I am thankful for this…

Collin Kartchner is mostly known for his sarcasm and wit around here, but today, he made me cry.  Speaking so beautifully of feelings, truth, knowledge, and emotions with which I am well acquainted, he managed to hit the jackpot on my tear ducts today.

Need a good cry?

Want to see what life is all about?

Need a little comfort?

Grab some Kleenex, go here.

It also helps if you have a toddler on your lap, watching it with you.  Just when I thought the tears wouldn’t stop, Peyton farted on me.  Nice little distraction.  It reminded me of the three sweet ones I do have here.

Even Target Knows..

The other day, as I got the mail from the mail box, I found a couple of things worth being excited over.. in other words, they weren't bills ;)
This was one of them:You see, even Target knows when I should be gestating.
Looking at all the new yummy baby stuff in there made my baby hunger grow..
Is it a legitimate enough reason to have another baby just because the crib bedding is adorable?
To me, yes.
To Merrill, no.
The $20 gift card you get with starting a registry didn't convince him either...

No Mercy..

This is my DI pile.. well, part of it.
There is no mercy in my house when it comes to what we are holding on to.
The spring cleaning bug has bitten, hard, and I have been in the mood for a month plus. Many projects, cleaning, organizing, and painting. We've been busy around here!
My largest (and hardest..) under-taking was going through all of my little girls clothes (from 0 months-5 girls) and giving or throwing away many items.
Flashbacks came heavy and hit hard.
I then organized it all...
It was hard going through Peyton's next size.. these are the clothes Lynn wore when I was pregnant with Ash.. there's my body clock.. ticking away.. telling me what I should really be doing right now, gestating..
I am trying to put it all aside.
Took apart the changing table (first time it has ever been taken apart and packed away.. it's always been up in the nursery, waiting for the arrival of the next little one.). I am planning on painting the nursery. Peyton needs a big girl room, and if I am really done having babies, I need the reminders, the things that make me long for another little one, out of sight.

Mommyhood...

This was a tag on facebook, and Kaycee posted it on her blog.. she basically said, "If you read this, do it.." and because I do most everything I am told.. I am doing it here too.. and I am doing all three pregnancies, because, if you don't know me, I so love the memories!
1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?
Yes.. but came sooner than we thought.. we were told that it would take "a while" after I got off of birth control.. try less than a week.

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
Yes

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?
Lynn- SOOO EXCITED!!! I told everyone who would listen to me, that day...
Ashley- Relieved that I was right.. the early results EPT was WRONG!! Both times..
Peyton- Happy.. I am pretty sure I had an early miscarriage before her.

4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU?
Never!!

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU?
Lynn- 22
Ashley- 24
Peyton- 27

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
Lynn- Took a pregnancy test after I was hungry all the time, and wanted vegetables right before bed..
Ashley- Got sick smelling seafood in Olive Garden, followed by going totally hormonal on Merrill for not observing Valentine's day.. which he NEVER has..
Peyton- Pregnancy test after discovering my clothes didn't fit.. oh, and craving a pint of Ben and Jerry's every day, and eating ALL of it in one sitting..

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
Lynn- Merrill
Ashley- Jaclyn
Peyton- Brooke?
8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX?
Yes! Yes! Yes!

9. DUE DATE?
Lynn- December 6, 2002
Ashley- October 15, 2004
Peyton- February 23, 2008

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
Lynn- Yes, a little, but it was like Amanda's, all day long.. it ended pretty fast.
Ashley- Same thing..
Peyton- by far the worst... I thought I was having a boy for sure!!

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
Lynn & Ashley- Sandwiches and vegetables
Peyton- Sweet, red meat, and root beer floats.. that's where the addiction started..

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?
People telling me how big I was.. grocery store workers telling me what sex baby I was having by looking at what groceries I was buying or how I was carrying the baby...
13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX?
Girl..

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? Some times! :)

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
Lynn- seriously about 65
Ashley- 35 (I learned my lesson)
Peyton- 30
Still have the Jabba the Hut gut...

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?
Three?
17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?
One was.. other two, nope.. they were family.
18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
Lynn- No
Ashley- No
Peyton- No

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Ogden, all three times...

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
Lynn- went in at midnight, had her at 9:15 am.. so if my Roy high math skills are correct.. a little over 9 hours.. :)
Ashley- Went in at 7 am, she was born at 12:53.. via c-section
Peyton- woke up at 2:30ish, in labor.. got to the hospital at 3:40ish (I put it off a little to see if it was "real"..) had her at 4:45 am

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?
Mer-Bear :)

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Lynn- Merrill, Mom, Kev, Darlene, Dad, Jaclyn.. good ol' Doc. Healy..
Ashley- Much the same crowd... + Lynn and Clint.. sub doctor Swift for Doc Healy..
Peyton- Merrill, Darlene, Doc. Bierer..

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
Lynn- Natural
Ashley- C-Section (LOVED IT!!! Awesome recovery!)
Peyton- Natural (VBAC- Vaginal Birth After Cesarean)

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
Yuppers!! Lots!!

27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
Lynn- 7 lbs. 12 oz.
Ashley- 8 lbs 2 oz.
Peyton- 8 lbs. 14 oz.

28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ?
Lynn- November 24
Ashley- October 5
Peyton- February 13

30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
Lynn Marie
Ashley Marie
Peyton Marie.. all after mom.. Mindy Marie ;)

31. HOW OLD IS HE/SHE NOW?
Lynn- 6
Ashley- 4
Peyton- one week away from 1!!! (sniff..)