The progression of Zeke. Speaks for itself.

Ezekiel's birth story

Our newest little man made his appearance into the world March 30th at 2158 (9:58 pm).  

Ezekiel Arthur Clemens

We just liked the name Ezekiel, with the idea of calling him Zeke.  Arthur is Mike's middle name and was his paternal grandpa's first name.  All of the boys have family names as middle names, so we wanted to keep with that.  

My pregnancy with Zeke was the longest I have ever been pregnant.  I delivered Max two days earlier than Zeke.  But I think Thomas was the pregnancy that I wanted to get over with the most.  I really felt huge and yucky at the end.  This time, I was feeling pretty good.  However, as I moved past when I had been pregnant with the other guys, I got a little nervous about what size baby might be in there!  

I was looking forward to ANY signs of labor.  So, when I woke at 0130 on the 30th to a fairly strong contraction, I was thinking, "Yes!  Let's get this show on the road."  I was up until 0430 with only one or two contractions and then I was able to go back to sleep.  Bummer.  I was thinking I might get to have Mike stay home from work so we could head to the hospital to have a baby!  

The boys and I skipped school that day because I was just not able to focus on what they needed to do.  I was still not contracting regularly, if I could even have counted any contractions as strong enough to "count."  We putzed around.  Jackson had a piano lesson at 1330.  Then, they had football practice at 1700.  I decided to take Thomas along and walk the track that goes around the football field.  During that hour I probably had 8 or 10 contractions, but I was able to walk through them without stopping.  We went home from practice at 1800 and I decided to cook dinner, which was BLTs.  I had a few contractions, which I did stop to breathe through during that time.  I ate a sandwich, after a gentle reminder from Mike that last time I was in labor I threw up what I had eaten.  Didn't matter.  I was hungry and a BLT sounded good.  

I decided to let Mike clean up the kitchen while I took a shower.  During that shower I had a few more contractions, probably 4 or 5.  When I was done at about 1930, Mike came upstairs and I told him I thought we should head to the hospital.  My contractions were definitely less than 10 minutes apart.  The pamphlet the midwives give out says that if you are not a first time mom and your contractions are 10 minutes apart you should come in, as your labor can progress more quickly than the first time.  I told Mike to get dressed and pack up the last minute things on our list.  I texted a friend to come stay with the boys.  

My friend Elisha arrived at about 2000 and Mike and I headed out.  We made a stop at Subway because I knew I would be super hungry after the birth and Tripler is a bit slow at getting food in the evening time.  I am sure the man behind me in line was thinking I should be getting to the hospital, as I breathed through contractions while I was ordering my sub, lol. 

We arrived at the hospital and I checked in with the nurse at the front desk.  After they got my paperwork started, I went to the waiting room to the bathroom because I thought I might be sick.  I didn't throw up, thankfully.  When I came out Mike was texting his boss that we were at the hospital and he would not be in to work tomorrow.  That was at 2113.  We got into a triage room and waited through a few contractions for the midwife to come check me.  She got in there and said I was 7 cm dilated and 100% effaced.  I think I said, "Oh no!" out loud.  This had her a little confused because apparently she thought I was doing really well with laboring.  

I had thought, before this stage of labor set in, that I wanted an epidural...  and I let the midwife, Susanna know of my wishes.  Bless her heart, she said maybe we could make that happen.  She had to check the baby was head down with an ultrasound before they could move me, so she hurried to do that, only to find a sunny side up baby.  Now I wanted the epidural even more!  I have heard pushing out a baby that way can be pretty uncomfortable.

So, baby was head down.  And we move to the labor room.  There is a nurse there to do my admission paperwork and one to draw my blood and start an IV.  Susanna came in to say that the doc was looking at my chart so that I could get the epidural and then she left again.  Not long later, she returned to say that my contractions were pretty intense (not that I had noticed; please note my sarcasm) and they wanted me to turn on my side and get some oxygen because the contractions were affecting the baby's heart rate.  I was also hyperventilating with the intensity of the contractions and my hands were super tingly/numb.  It was a super weird sensation.

I turned on my side and with the next contraction my water broke to which I very eloquently shouted something like, "Holy Shit!!!!"  At that moment I knew there was no epidural going to happen.  My water never broke with my first three pregnancies, so I knew the baby had to be pretty low and exerting lots of pressure.  Sure enough, on the next contraction, I said, "I think I need to push!"  The nurse looked and said, "I see the head!"  Susanna was still getting dressed, but I know she was pulling her gloves on at that moment.  With the next contraction I could not help myself and I just pushed.  My eyes had mostly been closed up to that point and I just remember thinking, "I sure hope someone is down there to catch this baby because I am not sure I can stop this whole process from happening!"

I felt the baby's head come out and then the rest of him in the next second.  What a relief!  Not to mention relief that the midwife was ready in time, lol  He came out so fast that Mike got some sort of fluid on his shoes.  He would later say that we should have listened to the literature that says to bring an extra change of clothes/shoes for dad, ha!  My eyes were closed for the push and Susanna told me to open my eyes and look at him...  HIM.  Yes, our fourth son.  It was 2158, probably less than 30 minutes since we had arrived in the room.

I finished up the delivery process without much trouble.  Of course, the nurses came in to dig around my belly a few times, make sure I wasn't bleeding too much.  That's always pleasant.  The baby nursed pretty quickly and easily too, so we were off to a good start.  After two hours they transferred us to the postpartum unit and I ate that Subway I insisted on stopping for.  The whole footlong.  I have always been ravenous after childbirth.  Mike went home not long after we got settled in the room.  He brought the boys to visit the next morning.  The big boys fell instantly in love, but Thomas was simply curious.

Welcome to the world Baby Zeke!  You are in for quite a ride with all these big brothers!

Clemens comics and other stories

Recently the boys have been saying some hilarious things:

When playing a game, we often say, "I'm gonna beat your pants off."  However, Max says, "I'm gonna beat you off the pants."  It is beyond funny.  I literally laugh every single time.



Today Thomas was making what I lovingly refer to as "the most obnoxious noise ever," and Daddy said something about him giving one of us an aneurysm.  Of course, the boys don't know what that means, so Jackson says, "Yeah Thomas.  You better quit that noise or you're going to give one of us an ear infection."



I used to have this fear of my kids growing into teenagers.  I think I am growing out of it.  I thought I liked them when they were babies... and I did.  I loved every moment of that time and the warm snuggles and complete need they had for me.  And now that Thomas is a toddler and he is doing all those fun toddler things and learning so much, I realize that I love this stage just as much and I get even more laughs and have more interactive fun with him.  And then there is Max and Jackson, who just get better with time.  Their personalities and all their God-given gifts and talents come out more with each passing year.  I realize more every day how cool God is by watching them.  I see why Jesus said let the children come to Him because He must have enjoyed their antics and stories as much as I do.  I wonder if He rolled His eyes at the kids He knew as much as I roll mine at Max (when Max is not looking of course, and always with a silent giggle.)  And I wonder if He listened to all the sportscaster kids with as much a swell in His heart as I have when Jackson starts announcing his life.
I am thankful my fear is dissolving and my joy is increasing in watching these kids grow up.  Each day they bring something new and cool to my life and as their mama, I am determined to enjoy the ride with them.

On the first day of presents, our family gave to us...

This year for Christmas, we decided to open our presents slowly, over a number of days.  Last year we had the kids open something the three days before Christmas, and it was so fun.  They appreciated each of those gifts and enjoyed them that day.  They were more able to remember who got them each thing.  Then, Christmas morning hit.  Santa visited, and they opened all the other gifts under the tree.  It was chaos and if I recall correctly, they later said they were bored.  I think it was more like overwhelmed.  They didn't know what to do first.  

So this year, we decided to slow it down and have Christmas morning be only for Santa's gifts, starting the opening on the 20th.  They still had things to open after Christmas morning too.  I think next year, we will start as many days early as we have gifts at that time.  We were ready to have enjoyed Christmas and the opening of gifts to be finished once the actual day had come and gone.  Of course, there are often straggler gifts since we live far away and the mailing of presents does not always happen in order for us to get them before Christmas.  That makes it even more fun though, because the boys LOVE getting anything in the mail and being able to open a present when they were not necessarily expecting anything is so fun for them.  

These gifts are from Mike's Aunt Carol and Uncle Dan and his sister Jessica and her family.  I love the pure joy of children and presents.  I am so thankful for these boys and their love of life.  

And on the second day of Christmas our family gave to us (there is more than one video for this day:):  

Thomas turns ONE year old!!

Hard to believe Thomas turned a year old on December 30th, 2014.  The year went by so fast.  Next year will probably be equally as fast, as Thomas becomes a big brother some time end of March or early April.  He is a super fun little guy, always on the move and keeping his Mama, Daddy, and big brothers on their toes. 

At this point: 

• He hams it up for the camera, at least for the first few pictures and as long as he is not already crabby/tired
• He has 6 teeth
• Still takes the paci, mostly at night
• We call him Beiber baby or Hansen sometimes, because his hair is boy band-esq
• He is full on walking, although sometimes he looks a little like a drunken sailor, especially when he gets going too fast. 
• He just walks right into things or steps on them, pushing stuff out of his way with his feet
• Eats a variety of things, but is picky about different things on different days.  He likes to feed himself, now usually only taking a few bites of whatever the offering is from me.
• He can even do apples and carrots
• He will not sit still for a book, maybe only a page or two, even if it sings or rhymes
• He loves to climb just about anything, including whatever person happens to be laying in front of the couch, his favorite place to climb up to
• He LOVES to be outside, but he is not steady enough on his feet yet that Mama loves it.
• He really doesn't have any words and he grunts more than he babbles, but he makes what I lovingly call "the most obnoxious noise ever," which is something of grunt and a scream mixed together
• His favorite toys are his stacking cups and anything he can dump or take apart
• He can steer his little walker/push toy and the firetruck we have

In his handsome clothes for an attempt a Christmas picture

The attempts...

The booster seat:  a great place to "lock him up" to get a photo

Sleepytime Elmo:  the present Santa brought him.  I have not yet caught the smile he gets on his face when Elmo's music comes on

He is also very into Tupperware lide

Birthday boy:  before shots

Birthday boy:  after shots.  He needed the paci for that business

He can eat a piece of banana as a whole now, taking his own bites, rather than me breaking it up for him

He made it so hard for me to get a picture with the blocks saying "One Year."  He kept picking them up to play with them.

Finally

Getting ready for cake

Jackson and Max told me Thomas needed an Elmo cake (the day before his birthday), I assume because Santa brought Elmo.  I figured since he has a mom who "does cake" he should get what the boys were asking for, but I took the easy way, with a plastic Elmo on top.

Attempted some fondant as practice for another cake I am probably making in May

He stuck his fingers right into the cake, but would not dive in again after that.  He is the third child that has not wanted to get cake all over himself

Night night to the birthday boy!

To all the families with actually, REALLY picky eaters: What I have learned about hearts and bellies

No one really quite gets it.  People mean well, but trying to help me or give me ideas on feeding this bunch seems really very pointless.

So, as you have probably figured I have a family of really picky eaters.  This includes my husband, although he has come a very long way since we first met and even since we got married.   I have heard the gamut of advice on how to handle them all.

Be a hard nose, make them eat what I put in front of them.

Call the veggies by superhero names or give them superpowers.

Just call the onions polka dots; all kids love that.

Hide veggies in the recipes.

Occasionally, one of those things (and whatever else I might have tried) has worked with ONE of the bunch, but never more than one at the same time.

Not only are they picky about what they eat, and each of them are picky about different things, but they are all particular about how things are prepared.  Jackson in particular, will turn away food that does not taste the same as how I cook.  My goal is to get him to do this politely at least.

Don't get me wrong, I would really love for this bunch of mine to eat everything I like to cook, but that is just simply, probably not going to happen, at least until some grown up taste buds make an appearance and even then I have my doubts about them eating just anything I put in front of them.  I am used to them now.  I used to hate being a short order cook, but now I roll with it.  I cook regular meals about three times a week and the rest of the time we eat leftovers or easy prep things.

In the end, what I have come to is that I am a lot more concerned with their hearts than their bellies.  I want them to tell people their preferences politely and be appreciative for whatever is offered to them and appreciative of the spirit it is offered in.  I want them to say "No Thank You" sincerely and kindly.  And I want them to understand they have it SO much better than so many other kids around the world.

They drink clean water every day.  Even the water in our toilets is cleaner than the water kids in third world countries drink.  They have food that they like at their whim and it fills their bellies so they are almost never hungry.

I want them to one day look around at the home they have been PRIVILEGED to grow up in and want to make a difference for those who have had less than they.  I want to teach them that Jesus gives much to some, and because of that much given, much is required too.  I want them to love Jesus so much that they love His people the way they are loved by Christ.

This is a hard undertaking.  I struggle and worry that I am not doing enough each day to teach them all these things, from being polite to how big Jesus' love is for them.  And I pray.  I pray that God will equip me and their Daddy to teach and show them what love looks like, love from a parent to a child and love from our great big God to His smallest and most needy child.

A little Christmas fun

Grandma Clemens came to visit, arriving here on Thanksgiving day.  She helped us decorate the Christmas tree this year, but we didn't get her in a single picture.  Jackson and Max had a great time helping get it all together.  

We liked the final result, but I didn't get a picture with the topper!

Mom got a gingerbread house and saved it for decorating with Grandma.  They spent a good long time on it.  You can definitely tell which side is Jackson's and which side is Max's, ha!

We saw a beach bum Santa at the squadron kids' holiday party.  All three boys were excited about that:)  Jackson and Max were even more excited when they opened their gifts to find Pokemon cards.