular, but they were close and HARD.  Dr. French had recommended we go to the hospital once contractions got started because baby Mac was SO LOW.  (I had been feeling for days like his head might very well pop out with a sneeze.)  So at about 6 am, we decided to head over to the hospital.  The big brothers were still in bed, so Papa came over to be with them, and take care of them for the first day/night we would be away.

All settled in, they checked me and I was only 2 cm... this was a bit embarrassing, as I was hoping to be more progressed than this.  Plus as you might recall from this story, 2 is the worst number IN THE WORLD. But I didn't stay at 2cm for long this time.  I quickly progressed to 3cm, 4cm...  Dr. French came and asked if I wanted him to break my water, WHICH I didn't - at least not until I got my (blessed-of-the-Lord) epidural.  So I got my sweet-nectar-of-heaven epidural, without complication, and continued to progress to about 6 cm.  I rested and slept.  Jalon was SO funny during this process.  He kept me laughing the entire time.  We joked that my belly jiggled like Santa - and we figured this helped the contractions somehow.  Rachel and Becky were there with us.  Becky was a trooper, rubbing my head, arms, back... doing whatever my whim asked, making me comfortable.  Dr. French came back and broke my water, and then he went home.  A small detail that will come into play later... 

At this point, I got kinda "stuck" at 6.5 cm.  They started some pitocin, and we waited.  Needles to say, the pitocin did its job... I progressed quickly and soon there was that familiar "pressure" that indicated something was happening :) - the nurse checked me and I was 10 cm and his head was easily felt.  Dr. French was called, and had to come from home.  I asked the nurse where he lived, and she said, "Zalesky" - and I thought she said "Alaska" - which is what I was beginning to feel! It seemed like he was coming from Alaska!  I was ready to push, and they were asking me to "blow off the contractions" - haha.  Easier said than done.  But Dr. French did make it, and at the next contraction I pushed out his little head (incidentally, Mac started crying when only his head was out, crazy!) and I asked if I could push again with the same contraction - and I pushed out the rest of his sweet little body!  Once again, I pride myself in being a CHAMPION pusher.  Hey, it's the small victories.  They put him on my chest, and let me have him there for a VERY long time, like close to an hour.  It was amazing.  We weren't rushed to have the hospital "rituals" done - we snuggled, and he nursed right away - he was also a CHAMPION. 





 

McKale William Peters (aka Mac)
Born October 22, 2011 @ 3:06 pm
7 lbs 2 oz19 inches
My favorite baby part?
His little shins, so skinny. Little bird legs.
AND the palms of his hands -
SO soft, the softest things you've ever felt in your life.

The next day the big brothers got to come into the hospital and see our new family member.  It was such a special and memorable time.  They were THRILLED and so loving and excited. 


 

McKale means "Who is like our God?"

All Domestic and Everything...

I've NEVER claimed to be a Domestic Diva. 

In fact, I'd fall into a category quite the opposite.

BUT - in addition to my habit of ad-matching,

(Wal-Mart and I have a love/hate relationship...)

I've given in and started couponing.

Not over the top, dumpster diving couponing.  Yet.

(Would NOT be a pretty sight...
pregnant, 100 degrees. No.)

But simple, save on what I'd buy anyway, COUPONING.

Much due to the help and inspiration from my friend Jackie,

she's made it easy, and dare I say it... even a bit fun.

I'm saving an average of 15-40 dollars a week. 

That's always fun.

And hello there beautiful.
I'm Jessie, the woman who made you.

Since I'm bragging on all things domestic,
I thought you should know I made this pizza from scratch. 
Yes, my first EVER. 
It was amazing,
and my little growing family devoured every bite.

Also this week I made a brand new Beef Stroganoff recipe.  Yummy.
On the horizon is homemade Mac and Cheese.

Silly bragging, I know.
But it's my blog, therefore my prerogative.
Hee hee. 

The Guilt of It All

I feel guilty a lot. 


Some recents:
My kids eat McDonalds, even Taco Bell. 
Today I let Mason eat a bagel off the hotel carpet. 
I shouldn't be so rushed all the time. 
I should let them just be boys. 
Do I let them watch too much TV? 
(Even as I'm typing this I want to justify my actions to you...
including that it was a very clean hotel.) 
I don't buy organic.
I only recycle because it means I can empty my trash less. 
I shop at Wal-Mart. 
I don't like to cook. 
My house isn't nearly as clean as hers. 
I work part-time, which means I'm not a "real" SAHM. 
Do I read enough to them?
I'm not really crafty.
Is ministry taking too much time away from family?
Is family keeping me from ministry?
My minivan has goldfish and cheerios on the floor.
And that's just the beginning of the MOTHERING guilt...


Then add all the OTHER guilt that gets heaped on as a bonus:
I'm too inpatient with my husband.
I take my husband for grantid.
I haven't worked out since 2007.
Do I have a hobby?
I lose my keys every-other day.
I should be more organized.
I don't ever iron.
My husband folds most of the laundry.
I pay to have my house cleaned once a month.
My back yard has lots of weeds.


I have so much student loan debt (also since 2007...)
We've foreclosed a home.
Short-sold a home.
Foreclosed on our dream lot.
Had a truck re-possessed.


It's a lot of work feeling this guilty all the time.  I remember my SIL Amy encouraging me once as I (literally) cried to her on the phone.  She said, "Jessie, you need to cut yourself some slack."  That was good advice.
And while I try, I also try to remember this:

• There is no condemnation for me, because I am in Christ. (Rom 8:1)
• Guilt is banished through love and truth. (Pr 16:6)
• God's mercy for my is new every morning. (Lam 3:23)
• If I'm content to simply be myself, my life will count for plenty. (Mt 23:12)
• Body and soul, I am marvelously made. (Ps 139)
• I am God's masterpiece, He has made me new in Christ Jesus, so I can do the things He planned for me long ago. (Eph 2:10)
• Everything God created is good and to be received with thanks. (1 Tim 4:4)
• I'm the clay, God is the potter.  I am what He made me to be.  (Is 64:8)

I also have found out that a lot of my guilt is based on what I presume are other people's opinions of me. 
So I also try to remember this:

• If my goal was popularity, I wouldn't bother being Christ's slave. (Gal 1:10)
• Don't be selfish, don't try to impress others. (Phil 2:3)
• God pays no attention to what others say (or what I think) about me.  (Rom 2:11)
• It is better for me to take refuge in God, than to trust in people.  (Ps 118:8)

Maybe guilt just comes with the Mama territory.
But I'm still going to fight it.
So today. 
Love. 
Serve. 
Have joy. 
Be thankful. 
That's enough, and good enough for me.


Inspired by this post.

Picture This

Silly Gymnastics

Marsh and Maso playing "Piggy-Ride-Back"



Up-Side-Down Brown and Blue



Baby Sumo



Lip Stretches

Chicken Pox!!!

While the boys have been looking a lot like THIS:




We've been doing a lot of THIS:




 And this...




And taking lots of oatmeal these:



 And watching this:



Eating, napping, benadryl-ing, rocking - and A LOT OF TV...
Sorry, we'll cut back to normal once we're not quarantined.  
Hang in there little M boys.  

So I take it back...

I was recently inspired by this post.  You should read it.  I pride myself (first mistake) in being thankful.  But I've found an area where I've been a jerk.  My Dave Ramsey car.  I could justify my opinions about my car to you in half a second, maybe even in three words or less. 

BUT I really shouldn't do that.
Why?
(Insert again all those negative, but funny, reasons to hate it.) 
BECAUSE I SHOULD BE A THANKFUL PERSON. 

It's paid for.  When we sold our other car, it helped us become SO much closer to being debt free. (Student loans are all we have left... long road, another post.) I don't have to walk.  I don't  have to ride a bike.  I don't have to wait with my kids and my groceries at a bus stop in 107 degree weather.  I am THANKFUL for these things. 

So I take it back.  I take it ALL back.  I take back all my hilariously crafted words about my car.  And instead I'll love it.  Okay that's a lie.  I'll be thankful for it.  Yes.  I'll also thankful for financial peace.  And some day I'll live like no one else because today I'll live like no one else (props again to Dave, we're on a first name basis at our house, he just doesn't know it).   

My Mason

I love Mason.

Somewhere along the line I've been taught that I don't want to label my kids.  Rightly so.  At the same time, I've also seen parents with a "difficult" kid have to be isolated, because they're not even allowed to say they're having difficulty because it makes them possibly come across as labeling their child as "difficult". 

Seems like a pretty lonely road.

That being said, Mason is difficult.  Lol.  Gosh I love him.  Did I mention that?  He is smart, and sweet, and amazing.  I believe in him.  He's a good boy.  But I'm not going to candy-coat anything, that's for sure.  He is trying sometimes lots of times. 
All these parenting truths by which I stand so firmly: be consistent,  demonstrate manners, teach quick obedience, discipline out of love not anger or embarrassment, this is a season which will pass... somehow are so much harder to implement with my Mason.  He gives strong-willed a new (very handsome) face.  He is knowingly defiant sometimes lots of times.

I've been consistent now for almost two years.  That's a dang long season.  That's a lot of tantrums.  That's a lot of wondering if I'm doing something wrong.  That's a lot of wondering if there's something wrong with him. 

But here's my conclusion: he is who he is.  He's (almost) two.  He needs to be taught, shaped, and molded.  He is who God created him to be.  Mason has been intrusted to our family for a reason.  Just like I can learn to trust God with other unknowns in my life, I can trust God with my Mason too.  I can't expect him to be a certain way just because it would make for easier parenting, right? He's been crafted to be just the way he is, and someday these weakensses will be his strenghts.  He is strong.  Understatment.  He is persistent.  Rediculously understated.  BUT - when shaped and molded these are gifts that can change his world. 

That's hard to remember when I'm picking him off the floor at Wal-Mart while he's laying there snot-faced, kicking, and yelling, "stop it Mama" after throwing his sippy cup at me. 

But I'm trying.   

I'll try to be consistent. 
I'll try to encourage his good behavior. 
I'll try not to lose my temper and feel like a loser. 

I'll also give myself grace. 
I'll also give him grace.
I'll pray sometimes lots of times.
And pick up the sippy cup.

I fiercy love you Mason Scott.  I'm devoted to you.  I'll do my best to show you Jesus and teach you to be like him.  I'm your biggest fan.  You'll change the world someday.  I'm proud of you already. 

Teaching About Jesus

There are so many things you want to impart to your kids.  From morals, to manners, to the importance of good hygiene... and everything in between.  It can be a bit daunting actually, and my kids are only 3, and 20 months.  What do I teach, when? What if I forget something SO important (clean underwear, for instance)?  Being the planner that I am, I want to schedule out a life lesson a day, then recap two days later, then outline levels of importance... but alas, that is stupid unrealistic.

So.  I felt like God gave me a plan.  Which is really a lack of plan.  Such a novel idea.  Thanks God.

1. As they are able to understand, teach when opportunities arise.

2. Demonstrate the rest.

Lately, some opportunities have arisen :) We are doing a fund-raiser at The Uprising to buy cars for missionaries around the world, through an AWESOME organization called Speed the Light (STL).  In short, the challenge is called Slow Self, Speed the Light, where we encourage students to find something they are willing to give sacrificially to sell through our group Craig's List listings - all proceeds go to STL.  In our home, we pray for missionaries every night when we pray together.  So I figured, let's all think about something we can give up and contribute.  We started talking to Marshal about the importance of helping others, how we have so much and there are missionaries who don't have as much as we do - and asked him what he wanted to give to help.  His first answer was, "money!"  What a great answer! I then reminded him that he didn't have any money, lol.  BUT we talked about how we could sell some toys, or stuffed animals, or clothes to get him some money.  His sweet little nature was just taking it all in.  No decisions yet.  I'll keep you updated. 

As I alluded, we have prayer time every night.  It's the cutest thing you've ever seen.  It ends up being a tag team prayer, where Marshal starts, and then tells each one of us - "your turn Mom" or "your turn Dada". The last of the family finishing up for the night.  We hadn't been including Mason in the turns because, well, he couldn't talk. But as his vocabulary has been growing - we thought we'd give him a chance at bat.  So for the last week or so, Mason has been taking his turn.  He bows his head, quiets his voice, and says: "Praying, praying, praying [as many times as he likes] ... Amen!"  Ooooooh! It's sweet!

Somehow the DEMONSTRATING part of the non-plan/plan is comforting and terrifying all at the same time.  I don't have to feel pressured to DO anything, but I want to BE a lot.  I want to be honest.  I want to LOVE.  I want to forgive.  I want to serve others before myself.  I want to love Jesus.  I want to know Jesus.  I want to be able to share.  I want to be able to say I'm sorry.  I want to be teachable.  I don't want to live my life for this world.  I want to be wise.  I want to bear fruit.  I want to make a difference. So where am I starting?  I'm trying to simply know Jesus, love Him, and ask Him to make me more like Himself.  

Seems like a good place to start. 

Picture This

Heritage Park Zoo

Family fun day with the cousins!  We went to Heritage Park Zoo. Have you ever been there? It's in Prescott, Arizona.  It is so cute!  It's small, we did the whole event in half a day.  The weather was perfect, low 80s, slightly overcast, intermittent breeze. We went on a weekday and it was EMPTY.  There was a fun playground area, water play, grass, and a nice shaded area for a picnic.  It was during the picnic that I learned my Mason is terrified of chickens.  Three feet / a chain-link fence away from a tiger? No problem.  A clucking hen looking for some wheat-thins? Apparently life-threatening. He kept screaming, "No doodle-doo, no doodle-doo!" while climbing away as fast as he could.  We saw lots of great wildlife, they were all out, maybe because of the cooler than usual weather.  Rates were cheap too!  Fun day with fun littles.

More Bunk-Bed Bewilderment

I promise one of these days I'll stop blogging about this bunk-bed stuff.  Maybe.  But I can't get over it! Mason still escapes from his bed every night and sleeps on the floor, until we get ready to sleep and scoop him back to the bottom bunk.

Then last night.

I go in to check on them, anticipating to move Mason (harder to do these days btw, nearly 6 months pregnant) - and BOTH beds are empty.  The room is silent.  Fleeting, random thoughts/fears of:  a.) abduction and b.) rapture, dance through my brain.  I look under the bunks to find them both sound asleep.  Against the back wall mind you.  No grabbing, scooping, or relocating happening from this preggo.  So I threw a blanket over each (well as close as I could get), and called it good.

Jungle Birds

My children are con-artists when it comes to nap-time.
Suddenly, they have to have a snack.
A drink.
Poop. Twice.
Then, JUST WHEN ALL EYELIDS ARE CLOSED...
They cue the wild jungle birds outside.
In Arizona.
The trees are silent until it's nap-time, then spontaneously -
A symphony of wild-bird-mating-calls erupts.
I just might shoot them (the birds, not the children).
Don't turn me in to PETA.
Nap-time is very important.
For the sanity of all mankind.

"Let's Go to the Movie Festival!"

Both boys have been to movies as newborns, sleeping and nursing through the whole ordeal. But this was the first movie they went to for their OWN enjoyment, and boy did they enjoy it!  We went to see the new Winnie the Pooh movie - BIG HIT.  Marshal was especially excited, he sat on his little booster with a big bag of popcorn, laughing and offering sweet little comments through the whole thing.  Mason sat quietly on my lap for oh, 17 minutes, and then wanted to drink my soda, kick off his shoes, throw his sippy-cup down the slanted floor, and shake the seats of the kids in front of us.  Luckily, the theater was full of restless littles and everyone was patient.

On our way out of the theater, Marshal kept saying, "Mom! Thanks for taking me to the movie festival, it was SO AWESOME!"  Festival... theater... so sweet.  

(Sorry for the horrible picture quality - I only had one shot in the dark - and the flash blinded the whole Pooh audience.) 

More Bunk-Bed Updates

Perhaps Mason comes by it genetically?
Wanting to be on the floor?
Under a bunk?

Or perhaps it has nothing to do with the bunk at all...
(Above is how we found him LAST night.)

Retro Red Rider

Papa got Marsh the coolest trike EVER for his birthday.  It's this retro red Radio Flyer, with matching helmet of course.  Marsh really wants to be proficient, so he practices every day.  We decided to go out beyond just the confines of the patio, so the whole family went for a walk.  Marsh was cracking us up, you can tell he was trying so hard.  He had some difficulty steering and stopping, so as you can see above Daddy was helping.  FUNNIEST THING EVER - do you notice anything missing from the pictures? Jalon's shoe! Our new roads have just enough hill that Marshal would lose control, so Jalon was riding on the back with one flip-flopped-foot dragging off the back for some resistance, and his flip-flop busted! So the rest of the walk/ride was done with one foot bare.